Sorry!!!! That took way too long! But I hope it's worth the wait! ^__^
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(Hiei's POV)
"COME ON! LOOK HARDER, WE HAVE TO FIND IT!" I yelled, as Yoko Kurama and I crawled around the room on all fours, frantically looking for the key he dropped.
"Well, we wouldn't have lost it if it weren't for you!" he retorted, yanking our attached wrist closer to himself, dragging me with it. "But, I know a way you can make me forgive you..." he chuckled manically as a demented, sexy smile came over his face.
"Stop it! That's what got us into this mess in the first place," I snapped. Clearly he didn't listen. Kurama then tackled me to the ground and began licking my neck and face like some sort of crazy dog who had been handcuffed to its owner.
"Look here Hiei," he started, shifting himself to sit on me as he flipped his hair and licked his lips. "If we're going to be handcuffed to each other for all eternity then why not make the best of it?" As insane as he was...he had a point. But I would find that key! So, I scanned the room over again with just my eyes (unable to move because of a certain idiot who was sitting on me). Then the thought occurred to me: what if the key went back to the abyss from which it came!? In that case, I would have to master the object holding void. But how? I didn't know exactly how to start.... I would probably have to start off with something simple, like a fan to hit people with. Yes. That could be entertaining as well as educational! But...until then...why not...make the best of being handcuffed to the great youko....? Hahahaha....
Just when the fox and I began to raise the rating, Kurama's bedroom door flung open, revealing a startled Shiori.
"AHH!"
"AHH!"
"AHH!"
Kurama and I tried to get away from each other (finding it to be impossible due to the handcuffs), then decided just to compose ourselves.
"What...are you two doing!?" the woman cried, covering her eyes until the fox and I returned to our lowly PG-13 position. "No, no, don't answer..." She sighed, slowly staggering over to her son's bed and taking a seat.
"Shiori, I thought you left..." Kurama growled quietly, glaring at the woman.
"I did. But it was only to confirm with the seller of the apartment I bought for my son and Hiei," she answered, returning the loathing glare at the youko.
"I assume that includes me?" Kurama inquired, picking himself up off the floor. Of course I followed.
"Yes," the woman answered firmly, avoiding eye contact with the kitsune.
"So, you're kicking him out?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in question.
I had noticed that there was a spark of hatred between Kurama's human mother and Kurama's demon form. It puzzled me somehow, but in the end, I guess that's what made the human and demon parts of Kurama different...
"I wouldn't say that exactly, Hiei. But you do need to be out by Wednesday."
"That should be easy, considering I was never living here in the first place," I said scornfully. Sure, I liked Shiori, but Kurama would be crushed when he heard his mother was throwing him out.... I had a feeling it was because of Yoko. Shiori and he had probably met before at some point, and really didn't hit it off. I wondered why....
"Are you two going to start packing up my son's things?" Shiori asked, standing up and making her way to the door.
"What choice do *I* have? I'm going to be stuck helping your son move as long as these handcuffs are on anyway," I said sarcastically, giving the fox a look of death.
"Aren't...aren't you going to move in with my son, Hiei?" Shiori asked, looking a little dumbfounded.
"No. Despite what this idiot may have led you into believing, he and I /aren't/ back together," I answered seriously, folding my arms.
I loved Kurama; I always had, and always would. But I wouldn't let myself become like I had when we were together before. I was stripped of my walls, my cold attitude...as good as it felt to be free of it all...I didn't want it. Even if something feels good you wouldn't allow it if it endangered you. Love was something of the sort for me.
"Oh..." Shiori said softly, sadly, leaving the room and closing the door.
"Hiei, stop being so selfish," Kurama ordered, turning to give me a serious look.
"Don't test me," I demanded, turning my glance away from him.
"Are you so afraid to be happy that you'll even give up that precious human part of mine?" he asked, resting his chin on my shoulder as he gazed into my eyes.
"I'm not afraid of being happy, you idiot. I would say this is more a precaution." I jerked away my shoulder, forcing him to lift his head.
"A precaution? I see. I saw how you acted then...and I'll admit, you're much more appealing now...to me. But Shuichi was different back then. He loves you, as I, and is always in constant pursuit to please you and make you happy. It isn't about you being weak; it's of him being strong, stronger than you give him and me credit for!"
"But still not strong enough accept that my answer is no!" I yelled, turning to glare at the fox. He got a pained look on his face, but it vanished within a few seconds and was replaced with a scowl to pretty accurately match my own.
"Not a day will pass that I don't curse the gods for allowing me to fall in love with a man who is too thick headed to accept his own feelings," he said in a pained and angry voice as his body began to transform back to his human part.
He was really mad at me....
(Kuwabara's POV)
679...681...683...685!
"Here we are!" I chuckled to myself, reaching up my fist and using said fist to knock on said door...wait...I said nothing of a door. Forget it!
I stood, waiting for someone to answer.
I stood, watching a spider crawl along the frame of the door.
I stood, now sitting down on the ground.
Was no one home...? Yes, that must have been it.
WHAT!? WHY WAS NO ONE HOME!? It had taken me months to track them down!
OH! That Urameshi would PAY for this! He must have tricked me into believing that he and Keiko had gotten their own apartment and into visiting them...and bringing the pasta dinner.
So, figuring that I was all alone, I took out my handy pocket spork, and started in on the pasta.
(Yukina's POV)
"Why, thank you Keiko. I'm sure working will be a wonderful experience for me!" I said happily, as Keiko and I left the large building where we had just gotten our spiffy, new jobs.
"Yes, I know! Since Yusuke and I got our own spiffy, new apartment, and because it's so far away from home, he and I had to find jobs. Well, at least he does now!" Keiko and I shared a laugh.
"Who would have thought that there would be such a demand for the people who make those little colorful marshmallow peeps!?"
"I don't know. But this job will be great! The pay is good, especially around this time of year when small, colorful, marshmallow animals are in high demand." Keiko and I shared a laugh.
"OH NO!" I cried, as the memory of something came back.
"What is it!? Is there something wrong!?"
"No, no, don't worry...YES! Kazuma! You told him to meet you, me, and Yusuke at your spiffy, new apartment today. And you said for him to come at four pm!"
"What time is it now!?"
"Well, according to my pocket sundial... five past four pm!"
"We have to hurry before the pasta gets cold!!!"
(Yusuke's POV)
I casually walked down the hall...casually. Until I was at the door of Keiko and my spiffy, new apartment! It was so new it still had the tag!
It was then that I saw a hungry looking Kuwabara sitting right in front of my door about to dig into a huge plate of spaghetti with a spork.
"NO!!!!" I cried, diving out toward my friend, dropping all I was carrying and firing a small bullet of energy at Kuwabara's hand, causing him to drop the spork. Then I hit the ground hard, instantly regretting what I had just done.
"OUCH!!!!!!" Kuwabara yelled, gently placing the pasta down and grabbing his wrist in pain. "What did you did that for!?"
"You almost ATE the pasta!!!" I screamed in horror, traumatized by it all. What if...what if he had eaten it!? What...what would have become of dinner? The loss of pasta...was there a worse fate?
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~*Who I Am, chapter 5, END*~
*
~*Pet Heaven, part II, by Magno-Elf*~
You think what happened to Hiei's little yellow bird was bad, it was nothing compared to what would come next. I begin to tear up now, just thinking about it. This second test of my wills would prove to be fatal . . . and it all continued that very Sunday . . .
"You know what, Kurama, I was just thinking," Hiei said to me as we swept up the yellow feathers that were scattered about the kitchen. "Having Robert opened a whole new aspect of life for me."
"Oh?" I said, raising an eye brow in my mind.
"I think I would enjoy having another pet."
"Are you sure you're up for this, Hiei? So soon? You remember what happened to your last pet, don't you?" I asked, looking at him through the soft blanket of feathers. "Yes, I do remember what happened to Robert only moments ago. I wish to not discuss it. Now will you be accompanying to the pet shop?" he asked me, getting up and heading toward the door.
"Of course, Hiei. I'll support any pet you get."
After a rigorous walk we finally arrived at the Pet'n'Park Place. It was a quaint little place, what with its old fashioned style, its red and white turning stick outside, and its deer head hanging above the door. Once inside, Hiei was overwhelmed with desire for each and every one of the pets. There were rabbits and bats, and lobsters and cats. There were ponies and a snake, and an ancient Bermuda lactose intolerant flea, for heaven's sake.
"Can I help you with anything?" the pet store owner asked, giving us a smile and a friendly welcoming gesture.
"Er, well my friend, Hiei, would like to purchase a pet. Wouldn't you, Hiei?" I asked, looking back forth to see where Hiei had gone. I finally found him looking at the dozen of blue aquariums that lined the wall. He seemed to be hypnotized by one fish in particular; a little black one with bulging eyes and a long wavy tail.
"Oh, that's one of my longest living fishes. He's what the African's call a –" the pet store owner started before Hiei interrupted.
"I know what he is called. His name is Hernandez; Hernandez the fish. I'll take him!" Hiei cried out, jumping up to my eye level.
"Shall I wrap him up for your son, Ma'am?" the pet store owner asked me, getting a plastic bag and a green net.
"You will not wrap Hernandez the fish up like Kurama did to my little yellow bird," Hiei said, giving me a dirty look.
On the way back to the apartment, I decided to give Hiei the ever so dreaded Pet Talk.
"Hiei, now I know you love your fish –"
"Hernandez THE fish," Hiei clarified.
"Yeah . . . I know you love Hernandez THE fish, but you know you're going to have to take care of him, and remember to feed and brush the fish's teeth ever night," I said, trying to break the news to him with ease.
"Kurama, I'm not a child. I'm older than you! But you don't have to worry. I'm going to spend every second of my free time with Hernandez the fish. We have the connection that only a boy and his fish can have," Hiei said, looking down at Hernandez swimming happily in his little plastic bag.
"Hmmph," I said, getting a little annoyed. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't have time for it. I had to finish my whittling project. "Just don't let me catch you feeding the fish leftovers."
When we got back to the apartment, Hiei quickly pulled out a simple glass fish bowl we had stored up in the attic. We didn't have any gravel, but Hiei didn't seem to mind, and neither did Hernandez the fish. As a final touch Hiei used an empty salt shaker in the shape of a little chef as companion for the fish. Once water and Hernandez the fish were placed in the bowl with the little glass chef, Hiei stood in front of the glass bowl, then made what he called a very happy smile, which looked like a semi-frown to me, and took a snap shot of himself and the fish.
"Well," Hiei said, kissing not me, but the glass of the bowl, before he ran to the door. "I'm off to the library to look up how to brew your own beer. Hernandez the fish has already had his lunch, so please just keep an eye on him while I'm gone, okay?" he asked, a certain glow coming from his stale and stern features that I had never seen before.
"Yes, Hiei, I'll take care of your fish," I said.
"Hernandez THE fish, Kurama; Hernandez." And with that he was gone.
"Well, now that he's gone I can finally get some whittling done," I said, getting my stub of wood and heading over to the couch. It was when I started to get really involved with my whittling that I entered what I like to call, 'My Whittling Zone'. I rarely get into this zone, and when I do nothing can stop me. Except for the little swimming noises that black fishes make. As soon as I got into 'My Whittling Zone' I was out again thanks to Hiei's fish, known as Hernandez. Once I get out of the zone there is no point in continuing, so I put my stub of wood down turned on the TV.
"You need to take control of your life," Dr. Phil said to a couple that had been crying. "If you continue to be jealous of your husband's kids you will only end up making both of you unhappy," he told the woman. "Besides, they're your kids too."
"He's right, you know," I told the couple out in the TV universe. "It will destroy your mind." Then, as I was getting into the show, I realized that the TV screen was covered in dust. Well, once I noticed this I couldn't just stand by and let it sit there. I flipped it off and grabbed a rag. After the TV was clean and smelling of lemons, I decided that the entire apartment could use a good cleaning.
I swept, I mopped, I cleansed and I swapped. After all of that was done, I decided to cap it off with a good and thorough vacuuming.
"I shall start in the kitchen!" I declared, taking the Hoover SEE-YOUR-MESS Vacuum out of the closet. I pulled out the hose attachment and turned it on. "I WILL SUCK UP THE DUST THAT IS LINING THE WALL AND THE EDGE OF THE COUNTER!" I shouted, trying to hear myself over the loud vacuum cleaner. So I took the hose along the edge of the wall, behind the fish's fish bowl. It was then that I got lost in the book I had been reading earlier that day—"Waiting for the Grass to Grow" by J.R.R. Tolken. The story had been about murders and people who get murdered. Naturally I began to feel a little jumpy.
After about two minutes of thinking murderous thoughts and vacuuming, (a combination I later found to be fatal) I heard what sounded like someone hopping onto the terrace outside. Did I dare look?
"No," I told myself, convinced that I was getting carried away. But then when I heard what sounded like a murderer hopping onto the terrace, and then when I heard the door bell ring, I jumped. My heart seemed to have skipped a beat, and I dropped the vacuum hose in order to grab at my stuttering heart.
"Oh Kurama," I told myself as I walked to answer the door. "You always get carried away." I opened the door and saw nothing more than a tiny package with Hiei's name on it. "Oh well. I'll give it to him when he gets back from the library. In the mean time I'll go back to my feverish cleaning –" What I saw horrified me. It was something so incredibly terrible that the devil himself would be heartbroken. But there, in Hernandez's fish bowl, was the hose to my still blaring vacuum. The water was gone. All the remained was the little glass chef. The fish, no, Hernandez THE fish, was gone.
"OH CRAP!!!" I screamed, running to the Hoover SEE-YOUR-MESS vacuum, quickly turning it off. "Maybe," I thought. "I can save him before he gets ground up into a million little pieces." But when I removed the see through container I knew that unless I knew the anatomy of a fish very well and knew how to put one back together, there was no hope for little Hernandez. There, lying beside a really old Skittle, was Hernandez's eye. And lying in a pile of dust was his other eye. The rest of him had already been thoroughly mixed with the other vacuum victims. For a split second, as I looked at the eye next to the Skittle, I thought I saw a tiny tear come from the little eye right before it closed.
"Oh, Hernandez, I'm hoooOOOoooOOOme!" Hiei said, happily coming in.
"Hiei!" I said, quickly standing up, putting the see through container behind my back. "Eh . . .did you have a good time at the library?"
"Always do. What's this?" he asked, taking the package that arrived only minutes ago for Hiei.
"Oh, that just came for you."
"I bet I know what this is!" he said as he excitedly opened it. "Yes! It's the little cap and nightgown I ordered for Hernandez the fish online. They sure are fast. See, look at it! Won't this just be so cute on him?" Hiei inquired, holding up a tiny little blue nightgown and cap with yellow moons all over it.
"Hiei, about your fish –"
"Hernandez THE fish, Kurama. You keep forgetting his name."
"Sorry. About Hernandez the fish . . ." I started, looking down at my feet.
"Yes, what about my precious bundle of joy?" Hiei asked, looking at me with his bright red eyes filled with joy. It was then that he must have seen the hose in the fish bowl, because those eyes suddenly became colder than they have ever been before.
"Kurama, where is Hernandez the fish?" he asked, a look of alarm coming over his face.
Instead of speaking, I simply brought the see through vacuum container out from behind my back and showed it to Hiei.
"My—my fish. Hernandez MY fish . . .what have you done to him Kurama? Why would you do this to something that I loved so much and had that special bond that only a boy and his fish can have? Why?" he said, looking back up at me, his eyes wide with disbelief and an overwhelming sadness erupted from him silently.
"I don't know what to say," I said quietly. "I was cleaning and thinking about murderers, and –"
"So you decided to murder my pet, Kurama? Is that what you did?"
"No! I was startled by the door bell and accidentally dropped the vacuum hose into the fish bowl," I said, feeling a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. "I guess all I can say, Hiei, is I'm sorry," I said this in perfect unison with a tear that spilled down my cheek, followed by many more.
Hiei gave nothing more than a sigh. He took his hand to his eyes, and gently swayed back and forth before he took the container from me, still crying, I might add, and took it into the bathroom. I quietly followed. Then, as I put my arm around him he slowly dumped the dust, dirt, skittle and the many pieces of Hernandez the fish into the toilet bowl, and slowly pulled the handle.
"SWIIIIISSSSSHHHHHHHERRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYERRRRR!!!" the toilet bowl said, as Hiei looked down into the bowl at one of Hernandez's eyes, and then finally at his feet.
"Don't worry, Hiei. There are other fish in the sea."
~*Pet Heaven, part II, END*~
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Well, I hope you enjoyed this all! ^_^ PR!
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(Hiei's POV)
"COME ON! LOOK HARDER, WE HAVE TO FIND IT!" I yelled, as Yoko Kurama and I crawled around the room on all fours, frantically looking for the key he dropped.
"Well, we wouldn't have lost it if it weren't for you!" he retorted, yanking our attached wrist closer to himself, dragging me with it. "But, I know a way you can make me forgive you..." he chuckled manically as a demented, sexy smile came over his face.
"Stop it! That's what got us into this mess in the first place," I snapped. Clearly he didn't listen. Kurama then tackled me to the ground and began licking my neck and face like some sort of crazy dog who had been handcuffed to its owner.
"Look here Hiei," he started, shifting himself to sit on me as he flipped his hair and licked his lips. "If we're going to be handcuffed to each other for all eternity then why not make the best of it?" As insane as he was...he had a point. But I would find that key! So, I scanned the room over again with just my eyes (unable to move because of a certain idiot who was sitting on me). Then the thought occurred to me: what if the key went back to the abyss from which it came!? In that case, I would have to master the object holding void. But how? I didn't know exactly how to start.... I would probably have to start off with something simple, like a fan to hit people with. Yes. That could be entertaining as well as educational! But...until then...why not...make the best of being handcuffed to the great youko....? Hahahaha....
Just when the fox and I began to raise the rating, Kurama's bedroom door flung open, revealing a startled Shiori.
"AHH!"
"AHH!"
"AHH!"
Kurama and I tried to get away from each other (finding it to be impossible due to the handcuffs), then decided just to compose ourselves.
"What...are you two doing!?" the woman cried, covering her eyes until the fox and I returned to our lowly PG-13 position. "No, no, don't answer..." She sighed, slowly staggering over to her son's bed and taking a seat.
"Shiori, I thought you left..." Kurama growled quietly, glaring at the woman.
"I did. But it was only to confirm with the seller of the apartment I bought for my son and Hiei," she answered, returning the loathing glare at the youko.
"I assume that includes me?" Kurama inquired, picking himself up off the floor. Of course I followed.
"Yes," the woman answered firmly, avoiding eye contact with the kitsune.
"So, you're kicking him out?" I asked, raising my eyebrow in question.
I had noticed that there was a spark of hatred between Kurama's human mother and Kurama's demon form. It puzzled me somehow, but in the end, I guess that's what made the human and demon parts of Kurama different...
"I wouldn't say that exactly, Hiei. But you do need to be out by Wednesday."
"That should be easy, considering I was never living here in the first place," I said scornfully. Sure, I liked Shiori, but Kurama would be crushed when he heard his mother was throwing him out.... I had a feeling it was because of Yoko. Shiori and he had probably met before at some point, and really didn't hit it off. I wondered why....
"Are you two going to start packing up my son's things?" Shiori asked, standing up and making her way to the door.
"What choice do *I* have? I'm going to be stuck helping your son move as long as these handcuffs are on anyway," I said sarcastically, giving the fox a look of death.
"Aren't...aren't you going to move in with my son, Hiei?" Shiori asked, looking a little dumbfounded.
"No. Despite what this idiot may have led you into believing, he and I /aren't/ back together," I answered seriously, folding my arms.
I loved Kurama; I always had, and always would. But I wouldn't let myself become like I had when we were together before. I was stripped of my walls, my cold attitude...as good as it felt to be free of it all...I didn't want it. Even if something feels good you wouldn't allow it if it endangered you. Love was something of the sort for me.
"Oh..." Shiori said softly, sadly, leaving the room and closing the door.
"Hiei, stop being so selfish," Kurama ordered, turning to give me a serious look.
"Don't test me," I demanded, turning my glance away from him.
"Are you so afraid to be happy that you'll even give up that precious human part of mine?" he asked, resting his chin on my shoulder as he gazed into my eyes.
"I'm not afraid of being happy, you idiot. I would say this is more a precaution." I jerked away my shoulder, forcing him to lift his head.
"A precaution? I see. I saw how you acted then...and I'll admit, you're much more appealing now...to me. But Shuichi was different back then. He loves you, as I, and is always in constant pursuit to please you and make you happy. It isn't about you being weak; it's of him being strong, stronger than you give him and me credit for!"
"But still not strong enough accept that my answer is no!" I yelled, turning to glare at the fox. He got a pained look on his face, but it vanished within a few seconds and was replaced with a scowl to pretty accurately match my own.
"Not a day will pass that I don't curse the gods for allowing me to fall in love with a man who is too thick headed to accept his own feelings," he said in a pained and angry voice as his body began to transform back to his human part.
He was really mad at me....
(Kuwabara's POV)
679...681...683...685!
"Here we are!" I chuckled to myself, reaching up my fist and using said fist to knock on said door...wait...I said nothing of a door. Forget it!
I stood, waiting for someone to answer.
I stood, watching a spider crawl along the frame of the door.
I stood, now sitting down on the ground.
Was no one home...? Yes, that must have been it.
WHAT!? WHY WAS NO ONE HOME!? It had taken me months to track them down!
OH! That Urameshi would PAY for this! He must have tricked me into believing that he and Keiko had gotten their own apartment and into visiting them...and bringing the pasta dinner.
So, figuring that I was all alone, I took out my handy pocket spork, and started in on the pasta.
(Yukina's POV)
"Why, thank you Keiko. I'm sure working will be a wonderful experience for me!" I said happily, as Keiko and I left the large building where we had just gotten our spiffy, new jobs.
"Yes, I know! Since Yusuke and I got our own spiffy, new apartment, and because it's so far away from home, he and I had to find jobs. Well, at least he does now!" Keiko and I shared a laugh.
"Who would have thought that there would be such a demand for the people who make those little colorful marshmallow peeps!?"
"I don't know. But this job will be great! The pay is good, especially around this time of year when small, colorful, marshmallow animals are in high demand." Keiko and I shared a laugh.
"OH NO!" I cried, as the memory of something came back.
"What is it!? Is there something wrong!?"
"No, no, don't worry...YES! Kazuma! You told him to meet you, me, and Yusuke at your spiffy, new apartment today. And you said for him to come at four pm!"
"What time is it now!?"
"Well, according to my pocket sundial... five past four pm!"
"We have to hurry before the pasta gets cold!!!"
(Yusuke's POV)
I casually walked down the hall...casually. Until I was at the door of Keiko and my spiffy, new apartment! It was so new it still had the tag!
It was then that I saw a hungry looking Kuwabara sitting right in front of my door about to dig into a huge plate of spaghetti with a spork.
"NO!!!!" I cried, diving out toward my friend, dropping all I was carrying and firing a small bullet of energy at Kuwabara's hand, causing him to drop the spork. Then I hit the ground hard, instantly regretting what I had just done.
"OUCH!!!!!!" Kuwabara yelled, gently placing the pasta down and grabbing his wrist in pain. "What did you did that for!?"
"You almost ATE the pasta!!!" I screamed in horror, traumatized by it all. What if...what if he had eaten it!? What...what would have become of dinner? The loss of pasta...was there a worse fate?
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~*Who I Am, chapter 5, END*~
*
~*Pet Heaven, part II, by Magno-Elf*~
You think what happened to Hiei's little yellow bird was bad, it was nothing compared to what would come next. I begin to tear up now, just thinking about it. This second test of my wills would prove to be fatal . . . and it all continued that very Sunday . . .
"You know what, Kurama, I was just thinking," Hiei said to me as we swept up the yellow feathers that were scattered about the kitchen. "Having Robert opened a whole new aspect of life for me."
"Oh?" I said, raising an eye brow in my mind.
"I think I would enjoy having another pet."
"Are you sure you're up for this, Hiei? So soon? You remember what happened to your last pet, don't you?" I asked, looking at him through the soft blanket of feathers. "Yes, I do remember what happened to Robert only moments ago. I wish to not discuss it. Now will you be accompanying to the pet shop?" he asked me, getting up and heading toward the door.
"Of course, Hiei. I'll support any pet you get."
After a rigorous walk we finally arrived at the Pet'n'Park Place. It was a quaint little place, what with its old fashioned style, its red and white turning stick outside, and its deer head hanging above the door. Once inside, Hiei was overwhelmed with desire for each and every one of the pets. There were rabbits and bats, and lobsters and cats. There were ponies and a snake, and an ancient Bermuda lactose intolerant flea, for heaven's sake.
"Can I help you with anything?" the pet store owner asked, giving us a smile and a friendly welcoming gesture.
"Er, well my friend, Hiei, would like to purchase a pet. Wouldn't you, Hiei?" I asked, looking back forth to see where Hiei had gone. I finally found him looking at the dozen of blue aquariums that lined the wall. He seemed to be hypnotized by one fish in particular; a little black one with bulging eyes and a long wavy tail.
"Oh, that's one of my longest living fishes. He's what the African's call a –" the pet store owner started before Hiei interrupted.
"I know what he is called. His name is Hernandez; Hernandez the fish. I'll take him!" Hiei cried out, jumping up to my eye level.
"Shall I wrap him up for your son, Ma'am?" the pet store owner asked me, getting a plastic bag and a green net.
"You will not wrap Hernandez the fish up like Kurama did to my little yellow bird," Hiei said, giving me a dirty look.
On the way back to the apartment, I decided to give Hiei the ever so dreaded Pet Talk.
"Hiei, now I know you love your fish –"
"Hernandez THE fish," Hiei clarified.
"Yeah . . . I know you love Hernandez THE fish, but you know you're going to have to take care of him, and remember to feed and brush the fish's teeth ever night," I said, trying to break the news to him with ease.
"Kurama, I'm not a child. I'm older than you! But you don't have to worry. I'm going to spend every second of my free time with Hernandez the fish. We have the connection that only a boy and his fish can have," Hiei said, looking down at Hernandez swimming happily in his little plastic bag.
"Hmmph," I said, getting a little annoyed. I wasn't sure why, but I didn't have time for it. I had to finish my whittling project. "Just don't let me catch you feeding the fish leftovers."
When we got back to the apartment, Hiei quickly pulled out a simple glass fish bowl we had stored up in the attic. We didn't have any gravel, but Hiei didn't seem to mind, and neither did Hernandez the fish. As a final touch Hiei used an empty salt shaker in the shape of a little chef as companion for the fish. Once water and Hernandez the fish were placed in the bowl with the little glass chef, Hiei stood in front of the glass bowl, then made what he called a very happy smile, which looked like a semi-frown to me, and took a snap shot of himself and the fish.
"Well," Hiei said, kissing not me, but the glass of the bowl, before he ran to the door. "I'm off to the library to look up how to brew your own beer. Hernandez the fish has already had his lunch, so please just keep an eye on him while I'm gone, okay?" he asked, a certain glow coming from his stale and stern features that I had never seen before.
"Yes, Hiei, I'll take care of your fish," I said.
"Hernandez THE fish, Kurama; Hernandez." And with that he was gone.
"Well, now that he's gone I can finally get some whittling done," I said, getting my stub of wood and heading over to the couch. It was when I started to get really involved with my whittling that I entered what I like to call, 'My Whittling Zone'. I rarely get into this zone, and when I do nothing can stop me. Except for the little swimming noises that black fishes make. As soon as I got into 'My Whittling Zone' I was out again thanks to Hiei's fish, known as Hernandez. Once I get out of the zone there is no point in continuing, so I put my stub of wood down turned on the TV.
"You need to take control of your life," Dr. Phil said to a couple that had been crying. "If you continue to be jealous of your husband's kids you will only end up making both of you unhappy," he told the woman. "Besides, they're your kids too."
"He's right, you know," I told the couple out in the TV universe. "It will destroy your mind." Then, as I was getting into the show, I realized that the TV screen was covered in dust. Well, once I noticed this I couldn't just stand by and let it sit there. I flipped it off and grabbed a rag. After the TV was clean and smelling of lemons, I decided that the entire apartment could use a good cleaning.
I swept, I mopped, I cleansed and I swapped. After all of that was done, I decided to cap it off with a good and thorough vacuuming.
"I shall start in the kitchen!" I declared, taking the Hoover SEE-YOUR-MESS Vacuum out of the closet. I pulled out the hose attachment and turned it on. "I WILL SUCK UP THE DUST THAT IS LINING THE WALL AND THE EDGE OF THE COUNTER!" I shouted, trying to hear myself over the loud vacuum cleaner. So I took the hose along the edge of the wall, behind the fish's fish bowl. It was then that I got lost in the book I had been reading earlier that day—"Waiting for the Grass to Grow" by J.R.R. Tolken. The story had been about murders and people who get murdered. Naturally I began to feel a little jumpy.
After about two minutes of thinking murderous thoughts and vacuuming, (a combination I later found to be fatal) I heard what sounded like someone hopping onto the terrace outside. Did I dare look?
"No," I told myself, convinced that I was getting carried away. But then when I heard what sounded like a murderer hopping onto the terrace, and then when I heard the door bell ring, I jumped. My heart seemed to have skipped a beat, and I dropped the vacuum hose in order to grab at my stuttering heart.
"Oh Kurama," I told myself as I walked to answer the door. "You always get carried away." I opened the door and saw nothing more than a tiny package with Hiei's name on it. "Oh well. I'll give it to him when he gets back from the library. In the mean time I'll go back to my feverish cleaning –" What I saw horrified me. It was something so incredibly terrible that the devil himself would be heartbroken. But there, in Hernandez's fish bowl, was the hose to my still blaring vacuum. The water was gone. All the remained was the little glass chef. The fish, no, Hernandez THE fish, was gone.
"OH CRAP!!!" I screamed, running to the Hoover SEE-YOUR-MESS vacuum, quickly turning it off. "Maybe," I thought. "I can save him before he gets ground up into a million little pieces." But when I removed the see through container I knew that unless I knew the anatomy of a fish very well and knew how to put one back together, there was no hope for little Hernandez. There, lying beside a really old Skittle, was Hernandez's eye. And lying in a pile of dust was his other eye. The rest of him had already been thoroughly mixed with the other vacuum victims. For a split second, as I looked at the eye next to the Skittle, I thought I saw a tiny tear come from the little eye right before it closed.
"Oh, Hernandez, I'm hoooOOOoooOOOme!" Hiei said, happily coming in.
"Hiei!" I said, quickly standing up, putting the see through container behind my back. "Eh . . .did you have a good time at the library?"
"Always do. What's this?" he asked, taking the package that arrived only minutes ago for Hiei.
"Oh, that just came for you."
"I bet I know what this is!" he said as he excitedly opened it. "Yes! It's the little cap and nightgown I ordered for Hernandez the fish online. They sure are fast. See, look at it! Won't this just be so cute on him?" Hiei inquired, holding up a tiny little blue nightgown and cap with yellow moons all over it.
"Hiei, about your fish –"
"Hernandez THE fish, Kurama. You keep forgetting his name."
"Sorry. About Hernandez the fish . . ." I started, looking down at my feet.
"Yes, what about my precious bundle of joy?" Hiei asked, looking at me with his bright red eyes filled with joy. It was then that he must have seen the hose in the fish bowl, because those eyes suddenly became colder than they have ever been before.
"Kurama, where is Hernandez the fish?" he asked, a look of alarm coming over his face.
Instead of speaking, I simply brought the see through vacuum container out from behind my back and showed it to Hiei.
"My—my fish. Hernandez MY fish . . .what have you done to him Kurama? Why would you do this to something that I loved so much and had that special bond that only a boy and his fish can have? Why?" he said, looking back up at me, his eyes wide with disbelief and an overwhelming sadness erupted from him silently.
"I don't know what to say," I said quietly. "I was cleaning and thinking about murderers, and –"
"So you decided to murder my pet, Kurama? Is that what you did?"
"No! I was startled by the door bell and accidentally dropped the vacuum hose into the fish bowl," I said, feeling a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. "I guess all I can say, Hiei, is I'm sorry," I said this in perfect unison with a tear that spilled down my cheek, followed by many more.
Hiei gave nothing more than a sigh. He took his hand to his eyes, and gently swayed back and forth before he took the container from me, still crying, I might add, and took it into the bathroom. I quietly followed. Then, as I put my arm around him he slowly dumped the dust, dirt, skittle and the many pieces of Hernandez the fish into the toilet bowl, and slowly pulled the handle.
"SWIIIIISSSSSHHHHHHHERRRRRRRRYYYYYYYYYYYYERRRRR!!!" the toilet bowl said, as Hiei looked down into the bowl at one of Hernandez's eyes, and then finally at his feet.
"Don't worry, Hiei. There are other fish in the sea."
~*Pet Heaven, part II, END*~
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Well, I hope you enjoyed this all! ^_^ PR!