Hello everyone! I'm getting back into this story after a weird semester, so hopefully you all enjoy!
As usual, please PLEASE review! It would be wonderful to hear how I'm doing, or how you hope the story will go.
Hopefully you will all understand that I have to explore and develop Hotaru and her character before any sort of romance develops.
But seriously, review, humans! I'm dying for some fresh feedback.
Not long after morning broke above the tree line, Hotaru was visited by Keiko. Apparently, both Kuwabara and Yusuke were visiting Genkai and engaging in some sort of training and she had some time to kill.
"I was really hoping you were doing okay," Keiko informed her, swirling the remnants of some morning coffee in her mug. She had spent a considerable amount of time telling Hotaru how to prepare this popular beverage, as well as some other staple food items while the coffee brewed.
"Oh," she smiled in reply, "well, thank you! It means a lot that you came to help me. I was feeling a bit lost." Admitting it to another person racked her insides with guilt.
"No worries! If you need anything, I'll be glad to help! I imagined Hiei wouldn't be very useful."
Hotaru's golden gaze turned to the side. She hadn't seen him since their brash parting yesterday. "Oh, he's alright I guess. He did take me to that place yesterday to get the things I needed."
"Yeah! Per his job description at the moment," Keiko giggled. "He works in Demon World, technically, but whoever his boss is, Mu-something, has him working with Koenma again until she has some new use for him. I guess you could say Koenma is like Genkai and everyone else's boss," she explained further. "So now his job is to help Genkai and Koenma …. learn more about you." Hotaru supposed that this meant something more along the lines of 'make sure you're not incredibly dangerous and lethal.'
"What I mean is, don't go trusting him too much. He's a strange guy. He's all bark AND bite. He means what he says," she continued.
"Is he really that terrible?" inquired Hotaru. She could infer his attitude and overall demeanor was terrible, but she didn't think it was something that was irreparable.
"Yes and no. I mean, the guys have all been around him for so long, that he has changed a bit for the better. When I first met him, he was definitely almost a different person," she shuddered. "Even though it's like his intentions are different now, most of his attitude and personality has remained the same. Totally toxic. Outside of the battlefield, I'm not sure he's someone I would hang around. Not that I ever have to worry about him hanging around me… usually keeps to himself."
Offering some thoughtful noise through closed lips as a reply, Hotaru took another sip of coffee. It was bitter and sharp, but somehow it placed her awareness to a more elevated level. She could tell that it would be quite habit inducing.
Keiko continued to prattle on about the prospective events of her 'weekend' that began this morning, and her general dissatisfaction that Yusuke would be spending the bulk of her time at the temple. Although she tried her best to listen, Hotaru found her thoughts drifting to the contents of her training that she thought she was meant to begin that afternoon.
"You'll be alright after I leave, won't you?" inquired Keiko. "I mean, most food prep on the stuff you have in here is pretty self-explanatory. The directions are right on the box!"
A fit of giggled were emitted from her mouth. When she saw the awkward look upon Hotaru's face and heard what couldn't be mistaken as anything other than nervous laughter, she stopped.
"Wait…. You can read, right?"
Hotaru grimaced.
"I mean, it's totally okay if you can't! Lots of people can't read! It's fine! It's totally fine. They usually give literacy lessons at the libra- well, you can't leave, can you? I can't really come to take you every day, at least not until summer break." Keiko anxiously rambled.
"It's fine, really."
"No way! I have a solution," Keiko declared. "I'll come here as often as I can until the semester is over to give you some beginning lessons on the different Japanese alphabets and things. That'll give you a great foundation! Then, when summer comes, I can take you to the library for the literacy stuff they do there!"
"Are you sure?" Hope sprung in Hotaru's chest. Learning to read would perhaps be the first step in waning off her dependency upon others.
"Yeah, this is a great plan! Plus it will give me more time to study for my college entrance exams in the fall." Why exactly one would occupy their break time with further studies, Hotaru was not sure. All she knew was that she was extremely grateful.
"Th-thank you, Keiko!" she beamed.
"Don't mention in. Before I leave, let me give you one last run-down on how to make some things…" For the next few minutes, Keiko proceeded to give her a last reminder on how to prepare certain food items and dishes for herself. Before she left, she ceaselessly quizzed Hotaru. When at last her memory was to her satisfaction, Keiko departed for something called a 'study group' until Yusuke was finished training for the day.
The warmth inside Hotaru's breast mirrored that of the rising summer sun. She was absolutely elated she had solidified a friendship with someone in this new place. Better yet, she had found a new way, albeit minute, to grow her sense of independence in her new surroundings. Fire raged within her heart to begin this new training- another way she hoped to become a stronger individual.
Hiei still fumed inwardly at the sheer insolence of this girl. The second she bumped into his shoulder out of spite, he wanted nothing more than to wring her neck. Curse those damned laws of Koenma, he thought. Resting in the high oak tree beside the home that housed her, he took in the soothing sounds of morning. He enjoyed hearing the wildlife's noise as it rose from slumber, and thought to himself how blissful life must be when you know not the pointlessness of your own existence. He wondered what would happen if he torched the whole forest ablaze. Yet, he decided that the presence of the forestry provided him more solace than annoyance.
Yusuke's insufferable mate, Keiko, coming to the abode's door interrupted his brooding. The two chatted and rambled through the kitchen for a period of time. To his chagrin, he heard every minute sound they made due to his nature. When the two of them spoke of him with such ease he was further irritated. There was something not right about simple weaklings discussing the like of powerful demons as though they were discussing an afternoon rainstorm. A part of him was reminded of other times in which others discussed him as if he could not hear them. The end result of those conversations resulted in his isolation and him being ostracized. These two could not have such power over him, though. He had made sure that no one would long ago.
Hotaru bade the insufferable girl farewell at the door, and Hiei was grateful that the stench of human was halved. She went back inside, caused some rustling sounds, and re-emerged from the front door in some human athletic ware. He heard the thud of her jump from the wooden walkway, and the rustle of grass as she walked around the back of the home. She passed beneath him in the oak tree and stopped. Her nose cautiously sniffed the air, muttering something about the smell of charred wood. Just as she turned up to face the up reaching branches of the tree, Hiei vanished to the roof. He couldn't have her thinking he had some personal vested interest in her wellbeing.
Her golden eyes rested for a long while on the tree, eyeing it with scrutiny. Heaving a 'hmph,' she paced towards the forest, her auburn hair swirling with the balmy breeze.
"What an idiot, waltzing into Genkai's forest as if it were a simple morning stroll," he practically spat out the words. The forest was home to a plethora of simple human wildlife, but otherworldly entities were known to make their home there from time to time. Her ability to defend herself was apparently questionable, given their second encounter. His thoughts trailed to her glittering, exposed skin- a picture of serene, reserved tranquility- and to her eyes blazed afire, talons exposed- just the opposite of the former picture. He wondered the possible extents to which she was a truly capable individual of battle, and sardonically chuckled to himself as he viewed this weak simpleton trot along the flatland before the forest.
He did not wish to serve any more time in the human world than necessary, be it for a job or punishment for failing to serve his duties as ordained by Koenma. He waited for Hotaru to disappear into the densely packed trees to follow her, not wanting the latter to become a reality.
Review to provide me with some inspiration, lovelies (;
Have a wonderful day/evening/span of time, wherever you are!
... review.