Hi! Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers! Your words are like dappled sunlight on my day! ^_^

And in turn, to each one of you I will reply:

Jellybob15- Why thank you! I agree it was a little "different" then I originally meant it to be. In fact, I originally wanted Hakuma to show up at the restaurant! I don't know why I changed my mind...

Misao-chan- I was happy they brought it back, too. Especially because I got to see the episode with Youko Kurama all over again. *_* Thanks for the review!

bluesky- Thank you so much! And really? Who's the fiend who stole my name? Who? ^_^

Chibi Leelee Milo- Correct! 10 points to you!

Waterflash- Yes! 0.0 Here's more! Thanks for reviewing and taking the time to write that many mores.

Harpygirl*91- Wow! Thanks!

Arcia- I suppose you could say that. But my way of thinking was that Hiei was asking "how did Botan get that way" instead of "is she all right." See? You can justify anything was logic! Thanks for the review!

eunc- No, Hiei! Don't kill her! She's one of my best reviewers!

Rekaichan14- Thanks! I'm afraid that the laser tag thing was entirely original. I read another Botan/Kurama fic with a laser tag scene in it. I just can't remember what it was...-_-; So thanks for the review and thanks for reviewing my original one, too! You were the only one! Thanks a million!

Streak- I'm having a lot of fun with the story! And about the pale guy being a demon... You'll just have to find out!

Momo-ness88- Por vavor? That's Spanish! I can speak Spanish too! Sort of... Yo queiro Taco Bell! Yeah...That's about it. You'll find out who the pale man is soon! Soon, my friend, very soon.

Lavender Gaia- I wouldn't be surprised either. 0_0 Kurama is scary like that. I wouldn't have been in Hakuma's shoes for the world.

Cherry Mars- I'm updating! And you'll figure out who he is soon! I think...

MDJ- Thank you!

Kagomechick- Correct! 10 points! I'm sorry about your floppy dieing. Mine did that once, except it had my Science report on it. -_-Thanks for the review.

Gen Masho Rajura- So do I. I've lost many a nights sleep when stuff like that happens. Thanks for the review.

free2rhyme- Thank you very much!

loanshark- Why thank you! And as I said before, you'll find out soon. At least you know his name now! I was getting sick of calling him "the pale guy."

Botan and Kurama lover- Oh, my gosh! That's a fantastic idea! You can bet I'll use it!

Unga the Mighty Pigeon Hunter- Thank you! *gets all teary eyed* I'm glad you enjoyed it! I dropped by your website, by the way. It's fantastic!

darkBeauty- Are you kidding? I hate that couple! It annoys the heck out of me...Thank you so much for the review and once you come up with a plot tell me! I'd love to read it!

Lorynn- No! Don't die! I updated! I'm not a big fan of yaoi either. I think I read one yaoi fic and that was by accident. My friend lied to me about the pairing. Glad you liked it!

Eunjung- Thanks!

Kurayami no KitsuneYoukai- Really? I'll have to read it! Thanks for the review!

Tiffany- No marriage yet! I seriously doubt Kurama will pop the question anytime soon. Sheesh, he doesn't even know he's in love with her yet.

schizofraggle615- Thank you!

Well, that took longer than I thought it would... But that's okay! I'm glad it took long! And by the way, "Put...the candle...back." was from Young Frankenstein.

On with the show!

~*~*~*~*~ Chapter 9 ~*~*~*~*~

When Botan woke up she found herself in her room. She was surprised to find herself there. She was even more surprised to see sunlight streaming in through the window. A dull pain flared through her skull. She was beginning to wonder if it was possible to get a hangover from sugar.

She nursed her head in her hands and attempted to clear it so she could think.

Okay, she was in her room. But this wasn't where she had fallen asleep. But where had she fallen asleep? Not here...Somewhere else... The laser tag place! Thinking that shot another dull pain through her head. Okay, she remembered that. She'd passed out and the last thing she remembered was.... Hakuma. She was talking to him and she'd fainted.

Way to make a first impression, Botan. She scolded herself.

But this still didn't understand how'd she gotten here. That question she found she couldn't answer.

She sighed and looked out the window. She must have been out quite awhile, it had been night last time she'd checked.

Blast! She'd missed out on the end of her "date" with Kurama! The last part was the most important. That's when you stand on the stoop and he gives you a good night kiss! And she'd completely missed it! Okay, so that probably wouldn't have happened.... But still....

She checked herself in the mirror, to check for bruises and what not. She was still in the clothes she'd worn yesterday. Her jewelry was still on, she noticed as she fingered her necklace lovingly. The only thing that was different was that someone had removed her sneakers. Her jacket was hanging on a near by chair.

Her ears picked up the faint sounds of Keiko bustling about in the kitchen. She hoped Keiko would know how she had got here.

She opened the door to her bedroom and tiptoed out to the kitchen. She saw Keiko there, hurriedly cooking something or other.

"Good Morning, Keiko!" Botan said cheerfully.

Keiko looked up from her cooking book, "Botan! Glad to see you're awake!"

"I'm glad to be awake, too! Except I have this horrible headache." Botan muttered sitting down in a chair.

"That's what happens when you eat a whole tub full of sugar cubes!"

Botan froze, "So you found out about that, uh?" Botan asked laughing nervously.

"Of course I did! I had absolutely no sugar in my tea this morning!"

Botan smiled timidly, "Oops...eh eh..."

Keiko glared and then turned back to her cookbook, "Do you think I should dye the pancakes? I found out if you put food coloring in the batter they turn colors..."

A blue pancake flashed in Botan's mind, "Oh! That sounds fun!" She hopped up and joined Keiko in the kitchen, "What color are you going to dye it? I vote blue!"

Keiko shrugged, "I was thinking more along the lines of green..."

"No! A green pancake would look like it was moldy or something. Blue is definitely the way to go!"

"All right! Blue it is!" Keiko agreed and went to find the food coloring.

Botan stared at the pancake batter. It looks rather lumpy, she thought, before getting up the courage to ask her question.

"Keiko?"

"Hmm?" Keiko answered rummaging through the cabinets.

"What exactly happened last night?"

Keiko stopped her search and turned to Botan, "What do you mean?"

"Well, last night.... You see I passed out and don't remember what happened after that." Botan felt rather nervous asking her this for some reason. Maybe she was dreading the answer.

"Oh, that! Well, Kurama and Hiei showed up around seven or so, you were unconscious! I was so worried! But Kurama said you were okay. He didn't know why you'd passed out exactly." She trailed off and returned to her search.

And one question still lingered, "Keiko, Kurama didn't happen to be carrying me, did he?"

Keiko stopped and shot a very bemused look at Botan, "Of course he was. Did you think Hiei would be carrying you?" She laughed at the thought of it.

Botan laughed also, she got the joke. The idea of Hiei was kind of silly, really. Not only would he never do it, there was the matter of size ratios. Miniature Hiei carrying not so miniature Botan. Now that would be something to see!

"Why do you ask?"

Botan suddenly turned the color of Kurama's hair, "Er...No reason..."

Botan walked away trying very hard to act natural, and failing miserably. She sat in a nearby chair and tried to keep her mouth shut.

Keiko watched her friend probingly for a moment and smiled before returning to her search.

It was sometime before Botan remembered they were supposed to go to Kurama's house to collect their Christmas decorations. So after breakfast they immediately hopped in Keiko's car and headed to Kurama's house.

When they arrived they found that Kurama had been expecting them.

"Hi, Kurama!" Botan chirped as she entered, "Now where did we put those bags?"

"I put them behind the tree," Keiko answered.

Kurama watched as the two girls dashed to the tree, "Feeling better, Botan?" Kurama asked with a slight hint of frost in his voice.

Botan pulled a bag out from under the tree, "Oh, yes! Much better! Had a slight headache this morning but it's all gone now."

Kurama smiled, "That's good to hear."

"Oh please!" Both Botan and Keiko's heads shot up at the sound of the fire demon's voice. There was Hiei, drinking a cup of coffee with a slight sneer on his face.

"Oh, Hiei! So, good to see you!" Botan greeted.

Hiei deepened his sneer and drank from his cup.

Kurama gave his friend a disapproving look, "If you'd like I could take down the decorations in the bathroom." Kurama directed towards Botan and Keiko.

"Please, do!"

Kurama nodded and left.

Botan and Keiko set to work on the assorted hangings and signs on the wall. They stuffed them all in one of the bags. Botan was the first to come across the mistletoe. She hesitated before snatching the plant angrily from the ceiling and throwing it in the bag. She never wanted to see that plant again.

Hiei sat on a barstool drinking his coffee the entire time.

This was getting on Keiko's nerves. She eventually got to the point where she couldn't stand it anymore.

"You know, Hiei..."Keiko began spitefully; "the least you could do is help us."

Hiei studied her for a second and answered, "No, this is the least I could do." And he took another drink from his cup.

Botan's fury got the best of her, "Oh, come on, Hiei! All you have to do is take down a few decorations!" She reprimanded, hands set firmly on her hips.

"I don't have to do anything," He said sardonically.

Both girls leered at him, looking like they were about to kill him. Hiei was very lucky that Kurama showed up with an armful of garland at that precise moment.

"Where do I put these?"

Keiko and Botan averted their malevolent looks. "On the coffee table, please." Keiko pointed.

Kurama nodded and put the garland in the directed place and turned to remove the decorations in the hallway, "Hiei, would you please take down those stockings hanging above the fireplace?" He added before leaving.

"Hn." Hiei muttered and surprised both girls by getting of the stool and doing so.

Keiko and Botan shot each other bewildered glances before shrugging with a defeated sigh.

~*~*~*~*~

"Okay, Keiko, you grab the bottom half of the tree and we lift in 1-2-"

"Are you sure you don't want Hiei and me to do this?"

Botan and Keiko glowered at Kurama, "Just because we can't control plants doesn't mean we're totally helpless!" Keiko barked.

Kurama waved his hands apologetically, "No, I didn't mean that. I just-"

"So what did you mean?" Botan countered.

"Nothing, I just thought-"

"I'll have you know," Botan continued, "Keiko and I are completely capable! And we don't always need your help! And if you would please let us do our job we'd be very thankful."

Kurama said nothing. It wasn't safe to.

"Okay, Keiko. Do you have a firm grasp on your end of the tree?"

"Yes," Keiko confirmed.

"All right! 1-2-3! Lift!"

Botan and Keiko lifted the tree from the ground.

"And now, Kurama," Botan said trying very hard to hide the strain in her voice, "Would you be a dear and open the front door?"

Kurama nodded and did so.

"Okay, now walk!" Keiko ordered and she took a step forward, her arms starting to feel sore.

Botan took a step backward, having the front of the tree she was forced to walk with her back to the door depending on Keiko to guide her.

"Back, back, back...Keep moving. That's it! Almost there!" Keiko kept calling. Botan soon started feeling the cool winter air on her back.

"Be careful here, there's a step." Kurama reminded her from his station by the door.

They made it past the door without fault and they nearly ran it to the curb. Upon reaching the curb both girls dropped the tree and exercised their sore arms.

"Ugh...."

"That tree was heavy!" Keiko exclaimed.

"Why did we say we wanted to carry the tree again?" Botan asked out of breath.

"I don't remember," Keiko said after a moment and straightened herself, "Well, let's get back to work," Her voice didn't sound like she was looking forward to the idea.

"Oh, you go ahead. I'll stay out here and...Rest a bit," Botan panted, waving Keiko away.

"All right..." Keiko gave her friend a worried look and went back inside.

Botan flinched, her am was smarting. That tree was heavier than it looked.

Carrying that tree wasn't one of my better ideas, Botan rubbed her arm.

"Well, if it isn't Botan!"

Botan turned around. Before her stood none other than Hakuma, "Oh! How nice to see you again!"

Botan waved cheerfully.

"And you too! We keep running into each other don't we?" Hakuma had his hand shoved in the pockets of his jeans. A leather jacket protected him from the winter's cold. Botan couldn't have been happier to see him out in the sun. It would do him some good. Darken his complexion, hopefully.

"Well if that isn't a koinky-dink!" Botan smiled.

Hakuma nodded, "So what brings you here?"

Botan shot a scornful look at the tree, "Just taking down a few decorations. How about you?"

"Just walking, I live around here."

"How wonderful! Perhaps I could visit you someday!" Botan clapped her hands to together.

Hakuma laughed softly, "I'll do you one better."

Botan looked at him quizzically.

"There's a coffee shop a little way from here what do you say to a drink?" Hakuma asked.

Botan didn't see any reason why not. She was always up for making new friends, "Sure, are we taking your car?"

Hakuma nodded.

"All right then! I'll just grab my coat and tell the guys I'm leaving."

Botan burst in and raced to the couch, on which she'd placed her coat, "Keiko!" She called; "I'm going out with Hakuma I'll be back soon!" And with that she rushed right back out the door.

Keiko stopped what she was doing and looked at the door Botan had exited from stunned.

"Did she just say she was going out?" She asked with disbelief.

"I believe so," Kurama stated with as little emotion as possible.

"With who?" Keiko inquired, still unsure she'd heard right.

"Some ningen named Hakuma," Hiei answered flatly.

Keiko blinked. And at last the information sunk in, "WHAT!?!?!"

Both Hiei and Kurama visibly jumped.

"We've got to follow them!" Keiko laid hold of both Kurama and Hiei's wrists and dragged them to the car.

~*~*~*~*~

Oh what wonderfully useful plot devices Hiei and Keiko are becoming. I must admit I put them in the story a good deal more than any of the other characters save Kurama and Botan. Well, I suppose just about every thing with Kurama in it has to have Hiei in there somewhere. Being such good friends and all. Hear that? Friends. Did you catch the emphasis?

Okay, that was slightly off topic. Back to the glorious point.

Many thanks to Kurama and Botan lover for coming up with idea for this chapter 1000 points to you.

I'm beginning to think that action/adventure bit under the genre does really imply to this story. The only real action was in the second chapter and we are currently in the ninth. Perhaps I should change it to humor or something. Meh.

Thanks for the reviews and keep it up!

-Mogget