A/N: Wow. It has been a while since I've posted. I'm terribly sorry but I think this is how it's going to go for a while, I have so much work to do that I don't get a chance to write…which is quite disappointing really. Hope you enjoy it! I even made it a tad longer than usual because it's been sooo long.

O/C22: Soren drops by and gives Misaki a book for her birthday (which is the next day), leaving her to read it unbothered. But as the moon begins to rise over the tops of the trees outside the window, Yoko appears—the aftereffect of Adominai's bite. Apparently he and Misaki had quite a past together and, for now, he's come back...

--

He hadn't sought her out earnestly, it was true. Her disappearance was abrupt and unexplained but that didn't really matter either. Yoko had things to attend to, and he assumed Misaki had things of her own that needed attending to. He didn't take it personally, the thought never crossed his mind.

What could she do to make him go away? Misaki had already tried everything she could think of. He was so aggravating at times. She couldn't run away, he would just catch her. She couldn't fight him off...he would just catch her. The only thing she could think of was to just wait things out; he wouldn't be this way forever.

"The moon is so shiny."

They were sitting on the window sill, the moon rising above them.

Misaki had already contemplated hopping down and going and finding a tree somewhere but, it seemed rather pointless.

"Do you have to point out that everything is shiny?" Misaki sighed. Adominai's bite must have messed with the kitsune's brain, for he was not the usual Yoko Kurama. The ruthless bandit was content to swing his legs dangling from the window and gaze up at the moon. Thankfully. Who knows what he would have done otherwise.

Misaki's hand strayed to the book which lay next to her. How had Soren known?

--

"This is so stupid! This is a tournament, right?? Why aren't we fighting??" Yusuke slammed his fist on the countertop, upsetting the food Kuwabara was eating.

It was the next morning. Misaki sat on the couch, her nose deep in the book. "It's more than just a tournament. There's a reason why it's invitation only."

"Yeah because nobody would come once they figured out how much fighting is actually done." Kuwabara's full-mouth didn't stop him from commenting.

"That's not what I meant." Misaki glanced up at him, slightly annoyed.

"Hey! Rise and shine, fox-boy!" Yusuke grinned.

Kurama stood in the doorway, obviously not fully awake yet. His clothes were actually wrinkled and his hair was out of place. "The...the match? Did I miss it?" He glanced earnestly around the room.

"No matches today." Kuwabara shoved more rice into his mouth.

"Oh...that...that's good." He sleepily walked over to the counter and leaned on it.

"What's wrong with you?" Yusuke gave him a funny look.

"I...I don't know...I think the bite I received from my opponent Adominai caused Yoko to be set free for a while." He held his head, "But I don't remember anything. I just hope nothing horrible happened."

"Nah, we woulda heard about it." Yusuke shrugged.

"What time is it?" Kurama searched around the room for a clock, though his head didn't move very much.

"Past noon I guess. The cabinets are great but they didn't have enough money afterwards to buy a clock." Yusuke opened said cabinets and pulled out some food. "Hungry?" He offered some to Kurama.

"Um, no. Thank you. I feel a bit odd."

"You look a bit odd." Kuwabara stopped eating long enough to size him up.

"That's very helpful, Kuwabara, thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"I'm sure he won't, baka."

They all turned to see Hiei coming in from the door Kurama left open.

"So here you are Kurama. That's a neat trick you pulled, sneaking away from the toddler like that. You'll have to show me how you did it some time."

"Toddler? Sneaking?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember."

"I'm afraid I have no recollection of last night's events." Kurama admitted.

"That's probably just as well." Misaki muttered.

"What?"

Misaki didn't bother to pull the book away from her face, "I said 'you don't look to well.'"

"Since when do you read?" Yusuke grimaced.

Misaki lowered the book a little, her eyes visible over the top, glaring at him.

"Well it's just that I figured, why would someone like you know how to read? You don't seem the type."

"And you don't seem the type to ever shut up. So we're even."

Yusuke set out his food. "Touché."

"If I just sit here, no one will ever know." Misaki buried her face farther into the book. Ever since Soren showed up yesterday, she was apprehensive that others would find out. If there was one thing she hated, it was people knowing stuff she didn't want them to know. That and stupid people. Two things she hated. If she just sat quietly, maybe the day would pass her by.

"Hey guys do you know what I remembered last night?" Kuwabara's mouth was still full of food.

"To breathe, unfortunately for the rest of the world." Hiei spoke up.

"Shut up shrimp!!" Kuwabara swallowed his food before going on, "Now wait...what was I...oh yeah! I remembered that my birthday was the first day of the tournament!"

Misaki twitched behind her book. It was too much to ask that this subject be totally avoided, today of all days.

"If I may ask, how is it that you forget something like that?" Kurama wanted to know.

"Heheh, well sis doesn't make a big deal about it so sometimes it just up and passes me by and I don't even think about it."

"I suppose congratulations are in order." Kurama smiled.

"You've actually managed to survive another year without getting killed. Hn."

"Alright shrimp, that is just about enough outta you!!"

"Haha! He's right though, really." Yusuke laughed.

"You too Urameshi!!"

Misaki shrunk farther behind her book if possible, glancing briefly at the bedroom door Kurama left open. The window within the room was open. If she could manage it, maybe she could...

"Misaki!!" Ike burst in the door. He stopped, confused, "Where's Misaki?"

Kuwabara pointed at the couch with his chopsticks, but was as surprised as everyone else to see that she wasn't there. "She was right there...where did she..." His head turned left and right, searching for her.

Hiei's eyes glanced at the open window within his and Kurama's room. Of course he had seen her quick escape but what did it matter?

"I guess I couldn't expect her to stay here, but I supposed I kind of expected her to stay here." Ike shrugged.

"Why?" Kuwabara asked, holding up his bowl of rice and shoveling it into his mouth.

Ike frowned at them all, "She didn't tell you? You don't know?"

Soren had come into the room behind Ike. "I told you they wouldn't. She didn't tell me, though I knew anyway."

"Tell us? What didn't she tell us?" Yusuke scratched his head, "Did we fight today or something and...no she would have told us something like that."

"Maybe she doesn't want us to tell? Do you think that could be it?" Ike and Soren began talking to each other.

"I'm not really sure. Perhaps if she wanted them to know she would have told him herself."

"And yet she isn't here to protest so I don't see what the matter is with telling them."

"Tell us what??" Yusuke demanded.

"It's her birthday today." Ike said off-handedly, turning back to Soren, "Do you think they need to know?"

Soren raised an eyebrow at Ike, "Well whether she wanted them to or not, it seems they now know."

"It's her…what??" Kuwabara gaped, a bit of food dropping out of his mouth.

"Where is she?" Ike looked around, "I can't believe she's not here."

"I can't believe you just told them that." Soren shook his head.

"She was here." Hiei spoke up. "She left."

"See there? She left." Ike crossed his arms. "It's her own fault. If she had been here to protest against it, there wouldn't have been a problem."

"I somehow get the feeling that it is a reason for her quick departure." Kurama had a small smile on his face and was looking generally a bit better.

"Happy Birthday!!" Botan came into the room holding a present in her arms. She glanced around for a moment.

"She's not here." Ike said.

"She? Ahaha! Kuwabara, I really don't think you look that girly do you?" Botan bounced over and plopped the present down in front of him.

"What's this Botan?" Kuwabara turned his head a little to look at the box.

"It's for you! Happy Birthday!!" She grinned, pleased with herself, "I would have given it to you sooner, but oh well."

"A...a present? For me?"

"Bingo! Just for you! I am sorry about it being late but getting presents later are just as fun!" Botan leaned against the counter, her eyes shining as she waited for Kuwabara to open it.

His eyes got really big and watery.

"Oh no. Don't tell me you're gonna cry yah big baby." Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"Am not!" Kuwabara pulled his arm across his face, wiping away the tears, "I just...never get many presents."

"Hn."

"Shut up pint-size!!"

"Open the present Kuwabara, I can hardly stand it!" Botan clasped her hands together.

Kuwabara gently took the pink bow off the top of the gift and set it to the side.

"Do you ever get any presents at all?" Yusuke gaped at him, "Rip it open man!"

Kuwabara hesitated for a second, then wrapping paper was flying everywhere and Botan was grinning happily.

"Eikichi!! Kitty!!" Kuwabara pulled out the cat from the box and hugged it with all his might.

"Aha! I thought you'd like seeing it!" Botan winked, "But look inside the box again."

"A crown! Eikichi look! You can wear a crown!"

"There are two!" Botan giggled, "One for the birthday boy too!"

"Suddenly I understand why Misaki kept quiet." Hiei crossed his arms, leaning against the wall next to his and Kurama's doorway.

"Kept quiet about what?" Botan asked.

"Oh nothing." Kurama smiled a little.

"It's her birthday." Ike said.

Soren elbowed him, hard.

"Ow! What was that for?!" Ike rubbed his side.

"Always opening your mouth before you think." Soren covered his face with a hand.

"Misaki...has a birthday? Hm..." The Styx Guide's response to learning this bit of news was quite unexpected as her face turned thoughtful. "I never knew she actually had one."

There was something akin to a surprised fall that reverberated around the room, leaving the thoughtful Botan still standing and appearing thoughtful.

"What do you think she had?" Yusuke asked as he got up, rubbing his head.

"I don't know. I suppose I never thought about it." She shrugged.

"Hey has...aw no." Misaki appeared at the still open front door but saw that Ike and Soren were still there.

Before she could escape a second time, Ike scooped her up and swung her around.

"Happy birthday, happy birthday!" His voice was sing-songy.

"Ike! Put me down!" Misaki squirmed, "If I had known you all were still here, I wouldn't have come back."

"I think you're lying. You wanted to celebrate your birthday with us." He stopped spinning around, still holding her up at eye level.

She glared at him.

"Somewhere deep down, you know you wanted to. Admit it."

"Let me go before I bash your head in." She ordered.

Ike dropped her and she landed on the floor, stepping away from him.

"Doesn't anyone around here check for mail?" Genkai was at the door, holding a slip of paper she picked up off of the ground just in front of the door.

"It's a party!" Ike exclaimed.

Misaki stepped on his foot as she walked past to take the paper from Genkai.

"Tomorrow's matches." She said, handing it over.

Misaki scanned the contents, her face turning grave.

"Oh no you don't, no depressing stuff. Not today." Ike snatched the paper away, "It can wait for tomorrow. Hey look at this!" He held so that Soren could see.

Misaki glared at Ike, though he ignored her, but she refused to make a fool of herself by jumping up and taking it back, knowing that he would just hold it up higher.

"I see we will have a chance to face each other Misaki." Soren was pleased.

Allowing her lips to form a brief smile, Misaki nodded once, "So it seems."

"We are facing Team Lanora." Genkai answered the look on Yusuke's face.

"Team...Lanora?"

"You remember that blonde-haired team that was there for the maze?" Misaki asked.

"Yeah..."

"That's Team Lanora."

"Oh...okay."

"But none of that matters for today," Ike interrupted, "Because it isn't happening until tomorrow. Right now all that matters is—"

"No. No it doesn't." Misaki voice was firm as Ike turned to point at her. "You will forget that anyone ever told you I had a birthday today, though I seriously have no idea how they knew," here she glared at Soren who shrugged noncommittally, "And things are going to go on as if nothing ever was different."

"How can you say that?? This is the day of your birth—"

"Shut up Ike. I am leaving now. If anyone gets me anything, I will personally hand it to Coahtu and have her burn it. And if you decide to make a big deal out of this, I will have said woman burn you." Misaki deliberately turned and walked out the door.

As soon as she was out of earshot Ike rubbed his hands together, "Alright, what are we going to do? I really like the idea of a party."

"You really have this insane desire to get yourself killed, you know?" Soren told him, "I am going to have no part in this." He started to leave but Ike grabbed his shirt and held him back.

"A party! That's brilliant! Maybe if we could get this Coahtu person to see our way we won't have a problem with this 'frying' thing."

"Seriously?" Kuwabara was still clutching Eikichi, "Have you met Coahtu? There is no way in the world that she would ever agree to—"

"Actually I think it's a fairly harmless idea myself."

They all turned around to see Coahtu standing just behind the couch, her arms tucked into her kimono's sleeves and her fire-hair waving pleasantly down her back.

"I take it you are this Coahtu person?"

"An Element!" Soren exclaimed at the same time, "I didn't know they actually existed."

A brief irked look passed over Coahtu's face, "It appears you know far more than you ever should."

"It's a gift." Soren rejoined.

"You guys can't be serious about this party thing, right? I mean didn't you hear what Misaki said? She practically promised to have us killed if we did anything!" Kuwabara was petting Eikichi and the cat purred contentedly in his arms.

"Ooo, it'll be so great! We absolutely have too!" The blue-haired Aldeve appeared with a flourishing swirl of water in the middle of the room, Yukina close by her side.

"It's getting too crowded in here." Hiei glanced around, counting up at least seven people.

"Good thinking Hiei, you and Yusuke should make sure Misaki doesn't come back before we're ready." Kurama spoke up.

Hiei hadn't told everyone he was leaving, but he realized that the kitsune could easily read his facial expression which gave away his thoughts ever so slightly.

"Why do I have to go?" Yusuke made a face.

"Kuwabara might let something slip."

"Hey!"

"I'm sorry Kuwabara, but it is true."

"And if either Aldeve or myself went, she would know immediately that something was up." Coahtu pointed out.

"I think you're going to enjoy this to much, Coahtu. Your intentions aren't entirely pure." Aldeve huffed.

A ghost of a smirk passed over Coahtu's lips, "What within nine levels would you think such a thing Aldeve?"

Aldeve crossed her arms, "Just a feeling I'm getting. It's that ninth level that worries me."

"Well we certainly can't let the girl think she can always get what she wants, now can we?"

--

I just realized how many Dante's Inferno references I make in these sagas…and that's a lot! Anyway, thank you for your patience and I hope you continue to stay with me! I definitely have NOT given up on this fanfic (though sometimes I get side-tracked, hence the 'Into the Mind of the Enemy' story that got posted eheh) because I've already come so far!!! So don't give up on me either!!

Thanks for reading as always!

-lotsm

If anyone notices any inconsistencies within the story (anywhere at all, even if it's in the Ansatsusha Saga), please let me know! Since I'm writing on it so inconstantly, as a result, inconstancies rise. So let me know! Thanks again!