DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN YU YU HAKUSHO OR ITS CHARACTERS.
Thanks to all who read and special thanks to gomen nasai for reviewing.
Shoutout to FreyaCat... You guys need to read her HieiBotan fic. It's really good!
Now to what u came for...
IN MEMORY OF
She arrived at Genkai's in the next few minutes, to find her in a greenhouse full of vibrant colored flowers. The most striking was the pink peonies which grew to the centre of the indoor garden.
"I planted these especially for you." Genkai said. "Did you know that in ancient times peonies were said to have healing powers? People would make a poultice and placed it on wounds and within two days they were said to disappear."
"Cool." Botan said, sitting in a large wicker chair.
"Each life you have had has a special place to all of us. I have had something special done for every life you have had, the first being a moonstone necklace and the last is this garden." Genkai said, sitting beside her.
"How many lives have I actually had?" Botan asked.
"This would be the fifth. There was Mitsuki, then Aiko, then Hana and Reina. They were all very beautiful and very strong and very passionate phoenixes as you are now." Genkai replied.
"Me? A strong phoenix? I can't even dodge a few punches from Yusuke!" she exclaimed, with a laugh.
"Do you know what the most interesting thing about a phoenix is? Each rebirth brings a stronger, more determined version of her, they are extremely rare and extremely powerful and valued among all creatures." Genkai said, picking a peony and placing it in Botan's hair. She smiled.
"Genkai, why can't I remember Yusuke?" Botan asked. Genkai laughed lowly.
"I honestly have no clue, but I'm sure it'll come back to you soon. For now, just focus on training."
Botan left the greenhouse to go back to the training ground. There she saw Kuwabara and Yukina full engaged in battle, with Yukina projecting darts of ice at him and him blocking them with his spirit sword. On the other side she saw Hiei and Keiko, fire blazing form his palms and her sashes ousting the blaze. Kurama walked up beside her.
"I feel so jealous right now." She said, in a sarcastically dry tone.
"You just need a little more training to tap into your abilities." He replied.
"And what would those be exactly?" she asked.
"You are what we would call a mimic. You have the ability to manipulate and absorb other's spiritual energy, channeling it into your own version of the opponent's attack." He explained.
"Hm… sounds dangerous. I can see why you guys didn't want to show me yet. I could hurt somebody." She joked.
"So I see a kind of elemental thing goin' on with the demon population around here: Yukina's ice, Hiei's fire, you're some sort of plant god, so what's Yusuke?" she asked
"Yusuke's not elemental, he's energy based, just like the human half of the team. His energy is channeled in his hands and takes the form of a spirit gun." Kurama said.
Later that night, Botan went to sit at the top of the temple and watched the stars. They were so bright, a lot brighter than in the city, and provided anyone who would look with a celestial symphony of light.
"Botan." She heard someone say from behind her. It was Yusuke.
"Do you mind if I sit with you?" he asked.
She moved over a bit and gave him seating space. He looked at her left wrist to see a colorful butterfly tattoo with the word 'Cho' beneath it.
"Cho was my sister." She said, holding up her arm to give him better view. "Her name was actually Ayame but my grandpa called her Cho cause she looked like his sister. She died when I was thirteen."
"It's beautiful." He said softly, caressing her hand.
She felt comforted, safe, like she had known him for years. She pulled closer to him.
"She was like a mom to me, more than Meyumi ever was. We'd have so much fun together. She was my best friend." She replied with a smile.
"How did she pass away?" he asked.
"Car accident." She answered, bluntly.
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." He replied.
She scowled.
"Why? Wasn't your fault, anyway." She huffed, pulling away and going back inside.
"Well, at least you're making progress." Yukina said from behind him.
"How long have you been there?" he asked, upset.
"Long enough." She replied. "I thought you said she'd be better off without you."
"She will be. She is." He said.
"This one's a little touchier than the others, it might take a little more to soften her up to you." She said.
"I'm not trying to. I told you already told you, she's better off without me." He replied, going inside.
"Whatever you say." Yukina replied, with a sigh.
Botan went to her room and continued reading the journals, scrutinizing them for any evidence of Yusuke. She was up to Hana's when she saw a letter, ripped in half, which read:
'Never forget, always in
Memory, always in my
Heart, forever mine
The handwriting wasn't hers.
"Weird…" she thought.
Then she saw another torn note, in her handwriting, which read:
'Leaving home is always hard, but thanks to Koenma my parents' debt will be repaid and they can live safely while I am away. I hope he will be there. He had saved me from that shogun and I have felt a special connection with him ever since, like fate had put him there…'
Botan grew more and more confused, thoughts ringing through her mind. 'Who is she talking about?' 'Why can't I remember this?'
"This is too freakin' weird." She thought out loud.
She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to find relief from the impending migraine of her amnesia.
CHO: BUTTERFLY
The tattoo idea is taken from my actual life… I had a BFF die recently. She's actually the person who suggested I joined FFNET and inspired my first fanfic: BEHIND THIS SMILE
Hope you guys like it so far! Please remember to review… doesn't have to be pleasant, constructive criticism also accepted.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF JADE: A PHOENIX IN HER OWN RIGHT
YOU ARE MISSED, BUTTERFLY!
