Chapter 4: On Our Own
"Crap on a stick," repeated Raizen and scrubbed his hair with his hands. Yukina and Keiko had shut themselves from their children at the news of their husbands' kidnapping. Both wouldn't come out no matter how hard Hina and Raizen pounded the door.
"As colorful as your language is, Urameshi, it is not helping our current situation," said Yukei, sounding a lot like his father. Raizen turned to the fire demon.
"Well sorry if my dad's just been taken by who know where and for what reason!" yelled Raizen.
"Hey, your dad wasn't the only one taken," said Hina, shoving into the conversation.
"And that goes for all of us," said Rain sitting on a chair with her sister, Megumi and Tama. All three stopped bickering and looked at the eldest member of their group. "Raizen, you and Megumi lost your father, Hina and Tama lost theirs and Yukei, Shiori and I lost our father and mother. Right now isn't a time to be at each other's throats."
"Rain-itoko is right, everyone," said Tama. Normally soft spoken like his mother everyone turned to him in surprise when he spoke. "We have to work together if we're to do something."
"You're not suggesting we go out and find them ourselves," asked Shiori.
"Why not?" asked Tama. "What would our fathers do if it was one of us missing?'
"They'd go to the ends of all three worlds to find us," said Raizen. "But we can't do that!"
"Why not," asked Rain, a fox-ish smile on her face.
"Rain," gasped Shiori in surprise, "you can't be serious!"
"Shiori, you remember that story Mama used to tell us? The one about the fire demon prince searching all three worlds for the human princess he loved?"
"Anee-san, that was just a story," protested Yukei.
"You'd be surprised how often stories are based on truth. We can do it, all of us. We can find our parents! Damn it, Yukei, be a youko for once and do something spontaneous!"
Yukei smirked, looking ever more like Hiei. "I thought I was by snitching your scarf."
Rain glared at her brother.
"But we don't even know where to start," said Megumi.
"And who says your coming?" asked Raizen, glaring at his sister.
"I want to find Papa too!"
"You're too young."
"But Shiori and Yukei are coming too!"
"I never said that," said Rain.
"What?!" yelled the Jaganshi twins.
"But we're older then Megumi!" protested Shiori.
"We can help more then she can," said Yukei. "She hasn't even mastered the Rei Gun yet!"
"Yes, I have!" yelled Megumi.
"One blast a day doesn't count."
Megumi's face went red with anger. "I may not have the Rei Gun fully mastered, but I can still punch you to next week!"
Yukei smirked. "I'd like to see you try."
Megumi jumped up to defend herself when Rain cleared her throat.
"Now isn't the time to be fighting," she said. "Right now we have to find out the best way to help our parents."
"I agree with Rain," said Hina, her hands in her pocket. "We have to work together if we want to find out parents. And four extra hands won't make a difference."
"You mean six!" protested Megumi until Raizen silenced her by putting a hand on her head.
"Sorry, kid," he said. "But you have to stay here. Someone has to take care of Mom and Yukina-oba-san."
Megumi glared up at her brother. "I ain't stupid. I'm not falling for that old trick. I ain't staying here because you guys need someone to watch the women folk. We have guards for that! I'm going with you one way or another."
Raizen watched his sister's outburst and groaned. "Damn, I'd thought that would work."
Tama chuckled. "Megumi's smarter then we take her credit for," he said. He looked over at the youngest Urameshi child. "Your brother's just looking out for you, Megumi. Rain, Raizen, Hina and I are older by many years and have more experience with the Makai. It isn't about ability. He's not insulting you, just protecting."
Megumi still frowned and crossed her arms.
"Yukei and Shiori are still staying here," said Rain. Both twins stared agape at their sister.
"But…."
"Damn it, don't argue with me! You're staying here and that's final!" Rain put on her best Youko Kurama face to stare down her younger siblings and it seemed to have worked. The two reluctantly backed off.
Yukei glared at his older sister and Shiori sighed. The older children went off to one side to discuss further plans as the younger three sat apart.
"You believe that crap," asked Yukei sitting on the floor next to his sister. Shiori sat with her legs tucked under her and her tail wrapped around her legs. Her ears twitched trying to catch the conversation the older children were having.
"No," said Megumi. "But how are we going to follow them?"
"We'll figure something out," said Yukei looking at Shiori. She seemed to have a bored expression, her head in one hand and her eyes closed, but Yukei knew she was listening on the others. "Maybe if we tag along…."
THWAK
Yukei yelped as a small rock hit the back of his head and he grabbed the throbbing spot and glared at Rain.
"Don't even think about trying to follow us!" she yelled and returned to the discussion. Yukei glared at her once more before turning to his sister. He didn't have to ask his question aloud and Shiori nodded.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Later that night four figures walked out of Hiei's castle.
"This is it, guys," said Rain looking at Hina, Tama, and Raizen. "We're on our own."
The other three nodded and followed the youko out. They didn't notice three other figures follow them in the shadows.
TBC