A/N: Hello once again, Beloved Yu Yu Hakusho Fans!

I am continuing to do as I mentioned in the last chapter: define romanized Japanese words/terms/names used in the story. Or leave them undefined as the occasional case may be. As of this chapter's posting, I am up to, but not including, Chapter 38. My tentative plan is to still possibly post a compiled version of the words at the end of the chapter at which point I have caught up in aforementioned definitions.

My apologies for not doing so before, but a shoutout here to mk and ChaoticHarmony1991 for the kind reviews you left!

I'm also going to mention this here before you read the chapter as a heads-up: there is a point where Shikiyoku's thoughts repeat themselves with little variation, some like, for example:

She needs him.

She needs him.

And while this seems sort of ridiculous, in GoogleDocs one can change the size of the font, and each subsequent (semi-repeated) thought was done in successively smaller fonts until hardly readable, giving the impression that the 'voice' speaking such thoughts was becoming smaller and more drowned out as it went along.

Of course, this does not translate here into FF's docs, so I'm forced to explain it to you.

Symbols Guide:

* : Written by CM; She writes for Akari and Hiei
3 : Written by Star (supposed to be the 'heart' symbol, but FF doesn't like the 'less-than' sign, so it's a 3 instead); She writes for Toriko/Shikiyoku and Kurama
~!**!~ : A universal transition between scenes or characters, sometimes used to indicate a passage of time, but most often used to transition between major scenes that are happening. As the story progresses, this will evolve into mainly separating the (usually two) scenes happening between authors/characters.

As a general rule, anything in italics is thoughts.
Unless it's used in a sentence like this, which merely indicates emphasis.
"Quotations are usually reserved specifically for telepathic dialogue being transmitted from one being to another, but sometimes this can also mean a character isn't being careful about what they're thinking and anyone with telepathy in the nearby vicinity can listen in without taking any effort."

The only exception to that last rule is for the Shiba Inu dog, Nabu. All of his "spoken" dialogue will be in italics and quotations, but is communicated through body language or dog-like noises, so unless a character is able to translate those they are unlikely to pick up on what he is saying any more than the average person might understand his general moods like aggression (bared teeth, ears back) or excitement (wagging tail).

Previously on Yu Yu Hakusho!

The reunion between lur'mog, Uryo, Shikiyoku and Hiei|
is cut short by a young demon by the name of Douji,
who claims that his tribe is looking for Iro, The Lover,
so that she might dance for them.

Everyone makes their way to the Northern Tribe,
and they are greeted by the Elders,
who give Shikiyoku use of their tent for her preparations.
Hiei follows her, curious to learn about such preparations.

Once they are alone, Shikiyoku expresses concerns about dancing,
and starts to tell Hiei about how she and her first Champion were separated.

~!**!~

Unsurprisingly, Kurama's demonic energy is still locked away even after he and Akari awake.
He feels especially weak, especially human, and knows that his recovery by natural means will take a while.

Akari leaves to get food, ramen, for both her and Kurama from Shyn's ramen stand,
and Nabu keeps Kurama company, though something seems a bit off...

Nabu continued to stare at Kurama, suddenly aware that he'd received no answer. And before, even then, the answer had been… vague. He gave a small whine that held no meaning, suddenly realizing the male wasn't able to understand him. Why? He had before, when they'd first met. Even the last time he'd seen him.

He sniffed at the air, and this time, after his eyes reopened after briefly closing, he realized that Flowers didn't quite look like Flowers. He looked… shorter, perhaps. His hair, for sure, wasn't as long. Why hadn't he realized this before?

His tail is gone. And ears.

But there was no doubt that this was the real deal, unlike the other one. The one he didn't like, the one he didn't trust. The one who played games and tricks and pretended to be someone else. Rather well, actually…

The dog moved, rubbing his head against Kurama's forearm in a loving fashion, eyes closed and ears turned away. "It's okay." Really, he didn't know what to say.

~!**!~

Akari frowned as she walked, eyes moving around in the morning light and the silence. So it wasn't a school day. Meaning… it was a weekend. Probably a Saturday, considering the fact that no lights were coming on at this hour, where as on Sundays, she noticed some people awoke earlier, to get last minute errands done before the work week.

But still, it was just so quiet. No birds. No crickets.

Maybe it was just because she had her own presence magnified, due to her energy streaming from herself to her home.

You're getting paranoid.

She huffed at herself and continued on, shifting her hold on the ramen in her hands as she caught sight of her own home. She found it awfully unsettling that she knew Kurama was inside, but couldn't feel his presence. At all.

So, before entering, she paused outside the door and checked every window, every door that could be an entrance, making sure her own energy would cloak the house entirely, creating her own alarm system. *

~!**!~

At Nabu's nuzzling, Kurama smiled, eyes still closed as he felt how excruciatingly slowly his body was healing in comparison to 'normally.' And he gently scratched at the dog's face, absently petting at his neck.

As soon as he could get up...no as soon as he could walk, he was going directly to Koenma. There were many things he had to discuss with the toddler-prince, and for the first time in a long time he could not predict what exactly the future would hold.

~!**!~

"It was the dance." Shikiyoku answered for him, her voice barely audible.

Shikiyoku examined the now-exposed skin of her arms and hands before resting them in her lap, unsurprised to see the luster she had grown accustomed to hiding behind the gloves was greatly lacking, dulled and muted.

There was no use for it. No purpose.

"He made it, fashioned it. I only executed it. To his specifications. I was very young, and he knew exactly what he wanted." Shikiyoku took a breath and her voice came more strongly when she spoke up again, "In the end, he desired to be the ruler of the Ninth Level. Wished to bring all the demons who lived there under his control. He was...ambitious." To put it mildly. "And so, he called everyone together, as many as he could muster, disguising it as a great celebration."

Her eyes appeared lost in another time. "I remember being nervous. Scared. I was not strong, and most of the tribes at the time were not small, living in groups scattered throughout the level. So he…"

Another breath, "He decided to supplement my power with his own. Where before he had been so calculating, this time he seemed to have extra fervor, and convinced me that we needed no practice. After all, we had many times performed other rituals together; he playing his instrument and singing while I danced. We knew that his energy would amplify whatever power I was accessing. But the Odori Iro had always been my own. Done with the tribe playing."

Her voice had steadied the longer she went on, and she did not appear to be near stopping, but she dropped quieter again.

"There were too many this time." She paused. "When our spells, our energy, intermingled together to make up for it… The results were...dire. His desire to rule over so many proved too much for me and the ritual both. It went wrong. Backfired. Killing him and nearly killing me. It drove the demons present into a frenzy and they started to destroy one another. And I..."

Eyes in another place, Shikiyoku appeared to be reliving the past, "I was stuck until the ritual was complete. Stuck there in the middle of the bloodshed, nearly broken myself, forced to finish the spell lest it consume me for stopping as they tore one another apart, decimating one another and setting the clans back millions of years. There were very few who walked away from the celebration that night. And I cannot anymore recall the memories of anything other than collapsing when the ritual finished, and waking up elsewhere many days later." 3

There was no pause between Shikiyoku's words and Hiei's response. "Am I supposed to pity the fool?" His tone was just as level as his stare, which was expressionless in its entirety, giving way nothing of his actual thoughts on the matter. "You did what you thought best. He acted anyway." He finally blinked once at her.

There were many thoughts he held on the situation, on her words and her mood about them, the way she lingered on the past. But he kept them to himself. For now, anyway.

~!**!~

Akari, after circling the house twice, moved to the front door again and tugged at her energy, creating the secure barrier she'd only learned recently she could create. A barrier unseen by any but a demon who utilized shadow creatures.

She wasn't sure of its credibility, despite the rumors and such, but now was as good as any time to try it, right?

She precariously balanced the two bowls of ramen in one arm and grasped the handle in the opposite hand, pushing the door open and looking around the room until she let her eyes fall on Kurama, who had a very gently Nabu leaning against his arm, who didn't even look up at her.

She stared at the scene for a moment before she realized a smile had settled over her lips, at which point she kicked the door closed and continued moving forward, towards the inclining redhead and her companion.

"Shyn said to stop by as soon as you can. He needs an update, apparently." *

"Is that so?" Kurama had flinched at the sound of the door slamming, unaccustomed to being unable to have his other senses warn him of another's approach, but regained his composure in the next instant. "I suppose visiting him with you in our heads can't really be counted."

The light did by this time afford Kurama enough to be able to spy Akari as she moved towards him and he smiled at her as she came closer.

~!**!~

"I did not tell you this for his sake. I both loved and hated him." Shikiyoku felt her lip twitch as if in a growl. "But they…" Her eyes flickered beyond him, to those outside, "I sensed it somehow even within Douji. They wish to be bound together once more. To reclaim their former glory. But there will be so many of them. I can..."

She blinked and for the first time met his gaze, "I can sense their collective desire. It's overwhelming. The Northern Tribe is calling together all of their lost ones, the bandits, the wanderers, all of those within their lands who were once part of the whole. There will be many here." She dropped her gaze and rubbed absently at her neck with a hand. "They will expect to be united and...and I do not think I am strong enough to fulfill their desires with my dance. Not so many. Not all at once."

And if it goes wrong...3

Hiei raised a brow at Shikiyoku almost imperceptibly, the motion so small that even he was almost unaware of the motion. He thought back to how many he had seen in the clearing when he'd approached. Many, of course, but for there to be more…

That was going to be a rather large crowd. A rather large problem, should it get out of hand.

But still, he thought back.

And with the mental image he found, a sneer colored his expression. It was one that was humored, taunting.

Still. Even still you don't understand your own power.

"Look at me." he said in a demanding tone, though his voice was no louder than a murmur.

~!**!~

Akari made no indication that she heard Kurama, deciding that she didn't know how to respond to his words and her thoughts over the subject he'd brought up. Instead, she moved until she was sitting crosslegged in front of him, placing the bowls on the floor and pulling the lids from them both, but not sliding one to Kurama. She grabbed one of the pairs of chopsticks that had been given to her and pulled them first from the paper, then apart.

For a moment, she stared at the chopsticks, then turned her eyes up to peer at Kurama thoughtfully.

"He's in a lot of pain, 'kari. And he doesn't even understand me when I talk anymore. He doesn't even look like Flowers anymore…"

She didn't even glance at Nabu, who had easily picked up on her conflicted thoughts. She sighed and dipped the chopsticks into the bowl, twisting until a good amount of noodles were presented from the contents. She waited for the excess soup to drip from the noodles before finally turning up to Kurama, offering the noodles to him, but not the chopsticks themselves. "Don't fight, don't complain. Just eat." *

Kurama stared at Akari, lips for the moment unmoving.

"Am I allowed to protest?" It was neither fighting, nor complaining.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku was biting her lip in thought, remembering how open she had been to the desires of those she danced for that last time with her original Champion. How the desires had not been encouraged as was supposed to happen, but how once she realized she would not have the power, once her Champion joined his energy to hers, they all turned to bloodshed and she had quite literally lost herself, her mind, to their darkest-

Hiei's words pulled her out of the past with a jolt and she complied to his request, looking up. 3

The moment Shikiyoku's eyes met his own, his mind bombarded hers in an unwarranted attack that held no hostility in any way, shape, or form. Instead of words or emotions, it was his view of the moment when their energies had mixed before she'd overcome her own mother's power. Their own energy shooting into the sky, enveloping them in a cloud of power so dense, so strong that even The Palace had been aware of it, despite their distance. Creatures had scattered, and quite frankly, Hiei himself had never seen, nor felt, so much power in his life.

Ever.

The image quickly faded, turning to the moment she overcame the other demon, directly after, whose name for the moment he didn't care to remember. It didn't matter much to him. Just another pawn.

And then his mind was abruptly pulling away from hers, and should her eyes focus on his face, she would find an expression of irritation.

"Still think you're useless? Powerless?"

Again, he sent an abrupt image of her dance, of how she had affected an entire tribe and brought them together, like nothing he'd never seen. Just as quickly, the image was gone and his mind had retreated from hers again.

"The only limits are the ones you put on yourself, and quite frankly, it's the most irritating thing on this plane of existence."

~!**!~

Akari immediately took to scowling at Kurama, eyes glinting in the dim light of the room. "No," came her simple answer, tone as final as her stare and the simple motion she made with her hand that said eat. *

Kurama let out a very tired sounding sigh, "I just want you to know that I'm doing this under great duress as I'm quite sure that I am perfectly capable of feeding myself." He lifted his hand as if to take the utensils from her, but did not actually do so.

~!**!~

Once Hiei pulled away from her and she was left with the image of the tent around her once more and his words fading on the air, Shikiyoku actually laughed.

It was a pleasant sound, not meant to raise ire, and her muscles almost immediately reminded her that she had not done so in a very long time, so the laughter faded away almost as quickly as it had started, but her face held echoes of the emotion.

"To think-" She appeared to be almost talking to herself, her voice fading off. Here she looked back up at Hiei, her eyes holding a little of their former brightness, "Do you know what connects each of those images?" 3

Hiei was, though he didn't show it, rather surprised by her response. But, the sound of her laughter, no matter how brief it was, seemed to lift a bit of weight from his shoulders. As if her mood had directly affected his own.

So when she asked of the connection, he simply raised a brow at her before sneering. It didn't matter the connection, and he didn't actually care of the connection. "Humor me."

~!**!~

Akari immediately, upon seeing his hand reaching for the chopsticks, retracted the utensils and glared harder at the redhead. "And you should know that I could care less what you are perfectly capable of." she replied in a grumble.

She again moved the noodles closer to him, glare hardened and focused on the redhead even as she offered the noodles. *

Kurama waited another beat before leaning forward a little and accepting the offering, chewing a little and then speaking around the food.

"Happy?"

~!**!~

Shikiyoku slowly stood, starting before Hiei even had a chance to answer.

Still within the safety of the tent, she relaxed and felt a strain at her neck disappear, her hair rustling softly as she cleared it from her face and took a step towards Hiei.

"You," She began, eyes glimmering slightly, "What do you desire, Hiei?" 3

Hiei raised a brow at Shikiyoku. He was the so called connection? The thought was a rather amusing one. He found himself sneering suddenly, a brow still quirked at her. Even at her question, he didn't respond right away.

He suddenly scoffed. Rather loudly. But still, he made a point to think about it for a moment before repeating the sound, eyes meeting hers again.

"Don't be an insolent fool. Do what you're fully capable."

~!**!~

Akari retracted the chopsticks as soon as he had taken the noodles, and without hesitation, repeated the motion of gathering noodles, but this time, instead of offering them to him, she instead took them as her own, eating them without a second thought before twisting more noodles and offering those to him.

She too spoke around her mouthful of ramen. "Ashk me again when yoo've eat'n more." *

He took this bite without protest, but spoke up again, "I could fulfill that faster for the both of us if you would just let me do it myself."

~!**!~

The muscles in Shikiyoku's face twitched briefly into a frown before flickering to neutral.

"And if there are too many? If I begin to drown in their desires and lose focus? What then?" 3

No hesitation, no beat between her question and the shift in his mood. Hiei's eyes darkened and his lips twitched in irritation. "Then you will have failed in fulfilling your Champion's desire." His tone was even, expression almost cold. "Do what you're capable."

~!**!~

Akari huffed once at Kurama, twisting more noodles around and around. "Did I say time was an issue?" she retorted, not looking up at him this time. "Get over it and just eat, you jackass." *

Kurama let out a low chuckle, pulling his lips into his mouth slightly to prevent the smile that threatened to overtake them.

"Nabu," he turned to look at the dog, "You've known her longer than I have. Has she always been this way?"

~!**!~

There was no disguising the shudder of finality that overtook Shikiyoku, instantly dropping the semblance of her former self that she had managed to pull together.

The pact within her hummed with his words, for she had gotten an answer.

Without looking at him, she sank back down to the furs, her skin suddenly feeling very cold.

He will be the death of me.

A strangely comforting thought that steeled her mind like a frozen trap.

So be it.

"Leave." She said aloud, her own voice devoid of further emotion, loosing her energy in earnest as she closed her eyes against the figure her Champion cut at the front of the tent. The power filled the area to the brim within a beat of her releasing it in the hopes that such a sudden exposure would encourage him to go faster.

This time though, when her energy buzzed along her skin, tingled at her scalp, it was accompanied by the strangest burning sensation that Shikiyoku did not recognize.

Do what you're capable.

...

And if she died?

Then his one, true desire would be fulfilled and she would have done her job.

The energy swirled about her in denser amounts, beginning to roar in her ears, even as she felt her heart hitch once before she regained her path. This time, however, the luster of her skin and the gleaming of her hair seemed...alien. Even the power itself, instead of caressing into existence, slicing across the air.

What's wrong with me? 3

Hiei stood still in his place, hands finding his pockets in a show that said he didn't plan on leaving, not matter her demand or what she threw at him. His mind quickly focused on the bond that, for the moment, seemed much more prominent than it had been in weeks. It seemed to growl within his mind, angry and protesting… whatever.

He continued to stare at Shikiyoku, blinking once at her.

Finally, he decided to go ahead and say something that he'd held back earlier. "The rest, leave to me." His voice was quiet, but his tone filled with calm resolve, as if he'd made his mind up about some problem or another.

~!**!~

Akari stuffed more noodles in her mouth, choosing to ignore Kurama as he spoke to Nabu, who was sitting at attention nearby with ears trained on their conversation. She'd almost forgotten the dog was even present, as quiet as he was.

But, she did look up when she didn't hear a response.

Nabu was simply staring at Kurama, blinking once before she saw his head move in a motion that was considered human. No, he indicated, glancing at her once before again turning calm eyes onto Kurama. But otherwise, he didn't elaborate. *

Kurama smiled at the recognizable gesture.

"Seems you've picked up a few things. Probably a product of being around her too much, hm?" He teased at Akari, but spoke to the dog and ruffled his hand at the top of Nabu's head a little.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku's energy rushed in her ears, unleashing more than she remembered being able to before.

It had been a long time since she had allowed the stuff to go free, at least as utterly and completely as she was going now.

While the tent around her did not so much as rustle, the fabric imbued with strong containment meant for confining anything that happened within so that there would be no indication of it outside, Shikiyoku's power intensified and filled the tent several times over, the density causing a haze to settle as the air grew heavy.

As she felt herself reaching the last of her demonic energy, Shikiyoku opened her eyes-which no longer held any of the recognizable green within them and were instead gleaming a bright, harsh yellow-and saw that Hiei had not left yet.

"Leave me." The words almost did not sound in her own voice, tinged with a sharpness that echoed the fierceness of the energy she released. "You are not needed."

Or wanted.

Like I am not needed.

Or wanted. 3

Hiei's red eyes slowly moved about the room as the energy emitted by Shikiyoku began to form into first a fine mist, then into a thick haze in the tent. There was almost a sort of weight in the air that seemed to replace the weight he had previously felt lifted from his mind. It made him frown in thought.

And then her voice rang through the air, unrecognizable to him. It was harsh, sharp as his own blade. And her last word seemed to slice through the silence just as easily as his own blade through skin.

And with that word came more weight from the energy around him. A warning, he could feel.

But that wasn't what really had him turning to leave silently. He didn't look back, didn't even consider glancing back at the she-demon on the floor as he waved the tent flap aside and stepped into the evening light. He didn't pause to let his sight adjust to the sunlight. He didn't pause to let his eyes wander either. He simply turned and left the area of the tent, easily avoiding any demon that rushed by him.

He couldn't care less at the moment of the bustle around him. Still, he turned and headed in the direction he knew Uryo to be.

Not that he was headed to the demon specifically. But, burning a few things would be…. helpful.

Because hearing those words hadn't meant anything to him in decades, but…

But it was different this time, apparently.

~!**!~

Akari raised a brow at Kurama as she held out chopsticks to him, noodles presented to the redhead again. "All dogs can do it, understand humans, eventually. It just takes… a medium." she said, ignoring the teasing altogether.

Nabu's tail thumped once against the wood floor. "She's taught me a lot."

"You learn on your own, Nabu. You've learned more on your little escapades than from my lessons."

"...yeah but those always became lessons. Lessons I didn't listen to."

She huffed at him once and looked to Kurama. "He once got lost in town, and when I found him, the dog catcher had him in a net. Who uses nets anymore anyway? I thought that was a human cartoon thing?" *

Kurama listened quietly to Akari, taking bites when they were offered.

"If you wished to prevent those things from happening, a tag with a number to call would suffice." He could, however, understand why doing such a thing would be frowned upon by either party.

~!**!~

Shikiyoku had closed her eyes and did not see the fire demon leave, though she did feel her energy immediately fill the void his body had left.

Her jaw was clenched together. A tightness had settled over her throat similar to the tightness at her brows, and across her neck and shoulders.

It was only when she felt certain she would not be interrupted further that she finally let the tears drop from her eyes, leaving shimmering streams of pent-up anger down her cheeks and dropping off her chin.

She pushed her power farther and farther, feeling as if she were emptying her very soul into the loneliness of the room around her.

It had been such a trifle to dance for Shubou. His clan was small. His intentions pure. But she had also been...happy. When was the last time she had felt happy? It was...difficult to recall.

A strange feeling washed over Shikiyoku as she refused to back down from the outpouring of her energy, and the shift in the air from the light haze deepening made her gasp and open her eyes, head raising a little as the energy she began to access came not from her demonic stores of power...but from her very life force.

And she let it. Let it fill the room fuller than it had been, scrambling to exert it all, and yet finding at the very last that her body refused, snapping off her admittance to the energy and throwing her forward where she caught herself with her hands and watched blearily as salty water left darkened drops in the furs between her palms.

Ironically, without purpose she would not be able to do what had crossed her mind. Her body would not let her.

It would have to wait.

~!**!~

"No, that is quite excellent! Take that one away too!" Uryo gestured for the demons to go ahead and bring the large tree down, turning back to the close set of four he had stepped in front of.

Taking a swig again from the flask just inside his tunic-as he had been since arriving at the encampment-it took little concentration for Uryo to sear the trunks of the trees from the forest floor, slicing the four of them as they fell towards him, creating more firewood that other demons started to carry away, and simultaneously rendering the leaves and branches to ash just as they started to tip in his direction.

He stepped forward and ran his hand along the grass where moments before a tree had stood, and felt satisfied to find that, once again, not a blade had been singed and the earth where the tree had sprung was smooth and would not be tripped over. 3

Hiei moved through the crowd, eyes forward but not really seeing anything. Not at first, anyway. But when he heard demons making a fuss, yelling back and forth, his eyes focused again and his mind immediately became a blank canvas, leaving him able to assess what he was seeing.

Demons scurrying away with wood that appeared almost perfectly chopped. Several of them. And Uryo was inspecting the ground.

He paused a few yards away from the larger fire demon, his eyes turning to assess whatever operation was being run here. He could simply jump in, but it appeared salvaging the wood was necessary, meaning jumping in and simply firing away was out of the question.

He'd have to actually focus here.

His hands withdrew from his pockets, fingers flexing as a flame formed over his palms and his eyes assessed the nearest tree. And without a single sound to indicate he was there, he followed Uryo's lead, throwing the flame in a stream along the grass and towards a tree, causing it to first catch fire and, after another stream of flame followed, the tree to topple.

He didn't find the job amusing or distracting enough, but continued on anyway.

~!**!~

Akari raised a brow, chewing at noodles with an unamused expression pointed at Kurama. "No phone, even if I liked the idea." she retorted almost lazily, offering noodles to Kurama again. "It isn't much of a problem anymore anyway. Nabu's learned from that," she shot a glance at the dog, "and has found it smart to stay away from stores."

"I was only looking for what you wanted!"

"Was it worth the trouble?"

"...no."

She gave a smirk and turned back to Kurama, this time taking to simply watching him, the room falling into silence. *

"Well, I was going to offer a phone number, though I had imagined it wasn't an issue any longer." Kurama shifted slightly where he sat, his shoulders heaving in a silent sigh that left his nose noiselessly.

He flexed muscles here and there, absently testing their strength and responsiveness and knowing before he started that he would not be moving much in the foreseeable future.

He might be able to get Botan here to whisk him away on her oar, but being stuck immovable at the offices of Spirit World would likely prove less fruitful than he desired.

~!**!~

Uryo felt Hiei's approach even before the other fire demon threw energy at the next tree.

The older apparition stood up and took in the strange tenseness he could sense in the flames the other emitted, not to mention the fact Hiei's expression felt...odd to the fire demon.

He approached Hiei openly.

"They are in need of that stretch of forest to be eliminated." Uryo motioned to the South, where little work had been done. "At least ten trees in and going all the way over to where we came in." His eyes followed the path to the trees that were parallel to the Elder's tent. A good bit of land.

"No need for restraint there." He added. "They want it completely gone." Uryo started to turn away, "Good way to blow off some steam if you ask me." He walked back to where another set of demons stood prepared to gather more firewood. 3

Hiei didn't even pause at Uryo approached, didn't even glance at the other as he carefully mirrored what he'd seen the other do. Of course, it was nothing compared to Uryo's work, but he supposed it didn't matter what it looked like. It was to be burned anyway, right?

However, he did look up to follow Uryo's gaze as the other spoke about a stretch of land that was very much available for destruction. For complete annihilation.

But was it really steam Hiei was letting off, or simply a distraction? Hell, he didn't even know. All he knew was that he didn't want to have time to consider the words that continued to echo in his mind. Because if he did, he'd likely do something he'd regret.

So, without a word, he turned and made to cross the land again, sights set pointedly on the stretch of trees Uryo had indicated. Though, after a few calm steps he decided to cross the distance at a run.

In a blink, he had a great deal of trees aflame, burning slowly, as if he wished nothing more than to watch them burn.

~!**!~

Akari hesitated only a beat before her own amusement got the best of her. She adjusted the hold she had on the chopsticks and leaned forward, poking one of them against his forehead tauntingly. Her lips twitched, but her expression shifted to one of light mischief, teasing.

"Well, I mean, if you want to give me your number, no one's stopping you." She paused, a sly smirk stretching her lips. "Of course, there's no guarantee I'll get back to you immediately." *

"I thought it was a clever way to get you the information." Kurama shrugged, appearing unphased by her response. In truth, the thought had not occurred to him as the number would get her the house and likely his own mother, which would probably cause just as many problems for him as it would solve for her and her companion upon reflection. "Without directly coming out and handing you a slip of paper that I would expect you to promptly toss or claim to have forgotten where you placed it when I asked you its whereabouts later."

~!**!~

Uryo could feel the confliction in the fire Hiei wove into the air, smell it in the ashes that started to float about that area of the encampment.

It did not bode well and had Uryo frowning at the logs he sliced with ease and absentmindedness.

If they in some way reflected one another, mirrors after a fashion, and Hiei's core was disturbed enough to affect the emotions within the flames he was able to produce…

Uryo let his eyes shift to the Elder's tent, easily seen as it was in front and tall in the middle of the clearing. He recognized the symbols as ones meant to weave containment upon the fabric and was not surprised to find he could not pierce beyond them to the female he knew to be within their depths.

"Ho! Uryo!"

At his name, the apparition sheathed his sword and turned, beginning to see that other demons were starting to enter the clearing and set up tents along the outside edges of the areas he and the others had already finished with. 3

"You're not needed."

It seemed those words echoed in the air around him whether he was burning trees or simply watching them burn. And it took a few minutes for him to realize that it was not anger he felt at her for those words. Anger was something he knew how to withstand, how to control and how to conceal.

He clenched his jaw and released more than the simple stream of flame. This time, a sound similar to an explosion resounded as trees popped and crackled from the sudden burst of flame, the sheer amount of fire and sound from such flame enough to make more than the simple pop and crackle of fire.

"You're not needed."

"No one cares about you."

Those two meant the same to him. Both had been said. Both had once angered him. He'd moved past it all decades ago.

He felt the stirrings in his core that indicated his energy responding to his thoughts, forming another stream of fire in his hand without his conscious thought of doing so. He played with the flame for a moment before letting it soar, finding its own tree that disintegrated almost as soon as the flames touched it.

Maybe he'd just leave her here.

That will solve nothing, fool. Running solves nothing.

~!**!~

Akari's smile grew, showing pointed teeth as a glint made her expression seem just that much more sly, mischievous. "Oh boy." she began, rolling her eyes. "You don't know me very well then. I'm not one to simply misplace things." she paused, meeting his gaze again. "I'd rip it up in front of you."

Of course, she was kidding.

Or maybe not. Who knows. It wasn't like she'd be put in that position anyway. *

"Well, that makes me feel better." Kurama answered as if the words were truth. "If you tore it up in front of me, at least then I would know where I stood directly. None of this 'he said she said' bit," He waved his hand about complacently, "Better to be rejected immediately."

And how often have you put those last words into use?

Quite often, thank you. There was the girl in-

With her.

Kurama mentally cleared his throat and turned his thoughts from the subject.

~!**!~

As Uryo assisted in directing some of the foot traffic, he felt himself constantly reaching out to test the flames he knew were in existence on the other side of the clearing, and as he turned to follow another demon of the tribe who had been sent to make sure Uryo started the main bonfire, the apparition stumbled and clutched at the fabric of his tunic above his core.

He waved off any concern from the demon, as if the smell of alcohol might answer any questions, and gestured with his other hand that they should keep moving.

Uryo's eyes wandered to the Elder's tent and he found his paced had slowed, reaching out towards it again and once more being unable to penetrate the defenses.

He rubbed at his chest where the pain had occurred and reached for the flask hidden away, his soberness that fell over him during the stumble needing to be staved off before his body began reacting.

The flames Hiei was using...something was very wrong.

The last time Uryo remembered using those flames, the last time he had felt his core wrench so terribly within himself...had been about a century before, though the memory still haunted him as if it were only seconds ago...

...when he discovered his lover had killed herself.

Uryo shook off the sudden cloud with a great deal of effort, being presented to the fire pit where the bonfire of the night would be flaming, wood piled high within it.

He began weaving his energy delicately, careful that no portion of the flame he meant to light it with would burn the wood any more than necessary so that the fire would last as long as the night required.

And still he found his gaze lifting towards the other side of the clearing, each blast of power sending the slightest of shivers to his toes. 3

~!**!~

Akari fell into silence, her thoughts suddenly transitioning from the fun she was poking at the redhead to the fact that she had taken to feeding him because she thought he was healing too slowly. Because of Otento. And the Pseudo-Youko's lack of control over his own underlings.

The thought was an unsettling one.

But not as unsettling as the fact that Kurama had been caught. Almost killed.

"Hey," she called out in a whisper, eyes trained on the bowl of soup that she now swirled about with the chopsticks. "What happened, exactly?" she asked, knowing that if the fox could be caught, then they all needed to be on guard…

Suddenly she remembered her own reaction, and the stance she had taken when she'd found Foko. When she'd resigned to a fight.

She'd never done that before: decided to fight for someone else. And the stance… it hadn't been one she'd been taught to assume when presented with a skilled fighter.

Finally, she lifted her eyes to Kurama's face. "How'd he surprise you?" *

"Otento can not only mask his energy signature, but everything else about him as well. He cannot be smelled, his presence cannot be felt. I would wager that he also would not leave tracks or fingerprints, rendering himself unfollowable. He left no room for decision this time, locking away Youko within me. It was a simple matter at that point to overpower me." Kurama paused, "I believe he was...done toying with us at that point."

~!**!~

((The semi-repeated thoughts -starting with 'She needs him.' and going to 'Yes.'- that Shikiyoku has in this segment originally became smaller and smaller in font with each successive one as a representation that the 'voice' is being shoved away or drowned out, but that does not translate to FF, hence the explanation.))

Shikiyoku gasped for air, her eyes flying open and the energy in the room slamming back into her body, causing no small amount of pain as it did so and forcing her forward again to her knees where she barely caught herself before her face hit the floor. She stayed in that position, breathing heavily and seeing nothing.

The emotion had not come from within her that time. She was positive. Her body shook with sobs and her hands clenched at the fur between them.

She did not bother moving this time, instead turning inward and panicking for a moment as she did not immediately grasp at the pact between her and Hiei, searching deeper and barely finding it, giving out erratic pulses that sometimes beat fervently and other times would go almost too long before sounding again.

Shikiyoku slowly sat back up, thinking it appropriate that the pact acted as if it was on its last leg of existence. She wondered if a Champion would feel the sever as she had, and if it would be easier to ignore since it had grow so...weak.

She sighed into the empty room, feeling old and weary and thinking back at how she'd ended up in this predicament, going so far as to push her very own Champion away so that she might be alone to wallow in her inadequacy.

If she were a better seductress, she could have coaxed from him desires to fulfill. If she were a better seductress, she wouldn't have fallen in with him in the first place. If she were a-

"Then you will have failed in fulfilling your Champion's desire."

Even now her core felt as though it dropped into her stomach as the cold, cruelness of his words pierced her inner thoughts.

"Do what you're capable."

But she couldn't. That was the point. There were so many, too many and-

She needed help.

She needs him.

He did not need her. Therefore her need is moot.

She would not be able to do this on her own, she would need help.

She needed him.

Shikiyoku stood up, feeling a great deal of anguish that made each step seem so much heavier than they had ever been, and started to walk towards the entrance of the tent.

Sticking her head out of the tent-flap, her face was back-lighted by the glow that came from within the Elder's tent, and she found that it was almost completely dark outside and she could not see.

"Need something?" A passing demon asked, news that the Iro was to be assisted if it was required having been told to the entire tribe.

She needs him.

"Fetch me H-the fire demon."

"The Champion." The demon appeared to be recalling where he had seen the Champion last, glancing into the darkness.

Shikiyoku shook her head, "No."

Yes.

"The other one."

"Is everything okay, Iro?" The demon had caught sight of her face and it appeared ashen, grey...almost sickly.

"Yes."

The demon nodded and turned to go, not even aware of the voice within her that had suddenly, finally, been silenced, its cry going unheard.

~!**!~

Uryo could taste the unhappiness on the air, and even staring into the blaze he had lit that flamed merrily into the sky did nothing to lift his awareness of it.

He could no longer hold himself back and turned to find Hiei, his steps quick and his eyes keen to speak with him. 3

He could feel it. Every pull it gave at him, every erratic thrum in warning at him. The bond was suddenly very active to him, pulling at his every thought and making it very hard to make his mind become the blank canvas he desired.

He wasn't angry.

He was recovering.

And he needed time to push away whatever had resurfaced. It was stupid, foolish. He'd been past this. He'd heard it a million times over, both from people he know and from ones he did not.

But you care about this one.

It was almost as if that single line had come from Kurama, who would have very easily sorted out Hiei's feelings on the matter. A bitter sneer formed on the fire demon's face as he stilled again, staring at the stretch of land he had cleared- much more than Uryo had indicated he thought. Oh well, more room to maneuver.

He looked about himself, expression finally neutral and mind quiet for the time being. He could see the glow of the flames at the camp, could see the outlines of the tents in the darkness. He could still hear the bustle, but it was almost like another world to him. So close, close enough that when the celebrations started he would be able to hear it, to feel those merry dancers and their emotions. But at the same time, he was separated from it. In another plane, it seemed.

"You're not needed."

His eyes slid closed and he took in a deep breath as he turned away. Again he considered leaving. After all, if he wasn't needed, then why should he stay?

But each time the thought arose, the bond screamed at him, pounded in his head and created pain in his temple. It was similar to a blade being plunged into his skull at times, but this one… this one felt like an axe to the brain.

Another deep breath.

Another beat of silence.

And then another tree burning, disintegrating on impact.

Another attempt at a blank canvas going wrong.

~!**!~

Akari didn't look up at Kurama as he spoke, taking everything in stride. She knew he couldn't be smelled- she just hadn't said it to anyone yet. He was virtually impossible to sense coming. So, it made sense that he'd used that to his advantage, whereas before, he'd used it for his amusement, played a game of 'who will find me first' before revealing himself.

Like that time in the park, when her energy had been locked away, like Kurama's.

Foko had been able to sense him.

But… that didn't mean anything. Foko had his own energy under wraps as well, and had been over Otento for…. who knows how long. HE'd know how to…

She scowled down at the floor.

"He's losing control." she mumbled, referring to Foko. But, really, she wasn't even sure she was speaking to the redhead, or if she was speaking to herself.

However, she did look up now, expression serious. "Otento's becoming a problem now. Before, he wasn't serious about us being in his way. But now, he is. And he's shown that he's much more powerful than he's been hinting." She paused, eyes sliding closed for a moment.

She found herself thinking of Yusuke and his fighting style, and Kuwabara and Hiei. And after a few moments, she felt as if, maybe, this time…

The team of detectives that Koenma was so proud of… might not be able to handle this.

Otento could hide himself enough to surprise each and every one of them. By himself, he could very likely pick off the entire team. Foko was a very meticulous copy of Youko, meaning he had each and every ability the fox had, and just as much power, if not more.

And she remembered there being others, others who hadn't shown themselves yet.

We're in serious trouble.

When she opened her eyes again, she was very aware of the way Kurama sat, very still and very stiff, as if any movement would cause a tremendous amount of pain. And the fact that Youko had been locked away… She was sure that meant he wasn't healing the way he usually would.

Meaning he'd be here for a week, at least, unable to do anything but sit here and talk.

Botan can fix that. He doesn't have to be stuck here like I am.

She rubbed at her face. "We can't just sit around anymore. Waiting isn't an option, and Koenma knows that." Suddenly, she was pushing herself to stand, offering the chopsticks she'd been holding to Kurama, along with the second bowl, in case he was still hungry. She was going to have to make a call. *

Kurama took the food without hesitation, slowly beginning to eat, his lower speed a combination of both his pain, but more so now his mind becoming lost in thought.

Youko was needed to be locked away. Why now when not before? Something triggered the need for the fake Youko to move about freely without fear of Kurama's other half becoming active.

So what did that mean?

They were on the move.

The thought chilled Kurama. On the move for what? What?

What was the purpose? What was their goal?

They had unsuccessfully attempted to acquire Tori-err Shikiyoku. Her powers, if Kurama had to guess, would let them...control vast amounts of people? Could she do that?

With Youko locked away, Kurama was unable to prod the demon for reassurance.

But they had not gotten her, assuming Koenma still knew where she was since everyone else was being kept out of the loop on that one.

So what would Youko have done if his first plan had failed?

The thought came out of nowhere and Kurama realized very suddenly that he was the best one to know what the next step for them would be because he had co-existed with the very being their enemies were imitating.

The realization was both freeing and harrowing.

He had to speak with Koenma. And soon.

~!**!~

Uryo made quick steps across to where he knew Hiei would be, where he could feel Hiei's flames still occasionally erupting through the air, wrought with emotions that made Uryo's own core sting in response.

Uryo wondered if Hiei had yet discovered that blasting away an entire forest doesn't actually make one feel any better. He would be better off tearing through half a million low level demons. At least then the bloodlust would pound away any other thoughts in his head.

Unphased by the fires that still blazed and lit the sky around him, Uryo walked through any remaining flame that still scattered across the forest floor, kicking up ashes of ruined grass and underbrush.

He noted briefly, somewhere in the back of his head, that the forest here would grow up stronger than before, the ashes fertilizing the new growth, and how ironic it was that such a tantrum would eventually create such beauty.

As he drew closer, he took another drink from the flask though he didn't know how much good it would actually do. Being bombarded by the emotions from the flames he made his way through was very sobering.

He paused in mid-step, caught suddenly by the flickering of a single flame in his peripheral vision, which he let his eyes follow, finding himself staring at the fire created by the energy of the demon less than ten feet from him now.

Something...clicked in his mind as to the very nature of the fire this particular demon wielded and one of his brows raised, but he dismissed the sudden revelation and took another few steps forward, folding his arms over his chest and assessing the newly-burnt, still-heated clearing from a foot behind Hiei.

He grunted.

"Could use a little more off the top." 3

Hiei, truthfully, hadn't been paying any bit of attention to his surroundings other than the parts he burned. But, subconsciously, he was aware of Uryo's approaching presence even as he let his own flames light up the night sky again.

Funny how something so warm could come from someone who felt as if the world were cold.

When Uryo spoke up, Hiei didn't even pause to look at the other male, instead taking to simply igniting more of the area around him, though the action called for no physical movement from the demon who now stood within the circle of his own destruction.

"And what makes you think I care how it looks? It needed cleared, so it's cleared."

~!**!~

Akari moved from the livingroom area and into the kitchen, immediately taking to pulling drawers from the countertop open. The wood rattled in protest from disuse each time, creating a sound she hated each time. A few even rattled with utensils that had been left behind by whoever had once owned this place.

But drawer after drawer, she found herself pouting.

Thanks to the person in the living room and the events that had surrounded him, she found herself unable to remember where she'd put the communication mirror, as Botan had called it.

Maybe…

Oh, right.

She turned to a small basket she'd found a few days ago, piled high with clothes she had yet to clean. It was easy to find the jacket she'd pulled off earlier and pull the mirror from it with a calm ease, pausing only to consider how the thing worked.

Last time, Yusuke had dialed Koenma, and she'd just… taken over.

So she flipped it open, frowning when no buttons were seen, but giving a start when white noise sounded from the thing. And after a moment, she was seeing the toddler prince. *

~!**!~

"Koenma-sir, I need you to sign this."

"Koenma-sir, we've got problems in the lowest sector!"

The bustle of the office had not died down for the past two days and Koenma was frantically filling orders and giving commands from his desk.

"Koenma-sir…"

Koenma felt the buzz go across his desk that indicated one of the detectives was attempting to reach him and immediately disregarded whatever it was the ogre was going to say, but underneath all the paperwork and stuck in the middle of a rather demanding group of workers, Koenma had a hard time remembering where exactly the button to answer was.

"Koenma-sir, we've just gotten confirmation that-"

"Don't care! Busy!" Koenma shuffled papers to the side, waving a tiny hand to stop the noise coming from the ogre's mouth.

"Koenma-sir, what are you doing?" George wanted to know, standing at his customary position just to Koenma's right.

"Trying to find the button for the…" Koenma's voice mumbled off incoherently.

George sighed, feeling the vibrations from the desk as he stepped closer, and moved a particular pile of papers out of the way to jab a clawed, blue finger at the button for which Koenma searched.

"You mean this button, sir?"

A screen in front of Koenma popped up from the desk, promptly scattering any papers that had been on top of it willy-nilly about the room.

"Yes, ogre." Koenma's expression was a mixture of gratitude and put-out as he gave George a look as the screen fizzled with white noise before presenting him with Akari's face.

"Akari." He seemed a little surprised that she was the one calling, and it was easy to see that his eyes had a bit of a haunted look to them, as if he had seen and heard too many things in the last few days and had not had enough time for sleep to recover from them. The noise of the office did not lessen even when he took the call, the sound of papers shuffling and ogres running amok being picked up by the microphone in the desk near Koenma's face.

~!**!~

"Mm." Uryo grunted again. "And what do you all think?"

He lowered his gaze and looked to the right.

Not three feet from where the two fire demons stood, a small army of lur'mog were seated on their haunches, eyes lit by the flames around them and all wearing similar expressions of fascination with the fire. Every so often a tail here or there would twitch, but they did not respond to Uryo's question.

Or rather, one did. The largest one who sat in front of the others, his gaze solemn and his eyes wide, blinked slowly, once, and looked up at Uryo.

The older apparition recognized this one. He had spent much time with it in the last few weeks or so.

A bit of flame washed over the lur'mogs, but they seemed unaffected by it, only staring after it with that same awed gaze.

"It never really helps, does it?" Uryo murmured, sighing to himself as he let his eyes lift and take in the destruction around them. "And the fact that things will grow back stronger because of it...maddening. Irritating." His voice took on just a bit of an edge and his jaw clenched. 3

Hiei had, for some reason even he didn't know, allowed the last of his flames to die out, leaving himself standing there, watching whatever didn't require his energy to feed burn whatever it clung to. He didn't really see it, though he tried, but it was just..

That stupid bond.

Those stupid words.

Nothing left him be. And it was only now he found himself growing irritated, borderline angry. But still, he merely stood there, letting his energy simply taper away and eyes stare ahead.

Might as well stop destroying before the tribe decided he was causing useless damage.

He didn't respond to Uryo, who seemed very keen on whatever was bothering the shorter of the two. It was something he hadn't considered: another being able to feel his emotions like his own. Perhaps it was something only the older could do, or maybe it was something fire apparitions with experience could do. He wasn't sure, and he didn't think about it.

He finally turned his eyes to look at Uryo from the corners, but only for a moment before turning to move away, hands finding his cloak pockets.

He didn't need someone telling him how maddening anything was. He already knew.

~!**!~

Akari raised a brow at the scene she could see and hear, momentarily distracted by whatever it was that blocked her view of the prince for a second. Paper, she deduced, as she saw several other leaflets of it falling through the air behind Koenma.

She huffed in amusement once before sighing. "Apologies for the interruption. Is Botan busy?" She glanced up, looking to the wall that separated herself from Kurama, still sitting in the next room with Nabu. With her voice a whisper, as before, she sighed and continued, "He's healing about as fast as a human, and I'm sure being locked up here will do no good." *

Koenma's brows furrowed.

Botan had told him little of the incident, though he had been distracted at the time, only saying that Akari insisted on fixing the 'problem.' Whatever that meant. Apparently it meant nursing or something.

He sat quiet for a moment, the noise of the office around him growing no softer before he spoke up.

"Truthfully...we've had to call her in for Reaper duties. We're swamped. There's been a-"

"Koenma-sir." George's voice could be heard over the intercom, though he was not seen.

Koenma gave the blue ogre a glare.

"They deserve to know. If I'd had a moment to breathe, I would have told them earlier."

"We are on strict lockdown, sir. Ordered from your father himself. You shouldn't even be answering the call."

"Ha! And now they know about the lockdown and it's not my fault!"

George opened and closed his mouth in consternation, his cheeks reddening as he realized what he'd done.

Koenma leaned closer to the screen, speaking much more quietly than before.

"Truth is, we're not supposed to let anyone in or out of Spirit World right now because-" Koenma's gaze lifted suddenly as another yell, louder this time, echoed through the office, and when he looked back to Akari, his words came faster, "There's been threat of an attack. If I can get you out of Human World and here, where we need help, I will. Promise."

Koenma slammed down the screen just as the ogres parted to let another through, this one wearing the official letters of his father.

"Prince Koenma. Your father wishes to speak to you."

~!**!~

"Hiei."

Before Uryo had a chance to say anything else, a tribesdemon approached them, though in truth, for once Uryo didn't know what to say and felt thankful for the reprieve.

The demon seemed hesitant, however. Unsure.

"Th-the Iro is asking for you."

Uryo glanced over to gauge the other fire demon's reaction.

The demon who approached them made a strange noise, as if to speak but then not. It drew Uryo's attention back to him.

"Hiei."

"She…" The demon appeared uncomfortable, "She asked for you." The demon looked meaningfully at Uryo, "-but...something is wrong. She- I- I think she tried to ask for her Champion first." The words came tumbling out, "She looks ill. I do not want her to dance if it means- I don't know. Something's wrong." He repeated.

"Hiei."

A strange warmth settled over Hiei's shoulders, spreading across the back of his neck and settling there. Waiting. 3

Hiei didn't pause when Uryo called out, though he wasn't really even sure where he was going. Perhaps back to camp, perhaps away. Either seemed fine to him, though away seemed more… fruitful. He'd be left alone for a bit.

But then again, what had that done to help him? Nothing more than create a clearing of ash.

Maybe one of blood would be better.

Again, his name was called, but this time the fire demon realized it wasn't being called aloud. Telepathically.

He gave a pause, this time tuning into whatever it was Uryo wanted of him, and realizing another demon had approached, talking to Uryo about… Shikiyoku, from the sound of it. For a moment, Hiei could care less. She wanted to be alone, so she was going to be alone. For a while, at least.

His feet moved again, carrying him away even still as his name was said a third time, this time almost more forcefully. At least, to him it sounded forceful. Urgent. While his own name did not stop him, the sudden warmth over his shoulders did, pulling him to a stop and to face Uryo with a blank stare.

Her words again echoed in his mind.

But he still didn't move away.

He blinked once at the pair before suddenly finding himself feeling rather.. worn out. He resigned himself to making the trip back towards the pair, hands still in his pockets, but clouded, shadowed eyes piercing the newcomer.

"Elaborate."

~!**!~

Akari stayed quiet as a voice she didn't recognize filtered through the communication mirror, and she only blinked once when Koenma turned to her again, after she'd heard the second voice speak of lockdown. But he didn't give her time to ask, or even try to do so.

He simply went on to elaborate, even after he was momentarily distracted and-

Hold on. King Enma has them on lockdown? Her brows furrowed after the word threat came through the speakers.

"They're-" she tried to say, but again he continued.

And before she could say anything more, the screen went black and she was staring at her own baffled expression.

Spirit World under attack?

She stood there for a minute, letting her mind register everything Koenma had said before she snapped the mirror closed- rather loudly- and stuffed it in her jacket pocket as she shuffled her way into the next room.

She paused in the threshold of the kitchen, staring at Kurama as she opened her mouth to speak, but wasn't sure how to word it.

"Well, as soon as someone appears, you and I are taking a trip to visit Koenma." Her lips twitched into a humorless smirk. "Though, it could be a while." *

Kurama had sinced finished his food, the bowl and utensils set next to him as he absently pet Nabu's head.

Something about Akari's tone had him looking up at her, seeing the grim smile.

"What's wrong?"

~!**!~

The demon Hiei addressed had by this time began wringing his hands together as if the tension of the conversation might prove too much.

"H-her skin it-" He held up his own hand, looking at it, "Like this when she came in, yes? Normal?"

The warmth over Hiei's shoulders seemed to grow...heavier, more weight, but more substantial. And something began gently tapping against the upper portion of his arm like...a tail perhaps. A slow, steady rhythm. Unexcited. A pulse of movement once in a while that was not meant to grab any attention, but spread like a rather contented feeling…

The demon shook his head, "I could not see exactly, but I believe her face was…" His eyes caught sight of the destruction around them and he picked up the word, "Ashen. Grey."

Across Hiei's other shoulder, a thrum began resonating, vibrating against him.

"Hiei."

"Her voice was…" He appeared at a loss for words, "Perhaps darker?"

"Do you know from where she gets her strength, Hiei?" The voice seemed to come from inside his head, but if it had an origin...somewhere it sat...it would have been just above the shoulder that currently had the thrum resonating peacefully. 3

Hiei felt slightly annoyed at the way the demon stuttered and wrung his hands in front of himself as he spoke. It made the fire demon want to just wave him away, tell him to find something better to do than waste his time. But the information the demon gave was something that caught his attention.

He thought about those factors, the things the messenger told him. He thought about the different possibilities. Demons could get sick, from stress or any other factor. Wasn't unheard of in any case, really, but…

Suddenly he wasn't seeing the demon in front of him, or hearing him either. He was within himself, searching for the bond he suddenly realized wasn't screaming at him, wasn't pulling at him. It wasn't thrumming, it wasn't growling, it wasn't… there. At all.

But.. wouldn't he know if it had broken? Wasn't that a thing?

Now Hiei was frowning to himself, only focusing on something other than the bond when a question was aired in his mind. Telepathically. Unrecognized? But the question was one he felt he should know the answer to.

Calmly, he turned his attention to the voice itself, as if it were a manifestation in his mind altogether. He didn't answer with words. He just… waited for an elaboration.

~!**!~

Akari moved further into the room, noting Nabu's curious stare that seemed very identical to Kurama's own questioning one. "They're on lockdown. A threat of an attack." she said slowly as she moved to sit in front of him. "Apparently, the king is very adamant that no communication in or out, likewise with people, is forbidden." *

Was that it?

Kurama's mind raced.

Was the fake Youko trying to...to what, attack Spirit World? Ridiculous.

...it would explain why they wanted Shikiyoku so badly, assuming she could catch the attention of multiple denizens at once.

And if they had failed to capture her, what would Youko have immediately done?

He would have had someone else. A back-up plan. And as soon as he had acquired that one…

Kurama sighed, nearly a groan, and reached up to rub a hand against his forehead as if in pain.

"We need to get into Spirit World. The sooner the better."3

Thanks for reading! Bless your face. If you sneezed during this chapter, bless you. Peace off! -Star