Dark Con of Enma : Love, Even in the Afterlife
A/N: Sorry if it's a bit slow. Bare with me. R&R as always. Peace out homies. Thank you RitSuYue, Silver-arrow-kisune-girl! Love ya!
Koenma was in distress. Should he tell his Father? No, he could handle this. At least he kept telling himself that. This was worse than he thought. He had the latest technology in demon spirit energy tracking systems, but he couldn't find a single drop of energy in Ningenkai. Then his compact rang.
Koenma felt like he had jumped out of his skin. He opened the communication device to see Yusuke's grave face.
"Yusuke, how is the investigation going?"
Koenma didn't like the frown on his spirit detective's face. It made him anxious.
"I don't know. Koenma, you better come and see for yourself."
That was exactly what Koenma did not want to hear. He let out a childish moan as he nodded and clicked the compact shut.
"George!"
The blue ogre popped his head into the entrance to Koenma's office.
"Yes sir?'
"Throw on a coat, we're going on a trip."
Hiei felt like a being was surrounding the onna and him. He felt its presence everywhere, from the back of his neck to the tip of his nose. Botan put a cautious hand forward.
"M-Mom?"
Botan felt her hand being grabbed. She felt like she was going to be in for a ride, so her other hand darted to Hiei's, grasping it tightly. Before Hiei had a chance to question or protest the ferry onna's actions, he was being pulled through Botan's mind at unthinkable speed.
Koenma and George teleported into Genkai's kitchen. They were greeted by a grim Yusuke. George remained silent as Koenma spoke.
"What is happening, Yusuke? Why did you call me down here?"
Yusuke looked over his shoulder before answering.
"I just thought that you deserved to find out what we had just uncovered. I mean, it is about you and your Dad after all."
Hiei was the first to open his eyes. Botan blinked and squeezed Hiei's hand. Then, realizing that she was actually still holding said hand, she flushed and withdrew her hand. Hiei looked up. It was a temple. It was, once again, made of white marble. Botan was the first to move, the first to step onto the temple's floor.
Hiei and Botan entered and found a woman sitting on the floor. She had set up tea for two. One for her, and one for her daughter. Hiei could tell instantly that it was the onna's mother. Her hair was lighter, but the eyes were identical. The woman seemed to notice the footsteps that echoed throughout the room.
"I'm glad that you came, Botan."
Koenma, Yusuke, and George were all seated in the living room. Koenma listened to Yusuke tell him just exactly what the demon Bishop was thinking. His theory about Enma and an unknown heir. George was pale, goose bumps on his skin.
"But, Koenma-sir, that couldn't possibly be true! Right?"
Koenma looked at his faithful servant. He couldn't bring himself to lie to him.
"I don't know."
George let out an over-dramatic gasp. Yusuke ignored the ogre and focused on the Prince.
"If you are holding information, Koenma, than you are going to regret it."
Koenma sighed, shoulders slumped.
"Yusuke, I swear to you that I don't know anything. If such a secret exists, then dear old Dad never told me."
Yusuke stared at the Prince before leaning back into his chair. He would have to believe the Prince for now. At the moment, he needed to think ( which is very hard for our Yusuke).
Botan's mother's voice was as smooth as running water. Her eyes were closed as she sipped her tea. Botan sat down and Hiei reluctantly followed suit. Botan picked up the tea and sipped it. "Botan, this is a spiritual message. I am not really here at the moment." Botan bit her lip and tried to smile at what was simply a spirit hologram. She should have known. "Sweetie, I'm sorry that you had to go through all this. Please forgive me, but it had to be done."
Hiei went to put his hand over his sword, but he found that he couldn't move a single muscle. He struggled to move a pinky finger. Even that was restrained.
"I suppose you want the answer to all your questions. First I have to tell you why I left this message in the first place." Botan's mother paused to sip her tea. "Your father and I were murdered when you were very young. In fact, you were among the casualties. But before any ferry girls could take us away, I left this dormant in you. It was the last thing I could do before you were taken from me."
Botan's mother paused, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Now, I suppose you are wondering about Enma."
Hiei? Are you there? Kurama searched for any hint of the Koorime. He couldn't feel his energy. It was like he had vanished. Kurama sat up, his red hair falling in front of his eyes. He opened the door and was a bit shocked to see Koenma and George sitting down with Yusuke.
"I can't sense Hiei!" Kurama panted. Yusuke closed his eyes and then felt his eyes snap open.
"Botan's gone too!"
"The answer will come to you when you are ready. Or when you need it." Botan's mother giggled, and Hiei noticed it sounded a lot like the onna's laugh. "I just want you to know that your father and I love you very much. We wanted you to know that." Another sip of tea. "Make sure that you think before you act, Botan. Your life could depend on it."
Botan saw that Hiei was gritting his teeth, like he was trying to do something, but he couldn't. Botan turned to her mother (well, imprint that her mother left) and sighed. Then her mother opened her eyes and looked directly at Botan, causing her breath to leave her lungs.
"I've always loved you, Botan."
Botan's mother let one tear fall out of her eye. Hiei stopped trying to move when he felt a great surge of power. Botan shivered as a light that seemed to come from her mother grew brighter. Hiei closed his eyes and Botan took his hand into hers before she too squeezed her eyes shut. She felt Hiei clasp her hand tight before they were thrown out of Botan's mind.
Yusuke, Kurama, Koenma, and George felt like tiny little fingers were trailing up and down their spines when they neared Botan's room. They heard laughter of an older woman's. If Botan had been about twenty years older, she would have sounded very similar. Yusuke threw open the door and let out a shout of surprise at what he saw.
Botan was sitting up straight in her bed, Hiei on the edge of it. Her hair was floating around her head like she was under water. Her eyes were hooded and glazed over, and Hiei's looked the same. The sheets were rising up in the air slowly like gravity had no effect on them. Then there was a soft voice in the ears of Koenma, Yusuke, Kurama, and George. The same woman that had been laughing was now singing.
Then a breeze swept through Botan's room, like a giant exhale. Botan's hair fell back down and framed her face and the sheets whispered their way back to their bed. Hiei blinked. Then Botan. Botan looked over at Yusuke and the others. She smiled, making her little cat face.
"Hi you guys!"
