ENCOUNTER
Movement 1

"Hn. What boring times," Hiei spoke gently in his deep voice. Kurama laughed in reply.

"If you are so terribly bored, why not go out?" Kurama suggested.

"Hah, go out and do what?"

"Nap in a tree, visit Yusuke-san..."

"You've said enough," Hiei said in a hurry as he departed via the window. Kurama shook his head gently as he continued with his schoolwork.

"Benkyou, benkyou, benkyou!" A schoolgirl chanted to her friend.

"Shut up! I can't help it if I want to do well on my exams and life well when I get older, unlike YOU Fujiko-chan," her companion replied.

"Ehehe, I'm joking, Arai-chan. I know your parents like for you to study hard. I just... well, you know, grades aren't the top of my list."

"Obviously..." Arai said under her breath, as she smiled and started to run.

"OI!" The girl named Fujiko cried as she chased after her. "BAKAAA!"

- - - OPENING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Sayonara Bye Bye" - - -

"Arai-chaaaan!" Fujiko called out as she stopped running, leaning against a bus stop sign. "You're cruel."

"Gomen gomen, I forgot that you don't like to be picked on, Fujiko-chan," Arai said gently as she strolled back to her friend.

"It's not so much as that I dislike being picked on, it's... more like... ano..."

"Stop yourself now, I know what you mean!" Arai exclaimed, smiling. Fujiko laughed gently as she rubbed the back of her head.

Arai took a look at her wristwatch as her expression changed to that of worry. "I need to hurry Fujiko-chan! My cram school starts in ten minutes, and it's still five blocks away."

"Well then, get going! If I keep walking with you, you'll end up late!"

"Demo..."

"But nothing! Go!"

"Un...!" Arai said as she smiled, waving gently as she walked on. Fujiko shook her head softly as she turned, looking at the neighborhood for a minute.

"Hmm... what peaceful times. Times like these make me happiest of all," she spoke aloud as she draped her schoolbag over her shoulder, heading towards her apartment in inner-city Tokyo.

"Kisama... Kurama and his suggestions, hn. Not as if those weren't already obvious to my eyes in the first place," Hiei spoke to himself softly as he lay in his favorite tree. The sunlight that escaped through the leafy green branches shined gently on Hiei's face. He grunted and closed his eyes, hoping to catch a nap while it was still pleasant outside.

His ears perked up to a gentle humming sound that was passing by his vicinity.

"A youkai can't rest in peace around here," Hiei thought to himself as he looked down, looking for the source of his disturbance. His eyes fell upon a short, beautiful brunette girl with a schoolbag adorning her shoulder. His eyes grew wide for a moment.

"Ie... that's impossible..." he mumbled to himself as he sat up, watching her.

"Eien ni odoru, eien ni odoru..." Fujiko sang softly to herself as she strolled past Hiei's tree, oblivious to his presence in every way. Once she had walked out of his range of vision, he jumped down, his face back to its usual composure.

"Hmm... that girl is a youkai? It seems unlikely, but I felt her youki, as weak as it was. Heh, looks like I may not be bored after all today," Hiei said as he set off after Fujiko.

Fujiko remained ignorant of Hiei's company as she continued singing, smiling gently as she looked at the city again. She adored the sight of Tokyo, regardless of all the speculated crime and illegal activity. It was like a Catholic Girls' School compared to her previous home. She could never seem to stress just how much she loved live as a ningen.

"Ahh, only one more block and I'm home...! Who would think that high school would take so much out of a girl who has seen it all?" She giggled slightly, as her head suddenly jerked up, her hair flying everywhere. Her body came to a stop as she let out a desperate breath.

"Reveal yourself. I dislike being trailed by rude youkai scum," she said aloud in a deep, almost sultry tone. Hiei, from atop a building, swallowed hard. Had she discovered him? He was going to jump down, but before he could, a shadow emerged from the alley.

"So you're not as dull as rumored to be, Bijin," a scratchy, low voice sounded. Fujiko laughed to herself.

"Indeed you are correct. So, what is your name, youkai? You needn't tell me why you're here."

"I am Suiseikage, a youkai of shadows. You best submit to me, or you will die painfully, Bijin."

"So you are another sent by imouto. Don't call me 'Bijin,' for that is not my name."

"I don't see why you go through such a façade!" Suiseikage exclaimed as he licked his lips. "You are a weak youkai, weaker than many of the lowest-class youkai in all of the Makai!"

"That doesn't mean that I am scared of you. Do you think you're the first youkai imouto has sent after me?"

"I'm not stupid. I do know that I shall be the last youkai sent after your head, though... Bijin-hime. You can deny your blood all you like, but you'll always be a cowardly youkai princess who deserves to die miserably!"

"SHUT UP!" Fujiko screamed as she covered her ears. Hiei, watching all of this from the aforementioned rooftop, was trying to put the pieces together nicely.

"Hahaha... you speak such big words for a pitiful woman. Die," Suiseikage revealed his inhuman-looking hands from inside his cloak, stepping forward and slicing her shoulder open in a swift movement. Fujiko cried out with pain as she dropped to her knees, looking up at him with conviction. He laughed in a condescending tone.

"What's wrong, lovely? Are you scared of me, now? Is death too scary for your childish mind to comprehend?" He took his hand and stroked the side of her face, still grinning fiercely.

"Perhaps you are right... I do not care..." she sighed greatly, her eyes at the ground. "Kill me, to make imouto happy...!" Fujiko yelled. He snarled.

"It's no fun if you don't fight back. You are weak. Dying suits you..." Suiseikage wrapped his slender fingers around her neck, tightening his grip as he slammed her violently against the wall. Fujiko spit a little blood as she squinted hard. She closed her eyes then as she accepted fate.

"This... youkai is the weakest one imouto has ever sent... but... it is not worth fighting fate," Fujiko's mind raced with thoughts.

"Oi!" Fujiko and Suiseikage heard a deep, soothing voice call out. Hiei jumped down from his position on the rooftop, his eyes locked on Suiseikage. "This girl has done nothing to harm you, you piss-ant, you. You are truly a cocky bastard," Hiei spoke boldly, as always.

"Don't interfere! This is none of your business. I was ordered to kill this spineless girl, and I will do it, even if it means killing another pest in the process!" Suiseikage shouted. Hiei laughed at him, giving him a taste of his own attitude.

"Death will suit your ugly face much more."

Suiseikage grew enraged with this comment, snarling to himself as he winced. In a flash, he released Fujiko from his icy hands and dove for Hiei's shoulder, his long black nails penetrating the flesh. Hiei flinched, looking right into his eyes with a somewhat evil smile on his face.

"B... bakemono!" Suiseikage cried out, pulling his nails from within Hiei's wound. He spat at Fujiko's general direction and, without so much as a word, retreated back into the shadows.

"Hn, cocky ass youkai..." Hiei muttered as he looked at the semi-conscious girl slumped against the wall. He slowly ambled over to her.

"On'na. On'na!" He yelled, not receiving any response. Hiei stooped down, looking at her, checking to see if she was still alive. He extended his arm, then remembering about his wound as he looked at his left shoulder; it was covered with crimson blood. He cursed himself for letting his guard down enough to let that shadow youkai even come near him.

Fujiko looked up at him, her arm pressed across her wounded shoulder. Her eyes were a deep shade of gray, hinting extreme sadness.

"W... who are you? Why did you save me?" She asked gently. He looked at her for a moment.

"I saved you for a reason that I do not know," he said, getting to his feet again. Her eyes followed him.

"T... that answer really won't do... but I don't have a choice, I guess. Gomen nasai... for... that would upon your shoulder. It...'s entirely my fault."

"Hn. You are right, it is your fault," he replied. Fujiko twitched slightly at his callous remark, then remembering he too was a youkai. She stifled a small laugh as she leaned forward in an attempt to rise.

"I wouldn't expect any less from a you—," her sentence was cut short as she tumbled right back down to the ground.

"K'so..." she murmured to herself. Hiei grinned, as hearing a lady swear was a rare thing for him. She looked to him again, her eyes full of questions. Hiei could see it as he shifted his glance.

"What's your name?" Fujiko asked gently.

"Hiei."

"Hiei... I'll make an effort to remember that," she answered in a faint tone. Hiei twitched this time, as he had spoken those same words to Kurama many years ago, upon their first meeting.

"Che, what am I doing here? Helping a weak youkai, a woman nonetheless, and then standing around as if I wanted to have tea with her..." Hiei thought to himself as she looked at her helpless form.

"On'na—"

"It's... Fujiko, actually," she interjected. Hiei scoffed at her.

"Sayonara," he muttered as he disappeared in a flash. Fujiko was left in a stupor.

"Hiei... Hiei-san..." A small sigh escaped her lips. "You could've at least offered to help me home...!" Fujiko screamed out as she used the wall to get to her feet.

"Bakame..." Hiei whispered to himself, atop the building once more.

- - - ENDING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Tactics" - - -