Chapter Zwanzig

"She's waking up." Came a whispered voice as Botan opened her eyes slowly making out only squiggled figures. "Get her some water."

"Oooh, Wh-Where am I?" Botan groans and held her hand to her head.

"Baka Onna."

"Hiei?" She blinked trying to put the figures into focus. "What happened?"

"You were bitten by an orchid, tricky little critters they are. Bad luck to be running' into on of those… woo."

Botan sat up and finally could see clearly only her head hurt and an awful taste was in her mouth and she smacked trying to get rid of the taste.

"Sorry 'bout that, love, we needed to clam you down so I gave you a tiny swig of alcohol."

"Chu? Jin? Touya?" Botan smiled. "So glad you guys are here, we need help."

Hiei shifted feeling slightly hurt that she wasn't glad he was there, "Hn. They know, I told them."

"So can you guys help us? Please?" Botan begged trying to stand but Touya sat he back down.

"Don't get up yet." He instructed. "And you don't really have to ask if we will help, you know we will." He smiled "tell us the whole story."

… Shiori walked up the steps slowly; the ladder cracked and squeaked in warning as she did so. Her eyes slowly adjusted to the lack of light in the room and she heard the sound of something slithering across the floor, the sweet aroma of flowers filled the air and she smiled softly and walked in completely.

The door slammed shut behind her and a few lunar flowers began to glow; it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. 'Shuichi did all of this?' She wondered and walked in deeper. 'it is true. My son is not my son.' …

"What is the point of this Karasu?" Kurama tried hard to blink back his tears as his heart wrenched.

"I want to show you what happened to the human you clam to love so much." He whispered. "NOW Watch!"

… Slowly, creeping behind her two vines rolled across the floor and slid over he ankles and she jerked in fear and screamed. "What is this?" The vines climbed up her legs slowly and pricked at her skin roughly becoming tight. "Shuichi! Help me, Please."

"He won't help you." The owner of the dark voice spoke from the shadows, "he made this plant. It will kill you now, he is killing you."

"No!" She screamed in pure agony as the vines yanked her to the floor and dragged her into a lush bush of flowers. The sound of screams and splashing blood danced through the house. When it was over all that could be seen was a puddle of blood flowing from the bush. It rivered down and through the cracks of the attic door…

"NO! Mother! Please…" Kurama's eyes were shut tight but the image of his mother's blood and her screams drifted through his mind.

"I can take this pain away you know. If you just let me. Hmm what do you say, Kurama?"

Kurama whimpered and lowered his head nodding slowly. "Please help me."

"They did all that?" Chu jumped

"How, I mean didn't Yusuke try and stop them?" Touya asked

"Well the thing is… he was captured. As was Kuwabara and Kurama."

The boys just stood around unbelieving. Touya took a deep breath and smiled, "We will help you save them and the human world."

"That's right, don't worry lass."

"Too right!" Chu added.

Botan turned to Hiei and beamed, "did you hear that Hiei? They are gonna help us."

"Hn. I am not deaf." Hiei scowled and walked off into the darkness of his homeland.

"Hiei wait." Botan called and jumped up running after him despite Youya's warning about getting up too soon. "H-Hiei?" She found him with his hand placed on the base of a tree. "What are you doing? Why did you leave?"

"See this tree?"

"H-Hai, I do. What about it?"

"This is the tree Yukina carved her name in, that's how I found her the first time." Hiei ran his fingers over the letters of her name.

"O-Oh Hiei." Botan walked up to him and placed her hand over his and caught his gaze and was saddened by what she saw. Pure sadness and pain, his eyes could never hide anything from her. Now wasn't any different.

"When we get there I am killing that dark lord on my own. I don't want you to butt in." Hiei spoke softly to her and she nodded and in a sudden movement her arms were wrapped around his waist and her head was resting on his chest.

"I know what you mean, you won't lose me either." She smiled knowing that when he said not to butt in he was really telling her to be careful and not get hurt. "I love you so much, Hiei."

"I-I love you too." He whispered and wrapped his arms around her resting his head atop of hers and they just stood beneath the tree in the darkness holding on to each other.