Not Okay : Magma

A/N: I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while, it's just that I was waiting for some more reviews and working on some other stories I've got running. Please, I'm begging you, read and review!

I

China clinked on a wooden table. Hot tea was poured and the steam that rose from it was a comfort on the cool summer night. The walls were a light yellow with green trim. An ordinary nigen home.

It was Koenma, Botan, and Kurama who drank the tea. They were sitting in chairs around the table, Yusuke and Kuwabara leaning against the wall. Hiei was sitting on the windowsill, his eyes watching the moon.

"We got Botan back, but I can tell that the entire story is just beginning to unfold."

Yusuke griped first. Hiei agreed with the ex detective. There was that odd tingle in the tips of his fingers that made the fire demon uneasy. However, the demon did feel a part of him relax with the small comfort that he was with his old teammates again. Maybe... just maybe they'd be able to help me with this mess...

"Botan, when you said you went into these passionate and violent trances, do you remember anything at all... anything that might hint as to who is responsible or why it's happening?"

Hiei felt his eyes slide to the ferry girl. She was in sweat pants and a college sweat shirt, given to her by the kitsune. Her hair was down and wet from the shower she had taken just a few minutes ago. She still smelled like fresh water.

"I blank out... I'm blind and I'm so hot... like I'm on fire. When it first started, I was able to have enough sense to go to water."

Kurama's eyebrows lowered.

"Did it help?"

Botan shook her head solemnly. Her pink eyes were not sparkling with that hyperactive energy that she was normally so inclined to use. The Koorime could tell that she was tired. Not physically, but mentally. Spiritually, she had been through many lifetimes. Plush, her legs were still twitching. Hiei could see the pants ripple with her muscle tremors and her teeth clench painfully.

"No." She smiled sadly, freezing it as another rapture of agony scraped her legs. "It just evaporated off of me. It's usually after that when I just blank out. It's almost as if my mind shut down and the only thing I can think about is how I'm on fire... and how I need to cool off."

Hiei finally spoke up, his voice lower and darker than usual.

"The onna's right." All eyes were now on him. "During these episodes, she's able to burn me."

Kuwabara would have choked on tea if he had been drinking it.

"Wait! You're a fire demon, shrimp! You can't be burned!"

Hiei glared at the baka.

"I'm half fire demon and half Koorime." His eyes lowered their gaze. "I didn't think I was able to be burned either... but apparently I can be."

Kurama turned to the ferry girl.

"How did these episodes end?"

The question made Botan turn a bit pink and sip her tea before answering.

"I'd be with... Hiei." The room was silent for thirty seconds. "He... he... he was the first person I was with after the first time it happened to me."

II

Botan felt very odd. She felt like she wanted to sleep for a week straight... but the next second she'd be wired. Her pink eyes flickered over to the fire demon, who was staring out the window, indifferent.

"Hiei, I'm sorry for... wrongly accusing you of a crime that you did not commit." Hiei grunted in acknowledgment of the Prince's voice. "Thank you for protecting her."

"Hn."

Yusuke shoved his hands in his pockets, his lower lip sticking out.

"I knew Hiei had nothing to do with it, toddler."

Koenma bit down on his pacifier.

"I was just acting sensibly."

The detective bristled.

"You call leaping to blame Hiei, sensible?"

Koenma stood abruptly and the two beings were inches away from each other, burning to strike.

"It was all I could do! All the signs pointed to Hiei kidnapping Botan, Yusuke!"

Kurama quickly put a hand on the detective's shoulder.

"Look, it's over now." His voice was soft, but everyone heard the edge hidden in his voice like a knife hidden in a sleeve. "We have to work together in order to end this. Whatever is going on with Botan is going to put her in danger. What if Hiei wasn't around all of those times? What if she had been in Rekai?"

Yusuke muttered something darkly under his breath and went back beside Kuwabara, his arms crossed as the Prince sat back down in his chair. Kurama paused before returning to his seat, making sure that everything was back to normal.

"Hiei, do you have any enemies that we should know about?"

The Koorime shook his head.

"No."

Kurama checked his watch. It was one in the morning.

"Okay, I think we should call it a night." Kurama had Yusuke and Kuwabara sleep in the guest bedroom, and Koenma was going back to his own bedroom. Kurama turned to Botan, who was snapped awake by his voice. "You can sleep on the fold out bed in the living room."

Botan stood and smiled graciously, but she quickly faltered. Kurama didn't get enough time to react before Hiei had her in his arms, his eyes steely, daring the fox to comment on his speed.

"T-thank you, Kurama."

With a quick nod, the fox was off to the stairs, already taking his shirt off. Hiei quietly walked to the mattress that was sticking out of the couch, just like Kurama had said it would. The Koorime lowered Botan to the bed.

"Hn." He saw her eyes stare into his own. "You need to get some sleep, onna."

Her blue hair was down.

"I'm not very tired, to be honest."

Hiei frowned, gritting his teeth.

"Baka onna." He was quiet for a minute, like he was trying to get a hold of his anger. "How are your legs?"

The ferry girl's pink eyes slid down to her legs, the muscles twitching.

"Fine."

"You're lying."

Botan stuck out her lower lip, glaring at the fire demon.

"It just hurts a little bit." Hiei wasn't frowning anymore. Now his lips were pulled back, exposing his fangs. He was trying to intimidate her. And intimidate her he did. "Okay! Okay!" His mouth slackened, his teeth disappearing behind his lips. "It's getting worse... but it will... ah!" She squeezed her eyes shut and her hands clamped around her right leg. "I-I... It just hurts a lot... i-i-it'll pass soon... don't worry."

Her eyes were still closed. It was only when she opened them, face relaxed and breathing regular that Hiei touched her.

"Sleep." His hands cupped her face, his palms centered over her temples. Her pink lips opened, but Hiei stopped her from talking. "Sh. Just... relax."

With a pulse of massive heat focused at his palms, demonic warmth flooded the ferry girl. Her eyes rolled back into her head. Her arms shot out, grabbing Hiei's shirt, her hands fisting the material tightly.

III

Hiei didn't move. He felt Botan's legs jerk, though her face never twitched or flickered with any expression of pain. He almost smirked. That's demonic heat for you.

"Ahem." Hiei started, turning to see Kurama. "I hope I didn't interrupt."

Hiei glared at the fox, who must have been standing there before Hiei had knocked the ferry girl out.

"Fox. I thought you were sleeping."

The kitsune walked up to Hiei, who was gently prying Botan's fingers off of his shirt. The Koorime got off of the bed, brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt. Kurama smiled as Hiei leaned against the window sill, his hand restlessly touching his katana.

"I decided to stay up for just a bit longer." The two men stared at the woman who slept silently on the pullout bed. "So you knocked her out, huh?"

Hiei's shoulders raised about two inches.

"She wouldn't have slept if I didn't intervene."

The fox nodded slowly, his eyes still on the girl in bed.

"I see." Kurama ran his fingers through his hair. "Tomorrow we should probably go to the Rekai libraries to see what Botan's symptoms point out."

Hiei crossed his arms.

"Hn. Fine. Whatever." He blinked. "I don't care."

Kurama pushed himself off of the wall and shook his head, chuckling lightly.

"Yeah." Hiei's eyebrows didn't move, even though the fox's actions and laughter were a bit shocking. "Sure."

IV

Hot streams of magma streamed out of the earth. The light alone was blinding in the bright parts. The heat would kill a nigen in a matter of seconds.

But no nigens would be able to cross into this terrain. Not without assistance.

That was why Malik resided solely in this location. No bothersome nigens. No baka demons were able to make it past the first five feet, so that was another bonus. The demon closed his eyes as he inhaled.

Ah, the air was dry with the scent of crumbling rock and lava.

Everything is perfect. Malik imagined that slow waltz music was playing. The stage is set. His eyes opened, their elegant shape and unique color breathtaking. I might as well just... do it.

He snapped his fingers, and the purple haired demon appeared, his face still covered in bruises.

"Yes, Master?"

Malik smiled, his teeth sharp and shiny.

"Do what I told you about earlier... only this time, don't mess up."

His voice was dark and foreboding. The shape-shifter nodded.

"Yes." He hesitated before leaving. "Clean, or messy?"

"Clean."

In a blink of an eye, Amiri was gone.

V

It was four in the morning, and Hiei was still awake. He didn't want to sleep. If he slept, something bad could happen to Bo-the baka ferry onna. And he wouldn't be able to live with himself if his own laziness got her in trouble.

His blood red eyes fell on the woman in question. She was still sleeping, and her face was still as smooth as silk. He smirked a bit when she turned over, throwing her arm over a pillow. Hiei leaned against the cool glass of the window.

Why am I so important in this mess? Hiei watched Botan snuggle into the fluffy pillow, a smile tugging at her lips. I don't have anything to offer. I'm just a demon.

She sighed dreamily. Hiei stretched a bit. It can't have anything to do with my Koorime heritage. Barely anyone truly knows about it. Hiei was about to find a chair when he felt it. He turned to look out the window. Standing there... Hiei saw himself, hands on his hips and a cocky smirk on his face.

Seething with rage, Hiei opened the window and appeared three feet from the baka demon. Hiei didn't want help from the Rekai Tentei. One, they would just get in the way. Two, he wanted revenge for what this shape-shifter did to him.

"My, my, my. Someone looks angry."

Hiei clenched his fists.

"Stop trying to be me and just be what you really are."

The demon smiled and changed into a man who had purple hair and gold eyes. Hiei felt his blood run cold. This was the demon inside Botan's mind!

"I'm a cute one, right?" Hiei scowled. "I'm Amiri, by the way. I never had the chance to properly introduce myself."

Hiei unsheathed his katana.

"Hn."

Amiri smirked as he saw Hiei draw his weapon.

"Oh, what do appearances matter." Amiri closed his eyes and bit his lip. In a soft pulse of light, Hiei found himself staring at Botan, clothed in the college sweatshirt and pants. "How do you like me now, Hiei?"

The worst part was that he even sounded like her. The Koorime gnashed his teeth together.

"No."

Amiri made himself smirk, his face contracting. He looked like Botan, but her entire demeanor was off. From her personality to her posture. Hiei loathed it.

"Too bad." He smiled as he summoned a sword. "I like her body."

In a blur of shadow, Hiei attempted to slice open the stomach of Amiri. Botan/Amiri jumped back in time, but his eyes were wide.

"You'd attack me? Poor, defenseless... beautiful Botan?"

They came together, faces inches away. They could feel each other's breath on their skin.

"You're not her."

Amiri brought his sword up and around, making a small cut in Hiei's pants.

"I know that." Their steps were hushed by the cool, green grass. "I kissed her, you know." Hiei snarled and slashed at Amiri's head, missing by mere centimeters. The demon pressed his sword against Hiei's katana, once again getting close to him in the form of Botan. "I love her lips."

Hiei kicked Amiri square in the stomach. He cringed at the sight of Botan's face writhe in pain as she was flung into a tree, and then proceed to break the tree in half. Amiri coughed, and when he emerged from the rubble, he was still in the form of Botan.

"You will never kiss those lips again." Hiei started walking toward him, katana ready. "I'll make sure of it."

The demon scoffed.

"Jealous?" Hiei didn't answer. The two demons didn't move. "I should have guessed." Hiei's eyes narrowed as Amiri in the form of the ferry girl began to laugh. "You're in love!"

Hiei blinked.

"What?"

Amiri rolled his now pink eyes.

"This is so lame! Hiei..." Laughter. "In love with... Botan!" His was hunched over, hands on his knees. "How could she ever love you? You're the Forbi–"

With a frantic growl, Hiei pounced on Amiri and wrenched his sword away from him. Pinning Amiri's hands above his head, Hiei pressed the katana to the throat of the shape-shifter.

"Shut up!"

Hiei's once controlled voice cracked. His eyes were wild and wide. Amiri smirked.

"You won't do it." Hiei pressed his katana down harder, leaving a small cut. Amiri decided to toy with the fire demon. "Hiei... Hiei... don't do this, not to me..." Hiei was paralyzed. The demon under him chuckled. "See, told you."

That was when a piercing shriek echoed into the night.

VI

A man in a black cloak entered the window to Kurama's living room. He was suppressing his energy. His steps were silent. His movement, like water.

He advanced on the sleeping onna. He was right beside her. He put his hand over her body, not touching her. With a small spurt of energy, lightening hot heat shocked her body. Botan's pink eyes shot open, scream lodged in her throat.

Malik smiled as he held his finger to his lips.

"Sh." Botan's body jerked as tears streamed down her face. Her legs still twinged. "My name is Malik, and I'd like for this to be as painless as possible. In order to do that, I'm going to need you to listen to me. Do you understand?"

She nodded.

"Good." The demon lowered the hood and moved the hair out of his eyes. "I am kidnapping you." The ferry girl hiccuped. "There's nothing you can do about it... but before I go, I need you to do one thing for me."

Botan breathed shakily.

"W-w-w-w-what i-i-is it?"

Malik said nothing but touched the side of her face. Botan's mouth opened wide as she arched off the mattress. Her eyes began to get black lines in them as she screamed. Her voice cracked and when it finally ended, the demon nodded.

"Good job."

And that was when Malik and Botan both disappeared from Kurama's living room.

VII

A/N: I have to end it there. I'm tired, and PLEASE, for Kami's sake, review! I got tons of hits for the last chapter, but only eight reviews? Okay, okay, just please, do you like where this is going? Do you think it sucks? Either way, leave a review please!

-mia