"The seem to be random, at first glance," Kurama said. "However, I did a bit of digging, and it seems to be a trail, of sorts. In a loose definition of the term."

Hiei smirked at that. "Good," he murmured. "Very good." He was quiet for a moment. "I'll let you know how things go." Now, he just had one last person to talk to, and he'd be set.

Kurama nodded.

"Just be careful," he said. "As careful as you ever are, at least." Because he did know his friend, after all.

Hiei snorted quietly and nodded his acceptance of that.

It took him a day to get everything else set up, and then he made his way to Genkai's temple to get the last person. It only took him a moment to locate Winter, and then he approached on foot at a normal speed.

Winter was practicing teleporting across the back courtyard. The air seemed to ripple as she pulled reality aside and stepped through, appearing on the other end of the yard. She managed to not jump when she turned around and saw him.

"Hi," she said. "If you're looking for Yukina, she's not here, I think she left for a few days."

Hiei shook his head. "I wanted to ask for your cooperation." This was going to take a bit of explaining, and he'd resigned himself to that.

"Me?" Winter asked, her eyebrows going up. "What do you need me for?" She'd gotten used to him being around, for the most part, so she managed not to have any sort of fangirl moments around him anymore, but this was still surprising.

"Your teleporting." Hiei decided he might as well just go with the truth. She could handle it. "I'm going to get the soul-cutting sword, and your abilities would be helpful."

Winter considered that for a second.

"That sword is in the Makai," she said. "I'm only decently good at teleporting, I'm no fighter."

Hiei nodded. "I'll take care of everything else," he said. "You won't be hurt. I just can't get there myself." He looked a little sour about that.

Winter studied him for a moment.

"I think I can make that happen," she finally said. "Can't be too hard."

Hiei smirked a little but didn't agree or disagree.

"How long do you need to get ready?" he asked instead.

"What should I bring?" Winter asked in return. "I've never been there, and my working knowledge of things doesn't cover this."

Hiei shrugged. "A few necessities," he said. "I'll handle everything else. Your phone won't work, don't bother with that."

"Okay," Winter said, nodding. "I can probably be ready to go in an hour." She was fairly sure she could pack the necessities and tell Peg and Genkai she was leaving in that amount of time.

Hiei nodded. "I'll wait out here." He blurred away to go hop in a tree and give her time. He wasn't going to time her, in part because she was his transportation, and in part because he knew she'd been training with Genkai, and you never knew what that batty old woman taught people.

Winter nodded and hurried inside. Best not to make him wait too long, who knew what he would do when he got impatient. Going to her room, she shoved a few changes of clothes into a bag, along with a couple of other things that she thought might be useful. Then she went to find Peggy and Genkai.

The two were farther into the temple training. Peggy's training was nothing like Evil Boot Camp. Her training was intense, yes, but not so exhausting and not so life-threatening. At the moment, the two were just focusing on Peggy's spirit energy, getting her to focus it so it could be used as a weapon.

Winter cautiously went into the dojo where they were training. She knew what Peggy was working on, and she didn't want to get caught in any crossfire. She waited for Peggy and Genkai to hit a stopping point.

Genkai of course spotted her first and gave Peggy a break. There hadn't even been any firing to get caught in, luckily for Winter.

"Hey," Peggy said from where she was braced against a wall. The wall was currently holding her up. "What's up?"

"You're not going to believe this one," Winter said. "So in a move that surprises no one, Hiei wants the soul cutting sword. What did surprise me is that he approached me and said he needed my help because I can teleport him into the Makai."

Peggy blinked a few times. "Wow. Like, actually used the word help? Admitted he couldn't do something himself?" She grinned a bit.

"Right?" Winter replied. "Surprised me too. I'm just glad I didn't turn into a gibbering puddle."

Peggy grinned a bit. "Yeah but there's still plenty of opportunity for that to happen, since the two of you will be going off alone into the Makai together and all," she pointed out.

"Don't say that, I'm going to be the absolute picture of composure," Winter replied. She paused. "Or it'll turn into that time you and I went to that haunted trail thing that one year, the one with all the screaming."