Warnings: None


Lucky Child

Chapter 61:

"If Anyone Can, It's You"


The moment—taut as molten glass pulled from the depths of a cooling forge—held for far longer than it had any right. I hopped sideways on my crutch, free hand fanning between Botan and Ayame. Botan stared at Ayame with hand pressed over her mouth, knees trembling in the quiet night air.

My hair stuck to my neck and face, and not because the night was humid.

"Botan," I said, her name a growl in my throat. "Botan, get inside."

Magenta eyes flicked toward me and then back to Ayame. "I'm not leaving you."

I went on like she hadn't spoken, thoughts a whirlwind, planning next steps as fast as I could. "There's a little silver jewelry box on my desk. Take it," I said, because it contained the seed that could hide her from prying eyes like Ayame's and oh my god how the fuck did she find us so fast?! "And look in my phonebook and call Kurama—and call Yusuke, too, now."

"Keiko—!" said Botan.

At the same time Ayame said, "There's no need for this, Keiko."

Words bubbled like magma beneath a tectonic plate. "Like hell there isn't," I snarled. "I won't let you touch her. Now, Botan. Go."

"But Keiko—"

"Now!"

With one last, desperate look at Ayame, Botan obeyed and vanished into the restaurant. Ayame wore a bitter smile as the door fell shut, eyes somber as I swiped my other crutch off the ground and positioned myself between her and the door. I was a piss-poor barrier, but at least I was better than nothing.

I wasn't letting Ayame take Botan without a fight.

"You really didn't have to send her away," said Ayame.

"What, and let you take her back to Spirit World?" I said. I tossed my hair with a snort. "How'd you even find us, anyway?"

"I've been on high alert for Botan's energy signature since her escape. Naturally I'd keep watch on your home."

"Right. Spirit World and their spies." Summoning my most heated glare, I asked, "So tell me this, Ayame. You planning on dragging Botan back to Spirit World yourself? I'd hate for you to mess up that pretty kimono."

A slow shake of her dark head. "I'm not here to drag Botan back, Keiko. I'm here to warn you."

At that I could only snort again. "Warn me? What am I, stupid? Like I'm really gonna believe you?"

The barest flash of annoyance wrinkled her pale brow. "I meant what I said in the hospital. Botan's treatment was a misstep, one I do not wish to repeat."

"Ayame—is that true?"

I cursed as Botan's voice drifted through the door to the restaurant, and I cursed again when that door swung open. Botan stood on the stoop and stared at Ayame, eyes watering like she'd plucked them fresh from a saline bath. Clearly she hadn't obeyed me at all, eavesdropping from just inside the door like…well, that's a move I'd expect from Yusuke, really. Ayame smiled at her, but I just cursed a third time and swung toward Botan with a clack of crutch against concrete. "Botan, get back inside."

"Ayame, is Jorge OK?" she said, not bothering to look at me. Her eyes welled even more. "I tried to be gentle, but…"

"He's fine, Botan," Ayame assured her. "How are you?"

"I'm good." She swallowed, swiping a thumb across her powder blue bangs. "Scared, but…"

Her feet carried her forward. I lurched in front of her with a shake of my head.

"Botan, don't," I said.

She blinked, and then her tears dried all at once. Her ponytail flew when she shook her head. "No, Keiko," she said, resolute as a revolution. "If Ayame says she's not here to take me back, I believe her."

"You believe—?!"

"Ayame trained me." Fire lit her eyes, magenta nearly emitting sparks. "She showed me what it means to be a ferry girl. She wouldn't lie to me. We're friends." And then the tears returned as she looked at Ayame, lip trembling as she spoke. "Even if she made a mistake before, I know she wouldn't hurt me on purpose."

Ayame wore the softest look I'd ever seen from her, pale face melted like snow in sunlight. "You have always been the kindest of the ferry girls," she said. "When I saw what this had done to you…" Her eyes lit on Botan's forehead, smile tinged with regret and sorrow. "I worried that kindness might not survive, but…I am happy to have been proven wrong."

There was no stopping Botan when she burst into tears, darted around me, and threw herself at Ayame with a cry. Ayame wrapped her billowing kimono sleeves around Botan and held her tight, pressing her face into Botan's shock of brilliant hair. "Oh, Ayame!" Botan wailed into Ayame's chest, but Ayame only stroked Botan's back and murmured comforts I couldn't quite hear.

I, of course, had no fucking idea what to do and stood there staring like an idiot until Botan's sobs turned to sniffles, and until then her sniffles to wet hiccups. She pulled away and beamed into Ayame's face, although her lips still trembled. Ayame swept Botan's bangs from her forehead with a smile and inspected her brow, eyes narrowing in confusion at the bare flesh there. What the hell was Ayame doing here if not to take Botan back? She said she'd been waiting here and keeping watch for Botan, but—

Wait.

"I kept watch," I said.

Botan started, like perhaps she'd forgotten I was there, but Ayame only lifted a brow.

"I kept watch," I repeated. "That's what you said. I kept watch. Not we." I looked around for emphasis. "Ayame. You're here alone, aren't you?"

Her chin inclined. "I am."

Suspicions confirmed, in that case. Which begged the question, "Does he know you're here?"

Botan frowned. "He? Do you mean—" she looked to Ayame "—do you mean Koenma?"

Ayame nodded, slow and intentional. "I do mean Koenma. And no, he doesn't."

Much though I wanted answers, Ayame didn't give them. She slipped her hand into Botan's and squeezed, gazing at her fellow ferry girl with understanding eyes. Eyes that promised gentleness and sympathy, and not the cold calculation I had grown so used to seeing in her dark gaze.

"May we take this inside?" Ayame said—and because my curiosity is undeniable, I led the way upstairs.


Seeing a grim reaper in Japanese formal wear sitting atop my bed felt absolutely wild, but I tried my best not to stare as both ferry girls settled in. I heaved myself atop my swiveling desk chair and propped my casted foot on the bedframe. Botan looked nervous, fiddling with the hem of her sweater, but her eyes stayed focused and clear as they rested on Ayame. Clearly Botan felt we could trust her—though I wasn't so certain just yet, not even after our moment of connection at the hospital a few days prior.

Even so, despite the trust she felt for Ayame, Botan had questions. She was too sharp to have nothing to say.

"You said Koenma doesn't know you're here, Ayame," Botan said, "but I know you well enough to know you're loyal to him. So loyal. That's why you're our leader."

Ayame nodded, hands folded neatly on her black-clad knees. "Koenma does not know I'm here. Nevertheless, this meeting has his blessing."

My eyebrows shot up. Botan shook her head. "I don't understand. How can that be?"

Ayame's dark gaze slid toward me. "I told him what we talked about that night in the hospital. In the end, he agreed that Botan's treatment was unacceptable—but he felt that way before you raised concerns."

I scoffed. "Seriously? If that's true, why did he allow her to be kept in insolation for that long? If he knew it was wrong—?"

"He knew. But Enma-daio held another opinion."

Although Ayame spoke with the detached air of a refined noblewoman, all gracious and poised and soft of voice, the very absence of emotion in her words said quite a lot. It said she sought control in this situation—because if she lost it, I'm sure the results would be quite unflattering. At once puzzle pieces clicked, falling into place and aligning to form a picture I hadn't even considered. When I saw what they depicted, I slapped a hand to my forehead.

"Of course," I said. "Why didn't I see this before?"

Ayame shot me an approving look, barely visible and yet distinct, but Botan spoke first. "King Enma himself wanted me locked away?" she said with a strangled gasp. "But why?"

"He felt it the most prudent option, even in light of your unfailing loyalty to Koenma, given the severity of your condition," Ayame said—and once again, her robotic response felt like a study in negative space. In the act of saying little, Ayame said so much.

And what she said, or didn't say, made sense. Enma brainwashed demons on the regular. Of course he'd want to lock Botan away now that she didn't play the part of a docile little ferry girl—and at this stage in the game, Koenma would be powerless to protest. He wasn't meant to rebel against his father until after Chapter Black. He hadn't uncovered his father's misdeeds yet, which meant he held none of the capital necessary to overthrow the current monarch.

Koenma was stuck.

And I'd bet my left buttcheek Enma was counting on that to get his way.

"Maybe it was especially in light of Botan's loyalty," I said.

Botan frowned even as a flicker of recognition sparked in Ayame's eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Kings often fear the rise of their progeny. Just take a look at history." I waved in the vague direction of Yusuke's house, myself, Botan. "Koenma has a new Detective, loyal ferry girls, more responsibilities…maybe this was a pull for power on Enma's part. Or a reminder of who pulls the strings, at least."

Botan gaped. "He wouldn't!" She pivoted on the bed, grasping at Ayame's sleeve. "He wouldn't Ayame, would he?"

Ayame said nothing. Her long and measured stare, as emotionless as a statue, revealed nothing.

And that nothingness, in and of itself, told me everything—as did her utterly political response, as calculated as the life's work of a brilliant mathematician.

"It is not my place to comment on the affairs of my superiors," she said as if reading from a script. "I am certain my small mind could not fathom the workings of my betters."

I had to laugh, while Botan stared at Ayame with uncertainty painted across her face. Ayame waited a beat for those words to sink in, as if hopeful someone might overhear and report them back to Enma in Spirit World. Soon she turned to Botan, however. Her hand alit on Botan's knee; Botan blinked at it and met Ayame's gaze with the tiniest murmur of question.

"I come with a message," Ayame said. "Koenma has placed me in charge of finding you. He will not look for you himself, as he is much too busy to attend to such a trifling matter. The only things he will report to his father are the things I tell him."

Botan nodded, expecting more—but I just snorted, and Ayame stopped talking to look at me.

"Well," I said. "That's certainly clever of him."

"Hmm?" said Botan.

"He's engineered himself some plausible deniability," I said, "and that's good for him, but it puts you at risk, Ayame."

Ayame demurred, lovely face tilting toward her lap—and yeah, OK, she totally knew what I was talking about. Botan, however, appeared quite lost. She looked between me and Ayame in turn, blue hair lashing like a flag.

"Plausible deniability? Risk? What risk?" Botan repeated. "I don't understand."

"I mentioned loyalty earlier," I said. In dry tones I said, "It's a wonder Enma hasn't come after you, Ayame. "

She smiled, bland but firm. "I am prepared to deal with Enma-daio should he change his mind."

"Are you?" I pressed. "The wrath of a king isn't to be taken lightly."

"Agreed." Her already perfect posture seemed to straighten. "But I fear the disappointment of princes far more."

I gasped. It was quite the declaration, small though it seemed, but it flew right over Botan's head. She threw up her hands and said, exasperated: "Will someone please tell me what's going on?"

Ayame demurred once more—which meant she was leaving the dirty work to me. Great. Let's see if I got all this right.

"Koenma's turning a blind eye to you, Botan, and on purpose," I said. If my hunch was correct, these were the things Ayame could not say. "He can't tell his father what he doesn't know."

Botan stared at me, processing—which didn't surprise me. Botan was no liar. She had trouble keeping secrets per anime canon; understanding deception wouldn't come naturally to someone so kind. I was, of course, intimately familiar with lying by omission, and by manipulating the technicalities of semantics. I knew full well how to speak in half-truths, how to keep from lying without ever giving away my secrets.

Technicality.

Lying was all about manipulating the technicality—and I got the sense Ayame's mastery could put mine to shame.

Botan's eyes lit up soon enough, though, meaning clicking into place. "Oh. I get it now! He's delegating the work to Ayame, and she'll keep things from him to protect me, but he won't know about it! And that keeps him safe, and it keeps me safe, too!"

"Exactly. If Enma learns Ayame is hiding you, Koenma won't get in trouble," I said. "Ayame's in charge, after all, and anything Koenma knows will have come through her. If Enma realizes you're roaming free in Human World, Ayame will take the fall. Koenma's protecting you, and so is Ayame—but she's the one bearing the greater risk." I couldn't help but shake my head, chest rumbling with irritation (Botan looked like she didn't know if she should be touched or appalled). "There he goes again, risking his loyalists. Did Koenma put you up to this, Ayame?"

Ayame said: "It was my idea."

She spoke plainly, simply, too elegantly to be lying. I stared with my mouth open for a minute, jaw shutting with a clack of teeth.

"Are you really that loyal to him?" I asked, voice more hushed, more awed than I intended.

"I am." A minute raise of her head, proud but subtle. "He does not place faith in me blindly, just as I do not blindly place faith in him. Or in you, Keiko."

I blinked. "Me?"

"You're at risk, too, if you agree to hide Botan."

I hated that Ayame was right—but it's not like I'd let that stop me. I shrugged, a quip about not being afraid of King Enma on my tongue (I'd died before so death wasn't a big deal, and surely he was too busy to deal with the likes of little old me, anyway) but Botan put a hand to her mouth, horrified.

"Keiko, she's right!" she said, and she was on her feet and heading for the door. "I can't stay here. I can't stay with you, and I can't go back, and I—"

I shoved away from my desk, rolling chair sending me careening after her. I snagged the edge of her shirt with my fingers and said, "Botan, calm down!" A desperate look toward Ayame for backup. "I'm assuming you have a plan?"

"Of a sort," she said, and like a charm Botan stopped to listen, attention rapt and eyes wide. Ayame cleared her throat and angled herself toward us. "Much though King Enma wishes for Botan's return, he is too preoccupied with more pressing matters to attend to her capture. In short: We have time."

"Time to what?"

"Time to prove Botan is an asset and not a liability," Ayame said. "If she can prove herself here, then—"

"Wait, wait, wait," I said. I spun in my chair, pointing my good foot at Ayame in accusation. "The last time we talked, just days ago, you said Botan needed energy therapy. What's 'proving herself' got to do with that? Is energy therapy just not a thing anymore?"

Botan perked up, nodding so hard I feared she'd give herself a concussion. The nodding stopped when Ayame donned a regretful smile, one that spoke of incoming Bad News.

There it was. There was the catch. I knew there had to be one. This was Spirit World, after all.

"Over the past few days, we've analyzed her condition." She took a breath, hesitating for the merest of stolen moments. "We think she is past the point of therapy curing her of…her new addition."

Botan's eyes widened. "You mean—"

"Yes, Botan. I believe that in the act of coming to Human World, this change to you has been made irreversible."

Ayame spoke like the personification of ripping off a band-aid, quick and searing and to the point. Botan didn't understand, however. She just stood there, staring, until I couldn't help but reach out and lace my fingers through hers. At my touch she came back to herself, startling like a deer hearing a gunshot.

"I don't—" she said.

Ayame said nothing. I remained quiet, too. Eyes locked on Ayame, Botan rocked in place on her heels, back and forth like a kid on a seesaw—and then her lips began to quiver, and then she was crying. Wet, meaty sobs filled my quiet bedroom, but Ayame moved before I could even think to react. The sleeves of her kimono flowed like the wings of a bat as she rose from the bed and enveloped Botan in a hug, shushing the sobbing ferry girl as she broke down.

"What even am I?" Botan cried. "Not quite a Spirit, but not a demon, just—just both? Neither?"

"You're you, Botan," Ayame said. Understated ferocity crept into her voice, urgent and low and bracing. "You always have been. You always will be." She held Botan tighter, pressing her fingers into Botan's shimmering hair. "The construction of your soul changes nothing about who you are."

Botan sniffled. "Really?"

"Yes. Koenma believes so, too. In fact, he told me to give you a message."

"H-he did?"

"Yes."

Her hands slid over Botan's shoulders, holding her at arm's length, black meeting magenta straight on. Botan snuffled and tried to stop crying, holding her head up high as she received orders from her prince. Ayame straightened, loftily staring at Botan down the length of her nose.

"Train hard, Botan," Ayame said, voice resonating with power and command. "Find control. Prove to everyone you are the same smart, sassy ferry girl you've always been." And her voice softened, kind and gentle and warm. "And do not ever give up, on pain of Koenma's infinite disapproval."

Botan teared up again, but she kept her emotions in check this time. "That's my Koenma," she said, stanch even though her words trembled. "His methods are, at times, haphazard, but his heart…it's always been in just the right place."

Ayame's hands dropped from Botan's shoulders. She returned to her seat on the bed as Botan composed herself, scrubbing at her cheeks with her sleeves. I put my back to them both and scooted to my desk. The moment they shared felt private; it didn't feel right, inserting myself into the middle.

"So!" Botan eventually chirped. "Down to business!" Her bright smile had returned, even if her swollen nose and eyes still burned red. "What happens now, Ayame?"

"You stay here in Human World," Ayame said. "Your friends can help you learn to control your new powers. They will protect you until you are ready to show all of Spirit World that you are not a Spirit to be feared."

"Right! Um." She kicked at the ground before venturing, "And how do I gain control, exactly?"

Ayame chuckled. "The demon Hiei is a good place to start. The Sword seemed to give you powers similar to his."

"Right. Hiei," she said, but she looked a bit green at the idea (metaphorically, but also ironically considering Hiei's Jagan form). "And what do I do when I'm not training, would you say?"

Ayame said, as if it were obvious, "Perform your duty, Botan. It's what you were born for."

"Oh. Right. Right!" She nodded, arms crossed over her chest—perking up like a bloodhound finally catching a scent. "I suppose I'm always telling Yusuke to do his homework. Now it's my turn!" She paused. "Does that mean I can aid Yusuke again?"

As Ayame and Botan discussed the pros and cons of Botan returning to work as Yusuke's assistant, and whether or not Botan would need a part time job to cover her living expenses, I allowed my mind to wander—namely to the issue of Koenma. I didn't enjoy being wrong, but the fact remained that this…well. I hadn't been expecting it from him, because this display of reasonableness didn't seem in his character. No, this was the demigod who routinely abused and derided Jorge, who recruited teens to do dangerous work, who imprisoned Botan in isolation against her will—but at the same time, it hadn't occurred to me to think Enma himself might be behind Botan's treatment, and I had no one to blame for that oversight but myself.

Was Koenma, in fact, blameless in this scenario? Or did this situation exist in shades of grey I didn't possess the context to fully fathom? It did make me feel better about Koenma to know he was willing to bend rules to benefit his allies, but something still bothered me about the situation.

In his willingness to bend the rules, Koenma had put more than just Ayame and myself in danger.

"Keiko. You look concerned."

My head jerked up at the sound of Ayame's voice. Rubbing my nape with a hand, I shot Botan an apologetic smile. What I wanted to say wouldn't go down easily, I was sure.

"What I'm going to say will sound harsh, but I promise you, Botan, I'm not judging you personally." A deep breath to steady myself, a moment taken to ensure I spoke with care. "This eye of yours is new. You haven't had time to master the changes it's brought. But…you flipped a switch when we were fighting the infected humans. You even attacked me." Her face spasmed, and while it hurt me to see her hurt, I soldiered on. "While I don't want you in any form of isolation, is it wise for you to run free in Human World?"

Her face fell at once, because while Botan might be flighty and gregarious, stupid she most certainly was not. "Oh," she said. "Oh, Keiko, you're right. I didn't mean to lose control that night, but I couldn't help it. Something came over me and I was powerless to resist." Her eyes filled with fear like water fills a jug, heavy and cold. "What's to say I won't accidentally harm a human, Ayame?"

The question was fair, even if it came at Botan's expense—but when Ayame hesitated, I sensed it wasn't because she feared Botan harming humans. She reached into the sleeve of her kimono and pulled forth something small and golden, links of a chain wrapped around her pale fist.

"I was hoping not to have to use this," she said, "but I agree that it's prudent to give Botan a failsafe, if you will."

Botan and I leaned forward, both peering at her hand. "What is it?"

Ayame held it out, palm opening to reveal the circular face of a watch. Delicate golden hands tick-tick-ticked in circles, skimming over delicate black numerals and a small box bearing the number 15—oh. Today's date. It was a cute watch, fancy and simple, old-fashioned and maybe antique. Botan reached for it on reflex.

"Its look deceive," Ayame said. "Truthfully, it's a shock collar, of a sort."

Botan recoiled, snatching back her hand at once.

"Should you exhibit abnormal levels of aggression," Ayame continued, "or should your energy spike beyond a certain level, that bracelet will render you…momentarily incapacitated."

Her careful wording sent a chill skittering up my back. "I don't like the sound of that," I said.

"Me, neither," said Botan with a dreadful gulp.

Ayame grimaced. "I feel the same. However, it was the only device I could slip from the Spirit World vault without detection." She pulled back her hand, though her fingers did not close. "If other options of control avail themselves, I can—"

Wheels turned behind Botan's eyes, clicking together like the gears of a clock. With preternatural speed she lifted the watch off Ayame's palm and slipped it over her wrist, thumbing closed the catch with a resounding snap. Ayame looked thrown for a loop, rare sight drawing a giggle from me unbidden.

"You already went to such trouble stealing this from the vault," Botan said, more determined than ever. Not a shred of doubt marred her clear expression. "No. This will do, and you will not take another risk stealing another item." She heled out her hand and admired the watch's golden gleam. "And besides. Most of our technology is rather dowdy, but this? It's actually pretty. And it even matches my earrings!"

Botan flipped her hair to show said earrings off—but Ayame looked less than impressed with them. In fact, her eyes narrowed nearly into slits, staring at the earrings (and then at Botan's forehead) with outright suspicion.

My stomach dropped straight into my toes.

"Speaking of which," Ayame said, voice all silk and scheming. "Who was that who gave them to you? I did not sense her when I approached. Her presence took me by surprise. I sensed only you, Botan, and only because I had been looking for you. Her presence caused a pronounced obscurity."

"Oh, that was Sailor V!" Botan chirped. "A superhero, I'm told, though I hadn't heard of her before tonight."

"A superhero?" Ayame said, incredulous. "I haven't heard of her, either." She reached for Botan, curling her hair behind her ear to better see the earrings and Botan's smooth forehead. Botan bore this inspection with a smile; Ayame's mouth thinned. "Her methods are befitting of her occupation. These are remarkable."

"She's, um—she's up and coming." The words tumbled from my mouth almost of their own volition. When Ayame glanced at me I ducked my head, regretting having opened my big mouth, and muttered, "She's very, ah, new to the game."

Botan nodded vigorously. "She and Keiko are good friends!"

Ayame's brows rocketed upward. "Is that so?"

Helpless, I nodded, feeling every inch a bug pinned neatly under glass.

"I see." Ayame appraised me, long and slow. "And how did you meet her, Keiko?"

"She came to the school during the infecteds' attack." Which was true, even if it left out so much. I shrugged and tried to play it off. "You know. Just being her superhero self."

Ayame said nothing for a moment. Eventually her eyes swung toward the window, staring into the dark beyond.

"The disruption in our monitoring was obscured the night of the attack," she murmured, "and I couldn't sense her tonight, either. She possesses abilities that are most interesting." A long pause followed. Her lips curled. "Very interesting indeed."

I didn't like that look on her face, shrewd and contemplative (though of course any shreds of deviousness were obscured by Ayame's usual sleek manner). Clearing my throat, I tried not to fidget or look unnerved by the topic at hand.

A difficult feat indeed, since Ayame then asked me, "Though why you failed to mention her when last we spoke I am uncertain."

While I seized up as though electrocuted, Botan looked surprised. "You didn't tell Ayame about her, Keiko?"

There's only one way out when a question knocks you on your ass, and that's to tell the truth—but tell it slant. Because I was sure to trip all over myself if I lied, given how flustered I felt. My cheeks flushed hot and bright, supernovas made flesh. "Well, I, um—I asked V to take Botan. To hide her from you, Ayame, and she agreed and I thought you'd take Botan away, so I lied to you and I'm sorry." A deep breath, hoping my babbling would come across as sufficiently contrite. "But I really didn't know whether or not you'd take Botan away, so at the time—"

She held up a hand "Stop."

I stopped. She said nothing for a second, but the hand lowered soon enough.

"I understand now," she said—but her eyes hardened like chips of polished onyx. "Regardless, I will have to tell Koenma about her."

Aw, fuck. Of course she would. Before I could concoct an argument to convince her to refrain (all of which sounded forced, even in my wishful ears) Ayame stood and adjusted the fall of her kimono. I hauled to my feet as well, Botan following suit and sticking close to Ayame's side.

"You will be compensated for any expense regarding Botan's room and board," she said. Her head shook. "I will not ask where she'll stay. If questioned, I want to give as few details as possible."

"Right!" Botan flipped a salute, heels clicking. "The next time we talk, I'll be sure to keep the details close to my chest!"

I half expected Ayame to chuckle, make a remark about Botan's exuberance and untarnishable good cheer. Instead, Ayame's chin ducked, hands folding in the depths of her voluminous sleeves.

"Botan," she said, voice a brusque rip of truth. "I'm afraid that there won't be a next time. Not for a long time, at any rate."

Her hand fell from her forehead, salute breaking into pieces alongside her smile. "Wh-what do you mean?"

Ayame's eyes briefly shut. "Much the way Koenma has engineered himself plausible deniability, I too must do the same. The less information that can be wrung from me about you, the better."

The truth of the matter clicked as surely as horror settled over Botan's expression. "But—but Ayame—"

"I'm sorry." And it sounded like Ayame meant it. "But for now, you have to be on your own."

For a moment Botan held stoic—but her mouth twitched, and she blinked, and her eyes filled with welling tears. I don't blame Botan for breaking down again, shedding tears for the third time that night—and as Ayame held her once again, I could only look on in impotent silence.

Something told me there was nothing I could do or say to make this right, or to make Botan's flight into the unknown any less terrifying.


We left Botan in my room to compose herself. Even though traversing the stairs on crutches wasn't fun for me (it was the exact opposite, in fact), I nevertheless walked Ayame down them and out into the alley behind the restaurant.

Botan needed—no. Botan deserved a minute to herself after all she'd been through tonight.

"I can't say I like this," I said once we walked outside. The end-of-summer humidity clung to the back of my neck and matted my bangs against my cheeks. "But I don't see another way, either."

Ayame turned to me and nodded. "It's not often Koenma breaks the rules. For one of us, however…"

She trailed off. Somehow her complexion remained dewy without being greasy, hot air not ruining her skin's silky finish. I shrugged, trying not to focus on the sweat building in my armpits and squelching against the crutches when I moved.

"Well," I said. "I'm glad he at least saw reason."

Another nod. "He has a message for you too, Keiko."

I scowled. "Me? Not Yusuke? Seems he's the one Koenma should be talking to."

"I'm sure he'll be in touch with Yusuke personally," she said. "You, however…the two of you have yet to meet face to face. About that he sends his regrets."

I didn't bother pretending to look anything but skeptical. "Really," I said, and it was not a question.

Ayame remained as unflappable as ever. "Yes. He's entrusted you with far more than you bargained for. For your cooperation and grace, he is grateful."

"Yeah, well. Tell him thanks for letting Botan off the hook, I guess. It's what she deserves."

"He agrees. As do I." She bowed to me, and from both the finality of her expression and the habit of the gesture I guessed she intended to cut the evening short. She said, "Farewell, Keiko. Until the next big case."

Before she could pull a disappearing act, I shook my head. "Ayame, wait—I'm worried about you."

Ayame's head tilted, curious and seemingly uncomprehending. I wondered if that was an act, but then again, Ayame had been transparent with us tonight. What did she have to gain from lying?

"What if you get caught?" I said. "Is your loyalty worth that?

Her expression cleared, but only so it could darken again—as dark as the hue of her kimono, the color of her hair, the depth of her eyes. Voice no more forceful than a summer breeze she said, "The great King Enma would not deign to speak to one such as me without cause." And then her voice dropped low and hard like a stone into the sea. "And trust me, Keiko, when I say to you that I will not give him cause."

Our gazes held for one moment, and then another. I detected no doubt in her. No hesitation. No sense of wavering. I saw in her only the glare of resolve, scintillating like light off a flawless diamond.

"If there's anyone who can play this chess game," I said to her, "it's you."

Ayame paused—and then she bowed to me again.

"Thank you," she murmured to the ground. When she straightened, her stoic face cracked, the lightest edge of desperation gleaming silver against black. "Take care of Botan, Keiko. Please."

It wasn't like her to say please. It wasn't like her to speak with such bald desperation, either—and the words burst out of me of their own accord. "I swear," I told her, rushing. "I swear. She'll be like my own sister, promise."

Ayame's lips thinned, flinching—and her features smoothed over once more.

Still, though.

I'd glimpsed more in her tonight than perhaps I ever had.

"And what a wonderful sister she is," Ayame murmured, and she walked on wooden sandals away and into the night.

I watched until she vanished into the dark beyond the alley. Once her figure vanished into the gloom, I went indoors again.

I still didn't feel like I knew Ayame well. She dealt inscrutability like a blackjack dealer, specializing in hands built to confuse and mystify—but despite her best efforts to remain an enigma, I was certain of one thing: Ayame was brave. Brave enough to defy the will of a cosmic king to protect a person she cares for. Brave enough to play a game it was far easier to lose than win.

Brave enough to die for her loyalty, perhaps.

I just prayed it would never come to that, and that the thing I respected most about her would not lead to her undoing.


An hour later, I opened the alley door and said, "Hey, Yusuke."

He swaggered on in with a roll of his eyes and an overstated, totally-trying-to-guilt-trip-me yawn, arms stretching luxuriously over his head. "Don't hey-Yusuke me," he groused once the performance ended. "It's the middle of the goddamn night. This couldn't have waited till morning?"

I ushered him toward the stairs with a bow like a French butler. "Nope."

"Well, this had better be worth the hike over here, because—oh." He stopped short with one foot on the first step, hand on the railing, staring at the second floor landing with wide eyes. "Oh. Botan."

She stood at the top of the stairs, one foot tucked behind the other like a shy ballet dancer. "Hello, Yusuke," she said, looking at him from under her lashes. "It's good to see you."

A beat passed.

Yusuke vaulted up the stairs like a gazelle on steroids and swept Botan off her feet with a hideous, shrieking cackle, spinning her in place as she laughed, thrilled and surprised and giddy.

"You're back, you're back, you're back!" Yusuke yodeled. He put her down and stared at her (totally ignoring me when I shushed them, I might add, because it was two in the morning and my parents were sleeping down the hall). "Aw, man. I never thought I'd be so glad to look death in the eye again!"

"It's good to see you too, Yusuke," Botan said, once again on the verge of choking up—though this time with happy tears. "I missed you while I was gone."

Yusuke lit up like a Christmas tree, mouth flying open to reply—but his teeth clacked shut and he turned a quite livid shade of purple, instead, turning from her with a cough into his fist. "H-hey, don't go getting mushy on me, now!" he said.

Botan rolled her eyes. "There you go again, not admitting you have feelings."

"I'm just trying to keep you from crying, that's all! Because clearly you've been doing some tonight."

"What?!"

He pinched her face and stretched it, ignoring Botan's indignant cries. "Just look at these puffy cheeks! You two been holed up in here watching chick-flicks or something?" He let her go, though, studying her face as she sputtered—and then he lifted one accusatory finger. "And hey! I thought death had three eyes these days, not two. What gives?"

"We found a way to hide the eye from view," I called up the steps, "but it's still there."

He did a double-take, apparently having forgotten I existed (ouch). Yusuke's eyebrows did a little dance as he processed that, but in the end he just shrugged, because Yusuke. "Huh. Well, whatever. So long as you're back and—wait." Brown eyes narrowed, murderous and dark. "What about Koenma?"

Before we could tell him anything, a thump came from down the hall. Botan threw her hand over Yusuke's mouth and dragged him out of sight, probably back into my bedroom, and then steps shuffled down the hall. My dad appeared at the top of the steps and rubbed his eyes.

"Keiko?" he said, voice gummy with fatigue. "What's going on?"

"Nothing, Dad," I said. "I just went for a midnight snack and tripped going up the stairs, that's all."

"Oh. Well. Try not to do that again, OK?" He yawned into his shoulder. "Night, honey."

"…night, Dad."

I wasn't sure what was more insulting—the fact that he'd mistaken Yusuke's horrific, braying donkey-laughter for my own, or the fact that he considered me tripping up the stairs a plausible idea.

After trekking up the stairs (without tripping, thank you very much) I found Yusuke and Botan sitting on my bed, cross-legged and facing each other, Botan speaking to Yusuke in hushed tones. They turned when I entered, Yusuke saying, "Botan's told me the gist of it, and it's great she's back—but I don't like that Enma's after her. So what happens now?"

I collapsed onto my desk chair, laced my fingers together, and cracked them. Botan and Yusuke winced

"Now we get Botan trained," I said—and when I smirked, Yusuke edged away with fear in his eyes. "Lucky for us, I know just the demon to do it."

Yusuke knew better than anyone that when I put my mind to something, heaven help anyone who stood in my goddamn way.


Hiei regarded my sweet smile the way most people regard snakes: with distrust, disgust, and a whole lot of ah-hell-naw. "Hello, Hiei," I said, ignoring the way he took a step back when I said his name. "How've you been?"

"…fine." He scanned the alley, not to mention my crutch-occupied hands, and scowled. "Where's my ramen?"

Hungry little bastard, I thought, but I didn't let my smile falter. "We'll get to that. But first, there's someone you ought to meet." I craned my head back at the restaurant door. "Oh, Botan?"

If I could bottle Hiei's bewildered expression, I totally would, and I'd hoard it to savor on a rainy day. As it stands I could only laugh on the inside as he glared at the door, and at Botan as she slipped out of it. She wore a sunny smile, too, even brighter and happier than mine—which in Hiei's grumpy eyes probably just looked deranged. Hiei sidled away from her like she'd presented him with a bouquet of scorpions, though he didn't outright leave. He hadn't had his ramen yet, after all.

"Hiei, this is Botan," I said—with a pointed glare when I added, "You remember her, right? You met right here in this alley."

Hiei either played dumb or had the worst memory on the planet, because without skipping a beat he just said, "Did we? I can't recall." And then it was his turn to glare. "My ramen, Meigo. Where is it?"

But I just glared right back, even as Botan mouthed 'Meigo?' and tried not to look confused. I said, "Don't be stubborn, Hiei."

Botan stepped toward him, then, despite the instructions I'd given her to hang back and let me take the lead—the instructions she'd readily agreed to the night before, back when she and I (and a thoroughly amused Yusuke) planned how to broach this subject with the cantankerous fire demon. She strode toward Hiei and pointed at her forehead, lips pursed into a pink bud.

"Well, if you don't remember me, surely you recall cutting me on the forehead with the Shadow Sword?" she demanded.

"Hmmph." Hiei's eyes raked over her before he turned up his nose. "You're no worse for wear."

Botan bristled. "Aren't I, though?" she said, and she pulled one of Sailor V's earrings from her lobe.

The night before, we'd learned that removing one of the earrings disrupted their overall effect—mostly because Yusuke yanked one out to examine it and had then nearly pissed himself when Botan's third eye flared into sight like a firework. Her eye appeared in the same manner just then, blooming with a spark of violet light amid the fall of her light blue bangs. Hiei took a step back, hand coming up as if to ward Botan away, but she did not approach him. She merely stood there and glared, earring in hand, as Hiei looked her over in shock. I'd never seen him look quite so stricken, actually. Teeth bared, scarlet irises ringed in vast expanses of white sclera, he radiated pure confusion, the kind that bordered on anger for no reason other than Hiei didn't like being taken by surprise.

Sorry, Charlie. But surprise you we've gotta.

"Now Hiei," I said, giving him my most supportive, I'm-your-mother-and-I-love-you-no-matter-what smile. "We don't blame you for this. I know things were weird when you had the Sword. But facts are facts, and Botan could use your help."

"My help?" he repeated, contempt dripping from every syllable.

"Yes, your help," I said, wishing with every ounce of my being for some deity or another to grant me patience; I wasn't picky about the who just then. "Her power is a lot like yours, I'm told. She needs to learn to control it." I nearly batted my eyelashes at him. "Do you think you could train her to use it while you stay here in Human World? Pretty-please?"

Hiei didn't say anything. He eyed me, then eyed Botan askance, before shrugging.

"What's in it for me?" he asked.

Well, so much for patience. A glare melted my supportive smile from the inside out. From between my teeth I told him, "Well, Hiei, you'll get my undying devotion and gratitude, for starters—"

"And mine!" Botan chirped, because apparently she hadn't realized I was being utterly and completely sarcastic and was planning on following my statement with a threat to jam my fist down his throat and/or revoke ramen privileges for at least a month (though I suspected the latter would be more upsetting for the goth midget). Pasting her smile back on, Botan took a deep breath and walked toward Hiei again, hand outstretched for a western-style shake. Her grin could've melted a glacier when she said, "Hiei, I know we got off on the wrong foot, but I'd be ever so grateful if you helped me. And I'm Koenma's number one ferry girl, so I'm sure he'd be charmed indeed if you helped me learn to control my condition." She thrust her hand forward like a spear, weaponized friendliness radiating from every pore. "So. Friends? What do you say?"

Hiei didn't even look at Botan's hand, which she began to withdraw as her smile faded into uncertainty. Hiei just frowned, stared at her—and then he smirked, tossing at me a malevolent smile and a chuckle most derisive.

"So Koenma would be in my debt, you say?" he said, even though no one had said such a thing and Hiei was clearly reaching, that devious little asshole. "Well, then. I say Koenma in my debt is something I'll think about."

Botan blinked at him, distracted as she put her earring back in. "Eh?"

"I'm saying," he said with scorn abundant, "that I will think about it."

And then Hiei disappeared, a flicker of black and a bladed wind the only sign he'd ever stood before us to begin with.

Botan (who was not accustomed to Hiei's disappearances just yet) let out a startled cry and staggered backward when Hiei vanished. I just released a roar of frustration, throwing up my hands and baring my teeth at the stripe of sky above the alley.

"Hiei, c'mon!" I yelled. "You didn't even eat your ramen!"

A moment passed.

A wind stripped by.

Botan shrieked again as Hiei reappeared not two inches away from me, hands jammed in pockets and teeth bared.

"Oh, so there is ramen?" he snarled. "Why didn't you say so?"

I drew myself up to my full height. "I didn't say so because there is only ramen if you agree to help Botan."

He tossed his head, eyes ablaze, but he tucked his chin behind his scarf and simmered down. "Tcch! Fine. I'll help the damn wench." He rounded on said wench with a sneer. "But I won't go easy on you."

Botan bounced on her heels with a bright laugh (which only made Hiei reel back as though struck). Once again she approached with hand outstretched. "Fine by me, Mister Hiei!" she said, eyes glimmering with eager satisfaction. "I look forward to working with you. I'm a go-getter and the best student you'll ever have, I promise!"

At last he seemed to notice her hand—insofar as he stared at it, sneered, and turned up his haughty-ass nose at it. On stomping feet he stalked away from her to lean against the alley wall, face turned pointedly away from both Botan and myself as he crossed his arms over his chest and slouched.

Botan's eyes narrowed. She opened her mouth to say something.

I grabbed her arm and dragged her inside the restaurant.

Just inside the door and atop a server station I'd set a tray bearing three bowls of ramen, still hot and waiting for the right moment to reveal themselves. "Take that," I told Botan.

She picked up the tray and frowned, steam rising into her face like the fringes of a ghostly dress. "I don't think he likes me very much," she muttered.

"He doesn't warm up to anyone fast," I said, hoping that might bring her some comfort. I tapped a crutch against the ground. "It's good I'm on these and have my hands full, frankly. You giving him the food is bound to help, at least a little." When Botan frowned I whispered, "Hiei is easily bribed with food."

Botan laughed and hefted the tray into her arms. "Good to know. And thank you for helping me with him, Keiko. Without you, I wouldn't know where to start."

I hummed a noncommittal agreement, because deep down I still felt guilty for getting her into this predicament in the first place. Getting Hiei to come around was the least I could do to make things right. No need to hash that out, though. I reached for the door to the alley, and when I propped it open ahead of us, Botan beamed.

"Oh, and Keiko? Don't worry about me." She winked, and for a moment I wondered if her third eye had given her the ability to read minds like Hiei could—and if, perhaps, that's what lay in store for everyone's favorite reaper. Botan declared, "I'm tenacious and I'll make friends with Hiei yet, you'll see!"

Carrying the ramen like a practiced waitress, Botan strutted out the door and presented the food to Hiei with a flourish. He rolled his eyes but nevertheless he tucked in, grunting his extreme displeasure when Botan settled atop a crate beside him and began to chatter about their future training sessions.

There was no way to know if Botan would succeed in her goal of making friends with Hiei—but holy shit, finding out promised to be a wild ride. Unable to keep from grinning, I lurched my way out the door.

I wasn't going to miss a minute of this, that's for sure.


NOTES:

I am so fucking excited for the Rescue Yukina bits. It's gonna be hilarious, and a nice break from a lot of the recent dire crap. So much Hiei! I'm beyond hype.

I think some people didn't get to read last week based on reports of the alert email not going out, so happy catching up to those who haven't read! Hope you enjoy this chapter, too. Thanks so those who managed to read last week: wennifer-lynn, Laina Inverse, tatewaki2000, The Story Teller Sentinel, Counting Sinful Stars, Yumi22, DeathAngel457, Viviene001, ED99, ryafire1, xenocanaan, WaYaADisi1, Toushou-sama, RedPanda923, DiCuore Alissa, Marian, Khaleesi Renee, iheartlife888, Lady Rini, Kuramag33, MetroNeko, Shen0, zubhanwc3, Just 2 Dream of You, buzzk97, NoFace the Demon, Fantaspasia, Kaiya Azure, ahyeon, GalanthaDreams, general zargon, heeeter, MissIdeophobia, Dark Rose Charm, Desaidasa and five guests! All of you made my day and are absolutely lovely people.