Author's Note (14.04.2009): I hope now that I have the second chapter posted, the story will be a little more appealing to readers. If there are any words/phrases that you do not understand, please feel free to ask in a review or even message me/mail me. I would be more than happy to tell you the answer. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Secrets Secrets Are No Fun II
Secret II: Engagement
"Wedding?!"
The three Spirit Detectives glanced upwards at Botan in confusion. "Botan, you're getting married?!" Yusuke and Kazuma demanded together in unison. "Since when have you been engaged?"
"Is it really the time to be asking that now?" she whined while fighting against her sister's crimson and golden silks.
The redhead Detective stepped forward and asked coolly, "Why didn't you say anything about it, Botan?" Is this what you were holding back? Is this the reason why you couldn't be with me?
Doing her best to ignore Kurama's pained expression, Botan struggled against her bonds and answered, "It's not what you guys think."
"It's exactly what they think!" Bara huffed while hiding her hands in her sleeves. She glared at her cousin with disdaining amethyst eyes. "Despite your protests, Koenma, you knew that she was engaged to a Prince of Heaven. There's no way you wouldn't have known! You should have sent her back home the moment she neared your doorstep. Didn't you ever wonder why Botan spent so much time here with you? Why do you think she suddenly moved here without anyone's permission?! She's the heiress to the Pavilion of the Heavenly Glade, and she must marry the prince according to the contract. You know all of this, Koenma: you were there at Botan's blooming ceremony when they announced all of this!"
While the maiden continued her raving and ranting, Yusuke raised a brow at her statement. "Blooming ceremony?"
George, who had been hiding against the wall inconspicuously, whispered to the human boys, "All celestial maidens are born from spirit flowers from the Gardens of Heaven. The day a maiden is born is called the 'blooming ceremony': it's the day she emerges from her flower and joins the other powers of Heaven." The prince's aide nodded towards the trapped Botan in the air. "We were invited to the Gardens of Heaven for Botan's blooming ceremony. Her peony was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen!"
"Botan was born from a flower?" the dark haired boy crossed his arms and shook his head. "Tch, it figures."
"But Onee-sama! I'm the second daughter! I shouldn't be the heir," Botan argued from her position in the air. She continued to struggle against the crimson and gold silks in hopes of escaping. "You should be the one getting married! Not me!"
"How many times do I have to tell you? This marriage is set in stone. This was your destiny the day your flower budded in the Garden!" She shot her younger sister a fierce glare while shaking a finger at her. "In fact, you would have already been married had you not run away ten minutes prior to the ceremony five hundred years ago!"
"Koenma-sama!" an ogre shouted as he burst into the office through the doors.
The prince groaned and grabbed the bridge of his nose; he started banging his head against his desk. He did not like the sound of urgency in his employee's voice. "Now what?!"
"Koenma-sama, he's here! The Terrible Dragon of the East!" The ogre wailed with abundant tears. "The Prince of the Eastern Heavens, he's—"
A strong wave of Spirit Energy hit everyone, putting the three Spirit Detectives on their guard. "What the hell is this?" Yusuke exclaimed while revamping his spiritual aura to keep from being blasted away. He stared out and down the hallway while demanding, "Who the hell has this much power in Spirit World?"
The ogre said "the Terrible Dragon of the East," Kurama thought with a frown. He couldn't have possibly meant that prince, the one of legends…
Unexpectedly, a tall imposing figure appeared before the three human boys. Dressed in gold armor decorated with azure dragons, the powerful spirit stood a head taller than Kuwabara with an intimidating aura. Even though his figure appeared to be lithe beneath his armor, the newcomer seemed larger than anyone else in the room. Ignoring the ogres and ferry girls kneeling on the ground and bowing to him, the spirit marched purposely towards Koenma and Bara. A heavy helmet hid his face from view. The stranger said nothing as he walked past the Detectives and moved towards the center of the room. In pregnant silence, everyone stood still in the room as they waited for the sudden new guest.
The heavenly maiden bowed respectfully while muttering, "Kaou 'nii-sama."
In like reaction, Koenma whispered in awe and bowed, "Aniue. Welcome to the Gate of Judgment."
He's actually here. He actually left the Palace in Heaven and came here… Botan simply stared from her place in midair. "Kaou 'nii-sama."
At the sound of the tenderness and care in her voice, Kurama looked up and saw an expression that he thought that only he had been privileged to see. But not anymore, he thought with growing agitation. Exactly who is he to her? Who is he that he could make her feel so? So when she looked at Kurama, had she been thinking of this man? And why does his name sound so familiar?
"Bara, put Botan down," a deep voice ordered from the ornate helmet.
"But I—Kaou 'nii-sama, you know that…"
Kaou…Kaou, where have I heard that name before? Wait…The Terrible Dragon of the East, the "King of Blossoms"…Kaou…Kurama clicked his tongue in annoyance and disapproval. "I knew it."
"Eh? What do you know about this guy?" Kazuma asked. "You've met him before, Kurama?"
"No, I don't have the honor of ever meeting him; however, this prince, Kaou-sama, is famous throughout Demon World. He is 'The Terrible Dragon of the East,' the man that destroyed an A-class demon army of five hundred with one blow." Kurama watched the armored spirit warily. "Demons, no matter what type or class, fear him; we're all taught to recognize his armor upon sight. And from what I understand, rumors about him are rampant in Spirit World as well. No one dares defying him, not even his own father, the Emperor of Heaven." And he has Botan's heart at this point in time, Kurama grumbled most unhappily. Could he be the reason why Botan ran away from her wedding? Was she in love with this man so she couldn't marry her fiancée? That would explain why she kept everything a secret—it would be scandalous if she were having an affair with another man, especially if he were Kaou-sama.
"You know a lot about my master," a voice snickered beside Kurama. Yusuke and Kazuma jumped back in surprise; Kurama simply stared at the newest stranger with an indifferent expression. "Whew, you're not easily surprised, just as they say, Youko Kurama. It's an honor to meet you," the young man bowed most happily. With his eyes slanted shut mischievously, the fox spirit wiggled his red ears while smiling behind his dark-green and violet sleeve. His bushy tail flicked from side to side in glee as he hid behind his tall master. From there he cheerily waved at Botan. "Ke ke, it's been a while, Botan-pi!"
Amethyst eyes brightened considerably. "Kon-kon!"
Again the deep voice rumbled, "Bara, I won't repeat myself."
"But Kaou 'nii-sama—" The air grew heavy and tense as Spirit Energy raised to alarming levels. "I understand!" the sky-haired heavenly maiden shrieked while covering her head with her long sleeves. "Please, please stop it, Kaou 'nii-sama!" With her surrender, the dangerous aura around the armored prince settled. Grudgingly, Bara obeyed and released Botan from the silks.
As soon as she was set onto her feet, the freed ferry girl rushed towards the Heavenly Prince and threw her arms around his neck. "Kaou 'nii-sama! It's been so long!"
Kurama did everything he could to keep himself from launching at the prince. Why was Botan so fondly greeting him? So, am I right? Is he the reason why she didn't get married so long ago? Is he the reason why she refuses to get married now? Is that why she won't go public with our relationship?
All of the ogres and ferry girls stared at Botan in shock, wondering if they should worry for her life. How could she embrace Prince Kaou of Heaven so casually? He had the ear of the Emperor of Heaven! Everyone in Spirit World knew that Prince Kaou liked no one and was the most severe and stern out of all of his siblings. He was famous for never smiling, always giving cold answers, and never showing any mercy. He stuck to tradition, rules, and formality more than anyone and despised those who went against him. What in the world was Botan thinking?
"It's been five hundred years, Botan," Kaou said sternly while pulling her away from him.
It's just as we thought, the Spirit World employees thought in unison. He's rough, even with a smaller girl like Botan—and he's really angry!
Releasing Botan's shoulders, Kaou took of his ornate helmet of dragon emblems, sapphire plumes, and jewels and floored everyone with his altered appearance. Jealously, the males in the room admired Kaou's handsomeness: long flawless snow hair, clear complexion, chiseled manly features. Even his eyes, despite being the same color as Botan's, conveyed manly confidence and power. "I'm hurt that you've never contacted me after you ran away. You embarrassed Chichiue and Hahaue, Botan. I've lost face in Heaven. And even now, you've erected a barrier between us."
He's definitely angry, the entire room shivered. He's really angry!!
Botan blushed and sheepishly apologized, "I'm sorry, I never meant for you to be hurt by me. I never intended for you to suffer my consequences. I'm sorry that I ran out on you, Kaou 'nii-chan. It's just I can't be married to you."
WHAT?!! Everyone collectively gasped. Botan is engaged to Prince Kaou of Heaven?! And she ran out on HIM? And what's with the sudden honorific change?
Verdant eyes simmered with golden tints as Kurama fixed his mask of indifference solidly on his face. Unfortunately, he couldn't settle his Demon Energy as readily. Kazuma again began shivering from the murderous intent and asked Yusuke if he felt that cold energy from before. Urameshi ignored him and kept his attention on Kaou and Botan.
So, Yusuke summarized in his mind, Botan was supposed to marry this Kaou guy five-hundred years ago. But she ran out on him. Now her sister and her fiancé are here to take her back home. And Botan says no and that she's sorry but she can't marry him. What's going to happen now?
To everyone's surprise and disbelief, Kaou smiled gently down at Botan and affectionately cupped her cheek. The on-looking ferry girls did their best to fight back the excited squeals. "Don't worry," he assured her with a serious face. "I understand why you did it, and I don't hold it against you." Botan released her breath in relief. "However, I'm sorry to say that I have to take you back home, Botan. Chichiue ordered you to return to the Pavilion, and he has sent me to retrieve you."
"Please, please don't make me go back!" Botan begged. While holding his larger, rougher hands, the young woman pleaded desperately with some tears, "Please, Kaou 'nii-chan, I don't want to go back home—not yet. Can't you just tell the Emperor that you couldn't find me?"
Expressions of disbelief fixed themselves on every person's face. Is she stupid? They all thought. The Emperor's orders are absolute, and Kaou-sama would never go against his own father. There's no way in hell that would work! He'd rather die than disobey.
Staring down the girl with his darks eyes and stern face, Kaou said, "Okay."
Everyone fell over.
No way!
"Ke ke ke!" Kon laughed while he rolled on the ground. The red fox spirit held his sides to ease the pain. "Ah, after all these years, it's still true! Kaou-sama can never say no to Botan-pi!" Pointing and laughing at everyone's shocked faces, Kon continued, "And he'll do it too! He'll tell the Emperor that he couldn't find Botan-pi and that'll be the end. The Emperor wouldn't doubt his favorite son."
"I've had enough!" Bara impatiently snapped her fingers, summoning three orbs of energy to appear before her. When she snapped her fingers again, colorful silks of white, silver, and many shades of blue burst from the orbs and surrounded Botan. In an instant, Botan stood before her friends in a state they had never seen before.
Her light blue hair, longer than Botan's friends had ever seen it before, flowed down her back like her sister's. Parts of it were twisted and styled into loops and intricate twists; here and there, pins of glass, silver, and precious stones shaped into flowers, raindrops, and butterflies decorated her hair knots. On her ears and neck she wore long silver chains of pearls and drops of lapis lazuli. Her snowy under-dress had delicate silver dragons embroidered all over; her first overlaying robe, colored like a pale, misty sky, shimmered over the under-dress like a translucent flower; the second overlaying robe, cut as the edges of flower petals, covered the misty portion with a bright, vibrant shade of lapis lazuli; the third overlaying robe, covering her torso, shimmered between midnight blue to deep royal purple. A silver sash wrapped tightly around her waist held all of her robes together, its ends trailing behind her in the folds of her long dress. Giving her greater ethereal appeal, a floating sash of stars floated around her and her arms.
"Whoa."
"What kind of magic is this?"
"Ke ke, it's not magic," Kon laughed with his fox face. "This is Botan in her truest form, with all of her magic spells from before removed. This is how she looked five centuries ago."
Ogres, ferry girls, and Detectives gaped at the embarrassed Botan in shock. "REALLY?"
Koenma said nothing, not in the least surprised by Botan's new appearance; after all, he was her cousin, albeit a fourth, and had seen her at the Heavenly Glade a number of times before. In fact, he paid more attention to Bara's rising temper.
"We have our orders from the Emperor!" the elder sister shouted while tugging on her younger sister's long sleeves. "You're going back, whether you want to or not!" With her intimidating presence, she summoned forth some ogres. "Lock her in my chambers until our entourage arrives from the Heavenly Glade."
"Bara," Kaou growled in warning.
The Heavenly Maiden retreated back one step but replied firmly, "N-no! E-even if y-y-you tell me to leave her alone, I won't, Kaou 'nii-sama!" She trembled in fear when her cousin's eyes darkened because of her words. "The Emperor ordered to return, and I will obey him. You will too, if you know your duty."
The armored prince said nothing in reply and looked down at his fiancé with regret and pity. "I'm sorry, Botan. Bara is right in this—Chichiue has ordered it, and so it must be done."
"I understand," she sighed hopelessly. If Kaou 'nii-chan can't do anything, then it can't be helped. "I'll do as you say, Kaou 'nii-chan."
"But wait, Aniue," Koenma started while coming between his older and younger cousins. "Couldn't you wait a little longer before you take Botan back? After being here for five hundred years, she has a lot to take back and organize. And at least let her say goodbye to her friends here at the Gate of Judgment."
Kaou gave him a nod in consent, but that only sent Bara into a rage. "I've had enough of this! Botan, we're going to your room!" The older sister motioned for the ogres to lead her sister out of the office and towards her chambers.
Unable to say good-bye properly, Botan gave her human friends a forlorn look as a farewell as her sister dragged away. What killed her inside was the fact she couldn't read Kurama's expression at all; he had locked his heart away from her.
Lying on his bed with an arm draped over his eyes, Kurama thought about recent events. "What should I do?" the young man sighed out loud. Indeed, what should he do about the situation, especially his feelings for Botan? What could he possibly do? She's engaged to that prince, Kaou-sama. They've been engaged for over five hundred years. They were even about to get married. But she said she didn't want to marry him—she even ran away from her wedding. But did that mean anything important for Kurama?
But I saw how she looked at him, he thought bitterly. Botan loves this prince, there's no doubt. Otherwise, why would she not openly respond to my feelings? Even after all that I've done to prove my affection for her she hasn't explicitly told me that she feels the same.
Kurama groaned from his torturing thoughts and angrily threw a pillow across the room.
"Kekeke—Like her that much, ne?"
Uncovering one sharp eye, Kurama glared at his intruder. "You're Kaou-sama's aide."
Sitting pertly on the human's desk with his legs crossed, the red fox spirit from before smiled and waved. "Ke ke, I am." Putting his hands on his knees, he bowed his head in respect. "I'm Kon, Kaou-sama's most loyal and trusted servant. It's a pleasure to meet you again, Youko Kurama-san."
Impertinent little thing, Kurama thought with an apathetic expression. His manners overpowering him, he sat up and properly greeted his uninvited visitor. "What's your business with me?"
His golden eyes lighting up, the boyishly handsome spirit answered, "I want to know if you're willing to help Botan-pi."
"What?"
Scratching the back of his head with his right hand, Kon laughed sheepishly, "To tell you the truth, I've been with Botan-pi since she bloomed from her peony in Heaven, Kurama-san. What Bara-sama said is true: Botan-pi has always been engaged to Kaou-sama." He brought his hands together and used his illusion magic to create a shadow image of a pink peony steadily blooming. "Ever since her peony first budded in the Gardens, the Emperor of Heaven has declared that the maiden from that flower would be the one to marry Kaou-sama; her flower was made for him."
So they're meant to be, is that it? Is he trying to say that fate can't be changed? "Is that the reason why Botan's sister can't marry the prince?" the redhead inquired calmly. "I remember Botan-kun wanting her sister married instead of her."
Kon nodded with pursed lips. "Even though Bara-sama is older, Botan-pi has been named the future heir of the Pavilion of the Heavenly Glade because of her engagement. Since she's always been his fiancée, I have served her and Kaou-sama for many, many years. And I know very well that Botan-pi won't be happy marrying Kaou-sama, even though she loves him dearly."
As a fellow fox spirit, Kurama understood Kon's intentions all too well. He wants me to do something for him while convincing me that it's all for Botan's sake. He seems trustworthy enough, but…"Why are you so willing to betray your master?"
"Ke, do you think Kaou-sama would have let me leave the palace if he didn't want Botan-pi to escape?" Kon said with a sly grin. He held out his hand, an invitation to do what he knew Kurama desired most.
Impressed by the red fox's wit and offer, the white fox spirit chuckled. "I'll help you."
The two fox spirits flew through Spirit World, the duo perfectly matching each other in speed. "I have to do what?!" Kurama demanded while he took another leap forward into the air.
"Oh, come on," Kon frowned as he jumped up again to match Kurama. "You said that you would help. And it's not like you haven't done it before."
The white apparition snorted as he took another leap closer to the Gate of Judgment. "I don't know what you think of me, Kon-san, but I have never stolen clothing from women before." They've always taken it off for me. He shook his head clear of those past thoughts. "And why must I be the one to steal Botan's clothes?"
"There's no other way," Kon explained while motioning Kurama to veer more left. When they reached the towering east wall, the two foxes extended their claws and climbed up into an open window. Looking around, Kurama realized that he and Kon were in a storage room for files. "The robes are a part of her," Kon continued, "so someone else has to remove them if we're to help her."
"Then why don't you do it?" was the returned whisper.
Kon only answered Kurama when he knew no one else was around. "Do these hands look delicate and swift to you? I couldn't steal anything for my life. Bara-sama would catch me before I even got started." He then shushed his white counterpart and waved to follow him towards the bedroom across the hall.
When the two foxes entered the girl's room, they slapped hands over each other's mouths to keep the other from exclaiming. Despite having already seen Botan's original form, the two of them weren't used to this new (or renewed in Kon's case) appearance. She had a new glow around her, a soft light emanating from her being as layers of complimenting silks surrounded her and covered her. Truly, she was a different spirit from what Kurama had known before.
"Go," Kon mouthed as he pushed the white fox forward.
I can't believe I'm doing this, Kurama thought while blushing. But this is the only way I can help her. At least, it'll buy us time to figure out what we really want. If she wants to leave me after this, then fine—she'll have a chance to explain herself to me. He approached her bedside as silently as possible. When he saw Botan's peaceful and unguarded smile, his heart softened and his guilt ate him up.
Backing away from her bedside, he hissed, "I can't do this."
Pushing Kurama back towards the bed, Kon quietly snapped, "Just do it, you bastard!" He pushed down on Kurama's shoulders to make him kneel beside the bed; afterwards, the red fox swished his bushy tail irritably. "I'm going to check to make sure no one's coming to check on her. Get the deed done and let's get out of here!" Kon disappeared, leaving Youko Kurama alone with an innocent Heavenly Maiden.
You need to do this. You don't have any other choice. Taking a deep breath, Kurama reached out his hand and skillfully pulled down the left side of Botan's robes. When she showed no signs of awakening, he cautiously sat her up and undid the sash around her waist. When that came undone, the rest of her robes peeled off easily. He continued until he had taken off her entire top dress.
I'm a dirty pervert, Kurama sighed silently as he took one silk layer off after another. I'm definitely taking advantage of her. With each passing robe, the material grew warmer and heavier with Botan's sweet scent. As he grew closer to Botan's final under-dress, Kurama had to use all the control he had not to wake the defenseless girl in his arms.
By the time Kon returned, the deed was done: Botan's robes were stacked and folded neatly by the bed; Botan herself was wrapped conservatively and securely with one of her bed sheets. Of course, Kurama was red from head to toe despite being a white fox, but to that Kon paid no heed. According to plan, Kon collected Botan's heavenly robes in his arms while Kurama collected the maiden. "Okay, now I'll go hide these robes while you take her to Human World." As they leapt through the window, Kon further explained during their fall, "Since she's no longer a Celestial Maiden, it'll be hard for Bara-sama and Kaou-sama, or anyone from Spirit World for the matter, to track her. She's just an everyday human now. Her energy signature is no different from any of the million other humans."
"Indeed, she is." Like Kon said, Botan no longer had the same energy signature she had before. Her spiritual aura was diminished, and the glow Kurama had seen before was gone. Even more different was Botan's hair color: it was coal black. Honestly, Kurama did not know if he liked Botan's hair black. She looked just as lovely, for sure, but this appearance was rather foreign to him. It felt odd.
But it's to be expected, since she's human, he sighed to himself. Now she looks like any other Japanese teenage girl.
The two foxes quickly separated, each man with his own part to fulfill. Expectedly, Kon traveled deeper into Spirit World to hide Botan's clothes while Kurama, with Botan in his arms, ran towards the nearest portal to Human World. And just as planned, Kurama snuck Botan to his home, his own bedroom. He had some human clothing ready for Botan, clothing she would put on herself when she awoke in the morning. Tonight, though, he would leave her as she is and simply sleep in another room.
There's no need to further tempt myself. I don't think Botan would appreciate me adding rape to all of the things I've done to her tonight.
Despite these somewhat dark thoughts, when Kurama laid Botan on his bed, he smiled slightly.
"At least I haven't completely lost you yet, Botan."
When he turned to leave, he heard a small groan from behind him. Kurama looked over his shoulder and surprisingly saw Botan awake groggily, cutely wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Where am I?" she yawned quietly.
No, she shouldn't be awake yet, Kurama thought in panic. Kon said that separating her from her Heavenly Maiden robes would weaken her and have her sleep at the very least until morning. Why is she awake now? Had he done something wrong?
Not wanting to alarm her in any way, Kurama slowly kneeled beside the girl and gently reached out to her face in assurance. "Botan, are you all right?"
Staring up into golden eyes, the young lady asked, "Who are you?"