Screams, the sound of glass shattering, and sirens filled the night air. Yusuke and Kuwabara had seen the billowing smoke from a few blocks away. To their surprise they came upon an all too familiar house engulfed in flames. The spirit detective's eyes scanned the area for signs of life. " She's still in there!" Kuwabara cried out. "Are you sure?" Kuwabara took off running towards his friend's home, " I can sense her!" "Hey Mr! you can't go in there, you'll die!" A nearby neighbor had grabbed hold of Kuwabara's arm, before Kuwabara could reply a window from the second story shattered, two figures burst forward from the flames. The duo quickly realized one was Hiei and in his arms lay an unconscious Shiori Minamino.
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Hiei had taken refuge in a forest near the outskirts of the city. High up in a tree he lay sound asleep. He stirred slightly in his sleep upon hearing a voice yelling in his head. "Hiei! Wake up!" His eyes snapped open and the voice continued to yell frantically in his head. "Shiori is in danger! You must help her!"
Hiei frowned, unable to recognize whose voice was yelling in his head. His crimson gaze turned in the direction where Kurama's house was and sure enough flames could be seen. Jumping down from his resting spot he took off full speed towards the burning home.
Hiei could sense Kurama's human mother inside. Jumping up into a tree near a side window located on the second story, Hiei was able to enter. The waves of blistering heat left Hiei unaffected, though the smoke burned his nose and eyes. Following the women's spirit energy he was able to locate her in Kurama's room. Hiei was taken aback at what he saw as he entered the room, the only room that was not engulfed in flames. Shiori lay unconscious on Kurama's bed, an odd green glow covered the entire room. His eyes locked onto a strange looking plant he had laid eyes on many times before. The plant was protecting Kurama's human mother, keeping the flames at bay. Swiftly Hiei made his way to the women, picking her up he made his way to the nearest window and busted out the glass. "Hurry! I can't hold the flames back much longer!" Hiei spun around, there it was again…that voice. His eyes locked onto the mysterious plant, the glow was beginning to dim. The plant…it was speaking to him. Hiei jumped out the window just as the fire greedily began to engulf his red headed friend's room.
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"Hiei!" Kuwabara exclaimed, running forward towards him. Yusuke soon joined his side, along with a crowd of people who had come to see what was going on. "How did he do that!?" " No one could survive a fire like that!" " No one could possibly jump from a two story house and be unharmed!" came the voices of onlookers. Hiei sat Shiori on the ground then took off in a black blur leaving onlookers wide eyed and unsure of what they had just witnessed.-
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" I win again!" exclaimed Kurama's little step brother. Kurama had decided to take his step brother to the arcade since he had noticed how depressed he'd been lately. His father, now Kurama's step father, had to go out of town on business. The fox suspected little Suichi's depression was due to the fact that he missed his father. Kurama's smile disappeared as his eyes locked with Hiei's, who now stood outside of the arcade. The smell of smoke flooded the red head's nose, "I'll be right back" Suichi nodded as Kurama began his decent towards his crimson eyed friend.
"Hiei? What happened?" Hiei shoved his hands in his pockets, " Your house has burned to the ground" Kurama's eyes widened, "Wheres.." "She's fine, Yusuke and Kuwabara are with her at the hospital as we speak." Hiei frowned as he thought back to the strange plant that had protected the foxes human mother, "That plant in your room…it protected her." A perplexed look fell upon the foxes face, Hiei disappeared down the street not bothering to elaborate on the details. Kurama ran back into the arcade informing suichi of what had happened, and the two quickly made their way to the hospital.
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After checking on his mother and speaking to Kuwabara and Yusuke, the fox had decided to go visit his now burned down home. Boton had agreed to watch over his mother and step brother for a while so he could investigate what had caused the house to catch fire.
Kurama came to a halt as he eyed what remained of his home. Everything had been engulfed by the flames, not much remained at all. His eyes caught site of something glowing under a large charred wooden board. A brief wave of sadness washed over him as he thought about the many plants that had been killed in the fire. Making his way closer to the dim green glow, he lifted the board and threw it to the side revealing a familiar plant. The plant had been given to him by his mother when he was only five years old. He had noticed the plant never grew, the single flower on it never withered..it just remained the same. The pot it took refuge in was a small pale green color decorated with glass flowers. The single flower located on the plant resembled a snowdrift rose. Kurama frowned as he picked up the mysterious plant. All his other plants had been burned to ashes, yet somehow this one remained unharmed. The fox thought back to what Hiei had told him, the plant had protected his mother.
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Once again Hiei lay in the tree he had come to call his bed, staring up at the night sky. "Thank you" rang a familiar voice through his head, the same voice he had heard during the fire. Hiei frowned, had it not been the plant who had spoken to him? There was no way that odd plant had survived the flames. Hiei decided to investigate the remains of Kurama's home, he came upon Kurama himself. Hiei's gaze fell upon the fox then the plant that was in his hand. His gaze lingered on that plant until Kurama spoke to him. "You said this plant saved my mother, the only plant that survived the fire." " Has it spoken to you as well?" Kurama's features distorted into a look of confusion, " No…I'm assuming it has spoken to you?" Hiei nodded. The two stood silently, each engulfed in their own thoughts.
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Months passed by, Hiei forgot all about the mysterious plant Kurama now kept on his desk by his window. Kurama had made several attempts to speak with it, but all to no avail.
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Rain fell from the sky soaking Kurama and Kuwabara. The fox's new home was now located on the same block as his orange haired companion, since Kurama's house was closer the two chose to take refuge there until the rain stopped. Once the two made it to Kurama's room Hiei soon joined them, entering from the window. Kuwabara's attention fell upon the mysterious plant as did Hiei's and Kurama's. Waves upon waves of spirit energy were emitting from it. "Help me" Kuwabara's eyes widened, " Please tell me I'm not the only one who heard that…" Kurama and Hiei exchanged glances as Kuwabara spoke again. "Help me huh? Do all your plants talk to you Kurama? you forget to water it or something?" Kurama shook his head, "No…in fact in all the years I've had this plant this is the first time its spoken to me…" The voice was that of a female no doubt and it sounded distressed, just what the hell was going on!? "Do you think…maybe that's not really a plant?"
Hiei turned his gaze from the plant to Kuwabara, "Oh? Then what is it really?" Kuwabara shrugged, "I don't know..but I don't think there are many talking plants out there..or…are there?" Kuwabara's question was directed towards Kurama who shook his head no. In fact, he had never had a plant speak to him before..well not through words. If he ever forgot to water one of his plants, it would certainly let him know. Not by words, but by a smack in the face by a vine or something to that effect.
"SHUICHI!" A knock on the door drew the boys attentions away from the plant and to the door that was now opening to reveal Shiori. Hiei disappeared through the window just as Shiori entered Kurama's room with a tray full of snacks. "Shuichi? Is something wrong?" A faint smile fell upon the foxes face, " No mother" "I thought you two might be hungry" "Thank you Mrs. Minamino" Shiori smiled, "Your welcome Kuwabara." Kurama eyed the mysterious plant his mother had given him so long ago, "Mother? where did you get this plant from?" Shiori stared at the plant, "Oh, well let me think…"
Kurama knew his mother didn't think this was the same plant she had given to him with he was five, she never mentioned how it was odd that its only flower had never withered and that the plant never changed nor died. He assumed she thought he had bought plants that were similar to it. "You know, that was quite a long time ago. I remember walking downtown when this man came up to me and asked if I wanted it. He was rather strange looking, he had green hair and I would have sworn his eyes were purple. Actually, I saw him not to long ago he owns his own flower shop downtown now."
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Once the rain had petered out, the three decided to pay a visit to the flower shop Kurama's mother had spoken of. Sure enough the man she had described was there, green hair and all. The man spotted the three, "How may I help you three gentlemen? Looking for some flowers for the lovely women in your li.." In an instant Hiei's swords was against his neck, "No. Explain" Hiei said while motioning for him to look at the plant in Kurama's hands. "Hiei!" Kurama exclaimed, luckily no humans were around to witness the scene. The three could sense that this man was in fact a demon of sorts and the look on his face after seeing the plant confirmed that he remembered it.
"I..I don't know what you're talking about!" Hiei's eyes narrowed, "I think you do." Putting his hands up defensively the green haired demon replied, "Okay..okay..I might know something about that plant…but I didn't do it ..I swear! " Kurama stepped forward, "Do what?" The demon began to visibly shake, "well you know…turn her into a plant.."