Oathkeeper

by Seichou Maki

Miwa had pledged an oath to Youko Kurama, an oath that defines many things about her life and her choices. However, encountering the Spirit Detective, called to retrieve the Artifacts of Darkness from four demon thieves, begins the chain of events that forces her to rethink the oath she made long ago.

17. Worlds Collide

Chapter 17: Worlds Collide

"And there hasn't been any changes?"

Miwa held her hand over her chest.

"No, not for about a month."

Miwa and Kurama sat around a small work table set up in the middle of Kurama's bedroom. The table was covered with their schoolbooks and a couple glasses of water. Visible evidence that they were studying together, and a perfect representation of how much their everyday lives had returned to normal. Once the Dark Tournament ended and Team Urameshi returned home, Miwa went back to her human father, Kurama went back to his human mother, and they both returned to school as if nothing were ever wrong. It's even been a while since they had last seen Yusuke and Kuwabara, much less Hiei. The peacefulness of human life was such a stark contrast to their tournament days; like two completely separate worlds. Miwa narrowed her eyes, ruminating on the heat that had become familiar to her. In the past few months, this heat was the only thing remaining that connected her to that separate world.

"Well...at least the symptoms appear to be going away," Kurama said.

"Yeah. Water has stopped spilling all over the place." She smiled slightly. "That was hard to explain."

Miwa let her hand hover over the glass of water in front of her. With a small swish of her finger, the water followed suit, stirring the liquid without even touching it. A few months before, this complete control was not always the case. One remnant symptom of Miwa's energy fluctuations was water spontaneously moving on its own, without Miwa's intent or control, usually in conjunction with an energy fluctuation. But now, for a month, those random losses of control had disappeared, and the fluctuations from her core were decreasing in frequency.

"It's mainly just this heat now," Miwa said, and she took a quick drink from her glass, as if to cool the inner heat.

Fuura warned her that the seal was so intricately woven into her core that messing with it too much could immediately lead to her death. Thankfully, other than the heat that liked to flare up from time to time, nothing was really wrong with her now. Did Rikiji's shikigami interfere with its power? Did the Fruit of the Previous Life disrupt the seal? ...Or something completely unrelated? Miwa didn't know why these effects remained, but maybe she was getting better. Maybe whatever caused the symptoms was going away. Disappearing into the past, just like their time at the Dark Tournament, as their everyday lives drifted away from the danger and bloodshed.

"But, I haven't had any luck tracking Fuura from here." Miwa set down her glass. "None of my current contacts are capable of making the trek up her mountain."

Kurama leaned back slightly on his arms. "It's not as if hermits are known to be easily found."

"It was hard enough doing it myself, so I think getting information about her is all but impossible from the Living World." Miwa sighed and rested her face in her arms across the surface of the table. "Some tracker I am," she muttered into her elbows.

Kurama gave her a pained smile. "Don't be so depressed. If your symptoms are disappearing, perhaps you are getting better on your own."

Miwa lifted her head, but only her eyes were visible. "What about you?" she asked. "You've been experiencing side effects too, right?"

Kurama's eyes widened, but then he chuckled quietly to himself, as if his secret was finally discovered. "You noticed," he said. It wasn't even a question.

"Did you really think I wouldn't? It's not as frequent, but very now and then, your energy flares up, just like mine." Miwa sat up, and her expression turned serious. "Your demeanor changes, too…"

"...It's more than that," he said slowly, leaning forward slightly with a downcast look. "It's almost like...I'm turning into Youko Kurama again, yet I remain in the body of Shuichi Minamino." He looked up. "But you don't feel like that, right?"

"...Well, my body itself hasn't changed, so I don't have anything to turn back into. But…" She paused and put her hand to her chest once more. "This doesn't feel like my old powers are coming back either."

Kurama paused again, and he stared down at the table. His eyebrows furrowed like they always did when he was in deep thought. Miwa remembered what he was like when he transformed back to Youko Kurama. All the gentleness he gained from living as Shuichi Minamino disappeared, like it no longer existed, and his eyes had a completely different look to them, but it was a look she was familiar with long ago.

"You're worried, aren't you?"

Kurama looked up.

"You're worried about losing control. Especially in front of your mom."

A silence fell between them.

Then, a small knock rapped on the door, cutting off any further discussion. After receiving his permission, Shiori Minamino opened the door to her son's bedroom and peeked in to smile at the two high school kids sitting around their study table.

"Himari, would you be staying for dinner?" she asked gently.

Hearing her assumed name pulled Miwa right from their grim topic back into her everyday life. She looked out the window, but the sky was already turning a deep orange. "That's alright," she said, "I should be getting home soon."

Shiori nodded in understanding, and then she looked down to their table just as Miwa started grabbing her things. "Oh, you two were studying? I thought your tests already finished?"

"History still isn't her best subject."

"Hey, the results come out tomorrow!" Miwa said loudly, pointing an accusing finger at Kurama. "You don't know how well I did yet!"

Shiori chuckled. Then, she pushed open the door wider and too a couple steps inside. "If you are leaving soon, Himari, then I'd better give you this now." She held out a small, white envelope that slightly bulged in the middle, likely hiding an intricately designed card inside. "We have decided on the date of our wedding."

Miwa took the envelope in her hands, and in the corner of her eye, she could see Kurama smiling at them both. "Really?" she exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement, "But I thought you were just going to have a small ceremony?"

Shiori smiled sheepishly and nodded. "Yes, but I would be honored if you joined us."

Miwa looked down at the envelope in her hands, and somehow it felt heavier than it actually was. Shiori Minamino, the woman who nearly died of illness about a year ago, was finally getting married to Kazuya Hatanaka, the president of the company where she worked. Shiori had known Miwa as Himari Shimizu for four years, but even if Himari Shimizu was close friends with her son, she never expected that Shiori would invite her to such a special, important event for their family.

"Thank you!" Miwa said excitedly, "I would love to go!" She didn't need to look at the date. She would be there even if she had to move the Earth itself.

"I'm glad," Shiori said happily, and she turned to Kurama. "Shuichi, send her home properly, okay?"

"Of course, mother."

Miwa quickly gathered her things into her bag, and she followed Kurama and his mother out the front door. They both knew that Miwa did not need an escort home, even with the odd symptoms from her seal, but they didn't want Shiori to worry. "Thank you for having me," Miwa said, bowing gratefully as she made her leave. Already, the sun was sinking below the horizon, and the daylight illuminating their way to Miwa's home would quickly disappear.

"It's no trouble. Be safe you two."

Shiori bade her farewell as they left the house, and unbeknownst to both those kids, Shiori was thinking to herself just how happy she felt that her son had found such a good friend. When he was a child, Shuichi rarely talked about school friends and kept to himself all the time. Shiori did not know what made her think so, but it was as if her son considered himself separate - even different - from everyone around him, including her. However, all that seemed to soften as he grew older, especially around the time she received the scars on her arms, and Shuichi seemed to slowly come out of his shell. Instead of a child that kept everyone a certain distance away, he grew into a kind, smart, caring boy. A couple years later, he met Himari Shimizu in middle school, and Shiori Minamino finally got to see her son develop a close, lasting friendship. While Shiori was ill, Himari did everything she could to help him out, whether it was helping Shuichi at home, or keeping Shiori company while he and Kazuya spoke with the doctors. Ever since her illness, Shiori made a point to frequently count her blessings. She had her health, a loving fiance, and a wonderful son. Truly, she had all the happiness in the world.

As a mother, as a bride-to-be, as a human being, there was nothing more she could ever ask for.

{00}

The first years' test grades were posted on the wall in the main hallway near the entrance of the school. With the scores arranged from highest to lowest, it prominently showcased the best performing student at the top of the list, and anyone who performed poorly had their shame displayed just as well. Students crowded around the list, searching for their name and comparing scores with their friends. The crowd bubbled over with noise, mixing joy and shame in the myriad voices. Saya Kimura, a first year, pushed her way through the crowd to get a clearer look at her score. A bit shorter than her other schoolmates, she had to stand on her toes to see over their heads. Her eyes scanned the list, getting a general feel of not only her own score, but the other names she recognized as well. As always, Saya's scores hovered in the middle, but she would gladly accept average over failing. It was a grade Saya expected, but another name she recognized was a bit more surprising.

"Hey, Himari," Saya called, "You placed higher this time."

Behind her, Saya's classmate Himari Shimizu also looked over the names and scores of their fellow students, but she didn't have to stand on her toes like Saya. Unlike before, where Himari also tended to hover around the middle, Himari's score had just barely secured her a place in the top 25% of their grade.

Himari folded her arms across her chest, clearly proud of herself. "I'll make it to the top one day," she joked.

"I don't know if you could ever beat Minamino," Saya muttered, and they both took a look at the top student.

With a near perfect score, just two points away, Shuichi Minamino's name was written at the top of the list. In the crowd, a handful of students muttered their complaints about just how often Minamino had the top score. He had long since gained a reputation as a smart student, and seeing his name at the top of every list like it was being rubbed in their faces sometimes annoyed people. Some of them worked their butts off just to avoid getting a failing grade, and meanwhile Minamino constantly got first place like he wasn't even trying.

"Was he always like this?" Saya asked.

Himari nodded. "Yup, all through middle school." She glanced around at the bitter whiners in the crowd. "The complaints are the same too," she added. The two of them turned their backs to the board and headed back to their classroom. "Tsutsumi's place went up too," Himari said, changing the subject.

Saya smiled to herself, and she felt a small heat well up in her cheeks. "Yeah, sometimes we study together after my badminton club ends."

Himari leaned forward to get a closer look at Saya's face. "I'm guessing things are going well with you two," she said, grinning.

Saya averted her eyes. "Yeah, I guess so," she said, with a voice so quiet it was almost a whisper.

Himari straightened her posture to save Saya from the embarrassment, but then she frowned slightly. "Are you sure you don't mind that I still play basketball with him?" she asked. "I mean, he's just killing time until you're done with club, but-"

"It's fine." The blush on Saya's cheeks slowly faded. "You guys were friends before he...confessed to you, and I would hate to be the reason he loses a friend. Besides..." She smiled, full of confidence. "I've known Taichi since elementary school. If I didn't trust him, then I wouldn't have asked him out."

Months ago, Saya Kimura finally mustered the courage to ask out her long-time friend, Taichi Tsutsumi. When she heard that he asked out her classmate, Himari Shimizu, Saya realized that even if Himari rejected him, that did not guarantee the next person Taichi took interest in would do the same, and she decided to finally be honest with herself. Of course, she did give him some space to recover as he accepted Himari's rejection and forced himself to stop feeling awkward around her. But once they started playing basketball together as normal, Saya mustered up her courage and confessed her feelings to Taichi Tsutsumi. He took time to really think it over, but the fact that he eventually accepted was a result Saya never expected. She honestly thought he would just continue seeing her as a childhood friend rather than a potential girlfriend.

"That reminds me of someone…" Himari said quietly to herself, though Saya didn't know what she meant, and then Himari smiled back at her. "Anyway, I'm glad you think so. I would hate to be that jerk who breaks up a happy couple."

"You, on the other hand," Saya said, and a teasing smile was creeping to her face, "are still single, even though your best friend is like, the biggest catch in this entire school!" Saya raised her arms in fake frustration. "So infuriating!"

Himari retracted a bit and rolled her eyes. "I told you, we're not like that…"

"Sometimes, the best things are right under your nose~!"

Saya said her last piece in a sing-song voice, and she giggled like a little girl as she continued her way back with a playful spring in her step. Himari sighed while she followed at a normal pace. Saying the same kind of stuff Himari had heard since middle school somehow turned into a joke between them. But, jokes were better than silly rumors, and poking fun at their changing relationships was better than hating each other for it. Saya knew just how often Himari and Minamino spent time together. It was clear as day that they were very close, if not as close as Saya and Taichi, who knew each other since elementary school. Perhaps that was another reason she didn't mind Taichi playing with Himari. All three of them knew the importance of their relationships to other people, romantic or otherwise. If they didn't trust each other, they couldn't call each other friends.

Meanwhile, behind them, and unbeknownst to them both, a tall boy with dark, curly hair watched them return to their classroom. The boy was a first year, just like them, but he wasn't known for average grades, even if he never quite made it to the top. He took a certain pleasure listening to the girls talk about such...mundane topics. To think, someone with life experiences like Himari Shimizu's could talk about something so normal. It made him want to laugh. There was more to life than textbooks and grades, as he had just told his teacher, and only recently did he learn how true that was. Secrets, motivations, bonds to other people… Oh, how vast was an individual's world, full of amazing things hiding underneath the "normal" surface.

He smiled and adjusted his glasses with the tip of his finger. Shuichi Minamino...Himari Shimizu... He would teach them both just how much the "normal" world would change when its mystic underbelly is unleashed.

{00}

Taichi Tsutsumi's chest burned from his heavy breathing. The afternoon sun shined brightly over his head, and the wind was just barely keeping him cool. It wasn't a particularly hot day, but he could feel his sweat soaking into his school uniform, and he cursed himself for not changing into his jersey sooner. His shoes scuffed against the concrete basketball court with every step he took, and each bounce of his basketball echoed in his ears alongside the sound of his racing heart. His goal, the basket, was within his immediate sight. All he had to do was get past the defense and shoot.

The defense, however, was ready and waiting.

Himari Shimizu stood in front of the basket with her arms out at her sides, carefully watching every move Taichi made. She was also still in her uniform, just like Taichi, but unlike him, Shimizu wasn't even breathing hard. She and Taichi had been playing one on one for nearly an hour, but only he showed any signs of exhaustion. It wasn't fair, and that frustration drove him forward. Taichi shifted his weight and changed direction, hoping to dribble around her, but Shimizu didn't even flinch. She seamlessly followed his movements, and with one swing of her arm, she swiped the ball right out of his hands. She turned her back to Taichi to block him, dribbling for just a couple steps before taking her shot. The ball soared through the air and bounced along the rim only three times before falling through the net.

"Wow, Shimizu. Maybe you really should join the basketball club." Taichi ran ahead, retrieving the ball before it rolled away. He set it on the ground by the basket and took a quick drink of bottled water. The drink had warmed up since he had first bought it from a vending machine, but it wasn't any less refreshing. "I think you'd be great," he added, setting the bottle down by his feet.

He could hear her laughing behind him. "I don't know about that," she said.

Modest as ever, but something was different about Shimizu lately. She was happy and energetic for as long as Taichi had known her, and that hadn't really changed. She never stopped visiting her friend, Minamino, in Taichi's class, nor did she stop playing basketball whenever Taichi invited her. Taichi couldn't quite put his finger on it, but somehow her usual energy had felt toned down for the past few months. She seemed a bit… "moodier" was the best word Taichi could think of, since she sometimes stared off into the distance, as if thinking about...or looking for something. Whatever was on her mind, she never spoke about it - not even to Minamino, who seemed to keep a closer eye on her than usual. And curiously, Taichi noticed that Shimizu developed a habit of clutching her chest from time to time, wincing ever so slightly like she were in pain.

What happened to her? Was she okay?

"We should probably wrap this up." Her voice cut into Taichi's thoughts. Shimizu had approached him while he was ruminating and picked up the ball. "Saya's gonna be here soon, right?"

Taichi checked his watch. Shimizu was right. His girlfriend, Saya Kimura's practice for her badminton club was going to end in any minute. It was just a matter of time before she would walk out to the rear courtyard and wave him down to walk home together.

"Yeah," he said, "thanks for keeping me company."

"No problem." She grinned. "I think it's cute, watching you two go home together."

Taichi turned sheepishly to the side, pretending that the red cheeks were nothing but an illusion of the sunset. In his wildest dreams, he never thought he would be standing where he was that day. Several months before, he actually asked Shimizu to go out with him. She rejected him, saying she had feelings for someone else, but they still somehow managed to stay friends. Then later on, Saya, a childhood friend of Taichi's and Shimizu's classmate, confessed her own feelings to him. It took a while for Taichi to decide whether he could change how he saw her, as a girl rather than just a friend, but somehow it all worked out. Even Shimizu was happy for the news and congratulated them both.

"What about you?" Taichi asked. "How's it going with that guy you mentioned?"

Shimizu's eyes widened a bit, and she blinked a couple times at his unexpected question. Other than the fact that it wasn't Minamino, Taichi knew nothing about the person Shimizu claimed she had feelings for. She looked in the direction of some trees nearby with a sad smile.

"Honestly, I haven't seen him in a while."

Taichi raised an eyebrow. "Is everything okay?"

Shimizu turned back at him. "Yeah," she laughed, "He's just a guy that likes to be alone."

Suddenly, her smile faded, and her cheerful expression turned to an unusually serious one in less than a second. Her eyes trained down on his right shoulder. Taichi also glanced down at his shoulder, but he couldn't see anything other than his jacket. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but a cool, wet sensation overtook his feet. Taichi yelped and looked down. His bottled water had fallen over and spilled its remaining contents all over his shoes, and he could already feel the water soaking into his socks. Taichi kneeled and stood the nearly empty bottle back up. How did-

"Are you alright?"

"...Yeah, it's no big deal."

From his kneeling position, Taichi could see Shimizu's hands at eye level. Her right hand was clenched tightly into a fist, like she was either about to punch something or crush a small object with her bare hands. Curious motion aside, Taichi didn't understand how the bottle fell over. There was no wind, and he didn't bump it with his foot. It just...fell over of its own accord; his wet sock was proof of that. Maybe he just didn't notice a gust of wind or something. Since he didn't want to risk another incident, especially since the bottle was lighter now, Taichi quickly retrieved his bag and stuffed the water bottle inside. Shimizu hid her clenched hand behind her back, but something in the distance caught her eye.

"Oh, she's here."

Taichi turned around, and he could see Saya quickly walking towards them. When they met eyes, she slowed to a stop, instead waving energetically as her sports bag bounced along her shoulder and the light behind her shone through her short, brown hair. Taichi grinned and waved back at her. He looked around his immediate area, double-checking that there were no forgotten items, and then he turned back to Shimizu.

"Thanks again for waiting with me," he said.

"Don't worry about it," she answered, "I'll put the ball away."

Taichi gave her a small wave and jogged over to Saya with a light spring in his step. It was time to go home. When he approached Saya's side, their hands naturally found each other as they walked. Every time she came to greet him after he played with Shimizu, Taichi was reminded of just how lucky he was to have Saya. It would be perfectly reasonable for her to feel insecure or jealous that he and Shimizu still played basketball together, but she wasn't. Taichi knew who his friends were, even if it took some adjustment with Shimizu after his initial confession, and as his friend, Shimizu was always there. But Taichi had always wondered: just what was she hiding?

Behind him, as he and Saya walked farther away, Shimizu brought out her clenched hand from behind her back. She opened her palm slowly, staring gravely at the crushed insect of another world only she could see. Its remains slowly faded away, not even leaving behind a smear of blood or guts.

"This is a bad sign," she muttered aloud, but no one was there to hear.

{00}

One nice thing about leaving the school late was that the streets on their walk home were mostly empty. The streetlights still weren't on yet, and most families were already home. Taichi and Saya walked home slowly, making idle small talk along their way. Tests were over without incident, studying was now distant from their minds, and life seemed a little more relaxed. A normal day, a normal walk home, and the pleasant conversation of two high school students in a pure, innocent relationship.

But then, reality decided to show its teeth, as nothing would stay "normal" for long. They approached a train crossing, a normal part of their route home, but an abnormal amount of people were crowded around on both sides of the track. Mostly gawkers and onlookers, but Taichi and Saya could clearly see some yellow caution tape and police officers closing off the crossing.

"Wow, I wonder what happened." Saya said quietly. "I hope nobody got hurt..."

"Let's take a look."

They approached the crossing, clearing the tense air by joking with each other about how they would have to find a detour route home. When they got closer, they realized that there were no medical personnel or an ambulance. No criminals or bodies being taken away. Just the onlookers and the officers keeping them from crossing the exposed train track.

"Taichi…" Saya said suddenly, "What happened to the crossing gate?"

"Huh?"

"The gate...and the pole." Saya pointed forward, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "They're gone."

They joined the crowd of onlookers, and it finally hit Taichi what was so strange about the crossing. It wasn't the people. It wasn't the officers. It wasn't the yellow tape. And, Saya wasn't exaggerating at all. There should have been a tall, black and yellow pole with a matching X shape at the top. A horizontal bar should have been stretched across the crossing on both sides of the tracks, blocking the walkway until the alarm signaled that it was safe to cross and lifted the bars. There shouldn't have been an officer blocking the walkway with yellow caution tape, and people shouldn't be gawking at what was supposed to be a normal train crossing. The poles and bars were gone. A small remnant of the pole on Taichi and Saya's side of the track still stood, but it looked as if someone had sliced the pole a quarter of the way up with a really sharp knife. Even from a distance, Taichi could see the smooth edge from where the pole was cut, and a small piece of the horizontal bar, with the exact same smoothly cut edge, was lying on the ground nearby. It was like something out of a samurai or ninja movie, where they sliced through bamboo with a katana to clear their path. But, other than the discarded remnants, the rest of the crossing poles had vanished completely. Neither of them had ever seen a prank like this before. Graffiti and maybe some light vandalism on the train crossing wasn't particularly unusual, but the poles had never straight up disappeared before. Or...cut off?

"What a weird prank," Taichi finally said.

"Yeah, but how did they even do this without anyone seeing?"

"No idea…"

{00}

The afternoon quickly turned into early evening, and a majority of the Meio student population had gone home. The students in clubs, and even those who just loitered around for fun, had disappeared for the day. The ones who remained were going to be told by the teachers to go home in less than an hour. The basketball courts in the rear courtyard were already abandoned, save for Himari Shimizu, the lone student remaining and a demon in disguise named Miwa. She sat on a basketball, rolling her makeshift chair back and forward by pushing her feet, and occasionally lifting them just to see how long she could keep her balance. Her bag lay at her side, like a still lump on the ground. In her hands, she fiddled with a small, white envelope, and her fingers ran over small lumps formed by the stiff, decorative card inside. She accidentally left the wedding invitation in her school bag the night before. There was still time before the wedding date, but Miwa could strongly feel the importance of what the invitation represented.

"Is it really okay for me to be there?" she had asked while they walked to Miwa's home that night.

"Of course," Kurama insisted. "She likes you, and she is still grateful for your help while she was hospitalized."

"I didn't do that much…"

It took a bit of persistence on Kurama's part for Miwa to get over her hesitation. But despite her reservations, she had happily accepted the invitation, promising to be there with an excited smile tugging at her lips. Marriage was not a foreign concept in the Demon World, but Miwa had never been to a human wedding before. It would be intriguing, even if it wasn't a ceremony for Shiori. Two humans, in love, swearing to be together until death do them part, basing their vows on nothing but their feelings for each other. ...Much more romantic than Miwa's own oath. Could Taichi and Saya be like that too, one day in the future? The future was always uncertain, but they were young, high school students. They had their whole human lives to discover where their paths would lead them, even if their paths ultimately did not become one.

Miwa lifted her feet, balancing her whole body on her basketball chair. Her weight shifted side to side, but she did not fall. She planted her feet back to the ground and looked up at the school building, towards a specific window that still had the lights on as the sky around them grew darker. She could not see much from her lower angle, but every now and then, a flash of red hair would show itself from that window. Miwa smiled. Kurama had been up there since school ended, tinkering with plants in ways she may never understand. They both eventually came to the conclusion that the symptoms they were experiencing were the result of the Fruit of the Previous Life. Perhaps Kurama, who had extensive knowledge about plants, could find something to help them.

Miwa stood and picked up the basketball. She dribbled it a couple times, and its signature bouncing sound reverberated through the empty courtyard. For so long, their lives had seemed normal, separated from the madness of the Dark Tournament, but earlier she found that Demon World insect creeping on Taichi's shoulder, yanking her right back into that chaotic world. She purposefully tipped the water inside Taichi's bottle to spill the contents over his feet as a distraction while she swiped the bug from his shoulder. But, where did it come from? Why were bugs of the Demon World swarming around in the Living World again? Miwa didn't know the answer, but she knew that it wasn't going to be anything good if it were left alone. Instead of searching for Fuura, instead of digging up information on the newly discovered Fruit of the Previous Life, perhaps she should meet up with her contacts to find out what was going on.

Miwa continued dribbling the ball as she walked back to the gymnasium; it needed to be returned, after all. Her footsteps echoed through the empty building on her way towards the equipment closet. After pulling the door open with one hand, she casually tossed the ball inside, making the storage basket rattle loudly. Behind her, she could hear the door open and the faint sound of footsteps, and for a brief moment, her guard went up from the uncertainty of the demon bug's appearance.

"Oh, hey, Shimizu, thanks for returning the ball."

Miwa turned around, and standing near the entrance with keys in hand was Aki Hoshino, a thin girl with long dark hair and two years Miwa's senior at Meio. She was the captain of the dance club and often in charge of locking up the gym at the end of the day. She and Miwa often met like this whenever Miwa's basketball sessions ran longer than usual.

"You're welcome, Hoshino," Miwa said, relaxing slightly. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

"Not at all," the jersey-clad girl said, "I was just about to go find you if the ball wasn't returned yet." Aki walked up to the equipment closet, double-checking that the door was completely shut before turning the lock with her key. "Speaking of which, did any of the basketball club members come scout you again? I heard them talking about you and Tsutsumi in the locker room."

Miwa shook her head. "Not recently. I think they're getting tired of us turning them down."

Aki smiled, pocketed the key, and put her hands on her hips. "Tsutsumi should just join already since his girlfriend is also in a sports club." She chuckled, but then she looked directly towards Miwa and grinned. "You, on the other hand, might be better suited for our club."

"...What do you mean?"

"It's just...the way you move on the court, I guess," Aki said thoughtfully, spinning her hands in small, graceful circles. "The way you sidestep and stuff around the defense is so fluid… Did you do dance before?"

Miwa recoiled a bit and folded her arms across her chest. "Sort of," she answered, "A long time ago."

"Well, I don't want to force you, but think about it, okay?" Aki winked, playfully. "Even if it was a long time ago, it looks like the fluidity is still ingrained in your body."

If only she knew... Miwa grinned to herself, marveling at the ways her original life bled into her human one. "Thanks, I'll consider it, then," she answered as she turned to leave.

"Great!" Aki checked the equipment closet one last time. "Oh, I forgot to say," she said with her hand still on the doorknob, "Be careful when you leave. Some kid from Sarayashiki Junior High was outside calling some people out just now, and he might have gone into the building."

Miwa froze. "...Calling for...who?" she asked, choosing her words carefully.

"I don't know," Aki shrugged, "He was screaming for 'Kurama' and 'Miwa,' I think? But I've never heard of anyone with those names at our school."

Miwa bolted out the door, ignoring Aki's confused cries that followed after her. She crossed the courts in record speed, and as she approached the back entrance to the school, students filed out while whispering to each other about the strange orange-haired boy parading conspicuously through the campus. Miwa entered the building, ignoring all of the weird stares she was getting, and even at a distance, Kuwabara's distinct voice was echoing through the halls, and Miwa could easily follow his path. What in the world was that boy thinking? Miwa knew he was having trouble recovering his Spirit Energy since the tournament ended, but what could be so important that he would barge into another school and make a total spectacle of himself, even if the whole school knew Kurama and Miwa's real names?

She thought of the bug again. Dammit…

"Aha, there you are, Kurama!"

Just as Miwa reached the top of the first flight of stairs, she heard a loud crash to her left - the same direction of the lab where Kurama studied his plants. Kuwabara must have found him, but… Miwa sprinted down the hall, and up ahead she could even see Botan staring wide-eyed into the lab. Yikes… Miwa finally arrived and held one hand against the frame, momentarily frozen with surprise. Kuwabara had actually kicked down the door, and once he saw her in the corner of his eye, Kuwabara turned to her urgently.

"Miwa! Perfect timing!"

Miwa made a face at him. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Inside the lab, two male students were taking several steps back, still shaking from the shock of a junior high kid literally breaking down the door to their lab. Miwa recognized them as members of the biology club who often came to pressure Kurama into joining.

"Hey, what did he call you?" one of them stammered.

"Who's Kurama?" asked the other.

Kurama threw his hands up nervously, never being this close to having his secret revealed to his schoolmates in quite some time. "Oh, just a meaningless nickname. There's no need to remember it," he insisted.

Kurama leaned towards Kuwabara, whispering harshly that he went by a different name at school. Miwa stepped over the fallen door hastily to join them just as Kurama asked why Kuwabara came to their school. To their surprise, Kuwabara held up a letter to their faces, and Kurama quickly identified the scent of the senders as human.

"Tonight at eleven," the letter said, "Come to the old mansion in Rokurokubi Estate. You may bring as many guests as you like. But Kurama, Miwa, Hiei, and Kuwabara must be among them. If these four don't show up on time, Yusuke Urameshi's survival cannot be guaranteed."

Miwa paled. "So, Yusuke's been…"

"Yeah, that's what's weird! He left with school kids! We've got just four hours to find Hiei."

"Well, he should be somewhere in the city," Kurama said, calmly as ever in spite of the news. "Although his criminal record has been cleared, Koenma still confines him here. I haven't seen him lately, though."

Kuwabara and Botan looked hopefully towards Miwa. "What about you?" Botan asked.

Miwa awkwardly looked to the ground and sighed. "I was keeping tabs on him after the tournament, but he shook me off about a month ago since I was 'annoying' him."

Kuwabara groaned.

"Too bad Hiei's not here," Botan said with clenched fists, "We could use his Jagan Eye to find himself!"

The four of them simultaneously cringed when her words sank in.

"Logic is panic's prey," Kurama said, trying to laugh it off.

Then, they finally noticed the poor biology club president trapped underneath the door and Kuwabara's full weight. In their haste, none of them had noticed Kuwabara was standing on the boy the entire time. Kuwabara lifted the door, gave an awkward apology, and did his best to fit the door back into place, but it clearly didn't run along the sliding track cleanly like it used to. Before the biology club members could ask any other questions, they left the school as discreetly as possible, avoiding the eyes of any teachers that worked late. If there were any consequences about Kuwabara and Botan's intrusion, it would have to come after they saved Yusuke.

Miwa paused. They were going to save Yusuke. Yusuke Urameshi. The Spirit Detective of Earth. Team leader of the Dark Tournament champions. How on Earth was he captured so easily? And by humans, no less. Yusuke and Kuwabara's growth into powerful human fighters was already remarkable. Miwa knew from her extensive search to find Kurama in the Living World that humans developing their spiritual awareness into a fighting force against demons was already rare. Most human children used their powers to simply avoid harm, and many grew out of it if they ignored their powers long enough. Few humans actually honed their spiritual abilities into an offensive power, and even fewer train that power to a level capable of defeating a demon as powerful as Toguro. Those rare few became the subject of infamy among the demons, or sage-like among humans, just as Genkai herself was feared by demons and famous to humans who cared to know things like this. And Yusuke, who was quickly becoming one of those rare few, was captured by humans? Any human capable of capturing Yusuke would surely have garnered some sort of reputation by now, good or bad, among demons or Spirit World. But this...they just popped out of literally nowhere.

Either way, Yusuke's kidnapping was something they had to deal with, and their next step was to find Hiei. Since Hiei stubbornly shook off Miwa's tab on him, finding Hiei within four hours seemed nearly impossible, especially since he clearly didn't want to be found. However, Botan suggested they use Yusuke's Spirit Detective items, the same ones he used to track down Kurama, Miwa, and Hiei when they stole the Artifacts of Darkness from King Yama's vault. They went their separate ways so Botan could collect the items, and they met an hour later at a nearby park. Botan brought with her a giant briefcase full of a random assortment of items. A strange-looking gun, a watch, glasses, and even the briefcase had a screen built into its lid.

"Wow!" Kuwabara exclaimed, "Like a real secret agent!"

Miwa's scanned each individual item, resisting the urge to reach out and inspect them. "To think the Spirit Detective had so many gadgets at his disposal…"

"So, which device will find him?" Kurama asked.

Botan looked thoughtfully into the briefcase, thinking carefully about their abilities, and Miwa had a sudden thought that perhaps Botan had not yet considered which detective item to use. "Here!" She picked up a regular-sized wristwatch, but instead of a clock face, there was a small, red, compass. "The superbly improved Demon Compass. A fresh take on a classic style for tracking down any demon!"

"But, Hiei isn't the only demon in this city..." Miwa said.

"And can't Hiei simply deceive it by manipulating his energy?" Kurama added.

Botan flinched a bit, but then she pressed a small button, and the face of the compass opened to a smaller compartment. "Not anymore thanks to the newly installed Sample Chamber!" she said, pointing excitedly. "By placing his DNA inside, such as from a strand of hair, we can find him regardless of his energy."

"It's too bad I don't carry around a locket of his hair."

Botan flinched again at Kurama's quick rebuttal. "Uh...yes, good point."

Kuwabara and Kurama turned to stared pointedly at Miwa, and she glared right back at them. "Just what do you think I am?" she snapped.

The boys averted their eyes without saying a word.

Botan ignored this exchange and rummaged through the briefcase again. "How about the Psychic Spy Glass?" she said, holding up a small monocle. "We can see through brick walls and search the entire city!"

"In less than an hour?"

Botan averted her eyes from Kurama's questioning stare and frantically searched her briefcase. "Okay, forget seeing through walls!" she said, holding up her finger adorned by a gold ring. "We'll use the Concentration Ring to blow them up!"

She laughed for a couple seconds, but they were all internally cringing. Kuwabara screamed in frustration and rummaged haphazardly through the briefcase, tossing items left and right. Miwa looked on with a mix of sympathy and exasperation over Kuwabara's outburst. However, Miwa couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for giving up her tail on Hiei so quickly. After the tournament ended, did Hiei really have a reason to hang around with them? He was only on probation, and Koenma didn't have any tasks for him that would help his record, like when he was sent to Maze Castle. He wasn't forced to be at their side under threat of death, like at the Dark Tournament. There was no need for Miwa to continually observe his behavior. Without an order from Koenma to join them, Hiei could disappear from their lives completely, and they may never catch up to their speedy companion again.

It was hard to imagine since he had been part of their lives for so long, but really...nothing was keeping Hiei tethered to them, not even a threat to Yusuke.

"Perhaps it's the wrong approach," Kurama said, leaning forward. "Instead of finding him, is there an item that would make him find us?"

There was. A small, yellow item called the Mystic Whistle. The user could create a sound that Botan likened to a dog whistle for apparitions. A stronger spiritual energy would carry the sound farther, and Botan could make it go at least sixty miles. To prepare, she had them all cover their ears, and she took a deep breath. The moment her lips closed around the metal object, a shrill, high-pitched screech surrounded them, even frightening the birds hiding in the trees. Miwa squeezed her eyes shut, already feeling a headache begin to form from the ear-splitting sound that pierced her very brain. Amazing that sound alone could cause physical pain…

The shrill noise subsided, and Botan pulled away from the whistle. "Now we wait for Hiei. Hopefully he shows up."

Behind her, a black mass dropped from a tree as if on cue. The shape somehow made Miwa think of a beetle, but the size was far too big. The crumbled black mass on the ground sat up, holding a bandaged hand to its hear. "What repulsive creature makes my eardrums bleed?" it said in a voice all too familiar.

Hiei.

That was convenient… Miwa thought to herself. I honestly thought we would have to fight of a stampede of demons tracking that sound.

Hiei looked surprised to see them, but Kurama quickly showed him the letter to bring him up to speed. Hiei read it over, and he laughed, tapping the paper lightly with the back of his hand.

"So, the detective's been ensnared. Wish I'd been around to see it. Must have been too cocky to realize his own weakness." The bluntness of his words felt like a punch in Miwa's chest, and he wasn't even talking about her. "Just tell the kidnappers I turned it down. I'm finished babysitting."

Miwa didn't have any delusions that Hiei would join their quest to save Yusuke out of pure desire to help a friend. As she suspected, all this time he was at their side for some reason of his own; never just for the sake of someone else. The one exception may be Yukina, but she wasn't exactly a fighter who could easily defend herself from nasty human crime lords. But Yusuke, who was likely kidnapped because he couldn't pick up his own slack, would get no respect from Hiei, even if he were in the habit of helping others out of kindness. Miwa sighed. This was going to be difficult. As Miwa suspected, the ties Hiei had with any of them were never quite concrete. Hiei was a man who always followed his own needs and interests.

"You must be curious, Hiei," Kurama said. His steady, calm stare had the faintest hint of a smile. "Someone strong enough to overcome Yusuke must surely provide a challenge."

Hiei was silent for a moment, briefly considering it, but then he just huffed. "Nice try, but I no longer care." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and walked away, a small, satisfied smirk on his face.

"How could you even think of walking off, Hiei?" Botan cut in, "If you don't come, Yusuke could be killed!"

"Not my responsibility," he snapped. "You should have learned by now that this is a kill or be killed world. If you're too weak to help yourself, you deserve to fall."

Miwa sighed and looked to the ground. Hiei, the lone pursuer of strength. Decisive and firm in what he wants. Sure, if he didn't act this way, it just wouldn't be Hiei. Miwa admired many qualities Hiei possessed, including this, but it was certainly an inconvenience for their particular situation.

"Then, what if it's to protect yourself?" Miwa asked, folding her arms across her chest. "Humans overpowered Yusuke. We don't know what they're after, but if they know about you, they must know that you're a powerful fighter in this city." Hiei turned his head, staring incredulously at her as if she were just stating the obvious. "They could come after you," she said, "just because you may be a threat to them."

"...Fighting humans?" he said, turning around with a small, pleased grin. "That nearly piques my interest, but not quite."

Miwa rolled her eyes. Even appealing to Hiei's pride and self-preservation didn't work. But, it wasn't as if Miwa could offer any benefits for him. The only benefit anyone would get is saving Yusuke's life. For Miwa, that was enough. But, Hiei...Hiei was different.

"I wonder, Hiei," Botan chimed in. "How have you liked being stuck on probation? Bolted down to one human city?"

"...What do you think?"

Oh...she's onto something…

"Well, if you help bring back Yusuke alive, I'll have Koenma cut your sentence to 'time served.' You'll be free."

Kuwabara flinched, and Miwa didn't even know if Botan had that authority. But, they had no other choice. This was the only benefit they could offer Hiei that would truly interest him, so it was the best way they could continue on to save Yusuke. It was already past 10:30pm. Less than half an hour remained to recruit Hiei and find the mansion. They were running out of time.

"Fighting humans to win my freedom?" Hiei grinned. "Yes, sounds like a deal."

Finally, their team was complete. They left the park together, hurrying towards the meeting place, and there was a familiar sense of camaraderie that Miwa hadn't felt since the tournament. It was...nice...being together again, even if they were rushing off to save their team leader. But, they had to practically twist arms to get Hiei to join. Once this mission was over, Hiei could very well disappear again. And, there would be no probation to even keep him in the city. He could go far away, anywhere his own desires lead him to go, beyond where Miwa could keep track of him within the confines of her human city. Completely free, able to look after Yukina from afar with his Jagan. That would make him happy.

But, I…

{00}

"The House of Four Dimensions - Once entered, this do not: Ever utter the word 'hot.'"

Yuu Kaito posted the one rule for his Territory on the front door of the house. He had waited patiently in his room filled with tropical plants for their guests to arrive. The pet fish were fed and happy in their tanks, the refrigerator was properly stocked with drinks and glasses were prepared; his stage was set, awaiting the appearance of their guest stars. Kaito was most excited to see that not only did they all arrive on time, but his academic adversary, Shuichi Minamino, was in attendance. To think the enigmatic honor student of his school had such a secret life unbeknownst to anyone. But, it certainly clarified that odd relationship with his friend, Himari Shimizu.

Shuichi took the liberty of introducing Kaito to his other friends, even going so far as to call him "remarkably bright for his age." Such a compliment, despite Kaito feeling a slight hint of back handedness when Shuichi specified Kaito's grades were second only to his own. But Kaito was not going to let that bother him right now. He was relishing the idea of secret, hidden lives unknown to their peers, and how he finally got to reveal his own secrets to his rival. And, he got to see even more scary looks from him that Kaito had never seen in the classroom.

However, they appeared to be eager to save Urameshi on the top floor of the house. To think, Shuichi spent his time with such dull friends that could not handle an intellectual conversation where the kidnappers were laying down their rules. All they wanted was to brutishly fight their way through.

"I'll take him," said Hiei, the silent swordsman in black, as he unsheathed his blade. "You'll agree my impatience for human fools will be an asset. Now!"

With speed that actually impressed Kaito, Hiei leapt across the room and fully brandished his sword. Oh, I suppose I did not post about this rule.

"You'll be sorry."

"I doubt that!"

The sword did not reach its mark.

Energy formed a perfect, spherical barrier around Kaito's full body, and even his chair. Despite Hiei's impressive speed and strength, the sword bounced uselessly off the barrier and shattered into pieces from the sheer impact. The broken pieces of steel made small, bell-like sounds as they scattered to the floor, and the surprised look on Hiei's face was absolutely priceless; Kaito almost let light a light chuckle. The face of pure shock as Hiei's trusty weapon was proven useless and broken in one hit right before his eyes.

"Never doubt."

"How the heck did he just do that?!" Kuwabara exclaimed, "Energy came right out of nowhere! It looked weird!"

Kaito rested his chin on the back of his palm as he leaned his elbow against the armrest of his chair. He couldn't help it. Their shock and confusion brought a gleeful smile to his face.

"As you see," he explained, "this is a very special room where brute strength cannot exist." Quite a revelation for a room full of fighters, even for someone as smart as Shuichi. "Only your words have power here, just make sure you follow my one posted rule."

What a mysterious, fascinating power Kaito discovered just one month before. The power to distort spacetime such that the rules he sets in his Territory become physical law. They were simple rules: no violence, and do not say the taboo word. Simple to understand, disastrous should you fail to uphold. However, a battle of words instead of fists was something Shuichi's friends had a hard time grasping. Shuichi remained unfazed, but Hiei's expression was all the evidence Kaito would need.

"I see why that disturbs you, Hiei," he said, hiding his glee with a small tone of comfort. "In the world of fighting, your skills let you bully anybody you want." The comforting pretense dropped, and Kaito no longer held back his glee. "But in my Territory, you're just a tiny, swordless man."

Hiei stood up, clenching his sheath tightly in his hand, just like a bully about to throw a tantrum because he didn't get his way. Behind him, Shuichi seemed to know what was about to happen. "Control your temper, Hiei!" he exclaimed. "He wants you to act out of anger."

Oh ho...

Hiei's eyes seemed to sparkle, but Kaito wasn't sure why. "Ha, any buffoon can make a shield. How do we know your other claim isn't just a bluff?"

Kaito smiled. "There's...only one way."

"No three-letter word can rule my fate." Hiei grinned right back; so arrogant. "Hot!"

He said it.

Hiei's body was engulfed into a white and purple energy that echoed loud crackling sounds throughout the room. His once cocky, prideful grin turned into a small 'o' of surprise, trying to comprehend exactly what was happening. His friends watched on in horror, unsure what they could possibly do to help. Shimizu stepped forward with her arm outstretched, about to jump in herself if Shuichi didn't block her path with his own arm. By the refrigerator, the water in Kaito's fish bowl spontaneously swirled over the rim and spilled, leaving a noticeable puddle on the ground. At the same time, Shimizu retracted her arm and clutched at her chest, wincing slightly but keeping her eyes trained on Hiei, and Shuichi glanced at the small puddle, both surprised and concerned.

How interesting…

The white and purple flame released Hiei's body and gathered in Kaito's hand, forming a maroon orb that burned brightly with the light of Hiei's extracted soul. His flesh lost all its color and fell to the ground like a lifeless statue. Kuwabara and Botan rushed to his side, confirming with their own hands the consequence of speaking the taboo word. Shuichi and Shimizu stayed in place, but the dangerous look in their piercing stares was something Kaito had never seen before. Shimizu looked ready to commit murder.

"Now we've taken two hostages. Urameshi's having his fun upstairs." Kaito made eye contact with Shuichi, and again, there was that scary look he had never seen in school. "So, what's your next move?" he asked. "Go home? Or play through the round?"

Kaito warned them. He clearly posted the rules of his territory for all to see. For one month, Kaito and his friends worked hard to harness the strange power they received, and he finally got to experience that secret lifestyle his adversary lived every day. Secrets...dueling opponents with special powers… With Kaito's power, he could manifest his Territory with a ten-meter radius around him.

"As long as I concentrate, everything inside it has to follow the rules I've set. Imagination turned to physical law!"

Shuichi narrowed his eyes. "So, by that logic, if we incapacitate you, the rules will cease, and Hiei's soul will return to his body."

"...I don't know. Maybe." Kaito smiled. "No one's beaten me yet, so it hasn't come up."

Now that everything was clear, they only had two choices. Kuwabara was especially impatient, and Kaito thought it must have been lonely for Shuichi to only have intelligent conversations with Shimizu. But then again...even Shimizu's grades were above average at best. Either way, their little group of fighters had to make their choice. They could leave their friends behind and escape the house. Or, they could challenge Kaito in his own Territory and fight a battle of words to retrieve Hiei's soul. Just the look in Shimizu's eyes alone was enough to know her answer, but Shuichi was a mystery as always.

"Wait, you're forgettin' the third option," Kuwabara said.

"Really?" Kaito said, genuinely intrigued. "I'm drawing a blank. What do you mean?"

Kuwabara stood up with a determined fire in his eyes. "We forget about Hiei for now and move on. That's my vote!"

Botan nearly fell over from surprise. Shimizu covered her face with her palm. Shuichi remained expressionless, but Kaito felt nothing but amused.

"I never expected to hear that from you, Kuwabara," Botan said. "Hiei is your teammate!"

"It's his own code!" Kuwabara retaliated. "Right? You had to bribe him to help Urameshi because he said weak men deserve to fall. Then he turns around and says the wrong thing on purpose, just to be cool!" Kuwabara shrugged his shoulders, finally sick of Hiei's antics, and as much as his friends didn't like his words, he wasn't wrong. "Let's just save him for when we're through. That'll teach him a lesson."

"You have a brain after all," Kaito said. "Of course, it's not a very good one. That option isn't valid."

"Why not? You can't hold us back!"

"No," Kaito started, and with perfect timing, Mitsunari Yanagisawa emerged from the door behind him. "But you can't go through a doorway if you don't have the proper key."

Yana guarded the first door Shuichi and his friends would have to go through to find Yusuke Urameshi, and he held the only key. Kuwabara was already becoming impatient and tried to force the key from Yana. Just like a brutish punk, a mere taunt from Yana was all it took for Kuwabara to lose his temper and try punch Yana in the face. However, just like with Hiei, the energy shield immediately formed, protecting Yana from any sort of violence, and Kuwabara's fist crumbled painfully against the barrier wall. Yana gently brushed a teasing hand over Kuwabara's hair, reminding him about the rule prohibiting violence in Kaito's territory. They have to be gentle with each other. Kaito doesn't like violence. Kuwabara's third option was not valid. Yana slipped the key into his breast pocket, and Kuwabara had no way to get it without being "gentle."

Two options: abandon Hiei and Yusuke to escape with their souls intact, or play by the kidnapper's rules and save their friends from the power of Territory. But, would they have the ability to do either?

"So, you finally decide?"

Shuichi's expression darkened. "I'll play by your rules, Kaito," he said, "whatever they are."

Kaito laughed. "Good."

Finally, their secret worlds came together, and the showdown could begin.

{00}

All of Kaito's guests begrudgingly sat down on chairs, each of them facing Kaito, who nonchalantly read a book to pass the time. For them, it must have been the most boring battle. They, who fought their way to victory with fists, kicks, weapons, and special powers, now had to rely on words to win the day. But, it wasn't as if they could force Kaito to say the taboo word, so they just sat there, sitting, waiting, passing the time by, maybe hoping that Kaito would just get sick of it and call the game off himself. The room was hot and humid, making them feel even more uncomfortable, and sweaty, on top of a fear to even speak. Kuwabara unbuttoned his coat to cool off , Botan fanned herself with her hands, Shimizu stared thoughtfully at the fish tank and the puddle of water on the ground, and Shuichi sat as calmly as he always did with his arms folded across his chest. But, even in the room's dim lighting, Kaito could see a layer of sweat glimmering faintly on their skin. Kaito didn't mind, not even the sweat; he was used to it from keeping his tropical plants.

Kuwabara finally broke their silence, realizing that talking itself was not prohibited. He complained of the heat, as Kaito expected, and asked Shuichi and Shimizu for more information about Kaito. Since they were classmates, Shuichi took the lead and explained about how exemplary Kaito is as a student, since he had garnered a much attention for his intellect, particularly for being ranked at the "genius" level, and received some of the highest scores since the founding of their school. Shimizu remained quiet, watching them carefully and silently.

Kaito lowered his book. "Well, that's a roundabout way of bragging, isn't it, Shuichi?" he pointed out. "If I'm such a prince, you must be the king, since you always beat me on tests."

Since the school year began, Kaito had always been ranked in second place; second only to the scores of Shuichi Minamino. Kaito told his teacher earlier that day that there was more to life than textbooks and grades, but he couldn't deny that always coming in second was a point of contention, even if it was only one-sided on his part. However, Kaito had yet to decide whether learning of Shuichi's true heritage changed his feelings on that matter. After all, how could Kaito, genius he may be, compete with a demon holding centuries worth of knowledge? The only way was to utilize his power of Taboo and meet his adversary on a level playing field.

"Cumulatively, yes, my grades are superior," Shuichi said. "But in certain subjects, such as language and literature, you far surpass me. You've even published essays on literary theory."

"So he's a young genius writer, huh?" Kuwabara frowned. "I bet we're cooler than anything you've read in a book!"

"...Not really."

Kuwabara grunted in frustration. "It's so obvious what you're trying! Making us sweat out in this room so we'll say your magic word." He wiped his sweat with the back of his hand. "I mean, it must be a hundred degrees."

"Eighty, actually, with eighty percent humidity. I keep my room like this so I can raise my tropical plants. My tribute to Shuichi." Next to the fridge were displays of tall, leafy plants. Flowers of pale colors reached nearly three feet in height, thriving wonderfully in the humidity, and their leaves shone a vibrant, healthy green. "But if the conditions are making you thirsty, I have plenty of drinks in the fridge." Kaito looked to his right. "I even have glasses."

Shimizu grinned. "How kind of you. Hydration is so important when we're sitting here sweating like this."

Kaito smiled right back at her, noticing it was the first time Shimizu spoke since their battle began. "Of course," he said. "You are all my guests, after all."

Kuwabara wasn't amused by their playful exchange and stood up. He loomed over Kaito with his staggering height, radiating the air of a regular thug. Kaito chuckled, thinking that this boy only had his thug persona and could not settle for a battle of wits. He accused Kaito of poisoning the drinks and insisted that Kaito tried the drinks first. But, the suggestion only made Kaito chuckle some more. Then, as Kuwabara turned to inspect the fridge himself, Botan stood up and decided to serve everyone herself; perhaps the heat was also causing her to feel antsy. She opened the fridge and reviewed the contents, but of course, there was nothing suspicious to be found. Kaito had no intention to harm his guests without cause.

"O.J?" she suggested. "It's better for you than soda."

Kuwabara wiped his sweat one more time. "That's fine, just pour it over ice and we can share with each other, as long as we have two straws."

Oh ho...

"Your confidence in my health is charming."

Kuwabara winced in pain, and he sucked in his stomach. A familiar white energy engulfed his body, shocking his three friends as they stood up in surprise. The energy crackled and sparked, extracting Kuwabara's very soul from his body. Just like with Hiei, the energy formed into a sphere, and Kuwabara's soul shined bright yellow from within.

"Good. Victim two."

"But why?" Shuichi asked.

"You're cheating, Kaito!" Botan said, pointing directly at him. "He never came close to saying hot!"

Shuichi and Shimizu immediately turned around and stared at Botan. When she realized what she had just done, she brought her hands to her mouth in surprise, but they quickly fell to her side as the white energy engulfed her body and took her soul as well.

"That's three."A bright blue orb floated gently above Kaito's hand, aligned with the yellow and maroon souls of Kuwabara and Hiei. "I can't believe that was so easy."

Maybe the phrasing of Kaito's posted rule was a bit unfair, but he didn't think Shuichi and Shimizu's hot-headed friends would handle the intricacies of the rules. It wasn't just the word "hot" that needed to be avoided in their speech. They cannot say the letters h, o, and t in a row, even if they are part of different words. You could not win by simply avoiding the word "hot," you also had to be careful with what you say. One slip, and you could accidentally say those letters in a row. And staying silent was not an option. Not for them, anyway, if they wanted to save their friends. Shuichi and Shimizu sat back down once they understood, and their puzzle of diction resumed.

"...Souls are so pretty; I like the girl's best. Souls are the only thing you can't make stronger by training. You can only make them darker." He smiled. "What do you say, Shuichi? Shimizu? Should I darken mine right now, by breaking these? It feels so strange having this power over people. ...You must feel it all the time. I've heard you, Shimizu, won a battle by taking complete control of someone else's body."

"...Power over people doesn't come without consequence, especially if you don't hold all the cards," Shimizu said, glaring steadily at him. "You may know who we are, Kaito, but you have never truly seen us."

...All the cards, hm?

"Is that so?" Kaito's left hand hovered over his captives, feeling a strange sense of excitement well up. "Then, maybe I'll come a bit closer to your darker world and just make a little scratch..."

"...I'm warning you." Shuichi's deep, threatening voice cut through them all. "You so much as bruise what's in your hand, and I'll show you pain. The hue of your soul will cease to matter because you will not be judged when you die. You will no longer exist."

Kaito had been told that the two schoolmates before him were demons. They integrated in the human world and never showed their true face. However, with Shuichi's words, Kaito realized that this was his first glimpse to their true selves. The three of them sat there in their matching school uniforms, but underneath that disguise were two other faces, and the look in their eyes was nothing Kaito had ever seen before. Almost like...he was looking at different people. Especially Shuichi, the boy who was always calm and smiling at his classmates. Now, his voice sounded like someone much crueler, and his eyes narrowed into a look that Kaito would almost call evil. If it were that face, his threat of erasing Kaito's existence actually seemed plausible. A strange feeling shifted around in Kaito's stomach; was he getting nervous?

"Interesting," Kaito said, adjusting his glasses. "You'll have to show me how to talk like that once I beat you."

"How long can you afford this brazen facade?" He held up his hand, and Shuichi held a very familiar key.

"What the? How did you get that key?"

Kaito stood up, turning to gain an explanation from Yana. In his haste, a bead of sweat dripped down his back, feeling almost like a chill down his spine. The feeling in his stomach grew stronger, like his muscles were contracting from pure nerves.

"He's bluffing you, man. I got it here in my pocket." Yana reached into his pocket, reaching for the key, but suddenly, the color drained from his face. "It's gone! But he never even come in the hall!"

Then, they both looked up. A long, leafy vine had grown across the roof of the hallway, creeping along the tiled surface as it sneaked behind Yana completely unnoticed.

"I was not stopped since I refrained from violence," Shuichi explained. "With gentle discreetness, I merely borrowed the key from your coat pocket." Behind his chair, leafy green plants sprouted from nothing, and they wiggled with a certain life behind them that Kaito never saw in normal plants. "Seems we can use our powers in your Territory, as long as we follow the rules."

The puddle that spilled from the fish tank picked itself up from the floor. The water from the tank itself also joined in, fish included, and floated through the air towards Shimizu. It coiled around her chair in a long stream, and the tropical fish swam erratically through it, confused and curious, but they did not fall out. Now Kaito understood. When that water first spilled out of the tank, whether it was intentional or not, Shuichi and Shimizu learned their powers were still valid within the Territory.

"Keep those souls in perfect condition, Kaito," Shuichi warned. "You've found yourself in over your head."

Fascinating. Simply fascinating.

Despite all his careful planning, Kaito did not control the whole situation. How long had Shuichi been holding the key? Was it before or after Kuwabara and Botan's souls were taken? "All the cards," Shimizu had said. All the cards, indeed. Did she see the plant creeping its way down the hall, even when Yana could not? Or, without exchanging as much as a glance, did she already know his plan? So fascinating. The odd feeling in his stomach changed, but this time Kaito could not identify how it felt.

"You can't intimidate me, even if you hold that card. I still have the upper hand. You have to beat me at my game."

Shimizu crossed her arms, and the water coiled around her returned to the tank. "Then, if this is your game, would you like to change it up a bit?"

"Hm? How so?"

Shimizu grinned a wide smirk that somehow reminded Kaito of Hiei. She was cocky, this one, just like the others. Cocky and reckless. Kaito had seen glimpses of it whenever he saw her playing on the basketball courts at school, but in this house, in his Territory, he could finally see it at its full form. It was surprising that someone like her had kept quiet for so long.

"...I'm not the one you want to challenge here, am I?"

Kaito didn't respond, but Shuichi furrowed his eyebrows in what Kaito assumed was cautious concern, and that in itself was intriguing too.

"You've talked to us about scores and intelligence since we arrived," Shimizu continued, nonchalantly waving her hand in the air, "but all of that has been directed towards Kurama, the one who always beats you." She huffed a bit, but her smirk never faded. "I've only been here for four years, and I've studied my ass off to just be above average compared to other humans. I've never been a challenge to you, but he has. I'm just an extra in this game you've carefully set up, like them." She gestured behind her to the three standing bodies of her soulless friends.

Kaito smiled wryly back at her. "Perhaps you're right," he said.

Shimizu crossed her legs and leaned her elbows on her knees, still keeping that reckless grin. "You want to change the Taboo, don't you?" she asked. "Something more challenging, perhaps, and you're waiting for the extras to be eliminated before you do it, because you knew your school rival would be smart enough to outlast the others."

"Miwa…"

Cocky, reckless, but surprisingly brave. How amusing. Kaito struggled to keep from chuckling too loudly. "I underestimated you, Shimizu. You're much smarter than your grades would suggest."

"Grades aren't everything, Kaito."

Shuichi turned to her. "Miwa, don't do this," he said, and the cruelness in his eyes from before had disappeared.

"Why not? I'm tired of sitting around," she said, not even looking at Shuichi. "We could be here forever as long as we don't say the word, but I doubt such a genius would create a challenge with no definite end." Her eyes narrowed down to slits that reminded Kaito of a snake. Shimizu grinned, and her teeth looked sharper than before. The top of a pouch she laid by her chair popped open, and a small stream of water coiled around her hand. She held it up to be level with Kaito's face, and teeth in her smile sharpened into fangs. "I mean, I would love to end this now by covering your mouth and nose until you drown, but I have a feeling my intentions alone might be perceived as 'violent' in your Territory."

The water stream uncoiled itself from her hand and floated freely through the air. It approached Kaito slowly and purposefully, almost as if it had a will of its own, looping around Kaito's head. Then, the stream loop snapped closed. However, before the water even touched his skin, before breathing even became an issue, a familiar crackle of energy surrounded him and a shield held back Shimizu's water. The stream struggled against the perfect barrier in a futile attempt to cover Kaito's nose and mouth until it peacefully retreated to its original resting place in Shimizu's pouch. Shimizu watched on without a single change in expression, predicting that entire outcome. Kaito smiled to himself. She certainly had a flair for the theatrics.

"You stole my friends' souls, Kaito, and I just want to get them back," she continued. "I'm sure Kurama has a lovely suggestion for a new Taboo, so I'll remove myself from all this nonsense so you two can have your duel."

"You'll leave Shuichi alone."

"...He doesn't need me to beat you."

Shuichi's expression slowly changed from its usual clam. Was he mad? Was he scared? Kaito didn't know. After all, one of Shuichi's greatest strengths was precise control over his emotions. But, Shuichi was definitely not happy. He leaned forward in his seat, as if he were going to say something. But, before he could, Shimizu sat up, straightening herself as her fangs retracted and turned into a more sly smile.

"Miwa, don't!"

"Hot."

Shuichi stood up with enough force to knock back his chair. It skid across the floor and nearly toppled backward, but its two front legs returned to the ground with a loud clack. He reached out his hand to stop her, but it was too late. The white energy engulfed Shimizu's body too. Unlike the others, she continued to keep her smile, despite the pain of having your soul extracted. The energy pulled away, and Shimizu's body remained in the chair like a smiling statue, silent and still. Shuichi watched, wide-eyed, as the energy formed into a new orb in Kaito's hand, and the soul of his long-time partner and friend shone a bright, blinding white. The hand he extended dropped to his side like a stone as he stared at her still, lifeless face.

"I'm seeing so many sides of you today, Shuichi," Kaito said, wiggling his fingers underneath his hostages. "I've never seen you so flustered. Are the rumors about the two of you true, after all?"

Shuichi didn't answer and sat back down. The shock from seconds before disappeared, but there was nothing in its place, as if Shuichi's soul had been lost as well. No emotion. No thoughts. No life whatsoever behind those green eyes. Just a completely unreadable mask that actually caused Kaito to pause. If he didn't know any better, Kaito might just think that Shuichi didn't care at all. But surely, surely underneath that perfect mask was a raging storm of emotions. Shuichi was known for his self-control, but Kaito still had to tread carefully. That raging storm was certainly full of vengeful thoughts, ready to follow through on Shuichi's first threat.

"Truly reckless, that one. I've never seen someone offer up their soul to my Territory so willingly," Kaito continued. "She must really trust you. I hope you actually have an idea for a new Taboo, like she said."

Shuichi's hands folded in his lap, and he crossed his legs as casually as ever. "I do, and I assure you," he said quietly. He held up his hand and pointed directly at Kaito. "I will force you to speak the Taboo within twenty-six minutes, and thereby free my friends' souls."

Kaito grinned, very intrigued. "That's quite specific. I would love to hear what you have in mind."

Shuchi explained his plan with his ever-present calm; Kaito was actually impressed. The Taboo would start off as one letter, then gradually increase in number every sixty seconds. They would go through the entire alphabet, starting from the end, at Z, and after twenty-six minutes, every single letter would become Taboo. What a fascinating imagination Shuichi had to come up with his plan, taking Kaito's original puzzle of diction to the highest level and ending it within a precise time, just as Shimizu wanted. A clever plan worthy of Kaito's academic rival. However, there was one last thing of note.

"And what if you cannot get me to break the rules in twenty-six minutes?"

Shuichi stared at Kaito, keeping up that emotionless mask. Without fear or hesitation, he tilted his head and said, "Then you may have my soul as well."

"...Oh my."

Recklessness; it must have rubbed off on him too. Kaito adjusted his glasses. Or, perhaps seeing his dear partner lose her soul before his eyes made him a bit hasty. Shuichi himself acknowledged Kaito's literary talents, and to do his new powers their due diligence, Kaito buried himself in all sorts of puzzles, studying their inner workings and strategies to the point of obsession. Yet, Shuichi waltzes into Kaito's own Territory, confidently declaring his victory like this was own his idea all along. No matter how much knowledge and experience Shuichi amassed in his long life, Kaito was confident he would still win. They decided to start their game neatly at 1 AM, and once the clock struck, Kaito willed his Territory to change its rules, they felt the shift in the space around them, and in turn, the posting on the door changed to reflect the new challenge.

"Follow the rule, both Host and Guest. Don't utter a letter crossed off from the list. Eac sixty seconds, note too, another letter becomes Taboo."

Their game began, and only one minute to speak freely.

"Better get any Z words out of you before they're Taboo," Kaito teased, "Zealous zebras and crazy zinc zippers."

Shuichi said nothing.

The second hand made its first revolution, and the last letter of the alphabet became Taboo. A piece of paper with each letter written out lay on a table between them, and the power of Kaito's Territory marked off the forbidden letter with a big, red X. Kaito leaned forward to inspect the piece of paper.

"The next will be more of a challenge. We'll forfeit the letter Y. Why oh why must we lose the letter Y? What if we need to cry?" Kaito taunted, stressing every single Y he could muster. "I find this game very...enjoyable, don't you?"

"Be careful, Kaito," Shuichi warned. "You'll tire yourself and make a mistake."

The seconds ticked on; on and on and on. One by one, the taboo letters increased in number. After five minutes, letters all the way up to V were taboo, and the challenge reached its next level. They talked briefly, as much as they could, taunting each other while speech was still partially free. But, Shuichi never spoke unless spoken to first. He made no effort to elicit words from Kaito, Taboo or otherwise. He just sat there with his hands neatly folded in his lap as the seconds ticked away more and more Taboo letters. It was almost...irritating. Kaito was expecting a true battle of wits and words, full of clever dialogue as they tried back and forward to trick the other into saying the Taboo. Instead, it was nearly the opposite, and the constant humidity in the room only furthered Kaito's irritation. In the silence between their brief talks, Kaito could feel every bead of sweat form until it dribbled down his skin. Eighty degrees with eighty percent humidity. Kaito made sure to hydrate himself properly before this meeting began, but after sitting in this room for over two hours, he couldn't let the heat get to him. Inside, he could feel his body twisting and churning, compensating for the heat around him with sweat and thirst as the last bits of fluids processed through his systems.

Ten minutes passed. Almost the halfway point of their game, and the letters up to Q were now Taboo. S, T, and U, three very common letters, prohibited from their speech; the challenge would only grow with every minute, and neither of them had yet to show their final hand. Kaito stood up. Finally, he discovered the source of the strange feeling in his stomach.

"Going off?" Shuichi asked.

"Need a john," Kaito answered curtly.

He walked down the hallway, and with a quick warning to Yana about staying quiet, Kaito entered an adjacent bathroom. As the door shut behind him, he felt alone for the first time in hours, and Kaito could finally compile his thoughts as he finished his business. In the confines of the small room, he could almost smell how much sweat he had perspired from the humidity and nerves; Shuichi's piercing stare had more of an effect on him than he thought. What in the world was Shuichi's plan? Kaito checked his watch, and nearly fifteen minutes had passed since their game began, but all Shuichi had done was respond to Kaito's taunting. There was only one alternative strategy. With time, the Taboo would force them to stay completely silent. He must be planning some sort of trick to force the Taboo when no sounds were allowed.

Another bead of sweat dripped down Kaito's temple. Kaito was up against a demon. He had to tread carefully.

A loud bang resounded from beyond the door. Kaito exited the bathroom as fast as he could, only to find Yana unconscious on the ground. He knelt down beside his friend. How was this possible? Violence wasn't allowed. Unless… The plant vine above his head wiggled along the roof, as if taunting him. Of course. Violent acts weren't allowed, like Shimizu forcibly covering Kaito's mouth and nose with water. But, gently picking someone up and dropping them to the ground was something else entirely. Yana may have been knocked out, but it was by the most indirect method possible. It was impressive, actually. Shuichi managed to find a loophole without any tests of his own.

He clenched his fists. Perhaps...Kaito was wrong about this game. Did Shuichi really intend to give him an honest challenge? What did Kaito really know about Shuichi's abilities from just hearsay? Shimizu's only desire was to save their friends' souls and Yusuke Urameshi. She openly expressed her desire to harm Kaito and disable his Territory to meet that goal, but Shuichi's plan wouldn't necessarily reach the same conclusion. What if...what if he found a way to take their souls and run?

Kaito rushed back to the main room, but a forest of tall, gigantic plants blocked his way, completely overtaking the room and slithering their way into the hall. They towered over Kaito in height as they wiggled and shook with a life of their own, just like the vine above Kaito's head. Each petal of the flower on top was larger than his head, the stems flexed and contracted like it had a pulse, and strange noises emanated from them like they were trying to speak. Kaito didn't recognize most of the plants, regardless of their size, but some of Kaito's own tropical plants were mixed in the makeshift forest, grown to unbelievable size and vibrance.

Bastard! How could he do this so quickly?

Kaito forced his way through the brush, noticing that even grass had managed to make a bed on the floor. The plants he pushed out of the way sometimes snapped to slap him on the shoulders, and Kaito could swear it almost felt like a real hand was pushing him back. Was this Shuichi's plan all along? Force them to lose sight of each other and create unease with a blatant display of his own power. But...there was no guarantee Kaito would ever leave the room so Shuichi could grow his mutant forest. Kaito wiped more sweat from his forehead, but when he looked down at the drops of liquid on the back of his hand, he suddenly knew.

"How kind of you. Hydration is so important when we're sitting here sweating like this..."

Sweat... Shimizu, a demon able to control water… Was it possible she did something to Kaito's body to assure he would leave to the bathroom? It wasn't impossible; Kaito said himself that she once took control of the water in someone else's body. And with the humidity, it must have been easy for her to access Kaito's own fluids through his sweat. How annoying. Even with her soul stolen, Shimizu was still around keeping an eye on her partner. But, that was probably the extent of what she could do without becoming violent. Her final parting gift was spent, and now it was just Kaito's Territory against Shuichi and his plants. The room once known for its odd architectural design turned into a completely different world.

This is how it should be, adversary. Your world against mine…

Kaito found the center of the room, but everything was as he left it. The still figures of his hostages, the colorful lights of their souls, the piece of paper on the table between their chairs marking off each letter that became Taboo. But, Shuichi was gone. His chair sat empty, and the only one remaining in her seat was Shimizu's statue-like body. Where did Shuichi go? He wouldn't abandon his friends; not after threatening Kaito's very existence. ...Of course. This was his strategy. Just like Kaito thought,the only option was to scare him into screaming the Taboo at the last minute. Kaito searched around the room, looking through every crack between the growing, writhing plants, but he couldn't see Shuichi anywhere. Each plant wiggled with its own eerie life that was surely meant to intimidate him. Creaks, groans, and rustles within the brush made Kaito jump in anticipation each time. The plants overtook the fridge, they surrounded the fishbowl, but the plants dared not disturb the fish inside. Kaito needed to calm down, but more than the rustling plants, he could hear the ticking of the clock more clearly, counting down the seconds until Shuichi would surely emerge.

Three minutes left.

Kaito covered his mouth, ignoring just how much his hands were shaking. As long as Kaito remained in the middle of the room, Shuichi could not sneak up on him; the rustling plants would give him away. Even if he used another creeping plant to sneak by, if Kaito just remained vigilant, he would not be startled. Focus. Accept that the unexpected could happen. The shaking in his hands moved to his entire body as the nerves began to set in. The ticking of the clock drowned out the sounds of the living plants. He can do it. He can beat him. He will see Shuichi coming no matter what he does.

Two minutes left.

"BA!"

An unstoppable jolt rippled through Kaito's entire body, as if he were electrocuted by a simple shout from behind. His breath hitched in his throat like a dry heave as a yelp of surprise was only blocked by his measly hands closing his lips, and the back of Kaito's throat stung from the force of holding back his scream.

No! Don't scream! If you scream, you could make the wrong sound!

Control it…

Control it…

Kaito took a deep breath, releasing his mouth from the confines of his hands. His heartbeat still pounded in his ears, his throat still burned, his chest still felt tight, but...the urge to scream was gone.

The clock struck. One minute remained.

I did it! I beat you Shuichi Minamino!

Kaito turned around, ready to relish in his victory, and then he saw Shuichi's face.

{00}

The plants receded, returning to their normal size as Kurama released his control over them. The space around him seemed to flash, returning to a dimension that he was very familiar with. Kaito's soulless body fell to the ground, frozen in a pose of laughter and ecstasy while his soul floated above it shining a pale green. The souls of Kurama's friends quickly returned to their original bodies, and the life in their eyes returned, one by one. Kuwabara celebrated his return excitedly, Botan and Hiei looked around curiously at their surroundings, and Miwa returned smiling, just as she did when she left.

Kurama waited patiently for their revival in his chair with his hands folded neatly in his lap. "Kaito's Territory is no more."

His friends looked down at Kaito's incapacitated body, just as lifeless and still as they were only moments ago. Kuwabara sweated nervously, not just from the heat. Even though they did not have to fight with their fists, this was a challenge that nearly wiped them all out.

"Wait, Miwa, you got your soul stolen too?" Kuwabara asked.

Miwa grinned, slightly embarrassed. "I wouldn't say 'stolen.' More…'sacrificed,' like a chess piece!"

"I told you, you didn't have to do that."

She shrugged her shoulders at Kurama, purposefully avoiding his stare.

"Well, he got it in the end," Kuwabara cut in, "But man, we'd be toasted without you, Kurama." Then, he glanced to his left at their friend clad in black. "And no thanks to you, Hiei! Getting us in trouble with your 'I'm so tough' act..."

Hiei's eyes flickered to different points around the room, but he didn't say anything. Being scolded by Kuwabara, of all people, was definitely something he wasn't used to.

"It's true, he nearly had us," Kurama said calmly, trying to calm the tension. "Ironic after all his grave intentions, the one thing to unravel him was a laugh."

Miwa stood up to inspect Kaito's body. Botan joined her, and they took a closer look at Kaito's soulless, laughing face. He pointed forward with a look of pure mirth, and immobilized tears teetered on the edge of his eyes. Miwa and Botan both wore identical looks of curiosity, but suddenly, Miwa covered her mouth and giggled like an excited child into her hand. Hiei, standing off on the side, rolled his eyes at her. Botan and Kuwabara just stared, not quite understanding what was going on, and turned back.

"At least he looks happy...?" Botan said quietly.

"Kurama, what in the world did you do to him?" Kuwabara asked.

He smiled and tilted his head. "That's a secret."

Miwa continued to giggle, and Hiei watched her, making a face like he thought she was an idiot. He shook his head, stuffed his hands back in his pockets, and walked past Kuwabara, clearly tired of Kaito and this room and wanted to put it all behind him. Kurama took the key from his pocket, and they stepped over Yanagisawa's unconscious body to get to the door once Miwa stopped giggling to herself. They unlocked the door with ease, but before them...was yet another door. Kuwabara reached out and turned the knob, but as they expected, it was also locked.

"Of course, there's another door," Kuwabara grumbled.

Miwa held her chin thoughtfully as she tested the locked door herself. "Did Kaito ever leave the room?" she asked.

"Yes," Kurama nodded, "Thanks to your efforts, I presume."

She flashed him a cheeky grin. "I bet he has this door's key hidden on him somewhere. You already had the first door's key, and if he left you alone, it's not like this guy could stop you from moving on without using violence himself," she explained, prodding Yanagisawa's ribs with her foot.

Kuwabara eagerly searched Kaito's pockets and retrieved the second key. He strode up to the door and turned the lock. Thankfully, they heard a familiar clicking sound of an unlocked door and Kuwabara pushed through the open door...right into another door.

"Ugh, I'm sick of this gosh darn house!" Kuwabara groaned, pulling at his hair, and he slammed his foot against the wall.

"Hold on, there's another note posted here."

Miwa tore down a white sheet of paper taped to the door. With similar writing as the kidnapper's first message, it warned them that the last door should not be opened without Yanagisawa's expressed permission, or else Yusuke would be killed. Miwa read the note aloud to her friends before crumpling it up and throwing it at Yanagisawa's unconscious body out of frustration.

"They've thought of everything, haven't they," she muttered.

Botan knelt down next to Yanagisawa. "I guess we have to wake him up."

"We should find the key first," Miwa said, cracking her knuckles as she walked back to the main room. "I'm not letting them hold all the cards…"

Kurama and Hiei watched from the hallway as Kuwabara, Miwa, and Botan searched Yanagisawa's pockets and the rest of the room for the third key. Kurama was glad that losing their souls, however temporary it may have been, did not leave lasting effects on them. They searched and grumbled with just as much energy as always. Even Miwa, who manipulated fluids in Kaito's own body, did not seem fatigued at all. Perhaps the fluids she manipulated weren't very rich in Life Energy. Although, she did unintentionally spill water from the fishbowl earlier when Hiei's soul was stolen, but Kurama and Miwa were just recently talking about how her symptoms had disappeared. It didn't make sense.

"...Why the hell did she need to sacrifice her own soul?" Hiei asked. Clearly, Kuwabara and Botan messing up wasn't much of a surprise for him.

Kurama kneeled down to pick up the note Miwa crumpled and gave him a small smile. "She just wanted to save you guys as soon as possible," he said.

Hiei's face scrunched up a bit as he recoiled from those words. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked away, choosing instead to stare intently at the wall as he muttered, "Ridiculous," under his breath.

Kurama chuckled to himself and made his way to the main room, leaving Hiei alone to brood at the wall in silence. Kurama passed by Kaito's fallen body and looked down. Kurama himself was the one Kaito wanted to challenge, as Miwa said, so that was probably why things turned out the way they did. Kaito nearly accepted Miwa's own intelligence when she figured out his plan, but...he also figured out some things on his own.

"I've never seen you so flustered. Are the rumors about the two of you true, after all?"

Kurama pushed those thoughts away and joined the search for the last key.

---

Notes: My longest chapter to date! I had planned Miwa's part in the battle against Kaito a long time ago, and it's great to finally have it written down. When the series is full of one-on-one battles, it's hard to show her (reckless) self-sacrificing tendencies. But, it was also a lot of fun exploring more of Miwa's school life and pulling in more "normal" characters like Saya or Aki. I've talked about the meaning of my original characters' names before, but characters like Taichi, Saya, and Aki honestly don't get as much significance. They're meant to be "normal" people, so I just give them very "normal" names. Also, clearly some liberties were taken with the framework of the Taboo Kurama suggests, shortening the time from forty-five minutes to twenty-six. I just think the dub would have done the same if the animation didn't show the clock ending the game at 1:45.