Destiny

Standard disclaimers apply. Yu Yu Hakusho and all it's characters are not mine, I'm merely borrowing ^_^ Chapter done in Botan's point of view. I've rewritten this chapter about five times, I just can't seem to get it right!!! *teary eyes* Lord, thank you for letting me finish this chapter!!! *hearts popping out*

Chapter 6

"Nani?"

I looked at Koenma-sama with obvious shock, feeling my eyes practically bulge out of their sockets. I have been called from my daily duties to come by Koenma-sama's office. I've stopped abruptly, my steps retreating from the files room to head towards the doors of his office, greeting him with my usual smile. It had been a constant routine, I've learned long before to refrain from testing Koenma-sama's patience. With that said, I suppose it explains why I would always try to obey his orders, he may be easy-going at times as other ferry girls knew him, but he wouldn't be the type one would want to anger. But right now, as he faced me here, asking me to miss the very thing I've been constantly obsessing about for the past weeks, I wouldn't even bother to restrain myself. I was completely convinced he had gone mad.

But my surprised gaze was only met by a leveled stare, his brown eyes settling upon mine unflinchingly. I frowned, shifting my hands to my waist as I glared at him. It's very seldom that he and I argue, mostly because there isn't much to seriously argue about, but I guess I've been to engrossed with my tantei jobs that I had been too attached to Yusuke and the others. And to see them fight their final battles, that is too much of a treasure to miss.

The staring game abruptly ended with Koenma-sama's sigh. "Botan, I'll be very busy on that day and I can't attend to you while I'm there. It would be safer, and not to mention productive, that you stay in here and help out on whatever assignment otousama gives us." He had said it with such easiness and indifference, as if it didn't matter. He had definitely gone mad! I wanted to go over there and knock some sense into Koenma-sama's head. This is the tournament, the finals for goodness sakes, and he expects me to be the good girl and stay in here and help? Did he actually think I'm that easy?

"Koenma-sama, I don't want to stay in here!" I argued, my fists tightening beside me as patience died down from my nerves. I had always waited for the finals to come, for I've missed so much of the tournament because of the constant assignments that have been passed on to me. I've made past arguments about missing those fights before, but I had let myself lose some once I find a reasonable excuse. But just because Koenma-sama has something else to do, that isn't much of a reasonable excuse at all. I can take care of myself, I'm not a child.

"Botan, do understand, I cannot attend to you on that day and…" he seemed to drift away from what he had intended to say, his brows creasing, as if he had something deep to think about. I waited for him to say what he wanted to, wanting to hear why he thinks I should stay here. My frown hardened even more as he closed his eyes and shook his head. "Botan, fourteen or fifteen years before, how long were you lost in Makai?"

My frown left my face, replaced by another surprised expression. But it didn't seem like Koenma-sama's joking, or was trying to change the topic. Something about his eyes told me he had a lot in mind. And I didn't dare ask. "A week." I simply stated. I was once lost in Makai, a few years from now. I was on my way back from an assignment that was given to me when a violent wind came knocking me off my oar. I was so afraid, afraid of the upcoming dangers that the Makai imposes on alien people that ever dared to take a step on its territories. And sure enough...I've met my own encounters.

Koenma-sama nodded his head. He's too serious, usually I'd see him as someone lively and comical, almost taking everything as a joke. But now…he doesn't seem like the Koenma-sama I knew. I was about to ask him if something was wrong when he spoke, cutting me off in mid attempt. "During your stay there…how did you survive? How come nobody tried to kill you?" he asked, eyeing me with a determined look that kept me glued to the ground. It almost scared me, it was like one of those trials Reikai presented on criminals. But I didn't do anything. Unless… "Did you meet somebody?"

The question caught me off-guard, I couldn't help the gasp that came through my lips. I felt Koenma-sama's eyes narrow at me as he repeated his question, his brows mockingly rising as if he didn't know anything. And how I wished he didn't. How much I prayed to the heavens that was just merely asking. But the look in his eyes told me that the possibility was vague. I sighed, hesitating whether or not I should reply. But as I sneaked up a look at those eyes, I knew for certain that an answer was required. "A-anou…a youkai…"

"A male, youkai kitsune, am I right?" he stated, causing my eyes to fly towards his in an even more shocked state.

I felt my heart beating mercilessly inside my chest, my fists clenching the obi of my kimono. "H-hai…how did you know?" I dared ask, all the while wondering yet dreading for the answer.

Koenma-sama turned away, but not before I caught the blaze in his eyes. "You will -not- go to the tournament," he affirmed, completely turning his back to me. He didn't answer my question, nor did he show any signs that he planned to. Before I could protest again, he raised his hand in a swift gesture, silencing me. "You're dismissed."

I was stunned. I hardly noticed my retreating steps, probably a reflex from the alien attitude that Koenma-sama had just shown. I sighed as I reached the end of the corridor, feeling my heart beat slowing as I tried to catch my breath.

A male, youkai kitsune…

How did he know? When had he found out? That statement…I couldn't lie to him when he asked me, his eyes held a certain affirmation to his own statement, I knew he knows enough to put me under his supervising eyes. But I couldn't understand. How did he know? If he had known this since the beginning, he should've mentioned something. Koenma-sama's not the kind who keeps things for too long. And it had been fifteen years.

"Botan-chan!!!"

I looked up from my reverie to the running form of another ferrygirl. It was Inu-chan. I watched as she smiled wider as she saw my recognition of her, running a bit faster to reach me. She stood in front of me for a second, catching her breath. I waited, and fell slightly aback as she laid her hands upon my shoulders, her eyes filled with excitement and murder. I stood there confused, feeling a sweatdrop run down my head. It was always like this when the ferry girls find someone to lie their eyes upon. "Botan-chan! You work for the Reikai tantei group right now, ne?"

I knew it.

I slowly nodded my head at her, all the while keeping a confused smile on my face. "H-hai, daijoubu ka, Inu-chan?" I asked, trying to balance us both on my two feet. She was leaning so close, and she was grinning too widely, almost as if she was in a trance, I doubt she'd even notice if she hit herself on the head. Or if she noticed that she was depending on me to stand upright at all.

"Botan-chan, who's the tantei with the gorgeous red hair and mysterious green eyes?" she asked suddenly, causing me to blink.

Red hair? Green eyes?

I felt the constant electricity that ran through me just by the thought of those features. I tried shaking myself from it, I already told myself that I will never allow such personal intrusion anymore. I've learned my lesson, I will never be hurt again. What I feel for Kurama…it's another girlish infatuation and nothing more. I felt my heart die down, feeling a sudden ache in my chest as I let my mind and memory take over my emotions. But I knew it's for the best.

I must've zoned out for the next thing I realized was Inu-chan's hands waving frantically in front of me. "Oi, are you sleeping there? I asked you a question, Botan-chan. Come one, don't be selfish, who is he? The whole group wants to know!"

I blinked. "Whole group?"

Inu-can grinned and pointed to a nearby path in the corridors. Sure enough, about a dozen other ferry girls were there. I couldn't make out all of them, there wasn't sufficient light for that, but I know I recognized their voices and their little squirms and sighs. The whole scene made me laugh.

Inu-chan frowned and knocked on my head. "Oi! His name, please?" she asked, her voice filled with frustrated anxiety. I sweatdropped. I couldn't imagine what these girls were talking about him.

I stumbled back as I felt Inu-chan's grasp lighten a bit, feeling the relief from my aching shoulders. I looked at her, then to the other ferry girls, all of them giving me anxious, yet waiting looks as if I held the most important knowledge in the whole world. And from their view, I probably am. "Oh, uhm…Kurama. His name is Shuuichi Minamino in Ningenkai, but he's called Kurama by the other tantei."

An expected amount of sighs and squeals erupted in the air as the girls deliberately fell back against the wall with excited murmurs and giggles. The scene was truly pathetic, they were like a bunch of lovesick fans if I was asked.

Like you haven't done what they're doing. You're doing that almost every night when you're alone.

Was it me or did that inner voice just laughed? I shook my head, mentally kicking it as I watched the girls' retreating back. It wasn't until they were a few meters away did I remember the question that had been built at the tip of my tongue. "M-matte! Chotto matte yo, Inu-chan!"

Inu-chan turned around to give me a questioning look. "Hm? Daijoubu, Botan-chan? You seem a little pale. Did Koenma-sama hurt you?" she asked. That last part was a joke, the ferry girls have this certain thing about teasing Koenma-sama. I never really joined them most of the time. But I guess she was half right when she asked that. Although I wouldn't exactly ruin Koenma-sama in front of them all.

I shook my head. "Iie…uhm, how did you know him?" I asked.

Inu-chan looked at me blankly for a moment until a spark of understanding hit her. "Oh! Kurama-sempai?" she asked. I didn't ask when she started calling him that, but that's hardly what was on my mind. I nodded. "He was here a moment ago!" she practically squealed, and fought hard not to cover my ears.

Until understanding dawned on me. "He was here? When?!" I couldn't hide the anticipation in my voice as I clutched Inu-chan's wrist. Kurama was here? Why?

Inu-chan grinned at me. "Interested?" she asked with a mocking voice, her eyes giving off a spark of mischief. But she abruptly ended her teases when I glared at her. "Okay fine, you're in a bad mood aren't you? Yep, Koenma-sama must've done something. Anyway, sempai came and talked to Koenma-sama, that's it, we weren't able to hear anything. Why the hell does Reikai have to have thick doors anyway?"

Inu-chan and the other girls talked continuously about Kurama, but I could hardly understand what they were saying. He came. He actually came! Not that he haven't done so before, but something about his arrival then made my heart skip a bit. Whether it was from that infatuation thing or something else, it made me nervous. I couldn't understand it. I wanted to go back to that office and ask Koenma-sama himself.

Now you're being like these girls here.

Shut up!

I sighed. I was driving myself mad. The continuous flow of questions kept flooding my mind. Why was he here? What was his purpose? Did it have anything to do with Koenma-sama's sudden order?

I winced at that last one. It didn't fit at all. I frowned as I turned my back from the girls, my head suddenly throbbing. I paused briefly in front of Koenma-sama's door, feeling my pulse quicken. How did he know? Am I in trouble?

Just as I was lifting my feet to move on, the door suddenly came open. It was Koenma-sama.

"Botan." he called, his arms folded seriously on his chest. I raised my brows to him in question, waiting for him to speak. His brows furrowed slightly, his fist clenching. "I changed my mind. You will go to the tournament."