Hospital Visit
It's been a month and everyone has been doing other things to keep themselves occupied. Recently, Yusuke just got back from Makai and he was at Genkai's temple where the others were there together.
"So, you met your ancestor, and what was he like?" Kuwabara asked.
"He's a good old champ for all I know. He really was a cool one I tell you that much." Yusuke replied with a small grin of remembering the last time he spoke with Raizen.
"I wonder what this tournament is going to be like since you've asked Yomi to be apart of it." Botan implied.
"Well, all I know is that this tournament is going to be the next level for me," Yusuke smirked.
"I wish you the best of luck. I'm not entering this time when I have to focus on school and my future." Kuwabara said.
"I guess so since Shizuru did have a serious talk about what your future goals are," Keiko said with a genuine smile.
"It's a shame you won't be with us Kuwabara. But we'll tell you all about it when we get back." Kurama said.
The door in the temple opened as Koenma appeared with a smile on his face. He approached the others with his hands in his pockets looking rather flawless today.
"Hello Koenma, what brings you here?" Botan asked.
"I came to stop by and to let you all know about Eri," Koenma replied.
Silence filled the room as Hiei came over to peer behind to hear if anything was wrong with Eri while she was in the spirit world getting herself recovered. It's been so long since they have last seen her that they were really concerned about her wellbeing after being quarantined that none of them got to see her face.
"Is she okay?" Keiko asked.
"Everything is just fine. The doctor reported back to me that she's back to her normal self and that her horn is smaller." Koenma chimed. "She's been asking to see you guys again. If you want you can come by now."
Yusuke and the others were glad to hear the news. Eri was going to be fine, and her fever went down too.
"Well let's get going!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"I'm glad that she's fine. Poor girl must be wondering what we all have been doing in the past few weeks. She really must have thought about us." Keiko said with a small smile.
"Yeah. We should go there now." Yusuke said.
"Wait! At least, give her a small gift basket that she might enjoy." Botan said.
"Good idea." Yusuke grins only to fall as he scrunches up his face. "But..we don't know what she likes. Ever since we've been taking turns to look after her to cheer her up. It wasn't worth it, but it's worth a try to put something inside the gift basket."
"Right. How about we fill up small things in the basket that she might like." Kurama suggests in a kind tone that everyone agreed except for Hiei.
As everyone goes to get a small gift for the girl, Hiei tries to think back to what Eri would like. Nothing too girly, he'd hope she would like his gift, and he wanted to talk to her alone by any chance.
'Eri...' He thought as he passed by every store until he shook his head to let out a small sigh escaping his lips.
"Phooey." He mumbled.
As everyone was getting ready to go see Eri at the spirit world Kurama noticed his fire demon friend was looking a little down.
"Hiei, aren't you going to give Eri a gift?" Kurama asked.
"I don't know what to give her," Hiei replied in a low tone.
Kurama can see through the demon's stoic face, and in those eyes were a little sad that he couldn't find a gift for the little demon child that suffered through so much.
"Nevermind that and I'm sure she won't mind at all," Kurama reassured his demon friend with a small smile formed across his lips. "After all, she seems to have a gift already."
Hiei looks up at Kurama confused by his statement that he made about Eri already having a gift from him. What gift was it?
"Hey, the portal opens for us two! Let's get going Eri is waiting for us!" Yusuke chimed as the fox and demon exchanged small smiles before heading inside of the portal.
As the whole group entered, Kuwabara had the gift basket prepared for Eri when she got to see what's inside. Koenma was escorting them to the gate entrance to enter the hospital.
"The doctor told me that Eri is fine. Just as long as we can keep her stable since her spirit energy is quite difficult yet-I think she should be alright to be having some guests over." Koenma told the others as they nodded their heads.
Koenma escorts them to where Eri's room is as he opens the door as everyone including Hiei were happy to see the girl. Eri was sitting on her knees on the hospital bed, as her eyes met the others she hasn't seen in such a long time.
"Eri!" They called out rushing towards the girl happily as her eyes slightly widened. A glint of happiness was in them to see her friends again.
"We missed you," Botan said.
"How are you feeling?" Kurama asked.
"I-I'm fine." She blinked sitting on her knees to scan everyone around the room.
Yusuke grinned, "I knew you didn't forget about us. Do you remember our names?"
Eri's mouth gaps open a little as she starts, "Yusuke..." She glanced over at the orange brunette and red-headed demon fox, "Kuwabara...Kurama..." The two nodded as she faced the fire demon, "Hiei..." then over at the girls, "Keiko, Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru."
"Hey! She remembers us." Yusuke hugged the girl happily in his embrace before releasing her grip.
"Hey, Eri, we all got you a gift. It's a gift basket full of stuff that we put in for you." Kuwabara handed her the basket as she took it to take a look inside. "I even got you a fruit. Peach is your favorite, right?"
She looked at him with a straight face replying, "Apple."
"Oh, uh, hee-hee. I knew that." He chuckled, scratching the back of his nape nervously.
"We're glad to see you healthy and back to your normal stage, Eri." Yukina smiled warmly at the girl as Eri set the basket aside.
"Thank you, for the gifts," Eri said as she had a sad expression on her face.
The other's faces changed to look at the girl in concern about what was making her so sad all of sudden.
"Eri? What's wrong?" Kurama asked.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you all. I-I didn't mean to..." She apologized as she lowered her head clutching her gown continuously, "If Sensui hadn't shot the bullet...Hiei y-you wouldn't have lost your dragon. I'm sorry."
The others wore a sad expression as Hiei reassured the child by patting her head, "Eri, it isn't your fault. I had no choice, but to lose my power or save you. I chose you." Hiei meant what he said to her straight up that he stares into those reddish eyes of innocence.
'This whole thing wasn't her fault. One day, she'll understand what this fight turned out to be.' Kurama thought.
"I...I am sorry. You need your dragon don't you?" Eri hiccuped.
Yusuke and Kurama came over to calm her down as Hiei stares down sadly. Yes, he needed his dragon, but more importantly, he needed Eri to stay alive and grow up to be happy. She was a blessing and could fix anything with her useful spirit energy.
"I do. My dragon is my everything, but so are you." He said removed his hand from her head as he took her hand gently.
Eri's lips quivered that she accidentally used her spirit energy to somehow restore a little something for Hiei.
"W-What...Did she just-" Kuwabara was in 'awe' as the fire demon felt his dark strong aura return to his body with his eyes widened.
"S-She used her rewind to give back your dragon, Hiei. All right!" Yusuke triumphed.
"Be careful. Don't you all ever listen to the doctor's warning?" Koenma eye rolls as he grinned underneath the pacifier happy to see that Hiei had his spirit energy back.
"I-I...didn't mean to-" Eri was cut off by Hiei hugging the child that surprised every one of the actions he was doing around her.
"Thank you, Eri." He said with a small smile on his lips before breaking away.
"Interesting. So, Eri cannot only rewind others who have lost their spirit energy. As a result of her power that our powers can be restored by her before the point of the spirit, energy is a phenomenon." Kurama explained a little shocked that Eri's power isn't so bad after all when she learns how to control it.
"Wow. That's really. I don't know what to say about that." Yusuke said scratching the back of his nape.
"She still needs time to learn how to use her power. Eri needs a training session, so until then, she needs to rest until she is fully recovered." Hiei said holding Eri by her side as she lay her head against his chest which was warm.
"Right."
"I... was thinking... about you guys... when I was in a fever and how you saved me... You two and everyone else... I wanna be your friend." Eri spoke up sitting up while Hiei released her out of his grip smiling a little.
"We want to be your friend too," Kurama said with a genuine smile.
Eri tilts her head to the side saying, "I-I don't know what to call you."
Kurama stares at her a little wide-eyed asking, "What do you mean?"
"You transformed into a white fox." She said.
"Oh! That's actually my demon form known as Yoko." Kurama explained.
"Yoko?" She repeated in a squeaky voice.
Her eyes glimpse over at Hiei asking, "And why do you have a third eye?"
"It's a Jagan Eye it allows me to use telepathy, mind control, telekinesis, remote viewing, heightening senses, energy manipulation, and demonic fire manipulation," Hiei explained.
"That's a lot for what an eye can do." She said as Hiei let out a small chuckle. "Does it hurt?"
"Merely if something were to sting it. Then, yes, it would be hurt." Hiei replied.
Eri stood up to plant a kiss on his forehead that the girls were cooing and the guys let out a chuckle. Hiei tries to hide a blush from the unexpected girl's actions he received from her.
"I wanted to make you felt better after what happened." She said as she sat back down resting her hands on her lap.
Yusuke leans over to rest a hand on the girl's head gently, "We risked our lives to save you, we couldn't leave you. Everyone wanted to see you smile afterward when you were safe." He sat back up giving her a small sad smile on his lips staring at her eyes glistening. Eri scans her eyes at everyone as she felt her lips quivered as she used her hands to touch her face. The others looked at her confused not understanding what she was trying to do.
"What are you doing Eri?" Kuwabara asked.
Eri stops motioning as she set her hands on her lap saying, "This is so silly. I forgot how smiling feels."
That broke everyone's heart in the room as Yusuke clenched his fist as Hiei faced away letting out a low growl.
"Damn," Yusuke mumbled.
'She can't remember what smiling feels. It's no wonder why she can't smile...' Hiei thought.
Afternoon
"We better get going. It's getting late." Shizuru said.
"It was nice seeing you again, Eri. Take care." Yusuke said hugging her and left out of the room along with the others after he shut the door behind him.
Eri was in her room gazing outside of the window watching the sunset as she felt something underneath the covers. She moves the sheets to the side to find Hiei's cloak as she let out a gasp and hurries to grab it, then climbs out of the bed holding the torn cloak to open the door and rush out to find Hiei.
"I'm glad that we finally got a chance to see, Eri," Kuwabara said.
"At least we know what she's capable of. Koenma told us that they even got rid of anything that Sensui had that were bullets with Eri's spirit energy." Yusuke said.
"I can't wait for her to be out soon," Botan said.
"Maybe not too soon," Kurama said.
"What do you mean, Kurama?" Yusuke asked.
"You heard what Koenma told us," Kurama said in a bold tone. "Eri may be safe for now...but she's still in the mental condition of the abuse. She's still being haunted by Sensui's aura around her that we don't know if she'll be okay. We've got to do something about that."
"Yeah. For sure," Yusuke said, merely nodding.
"All of those scars on her body was what Sensui did to operate on her," Keiko said in a sad tone.
"Hiei! Wait I need to tell you something." Eri pleaded.
The others turned their heads to see the girl was out of bed holding the cloak in her arms.
"Eri! You shouldn't be out of bed." Yukina said.
"I-I have to see Hiei and talk to him real quick. I-I even want to him back his cloak." She replied.
The fire demon stopped his tracks as he saw Kurama sending him a genuine smile and nodded. Hiei walks over to the little demon girl kneeling to pick her small body in his that he couldn't lie that she was so small and adorable.
"I'll take her back and talk with her. Go on without me." Hiei told the others flatly as he carried Eri back to her room down the long way. When he reached her room he sets her on the bed and took a seat next to her.
"What did you want to talk about?" He asked.
Eri looks down replying, "I'm glad to see you came. I was thinking if you were coming or not."
"What makes you think that?" Hiei asked.
Eri said, "I know how often you like to be alone. But, I knew you were worried about me after I was losing control."
Hiei deeply thought back when she was trying to stop her spirit energy. She was scared that she would hurt Yusuke and not only him but everyone else. Koenma did say that Eri's ability was exceptionally strong and that he was the only one to stop her.
"So, Eri's power can not only rewind living things there is more what she can do?" Yusuke inquired.
"From what I have heard that Eri can rewind things like Shinobu told us. Eri has the power to rewind our DNA to a stage where spirit energy and demon energy never existed." Koenma informed as the others were likely shocked that Eri power can level up and keep going to erase anything from existing.
"True. But, what we should worry about is helping her." Kurama said.
"She still doesn't know how to stop her power nor did Sensui," Yusuke added.
"I know that it was tough for you." Eri lowers her head as Hiei walks over to sit next to her. "Your power is a lot stronger than my own. I'm glad that you gave me back my dragon and it didn't harm me."
"I'm glad too." She chirped.
A small smile appeared on Hiei's lips talking to the little demon so frail and kind. His heart was cold and had broken down into pieces after recalling back to what Sensui did. She was like him when he was younger except for just an innocent demon he viewed.
He then remembered something and it was his birthstone necklace, "Where did you find the necklace?"
"I found it near the river. When I ran away from Sensui to escape and then I saw a portal to brought me to the human world." She explained.
'The river...It was still there after all these years.' Hiei thought. 'She kept it safe and made sure it didn't get lost again.'
"I missed you," Eri said, surprising Hiei as she glanced up at him with her bright red eyes. "I-I thought about you and the others risking your lives to save me. I had to trust you all by heart." She said in between as Hiei listened. "When I grabbed your cloak...I felt safe and warm. You wanted me to be safe and okay while trying to save me. It made me realize that you showed how much you care about me."
As Hiei sat in silence he replied, "I know. I couldn't just let you go like that. I had to make sure you...you weren't going to be scared. Not after what he did."
"Did you miss me?" Eri asked.
Hiei gently pats her head saying, "I missed you. A lot after saving you. I would go to the swings set and think about you. I missed your presence and the day we shared things we did together."
Eri was slightly surprised that the cold-hearted demon she was around sometimes had grown to love her presence. He missed Eri very much that he would go to the playground thinking about her.
"I'm sorry I worried you." Eri apologized.
Hiei shook his head.
"Don't be." He said as he watched the little demon handing over the half-torn cloak he gave her trying to protect her against Sensui.
"C-Can you fix this?" She handed him his cloak piercing her lips together. "I-It kept me warm and I didn't let go of it when I got here."
Hiei nodded taking the cloak away from her as he could tell her eyes were getting droopy that she was tired.
"You should probably get some rest. After all, we did spend the whole day with you and you need your strength back." He said, pushing Eri back on the bed gently and wrapped the sheets on her to keep the girl warm.
"Hiei?"
"Hn?"
"Will you come by sometime and visit me?"
He nodded, "I will. I promise."
"Do you still remember our promise?"
Hiei was a little surprised that she didn't forget the promise they made. He had to tell Yukina the truth; Eri wants him to be happy just like Yukina. He knew she cared deeply about him in her heart and he too wanted the little one to be happy.
"I remember." He said in a low whisper as he reached up to brush her long hair out of her face as she went to sleep.
'I made a promise. I cannot break it.' Hiei deeply thought as he took his torn cloak retrieving it after leaving the hospital.
