"I can't believe you three! You were so reckless, lost in your own stupid thoughts!" Koenma yelled. It was about twoweeks into the school year, and the boys had just returned from a mission. There had been no need to send anyone else. It was 11:00pm; Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama were receiving a huge reprimanding from the Spirit World Ruler for their careless actions. "Kuwabara was the only one of you who saw the traps and had to save every one of you from them! You can go, idiot."
Yusuke started toward the door but stopped when Koenma yelled again. "Not you! The other idiot!" Both Kurama and Hiei tried to leave like Yusuke had but were stopped just like him. "I mean Kuwabara for goodness sakes! Since when did you two answer to idiot?"
"When it would have gotten us out of here," Hiei muttered.
"Now, I want to know what was so important to you three to make you so…so…so…uh I can't even think of a word for it!"
"Lackadaisical?" Kurama received confused looks. "Careless."
"Yeah….lacka-…lacka-…whatever you said!"
"I can answer that one, easy," Kuwabara bragged. "The girls." The other three boys walked back to their spots in front of Koenma's desk as Kuwabara made himself comfy on the couch.
"Since when did you three think about the girls in a time of danger when it wasn't certain that you were to die! They are safe in the human world, Jennifer especially, and you three are allowing your thoughts on them jeopardize your mission and lives! Maybe I should forbid you from seeing them!" All FOUR boys looked up at Koenma at these words. Even Kuwabara thought that was the craziest idea the toddler had ever had.
"Well if you hadn't been working us to the bone ever since we stopped training to go to school! Kayko finally agreed to go with me on a date without one of the other couples there to show me up! No offense to you, Hiei or Kurama." Yusuke was in a rampage, only stopping long enough to excuse his insult on Hiei and Kurama who were always the ones to double date with him and Kayko.
"None taken," Kurama said politely. Hiei nodded in agreement.
Yusuke went back into his rampage. "You then turn around and drag us here out of the blue for a mission that could have waited till tomorrow! Then scold us for thinking of the lives we actually have even though we got the mission done! Kayko probably hates me now, thinking I stood her up!"
"She doesn't," Hiei said. "I spoke telepathically with Jennifer before we went on the mission. She called both Elizabeth and Kayko to explain what happened."
"Saved by the shrimp at least," Kuwabara commented. Hiei growled at the nickname, though he was getting used to it for Jennifer sometimes used it to tease him.
Kurama was the next to speak. He was calmer then Yusuke, but his voice still held disappointment and slight anger. "That may be, but the fact is that I still let Elizabeth down. I had made reservations at a nice restaurant for two. All I wanted was to treat her they way she deserved to be treated, court her properly. You've ruined that Koenma. I don't know when she'll get the chance to get away from school and Jennifer's training again."
"You could always talk to Jennifer about it," Koenma pointed out.
Kurama shook his head. "She's as strict as Genkai. She wouldn't even cancel a training session for a night out with Hiei, which is saying something." Hiei nodded to confirm it. "Besides the training is for her own good."
The last to speak was Hiei. All expected him to rant and rave like Yusuke did but were startled when he spoke in a whisper filled with sadness. "Jennifer told me she had planned to fix dinner for me tonight, a night for just the two of us. She wanted to stay up and wait for me, but I told her not too. I contacted her mind before we came in. She did wait up for me. She is asleep on the couch in our wing right now. Do you know what she dreams of? That I come back to her safely! You yourself know how lonely my past was, Koenma! I have finally found someone who only asks that I am safe inher arms and vise versa, and you have to rip us apart with these stupid missions! If this continues, I shall quit the team."
"You can't quit. You are working for me to keep from being jailed for your previous actions!"
"Watch me." With that Hiei walked out the doors and into the corridor.
Jennifer sat up on the couch. "He's back," she whispered. She could feel him searching her mind, watching her dreams while she slept earlier and felt how close he was. Jennifer waved her hand and the candles about the room came to life with flickering orange flames, the light giving the room a romantic feel. They lit only the coffee table where different finger foods sat on plates and in bowls. On the other side of the coffee table, pillows and blankets had been laid on the floor creating a nest for the two lovebirds. Jennifer had chosen a couple movies to watch as well.
She stood and straightened her red silk nightgown that formed to her chest but was loose anywhere lower then that. She walked into the kitchen with a spirit like grace, the gown dancing about her legs as her hips swayed with each step. She began fixing the drinks. 'It does come in handy to grow up around alcohol,' she thought as she mixed up a couple of margaritas.
Jennifer never heard the door, never heard the footsteps go up the stairs or come back down into the kitchen; she only felt the strong arms wrap about her waist and the voice whisper "I'm here. Sorry it took so long."
Jennifer turned around in Hiei's arms and kissed his waiting lips. "It's ok. I understand," she said after pulling away. She handed Hiei his glass and they walked out of the kitchen and settled down in the nest. Jennifer put in the movie, Moulin Rouge, and they relaxed, enjoying the food and drinks that Jennifer had prepared. Simple touches, light kisses, gentle smiles; it was all enough for both of them besides the usual embrace.
After the movie, the two went out side into the cool, crisp air even though Jennifer was only in a silk nightgown and Hiei in black sweat pants that he often slept in. The two traveled deep into the dark forest, the shadows wrapping about them promising secrecy, the trees standing tall in a guard like manner promising privacy. They reached a clearing where grew a large oak. In the great tree's branches were a rolled up blanket and a pillow.
In the middle of the tree, the branches had formed a grove that acted much like a bed for the two lovers whenever they sought to get away from the others or just wished to be around the forest that they both cared for dearly.
Hiei jumped up into the branches with Jennifer in his arms. He laid her down in the cradling arms of the tree and began to unroll the blanket. Jennifer situated the pillow and wrapped her arms about Hiei as he laid down next to her, pulling the warm blanket up about them. The blanket was made to look like leaves to help camouflage. One side held the greens of summer, the other held the oranges, reds, and yellows of fall—that was the side that was facing the sky currently to blend in with the matching leaves of the tree.
And so the night full of simple romance ended.
The precious October day had come. Elizabeth, Kurama, and Jennifer skipped school and met up with Hiei. The boys went one way the girls another. It was the first year anniversary for the two couples, and there was no way they would spend precious planning time in a boring school.
Jennifer and Elizabeth had it all planned out, a night of romance ending in pleasure. They had both been so busy that they rarely saw the boys anymore, at least on an intimate level. Koenma had kept the boys busy still, but he always made sure to give them the missions early in the day. Even Jennifer had been going on missions now, to keep her in shape as Genkai said.
Everything needed was bought and the girls rushed to Kurama's where the festivities would take place. Mrs. Minamino had agreed to help the girls fix up some dinner for the boys then would leave to a friend's house. It was amazing how kind she was, only wanting to see her boy happy. She favored both Jennifer and Elizabeth as daughters, especially Liz who was the closest to her precious Suichi.
Night was here, the boys would be coming soon. The smell of home cooked food wafted in the air, mixing with the rose smell from the petals that led from the front door to the bedrooms. The table was set, the only light for it coming from two candles in the center lit by Elizabeth. The girls waited patiently for their guys' arrival. Jennifer was wearing the lingerie that she had worn the first time she and Hiei had made love. Elizabeth was wearing an identical outfit but white.
The sound of the lock clicking as it was unlocked and the door opening signaled that they were home. Unfortunatly two unwanted voices mixed with theirs.
"Thanks guys for agreeing to help us get ready for them," Kurama was saying as he unlocked the door. He stepped in and stood in the doorway, Hiei at his side. Both stared at the scene before them. Their eyes followed the rose petals up the stairs as far as they could into the hall.
"Looks like they beat you to it," Yusuke joked as he walked in. Kuwabara followed. Kurama closed the door behind him and Hiei.
"It's obvious your not needed," Hiei said in an agitated voice. He didn't want Yusuke and Kazuma around to ruin this for him and Kurama. "Leave."
"Whoa, shrimp. I want to see what this is about," Kuwabara said, looking around at the dimly lit room. All the guys' gazes went to the kitchen doorway when the figure of their strong mage companion appeared. She had a frown on those rosy lips and a glare in those deep eyes directed toward the two unwanted guest who were practically drooling over her choice of clothing.
With graceful movements she approached her demonic lover and gave him a passionate kiss in greeting. Her hand ran through his hair or along his body as she spoke to him. "Hiei, darling, get rid of these idiots, go upstairs to our room, change into the items I bought you today, and come back to join me for dinner. This is our night, not theirs." She kissed him again, keeping it longer this time so he could feel her body and want her more. She had learned to tease him so well and loved to do it. The fingers of one of her hands traced his cheek as she whispered again. "So will you?" Hiei nodded as though in a trance, and Jennifer was about to leave again, when the door opened and Botan stepped in.
"Guys! You're needed!" she said. She then spotted what was going on.
Hiei turned to look at Jennifer who had gone rigid. Tears threatened her eyes as she quickly walked back into the kitchen, anger shown in her posture and movements. Hiei rounded on Botan who was about to drag the boys out. "Leave! I warned Koenma, and now he has gone to far, calling upon me on my anniversary. I refuse to work for him again!" With that Hiei went over to the couch and laid down on his back, his arms crossed across his chest and his eyes on the ceiling.
Botan was about to say more, but Kurama shushed her. Everyone was listening as Jennifer's voice, moist with shed tears, carried from the kitchen. "I'm tired of it, Liz! I hardly get to see him anymore! All I want is the occasional time with him, but every time anymore, Koenma is interfering! At least you get to see Kurama each night. I don't even get that! I love Hiei with all my heart, but it's as if the Destiny Weaver is against us." Her sobs drowned out any other words she could have said or Elizabeth's reply.
Hiei cringed at the sound. The others felt so bad after hearing that. But that wasn't the last confession they heard. The caught the whispered words of the other lover.
"How can I hurt her so without meaning to? Why do I? All I want is for her to be happy. All I want is to hold her in my arms every night and whisper words that barely describe how I feel to her in the safety of the shadows, to taste her sweet lips, to feel her sensual touch, to know that here is a person I love and they return that love. I only wanted to ask her to spend her life with me, tonight….is that so much to ask?" They noticed the black ring box clutched in his hands so lovingly. Kurama had been there when Hiei got the ring from his room at Koenma's; it was the only thing he owned that belonged to his mother except for the tear gem necklace. The ring itself was a tear gem that had been shed the day his parents had fallen in love.
As the room fell quiet, the others left. Kurama went upstairs to his room and found the clothing he was supposed to wear—a white pair of boxer briefs and a white robe—and changed into them. He then went back downstairs and led Elizabeth away from her depressed friend. Up in their room, they talked.
"Why did you ask me to leave her?" Elizabeth begged, still able to hear Jennifer's heartbroken sobs. "I'm no longer in the mood."
"Let them be. They will be fine, they need time to go to each other. They need to be alone." With that he shut the door, shutting out the problems of his friends and shutting in the love of his girlfriend.
An hour had passed. Hiei was aware that the others left and that Kurama had taken Elizabeth upstairs, leaving Jennifer alone in the kitchen. Hiei had to do something for Jennifer had gone silent as if she had cried herself to sleep.
He got up and went to Jennifer's room where he saw the black boxer briefs and robe. He changed, putting the ring box into his robe pocket, and went back down. He found Jennifer asleep, her head in her arms on the table. The food that had been laid out had gone cold and the candles burned out. He gently ran a finger along the back of her neck, awakening her with a start.
Jennifer's brown eyes, still moist with unshed tears and ringed with red, looked in surprised and love at the demon before her. She whispered to him in a loving but fearful voice. "H-Hiei? Is that really you or am I dreaming? I thought you had gone with Botan and the others."
"Shh, my sweet, all is well. I let my anger take over, and I will no longer work for Koenma; I had warned him before, and he completely crossed the line tonight. He knew the significance of this night." He kissed her on the forehead and saw the happiness in her eyes as she smiled slowly. "Tonight is just you and me. Kurama has already taken care of Elizabeth. So will you still enjoy this lovely meal with me?" He gestured to the table of cold food. Jennifer nodded.
As Hiei sat down across from her, she served food to each of their plates then used her fire ability while holding the plates to reheat the food. Hiei just smirked and accepted the plate of food. They ate quietly, maybe commenting here and there about the food or each other. Once they had both eaten their fill, Hiei went to the living room as Jennifer cleaned the plates and put away the leftovers.
'So Hiei is breaking his probation for me. I'll have to speak to Koenma in the morning,' Jennifer thought as she walked into the living room. Her steps were silent so Hiei didn't hear her come up behind the couch. Jennifer leaned close to his head and blew gently on his ear causing him to jump. She saw him quickly stuff something into his robe pocket.
"What was that?" she asked innocently as she wrapped her arms about his neck.
"Nothing," he answered before tilting his head back to receive an upside down kiss.
"Well, if it was nothing," and with that she started walking along the rose petal path, stopping at the bottom of the stairs. She could feel Hiei's hungry eyes watch her the whole time, enjoying the way her body moved. Jennifer smiled in amusement and placed one foot on the bottom step then turned to look at Hiei over her shoulder, her right hand on the stair railing. "Follow the rose petal path," she said before disappearing in thin air; she had teleported, one of her favored abilities.
Hiei stood and watched as candles that sat along the path lit with cold fire, shedding a strangely welcoming light on the satin like petals. As he walked upon the soft trail, he could feel and see from the corner of his eye the shadows following him; the candles were going out as he passed. He was soon standing outside Jennifer's bedroom door, only two candles left burning, one on each side of the door. Hiei glanced further down the hall where the petals had stopped being a mixture of red and black and continued on as only red; the petals before Jennifer's door were purelyblack. He could see the light seeping through the space between Kurama's bedroom door and the floor telling that they were still up. He looked back to Jennifer's door where no light, only shadows, crept out. Hiei looked back down the stairs and saw only shadows which seemed to form a solid wall of black, keeping him from even thinking of retreat. He turned back to the door. His left hand clutched the ring box in his pocket as his right hand turned the doorknob.
Jennifer heard Hiei enter, and she rolled over to face him. She had been laying on the bed, looking out the window at the moon whose light was the only light in the room shining perfectly on the bed. She turned herself so that she was laying on her stomach across the bed, her chin on her folded arms on the bed, her legs bent and swinging back and forth behind her. Her eyes watched Hiei approach, stepping into the moon's light; she noted the nervousness of his movements.
What he did next surprised Jennifer so that she sat up on the edge of the bed, watching him in confusion. He had knelt down before her on one knee and still had his left hand in his robe pocket. "Hiei?" she questioned.
Hiei looked up at her and smiled then licked his lips in nervousness. "Jennifer….as you know, I love you dearly…I only want to be with you….I only want to be able to hold you each night and awaken to your beautiful face each morning….I want to spend the rest of my life with you so…." He slowly pulled his hand from his pocket and held out a black box. With his other hand he opened it to reveal a very beautiful ring. It was a silver ring, the band looked like a thin vine as in the middle it formed a heart about a true tear gem—the gem made from an ice apparition's tears. Jennifer gasped at the sight of it then quickly looked to Hiei whose face was serious and hopeful. "It was my mom's," he said, "it was the tear she shed the day my father first told her he loved her. He made it into this ring for her. I have a vague memory that only comes to me in my dreams of her putting it about my neck on a gold chain….she whispered to me 'Give it to the girl you fall in love with'." He was silent for a moment as he thought of that memory. He lifted his gaze from the ring back to Jennifer who had become solemn in reaction to this. Hiei smiled getting her to smile. "That is what I do this night. Jennifer, will you marry me?"
Hiei found himself flat on his back on the floor with Jennifer kissing him furiously, her own tears of happiness falling upon his cheeks. He returned the kisses until she pulled away and smiled down at him. "Of course Hiei. I will marry you." She let him up and he slipped the ring onto her left ring finger; it was a perfect fit.
Jennifer stood and led Hiei slowly to the bed, offering herself to him as she had done before in the past. This night turned from a night of love to a night of celebration for the two lovers as their bodies joined in long, passionate love making that lasted most of the night.
The sun shown in upon the two lovers whose naked bodies were still entwined in the other's arms. Jennifer's eyes opened first to the sight of Hiei's peaceful face. She kissed him lightly on the lips, awakening him. "Good morning, lover," she whispered.
"Good morning, my wife-to-be," was the reply gaining a slight blush from Jennifer. Hiei kissed her then smiled.
"I could get used to this," Jennifer giggled. About an hour was spent just relaxing in each other's arms, talking of the future. Their words stopped though when they heard the front door open and the footsteps of many people, four to be exact, on the stairs, stopping in front of the bedroom door. Then the conversation was clearly heard.
"Wait. What if they're not up and dressed?" came Elizabeth's voice.
"Koenma only allowed us to wait until noon. It's half past noon; they should be awake by now at least." That was Kurama's voice.
"I don't see why we got to do this." The annoying voice of Kuwabara was the next to speak.
"Because the hot head has broken his probation agreement. Though I'm not too thrilled about doing this either. They won't hesitate to hurt us; they are the most cutthroat of the group." Yusuke explained.
"That is why we've been ordered to take Jennifer as well. So she won't be able to hurt us, trying to free him." Kurama again.
"Here goes." Elizabeth knocked on the door. Hiei had gotten up by now and put on his boxers. His katana was drawn, and he stood ready in the middle of the room. Jennifer had also readied, now wearing her nightgown, and her whip was ready in one hand, a ball of true flame in the other; she had the shadow whip, sparing no expense.
"What!" Hiei growled making it seem like they hadn't heard the conversation.
"Are you and Jennifer decent, Hiei?" Kurama asked kindly.
"Yes," Jennifer called sweetly. Both she and Hiei were smirking, knowing this would be interesting. The door before them slowly opened, and Kuwabara was the one who had been sent in. 'Smart,' thought Jennifer, catching on to their plan. Hiei stuck out at Kuwabara, barely missing on purpose.
"AMBUSH!" Kuwabara yelled as he ran out the door. Kurama and Yusuke entered, both ready for the fight. Kurama took on Hiei as Yusuke, with help from Liz, took on Jennifer. The battle raged on, both sides becoming wounded. Jennifer couldn't do much,; she was still a little weak from all the energy she had used last night. Hiei also was weakened. In the end, the two demons were back to back, surrounded by their "friends".
"Put down the weapons and come quietly, you two," said Yusuke, his spirit gun aimed at Hiei.
"Never," Hiei growled. He quickly sheathed his sword as Jennifer cast the room in darkness.
Jennifer felt Hiei pick her up bridal style and run toward the back part of the room, the only side that was unguarded. "Now!" she yelled as she saw the window. Hiei took the cue and jumped. The glass of the window shattered about them, creating more wounds in them. Sunlight struck their eyes, blinding them both for a moment as they fell to the ground. "Oh no!" Jennifer exclaimed as she looked down below. Looks like they had planned ahead for a special cage had been set up below the window. The two couldn't help but fall into it. As soon as they touched the bottom, the blue power binding bars formed over the top, trapping them.
"So I commit you to prison, again, Hiei," Koenma said. He was sitting at his desk, his eyes on Hiei and Jennifer. Both stood before the desk, their wrists bound behind their backs with power-binding cuffs. Their weapons lay on the desk. The rest of the team, including Kayko, Yukina, and Boten, were about the room; Kurama guarded the door. "And, if you try to help him, Jennifer, you will also find your new home a jail cell. And you won't be sharing cells."
"Koenma, you back stabber!" Hiei yelled, lunging for the Spirit World ruler. Yusuke pulled him back in time before he reached the desk. Kuwabara stood behind Jennifer to do the same if needed. Hiei struggled against Urameshi as Jennifer watched calmly.
'Its all right,' she told him telepathically, 'I'll get you out.' Hiei calmed down at her words but was inwardly worried. "Koenma," Jennifer said aloud, "he did warn you that if you interfered again he would quit. And do you really wish to lose me from the team? For if you do as you say you will, I will quit, and you can't punish me for that. I will not stay on your side if you're going to take my fiancé away from me."
"Fiancé?" Boten questioned. Hiei nodded.
"So be it. We will miss you, Jennifer." Everyone gaped at Koenma who didn't even acknowledge the others. He gave the gesture for Hiei to be taken away, and two ogres dragged him out the doors.
Jennifer glared at him, but Koenma didn't admit to her glare until he jumped up from his chair and went running around the room. His clothes were on fire, mainly the posterior region. Satisfied for now, Jennifer walked out of the room, following the guards and Hiei. They couldn't deny her visitation rights.
Hours later, the rest of the team hadn't moved, most were still trying to solve out what had happened. Koenma had sat back down and was working on paperwork, ignoring his remaining Spirit Detectives.
"Koenma, I must advise against this," Kurama said after moments of silence. "Jennifer will surely try to break Hiei free of his confinement no matter what the consequences." All the others nodded in agreement.
Koenma looked up to Kurama. "I don't care. I can't let any of you to rebel without punishment. I might give him a second chance in a few months." With that he went back to work only to be interrupted again.
"Koenma, sir! The fire apparition has escaped with his lover. They've split up. He took a portal going deeper in to the Makai; she took a portal to America," the green ogre said quickly.
"WHAT!" Koenma yelled.
Months had gone by since the escape of their friends, ten to be exact. They tried to go on with their life, though some of their missions dealt with reports of a demonsimilar toHiei being seen in the Makai. They couldn't find Jennifer either. They knew she was in her home state, but they could never find her; she had become too elusive with her powers.
Life was hard for Hiei as well. He was always on the run from his "friends". He could never stay in one place in the Makai for too long or he risked capture. During the day, his mind stayed busy, but once night had fallen and he was safe in a forest for a rest, everything changed. His mind would go to his fiancé. He would remember holding her in his arms and whispering to her in the shadows. If only they hadn't split up.
It was one such night that Hiei decided to seek out Jennifer's mind. He should be able to reach her where ever they were. It didn't take long until he found her. He fell asleep that night with Jennifer's sweet memories for company for she was already dreaming. It would be the next night that he would make a plan that could change everything….
Jennifer's life was more relaxed but just as sorrowful. She was back in Perry, Oklahoma, with her parents who didn't question her return. With a couple years of school left, Jennifer returned to her old territory on the Morrison High School campus. When there was work to be done, she was fine. But as soon as the work was finished, she would catch herself thinking of Hiei and wishing that Koenma had never interfered.
It was Monday in America, and Jennifer was walking into her first hour class: Art. She was one of the first to come in as always. She dropped her books on the only single desk in the class room, the one by the teacher's; all the other desks were paired up.
"Morning, Jennifer." This was the kind voice of Mr. Shade, the art teacher and friend of Jennifer. He had come during her sophomore year, and they had been close ever since. He was a skinny man, a few inches taller then Jennifer. He had very short brown hair and brown eyes. He also had a beard of brown stubble. He was a kind and patient man during class, usually, but could always get frustrated with a class like he did with Jennifer's class back in that sophomore year.
"Ohayougozaimasu, sensei." Jennifer casually looked to Shade and caught the confused look he gave her. She had done it again. Ever since her return to America, a few Japanese words would slip when she spoke. Hiei had been the one to teach her. Once she had a few everyday terms down pat, both had made it a habit to use the terms when speaking to each other. Now she used them without conscious thought. Her favorite had been baka, which she had learned the meaning of before she was taught for Hiei used it all the time.
"Sorry, Mr. Shade. Good Morning." The teacher gave her a gentle smile, and Jennifer settled down for class. She took out her laptop and typed away furiously on it, waiting for class to start. The other students were coming in by now. Jennifer didn't notice the student who stood at Mr. Shade's desk until his words caught her.
"Welcome….Jagan? Jagan Shi. We have one last desk; it's stashed away in the corner over there. Why don't you bring it over here next to Jennifer?" Mr. Shade was saying. Jennifer looked up to see the new boy going to get the desk and carrying it over. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at his back. Same height, all black clothing, ebony hair that reached the shoulders, that same tough guy stance and walk, bandages aboutone forearm; she was almost positive that when he turned around she would see those blood-red eyes and that white bandana. But disappointment washed over her when he turned after getting the desk, and headed her way. Sure he had the bandana butin a dark purple, and those eyes, they weren't her lover's eyes. They were a beautiful violet color that reminded Jennifer of Hiei's jagan eye, but that was the only similarity. And this guy had a gentle smile upon his face; he seemed more cheerful than the fire apparition. Otherwise, he looked just like Hiei.
Jennifer sighed and went back to her story. She heard the desk be set down beside her and heard him sit down in the chair. She could feel his gaze on her as she typed. Without looking at him, she greeted him, "Gashi." This time she spoke in Japanese on purpose, hoping to confuse him. The plan backfired.
"Gashi, bishoujo," he replied with a smile that made Jennifer squirm. A slight blush rose to her cheeks as she remembered the meanings of the words: Greetings,beautiful girl.
"Baka," she muttered as she closed up her laptop because class was about to start. The boy laughed lightly beside her. She glanced over to him and almost cried out. He looked so much like Hiei but…
"I'm sure I am to you. To tell you the truth, I expected that or chikan." That got Jennifer to laugh; she had not thought of pervert. "The name's Jagan Shi. Friends call me Shadow."
"Jennifer Reub. Friends call me Mage."
Thus was what started the friendship between the two. Close they became over the next month, as close as Jennifer was to Yusuke, Kuwabara, or even Kurama. Being with Jagan put Jennifer's mind at ease. She found herself worrying about Hiei less and less for it was like he was right there beside her.
It was theeleventh month mark since the day she left Spirit World. Jennifer was sitting on a bench just beside the school doors when she was jerked out of her thoughts by the most annoying voice in the world. "Jennifer! There you are! I haven't seen you in so long!" A blonde-hair, blue-eyed cowgirl came trotting up to Jennifer and plopped down beside her.
"Hello, Tiffany. Yes, it has been along time considering you were suspended for a month after hitting Casey." Tiffany Gambill, Jennifer's long time acquaintance and enemy. Jennifer was tolerant of the girl even though she had begun to rub her the wrong way ever since Jr. High. Jennifer saw Tiffany as sluttish and flirtatious and disliked among the other classmates, but Tiffany saw herself as popular and the girl most of the guys wanted.
"Well…yeah. Anyway, have you seen that new kid?" Jennifer nodded. "He is so cute! He has a height problem, but that's nothing that can't be overlooked. Probably makes up for it else where, eh?" Jennifer just ignored Tiffany as the blonde rambled on about how she was going to win Jagan over. She only listened when Tiffany announced that he was coming. Tiffany went into a "cool" act as Jagan approached. Jennifer just stood to meet him.
Jagan stopped in front of Jennifer and bowed. "Ohayou, Mage-san."
Jennifer returned the bow in traditional Japanese style. "Ohayou, Shadow-chan." When both straightened they smiled. They tended to speak to each other in Japanese, just for the fun of confusing the others.
"Oh…oh….Oh-hi-you, Jagan," Tiffany said, standing and curtsying. Jennifer broke into a fit of giggles, ignoring Tiffany's glare. Jagan was biting his bottom lip to keep from laughing. "Well sorry Miss 'I've been to Japan'! Not all of us can learn more than two languages!" With that Tiffany stormed off, though not before winking at Jagan. Jennifer watched him shudder and started laughing again; this time he joined in.
"Who was that?" Jagan asked when he could finally speak. He was wiping the tears from his eyes as he sat down.
Jennifer followed his example as she breathed deeply to calm down. "Her name's Tiffany. Always goes for the new guys though she really tries for Eric."
"Ah, the bishounen."
"Hai, the bishounen."
"So, um, Mage?"
"Nani?"
"Are you doing anything in October?"
"Iya. Naze?"
"Well, I would like to take you out for dinner on…." Jennifer gasped at the date he said; it was her anniversary to Hiei. She sighed. It wasn't like Hiei would risk getting captured just to spend their anniversary together. "So is it a date?"
"Hai."
"Kyousei! Um….pick you up at 7 then."
As Jagan went inside, Jennifer stayed behind, her mind on Hiei as she absentmindedly toyed with her engagement ring.
It was that chosen night that both would confess something.
Jagan was walking Jennifer to her home. Both were quiet as Sister Moon watched the two friends.
Jagan was the one to break the silence. "Um…Jennifer, if you don't mind my asking, what's with the ring? Are you already taken?"
Jennifer's gaze went from the tear-gem ring that she had been toying with all night to Jagan. "Well…uh…" 'Why am I hesitating? I love Hiei. Jagan is only a friend, nothing more,' Jennifer thought. "Yes, Jagan. I am engaged to…"
"…a youkai. He knows an ice apparition or is an ice apparition from the fact that that's a tear gem."
Jennifer nodded. "His sister. But this one is from his mother; the ring was made by his father. But how do you know about the youkai?"
"I am youkai."
"Oh. What kind?"
"Fire and shadow."
"Hence the nickname Shadow. Maybe you've heard of my fiancé. The fire apparition that works for Koenma?"
"Hiei? Then you are that Jennifer!" Though it seemed as though Jagan was surprised, Jennifer could sense that he knew all along and that he was hiding something.
"Would you like to come in? Maybe you can tell me what's going on in theSpirit World and theMakai." She unlocked the door and let Jagan in.
"Um…where's your bathroom?"
"Through the kitchen."
Jagan took off to the kitchen for the bathroom. Jennifer went upstairs to her room to change for the night.
"What is it, Koenma?" Kurama asked sleepily. He was wearing only a pair of sweats. Elizabeth looked just as tired where she stood beside him wearing a t-shirt and shorts. Both had hastily dressed when Botan came to fetch them. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kayko and Yukina were all wearing night clothing, too; the boys without shirts, the girls with shorts under their nightgowns.
"We have found Jennifer at last! She had been at her parents home in America all this time."
"What! You mean you didn't check there first!" Yusuke was leaning on Koenma's desk as he yelled at the toddler.
Koenma sweat-dropped. "Eh…no…we thought it too obvious a place to look." He gave a shrug then turned everyone's attention to the video screen. "We got this footage just awhile ago."
On the screen it showed Jennifer in knee-high boots and thigh high hose, a leather skirt that reached her knees, and a blood red corset top over a white, long-sleeve blouse. Her necklace shown in the last light of the sun. She locked her door and turned to….Hiei? Well he looked like Hiei dressed in biker boots, black jeans, and a black leather duster. Onlytwo problems: his eyes were violet and his hair was pulled back into a ponytail at the base of his skull. The two walked down the street, talking animatedly in English with a few Japanese terms.
"I didn't know Jennifer knew Japanese!" Elizabeth exclaimed.
Kurama was standing behind her, his arms about her. "Hiei taught her. I've passed their room at night before to hear him teach her and test her. One word she learned the best was baka. Takes after Hiei, I must say." The others smiled as they remembered. It had been so long since any of them had spoken of either fugitive.
"Hey! Is she cheating on the shrimp?" Kuwabara drew the others attention back to the screen. Jennifer and the boy had entered a movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, and the boy had his arm around Jennifer who didn't protest. Everyone was quiet to hear what was being said.
"Mage-san…" "Nani?" "Suki maro." "Suki maro, too, Shadow-kun." "You don't understand. I'm meaning more then a friend. Warawa koigokoro maro, my tenshi. Koigokoro with aiyoku. You'll never realize how much."
Everyone gasped. This boy, he had said he loved Jennifer with passion, called her his angel. They watched as Jennifer squirmed out of his arms and turned her attention to the movie.
"Sumimasen, my tenshi, sumimasen." "It's ok, Jagan. You can't help your feelings. Arigatou; I needed to hear that." "Your welcome."
All three girls turned away from the screen. "Impossible!" Yukina cried. Kuwabara turned and comforted her in his arms as she cried against his bare chest. Kayko and Elizabeth had taken seats on the couch.
"She…she…couldn't mean it. How could she?" Elizabeth was at a lose.
"He loves her so but now…." Kayko couldn't finish, it was too much.
"I was quite shocked by it myself but look here. Let me fast foreword to their dinner." Koenma pressed a button on a remote and the scene on the screen changed to them at a table at a sidewalk café. He was eating fine, but Jennifer was picking at her food, her gaze locked on her engagement ring. All of a sudden she looked up to earn a cocky smile from the boy. They could see that she was doing some action under the table, and the boy cringed.
"Chikan!"
Jennifer stood and ran off, the boy following after.
"Sumimasen. Believe me, Jennifer-san, I am."
Jennifer stopped at a corner and turned to face him. The street light shown down on them as if from a dramatic movie.
"Let me make it up to you." "How?" "Like this…"
The boy leaned in to kiss Jennifer. At first it seemed she would allow it, but then she slapped him hard.
"Sumimasen, Jagan. I just can't let you do that. Sumimasen. I want to go home."
The boy nodded then walked with Jennifer. They then saw the scene at Jennifer's home, but the tape ended after the two went inside.
"That's it. They are still there," Koenma said.
"What was his name? Jagan or Shadow?" Kurama asked.
"Apparently he name is Jagan Shi, nickname: Shadow. We looked up all Shi's and Jagan's and Jaganshi's."
"What was that last one?"
"Jaganshi?"
Kurama smiled that knowing smile. Koenma caught on quickly. Botan, who had been standing beside Koenma the whole time, nodded as she smiled. "Hiei!" they said in unison.
Jennifer walked down her stairs, her black nightgown clinging to her curves. She did not look around at anyone in the living room, just plopped down on the couch beside Jagan who was watching TV.
"Evening, my mistress," she heard Jagan say. His voice was coated with lust and love. Jennifer let out a tired sigh. When would he learn?
"Look here, Jagan, I said—" She gasped. She had turned to chew the demon out but saw, stretched out on the couch beside her, wearing only a pair of black jeans, was her one and only withthat familiar smirk upon his luscious lips. "Hiei!" Jennifer exclaimed as she threw herself at him.
Hiei grunted as she landed on him, dropping the remote. He found her kissing every inch of his bare skin feverishly. "Calm down," he said as he pushed her away so he could look her in the eyes. She smiled sweetly at him, and hereturned the smile.
"Hiei, I've missed you." Jennifer curled up at his side, her head on his shoulder, one of her hands tracing his toned abdomen as the other was under his neck. He had one of his hands under his head, the other arm wrapped about Jennifer toying with her hair.
"I've missed you, too." He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.
Jennifer got up, pulling Hiei up, and, not releasing his hand, leading him to the stairs. "Come on, this is long overdue." Hiei smirked, swept her off her feet bridal style, and carried her up the stairs while passionately kissing her.
Once at the top of the stairs, he looked around seeing that there was no bed in the room. "Where?" he asked. Jennifer had him put her down, and she walked over to the opposite wall.
"Follow me," she said. She slipped her nightgown off, revealing that she wore only panties beneath, then knelt down in front of an American flag hung low on the wall. Then crawled under the flag and disappeared; there was a secret room. Hiei smirked, took off his jeans and followed.
Darkness surrounded the two lovers like a blanket within that little room. Both were tired from the pleasure that had given and received. They now lay, letting sleep slowly over take them, on the bed which was nothing more than a mattress on the floor of the low ceiling-ed room with sheets and pillows. Jennifer lay on her side facing the doorway; Hiei lay behind her, his arms about her waist and his head behind hers. Every so often he would kiss Jennifer on the back of the neck, getting her to move some from the feeling it produced for her. It was as if he wanted to make sure he wasn't dreaming and her movements reassured him.
It was very late and both were half asleep, their naked bodies pressed against each other lovingly. It had been all quiet until Jennifer thought she heard the sound of the front door. She said nothing to Hiei for he was already asleep; besides it was probably her parents back from….wait! Where had they gone? Jennifer brushed the thought from her mind and sought out the dreams that she loved so much.
Just as sleep was about to take her in its arms, Jennifer heard a noise that made her very alert. She reached out and grabbed the fur of her gray, purring cat and pulledthe female creatureto lay beside her. Normally she wouldn't be alarmed by the Smokey's presence, but the fact was she had put her outside before her date with "Jagan", whom she learned was Hiei. Sure, she could have came in with her parents except that they would never let her in on purpose this late, and if she had managed to sneak in, they would have caught her and threw her back out.
Jennifer listened hard and caught the sound of people moving in the rooms below. Her stairs gave a creak, telling of someone moving up them. A red glow was cast into the room through the flag; Jennifer guessed they were using candles. Jennifer held onto her cat with one hand and Hiei's arms with the other. She had noticed that Hiei's breathing had changed; he had awakened.
"Hey, guys! Found her room!"
"Quiet, Kuwabara! You want to alert them!"
"Sorry, Urameshi! It's probably to late!"
Jennifer could fell Hiei stiffen in fear behind her. 'Calm,' she told him telepathically, 'They know not of this room. We'll be safe for a while.' She felt Hiei nod behind her.
The sound of more footsteps on the stairs told of the others coming up; Jennifer figured six from what she could hear. So everyone except Botan was in her room. But that last set of footsteps could be heard, and Botan's high voice could be heard.
"Hey guys! Find them yet?"
"Shh! And no. This is her room, though I would have thought the walls and ceiling to be black and the carpet red, not green walls, blue ceiling, and cream carpet." Kurama's voice paused for a moment continued. "What is it, Elizabeth?"
"Nothing." Jennifer took this opportunity to read Elizabeth's mind. 'Crap,' Jennifer thought afterwards. 'She remembers me telling her about this room!' She wasn't going to tell Hiei this; she didn't want to worry him more.
"Hey! She has a TV and VCR up here! How 'bout we check out this video now?"
"We can't. Koenma told us to wait until we find Jennifer and Hiei. They're supposed to see it."
"Yukina is right, Yusuke. Lets us wait."
"No, I agree with the idiot. Let's watch it, Kurama."
The sound of the TV as it was turned on reached Hiei and Jennifer's ears. Then the static of the video before it started. Jennifer gestured to Hiei, and both crawled over to the flag. Hiei pulled back a corner enough for both to see the TV. Everyone was there, their backs turned to the secret room.
On the TV was Koenma at his desk as usual. He began to speak. "Evening Team. Yes, this includes you too, Hiei and Jennifer. I have to apologize for the way I acted that day a year ago. Hiei had warned me, and I ignored it. I admit my mistake. Now I must ask you both back to us. Since word that you two had left us spread, crime rates have gone up! Demons are less scared now that the S-level mage and her killer boyfriend no longer work for me. Please come back! I'm on my knees begging you!" Indeed he was. Koenma had crawled up onto his desk and was begging on his knees. He stood again, regaining his dignified composure. "That is all." The TV static-ed out again, and Kurama turned off the TV.
Jennifer was too stunned to stop it from happening. Smokey wriggled from her master's loosened grip and walked out into the middle of the main room, watching the newcomers. "Shit!" muttered Hiei before he released the flag and pulled Jennifer back into the shadows of the pitch black room.
Jennifer and Hiei huddled on the mattress, a sheet from the bed did Jennifer hold to cover their bodies if they were discovered. They could hear Kuwabara discover the cat.
"Hey there, kitty! Where'd you come from? Hey! Come here!" The lover's watched in horror as the cat entered their hiding place and sat down in the middle of the room. They also watched, from their place at the left side of the doorway, as Kuwabara's head appeared through the doorway, the flag draped over his head. "What's this? Hey guys, there's a room here! And….Ah!" Kuwabara had looked over to where Hiei and Jennifer hid. After seeing them, he retreated from the room.
"Kuwabara what's wrong?" came Yukina's worried voice.
"F…f…found them…." Kuwabara muttered. "Be careful, Urameshi…"
"What could be so bad? Hiei try to cut your head off?" Yusuke's head poked into the room, and he spotted the lovers. "Ah ha! Ha ha ha ha ha! Kuwabara, you wuss!" Yusuke disappeared again.
Jennifer looked to Hiei in confusion who shrugged. 'I don't know what's with them,' he told her telepathically. They both turned their gazes back to the door when they heard to flag move. A pair of black boxers and one of Jennifer's black nightgowns, both with robes, had been tossed in. Yusuke's voice called to them. "Put some clothes on and get out here!"
Everyone was downstairs now. Kuwabara, Yusuke, Kayko, and Yukina all sat on the beige couch. In Kuwabara's lap lay Smokey, enjoying the attention she was getting. Even Yukina was petting the gray cat, admiring its beautiful yellow eyes. Elizabeth was sitting on Kurama's lap as Kurama sat in the arm chair on the left side of the couch. Hiei sat alone in the armchair on the right, glaring at his team mates.
Jennifer walked in carrying a tray of Pepsi and passed out the cans. She then sat down on Hiei's lap, opened her own can and took a long drink from it before handing the rest to Hiei to finish.
"That is one smart cat," Yusuke commented, his eyes going to Smokey who had moved over to Kayko's lap.
"One bitch of a cat," Jennifer corrected, "and she just proved that even more tonight." She glared at the cat who mewed at her master. She crossed over Yusuke's lap to the arm of the couch and jumped into Jennifer's lap. Jennifer scratched the cat behind her ears beforeit collapsed into her lap for a rest. Jennifer just shook her head as the others chuckled.
"So you saw the video?" Kayko asked. Hiei nodded. "So?"
"We already told Botan that we would return," Jennifer explained.
"And Koenma is thrilled though he is probably rolling on his floor with laughter." Botan came in from the front yard, closing the pink compact communicator and putting it away in her pocket.
"You had to tell him, didn't you?" Jennifer asked sarcastically. Botan nodded before grabbing the last Pepsi and downing it. She burped loudly earning applause from Yusuke and Kuwabara.
"Excuse me," Botan said sheepishly with a blush on her cheeks.
"Please!" Elizabeth scoffed before downing the rest of hers and burping louder than Botan had. More applause from the idiots. Everyone was waiting to see who would go next when a burp rang through the whole room. The group turned to see Jennifer's parents in the front doorway.
"Way to go, Mom!" Jennifer cheered. "Jim taught you well!"
"Thank you, Jennifer. Now, who are these people, and why are you in that boy's lap?" Jennifer jumped up off Hiei at her mother's words, blushing furiously. Though her head was bowed and her hair hid her face, she snuck a glance to her father who was glaring at Hiei.
Before Jennifer could say anything, Hiei had stood and approached Raymond. Jennifer's face went paler then normal. Her hand went to her cell phone which sat on the coffee table; she was ready to call 911 if needed. The possible conversation rang through her mind… "911, what's the emergency?" "Uh…my father just met my boyfriend and…" "Broken bones? Bruises? Bleeding? Possible internal injuries?" "All the above." "We'll send someone right over."
Jennifer shook the idea from her mind as everyone watched. The rest of the team were just waiting for Hiei to have a stare down…uh…stare up with the large man. It was quite a sight to see the short apparition stand only a foot away from the six-foot-four biker who was decked out in his jeans, Harley shirt, leather jacket, leather chaps, and Harley boots.
"Now, Raymond, don't do anything rash. I know it didn't look good, coming home to find Jennifer on her boyfriend'swhom we've never met—lap, in her nightgown and there to be three other couples in the house and some girl…" Glenda stopped talking after saying those words then turned to Jennifer who had cautiously come to stand beside Hiei. "What the hell were you thinking!"
"I was thinking of how much fun I had in Japan and how long it had been since I had seen any of them! I didn't even know where you two had taken off to!"
"We went riding with Gene, Kenny and Christie, and a few others that you don't know!" The mother-daughter argument continued as they moved to the kitchen, muffling the words every so often.
"Happen often?" Kurama asked, looking down at Elizabeth who was still in his arms. Liz shrugged, showing she didn't know. All remaining eyes returned to Hiei and Ray, the tension clearly felt in the room.
"Jennifer! You can't be engaged! You are only a senior! Not even out of school!"
"We're not getting married until I'm out! He just wanted to make sure I would always be there!"
"Yeah right! He just wants your body!" When Jennifer didn't answer, her mom began to yell louder. "You didn't!"
"NO!" Jennifer shot back. In the back of her mind, a voice sang, "Liar, liar, your pants are on fire." Jennifer couldn't help but glance at the hem of her nightgown. It was on fire! Cold fire but still…! She smirked as she willed the fire out.
"What are you smirking at! You lying to me?"
"What? No!" 'Yes,' Jennifer was getting tired of her conscious 'Quiet you or I won't be able to see Hiei ever again!' The little voice actually shut up. During this lack of yelling, laughter rang in from the living room. Both Jennifer and Glenda went into the living room to find the gang and Jen's father watching TV. The laughter had been them laughing at a comedy show. Hiei had given up his armchair to Raymond and was sitting on the floor in front of the couch.
"Hey, the yelling's stopped." Everyone turned to Jennifer and her mom at Elizabeth's words. Hiei stood, walked over to Jennifer, and gave her a kiss on the cheek earning a glare from Glenda. He led her back over to his spot on the floor where they sat side by side. Kurama and Elizabeth joined them on the floor, giving up their armchair to Jen's mom. Botan was sitting on an arm of the couch.
"So, what happened?" Jennifer questioned, looking from Hiei to her father. Hiei merely shrugged as did her father. 'Crap they're equally quiet!' Jennifer thought.
"Hiei introduced himself, and us, and talked in a businesslike manner to your father. Caught us all off guard," Kurama explained.
"Good boy!" Jennifer teased as she patted Hiei on the top of his head in a master-pet manner. Hiei gave a warning growl and grabbed her hand. Using it and the arm he wrapped about her shoulders, he pulled her to lean against him. Jennifer relaxed in his arms and watched the TV. "So can they stay the night? We plan on returning to Japan tomorrow."
"I guess," came her father's rough voice.
"But the boys stay downstairs." This was the mother's command. She had calmed down some, giving this boy a chance seeing as he had gained a chance from Raymond.
So they did stay the night, going to bed late that night. The boys stayed downstairs, respecting the parent's request. They also feared what Raymond would do to them so….
It was the next afternoon, lunch time at the school. Jennifer had just got done talking to Mr. Cart, the principal, about sending her records back to Japan since she was transferring back. She exited the glass doors of the common room and was about to sit down on her usual bench by the doors when she noticed something. There was a group of students standing at the end of the sidewalk where it turned to follow the side of the school.
Jennifer suppressed the laughter that rose to her throat. They were all dressed in their Sunday best, all wearing the cross in some way. Some even had gone as far as carrying bibles. In front of them were various buckets.
Jennifer approached them calmly. She had gotten half way up the sidewalk, even with Cartmell's office window, when the group's leader approached. It was Hala Shaw, a wanna-be-Goth who stayed Christian. She had shoulder length died-black hair that looked so unnatural it was pathetic and hazel eyes. Her skin was paler then Jennifer's and she had given up her usual gothic attire for a long black skirt, black heels, and a black button-up collared shirt. About her neck was a white beaded necklace with a plastic cross replica on the middle that hung in the middle of her chest drawing attention to the small size of her breasts.
"So you're leaving again at last? Well, we're your farewell party. Leave and never come back, witch!" The group started chanting "witch" from behind Hala. Hala reached in the closest bucket and pulled out a green water balloon. "Taste holy water, witch!" She threw the water balloon. Jennifer dodged the badly tossed water balloon with little effort. More water balloons came at her, to many to dodge with out using speed powers.
The group gasped as every last water balloon stopped in mid-air and lined up like an army. The ones that remained in the buckets rose up and joined their comrades. Jennifer walked down the line, each row she passed popped leaving the water suspended in the air in balls, and the rubber balloon remains laying on the sidewalk. Jennifer reached the end of the line and stood beside the water ball army. She smirked at the Christian offenders. "Hit all you can!" she barked at the water like a general. "Leave the leader to me!" She pointed to the group who immediately fled from the water balls. Hala tried to flee but found her ankles tied to the ground by vines.
Jennifer sauntered up to the terrified girl. "So…thought you could beat me huh?" Hala denied it with a shake of the head. Jennifer just laughed as she circled the trapped girl like a vulture. "I never did anything to you or any of the others. But here you are, ready to pick on a 'defenseless' me. To bad you didn't know I grew during that year in Japan." Jennifer sprouted black feathered wings from her back, an illusion but they looked real, and allowed Hala to see and feel her blood-red/black aura. She laughed maniacally as the pathetic human cowered before her. "You are nothing but a pathetic ningen! I am youkai!"
"Jennifer!" Jennifer turned to see Botan approaching them from the parking lot across the street. "That's enough! Stop scaring the human!"
"Ah, but Botan," Jennifer whined teasingly, "she's a baka."
"Even the more reason to leave her as she is. I don't want to have to make a trip to Spirit World just because you decided to scare a troublemaker to death."
"Yes, Grim Reaper." Jennifer feigned disappointment as she walked over to Botan.
Botan brought out her oar and boarded it. "Now come on. Your lover is worried sick." Jennifer giggled as she jumped on behind Botan. The illusion wings had disappeared, and her aura was back to normal. She called off the remaining water balls and the vines. The water balls formed into one large ball above Hala before falling on top of her. Botan glared at Jennifer who shrugged causing her to laugh before they flew off.
"She really is a witch…" Hala whispered as she watched the two girls disappear into the sky on an oar.
"Yes I got her." Botan had stopped off at Jennifer's house. They both now sat on Jennifer's roof. Jennifer was waiting for Botan to finish talking to Yusuke. "Gave some girl quite a scare."
"She deserved it!" Jennifer defended from her spot beside Botan. She could hear Yusuke laugh.
"Anyway, how are things there?"
"Decent. Elizabeth and Kayko are dragging us around, Yukina going along with it."
"Where you at now?"
"Uh…well…" Jennifer couldn't hear Yusuke's answer because he whispered it. Botan bust up laughing.
Then Hiei's voice came over. "Give me that!"
"Here!" Yusuke said coolly.
"Botan! Did you find her?" Botan handed the compact to Jennifer. The mage smiled at the sight of her demonic fiancé on the screen. She recognized the background to be ata mall a few towns away. Jennifer laughed inwardly as she greeted Hiei.
"Well, hello there. Having fun?"
"No! Where did you go this morning?"
"School," Jennifer replied with a shrug. 'He was so worried,' she thought. She saw Hiei sigh in relief.
A girl's voice called out, and Jennifer could hear the words clearly. "Hiei! Get back in here! We're not done with you!" Jennifer gave Hiei a "who's that?" look.
"It's only Kayko," Hiei explained then turned the compact so Jennifer could see Kayko, Yukina, and Elizabeth standing in the doorway of a store waiting impatiently. Hiei turned it back before Jennifer could see where they were.
"Where are you?"
"Um….." Hiei muttered his reply.
"What?"
"Wedding shop…" Jennifer busted up laughing. Kayko's voice came over the communicator again, this time talking normally.
"Is that Jennifer? Hand it here, I need to talk to her. Why don't you go back and try on that tux?" Jennifer saw Hiei pass the compact to Kayko and heard him mutter baka onna as he walked off. Kayko was watching him leave then turned back to her end of the communication. "Hi, Jennifer, we need your opinion. Baby blue or navy blue?"
"For what?"
"For the tuxes?"
"Kayko! You are getting way to ahead of yourself. Hiei and I haven't even had the chance to discuss the marriage."
"I know but plan ahead. We found the perfect dress for you!"
"Really? What color?"
"Your favorites: black and blood red."
"You actually found a dress those colors!"
"It's not like you can wear white!" Elizabeth's voice yelled from the store. Both Kayko and Jennifer blushed as well as Botan who had heard it.
"Shut up, Liz!" Jennifer yelled.
"Fuck off!" came the reply.
"Will you two quit! I'm getting stared at."
"Sorry Kayko. Hang up. We're on our way."
"Come on, Kayko, I've got the perfect idea for the wedding. It will be a wedding fit for the demonic lovers!" The screen went blan,k and Jennifer closed up the compact, handing it to Botan.
"I don't trust them," she said before hopping on the back of the oar.
At the mall, Jennifer and Botan found the shop in no time: Fantasy Weddings. It had everything needed, including a directory of caterers, ministers, etc. They had every thing to match every theme. If they didn't have it at the time, it could be ordered.
As Botan led Jennifer toward the other girls who were looking at dresses, Jennifer glanced over at a guy. 'Cute,' she thought as they passed. 'Stupid! You're engaged! Stop looking at other guys! Wait!' Jennifer turned around to look at the guy again and realized she wasn't cheating on Hiei. She had been looking at Hiei! She wouldn't have recognized him if she hadn't recognized the red hair of Kurama and the stupid hair-do of Kuwabara for all the boys were in outfits.
Hiei looked like aneighteenth century vampire. Elegant shoes covered his feet; black leather pants clung to his strong legs and "hot ass", as Jennifer had described it in her mind; a white silk undershirt with the frilled cuffs and neck area; and thevelvet, deep purple vest over it fit his toned abdomen well. A black satin cape with blood red silk lining that brought out Hiei's eyes was draped over his shoulders. His hair was down and pulled into a ponytail tied with a dark purple ribbon at the base of his head.
The rest of the guys were in similar outfits, minus the cape and leather. Their black slacks, white frilled undershirts, and velvet vests gave them all, even Kuwabara, an elegant look. Kurama's vest was a rose red, Yusuke's was a navy blue, and Kuwabara's was a burnt orange. Hiei was the only one with hair pulled back.
Jennifer averted her gaze and jogged to catch up with Botan. Jennifer didn't have time to ask questions or anything. One of the girls had put a dress and shoes in her arms, and the others were pushing her toward the changing rooms. Before Elizabeth shut the door to the room, Jennifer managed to ask what the hurry was. "We didn't want Hiei to see the dress 'til you tried it on."
"But, he can't see me in the dress!"
"That's on the wedding day, stupid."
"Don't call me stupid!" –Bam- the door was shut. Jennifer went ahead and locked it and hung the dress on the hook on the door. It was truly a beautiful dress even if the colors were not usual wedding colors. It was made of black leather with red silk lining. Though the skirt itself ended at mid-thigh, it had a long tail in back that would drag adding to the beauty; this tail was made entirely of silk. The top was off the shoulder and the neck line low. It did have sleeves, long ones that belled out at the elbow. The shoes they had given her were knee high leather boots with a thick, half-inch long heel.
Jennifer dressed then knocked on the door to signal she was ready. Once outside, she was surrounded by the four girls, Botan included. They were putting on her veil. The top was a rose wreath crown of black and red petals; the veil itself was the mesh material, the top layer being black, the under layer red. "Now, the illusion wings Jennifer, the ones you did earlier," Botan told her. Jennifer nodded and did the wing illusion, stretching the wings once for effect before folding them against her back only to be covered by the back part of the veil. "Now you will do real wings during the real thing of course, that way you don't spend the whole time focusing on the illusion." Jennifer nodded. "All set."
Jennifer glanced at the other girls. They had chosen their dresses already. Elizabeth's was a black, floor length with a very low V-neck line and long belled sleeves. It had a hood and looked like a mage's robes. She couldn't see the shoesElizabethwore.
Kayko's was lavender and a mixture of velvet and satin lined with silk. It was knee length and it had ¾ tight sleeves. The satin was the main material but it had dark purple vines of velvet that followed the hem and climbed up the right side to reach and circle the decent neck before splitting at each sleeve and spiraling down the sleeves. Her shoes were lavender heels.
Yukina wore ice blue silk. The dress was floor length and flow-y though not decorated. It was belted at the waist with a silver sash tied into a loose knot on the left side. The top was of decent neck line and it was sleeveless, the parts that went over the shoulders looked tied together in a toga style. She also wore silver gloves that went up to her elbows.
Botan wore….her usual outfit. She wasn't that close to Jennifer and already knew that she wouldn't be a bride's maid. When she saw Jennifer's eyes on her she said, "Don't worry. I have an outfit. Goes perfect with the theme."
"We have a theme? To my wedding?" Jennifer's eyes landed on Elizabeth.
"Yeah," the closest of the friends answered. "A Demonic Wedding." Jennifer smiled. Sounded good.
"One good thing about these dresses," Jennifer said looking down at her own which clung to her curves. This was unlike the others: Kayko's did cling but not enough to accent them, Elizabeth's clung at the hips, waist, and chest, Yukina's only clung where belted, at the waist. "They can double as our prom dresses!" Jennifer finished. The others laughed and agreed.
"Maybe the first bride's and bride's maids' dresses that could be and will be worn more than once," Elizabeth pointed out. "We all know that Jennifer will where hers several times with the way it looks on her." More laugher and a hit over the head for Liz. Finally the girls sought out the boys at the mirrors.
Hiei was looking over his outfit again, trying to decide if he liked it or not. Kuwabara was standing nearby, watching and toying with the collar of his shirt which seemed to be slightly too tight but not enough to choke, just irritate. Kurama was standing on the other side, closer to his friend, reassuring Hiei that he looked fine. Yusuke was leaning on the wall, the same side as Kazuma, his arms crossed across his chest and the vest folded in his arms.
Hiei saw the girls' reflection and turned. The three bride's maids and Botan stepped away from the bride, whom they had been guarding from sight. Hiei's jaw practically dropped. He had always thought Jennifer to be beautiful and sexy but she was…was…stunning, she was amazing, and that dress was perfect for her. Hiei's eyes traveled the length of his lover's body, the lust and hunger probably visible in his eyes.
Yusuke let out a wolf whistle as he pushed away from the wall. "I would marry you just for the right to take that dress off you," he remarked. Hiei didn't hesitate to throw his fist into the detective's face causing a broken nose. He would have threatened with his katana but Kurama had it so…
Hiei walked over to Jennifer, leaving Kayko to deal with Yusuke. "Ow! What was that for?"
"Your nothing but a player, Yusuke Urameshi!" Kayko had slapped Yusuke, deciding the Hiei's punch wasn't enough.
Hiei's attention went back to Jennifer who was looking over Hiei with approval. She reached out and ran her hand along the cape. "Hmm…satin and silk, nice." She slipped her hand under the cape running it lightly and seductively along his arm reaching the undershirt's cuff that stuck out at the end of the sleeves. "Velvet and silk…" She was close to him now, so close. Her hand ran down his waist as they kissed passionately, her other hand on his cheek; his own hands on her hips, loving how the leather matched her curves perfectly. When they pulled away she whispered "Leather and love…."
The group had split again. The boys ran off to the arcade, Hiei lagging behind them. Jennifer was trailing behind her friends not enthusiastically; they were taking her to some secret store, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to go. Each girl carried a bag from the wedding store containing their dress and their boy's outfit.
"Here we are!" Jennifer looked up to where the girls had stopped; it had been Elizabeth that talked. Jennifer ran quickly up to them to stop them, but Elizabeth dragged Jennifer into the black windowed shop, telling the other three girls to go on a head to the fountain.
Inside the shop, Jennifer glanced around. Liz had dragged her into an adult shop! Elizabeth proceeded to drag Jennifer to the lingerie. "What are we doing here?" Jennifer questioned, as she idly looked through a rack of bra/panty sets.
"Duh! We got to get supplies for that honeymoon of yours," Elizabeth said with a chuckle. "Hmm…which one?" She was looking at a wall of different bondage items.
"Liz!" Jennifer shrieked as she joined her friend.
"What? Hiei liked it the first time didn't he?" Jennifer couldn't help but laugh.
Jennifer did end up getting a devil outfit that was a short-skirted dress, red hose, horns and tail, and a sexy red bra. That was one thing about the mage, she loved costumes and being with Hiei gave her two reasons, which she loved, to wear them. Elizabeth insisted Jennifer get something else, but Jennifer refused. So Liz rushed back in and came back out with her purchase, saying Jennifer wouldn't get it until her bachelorette party. Jennifer just rolled her eyes in response.
The two friends reached the fountain at the middle of the mall in no time. As soon as they set their bags down with the others, who had made a few more purchases on the way here, Jennifer spotted something. A stage had been set up nearby, and karaoke was being sung. Elizabeth saw this too. It was as if the two shared a telepathic thought then passed it onto the others for all the girls grabbed their bags and headed to the stage.
Most of the time was spent there, singing; the girls taking turns then watching someone else sing before one of them got back on stage. A crowd had begun to form to see their performances. It eventually got to where karaoke turned to a concert by the girls. When one was singing the others were dancing in front of the stage, enticing the crowd which was mainly males.
All four girls were singing "Oops…I Did It Again" when the boys spotted them from the second floor. The four boyfriends leaned on the railing watching their girls perform in front of the large crowd. Kurama even pointed out that Jennifer wasn't even using her song powers; that was her real voice. Hiei was feeling some jealously because Jennifer seemed to be the favorite of the crowd, the males eyeing her outfit: a short leather skirt, a black button up with the top three buttons undone and showing some skin, a pair of her knee-highs, and her whip hanging at her side. "I'm not that innocent..." The girls struck a group pose and everyone clapped.
Back down on stage, Jennifer happened to look up and see Hiei and the other's watching from the second floor. She alerted the other girls who all nodded. She had sent them a plan telepathically. Jennifer stayed on stage as the others jumped down to dance. Jennifer spoke into the mike at the awaiting crowd. "We won't be singing this time around. Our voices need a rest." Disappointed groans came from the crowd causing the girls to smile. "But…we will be dancing for all you wonderful guys." Applause broke out through the crowd. All four of the girlfriends looked up to their smiling boys and winked as Botan started the song.
The music played, Jennifer pulled her whip out of its clasp. "Dip It Low" played and the girls began dancing suggestively. During the chorus, Kayko, Yukina, and Elizabeth would bend over slowly only to pop up at the crack of Jennifer's whip on each 'Pop, pop, pop it'. The audience was loving this. Botan, who had been in control of the music since the whole thing started, changed the song to "I Like It Like That" as Jennifer rolled up her whip and clasped it back at her side. Once again all four were dancing until a gang of street style boys pushed through the crowd and danced with them. The girls didn't protest as they continued the suggestive dancing with the boys. Jennifer noted that the one who came to her seemed to be the leader.
A surge of demonic aura rushed over the dance area; the girls looked to the escalators to see the boys coming down, kind of dancing to the beat as they approached, Hiei in the lead. As if on cue, the girls turned to their dance partners and pushed them back into the crowd then walked over to their boys, continuing the performance. When it ended, everyone was dancing, even the gang that had joined them earlier weren't real mad.
The concert commenced again, the boys watching from where they sat on the front of the stage. Jennifer started it up again with a brilliant "Hey Baby". Then the other girls joined her in a song of "Baby Boy", Kuwabara providing the male rapping. Yukina and Kayko returned to their guys, as Jennifer and Elizabeth sang "This Kiss" for a change of pace. Kisses were shared as Kurama and Hiei stood and fulfilled the girls' wishes with passion.
It was Hiei's turn to sing, or so he said, so everyone went to sit down on the stage, but Hiei pulled Jennifer back. "This is for you," he said into the mike. He began to sing "The Reason", and about halfway into it, Jennifer ended up turning it into a duet. Everyone cheered as the couple shared another kiss at the end of it. Elizabeth and Kurama took turns next then the rest took turns, giving Jennifer a break. She and Hiei took off to the food court for smoothies.
Jennifer leaned on Hiei as they sat in their car-shaped booth. She was sipping on her strawberry-kiwi smoothie as Hiei just sat there with his arms around her, one hand twirling strands of her hair. It was just a silent moment for the two, well it seemed so on the outside. In truth they were conversing through telepathy.
'What do you really think of Elizabeth's idea,' Hiei was asking. Jennifer shrugged in his arms before replying, 'I kinda like it. It's different, that's for sure, but it's...' '…Us,' Hiei finished for her. Jennifer nodded as she leaned back into him more.
They ended up discussing wedding plans so that the others wouldn't have the chance to take full control, and Jennifer even teased Hiei, telling him that she had her outfit for the honeymoon already. When she refused to describe it or even show it, he reached for her bag, which she had brought, but she grabbed it first and ran off with it. Hiei stood up and chased after her in a childish fashion that drew a lot of looks, but neither cared at the moment.
They continued this until they reached the stage. As Jennifer passed Liz who was sitting on the stage as Kuwabara sang "She Thinks my Tractor's Sexy", she tossed her the bag. She continued to run to the fountain where Hiei tackled her, both falling in.
Kurama observed this and the laughing couple, as Jennifer started a simple splash fight, from his spot next to Elizabeth. "It's a great day when a demon as closed up as him can act so child-like in a public place without a care in the world." Elizabeth nodded in agreement. "They were made for each other. I can't imagine life without her…or you," he continued before kissing Elizabeth on the cheek.
The couple returned, both sopping wet. Hiei was back to his cold self, and Jennifer was trying to get the water off her leather without using her powers. She managed to dry off some. No one was singing at the time. Both Kuwabara and Yusuke bust up laughing as they pointed to Hiei's wet, limp hair. Jennifer looked to her lover, noting that his hair seemed to have grown a few inches since the first time she saw it wet.
The audience was getting restless and, seeing that Jennifer was back, began chanting "Biker". Jennifer got up on stage, after finishing drying of so she wouldn't be electrocuted, and spoke to her waiting fans. "Call me Magic Mistress!" The chanting changed to this new stage name, and Jennifer smiled. Hiei joined her up on stage, and Kayko played their song: "Whole New World". The crowd looked on the verge of tears when it ended. The duet continued on to sing "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Love Will Find a Way", and "Upendi". They also sang "Beauty and the Beast" as Yukina and Kuwabara did a ballroom dance for a performance.
Jennifer was losing her voice so she handed the mike over to Botan who wanted to sing. The rest of the group had hold Jennifer back while laughing. Botan was singing her own version of "Jimmy's Got a Girlfriend" with Elizabeth, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, who weren't holding onto Jennifer, singing the chorus with her.
"She's all dressed up, buying presents for the first time.
Her Harley's polished, shining like a new dime.
There ain't no doubt she's got a secret.
Ain't no way she's gonna keep it.
Listen how the whole town's talking,
They're all singing
Jenny's got a boyfriend.
We all know where she's been,
huggin' and a kissin'.
Oh, Jenny's got a boyfriend.
She's all tore up from his lovin' and affection.
And a girls' night out these days is just out of the question.
They say she's out there and they don't get it.
That's just love and that girl's in it.
Cupid's arrow's done been shot.
She didn't duck,
Now Jenny's got a boyfriend.
We all know where she's been,
huggin' and a kissin'.
Oh, Jenny's got a boyfriend."
They finally released Jennifer during the guitar solo, and to everyone's surprise she and Hiei began line dancing for the audience. The other's joined in as the music started and everyone sang. Jennifer and Hiei were even adapting the words to fit them. At the right parts.
"Love struck story, I'd know it anywhere baby,
That girl's gone boy crazy.
Jenny's got a boyfriend.
We all know where she's been,
Huggin' and a kissin'.
Jenny's got a boyfriend.
They say she's out there and they don't get it.
Hey that's love, ah sweet love.
She's got the boy, she's got the boy.
Jenny's got a boyfriend!"
After that little escapade, Jennifer checked her watch and saw that it was an hour until closing time. So they did a few more performances by request. The last song was a request: Jennifer singing "Skater Boy". The song was Jennifer's most successful, not counting her duets with Hiei.
That was the last song that could be sung before everyone was ushered outside. The group actually got offered a chance to perform every weekend at the mall, but Botan calmly explained that they were going to Japan tonight and that it was a one time thing. As they walked out into the parking lot, a woman addressed them from where she had been standing, leaning against the wall with a clipboard in one of her hands; her arms were folded. "Would you ever consider performing again?" She walked over to them, standing in front of Jennifer. "Professionally?"
"Yeah, I would. I don't know about the rest of my friends. Why?" Jennifer didn't mind answering her questions, but she had some of her own.
"The name's Mrs. Sung. I'm a manager for singers. I've had the worst time finding the next star, but I think I found her." The woman handed the card to Jennifer who looked over it then passed it to Hiei. "Your friends can come too, but you would be the main singer, and maybe him." She gestured to Hiei.
How would Jennifer describe this woman? She was about Jennifer's height, extremely skinny and pale like a true businesswoman. She was wearing a gray business suit and pumps. She had small shades sitting on the end of her nose, and her green eyes looked over the top of them. Gum she was chewing, and her fingers were decked out in rings. Her red hair was up in a bun. She looked like a businesswoman with a hip attitude.
"Well…I like the idea. I've always wanted to sing but…" Jennifer looked to her friends.
"Go ahead," Kurama encouraged. "We don't need fame more than what we have, and we'll do fine with Hiei back." Hiei nodded as did everyone else.
"But…"
"Go, tenshi. This is your life, your choice; don't let my love hinder those choices." That was the wisest thing Jennifer had ever heard Hiei say.
The woman had her contract with her, and Jennifer checked everything, finding it decent for a new singer but would need changed if she became famous. The paper was signed, and she gave the woman the Minamino household address so that she could contact Jennifer when the time came.
Using a portal, after Mrs. Sung had left, they were in the Spirit World and telling Koenma about Jennifer's new job immediately.
