Disclaimer:

Hiei: We do not belong to Ashley. Even tho she likes to play with us *scowl*

Me: *tear* Hiei that was…was…beautiful *claps*

*still crying tears of joy while Hiei pummels me senseless*

I think You Touched a Nerve

***

There was a moment of pause before Hiei turned his back on her and muttered, "Baka ningen."

Enyo, was shaking, but her back was already to Themis and Kurama. Without facing them, softly she said, "I'm going to go lie down. Come get me when Botan gets back." Then silently she walked down the hall.

"Hiei," Kurama said sternly. "What was that about?"

"Hn…"

Themis was looking down the hall, but when she turned back to Hiei her eyes were wide with shock and anger. "You idiot," she whispered. "You are a real tool, you know that?"

"What?" Hiei demanded.

"Why would you go an call her ugly?"

"Hn," was his only reply and he turned his back on them.

"Will she be alright?" Kurama asked, gazing after her.

"It's hard to tell sometimes. She could bounce back in five minutes, or a week, I don't know. You know what? I think your friend has got a lot of nerve to call my sister ugly. I mean all that other stuff was bad enough. But wow, Hiei you really know how to kick a girl when she's down. Is that how you fight all your battles?"

"What are you talking about?" Hiei growled. Themis started to say something scathing, but there was a knock on the door, and she went to answer it.

"Hiya!" Botan said cheerfully, first and middle finger forming a 'v'. "Uh what's the matter?" Themis didn't reply, she just stepped back, to allow Botan to enter. Behind her trailed a handsome boy with a strange tattoo on his forehead, and a pacifier in his mouth.

"This is Koenma," Botan said introducing the stranger. "He's the boss."

Themis nodded and offered him a place on the couch. A moment later, Yusuke came back, followed closely by Kuwabara who had somehow managed to acquire a bloody nose, but he was grinning, so Themis didn't worry. She did, however, lean in to Yusuke and say, "Nothing better be broken."

"Don't worry," he replied grinning. "Aside from Kuwabara I didn't break a thing." Themis had to chuckle at that.

When Koenma began talking, and Themis found herself very distracted by the way the pacifier bobbed up and down. Why didn't he take that thing out? "Botan tells me you have some special gifts," he said at last, and Themis was forced to go into another explanation of their powers. She shot a few glares in Hiei's direction, but the demon was looking out the window, leaning against the wall.

"This Otherside is between worlds?" Koenma asked curiously.

"Wha? Oh sorry. Do you think you could remove that pacifier? It's awfully distracting," she said as politely as she could.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nevermind." He asked his question again and Themis replied, "Otherside is really Enyo's area of expertise. All I can say is that it is between two worlds. One of them like this one, and one of them with these…monster things. And When I "look" at something I see its true form, as it would appear in Otherside."

***

Aside:

Hiei: Through some carefully placed threats I have managed to steal this aside.

Kurama: And I'm here to, as usual, make sure he doesn't go overboard.

Hiei: *scowl* I just thought I should say that this story is awful. Where is the violence? All this baka ningen emotional stuff…Hn… Oh yes…and the Jokes.

Kurama: Yes, the jokes are pretty bad. *nods sadly*

Hiei: If it doesn't get something interesting going on soon…I'm leaving.

Kurama: Actually. I kind of like this story.

Hiei: You would *mumbles walking away*

Kurama: *Lassoes him with his rose whip* We're going back in…

***

"Then I shall need to speak with Enyo." Koenma said definitely.

"Well actually…"

"It's okay, Themis, I'll answer his questions. Go ahead boss-man. Shoot." She smiled, but it failed to reach her eyes. Her voice was falsely casual, and no one mistook the red puffiness in her cheeks. No one said anything, and Hiei had not stirred, both of which were blessing to Enyo.

"Tell me everything you can about Otherside," Koenma said gently.

"It's the place where this world, and another, overlap. When inside you can see both simultaneously kind of like the images are on glass and laid on top of one another. The…uh…inhabitants…of that other world can see anyone within Otherside, while the people here cannot. For the most part you can pass through anything in Otherside unless you are consciously interacting with it." She paused a moment, and then asked, "Anything else?"

Koenma shook his head. "I must admit this boggles me. At first I thought you were discussing, Reikai the spirit world, and Makai the demon world. But they don't overlap, and they certainly don't appear the way you described them." Enyo shrugged. "Regardless, we may just need your help on this assignment."

Themis grinned and made a face at Yusuke, who grumbled a little but in the end let it go. Enyo, however, shook her head. "You know, Themis will be more helpful to you on this one. I think I'll pass."

"What?" Yusuke shouted. "Just a little while ago you were all hot to join the team, now you're backing down?"

Enyo's face showed nothing as she nodded. Hiei sneered. "She is just upset by what I said." He was watching Enyo intensely.

"You don't know me," Enyo replied icily, and everyone in the room shivered. "Its not like you're so…" she stopped herself. "I actually thought that if I tried real hard I could sink that low," she said softly. "But I guess not." She turned her back. "I guess I was mistaken in thinking you were one of the good guys." And then she was gone.

Everyone in the room looked at Hiei. "Hey shrimp, what did you say to her?" Kuwabara said leaping to his feet, fists clenched.

"Baka…" he muttered.

Yusuke sauntered over to Hiei, throwing an arm across his shoulder. "Now, now, let's not jump to any conclusions." His eye glinted dangerously. "I'm sure Hiei can explain himself. 'Cuz if not…"

Hiei darted away with his demon speed. "I told her she was ugly," he said defiantly. Jaws dropped.

"Hiei," Koenma said sternly. "How could you lie to her like that?" This of course sent Themis and Yusuke into fits of laughter that spread through the room

***

Aside:

Kurama: Where did Enyo go?

*three tailed blue kitty slinking around behind them*

Themis: To her room.

Kuwabara: Then it is my solemn duty to go and cheer her up!

Themis: *grabs his shirt* I don't think that's necessary

Hiei: Hn…

Yusuke: *smacks Hiei*

*three tailed blue kitty enters the story…crawls under the couch*

Hiei: Do that again, and you die. Let's just get back to the story…

***

"What do you mean lie?" Hiei growled.

"How can you think she is not beautiful?" Kuwabara protested. "If not for my unending devotion to the sweet Yukina, I could fall in love with her." *smack*

"Whatch it, baka."

"Hiei, I must agree with the others. Both she and Themis are quite beautiful."

*blush* "That's sweet, Kurama," Themis said. He smiled charmingly at her.

"Well I don't think so," Hiei protested.

Koenma shook his head. "You all should begin looking for the cat-demon now."

Kurama nodded. "I agree. We will have to leave Enyo to her decision for now."

Themis frowned. 'Maybe I should…"

"Come on," Yusuke said, throwing an arm over her shoulder. "She'll be alright after some time alone. I bet she'll even have a few comebacks for Hiei that'll knock his socks off. I mean, not that I know, but he's no stud, so she'll have plenty of ammo once she's feeling better."

"Alright." It was all Themis said, but that one word held the weight of her concern. Kurama stepped forward and offered her his arm.

"Shall we?" Eventually she slipped her arm through his and the group padded out the door.

The shadow was small, and it made no noise as it slipped into the hallway and made its way toward Enyo's room. Inside she lay on her bed, choking on echoes from years before. Ugly! What are those scars? They're so gross! Ugly! Ugly! A whimper escaped her, and even though she heard the front door close behind the last of them, she slapped a hand over her mouth to stop the sound. Tears, however, were not so easily halted.

"Don't cry, dear," a deep voice drawled. Enyo opened one eye and then the next. Standing at the foot of her bed was a man. His hair was long, sweeping the floor in the color of twilight skies, and he had eyes like black spirals. Petite cat ears with a fringe of fur on top twitched towards her, and he smiled.

***

Me: AH CLIFFHANGER!

Hiei: Its not like they don't know who it is

Me: Well maybe not everybody is as clever as you *pinches his cheek and hides*

Enyo: She doesn't mean the identity, baka. She means…oh nevermind….

Themis: It's almost sad ^_^

Kurama: *chuckle*

Hiei: You too?

Kurama: *grins*

Hiei: Hn…