After the incredibly awkward contents of Hotaru's greeting, the newly grouped pair were informed that Genkai was having some of her pupils administer some last-minute services to the home they were meant to occupy. So, it would be more prudent to have the pair venture into town and shop for what was needed and later arrive to the abode. Hotaru was provided with a cell phone that had been apparently given by Koenma, since she was now a member of the group and it was essential that she be able to get into contact with everyone else, and vice versa. The rest of the group that had congregated in Hotaru's room bade their farewells and departed, each of them ensuring she had their respective contact information. They all made sure to repeatedly tell her to call her if she needed anything- for reasons that she was beginning to understand why. Hiei remained glued to his special corner until everyone had left.

Hotaru slipped on the worn-in, secondhand brown booties that Keiko had left for her. She had given them to her because they had stopped fitting her back in the beginning of junior high school. Hotaru didn't mind, though. The leather was all the more supple and comfortable because of their second-hand nature. Her spirits were very high, considering all the new friends she had made in such a short period of time. It made her feel much more confident in herself, and hopeful for the new beginning she had been presented with. Despite this, she couldn't help but dwell on the one individual who had denied her any sort of positive interaction, and she could feel this person glowering at her back at that very moment.

She turned on her heels, placed her hand on her hips. Taking a deep breath before sighing contentedly, she said, "So, where are we off to?"

Without making the slightest attempt at eye contact, he brushed past her and out of the door to the room.

"Just follow me and try not to get lost, woman."

"Right," she replied, looking far off into space and nodding to herself in reaction to his cold demeanor. Quickly making sure she had the cards that were apparently adequate methods of payment for goods and services, Hotaru followed Hiei out of the room, and departed from the building after him.

The pair soon reached the forested edge of Genkai's property. A seemingly endless path of stairs descended the mountain to the very edge of the city. Hiei had merely walked a few steps ahead of Hotaru the whole time, but now turned to face her.

"The journey to the place we need to go is too long and tedious to be dependent on your pace. We're going to take a much faster route."

"My… pace? Where exactly are we going."

"Tch, yes, woman," he snapped, as if every word that came out of his mouth was the most overbearing task he had ever taken on. "Your manner of slow and sluggish travel is too cumbersome for me to bear. We are going to a small cluster of shops that humans venture to when they need things like clothes, adornments for their homes, and other petty things. It would seem that they do these things for sheer amusement as well.

"But that's beside the point. When I grab you, you are not to leg go. Under. Any. Circumstances. Is that clear?"

Hotaru stood firmly planted where she was. She was wary of following the sketchy orders of someone who did not seem to respect her very much. In fact, it was difficult to lend her trust to anyone who she had just met in this new set of circumstances, but everyone else had been so kind to her. The ways in which Hiei managed his interactions with her called to mind images of darkness and harsh words, and she was not about to allow others to make her feel this way.

Hiei reached out for her arm, but she stepped away, eyeing him with analytical suspicion.

"Honestly, woman. I'm not about to travel for any human rate of time to reach a destination that is so easily accessible by my abilities!" He had tired of dealing with her resistance already- how dare she? Did she not understand what he was capable of if he tired of being so patient? Of course, with her now being key to escaping parole under his ward, he was unlikely to do anything drastic- but this daft young thing was unlikely to piece that together.

"Tell me how we're getting to this place, please," Hotaru calmly replied. The far-off expanse of buildings and hubbub seemed like a place in which it was difficult to accomplish any means of 'different' traveling methods without achieving considerable notice by the public.

"It is of no concern to you!"

A staunch stare was all he received in response. Hotaru crossed her arms and waited patiently for her desired reply.

While Hiei was a prideful apparition, he had no desire to sit around and waste his precious time, either. He calmed the furious anger boiling inside of him with a heavy sigh.

"I have the ability to travel a rapid pace. I'm going to take you with me."

"Okay," she replied, finally satisfied. She also inwardly laughed at his frustrations.

He grabbed her wrist, saying, "I'm going to hold on, but it is imperative that you hold onto my arm. The journey will be short but swift."

"Oka-ahh!" She cried, as no sooner had she begun to signify her understanding had he sped off, descending down the stairs. She practically flailed around in the air behind him for a moment, before attaining an iron grip on his arm with her free hand. He was traveling at such a high degree of speed, she wasn't sure if he was running, leaping, gliding, or flying- perhaps it was a combination of all three. The scenery changed in a blur around them- from the stones of the steps, to trees, the outlines and blurs of colors that must have been buildings, cars, and all other manner of urban things. At one point, Hiei ascended atop several tall buildings within the city and they seemed to fly high in the air. After the initial nauseous feelings she had experienced, this was by far her favorite sensation of their venture. She had never felt so free in her life- jumping amidst the canyons where she formerly lived was nothing in comparison to this.

As the pair sped through the air just before reaching their destination, Hiei caught a glance of Hotaru's amusement at what she must have deemed a great adventure. He often felt what humans must feel as they view ant colonies when he traveled like this through the city. She, however, looked as amazed as a young child. Her eyes almost glowed with amusement before she closed them, obviously relishing the feeling of gliding through the sky. The wind flew through her hair in a flattering way and sent again the scent of springs and forestry to Hiei's senses. As she clutched his left arm, he could feel her warmth. Somewhere along the way, probably in the midst of her initial fright, she had inadvertently laced her fingers with his. He could feel the calloused pad of her palm and fingers against his own in a grip that was much stronger than he would have suspected.

In his few seconds of gazing, Hotaru looked over at Hiei and exclaimed, "This is amazing! You get to do this all the time?"

"Hn," he scoffed, averting his gaze downward as they descended into an unlikely looking alley. "We've arrived."

Out of the darkness of the alley and into the warm sunlight, Hotaru's golden eyes read the sign that stated that this was a "mall." Through the glass wall and door she could see all sorts of people walking around, in and out of a plethora of shops residing inside of the building. She looked back at Hiei with optimism and a glittering gaze.

"Thank you!" she said, squeezing his hand gently.

Hiei had realized that he was still holding her hand, as her warm grasp had become so comfortable so quickly. He made himself feel repulsion and quickly snatched his hand away.

"Do we just go in?" Hotaru inquired, trying to ignore his peculiar behavior.

"I suppose that's the idea," he replied sarcastically. It struck him as odd that he be set on this task to escort her, when he had as much comprehension of human affairs as a goat. "You go inside, elect which shops to enter, choose the goods you find desirable, and provide the shop keep with an adequate payment before exiting each individual establishment. These idiots make a whole day of it."

"Huh." Hotaru mused, walking with Hiei to the front doors. Upon entering, they were bombarded with a cacophony of sound, further amplified by the high ceilings and open floor plan.

Hiei followed her as she meandered around, obviously lost in what to do first. She was told that she needed to purchase a wardrobe of clothes- as Keiko only had so many hand-me-downs that no longer fitted her body. She also knew that she needed simple toiletries and clothes suitable for exercise. The training sessions that she was going to receive from Hiei were something that she was expecting to be exceptionally rigorous. She also knew enough about her nature to understand that when she changed forms, so to speak, things could get messy. So, clothes suitable for both exercise and maltreatment were also very needed.

While she entered promising shops and tried on things she saw as desirable, he waited just outside of the stores, ignoring the stares he received due to his peculiar choice of dress. Eyes skimming the crowd, he noticed all of the families together for a day of trivial amusement. Mothers and fathers doted on their children, siblings played with one another, and laughter was not in shortage. Babies who cried were quickly comforted and loved into contentedness. Families and friends couldn't help but smile at one another. These sights unsettled him; Whether or not it struck something within him or the notion that humanity in general disgusted him he could not tell. He just knew that he did not like the way his stomach felt heavy seeing it all.

"Alright, I think I have all the clothing and toiletries I need. I don't know really know what Bath and Body Works or Lush really is, but it is fantastic," sang Hotaru, breaking Hiei's concentration. She saw the troubled look in his eyes and grew a little concerned, even if he hadn't been the best of guides. "Are you alright?"

"If by alright, you mean untroubled, yes I am. There is nothing wrong," he claimed. Yet, he could not take his eyes away from observing all the social interaction going on around him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Stop badgering me," he chastised. "I'm going to leave you to your business, I have grown bored and wish to be left alone." He began to walk away, leaving her standing by herself amidst the crowds. "If you find yourself in a manner of trouble, call for me and I'll hear you. Unfortunately, that's in my job description."

Although she was quite perplexed and an upsetting mixture of hurt and annoyed, she nodded in compliance. After all, she had spent years alone, with no one to accompany her. What was a shopping venture alone, anyway?

With relative ease she had found a store with a peculiar name that seemed to sell all manner of athletic ware. Since it was the midst of fall season, she elected pieces that were lightweight but easily layered. While she was considering which shoes to purchase, she noticed a pair of girls not too far off. Both wore identical shirts with some sort of weird ball on them, discussing a coach and other members of a team they were supposedly in. They seemed to be having a delightful time in each other's companies, as they were continually laughing, making jokes, and engaging in endless conversation. Even the silences between them were comfortable.

Yet, there Hotaru stood, alone in the store. She suddenly became aware of all the pairs or groups of friends in the store, and all the families that were buying their children products and clothes for their own athletic pursuits. Faint echoes of childish laughter and happiness came to her mind, as well as the image of a girl with golden eyes who seemed less like an imaginative creation and more like a memory. Emptiness plagued her insides, and she felt very much like leaving and finding the ones she had left in Genkai's property. At the same time, she knew that she had a task to accomplish.

"Hiei?" she called, only half-hoping for an answer. Rather, she was lonely and wanted some sort of companionship. Not even five seconds later, she felt a gentle rush of air, the scent of burnt wood. Her response arrived quickly.

"Woman, this is hardly a situation of 'trouble' that I had in mind."

"I know."

"Hn," he grunted. Although he was clearly irritated, it would seem that what irritated him more was to leave only at the prospect of being pettily summoned back.

"There's really no reason for you to be like that. Honestly," she said. All around them were people just content to be with other people, and then there was Hiei.

"What did you say, onna?"

"I don't recall stuttering."

There was almost a palpable feeling in the air, as if he had a tangible energy that surged with his obvious anger. Although, she supposed, that wouldn't be such a far assumption, given his clearly different nature than other people. All she gave him in return was a sneering, taunting smile.

After sifting through different types of sneakers, she broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Hiei?"

"Hn"

"What sort of training are you to be putting me through?"

About to spout some disdainful remark about how he didn't think it concerned her to know, he realized the stupidity of what he was about to say. "We'll begin with physical training to get you in better physical condition. After some time we might cater it to suit your… abilities." He replied, wary of nosey humans that could be eavesdropping.

"The latter is what I'm more worried about."

"Hn."

"You are really insightful," she laughed.