"I'm pleased that the both of us are still in the running. This is the closest I've come to claiming ownership of the entire world," Mukuro stated, hands folded in her lap as she sat across the table from Hiei.

Hiei grunted noncommittally, his mind far removed from the tournament and the meeting he was supposed to be having in Mukuro's suite. His thoughts were still stuck on the words Botan had told him earlier.

She still saw so much potential for good in him, even after he had betrayed her and stomped all over her feelings.

And he still cared about her, even after all this time had passed.

"Are you listening or are you too preoccupied with your internal musings of the ferry-girl to pay attention to what I have to say?"

Hiei's gaze shifted to view the orange-haired woman.

"What makes you think I'm thinking of her?" he countered with a frown.

"You didn't deny it for starters," Mukuro pointed out, tapping her fingers against the glass table. "And I'm no fool. I know you well enough by now. The ferry-girl has been the only thing on your mind for a while now."

"You make me sound like a common love-struck fool," Hiei snarled, offended by her choice of words.

"You aren't, but it's still rather interesting to see."

"I'm glad you're deriving entertainment from my inner turmoil," the fire-demon replied sardonically, shoulders tense and fists clenched.

"Don't be over dramatic, Hiei. It doesn't suit you," Mukuro admonished, relaxing into her chair as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Hn. And what do you know about any of this?" he gritted almost petulantly as he glared at her.

"Nothing, thankfully," Mukuro admitted. "I've never cared about another person in the romantic sense and I never hope to do so."

Truthfully, Hiei felt the same. He didn't want to care about Botan in the way that he did, but there was no helping it. And he couldn't simply erase it or force it away.

"If I did manage to find myself in your predicament, then I would consider my options carefully," Mukuro started, blue eye resting on him critically. "And, considering the fact that this is a foreign matter, I would seek council from someone who could offer sound advice."

Kurama was the first person to come to mind and he figured he might as well pay the fox a visit. But first, he decided that he would return Botan's ticket. He had only kept it as leverage so that she would end up spending more time with him; an inconspicuous opportunity for him to figure out their situation. Now that he had gained his clarity, the ticket was a moot point. He wouldn't trick her into spending any more time with him than necessary.

"Is that all?" Hiei asked.

"Seeing as you're too preoccupied with your own matters to really listen, yes, that's all," Mukuro replied, the upwards quirk of her lips signaling to the fact that she was more amused than agitated.

Hiei stood up wordlessly. He had expected to hear an admonishing lecture littered with disparaging comments, but that wasn't the case. She had only told him to think carefully and for that, he was thankful.

"This won't change things," he said as the sudden need to clear the air surged from within. "This won't change me."

"I know."

As he exited the suite, he realized that he had two options: he could let the woman go again once the tournament was over or he could actively pursue her, for real this time. Both decisions were equally appealing. Resuming his normal routine at Mukuro's fortress was something he was inclined to doing, but something told him that the contented pattern he had fallen into over the past few years would be lackluster now that Botan was back on his mind.

Though, if he did choose to indulge in his desires for her, there was always the chance that he could ruin it all like the last time. He didn't know if it was worth the risk and the uncertainty was one that he was not used to experiencing.

Kurama seemed to know everything – or at least think he did – perhaps the fox could put his knowledge to use and provide some much needed clarity.

Kurama was surprised to find Hiei waiting near his door bright and early on the morning of the semifinals. Truth be told, he had not seen the fire-demon since speaking with Yukina in the human world. Kurama had not been avoiding his friend, per se; he was simply keeping his distance. The former spirit fox was still wrestling with the fact that the ice-maiden knew all about her relation to Hiei and he was torn; bound by the same promise of secrecy to both siblings. His allegiance should have been to Hiei, but he understood Yukina's motives and could not readily decide what to do with this newfound information.

Emerald eyes carefully examined his friend's body language and expression. Hiei wore a frown that creased his brow and wrinkled his forehead and the rigidity in his posture was a clear indication that he was troubled.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked finally, breaking the silence.

"I take it you were privy to the ex-detective's plans involving the ferry-girl and I?" the fire-demon surmised.

Kurama could not say that he hadn't expected either Botan or Hiei to figure out what Yusuke was up to. It was only a matter of time and now it all made sense; the pieces aligning to form a picture of clarity. Hiei's most recent displeasure was born from his knowledge of Yusuke's latest exploits and the consequences it brought forth.

"Yes, I was aware that he was trying to repair things between the two of you," Kurama confessed. "But at least intentions were in the right place this time."

"It doesn't make his actions any less repulsive," Hiei replied in a gruff tone. "He's even worse than Kuwabara."

Kurama chuckled lightly, eyes filled with mirth.

"I'm starting to think you actually miss him a little."

"At least the fool's insults were more creative and less crude," Hiei muttered under his breath.

"Still, I understand Yusuke's motives," Kurama admitted. "It was a difficult seeing you two so angry with each other."

"Hn."

"Tell me, what finally stopped all the fighting?" he asked curiously.

"She called a truce and I agreed," Hiei responded.

"I see," he said with a nod. "That's good."

"It's anything but good, Kurama," Hiei bit out, his tone clipped.

"How so?"

"Yusuke's interference complicates things," Hiei admitted.

"I assure you, that was far from his intent. He only meant to provide you two the opportunity to resolve your issues," Kurama defended. "And by the looks of it, I'd say he did."

"That's where the problem lies," Hiei said. "The ex-detective put us both in a position to fall back into the same situation as before."

Kurama hid his surprise behind a neutral mask. Hiei had just confessed - in his own roundabout and disguised way - that his feelings for Botan had been revived. It was a possible outcome that Kurama had come to expect, but it was still a little shocking to see it play out before his very eyes. The first time Hiei had admitted his feelings for Botan to Kurama, he was a drunken mess. But this time, he was completely sober, he was not spiraling out of control and he was not denying it. He was facing it head on.

"I have a feeling that even without Yusuke's interference, you would have come to this same point eventually," Kurama said finally.

Hiei's brow knotted in annoyance or confusion, Kurama could not be sure which. But nonetheless, he had Hiei's attention so he continued.

"Now all that's left to do is discern what you will do from this point onwards," he advised. "And follow through."

"You talk about it as though it were all so simple and clear cut," Hiei said. "But it's not as easy as you make it out to be."

"It wouldn't be worth it if it was easy, Hiei."

"Hn."

"The fact that you've admitted that this matter isn't a simple one shows signs of your growth," Kurama commended. "I'm sure that you will see it through the proper way this time; whether you two end up as casual acquaintances, friends or something more."

Hiei averted his gaze, shoulders tensing slightly underneath his black shirt.

"I can't afford to repeat the mistakes of the past."

"If you've learned from them, then there's no need to worry," Kurama replied. "You can do things right this time."

Hiei seemed to genuinely contemplate his words, a definite first on his part and Kurama continued.

"In any case, the choice is yours to make. Do not take it lightly; second chances rarely ever occur when it matters most."

Yusuke was sipping on the drink recommended to him by the waitress as he waited for Botan to show up. This thing was pretty good, despite its embarrassingly girly appearance; tangy, but with a hint of some sweet liquor. Deciding to forego the straw and pointless umbrella in lieu of guzzling the drink down, he did just that. He ordered another one and found that he didn't even mind the girlishly pink color anymore, although the waitress assured him that it was fuchsia and not pink. Same difference.

Even though Botan was running a little late, he didn't really mind. The flat screens located around the restaurant were displaying a special program dedicated to the tournament, and he was enjoying himself as he watched the various highlights. He had even caught his own greatest moments and he had to admit that he looked pretty badass.

He strummed his fingers on the table absentmindedly and gave the area another sweeping glance, perking up when he finally spotted a splash of blue hair. Botan looked completely distracted as she walked into the café. She took a seat across from him without even bothering to look at him, her eyes glued to a ticket that rested in the palm of her hands.

"Good morning to you too, sunshine. Wanna tell me why you're staring at that thing like it has all the answers of the universe on there?" Yusuke questioned.

Botan finally graced him with some attention, eyes wide in a mixture of confusion and wonder as she looked over at him.

"Sorry about that, Yusuke," she apologized. "It's just that my ticket's been missing for a while now, but this morning when I left the room, I saw it sitting there underneath the door."

"Huh?" Yusuke let out unintelligibly.

"Isn't that something? Maybe the staff found it and returned it," she pondered.

"Wait, so you mean, you haven't had your ticket this whole time?"

Botan nodded.

"I was apprehensive about telling Koenma, so Hiei graciously allowed me to sit with him in the meantime," she explained.

Yusuke's expression turned smug, brow raised and mouth upturned as he leaned in closer towards Botan and over the table.

"Hiei, you say?"

"Yes, it was quite unexpected."

"Unexpected doesn't even begin to cover it," he agreed, as things suddenly became clearer. "The guy's pretty sly, if you ask me."

"I wouldn't say that… he was simply being kind."

"Yeah, he's a regular bleeding heart, that one," he grumbled under his breath as he took another sip of the fruity concoction.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," he lied, sliding her menu over to her. "Why don't you take a look at the menu and figure out what you want to eat. The waitress will be here any minute now."

"Okay," she reluctantly agreed, picking up the menu and scanning the selection.

As she deliberated over breakfast, Yusuke mentally patted himself on the back. He was a genius. His little plan had shaken up the fire-demon more than he had aimed to. Hiei had plenty of opportunities to return that ticket, but he didn't want to. And Yusuke had a sneaking suspicion of why that was.

"What's with that expression?"

His smirk dropped as he pretended to be offended.

"I always look like this!"

"No, you look like the cat that got the cream," she accused, a slender brow raised in suspicion.

"It's nothing," he lied once more. "Have you figured out what you want? I'm starving here."

"You're deflecting, I can see it written all over your face! You've been acting weird ever since I showed up!"

I'm not even the one she should be interrogating. Hiei's the sneaky one, keeping tickets and secrets like that, he thought as he rolled his eyes.

"What?"

Shit, did he say that aloud? His filter was usually the first thing to go when he had a few drinks in him. Especially when he had the fruity ones like this.

"It's nothing. Just forget I ever said anything," he suggested, scratching at the back of his head nervously.

"Yusuke!" she exclaimed. "You had better explain yourself, mister!"

"It's a real long and boring story," he said, waving her off. "You really don't want to know."

"Oh but I really do," she insisted stubbornly. "You're hiding something and if it has to do with me, then you owe me the common courtesy of letting me know!"

That struck a nerve, considering the huge secret they all kept from her three years ago. Yusuke sighed, running a hand through his hair as he sobered up. He really didn't want to have to explain this to Botan, but he didn't seem to have a choice in the matter.

"Fine, if I'm gonna explain, I might as well start from the beginning. And before you get all pissy at me, just remember that I did this out of the goodness of my own heart. I did it for you and since my plan actually worked, I'm probably due for a little gratitude."

"We'll see about that," she warned, crossing her arms over her chest with a stern expression. Normally, Yusuke wouldn't be worried, but he had gotten an oar to the face before and Botan was way stronger than she looked.

"It was all pretty harmless stuff. You and Hiei were driving the rest of us nuts with your arguing, so I decided to put an end to it. I pretended to have business at the other hotel so you two could go back together. I set you both up at the bar that one night. And then I took your ticket so you would be forced to spend some quality time with our prickly fire-demon."

Botan's brow crinkled slightly as her eyes slowly rolled away from his, looking more distant than he had expected. Her silence unnerved him more than Hiei's anger had. Was she really pissed at him, hurt even? She looked back at him with an unreadable expression and he met her gaze, awaiting whatever would come next.

"You really did all those things for our sake?"

"I did."

Her expression softened considerably.

"Oh, Yusuke, I can't fault you for trying to repair our friendship. It was actually pretty sweet of you to do," she admitted. "Though it was a little pointless, since we had already decided to be civil to each other beforehand."

"Yeah, Hiei rubbed that one in my face already," he revealed. "Anyway, I'm done with the meddling and interfering, so you don't have to worry about it anymore."

"Good to know," she replied. "But how did Hiei learn about all of this?"

He thought back to the incident and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"I admit, it wasn't my finest moment," he recalled with a sheepish look. "He kinda caught me trying to return your ticket on the night of the second round."

"If that's the case, then why didn't you return it until now?"

"Cause he took it from me," Yusuke explained, twirling his butter knife between his fingers. "Said something about not trusting me to return it after what I'd done."

Botan's frown deepened in confusion.

"That doesn't make any sense," she started. "If Hiei had my ticket this whole time, then he could have returned it yesterday morning when I was telling him how worried I was over losing it!"

"Maybe he just wanted to spend more time with you," Yusuke teased, but underneath it all was a hint of truth to his statement.

"You think so?"

"Hell if I know... Hiei's a confusing guy and I'm not into psychoanalyzing people like Kurama is," Yusuke replied, watching the knife as it twirled around his fingers, glinting under the rays of the sun that had peered through the open windows. He paused to look back at her seriously. "But it does seem like the most obvious answer. He kept your ticket so he would have a reason to keep you around."

Botan's gaze fell from his and a contemplative look settled over her expression. He supposed it was best that they all knew the truth now; everything was out in the open and Botan could do whatever she pleased with it.

He was just about to say something to lighten the mood, but he soon noticed that the ferry-girl's attentions were focused on something else. He followed her line of sight curiously and it led him to the television that was now replaying Hiei's highlights from the tournament. There was something wistful in her gaze as she viewed the screen, a slight longing that he had seen reflected in Keiko's eyes once before.

Yusuke smirked. It looked as though things were going to get interesting again.

Botan was on her way back towards her room, gift bags in hand after a successful shopping excursion.

Although breakfast with Yusuke had ended an hour ago and she distracted herself with the impromptu shopping splurge, the recent knowledge that Hiei had withheld her ticket from her was enough to have her mind reeling. Did he really want to spend more time with her, like Yusuke had jokingly insinuated? Hiei was a very private and closed off person, perhaps this was the only way he could go about it without asking her to sit with him outright.

Technically, that was a good thing. She wanted them to be friends and she cared about him greatly, but she didn't want him to think that he had to trick her into spending time together. She was more than happy to do it without needing any coercing at all.

Botan quickly deposited the gift bags and decided to speak with Hiei about it. She wanted to clear the air between them and it was as good a time as any to do so. As she exited her room and double-checked the door to ensure that it was locked, she wondered if Hiei was even still here. Walking over to his door, she reached a hand out and hesitated before actually knocking. Was it really such a good idea to bother him about it so close to the start of his fight?

"Maybe I should come back after the matches…" she reasoned aloud. "Yes, I think I'll do just that-"

"Hn, I always knew you were slightly insane. Tell me, do you make it a habit of talking to yourself out in the open like this?"

Botan spun around in surprise, mortified to find Hiei at the end of the hallway.

"Hiei! You really shouldn't sneak up on unsuspecting people like that!" she accused.

"I wasn't," he said as he advanced. "You're just pitifully unaware of your surroundings."

She felt herself blushing in embarrassment and quickly diverted the topic.

"So, what brings you here?" she asked nervously, before biting her lip and mentally berating himself. This was his room and he had every right to be here, she was the one who was loitering in front of his door like some sort of strange person.

Hiei gave her a look, but decided not to comment on it.

"I came to get my sword," he explained curtly.

Botan watched as he entered his room, presumably to find his weapon. She took a deep breath and exhaled in an attempt to calm herself down and gather her thoughts. Hiei had already caught her outside of his room door, he undoubtedly knew that there was something on her mind and she had no choice but to convey her thoughts. This was no time to be acting like a ditz. She had to be calm, cool and collected if she intended on broaching the subject of her previously missing ticket.

A few moments later, he returned to the hallway, strapping his sword behind his back and fixing her with an expectant look. She took that as her cue to say her mind.

It was now or never.

"Yusuke told me everything," she revealed. "He told me about all the ways he tried to set us up and the fact that you had my ticket for a while. I was confused at first, but I think understand his intentions and I'm pretty sure that I understand yours as well."

His eyes narrowed slightly and she noticed him tense up.

"It isn't what you think," he replied through a frown.

"There's no need to be upset," she cut in quickly, afraid that his anger or shame might override any chance they had of clearing the air. "You're not always the most open person, Hiei, so I understand where you were coming from. But if you wanted to spend time with me, all you had to do was ask."

Hiei looked as though he wanted to say something, but since he refrained from actually voicing his thoughts, she decided to continue.

"If you ever want to spend time together, you can just ask me to. I like being with you and we do have three years' worth of time to make up for," she finished with a smile, hoping that she had gotten her point across.

Hiei stared at her for a few moments before nodding and averting his gaze.

"I know," he replied lowly.

"Good," she replied, beaming at him.

Hiei shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked down the length of the hallway with the ferry-girl.

Botan had partly figured out his intentions, but it was by a rare stroke of luck that she assumed them to be born out of a friendly need and not a deeper one. And that was fine by him. What didn't settle well, however, was the way she made him feel without doing anything at all. She had only told him that she liked spending time with him - a fact that he knew to be true ever since their dating stint three years ago - but that the thought that those sentiments still rang true to the present made him more pleased than he cared to admit.

They entered the elevators silently, but he felt the woman's stare lingering on his form. When he turned to view her, he noticed that her eyes were transfixed somewhere underneath his own gaze.

"What?"

"You're not going to fight wearing the stones are you?" she asked, pointing over at him.

He had not been expecting her to mention the tear gems and it caught him slightly off guard. He looked down momentarily, noting that he had forgotten to conceal them beneath his shirt like he usually did.

"I keep them on me at all times," he answered.

"That can't be safe," she mentioned, a frown furrowing her brows slightly. "Weren't you fighting the last time you lost yours?"

Hiei was temporarily shocked that she remembered such an important detail, but he should have known by now that she was not the type to forget something so significant.

"Hiruiseki stones are highly coveted in this world," he explained. "I can't afford to leave them unattended."

"You can leave them with me," she offered good-naturedly.

Hiei paused to consider it for a moment and he could see that she was quickly regretting her offer.

"I mean, only if you feel comfortable with it," she amended quickly. "I would hate for them to get damaged during your match."

Hiei had never once parted with the stones since he had reclaimed them, but the thought of handing it over to Botan was an easy choice to make. She was the only one he entrusted them to. It would only ever be her.

"You realize that I'm trusting you with not only my own, but Yukina's as well," he said as he pulled the chain from his neck.

Botan nodded in understanding, purple eyes mesmerized by the hiruiseki. Even in the dull light of the elevator, the pale blue stones shined brilliantly.

He walked towards her and Botan held out an open palm, expecting to receive the stones by hand, but that was not his intention at all. Her eyes widened when he chose to step closer, the distance between them slowly becoming minute. He unclasped the chain and put it around her neck carefully, ignoring the way her breath hitched when he slipped the collar of her shirt open just enough so that the stones would rest beneath it. He ignored the fleeting and counterproductive instinct to remain in close proximity of the woman and let go of the flimsy material of her collar in lieu of stepping back and furthering the distance between the two of them.

"Keep them concealed and don't let anyone know that you have them."

Her hand instinctively rested over the area of her shirt where the gems lay hidden and she nodded reassuringly.

"They'll be safe with me. I promise."

He knew that they would, otherwise he would not have given them to her.

The elevator doors opened up and they exited on the ground floor, the intimacy of the exchange slowly subsiding as they once again joined the rest of the chaotic world. Botan did a quick scan of the lobby, waving over at Makoto who was lingering across the way, before finally finding the ogre and the prince.

"I had better go and join Lord Koenma," she announced, a light blush still dusting her cheeks due to their close encounter. "We'll all be cheering for you. Good luck with your match!"

He nodded in return, waiting until she was completely out of sight before making his way towards the ring. He should have felt off kilter without the stones, but knowing that she had them did something strange to his insides. He trusted her - not just with the stones - but with the parts of himself he had trouble revealing, with the secrets he kept inside and with the feelings he only recently realized he possessed. Suddenly, his decision regarding the woman was clear.

It didn't matter how they spent their time together; it always warped into something heavier, something more substantial, something damn near irreplaceable and unmatched. She was the only one who made him experience that unyielding feeling and she was undoubtedly the only one who ever could. He didn't think it was wise or constructive to leave that behind. After all, he was never the type deny himself of anything he wanted and right now, he wanted her. His decision was made. It was that simple.

Hiei took his time making his way towards the contenders' room within the stadium and found that he was the last to arrive. The announcer was at the head of the table, explaining the rules as she did before each round. Yomi stood to her right, arms at his side and eyes closed as usual. Mukuro was opposite of Yomi, looking completely relaxed and at ease. The remaining fighter was to Yomi's right, wearing an eager smirk. Hiei took his place opposite of him.

"The tournament committee decided to do away with the lots and matched you up accordingly. Hiei will be fighting Ryo first," the announcer revealed.

Hiei frowned. He would have rather faced off against Mukuro or Yomi, but this was the rookie who had defeated Yusuke. There had to be something about this newcomer that would satiate his hunger for a good fight.

"Ryo's psychic abilities are a perfect foil to Hiei's jagan. It will be a fair and entertaining match," she explained. "Following that, Yomi will face off against Mukuro in a clash against the Kings. The winner of these battles will go on to fight tomorrow in the finals."

It was a shame that Hiei had to hold out until the very end to get a somewhat challenging fight, but he vowed that this one would be his last. He had no intentions of going on to the finals, no matter who his opponent would be. Mukuro would win this round, and when he forfeited, then she would have what she wanted all along: rule over the world.

Botan watched Hiei face off against the very same demon that Yusuke had fallen to through worried eyes. She had taken to tapping her foot against the ground impatiently and wringing her hands nervously. If Koenma or George were irritated by her, they thankfully did not show it.

This battle lasted much longer than his previous matches. She could see that he was pleased this time around and she figured it was better late than never. She cringed whenever she saw him take any sort of damage, mentally keeping track of all of the injuries he had accumulated from physical blows, the slash of the opponent's sword or the brunt of an energy attack. Despite all of that, the smirk never left his face as he charged forward for more. It was admittedly a perfect matchup of strength. She supposed that this was what he was looking for all this time. She could see it now, the thrill of battle emblazoned in those crimson eyes and pushing on his movements. He was in his element.

The jagan glowed ominously as it warded off the effects of the challenger's blackout technique and she could see that Hiei was pulling out all of the stops on this one. He had already employed the use of his fists of the mortal flame and the sword of the darkness flame, but it wasn't enough. The sound of thunder boomed in the distance and a menacing energy fell over the stadium; she knew what was about to happen, having seen it before. The threatening and dark energy of the dragon crackled around the stadium as Hiei summoned it. In the past it had always frightened her and seemed so dangerous, but now she found herself spurring it on, hoping it would grant Hiei all the power he needed to win.

"I should thank you," Hiei said as his energy skyrocketed. "In this one match you've proved to be enough of a challenge to push me past the point of boredom."

"And I should say the same. Though artificial, that jagan of yours is quite impressive," his opponent responded, breathing heavily through his exertion.

"But now it's time to end it," Hiei announced confidently.

"You can try," Ryo replied, an anticipatory smirk overtaking his expression as his brown eyes locked on to Hiei's form.

Moments later, Hiei finally unleashed the dragon and launched it towards his opponent. The dragon was massive, its mouth opened and seemingly roaring as it sought out its enemy. Ryo stood his ground, managing to hold off the dragon using both his raw power and mysterious abilities. Bui had managed to do the same thing during the Dark Tournament, so she was certain that Hiei had expected this. The entire stadium was crackling with the dark energy as the struggle continued. Soon enough, the fire-demon started feeding the dragon some of his own energy and the intensity of the attack increased tenfold. The power was too much for Ryo to handle and the man was swept up inside the fiery currents of energy. Botan watched in terror as the dragon began to fade, expecting to see nothing remaining of the contender. She was shocked when the dragon disappeared and Ryo was still whole. He was battered and unconscious, but still alive. After the ten count, Hiei was declared the winner.

Botan's eyes trailed the victorious fire-demon like a hawk as he limped off of the stage and ignored the cheers of his name. She watched him wave off the medical team and stand towards the threshold of the stadium's entrance, back against the wall as he stared ahead at the ring. His expression was hard and neutral but she knew that he was hurt. Worry creased her brow; this was the first time she had seen him injured during the tournament and she wanted to help him.

"Where are you going?" Koenma asked upon seeing her stand up.

"The little girl's room," Botan lied through a sheepish grin. "All that water from earlier is finally catching up with me."

"You should hurry! Yomi and Mukuro are next, you don't want to miss that," Jorge said.

"Of course not!" she replied, grateful that they had both bought her excuse. "I'll be back in a jiffy!"

The stadium was large, but Botan knew how to get down to the first floor without any trouble, having done it before with Koenma. She could hear the radio broadcast playing from the speakers and from the sounds of it the match had already started. Based off of what the announcer was saying, the two kings seemed pretty evenly matched. When Mukuro attacked, Yomi defended with his impenetrable guard. When he attacked, she dodged. Botan could see the sunlight peering in through the door that led to the field and she spotted Hiei immediately. The ferry-girl smiled smugly; she had snuck away without anyone catching her and all she needed to do was heal Hiei quickly and return to Koenma. His back was turned to her, arms crossed as he stared at the ring and she did a mental intake of his injuries. It was hard to tell since he wore all black, which did a stellar job of hiding the evidence of blood, but his clothes were torn in some places and she could see the wounds that littered his body.

"This is no place for a ferry-girl."

Botan froze in her spot – she should have known Hiei would sense her. Her eyes widened and she gulped as Hiei turned around to pin her with a reprimanding glare.

"What do you think you're doing down here?" he asked, his eyes hard as they stared back at her.

"Well, I couldn't just let you stay here injured when I am perfectly capable of doing something about it," she reasoned, setting her hands on her hips. "Come into the hallway and I'll heal you quickly."

"I don't need any assistance."

"I watched you fight and I saw you get hurt. You can't act like you're one hundred percent after that."

Hiei shook his head.

"I'm fine. These injuries aren't worth worth fussing over."

"They don't look that way to me," she countered. "And it will only take a minute, so will you please just let me heal you?"

"I don't want you to."

"Why not?" she asked, clearly exasperated with his stubborn behavior.

"Because it isn't necessary," he said, seeming distracted as he kept his eyes on the ring. "Now leave."

"You're being very pigheaded!"

"And you're being foolishly stubborn."

"Oh that's rich, coming from you!" she countered.

She saw his jaw tick as he exhaled a deep breath.

"You're wasting your time in this endeavor," he started lowly. "I do not intend to let you heal me. Return to Koenma now."

Botan stepped out from the cover of the stadium, absolutely enraged at his dismissal and cold treatment of her.

"Why do you have to be so prideful? Is it that difficult for you to accept help from someone, least of all a ferry girl?"

"This isn't a matter of pride," he gritted as he glared back at her, turning his back on the ring for the first time since their conversation began.

"Then what is it?" she demanded to know.

"Look around you woman, this isn't your average fight," he bit out. "It isn't safe for you to be down here and if you spent half of your worry on yourself you would have realized that by now."

It was only then that Botan became aware of the rebounding energy blasts, howling winds and flying debris culminating as a result of Yomi and Mukuro's battle. She turned back to Hiei and realized that his prideful behavior was just a cover for his concern. His very valid concern. She felt all of the fight drain out of her in the moment that their eyes met. There was no point in arguing with him, not when he was being so adamant and selfless.

"Alright, I understand," she relented. "But don't think I've given up. I'll heal you if it's the last thing I do today."

There was a ghost of a smirk that appeared on his face, as though he knew there was not point in arguing as he replied.

"Hn, I'm well aware of your tendency to meddle."

"Good!" she said. "You can expect a visit later tonight, then."

She smiled over at him for a moment, glad that he wasn't putting up much of a struggle now that she had agreed to leave for the time being. She was just about to turn around and return to Koenma when she felt the earth beneath her feet shake threateningly. A blinding light enveloped the area, causing Botan to screw her eyes shut completely. The shockwave that ensued was strong enough to push the ferry-girl backwards and she was sure to fall were it not for Hiei grabbing her and anchoring her. He shielded her with his body and she saw him wince as the stray energy blast hit him forcefully enough to cause his grip on her to tighten painfully.

"Are you hurt?" they both asked each other at the same time. Hiei's tone was far more strained than she was used to hearing and it only served to increase her own unease. When she realized that he was staring back at her imperatively, urgently and with a hint of worry, she broke out of her stupor with a nod.

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "Thanks to you."

Hiei released his hold on her wordlessly and took a step to distance himself. As the wind stilled and the chaos around them settled, they both turned to the ring in stunned silence. Mukuro and Yomi were on opposite ends of the area, both unconscious on the floor. The screens above replayed the scene of the two kings unleashing concentrated blasts at the same time, the force of it knocking the both of them out.

The ten count was over and the crowd was silently awaiting an explanation, hushed murmurs eliciting from open-mouthed expressions and shocked faces of the bystanders. The announcer put a hand to her earpiece and nodded along to the instructions, looking just as flabbergasted as the rest of them before she eventually cleared her throat and regarded the crowd with a hesitant expression.

"I'm being told that due to a double knockout, Hiei is the official winner of the Third Annual Demon Tournament."

The cameras focused on the fire-demon, who was frozen in his spot. Botan stared back at him in disbelief, not knowing what to say or do. Her gaze dithered from Yomi to Mukuro and then settled on the screen in the air that captured the image of a stunned Hiei. She was displayed on the screen as well and the passing thought that Koenma was probably angered at her teetered on the edge of her mind before she dismissed it entirely. Yomi and Mukuro were down for the count and Hiei was declared the winner of the tournament: that meant that he was the ruler of the Demon World.

Hiei swallowed thickly.

He, who was cast out of the glacial village, and abandoned by the bandits he had foolishly considered family was now supposedly the ruler of the entire world. The thought unsettled him greatly.

"Hiei?"

Botan's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"They're calling you to the ring," she informed him, smiling at him nervously as she looked over towards the announcer.

He ambled over numbly, not really thinking as he moved to stand next to the announcer.

"For those of you who don't know, Hiei is the general of Mukuro's army, the single wielder of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and a master of the jagan eye. A former bandit and past victor of the Dark Tournament. Quite an impressive track record, wouldn't you say?" the girl announced. "Let's give our victor a round of applause!"

The applause started slow and low, gaining momentum and volume as reality sunk in and the excitement grew. The sounds were muted in his mind as his thoughts raced. This was not how the tournament was supposed to go.

Mukuro and Yomi began to rouse and he saw Mukuro smirk when she realized what was occurring. Hiei mentally cursed her, wondering if this was her plan all along. So long as someone in her territory held the power, it was practically hers anyway.

His eyes then drifted towards Botan, who was cheering him on enthusiastically. She had always been excitable, but she looked especially enthused over this. Well, at least somebody was happy about it, he thought dryly as he tore his gaze away.

"The victory banquet will be held tomorrow night where we officially appoint Hiei as the ruler. Feel free to enjoy the commodities of the hotel in the meantime."

The crowd didn't move from their seats, still astounded by the defeat of the two kings and the unpredictable outcome of the tournament. He could hear them all murmuring and recounting the battle and he frowned as Mukuro approached him.

"Congratulations," Mukuro said in that droll tone of hers.

"Don't congratulate me and don't pretend that this wasn't all your doing," Hiei said.

"I was supposed to claim the victory but it appears the fates still landed in my favor. Yomi had gained the upper-hand and would have defeated me with that last attack," Mukuro began to explain. "My only option was to counter it with a blow that would sabotage both of our chances for victory."

Crafty bitch, Hiei thought, somewhat impressed with her quick thinking.

"I suppose it all worked out in the end though," Mukuro noted.

"I have no intentions of ruling over the people of this world. It doesn't interest me," Hiei informed her.

"I'm fully aware. That's why I intend for you to you simply be a figurehead. I will make all the decisions and you will simply have the title," Mukuro said. "Although it's only temporary, any power is better than nothing at all. This will be beneficial for our territory."

Hiei frowned but did not answer.

"I can't force you to do something you are opposed to, but at least give it some thought before you decline. I'll be waiting for your answer tonight."

Hiei stepped down from the ring after Mukuro left the area. Botan was waiting for him near the entrance to the stadium and she looked at him cautiously.

"Well, that was an unexpected turn of events, wasn't it?"

"Unexpected doesn't begin to capture the absurdity of it all."

"What will you do?"

Hiei looked at her, expression impassive as the weight of his options played around in his mind. Recent developments changed things considerably. Mukuro wanted ownership of the entire world, and he owed it to her to accept, but that would complicate things considerably in terms of his own issues with Botan. There were now two decisions he was burdened to make: what do with Botan and what to do with his victory over the tournament. Both were daunting and troublesome prospects in their own right, but both were equally important for his future.

He stared back into the comforting gaze of her amethyst eyes, his expression softening somewhat.

"I don't know," he answered honestly.

Sorry for the delay. It's almost been an entire month since I last updated. This chapter was just not jiving with me, but I'm finally happy with it and I hope that you all are pleased with it too.

Next chapter will involve the victory banquet and Hiei making some resolute decisions that will jumpstart the next phase of the story.

As always, reviews are very much encouraged and appreciated, so let me know what you thought!