"She went where?!" Yusuke yelled in surprised frustration.

He sighed internally, he had known it would be a chore to explain to the others Mukuro's disappearance from their ranks.

"She did not tell me exactly, only that she had something pressing to attend to." He responded, folding his arms, "Mukuro is not known for explaining her actions, Yusuke."

It had been odd enough behavior for the ex-king to wake him after so short a time at watch. He had assumed regardless of how vague Mukuro had been that it was indeed something rather important to pull Mukuro from Hiei's side at this time.

We do not turn away from death…not us…not demons…

"Well that's just great!" Yusuke snapped throwing his hands in the air, "We're trying to ward off the Demon World apocalypse and one of us thinks they better get back to paperwork!"

"Mukuro never does paperwork." Hiei corrected from his place against a tree, "Her office is simply where we can locate her quickest."

He concentrated on keeping his neutral mask in place as he took note of Hiei's listlessness. To the others it might only seem a small change, that quiver of lack in vitality to the normally aggressive voice, to him it was disheartening to say the very least.

It had not escaped his notice that Hiei had been sleeping the previous night instead of assisting in keeping watch without mentioning he was which was his normal habit.

Nor had he missed the fact that generally Hiei would have awaken when Mukuro had sought his awareness.

Hiei could be typically counted on to wake at the slightest provocation and to never reach true sleep in as hostile a situation as they were in currently.

He was not the only one of them to take notice yet it only troubled him further that with every eye on him Hiei showed no signs he was aware he had become the center of rather concerned attention.

We are losing him but not as we have lost any other. How is it we all knew at some crucial point because of his choices concerning the Darkness technique he would be lost to it and yet it still shocks us to see the evidence?

His attention wandered to the figure facing away from them which was an altogether different type of surprise to him.

He would have imagined this would be a moment of triumph for Shizuru, to see these signs of impending grief. To hear and see the wasting effects of the Dragon's domination over Hiei's soul.

His eyes narrowed as he noted how tightly Shizuru's visible hand was gripping her arm, the tips almost white from the pressure.

What is it that causes you such…distress, Shizuru?

Before the night she had been made aware of their deception he would have automatically assigned care to the obvious sign.

Currently he could not comfortably do so.

Not because he was so fully convinced Shizuru was lost to them but because he was aware Shizuru wanted to be lost to them. It was in her cruel words to all of them, her decidedly brisk manner.

In this particular mindset it mattered very little how they thought of her, the avenues of real meaningful interactions with her were entirely closed to them.

"Kurama…" Botan prompted him, drawing him out of his thoughts.

He brought his eyes up from the ground he had been contemplating to see that Hiei had begun leaving the area without notice.

"I am coming." He assured the reaper.

She was uncomfortable though word didn't exactly capture the acute internal pressures that had been constantly plaguing her since waking that morning.

Not being able to enjoy the tension and sorrow in the air earlier had been a symptom of that.

It was almost like all through the night her dreams had been full of voices, impulses that she had been trying and failing to suppress and that jumble of confusing impressions had followed her out of the dreams.

She did not care why Mukuro had taken off in the middle of the night, the absence of the female demon was more of a relief in that she didn't have to be on continuous guard against the almost clockwork attempts to shift through her mind.

She had needed to look away, to ignore what she had previously intended to witness in all its horrific glory.

She had needed to because of the abrupt explosion of dawning horror that had surfaced from deep within her.

She knew it was not her response that it belonged to something else but at the same time it had been joined by her own seething wrath. Battling it produced a sense of struggling against an extreme weight, as if it had bound itself to her internally and dragged against everything she said or thought.

In a way she had needed to turn away to regain some distance from both emotions that writhed inside of her almost as if she were clinging to Fate to remain herself which only made her more resentful of all those involved.

The internal conflict made it even harder to focus fully on anything outside of herself but since the others were far more caught up in what was occurring with Hiei she didn't have to spend much time discouraging their interest in her.

I know this is because of Masanori, it's getting worse the closer we get. That damn Dragon isn't helping either…

Unintentionally her eyes focused on the fire demon in the lead.

They were presumably going slower because of the inclusion of Kuwabara, both weakened and human.

She knew Hiei was leaning on that excuse and not bothering to dispel the idea.

She also knew the others were perfectly aware of why Hiei was going slower, that the fire demon was showing more extreme signs of the Dragon's presence growing in his mortal body.

What she did not know was just how he was still capable of the separation, but she found sadistic comfort in knowing that hold was slipping away with every step they took.

A strong surge of denial buffeted her for a heartbeat.

Shut up.

She almost laughed at herself.

Was she actually reduced to berating an emotion like it was another person?

Hiei was not the only one losing their grasp of things if this was any warning.

With irritation she noticed she had lagged behind the others, losing sight of them as she drifted in her distracted thoughts and emotions.t

"Well now…I thought that was you, not so sure I should be happy to see I was right." A male voice said behind her full of both welcome and concern.

She almost flinched before turning towards the source then found herself a little confused by a wisp of impulse that made little sense.

It was almost as if she were predisposed to like this stranger, to set aside her natural inclinations of suspicion for anyone she came across.

This new demon reminded her immediately of Masanori in his giant frame but that was where the similarities ended. From the shock of a blue crest of hair running down the center of his head to the way this demon held himself as if amused by everything life had to offer there was nothing reminiscent between the two.

"You…know me?" She asked, her eyes narrowing, purposefully crossing her arms.

The demon studied her for a long moment, giving her the impression he did not often bother with serious considerations.

It was obvious a sort of caution had insinuated itself in the large demon's thoughts.

Strangely that only made that wisp of predisposition stronger.

"Name's Chu…" the stranger introduced himself, hooking a thumb at himself, "and yea, you and me got some other days between us. Didn't think I'd be comin' across that that viper bite you got again though. Urameshi gave me the thought you wouldn't keep that after what…"

"Things did not work out in the manner we had hoped, Chu." Kurama interrupted emerging from the direction the group had disappeared in, "It seems odd to find you of all demons on this level."

She resisted the automatic impatient response with Kurama's habitual need to get involved in the nearest discussion.

Kurama knew this demon which she found just as interesting as the glint of caution and a little confusion passing through those jade green eyes that bounced from her to Chu and back again.

What exactly was he expecting?

"Honest, I'd rather be any place else." Chu replied rubbing at the side of his head, "Never crossed a part of Demon World that gave me the shivers like this one does but my feet had a mind of their own. Got that itch to go seeing what I could see not too long ago and here we are. Nice to see a friendly face mixed up in this, Kurama."

Kurama studied Chu for a long moment, "Forgive my caution but this situation is suspicious. I think it would be wise for you to find another as quickly as possible. Events have placed those close to us in considerable danger…"

Wasn't that funny?

She was more at ease than the red head was concerning a person he knew and that she couldn't remember. Usually she was the one chasing away others and maintaining that line of absolute caution regardless of who was involved.

"S'alright," Chu laughed gesturing dismissively with a large hand, "I've a mind to keep seeing. Not much else to do in these parts. Disgusting lack of waterin' holes here. Wouldn't happen to have a wee bit of somethin' tucked away for emergencies for an old friend?"

"No," Kurama returned, a smile lifting his lips though it didn't touch his eyes, "I am afraid I have no such provisions available."

Chu sighed gustily, "Makes a man's heart heavy when there's no fun about a place."

There was something tantalizingly familiar about this demon though a part of her did attempt to renew that typical spark of caution she was so use to.

She was getting frustrated with herself, with Kurama encouraging the idea that maybe she should find this Chu more of a threat.

"Hey Kurama!" Yusuke called out walking towards them, "Hiei's getting pissy with….what the hell? Chu?"

Yusuke did not try to cover as Kurama had, his expression instantly turning darker and his entire being tensing as he stopped next to the fox demon. There was no doubt Yusuke was weighing the fact that Masanori had been using their friend's faces to manipulate them.

"Urameshi!" Chu greeted him with a large grin, "Thought I felt you wanderin' about back there! You givin' me the stink eye for some reason mate? "

"I uh…" Yusuke began, glancing at Kurama, "You are you right?"

"What?" Chu asked, looking amused at Yusuke, "Who else would I be?"

"Something not you," Yusuke answered mildly, "Been a weird couple of days but since you're still not getting the crap beat out of you by "kill first, ask later" lady there I guess you're probably who I think you are."

Funny, she wouldn't have assumed that.

Of course she hadn't really tried in this instance, there was something holding back her natural inclinations.

She would feel it wouldn't she?

Every time before she had been able to identify the creations of Masanori without pause but this demon appeared to be exactly as he presented as to them.

"I'll take that as a nevermind." Chu responded amiably.

What was wrong with her?

Why did this feel like something she wanted to be exactly as it appeared?

"We're getting no closer to our goal wasting time with him." Hiei stated with irritation.

It was only then she noticed the others had joined them, that they ranged beside Yusuke and Kurama with Hiei set apart from them looking on with distinct disapproval. It sent a shiver through her that barely translated to her body, the sense of familiarity becoming more pronounced.

Did it always have to be some manipulation?

She blinked, surprised that question would even occur to her.

It always was some type of manipulation, some step for another in placing her in the exact center of situations she did not want to be involved in. It had been her personal truth for three years and still held true.

"Chu may be under the same influences as us, Hiei." Kurama offered though his attention seemed more on her and Chu.

"Who cares?" Hiei retorted dismissively, "This is a delay none of us can afford."

"Don't be so hasty." Yusuke countered, rubbing his chin, "We are down a good fighter. Chu could make up for Mukuro going MIA."

"You can't seriously see him as a reasonable replacement for her." Hiei returned with contempt.

She was being torn apart slowly, winds whipping emotions into frenzied conflicting storms inside of her as she fought for clarity.

She did want this to be real.

She knew there was a real threat until she was certain.

She did not want Chu involved.

She knew he had been some integral part of her past with the others.

Why?

Why was the demon Chu so much more important than the construct of Takeo?

She had reacted to Takeo as if he were real though she had known with blazing clarity he was nothing more than something Masanori had forced into reality.

She was hesitating, purposefully not confirming for no reason that she could understand.

It was easy.

Chu was even within reaching distance from her.

All it would take was putting a hand to the large arm just as she had when she had touched Kuwabara to confirm the strength of Fate's intentions with the human.

Just that and nothing more, aside from the knowledge that if this Chu was false she would be moved to kill him.

Was that it?

Was that why she felt so hesitant about doing something so simple?

Her eyes wandered to the profile of the larger demon as he watched with amusement as Yusuke and Hiei argued over his capabilities.

….I don't want to….

She frowned, her hand lightly fisting at her side.

If she did not and this demon did prove false then her revenge would be stolen and she would have no one else to blame but her own weaknesses to a past that meant nothing to her.

She had to know one way or the other.

True or false she was not interested in adding another loose end to any of this.

As luck would have it just as she raised her hand and put it out Chu brought his own up to presumably pound Yusuke on the shoulder good naturedly over some remark that had been made during her moments of uncertainty.

Their skin made contact and she gazed up at Chu for a second, her senses telling her the reality she did not want to believe.

….I don't want to…

The dragging sensation returned with a vengeance as Chu locked eyes with her which in turn fueled the sudden rush of energies that sent Chu flying backwards and away from her.

"Wait!" Yusuke yelled, grabbing a hold of her arm and glaring at her, "What's wrong with you! He's a friend and he didn't know anything back then!"

She wanted to be angry, needed to be and attempted to feed it through her aversion to being touched in the way the human turned demon was at that moment. Her ability to do so slipped settling more into being certain this was her responsibility regardless of how little she wanted to be involved.

"I don't know what's more pathetic." She said, shaking off the firm grip, "You thinking you're going to ever change my mind on anything…or that you're trying to keep me from killing a construct."

Yusuke's eyes widened, "But…you didn't…"

"Just stay back." She ordered turning towards the construct that was regaining its feet, "I don't want to have to bother with you being in my way."

She set off towards "Chu" knowing she still had not successfully thrown off that firm reluctance to fighting this demon even if he was only that in appearance.

…I don't want to…

How was she supposed to fight effectively when every step felt as if she were struggling against quicksand to even reach her opponent?!

"I don't get anything that's happening right now." Kuwabara admitted staring at Shizuru as she reached the construct who waited for her.

"I don't really either." Yusuke added grimly, "Why the hell did she wait so long?"

He felt Kurama's eyes rest on him but ignored the expectation involved, his attention was solely for the combatants and the twist of suspicion that floated within him.

He had heard the dullness to his own voice, knew it for the sign of even further removal of his interest in the events taking place around him.

How odd it was to find it again after all this time, for it to require the slow encroachment of a being such as the Dragon to view them in the same vein as he had upon meeting them although it was devoid of the more passionate responses of contempt and hatred.

Except…her…

Shizuru squared off with the larger construct but there was something nagging at him about the way she had appeared in that second she had confirmed for herself the true nature of it.

It was possible he had misinterpreted her actions, the being she was now more resembled the emotionless Fate than the emotion driven hybrid of before.

Possible but he highly doubted it, he knew her far too well.

He had seen the hesitant touch, the softening of her eyes though the others obviously had not.

That smallest of indicators that something had caused a momentary rush of regret to course through her.

It did not surprise him that Shizuru started from a defensive position, blocking rather than attacking as had become her habit. It disturbed him to see her regress in her fighting methods, to notice the same hesitation he had noted earlier translate into her defense of herself.

There was danger in her doing so, the construct had no such restrictions as it rained blows on her that she barely blocked.

"The question is why Masanori would choose Chu of all beings to present to her now." Kurama murmured in answer to some question asked of him.

"It has to mean something right?" Kuwabara insisted, raising a hand to shade his eyes.

"He means to unsettle her more." He commented without taking his eyes off the pair.

That regret was no small task to cause Shizuru, this was only another gambit in the twisted schemes of Masanori.

"Is it me…or is she not really into this fight?" Yusuke asked, his eyes narrowing, "She's not getting many hits in."

No, Shizuru was being slowly driven back towards them through her lack of action directly against Chu but that was not what concerned him the most.

The Jagan was a useful tool when utilized in the minute details, it could follow each action of another far better than even his own quick eyes could grasp.

He should have been utilizing it more directly against the incursion of the Dragon, applying that surplus it provided to stave of the steadily oppressive presence yet he found he had to know these details. It clawed at him as a thirst that must be quenched, an undeniable need in that moment.

What drew his attention, bringing with it a layer of confusion was the fact that while she reached a few times for her main weapons her hands had stilled and fallen away. That reluctance was what forced her to fall back on last minute defensive blocking and it made no sense to him that her actions would be interrupted in so exaggerated a manner during a fight.

She had shown no such reluctance in previous altercations, in fact she had been clearly the aggressor in most instances.

Why aren't you fighting back?!

"She never appeared to have a fear of Chu." Kurama mentioned with confusion.

"No…but…" Botan began then broke off uncertainly.

He allowed his gaze to brush the reaper, finding her clutching at her robes in distress as she too watched a battle that could only end in defeat.

"You know something?" Kuwabara questioned, worry in his voice causing it to rise to annoying levels, "Spit it out already!"

"Chu had to convince Shizuru to use her energies." Botan explained worriedly, "At the time I thought he was right. That Shizuru simply thought killing a demon was something she couldn't do…"

"You don't think like that now?" Yusuke prompted impatiently.

Did all of them feel it as he did?

Did they sense the threat that was growing to Shizuru as she continued to allow the construct to control the fight?

Was that part of the impatience he heard in their voices as his frustration grew knowing he could not interfere in it without the Dragon swallowing him whole.

It was all he could do to maintain his sense of self while being so invested in the glorious charade playing out before him. Watching this conflict only enflamed the Dragon's natural inclinations, it whispered hypnotically to him only kept at bay by the infusion of concern his core clung selfishly to.

"I think she was more afraid for Chu." Botan offered in a voice only just above a whisper, "She was afraid what letting it out fully would do to him. I don't think she ever really hit him with the full force of her energies on purpose."

He could see her thinking so back then.

"This construct is then a product of her fear for another that is a most dangerous sort." Kurama said grimly, "I am uncertain if she can win under the influence of something her current mindset would be hard pressed to understand."

His eyes narrowed as the construct's fist connected fully with Shizuru's face sending her hurtling across the ground leaving a deep burrow in the dirt.

"Why are we letting that thing…" Kuwabara began heatedly.

"Because of that." He interrupted sternly.

Shizuru pushed herself to her feet as her immediate surroundings pulsed for a second with the ambiguous undulating proof of Fate's energies pooling around her.

He grasped the demand to join in the fray, everything left of him was screaming in agonized need to do exactly that but it would be pointless either way.

For some inexplicable reason Shizuru paused as if gathering herself, the pool of energies dying away.

She…denied Fate…

What was she doing?!

If she would not utilize her own energies why not give this death over for Fate to enact?!

The construct brought its arms up in a cupping gesture, a ball of intense demonic energy forming between the spaces of its hands.

Could it match Chu's own energies?

"We have to stop it!" Kuwabara roared, beginning to step forward.

In the next moment the over emotional moron hit the ground at Yusuke's feet sent there by his own fist to his jaw though he did pull the attack in deference to the human's weakened state.

He did not remember making a conscious choice, only knowing it would distract at a time one would be fatal and he would not have that occur.

He brought his attention back to the wafting flare of still building energies.

Yes, this construct was far superior to the ones of before.

This one could pass as the drunkard for all intents and purposes fooling all those who did not know the nature of this particular demon's attacks.

At the height of his power during the Demon Tournament Chu could produce energies that rivaled many older demons.

What lay between the construct's hands produced an unsettling mirroring of that power if not more.

"What was that for?!" Kuwabara exploded behind him.

He would not look away from death.

Shizuru's body flared with demonic energy as the contruct's raced towards her, there was a calm to that figure that had not been there previously.

His eyes narrowed as the ball reached Shizuru then exploded sending dirt and dust into the air completely concealing her from view.

"She…didn't even try to get out of the way." Yusuke breathed in shock.

Was it possible for a core to collapse into itself?

How had he calmly watched that without a moment of hesitation?

"Wait…" Kurama cautioned a second later.

His eyes were drawn to the space above the cloud as it was dispersed by a figure leaping out of it.

The construct spun as that same figure alighted on the ground, landing in a way that sent an almost agonizing realization through him.

He could not shake the familiarity as Shizuru rose in a fluid manner that spoke of a much different fighting aptitude which was reinforced by her sudden rush towards the construct at a speed he knew pushed her physical abilities.

Now it was Shizuru who rained down blows on the construct who reacted defensively as it sought to block the worst of them.

He could breathe again though having stopped had escaped his notice.

He did not dare use the Jagan to brush her consciousness, not with the Dragon crowding around his soul so hungrily but he knew the fluidity of those movements intimately.

His suspicion was confirmed as she dodged a blow that would have sent her reeling previously then somersaulted back. When she straightened her hand reached for a weapon that would not have occurred to her to reach for, the motion was far too habitual for him to ignore.

His own hand settled on the hilt of the sword at his side.

Dare he risk it?

Without his attention he had taken more steps towards the altercation, the spot that she had landed in no more than five feet beyond him and he could feel the Dragon reacting to that aura of conflict that surrounded Shizuru as if it were being taunted relentlessly.

He had been carelessly wrapped up in the fight, allowed his strenuous hold to loosen enough for the Dragon to influence his physical self and bring him within steps that would give it the incentive to finish what it intended.

"You should know better than to be this close." Shizuru censured scathingly, a nimbus of blood red demonic energies surrounding her form for a moment, "Or are you fool enough to let it have its way with you?"

The tone, pattern of speech, even something as infinitesimal as the impression of having been struck instead of spoken to.

Familiar and wholly not of the being known as Shizuru Kuwabara.

"Here." He snapped impatiently, untying the sword from his side then tossing it at the being in front of him, "I would never have been limited by weapon choice."

Shizuru caught the sword midair casting a glance at him that he could feel against his skin as if it were an attack of its own.

"Just limited by useless excuses and cowardice." Shizuru returned grasping the hilt and unsheathing the sword, "If you can't protect what she finds of value what use are you to her?"

He stepped back as Shizuru rushed forward again pushing what he knew to be her full speed, the words just spoken to him by the entity currently in control of her body causing shockwaves of chaos throughout his core. The concentration of which pushed the encroaching infusion of the Dragon's influence from his senses.

Not entity…memory…and one who holds me in contempt…

It was absurd in ways he would rather not thinking too far into, a representation of his memories having such contempt for itself but there had been no denying that was what he had heard expressed.

"How come Hiei just gave my sister a sword?" Kuwabara complained alerting him to the fact he had retreated farther than he had thought.

Instead of halting he continued until he was more behind the others than directly next to them.

He was granted some easing of the internal pressures for his choice.

"I imagine because another mindset has appeared." Kurama explained casting a glance at him that he could not hold as unsettled as he was, "There was a time period Hiei's memories resurfaced as almost personalities that would combine with Shizuru's. I did not think they were this influential before."

"So you're saying that's…Hiei not Shizuru?" Yusuke asked, pointing at the fighters.

They would not understand.

"In a manner of speaking, yes." Kurama confirmed tightly, "I highly doubt it is a sustainable personality, there is nothing cohesive in memories to combine in a way that would afford a sense of permanence."

"But like which Hiei?" Kuwabara ventured scratching at his head, "The "I need to punch this evil little stump into the ground after every word" Hiei or the other kinds?"

He blinked, forced out of his own thoughts by the nonsense that had just escaped the human's mouth.

"You mean the one you might not want to beat the crap out of daily anymore but when he mouths off you want to make it count?" Yusuke returned rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Or the one you want to make eat dirt just once cause he reminds you he used to be evil." Kuwabara offered, "I mean there's levels to Hiei's punchability."

"What about the one that just begs to be smacked in the back of the head for snorting at you?" Yusuke added obviously warming up to the subject, "Does that fall into punchability or just all around being Hiei?"

"Being Hiei is where punchability starts." Kuwabara answered without missing a beat.

Were they seriously discussing this while Shizuru fought for her life not twenty feet away utilizing his sword to do so with a level of expertise only he could have produced?!

Was it beyond these two to comprehend he had just done something so wildly out of the norm as to be considered an impossibility?!

Who were these lunatics he thought of as close allies?!

Could they take nothing seriously?!

Then he noticed Kurama was fighting and losing to the smile that crossed his lips as Botan covered her mouth to hide her inability to remain focused as usual around the other two idiots.

Pure irritation crawled beneath his skin like a living thing.

He folded his arms, "How any of you remain living around me amazes me at times."

Yusuke looked at him over his shoulder a softer smile than he was anticipating crossing his features, "That's more like it tough guy. You were getting too stiff there for a little while. Nice to see you're still sticking around."

He snorted in annoyance, his attention centering on Shizuru once more.

Or on the replicated essence of himself within her that had taken control of her body for the moment. Any flaw that stood out was due to the limitations of Shizuru's body, she was simply not as fast as he nor as capable of producing favorable energies.

In fact that being attacked with blade and fist alone which only furthered the thought that the available energies in that body conflicted with the wants of the one directing it.

It galled him to see himself in her, to know how that body should move and be forced to see it moving in unnatural ways.

Still he could not fault the fact that now there was no escape for the construct created to further damage her tenuous hold within the layers of herself.

A few seconds after that thought his sword was driven into the chest of the creature then ripped through its body with vicious upward yank.

Shizuru turned away from the construct before it fully collapsed to the ground and stalked towards them.

It did cause his body to tense the closer she became to him, the Dragon responded predictably though it fell short of creating the separation it had achieved from him earlier.

He was wary as she came close enough for him to lock eyes with her, the cold regard could just as easily be of him as it could be of her.

Protect what she values?

They would not understand as he did gazing into those perfectly glacial orbs of honeyed hue.

The "shuffling" that Mukuro had mentioned was becoming more pronounced for Shizuru, making her a being of infinite purposes that no longer could be assumed were similar in any fashion to one another.

Perhaps at this moment she was infused with animosity towards him.

Perhaps it was something so specifically centered it had stepped beyond vengeance to some far more profound meaning that he could only imagine.

He stilled as Shizuru brandished his sword at him, her unique energies flared around her in quiet expression of how every particle of her was fighting her impulse to end his life.

Where before he would have thought it only appropriate, the use of his own blade to end his life now he felt something flare inside of him that caused him to straighten.

They were beings of a like nature, both subjected to the casual whims of creatures that did not grasp who they were while devouring them for their own purposes.

Yet not so alike she had ever become tedious to him.

Protect what she found value in?

Since their reintroduction though he had fought against it she had shown him there was something that had transcended the fracturing of her soul.

Something that against all odds still carried as an intricate reality of the individual that had captured his attention so completely that their very presence created a sense of homecoming in him that once he had only ever associated with the Demon World at large.

Shockingly that something…no that someone was not who he had previously assumed it would be.

This Shizuru was caught up in the tides of overwhelming rage and yet she still could not bring herself to unleash it upon him. Not in a manner that would actively end his life, not in a way that would soak her hands with his blood.

He waited patiently for her to recover knowing it would occur.

Slowly that display of power died away and Shizuru's eyes narrowed in both frustration and open hostility.

She tossed his sword and scabbard onto the ground at his feet, "Here I thought I couldn't hate you more."

He inclined his head, acknowledging the meaning behind those few words with little fanfare.

Shizuru stalked past him, cutting a wide berth around him which he was not so certain was done out of unconscious aversion to the Dragon or dedicated insult to him. There was the thought it could be a collision of both when it came to her.

They wouldn't understand.

"Hiei…" Kurama prompted uneasily.

A dark smirk lifted the edge of his lips, perhaps Kurama would but that was to be expected that the older demon would take note of what the other two could not comprehend at first glance.

"She was aware when that personality took over fox." He confirmed dully letting his eyes wander to the dissolving body of the construct, "The entire time she knew and could do nothing about it."

She views me as similar to Fate now and her resentment of me matches her hatred of it.

"Do we have to be enemies?"

No but Fate and the Dragons of Spirit World could not turn away from their purpose either whatever that might be in the end of all that had occurred.

The Dragon did not seethe with hatred for Fate it was drawn to conflict with it. It was within that conflict that Fate became the literal definition of both destroyer and creator. One could not exist without the other though in truth they were caught up in some unnatural cycle of that process.

The two of them were trapped within the cyclone of those other purposes but he was determined if that were to be then there was a need to limit the body count involved in what was going to happen.

His gaze drifted to the four others for a moment.

Protect what she valued, as if his own inclinations did not lean in those directions as well.

He sighed internally then knelt to retrieve his weapon from the ground.

Reapers and Ogres alike took one look at him as he stalked with purpose down the hallway and fled the immediate area.

He was frustrated, angry with his frustrations and more than willing to take it out on anyone who said even the smallest thing wrong to him.

There was a limit even for a god, a limit to unrealistic expectations that chained his capacity to do anything regarding the tumultuous happening down in the mortal worlds.

He was done with the mystery.

He was at his wits end with being cautioned by ancient reapers and himself about introducing his influence into the eternal conflict between Fate and the Dragons.

He was beside himself with pure misery knowing absolutely nothing about what was happening in worlds he was supposedly in charge of.

He was going to get an answer from someone and at this moment there was only one individual who could answer anything for him within his limited reach.

He slammed the door open to the room they had isolated Kanako in startling the ancient reaper that had taken Hiromi's place in watching over the demonic soul.

"My Lord…" The reaper began to greet him.

Kanako did not respond to the loud bang of the door and that only served to frustrate him a little more than it should have.

"Get out." He ordered striding towards the soul, "Don't stand at the door. Just leave."

All this time and Kanako's soul still showed no sign of improvement past what had already taken form. The reports of time spent here were filled with the same nonsense being repeated over and over again, nonsense to the reporting reaper that is.

"Sir…" the reaper began dubiously then paled as he glared at her, "Yes My Lord Koenma."

The reaper making her hasty retreat was a little soothing to his frazzled nerves, a small give in the excess of endless weights he carried with him because of his place within Spirit World.

"I'm sorry but I'm done with being blind and dumb to what's going on." He seethed at the soul then strode forward and yanked Kanako to his feet giving a good shake in the process, "You need to snap out of this! You know what's going on damn it! Tell me what I need to know!"

Kanako's hands gripped his wrists loosely, a sign there was some reaction but nothing that would benefit him.

This was wrong.

Taking his intense frustration out on a soul that could not reach outside of itself to respond to even this type of physical interaction.

He had hoped the shock of it would illicit something more, that because it was so abruptly different then how the soul had been treated previously there would be some twist of awareness that would show.

He searched the multifaceted eyes for some glimmer of it before sighing heavily, his own grip on Kanako's shirt loosening.

Kanako straightened so suddenly he was caught off guard, almost losing his balance as he was shoved roughly away.

He blinked, reorienting from the first shock only to find another replacing it.

"Hey!" He snapped, "Give that back!"

Kanako ignored him as he cupped his clawed hands around the stolen Mafukan.

He hadn't even felt the theft and frankly he was appalled by the ease it had been taken.

He was also rather disturbed by anyone but himself touching that particular item, granted there were at least three others that had touched it previously but he hadn't volunteered it those times either.

Besides it wasn't as if it could do anything for the soul.

His eyes widened as an arcs of power began to reach out from the item held in Kanako's hands.

Was it just his imagination or was Kanako actually accessing the small amount of spiritual energy stored within the Mafukan?!

It made sense in a way, the demon this soul rose from specialized in exactly that sort of energy manipulation and leeching but it should not have translated itself so easily to accessing the spiritual energies of a god.

Shouldn't have been able to but Kanako was dispelling his sense of incredulity by seeming to absorb those small arcs, his form taking on more vibrancy and definition than before though it fell short of real stability.

There was a much greater degree of awareness in the gaze that was leveled at him than he had thought possible.

"You are mistaken." Kanako informed him in a breathless manner that spoke of effort in sustaining his current attention, "As the ruler of Spirit World there is one absolute that you hold dominance over that others, not even influences such as Fate or the Dragons can ever take from you. Intent holds your favor, Koenma. In your own desires is that which will make others fail in their pursuits to wrest your power away. Think, Lord Koenma. What is it that Fate would envy?"

"I…" He breathed, confused by the rush of words.

Before he could formulate anything resembling a real thought and voice it Kanako collapsed to the ground, the Mafukan rolling away from his limp hand as it struck the floor.

Cautiously he collected his wits and approached the seemingly unconscious soul which was unusual to say the least. Souls did not have a tendency to be subjected to unconsciousness, without a mortal body they were technically eternally aware.

He bent down and retrieved his Mafukan, not immediately replacing it as he noted it had been emptied once again. His eyes drifted to the more stable soul curiously.

You must have been just as desperate as I was to do this, Kanako.

Need would normally drive souls to rather grandiose and explosive expressions, ones that could and often did make the impossible possible. He had seen what could come of the force of will behind such actions.

His brow furrowed in thought.

How could something like Fate be subject to the emotion of envy?

What did that have to do with his own influence?

It crept upon his mind as his eyes continued to slowly swing from the Mafukan to the demonic soul that had just reached out so specifically to him.

The Ruler of Spirit World held dominion over one rather specific thing, it was the entire purpose of his own creation.

That would mean…

He gasped as all the intricate pieces began to fit together in a way he had not considering during this entire fiasco.

It was uncomfortably like being punched in the gut to have everything make a certain and even more alarming sense than what had previously resided there. Uncomfortable since it caused a unique sense of horrified awe in him that he was fairly certain was a brand new experience.

He could do as he had intended, and then some if Kanako was to be believed and something internal had screamed in confirmation of those words.

He doubted he had much time left to act but he did not really need much.

There was someplace he needed to be and it was not in this cell trapped in confusion and wasting time.

His hand closed around his Mafukan.

First things first, he needed to wash the thing off before anything else.

Hygiene was important even to a god.

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