H.E.R.
chapter 1
by Toki Sagara

Hiei looked out at the dark sky of Makai. “You shouldn’t be here,” he said to the stranger whose presence he noticed without turning around. “ Do you know about it?” The stranger asked him, revealing his identity. “Yes, so? Did you come here just to ask me if I know about what happened to Koenma?” he said. “ No, I came here to ask you for your help,” Kurama answered. “Hmmm!!! Why should I go through the trouble to save him! His father can just send out that team of soldiers again and they’ll take care of it,” Hiei replied. “ His father doesn’t know about it! If and when he does find out there’ll be a lot of hell to pay for and the special team of soldiers can’t be of any help. They’re too weak!” “Well what do you want me to do?” Hiei asked his friend. “Help us!” “Hmph, why don’t you just go and get Yusuke to help you.” Hiei said.” I will but the two of us can’t do it on our own and Kuwabara can’t help since he’s a ningen” “ It was careless of you to think that I would help you save Koenma. I do not care for anyone other than Yukina” Hiei stonily replied. “Fine!” Kurama said angrily. He left without another word and headed over to ningenkai to tell Yusuke the news.

“What??” Yusuke and Kuwabara said in shocked unison after having have heard the news from Botan. “Why would anyone want to kidnap Koenma?” Yusuke thought aloud. “For a ransom stupid!” Kuwabara told his friend.” Don’t call me stupid!’ Yusuke said angrily. Kuwabara snickered. “No, it isn’t for a ransom of any kind. They want him for a different reason” Kurama said decisively as he joined the group. “Why do you say that?” Yusuke asked. “Because they have not sent any ransom notes yet and the men who kidnapped Koenma were rich and powerful, therefore they would not need anything from Koenma or his father. And no one is stupid enough to risk kidnapping King Enma’s son for money.” Kurama said. “ So what are we going to do?” Yusuke asked again. “ We have to go to the mystic kingdoms in Reikai. The kidnappers were said to have spoken in the language of the people from there. But we have to be careful since we know very little about that place and the people living there.” Kurama said. “ Ok then, let’s go! Wait, how will we enter Reikai we’re not yet spirits? And where is Hiei?” Kuwabara said. “Hiei isn’t coming, And you have to stay behind Kuwabara only Yusuke and I will be allowed to enter Reikai because we are partly youkai. “Come on! We don’t have much time!” Botan said as she climbed onto her oar.

“ So you came after all,” Kurama said satisfactorily to Hiei. They had just arrived at Koenma’s castle when they found Hiei waiting for them at the gate. “Yeah, well I was getting bored over at Makai. There’s nothing to do there and Mukuro is getting a bit too aggressive to my liking.” Hiei said. “Save the excuses! But I can’t say I’m not glad to see you. I feel a lot better knowing your coming along. I mean we don’t know what we’re gonna be up against.” Yusuke said. “Hmph!” Hiei said. “Come on guys we’ve got a lot more important things to do than to make fun of Hiei’s lame excuses.” Kurama said. “Hmph” Hiei said again. “Guys!!!!” Botan said loudly. “Master Koenma has been kidnapped by people of the mystic kingdoms okay! We have got to save him as fast as we can! If King Enma ever finds out about this a lot of ningens and youkais alike will suffer. So can we please concentrate on the task at hand!” Botan said a little bit hysterically. “Fine! Fine! We’re going! We’re going!” Yusuke said. And the three were off, heading toward the mystic kingdoms and to their unknown enemy.

As soon as they entered the border to the mystic kingdoms Kurama changed into his youkai form. In the city proper they saw a lot of slavers trying to sell them some young girls for slaves. The three went straight to the castle. It was large, not to mention beautiful and majestic too. They were given a warm welcome by the king. The king was a young and handsome man. He was still quite youthful but his age could not be told for appearances were always deceiving at Reikai and Makai most especially if you were trying to calculate one’s age. He welcomed the three when they told him who they were. The king recognized their names and instantly welcomed them into his home. He then announced to his servants that they were to be treated properly for they were his own special guests. Then the king left them to themselves for he was then called up to some important matters. Kurama, Yusuke and Hiei were then left to do as they wished. They all went to the garden and there they spoke about what they thought. “The king must have had something to do with Koenma’s kidnapping,” Kurama stated. “What makes you so sure?” Yusuke asked. “You saw the people! They all don’t exactly wear rich clothing unlike the king and his servants.” Kurama replied. “Hmm…” “What now Kurama?” Hiei asked exasperatedly. “I’m just wondering what his motive is?” Kurama said. “Yeah, I mean what would a rich king want with Koenma. I mean unless they had some rough history.” Yusuke said. “Whatever! You guys can think this over all you want but I suggest we go and try to find Koenma then kill anyone who tries to stop us from rescuing him. “ Hiei said anxiously. “Wait Hiei! We can’t do that yet we’re not yet sure that the king had anything at all to do with this and even if he did why did he do it? We can’t just kill innocent people when we don’t have any facts yet.” Kurama said wisely. “Yeah, I’m With Kurama on this one Hiei.” Yusuke interjected. “Fine! But if we still don’t learn anything in three days I’m gonna do what I gotta do.” Hiei said, his instinct piqued.
Later on they all went to their rooms. As Kurama entered his room he knew something wasn’t right. There was someone else in the room. He looked all around and saw no one. But then as he neared the bed he saw her. She was gorgeous. Her hair was blackish red. Like that of a rose that was drying and its petals turning a beautiful blood like black color. Her lips were pinkish red and so very full. It was cut on the upper lip, which was the only imperfection on it. As Kurama looked her over he saw that she was young and her body was exquisitely slender. With full breasts, a slim waist nice hips and slender calves. Her skin was as white as the most beautiful pearl. Kurama touched her just to be sure that she was real. Her skin felt like the finest ivory. It was so smooth even smoother than silk. Kurama just sat there. Sitting beside the beautiful vision. Afraid that if he did anything else, she would disappear. Soon the girl opened her eyes. Upon seeing Kurama she stifled a scream. She then looked around her and then recalled everything that had happened. “Where am I?” she asked softly. Kurama didn’t answer. He couldn’t. He was mesmerized by her eyes, they were violet, the color of orchids. Her voice was that of an angel’s and now that she was awake, her cheeks got some color in them and turned a tinted shade of subtle pink. She truly was a vision. “Excuse me?” the girl, said to Kurama, wondering if he could speak at all. “Wh-Wh-What?” Kurama stumbled. He had finally gotten his senses back and realized that the girl was trying to talk to him. “ I asked you if you knew where I was?” she said. “You’re in my room. By the way what are you doing here?” Kurama asked. “Ooooh So this is where I ended up….” The girl said to herself. “Who are you?” Kurama asked, his curiosity aroused. “Oh, sorry I’m soo rude. My name is Akina. I ended up in your room because I was trying to get away from Tomo’s men.” She said simply, as if that explained it all. “Huh? Why were you trying to get away from Tomo’s men? Are you a thief or something?” Kurama asked.

“No, it’s just that…..” Just then they heard footsteps outside……

“CHECK HERE!!!! WE HAVE TO FIND HER!!!” said the soldiers. “You can’t let them find me please!” Akina pleaded. “I won’t, but you’ve got to get out of here right now!” Kurama said. “Thank you!” she said as she climbed out the window. “Akina!!! There you are!!!!” Kurama heard Tomo say just right after Akina climbed out of his window. He was confused and baffled. “Who was that mysterious girl?? And who is Tomo?? He must be the king! But why was she running away from him?? Is she his concubine??” Kurama thought these thoughts all through the afternoon. He stayed in all day, locked in his bedroom thinking things over until it was finally time for dinner.

At the dinner table, Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and the king, were joined by two beautiful women. The king introduced them as his younger, twin sisters, Tasha and Taka. As the meal was about to be served the king suddenly stood up and turned around. “What is this guy doing?!” Hiei thought. Then suddenly his question was answered as a beautiful woman came up to their table. “Akina! Thank you for deciding to join us! Gentlemen, this is Akina, my fiancé” The king announced. All throughout dinner Kurama had been withdrawn but upon hearing the name of the mysterious temptress he almost choked on the shrimp he was eating. And after finding out who she was he really did choke. “Ugh, Ugh, Ugh…!” “Kurama are you okay???” Yusuke asked. He had been watching his friend all throughout the meal and he was a bit disturbed at the way Kurama was acting. “Ptooey!” Kurama said as he was finally able to dislodge the morsel of food that clogged his throat and prohibited him from breathing. “Yeah I’m fine the shrimp just got stuck.” He then looked up at the girl he spent the whole afternoon thinking of. “God she’s gorgeous” He thought to himself. Akina sat down on the right hand side of Tomo, right across from Kurama. She was surprised at seeing the handsome stranger at the dinner table but was able to mask her reaction just in time, before Tomo saw her. “ God he’s handsome!” she thought to herself. She couldn’t help but smile at the stranger’s reaction at seeing her. Then she realized who the stranger must think she was, that made her frown. As the meal continued she looked around the table, beside her sat Tasha who was trying to seduce a cute little man who seemed to have a fierce glare stuck on his face, his hair was standing at its end but something about him just made you want to kiss him. The man sat across another man, he looked like a boy but his manhood could be sensed in the air that surrounded him, he too was handsome with dark hair. He sat beside Taka, who was also trying to seduce him. Taka was sitting across Tasha and beside Kurama. Akina thanked her lucky stars that Taka wasn’t trying to seduce Kurama, she didn’t know exactly why she was relieved, but just decided to push the thought to the back of her mind.

Hiei looked at the beautiful girl who had just joined them, then looked at his best friend Kurama who was openly gaping at the girl. “Inside himself he felt a tinge of jealousy but that was easily taken over by his irritation with the woman, no, slut sitting beside him. The slut actually had the nerve to put her hand on his thigh ! God how he wanted to kill the disgusting youkai. Well I mean she wasn’t exactly ugly she looked like her sister but her hair was colored blue instead of green like her sister’s. She didn’t seam to be too powerful but she wasn’t exactly weak. Hiei looked across the table. He found out that the slut’s twin sister was doing the same thing to Yusuke.

Soon the meal was over and everyone decided to retire for the night.

Kurama was laying in his bed staring at the ceiling above his bed, thinking of Akina when he heard the door to his bedroom creak open. Hiei and Yusuke entered his bedchamber. “What are you guys doing here?” Kurama asked his comrades. “I couldn’t stand it in my room that Taka just wouldn’t leave me alone! That’s why I’m here…. But Hiei….he seems to have ulterior motives!” Yusuke said good-naturedly. “DO YOU WANT TO DIE EARLY YUSUKE!!!!” Hiei barely screamed at Yusuke while pointing the tip of his katana at him. “Shhhhhh! You guys, if you want to stay here you have to keep quiet okay!” Kurama told his friends. “You mean we can actually stay!!!” Yusuke said happily. “Shhhhhhh!” Kurama said once again. “Do you guys hear that?” Kurama asked. “Hear what?” Hiei asked back. Kurama didn’t bother answering his friend. Instead he walked out of the bedroom and followed the stranger he had heard, into the garden. “Why are you following me?” the stranger asked, revealing herself to be Akina. “Why are you out this late at night and where are you going?” Kurama asked back. “That’s none of your business. But if you really want to know… I came out for a smoke.” Akina replied. “Yeah right! You don’t smoke!” Kurama stated. “Oh really now?! And how sure are you that I don’t smoke! You barely even know me!” Akina retorted. “I may not know you too well but I know this, your too beautiful to smoke!” Kurama said. Akina blushed, then suddenly their eyes met for one extremely intimate moment. It took all of her willpower to pull away but she succeeded in doing so. She didn’t understand why it was so hard but she knew one thing she had to leave there before she was caught. She turned around but just as she walked away, Kurama grabbed her arm. “Will you at least tell me where you were going.” Kurama said. “I’m just going out to be alone so that I can clear my mind, that’s all. Don’t worry I’ll be safe. Now please let me go,” she said. Kurama let her go even though he knew fully well that she was lying. “I’ll find out where you’re going even if you don’t tell me,” Kurama thought to himself.

Kurama rushed to his bedroom. “Hiei watch where she goes will you?” Kurama said. Hiei didn’t answer. He was a bit embarrassed at having been caught spying on his friend but he nodded just to tell him that he would do as he asked. “Watch who? Who are you talking about Kurama? And where did you go for so long?” Yusuke asked, he was completely baffled at what his friends were talking about. “Why don’t you ask Hiei about that.” Kurama smiled knowingly. “ Yeah, yeah so you caught me. Where’s she going anyway?” Hiei asked. “I don’t know but I plan to find out!” “Find out what ? And who are you talking about?” Yusuke said. He was getting mad, he didn’t like being in the dark. “It seems as though she’s arrived at her destination, or at least appears to be since I can no longer see her.” Hiei said. “What?????” Kurama said. “Come on! Let’s go! Take me to where you saw her last.” Kurama said.

The three arrived at a place near the castle wall where a huge apple tree stood. “Where’d she go?” Hiei asked himself aloud. “She couldn’t have just disappeared….hmmmm……. maybe……” Kurama mumbled to himself. “ I don’t know what the heck you guys are talking about! “ Yusuke declared as he kicked a small tree stump. Suddenly the ground beneath him shook and the next thing he knew he fell butt-first into a hidden underground staircase. “She must have gone down!” Kurama said. The three slowly went down the steps which led them to an underground tunnel. “Look you guys I’m not going a step further unless you tell me what the hell is going on!?” Yusuke said exasperatedly. As they traveled the path Kurama patiently explained what happened to Yusuke. By the end of his story Yusuke nearly had tears on his eyes from laughing so hard. “S-s-so you knew all along that Hiei was watching you through his third eye and you didn’t mind! Hahahahahaha Hiei you were busted!!!” Yusuke said while laughing. “Shhhhh” do you guys hear that. We must be close.” Kurama stated. Suddenly the three were faced with a steel door. Without knowing of what awaited for them on the other side, they slowly opened the door.

The sight that awaited them made them stop on their tracks. There was Koenma, in his gorgeous human form, lying on the floor of what seemed to be a hidden dungeon. He had bruises and cuts all over him and his pacifier was nowhere to be seen. Akina was kneeled down beside him, she was tending to his wounds doing her best to clean and dress them. She also had a box of food beside her. “What are you guys doing hear??” Akina asked the intruders. But she wasn’t given a straight answer. Actually what she got was just more questions fired back at her. “Who did this to Koenma?” “Why?” “Is he dead?” “Guys! Guys! Stop! Shut up!!!!!” Akina yelled. “If you don’t want Tomo to catch us here and cause more harm you have to be quiet.” she said Yusuke was the first to show any reaction. He quickly kneeled beside Akina and checked the state Koenma was in. “He’s fine now.” She said. “If you want to be of any help just sit down on that corner first and compose yourselves. Then we can talk.” The three said nothing but did as they were asked. Akina cleaned and dressed all the wounds quickly then put the wounded man into an upright position by forcing a pillow behind his back. Then she did the unexpected. She suddenly swung back her hand and slapped Koenma hard on the cheek. Koenma then woke up. “Awwwwwww! Akina you didn’t have to do that! A simple tap would have woken me up!” Koenma cried. “No it wouldn’t and you know it! Your so drugged it’s a miracle you even woke up with just one slap.” Akina said pointedly. “Yeah, yeah!” Koenma said. Then he suddenly became aware that they weren’t alone and he stood up and put Akina behind him, deciding that no matter what, he was going to defend her. “Koenma it’s okay.” Akina said as she laid her hand on his shoulder. Hiei, Kurama, and Yusuke then stood up and came to the light of the lamp that lit the room. “Hiei! Kurama! Yusuke!” What are you doing here. “Don’t tell me he got you too!” Koenma said. “Don’t be silly ! Do you think Hiei would ever allow anyone to capture him!?!?!?” Yusuke said good-humoredly. “Koenma sit down and eat first while we discuss what’s going on.” Akina said. So then they all sat down and the three explained why they were really there. After they had said all there was to be said, Hiei suddenly turned to Akina. “How sure are we that we can trust you with all this information?” He asked suspiciously. “Because I’m gonna trust you with all the information I know too” Akina retorted. She then started to tell them what was going on in the castle at the moment. “Tomo, as you might have guessed, is the king. Taka and Tasha are his younger, twin sisters. They are all my cousins. As far as I know the reason they took Koenma was for some stored energy he had in his pacifier. They needed the energy because it would allow them to resurrect Shinza. Shinza is Tomo’s father. He was a horrible youkai who was powerful enough to roam in Ningenkai and Reikai. However, he became too ambitious and plotted against King Enma so that he would be able to rule over both Ningenkai and Reikai. Shinza disappeared just as his plans were about to be executed. A year later, Tomo, who went on a search for his father, found Shinza. However, nothing was left of Shinza, aside from a rotting corpse. But the truth is, I don’t know why they didn’t just take the pacifier and the reason as to why they keep on beating him almost everyday.” Akina explained. “All I know is that there was already something that connected Tomo, Tasha, Taka, and Koenma, before all this.” “So ‘fess up Koenma! What’s this all about?” Yusuke asked. “I don’t know what it was that I could have done?!” Koenma said. “Unless………. Hmmm…… I’m not sure about this but I think it was because Tasha and Taka both had this thing for you. Yes! That’s it, I remember them telling me once that they were fighting over you. They said that you led both of them on, but when they finally made you choose, you told them that you didn’t like either of them and that Toki was the one girl you really liked.” Akina explained. “What??!! You mean they did all this to Koenma just because of some stupid infatuation they had on him.” Hiei said angrily. “True, but that’s only half the reason. You see Toki was Tomo’s girlfriend at that time. But Toki preferred Koenma and broke up with Tomo right after she found out that Koenma was interested with her. So you see it wasn’t just about Tasha and Taka’s infatuation with him, it’s also about Tomo’s hurt pride and envy of Koenma, that ended up making the three of them hate him so much.” “But all this happened so long ago! I was only a flirty, handsome, teenager!” Koenma cried. “Yeah, but for them it meant more than just that!” Kurama explained. “Anyway we’ve got to get you out of here.” Yusuke said. “Yes, I agree that you must get him out but I don’t think you should get out just yet unless you want to get caught. Tomo’s very powerful, so are Tasha and Taka, and there’s also Soata.” “Huh? Who was that last one?” Yusuke asked. “Soata, you may not see him but he’s there, he’s Tomo’s faithful friend.” He stays in the shadows and watches everyone. “So that’s his name!!! I sensed a youkai at dinner but I couldn’t quit put a finger on who was radiating so much energy.” Hiei said. “Anyway what are we going to do? We can’t leave the pacifier behind, and we have to get Koenma out of here.” Kurama said. At that very moment they heard footsteps outside the door.

chapter 2 >>

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