Yin-Yang

Chapter Nine: Botan's Surprise

Two boys rode their "borrowed" bicycles in the streets of the city, weaving in and out of the hypnotized male population. One of them, a tall, orange-haired, boy with prominent cheekbones and beady black-brown eyes, moved his head in tune with some music blaring from his headphones. The other was wearing earmuffs, their ear pieces partially covered by loose strands of his greased brown black hair. They were clad in simple jeans and t-shirts; summer had started about a month ago. As they rode, a strange and highly dangerous, though alluring melody floated in the air around them. They were, of course, oblivious.

Yusuke Urameshi, former spirit detective, pulled up next to his fellow vigilante, Kazuma Kuwabara, and tapped the boy's shoulder. He found that the boy was preoccupied with doing a sort of head-banging motion, lip-syncing and drumming his hands on the handlebars as though playing drums. Metallic... Yusuke thought, sighing. He tapped his friend once more, although his 'tap' was more of a 'punch' than anything. Wincing, Kuwabara looked to the hazel-eyed teen, who signaled him to stop in a nearby ally. The two did not worry about gangs, despite the fact that they were on the bad side of town; all those who would be a danger were walking in the middle of the street toward the source of the mysterious tune.

"What, Urameshi? Chickenin' out?" Yusuke rolled his eyes; he liked competition as much as the next guy, but really!

"No, you baka! I was just thinkin'-"

"Musta been hard." Kuwabara shortly had a purple bruise on his shoulder. As he rubbed it gingerly, Yusuke continued.

"What're we gonna tell ol' toddler butt? I mean, we're fired, so... "He left the question hanging in the already-crowded air. Kuwabara stroked his chin in a pose mimicking that of the world's greatest thinkers, and then shrugged. Yusuke sweatdropped.

"I dunno, Urameshi. We can just worry about that later, though. We've got to deal with this" -- He waved his hand at their surroundings -- "for the moment." Yusuke nodded, his mind reeling with possible punishments that Koenma could serve him. A ferrygirl, perhaps? He had a brief image of himself, clad in Botan's usual attire, sitting on an oar, and ending every sentence with a 'dear.'

Shuddering, the soon-to-be vigilante rode off once more, setting his mind onto his mission. He immediately found a distraction. Using a sign language devised by Shizuru, he signed to Kuwabara, who was riding a few feet away, 'Ten points if you rough up Mr. Akashi!'

Back at the temple, the tentai were unaware of the danger about to strike them. They were in Genkai's voluminous courtyard, engaged in rather un-heroic activities. Only four out of the five living in the house were present; Genkai had run off to another prefecture to do some errands. Something involving torturous training, Yukina was sure. The ice demon was presently sitting beside Kai, having managed to convince the timid girl to come out of her room for once, watching Hiei and Kurama spar furiously with a contented look. Kai had buried herself in a notebook, into which she was scribbling furiously. Yukina did not bother to ask what the girl was writing; it wasn't her business, and besides, it had been hard enough to get the girl out of her room.

Suddenly, a panicked cry for help broke the peaceful atmosphere. Hiei and Kurama stopped their fight immediately as a disheveled Botan fell from above, a dark blur against the calm skies. Yukina and Kai rose from the table and rushed over to the crumpled heap that was the ferrygirl. Upon seeing her, the four almost did not recognize the assistant; she had traded her usual garb for an extremely sleazy black halter top that could really have been called a bra and a pair of dangerously short shorts. Instead of her sandals, Botan was shod in a pair of black leather high-heeled boots. Her hair, too, had changed: it now bore black streaks in periodic intervals. Around her neck, she wore a collar rather like that of a cat, complete with an onyx charm shaped like a small heart, bordered with red and orange.

As the girls helped up the drastically different ferrygirl, Botan began to shake off her weariness. Her pink eyes scanning the courtyard, she spotted her trusty oar lying a few feet away, in pieces.

"Damn it!" She cursed loudly, startling the tentai, save for Hiei (who actually was startled, but only to the trained eye.) Yukina, holding one of Botan's arms, gave her a questioning look. Kai also gave a look, although hers was of concern.

"What happened to you?" Kurama strode closer to Botan, Hiei in tow. There was a concern buried in his tone that only Yukina could detect; she felt a slight sting somewhere in the region of her chest, but ignored it.

"Oh, it's horrible! We... I... Koenma..." The girl stammered incoherently, burying her face in her hands. If she was bad before, she was hysterical now. Hiei stared at the crying girl with cold indifference, but could not hide his shock when Kai, least emotional of the four, put her pale hand on the ferrygirl's back.

"It's okay, Botan. Just calm down and please try to tell us what's happened." A warm compassion, the compassion of true friend (despite the fact that Kai, it seemed, had no real friends) burned in her pupil-less blood eyes, shining in her face, thus highlighting the stripes on her cheeks and across her nose. The girl's voice itself had a calming effect, and although not necessary, her face greatly helped calm the broken-down ferrygirl.

"Okay... Well, we're all in big trouble."

"Aren't we always?" Yukina muttered under her breath. Hiei gave her an indulgent smile, which she returned, mistaking his pride for that of a teammate.

"Reikai... Koenma, I mean, has been overthrown." Three sets of eyes widened. Kai was the only one to remain calm. She led Botan to the table, where the ferrygirl continued, "King Enma was on a trip to Makai, apparently to converse with Mukuro, but he never made it to her..." The ferrygirl paused, slumping on the glass table. Kai discreetly moved her book out of the girl's path, and then smiled encouragingly. Yukina, Kurama, and Hiei traded stealthy glances, considering this odd -- yet useful -- ability of Kai's. In trading his glance, however, Hiei noticed a slight glaze to Botan's eyes, almost as though Kai had, unlikely as it seemed, put the girl into a trance. Then again... He thought suspiciously, she is rather unlikely...

"In short, all of Makai and Reikai have been dominated. They're currently working on Ningenkai, I believe."

"'They'?" Hiei questioned, eyes flashing. "Who are they?"

"Um... "Botan sighed resignedly, and then looked directly into the demon's eyes."The Sluts 'R Us."

A moment's silence followed those words. Kai's eyes widened and she fell to her knees, looking guilty. Yukina looked utterly clueless. Hiei sat down quickly, trying to calm himself as anger built up within him. Kurama stood where he was, petrified to his spot on the concrete.

"Um... Aren't those people, like, linked to Tarukane?" The ice demon queried quietly, breaking the awful silence. Botan, however, was not the one to respond.

At first, it seemed as though Botan was talking, but after a second, it was clearly not the ferrygirl.

"My, my, aren't we the smart little demon!" The voice was smooth as silk and sweet as honey, rich as milk chocolate and delicate as a flower. Even with that simple exclamation, the speaker seemed to promise a night of x-rated fun.

"Melodia!" Hiei snarled unexpectedly, baring his canines, crimson irises shining angrily. Following a shimmer on the glass table, he traced it to the charm around Botan's neck; it was shining brightly and all at once the fire apparition realized that it was a communicator.

"Why, yes, my dear Hiei, it is I. The forefront of the Slut's 'R Us, Melodia. The beauti-" Hiei abruptly cut her off with a sharp snarl.

"The forefront, you say? What about that treacherous wench Kia! Where's she, huh?" After a moment of silence, he said, "ANSWER ME, WENCH!" Melodia's laugh was seductive even through the comlink.

"Well, Hiei, one would think that, with a Jagan eye, one would be a teensy bit more observant... "She laughed again. Kai was suddenly on her knees, eyes fearful.

"SHUT UP, MELODIA!" She screeched angrily, a dagger of gold energy suddenly held in one pale hand. She went over to the shocked form of Botan and put the dagger to the girl's throat. The ferrygirl gulped as the rest of the tentai gasped in horror. "If you don't, you'll have one less messenger on your side." Yukina opened her mouth to try to dissuade Kai, but Hiei stopped his sister. He knew that this Kai was not a normal Kai. This was a Kai who was over the edge. What had made her so, he didn't know. All he knew was that she couldn't by any means be reasoned with.

Or at least, Hiei attempted to stop his sister.

"You would really do that, Kai? You would kill an innocent person, just to hide something? Just to deter someone else? I didn't think you were that low..." Yukina had a strange range of emotions in her eyes, but they all added up to one overpowering feeling: betrayal. Kurama and Hiei traded fearful glances. Kai's dagger disappeared and Botan was able to breathe again.

"No, Yukina, please... "Kai began in vain, staggering toward the girl. The ice demon shook her head repeatedly, as though trying to shake off her feelings.

"No... No... I... I can't trust you, I can't... You're just as bad as them... YOU'RE JUST AS BAD AS THEM!" And with that, the girl ran away as fast as she could, headed into the forest which bordered the courtyard. The others began to follow, but stopped as they heard Botan's scream from behind them.

A silver flash filled the area, a terrified scream was heard, and Botan's soulless body fell to the ground with a dull 'clud'.

The remaining tentai had relocated to the temple infirmary, staring at each other in silence. Botan lay on a bed in a corner, pink eyes wide and vacant, face pale. Kai was sitting on an unused bed, rather indifferent to the fact that her jeans had green stains on the black fabric of the worn knees. Hiei was lying on the bed opposite her, watching the black-and-white haired girl out of the corner of his eye. Her head was hung in shame. No doubt she's thinking about her little mishap back there... The little demon thought grimly, thinking of his conversation with Melodia. Before he could think anymore, however, he was interrupted.

"What do we do?" Kurama asked faintly from his position at a windowsill near the prone form of Botan. His emerald eyes were glazed, and Hiei knew that the fox demon was thinking of Yukina (much to his dismay).

"First, you tell me what's going on. Why is Botan laying on a bed, looking for all the world like she's dead, and why the hell is she dressed like a slut!" The three demons turned to see Genkai's tiny frame silhouetted in the doorway. At the word 'slut', Kai repressed a shudder.

A/N: This chapter's rather long, isn't it? Oh, well, consider it a gift from me to you. And please review!

Disclaimer: I do not own YYH.