Last Chapter: Botan was being held in her room in Spirit World, under the supervision of a prison guard, with barriers blocking her (obvious) exits. Ayame made her more tea and had an unusual encounter with another ferry girl, where it was revealed that Ayame made a deal with a demon. Botan, however, could hear the Lure calling her and needed to go back to it, and so she set about doing exactly that.


Chapter 20: Walk on by

"Before I end you, is there anything you want to say? Any last requests?"

Botan stopped, hovering in the air above the uppermost level of rice fields, facing the Lure.

"Ayame called you a "hybrid animal demon"," she said. "Why did she say that?"

"Because it's true," the Lure replied. "I am a hybrid animal demon. I am a demon with the characteristics of two different creatures."

Botan tilted her head to one side.

"I use this form because I find it easier to lure in my victims, if you'll pardon the pun," the Lure added.

"What do you really look like?" Botan asked quietly.

"Does it matter?" the Lure returned.

Botan shook her head.

"I guess the fact that you are just means the book Ayame read in the Spirit World library was right about you," she conceded.

"Come to me, Botan," the Lure said softly.

"Okay."

Botan drifted closer, slipping off her oar to land on solid ground at the edge of the rice fields. A tear rolled down one side of her face, though she was sure she was not crying.

"You love it here," the Lure told her. "This is your favourite place in all three worlds. Turn around."

Botan gladly obliged, preferring to look out over the glowing, mirrored valley than at the just slightly inhuman face of the Lure.

"Now walk forward," the Lure instructed her. "Keep going until you get there."

Botan stepped down onto the first row, her feet splashing into the ankle-deep water.

"Get where?" she asked.

"You'll know," the Lure replied. "When you get there."

The answer to her question made no sense, but Botan was beyond sense and logic. She continued walking, her feet splashing through the shallow waters, until she reached the end of the field. She then stepped down into the next row below, and continued on her way. The sun was starting to crest over the hills and spill into the valley, and although it brought little warmth with it, the golden light it cast over the fields gave the illusion of warmth. Botan smiled as she reached the edge and stepped down to start her way across the next row. Her foot entered the water and kept going.

Botan slipped and fell under the water, falling down. She was looking back up at the light, but it was fading fast as she fell down, down, deep into the darkness. As the darkness spread, she began to see the sparkling stars that always appeared when she was under. She did not try to fight it, did not try to change direction, she just let herself fall. It was a slow, gentle descent, a slow sinking, her body fully supported by the water, all stress and strain on her wounds and weakened muscles eased. She closed her eyes and relaxed into it, and soon, everything had become dark.

For a long, long time, Botan saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing. The first sense to return to her was her hearing. The sound of music, softly playing nearby her. Then she regained her sense of touch, her sense of balance, a sense of reality. She opened her eyes and was not surprised to see herself looking at the ceiling of Shizuru's bedroom. She turned her head to one side, and saw Keiko and Yukina asleep on Shizuru's bed, and Shizuru sprawled on the floor nearby where she – Botan – was also laid. She turned her head to the other side and saw that the television was still on, the sound of music coming from there.

"It's the DWB Show!" a voice cheerfully announced.

The title appeared on the screen, the style of the font implying it was an animated show.

"The adventures of Dango the cat, Worthy the dog and Boring the mouse!"

Botan frowned. Those were odd names for a cat, a dog and a mouse. It was obviously a cartoon, and quite a strange one at that.

"In today's episode, Boring the mouse is sad," the narrator explained, as an animated brown mouse appeared on the screen, standing on its hind legs, its front paws wringing together by its nervous, whiskered face.

"He betrayed me," Boring said. "He lied to me. I put myself in great danger because of him!"

"Don't worry, Boring."

A large animated dog – an Afghan Hound – appeared on the screen beside Boring.

"I've got you covered," Worthy the dog said confidently. "I've already told him I'm going to send him to his mother in a thousand pieces."

"You're really quite something, Worthy," Boring said.

"What are you two prattling on about?"

A bristled white cat appeared on the screen, on the other side of Boring the mouse.

"Stop wasting your energy," Dango the cat scolded the dog and the mouse.

"We're fine," Worthy said. "We're ready."

"I know you're ready, Worthy," Dango said. "It's this one I have doubts about. You're a miserable little mouse, Boring. You better not let Worthy down."

"I-I won't, Dango!" Boring said. "I promise! I'm ready."

"You don't look ready," Dango replied.

"I am," Boring said. "I brought a pen."

Dango growled, sounding more like a lion than the common domestic cat he was.

"How reassuring," he said sarcastically. "The little mouse is going to save us all with a pen. I feel so much better. How about you, Worthy?"

"Go easy on her, Dango," Worthy said gently. "If she's brought a pen than that's all she needs."

"What did you bring?" Dango asked.

"My feet," Worthy replied.

"Your feet?" Dango repeated.

"My feet are all I need," Worthy said confidently.

"You better not fail me, Worthy," Dango warned. "And you had better bring something more useful than a pen, Boring."

Boring cowered under Dango's glare.

"Don't worry, Boring," Worthy said sweetly. "I believe in you. You've done so much already. I know you can do this."

"I have my pen," Boring said.

Dango slunk off the screen, and Worthy watched him go before turning back to Boring.

"What does the pen do?" she asked the mouse.

"It writes," Boring replied. "In ink."

"Fuck."

The screen popped and went blank.

"Hey sweetie, you awake?"

Botan turned her head to see Shizuru turned towards her at her side, smiling at her in that soothing way she did.

"Yes, I'm awake," Botan said with a smile. "And it feels fantastic."

"Fantastic, huh?" Shizuru asked, slowly sitting up with the heel of one hand pressed against her forehead. "Obviously you weren't drinking last night."

Botan's smile widened and she sat up at Shizuru's side.

"Good night, though," Shizuru said. "Surprised that even Hiei joined us – well, not that he actually participated in the karaoke, or the meal, or the conversation…"

Shizuru chuckled.

"I wonder if we're the first ones up?" she mused.

"Well, we are, yes," Botan answered her. "Keiko and Yukina are clearly still asleep."

Shizuru looked over at their two friends, still sleeping soundly on her bed.

"I wasn't talking about those two," she said. "I meant the boys."

Shizuru turned to Botan with a smirk, and Botan's mind shifted immediately to the idea that if all the girls were in Shizuru's bedroom, then, logically, all the boys must be in Kuwabara's bedroom.

"I'll go check," she said, rising to her feet.

"Get me an aspirin while you're up, would you Botan?" Shizuru asked as Botan stepped over her legs.

"Sure thing, Shizuru," Botan agreed.

Botan padded over to the doorway, looking down at herself briefly before she opened the door. Whereas Keiko and Yukina were in their pyjamas, Botan, just like Shizuru, was still dressed in the clothes she apparently had been wearing the day before. She was wearing the blue leggings Keiko always told her to be wary of, a pair of enormous, thick, woolly yellow socks and a loose yellow dress, tied at the waist with a thick belt that was the same shade of blue as her leggings. Touching a hand to the side of her head, she suspected her hair had been in pigtails, but it had fallen loose and was a little dishevelled. She opened the door and moved out into the hallway, smoothing her hands over her hair. She took a deep breath and started towards Kuwabara's bedroom, but, after just a few steps, the door opened.

"I'm gonna go take a shit, don't eat the all the udon before I get back."

Botan stopped short as Yusuke stepped out into the hallway, yawning and stretching his arms above his head.

"Hey, Botan," he said as he turned away from her and started down the hallway.

Botan whimpered and covered her face with her hands.

"Shut up, Botan, don't act like you haven't seen it before," Yusuke called back to her.

Botan dropped her hands to her sides, her eyes immediately landing on Yusuke's naked backside as he entered the bathroom.

"Why can't you at least put some underwear on?" she complained.

"I told you before, Botan, I sleep naked," he called back. "Only way I can get comfortable."

Kuwabara poked his head out into the hallway, making a noise of alarm as he caught a glimpse of Yusuke before he closed the bathroom door.

"Urameshi! What if Yukina sees you like that?"

Kuwabara stepped out into the hall, looking scruffy, but at least wearing long boxer shorts and a vest.

"Sorry about that, Botan," he said meekly.

"Oh, it's not your fault, Kuwabara," Botan assured him. "And he is right. I've seen him naked far too many times…"

Kuwabara gave her a strange look.

"I believe she is merely referring to the fact that Yusuke often sheds his clothing when we all stay the night here," Kurama said as he joined them in the hall.

He was wearing blindingly white pyjamas that were so perfectly pressed, it looked impossible that he could have slept in them.

"Good morning, Botan," he greeted her.

"Good morning, Kurama," she answered him.

He stepped forward, and Botan noticed something moving behind him. A moment later, Hiei stepped out from behind him and started down the hallway towards the top of the stairs.

"Where are you going, Hiei?" Kuwabara called after him.

Hiei was fully dressed, even still wearing his boots, and he was carrying his cloak and scarf in one hand.

"Hey, Hiei!" Kuwabara called.

"I'm not interested in staying for breakfast," Hiei said, without looking back or breaking stride.

"That's rude, Hiei!" Kuwabara called after him.

"I have no desire to watch you dribble again," Hiei said as he began moving down the stairs.

"I don't dribble when I eat!" Kuwabara yelled over the railing at him.

"I wasn't talking about when you are eating."

"Huh?"

Kuwabara scratched his head in confusion and Kurama hid a small smile behind his hand.

"Is he just leaving?" Botan asked, moving over to the railing and peering down as Hiei left the stairs and started towards the front door.

"Don't worry, Botan, he's that rude to everybody," Kuwabara grumbled.

Botan moved along the upper hallway, keeping Hiei in her line of sight as he continued out the front door. She stopped at the top step, flinching as he slammed the door closed behind himself. He had not even looked at her. It was just the way he usually treated her: he did not even notice her. She had often felt that way about Hiei. Most of the time, when the group were all together, for whatever reason, Hiei would stand back. He never looked directly at her. He barely acknowledged her, even if she approached him. It was like she did not even exist as far as he was concerned: she could be standing right in front of him and he would just walk on by.

Botan snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the toilet flushing, turning and hurrying back along the corridor.

"A wise decision," Kurama said to her as she slipped past him and Kuwabara.

"Is it morning?" Yukina said as she appeared in Shizuru's bedroom doorway.

"Get back inside the room, Yukina!" Kuwabara cried.

"Come on, Yukina, you don't want to see what the boys are up to," Botan said, holding up her hands and backing Yukina into the room.

"Yusuke having a wardrobe malfunction again?" Shizuru asked, before lighting up a cigarette.

"Oh, Botan, he didn't…" Keiko groaned.

"It's fine," Botan assured her. "Like Yusuke said himself, it's not like it's anything I haven't seen before…"

"You didn't look, did you?" Keiko asked.

"No, I never do," Botan replied.

"Not front on, anyway," Shizuru muttered.

"You look at him when he turns away?" Keiko asked.

"N-no," Botan lied. "I just… Look away. And… Think of Spirit World."

Keiko gave Botan a scrutinising look as Shizuru chuckled from her position still sitting on the floor. Yukina glanced between them all before settling her attention on Botan.

"What are you all talking about?" she asked.

"Don't worry about it, sweetie," Botan assured her.

"Did you get my aspirin, Botan?" Shizuru asked.

"No," Botan replied.

"I'll go," Keiko said with a sigh. "It's not like I haven't seen it all before."

Botan stepped back to allow Keiko to pass her. A moment after she had stepped outside, she began shouting at Yusuke. Kuwabara leaned into the room and offered to lead Yukina to safety, and she took his hand and let him lead her out of the room.

"Close the door, Botan," Shizuru said once they had gone.

Botan did as she asked and moved over, kneeling down by Shizuru's side, already knowing that her friend had asked her to close the door in order for them to discuss something privately.

"Still not looking at dicks, huh?"

"What?"

Shizuru looked at Botan from the corner of her eye as she took a draw on her cigarette.

"It would be rude to look!" Botan said.

"True," Shizuru admitted, nodding her head. "But most people would. Natural curiosity, and all that."

"He's my friend. And he's Keiko's boyfriend!" Botan argued.

"I've looked."

"What?"

"It's no big deal, Botan."

"Are you saying Yusuke has a small–"

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying it's just a little… Odd."

"What is?"

"That a girl obsessed with what boys and girls get up together has never seen a penis before."

"Well, I've never had the chance to see one!"

"You just had a chance."

"I don't want my first time to be with Yusuke!"

Botan froze as she realised that someone had opened the door behind her during her last statement.

"Damn Botan, and here I thought I'd get first shot at you, being a former Spirit Detective and all," Yusuke's voice said behind her.

Botan wailed and dropped her face into her hands.

"Come on, I'm making breakfast," Yusuke added.

"Come on Botan," Shizuru said, standing up.

Botan sighed and took the hand Shizuru was offering her, letting her friend help her to her feet.

"Yeah Botan," Yusuke said as she started towards the door. "Let me put something hot inside of you."

"Yusuke!"

Botan swung at him but he darted out of her reach.

"That was your fault, Shizuru!" she complained.

"Yeah, of course it was," Shizuru said with a smile. "It's absolutely my fault that a… How old are you again?"

Botan gave her a flat look.

"A woman of your age and with your fascination in dick has never seen one," Shizuru finished regardless of Botan's lack of a reply.

"I don't want to be looking at just any old…" she started.

Shizuru started to laugh.

"It's not funny!" Botan complained.

"Right," Shizuru said. "You definitely don't want to be looking at just any old dick."

Botan shook her head, but found herself laughing too.

"I didn't mean it like that!" she said.

"I know, sweetie," Shizuru assured her. "Come on, I really need that aspirin."

Shizuru put her hands on Botan's shoulders and guided her along the hallway to the top of the staircase. As they started down the stairs, Botan quickly forgot about her misunderstanding with Yusuke, the memory of Hiei slipping out earlier proving to be more concerning to her. She felt it was a cruel thing that the Lure had done, to awaken an idea in her, to show her a Hiei that was interested in her, when in reality, he barely seemed to notice her. If she never saw him again, she doubted he would even give her another thought. Even seeing him as often as she did, she was almost sure he never gave her a thought.

Except when she was talking to Yukina, and came close to accidentally mentioning the relation between the two. He was always quick to think of her then.

Botan sat down at the dining table, deciding that, as soon as she found the perfect opportunity to, she would pretend to tell Yukina about Hiei. That would bring him back. She poured herself a coffee and stirred in a spoon of sugar, looking around the table as she waited for her chance.

"Do want some of my cream with that, Botan?"

Botan looked up at Yusuke, who winked at her.

"We weren't talking about what you think we were, Yusuke!" she wailed.

"What?" Keiko asked, looking back and forth between Botan and Yusuke. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Keiko," Botan quickly answered her.

Yusuke continued serving up breakfast and Botan remained silent, waiting for her moment, waiting for the perfect time to pretend to betray Hiei's confidence.

"You got a hangover, Botan?" Yusuke asked her, partway through the meal.

"No," she replied.

"You're weirdly quiet," Kuwabara pointed out.

"I'm fine," she lied. "Maybe Hiei had a hangover. Maybe that was why he left."

"I don't think Hiei was drinking last night," Kuwabara said, shaking his head.

"Maybe he left so that he wouldn't make a fool of himself," Botan continued blindly, deciding this was as good an opportunity as any to summon Hiei. "In front of his little–"

Botan was cut off when Shizuru pushed a piece of toast into her mouth.

"Don't forget to try some of this bread, Botan," she said.

Botan made irritated noises as she chewed through the dry toast, trying to chew it up and swallow it down as quickly as possible, to allow her to continue with her plan. She was a little surprised that Hiei had not interrupted her sooner, usually just thinking about mentioning his relation to Yukina was enough to have him scolding her telepathically.

"As I was saying," she said, once she had finally swallowed down the toast. "Hiei probably left to avoid embarrassing himself in front of Yu-ow!"

Botan's jaw dropped as she glared across the table at Yusuke.

"In front of me," Yusuke finished for her. "Cause Hiei knows I never give him any peace when he has a hangover."

"Yeah, he's so grumpy," Kuwabara agreed.

Botan sneered at Yusuke as she reached a hand down to rub her shin where he had kicked her under the table.

"I was trying to say something," she complained.

"Maybe don't try so hard," Shizuru advised her.

"Yeah, Botan," Yusuke added. "Relax."

Botan sighed and decided to give up on her plan. If Yusuke and Shizuru would not let her carry out the idea, she could simply come back later, go to Genkai's temple when Yukina would be alone, and try again then. And, with that thought in mind, she relaxed into the moment and enjoyed her breakfast.


After deliberately using the shower last at the Kuwabaras' house, and then taking her time getting dressed – she had apparently had the foresight to bring a change of clothes, as she found a set of clothing in her overnight bag – Botan managed to time her exit such that Kuwabara returned to the house after taking Yukina back to the temple at the same time that Botan left to go visit her. She took her time flying to Genkai's temple, partly because it was a lovely bright (if cold) day, and partly because she was in no hurry to return to Spirit World. She had her communication mirror with her, and she knew that, if he needed her urgently enough, Koenma would call her, and she had already decided to remain in the living world until exactly that happened.

As she neared the temple, Botan started to slow, ultimately stopping to a static hover. She was flying high enough in the air that she could see well beyond the temple from the point she was. She could see miles and miles of trees, the open grounds of the temple, and the edge of the treeline at the top of a valley.

Botan looked down at the temple for a long time, her mind blank. When she started to move again, she soon moved past the temple, over the trees, and began to descend as she found herself above the rice fields.

"Back here again?"

Botan paused, a few feet above the water, four levels down from the top of the valley.

"Yes, I knew you would come here. Your predictability at least makes this task easier for me."

Botan slowly turned around, where she found herself looking at a lone figure, sitting on the edge of the first field, feet dipped into the water below. She drifted over, stopping a few feet away.

"It's a very quaint choice of location to will your own demise."

Botan frowned.

"I might have guessed you'd have chosen something a little more… Colourful and feminine."

"Feminine?"

One side of Hiei's mouth curled up into an amused smirk.

"A field of flowers, perhaps," he said.

"I prefer it here," she answered him. "I can see the sky in the fields. That's prettier than a field of flowers."

"Curious," he responded. "I've never especially cared for the sky, though of course I don't spend as much time in it as you do."

"I suppose the sky isn't exactly a place you'd like to be. Didn't you fall from the sky when you were–"

"Yes, well, this isn't about my preferences."

Botan drifted further over, stepping off of her oar and sitting down onto the ground beside Hiei. She was not quite brave enough to sit directly next to him, and so left about a foot between them. She then removed her ankle boots and socks, rolled up her jeans to her knees and lowered her bared feet down into the water, just as Hiei had done.

"It's just so peaceful here," she commented as she looked out at the view she adored so.

"Peaceful is one word for it," Hiei replied. "Another might be isolated. I never thought of you as the sort who enjoyed isolation."

"I live in a part of King Enma's temple that's very small," Botan explained. "Really quite cramped. I share a kitchen and a lounge with nine other ferry girls. I don't often get time to myself. I like to come here sometimes, to enjoy the view, enjoy the silence."

"Hn, it's funny how even I have made incorrect assumptions about you."

Botan turned to look at Hiei. He was looking up at the sky, a hint of an amused smile on his face, but a strange sense of sadness in his eyes. She was waiting for him to explain his last remark, as it had seemed leading, as though he was expecting a specific response from her, or as though it marked the beginning of something more substantial he intended to say. She kept watching him, her attention shortly drifting to how he looked. He had that same pale, almost tight-looking skin on his face that Yukina had. He also shared her pronounced and precise cheekbones and jawline. Sometimes, he looked so much like his twin, Botan wondered how it was that Kuwabara and Keiko had never made the connection. The only striking difference in appearance was their hair colour. Hiei's hair was so dark, and looking at it then, she remembered how it had felt against her face, against her lips, when she had held him in her arms.

"I didn't think you even thought about me at all," she admitted. "It feels that way. Like most of the time you don't even notice whether I'm around or not."

"And you had to come to the Lure to change that?" Hiei asked, turning to look at her.

"Yes, I did," she replied.

"Hn," he grunted, his expression hardening. "Then I suppose this is as much my fault."

Botan frowned. It was not often that Hiei admitted he was at fault. In fact, she was not sure she had ever heard him admit to being at fault for anything.

"Does this mean you'll stop ignoring me?" she asked.

"I didn't think I ever was ignoring you," he replied.

"Well, you've got a funny way of showing it!" she complained.

"I understand."

Botan was a little surprised at his response, especially because of the soft, almost submissive tone he had delivered it in.

"I have to go," he said. "Stay out of the water."

Hiei stood up at her side and Botan scrambled up at his side, but by the time she was on her feet he had gone, with no hint of which direction he had left in, almost as though he had literally vanished. She looked out over the valley for a moment before summoning her oar and flying away.

If Hiei was not there, she had no reason to stay.


Next Chapter: Life might just be one endless party, as Botan wakes up in the living world and gets to spend another fun-filled day with her friends. Everything is light and easy, and Hiei is being exceptionally warm and approachable. Everything is perfect: except for that weird cartoon that keeps playing on the television. Chapter 21: All I Know