The next morning Iheard a thump as Sora fell through her window. "Ow…" she said.

I sat up. "What the hell are you up to now?"

She blinked. "Oh, uh, nothing!"

"Well, I'll make breakfast and then after we eat we'll train more. I'm sure you want to shot at me after what I did last night."

"Yup! No mercy this time." She happily sat down at the table as I started cooking. Yes, I can cook. You don't live by yourself in Makai for over 700 years and not know how to cook. Plus it helps that I lived with Kurama for a while when Naoko and me were first married. Kurama is Naoko's half brother so I learned a few things from him.

I sat down and ate quickly. I looked at Sora as she ate like she hadn't eaten in months. I blinked and watched her silently.

She glared at me for a moment. "More… FOOD!"

"Wha-? You want more?"

She nodded, still glaring at me.

"Alright. Um, hold on and I'll make more." I stood at the stove and made more pancake as Sora stabbed her fork in the table. After a few minutes I sat more down in front of her. "Here."

She started eating wildly again as I stared. "Hn…" Was all I said and walked outside to wait.

Sora checked her gun thoroughly and followed. I grabbed her by her sleeve and teleported us to the edge of the town again. "Alright, ready?"
"More than you know," she replied. I had a feeling I'd get hit a few time again.

"Alright, then go." She aimed closely and shot once. As I teleported she followed my movements and continued to fire better than she did yesterday. I was hardly avoiding.

She stopped firing. "Reload…" I paused, almost glad to catch my breath. She was keeping up with me as I dodge them as fast as I could. Before I was ready she fired again.

"You're not stopping me!"

A bullet grazed my arm. "Damn…"

Sora sighed. "I'm out on ammo…"

I smirked. "Oh? So you want me to teach you hand-to-hand?"

"Hand-to-hand? I guess so."

"Alright. First we'll work on your stance." I got into a fighting stance. "You put your feet apart like this…"

Sora listened intently as I talked and told her what to do. She asked when she didn't understand something and didn't complain when I corrected her when she did something wrong. First we worked on her stance then I showed her how to punch correctly.

"You see, this is a short punch, your elbows stay down to protect your ribs and help you guard. It's not a good feeling when the breath's knocked out of you."

"I know that for a fact." I showed her a long punch and then how to kick. I let her practice those for a while and sat down to heal the cut on my arm. I watched her and corrected her if it looked wrong and looked away so she wouldn't see my Jagan glow. I was curious to see what she thought of it and laughed quietly when she thought to herself, I have a sudden urge to practice on Hiei and do some physical damage…

I continued to correct her if she got it wrong and showed her a little more until that afternoon.

"You did good out there."

"Thanks…" Sora said, out of breath.

I smirked. "Are you tired?"

She shook her head. "No. You?"

"Nope."

"Can we go home? I wanna do something else."

"Okay, what do you wanna do?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "Anything."

"Okay, did you want to see if your mom's home?"

"I bet she is!" She said happily.

"Alright."

Sora took my hand and took off running. "Huh!" I tried to keep up but it was kind of hard to.

"Hey, can we slow down just a bit?"

She stopped. "Why? Am I going to fast?"

"Just a little. It's hard to run when you have my hand and I'm being pulled down."

"Oh, sorry, Hiei."

"It's alright. How about you let go of my hand? Then I can run as fast as you want and I'll keep up."

"Okay!" She let go and took off running. I followed easily and watched her as she did a cartwheel. I continued to run then stopped for a moment as an idea came into my mind. I sped up and passed her easily.

"Heeeeeey!" She shouted and tried to catch up.

I slowed down as we got closer to the house and Sora came up behind me and pulled me back then ran in front of me. I ran faster, becoming a black blur and stopped in front of the house. "Hn."

"No fair!" She stopped in front of the door, her breath coming heavy from the run.

"You cheated too."

"I did not…!" She said defensively.

"I was just evening out the score," I finished, ignoring her.

"Liar! Well, I think Mom's home…"

Matt chose that moment to slam the door open. I saw a flash of light and felt pain shoot through my face and head as she slammed the door into me. "SORAAAAAA!" She hugged Sora tightly.

"Oww…" The door muffled my voice.

"Sorry Hiei… Oh, damn it… I broke the door again."

"Mom! I CAN'T BREATH!" Sora cried.

I shook my head, tying to get rid of the headache I knew was going to come in the next few seconds. "Damn…"

"Whoops! Sorry." She let Sora go and Sora gasped for air.

Slipping my fingers under my bandana I rubbed around my Jagan. "So how'd the trip go?"

"Great! We met up with Wolfwood n' Milly as well as Meryl, our good old friends."

"Alright." Matt looked down at my shirt, which I had forgotten was full of bullet holes.

"Hiei…? What on Earth happened to you!"

"Huh? Oh, my shirt?"

"It wasn't like that before! I know for sure."

"Uh… Well, me and Sora were practicing. If anything her aim's better and I'm faster."

"Oh, really? Where at?"

"Outside of town."

"Mmhmm… Okay! Fine with me! Sora, your Father wants to talk to youuuuuu!"

"Um, okay." Sora walked inside. I had a feeling it was about me so I 'listened' in. I pulled my bandana a little away from my Jagan so it could open enough so I could watch.

"Sooo… You got to practice on the evil midget, huh?" I ignored the midget comment. I was use to it even though I wasn't short. I was five foot five inches.

"Yah," Sora replied.

"He's still alive, right?"

"…… Yah."

"Next time, make sure he's dead. I don't like that guy… He creeps me out. And your Mother keeps hitting on him."

"Whatever… Dad…"

I thought to myself. She's hitting on me…?

Sora stared at Vash. "Dad, did you ever think… You just don't like Hiei?"

"You're right! I don't exactly admire midgets… with swords… and 3 eyes… and good skills for stealing peoples' wives…"

I twitched at that and lost my grip on my emotions. "I'm MARRIED, Idiot!"

Vash blinked. "It's not safe anymore, Sora…"

I realized what happened.

"Oops… Damn! I thought I learn not to do that."

"Dad!" Sora shouted. "You're such a nut!"

Matt grabbed my shoulders. "Hiei! Whatchya' doin'…?" She grinned.

"Um… Going for a walk…" If I could get away from them…

"I smell a white lie! Hiei…" Matt said.

Sora picked the broken door up and hit Vash with it. "STOP! HATING! MY! FRIENDS!" She shouted as she hit him.

"Ow…" Vash complained.

I stared and heard people behind me say, "Ooookay… Did that kid just whack someone with a door?"

Okay, now I HAD to get away. This place was crazy. I walked off and stared at the sky. There were two moons in the sky. I realized how exactly far from home I was. I glanced back and saw Matt following me.

Sora slammed the door to her room.

"My head hurts…" Vash said.

I looked at Matt. "Go away and leave me alone."

"Aww, why? Fine then… I won't tell you the good news!"

"What 'good news'?"

"Oh, well… Since you don't want me around you…" She started to walk away.

That was enough. "Damn it! Tell me now!"

"I'm going to leave you alone now…"

I turned around. "Hn, fine."

I went to continue walking but something made me stop. Matt was singing… I listened quietly.

Time stands, still in my heart

And I don't, know where you are

Searching, for what I deny…

Can't we just turn it around tonight…?

I started to walk away but listened still.

Home is, never far away…

But just remember:

There's always a price to pay…

I continued walking down the street. Matt twirled in a circle and followed. "Maybe… I should tell him."

I teleported onto a roof on the edge of town and pulled my knees to my chest. Thinking bout home, my stomach felt sick and my emotions became too much for me to hold. This rarely happened. I buried my face in my knees and felt tears run down my face.

"If I'm from Earth… Ever wonder how I got here?"

I looked up at her, wiping my face quickly. "How?"

"Same as you."

I blinked. "You just teleported and ended up here?"

"Not exactly teleporting, but something like that. I tried living by singing in karaoke bars. That's how I met Vash. He told me I stood out, here. I can tell… I had no place on Earth."

"And you're telling me this, why?"

"Someone told me, once… 'When you end up in a place you don't belong… It means someone wants you there.' Sure enough someone did. And I believe he wants you too. If he got you here, he can sure get you back."

I stared at her for a moment. "Who?"

"Millions Knives. My own husband's brother. Vash didn't really marry me because I stood out, but for my protection. He knew Knives wanted me, and no one else. He made it his job to keep that from happening."

"Where can I find him?"

"Prison. But don't go near him. I guarantee it's a risk more than help. Even I have been precipitated from seeing him… I suggest you stay away… Or your problems will increase."

"Hn. My problems increase by the minute. I have no choice."

"You think you have it bad? Seeing Knives will make your problems astronomical, dragging you into this family's doomed fate."

I looked at her. "I have to get home. And if you think you understand you don't."

"I know… But if it makes you feel better… 5 years here is an hour on Earth."

I sighed. "But I still have to get home."

"I know, but it's going to take time. Just understand that. I promise Hiei… You'll get home… I swear upon it."

I remained silent, thinking for a moment. "Fine," I finally said.

"If you don't get home…" She paused and I kept quiet. "You can kill me."

I blinked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because… It would be my fault. I wouldn't want you to go on from my mistake."

"What would killing you do for me? Would it get me home? No." For once I actually disagreed with killing someone.

"No, but there is another way…"

I remained silent, listening.

"Since I am a plant, and plants are capable of almost anything… By killing me, I could give you what you need to get home."

I remained silent for a moment. "I can get home by myself." I jumped off the roof and started to walk off.

Matt smiled sadly. I glanced at her tears were streaking her face. "But… you can't… without the death of a plant…"

"So, you said this 'Knives' guy is related to you. He's a plant right? I'll kill him instead."

"Yah, but… You know already we're strong, right? Knives is even better then us-—put together."

"And you're telling me this why?"

"Hiei, if you can't even beat me… What gives you the idea you stand a chance against Knives, and his men?"

"Have I tried to beat you? No, I haven't."

"Trust me… You could even try now."

I remained silent.

"Just try, Hiei. You've seen my daughter in action, and she's never trained. Me? I've had almost as much experience as Vash."

I teleported behind her, and pressed my sword against her throat and already I felt her gun pressed against my chest where my heart was.

"I can kill you and avoid that bullet."

"I don't think so." She jumped back and slipped away from my sword somehow. She threw me in front of her by grabbing my neck. "Hiei… Just get it. Why don't you? The only two people in this universe that have defeated me are Vash and Knives."

I didn't say we were done, did I?" I teleported behind her and crouched then sweeped her.

Matt caught her footing quickly and did an impossible back handspring onto the roof I was on. "I didn't either.

I leapt onto the roof, following her. Moving fast I threw a few rapid kicks.

She took a few hits and jumped back from a few. "Look at us, fighting like children…" She slipped forward and threw a few punches then switched to kicks.

I blocked them all; all though I had a feeling my arms would have a few bruises from them. "Hn, you're the one who told me I wouldn't win. I'm just proving to you I can." I attacked her again.

She studied me for a moment then avoided all of them. "All I needed was a sample of your fighting-style."

"Hn." She didn't know anything about how I fought. Holding my right arm up, I quickly summoned the dragon and threw it at her. Only a weaker version, so she'd understand some of my power. By holding it's power back my arm would pay the price later. "JAOU ENSATSU KOKURYUUHA!" I released the dragon and threw it at her.

She disappeared. I stared in confusion. My right arm burned from the attack and holding the dragon's power back. There was no way a dragon with that little power could have destroyed her like that. I sheathed my sword even though my instincts were screaming at me not to and to stay on guard.

I took a step toward where she was and looked around. There was an odd silence then the click of a gun being loaded. I looked behind me. No one ever tends to look up. Matt fired at me, dropping from above.

I felt bullets tear through my leg again, making it so I couldn't run. I cried out in pain. "D-damn…!"

Matt aimed carefully. I stared at her defiantly, waiting for the last shot. "Bang. I win." I held a hand against where I got hit and glared at her. "Right here and now. I could've finished you off. I never wanted to, but… You insisted." I still glared at her until… I winced from the pain in my leg. As long as the bullet was there it would continue to burn with white-hot pain. "Do you want my help, or… not?"

I dug the bullet out and healed myself then I stood up still glaring at her coldly. "I guess I have no choice in the matter, do I?"

"I guess not… You did damage, too." She smiled weakly. "I feel like my chest is about to explode from moving so fast…"

I owed her. I walked over and tapped into my chakra to heal her. "I think we'll both feel better in the morning." My right arm was still burning but not as bad.

"I… guess so…" Matt fell forward, fainting on me and sending a whole new wave of pain through my arm. I bite my tongue and kept silent until I realized she wasn't waking up any time soon. "Damn…"

Matt moaned. "…My head hurts…"

"We're almost to your house." I was carrying her on my back; she wasn't as heavy as I thought.

"Really…? Good… the sand look like smudge, and you do too…"

"Uh…huh…" I didn't think her vision blurring was a good thing but I was too tired to really care. "Can some one open this damned door?"

Sora opened it and stared. "Huh? Hiei- mom-? What're you doing this late?"
"Doozy-woozy-boozy… Fahrbuck." Matt mumbled.

"Long story…" The room started to spin. Not good. "Just where's her…" I collapsed and passed out.

"Oh, great… Now they're both out…" Sora sighed.

"Msdoosh-PUH-loosh."

I was silently sleeping. Sora went back to her room after dragging us inside enough so she could shut the door.