Incurable : Dangerous Game

A/N: This came into my head while listening to Helena by My Chemical Romance. It reminds me of Raizen's lover, the human witch doctor. I thought it would be cool of Botan got wrapped up in something that she didn't know could horribly backfire. Of course, she needs an epic hero to save the day! Read and Review!

I

Hiei raced through the busy streets of Makai City. His red eyes narrowed as he struggled to keep a hold of a faint energy. Something is wrong... it's fluctuating. The fire demon stopped, his breath leaving him when he found himself outside of a bar.

Dammit Koenma...

Holding his breath, Hiei opened the door and stepped inside.

II

(A year and a half before)

The Koorime glared at Yusuke.

"No."

The ex-Detective batted his eyes comically.

"Please? Come on, Hiei, I've done you tons of favors–"

"Name one."

The silence that followed Hiei's demand brought a victorious smirk onto his lips. That was when Yusuke shattered Hiei's smug demeanor with the one thing that could make Hiei fold. His sister.

"Well, I didn't tell Yukina that she is your s—"

In all of Yusuke's travels and journeys, he had never seen Hiei's face flood with so many emotions so quickly. The urgent anxiety, wide eyed fear, and desperation that flashed across Hiei's face were priceless. It was definitely worth being tackled from across the table at Genkai's temple, an angry, short fire demon glaring at him.

"You. Will. Not. Utter. One. More. Word."

Hiei's words were rasped, his teeth gritted together. Yusuke chuckled, well aware that Yukina was in the temple.

"Are you going to do it for me?"

That was how the Koorime found himself breaking into the baka onna's apartment. His eyes were steely as he tried to squash the guilt that was weighing down his stomach. He had no problem breaking into a house or building, but the baka ferry onna's... something about this was wrong. He just couldn't tell what it was.

Just get it and get out.

Yusuke had left a jacket at Botan's house. Why he needed it back so badly, Hiei did not know. Judging on how he didn't want the onna to find it before he did, he gathered that there was something dirty in it.

'Probably some dirty pictures of his mate.'

Hiei smirked as he found the leather jacket that had been stuffed under a couch.

That was when he heard it.

The clatter of a glass cup. He wasn't alone.

Hiei unsheathed his sword and crept into the kitchen.

What he saw... he would never be able to forget.

The onna lay on the floor, shuddering and convulsing. She was on her stomach, her face hidden from him. Hiei dropped his sword and the jacket. He was on the floor, turning her over, making sure to keep her neck straight so that her wild movements would not break it.

His blood ran cold when he got a look at her face.

Her skin was whiter than snow, but all the veins were clearly visible, seeing as how black flowed through them. Her mouth was open, a thin line of... what would have been blood dripping out of it.

"K-Koenma..." Her lungs... they sounded like they were slowly filling with liquid. She coughed, black spattering on the floor. "I n-n-need..."

She didn't have to finish her sentence.

Hiei was already zooming through the sky with the ferry girl safely cradled in his arms.

The Koorime could not recall another time when he had run so fast.

III

Demon bars were nothing like nigen bars. Hiei knew this for a fact, since he had been forced to go with the Rekai Tentei for some party. Unfortunately... Hiei had been in a Makai bar. Only once, but once is enough for any sane demon.

When he walked in, female demons pounced on him, trying to get lucky. Hiei made his demonic energy spike, their skin burning as he heated up. They got the message pretty quick, their eyes wide and their lips pulled back into a scowl as they let him pass.

The male demons were either in the process of having sex or trading some sort of illegal items.

Hiei found the onna's energy. It was behind a door.

He didn't hesitate when he opened it.

IV

Hiei had to jump up the towers of Rekai to finally break in through a window. Botan's hand was clutching at his scarf. She coughed into her other hand.

"H-Hurry..."

Hiei didn't need to be told twice.

His legs dug into the tile so that every step made cracks. Ogres were knocked out of the way, papers flying up into the air. Hiei burned down the door to Koenma's office with just a thought. The demon thief's chest rose and fell in shuddering gasps, his eyes wide and watering slightly.

"Brat! Your ferry girl has been poisoned!" Hiei was just able to grasp his control around his voice to keep it from shaking. His knees turned to gelatin and he hit the floor. Hard. But the onna was still okay. "She needs help. Now!"

The Koorime saw the Prince gaze at the onna with a mild look of... approval? The Prince picked up a phone, speaking into it as if he were planning a vacation. Calm and cool.

"Yes, she's here." His eyes flickered over to the fire demon. "Send up the team. She's in critical condition."

Hiei's red eyes tried to catch Koenma's, but the Prince refused him. The room was barged into, but Hiei could not see who they were. All he saw was white hands take the onna away from him. He stared into masks. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and he blacked out in Koenma's office.

When Hiei came to... he didn't know how much time had passed. All he knew was that he was in a bed and the light above him was beginning to burn his eyes. His hand jerked up. In the bright light, he saw... clear... tubes or worms dangling from his veins.

Hiei bolted upright, irrational fear striking him. He ripped the tubes off of him, searching himself. It didn't even occur to him that he was naked as he ripped off the sheets, stripping himself of all the tubes that were attached to him. He shook slightly, adrenalin clouding his senses. He absentmindedly dragged the blanket up to his waist, covering himself.

That was when he realized he was being watched.

"He's unaffected, sir."

A masked man turned to Koenma, a clipboard in his hand. The Prince stared at Hiei.

"Good. He can go when he pleases."

The fire demon's lungs expanded rapidly. When the clear, plastic door was opened and the men in white rubber suits entered, Hiei pushed himself to the far side of the bed. He thrust his hands out in front of him.

"Come any closer and I'll burn you where you stand."

The men ceased their approach. Hiei's voice cracked, making him quickly swallow saliva to make his throat not as dry. One of the men spoke, but he did not take one step forward or backward.

"You can leave, Hiei." He pulled out a bundle of black from his bag. "We've only come to give you your clothes."

Hiei glared at them.

"Hn. Fine."

The man tossed the clothing to him, and soon Hiei was alone. In his see-through room. The fire demon arranged his clothes on the bed and slowly got dressed. As soon as his pants were on, he stood, not caring if someone saw him bare chested. He was tugging on his overcoat when his eyes caught the wall. It was a room. Next to him was another clear room.

The onna. She was on a bed, just as he had been.

Her head was laying to its side. Her pink eyes were open and she stared at him. Tears leaked out of them. She was attached to more things than Hiei wanted to think about. A tube ran from her nose to a bag above her bed. A myriad of small little tubes were attached to her limbs. Many of which were transporting a black liquid into bags.

Hiei's eyes landed on the two large tubes. One above each lung.

It was a sight that would haunt him, even in his dreams. Those eyes... leaking tears. Her mouth open, her lips white and cracked. She looked... so sick and old...

Hiei turned his back to her, the ferry girl. The bubbly and cheery ferry girl. He could not see her in such a state. In a state other than what she normally was. Because... if he looked at her for any longer... he would be forced to go into that room.

He would be forced to admit that he cared.

V

Hiei Jaganshi almost lost it. His eyes glowed at the scene that was laid out.

The onna was tied to a table. Her legs and arms fastened to each corner. She was wearing a skirt and shirt. Hiei was paralyzed for a few moments. He was taking it all in. The men around her. The way her skirt had been pushed up her legs, so that it was covering her mid-thigh. How her shirt had been ripped in some places. Her tears. Her gagged mouth.

Hiei, greatest thief in Makai history, lost control.

The two men who were looking at the onna's long legs were aflame and piles of ash before Hiei had time to think about what he had done. Fires leaped to the walls, smoke swirling at the ceiling. A man that was next to her, a skinny little rat of a demon, was injecting her, holding her arm out.

Hiei stopped himself from killing the man. He wanted to. He had permission to. But he needed something first.

Hiei flickered in and out of sight, snatching the man up by his throat, standing in the flames. His old legs kicked, but Hiei just held him. Steady. No remorse in those blood red eyes.

"Give me the antidote. Now."

VI

Hiei had stayed up for nights. He trained. He did errands for Mukuro. Nothing he did could get that image out of his mind.

He finally allowed himself to go back to the onna's apartment. He broke into it once more, and found the onna sitting on the couch. She jumped when the door opened. She was wrapped in a blanket, a cup of tea next to her.

It was eighty degrees that day.

"Hiei? What are you doing here?"

The fire demon closed the door behind him. He didn't answer her as he went into her kitchen, opening all the drawers and the refrigerator. The onna got up, blanket still clutched to her trembling body.

"Hiei?"

The Koorime was emptying out everything. His eyes intense and focused on a goal that he hadn't voiced.

"What are you doing?"

Hiei paused, and then went to the sink.

"Looking for any poisonous plants, fungus, or food."

His tenor voice was flat even with his fast paced movements.

"Poison? Why?"

Hiei stopped. He turned to her.

"Baka onna, I know that even you have a high enough intelligence to not forget what happened to you."

His voice softened when he saw her face flicker with shame. She held in her emotions.

"Hiei... that was on purpose."

Her head was bowed, her blue hair that was pulled back into a her usual pony tail moving on her back. A silence settled over them. Hiei tried to catch his eyes. When he found that impossible, he just studied her body.

Her shoulders were held high, and her voice was low. She leaned against the wall, picking up her head.

"Explain yourself, onna."

She went back to the couch, slowly. Hiei was obliged to follow her.

Her legs just stopped working as she fell onto the cushions. She laid on her back.

"Koenma has... promoted me. I still ferry souls, but... my part in Rekai is a greater purpose." Hiei sat down on the arm of the couch, listening to her. "There are more poisons out there than you can imagine, Hiei. It's incredible."

"Hn." The short demon crossed his arms. "What does this have to do with you?"

Botan's face fell.

"Everything."

VII

"A-Antidote?" The old man looked at the woman. "He s-said there didn't need to be an a-a-a-antidote!"

Hiei's heart stopped. His hand came together, the sickening snapping of bones crackling louder over the fire. He threw the dead man to the side.

He rushed over to Botan, slicing the robes that tied her. He pulled down her gag. Her breaths came in pants.

"H-H-Hiei! He i-i-i-i-injected me w-w-w-with it!"

She was trembling faster and faster. Hiei quickly gathered her into his arms, flying out of the bar. As soon as he was in a valley, out of the city, he stopped. He made the onna stand. He grabbed her arm.

There was a red circle and a bit of blood on the inside of her arm. Hiei bit his lip.

"Shit."

He carried her all the way to Rekai.

VIII

"Koenma... said that if he can use my body to test how poisons affect me... then I would be the greatest ferry girl in the history of Rekai."

Hiei's breath left him.

"Onna." She looked at him. "Why would you let him... do that to you?"

His cold voice asking her a question. He usually didn't ask her questions.

"I'm serving Rekai."

Hiei was silent for a while. His eyes shifted to his katana. It was leaning up against the wall. She knew it was his... and that he was coming back to get it.

"That's not service."

She closed her eyes, chills rushing over her.

"Hiei... I know it's hard to understand, but... I am making great progress for our empire."

She buckled with a cough.

"It's torture."

He stood and left the sick ferry girl. He took his katana back, never planning to come back again.

Instead, he went to Rekai. He went to Koenma's office. He opened the new door and stepped inside. He was calm. He was collected. He was Hiei Jaganshi.

"Hiei?" The Prince looked up. "Is there something I can help you with?"

The fire demon looked into Koenma's brown eyes. Fire blazing behind his crimson orbs.

"It amazes me, just how stupid you are." Hiei had to stop himself from pulling out his katana. If he did that, control would become a thing of the past. "To... to tease death."

IX

Botan sat outside of Koenma's office. She felt like a child who was in trouble, her parents in the teachers room, talking in voices loud enough to hear, but soft enough to not be able to understand the words.

That softness ended.

"You didn't ask for a fucking antidote?"

Things broke. Botan jumped when she heard a chair break against the door.

"Hiei, calm down. This is a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" The fire demon was wound up. Botan had never seen or heard him be him so furious. He was simply livid. "Let me spell it out for you, brat! You called me, saying that your beloved ferry girl had been kidnapped. Kidnapped trying to get the poison into her blood just like you wanted!"

"Hiei–"

"So you call me! Begging me with tears weighing down your voice to go and save her!"

The silence that followed was so painful, tense, that the entire Rekai staff had stopped, staring at Botan with a mixture of horrid fascination and pity. George went up to her, cautiously.

"Botan... I think we should... come with me for some coffee..."

It was just a way for her to try and get away from the heated argument. The ferry girl politely shook her head.

"No thank-you, George." Her eyes were red, but she did not cry. "I've got to stay for all of this."

The ogre hung his head in defeat, shuffling away. The ferry girl gazed after him for a few moments, but then returned her eyes to her folded hands. She tried not to let them tremble.

Koenma... why didn't he ask for an antidote? He loves me! I know he loves me!

Hiei kicked the door open, all the eavesdropping ferry girls flinching and averting his scorching eyes. He closed his eyes and took deep breaths. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. He didn't look at Botan as he left Rekai in a fury of flames and smoke.

Koenma came out of his office. He was in his teenage form, and he was still a bit shaken. He was not used to Hiei speaking so much, but the monologue that had just transpired had left the Prince of Hell speechless.

"Come with me, Botan." He took her arm and led her down to his squad of doctors. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. Just fine."

The ferry girl couldn't help but note that someone always says that 'things are going to be just fine' when someone is in deep trouble. Or when they are about to die.

X

Kurama Shuiichi lay sleeping in his bed. The blankets were wrapped around him tightly, shielding himself off from the night's chill.

His eyes opened, staring at the glowing numbers of his digital clock. 3:15 in the morning.

"What is it, Hiei?"

The fox let the sheets fall off of him as he sat up, rubbing his one eye absentmindedly as his green eyes landed on his best friend, Hiei Jaganshi.

"Fox, I need your help."

Once the words 'I need your help' left Hiei's mouth, Kurama was wide awake. The hair on his arm prickled as a ghostly breath fanned over the back of his neck.

"What happened?"

XI

A/N: Okay, I lied. I was actually listening to Feur Frei by Rammstein. You should check it out, and think of it at the bar sequence of this chapter. I really went all out, and I warn you, it is a head-banger, but I like so yeah (I'm picky when it comes to hard core metal lol). So please, REVIEW! I think this story has epic potential, so tell me if you agree or disagree. Thanks!

-mia

p.s. Please, when you have the time, check out Signed Anonymous. I really like the story, and it would pain me to stop writing it because I don't think a lot of other people like it. Love you!

P.s.s. I tried to make the bar sequence seem like Hiei was losing control. I hope it came across!