(Please note: Yu Yu Hakusho and characters are the property of Yoshihiro
Togashi, Shonen Jump Weekly, Fuji Television, and Studio Pierrot, etc.,
etc., etc.  All somg lyrics © 1990 Bon Jovi Publishing/PRI Music, Inc.
There.  That's my disclaimer.  Don't bother suing me, I don't even own
my own computer.)

Bishonen no Miko presents:
Mirrors of Truth, Chapter Two

***   ***   ***

Hiei's only response was a patent scowl.

"Fine, be that way!" barked Kuwabara in utter frustration.  He thrust his
hands in his pockets and frowned.  *Damn, we're lost, we don't know who
or what we're looking for, and to top it off, I have to be here with HIM!
The shrimp's leading us in circles!  Why couldn't Yusuke come instead?*

Hiei gave him a sharp look, as if he heard what Kuwabara was thinking,
then turned away and continued scanning the area with his Jagan.  They
were in a open grassland of some sort, with only a few dense clumps of
trees growing here and there, providing a little shade.  Kuwabara thought
that it was much too hot and so they had stopped under one of the trees,
but now Hiei was even edgier than usual.

Suddenly, Hiei pushed Kuwabara over and jumped to the side as a barrage
of arrows came flying towards them.  The redhead pulled his face out of
the dirt and stormed over to his companion, who was now searching for their 
attackers.

"What the FUCK, Hiei!"  The small youkai nearly ignored him, quickly jerking
his thumb over his shoulder before disappearing.  

"Oh great, now where did you... shiiitttt...."  Kuwabara finally turned around
and saw the tree bristling with arrows.

"Hey, Hiei, wait up!"

***   ***   ***

Chapter 2: Makai

And you were lonesome
As a jukebox
But deadly just the same
I could be as gentle as a newborn
Then spit into the eye of a hurricane

And we knew how to laugh
And we knew how to cry
Yeah, we sure knew how to live
But we don't ever

Never say die

		-"Never Say Die" Jon Bon Jovi

Yusuke spent a good hour trying to convince Kurama's step father that
yes, that was Shuuichi aka Kurama on the bed, no this was not a joke, yes,
they had to sneak him out of the hospital before anyone else saw him.
Kazuya could only shake his head in disbelief at it all.  He always thought 
that Shuu-kun was a little strange, but a reincarnated youko in a human body?
He felt betrayed and yet both Shiori and Shuu-chan believed Yusuke and were
now backing him up.

"Look, I know you're a troublemaker.  I never approved of Shuuichi hanging
out with you punks," Kazuya was saying threateningly.

Yusuke gritted his teeth and took a deep breath.  "Hmph.  I don't really care 
what you think about me.  I'm not trying to be disrespectful, but Kurama 
needs help, and he needs it now,  Even as we speak, our friends are risking
their lives in the Makai to try and find out what's causing this.  But I need
to get him out of here, end of discussion."

"I'll help you," Shuu-chan piped up.  Kazuya looked at his son angrily.

"Stay out of this!  This is a trick, Shuuichi.  Don't listen to..."

"Urameshi, what do you want me to do?" asked Shiori.  Her voice was gentle, 
but she looked at her husband with determination.  "I believe him, Kazuya."

Kazuya sighed.  Would no one listen to reason?  "How can you say that 
this... THING is your son?!"  But then Shiori put her hands on his shoulders
and looked him squarely in the eyes.  "He is my son, Kazuya.  I can feel it.
And he's very sick.  His friends have already left to help him, but now
it's our turn."

Kazuya shook his head, but said nothing more.  Yusuke gave a slight smile
and said, "Ok, here's the plan..."

***   ***   ***

"I don't get it.  Who attacked us?" Kuwabara asked, feeling very out of 
breath.  "And why are we wasting our time chasing them?"

"Ch.  It never occured to you that this might be related to what's
happening to Kurama, stupid?"

Kuwabara rolled his eyes.  "Of course.  But they could be trying to distract 
us and buy time for whoever to do whatever."  Hiei suddenly skided to a halt
and gave Kuwabara a sharp look.

"What?" asked the redhead.  He was trying to catch his breath, leaning 
against some sort of Makai tree.

"A distraction?  Fuck, and I fell for it!" cursed Hiei, his eyes blazing red.
"Can't believe that YOU figured it out.  When did you plan on telling me?"

Kuwabara grinned.  "I knew what they were thinking.  You just never stopped
long enough for me to tell you, runt."

"Hn."

"So why did you come?"  Hiei looked at Kuwabara in confusion.  The redhead
laughed and continued.  "Yeah, I know you get along better with Kurama than
with me or Yusuke, but that doesn't explain why you were sitting next to 
his bed so long that you fell asleep and didn't even hear us come in."

"Kurama's a friend," Hiei said, tight-lipped.

Kuwabara leaned down and looked at the koorime boy.  "What, concern
from you?  Heh, I didn't know you cared."

"It's none of your business," Hiei bit out.  "You rested up yet or what?"
But Kuwabara refused to move.

"No, now I'm curious.  What is it with you two anyways?  I saw something
a few days earlier, around Kurama's neck."  Hiei stiffened but didn't say
a thing.

"It looked like a tear gem," finished Kuwabara, now digging into his shirt
for something as well.  He pulled out a pendant on a string and admired the
way the light reflected off it.  "like this one..."

Hiei looked and nearly fell over in shock.  "Where did you get that!!" he
demanded, reaching for the delicate blue stone.

Kuwabara pulled it out of his reach.  "Yukina gave it to me.  She likes me.
Are you jealous?"  Hiei was turning various shades of red.

"Jealous?!  I... what did you do to make her cry?!"

"I didn't make her cry.  And besides, it's none of your business," said
Kuwabara easily, using Hiei's earlier retort against him.

"It IS my business!" seethed Hiei, grabbing the bigger man by the collar.
"What are you doing with my SISTER?!!"

Kuwabara's jaw dropped.  "What did you say?" he asked, thunderstruck.

*Shit, I can't believe I let that slip!  The dummy will tell her!*  "I
didn't say..."

"Yukina's your sister?!  I don't believe it; she's so sweet and pretty and
you're a rude little jerk.  Why didn't you tell me before?  She doesn't know,
does she?  Are you going to tell her?"  The words tumbled out one after
another.  But Hiei vanished again before Kuwabara could get any answers
out of him.

Kuwabara stood there alone with the tree, his mind racing.  He looked at
his pendant again, and all he could see was sweet, innocent Yukina, with her
gentle smile.  She looked nothing like Hiei, well, except for her height 
maybe.  And her slender koorime build.  But she acted nothing like Hiei...

*I can't believe it!  But Hiei, why haven't you told her?*

***   ***   ***

Kurama had finally passed out.  His tormentor smiled to himself and ran
his fingers over the unconscious youko's fine silver hair for a moment, then
turned away.

"What a pretty thing you are!  I'm sorry, but I can't loosen your bonds.
YOu would try to escape or kill me then, eh?"  He laughed shortly and
left the room.

As he walked down the hallway, he saw several of his slaves washing the 
floor.  They bowed before him, murmuring "Master Murata," but the youkai 
was too caught up in his thoughts to acknowledge them.  Then he saw a tin
pail of water that one of the slave girls had left nearby.  The girl saw
his head turn and tried to remove the offensive object, but he was much 
faster and kicked it at the girl, who ducked, terrified.

"I told you!  No mirrors, ever!!"  Murata's hand went up to his face, but
he stopped short of touching the scar tissue there.  He was all too familiar
with it now, but he still couldn't accept it.  His right eye, sealed forever,
his kitsune ear burned down to a stump, the skin and flesh on his face
withered away until there was only parchment covering bone.  His long
silvery hair kept his face hidden most of the time, but it was not enough.
It would never be enough...

"Oh, Kurama, look what you've done!  Thief, stealing away my dearest Ranako;
was it worth it?"

***   ***   ***

End chapter 2

Author's notes:  This is very addictive.  And fun!  I just thought up Murata
and Ranako at the last minute.  Wish I couls say when chapter 3 is coming 
out.  Anyone want to see more?  I don't know where this story is going, so
I'm just going to let the characters take me where they will, except for
Kurama of course, cause he's not going anywhere right now!  Poor Kurama,
being bishonen has its price.

Kurama: (indignantly) I never asked to be bishonen.

Bishonen no Miko: Then I wouldn't be writing about you, sweetie!

Kurama: (eyeing me) No duh!

Bishonen no Miko: You don't want people writing fan fics about you?

Kurama: Everyone keeps raping me, including you!

Bishonen no Miko: (big sweatdrop on my forehead).....

Kurama:  Exactly.  What's your boyfriend going to think about all of this?

Bishonen no Miko: (grinning ^_^) He already knows, kinda...

Kurama: (moaning) Why won't anyone help me?  Why is everyone so damn mean
to me?

Hiei: Cause they think you're cute.

Bishonen no Miko: (enthusiastically) Yeah!

Kurama: So now you're teaming up against me?

Bishonen no Miko and Hiei: YES! ;)

Kurama: I can't win...

If anyone wants to reach me, come to my Shrine of Bishonen at:
http://www.aestheticism.com/visitors/Miko/
or you can e-mail me at:
bishonennomiko@rocketmail.com

Bishonen no Miko, April 13, 1997