Dealing

Chapter 6: Worries, Apologies, and Promises

"Ayame!" she called as she burst through the large and heavy doors of Koenma's office.

"Botan!" Ayame said, jumping when the woman came in and turning over Koenma's official stamp and inkpad.

Ayame quickly righted the office supplies and looked up at her friend. Her gait was hurried and long. Her pink eyes showed an intense worry. Ayame noticed that she held something in the sleeve of her kimono.

"What's that?" she asked, motioning to the woman's sleeve.

Botan quickly unwrapped the marble and let it fall onto the desk with a dull thud. It bounced slightly and rolled down the desk to sit in front of Ayame. She stared at it as it flashed and gleamed with the light. It was dark blue, almost black in color and cast an eerie dark blue beam of the desk when the light still passed through. She couldn't feel an aura about it, at least nothing to cause that look in Botan's eyes, but she had to admit that there was something chilling about it. Ayame hesitantly picked it up. Instantly, she felt the ki inside of it and gasped. It wasn't reiki. It wasn't youki. It was something much different that she had only felt once before. Yes, she had seen and felt such a thing before, but she couldn't believe her friend could have…

"Botan, is this yours?"

Botan shook her head. Ayame sighed in relief. Botan turned away and started to pace in front of the desk. It was then she knew that she should worry.

"No, it's not. It's his," she replied.

Botan only mentioned on person with that much hate and fear in her voice.

"What? You mean the one who…"

But Ayame couldn't bring herself to say it. Botan understood anyway. She nodded, confirming Ayame's fears.

"But that's impossible!" Ayame cried to the still pacing woman.

"I know," she answered darkly. "But we can't argue with facts."

"Are…are you sure you aren't mistaken, Botan?" she asked tentatively, knowing there was no way Botan wouldn't recognize that ki signature, but hoping she would.

Botan sent her a scathing look she rightly deserved. After what he had done to her, Botan could never forget the feel of that man.

"Where did you get this?" she asked her blue-haired friend with a world-weary sigh.

"Kiaku gave it to me. He said that they were commissioned to start the slave trade by another youkai. He also said that the youkai gave him that and to put youki in it to contact him in case of trouble."

"W-what does this mean?" Ayame asked a little fearfully.

Botan sighed and sat down on the floor in front of the desk. Koenma really needed to get some chairs in here. Ayame leaned over the desk to see Botan clearly. She was chewing on her lip and for the first time in a while, Ayame could see the sharp, calculating look on her face from ages past. There was no doubt that this had seriously shaken Botan.

"It means," her blue-haired friend said in a ringing voice, "that this mission isn't over. Whoever planned out this slave trade is still out there. To make matters worse, he knows how to use a ryuuseki. It can't be that he's behind this. I made sure of that over eighteen hundred years ago. But how did a youkai get his ryuuseki?"

It was indeed a ryuuseki sitting between Ayame's fingers. They were fabled gems, said to be the tears of a dragon. They were also said to be capable of generating extreme amounts of power when they were not spelled. The spelled ones were even more powerful and capable of making the impossible possible. Holding this one as she was, Ayame could feel the legends were right. The power in this one was overwhelming. It was a saving grace that this one was spelled. The energy in the spelled ones could only be put to the spell and couldn't be drawn off for different tasks as with the un-spelled ones. In the wrong hands, an un-spelled ryuuseki would spell disaster.

It made no sense. As far as anyone in Makai knew, they were just a myth. They simply didn't exist. After all, no dragons existed in Makai anymore except for spirit types like Hiei's and no one had found a ryuuseki in Makai in over five thousand years. Ayame knew different. Botan had showed her one of the ones she owned and she kept those under heavy protection spells. There was no way a youkai could get one, especially one that came from such a dangerous man. Unless…

"He spent some time in Makai before you killed him, didn't he?" Ayame asked. "Maybe he dropped one while he was here and never got it back afterwards."

"It's unlikely," Botan said with a worried frown. "But I suppose that's the only explanation. But it worries me that the youkai knows how to use it. There's a spell in it that basically amounts to a signal flare, used simply for communication purposes and to call for help. He told Kiaku how to activate it with youki. But I don't think he would have left something so valuable in the hands of lackeys just to be sure they didn't get in trouble. This has to be a calling card."

"A calling card?" Ayame wondered.

"Yes," she replied with a frown. "He obviously wanted us to know that he has some knowledge of dragons. We were meant to stop the gang. Likewise, we were meant to find this. He's telling us he's just started. He probably wants the dragon working for Reikai."

"What?!" Ayame gasped, suddenly worried for the friend sitting in front of her.

"You know the myths about dragons' blood as well as I do, Ayame," Botan said with a smile, the calculating look leaving her eyes to be replaced by her usual cheerfulness.

"But those are all myths," Ayame protested. "You can't really become invincible or all-knowing by drinking dragons' blood."

"You forgot to mention immortal too," Botan said with a laugh. "You and I know that dragons' blood doesn't grant either of those things, but a youkai won't."

Ayame nodded. "Do you think there's a chance of an attack?"

Botan shook her head. "No. If I'm right, he only knows that there's a dragon working for Reikai. He won't know which one of us it is and he wouldn't waste the energy on a full frontal attack just to find out which of us has the information he needs. That's why he sent us the ryuuseki. He wants us to make a fuss and put the dragon under some type of surveillance or protective custody. That way, he'll know exactly who his target is without having to interrogate anyone. If we just go on like normal, we have nothing to worry about. So don't look so worried, Ayame."

Ayame frowned at her friend's smile. When she had come in, Botan had been just as worried as she was now. Why the change in attitude? Was it just for her sake that Botan smiled so carelessly?

"Why aren't you more worried about this?" Ayame asked. "What if he attacks again even without knowing who the dragon is? You're the one who stands the greatest risk of getting attacked! These people have shown they are smart. They'll go after the top ferry woman of Reikai for sure and with all the field work you do it would be simple to ambush you."

"Nonsense. No one can predict where a ferry woman will go without her mission assignments for the day. Even then, I usually make up my own mission assignments or Koenma pulls them out of his hat and they aren't written anywhere. I'll be fine. Besides, don't think of me as so defenseless, Ayame-chan. You and I both know that I'm no pushover when push comes to shove. I won't let the dragon be exposed. Now that I can be sure we're not dealing with him, I'm not so worried. You're right. The youkai just probably found his ryuuseki after it was forgotten and we know how to deal with youkai, Ayame. As long as it's not him, I can deal with it," she said with a kind smile. "The youkai will probably attack again once he realizes that his attempt to smoke out the dragon failed, but we have Yusuke and the others working with us for the time being. We'll be able to stop him without problems, I'm sure."

"You put a lot of faith in them, Botan," Ayame said with another frown.

"Yeah, well," she said with an embarrassed smile and rubbed the back of her neck.

"You didn't use to," Ayame said sadly. She was remembering the past, when Botan trusted no one, when she carried her own weight and wouldn't let anyone see what she was carrying on her shoulders even if it was breaking her back. Even now she would occasionally show that smile that comforted, but at the same time showed how little the woman let people in and how little you knew about her.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously, tilting her head to the side.

"Nothing. Since you have so much faith in them, won't you tell them about your past?"

"We've been over this, Ayame," Botan said with a frown.

"I know, but it seems like it keeps popping up," she said with a smile, holding the ryuuseki up to the light so the gem cast brilliant beams of dark blue all over the room. She saw Botan tense when the stone's radiance landed on her. "Maybe this is fate telling you it's time to let someone know."

"Fate, huh?" she asked with an ironic smile. "You wouldn't have anything to do with that, would you, Ayame?"

The Reikai ferry girls sometimes moonlighted as temporary fates in the Fatal Conduit room in the palace. There they could see the future and have influence over events. Originally, there had only been three fates created by Enma, but when they retired some two thousand years ago, replacements had to be found. Prospective ferry girls often had traits similar to those needed as a fate and many up and coming ferry girls were trained for the job. Botan was one of the most talented and prestigious fates and Ayame had nearly equal skills.

"You know what I mean," Ayame said. "Anyway, should I tell Koenma about this?"

"Only when he comes back. There's no reason to expect there to be any danger. For now, just monitor the situation. We just have to wait for this youkai to show himself and then take care of him."

Ayame nodded, still holding the ryuuseki up. Botan stood up and looked down at her friend with a smile.

"Just make sure you lock that stone in the deepest pit you can find. That's all I have to report. I'll be in my office filling out paperwork if you need me."

Ayame nodded again. Botan was anxious to get out of the room, probably because of the ryuuseki, so she was almost to the door when Ayame called for her to wait. Botan looked over her shoulder with a happy smile.

"Yes, Ayame?"

"Stay safe, Botan," Ayame said gravely in her quiet voice.

"Don't worry, Ayame. I always do, don't I?"

And with a last brilliant smile, she walked out. Ayame looked down at the paperwork on her desk, but her eyes couldn't focus on it through the worry clouding her mood.

"No, Botan. You don't."

--

Kurama dialed Koenma's office number on his communication mirror. He and Hiei were sitting in his kitchen again and planning their ambush on Botan. It wasn't going very well. They had no idea what to plot without knowing where and when she was going to be tomorrow. So, they needed to talk to Ayame.

"Moshi-moshi. You've reached Koenma's office. Ayame speaking. How may I help you?"

"Hello, Ayame-san. This is Kurama."

The girl glanced up from her stack of paperwork to look into the screen. She gave him a small smile.

"Ah, it's you, Kurama-san. What can I do for you?"

"Could you tell me what Botan is doing tomorrow?" he asked nonchalantly, hoping Botan hadn't turned her fellow ferry woman against him.

"I'm sorry, I haven't seen her."

Kurama sighed. "Well…"

"At least, that's what I told her I would tell you," she interrupted.

Kurama smirked, filled with new hope.

"So does that mean you will help me?"

"On one condition," she agreed.

Kurama raised an eyebrow. He had never seen the soft-spoken ferry woman as the type to make deals for favors. He supposed not all ferry women were as giving as Botan.

"I want you to do me a favor," she said.

"Oh? And what would you have me do?" he asked with curiosity.

"I want you to keep an eye on Botan. Discreetly, of course. No one can know you're watching her."

"Why? Has something happened to her?" he asked worriedly.

"No. Nothing yet. But recently, some info has come to light and I think Botan might put herself at risk sometime soon. She doesn't think there's anything to worry about, but that's when she gets into the worst trouble," she said with a quiet sigh.

"Just what am I supposed to be watching out for?"

"We aren't sure yet. A youkai may try to capture her. As top ferry woman, she has information that he will most certainly be wanting. Try to make sure Botan stays out of Makai as much as possible. I can do my part when assigning her missions, but I can't keep her away from there when she's off the clock. Please, distract her and warn me if anyone starts to follow her around."

"Hn. Who would want to follow the baka onna around?" Hiei asked scathingly.

Kurama almost laughed at that. After all, it was Hiei who was practically mind-stalking the poor girl.

"Does she go to Makai that often?" he asked instead of letting out his mirth.

Ayame nodded. "More than she should. She has many contacts over there, both in high and low places. Sometimes she'll slip off and visit them. She's unusually crafty at getting away, by the way, so don't assume this will be an easy job."

"It can't be that bad," Kurama said with an accommodating smile.

"You'll see. Please, just keep her safe," Ayame pleaded.

"We will," Kurama agreed with a serious expression.

"Hn. What is this 'we,' baka kitsune?" Hiei asked with a glare.

Kurama just sent him a look and turned back to the mirror.

"Now that we have a deal, tell me what she will be doing tomorrow."

"You want to apologize, yes?" Ayame said softly.

Kurama nodded.

"The easiest time to catch her is in the morning. She's going shopping with Yukina-san early tomorrow, but she won't leave her apartment until about eight o'clock. She always leaves for Kuwabara-san's from the kitchen balcony."

"Thank you, Ayame-san," he said with a grateful smile.

"It was my pleasure. Just don't try to drug her again."

"Agreed."

"Goodbye, Kurama-san."

The screen went blank. Kurama closed the mirror with a sigh.

"That was almost too easy."

He looked at his friend, who was sitting in one of the kitchen chairs with his arms crossed and a frown in place.

"Do you think Botan's in trouble, Hiei?" Kurama asked with his own worried frown.

"Hn. The baka onna is always in trouble. The ferry girl is just overreacting."

"Yes, but we should still keep an eye on her, don't you think? With her, it's better to be safe than sorry."

"Hn. Why are you so worried about her?" he asked with a suspicious scowl.

"She's my friend. If she's in trouble, of course I'll worry about her."

"There's nothing to worry about," he said with confidence. "She's always been the top ferry woman and she hasn't been attacked by anyone yet."

"Yes, but that's what makes all of this so suspicious," Kurama said, putting a hand to his chin and mulling over the situation.

"What do you mean?" Hiei asked speculatively.

"Ayame knows she's never been attacked, but she's still worried about it. I'd like to know what new information has come to light to change the status quo," he replied with a sharp, determined expression.

"What do you suggest we do? Break into Reikai?" he countered with a frown.

"No, we still have no idea what we might be looking for. I have a hunch it has to do with the mission we just went on. Those youkai had no reason to invest in the human slave trade. They were thieves and killers, but even they knew something like that wouldn't pay off. Eventually, Reikai would catch up to them and then they were dead. That's probably why the girls were treated so well. They were hoping for leniency if the girls were unharmed. It just doesn't seem worth it to me. I suspect someone may have been controlling them behind the scenes. That's probably the youkai Ayame was talking about."

"But why would he want the baka onna? It was a slaving operation."

"Maybe it wasn't about that. Maybe it was something else, something dealing with a secret of Reikai. In any case, I think the best course would be to ask Botan about it after she forgives us."

"Don't you mean if she forgives us?" Hiei asked with a superior and confident smirk.

Kurama chuckled. "And here I was thinking you knew her better than I did. Botan is sure to forgive us."

"Hn. What makes you so confident, kitsune?"

"Making that deal with Ayame reminded me of how giving and selfless Botan is. There's no doubt in my mind that she'll forgive us. She may not trust us as much as she did, at least not right away, but she will forgive us," he said with conviction.

"Hn. Whatever, baka kitsune."

"So, how will we corner her?" Kurama asked with a small smile.

"If she'll be in her apartment until eight, we should just enter from the kitchen balcony. She usually leaves for work at dawn, but days she's off work she usually sleeps in. About half an hour before she's supposed to leave will perfect. We can get her while she sleeps," he said with a smirk.

"I'm surprised at you, Hiei," Kurama teased with a disapproving frown. "I thought it was against your code to sneak up on someone while she was sleeping."

"Hn. We're not going to kill her, baka kitsune. She's not an enemy anyway," he commented angrily, not liking his honor questioned.

Kurama raised an eyebrow and smirked slyly. "Oh? If she's not an enemy, then what is she to you?"

"Hn! She's a teammate, baka. Obviously," he said with a scowl and a defensive posture.

"Obviously," Kurama agreed, the sly smirk not leaving his face.

"Hn. Whatever, baka kitsune."

With the plan for Botan's forgiveness solved, they turned to the business of later tonight.

--

Botan stretched in her comfy office chair. It was the type of chair that most of your co-workers would despise you for. It swiveled. It went up and down. It had cushioned armrests. It rocked back and forth, so that you could lean back if you felt like it. It was the kind of office chair you got when you had enough clout in the company to warrant such a king of office chairs. Botan couldn't help but feel she deserved it.

She glanced at the clock with a sigh. It was after five. Her shift had ended over three hours ago. It always worked out like that for her. While she had finished her paperwork a mere hour after leaving Koenma's office, it seemed she had managed to wrack up quite a lot of other people's paperwork before the end of the day.

It wasn't that she was a pushover and took whatever work anyone foisted on her. No, it was more like no one else was capable of handling problems that popped up in the Reikai processes or discrepancies in filing or procedure that every now and then reared their ugly heads. As the top ferry woman, Botan had an intimate knowledge of every part of the mechanics that kept Reikai running. So, naturally problems were brought to her because more often than not, she knew exactly how to fix it.

Most of her time was spent teaching others how to do the lesser-known parts of their jobs. That was fine with her. She was happy to help and this way she would never be bored. It still made her brow sweat with all the work though.

She stood up and pushed her awesome office chair back under her desk. She walked through a glass door to the balcony outside of her office. The palace had hundreds of offices with balconies such as hers, but only the senior members of Reikai got to enjoy the views they offered. She gave an appreciate smile to the fluffy clouds that floated by.

She quickly materialized her oar. Everyone knew her shift was over, so they wouldn't bother her with their problems anymore. She had finished all the other work. It was time to go home.

She quickly flew into the clouds and opened another portal, immediately floating through the thick gray mist.

The portal lead right to her apartment and Botan quickly landed on her balcony. She slid open the glass door that led to the kitchen. It was dark in there, the only light coming from the glow of the sun as it began to set. She sighed and walked into the living room. She flopped down on the couch and closed her eyes.

She was feeling very tired. She had done a lot of work today, especially considering she was in such bad shape from yesterday. She was bruised, mentally exhausted, and she had used most of her reiki again.

It wouldn't have been so bad if she could just stop worrying. Despite what she had said to Ayame and the smiles she had put on, that little ryuuseki weighed on her mind like nothing else. It brought back memories best left buried. Had she not known it was evidence in the case, she would have sent it through a portal to the deepest and darkest reaches of space. She never wanted to touch anything that came from that person as long as she lived.

She lifted a hand up to rub the juncture of her neck and shoulder, a phantom pain resurfacing. She then cursed her self and dropped her hand to the couch with a frustrated slap. It was ridiculous to be thinking like this, to let something so simple and meaningless as touching his ryuuseki affect her so. He was dead and should no longer have any hold over her. But then, that was where this anxiety was coming from. When she had first touched the thing, she had thought he might have found some way to come back from the dead. The manipulation of that gang seemed just his style. Planting a ryuuseki she was sure to find was exactly like him, telling her in seemingly meaningless coincidences and minute clues that he was back and coming for her, watching her every movement, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. It had shaken her to the core.

But it was impossible. Not only had she made sure he was dead, she had sealed his remains to be sure no one could ever bring him back. Thinking he could still be alive was beyond folly. Yet even though she new that was impossible, she still couldn't help the doubt and the small trickle of apprehension down her spine. She let out an aggravated sigh.

"Just what are you doing, Botan?!" she asked herself, filling the silence in her apartment with her own angry voice. "You're being ridiculous. That part of your life is over and done with! Just get over it already! You have nothing to worry about. He's dead and gone and never coming back. So just forget about it and relax, like you promised yourself you would."

She felt the painful tension she hadn't even known was there slowly ease out her shoulders. She opened her eyes and smiled. She was a little surprised how easy it was to let it go, but she supposed she had a lot of practice over the years. It was a good feeling, focusing on things that were right in front of her instead of a thousand miles behind.

"That's it. You have other things to worry about. Like who this new youkai is and where he could be hiding. And before that, you have a trip with Yukina tomorrow."

Her smile brightened at the thought of tomorrow. With the grand plans for the outing already tumbling through her head, she went into her room and changed for bed. She climbed the ladder up to her suspended sleeping place, nestling into the numerous pillows and soft warm blankets. Tomorrow would be a good day and the past would stay in the past.

--

She was dreaming.

She new she was dreaming because everything was dark. It was only her standing in a vastness of nothing. But it wasn't a nothing she was unfamiliar with. She had been here many times and it always felt similar to coming home, something akin to belonging.

"So this is the void, Tou-san?" a light, childish voice, cheerful and happy, echoed through the space.

Botan turned to see a little girl with blue hair and lavender eyes swinging her arms playfully and looking up at someone. Botan followed her gaze and couldn't help but smile. It was a man with ears that looked like a cat's on either side of his head. She knew they weren't cat ears. She knew that if you touched them, they would be covered in leathery, soft scales instead of fur. The opening to the inner ear was also pointed more downward so that you saw more of the white scales than the ribbed flesh inside. His ears were white, pristinely white, which contrasted greatly to his black and indigo hair. His eyes were a deep purple and they shown with love for the little girl. Behind him, a long, scaly, white tail flicked back and forth, the tip decorated with a tuft of long fur the same dark indigo as his hair.

"What am I going to do with you?" he laughed, purple eyes changing to royal blue in his amusement. "You know this isn't a void."

The little girl pouted, her own eyes changing to a light blue gray. Without warning, two ears the same white as the man's popped out from underneath her fuzzy, unbound blue hair.

"Demo, we call it the void when we use it," she said with a glower.

"We call it that, but it's not a place," he said, putting a fist on his hip and shaking a finger at her. "It's just power over space and time. Right now we're in a null-space. Can you tell me what a null-space is?"

"Mou," she said uncertainly, "it's the space between spaces, which you can travel through to get from one space to the other. I've done it lots of times."

Her eyes were back to the usual lavender, sparking every now and then with a deeper purple.

"That's right, but you never stopped to take a look around, did you?" he asked with a bright and handsome smile at the girl.

She shook her head and skipped away from him a little, looking all around her with carefully studious wide eyes.

"But there's not much to see, Tou-san," she said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. She glanced over her shoulder at him to see what he thought about it.

The man smiled at her and walked over, his tail slinking up and grabbing her waist to lift her up unto his shoulder. She giggled with glee and then looked when he pointed at something.

"There's lots to see here, if you know where to look."

The girl gasped at whatever she saw. In her dream, Botan couldn't see it, but she knew the girl was looking at her mother sunbathing at the lake where the family lived.

"You have the uncanny ability to find these different spaces without training. Most people have to study for years until they can successfully navigate through a null-space," he said proudly.

"Really?!" the little girl asked with wonder. "But it's so easy. You just have to feel where you're going and then you go."

The man let out a melodious laugh and reached up to play with the white tail with a blue tuft that had been hiding behind her long hair. She giggled when he tickled her a bit.

"That's just because you have a special affinity for the void element. Not everyone is as sensitive to space vibrations as you."

"You are," she objected. "And so is Kaa-san!"

"Well, I have a void affinity, too. And your mother…heh, your mother is special."

He looked off to where he had pointed and a loving smile appeared on his lips. His eyes turned a dark purple again.

"And I'm sure she'll be mad at us if we don't hurry up this lesson," he said, looking up at the little girl on his shoulder.

She frowned at him. "Lesson? But you didn't teach me anything I didn't know, Tou-san!"

"I didn't?" he asked, looking surprised. Then he laughed and scratched his head contritely. "Well, I guess I'll just have to teach you twice as much next time, eh?"

"Hai!" she said with a smile and a cheerful pump of her fist. The man walked off with the girl sitting on his shoulder. Botan sat down and drew her legs up to her chest. With a smile, she watched them disappear into the darkness, fondly remembering what it was like back then.

The darkness melted away and a large room took its place. The walls were white, almost like marble in their sheen, with veins of silver. They were hung with all sorts of wall tapestries and old weapons. There was a four-poster bed with purple sheer curtains. The bed cover was a mosaic of forget-me-nots, violets, and golden wheat. The furniture in the room was plush and comfy. There were many chests of drawers and a huge mirror that reached from ceiling to floor next to a bureau and a marble-top table. Sunlight shone in through the skylight above her head and through the glass doors leading to a wide balcony. It was warm in here and filled with a sense of security. This too felt like home. It was home.

Botan turned her head to the side, where a closet door stood open. In exactly that instant, a beautiful woman walked through with the little girl from before trailing along, her ears and tail once more hidden in her hair.

Botan focused on the woman, nostalgia misting her eyes. She was probably the most beautiful creature ever made. Her hair was a deep blue, the exact color of the forget-me-nots of the comforter on the bed. Her eyes were a bright, cheery yellow that made you think of sunshine and warm summer days when you looked into them. Her lips were a pink that always thinned out into a smile. Her skin was as white as the walls around her. She was wearing a sky blue kimono with a golden obi and pretty violet obi-ita.

Botan watched with a loving smile as the woman turned to the little girl as she expertly placed two bejeweled hairpins into her deep blue hair.

"Bo-chan, why do you always hide your tail and ears like that? You should show them off proudly," she said with a laugh that resonated sweetly throughout the room, demanding the attention of all who heard it.

"Mou, it's warm under my hair. They don't like the cold," the little girl said with a smile and twitch of the ears, making her hair bounce and the tip of her cat-like ears show the tiniest bit.

The woman laughed and the little girl giggled along.

"Well, that's fine then, but soon we'll have to put your hair up. You can't be a fighter if your hair always gets in the way."

"But I thought you wanted me to be a ferry woman like you," the girl said with a cute, confused tilt to her head.

"I do," the woman said with a smile, "but that comes after. I want you to grow up being what you are first."

"Oh, okay," the girl said with a smile and tugged on the sleeve of the woman's kimono.

"Kaa-san, if I do become a ferry woman like you, will I have to wear these funny clothes like you? What was it again? Ka…Ki…Kimono?"

"It's not that strange," the woman said with a smiling pout. "Yes, it's called a kimono. Yes, you will have to wear one."

The little girl eyed the garment dubiously, making Botan smile brightly.

"Ne, I don't know about that. It really does look awfully weird for formal dress," the girl said with a meaningful look.

This made the woman laugh again and ruffle the girl's hair. The laugh made the girl smile brightly, her whole reason for calling her mother's dress weird.

"Ne, you get used to it," the woman said as Botan whispered the same words in time with her.

The woman made a weird face and she and the girl laughed some more. Botan turned away from their laughing forms to look at the door that led out of the room. The man from before walked in, throwing the door open as he came. His eyes were maroon now- more red than purple- and he seemed quite flustered. He kept fussing with the ornate top he was wearing and shifting a necklace of little gray metal stakes with black markings on them. He jingled as he walked.

"Wasurenagusa!" he whined loudly. "Aren't you ready yet?! We have to go."

She chuckled at him and took the necklace from his hands, placing it neatly on top of his shirt in a way that showed them off nicely.

"Relax," she said with a smile. "We have all the time in the world. You're just rushing needlessly like usual."

He stuck out his lower lip, something that would have looked like a pout on any lesser man.

"It's not needless if it gets you there on time. You're always late for everything, Wasu-chan," he complained, taking her hands in his instead of ruining the nice work she did with his necklace.

"And you're always early," she countered, "So if we leave together, we'll be right on time."

Then she kissed his cheek and the little girl giggled as her father's hurried air deflated from her mother's ministrations.

"Fine. Hey, kid," he said to his daughter, ruffling her hair.

"Hey, Tou-san," she said with a big smile, and hugged his leg.

"I still can't believe you taught her Japanese," he grumbled to the woman.

She just smiled at him and put in her last hairpin.

"I mean, it's not that I have a problem with it," he babbled on. "It's good for her to know it. It might help her someday. But it's always 'Tou-san' and 'Kaa-san.' Never speaks good Ryuuke when she should. What am I going to do with you?" he asked the girl, sticking out his lower lip again.

"Aw, Tou-san, it just makes me more special than the other kids," the girl said with a big smile.

"That it does," he said with a wide grin of his own, fatherly pride pouring off of him.

"Come on, anata," the woman said with another laugh and a wink at the girl. "And you stop charming your father with that smile of yours, little miss. You know he can't resist a pretty smile."

"That's not true!" he defended. "I just can't resist a smile from my two favorite girls."

The little girl giggled and watched as her mother pulled her father away to a formal gathering somewhere.

"Hey, kid," her father said with a glance over his shoulder. "You mind your cousin now. I don't want to come home and find the house half-way in a null-space, alright?"

"Hai!" the little girl said with a smile.

She heard her mother laugh and her father grumble before they closed the door.

"Jeez, Japanese again! Speak Ryuuke! What am I going to do with that girl?"

Botan watched the little girl smile at her parents before she ran and jumped on the bed. Botan put her legs down and sat with her legs crossed as she watched the girl walk around on the bed a few times and then flop down on her back, waiting for her cousin.

"He always says that, but he always knows what to do," the girl said to herself.

Botan smiled again and set her hands in her lap. The surroundings started to dim until she couldn't see them anymore and then were replaced by the darkness from before. The darkness didn't last long though, as it bled away to reveal a dark gray sky and a dark forest. A flash of lightening struck close by and a sense of foreboding filled the air. Botan's happy smile immediately dropped as the thunder rumbled across the land.

This wasn't right. Something was very, very wrong. She had been here before. It had been the worst day of her life.

"Tou-san! Kaa-san!"

The little girl raced through the woods to her right. Without thinking, Botan took off after her.

"No!" she screamed at the little girl. "Don't go there! Stay away! Run! You can't help them! Just run!"

There was a mighty crackle of searing lightning and Botan could taste the electricity. Then the sky was quiet and there was no more lightning. The world was silent.

The girl ran faster. Botan ran with her. The branches tore at her face. The wind ripped at her hair, almost tangling it in the bracken and brambles. Botan couldn't see the girl anymore. She was the girl- heart almost exploding, fear clotting her nostrils, and the taste of her father's lightning like blood in her mouth. She had to find them, had to help them. Uncle had gone crazy.

The trees broke and she came to a blackened hole in the Earth. On the other side, she could see her mother and father underneath her uncle's sword.

"No! Don't do it!"

Her uncle smiled at her and it felt like all her blood turned to ice. He raised the sword and Botan flew to try and stop him. Just as she got there, the sword came down, and her parents' blood showered everywhere.

"No!" she screamed. "No! No! No!"

"Don't cry little bird," the man who she called Uncle said soothingly, pressing the sword to her cheek. It made her feel weak. All her energy was being drained away. "Don't cry. They were merely obstacles to our love. They wouldn't let me have you. Now, you don't have to worry anymore. We'll be together forever."

"Bastard! You killed them! Tou-san! Kaa-san!"

He reached out for her and she tried to move away, but her arms were so heavy and her legs just wouldn't move. She screamed when he touched her, held her cheek lovingly, her parents' blood on his hands streaking across her face.

He got down on his knees and bent his head down and kissed her. And damn it, she couldn't move. Damn it, move! Don't let him touch you! Make him stop! Someone make him stop!

She wanted to die.

"Together forever," he whispered huskily as he moved down to her neck, pushing aside hair and shirt, and sunk his fangs into the juncture of neck and shoulder.

--

"NO!"

Botan jerked awake, and almost fell out of her bed. She looked around wildly, a dagger materialized out of thin air ready in her hand. She panted heavily. She was shaking and her blood was ice. She rolled out of bed, not caring that she bruised her hip when she hit the floor, and ran to the bathroom.

She felt like retching, but she threw herself inside the shower instead. Clothes and all, she desperately flung the water on as hot as it would go. The water cascaded down on her bent form, burning away the nightmare but not the shaking or the cold. Her breaths heaved and her eyes wouldn't shut. God, was she shaking!

It wouldn't go away. It wouldn't leave her mind. She was going crazy with it. Oh, God! She had to make it go away! She had to get away! With a high keening noise, she disappeared from Ningenkai.

--

Hiei paused as he melted the locks on the jeweler's door. His instincts were telling him something was not right. There was trouble somewhere.

"Did you cut the wires already?" he asked hastily to Kurama.

"Yes. Is something wrong?"

He did a quick scan of the area with his Jagan. Nothing was amiss. A quick check on the Kuwabara residence told him Yukina was fine and sleeping peacefully. Mukuro's castle was normal. Hiei shook off the worry running down his spine and went back to melting.

"It's nothing."

--

Mukuro was having her nightly tea when Botan popped into her personal study, out of thin air no less.

"Botan," Mukuro said in surprise. "Why are you all wet?"

She was soaked and shaking so hard Mukuro thought she would snap a bone any second. She stared blindly at the floor, gripping her exposed arms so hard as to draw little rivulets of blood. It seemed she wasn't breathing.

Mukuro quickly rushed to her friend's side, slapping her across the face. Hard.

Botan's head swung around with the force, but she went completely still, not even a quiver for breath.

"If you still feel pain then there's still life left to live!" Mukuro screamed, frightened for the girl dripping on the carpet.

Botan took a long, deep breath, hollow eyes gaining some of their light back.

"Thank you," she whispered. "For keeping your promise."

Then the blue-haired girl crumpled at Mukuro's feet. For a moment, Mukuro thought she might have fainted until she heard the steady, quiet sound of her voice.

"I'm very cold," she said without moving a finger. "Do you have something I can change into?"

"Of course," Mukuro said. She pulled a cord near the wall and a servant walked in within seconds. "Bring me clothes to fit this woman as well as towels. Now."

The servant bowed and rushed out to do her bidding. Mukuro didn't spare the cretin a glance and instead walked over to Botan. For the first time, she noticed the black marks running along the girl's shoulders and upper arms, laid bare in the tight tank top she had obviously been sleeping in. They looked to be some type of tribal tattoos, not unlike some of the markings seen on youkai. There were numerous intertwined geometric shapes trailing off into a thorned, curling tail around a small nine point star. They seemed to throb; yet somehow they were still. Whatever they were, they were fading slowly from her pale skin, almost as if they were sinking into the depths below. Before she could blink, they were gone. Mukuro lightly touched Botan's shoulder, careful not to touch any place the marks had been. They were disgustingly unnatural.

"Can you move?" Mukuro asked her.

"Not really," she replied cheerfully. "I used up all my energy again. Being nothing for a while really drains a person."

Mukuro sighed at the woman's happy demeanor. Bubbly to the end, this one was. It was enough to make her want to make that watery smile off her face. With a frown, she picked the girl up in her arms just as the servant came back with what she had ordered.

"Put it on the table," she said, motioning to the small table next to the couch she was laying Botan on to rest.

It seemed like the idiot servant wanted to hang around to see what would happen, but a cold glare sent the pathetic wretch running. Now that prying eyes were gone, it was time to get the girl out of those wet clothes.

"Can you change?" she asked the blue-haired beauty.

She seriously doubted the girl could lift a finger. She barely had the energy to pant with that weak ki signature. With an effort that made her break out into a sweat, the girl got her shirt up to her neck, but couldn't find the strength to lift her back to slide the tight shirt the rest of the way off.

"I'm too tired. Help me?"

"Idiot," Mukuro said with an evil smirk, getting the girls shirt off in a matter of seconds. "I promised you I would."

"If I remember correctly, you only promised to slap me and yell at me. I don't remember this in our original bargain," Botan said with a smile and something like hope in her eyes.

"You owe me for the rest," she replied, wanting to laugh as the hope left the girl's eyes with a sigh.

Luckily, there were no bindings or bras to deal with. Mukuro set a towel on her bare chest and rubbed her dry before leaving her bare to the world. The crazy, usually skin shy girl didn't even try to hide herself. Maybe a little joke was in order to snap her back to herself.

"You have too much faith in me, Botan. Male or female, your body is arousing."

"I didn't know you swung that way, Mukuro-sama," she teased, but then the usually warm girl's eyes turned hard and cold. "It's a curse, isn't it? I hate it."

Mukuro knew exactly what the girl meant, having gone through hell simply because she had been born attractive.

"Curses can be removed," Mukuro reminded her.

Botan looked up at Mukuro's scar. "Was that an offer? If so, thanks, but I already took care of it."

"What were those markings on your arms, Botan?" Mukuro asked coldly, leaving no room for avoiding the answer.

"Just some seals," the girl replied nonchalantly, her eyes still searching for their happy spark.

"I've never seen seals like that."

It was one of the few times Mukuro, former youkai king, would ever ask for information in such a subtle manner. It was the first time in all years they had known each other that Botan did not say a word. The two of them stayed like that for a while. Absolutely silent. In truth, it was like a slap in the face for the girl to not tell her anything, and the quiet was stinging.

"I see," Mukuro said when she had enough of the silence.

"I can't tell you. It's part of the deal," Botan confessed quickly, hanging her head and averting her eyes.

"What deal?" Mukuro asked, liberating the girl of short, loose shorts and dark purple underwear.

"Can't say!" she sang as Mukuro toweled her lower body dry. At least she was back to being annoyingly happy.

"You're very troublesome," she told the girl as she slipped on the clothes the servant had brought.

"Sorry," Botan said with a catty grin. "I never thought I would have you fulfilling that promise. It was supposed to be a last resort type deal. I'll bring you something from the human world to make up for it. How about ice cream? It's super good. But you can't let Hiei find it, or he'll eat it all. He just goes crazy for the stuff. You think it's a fire demon thing?"

Mukuro just sighed and let the stupid girl waste her energy babbling. Looking at the girl, the shirt she was wearing really was too big. It hung off her shoulders and the sleeves went past the elbows when they should have ended eight centimeters higher on her arm. The pants were no better. They were just as oversized, falling past her feet while the fabric pooled on either side of her slim legs. She looked like a child wearing an older sibling's clothes. There was just no escaping the tenderness Mukuro felt when she saw Botan like this. Had it not been going on for several hundred years now, it would have been infuriating to feel such things.

"Here. Drink. It'll restore your energy," Mukuro said, refilling the teacup she had been drinking from earlier and handing it to Botan.

"Thanks," she sighed gratefully, drinking it slowly. "Shade tea? This will give me a buzz if I'm not careful, Mukuro-sama."

Mukuro didn't say anything, but there was a faint curl to her lips that must have been a smile.

After the cup was gone, Botan sat up, looking ten times better than the mess she had been.

"I should probably get going," she said with a reluctant smile. "I've got to get some sleep for tomorrow. I'm taking Yukina shopping."

Mukuro hummed her approval and gave the girl another cup of tea before she left.

"Don't forget to bring me this 'ice cream' soon," she reminded the girl.

"I will."

Botan smiled brightly before handing the teacup back and standing up easily. Shay tea had that energizing effect. Mukuro was very grateful for Botan introducing her to it.

"Ja ne," the girl said.

It was always strange to see Botan leave. One moment she was standing there waving, and then the next moment she was gone. Usually, she would go somewhere no one could see her to disappear, but on rare occasions such as this when there was really nowhere to hide, she would simply vanish, making one wonder if she had been there in the first place. Her wet clothes were still lying on the floor, so she must have been here. Either way, Mukuro poured herself a cup of tea and went about things as if none of it had happened.

--

Botan reappeared on her kitchen balcony. It faced the park, so she could be sure no one saw her popping out of thin air. It was cold out, winter coming into its own. It was early in the morning, and there was the faintest bit of pink and muted yellow on the horizon. With a shiver, she materialized her spare key and padded over to open the door. The glass door slid neatly to the side and she walked into her dark kitchen, sliding the door shut behind her. The digital clock on the microwave glowed a green 5:37. She sighed and headed for the living room, sure she would get no sleep thanks to the tea Mukuro gave her. A double-edged sword Shay tea was.

With a huff, she flopped onto the couch, grabbing the remote control on the armrest. With the push of a button, the television flicked on. Humans really had come such a long way. Maybe some of the dull and boring early shows would lull her to sleep.

"…the five thirty news for all you early risers. Today's breaking news story- a jeweler in the market district was robbed late last night. The owner, Higurashi Sousuke-san, discovered the robbery only an hour ago when he was checking stock during his usual early morning routine. He says that he has no idea how the thief could have gotten past his state of the art security system. The police too are baffled. The locks on the doors appear to be melted by what police believe to be a blowtorch. Here's a word from Sergeant Minagawa."

Botan watched as a middle-age man in police uniform came on the screen, every now and then lit up by a flash from a camera outside the screen's view.

"We have not determined exactly what melted the locks, but what's more interesting is that the alarms didn't go off. It seems that something had cut the wires to the doors' sensors from inside. The ones on the jewelry cases were cut in a similar manner. The locks on the cases were also melted leaving the glass intact, eliminating most blowtorches. We suspect it may have been a smaller jeweler's torch used to refine certain gemstones. We believe this to be an inside job."

"But, sir," one of the reporters off camera asked, "is it true you found plant like material on the inside of the establishment?"

"That is correct. We believe the thief tracked these in with him, but we have found no other forensic evidence to suggest the thief's identity."

"Is it true that none of the diamonds are missing?" another reporter asked.

"Yes, none of the diamonds were touched."

The screen flicked back to the brunette reporter at the news station.

"Another jeweler in the area, Shiraishi Mikuro, says that his stock is fine, augmenting the idea that an employee was responsible. The police say they are working hard to find the culprit, despite these baffling circumstances and lack of physical evidence. The approximate value of the stolen items is over ten million yen. In other news, a young boy who fell down a well near a local Inari Shrine was rescued early this morning…"

Botan changed the channel quickly, finding the news too interesting to fall asleep. She was just too hyped up. There was nothing on this early in the morning yet somehow every stupid show she turned to grabbed her interest. It was useless. Frustrated, she pounded the power button and smiled in satisfaction when the television flicked off immediately. Ah, instant gratification. Full of unwanted energy, she stood angrily and rushed to the kitchen, where she started to rearrange her spice wrack in reverse alphabetical order. She got to the Fs before she stared to feel tired. She finished quickly, trying to get it done before she crashed. But she finished too quickly, and was still restless when the last jar of allspice was set in its proper place. She paced the kitchen for a while before sighing and heading out to the balcony again.

The cold air was refreshing, the worst thing for her right now, but she stayed out anyway. Listlessly, she sat and laced her legs through the railing, looking out at the trees and watching the sun come up. It was already a small hemisphere in the sky. It rose slowly, inch by inch coming to greet this side of the world. The park forests were already starting to come alive. Birds started to call to each other. The trees rustled with the wind and the creatures that moved in their boughs. Botan lay her arms on the railing and then lay her head against them. Her skin prickled with gooseflesh from the cold metal bars, but it was still comfortable somehow. Slowly, as the sun rose, her body relaxed and her mind rested. She fell asleep without noticing it and the sun burned away all the nightmares.

--

Hiei seemingly appeared out of thin air, too fast for a normal eye to see. He stood lithely perched on the balcony railing, an apathetic expression on his face as he stared down at the girl sleeping against the metal rails. With feline grace he crouched to stare at the blue haired idiot.

The cold had left ice crusted on the powder blue eyelashes. It glittered in the bright morning sun. Her face was pale except for a flush on her cheeks and the red tip of her nose. Her breath was a small white cloud from lips that looked purple around the edges. Hiei frowned and hit the girl on the head. She moaned, but did not wake. He scowled fiercely.

With a rustle from the trees and rush of wind, Kurama flew through the air to land gracefully on the balcony.

"Botan? Why is she out here, Hiei?" Kurama asked, the worry in his voice hardly disguised.

"How the hell would I know?" he asked angrily. "I think she froze to death."

"That's not funny, Hiei," Kurama responded testily.

With a snort Hiei took a hold of the girl's freezing ear and tugged hard, making her head raise from her arms.

"Ite! Ite! I'll be a good girl!" she cried, obviously still half asleep. "I'm sorry! Not the ear! Not the ear! Ite!"

She started to bat at the hand pulling on her ear.

"Baka onna," he growled to get her attention.

Her eyes flew open and she blinked at him a couple of times.

"Hiei? Why are you up there?" she asked stupidly.

Kurama coughed to try and hide the chuckles from watching the two of them.

"Hn."

He stood up, taking her ear with him, and she hastily got to her feet to keep up with her ear. Standing on the railing as he was, he could hold his arm out and she had to stand on tiptoe to have even the slightest slack in the pain.

"Ite! Ite! Hiei!" she whined. "What did I do? Ite."

"Baka! Don't sleep outside."

He jumped down and threw open the door, dragging the girl into her own warm kitchen. Kurama followed, now laughing outright. He let go of her ear and let her fall to the floor. She held the abused extremity in pain.

"Ite! You didn't have to pull so hard! Why is there ice on my eyes?"

"It seems you fell asleep outside," Kurama said kindly, leaning over the stunned girl rubbing at her eyes and ear.

"Seriously? But it's below freezing out there! What time is it?"

"A quarter past seven," Kurama said with a smile.

"What?! That late?! No wonder there's ice everywhere. I'm so cold!"

She furiously rubbed at her shoulders to warm them. This drew Hiei's attention to her strange attire. They were at least two sizes too big and hung off her in strangely suggestive ways. He couldn't help but wonder about who she had gotten them from and what exactly she had been doing before she fell asleep outside. A quick check of the apartment with his Jagan told him no one else was there. It was strange that the thought was so comforting.

Whatever. It was pointless to think about such things when he could just look into her mind later. He grabbed the box of tea on her counter and the big mixing spoon in the jar with all her other cooking utensils. He shoved them both in her face.

"Hn. Make breakfast, baka onna."

She stared at them for a moment before looking up at him with a pouting frown. It was the only agitation at his coarse manner that she would ever show, besides a few muttered words once they weren't face to face. With an apathetic look, he walked over to lean against the wall and stare out her glass doors.

"Presumptuous big-headed so and so," she muttered as she got to her feet with the help of a chuckling Kurama. A little louder she asked, "What would you like to eat, Kurama?"

She was pointedly ignoring what Hiei might like for breakfast, but he didn't really care. Taking offense to her actions would be beneath him and either way he would still be getting a free meal out of the bargain.

"Can you make pancakes? I haven't had them in so long," the kitsune said with a nervous smile.

"Of course," she answered happily with a smile. "Just give me fifteen minutes."

And it really was fifteen minutes. Eggs, flour, and whatnot were all brought out, used, and put back with a speed that only comes with large amounts of practice and experience. The first batch of pancakes was lying on Kurama's plate before Hiei could protest. With a glare at the kitsune, Hiei sat down at the table before one of the two empty plates Botan had set out while the pancakes cooked. The baka had the grace to look sheepish as he smothered the pancakes with maple syrup Botan had also set out. It was another few boring minutes before pancakes were also sitting on Hiei's plate, which soon became a small swimming pool of strawberry syrup. Soon enough, Botan finished cooking and sat down with them, drizzling blueberry syrup on her own pancakes. She also brought the tea with her.

It seemed the baka onna had completely forgotten about being mad at the two of them. Like a good hostess, she poured their drinks and made sure they wanted for nothing. He shared a look with Kurama at her lack of hostility.

"I was sure you would still be mad at us," Kurama commented between bites.

"Are you saying I should kick you out altogether?" she asked with a laugh and a smile, not looking up from her pancakes. "I thought about doing it for a second when Hiei shoved that spoon in my face, but then I remembered that some of the people I've trusted have done a lot worse to me. No one got hurt, so I don't think it's that big of a deal. Let's just forget it ever happened, okay?"

What a waste of yen! If it was that easy for her to forgive them, what was all that effort for?! Hiei would have thought these things and been furious if he hadn't known that the girl was lying. She had gotten hurt and it had been a big deal. Baka onna. She should just say it plainly and not try to make them feel better.

"Here," he growled, sliding the bloodstone's tin out of his cloak and shoving it into her hands. She blinked in confusion, but still held her hand out as Kurama quickly offered her his own tin.

"We got them for you as an apology," he explained. "It was a big deal to you, Botan."

She swallowed the pancakes in her mouth and opened Hiei's tin first. She gasped when she saw the bloodstone necklace. She smiled beautifully at him and he turned his head away as if it was nothing, hiding the small, satisfied smile that wouldn't get off of his face.

"This is amazing, Hiei. Thank you," she gushed. "I can't wait to spell it. This will really help with my healing."

She slid the cord over her head and let the bloodstone hang there magnificently, a burning piece of jasper that sat just above the valley of her breasts. Hiei took a glance at it and thought it suited her nicely and turned his head away again when a small blush dusted his cheeks.

She opened Kurama's gift next. She sighed appreciatively at the gem that matched her eyes. She smiled at Kurama like she smiled at Hiei. Kurama, however, smiled back.

"Do you like it?" he asked sweetly.

"It's beautiful," she complimented, unclasping the chain and slipping it around her neck. She seemed to be having trouble finding the clasp again. "How did you know that I didn't have one like this?"

"A little bird told me," Kurama said easily. "Here. Let me help you with that."

The kitsune was behind her in less than a second. He brushed the hair off the back of her neck and took hold of the thin silver chain while she sat perfectly still for him. He had it connected instantly.

"There. All done."

She tilted her head back and her hair fell back, hiding the clasp completely. She fingered the stone that sat between her collarbones. "Thank you, Kurama."

"My pleasure," he said with a smile.

The kitsune sat back down to finish his breakfast, flashing Hiei a smug smirk. He clearly thought he had done better than Hiei. Hiei scowled at his friend and went back to chomping on pancakes, trying to ignore the way the little stone sparkled along with the onna's eyes. The onna also munched on her breakfast, for once not saying much of anything. It was a startling revelation to find a simple gift would shut up her incessant need to talk. Hiei would not soon forget it.

With a look at the clock, she gasped and almost choked on the bite that was in her mouth. She coughed and pounded on her chest. Hiei almost laughed at the site of her bug-eyed look. She roughly swallowed and gasped for air. Without a word, she pushed her plate in front of the two of them. They had no problem finishing off her breakfast as she raced to get ready. They could hear a couple of bangs coming from her room as she slammed things open and shut and ran into the furniture.

"She seems subdued," Kurama said to Hiei, looking subdued himself as he finished his last pancake.

"Hn. She shut up for once. Is that so bad?" Hiei asked, licking the syrup off his plate.

"It is when it's Botan. I think something's really bothering her Hiei."

"Hn. What do you want me to do about it?"

Kurama frowned at him. He ignored the kitsune in favor of the blue haired beauty that had walked into the room, dressed for the cold. Not a bit of her skin from the chin down showed in her dark blue turtleneck sweater, but the fleece clung in all the right places. The sweater looked soft, like a furry woodland creature you would want to pet and hold tight, if you were into that kind of thing, of course. He didn't have much time to notice anything else as she threw the clothes she had been wearing not five minutes ago into his lap.

"Do you want to die?" he asked angrily.

"They're Mukuro's," she said with a smile. "You're going there next aren't you?"

"I am not a delivery boy!"

"Please, Hiei? I'm going to be late and Yukina's going to be sad," she pleaded with theatrical crying eyes and clasped hands.

"Hn!" It was as much of an agreement as she was going to get and she knew it. She smiled at him and grabbed a purse from somewhere he couldn't see.

"I'm sorry to leave you guys like this. You can come back later if you're not busy. I should be home by four. If you don't mind, could you lock up for me?"

"Of course, Botan," Kurama said with a small smile of his own.

"Thanks, guys," she said, slinging on a long suede jacket for warmth.

She left the glass door open as she walked out to her balcony and hopped onto that damn oar. With a smile and a wave, she was flying away.

Kurama rose and took his time shutting the door, letting the cold in and making Hiei suppress a shiver. How had the onna fallen asleep in that weather?

"So, are you going to come back later?" Kurama asked. "Now that she's given you a task to accomplish, that is."

"Hn." The kitsune's amused tone was damn annoying.

Kurama eyed the bundle of clothes still in Hiei's lap as he sauntered over to the table.

"What do you think she was doing at Mukuro's?

"Hn." He had no idea either.

"Well," Kurama sighed, "it seems we've been doing an excellent job keeping her out of Makai, eh, Hiei? This may be harder than we thought."

Hiei finished with the syrup from the pancakes and put his plate in the sink.

"I still don't understand why you say 'we,'" he said as he slid open Botan's back door.

Kurama frowned. "You promised you would look after her as well, Hiei. That was part of the deal. Will you break your word?"

He didn't turn around. He simply walked out and disappeared.

--

Damn the kitsune for bringing his honor into this. Manipulative bastard! No, he would not break his word, but damn! Getting Mukuro to talk would be like pulling teeth, if only because he was sure she would want to make fun of him for even asking the things he was about to ask. Not to mention that they weren't on the best terms ever since he refused her mating proposal and she kicked him out. On top of it all, he was taking care of the baka onna's obligations as if he were her…her errand boy! He was really going to hate this. No, he already hated this.

But if he were honest with himself, he would say that even if his honor hadn't been at stake…

He threw the clothes at Mukuro's feet before he could finish that thought.

"The baka onna said those were yours," he said grudgingly, not sure if that qualified as a conversation starter. It sure as hell wasn't a good way to bring up what the idiot girl had been doing in Makai, at Mukuro's no less.

Mukuro looked at her feet with disinterest before she bent down to pick up the clothes, ignoring Hiei altogether. She brought them up to her nose and sniffed lightly.

"In them for only a few hours and yet they positively reek of her scent. Such an interesting girl." She motioned for a servant to come and take them. "Put these in a stasis chamber. Do not ruin the scent on them."

The servant took the clothes and bowed to her before leaving the room.

"What are you going to do with them?" Hiei asked curiously. He was a little worried about what might happen to the girl. Gar, one of Mukuro's higher ups, used many harmful spells and techniques that used scents to define targets.

Mukuro looked at him askance. "I'm going to siphon off her essence and make a love potion that will make her eternally mine and unable to leave my side."

What the hell?!

She laughed at him then. "I'm joking. There's no need for such an astounded and devastated look. If I ever need to find Botan, having her scent on hand will help me locate her. She's said she'll visit me more often, but I intend to make sure it's within this decade. Did you know she's very shy when it comes to intimacy and close relationships?"

He didn't say anything. He was sulking from that horrible joke and he refused to humor her. Mukuro didn't miss a bit of it.

"There are few people in this world I'll joke with and tease. Of those few, only two I count as friends and of those two, only you get the pleasure of such kind treatment on a regular basis. You should learn to appreciate it."

He would appreciate it more if she didn't try to yank his chain every time he saw her, but he knew better than to say this. Instead, he focused on leading the conversation to somewhere he could ask about Botan's doings in Makai without being obvious. Subtlety was key, as much as he loathed using it.

"If you need to find the baka onna, the Jagan can take care of that easily," he said as if it were a simple and obvious fact, which it was.

"Yes, your eye certainly is attuned with her, isn't it? Tell me, exactly how often do you peek into her thoughts now? At least twice a day I'd say."

Mukuro never missed anything. She turned her head to stare him down, as if he had done something foul and worthy of guilt. He stared back unashamed. "Her mind's entertaining and I find it's a natural cure for the boredom of your castle."

She chuckled at that. "Walk with me. The other weapons rooms need inspection and I don't have time to stand around all day. What are you here for if it's not to report in and beg me to take you back?"

Fuck subtlety. He would just ask and get this stupid conversation over with. "What was she doing here last night?"

She eyed him as if he had suddenly become the most interesting thing in the world.

"We were making hot, sweet love," she answered with a laugh in her voice. "I'm afraid her clothes were a little torn in the process."

He wouldn't fall for that again. "I'm serious."

"Which is why I avoided the question with another joke." She gave a mighty sigh. "Before I tell you, tell me why you want to know."

"Kurama and I have promised to look after her. The higher-ups at Reikai think that she is in danger from an unknown demon looking for the whereabouts of a person protected by Reikai. She's the most likely to know, I guess."

"And does she know or is she in danger needlessly?"

"All I could get out of her thoughts was that she knows where the person is, but thinks that there is no danger to herself. She's more worried about her friend who heads Reikai's intelligence department. She plans to lie to anyone who asks if she knows the person's whereabouts, including me and Kurama."

"So you've offered to protect that foolish girl for Reikai?"

"I don't work for Reikai anymore. I agreed as a personal favor in return for some information."

"How kind. To answer your question, I made a promise of my own. Some seven hundred or so years ago, Botan and I accidentally met up at a party one of the nations I conquered was throwing. She was undercover at the time. She was looking for signs of foul play and I was looking for the perfect chance to attack. I was outnumbered at the time, so when the idiots made a preemptive strike, I decided to hide and take them out one by one. I guess Botan was also discovered and had to run for it. We ran into each other and joined forces for the time being. We were almost caught and wound up in a closet for a few hours. You learn a lot when you're locked in close quarters with a blabbermouth for hours on end.

"Somehow we became friends. She was useful enough, pulling stuff out of thin air like she does. I didn't know she was Reikai's top ferry woman at the time and truthfully I probably wouldn't have cared after everything she told me. I'm sure you won't believe this, but the two of us are very similar in many respects. Either way, the fact is that I saved her life and she helped me demolish that nation that night. To show my gratitude, I promised to repay her some way in the future. She told me right away what she wanted."

She paused in the story here, as if debating to tell him more. She had to tell despite her hesitancy, because she had not answered his question. What had the onna being doing in Makai last night?

"Her request was simple. If she ever came to me looking like she was 'half out of her mind crazy and shaking like an earthquake' I was supposed to slap her as hard as I could and tell her something that would snap her out of it. They were the strangest lines. Not a bit comforting. 'If you still feel pain then there's still life left to live.' She told me why she wanted me to carry out such an unorthodox request.

"But I won't tell you that. If you want to know, you'll have to get her to tell you, like it should be. I'll only say that she looked like her very soul was shaken when she arrived last night and I fulfilled my promise. It looked sort of like a spell was breaking when I slapped her and said that strange line. She was fine after that. I gave her some tea and she went home. I don't know what she was doing before she came here."

Hiei frowned. She hadn't really told him anything. He knew what the baka onna had been doing, but he didn't know how, from where, or why she had come here in the first place and apparently, he would have to ask her to find that out. He wished he had burned those clothes instead. Why did she have them in the first place anyway?

"Why was she in your clothes?" he asked just to be thorough.

"For some reason, she was soaking wet when she got here. I simply gave her dry clothes so she wouldn't keep dripping on the floor. Although I can't say that seeing her naked form wasn't very satisfying."

"If that's a joke, it's not funny," Hiei growled angrily.

"It wasn't meant to be," Mukuro said with a smirk. "She's very beautiful without clothing, almost a work of art. The Grecian sculptors would have loved her for a model. Not that you would know, having never seen it."

He had no idea why her words had him clenching fists and teeth in anger. It had to be that damn condescending attitude of hers, lording it over him like that. As if he would care!

He ran from her side in a huff, for all intents and purposes disappearing into thin air.

--

"Yukina-chan!"

Yukina looked up into the sky and saw blue.

"Botan!" she called with a smile, waving to her friend. "How are you?"

Botan landed on her feet, the oar disappearing before she touched ground. Yukina's clothes ruffled in the rush of wind that came with her friend.

"I've been great! Oh, Yukina-chan, you look so cute in those clothes!"

"Do you think?" she asked, turning for Botan to see how well they fit. "They're so tight and they fit strangely. I'm still not sure if I like human clothes."

Botan chuckled. "Yeah, kimonos are more comfortable. If you wear them long enough, you get used to the tightness, though."

"Really?" the koorime asked hopefully. "But I don't think I'll ever look as good in them as you do, Botan-chan."

The ferry woman was indeed beautiful. She was wearing a light brown suede jacket that fell to her knees and her sweater was the richest dark blue she had ever seen. Both went with her hair and made her eyes stand out beautifully. The thick pants she wore were so dark a blue, they were almost black and they hung off her slightly, almost like she had worn a size too big. On anyone else, they would look foolish, but on Botan the pants slightly billowed when she walked to make it look as if the woman floated. Yukina actually had to look twice to make sure she wasn't using a ferry woman trick to levitate herself. Either way, Botan was twice as beautiful as any of her koorime sisters, if only for the happy, carefree smile on her face.

Yukina's own ensemble was not quite so flattering. She wore a black and green stripped long sleeve shirt with a red overcoat with black lining, both of which ended at the middle of her thighs. There was a wide black belt buckled loosely around her stomach that felt a little like an obi. She wore dark blue denim jeans that clung to her like a second skin. She was sure no one would have to like twice to see if she was floating.

"Oh, it just takes a little practice. And I don't look that good, Yukina-chan. You look so much cuter than me! And those jeans really show off your natural grace. Are you ready to get going?"

"Oh, yes!" Yukina said excitedly, happy with Botan's praise and happier to get their shopping trip underway.

She had been waiting for this day for quite some time. Not only were they going shopping in the ningen shopping malls, they were taking a car. So far, she had only read about the strange contraptions and seen them zoom by on the street below her window, but today she would finally get to experience one for herself. It was so exciting! She hadn't even known Botan owned a car. But then, she hadn't known Botan owned a lot of the things she brought over all the time. There were ningen books of all genres. There was music on shiny plastic disks, which only played if you put them in the correct machine, and even then only if you pressed the Play button. Ningen snack foods were always a given when Botan visited. She also brought ningen clothes, from lovely gowns to grungy daily wear. She even brought paintings, many of which decorated her room at the Kuwabara residence. Every time Botan came over, Yukina always felt like she was a child again and being spoiled by her favorite Aunt Ririko.

Yukina's thoughts were interrupted when they turned the corner and reached the small parking lot for guest where Botan's car was parked. Sitting in the packed dirt was an electric blue car, a '99 Ford Mustang if the book on new age cars she had read once was to be believed. It was shiny, had a sleek look, and looked like it was made to go very, very fast. Oh, she really couldn't wait to ride it!

With an excited and pleading look at Botan, she ran over to touch the smooth blue surface of it. Botan laughed and made the car click with a little device in her hand.

"If you pull the handle up on the door, you can get inside," the ferry woman told her.

She wasted no time. She expertly opened the car door. She was glad she had thought to memorize the inner and outer workings of the car the week before. If the outside was beautiful, the inside was luxurious. Just as the book said it would be! There were plush, tan leather seats that sank in to fit her body perfectly. There was plenty of room for her to move around. A light scent of lavender and sage was carried to her nose and made the slightly stale air inside the car pleasant to breathe in. She shut the door gingerly just as Botan slid into the driver's seat. The blue-haired girl tapped the ornament hanging from the rearview mirror, a silver chain of charms. A pretty nine-point star caught her interest. She had never seen such a star. Before she could ask about it, she was distracted when Botan started the car. It purred to life and she gasped with excited delight when Botan revved the engine for show.

"Don't forget to put your seatbelt on, Yukina-chan," Botan reminded with a smile.

"Oh, right." She had studied up on the seatbelt too, but it was a little trickier than opening the door. After a few minutes of adjusting the strap, she finally secured it with another click. My, cars did a lot of clicking!

"Hold on," Botan warned.

And with a roar from the engine and a duller clicking from the shifter, they were ripping down the street. Yukina held on to the seat tightly, her heart racing like the first time she had rode Botan's oar. The houses flashed by so quickly! They weren't up in the air and she couldn't feel any wind, but the only way she could describe this new, speeding sensation was that they were flying. It added a new meaning to the word. She told Botan as much.

Botan laughed. "I drive safe, but I drive fast. Just like I fly. I guess it's not so odd to say that we're flying down the road, right? I'll slow down when the streets not deserted, though."

It was even more exciting when they reached a road with other cars on it. Botan slowed down to what she called the speed limit, but the switching of lanes added a new level of experience. The way the car turned and drifted into another lane so effortlessly was amazing. Sometimes they passed other cars and sometimes other cars passed them, but it was amazing how they all got along together, as if they were dancing around each other without any of the twisting and turning. Stopping at red lights gave her goosebumps. She could feel the power of the momentum as they slowly came to a stop.

It was over far too soon. Before she knew it, they were parked outside a building that looked like a small palace. It was so tall and wide! Most of the buildings in Makai were small, similar to the houses she had seen on the ride here. There wasn't much need in Makai for large buildings unless it was a fortress or castle to show off wealth and power. Houses big enough to hold a family were good enough for most and many youkai preferred the open and wild forests for homes. Botan had told her that a lot of buildings were this big just to fit all the people and she had seen pictures in some of the books, but she wasn't expecting it to look quite this big. The ningen who owned it must be very rich and powerful indeed.

"Well, don't just stare at it all day," Botan said with a smile, tugging at her hand. "Come on! Let's go inside."

Yukina had never seen so many people at one time! Everywhere she looked, there were ningens. Short, tall. Thin, round. Every size imaginable! And all of them seemed to be in a great hurry.

"Why are they all rushing so?" she asked her friend once she had gotten over the shock of the large crowd.

"Christmas is coming soon and they're buying presents before it's too late. See the decorations everywhere to celebrate the occasion?" Botan asked, pointing up to the second floor.

There were lots of decorations. Red and green were everywhere. Streamers and holly were hung from every one of the shop entrances.

"It's beautiful," Yukina whispered.

"Sort of," Botan replied. "You know, I haven't put up my tree yet. Do you want to help me put it up sometime? I guarantee it's going to be a lot prettier than this stuff. And definitely more into the Christmas spirit."

"I'd like that," she answered with a smile.

And then they went shopping. There were so many wondrous things. There were items that ran off electricity, things with fluffy fabrics that she had never seen the like of, tons of clothes and accessories in styles she had never seen before, and Botan had advice on everything. Soon, she found gifts for all her friends. She still didn't understand how Botan paid with her little plastic card, because the cashier always handed it back to her, but she was happy to get the gifts without inconveniencing Botan.

The Mall was really a big place. If she weren't used to walking, she would have been sore in her feet. She was very hungry when they finally stopped for lunch. This time, Botan handed over the strange paper that counted for money in the ningen world. She could understand the coins she received as change as money, but the paper? Either way, the food was good and the company excellent, if very talkative.

She looked around what Botan called the food court, half listening to Botan talk about the merits of traditional food over American food. She saw people with bags and bags of what she thought to be Christmas presents. She had read a little about the holiday, but she still didn't understand it very well.

"Botan? What's Christmas about?"

"Well," Botan began, munching thoughtfully on what was called a hamburger, "Christmas is about giving."

"You mean like giving presents?" she asked.

"Well, in Japan it's a lot like that. Over here it's a time to spend with loved ones and show your appreciation for them. Presents are an important part of that, but mostly it's about being with those you care for."

"You say 'over here.' Is it different someplace else?" she asked curiously.

The blue-haired woman nodded and smiled affectionately. "Yes. Christmas isn't a native Japanese celebration, so it's a little different. Christians, who believe in God and his human son, Jesus Christ, usually celebrate Christmas. Christ was the savior of the people, and died for their sins. Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birthday. To a Christian, Christmas isn't about presents. Christmas is about faith and generosity and good will towards man. People help each other more than ever around Christmas, doing things for others out of the simple kindness of their hearts. It's a time for man to come together with his fellow man, to lay down their differences and discrepancies, no matter how big or small, to shelter the homeless, feed the poor, and love each other simply because they breathe the same air and walk the same earth. It's a time to remember that we are all together in this world, sharing the same histories, and that we are all connected to each other and should help each other. At least, that's what it's supposed to be."

Botan smiled at her then, eyes happy and softly reflecting the green and red surrounding them.

"That sounds really nice, Botan," Yukina said, wishing youkai had something like that.

"Yeah. When I first started ferrying souls, I saw a lot of awful things. Humans can be very cruel and commit the vilest of atrocities. That first year, there was a point when I hated humans, but then Christmas rolled around. I had the week off on a short sabbatical just to keep my head together. I spent the whole time in a small village in England, where I learned everything about the holiday and what it was supposed to be. I thought that if they had such a great day full of so much caring and warmth and selfless kindness, they couldn't be as bad as I thought. Humans are very evil, but at the same time they are very good. But then, you knew that, didn't you?"

Yukina knew. It was the difference between Tarukane and Kazuma, two humans she would never forget.

"Botan?"

"Yes?"

"What can I give you for Christmas?" she asked timidly. If Christmas was about showing how much you cared, she wanted to give something to Botan to show her friend how much she loved her.

"You already gave it to me, silly," Botan said.

"I have?" she asked in confusion.

"Yep! You said you'd put my tree up with me. It's been quite a while since someone said that to me. Most people are too busy putting up their own trees, but I've always wanted to put one up my friends."

"Oh," she answered, dumbfounded at the brilliant smile Botan gave her. She smiled back.

Looking around at all the people, she could see smiles and happy faces everywhere.

"It's so different from Hyouga," she said to herself.

"Yeah," Botan agreed. "It's nice isn't it?"

"Yeah." Then her eyes went wide and she swung her head around to stare at her blue-haired friend. "You've been to Hyouga, Botan?!"

"Of course," she said easily while sipping her drink. "As the top ferry woman, I do a lot of diplomatic missions. I spent a lot of time in Hyouga, back when Reikai tried to make connections instead of break them. They even invited me to stay for the end of the hundred year cycle."

That was amazing! Then, Botan might have been there when she was born. She might know for sure who her brother was.

"Botan, did you know my mother?!" she asked excitedly.

"Of course," Botan said happily. "Hina-chan and I were very good friends."

"Then, you must know who my brother is!"

Botan's eyes went dim and she frowned sadly. "No, I'm sorry. I really can't tell you about that."

"What do you mean?" she asked with disappointment and confusion.

"I was kicked out before then. You see, I took Hina's side against the Council and protested their treatment of her."

"O-oh." She didn't know what to say. Her mother's affair with the fire demon, her brother's father, had led to her suicide. If the koorime had anything to say, Yukina should have hated both her mother and the evil man she slept with against Hyouga law. If Rui hadn't raised her she probably would, but Rui had taught her not to fear her heart and to follow its directions in matters of right and wrong. In her heart, she knew her mother was right, illegal acts or no. She loved her mother, and whoever her brother was she loved him too.

Rui never really talked about the times when her mother had been alive. It was too hard for her to think about her dead friend, but Botan had been there too. She would know. Yukina wanted to know as well. "Botan. Would you…would you tell me about it?"

Botan smiled at her sadly. "Of course. What would you like to hear about?"

"What was she like, my mother?"

"Hina was always happy," Botan said with a fond smile and nostalgia in her eyes. "She was always curious and always really lively. I guess that's why we got along so well. She breathed life into anyone and everyone she met and no one could resist being swept up by her pace. She and the serious Rui used to get into all sorts of trouble and wild adventures before I showed up and when I got there, they sort of just welcomed me in as if I had always been there."

Botan laughed at a memory then.

"This one time, we made it rain stinky pink goop. Hina had found one of my spell books and couldn't resist trying out some. We botched it really good when we couldn't get the right ingredients into the pot at the right time. Rui told us not to try, but she was laughing the hardest when we all threw the gross pink stuff at each other. We got in so much trouble. The Council yelled at us and everything. It took us a whole week to clean up all the goop."

"I didn't know my mother was so mischievous," Yukina said with surprise.

Botan laughed. "She was always getting us in trouble with her 'all in good fun' attitude. Don't get her wrong, though. She was terribly naïve and innocent. She was actually a lot like you, just a little more outgoing and took her curiosity to absurd levels. She wanted to learn about everything. She left Hyouga a lot with me to learn all about Makai and Reikai and Ningenkai and wherever else I was willing to take her."

She smiled sadly at this point and her eyes turned a little regretful. "I guess you could even say it was my fault that she met Hiryuu. It was love at first sight. We accidentally stumbled into a nest of bee demons. Safe to say, they weren't happy. I thought we were goners when the strongest fire youkai I had ever met came and saved us. He told us later he was just looking for some honey and hadn't meant to save us at all. Honey of all things! Anyway, they took one look at each and that was it. Hina always had a big heart and I think when she met Hiryuu, it just about doubled in size. She knew it was illegal, but she couldn't help herself. She loved him just that much and she always followed her heart anyway."

"I suppose it was my fault," Botan went on sadly. "I encouraged her. I flew her out to meet with him and not even Rui knew about their secret rendezvous. It's just that I had never seen her so happy as when she was in his arms and that man cherished the ground she walked on. It was just so stupid!"

Yukina gasped when Botan beat a fist on the table and grabbed her hair in anguish. "I knew where they were coming from. I knew why they sealed away their hearts and forgot what love was like, but it was so wrong! That was their choice. They shouldn't have forced it on anyone else. The bitter old hags. What right did they have to take love away from there children?! When they found out that Hina was carrying twins, one with a strong fire youki and one with a strong ice youki, they knew what she had done. No, what I had done. They threw me off the island and they condemned Hina. Even Rui turned against her, too angry that we had kept it a secret from her and not willing to stand against the Council when a law was so clearly broken. And to make matters worse, Hiryuu disappeared. I found out later that Yomi had challenged him for a small territory under his command and he had been defeated and killed. No one was there for her when she needed it most. No one. I'm so sorry, Yukina."

"Oh, Botan," Yukina sighed sadly, reaching out to hold her hand. "It's not your fault. The koorime have no hearts. You can't help that."

"The koorime have hearts, Yukina. You're the proof of that." She smiled weakly at her, but then her eyes went distant and harsh, piercing. "But all the hearts on Hyouga died. The last warmth in any of them went out with Hina. It's all frigid ice now. I went back, you know. When it was all over."

"Why?" Yukina breathed. "Why would you go back there?"

"I wanted to save your brother. I knew they were going to kill him. I finally pulled enough strings at Reikai to get permission and I was going to adopt him, but I was too late. Rui was still standing at the cliff when I got there. They'd tossed him over the side as if he was garbage. I wanted to kill Rui. I made a mess of her face. I regret it now, but at the time…"

Botan sighed heavily. "At the time, I couldn't see how much Rui hated herself for doing it. Hina was already dead. She had killed herself in the same hour that they had taken her beautiful babies away from her, one under an order of execution. There was nothing left of Rui when Hina died. She wanted to die. She still does, only she wants to know that all of Hyouga will follow her when she does. I couldn't do anything to help her. I don't have the right to say anything to someone holding hate in her heart. I think raising you really helped her though. The last time I visited her, she smiled when I brought you up. I think she's proud that you followed you heart and went looking for your brother."

"But I'm the same," Yukina confessed with loathing eyes. "Hyouga should burn for what the koorime have done."

"That would only be a blessing for them now," Botan said with a sigh. "With withered hearts, they have no hope left. They're all sad and sorrow-filled and wasting away. In my opinion, what they are now is worth than death. It would be a kindness to put them out of their misery."

"I wish I had the strength to do it," Yukina whispered darkly. "I wish I had the power to end their wretched lives."

"It's not that easy to kill someone, Yukina-chan," Botan answered gravely. "Even if it's someone you hate, it sits hard on your conscience. It's not something I would wish you to bear."

"If it was them, I'd gladly bear it."

Botan only shook her head. Her eyes were filled with disdain for herself, of all things, most likely due to her kind heart that could do nothing against this cold world that bred hate and injustice. A scowl found a place of Yukina's face and she set down her chopsticks. She wasn't hungry anymore.

"Oh, now don't do that," Botan said with worry. "I didn't mean to spoil your appetite like that. How can I cheer you up?"

"Oh, no," she replied quickly, not wanting her friend to feel bad. "It's not like that."

"Oh, don't even try, Yukina-chan. What can we do? Ah! I know!" Botan hit the palm of her hand with a resolute fist as a smile blossomed on her face. "I know a really great open market not far from here. What do you say? Are you up for some more shopping? Or would you rather I just take you home?"

There was no way she was going home when she was spending quality time with her best friend and learning more about both her and Ningenkai in the process. Her feet were rested and she was ready to see and hear lots more.

"Shopping!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"Awesome!" Botan said with a big smile and a hearty laugh. "Then let's go!"

She was happy to see Botan as excited as she was after such a serious and sad talk. It showed how strong of a person the blue-haired girl was. Yukina didn't have time to think much more along those lines however, because she was too excited with thoughts of riding in Botan's magnificent blue car again.

--

He watched his sister and the blue-haired idiot walk down the line of market stands and shops. They seemed happy. They laughed as they walked and talked easily to each other. The baka onna especially looked excited, pointing out things for sale here and there with wild and waving gestures. The stares she attracted annoyed him. As if she was anything special.

It was none of his business. He didn't care. He didn't. He didn't care about why she had made that promise with Mukuro. He didn't care that she was too close to Mukuro for comfort. He especially didn't care about what had sent her running to Mukuro for help in the first place. He quite simply did not care.

Watching his sister and the baka onna put his mind off the things he didn't care about. He was sure the onna was filling Yukina's head with useless ningen facts. He had seen the books she had smuggled in to his impressionable sister. He would have put a stop to it if he hadn't seen how much Yukina enjoyed the reading material. The onna had a knack for making his sister happy, something he was one hundred years too early to be able to do.

His thoughts were interrupted when he spied two ningen males approach the baka onna and Yukina. The two girls turned heads, no doubt, but he never expected anyone to have enough courage to approach them. The onna must have thought the same because she was looking at them like they had sprouted two heads and razor sharp fangs. He got closer to hear what they were saying, using an overhang of a building to keep in the shadows.

"No thanks," he heard the onna laugh nervously. "We were just about to head home."

"Hey, don't be so cold," said the taller man. "Stay and hang out with us. We promise we'll show you a good time."

The onna pushed Yukina behind her when the other man reached out for his sister.

"I said no thanks. No means no, baka," the onna said angrily, slapping the man's hand away. "Now go away before someone decides to kill you for touching this innocent girl."

Hiei had to wonder if she knew he was there. Yukina was looking with worry from Botan to the bastards accosting her.

"Hey, baby, don't be like that," the taller one said, grabbing the onna's wrist.

Hiei's hand found the hilt of his katana. He felt a growl rumbling in the back of his throat. If the idiot didn't let go, Hiei would remove the arm himself. He couldn't kill a human, but there was no law saying he couldn't hack off a few limbs. He never got the chance. The onna surprised him when she deftly handled the situation.

"I said no!" she screamed as she punched the man's face. He stumbled to the ground, dazed. "Come on, Yukina."

She tried to walk past them, but the other man stood in her way.

"Hey, bitch, you can't just do…"

Hiei's eyes went wide when the onna kicked him in the balls without warning. The man fell to the ground, groaning in pain. The onna simply stepped over him, pulling Yukina along behind her.

"I'm so sorry," Yukina apologized to the two men lying on the ground, "but please do not force yourselves on girls anymore."

"Don't apologize to them, Yukina. They got what they deserved. Now, let's forget about them and look at some of that jewelry over there."

Hiei's hand released his katana and he leaped back to the rooftops and treetops to watch over the two girls. They spent a little more time shopping leisurely before heading to a place with a lot of those car things humans liked to ride around in. He could tell Yukina liked to ride in Botan's blue one by the big smile on her face, but he just couldn't understand wanting to ride around in such a strange and slow contraption. He could easily follow alongside them as the blue car weaved through traffic. All ningen devices were useless when it came to youkai abilities. Ningens themselves were weak and useless. Even the baka onna could get rid of them when she wanted, judging by how well she took down the weak ningen males that had tried to jump her and his sister.

He had to wonder how often she had dealt with such idiotic ningens. She hadn't hesitated to punch the ningen that had grabbed her. Did she have to do so often? Did many males think her attractive and try to have their way with her? How many had touched her like that bastard she had punched? Thinking about it made him angry for some reason and he was surprised to see his hand had found the hilt of his katana out of habit. He let go and tried not to let the thoughts get to him. He didn't care how many males touched the onna and he tried not to think about it anymore.

So, he did what he usually did when trying not to think about something. He reached out for the baka onna's mind, immediately falling into a world of blue and black and shining bubbles. There was happiness floating around in her mind, warm and comforting, but he felt something else underneath it. She was worried. No, more than that, she was scared. He swam through the sea of her thoughts until he found what seemed to be the source. It was a single thought glimmering darkly in the shallow depths like some frail little bubble. He reached out for it, holding it close to his face so he could see the image playing and the two figures in the center.

A man with dark blue, cat-like ears and short, spiked, white hair stood in front of a small girl with blue hair. He assumed it was the onna. The man leaned down and placed a small, dark blue marble in the girl's hand.

"You can keep it," he said in a rich, melodious timbre. He reached out and stroked the girl's hair lovingly. "I only let the ones I love keep them."

"Have you ever lost one, Uncle?" the girl asked with wonder, clasping the little marble to her.

"Never ever."

The image went dark for a moment and then started to replay what he had just seen. Hiei let it sink out of his hands. The worry and fear in her mind faded as the bubble-like image continued to sink back into the darkness that was her unfathomable memory. Now he could only feel the happiness of her current mood. It was relaxing to say the least. The onna obviously enjoyed driving and found it soothing, soft images flashing across the surface of her mind every now and again. It was similar to how she felt when flying around on that stupid oar of hers. Of course, such a feeling wasn't exactly foreign to her mind. It seemed like every other thought was happy and quirky, almost like she surrounded herself with good memories and let the rest stay in the dark depths. It just made her mind that much more entertaining.

Thinking back, he had only felt fear and apprehension swirling around when her friends were in danger, which made that memory he had just witnessed the oddball. His curiosity wouldn't let him leave it alone. Who was that youkai with the cat-like ears? Why had he made the onna so fearful? Was he the reason he had baby-sitting duty with Kurama? There were too many questions and all the answers lay deep in the baka onna's mind. He would love to sink down and find them, but now was not the time. The onna would most certainly catch him and he had already apologized once today. He didn't want to do that again for another million years. Before he could give into the temptation to finally see what was down there, he let go of her mind.

He shook his head when he came back to the real world, quickly locating the little blue car that held his sister. He could see now that they were almost to the Kuwabara home. They called it a foreign exchange program, but he was sure it was just the stupid oaf's father's way of getting the oaf and his sister together. He had no problems with that if it was what Yukina wanted, but he was hoping, praying more like, that she would find someone less annoying and idiotic.

The onna stopped the car in front of the small apartment building and the rumbling sound of it died away. The two women got out and both went to the back. The onna opened the part that was used for storage and the two pulled out numerous bags filled with what they had bought while shopping. The onna helped his sister carry the bags up to the apartment. They stood talking for a minute, the onna protesting that she couldn't stay. They hugged and then parted ways. The onna got back into the car and shot off down the street. Hiei stared at the door to his sister's apartment. A quick look with the Jagan told him he had nothing to worry about. He followed the onna.

This time, she took back-alleys and deserted roads, going much faster than he knew she should. They made it to her apartment in no time. A large door on the side of the bottom level swung open and she eased the car into the small room. He jumped to his favorite tree, not waiting for the door to swing closed behind the car. If he had to stand guard and protect the onna from whatever useless enemy she needed protection from, he was going to do it from the most comfortable tree, which just so happened to give him the best view of her bedroom and kitchen, the places where she spent most of her time. It was the perfect place to see Kurama waiting for the onna at the kitchen table.

He hoped the kitsune could get something out of her, something that would tell him he could relax about her protection.

--

Botan smiled lovingly at her little blue car. It wasn't much, but it was fast and well equipped.

"I can't believe I forgot my car at Kuwabara's," she said with an affectionate pat to the car's sleek surface. "I guess that's what happens when work calls with an emergency."

The quiet soon became too much for her and she walked up the stairs that led to the outside stairway. From there, it was a straight shot to her apartment. She was surprised that she had to rummage around for her key. She hadn't used it in so long she had forgotten where she put the darn thing. She really ought to make a point of doing normal human things more often, like driving the car around and using the front door and the key to get in every now and then.

The lock opened easily enough considering its lack of use. She stepped inside her apartment, taking a deep breath of the sharp lavender smell her apartment always carried thanks to the large potted lavender sitting along the living room's wall of windows. It was good to be home. She locked the door behind her. She was never sure if she would be leaving the same way she came.

She jumped when she saw Kurama across the way. He was sitting at her kitchen table, calmly sipping tea and munching on some of her more expensive crackers. She frowned. If he helped himself, she couldn't play the hospitable hostess. What a let down.

"Botan," Kurama called to her affectionately. "I was expecting you sooner."

He waved to the chair in front on him. She smiled warmly and quickly slipped off her shoes at the doorway. She padded over to him quickly, seeing he had poured her a cup of tea as well.

"Arigatou, Kurama," she sighed as she sank into the chair. "It's been a long day."

"How did your shopping go?" he asked kindly.

"I went fine. Yukina did her Christmas shopping and I got a few things here and there, but enough about me. How are you? How is your mother?"

"She's doing well," he said with a fond smile at the thought of his human mother. "She's pregnant now. It worries me a little. Her health has never been the best, but the doctors say they're both strong and healthy and likely to stay that way."

"That's wonderful," she gushed. "Will it be a boy or a girl?"

"A girl," Kurama said happily. "I've never had a sibling before. I don't know quite how to act."

"Well, just don't spoil her with attention," Botan said fiercely. "It gets annoying really quick. That or it will go to her head."

"You sound like you've been there before," he said with surprise. "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

"Not exactly," she said with a sigh. "I lived with one of my uncles after my parents died and all my cousins took it upon themselves to be my surrogate brothers and sister. I was their little baby sister, at least in heart if not in name. Looking back, I'm surprised they did that. There aren't many who would so openly and unhesitatingly accept a half-breed into their family like that."

"I see."

"But I don't want to talk about that," she said. "You look like there's something you want to ask. What's eating you?"

"Well, I was talking to Ayame yesterday trying to find you and she seemed worried about something. I get the feeling it has something to do with our last mission." He gave her a searching, calculating glance. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you, Botan?"

She frowned into her cup of tea. "As a matter of fact, I was meaning to tell you about that. We're pretty sure that the Akuma no Kage group didn't set up that slaving operation on their own. There's someone who told them to do it, a mastermind if you will."

"Do you think he'll try to set up another slave trade?" Kurama asked gravely with a furrow to his brow.

"No. He was only trying to get our attention. He left a calling card with the gang that told us exactly what he wanted. He wants to kidnap a certain someone under Reikai protection and he was hoping that his calling card would get us to show him where we're hiding her, as if we're stupid enough to send guards out to her when this guy clearly doesn't know who she is or where she's being kept."

"Who is this person under Reikai protection?" Kurama asked. "I've never heard of Reikai hiding people."

"Well, you see, I don't really know who she is," she lied. "I was on vacation when she came to us. I don't even know where she's at right now. All I know is that whoever wants her certainly won't have any good intentions."

"So what are we to do about this so-called mastermind?"

"Well, that's the thing. We're not supposed to do anything. We're certain he'll make another move to try and find out anything he can on the girl, but we have no idea what he'll try next. The best thing to do would be to wait for him to strike and then catch him before he does too much damage."

"He won't try to go after you? You are the head ferry woman. He might think he could ransom you off for the information," Kurama pointed out worriedly.

"I doubt that. My schedule is always so hectic that even I don't know where I'll be going or what I'll be doing each day until Koenma tells me. They'd be better off trying to kidnap Koenma. At least he sits in his office all day."

"Ayame seemed worried about you in particular," Kurama said. "Are you sure you're not taking this too lightly?"

She frowned at him and almost glared. "Ayame's worried that they'll try to torture me for information I've said I didn't have. Truthfully, she should be more worried about herself and for the same reason."

She sighed and shook away the anger and frustration at Ayame not looking out for herself when she obviously should. She smiled sweetly at Kurama to try to dispel his worries for her.

"I'm fine. Really, Kurama. I'm not the one in danger here. Please, don't worry so much."

"Well, if you insist," Kurama said with a kind smile that did not reach his eyes. "Now that I know you're alright, I think I'll be going now."

"Are you sure? Won't you stay a little longer?" she pleaded. She already missed his company and he hadn't even left yet.

"I'd love to stay a little longer, but I still have some things I need to take care of before I head home. I promise to stay longer next time," he offered peaceably.

"Fine," she griped. "Tell your mother I said congratulations."

"I will," he assured her.

She watched him put his cup in the sink and give a wave over his shoulder as he left through the balcony doors. He jumped off the ledge and she didn't see a speck of his red hair after that. Honestly, all of her friends were too sneaky and agile. How was a ferry girl supposed to keep up?

--

She had lied to him. He was hurt and angry and cursing her under his breath. She had lied. To him. Why would she lie to him? Didn't she trust him?

He took a deep calming breath as he landed on a bough right above Hiei. Perhaps she hadn't wanted to lie to him. Perhaps she was sworn to secrecy. It wasn't unreasonable given that whomever she was protecting was under Reikai protection, but of all things to lie about, it made no sense to lie about what she did and did not know. He knew without a doubt that she knew exactly who this protected person was and where she was being kept. Botan probably knew the girl personally.

"What do you think, Hiei?" he finally asked.

"Hn. The idiot needs our protection. She's too stupid to know the danger she's in," Hiei answered darkly.

"My thoughts exactly," Kurama said in a tone equally dark. "Will you be watching out for her or do you want me to do it."

"Hn. I'll call you when I want to switch," his black-clad friend said blankly.

"I'll protect that stupid girl until I die, Hiei," Kurama said, revealing his resolve to the world.

"Hn."

Hiei's back tensed and Kurama knew that their thoughts were the same. It was just a shame they couldn't protect her from herself. They sure as hell would try.

With a decidedly lighter heart at knowing Hiei was there, he leaped off toward his home. He was suddenly very glad they had made that promise to Ayame.

--

Super Special Bonus Omake

The Mikuro/Eater Chronicles: One

"Fifty mill. Fifty million yen and those mother-fuckers still want me back," Mikuro muttered under his breath, pulling out the .22 he kept under the table in the back room. Only the good stuff back here. "How the hell did I ever get in with the fucking yakuza anyway?"

He walked past the security room with the safety off and ready to fire.

"Get your ass out of my store before I blow your fucking head off," he roared.

The two yakuza thugs jumped back. One even ducked behind one of the empty jewel cases.

"Whoa, whoa! Mikuro, old buddy, old pal, old friend. We ain't doin' nothin'."

"The hell you say. Why the fuck are you here?" he demanded, running a hand through his salt and pepper hair. Not only was it turning gray, it needed a good wash. "Make it good or I'll put a cap in your ass out of boredom."

"Th-The boss sent us, man. Now d-don't be hasty. We ain't doin' nothing."

"Yeah, I heard that part ass-wipe. What's that old fuck want now?"

"He says to tell you congratulations on the new shop. He would also like to tell that blue-haired babe thanks for payin' off your debt. Where can we find her?" the braver of the two asked.

So that was what they were after. Someone who could loan out fifty million just like that must be loaded. They probably wanted her to "share" it with them, especially if she wanted to keep breathing. He gritted his teeth. There was no way he was giving up Botan to these guys.

"Get the fuck out, ya cock-sucking bitches. Now!" he screamed when neither moved. He shoved the gun in one of their faces to make his point.

"Okay, okay. Damn," the braver one said, throwing up his hands in defeat. "We're leavin'."

"And stay gone, mother-fuckers."

The door closed with a loud bang and he swore violently. He stalked back to the back room and collapsed in his chair. He pulled out his last cigarette pack and thumped out a smoke. His hands found the lighter on the countertop and he lit up with a tired sigh.

"Damn. Nothing gets worse than this."

He had another fifty million in seed money from Botan once upon a time, but now he was almost out. Equipment costs, buying the building, getting some metal and stones to work with, and the security fees had drained the funds. He really didn't want to ask Botan for more. After all she had done for him, he really couldn't ask for more. He owed her for getting him out of that shit life.

"No wonder my hair is turning gray," the young man said with a long puff on the cigarette.

He heard the front door open and angrily stubbed out the smoke.

"What now?" he asked himself, stomping over to the security room.

Ah! It was Botan! Oh, lovely Botan! And she brought what looked like a big black bag with her. He rushed out to greet her with an uncharacteristic smile.

"Botan, what the hell?" he greeted.

"Hey, Mikuro-kun. I have a favor to ask you."

She looked worried. There were dark rings under her eyes and her clothes needed a little straightening.

"Sure, Botan. Anything for you."

"I need you to take care of her for me, just for a couple of weeks." She motioned behind her, but the only thing he saw was the black bag.

"Her? Her who? I don't see–"

He forgot what he was saying when the bag moved on its own. It lifted the very top of itself and two black eyes and pale white skin peeked out of the black. Nothing human had black eyes or could curl itself up like that.

"Fucking shit. Youkai?" he asked, used to dealing with them from his yakuza days.

"Sort of," Botan said nervously. "She'd not from Makai. She was born here and she hasn't had it easy. You wouldn't believe how cruel people have been to her just because of what she is and what she can do. My boss wants me to send her to Makai, but I just know she'll end up dead. I just need a few weeks to convince my boss to let her stay in Ningenkai. She's never hurt anyone and she looks just like a human when she wants to, so it shouldn't be too much trouble. Please, Mikuro."

He couldn't stop staring into the girl's black, iris free eyes. She stared back into his violet ones.

"Sure. Whatever," he said, scratching the back of his head just to do something with his hands. "Like I said, anything for you. So, uh…what do I do with her?"

"Nothing. She'll look after herself. Just keep her out of the rain. She doesn't like it. Come say hello to Mikuro, now," she told the girl with a sweet smile.

The girl lifted her head higher and he could actually see a long, spindly neck underneath the black that had to be her hair. It was as ghostly, shining white as her face.

"Se…Se…Seki…" she stuttered. She paused and took in a deep breath.

Then there was the sound of crashing glass and she became a black blur. He saw her reach into the case, glass shards crumbling against her skin. She pulled out some of the sapphire pieces on display and popped them in her mouth. There was a God awful screeching, crunching sound like two cars hitting each other and he came alive.

"What the fuck are you doing to my jewelry?!" he screamed, kicking her away from the case and his merchandise. She whimpered and only a half of one of the sapphires fell out. The metal casing and filigree surrounding it was completely mangled and shredded. He advanced on her angrily. She flinched away from him, her long, thin body starting to curl up on itself, but then her body went limp again, fell over halfway in the fetal position, and he didn't see her move after that. She didn't look like she was breathing. Mikuro stared at her in dread and horror. Had…had he killed her?

"Mikuro!" Botan yelled at him. "How could you do that? She was only hungry! She probably hasn't eaten in months."

"I didn't…She's not…dead. Is she?" he asked fearfully. He had killed before, but never an innocent girl.

"No, you idiot. She's been through a lot worse than that. It's just survival instinct to act like she's dead. Now, don't just stand there. Help her up."

He nodded and leaned down beside the girl. He picked up her limp form, cradling her neck and torso carefully.

"Hey! You. It's okay now. I won't hurt you. Um…Botan, what was her name?"

"Sekiko desu," the girl whispered, looking at him with hooded eyes as her head lolled backward on her thin neck. He almost jumped when he noticed the faintest blue ring around her pupil that had not been there before. The small circle of perfect sapphire quickly faded back to black further away from the pupil, but it was there.

Suddenly, there was something wet and slimy on his arm and he pulled it back quickly on reflex and the girl's head dropped to the floor. She hissed in pain and glared at him. She was still limp and he didn't know if she was just playing around with him or if that skinny, flimsy-looking body really couldn't hold her up.

"Sorry," he said, cradling the back of her head this time and pulling her back up. She blinked at him and then smiled slightly, bringing his attention to her pale lips and the drool oozing from them.

"What's with all the drool?" he asked Botan. That must have been the wet, slimy thing that hit his arm.

"From what I can tell, someone broke her jaw, quite a few times actually, and now her saliva glands don't work right. She's only supposed to drool like that when she's digging under ground. The saliva helps soften the dirt and make it easier to find gemstones," she explained.

"Why would she need to find those?" he asked curiously.

"That's what she eats. She's a stone eater." She said that like it was the most fucking obvious thing in the world.

"What?! You brought a gemstone eater to a jewelry store? Are you nuts?!" he demanded, seriously concerned for his stock.

"Oh, would you relax. I brought her food," she said, holding up a large bag that tinkled with the sounds of tiny stones hitting one another. "And if you need more, you can just order more without looking the least bit suspicious. You're the perfect cover for her, actually. Why do you think I brought her to you first?"

"No. Oh, hell no." It was too unbelievable. "There's no way this thing is staying here, not with my precious jewels at stake. What kind of freak eats jewels?! Who could do that to precious, precious jewels?!"

He almost bit his tongue. He looked down at the girl in his arms and felt something break inside him. Her eyes were completely dead. Now everything about her looked like something you should bury six feet under.

"Real nice, Mikuro," Botan said harshly. "You want to stab her in the heart while you're at it? Here. Give her to me. I'll take her somewhere else."

Botan held out her hands for the girl, but as he looked down at the crazy stone eater and her cold, lifeless eyes with their small, little sapphire blue, he couldn't move.

"Ah, fuck."

Sekiko turned her eyes to him, still lifeless but with the faintest bit of hope in the center. He felt that broken part of him mend a little.

"How much does she eat and how often?"

Botan smiled brightly. "She hasn't had anything in a couple of months, but she should probably have something every week or so. It doesn't take much. That sapphire she had probably filled her up. Just feed her a stone every now and then."

"Then why the hell did you bring me such a big bag?" he demanded.

She cheekily smiled at him and set the bag down on one of the jewelry cases. "Just in case you want to feed her more. I have a feeling you two are going to be real close. Now, I have to run. I'll check up on you tomorrow to see how she's doing."

The blue-haired goddess was out the door before he could curse, which said a lot about how fast she bailed out on him. He looked down at the girl in his arms. She gave him a wide grin, exposing razor sharp teeth in place of human molars. They looked like a light yellow diamond.

"You better get used to being hungry," he told her. "I don't how I'll fucking part with any stones, whether they're Botan's or mine."

The girl smiled and put her long, skinny arms around his neck. "Mikuro."

He blushed when she whispered his name like that. He put his arm under her knees and lifted her into the air. She giggled a little and he noticed just how long her body was. Her neck could wrap around his arm and the middle of her sank to rest uncomfortably near his crotch. Her long black dress touched the floor, but he had no idea how much of that was leg. He kind of wanted to see just how tall she could stand to see how he compared. He hoped he was taller. It would be damn embarrassing for the girl to be taller than him. Wait, why did he care about shit like that?

"You are going to be nothing but trouble. You know that?" he told her.

She smiled and giggled and rested her cute little head in the crook of his arm. It was about the cutest damn thing he had ever seen, even with the scary, razor sharp teeth.

He let out a long-suffering sigh. Yep, nothing but trouble.

--

Author's Note:

Should I do another Omake of Mikuro and Eater? They're my favorite OCs, which is saying something, because I have a lot. Their relationship is really one of a kind and I would love to write more about it. What do you guys think. Yes? No? Do you care?

On another note, what did you think of my Mukuro? Not bad-ass enough? Too teasing? Bleh!

Send me all your thoughts, no matter what they are. It's another long chapter, so surely you have something to say about it, ne?

Thanks for taking the time to read it.

Sani