For those of you who missed the memo on my profile...
I'M BAAAAAAAACK! XD XD XD
I will be updating my stories now whenever I am able, seeing as I now have a nice decent computer and my issues have, for the most part, been taken care of.
Now then, onto business...
I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho or any of the characters within that series, except for my own creations, Natalie and Lisa.
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The next few days passed in a blur of trainings, healings, and occasional flirtations instigated by Hiei. The hybrid had only gone easy on her the second day before returning to pushing the woman to the point of complete and utter exhaustion. Natalie went to Yusuke's place only to shower and get clean clothes, spending the next four nights sleeping in various trees curled up in the koorime's lap. She no longer appeared to suffer from the symptoms of excessive energy use, and Hiei seemed satisfied with her progress.
Lisa, for her part, only seemed to leave Kurama's sight when she had to take care of her personal business in the washroom. When she slept at night, he spent the night either sleeping in a chair beside her bed, or holding her in his lap.
On the sixth day, Natalie was surprised when she awoke without Hiei rousing her. Looking around, she was further surprised to see that the sun was over the horizon. She blinked and looked up curiously, finding Hiei looking down at her.
"Hn. We want you feeling as physically able as you can be when we enter the Demon World. We won't be doing any training today. We'll head to the Makai tomorrow before dawn. We should make it to Mukuro's by early afternoon if all goes well."
She nodded, fighting back the nervousness she felt knowing that tomorrow was the big day.
Hiei got to his feet, still holding the woman in his arms. "We'll head to Genkai's. I contacted Kurama, and he'll be there soon enough with Yusuke and the baka."
The woman yawned and stretched as well as she could while being held in his arms, and nodded again. "Okay, let's head out then."
He gave her a single nod, and an instant later, the branch they had been on was vacant.
They were at Genkai's in only a couple of minutes, the old woman waiting for their arrival in front of her temple. She stepped toward them when Hiei set Natalie down.
"Is she ready, then?" she asked the hybrid.
He shrugged. "As ready as she can be after six days of training."
She nodded, and motioned for them to come inside. Yukina was bringing tea into the living room and setting it on the coffee table.
Genkai looked at Natalie with a critical eye. "Your energy feels a little off balance..."
She nodded. "It's because I've been focusing only on martial arts and chi control this week. I haven't done anything with my magickal skills." Then she shrugged. "An hour or two of meditation should take care of it."
The old woman nodded back and then the subject changed to small talk for the most part.
About an hour after they had arrived, Kurama, Lisa, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shizuru, and Keiko walked in.
Natalie immediately went up to Kuwabara's sister and gave her a sheepish grin. "Hey, I don't suppose you could fix this hair of mine, could you? I think I should be at least somewhat presentable when I meet Mukuro."
She gave her a nod as she lit up a cigarette. "Sure thing." She turned to Kazuma. "Hey, bro. Go back home and get me my supplies, would you?"
He stared at her in disbelief. "Sis, you can't be serious! We just climbed up the stairway of death and now you want me to..."
"Bro," she said, cutting him off. She took a puff off her cigarette and sent him a glare. "One thing you should know about me by now, is that I'm always serious. Now get going before I kick your ass."
He balked, sputtered for a moment, and then let out a sigh. "Okay, I'll be back." He walked back out the temple, muttering about his bossy sister under his breath as he did so.
Natalie and Lisa couldn't help but exchange amused smiles seeing this.
Before anyone could say or do anything else, however, Natalie suddenly found Shizuru and Keiko standing on either side of her. The smiles on their faces immediately put the young witch on edge.
"Um... what's up?"
Shizuru calmly put out her cigarette. "Nat'... Keiko and I have just two words for you..." Each girl grabbed one arm and they shot off down the hall to one of the vacant rooms.
"GIRL TALK!" their voices rang out as one.
Hiei's eyes looked down the hall where the girls had just vanished. "Why did those two just run off with Natalie?" he asked, not entirely sure whether he wanted to know or not.
Genkai smirked. "It's not obvious? They must have heard of some of the things that have been happening between the two of you, and naturally, they want details."
The hybrid's eyes narrowed now. "And just how is it any of their business?"
Kurama chuckled. "Hiei, something you had best learn quickly is that women are naturally curious creatures."
Yusuke nodded in agreement. "Yup. Girls have a way of making things their business."
Lisa looked off down the hallway where the three girls had dragged her friend a moment ago. She shook her head. "I don't... want to know."
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Natalie found herself in a room that had nothing in it but three conveniently placed chairs. The chairs were just a little too convenient and she had to wonder whether it was Genkai or Yukina who had placed them there. Given the Ice Maiden's naturally sweet attitude, she had a sneaking suspicion that Genkai had been the instigator in this one.
And while the girl had a sinking sensation she knew exactly what this was about, she decided to try playing dumb.
Keiko grinned at her. "So?"
Natalie blinked. "So... what?"
Shizuru shook her head. "Oh, no you don't. Listen, Nat'. You think my baby bro and Yusuke kept the two of us in the dark? We know that something's going on between you and Hiei and now we want details!"
The younger woman nodded in agreement. "Yusuke told me about you and Hiei snuggling in Spirit World, and he told me some of the things that you told him, and now I want to hear it from you!"
"So spill it! And don't hold back any info from us either. We're dying of curiosity."
The woman pinched the bridge of her nose now and let out an aggravated sigh. "I'm going to kill Yusuke and Kuwabara..."
Shizuru grinned as she lit up another cigarette. "Knock yourself out later. So, are you going to tell us or not?"
Natalie sat heavily in one of the three chairs and motioned to the other two vacant ones. Clearly the two of them weren't going to take no for an answer. Predictably, the two girls eagerly seated themselves and leaned forward in interest.
"Now... where should I start?"
Keiko was almost bouncing with excitement. Strangely enough, from watching the series, Natalie hadn't pegged her as a gossip lover. Actually, she hadn't pegged either of these two girls as gossip lovers! "Start with when you got here! Right from the beginning! Leave out nothing!"
Shit, we're gonna be here for a while, Natalie thought. She gave one last, heavy sigh, and indulged the girls.
See, this was one of the reasons she and Lisa were best friends. While they chatted with each other about issues the other was having, they weren't all that interested in gossiping with others. And, unless it had some sort of important issue behind it, Lisa really didn't give a hoot about her friend's love life.
But anyway, Natalie told them everything, from beginning to end, leaving out none of the gory details. By the time the telling was over, Keiko was staring at her wide eyed, and Shizuru was lighting up cigarette number four.
The recent graduate spoke first, breaking the silence. "That's... kind of strange, isn't it? I mean... you and Hiei have done so much together, and yet you haven't even kissed at the same time... It's almost like you're going backwards or something..."
Shizuru smirked. "Well, Hiei licked her lips for her, but I guess that doesn't really count as a kiss, does it?" She blew out a plume of smoke, ignoring the dirty look Natalie gave her. "It seems like Hiei's a little conflicted, but he definitely wants you on a physical level, at least. I've gotta wonder what's going through his head."
Natalie snorted. "If I had any clue about that I'd let you in on it. You're the psychic here, not me. He's not exactly the sort of person who talks about feelings, so I'm not getting a clear message from him."
She shrugged then. "I might be psychic, but Hiei can block me easily. Aside from that, I think one of his problems is how out of place he feels in the Human World. He doesn't understand humans all that well, to be honest with you, and whatever he's feeling is probably confusing the hell out of him." She flicked her cigarette's ashes out the open window. "I have a feeling things are going to heat up a little more when you get to the Demon World, and he's a little more in his own element."
Natalie couldn't stop it as she felt her face heat up. She wasn't sure if hearing Shizuru say that was a good thing or a bad thing, considering her instincts were usually accurate.
Keiko grinned. "Well, whatever happens, it's sure to be interesting." Then she got to her feet, giddy with excitement once more. "Well, we got the dirt from Natalie, now let's see what Lisa has to say about what's going on between her and Kurama!"
Before either one of them could blink, Natalie was blocking the door, her expression desperate.
"NO! You can't do that!"
The two of them blinked, looking at her. "Why not?"
Natalie looked at Shizuru as if she was nuts. "You mean to tell me you've lived with Lisa for a few days and you don't realize how shy she is? Listen, both of you! That girl has never been in a romantic relationship before in her life! She has hardly any clue when it comes to guys giving her hints that they like her, and thinks the only reason Kurama has her at his place right now is so he can protect her from those guys who tried to grab her! She doesn't know how he feels about her yet, and we need to keep it that way if we want any chance of her getting together with him in the future. If she finds out that he likes her now then she's going to shy away from him and it's going to ruin everything Kurama and I are working towards!" She frowned at them. "If you guys screw up what we're trying to do, not only will I not be impressed, but neither will Kurama. And I think you both know what he can be like when he's angry!"
The both of them thought back to when they saw Youko in the Dark Tournament and shivered slightly.
The eldest girl tossed her cigarette out the window. "I guess I can hold back then..."
Keiko nodded. "I don't want to mess things up before they even get the ball rolling. Just let us know if you hear about anything being official, okay?"
Natalie resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She just sighed and gave them a nod. "Okay, but don't expect anything for a while."
The two of them nodded, and Shizuru looked at her watch. "Well, bro's probably been back for a while now with the stuff, so let's get your hair fixed." She smirked at Natalie. "We want you looking good for Hiei on your trip, don't we?"
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About a half hour later, Natalie was experimentally playing with her now nicely cut short hair. It felt a lot better, and Shizuru had shortened her bangs a little without taking away the effect they had before. She considered her reflection for a moment and decided she liked it. It was practical yet stylish, and would be a breeze to prepare in the mornings.
With that minor issue out of the way, the young witch ventured into the back yard of Genkai's temple to find a suitable place to meditate... Someplace that was close by, but where it was quiet enough that nobody would disturb her. She settled down at the base of a large tree, and smiled a few short seconds later when she felt Hiei's presence in the branches above her head.
You're attached at the hip, her father would say. For a brief moment she could almost imagine the teasing glint in his eyes if he would know of this situation. She quickly shook the image and the sudden pang of homesickness off.
The day before a trip into the Makai was not the time to get sentimental. She would worry about dealing with her grieving process when she got back. Right now, she had to make sure her energy was in balance.
She took in a deep breath and forced all the annoying little thoughts out of her mind and concentrated all of her focus on the task at hand.
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Hiei watched and sensed Natalie's minor struggle from where he sat in the branches of the tree. He had followed the woman, determined not to let her out of his sight unless she was taking care of her personal business or bathing. Even when she did those things he made sure he was close by in case anything should be amiss. After Lisa's attempted abduction, the Hybrid wasn't taking any chances.
Whoever those demons were that tried to grab her friend, did so when the woman was in a vulnerable time... when her only protection was the baka and his sister. Even though Natalie was a fighter in her own right, Hiei had no intentions of leaving her open to attack. She fared well against that one demon when protecting Shizuru and Lisa, but the next ones might be too powerful for her to take on.
He wondered for what seemed the millionth time what it was about the woman that made him so protective of her, and then brushed it off. He had thought on the matter many times already, and was no closer to finding the answer. He kept remembering something the fox had told him a week before...
"You have deep feelings for her, Hiei. I might even go so far as to say that you are in love with Natalie."
The hybrid looked down at the woman and saw a light aura now surrounding her, extending about a foot away from her body as she continued on with her meditation. And for the first time, he started wondering if maybe... just maybe... Kurama was right.
After considering this thought for a few brief moments, he shook his head. Physically attracted, fine. He could admit to that. His inner beast had made it clear to him on several occasions that it wanted Natalie on the physical level, so there was no point in denying it.
But what about his other actions? That first night in Spirit World where he held her in his lap... hell all the nights he had held her in his lap. Chasing away discomfort while she slept using his jagan... Hiei had to acknowledge that those actions were far from normal for him, so maybe there was something more than mere physical attraction? If it was only physical, then why hadn't he just fucked her already and gotten it done with?
Because she's not ready yet, a voice seemed to whisper in the back of his mind.
He scowled and shook his head, feeling oncoming confusion. Thinking about these things was not going to help him right now. He could focus on them later, after he and Natalie had met with Mukuro and investigated the attempted kidnapping of Lisa. He didn't need any distractions right now, and neither did Natalie.
Forcefully shoving all thoughts on the matter out of his mind, Hiei continued to lounge in the tree, keeping himself aware of his surroundings, privately basking in the feel of the aura below him.
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Once Natalie had achieved her goal and balanced her energies, she headed on inside to join the others. Somehow she wasn't really surprised when she saw Hiei walking beside her before she had even made it a quarter of the way there.
Once everyone gathered around, Hiei crossed his arms. "I'm going to open the portal to Demon World on Genkai's grounds tomorrow morning right before dawn. Traveling the Makai in the daylight is the safest option, since most of the annoying small fry are nocturnal. The less encounters with demons we have, the better. With any luck, we'll make it to Mukuro's by early afternoon. Once we're there, we can figure out what the hell is going on."
Kurama looked at him. "Are you opting for a route that provides coverage for you, or a wide open view? The first option would lessen the chances of you being spotted, but also carry the chance of an ambush, while the second would allow your enemies to see you at the same time as you see them, and thus have no surprises."
Hiei looked at him. "I'm going for the option of coverage. Natalie fights better in close quarters, and between her senses and my own, it would be difficult for anyone to catch us by surprise."
The kitsune nodded and then went to a shoulder bag he had brought with him and dug out a bundle of clothing. He handed it to Natalie. "Before you leave tomorrow, slip into this. It is made of a Makai material that is far more durable and would offer more protection than standard human clothing."
She nodded and accepted the clothing. She was actually surprised at how light they were. "Thanks."
Genkai stepped forward then. "All right. All of you are free to stay here the night so we can see them off in the morning. It's getting late now, and we should all get some rest."
Natalie nodded along with the rest of them, though she was now desperately trying to fight off the butterfly feeling she was getting in her stomach. Of all the things she wanted to do in this world, going to Demon World wasn't exactly at the top of her list.
And for some reason, she had a feeling that her interactions with Hiei weren't the only reason Mukuro wanted to meet with her.
Just as Hiei and herself were about to head outside, Natalie felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to see Kurama looking at her. "Natalie, could I speak with you for just a moment please?"
She blinked. Looking past him, she saw that Lisa was with Yusuke and Keiko. She nodded and looked at Hiei. "I'll be there in just a few minutes."
"Hn." He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall by the door.
Natalie followed the Fox demon into an empty room and he closed the door behind them. Reaching into one of his pockets, he pulled out a small vial of liquid.
"I think it would be a good idea for you to drink this," he said.
She raised an eyebrow slowly and accepted the vial, taking a minute to examine the blue-green mixture inside. "What is it for?"
"It is a mixture designed to prevent you from conceiving a child."
Natalie's eyes went huge and she immediately turned a dark red. "It what?"
Kurama smirked, seeing this reaction. "Natalie, you have been spending a great deal of time alone with Hiei. More time than I have ever seen him spend with anyone. And tomorrow morning, the two of you are leaving for his home in the Makai. He resides in Mukuro's palace now, and he is more likely to be more open on his home turf than he is here in Ningenkai. Now, as responsible and open minded as you may be, I somehow doubt that you would be ready for motherhood to be thrust upon you. I'm not saying that anything will happen, but this is merely a precaution."
She sighed heavily, still blushing to the roots of her hair. "Terrific. First Shizuru tells me she has a feeling things might heat up between me and Hiei while we're there, and then you give me this."
Kurama chuckled. "Well, if Shizuru said it, then I think it would be wise to drink the mixture, don't you?"
She sighed again as she removed the lid. Better safe than sorry, she thought. She slammed it back as if it was a shot of vodka and still let out a violent shudder at the after taste. Kurama wordlessly handed her another small container of liquid.
"I anticipated that reaction," he said with a smirk. "This should take away the after taste, unless you wish for it to linger for half the night."
She popped the lid and slammed it back as well, relieved at the sweet, almost honey-like flavour that replaced the vile concoction she'd just had beforehand.
Handing the empty containers back to Kurama, she fixed him with a look. "Not a word about this to anyone."
He smiled innocently and held his hands up in a gesture of peace. "Of course. You have my word."
Trusting that the kitsune wouldn't go blabbing about it to Yusuke, she nodded and exited the room. Hiei was still in place by the door leading outside.
The two of them exited the building together. "Hn. What did Kurama want?"
She fought desperately to keep from turning bright red again. "He just brought up a point or two for me to keep in mind, is all. Nothing to worry about."
Hiei smirked now, knowing she was lying. "And he had to bring you somewhere private for something like that?"
She stiffened slightly. He was doing it again... He was pushing her buttons as only he could, and the little bastard knew she was hiding something significantly bigger than she had said, and was now calling her on it.
She sighed and turned to him. "Hiei, please don't do this tonight. Really, it wasn't anything that I feel comfortable getting into with you so just..." She sighed again and gave him a somewhat pleading look, silently asking him to drop the subject.
Hiei looked back at her silently for a long moment, his expression impossible to read. Then he shrugged. "Hn. Let's just get some sleep, onna. You're going to need it for the day ahead of you."
Feeling a flood of relief, she nodded. Hiei wordlessly scooped her into his arms and they were on the branch of a large tree a split second later. Once Natalie was comfortably settled in his lap, she laid her head in the crook of his neck. With one use of the Jagan Eye, she was dead asleep.
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Okay, there was chapter 25! Tell me what you think, please! ^_^
Oh, and to tell my fans something big... I have a scanner now. I also have an account on deviant art, and two fan drawings for this story posted up on there. To view my dA profile, just go to my profile HERE and copy and paste it. It's close to the top of my profile, so it shouldn't be hard for you to find. Please tell me what you think of my artwork while you're there! I love, love, love LOVE reviews!
Until next time!