I think we consider too much the good

luck of the early bird and not enough the

bad luck of the early worm.

Franklin D. Roosevelt

Babble Bridge

Blood stained the sands of Lior, scenting the air ripe with screams and smoke, a modicum of humanity tainting the crimson sky. Men fought in the streets below, bludgeoning the friends and neighbors of yesterday. Women everywhere fled for their lives, screaming as they went; somewhere nearby, a child cried. Still, the altar workers encouraged their parishioners, demanding their faith be absolute, to not be afraid of a martyr's death.

The sight never ceased to thrill her.

"They're putting on quite a show." Lust chuckled as she leaned against the balcony of the cathedral, breasts cushioned by her arms. One man struck down an old acquaintance on the sanctuary steps, a boy set another aflame while holding a girl close. Some called for Leto while others begged their countrymen to see reason, to cease fighting and reason together. Such talk was useless, now:

They were too far gone.

"Can I eat them now? Please?" Gluttony begged, snuffling head peeking at the carnage before, jaws salivating against his will.

"Not yet, you'll get indigestion from all the filth." She purred, petting his head as though he were a favored pet. Then again, such had always been their relationship. Lust was the only one who could truly control the rotund homunculus, never fazed by his childish ways and fluctuating moods. Not without benefits, however: he remained wholly devoted to her, ever at her beck and call.

Only Father could claim more of a hold over Gluttony than she.

She smiled as the humans razed yet another building, sending the occupants scurrying into the slick street and their own demise. "How long can you keep them motivated, Envy?"

"As long as I want." Her companion grinned, the guise of a priest forgotten as he stretched, hair tickling his bare back. "A few words and 'insightful' suggestions and humans will do anything!" He joined her in leaning against the worn stone, abs uncaring of the lingering heat. "I can't stay here forever, though; I have my own business to see to."

Lust acknowledged him with a hum though did not apologize, gaze lingering on the two children below, petting Gluttony still. "Have you heard anything of the Full Metal boy?

"Apparently he's with the flame colonel in East City."

"That reminds me," She turned, resting her back against the sure barrier. "What news on the other rebellion?"

"The fools bought into my story hook, line and sinker!" Envy's grin widened, gums flashing atop razor-teeth. "They actually tried to summon someone through alchemy!"

Another hum and she waited, brow raised. "Well? Did it work?"

"I'll say! The fools brought six here from another world, maybe more. Cost 'em their lives to do it, though."

"A fitting end." Lust raised a gloved hand, examining her fingers. "We need to keep an eye on them – they're potential sacrifices, after all."

A sneer. "Yeah, along with Mustang and the Full Metal pipsqueak!"

Only then did she smile, lips curling as fresh screams reached their ears. "What of the other one, that man? Oh, what was his name . . . ?"

"Bistu a kind fun Ishval?"

Hiei fought the urge to scowl, staring as the strange man prattled in his strange tongue. The syllables knew no rhyme or reason, as incomprehensible as the language the soldiers spoke before. Different but gibberish all the same. Yet this human didn't scream like the others did, brandishing weapons and cold looks. No, death clung to him like a garment, crushed bones seeped from his pores. If Hiei tried, he might have been able to count the lives ended by those hands, the finished fates weighing his shoulders:

He'd killed enough to know.

"Vas iz falsh?" The human knit his brow, sunglasses in-hand, voice low as he stepped forward. "Hastu farloyrn deyn veg?"

Hiei sank into a crouch, teeth flashing, the beginnings of a growl growing in his chest. Tension arrested his limbs, every instinct begging he run. Something was wrong with this one, this human who reeked of sand and blood. Not like the others; they were an irritation, barely worth his attention–

This one made ice run down his spine.

The scarred man stopped, taking in his stance, the severity of his glare. Hiei hadn't reached for his sword, not yet. If this human wanted to fight, however, he would gladly oblige.

Seldom did people ask to die by his hand.

Finally, he retracted the step, sliding the shades back on. "Gib akhtung." He murmured, turning, daring to bare his back to the fire apparition. "Mir hobn keyn frendz do."

With that, he left, fading into the night with a thief's stealth. Hiei remained where he was, gaze fixed to where the stranger stood moments before, ears focusing on the minutest sounds, nose frantically searching for the strange scent. He waited there for a time, longer than with the woman, before finally determining the fool had no intention of returning. First, the ones in blue; now this man with his slithering tongue.

How many different peoples lived in this world?

And how many wanted them dead?

"About time you got back!"

Hiei ignored Yusuke's falsetto cheer, gaze roving over their abode: filth, pilfered crates along countless untouched ones stacked about, piles of ruined cloth serving as makeshift beds, a carefully-concealed blaze. The only differences from before were the cans of food, contents cooking inside a rusted helmet–

And the fox, awake and alert, propped against a forgotten box.

"What's it like out there?" Kuwabara stilled in prying open another container of human muck, standing to receive him. "What did you see?"

"Cold." He reached into his cloak, flinging garments to the ground. "Put this on."

Yusuke grinned, hand pausing in stirring with a shaft of broken plank. "Aw, you shouldn't have! It's not even Christmas!"

"Don't then, if you want to freeze to death." Hiei looked away, hands slipping into his pockets. "I won't stop the mongrels from devouring your corpse."

Kuwabara held up a woolen sweater as Yusuke laughed, dyed burgundy and sporting a hole in one shoulder. "Whew!" Suddenly he reared back, holding the thing as far away as possible without dropping it. "Where did you find this?"

"A garbage heap." He snorted, avoiding the human's wide eyes and stuttering tongue. "If you think you can do better, by all means, go. See how long you last against them."

"Beggars can't be choosers." Kurama smiled as Hiei came near, pale hand pressed to his abdomen. "What did you learn about our enemy?"

"They're fearful and tactless, though they have numbers on their side." He crossed both arms over his chest, noting the dead flowers at the red head's hip, the withered vines and writhing petals. The woman from before and the man in the alley gave him pause. "Not all of them are incompetent."

"That is to be expected."

The soft tone drew his attention fully to the fox, though he made no comment on his weakened state, the glassiness of his eyes. Trembling fingers pressed at his skin, coaxing roots and stalk alike with obvious difficulty. Such didn't bother Hiei so much as another change, one their companions had no way of noting.

Kurama's scent flooded his nose, boasting blood, warmth, and tell-tale earthiness. However, something else had crept in, wandering among the crushed leaves and nettles. The foreign yet familiar essence gained ground by the minute, burrowing to his core, the edges of his soul:

If the fox knew anything of it, he gave no sign.

"So?" Yusuke pressed, ditching the decrepit military top for a thick green tunic. "Did you find anything useful or just dig in their trash?"

Hiei allowed a sarcastic comment to roll back down his throat, watching the former detective search the meager stash for pants. "There is a place nearby that's secluded, somewhere the humans will never think to look."

Kuwabara paused in shimmying into a pair of brown trousers riddled with patches, swim shorts playing the role of underwear. "Really? Where?"

"It doesn't matter. They nearly found us earlier and we're apparently near their base – we can't stay here any longer."

"You've outdone yourself this time!" Yusuke laughed despite his glare, legs sliding into faded breeches. "Now all we have to do is–ow!"

He paused in pulling the pants over his fluorescent trunks, wincing and grabbing at one hip.

"Quit screwing around, Urameshi." Kuwabara huffed, buttoning the questionable, trifling trousers. "Kurama already can't walk; I'm not giving you a free ride just because–"

"Who's screwing around? That hurt!" He snapped, breeches falling to his knees as he dug around the elastic waistband, prodding his right pocket. "What the heck could have–"

He fell silent, staring at his open hand. An object lay in his palm, a curious thing resembling a candy dispenser. The body was long and thin, not unlike an ammo cartridge, pale blue plastic jealously guarding its contents. A familiar head rested atop the cartridge – Koenma's head – complete with the proper colors, hat, and mafukan. The whole ensemble fit neatly into his hand, something anyone could expect to find in a convenience store if not for the head.

Yusuke stared for a full ten seconds before blinking, realization lighting his eyes.

"Yusuke?" Kurama asked, squinting from his poor vantage point. "What is it?"

Kuwabara peeked over his shoulder with a furrowed brow, pointing at the thing. "Is that . . . Koenma?"

"Yep." A low curse and Yusuke whistled, a grin slowly spreading across his face. "I owe Botan big-time!"

"For what?" Hiei demanded, not relinquishing his post beside the fox.

"For this!" He brandished the dispenser for all to see, his bearing proud, triumphant.

The fire apparition did not stir though Kurama leaned forward, a slight grimace the only hint of pain. "What is that?"

"Something that's gonna help us out." Yusuke's grin grew wider still, taking in the likeness of the mini-ruler. "When I first became a Spirit Detective, Botan gave me a lot of crap for the job. Remember that briefcase she showed you when those guys got me that one time, the one with the Spirit Whistle?"

Hiei noticeably bristled though resisted whatever urge presented itself, pushing away from the wooden wall. "Get to the point."

"Well, after the whole thing with Sensui and the Demon World tournament, she said to keep some of the stuff on me even though I don't work for Binkie Breath anymore. I didn't want to but she got Keiko on my case, so, yeah." A satisfied sigh and he rocked back on his heels, focused on the tool. "Never thought I'd ever use this, though!"

"Yusuke." Kurama interrupted, noting Hiei's mounting irritation. "What is it?"

"This," He grinned, brandishing the thing like a sword. "Is a Babble Bridge."

Kuwabara blinked, leaning closer. "What the heck is a 'Babble Bridge'?"

"Ever wonder how grim reapers and human souls communicate after they die? Like, what if some guy croaked in Russia and needed guiding to the afterlife? How would she talk to him?" He shook the container, several solid objects colliding within. "Spirit World made the Babble Bridge just for that."

Kurama nodded, settling back to hear the rest. "What does it do, exactly?"

"From what she said, when you eat the candy inside, you can instantly master a language you don't know. Like, not just understand what's said, but read and write it too." Here his nose wrinkled and he gave the thing another shake. "It only works for the first new language you hear, though, and if you leave for either Spirit or Demon World, you're screwed."

"I see." The fox hummed, extracting plants as they talked. "That would prove useful for a Spirit Detective."

"Yeah. What if a foreigner died and we had to help him pass on?" Pressing the top back, he peeked inside. "Never had to take one before but glad I had it on me when we were zapped!"

Kuwabara motioned toward the tool and Yusuke handed it over, allowing him to examine the flimsy thing. "So if we take one of these, we can understand the people outside?"

"Think so. Like I said, I've never used it before." He took the Babble Bridge back, dumping a pill in his hand.

He studied the tablet for a moment, brow raised, debating.

Suddenly, Kurama tried to rise, guessing his intentions. "Yusuke, wait–!"

But it was too late. Yusuke's hand flew to his mouth, head tipping back at the moment of impact. The raven-haired man swallowed, hand coming away empty as his dry throat worked, cranium bobbing up and down like a duck's. Finally, he righted himself, eyes closing as he waited.

Kurama winced at the effort it took to stand, shoulders pressed to the tower of crates at his back, palm pressed to his navel. "Yusuke?"

He shook his head quickly, motioning for silence. The red head dutifully shut his mouth, grimacing as roots wiggled beneath his hand. Yusuke's grimace caught them by surprise, fingers dancing against pink trunks, new-found pants completing their descent to his ankles. Still, his hand remained raised for silence, face contorting into a number of expressions in record time.

Then, he heaved a great sigh, arm falling to his side.

A moment of precarious silence and Kuwabara cleared his throat, daring to speak. "Urameshi?"

"Ugh, that tastes awful! Old sneakers and rotten butt-hole rolled into one!" He grimaced, dark bangs falling into his eyes as he gagged.

The psychic raised a single brow. "How do you know what–"

"Don't ask, just don't ask." Yusuke grabbed his nose before he spoke, as if that would help. Several dry heaves wracked his body, uncaring of his sentiments and comical stance. Finally, a shudder jolted him from head to toe and he straightened, breath hissing through clenched teeth.

A snort and Hiei crossed his arms, disinterest coating his voice. "Are you done?"

"Hold on, gotta make sure the stupid thing worked." He dropped into a crouch, breeches clinging to his ankles faithfully. While the cans were bereft of labels, someone had been kind enough to write on the crates in big black letters, perfect for practice by dim firelight.

Squinting, he inched closer to the chosen box, lips forming silent syllables.

"Well?"

"Give me a minute!" He waved away Hiei's scowl, fingers once again tracing a word – a considerably long one. "Eigentum der amestrianischen Armee."

"So we can understand, you fool."

"I'm getting to that, chill out! Eigentum der amestrianischen Armee: 'property of the Amestrian army."

"An army." The fire apparition murmured, a sea of blue flashing before his eyes. "That explains that uniforms and weapons."

"But why would the military be hostile toward us?" Kurama allowed himself to sink back onto the floor, discarding a twisting knot of vines. "To my knowledge, we've done nothing to warrant such treatment."

"Uh, guys, I think you're missing something important here."

Kurama caught the tremor in Kuwabara's voice, the blood draining from his face. "What is it?"

"There isn't a country called Amestris! It doesn't exist in our world!"

"You sure about that? I'm looking at it right here." Yusuke leaned back, tapping the plank as he did so. "There's a bunch of little countries, man. Maybe–"

"No, I'm telling you it doesn't exist, Urameshi!"

Yusuke took in his wide eyes and trembling hands before standing, pulling the pants up while maintaining his grip on the Babble Bridge. "What makes you so sure?"

"It's called geography class, you should take one! Oh wait, you can't because you dropped out!" Before he could respond, Kuwabara turned to Kurama, fighting off panic. "That's right, isn't it? Amestris isn't a real country."

"While I don't remember seeing the name on a map, this is definitely a real place. Although," Here Kurama shifted, moving his attentions to his left arm. "There is another possibility."

"What, that we all drowned in the ocean and this is Koenma's idea of a joke?" Yusuke hopped up and down, wiggling his hips until the pants fit just right before buttoning them shut.

"No, Kuwabara made a valid point – there is no country by that name in our world."

"Then how do you explain all this?" Yusuke gestured in a wide arc, encompassing the city. "If we're not in Human World, then where are we? Last I checked, humans can't live in Demon World or Spirit World."

Kurama fell silent, brows knit as he concentrated on his work. "As I said, there must be an explanation, something I didn't consider until now."

He rolled his shoulders, working out the fabric of the green sweater. "What, a parallel universe?"

"A world, not a universe."

Yusuke blinked, staring at him before groaning, head rocking back. "It's official, the flowers finally burrowed into your brain."

"Let me explain." Slowly, a pesky root withdrew from a vein, icicle ache cresting in its wake. "Kuwabara reminded me of something Truth said at The Gate, something I should have remembered sooner."

Hiei glanced at Yusuke, a question on his lips.

"The little guy, the one who took your eye."

His nose wrinkled though he said nothing, eyes narrowed to slits, pulling at the burn on his forehead.

"You all recall the white room, the dark door covered in markings? Truth called it 'the ultimate go-between', a border between worlds. At first, I thought he was being morose and purposely vague; but what if he was telling the truth?"

"Some punk telling the truth because that's his name?" Yusuke scoffed, twirling the spirit tool between his fingers.

"Too many elements line up for it to be otherwise." Sagging against his makeshift wall, Kurama discarded another plant, willing the pain and fatigue from his voice. "As Kuwabara said, Amestris, even if it is small, would be on a world map. None of us have heard of this place before just now." He held up one finger, keeping score as he continued. "From what you have described and what's here, this is a modern, well-functioning country with a strong military presence and a language strongly resembling German. However, no such place exists anywhere in Europe. The uniforms are unlike any I've seen, as well.

"Also, there is the strange sensation you described, first from the gloved man, then the one who appeared before I came to." He glanced to Kuwabara, who'd crouched in his eagerness to hear. "You're certain it wasn't spirit energy you sensed?"

"Yeah." The psychic murmured, checking over the areas Kurama had finished with. "You know how spirit energy is calm, soothing, kind of like a river? And demon energy is like smoke?" He nodded, thankful for the semi-darkness. "Well, this felt like a fire – a sick fire. There was something wrong with it."

Hiei looked up, arms relaxing against his chest. "Like what?"

"Like– okay, you've been able to use fire your whole life, right?" A barely perceptible nod. "And it shows in your energy. Your flames feel like you, like they're attached to your soul. You can't have one without the other; same with Urameshi's Spirit Gun and Kurama's powers." Kuwabara stared at his right hand before looking away, fingers curling into a fist. "Those guys are different. Their power doesn't belong to them."

Yusuke cocked an eyebrow, crouching next to him. "What, you mean they stole 'em or something?"

"I don't know; I just know they weren't born with whatever abilities they've got."

Red eyes glinted, confirming, conceiving. "The man with the gloves?"

"Him too."

Hiei grinned, teeth flashing in the dim.

"That doesn't mean we can take them lightly." Kurama pressed. "We still do not know how they brought us here, or why."

"We'll figure it out." Yusuke thrust both arms above his head, back arching in a stretch. "Oh! That reminds me, you guys need to take this too." He shook the container, Koenma's head threatening to fall off.

Kuwabara's mouth twisted in disgust. "After watching you earlier? Un-uh, no thanks!"

Yusuke grinned in turn, his chuckle impish. "What, don't you want to find Yukina?"

An undignified squawk and Kuwabara grabbed the front of his sweater, pulling him close. "Yukina!" He shook Yusuke, the latter's head rolling like a toy doll. "You mean she's here?!"

"Truth mentioned her as well." Kurama pressed a hand to his mouth, finishing the thought in his head.

In the midst of their struggle, Hiei took the dispenser and tapped a pill into his hand, not thinking twice before swallowing it whole.

"H-Hiei!" Kuwabara released Yusuke, gesturing toward the demon. "Hold on a minute! You don't know what that'll do to–"

"There's no time; we need to find her. Now." If the taste bothered Hiei, he didn't let it show. Rather, he threw the Babble Bridge to Kuwabara, gaze cold, steady. "Or would you have her at their mercy?"

Heat flushed his face and Kuwabara rose to his knees, fists clenched. "No, of course not!"

"Then stop making excuses."

Yusuke and Kurama shared a look over the psychic's head as he swallowed the tablet, hand flying to his mouth to stifle a gag. Hiei had never shown open concern for his sister before Kuwabara before, set on keeping his secret. Stranger still, their friend made no mention of that fact, doubtlessly blinded by her frightened eyes, the memory of her scream.

For his part, Hiei toed a discarded ammo canister, palm pressing to his forehead for the first time since sealing the Jagan's socket.

"That reminds me." Yusuke turned as Kurama took the spirit tool, pill falling easily into his hand. "You never told us what that guy took from you!"

The red head took his time answering, allowing the pill to work. Hiei noticed him stiffen, traces of fear leaking into his scent, even though his thoughts remained hidden behind closed lids. "Didn't I?"

"Nah but that's okay – you got one heck of a wake-up call!" Hands cushioning his head, Yusuke leaned back, content with thinking out-loud.

A bad habit.

"Let's see, I remember Truth saying he'd take what's most important to me; that's the only 'payment' he accepts." His face scrunched into a horrendous expression then, nose wrinkled, teeth bared. "I thought he meant Keiko and tried to slug him but he just laughed and did a disappearing act. Never could catch him."

Brows furrowed, he leaned back until he was balanced solely on his tailbone. "That's when he said it was something only I had, like a body part or something." Here he winced, one hand traveling between his legs. "Not gonna lie, I thought he was going to take my junk or something. What's more important to a man than that?"

The comment would have elicited laughter any other time, though now it met with eerie silence. Hiei stepped away, hand pressed still to his forehead, disgrace safe behind tanned skin.

"Wait, is that what he took from you?" Yusuke wheeled upright, staring hard at Kurama without letting his eyes rove. "You were in a lot of pain when we got here."

"Yeah, and there was blood everywhere." Kuwabara paled at the thought, hunching over his knees. "Did, did he–?"

Kurama met their concern with grace, though thinly veiled irritation lurked behind his eyes, laced his voice. "Gentleman, I assure you my genitalia are in-tact."

The two shared a sigh of relief, relief immediately banishing anxiety. "Good!"

"Don't get me wrong, fox boy, we wouldn't have thought less of you." Yusuke grinned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "Just, not sure how it would have worked whenever you went to take a–"

"Urameshi!"

"What? You're the pre-med student! Tell me how that works!"

As they fell into a debate on how men without penises peed, Kurama reached for Hiei's remaining gifts – a pale knit sweater and faded black pants. As with the other pieces, they were not in the best condition: a few stitches were either snagged or completely undone, leaving the top dotted with tiny holes; the pants fared far better, merely frayed at the edges, the material at the buttocks thinned from much sitting. He could deal with that.

He'd worn far worse.

"So, what?" Kuwabara asked after they both ran out of breath and he'd lectured far more on the male body than he bargained for. "What did it take from you?"

"Well, it's Kurama." Yusuke snorted when the red head hesitated, pocketing the spirit tool and putting out the fire. "Probably took his self-control or something."

Kuwabara glanced over, eyes wide. "Really?"

A pause and Kurama dipped his chin, staring at the glowing embers. "Something to that effect."

He immediately felt Hiei's eyes on him and fought the urge to shrink back, unwilling to look up. A lie, possibly the most dangerous one he'd told in centuries–

And while the others remained oblivious to the fact, Hiei knew.

He knew.

"Wow," Kuwabara breathed, oblivious to his discomfort, the fire apparition's glare. "That explains why everything bloomed on you when we got here! And why the plants are giving you a hard time now!"

A dry chuckle, the beginnings of guilt. "It's nothing I cannot handle."

Somewhere close by, a bell tolled, twelve rings singing into the night.

"They'll be here soon." Hiei turned his back to them, feet carrying him to the entrance. "If you're not ready in two minutes, I'm leaving all of you behind."

Kurama watched his retreat with growing dread, conscious of Yusuke gathering a few items into a makeshift sack, the deepening chill biting the air. He assured Kuwabara absently he could walk on his own, promising the impossible in spite of liquid legs, blinking away the promise of sleep. A weight in his bones, sluggish rose vines promised a visit from his only enemy, the one thing he feared above all else–

Snow.

A/N: Hello and welcome back! Once again, thank you all who have favorited, followed and reviewed! Your support means so much and I appreciate all of you.

Also, a big thank you to Trina Sullivan for the Kuwabara fan art! Her take on best boy in the Amestrian military's uniform is now Divergence's avatar. Will he have cause to wear it in this story?

So, the boys have more questions, a stolen language under their belts, as well as homunculi plotting behind the scenes. What sort of hideout did Hiei secure for them, how will they go about finding Yukina, and just how long can they run from the military? Tune in next time to find out! Please leave your thoughts on this chapter, we're picking up gas now!

Vas is falsh – What's wrong?

Hastu farloyrn deyn veg – Have you lost your way?

Gib akhtung – Be careful.

Mir hobn keyn frendz do – We have no friends here.