This is a Hiei/Botan fanfic written together with my friend. It is also the first fanfic I have uploaded in... many years. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we did writing it. Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of the characters in any way, shape or form.
Love's Curse.
Chapter 1: Kindling the Flame
"Behind you!" a male voice cried out, as a large axe came swinging down, crashing into the solid ground, leaving behind a large crater, where Yusuke was only moments before.
"That was close" said Yusuke as he quickly swung around "Rei Gun!" he shouted as he released his signature move, instantly demolishing the attacking demon with a bright beam of light. "Another one bites the dust"
"We can't relax yet, there are still many more demons left to fight" Stated a young male with long red hair, while attacking a small group with his rose whip. Kuwabara and Hiei were there too, all fighting off a large army of demons.
Yusuke and the gang were on a mission for Koenma. There has been a rebellion after the end of the Demon World Tournament. Some of the low level inhabitants were not satisfied with having Enki as their new ruler. Things were getting a bit out of control, that's why the whole team had been summoned to resolve the issue. Hordes of demons lunged at the heroes with idiotic banter.
"They are all a bunch of weaklings, they are not even worth my time" Said Hiei as he quickly sliced up a group of lower class hooligans with his katana, cutting through them like butter, moving onto the next lot instantly with swift, precise swings of his blade.
Kuwabara roared as he brought down his reiki blade wiping out another group. "They just keep on coming!" He kept on attacking the incoming hoard.
In the crimson skies that shadow the realm, held a familiar blue haired ferry girl. During the midst of the Demon rebellion, Botan had glided in on ominous winds to bring the gang a much needed boost.
She waved frantically as she clasped 4 blue luminescent vials of Spirit Water. She yelled in a shrill tone "Hiei, Yusuke! GUYS, catch these!" She lunged her upper body forward to get a good distance on her throw. The heroes were finishing off some blood lusting scum. They caught a glimpse of the glowing vials draped in rays of the sky's tainted light.
Hiei looked up at Botan, acknowledging her presence. He quickly poured the water down his insatiable throat. Yusuke grinned mercilessly as he wiped the excess liquid off his mouth. " Tell Koenma to be more persistent next time!" He exclaimed as he smiled at the now descending Botan. As the thankful and now rejuvenated team finished off their vials, the rebellious horde and their masters slowly dwindle.
Botan was about to fly back to the spirit realm. She took off, only to be pulled back suddenly. "What the-!" She exclaimed as her oar spiralled out of control. The bluenette gripped fiercely onto the rod in fear of falling. Moments from the ground she unceremoniously crashed.
With a groan of pain she sat up, struggling slightly. With mild dizziness she surveyed her surroundings. The others were still fighting a little distance away, and to her delight they were doing a lot better than before. She smiled at her accomplishment, happy to be helpful to her friends. Thinking back to her situation she looked down at her now broken oar. "This is not good. Now I have to get a replacement. Koenma will not be happy about this." She had a closer look at the paddle, and noticed peculiar coloured string stuck to the handle, perhaps made of demon energy? It must have been what made her oar spin out of control. She sighed and then stood up and dusted herself off. Seeing as she can no longer fly home, all she could do is wait until the others have finished.
A looming shadow was approaching, alerted to its presence, she instantly turned around. She was greeted by a large, muscle-bound demon. He was towering above her, donning plated armour and wielding a large halberd. "You are coming with me, human" He said to her, in a deep, abrasive voice.
"I'm not going anywhere but home, with my friends!" Botan shouted. She clenched her seemingly tampered oar, and assumed a defensive stance. The demon let out a cackle "You can't harm me with that, just how weak do you think I am?"
"I can still try!" Botan exclaimed, swinging the stick with all her might towards the awaiting demon. There was a sound of splintering wood, the tainted oar began to crack. Botan gasped as her trusty transporter smashed into smithereens. Her enemy stood there amused but unharmed. "Is that all you got? This is easier than I thought" He said with a yawn. "Enough of this foolishness. Come with me quietly if you wish to be unscathed"
Fear beset Botan when she realised she could not win this fight. The now panic driven ferry girl quickly whipped her head around to the others – only to find no-one. Where did they go!? She had to get away, and fast! She did the first thing she could think of, she ran to the site of where our heroes fought the rebellion.
She ran as fast as her legs would carry her. "Where are the others? How could they just leave me here!" she thought as her anxious mind swelled in fear. It was futile though, the cocky demon easily made ground and lunged at her arm. Pain shot through her as she stopped abruptly. "Let me go!" Botan cried as she drove steady but seemingly ineffective fists into his abdomen.
"It's useless, human. Cease the struggle" humoured the demon. Botan refused to give in to this meat-head's will. The now pitying middle class creature grabbed the other arm to prevent those annoying, weak jabs. He then chanted a few words under his breath, and a small portal appeared before her eyes. He dragged the struggling girl into the shadowed sphere, thus ending Botan's journey in this bloodied desert wasteland, for now.
- - -
In a dank, ancient chamber stood an ominous figure lined in intricate velvet garb. He was staring at a large, elegantly designed full-body mirror. Jet black shades enveloped his aura and surroundings, the only light source being the dull flicker of a lone torch, ignited by an ice-blue flame attached to a cold stone wall.
Illustrious, charcoal coloured hair draped perfectly down his slender body . A sinister grin added a slight charm to his otherwise undeniably evil demeanour. Vanity was written all over his well chiselled face. The ancient Mirror he calls 'Ashris' foresees the happenings of all realms.
In an hour beckoning this lone demons heart, the mirrors weathered pane foretells of a blue haired girl. Riding the winds on an oar, her hair flowing wildly in the breeze. A happy go lucky girl who's bright aura radiated through the crimson skies. She seemed in a fluster carrying vials of liquid in her hands. It appeared she was with a boy, Yusuke and his friends.
He continued watching, as his lavender eyes glinted, mouth quivering in excitement. He raises one eyebrow, his grin shaping a crescent moon "This girl... She will be mine" He proclaims as his echoes linger down the empty halls.
The humanoid demon said a few foreign words under his breath, the image rippling like a stone cast into water. The view of the ferry girl shifted, and shortly after it formed a vision of a fairly Brute demon. Dirt-brown skin over bulky muscles and clad in heavy armour. The creature was marching along with many other enraged lower-class demons. The purpose of this rebellion was the declaration of new realm laws.
"Grurock!" The dark figure commanded.
The demon in the mirror looked up, alerted by the voice.
"What is it you wish, Lord Vutal?"
"I want you to capture someone for me, a blue haired girl. She rides on a mysterious, floating oar and apparently works for the ruler of the spirit realm. Her accomplices, the foolish Yusuke and his useless friends are a reputable bunch, but nothing compared to my power. Such a being should not be difficult for you to capture, am I correct?"
"A spirit world girl? A task like that is a piece of cake." Grurock laughed "I can assure you that the girl will be captured and delivered to you in no time"
"Excellent, I expect no less from you. I also need her to be brought alive"
"Yes, My Lord"
"You are dismissed" The upper class demon stated, and with a movement of his hand the image flickered and vanished.
"A Spirit World ferry girl ...This shall be very interesting" He grinned maliciously and then let out a deep laugh, while anticipating the bluenette's arrival.
Botan found herself in a dark chamber. The atmosphere was gloomy an ominous. She felt a uneasy in such a depressing atmosphere. Helplessness set in as she pondered her fate in such harrowing conditions. Her frustration grew "How could I forget my communications mirror!" She thought to herself as she stared at the cobwebbed stone ceiling. "Of all days I had to forget I just had to do it when I get kidnapped by a brute!" She only hoped her companions would soon discover her absence and find a means of rescuing her.
Grurock's shadow creeps through the dimly lit chamber as the door slowly creeps open. "I will be taking you to Lord Vutal. You are to show him utmost respect" he says says as he clanks a chain of keys.
"Show respect to a demon who is waging a rebellion that is causing the death of many innocents?" Botan exclaimed in a fearful voice.
"Silence woman" The large demon commanded with his booming voice "Now you are coming with me" the brute swipes her arm up and pulls her toward him.
"Let me go!" She shouted yet again as she struggled relentlessly, using all of her strength to try and break free. All she did was annoy her captor, and his grip on her tightened. Botan let out a yelp of pain and her struggling weakened.
Grurock pulled the bruised beauty through the grim, dimly lit hallways. Her eyes darted in all directions for any form of escape through the shadows. All she saw were macabre yet elegant paintings of women and jewelled stone lining the barren hall.
Shortly the two reached a towering double door. The wood was of an ancient Ent race, embedded with rubies above the platinum draconian handles. Many intricate carvings told of a story long before Botans time.
The demon approached the doors, and grabbed the large, head of the handle. With mighty force, he knocked loudly. The sound echoing through the once lone halls.
"You may enter" Called a male voice from beyond the ancient door. A dim creaking sound was heard followed by a dull thud. The door sleight open almost motionlessly as hues of blue light crept up out of Vutal's Lair.
Grurock shoves Botan's arm forward "Cmon Ferry girl, the lord does not like to be kept waiting" A slight wind passes by Botan's now frazzled hair, sweeping some strands into her fear swelled face. A silhouette of a man appears before her eyes as she treads skittishly on the cobblestone floor. "Ah, finally you have come to me!" He says relieved. Two sharp claps penetrate the dark lord's lair. As if a Phoenix had risen from the ashes, the dim flames lighting the lair spring to life, detailing the hauntingly beautiful surroundings.
Botan looked around mystified as to what unfolded before her eyes. She then turned back toward the charming demon as he gazed in wonder at his light spectacle.
He snapped back to rational thought "You may leave now, Grurack. Your obedience is appreciated"
"Very well, Lord Vutal. I will take my departure" The large demon said as he strode back slowly down hallway, the grand doors closing behind him with a thud that startled the young bluenette.
Regaining her composure, she shakily drew a breath "W-what do you want from me?" having difficulty hiding the fear in her voice.
The demon waves his hand, a trail of glittering sparks follow, like small fireworks. Vutal's grin turned crescent moon once more. "I have brought you here, to offer you a life full of untold magic, great fortune and-"
Ascending from the fallen sparks, miniature phoenix feathers shape a love heart. The rich crimson and sunburnt hues radiate his lusting mouth. Gazing deep into the now wide eyed girl he says softly yet cunningly "Unconditional love"
The ferry girl trembles at such a thought, her bedazzled eyes soon turn awry into the blue depths of the chamber. She closes her eyes in embarrassment "Why would you offer me such things?" Botan asked in disbelief.
"Why, I have taken an interest in you, ferry girl?" The handsome shadow lord perks up and turns his nose up at her, bluffing her resilient will. "Consider yourself very lucky, for anyone else I would have annihilated in the blink of an eye" Botans stomach began to churn as the thought of her being close to someone so vile became extremely vivid. Why had a bloodthirsty handsome demon taken such interest in her? Offering her fabled things all on a silver platter, or was that platinum?
After gaining little composure she began to muster curious words she never thought she'd say "You say you offer me all these things, without a price? Even if I was interested there is no way I can believe such a thing"
The handsome demon grew in confidence at her jest and said simply "The only price is that you mate with me. Such an offer you simply cannot refuse."
"What!?" Botan shrieked "Mate with you!?" The blushing bluenette quickly remembers the demon mating rituals. She clenches her fist and says firmly "There is no way I would accept such an offer, not in a million years. Did you not see hordes of your idiot's harming my friends!"
Vutal's eyebrows narrowed as his gaze became sinisterly angular. "You are making a big mistake. I have everything you can ever dream of, and more!" He reached into his robe and pulled out an old tome, opening it. His mouth quivered in anger as he rummaged through the ancient pages.
Her eyes dart instantly gazing upon the ancient book. She steps back freezing up in fear and torment.
"I don't want any of that! I just want to be released and go home to my friends"
His eye peer upon her face as he resigns scribing "oh, you think I'm going to harm you?
Why don't I just show you then, show you the life that you will live if you stay with me?"
Botan gulped and started breathing very heavily "Show me?" she said faintly.
"Take a look at the mirror" the grinning demon cunningly announced as his arm slowly glided toward the direction of Ashris. He chanted a few short words, the glass started rippling blue shadows that then flashed into vivid imagery. Botan's troubled mind triggered into shock as she gazed upon the mirrors glimmer, entranced.
She saw visions of the future, the mating ritual shared by her and Vutal. She saw herself eating dinner with him on a grand, dark ebony table, topped with wondrous foods. She saw great journeys to many beautiful and untouched areas of the realms. Passion, love and sensuality was bestowed upon her by the handsome lord. Promises wrapped in kindness spoken upon bountiful plains. The simple girl saw elegant, tailored clothes made from the finest woven silks draped across her, accentuating a slender silhouette. The now bright, crimson tinged halls were filled with glorious treasures and heirlooms with servants attending her every desire. A child's first screams as it enters the world for the first time was heard while the vision showed her nursing it to sleep with a look of contentment on the ferry girls face. As wonderful as it all seemed, she told herself that it was a lie, a fairy-tale, nothing more. Demons like him only wanted to manipulate people like her to get their way.
Botan, unable to disengage from the visions, was unaware of Vutal referring back to his tome. The seemingly youthful demon had found the page he was scribing for! He started reciting the ancient spell with a sombre hum. A dim purple glow seeped over his form, as the demon lord raised his arm slowly, hand spaced and tensed outward. Suddenly an strong, ominous wind draws into the chamber, animating the dark enchanter's perfectly set hair.
Botan snapped out of the trance, shock was evident in her bright pink eyes. She couldn't move, she could only stare in fear helplessly awaiting her fate.
Vutal's chanting only grew to a screeching shout that could deafen a city, the winds grew moving objects surrounding the two violently. Suddenly a surge of ominous, unrelenting shadow gushes out of Vutal's now slightly clawed hand.
The ferry girl's heart had known no other fear in her life. She felt a foreign power surging through her, penetratingher very soul. It was almost as if her life-force was being separated from her. Tears threatened to fall as intense pain shot through her while she cried out in agony. She would have curled up into a ball if it weren't for being paralysed.
Her body could not handle the relentless abuse on her being any more, she felt torn between herself and a lifetime of scolding oblivion. With one last cry, her world went black.
Botan found herself floating in an empty void, boundless plains of darkness surrounded every direction she turned. Her hair was animated around her face as it gently moved with the lack of gravity. She felt like she was in an endless limbo of time as if she'd fallen through the ancient seas into nothingness.
A gentle breeze gathered as a familiar demon lord fabricated himself in front of her, the unexpected appearance surprised the bluenette.
Vutal materialised with the excess shadows rushing off him as he fully formed.
"Hello again, my beautiful" He greeted, lustfully, still breathing heavily from the ritual.
"W-what do you want? Where am I?" Botan asked him, dazed and confused.
He let out a small chuckle "This is merely a dream. Communication in the realm of the subconscious is an easy task for one such as myself" he says confidently, brushing dust and debris off himself.
Botans anger grew with every breath she drew.
"What did you do to me!?" She demanded, recalling the strange spell he cast. She said firmly, clenching her fists.
The handsome demon purses his lips, looks up and half smirks.
"That, you will find out shortly. You may go back to your friends for now" He hummed "But, I assure you. I will return, and, you will become my mate." Vutal grinned.
The bluenettes eyes narrowed.
"Never!" She shouted "I'm not falling for your deceitful ways!"
The demons lords smile shaped a crescent moon as his confidence grew.
"We'll see about that." he says sharp and sinisterly, he then snaps out of the slight outburst, with a sombre expression crossing his face "Farewell, my little ferry girl" he says gently as he jest's slowly vanishing into the voids.
Moments after the boundless plains fragmented, beams of light shot into the dank space. Botan found herself suddenly observing herself living a different life, similar to the glimmer, but somehow more, organic and real. It was as if she was someone else entirely. The lord in this vision was trying really hard to convince her to be his mate, but she remained resilient and wild eyed as if she were possessed.
The visions of this possible future seemingly lasted forever, but finally, it all came to an end. The ferry girl snapped her eyes open, to find herself staring up at the faces of her concerned friends, looking down at her.
"Botan!" Yuske exclaimed in releif.
"You're awake. You had us worried there" Kurama stressed.
"I'm going to get the bastard that kidnapped you and tear them to shreds!" Kuwabara announced, enraged as usual.
"Hn, stupid woman, getting yourself captured by weaklings" Hiei said dismissively while staring intensely into the distance.
Botan got teary eyed as she stared up at the faces of her companions, relief and joy flooding through her body "You don't know how happy I am to see all of you! It was terrible, this brute dragged me around, and this demon lord wanted to take me as his mate, and I think he cast a weird spell on me."
They all laughed, all except Hiei who continued to stare off into the distance with a poker face. "Hn" the black haired demon grunted. "How could you all laugh when the stupid girl got herself in danger with such pitiful weaklings!?" They all stopped laughing, once realising the gravity of the situation her companions started to question the far fetched story.
Botan gazed upon everyone's mystified faces "I have quite a tale to tell you guys" the young ferry girl says still shaken by the ordeal. As the sun sets through crimson skies, in a small camp on the outskirts of the desert wasteland, the young damsel tells of her ordeal to willing ears.
So, how was it? We would love to hear your opinion. Please leave a review, it will inspire us to write more. We also welcome constructive criticism, so if there is anything you think needs improving, please do tell us!