DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the original Yu Yu Hakusho characters, or Evelyn Hunter. The latter is the sole property of Gina Leone, and the former belonging to Yoshihiro Togashi. Also, Kumiko Yenma belongs to Nicole Summers J Thanks for reading!

(A/N) I just want to take the time to thank everyone for their support in Music Or The Misery….it means the world that people actually enjoy my writing! I'm always terrified of making Fuko into a Mary Sue or something…anyway, I'd best stop rambling and let you get to reading!
Spades out.

Chapter Ten:

"Breaking the habit…"

The wind blew the long lush grass in waves over the contour of the meadow. Fuko blinked and looked at what she was wearing; it was a pure white kimono tied with a red sash….not exactly her typical wardrobe. She gazed upward to discover that she was sitting underneath a willow tree. She heard soft footsteps amid the swishing of the blades of grass. She looked up to see someone approaching her…he was clothed in white as well, only what appeared to be a tunic-like-uniform. His long hair rustled behind him, almost appearing like liquid silver. His gold eyes were set on her. Fuko blinked and stood up, blushing furiously. What was going on?? He walked over to her and took her hands in his.

"Moriko…" He began. Much to Fuko's surprise, she began to speak.

"What is it?"

"I…I have to ask you something."

"…Then ask it." Fuko gave a soft, tinkling, bell-like laugh that made her feel rather sick to her stomach.

"Not here…I'm being chased right now."

"Chased? You aren't stealing again, are you?" The man gave a half-smile.

"Later Moriko. I will tell you later, here, alright?" But Fuko did not discover whether or not it was alright in the end, for she heard knocking on her bedroom door… subtle bait strong enough to snag a light-sleeping dreamer on a fishing line to tow them back to reality.

†◊†

The knocking continued as Fuko opened her eyes, squinting in pain from the sunlight streaming in from the window. She sat up, mussed hair and dark rings under her eyes…she looked rather like the sleep-deprivation-poster-girl despite her full night's rest. She grumbled as she sat up, tangled rat's-nest of brown hair falling over her baggy black "AC-DC" shirt that served as night-wear in addition to raggedy blue pajama pants with moon, stars, and elastic around the waist that was beginning to wear thin. Knuckles rapped across the oak door again.

"I'm COMING." Fuko snarled mercilessly. She heard and agitated sigh from the other-side of the door. She grabbed a plastic brush and ran it through her tangled mass of hair quickly to make herself look semi-presentable. Her thoughts wandered back to the dream she had been having and how odd it was. Throughout the whole dream the feeling of déjà vu seemed to linger. She was most irritated by whoever had disturbed it with their knocking. It had been three more days of solitary confinement, and Fuko found herself not enjoying it at all, most surprisingly. She had spent most of her time thinking when she was not sleeping, drawing, listening to music, or messing around on the computer. Most of her thoughts were heavily laden with guilt. She kept turning over ideas in her mind, and she was quite sure she knew what to do now.

"Would you open the damn door?!" Hiei's voice came from the other side, rather aggravated. Virtuous thoughts of decisions disturbed, Fuko stormed over, equally irked, and slammed the door open, oddly enough, connecting once again with Hiei's face. He staggered backward, hand on his face.

"You fucking bitch!!!!" He shouted at her. Fuko rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.

"Damn Hiei, I swear, you seem to have no luck whatsoever whenever I open doors…" She stated, blinking at the fire-demon's sour luck which seemed to almost rival her own.

"YOU FUCKING THINK!?!?" He exclaimed, hand still on his face; the door seemed to have struck his right temple and it was bleeding slightly, trickling down onto his black muscle shirt that matched his baggy black pants.

"No need for the language. Let's keep this G-rated. Now I could help if you—"

"Stay the fuck away from me you psycho-bitch!!"

"Now I'm hurt. I'm hardly a psycho-bitch."

"What happened to not cursing?!"

"Those who live in glass houses should not throw stones Hiei, darling."

"Call me darling again and I'll break your arm." Fuko sneered and enunciated and accented each syllable,

"Hi-ei, dar-ling." There was barely enough time to blink before Hiei had Fuko pinned against the wall, holding her arm out, ready to break it.

"Enough." Came a voice from behind Hiei. Kurama walked forward, and he did not look amused. He crossed his arms over his black sleeveless Chinese-style top and narrowed his emerald eyes to smoldering slits. Fuko blinked and blushed ever so faintly.

"He doesn't look half-bad in black…" She noted. She blinked and blushed furiously, biting her lip to drive away the thoughts. Hiei scowled at him, rather like a toddler angered by an adult for taking a favored toy away.

"Drop her Hiei." Was Kurama's response. Fuko shuddered from his icy tone.

"Why is he so perturbed? Better yet….why does this tone of his sound so freakishly familiar???" She thought, still biting her lip. Hiei dropped her reluctantly and exchanged an odd glance with Kurama. Had it not been so early in the morning (before noon), Fuko would have actually given thought to decipher the meaning behind this glance….but, again, it was before noon. So with a flick of the hair and a scowl, she figured,

"Screw that." Kurama turned to her, his long ruby hair swishing softly against the ebony silk.

"Are you alright?" He inquired, his demeanor entirely different….softer somehow. Fuko rubbed her arm.

"Yeah….would he have really broken my arm?" She asked dubiously. Kurama shrugged.

"I certainly would not put it past Hiei."

"Oh…" There was an awkward silence. Fuko looked up to see him gazing at her.

"Mm?" She inquired with a grunt. He looked away quickly.

"Nothing….Hiei and I just came to tell you breakfast is ready." He said a bit too calmly, a bit too coolly. Normally, Fuko would have politely declined; she never did eat much, and had Eve mocking her about it frequently. But not today….she'd need strength for later on, at night. She smiled.

"Sure."

◊†◊

The day seemed to fly by while Fuko sat in her room, listening to Linkin Park's "Breaking The Habit". It was the most appropriate theme for her plans that night. It was on repeat, and as Fuko slipped on the black Chinese dress, the first verse came on again.

"Memories consume,
Like opening the wound…
I'm picking me apart again….
You all assume
I'm safe here in my room,
Unless I try to start again…"

She tied the wazikashi to her waist and opened the window quietly and smoothly as to avoid any sound. She smiled and chuckled at the truth of the first verse. A damn shame that starting again was exactly what she intended to do.

†◊†

The cool night air whipped Fuko in the face as she ran through the forest, leaves crunching and twigs snapping beneath the white kung fu shoes on her feet. What she was doing was idiotic, stupid, and would probably get her killed, but she didn't care about that anymore. The only thing that mattered was changing herself….Kurama had given her good advice. She had to get rid of this power over her. "Breaking the Habit" in the immortal words of Chester Bennington;

" I don't know what's worth fighting for,
Or why I have to scream.
I don't know why I instigate
And say what I don't mean!
I don't know how I got this way,
I know it's not alright.
So I'm breaking the habit….
I'm breaking the habit ….
Tonight!"

The song halted after the chorus. Something was in her way. A spider demon by the looks of it. Fuko shuddered.

"It had to be a SPIDER demon…" She muttered under her breath. It approached her on eight mammoth legs, crazed eyes fixed right on her.

"What do we have here? Why it's a half-breed…." Fuko scowled at it, hand on the Kitsune Tsume.

"Usually I don't like half-breeds…too sour and tough…but you may hit the spot." It continued, venom dripping from its mouth. Fuko opened her mouth to make a witty retort when it lunged, pinning her to a tree, pincers approaching her throat. Fuko struggled, trying to get her hands free to no avail. She gulped and winced, closing her eyes, feeling rather lame that she was going to be killed before she went and did her dangerously stupid task. But the sting of his gargantuan pincers never came. Instead there was a sickening slicing noise and the shrieking of the spider as it dropped her. Fuko blinked and opened her eyes. In front of her stood a lovely demon. She had large leathery bat wings outstretched in almost a shielding appearance. She had claws and a furry wolf tail that matched the silver ears that topped her head. Her hair was slightly past shoulder-length; a chestnut brown with silver and acid green streaks. The silver went into a deep lustrous purple color. She wore a silk black kimono tied with a violet sash. Small purple flower petals danced against the pitch-colored cloth in a pattern. She cracked her blood-painted knuckles and looked back at Fuko, a grin on her face with long pointed fangs.

"Hello there love…. are you alright?" She asked, grin never leaving her face. Fuko blinked and nodded, in amazement by the wolf-bat-demon.

"I'll be done in a sec!" She said with a laugh. She slashed forward and split the spider demon cleanly in two with her claws. She grinned wider, clearly pleased with her work. She set off to licking the blood off. She wrinkled her nose and spat it out.

"Ugh…spider blood…. about as bitter as it gets." Fuko blinked once again and stood up, dusting herself off.

"I…see." She said, not thinking of anything more interesting to add than the flavor of spider blood. The strange demon-girl had finished cleaning off her hands and turned to her, eyes shining an odd mix of silvers, greens, and browns. She had eyes like a forest.
"Why are you out so far in these woods my dearie?" She inquired.

"…I'm going after someone. Someone who controls my fate." The wolf-bat sat down on a rock, tilting her head curiously in an adorable dog-like fashion.

"So you are challenging Fate? Not a wise thing to do…" She replied.

"Yeah—"

"But it sounds fun!" The girl laughed at Fuko's baffled expression.

"Sorry, I have A.D.D. At least I think I do…." She explained. Fuko laughed.

"I can totally relate." She told her with a grin. The two of them laughed. The demon girl put her formerly bloody hand out, thought better of it, and then held out the other instead.

"I go by Kumori." She introduced herself with a smile.

"The name's Fuko…Fuko Urameshi." Fuko shook Kumori's hand. Kumori's lovely eyes widened.

"Waaaiiitt a second…do you mean you're related to Yusuke Urameshi?" She asked. Fuko sighed.

"Yeah."

"Well the whole heroic quest thing makes a bit more sense then…." Kumori said with a laugh. Fuko laughed too though with a tad less enthusiasm. Kumori looked at her after a moment.

"…Fuko is too boring a name for you." Fuko blinked.

"Huh?"

"From now on you shall be…Jinu! My Jinu." Kumori grinned and gave Fuko a hug. Fuko blinked.

"Okay…?" Kumori asked after releasing her.

"Sure?" Fuko replied, not knowing exactly how to respond.

"Good then." Kumori smiled, fuzzy wolf ears perking up.

"Well, I must be going Jinu, my little kitsune pal." She paused, her overall mien becoming solemn.

"…Be careful my dear. Those who challenge Fate typically end up in very messy situations." Kumori bowed and took off, ebony leathery wings carrying her on top of the winds. Fuko sighed as she watched her take off. It was nice to know that she had a new friend, but once again she was by herself. She closed her eyes and filled her lungs with the cool night air, letting it spill into her lungs like ice water. She opened her eyes, let them adjust, and then continued to run.

◊†◊

Fuko sighed and looked around at the surrounding trees. She scowled and bit her lip in concentration.

"Where is it…?" She whispered to herself. She had to look for a flash of metal amidst the gnarled and tangled tree-limbs. She looked up and spied a silver bracelet hanging from a tree.

"That's it." She whispered to herself walking over to it. She smiled to herself bitterly and remembered how she was confused the first time Karasu had told her to find the bracelet….

†

Fuko took Karasu's hand. It felt bony and cold, as though she was holding hands with a corpse. His violet eyes glinted with some sort of emotion, though she could not read the expression due to the silver mask obscuring his mouth. He laced his fingers with hers and picked her up bridal style.

"Whoa buddy what the hell do you think you're doing??" Fuko demanded.

"Be silent and all will be answered in due time." He leapt out the window, landing nimbly and neatly before taking off toward the surrounding forest. They soon found themselves in the heart. Karasu set her down.

"What are we doing here?" Fuko asked.

"Did I not ask you to be silent?" Karasu snapped. He stopped, reassuming his calm demeanor.

"My dear girl I have a gift for you, but you have to find it first. Find what doesn't belong." He said gently, brushing her cheek with his hand again. Fuko gave a slight grimace but only for a moment.

"Find what doesn't belong?" She inquired. Karasu nodded and made a sweeping gesture with his right arm.

"Simply find it and it's yours." Fuko blinked, rather befuddled, but did as she was told, and found a silver bracelet in about fifteen minutes. As soon as her fingers made contact with the smooth cool metal though, the scenery melted away and she found herself in a manor of some sort. She blinked, weirded-the-hell-out. A hand found her shoulder as she whipped around. It was Karasu.

"Welcome home."

†

There was nothing homey about the manor Fuko found herself in moments after touching the bracelet.

"At least…" She thought, "Not anymore…" It was a dark foyer with faded tiles and purple moth-eaten draperies hanging on the wall. A brass umbrella stand, dented and on its side was replete with spider-webs as were the banisters on either side of the formerly grand entryway. Fuko wrinkled her nose and wondered what she had ever seen in such a place. She walked up the right staircase and made her way down a dimly lit hallway, her footsteps making crisp clicking sounds against the old stone tiles. She reached the end; a fairly large door with chipping scarlet paint.

"We hide behind the crimson door while the summer is killed by the fall…"

She sang softly to herself. It was from "Behind The Crimson Door", not "Breaking The Habit", but it was a phrase that simply suited the situation. She took a deep breath and put her palms on the door, forcing it open with a heavy shove. Inside was a massive and sparsely decorated room with a high ceiling and a fireplace on the far wall. Sitting in one of the few chairs in front of it was Karasu. He looked up from an old-looking tome he was reading.

"Oh, hello Fuko. Felt like paying me a visit, did you?" He set the book down. Fuko didn't smile or even respond. She continued to gaze angrily at him.

"Well I'm honored." He said coolly, stepping toward her. Fuko kept her piercing glare level with his eyes, not moving back or forward.

"Or is it, that you've finally killed the members of Team Urameshi?" He suggested. Fuko finally spoke.

"No. I'm not here to pay you a friendly visit, nor have I killed Team Urameshi." She said in the most threatening tone she could muster, considering her heart was beating faster than the bass at a techno dance club.

"Oh? Then why are you here?" He inquired, stepping toward her once again. Fuko glared, hand on the Kitsune Tsume.

"I'm here…because I'm going to kill you…" She replied, trying to keep her voice even. All at once, Karasu's mien changed from pleased to enraged.

"What…?" He hissed. Fuko unsheathed her blade.

"You heard me." She spat. Without time enough to blink, Karasu had her pinned up against the wall by her throat.

"I'll give you one chance." He snarled at her. Fuko could only muster choking sounds as her witty retort, but she still glared at him. His eyes narrowed.

"STOP IT. You're looking at me like HIM AGAIN!" He swung her and smashed her into the floor, hand still tightly wrapped around her trachea. Fuko thrashed and clawed at it in vain attempts to free herself. He bent down, hand still on her throat.

"You are aware…that everything I love, I kill, reveling in the beautiful moment of their demise…" He leaned in to her fox ear and hissed,

"I love you." The grip became tighter. Fuko flailed and then stopped. She had to keep her cool. She closed her eyes, Chester Bennington spinning around her head.

"Clutching my cure…
I tightly lock the door.
I try to catch my breath again…
I hurt much more,
Than anytime before.
I had no options left again…."

Her eyes snapped open in a defiant glare. She put her hands up against Karasu's chest and summoned a demon bomber; a little trick Karasu himself had taught her. It detonated, sending him flying back in surprise. Fuko got to her feet, doubled over and coughing. He got up, barely scathed, eyes murderous.

"I truly don't need to kill you myself…I simply wanted the pleasure of extinguishing the flame of your life with my own hands. Well now I suppose it won't matter…I'll snap your neck after your dead for a similar effect." Karasu said chillingly. He raised a hand and the mark on Fuko's arm flashed purple as she fell to her knees, choking.

"I…knew this would happen…well whatever. I don't regret anything… I'm doing good…for once…I'm doing good…" She thought as the room began to spin. There was a loud "BANG!" as someone forced the door open. But who it was, Fuko could not say, for she had slumped down on the floor, no longer breathing.

†◊†