Hiei was bored. He was walking (yes, walking) through the streets of Tokyo, trying to find something to do. He had spent a small part of his morning scaring Kuwabara (not that that's much of a feat) by masking his ki signiture until he was directly behind the Fool, then briefly flashing his youki and disappearing before Kuwabara had the chance to whirl and catch him. After about ten times of Hiei doing this, then watching his reaction from a short distance away, the ningen had gotten so freaked that he'd retreated to his school. And he claims that he hates school. Che!

After that, he'd visited Kurama briefly at his new apartment. The kitsune had given him some ningen money before leaving for work. 'Don't use Makai money in the Ningenkai anymore, Hiei,' he'd said. 'You may think that ningens are stupid, but after a while, they'll get suspicious, especially since the Ningenkai doesn't even have that kind of metal. And you know how Koenma gets about that kind of thing.' Che! Like I care what the Infant thinks! Hiei growled at the flimsy paper money, then sighed. Might as well spend it, he thought, shrugging.

He stopped to buy an ice cream cone from a vendor. The vendor stared at him. "Hey, kid, shouldn't you be in school? Where're your parents?"

Hiei growled at the man. "I am not a child. Just give me the damn ice cream and shut the hell up!"

"Okay, okay! Seesh!" The vendor handed him the chocolate cone. "That'll be 110 yen." Hiei paid the ningen and left.

"Oi, Hiei!" he heard an obnoxiously familiar voice call. The green-clad ningen ran up to him. "What's up?"

"Hn. What do you want?" Hiei growled.

Yuusuke grinned and stretched. "Nuthin'. Just bored."

"Go bug someone else." Hiei commented acidly, then grinned nastily. "Like Kuwabara. I guarantee he's at school." He started on his ice cream.

Yuusuke grinned even wider and shrugged. "Naw. You're more fun. He just sits there claiming that he's a man..." The ningen laughed. "Speaking of Kuwabara, he was kinda freaked this morning. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?" Hiei shrugged and continued to eat his ice cream. "He said that he was being followed by someone with very strong youki. I know it was you. Why'd ya do that? Not that I care."

"No reason. Just bored," Hiei commented, deliberately using Yuusuke's words. The fire demon began to eat the sugar cone.

Yuusuke grinned at Hiei's answer. "Ne, Hiei, could you keep doing that? Me'n Kuwabara have a little bet going. Whoever manages to get away with ditching the most school wins." The boy's grin widened even further. "The prize is a bunch of pornos!"

Hiei finished the cone. "What's in it for me?" He wiped the remaining ice cream from his face in a motion so fast that Yuusuke didn't notice the movement.

The green-clad ningen smirked. "You want some pornos, ne?"

Hiei glared at him disgustedly. "Why would I want a bunch of pictures of moronic, naked ningen?"

Yuusuke laughed loudly, making passers-by stare. "Ah ha ha! (yes, that's how he sounds) I knew you'd say something like that! Lemme think."

"Che! There's a first." Hiei carefully kept his face expressionless as Yuusuke stopped walking.

The green-clad ningen glared at the sanjiyan for a moment, then shrugged and chuckled. "I guess I deserved that one. Ne, Shorty?"

Hiei glanced at him casually, making sure that Yuusuke noticed him fingering the hilt of his katana. "I guarantee that if I kill you, you'll stay dead," he mentioned nonchalantly.

Yuusuke grinned lopsidedly. "I get the point." Hiei shrugged and took his hand away from the weapon. "I know! If you help me win the bet, I'll buy you an ice cream cone every day for a month.

The fire demon's red eyes took on an evil gleam as he considered. "Two months," Hiei countered.

"Done!" Yuusuke grabbed the Jaganshi's hand and shook it, then laughed. "Ah, ha ha! I'm going to win this bet for sure!"

A few ningen turned to look at them, and Hiei's sensitive ears heard one of them mutter something about Yuusuke taking advantage of a kid. The fire demon smirked and kept quiet about it. "Baka," he insulted the green-clad ningen.

"Oi-!" Hiei disappeared before Yuusuke could say anything more. The fire demon stopped in a park about a mile away and jumped into the oversized oak tree that he usually slept in. He chose his usual perch and leaned against the trunk, letting one leg dangle over the side of the branch.

The sanjiyan reached into a hidden pocket of his cloak and counted the remainder of the ningen money. He had over 600 yen left. Che! Stupid fox gave me too much ningen money! Hiei shrugged, then took his stash of Makai money from another hidden pocket. He counted that and found that he had more than enough to buy himself a new katana. His old one had been ruined on the last Reikai Tantei mission that the Infant had sent them on. Fortunately for Koenma, Hiei had been considering replacing it anyway because it was more than ten years old. The fire demon needed to go to the Makai to get material for a new cloak anyway. His old one was well-worn and becoming ratty.

The fire demon heard a rustling noise in some nearby bushes, but ignored it. A female long-haired cat had had a litter of five kittens there a few weeks before. The tiny creatures had recently gained use of their legs, and obviously liked to play, from how noisy they were. Hiei did turn when he heard a snicker from the same direction. The Jaganshi opened his third eye and Felt through the bushes.

The adult female lay still, her skull crushed, obviously dead. Three of her young lay nearby, most of the bones in their fragile bodies broken, also dead. A fourth one, pure white, was nosing at its mother, mewing pitifully. It was uninjured. The final kitten, a black one, was in a ningen teenager's hands, some of its bones already broken. Another ningen was watching, obviously amused by the small creature's struggling and mews of pain.

Hiei had jumped from the tree and grabbed the kitten from the boy's hand, along with the other one from the ground before he knew what he was doing. The two teenagers stared at him for a moment, startled. "Only cowards attack something helpless."

The larger ningen's face screwed up in anger, and he started to advance. "Look, shrimp-"

Hiei growled dangerously and moved his cloak aside to make the hilt of his katana visible. "I suggest you leave before I kill you." The two humans gulped, backing away. Then they turned and ran. "Hn. Cowards." The fire demon hadn't planned on hurting them; incurring the Infant's wrath was definitely not his idea of a good time.

Hiei winced slightly and looked down as the white kitten clawed his hand. It squirmed, mewing in distress. Sighing, Hiei carefully put it into a large pocket of his cloak. He glanced at the other kitten. It was entirely black except for a tiny tuft of white fur in the center of its forehead. The kitten wasn't moving, except for the weak rise and fall of its tiny chest. Hiei frowned and looked at it through his Jagan. It was seriously injured. The frown deepened. Why should he care? It was only an animal.

Hiei blinked as the kitten mewed weakly. It needed help immediately. The fire demon made a quick decision.

Yukina! he thought, and was gone.

Yukina looked up from her garden as she felt Hiei's ki nearby. She quickly wiped her dirt-covered hands on a towel and stood up. Hiei-san hasn't visited in a while. I wonder...has he found my brother for me yet? Yukina filled with excitement, but also with worry. She still wished that Hiei were her brother, but she supposed he wasn't since he had never said anything. I already know him, and love him. It would be so wonderful if he were my brother.

Hiei appeared a few yards from her. "Hiei-san! I'm so glad you came to visit me!"

Hiei frowned. "Yukina-san, I need your help."

Yukina blinked. "With what?" Hiei held up the kitten. "Oh, dear! How horrible!" she whispered as she saw how injured it was. She healed it immediately. "What happened to it?"

"Some ningens were torturing it. They killed three others and the mother before I found them."

The Koorime girl blinked at Hiei. He saved the kitten? He really does care, even if he tries to hide it. "I'm glad you saved it," she said aloud. "May I hold it?" Hiei shrugged and handed the animal to her. It immediately began to yowl. As soon as she gave it back to the fire demon, the yowling stopped. Yukina giggled. "I think it thinks you're its mother, Hiei-san."

Hiei scowled at the kitten. "Stupid cat!" Something wriggled inside his cloak. The fire demon flinched.

Yukina cocked her head curiously. "What's wrong, Hiei-san?"

Hiei pulled out the pure white kitten and held it at arm's length. "Ungrateful wretch!" he muttered at the squirming creature. "This is the other kitten."

"It's kawaii!" Yukina squealed.

"Hn." Hiei couldn't imagine how this wretched furball could be cute, but he didn't voice his opinion aloud. "You want it?" he asked gruffly, not looking at his sister.

Yukina stared at him, surprised. "I'd love it, Hiei-san!"

He handed to her, then held the black kitten up and looked at it. The creature licked the tip of his nose, and he pulled back. Scowling, he opened his Jagan. :Why did you do that?: he demanded of the kitten.

The kitten sent him a questioning thought. Hiei frowned, then sent a picture of the kitten licking his nose with a questioning air to it.

The kitten sent a strange thought of Hiei licking it back. :I like you!: it thought. :Don't you like me?:

Hiei blinked. :I don't lick!: he snarled at it. The kitten sent a sad thought at him, and he hastily added. :But I like you.:

:You be strange creature. What be you?:

:A fire demon.:

:Name, name?:

:Hiei. You?:

:No name. Mother die before me be named. Dead brother Gingivere. I like that name.:

:Gingivere then. What is other kitten's name?: he asked.

:Snow.: came the answer.

Hiei broke off contact and turned to Yukina. "Gingivere says that your kitten is named Snow."

Yukina blinked. "Arigato, Hiei-san! How did you know?"

"My Jagan." The fire demon suppressed a wince as Gingivere clawed his way up to his shoulder, then looked at it with his Jagan. :You could've asked, you know!:

:Sorry. You were busy...:

Hiei turned back to Yukina, who was petting her kitten contently. His sister looked at him, her eyes shining happily. "Thank you so much, Hiei-san! You're always so nice to me!" Without warning she rushed over and hugged him gleefully. Hiei stared at her as she released him. "I...I wish you were my brother..." she whispered. Then she ducked her head, blushing slightly. "Gomen..."

Hiei shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "S'okay. Enjoy your kitten." He was gone.

He stopped in a tree a few miles from the temple. Gingivere nipped his ear gently, and Hiei looked at it with his Jagan. :What?:

:Whew! I almost fall!: The kitten cocked his head at Hiei. :She your sister. Why you not tell her?:

Hiei flinched, trying to avoid the question. Gingivere 'smiled' at him. :She be kin. She not hate you. She say she want you for brother.:

Hiei looked at the cat. :I...don't want her to know. I don't want to corrupt her.:

:You not corrupt her! You make her happy! You think about this, yes?

Hiei sighed. :Yes...I'll think about it.:

Gingivere licked the fire demon's cheek. :Good. Put me in pocket so I no fall.: Hiei closed his Jagan and put the kitten in his cloak pocket. He headed for Kurama's apartment.

Fortunately, the fox was home. The fire demon entered through the window. "Hello, Hiei," Kurama said, not bothering to turn around from the stove, where he was cooking something. "Want to stay for dinner?"

"Hn," Hiei growled.

Kurama looked at him and chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes. Sit down and I'll serve you." As Kurama sat down, Hiei took the kitten from his cloak and set it on the table beside him. Kurama blinked. "That kitten is very young. Where did you get it, Hiei."

"Found it," Hiei muttered. "Stupid ningens killed some cats. This was one of the survivors." Kurama set a bowl of milk in front of the kitten, who attacked it ravenously. Hiei looked at the fox seriously. "I need you to do me a favor." Kurama sat down and waited for him to continue. "I have to go to the Makai for a few days. I need you to watch Gingivere, because I can't take him with me."

"Gingivere?" Kurama grinned. Hiei glared at him and the fox smirked. "It's not a problem, but he'll have to stay hidden in the day, when I'm at work. I'm not allowed to have pets."

Hiei turned to the cat. :I have to go somewhere for a few days. You will stay here with Kurama. You must stay hidden while he is out, or he will get in trouble.:

:Righto!:

Kurama was grinning when Hiei looked back over at him. "What's your problem?" the fire demon growled.

Kurama shook his head. "Nothing." He glanced at Hiei. "You're getting a new katana, ne?" Hiei shrugged noncommitally. Kurama sighed. "I wish I had the time to go with you." Hiei shot him a questioning glance. "I need to get a few things."

Hiei's curiosity got the better of him. "Like what?" he asked gruffly.

"In the last fight, my Makai clothes were ripped up pretty badly. I need to get some Makai fabric to sew new ones."

Hiei shrugged. "So take off your silly ningen job.

Kurama sighed. "I can't Hiei, or I would."

"Che! Your problem," Hiei growled, turning to leave.

Kurama smiled. "Have fun. And be careful."

Hiei scowled and was gone. Kurama pet Gingivere absently, then glanced at the cat. "You'd think he'd say goodbye."

The kitten seemed to shrug. :It's his way. No ties. No goodbyes.:

Kurama stared at the cat. It's telepathic! The fox moaned. "Oh, boy! Koenma's gonna have a fit!"

:Who the hell's Koenma, and why would he care?: the cat began to clean its paw.

Kurama sat down heavily, hoping that Hiei didn't take too long in the Makai.

:Hey! Fox! I asked you a question!:

Hiei wandered through the Makai, heading in the general direction of the swordmaker he knew. I hope this doesn't take too long...

After a while he reached the swordmaker's cave. Knowing better than to rush in, the fire demon shouted. "Tayane! Get your ass out here!"

A voice called from inside. "Why the hell should I?"

"It's me, stupid. Hiei. I need a new blade."

A very short, round youkai waddled out, peering at the fire demon through dirty specs. The demon had bright green hair and twinkling electric-blue eyes. "Hiei, I thought you went to take over the Ningenkai. Heard the Reikai caughtcha!"

Hiei snorted. "Shaddup old man and make me a new blade!"

The demon in front of him chuckled. "Righto, kid. You got the gold?"

Hiei tossed him a pouch full of the gold that he had carefully counted out beforehand. "Here, ratface. And don't call me kid!"

Tayane sniggered, easily catching the pouch. "Well, if the shoe fits..." He dodged as Hiei threw a fruit at him. "C'mon in, Hiei."

The fire demon followed Tayane as he went into the cave, careful to step only where Tayane stepped, having had an unpleasant experience in the past. "Caught any bumbling intruders lately?" he asked with a smirk.

Tayane snorted. "None as funny as you."

Hiei smirked. "You looked pretty funny yourself after I got through with you."

Tayane glared at him. "We decared a truce, as I recall."

"Only 'cuz I had cash for a blade!" Hiei retorted wryly.

The youkai shrugged. "What kind of blade d'ya want?"

"A katana, same as the old one."

Tatane turned toward him. "And what happened to that old one. Pretty nice one as I recall."

"It got messed up in battle..."

"Still a mercenary, eh?" Tayane stoked a fire, then looked over slabs of metal.

"No," Hiei muttered.

"What do you do. You must've done something to get out of the Reikai prison." The demon chose a slab and, using tongs, slid it into the fire.

Hiei scowled. "I was never in there..." Tayane glanced at him, curious. "I have to serve my parole as a Reikai Tantei. I'm still not done..."

"May the gods help whatever youkai break through the barrier if you're the one who deals with them!" Tayane chuckled. "Fun job?"

Hiei's face twisted. "Hell no! One moronic humans and two others! They're annoying!"

"And you love it," Tayane commented knowingly. Hiei snorted and looked away. "Knew it! Halfbreed finally found a home!"

Hiei glared at him. "Old man, if you want to live, I suggest you don't call me that!"

Tayane ignored him, pulling the blade from the fire and hammering at it. "You still found a home, and friends. Congrats, kid!"

Hiei frowned. "Whatever..." He sat on a stool and leaned against the wall. "How long's this gonna take?"

"You can't rush art, kid!"

Hiei woke from a light doze as Tayane moved toward him.

The youkai grinned. "Nice sleep? You musta been real tired. You didn't even wake up when I moved you!"

Hiei sat up, finding himself on a rock, covered by a blanket. "Kisama! You drugged me!" he accused.

Tayane chuckled. "Not my fault you always sit in the same spot! Besides, you looked tired. You never do get enough sleep! Fuckin' trainoholic!" The youkai handed him a scabbard. "You slept for a whole two days. Used a bit too much gas, I think. Here's your sword."

"Asshole!" Hiei studied the sword. It's handle was black with a blue Jagan etched into the end. The sheath was very strong and well-made. Hiei unsheathed the blade. The base of the katana had a splendid dragon carefully etched into the metal. Hiei grabbed his moneypouch from his cloak and flipped Tayane an extra two coins. "Nice work. I woulda paid you more, but you drugged me." The Jaganshi clipped the scabbard to his belt.

Tayane shrugged. "You would've drove me up a wall! 'Is it done yet?' Besides, this way I got to have fun with my work." The demon glared at Hiei. "Unlike last time!"

Hiei smirked. "Right, old man." Hiei rose and looked at Tayane, waiting for him to lead the way out.

The demon did. "Hiei?" The fire demon turned. "That blade better last you at least 15 years, got it!" Hiei smirked and was gone.

A few miles out, the sanjiyan stopped and checked his money pouch. Che...Plenty left... He disappeared, heading for one of the few remaining marketplaces in the Makai.

The fire demon wandered the marketplace, his sword visible to all passers-by, a warning. Finally he found the shop he was looking for. The vendor looked him over conscendingly. "Whaddaya want, halfpint?"

Hiei fixed the demon with a cold stare. "To look at your wares, moron. Why else would I be here?" The fire demon examined the cloth the vendor was selling, stopping as he set eyes on a well-made cloth that was so black that it seemed to sparkle.

The vendor followed Hiei's gaze and spoke. "G'fabric, tha'. Wat'rproof 'n' warm."

"How much?" Hiei asked, looking nonchalant.

The vendor named an outrageous price, 25 gold coins per meter, and Hiei snorted. "I could get that for much less elsewhere." The vendor hastily changed his price, lowering it to about 10 gold coins a meter. Hiei removed thirty gold coins from his cloak in a lightning-fast move, handing it to the vendor. Moving his cloak away from his arm enough to show his wards, he stared at the vendor. "Don't attempt to cheat me."

The vendor shakily measured out the cloth. "Jus' f'r ya, 'n ex'ra met'r, free!" he hissed, handing Hiei the bundle. The fire demon looked at the rest of the demon's wares. As he saw a beautiful silvery white fabric, he remembered what Kurama had said. I've got enough. Besides...I owe him. The vendor followed his gaze. "Same price a' th' oth'r."

Hiei bought five meters of that as well, then left, smirking as he saw the vendor's relieved look. Che! Morons... Sighing, the fire demon headed for the Ningenkai.

He paused as he felt a strange ki following him. Shifting his bundles under his cloak, the fire demon pulled his new katana from its scabbard, waiting for his shadower to show itself.

A large demon soon landed on a nearby tree. Hiei glared at it. "What do you want?"

The demon grinned toothily at him. "Gimme yer gold if yer wantin' t' live!"

Hiei scowled in annoyance. "Go to hell. You ain't gettin' shit!"

"I guess I'll jes ha' t' take it..." the demon muttered. "Stupid people. Makin' it hard fer demselves!" It leaped at Hiei.

Hiei moved lightning-fast, swinging the katana easily. His attacker let out a surprised grunt as a deep slash appeared across his chest. "Still want to fight, asshole?" Hiei asked, his voice cold. "If you do, I suggest you make peace with the gods before trying that again."

The demon glared at Hiei. "Yer gonna regret this, runt! Yer ha'n't seen the last o' Yeki!" Hiei snorted, and the demon frowned. "Wot're yer findin' funny?!"

Hiei smirked. "The fact that you value your life so little. If you even try something stupid, your head will roll. I, Hiei, promise this." The demon stared at him dumbly, and the fire demon shook his head in wonderment. Stupid youkai! He sheathed his sword and disappeared.

Hiei smirked as he reached Kurama's apartment. The fox had left the window unlocked. He swung in, barely reaching the floor when a streak of black collided with him, knocking him back several feet. "Gingivere!"

The cat looked up at him from his position - clinging to the fire demon's chest - and licked Hiei's face. :I missed you!:

Hiei stared at the cat for a while. "You..."

Gingivere seemed to shrug. :Yeah...Kurama called it telepathy. He said some person named Koenma was going to have a fit. I don't know why...:

Hiei frowned. "He is going to have a fit...If he finds out..." The fire demon sighed and took out the bundle of white fabric. He set it on the table and grabbed Gingivere. "C'mon." The cat crawled into Hiei's cloak and settled into the large pocket. Hiei streaked out the window, headed for his tree to sleep.

~owari~