Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, DBZ, or the characters.
I hope everyone checks out dragoscilvio's newest one-shot to the series, White Christmas, giving insight to Hiei's first year with the Briefs' family.
Hiei didn't know how his brother managed to get him to agree to this day of torture. It was one thing to drag him to a concert for fun, or even to a fighting match to unwind. Hiei never expected to be dragged to an amusement park. He had never been to one before, but he did not like the idea of being exposed to so many contraptions. Rigged games, faulty rides, and stomachache inducing food were the only things he expected to be exposed to during the day. Oh well, at least he was with his friends, his brother, and sisters. He couldn't help but be happy to get out of the house.
"So, what should we ride first?" Goten asked.
"Roller coaster!" Bra exclaimed from Hiei's shoulders. Hiei chuckled at his little sister, holding onto her legs and ignoring the fact that she was pulling on his hair.
"Aren't you a little young to be riding a roller coaster?" Kuwabara asked, taking Yukina's hand as they got on line for tickets. Bra just responded by sticking her tongue out at the older guy.
"Bra, knock it off," Trunks scolded. "What did mom say about that?"
"She said 'don't stick your tongue out at others because it's not lady-like, nor is it how a princess should act,'" Bra recited.
"That's right," Trunks said with a nod.
"But dad said 'if it's to someone weaker than you, go ahead,'" Bra finished.
Hiei couldn't help but laugh at how insulted Kuwabara looked. Despite accepting the oaf as his friend, it was still fun to mess with him. Also, to hear a young child say she's stronger than him probably took him down a few pegs. Hiei realized that it was the first time he laughed since before Tarble arrived. His expression darkened as he began to think of his biological father.
Botan noticed first, having been about to ask Hiei what he wanted to do. The little girl on his shoulders was oblivious, as were the other guys. She decided to take matters into her own hands.
"Hey, why don't you guys get the tickets while Hiei and I take Bra to get a cotton candy," she suggested. Hiei looked to her as if she were nuts, but saw the concern in her eyes and bit back his retort.
"Sure, sounds like a plan," Kurama stated. "We'll meet you over there."
Hiei sighed and shrugged, taking Botan up on her offer.
Tarble woke up fairly early, all things considered, around nine o'clock. The house was surprisingly quiet. The Saiyan prince expected to find his children, niece and nephew, and their friends running around. There was no way that the house could be that quiet with so many people around.
Gure was still asleep, so it was the perfect opportunity to talk to his kids again, or at least someone who knew about Hiei's past and Hina's people. From what his older brother implied, he knew, but he would never reveal that information to him. The only other option was…
"Oh, good morning, Tarble," Bulma greeted from her spot at the dining room table. She was currently working on some paperwork for a new invention. "Breakfast is in the fridge. I had to make it early for the kids."
"Where are they?" Tarble asked, hoping for an answer.
"Oh, Trunks thought it would be a good idea to go to some amusement park," Bulma said absentmindedly. "It's good that they're all bonding. Hiei hasn't seen his friends since he came to live with us."
"About that," Tarble said, "what did my brother mean when he talked about their mother's people?"
Bulma stopped reading over her equations and looked at Tarble skeptically. She sighed and shook her head before continuing. "It is not my place to tell you. I can only discuss it with you if Vegeta feels the need to first, or if Hiei or Yukina decide to tell you. I already gave you too much information with telling you where they are."
"Why did you tell me?" Tarble continued to interrogate.
"To see if you will do right by them and just let them relax and unwind for the day with their friends," Bulma told him. "If you can prove yourself to me, I'll be a little more inclined to give you minimal information on Hiei; however, if do anything to upset my boy, you will never hear another word from me on the topic and will find yourself on the end of a very powerful and Saiyan-proof bat."
Tarble gulped in fear of his sister-in-law, but nodded. Her protective demeanor was replaced with a soft smile. "As long as we have an understanding," she said.
Bulma left the kitchen, leaving Tarble alone again. He eyed the fridge, wanting to eat, but he wanted something else first. He wanted to talk to and spend time with his children. Going against the instruction of his sister-in-law, Tarble searched for the kis of his children and left the compound.
"I want to go on it again!" Bra exclaimed after they all got off the roller coaster.
"I still can't believe they let a little girl on the ride," Kuwabara grumbled.
"She met the height requirement," Hiei said with a shrug. "Besides, we take her flying all the time. How is being in a miniature car on a track any different. It was actually considerably slower than the speed we use in flight."
"Man, I keep forgetting you can fly," Yusuke said. "You would put Jin to shame."
"Who?" Goten and Trunks asked at the same time.
"Just an acquaintance of ours," Kurama replied. "From a tournament a few years back."
"Anything like the WMAT?" Goten asked.
"A lot more dangerous, more bloody, and more death than would ever be allowed at the WMAT," Hiei responded having remembered the stories he was told. In a few years, he'd be entering the tournament as a Briefs. He couldn't wait.
"Okay, so…hey guys, what about the Ferris wheel?" Trunks suggested. "This one is one of those fancy ones that let's like six people in per car."
"I'm down with that," Yusuke said. "How are we separating?"
"Well, Goten and I can take Bra, and you guys can ride in a separate car," Trunks replied.
"I wanna go with Hiei," Bra whined, grasping onto Hiei's hand. "He's more fun that you."
Trunks looked slightly hurt, but it was a joke making Hiei laugh. He knelt down to Bra and said, "If you go with Trunks now, I'll win you something later, okay?"
Bra smiled and nodded, running over to her other brother. Trunks picked her up and tickled her slightly, as punishment for her comment. Hiei smiled at his laughing sister before going over to Yukina. The two of them hadn't been able to talk since Tarble abruptly landed the day before.
"Hey," Hiei said quietly to his sister, gently nudging her hand.
Yukina smiled at him and took ahold of his hand. "Hi," she whispered back to him.
"You okay?" he asked her. Yukina just nodded and Hiei pulled her in for a hug.
"It's kinda nice," Yusuke said to the others as they watched the scene. Many quirked brows were directed at him. "What? It's just nice to see them finally together."
"Yeah, you're right," Kuwabara agreed watching the two twins smiling at one another. Hiei squeezed Yukina's shoulder reassuringly. Kuwabara knew that the ice maiden didn't have to worry about her brother being angry with her. All Hiei wanted was her happiness.
The time to load themselves onto the Ferris wheel came, and the Yu Yu gang got on first. Hiei sat in the middle of Botan and Yukina, Yusuke sat across from Botan, Kurama from Hiei, and Kuwabara from Yukina.
As the ride began to move, Hiei noticed Botan tense. He looked at her strangely as the car started rocking. The ferry girl whimpered slightly, but the guys and Yukina did not pick up on it since they were engaged in their usual antics. It only made the car shake more.
"What is wrong with you?" Hiei asked Botan, though he sounded a little harsh.
"Oh, it's nothing," Botan replied. "I just have a tiny fear of heights."
If Hiei was at the end, he probably would have fallen out of the car at that moment. "But you're a ferry girl," he reminded her. "You fly on an oar all the time."
"Yeah, but I can control that," she told him. "And I certainly do not rock." As if to response to her point, the wind blew causing the car to shake more. Botan didn't know where to grab, or what to grab that would make her feel safe. Instead, she chose to take Hiei's hand in hers, squeezing it every time the wind shook the car.
Hiei stared at their hands, speechless as to what had just happened. He caught Kurama eyeing him and Botan and could only guess what was going on inside the fox's head. Sighing, he decided to reposition their hands so that they were cupped. He would squeeze her hand back any time she squeezed his. It was a silent reassurance that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.
Just then, out of nowhere, Hiei heard something that sounded like a gunshot. He was never good with loud noises as it was with his sensitive hearing. Jumping slightly at the sound, his fingers accidently laced with Botan's. The ferry girl looked at him questioningly and saw the fear and anxiety in his eyes. Hiei was looking around when another shot sounded. This time he saw muted colored lights in the daytime sky. The guys also saw it.
"What kind of idiot sets off fireworks during the day?" Yusuke asked. "Seriously, who the heck is going to see them? I mean, we have good vision, but not everyone does."
Hiei relaxed slightly when he realized they were just fireworks. Bulma had taken him to see them a few times, and like at concerts, he had to wear earplugs to avoid damaging his hearing. They were nothing to be afraid of, just loud. When the wheel started its descent, both Hiei and Botan finally relaxed. They were ready to get off by that point.
Once everyone, including Goten, Trunks, and Bra were off, they went in search of the games. Hiei had promised his little sister he would win her something. That's when Kuwabara pointed out the Gravitron, and everyone wanted to try it, even little Bra.
"It'll be like training in the GR," Trunks offered to Hiei as he questioned whether or not to join.
"Hn, I highly doubt that," Hiei retorted, "but seeing as I'm outnumbered, I will join you."
Hiei did not like the idea of having his feet pinned down, but as he did not wish to be thrown from the ride, he just let it happen. Eventually the ride started spinning at a fast rate, and Hiei felt himself being pressed into the wall. He heard the delighted screams of the other passengers, but he himself was clenching his teeth, hoping the ride would end soon.
He felt like the air around him was being ripped into and he couldn't breathe. He closed his eyes, willing the ride to slow down. Once the speed started to dissipate, Hiei started to relax and opened his eyes seeing nothing but blurriness. One thing was for sure, he was never going on anything that spun again.
After they got off the ride, the others were asking him how he enjoyed the ride. He looked over to Yukina who looked a little dizzy. Hiei just grumbled, not wanting to lose face with his brother or the guys. "It was a waste of my time," he responded.
Kurama and Trunks both frowned at him. That response was something he would say in the past when he didn't trust any of them enough to tell them how he was feeling. They decided to keep that knowledge to themselves, though. They would have to talk to him later at some point.
They ended up at a shooting game, which Hiei proved to be good at. He won easily, beating many other humans whose aim was worse than the insults they threw his way. Hiei ignored them when they called him "short," "weak," and "pathetic." They were just humans, and those words could no longer hurt them.
He, of course, won the biggest prize, giving Bra a giant horse stuffed animal that the half-Saiyan child was able to carry with ease. The group ignored the confused stares of the other bystanders. Then Kurama noticed something, or someone, that was not supposed to be at the fair.
"Hiei!" he called out, though he kept his volume in check, not wanting to draw Tarble's attention towards them.
"What?" Hiei snapped at his friend.
"It's time to ride the spinning teacups," Kurama replied, grabbing his friend into a crowded line.
Before Hiei could retort, the line pushed him and Kurama into the ride. "Another spinning one?" Hiei nearly whined.
Kurama just smiled when Hiei expressed his distaste. The fox demon was right. Hiei had not enjoyed the Gravitron, and this was even worse. But Kurama could not let Hiei see Tarble, and vice versa. Hiei was already starting to pull away again, and Kurama would not let him revert completely.
"Kurama, I will get you for this," Hiei threatened as the ride began to spin heavily.
"I'm sure, Hiei," Kurama said calmly. "I would expect no less."
When the ride ended, Hiei was holding onto his head, stumbling everywhere. He was past dizzy, and if he were to be attacked at that moment, he would stand no chance. He couldn't even walk, nearly crawling to get out of the ride.
Kurama noticed his struggling and helped the fire demon to stand. "Okay, I agree," he said. "That was a little much."
The others noticed them, all looking at the two like they were nuts.
"What the heck was that all about?" Yusuke asked. "You could have at least asked us to join."
"My apologies," Kurama said looking over to Trunks. Trunks nodded to him, meaning that he too saw Tarble, and managed to keep the fact from everyone. Kurama was happy to know that Hiei had someone like Trunks to defend him always, especially when they were not there.
"Hey, let's go find another game," Goten suggested. He looked over the left and saw a game where you toss Ping-Pong balls into little jars. If you were to get the balls into a certain color, you could win a fish. "That one looks cool."
Hiei looked over and smirked. He had played something similar, a gambling game, back when he was a child in Demon World. He knew he'd be able to beat it, despite the fact that the jars were always rigged. He always knew where to throw the ball to land in the cup he wanted it to.
"Step right up," the man running the game said. "Toss three balls. If you get all three into a red cup, you win a beta fish as a prize. But if even one goes into the black cups, you get diddly squat."
"Who's Diddly?" Goten asked. Everyone, except for Bra and Yukina nearly fell over.
Hiei rolled his eyes and took out two dollars to pay the game's fee. "Ah, a taker, I see," the man said with a chuckle.
"You want to play, Hiei?" Yusuke asked in shock.
"Why not?" Hiei replied with a shrug as her was handed the three Ping-Pong balls.
He was thankful that everyone stayed quiet, silently watching him. The noise wouldn't have bothered him, but this was easier to do when there was complete silence. When Hiei threw the first ball, the man laughed as it hit a black jar; however, Hiei just smirked as the ball bounced back up and rolled over the other jars to a red jar. He heard the man gasp in shock, and it made his smirk widened into a grin. Hiei chuckled. He knew what he was doing.
The other two balls followed suit, and the man just stared wide-eyed at Hiei. "Um…g-go ahead, kid," he said. "Pick your prize."
Hiei mentally chuckled to himself and moved to observe the fish. He really had no need for a fish, especially something that lived in the accursed water. Still, he owed it to the man to pick one. He could always give it to Bra later. She loved animals just as much as the rest of the family.
Then something caught the fire demon's eye. In one of the clear bowls, there was a single beta fish, red with black stripes to it. It's dorsal fin and caudal, or tail, fins looked slightly frayed. There was something about this little fish that spoke volumes to Hiei, more than any of the healthy fish.
He looked to the man and said, "I want this one."
The man's mouth dropped open. "But kid, that one is on its last leg. It probably won't even survive the trip home. Wouldn't you rather have a nice healthy and strong fish?"
Hiei just glared at him. "I won the game," Hiei said darkly. "Doesn't that mean that the choice is mine?"
The man gulped slightly, but nodded, preparing a bag for Hiei to take the sickly fish with him. It wouldn't be his fault if the fish died before the kid was to leave the fair. Handing Hiei the bag, the fire demon took it gently and sarcastically thanked the man.
"Hiei, why did you want that fish?" Yusuke asked cautiously. He knew his friend would have had a reason. He was just curious.
"Because I did," Hiei scoffed, not understanding why it was a big deal.
"But it's so flimsy," Goten expressed his disproval. "I mean, it looks like it's going to die at any second. Looks a little pathetic, if you ask me. Why would you want something so weak?"
Hiei stopped and turned to face his brother's friend in a flash, the venom radiating from the fire demon. His eyes were narrowed, a growl waiting on the tip of his tongue. "You have no idea what you are talking about," Hiei spat. "Who cares if this fish is weak? I wanted it, now get over it."
"But we're Saiyans," Goten said innocently. "We all pride ourselves with strength. Why would you want something that-OW!"
Goten looked to Trunks who was now also glaring at him. The younger Saiyan looked back to Hiei whose expression showed both rage and hurt. Hiei shook his head at him before taking off for home, all the while protecting his little fish.
"Do you not know when or how to shut up?" Yusuke asked. "Obviously he had a reason for choosing that fish."
"Like I was supposed to know this?" Goten asked defensively. "What did I say, anyway, that set him off?"
Trunks placed a hand on Goten's shoulder. "Goten, there's something I have to tell you about Hiei."
Hiei had gotten home, and to his joy, the fish was still alive. He had run into his mother and asked her for a small tank. Bulma smiled at the boy and told him to go to his room with the fish. She would bring him everything he needed to take care of his new beta.
Hiei did as he was told and brought his fish to his room. He realized that he had to name the little guy, to give him an identity, to give him worth in his little world. "I think I'll call you Ryuu," he told the little fish. It responded by swimming around a little in the bag. It made Hiei smile that the fish was already responding to him.
Bulma came into the room with a small bowl of water, coated with little red rocks at the bottom and some black plants. "I thought the fish would like this set up. More places to hide."
Hiei smiled at her. "Thanks, mom," he said sincerely as he gently transferred the fish to its new home.
Bulma smiled as she watched her son treating the fish like it was a piece of glass that could break at any moment. It showed that he had become more compassionate in his time there. Honestly, she felt that way about Hiei a lot. She was always gentle with the boy, because she knew his self-esteem was delicate. He too could break at any moment.
"Don't use the filter yet," she said as she placed a black device on his desk. "Until that fish gets stronger, you'll have to clean it out manually pretty much every day."
"That's fine by me," Hiei said, placing his head on his hands on his desk to look at Ryuu as he studied the plants of his new home.
Bulma smiled at Hiei and ruffled his hair. "Oh, I forgot to ask…did you eat anything at the fair?"
Hiei looked to his mother and frowned. Sighing, he shook his head. Bulma narrowed his eyes at him and left the room. Hiei knew she was about to bring a massive amount of food to his room.
He looked at the fish and sprinkled a large amount of high protein fish food. Ryuu looked at the food curiously, then seemed to look at Hiei for an answer.
"If I have to eat a ton of food to get stronger, then so do you," he muttered to the fish. With that, Ryuu seemed to nibble on the food. Hiei let a faint smile grace his lips as his new friend listened to his plea.
A/N: I don't know anything about Gravitrons as I have never been on one before, so if they aren't restrained in any way, oops XD Also, yes, there was some fish anatomy words in there, but only because the marine biologist in me couldn't just say "fins." XD