We proceeded forward for a long time. To me it felt like forever as I kept expecting Hitaru to leap out at every step Hiei took.

Finally we caught sight of something besides a tree in our path. Hiei darted quickly out of view as we regarded the shadowed figure from a safe distance. It's Kyoshi. I thought after sniffing the air softly.

Hiei nodded and we stepped forward to him. Kyoshi was bent over, staring at the ground, and didn't hear us approaching until we were upon him. We got within two feet before he suddenly whirled around, lunging a clawed hand towards us.

Startled, Hiei fell back and the claws stopped, pressing against his chest just above me where I lay in his arms. They quickly withdrew as Kyoshi saw who it was. "S-sorry." He stammered. "What are you doing here?"

"You were taking a long time to get back." Hiei muttered.

Hesitantly I jumped from his arms and into Kyoshi's which wrapped around me almost as in instinct. He stared down at me in surprise, recognizing the markings on my face. "Kira…?"

I whimpered once and pressed my face into his chest, still shaking. I hadn't stopped since when I had ducked into the tree.

"What happened to her?" Kyoshi yelled in alarm.

"Why don't you tell me? You were supposed to be watching over her!" Hiei shouted back.

I gave a shaky bark to quiet them and slipped from Kyoshi's grasp, landing on the ground. My legs gave out under me and I collapsed, and then pulled myself to a half sitting position. Closing my eyes tightly, I pictured my normal form clearly in my mind and my body began to glow and enlarge. The shape changed and when the soft light cleared, I was my normal self again.

I remained sitting on my knees, head bent low with my arms shakily supporting my upper half. I gagged once and jerked my head down as I threw up. A thick, sickly green liquid poured from my lips and stained the ground. Using up the last of my strength, I dragged myself from it and collapsed on my side.

Sprawled out like this, Hiei and Kyoshi could see what damage I had taken. There were purple fingers bruised around my ankle were Hitaru had dragged me back to him and I was very pale and even still shaking in fear. This was not what angered them though. They each saw the shirt's front, ripped low and the pants half off my waist and the rage bubbled up inside them, uncontrollable.

"I'll kill that bastard…" Kyoshi muttered through grinding teeth.

Hiei didn't need to waste time speaking as you could tell what he was thinking by how he looked. Both his fists were clenched so tightly he was shaking and his head was bowed, hiding his eyes in shadows. If you peered close enough, you could see the burning red glaring outward.

Wordlessly he walked forward into the forest. Kyoshi paused to crouch by my side. His glare hardened as he pulled at my already baggy pants, trying to make them stay at my waist. It was hopeless as the button was lost and zipper torn to pieces. The belt was somewhere back in the clearing, snapped in two. Gritting his teeth, Kyoshi picked me up gently in his arms and followed after Hiei.

I clung to him, somehow finding the strength to close my fist through the effects of the drug. It seemed to have taken over entirely now that I realized I was safe and hadn't been fighting it as much. Kyoshi smiled down at me reassuringly and my hand went limp. The cloth of his shirt fell from it and I sank into a daze. My breaths came in faint and shaky which added to his concern. After all, none of us had any idea what the drug was that had been used.

I could barely make out the sounds of Kyoshi's footsteps and Hiei's off in the distance some ways ahead as we proceeded forward. My head was pounding and I could feel the cold sweat running down my face. I was still shivering, though not as much as before. "Where… Are we going?" I managed to gasp out.

Kyoshi looked sternly down at me. "Don't try to talk. You need to conserve your remaining strength." He scolded and said no more. I took his advice and remained still and silent. The thoughts in my head came slowly and my senses were dwindling until all I could hear was a constant buzzing in my ears. I couldn't smell anything at all except for the overpowering scent of the trees around us and my eyes were stinging painfully, refusing to open. My body felt numb and finally I gave in, passing out completely and trusting Kyoshi and Hiei to keep me safe.


I awoke sometime later as a bright light shone down on me. Slowly my eyes fluttered open, still stinging and watering badly. I wiped them a few times with almost numb fingers and looked around. Everything was blurry but I gradually made out that I was still in a forest. My ear twitched and I caught the sounds of faint breathing. My eyes widened and my head whipped to the side. I saw Kyoshi dozing against a tree and relaxed again, wiping my sweaty face and pausing when I caught the scent of blood on my claws. It… Smells familiar… I thought slowly.

"Are you alright now?"

I jumped almost a foot in the air as I looked to my side to see Hiei's eyes peering into my own. "Y-yes." I stammered, half from the shock of him appearing and half from exhaustion that still enveloped me.

"Do you remember what happened yesterday?" He questioned further. Slowly I shook my head and he watched me silently for a moment as if debating whether to tell me or not.

"What happened?" I gasped out.

He placed a finger to my lips, signaling for me to be quiet and spoke again. "Last night we found that wolf demon again." He pressed his hand to my mouth this time to keep me from crying out. "He's dead now as is all of his pack. You really don't remember?" He asked as he saw my eyes widening at the news. I shook my head again and he went on, removing his hand. "You killed most of them yourself."

I recoiled in horror. "I killed a… pack of wolf demons?" I gasped again. Is that why my hand smells of wolf's blood?

Hiei nodded. "Kyoshi and I were almost overwhelmed there were so many. We were also trying to keep you protected as their leader was trying to take you again and you were out cold." I shivered lightly and he paused, watching the ground. "He… almost had you once. Kyoshi and I landed a hit to him at the exact same time but his men leapt on us and we couldn't get away to help you…" He stopped again as if ashamed of this.

Kyoshi approached us now and sat on the other side of me, picking up where Hiei had left off. "Suddenly you stood up. You're eyes opened wide, glowing entirely with a whitish blue. The wolf demon smiled and opened his arms to you as you approached him expressionlessly with half closed shining eyes. I'd never seen you like that before. You looked as if in a trance or something. Anyway, you reached him and touched his arm softly. Next thing we knew the wolf was on the ground with a hole through his stomach and your arm was dripping red. He choked for air and you… slit his throat." His voice faltered as I brought a hand to my face in horror. Finally he continued again. "Everyone had frozen in shock. His wolves and men saw what you did and all charged you at the same time before we could react. A transparent yet solid green bubble appeared around Hiei and I. Then you raised your arms and tilted your head towards the sky. A similar dome appeared around you. The ground around you bulged up like ripples on water as the energy flowed outward from you. The closest made it within five feet before he was brought down. All were disintegrated on the spot, no traces left. But at least you got your energy back…"

He stopped and they both stared at me. As he spoke the images had come back to my head and I knew they were speaking the truth. I really had done this. While he talked I had brought my hand from my face and now it was resting lifelessly in my lap with the other. I stared at the ground in between my legs that sprawled out in front of me and gave a shaky breath before slumping forward. I caught myself with a shaky hand and shut my eyes tight. "He deserved it. They all did." I said coldly, now staring unblinkingly.

The two guys exchanged glances at my sudden change of heart and turned back in time to see me fully collapse.

Soundlessly they each stood and Kyoshi picked me up again, following Hiei further into the woods. Neither knew the way back to the well and needed my directions to reach it. They decided to just wait it out until I was well enough to return home.


When my eyes next forced their way open I was resting against something warm and almost soft that was rising and falling in consistent motion. I turned my head and saw that it was Kyoshi. He was asleep, chest rising and falling with his breathing as I leaned against him. Hiei was nowhere to be seen.

My movement caused him to wake and he smiled over at me, sleep tossed hair obscuring his face. It made me think for the first time what mine might look like after everything. I decided right after that I didn't really care. "Hey love, feeling better today?" He asked, offering me my sword and camera which I took back without hesitation.

I managed a smile as well and nodded softly, closing my eyes again. "I guess…" I said in a voice colder than I meant it to be.

He laughed in amusement. "You don't sound like it." He mused. He shifted his weight and placed an arm around me, lifting the hand to the side of my head. The fingers found the ear and began rubbing it softly and my eyes closed.

"Stop…" I whispered in a contented sigh.

He smiled, knowing I enjoyed it too much to really mean what I had requested. Instead of stopping, he started up on my other ear as well as I leaned weakly against his side. "Hey." He said suddenly, the fingers still moving. There was a soft grunt in reply and they stopped.

I opened my eyes again and saw Hiei walking slowly away. Kyoshi lifted me up and followed him, catching up quickly and falling in step beside him. Hiei turned and now looked at me. "Kira, we're going back. Show us the way to the well."

I nodded and lifted a hand, pointing a finger to our left. Without any sign of recognition Hiei changed directions and Kyoshi followed slowly, trailing slightly behind.


It was darkening and we were still a few hours away. We were currently walking leisurely through a field of almost waist high grass under a moonless sky and I was growing anxious. Is it the night of the new moon? I wondered to myself. My head jerked up suddenly from Kyoshi's chest where I had been dozing nervously. "What?" He asked, startled.

"It's… Akumei." I murmured as he was seen approaching slowly through the grass. We paused to wait and finally he reached us.

"Kira!" He cried cheerily. "Long time no see!" Once close glance at me and his smile faded, replaced instead by a face full of concern. "What… happened?"

"Nothing, it's fine." I replied shortly, slipping from Kyoshi's arms to land on wobbly legs. I held a hand self consciously to my chest over the torn shirt as I spoke. "How have you been?"

"I've been fine. But… Have you?" He asked, extending a hand slowly towards me.

I shrank back for some unknown reason. "I said I'm fine!" I almost yelled at him, barely restraining myself.

He let his hand fall and nodded solemnly. "Let me just…" His voice trailed off as he closed his eyes and raised his hand again. I flinched back as he waved it in front of me. His eyes reopened and he smiled. I stared at him and then looked down at my new clothes. It was a long sleeved black top with baggy blue jeans. "Thanks…" I whispered.

He just kept smiling. "It's no problem, don't worry about it." I could tell he was itching to know what had happened and was grateful that he kept himself from asking about it. "So, were you returning home again?" He asked, changing subjects. "And who's this?" He asked as if noticing Kyoshi for the first time.

"We were actually…" I started. "The trip might be put on delay though. This is Kyoshi."

Kyoshi smiled and stepped forward, extending one hand.

Akumei took it and shook softly. "May I ask how you know each other?"

Kyoshi's face fell slightly. "We fought in the final match of a tournament."

"And now you're traveling together?" Akumei laughed. "Well I guess it's good not to hold grudges about such things. Right, Kira?" He added with another chuckle.

He got a death glare from Hiei but I just laughed softly and nodded. "Yes, I guess it is." I gave a startled cry as something bright burst from the grass a short distance away and struck me in the mid back. Sparks of white light flew offfrom the impact asI fell forward with wide eyes, giving a soundless moan.

"Kira!" Akumei shouted as he caught me in his arms. He spun me around and leaned me against him as he looked me over. Kyoshi and Hiei quickly joined us. I remained motionless, eyes wide and mouth agape yet no sound emerged.

"What happened? What was that?" Kyoshi cried helplessly as his eyes searched the tall grass for the culprit. "Gotcha!" He cried as he lurched forward, coming back with someone's arm in his grasp. She was small, child sized with pale red eyes and similarly colored hair. She had the ears and tail of a cat. "What did you do?" He yelled at her.

The girl turned her face away, lips locked tight together as she stared at the ground defiantly.

Hiei looked from my still form to the young girl and clenched his fist. "You better start talking before someone gets hurt." He growled.

Akumei was busy with me propped sitting against him, unconscious with open eyes. He tried various spells that he knew, none of which seemed to work. He gave a startled cry as my body began to glow brightly. "Transportation!" He cried as the light spread to him as well. "Don't kill the girl or we can't get back!" Upon saying this he clamped his arms around me and in the next instant we were both gone from sight.

"Kira? Kira!" Kyoshi cried desperately. "Where did she go? Transportation? What does that mean?"

Hiei grabbed the girl's shoulders and made her look him in the eyes. "You bring her back or we kill you right now." He said venomously.

"No you won't, you need me." The girl replied, gaze unwavering.

"What are you talking about?" Kyoshi screamed in frustration.

Hiei replied impatiently, not removing his eyes from the girls. "Kira has been transported to another world. It's happened before. Akumei did it and he had to bring her back. Apparently only the one who sends them away can be the one to bring them back again. In this case it's this girl."

"Why would you do this?" Kyoshi yelled at the girl.

She flinched away slightly and Kyoshi shouted again but louder, repeating his question. Hiei's hands gripped painfully into her shoulders. Finally she gasped out, "she's always surrounded by people! Why should she have so many friends while I'm always so alone?" She stared down at the ground now as if ashamed.

Hiei and Kyoshi exchanged shocked glances. "That's your excuse?" Hiei shouted, pushing her over.

"If you had talked to her I bet she would've befriended you herself!" Kyoshi added angrily.

The girl lay on her side, silent tears falling. "What…? No she wouldn't… She'd reject me just like everyone else has!"

"Wait a minute…" Kyoshi paused. "You're a half demon aren't you?" The girl's eyes widened slightly at his discovery and he pounded the ground in anger. "You know she's not a full demon either, right?" He muttered through clenched teeth.

"That's not true! Half demons are hated by all! Why would she be any different?" The girl screamed in response. She fell back as Hiei's fist collided with her cheek.

"Because she doesn't attack people just because they get more attention than her! She treats everyone the same and doesn't care about what they are! And she isn't a selfish brat!" He cried in rage.

The girl cowered back, nursing a bruised cheek as tears fell silently down. "But… That's not true…" She whispered to herself. "It can't be… He told me so."

"Who did?" Hiei asked sharply.

"That man, Naraku."

"Him again…" Hiei muttered. "Don't you know anything? He is not to be trusted!"

"I-I didn't know!" She cried, raising her hands defensively. "Please, don't hurt me!"

"Then bring her back, now."

"I-I'll try…" The girl said shakily as she sat down on her knees and closed her eyes. Kyoshi watched from the sides in total confusion.