I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho.

Again, I know I've been updating like rapid fire, just a friendly warning not to get your hopes up that this remains completely consistent.

Many of you do not know this, but this is like...a redemption for You're Not Alone, my other YYH story which I am greatly embarrassed for. A lot of people said that it was good. So I went back and read it, and I nearly made myself sick it was so bad. Haha...Then again I was a poor, thoughtless eighth grader....

Hopefully this story will be exponentially better. I appreciate feedback to make this goal possible. :D

I anxiously looked at my watch, worried that the others would never arrive on time. I could undoubtedly expect Yusuke to show up fashionably late, and I didn't expect wonderful things from Kuwabara. Hiei would show up hours past our meeting time just to spite me, I was sure of it. Sadly, Kurama was the only promising one.

Tired of standing, I sat down on the edge of the fountain in the large park, looking around for any sign of one of my teammates. We had all agreed to meet at a spot that was relatively equidistant from all our homes. I indiscreetly threw in this request so that I wouldn't have to suffer through another one of Hiei's chivalric escorts...

"Ummm...Excuse me?" I turned to my left, finding beside me a strange girl. She had green hair, which wasn't so startling as how she looked so familiar. Yet, I could not place her at all.
"Uh, hello..." I said cautiously. I didn't know this girl, and I wasn't about to trust her just because she looked sweet and innocent.
The sound of the fountain behind me changed, and I could hear the water pouring off the platforms with more pressure, just waiting for me to bend it to my will.
"Are you Amaya Morie?" The girl asked. I felt myself tensing even more now. Who was this girl, and how did she know my name? She seemed to sense my tension, and placed her hands in front of her as a symbol of peace. "I mean no intrusion. My name is Yukina. Genkai informed me you all would be meeting here, and I'd like to lend my support in any way that I can."

Relief washed over me, greater than any I had felt in a while.
Yukina....So that explains why she looked so familiar. Koenma had shown me pictures before, yet none did justice to the pale, fragile being standing before me. Hiei's very own sister! Their only resemblance was their piercing, red eyes.... I could only imagine how he would react to this!

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I'm just a little jumpy!" I extended my hand towards her to show her I bore her no ill will. "Yes, I am Amaya Morie. I'm so very pleased to meet you."
We shook hands, and she smiled at me, then joined me on the fountain as we waited for the others. In the meantime, we made small talk.

"So, do you know who it is that you're after?" Yukina asked.
"Not quite..." I replied, then gave her a questioning look. Wouldn't she have had at least some background knowledge on this case? "Didn't Koenma brief you at all?"
Yukina looked down, blushing. "Not exactly. You see, last night Yusuke placed a call to Genkai about a case, asking her for some light guidance. I happened to overhear that Botan wouldn't be assisting them this time around, and that you would all be meeting here today...and so...." She gathered her nerve to look at me. "Here I am! Willing to help in any way I can!"

My heart was in my throat. Hiei's sister...here to help. I had accepted her, and basically gave her my blessing to join us under the false pretense that Koenma had, at the very least, briefed her! I couldn't believe what I had just gotten myself into. She had no means of defending herself whatsoever! In Spirit World's book, she wasn't even supposed to be here with us. This was not going to go well for me at all.

Feeling panicked and trapped, I looked up, only to find just the guy I'd want to see when the going gets tough....mentally, that is.
Kurama gave us both a friendly wave and darted in and out of crowds, making his way toward us and edging ever nearer.

"Amaya, hello! Yukina! I wasn't aware you'd be joining us today!" Kurama said pleasantly.
"Yukina thought it would be nice to surprise us to help us out since Botan can't be here." I said, a fake expression of happiness plastered across my face.
Kurama picked up on the hit. "Do you think it is wise? Things could get very dangerous." I could see that Kurama was in a bit of a predicament himself over this. He was the closest thing Hiei could claim as a friend, and, as such, he was expected to impose Hiei's 'best intentions' upon her. In a way, I felt sorry for her. No one would be able to be honest with her. No one wanted to tell the poor girl that she couldn't help out because we were all afraid that Hiei, her big, bad (secret) brother would slit our throats. Not to mention - Oh! Kuwabara!

I let out a quiet groan, lifting both hands from my lap to massage my temples. All the while, I could feel the water pressure of the fountain increasing.

"Well, well, well. Who's our newest recruit?" Yusuke stood above me now, and I desperately tried to discreetly catch his attention. I noticed Kurama was doing the same. We both stared holes into him, attempting to send him the same message -somehow- via brainwaves. Giving up after about two minutes, as he already involved himself in an irrelevant conversation with Yukina, I looked past his shoulder to find Kuwabara approaching from behind him. From the looks of it, he had intended to sneak up behind Yusuke and scare him, but upon seeing Yukina, this changed. He ran over to us all.

"Yukina!" He yelled, laughing somewhat like a moron as he quickly made his way over to us. When he finally reached her, after nearly pushing Yusuke out of the way, he grabbed both her hands and stared deeply into her eyes. "Have you come to watch the big guys at work?" He let go of her hands to flex his muscles.

I couldn't help but feel embarrassed just by looking at him.

"No, Kazuma. I've actually come here to help. You see, I heard that Botan won't be able to help you all on this mission, and so I have come to help in any way that I can."

Kuwabara looked at her, then at us, clearly not understanding.

"B-but it's dangerous!" This was all he could stammer as he looked at her, his gaze slowly turning from one of passion to one of incomprehension.
"I want to help!" She had a bit more force in her voice.
"I'm sorry, I just can't let you do that! I can't risk putting you in danger." Kuwabara was making every last attempt to remain diplomatic.
"With all due respect, Kazuma, perhaps you should consult your other teammates. They didn't seem to make as big a fuss over it."

Kuwabara slowly turned his head, knowing exactly where to stop it. He glared at Kurama and I.
Wanting to keep the peace, Kurama sat down beside me, undoubtedly preparing a speech that would calm Kuwabara.

"That won't be necessary." A sharp voice reverberated around us. Hiei stepped out of the shadows, and I felt my heart pounding faster and faster. He slowly made his way over to us, stopping, of course, in front of me. "For once I must agree with the oaf. I cannot allow Yukina to be put in danger."

I dared to look up at him. He was staring at me with such a negative intensity... I just wanted to put my face in Kurama's shoulder and melt away.

Yukina developed a brave streak, and now I was going to be the one held responsible for it.

"You." He said simply, with great disgust embellishing his tone.
"Hold on, now!" I said, putting my hands up. "I'm not involved in this in any way!"
Kurama put his arm around me in some sort of half-hearted attempt to protect me.

"Now, Hiei," He said. "Let's not lose our tempter."
"Oh, no, Kurama." Hiei was fuming. "I wouldn't dream of it."

Yukina looked around, confused. "I-is something the matter?"
Everyone turned to look at her, tensions temporarily lapsing.

"No! Don't be silly!" Kurama said, trying his best to fake a smile. "Hiei's just-"
"Hiei just doesn't approve of you putting yourself in a situation such as this. It's quite dangerous." Hiei remarked.
"I have to agree with the shrimp, Yukina. I can't let you get hurt." Kuwabara looked at her, torn between wanting to make her happy and wanting to keep her safe.

Yusuke had remained silent through all of this, yet he spoke now.
"Alright, I have one thing to say. Yukina is her own person, and she doesn't need you two to tell her what she can and cannot do. I'm not saying I'm all for the idea of her getting involved in danger like this, but if it is what she wants to do, then I can't stop her, and I don't have the right to stop her."

"Yeah! You know, something has been bothering me, too. Why do you care so much, Hiei?" Kuwabara looked at the shorter demon with a suspicious look on his face.

Hiei looked completely caught off guard. After a few seconds in which, mentally, he was clearly panicking, he responded.
"Care? I care for no one." He looked at me when he said this. "I would just hate for there to be unnecessary bloodshed."

Yukina nodded appreciatively at this.

Inwardly, I sighed. Thank Yamma, it wasn't my problem anymore.

"Alright, then." Kuwabara said reluctantly. "I guess it's settled. Yukina, you're going with me." He tried to grab her hand.
"Fool." Hiei said. "She'd be much safer with me."
"Oh? And what makes you think that?"
"Which one of us nearly lost every single dark tournament battle we competed in?"
"That's a low blow, Hiei!"
"Actually," Yukina chirped in. "If it's all the same, I would like to go with Amaya."

Slowly Hiei and Kuwabara turned their heads toward me. Kuwabara's was a look of caution and suspicion. Hiei's was a look of hatred, and a few other emotions I was unable to identify.

Great. Now it's my fault again.

:D

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