THE RING OF TRUTH
By flori-dono

DISCLAIMER: This is a YuYu Hakusho-inspired fan fiction. The author is not 
making any money out of this. The characters of Yu Yu Hakusho belong to 
Yoshohiro Togashi, Shounen Jump, and others that I failed to mention.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to Charles Tan for the wee bit of info. At long last, 
I've finally convinced myself to do this. Hope you'll enjoy!

Botan smiled as she sat on top of Genkai's roof. It was evening and the night 
was filled wih stars, twinkling. Muffled laughter could be heard from inside 
where the rest were chatting and drinking sake.

It was their yearly reunion. The whole day was spent with lots of activities and 
tonight, everybody decided to relax. A lot has changed since Yuusuke came back 
from the Netherworld two years ago. He was not a spiritual detective anymore 
though Koenma-sama would still ask for his help from time to time. He and Keiko 
were now married, and Keiko was already expecting. Kuwabara and Yuukina were 
planning to get married as soon as Kuwabara graduates from university. Hiei was 
there by his lonesome but everybody could notice that he had mellowed a little. 
Shizuru was with her husband Akira and their baby girl, Yuukio. Koenma, in his 
grown-up form was also there having completed his paperwork in advance. Genkai 
who was still as spry as before was like any grandmother gloating over her 
"grandchildren". And she, Botan, had long been promoted to "department head" 
from being a deity of death a.k.a. a spirit guide. 

The only person who was not able to come was Kurama. 

And that was the reason why Botan went outside. She was really disappointed that 
Kurama wasn't there. Yuusuke said that he called him the day before and Kurama 
told him that he was needed in one of his company's branches in Yokohama. To 
tell the truth, she was pretty envious of Keiko, Shizuru, and Yuukina because 
they were in love and happy. While she, was in love and unhappy. Well, there was 
Hiei and Koenma-sama who were going stag, but their cases were different from 
hers. 

She sighed. It was difficult for her to show her feelings for the handsome 
redhead since she knew there was very little chance that it would be given back. 
And besides, she even was confused with her own emotions. She had always 
regarded him as a good friend and nothing more. Until last year.

Koenma-sama had decided to give her, her last job as spirit guide, and he 
thought an easy one would suffice. That was what he had thought. It might had 
been a relatively easy mission for Botan but that simple mission complicated a 
lot of things in her life.


***

"I see," Kurama said quietly. 

Botan looked at him and his folded hands. They were both inside his office. 
Koenma decided to ask for Kurama's help in this mission since Yuusuke was gone 
somewhere with Keiko for their honeymoon. Koenma, having this blasted 
premonition of today being the day that the couple will conceive their first 
child, wanted nobody to disturb them. Botan just threw her hands in the air upon 
hearing that remark.

Well at least it would be a nice change. She had never worked alone with anybody 
from the Rei Kai Tantei except for Yuusuke. This could be interesting! 

"What about Kuwabara... or Hiei for that matter?" Kurama asked, breaking into 
her thoughts.

"We-ell, Kuwabara's in the middle of exam week and he'll be graduating soon 
so..." she started to explain.

"And Hiei?"

"Uhmm, he's out there somewhere. Look, we only have little time to do this 
mission. And knowing him, it would take a while before we can find him. Kurama, 
you're our last resort. We know you're too busy but could you at least help us 
out on this one?" she implored.

Kurama laughed. 

"Okay, you don't have to plead you know," he said.

"Thought I was going to..." Botan murmured which only made the youku chuckle 
some more.

She cleared her throat. 

"Okay, so what's this mission?" he asked, still smiling.

Botan stared at the smile. She was beginning to get distracted, so she mentally 
shook her head and proceeded to tell him.

"It's about the Ring of Truth. Somebody stole it from Koenma-sama's castle. We 
caught the thief but the ring was not with him anymore. He confessed of having 
hidden it but he wouldn't tell where. Try as Koenma-sama's men could, they 
couldn't find it. Koenma wants you to help in the search."

"Being an ex-youko thief and all that, huh?" he  said.

Botan smiled sheepishly. "Well, sorta no offense though!"

"None taken," he said. "So, when do we leave?"

Her purple eyes lighted up. "You accept? Really?"

"As if I could do anything about it, right?" Kurama said with a smile.

Botan couldn't afford to get lost in that smile again so she said, "How about 
tomorrow?"
					***

Botan shivered. It was cold and dark in the cave but at least it was dry. She 
glanced at Kurama who was also soaked to the skin as she was. He was busy 
building a fire, though she could see that he was also trembling with cold. 

"There," Kurama said after the sticks he had been rubbing together finally 
sparked. He tended to the fire a little more until he was sure it would last 
long enough.

"Oh good," Botan said as she crept beside him. She rubbed her hands and arms 
delightfully, the fire slightly warming her body but still not quite. Her teeth 
were still chattering. 

She took out the ring from her pocket and stared at it. 

After hours of scourging the whole desert, they found the ring by accident. 
Kurama was 

"You gave us a hard time, Ring of Truth," she thought.
It was a simple plain gold band with a red stone in the middle. She gasped as 
the stone caught light  from the fire. It went a glistening blood red. Something 
about the ring called to her. In an impulse, she put the object on her ring 
finger. She grimaced, it was  a little loose. She pushed the ring further down 
the base of her finger.
Suddenly, she felt  electricity shot through her, piercing her body, mind and 
her heart. 

"What the..." 

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Kurama asked, startling Botan that the ring fell from her 
finger.

"Woops," he said, catching the ring and putting it in his pocket. "We don't 
wanna lose it again, Botan-chan!"

Botan stared at Kurama.

"You like him don't you?" a voice echoed in her mind. 

Like him?

For the first time, she saw him in a different light. For the first time, she 
noticed how really handsome he was. How mesmirizing his green eres were. Oh 
sure, she wasn't exactly indifferent to his charms. But she had never had her 
heart go thumping like crazy at the sight of him. She blushed as her eyes 
strayed to his body, where his shirt clung. 

She cleared her thorat and smiled sheepishly. "Gomen, it was just so pretty!"

He smiled at her. 

Botan looked at her hands. She went suddenly shy. What was the matter with her? 
And where did that voice ine her mind come from? 


*TSUZUKU*