Chapter Eight- Confrontation

"Hiei, are there a lot of people like Mukuro? I mean, ones with magic."

"Not a lot, but there are others beside Mukuro and more pure of motive, too."

"'Pure of motive?' What do you mean?"

"I… didn't want to mention it, but Mukuro doesn't really want to help people like the rest of her ilk. She makes bargains and sets the people up to fail. The conditions seem easy but no one has succeeded and they either serve her for a period of time or become an animal she'll use in her potions."

"That's awful."

Hiei bowed his head. "They fail because Mukuro has me use my power to follow them to guarantee their failure. I don't want to but if I don't, she'll seal my power and…and I should have refused."

"Would that have saved others?"

"No. She would just send one of her other servants. But I hate serving her and what she forces me to do."

Kurama's heart went out to Hiei. He was bound to Mukuro by a signed contract and forced to fail the other clients so Mukuro could exploit them. Perhaps, I can reason with her.

He followed Hiei into a dreary part of downtown and down a couple of alleys before standing before a door that stood out against its gloomy surroundings. Hiei removed a key, opened the door, and let Kurama enter before following and closing the door which locked behind him.

"Hiei. Welcome home and I see you brought a client," came Mukuro's voice. He turned to see that the doors to her bargaining room were open and his heart sank. No! Not Kurama!

Kurama was utterly calm as he strode down the hall and into the room with Hiei behind him. He stood before Mukuro and said, "I am not a client. I am Kurama, a friend of Hiei's. I wanted to see his home so I can visit now and again, nothing more." Kurama saw disappointment in Mukuro's eyes briefly before it vanished and she smiled warmly.

"Of course. Welcome, Kurama. Now, Hiei. A client will be here around noon tomorrow and I expect you to be at my side."

Hiei was about to reply when Kurama interrupted. "Excuse me, but I have a question. Is it possible to buy out the rest of Hiei's contract, thereby freeing him?"

"Buy out…?" Mukuro laughed. "No amount of money is greater than his value to me and besides the terms say he is mine forever."

"No one should have to be a slave forever."

"No one except a shapeshifter and he will serve me if he wants to keep his power."

"Mukuro," Hiei said. "I hate what you're making me do and I want out of it."

"Never. You're mine."

"No. I don't want to serve you anymore. You are a vile, evil type of sorceress and I want no further part of your business."

"Well, if that's how you feel then I must fulfill my end of the deal." She moved her hand in a circle and green magic swirled around it. "Hiei, I seal your gift and change you into a toad with no human voice."

"What? No!" Hiei cried.

Mukuro cackled as she fired her spell and Hiei braced himself for his fate. At least I'm free of her service, he thought. He gasped as Kurama stepped in front of him. The spell hit a barrier and rebounded on Mukuro. She screamed before she shrank down into a toad, croaking angrily.

"Wha-? Kurama, what did you do?"

"While you were getting our ice cream, a blind sorcerer named Yomi approached me. He revealed that he has the gift of foresight which tells him who truly needs help and his foresight helps him see the immediate future. He saw our confrontation with Mukuro and gave me this to protect us just one time." He brought out the now powerless charm.

"Hn." Hiei looked at Mukuro. "Now that she's a toad, what do I do?" He had served her for months and now he felt adrift.

"Perhaps I can be of assistance?"

Hiei turned as did Kurama to see a tall man with sunglasses and a walking cane. "Are you Yomi?" he asked and when he got a nod, added, "You saved me from being a toad for life."

"I also freed all her servants and I can change her victims back to normal. She, however, is trapped as a toad as per the spell she was going to use on you and the fact that she needs a human voice to cast the counter spell. In a way, it serves her right.

"Hiei, I can help you figure out what to do. I know you and Kurama are in love, so why not live with him?"

"I could, but I don't want to lose my power."

"I am aware of that and I also understand your feelings. I can alter your power so that merman becomes your natural state instead of human."

"And I could be human without a time limit as merpeople can be human. Yomi, that's perfect."

"It is. So, if you could change to merman and take my hand, I will alter your power."

Hiei kneeled down, changed to merman, and took Yomi's hand. The sorcerer chanted in a language Hiei didn't know and he felt a warmth spread from his hand, up to his head, and down to his fins. Then, the warmth faded and Yomi released his hand. "It is done. Your power is now tied to your merman form which is your natural state now."

Hiei, his tail and fins out of water, took human form without focusing on changing. "Thank you. I'm grateful."

"You can repay me by showing me where the others are."

"Gladly." He took Yomi's hand, led him to the secret wall, and opened it. "There are stairs leading down. Call out and one of the servants will help you in changing the others back."

"Thank you. I'll talk it from here. You and Kurama can leave and head home."

Both nodded and, as they left, Hiei looked back to see Yomi carefully descend the stairs. Hiei opened the front door and he and Kurama stepped outside. Once the door closed, Hiei laughed in joy. "I'm free! I'm finally free!"

Kurama smiled as he hugged his boyfriend. "Yes, you are free and you are a merman now. How's your internal clock now?"

Hiei focused and said, "It's paused. That's what happens when I'm in my natural state and since I became human due to being a merman, the clock paused."

"Great. So, let's head home."

"Home," Hiei said softly. "It's been years since I had a real home."

"Now you have two: The one with Mother and me. The other is the sea."

"Then, let's hurry and catch a bus to the beach." He took Kurama's hand and pulled him out to the sidewalk and down to a bus stop, eager to change to a merman without using his power. He knew he would double-check his clock to make sure it was still paused. I can hardly wait to change and return home.

Kurama smiled as Hiei pulled him toward a bus stop. He was happy that Hiei was free of his enslavement and was now a merman like himself. He looked forward to truly showing Hiei the village as well as exploring the oceans. His mother didn't want him to explore alone and Yusuke had no interest beyond the village.

Hiei would love to explore the oceans, he thought as they boarded the bus. He would also like to find shells and gems to buy things. After all, the sea's his home now.