Disclaimer: I don't own YYH or the characters
Happy Hiei X Botan week, everyone! We're now going on 6 years, and I'm happy to say this year is a call back to my Year 4 submission, Dress Up Princess. If you haven't read that one, I highly suggest you check it out before reading this story or there will be some confusion. This time, instead of being a Fantasy AU, we're going Modern AU with a touch of mafia (I'm Italian and a sucker for a good mafia story XD). Anyway, here we go! Enjoy!
Day 1: Villain and Heroes | Kidnapped | Saving
It was another crazy, busy day for Botan as she returned home after a full day of classes and spending some time at the local teaching hospital. Botan was set to graduate medical school in just a few short months, so she took whatever free time she had and dedicated it to preparing for her residencies that would start shortly after commencement. The hospital she visited and studied at now planned to have her start her residency just as soon as she got her diploma. Her dream of becoming a doctor was within her grasp. She couldn't wait for the future, to be able to open her clinic and help those who couldn't afford proper healthcare.
However, right now Botan was dealing with the world's strangest crisis. Back in her college days, she had the most surreal experience. She'd been playing this phone game that consisted of interactive romance novels, some historical, some fantasy. Back then, a book called The Dragon's Eye sucked her in. She played through that novel in its entirety and witnessed a princess of Spirit World fall in love with a demon from the Makai. The story was very intense, especially when it turned out that the princess was truly a daughter of one of the demon kings, Raizen of Tourin. His son, Yusuke Urameshi, along with his friends, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei, were all part of the army who offered the King of Reikai protection for his 'daughter'. Ultimately, it turned out the princess was the daughter of Raizen, that her mother had been kidnapped by a slave trader and sold to the Reikai king to be his wife. The woman died when her children were young, but she always supported the princess's freedom.
Botan remembered how much she found the story relatable. Not only did she lose her mother at an early age, but she and her father barely had a relationship. Even though he paid for her apartment while she was in college and medical school, it hardly excused the way he'd treated her all her life.
It was a good story, one Botan should have forgotten by now. Maybe she would have if one of the characters didn't appear on her real-life doorstep one evening.
Hiei…
Hiei was a fire demon in the story, one who the princess dreamt about all the time as her savior. The two had a rocky start, but it was due to the princess's timidity at seeing someone she only knew from her dreams appear right in front of her, as well as Hiei's difficult past. In the story, Hiei explained to the princess that his race believed him to be a cursed child who could not love and would never experience love. He learned through his relationship with the princess that those words were empty. The two became mates in secret, and Hiei was the one to rescue the princess when she was kidnapped after learning the truth about her lineage.
And then Hiei appeared right in front of Botan's door, delivering a pizza. Botan could remember, as clear as day, how she reacted to the strange occurrence.
"Hiei?" she shouted in disbelief. He looked exactly like the character in the game, and that was enough to make Botan gawp like a fish. "Wh-what are you doing here?" she nervously sputtered as she went to get the money.
Hiei quirked an eyebrow as he stared at the strange woman. "Do I know you?"
Botan blushed as she thought about the story she'd been playing throughout the whole week and where she'd just left off. Her cheeks heated. Quickly, she took the pizza and handed him the money. Hiei crossed his arms and looked off to the side, eyes cast downward, and bashful…just like her prince.
The woman shook her head and attempted to rid herself of fantasy images. Hiei didn't leave right away. He seemed perplexed and caught off-guard. To try to alleviate the awkward tension she felt, Botan attempted some small talk.
"So…how is it…selling pizzas?"
As she said the last part, her voice lilted higher because she questioned her own conversation skills at the moment. After the words left her, though, Botan cringed and felt like she should have remained silent.
Hiei looked to Botan and shrugged indifferently. Botan was surprised when he awarded her an answer. "It's all right." Botan swallowed nervously. His voice was exactly the same as in the game. Then, Hiei surprised her when he asked, "Aren't you that girl from my literature class?"
Botan faltered. "H-huh?"
The delivery guy nodded. "The one who sits at the front of the room and has an ungodly amount of books in that small backpack of yours."
"I…I know you from school?" Botan tried to place him, but she just couldn't. The only Hiei she knew was a character in a game. What the heck was happening?
Hiei shook his head, arms unwrapped from their defensive position over his chest. "I wouldn't say 'know'. You never look to the back of the room, but I see you."
Botan felt her breath hitch as his familiar crimson eyes bore into hers. "Well," she replied, her voice a bit breathy. "It's nice to meet you. Thank you for delivering my pizza."
Hiei smirked, and it did things to Botan…things she could hardly admit to herself. "It's kind of my job," he returned with a chuckle. "You're an amusing woman."
"Ah," Botan called out, but then Hiei turned to leave. She clamored out her door as Hiei walked down the hall. She had to know. "Um, your name. W-what's your name?"
Hiei paused and turned back. He cast her an impish glance. "You already said it. It's Hiei, Botan." At her surprise that he knew her name, Hiei snickered. "The teacher calls on you all the time. See you in class."
And then he was gone.
To this day, it still made no sense to Botan what happened. When she returned inside and looked at her phone, the game screen had still been on, but there was no sight of the prince from the game, the name Hiei, or even the book The Dragon's Eye. It was as if the storybook she'd been playing completely disappeared into a void. After a good night's sleep, Botan thought maybe she dreamed the whole encounter with Hiei.
Unfortunately for her, there were signs that shoved that hope right out of her. There was still the empty pizza box in her kitchen from the previous night. If that wasn't enough, Hiei appeared again and really was in her English class, in the back of the room, just like he said he was. Not only that, but Hiei frequented the same coffee shop she loved, was often in the library or by the water, in all the places Botan went to. Each time Botan came across him, Hiei seemed completely surprised. At least Botan knew he wasn't stalking her or anything. He was also absent of that Jagan eye from the story. The scary part of that was his last name was Jaganshi!
There were too many coincidences. Their interactions were familiar. Hiei kept his past close to his chest. He did have a sister named Yukina. In fact, Botan met Yukina at the teaching hospital, as she was a nurse five years her senior—the same age as Hiei, indicating they were twins. It brought Botan back to the reality that the names of all the game characters matched those of hers and her family and friends, like Ayame, Koenma, and, regrettably, Enma. Was she just having some sort of elaborate dream? She had no idea, but if all those elements were true, then maybe there was some truth to Botan being a psychic, but she didn't really believe in that sort of thing.
Botan was never one to believe in psychics, but her experience playing the dress up game really threw her for a loop. At first, she chalked everything up to coincidence and exhaustion. The Hiei character of the game was probably a result of the fact that she'd seen Hiei around campus, but never really paid attention. After all, once she met him the night he delivered her pizza, she ran into her classmate everywhere.
Perhaps I just mentally transposed Hiei into my imagination? It was as good an explanation as any. What were the chances that Botan was a psychic?
She was a woman of facts, a problem-solver. It was part of the reason she was so good at medicine. There was always a direct answer, and if there wasn't, then the research had yet to be done. Black and white. Logic. Not…magic. These just had to be strange coincidences.
After weeks of interaction, Hiei finally asked Botan out. The woman was completely floored. She didn't expect Hiei to be so forward, but then the ball invitation came to mind. Hiei wasn't inviting her to a ball, though. Still, he told her to dress nicely for where they'd be going. After Botan played that game for so long, because even after this weird scare she did still like the game, she decided she didn't need to appease her father anymore. She went out shopping, using the man's credit card, and got herself an entirely new wardrobe.
Botan practically threw herself down on her familiar blue couch and buried herself in the warmth of a throw blanket. Not only was her chosen career path mentally and physically draining, but these weird coincidences had depleted her these past five years.
Botan closed her eyes, planning to take a short catnap. The second her eyes closed, she was out like a light.
When Botan opened her eyes, it was dark, and she was alone, but she was not on her comfortable, polyester couch. Instead, she was on the cold, hard floor of a warehouse. She looked around and saw nothing but crates, and she was alone, not another living soul around. The salty smell of sea air assailed her nostrils. Was she near the harbor? She got her answer a moment later when a cacophony of sounds blared in her head and deafened her. Not only could she hear the loud foghorn of a ship, but the trilling whistle of the train sounded like a ghostly wail. The formless silhouette of a person approached her, but she could only see a shadow before her scream got lost within the horrific orchestra.
Botan shot awake and fell off the couch. The woman breathed heavy and hard, and tears streamed down her face as she felt all over her body to make sure she was still present. Her arms contorted around her and grasped her form in a hug as the sound of a familiar ringtone filtered into her ears. It was toward the end of the song, so the phone had to be ringing for quite a while, but Botan hadn't heard it. She blinked her bleary eyes as she tried to return to reality. With a great deal of shakiness, Botan made it to her feet and padded across the soft shag carpet to get to her phone.
"Hiei," she breathed out into the receiver. She wasn't expecting her boyfriend to call her, not on a day when he was working the evening shift. "I thought you'd be making deliveries tonight."
There was silence on the line for a moment, as if Botan's words stumped Hiei, but she wasn't sure why. "It's a slow night," Hiei told her. "I wanted to check on you. Yukina texted and said you just left the hospital a little while ago. Didn't you have classes all day?"
Botan smiled. She could hear the concern in Hiei's voice. The evening he showed up on her doorstep returned to her in these moments. He'd been so jocular that evening, but she soon learned that it was his persona as a deliveryman. Hiei rarely voiced his thoughts or emotions unless it was in a rare instance of vulnerability, like the day he told her about his and Yukina's separation as children. There were still many details he did not confide in her, but Botan was completely certain that that would be where the parallels with the game ended.
"You don't have to worry about me," Botan reminded him. "I took a nap when I got home."
A breath of relief escaped her boyfriend. "Good. You need more rest. But that's not what I was worried about. I thought you said you had to go grocery shopping today. Do you even have food in the house?"
Botan's cheeks turned red. She did remember texting Hiei that the previous evening when she had her last packet of instant ramen. He always remembered these little details about her that made Botan relieved she met someone like him, especially after she and her last boyfriend sputtered out. Back then, her boyfriend became insanely overbearing, trying to monopolize all of Botan's sparing free time. He'd show up when she didn't answer texts or calls. Botan needed space from him, and ultimately, they ended. It was like he wanted to be with her every minute of every day and didn't understand her ridiculous schedule and dedication.
Hiei was the complete opposite. He understood that Botan barely had free time and took advantage of the moments she gave him. Every so often, like today, he'd express his concern for her, but in a kind way. If she'd slept through his call, he wouldn't have shown up at her doorstep. Rather, he would have waited for her to respond to him.
"Not…really," Botan said in a light, melodic chime. "I guess I'll just order something."
"Or," Hiei remarked, "since there's barely any calls for delivery and two of us here, my boss gave me the option to head out."
Botan's lips curved into an unabashed grin. "Is that your way of asking me out tonight?"
"Maybe."
A snicker passed through the woman's lips. "That sounds nice. Just let me get ready."
"There's no reason to doll yourself up on my account," Hiei remarked brusquely. "I'll meet you at our place in ten."
Botan hung up the phone and set it down on her coffee table.
Ten minutes is all I need.
Botan loved the feeling of the sun on her skin. As it got closer to the summer, the sun stayed out much longer to enjoy its heat and attenuated evening rays. The woman had a spring in her step, although she was careful not to trip on the heels she wore. She felt completely free and comfortable in her black jean capris that had little, white kittens down by the ankles and her off the shoulder, bare midriff sweatshirt. It was certainly one of her more casual looks, but she felt very confident and sure in her look.
When Botan entered the restaurant where she and Hiei decided to meet, she spotted her boyfriend right away in a booth toward the back. She gracefully sat opposite of the taciturn man and settled her checkered bag on the inside corner.
She could feel Hiei's eyes on her and suppressed a grin. She was certain he liked what he saw.
Once she was settled in, Botan focused her attention solely on Hiei. He smirked at her, and she smiled warmly. "Hey, stranger."
A sardonic chuckle escaped the man. "I feel like I should be the one saying that."
The woman's eyes softened sympathetically. "I know. I'm almost done with school, though. Thank you for being so patient."
Hiei grunted and shook his head. "It's not patience. You're dedicated. It's something to be admired, what you're doing. I'm not going anywhere."
Whenever Hiei said things like this, Botan felt reassured. It always served as a reminder, how sure of himself Hiei was in comparison to her ex. At least with Hiei, she didn't have to worry about him getting offended if she got caught up with her studies and couldn't respond to him. It was refreshing to know someone who understood just how demanding medical school was.
A waitress came and placed menus in front of them. This diner became one of the couple's favorite spots. Hiei had always frequented the place and brought Botan on one of their first few dates. The food was delicious, the space was open, and the feel was homey. The staff there knew them well and always made themselves scarce when the pair needed alone time.
The two ate in companionable silence. It was refreshing that while so mentally tired, Botan wasn't expected to keep a conversation going when she could hardly think, and Hiei was normally a man of few words to begin with. When he did speak, there was always a purpose to his words and stories. He wasn't a fan of idle chitchat.
Botan smiled at Hiei as he ate his medium rare burger. She was enjoying her Rueben sandwich when something caught her eye. She paled.
At the front door of the restaurant, a youth who looked exactly like Yusuke in that game showed up at the diner. Botan's mouth dropped open and went dry.
Hiei chose that moment to look at her. His brow furrowed in concern when he saw the fear in her eyes. "Are you—?"
He didn't even get his full question out when Botan abruptly stood up and murmured, "Bathroom," before she ran off.
Hiei had no idea what caused her to react so skittishly. He was about to chase after her when a familiar voice stopped him.
"Hiei? What are you doing here?"
The shorter man turned to face a friend of his, Yusuke Urameshi. The two practically grew up together, so it wasn't surprising he'd show up at the diner. Hiei noticed Yusuke's eyes linger on the other dish of half-eaten food and sighed.
"Date," he growled out.
Yusuke's eyes widened. "Dude, seriously? That girl you mentioned? Wasn't that years ago?"
Hiei nodded but said nothing else. He could sense Yusuke wanted to ask more, but his friend smartly kept his wonderings to himself for now.
"Well, I won't get in the way of you two lovebirds. I'm just here to pick up an order for me, Dad, and Keiko. Pretend I'm not here."
"Gladly," Hiei replied wryly.
Yusuke was about to walk away when he paused and said, "But everyone will want to meet her at some point, if you're serious about her."
"I am aware," Hiei remarked. "Eventually."
Yusuke seemed even more curious and interested when Hiei implied he'd eventually introduce everyone. The darker youth was certain he'd be bombarded with texts later from the others. Even so, he would only bring Botan around the others once he was certain there was a future for them. There was still a lot she didn't know about him, and he planned to take his time with her.
Now, if only he could figure out why she was taking her time in the restroom…
Botan could hardly believe what was happening, what she saw. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest, and her breathing grew labored. It was a good thing this bathroom was a single stall room so she could have her mini panic attack in peace. Of course, she had no intention of wallowing. She had to pull herself together.
But how could she when Yusuke now showed up. Once again, he looked exactly like the character in the game, the princess's secret brother. Botan couldn't make sense of this, but the illogical side of her was pumping out questions into her brain that she wasn't ready to face.
Could the game really have been accurate? Could Yusuke be her brother? Was Botan's mother taken and sold to Enma? Was Botan really the daughter of a Demon King?
That last one really is insane… Botan berated herself as she looked at her terror-stricken face in the mirror, her hands gripping the counter hard.
Botan tried to pretend the game didn't exist. For years, there were only a few similarities. Every so often, a few more would enter, but seeing Yusuke really felt like a wave of ice water crashed over her. None of this made any sense, but the one thing that continued to haunt her was that the princess character was a psychic who could see the future in her dreams.
Could that be it?
Botan clenched her eyes shut and shook her head in disbelief. That was ridiculous. She was a factual creature. There was no logical basis to even consider that she was psychic.
Except for the fact that she was on a date with Hiei and saw Yusuke on the same day, and that Hiei truly had a twin sister named Yukina.
There was only one thing left for Botan to do. This weekend, she would return home and look for clues. She couldn't believe she was going to visit the place she had avoided for several years, but she would figure out what exactly was going on. She needed to, for sanity's sake.
With that resolved, she calmed herself down and made sure she looked the part. She returned to Hiei, who eyed her warily, and apologized for her reaction with a laugh. Her feigned good mood seemed to settle Hiei. Botan remained on guard, careful not to say a word to Hiei about these strange occurrences. She needed to find answers before she brought anyone else in on this.
In front of Botan stood a familiar mansion, an old but well-kept Victorian style home. The place was large and white with a maroon slate roof. Botan's stomach churned. The roof was yet another detail that translated into The Dragon's Eye. If she thought really hard about it, the castle in the game was obviously larger and more complex than her childhood home, but this place in modern times was like an overgrown castle.
Botan felt a pain in her head and raised her hand to hold it. She squinted in pain, but the feeling passed as someone equally familiar came to the door.
"Miss Rei," the butler, George, greeted.
The woman's face fell. Yet another similarity, another character from the game who she should have recognized—the one who was the captain of the guard.
"Hello, George," she greeted kindly and formally. "I came to visit Koenma. Is my brother here?"
"Of course!" George exclaimed. He stepped aside from the doorway to allow the woman into her childhood home. "You don't need to be so formal with me, though. I watched you both grow up."
Botan smiled at that, reassured that there was some positivity in her younger years. George was always good to her and Koenma, always trying to make them happy and smile. When her father wasn't around, he could clown around like the best of them.
George took Botan's suitcase and showed her to her old room. It was like nothing had changed since she moved out. The only signs someone had been in there was the absent layer of dust and the freshly vacuumed floor. The staff kept her room clean despite the fact that she'd avoided the place for years.
The butler left to go and inform her brother she was there. It gave Botan a minute to study her room. Despite the fact that she lived in a mansion, she had a fairly small room. There was enough room for her queen-sized bed, a dresser, and a small desk. Her closet was full of outfits she no longer cared to wear, the remnants of her obedient, high school days.
Her father would flip if he saw the new her.
"What the hell are you wearing?"
Botan froze. She wasn't expecting the man to show up at that precise second. Even so, Botan shook off her paralysis and turned to face her father with her head held high. She was wearing a white top with see-through sleeves. It also showed her midriff, which she was certain was her father's main complaint. It covered her chest well but dipped down in the center. She finished her look off with a black, leather skirt. It was her new, rebellious, and freeing wardrobe, and she would not let her father make her feel less because of her fashion choices.
"It's nice to see you too, Father," Botan remarked with barely concealed derision. "It's nice to see you well after you ignored my calls."
Enma glared at Botan, but she remained unmoved. She was far from the man's meek daughter, the way she was before she left. Botan was confident in herself and refused to crumble under the weight of the businessman's gaze.
"I am surprised to see you here," his voice boomed. "Since you are here, there is a gala I will be holding since you are in town. Clear your calendar for the week. Next weekend, I will host the gala here."
Fire filled Botan's heart. She couldn't just 'clear her schedule' on command, not when she was so close to graduation. "I am only here for the weekend, and I have no plans to stay for the whole week. I'm not interested in your gala."
Anger. It was an emotion Botan was familiar with. Her father's intimidating presence usually caused her to cower growing up, but everything was different now, especially with the premonitory theories Botan now possessed. She still didn't know for a fact if her strange dream was true, but if it was, this man was not her father. She barely had respect for him to begin with. Soon, the nail would probably be driven into the coffin of their deceased relationship.
"A coworker's son is looking forward to meeting you," Enma declared with a threatening tone.
"I told you that I am not staying long."
The boundary was drawn, and Botan was about ready to leave her room and walk away. "Stubborn," Enma hissed. "Just like your mother." He stormed out of the woman's room and disappeared down the hall.
Botan was struck by the lack of affection in the man's voice when he spoke of her mother, as if the woman was just an irritation. Most of the memories she had of her mother were times the woman spent with her two children. The only times her mother seemed to interact with Enma were during meals and when he berated his two children. Every time, she defended them. She knew that children, like adults, were not perfect. There was no way for them to become the flawless robots Enma wanted.
Botan tried to shake it off, but something was amiss. She was probably biased from the game happenings. Combined with her general dislike and distrust for her father, that was expected. She had to force herself to look at things more objectively. Once she had her answers, she would leave.
In the middle of her mental pep talk, Koenma decided to make his presence known. He startled Botan when he verbally greeted her and frowned when he saw the timid expression on her face. Brotherly concern filled him, and although he was younger, he always became so protective of her. "What's wrong?"
Botan didn't know where to start. Not only did she not have hard evidence to support these weird occurrences, but she also didn't know how to broach the subject of any of it either. She knew Koenma wanted an answer, so she supplied the next best thing.
"I ran into Dad," Botan replied, irritation in her tone. "He wants me to skip school for a week and attend some gala."
Koenma shook his head. "Don't worry about him, Bo. You have to live your life. Speaking of which, what are you doing back here? Not that I'm not happy to see you."
Botan smiled at her brother…or half-brother. Stop it! she scolded herself.
"I just missed you."
Koenma smiled at her and gave her a hug. "I missed you too, big sis." He pulled away and added, "Actually, I have something for you that I've been saving."
"Oh?"
Koenma looked around to make sure no one was around and said, "We should probably go into your room."
Once they were inside, and Botan shut the door, Koenma pulled out a small jewelry box from his jacket. Botan's head tilted, her eyes silently questioning her brother. "I managed to sneak this away from Dad," Koenma admitted. "It's Mom's jewelry box. I don't know why Dad didn't want you to have it, but I felt you deserved to have a piece of Mom with you."
Tears pricked the corners of Botan's eyes. She was so moved by Koenma's words and thoughtful actions. Her brother gestured for her to open the box, so Botan carefully poked at the metal latch. Slowly, she opened the box, and a wave of unrest fell over her. It felt like she was having an out of body experience, not the first one in the past week.
The lid was open, and she saw it—a golden bracelet with a rose identical to the one in her phone game story. Botan was dumbfounded, her eyes glued to the offending object. She touched it and even the cool metal felt the same.
Botan's conflicted eyes met her brother's as fear and resolve gripped her heart. "Koenma, can you do me a favor? I need to look for something in Dad's room. Can you please keep watch?"
Koenma was astonished by the request, but that didn't matter. He would hardly deny his sister anything, acting more like a protective older brother than her junior. If she was asking this of him, he knew she had a good reason. Besides, it wasn't as if this was the first time he ran interference.
"Go. I'll keep Dad busy."
Botan was touched that her brother would help her, no questions asked. She slipped into her father's room and entered his walk-in closet. Some of her mother's clothes were still there. That sensation of having an out of body experience took over her as she made her way to the back of the closet.
The length of the closet seemed to extend, getting longer and longer with each step Botan took. The horror movie feelings aside, the woman pushed through and eventually made it to the back of the closet. As she expected, but hoped never to see, the white dress with rose patterns the princess wore in the game—her mother's dress—was there.
Panic began to set in, and Botan took a shaky breath. "Th-this isn't happening…"
But it was. As much as Botan wanted to believe her words, she could not refute that the dress was the same rose dress. It looked identical to the one in the game she played. Even though it was several years ago, the images were forever emblazoned in her mind.
Without thinking, Botan tore the dress of its hanger, retreated to her room, and hid it in her suitcase. She looked around her old room, but it no longer felt like her childhood haven. Now, it felt like a prison, and she felt trapped, trapped in a foreign land. She needed to escape… She needed to leave.
Koenma returned to Botan's room a half hour later and found their father's door shut. He knocked on the door but received no answer. She had to be done in their father's room by now. He went to Botan's room and knocked on the door. There was still no answer.
Cautiously, Koenma entered and found the room emptier than it was before Botan returned. The few belongings that she left before she went to college were gone. The jewelry box he gifted her was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was a note.
Brother,
Don't let Dad find this. I had to leave, can't go to the gala. Something came up last minute…
No, forget that. I can't lie to you. Something really weird is going on, and I can't explain it. Just tell Dad I was called back to school. I'll tell you more once I have answers.
Love,
Botan
Koenma was completely thrown for a loop. His sister was not one to be overdramatic. Every word she wrote, she meant, and Koenma could hardly make sense of it. His brow furrowed.
What exactly is going on?
When Hiei invited Botan out for the night, she was surprised. He gave her no hint as to what they were doing aside from dressing formally. His instructions bewildered Botan. She didn't think she'd ever seen Hiei dress formally. His wardrobe was edgy and dark, and Botan's curiosity was piqued. It made her want to pull out all the stops, so she and Hinageshi went out to find a gorgeous dress.
Botan stood in front of the mirror, admiring the way she looked in her knee-length, silver-starred, blue dress. She found some comfortable blue shoes that we flat instead of heeled. She toted a gold and blue star purse to hold her important items. Her necklace was a blue, star-shaped flower, and she wore a white pearled headband, her hair down and styled. She was amazed by how gorgeous she looked and hoped Hiei would find her appearance just as jaw-dropping.
It was nearing the time she needed to leave and meet Hiei outside. She was ready to go and grabbed her bag, but as she turned, she saw her mother's jewelry box and froze. Botan decided she wanted to keep her mother close, felt she needed a reminder of both of their strength. She opened the box and looked at the rose bracelet. She decided to wear it, the bracelet hidden by her nearly see-through sleeves.
Mom, please be with me…
Botan locked the door and left her apartment, her dress billowing from her movements. Outside, Hiei was already waiting for her, leaning against his black car. He was in a maroon dress shirt and black suit jacket and slacks. Botan's breath was taken away when she saw him. He was so incredibly handsome, and she couldn't help but stare. As if feeling her gaze on him, Hiei's eyes snapped up, and his expression soon matched Botan's. He looked completely stunned, mesmerized by her attire. The two were frozen in the moment.
Hiei came back to reality first. He pushed himself off of his car and approached her slowly, his hand outstretched. "You look good," he offered. "I wasn't expecting this."
Botan smiled and took his hand. "Well, you clean up nicely yourself, Hiei. You took me by surprise."
Her boyfriend smirked. He took her hand and led her to his car. Botan had no idea where they were going, but she trusted Hiei so much, despite the uncertainties around her life. She decided she was going to forget about the game and her concerns for the night and just enjoy Hiei's company. Already, she felt both calm and excited at the same time.
Hiei drove them to a movie theater that was insanely crowded with paparazzi. Botan blinked, bewildered. There were signs all over the place for a movie that was not out quite yet but was being advertised for like crazy on T.V. lately. "You're taking me to a movie premiere? How?"
Her boyfriend's eyes bore into hers. "I wanted to introduce you to some people I know. One of them is a colleague of mine who happens to be an actor. Have you heard of Youko Kurama?"
Botan felt paralyzed. She had not heard of Youko Kurama, the actor, but the name was incredibly familiar. It reminded her of all the things she'd been experiencing lately. If she remembered correctly, Kurama was the name of the fox demon character in the game she played years ago, the story that disappeared after she met Hiei. More and more Botan was beginning to panic. There were too many similarities for this to be a mere coincidence, but Botan couldn't logically accept that this experience was some elaborate dream or vision. She didn't believe in psychics.
Hiei parked a little down the street, and the pair got out of his car. The sidewalks surrounding the theater were full of people, and Botan was strangely nervous she'd get lost. It helped that Hiei was with her. He took her hand in his, his palm warm. It was comforting in the sea of uncertainty.
When they reached the red carpet, Botan realized why Hiei said they needed to dress formally. Apparently, no one stopped them, meaning that the paparazzi and people hosting the event knew Hiei well enough to know he was friends with one of the actors. Botan paled when a familiar redhead approached them. She tried not to let her nerves show. Kurama would know. She remembered he was the perceptive one in the group.
"I'm happy to see you made it, Hiei," Kurama spoke smoothly. He regarded Botan with a smile. "You must be Botan. Hiei has told me quite a bit about you."
Botan was shocked, but Hiei didn't seem to be. He did seem mildly irritated, though, probably because he wasn't expecting Kurama to blurt out something so personal. "It's…very nice to meet you, Kurama."
The redhead smiled. "Youko Kurama is my stage name, Botan. My real name is Shuichi Minamino. But you can call me whatever you like. We're all friends here."
Another fact crossed over between the story world and the real world, including Kurama's multiple names. Then, another familiar redhead appeared with Hiei's twin sister in tow. Botan impressed herself with how she managed to keep a straight face when she was screaming inside. Now even Kuwabara makes an appearance…
If all four boys existed in the real world, then what about…?
No, Botan refused to go there right now. She couldn't think about the doting father in the game, not tonight. This was still technically a date with Hiei, and he did not seem as apprehensive as Botan felt meaning he probably had no idea she was having such an issue in the first place. If she told him, would he think she was crazy?
Kurama looked perplexed when he saw Kuwabara. The actor looked behind his friend's shoulder. "Where's Yusuke?"
Kuwabara rubbed the back of his head. "Urameshi's not coming. He and Keiko are celebrating their anniversary alone tonight."
Botan managed to appear unmoved, playing it cool, but her chest constricted when she heard yet another familiar name. This was no longer in the 'coincidence' territory. Now this was downright scary. The woman felt like she could barely breath, and she knew it would get no better through the night if more of these similarities with the game occurred. Botan didn't think she could take any more tonight.
It didn't help that the movie was a gory, slasher, horror movie. The images that played on the screen reminded Botan of her vision full of demons, kidnappings, and war. Of course, it was just a movie, and Botan was hardly terrified of it because of what was playing out in her actual life. Still, she was on edge. She was desperately trying to remain composed through the movie.
Then, something in the movie struck her—a ferocious demon appeared on the screen. It terrified Botan, and she hid against Hiei. Her boyfriend was surprised by the sudden action but offered her an amused grin. He wound his arm around her and let his hand settle against her side. The familiarity made Botan feel safe, despite her racing thoughts.
Unaware of Botan's true predicament, Hiei apologized. "Sorry for taking you to such a gruesome movie, but Kurama didn't warn me it was this bad."
"It's okay," Botan whispered. "It's not a big deal."
Hiei wasn't convinced, but he let Botan keep her pride. If his hold tightened around her, neither of them spoke of it. Botan was touched that Hiei offered to be her protector, even from something as mundane as a horror movie.
It was later, after everyone said goodbye, that Botan was left to ponder the occurrences of the evening. These things were uncannily similar to the elements of the non-existent story in her dress up game.
The couple decided to walk the streets of the city together. It was chilly, and Botan grew cold. It warmed her heart when Hiei shrugged off his jacket and proffered it to her. "What about you?"
Hiei waved her off. "My temperature runs high. Don't worry."
Botan offered Hiei a smile. "Thank you." She took his jacket and put it on, the coat full of Hiei's heat. She met her boyfriend's gaze, but the look in his eyes became unreadable. However, there was a desire and hunger in his eyes that couldn't be mistaken. Botan didn't feel so cold anymore.
When she moved, Hiei noticed her bracelet, and his brow furrowed. There was recognition in his gaze, and Botan could tell. "Where did you get that?"
Botan sighed and looked away. The fact that Hiei zeroed in on her mother's bracelet meant something. "It belonged to my mother. She…she died, several years ago."
Hiei's gaze and posture became less rigid. "I'm so sorry," he consoled. "I didn't mean…"
"It's fine," Botan told him. "Honestly, she left behind an amazing legacy in me and my brothers."
"Brothers?" Hiei seemed surprised. "How many do you have?"
Botan mentally cursed at herself. She shook her head and said, "Honestly, I have one, but…I think my mom had a family before she ever met my father."
This seemed to interest Hiei. "Really?" He leaned in closer and whispered in her ear. His breath dusted the tip of her ear. "What makes you say that?"
Botan shivered at the warm sensations of his breath on her skin. "It's… Call it a hunch."
Hiei nodded, not pressing further about her abilities. "Do you have any idea where this family is?" Hiei asked. "Did she leave them on purpose?"
"No," Botan practically shouted. "If…if they're out there, I don't think she left willingly."
Hiei took Botan's hand in his. "Are you looking for them?"
Botan hesitated, especially because she was really starting to believe that they had already found her. They just didn't know it yet. For that matter, she didn't know it yet either. All of this was just a crazy coincidence, but too many coincidences meant this was a pattern. Where there was a pattern, there was logic. Botan knew exactly what she had to do.
Days later, Botan took a deep breath as she sat in front of a blank notebook. Now that she had some time to accept her situation, she needed to face her reality. Being a creature of facts and logic, Botan struggled to accept it. None of this was logical, but it was time to insert logic into her present. She decided to make a list of everything she could remember from the game and a list of everything happening in her present life, and then planned to piece them together and compare the two.
"It's a fact that I met Hiei in real life right at the end of the story," Botan spoke aloud. "It's a fact that he knows a Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama, and that they look identical to the game characters. It's a fact that my mother had a dress and jewelry like those in the game. It's a fact that Hiei has a twin sister named Yukina."
Now that Botan was saying these seemingly crazy things out loud, she was growing calmer. As incredible as this all was, Botan was experiencing it, and that meant there was more to this. If all of these facts were true, then what else was a fact. In the game, the princess was a psychic and would dream visions of what was going to happen to her. Botan had plenty of dreams recently, and some were rather frightening. Were they visions of danger to come, or was she reading too much into it? If she was a psychic, and these dreams were true, was there really someone after her? Why would they be after her? Could it be true that she was in danger and Hiei was meant to save her from something? What was the danger?
It was all too weird, and Botan didn't feel like she could go to anyone in her life just yet. Koenma would think she lost it, and her relationship with Hiei was just getting deeper. She didn't want to rock the boat, but she couldn't exactly keep quiet about this either.
Maybe I could find a place to anonymously share my concerns…
Botan never expected to be in this place in her life, searching for a chatroom for psychics online. Either way, she could be anonymous and discuss these things and see what the world of psychics had to offer, if the others were really psychics to begin with. She googled 'psychic episodes' and was directed to a chat site for people who believed they have experienced a psychic vision. "'Mr. Yom's Psychic Haven,'" Botan read out loud. She shrugged. "Well, I have nothing to lose…"
When Botan entered a screenname and password, she was entered into the chat site, and she saw several people commiserating over recent visions. These people seemed familiar with each other, and that was comforting. Maybe they could help her.
Botan decided to choose a profile picture, but she didn't want anyone to know who she was. She decided to use a staged selfie from the princess dress up game. When she typed in a simple 'hello', all conversation ceased and a user excitedly wrote, Oo! I love your avatar! I've played that game before!
A breath escaped Botan, like a burst of air had been pushed from her. Maybe this was a good way to segway into a conversation about her vision. Oh, really? That's cool. I started playing the game several years ago. Actually, it's sort of why I'm here. Did you ever see or play a story in the game called The Dragons Eye?
The person typed, No, I'm not sure I've heard of that one. I haven't even seen it in the unlockable stories.
…Then that is the root of my problem… When I was playing that game, that was the name of the story I played, and it was this elaborate game with a princess and demons. The girl was a psychic, and her mother was kidnapped, taken away from her father and brother and forced into a new family. The love interest was a protector for the princess…and also my real-life boyfriend…
Whoa, what? another user exclaimed. You're going to have to explain that one.
Well, when the story ended, I had a pizza delivered. The character in the game was standing right in front of me, same name and everything. When I looked back at my phone, the game was gone, and I was in the middle of a different story. The other characters in the story have all appeared in my life in some way, and now I'm starting to think that it wasn't the game at all and that I had some unbelievably long and intricate dream, a vision. But I never believed in that sort of thing before until now…
Botan blinked at the screen hoping she didn't offend anyone by her admission of disbelief.
Whoa, heavy… a third user replied. You think your mom was kidnapped?
I don't know what to think… Botan admitted.
Then, a person with the screen name 'yomde' said, What a fascinating vision. And all these characters from the game showed up in your life soon after?
No, Botan admitted. It's been years. I was willing to pretend it was nothing more than a coincidence, but everything has just been piling up lately. They're so much like their counterparts that it's frightening.
I'd love to hear more about this, Yomde expressed. Would you be comfortable sharing the details.
Botan hesitated. She already shared more than she thought she should have, but this was important. The user from before who played the princess game tried to reassure her. Mr. Yom has been an excellent guide for all of us. Some of us have even met him in person. You can trust him.
There's a lot I can't make sense of myself, Botan said, on the defensive. I don't feel comfortable talking about it all just yet. All I know is that my mother may have been kidnapped and I may have a brother out there somewhere, and the brother I grew up with may be my half-brother. Until I can come to terms with that, there's nothing more I can say.
Because Botan sure as hell wasn't going to tell a group of strangers that her life might be in actual danger, no matter who says she can trust them. And there was something about this Mr. Yom that she couldn't trust, but she couldn't place her finger on it.
That is fair, Yomde expressed. Just know that we are all here for you as you explore this side of yourself. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need advice.
I'll keep that in mind, Botan replied noncommittally. This has already taken a lot out of me. I'll be sure to visit again once I can get my bearings.
Botan logged off the site, feeling the need to escape. She laid back on the couch feeling exhausted and overwhelmed. She really needed a nap, but the fear that she would dream again struck her. Her clock told her it was still early. She picked up her phone and texted Hiei.
Hey, do you want to do something tonight?
A/N: And there you have a very long first chapter! XD Hope you enjoyed it and are ready for this ride. Like year 4 HB week, I have posted the pictures of the described outfits on Tumblr. Thank you all for reading!