Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Love Me, Hate Me, Just Don’t Let Me Fall ❯ Joyful Pills ( Chapter 12 )

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Shizuru led Touya and Kurama far away from the battle that raged in the food court and out of the mall, on their way to her old school.

Love Me, Hate Me, Just Don't Let Me Fall

Chapter 12: Joyful Pills

"You don't really believe I was dating Touya, do you?" Botan couldn't bear to believe that Hiei would think of her like that! Was her word not good enough for him? Could he not trust her? If anybody was to be mistrusted, it was Hiei. He was, after all, the one who could lie most easily.

"Of course not, you baka!" Hiei told her as they continued walking. They had just left the mall, and Botan had no clue where they were going.

"Then why did you say all of those things?" Botan was confused. She had thought he hated her, but after what he just said... Could he possibly feel something other than hatred towards her? Can she dare to even hope?

"I had to lie, baka onna! I've already told you, I don't love you- I don't now, never have, and I never will. I could care less if you dated him," Hiei told her. He knew he was being a bit harsh on her, but he didn't want her to guess his true feelings.

When he first had heard Yusuke's theory about Botan cheating on him with Touya, he had felt a minute pang of jealously. But he had simply brushed it off, thinking that he must have just been used to having Botan's full devotion. Despite whatever Hiei might say or do, he didn't hate or dislike Botan now that he had actually gotten to know her. But he knew that he didn't love her either. At the moment, the fire demon was just confused about how he felt about her.

Botan was slightly hurt at his heartless statement. She realized she would have to eventually give up on Hiei or else she'd spend eternity completely obsessed with him, since he so obviously didn't like her. She tried to forget her hurt feelings and said, "Then what was all of that about?"

Hiei didn't want her to pester him, so he told her what had happened while she was away. In return, Botan told him what happened to her with Touya and the others. Of course, she left out everything about the deal involving Yukina between her and Touya. She would save that story for later.

"That certainly clears a few things up. So, where are we going now?"

"Reikai," was his short reply as he continued to lead her. Within a few minutes they arrived at the same abandoned building they had been at earlier that morning. Botan activated the Reikai portal and they both stepped through.

As soon as they arrived, they headed to Koenma's office. When they walked in through the doors, they found Koenma staring at the alarm on his desk that was link to Hiei's Jagan. He was desperately hoping for it to go off so he could fail them, but when he saw Hiei and Botan walk in, he was extremely disappointed.

"Hiei, Botan, you made it!" he said, feigning a cheerful tone.

Hiei glared at him and muttered, "No thanks to you, godling. How many more of these ridiculous tests are you going to force us into?"

"Keep your belts on, fire boy, you only have one more test," Koenma told him disrespectfully. Botan felt relieved. She wanted all of this business with Koenma to just be over already.

"So, then, what's the test?"

"This." Koenma handed Hiei a folder, containing a short stack of papers. "Complete this mission and you will have completed this half of our deal. Fail it, and you fail everything. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Koenma," Botan answered. Hiei and Botan began looking over the papers to find what sort of mission they would be sent on.

Their mission was to go to King Enma's private island in Makai, nicknamed 'Happy Island'. Millenniums ago, it had been a favorite vacationing spot for the gods, but after the war with the Netherworld it had been abandoned. Eventually, it was filled with lower class demon criminals who were trying to escape from the law. Gambling, drinking, stealing, and other sorts of illegal activities went on unchecked by any sort of law enforcer since it was the gods' island. Hiei and Botan were to get rid of all of the demons and make it presentable for the gods so Koenma could use it as part of his wedding plans.

After they finished reading, Koenma told, "Before you leave, you have to eat one of these." Koenma held out two blue pills in the palms of his hands.

Hiei narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the pills. "What the heck are those?!"

"They're called... uh, Joyful Pills. Just take them, or else you won't pass the test!"

The fire demon thought about what to do. He could refuse to take them and fail the tests, but that wouldn't be any good. What were the chances of him taking one and nothing bad happening? Slim to none, he assumed. But Koenma still harbored feelings for Botan, so whatever bad was going to happen wouldn't be fatal, or else Koenma would never give it to his beloved ferry girl. Hiei decided that whatever was going to happen would happen, and he would just have to take a chance.

Cautiously, the fire demon grabbed a pill and swallowed it. Botan followed his lead and did the same. After seeing for sure that they had swallowed them, Koenma said, "Good. Now you should begin your mission. You have exactly one week."

"No," Hiei stated. "We have to go to Ningenkai first."

Koenma glared at him and answered, "Fine. Go to Ningenkai. There will be portal close to the one that leads to Reikai. A timer will automatically begin once you reach Happy Island."

Hiei nodded to show he understood and turned to leave. He walked out of Koenma's office, followed closely by Botan. "Hiei?" she asked as soon as they were far enough away from Koenma. "Where are we going?"

"Ningenkai."

"I know that! I mean, where in Ningenkai?"

"To the fox."

"What?! Why?"

"To learn more about these so-called Joyful Pills."

"Oh." His explanation was enough to satisfy Botan. They fell silence as they continued on their way to Ningenkai.