Wingless Bird
A Collaboration between HateBecomesYou & BlueWater26

Author's Notes: Jesus, my finger hurts like bitch. Burnt it on the stove. Big ass lump all along my thumb, on the nerve endings... I'm not very happy. Sorry to say, the chapter might reflect that with bad quality... And it'll be short, because I've found that is excruciatingly hard to type with one hand (I don't use all of my fingers either, so...).

Disclaimer: -loud sobs- I think you all know that... -sniff- We don't own Yu Yu Hakusho... Damn you, Yoshihiro Togashi, damn you!

Chapter Two:
Let's See If We Can Fix Everything

Silence reigned supreme over the darkly wooded forest, as if the entities of the world were mourning. No longer singing, the birds hid among the brush and sparse limbs branching out from the trees. There were pitiful chirps at best, scattered through the woods that surrounded the lone temple.

Crouched on the steps - awkwardly thanks to their movement-restricting kimono - were the two young women, one with puffy, red-rimmed eyes and the other biting her lip and trying to comfort and be reassuring.

"Don't worry, Botan, it's probably just that mission Koenma told you about. I'm sure nothing could really happen to them. After all, they're very competent with their cases."

"You're... You're probably right. Heh, I dunno what I was getting all worked up about." Botan gave a bleary, unsure smile and absently rubbed at her eyes.

"See? You just have to use your head!" Yukina smiled, though it was a few watts lower than it had been earlier in the day.

"Yeah... Thank you." Botan wiped at her nose with one long pink sleeve. "But... Maybe I should go talk to Koenma. I'm sure he would explain this to me... I just wonder why he didn't tell me that this was going to happen. I think that's what has me worried the most."

"I doubt Koenma would send them into anything terribly life-threatening without informing them of it all the circumstances, Botan. He's very responsible. But, if you'd like, maybe we should both go and talk to him." Yukina smiled at Botan's grateful look, patting the ferry girl on the shoulder.

"Hiei, don't you think that would be a good idea?" Yukina continued, prodding at her brother with a meaningful look. He merely responded with a grunt, shifting from one foot to the other at his position leaning against a nearby tree. "Would you like to leave now?"

Botan gave a small nod. Yukina brightened and hopped to her feet, blue kimono flaring out about her ankles. She helped the ferry-girl to her feet, patting her hand and still radiating with a calm, smooth aura.

"Oh, but wait!" Botan exclaimed, glancing back at the temple, "What about Genkai?"

"I'm surprised the old woman hasn't noticed everyone's absence. Losing her touch?" Hiei scoffed, crossing his arms and preferring to stare up at the sky than at the pair of girls.

"That's really strange," Botan bit her lip, "I'll be right back, I'm going to find Genkai and tell her we'll be leaving."

Botan turned on her heel and started to walk across the courtyard, birds scattering and fluttering along the ground, giving indignant cries. As soon as she disappeared, Yukina turned to her brother.

"Hiei?" Her voice seemed indefinite, quiet and lost in the sea of trees enveloping them.

"Hn," Hiei acknowledged, monotone and emotionless. His face, however, seemed to have softened by the girl's unsure tone.

"Do you think that everyone is okay?"

"They'll be fine. Urameshi is resourceful enough, even with the dope along with him," Yukina frowned at Kuwabara's demeaning nickname, "And you know how the fox is."

Yukina nodded, easily reassured by the fire demon's words. She watched the birds twirling through the sky, focusing in on a pair of white-grey ones. They spiraled together, always intertwined; the perfect duo as they dived to the earth and back towards the blaring yellow-white sun. It warmed the young maiden's heart.

The pitter-patter of wooden geta caught the sibling's attentions, and they both looked up to see Botan hurrying towards them. She was obviously distressed, wringing her hands and trying to run despite the confines of her clothing.

"Yukina, Hiei, I can't find her!" Botan cried, reaching the edge of the steps.

"But her signature is here... I can feel it," Yukina mused, moving to stand at Botan's side.

"You couldn't even find the old hag? Cheh... Incompetent woman." With those words, Hiei evanesced and his black silhouette flitted towards the entryway of the temple. After a short moments time, the fire demon was back, a sour look upon his face. He remained silent, even after the two girls stared at him imploringly.

"Well?" Botan asked, impatient with anxiety. An irritated look crossed Hiei's face and he glared back at her.

"Weren't you going back to Reikai?" Hiei questioned moodily. "Hurry up. Go talk with Koenma."

Before Botan could give him a few smug comments about the absence of Genkai, Yukina interrupted, "Yes, Botan, can you fly us to Reikai?"

Easily distracted, Botan nodded, holding out her palm as a long wooden oar materialized. It floated before her and she hopped on, proffering for Yukina to do the same.

As soon as the pair were seated comfortably, Yukina called out, "We'll be back soon, okay?"

Hiei scowled and vanished once more while the two girls gradually ascended and flew off into the shimmering blue sky.

Yukina and Botan were quick to enter the modernized halls of the castle, making their way to Koenma's office. It was slightly unsettling how quiet it was, but the couple ignored it, instead conferring quietly with each other.

It wasn't long before they reached the sleek monochrome door that opened to Koenma's rooms. Botan took the lead, knocking quickly. After a moment of unresponsiveness, she slipped inside, the ice maiden following her queue.

There were no longer hordes of ogres rushing around the office, nor the shouting that usually accompanied them. Botan walked towards the barren desk, strangely devoid of papers.

"Koenma, sir?" Botan called out hesitantly.

Nothing.Yukina swiveled around, glancing throughout the room. It was completely empty.

Author's Notes: This chapter was written by HateBecomesYou. Isn't it great? (This is BlueWater26, so you know.) I corrected a few mistakes in the first chapter regarding the timeline.