I can't believe it's been over a year since I started this story. I had no idea it'd been so long. It's almost done now, so I hope you guys will stick with me for just a little longer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Words Once Spoken: Chapter 20

The demons attacked, and then disappeared in one huge explosion of energy. The force slammed into them, pushing them all to the ground. "Oww." Yusuke muttered.

"Are you all okay?" a female voice asked from behind them.

They spun around to face the demon, and saw nothing but snow. "I'm here." She said as her form became visible to them.

"No way…" Kurama muttered when he saw her. Even if nothing else was the same, those eyes were right out of the memories he'd been having lately. He took a hesitant step forward as she approached them, his eyes locked on hers.

She glided forward through the snowy mist, her pure white dress blending with it perfectly. "Kasumi." he muttered softly, "Little sister."

Behind him, Yusuke and Kuronue shared a startled glance. Hiei just stood there, glaring at the wolf.

"Youko." She said, reaching out a slender hand and placing it on his cheek. "It's been so long." She looked much like how he remembered her, except older. Her silver hair was cut off at her shoulders, and she'd grown about as tall as he was in human form.

"How is this possible?" he asked her. "It's been hundreds of years."

"Exactly." She said as he swept her up in an embrace. "And you've become everything I knew you could."

Not indicating that he would let go anytime soon, he told her "It's all because of you Kasumi. Everything happened because you exist, and I met you."

"I'm not trying to interrupt the reunion," Kuronue began, stepping forward, "but would you care to introduce the rest of us?"

"This is Kasumi." He told them. "I knew her a long, long time ago. She's as good as a little sister to me."

Turning back to Kasumi, he asked. "How did you end up here?"

"Now now," Kuronue interrupted, taking Kasumi by the shoulders. "Why don't we get the young lady inside first? Just looking at her standing barefoot in the snow is making me cold."

Yusuke seemed to realize he was cold with that statement, and began to shiver. "I agree with bat boy, let's go inside."

So the five of them moved inside and listened to Kasumi's story. "I suppose I should start at the beginning." She said.

"I was born in a village in a forest where it was always winter. It was a village of wolf demons, and my father was the leader. He wasn't a very good man, but he was the strongest among us.

When I was three, I met Youko. He was only about ten years old, but he was still very underdeveloped for a demon. He couldn't speak, and because of my father's brutality, he was afraid to get near anyone.

I did love my father, simply because he was my father. But I saw how he abused Youko, and I saw how he treated the villagers. He allowed them to be as brutal as they wanted, and as he was a slave, he became the victim of their depravity.

There was no reason for it, just random beatings that could occur at any moment. At first, I thought it was okay, because he was used to it. But that was before I actually saw him up close. He was scrawny, and he looked half his age. I may have only been a child, but I knew something was wrong.

So I began observing him, and that was when I realized he couldn't even talk yet. I didn't like that, so I decided I would have to do something about it. When I was about six, I began to sneak out of the house to give him food. And then, a year later, he finally said his first word.

The name I gave him was Youko, as that was all I'd ever heard him called before. We grew closer all the time, and eventually, he learned to speak. Father noticed my friendship with Youko, and he didn't like it, so it became harder and harder to visit him. Then one day, when he was sixteen, I heard father talking about selling him.

I rushed to tell him, and then that night, he fled the village. I was so proud when he escaped father, but unfortunately, he realized I must have told him. When we found that Youko had also robbed us before he left, father grew very angry. He went on a rampage, and soon everyone was fighting.

I decided that it was time that I stood up for myself, so a day after Youko, I also left the village. It was difficult for me at first, but then one of my mother's people found me. I lived with the ice demon tribe for several years before I could set out on my own.

You see, I wanted to find out where Youko had gone. It was about that time that rumors of the one who called himself the bandit king emerged. When I heard the description, I had no doubt it was Youko.

I knew there was no way I could find him if he was as sneaky as everyone says he was, so I decided I'd have to become stronger too. At that time, I was aware of my ability to create mist, but that was all I knew. So I decided that the best way I could get stronger was to seek out the king of northern Makai.

I went to the palace of King Akio, and surprisingly, he agreed to take me on as a member of his staff. They trained me, and I learned how to use energy to manipulate demons' minds. I became the head of his intelligence staff because I could easily get demons to tell us what we needed to know.

I was with King Akio for over a hundred years, and I grew very close to his son Hiraku. Then, King Akio was defeated by a blind demon named Yomi. The kingdom fell apart, and Yomi took over.

I fled with Hiraku (1) to Raizen's realm, where Hiraku became fast friends with Raizen. He was very fond of a strange purple hat that Raizen gave him, and he grew very powerful there. I didn't like it there very much though, so I left one night and never returned.

Then, I heard a rumor that Youko Kurama had reappeared during the dark tournament. I set out looking for him, and eventually, he returned to demon world when a portal was forced open.

I was too late to catch up with you then, Youko. So I waited, and eventually you returned again. Then I grew frightened. What if you didn't remember me? After all, it had been hundreds of years. So I used my powers to make you dream of me, so you'd remember. I didn't control your feelings at all Youko, I promise. I just… wanted to know that you still remembered me…" Kasumi trailed off, watching as Kurama smiled at her comfortingly.

"Of course I remember you." He told her. And that was that.

XXXXX

The next day, they left for the butterfly village. Hiei and Kasumi led them through the snows, unconcerned by them.

Kasumi wasn't sure why, but the whole time they were traveling, she felt Hiei glaring at her from behind.

She recognized the third eye on his forehead for what it was, so she knew better than to use her powers to find out what his problem was. So she tried to ignore it, instead chatting with Youko and getting to know his lovely mate.

But despite that, the whole time she felt concern over the little demon's apparent animosity towards her.

In the meantime, Hiei was pondering what he had learned about the Kitsune's life. Thinking of that made him think back to a conversation they had had long ago.

"Am I interrupting your self pity fox?"

"The things you were thinking right now were not unlike what I've felt before."

"What was that you said earlier about me being excited?"

They both had a right to self-pity, but by now, they should have overcome their petty rivalry. After all, both of them had suffered, who cared who had suffered more?

At the butterfly village, Hiei watched as Youko and Kuronue were led off to meet the children, and as Yusuke started chasing after the dancers who flirted with him.

He turned and glared at the wolf they had left him alone with. He hated goody goodies like her.

"Umm… Hiei?" she asked him timidly.

He looked at her questioningly. And so it began, yet another do-gooder would want to fix the forbidden child.

"Why do you keep glaring at me?" she asked, surprising him. This was a bit different than what he had expected. They sat there in silence for several long moments.

"You know, you don't have to act so good all the time." He informed her. "There's no point in denying who you are. After all, nobody who's been an inquisitor for a demon king can really be as pure as you pretend to be." He didn't know what was making him talk this much, especially to someone like her. Maybe he just didn't want to see another psychically gifted demon go insane because it tried to ignore the things it heard from others' minds.

"I don't claim to be pure-"

"You've heard the same things I have." He snapped. "If you've seen what everyone thinks like, then what possible reason could you have for acting so good all the time?"

"Hiei," she said "why should I need a reason to be good?" (2)

Hiei wasn't sure how to respond to a question like that. She actually had a point. In seeing the evil of most every demon's mind, he had faced a difficult reality all of his life. Psychics were usually driven insane by that kind of thing. But was it possible that she simple perceived all of that evil as an example of what not to do?

He felt his whole opinion of her changing, and he felt a growing respect for this girl that the Kitsune considered a sister.

"I think you need to have a talk with Youko." She said perceptively, before walking off to find him.

Why would he need to… oh. A lot of things were unresolved between the two of them right now. He had grown angry with the kitsune for demeaning himself with Kuronue. But if what Kasumi had just implied was true, maybe he wasn't really demeaning himself like the common demon. Rather, could he have been committing an act of kindness? This made Hiei's head hurt.

"Hey." Kurama said, approaching him. Hiei grunted in acknowledgement. "I'm sorry if I somehow disappointed you Hiei." Kurama told him.

"Don't talk nonsense fox." Hiei told him. "I don't have high expectations of someone who's grown soft among humans."

Even without looking, Kurama knew that Hiei was smirking. "Alright then." The redhead said. "The children are so small," Kurama decided on a change of topic. "It's almost scary to think that the hope of our future rests on their shoulders."

"Nonsense fox." Hiei scolded. "The only thing the future depends on is our ability to help them. And if you're there for them, everything will be fine."

Both of them knew that Kurama wouldn't return to Ningenkai, but the sentiment was there all the same. "Thanks." Kurama said, smiling as well now. That was the closest Hiei would come to apologizing.

The others approached them with the children. "Well, let's see where things go from here." Kurama stated, and they walked forward together.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(1) I know that isn't his actual name, but I didn't know what it was so… He's the blond haired buddy of Raizen's

(2) Can you believe I've had that conversation planned out since last year? It just popped into my head one day.

All that remains after this is the epilogue. Sorry I haven't been around, but I'm sick of giving excuses, valid or not.

I'm just so happy my writing block went away. This is actually pretty good in my opinion. I just hope someone's still around to read it…