A/N: If you haven't noticed by now, I enjoy explaining things. It entertains me to make things match up and ironically makes me like Charles Dickens (I say ironically because when last I read anything of his I did not enjoy it). But it amuses me and keeps me entertained, so I do it. I know that it isn't action-y or adventure-y but explaining things is fun to me. And makes me rhyme, apparently. I promise I'll make the fighting all the more juicier when we come to it. Or I'll at least try my hardest. :p

O/C14: It's Friday and the guys decided to spend another night at Misaki's house in the Ningenkai. Meanwhile, Misaki has a discussion with Coahtu, Aldeve, and Stefen and they tell her to go and see the Oracle. They also fashion a new arm for her, the exertion of attaching it causing Misaki to fall unconscious once more. Coahtu informs the guys that they will be traveling to see the Oracle the next morning and says it would be wise for them to get some rest…

Misaki woke up a couple of hours later, blinking sleepily and knowing that she would fall back asleep within a few minutes.

She yawned and sat up anyway to stretch her arms, the sleeves of her new outfit falling back, yelping as her new arm shot a stab of pain into her shoulder.

Rubbing it gently, she grimaced, thankful for Coahtu's wardrobe gift, though rueful of the bright orange color, as the sleeves were nice and loose.

She sat cross-legged facing the window sill, it was still open from much earlier in the evening, and watched the memorizing tree sway in the wind. Her eyes began to close and she put her good arm down, laying her head on top of it, her newer elbow resting on the ledge, the forearm extending out the window into the cool air. A small breeze caressed her tender limb.

…

A dark shape easily leapt into the tree just outside of Misaki's window, settling down in the branches and watching over her.

…

Misaki awoke early as a bird perched near her ear and happily began singing the song of the wonderful new day that awaited it. Taking a swipe at it, Misaki bit her lip as her new arm flew through the air painfully, missing its target. She needed to start remembering to stop doing stuff like that.

The bird flew away, landing on a tree branch and continuing its song.

Misaki glared at it, but to no avail.

Carefully shutting the window with her good hand, she knew she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep.

Sighing, she got up and headed downstairs.

She quietly picked her way around the various sleeping bodies, reaching the front door without waking them up. The door didn't even make a noise as it swung inward.

Paying complete attention to not waking the sleeping ones, she almost ran into Hiei as she stepped out the door, stopping face to face with him.

His eyes were narrowed, arms crossed over his chest.

One of the bodies stirred and sat up.

"Leaving us behind, Misaki?" It was Kurama, instantly awakened by Hiei's telepathic alert.

Misaki silently cursed. Coahtu must have told them. Misaki thought she might be able to get away, but it seemed Coahtu had other plans.

"Apparently not." Misaki said ruefully.

Kurama went about waking the others, neither Misaki nor Hiei moving from their places on either side of the door.

…

It took a good while before Yusuke and Kuwabara were actually awake, though the group started out long before that. They were heading in a rough easterly direction.

"Just who is this oracle thingy and why do we have to go?" Yusuke put his arms behind his head, tromping along as he frowned up at the sky.

"And why do we have to walk?" Kuwabara complained.

It was mid-afternoon by this time.

Misaki walked ahead of the others, her arms hanging carefully at her sides. Yukina was at her elbow, a basket in her arms. Yusuke and Kuwabara walked behind the pair and Kurama and Hiei were in the back.

Misaki fought back the hunger that gnawed at her stomach. She had forgotten to grab something to eat before she tried to leave and thus they all filed out of the door with no food.

She also hoped she remembered how to get to the Oracle. It wasn't some place one went to for a casual retreat. They had to find that…what was it…yeah that one place. Then they had to…um…

A spike of excruciating pain blasted through her whole arm down to her fingertips as Yukina tugged on her sleeve and Misaki fought the cry of pain back, unable to hold in a small grunt of protest.

"Where are we going Misaki?"

"To see the Oracle." Misaki said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Does the oracle live in the city?" Her head cocked to the side in question and if Misaki's arm hadn't still been throbbing she would have thought it was pretty adorable.

Misaki stopped and looked around, having not especially paid attention to the direction she was headed.

"Um. No. No actually." Misaki got her bearings before starting off again, this time going the correct way.

"How is your arm doing?" A pleasantly concerned voice asked her.

Misaki saw that Yukina dropped back between Kuwabara and Yusuke, talking with them, and Hiei was gone, following them from above on the rooftops.

"I'm sorry. What?" Misaki glanced over to see Kurama walking next to her.

He turned his head towards her and smiled, "Your arm." He repeated.

Her eyebrow rose quizzically and he chuckled as he looked forward again.

"You're wearing clothing that is loose and covers both arms. You winced horribly when Yukina tugged on one of the sleeves. You have a new arm. You grew it, regenerated it, received it, whichever, but I believe the process would be painful no matter what the circumstances."

"As I have said before, vessel, you are much too smart for your own good. It'll get you killed one day."

"So, which was it?" He ignored her goading.

"I received it if you are speaking of my arm."

"From whom?"

"My siblings…" Misaki trailed off, wondering why she had a knack of telling him things she didn't really mean to tell him.

"You have relations?" Kurama seemed surprised.

"In a way." She replied evasively.

"But you don't like to talk about them."

"Does anyone enjoy speaking of the awkward family members they have?"

"I suppose not." He agreed.

"Not that kind of awkward." She shook her head. "You mistake my meaning. They are not in fact my family, we have no blood relation between us. Hence, 'awkward family members.'" Trying to explain her 'family' was like trying to explain why two plus two equaled four.

"I see." Kurama did see. There were ties deeper than blood.

He frowned. He felt as though he ought to know her better and was puzzled by this feeling. It was as if his brain knew her, but lost the remembrance of her, only an echo that he had once known left behind.

Kurama had also completely disregarded Hiei's previous notions of Misaki betraying them, and felt that it was quite possible the fiery little youkai was growing out of those notions as well, though Kurama was not for certain. From Kurama's perspective, Misaki gave no indication of having any need or desire to betray them, he personally thought it would require too much effort on her part, and even though the week of her bet with Koenma about not killing them began to draw to a close, through watching her he gathered no warnings towards her having an inclination to kill them after that time period anyway.

Privately, Kurama also did not see how she could currently be a threat to them. He could easily over-power her himself and if even just one of the other members of their team happened to be around, she would not prove a threat whatsoever.

"Is Coahtu your relation?"

It didn't surprise Misaki that he asked this question next.

"Yes." She answered after a moment.

"And are those two I saw last night your relations?"

Misaki frowned. "Which two?"

Kurama had seen Stefen and Aldeve standing at the end of the hallway. He had been in just the right spot downstairs to see back that far.

"There was a man. And a woman. One with green hair, the other blue."

"Oh. Those two. Yes. Stefen and Aldeve, respectively."

Kurama nodded.

Misaki stared at him for a while and finally, feeling a bit uncomfortable, he returned her gaze.

"What?"

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

She supposed it wasn't as if she was telling him anything of consequence, but she just kept blurting things out when she would have rather kept her mouth shut.

"Nothing." She shook her head, looking away, "Never mind."

"They weren't youkai. They weren't human." Kurama mused out loud.

"Elements, vessel." Misaki provided, sighing after word shot out of her lips. At least it would make time past more quickly. "They are the embodiment of the elements. Stefen is earth, Aldeve is water-"

"And Coahtu is fire." Kurama caught on.

"Right." Misaki smiled a little.

"Embodiment…they have great control of the element? Like the Shinobi we fought in the Dark Tournament? Or something more?"

"'Or something more' is fairly accurate. But funny you should mention the Elemental Masters. I haven't thought about the descendants in a long time."

"The Shinobi are grandchildren of yours?"

"Mine, no. Ha." Her laugh was short and dry, "I suppose I have to start at the beginning." Misaki admitted. "There are four major elements: fire, wind, earth and water. These elements took on a human form close to the beginning of the world and became Elements: Coahtu, Eldred, Stefen and Aldeve. They bestowed the power of elemental control on various primitive youkai, the Elements were forbidden from interfering with humans, but the youkai were fairly dumb and didn't really understand, most of them killing themselves or others by accident. That's when Eldred and everyone took on apprentices, calling the smartest controllers of each element and training them to be, what you called, Shinobi. When they finally became Masters, they were ordered to take on their own apprentices and keep the tradition going. So the Elemental Masters you fought at the Dark Tournament are descendants of the original Shinobi and, as a byproduct, a sort of descendant of the Elements ultimately."

"And they aren't related to you."

"Correct. Though I was made god-mother of the apprentices because certain members of my family thought it would be funny." Misaki didn't mention exactly who thought it was funny.

"And you aren't pleased with that fact." Kurama noted.

Misaki shrugged, cringing again as her shoulder throbbed from the movement, "I guess I don't actually care."

Kurama looked up at the sky, thoughtful. "In a way, all youkai with elemental control are children of the Elements."

"I suppose you could think of it that way. They did make those youkai into what they are today. In an odd manner, they could be considered sons and daughters."

Kurama chuckled, "That would make Hiei Coahtu's son."

Misaki snorted but didn't say anything.

"And what of the element of metal? Is it not one of the major elements?"

"Ah, yes. Dear metal." Misaki grimaced, "Would you like the truth, my personal reservations, or what everyone knows?"

"All three if you wouldn't mind sharing."

"It seems that I don't." Misaki mumbled under her breath.

"Pardon?"

"The short version: metal didn't really want to take on a walking form. So, when it was coaxed out of its element, the coaxing failed. That's both the truth and what every one of the Elements knows."

"And your reservations?"

"The person who did the coaxing was the wrong one, but by the time the right one knew it, the formation or rather creation of new Elements was forbidden."

"Coahtu."

Misaki laughed, "You are truly brilliant, vessel."

Kurama allowed himself an indulgent chuckle, "I must have been accurate. Coahtu did not do the coaxing the first time. Fire would be able to morph metal, correct?"

"Indeed." Misaki still found herself smiling over at this strange being next to her, two spirits in one, though not nearly as wily and coercive as the notorious kitsune himself. He was much more…subdued. Recalling their encounters in the Makai, Misaki shook her head, still smiling, glad that he was not himself at the moment.

"You didn't mention ice." Kurama had been lost in his own thoughts for the moment, but turned to look at her with his next comment, "One of the Shinobi we faced happened to be the Ice Master. Touya was his name."

Misaki's eyes went blank. "Ice is one of the lesser elements, but the only one to take on a human-like form."

"He must have taken on an apprentice in that case."

Misaki nodded.

"And what about the Fire Master? And the Water Master? I do not think that merely being able to create mist is enough to put Bakken at the Master level."

"The apprentice of water was prevented from finished his training due to outside circumstances. The first Fire Master and nearly all of the subsequent apprentice/master connections were killed. Much of their knowledge was lost." She answered shortly.

Kurama noticed the obvious change in her expression, as well as the monotonous timbre of her voice and he did not pursue that line of questioning further.

The conversation started out as a pleasant one for Misaki, once she got past the fact that she somehow just answered anything Kurama asked. However, she didn't think he would ever bring up who he did. Ice. But Kurama didn't know it. He didn't do so on purpose.

…Ice…

She walked on in silence, eventually the city around them thinning out and a looming forest coming into view ahead of them.

Behind her, two stomachs growled fiercely.

"I'm so hungry." Kuwabara moaned, clutching his belly.

Misaki somehow felt better knowing that she wasn't the only one. "We'll stop once we're in the forest." There ought to be something in it they could kill.

"I don't see anyone carrying any food with them." Yusuke glanced around.

"And there aren't any fast food places in forests!" Kuwabara protested.

"There are now. They're trying to reach a different group of people." Misaki responded in an almost knee-jerk reaction of a fashion.

"Really?" Kuwabara scratched his head.

"Actually, I brought food with me." Yukina spoke up, indicating the basket in her arms.

"Oh, Yukina! You think of everything!" Kuwabara said nobly. "What do you have for us?" He lifted the edge of the cover, curious as to what was inside.

"Leave her alone." Misaki commanded.

Kuwabara snapped up at having been caught.

"I said we'll eat in the forest and we will. As soon as we get there. The faster you walk, the faster you eat."

"So technically…" Yusuke reached for the basket, intending to grab it and run for the forest.

"But…" Yukina protested, eyes wide.

BAM!

BAM!

Two large red marks appeared on Yusuke's face.

The whole group had halted by now, Misaki and Kurama turning around.

"You don't take stuff from girls!"

Kuwabara and Yusuke were glaring at one another.

"I'm hungry!" Yusuke shouted at him.

"I don't care!" Kuwabara yelled back.

Misaki saw that Hiei had reappeared and his eyes were smoldering dangerously at Yusuke.

"You gotta problem, three eyes?" Yusuke turned on Hiei.

"Try that little stunt again and you'll end up much worse."

"The one thing Kuwabara and Hiei can agree on…" Misaki shook her head.

"What?" Kurama thought she was speaking to him.

"Nothing. Yusuke, I suggest you keep your hands in check. If not, I believe the next time you try something like that, you'll find that you no longer have any hands."

Hiei glanced at Misaki, nodding slightly in approval. He would in fact cut Yusuke's hands off without so much as a hesitation, should the punk provoke his sister again.

Hiei did a double take as he caught an understanding behind Misaki's eyes as she turned to begin walking again. He stared after her, finding himself unable to threaten her telepathically about his sister as he was blocked out and deciding they would have a little talk as soon as he could get her alone.

Yeah. Wasn't kidding when I said I have a need to explain things. :D

-lotsm