Saria: (looks as though she just went through a war) Sorry about the wait guys, or is it the look? Has it been that long since I updated?

Zas: No, it's just you. You updated not too long ago, it just seems so long because you have finals quickly approaching.

SA: And you let this happen when you let your parents convince you it was in your best interest to go to a Summer Session at college.

Tori: (enters wearing an apron with pink ruffles) La la la la la!

Everyone else: OO'

Tori: (completely oblivious) Brownies anyone?

Nova: (jumps out of her corner) I WANT ONE! I WANT ONE!

Saria: No! You can't have any, you're being punished! (Nova looks at Saria with puppy dog eyes before turning and skulking back to her corner where she sits and sulks)

Tori: (looks confused) She can't? Why can't she? What'd she do this time?

Saria: (looks at her nonchalantly) Nothing, she just doesn't have a good memory so we tease her. Now on to the fic!

Team Wave, led by Genkai, were sitting in their room, three of them playing cards at a small table, when Kuwabara burst through the door.

"YOU GUYS ARE NEVER GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!" he screamed.

"Oh great, a raving lunatic," Hiei said from the window without turning around.

"I saw...what did you say shrimp?" Kuwabara shouted, cutting his explanation short. "If you were even half the man I am..."

"This, coming from a complete idiot?" was Hiei's only reply.

"Kuwabara, cut the crap, get to the point." Genkai shouted.

Kuwabara froze instantly (in mid snide remark), before turning and continuing his explanation. "Like I was saying, I saw the matches today. And Urameshi has gotten super strong! Just today, she killed four demons! But it looked like she was being forced."

"Course she's being forced you fool!" Genkai replied in her nagging old woman voice.

"It does concern me that not only has she gotten stronger, but she seems to have gone through some extensive training since her kidnapping," Kurama said. "It would be best to concoct some sort of plan to get Yusuke out of there."

"I agree with Kurama," Hiei piped. "But I don't see how we can defeat Toguro I our present state, especially with this idiot," he added as he pointed at Kuwabara.

Kuwabara opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off by Genkai. "You four shouldn't worry about that, I will assist Yusuke. Now, it's getting late, I suggest you all get some rest." With that, she turned and left. As she left, the figure standing against the wall lifted it's head for the first time and followed the old hag out of the room.

Karasu was standing on the balcony (previously mentioned in the chapter before), murmuring something about a red head he'd seen. Bui, who had attempted to strike a conversation with him, shook his head before heading back into the room. Yusuke was presently sitting in a chair staring at the floor.

Earlier that evening, Yusuke had eaten her first meal, though it wasn't entirely by choice. She had been staring blankly at the broth set before her. After an hour of just staring, Toguro had gotten fed up with her and threatened to let his brother force feed her if she didn't eat. This had no real effect what so ever, so Toguro yelled, "EAT!" Yusuke jumped about an inch, but didn't come out of her daze. She did, however, start to mechanically lift the spoon to her mouth, swallowing the broth absently. She managed to keep the food down a good hour before it made its comeback tour. Bui knew this time, she wasn't throwing up due to the sickness.

Since that time, she'd been sitting on the chair, every once in a while a small tear falling.

Knowing that he should say something, he walked over to Yusuke and kneeled so that he was at eye level with the girl. "You should get over it soon Yusuke. It might hurt now, but it'll eventually go away. Killing gets easier the more you do it."

Yusuke had heard enough of the speech long before it was over, and gave Bui a nod as she stood and walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. Once she felt as though she were alone, she lay down on the bed closest to the window (Karasu's bed), and stared blankly out at the darkened sky. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that this was the first time she'd seen the sky in over two months, and she couldn't tear her eyes away.

'Is this what my life is going to be like from now on?' she thought. 'Being confined to the dark passages of Toguro's prison until he decides to kill me?' The fear in that thought made her look at the window more closely; before she realized that it was unlocked.

'What the hell?' she thought as she pushed open the window. 'What's the difference between running now and getting caught and killed right off the bat, or waiting for twenty or thirty years of living in a prison before Toguro decides I'm too old and kills me? A couple lives, that's what. Besides, this way I can experience some freedom before I croak.' With that, she silently jumped out of the window, and walked into the forest that covered most of the island.

Yusuke drifted lazily through the forest, not seeing nor caring where she was going or where she went. Above her, the trees seemed to whisper darkly in the night air. Everything seemed almost alright.

"HELLO AGAIN!!" shouted a loud Irish voice that shocked Yusuke so much that she jumped and fell into a stream she was walking next to. The red head guy was hovering several feet away, looking a bit shocked at her reaction.

"Sorry, didn't mean to make scare you," he exclaimed. The girl simply stared at him though with unseeing eyes. "Don't you remember? We met on the boat, guess not. Jin's the name. Yours?"

"Yusuke," she replied, feeling a slight smile tug at the sides of her mouth.

"Nice to meet you Yusuke!" he cried, grabbing her hand, yanking her up into the air, and shaking it enthusiastically.

Jin stopped suddenly, sniffed the air and seemed to search the sky for a second before declaring, "Storms coming, better get inside!" He promptly dropped Yusuke's hand and flew off toward the hotel, causing her to fall right back into the murky water she'd just been plucked from.

As Yusuke pulled herself out of the water again, muttering obscenities under her breath, a hand suddenly appeared before her. She ignored it however, thinking it was probably Jin again, and not wanting to take another swim. As she was standing up however, she found herself almost face-to-face with Genkai. The shock made her fall backwards into the water again.

"Nice move dimwit, still making an ass of yourself I see." Yusuke didn't reply though, instead opting to silently get up again. Genkai was instantly worried, that just wasn't like the Yusuke she knew, and loved.

"What? No witty replies, idiot?" Genkai asked. "What happened to you? Toguro? Killed your first person, didn't you?"

Suddenly, for the first time in months, Yusuke lost it. Screaming at the top of her lungs, she began to scream incomprehensibly, letting out months of pain before screaming about what had been happening during her the captivity. She screamed that she was tired, hunger had become a regular thing, and even when she was sick, she wasn't truly allowed to rest. She screamed about the punishments, Karasu, the Elder Toguro, the inability to control her own life, the cold baths, the Elder Toguro, Karasu, the poor food, and the Elder Toguro. She didn't really complain much about Bui though, there really wasn't that much to complain about, except that he knocked her out every time she was caught trying to escape. Finally feeling the pressure being lifted from her chest, Yusuke broke down into sobs.

Genkai was taken back a bit by Yusuke's comments and general appearance; she'd never seen her student like this. But there was only one way to cure this for sure, a hard blow to the face. Might as well get it over with.

Yusuke was shocked when Genkai punched her across the face, a blow that sent her right back into the stream again, head first. Jumping up instantly, she exclaimed, "Why'd you do that you old hag?!?"

"I thought I heard a violin playing and I thought I could end it by ending your blabbering."

"Turn your hearing aid on then, grandma!" Yusuke shouted as she pulled herself out of the water once more.

"Can it dimwit! I don't want to hear it." Genkai's voice became softer as she continued. "You can't let this destroy you, you need to be stronger. The only way this will stop is if you make it stop, and you do that by defeating Toguro. If you give in, people will die."

"People have died already!" Yusuke replied, tears once again welling in her eyes. "I'm so tired, and Toguro's still so much stronger. He made me kill."

"And how is that any different from Gouki or Suzaku? You killed them before ever meeting Toguro, and why? Because you HAD to in order to survive and you never regretted those! And look at how much stronger you are after only two months, you'll gain strength slower now but you'll eventually get there, but not if you give up. Do actually think that you're alone in there? Karasu and Bui must hate Toguro as much as you, make that your strength! Form an alliance with them!"

Yusuke sniffed slightly, feeling the world come together again, there was definitely hope. Why else would Toguro have them train together? To make them fight each other instead of fight against him! For the first time in months a true smile broke through on Yusuke's face and she began to laugh.

Yusuke looked up again once her laughter died a little, half hoping she could exchange a few jokes with Genkai, to find that her true teacher had been replaced by a rather tall figure who seemed to be seething at the moment. Suddenly, the joke didn't seem all that funny, but she couldn't stop laughing.

Nova: I wonder who it is? (rolls eyes sarcastically)

Saria: I'll bet you three dollars you can't guess it in three guesses.

SA and Zas: This should be good!

Tori: Before this fight breaks out, I will remind you that none of us own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of it's original characters. (And you still can't buy it with seven dollars and picketing) Also(takes up flight attendant voice) we would appreciate it if you would please review.

Nova: Uh...ok! You're on! Uh...is it...Kurama?

Saria: WRONG! (hits Nova on the head with a laptop)

Nova: (looking a little more nervous) HIEI!!! WAIT WAIT WAIT! Hiei is short. She definitely said tall...lets see...ewe w! I got it, KUWABARA!

Saria: Wrong again! (hits Nova with a frying pan and then begins to warm up with the mallet)

Nova: Uh...uh...umm...(hears ding in the background) THE BROWNIES ARE DONE!

Saria, Zas, SA, and Tori: YAAAHHH!!!

Nova: (wipes sweat off her forehead) Woo! Saved by the timer. Oh, and for all you kiddies at home, (and adults who don't have very good judgment)

Saria: So, you mean you, right?

Nova: (sticks tongue out at Saria before continuing) Do not attempt any stunts suggested in this fic, they are dangerous and may cause harm to all who aren't Anime characters.

Saria: You again! I clearly remember you breaking an arm when you jumped out the window.

Nova: (gives her dirty look as another ding sounds) The double chocolate chip cookies!

Zas and SA: (holding brownie tray and staring at each other) How can she have two things in there at the same time? (shrug and go back to gorging)

Tori: (watches Nova dreamily) She's a chocolate goddess!