A/N: This is completely random and silly and it is inspired by Galavant which I binge watched while my ankle was in recovery from a flare of tendinitis which put me on crutches. I hope everyone enjoys it if nothing else. it's a little...OOC and out there but it was fun to write.

Rescue Mission

"You're joking." Red eyes read the scroll in his hand with eyes full of incredulous disbelief. "Kurama got himself kidnapped? How the hell did that happen?"

"Don't yell at me! I'm just the messenger Hiei." Botan puffed her cheeks, hands moving to her hips. "All I know is that you're supposed to get him."

"I can read, Botan." Hiei looked up from the scroll with a glower. "Tell Urameshi to do this, he's more the hero type than I am. Also I don't want to go. If Kurama was dumb enough to get captured, then this is on him. Don't see why I have should have to clear my schedule to rescue him."

"Hiei." Botan glared at him. "I'm not leaving until you agree to do this."

"Oh gods." He rolled his eyes up to the sky then groaned. "Why do I have to?"

"Because Koenma said so."

"I don't listen to Koenma."

"Hiei."

"Botan."

"Hiei, go get Kurama."

"I don't want to. I don't want to spend so many days on the road. I'm bound to run into someone insufferable."

"Only room enough for one of those in your party?"

They stared at each other, both glaring.

"No." Hiei crossed his arms.

"Yes. This is how it goes Hiei, you're the hero, you go on an adventure to rescue the damsel in distress-"

"Kurama isn't a damsel."

"-and then you make a nice little merry group with the supporting cast you meet on the way and find it hard to separate at the end of the story so you figure it all out or there's a lot of unresolved tension that other people try to resolve in their own writings." Botan finished with her hands waving in the air. "That's how it is, that's how it goes, and you're going to play your part. Now. Stop arguing with me, go on your damn adventure or I'm going to tell everyone you were too scared to go."

Hiei bristled, nostrils flaring. "I'm not afraid, you nitwit. I just don't want to go."

"Fine. I'll ask Kuwabara."

"Tell Koenma I'm on my way."

Hiei picked his way through the forest with a permanent glower on his face, flitting from tree to tree headed for the supposed spot where Kurama was being kept. What the hell had this fox done that had landed him in this position? Kurama was the smartest idiot he knew, the fact someone was able to overcome him was mind boggling. Maybe he went willingly and this was all some sort of sham? Maybe he was playing a trick on Hiei.

Maybe they were all playing a trick on him.

From what he knew of the land it would take him at least two weeks to get to Kurama. Who knew what he'd face along the way-

An arrow cut the tip of his nose embedding in the trunk of the tree whose branch he was balanced on. His head whipped to the side with fury lacing his crimson gaze. A group of bandits, one in the tree across the path from him with an arrow knocked on his bow aimed right at his face three more on the ground with various weapons. The arrow flew and Hiei blurred away to dodge it. He surged forward to attack the archer with a snarl. Once the demon hit the ground, the intense fall he took ending with a dull crack. Hiei landed on the ground with both feet to take on the other three when he noticed they were already bleeding out in various broken positions.

"That's bad for your knees."

Hiei spun around, sword drawn to face the metallic voice that sounded behind him, his shoes sliding through the blood-slicked dirt. Another sword brushed his to the side, the leather-armored figure parrying before thrusting their blade toward his throat, their eyes shadowed by their helmet.

"Calm down. I'm not your enemy." A voice rasped through metal.

Hiei knocked their weapon away and started to pace around in a circle, eyes narrowed. "Then why is your blade drawn?"

"You drew yours first."

"You snuck up behind me." Hiei growled thrusting forward to be matched once again. The other figure moved in a circle too, form and posture trained. Hiei noticed that he couldn't hear their footsteps which made him curious because he knew his were practically silent as well. "You're going to die just like your disgusting friends."

Hiei rushed forward and slashed only to be blocked and kicked in the stomach. When he swung around they knocked him back, spinning around so their arm locked his and with expert precision they disarmed him. Hiei snarled and yanked trying to free himself. They released him, shoving him back until his shoulders hit the trunk of a tree.

"Hot headedness is not a favorable trait." The figure reached up and pulled their helmet off to reveal long red hair with braids latticed throughout. Then they removed their metal mask which hid most of their face. Blue eyes glimmered at him, a smile that crooked to the left revealing a sharpened canine. Hiei blinked at the feminine features looking down at him. Given her height, over a half-foot taller than himself, he'd assumed his opponent was a man. Her armor also didn't give a hint as to her sex. What the everloving hell was this now? "No friends of mine sir. In fact I just finished dispatching them for attacking you. I can't stand by and watch defenseless creatures get attacked. I feel a compulsive need to intervene."

"You're a woman." Hiei stared. "Wait a minute. Do not call me defenseless, do you have any idea who I am?"

"No. Should I?" She shrugged and turned her face down the path the way he'd come. "You should find a way out that way. This place is riddled with thieves and bandits. This isn't for the faint of heart."

"I'm headed that way. I have something to do." He snapped at her. "I'm a bandit myself, you know. I don't need some woman coming out of nowhere dressed like a tacky knight trying to tell me what to do. I'm an S-class demon."

"You? A bandit?" She laughed. "But you're so small. That's an adorable dream, little one. Anyway, joking aside I sincerely advise you go back the way you've come."

"What are you even doing here?" He asked, crossed arms blocking off his body-language.

"I'm off to rescue someone. Apparently a soft looking man was kidnapped and brought this way and since I was bored I decided to take the case. Like I said, I'm drawn to protecting defenseless creatures. The prettier the better." Her toothy grin and wink made Hiei raise and eyebrow. She stooped down and plucked the coin bags from the waists of the bandits at her feet. She tossed them in the air then caught them in her palm before affixing them to her belt. "Well, have a safe trip little one."

"Wait." Hiei held up his hand and she paused. "You're telling me you're off to rescue Kurama too."

"Kurama?" She tilted her head. "Is that his name?"

"Greens eyes, red hair, insufferably intelligent and smug about it?" He described.

"Sounds lovelier with every word. Wonder how he'll repay me for saving him." She caught her bottom lip with her teeth. "Kurama. Lovely name. You seem to know a great deal about him."

"This is absurd." Hiei grumbled quietly. Louder he said, "Yes, of course I know him. I've known him for years. I'm rescuing him."

"If you know him so well, how did he wind up captured? Sounds like you're not very attentive." She put her hand on her sheathed sword, cocking her head to assess him. "Unless this is something you two do often? Is this a thing for you? He get's kidnapped, you rescue him, you two celebrate?"

Hiei took a second to catch her meaning then sputtered, his face red as beets.

"I never said it was like that!"

"So, he's not yours?"

"No!"

"Good." She patted him on the shoulder and started walking. "Then you won't get in my way. It's been a while since I've rescued someone and had them show me their gratitude. I'm looking forward to this."

"I just told you, I'm rescuing him." Hiei stopped her.

"How about we do it together?" She offered, raking her eyes down him. Again that toothy left-side-crooked-grin graced her features and Hiei felt heat rise into his cheeks under her attention.

Goddamn, were all women this openly salacious? Not in his experience. What was her angle? Was she trying to pull something? He didn't trust that smile.

"No." Hiei decided quickly. "I can do this alone. I don't need you. I just need to find Kurama, kick his ass for being an idiot, and get back to my life."

"If you're that eager to get back to your life why don't you leave the rescuing to me?"

"Because if I don't do this people will think I'm a coward and I'm not a coward." He stated firmly. "You can go away now. I don't need help."

"Then I guess I'll just have to beat you there." She turned her attention back down the path with a smile. "See you at the gates little one."

"Don't call me that! I'm a fucking terrifying monster." He growled at her, fists at his sides. "I'm a general! I have done feats no other man before me has dared to! I fucking conquered the Black Dragon and consumed it!"

"That does not sound hygienic. You shouldn't eat dragons, sir. I'm fairly certain they are endangered." She scrunched up her face. "Not to mention reptiles carry a staggering amount of communicable diseases."

"Who are you?" Hiei asked her, perplexed.

"Just a wanderer." She winked at him. "No one of any importance."

"You said that in a very suspicious way." He told her.

"I'll be off then. Try not to die or get in my way. I have a very pretty man to go win the favor of." She started off again, swaggering off in her leather armor, helmet tucked under her arm.

"Oh no you don't." Hiei started after her. "I just told you that I'm the one who is doing the rescuing!"

"I offered to do this together." She kept walking. "You're the one who wouldn't concede. We're either allies or enemies love, your pick."

"Hey!" Hiei grabbed her arm and spun her around. "That isn't how this is going to work. This is my job, not yours."

"You're right. This is more of a hobby than anything else for me. Are you getting paid?" She seemed mildly impressed. "A professional hero isn't a job to sneeze at."

"What? No. I was blackmailed into this." He told her with a glower. "But that doesn't change anything. I'm saving Kurama and you're going back to whatever it was you did before."

"I think not." She made a face, grimacing. "I'm not exactly the order taking type, little one, and quite frankly I'm not that frightened of you as terrible as you claim to be. I have no reason to fear you. I also have no reason to listen to you."

"He's my ally."

"Then you shouldn't have lost him." She pulled a fruit from her pocket and took a bite out of it. "You sound awfully inept."

"Excuse you." Hiei growled. "I'm not Kurama's keeper. He's normally better at keeping himself out of trouble."

"Maybe he needs someone valiant to stand at his side and guide him through trouble." She smirked into the distance, fruit juice dripping down her chin. She wiped at it absently. "At least for a night."

"You're worse than most men I know." Hiei declared, in awe. "Really, you sound like a horny teenager."

"I haven't been one of those in quite some time." She snorted. "You're following me."

"I'm convincing you to drop this quest."

"You're not really." She told him with sympathy. "You're awfully bad at this. Are you sure you're a hero?"

"I'm not. I told you, I'm a bandit. I was merely blackmailed into this, but if I don't do it then-"

"Coward. Right. I remember." She rolled her eyes away. "It would be awfully brave of you to work with someone else. Honestly you'd be helping two people at once, wouldn't you? Me to find some brief sense of accomplishment and your friend by liberating him from his captors. That's the polar opposite of cowardice in my opinion."

Hiei considered it for a moment. He didn't trust her, nor did he care for her logic-bending but she did have an unfortunate point. If he took her along not only would he have accepted and completed this stupid quest but he'd have also done something no one would have considered him capable of: working as a team. That would really stick it to Botan and the others. He could show up with Kurama safe and sound and also tell them he went on an adventure with some random woman he met in the woods.

"You're right." Hiei's lips twisted up into a cruel grin. "You're absolutely right. The only way to get those idiots to understand I am capable of far more than they expect is to prove it outright. If I arrive to rescue Kurama with you at my side he'll tell the others. Maybe then they'll stop trying to rope me into these inane quests so I can finally be done with them."

"Small amendment. I'm arriving you at my side." She tossed her head side to side, chewing on another bite of her fruit. "Which, in and of itself isn't an uncomfortable idea for me. You have your own appeal."

He raised an eyebrow and glanced her way, roused from his thoughts. Deciding not to comment he let her have this one. If she thought she was the lead even better. Maybe she'd get herself into trouble and he'd have to save her as well. That would be a good story.

"We'll travel together." He told her. "But don't get ahead of yourself."

"Whatever you ask of me, little one." She smiled into her fruit before taking her last bite, disregarding the pit over her shoulder. "I assume you've plotted your route and have made your choices as to where you'd like to stop for camp as you go?"

"I was going to sleep in the trees."

She blew out a long breath of air. "Cool. Well, good luck with that. I'll set up camp tonight, but tomorrow we'll hit a small village that assuredly has a tavern and therefore an inn. I'll sleep there while you enjoy yourself getting eaten alive by blood hungry insects."

"A waste of time." He groused. "Who needs the accommodations of an inn?"

She shook her head without answering.

"I never asked and you never offered earlier, so, what is your name?" The woman craned her head back to stare at Hiei in his tree while she sat by a fire she'd made later that night.

"That's personal information." He told her, eyes closed as he lounged, prepared to sleep.

"What an odd name. Was that inherited from your mother or father?"

"I don't have a father."

"So your name is private but your back story is not." She teased him and earned a fiery glare. "What a strange little creature you are."

"Call me little one more time and I'll eviscerate you in your sleep." The warning came darkly from above.

"You have a lovely voice, has anyone ever told you that?" She asked him, turning her attention back to her fire. Her body was tucked in the roots of the tree he'd claimed, her helmet resting beside her, her sword resting with it's hilt against her shoulder and it's point between her feet.

"No."

"Too bad. It's a compliment worth paying." She commented.

Hiei looked at her from his perch. Her hair glowed in the fire light as thought it was molten itself. She had been rather upbeat their entire walk thus far. The conversation had been kept to a minimum until they'd stopped for the night. He'd advised her to sleep up in the trees, far safer than the ground. She'd commented that while she normally did sleep in the branches on her journeys she was feeling more stable in the roots at the moment. He found that so strange. It didn't bother him until she'd mentioned it that he didn't know her name either.

"What about you?" He asked dryly.

"I've been told my voice is lovely when I use it sparingly."

Hiei's eyebrow ticked. "I meant your name, woman."

"Well, it is definitely not woman." She remarked, settling into her sleeping position with her back against the trunk. "I believe you said names were private, didn't you? Fair begets fair sir."

"Don't call me sir."

"I have nothing else to call you as you insist I shouldn't call you little one."

Hiei didn't respond, frowning as he settled in too, eyes once again closing. Their conversation died even as the embers of their fire continued to burn.

The woman beamed as they entered a small dirty village. Demons gave them both wary, annoyed glances as they whispered amongst themselves in clumped groups. Hiei suspected that it was do to his crimson glare as he looked around and the woman's strange armor with that mask that covered her face and made it hard to discern her intentions or her gender. A man swaggering around like a hero boasted arrogance even without opening his mouth and Hiei knew that's what the townspeople saw in her. It was what he saw and he knew what lay beneath that mask. Hiei sneered as he followed beside the woman who seemed dead set on making her way to a tavern, knowing this entire day was going to be riddled with frustration and disaster. With delight she gestured to the filthy building before them.

"What did I tell you sir? A tavern and an inn." She told Hiei. "And you know what you find in an inn?"

"Bedbugs?" He shuddered at the thought.

"The innkeepers beautiful daughter." She ignored him and sauntered toward the door without waiting for him.

Hiei stayed behind for a second to sigh out his dull annoyance. This woman. It seemed she had exactly two things on her mind at any given moment: adventure and sex. He was again struck with the thought that she was worse than most men he knew. She was definitely more brazen than the women whose company he kept.

"A room, please." Hiei entered the tavern just as the woman made her request through her mask.

"No vacancies." The grizzled man behind the bar continued to clean the glass in his hands with a dirty cloth.

What a wonderful way to get tetanus, Hiei thought as he looked around. Or any number of communicable diseases. Not to mention stabbed, as the crowd of men and women in the musky tavern glared at the woman and now him.

"I see." She responded, reaching up to undo her mask to reveal her feminine face. With her voice no longer distorted by the metal filters of the mask she offered a subdued smile to the wide eyed barkeep. "Well, perhaps you'll at least allow me to buy a drink and a hot meal."

There was a beat where everyone looked around in pause waiting to hear his answer.

"Fine." He relented.

"Marvelous." She reached down and plucked a few coins from the handful of purses on her belt, offering them to him. "A meal for my traveling companion and myself, if you would and a drink for me."

"You've already overstayed your welcome here." Hiei commented at her side.

"It's natural to be suspicious of outsiders." She responded with a shrug. "They are right to be wary, I can't fault them for their instincts."

She took a seat at a table, setting her mask and helmet on the rough wood surface. She worked the clasps of her chest piece and soon that thudded against the bench she occupied, revealing a long-sleeved linen shirt of white under an indigo leather tunic. Hiei wondered, for only a fraction of a moment, how the armor had managed to so completely box and flatten her figure. Perhaps that's why she wore it, to prevent wandering eyes from assessing her as a female too quickly. It wasn't too long before a stein of beer was set on the table at her elbow by a young woman with grey skin, wide dark eyes and snow-white hair hanging free down her back.

"Well, aren't you a lovely vision after a long trip." The woman smiled that toothy grin and the girl's cheeks darkened. The redhead offered a coin and placed it delicately in the woman's palm, closing the others fingers around the piece of silver while maintaining sparkling eye contact.

Hiei wanted to gag but felt it would be a touch dramatic, even for him.

"Keep them coming." The woman purred, not bothering to hide the way she gazed down the other woman's body. "Maybe you'll even join me later."

The white-haired woman scurried away, but not without glancing back at the redhead with another deep blush.

"You are the actual worst." Hiei declared. "You're going to get us kicked out."

"You didn't want to be here anyway." She reminded him. "It wouldn't kill you to relax and enjoy the moment. All this complaining you do is bad for your health. Stress is a killer."

"Don't worry about my health."

She shrugged and sipped her beer. "Did you want a drink?"

"No. Getting drunk is sloppy, and it'll get you killed."

"Don't worry about my health." She tossed back with a sly grin. He frowned at her. "You know, in this dingy light you're an attractive man."

Hiei pursed his lips and glared at her. As far as statements that wasn't even close to complimentary. He rolled his eyes. It wasn't like he cared. Maybe he could flee without her once she was well-and-drunk. He would wait until then, mainly because his stomach growled and while he looked away with from her stupid pleased face he had to admit a good meal would be nice. Pathetic. He should just get up and walk out, let the woman drink herself into a stupor, eat her weight in food, roll around with the innkeeper's daughter and while she was distracted with all that nonsense (which would surely get her killed) he could be halfway to Kurama and be done with all this. Still he remained waiting for his food.

She drained her beer and he wondered what her name was since she had decidedly not told him the night before. He'd need to know it so that when someone questioned if he knew her he could outright lie instead of just being perplexed.

Another drink appeared in her hand, switched out before she'd even lowered the stein. The white-haired woman smiled and then scurried off once again, the bartender grumbling for her to serve other customers.

"Do you always attract this much attention?" Hiei growled.

"It's hard not to with the hair." She shrugged, looking around. "Funny place this is. Taverns are normally more lively, don't you think?"

She leaned back on her bench and eyed the other burly looking patrons with a frown, squinting as she seemed to assess the room.

"They're keeping their heads down because they don't know us." She decided with pursed lips. "That simply won't do. I didn't come in here to make enemies."

"We're not here to make friends either." Hiei warned her. "Don't cause trouble woman. I will leave you here to bleed out if the need arises."

"I like a man who is honest with his intentions." She leered at him. "There is something incredibly intoxicating about that quality in my opinion."

"I'm not one of your bedmates, don't look at me like that."

"Oi! Barkeep!" She got to her feet and Hiei noticed her cheeks already turning a light shade of pink from the alcohol. "How much for a round?"

"For you?" He asked with a sneer.

"Nah, darling man, for everyone. I'd like to buy the house some drinks. What'll that run me?" Her clear words started to slip into an accent Hiei hadn't noticed before. "The air is too stiff, mate, we need to loosen it up. I want to hear laughter and shouting not the sound of my own breath."

He tossed her a price and she laughed at it then turned to face Hiei with wide open arms. "A paltry sum for quick friendship!"

"Don't rope me into your bullshit woman."

"That's not my name!" She laughed heartily then fished coins from one of the purses she carried. Tossing them onto the counter she watched the barkeeper's eyes widen and his throat move as he swallowed. "Three rounds it'll be then. Thrice the merriment for my new friends I hope."

She swept a bottle from his side of the counter, pulled it open with her teeth and winked at him.

"And this one for my table." Turning to the room she lifted her bottle and rather loudly spoke. "Drink your fill! Let's celebrate life mates!"

There were answering cheers and laughs as she confidently picked her way back to the table, several demons patting her back and shoulders as they passed her on their way to get their booze. Hiei glared instead of grinned, the suddenly warm atmosphere chaffing him.

"You should flaunt your money." He hissed quietly. "You're asking for trouble."

The woman held a finger up to him as she gulped from the bottle. He waited impatiently for her to come up for air. When she did it was with rosy cheeks and a blinding grin, her eyes sparkling.

"I'm inviting trouble." She leaned toward him. "I'm a big fan of it, actually. Keeps me spry. You don't seem like the sort to shy away from it so I wonder what your aversion is sir."

"I told you to stop calling me that."

"I told you I didn't have a choice." She reminded him. "Leave me here my man, if I bother you so much. We don't need each other for this quest."

"Why are you so sure of yourself?"

"I have no reason for doubt. I've never failed at something I've wanted to do." She hiccuped. "You really are handsome now that I look at you properly. Nice jaw. Pretty eyes. In shape."

Hiei stared at her, alarmed.

"Expressive." She hummed. "I could be in worse company."

"I'm not your company. We are not in the this together. I'm only keeping you around because it'll make me look good to my other allies." He warned her. "Do not assume things."

"Apologies sir." She pulled back as their dinner was served. With reddened cheeks and a fuzzy smile she peered up at the lovely woman who stood at her side. "Since there is no bed for rent my I borrow yours for the night?"

"Stop it." Hiei kicked her shin under the table, earning a hissed swear. A giggle answered the outburst.

"Not for the night." The woman responded with her own blush. "But maybe for an hour."

The redhead considered the offer and then grinned. "I accept that challenge. Keep my food on the plate mate, I'll be back in an hour."

She rose from the table and Hiei sighed heavily before tearing into the meet on his plate with vigor. He was not going to wait an hour for that women to please herself and then also hang around for her to finish her meal. Why should he guard her plate? She's the idiot who flounced off. For his troubles he plucked a few things from her selection and dropped them amongst his own food. He might was well fill up while he could then he'd be on his way.

He absolutely was not going to wait.

Except he did. Inexplicably he remained, scowling, until the woman sauntered down the stairs looking ruffled and unkempt, her hair thoroughly mussed. She collapsed on her side of the table with clearer eyes than when she'd left and immediately began to shovel food into her mouth.

"I want to go." Hiei snapped at her. "Eat faster."

"Have a drink, it'll tame your nerves." She spoke around chewing.

"I said no."

"Maybe you should have a romp with someone, perhaps it'll improve your attitude." She suggested with a snort of laughter. "You're the most uptight man I've ever had to deal with."

"You're impudent. It annoys me."

She swallowed another swig from her bottle without responding, going back to eating. He watched her and realized she was, to her best ability, hurrying. That earned his suspicion.

"Did you do something." He demanded quietly.

"Here's the thing about innkeeper's daughters, as beautiful as they may be," she told him, "they all, unfortunately, have fathers."

The white-haired woman descended the stairs looking a little mussed herself but mostly put together. The man behind the bar glanced her way, then toward the redhead, then back and then his face turned purple as she and Hiei watched. Hurriedly she shoved the last of her food into her mouth, grabbed her things and turned to Hiei.

"Time to go." She bolted for the door as the man started bellowing in outrage and Hiei followed, angry with himself for not just leaving her there like he'd intended.

He had to admit it was rather funny watching the woman struggle into her armor as she tucked her clothes back into place, tripping as she ran because she wasn't paying attention. Lifting the bottle into the air she turned around and shouted, "Thanks for the meals mates, I look forward to coming again!"

"Bye!" The white-haired maiden cried out to which her father shouted indignantly.

Hiei outright laughed as the woman winked and began running again as someone threw something their

"I ate too fast." The woman panted, bent at the waist with her hands on her knees as she labored over stomach cramps. "And I didn't even get into a proper fight. She was lovely though, wasn't she?"

"Shameless." Hiei accused, watching her with humor. "You knew what would happen."

"I did." She admitted. "Do you think we could've taken the lot of them?"

"I could have."

"I like that confidence." She rose with a deep breath. "I've never lost a bar fight you know."

He figured she'd been in plenty so maybe that held clout. "I'll leave you behind next time. Much less trouble."

"I think you like the trouble, otherwise why would you have waited for me?" She teased Hiei, poking his chest before walking around him. Over her shoulder she grinned. "Let's get going. I wan to sweep your lovely sounding friend off his feet as soon as possible."

"I don't know if your Kurama's type." Hiei followed with his hands in his pockets. "I've never seen him take well to flirts and skirt-chasers."

"I'm more than my impish behavior implies." She explained, a hand waving through the air. "I'm actually quite a well rounded person, actually. I enjoy more educated pleasures than you'd assume. I love to read and write, I'm a gifted fighter, I enjoy helping people. And yes, I enjoy making trouble but only the manageable kind. Plus, perhaps, I was showing off a bit but it worked. I got what I wanted from it."

"And what was that? Other than a drink, a meal, and a bedfellow?" Hiei demanded.

"I made you laugh." She told him and the lilt of her teasing changed.

Hiei stopped, staring at her back. "What does that get you?"

"Nothing really, but it's good for you isn't it? To have a little fun? It was brief but for a moment you were relaxed and happy. Shame it cost me so much money to make happen."

He started walking again, considering her more seriously. "You're strange."

"Aye, I've met that accusation more than I care to admit."

"What do you do when you aren't turning entire bars against yourself?" He ventured to start a new conversation with less malice than any of their previous talks.

"Truthfully I only do that every now and then. I don't like upsetting whole towns too often, it doesn't breed great diplomatic relations. That one happened to be isolated enough I didn't think word of my behavior would get back to anyone. It's all about location, location, location." She explained moving her hands to her pockets as she looked up at the canopy and the random splotches of sunlight filtering through it. "I read a lot, about other lands and about adventures and laws. I train in archery and swordsmanship. I meet with people and shake their hands and get them to trust me at my word."

"You sound like a con artist."

"I feel like one some days." Her distracted answer lacked the warmth he'd come to expect of her voice. Hiei looked to the side at her, scrutinizing this change. "The fact of it is, most of my life I have to live up to the expectations of others. It's hard, being chained to the idealizations of others. Stifling, even. I much prefer wandering around like a vagrant."

"Wait, did you say diplomatic relations?" He asked her, suddenly confused.

Her eyes widened at the sound of a footstep not their own.

"Oh fuck." Shinpi grabbed Hiei, spinning them both around to hide behind a tree. His shoulders bit against the bark as she covered his mouth with her hand, eyes boring into his. Her expression clearly told him to keep quiet or forfeit his life.

Hiei pulled his brows down, not sure where this was coming from until footsteps crunched some leaves and twigs nearby.

"Hichi, I know you're close. Just come out here."

Shinpi pressed her lips together and used her other hand to raise a finger to her lips to indicate Hiei needed to keep quiet. He complied out of curiosity more than anything else.

"I'll find you, Hichi, you know that."

Who the fuck was Hichi, Hiei wondered.

A crow cawed behind them and the woman turned to look over her shoulder at it before closing her eyes in resolute annoyance.

"For the sake of the gods." She muttered, releasing Hiei and stepping to the side into view of their interloper. "Hai, how have you been? You look well."

"You ran off. Again." The man growled as Hiei listened still hidden behind the tree. "It's time to go home."

Hiei waited while wondering who exactly had come to fetch this insane woman. Was she married?

"I'm on an adventure Hai. I'm off to save someone. I'm not going home." Shinpi argued with a clear whine to her voice. "Honestly. Let me have this."

"You have duties to attend to. You were supposed to be visiting villages and greeting leaders, princess, not running off and getting into trouble. Your parents are concerned for you. Not to mention I've had to pick up your slack, again."

"Because you sold me out!" She complained. "You're supposed to have my back!"

"I do! That's why I told them. You went missing! You can't just abandon your duties whenever you feel like it."

"You're a princess?" Hiei asked quietly from the safety of his refuge. Her eyes darted to him then away.

"Now is not the time." She muttered under her breath. "Stay out of this."

"You've had your adventure, we're going. I just came from a tavern that said you practically caused a riot." The man she called Hai approached on clumsy, loud feet. "Hichi, honestly, this is enough. It's time to get back to work."

Hiei caught sight of her expression, defeated and upset, and he rolled his eyes at his own crumbling fortitude. Dammit. He stepped around the tree into view and leveled the man with a harsh look. "She's not going anywhere. We're on the path to rescue someone and she's essential to me succeeding."

"Who are you?" The dark haired, sharp featured man demanded visibly put off by Hiei's sudden appearance.

"Hiei." Hiei told him firmly. "And she is coming with me. She can go home when her task is done. I'm not interested in keeping her away forever, just until we get my ally back."

Shinpi smiled at him and he glared at her.

"Don't ruin this." He warned her quietly. With a nod she agreed. "So, you can tell whoever you need to that the princess is in good hands."

Hai, as the woman called him, looked thoroughly ruffled. "Hichi, your new friend aside, you know you can't do this. You're needed to make sure the relationships between these lands and yours are stable."

"If father wanted someone stable he shouldn't have sent me." She beamed despite her absolutely strange words. "You'll do great Hai. I'll find you when I'm done! Just tell them you couldn't find me. That's what we did last time."

Last time, Hiei thought. Did she have a habit of running off?

He should've just let the man take her.

"Fine." Hai relented, large black wings unfurling from nowhere around him. His dark eyes settled on Hiei with a fiercely protective glare. "If anything happens to her while she's with you, just know, you'll have made an enemy of an entire territory."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Hiei smirked then clenching his right fist with intention. "But don't worry about it. I'll keep your little princess well guarded."

"Your name is Hiei. Hiei." The woman tried out the syllables with a thoughtful smile. "That's not what I expected. I suppose I thought you'd be named something more sinister, like Vincent."

"Vincent?" Hiei snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. My name is sinister because I have made it that way."

"I'm certain." She nodded.

"Hichi is a strange name, especially for royalty." He huffed, rolling his eyes toward her. "I would have thought you were in a guard of some kind with your armor, but it seems I've gotten myself mixed up with the heir to a kingdom."

"I've abdicated about six times now but they never take me seriously. I have no intention of ruling." She raked her fingers through her long red bangs, sighing. "I'd much rather just do this for the rest of my life. Wandering, getting a taste for the world and it's fruits. The world is far larger than my small homeland and I want to leave footprints all over it."

They walked in silence for a short while before she finally looked at him.

"My name is actually Amon-Shinpi Takani."

"That's a mouthful. Your parents must not like you very much."

She laughed. "They barely consider the meaning of names when they give them, I think. Mine is is so long and it is a mingle of different cultures and my sister's is so short and perfect for her. My brother has a middle name even though the rest of us don't."

"So, you're a princess who wants to be a wanderer, I'm a hero who wants to be at home and we're on our way to rescue a fox who wants to be a human." Hiei chuckled. "At least we're all in good company."

"Thank you for stepping in. When Hayato starts to guilt me I always succumb. He works hard to keep me in line and sometimes I feel very bad for him."

"That's a losing battle if I've ever heard of one."

She smirked then, devious and gleaming. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"So, what sort of princess carries a sword and loots the corpses of bandits?"

Hiei had openly decided not to use the woman's nickname nor her full name as both sounded too odd to him and if she wanted to pretend she was someone else what was the use of a name so familiar to her and anyone who knew her? So instead he called her Shinpi which she hadn't seemed to take exception to yet. Currently, they both sat in the higher branches of a tree decently enshrouded in it's large leaves so they couldn't be seen from below unless someone knew where to look. They sat at angles facing away from one another but her voice still carried as she quotes poetry to him from memory.

"Human poets feel a yearning I've yet to encounter elsewhere." She told him quietly, her eyes skyward. "We don't feel things so deeply. I think that's because our lives aren't quite so fleeting."

"You talk a lot." He told her, closing his eyes. "You should sleep. I'm leaving when I wake up."

"Sleep is for the comfortable." She breathed still staring at the sky. "Do you really not enjoy poetry?"

"I really don't."

"You should expand your horizons, Hiei, there's nothing wrong with growing."

"Stop talking."

The forest at the foot of the mountain upon which satthea stone fortress where Kurama was supposedly held captive was unruly if one were to describe it mildly. The plants were wild, overgrown, and hungry seeming. They made noises as Hiei and Shinpi slashed their way through them, both planting.

"Kurama, goddammit." Hiei muttered.

He now had the suspicion that Kurama wasn't so much as a captive as the tyrant in this tale. Perhaps he'd been kidnapped at first but holding him so close to so many plants had been a mistake. As a vine attempted to grab his ankle, Hiei surged away toward a rickety rope bridge. The woman, Shinpi, rushed after him as her sword cut through a particularly vicious breed of ivy. They stopped just before the wood slats of the bridge, Hiei facing the fortress beyond the mote and Shinpi standing ready behind him, poised to attack any more vegetation.

"What are you waiting for?" She demanded of him. "Get going!"

"The bridge isn't stable." Hiei swallowed, looking down at the water.

"And?" She turned to look at him and then stopped, noting his constricted pupils. "Wait. Are you hydrophobic?"

"What?"

"Afraid of water."

"No! I'm not afraid of anything. I just-I'm not eager to drown. This bridge will collapse underneath our weight for certain. We have to find-"

Hiei made a sound of distress he would deny even with his denying breath as the woman behind him scooped him into her arms and started running over the swaying bridge and the cracking wood that fell under her feet just after she stepped on the slats. Her speed was impressive, Hiei had to admit, but the fact she carried him like he was a child made him snarl at her with a string of curses.

"I can leave you to find your own way." She told him seriously.

"I'm good." Hiei relented, stopping his struggling in her grasp. "We should find Kurama."

"That's what I thought."

"Don't get cocky." He shoved her away as soon as they were once again on solid ground. "Just because you don't have common sense when it comes to recognizing danger doesn't mean you get to act high and mighty."

"There's no danger from a little water." She stood on the lip of the land before it dropped off into the mote, her hand gesturing to the side. At her motion a geyser rose from the surface and held there then disappeared when she lowered her hand. "Not when I'm around at least."

"You can control it?" Hiei stared at her, surprised.

"Well, yeah. I'm an elemental. I can control air too."

"Huh." He blinked.

"And besides adorable, what are you?"

"I told you, I consumed the dragon." He dulled. "I'm the wielder of the dragon flame and the user of the Jagan eye."

She squinted at him, tilted her head to the side then shrugged and walked passed him. "Right. Jagan eye and dragon flame. Got it. Whatever those things mean. Where's your friend, do you think? Don't they normally hold captives in the top of the tower or something?"

"Hey! The Black Dragon is the most menacing, prolific beast in the underbelly of Spirit World! And I tamed it! Don't pretend this is nothing. I am incredibly powerful." He followed her as she walked. "Not to mention psychic."

"Psychic?" She turned on him. "Then can't you just reach out to your friend so we can find him?"

Hiei nodded, lifting his bandanna to do so, ignoring her babbling.

"It's so quiet in here. And there are vines all over the place. This isn't what I expected." She put her hands on her hips as she began picking her way through the hall without Hiei. "How strange, really. I expected more resistance. Isn't there normally more resistance?"

"Shut up so I can concentrate." Hiei grumbled then opened all three of his eyes with annoyance. His head turned to the side to regard a second redhead. "Kurama, you bastard."

Shinpi turned to look down the other way, following Hiei's attention, as Kurama regarded them both with a book in his hand. The fox snapped his book closed and offered a happy smile to them.

"Hiei! I'm surprised to see you. You didn't come all this way for me, did you?" Kurama asked him with that same annoying smile.

"Of course I did! Botan showed up and blackmailed me into coming to get you. You jackass. How did you even manage to get kidnapped?" Hiei demanded with a snarl. "Do you have any idea what you've put me through?"

"Are you sure you two aren't together?" Shinpi asked with humor. "You sound like a nagging wife."

"Oh shut up!" Hiei whirled on her.

"And you are?" Kurama looked around Hiei to get a look at the woman.

"Amon-Shinpi Takani, princess of Sayol, rescuer of you." She tucked her hand against her stomach and struck a bow for him before rising and walking closer under she could sweep his hand into her own, lifting his knuckles to her lips so she could kiss them. "Kurama. Your friend's silence on you has only fed my curiosity. I am so blessed to see such a lovely face today."

To Hiei's surprise, Kurama blushed, allowing the women to hold his hand. She released him with a sly grin.

"Lovely." She repeated, her eyes twinkling. "Hiei is his own vision, but you are something else."

"You've been traveling with Hiei? To rescue me?" Kurama asked her, surprised. "Hiei doesn't normally take to strangers."

"I can see that." She nodded.

"I'm proud of you." Kurama turned to Hiei. "Learning to work with someone else is good for you, Hiei. Thank you for coming to get me. I was starting to wonder if anyone would. I'm glad it was you."

The way Kurama spoke made Hiei turn his face away, a light dusting of pink on his cheeks. "Shut up, fox. Let's go."

"Well." Shinpi countered, turning to Hiei. "Before we go-"

"You know what, go ahead. Ask him." Hiei smirked. "I'd like to see you get rejected."

"Rejected?" Kurama frowned, glancing at the woman."

"I was hoping I might at least get a kiss from you, for our trouble." Shinpi turned to Kurama with a soft look. "I wouldn't want to force you, of course. It's just, you're so incredibly beautiful and you're reading poetry. It would mean something to me."

"A kiss?" Kurama frowned stepping closer. "You came all this way with Hiei to ask me for a kiss?"

"I was mostly joking before with him, but then I saw the Emily Dickenson in your hand and thought I'd risk asking." She admitted softly. "I think he's a little worried you might say yes. He seems to think highly of you."

"As he should, we've known each other for some time." Kurama nodded stopping just in front of her. "He must find you to be something worth bothering with as well, if he'd kept you around. I hope you understand what a high compliment he's paid you."

"He's not too bad himself." She looked down the fox slowly, then back up. "You look either ready to kill me or kiss me, and the anticipation of learning which is starting to distract me."

Kurama smiled and yanked her closer by her shirt planting a kiss on her lips that made her eyes roll closed. Hiei made a noise, surprised and a little envious. He had never expected Kurama to actually play into this charade. When the two of them separated they had to catch their breath for a second. Shinpi's eyes were heavy lidded, her smile dopey.

"Worth it." She mumbled happily.

"What about you, Hiei?" Kurama asked him.

Hiei blushed and huffed, glaring away. "What about me?"

Kurama grabbed him and pulled him to his toes, kissing him as well until the fire demon melted a little and kissed him back. Once they parted both of them sighed.

"If we make it back home in one piece, maybe I can repay both of you in full." Kurama offered with a grin. "If that's something you'd be interested in."

He started walking toward the exit, book in hand, leaving Hiei and Shinpi stunned behind him. She recovered first, trotting after him like a happy puppy. "I like the sound of that!"

Hiei took another second, then he came to with full bluster.

"You're both idiots! I never said I wanted to spend any more time with either of you! This was it, this was the end of my job!" He yelled. "You're on your own."

"Good luck crossing the mote then." Shinpi turned to him at the door, eyebrow raised.

Hiei balked then followed quickly. "Fine. We'll cross together. We might as well get home but after that both of you can fuck off."

"I thought that was the plan." Shinpi muttered, glancing at Kurama who grinned her way. "Get you home, get shown some appreciation, go on with adventuring."

"Bold of you to assume you'll be in a state to do anything." Kurama boasted and started walking over the water bridge she'd made to allow them to escape. Shinpi offered a delighted squeal and trotted closer to him, her grin blinding. Hiei followed after them, carefully.

"Annoying." He complained about both of them. Still, he smirked when they weren't looking. Botan's order hadn't prepared him for any sort of reward. If that was on the table he could honestly get used to this hero business.