Off The Sidelines (c) Chibi Botan

Chapter 1

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Wondering, Worrying

"I think she already made it clear, Yusuke. She doesn't know anything." Kazuma had to repeat it before Yusuke stopped asking Botan what she knows about Yukina and Keiko's disappearance. Kazuma's voice was of a defeated man when he said this. He sighed, and leaned on the cold cement walls of the ferry girl's quarters. Hands on pockets, he stared at the ceiling, not knowing what else to do.

Yusuke finally stopped, and realized only then that he was gripping Botan's shoulders. He let go of her and muttered "Sorry" softly. Botan didn't seem to mind, she was busy worrying about the two girls. "I'm really sorry, Yusuke. We've been busy the past weeks here in Reikai, I didn't see them much. Last time I saw them was two weeks ago."

Yusuke wasn't about to give up. "Two weeks ago.. that was when this started. Maybe they mentioned something? A plan... A place they wanted to go... Anywhere, anything at all?"

"Well, last time I saw Keiko, she invited me to go to a shopping district in Hiroshima.. I forgot the name of the place--"

"Hondori?" Kazuma guessed. Hondori is a popular shopping arcade in Hiroshima. Shizuru, now a fashion designer and critic, frequents that area.

Botan's face lit up. "Bingo! That's the place. But I can't go then, and she said she might ask Yukina instead."

"Great, let's go there now--" Yusuke was already leaving when Kazuma cut him off.

"Yusuke, it's past midnight! I don't think there is any stall open at this hour. And even if Keiko planned to go there, that was two weeks ago, whatever she wanted to buy then she probably bought already. "

"We should still try, it's our only lead--"

Botan was about to stop the two from arguing when her compact phone rang. The boys' attention was instantly tuned to it.

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Finally, A Lead

"Kurama?" the three chorused.

Yusuke was not surprised though. Before they headed to Reikai, Kurama promised to contact them if he got any leads. Now they all waited patiently for any news Kurama has to deliver.

"Listen, I tried to contact Hiei when you two left. I thought, with his Jagan eye, he could help locate Yukina and Keiko. Unfortunately, Hiei has been missing since this morning--"

"Whaaat?!" the three chorused once again.

Kurama ignored this, and continued, "--Mukuro informed me that they were on patrol this morning when he suddenly said he has somewhere to go. He left without telling them where and why."

"He might have felt that Yukina's missing." Kazuma whispered, as if to himself.

Kurama heard this, and wondered why Kazuma would say so. He doesn't know that Hiei and Yukina are twins, right? But this isn't the time to think of that, so Kurama only said, "I don't want to say this, but if Hiei became worried enough to look for them, then something bad might have happened."

None of them liked what that presented.

"But we're not sure of that. I really suggest we check that shopping district first," Yusuke insisted. He's stubborn like that when he feels he's right.

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Hondori

At past midnight, Hondori is far from the busy main street it is during business hours. Only a few facilities, mostly motorist hotels and 24-hour convenience stores are open. But the street lamps give ample light, and you would not need to worry for your safety even in the wee hours of night.

But seriously, with three tanteis beside you who needs to worry about anything? Still, Botan felt the place is eerie. She tried not to think about it much though. What is important now is to find Yukina and Keiko. They scanned every face, every store, everything. But they weren't just looking, they were alert for anything not common, trying to catch any unwanted presence.

At the end of the street is a few steps to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, a national tourist spot. As they neared it they caught a faster pace, they felt a strong energy near it. The street lights are not enough to see the three beings standing near the marker, but they knew those three enough to recognize them in the dark.

Hiei, Yukina and Keiko. The girls were standing there as if they are expecting them to arrive, while Hiei, standing a few steps from the two, does not intend to acknowledge their presence.

"Miss Yukina!!!" This of course, was Kazuma's reaction. He rushed to her side and fired his questions, the scene like a deja vu from the previous night when she arrived home very late.

At this, Hiei turned his back, but not before Yusuke asked, "Where have you all been?"

Hiei grunted, but answered, "That's what I've been asking your girlfriend the past hour, detective." And he continued to walk away.

Yusuke, who was already walking towards Keiko, was surprised to hear that. "You've been with them for an hour? And you didn't tell us?" But Hiei has already disappeared in the dark. Yusuke stared at Keiko, who looks so tired. Earlier, he prepared himself to scold her for making him worry, but looking at her now... perhaps it could wait.

"He said, he sensed you were coming," came Yukina's tiny voice. She sounds tired too. "So we waited." Kazuma was all over her, cheking if she's okay. Botan and Kurama were staring at Keiko, waiting for her to say something. Kazuma fell silent.

They were surprised to hear Yusuke speaking softly to her. "Come on, we'll send you home. You're freezing--" he took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. "Kami, you two look so tired." Keiko accepted the jacket silently, refusing to look at him.

After that, no one had anything else to say.

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Watching From Afar

They parted ways, Kazuma taking Yukina with him, while Yusuke and Keiko headed to the Ramen restaurant where her parents are waiting. Botan headed back to Reikai, sensing that the couples needed time alone.

Kurama headed to the direction Hiei took, knowing he is still around. He found him in front of an abandoned building, arms folded in front of him while leaning at a cracked wall.

"I'm not worried." Hiei said before Kurama even said anything.

Kurama chuckled, finding Hiei's defensive attitude amusing. "Of course."

Hiei's lips curled, but it was not because of Kurama. "She cut it off."

"Cut off what?" He was aware that Hiei meant Yukina.

"Our connection," was all he answered.

Kurama knows that even in Makai, Hiei is watching over Yukina. Hiei would not admit that his Jagan Eye is always alert, watching for Yukina's safety. But he knew about it. That's why when he disappeared, Kurama felt worried something bad has happened, because if so, Hiei would have known it right away. He waited for Hiei to continue.

"I felt our connection vanish... as if she does not exist anymore. I was worried," he finally admitted.

Kurama nodded. "You were. You left Makai to look for her."

"I cannot track her. For some reason, I can't feel her presence. Even when I found the two of them at that shrine, it's still not there." Hiei's voice sounded normal, but Kurama knows that he's deeply bothered by this. Without that connection, Hiei cannot watch out for his twin when he's in Makai.

"Why do you think it was her who cut it off? She wasn't even aware..." his voice drifted off at that. Now, he's genuinely surprised. "She knew?"

Hiei looked at the skies. "Apparently, she does. She's the only one who can. The power of the Jagan is complicated."

At this, Kurama was left speechless.

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Silent, Sleepless Night

Their way home was quite uneventful. At the cab, the silence was deafening. When they arrived at the Ramen restaurant, it felt as if they have been travelling for days. Keiko hasn't said anything, and Yusuke was unusually silent. He felt relieved that they found her safe, but there were too many questions on his mind.

Keiko's parents greeted Yusuke with gratefulness, they knew Yusuke has been looking for their child all evening. They were extremely worried, because Keiko is not the kind of girl who stays out at such a late hour. They noticed how much she's been keeping to herself lately.

But seeing Keiko's appearance, they made the same decision Yusuke made earlier - to wait for tomorrow to ask the questions that's been nagging their minds. All in all, Keiko looks safe, unharmed, but she also looks extremely tired. From what, they don't know. When they tried to ask, she only said she and Yukina had a tiring walk around the area, and other than that she gave no explanations. Gentle, loving parents let her go to her room and sleep.

They offered to let Yusuke stay, but he declined. He went out as soon as Keiko retreated to her room, but he did not really leave. He stayed outside, just in front of her bedroom window, as if keeping vigil in case she decides to leave again. It may have sounded silly for a tough guy like him, but right now Yusuke is too worried to care for anything else. He stayed there until the sun went up.

From her room, Keiko is aware that Yusuke still hasn't left. She felt extremely guilty from making him worry. And her parents too. Honestly, they didn't mean for anyone to be worried. But lately.. things happened, and they had to stay longer hours outside. Often they did not notice that it's already past curfew hours.

Staring at the photo frame on her bedside table, she looked back on where this all started.

Two weeks ago...

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An Offer Was Made

Keiko has always silently dreaded every mission assigned to Yusuke. She has faith on him, his strength and will, but that does not change the fact that every mission is dangerous, and his life is always at stake. She realizes the importance of his role as spirit detective, but still... She cares for, and worries badly, for him.

Sometime ago she made him promise that the next time he has a mission, he should at least inform her about it. He did keep that promise, as far as she knows, but during the three years she waited for him, everything just felt so wrong. She just wanted to make him promise to stop. But she couldn't.

She is aware that there will be a next Makai tournament, and that Yusuke by all means plan to join it. When she asked him about it, he said yes, he will compete for it. He is passionate about this, and despite her fears, Keiko understands. Yes, she wanted him to stop, but no, she will not ask him to.

During the tournament, she took note that there were female contestants, female who were as strong as the male fighters. Somehow, she envied them, seeing that they are capable to stand side by side with someone like Yusuke.

This is what has been hovering on her mind, and she thought a short trip to the shopping arcade would keep the thoughts away. She invited Botan to go, but she declined. So she ended up bringing Yukina. They roamed about the area, window-shopping, checking every store they see.

Yukina took interest on a blue dress, and she cajoled her into trying it on. While the koorime left to try the dress, a woman about Shizuru's age approached Keiko. She was offering a free training of some sort, and Keiko cut her off saying she wasn't interested.

The woman, who introduced herself as Lala, said she is also training under Master Karim, and that he is a young master looking for trainees. Lala went on about her offer, but as soon as Yukina went out of the dressing room Keiko made it a way to get out of the conversation. Lala let her go, but not before saying that if she changed her mind, she can be found at the coffee shop just across that store.

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Learning the Ropes

Keiko can't figure out how their conversation at a ramen stop that day was steered to the spirit detectives. It turns out they both had mixed feelings about the tournament, but Yukina has a different issue.

Both of them are tired of being on the sidelines. Not that they wanted to fight-- far from it. Both of them dislike violence, and if it was only possible they'd have turn away from anything related to it. Unfortunately, being around four of the strongest beings in the three worlds brings so much trouble that any ningen will ever be ready for. And being the girls often seen with them, they also become targets.

Keiko maybe just a ningen, but that doesn't mean she wants the role of a damsel and distress. And Yukina.. she seems to think that the reason her brother does not acknowledge her is because she is weak. In their world of demons and tournaments and villains, a fighter does not need a weakling beside him. And Yukina is sure her brother is a strong fighter-- Rui told her that even as a newborn her brother was extremely powerful. If only they could do something about it... Maybe, things will turn for the better?

From out of nowhere, an idea came to her mind. Keiko knew exactly where they should go next.

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Thank you for reading!

I totally rushed the last section, it's hard to make it detailed without having to discuss the rest of Chapter 2. "Learning The Ropes" will be further explained on the next chapter, which is almost entirely about Yukina and Hiei. And Bingo! I just had to insert that :) Anyways... I will appreciate corrections for any mistakes I might have made.

This is for Shari. Get well soon.

~ Justine / Chibi Botan