Chapter Nine- Home in the Sea

Hiei licked his lips as they approached the shoreline. "So, it takes a few minutes for our tails to return?"

"Yes. It is a matter of our race's safety. It also protects us from being spotted by humans."

"Okay. Let's do this." Hiei plunged into the water and struck out for deeper water. Kurama followed Hiei, floundering a little in the water until Hiei held him above the water. "I'm right in guessing that swimming with legs is impossible, aren't I?"

"Correct. I was human only once before today and I had waited until night so I could change in the shallows without anyone spotting me."

Hiei nodded and then felt his legs draw together until it was like he had only one leg. He allowed himself to sink down and saw his tail. He checked his clock and it was still paused. Yomi had indeed made merman his natural state. The knowledge of this filled him with joy and he executed a backflip to express it. He looked up to see Kurama's legs become a tail and the redhead dove down, his tail above the water for a second. He joined Hiei and together they swam off toward the village that would be Hiei's home now.

Kurama watched as Hiei swam. He smoothly moved his tail up and down with confidence and he recalled that Hiei spent his time in the water as a dolphin before becoming a merman for the first time. And dolphin tails are like merpeople tails only a little shorter and not as flexible. "Hiei, is dolphin the only ocean life you've done?"

"No. I did fish once and then I did shark not that long ago."

"Shark? Wait. I recall a shark following a boat at least a week ago. Was that you?"

"It likely was. Sharks don't normally follow boats."

Kurama nodded in agreement. Sharks didn't follow boats. Hiei, focused on his mission, hadn't noticed Kurama at the time. We were that close and hadn't realized we were meant to be together.

"Hiei! I thought you were heading home today," Yusuke said when he saw the pair swim into town.

"I am home," Hiei answered.

"Huh?" Yusuke scratched his head.

"It is true," Kurama said. "Hiei was a human who could shapeshift but could only stay in one form for twenty-four hours save for his natural state, lest he be trapped in that form."

"Shapeshift? So, you're not really a merman? You're a human?"

"Not anymore," Hiei replied. "You see, for several months, I had been forced to serve a wicked sorceress. She made bargains with people that seem easy to fulfill. Then the sorceress, Mukuro, would send me out to fail them, using my power. I did so because I selfishly wanted to keep my power instead of being trapped in another form as she could seal my ability to change if I disobeyed.

"Then, last week, as I was heading back from failing another client, I spied Kurama and fell instantly in love. I was a dolphin at the time and decided to see if I could become a merman. Obviously I could and introduced myself, admitting my true self and my power."

"I too fell for Hiei," Kurama jumped in. "I was impressed with his forth rightness about being human. He also spoke of his job but not all of it."

"I didn't want to horrify you with the truth. Hn, that proved pointless. Anyway, I spent all of last week working hard and was rewarded with two straight days off. Naturally, I had to tell Kurama."

"I was treated to Hiei explaining things to me and at lunch we admitted our feelings to one another and I gave Hiei a black pearl as a token of affection. After that, we went to the park and while Hiei left to get me a surprise, I met a blind sorcerer named Yomi. He's different from Mukuro as he doesn't make bargains and truly wants to help others. He also has the power to see the immediate future as well as see people for who they really are. He proved that by saying he knew I was a merman.

"He went on to say that he had seen a confrontation between Hiei, Mukuro, and myself and gave me a protective charm that could only be used once. He then bid me goodbye after saying we would meet again soon. Yomi had known that I had asked Hiei if I could see his home, not knowing how Mukuro conducted her business which Hiei eventually admitted to me.

"Mukuro thought I was a client at first but when I said I wasn't and wanted to know where Hiei lived so that I could visit, she seemed warmer. That ended when I asked about buying out Hiei's contract so he could be free. She stated that Hiei was more valuable to her than any amount of money. Hiei had clearly had enough of working for her and Mukuro was about to seal his gift and turn him into a toad with no human voice. She fired the spell but I stepped in front of Hiei, the charm causing the spell to rebound on Mukuro and now she is forever a toad. That effectively freed Hiei."

"Yomi then appeared and said he could alter my power so that it's tied to my merman form and it worked. I have an internal clock to help me keep track of time and when in my natural state, it's paused. I live in the sea now and Kurama's invited me to stay with him and his mother."

"Wow," Yusuke said. "That's quite a day you had. So, you can change into anything?"

"I can. Go ahead. Suggest anything."

Yusuke didn't hesitate. "A tiger shark."

Hiei focused and his merman form stretched and enlarged until a shark was where a merman had been. "Oh, cool!" Yusuke exclaimed.

"Thanks," Hiei said. Yusuke gasped in shock.

"You can talk!?" he asked as Hiei changed back.

Hiei laughed. "Yeah. I can talk as an animal and myself."

"What's your favorite one?"

"I like swimming and flying the most so when flying, I prefer seagull and when swimming, it's dolphin before becoming a merman for the first time."

"so, you like being a dolphin."

"I have to surface to breathe, but I didn't mind as I could swim fast."

"Kurama, you know we'll have to tell your mother the truth too."

"Yes and throw in the part about your parents too."

"Yes. She likely would ask how I got my power unless I say my parents had it."

"You know, I have always wanted to explore the ocean but Mother wouldn't want me to go alone and Yusuke has no interest in it. Would you like to explore?"

"Really? Considering I have no time limit, of course I'd like to explore. I could use my own stash of shells, gems, and sand dollars too."

"We'll need to plan and gather supplies before we set out."

"Fine with me. I need to get used to living in the sea and that this is my natural state."

"Of course," Kurama said as they entered their home and sought out Shiori to tell her everything about Hiei and their day on land.

The End