When at last Hotaru completed acquiring the necessary items for her stay at Genkai's temple, both her and Hiei departed exactly as they had arrived. This time, however, the pair traveled in an incredibly tense silence. Once Hotaru detatched from him upon reaching their destination, she carried her things in the direction Hiei briskly walked.

The location of the girl's new home had been disclosed to him in earlier conversations with the old hag and fox, and Hiei was trying his best to make clear the fact that he was incredibly displeased with his new duties. Behind the temple stood a connected, small, two-level building. The connection to the grand main temple consisted of a roofed, wooden walkway that passed a koi pond and small garden. Just beyond this meager building lay a vast expanse of flat grassland and forest on either side. Padding along behind Hiei on the walkway, Hotaru examined the beautiful wildlife just beyond what she supposed was her new home. A fresh breeze brought over the smell of warm grass and imminent rain. Somehow, she smelled the comforting scent of burning wood as well.

Hiei stopped upon reaching the door, and turned on his heels to face her.

"Go inside and elect which room you wish to occupy," he stated. "I have other things to attend to than babysitting the likes of you."

Annoyed with his constantly negative demeanor, she abruptly moved past him to enter her new home. In the process, she roughly bumped into his shoulder. Not caring to watch his reaction, she stomped into what she supposed was common living space. Not that she needed to; she heard the coarse scoff that he emitted and the sudden surge of heat through the wall that she was sure was an effect of his rage. In a swirl of black, he was gone, and Hotaru was left to her own devices in her new abode. She slipped off her boots and felt the hardwood floor beneath her feet, taking a deep breath while examining her surroundings.

The trappings were simple and humble. The living space before the kitchen was adorned with comfortable seating such as lumpy armchairs, a sofa, and a table that could seat at least five individuals. Beyond that laid a small kitchen. Upon further inspection, Hotaru found some pots and pans, and even staple items like oils, rice, potatoes, flour, sugar, onions, and other things. A spiral staircase woven from iron just past the kitchen reached to the next floor. Huffing herself and her new things up the stairs, she wondered how often Hiei would be stopping by, or if he was even meant to live with her after all.

On the second floor, sea foam green walls followed a mahogany hallway that winded to the left. The first door to the left was a simple bathroom in the same wall color. An antique clawed bathtub, accompanied by a showerhead, rested beside a sink and large curtained window. A small closet space held towels and cleaning products, as well as a menial supply of toilet paper. All were the same size and not exceptionally different from one another, save for one. One bedroom held a particularly fluffy bed lined with what Hotaru supposed was feather-filled bedding. A lovely bay window with soft seating overlooked the vast forest, and a beautiful oak tree sat just beside it. Its intricate branches seemed eager to frame the scene for her; a comforting reminder that beauty still laid in the world, despite what treachery she had experienced.

She set to work sorting her new possessions into the drawers and storage space available to her. All of the furniture was wooden and it was a comforting thing. Wooden items seemed warm and familiar. Running her hands along the fine grains and cool surface, a soft smile graced her lips. Changing into a soft cotton dress that ended mid-thigh, she opened the handsome window.

The sun hung low beyond the trees, creating the beginnings of a dark silhouette that suggested sunset would soon arrive. Birds spoke to one another in their singsong language. One could almost hear all the creatures of day settling into their homes and families before night settled in. The thought brought a pang to her heart. She secretly hoped she had found a new family where she was now, no matter how peculiar the circumstances.

Feeling particularly worn out from the events of the day, Hotaru plopped down upon the delightfully cloud-like bed and began to forge a mental to-do-list. Although she could speak the language of this land fairly well, she had no knowledge of written word. Not wanting to feel helpless, she wanted to accomplish this as soon as possible. However, she was certain that her departures from the temple were limited, and not likely to occur unless accompanied by one of the people she had met. She would have to learn how to prepare food in this new way of living- somehow she doubted that cooking in a kitchen was not quite the same as catching wild game and roasting it over an open fire, or foraging for meager vegetation and consuming it raw. Yet, the concept of a kitchen was not foreign. Feelings of frustration began to settle in.

How was it that in some respects, she had knowledge where she had little opportunity to gain it? How could she know certain things that she felt she had yet to come to know in her life? Why was it that whenever she attempted to trace this knowledge back to the source, it was like trying to follow a path in which a unavoidable gate had sprouted, allowing her to go no further?

Lying on her side in a curled position, she relished the feeling of the summer breeze grazing her bare legs and arms. She ran her eyes over the flesh, which was bumpy and marked with scars that came from long battles with creatures in the land she lived before this. The vast desert had made her strong in both mind and body. Yet, whenever she tried to think of the different manners in which she had defended herself, the avenues became foreign to her. She knew of the things she had done to defend herself against the monsters and demons that plagued the desert, but her knowledge of its execution was limited- as though she were an outsider in her own body, only viewing its actions and not carrying them out. Forming her hand into a fist, she remembered the sheer power she had felt when barraging the last creature she fought when she met this new troupe of people.

Sleep soon washed over her, egged on by the comfortable breeze and the warmth of her body upon the bed.

The warmth of the sun beat down upon me, warming my skin, my hair, and even my soul. Everything was so light and joyful. Laughter was the soundtrack of my existence.

Turning to face some exclamation-

It must have been my name.

My name.

What was it? What had she said?

I realized my day of play was over. I waved to my friends, signaling that I must depart.

I took off my shoes, dirtied from play and imaginative creation. I padded along hardwood flooring, detecting the scent of imminent nourishment. Sitting at a table lined with food, two familiar faces sat across from me, the woman holding a baby. Their eyes were warm and jubilant, rings of molten gold staring into mine. Were they asking me how my day was? I was not exhilarated to answer. I even spoke begrudgingly.

I want to go back now; I want to go back to this warmth and this beautiful place.

Take me back.

The warmth crashed into heat, into flames, into screams and tears and a raw, choked throat.

In a whirlwind of color, the heat disappeared into traumatizing chill.

Into frozen muscles

Into a shrinking soul begging to disappear

Into trying to shrink away from hands and bodies that never seemed to end

Into echoing chambers and stonewalls that seemed to exist only to mimic my sobs and screams so I would never forget.

Into clawing in the sand, soaked in my own blood

Into a crippling weakness of body

Into an even more crippling weakness of mind, revisiting memories long since past

Into sudden, relieving warmth

Into a swirl of black

Into crimson eyes

Into eyes that begged to be seen as filled with hate, rather than filled with a hollow, desperate emptiness that was so apparent because I imagined mine to be the same.

Waking in a cold sweat, Hotaru sat bolt upright. Night had fallen over this land with the moon resting high in the inky sky. It waltzed among the crystalline stars, calling for the nocturnal creatures of the world to worship it with song and their own dance of rustling and predatory excursions.

Changing into a soft nightshirt, she settled back into the bed- beneath the covers this time. She chased after what would hopefully be a more restful sleep. Comforted by the distant smell of burning wood, she knew her pursuit would be fruitful.