A Thousand Times

"You've proven to be the one we're looking for," she informed him.

"Whoa, whoa. What do you mean, I'm the one you're lookin' for?" He squinted at her, trying to suss out what she was on about. "This got anything to do with you following me around since the start of the month? And we?"

"Such high awareness, just as expected!" Botan pipped happily. "I must say though, even I was surprised you noticed my reconnaissance right off the bat!"

She laughed. Kuwabara blinked, taken aback at her good cheer and the positive remark on his sensing abilities, his tickle feeling. Feeling his face flush, he turned his head and rubbed at the back of his neck. It wasn't like he was Shizuru. "You weren't hard to notice. Kind of stood out," he mumbled.

Just like she stood out now. In her eye catching looks and chirpy good nature, it was easy to take notice of her. Kuwabara shifted to gaze fully at her. "So…Botan," he began.

"The usual human doesn't notice me at all! At least, not until they cross over and move on, but you are definitely something we've taken notice of. Oh! I'm speaking on behalf of Spirit World."

His whole body lost feeling. Distantly, Kuwabara heard the thump of his schoolbag. But the dropping of his schoolbag was nothing to what this spirit-ghost became real and substantial had dropped onto him.

Spirit World? The other world? Looking for him? Like…

"Oh no, no, nothing like that!" Botan quickly spoke up. It was probably meant to be reassuring, but it sounded more as though the sheer idea of whatever she thought he was thinking was just plain silly. "Well, I will freely admit that I am a spirit guide, what humans call a grim reaper, but my usual job and all the descriptions with it are not why I'm here for you."

Startled, the words burst out of him, stunned at that last bit. "Grim reaper? You're much too pretty and cheery to be a grim reaper!"

Botan pulled back, her purply-pink eyes blinking up at him, mouth parted open. Then laughed. Her hand went up, pink sleeve of her kimono tucked into the creases of her chin, her mouth and laughter still visible as though social habit had her doing the action, but her personality still shone through. Kuwabara reddened. She was laughing at him. And it didn't appe—

"Such nice words. But I assure you, I am a spirit guide Kuwabara. Or at least, that was my job description until recently. Like I was saying before, you're the one we're looking for. You have great instincts and drive to reach goals, which makes for a vast potential future in the development of your abilities. You, Kazuma Kuwabara, have all that's required to be a detective of the Spirit World."

Hand shifting, Botan's finger pointed directly at him with this pronouncement. Delivering… He stared. From Spirit World. It…it wasn't going to be easy to avoid this new thing. To deal with this. This was completely crazy turned up to off the charts boss level insane. From ghosts coming to him and haunting his dreams to…to this?

Especially if it was delivered by someone this pretty. Making it sound important. And praising him.

Curiosity came to the forefront, wanting to know more from her. "De-detective?"

"Yep! Tackling any cases going on we need you to handle in the area, keeping an eye out on things you naturally already have a knack for!" Botan smiled up at him, still pretty, taking away the sting and full force of exactly what she was saying. Her beaming face and phrase echoed through Kuwabara's head. 'Already have a knack for!'

"I'll be coming to you, supplying you with information on your cases. They won't be easy. I hope you're ready. You'll learn quickly enough, I'm sure. I saw how well you were able to boost yourself with all that motivation for Okubo. Not to mention that get-up-and go drive you have in both improving your fighting skills and using those skills to protect those who need it! You, are very impressive."

Straightforward and direct, Kuwabara's felt his entire face go warm under all her praise. "I…I'm not that impressive. I just do what any man should…"

"But not every person does choose to do so! I am sure we'll have so much fun working together! I'll be seeing you soon!"

In a flash of iridescent, an oar formed out into her hands. Kuwabara shifted back in surprise. Where did that…? It felt like… Then, she slipped the wooden oar behind and beneath her, feet hovering just above the ground. Floating. As he knew and felt from all this time before. But to see her doing it so effortlessly and brazenly in front of him like this… He stared.

Botan smiled at him and then was gone.

Kuwabara spun, following where he still sensed her. That ghost-spirit feeling he had before. Grim reaper feeling, he corrected in his head. Really? A grim reaper? Her? Squinting, he followed the area his senses told him and could briefly make out her shape and form flying off, up higher in the air and back into the direction he'd come from in the first place. Towards Sarayashiki Junior High.

"Seeing me soon," he said to himself. Then shook his head. "I wonder what exactly she wants me to do. Huh. A detective of Spirit World. I guess it sounds…impressive. Spirit World. Noticed me?"

Kuwabara shivered to himself.

Despite the pretty face to go along with the introduction, still kind of creepy. But… He reddened, smiling and feeling all sorts of goofy and warm. Botan sure was nice and pretty. He practically floated through checking the area for punks looking for trouble.

Kazuma Kuwabara, Sarayashiki Junior High's number one punk.

But it was probably a good thing that what Yukimura said could be true in Urameshi having this area covered. He wasn't in top form. Not with his chest brimming at the attention of Botan and his mind turning over her words in his head.

Kazuma Kuwabara. A Spirit World detective?


AN: And here is the start of the next part, a new chunk of chapters. I'll be slowing up a bit in posting. Posting up the chapters for the first part daily was a bit, well. Gap time might be nice, no? Except I still want to make sure it's the same, keep my promise of getting the chapters for a chunk up fairly quickly. I'll be posting this next part, section, chunk of the story twice a week. Sunday and Thursday. Once again, there will be time between this part and the next part, as I'll only start posting again when I have the next part of the story all typed out, but once I start posting a part, I plan to get chapters up fairly quickly. There are 9 chapters set for the second part.