Disclaimer: Thanks for coming back for more! Yay! Oh, and I don't own the show or its characters, but Kira is mine.

Chapter 3

I'm meditating in my dojo, preparing for a scrying ritual. Slipping into the pattern is not difficult. I have been doing this for years. Opening my eyes slowly, I gaze into the flames, asking for their guidance. I've felt so lost lately, so without a purpose. I fall deep into the flickering lights, becoming mesmerized by their dance.

I never heard them coming up behind me. A clawed hand covers my mouth, muffling my surprised scream. I struggle, throwing my attacker off. But another is already there, grabbing my arms, again from behind me. Then another, and another. How could so many have gotten through? I have wards set up all around the shrine. None of these filth should have gotten through.

Then he walked in.

"Ah!" I jerk awake, almost falling to the ground. I'm disoriented. My eyes flit around the unfamiliar room, taking it in.

I look first for the exits out of habit. A large oak door to my right, and another, smaller door just across from me, a bathroom I'm guessing, there were also two glass doors that were partially covered up by blue curtains. The walls were white with blue designs, flowers of some sort. Dark wood furniture, including the bed, in which I was currently covered by a shit load of blankets, completed the look.

Swinging my legs out of the bed, I found that someone, a woman I prayed, had dressed me in a long white kimono. I walk over to the larger door and pull on the handle.

It's locked goddammit!

I take a few steps back, examining the door. Maybe I could... No, I didn't get that kind of vibe from them. Besides, I know Yusuke and Kazuma. Neither of them would pull a kidnapping. They couldn't pull it off.

I turn around and walk over to the bathroom. I need a shower, being covered with seven kinds of dirt and some remaining smudges of blood, plus, after my days of confinement, I just wanted to scrub my body until my skin was raw.

The bathroom followed the same them as the bedroom: white tile and blue floral designs with dark wood accents. The water comes out hot as I turn the knob to the highest temperature possible. Slipping out of the kimono, I climb in, letting the steaming water run down my body. I stand there, relishing in the heat, for several minutes. Finally, I grab a bar of soap and a washcloth, scrubbing furiously at every inch of my skin. Using the same bar of soap, I lather up my hair and clean it thoroughly, then standing under the hot spray to rinse off.

About twenty minutes later, I step out of the shower and, finding a towel conveiniently placed on the rack, I dry off all the water and then wrap the kimono I was wearing before back around my body. I rummage through some of the droors and find my prize; a wooden hair comb. While I tease the knots from my shoulder length hair, I come to stand in front of the mirror above the sink, wiping away some of the steam.

The girl in the mirror stared back at me. She was me...but not me. She had the same gold eyes and hair, but her face was thin, guant,and dark circles were clear under her eyes. And the look in her eyes was...haunted. Like she had seen enough things that go bump in the night to last many life times. Which she had. Which I had.

I turn away and continue to comb out my hair, walking back into the bedroom. I make my way over to the glass doors and swing them open. The veiw is breath-taking: greenery and a river in the distance. A clear sky... Nothing overly special, but after being locked in that tower it was beautiful to me. Of course, never as beautiful as fire.

Speaking of which... I reach inward, delving for the core of my power. I almost cry when its there. It fills me with its warmth, and for the first time since I was taken, I feel whole and untouchable. For now at least.

"Feeling better?"

"Yikes!" I jump and spin to my right, finding Botan sitting on some sort of paddle and floating near the railing. "Don't do that! It almost gave a fucking hear attack!"

She giggled and jumped down next to me. "Sorry, I just saw you out here, and wanted to know if you were feeling more yourself."

I was silent for a moment. "I'll never be 'myself' again, Botan," I said quietly, "but I am feeling better, physically at least."

"I'm sorry we didn't get there until it was too late, Kira. Please beleive me, if we had been aware of the situation sooner, we would have charged to your rescue before those horrible demons could have done anything to you." She sounded so sincere.

"It's not your fault." I wasn't really sure what to say. I don't know what might've happened if they had known. Maybe it would have turned out differently, or maybe it wouldn't have. No one could ever really know. "And thank you, Botan. I'll tell the others too, but since your here, thank you so much for finding me."

She reached out and squeezed my shoulder lightly, "Your welcome." Pulling her hand back, she beckoned me to follow her back into the room. She went over to a door I hadn't noticed before and opened it. I peered inside and discovered that it was closet. "Everything should be your size, so pick out what you want."

"Um...okay..."

"I'm sorry for asking this, Kira, but you do realize that we need to ask you about what happened. We need to know why they're kidnapping young women." Her tone sounded with regret, and I did beleive that she was sorry about asking.

"It's okay. I'll tell as much as I know."

She gave me a small smile, and said, "Someone will come and get you in about ten minutes. I'll be waiting with Lord Koenma, so it will probably be Kurama or Hiei. Yusuke and Kuwabara will be waiting with me as well."

"Got it," I confirmed, "I'll be ready."

Another smile and she exited out the door leaving me to pick out some clothes. I eventually decided on black pants that were slit up the ankles, and a red tank top with the word "Pyro" written on the front in gold lettering. I searched the floor of the closet and pulled out a pair of black boots that came to my knees. Going back into the bathroom, I look for something to tie back my hair and find a red ribbon. Ribbons aren't really me, but hey, I can't complain. There is a knock at the front door.

"Coming!" I yell as I struggle to pull my hair back and run at the same time. I finally secure my hair at the nape of my neck and open the door.

Hiei is standing in the doorway. "Come on," he orders, "Koenma's waiting."

"Hello to you too," I mutter sarcastically.

He looks at me for a moment, then shrugs and turns away, walking down the hallway. I have to run to catch up with him. He may be hot, but he's a jerk too.

Hiei leads me through a complicated maze of hallways until we reach a pair of huge, gilded doors. He moves to open the doors but pauses as he notices that I froze about three feet away.

"What is it?" he asks sharply.

I sighed, "I just... I don't really want to do this. I'd rather just hunt the bastard down and kill him." I close my eyes and rub my hand over them, wishing for an Advil. I get headaches a lot, and I don't really know why. I guess it might be a side effect of my power. My grandmother got them too.

"You have too."

"I know." I pause, collecting my thoughts. "Okay. I-I can do this. Let's go."

Hiei opened the doors.