FIK: OMG!!! (stares in wonder) THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!! I LOVE YA GUYS!!! Oh... wow. So loved...

Kawaii Chibi Shun: Don't worry, Hiei's gonna change a bit too, but later on, probably in chapter 7. I'm writing that up at the moment.

FIK: Yes, so evil is Shizuru!! Sorry, but Koenma was partly responsible for the whole thing, so some whoopin had to come down on his arse!!

Hiei: NANI!!! And you didn't let me help!!??!?!

FIK: (Sticks out tongue) Sorry, you're busy saving your own hiney in this chapter. Oh, to all dear readers of my fic, there will be violence between the two confused ones in this chapter, so get ready for some butt kickin'!! I decided that it's time for them to releive some stress, and then some fluff following that. HEHE!!!

Disclaimer: Yada yada... whoop de de doo da, whoop de de day, I don't own them, so have a wonderful day...

DICTIONARY::

Nani: What?!
Onna: girl
Naze ka?: Why?
Omae: You.
Hai: Yes.
Arigatou: thank you or thanks.
Teme: (f-ck) or (f-ck you) (cough cough)
Lie: No.
Hidoi:Bad/How rude. Preferably How rude.
Baka: moron/stupid
Hanasette: Let go of me.
Zettai: Absolutely...

Chapter Five

Makai is a realm of unrealistic horrors, filled to the brim with nameless dangers and deceiving con artists of all shapes and sizes. To wander inside its barriers is alone irrational, but to come alone, unarmed and without protection... suicidal. Those who wandered unwittingly into the pits of this forsaken place find death on every corner, surrounded by shadows of murder and the stench of decay.

Men, skilled in the ways of war and taught countless means of defending themselves, have ventured in to never return, unless they stumble upon the path out by sheer accident. Only demons of some class have any chance of survival, and even then, only if they knew Makai like the back of their claws; the world is filled with grisly battlegrounds, some still engaged in combat, and bloodthirsty, mindless beasts awaiting their next kill.

This is where solely the most powerful survive, as the saying goes, but it is only the demon that is immensely shrewd and abnormally skilled that finds Makai as a refuge. The Forbidden Child, as it so happens, is such a demon and has never thought himself otherwise.

Back.... He was back.

He was where darkness thrived and his innate hunger found release. Here he was perfect: indifferent, lethal and feared by all. Just the thought of the excessive terror etched into his opponent's eyes excited the primitive nature of his masked inner being. It took little time to ignite the long forgotten feelings of absolute control and anticipation, all of which was aroused from just being in Makai's depths. His days in Ningenkai were over; he was his own ruler and nothing was going to stop him. Not an irritable deity that had nearly ruined— No, she was nobody now, not anything... Damn any connection they may have, he would prove the kitsune wrong. No link could change him, not now, not ever. He would see to that...

"Do you really think they'll come?" Shizuru asked from her seat on the couch.

Yusuke grinned, thinking of what they had done earlier that day. Koenma would probably never let him have a break again, but if all worked out right, it was well worth the loss.

"Yeah. He's going to have to with the threat that's gonna be thrown at him. And Botan... it's her job, right?"

Kurama nodded in reassurance. Currently, he had been engaged in conservation with Touya, getting all the reports about what'd been happening in Makai of recent. It seemed that the teams they had met in the Dark Tournament were all and well, though Jin, the perky, redheaded Wind Master, was causing mayhem continually. What had really interested him was the rumors, and disturbed him also:

Somehow, word of Hiei's employment under Koenma had gotten out and most of Makai was convinced that the Forbidden Child had gone soft. That was bad; Makai was not the place you'd want people to know you were weak. If everything was like Touya said... Hiei would be having lots of company in Makai, and he wasn't talking about Botan. He hoped inwardly that Botan had not been spotted yet with all eyes on Hiei. But, when she did reach him...

"We need to go."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at him. Yusuke cleared his throat, looking nervous for some reason.

"What do you mean, Kurama?"

"I was wrong Yusuke; I shouldn't have let Botan go."

"NANI!! You're saying this now!?"

Kurama sighed, rubbing his temple; he'd have another headache at this rate.

"Yes, but only because of what Touya-san has informed me of," he said, standing slowly, eyes hidden behind scarlet bangs. Yusuke grumbled exasperatedly, fisting his hands as he waited for Kurama to continue. Instead, Touya stood also, appearing guilty-faced and heavy shouldered.

"Hiei is being hunted. Half of Makai is on the prowl for him right now and if Botan reaches him now..."

Kurama's eyes locked with Yusuke's: "She'll be killed before morning."

The sun was on it's downwards descent when she found the forest. For the most of the afternoon, she had been searching intensely for the area she felt he would be in. She had this feeling inside her, telling her where to look. It was as if her conscience was guiding her towards him, an invisible guide that knew exactly where the person being looked for was hiding.

She touched down minutes later, her oar disappearing at will. Standing straight, she took a look around, having never been so deep in Makai before.

Surprisingly, it looked almost exactly like the deep woods from the park across from her apartment. Tall, silent pillars of wood shot up on all sides, obscuring nearly all sunlight and sending everything into bruising shadows. No wonder it was so easy to get lost here: every tree was identical to the last, each path hidden and beaten in the same manner. Browned winter grass piled atop depressed hills, tiredly swaying back and forth with the half dead wind that blew up dust and decay all around. Small noises of shivering leaves and rustling weeds was the only sound that made the area appear alive, everything else seeming sunken, dried and fearful.

Botan moved quietly, scanning every tree for any sign of a breathing creature, namely one cloaked in black and silent as the moon during nightfall. That was the problem with finding him: he never moved unless needed, spotting his enemies before they could him and blending into the darkness as would a shadow. A shadow... how he fitted the description of a shadow. Dark, appearing soulless, with indescribable secrets and unlinked actions, untouchable to enemies. The only difference was that he could speak... and he could die.

She shivered, moving quickly through a deserted field of dreary bushes and bitter ashes of earlier fires. Botan felt for the blades veiled in the fold of her jacket for reassurance, exhaling deeply when their steely exterior glided coldly across her hand. They weren't a furisogata, but they would work all the same. Mentally, she thanked Genkai with all her heart; she wouldn't have even thought of coming here without some sort of protection. The twin forked blades were sharp and easily used, but they had the disadvantage when it came to long distance fighting. This was why she wished she had the furisogata right now, with its wide sickle blade, long chain, and barbed end, it could be used to disarm, attack, and defend all at once.

Something shifted in the shadows. Botan froze, eyes staring keenly at the source of movement. Blackness met her amethyst eyes, melding concoctions of dark grays and purples, bonding tightly into indigos and earthly browns. Giving the tree limb one last suspicious glance, Botan continued on her way, once again scouring the trees for a stubborn koorime.

She had nearly caught him. Cursing inwardly, he immobilized any sort of movement, refusing to breath as her violet-pink eyes turned to where he stood. Why was she here!? It made no sense and it enraged him. Crimson jewels glared angrily at the retreating form of the deity, a snarl building inside his throat. She cannot stay, she must go. She did not belong in this world... it was his world and his alone.

Leap.

Closer, she was close now, near to him. His breath thickened in excitement, but his cold mind forced down the blood lust, rejecting any idea of hunting the girl. He would frighten her; scare her into leaving and never to return. Yes... she would hate him as she had said and not felt, but this time the hate would be real and she would come to loathe his very name.

Run.

So near, but he must be patient and catch her off guard or she would scream, alerting every creature hungry enough from the surrounding area to her. She would not scream, no, she would be frightened into subjection, agreeing to leave on her oar with no hesitation to get away from him.

Crouch.

There, she was there! Standing stupidly below this very tree, unaware to his proximity and intentions. So easy... too easy. He wanted to jump in front of her while she was on the move, but this would have to do. Another few seconds... she turned away, fixing her jacket... He tensed, ready to dive, sword unsheathed. He sprung–

–To meet a pair of forked swords. His eyes widened as they expertly blocked the oncoming attack, catching them in the fork and then forcing it downwards, guiding his blade into the tree. Breaths mingled as they stilled, hair fluttering back into place from the swift movement. Amethyst eyes met blackened ruby, glowering stare meeting fierce glare, swords locked in the beginning of conflict.

"Hiei."

Her cool, reprimanding voice brought his mind back, his eyes lightening from the primal black they had taken on in blood lust. His awareness came back to him, realization of what had happened hitting him forcibly. He... he had been hunting her.

"Onna." He replied, his deep tone annoyed and rough.

"You left."

"Hai."

"Naze ka?"

"Omae."

"Me?"

"Hai."

Botan's face didn't seem disheartened as he had intended, but instead her face held a soft understanding, though sad exterior. Hiei growled lowly, startling her slightly.

"Leave. Go back to Ningenkai where you belong."

"Lie."

Hiei's eyes narrowed his lip curling.

"I said go back. Do not annoy me, onna."

Botan frowned at his demanding, commanding tone.

"And I said no. Not until we work out our predicament."

"We have no problem to fix. Right now, you're the only thing bothering me, so go."

Two pairs of blades appeared at his throat, dark violet eyes glaring at him.

"Hidoi... You may not think so, but I'm proof that you are wrong. If you haven't noticed, I'm starting to look like you."

She pulled away, taking her hat off and shaking her hair. For the first time, Hiei noticed the difference in her appearance. Black streaks were now entwined in the usual azure mass that she possessed, silver spiking down her forehead among blue tresses. Her ears were pointed and her fingers now claws. She grinned at his astonished face, flashing sharp fangs at him at the same time. Hiei blinked, regaining his composure quickly.

"Hn. You may appear more of a demon, but you do not hold the strength and powers of one."

She rolled her eyes at his berating comment, grabbing hold of a large tree branch next to her. With a flick of her wrist, it snapped in half like a twig. Hiei once again contained his surprise, allowing himself to raise an eyebrow at her expecting look.

"Fine. This does nothing to impress me. You are weak and do not belong here. Leave and never come back."

Botan was the one growling now. Shocking him, she spurred a silver fireball to life in the palm of her hand, pulling her jacket off in the same instant. As it fell to the ground, a mark was exposed on her collarbone. A teardrop encircled by a dragon met his furious stare, very much the same one on his arm with the exception of the color. How could this be?

"I'm not the same girl you left two days ago, Hiei, so stop treating me like a mere child. I'm staying here until we solve our problem."

Hiei pulled his sword effortlessly from the tree, bringing it up and sheathing it.

"Do not make me drag you back there."

Botan tossed her blades to the ground, thinking maybe he was going to talk.

"I'm not leaving."

He disappeared, leaving Botan to search for his aura. Hiei's eyes turned into slits; something deep inside him that had been holding him back snapping, his control along with it. Growling, he shot forward, his claw shooting out and slapping her squarely on the cheek, her body flying sideways.

He could hear other demons, now aware of their presences, whispering among the outer rims of the thicket, gathering nearby to observe the clash, hoping for a easy meal. Crimson eyes dark with disgust, fury and astonishment, he stepped back, staring at the hand that had struck out so fiercely.

"How dare you…"

Botan sat up slowly, her eyes hidden by silver streaked bangs, claws clenching the dirt. Her shoulders were trembling as she stood; her scent thickening with barely suppressed anger. Red lines leaked the crimson essence of her lifeblood on her cheek, the physical remainder of what he'd done moments ago. Straightening, she lifted her face to reveal smoldering realms of heliotrope rage, nearly unnerving Hiei with the vigor of their gaze.

"HOW FREAKING DARE YOU!!!"

A sudden burst of speed, and she was upon him, swiping with razor sharp claws, aiming carelessly, her only intent to inflict as much pain upon him as possible. Hiei dodged multiple crucial blows, a few managing to tear into his skin and cloak. She struck his chest, following it rapidly with a roundhouse kick to the neck, only to slash at his back when he went down. She had a mere second to dodge his unexpected kick at her gut from the ground, darting away when bladelike claws were suddenly streaking at her.

Hiei rushed forwards, giving her only enough time to block as he threw multitudes of kicks and cutting thrusts at her. She managed to flip over his head with the help of a tree trunk behind her, placing a teeth-rattling kick onto his open back while still in the air. He swung around, grabbing hold of her airborne foot, and sent her tumbling roughly to the ground. With a grunt, he swung her around, tossing her into the same tree from before.

Botan felt the air knocked out of her, dizzy feelings forcing her to stay still for a moment; how strange: she only felt the least bit winded. 'My new powers are probably working now, so no wonder.' Footsteps approached her and when they were almost on her, she flew upwards; biting viciously into Hiei's left shoulder with sharp fangs. He mumbled a string of curses, shredding the back of her shirt as he attempted to make her release him. A smart blow to her head had her crying out in pain, stumbling backwards. She heard him grunt the same feeling, lifting her head to see him examining the punctures in his shoulder, blood and dirt staining his once immaculate attire. She knew that she must look the same, but he spoke before she could rush forward once more.

"Not bad for an untrained baka." He huffed darkly, a smirk playing on the edges of his lips.

"Yeah, well, it's your powers that are helping me, ass. So, arigatou."

"You'll regret saying that onna…" He muttered with the insult. Botan smiled beguilingly as he cracked his knuckles threateningly, settling herself into a defensive stance she'd seen Kurama take on once.

"And I suppose you're the one who'll make me, asshole?"

Hiei knocked a fist into her stomach as soon as she uttered the last syllable, whispering hotly into her ear as she remained bent over his fist.

"And I'll enjoy seeing the defeat on your face as you beg me for mercy…"

"... Teme."

Her head plunged into his wounded shoulder, butting him away and onto the ground. A short, precise kick followed, landing squarely on the teeth marks as she flew over him once again. Hiei was up before she had time to turn, jamming his elbow into her back, his foot tripping her in the process. She shrieked momentarily as pain erupted in her spine, but managed to somersault back to her feet before he could do anything else. He looked surprised, but the look was gone as a flurry of slashes had him skipping backwards and away.

These attacks continued for what seemed eternity, each returning the favor for the damage they received from the other. Never in all his days had Hiei been so worked up over a female, much less gotten such a fight from one. She attacked him with full force, never fading or faltering for as many injuries she was given, just a continuous assault of pure power and fury. Sweat poured off their bodies, the bystanders completely silent as the fight continued. To them, it seemed all too like an intricate dance, their flow and the command just as beautiful as they were lethal. Blood spattered the ground, lacerations appearing on their bodies too quickly to count, neither letting down, even as bruises formed and aches were established in their tiring bodies. If anything, it was extreme willpower that kept them going for such a stretch of time, beyond what their physique would normally be able to handle. Just when they looked ready to drop dead from exhaustion, Botan stumbled.

It was small, barely even a mistake, but it was enough for Hiei to get an upper hand. In that instant, he sprung upward from his kneeling position, grabbing her around the waist as her hands flew up to gain her balance. They tumbled backwards, a cloud of dirt springing up from the impact. A second later, he had her hands pinned with one of his own, the other lifting him so that his knees could force her hips down from the sides, and then resting it next to her head so he could lean on it.

He breathed heavily for a moment, letting his eyes close to focus for a second, and then finally lifted his face to look at the still struggling girl. Her face was tormented, streaked with dirt and covered in bloody scratches, the original ones now dried into scabs. She thrashed against his hold for a few more minutes, but soon fatigue had her quieting, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to breathe properly. A near indistinguishable moan rose from her throat, her eyes wild with disbelief and pain.

"Lie…"

Hiei tilted his head bemusedly, ruby eyes staring down at the enraged female.

"No, I won't… I can't… give up…" She murmured, eyes closing in affliction.

"I don't think that's an option." He answered to her unasked question.

Lavender eyes glared up at him, a small flicker of determination still lingering in their depths.

"Hanasette."

"Give up."

Diverse colored eyes closed briefly, a shuddering breath before...

"Zettai... not."

He shook his head in wonder, an incredulous chuckle escaping his mouth.

"Don't you know when it's time to give in?"

She snorted haughtily, her eyes turning into slits.

"Lie. Now get off."

"Not until you give up."

"I said... NO!!"

Hiei smacked her, this time his actions purposeful.

"You, girl, are really giving me a headache. You will give up, because I will kill you if you don't."

Botan coughed a little, a small smirk sliding onto pastel lips.

"You can't."

"Really? And since when have you been able to tell what I can and can't do?"

"Because you'll kill yourself if you kill me." At his blank look she explained,

"The bonds remember? Your life is mine as mine is yours. One dies, so will the other. Completely equal. So, sorry, Hiei, but you can't kill me without doing the same to yourself. If you're ready to die, then..."

She tilted her head to the side, allowing him complete access to her open throat.

"... Go right ahead."

Vixen's G-Den

FIK: So evil yes I am!! Ha-ha, another cliffy. Sorry, but I am going to have to rewrite the next few chapters, 'cause my computer (whacks with hammer) deleted them. So tell me... Too much anger? Not enough fluff? Should I make them...? Whoops! If I keep going I might give something away. Don't worry, though, I've got some more fluff coming, so they're not going to hate each other for too much longer.

Hiei: Damn you...

FIK: Yes, well, sorry Hiei, you're just gonna have to suffer.

Hiei: Hn... (Sharpens sword)

FIK: (thinks: if only he knew that I put a dog collar on him that electrocutes with one press of the button... (Insert evil cackle)) REVIEW PLEASE!!!