Marriage by Law : Kiss the Bride-to-be

A/N: Hey guys! If any of you read Harry Potter, and Harry Potter fanfiction, then this title should look familiar. That's right. I'm going there. Hhahaha. In the world of HP fandom, there is this plot device (as common as the mating season thing in YYH) that involves a law that forces arranged marriages. So, let's say that it happens throughout all of the Three Worlds. Unleash the Hiei x Botan goodness! Read and Review please!

I

Koenma frowned as his eyes went up and down the statistics on the paper. One more cringe after the other. The Prince pulled at his hair.

There should be another answer!

Nigens didn't help with their incestuous regions. But then again, all nigens were technically sinning due to incest. It had to overlooked, even though scientists themselves knew it. When religion, race, and any other sort of barrier got in the way of marriage and sex, you were bound to run into an ancient relative sooner or later.

But it didn't stop there.

With spirits marrying each other strictly, it was just like the old royal families. Cousins might inadvertently marry each other. And it seemed to be happening.

Stillborn after stillborn.

Miscarriages.

Mentally deficient babies.

In both Rekai and Makai. It was becoming a growing disaster. Koenma shivered. And his Father had known about it... and had warned him that something had to be done... but Koenma hadn't listened.

But a law

Rekai and nigens were too closely alike to be forced to produce offspring. The relations from the ancient past could interfere.

So he turned to Makai. Demons were not so unlucky as the rest of the Worlds were turning out to be. They mated like crazy over there. And with no defects. Sure, some demons could be ugly, but their brain power would never fall below average.

Lucky them.

II

"But Koenma, sir! You can't do that! Millions... no... billions would be furious with you!"

Koenma watched as his assistant Ayame stared at the papers in his hands. She leaned over his desk and jumped back, as if the law was poisonous.

"Ayame, you don't understand–"

"No, I know that Ningenkai and Rekai are in a bit of a sticky spot, but this is too–"

"Then you tell me what I should do!" The two friends were silent. Koenma spit out his pacifier as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Sorry. I didn't mean to snap."

Ayame sniffed.

"I-It's okay."

The Prince of Hell took out the papers.

"Read this. Just look at what's been happening for the past hundred years." He gave them to his faithful assistant. "It's only going to get worse. It will be irreversible, but there is still time to stop it from continuing!"

Ayame shook as her eyes went farther and farther down each page. She finally began to cry.

"Y-You're r-r-right. It's f-f-for the g-g-g-greater g-good."

She sank to the floor as Koenma summoned more and more papers as he signed the law. He had some work to do before his Father got a hand of assigning the partners.

III

Yusuke Urameshi shifted slightly in his sleep, his arms already wrapped around the woman he loved. He took a deep breath and was about to fade off into the deeper levels of REM when a high pitched electric jingle made him growl lethally.

Keiko's eyes fluttered open as she was the first to sit up.

"Yusuke?" She rubbed her eyes, her short brown hair messy. "Is that your Rekai communicator?"

Her boyfriend growled.

"It better not be."

He threw the covers off of himself and struggled to find his boxers. He pulled them on, hopping on one foot as he honed in on the ringing. He threw his clothes around until he found a pair of dirty jeans.

Digging in the pockets, he found the girly pink compact. Gritting his teeth, he flipped it open.

"This better be good, Koenma."

His demonic tattoos were slowly starting to appear. Keiko sat on the floor next to her boyfriend.

"Good..." She trailed off. "Oh, morning, Koenma."

The Prince on the other line gave a little salute to Keiko, making Yusuke glare at him with increased intensity.

"Good morning to you too." He twiddled his fingers together. "So, um... are you guys planning on g-g-getting m-married anytime soon?"

Yusuke's mouth dropped like an anvil. Keiko turned fluorescent red. The son of Raizen stammered.

"U-Ugh K-Koenma... WHY IN THE HELL WOULD IT BE ANY OF YOUR BUSINESS ANYWAY?"

Keiko clutched her ears and Koenma had tears in his eyes.

"Ow. I'm taking that as a no." He coughed. "So... you still love each other, right?"

Keiko and Yusuke looked at each other.

"Yes."

The Prince nodded curtly, as though they had just given him an order to follow through with.

"Okay then! Cheerio!"

His image flickered out. Keiko and Yusuke exchanged confused and tired glances.

What was that all about?

IV

Kurama lay in his bed, his eyes closed. He was at peace until his ears were attacked savagely by an electric melody. His green eyes cracked open.

You have got to be kidding me.

The fox moaned as he sat up in his bed. He swung his legs over the bed and let his ears find the pesky compact. A few seconds later he was certain that it was in his underwear drawer.

Yanking open the drawer and fingering through boxers, Kurama finally found it and opened it. He was surprised when he did not see the Prince of Hell. Instead it was his little girlfriend, Ayame.

"H-Hello, Kurama." Her face was beet red. Kurama was confused for about three seconds. Then he realized it that it was because his shirt was off. "I-I was wondering if you ar–"

If she was asking him out, Kurama knew that he had to let her down gently. Besides, wasn't she with Koenma?

"Sorry, Ayame, but I really have to catch up on my sleep. I have to meet Shizuru tomorrow for breakfast and I–"

And just like that she left the screen.

Kurama blinked. Was it something he said? But then she came back, as fast as she left.

"Oh, of course. So sorry. Goodnight."

The kitsune shook himself. Yes. He was awake.

"Goodnight, Ayame."

He clicked the compact shut. The tingling at the base of his stomach told him that something was going on. Sleep, however, was a more alluring temptation than curiosity at the early hour.

Kurama Shuiichi closed his eyes and went back to sleep, forgetting the questions running through his head.

V

Kuwabara just fell into bed when his Rekai compact started ringing. He grumbled darkly under his breath as he searched under his bed. He finally found it. Yanking it out and dusting it off, Kuwabara opened it.

"Hello, Kuwabara."

The nigen scratched his head.

"Koenma? Look dude, I just got back from a date with Yukina. It would awesome if you just let me sl–"

"Oh, yes. Never mind then."

The screen went black. Kuwabara blinked.

"What the hell was that?"

VI

Koenma chewed his bottom lip.

The acid in his stomach was bubbling up to his throat.

His palms were sweating. He looked at the time.

He only had thirty seconds left! Shit!

Oh screw it. He almost threw up. They will thank me. Later. Way later.

Koenma signed the papers just before it disappeared. He knew... he knew that he was pretty much asking to be killed. To be sliced. To be beaten. To be slapped. To be scratched.

As he swallowed some vomit, one thought crossed his mind.

It's for the greater good.

VII

The notices were posted a few hours later, in the morning. Yusuke got up, tugging on some jeans and wandered into the bathroom. He turned on the light and reached for the toothbrush, his eyes lazily lifting to the mirror.

His reflection was not looking back at him.

The detective clutched his chest as he let out a loud shout. The person in the mirror was a woman, her pink hair and green eyes very different to him. But he recognized the kimono almost immediately.

It looked just like Botan's. Only this one was sky blue.

"What fuck– who the hell are you?"

The girl looked taken aback.

"Mr. Urameshi?"

Yusuke stared at her.

"Yeah?"

The girl looked around, as if trying to see what the view from the other side of the mirror didn't cover.

"Is this not Miss Yukimura's home?"

Yusuke felt himself flushing.

"It is."

The girl was quiet, as if expecting more. Then she shrugged and turned her back to him. She started shouting to someone that Yusuke couldn't see. Then she turned back around, two rolled up pieces of paper in her hands.

"Well, it's like hitting two birds with one stone." She leaned forward and came out of the mirror. "Here you go."

She extended her arm and dangled her hand out. Yusuke cautiously took the documents and as soon as the paper left the girl's skin, she retreated back into the mirror.

"Have a good day, Mr. Urameshi. Congratulations with your marriage!"

Yusuke looked like an idiot, staring at his now there reflection, his mouth hanging open like someone had broken it.

"M-Marriage?"

The ex-detective untied the ribbon to his scroll. He watched it fall down as the paper unrolled. He read the message that was gracefully painted on it.

Congratulations Yusuke Urameshi!

Due to the newly enacted Marriage Law of the Three Worlds, your wedding with Keiko Yukimura will fall on November 15th of 2007. May your life together be a happy and prosperous one.

Yusuke saw Koenma's big red stamp on it.

"That little pri–"

VIII

Kurama yawned as he got dressed in the morning. He quickly found a casual and yet not too grubby shirt and jeans. He combed his hair, spraying a touch of moisturizer in his red locks. He quickly brushed his teeth and rushed down the stairs.

He was pulling on his jacket as he opened the door, walking out. That was when he saw the paper taped onto his door.

Kurama gently pulled it off. The side that was visible said: NOTICE in really big letters. The kitsune turned it around so he could read the back of it.

Congratulations Kurama Shuiichi!

Due to the newly enacted Marriage Law of the Three Worlds, your marriage to Shizuru Kuwabara falls on November 15th of 2007. May your life together be a happy and prosperous one.

The fox slowed his breathing. He closed his eyes. When he opened them, the paper was still in his slightly shaking hands.

He quickly departed for the café. He needed to see Shizuru. Now.

IX

Kazuma Kuwabara didn't wake up until noon. He saw a bowl was out for him, with cereal. His sister must have left it out for him. He smiled at the note.

I'm having breakfast with Kurama. I wasn't sure if you could feed yourself, you big lug, so have some cereal. See you later.

He yawned and stretched. That was when he heard loud knocking. He jumped at the noise and turned to the door.

"Kazuma Kuwabara?"

A female voice was on the other side. Kuwabara opened the door to see a pretty girl with purple hair and gold eyes. She looked up into his face.

"Are you Kazuma Kuwabara of the Rekai Tentei?"

"Yes, I am. Why?"

She reached into her kimono and pulled out a rolled up piece of paper.

"This is for you." She bowed slightly after he took it. "It's an honor to meet you sir. Congratulations."

She vanished from his vision.

Kuwabara frowned, still standing in his doorway. He untied the ribbon, putting it in his pocket, knowing that Yukina would like it. He opened the scroll and read it's message.

Congratulations Kazuma Kuwabara!

Due to the newly enacted Marriage Law of the Three Worlds, your marriage to Yukina of the Koorime race will fall on November 15th of 2007. May your life together be a happy and prosperous one.

Kuwabara fainted dead away in his doorway.

X

Botan stretched lazily in her bed. No work and all play makes Jane a happy girl. She was happily sleeping in her vacation house in one of the many fields in England. She smelled the coffee and could already taste the biscuits that she was planning to make.

With a watering mouth, Botan got up and put the already molded biscuits into the oven. She poured herself some coffee, added some milk and sugar, and carried on with her morning. Botan thought that she might as well get the paper as she waited for her biscuits to cook.

The top ferry girl of Rekai opened the door and took a breath of that nice, fresh air. She let the breeze of England whisper against her face. She walked out a little bit to pick up the paper, and as she turned, she saw a paper on the door of her house.

Squinting, she could see the big, bold letters of it.

NOTICE

She tucked the newspaper under her left arm and took the "notice" off of her door. She ran her hands over the letters and turned it over.

Silence.

No birds chirped. The breeze stopped. Nothing moved.

"I'm getting married to WHO?"

XI

Hiei Jaganeshi was walking through some forest in Ningenkai. His morning had been odd to say the least.

First, he wakes up to hear someone nearby, calling his name. It wasn't anyone from the Rekai Tentei, and it wasn't the baka onna. If it wasn't one of them, then he wasn't bothering with them.

That was three hours ago.

Hiei found himself still avoiding the same person, who was following him now, not saying his name. It didn't matter if he dashed through the trees or on the ground, they would always keep up with him in the end.

Finally, he lost his patience.

Whirling around and leaping forward, Hiei found himself face to face with a blonde woman.

She twitched and almost fainted. It didn't faze the fire demon. He just glared at her. As he waited for her to say something, he took in a few things about her. One: she was wearing the same kimono as the baka ferry onna, only this one was a darker pink. Two: she was no comparison to the baka onna. She was clearly scared of him, thus not strong. Plus... she was nothing special to look at.

"U-um, M-Mr. Jaganshi?"

Hiei's eyes almost widened at such a formal greeting.

"Hn."

The ferry girl fidgeted nervously. She took out a scroll and handed it to him, her hand shaking.

"H-Here you go."

Hiei took it, sliced off the ribbon and read it.

The ferry girl stayed where she was, as the demon glared at her, telling her to stay.

There were five minutes of long silence.

"Onna." She squeaked as she looked up into his eyes. "Tell me, what is this word?"

She cautiously walking forward to see what word the Koorime was pointing to. She squinted.

"Marriage?" Hiei nodded. "Well... wait, do you want to know what it means?"

"Tell me if you want to keep all of your limbs."

Eyes wide and adrenalin on fire, the ferry girl was ready to become a college professor on getting married.

"Okay, well, a marriage is..."

Fifteen minutes went by. Hiei was unfazed until he heard a certain bit.

"You see, and then the priest says, 'You may now kiss the bride,' and that's when you kiss her." And then there was the next part. "This is a new law was enacted by Koenma about seven hours ago... and your marriage will be the equivalent of a demon mating ceremony. You will be forever tied to your chosen partner for your entire life."

She sighed.

"Is that all you needed, Mr. Jaganshi?"

Hiei could barely manage to nod. As soon as the ferry girl vanished, the paper she had been holding bust into roaring flames. His eyes were bloodthirsty.

Koenma... I'm coming for you.

As Hiei sped off, the one line from that terrible paper floated back into his head.

... your marriage to Botan of Rekai (the top ferry girl) will fall on November 15th of 2007.

May your life together be a happy and prosperous one.

XII

A/N: Please... PLEASE tell me if you like this idea. It will be a lot more lighthearted then some of my other HB fics (coughs: the Bio of HB: coughs). Yeah, please review! I'll give you hugs and... a... free Hiei plushie! Oohh!

Review!

-mia