A/N: Nut'in to say. Enjoy.

O/C4: They 'finally' get to the Waters of Amureo, and not much happens. Misaki says she knew that the youkai they were looking for wasn't there yet, but he would definitely show up…

Misaki eventually got into the hot-tub attached to the pool while everyone else had a water fight. Needing some time to think, she closed her eyes, listening to the almost furious hum of the jets. After a few moments, she felt the water move around to make room for another person.

"Something wrong Hiei?"

"You're the one who says this guy is going to show. You looked asleep."

"I don't sleep if you must know and yes he will show." Misaki sat up and opened her eyes.

"You don't sleep." he echoed flatly, unbelieving.

Misaki didn't answer him.

The water fight got more intense and cool droplets of water landed on her face. She had to smile as she heard laughter carry over the water to her ears. She could easily pick out the laughs and match them with who they belonged to. The two girl's laughs, lighter than the rest, Kuwabara's belting laugh, Yusuke's lighter and Kurama's chuckle.

Time passed, and while Yukina pleaded for Misaki to come and help her and Botan win the fight, Misaki didn't move from her spot. A full moon rose overhead, casting a pale sheen on the water and then reflecting its light onto the ripples. The water became cold and everyone piled into the hot-tub. Thankfully, Misaki thought, it was rather big, meant to hold several large ogres.

Yusuke started yawning, which of course made almost everyone else yawn too. Kuwabara fell asleep at least twice, and would slowly sink down until he woke up and sputtered water out of his mouth.

"Botan?"

"Hmm?" The Styx Guide was gazing up at the dark sky overhead.

A cool breeze picked up and swept through everyone's almost dry hair.

"I think you'd better take these guys home."

"And what about you?"

"I'm fine, but they aren't used to all-nighters. They've had a day full of swimming and that tires most anyone out. I can handle this on my own and they'll be of no use if they can't stand to fight."

Yukina sleepily blinked her eyes, "I am not ti—" she yawned.

Botan got out of the churning water and grabbed a towel from a pile on a table near them. Misaki helped Yukina step out and Botan quickly wrapped the girl's shoulders in a towel.

"Come on you guys," Botan shivered, "Hurry up."

"Is it cold?" Kuwabara wanted to know.

"Yes, very! So hurry up!"

Kuwabara sunk deep into the hot water and shook his head.

"Come on yah big baby," Yusuke got out, stumbling and almost falling back in.

Kuwabara inched his way to the edge and lunged for a towel.

Botan looked down at Hiei who would have been the next to step out.

"I don't trust her." Hiei crossed his arms, obviously not moving to get out of the water.

Misaki rolled her eyes.

"I think you should stay Kurama," Botan told him, "If only to keep the two of them from strangling each other.

Kurama, half-way out of the water, nodded and slipped back in the hot tub without protest, as Botan bustled the other three out of the night air.

As soon as they were gone, Misaki got out and dove into the pool.

She noticed even under water when ominous clouds started gathering over the moon. She swam over to the edge of the hot tub.

"Get out of the water." she ordered.

Neither of them moved and she sensed that Hiei wasn't going to do anything she wanted anyway.

"I said, get out of the water. Do you want me to spell it out for you? Or maybe you'd rather that I threw you out myself."

Kurama obliged, sensing the urgency in her voice. Hiei only got out because Kurama gave him a look. They grabbed towels from the nearby table, Kurama shivering from the sudden change in temperature from the nice and warm hot tub to the chilly night air.

Misaki swam to the middle of the deep end as they began to dry themselves off.

"What are you doing?" Kurama asked.

"I'm checking something," she dove down to the bottom.

Water was moving in a slow spiral at the deepest part of the pool.

"Good, the barrier is still holding. He hasn't broken through yet."

"Well that's wonderful news," a cynical voice told her.

"I told you he would come. And get out of my head!" Misaki blocked Hiei out as she ran a hand over the invisible barrier's shimmering surface. A fine crack started to form and shot like wildfire from one side to the other.

Furiously, she swam for the top, inwardly cursing all the while. Her head burst from the water and she quickly flipped her hair behind her shoulder so she could see clearly.

"Misaki?" Kurama called. He had seen her rapid ascent.

"I didn't expect him to break through so soon." She explained.

"Hn. What did you expect? A ten minute reprise?"

Misaki shot Hiei an angry glare as she swam for the edge.

"Misaki! Look out!" Kurama ran towards her.

Misaki turned to see an underwater spout had suddenly surged from a small opening the cracks had formed. A pillar of water wrapped itself around her and took her back down to the bottom. An indistinct shape rose from the depths of the barrier.

"Misaki!"

She wasn't sure who said her name but she had other things on her mind at the moment. She struggled inside the pillar.

The youkai drew her close to him and she could feel his chest forming against her back as he started to take on a more human form.

"Misaki, how I've longed to see you." The pillar of water she was struggling to get out of formed into two firm water-hands wrapped around her torso. His distinct, soundless laughter rang through her head and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up.

"Don't jump in!" she shouted into Kurama and Hiei's minds. She could feel their desire to fight.

"Would a death tree seed work against him?" Misaki heard Kurama's question.

"Throw it in the water! But aim for the barrier itself!" She struggled, but the arms just held her tighter.

"It won't work whatever you're planning in that pretty little head of yours." The water youkai put his lips close to her ear, "Nothing you do can hurt me now." His transformation was speeding up.

"What the heck's so hard about throwing a seed into the water?" Misaki asked them.

"Hn. He already did. Or can you not tell?"

Misaki's occupation with escaping let the seed drift by, silently sinking until it touched the cracked barrier.

The sprout, in the presence of so much energy, quickly shot up and spread over the portal like a vine, blocking the water youkai's passage.

"What?" His head turned downward and it was all the distraction Misaki needed.

She elbowed his stomach and he released her. She tried to swim out of reach, but he recovered too quickly and snatched her ankle, pulling her back down. The effort of escape forced what seemed like gallons of water down Misaki's throat and she had no more breath. She curved around to point her hands at him. A huge pulse of water shot forward as her hands blasted spirit energy at him and he was momentarily thrown back.

He let go, knowing he'd lost her, and turned to get free from the rapidly growing tree.

Misaki reached a hand up to grab the edge of the pool, but she was still too far down. Her vision started closing in around her when a hand appeared and grabbed for hers, pulling her the rest of the way up out of the churning pool.

Misaki immediately fell to her knees, planting her hands on the solid concrete and coughing up the water caught in her lungs.

Kurama knelt beside her and moved the dripping hair caught across her face out of the way.

"Are you alright?"

Misaki coughed, "I will be. I think." She took a deep breath and smiled, still coughing, "Thanks."

"It wasn't me. I was concentrating on the tree." Kurama knew that the short swordsman would grab for her, allowing Kurama to keep his full attention on blockading the barrier.

Misaki looked over at Hiei who was ignoring her situation with a practiced ease.

"Thanks."

His response was a slight glance in her direction, an indication that he heard her.

"He's feeing himself from the tree, if you'd like to know."

"What?" Kurama stepped over to the edge.

Misaki nodded, standing up, "He's strong. Really strong."

"I take it you know him."

She nodded again.

Misaki heard a splash and looked up, "Hiei!"

She watched in horror as Hiei swam towards the youkai. Misaki felt Kurama make a move beside her and she grabbed his arm, yanking him away from the poolside.

"Don't you dare," she hissed, "It's bad enough Mr. Bandanna jumped in."

Kurama shook his head, as if clearing his thoughts, "I'm sorry. What happened?"

"Your friend there just took the jump of doom," Misaki kept her hand tightly on Kurama's arm.

"Jump of...doom?"

"Hiei a guy. This youkai doesn't like guys. In fact, his very presence kills guys. And what's more, his presence just happens to be surrounded by water which amplifies that. Hence the statement, 'your friend just took the jump of doom.'"

"So that's why Koenma wanted you and Yukina and Botan to come with us?"

Misaki nodded, "I literally meant what I said when I told you that no man could stand up to him and live."

"So you're the one that has to go and get Hiei."

Misaki didn't look at Kurama.

"What's wrong?" he asked in response to her hesitation, "He will die remember?"

"Of course I remember," she retorted irritably, "It's just that..."

"It's just that..." Kurama repeated, his tone more urgent now.

"Never mind," she mumbled, pushing Kurama back farther and standing at the pool's edge. In the water she saw the pinkish glowing eyes of the water youkai. Hiei was floating dead-like and the youkai circled around him triumphantly. In his mind, he wagered with himself; would she come after him, or leave him to die? The odds were in favor of her leaving him to die. She narrowed her eyes, she hated to disappoint him but she enjoyed going against the odds.

"Misaki," Kurama urged when she hesitated again, reminding her of the importance of time.

She jumped in.

"Let him go." She sank into the depths, legs straight, awaiting the ground with arms crossed. The way the barrier was opening allowed her to breathe and talk underwater as easily as the water youkai himself did.

"So you're speaking to me now, hm?" The youkai's features were more substantial but he still retained his water form. Misaki could now pick out his long bluish hair and lighter blue skin from the water, but waist down was still a spiral circling around Hiei and down into the barrier. With his crossed arms, he looked much like a genie coming out of a lamp. A very dangerous genie.

Misaki thought quickly. Hiei was mostly dead, if not all dead, but if she didn't get him out of the water he would most certainly be all dead in no time. A part of her was shouting that she should let him die. If only one more could die in place of her brother maybe it would help…Misaki shook her head. Besides, the odds were not in her favor.

"You know. Since you are speaking to me now, I'd really like to be called by my true name. Just for old time's sake. After all," he made a sweeping motion with his hand, indicating the water around them, "These waters are named for me."

"Well then, Amureo," she emphasized the name, "You won't mind if I take back my fire youkai now do you?"

"I belong to no one."

"Oh. Oh great. So you're mostly dead and you can still hear the conversation. Do you really want to float there for the rest of what's left of your life? If you don't, please shut up and let me talk."

"Your fire youkai?" Amureo tapped his chin with a finger. "Ah, you mean him. Couldn't I just kill him? He is a he, nasty creature," Amureo made a face, "And you don't like fire youkai anyway. But you don't really need to be reminded of that, do you Ansatsusha?"

No. She didn't need to be reminded. But if there was one thing that set her off more than fire youkai, it was losing a bet.

"You know Amureo, I made this bet with myself the last time we met."

"Really? I'm dying to hear it."

"Of course you are. You think that stalling for more time means you'll be able to break through the barrier completely."

"That's encouraging." The weak thought brushed against her mind and still managed to sound perturbed.

"Vessel?" Misaki ignored Hiei and projected her thoughts towards the kitsune still on the land.

"Yes?"

"Is there any of that tree left?"

Kurama closed his eyes briefly. The faint song of the death tree, garbled because of the water, still whispered lightly against his consciousness.

"Yes. It can still be used."

"You see Amureo, I made a bet with myself about how long I could stay away from you."

"But you missed me so you had to lose the bet." Amureo smiled devilishly.

"No. You see, I don't miss." There was an undertone of foreshadowing in her voice.

Amureo smiled at her, but something passed behind his eyes. His plan was perfect and yet she seemed so confident. Well, two could be confident. He knew how to play that game.

"You're fooling yourself my little Ansatsusha. You just couldn't stay away. You did me a favor and I just can't understand why you won't let me return it." He snaked forward in the water, closer to her than before. Their bodies weren't touching but at the slightest movement they would be.

Thoughts quickly flashed through Misaki's mind. It had been so long since she relied on the help of others. She wasn't used to working in a team. What if Kurama wasn't ready yet? What if he wasn't going to do what she asked?

"Any time now, vessel."

"It's done."

"Wonderful."

"Amureo, I'm only here to help you out." She smiled her most dazzling, wicked smile and opened her palm for him to take her hand. "Don't you want to be back here, back where you belong? The Makai and me. What more could you ask for?"

Betrayal. That was the word that flashed across Hiei's mind. She had betrayed them. His eyes opened ever-so-slightly and he watched as if in slow motion. He had known she would do it. No one ever understood, ever took the time to look into her eyes. He knew there was nothing in them but betrayal. She would release this water youkai into the Makai from which he had been banished.

Hiei watched, feeling his heart beat slowing down, as Amureo hesitated for a moment before taking her hand.

There was a huge flash of light from beneath Hiei as the barrier below him shattered and the gaping hole between worlds was opened.

Triumph shone in Amureo's eyes. "I knew you would always wait for me, Ansatsusha. I knew you would…."

Hiei went unconscious from overexposure to Amureo's deadly aura.

...

Amureo drew Misaki closer to him and she tried not to blanch. If she had, the plan would have been ruined.

"So what should we do first?" He asked, purring the words into her ear. A jolt went up his body and he felt something latch onto his leg, jerking him backwards.

"Well, you can get your slimy hands off of me for starters." Misaki landed a solid punch to his face and Amureo let go of her, his brain jarred to the back of his head. He cradled his head in his hands.

The barrier was beginning to suck Amureo back into it and he was a ways away from her before he realized it.

He glared daggers at her and reached towards her faster than Misaki expected, his arm becoming a pillar of water again.

He latched onto her leg, the barrier pulling him back into the Ningenkai faster than before, but now she was going with him.

A burst of pain attacked her mind, giving her an instant headache which faded just as quickly as it came.

Something flew past Misaki's shoulder while she was distracted, snapping the water that held her leg and opening several small wounds on her skin. But it worked. Amureo let go of her to rid himself of the pain. He reached for her again, but cringed back as he was attacked.

"Then I shall take you both with me." Amureo cried fiercely, pointing one hand at Misaki and the other at Hiei. Vortexes of water formed around them both, sucking them down with Amureo.

Misaki swam for Hiei, grabbing him around the waist with one arm and reaching up to hold onto the rose whip that had just wrapped itself around her waist.

No matter the power that Amureo issued into the vortexes, the pair in the water did not moved forward.

"I will be back for you Misaki." Amureo told her as he was swept back through the barrier. "And you won't be expecting me the next time."

Misaki didn't answer, concentrating instead of holding Hiei and the whip. She felt the thorns deeply lacerating her hand, so tight was her grip, and blood was also leaking out of the wounds on her waist.

She began swimming upwards as soon as Amureo disappeared and the water grew still, her movement faster because the rose whip was pulling her up as well.

Kurama was at the edge of the water and he fell down to one knee as she surfaced, taking Hiei from her as she handed him off.

Hiei lay still where he was put and Kurama turned back to help Misaki out of the water.

She reached up with her good hand as Kurama offered help and was surprised when he easily pulled her from the water with just that one hand.

Misaki collapsed onto the ground, sitting tiredly with her cut leg out in front of her and holding one arm around her waist.

"I apologize for the injuries." Kurama sat next to her, holding out a towel and putting another over her bare shoulders.

She took it, shivering as the cold wind swept by, gathering it into her other hand which was still bleeding. Her leg jerked when Kurama wiped the blood from it with another towel.

"I'm sorry." He said again, tightly wrapping her leg with the towel.

"Don't be." Misaki grimaced when she spoke, clutching at her stomach again.

"I seem to have ruined your bathing suit."

Misaki laughed, quickly stopping when her muscles protested, "Of all the things to worry about, I think that's the least of them, vessel." She nodded her head towards Hiei.

"Will he live?"

"Maybe." She listened for a moment, "His heart is still beating. But that doesn't mean he's alive."

"I am disappointed in you, Ansatsusha." A cold voice came from the shadows.

"Oh man. I do not want to mess with this right now." Misaki groaned inwardly.

Coahtu stood a few feet to her left, glaring angrily at her.

"Had it not been for this boy," Her eyes flicked to Kurama and rested back on Misaki, "You would be dead. Or worse."

"Had it not been for you, my brother would still be alive." Misaki snapped back in a tone of voice Kurama had never heard her use before.

Coahtu said nothing, her hair flaming white in a sudden surge of anger before returning to its normal red-orange color.

Misaki stood with some effort, her head looking over her shoulder at Coahtu, daring the one with fire for hair to say something else.

Kurama had been standing a moment before and he stood still, waiting for the outcome.

The breeze picked up again and the towel on Misaki's shoulders flew off. Kurama reached out a hand and caught it just as it began to pass by him, bringing his arm back down to his side, the towel flapping to be free from his grasp.

Coahtu's eyes flicked beyond Misaki to look at Kurama briefly, but her glare returned to Misaki.

Everyone's hair blew in the wind and a momentary warmth passed over their skin as the wind became less cold.

Coahtu looked around as if she could see the breeze, then she turned, "We're going to have a nice long talk later, you and I." and walked away, leaving a bit of silence behind as her hair flared around her body and she disappeared.

Misaki collapsed again and waved a hand at Kurama who hovered over her, concerned.

"You've lost a lot of blood." He saw that her face was pale.

"But we would have lost a lot more than that had you not acted when and how you did. And for that I am grateful. My thanks." She nodded to him. "Hiei should be taken away from here." Here she stood up again and staggered a step forward before Kurama steadied her. "There's an amulet in the left pocket of my jeans."

He went over to the table her clothes were folded up at and found the item she indicated, handing it back to her. It glowed briefly in her hand and a portal opened up near them, showing Koenma's office on the other side.

"You can portal out of the Waters, but not into them." Misaki explained. "Someone will come and get them." She said when Kurama made a move to pick up her clothes. "His life is more important."

Kurama picked Hiei up and stepped through the portal with her.

"He can't even stay awake until we finish the assignment." Misaki felt her legs giving out again and she sat down on the floor. "Oy ogre! Wake Toddie up!" She commanded the ogre who sat napping in front of a door that connected Koenma's office to his rooms.

"But Koenma-sir said no one was to bother him…"

"I am No One! Now do it!"

The ogre scrambled out of his seat and opened the door, practically running into it in his hurry.

Kurama had placed Hiei on the couch.

"George, get us a blanket would you? And maybe a robe?" Her voice was kinder when she spoke to the blue ogre that just came in the main door.

George nodded and jogged back out into the hallway.

Misaki sat with her eyes closed, concentrating on stopping her head from reeling.

"I brought bandages too, Misaki."

She looked up to see that George had put the blanket over Hiei and was coming towards her with a robe and bandages.

"I noticed that you were bleeding." He put the robe over her shoulders, "Should I send for Yukina?"

"No. She will be asleep now and there is no need to wake her up. I'll be fine."

George nodded as Misaki took the bandages from him and he went to stand by Koenma's desk, ready for action at a moments notice.

"I can't believe his hair is still standing up." Misaki over at the fire youkai. She resisted an urge to go over and touch it. But it was tempting.

The door the other ogre went through opened up the rest of the way, banging hard against the wall.

"WHO DARES WAKE ME UP!" In his pajamas, Koenma marched into the room angrily, demanding to know the perpetrator. "Oh. Misaki. It's you." He frowned up at the ogre who stood nervously by his side. "You didn't tell me it was her."

"Who else could get someone to wake you up?" Misaki wanted to know, her good hand now through the sleeve of the robe and the belt tied together.

Koenma saw Hiei on the couch, "What happened?"

"Amureo. As if that wasn't obvious."

Koenma grimaced, "We can't really do anything for him then…"

"That's what I was afraid of." Misaki frowned as they all glanced over at the dying fire youkai. "Because I can't do anything either."

-lotsm