The Welder of BlackFire:

Thorn's New Life-The Legend Lives

Chapter Six: Hiei's Secret Meeting

Hiei jumped through the trees, running deeper into the forest. There was a familiar energy around the area that he was stalking. The energy was weak, like a human who was mildly spiritually-aware, nothing really worth exploring. But he was bored and had nothing to do and so decided to exploit it. He paused a moment, looking around slowly. He saw nothing and so continued on. There was a shallow creek to his right, and he went to it, the energy growing stronger as he approached.

He dropped down by the shore, his feet soft as he landed on the moist earth. He looked up to see familiar dark brown locks riveting down a straight back, concealing a bluish glow beneath its thick curtain.

"Hello, Hiei. I'm surprised you would explore such a puny amount of energy," came a musical voice.

"Hn. What are you doing here, Thorn?" Hiei asked, putting his hands in the deep pockets of his cloak.

"Really, Hiei. That's like asking Koenma why he sits at his desk in the clouds. I live here in the human world, Hiei," the girl said, turning to reveal a smirk on her fine-featured face. She turned around from her sitting position on the ground. She stood up slowly, using a long staff to help bear her weight as she pushed herself to her feet. Hiei examined the weapon. It was crowned in a golden metal that glinted in the sun with a deadly shine. A crescent topped the strong wood, a four-pointed star connecting the points to the crescent, one arm of the star protruding like a sharpened dagger. Which was, no doubt, what she used it for, as sure as she used the crescent as a scythe.

"Hn," he said, beginning to turn away. There was nothing here that concerned him. She was close, and her ability to walk so close to him without his knowing before this was not a good sign, but what she was doing here did not concern him.

"Going so soon?" Thorn asked, straightening to reveal that her former clothes had disappeared. Her skirt had grown into long and supple leather pants that covered her boots, which she had not replaced. Her shirt's bottom had grown longer as well, covering her hard stomach, but the single strap remained, over her left shoulder, where one saw the sword's hilt resting.

Hiei looked over his shoulder at her question, his face its normal, unreadable self.

"Apparently you are especially bored with Kur- I mean, Shuichi, at school," she continued when he said nothing, looking up into the tree tops.

"It is no concern of yours," he said bluntly. Thorn shrugged slightly.

"No, it isn't. But that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to be a nice person and ask about it."

"Hn. Why would you be concerned with my problems?" Hiei asked, turned back around to face her. Thorn's eyes remained on the bright, cloudless sky as she spoke.

"I'm not concerned with them. I'm just trying to make peaceful conversation is all. Besides, I don't pry...unless it is especially needed," she said, watching as a breeze rustled the tree branches above them.

"Good. Make sure you keep it at peaceful conversation."

"Or what?" she asked, her bright eyes finally lowering to level with his. He gave a meaningful glare, but said nothing. They stared at each other like that a long time before a startling buzz sounded from BlackFire. Thorn glanced backward at it before turning back to Hiei. She gave a small smile before her form flickered and disappeared.

"You're magic is growing old," he said quietly before turning away. He could feel it too. Kurama was approaching steadily. Hiei began to walk back the way he had come.

"Hiei, I thought I felt you out here. Why are you out here?" Kurama asked.

"I grew bored was all," the youkai said.

"Hm, I see," the boy said as they made their way back into the city.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Authoress' Note: Yes, I know this chappy was short, but I put up two today to make up for it! -grin- OMG! I got TWO more reviews! Holy cow!

Hiei's1girl: Thank you so much for your reviews! Here's your next chappy! Glad you like the story. I'm so happy! ^_^ YAY!

J: -sits in mutilated computer room- -humming-

Yusuke: -walks in- 0.0' what happened to your room?

J: oh, ahh, well we knocked down the wall between my room and the comp room and my comps disconnected, that's why I'm here!

All: oh

J: yeah, but now you guys have more room! -points to random chairs positioned around the room- so you can quit crowding all around me to watch me type.

Kurama: I take that offensively.

J: aww! Pwoor wittle Kuwama! Well, then you can sit in the chair next to me and help me finish this box of- -looks around- WHO TOOK MY COOKIES DAMMIT??!!

Yusuke: -hides package in an open box, holding valuable knick knaks. Tries desperately to whistle through mouthful of Oreos-

J: YUSUKE!

All but J and Yusuke: You've done it now, Yusuke! She's going to either -begins to list-

1. hit you really hard

2. Make you pay for more cookies (because she loves them very much)

3. Turn you into an idiot in her fanfic.

4. Etc…..-continues to list-

J: -thinking- hmm, I think I'll just lock in him into a room with….let's see, who does he really hate?

All: Torguro.

J: Yeah!! -pushes Yusuke to where her closet used to be- crap. No closet. Well, I guess I'll have to deal with throwing you out the window. -shrugs- -opens window and chucks Yusuke out it-

Yusuke: AHHH!! -LOUD thump- Oawf!

All: -runs to window, looks down on grumbling Yusuke-

Botan: ahh, I'm confused. Wasn't he supposed to fall down and down?

J: whoops.

Hiei: you threw him out the wrong window, this one's hardly two feet from the ground.

J: ahh…I forgot?

Kuwabara: you've lived in this room for five years and you forgot?

J: -growl- hey, I meant to through him out that window…..because…….ahhh… he would land on the prickly evergreen bushes! -nods, happy with lie- yeah, that's it!

All: yeah, sure….

J: -grumble- fine, just for being stupid and ditzy, Botan, do the disclaimer. -walks away, grumbling-

Botan: Okay! -cheerleader voice- J-chan does not own any of us! She only owns Rose, Thorn, and BlackFire! Alright! C'mon everybody, cheer with me!

All: I need aspirin… badly -searches everyone else's pockets, because their out- -realize they're all out-

0.0' J-CHAN!!!!!!! -runs after her-