Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Volatile Chemistry ❯ Chapter 1

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Genkai was fully prepared to die with no regrets, having lived her life just as she wanted. Unfortunately things don't always go according to plan and adjustments have to be made. Hiei/Young Genkai

Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Hentai / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 11.04.2006 | Pages: 4 | Words: 8.3K | Visits: 1.9K | Status: Work In Progress

Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Title: Volatile Chemistry
Author/Artist: Ryukotsusei
Theme(s): #2. You can't do this!! (~Do what?!)

Pairing/Characters: Hiei/Genkai
Rating: R

Warnings: Strong Language, some violence.
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to this series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.

Summary: Genkai was fully prepared to die with no regrets, having lived her life just as she wanted. Unfortunately things don't always go according to plan and adjustments have to be made. Of course, it's never easy when a particular apparition decides she's his new form of entertainment. This will be a multi-chaptered story.

Chapter One

Power flowed steadily from Genkai's hands as she worked on the demon sprawled out on the bed. If the man was experiencing any pain from the healing he certainly didn't complain, not that she thought he would. In the short time she had known him she had come to realize that Jikoku was a master at concealing what he felt. How he had managed to fall prey to an ambush was beyond her, something told her that he was a crafty demon when the need arose. "It is finished, though I must advise caution. For the next several weeks that area will be vulnerable. If you were to re-injure your back again I have doubts that you'd ever recover." As the demon turned over to regard her carefully the old psychic brushed a hand against her forehead. Gone were the days where she could perform such a demanding healing and not feel the after effects of such an act.

A slight frown formed on his face as Jikoku took in the human's appearance. Had he not seen the woman for himself at the Dark Tournament he would have never believed that this was the greatly feared Genkai. Before him knelt an old woman, long past her prime, a mere shadow of the person she used to be. "You have my thanks." Many times he had wondered just why she had given up the bulk of her energy to her apprentice, it was inconceivable to him to squander it on another under most circumstances. Of course, rumors had plagued that particular Tournament though he put little stock in them. Had she truly died that day? He wasn't particularly inclined to believe it, what purpose would it serve to resurrect someone so depleted? Still, if it hadn't happened there was no doubts in his mind he would have been dead by now. Having the ability to manipulate time was convenient though not without its drawbacks. It left him drained for a short period afterwards and there was a limit on how often it could be done. That was the only way those bastards had caught up with him. Fortunately for him it had been on the edge of the temple grounds and Genkai had sensed the disturbance. Those who had hunted him were now dead and he had been healed, it meant he owed her a great debt. "Are you alright?" He could see her wavering aura and knew that her time was limited. A few weeks, maybe less at the rate she'd expended her remaining energy.

Genkai nodded, not for the first time wishing that Yukina had decided to remain in the Ningenkai instead of returning to the Koorime Island. However when Hiei had returned to report that her brother was dead, the small girl seemed to close herself off to everyone around her after a time. It wasn't long before she'd made the announcement that she was going home. Everyone had taken the news rather hard but none of them could convince the Ice Maiden to stay. "I'm fine, don't concern yourself over me." Genkai waved her hand, brushing the question off. As loath as she was to admit it, her body just wasn't what it used to be. She knew that her time was running short and she almost welcomed it. Her only concerns being how badly it would affect those she left behind.

The woman's peevish tone had him smiling, yes Jikoku could see that she still had the spark of life in her that had shown so brightly at the tournament no matter what her body was inclined to do. "Very well then, I'll be leaving on the morrow. Is there anything I can do to repay your generosity?" Normally he wouldn't be concerned with such things since he was inclined to believe that those who offered were meant to be taken advantage of. However this particular human had gained his respect a long time ago and he did place high value on his life.

"Yeah, don't get caught again." There was nothing more that Genkai wanted from him or anyone else except peace in her final days. Of course that wasn't likely to happen considering that Yusuke was convinced she was going to drop dead on him any minute and insisted on visiting every couple of days. The others came less frequently though she wasn't surprised. Her relationship with the dimwit had been stronger than any of the others. Ignoring the pain in her joints Genkai stood and made ready to leave the room. As she looked over her shoulder she could feel Jikoku's ice blue eyes settling upon her. It was hard to resist shuddering at the look he was giving her, the depth of intelligence he held could easily surpass Kurama's she was certain. At that particular moment she didn't want to know just what he was thinking.

Jikoku shook his head as she exited the room, human's were such very confusing creatures. Every one he'd run into before were selfish beings, though he had to admit that many demons were the same. His own race just happened to be more cunning in the way they went about it. Truthfully he loathed both equally though this particular woman had intrigued him from day one. How fortunate it was for him to have run across her when he had. Sadly though it was nearing time for him to depart, while the temple was a safe haven for demons it would not do for him to remain. Being a demon that could control time meant that he was always hunted by those who wished to change their lives and very few of them we concerned with the consequences of just what that would do. His eyes closed as his mind continued to ponder the old psychic, the world could use more people like her. It would be a great loss when her time came to pass.

The wind howled outside as darkness fell over the ningenkai, signaling an approaching storm. A breeze carried the scent of rain to him as he shifted upon the futon, his brows furrowing in annoyance. The sky promised torrents of rain that would last for a few days at the very least and he had no desire to be caught out in it. Perhaps it was time for him to leave now, before the heavens opened up. Weather patterns did not hold true between the three worlds so once he crossed the border there was a strong chance that the skies would be clear and he could be on his way. Briefly he rolled the idea around before coming to a decision and sitting up gingerly. Genkai hadn't been kidding when she said his back would be susceptible to re-injury, he would have to be careful. Ignoring the twinge of protest that shot up his spine, Jikoku stood and settled his cloak around him. Moving across the room silently he slid the door open and stepped out into the cool night air, a quick check of the area revealing that the old woman had retired to her chambers. A small bit of energy was expended, causing time to elapse at a rapid rate forcing the woman deeper into sleep. She might not have required payment for her services but that didn't mean he would leave without giving her something in return.

It was simple finding her quarters, though he wasn't so foolish to believe that the woman couldn't awaken at a moments notice. Quietly he slid the door open revealing her small figure laying upon her futon. Holding out his hand he allowed his power to flow freely towards her as he chanted an incantation under his breath. A glow surrounded her frail body, enveloping it gently as Jikoku continued to manipulate the spell. Before his eyes her body began to revert to the youthful form he had glimpsed briefly during the Dark Tournament and a smile touched his lips. Casting this particular spell used great power but in his opinion it was well worth it for what she had done. A final incantation and the spell was complete, the glow dying away as if it had never existed. "Use your gift wisely Genkai. Perhaps one day we will meet again." With those parting words he turned from the room and closed the door once more, taking his leave of the temple grounds.

~*~

Just as he had promised, Yusuke was trudging up the stairs to the temple the next morning to spend time with his mentor. Birds called overhead as he grumbled beneath his breath about the amount of stairs, though to him it was worth the aggravation. Most likely Genkai would bitch him out for coming over again, getting in her hair as she was so fond of saying but he knew that deep down she enjoyed his visits regardless of what she said. Keiko had declined to come with him on this particular trip, her parents had asked her to stay and help around the shop so he couldn't complain too much. He'd be sure to pass on her greetings while he was there, just to let the old woman know that the others were thinking about her.

As Yusuke reached the top of the stairs he surveyed the premises, checking for any sign of his teacher. A frown tugged at the edge of his lips as he noticed there was no sign of her which was unusual. She might be pushing seventy but that didn't mean she didn't normally rise before the sun did. Was she alright? Quickly he crossed the courtyard, kicking off his shoes before he stepped onto the wooden stairs. "Genkai? Where the hell are you?" Receiving no answer he made his way to the doors of the gaming room. Sliding them open he peered into the darkness only to close them once more when it became apparent she wasn't in there.

Worry began to grip him as he moved further into the temple, passing through the empty kitchen. Without fail there was always tea prepared in the morning no matter the circumstances. Yet as he passed the stove there was no sign of the tea kettle. Had she not gotten up this morning? His pace increased as he moved towards her bedroom. "Genkai!" Fearing the worst he threw the shoji door open and rushed to the futon, praying that she hadn't died in her sleep. While Yusuke knew that her passing was inevitable he'd half come to believe that so long as he continued to check on her he could prevent death from taking her a second time. As he fell to his knees beside her though his eyes widened in shock as he stared at the woman he'd come to think of as his grandmother.

"You'd better have a damned good reason for coming in here and waking me up." Annoyed didn't begin to cover how she felt as Genkai pushed herself into a sitting position, glaring at the Toushin kneeling next to her. "Well? What the hell is wrong with you?" It was unnerving to see him sitting there, staring at her as if she'd grown a second head. A quick glance through the open door told her that it was well beyond mid morning, he'd probably thought she'd croaked in the middle of the night and was now looking at a zombie. Stranger things had happened to him after all. "If all you're going to do is sit and stare at me then get the hell out so I can get dressed."

"Oh no! Not until you tell me how the hell this happened!" Yusuke gestured towards her, still trying to figure out just how the old woman had once more reverted back to hot chick status. Had she borrowed energy from someone sometime last night like what she'd done when she fought Shishiwakamaru? His senses hadn't detected any signs of a battle nearby so it wasn't likely but he didn't know how else to explain the woman who was now looking at him like he'd lost his mind.

"What are you talking about?" It was then that Genkai noticed her voice was different, not as gravelly as it had been in recent years. That realization made her pause and look down at her hands, half fearful of what she might see. Smooth, unwrinkled skin covered her hands and she couldn't help but stare at them in shock. Roughly she pushed the blankets off and bolted out of bed, not feeling the normal aches and pains that would accompany her in the morning. Ignoring Yusuke's startled look she stopped in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. "I'm going to kill him!" Anger flowed through her as she thought about the one person she'd been in contact with that could accomplish such a thing. What was it with men thinking that having an extended life was something to be desired? She had no uses for immortality, she'd given up on the opportunity years ago when she'd spurred Toguro's offer. Why would she accept it now?

"Wait a minute! Kill who?" In an instant Yusuke was on his feet and following her down the hallways. Seeing her jump out of bed without a stitch of clothing on had shocked the hell out of him, not that he was going to complain too loudly. What worried him more was that to date he'd never seen her quite so pissed off before, she'd barely paused long enough to grab a robe and throw it on before racing out of the room. Clearly she'd forgotten that he was even there.

Roughly she slid the door open and stormed into the room that Jikoku had been staying in though she wasn't surprised to find it empty. Had he left sometime last night or had the bastard actually waited until morning before making his escape. Quickly she turned, narrowly missing Yusuke who had just slid to a stop behind her. "Dammit! Get your ass back here Jikoku!" Her voice echoed across the grounds and deep into the forest though she knew it was likely that he was long gone.

"Alright, mind telling me what's going on?" Now that it was obvious whoever this Jikoku was had left, Yusuke wanted answers. His mentor sat there silently fuming though to be honest he couldn't see what the problem was. So she was young again, there were benefits to that. Not the least of which was the fact that he could stop having nightmares of being the one to find her body yet again. Slowly he put his hand on her shoulder, waiting to see if she would answer him.

Genkai sighed heavily, what was she going to do now? Very little was known about the race of demons that Jikoku belonged to. Hell, she hadn't even known that such a spell existed though she shouldn't have been surprised by it. Before the Dark Tournament she'd never even heard of the fruit of past lives either, though the effects with that were short term. How long would this last and was there a way to reverse it? Truthfully she had no desire to live out her entire life again, hence her anger. She was going to kick that demon's ass from here to the Reikai when she got a hold of him. "Let me get dressed Yusuke and then I'll explain everything to you."

~*~

Three days later had Genkai convinced that this spell wasn't just going to wear off like she'd been hoping. Even Kurama had been contacted to try and decipher just what Jinkoku had done to her but he was at a loss as well. If a centuries old kitsune had no idea, it wasn't likely that she'd be able to find anyone else who did. It left her with only two options. Deal with it, waiting to see what happened while praying there were no horrendous side effects to the spell or hunt down the demon who had cast it in the first place. Being a woman who preferred action to waiting, Genkai had found herself standing in the Makai and looking up at the pink sky. Yusuke had wanted to come with her, insisting that she would need help but she'd finally ended up telling him to piss off after he'd gotten on her nerves. She'd been killing demon scum long before he'd ever been conceived, it was unlikely she would need his help now.

Unfortunately she had no idea just where to search for the demon responsible. It wasn't as if he'd given her his travel plans just in case she needed to contact him. Swearing under her breath she hoisted the backpack over her shoulder. One thing was for certain, she wasn't going to find shit just standing there. While it had been decades since she'd last crossed into the Makai, Genkai was fairly certain that there was a town nearby unless things had changed drastically. It was as good of a starting place as any, perhaps she would find a lead while she was there.

Carefully she avoided the plant life that reached towards her as she traveled through the dense forest. Becoming dinner for an overgrown Venus Fly trap didn't fit in her plans for the day, though she did make note of them for the return trip. If Jinkoku didn't give her the answers she wanted then there was a good possibility she'd drop him off in one as an afternoon snack. All of her senses were on alert as she walked. Taking ones guard down while in this particular realm was courting death and she wasn't so foolish as to think she wouldn't be challenged eventually. As it was, Genkai was certain that she was now being followed though she wasn't quite sure of who it was. The pattern of the leaves rustling in the nearby trees was too coincidental to merely be the breeze. Something or someone was stalking her.

Patiently the psychic waited until she was certain that she had the pattern down. Just as the tree to her left rustled Genkai held her palm out, sending a blast of energy up into the canopy of leaves. The sound of cloth moving was the only warning she got to spin in place but it was enough, her hands coming up to catch the blade that had been moving towards her neck. A smirk crossed her face at his annoyed expression as they continued to face off, neither moving. "I should have known. Did the Dimwit send you or am I just naturally lucky today?"

"I'd hardly call a human walking through the Makai with no destination in mind lucky. What the hell are you doing here?" Once Genkai had removed her hands from his katana Hiei sheathed the blade and stared at her impassively. Ever since he'd taken up the job of patrolling the border running across lost humans had become a common occurance but she was the absolute last person he'd expected to see. Her changed appearance was another mystery that had him curious, he'd thought she had lost the ability to shift forms.

Whether Hiei thought she was particularly lucky or not Genkai didn't care. It was rather fortuitous in her opinion that he'd been the one following her. The apparition was one of the few people she would trust for information and he was one of the ones most likely to have it. There was no mistaking the curiosity that lurked in those cold eyes, tons of questions were racing around in his mind but he wouldn't ask them. Dropping the pack to the ground, Genkai looked at him with amusement. "I'm searching for a demon by the name of Jinkoku, have you heard of him?"

Hiei rolled the name around his mind for a few moments before shaking his head. "No, what did the poor fool do to have you looking for him? I doubt you'd come all this way just to invite him to the temple for tea." Seeing the woman stiffen he knew that whatever was going on was serious. It had to be to bring her here in that form. Changing to her younger self could only mean one thing, she was anticipating a battle. That suited him fine, it'd been a while since he'd had a decent fight and there was nothing interesting happening along the border. Provided this wasn't some stupid retrieval mission for Koenma he'd follow her just for the thrill of a good fight. It had been a long time since he'd had a decent fighting partner by his side.

"One would think with three eyes you'd be able to see what's right in front of your face." Genkai rolled her eyes at him, tea indeed. By the time she was finished with Jinkoku he'd be lucky if he still had his head attached. "He has the ability to control time, among other things as it turns out. I'm not in this form by choice and unless your memory is worse than mine you know I can't do this on my own without borrowing another persons energy." It was clear that she had Hiei's interest by the way his eyes widened ever so slightly when she mentioned what the bastard could do. If Koenma knew that there were demon's capable of such a thing he'd likely be crapping his pants in worry.

"You mean to tell me you allowed a demon close enough to you to cast a spell?" The very idea was inconceivable, Genkai was one of the few humans he had any respect for. Granted, she was aging as all humans did and it was expected she would slow down with the years but this was a stretch for even him to grasp. And here he'd thought Yusuke had been exaggerating his concerns the last time they had spoken to each other.

The glare that Genkai leveled at the apparition would have quelled almost any battle hardened demon, except him. She didn't need to be reminded of this particular failing, it was painfully obvious every damned time she looked in the mirror. "I was drained from healing him but at least I had an excuse for him getting close. Tell me, what was yours for having your soul ripped out when you said 'hot' purposefully?" That memory remained clear in her mind, it had shocked her to see the apparition acting so foolishly.

"You tread dangerously hag" That incident wasn't something Hiei cared to remember and it rankled him that she'd orchestrated the whole thing. "If I were you I'd remember just where you were and who you were talking to." Respect only went so far and while he couldn't kill the woman he could certainly beat her to an inch of her life if only to teach her a lesson. Clearly though the human wasn't impressed as she snorted in disdain.

"I know exactly who the hell I'm talking to you over confident bastard and you would be doing well to remember that if I can put Yusuke in his place I can damned sure handle you." Though Genkai knew that it wasn't exactly true any longer since her spirit orb was gone, she wasn't about to back down from the demon before her. With Hiei you only earned his respect by being able to handle yourself and anything that was thrown at you. To back down now would invite his scorn and the hostilities would only get worse.

A chuckle escaped his lips then, there was no doubt about it. Genkai hadn't changed a bit in the years since he'd last seen her. He could almost pity the demon she was looking for if she ever found him. That give a shit attitude had always been something he liked about the psychic. "We'll have to put that to the test one of these days." The arrogant expression never left his face as her eyes widened. Let her wonder just what he'd meant by that, he certainly wasn't going to elaborate any further. "Do you have a starting point for your search?"

"Unfortunately the dumb ass didn't leave me an address to find him at. I figure he'd have stopped at one of the border towns on his way through, someone there might have seen him." It was difficult to ignore the statement that Hiei had made but she kept most of her surprise from showing. If she didn't know better she'd have said that the demon was flirting with her, but this was Hiei. To date Genkai hadn't seen him show an interest in anything but fighting and had begun to wonder if he'd even known how to use what he'd been born with. Pushing the thought aside she shouldered her pack once again, determined to get on her way. As expected the fire apparition fell in step easily beside her, clearly intending on accompanying her for a while.

While it would normally be considered a sound plan, Hiei had his doubts on whether it would work or not. A demon with those particular abilities wouldn't broadcast his presence under normal circumstances. If he had ventured into the town it was unlikely he would have given his name. They'd have to rely on description alone and hope that it would be enough to suffice. Remaining alert to their surroundings, Hiei snuck a glance at the now silent woman. "And if you cannot find him? What then?"

Even though Genkai didn't want to consider the possibility, she knew that there was a good chance that she wouldn't be able to find the man. "Then I guess I'm screwed ain't I?" What the hell would she do with her life? Throughout her many years she'd heard people complain how they wished they had more time to do the things they'd always meant to and she'd scoffed at their foolishness. That was one thing she couldn't say, early on Genkai had decided to live life to her fullest and that's exactly what she had done. For someone who'd already done everything in life that she wanted to what was left?

"You are strange for a human, most would kill to have the opportunity that you've been presented with." Hell, Hiei knew a good many demons that would as well. It wasn't as if all of them were blessed with exceedingly long life spans. To be honest, his own biological make up presented quite a quandary that left him wondering just how long his own lifespan would be. Fire Apparition's tended to have short lives, burning out quickly given the nature of their element. However the Koorime side seemed to have tempered that particular trait in his body, it wasn't something he was going to complain about.

"Like you have room to talk. You've managed to take emotional constipation to a whole new level while still managing to be one of the most overprotective assholes I've ever met." Hearing the apparition coming to a stop at her words nearly had Genkai laughing. It probably wasn't every day that someone was so blunt with him, much less a female and it had left him stunned. Good, let him stew over that one for a bit. She'd been blunt and sarcastic her entire life, she wasn't about to change it now just because he decided to tag along. If it offended him that badly he could get lost, she had places to go.

The woman had guts, Hiei had to give her that much credit. Of course being who she was meant that there were few demons out there that she really had to worry about. Besides, he'd carefully cultivated the image she'd so carelessly spoken of. Was it no wonder that she merely pointed out the obvious? Shaking his head Hiei began walking once more, trailing behind the small woman as they approached the town. Predictably the first place she went to was the small inn located on the edge of town. It would likely have been his first choice as well as it was the most likely place that Jikoku would have stopped. However he doubted she'd come across the information she was looking for. No matter how close they were to the border, demons still had a natural dislike for humans in general. Information would not be easily forthcoming.

As he made his way through the door, Hiei spied an empty table along the far wall. It would be a perfect position to watch from, for the moment he'd be content to observe unless someone got out of hand. One of the serving wenches came up, asking for his order. Placing a handful of coins on the table, Hiei requested a glass of demon mead. Once the woman had hurried off to fill the order, the apparition locked his eyes on the small human woman. Many of the patrons had moved away after giving her a disdainful look which was of no surprise. What had his eyes narrowing in irritation were the few men who were looking over Genkai as if she were a village prostitute. They'd soon learn the error of their ways though, Genkai wasn't likely to put up with their crap for long.

The serving wench brought his drink and Hiei nodded his thanks to her, his eyes never leaving the scene before him. Picking the glass up he took a sip of the cool liquid just as a blue skinned demon placed his hand Genkai's ass. Chuckling to himself he set the glass down as the woman whirled around, gripping the offending appendage in one hand. From across the room he could easily hear the man's yell of pain as she squeezed hard. Yep, the foolish man had pissed her off and by the looks of it she was ready to shove that hand right up his ass.

Hiei leaned back in his chair as the man brought his hand up to strike the woman for resisting his advances. Of course Hiei saw no reason to move, Genkai was fully capable of taking care of herself. The blast caught the demon square in the chest, launching him over the bar and crashing into the bottles of liquor placed so carefully on the shelves. The harsh cry of pain was quickly overpowered by the sounds of broken glass followed by a thud when the demon landed on the floor. Silence reigned over the room for several long moments, the patrons stunned that a human had the audacity to strike the man down. Within moments two other demons had stood up and begun advancing towards his companion. If Genkai looked to be in any trouble Hiei would have no problem stepping in but for the moment he was content to watch the show.

Genkai quirked a brow at the two coming towards her, it would seem these two were just as stupid as their friend. Her stance was one of calm acceptance as she waited for them. Would they be stupid enough to try and take her head on? Her brown eyes flickered over to the table she'd spotted Hiei at earlier. There was no mistaking the amusement on his face, the bastard was enjoying this! Turning her attention back to her would be opponents, Genkai noticed they'd separated. Did they really think that they'd be able to take her out like this? Groans could be heard from behind and she knew that the first asshole was down for the count. His two friends sprang then, one coming from each side. Just as they were about to reach her, Genkai sprang into action and launched herself up allowing the closer of the two to rush underneath her. As she came down she sent out a blast of energy from her palm, slamming it into his head and propelling him forward.

It was unfortunate in Hiei's opinion, that the four playing poker had chosen the table they were currently seated at. Genkai's energy blast had taken out the ugly green demon easily enough, sending him into his friend which in turn sent him flying. The female which had been seated with her back to them had moved quickly when the fight had started but her companion hadn't deemed relocating necessary. As the two demons came down, one smashed into the table while the other toppled the man backwards and out of his chair. A growl of outrage could be heard as he shoved the fallen demon off of his chest. The fight was on now as the two stood up to square off. Genkai for her part had landed on top of the bar and was now watching the fight with some disgust.

"Watch where the hell you're going!"

No, it didn't seem as if the man had appreciated being flattened at all for now he'd taken a stand, his fist pulled back and ready to slam into the dazed demon. The second demon fared even worse. Blows rained down on his head as the other three who had been seated at the table had taken to pummeling the man. One had even picked up a chair, brandishing it as a weapon and slamming it into his head.

Being a violent race to begin with, Hiei knew it was only a matter of time before the other patrons decided to get involved. The bar keep was trying in vain to restore order before things got too far out of hand but the apparition could have told him it was a lost cause. Breaking glass was heard as someone became acquainted with a fallen pitcher and the spilled liquid made for poor footing upon the wooden floor. As if knowing what was coming, Hiei picked up his glass off of the table and pushed his seat further back, moving out of the way. Only moments later a rather burly man made a tackle, sending the demon he'd chosen to fight with crashing into the table Hiei had been seated at. As they went to the floor one of them looked up at him wickedly, only to pale when Hiei raised an eyebrow at them.

Genkai did laugh then at the look of terror on the man's face as he made a hasty exit away from the hybrid. Apparently Hiei's reputation in the area was well established and none of them were going to risk taking him on for a bit of fun. By now the entire tavern was embroiled in the fight, the only good thing was for the most part they'd kept it to physical punches instead of using energy. Someone went crashing through the window to land in the dirt street outside drawing even more attention. Jumping off the bar, Genkai stepped through the brawling combatants with ease making her way towards Hiei. It was obvious that she wasn't going to get any information out of these morons.

"I take it we're finished here?" Hiei put the glass down on one of the few tables that were still intact once Genkai had made it over to him. If this was going to be the result at each of the towns then he'd definitely made the right choice in following her. The last time he'd enjoyed going into one of these establishments so thoroughly was when Yusuke had decided to take on an entire bar himself. Of course, at the time it hadn't seemed so amusing since it was a comment on the two of them being lovers which had started it. Yusuke hadn't been amused.

Genkai gave him a look which clearly indicated she thought he was an idiot before rolling her eyes. "What was your first clue Sherlock?" Without waiting for the apparition's response she began making her way outside, stepping on the fat man who'd taken out Hiei's table. This had been a complete waste of time and hadn't done anything to help her mood any.

"I had to ask. For all I knew you might have changed your mind on taking up Uglies proposition." The condescending attitude was beginning to grate on Hiei's nerves more than a little. Had she asked he could have easily used the Jagan to pry into their minds looking for a name but if she was going to be a bitch about it then he saw no reason to make the offer. Glass crunched beneath his boots as he followed her outside, his expression one of careful indifference to the glare she threw at him.

Disgust coiled in her stomach at the thought of sleeping with the man who had touched her. "That would be a cold day in hell, I'd sleep with you first." The way Hiei's head whipped around made Genkai think that the apparition was going to give himself whiplash. The sounds of the fighting were growing dimmer with each passing step that took them further and further away from the establishment. She took the opportunity to glance over at Hiei, his expression one that indicated she'd stunned him yet again. This was getting to be a habit. "By the way, thanks for back there. It's so nice to know I can count on you in the middle of a fight." There was no mistaking the sarcasm in her voice but then again, she hadn't bothered trying to conceal it.

Hiei's eyes narrowed once more, his surprise wearing off quickly. What the hell was her problem now, it wasn't as if she had anything to worry about with those weaklings in the first place. Was the woman so foolish as to believe he wouldn't have stepped in had she needed it? Or was she merely attempting to bait him once more? The wind ruffled his hair as he returned the look of irritation she was giving him. Two could play at this game. "Oh, I understand now. You actually wanted the opportunity to play the damsel in distress this time, like Botan or Keiko would have done. Had I known that's what you wanted I would have stepped in and defended you like a pathetically weak human would need. Tell me, why didn't you ask Yusuke to accompany you instead? I'm sure he would have stepped up and played the knight in shining armor for you."

Many times throughout the years Genkai had wondered if the demon next to her gave a damn about anyone else except for himself and Yukina. This was just another one of those times to add to the list as she listened to him talk. Turning to face him she dropped her bag, completely fed up with everything that had happened during the day. No, she didn't want him to jump in and pretend to save her ass but even the slightest show of concern would have been nice so she knew there was at least one person she could count on while in this god forsaken realm. "My memory must be going or something despite my appearance. Tell me Hiei, when the fuck did I ask for you to accompany me to begin with? Better yet, why the hell are you here anyway?"

"Because it's fun to piss you off and your current predicament gives me no small measure of amusement. Still, I tire of your bitching so when you can remember just who you're dealing with and the fact that you aren't what you used to be I'll return. Try not to get yourself killed while I'm gone, I'd be most disturbed to come back and find your corpse being picked over." Seeing the fury mounting in the woman's eyes nearly had Hiei laughing, he'd definitely struck a nerve with that comment. Seeing her energy rise the apparition disappeared into the trees, chuckling when she hurled an energy blast at the tree he'd been standing in only moments before. Oh yes, this was going to be amusing indeed.