From the Dead, Arisen Again

Summary

After a careless mistake in the Makai, Hiei dies. As he lay drowning in his own blood, berating himself for that stupid mistake, a stranger comes into view, a man, full demon in human guise. Hiei's last sight is this man kneeling down beside him. Then he slips into nothingness…… Who is this man? And what does he have to do with a dead Hiei? Read to find out!

Chapter One

You're stupid. So stupid! I would've expected that mistake out of Kuwabara. Urameshi was right. What he said the first time we fought in the ware house. Now I reap what I sow. I'm dying, not even with dignity.

This was all that was going through Hiei's mind as he lay on his back staring vacantly at the Nigenkai sky, blood pooling around him and soaking his clothes. His own blood, gushing from a bellycut that sliced him open from neck to navel. He was surprised his own entrails weren't protruding from the gaping hole in his middle. It was a careless mistake. He was too proud. The scene played before him, over and over.

He was fighting a B-class demon, one that was fifteen feet tall and had a spiked tail that could shorten and lengthen at will. Hiei, now a A-class, almost S, had thought for sure he could beat this thing. But this demon was fast, Hiei thought he could dodge the tail. He was yacking the whole time during the fight, aggravating his opponent even more. In a split second Hiei had gone from charging to victory, to lying in his own blood.

So STUPID!!! How could I have done that? Why didn't I just kill it and be done with it. He sighed, breathing was becoming difficult. Oh well, I had to die sometime, I'm just sorry it's now. I never got to beat Yusuke. Maybe when he dies I'll face him again.

Oh look, there's Botan. She never spilled my secret about being Yukina's brother. I'll let her know she can tell her. Yukina, I'm sorry I won't be there to watch over you anymore. Goodbye.

This was his last thought. Hiei's last breath escaped from his lips. All his eyes closed, never to be opened again. Botan had tears in her eyes as she leaned over to draw the ghost from it's still warm shell. She reached down and took hold of some of Hiei's cloak and pulled.

The only thing that came up was Hiei's real body along with the cloak. Botan quickly let go and stared at him. His ghost hadn't popped out like it should. He should be there, floating next to her, telling her everything he wanted her to say to his friends after she took him. Not that you could get him to admit he thought of them as friends, but nevertheless. This wasn't right.

"You don't need to take him yet," came a deep, masculine voice.

Botan flinched in surprise and searched for a body for that voice to come from. Her eyes landed on a tall, slim black haired man with vibrant green eyes and spell markings everywhere. Power radiated from him and he merely stood there, gazing at Hiei's dead body and Botan with her oar and kimono.

In an instant he was in front of Botan, hand over her mouth, crushing her against him. A distant look passed over Botan's eyes and she slumped over, unconscious. With a smirk of victory, the strange man picked up Hiei's bloody body and vanished right there.

Botan lay on the ground, peacefully sleeping in the crimson blades of grass.