Power Shift, Ch.II, Finding Hope

            "Where're Yusuke and Genkai?   Do you know Botan?"  Asked a confused Kuwahara.  He thought that if he were called out of school for this, he would have rather been in school.

            "They are in the woods, training.  Genkai is teaching Yusuke a new technique.  Did you feel that huge energy?  That was probably Yusuke completing whatever it was Genkai was teaching him.  Kuwahara and Hiei, you'd better come on, we should get to spirit world before everything is taken over."  Answered Botan, who looked a little uneasy, but she felt sure that Genkai would take care of Yusuke.

"What do you mean, use less power!  That shot would have destroyed me if I hadn't have done that!"  Said Yusuke. He was quite angry with Genkai for her complete lack of his safety, after all, she was supposed to be his teacher.

            "That's right.  If you use the shield like that, you're power will run dry in an instant.  Use less power; any spiritual shield would have done that same thing.  You need to ration your energy."

            At that moment, Botan flew down on her oar.  "Are you two done yet?  We need to get going, Yusuke.  Spirit world could be completely controlled by demons now.  Lets get to it."  Said Botan. 

            "He's ready.  Hopefully he'll find out that energy shouldn't be used whenever you like."  Said Genkai.

            " Good.  Genkai, take care of Kurama.  I'll come back and check after I drop off our fighters.  Kuwahara and Hiei are coming, they're right behind me."  Replied Botan.

            "Here we are.  Lets go."  Called a voice, belonging to Kuwahara. 

            Everyone was ready,

            Everyone left on the oar, and Botan flew very fast towards spirit world, and what everyone saw was a horrid, dry land.  Every plant was dead, every stream or lake, including the Sanzu River, was dried out.  Yusuke was confused.

            "What's all this about Botan?  The last time I was in spirit world, it was all lush and green.  Everything was alive!  What happened?"

            "That's what happened when the Demon Army moved in.  They decimated everything that was once alive.  We still don't know all their motives for doing so, but we do know that they have captured Koenma and have him hostage.  King Enma won't stand for this, though.  He probably has an army of Ogres headed for them right now.  We'd better hurry or a war could ensue."  Botan Said.  After her little speech, everyone had landed in the middle of a field.  It looked not just brown and dry, but like someone had dropped millions of rocks onto it.  Everyone was in complete shock.  They all wondered how it got to be so bad.  Yusuke broke the silence.

            "This is weird.  What happened here?  Don't tell me it was…"

            "I'm afraid so.  This is where we thought they were.  It seemed they've moved though.  I wonder how long ago?  Lets see if we can track them, they couldn't have gone far." Said Botan.  She seemed to be looking for something.  "Ah!  Here.  Look at this. The footprints lead off into the mountains.  They must be either trying to hide in the mountains or…Oh no."

            "What?  What is 'oh no'?"  Asked Yusuke. 

            "That way…that way is the only way to the only portal to the human world.  It was used in ancient times for humans to pass themselves into this world.  It was never sealed off because it was always an exit point for people to pass when needed, but King Enma placed the mountains there so it would be intensely hard to reach.  That means that…"

Kuwahara finished her sentence. "That means that this freak show is going to try and attack the human world!   We have to intercept them.  Botan…What's the fastest way around that mountain range?" 

"That's the hard part.  The fastest way around that mountain range is through it.  Most likely the army has tried to get up it.  That will definently buy us some time.  That's the trick that most people don't know.  There's a little surprise at the top."   Replied Botan. 

            While Yusuke and Botan were talking, Hiei was thinking and looking at the mountain.  The ice at the top was so pure, it reminded him of Yukina.  He couldn't help wondering, "Where was she?"

            The four started towards the Mountains.  Yusuke and Kuwahara were eager and started running. Meanwhile, Hiei and Botan started talking. 

            "Botan…can I ask you a favor?  Please, I need to know…where is Yukina?  Is she ok?  Please…Will you go find her?"  This was the first time Botan had ever seen Hiei show so much emotion.  It was really inspiring.

"Hiei, I…Sure.  Yes, I'll find her."  Said Botan, with a tone of sympathy in her voice.  It was true, she did believe he really did care for her.  But why couldn't he tell her who he really was.  It didn't make sense.  Botan decided to let Hiei tell the boys where she had gone, and as she took off, she looked in despair at Hiei.  He really looked tired of living a lie.  He was going to tell her.  She could feel it.

            As Botan flew away, she decided to go and check on Kurama first.  In the air, she could see everything.  Human world wasn't exactly spirit world, but it was a nice place.

            Botan got to Genkai's temple, and found Genkai in a training room, beating up an old bag.

"Genkai…how is Kurama?"  She asked.  She did try not to get in the middle of anything.

"Oh.  Botan."  She stopped beating up the bag.  "0Yes, he is doing quite well.  He has almost made a full recovery, I don't know what that was, but it probably wasn't a drainage of demonic power.  It was something else.  Anyway, it doesn't look like much of anything anymore."  Botan found this as good news. 

            "Oh good.  After I find Yukina, we can get back to the spirit realm.  Thank you Genkai, goodbye!"  Botan yelled as she flew away, deciding that she should go back to spirit world to look for Yukina.  As she got there, the grief from having her world be demolished with a single blast was too much, and she had to rest and let go.  She cried, for her world, for her lord, for just about everything within the realms of the spirit world.  She was going to pull herself together.  She continued to look for Yukina.  Her thoughts were, that if Yukina were in spirit world, she would be in her village, practicing her healing power.  Botan would try there first.

As Botan got to the village, she saw flames.  Flames everywhere.  The army had attacked the village.