The days seemed to blur together with Yasuhiro. There would be some days when Sayomi was left alone, and other days when she would get to see him. When he was home, they went on small errands and enjoyed meals together. When she was alone, she did her best to deal with boredom, but she'd usually end up thinking about her dreams and the figure in black.

It was another one of those boring days. Yasuhiro was gone for another job and Sayomi was stuck in another temporary hideout. It wasn't as comfortable as the hut or any of their other hideouts that came after. This time around, they stayed hidden in a cave. It protected them from the harsher elements and the deep shadows offered extra protection in case anyone else wandered in.

"If that happens, we'll have to leave again." She sighed as she stared up at the dark ceiling. "I wonder if we'll ever be free to just settle down somewhere. It'd be nice to make a friend or two."

She thought about her dreams and the figure in black. I get the feeling I should know who it is. Sometimes, there are some others, but the one in black is always there.

She thought of the figure's red eyes and shivered. Aside from his dark silhouette, it was the only detail she could ever make out. I know he's masculine, and he kinda smells like a bonfire, but I can't tell if he's good or bad. Will I meet him one day, or have we already met?

She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to think of something else. Her thoughts shifted to Yasuhiro and his displays of affection. Though he seems sincere about it, I can't say the feeling's mutual. I never get the chance to interact with anyone except Yasuhiro. He's nice, but it'd be nicer to not be alone half the time.

The idea of her and Yasuhiro being together didn't repulse her. He was a good guy who kept her safe and well taken care of, but it made her feel like a pet. "It's like waiting for my master to come home before I can have fun outside."

She glanced out the cave entrance. "What if I just left for a little while? I could explore the market and see what we need in advance."

She slipped out of the cave and started walking towards the nearest village. "A few minutes wouldn't hurt, right? It's not like he's here to stop me from going."

Sayomi maneuvered over large boulders and roots to get to the village. When she got there, she made a bee-line for the market. Though it was torn in several places, she kept the hood of her cloak up so no one could get a clear look at her face. Better safe than sorry.

Her eyes scanned the different booths. She made sure to memorize the locations of certain foods and supplies until another booth caught her attention. It was stocked up with an assortment of different weapons such as swords, daggers, arrows, and many more.

She spotted a black sickle and couldn't bring herself to look away. As she was about to reach for it, another hand caught her wrist.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Huh?" Sayomi looked up at the merchant.

It was a bald guy with stern eyes. He glared down at her and pointed at the weapon. "Do you have money to pay for this?"

"No, I just..." She drifted off. What was I trying to do? I know Yasuhiro won't let me have any weapons.

"If you can't pay for it, then don't touch it. Chances are the moment you touch it, something will happen and you'll need to pay for it." The merchant released her and said, "Don't come back here unless you plan on buying something."

Sayomi nodded and walked away from the booth. She rubbed her wrist and scowled at the dirt floor. I know I can't have weapons, but I really just wanted to look at it.

"Have you heard? They say that bandit was spotted in the area."

"Do ya mean the one on the Underworld's Most Wanted list?"

Sayomi kept her head down as she tried to listen to the gossiping demons. A bandit?

"Are ya sure? What would he want 'round here? Ain't nothin' worth stealin'."

"I heard he was gravely injured. He's probably coming here to lick his wounds."

"Are ya kiddin'? Didn't think anyone would be fast enough to get 'im."

"There are other rumors about a wandering assassin. They say he's as silent a killer as death itself."

"Y'think someone put out a hit?"

"I'm sure he's made enough enemies. I just wonder who would be crazy enough to take the job."

"If the thief was wounded enough to come hide out here, then that assassin may just be strong enough to kill 'im."

Sayomi decided she had heard enough. I suppose I should warn Yasuhiro about it, but then I would give myself away for sneaking out alone. I should probably just go back to the cave before he finds me gone.

As she was leaving, a bulletin board caught her eye. It was covered in fliers advertising jobs, sales, and wanted posters. Is this how Yasuhiro finds work?

One poster in particular caught her attention and she read the short description. "Wanted dead or alive! Lethal bandit on the loose. Please notify the Special Defense Force if you have any information."

She studied the rough sketch of a guy with spiky black and white hair. His eyes looked cold and she shivered from their intensity. "Hopefully we won't run into him. If he's as dangerous as the rumors say he is, then we should try to avoid him."

As she made her way back to the cave, she couldn't help thinking about the wanted thief. "I can't stop thinking about those eyes. They look so familiar but I can't…"

She almost stumbled when she remembered the figure in black from her dreams. "They have that same intensity, but… could it really be the same person?"

She eventually left the border of the village and retraced her steps through the woods. "If it is... does that mean he knows me? If he does, maybe he can help me remember."

The idea brought a smile to her face. "If he's somewhere nearby, maybe I can try to look for him while Yasuhiro is away. At least it'll give me something to do for a little while. I just need to check and make sure he didn't beat me back to the cave."

When it came into view, she sighed in relief. "Looks like the coast is clear."

"It will be." Next thing she knew, she felt a sharp sting at the base of her throat.

As if on reflex, Sayomi used the shadows of the trees to fade out of his reach. She solidified several feet away from him and gasped. It's him!

Familiar red eyes glared at her through black bangs. He wore a black cloak with a white shawl and black boots. She immediately matched it with the figure in black from her dreams. She whispered, "It is you..."

His eyes narrowed. "I take it you're a shadow demon like the other one. Are you his partner?"

Sayomi's brow arched in confusion. "You mean Yasuhiro? We travel together, but—"

"Then I better kill you before he shows up." He raised his sword and prepared to move.

Sayomi 's eyes widened. Damn! Does he not know me after all?

He dashed forward, making her react automatically. She faded with the shadows and solidified in the cave. This is bad! I was hoping he would recognize me, not kill me! Yasuhiro's not here! What do I do?

She watched as he looked around for her. Then his attention shifted to the cave.

Oh no...

He calmly walked towards her direction and said, "You can either come out and fight me head on, or suffer a painful death inside."

Neither of those choices sound good to me! Sayomi stayed hidden as she quickly tried to weigh her options. Okay, I can die in here or go out there and maybe try to talk to him. If he's the one from my dreams, then that has to mean something, right?

With a deep breath, she walked out of the cave with her hands raised. "I give up. I'm not a fighter and I'm not trying to turn you in."

The stranger's glare didn't relax at all. He watched her like a predator that was backed into a corner. "You expect me to take your word for it?"

She noticed the stain on his cloak that looked just slightly darker than the rest of the material. "Are you hurt?" She kept her voice calm and quiet. "I can help you with your wound. I remember how to heal."

"Remember?" The stranger took a few steps forward, prepared to act in case of any surprises.

Sayomi nodded. "I don't remember anything before several weeks ago. Although, for some reason, I always see someone in my dreams. Sometimes there are others, but this one is always there."

"I'm guessing it would be the other shadow demon."

Sayomi shrugged. "Actually, it's a figure in black that looks a lot like you."

The stranger's eyes widened for a brief second before they hardened again. "I don't know you."

"I figured that much out." Sayomi glanced from his face to his sword and back. "Still, I don't want to hurt you or anything. This cave just happens to be our temporary home. If you don't want to run into Yasuhiro, you should probably find another place to hide."

The stranger smirked and said, "If I could do that, I wouldn't have stopped here in the first place." Then his eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the ground.

Sayomi stared down at him, not sure what to do. "If I take him into the cave and Yasuhiro finds him, they might try to kill each other and I'll never learn who he is. I need to find another place to hide him."

She quickly explored the area, searching for any place that might go unnoticed by casual travelers. If he's aware of Yasuhiro, does that mean those rumors about a thief and assassin are about him and Yasuhiro? Is Yasuhiro an assassin?

She sighed. "If that's the case, would Yasuhiro find him anyways?"

Eventually she settled on a low dip in the ground, covered by a large fallen tree. She carried him on her back and made sure he was comfortably hidden before she started tending to his wounds.

As she worked, she kept her senses open and alert for any signs of Yasuhiro's return. If I can stop the bleeding, then he should be able to make it through the night.

She scowled. If Yasuhiro finds him like this, I don't know what I should do. I can't fight him, but I can't let this guy die either.

She stared down at the stranger's sleeping face. Compared to his dangerous expressions from before, in his sleep he kinda looks…

Visions flashed through her mind, sending a sharp pain through her head. She gritted her teeth and groaned. Images of the stranger sleeping in her lap and in her arms. They fought each other, meditated together, and embraced one another.

Then the visions were gone as quickly as they appeared.

Sayomi leaned back on her hands to catch her breath. She blinked and saw the imprinted images behind her lids. What the hell was that? Do we seriously not know each other or am I just having random fantasies?

She felt her face heat up when she caught herself staring at the sleeping stranger. But... didn't Yasuhiro say that he and I were together? Why am I fantasizing about someone else? Not to mention he's someone I just met.

Sayomi forced herself to her feet. "I should get back to the cave." She looked down at the sleeping thief. "I'll come check on you tonight if Yasuhiro doesn't show up. If he does..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I'll figure it out from there."

She made it back to the cave and sighed in relief when she didn't sense Yasuhiro. "Guess Today is my lucky day."

"Sayomi?"

"Huh?" She turned to see Yasuhiro standing behind her. "Oh, you're back."

He arched a brow and asked, "Is that all I get today? Normally you'd seem at least a little happier to see me."

"Sorry." Sayomi waved off his concern. "I was just hoping to get back before you."

"Why? What were you up to?"

"Nothing. Just had to use the restroom is all, but since there isn't one, I didn't want to do it in the cave that we're living in."

"Well, it wouldn't matter either way since we're leaving now."

"What? Why?" Sayomi hadn't expected this. Normally we'd stock up on supplies and wait till nightfall before just leaving.

"There's a dangerous criminal somewhere in the area. I don't want to risk you running into him."

Sayomi thought of the sleeping stranger not 50 feet away from them. "What are the chances of him coming to our cave?"

"More than zero, which is why I want to get you as far from here as I can."

"What about supplies?"

"We'll stock up on what we can carry. Then we're leaving immediately." Yasuhiro cupped her chin in his hand. "I just want to make sure you're safe from harm. Please forgive me for this sudden change in plans."

"I just don't understand your rush. Normally we'd wait till dark before moving out."

He stared down at her, locking his eyes with hers. "Let's just say it's my own fault for letting him get away. I failed so now I need to make sure you're taken care of as soon as possible before he finds you."

"Is he after me or something?" Sayomi asked. She had a bad feeling about everything. That stranger is dangerous, but he's seriously hurt. I doubt he can move very far judging from how fatal his wounds looked.

"If he finds you, he could use you against me or even kill you. You have to trust me on this, Sayomi."

Sayomi silently nodded her head. If I refuse, he'll think something is wrong. I'll go to the market and come up with a plan. She thought of the wounded stranger again. I can't risk losing this chance to find out more about him and my dreams. I need to stall for time somehow.

She reluctantly followed him to the village market. Besides, it's true he tried to kill me, but maybe now that I helped him, he'd be willing to at least answer some of my questions.

At the market, Sayomi did her best to ignore Yasuhiro's constant hovering. They bought enough food to last them several days on the road. There was no telling how far the next village would be.

Occasionally, she caught herself searching for the weapons merchant. I wonder if I can convince Yasuhiro to get it.

"What's wrong Sayomi? Are we forgetting something?" Yasuhiro asked.

"Oh, not really. I'm just browsing." Her eyes darted from booth to booth.

"If we don't need it, then we should get going. The sooner we leave, the better."

"Well…" Sayomi bit her lip. "It's something I could use, at least in case of emergencies."

"Oh? What is it?"

Sayomi looked until she spotted the tips of swords and spears peeking from the other side of a booth. She broke into a grin as she made her way through the crowd.

Yasuhiro frowned when he saw the different daggers and throwing knives on the table with larger swords, maces, and hammers on the improvised wall.

The merchant glanced down at Sayomi before shifting to Yasuhiro. "I suppose this means you have money to purchase?"

"Purchase what?" Yasuhiro asked, glancing at Sayomi disapprovingly. "You don't need any weapons."

Sayomi sighed at his usual negativity. "I'm alone half the time. If I had a weapon to defend myself, then maybe you won't have to worry so much."

"You don't need a weapon if I'm around to keep you safe. I only messed up this time because—"

"What'll you do if this happens again? What if next time, you come back and I'm already dead?"

Yasuhiro's eyes instantly darkened to near black. "That won't happen."

"You can't guarantee that," Sayomi argued. "I need this so I can guarantee my own survival if you're not there."

"You're not getting a weapon and that's final." He turned to the merchant and said, "Sorry for wasting your time."

Sayomi scowled and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "You can't shelter me forever, you know. I already know you're an assassin for hire. Why not train me in some of those skills so I'm not a liability?"

"My skills require me to use my power. I won't put you at risk of fading."

"If I can't use my power, then let me use a weapon. Then you won't have to worry so much about me."

"It's not that simple, Sayomi. There's always someone out there who's stronger. Just knowing how to handle a weapon isn't enough."

Sayomi scowled, "So you're okay with me being at the bottom of the power pole? You don't care that I'm a weakling that always needs to be protected? That sounds stupid and dangerous for me overall."

Yasuhiro glared at her. "We can discuss it later."

"That's what you always say and we never do. Why not discuss it now?"

Before Yasuhiro could answer, the merchant spoke up. "I'd prefer you don't discuss it in front of my shop. If you're not going to buy anything, then make room for actual customers."

"Don't worry. We're leaving." Yasuhiro left the booth, tugging Sayomi along by her wrist. "The sooner we leave this place, the safer you'll be."

"What if I don't want to leave?" Sayomi asked. She pulled her hand free from his grasp. "What if I want to stay here?"

Yasuhiro turned to glare at her. "Why would you want to stay here? It's a dump."

"It's not that bad." She crossed her arms and scowled. "Besides, we've stayed in worse places. I don't have a problem with here."

"If you want to settle, we can settle somewhere better. Besides, that thief is still lurking around here somewhere."

"If you can stop him, then why are we running? You can beat him, then we won't have to leave, right?"

"It's not that simple, Sayomi." He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "I just can't take the risk."

"Well can we at least wait till it gets dark? Wouldn't it be safer to travel at night?"

Yasuhiro sighed. "I suppose we could wait just a couple hours, but once that sun sets, we are gone. We'll find a better place and I'll handle the thief. Then we can discuss settling down."

Sayomi smiled. All I need is a few minutes alone. Maybe then I can ask the stranger a few questions and figure out why he's been in my dreams.

As they made their way back to the cave, Sayomi started to feel anxious. How should I do this? What would be a good excuse to leave the cave alone?

She racked her brain for any believable excuse until the cave was in sight. "Yasuhiro, I need to take care of some business. I'll be right back."

"What business?" Yasuhiro arched his brow curiously.

Sayomi arched her own brow. "Personal business, that a male shouldn't need to intrude on. I've been drinking a lot of water and it goes straight through me."

"Oh!" Yasuhiro blushed and turned away. "Yeah go ahead. Just don't take too long."

Sayomi smirked and made a beeline for where she hid the stranger in black. Hopefully he's still there.

When she got to the dip, she frowned. The stranger was already gone. Where could he have gone with wounds like that?

She was about to give up and go back to the cave when she caught a whiff of a familiar scent. She glanced around, then looked up at the branches. She grinned when she found him watching her. She kept her voice just low enough for him to hear without alerting Yasuhiro. "Were you up there the whole time?"

He jumped down and slipped his hands into his pockets. "Only when I heard voices." He nodded towards the cave. "I assume he's with you."

"Yeah, but you don't need to fight him, do you? He wants to leave as soon as it gets dark so he can take me to a 'safer place'. That'll be your chance to gain some distance and recover."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "Why would you help me?"

"Why?" Sayomi shrugged and crossed her arms. "I just feel like I should. Like I mentioned before, I've been seeing you in my dreams a lot so I feel like I kinda know you."

"We've never met before."

"I know, but..." She bit her lip and her eyes drifted to his red ones. She thought of the ones from her dream and she felt a shiver run down her spine. "There's something about you that's just so familiar. I want to find out why."

"What's your name?" He asked.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours," she answered.

"..."

Though his lips moved, she didn't hear him. She raised her brow in confusion. "What was that?"

He glared at her and spoke again, but she still didn't hear anything. He's not doing it on purpose... What's going on?

"Sayomi!"

Sayomi snapped her head back towards the cave. "Oh no..." She turned back to the thief. "You need to leave. Now."

Before he could do or say anything, Yasuhiro manifested from the shadows and glared down murderously at the thief. "I knew this would happen if we didn't leave sooner."

Sayomi's eyes widened and she stepped in front of the shadow demon. "Don't kill him!"

"He's my target, Sayomi. A wanted murderer." He summoned his scythe from the Void and prepared to attack. "I came just in time."

"He wasn't going to kill me, Yasuhiro. We were just talking." Sayomi stood her ground between the two. "And something's wrong because when he tried to tell me his name, I couldn't hear anything. It was like I had gone deaf for that brief moment."

Yasuhiro rested his hand on her shoulder and stepped around her. "You don't need to know his name. He'll be dead soon enough anyways. Then we'll settle down wherever you want."

The stranger stood back patiently for them to finish their discussion. Then he drew his sword and slipped into his stance. "If you're done, I'd like to get this over with. I'd like a word with Sayomi without your interference."

"Don't you ever say her name." Yasuhiro dashed forward, raising his scythe to attack.

As they fought, Sayomi watched the match in a daze. She tried to think back to the wanted poster she had seen in the village. Was there a name? I can't remember if there was one or not. Why couldn't I hear him? It looked like he had raised his voice the second time, but all I heard was silence. What's going on?

The stranger swung his sword, but it passed straight through Yasuhiro like smoke. He glared, annoyed with the shadow demon.

Yasuhiro smirked. "Once I kill you, she'll be free. We can finally be alone together."

The stranger narrowed his eyes, unsure of why that thought bothered him. He tried shouting out his name, but she didn't react at all. She still looked distant, as if she was in a trance.

Sayomi felt lost. She was in a black void and not a single sound could be heard. The longer she stared into the darkness, she eventually started to make out a slightly darker shadow. "Is it... me?"

"Something like that," it whispered. "Long time no see, host."

"What's going on?" Sayomi couldn't bring herself to speak any louder than the shadow. "What are you?"

"I'm your Shade and we're being torn apart. Yasuhiro has us under a form of hypnosis and he's trying to mold you into his ideal version of you, getting rid of what he doesn't like. That's why I'm here. Right now, he's trying to eliminate your very connection to the thief through your mind."

Sayomi nearly choked. "Hypnosis? Is that why I can't remember anything?"

"You catch on pretty quick. When you couldn't hear the thief's name, that triggered a warning in your subconscious, so I was finally able to reach out to you. If we don't get out of this soon, there won't be any way to fix the damage. We'll end up as broken as he is." The shadow's tone indicated humor, but Sayomi could detect the layer of despair at the thought.

"How do I break out of it, then?" Sayomi had no choice but to believe the Shade. If it's part of me, why shouldn't I trust it?

"All you have to do is remember. If you can remember what's important to you, then you can overpower him and break free."

Sayomi scowled. "How do I remember?"

"Meditate." She could almost see the Shade's taunting smirk. "Figure it out for yourself and you just might stand a chance."

Sayomi heaved a heavy sigh and sat down with her legs crossed. She closed her eyes and started to take deep breaths. I hope this works.

Meanwhile, Yasuhiro was wearing down the thief. He was phasing through every attack and using the thief's flames against him. The stranger in black was breathing heavily with a few cuts and scratches over his arms and legs.

"There's no point in dragging this out any longer, thief. You're on your last legs."

The thief glared at the shadow demon and glanced at Sayomi. She was still in a trance. Then he braced himself for another attack.

Yasuhiro scowled at the thief's defiance. "Never again..."

"What?" The stranger asked.

"She should have never met you. So, I'll make sure she never meets you again." He shrouded the area in shadow, blinding the swordsman and hiding his own presence.

The stranger scoffed and removed the white blindfold from his forehead. A third eye opened and started to glow in the darkness. "I won't die so easily."

Sayomi slowly inhaled. Then she slowly exhaled. She focused on herself. Her breathing, her heartbeat, and her senses. She thought of the stranger. The way he moved. The way he smelled, sounded, and felt.

He smelled like a bonfire. His body was firm, but smooth. He sounded cold, but he was warm to the touch. The way he moved... it was very swift, like a flying shadow. She quietly whispered, "Hiei..."

The moment she said his name, her memories came rushing to her mind.

She remembered the summons to King Raizen's chamber. She met the Underworld Detective and Raizen's heir, Yusuke. Through Yusuke, she met the others: Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei. They conquered the Four Beasts together. They saved Yukina from the Brokers of Darkness and won the Dark Tournament. They fought Sensui and she was able to bring Yusuke back to the Demon Plane.

She had grown stronger over the months and had even traveled to the three warring territories. She was there when Yusuke proposed a new tournament to elect the King of the entire Demon Plane. Then she remembered her time with Hiei and the way he left her alone. Before everything went black, Yasuhiro had coaxed her into a deep sleep within the Void itself.

Her eyes snapped open and she was back in the forest. She heard heavy breathing and turned to see Yasuhiro on his back, gasping for breath. He was covered in cold sweat and he looked exhausted. She glared down at him dangerously. "What did you do?"

"I almost had him... Just a little longer..." His fist clenched the grass beneath him and he growled, "He was almost out of the way."

"Yasuhiro..." Sayomi's eyes darkened until they were almost completely black. "What did you do?"

After a heavy sigh, Yasuhiro got to his feet and he glared down at Sayomi. "I showed you a vision of what we could've been. In the times I disappeared, I was trying to erase the things that were keeping you from me. You were almost mine..."

Sayomi narrowed her eyes as she reached for her weapon. "That vision felt more like a stuffy prison." She let her chain spill free and started spinning it lazily. "You can't protect me from everything, Yasuhiro." She stalked towards him, shrouding herself in her aura. "Especially not from myself."