Chapter 11

"Yes now, Genkai found out some things and I want to talk." Yusuke said, placing his hand on Hiei's shoulder and stopping him before he could flee.

Hiei sighed and turned around.

"I have nothing to say to you." Hiei growled.

"Fine, then I'll talk." Yusuke said. "Look, for what it's worth, I'm sorry, you know how stubborn Kurama can be, he said he could handle it and said he would tell you."

Hiei rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, not really wanting to hear this right now.

"Hiei, did you know what you were doing when you asked to spend time with Youko?" Yusuke asked.

"That is none of your business." Hiei spat.

"Yes, it is." They both turned to see Genkai standing at the door. "Come, we need to talk." She said and turned to go back in.

a)a)a)a

Sitting around the table, no one wanted to be the one to start talking. Kuwabara was staying with Yukina. She had awakened, but was still shaky from the news.

Genkai seemed to be formulating her thoughts as she sipped her tea. Finally she turned to Hiei. "You have been with Kurama more than the rest of us, what has he been like these past months?" She asked.

Hiei leaned back with a huff. He'd be damned if he was going to explain his and the fox's relationship to them.

"Hiei." She tried again. "I need to know what his emotional and mental states have been like. I knew there was something wrong when he was showing up here early in the morning."

"He has been coming here?" Hiei whispered. Thinking about the times he woke up and the bed was empty. Kurama had been telling him he had been going to work and/or running errands.

Genkai nodded. "He never bothered me and would mostly stay in the garden with Puu."

"Do you think it was Shuiichi?" Yusuke asked. He'd told Genkai about the boy showing up at his apartment that time and the comment from Kurama about how the boy usually came to the temple.

Genkai only nodded. "What happened the nights before he would leave in the morning?" She asked, looking to Hiei.

The fire demon tried to control his anger and the pink coming to his cheeks. "We would have sex." He said.

"With Kurama or Youko?" She asked, showing indifference, just wanting information.

"Both, but not on the same night." He said, trying to also stay calm, he knew the master needed all the information she could get, if they were to help the fox.

"Youko was coming out on the nights of the full moon." Genkai said. At first she had been wondering if the full moon had played a role in Youko getting stronger. But, had finally realized it had been a combination of things.

Hiei looked to Yusuke, who shrugged. "I told her everything I knew." He said.

'Kurama must have told him a lot more than I realized.' Hiei thought.

"Hiei, tell me how you view Kurama and his demon/ningen sides." Genkai said, pouring more tea and sitting back.

"When I first met him." Hiei started. "I thought he was possessing the ningen boy, using him until he was stronger. I never knew Youko and didn't know he was Youko for a long time. He told me his name was Kurama and that he had been a spirit yoko. I remember when I introduced him to Gouki. I knew then he was Youko and he told Gouki that it was a merger not a possession. I still didn't understand. I always assumed Kurama was Youko only in a ningen body, using the name Kurama so no one would know he was Youko and because of the ningen form, he had ningen emotions. I thought he hated them and was happy when he was able to finally transform to his yoko form. I was really shocked to hear that he wanted to stay here in Ningenkai and live this kind of life." He stopped when he saw the looks on the other two's faces.

"What." He said.

"That was kind of the way I saw him too." Yusuke said.

"So you thought letting Youko out would help with his ningen side?" Genkai asked.

"Yes, Kurama told me several times that his ningen side did not like the relationship we were having, but that his demon side wanted it." Hiei paused. "Tell me now what the hell has happened."

"Kurama told Yusuke that he has 'multiple personalities' and in a way, is correct." She started.

"In a way?" Hiei said, losing patience.

"A multiple personality person can have one to a hundred different personalities to them. Each one created to handle a different situation. But…in this case, Youko was not created by Shuiichi's mind, he already existed, so Shuiichi created Kurama to handle him." Genkai said.

Hiei thought about everything she had told him earlier, Kurama going away because Youko was no longer bothering Shuiichi and being his ningen self because of it. "So this is my fault." He whispered and cursed himself.

"Did you want Youko…you never did like the fact that Kurama had ningen emotions and always called him weak for having them." Yusuke voice rose, he was mad at the fire demon for what he had done.

"No!" Hiei yelled and sat up to stare at the boy. "I only wanted him to realize that we could be together and that it was natural for two male demons to be together. He needed to remember what he was, a demon." His energy flared.

"He's more ningen than you think." Genkai said, trying to cut the tension in the room.

"You said you had some information, spill it woman." Hiei growled, turning to her.

Ignoring him, she took a sip of tea. "Do you want Youko or Shuiichi?" She asked.

"I want Kurama." Hiei said. "I do not care for Youko. I've heard too many stories and I may be ruthless, but I am nothing compared to him." He sat back, thinking about the comment Youko made about him being a possession.

"And Shuiichi?" She added.

"I…I don't know. I care for the boy, I…don't know." Hiei whispered, looking down in shame for the thoughts he was having.

"No matter what Hiei thinks, we need to stop Youko. I don't want him to hurt Shuiichi." Yusuke said.

"Then we need to get Shuiichi to come out and take control, but you might be disappointed in what happens." Genkai said.

"What the hell are you getting at?" Hiei spat.

"In multiple personalities, there is a way for them to become one. How that can happen is for the true personality to forcefully merge with the others and combined themselves into one whole being, but…the outcome might not be what you want." She informed.

"But Shuiichi is scared and in a way weak. There will be no way he could do that." Yusuke said.

"Youko wants to kill the boy and return to the Makai." Hiei said.

"He can't do that." Genkai said.

"Why, he said he's strong enough to survive." Hiei said.

"He's lying." She said, taking a sip of tea.

"What!" Came out in stereo.

Sitting the cup down, she said. "He can not live without the boy. He is still feeding off his energy. He may be able to control him and contain him so he can be 'out', but he can not destroy him and survive. If he would have killed the soul in the beginning, he may have survived. We will never know that though." She paused to let the news set in.

"How did you figure out he wouldn't survive if…?" Yusuke asked.

"Because you saw it yourself." She said, looking to the boy. "When one sleeps the other is out. Even Youko said it earlier. He may think he could survive in the Makai by hiding when he sleeps, but then what would Shuiichi do when he was awake. Youko would have to lock himself up at night."

"Hey, Youko made the comment once about how he always had to come out and finish Kurama's fights." Yusuke said.

"It might be a defense mechanism." Genkai said. Seeing the raised eyebrows she continued. "Kurama said he had to go and comfort/protect Shuiichi." She looked to Yusuke and got a nod. "Kurama knew that if Shuiichi died they all would. Kurama would force Youko to emerge, being the stronger side of them, to handle the situation."

"I told Youko that he was not strong enough to fight Kurama." Yusuke said.

"And you might be right." Genkai agreed. "Shuiichi is stronger than he thinks, he created Kurama and needs to realize he is Kurama and can put Youko in his place."

"How do we get them to merge?" Hiei asked, still trying to understand.

"Like I said, we need Shuiichi to confront Youko and tell him he's in charge. What did Kurama say his mind was like?" Genkai asked, turning back to Yusuke.

"Um." Yusuke looked to Hiei and saw hurt and confusion in the crimson eyes. "He said it was like he was in a hallway, Youko and Shuiichi being in their own room on either side."

"And Shuiichi never really goes into Youko's room." Genkai said. Thinking and studying her cup.

Yusuke nodded.

"Shuiichi needs to go into Youko's room." She finally stated.

"How are we going to get him to do that?" Yusuke asked with raised eyebrows.

"Hiei's going to make him do it." She said, seeing the shocked look on the fire demon's face.

End chapter 11

Lyrics to the song: Don't Stay – by: Linkin Park

Sometimes I need to remember just to breathe. Sometimes I need you to stay away from me. Sometimes I'm in disbelief I didn't know. Somehow I need you to go.

(Course)

Don't stay…forget our memories, forget our possibilities…What you are changing me into. Just give myself back and don't stay…forget our memories, forget our possibilities…Take all your faithlessness with you…just give myself back and don't stay.

Sometimes I feel like I trusted you too well. Sometimes I just feel like screaming at myself. Sometimes I'm in disbelief I didn't know. Somehow I need to be alone.

I don't need you anymore, I don't want to be ignored…I don't need one more say of you wasting me away…I don't need you anymore, I don't want to be ignored…I don't need one more say of you wasting me with no apologies.