Keiko just couldn't fathom how much everything had changed in four short years. Back then, Yusuke was leaving for the Demon World, unsure if he would ever return; she had been going into her first year of high school and now she was a young woman, entering her last year of high school. Her world was so very...new.

Yusuke had been back for almost two years now, although he had vanished for a few months ago to visit the demon world and Keiko had feared he would not return; but he had. He and Keiko had yet to marry but Keiko was sure they would eventually. She was in no rush and felt as if they had all the time in the world.

Kuwabara was in his last year of high school, too. He had plans to attend the city's university, majoring in sports medicine. He, too, had changed. Kuwabara was all about keeping his grades up and visiting Yukina as much as he could. He was happy with the peaceful nature of his life.

Yes, everything was different and yet the same. There the three sat in their train car, setting out for a weekend at Genkai's. The had only a few short weeks before the summer set in and Keiko and Kuwabara would be free from school requirements for a time.

Keiko had not been to visit the old psychic in quite some time. She frowned at the ground, thinking about all the weekend could have in store for them. She was tense, nervous. Yusuke and Kuwabara, however, seemed completely at ease, chatting happily about what they planned to do. If only Keiko could have felt so optimistic.

Yusuke kicked her foot to bring her back to reality and Keiko turned her startled eyes on him. Kuwabara nudged his friend roughly.

"Hey! You don't kick girls, Urameshi!"

"What?! That was a tap, you doofus!" Yusuke said as he punched Kuwabara in the arm. "Besides, Keiko's worrying is putting a downer on my fun." Yusuke teased his girlfriend. "Perk up, babe." Keiko rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. Ok, maybe not too much had changed.

"Aw, you shouldn't worry so much, Keiko. Everything's gonna be fine. I mean, we are only gonna be at Genkai's for a few days. What's the worst that could happen?" Kuwabara reasoned with a smile.

"Well, an asteroid could fall out of the sky and squash that pug nosed face of yours." said a voice from the door. Another girl entered the compartment then, interrupting the conversation between the friends, arms loaded down with bags of snacks and a single black back-pack Her grin said that this human girl was a friend to the group.

"Oooooo! Kari got you, Kuwabara!" Yusuke hooted as the newcomer took her seat next to Keiko.

"Aw, come on!" Kuwabara grumbled. Kari laughed and brushed a rebellious black curl from her face. Kari's face was pale like moonlight; which only made her green eyes stand out against her features. Coupled with her long, dark hair, she was definitely a pretty human girl.

"Come off it and take your stupid soda," she replied as she dipped a gloved hand into the shopping bag and produced a cola. Yes, Kari was pretty...and extremely sassy.

Each teen took their offered beverage with a "thanks" and the train finally pulled away from the station. Yusuke and Kuwabara delved back into their own conversation about what they were most excited about doing when they reached the compound. Keiko looked to the other female and realized she was grateful for another companion on this trip.

"You are gonna love the temple! There is a huge forest and a beach and everything," Keiko said. "I'm really glad you decided to come with us this time."

"Yeah, I'm really excited, too! So nice to get away from the city and everything," Kari replied as she stretched her arms above her head, lacing her gloved fingers together. Keiko realized that she had never seen her friend so happy in the few years they had known one another. Kari was usually quiet around people and Keiko had been sure she didn't have many friends. Not that Kari made that easy; she was a loner. It had taken Keiko months to have Kari come over to her house to study and even longer to get her to go away with them for the weekend. However, the more time the two spent together, the more Keiko learned that Kari was an outgoing, athletic girl with just a few quirks. Keiko glanced to the other girl's hands.

"Your gloves are going to get filthy if you decide to go running, though." Kari looked down at the white gloves and Keiko could see a flicker of apprehension cross her friend's green eyes. From the first day they had met, Keiko had never seen Kari without a pair of wrist length gloves, no matter the season or weather.

"I brought more so I can switch them out," Kari replied and smiled at her friend. Keiko decided to let it go, it was Kari's business afterall. The two spent the entire ride chatting and planning for their nice, relaxing weekend at Genkai's temple.

Kari took in a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and she could feel all her trepidation fall away. This was what she needed. Even this never ending staircase couldn't put a damper on her feeling of liberation. Too long she had been cooped up in the city with no open spaces to roam, no space to be free.

"Kari, slow down! Not all of us brought just one bag for the whole weekend," Keiko said, laughing. Kari looked back and grinned.

"Oh, please! Yusuke is carrying your stuff anyway," Kari shot back as she jumped from one step to the next, turning and flipping over her hands here and there. "Are there any good running trails out here, Kuwabara?" The auburn headed teen laughed.

"Not any that I think you would find challenging," he replied and Kari huffed out a breath of air. She wanted to run, especially alone. These woods could go on for miles with no one around and Kari intended to take advantage of that. Kari flipped up to the next step and stood on her hands, facing her friends upside down.

"Well, we are almost at the top. Think this Genkai would mind if I checked out the woods a bit?" Kari flipped her legs back down and continued her bizarre routine of turns and flips as she ascended.

"Psh."Yusuke snorted from beneath his load of Keiko's bags. "Yeah, she might not want you getting eaten by-" Yusuke didn't get a chance to finish his statement for Kuwabara fervently knocking him off balance and almost sending the ex-detective tumbling back the way they had come.

"Huh? Eaten? By what?" Kari questioned and looked from Keiko to Kuwabara, her 'playing' halted for a moment.

"Oh! Yusuke was just kidding! I mean, there are some uh...wolves! Yes, wolves! There are wolves in the woods but they shouldn't bother you," Keiko babbled. Kari merely shrugged and resumed her fun, jumping from step to step lightly. Wolves didn't scare her.

Yusuke picked up his head to vent his frustration but was met only with his girlfriend's disapproving eyes. "What?"

"Ix-nay on the emon-days," Keiko replied in a hushed voice. Yusuke just looked more confused.

"Huh?"

"She said, don't mention the demons, Urameshi. Kari doesn't know, remember?" Kuwabara added in a whisper as he looked over his shoulder to ensure that Kari hadn't heard them. The teen girl was still happily taking in the scenery and hopping closer and closer to the top of the stairs.

"Oh...yeah, I keep forgetting about that!" Yusuke laughed. Keiko sighed and continued up the stairs.

Kari's eyes widened in amazement at the sprawling temple that lay before her once she reached the top of the stairs and jogged through the temple gate. The temple itself was impressive but Kari was more thrilled with all the space in the yards surrounding it. Wide open spaces to run out all of her anxiety...and possibly have a few precious moments alone later. Kari grinned to herself and jogged forward, soaking up the warm spring day.

"Hm. Didn't anyone tell you it's rude to trespass?" Kari spun around to face the old Master Genkai herself.

"Oh! Sorry! Um, I'm with-"

"It's alright. I know your Keiko's friend. Kari, right?" Kari smiled and bowed to the old woman.

"You must be Master Genkai. Very nice to meet you and thank you for opening your home to me." Genkai smiled. The girl had manners.

"You are very welcome." Kari straightened and blew a lock of hair out her face before reaching back to tie it up in a ponytail.

"Master Genkai! We're back!" Keiko called as she and the two boys finally cleared the steps. Genkai waved back and called out her own greetings. She turned back to see Kari darting her head around to see all that the mountainside had to offer.

"You are free to walk the grounds all you like," Genkai offered and Kari perked up.

"Thank you!" Kari gushed, dropped her backpack, and turned to jog around the temple.

"Kari? Where are you going?" Keiko called as she pulled up to Genkai.

"Just looking around. I won't go far!" Kari called back before she was off around the corner of the temple and out of sight.

"Genkai, there aren't any demons close by, right?" Keiko asked worriedly. Genkai shook her head and smiled.

"Not any that would find interest in your friend." Keiko sighed in relief but Genkai continued. "You will have to tell her sooner or later, you know." Keiko looked to the master.

"Yeah," she agreed. "But for now, I'm just happy to have a normal friend for once."

Once Kari was sure her friends could no longer see her, she heaved out a big sigh of relief.

Just a few minutes alone. Perfect. Kari grinned and made for the low slung rope fence that marked the entrance to the woods. Slowly, Kari pulled her gloves from her hands and shoved them in the pocket of her shorts. She flexed her bare fingers and looked into the woods.

Time to stretch. Kari grinned and bolted into the trees, vaulting the rope in one swift leap. Now was her time to really relax and let loose like she couldn't back home. With astounding agility, Kari lept across trees roots and dove into one handed cartwheels and flips. These woods were great for a free run. Wolves and all.

Hiei was surveying the temple from a safe distance. Crouched on the branch of a tree, he had lowered his energy to avoid being detected. The last thing he wanted at the moment was to be approached by his friends. It's not that he didn't want to see them, not that he would ever admit it, but he just wanted to observe for a while.

He watched as Yusuke and Kurama, who had just made the trek up the winding stairs, exchanged hellos and saw Yukina and Keiko walking along the outer walkway of the temple while Kuwabara talked to them animatedly.

Idiot, he thought. Yet, Yukina seemed happy and Hiei knew that Kuwabara would not treat her poorly. It had been two years since the end of the demon world tournament, but Hiei had still not informed Yukina that he was her brother. Yes, he would come to the human world every so often to check up on her but he was still not ready to be honest about who he was.

In truth, Hiei had returned to the human world not only to look after his sister, but out of sheer boredom. The two years he had spent on the border patrol was taxing. He longed to train alone, without his patrol group constantly pestering him about the weak humans he was forced to return home. Of course, he would have to return in a few months, but for now all he wanted was to be alone.

Just as he was thinking of finding a clearing to train in, a flash of energy shot through Hiei's mind and almost caused the demon to lose his hold on the tree branch he was perched on. Baffled, he looked for the source, scanning the trees around him.

What the hell? The energy was not particularly strong or threatening. It wasn't demon at all but it also didn't feel completely human. To Hiei it felt almost...warm? Comforting? Even familiar? At that moment, Kari walked into his line of sight and Hiei's roaming crimson eyes landed on her. She was walking leisurely, loosening her hair from her ponytail to fly freely. As soon as he had her locked in his gaze, Kari's head also shot up, startled. In a mere moment, she spotted Hiei in the tree and their eyes locked, crimson and emerald clashing.

Hiei was completely confused now. She's human, he thought. The strange energy he sensed was radiating from her softly. Kari didn't look different than any other human to him. A basic shape, not too different from Yukina or Keiko, although more to Yukina's size. She wasn't thin nor fat, but Hiei could also tell that her muscles were not nearly as prominent as a demon's would have been. She had tensed when she caught sight of him and her hands were clenching and unclenching nervously at her sides. A breeze ruffled Kari's long, black tresses, blowing them across her face. Definitely human, Hiei thought as her scent reached him. Finally, he took in her eyes. Bright green in color, rare among humans and not common even among the apparitions, but there was more to those eyes. Hiei could not lay a finger on why those eyes were so captivating to him and he could not tear away from her unwavering gaze. A tingle worked down his spine, moving slowly from vertebrae to vertebrae and flooding his system with warmth. What the fu-

CRASH!

Hiei nearly jumped at the sound. Quickly, he and Kari jerked their attention to the temple and the source of the sound.

"Oh...god," Kari gasped in shock. Hiei watched her start running for the temple...and straight into the horde of demons that were attacking.