FicWad

Chapter 2
Business Proposition

Hiei stirred as the sun shone against his eyelids. After making his rounds to see where Osadyro, Angel, and Darkfire lived, he had fallen asleep in the large oak tree in Darkfire's front yard.

"What're you doin' in my tree?"

Hiei looked down to see Darkfire standing beneath him. She was wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt. It resembled a boy's school uniform. In fact, that is what it was.

"Well?" Darkfire persisted, shifting her backpack on her shoulder.

"I was sleeping," Hiei answered carelessly.

"How'd you get up there? Too high to jump. Too hard to climb. But, then again, with hair like yours, you might be a demon."

Hiei jumped from the tree and grabbed the girl's arm roughly. They were about the same height. "You're a mere human."

"Might be. So are you a demon?"

Hiei's glare sharpened.

"Ha! I told them they existed! But no one would believe me. And here you are, a real live demon. What else can you do?"

"So, you were just teasing?" Hiei was slightly dumbfounded.

"Well, yea. But I hoped it was true." She looked at her watch. "Hey, I gotta catch my bus or I won't make it to school. So if you could just...." She pulled at his fingers, but they wouldn't budge. "Look, buddy, get off me."

Hiei released her arm and watched as she ran up the street.

"What's Koenma want with a dreamer?" he asked himself, flitting after her silently. He watched her stumble to the bus stop just in time for the bus to arrive. She laughed with Osadyro and Angel as they boarded and drove away.

But he did not stop following them. He watched them all through school, growing curious of their importance. At first, this was just another dumb assignment involving humans. Now he wanted to know what made them so special. They could not use their reiki like Kuwabara or Urameshi. So what was their purpose?

After they got off the bus, Hiei stopped them before they parted for home.

"Where're the other three? And how come none y'all were in school?" Darkfire asked.

"It doesn't matter. You three are here now, together, just as we wanted," Hiei said, glaring at each of them in turn.

"Look, we gotta go home so our parents don't worry. We'll get back to ya where we met yesterday, kay? That'll give you time to get your friends here," Osadyro stated firmly, walking off. Before protest could take place, Angel and Darkfire walked away too.

Growling, Hiei followed Darkfire to her house.

"Why you always followin' me?" she asked, irritated.

"Hn."

She whirred around and grabbed hold of the front of his cloak. "Listen, man, when I ask a question, I expect an answer. I don't care if you don't want to answer, you better do it anyway. And I don't care if you are a demon, I'll kick your ass any day of the week." Releasing him, she repeated her previous question.

"Because you have a tree." He was curious as to how she expected to kick his ass, but he did not feel like toying with her right now.

Darkfire rolled her eyes and continued on towards home.

"Why do you wear a boy's uniform?"

This time Darkfire did not answer. Hiei grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.

"Like you, I demand an answer to my questions. Unlike you, if I don't get my answer, I will kill you."

And unlike Hiei, Darkfire wanted to test this threat. So she did not answer.

"You really want to gamble with your life?"

No response.

Growing angry, Hiei pulled out his hidden katana and thrust it to the human's neck. "Will you answer me now?"

Smirking, she poked the blade away and turned to make her leave. "I wear it because I can. No school system can force me into a skirt."

Somewhat satisfied, he returned his katana back into hiding and continued to follow.

At the house, Darkfire left a note that said she was at Osa's doing homework and would be back before night. Knowing if it was not acceptable, her mother would call her cell, she left the house just as she had come in.

"Let's get on with it then," she laughed, pushing her glasses up and shifting her bag.

"Are you always this trusting?" Hiei questioned, a suspicious glare in his eyes.

"No, not usually. Not hardly at all, if you must know. But I want to trust you. Something in my heart tells me to let my defenses down." And then she smiled. "'Sides, how often is it that a person gets to hang out with a demon...and know they're a demon?"

"Hn."

No words were spoken the remainder of the walk. When they reached the destination, they had to wait a minute before Angel and Osadyro showed around the bend.

Darkfire waved to them enthusiastically and Hiei leaned against the building. Angel had not changed out of his uniform either. And Osadyro had changed her skirt to some black capris, but she kept the boy's school shirt she wore.

"So, where're the other three?" Osadyro asked impatiently when she got there.

"You talkin' 'bout us?"

"Yuusuke!" Darkfire grinned, turning to see the teen walking up behind her.

"Yo," he said coolly, grinning as well.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Kuwabara laughed, coming up behind Yuusuke.

"How could we?" Hiei growled, not at all kidding.

"Now, Hiei, be nice. We don't want to give off a bad impression."

"Oh, Minamino," Osadyro gasped, her eyes widening for a split second. "Didn't see you behind the fools."

"Finally, somebody agrees with me," Hiei sighed, glaring through one eye at Kuwabara and Yuusuke.

Shooting a warning glance at Hiei, the red-head said kindly, "I wish us to be friends. Please, call me Suichi."

Osadyro and Darkfire nodded dumbly, mesmerized by his words.

"Ahem, but what did you want to speak with us about?" Angel said, trying to match his new adversary.

Suichi sensed this rivalry and laughed, "Please, I'm only trying to be polite. I wish for no contest."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just want to know why we're here," Angel defended.

Still chuckling, he continued, "We have a...business...proposition for you. If you would be so kind as to listen..."

"No harm in listenin', I s'pose. Whatcha got for us then?" Darkfire said, face blank.

"We would like it if you would come with us and aid us in the capturing of...criminals. You would still be able to attend school and come home to your families. I'm afraid there is no salary, but the benefits are...exceptional," Suichi finished, smiling gently.

"Alright, when do we start?" Darkfire said, smirking.

"Hey, D, you thinkin' clear up there?" Osadyro asked, laughing nervously. She put her arm around her friend's shoulder and steered her over to Angel, supposedly out of earshot. "You can't just hand your life over ta strangers like that," she whispered angrily.

"Yea, what if they're a bunch a-psychos?" Angel put in, crossing his eyes and circling a finger around his ear when he said 'psychos'.

"Somethin' in my heart tells me to trust them. Osa, you must believe me," Darkfire pleaded, staring at the ground. "Besides, Hiei...he's a...a demon."

"Yer shitin' me!" Osadyro whispered excitedly.

"Naw, I guessed it true. I just gotta go with 'em and learn more. Please come with me, Osa. And, Angel, you come, too. I want you to see the world we know. Please, come with me," Darkfire begged, glancing over her shoulder at Hiei.

"Awright, I come wit' ya. Waddya say, Angel?" Osadyro smiled.

"Well, I can't just leave ya with those guys alone..."

"Oh, you're just jealous! 'Fraid you gunna be upstaged by a sweet talkin' red-head?" Osa teased.

If they were looking, they would have seen Suichi's face flush a pretty shade of pink.

"Shuddup! I just don' wanna see ya hurt," Angel growled in a hushed tone.

"Then it's settled!" Darkfire exclaimed, turning back to the four boys. "Like I asked b'fore: When we startin'?"

"Does now work?" Yuusuke said, speaking for the first time in a while.

"Uh, not really. I said I was doin' homework at Osa's house," Darkfire confessed, rubbing the back of her neck.

"And I said I was at your house..." Osadyro admitted. "I suggest we get on back to our own homes and say we finished."

"I say that's a good idea."

"So you're splittin' up again?" Kuwabara blurted, frowning.

"You said we could go home any time we needed...or implied it, at least," Darkfire defended, looking at Suichi.

He smiled and nodded, and then looked to Hiei.

A mutual understanding came between them without words.

"If I must. Seeing as how humans tend not to trust strangers," Hiei grumbled, closing his eyes once again.

"Demons are the same way, if I recollect right," Yuusuke mentioned.

"Hn."

"My folks won't mind me bringin' a friend over for the night. Long as I swear he ain't goin' be up ta nothin'," Angel said, trying to impress Osadyro, who just rolled her eyes.

"Yuusuke?" Suichi said, glancing at the cocky teen.

"Whatever is fine with me," he answered, walking over to Angel. "We'll see you tomorrow then. A Saturday, if my brain's workin' right."

All nodded in agreement and the two boys left.

"Joy," Hiei said dully, pushing off the wall. "Yuusuke can watch you easily enough" - he glared at Osadyro - "and I'll camp out again in your tree." With that, he stalked off.

"You must forgive him," Suichi said, sighing. "He doesn't like to make house calls when there's no blood to be shed."

"Well, whatever. Tomorrow, then," Osadyro nodded as she turned towards home.

"Bye," Darkfire waved, running after Hiei.

"So...what kind of demon are you?" she questioned as she caught up to him.

"None of your business," Hiei answered bluntly.

And that was the end of it.