Chapter 9: Paradoxes

"Rain, won't you tell us who took our parents?" asked Tama as they followed the leader out of the Makai Forest. Rain hadn't said anything since the fight two days past and immediately headed the group toward the Makai desert without a second thought.

"Has she ever been like this before," asked Kurohi to Hina and the girl shook her head.

"She's persistent on a lot of things," said Hina. "But I've never known her to be like this."

"It's scary," said Megumi, meaning how Rain was acting.

"We can't go on much further," said Yukei, looking over at his exhausted twin. Shiori was barely keeping up the group. The only reason why was because Yukei had her hand. At that moment her legs buckled and she feel heavily to the ground. "Shiori! Rain, stop, Shiori collapsed!"

Rain did stop and looked behind her to see the younger youko sitting on the ground, her chest heavily with the effort to keep up.

"I'm all right," said Shiori. "I'm just a little dizzy. It'll pass in a moment."

"A moment my ass," yelled Yukei. "You can hardly stand! You can't move! You're resting!"

"But, I want to find Okaasan and Otousan…."

"You won't find them if you're dead on your feet!"

"Can't we stop and rest, Rain-chan, just for a little while?" asked Megumi. Rain sighed and nodded. Everyone let out sighs of relief and sat on the ground immediately.

"What's your hurry, love," asked Kurohi and he got a punch over the head by Rain.

"I just want to reach them," said Rain. "If they're taken by who I think did take them, then our parents are in serious trouble."

"Why," asked Megumi. "Who do you think took our parents?"

"I never really said I knew, just that I thought I knew," said Rain.

"What do you mean," asked Tama and Rain sighed.

"Throughout the time our parents were Reikai Tantei," began Rain, "there were very few demons that they defeat and managed to walk away alive. We've named a few a few days ago. The Koorime, Bui, and Itsuki. There's a problem with those three though. Bui hasn't been spotted in several centuries, the Koorime never leave their icy territory, and Itsuki remains in a dimension with Sensui. There's no way that they could have taken our parents, and if they did have a grudge against one, why take the others? It wouldn't have made sense."

"Who do you think took our parents, Rain," asked Yukei.

Rain looked over at Raizen, Hina and Tama. "The only six that our parents can beat, or get beaten by, and keep coming back," she said. The other three through for a moment before it hit them.

"EH?!" they all said.

"You can't mean…." said Raizen. Rain nodded.

"It's them?!" cried Hina. Rain nodded.

"They're back?!" yelled Tama. Rain nodded.

"Who?" asked Megumi, Shiori, Yukei and Kurohi.

"You'll see," said Rain with a smirk. Yukei growled.

"Bad time to let your fox out, anee-san," said Yukei. Rain just laughed.

"And who was the one that decided to follow said anee-san after she told her otouto to stay home?" asked Rain and Yukei growled again. Rain waved him off. "Now, now. Don't get your tail in a twist. You'll see who it is soon enough, when we reach the ruins in the Makai Desert."

"The Makai Desert?!" said Megumi in surprise. "But no body but snake and lizard demons can survive there!"

"Tama's ice powers won't work either," said Shiori. "He has to have water in the atmosphere for it to work, and there's no water in the desert."

"There is, if you know where to look," said Hina. Tama nodded.

"All the same, we should fill our water bottles," said Kurohi. "And reserve a few for later. We can't take any chances. Drink only when we absolutely have to, and only in small sips."

"Hate to say it, but I agree," said Raizen.

Everyone nodded and had Tama fill the water bottles with snow. The heat from their bodies and the desert would melt it into water. They exited the forest and came upon a barren land. Dried dirt and dead plants crunched under their feet.

"K'so, this desert sure is hot," said Yukei. Kurohi laughed.

"That's saying something, fire-demon," he said. "But this isn't the desert. This is the wasteland before the desert. That is the desert." He pointed up ahead where they saw sand dunes and jagged mountains. "It goes over a hundred leagues. Few demons have crossed it alive, and those who do dare never to return."

"I wonder why," said Hina sarcastically before continuing.

They started climbing the sand dunes and took their time on their trek. They had to save what water they could. It was two days before they reached the ruins.

"This is it," said Rain as they looked on the ruins. "Our parents are there, and their kidnappers."

"Let's go," said Raizen.

TBC