silrayn silverwolf
Wai! Another massive update! ^__^ *pops into wolf puppy form, pounces on Aqua and gives her a big lick*

Aqua: *giggles her head off and snuggles the wolf puppy* You are so adorable!!! *has a soft spot for cute animals*

WM ()
It's a really nice story. One thing I like is you update it pretty often. Keep up the good work. ^_^

Aqua: ^_^V Thanks! I update as much as I can! Only one chapter today, but hopefully I'll get two up tomorrow!

Green Eyes
Love your fic so far and I'm very disappointed that I didn't find it sooner. I noticed it on the yyhfic groups on Yahoo! Groups, but it didn't go past the second chapter. Are you planning to send a link to that groups to advertise its progress? I think a lot of people from that list would love to hear about. It's just that good.

Aqua: Wai, thanks. ^_^ I honestly forgot about posting it up at the ml, because I got no feedback. I probably should tho, ne? *grins* Thanks for the reminder!!

Armageddon ()
IT's the noddle shop, the noddle shop. Can anyone tell I'm crazy. Anywheres three charpter at once. YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!YAY!!!
Great and getting better, here the chocolate and more for more story

Aqua: WAI!!! CHOCOLATE!!!!! *Tackle glomps and sits on ur head while munching on her chocolate*

koashura ()
yaaaaaaay! shuichis gonna malipulate plants! ^_^ and in front of hiei! *OOC squeal* will it bring flashbacks? will hiei recognize his youki? ooooo im so excited :P

Aqua: *grins* I already have it planned out how Hiei is going to find out about Shuuichi/Kurama. Until then, you'll have to be patient! *cackles*

Isis Blue
Hiei and Shuu-chan are going to play with plants. I want to watch! ^_^ *had wa~y too much sugar today*

Aqua: ^__^ Way to much liquor for me yesterday! I tried to write chapter... *thinks* 29, but it came out as gibberish! So I can only post up one chapter today *nods nods*

Four-leaf-Clover
O.O NEEWWWWWWWWW PPPPAAARRRTTTSSSSSSSSSS!!OMG! ^^ I just went back to FF.Net to re-read this ficcy and then all of a sudden there are more parts for me to read ^_______________________^ Do you know how happy that made me?? THANKYOU SO MUCH! *huggles forever!* More soon please?? I LOVE this fic SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Aqua: *beams happily and huggles back* Hai hai!!! Here is the next chapter!! ^_^ I'm going to write some more tonight afterwork, so there will definately be more fics put up soon!!!


Thanks, minna, for your comments!!! ^_^ Here is the scene so many of you were waiting for! *grins*


Reaching Your Limits: A YYH alternate universe

Episode 26: Youki. Definition of Friendship


"We should return to the park we were at yesterday. It is secluded enough that
we can work with the plants there without the chance of being seen," Hiei
commented after a few long moments of silence.

Shuuichi glanced down at his companion. "I agree," he said quietly, uncertain of
what else there was to say. Yesterday morning he'd had a crush on a cute
classmate. Now, he had a crush on a cute fire demon that was more than a century
older than him.

Not only that, but Hiei'd had his heart broken before, according to the words
Yukina had slipped out before Hiei had interrupted her. He felt a little jealous
that someone had beaten him to Hiei's heart, yet still felt humbled to know that
Hiei had a lover before he was even born. It hurt to think that the attention
Hiei had been giving him before this time was a result of a mission instead of
actual interest.

"Hey, Hiei," he said quietly, after another long stretch of silence. "Are the
two of us friends?"

Hiei blinked, looking up at him. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Shuuichi grimaced a little, not wanting to sound immature, but unable to help
himself from asking. "I'm just curious, I suppose. To know wether or not you
were hanging out with me because we are friends or because you had to."

"Does it matter?" the fire demon questioned.

"Of course it does," Shuuichi exclaimed, stopping so he could face the demon
fully. "I want to help you not only because of a threat to Humanworld, but
because my friend needs my help. Even if you say no, then it won't change the
fact that I'm commited to this mission. However, it would mean more to me to
fight along side of my friend than it would to fight along side just a
companion."

Hiei had stopped walking and was looking up at him with unreadable eyes.
Finally, he shrugged slightly and continued walking. "Fine, then. We are
friends. I have to admit that I don't really understand the meaning of the
word," he commented.

Relieved, Shuuichi walked next to him feeling happier than he had since the
discovery yesterday. "Haven't you had friends before?" he questioned.

Hiei waited so long to reply that Shuuichi wasn't sure if he was going to answer
at all. "Not really. I have my sister. In the past, I've had companions and
allies. However, there was no one I would of called a friend. I don't think such
things are common in the Demonworld. I have to admit that I'm not even sure what
a friend is," he explained.

"A friend is someone who you can spend time with," Shuuichi replied, smiling a
little as the wind ruffled his hair. "A friend is someone that you can trust to
watch your back and tell your secrets to. Someone who you can talk when you need
to, or to hang out with. Friends help you out with your homework or tell you
that an outfit looks bad on you without being mean."

Hiei glanced at him at the last comment with a slight snort. "I've only worn
three different outfits in my life," he commented offhandedly.

Shuuichi laughed and shook his head. "Well, clothes really have nothing to do
with it, but it's part of the point I'm trying to make. I like to be around you,
even if we aren't doing anything. Just because we are friends," he stated. He
couldn't bring himself to admit his crush, even with such a perfect opportunity.


Hiei nodded slowly, then shrugged. "I suppose that I could call you a friend
then," he replied.

It took them about an hour to get to the park, since it was in the same district
as the noodle house. Most of the time was spent in companionable silence, and
Shuuichi found himself enjoying the afternoon. He couldn't help but feel that it
was a little romantic, walking with Hiei while the wind played with their hair
and the sun shone above them. Walking in the park, with nature all around them
and not a person in sight, Shuuichi found himself blushing. What would Hiei do
if he leaned over and gave the small demon a kiss?

However, when they reached a secluded section of the park, Hiei immediately set
him to work and ruined the illusion. "Do the same thing that you do in your
garden to the grass," he stated.

Blinking, Shuuichi knelt down and looked at the green blades. He didn't really
know what he was supposed to do. Usually, all he did in the garden was see if
the flowers were healthy and give them whatever they needed if they weren't.
With a shrug, he reached forward and touched the grass, letting his hands work
over the small blades. The grass was healthy, having escaped being trampled
since this park wasn't very popular. However, it was also well tended to and
each blade was a healthy color.

"You are reaching out with your power to the grass. They are responding. I want
you to notice what you usually wouldn't. How the blades seem to bend toward your
hand, and how they are even thicker and greener when your fingers pass over
them," Hiei said quietly, kneeling beside him.

Trying not to be distracted by the other's warm body close to his own, Shuuichi
focused on the grass. He gasped a little when he saw what Hiei was describing.
He hadn't noticed before, probably because he wasn't looking for it, but it was
true. The grass was greener after he touched it, and the blades seem to ripple
with his movements as though trying to get closer to his hand.

"Am I really doing that?" Shuuichi whispered.

He felt more than saw Hiei nod. "Next, I want you to make a concious effort to
affect them. More than just wishing them to be healthy, I want you to will them
to grow. With everything you have, will them to grow," he urged.

Shuuichi, determined and more than a little awed, focused on the blades that
were below his hand. He wanted them to grow. Not just because Hiei was asking
him to do this and not just because it would be the final proof of his powers.
Simply because grass was a part of nature, and nature should always grow.
Shuuichi had always firmly believed that, in millions of years, no matter what
happened to the Earth, plantlife would thrive and flourish as it always did.

"I want you to grow," he said, putting as much feeling as he could behind the
words and the carress of his hand to the grass.

He almost jumped out of his skin when the blades he touched jumped upward. He
gasped and remained motionless as all of the grass surrounding them spurted from
the ground, the odd weed bursting fourth from the depths of green blades. All of
it grew until it was about two feet tall before stopping, surrounding himself
and Hiei with a wall of green.

"Over done, but still impressive," Hiei commented.

Shuuichi wasn't sure if he was going to laugh or faint. "I can't believe that I
did that," he exclaimed.

Hiei was smiling slightly, looking over at him. "I didn't realize that your
power was so strong. It remains very well hidden until it is needed. We'll have
to work on keeping it under control when you use it in the future. Can you get
the grass to shift back to its original length?" he questioned.

Reaching out with his hands, Shuuichi touched the thick grass in front of him.
As he had before, he reached out with everything inside of him. He wanted it to
remain healthy and prosperous, but it needed to return to its normal length. It
took a long while, but eventually the grass began to shrink back into the
ground, the blades lessening until they were back to their original appearance.

"How was that?" he questioned, breathing hard. It was more difficult than he'd
thought it would be, and he wiped some sweat from his forehead.

Hiei nodded slowly, then stood. "I'm not sure what it is, but it feels as though
there is some kind of block on your power. As we work on building your
abilities, I imagine that the block will go away. We will continue to work
together until you can grow a single plant without creating a garden. For now,
you can rest. It has taken a lot out of you," he replied.

Smiling, Shuuichi fell against the small blades, feeling them bend comfortably
under his weight. Funny, he had never noticed that grass didn't prickle him the
same way others complained it did to them. It always felt smooth and comfortable
when he sat or layed on it.

"Do you think I'll be able to control my power that easily?" he asked.

"You'd better," Hiei commented, but the words were not unkind and the fire demon
laid down next to him. Shuuichi shifted slightly, smiling when he saw Hiei's
eyes slip closed and his breathing even out. It seemed like a good idea,
considering how drained he felt. Closing his eyes, Shuuichi let the sun warm him
and the grass comfort him as he slipped into sleep.


End Episode 26


^_^ you know what to do now!!!