Hiei awoke on the roof of the school Koenma had sent them off to feeling more refreshed than he had felt all month. He had collapsed earlier after using the last of his spirit energy looking for Yuki again with his jagan. He had a weird feeling that she was close, but he was once again met with only disappointment. He scoured the surroundings and he had collapsed, sure he was done for this time, but he had awoken with his spirit energy replenished.

Suspicious, he examined the spirit energy that surged through him and realized someone had transferred energy to him. All of it had been converted to his own by now, but it felt colder. The spirit energy was very nostalgic. It kept bothering him while he strolled back to the place they were temporarily staying at since it had gotten dark.

Koenma's orders had been strange this time. Botan had simply told him to go to the school, but hadn't said anything about what they needed to do or find...or kill. Still they had come nonetheless, especially since Botan seemed extremely adamant that they do come here. Well, he had done what she said, go to the school. Now they can go back to demon world to search for Yuki again.

When he got back, he was greeted by an unexpected visitor. Yukina stood outside the door smiling at Hiei with Kuwabara chattering on happily about something that had happened today. Yusuke seemed happier, grinning a huge teasing grin next to Yukina. Hiei turned away embarrassed.

"Look who's here to see us!" Yusuke laughed.

Hiei 'hn'ed and walked on over. Yukina greeted him, "Hello, Hiei. Botan said you were injured in another fight so she asked me to come and heal you."

Hiei cursed silently at the chipper ferry woman for her nosiness, "It's fine. It's nothing major."

"Please, allow me." Yukina pleaded softly, taking his arm gently.

Hiei sighed, unable to say no to his sister, "Fine."

Kuwabara smacked his back, "Be grateful that my precious Yukina is even here to heal you!"

Hiei sighed again, not wanting to bother with throwing a rebuttal. Yukina followed him inside with Kuwabara and Yusuke right behind her. Inside, Kurama was placing the mouth watering bowls of pork ramen onto the table when Hiei walked in. His stomach instantly let out a near-deafening growl and he turned away bright red while everyone laughed.

"I didn't eat anything…" Hiei grumbled defensively.

Yukina sat him down on the couch across from the dining room and put her hands to his forehead where his jagan was. A cold thrumming feeling spread from his forehead to the other parts of his body as her spirit energy searched for his injuries. It widened Hiei's eyes in recognition as he immediately stood up sending Yukina sprawling back as her energy rebounded.

"What was that for?!" Kuwabara yelled as he helped Yukina up, "Are you okay?"

"Ya, I'm fine." Yukina smiled reassuringly.

Hiei turned to Yukina immediately, "Did you heal me today?!" He asked desperately. She was momentarily speechless. He shook her again.

"Answer me! Did you give me spirit energy today at the school?!" He yelled.

Kuwabara shoved Hiei away, "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Yukina looked scared, "Um, no. Botan just dropped me off about an hour ago at the human world."

Kurama narrowed his eyes, "What's wrong, Hiei?"

Hiei didn't bother answering, he was out the door and flying back towards the school as fast as he could, his mind racing even faster. It was Yuki! It has to be Yuki! It's her spirit energy! Hiei almost cried with joy, scaling the side of the building in one joyous bound. He dropped to the top of the roof where he had woken up. Sure enough, if he concentrated hard enough, he still felt the remnants of her spirit energy as they lingered to the building when she had given him energy. He looked around feverishly.

"YUKI!" Hiei yelled, "YUKI!" Kurama landed next to him moments later.

"What's wrong Hiei? Is Yuki here?" Kurama asked.

"YUKIHIME!" Hiei yelled again desperately, "It's her spirit energy! Kurama, it's her spirit energy!" She's here!"

Instantly, Kurama was replaced by Youko. Youko smelled the roof and confirmed Hiei's suspicions, "Her smell is everywhere." He told Hiei. He took another whiff, "And they're fresh. She was here today."

Yusuke had finally caught up to the two madmen and landed with a huff. He had caught the tail end of their conversation, "What? Yuki's here?!"

"She's not here right now, but she was. I think she goes to this school." Youko said, smelling the buildings.

"But why would she not find us if she was going to school here?" Yusuke asked, confused.

Hiei had finally stopped screaming her name and calmed down to think, "I think it's time we had a talk with Botan." He said darkly.

"Wait," Youko cut in, following his nose. Hiei and Yusuke immediately stopped.

"I think I can find her." Youko smirked, and disappeared down the building.


I had waited outside the school building just like Hiroichi had told me and he greeted me with a large smile. For some reason, Mikage was with him. I sighed. This was going to be one hell of a visit.

As we walked towards the temple, Mikage and Hiroichi kept asking me questions, "So were you born here?" Hiroichi asked eagerly to my right.

"Um, no." I tried, staying as close to the truth as possible.

"Cool! You were born overseas?" Hiroichi continued.

"Um...yes…" I wasn't quite sure what overseas meant, but I nodded meekly anyway.

"Where were you born?" Mikage asked, cutting off Hiroichi with a glare.

Damn! I should have just said I was born here! I panicked, "Um...you guys won't recognize the name even if I told you. It's really small!"

"Did you come here with your family?" Hiroichi continued the barrage of questions. I answered each one in hopes that it would be the last, but I was sadly mistaken. I was going to have trouble remembering my "alibis".

When we reached the Temple, I was so thankful I almost ran up the stairs. The two boys huffed as they followed behind me struggling to catch up.

"You're-You're really fast!" Mikage exclaimed.

"Ya, it's a habit to run up these stairs for me! Exercise!" I smiled, lying easily again as I left them in the dust.

I was already kneeling in front of the shrine cushion praying silently when they finally caught up. They saw me and opted to kneel next to me silently as well. I sighed mentally and thanked Inari-kami for the temple to use as an excuse. We must have kneeled there for over an hour. The two boys were finally getting impatient. They had been squirming around as their legs fell asleep. I just quietly knelt there in silence. I kneel at the Temple for days without moving. This was nothing. The two boys on the other hand...I chuckled mentally.

Hiroichi finally gave up and whispered, "Hey, I need to go home now or my sis will yell at me, but I'll see you tomorrow at school."

I nodded once silently and he limped out the temple, still trying to regain feeling in his leg. We were silent for a bit more until Mikage finally asked, "How long do you stay here for?"

I replied, "I usually pray until sundown then go back." Mikage sighed.

He started talking to me, "Listen...I know it's kind of disrespectful to talk to you while you're praying but I just wanted to tell you...I really like you and I want to get to know you better. Think there's a chance for me?"

I honestly wasn't sure what to say, but I finally decided how to reply, "I think you're really kind, but I hardly know you yet so…"

"No, no, that's fine! It's a good start! I mean, I want to get to know you too! Just...I wanted to tell you." Mikage said awkwardly. His voice shook a little, but he quickly collected himself again.

"Well, I'll see you in school tomorrow!" Mikage said, "Just...think about it." He turned and was gone out the door, shutting it closed quietly behind him.

I opened my eyes and sighed. Finally they were gone… I looked up to the statue of Inari. Inari was a fox deity with a red cloth around his neck and a key in his mouth. I still didn't understand the human concept of gods and deity. Demons didn't have that. To my knowledge, ice demons are the only ones that worship anything, and we worship the essence of winter. Though I'm not sure if 'worship' is the right word. The essence is like the soul of winter. It is the shrine maiden's duty to protect the essence because it is the lifeline of all ice demons. Should the essence break, it is said that all ice maidens will become snow and melt at the next raise of the sun. It is purely an old folklore, but no one is taking any chances. I used to kneel in front of the essence and ask winter to be kind this year, to still allow the snow pears to grow fruitfully and for the snow blossoms to not be buried. I asked for protection against outsiders that might want mean harm to us. I had never asked for things such as happiness or for someone to like me back. It was baffling for me to understand why humans would ask such things. To ask someone, if this person existed at all, for the little things. Shouldn't they be grateful already that they are alive and well? I doubted that their "kami" would have enough free time to grant all their little wishes one by one such as acing the next big test or passing school. Those should be things they worked hard for themselves instead of praying for the help of someone else.

On the other hand, winter is real. The elders talked about it like a great spirit. It simply is and it does not care for the trivial life of all in its domain. Though they say sometimes if you ask anyway, winter will be lenient. The dances we held each winter solstice was to please the great spirit and perhaps it would not send its wrath upon our people. Maybe it is similar after all.

I knelt there contemplating this until before I knew it, the sun had set. With one last bow, I thanked Inari-kami for his company and the temporary shelter. Just when I was stepping down from the steps of the shrine, rain started falling in little plit plats against the roof. I ducked back into the shrine again, smiling at the Inari statue.

"I guess you want me to stay some more." I smiled softly, and returned to the cushion to kneel.


Hiei and Yusuke followed after Youko as he scented around the gate and ran off in the direction he had decided. They rounded a corner towards the mountain top.

"It's this way." Youko said, and rounded several more corners, "She's close!"

Suddenly, the first rain drop fell and landed on Hiei's face. He looked up at the clouded sky, "Hurry!" He spurred on Youko, knowing that once it starts raining, her scent will be washed away. They hurried.

As they ran, Youko stopped at a forked road, he tsked, "This one is more frequented, that one is more recent." Hiei decided for him and ran down the recent path. The rain began to come down harder. Youko hurriedly scented and ran, but soon, he stopped just under the mountain.

"I can't smell her anymore." He replied sadly. Hiei looked around desperately. There was a shrine tori that headed up the mountain and houses that littered the abandoned road, situated around the mountain.

"YUKI!" Hiei screamed, looking around, "YUKIHIME!" He cried. There was no answer.

Hiei disappeared up the mountain through the shrine tori gates in search for high ground so that his jagan could be used easier. He landed on top of the shrine roof silently and sat down despite the rain coming down on him from above, soaking him to the bone. He ripped off his bandage and the jagan started glowing. He searched all the streets surrounding the mountain then searched the mountain around the shrine. Even if she was protected from his eye with a barrier, he was using large range sight, not looking for her spirit energy anymore. If she was within eyesights, he should be able to find her. Youko landed next to him and sat, keeping him company.

"Yusuke went back to check on Kuwabara and Yukina." Youko informed. Hiei didn't reply, still concentrating on the search. The rain continued to fall down and Youko had gone back, leaving Hiei alone to his search. He knew Hiei would be here all night.

Hiei desperately combed the streets again and again, combing through the forests, refusing to give up. He would find her. The rain weathered down on him until he was on the last of his spirit energy again. He felt exhaustion eat him up from inside, and soon, it pulled consciousness away from him as he rolled down the side of the shrine with a thud.


I knelt quietly waiting for the rain to end when I heard a loud thud sound from the side of the shrine. Curious, I peaked out the doors to find the source of the thud. I gasped when I found the same demon that I had rescued earlier this afternoon unconscious again next to a brush.

"Why are you always passed out?" I asked no one in particular, and dragged him into the shrine. He was small, but I was no bigger than he was. I had never practiced the arts of fighting, so I was exceptionally weak for a demon I guess. When I had finally managed to get him under the roof, I stared down at the washed out demon.

I sighed. This demon owes me big time. I huffed angrily as I carefully stripped off his tunic and spread it out to dry. His pants were soaked through as well, but I wasn't ready to be that charitable. Looking around, I found some mats that were stored away in a cupboard against the wall of the shrine. Silently thanking whoever had left it here, I took three and returned to the unconscious demon. I used one to wipe him dry and another one for myself. The last I used to cover his already warm body. Closing my eyes, I transferred a bit more spirit energy to him. When I was done, I retreated back to the cushion and knelt again to pray.


Hiei's eyes shot open. He was lying on his back inside the shrine with a hard mat covering his topless body. Still weak, he turned to see who had saved him and froze.

Kneeling next to him was a girl with a familiar long ice blue hair that trailed to her hips in the uniform of the school he had visited earlier. Her eyes were closed and she smiled softly. He couldn't believe his eyes. There she was, kneeling inside the shrine underneath him the entire time. Right when a tear rolled down his cheek, she turned her ice blue eyes to him and smiled.