Oh yeah, the preview for last time is the preview for next time. Get it? Sorry, my writing escaped me. I hope this isn't boring, it seemed kinda stale to me. Lately I've been having a rough time writing. I suppose that without the Yu Yu Hakusho episodes I've been losing inspiriation. Hopefully I can get the Yu Yu Hakusho Movie before my writing fuel runs out! Because then I wouldn't have the ability to write anymore. WOULDN'T THAT JUST BE TERRIBLE! Well, anyway...

ONWARD MY TRUSTY READERS!

Burn it Black

Ch. 11- Entering City Limits

入る市境

By the time we reached the city boundaries, even I found the heat unbearable. With the high temperature it brought out the smell in the saddle. Every time I tried to breathe I gagged on the stale scent of smelly camels. It was disgusting, and heightened with my sensitive nose.

But compared to the discomfort I had with the pungent scent of camel, Kurama was in a living hell. Yusuke and Kuwabara found their situation to be unbearable as well, and decided to remind Kurama of this every few seconds.

"It's like living in an oven here!" Yusuke shouted.

"I know," sighed Kurama.

"How do people possibly live here? It's too hot!" Kuwabara complained.

"I know."

"Why are we here anyway?" Yusuke cried, tossing his head back.

"I know."

They continued to batter the poor redhead relentlessly, but I lost concentration to the throbbing pain in my shoulder. It really was trying me, and if we didn't get to Kansan soon I was sure I'd go crazy.

"Finally! Kansan in the distance!" Muzei shouted as we breached the top of a tall hill that overlooked the city.

I lifted my head in disbelief, the rays of the setting sun behind the city to make it glow with a red tint. After I saw Muzei's camel pause I gave mine a sharp tug, and it stopped as well.

The city had a large wall that wrapped around it, and inside that wall were tons of buildings and streets. In the back there was a tall castle, the usual fantasy-shaped one with towers and flags. It looked to be placed upon a hill of sorts, setting it apart from the commoner's houses.

"At last," I breathed, my hands gripping the leather reigns in apprehension of a fresh, hot shower. Subconsciously I had wrapped them around my hands during the ride, so this small action pulled the reigns a bit tightly on the camel. It released a loud moan in irritation, and in a startled attempt to fix it I pulled my arms up. Bad mistake.

The camel groaned and reared up in displeasure, forcing me to squeeze my thighs around its shoulders. Suddenly I felt hands grab my waist and I screamed, pulling hard on the reigns in a mixture of confusion and shock. The camel shot down the hill in a flash, and I grabbed its neck to keep from falling off.

I took this time to shoot a glare behind me at Hiei, who was glaring at his hands, gripped tightly to the horn of the saddle.

"What the hell was that, you perverted midget?" I shouted.

His eyes flickered to me and he barked, "I was going to fall off because you don't know how to ride a damn camel!"

"Like you could do any better, you short-tempered bastard!" I shot back.

"At least I didn't try to kill a camel and got spat upon in the process!" heroared, spooking the camel into running faster. It almost tripped over its own clumsy feet in its haste, and I grabbed its neck for balance again.

"SHUT UP!"

Muzei and Kurama, still back on the hill, watched with growing interest as the cloud of dust shouted insults back and forth.

"They make an interesting pair," Muzei said with a smile.

"Interesting indeed," Kurama said.

"Let's get there before they rip each other's throats out," Yusuke suggested.

"Mmhm," Muzei agreed, then clicked her tongue. The camels both began to move at once, starting at a fast pace toward their destination.

--

We met at the bottom of the wall, steered to the side for a discreet entrance. The road was made of cobblestone, with sand lining the edges and inside the cracks. Muzei was leading again, her camel showing us the way to the far left. I took tactful notice to everything around us, checking the shadows for any stalkers. Yusuke and Kuwabara were beside us, a bit further up.

It was silent between Hiei and I. I was still fuming that he had even dared touch me, and he was caught in his own thoughts. Where he gets the spunk-! I thought angrily, tying the reigns in my hands again. I noticed it this time, though, and took care into unwrapping them.

As soon as I completed that, my hand quickly shot under the collar of my shirt as pain streaked in my shoulder again. I winced, the intensity growing steadily. I forgot the passion of hate I had for Hiei and quickly indulged in wondering when I'd find the time to grab the necessary items for the brew. They had to have it here. They just had to…

"Here," Muzei said, and I looked up after placing both hands on the reigns again. There was a hole in the wall, covered with a green blanket.

Muzei slid off the side of her camel, and I decided to do the same. Getting a fistful of the reigns again, I unhooked my right foot from the stirrup and swung it around the camel's shoulders. My left foot was free from the stirrup as well, and with that I simply jumped down. Hiei landed but a millisecond behind me, and I walked toward Muzei.

"Through here," she said, reaching to hold the blanket up for me. I scoffed, but moved under it anyway. Inside looked like a storage room; boxes were stuffed in the corners of the room in high piles. There was a mattress lying idly on the floor, springs popping from the sides, and what could be called a dresser pushed against a wall.

"Nice place you got here," I said sarcastically as the others followed in.

"Oh, this isn't mine. It's Kori's room."

"Kori?" I asked dryly. Muzei just gave an unsettling smile to the remark. Suddenly what felt like a physic wave crashed into me and I noticed something moving at a lightning pace through the shadows. Then a man was standing in front of me, my hand in his, with a sly smile on his lips.

"Kori, pleasure to meet you," he said raising my hand in front of his golden eyes.

It took a moment for me to register what had happened, but when it did I pursed my lips and tore my hand away from his, putting in on my hip firmly. The man tilted his head toward me, his long silver hair tied back in a black ribbon. He had two colorless fox ears on top his head and a black and white scarf wrapped around his neck. A green vest exposed his fair skinned chest, and he wore a pair of jean shorts, one that reached the floor and the other only to his knee.

"Shrewd," I mumbled.

"Discerning," he complimented me.

I crossed my arms and looked to Muzei. "Anyone else you'd like to introduce?"

"Actually, yes," she replied, and walked toward the door behind her. She grasped the doorknob and pulled, and standing was a tall fellow with deep green skin and piercing yellow eyes. He had a club hauled over his shoulder and wore an old, thick breast armor over his chest. Remains of a torn yellow shirt were visible behind this, and his long, camouflage jean pants hid most of his feet from sight.

"Say hello to Kinryoku," Muzei said happily.

"Hey," Yusuke shouted, smiling.

Kuwabara said, "What's up, big guy?"

Kurama replied, "Nice to meet you."

Hiei stared, and I looked him over carefully. His small yellow eyes were high on his head, but they seemed to have no bloodlust or otherwise hateful look to them whatsoever. In fact, he was almost… peaceful.

"Hello, and what are you all doing here?" he asked, waving an arm at us.

"Tourists," I replied, drumming my fingers along my arm.

"Hmm, interesting. Seeing as you don't have cameras or a driving vehicle. Or money, for that matter," Kori replied steadily, rising and leaning against a box. He eyed me with an intense stare, unwavering.

I drew a sharp breath and said, "It's none of your business anyway. Don't ask of our intentions and we won't ask of yours. Got it?"

"She's the arrogant one," Muzei announced, smiling again.

I glared at her, flexing my claws anxiously.

"No, not arrogant, just… doesn't trust easily," Kurama offered, trying to help me.

"Muzei," Yusuke said, "didn't you say you'd explain more about those monsters at the camp site?"

"Oh," she said, a serious expression settling on her face. Kori turned to look at her, and something passed between their eyes. He glanced at Kinryoku, who gave a grunt. Then he turned back to us, looking us over.

"Those were called Shadow Serpents," Kori started, "and they've been hangin' around the city wall as of late. Now, Shadow Serpents usually stay in the Shadow Realm and don't bother to come out into the Maikai, and never the Ninjenkai. Also, they try to stay away from other demons; solitary by nature."

"But, since they've been slithering around here they've taken a few demons who go out for a midnight walk," Muzei picked up, "At first we thought it was just a snack for them, but the attacks have been getting more and more frequent and they've been spotted in larger numbers. I thought it was someone in the castle they were targeting, but… it seems that's where they're coming from in the first place."

My eyes widened and I held my breath. Here? In the castle! Why didn't I recognize it?

"So when they suddenly disappeared into the desert, I followed in curiosity. Why they left for you all is yet to be discovered," she said, eyeing Hiei and me suspiciously.

I let my arms go and reached for my Sais, deciding I had no more time to waste with these fools. I gasped when I didn't feel them, and glared hard at Kori. He was smiling at me, balancing of my Sais on his index finger and the other held tightly in his hand.

He's good. Well, time to test my skills. I flickered into a shadow and reappeared on the opposite wall, holding my Sais tightly. Kori smiled at me, and I spat, "Don't touch my things."

"We're obviously not getting along very well," Yusuke said, putting a hand on my shoulder. I glared at it, considered biting it, but then decided against it. I took a deep breath, and slowly let it loose.

Suddenly a stream of burning hot pain shot up my shoulder, and I fell to my knees. I grabbed it and squeezed tightly, trying to block out the blinding pain. My breath was coming in shallow rasps, and in a desperate attempt to make the pain stop I dug my claws into the skin. Instantly purple blood rushed to the surface, and I yelped in pain as the air hit the wound, but I needed it to stop, so I dragged my claws down the shoulder.

Then someone stopped me. They grabbed my wrist and tore it away from the skin. A burning sensation ran all up and down my arm, but it wasn't the familiar kind that I'd come to know as fire. It was poison, and it was clouding over my vision… I tried to keep my eyes open, I tried to fight it away, but… I couldn't. I feel unconscious to the disgusting red tinted smile I had come to familiarize with him, and the empty feeling that it brought.

--

I was standing in a cold, cold place. I felt some kind of freezing substance up to my knees, and something equally as cold hitting my face. I slowly opened my eyes and found myself in a valley of snow, a deserted, barren wasteland. The cold wind blew my hair off my shoulders and beat my skin until it was numb. I felt lightheaded; I could barely register anything but the cold…

Fingertips grazed along my right shoulder, moved slowly across my collarbone, and began to press down hard when it reached to my left shoulder. I opened my lips for a silent scream as a burning sensation hit me again. It felt like my shoulder was collapsing in on itself, and this fingertip made it do so.

I desperately attempted to open my eyes, but I knew what I would see. It traced a symbol in my shoulder, bringing it to resurface with all the pain of when it was first set. I nearly crumpled under the pain, but instead found myself able to reach out and seize the hand. It was surprised at first, lifting from my shoulder and shaking with the intensity of my grip.

"Let… go," I whispered, baring my fangs and cracking open my eyes. I glimpsed snow-white hair, a bloodied smile, and a flash of bright blue eyes. Then it was gone.

--

I gasped as I woke up, cold sweat beaded on my forehead and my hand outstretched. As I struggled to catch my breath, I looked around. Kurama and Hiei were to my right, and Muzei to my left. She had bandages in her hand, already half applied, but it looked as if she stopped suddenly.

"You ok?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Here, this will help," she said, reaching out behind her and grabbing a glass with purple liquid inside. I took it, forgetting my suspicions about her, and drank a long swill. When I dropped the edge from my lips, I sniffed it. The ingredients were pungent and easy to pick out: water, Shakuhou berries, and grinded Seidaku leaves. I took another sip, savoring the warm water as it entered my mouth and left a sugary sweet taste.

"…Thank you," I whispered softly as I lowered the glass and felt the pain begin to drift away smoothly. I continued to stare at the glass when I curled my legs under me cross-legged, swirling the liquid in the glass around the bottom. Kurama looked over my head and smiled at Muzei, who returned it softly.

Then she began to wrap my arm again, and I didn't complain. "That poison made you more violent and unfocused. That's why it hurt when Kori entered the room," Muzei explained.

I opened my mouth to ask how she knew, but she replied first, "Kori told me he could sense it. He's a shadow apparition, too. Quite good you two are."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Kurama asked.

I shrugged. "I… I didn't need your help."

He sighed, "Next time you get hurt, you have to tell us. You can't loose your pride by having someone help you a little."

I stared hard at my claws, thinking about that, and about what happened when I was unconscious.

"I'll come back for you in time…"

I gave a quiet gasp, remembering his smile. Oh, that smile haunted me. It was hiding in the corners of my mind, sending me shivers in the night. It didn't let me dream, it kept me locked in my memories. Either that or that barren wasteland… but never free. Never truly free…

"Where's everyone?" I asked abruptly, noticing Hiei's absence. He had already left, when I was thinking.

"In and around the house," Muzei said, "I didn't want 'em moving out without you."

I stopped swirling the remaining purple liquid and set the glass aside, turning and pushing myself off the bed. As I turned my head, I looked around.

I was previously sitting on a raised bed, and directly in front of me was a vanilla wall, a large gap could be seen through the bamboo screen hanging from the top. I could hear people laughing, people buying and selling things, I could smell fresh meat and vegetables.

I looked downward, thinking of if we shouldn't explore outside first. Not for any particular purpose, it was just… fun. Exploring was one of my favorite things to do, and kept inside that house for so long didn't provide a lot of entertainment.

"Let's go," I said simply, turning to face Muzei. She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile myself at the thought of actually getting out, a chance to use my senses to their fullest extent, to really indulge in culture and different people. It was a break that I deserved, and I was going to enjoy it all I could.

--

I left Muzei and Kurama to find the others, while I decided to take a shower. My footsteps echoed down the empty hallway, cement under my feet and stones on the walls. I looked over each door carefully, remembering Muzei's instructions as clear as I could.

"Oh, just walk down that hallway there," she said, pointing toward an entrance to said hallway, "turn right, and then take the sixth door to the left."

"Here," I said as I counted the sixth door. It was a pale wood, with a rounded bronze doorknob. Putting my hand around it, I softly twisted it. But I only got to move it a bit before it was stuck. Furrowing my eyebrows at it, I jerked the doorknob to the side.

"Locked?" I asked myself, letting go of the knob and glaring at the door. A thought passed my mind, but I forgot it as I rasped my knuckles against the wood.

"Hey!" I shouted, but there was no response. Agitated, I leaned my face against the door, ear pressed firmly. I heard water running, but it was being turned off with a squeaky knob.

Hiei! I thought, that impudent little brat! Just when I needed to take a shower, too.

The door opened quickly and unexpectedly, and I gave a short yelp as I fell onto a hot, wet, bare chest. Blushing somewhat, I looked up and found the surprised, but smiling face of Kori. His golden eyes were sparkling, and his silver hair was matted against his shoulders as steam rose from his skin.

"What a wonderful surprise," he murmured, and I pushed away from him.

Glaring at the wet stains on the front of my shirt with distaste, I heard him close the door behind him. When I looked up, I saw him with one hand on the white towel around his waist and the other holding a bundle of his clothes.

"Well, I'm off to my room to change. Here," he said, letting go of the hand on his towel and grabbing another from his clothes, "you'll need this."

I caught the towel silently and looked at it carefully. As he began to walk away, he said, "No thanks?"

"Why would I?" I asked.

"Because without that, you'd be walking outside naked," he threw over his shoulder as he continued to walk down the hall.

I felt heat rush up to my face at the thought of it, but quickly pushed it away and opened the door. The air was thick with hot steam, and the white tiled that made up the room were warm to the touch. It was rather small, but suitable. I turned and locked the door, twisting it for assurance, before turning toward the small plastic chair in the corner.

I quickly peeled off my clothes that clung to me in the heat of the desert and that of the room, and tossed them onto the chair. I sighed as a fresh feeling came from removing the heavy clothes I always wore.

I turned to my right, finding a small wall in which the shower hid behind. In front of that was a toilet and sink, both of which had droplets of water on their smooth surface. I reached out and grabbed the white shower curtain, tugging it aside. Carefully, I stepped inside the shower and pulled the curtain back. As I grabbed the knob and turned it, scorching hot water poured down, searing into my skin.

A smile graced my face, and I relished in the sensation as it cleansed me from my worries and my enemies, my future and my past. I fell into my subconscious, not even remembering when I washed over my right shoulder, right over the blackened skin. The symbol that I had a reason to live. To be his tool.

--

Meanwhile

Muzei and Kurama were sitting in the former room, they hadn't moved yet. Kurama shifted against the wall, his finger to his chin.

"That mark on her shoulder must mean something critical," he mused, and Muzei nodded her head.

"From what you've told me, it sounds like someone wanted to wait until they were ready to let her go. They may have used you people because you were convenient."

"Hm, that is plausible…. I'm suspicious at whoever sent that letter. They obviously wanted Kumori out, and they have a history with Koenma. For a moment, let's say he was the one who set Kumori there in the first place."

"So they bided their time doing whatever until they were ready for her, which was about a week ago," Muzei said.

"We should be on watch of anyone suspicious… He should make his appearance soon," Kurama mumbled.

"Who's going to make his appearance soon?"

The two turned toward the hallway. I was rubbing the towel in my hair, already dressed and dry for the most part. I looked at Kurama questioningly.

"Kori," Muzei said brightly, "We found the others and got them all into one room, but we couldn't find Kori."

"He took a shower just before I did," I told them, deliberately forgetting how I found him.

"Present," came a voice behind me. I rolled my eyes, mumbling, "Show off."

Kori walked in front of me, a line of the others following him. "I thought it was about time we went outside, hm? So I rounded up the others. Now, let's go!" he shouted, and flickered into the shadows.

"I agree," came the heavy voice of Kinryoku as he made his way past me. He reached the entrance and held up the bamboo, saying, "Come on Muzei. Time to go."

She gave a glance at us and said, "Can you get around on your own? Wouldn't want such sweet tourists to get lost in such a big city."

"I think we'll be fine, thanks," Kurama said, smiling.

"Ok, then," she replied, hopping off the bed and running out the door. When Kinryoku left with her, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei walked in as well.

"We have to find the princess as quickly as we can. That's top poirity," Yusuke said, hitting his fist against his open palm, "So we're gonna go out there, bust into the castle, and grab the princess. Then run outta there like we're on fire! Any questions?"

I stared at Yusuke, hoping that something would snap and he'd realize just how hazardous his "plan" was. But, much to my surprise, Kurama sighed and said, "Good, let's go then."

My mouth dropped, and I said, "Y-You're gonna let him storm into the castle? Just like that? We'll obviously get caught!"

Kuwabara and Hiei began to move out of the room with Yusuke leading, but Kurama and I stayed behind to argue.

"Yusuke's plans are always like this, and we make it out with a mission accomplished. Somehow he's like that," he reasoned.

I closed my eyes and thought it over. If we did charge the castle, they'd send their defense to deal with us, and obviously keep the princess and Queen farthest away from the battle that they can. Which would be in the utmost part of the castle. So when we're fighting, someone would get the Queen. Besides, I get to fight an entire army…

I smiled and looked at Kurama. "Say, I wouldn't get in trouble if I killed the demons at the castle, right?"

"No, you wouldn't."

I beamed at him and shouted, "Well then, what are we waiting for?"

Kurama smiled and followed me as I raced out the door, into the bright light of day, and on our way to catch up with the others. This was going to be too much fun.

Something's happened to my computer, and it's deleting my chapters left and right, then screwing up the ones I have. Also, my usual reviewers aren't reviewing, so I'm going to request a minimum of 4 reviews until I update again. Sorry, but if there's something wrong making people stop reading my story I implore you toinform me!