Chapter Sechzehn

Botan woke with a start and an urge to scream but no sound came, this was all so hopeless and hard. She was slowly losing all hope that everything would be okay, that everything would work out like it always had.

She sat up in bed and looked down at the ring she had fished out of the puddle earlier and sobbed openly. She really did love Hiei and that love she had for him had helped her this far, but now there was nothing. He hated her now.

Botan began to wonder if Hiei would even care if she were gone. If he would come and look for her or leave her to die. She walked to the window and watched as the rain fell and gasped. The silver sheen of a sword rung out as the lightening flashed. Botan quickly put the ring in her pocket and ran out into the field.

"Hiei? What are you doing out here?" She called through the rain but he just ignored her. Botan growled in anger as tears ran down her face freely mixing with the rain. Then she smirked as she got an idea, an answer to her question.

She ran through the rain and right in front of Hiei as he brought his sword down. "Botan!" He paused his attack his eyes wide with fear and hurt but he quickly shook it off. "What the hell do you think you are doing, woman!" he panted and growled.

"I just wanted to tell you…" she paused for a breath as she, too, was panting, "That I Hate you too!" Botan turned to leave but was yanked back forcefully by the wrist and turned. "What?" Botan growled out in anger.

"Shut up." Hiei said and pulled her roughly to him and Pressed his lips hard to hers in a not too friendly kiss then pushed her away slightly. "Next time you jump in my way when I am training I will not stop." He turned and started to walk away slowly

"Hiei, You Asshole! I HATE YOU! I H-ate you!" Botan chanted and fell to her knees and sobbed in her hands "I love you." She whispered to herself.

The next morning the call came in and Yusuke answered frantically. "Kuwabara? What took you so long, what's going on?"

"Hey man I have news I don't know if its good but you need to go to the park at sunset, its some sort of secret plan the Dark Lord has. You should be careful though, gotta go." Kuwabara hung up leaving Yusuke in a confused mess.

"Kuwabara! KUWABARA! Get your ass back on the line!" Yusuke yelled at the blank screen.

"I don't think he can hear you detective, Baka." Hiei spat. "Well what did he want?"

"Something about going to the park at sunset." He shrugged.

"That seems a bit strange?" Botan said

"She is right. But it's all we have to go on." Kurama added, "and I think we should go."

"So we are all going then? Don't you think it would be safer to split us up?" Botan asked in fear. "I mean they could be setting Kuwabara up."

"Yeah, and that's why I am going to go alone." Yusuke stood and with his determined and stubborn disposition it was hard to argue with him.

"I don't-" Botan started but stopped sighing sadly "you just better be careful."

"Yeah, don't worry." Yusuke flashed a huge grin but she still frowned, "alright, Kurama you'll come with me."

Kurama nodded slowly, thankful that Yusuke decided to take some precaution. "See Botan, We'll be fine."

Yusuke Stretched and headed for the door with Kurama.

"We shouldn't be too long." Kurama smiled sadly and the two were gone.

"Hn." Hiei stood in the dark watching Botan for a time then flitted off into nothingness leaving Botan on the porch in the darkness.

"Ah Urameshi, oh and Kurama, were are Botan and Hiei?" Kuwabara asked

"Dude, Kuwabara are you okay? I think that look changed you." Yusuke said, "Okay so what are we doing here?" he looked around, "find a way to free everyone?"

"Not exactly." Kuwabara said and Kurama got an uneasy feeling about the whole thing. But he felt a sharp pang in his skin, and all over it was as if the rain had become as sharp as a thousand sewing needles. Kurama tried to move, to get away but no matter where he went the rain stabbed at him.

Yusuke was trying his best to ignore the whole thing, and glared questioningly at Kuwabara. "What is this?"

"Just a little rain, ice rain, thanks to the help of someone you know." Kuwabara said and at that moment Yukina stepped out from behind him along with Keiko. And She was his last sight before he fell forward with solid eyes.

Kurama looked over his skin and he was covered in blood, it dripped from him and onto the grass where it melted away. And the taste in his mouth was coppery it was as if he had swallowed pennies but little he could do about it, he closed his eyes to escape the pain and fell into a coma.