By My Mistress\'s Side

Chichiri sat at his desk, staring at the picture he held in his hand. It was a picture Akari had insisted be taken earlier in the year, with all of the household. Akari was in the central position, a bright smile on her face. The whole world seemed gray with her gone. He felt something bump his leg and looked down to see a black ball of fluff looking up at him with sad chocolate eyes. Chichiri reached down and scratched the pup behind the ears. \"We\'ll find her Muffin.\" The soft ding of the doorbell made him jump. The house was unnaturally quiet with all the others watching Kaiba Corp or conducting their own searches of Japan. He rose and made his way quickly through the halls.

Chichiri heard voices on the other side as he approached the front door, soon followed by the sound of a loud smack. He opened the door to see his friend standing on the door step, hand pressed to his cheek. Beside the monk, a tall woman with long dark hair pulled into a pony tail, folded her arms across her chest, an annoyed look on her face. \"Miroku...you haven\'t changed a bit.\"

Miroku just shrugged, \"Greetings Chichiri. I wish we met again under better circumstances.\"

Chichiri stood back, motioning for the two to enter, \"As do I, ya know.\"

The woman began to move forward but stopped, shaking her head, \"You first Miroku.\"

Miroku smiled innocently, \"Oh no my lovely Sango, ladies first. I inisist.\"

Chichiri almost laughed at the chilling glare Sango gave Miroku. \"Miroku?\" he said, in no mood for gaity.

The monk\'s face turned serious. \"Of course,\" he said, finally entering the house. Miroku paused on the threshold, \"There is a great magic at work here.\"

\"Something is blocking us from finding Akari. I suspect that Seto Kaiba and his business partners Naraku and Nakago, may have something to do with her disappearance.\"

\"Naraku?\" A look passed between Sango and Miroku.

\"You know of him?\" Chichiri asked, leading the two down the hall.

Miroku nodded. \"There is no time to wast. We must find your employer and quickly. There is no telling what that monster will do.\"

******

The cell door slammed shut behind them. Naraku and Nakago sat calmly on the bunks provided. Naraku glanced at his companion, knowing that beneath the blonde\'s cool surface, a fire of rage burned fiercely. The hanyou could see it in the way Nakakgo\'s eyes gleamed dangerously. He could sense the frustration. They sat in silence for several hours until a pale somber woman entered the cell block.

\"Kikyou,\" Naraku hissed, rising to his feet.

Kikyou nodded, gliding toward their cell to unlock the doors. Naraku stepped from the cell, grasping Kikyou by the hair and pulling her roughly towards him, capturing her lips with his. Releasing her, the crimson eyed hanyou turned to Nakago. \"Whom do we punish first?\"

Nakago stood, striding out of the cell, brushing past the two blocking the door way. \"Akari,\" was his only reply.

Naraku smiled following Nakago. Without knowing it, Seto Kaiba had provided Naraku with an even better show.

*******

The high crisscrossed collar of his long coat and widebrimmed hat hid all features but his eyes as he stood at the base of the steps, gazing up at the mansion, knowing that no one was in it. Silently he ascended the steps, moving along the front of the mansion, along its side to the back. Chocolate eyes narrowed as he gazed up at one particular balcony. One easy leap and he landed lightly on the cobbled stone of the balcony. Testing the handle he found the glass door unlocked. \"That\'s interesting...what could have made them rush off and forget to lock the doors?\"

\"Be quiet,\" came the reply from behind the collar, as he entered the room. He stood in the center of the room, taking in the scene. His gaze fell upon a small object near the canopied bed. A few small steps and he reached down, picking up the object. It was a clam shell.

\"Is that what I think it is?\"

\"I thought I told you to be quiet,\" he said, turning and moving back out onto the brightly lit balcony.

\"You are going to Japan?\"

\"Yes.\"

******

He hit the save key, sitting back in his chair, satisfaction at completing the program denied him by current events. Mokuba entered the room, clutching a thick folder. \"Seto...I\'ve been through these several times. There are only two ways you can gain control of Merck.\"

\"And they are?\" Seto asked, his patience with his younger brother much great than that he showed for any other of his employees.

\"Akari must either sign the company over to you or she...\"

He waited but Mokuba did not finish the sentence. \"Mokuba, what is the other way?\"

\"Marriage.\"

Before Seto could respond to this revelation the door burst open and one of Nakago\'s men ran breathlessly into the room. Had the boy not been clutching a wooden flute Seto would have been hard pressed to distinguish Amiboshi from his two Suboshi. \"What do you want?\"

\"Nakago is on his way to Akari\'s cell.\"

\"Impossible, they are being held in--\"

\"Seto!\" Mokuba\'s cry cut him off and he turned to see the boy pointing to one of the security monitors. Seto\'s eyes narrowed seeing his former partners striding down a hallway, killing any who tried to stop them. \"Those bastards. Mokuba!\"

\"Yes, big brother?\"

\"Go to the car, have it ready.\"

Mokuba hurried out of the room, as Seto turned to the blonde flute player. \"You, come with me.\"

*****

Yusuke watch the gentle rise and fall of her shoulders as she slept under the influence of the nurse\'s sedatives. He reached out to brush a stray lock of hair from her face. His eyes traveled to the door, wondering if those two would return and why Seto had helped them. Was this some kind of trick? He sat there for a long time, staring at the door. He had heard Kaiba order the guards away from the doors but they still had been locked. Finally he stood, clenching his fists in determination. He heard Akari call his name in a weak trembling voice and looked down at her. Her eyes were dulled with the medication as she looked at him, at least they were keeping her calm. \"Yusuke? What are you doing?\"

\"I\'m getting you out of here now, Akari,\" he told her gently. \"Just sit tight for a minute.\"

He took a few steps back, putting his back against the wall opposite the door. He couldnt use his spirit gun on it, he might need that later. He\'d have to rely on his head for this. God knew his mentor, Genkai, told him time and again that he was a rock head. He took a deep breath and charged toward the door. As he neared it, his eyes widened in suprise, seeing it start to open. \"Oh shit,\" he muttered, knowing he could not slow his full tilt run now.

He crashed into the far wall of the hallway beyond sliding dazed to the floor, derisive laughter ringing in his ears. \"Very intelligent Yusuke Urameshi.\"

\"Oh shit,\" he muttered again, seeing the blurred image of a blonde and brunette.