Author's Note: I feel that, as I have aged and matured over the years, so has my writing. It is time to take a look at what I was once so proud of and make it better. I will not be holding back and major parts of the story will be altered in order to maintain canon as well as the story being lengthened immensely, but it is part of a project I am doing to develop my writing even more. I want to see my name in bookstores worldwide and this may be the step I need to take to achieve this goal. Bear with me as I take this reluctant step into the world. Thank you, my loyal readers. I wouldn't have made it this far without you and the support of everyone I've held dear.

Ayane, one of the OCs and only things in this story I own, will be taking on a much more mature and much less Mary Sue personality (I hope) than she has in the past, as I have learned the ways of strong female characters and how amazing they can truly be. The cast of Yu Yu Hakusho – and Yoshihiro Togashi, by extension – have always been a driving force in my life and working through writer's block by doing them justice seems like the only viable way to repay them. They were real for me when I needed them most.


Even the Best

Chapter One

The sliver of moonlight peeking through the branches high above her revealed a faint outline of the demon plants moving to and fro in the clearing, lulled into their slumber by the coppery breeze. Years of training had finally gotten her to the wretched island she found herself on now. She was right where she wanted to be.

Ah, the Demon Tournament would be sweet.

Unwittingly, her lips twitched upwards and she thought about the ridiculous demon lord hosting the tournament; Enki was such a lazy ruler, though the annual tournaments he held did keep the bloodlust in Demon World quelled slightly. Twisting a few ebony strands into a loose braid, she thought about how pleasant things had been since Enki had taken unexpected control of Demon World; her parents would have been pleased that the king was attempting to keep peace. Thoughts of the tournament proving to be a poor way to pass the time, her thoughts drifted to the reason she had even thought about taking up arms and joining up with some thugs in the Demon World. Blood heated up her cheeks as visions of her driving force filled her mind. A part of her had always kept from hurting others, knowing that sometimes people get hurt and are unable to recover. Watching one of the two deemed "traitors" at the Dark Tournament – something she had stumbled into by complete accident – had awoken something deep inside of her that she had never thought would have existed. In an instant, he had incinerated a man. Fear had naught a millisecond to encircle her heart before awe overtook her entire being. It was, in a word, beautiful. His cold ruby stare after he had disintegrated the cocky blonde fire demon held just the slightest tinge of pain and, in that instant, she knew he was good. In that instant, she had decided what she had to do.

He became a bit of an obsession to her as she discovered more about him over the years of tossing in research with her training. Each new thing she learned brought her one step closer to him. She feared she was training too little and researching too much when she learned of the things he had gone through and felt nothing but a deep sorrow for the man that haunted her dreams at night.

She shook her head fiercely, knowing she had lost track of time again, thinking about him once more.

"Who are you? You shouldn't be here, Miss. This is private land," a curious voice spoke from behind her. She had sensed the man's approach although she had been caught up in her own thoughts, and turned to him now, smiling.

"Mister Kazuma, ne?" she asked lightly, bowing, her bright hazel eyes scrutinizing him through the pitch blackness. Though she had expected most of the people on the island to be taller than she was, – her height had been a gift from her mother's side – she wondered if she would have to crane her neck as much as she had to now to look at everyone. "I'm Ayane Shinata. My team and I plan to fight here next week. I was just curious about the layout of the land. I had never been here before, you see, as I unfortunately missed the Demon World Tournament Lord Urameshi hosted last time." Knowing better than to blink, as she could honestly be convicted of trespassing since she was not one of Enki's honored guests, she offered him the palms of her hands and a sheepish smile. "Honestly, I meant no harm."

He looked at her sternly for a moment and Ayane nearly gulped as she strained to keep her eyes glued to him. In a movement that caught her completely off guard, a warm pressure wrapped around her wrist and yanked her forward, nearly knocking her feet out from under her. His actions took her by surprise and, as though reading her mind, he explained that "the guys" might like to meet her. As this news washed over her, her eyes widened.

"N-no! I can't meet him yet!" she exclaimed, her heels skidding through the dirt and her bangs flying violently across her face. Kazuma paused mid-step and his eyebrows wrinkled together as he looked at her. "I…I wouldn't know what to say…"

"What are you talking about, Ayane?" he asked even as he turned back around, forgoing all etiquette.

"Uhm… Never mind. It's not important." Her heart threatened to betray her but she turned into herself and blocked up her mind as him poking around in her brain was a likely possibility.

"Hey, guys, look what I found! She was wandering around outside; she's part of Shou's team!" Kazuma exclaimed as they entered the room. "This is Ayane Shinata. Don't worry, she wasn't spying. I think we can trust her not to kill us, anyway."

Ayane looked up at the odd man again, raising an eyebrow at his confusing words; what advantage would killing them all have for her anyway? She wondered briefly if they were having a reunion before the tournament as her eyes trailed over the half-full brown and green bottles sitting on the table between the couches. When her eyes fell, finally, on the one she had come all this way for resting on a windowsill a mere twelve feet from her, she felt as though a golf ball had lodged its way into her throat. Bowing hastily to the room, a flood of relief washed over her as the electricity arcing between them sizzled out; he had not even looked back at her. "Good evening everyone," she managed weakly.

"Hey there, kiddo," the unmistakable un-gelled mop of black hair rested a bit longer on his head than she remembered it being at the Dark Tournament, but Yusuke definitely maintained a flicker of his youth in the friendly grin he offered her. He motioned to the empty spot next to him, his expression alone telling her he would not take no for an answer. Graciously, she accepted and fidgeted with the hem of her shorts only slightly.

"It's a pleasure, Lord Urameshi."

"Gah, would you not call me that?!" He shook his head, the corners of his lips tugging downward. "I live a normal life in the Human World now, see. I'd like to keep things as normal as possible." It seemed for a moment he wanted to start bragging about his life but barely caught himself, shaking his head. "So Shinata's your last name?"

"It's my family's name," she affirmed and, after noticing a confused glint in his and nearly everyone else's eyes, continued, "I didn't grow up in the Demon World like most of the contestants." With that, she lifted a cup of hot tea she had watched the redhead pour her earlier to her lips, the conversation effectively ended as she blew across the steam.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Lady Ayane," the aforementioned man spoke, a mischievous little grin settling on his lips. She quickly met the other "traitor's" taunting gaze, questioning his motives. His use of the term "lady" before her name caught everyone's attention, though something told her he knew it would.

He knows something, she thought, peering at him over her small floral mug. Why would he know anything at all about me?

"Why'd you call her that, Kurama?" Kazuma asked, ever the first to speak everyone's minds.

Kurama's grin revealed the true nature of his spirit. "It's not my story to tell. I heard it by chance in the Makai one day."

"Always the lady's man, eh, Kurama?" Yusuke laughed, purposefully and obviously doing his best to change the subject, noting her discomfort. "So, girly, what brings you here anyway? Get too excited? Couldn't wait anymore?" he teased the tiny girl next to him; she was pleased that he seemed at least a head shorter than his companion who had kindly directed her.

She smiled smally at the man as she sat her tea cup back down on its coaster. "Something like that. Just getting to know the lay of the land, is all. I missed the last tournament, you see, so I never had the chance to check it out."

"Send her home, Urameshi," the man who had seemed to haunt all her dreams over the years grunted from the window sill. Unwittingly, heat rushed to her face and she felt just a tiny bit woozy when his voice washed over her. Her teeth clamped around her lower lip and she was careful not to bite down too hard as she was aptly aware of being in a room of demons. The smile on Kurama's face caught her attention again as she uncomfortably lifted her mug to her lips as Kazuma and Yusuke berated their moody window sill companion for his lack of manners. Eyes narrowing and blush fading, she shut her eyes and sipped at her tea. The chuckle that escaped the redhead caught the two boisterous males' attention.

"I just wonder what Lady Ayane thinks of this right now," he played it off and the two who had been doing the talking changed the discussion, as if she had cared what they had been talking about. Kurama managed to convince Kazuma to switch places with a reluctant Ayane who sat down in a huff next to the fox.

"I don't remember meeting you before now," she muttered, insinuating things that she knew he was clever enough to catch on to.

"Oh, I've met a close relative of yours; you have his scowl." His gaze grew soft for a moment as he spoke in a similar code and he allowed her to soak in the information for a bit. Their seemingly innocent exchange continued for a while until he finally mentioned the idea of a walk, as she had wanted to look over the island anyway. Kuwabara and Yusuke whistled, made cat-calls, and teased him about what his lady at home would say. Kazuma's train derailed then and he went on a tangent about his own lady waiting at home and started talking about a wedding he seemed intent on having. Tension in the room grew for a moment until Yusuke mentioned his own lady and how upset she would be with him when the tournament was over. The young woman and the fox managed to disappear during the messy conversation, escaping to the outside world. For a while they walked in absolute silence.

"You all have people waiting at home for you then?" she murmured a few minutes into the moonlit walk, her eyes trained on their feet. "On top of being so close that you band together in a hotel room for another tournament, you all have families and loved ones. You guys aren't even fighting, are you? Why aren't you at home?"

His hand fell heavy on her head, surprising her. "We accepted our paths, Lady Ayane, and so have our loved ones."

Silence filled the space between them and they came to a stop at a tiny clearing; after a quick glance around, Ayane noticed it was the same one from earlier. What a small island…

"There isn't a demon that survived it that doesn't know about your parents, Lady Ayane," he said quietly, crossing his arms and leaning against the rough bark of the nearest trunk. His shimmering emerald eyes were hidden under his hair. "I heard rumors there was a girl in my area asking about Hiei…imagine my surprise when I see the description of this girl matches you so perfectly."

The air was tense and she took a step back, away from the murderous intent of the fox.

"Why are you so interested in Hiei, Lady Ayane?" Kurama's voice seemed lower, but she was near positive it was only her imagination. "Don't lie to me, by the way, because I'll smell it all over you."

Her nails bit into the palms of her hands and she steeled herself to voice what she had told herself since she first saw the man years prior. She knew from the start she could trust the cunning fox; he had a good soul in him and had no true ill will for her, though he would not hesitate to slice her up a bit to make her tell the truth.

"I came to meet him," she explained, her shoulders moving on their own as she studied the toe of her thick-soled boots reflect the moonlight. "I saw him fight against Zeru…" She paused, pressing the tip of her index finger to her chin. "What are they called again? Oh, right. I became a bit of a fangirl."

A ripple interrupted the aura of the clearing then she heard a sound coming from the redhead that had just been bluffing at taking her life. When her mind cleared slightly, free of the panic that had unnecessarily lodged itself in her heart, she focused on the sound and blinked hard before rubbing her ears to make sure she heard him properly.

"Are you laughing at me?!" she squeaked, seething.

"Why would I do such a thing?" he asked as though truly offended, though he was unable to conceal a final chuckle.

"You seem to be a bully, is why," she growled, jabbing an accusing finger in his face.

"Don't threaten him, foolish girl," the voice she was unable to forget rumbled next to her ear, the blade of his katana biting into her shoulder as he leaned in close to her. Her training kicked in and she dropped her weight immediately, managing to catch him off guard, then threw her elbow into the rock wall behind her as she threw her body forward in a roll, pausing for a second on her free hand to kick him in the chest and propel herself backwards as her arms sprung her into the sky. A quick twist later, she landed on a branch inches above Kurama's head, back against the same trunk so he would be unable to gain that advantage.

In another moment, Hiei regained his senses and his eyes took on a murderous gleam as he stood straight, studying his katana. "Hn… I thought, perhaps, the fox was just showing off for you out here, whore," he spat a few feet away; his harsh words stung her as though he had struck her. "It appears I have walked into a challenge. Either is fine with me."

"Hiei, she's just a girl," Kurama sighed, reaching for the nape of his neck. "In any case, this girl is nowhere near fit to fight you right now and you know it. Be reasonable." The green turned near forest as he met Hiei's steady glare.

"You'll fight me over a girl – not even a woman – you barely know, fox?" Hiei scoffed, sheathing his katana. "Pathetic."

"…I can't get down…!" Ayane squeaked, eyelids pressed tightly together as she clutched the bark behind her just gently enough that it would not crumble. "I need help down; I don't like heights. Please don't leave me up here?"

Kurama masked all expressions on his face and turned to Hiei.

"No."

"You could let me ask the question first," Kurama protested.

"No!" Ayane snapped next, understanding Kurama's plan with just that. "Kurama, you have to get me down! You can't let him near me! He knows my weakness now!"

A thick arm wrapped tightly around her waist and pulled her against the solid body at the end of it. "Fool, you are a weakness," he muttered.

His body heat made her shiver violently as if she had been frozen her whole life and it was her very first time in sunlight. Her body unwittingly responded to her feelings and she cracked her eyes open, landing first on the toned chest her arms were trapped against. Ever so slowly, her gaze traveled to look at his hardened face. Her breath caught in her throat when she noticed him staring directly back at her. She thought he said something but when she asked, he shook his head and she was planted on the ground with only Kurama nearby in the next instant.

"That was unexpected," her companion spoke up. He turned to her, a skeptical look crossing his face. "You're afraid of heights, Lady Ayane?"

"I don't like talking about it."

The return trip to the hotel seemed to take far less time than their walk out to the clearing initially had. Kurama led her to collect her room key – one separate from the remaining members of her team – then left her to sort the luggage that they had required them to send a week ahead of time; it had only arrived that morning.

Darkness greeted her the moment she closed her eyes like a long lost friend. Her long day had started with disobeying her "master"… She cringed at the thought of the blonde's enraged face when he saw she had left that morning. He was a bad soul, but she was not meant to pass judgment. On top of that, she had met him…and, subsequently, attacked him.

Grumbling, she pulled the heavy comforter over her head and forced herself into a deep, meditated sleep.

~*~*~The Gang~*~*~

"So did you 'learn' anything from her, Kurama?" Kazuma teased the moment the redhead returned from helping her find the room her key would open.

Kurama's green orbs met Hiei's in the reflection on the window and he feigned confusion at the other man's intense stare. "Actually, I did learn something from her, Kazuma. She's a big fan of ours."

"I knew there was somethin' I liked about that kid," Yusuke sniffed.

Hiei followed the fox with his eyes as the spirit in human form retired to his little room and remained on his sill until each person in the room was gone. Alone, he thought back to the clearing and that strange girl. The moment he heard her growl from where he had hidden himself a few feet away, he was by her side like a magnet. The breeze around her carried something more than just the normal scent of blood and it made him hesitate just long enough for her to gain the upper edge in a fight that should not have even happened. Why had the stupid girl threatened Kurama?

He looked past the window to the ground below, his thoughts drifting to the moment their eyes met. At the time, he truly had not been sure of what he had said in those few seconds but, after having a little time to himself, he growled out the words one more time,

"I know you."


Ayane: Are you happier with this portrayal, Hiei-dono?

Hiei: Hn. It's acceptable.

Ayane: You think you're so hardass, huh?