Disclaimer: I only own my OCs, the plot, and my corny recap.

Recap: Tsukino finally breaks ties with Rose and comes slightly to terms with what she has to do with the help of Neyuki and Kuronue, who she has just met. Now the only thing left to do is to help Kurama and Kuronue escape from the cat base and capture The Fox's Rose. But can they do it before Tsukino reaches Stage Three? Find out in this exciting chapter of Yu Yu Hakusho (because yes, in my dreams, I do own the show, and it is based on reality).

I'll Show You What I Can Be
Chapter Seventeen
Escape from the Base Part 2

Day Hundred-Thirteen

I awoke to the sounds of cards being shuffled and for a moment, was unable to remember where I was until the scents of sweat, blood, and mildew assaulted my senses reminding me that I was still in the jail. Now, as I slowly ease myself up into a sitting position, I find that all my muscles are sore from my awkward sleeping position, and out of the corner of my eye, I notice Kuronue by the door of the jail playing solitaire while our the guard is sprawled out on the floor just outside our door.

Kuronue also notices that I'm awake and grins as he looks away from his game. "Have a nice nap?" he asks.

I stretch a bit to loosen my sore muscles. "I'd have slept better if I wasn't sleeping on the floor. How long was I asleep for?"

"Long enough for your batty-cat and her friend to come in, get our things and the plans for the collars and some food, come back, have the friend leave to get rid of that cat demon who almost killed you, and still have enough time for Tama-san and me to play cards for two hours and then leave me to amuse myself for another one."

I frown. "What was her reason for coming down here?"

Kuronue shrugs, his unnerving grin still on his face. "Something about warning you about The Fox's Rose new plan to get rich, get powerful, and get you. Ya know the usual."

Feeling suddenly restless, I look around the jail. "Where is Tama-chan now?"

Kuronue's grin grows wider. "Oh, she's around."

My restless growing, half out of worry for Tsukino when The Fox's Rose learns of her perfidy, and half from worry of what reason Kuronue would have to grin like that; I study the area outside our cage once more. The first thing I notice is that our guard has yet to move from his slumped position on the ground.

"Why is our guard unconscious?"

His grin continues to grow as if he can barely control his amusement or excitement. "I was just following orders, though it would have been nice if you had told me the rest of the plan other than just 'knock out the guards'."

Since I had been told about my tendency to talk in my sleep, I reply, "Perhaps it was too much to hope that you could figure out the rest."

Kuronue shrugs once more. "Believe me if it weren't for the fact that you were so heavy and that Tama-san's self-appointed boyfriend was hanging around, we'd be long gone by now though I bet your nap wasn't as bad as you make it out to be."

I am about to question his reasons why he would say that when I felt something brush against my tail. A premonition of everlasting embarrassment and annoyance causes me to hope that Kuronue isn't grinning for the reason I think he is. Unfortunately, my premonition proves correct as I turn my attention beside me and Kuronue bursts into a fit of laughter. (Though what he is laughing at cannot be easily learned since my facial expression gives no hint of my surprise or any other feelings that race through me.) His noise is enough to cause Tsukino to stir and for a moment I am unsure whether she will awaken or not. Deciding not to risk giving Kuronue anymore pleasure at my expense, I quickly move to stand beside Kuronue with a silent promise to return the favour at a later date.

Half a second later Tsukino opens her eyes and studies the inside of out cage as she sits up. Her eyes are still wandering as she asks Kuronue, "Didn't I fall asleep outside the cage?" as if she is questioning her own recollections.

No longer laughing but still full of glee from his unfortunately successful prank, Kuronue nods and explains. "I figured that you'd feel better sleeping in a warmer position than on the cold floor out there alone," he says, clearly communicating that he was going to make the most out of the prank before the collars come off and I make him regret it.

Tsukino stares at Kuronue and realizing that she didn't believe him, he quickly adds, "And I thought it'd be safer for you to be in here with us so that if a guard came in we could hide you or something."

Foolishly, but understandably, Tsukino accepts this explanation and asks if anyone did come in while she was resting.

Kuronue replies in the negative and, after digging through his bag to get his lock-pick, he walks over to the locked cell door. "And since no one has come in yet, that means that we'd better get out of there before The Fox's Rose tries out her plan."

"What exactly is her plan?" I ask, recalling that Kuronue had vaguely mentioned it before his prank was discovered.

Kuronue grins again and nods to Tsukino. "Tama-chan can fill you in while I re-pick the lock."

"Why did you bother relocking it in the first place?" I ask, wondering if I had told him to and if he actually listened to me.

Before turning his back to me, Kuronue frowns and stares at me with all the sincerity he can muster as he replies, "Because I was only told to knock out the guards and any thought I could have created could have jeopardized the plan." Without another word, he set to work on the lock.

Frowning at his childish shenanigans, I ignore him and turn to face Tsukino who looks away. While she had been studying the cell I had thought I was imagining her avoiding my eye but now I'm sure of it. We are silent for a few moments before I ask, "How much do you know?"

"Kuronue-san explained a bit about your history with each other and with a lady called Mikiku-san who was also a mixed-breed," she replies reluctantly.

I'll admit that I was taken off guard by her reply since I had been asking about The Fox's Rose plan, but it is good to know how much Kuronue told her about our past in case she decides to hate me for it. For that reason, I do not correct her by saying that I was asking about The Fox's Rose and instead nod. "Kuronue mentioned something about you and another cat finding some plans and about The Fox's Rose planning something."

She nods and quickly explains The Fox's Rose plan to seduce me so that Tsukino would be blamed and that she would be able to escape arrest. Unfortunately, the plan as Tsukino knows it is vague in the extreme so we have little idea of what to prepare for. I am silent for a moment as I muse over what Tsukino reported before I ask, "And the plans?"

"They were for the collars you and Kuronue-san are wearing but according to the plans the only way to remove them is a cat demon to use their energy to remove it."

"Finding a cat demon to help us now is going to be very unlikely."

"I could use my energy and get them off."

I shake my head. "It wouldn't be wise. If we aren't able to get out of the jail unseen and are attacked it would be wiser to have you at least able to protect yourself. Are you sure there is no other way?"

She shakes her head and Kuronue speaks up. "Actually there is another way but you'd have to be at least a level A to do it."

Tsukino and I turn to see Kuronue leaning against the wall of the cage by the open door. Deciding to ignore the door for the moment, I ask, "I suppose you've already managed to get your collar off then."

Kuronue nods. "All you have to do is outlast the current of electricity. If you hold out, the collar will short circuit and boom, you're uncollared."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Tsukino frown. "I thought you tried everything to get them off," she says.

"I lied," Kuronue says before grabbing his bag and walking out the door. "So shall we leave before The Fox's Rose shows up and tries out her newest attempt to sexually harass Kurama?"

Pointedly ignoring Kuronue's remark, I retrieve my own bag and start towards the door, Tsukino following just behind me. Realizing that she does not have anything to disguise herself with once we are out of the cat demon base, I ask, "How close is your room?"

Before Tsukino can reply, Kuronue halts in front of us, a surprisingly grim look on his face as he reaches into his bag and pulls out his scythe. "No time for that now. It sounds like The Fox's Rose is making her move." He pauses before adding, "And she's brought company."

Following Kuronue's example and hoping that I would be able to out last the current in the collar, I reach into my own bag and ready for a fight.

Mixed Breed Mixed Feelings

As I explained to Kurama about Rose's plan, I was careful to avoid his gaze though I know he was puzzled by it. I had two reasons for doing that. One was I felt too mixed up about how to feel about him. He obviously only saw me as slut or a toy to be used and then thrown away, but I half-sensed that he also cared. That same half-sense also got me to trust Rose so I bet I was out to lunch. Nevertheless, regardless of how Kurama saw me, in animal terms he was the alpha and the leader in the mission so he was free to use me anyway he wanted. To make this as simple as possible, if he wanted to be an ass, confuse the hell out of me, and take a roundabout route to capture Rose, which would totally drive me insane, instead of just working together, and getting it done, he could. Unfortunately for me, it appeared that was how he wanted to play.

The second I was avoiding his eyes was because my curse had returned. Even though my sense of smell is pathetic compared to most cat and dog demons, it's still better than a humans and when I woke up I was positive that I had Kurama's scent on my back as if he was laying beside me when I was sleeping. Because of that my curse had returned from its holiday of not being around when Neichi was and I was too aware of Kurama in my opinion so I was worried that if I looked at him I wouldn't be able to control myself and he would get too much pleasure out of it. Since the last thing I wanted was to give him any sort of pleasure in any sort of way, I avoided his eyes. Sadly, mixed breeds are destined for failure.

After I finished telling Kurama about what I knew of Rose's plans and other things, we left the cell and headed towards the door to the jail, Kuronue in the lead and Kurama and I following. Everything was silent, and I was wrapped up in my own thoughts when Kurama's voice broke into my thoughts. Instinctually I looked up and too late realized what I was doing. Thankfully, even though my curse acted up so did my amazing ability to get sidetracked. Kurama eyes were now more yellow than the blue hue they had been at the start of the mission and his hair was slowly turning gray. Even as I watched, his hair and eyes swiftly changed hues as they came closer and closer to what I assumed to be their original colour.

Instantly, I realized that some of energy was escaping the control of the collar. The fact that it was spirit energy and weak made things all the worse. If he continued to change then it would only be minutes before he was no longer disguised and without spirit energy, which allowed him to remain in a human body without destroying it. Odds were either he would run out of spirit energy and use up all his demon energy in order to keep his demon form until he completely ran out of energy and transformed back into a human where the toxic energy of Demon World would kill him or he's body would self-destruct because of the imbalance in energy. Either way it would not be good for Kurama if he ran out of Spirit Energy. Also there was the risk that someone would recognize him in his quickly fading disguise. Kurama didn't even seem to notice his weakening power or changing form, most likely because of the collar.

Before I could warn Kurama, Kuronue's voice cut through the air.

"No time for that now. It sounds like The Fox's Rose is making her move," he said as he pulled out his weapon, "and she's brought company."

Kurama quickly followed suit and suspecting that he wouldn't even notice if I did an energy transfer with the collar on, I moved behind him and gave him a quick sort of hug, transferring some of my energy into him to stall off the transformation.

At that same moment, Neichi and Rose entered the jail, and Neichi's jaw hit the floor.

Just before our opponents enter the jail Tsukino moves behind me and wraps her arms around me for a second. I am about to turn and question her when Rose and her partner burst through the door in a cloud of raccoon scent and smoke as if they blasted down the door without seeing if it was even locked. At that same moment, my collar loosens its grip on my neck and falls to the ground. I almost follow it as I feel the imbalance between my demon and spirit energy. Quickly, I contain my remaining spirit energy and try to focus because Neichi has just noticed Tsukino.

"What are you doing, Tama-chan?" he demands. "Why were you hugging the enemy!?" A glance in Kuronue's direction shows that he too thinks that the cat demon needs to work on his priorities.

The Fox's Rose tries to appear surprised as well but her glee is blatant as her black eyes wander over us. "I thought you were on our side, Tama-chan," she whines with a pout, "or were you just using my weakness to allow your lover to capture me?"

"Lover?!" Neichi shouts at the same moment as Tsukino steps out from behind me.

"Don't think all mixed breeds are just like you. Exploiting others' weaknesses is your trick, and unlike you, some of us can live without needing to be in others beds, Amaterasu," Tsukino says with a glare, which quickly turns into wide eyes as she hears herself speak.

Everyone, including Tsukino herself, is either confused or stunned by the declaration of The Fox's Rose's possibly real identity. However, The Fox's Rose is quick to respond as she says, "Now wherever did you get the idea my name is that? It's Abi remember? I told you that when you were spilling your guts about your love for that hunk behind you."

Tsukino is about to reply when Neichi shouts, "I've heard enough!" He stares at Tsukino as he creates a black axe out of demon energy. With a grim look on his face he says, "I don't care what your relationship with that fleabag is, but I can't overlook the fact that you are helping them escape. I'm sorry Tama-chan, but I've got to think of the army." He raises the axe and rushes forward. "Maybe next time we'll be luckier."

Though I know that now is not the time to be pondering about Tsukino's relationship with that demon, I can't help but notice that Neichi's actions disprove what I had thought long ago. If he was the one who marked her, then he wouldn't be trying to kill her as when two mated demons attack each other with a killing intent all their energy will be removed so that they cannot fight physically. Since Neichi is able to charge Tsukino with a killing intent it means that he didn't mark her. Unfortunately that also means that Tsukino is in danger.

Quickly I grab her around her waist and pull her out of the way as Neichi's axe cuts into the ground where she had been standing milliseconds before. While I create my Rose Whip with a rose bud, Kuronue moves to block Neichi. As he passes me I mutter, "We have to keep this quiet otherwise we'll be battling the entire army."

Kuronue nods and grins as he parries Neichi's axe. "Aren't you glad I'm here and not noisy reckless Yomi? Protect little sis while I'm gone."

I nod and tell Tsukino to hide before turning to engage with The Fox's Rose in battle. We trade blows for a while until The Fox's Rose manages to unarm me by grabbing my whip and throwing knives at me. Abandoning my whip, I jump backwards and create a new weapon as my whip turns back into a rose.

The Fox's Rose grins at me as she lunges forward and dodges my whip before appearing in my face. Thankfully, Kuronue spots the dangerous situation I'm in and throws his scythe at her, causing her to jump back and give me some breathing room. Without a word, we switch opponents and I create a sword made of vines that wrap around my arm for it is better suited for dealing with Neichi's axe than my Rose Whip.

His first move is to try to decapitate me, however I counter by blocking his blade with my own and pushing upwards. He stumbles and I lunge forward ready to gut him. Unfortunately, he is also quick and blocks my blade with his own. I move backwards as he waves his axe around sending a wave of energy towards me in a fashion I vaguely recognize but can't recall. Realizing that Neichi's energy attacks put everyone in range in danger, I move farther back into the jail using the cages for cover as I dodge his many waves of energy, dropping seeds as I run.

Soon I reach a corner and turn to face Neichi as he ceases his energy attacks and resumes trying to hack me to pieces. I parry his blows easily and wait for an opportunity to allow the seeds I dropped to grow. Unfortunately, I wait too long and Neichi gets a lucky hit. Bleeding from a small wound to my arm, I glare at him as I wait for the bleeding to stop and his next attack. Typical of most demons, Neichi licks his blade when he has finally managed to wound me.

"And here I thought you would be more trouble after all those tournaments. What's the matter Kurama? Not used to your demon form anymore?" he asks me as he lovingly strokes his axe before his eyes narrow and he attacks me once more.

Thinking that I would try to dodge to the side, he sends a wave of energy at me waiting for the explosion that could kill me. Sadly for him, he has underestimated me, and the next second, my sword is protrudes from his back and blood is erupting from his mouth.

Without even looking at him, I remove my sword and run back to where I left The Fox's Rose to Kuronue. However, I do wish to risk Neichi remaining alive so as I pass I allow my energy to enter my plants. They crowd around the fallen demon and block him from my view.

Trusting my plants to finish the job, I continue on my way and quickly return to find The Fox's Rose scaling the walls of the jail, steadily getting annoyed with Kuronue who is now hanging from the ceiling taunting her.

"Aw, did the little pup forget how to fly? Or are you just afraid of heights?" he asks as he throws his scythe at her while upside down.

The Fox's Rose pauses in her climbing at the same time to glare and dodge his attack. "Maybe you're the one who is afraid and is avoiding the fight by hiding up there."

The grin on his face grows as he replies, "Or maybe you are trying to stall the fight by climbing because you are afraid."

The Fox's Rose laughs. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

Kuronue shrugs. "My awe-inspiring kills? My mind-blowing abilities? Maybe it's my devilish good looks. I don't really know so why don't you fly up here and tell me."

The Fox's Rose hisses and throws a ball of energy towards the bat who quickly releases his grip on the ceiling and falls towards the floor to dodge it. At the last second, he turns so that he lands on his feet and faces The Fox's Rose once more. "Here kitty-kitty kitty, let's see if you land on your feet."

The Fox's Rose glares at him once more but instead of jumping she started to climb down the wall headfirst something I've only seen raccoon demons capable of.

She lunges towards him with a punch in mind, and Kuronue answers by sheathing his chain scythe. Within seconds, they are experiencing hand to hand combat once more.

Deciding to leave Kuronue to it, I search for Tsukino so that as soon as he has beaten The Fox's Rose we can leave. However, I haven't travelled very far when I hear something rip into flesh and smell Tsukino's blood.

A/N: I know, I know, short chapter, long wait, evil cliff hanger, and random title change. I would say I'm sorry but that would imply I would never do this again when I probably will (except for the title change.) Sorry about the cliff-hanger but I felt this was the best place to cut it off and besides, it's an update right? And I am working on chapter eighteen right now too, so hopefully it will be up quickly so that you don't have to suffer.

Explanation for the title change, I felt that it matched the story better and now the series has a title for it that makes sense. The SIWSM series. Silly I know but basically Tsukino is facing a lot with and without the gang's support and doesn't feel as if she is worth all their effort (comes out more in the first and probably third story). So the series title is from her point of view… I probably should have figured this out and wrote it out a while ago but honestly, I didn't think of this as a series thing. I just saw the first one and was planning to leave it at that but then people reviewed so yeah. Bottom line, I changed the title to one I liked and now will probably end up re-redoing the story again at a much later date after the series is done… I just realized I have to go back and change all the titles on the earlier chapters now… damn.

Also I changed chapter sixteen a bit as you can see so that Tsukino is now sleeping before Kurama wakes up rather than playing cards. Sorry if I confused you. (I am actually sorry this time, about the confusion not the changing bit.)

Anyways, so there's another chapter done and I'm just wondering what's your favourite fight out of the series so far? I've gotta say the one with Kurama and Neichi is probably my favourite other than Enma right now.

Anyways, thanks for reading, the reviews, etc. and happy whatever you are celebrating this year. See ya next chapter!

-D101