Reviewer Responses:
H/B Always-Hey perk up you! I'm going to keep saying stupid things till you smile! In fact I might write another chapter as speedily as I can just as a present! But really I don't have the planning done much yet, that's why it's taking so long to update. Why do we need plots anyway? And for you question about Hiei, he's in a very pissed off mood right now or will be soon! So yeah if you happen to run in to him, run in the opposite direction!
Living Compare-I was good for a while there, wasn't I? Well we all knew it had to end sometime! Thank you very much, and I love your Japanese, it's such a cool language! Too bad they don't teach it at my school . Oh well, and it's just Freesia Lena-san!
DudetteRin101-Thank you very much for reviewing and sorry it took me freakin forever to update!
Betabonanza-Thank you ever so much for the 5! Reviews! I'm terribly sorry for the long wait.
Aiiro-bara-Yeah I think it's cute when they fight! Botan's just in too much of an emotional state to enjoy the playful banter Unfortuneatly. I like when people ramble anyway! It gives me more to talk about and makes me happy! Oh shoot, the quiz link disappeared? Darn for being so mean! Well, if you still interested (please still be interested!) I'll put it on my profile or put it at the bottom of the chapter, just with spaces in between. Thanks!
RitSuYue-Thank you for all your wonderful compliments. This story is going to be much fluffier than my other, in my opinion anyway. Now I'm second guessing myself, The Will of the Fighter (if you read that) is going to get more romantic, but kind of dark. Yes, pirates are awesome, and thanks. I think I do Botan a little out of character but I try!
MystiKoorime-Uhh, does this count as soon really big smile? sigh Didn't think so. Hiei and Botan will go through infinite bonding throughout this fic, and will have plenty more disagreements, which is to be expected, she's an innocent girl and he's a cold-hearted demon.
Amata Mercy-Thank you very much, I'm happy you like my story that much! But I did leave a rather nasty cliffy huh? Well, never fear, for now you will know what happens!
Heartluv-Wow, I can tell you're into this and it makes me so happy! I can just hear my English teacher saying to analyze the text shudders scary woman. But hey, I like it when it's my story! Yeah, Hiei's such a softie, even though he tries to hide it. They will have other arguments of course, but this is a major one between them.
Xmiahimex-Oh does that stand for Mia princess? And wow, you're really good at predicting! Guess you caught the signals! No one else did, be proud! Yes, I have seen One Piece, and sadly it is one of the few anime I can't stand, along with Fighting Foodons, practically anything on Miguzi, Big O and a few others. Thanks for reviewing!
Forgotten-heart-That was a really heartwarming review! Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoy my stories and it makes me feel even more of a jerk for making you wait so long! I apologize sincerely.
Keke-Kikyos-Daughter-Sorry for making you wait! Thanks for taking the time to review!
Celtic-Botan-No, it's not a problem really! I think you can speak English very well! Certainly better than I can speak your first language! If there are some parts of the fic you don't understand just leave a review or email it to me and I'd be more than happy to try and translate it in another way so that you might understand! It's no trouble at all, I'd be happy to do it! Heehee, it's so cool I finally know a Brazilian! Whoops sorry, but I find it so interesting to meet new people from all over the world! Thanks for reviewing and remember if you want, I'll try to translate some things you have trouble understanding!
Chapter Dedication-This chapter's dedication goes to Rikku's (HB Always) cousin and uncle who are terribly sick and their chances of survival are slim. Please keep them in your thoughts and hearts.
Oh yeah and MERRY CHIRSTMAS EVERYBODY!
Tales of the Jagan
Chapter 6
Amiss
OOOOOBotanOOOOO
I clenched my eyes tightly in desperation not to let the tears fall. Hiei just couldn't understand things from my perspective. Who would want to spend the rest of their lives and rot away on a ship? As I told myself over and over that was the reason for my distress, I knew secretly it wasn't.
More so than that, it was that a door had opened itself to the path of finding out about my mother. Mystery had shrouded her like a midnight cloak, and I'd risk my life on piecing the puzzle she left behind together. It was that important to me.
The other topic was Hiei, plain and clear. His attitude had disturbed me. His glare had turned my blood ice cold. I knew from the beginning he was a shady character, wasn't the King of Morals, wasn't a chivalrous knight in shining armor as fairy tales that I had grown up on had it but it still hurt. To think he had dismissed me so easily and uncaringly was enough to pierce my heart.
How he had become so close to my heart I don't know. In the village I didn't have many friends my own age, most I couldn't say were more than friendly acquaintances. Hiei more or less appeared my age, though I knew it couldn't be true taking in the fact that he was a demon.
I could admit to myself that I was attracted to him from the beginning. His personality, physical appearance, the veil of mystery that also surrounded him made me want to know more. Somehow I had also been driven to his power. I guess I was partial to men with egos, were confident if not arrogant, and were laced with an enchanting seductively powerful persona, and knew it.
I had never had time for crushes before and I could admit that maybe I harbored one for Hiei. I knew his opinion of me meant a lot in my mind, and his words and actions could affect me more than anyone else. To have him turn against me and to start seeing him as an enemy, I don't think I could bear it.
I tried to hold in a choked sob and managed to stifle it somewhat though it still was audible. A lone tear trickled down the side of my cheek and I knew it had to stop now or it would become the first of many. My body was trembling and shaking and despite myself I could not calm down.
The reality had crashed down on me like a gate. I had accepted life on this ship and Hiei did have all the power. Anything he wanted to do with me he could do, and I would have no power to stop him. If he wanted me to stay on this ship forever because he thought I wasn't ready to face the big world, then I could do little more than voice my displeasure. Kayko I'm sure would stand up for me but I didn't want to get her in trouble with Yusuke. Maybe she wouldn't understand anyway, I mean she didn't seem to mind spending the rest of her life on the Jagan, so maybe it didn't bother her.
Well, she didn't have a life mission like I did. Perhaps that's what set us apart.
The pillow was wet now with tears and more were adding to the already soaked cloth. Through it all my eyes had been closed, but still tears leaked out. I had given up on trying to stop them but was adamant not to make a sound through it all. It was all I needed to have Hiei hear me, storm in, and see me in my broken state. My heart was shattered but my dignity didn't have to leave as well.
I was so immersed in my self-pity that I didn't notice when the knob to my door slowly, quietly turned. Didn't notice when the door had been silently pushed over then silently shut and locked. Didn't notice the sinister grin that had worked its way on the lips of the imposing figure looming in my doorway.
I felt a prickle in my back; the kind you get when you know something is watching you. Immediately I froze my shaking body in fear, and turned around with apprehension, praying it was all my frazzled nerves and dread.
My eyes snapped wide with a newfound fear. There, in front of me, was the man-err demon from before. I recognized his gray skin, the malicious intent in his eyes, and perhaps the most noticeable, his baldhead save for the lone tuft of pink.
I could see him there, standing next to my door; his finger on the button that would lock the wooden fixture, and didn't have to think twice to know it was shut tight. I sat on my bed, paralyzed. To me time had frozen.
"Hello sweetie," he greeted, beginning his march toward me.
I backed away.
"St-stay away from me." My voice could not hold back the stutter that forced its way through.
His evil grin widened. Apparently it didn't bother him that his victim would be unwilling.
"Don't be like that sweetie, I have a lot of plans for us tonight."
I shuddered at the tone and implications of his words. I may have been naïve, but even I knew what his 'plans' for me were.
I had opened my mouth to scream but he, in a burst of speed, was able to place his hand on my mouth and muffle the sound in time.
"Don't scream," he commanded as I tried to bite him but failed.
Displeased with my resistance, he removed his hand covering my mouth and dealt me a sharp backhand to the cheek. The force from the blow caused me to slam backwards against the dashboard of my bed. My cheek throbbed painfully and so did my head and back from the dashboard.
He had worked his way into kneeling in front of me, pinning me between him and the cursed dashboard. I glared at him hotly courage I didn't have. His eyes narrowed.
"You will get hurt more is you are difficult. It would be better if you would just comply," he said gruffly.
I hissed in response.
His hand reached behind my neck and yanked my hair harshly. Instinctively my hands flew to the spot trying to get him to stop while his free hand tugged at the front of the dress I had borrowed from Kayko.
I wanted to kick him badly but his knees were on my legs, preventing me from inflicting the blow I so badly wanted to pound into him.
More tears flowed down my cheeks, but these were different, tears of anger, tears of shame, tears of despair, tears of hate.
OOOOOHieiOOOOO
I woke up from a troubled sleep with the feeling something was amiss. I hadn't planned on sleeping tonight, as a high-class demon I don't require all that much of it, but my last encounter with Botan irked me. The images of her, the way she had looked so crestfallen and desperate came back to me that I thought the easiest path was to sleep it off and that hopefully when I awoke it would all be forgotten.
That wasn't the case.
I still felt guilty about forcing her to remain here, but I had her best interests in mind. The real world would tear that innocent thing apart slowly but steadily. I had taken it upon myself to protect her, shelter her from harmful things. I knew how the world worked, she didn't. The more she found out, the more she would lose that innocence I prized in her. The more she learned the more that warmth of hers would become cold and frosty.
Hearts harden over time and experience in the real world. I had learned that from experience, not my own, for my heart had been born that way, but from the experience of others who had once been light-hearted and kind, now were dull, untrusting, withdrawn. I had become so attached to her kind nature and innocence, that I wouldn't-couldn't have it disappear on me. I'd protect it no matter what, even if she would hate me for it for a time and never learn to be grateful for it.
The brief sleep did nothing to diminish the feelings or images of her from my mind. Still, something else was tugging at my senses now. A sense of wrongness, something was amiss here. Something was not right.
I frowned and mulled over it. In my eagerness to forget, had I forgotten to do something? No, before I had gone to see Botan I had fulfilled all my duties. So what was it?
I heard a sound only a high-class demon would be able to hear and pinpointed it to Botan's room. My eyes narrowed as the situation clicked.
In a flash I had left my bed, sped through the door and had cut my way through Botan's locked one. I'd get her a new one later. Right now, the important thing was to get to her in time.
What I saw made my blood boil.
OOOOOBotanOOOOO
I heard the two pieces of my door fall to the floor with a bang. With my teary eyes I could see my hero, the only one I would always count on to save me, no matter how much I detested him earlier. So happy was I that I had almost fainted with relief. I think the thing that stopped me was the murderous look in his eyes.
It was the kind of look that no pure, justice-proclaiming hero could ever hold within his or her eyes. It was too dark, filled with a deep promise of pain and suffering, anger flaring inside them. These kinds of eyes were rarely ever seen, for soon after the one who saw them would be on a one-way trip to the other world.
The eyes scared me, no doubt, but I was a little calmed to know they were not aimed at me. I had never seen Hiei this far into insanity before, but something in him had snapped. The cold fury he was emanating was enough to freeze hell.
The demon atop me had almost succeeded in tearing my dress off when Hiei had barged in. Now the demon was quivering in fear. Both of us just watched him as he stood perfectly still, waiting for a response. None came, but the demon knew it would be suicide to even think of touching me while his captain was here. Already he knew that his life would end in a matter of minutes.
Slowly, he got off of the bed.
"C-captain Hiei," he started stuttering in a last attempt to save his pathetic life. Before he could even finish Hiei had phased beside him and had his hand curled tightly around his throat, lifting him off the floor with one hand. I thought it was an impressive sight, as Hiei was a good deal shorter than the weaker demon, but at least fifty times as strong.
I watched wide eyes as the demon began gasping and struggling futilely for breath, his windpipe being slowly crushed, his neck bleeding from crescent moon cuts as a result of Hiei's sharp nails purposely digging in.
In that moment, somewhere inside myself I felt a smidge of pity for him. Never in my life would I forgive him for what he tried to do but in reality he really didn't do much. He just smacked me around a few times, but he never got the chance to even force one kiss or undress me aside from the few rips in my clothing.
The murderous intent had yet to diminish in Hiei's eyes as I cried out mentally for him to stop. It was enough. He saved me; I had remained untouched besides an aching cheek, back, and head. The bastard deserved to die undoubtedly, but not in such a cruel way.
Hesitating a little, I made my decision and jumped off the bed. In two steps I had reached the two demons and had embraced the shorter one from behind. His head turned to face my and I shivered still at the emotions I could see swirled within. Truly frightening, really. His eyes judged me, as I held my breath, to see in his twisted state if he would attack me too or recognize me as a friend. Sometimes when people are that far gone they lose themselves and attack anything just because they can. I had heard that demons especially could go berserk and lose themselves to their demon emotions that are usually buried deep inside them. If anything, I knew the person in front of me was probably Hiei's inner demon, the kind who thought like a demon and fought like a demon, acted on their demonic instincts.
After what seemed like minutes of staring at each other, I felt him close his eyes and when they opened again, they were normal. His posture slackened and he released the demon that miraculously wasn't dead yet. When I say released, I meant thrown into the air. At the same time, Hiei turned his attention to me and moved to face me, altogether completely disregarding the other crewmember.
I never saw the killer strike that Hiei had undoubtedly laid. The gray skinned demon had landed sprawled out on his stomach without a sound. I might've even thought he was unconscious if not for the angry red line going diagonally across his back and blood staining his shirt. It made me reconsider just how deadly I considered Hiei to be. But my mind was in no mood to be rational.
The instant he turned to face me I launched myself to his chest, clinging to him pitifully, and just a pitifully, whimpering. Eyeing my tear-streaked face, his gaze softened and I slowly felt his arms hold me to him gently.
Hiei gently picked me up and cradled me in his arms, sitting us both down on the bed. He stroked my hair in a comforting way and I sobbed against him. Soon he was rubbing my back, and my crying ceased when calmed by the comforting sensations he was creating. I felt drained from the experience and his arms were rocking me to sleep. Vaguely I realized that neither have said anything throughout the entire escapade but paid it no real mind. We'd talk in the morning. For now, I just let myself be whisked off to sleep, feeling safe and protected in the fire demon's arms.
OOOOOHieiOOOOO
I felt my vision go red. Some demon I didn't care to recognize was all over Botan who was crying and shaking with terror. My reasoning flew somewhere in the back of my mind and I felt my demon instincts taking over and I offered no resistance. I could admit I wanted to rip the piece of shit to shreds.
I knew the raw emotion must have been scaring the poor girl even more, but for now my attention was focused on the soon-to-be-dead crewmember.
I registered in my brain that he was trying to talk to me but I didn't here the words and in all honesty, didn't care too. I don't care if killing him would damn the existence of the world, he was going to die by my hand for the sin he had almost committed. No one would touch anything that belonged to me. Ever.
Before I knew it, my hand had stretched across his throat and had lifted him easily into the air so he was dangling helplessly. Tightening my grip, I grinned sadistically as my nails bit mercilessly into his neck, and heard him whimper in pain. My mind was firmly set on the pain, blood, and suffering of my victim that I was surprised when I felt something soft and alien on my back.
Shifting my eyes, I saw Botan clinging to me from behind, pleading with her eyes to stop. Truly, only she could want to spare someone who had wronged her so. I peered into her eyes, searching her soul to see it was truly what she wanted. I felt my inner demon shift, remarkable that even it responded to her feelings. Once a demon has given into the blood lust it rarely lets anything interfere.
I felt my senses calmed by her and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. My inner demon was transferred deep into my mind again and I felt myself take over once more. I felt my stance lax in her hold.
The bastard however, was not going scot-free. Grasping the hilt of my sword and throwing him in the air at the same time, I delivered a perfect diagonal slash down his back. All of it was done in my demon speed, so the death wouldn't taint her pure eyes. He died instantly and I was slightly unhappy that he got to die so quickly, but my priority was Botan.
I turned to her and she eagerly buried herself in my chest. The feeling was foreign, but I was not so emotionally distanced that I did not know what to do. Make no mistake, I am not a fuzzy, warm person, but I can act affectionate, I just never act on the instincts. Up until now anyway.
She was broken, vulnerable. What Botan needed now was to be comforted. I could hear her sobs and whimpers, felt her petite body trembling, and could do nothing. It made me want to revive the dead body and kill it again.
Softening my gaze, I picked her up and cradled her for a few moments, an embrace she accepted eagerly. I gently lifted the both of us onto the bed and allowed her to cling to me like a frightened child.
Absently stroking her hair now and then, I did my best to make her feel comfortable. Her soft cries hit my heart more than I'd like to say. I hated to see her sad and unhappy. Botan was supposed to be sweet and happy, always with a peaceful smile and glowing eyes. Not trembling and whimpering and helpless. I growled softly so that she wouldn't hear and cursed my inability to do anything effective.
I found myself stroking her back and holding her against me. This seemed to work because soon her crying passed and her frame began to relax in my hold, her breath evening out. When I wiped her tears away with my hand and she didn't respond, I figured she was probably asleep.
I began to pull out of the embrace and leave her to rest, but she tightened her hold. I froze when her eyes begged me to stay.
"Hiei, don't go. Please, I don't want to be alone," she whimpered, tears brimming in her eyes again.
I couldn't leave her alone in that state. I glanced to the door that lay broken on the floor in two pieces. Anyone could come in now. No, it wouldn't be safe to leave her alone.
I tightened my grasp on her to show that I would stay and she snuggled her face into my neck. Not even a minute passed before she was asleep.
I groaned and grabbed a pillow to place between my back and the dashboard. Really, she was a troublesome girl. Always getting herself into situations she was unable to get herself out of. I pulled her more protectively into my grasp, watching the door.
She sighed against my neck and I stiffened.
I certainly wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight. I told myself I couldn't sleep because I was guarding her, but my rational mind knew I could guard her in my sleep easily. The main reason, if I admitted it to myself was the feminine body pressed up against me.
I stretched my hand out, a dark beam shooting from my palm to the frame of her door. The blackness seeped into it until it disappeared inside. Now I would know who was inside her room at all times, whether it is she, or anyone else that dared to enter. Nothing like this would ever happen again. Our crew will definitely be in for a rude awakening tomorrow. I thought it was clear that no one was to touch what is mine, but I'll make certain they'll never make that mistake again in the morning.
Until then, I amused myself by threading my fingers through her blue hair, feeling its softness, preparing for a restless night.
OOOOOO
And that's the end of the chapter! Wow, this chapter took a long time to come out, but I really did try. The words and feelings for this chapter wouldn't come together but I pushed myself to finish it for a present to all of you for the holidays. This chapter didn't go exactly how I thought it would, but I'm actually quite happy how it came out. What do you guys think? There's probably lots of errors because I did this in like three hours and I have to leave in twenty minutes for a Christmas party, but I'm pretty sure most of you are just happy the crewmember got what was coming to him and Hiei and Botan got their fluffiness, right?
So before I go I want to wish everyone a happy holiday if you celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukah or just give you my best wishes if you're not celebrating anything!
Let's see, I'll make the quota for this chapter 120 reviews! Until the next chapter!
Freesia