Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Journey Into Submission ❯ Chapter 7

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Title: Journey Into Submission
Author: Ryukotsusei
Pairing/Characters: Kurama/Yusuke, Youko/Yusuke/Koenma, eventually Hiei/Yusuke
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Language, Lemon. Yaoi, Anal, Oral, Masturbation, Rimming, BDSM, Torture, Slavery, Tentacles, Spanking, Caning, Non-consensual sex, Angst, Major Character Death, minor character death and anything else my perverted mind can possibly come up with. You are warned.

Disclaimer: I do not hold the rights to Yu Yu Hakusho, nor do I make any money from this story.

Summary: In an attempt to acquire help from one of his most trusted friends, Yusuke gets far more than he bargained for. The line between pleasure and pain are forever blurred as he learns that pleasing his master is the only way to get what he wants.

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, even if it was to throw things at me for the way the last chapter ended. Hopefully this one is... more to everyone's liking. I'd also like to say thatÂ I'm afraid that the last author's note wasn't quite to the muse's liking. In fact she protested rather strenuously and let's just say I like to sleep without torturous nightmares plaguing me. As such, I must concede to her wishes. There will be more torture to come but most likely not as extreme as the previous chapters. Yusuke however is safe from further abuse even if the others are not. Warnings are in the header up at the top of the page. Repeating them at this juncture would just take up space when I know you just want to get to the chapter lol

Special thanks goes to Kogas Hentai Luver for taking the time to beta this chapter for me.

Chapter Seven

Black flames of fury licked at Hiei's skin as he allowed his rage to consume him. Now that Youko was within sight he knew that his blade would soon be covered in the man's blood. The only sounds that heralded his arrival were the whistle of steel cutting through the air. Oh he knew that the others would be following closely behind him but they couldn't hope to match his incredible speed and that was to his advantage. By the time Youko realized what was happening, he'd be taking his last dying breath, not stealing the life from one of the few people who had given him their trust.

Yet while Youko had been entranced by the way Yusuke looked as he gasped for air, he wasn't oblivious to the flare of power that sprang to life directly behind him. Violently he wrenched himself away from the Toushin but he was a fraction of a second too slow. Pain erupted through his shoulder as the blade pieced his skin, driving through to the other side. “Yusuke is mine, Hiei, if you interfere I won't hesitate to kill you,” Youko snarled viciously as he threw himself backwards while reaching into his hair to withdraw his whip.

“You fool, what you've done is inexcusable. Fight back if you wish but it is you who is already dead. You just don't realize it yet,” Hiei growled, launching his body forward, using his speed to his full advantage. The whip collided harshly with his sword but he'd been expecting it and turned the lash to the side, darting beneath it. Even so, he knew that the kitsune would not be an easy opponent, especially since he believed that he was fighting for something that belonged to him.

Searing pain erupted through his chest but Youko paid it no mind. The gash was a minor one at best, Hiei might be fast, but it was going to take more than just speed to take him out of the game. Angrily he brought his whip around, determined to reduce the apparition's ability to move quickly but Hiei darted out of range at the last moment. The lash landed smartly against the man's calf, cutting into the leather of his boot but doing no true bodily damage. “Come little demon, if you want to play then let's finish this. My prize won't keep forever you know,” Youko taunted, hoping to get the apparition enraged enough to make a careless mistake.

“Your prize?” Hiei gave a humorless bark of laughter and evaded the whip a second time, this time his blade taking away a sizable lock of the kitsune's hair. “If he was your prize then why wasn't it your name he was calling out? What's the matter fox? Can't handle a bit of rejection so you decided to destroy the one you've proclaimed as yours?” The spark of anger that raced through the taller demon's eyes told him that he'd struck a nerve. Later he'd have to ask Yusuke what the hell had started all of this but first he had a fox to kill. It was hell avoiding that whip but he knew it was only a matter of time before the kitsune gave him an opening. It was just the way the man worked, toying with his opponents. When that opportunity came, he wouldn't let it slip past him.

It came sooner than he anticipated; the weak moaning coming from Yusuke's direction distracted the kitsune for the briefest of moments. Aggressively he cut through the air and it was only Youko's will to survive which kept his head attached. Crimson flew through the air, splattering against the wall following the arc of his blade. It was a minor hit at best but one that would infuriate his one time friend, “Lose something?”

Youko resisted the urge to reach up and grab his ear which was throbbing in pain. Wetness trickled down his skull and he knew that it was more than just a superficial cut. “Am I supposed to be impressed with how slow you've become. I'm ashamed to admit that I once thought you worthy enough to be my partner,” the kitsune spat disdainfully. Remorse and concern held no place in their world and now he was convinced he'd be doing them all a favor to eliminate those that were plagued with such emotions.

“Realize this, Hiei, all of this is your doing. You are the one responsible for his pain. It's you he refuses to let go of but I will bear it no longer. His thoughts of you will perish with him once I dispose of you,” Youko growled while lashing out, the two weapons meeting again. This time though there was more force behind the blow and the thorns easily cut through the steel of the blade the apparition wielded. The broken piece sailed across the room, nearly spearing the ferry girl in the process which caused him to smile. Obviously she had a part in this so she would die as well, once he took care of the man who was attempting to seize control away from him.

“Twist the truth if you want but the fact still remains that your hand caused this,” Hiei snapped, not caring to listen to the accusations that were being thrown in his face. He certainly wasn't the one who had tortured Yusuke and frankly he wasn't even sure why Youko had control of him in the first place. Those questions would have to wait; he'd get answers from the Toushin later once he was out of danger. Warily he circled the fox, calling forth the flames that bent to his very will. Just because his sword was gone did not mean he was defenseless by any stretch of the imagination. If it meant setting the whole house ablaze to finish the job then so be it. Without turning to look at the two near Yusuke, he called back over his shoulder, “Get him the hell out of here. I'll deal with Kurama.”

A smirk crossed Youko's face as he saw Koenma kneel to do just that, “Oh yes little prince. Go ahead and attempt to move him. You'll be dead before you make it to the portal.” The threat was not an idle one; Hiei would not be able to stop him from tearing the demigod in half. The only one with half a chance of making it out of the house alive was the apparition himself and there was no way the man would run from a fight.

Before he could take a step in their direction he was struck harshly, sustaining burns along his torso as the blows rained down upon his body. Snarling viciously he twisted his body, grabbing the apparition roughly by the arm and driving his knee into the man's midsection. Before the move could be repeated however a ripping sensation coursed through his chest and he stared down with wide eyes at Hiei who was only now yanking his fist from his chest.

“It'll be hard for you to carry through with your threat when you're dead,” Hiei taunted the taller demon. His ribs ached but not oppressively so, he wasn't out for the count by any means.

Feeling the apparition tense in his hands, Youko prepared himself to move and before Hiei could react he hurled the apparition against the wall. It wouldn't buy him much time, moments really but it had to be enough otherwise he ran the risk of losing this fight. Quickly he reached into his hair, spreading several seeds out over the carpet. It was time to start fighting dirty; he couldn't afford to lose.

“I can't let you do this,” Koenma said with determination, getting to his feet in order to face Yusuke's tormentor. He wasn't sure whether or not the apparition had seen what Youko had just done but he wasn't taking any chances. A quick glance to Hiei revealed that the man was pulling himself through the hole that his body had made in the wall and he seemed oblivious to the danger that lurked with just a touch of the kitsune's ki.

“You'll do nothing,” Hiei said, shoving the demigod out of his way and staring impassively at Youko. There was nothing that the ruler of the Reikai could do, not in this instance. If he interfered too much he'd be risking all of their lives, “I won't say it again, Koenma, get him out of here now before you miss your chance.” He could see the seeds scattered along the floor's surface but he wasn't concerned. With the slightest flash of his ki they went up in smoke, he refused to allow the kitsune to touch him with any plants. If they were going to fight it would be on his terms alone.

Botan could only stare helplessly when Koenma had gotten to his feet and faced the kitsune.'No, Koenma, no! You can't handle him; letHiei take care of it!' The very idea of her boss taking on such a powerful demon had her blood running cold but there wasn't anything that she could do to stop him. Biting her lip, she prayed that the man knew what he was doing and turned her attention back to the unconscious man beside her. Gently she laid her hands on his chest, using the instinctive abilities that she possessed to attempt to determine just how severe his internal injuries were. The bruising covered most of his torso now, what part of it that wasn't covered in rips and tears anyway. “Just hold on Yusuke,” she murmured as she pulled at her healing energy, hoping to stem the bleeding enough to keep him stable until the conflict was resolved.

Weakly Yusuke's eyes fluttered open when he felt the influx of energy but even that effort seemed to take all of his energy. Before they closed again he was able to catch sight of Hiei, flames surrounding his body as he dodged the whip that sought to ensnare him. “Hiei,” he murmured, wondering if all this was nothing more than a dream. Perhaps he'd passed into the afterlife and this was a nightmare meant to haunt him for an eternity. Either way he couldn't be certain but he still felt the need to call out to him, “Be... careful. He'll kill you.”

Koenma wasn't sure whether Hiei had heard Yusuke's warning but he knew that the fox had by the way one of his ears twitched in annoyance. If anything it had served to piss the taller demon off further and suddenly he moved, launching an attack on the apparition that had the man staggering backwards as his blows became more vicious. Hiei was holding his own but without his sword he was at a distinct disadvantage. Meanwhile time was running out, he knew that Botan wouldn't be able to help the Toushin for much longer. Sighing heavily, he moved into position despite Hiei's order to stand down and hoped that what he planned to do wouldn't mean his death. The power in his pacifier had long since been drained but over the past few years he'd begun to pour more energy into it again, knowing that it would be needed eventually. While it wasn't enough to hold Kurama for long, it should be enough to subdue him long enough to get Yusuke to safety.

The explosion of power off to Hiei's right had him snarling even though it wasn't directed towards him, “I thought I told you to get him out of here! Stay out of this, Koenma!” He knew that there was no way in hell that the demigod could hold onto Youko for long but his honor demanded that he couldn't strike the man while he was unable to defend himself. Even though the kitsune had done the unthinkable, Hiei wasn't about to sink down to his level.'Dammit! If he keeps this up the only way I'll be able to take Youko out is to use the dragon and I can't do that while Yusuke is still in this building!'

Youko grunted as the energy slammed into him and threatened to send him to his knees. He'd had no idea that the demigod still had that much power under his control but it wouldn't do him much good. Once the spell broke he'd be defenseless, save for hiding behind the apparition like a coward. “You will die for this, Koenma,” Youko snarled and flexed his ki against the barrier that held him. The ripples of energy became visible to anyone who had other sight and thought to look. In fact, he could already see the strain on Koenma's face and it was increasing with each moment that passed.

“Yeah I've heard that one before! Move your ass Hiei! Botan can't help him for much longer and you're the only one who can help him. Get off your ass and get him the hell out of here, I'll hold him as long as I can,” Koenma growled while fighting the backlash of energy that came from attempting to subdue an S class apparition. Another wave of energy hit him, forcing him to take a step back but still he held fast to the spell. The moment that Youko broke free he was dead and he knew that Hiei wouldn't bother to save him. His only hope was to get through the portal before the spell collapsed but he couldn't do it, not while Yusuke was still here. He was risking everything just to give him a chance to live but it would mean nothing if someone didn't act, “Don't just stand there, Hiei! Or do you want Yusuke to die?”

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Hiei knew that Koenma had a point. Cursing to himself, he turned and went to Yusuke's side, unsure of whether or not it was even safe to move him in the first place. 'It's not like there's much choice though. Dammit you'd better not die on me, Detective.' The height difference between them made it difficult for him to pick the man up without jarring him too harshly but he managed with Botan's help. Only after he was holding Yusuke securely did he bolt for the portal with the ferry girl hot on his heels. Whether or not Koenma got out however wasn't his concern and he didn't bother stopping once he hit the other side of the portal. The one that had been set up before that led to the Makai was still open and he plunged through it without a backwards glance. 'I hope that fool woman has enough common sense to close it behind us otherwise Mukuro is going to have an all out war in the middle of her fortress.'

“Finally,” Koenma muttered once the other three were gone and began to edge his way towards the portal himself. The strain was becoming impossible to bear and he knew that it would be only moments before Youko was freed. The crackle of energy overload filled the air and the spell disintegrated, leaving him completely defenseless. Quickly he turned to run, hoping that the energy wave would disorient the kitsune long enough to get to safety.

“Now it's my turn,” Youko hissed, lashing out with his whip and catching the demigod across the back with it. A harsh cry of pain filled the air causing him to smirk maliciously, “You shouldn't have gotten involved Koenma. Now you'll be lucky to survive this encounter and if you do, I'll make sure your life is a living hell.” It was an irritation that Yusuke was now out of his reach but it wouldn't remain that way for long. He would get the man back and make those that interfered pay for doing so. He wouldn't be satisfied until each and every one of them was dead but first, he would strip Hiei of everything that he held dear. Former alliances be damned, now there would be hell to pay.

'Just... another step!' Koenma tried to ignore the searing pain in his back and protect his chest with his arms when the lash landed again. He knew that Youko wasn't attempting to kill him, at least not yet anyway. Had he wanted to, the weapon would have torn him in half with the first blow. 'He's toying with me. The bastard. He wants me to suffer and wonder when the killing strike will occur.' Koenma wasn't of a mind to wait around to see when it was going to happen. With a desperate lunge he dove for the portal and fell through it, landing heavily on the other side. Anxiously he looked up and saw Botan staring at the portal in terror and he knew that Youko was about to follow him through, “Close it dammit!”

The order snapped Botan out of her stupor, forcing her feet into action. Knowing there wasn't much time she raced for the computer and began typing in the command that would terminate the gateway between the two worlds. Just as she'd hit the last key she looked up to see Youko advancing towards them with cold fury burning in those amber eyes. “Hurry up and close,” she screamed even though she knew that her words wouldn't make the energy dissipate any faster. Just as the kitsune reached the portal the energy flared and collapsed in on itself, leaving her to breathe a sigh of relief, “Are you okay, Koenma?”

“What does it look like?” Koenma remained on the floor, panting with the pain of the wounds that had been inflicted. Really, there were times he wanted to smack the woman for being so oblivious but at the moment he didn't much feel like moving. Unfortunately though their time was limited and they needed to start thinking about what they were going to do next. Pushing himself up to his feet, Koenma walked painfully over to his desk and after a moment, closed down the portal to the Makai. Wearily he looked up at the ferry girl, “We need to prepare. Sooner or later Kurama will come for us and there's not a damned thing we can do to keep him out of the Reikai.”

“What do we do, Koenma?” Botan didn't even want to consider what the kitsune would do to the both of them. Clearly this had gone beyond the realms of obsession and she was beginning to wonder if Kurama's ability to see reason had snapped completely. If that were the case then nothing at all would stop him from getting his revenge.

It was a damned good question and one that Koenma didn't have a clear cut answer to. The first thing he had to do was speak with his father; there was no getting around that. Only afterwards could he begin to contemplate just what sort of repercussions this would bring. Sighing heavily, he looked towards his assistant and shook his head, “I don't know, Botan, I just don't know.”

~In The Makai~

The last thing Mukuro had been expecting when the day started out was for a portal to open in the middle of her fortress. Even more surprising was the fact that Hiei had taken off without a damned word about what was going on. But then the apparition had managed to shock her even further by stumbling back through the portal with a bloody human in his arms. For a moment she didn't even recognize the man, it was only when Hiei laid him on the bed was she able to get a good look and determine that it was Raizen's heir. “Do you mind telling me what the hell happened to him?”

“Kurama betrayed him and I don't know why. Not yet anyway, but I will soon,” Hiei said quietly while he checked the Toushin's body over. The wounds carved into his skin were vaguely reminiscent of the pattern Kurama once wore, courtesy of Gamma during the Dark Tournament. 'That would explain why Kurama was able to overpower him but not why he would do so in the first place.'

“Let me,” Mukuro said, moving to the other side of the bed. It was clear to her that even a few minutes delay might cost the man his life and she was the stronger telepath. Laying her hands on the bloody chest, she closed her eyes and sent her mind deep within the Toushin's. Bitter anger and feelings of betrayal welled up within her, a bi-product of the search that she was doing and it was all centered on Kurama. Images flashed before her eyes, scenes of the torture that he'd endured and it was enough to bring forth the memories of her childhood. Ruthlessly she pushed them away, knowing that allowing her own feelings to come into play would not be doing Yusuke any favors. 'Why has he done this,Yusuke? What could he have possibly gained by hurting you?'

The answer came swiftly then, as if Yusuke was willing her to see and understand what had transpired. The reasoning stunned her, causing her to open her eyes and stare at the apparition who was watching the Toushin with an unfathomable expression. She could see the Jagan was in use which somehow didn't surprise her. Hiei's patience was limited at the best of times and this would stretch what little he had to the breaking point. Taking a deep breath she completely pulled free from Yusuke's mind, there was nothing that she could do to repair the damage. That would all be dependent on the Toushin himself, assuming he survived to begin with.

“You fool,” Hiei muttered as he witnessed the meeting that started the whole sordid mess in the first place. It was a bitter pill to swallow, learning that in some ways Youko had been right in his accusations. This had been partially his fault, even if it was indirectly. Had he known that Yusuke was even interested... Hiei shook his head. 'Best not to think about what ifs and focus on what is.' Breaking away from the Toushin he looked at Mukuro, “We need to put him in one of the tanks.”

“Do we?” Mukuro asked, leveling a dispassionate look at the apparition. True Yusuke needed healing in order to survive but in some instances death was a far kinder fate. In the condition the Toushin was in he had maybe another hour to live if he was lucky.

“What the hell does that mean? He's going to die if he doesn't get treatment now,” Hiei snarled at the woman. He knew that she wasn't blind and she didn't hold a grudge against the man lying on the bed so why would she say such a thing? If he had been angry before it was nothing like what he was feeling now, there was no way in hell he was going to allow Yusuke to die. Not at Kurama's hands and certainly not at Mukuro's either.

“You longed for death once, yet you would ask me that question?” Mukuro resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the hybrid and chose instead to give him the explanation she knew he desired, “The pain of his physical wounds will heal in a day or so given the opportunity, yet his mental wounds will take months, assuming they ever heal at all. Would you have him living a life tortured by his memories? Imagine having gone through what he has and living with the knowledge that your tormentor is still alive, most likely hunting for you. His powers are bound to the kitsune and only death will break the seal.”

“Do you honestly think that after this I will allow Kurama to live?” Hiei arched a brow at her, daring her to say she'd been thinking exactly that. She'd seen how deeply the man's obsession had gone and there was no doubt in his mind that the kitsune would attempt to take Yusuke back, something that he refused to allow to happen. It was only the desperate need to get the Toushin out of there that had prevented him from ending the problem already and now they were wasting time in a pointless debate on whether Yusuke's mind was too far gone to save.

“I can see you're set on revenge but what of Yusuke himself? You know what he wants, are you willing to commit yourself to him? If not, then let him go, Hiei, this isn't the time for half truths and measures. He deserves more than that so be sure of how much you are willing to give,” Mukuro stated calmly, ignoring the angry look that the apparition giving her. Her words were nothing less than the truth and if Hiei were to back out once Yusuke's body was healed, it was likely to shatter what little was left of his sanity. The power that was currently locked away would break free with Kurama's death and there would be nothing left to contain it. Unrestrained power of that nature would be devastating to deal with and damned near impossible to stop once the Toushin lashed out in his rage and pain.

“Don't think to question my dedication and loyalty. Order the tank set up, the Detective is under my care now and I will make the decisions concerning his welfare,” Hiei snapped, irritated that she would pose such questions in the first place. If Yusuke had come to him in the first place, none of this would have ever happened. When Mukuro stood and walked out of the room he turned his attention back to the unconscious man and sighed heavily. Years before, he would have paid to see Yusuke broken in such a fashion, but now it only sickened him, especially knowing that it was an ally who had done it. Wearily he picked the taller man up and began carrying him to the medical room; he'd deal with the problem of how to begin healing his friend's mind later.

When Hiei stepped out of the bedroom with his burden he was forced to realize that he'd never really paid attention to just how many demons roamed the halls during the day. Now though, he became acutely aware of the fact as more than one set of eyes stared at him in surprise. Whispers quickly flew from demon to demon but Hiei silenced them with a glare. News of the Detective's condition was sure to spread like wildfire now and it was imperative that that they keep a close watch over the injured man.

There was no way that Hiei was going to disillusion himself into believing that any one of the youkai watching him wouldn't hesitate in ending Yusuke's life. The Toushin had made many enemies in the few years that he'd held the position of Spirit Detective. The fact that he was a demon now made little difference, especially with his ki locked away. A direct order from Mukuro might deter the weak minded of the bunch but those with a personal grudge wouldn't think twice. Since the barrier had fallen and the three territories were united, demons were free to come and go as they pleased. No alliances were considered permanent any longer so it wouldn't seem amiss for the one responsible to leave as soon as the deed was accomplished. It would only make the task of tracking the demon down that much more difficult, something to be avoided if at all possible. 'Until this is settled,consider me your personal shadow,Yusuke.' But first, they needed to get the man back on his feet and then they could deal with what came later. Demons stepped aside under Hiei's heavy stare and there were no attempts to detain him, not that they would have succeeded anyway.

Mukuro looked up from the control panel upon hearing Hiei stepping into the room, “The tank is almost ready. You may want to finish removing his restraints.” She hadn't commented on the torture device affixed to his groin before but it needed to be said now. There was no way that they could put him in the tank with such a monstrosity in place.

The suggestion was an unnecessary one but Hiei refrained from telling the woman that. Instead he placed Yusuke on one of the nearby tables and began scrutinizing the device. He'd never seen anything like it but then given the kitsune's proclivities towards the perverse he wasn't surprised that Kurama would find something like it. After a moment's thought, he laid his hand on the cold metal and sent a burst of ki through it, shattering the locking mechanism. Carefully he watched for any reaction and was relieved to see none out of the Toushin; he didn't need any further damage than what he'd already sustained. When Hiei removed the cage, though, he nearly swore seeing the electrical burns that covered the flesh beneath the steel.

“It's ready, Hiei,” Mukuro called softly, gaining the apparition's attention. She'd seen what he was staring at and she couldn't help but feel a stab of sympathy for what Yusuke had undergone. The only thing that she could offer though was the possibility of being whole again. The regeneration tanks would ensure that there were no physical reminders of his time with Kurama at least. 'It's a start,nothing more,but it's better than nothing.'

Hiei nodded and began fixing the breathing apparatus and waste removal system in place around Yusuke's battered flesh and then picked him up. To his surprise, Mukuro aided in getting him up the stairs and then with lowering the Toushin into the tank. Having been in the solution once before, Hiei knew the immediate relief that the Detective would be feeling as the numbing effects took hold. Only once his friend was completely submerged in the liquid did Hiei begin descending the stairs with Mukuro walking beside him. Gazing at the woman out of the corner of his eye, he decided to ask a question, “How long will it take?”

It was rare that the regeneration tanks were put into use and normally they were only reserved for the top warriors in her ranks. Hiei had been one of the few to be gifted with the opportunity over the many years she'd been in command. The question posed had her pausing and staring at the unconscious man in speculation, “There are many variables that can come into play. His body is human and his ki is restrained. That in itself could double the recovery time but then, Yusuke never did strike me as ordinary in the first place. I would say a couple of days to a couple of weeks at most. Much of it depends on him and how quickly he wishes to heal. Even though his energy is restrained, it responds to his will to survive. Otherwise he would have perished already.”

When Hiei merely nodded Mukuro turned to face him completely, “Until further notice I'm relieving you of your duties. There's nothing on the border that requires your presence and you'll do more good here with him.” They both knew the order was unnecessary but her action had just spared him from having to request the time off. The faint look of appreciation she received was more than enough to tell her that she'd made the right decision. “As much as I'd like to remain, there are other things I must attend to, I assume you'll be fine on your own,” she said grimly. Rumors were likely spreading like wildfire and it would be up to her to straighten them out, as well as give the order that anyone who so much as thought to touch the Toushin would be put to death without hesitation.

Once Mukuro had left the room Hiei turned his attention to the monitors which were running a scan over Yusuke's body, detailing a list of the injuries he'd sustained. It was a wonder that the man had survived; the internal injuries alone should have killed him shortly after they'd been inflicted. Yusuke's ki had to have been working furiously to repair what damage that it could, in spite of the conditions it had been working under. 'Stubborn to the end,Detective, I have to wonder if it was worth it to you now or will you come to regret your decision?'

Knowing that he was in for a hell of a long wait, Hiei grabbed a chair and dragged it over to the tank that held his friend. It was virtually guaranteed that no one would come and bother him in this room; Mukuro would see to that much so he wasted no time in making himself comfortable. The steady beeping of the machines that filled the air was the only sound that broke the silence and that was the way that he preferred it really. Why waste time with useless chatter which would do nothing to aid in Yusuke's recovery. Sooner or later he knew that Koenma would show up to check on his progress but he doubted it would be tonight.

At any rate, Hiei was hoping that Yusuke would be out of the tank by the time the demigod chose to make another appearance. Most likely the man would demand to have answers and wouldn't be satisfied with hearing that the Toushin wasn't out of the tank just yet. That brought about the question of how the Detective would react upon coming out of the tank in the first place. At Kurama's he'd been delusional at best and it wasn't likely that he even realized that he'd been rescued. 'Do I risk touching his mind now to let him know he's no longer in Kurama's care or do I wait and see what he believes upon waking?'

For several minutes Hiei pondered the question, weighing the potential problems with each choice but it wasn't until Yusuke started spasming with what were likely the effects of a nightmare that he made his mind up. Allowing the Jagan free rein, Hiei plunged into Yusuke's mind a second time, immersing himself in the darkness. Suddenly he found himself standing in a wasteland where any person stranded would quickly abandon any hope of salvation. He couldn't help but wince when he heard Yusuke's tortured screams and before he knew it, he was running towards the sound.

Suddenly he came upon the scene and he snarled seeing Yusuke on his knees with his arms stretched out to the sides, held in place by invisible chains. The sound of a whip cutting through the air drew his attention towards the specter which was tormenting the man. Even though he was surrounded in shadows the outline made it plain to see just who it was wielding the whip. “Ghosts, Yusuke, nothing more. They hold no power over you here,” he said, before drawing his sword and cutting through the kitsune's image.

Immediately the chains keeping him bound vanished and Yusuke collapsed to the ground, fighting the pain that threatened to consume him. It was imperative that he keep fighting; there was no way that Hiei was here and attempting to help him. 'Why would he? He doesn't even know that I'm here. Kurama, you bastard! I won't fall for another of your tricks!' That's what it had to be, how many times had the kitsune told him that nothing could save him? Or that he couldn't be sure that even his thoughts were his own anymore. Too many times he'd given into his hallucinations only to find that Kurama had orchestrated the entire setup.

“But I am here, Detective,” Hiei said while sheathing his sword. Being so deep in the man's mind made it easy to know everything that he was thinking and feeling. Heavy distrust was prevalent but at the same time there was the faintest hope. Slowly he knelt down and placed a hand on Yusuke's bare shoulder, “Look at me, Yusuke, I know that it was Kurama who did this to you, and you couldn't stop him, not on your own. Why would you think that I wouldn't come?”

“You should know, you tell me often enough,” Yusuke spat bitterly, refusing to look at the man that was touching him. Oh he was certain that if he did he would see Hiei there but only because that's what Kurama wanted. Most likely it was a ploy to get him to admit that he still had hope, only to be followed up with a crushing blow meant to force him to admit that his desires were hopeless.

Hearing this, Hiei forced the Toushin to look at him and ignored the accusing glare being directed towards him. His fingers gently caressed the Detective's cheek, willing him to believe what he was trying to say, “I've told you nothing. Believe what you will but do not put words into my mouth.” Knowing the kitsune as well as he did, Hiei wasn't surprised that he'd gone to such thorough measures to ensure that Yusuke believed that he wouldn't give a damn. It was up to him now to change the Toushin's mind, to make him believe that everything he'd been told was a lie. There was one thing that he had going for him though and he intended on using it to his advantage, “Do you feel the energy surrounding you, Yusuke? You've felt it once before. It's the touch of the Jagan and you know it. Tell me, has Kurama ever been able to replicate that?”

Yusuke had to give the demon that much at least although he still wasn't going to hold his breath on the apparition being there to help him. “So it is you. Why are you here then? To laugh, if you are, don't bother. Save us both the effort and go back wherever the hell you came from,” Yusuke said and pulled his head away from the hand holding onto it. He couldn't allow himself to believe that Hiei gave a damn, not after everything that he'd been through. The soft touches meant absolutely nothing; at one point Kurama had touched him like that and look where it had gotten him. He wouldn't be fooled again.

“I'm here to help you Yusuke, even if you don't want to believe me,” Hiei stated firmly but at the same time held back any trace of impatience that he was feeling. It was natural for the Toushin to be so distrusting. Had the positions been reversed he would have thought the same thing and struck out instead of just telling him to fuck off. That in itself was telling as far as how broken the Detective was, he wasn't bothering to try and fight any longer. 'How in the hell am I supposed to fight against this?' It was times like this he wished he were better at dealing with emotions like Mukuro was. Perhaps she would have a better idea as to how to handle the situation but she wasn't available nor would Yusuke be likely to believe her as well. No, this was completely up to him and he knew it. Carefully he sat down next to the man although he made no further move to touch him, not yet anyway, “I know why you put yourself through this Yusuke. Going through hell was worth the chance once, is that no longer the case? Do you wish for me to just walk away after everything you've been through? I never took you for one who would give up so easily.”

“You call this giving up easily?” Yusuke snarled, frustrated with everything that had happened. Yet that more than anything was what finally convinced him that somehow, Hiei was actually there with him. Only the apparition would mock what had happened and then call the hell he'd endured easy while taunting him about how weak he was being.

Hiei snorted softly but didn't falter under that pain filled glare being sent his way, “When your goal is clearly in sight, yes. The hard part is over, Yusuke. You trusted me once before so why don't you take the chance and do so again?” It was a lot to ask all things considered but he knew that Yusuke truly wanted this. Sooner or later he'd come to realize that he was free of Kurama's influence and no longer had to worry about what was to happen next. Until then he was going to have to guide the man into making those decisions while not being overly obvious about it and baiting him was the quickest way to go about it.

“So you're saying you'd take me like this? After everything that's happened? Don't make me laugh,”Yusuke said with a sigh but at the same time he wondered just why he was fighting so hard anyway. Was it better to take what the apparition was offering, even if it was only temporary or to push him away completely and forgo any chance of getting what he'd fought so hard for? Uneasily he eyed Hiei, trying to gage just what it was the smaller demon was getting out of helping him.

With a heavy sigh, Hiei nodded, “I won't lie to you, Detective. Your current condition bothers me, not because I see you as weak but because I know that it could have been prevented. All that aside, the answer to your question is yes. Had I known you were no longer with that silly human female that was always plastered to your side I would have come for you long ago.” The apparition fell silent then, waiting to see just what the Toushin had to say about that little revelation. Obviously it would be a bitter pill to swallow but he'd have to deal with the truth of the matter sooner or later anyway.

“But...” Yusuke couldn't help but stare at the demon sitting next to him. If what he said were true then it would mean all of this had been for nothing. Slowly he shook his head, “That can't be right. Everything I'd heard about your other partners...”

“They were quick fucks, nothing more than that,” Hiei snapped at the taller male, frustrated at his inability to see what was right in front of his face, “I doubt a quick rut was all you were looking for if you went to Kurama for help. I thought you knew me better than that Yusuke or were you just not thinking when you approached him? There was never an emotional involvement with any of them nor would I have trusted them enough to think of them as anything more than a fucking partner. If that's all I considered you to be I wouldn't be here with you now so don't be foolish.”

Yusuke drew in a shuddering breath, trying to digest everything that he'd just been told. Assuming that Hiei was telling the truth then everything he'd come to believe had been a lie. “Even what Kurama said,” he mused half to himself, not even realizing that he'd spoken aloud.

“Especially what Kurama said,” Hiei confirmed softly, picking up on just what the man's train of thought was lingering on. At least now Yusuke was thinking instead of just reacting out of instinct. Of course he was under no illusions that he wouldn't have to reinforce what he'd told Yusuke more than once as the doubts resurfaced but this was better than nothing. As gently as he could he laid a hand on the Toushin's, unsure of just how much physical contact the man would tolerate at this point in time, “Once you've completely healed it will be up to you to decide what path you wish to take.”

For a moment Yusuke could only stare at him in surprise. For one because the apparition was willingly touching him in spite of how roughly his advances had been turned away earlier. The other reason being, that it'd been so long since he'd had a choice in anything and he'd almost been expecting for Hiei to fill in the role of his Master. But now he wasn't so sure, especially if the apparition was telling him that it would be his decision as to what happened next. “I don't want to go back,” he said after a moment, “he'll kill me if he gets a chance and right now, I can't stop him.”

Hiei nodded, acknowledging that particular statement, “Mukuro is aware of the situation and she is less than pleased by Kurama's actions. You have sanctuary here for as long as you desire and the fox will not be permitted to touch you again. As for your current condition, I already know about the spell and that it has to be broken.”

“But do you know what it takes to break it?” Yusuke took a deep breath and wondered just how Hiei was going to take the next bit of information if he wasn't aware of it already. Just because he didn't agree with what Kurama had done didn't mean that the man would accept the fact that the avatar had to die. 'He'll probably insist that there's another way to do it. He'll probably try and find ways to break the obsession while he's at it. Gods, I don't know if that's even possible or if...I can even face Kurama again.'

If Hiei wasn't aware of the answer before there was no denying it now for the kitsune's words echoed through his mind while Yusuke relived the memory. “You won't have to face him again,” Hiei stated flatly. To allow the Detective anywhere near Kurama would be placing him in grave danger. To his surprise, Yusuke moved closer to him although he didn't comment on it. There was no use in pointing out the obvious; at least the Toushin was taking some comfort in his presence. Instead he addressed the first question he'd been presented with, “To break the spell Kurama has to die, and I'll gladly hand him the death that he tied himself to the moment he cast the seal on you. But that will come later, for now you need to recover. There is much to do once you awaken.”

Hearing that the apparition was willing to take care of Kurama was one worry off of his mind, even if there were plenty of others to contend with. Not the least of which was just what the fox would do in the meantime. His mistake had been going back, giving Kurama time to plan.'Just what will he accomplish in the meantime? I know he won't just wait for Hiei to come to him.' As devious as the kitsune was, he doubted that he'd come charging in. No, Kurama was too crafty for that, he'd strike at everything they held dear. Fear shot through him, causing Hiei to turn and look at him in concern, “Hiei, you've got to warn the others. Tell them to get someplace safe. He'll go through them to get to me; he's already threatened to kill Botan when he thought she was trying to take me from him!”

“I know,” Hiei said quietly although he didn't bother to move. It was something that he'd already thought of although he hadn't been aware that Kurama had already threatened Botan. It still didn't change the fact however that he couldn't leave Yusuke's side. It was enough to make him inwardly snarl in frustration and worry for his sister's safety.'If only I could be certain that nothing would happen while I went to the Ningenkai myself. Dammit!' Only his eyes reflected his inner turmoil as he stared off into the distance, “Koenma and Botan are aware of the situation; they were there when I fought with Youko. I'll make sure that they see to the others and get them someplace safe,” he said after a moment.'I'll also send an imp to Genkai's tonight to warn Yukina, the island is the only safe place for her now.'

“You should go get Yukina. Don't leave it up to someone else, if Kurama gets a hold of her...” Yusuke trailed off, not wanting to think about just what would happen. With how angry Kurama was, Yukina was a likely target and she knew nothing of what was going on. She'd go to him readily, unaware of the danger that she was in. He couldn't ask Hiei to stay by his side, not while the Koorime was in danger.

“Let me worry about Yukina, right now you rest. I'll return later,” Hiei murmured, knowing that Yusuke had a point. Giving the Toushin's hand a gentle squeeze he stood up and broke the mental connection he'd been holding. Now back in his own body he stood and walked from the room, needing to find Mukuro. As competently as he'd seen Koenma deal with world threatening catastrophes, he wouldn't put it past the demigod to forget about Yukina completely. Especially if he was worried about his own ass at the time. While he might not be able to leave, he could send a squad to the temple to retrieve her along with a message ball which would outline the events that had lead up to this. Only hearing that would both Genkai and Yukina take the threat seriously and get to safety. But for that to happen he had to act quickly, time was of the essence.

~Back In The Ningenkai~

Youko stared at the spot that the portal had been only moments before and seethed in barely restrained anger. 'How dare they interfere!' A growl erupted from his chest as he lashed out with the whip, cutting through a nearby table and causing it to splinter into several pieces. Yet that tiny bit of destruction wasn't enough to calm the rage that flowed through him. 'Koenma has obviously forgotten his place and needs a reminder of just who he belongs to as well.' It wasn't hard to picture the demigod standing before him and viciously he struck with his whip, cutting clean through the illusion and rendering a large gash in the wall.

Again and again he lashed out, causing plaster to rain down around him but he didn't care. He'd been so close to finishing it but the demigod had to stick his nose into things.''There was no way that Hiei could have known what was happening without his help. None at all and the fact that Koenma and that bitch came through with him only damns them further.' Now Yusuke was gone and in Hiei's care. No doubt the apparition took him to Mukuro's where he would be the safest, at least for the time being anyway.

Of course, even that measure of safety was an illusion and nothing more. Sooner or later their attentiveness would slacken and Yusuke would be his for the taking. But that didn't mean he would rush in, as his former teammates would have done. No, he wasn't that impulsive and he wouldn't give into such a foolish desire. To do so would guarantee his second death and he wouldn't give them that satisfaction. That didn't mean he was powerless to do anything however and he allowed a cruel smile to cross his lips. The possibilities before him for revenge were endless.'Just because Yusuke and Hiei are beyond my reach for the moment does not mean the others are. I will strike and cause them unimaginable pain, even if it is merely emotional.'

Youko allowed the whip to revert to its dormant form and surveyed the damage. The room was completely destroyed but the damage didn't concern him in the least. While it would have been nice to maintain for the plan that was slowly forming in his mind it wasn't absolutely necessary either. 'Where shall I begin?' The obvious choice would be Koenma and Botan since they had been present when Yusuke was taken and the demigod had played an active part. However he had to wonder just how he'd known that Yusuke was on the brink of death.'It's possible Yusuke told him that he was leaving and the prince decided to check but I doubt it. Koenma is too sloppy in his surveillance for that. No, he had warning.'

That left one option, Kuwabara. That thought was enough to make him snarl in agitation. 'I should have known he wouldn't let things go.' Truly if that was the case then the psychic would be on guard against any attacks, not that it would do him much good. But then again he couldn't deny that he was in the mood to play with his prey. Most likely the fool thought that Hiei would have no problems in killing him and would believe he was dead. 'Who am I to change his mind? It will make the pain that much sweeter when I look into his eyes and feel his life blood pouring out over my fingers.'

To allow them to believe the lie though it meant going out of his way to ensure they believed it. Sacrifices would have to be made, not the least of which was his identity in the human world. Was it worth it to him to give up everything? His life, his mother? The kitsune couldn't help the involuntary wrinkling of his nose that came at the thought of returning to the mundane life that came with being completely human. Invariably questions would be raised when his friends came up missing one by one and the human authorities would most certainly approach him, thinking there was foul play involved.'But if Shuichi Minamino no longer exists, then I am free to do as I please and there will be no obstacles in my path. Their transgressions will not go unpunished and if the death of my human persona is required to accomplish that, so be it.'

Now that he thought about it, the destruction to the room worked in his favor. A body would be necessary of course to complete the scene but that was of no real consequence. An illusion placed over the body would suffice for allowing people to believe that he had been killed. The only ones who might question it had no reason to return to the house. 'Koenma is probably cowering in a corner waiting for me to come to him. Unless someone informs him of my supposed death he will be none the wiser. Hiei will be too busy with Yusuke and by the time he realizes that something is wrong it will be too late for him to stop me.'

Calmly he walked from the room, allowing his form to shift back to his human aspect. Looking out the window he took stock of how much time had passed. The sun was beginning to set now and soon darkness would cloak the city, ideal conditions for him to work in and select his first victim. “Soon we will begin, Yusuke, I pray that you find the sacrifices about to be made are worth it to you,” he whispered before walking towards the bathroom. Before he could leave the house he would have to get cleaned up. He couldn't risk the possibility that someone would see him covered in the Toushin's blood.

With the flick of a switch the sound of running water filled the air. Stepping into the stall, Kurama allowed a contented sigh to escape his lips. If nothing else a shower was relaxing because he knew he was one step closer to exacting his revenge. Rivulets of red water trailed down his pale skin and finally disappeared down the drain, removing all traces of the torture he'd been inflicting throughout the day. Finally he reached for the shampoo and began to lather it into his hair. It wasn't surprising to see the suds turn pink, proof that the blood had even coated his hair during his time with Yusuke and then later when Hiei had cut through the tip of his ear. After rinsing the shampoo out, Kurama closed his eyes and allowed the water to pelt him for a few more moments before he shut it off and reached for a towel.

A few minutes were spared to vigorously dry his body before he walked into his bedroom and went straight to the closet. There was no need to put a great deal of thought into what he needed to wear, this time he would take a page out of Hiei's book of stealth. Sticking to the shadows was his best option, especially since he didn't want someone recognizing him and throwing doubt at the lie he was attempting to fabricate. So instead of the bright colors he normally wore he removed a black fighting tunic with pale gray trim and began dressing.

Now he was ready to begin and with a final check in the mirror to ensure he wasn't likely to attract attention he walked out of the house. As he expected the street he lived on was pretty much bare of any foot traffic but he was taking no chances. Calmly he disappeared into the tree line and began making his way towards the city. Choosing a victim that lived close by would bring added complications, something he didn't want. His best bet was to grab someone off the streets that wasn't likely to be missed and for that, downtown was his ultimate goal unless he ran across someone that suited his needs before then.

As he got closer to his destination, Kurama was forced to abandon the security the trees provided and was reduced to slinking about in the shadows. The foot traffic was becoming thicker although the few people who crossed his path didn't even notice his presence. His eyes scanned the crowd, ever alert for the perfect candidate and it wasn't long before he found one. A male prostitute, most likely new to the life style, was watching the crowd wandering past warily. There was air of innocence to him that briefly made Kurama wonder just what had prompted the man to take such a path in life but it didn't matter, not really.

The only thing that did matter was that the man was the right build. The man's hair was even the same length although it was the wrong color. A small illusion would change that though and smooth the boy's features into a close approximation of his own. With a slight smile plastered on his face he approached the boy, needing to get him away from the main flow of traffic. “Forgive me but... you seem out of place here,” he said finally, coming within speaking distance to his prey.

Naoto looked up, seeing the well dressed man coming towards him and straightened his posture considerably. Although he really didn't want to be here, he really didn't have any choice, not if he wanted to get enough money to provide food for his mother and siblings. The job he maintained during the day was just barely enough to cover the rent for the small apartment they lived in. With his mother unable to work, this was one of the few options he had left. “So do you. Are you lost or are you looking for someone in particular?” he asked, trying to sound sultry although it hardly sounded convincing to his own ears.

“Just passing through,” Kurama said with a polite smile but he made no attempt to move away. Carefully he looked around as if scanning for anyone more interesting while in truth he was looking for a secluded area that would suit his needs. “Seems kind of quiet tonight,” he said after a moment. Let the boy think he was making idle conversation; he had no interest in fucking him. He had other uses for the boy's body.

Quiet was an understatement, he'd only had one job so far that night and it hadn't put much cash in his pocket. He needed to turn at least three more tricks before the night was out or he was going to have to return tomorrow night instead of catching up on sleep as he'd planned. “Pretty much, the weekends are better, you know?” Naoto looked at the redhead curiously, “You said you were just passing through. Got anywhere in particular to go?”

“Not really,” Kurama said with a shrug, “this was supposed to be a vacation for me but I was separated from the group. No surprise there, they are always running off to do their own thing. I figured I'd check out the area before returning to my hotel. My friends will show up sooner or later, although it'll probably be morning by then.” The lie slipped from his lips easily. Let the boy think that he had a hotel room all to himself, then it wouldn't be hard to persuade him to walk off with him when presented with the prospect of something more comfortable than a darkened alley. Through heavily lidded eyes he gazed at his companion who was staring at him intently, “Would you be interested in keeping me company for a few hours?”

It was an unusual offer, one that had Naoto's eyes widening in surprise. Usually his clients were happy with ducking into an empty hallway or fumbling around in a car. A hotel room was something he hadn't been expecting. “Don't you want to hear my price?” he asked after a moment. If the redhead was serious and had the cash a job like this would mean he wouldn't have to work this spot for a few days and he could tend to his family's needs for a change.

Slowly Kurama pulled his wallet out and removed several bills, noting how the teen's eyes widened in surprise. “I trust this will be enough? If it's not I can look elsewhere for company,” he said carefully. He didn't want to spook the boy off by giving the indication that money was no option. Most likely the teen was hard up to begin with and an opportunity like this would be one that he wouldn't want to pass up.

“That's plenty. Lead the way Mr?” Naoto looked at him expectantly, knowing that he'd need a name unless the redhead wanted to be addressed as “hey you” which generally wasn't good for business. Not if he wanted a repeat customer at any rate.

“Just call me Kurama,” he stated quietly before handing the teen the cash he'd pulled out, “Follow me, it isn't far from here.” At least, the area he had in mind which was secluded enough to knock the boy out wasn't. He didn't want to make his kill out in public where someone might chance upon him. The damage done to the room in his house would indicate a massive struggle which meant the boy walking next to him would have to be beaten severely in order to fit in with the crime scene. “So what should I call you?” he asked after a moment, just to fill in the silence as they walked together.

“Naoto,” he supplied quickly enough. The name the redhead had given him was strange but he shrugged it off. Most likely he didn't want the possibility of the activities that were about to occur getting back to anyone important. Perhaps the man had a wife, in which case he could see the problems it would cause if that sort of rumor were to ever get out. Either way it wasn't his business, he was merely there to pleasure the man, nothing more.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Naoto,” Kurama replied automatically, keeping his attention completely on their surroundings. Once more they were moving well out of the more populated districts and he couldn't help but wonder if his companion was getting suspicious or not. Then again, any place of repute was not likely to be in the part of town that he'd found Naoto in to begin with. “Ah, it's not much further,” he indicated as the turned down a quiet street. About a mile ahead he could see the lights that indicated they'd be traveling into a more populated area once again but they'd never reach that far.

“You've got good taste in places to stay,” Naoto said offhandedly. It wasn't often he ventured into this part of town. It was reserved for the wealthy, people that didn't mind tossing extra money around to secure the most outlandish of comforts. It was no wonder that the redhead had pulled out so much money, he could easily afford it if he was staying in this district. He turned his head to look at his client and was surprised to see that the man was no longer there, “Kurama?”

The boy never knew what hit him as Kurama struck him from behind. Before the teen could collapse to the ground the kitsune had his limp body slung over a shoulder. Quickly he looked around to make sure that no one had witnessed what had happened. Secure in the knowledge that no one was the wiser; he leapt into the trees and carried his burden back to his house.

It seemed to take forever but eventually they made it back with no close calls but Kurama wasn't happy until the front door was firmly closed behind him. He didn't stop walking either until they reached the room which had once been Yusuke's prison where he dumped Naoto's body unceremoniously on the floor and proceeded to wait. He knew it wouldn't take long before the boy woke up and then they could begin. There was no room for mercy in this killing either since a dead body wouldn't bleed. To achieve the proper effect Naoto was going to have to feel every blow that rained down upon his body, it was unavoidable.

Slowly Naoto opened his eyes but then squeezed them shut at the pain in his head made his vision swim. 'What... happened to me?' The last thing he remembered was walking towards the hotel and then... He gasped and his eyes flew open, scanning his surroundings. What he saw filled him with terror, blood liberally coated the floors and streaked the walls where the plaster remained intact. There was no telling what had happened but he knew that he was in trouble. “Somebody help me,” he shouted, hoping that there was someone that could hear his cries. And there was, but it would do him no good.

“That is quite enough of that,” Youko said coldly before stepping into the boy's view. The terror in those wide eyes only intensified when they finally landed upon his form. Clearly the teen had never seen a kitsune before which was hardly surprising but Youko drank in his fear all the same. When he reached out to pick his victim up, Naoko tried to scoot away but it was in vain. Youko gripped the flimsy shirt easily between his claws and lifted the man completely off the ground, “You do realize that escape is useless do you not?”

“What are you?” Naoto asked fearfully, his weak struggles doing nothing to gain his freedom. 'A monster, I've been captured by a monster!' It was the only explanation that his mind could come up with in response to what he was seeing.

“I am the instrument of your death young one; mind you it's nothing personal. Merely necessary, “Youko stated calmly before drawing his fist back and slamming it into the smaller man's jaw. The bone shattered on impact but it didn't stop Naoto from screaming in pain. Desperate hands reached forward, clawing at him in an attempt to escape but Youko was not deterred. Viciously he dragged his own claws down the man's chest, tearing the shirt from Naoto's chest and leaving brutal gashes in the man's flesh.

“Ahhhh!” Naoto cried out in pain, the sensation of his skin being ripped open was too much to bear. Frantically he struggled to get free and he was completely caught off guard when he was thrown through the air to impact heavily against one of the steel torture devices. On impact his arm snapped, adding yet another injury to deal with. 'I've got to get away!' Through the blinding pain he struggled to his feet and made a dash for the doorway but he was stopped with a bruising kick to the ribs just inches from his goal.

“Pathetic,” Youko snarled and rammed his fist into the undamaged side of the teen's face. The bruising sprang up almost immediately which was of no surprise but the kitsune knew he couldn't carry it too much farther. If he made the boy's features completely unrecognizable then they'd resort to DNA testing which would again cause problems. Staring down at the half conscious teen, Youko pulled him to his feet, “Time to end this.”

The words barely reached Naoto through the haze of pain yet his vision cleared slightly when two strong hands cupped his face almost gently. But then the grip tightened and he knew it was over when they jerked his head sharply to the side. One final pain raced through him and then, only darkness.

Youko dropped the limp body to the ground and surveyed it critically. Naoto's clothing while not something he would normally wear was not unusual either. It would suffice and he wouldn't have to worry about redressing him. Now all that needed to be done was fixing the illusion in place and then vacating the area. A well timed call made to the police, anonymously of course would ensure that the news of his death traveled quickly.

~Across Town~

“If you pace any more you're going to wear a hole in the carpet. Sit down, Kazuma, if it's as bad as Koenma thought it would be then they wouldn't bring Yusuke here anyway,” Shizuru said gently, trying to calm her younger brother. She understood why he was anxious but there wasn't much that either one of them could do at this point in time.

For the tenth time in the past two minutes Kuwabara moved away from the window and sighed, “I shouldn't be here right now. What if Hiei needs my help?” The truth of the matter was he felt completely useless and it didn't help matters that he didn't know exactly what was going on, “Do you think it's over now? I mean, Koenma would at least send Botan to tell us what was going on wouldn't he?”

“Probably,” Shizuru replied after a moment's thought, “but then again they might be busy taking care of Yusuke too. Look baby bro, I know that you want to help but there's nothing that either of us can do but wait.” When Kuwabara looked ready to protest she held up her hand to forestall him, “Think about it. You know as well as I do that fighting Kurama is going to be damned hard for even Hiei. If you're there will you actually be more of a help or a hindrance? I'm not trying to be mean but look at it realistically. If Kurama took out Yusuke then you don't stand a chance and you'd be giving Hiei one more body to worry about.”

Wearily Kuwabara sat down on the couch with a heavy thump. His sister had a point, that much he knew but he still didn't have to like it. “Well they better not take too long about letting us know what's going on, “he groused under his breath. He'd give them another hour, two at most and then he'd go over there to see what had happened for himself, consequences be damned.

“Yeah yeah, don't even think about running over there and trying to play the hero this time. If Hiei can't handle it then you damned sure won't be able to either,” Shizuru replied dryly. It wasn't hard to figure out exactly what the man was thinking. It probably would have been her first reaction had she still been young and impulsive. Thankfully she had learned better but at the moment she wondered if she was going to forcefully drive that same lesson home to the man she was now watching.

“It'd be better than just sitting here doing nothing,” he said caustically although his tone did nothing more than earn him a bland look. Despite his sister's seemingly uncaring nature he knew that she was just as worried, this was just her way of dealing with the problem. Slowly he shook his head and reached for the remote, if nothing else maybe watching some television would help to distract him, if only for a few minutes. However, a hard knock at the door startled him enough that when he jumped to his feet the device clattered to the floor.

Thoughts raced through his mind as he ran towards the door. Was it Botan? Or maybe Koenma himself with news of Yusuke's condition. However when he threw the door open he was stunned to see two uniformed officers standing on his doorstep and looking at him expectantly, “Uh, can I help you?”

The first officer nodded and looked at the redhead critically. Something had the tall man rattled if his pale appearance was anything to go on. While this was a routine check, he couldn't help but wonder if they were about to get a major lead in the case they'd been assigned. ”Are you Kazuma Kuwabara?”

Kuwabara shifted uncomfortably beneath that piercing glare. “Yes I am. Is there something wrong?” Somehow he was positive this had something to do with Kurama and the way that he'd been acting earlier. Suddenly he wasn't so sure he wanted the answer to his question but there was no getting around this little meeting.

“Yes, we've been told that you are acquainted with one Shuichi Minamino and Yusuke Urameshi. Have you seen either one of them within the past twenty four hours?” The officer had already questioned Mrs. Minamino and learned that there had been a party the day before. It was entirely possible that any one of the attendees had returned today and could shed light on the tragedy that had occurred.

“I saw Shuichi around noon today but Urameshi wasn't anywhere around. Uh, I asked where he was and I was told that he was out for the day. What's this about?” Suddenly Kuwabara felt like he was a bug under a microscope. Uneasily he looked over at Shizuru who was walking towards him with an unreadable expression. She seemed almost uneasy but he couldn't tell if it was because of the police on her doorstep or if it was something else bothering her.

“Your friend Shuichi was found dead in his home this evening. It appeared that there was a struggle and his roommate is missing. Do you have any idea who might have wanted to hurt Mr. Minamino or where Mr. Urameshi might have gone?” The officer noticed how both of them tensed upon hearing that news and he made a mental note to check out more into their relationship with the two men in question.

“He's dead? But how?” Kuwabara queried softly. Strangely enough he expected to feel horrified by that revelation but he only felt oddly relieved. It meant that Hiei had been successful and Yusuke's disappearance meant that he had been taken somewhere safe.

“That information won't be released to the general public I'm afraid but it's clear that he was murdered and his roommate is missing. Whether Mr. Urameshi is alive at this point in time is unknown. Can you tell us where you've been since approximately four this evening until the current time?” Something about their reactions seemed a bit off to the officer but he couldn't put his finger on just what it was.

Shizuru scowled at the two officers seeing where this was going. For the moment the uneasy feeling she was getting was pushed to the side in favor of answering for her brother, “He was with me all day. We traveled to a temple owned by a friend to pray for the afternoon. If you want proof I'm sure I've still got the stubs from the train tickets in my purse.”

“If you don't mind, I would like to take a look at them,” the officer replied casually and then watched the brunette stalk back over towards the couch and return with her purse. Within moments four stubs were placed in his hand, indicating what time they departed from each train station. In fact, based on travel times it looked as if they'd only got back into town a half hour before he'd knocked on their door. Clearly they hadn't committed the crime but that didn't mean they didn't know who had. “Thank you,” he said and then handed the stubs back to Shizuru.

“No problem,” Shizuru said, taking the slips of paper back and stowing them back in her purse. There was a good chance she'd be called on to verify their whereabouts again so she needed to keep them in a safe place. The officer had turned back to questioning Kazuma on where Yusuke might be and Shizuru only listened half heartedly to the responses. She knew where he was, not that the location would do the authorities any good. How Yusuke was going to get out of this jam was a good question but they couldn't worry about that now. The feeling of dread came back and she couldn't exactly pinpoint what it was that was bothering her. For a moment she closed her eyes and an image of Keiko's terrified face came to her.

Kuwabara heard Shizuru's swift intake of breath and stared at her, “You okay?” Somehow he doubted that Kurama's death was causing her any distress so it had to be something else causing it. 'C'mon sis, I hope this isn't serious cause if it is you've got shitty timing.' Even now both officers were looking at her in concern.

Not wanting to give too much of her concern away she stared into her brother's eyes hard, “Where's Keiko?” It wasn't often that she got premonitions this strong but when she did they were always to be heeded. While she didn't know what had been causing Keiko to look like that, it was a damned good bet that it wasn't anything she'd normally be dealing with. 'Kurama maybe but... he's dead.' Her eyes widened considerably when she realized that they had no hard proof of that. 'Oh my God.'

Anxiously he turned from the door, completely forgetting about the audience they had at the moment, “She's at her apartment, why?” Now Kuwabara was growing even more concerned. He didn't know why Shizuru would ask about Keiko out of the blue like that but it had to be important. Even now the brunette was hauling ass towards the phone, cursing under her breath the entire time.

Shizuru made a mental note later to thank her brother for putting Keiko's number on speed dial even though it wasn't his phone. For now though she could only pray that she wasn't too late and that she could warn Keiko to get the hell out of her house before she had an unexpected visitor, “Come on girl, pick up the damned phone!”