Chapter 11
Jinku and the damaged Deity
Botan held the towel tighter to her body. There standing before her…was Hiei. She felt tears sting her eyes. Maybe…maybe everything will turn out the way she wanted. Maybe he didn't care about Buttercup at all.
Hiei was wearing his favorite smirk as he walked out of the shadows completely. He walked standing about five feet away from her and held out his arms.
Ikutsu namida-o nagashitara
EVERY HEART sunao ni nareru darou
Dareni omoi-o tsutaetara
EVERY HEART Kokoro mita sareruno darou
Botan let the tears fall from her eyes and fell into Hiei's awaiting arms. Wrapping her arms around his waist and digging her head in his cloak. His arms closed around her and she cried silently. She was sooo happy to see him.
Botan wrapped the towel around her body tighter as she felt a chill run down her spine. Hiei held onto her tighter and looked up at the sky. Botan looked up as well and gasped at the sight.
A light speck of white hit her nose as the snow fell all around them. Botan smiled through her tears and Hiei watched as she let go of him and started spinning, her feet keeping her completely balanced.
Hiei blushed as he caught a glimpse of her bare legs. He cleared his throat and Botan looked at him quizzically.
"What is it Hiei?" Botan asked as she stopped spinning to face him.
Hiei said nothing…but pointed to her legs as she blush fifty different shades of red and pink. Botan ran over to her clothes. "Don't look." Botan said as she stepped behind the boulder and put on her training outfit.
When she came out from behind the boulder…Hiei stared at her for a moment before he realized who he was looking at.
Nagai nagai yoru ni obieteita
Tooi hoshi ni onotteta
Botan ran over to the lake and looked down. "That's weird…" Before Botan could finish…the lake she was in earlier that was so warm and fresh…turned to ice right before her eyes.
Hiei came up and stood beside her. "I want to help you search for Aritha." Hiei said and Botan immediately spun around to face him.
She sighed. "Hiei what could you possibly do?" Botan looked up at him sadly.
oOo
Dragon Realm 1967Botan stared at the dragon in front of her. Hiei was about to stop her from stepping any closer but Botan swatted his hand away. "No…I have to…" He growled. She just slapped him!
She walked up to the dragon and touched its forehead. The dragon leaned into the touch and stared Botan in the eye.
'My name is Aritha.'
Botan was shocked for a moment. She turned to Hiei in question. "Dragons have a different way of communication. Once you've released them…you're the only one who can understand them. So in your case onna…Aritha talks to you, only telepathically." Hiei said as Botan turned back to Aritha.
'Hello Aritha…I'm Botan.' The dragon seemed to like the young princesses name and pushed her head into Botan's chest. Botan giggled. 'Aritha? Are we friends?' Botan asked.
'Friends? Of course Botan.' Botan smiled and held the dragon's head for a moment before hopping onto her back and signaling Hiei to come over. She would treat her dragon with care…and not like some slavedriver or something...
"Oh no…I've been with you long enough today!" Hiei shouted really in fear of the dragon.
"C'mon Hiei…she doesn't bite." Botan laughed as Aritha started to fly and Botan grabbed Hiei's hand pulling him behind her. Hiei instinctively grabbed her waist as they flew higher and higher in the air through the crater in the ceiling.
Hiei buried his head in Botan's shoulder from behind and she laughed again. "Hiei its alright!" Botan scowled playfully. Then it hit her…"Oh no…I'm not supposed to be here!" Botan shouted as Aritha flew towards the castle grounds as if reading Botan's mind to find out where it was. "I have to get back to the castle!" Botan jumped off Aritha as well as a shaky Hiei.
"Wait onna!" Hiei shouted as Botan went a good ways ahead. "I found this." Hiei handed Botan a blue and black dragon pendant.
"My pendant…" Botan said in awe. "Thank you so much Hiei! You have no idea what this night has meant to me. I don't know if I'll ever see you again."
Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai-o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
Kyou mo takai sora miageteiru
"I'm sure we'll meet again princess." Hiei said as he fissioned away in the blink of an eye.
Botan smiled and then remembered where she had to be. "OH! Aritha lets go!"
Botan ran towards the castle as fast as she could in hopes that her parents hadn't found out about the release of Aritha the guardian dragon. Let alone where she had been the past couple of hours.
End Flashback
oOo
Botan and Hiei were hit once again with a blast from the past. Hiei fell over bringing Botan down with him. They landed with a thud. Botan had swirly eyes while Hiei was trying to regain his composure.
"So Hiei…what about Buttercup?" She almost cringed at the thought of that…that…thing lady. Hiei helped her up and sat on one of the snow-covered logs.
"She was controlling me…and I'm…I'm so sorry for what she did and what I said. The bad thing about it is…I don't even remember what happened." Here was Hiei…the most feared man in all of Makai…apologizing to the deity of death.
"Its alright…I kinda figured it wasn't the Hiei I knew. But you did hurt me…" Botan turned to him with a wink. "You so owe me!" Botan said with a smile. Hiei smirked and turned to the water.
"So…how did you get here?" Botan asked as she looked at him from the corner of her eye.
"I too had something I needed to complete…two things actually. I found one and I need to find the other." Hiei said turning his gaze to the now pure white sky.
"It's hard…" Botan too glanced up at the sky. "You knew me when I was alive but I didn't know you. It's weird." She turned to him with a devilish grin. "And you were scared to ride a dragon…the almighty Hiei…scared to ride a harmless dragon!" Botan started laughing as Hiei's smirk turned to a scowl.
"Onna…" Hiei said warningly.
"What!" Botan said gasping for breath.
"Run…" Was all Hiei said before running after a still laughing Botan.
oOo
Dragon Realm 1967Botan ran to her parent's castle as fast as she could trying to avoid all the stares she was getting from the village people. She started to run faster amazed by the sudden speed she gained. Aritha was flying close behind her.
Botan soon arrived back at the castle with record timing. She jumped on Aritha's back and jumped into her bedroom window. Just as she landed on the ground her parents walked in with suspicious looks on their faces.
"Hehe…hi mom,hi dad…" Botan was nervous beyond belief. She was scared of what they would do.
"Botan where on the seven planets have you been?" Her mother asked.
"Er…nowhere." Botan lied.
"Don't give us that young lady…we know you've been somewhere…just look at your clothes." Said her father. Botan looked down at her torn dress and sweat dropped. She forgot about that…
"I was fine…I-I found a friend and he may be a bit antisocial…but whatever…I also…" She was cut off…again.
"Don't lie to us…we know you've been up to no good." Said her mother.
"I'm telling the truth!" Botan shouted as she felt her anger rise. Her eyes flickered with a hint ofred. "I'll show you! Aritha!" Botan said as Aritha appeared on Botan's balcony slowly adn gracefully. Her parents gasped as they saw the dragon.
"See…I'm not lying! This dragon is everything to me now…I have someone to talk to and I don't have to listen tom you anymore!"
"Your grounded young lady…you hear me! You are not to leave the castle grounds." Her father shouted at her. Botan's eyes turned fully red.
"I hear you…but I'm not going to listen. I'm leaving…I'm not going to stay here and be a pawn of your idiocy anymore!" Botan ran over to her dresser and pulled out a bag and stuffed some clothes inside. "Good-bye." Botan had everything she needed and ran out onto the balcony. She jumped on Aritha's back and the dragon flew into the air.
Her parents ran out onto the balcony. "Get back here Botan!" Her father shouted as Botan flew away to where ever she was going.
End Flashback
oOo
Donna egao ni deaetara
EVERY HEART yume ni fumidaserou
Hito wa kanashimi no mukou ni
EVERY HEART shiawase ukabete nemuru
Hiei looked at Botan sadly as she felt tears sting her eyes. "Everything in my past was wrong! IT'S WRONG!" Botan shouted falling to her knees.
"Botan…" Hiei didn't know what to do…there was no way to ease her pain except to wait for the next flashback.
Botan eventually cried herself to sleep and Hiei carried her over to a tree and sat down with her in his arms. He looked up at the now evening sky.
oOo
Buttercup looked at the couple through some berry bushes that were getting on her nerves. "Damn…why didn't that demon get rid of her!" Buttercup hissed in a mere whisper. "No matter…I have a better idea…boy will they have a major surprise in the morning."
oOo
Dragon Realm 1967
Botan was eventually knocked out and awoke in a strange cave…once again. Botan sat up and held her head. "Man…this day just keeps getting worse and worse." Botan said.
"Yeah…and you're stubbornness could have gotten you killed onna." Came an icy tone from the corner of the cave. The next thing Botan saw was a bright flash of fire as Hiei lit one over near him. "You should come over here to stay warm. It's raining out."
Botan did as she was told and sat in front of Hiei and the fire. "Where's Aritha?" She asked in a hush tone.
Itsuka itskua subete no tamashii ga
Yaruraka ni nareru youni
"She's fine. She's outside. I gave her some food as well. She told me what happened." Hiei looked at her now. She shifted uncomfortably under his intense gaze.
"I-I don't know what happened. I was so rude to them…and-and I don't know what was wrong with me…"
"I do." He interrupted her. "You were being controlled by your powers. They didn't want you to see them. They didn't want you to have someone that close to you." Hiei said now slowly turning his gaze back to the fire.
Botan was shocked. Then her gaze saddened. "I-I have no where to stay." Hiei's sharply lifted his eyes to her once again.
"I move around…so you would be no use to me here." Hiei said catching her meaning.
"Have you forgotten who I am? I would help you whenever you needed it. You-you could help me c-control my powers." Botan felt uneasy with him looking at her.
"Onna…" Hiei was getting irritating with all her questions.
Botan winced at his tone. 'Why is he being so harsh?' She decided to press the issue. "Please Hiei…if you could just think about it…even a little?" Botan stood and turned towards the cave entrance. "I'm going out."
With that said, Botan walked out of the cave leaving Hiei to stare after her form.
End Flashback
oOo
Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ikite nanika-o shiru
Toki ni warai sukoshi naite
Kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete yuku
"Hiei? Why are we getting all these flashbacks now?" Botan asked turning her aching head towards the fire demon.
"I'm not sure." Hiei's voice sounded alert. Botan looked at him more bewildered. She looked behind her at the forest. The night air was crisp and it was dark yet light in some places. The suddenly heard twigs and branches snapping and then laughter.
Botan and Hiei stood up fast and looked around back-to-back. The suddenly heard rustling from the bushes to the right of them. Botan shot a blast at the bushes but got nothing.
"What the…" Botan was suddenly tackled to the ground by a shadowy figure. Hiei hadn't even sensed him! Botan shot up at the shadow only to miss once again.
The laughter got louder and more surrounding. "You'll not think it a piece of cake to defeat me. I have techniques you have never evenheard of. I will use them on you both for testing." Came the shadows voice. It was deep...yet really annoying.
Hiei helped Botan off the ground and they both stood in a fighting position. They attacked head on but ever time they missed and hit air. "He's fast." Botan said. Hiei nodded in agreement.
They kept attacking til the shadow got bored. "I've had enough of your weak tactics on fighting me. I'll just get this over with. This technique freezes anything or any part of the body I wish it to." (Ruroni Kenshin)
Botan was suddenly swung back and hit against a tree held by her neck. "Starting with this girl!" The figure said. They still couldn't see him clearly.
Botan struggled to get free…even she was no match for this creature. Hiei couldn't do anything either…his legs were what this creature froze. Slowly every feature of him started to become clear. He was handsome, with blue spiked hair and piecing gray eyes. He was wearing a training outfit much similar to one ofKurama's outfits.
He smirked at Botan and threw her across the clearing and she hit the ice. Hard. "Onna!" Hiei shouted.
"The spell I'm about to use on your 'woman' is called the jinutsu. It can freeze any part of the body…and not just some rookie spell. My name is Jinku. Not that it matters." Jinku turned back to Botan's frightened form. "Sorry to do this to such a beautiful girl…but it's the option I was given to do."
He placed his hands forward and his eyes turned red for a second and Botan sat up on her knees before she felt it. 'Oh-no. What am I gonna do! He's frozen my…' Botan felt more of the pressure.
"This attack…Hiei…freezes her lungs!" Jinku stated and started laughing as Hiei's face changed from that to concern to realization to utter horror.
Osaranai kioku no kata sumi ni
Atataka na bashou ga aru SO SWEET
Hoshitachi ga hanasu mirai wa
Itsumo kagayaiteita SO SHY
"Hi-ei." Came the voice of Botan in a mere gaspingwhisper. Hiei turned to her and to Jinku's astonishment…broke free of his spell.
"How did you…" Hiei turned back to Jinku with pure black eyes with gold rims.
"How do you break it?" Hiei demanded.
Jinku regained his composure. He smirked. "She ahs to have a strong will…or I suggest you destroy her fast for…suffocation is not a pretty sight." Hiei's body started to glow as a memory of recent came to his mind when he and Botan were back at the tree after the flashback when she cried herself asleep.
oOo
He wandered over to the sleeping Botan and actually…he was looking through her things. He opened her bag and the first thing he saw was what he was looking for. Her diary.
He opened it and turned to the date when she first got here.
Dear Diary,
Today was horrible. I-I left Hiei after he said he was sorry…at least I think he did. The stupid portal dragged me in before I could stop it. Now I'm off to find Aritha. But…it's going to be hard without Hiei with me. I wish he were here. Everything would be better with his comfort. I've been getting major energy flashbacks ever since I've been here. And turns out…I knew Hiei when I was alive. I just hope I can get to where ever the road leads me. Find Hiei. And get out of here!
oOo
Jinku was slightly afraid, but he wouldn't show it on his face. Hiei's power was growing more powerful by the minute. And Botan's time was running out. "Hi-ei." Botan couldn't get his attention. All this power could drain his body. And if his power was drained…due to him having all these years of being a powerful demon…he could die.
And if se died…she wouldn't ever see him again, Koenma would just reincarnate her. She wouldn't be able to live without him. Not when she figured out her feelings for him.
"I suggest you take the spell off of her now!" Hiei's voice was like venom.
Jinku smirked. "Sorry…can't be done. Either she's powerful enough to break the spell…or she dies. Can't do a thing about it." His smirk grew wider (if possible) as he looked over at Botan who was staring at Hiei in utter astonishment.
"Hi-ei…s-stop." It came in a whisper and only Jinku heard her.
"Sorry love, I don't think his mind will let him stop. He's going to kill me and then he'll kill himself because he feels guilty about getting you into this mess. I can see it in his eyes." Hiei was slowly turning into his demon form. Botan's eyes widened.
She pushed herself off of the ground with much effort. She slowly started towards him as his eyes started to open all over his body. 'I…I have to reach him before he kills them both.' She thought as she stumbled because of the pressure on her lungs.
Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ai-o sagashiteiru
Tsuyoku tsuyoku naritai kara
Kyou mo takai sora miageteiru
Hiei seemed to sense her because he immediately turned back into his original state and turned on Botan. "Onna!"
"STOP!" Botan shouted and fell to her knees. "If you continue this…yo-you'll kill yourself! I would die if thathappened!" Botan was about to hit the ground when a pair of warm arms wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled them into the keepers lap.
"Onna…you'll be alright…just don't die on me."
"I won't…I promise." Botan smiled contently to herself though Hiei caught it. She opened her eyes and lifted herself to her feet. "Alright you bastard…time to die!" Botan shouted.
"Y-You broke my spell…that's impossible!" Jinku started backing up.
Botan pulled down the top of her shirt a bit and placed the Dragon Tear in her palm tearing if off of its chain. Her eyes flashed red when she snapped her gaze to Jinku. She smirked. "Time to die." She closed her now blood shot eyes and positioned herself for the attack.
Her eyes snapped open. "Kitakyoshu noheri ine meki!" She shouted as the large purple and black light shot out and blasted Jinku. He was demolished in seconds. Hiei smirked. Some things never changed. She always had to get the finishing blow.
When the light disappeared Hiei was about to make a smart remark when Botan collapsed to the ground front first. "Botan!" He rushed over and knelt beside her. He placed her head on his lap and was relieved when he placed his hand on her chest and felt a heartbeat.
He picked her up and walked back over to their favorite tree. The only one that…wasn't demolished from Botan's blast. Hiei chuckled at the thought and looked over at her pack. He set her down on his lap gently and reached for the bag. Botan grabbed on to him tighter and mumbled something.
He was jerked back by her grip. He groaned. This was not going to be easy. He went to reach for it faster…but it was as if she knew what he was doing and she pulled him back against her. Hiei was soon getting annoyed and laid on the ground with his arms around Botan's waist as she clung to him.
He reached his hand out and inched closer and closer to her bag til he grasped the strap. "Hiei." She sighed. He took out her diary and sat back up against the tree with Botan in his arms. If he was caught…he would be in deep shit.
He turned to the most recent date. (When she wrote this…Ill never know…)
Dear Diary,
Today was great! Hiei came back. He's asleep right now. Thank god. I was really worried that I would never see him again. I'm just glad he's here with me. We've been getting more blasts from the past lately…and to find out that Hiei was afraid of Aritha…I'm laughing just thinking about it. I really want to find her as soon as possible. Hiei wants to help…but I'm the only one who can find her. That is why I'm in the dragon realm. To complete that mission. This is not going to be an easy task…I mean Buttercup is still out there and who knows when we'll have to face her again. Things are just going to get more and more…how do you say…harder I guess.
Hiei finished reading the entry and snaked his was into Botan's bag again. He placed it back and turned to her. She looked so peaceful…so content. He would not disturb her until morning. For right now…he would have to sleep as well.
With that last thought…He turned his gaze to the night's sky and watched as the shooting star passed them by.
Meguru meguru toki no naka de
Bokutachi wa ikite nanika-o shiru
Toki ni warai sukoshi naite
Kyou mo mada aruki tsuzukete yuku
To be continued...