I do no own Yu Yu Hakusho!

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

Chapter 3: Avoiding Emotions

Botan's POV

I had departed with Kurama, and had found myself in the forest near Genkai's temple. I need time to think. I lay on the tender, green grass with legs out stretched with the left, crossing over the right, and hands, resting above my stomach. My eyes, focusing straight at the round, pearl moon, while my mind wanders back to the conversation earlier today. I was in deep thought until a deep, emotionless voice echoed, "Onna, you are trespassing in my territory."

I bolt upward; my eyes dart from side to side, trying to locate the owner of the voice. I know who it is because only one person calls me that. It is dark out, and the canopy of trees casts humongous shadows in every direction, so I had finally given up my search. I decide to just call for him. "Hiei? Oh sorry, I didn't realize you were here. I came here by accident, and I needed to think so I just landed and here I am." I replied like the usual chirpy ferry girl.

"Whatever. Just don't bother me with your annoying voice."

I feel insulted, but I didn't bother arguing because I know things could get ugly, and plus I need to think. I lay back down in my previous position, staring at the moon as my mind wanders off again. I didn't know why I had told Kurama all those things about the sun. I just felt so comfortable around him that I did not think about holding anything back. It felt natural to sit with him, to talk with him, and to act freely around him without second thought. It might be because he's the wit of the team, who seems to be able to make people reveal all their thoughts and feelings. He has that kind of power over people, yet I don't think he tried to pry information out of me. Hell! He even said I sounded weird. Errrr! This is getting on my nerves. I could feel a headache coming, so I raise my left hand up, using my thumb and middle finger; I begin massaging either side of my head. Kurama is very suspicious and intelligent, he would be thinking about the earlier event right now. I bet he's trying to put the pieces of puzzle together. I am so stupid. 'How could I act so carelessly?' Why'd I have to go and babble on about the sun as if I was talking about myself? My eyebrows rose, eyes widening a bit. 'Did I want Kurama to know?' My left had had subconsciously drifted away from my head toward my mouth, covering it as I inhaled deeply. Could it be that I wanted Kurama to care? He is my friend. I know I respect him, I know I can depend on him, and I know I can tru… I bolt up into a sitting position with my hands, clutching the fabric of my pants. 'No! Never! Not after that, not after him!' I grumble underneath my breath, "I will never trust anyone again."

Hiei's POV

I was lying in the usual tree, watching over the temple to make sure Yukina is well protected. Then, I sensed the loud, ferry girl's presence and hoped that she would fly past the area, but to my disappointment she landed. I decided to speak up and added a hint of displeasure in my voice, thinking she would leave me at peace. I was wrong; she just apologized and babbles on about why she was here. 'Hn, like I care.' I thought she would bother me with her too-happy-for-my-liking bickering, but again I was wrong. She lay underneath the moon, silently. I couldn't care less as long as she didn't annoy me. I was sitting on the upper, thick tree branch, leaning against the tree trunk, arms crossed over my chest, left leg bent with my knee facing upward. My eyes are were, but my jagan emitted a faint, lime green glow. I was cool and calm, almost as if I was asleep. However, I had heard the onna mumble something that made me ponder. I could care less about the stupid ferry girl, but I despise being wrong and clueless. My eyebrows begin to twitch in annoyance. I had incorrectly predicted the onna's reaction, and I had dismissed that fact. My pride could not let two mistakes be ignored. She was odd today, not bubbly nor happy. Her dumb emotions are not my concern, but not having knowledge of the situation irritates me. I will get answers whether it is willingly surrendered or forcefully taken.

Botan's POV

I was sitting stiffly, solid as a rock. Abruptly, Hiei, who appeared in front of me in a flash, took me by surprise, causing me to learn slightly back. "Onna, explain," Hiei uttered, in a low, but commanding voice.

My right eye begins to twitch. 'I didn't bother him, yet he dares to question me.' I am already being rampaged by my thoughts, and now Hiei intends to cause me more trouble. "Hiei, I did not believe I was bothering you," I said, trying to pull a calm face, but failed when a frown appears on my lips.

I could see that Hiei was not too happy. Both his hands were in his pockets, but his eyes had narrowed at me. "Onna, explain your actions and speech," Hiei nearly spat out. His voice held a trace of acid, but he held his calm façade.

My cool is crumbling. I did not understand his demands, and even if I did, why should I tell him? He told me not to bother him, yet he confronts me. 'Who does he think he is?' I could not hold it any longer, so I flared at him. "Well, Sor-ry, Hiei." I purposely stressed out the apology as a means of sarcasm. "I don't understand your question because I can't read minds. I didn't bother you, so stay out of my business." I had balled up my right fist, swinging it in front of me, while yelling in Hiei's face. Afterward, I was panting, but never caught a breath as my body was slammed against a tree trunk with a painfully, firm hand, circling around my throat, cutting off my air supply. The moonlight had shone above Hiei's figure, illuminating his bright, red eyes penetrating deep into my own, as if he was invading my soul. My heart raced with fear, but I would not let it show. I kept my ground, locking my gaze with his. Hiei bared his teeth, and growled, "Onna, I could wring your neck within a blink of an eye. You don't know who you're dealing with."

I refuse to back down. I am not at fault so why should I? "I know well of your capabilities, and I don't need you to remind me. I did not bother you, yet you chose to break the peace, and even threaten me," I choke out.

Hiei's grip on my neck tightens, digging his fingernails into my flesh. "Unfortunately, your careless outburst does not prove your claim. I suggest you answer my question, and I will make certain that your death is quick."

Hiei's words were ringing in my ears. Suddenly, dying didn't sound like a bad idea. My haunting dreams and centuries worth of emotional torture would be over. I let my body hang limply in Hiei's grasps, and look into his eyes as I breathed out, "Then kill me."

Hiei's POV

My body was burning with anger. 'No one has ever disrespected me and escaped death.' I had asked a simple question, and the ferry girl exploded at me. She had made a deadly mistake when she had decided to defy my question. I had grabbed her by her scrawny neck, shoved her weak body against a tree, and threatened her worthless life. What, happened next partly stunned me. She lifts up her head and peer into my eyes. Her pink orbs reflected an endless, dark void. I didn't see pain, regret, plea or fear. She was a living corpse. I relax my grip and race away from her. Her distance coughs, assure me that she was all right. I halt in a clearing about a mile behind the old lady's temple. I maintain my emotionless mask, but my mind is disheveled. Memories of my past are flashing in my mind like strikes of lightening. 'The Forbidden child, isolation, being shunned, falling off the cliff, implantation of the jagan.' My arms are held rigid on either side of my body. I clinch my hands into fists, drawing a thin line of blood from my palm with my nails. I never imagine I would see those eyes again. 'Her eyes mirrored my own during my painful childhood.' The pain and hatred smashes into me like a tsunami, drowning me with emotions that I believe I was immune to. I am very displeased with myself. I had erased all emotions in order to stay strong for myself and for Yukina, but now everything seems in vain. 'No, I will not be defeated by these worthless emotions.' I rebury the emotions, and lay stretch out underneath the night sky; arms crossed under my head, legs partially spread out, forming a thin, letter v. As much as I hate to admit it, I rather prefer the baka onna's perky nature to the cold-nearly-dead look that I had witnessed earlier. The mystery regarding the ferry onna is highly unnerving. 'What had caused her to be in her current state?'

Yay! Another chapter. I had expected myself to update later, but ideas kept popping in my head so I just had to write sooner or else I wouldn't be able to concentrate on anything else. No! This is purely a Kurama-Botan pairing, so just wait and see why I made Botan encounter Hiei. It's all part of the plot. Oh, and if I didn't follow Hiei's character well enough, then tell me. It is difficult to grasp all the character and make them think and sound like the ones in the series, especially if I didn't create these characters. One more thing, these few chapters, probably up to chapter 10, will be mostly Botan's torment of her past, so it will be depressing. I hope you all bare with me. Please review, if you have any comments or suggestions then just write them down. Thanks for reading my fiction.

MiaHime