Sorry I've been absent! My wrist has been hurting big time, so I can't really write…but fear not! I won't stop the story.

The first time I put this chapter up, I forgot to use spell-check, and grammar-check. My bad! Here's the real version.

Disclaimer: I don't own yuyu hakusho.

Chapter Three. When Hiei Met Crystal.

The Saint Beast's tower had many corridors. Kurama was trying not lose too much blood from the wound inflicted Genbu inflicted upon him.

The group of four turned a corner when Kuwabara stopped suddenly.

''Do you guys hear something?'' He asked.

They all stopped and looked back. Indeed, they could hear something. The sound of running footsteps was echoing off the walls. They seemed to be approaching the group.

''It's most likely an enemy,'' Hiei said, drawing his sword.

The footsteps were almost at the corner. As he saw a small swish of red fabric barely make it around the corner, Hiei struck with his sword. He didn't aim to kill. Instead, he knocked the person over, causing him or her to hit the wall hard.

''Owww…''

It turned out to be a she. A normal, delicate looking girl with a red sport dress, sat on the cold stone floor rubbing her head. Hiei however, being the cold-hearted demon he was, was not about to take any chances. He pointed the tip of his blade at her throat.

''Who are you?'' He asked icily.

''A healer sent by Koenma,'' The girl replied calmly.

Kurama walked towards the girl with a look of astonishment. ''Crystal?!''

Crystal smiled. ''Hello, Kurama. Koenma told me you'd be here.''

''Lower your blade, Hiei, She's no enemy of ours,'' Kurama told the smaller demon.

Hiei complied, but with a suspicious third eye fixed on the girl. ''Are you sure, Kurama?''

''Quite sure,'' The redhead replied. ''She's an old…friend.''

Crystal smiled. Kuwabara and Yusuke still looked confused.

''So…'' Yusuke started slowly. ''You two…know each other?''

''Doesn't miss a beat, does he?'' Crystal said.

Kurama chuckled and offered her his hand. She took it and pulled herself up.

''You're injured,'' Crystal eyed the crimson gash across Kurama's chest.

''It's just a minor wound.''

''If that were true, you wouldn't still be bleeding.'' She grabbed Kurama's hand and dragged him to a windowsill. ''Sit.''

He did as he was told and sat on the small ledge. Crystal dug around in the little purse she was carrying. She pulled out a red-tinged leaf.

''Unbutton your shirt,'' She said.

Kurama ignored the raised eyebrow Yusuke and Kuwabara's face, and the small feeling of embarrassment in the pit of his stomach and obeyed once more. Crystal examined the cut, and pressed the leaf to it.

''Kokoro Kohana.''

As she murmured those words, she closed her eyes and focused all her sprit energy on her palm, which was still pressing the leaf, to the injury. Kurama flinched, and he could feel the skin repairing itself, and the pain subsiding. She took her hand away to reveal the skin had completely mended.

Yusuke whistled. ''Man, where were you when I fought Goki?''

''Yeah, now it's like we got some kinda advantage!'' Kuwabara cheered.

''Fool,'' Hiei, sneered. ''There's no point in a healer, if you die in the fight.''

''Hey! What are you implying shrimp boat?!''

''The fact that you don't get it makes you a bigger fool than I thought.''

''Now, now, boys…'' Crystal said, stepping between them. ''Let's not fight; we have a job to do.''

''Humph…'' Hiei began walking down the hallway again. Kuwabara gave a small growl and walked, followed by Yusuke. Crystal and Kurama looked at each other, shrugged, and caught up with their companions.

After they ran down a few more hallways, they found the second Saint Beast, Byyako. Kuwabara managed to defeat the beast and barely hung on by a thread.

''Don't just stand there, morons…gimme a hand!'' Kuwabara yelled, hanging over the acid.

''Waahooo!'' Yusuke cheered. ''Saved by a snag!''

Yusuke helped get Kuwabara to the other side of the cave while the others followed.

''You scared the liven' spit out of me! I thought you bought it for sure!!'' Yusuke said, bonking Kuwabara over the head continuously. ''Why didn't you holler sooner ya dumb jerk?!''

''Ow, ow, ow! Knock it off idiot!'' Kuwabara whined.

''Yeah, Yusuke. It takes enough out of me to use healing arts without you giving Kuwabara another injury. It's incredible he's still alive,'' Crystal said as she kneeled down with Kuwabara, and began healing him.

Further into the castle they went, until they got to the third Saint Beast, Seiryu. Surprisingly, Byakko followed the group into Seiryu's chamber, and pleaded for his help. The ice dragon coldly refused, and destroyed Byyakko. This, for some reason, angered Hiei immensely and he stepped up to take on Seiryu.

''I've never seen Hiei like this before,'' Kurama was saying. ''He's just as Seiryu described…or was. Yet he seems truly upset by what Seiryu has done.''

''It seems he's doing this for the sake of a fighter that sought help…and died,'' Crystal said.

''Yes. The battle aura surrounding him now is the strongest I've ever felt!''

Seiryu and Hiei got into battle ready stances. The room was quiet for a moment while the opponents sized each other up.

''Die!'' Seiryu roared.

Seiryu lunged but it was over in a second. Hiei seemed to barely move his hand when he was behind the newly dismembered Seiryu.

''May I never see your face again,'' He growled, looking back.

''D-didja see that?! Flippin' awesome!!'' Kuwabara said in awe.

''I saw…but lost track after the first stroke,'' Kurama said.

''Wow!'' Yusuke exclaimed, running towards the shorter demon. ''That was amazing, Hiei!! You laid him out in one go!!''

''How many cuts?'' Crystal asked.

''Sixteen.''

''Sixteen! Man I only caught eight!'' Yusuke said.

Kurama smiled. ''Your eyes are better than mine Yusuke.''

''You're fast, Hiei! You could beat me hands down in a rematch, I bet!''

Hiei stared at him for a second before looking away. ''Well…maybe.''

''Hey! Where are you going?'' Crystal said, stopping Hiei, whom had started walking away.

''To the third Saint Beast. Or, is our time suddenly not limited?

''You have to let me heal you first.''

''I don't need healing.''

''Oh yes you do. On the first strike, Seiryu, gave you a small cut right between your lungs. On your sixth, seventh, and eighth cut, you slashed at Seiryu's shoulder blades. That's where ice demons store ice poison.

Everyone stared at her in amazement.

Crystal blinked a few times. ''What?''

''You saw…all of my attacks?'' Hiei asked.

''In detail?'' Kurama added.

''Yes. Now, Hiei, sit down.''

Hiei didn't like being told what to do, and the quiet sniggering f his teammates made him even more indignant.

''Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? In addition, where is the cut Seiryu apparently gave me?'' He challenged.

The brunette calmly walked up to him and poked a spot right between his lungs. Instantly, Hiei felt his legs go numb and they gave out under him.

''That was where the cut is, and what you're feeling is the effects of the ice poison,'' Crystal said, a smirk dancing across her face. ''When an ice demon's blood is released in certain areas of the body, invisible toxins are released as well. It becomes poison and goes into the nearest flesh wound so that it may enter the blood stream. Since you were closest at the time, you won't be able to move until I remedy it.''

Hiei fixed a pout on his face, but said nothing.

Crystal got out a long cloth bandage and a bottle of greenish liquid. She opened the bottle and pored some on her finger. It was like gelatin. She squatted down to Hiei's level and rubbed some into the small cut on his chest.

''What is that?'' Kurama asked, bending over to get a closer look.

''It's made from the Shiro plant, which grows in the ice realm of the demon plane. It will kill the poison in the blood stream by entering through the skin and the small wound.''

''That's a very rare plant. How did you get it?''

''Well I've been around,'' Crystal smiled, spreading more gel onto the bandage and wrapping it around Hiei.

''So that'll heal him just like that?'' Kuwabara asked.

''Uh huh,'' Crystal answered, trying to keep her balance.

''That's great!! Good job!!'' Kuwabara gave her a hard hit on the back.

Bad move. Crystal was trying to balance on her toes while wrapping the bandage around Hiei. She lost her balance, her body was pushed forward, and her lips were suddenly caught by two other's. For a moment, neither one knew what was happening.

Then it hit them, and simultaneously they pushed each other away, both ending up in a sitting position.

Crystal looked at Hiei completely stunned. Hiei could feel his face get very hot. The others were at a loss of what to say.

Hiei couldn't remember much of what happened next. There was laughter. He was sure of that. Moreover, he was fairly certain Kuwabara gained a few injuries that were inflicted by Crystal. Other than that and some fighting…the rest of it was a blur.

Hiei sat in his bed and stared at the moonlit hotel room. He was kissed…by a human girl. Humiliating as it was, it was worse yet by the fact that he wasn't the only one who had witnessed it. But why was he even thinking about it? Why should he care about being kissed by her? I'm a cold-hearted demon. I don't care. Not in the slightest.

With that, he lay down and went to sleep.

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