A/N: Right, so. Chapter 2!!! I'm trying to develop my character as fast as I can without rushing it to much… I've got so many ideas for this and they keep changing and evolving into something new I'm trying to take notes fast enough to catch every good point. # If there's any grammar or spelling mistakes (which I'm sure there are) then my bad. Just pretend they aren't there. lol.

Disclaimers: Still don't own the yolk. I do own this awsum pair of fuzzy leopard print slippers though! XD

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"What?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked sharply in unison.

"Hn, there's no such thing as angels. I'm not interested in listening to fairy stories, brat." Hiei growled.

"Let me rephrase then. Every so often a pure soul is reincarnated into a body endowed with pure spirit energy. For the sake of paperwork, we refer to them as angels."

"Huh?" Kuwabara and Yusuke asked stupefied.

"A pure soul is one that has been filtered down through lifetimes of good deeds, kindness and compassion. Every soul is, shall we say, programmed with memories and compulsory habits from the lifetime before," Kurama elaborated. "If your soul is "programmed" with good-nature and you act on that, your soul's purity is sort of boosted. In each life time the need and ability to help those in need and do good becomes stronger until eventually a pure soul is produced, one that has the capacity to spread balance and contentment to the worlds."

"So what's pure spirit energy then?" Yusuke asked trying to compute the information.

"Ningen white magic," Hiei interjected tonelessly, as though he were board.

"Yes but finding a being that possessed both at the same time is practically unheard of. In the last thousand years there have only been three." Kurama explained sounding impressed. "The last one lived over three hundred years ago."

"Three hundred and seventy four years be exact," Koenma chipped in. "And that's why it's so important for you to keep her safe. Until Rori was fourteen her spirit energy was locked away but once it started to emerge it began drawing demons to her like a moth to the flame. If those demons get hold of her they can harness her power for their own proposes. The problem is angels are very delicate without knowing so. Too much pain or anger will stain their souls and turn them into bloodthirsty killers. They're here to keep the balance, but they can just as easily break it."

There was thick silence after this in which each team member soaked in the severity of the situation. "Some one should sit watch over her at all times, and keep the information on a need to know basis. I'm afraid Rori has already begun to tilt dangerously in the wrong direction. If you push her to far emotionally, she might snap." Koenma's voice was soft and grave. "I'll leave you to it. Contact Botan if anything comes up." And with a short little pop, he disappeared.

"So…" Kuwabara broke the silence awkwardly after a few moments. "Who's taking the night shift?"

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Hiei grumbled incoherently as he made his way through the darkening Ningen streets. It had been one excuse after another from his so called team mates; homework, school, girlfriends, until Hiei was left standing alone with the night shift, too angry to even retaliate.

"Hn," he grunted upon reaching the apartment building his charge resided in. He hated Ningenkai. Apart from easy prey, this world was bleak and excessively quiet. He found a tree standing along side the building and counted the stories as he hopped nimbly through the branches. The third floor corner apartment was the only one still glowing with soft inner light. Hiei peered in through one of the windows to find the "angel" in the living area doing something.

Sighing in annoyance he sat back on the tree branch and watched the sun disappear in a haze of colors. A rustling of leaves twenty minutes later jerked the apparition back to earth and he bolted into a crouching position, hand flashing to the hilt of his katana. A fuzzy brown animal with almond shaped eyes and a puffy flagged tail stared back at him inquisitively.

"Chuck." The creature stated in a chattering voice. Hiei's eye twitched in utter annoyance. You've got to be fucking me.

The animal hopped closer and twitched its nose. Hiei tried hissing at the strange rodent to scare it off, but that only seemed to spur more curiosity.

"Go away." Hiei seethed in the most deadpan voice he could manage. The animal flicked its tail and hopped up onto his knee then sat back on its haunches, staring.

"Chuck?"

Finally fed up with the beast he snapped his fingers sharply and a shower of sparks burst into effect sending the little creature scurrying back up the trunk the way it had come. Hiei smirked in triumph at the frightened chatter the fuzzy thing made.

"You know, scaring some poor little squirrel is hardly something to be proud of," A soft voice scolded playfully. Hiei swiveled on the branch and nearly lost his balance as he found the mint haired girl leaning out of the window, silver eyes glowing behind thick black framed glasses with the light of the newly risen moon. A cigarette rested in between her lips, the smoke curling and twisting around her face.

"Hn," he retorted quickly regaining composure.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what you're doing sitting three stories up a tree that just happens to be right outside my window?" She inquired.

"Sitting watch over you, baka onna," He sneered. Her brows raised slightly, her eyes hardening with a flash of anger, though she said nothing. The wind brushed passed them as the two scowled at each other in the darkness.

"You could try the front door next time. Most people prefer that method of entry," Rori finally said, her voice oozing sarcasm.

"What?" Hiei asked taken aback.

"Are you going to stay out there all night?

"Hn."

"So you're going to sleep in the tree?" She asked skeptically, her voice still just above a whisper.

Hiei wanted to shout at the stupid woman then remembered that she knew nothing of demons or spirits. It would sound pretty odd for someone to sleep in a tree forty feet off the ground. He exhaled exasperatedly.

"Where would you suggest I stay then?" A little smile graced the girl's pink lips briefly.

"You could always come inside," She offered extinguishing the cigarette in a glass bowl on the sill and stepping aside to free the window. Hiei considered turning the woman's offer down, but the damp smell of rain was permeating the air around them and he heard thunder in the distance. With a grunt of agreement he jumped from branch to sill and stepped down into the room.

The bedroom as well as the rest of the apartment was carpeted with plush cream, the walls painted eggshell. Warm colored paper lanterns in various shapes hung in the odd corners of each room's ceiling making everything seem soft and dulled. The scent of lavender and lemongrass filled every breath Hiei took in as he surveyed the room.

Rori closed the window with a short snap and turned to her guest. "When Koenma said he would find someone to protect me I was expecting someone a little older and more official looking," She confessed eyeing the katana at his belt with little to no difference.

"And how exactly is it that you know the brat?" Hiei inquired coldly. Her soft decibel and emotionlessly curious gaze annoyed him greatly.

"A friend of my parents, and you?" She led him into the next room which was connected to the one they occupied by a short, thin hallway that branched in three directions.

"He's my… employer." Rori gave a small knowing smile recognizing the absolute loathing he felt for the word.

"This is the kitchen as you can see," She proceeded to announce. The room was conjoined with a living area with naught but a breakfast bar separating them partially. A low dark finished wooden table with a cushion around each side sat in one corner, a radio on the bar, and a TV nestled in the corner of the living area with a short futon facing it from the wall by the front door.

She returned to the tiny L shaped hallway and opened a door at its short end. "The bathroom," she stated revealing a white and black tiled room with a double-sink counter and a tiny, standing shower closet incased in lightly frosted glass. She then swiveled around not having to take more than a step to reach the only other room. She swung open the door that held a sign saying "sanctuary" in scrawling calligraphy burned into a cherry wood plaque.

A rush of heat met Hiei's face as they looked inside. What looked like a workshop revealed itself as he quickly took in the work tables cluttered with art supplies of every variety. What appeared to be an oven sat at the far wall, the dark metal wavered with heat.

"This is my work room. I'd appreciate it if no one went in without my permission." She explained with out taking her eyes off the room. "If the kiln is on," She indicated the oven, "Don't go near it. It's five times as hot as the cook over ever gets. You'll be sorry if you touch it."

Hiei hn-ed at that, but the girl didn't question his reason. Shutting the door again she went back into the kitchen slash living slash dinning room. "Feel free to use the kitchen or the electronics if you want, there are blankets at the end of the futon you can sleep on. I'm going to take a shower and then go to bed. Will your friends be here early tomorrow?"

"They are not my friends," Hiei firmly countered. Rori raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing him for a split second.

"A lie. I noticed the way you reacted to each other today. Your postures when you stand together speak a lot louder than any words you could use to deny it, but if you'd rather… your fellow employees?" He gritted his teeth at her deadpanned voice.

"They'll be here at seven," He finally answered.

Rori nodded. "Until then, goodnight… what is you name?"

"Hiei…" He grumbled reluctantly.

"That's an unusual name," She answered with a thoughtful expression.

"And I suppose yours is incredibly common it's self?" He snapped back in annoyance. Her silver eyes hardened as they had before.

"It wasn't an insult, just an observation…"

"I didn't come here to listen to your observations, onna. I'm only here because I have to be!" He practically hissed. Her eyes flashed dangerously as she clenched her jaw.

"Fine, goodnight," And she turned on her heals and disappeared around the corner in the hallway. He heard the snap of the bathroom door and sighed in frustration. Sinking down the wall underneath the window in the living area he draped his arms lazily over his knees and stared into oblivion.

Over the next half hour he stared at a star shaped lantern over the table in the opposite corner while the sounds of running water filtered through the wall to his left. He had become so entranced by the swirling red and orange designs painted on its shade that he hadn't realized the onna was standing before him until she opened her mouth.

"For someone who's supposed to be keeping watch over me, you aren't too observant," She laughed slightly leaning against the corner of the wall with her elbow. Her long mint hair hung all around her in dripping waves, her shoulders and legs exposed by the spaghetti strapped shirt and flannel short-shorts she wore, her glasses slightly flecked with beads of water.

He growled deeply as she sat down on the carpet opposite him. "I thought you were going to sleep onna."

"I will, but I'd like to talk with you first." She explained still calm and indifferent. He raised an eyebrow doing his best to bit his tongue.

"I've seen you around school once or twice with Urameshi and the tall boy that hangs with him, but you don't go to school yourself. Why?" Her head tilted in curiosity.

"I'm not from around here," He answered shortly, hoping she wouldn't ask any more.

"A foreigner?" Rori inquired.

"Hn," Hiei smirked inwardly. You could definitely say that.

"Why do you work for Koenma-san?"

"It was either that or prison."

"So this is punishment then." Rori did not ask but stated. "What did you do?"

"Tried to conquer the world," Hiei smirked satisfactorily seeing the surprise in her normally dull eyes.

"Do you have any family?" She suddenly changed topics not bothering to inquire further into his meaning.

"None of your damn business, onna," He gritted out fiercely. She gave a small smirk of her own, though it wasn't vindictive.

"I'll take that as a yes. I assume that since you aren't from around here and you don't go to school, you either have no parents, or you don't claim them anymore," Hiei stared as she laid his life's blue print out in front of them, "So siblings; brothers or sisters?" A growl emanated from with in his throat.

"A sister then," Rori's smirk widened. "Probably younger, you seem like the protective big brother type. What's her name?" Hiei was saved the effort of barking out in anger by the load crack of thunder outside and the rain that began to tap at the window behind him.

Taking a breath to insure that his voice did not rise he responded with venom, "Let me make one thing clear to you, onna," He stressed the word as though it were a slur. "I am not here to keep you company and I sure as hell haven't come to share a heart-to-heart. I'm here because you can't manage to protect your own sorry ass from your enemies. I suggest you keep your distance from me or you will regret it."

Rori's face filled with rage as it had earlier that day and she rose from her cross legged position to stand over him staring down with such intensity that he actually felt her anger mentally wash over him. She turned on her heal preparing to leave again then froze, unable to decide on her rage. Hiei's crimson eyes widened in shock at the site revealed to him. The shirt she wore stopped just below her shoulder blades exposing the top ends of two long, vertical scares.

Each scar was two to three inched wide spread six inches apart over her small width. They were knurled and raised from the rest of her smooth skin, the white and purple tissue catching the light with long shadows that only seemed to deepen the effect. It was so frightening to imagine how someone so frail and quiet had acquired such horrible wounds that he couldn't tear his gaze away as the girl spoke again not turning to look at him.

"I don't know if you address your friends in the same manner as me, but I'm positive you don't speak to your sister like this… Are you really angry at me?" And with that barely audible question she stalked off retreating to her bedroom and shutting the door behind her as another crack of thunder accompanied a blinding explosion of silent lightning outside.

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A/N: Yea-Haw!!! lol That's right. Hiei's still a jack-ass, but we all love him… why is that? What makes Hiei so irresistible? When I first started watching YYH I was the world's biggest Yusuke fan-girl (as my name might reveal), but now I'm absolutely taken by the biggest arse in the whole story… WHY?!?! Oh-to-the-well. Hope you enjoyed, pleaz review and tell me what you like/dislike would like to see more/less of, what you want to happen. I'm wide open for suggestions. Until next time, 3s

HIKARi