A/N: Yes, I do realize that the floor plan of my house is not the standard for what a house in Japan actually looks like. There are a few key differences, but hey, Misaki isn't human and wouldn't know about these, right? Of course, right. So I'm not going to let it bother me any more.

O/C13: Misaki's house isn't safe for them any more and so Zumi transports the group to another house, this one in the Ningenkai. The guys decide to stay and have a sleep-over and Misaki goes upstairs to be alone…

With the humanness came human needs Misaki never experienced before.

There was a pang in her abdomen and her insides gurgled and churned. Her mouth suddenly itched for something Misaki did not know of and her shoulder socket ached steadily. But what was most foreign? The feeling of being unable to keep her eyes open.

Misaki had been tired before, yes, had desired sleep before, yes, but never had her body demanded the sleep as it did now.

She stumbled down the hallway, clutching for the door knob to a room and fumbling the door open. She made it past the threshold, closing the door behind her, but her body collapsed onto the floor just inside the room.

Only once during the night did the door open, someone standing in the doorway just for a moment before moving in, picking her up, and placing her on the bed she had so completely missed. Misaki did not so much as stir at the movement.

...

"Man! It's a Friday! Why do I have to go to school on Friday?" Yusuke put his arms behind his head as he walked, frowning up at the sky.

"Because!" Keiko informed him, "You haven't been at school all week!"

"Well I might as well not have come today either! Stupid teachers'll just shove all the school work on me today and make me waste a weekend doing it!"

"It's not like you're planning on doing it anyway." Kuwabara pointed out, shoving a hand in one of his pockets as he held his bag with his other hand behind his headd.

"Oh yes he will!" Keiko glared at Yusuke who just cringed away from her.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He mumbled.

"I heard that, Yusuke! You will get your work done if I have to-"

"Do it yourself?" He finished hopefully.

She whacked him upside the head with her bag, "I would never do your work for you, Yusuke Urameshi." She stuck her nose up in the air and walked at a faster past.

"Hey! Keiko! Keiko come back! I didn't mean it! I know you wouldn't! Keiko!" Yusuke trotted to catch up with her.

...

"What happened, Misaki?" Yukina reached over to Misaki's shoulder.

Misaki flinched away, frowning.

Everyone else was gone for the day, leaving Misaki and Yukina by themselves. Yukina had just finished cooking lunch for them, the plates and things still on the table.

"It doesn't look so good. You should let me heal it up for you." Yukina said seriously.

"It's fine." Misaki grumbled, getting up abruptly.

It had been awkward eating, though only for Misaki. She would reach for her drink, only to find that she couldn't pick it up because she didn't have that hand anymore. Her mood had darkened more throughout the meal, especially when she began to get used to getting everything with one hand.

She began opening all of the drawers in the kitchen, searching for something.

Quietly, Yukina picked up the dishes to wash them.

Finding the junk drawer of the house, Misaki started fishing through it, finding what she was looking for at the bottom.

Shutting the drawer with her hip, she put the papers in her mouth and used her hand to vault over the rail of the stairs, landing shakily on the third step.

Misaki went inside the first room, snorting as she saw that the bed was made. She made a guess that Kurama was the one who had slept in it.

Opening the window shade to let in light, Misaki sat on the floor and leaned against the side of the bed, spreading the papers out onto the floor in front of her.

The words were written in shorthand and it took Misaki about an hour to remember what the shorthand meant.

In the middle of her reading, she suddenly looked up, having felt something touch her hair.

"I'm sorry. Am I bothering you?"

Misaki contorted her head around until she could see Yukina sitting cross-legged on the bed over her, Misaki's hair streaming across the Koorime's lap.

There were various sized braids and other weavings that Misaki found her hair was in.

Misaki was surprised she hadn't heard the girl come in, or felt her playing with her hair. She realized that she felt quite relaxed, sleepy even.

"What are you reading?"

"Uh…" She shook her head, "It's just a list of supplies around the house. Various things I've kept here." Glancing at the papers, she reached under the bed and pulled out a deck of cards, regarding it with amusement.

Yukina's eyes widened with delight, "Are those soul-ee-tear cards?"

"What?" Misaki raised an eyebrow, realizing after a second what Yukina meant. "Oh, you mean solitaire? Yeah, I guess so." She handed to deck to Yukina who promptly took it from her, holding it as if it was a prized possession, going downstairs and beginning to play in the middle of the floor.

Misaki's shoulder throbbed again and she rubbed it absently as she looked over the papers another time.

According to their information, if it was still correct, what she was looking for would be in the closet at the end of the upstairs hallway.

Misaki sighed as she stood, her sleeping feet protesting as she tried to walk.

There were many new sensations for her and she didn't think she had been missing out on any of them.

She knew sleep. She came to recognize the pangs in her abdomen as hunger; for now she was satiated but she could almost feel the food's energy being used up within her. When her mouth got that itchy feeling, she had to drink. And then there was the smell. And the gross feeling on her teeth. She had never had to use showers or bathtubs or toothbrushes before. In her current condition, Misaki was no better off than an average human.

Misaki ran her tongue over her teeth in disgust, gathering up the papers on the floor and marching to the hall closet. She hoped what she had in mind would work…

It took longer than she expected for find it, buried as deep in the bottom of the closet as it was.

A small jewel in Misaki's palm glinted sharply.

This jewel was a mind protection and amplification jewel, an ancient artifact, but one that ironically could only be used by humans. She had a tentative plan with it, and she hoped it would do what she needed it too.

Misaki put it in place behind her ear out of sight, feeling a slight sting as it sunk partway into her skin and connected with the nerves in her brain.

"What are you doing, woman?"

Misaki could feel the glare on her back.

She looked behind her to see suspicious crimson eyes glowering at her from down the hall.

"Nothing that concerns you." She responded with equal distemper.

Hiei's brow turned downward when he realized he couldn't hear what she was thinking any longer. He figured she must have remembered he was a telepath. Hn. He turned away in a silent huff.

...

Misaki spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the room she went into before, the sun coming through the window, changing colors as the sun set.

She remained perfectly still, gathering what little energy she had.

As she expected, everyone congregated at the house that evening, but thankfully no one came up to bother her.

In the midst of twilight, Misaki rose, opening the window up and jumping out, immediately rolling over her shoulder when she made contact with the ground to help absorb the impact.

Behind her ear, the jewel was warm with the stored power.

Tired just from that one jump, Misaki pulled herself together and raised her head to the darkened sky.

"Siblings. I have need of you." She called silently. She could feel the vibration of her call echoing off from her thoughts in search of those she sought.

While Hiei did not hear her words exactly, he knew a telepathic summons when he heard one. The Jagan awoke inside his head, but he had been watching her most of the day to make sure she did not run off and leave them. He saw her leap from the window and had prepared himself to give chase. He wasn't prepared for the telepathic call and within his mind the Jagan reeled backwards from the power it had emanated, quickly recovering itself.

"Who did you call?" He did not trust her, would not let himself trust her.

He was standing just behind her, arms crossed, eyes smoldering as always.

"Why do you care?" She brushed past him.

Hiei ground his teeth together. She was a pain. A thorn in his side.

The Jagan wanted to know why he was still around then.

An image of Yukina flashed briefly in his mind's eye. He did not trust his sister's judgment of this woman, nor her easily trusting nature.

The Jagan sighed and went back to sleep.

...

Misaki was afraid that perhaps Coahtu had reached them all, talked to them, told them not to answer her. She needed their help…if nothing else she needed to see them. It had been so long…

As she walked to the back door, she saw lights on and something good-smelling wafting from the house.

Her stomach growled in protest from its lack of food.

"I'm sorry. I forgot." Misaki opened the door, walking into the kitchen.

"Forgot what?" Kurama asked inquisitively from where he stood with Yukina over the stove.

"Nothing." Misaki mumbled quickly, lowering her head and going upstairs. She saw that Kuwabara and Yusuke were busy in front of the TV and she took the steps two at a time.

She retreated to the room she stayed in the first night, looking back and making sure no one followed. Sighing as she shut the door, she turned to see someone stretched out on the bed, moonlight streaming in from the open window lighting the room.

"I didn't think anyone would come." Her relief was obvious.

The man got up moved across the room to her. He held her face gently in his hands and kissed her briefly in greeting before staring into her eyes for a long time, "Why would you think such a silly thing?"

"Well, I thought that maybe if Coahtu had-"

"Shush." His thumb went over her lips, "I didn't mean for you to answer that."

Misaki found herself caught up in a hug.

"I've missed you…" He whispered into her ear.

"Are you still upset that I was sent away?" She hugged him back, sad that it was only with the one arm.

"A little." His grip tightened, telling her more than 'a little'.

She coughed as her lungs felt crushed and he released her, holding her at arms length and staring into her eyes again. "So, what's the matter?"

"Nothing really. I'm just tired of the company I've been keeping so I decided-"

"Liar." He smiled fondly, interrupting her.

"…So…who all is coming?"

"Only everyone." He shrugged.

"Only." She grimaced.

He laughed.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure Coahtu stays four meters away from you."

"Thanks so much." She replied dryly.

"What's the matter?" He repeated.

"I would have guessed that Coahtu told you."

"And what if she did?"

"You shouldn't have to hear it twice."

" 'Susha! Sweetie!" A light-stepping woman appeared in a wave of water and she tackled Misaki, embracing her in a fierce bear-hug. "You have to tell me what happened."

"Stefen!" Misaki pleaded with the man, her ribs crushed more than before. She cringed at the harsh bump her shoulder received.

"You know how she is." Stefen chuckled.

Coahtu appeared in a whirl of fire and the room got quiet, all eyes turning on her.

Her expression was emotionless until one eyebrow raised. "You called?"

The woman with a death grip on Misaki planted herself between Misaki and Coahtu.

"Do not look at me like that Aldeve." Coahtu snapped, "I have no petty quarrel with her and you know it."

Aldeve's grasp lessoned only fractionally.

"I did not expect you to come." Misaki's gaze matched Coahtu's.

Coahtu put a finger in her ear and rubbed it painfully. "Had I not come, that call would have rung in my head for centuries."

"Alright. We're all here now. Spill." Stefen went over and reclined on the bed.

"But Eldred…he's…"

"The Oracle?" Aldeve made a face, "Yes."

"I feel sorry for him." Misaki shuddered.

"He'll live." Stefen said impassively.

"Stefen!" Aldeve whacked his chest dramatically with the back of her hand, "You're so cold-hearted!"

"That's because he hasn't had to do it yet." Coahtu pointed out, "His time is coming."

"And I am not looking forward to it." He added.

"None of us do." Aldeve agreed.

They all looked back at Misaki at the same time, the conversation ending abruptly.

As much as she enjoyed their being there, she fruitlessly hoped that maybe they'd forget she was the one who called them and that they could all just have a nice reunion with tea and cakes.

"I assume Coahtu told you what happened."

"Assume nothing." Stefen told her. He and Aldeve looked at one another, "She really doesn't want to talk about it, does she?"

"I'm right here you know!" Misaki put her hands on her hips.

"Tell me, 'Susha." Aldeve pleaded, "I can take anything." Her eyes narrowed they moved over to her missing arm, "Especially if it's whoever did that to you."

"That's…part of it. Um. I'm sort of…human…now."

Aldeve gasped spectacularly, though everything she did was dramatic, and she hugged Misaki again. "Oh, you poor thing!" If she truly hadn't noticed as soon as she had seen Misaki, no one was able to tell.

"Stop that Aldeve, you'll just make her feel worse about it." Stefen frowned.

Aldeve ignored him, petting Misaki's head and hair in what she thought was a soothing manner.

Misaki's jaw clenched but she couldn't break free of Aldeve's grasp.

"By loss of your arm, your molecules, you have been reverted into a human." Coahtu summed up thoughtfully.

"What do you need us for?" Stefen wanted to know, "That seems pretty straight forward."

"How can you be so cruel?" Aldeve cried, clutching Misaki close.

Misaki hoped that those downstairs couldn't hear the commotion as she attempted to fight Aldeve off again.

" 'Susha, darling, I will do anything you need me to within my power." Aldeve vowed.

Misaki put her hand up to her face, remembering why she had missed Aldeve the least.

"I don't want to be stuck like this forever. I wanted to know if anything like this has ever happened before and what was done about it."

The other three exchanged glances.

Stefen slowly started to speak, "All of us know what the others know; we were all taught what has been true. And there has not been anything like this to happen. Though your case is especially remarkable."

"…There is one thing you could try." Coahtu said hesitantly.

They all looked at her.

"You're not going to like it."

"I don't see that I have a choice. I'll do anything."

"Go see the Oracle." She shrugged.

"Okay. So, maybe not 'anything.'" Misaki corrected.

"Eldred? He won't know any more than the rest of us." Stefen pointed out.

"Yes, technically she needs to go and see Eldred I suppose," Coahtu allowed, she raised her palms, "But you need to see the Oracle, not Eldred."

"That is an excellent idea." Stefen nodded his head after a moment.

"Only because you haven't been the Oracle yet!" Aldeve noted, "I wouldn't visit that place unless I had to be the Oracle. I get sick every time I think about it. It smells!"

"I cannot think of anything else. And I do not know if he will truly be of a help to you." Coahtu confessed.

"Looks like it's the only choice I have then." Misaki rubbed her shoulder as it started to hurt again.

All three of the others cocked their heads at the same time.

"…What?" Misaki felt like backing away from their gazes.

"She needs an arm." Stefen decided.

"I admit that I do find a certain displeasure in her appearance." Coahtu agreed.

"When do you not find displeasure in my appearance?" Misaki wanted to know.

Coahtu gave her a look but didn't say anything.

Stefen put his arms over Aldeve and Coahtu's shoulders, pulling them to him. "We could at least give her another arm, hm?"

Coahtu sighed irritably as her eyes rolled upwards when Aldeve clapped her hands with joy.

"Oh, we should! We should! Let's do it! It'll be good for us! I know I haven't done anything constructive in a long time!"

"Coahtu?" Stefen looked at her.

"I suppose it will not hurt anything."

Stefen put a hand in front of him, closing his eyes.

Aldeve placed her on top of his and Coahtu on top of that.

"Ancient Earth."

"Deep Water."

"Forgotten Fire."

The concentration on their faces was brutal and their hands began to glow, the area around their fingers pulsating.

In from the open window came a warm breeze that swept through their hair.

"Wayward Wind."

The glow began to take a shape, separating from them and floating above their hands.

Coahtu reached into the light and removed the still forming arm.

It heated up in her fingers, turning white hot.

Misaki's eyes widened when she realized just how they planned on attaching it.

"Um…wait a second. I don't think I like where this is going." She backed toward the door.

Stefen appeared behind her, one hand easily encircling her waist, the other clamping itself over her mouth. He grabbed her arm with the hand about her waist, pinning it to her side when she tried to pry him off.

Her struggles were in vain, Stefen just held her tighter, until she had to stop from overexertion.

Her eyes were wide and her breathing fast and heavy as Aldeve came around and pulled the tattered sleeve of her shirt back.

Coahtu grabbed Misaki's shoulder as she began struggling again.

"Stop it." Coahtu ordered, "It will be even less pleasant if we are forced to do this twice."

Every muscle in Misaki's body was strung tight.

Coahtu eased the muscles of the awaiting shoulder loose by warming them in her palm.

"I'm going to count to three, Ansatsusha."

Blood started dripping from Misaki's fist, so tight did she have it clenched together.

Coahtu held the new limb up, "One. Two." On two, Coahtu plunged the arm into the socket and it seared into Misaki's flesh. "Three."

Misaki's scream was muffled by Stefen's well-placed hand and this time she couldn't help her squirming.

Aldeve and Stefen managed to hold her still enough so that Coahtu could make sure the limb was attached correctly.

After what seemed like an eternal minute, Coahtu finished.

Misaki slumped in Stefen's arms and he just held her up.

She raised her head to look at Coahtu. "You…said…three…." Her chin collapsed onto her chest in exhaustion and Stefen could tell that she had gone unconscious.

"I think she needs to change out of these clothes." Aldeve scrunched her nose, indicated the smelly, and torn, clothes that Misaki wore.

"If so, her shoulder will need to be well-protected. That area of her body will be extremely sore for a while." Coahtu made one last check of the arm, making sure everything attached properly.

Stefen smiled wickedly, careful not to jostle Misaki's new limb, "I think something of yours would do nicely, Coahtu."

She considered it, unaware of his expression, "I do have something appropriate, I believe. Hakama pants. And a hitatare. Fire protected of course. And sturdier than average. Yes, that would be perfect."

"Do we know if anyone of consequence realizes her humanness?" Aldeve wondered.

Stefen's mood snapped to a serious one, "We are not to interfere if they have."

"I hate those rules." Aldeve stuck her tongue out.

"As do I. They do not seem necessary." Coahtu surprised them both by saying it.

"They never do. But I believe turmoil would be a bit of a problem if we did." Stefen changed subjects. "She'll need an escort to the Oracle, seeing as how we can't interfere for the most part. The way is a trial and she is in no condition to protect herself."

"She is allied with the current Spirit Detectives." Coahtu supplied.

"Really?" Stefen looked down at the woman in his arms in surprise, "I thought she gave up on that after… Who is the new one? The Urameshi kid?"

"That is him."

"Alright, you two." Aldeve butted in, all-business and motherly-like, "She has got to be cleaned up." Here she stared at Stefen.
For a moment he was confused at her look. "What?"

She pointed towards the window as Coahtu took Misaki from him. "Out."

He still didn't get it.

"Out! Out out out!" She shoved him towards the window, "This is no place for the likes of you!"

"She'd never know I was here anyway." He protested.

"Stefen!" Aldeve expression looked aghast.

"I'm just kidding. I'm going." He leapt over the bed and out the window onto the tree that grew just outside the sill.

...

"I want to know where those awful scars came from." Aldeve was saying as she finished delicately adjusting the way the outfit hung on Misaki's shoulders. She had seen the X across Misaki's back, the scars standing out obviously.

"I don't know if she would tell you if you asked." Coahtu remarked.

"That's true. They're new though. I haven't ever seen them before."

"Do not concern yourself."

Coahtu and Aldeve, though mostly Aldeve, cleaned Misaki up, dressing her in the outfit Coahtu provided.

"Should we go tell the others they're going with her?" Stefen was leaning against the wall near the open window.

Aldeve shot Stefen an evil look.

"I was watching out there," He jerked his head towards the tree, "I saw when you finished."

"You pervert!" Aldeve slapped him across the face. "I'll bet you watched more than that!"

She pulled her other hand back but he caught her wrist, cringing as his cheek started to throb, "I was just kidding! Sheesh!"

Aldeve snatched her hand back, her face contorted into a deadly expression.

"Wow. If looks could kill…" He rubbed his jaw.

"You would be dead several times over." Coahtu finished for him. "I will inform the others of their duty."

"Aren't they already asleep?" Aldeve looked out the window, the moon having risen high in the sky.

"No. One because they're boys." Stefen began ticking off his fingers, "Two because it's only around ten o'clock. And three, sleeping people don't make that much noise."

They were quiet for a minute and angry voice drifted up from downstairs.

"Point well taken." Aldeve nodded.

Misaki was leaning against Coahtu, still asleep. The fire-woman looked a trifle uncomfortable.

Stefen picked Misaki up and put her in the bed, smiling as he moved some hair away from her mouth. The light coming in the window made the silver pieces glint and his smiled became a trifle sad for her.

Coahtu walked out of the room, stopping at the top of the staircase to find Hiei a few steps beneath her.

The noise had escalated momentarily. It seemed that Yusuke and Kuwabara were fighting, the latter loosing as always.

Hiei looked beyond the flame-haired woman to see two other figures towards the back of the hall. One was male, tall, green hair gathered at the base of his neck in a ponytail that hung just past his waist, shorter pieces spiking every direction around his head, clothing a nondescript brown kimono. The other, female, had dark blue hair, crystal-blue eyes, stood much shorter than the man next to her and winked at him as he looked over at her.

Hiei glanced at Coahtu but she took no notice of him.

"I thought I would give you warning. You're leaving."

"What if I don't want to leave?" Yusuke wanted to know, "I was just about ready for some sleep as soon as I finished beating Kuwabara's face in."

"Leaving?" Yukina asked.

"Tomorrow morning. You will be going to see the Oracle."

"On whose command?" Hiei narrowed his eyes.

"If you would like it to be an official mission, I could figure out some way of contacting Koenma about it." She answered him coolly.

"How kind." Kurama said dryly. "I suggest we get a good night's rest then."

"That would be wise. It is a long journey." Coahtu disappeared in a wave of flames.

Hiei watched in interest as the other two down the hall disappeared in a similar fashion, the man encircled with something deep brown and the woman in what was obviously water.

If you're wondering what 'hakama pants' and 'hitatare' outfit would look like, think Inuyasha. It's the type of clothing he has one.

-lotsm