A.N. I'm back! Thankyou for your patience; my new job has taken up a lot of my brain space but the new chapter is ready for you to enjoy.

TheZod: Yes, Yusuke has some character growth to do, and a few things to prove as well. I can't wait to get into Sakura's growth. That will be wild.

Ghost of Magic: Hinageshi is their best chance!

Hina714: Yeah, I owe her a HUGE apology for everything she's gone through...I know you'll love her relationship with Raizen though!

Guest: Thanks! I'm back. Having a new job after 20 months was a big adjustment but I've hit my stride now.

Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 5: What Happened?

The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the landscape as Botan soared through the forest. To anyone, the world looked peaceful. Safe. But Botan's heart pounded in her chest, not just from the weight of her mission, but fear of the danger that might descend on her at any moment.

Before leaving Genkai's estate, Koenma had warned her to be cautious. The Special Defence Force might be busy sealing the tunnel, but they weren't the only agents that King Enma had at his disposal.

"Make sure you aren't followed. There's no telling what my father might try."

Botan shivered at the thought. Even if she hadn't technically broken any rules herself, Koenma had committed a serious act of disobedience, and King Enma wasn't above punishing anyone through his guilt-by-association policy.

How did we get here?

Botan blinked back tears. She'd never imagined this outcome. Sensui's defeat was supposed to mean safety. But now they were facing a threat from the very realm who'd sent them into the fight.

Why does it have to be like this? It doesn't make any sense!

Botan took a breath. She had to focus.

You can't think like that. Not now. Get to Kasane Shrine. Find Hinageshi. Bring her back to Genkai's estate.

Hinageshi was their best, and maybe only chance of helping Sakura.

Just then, Botan saw a flash of white through the trees. She was almost there.

At her command, Botan's oar descended towards the foot of the hill, where she hovered a few feet off the ground and gazed up the weathered stone steps of Kasane Shrine.

It had been a long time since her last visit, but little had changed. Cedar trees still shaded the paths, the gardens were still immaculate, and the statues and altar exactly as she remembered.

Still on her oar, Botan looked around to make sure nobody had followed her here. As Koenma said, the SDF weren't the only agents King Enma might send.

She couldn't see, hear or sense anything unusual. In fact, the quiet solitude felt almost unnerving.

With one final glance, Botan flew the rest of the way up the stairs. At the top, she stowed her oar and made her way along the gravel path, through the courtyard and towards the main building.

"Hinageshi?" Botan called as loud as she dared. "Are you there?"

A shadow appeared behind the shoji screen before it slid open.

"Botan, you're here!"

Hinageshi's red hair glinted in the fading light as she stepped onto the porch.

"What's happening? Koenma didn't give me any details, he just said something about a spell—?"

"Yes, it's Sakura," Botan said. "We don't know what the problem is, exactly. But we think she might have been cursed."

"What? How?!"

"It's…a long story. It was Yusuke's last mission…something awful happened to Sakura."

Hinageshi's hands flew to her mouth. "No!"

"We've stabilised her temporarily," Botan said. "But Koenma thought you could figure out what this curse is and how to stop it."

"Wait," Hinageshi said. "How do you know it's a curse?"

"We can't be sure. But she has these strange markings on her body, and none of our healing methods seem to be working"

"Markings? What kind?"

"None of us have seen anything like them before. And…" Botan swallowed hard. "Sakura's running out of time."

Hinageshi's face went pale, but determination quickly followed. "I'll do everything I can. Just give me a moment."

She hurried inside and returned moments later with a heavy bag slung over her shoulder.

"Let's go. You can fill me in on the details while we travel."

Botan, already seated on the oar, gestured for Hinageshi to hop on. "Come on. We need to hurry."

Hinageshi climbed on, and as soon as Botan checked the surroundings for any sign of trouble, they sped off into the night.

"Where are we headed?" Hinageshi asked "The Raekai?"

"No, that's out of the question. We have to go to Genkai's estate."

Hinageshi blinked. "Why?"

Botan hesitated. She hardly knew where to begin. "Well, I…I wasn't there for everything, but—"

"Botan, just tell me," Hinageshi said. "What happened?"

Botan steeled herself and began to explain everything. She told Hinageshi about the tunnel to Demon World. Sensui. His team. Haruki. His obsession with Sakura. The journey through the cave. The battle that resulted in Yusuke's sacrifice. Koenma's disobedience. King Enma sending the SDF to destroy Yusuke's body and arrest Sakura.

"Wait, what?!" Hinageshi asked, and Botan's face went grim.

"It turns out the twins are descendants of the Mazoku."

Hinageshi's eyes widened. "The Mazoku?!"

"Yes, it's an atavism," Botan said. "Skipped about forty generations, apparently. I wasn't actually there when it happened, but Koenma says Yusuke's demon blood awakened after Sensui killed him, so he was revived. Then they all went through the tunnel and finished the fight in the Demon World – the Makai to you – and while the others thought Yusuke had simply transformed into a demon body resembling his bloodline, he insists that he was actually possessed or something by their ancestor during the fight. So he's rather salty about that.

"As for Sakura…well, all evidence points to her only having a partial awakening at most; the boys said she went through a half transformation. At least, that's our best guess at this point. Unbelievable, isn't it? I never would have suspected anything like this!"

Botan finally stopped to draw breath before suddenly realising Hinageshi was quiet. Too quiet.

"Hinageshi?"

Botan turned around. Hinageshi's gaze was firmly planted on her knees. She didn't say anything.

"Hinageshi, did you hear what I just said?"

The only response from Hinageshi was a small nod.

Botan frowned. "Hinageshi? What's wrong?"

Hinageshi's lips pressed into a thin line, then she looked up. "I heard you. It's just…a lot to take in, that's all."

Botan looked at her for a moment.

That's odd.

Something was off here. Ordinarily, she'd expect Hinageshi to have a much bigger reaction, especially to such an earth-shattering revelation. But Hinageshi seemed more concerned than surprised.

Am I missing something here?

Botan shrugged it off. She was probably reading too much into this.

"Yes, it's a shock for all of us. But Sakura has to be our top priority. She's in a precarious condition."

At Botan's words, Hinageshi shook her head as if to clear it, then said, "Yes, of course. Tell me about these markings. What do they look like?"

Botan gripped her oar tightly and urged it forward. "They're unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's like they've been carved into her skin…"

At Genkai's estate, Sakura's room was crowded, not only with those who cared for her, but with the suffocating fear that hung over them all. The earlier chaos was over, but nobody dared to speak. Even the sound of Sakura's soft, steady breathing did little to ease their worry.

She hadn't moved since being stabilised, which was both frustrating and a relief. No improvement…but no deterioration either.

Yusuke gently held Sakura's hand, wishing he could do more. How long was she going to be like this? Why wouldn't she open her eyes?

Come on, Kura. Wake up.

In the back of his mind, Yusuke couldn't help but wonder if this was anything like how Keiko and Sakura must have felt while waiting for him to come back to life. And in all fairness, he'd at least had some form of communication with them during that period. But now, they had nothing. No idea when Sakura would wake up, and no real guarantee that she would…

Yusuke's free hand clenched into a tight fist as his gaze flitted over the marks on her chest. For the first time, he allowed himself to take a closer look.

What the hell are they?

The unfamiliar, eerie shapes only made his nausea rise. He'd never seen anything like it before.

Even Koenma doesn't recognise them. What did that lunatic do to her?

He had no idea, but Hinageshi would figure it out. She had to. If she didn't…

Yusuke pushed the thought away and looked out the window. But there was still no sign of Botan.

"What's going on, Genkai?" Kuwabara asked suddenly. "Why haven't they got here yet?"

"They will," Genkai said. "You heard what Koenma said about Spirit World. Botan's probably just being extra cautious."

"Well that's cute, but what if something happens and they don't make it here at all?" Yusuke muttered.

Genkai's sharp eyes locked onto him like a battleship. "Panicking won't help your sister, and you know it."

"I'm not panicking! I just…" Yusuke gritted his teeth and looked down. He hated this. All of it. The waiting, the anxiety, the vigilance in case things flared up again. And if that happened, would it be worse than before? He'd been able to stop the last one, but…

"You don't know how to use your power…"

Yusuke buried his face in his hands. What if he couldn't stop it again? What if—?

A gentle hand fell on his back.

"Yusuke, it's alright," Yukina said softly. "We'll find a way to heal her; I promise."

The only response Yusuke could manage was a small nod, but the gesture eased the knot in his chest slightly.

Yukina squeezed his shoulder, then placed her cold hand on Sakura's forehead.

"Any change?" Genkai asked.

"Her fever hasn't broken, but she does feel a little cooler," Yukina said. "That's a good sign."

She gave the smallest of smiles, though nobody felt like celebrating.

On the other side of the futon, Kurama remained silent. He hadn't made a sound since Botan left, nor had his eyes moved from Sakura's face. He would not look away. He could hardly even bring himself to blink.

After all those hours she'd been alone with her crazed captor, he would not let her out of his sight. He doubted he ever would again.

And though Kurama had not spoken this aloud, Yusuke knew what he was feeling, because he felt the same.

Suddenly, Kurama's attention spiked. At the edge of his senses, he felt the traces of someone approaching the estate. Someone who was trying to suppress their aura.

Yusuke quickly looked at the door. Kurama's whole body went on edge. It might be Hinageshi and Botan, but it could just as easily be agents from Spirit World.

Apparently, he wasn't the only one who thought so. Shizuru, Genkai and Mitari visibly tensed, or at least became more alert.

Then, Kuwabara leapt to his feet. "They're here!"

He rushed out of the room. A moment later, everyone heard the faint sound of voices, followed by a chorus of feet hurrying back down the hallway.

Kuwabara came first, pushing the shoji screen aside as he entered. Botan immediately stepped into view.

"Botan!" Yukina said. "Thank goodness you're ok!"

Botan pushed a lock of her windswept hair out of her eyes. "Yes, I'm sorry we took so long, but we had to be careful."

"Did you sense anything off?" Koenma asked. "Any sign of trouble from Spirit World?"

"No, thankfully. But I couldn't take any chances. How is she doing?"

"The same," Genkai said. "No better, no worse."

Botan bit her lip, then moved aside as Hinageshi entered. With her, the tension in the room eased slightly.

"Hinageshi!" Keiko said. "Oh, thank God!"

Hinageshi looked around the room. "Hello, everyone. It's good to see you, but I wish it was under better circumstances."

Her eyes fell on Sakura's battered form, and shock flashed across her face before determination took over.

"Oh, Sakura…"

Kurama sat up a little straighter. Last time he'd seen Hinageshi, he would have described her as timid, even skittish. But now? She looked like a warrior preparing for battle.

Where did this shift in demeanour come from?

Hinageshi set her heavy bag on the ground and made her way to the futon. Her eyes swept over Sakura, taking in bruises, the cuts, the faint tattoos, streaks of pink hair, and the marks on her chest.

Yusuke gripped Sakura's hand a little tighter as Hinageshi looked at him. Her eyes widened slightly at the sight of his own tattoos and fuzzy mop of hair, but she didn't comment.

"Yusuke, I need to take a closer look. Will you let me?"

With great reluctance, Yusuke moved aside to give her room.

Hinageshi knelt beside Sakura. She peered intently at the markings.

"Any ideas?" Yusuke asked, and Hinageshi frowned.

"Something about them seems rather…unusual. Did Sakura say anything about these before she passed out? At all?"

"No," Kurama said, mentally kicking himself for not asking. "Not a word."

"Wasn't like we had much of a chance to ask," Kuwabara said. "Right after we found her, that whackjob Itsuki separated us all. There was no time."

Something in his tone indicated that he knew of or at least suspected Kurama's inner turmoil. Kurama couldn't help but feel grateful for it.

"I see," Hinageshi said. "In that case, I'll need to try a few different things. Kurama, you'll need to move back for a moment."

Kurama all but ripped himself away as Hinageshi's hands started glowing. With closed eyes, she gently traced the outline of the symbols.

Sakura's body shivered.

Yusuke and Kurama immediately made a move towards her but stopped when Genkai held up a finger.

"Don't panic; it's just a reflexive reaction."

A second glance confirmed it. Sakura's movement was nothing like the violent seizures from earlier. If anything, she looked calmer.

Kurama let out a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. Could this work? Could Hinageshi's powers undo this?

Please, my love. Come back to me.

The glow surrounding Hinageshi's hands faded. Her eyes opened, but instead of looking at them all, her gaze travelled from Sakura's chest to her left hand.

The huge sapphire ring sparkled on Sakura's finger.

"What's this?" Hinageshi asked.

Kurama's growl made everyone flinch.

"It's not important right now," Botan said quickly, with a nervous glance at Kurama. "What do you think?

Hinageshi's eyes lingered on the ring for a moment longer, then she looked at Botan and said, "I'm not entirely sure yet. There's a few possibilities, but I'll need my books to be certain."

"Is it bad?" Yusuke asked.

"I don't know. I haven't encountered anything quite like this, but…I don't think they're curse marks."

"What?" Kurama said sharply.

"Well, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but…" Hinageshi took a breath. "To put it simply, curses are usually one-noted. These feel more…layered. Like there's more than one thing going on."

Jaws dropped around the room.

"You're kidding!" Shizuru breathed. "So now what?"

"I'll have to cross reference them to make sure, but the sooner I can rule things out, the better," Hinageshi reached for her bag and began pulling books out of it. "Those marks are powerful, and I suspect they're the reason her body isn't healing properly."

Kurama's blood turned to ice. "They're…impeding her recovery?"

"I think so. And if it's not a curse, then we'll need a different approach altogether."

Yusuke looked dazed. "What kind of approach are you thinking?"

"Nothing — yet," Hinageshi said with a grim look at Sakura. "But I promise you, we're going to figure it out."

Kurama dropped to his knees beside Sakura. The despair inside him remained, but now it was mixed with resolve. The same resolve he felt from everyone else.

He took Sakura's hand again as Hinageshi began flicking through the pages.

*~*~*~*~*~*

The swirling void surrounded Sakura, threaded with disembodied voices. Shadows flickered in and out of sight, sometimes close enough to touch before dissolving into nothing again.

Where am I?

Nobody answered. But Sakura could feel something, or someone, watching her in the distance. She wasn't alone.

Where were they? Why couldn't she seem to wake up? Why did she feel like she was sinking further and further away?

"Kura!"

The sound of her name cut through the darkness. Sakura's heart leapt. She'd know that voice anywhere.

"Yusuke?"

Yes, it was him. He was calling to her. He was trying to reach her.

"Kura? Please, love. Come back to me…"

"Kurama!"

Sakura dragged herself off the ground and staggered forward on her unsteady feet. She needed Kurama – his love, his warmth, his strength. She needed to find her way back to him…

A faint light appeared in the distance. So small, it might as well be a distant star. Sakura took another step towards it, only for a sharp pain in her chest to strike out of nowhere. She doubled over before collapsing in agony.

The ground below her began to shake. A moment later, the darkness surged upwards in a suffocating wave and plunged everything into the blackest of nights.

What's going on?!

Before Sakura could regain her senses, another voice, lustful and ominous, whispered to her.

"You belong to me now, honey. You're mine."

Sakura gasped. It was him. She had to run, she had to get away from him before it was too late…

"You promised you'd stay…you said you'd be mine…"

Claw-like hands reared up and went to drag her back into the darkness.

"No!"

Sakura fought against their hold. She wasn't going to give up. She couldn't. There was too much at stake. Too many people waiting for her on the other side.

I'll find my way back. I have to!

Sakura reached towards the light, towards that faint glimmer of hope.

Kurama…Yusuke…everyone…I'm trying!

*~*~*~*~*~*

Kurama's breath caught in his throat.

What was that?

For a moment, he thought he'd imagined it, but no, there it was again. The lightest pressure against his hand.

"Kura?!"

Yusuke's head snapped up. "What's wrong?!"

"She…" Kurama swallowed. "She just squeezed my hand."

Gasps echoed around the room.

"Are you sure?!" Botan asked.

"It was faint, but yes. I'm positive."

Yukina hurried over and felt Sakura's forehead again. "Her fever…it's breaking."

Hardly daring to breathe, Kurama leaned closer to her, whispering, "Kura? Can you hear me, love?"

There was no answer, but as the room fell silent, everyone saw it: the slightest twitch of Sakura's hand. Another faint squeeze.

"What does this mean?" Keiko asked. "Is she waking up?"

"She's fighting it," Genkai said. "Whatever's going on inside her, she's giving it hell."

"Damn straight," Kuwabara said. "She's not giving up. And neither will we."

Hinageshi set her first book aside with a thud and selected another.

"It's a promising sign. Just keep a close eye on her. If anything changes, let me know immediately."

Yusuke nodded, though his heart still pounded. But as his eyes met Kurama's, the first flicker of hope since this nightmare began passed between them.

"Keep fighting, Squirt," Yusuke muttered. "We'll bring you back, I swear."

Kurama looked down at Sakura and could no longer resist. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Sakura's temple.

I'm right here, my precious flower. I'm not leaving you.

This time, the gentle pressure around his hand lingered just a moment longer before it faded away.

A.N. *exhales* Well, that was...a lot. The mysterious marks might not be a curse, but something far more complicated. And does it have anything to do with Haruki's ring? Does Hinageshi know more than she's letting on? What do you think?

I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the new chapter. I can promise that Chapter 6 is well underway and will be released soon. I've found my feet at my new office job and that's taken a lot of stress off.

Also, it's now been four years since I published the first chapter of Book 1. To still be writing and have such a devoted readership is...well, it gets me very emotional. I can never adequately express my gratitude and love to each of you.

Please leave a review and tell me what you think might happen next. Stay safe, stay awesome and we'll see you soon!

Rosentic xx