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Dark Heart

By Fangirl66

Chapter Two: The End of the Beginning

Hiei's breaths came in short gasps as he braced himself against the sturdy bark of an old oak somewhere in the middle of the vast forest surrounding Genkai's temple. Every part of his body had gone numb after Kurama had spoken the words that the Koorime boy had never believed he would ever hear from his fox. After the disbelief had worn off, Hiei did what was natural to him; run.

"I'm sorry, Hiei, but this just isn't working out."

Hiei flinched and slammed his fist into the wood, taking the tree down in one effortless punch. The dark haired youth stared down at his hands as they shook uncontrollably. Why does it hurt so much? I thought it meant nothing to me! He struck down another tree before sinking to his knees.

"Damn it!" He cried hoarsely, his voice not used to being that loud. A flock of birds flew from the trees overhead, startled by the baritone voice that shook with rage.

"Do not take your anger out on the forest, young one."

Drawing his sword, Hiei whipped around, positioning his blade at the throat of the speaker. Only the recent years of practiced control allowed Hiei to stop himself from separating the woman's head from her shoulders.

To say that the young Koorime was surprised would be an understatement; How the hell did a ningen female approach me without my knowledge?

"I see you've finally mastered the art of restraint, if I had done that to you three years ago you would have taken me head off!" She laughed loudly, covering her mouth with one dainty hand. She was a slender woman with dark blue hair, done up in a loose pony-tail, that framed a face that looked as if it had been carved from ice, she was by far the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on.

"Do I know you?" The dark Koorime spat threateningly, pressing his weapon closer to her pale, perfect neck.

An intense sadness seemed to wash over the stranger as she took in the small man before her. "No, but I know you, Hiei. I know everything about you, from where you were born to that red-headed fox of yours."

Hiei growled low in is throat, and forced his blade even closer. "Who are you?" He asked again, his tone demanding a straight answer.

She sighed, "Yes, you probably aren't in the mood to talk about him. I'm still surprised the old fox broke it off with you, Never in a million years would I have guessed that he would put your well-being above his happiness."

The young demon fought hard to keep the confusion off his face, making sure to school his voice into an act of complete indifference before responding. "What are you talking about?"

She laughed again, a sound that reminded Hiei of something he couldn't quite remember. "Oh never you mind! I'm not here to talk to you about that, I'm here to acquire your assistance on a very important matter."

Hiei barely stopped himself from snorting. "Go to hell." He said as he removed his blade from her throat and sheathed it smoothly; he did not consider a human girl to be a threat to him, no matter how sneaky she was. He turned his back on her with every intention of returning to the Makai and forgetting all about blue haired wenches and stupid, traitorous foxes with a couple of well fought battles.

"I thought that would be your response, that's why I'm not giving you a choice."

He glared over his shoulder at the insistent woman and raised an unconvinced eyebrow. "And how, exactly, are you going to do that?"

She grinned at him, "The same way I got your other two friend's to agree, endanger something precious to you."

Hiei really did snort this time. "I have nothing 'precious' to me, stop wasting my time with your annoying games." He turned away again, intent this time to get away from the infuriating bluenette.

"Why is it, do you think, that Kurama's been acting so very strange as of late? Its almost like he's fearful of touching you, isn't it?" At the look of shock on the spiky raven's face, the woman smiled knowingly.

Without a second thought, Hiei swiped at the giggling female and, with speed that no human should possess, she dodged and jumped onto a low hanging branch, all the while smiling prettily at the dark Koorime. "Not very friendly, are you?"

Settling into a fighting stance, Hiei raised his sword ominously, "What are you? And what have you done to Kurama!"

"Now, now Hiei I'm not here to fight. I have done nothing to your fox that you can not cure, as long as you help me that is."

He snarled angrily, "What have you done to him!?"

From atop her perch, she stared down at the rage filled boy before taking her eyes off him to study one of the leaves hanging by her face. She extended a hand to gently stroke the waxy covering that coated the green exterior. "He is a confident one, your fox. He believes that just because he can control them, no plant is a threat to him."

Hiei breathed slowly, trying to contain his annoyance, "So you've poisoned him with a plant? Which one?!"

Still studying the leaf in her hand, the blue haired beauty ignored the Koorime's hostile demands and jumped down from the magnolia branch. "It is not a plant that grows in this world or in it's demon counterpart. I created it, so I am the only one with the power to generate a cure. If you want to save your mate you will do as I say."

Hiei glared at the figure staring, expectantly, at him with her eyebrow's raised challengingly. He clenched his fists together before looking away and throwing his sword at his manipulator's feet.

"Fine."

Once again that brilliant smile overtook her face before she snapped her fingers and Hiei knew no more.

"Hey look, I think he's waking up!"

Hiei rubbed his eyes before quickly snapping them open and taking in his surroundings. The first things he noticed were Yusuke's woman and Kuwabara kneeling on either side of his sprawled body.

"Hey buddy! Welcome back to the world of the conscious!" Keiko rolled her eyes and slapped the orange haired fighter on the back of the head.

"Stop acting like such an idiot! This is a serious situation!"

After sitting up, Hiei swiveled his head around, all the while ignoring the arguing duo beside him, and concentrated on the surrounding trees. He frowned slightly when he realized that they were in the Makai. "How did we get here?"

Stopping her quarrel with Kuwabara, but still glaring at the carrot top, Keiko answered distractedly. "That woman dropped us here."

Hiei's frown deepened when he realized that he didn't recognize any of the trees encircling them, he'd been in every forest that the Makai possessed but the one they were in was unfamiliar to him. "Did she tell you exactly where she 'dropped' us?"

Keiko and Kuwabara exchanged looks over Hiei's smaller form. "Uh, well, I don't think it matters so much as to where she dropped as when…"

Hiei narrowed his eyes at Kuwabara, "What are you implying, oaf."

Bristling at the nickname, Kuwabara shoved a nice smelling letter under the glaring Koorime's nose. "Just read this, devil-boy!"

Glad to see you're finally awake, my little minions! Now don't fret but you are currently residing in a different time! As your first task I need you to acquire for me the ruby necklace of Saint Tohan. It was destroyed far before any of you were born so I needed to send you back to a time when you would be able to steal it for me. It is very well guarded so I advise you all to be on your toes. Each of you possesses something that will assist in obtaining this artifact for me. I'm counting on you all, and remember if you fail you will only be loosing the people you love most!

It was signed with an assortment of smiley faces and doodles.

Even after he was done reading, Hiei continued to glare down at the note. "I'm guessing that she poisoned Yusuke and Yukina to get the both of you to participate in this little charade of hers."

Kuwabara stared determinedly off into space while Keiko nodded. "Yes, she exposed Yusuke, Yukina, and Kurama to a plant that apparently she created. She told me that it makes them see their worst fears."

"We have to save Yukina! Its all my fault that she's been having nightmares of the Koorimes taking her back to their frozen wasteland and if—!"

"Be quite, buffoon. We will defeat this witch." Hiei stared at both humans in front of him as they nodded resolutely back at him.

"Now about this first task…"

"Kurama! Oi Kurama open up—Finally! I've been banging on your door for fifteen minuets!"

A very angry and not to mention miserable Kurama opened his apartment door. "What do you want, Yusuke?"

"Well you see—Have you been drinking?! You smell like hell, man!"

Ignoring the boy's short attention span, the red-haired fox repeated his question, allowing some of his annoyance to uncharacteristically bleed into his tone.

"Well, it's Keiko, she never showed for school today. I went by her dorm after class and she wasn't there. And Yukina called me a little while ago and said that Kuwabara never came to see her, like he does everyday, after his morning classes. I haven't been able to find Hiei either, but hell I can never find Hiei so I came to make sure you hadn't disappeared on me either." The dark haired youth panted, bracing his hands on his knees after his very long explanation, obviously he was winded from all the running around he had done.

"I haven't seen Hiei since—since last night."

Noticing the depression in the older demon's tone, Yusuke did a double take and quickly backtracked. "There's probably no need to worry, not yet anyway! I mean Kuwabara's probably getting us all back for giving him a hard time at his party, and I'm pretty sure I pissed Keiko off last night when I wouldn't kiss her goodnight so she's probably avoiding me. And Hiei, well like I said, we never really know where he goes."

Kurama sighed, and rubbed his eyes tiredly; he hadn't slept at all after his talk with Hiei. "I broke up with him, Yusuke." Noting the confusion on the shorter boy's brow, Kurama elaborated. "I broke up with Hiei."

Yusuke's eyes widened in surprise. "What? Why? I thought you were head-over-friggin-heels in love with our dark pinecone?"

The redhead smiled wryly, "I am."

"Then why?"

Kurama shook his head, running his hand through his unkempt locks. "I've been having these dreams, recently, where I—I do horrible, despicable things to Hiei. I know how wrong they are but its like something's invaded my mind and forcing me to see these things! I can't even—!"

"Control yourself? Like someone is possessing your body every time you so much as touch him?"

Kurama raised his eyebrows as Yusuke completed his thought. "Yes, how did you…?"

"I've been having the same kind of dreams about going demon and killing Keiko. I can't even hold her hand without wanting to tear her to shreds…"

Kurama's eyes narrowed angrily; "This is no mere coincidence. Someone's—"

He was cut off by Botan's cry of "Guys!" as she descended, oar and all, from the clouds and landed right in front of the two former detectives. "I can't find a trace of Keiko, Kuwabara, or Hiei! Its like they've disappeared completely!"

Well there you have it, the second chapter! If your confused at all PLEASE PM me so I can clear it up for you! Does anyone have any guesses on who the blue-haired mastermind behind this is? I would love any feedback you are willing to give me!

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Here's a sneak peak of the next chapter!:

"What the hell? Is that Kurama!" Kuwabara was struck speechless by the giant, grinning kitsune standing beside the stoic bat demon.

"Don't act so surprised, oaf, Kurama is hundreds of years old, it's no shock that he is alive during this time."

"We should go talk to him! Maybe he knows where this Saint Tohan ruby thing is!"

"Yusuke's woman, please refrain from talking, your voice is annoying."

"For the last time, runt, my name is Keiko! K.E.I.K.O. Keiko!"

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Until next time!

Cheers,

Fangirl66