CHAPTER 9 – BOTAN'S VISITATION
The day was finally over, and Botan's job was now finished. She flies back to Rekai ferrying the last soul who died that day. Then she finally arrived at the palace and went into Koenma's office to report back that she finished her duties and then she excused herself, and went to her room. She wasn't her usual self this day, she was being serious and always lost in her thoughts. Everyone might be back to their old selves, like Koenma who was back to his toddler form and back to his tantrums, which makes him always yell a lot. However Botan was now different, like the experiences she had changed her, or it was more like the fact that she met and had fallen in love with Yusuke, had greatly influenced her.
Botan lay down on her bed after she changed her clothes, then she let out a heavy sigh, and she started thinking:
"My life is back to normal again…..there is no more crisis and problems in the worlds. Now that I think about it, I never really liked my life before I met Yusuke. Sure I was always happy and cheerful, but I never really thought if I was truly happy or if I was only happy, but in fact I'm just living in ignorant bliss. Even though I knew a lot about both worlds (Human and Spirit Worlds), I never know life and the meaning of it. Although I am the grim reaper, I never really know what the true meaning of life is, even though some beings believe that you could find such answers in the afterlife, but they were wrong."
"I am a spirit, without my own body and life, I only exist to carry out my duties. So in other words I have no real life, my life is without meaning, I always wondered what the real meaning of life is, because even thought they say that the answers are in the after life, it is the other way around, the answers or the true meaning of life………………………is life itself."
"I learned and realized that even though I exist here in the spirit world, I don't know what life is because all I ever know was to take life and the end of it. Nevertheless, that was all my life before I met him, Yusuke…"
Just the fact that I met him was no coincidence and was not predicted, it was all in the ties of fate and destiny, one of the most mysterious elements and entity in life. "When I met him, my life changed just as his changed as well, he became a spirit detective and I became his assistant. Ever since I met him and befriended him, I had a lot of experiences that I never would've acknowledged if not for him. I learned human life as it is, I learned the emotions, the feelings, and to appreciate life, especially since I learned to love someone deeply, but we can never be together….."
Botan was thinking all night long and even dreamt about her past before she met Yusuke, when she met him, their adventures together, how her life changed so much because of him, and how it all turns back to her normal life. She somehow argued with herself all night, thinking about how she should carry on her life now, since she was different from before. Also she was recalling all her life from before till now, because of the fact that she loved him so much,that she wanted to express it, and thismade her to argue about it on herself, since she didn't want anyone to know about it, even though she really wanted someone else's opinion and views about her feelings. She didn't know what to do, even though she realized that she couldn't be with him and that she should not interfere with them, but that however wasn't enough. She wanted to know what she should do and she wanted someone's advice about it. However, even thought she didn't know what to do, one thing was certain, it was that she wanted to see him again. She may not be able to be with him, but she was more than happy to see him. Botan thought about the last time she saw Yusuke, it was about a week ago, and she sure has missed him and the others. She wanted to be spend time with him in Ningenkai even though he would be with Keiko and not her, it was fine with her. She as well wanted to see her best friend, but not as much as she wanted to see her secret love. So she slept into the long night lost in between her reveries and her dreams.
Botan woke up in the morning and had a good rest, when she suddenly realize that it was the middle of the day, it was noon already, and she was very surprised that she didn't wake up early. "Ohhh, thinking about Yusuke that much is starting to make me be like him, always waking up late in the day." She was now in a panic because she was late for her duties and she knew what Koenma was going to react. She quickly dressed back to her pink kimono, and quickly went to Koenma's office. While she was running down the hallway, hurrying to report to Koenma, she realized that even though she was late and knew that Koenma's going to have a fit, she didn't mind because she had good night's rest.
When she finally arrived to Koenma's office, she looked around to see the typical obnoxious Koenma yelling at George the Ogre, and his face was already colored red, that would mean that he started getting angry hours ago. So Botan quietly walked down to Koenma's desk and didn't say a word, not because she was afraid because she was really late, but because she recalled about Yusuke's idea to take a break and visit them in Ningenkai sometimes and she wanted to ask Koenma for a time off from her duties. However she didn't know how to ask him of this and she was afraid that he might refuse, especially since she figured out that he was madder because she was late for work, and because she just went back to work after the adventures she had with the gang.
So she stayed silent and looked down the red-carpeted floor, while she knew that Koenma now noticed her appearance, and went to sit on his chair by his desk. It stayed silent for a while when suddenly Koenma greeted her, "Good morning Botan! Or is it, Good Afternoon?" and then he chuckled. Botan was now freaked out about this, thinking "Okay what just happened? Did he just made a corny joke and laughed? He didn't sound like he was mad, maybe I could ask him now about my idea."
She was thinking of ways to express and ask him of this in a convincing but subtle way, even though she was afraid that he would refuse, she would not take no for an answer. An image of Yusuke flashed in her mind, and she summoned up the courage to ask him, but when she was about to speak. Koenma declared, "Botan…have a good time today, I know you wanted a time off from your job, so go to Ningenkai and meet up with Yusuke and the others, and have fun." He said followedwith a smile. Botan was very happy and glad to hear this that she could jump high and gave Koenma a friendly hugged, and thanked him for this. With that she was back to her normal cheery self and hurriedly summoned her oar, and flew down to Ningenkai. Koenma had a smile on his face, and thought to himself, "So I did the right thing after all, botan seems to be really happy when I gave her a day off….."
Flashback
Early in the morning, about 7:30 am
I was steaming mad when I knew that botan was late this morning,
"GEORGE! WHERE IS BOTAN!"
"Uuuuuummmmm….s-she's s-still sleeping, sir" George responded.
"WHATTTT! STILL SLEEEPING! DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO WAKE HER UP!"
"Yes sir! I'll do that right away!" George said in a frightened voice and was about to come out of the door, when Ayame walked in and blocked George from going out the door. She wanted to talk to me about Botan.
She explained to me about Botan's behavior in the past couple of days. I noticed too, but I never realize how serious it was, I thought that she was just having a bad day, but Ayame told me that she must have missed her ningen friends and felt very lonely. Ayame even told me the idea of giving her a break. At first I thought that it wasn't a good option, because we need her in Rekai to ferry the souls since she is one of the best ferry girls, but I couldn't refuse Ayame. So I gave in and thought that Ayame's idea was also for the best since she always know the right thing to do.
"All right, Ayame…I'll agree with your idea, and I will give Botan a break" I said.
"Thank you, Prince Koenma" Ayame replied with a warm smile, and before she left…she kissed me in the cheek….I was stunned and my face was covered in red, and in my mind I yelled out, "YESS! SCORE! SHE KISSED ME!" I was so happy and lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize that Ayame already left and George was there staring at me near the door, and may have saw everything so I just yelled in anger, "WHAT ARE YOU STARING AT! GET BACK TO WORK, NOWWWWWW!"
Botan was flying fast through the clouds, while humming happily, and thinking about seeing Yusuke again. She knew that Yusuke was probably with Keiko, but even though it would really hurt her, it was fine for her just to see Yusuke. Besides, she also wanted to see and hang around with Keiko, since she doesn't hate her because she has Yusuke, but she envies her. Also, Botan knows that she can't be with Yusuke, but she wanted to find out a reason or an answer by herself so she would understand her situation, and so she would know what to do.
So she hurried up and went directly to Yusuke's apartment. She arrived in his apartment, but she decided not to go through his window, and actually wanted to pay him a formal visit. So she dissipated her oar and walked to his front door. She wasn't really sure if Yusuke was home since he always goes out, but she decided to check anyway. So she knocked on the door about three times only, when Yusuke's mother, Atsuko, opened the door and was glad to see Botan. She remembered Botan after all these years, the girl who she thought went out with Yusuke, but turned out to be only a friend, and was a very kind girl. She grabbed Botan's hand and dragged her inside the apartment. Botan was very surprised to see the surroundings, it was clean and organized, and most of all, Atsuko wasn't drunk, but looked like a renewed person. Botan was in awe so she didn't say a word, until Atsuko broke the silence, and told her, "I know what you're thinking…about how things changed so much, and yes I am a new person."
Botan was even more surprised that Atsuko knew exactly what she was thinking, and then Botan smiled and said, 'You've read my mind" Atsuko was showing Botan around, and Botan was glad to be re-acquainted with Yusuke's mother, since she knew from the beginning that she was a great person, and she was anxious to know how much things have changed to other people's lives after all the adventures and crisis. They soon drank tea together, and talked more about a lot of things, but Botan wanted to see Yusuke. However Atsuko, knew why Botan visited, and apologized to her for taking up her time, and told her that Yusuke already leftearly in themorning,Botan was even more surprised at this, and Atsuko read her expression and smiled saying, "Yeah, I know, Yusuke did changed a lot, after being away and now that he's together with Keiko, he's even more changed." Botan smiled, but in her heart she was sad, she was happy because of Yusuke's amazing changes in life, but she was sad since she was not the cause of it. So she excused herself after thanking Atsuko for the tea, and Atsuko apologized to her for not saying about Yusuke's whereabouts earlier, and that she only knew that Yusuke went downtown, but she had no idea where he is exactly.
Botan wanted to see Yusuke, but she had no idea where to look for him, so she decided to go to Keiko's house, since she thought that Yusuke might be there. She also wanted to hang out with Keiko since she treats her more than a best friend, but like a sister, even though she is truly jealous of her, she doesn't feel any hatred against her. So Botan flew over to Keiko's house/restaurant and walked inside, she saw Keiko's parents who assumed she was a customer, but Botan only introduced herself as Keiko's friend, and wanted to see her.
Keiko was in the kitchen washing the dishes when she heard Botan's voice. She quickly went out of the kitchen and gave Botan a hug, Botan couldn't help but embraced back. So Botan ended up eating a meal of miso soup at the restaurant while talking to Keiko, they talked about the usual, like about their lives. They had a good conversation, until more customers came in and Keiko was needed to help out. Keiko wanted to go with Botan shopping and just hanging out, but she needed to help her parents. So she apologized to Botan for ruining her visit, since she can't go with her.
"Ohhh! I'm really sorry, Botan. I'm glad that you finally have a break, but I can't accompany you." Keiko said.
"That's okay Keiko. Don't feel bad about it, I understand, you have a good reason, and I think that you should just stay and help out your parents." botan replied.
"I know, but I wanted to take you out somewhere today… hey I know! Why don't you go with Yusuke? I'm sure he's awake by now" keiko responded.
Botan looked at the clock on the wall and noticed that it was almost2 o'clock. "umm..go with yusuke? Are you sure?" Botan asked uneasily.
"Yeah sure! I'm really sorry I can't be with you, but that doesn't mean that you can't have fun. So I thought that yusuke could go with you, and you know have fun." Keiko said with a smile.
"Yeah, but I don't want to disturb yusuke, and what if he doesn't want to" Botan recalled in their past adventures that Yusuke always wanted to go alone or by himself, and only needed her as an assistant to their missions, and they never really went out and had fun, since every time they together was only for dangerous missions.
"Hey…I know he'll agree, besides think about it, it was his idea for you to have a break from your duties, and it was the both of us who promised you that we were going to hang out and have fun." Keiko reassured Botan.
"Your right, Thanks, Keiko!"
"No problem, I'm sure he's awake by now, and if not, just smack him with your oar, hehehe…" Keiko saidwith a giggle.
"Umm, you see Keiko, I already went to Yusuke's, but the thing is…he wasn't there." botan said.
"Huh? What do you mean he's not there? When did you go to his apartment?"
"You wont believe this, buthis mom said that he leftearly in the morning, and his mother was the only one home, and she doesn't know where he is. So I thought that he was going to be here with you." she told her.
"Oh! Maybe that's not that unbelievable as you think, you see Botan, yusuke wakes up early now, since last week, he's always walking me to school and even picking me up from school, he's really changed. But I'm not sure why this time though, since it's Saturday and I'm pretty sure he knows that I don't have school on the weekends, so I really don't know where he is Botan."
"That's okay, keiko, maybe he just went out for something important."
"No, its not okay, I mean we promised to spend time with you, and I can't so I think that he should."
"Okay, but we don't know where he is." Botan told her.
"Oh I know! Botan you could sense Yusuke's spiritual energy, right?" Keiko asked her.
"Of Course! Why didn't I think of that in the first place, Keiko you're a genius!" Botan complimented her.
"So you can find him now right?"
"Yeah, thanks"
"Okay, I have to help my parents now"
"Go on, Botan,find him and see what he was doing early in the morning,and go have fun." Keiko told her.
"Thanks, will do! See you later Keiko!"
To Be Continued ...
Author's note:
I sincerley apologize to the readers out there for taking a long time to update. I had a really hard semester this year, with tons of homework, essays, thesis, projects, etc, school related activities to do. So it took me a while to update, so i am very sorry. In order to make up for it, I have already put up this chapter and the next, and the one after that will be put up soon, so just check it out till then, cause its going to be a chapter that will open up the story to its climax. So stay tuned!
