This story was actually an RP, acted out by mainly Shadow Koneko, Crystal Koneko, and myself. I thank them for allowing me to turn it into an story. To read the RP, go to the H/B forum on my profile.

Well, I'm back in business, babes! Another shot of yours truly, along with her two pet doughnuts, Shadow and Crystal Koneko! Check out their stories when you have the time. Okay, no more chattering, time to start!

Characters thoughts

Note: Characters are a bit out of character, but we tried out best.

Chapter one.

Yusuke Urameshi sighed as he rolled out of bed. The sun had penitrated his dreams, causing him to wake up. Well, that and the alarm clock Keiko probably set up for him to wake up. Keiko was at collage, and he was a dropout so there was nothing he needed to do. He yawned and headed for the kitchen. However...once he arrived outside, a certain fire demon was waiting by the window seat. At the sound of Yusuke's pounding footsteps, he turned his head and gave a mere, "Hn."

"HOLY-" Yusuke nearly flipped out. "Hiei, what the hell are you doing?"

Hiei Jaganshi stared at the idiot ningen beheld in front of him as he stumbled over himself. Entertaining, yes, but for a Spirit Detective of over five years, this was as pathetic as Yusuke's Ningen friend, Carrot head. "Are you done stumbling over yourself in time to listen, Baka?" He questioned before going on.

Yusuke growled. "Hey, how the hell did you get into my apartment? At freaking early in the morning!"

"Incorrect, Detective." Hiei replied, snuggling in. It would take a while to get things into that thick mind. "It's one PM in Ningenkai time."

Before Yusuke could lunge at the fire demon, Kurama entered from the front door. He'd been just taking a morning stroll when he'd heard Yusuke's familiar shouts. "Now then, lets not quarrel."

Yusuke glanced at the front door, how'd he get inside? "I thought Keiko locked the door before she left!" He pointed out.

"Yes, but human locks are quite fragile and the right demon could pick it with ease." Kurama explained, out-doing himself. Yusuke scowled and was beginning to fire a sarcastic remark, until a tapping came at the window. Botan was hovering at Yusuke's window, waving and making hand signals to let her in.

"Yusuke! Open up sleepy-head! I have a mission for you!" Botan giggled and waited for them to open up the window for her. Hiei quietly removed himself from the seat and headed for the corner of the room, as if any mean of contact with Botan would surely kill him. Kurama, however, came to Botan's aide and unlocked the window.

"Now what, Botan? I can't eat lunch, I can't go to sleep, I can't be left alone... Why don't I roll up and die?" Yusuke snapped, his day turning sour.

"Gladly." Hiei muttered.

Kurama sweatdropped, "Um...nevermind them, Botan, why don't you just explain the mission?"

"Yes, well, that's the thing. Koenma wouldn't tell me. He wanted you to come to Reikai and speak with him. He said he'd set up a portal after we call him. He can be so childish sometimes!" Botan shook her head, as she explained to the boys after slipping in through the window. Yusuke was glaring at her unnervingly and she scooted away from him a bit.

"Eh... something wrong Yusuke?" She asked, a sweat drop forming on the side of her head.

"BREAKFAST WOMAN!" Yusuke growled, louder then he was needed too. The door opened again and Keiko, who was holding some groceries, entered her apartment.

"Hello, everyone." She glanced at Yusuke, who was seconds from bonking Botan on the head. "What's going on?" she questioned, shifting aside a large brown bag to take in a better view of her visitors.

"BREAKFAST!"

Keiko sighed. "Lunch, Yusuke. I knew you would wake up late." Hiei shook his head. THE detective WAS helpless.

Kurama smiled and offered his share of taking the groceries. "I'll make break-er, lunch and then we can go pay a visit to Koenma." He proceeded into the kitchen to make lunch and shut the whining detective up. Hiei growled, this would take forever. He's seen the way the detective eats, and it wasn't too pretty. He quietly took back his seat by the window.

Botan winced as Yusuke screamed. He was so loud! "But, Yusuke! You have an urgent mission to attend to!" Botan protested, hoping he just forgot and wouldn't eat his breakfast. She sighed, knowing that wasn't the case. "Really Yusuke, you're getting lazy in your old age!" She reprimanded and sat down where Hiei was before she tapped on the window.

Keiko's vien popped. Apparently, she had a bad day at school. "Yusuke, be quiet and maybe you should get dressed!" She said, turning away and blushing red. Yusuke looked down at himself. Boxers and a white shirt, great.

Yusuke grinned sheepishly. "Thank Kurama." Yusuke called as he headed for the room.

Kurama decided to ignore the detective. Keiko however was not amused. "Yusuke are you ever gonna stop being a lazy bum and grow up!" She yelled and without waiting for a reply, stormed off into the kitchen.

"Oh come on, I know how you are when you sleep in! Make up this and outfit that!" Yusuke grumbled from the bathroom.

Botan was a bit unnerved. Hiei sat down next to her... willingly. He didn't tell her to move or anything! Maybe... maybe he was trying to trick her so when she turns away he can strangle her madly! Botan shook her head, getting rid of the image, gulped, and turned to Hiei.

"So... um, how was your day?" She asked akwardly, not really expecting an answer.

Hiei opened one eye. He hadn't notice the Onna there. "Hn," He replied, raising his eyebrow suspisiously. She was making small talk with him, and he didn't enjoy it much. He was just preparing to kick her off the seat, when Kurama announced lunch was ready.

"Oh, no!" Botan shot up in a fret, smacking her forehead, "I forgot to get Kuwabara!" Without another word she raced out the door instead of taking the window, for Hiei was still there.

"He's probably playing with his cat somewhere." Kurama chuckled, trying to ignore Keiko's muttering about Yusuke being a bum. Yusuke entered the kitchen, wearing jeans and a shirt. He avoided Keiko's eyes. He would have to buy her something later-it was ALWAYS his fault, even if she started it.

"That's much better Yusuke," Keiko huffed. "now sit down and eat." she ordered and the detective sat.

'My, she sure is bossy.' Kurama thought, starting to avoid Keiko's eyes as well.

Hiei, who was growing impacient, could sense Botan's energy again. Not only hers, but the carrot head as well. "The idiot has arrived." He said outloud before closing his eyes. Yusuke looked up, grinning. Great, he wouldn't have to face the wrath of Keiko...much!

"YUSUKE! DON'T CHEW SO FAST! Are you trying to choke!" Keiko screamed at him. He had been inhaling his food because he was starving.

"I won-GAG" Yusuke coughed and smacked his chest. He swallowed and looked up, scratching his head in embarassment. "I won't choke!" He continued.

Yusuke paused from eating when he heard loud thumps as Kuwabara ran up the stairs to get to Yusuke.

"Urameshi! I challenge you!" He shouted, thrusting the door open and pointing a finger at Yusuke.

"Oh, sorry guys! I couldn't stop him! And Kuwabara, we kind of have a mission! Why don't you do that later?" Botan asked him with a smile as she walked through the door, oar in hand. Hiei opened his eyes to glance at Kurama with a look of annoyance. Kurama turned to him.

"I wonder if there like this when we're not here?" He mouthed.

"It makes me pity the Detective more." Hiei answered back, not taking the liberty of masking his words.

"Bingo!" Botan nodded, agreeing with Hiei on the fact that she pitied Yusuke at the moment.

...Everything in the room went silent. Even Kurama turned his head to look at her. Botan blushed a bright red while Hiei gave a dark, "Hn." and a scowl.

"D-did I say that outloud? W-well what I meant was-"

"Holy crap! Botan and shorty agreed! The world is ending! Oh god!" Kuwabara screamed and ran into the wall... he was knocked unconcious and Botan was almost relieved now that the attention was off of her. She NEVER agreed with Hiei! Ever!

"He's not going to be much help like that..." Botan shook her head at Kuwabara's stupidity and apologized to Kurama for missing out on breakfast.

"That's quite alright, Botan." He looked down at an unconcious Kuwabara."Perhaps we should go now, before Kuwabara hurts himself anymore."

"Or Botan agrees with Hiei more and shocks us all." Keiko muttered to herself as she cleared the dishes.

Botan pushed her fingers together, hearing Keiko. She made a cat face and acted like nothing happened, "Mreow!"

Koenma's Office.

It didn't take long for the portal to appear, and when they arrives to Reikai, a orge was there to greet them. Once the orge closed the door behind them, Yusuke yawned and stretched, rubbing his tummy. "Hey, Toddler, what's up now?" He asked.

Koenma went straight to the point. "New mission. All of you must go to Makai. You must get an artifact that was recently discovered by some demons. They're not easy, most likey S class. So you'll need to be careful. This artifact is one of darkness, it's alive actually. It IS the darkness. It can look into the deepest recesses of your mind, your deepest desires, and use them against you. I would prefer if you didn't bring Keiko, but since she's here, I guess you can go too. Now out and finish this mission!" Koenma ordered, banging his fist on his desk. From his scornful voice and slightly dark complexion, there was no doubt that the mission was too important to screw up.

Hiei smirked. This was the kind of action he needed, the lower class demons he fought on a daily basis bore him and have him no sense of thrill. "Botan is too weak to come with us as well. She will get hurt." He said outloud. He himself was slightly shocked at the words that passed his lips. He quickly redeemed himself with a rude remark. "She is too loud and melodramatic, try and fix that as well." He suggested.

"Hey! I am not! I help heal you and the others during missions when I can! And I have my oar to wack people with! And-and I have my white magic! I'm sure that'll be useful for this artifact since it is made of the darkness!" Botan said and smiled at her triuphant words. She looked over, noticing Kurama was giving her and Hiei weird glances.

I wonder what's going on his head...

Hiei stopped leaning against the wall and casted his eyes to her. "Onna, you're WEAK." He pointed out. "That's all that matters, and only God knows what kind of shitless desires you have in the head."

"Okay, I know I could never come close to being as strong as you, but that doesn't mean I'm weak!" Botan pressed... then noticed she probably gave him a big ego boost. She sighed at her own foolishness sometimes and looked over at Kurama again. He was STILL looking at them funny!

Is he... is he STUDYING us!

Hiei snapped his attention to Kurama. "Fox, what are you looking at?" He questioned rudely. He began to feel uneasy about talking in the first place.

Kurama jumped, not expecting Hiei to notice him watching the two fight. For as long as he'd known Hiei, the fire demon had never acted this way before. Could it...could it be that Hiei had developed feelings for Botan. Kurama smiled to himself, he was happy for his best friend, if he was correct this would be a big step for the Koormine. "We should probably get that Artifact as soon as possible," he said, trying to get off the subject.

"Then let's go!" Keiko ordered and started dragging Yusuke out of the office and the others followed, Kuwabara running into another wall on the way and getting knocked out cold again.

"Hey, wait for me!" Botan called after Keiko, running to catch up with her. She giggled as she looked at Yusuke and Keiko. They were still so kawaii after all these years being together.

"What's so funny Botan?" Keiko asked as she stopped to catch her breath. Yusuke took this oppurtunity to sneak off while she wasn't looking.

Botan sweat dropped and pointed at Yusuke, who was walking off. Keiko huffed and her face grew red.

Maybe I shouldn't have pointed at him...

Still, she giggled again. Keiko turned to her. "Don't laugh...Mrs. Jaganshi." She said whispering the last part.

"Keiko!" Botan screeched, blushing all the possible shades of red, "I can't believe you just said that!"

Keiko smiled "So you do like him? I knew it, Botan! Oh this is sooo kawaii." she squealed, a little to loud in fact because Kurama and Hiei both gave them strange looks. Yusuke was too far ahead to hear.

"Be quiet! They can hear you!" Botan said, dropping her voice to a whisper and speeding up.

Hiei trailed behind his Kurama, watching with an expressionless face at Yusuke. "How did I get stuck with such idiots?" He sighed, refering to both Yusuke and Kuwabara, who was back in the office. He noticed, however, Keiko and Botan drifting to the side, along with Keiko's loud sqeaks. What were those two talking about? Wait, he said to himself, shaking his head. He didn't want to know.

Kurama glanced over his shoulder, "And what might you be grumbling about Hiei?"

Snapping his attention to Kurama, Hiei explained, "Ningens, secrets everywhere." He shook his head. "We don't need gossiping birds while we fight demons."

"I agree, Hiei," Kurama replied. "but you know as well as I do that there is no arguing with them, how much trouble could they be?"

"ONNA!" Hiei finally called, annoyed with all the slow walking.

"WHAT! I WILL HAVE NO SUCH THING AS A DOUBLE WEDDING WITH HIE-... oh I just said that really loud didn't I?" Botan asked Keiko, gulping loudly. She turned around, her smile slightly wavering.

"Where is the portal supposibly about here?" He asked, he was tired of their endless chattering. And who was this He?

"Just further ahead!" Botan called, turning back to Keiko.

"Where did Yusuke go?" Hiei head Keiko ask, before going into more whispers. He growled deeply. It wasn't loud enough for anyone to hear, just himself. "Hn." He mumbled softly, which came out to be more of a growl.

Kurama shook his head "My how they love to gossip...I wonder who they're talking about?"

"Who cares." Hiei replied in a monotonous tone of voice.

Kurama noticed the girls had started to break into a run, with Botan leading the way. "Let's go Hiei, I have a feeling they've found the portal."

"Finally-"

"Kurama!" Keiko yelled. Both boys glanced upwards to see Keiko running towards them. She had a look of panic. "Botan ran into some demons!"

Kurama and Keiko all broke into a run, Kurama lashing out his rose whip with Keiko running behind him. Sadly, they were too late. Hiei disappeared the instant Keiko finished her sentence.

Hiei jumped from tree to tree, glancing downward when he saw Botan and the horde of demons. At once, he dropped down and landed right infront of Botan. His sword unsheathed in one motion. "Are you hurt?" He questioned, turning to Botan. Botan, who was at loss for words, watched as the group she couldn't face fell into chunks and landed on the floor. Hiei stepped back once an trail of blood nearly touched his shoes. When they arrived, Kurama and Keiko both observed in silence what they both hoped to be a new relationship.

Botan managed to regain her voice and smiled at Hiei. Her heart was pounding from the thrill of being at the brink of death, but also because she was saved. "No, I'm fine."

Keiko cleared her throat, "Excuse me, but I think Yusuke is waiting for us on the other side of this portal." Keiko said. Kurama stepped through before Hiei joined him. Then, Keiko and Botan walked through, smiling at each other.

Kurama looked around the Maikai surrounding, they were in the wilderness. Botan frowned, "Great place to drop us off, Koenma." She muttered. Keiko was too busy looking for Yusuke to notice.

"Did Yusuke go off again?" She asked, getting ticked off with him.

Kurama shook his head, "Yusuke is sensible enough to know to wait. Hiei?"

Hiei had un-wrapped his white bandana and his Jagan eye was already glowing.The faint outline of trees, lots of them. A path was already made, and in the distance, was that a castle? Yes, Hiei knew exactly where that was... In a flurry of thoughts, Hiei felt as if his Jagan was burning right off his forehead. However, he thought he saw the glimpse of an attacker. He doubled over in pain, and he clapped his hand over it, wincing in pain.

"Hiei!" Botan ran over to him, trying to see what was wrong. Kurama started to walk over to Hiei too, but stopped himself. "Hiei, are you okay? Answer me! Come on, what's wrong?" Hiei didn't reply, and Botan suddenly felt fear grip at her heart. Her eyes started to water, and Botan found herself crying! Why? She kept repeating in her head, still trying to get Hiei to answer her.

Finally, Hiei stood up again. "I'm fine... we have to head for Makuro's territory." He said coolly, straightening his cloak. He turned to Botan, when she gave out a sob. He was, again, startled at what she was doing. "Onna, stop crying. You're too dramatic." He said, stumbling with his words. His mind was clouded with thoughts, and his was slightly perplexed with why his Jagan was hurting, but he would never show that.

Botan was shocked. He was looked like he was about to faint, he was so pale! And all he says is too stop crying, and he acts like nothing happened. He scared her so much, didn't he care about that? Botan just nodded and wiped the tears out of her eyes with her sleeve.

I hope I wasn't being over emotional, but I thought he was going to pass out!

Botan smiled at them all and moved away from Hiei a bit, blushing. "Sorry about that! Guess I kind of freaked out, huh? Well, let's go find Yusuke! Whoo!" Botan said, trying to get everybody to forget. Kurama took the lead with Hiei, but before he could question Hiei, Hiei spoke up first.

"I don't know." He said, answering the question that was never told.

"Are you sure you can continue Hiei?" Kurama asked. "What did you see?"

"I saw Makuro's Territory." Hiei said and nothing more. The image he saw was not of Makuro, that was what he was sure of, but the land he saw was Makuro's. Yusuke was around there, and something bad was going to happen. Hiei scowled slightly at the pain his Jagan was giving him again. The detective was ambushed and Carrot-Top was knocked out in Reikai. What he was left with was the detectives girlfriend, the Onna, and Kurama.

...Great.

Behind them, the two girls were doing the only thing that could get Keiko's worries off Yusuke, talking. "Oh, Botan, you were so worried about him!" Keiko said, pointing out the obvious.

"I know... I couldn't help it! My emotions are going haywire lately! One minute I'm afraid of him, the next I'm angry or annoyed, the other I'm enjoying his company! It's weird... Do you think I might actually like him? I mean... I do LOVE his hair! It's so kawaii the way it sticks up, and it has the coolest starburst I've ever seen! And don't you just love how it shines blue in the sun! And, and, and... and I do like him don't I?" Botan made another cat face and started mewing.

Keiko smiled and laughed, although her heart and mind with worried about Yusuke. "Botan, you're so helpless." She said, walking ahead, with Botan mewing behind her.

End.

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