FCL64: Yes. Yes. We are here.

Kiyoshi: I know. I'm in your head.

FCL64: We are me. I am us.

Kiyoshi: Yes, that too.

FCL64: Is it bad that the people who said that, together, are more words than the actual quote? Matthew Swift and the blue electric angels.

Kiyoshi: You guys know who we own, and she just needs to stop talking.

After several tense moments, Ayaka said, "We know motive. We have the lockets and the pendant. He'll be coming soon, Kurama. All three pieces are together. Something tells me he won't like that."

"Yes," said Kaien. "First thing we need to do is find him."

"How are we supposed to find someone who can hide as effectively as he can?" Kurama asked. "And I don't think it's wise to seek this guy out. Not yet."

"Brilliant, Kaien," Ayaka said.

"What?" Yusuke asked. "Kurama just said it isn't possible, and now you say it's brilliant. What am I missing?"

Embarrassed, Ayaka laughed. Kaien said, "We can't hear each others thoughts."

"How is this relevant?" Yusuke asked.

Ayaka smiled. "We very rarely miss the other person's true meaning. Kaien didn't mean we should find him physically. That would be foolish. We may outnumber him, but right now he has the advantage. We can't track him, and he most likely knows more about us than we know about him. He is just waiting to strike. What Kaien meant is that we should find more information about him. Even he will have left a trail."

Kurama shook his head in disbelief. "You two are unbelievable." He glanced at Ayaka. "As easily as we worked together, it was still sometimes difficult. You two don't even need to try. And we had to look at one another to communicate without words. You guys just know." Only Ayaka knew he was referring to Kuronue, not her, when he used the plural.

She smiled. "No. We do argue though, just like any siblings."

"But it's only ever over stupid stuff," Kaien added.

Then Ayaka got serious. "Well, Kurama? You're the mastermind. How are we going to do this?"

Kurama frowned. "There are six of us. At this point, I'm thinking it will be best to split up. But it will also be best if we aren't alone. Groups of two."

Yusuke groaned. He already had a guess of what those groups were going to be.

Sure enough, Kurama continued, "Yusuke, Kuwabara, I want you to contact Koenma and Enki. I want any information they might have on a bounty hunter called Kyo."

"Got it," Kuwabara said.

"Hiei and I will contact Mukuro and Yomi to see if they know anything," Kurama said, "Which is actually a good bet given the positions they held for so long…" He trailed off. They waited for him to give Ayaka and Kaien instructions. But he didn't. Instead, he told them, "I've picked the tasks for the four of us based on who will be able to do what most effectively. You two are very important, but I haven't a clue as to where you fit in now."

Ayaka looked at Kaien. Kaien nodded to Ayaka. At the same moment they said, "Zuberi."

"Who?" Kurama asked.

"This old man who told us how to work the lockets. It's possible he's seen Kuronue's pendant. And if that's true, it's also possible Kyo has been to see him." Kurama flinched when she said Kuronue, but she ignored him and continued.

Then Yusuke asked, "Are you two positive you don't have ESP or whatever you want to call it?"

Kurama smiled. "Just drop it, Yusuke. Many twins share connections the rest of us cannot begin to understand. Everyone, be careful. Back here in one week."

"Give us two," Ayaka demanded. "Zuberi is this weird old hermit who's next to impossible to find."

Kurama hesitated. "Fine. But be careful. Kyo will probably target you, as two of the three are with you guys."

Ayaka nodded.

They all made preparations and departed.

As they entered the demon plane, Ayaka told Kaien, "There was a lot of tension between you and Kurama back there."

Kaien shook his head, unsurprised she had noticed. "It's a guy thing."

She punched him in the arm. "No it's not. It's a fox thing." Her tail twitched. "Don't forget I'm a fox too. I can see when a territorial dispute is happening, even if the others couldn't. And it was going on the entire time you were there."

Kaien snorted. "I wasn't doing anything, and he was getting all defensive."

"He's very protective of the human family he lives with. And with someone of your background, not to mention what you are, do you blame him?"

Kaien smiled, brushing hair out of his eyes. "No."

There was silence for several minutes. Then Ayaka asked, "Kaien…what have you been doing since you and Hiei tried to kill each other?"

Well now that that chapter is done...should be fun next chapter, no?

Reviews:

animegrlsteph: Ummm...duh? It's supposed to be creepy.