Chapter Two:

Jumping the Crevice

An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can't buy that inch of time with an inch of gold.

Chinese Proverb

The four friends had gathered at the front of WacDonald's, conveniently waiting for the portal that would transport them into Sengoku-jidai. Koenma had failed to tell them about it and had decided to interrupt Botan's vacation as well so that she may tell them. She had stated that the portal would open in front of WacDonald's and one-o-clock P.M. and that they should be there ten minutes early.

Well, it was now two-o-clock and no portal had shown. Hiei was beginning to get agitated and had made it his duty to glare at every one that walked by them. By doing this, he had caused to senior ladies to run off screaming about devil children.

"That wasn't so nice," Kurama said slowly, watching as one of the lady's wigs fell off, floating down into a puddle. Hiei shrugged, it was obvious that he didn't care. It was also obvious that Yusuke and Kuwabara found it hilarious that an old woman would need a wig.

"She's almost as bad as Mr. Akashi is, ya' saw his toupee," shrieked Yusuke, holding his sides to keep from falling down. many people had started to look at them, clicking their tongues disapprovingly. Hiei dealt with them by glaring, causing more rioting laughs from the two teens. Kurama sighed, shaking his head as he apologized to some more people.

"He as a mental disorder," he said, pointing to Yusuke who was banging his fists on the wall. "And the smaller one is just ant-social. Continue on with your business." Hiei smirked as some people seemed to buy what Kurama was saying and walked away, sending pitied looks to Yusuke and some frightened ones his way.

"Hn, worried about what people will think about you, fox?"

"Not at all," countered said fox exasperatedly. "I just don't want you to cause a scene." Hiei scoffed.

"We're not causing a scene; you should see what other humans do." Hiei had said the word 'human' too loud and some more people looked their way. Kurama sighed.

"Try to think about what you say, Hiei. Some people might think that it's weird that you say 'human' instead of 'people'." Hiei rolled his eyes, making a point of stopping them on an old woman and her husband, who hurried along the sidewalk.

Yusuke had long since stopped laughing and had a look of irritability on his face.

"Can't that portal hurry its ass up," he questioned quickly. Kuwabara shrugged, and decided to join the conversation, even though he had nothing really to say.

"It might take awhile to get it set up," he murmured. "Ya' know, I've been thinkin' that-"

"Oh dear god, you've been thinking," muttered the fire demon, voice-mocking surprise. "Call 'Guinness Book', we have a winner." Yusuke chuckled slightly.

"Be quiet, Shrimp! No one asked ya'! Now, as I was sayin', this whole demons in Ningenkai thing, reminds me of Sensui... ya' know...?" Kurama nodded, before smiling down at Hiei.

"Is that why you want to fight? The tourists might come back?" Hiei rolled his eyes, but smirked nonetheless.

"Yes and no." And he said no more then that. So, the four friends lined up against the brick wall, smartest to dumbest, and watched the world pass by.

"Kinda weird, ya' know... time changin' an' all," Yusuke stated softly, brown eyes drifting close.

"Yeah...," agreed Kuwabara, hands behind his back. The fox chose to say nothing, green eyes contemplating the world around him. The fire demon chose a manner much like said fox's.

He just glared more.

So, they all went quiet, waiting for the portal to show up.

But, of course, just because they shut their mouths, that didn't mean that the portal would just pop up.

But, perhaps that it would work this time.

So, in silence, they watched the people walk by them, some scurrying away faster then others and some dashing into the restaurant quickly. Others glared at the loitering teens, wondering if they were planning something and shook their heads regretfully, as if they knew something that the four teens didn't.

A long sigh resonated from each of them, curling through their minds as the regarded the conversation they had had with Koenma the day before. Indeed, he had made an excuse for each of them, fitting their personality and daily schedule perfectly.

Shiori had been told that Kurama would be attending a school in America, and would be studying history. Partly right, in fact, though they were going much farther then America. Atsuko had been told that Yusuke would also be going to America; just for a juvenile delinquent school and would be there for a few months.

Shizuru had been told the truth, as simple as that. Hiei had no one worried about him in Ningenkai, except Yukina and she were also told the truth. So, there was nothing really any more to contemplate, except wonder when the portal would appear.

But, it looked like all of their hard waiting finally paid off. They heard a loud pop and appearing before them, oar and all, was Botan, smiling happily at them. She looked as chipper as always, cheeks dimpled as she waved at them. It was obvious that the people couldn't see her, as they just walked right by the Grim Reaper, going about their business.

"Come on, guys," she called. "The portal just now opened." They all shot up from their positions and eyed her.

"Really," Yusuke began, excitedly. "Where is it?"

"Down the sidewalk," she commented, pointing down it and indeed, there was now a shining blue portal in the middle of the street. Botan turned to the others, surprised that they weren't talking.

"Just as the humans can't see me, they can't hear you speak to me," Botan said, thinking that was why they remained quiet. She was right and the others released the bent up tension they had gathered.

"Just a quick briefing, you guys," Botan said, floating down the sidewalk and towards the portal, the others following her. "Koenma says that he doesn't know where you'll end up, so be on your guard. He also says that after three days, I'll be joining you, for helpful purposes."

"What do you mean, 'helpful purposes'," stated Hiei dangerously, as they stopped in front of the blazing blue portal. She looked at him and smiled.

"Don't worry, Hiei, I'll be okay with you guys," She said softly and Yusuke held up his thumb while Kuwabara did the same thing with his pinky.

"Way to go, half-pint, makin' sure that your girl stay safe," murmured Yusuke, smiling. Hiei turned to him and growled dangerously.

"You don't have to worry about me, Hiei," repeated Botan, floating down closer so that she can look him more clearly in the eye. He scoffed slightly, avoiding her pink eyes. Her smile grew and Botan turned to the others.

"Alright, that's about it. Just remember to be careful and don't get killed, again," she added, looking at Yusuke, who was about to enter the portal already. He nodded his head quickly and irritably.

"Oh, and Yusuke? Kayko isn't in a good mood, considering the fact that you failed to tell her about your new mission..." Yusuke stopped for a moment, eyes wide. The fire demon smirked.

"What about your girl, detective," he replied slyly, fangs visible. Yusuke gulped and looked back at Botan.

"She's mad... really mad," he asked slowly.

"Yes. Don't worry, I took the liberty of talking to her right before I came here to tell you about the portal. I told her not to worry, but once you get back, she may want to talk to you."

Yusuke sighed and looked over at Kurama and Hiei, the former watching on amusedly and the latter still smirking.

"You two are lucky. Kurama doesn't have to worry about Shizuru beatin' him up an' Hiei... Well, I don't think that Botan'll be hittin' ya' with her oar anytime soon." The fire demon's smirk widened.

"Well, that's about it. I'll be giving you theses," and she held out the 'compact mirrors' towards Kurama. "So that you may speak to us."

"Thank you," Kurama said gratefully, placing both mirrors in his breast pocket . Botan smiled at them all, then turned to her mate-to-be.

"Don't get into any trouble, Hiei," she said slowly.

"Hn," was her answer. With a playful look in her eyes, she swooped down off her oar and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Yusuke smiled wildly, while Kuwabara guffawed loudly, causing some passing people to look at him concernedly. Though the people may not see Botan, they could see him.

It was obvious that he didn't know this.

Hiei chose not to reprimand his friends in their display of laughter. He simply looked at Botan, who smiled shyly at her own daring, and shook his head.

"Whatever, onna," he muttered and moved closer to the portal. She nodded and jumped back onto her oar.

"It would be better if you got into the portal at the same time," she said slowly. They all nodded. So, they all stood in a line, shortest to tallest and prepared to jump into the portal.

Most people were now looking at them, some frightfully and others disgustedly. You would too, if you saw three teenagers and one small boy squat down and looked like they were going to jump into the street. Kuwabara seemed to notice this too.

"Wouldn't it be great if they saw us disappear," he whispered idiotically. The way it came out of his mouth, it sounded like He had just made a life-altering conclusion that may or may not help save the earth.

To Kuwabara, it probably was.

Botan nodded at the four.

"Jump!"

And at that one word, they did, into the blazing blue portal of time, causing some people to look at them in alarm as the disappeared. The woman with the wig, coming back to find said wig, screamed and her fake teeth popped out to join the wig in the puddle.

And if Yusuke had seen that, he would have crowed louder then before.

Not that he could've crowed any louder.

Now, it was during the portal trip that they all realized something; time travel was not fun.

One of the most important questions running through their minds consisted as to why anybody would want to do this.

So, when they were finally ejected out of the dastardly portal, they were all very glad.

Though, they thought that the positions that they landed in could have been a little better.

Yusuke had landed face down on the ground, his mouth full of dirt. Kuwabara had landed in a manner similar to Yusuke's, except for the fact that his face had collided with a giant tree root, not dirt. Kurama was in a more elegant position; on his backside facing a large tree.

As for the fire demon, you ask? Hiei was standing a few feet away and looking at his fallen comrades smugly. Argumentatively, he was in the best position out of all four. And he was using this position to the best of his advantages.

"Get up," Hiei called to them, crossing his arms. "We're in Sengoku-jidai, no time to play around."

"Wrmmr nmt pamngmt," was what Yusuke said, getting up but his mouth was still muffled, thanks to the dirt. Hiei stared at him, one eyebrow raised.

"Yusuke, speak clearly," Kurama reprimanded, now getting up and dusting his jeans off. Yusuke nodded and promptly spit out a handful of dirt, maybe more.

"We're not playin'," he repeated, rubbing his mouth fervently. "We were just lyin' around, there's a difference."

"I'm surprised that you realized that difference," the fire demon replied, shrugging. Kurama smiled and then turned to the last fallen comrade, his face still connected with the tree root.

"Are you okay, Kuwabara," he whispered, nudging him in the shoulder. His question was answered with a nod. Well, it looked like Kuwabara nodded. Said person had now wrenched his face away from the root and was staring around, confusedly.

"Where the hell are we?"

"Don't you know? Sengoku-jidai," responded Kurama gently, helping him up. Kuwabara looked around the forest that they had landed in, his eyes finally settling on the giant tree, the one he had had the pleasure of meeting personally.

"Whoa! How'd that tree get so big?"

It was his friends turns to look at the tree, equally impressed.

"I heard a legend about a tree, roughly this height," the fox said slowly, rubbing a smooth hand over the trunk. "The tree, in our time, resides in a shrine, Higurashi Shrine to be exact. It's called the Goshinboku."

"Hn, god tree," murmured Hiei, narrowing crimson eyes. "What's so important about this tree?"

"It has somethin' to do with a priestess, I think," countered Yusuke, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. After stating this, he received worried looks from his companions. "Kayko made me read a book about old legends."

"That makes sense," Kurama said slowly, still looking up at the tree. Kuwabara continued looking up at it, wondering how high it was. Hiei sighed and roughly called them back to earth.

"The portal, idiots. We have to go find it, now."

They all nodded and with one last look at the tree, they began walking away, the fire demon flitting in and out of their focus as he ran ahead. The others followed slowly, listening to the sounds of the forest interestingly enough.

This was just the first part of their mission.

Getting there.

As for the second part, that would remain a mystery for them as they slowly became accustomed to Sengoku-jidai.

Author's Notes: Wow. This was a good chapter. InuYasha an' his gang come next. No flames! R/R!

Ja ne ICBINA