Her image faded.

Hiei looked down at Juei, who stared at the wall, jaws clenched, lips tight, eyes expressionless. He glanced at his son, in time to see Shiori crouch and wrap her arms around him.

Without thinking Hiei darted toward her, shouldered her out of the way, felt his son's dark aura blaze, dampened it with his own, slammed his hands on either side of the boy as he scuttled back against the cupboards. Shiori got to her feet, trembling, unharmed.

Red eyes turned up to him, terrified, expecting punishment. Hiei reassured him without a word that Shiori had not been hurt. His mind was filled suddenly with pitiful apologies, thoughts of deserved beatings, memories of past ones. His stomach clenched.

"Kurohi," he murmured, a name he had not spoken, even to himself, for three years -- twelve, for the frightened child before him. He'd forgotten it, until this moment. "It's all right," he soothed. "She's not hurt." The red eyes softened; his guts jellied as he realised the undeserved trust in that gaze.

A question entered his mind, puzzling over the name; it sounded right, felt right, but all his life Reikaze had called him 'Hiei'.

Hiei lowered his head, closed his eyes. Reikaze hadn't taken them away from him immediately, as she had the first ones. He'd had time to hold them, feed them -- and to name them. Kurohi and Ginkami, his black and silver children.

Juei knelt beside him, watching her brother. Hiei swallowed, looked up at his son, and made his decision.

>>Why now?<< wondered the youko. >>After two decades, why are you refusing to let me live?<< Shuuichi did not respond. >>We had a deal,<< Kurama hissed. >>Your body for my life, my power. Why are you reneging on me now?<< The brat remained silent, stubborn. >>And don't pretend you don't hear me, you whining little piece of cat shit. You're wrong and you know it and you refuse to admit it.<< Something caught his attention, and he paused his torment of his host.

Hiei was in the house. With -- two other youkai. Kurama bared his teeth, looked down at Shuuichi. >>There are three youkai,<< he spoke softly, >>downstairs with your mother. Is that incentive enough for you to wake up?<< Shuuichi opened his eyes, watched the youko for a long moment.

"One of them is Hiei," he whispered finally. "You let that one slip." Kurama leaned over him, thumping his six tails down on Shuuichi's stomach, knowing the Human hated it.

>>Wonder who the others are?<< he purred, baring sharp teeth in a vulpine smile. Shuuichi closed his eyes.

The youko stiffened, fur bristling. Shuuichi looked up again. >>They're gone,<< Kurama told him softly, ears pricked forward. >>And he didn't even come to look at you. See what you've done to him? He considers you dead already.<<

Shuuichi closed his eyes. A tear trailed into each of his ears. Kurama sighed, lay down with his chin on his paws. He wasn't sure how much longer he could do this; the Human body was fading more swiftly than it should have been.

He had been startled when the fusion between their two selves had dissipated; he'd gotten used to their symbiotic existence, gotten used to letting Shuuichi do most of the talking, taking over when the Human's inherent gentleness could not get a job done.

He had tried coaxing. He had tried verbal abuse. He had tried emotional blackmail. None of it seemed to work; Shuuichi was determined to die.

He was determined to live. Somehow, somewhere, there had to be an argument he could use to convince Shuuichi to want to live as well; and when he once more had permission to take over the Human's body, he would be damned if he was going to give it up again. He would never risk something like this happening a second time.

He closed his eyes and meditated, sorting through the thousands of spells he'd accumulated in his centuries of life, looking for one he could use in this situation.

He led them to Yukina's home. It was the only place he could think of, and he would not consider leaving them alone. Yukina was in the nursery with Yuume, and greeted him with a smile when he entered.

"Yukina," he said softly, urging the twins forward. "I need you to take care of them." His sister's smile faded, replaced by a puzzled frown.

"Of course," she agreed, without hesitation. "For -- how long?" He took a deep breath, careful not to look at either of his children.

"Indefinitely." He felt the twins' protest before Juei spoke.

"Otousama," she pleaded, taking hold of his arm, "you can't go to her. That's exactly what she wants."

"I know what she wants," he said, gently prying her fingers free. She clung to him, refusing to let go.

"She'll kill you," Juei whispered.

"That may be," he agreed, working at her little hands; the moment he had loosened the fingers of one hand, the other hand latched on to his cloak. Yukina watched, bewildered.

"Who's going to kill you?" she asked.

"No one," Hiei assured his twin. "I'll be fine."

"Otousama," Juei cried, and wrapped her arms around his middle, pressed her face against his chest. >>Let me go, instead. I can deal with her. You only just remembered us and I don't think Hiei could handle it if you forgot again -- << He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and pushed her firmly away.

"Yukina," he said, "doumo. Juei will be able to tell you everything after I leave."

"W-why can't you tell me now?" she wondered. He shook his head.

"There's no time."

>>If it's because of Kurama-sama,<< Juei continued to beg, >>I can help him, I know it.<< He did not acknowledge her mental voice, and turned away.

A gentle tug on his cloak pulled him to as sure a stop as a brick wall in front of him; he turned to see his son, fingers clasping the edge of the garment, head bowed.

What could he say to this silent child, his son, made perfectly in his own likeness? How could he leave his children behind again, when he'd promised he wouldn't leave?

Hiei swallowed painfully, pulled his cloak away.

The boy looked up, finally. "Come back," he whispered, his voice low and rough and disused. It was not a request; it was not a command. It was an assumption. His son, his Kurohi, knew that he would come back to them, trusted him to return no matter what happened to him in the Makai.

He flashed his children a quick regretful smile; then he bolted, before Yukina could speak -- before he could change his mind.

Reikaze stretched slowly, moved silken sheets aside, reached for the slender boy she'd chosen for the day. He watched her sullenly, dark eyes reminding her very much of Hiei's. Reikaze smirked, pulled him close to her, enjoyed his unwillingness. Before she had quite finished tormenting him, however, her Guard Captain's thoughts invaded her own, informing her that the visitor she had been expecting had arrived outside the palace.

Reikaze laughed, softly, ruffled the boy's fair hair. "You get away with it this time," she whispered into his ear. As she slid out of the bed, she pulled a sheet over his slender body. "Don't go anywhere," she teased, checking the shackles that held his hands fastened to the bed.

As she walked, she dressed, conjuring first one outfit and then another, gauging the effect of each one, knowing that it would make little difference to Hiei. "Little bastard," she grinned, not pausing on her way. "Gotcha where I wantcha. Finally."

She stuck her head out the Palace wall and peered about. He stood, arms hidden by his cloak, the ever-present sword strapped to his hips, the ever-present scowl darkening his features. Reikaze smiled sweetly.

"Okaeri," she greeted him, and beckoned him inside.

He passed through the wall and glowered at her. "I'm here," he snarled. "Now remove the spell from Kurama."

"As you wish, my darling," she cooed. "Done."

"I want proof," he snapped. Reikaze put her hands on her hips.

"Really, Hiei, would I break a promise?" She waited; the only response she got was more glowering. It would be fun to break him, now that she knew how. She laughed. "Come inside, have something to drink," she offered. "I'll show you Kurama, and you can rest assured that he's as safe as a babe in arms."

"A babe in your arms," Hiei told her softly, "is as good as dead." Reikaze threw back her head and laughed, loud.

"You remember," she chuckled. "That's good. I was wondering when you would. Ja, come on inside. I made a little shrine to the first ones, you know. I'll make another one to the other two, when they come back."

"They won't be coming back."

"You don't think they'll come looking for their precious otousama?" she asked. Turning, she led him into the palace, keeping her excitement in check.

"I have some interesting plans for you, Hiei," she told him. "But first, we'll have drinks, and then dinner. Dou?"

He did not reply.

Hiei was still unconscious, the ward Juei had placed on him working perfectly. He would likely not wake for hours, enough time for her to do what she'd planned.

How had she convinced him to do this? All the females he knew -- two -- were wicked, conniving bitches. Terrifying creatures, females; they could distract you with their eyes while they grabbed you by the balls. Juei was no exception. He knew exactly how she'd been able to convince him; he would do just about anything for her. He would die for her without thinking twice about it, without regretting it.

>>Kurohi...<< He looked down at his father. >>Naze...?<<

He apologised, swallowed a lump; he explained that it had been Juei's idea, that she'd gone to Reikaze to kill her. He was overwhelmed a moment by his father's panic, and was obliged to close his eyes and lean against the wall of the cave to which Hiei had brought them for safety, and to which he and Juei had dragged their father after thumping him soundly on the back of the head with the hilt of his own sword, which Juei had deftly stolen when she'd had her arms around him.

>>You two,<< Hiei promised him, >>are so in trouble.<<

And he'd just found one.

He saved the information that he'd found to a diskette, and tucked it into his pocket. He stood, wincing -- his father did not feel he was too old to be spanked -- and walked carefully out of his office. Assuming his teenaged form, he slipped past all the hard-working oni, who greeted him reverently and returned to their tasks, without questioning him.

Hiei would never come when summoned; and so he would go to Hiei with what he knew, and risk another spanking. It would be worth it, to save Kurama; he was, after all, immortal, and spankings could be easily forgotten.

His stinging bottom informed him otherwise as he travelled to the Makai in search of Hiei.