Kurama had prowled the castle, looking for Hari, all night.
During this time he had also gotten a few small "chores" done. Chores he hoped Botan liked.
He was praying she did.
*
It was dawn.
He still hadn't found her.
'Damn it,' the prince growled to himself as he laid back on the roof of the castle, glancing at a huge, slightly blood-stained bandage that was now wrapped around his arm. 'Where in hell could she be?!'
His ears perked under his hat as he heard soft footprints from down below, in the garden.
'Botan?' he thought, curious as he crawled towards the edge of the roof. Whoever it was happened to be downwind, and he couldn't smell them. 'What is she doing up so early?'
Peering over the edge of the castle, he looked down towards the garden.
It looked like Botan- the girl's back was turned- but her black hair was too long.
It must be Hari.
With a growl to himself, he leapt from the roof to the nearest tree and from there to the ground with a quiet thump.
The girl spun around as she heard the prince's footprints behind her.
It was Hari.
"Kurama." she beamed as he glared at her. "I've been looking for y- why are you staring at me like that?"
Her delicate forehead crinkled in the frown. "What's wrong?"
"How could you DO that?!" he hissed, so low that the girl could barely hear.
"Do what?"
"Hurt- BEAT- Botan- your SISTER- the way you did!" Kurama snarled, grabbing onto Hari's arm. "How COULD you?!"
"How could I?! How could I not feel anger towards a low down piece of scum like HER when I see her walking- TALKING- with my husband to be?! How can I not hate her actions until my vengeance forces me to take reve-"
"YOU BEAT BOTAN!" Kurama yelled over Hari. "I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHY- WHY YOU'D EVEN CONSIDERING BEATING YOUR SISTER!"
"She is no sister of mine!" Hari snarled. She put a hand gently on Kurama- Yasha's cheek and moved his head so he would look at her. "Do you not understand how I feel? You too have a half sibling- one that could over power you. You of all people should understand the way I feel. I am merely trying to protect you- who knows what that maid will do to you? I love you, my prince. Don't you love me?"
Kurama said nothing, silently turning away and looking up at Botan's window, where he knew she would soon be awakening.
*
The maid yawned and stretched, feeling better then she had for a long time.
True, her face felt sore- but it was healing quickly now. In fact-
She put her hand to her face.
There were no scars.
There wasn't even a sore spot.
. . . How could her face be totally healed?!
She got out of bed and realized with a jolt of excitement and shock that her arms and legs were no longer bruised or hurting either.
What happened?
Looking over at her bedside table, there was a collection of small objects.
The first to catch her eye was a small spoon.
Picking it up, she noticed that it had a little- was that dried blood in here?! She quickly dropped the utensil.
Next she looked up and found an envelope with-
A white rose on top.
Gasping, the maid reached for the flower carefully, not wanting to damage its delicate petals.
'My . . . my favorite. . .' she smiled as she felt tears collect in her eyes. She gently placed the rose back on her bed stand and opened the envelope.
When she carefully tipped it over, two items fell out.
One was the Shikon no Tama.
It was now mostly back to its original state. Round and smooth like a marble, there was only one thing missing.
A single shard.
It looked like, from what Botan could tell, a shard the thickness of quill tip. It was slightly noticeable, but not as bad as it could be.
Smiling broadly to herself, the girl put the necklace under her bed, to make sure nothing else happened to it for the time being.
She'd put it on again later.
Next, she picked up the note that had fluttered out of the envelope.
Opening it with a large smile on her face, she snuggled back against her pillows and read.
~Good morning, Mitsukai!
I hope you slept well. I have a few things to apologize for, before you can get your hands on me.
One, you probably noticed the spoon. And the dried blood. Well- err- Yusuke couldn't find that ointment he promised, so we went with the next best thing. Now don't get grossed out on me.
We put a little of my blood on it and fed it to you while you were asleep. Since I'm demon, I heal faster, and those little bruises you got should heal in no time with the aid of demon healing.
So now that the disgusting piece of information is out of the way, I'll move on.
Also, it seems we're still missing a piece of the Jewel. Sorry about that- but for the most part the jeweler put it back together again. So there's another problem out of the way.
Thirdly . . . well, I guess I just wanted to say how happy I am to have someone like you, Botan. Some one I can talk to and be myself with.
Remember what I said: No one can keep us apart.
And so you better not let anyone or anything keeps you from meeting me today in the garden!
You're a beautiful person, Mitsukai. I enjoy every minute I spend with you, and I hope there will be many more minutes to come.
Love, Kurama~
Botan's heart swelled with happiness as she read the note over and over and over again, savoring every sweet word.
"I love you, Kurama," Botan whispered to herself, lying back on the bed.
There was a quiet creak and then gentle shutting of a door.
Her door.
Looking up in surprise, she looked towards her door.
But no one was there.
Shrugging, she got up and decided to dress and have breakfast early, in order to spend more time with the prince.
*
Outside, little Masaru leaned against the door.
'Poor big brother. . .' he thought, walking back to his and Koenma's room. 'But. . .'
The little boy smiled. 'I can still have fun with the prince!'
With a quiet and slightly evil giggle, the little boy ran back to his room before Botan could emerge from hers.
*
"Kurama? Don't you love me?"
The voice brought him back to earth and out of his daydreams.
He turned and found himself staring into the deep blue eyes of Hari.
"Don't you?" she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
The prince looked away. "I just don't see why you'd do that to your sister!"
"I didn't mean to hurt you. . ." the girl whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Kurama flinched and tried to back out of it without really alerting to her what he was doing, but it was useless.
"Of course you hurt me! I care for Botan! Very, very much!" Kurama glared, still trying to squirm out of her grasp.
"I know that now," Hari continued softly, standing slowly on her tip toes so she was face to face with Kurama. "And I promise to be good from now on."
The prince said nothing, still slightly struggling.
Suddenly, his nose picked up a sent.
A sweet, gentle sent that he- was loved the word?
Botan's sent.
It was coming closer.
And it was mingled with the soft, fragrant sent of a rose.
She had found it.
He could smell the happiness in her.
He wanted her to be happy- he needed her to be happy-
But she wouldn't be happy if she saw him in Hari like this!
'Hell,' he thought darkly, trying not to push away his wife-to-be, 'I don't really know if I'M happy with this. . .'
"I'll always be here for you, Kurama," Hari whispered, hugging him close. "No one can keep us apart." 'Ever.'
With that, she leaned into him and kissed him deeply.
And that was the scene Botan walked in to.
*
"Oh, YUUUUUUUUUUSUKE!" cried a shrill voice.
The vizier, who had been brushing his teeth- shirtless- opened his sleepy eyes with a snap.
'Oh gods. . .'
"YUSUKE, DARLING!" Maya squealed with delight as she burst into the bathroom- wearing nothing but a towel.
Now, usually Yusuke would not at all have objected to a woman choosing this as their method of dress- but now he really didn't want to see anyone in a towel except for Keiko.
Hell, he wouldn't care if she saw Keiko with OUT a towel.
However, he was awakened from his sweet day dreams of a naked Keiko by Maya, who looked like she was having a seizure.
"Err," he asked, looking at her oddly. "Are you okay?"
She pouted. "I was doing a sexy dance for you!"
". . . If you say so."
He turned back to brushing his teeth.
Maya's pout deepened.
"Yusuke, honey," she whined as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, "why won't you talk to me?"
"Err. . . I have laryngitis?" he lied.
But- by some lucky break combined with Maya's idiocy- this lie worked.
"Ooo! Poor baby!" she cried in hushed tones. "Let me get you some lemon tea!"
With that, she scampered out the door.
And Yusuke scampered out the near-by window, not even bothering to put on a shirt.
~*~
OH NOO!!!!
Hari is manipulating Kurama!!! DAMN HER!!!!
Whoops. I swore.
Oh well!
Sorry about not updating but I was busy.
About the diamond breaking, I guess that's not really possible but let's pretend it did, k?
Please review and I'll update!
JA!!!
During this time he had also gotten a few small "chores" done. Chores he hoped Botan liked.
He was praying she did.
*
It was dawn.
He still hadn't found her.
'Damn it,' the prince growled to himself as he laid back on the roof of the castle, glancing at a huge, slightly blood-stained bandage that was now wrapped around his arm. 'Where in hell could she be?!'
His ears perked under his hat as he heard soft footprints from down below, in the garden.
'Botan?' he thought, curious as he crawled towards the edge of the roof. Whoever it was happened to be downwind, and he couldn't smell them. 'What is she doing up so early?'
Peering over the edge of the castle, he looked down towards the garden.
It looked like Botan- the girl's back was turned- but her black hair was too long.
It must be Hari.
With a growl to himself, he leapt from the roof to the nearest tree and from there to the ground with a quiet thump.
The girl spun around as she heard the prince's footprints behind her.
It was Hari.
"Kurama." she beamed as he glared at her. "I've been looking for y- why are you staring at me like that?"
Her delicate forehead crinkled in the frown. "What's wrong?"
"How could you DO that?!" he hissed, so low that the girl could barely hear.
"Do what?"
"Hurt- BEAT- Botan- your SISTER- the way you did!" Kurama snarled, grabbing onto Hari's arm. "How COULD you?!"
"How could I?! How could I not feel anger towards a low down piece of scum like HER when I see her walking- TALKING- with my husband to be?! How can I not hate her actions until my vengeance forces me to take reve-"
"YOU BEAT BOTAN!" Kurama yelled over Hari. "I WANT YOU TO TELL ME WHY- WHY YOU'D EVEN CONSIDERING BEATING YOUR SISTER!"
"She is no sister of mine!" Hari snarled. She put a hand gently on Kurama- Yasha's cheek and moved his head so he would look at her. "Do you not understand how I feel? You too have a half sibling- one that could over power you. You of all people should understand the way I feel. I am merely trying to protect you- who knows what that maid will do to you? I love you, my prince. Don't you love me?"
Kurama said nothing, silently turning away and looking up at Botan's window, where he knew she would soon be awakening.
*
The maid yawned and stretched, feeling better then she had for a long time.
True, her face felt sore- but it was healing quickly now. In fact-
She put her hand to her face.
There were no scars.
There wasn't even a sore spot.
. . . How could her face be totally healed?!
She got out of bed and realized with a jolt of excitement and shock that her arms and legs were no longer bruised or hurting either.
What happened?
Looking over at her bedside table, there was a collection of small objects.
The first to catch her eye was a small spoon.
Picking it up, she noticed that it had a little- was that dried blood in here?! She quickly dropped the utensil.
Next she looked up and found an envelope with-
A white rose on top.
Gasping, the maid reached for the flower carefully, not wanting to damage its delicate petals.
'My . . . my favorite. . .' she smiled as she felt tears collect in her eyes. She gently placed the rose back on her bed stand and opened the envelope.
When she carefully tipped it over, two items fell out.
One was the Shikon no Tama.
It was now mostly back to its original state. Round and smooth like a marble, there was only one thing missing.
A single shard.
It looked like, from what Botan could tell, a shard the thickness of quill tip. It was slightly noticeable, but not as bad as it could be.
Smiling broadly to herself, the girl put the necklace under her bed, to make sure nothing else happened to it for the time being.
She'd put it on again later.
Next, she picked up the note that had fluttered out of the envelope.
Opening it with a large smile on her face, she snuggled back against her pillows and read.
~Good morning, Mitsukai!
I hope you slept well. I have a few things to apologize for, before you can get your hands on me.
One, you probably noticed the spoon. And the dried blood. Well- err- Yusuke couldn't find that ointment he promised, so we went with the next best thing. Now don't get grossed out on me.
We put a little of my blood on it and fed it to you while you were asleep. Since I'm demon, I heal faster, and those little bruises you got should heal in no time with the aid of demon healing.
So now that the disgusting piece of information is out of the way, I'll move on.
Also, it seems we're still missing a piece of the Jewel. Sorry about that- but for the most part the jeweler put it back together again. So there's another problem out of the way.
Thirdly . . . well, I guess I just wanted to say how happy I am to have someone like you, Botan. Some one I can talk to and be myself with.
Remember what I said: No one can keep us apart.
And so you better not let anyone or anything keeps you from meeting me today in the garden!
You're a beautiful person, Mitsukai. I enjoy every minute I spend with you, and I hope there will be many more minutes to come.
Love, Kurama~
Botan's heart swelled with happiness as she read the note over and over and over again, savoring every sweet word.
"I love you, Kurama," Botan whispered to herself, lying back on the bed.
There was a quiet creak and then gentle shutting of a door.
Her door.
Looking up in surprise, she looked towards her door.
But no one was there.
Shrugging, she got up and decided to dress and have breakfast early, in order to spend more time with the prince.
*
Outside, little Masaru leaned against the door.
'Poor big brother. . .' he thought, walking back to his and Koenma's room. 'But. . .'
The little boy smiled. 'I can still have fun with the prince!'
With a quiet and slightly evil giggle, the little boy ran back to his room before Botan could emerge from hers.
*
"Kurama? Don't you love me?"
The voice brought him back to earth and out of his daydreams.
He turned and found himself staring into the deep blue eyes of Hari.
"Don't you?" she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
The prince looked away. "I just don't see why you'd do that to your sister!"
"I didn't mean to hurt you. . ." the girl whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Kurama flinched and tried to back out of it without really alerting to her what he was doing, but it was useless.
"Of course you hurt me! I care for Botan! Very, very much!" Kurama glared, still trying to squirm out of her grasp.
"I know that now," Hari continued softly, standing slowly on her tip toes so she was face to face with Kurama. "And I promise to be good from now on."
The prince said nothing, still slightly struggling.
Suddenly, his nose picked up a sent.
A sweet, gentle sent that he- was loved the word?
Botan's sent.
It was coming closer.
And it was mingled with the soft, fragrant sent of a rose.
She had found it.
He could smell the happiness in her.
He wanted her to be happy- he needed her to be happy-
But she wouldn't be happy if she saw him in Hari like this!
'Hell,' he thought darkly, trying not to push away his wife-to-be, 'I don't really know if I'M happy with this. . .'
"I'll always be here for you, Kurama," Hari whispered, hugging him close. "No one can keep us apart." 'Ever.'
With that, she leaned into him and kissed him deeply.
And that was the scene Botan walked in to.
*
"Oh, YUUUUUUUUUUSUKE!" cried a shrill voice.
The vizier, who had been brushing his teeth- shirtless- opened his sleepy eyes with a snap.
'Oh gods. . .'
"YUSUKE, DARLING!" Maya squealed with delight as she burst into the bathroom- wearing nothing but a towel.
Now, usually Yusuke would not at all have objected to a woman choosing this as their method of dress- but now he really didn't want to see anyone in a towel except for Keiko.
Hell, he wouldn't care if she saw Keiko with OUT a towel.
However, he was awakened from his sweet day dreams of a naked Keiko by Maya, who looked like she was having a seizure.
"Err," he asked, looking at her oddly. "Are you okay?"
She pouted. "I was doing a sexy dance for you!"
". . . If you say so."
He turned back to brushing his teeth.
Maya's pout deepened.
"Yusuke, honey," she whined as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, "why won't you talk to me?"
"Err. . . I have laryngitis?" he lied.
But- by some lucky break combined with Maya's idiocy- this lie worked.
"Ooo! Poor baby!" she cried in hushed tones. "Let me get you some lemon tea!"
With that, she scampered out the door.
And Yusuke scampered out the near-by window, not even bothering to put on a shirt.
~*~
OH NOO!!!!
Hari is manipulating Kurama!!! DAMN HER!!!!
Whoops. I swore.
Oh well!
Sorry about not updating but I was busy.
About the diamond breaking, I guess that's not really possible but let's pretend it did, k?
Please review and I'll update!
JA!!!