Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Going to the Dogs ❯ I'll Find Her! ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3: I'll Find Her!

 

 

As the seconds turned to minutes, as the minutes turned to hours, as the hours turned to days, as the days turned into weeks, and as the weeks turned to painful months, Hiei's heart was becoming mysteriously colder and his soul was becoming darker. He locked himself up in his room, Botan, the puppy he had adopted, was the only being/creature in all three worlds that saw him for the whole month.

“HIEI!! COME OUT, NOW!!” Koenma ordered for the seventh time that afternoon. He, Kurama, Yusuke and Kuwabara were also there, trying to pry Hiei from the sudden depression.

Hiei, once again, didn't respond.

“Rrrr.” Botan's whine was heard through the door. ::Hiei.::

“You could at least let the runt dog out!” Kuwabara yelled. It was true, Botan had barely grown in the five months they've found her.

No reply.

“Hiei, are you even in there?” Kurama asked worriedly. Then he felt something that was coming from the other side of the door. A…positive feeling.

“Woah, what the hell was that?” Yusuke asked Kurama.

“That was Hiei's energy, I'm guessing that he's saying `yes' by giving off a positive energy.” Kurama replied and went back to asking Hiei to “please come out.”

“Hey, do think that dog's alright?” Kuwabara asked.

“Kuwabara! Hiei's in his room, probably starved and all you care about is the dog?!!” Koenma shouted angrily.

“No, it's just that, if we lose Hiei and dog-Botan, it would ten times as bad as realizing that Botan's still missing.” Kuwabara said, evidently sad. Yusuke, Kurama, and Koenma took Kuwabara's words into thought.

Lose Hiei and Botan.

That thought hit the two Rekai Tentai members' and the Rekai Prince's hearts like a brick. But inside a youkai's ningen room, his heart was hit worse.

 

Lose Botan...lose Botan...lose her... he thought for the first time in ages. Botan leapt into Hiei's lap gingerly.

Then, she licked his hand.

Hiei felt the puppy's rough, yet smooth, tongue roll over the top of his hand. His eyes gained some color back.

“Botan…” he whispered to the blue runt in his lap. Botan looked up and saw something flicker in the koorime's eyes.

Realization?

Fear?

Happiness?

Confusion?

Botan couldn't tell. But Hiei knew exactly what he was thinking.

He would go find Botan, whatever it took.

 

“Did he just say Botan's name?” Kuwabara asked dumbly.

“Yeah, probably talkin' to that dog of his tho'.” Yusuke concluded.

No, his tone wasn't like anyone who'd be talking to their dog. I think he's come out of this depression, but what's Botan got to do with all of this? Kurama thought, having his Hiei-talking-to-dogs doubt.

Then, just as Yusuke was about to ram at the door, it opened. Hiei stood there, eyes faded with suitcases under them. His hair was all messy and he looked really out-of-it. In his arms, cuddled up cutely to his bare chest, the amethyst-eyed Labrador pup was gazing up at the four boys in front of her.

Smiles came across everyone's mouth; Hiei only gave half of one though.

 

“So, shrimp, why'd you lock yourself up?” Kuwabara asked two days later. He decided to try to be nice to Hiei, remembering how down the short demon had been.

“Cuz.” Hiei said quickly. Botan, who was seated on Hiei's shoulder, rolled her eyes and pawed Hiei's ear.

“Seriously Hiei, we were all worried about you. After Botan disappeared,” Kuwabara said and sat on a bench, Hiei following suit, “we all thought you'd be gone too.” Hiei took the ningen's words to consideration.

“What happened to her?” he asked suddenly.

“Who?”

“Botan.”

“Hiei, I don't know exactly how to say this, man. But,” Kuwabara looked down at Hiei's hopeful eyes, “you've really opened up these past months.”

“That's what happened to the onna?” Hiei asked, annoyed.

“Huh? Oh! Yeah, right. Well,” Kuwabara said and looked down at the ground sadly, “they've…announced Botan…our Botan…oh, geez Hiei, I can't take it!” Kuwabara started sniffling, and a tear ran down his cheek. Hiei took this as a really bad sign. Botan barked quietly, as if trying to sooth her human friend.

“Well?” Hiei pushed Kuwabara. Kuwabara only sobbed a bit more, and then cleared his throat.

“Hiei,” he looked the youkai straight in the eye, “they've pronounced her dead.” Kuwabara received the expression he didn't want to ever see on Hiei's face.

Despair.

But most of the emotion went away while some lingered. Hiei shot up; Botan was in Kuwabara's lap at the moment, too shocked that she'd been announced dead.

“So, you've given up?” he asked coldly, fists clenched. Hiei's face was shadowed by his hung-down head and bangs.

“Koenma, he said it was useless now. “Anyone missing for so long is bound to be dead,” is what he said.” Kuwabara replied while looking down at his feet.

“Everyone's given up, have they then?”

“…Yeah. Sorry.”

“SORRY?!” Hiei yelled. “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, “SORRY”?! WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE WHEN BOTAN CAN BE IN TROUBLE!!” he roared.

“But, Hiei-” Kuwabara said, surprised.

“DON'T “BUT HIEI” ME!! I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO APPARENTLY CARES ABOUT HER, RIGHT?!” Hiei shouted. Kuwabara was silent.

Hiei's head was now up, crimson eyes angry and something forming behind those same orbs. He glared down at Kuwabara, sharp fangs bared furiously.

“I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO CARES!! I HAVEN'T GIVEN UP! I HAVEN'T STOPPED SEARCHING FOR HER! I HAVEN'T JUST SAT ON MY ASS AND WONDERED WHERE THE HELL SHE IS!!” Hiei yelled again, the watery substance about to leak.

“Hiei, man, we can't do anything! She's been missing for almost half a year, let go.” Kuwabara said, not believing his own words.

“Let go, let go, huh?” Hiei said and narrowed his eyes into a more deadly glare. “LET GO?!! HOW CAN YOU TELL ME TO “LET GO”?! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, DO YOU?! IT'S AS IF ME TELLING YOU TO LET GO OF YUKINA!!” Hiei roared again, but this time, the water in his eyes was visible.

Kuwabara's face went blank. Hiei's last statement hit him hard, maybe too hard. He started to cry a little, just imagining that his sweet, loving Yukina was in Botan's position. He heard Hiei growl.

“And to think, my feelings are real.” Hiei said and stormed off, leaving three ebony gems behind. Kuwabara understood what he meant.

Hiei had feelings for Botan and this was the hardest thing to conceive for the youkai. Kuwabara looked at where he heard three `clinks' and his black eyes widened. He picked up a tear gem, and lost nearly all his color.

He just found Yukina's brother.

 

Hiei suited up to escape into the Makai. Katana, check, cloak, check, bandages, check, other crap, double-check, mutt…

“God dammit where's the inu?” Hiei hissed to himself and went to find his dog.

 

Botan wasn't noticed by Kuwabara when he left, so she stayed put, waiting for Hiei. She was rethinking Hiei's statements.

He...cares about me? And he even cried because he thought I was dead! But, what's Hiei going to do now? No one knows I'm a dog, so what am I going to do?! she thought franticly. Just then, she was swept up by a familiar demon.

Hiei.

“I'm not going to the Makai without you, inu.” he explained.

“Arrrr.” Botan held out. ::Suurre.::

“Hn.”

“Hrn.” ::Hn.::

“Close enough.”

“Arrf!” ::Yay!::

 

Kurama re-read the note Hiei had left on his door.

 

Kitsune,

 

I'm going to the Makai to look for the onna. Don't come look for me, or else. I've got everything I need, and I won't be back until I have her in my grasp.

 

I've got the inu, so don't worry about her.

 

-Hiei

 

Kurama sighed. He was glad Hiei had finally got out of that depression, but now he was off the the Makai when he wasn't allowed to.

But what shocked the spirit-fox the most was the P.S. notice:

 

P.S. I'll find her. I'll find Botan and finally tell her. I'll find her, even if it's the last damn thing I ever do.