A/N: This one came out so quickly because I actually had time lately to sit down and type! Sheesh it's certainly been a while since I've been able to do that and it's ironic really since I just complained about not being able to do that...heh whatever.

O/C21: Genkai, Kuwabara and Yusuke make it out of the maze just in time, with one second left, which puts them in last place. Everybody goes back to the apartment, Genkai leaving as Kuwabara and Yusuke go and crash in their room. Misaki makes Kurama go and see Koenma again because the bite Adominai gave him is still giving him trouble. Hiei takes off somewhere and Misaki stays at the apartment to make sure the two sleeping boys don't somehow manage to get into trouble.

--

She almost didn't hear the knock on the door but managed not to fall off of the couch when she was startled out of her thoughts. Misaki hadn't even noticed a presence approaching, though she attributed that to her staunch mind block erected. Sacrifices.

She opened the door to see Soren. Surprised, she didn't say anything.

After a moment's pause, he spoke up, "May I come in?"

"Yes! Sorry." Misaki shook her head and stepped aside, letting the tall man through.

Soren ducked his head slightly, managing only to brush a bit of his dark green, pulled back hair against the top of the doorway. He was smiling as he came in, Misaki closing the door while he leaned against the counter, practically able to sit on it.

"You looked rather pleased with yourself."

"Surprising, isn't it? Considering we got third place." He was in a good mood.

"You weren't all that far behind my team." Misaki allowed.

Soren laughed, "Of course not. Only a few hours."

"Not as large a gap as the one between first and second place." She admitted, alluding to the nine hours between Team Lanora and Team Koenma's finishing time.

"Four hours. They did it in four hours." Soren suddenly frowned. "I never would have thought it to be possible."

"To all intents and purposes it isn't." Misaki mirrored his expression, "But they did it. I don't know how, but they did it."

"Without cheating..." It was almost a question.

"If they did cheat, I will renounce the name Ansatsusha forever. Nobody cheats. Not here."

Soren nodded, sighing, "I'll take your word for it. I still wonder though..."

"Even I'd like to know, but then again, perhaps I wouldn't."

"I can understand that. I feel the same way. Chalk another up for life's mysteries."

"Speaking of mysteries, it's a mystery to me why you've come."

He smiled again, bits of his hair hanging about his face, "I've brought you something."

"Not Nicolai I hope." She glanced about apprehensively.

He laughed again, "You are one of the few females who are not addicted to his wiles."

"Nine Circles!" Misaki shivered dramatically, "I'd die if I fell victim to him and his wiles."

"You really don't like him." Soren sounded surprised.

"Not as horribly as I make out. He isn't all bad."

"Just half bad?"

Misaki considered it, "Maybe more than that. He has his moments."

"He certainly does." Soren rolled his eyes.

"Back to the reason of you gracing me with your presence...you've brought me something which isn't a Nicolai?"

"It isn't." His eyes glinted with amusement, "Here." Soren held out a book to her.

"A book."

"Don't sound so disappointed. It's better than most."

"I'm really not into reading. Compared with how exciting life seems to get, they pale in comparison."

"I'm sure they do. But this isn't that kind of book."

"Oh?" She took it, the hard brown and worn cover somehow feeling good beneath her fingers. "What kind of book is it that one is not required to read?"

"I didn't mean you weren't required to read it. I just thought it might interest you. If you have time to read it that is."

Misaki peered suspiciously into his face, "Alright, what's up? What's wrong?"

"...what?" The confusion was plain in Soren's eyes.

"You march in here, make conversation and then give me a baka book. Okay. No one does something like that unless they want something in return." She poked his chest deliberately.

"Alright, alright, I understand. You don't want the book. I'll take it back, sheesh." He reached for the hand she held the book in.

Misaki jerked her hand back, "That's all you were going to do? That's all you came for. To give me this—" She almost said baka again but somehow she managed to bite back the word, "book."

Soren crossed his arms, "Yes, that's all I'm going to do. In fact I'll leave now, okay? Will that make you feel better?" He wasn't smiling but something about him made her think he was making fun of her.

Soren stood up and walked for the door, putting his hand on the knob. He paused for a second, back to Misaki. Suddenly he glanced over his shoulder at her, a mysterious smile on his face, "Happy Early Birthday."

And then he was gone.

Misaki stood gaping at the closed door for a long time, her mouth hanging slightly open. "But...wha...I..." She stammered after him, but he wasn't there to hear it. The book was clutched to her chest, her fingernails cutting into the hard brown cover. She had forgotten all about the significance the next day held for her. Not technically a 'birth'-day since she was never actually born, rather it was her 'first time to be in a human body'-day but somehow that just didn't have the right ring to it.

As the years sped past her, Misaki basically began to overlook the day as each decade ran into the next. But then, none of the Elements ever really celebrated what corresponded as a birthday. Since their lives continued on indefinitely, one day out of a trillion didn't seem to have quite the same significance as it did to those who held only a short amount of time alive. Thus Misaki only just now remembered how much of a big deal humans often made of the day.

Nervously she glanced around, making sure that Kuwabara and Yusuke's door was firmly shut. If they had heard she knew something was bound to happen and something that she probably wouldn't like. Luckily it appeared that she was safe and so shoving away the question of how Soren would have any idea about such a day, Misaki examined the book a little closer.

It was small she thought, as far as books went. Not that she really picked up very many in her lifetime. The time that it took learning how to do so had been annoying, adding to the fact that the other Elements forced her to learn it equaled her dislike for such petty pastimes. She would never admit out loud that it came in handy of course, but it did and she was begrudgingly grateful.

The light in the room was dim and Misaki walked over to the light switch, flicking it upwards. Nothing. Angrily she flipped it up and down a few times, but no light.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she went into Kurama and Hiei's room where the twilight was still giving off enough glow to read by. She sat on the floor by the window, putting the book on the window sill and resting her arms on either side of it, beginning to read it.

--

The window she was sitting beneath was facing east so what little light there was didn't last for long. Sighing, Misaki sat back, waiting for the moon to rise.

So Soren had certainly caught her attention with the book, it was like nothing she'd ever read before.

Within the story, a person's memories, their thoughts and feelings, what made them who they were, were copied, the process perfected, just as the human race was beginning to die off. Scientists also perfected a type of android that when allowed to download the memories literally became that person. And so that person was able to live on, even though the original body didn't. But the question was, was it truly that same person? It wasn't, but it was. It acted, reacted, just as the actual person would, and yet it was just a copy right? It created new memories, holding onto the old ones which made up their existence. That was all anyone ever amounted to: a set of memories, of ups and downs, of feelings, emotions.

As the moon rose, light illuminated the book which lay closed in front of Misaki; the old, worn brown cover, nondescript from so much usage. She wasn't done with it by any means.

Misaki stood, hands planted firmly on the window sill, watching the moon rise behind the forest of trees and bathing the world in pale light.

The people never knew they were machines, never knew that they weren't the original, never even thought anything remotely close to such an idea. And thus the human race was permitted to continue...life.

She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the soft footfalls on the carpet behind her. Only a sixth sense nagging in the back of her head let her know that something was watching her, gaze fixed on her.

Misaki turned, the figure's hair which glinted in the moonbeams not really registering for a moment.

"Misaki."

The simple word spoken by a deep, quiet voice from long ago in her past jolted Misaki out of any revelations she may have been having.

"Yoko??"

"You're surprised to see me." His smile was faint, but there.

"More like...speechless."

"Speechless? You? Never."

"Afraid so." "And not for the first time tonight." "How did...?"

"How did I manage to appear?"

Misaki nodded, not sure if her voice would hold. Seeing him was overwhelming, it had been so long...

"Whatever bite my vessel managed to acquire has had the strangest effect."

"I can see that."

"I don't know how long it will last but I'll admit I wanted to see you with my own eyes. So I came back here."

There was something different about the kitsune...not mentioning the fact that he was now Yoko. Misaki supposed it was just a result of not having seen him in, well, years.

Before she could say anything else, Yoko was there, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, leaning down and kissing her.

It took a second before Misaki realized what just happened, he certainly hadn't lost any of his speed in his dormant time.

Yoko pulled back from her lips slightly and sighed, his warm breath moving gently over Misaki's face.

"Your lips are the only ones that have ever set mine on fire." He said with his eyes still closed, intent on enjoying the moment.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and Misaki shuddered. Yoko pulled back, unsure. He put a finger under her chin and forced her to look up at him.

Misaki couldn't help but gaze into his golden-yellow eyes. Years of life filled the soul behind them. Years of...of longing?

They had met, it was true, but that was a long time ago. They were both rather young and their 'love' was partly spring fever.

"Partly?" Misaki thought.

Fully. It was fully spring fever. Nothing more.

"Yoko, I—"

"Shh," he held her face in one hand and put his thumb over her lips, "No talking." He leaned down and moved his thumb out of the way, kissing her again. Part of his silky, silver hair fell against her face and rested there.

Misaki smiled, "That tickles." she said, his lips still on hers.

Yoko drew her close and deepened the kiss and Misaki didn't think about his hair anymore. Yoko wrapped his arms tighter around her.

Misaki's brain came crashing to a halt, the barriers she put up rocking dangerously, threatening to break. The stone with which she attempted to make her heart become was crumbling and yet she could not...would not...

"N-no." She pulled back, her eyes widening at her own weakness. Why did they ever meet, why couldn't fate have lead her down a different path that day? Why the heck did he have to look so darn good?

She left him behind, no excuse, no 'It's not you it's me'. She had hoped that the abruptness would be counted as cold, unforgivable, as if he was worthless and meant nothing. And yet here he was. He hadn't sought her out when she left but when she was within reach, he came to her. Why couldn't he just leave her alone? She had left him, let him return the favor!

He could die. Like all of the other she came in contact with. It was an inevitability, it was who she was. Because of the paradox of her existence, that as an Element she was forbidden to 'interfere' to make contact, and yet that she was required to do so by the laws that bound her to the world...why did they all die for her? Make sacrifices to keep her alive? Here she thought of those prompted by something they couldn't understand to step in the way of a peaceful release, of an everlasting sleep.

But...but if that contact was reduced, if perhaps death was fooled into thinking he didn't matter, he could live. They could all live. They would all still be alive.

"Misaki?"

The deadly concern was evident on his face. The ruthless Yoko, the infamous kitsune. Here. Now.

"Are you alright?"

"It's not me you should be worrying about..." Misaki shook her head, "Yes."

Yoko smirked and one ear twitched back briefly, "You just told me yes and no at the same time. So which is it?"

Misaki pulled away, farther this time, shaking her head but unable to say why.

He grabbed her arm, preventing her escape.

"No one! No one else will be forced to die for me! If...if I can just hold back the grave from those who deserve longer...No one!" "No one!" The word tore out of her lips before she could bite them back.

"What?" Yoko was confused, not hearing the words in her head.

"Nothing! Get away! Go away!"

He laughed at her and in the midst of her internal chaos, she focused outward on his open mouth, his laughing voice.

"You don't think you can really make me leave, do you?"

"I don't think you really want to find out the answer to that question." She narrowed her eyes, resisting a sudden urge to just pitch him out the window. Misaki jerked her arm away, but he just grabbed it again.

"I come all this way just to see you and this is the thanks I get." A mocking smile threatened to overtake his face. "Well I'm not leaving. You don't really want me to go, I don't believe it. And I'm not letting you go this time either."

Misaki's arm twitched with annoyance in his grasp, annoyed at being told what she could and could not do.

He just let his mocking smile shine down at her. "Now that's the woman I know. That look of defiance says it all. You never liked being told what to do, hm? That's just too bad for you, isn't it?"

She ground her teeth together, her free arm reacting quickly.

Yoko simply caught her punch before it hit his face, the etched smile never wavering.

Pinning both arms which he now held to her sides, he kissed her again, loving the infuriating he could feel seeping from her.

She struggled against his grip, recalling how strong he always had been. He hadn't lost any strength either.

"Let...me...go." Her voice was quiet.

Yoko laughed at her again, "I've missed that tone. You're quite angry with me now, aren't you? You can yell all you want, but it's when you get quiet that people should learn to watch out."

"But you never learn." The hushed words weren't any louder than before. If he would just go away, if she could just make him go away.

"Oh it's not that I don't learn. I suppose the lessons weren't harsh enough." He bent over her again, but this time she turned her head, profile shadowed by her hair.

"Yoko...please..." Again with the quieter tone.

If anything it was the smell her hair released that made him pause. Thoughtful, he sniffed the air. Even his vessel had recognized the smell, though not knowing why or how.

Yoko sighed, straitening up again when she showed no signs of moving. He had missed her, yes. And now that he had her, caught her, she refused him. It really just wasn't fair.

--

Well this one is a little longer so I guess that makes up for the shortness of the last one.

-lotsm