Chapter 4 here. I hope you all don't hate me for the last chapter. This one is...better...but graphic.

WARNING: Contains graphic torture on Takanashi's part!

Hiei walked down Koenma's hall, his door within view. He knew that he had died...and that it was by his fathers hand. Zyrin was heartbroken. He saw tears cover her face, sadness evident. She had told him that she loved him. That was one emotion he had yet to grasp. No one, in his whole life, had even shown him it. A cloud settled in his mind. She loved him...but what about him? They had shared a night together and had shown each other passion, but could he call it love? Did he love her...or lust her? He came upon Koenma's vast door and, inside, he will receive Judgment. The ever perky ferry girl, Botan, stood beside him, but he noticed a change in her. She was not smiles or anything. Sadness emanated from her because she had to lead her 'friend', as she called him, into Reikai. Not being able to stand her depressive mood anymore, he pushed open the door and went to the toddlers desk.

"Hiei, I see the battle did not bode well. I am sorry."

"Save the apologizes. I need not hear them."

"But I truly am for there is no way to bring you back. The resurrection that Yusuke had the first time he died can only be done every few hundred years. Otherwise, I would help you. Perhaps you would like to stay here in Reikai instead of going past the Gate so you can still talk with the others."

"No, I will not. I do not want to see them." he said rather quickly. "I do not want them to be sad over something as pathetic as me."

"But you aren't, Hiei." Botan insisted, placing a hand on his shoulder.

He shrugged it off and sat in one of the chairs. He didn't go through it, seeing as how this IS Reikai. Koenma paced on his desk, then pushed a button on his desk. A screen came down from the ceiling, flickering to life. Hiei, curiously, turned to face it and found Zyrin and Takanashi fighting. Both had swords drawn and were flickering all around the battlefield. She was a very good fighter and was wearing his father down. Her eyes glowed bright red, much like her brothers used to when he got a craving for human flesh.

Zyrin's energy rose more and more with every slash she landed on Takanashi. He fell to the ground in a heap before her. Blood flowed down his body and onto the ground, causing her to lick her lips. Kurama stood on the sidelines, Hiei's lifeless body in his arms. She gazed at him briefly and increased her Youki. Takanashi grew fearful at this and started to scurry away, but she slammed her foot onto his back, forcing him downwards.

"No, no. I am not going to let you run off like that." she cooed to him as if he were a baby. "You are paying for taking the life of your son. A bastard like you does not deserve to live."

She placed her sword at the base of his neck and lightly dragged it down along his spine. He hissed in pain. She retraced the path several times causing more blood to soak into the earth. As she pulled the sword down his back, his vertebrae (backbone, spine) became visible. Placing her sword on the ground, she knelt next to him and withdrew a dagger. The cartilage was very tender. She set the dagger on top of the lowest one and pushed into it. Takanashi screamed in pain as she repeated the process all the way up his spine. It was gruesome torture, but he deserved it. He had caused so much pain and it was time for payback. His vision slid in and out of focus and he was completely paralyzed. Zyrin was content now. His punishment was almost complete. Lifting up his head by his hair, she smirked at him one last time before driving her blade into his neck. Crimson liquid oozed out of it as she withdrew the dagger. Dropping him, she rose and gazed over at Kurama who was mortified at the torture.

"It is for the innocent ones dragged into all of this, the lives lost, and," she gazed at the once living man in his arms. "for Hiei."

Together, they headed back to the castle. Yusuke had gone with Jin to collect the bodies of their friends while Zyrin was fighting. Kurama followed behind Zyrin into the castle. Koka saw them and ran over.

"Mommy...is it over?"

"Yes, it is."

"Where is Hiei?"

Zyrin went silent and Koka knew instantly. Tears came to her eyes again as she looked behind Zyrin. She saw the body of Hiei in Kurama's arms and, not being able to handle it anymore, fainted. Zyrin caught her and walked to the dining hall where Yukina was. The moment the Koormie saw her brother, she fell to her knees, tear gems falling all over the ground. Kazuma held her as she cried. Keiko was to traumatized to say or do anything. They had lost so many friends in the battle. Yusuke came in with Jin and several others, each bearing a different person in their arms. Zyrin laid Koka on one of the makeshift beds and turned to her red-headed friend. He laid Hiei upon a table and draped a sheet over his body. Tears came to her eyes as well and she threw herself into Kurama's arms.

"Damn you, Hiei. Damn you." she whispered over and over again.

Hiei watched the screen as his friends broke down. Yukina had cried herself to sleep and Kazuma bore her body to her room. Koka was taken to her room by Keiko and Yusuke. Jin and Touya tended to their friends, while Kori took Zyrin from Kurama. Hiei saw all of this and was saddened. Zyrin and Yukina were crying over the others and him. He didn't want them to be so upset. Perhaps going through the Gate will be for the best. He doesn't want them mourning him. He gazes at the toddler prince.

"I'll go through the Gate."

"Is this what you want Hiei?"

He looked at the screen. Zyrin was looking around the room curiously before her eyes settled on the secret Reikai camera. Hiei felt as though she knew he was watching her. Her eyes held no emotions. She smirked at the screen and, suddenly, disappeared. Everyone was startled. As he continued to watch the screen, he heard foot falls. Turning around, his eyes settled on Zyrin. Still, her eyes held no emotions. As he made to speak, she slapped him.

"Damn you, Hiei." she muttered. "You just had to go and die, did you not?"

"It is not like I had a choice."

"You could have dodged it."

"He was too close."

"That is not true. It was a shot that could have been avoided."

"Takanashi appeared before me and I was startled."

"You shouldn't have dropped your guard."

He went silent.

"I think you did it on purpose, Hiei. I think you wanted to die. You always wanted to. No matter what you did, you just couldn't die. I know you and I have seen your attempts. There are scars all over your body that are to perfect to be accidents. Some were recent, that much I know. Was it so bad that you had thoughts of Seppuku?"

"How would you know if I did?"

"I can read minds and you are rather open at times."

"How dare you read my mind."

"How dare you have such thoughts."

"Who cares?"

"I do."

"No you don't. You don't give a damn. I know what my father did to you...and I think you enjoyed it."

"What do you mean?"

"You and my father had sex, the same night you and I did!"

"I did not want to. Why do you care? You probably only used me."

"Damn straight."

Zyrin's eyes widened. She did not expect him to agree. The night Takanashi took her, she wished she was dead. His vile hands all over her body revolted her. Hiei watched her briefly before facing Koenma. His eyes were wide as well. The information that was said was more then her needed or wanted to know.

"I'm ready, Koenma."

"Are you sure?"

He looked at Zyrin. She met his eyes and tore his gaze from her. Hurt registered on her face, but she quickly shook it away. Botan stood by the door, hands pressed firmly over her ears so as not to hear them yelling, or any information that is sexually related, not that she was any better when it came to Kurama (the sex part, that is o). Hiei smirked at Zyrin.

"Yes, I am."

"Are you going to leave...just like that?" Zyrin asked him.

"Of course."

"What about Yukina and Koka? They will miss you very much. Will you just abandon them?"

Yukina's smiling face appeared in his head. How he loved to watch her play with the birds in Genkai's garden. Koka had a grown attached to him and slipped one time, accidentally calling him daddy. These emotions ran through him and he changed his mind.

"I'll stay here."

"Why stay here when you can return to your body?"

Koenma, Hiei, and Botan gazed at her curiously. They did not doubt her abilities. She walked over to him.

"Do you wish to return?"

"Yes...for Yukina and Koka." he stressed, not meeting her eyes.

She placed a hand on his forehead and chanted a inaudible sutra under her breath. A glow came from her hand. The greenish-yellow light passed into his body and he felt as though something was pulling him backwards. His vision became fuzzy and he felt a large tug. Succumbing to it, he was pulled from Reikai and, when he opened his eyes, was staring at a white sheet. Not being able to breath, he pushed it off. Kurama, who sitting in a chair beside him, jumped and fell out of his chair.

"And I thought Kitsunes were agile." Hiei said out loud.

"And I thought when one dies, they stay dead, but that had been disproved many times."

Kori looked at Hiei and smiled, nodding her head. He nodded back and hopped off the table. Everything was fixed when he returned to his body. There were no broken bones and the injury his father had caused was completely gone. Zyrin appeared in the doorway and looked at him. Their eyes held each others for a few seconds before she left to get Yukina and Koka. Hiei scoffed.

"Pathetic women." he muttered under his breath.

Yay! Hiei's back but him and Zyrin are having a spat. There are probably 3 to 5 chapters left. It should all be finished by Sunday, Monday at the latest. I'm so happy! I have spring break next week so as soon as I finish this story, I will be starting on my new one. Keep an eye out!

-UtsukushiiCho