The next day was Saturday, Yusuke didn't have to work, and true to their word, the boys were all at Kuwabara's house playing Halo. Botan found them in the boy's room, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke all laying stomach-down on the bed with a controller in their hands, and Hiei curled up on the floor at the foot of the bed watching with little interest.
"I hate the 3 player screen," Kurama said, "The black one in the corner messes with me."
"I know, it's like a blind spot," Kuwabara agreed.
"Hiei, call in so we can get a visual on that screen," Yusuke told him, "We won't shoot you, you don't have to play."
No response.
"Hiei," Yusuke looked down and tapped the demon's shoulder.
"What?" Hiei looked up, almost dazed.
"Are you that out of it?" Kuwabara asked, not looking away from the screen.
"Why? What's wrong with him?" Botan knelt down to where Hiei was.
"He's not feelin' so hot," Yusuke said, taking the fourth controller and adding another player. "He's had this bad headache for the past couple days and it's really bringin' him down."
"You feel up to bringing down the demon we found in the park?" Botan asked him.
Hiei bolted up. "Sure!" he said.
"Oh, right, like if you don't got it in you to fight us on here, you're gonna be any match for the real deal," Kuwabara said.
Hiei frowned and picked up the fourth controller. His player threw a grenade behind Yusuke's rock, hammered Kurama's player with the machine gun, and Kuwabara's player took a sniper shot to the head.
"Triple - kill…" the automated voice announced.
"Can we go now?" Hiei asked.
"!"
The escapee in the park was a long gray snake-like demon. It had only two feet near the front end of its body, used for balance as it swung its whip of a tail.
"We get to kill it, right?" Hiei asked.
"It already injured two people," Botan said, "And ate another."
"Gross…" Kuwabara made a face.
"Guys? Give me a distraction?" Yusuke asked.
The other three took off for the demon.
Its slitted eyes fell on Kuwabara, to its left. Which was good for Hiei, because he was already coming in on the right. And then something really strange happened. It had never happened to him before, and he couldn't figure out why it happened now.
When Hiei raised his sword to strike the beast, he was sure he'd aimed for its shoulder. But when the sword came down, it missed.
"What?!" Hiei barely had time to get the word out before the massive tail slammed into his back. He hit the ground, saw stars, and scrambled up in time to see Yusuke's spirit gun vaporize the half-snake.
"Nice distraction," Kurama held out a hand to help him up. Hiei ignored it and stood.
"What was that?" Yusuke yelled, running up to them, "Did you mean to miss?"
"Yes, Yusuke, I deliberately refrained from harming the rampaging monster." Hiei raised an eyebrow.
"Right…" Yusuke said, "Then what happened? I've never your aim so off!"
"It was barely an inch!" Hiei bristled.
"Try a foot, man," Kuwabara corrected.
"Yeah, it was almost like you couldn't even see-" Yusuke stopped and trailed off. He stared at Hiei a moment. The little demon made an impressive effort to avoid eye contact.
"Hiei?" Yusuke asked very seriously.
"What?" he replied, still looking away.
"Is there something wrong with your eye?" Yusuke questioned.
"No," Hiei answered, now looking up at the boy, "Why would you think that?"
True, the headache he'd had seemed to originate from his forehead. And yes, he did lose his second sight just before attacking the snake. But it was only for a second and he chalked it up to jet lag. He got that sometimes.
"Hiei," Yusuke said.
"There is nothing wrong with the Jagan!" Hiei said, "There can't be."
Yusuke wasn't convinced.
