Acclimating Chapter 7, a yu yu hakusho fanfic

Sorry about the last chapter...the shoujo-ai. I couldn't help it. I originally had it in mind that she would be bisexual, but got the extra push in that direction when I read 'Gravitation'. Here is the next chapter. Suprises!

Enjoy!

Riley passed through the door leading to the vast, underground, Reikai prison. It was located 200 feet below the castle and held all of the convicted felons of Makai, Reikai, and, occasionally, Ningenkai. Within one of more larger cell blocks, the former king of Reikai awaited her. As she passed by the blocks, the convicts cowered from her. They knew who she was and the power that she held. No one knew of her true ancestry, they just feared her for the soul fact that she was one of Reikai superiors. No one really knew her. Jorge walked beside her, standing 1 foot to her left and 1 foot back, the respectful distance in his mind. Riley looked at him and signalled for him to stand right by her side. The Oni was her friend, not her under. He complied and they walked side by side until they came to a door at the far end of the blocks. On the other side was a long hall way, then Enma's holding chambers. Several guards stood outside holding what looked to be guns, but were Reiki enhancers. Knowing full well why the two were there, the guards let them pass.

The hallway was long and the walls were made entirely of spelled concrete in order to prevent a break-out. All the jail walls were like that. Another door was at the end and even more heavily guarded. Jorge waited outside while Riley went in. The former king, Enma, sat on a large bed, his massive form squeezed into a room smaller then him. Riley walked up to him and placed a hand on the arm that rested on the ground. His eyes blinked open wearily.

"Riley?"

"Yes, Enma. I came. What is it that you want?"

"I need your help."

"With what, my lord?"

"Do not call me lord."

"I apologize."

"It is quite alright. I need you to contact your mother, get her to Reikai, and talk some sense into my son. You should try, too."

"He is really not listening to me much about your case. I think he wants to just push it off his desk and hope it falls in a shredder." She laughed with the massive man. "But, I will do what you asked. Mother will be very happy to see daddy and you again."

"Have you told the Tantei yet?"

"'No, not quite. I am waiting until they return from the mission and we go to visit my brothers."

"I haven't seen them since they were babies. Your mother brought them here while your grandmother, through your mother, watched you."

"I will talk to her." She twitched slightly, summoning her oar. "I apologize, but I must be going. Demon slayer tribes in Makai are being killed and there are souls to ferry."

"There is more."

"...Hai. I have seen the death of the Air elemental, Hitomi. I have also seen the new one."

"I am sorry. I know you are close to her."

"It is alright. I can deal. Farewell for now, grandfather."

With a small kiss planted on the top of his hand, she hopped onto her oar and flew through the wall, out to Jorge to inform him she was leaving. The massive former king watched his granddaughter go before closing his eyes, falling back asleep.

Riley flew above the destroyed village where the Reikai Tantei were. Botan, Ayame, and Hinageshi flew along side her. Yusuke fired off his Rei Gan, effectively killing the remaining Youkai that were trying to get to the villagers that were alive. Kurama and Hiei were fighting back to back, slicing with Rose Whip and Katana. The Quinque were fending off the stronger demons. Riley could see Hitomi getting tired. The Air elemental was not that good at close combat.

Hitomi summoned her powers with the Air and threw back some of the offending Youkai. Mitarai, Kinar, and Sabuso stood with her, each using their elements to fight. Riley gazed at one of the trees. It was just like her dream. A Youkai stood there with an arrow cocked on a bow, aimed at her Quinque. She knew she couldn't stop it. Hiei sensed the demon too late. As he rushed off to save Hitomi, the arrow flew. Riley swooped down, but missed it as well. It ripped through the air and found it's mark in Hitomi's neck. As it embedded itself, Hitomi let off a wave of Air Daggers that killed the remaining Youkai. Her lifeless body fell to the ground. The essence of her floated beside it, the soul of the woman Riley loved. The ferry girl floated down to the ground. Hitomi's spirit watched.

"Did you know that this would happen?" She asked.

"Unfortunately." Riley replied.

"Can I touch you?"

"Yes, but why..."

Riley was silenced as Hitomi's fist met her cheek. This shocked her and the oar disappeared underneath her. She fell onto the ground, holding her face. Hitomi had tears in her eyes.

"Move on and forget." was all she said as she waved for Hinageshi to come down and collect her.

The young ferry girl did and glanced at Riley before flying off. Riley was still on the ground. No emotion came to her face. Standing up, she dusted herself off and summoned her oar again. The others jogged over to her.

"You are finished here. This portal," she waved her hand and a swirling vortex appeared. "Will take you right to Kurama's backyard. Do not tell my brothers that I am alive. I want to be the one to tell them."

"Riley, are you..?"

"I am fine, Kurama. Now go!" She yelled pointing at the portal.

They listened and walked through it.

"Except you Hiei. We need to talk."

The Kajihenge walked over to her and sat behind her on the oar. Rising into the air, she flew high up in the red Makai sky. Silence passed between them. Emotions were not evident on either face. Riley released her tight hold on the oar as they stilled up in the air.

"Well, onna, what did you want?" Hiei asked, crossing his arms.

"There is a man who I spent time with before I supposedly died. His name is Kuro. He made a promise to me after we slept that he would rescue me from my hellish life. I hold that promise to him, but I just can't find him. I went through all of Reikai's records, but couldn't locate him."
"Does Koenma know you did that?"

"My father would not let me do that, so I did it while he was sleeping."

"Father? Koenma is.."

"My real father, yes. I found that out the day he came and rescued me from the backyard."

"So, you need my help to find him?"

"Yes. Since you are allowed to stay in Makai and you are personal friends with Mukuro, you can, I hope, aid me in my search. I know you, Hiei. I know what you think, feel, your past, and present. If you do this for me, I will search for Shigure for you and kill him so that you will be able to tell Yukina that you are her brother."

"You would? But you're human. You wouldn't last a day in Makai."

"That is why I will have my bodyguard. Father has been picky about my safety and wishes to assign you to protect me. Remember, you are still a pawn of Reikai and have no choice."

"Hn. You planned that didn't you?"

Riley smirked at him and grabbed her oar, guiding them down to a spring within a forest. They landed and the oar disappeared. Riley walked to the edge and sat down, lifting up her long skirt so she could place her bare feet into the cold water. Hiei sat on a fallen tree truck and watched her. A small fox kit, not a kitsune Youkai, wandered over to her. It rubbed it's head into her arm and she picked it up.

"Do you have a home, little one?" she asked it.

The kit seemed to understand her and rubbed it's head into her stomach, saying no in a way. Riley cuddled it and stood up, walking back over to Hiei. The Kajihenge acknowledged her with meeting her eyes before gazing back out at the spring. She sat beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. It did not seem to bother him. The kit walked from Riley's lap to Hiei's, sniffing at him curiously. Hiei gazed at Riley, now noticing her once green eyes were mingled with brown and her blonde hair had more chestnut to it. Seeing him watching her out of the corner of her eye, she lifted her head off of his shoulder and met his crimson eyes.

"Why did you let Hitomi go?" He asked her.

"There is an old saying ' If you love something let it go. If it comes back it's yours, but if it doesn't then it wasn't meant to be.' I let her go because I saw that she would get shot. It could not be prevented. If she came back to me alive, it was meant to be. But she didn't which means that I still have my soul mate out there somewhere, and I am determined to find them."

"We should be heading back."

"Of course."

She stood up and removed the thin cloak over her shoulders, making a small napsack to put the kit in. Handing it to Hiei, she summoned her oar and hopped on it, Hiei climbing up behind her. Into the sky they rose and took off in a sonic boom, bound for Ningenkai to collect Riley's mother.

Liz, Riley's mother, sat at the counter if her small home in the Canterbury countryside. A knock on the door pulled her out of her reading and she set the book on the counter. Walking through the hall and to the door, she opened it to meet the familiar face of her daughter and what appeared to be a fire demon.

"Riley. What brings you here?" she asked, standing aside to let her daughter pass through.

Hiei followed close to Riley, the fox kit still in his arms.

"Grandfather wants you to come to Reikai. Daddy is still keeping him in prison. I understand that what he did was bad, but grandfather knows his lesson. He wishes for you talk sense into daddy. We also need help with the case."

"I do not see why not." she looked at the Kajihenge. "And who is this handsome demon?"

"This is Hiei, a Kajihenge and Koormie, assistant of Mukuro, and Reikai Tantei. Hiei, this is my mother Elizabeth, but everyone calls her Liz."

Footsteps were heard on the staircase and Riley looked up to see her 12 year old younger brother, Richard, enter the room. He was her full-brother. Liz visited Koenma when Riley was 7 and got pregnant after they spent a night together. Akai found out and that is what caused the break-up. Richard smiled at his sister and ran to her, his arms going around her middle. He stood about 5 inches shorter then her, so around 4'9", 2 inches shorter then Hiei. (Riley is 3 inches taller then Hiei) She hugged her little brother back.

"How are you, kiddo?"

"I'm fine. Why are you and that man here?"

"Well, daddy and grandfather want to see mommy and I thought it would be good if we all went to pay our brothers a visit."

"Okay. Who is that man, anyway?"

"This is Hiei. He's a demon."

"Really?"

Richard walked over to Hiei and poked him. After several pokes, Hiei scurried over and hid behind Riley. She laughed at this.

"Hiei has a thing about people touching him. So, ready to go?"

Her brother nodded and ran upstairs to get some things to take with him. Her mother did the same. Together, Hiei and Riley went into the living room. A piano sat in the corner and Riley walked over to it, sitting herself on the bench. Hiei walked around and looked at all the family photos. There were many, covering the wall and mantle. It made him sad to look at tham all. He never knew what it was like to have a real family. Yukina was his sister, but she didn't know that he was the brother she spent 15 years looking for (Her and Hiei are both 29 years old. Thank you to Nijuukyuu website .:Hiei of the Evil Eye:Man in the Shadows:.) A tune being played on the piano pulled him out of his thinking. Riley sat in front of it with her eyes closed, her ivory fingers running over the keys. Hiei recognized the song as one he heard Yusuke playing on the radio. Riley let the song flow out before picking up on the beat, singing along. Hiei watched her closely.

I could stay awake just to hear you breathing,
Watch you smile while you are sleeping,
While you are far away and dreaming,
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,
I could stay lost in this moment forever,
Where a moment spent with you is a moment I treasure,

I don't want to close my eyes, I don't want to fall asleep,
Cause I miss you baby, And I don't want to miss a thing,
Cause even when I dream of you, the sweetest dream will never do,
I still miss you baby and I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your heart beating,
And I wondering what you are dreaming,
Wondering if it's me you are seeing,
Then I kiss your eyes and thank god we're together,
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever and forever forever

And I don't want to miss one smile,
I don't want to miss one kiss,
I just want to be with you right here with you,
Just like this, I just want to hold you close,
I feel your heart so close to mine
And just stay here in this moment,
For all of the rest of time

When she finished, Hiei, Liz, and Richard clapped for her. She was shocked. She didn't mean to play it and sing the song, but she got lost in it. Thinking back on while she was playing, she realized that she didn't play it for Hitomi, as she is sure that is what the other's thought, but she played it for Kuro, the shadowed stranger. Realizing this, the put it together. She had fallen in love with a man she didn't even know. Looking at Hiei, she also remembred she thought of him. She was in love with the two men.

"We should get going." she said as she stood up.

They gathered around her while she formed a portal. When the vortex swirled before them, they passed through it, landing in Kurama's backyard. Their friends were in the living room so they knocked on the back door that connected to the kitchen. The curtain pulled back and Shiori looked out. A shocked expression came to her face as she hurridly opened the door. Throwing it opened, she hugged Riley to her.

"You're alive!" she yelled.

This caught t attention of the others in the living room. Damian and Dante hurried into the room and were shocked to see their sister alive, as well as their mother and brother. Usagi collapsed to the floor as Takini walked in behind her. He saw Riley and a confused expression came to his face.

"Huh?"

Well? I like how this story is coming along. It is more structurally sound (figuratively speaking, of course) then the other stories. The chapters are longer, too. I hope all of you like it.

Jinx-the-Pink-Goddess