I'm back again. Not entirely sure why but anyway, I got two reviews last chapter! That's one more than I got for my first chapter...

EAE: You are pathetic.

Shut it you. To my two lovely reviewers who are all that is keeping me going here THANK YOU. Ani mei, of course you're not putting me off, you're stopping me from sinking into a deep and morbid depression. To msm007 thank you so much for reviewing and I'll keep writing so long as you keep reviewing. Please? If anyone is reading this and not reviewing then please just drop me a comment, just to let me know you are actually reading it. It really doesn't take much to make my day but please just take a little time to do me that one favour.

EAE: You're still pathetic.

You are SO doing the disclaimer.

EAE: Whatever. We no own. We not rich. You no sue.

Chapter 3

It was growing dark in Ningenkai as a tall shadowy figure made its quiet way up the winding path. Many years had past since the Tragedy and still the memories were vivid in her mind. How could they not be?

She allowed her steps to slow, walking gently through a grove of oak trees, allowing the protection of their leaves to enfold her, a sad smile on her lips. Somehow she had always felt safe under their comforting shadow. Reluctantly leaving the trees behind her, she followed the earthy trail as it sloped upwards to a small area dominated by enormous, thorny rose bushes. Blooms of white, yellow, red, pink, peach and a myriad of colours in between studded the lush greenery, a beautiful, impregnable barrier of tranquillity.

Checking behind to see that no one was following, she reached out and swept a branch aside. There, hidden amongst the bright foliage was a small wicker gate. Miraculously, the blooms had not swamped the small entrance but it was as though they were protecting it from prying eyes. She smiled almost fondly and ducked under the branch, pushing the gate open and crawling through. It may have just been her imagination but she thought that one of the soft white flowers brushed her shoulder reassuringly as she passed.

Shutting the gate carefully behind her, she stood up, shaking petals from her long brown hair. It was as though she had stepped into some sacred oasis.

Roses enclosed the lush, verdant area, every blade of grass shimmering like a delicate strand of green velvet. A small pond grew in the dappled shade of silver birch tree, dainty pink water lilies drifting in its clear waters. Rare orchids waved in the playful breeze, nodding to the serrated petals of the oriental poppies. Forget-me-nots seemed as plentiful as daisies, trailing here and there among the sprigs of sweet smelling honeysuckle.

Many grand Budlia shrubs boasted copious cones of tiny lilac flowers, calling out to the bees and the butterflies that flocked to it, covering its strong branches with minuscule flittering wings, a kaleidoscope of symmetrical beauty. Soft humming from the lazy bumblebees and the musical gurgle of a tiny waterfall filled this haven of nature as she stood for a moment, basking in the pure serenity of the garden.

Removing her shoes and leaving them by the gate she relished the feel of the soft, warm turf on the bare soles of her feet, stepping carefully through the thick white petal carpet beneath the Ibiscus tree, smiling at the dozy creature perched in its branches.

"Hello Eikichi."

The old cat opened warm amber eyes and yawned widely, exposing tiny milk white teeth and a delicate pink tongue. She laughed softly, reaching up to scratch the furry ears, smiling fondly as the cat mewed and nudged her hand, purring, anxious for more attention.

"I'll play with you later, I promise."

Eikichi seemed to consider this for a moment before flopping back down on the branch and closing her eyes.

"Mrreow…"

She smiled and continued on deeper into the garden.

There it was: the tree that dominated the entire garden. A huge, knotted weeping willow, its long branches trailing right down to the ground in a curtain so thick that what lay beyond them was obscured by a canvas of pale, spear shaped leaves. She sighed inaudibly.

"Hello."

Startled, she spun around. Sitting by the pond was a small, aqua haired girl dressed in a turquoise kimono, warm brick red eyes crinkled in a gentle smile. She relaxed.

"Hello Yukina."

She wondered how she had not seen her at first, but then realised that the koorime had been sitting with her back against the trunk of the silver birch which effectively concealed her from anyone entering the garden. The young ice maiden got to her feet, brushing a stray birch leaf from her hair.

"Are you alright?"

The brunette nodded, glancing back at the willow, a deep sigh escaping her.

"Yeah… yeah I'm fine. I was just, going to… go see him."

Yukina nodded gently, understanding the other girl's silent request.

"I'll be with Eikichi."

The ice maiden touched her arm in a brief but comforting gesture before turning and treading silently away, her small feet making almost no imprint against the lush grass. Turning back to the willow, she took a deep breath and swept the thin curtain aside, ducking into the cool shade of the tree's embrace. The shaded grass was dappled with gold, dancing in time with the swaying leaves. Only one complete, never changing ray of sunlight permeated the thick foliage of the tree's canopy, falling like clear honey at the base of the tree.

There, cradled between two roots of the massive plant, was a single square slab of what appeared to be crystal set upright in the ground. She blinked hard several times before crossing to stand before it.

But it was not, as it seemed, crystal.

It was ice.

Bathed in sunlight, a myriad of tiny sparkles danced across its smooth surface as she knelt down, laying a single, pure white lily in front of it. Her throat seemed suddenly constricted as she reached forward, tracing a finger over the tiny, shimmering gems embedded into the ice.

"Hey Baby bro."

Her voice was choked with emotion as she stared at the name, memories rushing back to fill her like a ghost of the past. A single glittering tear fell from her light brown eye, running down her cheek to land upon one of the white lily petals.

"Miss you."

She smiled shakily, perusing the beautiful gems that spelled out her brother's name. They were precious Hiruseki stones, a gift from Yukina. They were all the tears she had shed in grief for his death and she had fashioned the frosted tablet herself, filling it with her youki so that it would never melt but last through the ages, her last gift to him.

Her eyes widened as the flower suddenly twitched.

Slowly, very slowly, the end of the stem disappeared into the ground and fresh new leaves burst up around it, two new blooms opening on either side. She beamed through her tears as she watched the elegant plant take root and flourish.

"When you said this would be the most wonderful garden in Ningenkai you weren't kidding were you?" she murmured to a faint memory as it played through her head, "Never do things by halves…"

She was jolted out of her thoughts by a misplaced ray of light that lingered for too long on the ground to be a branch blowing in the wind. It couldn't be Yukina, she never disturbed her while she was here without calling to her first, that was a part of the respect that the considerate koorime had for her.

She tensed her muscles, straining her hearing. Sure enough, the soft rustle of feet upon the ground reached her ears. She waited, still as a statue, until she judged the intruder to be standing just behind her. That was when she moved. Jumping up, she whirled swiftly to confront the newcomer, fist raised defensively. What she saw shocked her more than any monster, demon or plant could possibly have done.

"Hey Shizuru."

"B… Botan?"

The ferry girl had changed so much since Shizuru had last seen her. She seemed older, less… less material almost, than before, a shadow of the vibrant, bubbly girl that she used to know. Her eyes had dulled and the white kimono she wore gave her a ghostly appearance. The ferry girl took a step closer, her eyes travelling past Botan to the shining marker.

"Kazuma…"

His name seemed to jerk Shizuru out of her daze and the girl shook her head, eyes hardening.

"Why are you here?"

The question was harsh and demanding. Botan flinched inwardly, understanding the other girl's pain and knowing that her request would strike a sour note with the elder and now the only remaining Kuwabara.

"Shizuru… I need your help."

The brunette stared at her incredulously for a moment.

"You want my help. You want my help!"

The ferry girl looked sadly at the ground, waiting for the outburst. It was not long in coming.

"You… you dare!" Shizuru was practically spitting with rage, "Is this from that… that…childish bastard!"

Botan shook her head, raising her gaze to Shizuru's, the ferry girl's eyes tired and desperate, the human's burning in fury.

"I need your help Shizuru, not him."

The girl's eyes narrowed to slits but her expression softened the tiniest of fractions, pacified by the ferry girl's submissive approach.

"You have one minute. Talk fast."

Botan nodded, "I need you to tell me where – "

"Oh not a chance!" The girl's expression hardened again. "I made a promise ferry girl. I don't know if that means anything to you people but it means something to me!"

Botan felt anger rising in her own mind at Shizuru's words but forced the feelings back down. Now was not a good time to lose her temper. "I know Shizuru but there is much more at stake this time."

"MORE AT STAKE!" Shizuru snarled, trembling with rage, "MORE AT STAKE THAN KAZUMA'S LIFE!" Her voice reverberated through the air, shattering the tranquillity of the place as ten years of pent up anger was unleashed in one vicious wave that made Botan quail.

"IS THAT WHY YOU DIDN'T WARN US! BECAUSE MY BABY BRO'S LIFE WASN'T IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR YOU PEOPLE TO GET OFF YOUR ASSES AND REPAY EVERYTHING HE DID FOR YOU! HE DIED BECAUSE HE WASN'T IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO SAVE!"

The girl's tone was filled with anger and grief so powerful that it made Botan flinch with its intensity. She felt her own sorrow rising once again as she stared into the girl's burning, stricken eyes.

"S-Shizuru?"

Both girls turned sharply at the quavering voice. Yukina stood just inside the thick curtain of willow leaves, wide, tear filled eyes fixed on the pair.

"D-don't yell at B-Botan. It w-wasn't her fault."

Gradually, the anger seemed to fade from Shizuru's eyes and she let her head fall, looking back at her brother's final resting place. When she looked back at Botan, it seemed to the ferry girl that she had aged ten years. Her shoulders were slumped and her hazel eyes dim.

"I know Yukina, I know. It's okay."

The young koorime stepped forward, a timid smile on her gentle features, wide red eyes shining with that calm serenity she always seemed to possess.

"It's nice to see you again Botan."

The ferry girl returned the expression weakly. The smallest of frowns creased the skin on Yukina's forehead.

You look… different." Rose red eyes flickered over the white kimono, the pale skin, ancient eyes.

"Everyone's changed haven't they?"

She sighed softly, her gaze drifting to the ice sculpture. "Maybe it would be better if we talked out in the sunlight. This is not a good place to heal wounds." Taken aback, as usual, by the koorime's wise words, Shizuru glanced back at Kuwabara's grave before turning and making her way through the leafy screen into the brightly lit garden, the two other girls following behind her.

Botan's eyes widened as she took in the glorious sight. She had seen the garden from the sky but had had no time to truly perceive the full beauty of this small haven.

"How… when… did you…?" She gaped in awe at the myriads of colourful insects and flowers, and Yukina thought she saw a stray twinkle returning to the ferry girl's amethyst eyes. Shizuru smiled proudly around at the verdant enclosure.

"It's beautiful isn't it?"

Botan could only nod mutely. Shizuru had an almost wistful look in her eye as she gazed up at the high rose thickets that defended the glorious location from the hazards of the outside world.

"Kurama did it for us. He said it would be a garden fit for any king or queen in any land in any world. But it would never be fit for my li'll bro'." She shook her head, chuckling quietly, "Always had a way with words that damn red head. Made me want to strangle him and hug him all at the same time."

Botan smiled fondly and the two girls lapsed into silence, lost in memories that could have belonged to a previous life. Eventually a small cough broke through the haze of nostalgia and Botan's eyes turned back upon the petite ice maiden.

"I don't mean to be rude Botan but, why are you here?"

Botan's eyes darted to Shizuru who had gone very still.

"I came to ask Shizuru for a favour."

Yukina blinked huge, confused red eyes. "A favour? What kind of favour?"

Botan's eyes never left Shizuru's. The elder Kuwabara's face was unreadable and looked pale even in the warm orange glow of the setting sun that filtered through the tree branches.

"I'm looking for an old friend."

The koorime's eyes widened in sudden comprehension and her gaze flew to the brunette who was staring at the clear water of the pool as though in a trance. A gentle breeze ruffled the crystalline surface of the water, sending tiny ripples scurrying across the surface. Finally, she inhaled and exhaled deeply before meeting the ferry girl's eyes.

"Why do you need to know? What's so urgent that you came round Koenma to find me? You must have come round him," she interrupted Botan as she opened her mouth, "because he knows where they are too. If you had his permission he would have just told you."

Botan's blushed faintly but her features were set, "I think the demon, the one we're facing…" she swallowed hard, "I think it's the same one that…that killed…" She trailed off, waiting for Shizuru's reaction, violent or otherwise. What she hadn't been expecting was –

"How come you're wearing white?" Shizuru asked abruptly, eyeing the ferry girl's clothing. Botan opened her mouth and then paused. She wasn't really sure how to explain, she wasn't even sure if she really understood.

"Well… I guess, ever since Yusuke… I just couldn't stand the thought of forgetting. And, I thought…" she felt increasingly awkward with the two girls watching her, "maybe… if I wore something different, I would always remember those days when I knew all of you guys and we were…" she scuffed the toe of her shoe along the ground. "When… we were family I guess. Those were the family days. The pink days."

She blushed deeper and hunched her shoulders defensively. "So, are you going to tell me or do I have to find them on my own?" Shizuru narrowed her eyes. "If I tell you… you have to promise me something."

Botan nodded eagerly, her heart leaping in her chest.

"Anything!"

The brunette stared up at the gold streaked sky, a shadow lying across her eyes.

"I've been thinkin' a lot of things since Kazuma died," she sounded as though she had something stuck in her throat, "What I would do to the bastard responsible if I had the chance. Hell, I don't even know who is responsible anymore." Her jaw set and her head dropped to look Botan squarely in the eye.

"And. I. Don't. Care." She practically growled the words, eyes steely. "I'm sick of our friends suffering because my li'l bro' got murdered by some dead demon asshole. I refuse to sit here and mope my life away while that bastard sits in hell and laughs at us. So I'm gonna put this straight."

She pointed one finger resolutely at the ferry girl, eyes glinting.

"I'll tell you… but you have to start wearing pink, smiling that bloody annoying smile of yours and being an airhead like you used to be. Get it?"

Yukina blinked at her friend and Botan did a wonderful impression of a goldfish for a few seconds before saying the first thing that popped into her head.

"I was not an airhead!"

Shizuru grinned.

"That's the spirit."

Next chapter, enter one... no, two redheads and a ghastly mystery to be solved. R&R! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! PLEASE!