tsukigana: Weird but cool? I'll take that as a compliment. : )
Girl from the Ashes: Yes, your name is lovely. Your guesses are pretty close… Actually I wasn't quite sure what to make of Hiei but I'll figure it out soon! Soon…
BlueGreenGrey: Uh-oh. What is happening to Botan? You'll find out soon my friend!
sausuge: Hippies? Ha.
Silver-arrow-kitsune-girl: Hi, I did read your story, and please don't be too upset about my review. I'm trying to help really. Was it too confusing? Sorry… : (
Tracy Johnson: Yay, Tracy-chan! I hope Botan is all right too! --
lady-warrioress: I'm not telling you whether you're right or wrong, you'll find out soon enough… Yes, curse that stupid fangirl!
Mel A.T: Wasn't it though? I love big surprises! Just to fill you in, it's a middle school story. Glad you loved
the change.
Disclaimer: I, nor K or C own Yu Yu Hakusho.
Kitsune M: If I did, there would be more Hiei and Botan romance…
Kitsune C: For once I have to agree with you.
Kitsune K: Well, I like—
Kitsune C: No one wants to know the pairing you like Kimberly!
Kitsune K:(
Yukina paced nervously in the nurses' office. Pacing was something she didn't normally do. In normal conditions, Botan would be pacing and she would be watching quietly reassuring her or giving her pointers on whatever the problem was. But now since Botan-chan was unconscious right now, there wasn't much she could do…
"Botan-chan…" she whispered tears coming to her ruby red eyes. Yukina was a very sensitive girl and now her best friend was in critical condition. She stared at one of those firm yet comfortable school nurse beds that Botan was placed upon. She gazed on Botany's unusually calm face. "Please get better soon, Botan-chan," she whispered softly.
Botan lay stiffly on the bed, a serene expression on her face, though there was no smile on her normally cherry face. She was as white as a sheet and her bright blue locks seemed dull and wispy. The school nurse popped her head into the room, "Still here Miss Koori?" the nurse called out gently.
Yukina quickly wiped the tears that threatened to fall, "Yes Miss Ayama. Do I need to leave?" she asked rubbing her eyes. Miss Ayama laughed. She was a pretty young woman with short dark blue hair with spiky bangs and lovely lavender eyes. All the young men thought she was hot, and all the girls adored her. "No, dear. It's just, I have a feeling again…"
Yukina blinked. She had heard of Miss Ayama's feelings. Strange as it sounded, Miss Ayama had these absurd feelings, if she felt something bad was about to happen, something bad was bound to happen. And sometimes some kids, who claimed they had spiritual powers, said that Miss Ayama sent out a very powerful aura. But, this was all nonsense right? Nobody really believed those crack heads right? They just made it up….
Right? Or wrong? Does anyone know for sure?
"Miss Ayama," Yukina started out slowly, "Do your feelings really come true? As in, if you think someone is to die, someone dies?" She asked this in both fear and respect. Miss Ayama laughed a musical laugh. "Sweetie, I am never wrong." Her eyes glistened in both a dangerous way and mysterious. It scared and shocked Yukina a bit; she had never seen her look that way. It was scary and slightly eerie as well. She gulped and turned her head to look at Botan to get rid of this feeling. But, as soon as she looked at Botan's face, she noticed she had gone strangely pale.
Yukina's stomach clenched in a sick way. Could this be Miss Ayama's feeling? Would something bad happen to Botan?
No, she told herself fiercely. Botan-chan will not die. Besides…Miss Ayama never said it was a bad feeling, right?
"Miss Koori," Miss Ayama's cool clear voice broke her chain of thoughts and brought her back to reality. She turned to face her. "Yes ma'am?" she inquired quietly resting her warm hand over Botan's cold clammy one. Miss Ayama smiled a toothy grin, "Perhaps you would like to check Miss Yakumo's pulse?"
Yukina nodded and started to pull the blanket. Why would I need to feel Botan's pulse?
She thought as she placed her hand over Botan's arm. She turned to see if her arm was as pale as her face, when she noticed something. She gasped, "Oh my!"
Keiko stood outside the nurse's office a worried look on her face. I do hope Botan-san is all right… she mused to herself twiddling her thumbs. She frowned as soon as she did it. She didn't like twiddling thumbs, they were improper and distracting. She put her hands against her sides in a sensible sort of way and bit her lip.
She sighed and tapped her foot impatiently. Then she saw Yusuke come around the corner. "Yusuke! Oh…" she ran towards him and noticed his tanned skin unusually pale. She put her hand on his shoulder, "Yusuke, what's wrong?" she asked concern shown on her face.
Yusuke looked grim. "Well, the new kid, Jaganashi or something, just fainted outside Kimera-sensei's class." Keiko frowned.
"So? What about it?" she snapped not seeing his point at all. If he had a point anyway.
Yusuke sighed and faced Keiko, "Well, don't you think it's weird that your friend and Mr. Jaganashi here both fainted at the same time?"
"Wait a minute, how do you know if it was at the same time?" Keiko asked suspiciously. Yusuke blinked his chocolate eyes going dark. He looked as if he was in a trance; remembering something.
"Yusuke?" Keiko asked again getting impatient. Yusuke snapped out of his reverie and turned to Keiko.
"I just know," he stated calmly and finally and walked away from her leaving her confused.
"What in the world?" she asked herself jogging after him being sure not to break the "no running in the halls" policy. "Yusuke!" she called out when she finally reached him. He turned and acknowledged her before turning the corner and heading for the nurses' office.
"I think we should pay Botan a little visit."
Yukina stared in shock at Botan's pale arm. On it was a tattoo of some sort of a winding black dragon with black flames around it.
"How did this happen?" she whispered to herself softly. Botan never got a tattoo. She was sure of it, besides Botan thought that putting on tattoos would be rather painful.
She reached out to touch it and pulled her hand back sharply when she felt a little sting. Tattoos don't sting. What the hell was going on?
"Only the keeper and the holder is allowed to touch The Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" a sharp voice hissed angrily. Yukina turned to see Miss Ayama staring at her, her eyes blazing.
"What are you talking about?" Yukina quavered in a soft voice. Miss Ayama laughed softly and slowly. Yukina gulped, this was not the sweet kind Miss Ayama she was used to. "Who are you?" she whispered trembling.
"Dear me. Your sign is showing," Miss Ayama pointed at Yukina's arm a malicious smile on her face.
"What--" Yukina pulled down the sleeve of her uniform and gasped at what she saw.
A blood red rose was imprinted on her arm. Trembling Yukina reached out to touch it. She placed her other palm on it and felt a warm sensation go through her entire body. Feeling drowsy and weak she fell limp to the floor only to be caught by two strong arms.
Kurama ran down the hall Hiei slung on his shoulder towards the nurses' office. Why? Again! It's happening again! I thought it was locked up for good now! Kurama bit his lip and skidded to a stop in front of Miss Ayama's door and opened to reveal Miss Ayama cackling and Yukina Koori swaying on the spot.
"Oh dear," he muttered placing Hiei on a bed and rushing toward the faint girl and catching her in his arms. She opened her eyes, "Youko-san" she muttered weakly.
"Don't try to talk. Save your strength," he advised gently and the girl wriggled feebly in his hold. Finally she relaxed.
"My arm…" Kurama looked at her right arm and hissed at the sight of the red rose. She winced, "It's burning…" she moaned. Kurama smiled sympathetically and sadly at her. She gasped, "I'm seeing all this people…they all seem so familiar…I can't remember…who they are…"
"I never knew that I'd find you here," Kurama whispered in shock scooping her up bridal style and placing her on another bed. Then he turned to Miss Ayama, "Did you really have to give her such a scare?" he snapped in a scolding tone glaring. Miss Ayama tossed a bit of her hair.
"Kurama darling, you know how I love to torment. Especially that witch!" she spat it out her eyes narrowing dangerously. Kurama sighed heavily and ran his hands through his red locks.
"How many times must we go through this? Honestly after knowing her for over 10 years you still seem to hate her!" He stared accusingly at her waiting for an answer even though he was sure that he wouldn't get one. Miss Ayama sighed.
"I thought—I thought that it was all over. That we defeated him," she whispered softly looking at her hands. "I thought we all died and went to heaven…or whatever it's called…" She sighed, "I never knew it would happen again, after all this time…I thought that it was finally over."
Kurama sighed, "I fear that it will never be over," he stated sadly. "Not until he's gone."
"Not until who's gone?" a voice called from the doorway. Kurama and Miss Ayama turned their heads sharply to find the face of Yusuke Urameshi looking confusedly at them.
"Yusuke Urameshi! How dare you run from me without an explanation! I will—" Keiko stopped short and stared at them all. They stared back. Then she saw Yukina and Botan unconscious with the strange imprints on their arms. She shrieked.
"What are those, those, those, things on Botan and her friend's arms!" she screamed pointing in horror her honey brown eyes wide.
Miss Ayama smiled sickeningly at her. "Perhaps you ought to check your own arm, dearie," she suggested oddly cheerful. Keiko stared bemused at her.
"Why should I?" she demanded angrily. "You have no right whatsoever to—"
"For crying out loud woman!" Yusuke cried out dramatically and pulled up her sleeve. His chocolate brown eyes widened and his mouth was in a dramatic "oh".
Keiko gave one look at her arm, shrieked and fainted dead away. On her arm was another one of these strange imprints, this one of a blue gun.
Botan who had woken up in all the commotion stretched, noticed her lovely black dragon tattoo and fell back onto her bed deciding, This can wait after another nap, and fainted as well.
Miss Ayama rolled her eyes, Kurama gave another low sigh, and Yusuke looked like a goldfish, his mouth still hanging open and his eyes bulging out of his sockets.
Ah, yes.
It had begun once more.
A/N: I'm sorry that this chapter is really confusing but the real plot is starting to reveal itself. Also I'm very sorry that it's a bit short and that I took so long to update. All the stuff that doesn't make sense now, will make sense in future chapters. Now please, send me some comments, suggestions, encouragement and some constructive criticism please. I'll update real soon this time. (School is a bitch.)