Chapter 10

Memory Blast

Botan fell to the ground with a thud. She had just been released from the grasp of the ropes and looked at her waist and wriststo find many burn marks. She suddenly remembered Hiei's apology and leaving him. She put up a great struggle of the ropes...but it only ended in her getting even more hurt that she already was.

She scurried over to the tree that dropped her and started pounding on the trunk. "HIEI!" Botan shouted as she felt tears sting her eyes. She shouldn't have gone…now there was no way out until she had completed what she came for. And she didn't even know if what she was looking for was even here...

Meanwhile on the other side of the mirror Hiei was also pounding on the glass. "BOTAN!" He had to find a way to get to her. He had to help her get through this and he knew the one person who could help him. "I'll be back onna."

Botan swore she heard his all famous onna. Her head jerked up. "Hiei?" Botan fell to her knees and cried for a while until she felt the cool night air sting her skin. She shivered and crawled over to a crack in some rocks and tried to fall asleep.

Her mind was crowded with questions and things she didn't need to worry about, but still worried about. Botan soon fell into a very uneasy and uncomfortable sleep.

oOo

Hiei sped off towards the Rekai castle. He was going to have a word with the 'prince'. He had to get into the Dragon Realm and find Botan for both their sakes. Everything was unraveling round him and he didn't like it one bit.

He started to run faster dodging trees and shrubs along the way. He soon arrived at his destination just as the sun started to set. He opened the Rekai gates and stormed in up to the middle floor not caring whether or not the king heard.

He soon reached Koenma's room and busted the door down in anger. "Hey Koenma!" Hiei was pissed and Koenma was hiding behind his chair in fear. "I want you to let me get in the Dragon Realm NOW!"

"I'm sorry Hiei…but I cannot do that." Koenma said staring at Hiei with equal furosity.

"WHAT!" Hiei was even more pissed if possible. "I'll break all of your damn portals if I have to brat…NOW TELL ME HOW TO GET IN THE DRAGON REALM!"

"You too…have to be chosen…just like Botan was. I knew she was going…but I didn't stop her. She was ready and Hiei it would be better if you went as well. But you must have a link to the Dragon Realm, but if you don't then I cannot help you, only you choose your destiny...and only you can find the way in."

"Oh I do…" With that said Hiei turned and stormed out of the door back to the cave Botan disappeared in.

oOo

The next morning (time passes fast in this realm than in Rekai and ninginkai) Botan awoke to the sound of a twig snapping. 'Great just what I need.' She could smell the sickening stench of a Demon. 'What is a demon doing in the Dragon Realm?' Botan stood up and placed her back against a tree and looked to the side.

She saw Buttercup talking to a demon. She was smirking and the demon was nodding in understanding. 'Does she think she can stop me?' Botan was furious. Why do even girls think she was weak? Well she was going to prove them wrong. All of them.

Buttercup the disappeared and the demon looked her way with a sharp turn. She gulped and stepped out from behind the tree taking out her whip.

"C'mon ya ass, fight me!" Botan shouted. Botan was even surprised with herself. The demon rushed at her almost as fast as Hiei. But as long as she had been with Hiei…she had no choice whether or not to learn his moves. It just…came sorda natural for her.

Botan dodged and landed on a tree branch. She scanned the area and soon spotted the demon over near a large rock shaped like a dragon. She knew all the times she had spent with Aritha but…

oOo

Dragon Realm 1967

A beautiful young woman was walking in a field one day looking for her lost necklace. It was a dragon pendant her mother had given her. She treasured that necklace as her lifeline. And then she lost it. The girl sweat dropped.

Her long blue hair cascaded down her shoulders and her violet/pink eyes scanned the area for anything that would glimmer in the sun. Botan sighed as she sat on a rock to think of where she had left it. She soon heard a very sweet voice calling out to her.

What was that...?

She immediately stood up and looked around the field. She saw nothing but a certain shade of black and blue caught her eyes. She turned towards it and saw a stream of light wrapping itself around her. She felt a very soothing breeze and the stream suddenly went one way…towards the caves.

She had nothing to lose. She started following the light and her blue dress flapped behind her. She made it to the caves, which were forbidden in her kingdom. But she was curious...and always got into trouble. What made this any different.

Botan walked in the caves and was immediately hit with a rush of power. Where was it coming from? She walked in the deep dark area until she saw a deep blue light. She ran over to the entry and gasped at what she saw. Everything was covered in crystal.

She walked over to the middle looking around with wide eyes. "You can stop gawking." Came a gruff yet bluntreply. Botan's senses jolted over to a darker area of the cave.

"Whose there?" Botan asked. She was in no mood to fight or get kidnapped.

"None of your concern." He said jumping off of the perch he was currently registering. He slowly walked out of the shadows and Botan gasped in awe.

He was handsome. Very handsome...

His hair was gravity defying however…but it added all the more to his features and uniqueness. His hair was deep black with blue tips and a white starburst in the middle. His eyes were blood shot red and he wore all black.

"Well I like to know the names of all the people I meet." Botan said with sincerity and a slight smirk. Hiei scowled.

"Why would a princess be wandering in the forbidden caves at this hour and with no body guards." Botan was a bit taken aback.

"I…" She was interrupted. How did he know she was the princess?

"Your not all they say you are; are you?" He started walking around her in examination. "No power…no beauty…" Botan was really starting to getangry with this guy. How dare he make judgments about her when he didn't even know her!

"I'll have you know!"

"Know what? Why you're out here? Why you, a princess of high court, wants to know the name of a commoner? I always thought that princesses and all their families were snobs." He was really starting to piss her off.

"I'm here…because I heard a very soothing voice and I don't suppose it was you…and I followed a light." Hiei's eyes widened slightly.

'She can't be the girl…' He thought staring at her.

"And I am not a snob…I wasn't raised that way."

"What is your name onna?" The man said eyeing her.

"Will you tell me yours?"

"Yes."

"Botan. Now tell me yours." Botan smirked.

"Its Hiei."

End Flashback

oOo

Botan fell to the ground as the memories hit her full force. She was not expecting that at all. Everything hit her with a rush. But everything else was still a blur.

Botan dodged yet another blow from the demon almost forgetting he was attacking her. She had wanted to end this battle quickly…but the demon proved to be stronger than she thought it would be.

She remembered Aritha and her parents, who were nothin more than a couple of jackasses who thought they could do anything. They thought they owned her and could do whatever…like hell they did.

Botan slashed her whip at the demon that screamed when it came in contact with his arm. He glared at her and she smirked triumphantly. Everything was going fairly well.

Botan was taken on by surprise attack and she swung her whip, which latched onto a nearby tree. She pulled herself up and over landing softly on the branch.

She took out her ninja stars and flung each of them at the demon. All coming in contact and eventually the demon ran out of blood and fell to the ground dead. She sighed and walked away. She had no time to just stand by and smell the rotting flesh of the demon whose carcass will eventually be eating or devoured by another.

Botan soon came across a beautiful lake filled with light and warmth. She sighed and took off her clothes. She walked over to the water after checking to see if anyone was watching and she dove into the cool water.

oOo

Dragon Realm 1967

"Hiei…that's a nice name." Botan said as she let the word roll right off her tongue. Hiei watched her as she fiddled with his name and he smirked. She was fascinating. He had never met someone like her before.

"I want to show you something." He said as he took her hand leading her to another room as she reluctantly followed. Botan soon came in contact with yet another beautiful room. Wow...how could something so beautiful be forbidden?

It was filled with all kinds of stones that shimmered and glowed. It was a magnificent sight to behold. With her breath caught in her throat she looked at the middle of the room and saw a huge statue that looked like a dragon.

"Wow…what is it?" Botan asked as she walked up examining the sculpture. Hiei watched her in amusement. He was feeling more comfortable with this girl more and more by the minute and he didn't like it. It was too soon...

"It's a real dragon. She was sealed away thousands of years ago…and was sentenced to a life of crystallization until the right person set her free."

Hiei walked over and stood next to Botan and placed his hand on the crystal form before him. "She was the dragon that changed this Realm forever. She made a difference and risked her life for those scum bags who killed her and sentenced her to this very spot." Hiei balled his hand into a fist.

"I'm sorry…I-I had no idea." Botan bowed her head. "Ya know Hiei? You've got it easy." Hiei looked at her quizzically and Botan stared straight ahead with hard eyes. "Your free…I have nothing compared to what you have. My family doesn't care about me. I'm a stupid princess who has no rights at all. I feel like a caged animal just like this dragon. Do you know that it was my ancestors who sealed Aritha?"

Botan now turned to Hiei who stared at her in shock. "You know her name too?" He asked.

"Yes and if I were alive at the time…I would have stopped it. All of it." Botan walked over to the sword that was sticking out of Aritha's head. "I've heard rumors about this sword." Botan traced the metal with her creamy fingers.

"They say if the right person takes this sword out then this dragon would be free and…"

"…she would be eternally at your side." Hiei finished for her. He was wondering if she would be able to pull it out. He sensed no aura around her so she couldn't possible take the sword out. It was impossible.

Botan griped the sword and in one swift and easy movement the sword…came out easily. Hiei was just as shocked as Botan. She was not expecting that to be the outcome at all.

Suddenly both Botan and Hiei were engulfed in a large black and blue light. Botan screamed and Hiei grabbed her, pulling her to him protectively.

They soon heard the flapping of large wings and Botan's dress and Hiei's cloak was wisped back in fast cold wind. Botan buried her head in Hiei's cloak as the fierce wind came crashing at her.

Soon the wind stopped and Botan debated whether to stay in Hiei's arms or…to see what she had done. "You can look." Hiei said in his usual cold emotionless voice. Botan slowly turned her head to see a beautiful sight.

There in front of her was a beautiful black dragon. She had apink jewel on the top of her heads with two horns.

'This must be Aritha.' Botan thought with amazement.

End Flashback

oOo

Botan felt her memories of Aritha's first arrival fill her mind as she sat next to the lake before her. She had brought a towel and wrapped it around her naked body. She stared at the setting sun and sighed.

She had no idea that Hiei was with her in the past or that she was a princess. Everything was a huge blur to her. She knew she had to find Aritha and get the rest of her answers…if Aritha was still…a-alive. The entire ordeal left her breathless and weak. Too many memories to hold right now...it was all overwhelming.

Botan looked at the ground sadly and stood up wrapping the towel securely around her body. She was letting her clothes dry from washing all the blood stains off of it. She would have to make time.

Suddenly she heard a twig snap and she instinctively turned around fast whip in hand. "Whose there!" Botan demanded. She heard another snap. The figure stepped out of the shadows and Botan gasped.

To be continued...