I don't own YYH!
Chapter 4
Botan should have been more concerned when her return to Spirit World was met with a disconcerting mix of curiosity and condescension from every spirit that she had the displeasure of coming into contact with. Every ogre, ferry-girl and member of the defense squad alike had made it a point to catch a glimpse of her as she meandered through the hallways, hoping to see for themselves just how well she managed to fare after spending recreational time with a demon.
Normally, the judgmental stares and hushed conversations would have bothered her, but her mind was so far removed from the Spirit World and its daily troubles that for the first time in a long time, she felt free. Her thoughts wandered back to a certain demon and the surprising night that they had shared. From start to finish, it was one unexpected surprise after another and she couldn't help the small smile that was tugging at her pink lips.
Prior to their date, Botan had been certain that their night would end in disaster: he wouldn't say enough, she would say too much, he would lose his temper and threaten her and then the awkward silence would commence. She was honestly shocked when their date had failed to meet her bleak expectations.
Hiei was usually so cold and aloof and although tonight had been no exception, she found herself enjoying his company.
Perhaps he wasn't as cold as she thought, though; literally and figuratively as she remembered the warmth of his hand against hers and the way he gave her his cloak, without her even asking for it. He listened patiently while she was rambling – though she had a feeling he was tuning her out – and he hadn't once told her to stop her incessant chattering.
Maybe he wasn't as aloof as she originally thought, either. He had engaged in the game with her, although it was clear he had never cared for such things. He even gave her some friendly advice towards the end of their date, reassuring her that her secret desire for a life outside of her duties as the grim reaper was not some sort of deplorable sin.
Truth be told, it had bothered her that she seemed to be the only one in Spirit World who felt troubled by their routinely systematic way of life. To hear someone say that it was alright, that it wasn't wrong to simply want something new and different, was a huge relief.
Although she had tried bringing it up with her closest confidants, Koenma, Ayame and George, she could never fully explain herself to any of them once she realized that they simply didn't share the same sentiments as her. Koenma had far too much responsibility on his shoulders to worry about what he could be missing out on and Ayame was always a stickler for the rules who thrived in an environment that relied heavily on structure and rigidity. For a moment she thought that George might agree with her, but she soon after learned that his complaints were all half-hearted and he remained obediently dutiful to his position in the Spirit World.
It was surprising, but due to his time on probation, Hiei seemed to be the only soul who understood her need for freedom. He even encouraged her to actively pursue something more, but she was hesitant in heeding his advice. He never was one for making good choices; after all, it was those same choices that bound him to the very world he had despised.
"Botan, where are you off to?"
A familiar voice broke her out of her thoughts and she froze for a moment, before turning around slowly to face Koenma. Suddenly thoughts of Hinageshi and the broken artifact came crashing back to her.
"Well, I just returned from the human world and I was going to turn in for the night," she answered sheepishly.
"But your room is in the opposite direction," Koenma pointed out.
"Yes, it is isn't it?" Botan laughed nervously. "I was feeling a little thirsty, so I was just going to get something to drink…"
Koenma's brows furrowed together as he cast a critical eye in her direction. Botan tried to remain calm under his scrutiny, but she knew that if he kept this up, she was sure to cave in and tell him the truth. Thankfully, he relaxed after a few more tense moments and his expression melted into one of curiosity. He leaned closer towards her, in an attempt to keep their conversation from reaching the prying busy-bodies surrounding them, and began to speak in a hushed tone.
"…How was your date with Hiei?"
Botan nearly let out a sigh of relief at his inquiry, before remembering how rudely he acted when she first told him the news concerning Hiei's proposal. She crossed her arms over her chest and shot the prince a defiant look, her eyes narrowing and lips drawing into a frown.
"I don't know, sir, you didn't seem too keen on believing me earlier when I explained that Hiei had asked me out on a date. Maybe I won't tell you!" she answered back, her tone clipped.
"I was just asking as a formality. I could always use my logging system to see what happened," he countered slyly.
"Lord Koenma!" she yelped indignantly. "That's for professional use only; you should be ashamed of yourself!"
Koenma pretended not to hear her as his eyes wandered around the area.
"You might play the part of a mature and charismatic fellow in that adult get-up but your old habits are starting to show," she muttered, before raising a slender brow and pointing a finger in his direction. "Why are you in your adult form, anyway?"
"I had a meeting with my father and a few high-ranking officials. I tried to put my best foot forward, so to speak, but it didn't go the way I had planned," he responded with a sigh.
Botan's ire was lost as she stared at Koenma sympathetically. These meetings always drained the prince of what little patience he had to begin with. He tried so hard to change things for the better, but the higher-ups never wanted to hear it.
Koenma was surely going to fly off the handle when heard the news of the broken artifact. The least she could do was take his mind off of it for a few more moments and give him some sort of reprieve from the troubles of the spirit world.
"…I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you," Botan teased, loudly enough so that the eavesdroppers could hear. "Hiei was a perfect gentleman the entire night and we had a great time!"
"Hiei – a perfect gentleman?" he balked, ignoring the commotion from the others around him.
"Yes," she lied. "He is completely capable of being nice if and when he feels like it.
"I was afraid you would end up on the receiving end of the dragon, but it looks like I had nothing to worry about," Koenma mused, his shoulders relaxing a bit.
"So was I," Botan admitted. "But he really surprised me tonight."
He raised a brow curiously at her statement and she felt her cheeks heat up in embarrassment.
"It was a nice change of pace, nothing more," she said hurriedly.
"In any case, I'm glad that you're back safe and sound. Word of you going on a date with Hiei has spread like wildfire. I was beginning to think I wasn't giving out enough work, since all everyone could do around here was sit and chatter on about it," Koenma said, pausing to send a brief glance towards the others around them. "Now that it's all over, maybe things can return to normal."
Although his speech was in no means directed towards her, it his Botan just as hard as she suddenly realized that her life would return to its rigid structure of ferrying souls and carrying out the daily tasks of a grim reaper.
"Normal… right," she echoed, her features deepening into a frown.
"Is something the matter?"
"It's nothing," she recovered, plastering on a bright smile.
At that moment, Hinageshi rounded the corner, her teal eyes lighting up in relief when she spotted Botan at the end of the hall.
"There you are! I was afraid Koenma might have–"
Hinageshi stopped abruptly and stifled a gasp as Koenma stepped further into the hallway and into her line of sight.
"Koenma might have what?" the prince repeated, crossing his arms over his chest and looking down at the younger girl suspiciously.
The two ferry-girls looked at each other worriedly, before Botan stepped up.
"Sir, please try to remain calm, what I'm about to tell you wouldn't exactly be considered good news," she started carefully.
"Good news, I managed to find those peony seeds we were talking about," Shiori announced as she entered her son's room. Her smile brightened upon noticing Hiei's presence. "Oh, good morning, Hiei. It's wonderful to see you again."
Hiei remained silent, but nodded at the woman.
"Thank you mother, we can plant them together later this afternoon," Kurama answered.
Shiori nodded in agreement before placing the packet of seeds on his desk.
"Do you boys want any snacks? I had a feeling that Hiei would show up sooner or later, so I picked up some of those cakes that he loves so much," she offered.
A stifled giggle sounded off in the distance and the demon pair turned their heads to the source of the noise. The culprit was hovering on her oar, right outside of Kurama's open window.
"You like sweets, Hiei? I always pegged you as the raw animal type."
Hiei hadn't expected to see her – least of all expected for her to hear something about himself that he had no intention of anyone other than the two occupants of this household to know about – and he was momentarily stunned into silence. By the time he opened his mouth to respond, he was interrupted.
"Shuichi, Hiei? What are you two staring at?" Shiori asked, craning her neck to look out of the window.
"I probably should have mentioned that your mother can't see or hear me, since I am currently in my spirit form," Botan interjected sheepishly.
"It's nothing, mother. I just remembered that Hiei and I signed up for some extra classes at school, so we may have to postpone our gardening," Kurama lied smoothly.
"I understand, just try to be back in time for dinner. Kazuya and his son will be joining us tonight."
"I wouldn't miss it," Kurama said sincerely.
Shiori smiled at him before exiting.
"Please come in, Botan," Kurama invited.
The ferry-girl entered through the window and expelled her oar.
"Who's Kazuya?" the ferry-girl voiced the question that Hiei had no intention of expressing.
"He's my mother's fiancé," Kurama returned. "They have been dating for over a year now and they are to be married in the fall."
"Oh that's wonderful!" Botan said, clasping her hands together. "Your mother is such a sweetheart; I'm glad that she's found someone. Oh and speaking of sweet, I never would have guessed that you had a sweet tooth, Hiei."
"I do not-"
"It's a taste he acquired after being sentenced to this world," Kurama explained. "You see, even in a world he claims to hate, he managed to find something that he likes. I'm sure if he opened himself up to this realm, he would realize that it has much to offer."
"I tried to tell him that last night, but you know Hiei: stubborn and adamant," Botan agreed.
Kurama's expression changed upon hearing her statement and he pinned Hiei with a pointed look.
"Yes, he is."
Hiei only glared back at Kurama, unwilling to say anything in front of the ferry-girl.
"Is everything alright?" Botan asked, eyeing the two carefully.
"That all depends on what news you intend to relay from the Spirit World," Hiei answered, in an attempt to change the subject.
"I almost forgot!" she said animatedly. "There was a little mix-up with the mirror you boys reclaimed yesterday and, well, to make a long story short, you're going to have to return to the city of apparitions once more."
"Did Koenma misplace the mirror again?" Kurama asked.
"No, but it seems that this particular case isn't closed after all. Koenma will brief you all in the Spirit World. Let's agree to meet in an hour?"
"Understood," Kurama said.
She turned to the fire-demon hesitantly.
"You'll come, too, won't you?"
"It's not like I have a choice in the matter," the fire-demon answered.
"Alright, well, I'll see you boys soon!"
Botan summoned her oar and flew out of Kurama's window, her scent lingering in the air as she flew away. As soon as she had vanished from his line of sight, Kurama turned to face Hiei.
"You two were together last night."
It was stated as a fact and not a question or inquiry.
"That is the point of the dating," Hiei replied evenly.
"Yes, but I didn't think you would have started so soon," Kurama admitted. "Then again, you always did jump into situations head-first, without thinking of the consequences."
"I am not obliged to explain myself to anyone, but despite my better judgment, I made my intentions clear to you yesterday. As allies, I believed I owed you that much," Hiei revealed. "But that is where I draw the line. I refuse to do it a second time."
Kurama gave Hiei a disparaging look and Hiei's eyes narrowed.
"Don't look at me like that, Kurama. You could never understand."
"On the contrary, Hiei. I might just be the only one who does understand. You feel trapped by a world in which you have no knowledge or understanding of its customs. You abhor its people and their way of life. The land and cities are foreign and even the air seems stifling and suffocating. I was the same way at first, but being confined to this human body has taught me many things."
"I know–"
"I'm not finished," Kurama cut in imperatively, his emerald eyes hard as he stared at his old friend. "It is far too late to try and dissuade you from this bet you've hastily entered, but let me leave you with one final bit of advice: the dating game is a dangerous one, if played foolishly. You don't want to be the one left to endure the regrettable consequences of your impulsive actions."
Hiei turned away from Kurama, his shoulders squared and hands clenched into his fists. He didn't need any further lecturing because if everything went according to plan, then he wouldn't be around to deal with the "regrettable" consequences of his "impulsive" actions anyway.
The arcade was packed with children, teenagers and even adults alike. Botan couldn't understand why Yusuke and Kuwabara spent all of their time and money in a place like this, especially since it reeked of stale food, sweat and overheated electronics. Her mauve eyes wandered past rows of colorfully decorated machines, ticket booths, and overly excited children, searching for any signs of her friends. Amongst the chaotic echoes of crashing, beeping, roaring and cheering, she managed to catch the unmistakable sound of Kuwabara's gravely voice and her eyes immediately locked on to the ginger-haired boy. She made her way over to them with relative ease, considering the sizable crowd and cramped walkways.
"I thought I'd find you two here."
Her cheerful voice rang through the air loud and clear, but only one of the two boys turned to meet her.
"Hey Botan," Kuwabara greeted.
"Hello Kuwabara, it's nice to know that at least one of you has some manners," Botan replied.
"You're one to talk; I've been calling you all night and now you show?" Yusuke countered, not bothering to face her as he continued with his game.
"I was busy," she replied.
"Now, what was so important that you couldn't possibly pick up at least one of my five calls?" he questioned as he pressed down on a few buttons rapidly.
"Don't feign innocence with me, mister, you know exactly what I was doing last night!" she replied tightly, glaring at the back of the detective's head.
"Uh… what is she talking about Urameshi?" Kuwabara whispered to the detective, eyeing Botan warily.
"Beats me," Yusuke shrugged nonchalantly, his face illuminated with the blue light of the screen.
Botan's gaze wandered between the two teens before releasing a huff.
"I was with Hiei last night," she revealed.
Yusuke immediately released the joystick and turned around to face the ferry-girl.
"Ok, now you've got my full attention."
"Yeah, were you really with shorty last night?" Kuwabara repeated, as if hearing it once wasn't enough for him to believe it.
"Don't act so surprised, you two are the ones who put him up to it, aren't you?" Botan charged.
"He said that?" Kuwabara shouted incredulously.
"No, not really," she corrected. "When Hiei asked me out on a date, I knew that you two must have been behind it. He said that he wanted to thank me for helping Yukina, but asking me out on a date simply isn't Hiei's style. Under normal circumstances Hiei wouldn't even know what a date was, let alone ask me out on one! I put two and two together and figured it out on my own."
"So, he didn't actually mention us?" Kuwabara probed.
"That's right - I pieced the puzzle together by myself," she answered proudly.
"Well, if it went down like that then I guess it's okay…" Yusuke reasoned, turning to Kuwabara.
The psychic nodded in agreement.
"It is not okay under any circumstances! That was very mean and unnecessary," Botan admonished. "And instead of just forgetting about the whole ordeal, Hiei went along with it and was a very pleasant date!"
"…Really?" Kuwabara balked, his small eyes widening in surprise.
"Really!"
"He didn't terrorize you with his freaky third eye or threaten to blast you into oblivion with the dragon?"
"No!" Botan said. "He was patient, thoughtful and kind."
"He's got to be controlling her or something! There's no way Hiei could be any of those things!" Kuwabara argued, pointing a finger in Botan's direction.
"Believe it or not, Hiei knows how to treat a lady," Botan continued smugly, folding her arms over her chest.
"How about that? I didn't know the little guy had it in him," Yusuke said amusedly, before turning towards Botan. "So, did you come all the way over here to brag about your steamy romance with Hiei or do we have another demonic problem on our hands?"
"It wasn't like that," Botan insisted, quickly losing her confident air as her hands flew up to her heated cheeks. "You better not let Hiei hear you saying anything of the sort. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate it."
"Who knows, maybe the little guy thinks you're hot. Why else would he ask you out?" Yusuke insisted.
"We've already established that you two put him up to it!" she shot back.
"But he chose to go along with it," Kuwabara interjected.
Botan shook her head in a lame attempt to dispel the nagging thoughts from her mind, her ponytail whipping around side to side as she did so.
"I didn't come here to talk about Hiei!" she informed, exasperated. "Koenma requires your presence in the Spirit World immediately."
"What is it this time?" Yusuke groaned.
"He would much rather brief you once the whole team is together. Shall we?"
"Sure, it's not like I have a life or anything," Yusuke relented, getting up from his seat and crossing his arms.
Kuwabara remained in his seat, a troubled look passing over his features.
"Hey Botan?"
"Yes?" she asked, turning back to face him.
"What did you mean when you said that Hiei only wanted to thank you for helping Yukina?"
Botan looked over at Yusuke nervously, before turning back to the psychic.
"Whatever do you mean, Kuwabara? I said that Hiei only wanted to thank me for helping you all on missions and the like. Sounds like somebody's got Yukina on the brain," she teased as she walked further ahead to avoid his inquiries.
"Yeah, you should really get your ears checked," Yusuke cut in, following suit.
"I know what I heard Urameshi!" retorted as he watched the ferry-girl and detective walk away dismissively. "She definitely said Yukina's name!"
"On second thought, maybe it's your brain that needs to be checked," Yusuke called back with a laugh.
"I'm not crazy, either!" Kuwabara yelled as he jogged after them.
"Either I need to get my ears checked or I must be going crazy. Did I really just hear you say that we went through all of that trouble to recover a fake?" Yusuke's voice echoed off of the vast walls of Koenma's office.
Although the others didn't say anything, Koenma noted the various levels of irritation reflected in their countenances: Kurama's guarded gaze, Hiei's ticked jaw and Kuwabara's narrowed eyes.
"Unfortunately, yes," he replied. "When I originally sent you after this demon, I assumed he was just a petty thief. It was only upon examining the mirror and its impeccable craftsmanship did I realize who he really was."
Koenma picked up the remote control and turned on the large screen in front of his desk. Various images of weapons, ornaments and mystical items were displayed.
"Up until now, this particular demon has only been known to both Spirit World and Demon World by reputation. He creates and sells highly valuable and convincing knock-offs of priceless artifacts and other items on the black market."
"Yes, I've heard of him. He is known as Koukai in the demon world," Kurama inserted. "Other than his name, not much else is known."
"That's correct. Many others have been fooled by his handiwork in the past, but thanks to this replica mirror, we now know the truth. And thanks to the last mission, you all know his face, his energy signal and where his lair is," Koenma informed. "I need you all to go back and reclaim the real mirror this time."
"How will we be able to tell if it's the real one this time?" Kuwabara questioned. "Is there some sort of special energy signal or something?"
"Precisely, Kuwabara. The real mirror will have a spirit imprint on it. A being from Spirit World would easily be able to sense and identify it."
"Alright, well put on a fresh pair of diapers and let's go!" Yusuke quipped.
Koenma gave him a withering look, before turning to the rest of the team.
"While I'm sure I'll miss Yusuke's uncreative toddler jokes and ill-timed humor, I'm afraid I'll have to pass. My father will find it suspicious if I suddenly go off on a mission with the team, which is why I enlisted Botan for the job."
Yusuke and Kuwabara exchanged sly looks with each other, before looking over at Hiei to gage his reaction. The fire-demon remained impassive as always, as he watched Botan step forward and give the group a cheerful grin.
"I wondered why she wasn't in her usual pink get-up," Yusuke muttered as he looked her over. She was wearing the same skin tight pants, short cropped jacket and high-heeled boot outfit she had donned for the Maze Castle ordeal.
"My normal attire would draw too much attention and we wouldn't want to alert anyone of Spirit World's interference in the City of Ghosts and Apparitions. Plus, my kimono is very restrictive."
"Hell yeah, it's restrictive. It restricts anyone from getting a good look at—"
Botan summoned her oar and hit Yusuke over the head with it before he could finish his sentence.
"You disgusting pervert!"
"You deserved that one, Urameshi," Kuwabara mumbled under his breath as Yusuke nursed the bump that was forming on the back of his head.
Koenma cleared his throat.
"If you're all done playing the fool, the portal is ready for entry."
As the group walked towards the site of the portal, Botan couldn't help but feel a little excited. She realized that before the spirit detectives came along, her life was a series of repetitive tasks and habits. Ferry souls, fill out paperwork, train apprentices and then do it all over again. She had been confined to the same grand and secure walls, surrounded by the same ogres and ferry girls, and subjected to the same routines.
When Koenma announced that they would take a more involved role with the spirit detectives, Botan had not really expected much change to occur. It was only after she was assigned as the spirit detective's assistant and met Yusuke for the first time did she realize that life would never be the same.
She had joined numerous cases, befriended humans and demons and even attended the notorious Dark Tournament. Her world had expanded and she wanted more. It was a greedy and selfish wish – one that she had never expressed to a single soul. Not until last night, at least.
She snuck a glance over at Hiei. He was still the same arrogant, impatient and detached demon that she had always known him to be, but something about him was different. She wondered if it was due to the date they shared last night, but it was like she was seeing him in a new light. She started to wonder if he might even consider going on another date.
Botan shook her head, realizing that he would never agree to it. She wasn't even sure if that's what she wanted, either. Sure, it was fun the first time around, but that was only because he thought he owed her something, and as such, he was probably on his best behavior.
There was also the tiny glaring fact that neither the ferry-girl nor fire-demon harbored any romantic feelings for the other. That was typically an essential part of dating, even that much Botan knew.
Even so, she couldn't help herself from wanting to try it again.
"Alright, so where's this portal?"
Yusuke's voice snapped her out of her thoughts and she looked around. The abandoned warehouse they were traversing through was old, dusty and dilapidated. The air was cold and musty and the walls rotted with mold. It was a small wonder why Koenma chose this place to house the portal - no sane human would want to wander around in a place like this.
Her amethyst eyes scanned the concrete floors, lighting up when she found the point of entry. She stepped forward, her boots clicking against the ground before stopping in the middle of the room. She lifted up a piece of wood that was haphazardly thrown down and pushed it aside, revealing the dark tunnel below.
"That's our way in," she announced, pointing downwards.
Kurama took a step forward before turning around to face the group.
"The demon has already has had one full day to prepare for us; we should tread cautiously. I will go first to assess the area and once it is deemed safe, you all should follow suit with Botan."
"If we're gonna split up, we should at least make the teams more even. Kuwabara and I will go with you."
"That's hardly an even division of power," Kurama returned.
"Shorty's got the third eye and Botan is the only one of us who can tell the difference between a fake and a genuine artifact. I'd say they've got the advantage," Kuwabara countered.
"You two are missing the point entirely," Kurama replied.
"I agree! Instead of taking this mission seriously, they're trying to force Hiei and I to spend more time together, hoping it will be a disaster! But we had a great time yesterday! So, the joke's on them!"
When Hiei did not respond or react, her expression dropped.
"I mean, I had a great time," she corrected quietly. "Silly me, putting words in your mouth like that…"
Botan was seriously considering leaping through the portal first - if only to avoid the embarrassment she was feeling - when Hiei finally spoke up.
"…There are worse things that I could have been subjected to."
Her eyes widened in surprise and she smiled.
"There, you see? No point in trying to embarrass or bother us. Hiei and I are on very good terms, so let's all be professionals and see this mission through."
Hiei was the first to make his move, jumping into the portal without a trace of hesitation. Kurama followed behind him.
"Ladies first," Yusuke urged and Botan nodded.
She summoned her oar and sat on it, before lowering herself through the dark space.
Before long, she found herself in the city of apparitions. She had never been there before and it was quite different from the Spirit World or the human world. The sky was a strange hue of purple and pink and bolts of lightning streamed periodically through the sky ominously. There were no plants or grass, just barren trees and dirt roads. She noticed the makai insects flitting around the densely thick air and frowned. It was such a depressing place.
Kuwabara and Yusuke emerged from the portal soon after her assessment of the area, both landing on their feet effortlessly.
Yusuke smirked upon realizing where they were.
"For once the stupid portal dropped us right where we needed to be," he said, pointing towards the cave. "That's Koukai's base, right?"
"Yes, but he's not here," Hiei returned.
"How do you know?" Kuwabara questioned.
"I can sense it," Hiei answered, his jagan glowing beneath the white bandana.
"Maybe we can still find some clues or something," Yusuke said as walked over to the mouth of the cave. "They don't call me a detective for nothing."
"It never hurts to check," Botan said, following suit.
The interior of the cave was completely empty. There was nothing left, not even a trace of Koukai's energy signal.
"Urameshi, did you find anything?" Kuwabara asked, his voice echoing off of the cave walls.
"Nothing but dirt and rocks," Yusuke replied, hopping over a craggily rock and moving to examine the rest of the demon's former lair.
"If he's as crafty as they say, we can only assume that he is well aware of our arrival and has taken preventive measures against us," Kurama announced. "He could be anywhere at this point."
"If only he left something useful behind. I could have used the demon compass to find him," Botan mentioned.
Without another word, Hiei removed his bandana and activated the jagan. It glowed ominously as it located its target. Hiei frowned before covering the third eye once more.
"I can sense similar energy signals in four separate areas: north, south, east and west."
"Koukai must be using the mirror to create illusions of himself," Botan revealed.
"Alright, then we should split up," Yusuke suggested.
"Perhaps we should all stick together. We need Botan to discern the real artifact from the fakes. If we split up and one of us happens upon the real one, we would never know," Kurama advised.
"We can always use the communication devices to keep in contact if one of us finds an artifact," Kuwabara suggested.
"True, but we do not know the enemy's numbers. Splitting up would make it easier for them to pick us apart," Kurama noted.
"We're the victors of the Dark Tournament," Yusuke reminded them. "I'm sure we can handle one measly demon."
"The detective makes a valid point. It's time to take action," Hiei cut in. "Besides, Kurama, you lack time and I lack the patience to tread cautiously."
"What's he talking about?" Kuwabara asked.
"Oh, that's right! Kurama, you've got that dinner tonight with your mother and her boyfriend," Botan inserted. "We can't afford to waste time arguing."
"Right and I was hoping to visit Yukina today," Kuwabara mentioned a goofy grin spreading across his face.
Hiei glared darkly at Kuwabara and Yusuke bit back a chuckle.
"See, we've all got plenty of other things to do. Hiei's got no patience, you've got your obligations to your family, I've got some serious making up to do with Keiko, Kuwabara's planning on getting rejected by Yukina and Botan – well, she probably has lots of ferry-girl-ish business to attend to. Let's not waste any more time on this, alright?"
Botan's expression dampened upon hearing Yusuke's excuse for her. It was an accurate assumption – all she had going for her was her job – but it sounded pretty pathetic in comparison to everyone else.
"As you wish," Kurama relented.
"I will search the southern territory. The rest of you can figure out wherever you want to go," Hiei announced before turning to Botan. "You will come with me."
Botan blinked and looked back at him uncertainly.
"Are you sure you want to go with me, Hiei?"
"Positive," he lied.
"Alright," she acquiesced, before opening up the briefcase, pulling out two more communication mirrors and handing them to Kuwabara and Kurama. "Here, you two should take these and call us if anything goes wrong. Yusuke already has his."
Yusuke nodded in confirmation before grinning excitedly.
"Alright team, let's head out and kick some demon ass!"
A flash of lightning illuminated the sky, followed by the roaring of thunder as each member of the team set off in separate directions.
Hiei and Botan hadn't exchanged a single word as they traveled towards the southern region. They entered another cave and Botan followed Hiei as he maneuvered around.
She was surprised that he wanted her to go with him, but then realized he needed her to find the real artifact. It probably had nothing to do with their date last night, she concluded.
"What is it with this demon and caves?" Botan voiced. "The Saint Beasts had their own castle; why couldn't Koukai find himself a proper hideout?"
"Hn."
"It's just so hard to navigate through – ah!"
She had expected to fall face first onto a sharp rock but was surprised to find that she had crashed into something warm and firm instead. She peeled her eyes opened slowly and blushed when she realized that she had crashed into Hiei. No, she hadn't crashed into him. The way he was holding onto her indicated that he had caught her. She pulled away shakily, but noticed that his grip was still firm on her arms in an attempt to steady her.
"Thank you Hiei," she said quietly.
He didn't respond, instead choosing to pull away and continue onwards.
"Do you sense that?" Hiei asked, coming to a full stop.
Botan nodded, although it was a pointless gesture, since Hiei could not see it. She could feel the unmistakable chill of demon energy, electric and alive in the dank air.
"Yes… we must be close."
"Be on your guard, Koukai is sneaky."
After a few more minutes of walking, they reached the belly of the cave, which was dimly lit by a few torches. Botan's eyes went wide as they wandered around the room, taking in the vast array of weapons, trinkets and mystical items that had all been replicated. Towards the back of the area, they found a rack full of mirrors, all the same size and shape as the mirror of illusions.
"Can you tell which one is the real one?" Hiei asked.
"I'll have to sort through them one by one," Botan said with a frown. "Each mirror is giving off its own distinct signal. The combined energy of all of those signals is concealing the real one. I don't even know if the real one is here."
"I see you've managed to find my trove of treasures," an icy voice hissed.
Hiei's eyes narrowed and his hand went to the hilt of his sword.
"Yes, too bad there is nothing of value here. Just a bunch of fakes," the fire demon countered.
Koukai stepped out from the shadows and into the light of the fire. He appeared to be an average demon: red-colored skin that was no doubt thicker than it seemed, white spiked up hair and a fairly average build of muscle. He didn't look especially impressive, but his dark eyes held a malicious and slightly crazed look to them.
"They may be fakes, but they do go for a rather hefty price on the black market. Even you can admire the craftsmanship," he said. "After all, it's the same handiwork that tricked you and your friends before."
He was very confident for a demon who was going up against Spirit World, Botan noted. As she looked him over, she realized that she couldn't sense anything other than his own distinct demon energy radiating off of him. She looked behind her towards the rack of mirrors and her eyes lit up. It was faint, but it was there, she was sure of it.
"Hiei, he doesn't have the real mirror of illusions on him. I'm positive it's among this bunch. Do you think you can hold him off for a while until I find the real one?"
"Simple enough," Hiei responded.
"The only way she would be able to tell that is if she was a being from Spirit World. A ferry-girl, perhaps?" Koukai reasoned with a smirk, his black pupils dilating greedily. "You'd be surprised at how high they go for on the black market."
"That's disgusting!" Botan spat, taking a step backwards.
Hiei took a step forward.
"I will deal with him; you concentrate on finding the mirror."
"Big talk for a demon of your stature," Koukai muttered before shrugging. "But, if you want to play the chivalrous role, I won't stop you. After I'm through with you, I'll take care of her."
"Be careful, Hiei!" she called out as she ran to the back of the room and pulled out her communication device.
"Now's not really a good time," Yusuke started.
"You've got to come to the southern region. We found Koukai."
"That's funny, I'm in the middle of fighting the bastard myself."
"Show him to me," Botan insisted.
"I'm a little busy, Botan!"
"Just do it!" she ordered.
Yusuke turned the device to face in front of him.
"There, satisfied?"
"That's just an illusion created from the mirror," she said as she stared at the demon on the screen. Although Yusuke and the others couldn't see it, Koukai's image was completely transparent.
"Yeah, well, his attacks sure as hell don't feel like illusions," Yusuke yelled back bitterly.
"That's the beauty of the mirror. The illusions are more like clones in that aspect. You've got to dispose of the illusion quickly and then come here to help us with the real one!" Botan urged.
"I'm trying! Uh, hey, where the hell did he go?" Yusuke's confused voice rang through the speaker.
Botan tore her eyes away from the screen and looked towards Hiei, a sinking feeling tugging at her stomach.
"Die," Hiei said, moving in for the kill.
Hiei's sword plunged into a translucent Koukai and Botan frowned, noting that it was merely the illusion that Yusuke had been fighting.
"I think your clone has become our problem…" Botan informed. "I'm going to search for the real mirror, in the mean time, you've got to let the others know and come here as quickly as possible."
"I'm on my way," Yusuke said before ending the connection.
There were at least a hundred replicas lined up on the shelves. To make matters worse, they all emitted a different energy signal, further confusing and disorienting the ferry-girl. Botan hurriedly sifted through the first shelf of mirrors, breaking the ones that she knew were fakes. The signal became less muddled with each mirror she disposed of. She glanced over at the fight to check in on Hiei's status.
Koukai had projected more images of himself in an effort to compensate with Hiei's incredible speed. Hiei was fastest member on their team, but Botan feared that his speed would not be enough.
She continued working diligently, combing through and breaking the decoy mirrors. If it was true what they said about broken mirrors, she had just racked up an eternity of bad luck. She was halfway through the stockpile of replicas and had yet to find the real mirror. She glanced over at Hiei once more.
Koukai had created three clones of himself and they were all attacking Hiei in a flurry of rapid kicks and punches. She hoped that Yusuke or one of the others would arrive soon as she continued sorting through the seemingly endless rows of fake artifacts.
In less than a minute, she was able to pick up on a very distinct energy signal. Her eyes lit up in relief as she grabbed the real mirror.
She stood up from her crouched over position on the floor and ran towards the middle of the room, where she could get a clearer view of Hiei. Her excited smile dropped into a worried pout.
The clones had Hiei pinned against the wall, one on each limb, restricting his movement. The real Koukai stood directly in front of Hiei, no doubt powering up for the final blow.
She looked back down at the mirror and knew what she had to do.
"Don't." Hiei's voice sounded in her mind
"It's the only way," she answered back telepathically.
"That artifact is the reason we all came out here in the first place. Don't be foolish."
"Hiei, he'll kill you!"
"No, he is the type of fool that likes to play with his prey. This first attack won't be fatal, but I can use the moment after his attack lands to end this once and for all."
She looked on helplessly as Koukai summoned a glowing spear. Even if Hiei was right and Koukai intended on simply wounding Hiei before dealing the final blow, she saw no need for any further violence and pain.
She smashed the mirror against the floor, the glass shattering instantly. The demon turned to look at Botan in a fit of rage as all of his clones vanished and Hiei was no longer bound by their hold. Koukai turned to attack Botan, but Hiei intervened, shoving his sword through Koukai's midsection. Dark flames incinerated the demon's body until all that remained was a pile of ashes.
"Are you alright?" Botan asked.
"You shouldn't have done that," he said as he walked over to her, sheathing his sword.
"I couldn't just stand there and watch you get hurt. You boys are always doing things the hard way!"
Hiei stared at her in a way that she had never seen before. His crimson eyes weren't narrowed in annoyance or anger. They simply rested on her form without any clear indication of what he was thinking and in that moment, she became very aware of how close they were. Her gaze shifted to the mirror, looking for anything to break the silence that had enveloped them.
"Koenma's certainly not going to be too happy about this," she noted, pulling a frown.
They both heard the sounds of footsteps and voices as Yusuke ran into the area, followed by Kurama and Kuwabara. Without turning around to acknowledge their presence, Hiei stepped forward and crushed the heel of his boot onto the broken remains of the mirror, eliciting a gasp from Botan.
"Hey," Kuwabara bellowed, motioning over to the broken artifact. "That mirror is the reason why we are all here! Why did you have to go and break it?"
"It was more trouble than it's worth," Hiei said dismissively. "Now Koenma can't lose it again and we won't have to go on another pointless mission to reclaim it."
"I guess he has a point," Yusuke agreed with a lazy shrug.
Botan could only stare at Hiei's back as he walked away, clearly confused by his actions. She had never known Hiei to be the caring type, but he continued to surprise her. He had been more of a friend to her in these last two days than in the entire time she had known him. She found herself wishing that they could do it all over again. Although he was cold and downright rude at times, spending time with him was something new and exciting. She was sure that he wouldn't feel the same, though. Then again, he was acting awfully strange these past two days; maybe he would be up for it.
The ferry-girl quickly collected the remains of the mirror and placed it carefully inside of the briefcase, before getting up and making her way over to Hiei.
"You didn't have to take the blame for that… Koenma will be a lot angrier at you than he will be at me," she whispered.
"I don't particularly care about who he throws a tantrum at next, I just don't like being indebted to someone," he reminded her.
Her expression softened as she realized that his stubborn pride was the very reason they had gone on a date last night.
"You don't have to think of it like that, you know. We are teammates."
"Hn."
"And I didn't do it because I wanted your favor," she continued sincerely. "I did it because we are friends. After everything we've been through, smashing a mirror to help protect one of you is the least I could do."
Hiei's eyes widened slightly, his expression morphing into one that she had never seen before. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared though, leaving her to wonder if it had been a figment of her overactive imagination. Shaking her head, she began to gather the broken remnants of the artifact, wrapping it up in a cloth. The mission was a success and everyone was safe. That was really all that mattered.
Hiei was slightly surprised by the fact that the ferry-girl would rather break the mirror and face Koenma's wrath than let him get injured and take care of the demon himself. She had seen them all get injured much worse over the course of the Dark Tournament than whatever damage he would have incurred here. While he didn't particularly care if she was punished for her reckless intervention, he realized that this was just the opening he needed.
She was still hesitating. He had noticed the way she glanced over at him when she thought he wasn't looking. She was still contemplating the validity of his statements from last night.
She was still unsure about him and she had every right to be. But he couldn't have her wavering, not when his freedom was on the line.
Back at the warehouse she asked if he had enjoyed himself and he told her had – although it was a lie and he answered without really saying anything positive.
He purposely asked her to go with him to the southern region to show her that he was able to tolerate her company, but she continued to hesitate.
His words weren't getting through to her, but maybe his actions would.
So, he took the blame for the broken artifact, fully well knowing the effects it would have on her perceptions of him. If all went well, it would push her in the right direction.
Hiei passed through the portal and found that they were all back at the abandoned warehouse.
"Another job well done – sort of," Yusuke announced. "The important thing is: we got the mirror back and Koukai will no longer be a problem."
"Bingo! I'll report back to Koenma. You all have other important plans to attend to," Botan offered.
"If he gives you any trouble for that broken mirror, let me know."
Botan smiled and nodded at the detective.
"I've got no problem telling him that Hiei stepped on it," Yusuke finished.
Botan's face fell, but Yusuke only laughed cheekily as he walked away.
"I think I'll take my leave as well," Kurama said.
"Yeah and I promised Yukina I would visit her at Genkai's today."
"Have fun!" Botan said as she waved and watched the two boys exit the compound.
The ferry-girl and the fire-demon were the only two left now.
"Looks like everyone's got plans but us," Botan said wistfully.
He watched her stare off into the distance and decided that this was as good a time as any to seal the deal.
"You're still wishing for more, but too reluctant to act upon it," Hiei stated.
She turned to look at him with a serious expression.
"I suppose you could say that. I'm just not sure acting upon it would be the right thing to do in this situation," she answered. "But, I have to know… did you honestly mean what you said last night? Is it really okay to want more?"
He could tell by the uncertainty in her gaze that he had shaken her up.
"I'm not one to speak vainly," he responded. "I wouldn't have said it unless I meant it."
"That's true…"
When it became obvious that she was wrapped up in her own thoughts, he continued.
"You've been staring at me all day. Tell me why."
Botan's eyes widened, but she refrained from looking at him.
"It's ridiculous, really…" she mumbled out.
"Let me be the one to decide that."
"I don't think I should."
"There are other ways of finding out," he said, deciding to employ a technique that had often worked in the past. However, instead of caving, she put her hands on her hips and frowned at him.
"Would it kill you to try asking nicely instead of resorting to your usual scare tactics?" Botan asked, her tone reminiscent of the reproachful one that was usually reserved for Yusuke.
"I did ask and you refused," he reminded her, starting to lose some of his patience.
"Actually, you sort of demanded," she corrected, yelping after Hiei glared at her. "Besides, sometimes women like to keep certain thoughts private."
"Perhaps most women do, but you clearly do not," he retorted.
"I take offense to that, Hiei. I am perfectly capable of keeping my mouth shut. In fact, that's exactly what I intend to do right now."
Although she crossed her arms over her chest stubbornly and refused to look in his direction, Hiei could see that she was bursting at the seams. She would tell him, she just needed the proper motivation.
"Have it your way," Hiei complied, moving forward to exit the warehouse as the others did before him.
He made it all of three steps before Botan stopped him.
"Wait," she said quietly. "If I tell you, you have to promise not to mock me or threaten me for even thinking such thoughts, let along voicing them."
Hiei stopped and turned around to face her, before nodding his agreement.
She took a deep breath and stepped closer to him.
"The truth is: last night was a surprisingly nice change of pace. I realize it was just a onetime thing, but if you're open to it, we can try again. After all, you were the one who said it isn't bad to want more, right?
"Yes."
"Of course you wouldn't want to. Silly me! Forget I even asked."
"Woman-"
"Now if you'll excuse me-"
He grabbed her arm to stop her from walking away and she turned back to face him.
"-I said I will."
Botan blinked twice, looking into his eyes as the realization sunk in.
"Really? You don't think it's a trivial waste of time?"
"It is a trivial waste of time," Hiei began. "But time is all I have, since I've been sentenced to this world indefinitely."
Whoa, there sure was a lot of Botan POV in this chapter. I wanted you guys to see how she came to the conclusion that dating Hiei would be a good idea, despite the fact that the two have no romantic feelings for each other… yet.
Thanks for the tremendous support I've received so far. Your sweet reviews are what keeps me writing! Please don't forget to drop a note and let me know what you thought this time around.
Also, big thanks to Crystal Koneko for letting me bounce ideas off of her and giving me feedback on drafts when needed. Thanks a bunch, girl! Check her stuff out if you haven't already, trust me, it's worth it!
MystiK~