Sayomi wandered through the Void alone. She sighed as she only saw darkness and shadow. "How am I supposed to find this seal if I have no idea what it looks like? Can I even find it if it's been broken?"

She stopped and turned to search her surroundings. "If it's broken, then doesn't that mean it's not around anymore? Should I try looking for my Shade instead?"

Deciding to change direction, she continued her search. "But if I find her, what do I do? What will she do? Will she try to fight me or will we be able to talk things out like we used to?"

She kept walking until her stomach growled. She rubbed it and let out another sigh. "I guess that's it for now."

Sayomi opened her eyes and found herself back in the room. She was sitting on the bed in the lotus position. Hiei sat in front of her with his eyes closed and Evil Eye open. She scowled and said, "I'm hungry. Can we take a break?"

"It's our last day off," Hiei reminded her. "You need to take advantage of it."

"I also need to eat if I want to stand a chance in training," Sayomi argued. "Besides, how am I supposed to find this seal if it's been broken?"

Hiei opened his eyes to stare at her. "Have you tried making contact with your Shade?"

"you've been watching, haven't you?" Sayomi stretched out her legs. "I've been looking and haven't found a thing. Before, she would just be there. Now, there's nothing."

"She has to be there. If she's able to take over your body, then she must exist in your mind."

"Well, I can't find her." Her stomach growled. "So, can we please grab a bite to eat? I'll try again when we get back."

"Fine." Hiei closed his Evil Eye and covered it with his headband. "But we're not taking any detours."

Sayomi grinned and leaned in to kiss his cheek. His eyes widened as she hopped off the bed and grabbed her cloak. She was about to open the door when she was suddenly pulled back.

Hiei grabbed her wrist and spun her around into his arms. She was about to protest, but he silenced her with a kiss. He wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her close. Then he pulled away and walked out the door.

Sayomi blinked in a daze from the unexpected gesture. Then she shook her head and followed after him, trying to ignore the blush in her cheeks. I should've seen that coming...

The walk to the kitchen was quiet, but not unpleasant. Sayomi caught herself staring at Hiei's back more than once and forced her gaze elsewhere. I never imagined he'd be so... affectionate. When we first met, he was threatening to kill Yusuke and leave the rest of us to die. Now...

In the mess hall, there were several demons scattered around the tables. They collected their food and made their way to their usual seat. They ignored the glares and cautious glances as they started eating.

Do you think you'll be able to find her before the day is over?

Sayomi kept eating as she answered Hiei through her mind. I don't know. The Void is pretty limitless. How do you find something in nothing?

You're not nothing. Hiei glanced up at her briefly before focusing on his food again. Have you tried summoning it?

I've never done that before. She was always there. Sayomi tried to think of a time she ever needed to, but nothing came to mind. How would I summon her?

How do you summon your chains? Hiei asked.

Those aren't sentient. My Shade is me, but she's also aware of herself. It's hard to explain. Sayomi stared down at her half empty bowl of soup.

If it's sentient, then that should make it easier. Can you use your cloak?

Sayomi blushed as she recalled the first time she tried to use it during her meditation. The last time I tried that... it didn't really work out that way.

Hiei paused to look her in the eye. What happened last time?

Sayomi looked down at her bowl to break eye contact. It... made me think I was back on the island. Then I sorta woke up in the Void, as if none of it had ever happened. So I quit the meditation, and you were there.

Hiei scowled. That explains why you seemed so calm when I found you. Your Shade was missing back then, right?

Sayomi sighed lightly in relief. Yeah, she had already disappeared.

Hiei picked up his bowl and resumed eating. Then maybe you should try it now that she's been released. The seal might have affected its ability.

Sayomi followed Hiei's example and started eating again. You mean besides transporting me back and forth through the Void?

Try using the cloak to manifest your Shade while you meditate. If that doesn't work, then we'll need to coax it back to the surface through training.

Sayomi paled at the thought. She finished her soup and set the bowl down. She slowed her breathing to calm her nerves. I don't think I like Plan B.

Then Plan A better not fail. Hiei finished his soup and set the bowl on the table. He got out of his seat and left the mess hall with Sayomi. You need to be the one in control. You can't rely on your Shade to step in for you.

Sayomi let her cloak cover her whole body as she crossed her arms and scowled at his back. I'm not doing it on purpose...

You should be able to. Hiei kept his eyes forward, ignoring her tone. The more often you lose control, the closer you get to fading. As long as you're in control of yourself and your power, then you should be fine. Isn't that how it works?

Yeah... Sayomi's gaze fell to the floor. But how do I control her?

First, by not acknowledging it as a separate being. It's your emotions personified. You deal with them and don't let them control you.

You make it sound so easy.

Once they were in their room, Hiei turned on Sayomi and trapped her against the wall. She glared up into his blood-red eyes. His voice was low and stern when he spoke. "Stop making excuses. Take responsibility and pull yourself together."

"It's not that easy," Sayomi argued.

"It's only difficult because you make it difficult." When she tried to get away, Hiei closed the space between them, pinning her with his body. He leaned close to her ear and growled. "The sooner you get over your sensitivity, the better."

"Not everyone can just turn off their emotions, Hiei."

"I'm not telling you to turn them off. I'm telling you to get them under control. Learn to use them instead of being used by them."

"How do I do that?"

"It's your problem." Hiei pulled away and sat on the bed. "Figure it out."

Sayomi scowled as she sat across from him. She glared at him, then her eyes wandered down to the jewel around his neck. As she stared at the stone, she started to relax. Her breathing naturally slowed. Though her eyes were open, she slipped into a meditative trance.

Hiei noticed the change. He looked down at Yukina's necklace and smirked. "Would it help if you wore this for the meditation?"

Sayomi snapped out of her daze and blinked at him. "Are you sure?"

Hiei took off the necklace and slipped it over her head. "It's just for the meditation. I'm right here, so nothing will happen."

She nodded and closed her eyes. She focused on the small, cold weight resting against her chest. Yukina's necklace... She told him her brother has one just like it, but he's never worn it. Does he still have it, or does he choose not to wear it? But he wears Yukina's...

Sayomi let her thoughts drift by until there was just silence. She opened her eyes to the black abyss she had become too familiar with over her break. She looked down and found the stone around her neck. She felt better having it with her.

She took in a deep breath and focused her aura around her cloak. She stared into the Void and visualized her Shade. Her cloak fluttered around her as shadows started to spill through. They drifted around until they solidified into a dark copy of herself.

"Long time, no see, Host." Her Shade smirked mischievously.

Sayomi glared at her. "Where have you been?"

"Not even a greeting?" The Shade crossed its arms and sneered. "Seems the thief is rubbing off on you in more ways than one."

Sayomi ignored the verbal jab and said, "Answer the question."

"Tch. I've been here the whole time."

"But where?" Sayomi stressed. "I haven't seen you since the Dark Tournament. I thought you faded away completely."

The Shade shrugged. "I thought I did too. It seems you put a seal on me."

Sayomi arched her brow in confusion. "I don't remember doing that. One day, you were warning me about fading. The next, I couldn't find you anywhere."

"Because you sealed me in your subconscious. Whatever happened, it affected you enough to seal me away." The Shade smirked. "Until recently..."

"What activated the seal?" Sayomi asked. She tried to remember the first time she noticed her Shade was gone. "That was when Yasuhiro came back..."

"Is that what caused it?" The Shade chuckled. "Heh... I guess that makes sense. Wasn't he supposed to be dead?"

"I thought he was..." Sayomi scowled as she remembered her first encounter with him. Then she focused on the present. "Why aren't you here waiting for me, then? I never needed to summon you before."

"Because you don't need me anymore. At least, you don't think you do unless you can't handle the situation."

"Like during training."

"It used to be fun, didn't it? Why is killing such a bad thing now?" The Shade asked.

"I just don't think killing is really necessary to be a strong fighter," Sayomi answered. She thought back to the night Yasuhiro toyed with the hunters. "I'm hoping that if I can avoid killing, then maybe I won't need to worry about losing control."

"Why do you figure that?" the Shade asked, genuinely curious.

"Well..." Sayomi bit her lip as she tried to find the right words. "Yasuhiro was using a lot of power back then. We were struggling to survive and he was also doing his best to protect me. His condition didn't get that bad until after mom died and he started killing off our pursuers."

"You've killed before, haven't you? What's the big deal?"

"I only did it because they were trying to kill me. I don't need to kill for fun or to get stronger."

"True, but it's the fastest way to get there. So, how is big bro doing these days?"

"Yasuhiro..." Sayomi frowned at the mention of her brother. "He's too... over-protective."

"Does he still have his Shade?"

Sayomi shook her head. "If he does, he's not aware of it. He believes it's gone for good."

The Shade stared at Sayomi for a moment. "Have you seen him use his power?"

"Not since back then." Sayomi thought back to when he brought her to Mukuro's and the few times she's seen him since. "I've been training most of the time."

"With the thief, right?" The Shade glanced down at the jewel around Sayomi's neck.

"Not at first. Mukuro had me fight 75 Class-A demons by myself when I first got here. I wasn't allowed to see Hiei until after." Sayomi remembered finding the swordsman asleep in bed and a smile tugged at her lips.

"So you're mates now?" The Shade asked.

"No," Sayomi mumbled. "It's too soon for that."

The Shade scoffed. "So big bro has a problem with you mating the thief?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking the questions?" Sayomi asked with a raised brow.

The Shade shrugged its shoulders. "Ask away."

Sayomi asked the first question that came to mind. "How are you able to take over my body?"

The Shade stared at her for a moment. Then its gaze drifted down slightly. "The cloak."

"Hm?" Sayomi looked down at the fabric hanging around her frame. "Because of this?"

The Shade pointed at her and asked, "Do you remember the first time you tried to use it?"

"The first time?" She recalled the vivid fantasy of Hiei stealing her first kiss. She blushed and closed her eyes. "Yeah... I remember. What about it?"

The Shade smirked and said, "It transported you to your subconscious."

Sayomi blinked and arched a brow. "My subconscious?"

"You were only there for a moment. When you noticed something was wrong, you came back. I just took advantage of it the next time you transported there."

"You mean when Yusuke died." Sayomi scowled at the memory.

The Shade smirked. "Bingo."

"Is this gonna be a regular issue?" Sayomi asked.

"That all depends on the Host." The Shade's smirk grew. "Although, the more I get to take over, the closer I get to becoming the new Host."

Sayomi 's eyes narrowed. "That's not gonna happen."

"Heh heh heh... We'll see..." The Shade's chuckle lingered after it faded into the abyss.

Sayomi opened her eyes and saw Hiei staring back at her. She sighed and glared down at the bed. "Found her."

"I assume we'll proceed with plan B tomorrow," Hiei said.

Sayomi clenched her fists and took in a deep breath. There's got to be a better way... I just need time...

Hiei watched her, waiting for her to collect herself. When he saw her body tense, he asked, "What did it say?"

"Are you really not watching?" Sayomi asked, arching her brow as she glared at him through her bangs.

Hiei kept his expression neutral and answered, "I'm not watching your meditation until your body language and aura suggest I should."

Sayomi sighed again and looked him in the eye. "It's in my subconscious. It said that I retreat there through the cloak and it uses that chance to take over. That's why I'm not really aware of what I'm doing until after the fact."

Sayomi recalled her last conversation with Hokushin before she left. He mentioned that I've done something like that before... When I was training with the monks. My eyes turned black and I was covered in a layer of aura.

Hiei watched her as she started chewing her bottom lip in thought. His gaze lingered on her lips before trailing down the nape of her neck to his sister's stone. He reached for the necklace, snapping Sayomi out of her thoughts, and asked, "Did it help at all?"

Sayomi looked down at the jewel in his palm. "Maybe... The Shade became a little more cooperative once it noticed."

"You mean you subconsciously calmed down," Hiei said.

"I guess... Technically..." Sayomi shrugged.

"It's not a technicality. It's you. You corrected me about it every time I called it a thing. Why are you disassociating with yourself now?"

Sayomi scowled and shifted her gaze to the eye on the wall behind Hiei. When did I stop thinking of her as myself? Was it because I thought she had faded for good? Or... something else? She disappeared the day Yasuhiro showed up again. Is there a connection or was it just a coincidence?

As she became lost in thought, Hiei gently tugged on the necklace to pull her forward. She blinked when he stole a kiss from her lips. Then he locked eyes with her and said, "We can figure it out during training. Get some sleep."

Sayomi nodded and returned the necklace to him. As Hiei was getting ready for bed, she said, "I'm gonna meet with Mukuro first. There's something I need to talk to him about."

"You're going alone?" Hiei asked.

"It won't take too long. You can watch me from here if you're worried." She smirked.

"Just don't take too long. You won't survive if you're tired."

Sayomi nodded and left to visit the King of Alaric. She had memorized the path from the room to the King's door. When she reached the door with the eyeball, she took in a deep breath. I hope he's in here.

She opened the door and let herself inside. She found Mukuro and Kirin staring out at the Demon Plane through the large window. She marched towards them and said, "Before I go back to training tomorrow, I'd like to talk to you." She glanced briefly at Kirin. "Alone."

"Anything you have to say to Lord Mukuro can be –"

"Kirin. Go check on him then report back," Mukuro said, cutting him off.

Kirin sighed and narrowed his eyes at Sayomi. "Yes, my lord..."

Once Kirin had left the room, Mukuro turned to give the demoness his full attention. "Now, what is it?"

Sayomi stared into the tyrant's eye and asked, "What was that about?"

"Hm?" Mukuro tilted his head.

"Who's he checking on?" Sayomi clarified.

"Oh," Mukuro said, "I was referring to Yasuhiro."

"Is something wrong with him?" Sayomi asked.

"That has yet to be determined," Mukuro answered. "He's been in solitary confinement."

"What? Why?"

"After your little adventure outside, your brother stormed in, demanding that I kill Hiei and return you to him. Naturally, I refused and had him detained."

"Naturally?!" Sayomi glared at Mukuro. "He's been in isolation this whole time?!"

"It's for his own good and for your safety," Mukuro said. "Hiei requested I keep him away from you. He came in with the intention to have Hiei killed so he can get to you. Would you rather I let him roam free to carry out the task himself?"

"No, but..." Sayomi tried to think of an alternative. If I talked with him, would he still not change his mind?

"Did you come here to discuss your brother or was there something else?" Mukuro asked. "Kirin isn't the type to waste time when I give him a task."

Sayomi clenched her fists and slowed her breathing. "I wanted to ask if I could meet with Yasuhiro. There's... something I need to ask him."

"Hmm..." Mukuro glanced up at the ceiling. "Is that a wise decision to make on your own?"

Sayomi bit her lip and stared down at the floor. "It's about something very personal between us." She looked up. Mukuro was staring at her. She stared back, meeting the King's eye. "And I need to find out something. I need to see him myself."

Mukuro and Sayomi stared at each other silently. A few minutes later, the door opened and Kirin announced his return. "Nothing has changed, my lord. He's still muttering nonsense, but otherwise he remains in confinement."

"What nonsense?" Sayomi asked.

Kirin glared at her silently. Then Mukuro answered, "He's been asking for you. He's been obsessed with finding you. Now the sister he loves has rejected him for another."

"If I can just get him to listen –"

"You don't see it, do you?" Mukuro asked, cutting off Sayomi's plea. "Your brother loves you, as more than a sister. He's infatuated with you."

Sayomi stared at the king with wide eyes. "That's not... But he's my brother! You're lying!"

"I am many things, but a liar is not one of them," Mukuro said. "Your brother has harbored these feelings since the two of you were children. When you disappeared, he went mad. I found him on the verge of death and offered him the chance to accomplish his goal. In return, he swore his life to me.

"When he found you, he saw you with a group of strange men and his jealousy started to overtake him. Then he saw you and Hiei together. This only pushed him closer to the edge. His final breaking point was when you told him you were mates. Had Hiei been any slower, I would've been down one or two valuable men. You would not be here either."

Sayomi stared down at nothing. The king's words shone her brother in a new light that she didn't want to see. That's... "But why?"

"All Yasuhiro knew was you and your mother. When she passed, you were all he had left. He kept you safe and separated from society, as your mother had before. You were also being hunted, so the two of you were always moving. You didn't stay anywhere long enough to make any real connections with others. For him, it was only natural. On the other hand, you grew up in Tourin. Then you were in the Human World. You had time to build your social skills and form bonds with others. He was not so fortunate."

Sayomi's mouth felt dry. She breathed slowly to calm her nerves. If that's true...

"Do you still wish to see him?" Mukuro asked.

A moment of silence passed before Sayomi answered. "No. It's probably best that I don't. Sorry for the sudden intrusion."

She turned to leave. Just before she opened the door, Mukuro said, "Good luck in your training tomorrow. Depending on your performance, you'll be free to leave after this session."

Sayomi just nodded. Then she opened the door and let herself out.