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Chapter 3
Botan's Stalker
by Reiko
mosqamuerta@yahoo.com


Miki Hiroshi had been recruited merely because of the anticipated heavy workload.

Seventeen years of age when she passed away, she was able to keep the youthfulness of her features. Dark chocolate brown eyes, light brown hair, a small straight feminine nose, shapely lips always set in a thin grim line... One might even deem her as pretty if she only would, once in a while, smile.

The anticipated heavy workload for the coming century was in actuality not accurate. Koenma's restless nerves had been running on over-drive when he decided to get another ferry girl to add to the lot and so... Miki existed, doubling the usual number of ferry girls Koenma was normally required to have. But since the anticipated heavy workload was just anticipated, Miki Hiroshi found herself doing almost... nothing productive.

She paused before Koenma's office door, her ears pressed against the wood as she strained her ears so she could listen to the hushed voices coming from the room. Every word sent a heavy feeling down to her stomach. When she heard the faint sounds of footsteps getting nearer to the door, she hastily retreated and pretended to be just passing by.

"Oh, ohayou gozaimasu, Miki-chan!" Botan greeted her as she stepped out of Koenma's office.

Miki forced a grin. "Ohayo!" Then her brown eyes wandered to the pile of neatly arranged papers in Botan's hand. "New errand?"

"Hai! Confidential ones for Enma-sama!" Botan replied cheerfully. Miki's eyes slightly narrowed.

"Right..." She murmured nodding her head. "Top secret, ne? Obviously Koenma-sama's going to give the errand to his No. 1 Ferry Girl."

Botan rolled her eyes. "Oh I wish!" She exclaimed with exasperation. "Ayame handles the 'morning' Koenma better than anybody else. I just don't get it! Sunday mornings are supposed to be bright and happy and cheery but with Koenma-sama..." Her voice trailed off as she shook her head. Then she chuckled.

"I'm being silly! Anyway, I have to get this over to Enma-sama so... ja!" She called out, and bounded towards Enma Daiou's office. Miki's slight smile slowly turned to a scowl as she looked after Botan's disappearing figure.

After-life sucked!

First they gave her a different name: Miki! So very different from the other ferry girls' names! And with a last name to boot! Her name should've been after some flower or something botanical just like the others! Having a different name made her feel inferior, knowing for a fact that her being a ferry girl wasn't really intended. Second, she was tired of playing second fiddle to-what was her name again? Ah, crap! To someone whom she didn't even know or like! Well, she seldom liked anybody anyway. Three, she was more capable than that girl! That blue-haired ferry girl was so cheery that it made Miki sick, was too happy for her own good, and was too bubble-headed that it often lead to disaster... Miki couldn't see how Koenma-sama could ever trust that girl or even favor her. For Miki, that blue-haired girl was an idiot.

"Baka ne..." She murmured as she made her way towards her quarters, which she shared. /Ch! Botan even has her own chamber!/ Miki thought acidly.

Someday Koenma-sama would see her worth. Someday he would eventually realize how stupid his favorite ferry girl really was. Someday everyone would notice her. Someday, someday, someday... She won't stop until she became Koenma-sama's No. 1 Ferry Girl. And she would do whatever it took to get there.

"You'll see..." Miki thought, smiling to herself. "You'll see..."

======

"Konnichiwa!" Botan hollered as she slowly came inside Keiko's ramen store.

"Irrashaimas-- Oh Botan-chan!" Keiko smiled and carefully came from behind the store counter to greet her friend. "Finally! You're late!" She exclaimed.

Botan smiled apologetically. "Gomen ne, Keiko-chan. You know how Koenma-sama is every morning."

Keiko shook her head as she took her apron off. She hung it carefully against the wall. "How can you ever put up with someone like that anyway?"

"I'm used to it, I guess." Botan replied shrugging. Then she smiled. "How about you? How can put up with someone like Yusuke, hmmm?"

Instantly, a frown grazed Keiko's perfectly shaped brows. She shook her head in a sign of dismissal. "Come on. Okasan's already biting my head off." She pulled Botan out of the ramen store with her.

Botan silently cursed herself for being tactless and decided to keep quiet. Well this was something. Keiko and Yusuke had been more than friends since god knows when. Although they had had their share of arguments and fights like normal couples did, it didn't actually last that long.

It started during Shizuru's engagement party. Keiko walked out on Yusuke, and Yusuke pretended not to care at first, but eventually he went after her. Then there was that time at Koenma-sama's engagement party where Keiko walked out on him again, that time with tears in her eyes and with Yusuke sulking so madly that no one, not even Kurama, dared asking him what happened.

"Would it be all right with Koenma-san if I returned you to Reikai later?" Keiko asked as she slid inside her car. Botan slid in next to her.

"I guess so... Why? Where are we going?" She asked buckling her seatbelt. Keiko inserted the key in the ignition and started the car.

"Okasan wants me to buy some noodles outside of Kyoto." She replied. "The quality's better, plus its cheaper." She added her eyes on the road.

Botan nodded her head as a comfortable silence settled over them. She looked out the passenger window while Keiko concentrated on the road She had become lost in her thoughts when Keiko spoke up.

"How's Koenma-san by the way?"

"Huh?" She started turning away from the window.

"I said 'how's Koenma-san by the way?'"

"Oh... he's just fine." Botan forced out a chuckle. Keiko frowned as she carefully handled the wheel.

"Something's been bothering you." She said bluntly. She stopped when the traffic light turned red. Turning to Botan, she frowned. Botan looked away until she felt Keiko's gentle hand on her shoulder. She slowly turned her to her.

"Something the matter?" Keiko asked softly. At that, Botan debated whether to tell her everything or not. Finally she spoke.

"I-- Do you ever feel like you're being um... you know, watched, followed?" She asked uncertainly. Keiko frowned at her unsurely.

"You mean like being stalked?" She asked. Botan nodded her head.

"Something like that." She replied. "I've been having that feeling since the news of Shizuru's engagement came out."

"So that was before her engagement party?" Keiko asked driving off when the light turned green.

"Yes." Botan answered. "I've been hearing voices... I'm gonna get you--" Then she stopped. Shaking her head, she spoke again, "You must think I'm going nuts."

"No, no." Keiko quickly answered. "I think you just need a break. You've been working too hard, compared to how you did before."

"Well, I've been hard-pressed, ever since Ayame-chan went away." Botan admitted thoughtfully. "You really think that's just it? I mean, I just need a break and all?"

"Botan-chan, who would want to stalk you may I ask?" Keiko asked as they neared the Kyoto's little park. "Can you think of someone who would want to hurt you or you know...?"

Botan frowned as a myriad of names, both friends and acquaintances, flashed inside her head. Finally, she shook her head.

"See!" Keiko exclaimed. "You just need a break that's all. And besides, who would want to hurt you? As far as I'm concerned nobody would even think of hurting such a nice person as you."

Botan smiled, glad to get all of that out of her systems. "You really think so?"

Keiko nodded her head as she parked the car in front of a ramen store. Unbuckling her seatbelt, she turned to Botan.

"Would you like to come with me or just wait in here?"

"I'll come with you." Botan replied unbuckling her seatbelt. She stepped out of the car and followed Keiko towards the store. Just then she stopped.

"Déjà vu?" She thought upon seeing a massive tree on the far corner of the street. It was so big and just by looking at its trunk and its branches, she could tell that it was very old. She slowly walked towards it, feeling this unexplainable urge to go near it.

"Must be a hundred years old or more." She murmured running her hands against its roughened trunk. She leaned against it, closing her eyes momentarily. She sighed as warm feelings of contentment and security washed over her.

"Botan-chan?" Her eyes immediately snapped open only to find Keiko looking strangely at her. "What are you doing?" She asked frowning. Botan grinned sheepishly.

"Um... I just feel like you know... um... doing this?" She leaned against the tree and smiled at the now confused Keiko. (sweatdrop)

"Sure... Whatever you say." Keiko slowly said.

"Isn't this neat?" Botan asked suddenly getting excited.

"What? Your leaning against the tree and closing your eyes?" Keiko asked frowning.

"No. The tree itself!" Botan exclaimed running her hands against its trunk once again. "Have you noticed that this tree is so old?"

Keiko then ran her eyes over its dark, almost black trunk. She nodded her head slowly noting its gigantic edifice.

"I think so." She replied. Botan smiled.

"Just think, this tree actually lived all through those years! This is probably the only living witness to all the things that took place around here!" She continued excitedly.

"Such as?"

"Well like, you know, maybe there has been a war or something or maybe this tree became a sort of secret meeting place for two lovers... who knows..." She shrugged. "Only this tree knows everything." She added.

With that, Keiko shook her head and pulled her blue-haired friend with her towards the store. "You and your romance novels." She said. "They are making you pitifully sappy."

"What about my novels?" Botan protested. "Come to think of it, it should be the other way around. You and your romance novels! I got them here remember. There are no such things in Rei Kai."

"Who got you hooked on them, anyway?" Keiko asked as they proceeded to enter the store.

"Um... I'm not sure if it was you or Shizuru." Botan replied helping Keiko carry her purchases.

"Shizuru's into mystery novels and Yukina isn't that fond of reading." Keiko said thoughtfully. "Maybe it was me."

"I guess so." Botan nodded her head as Keiko arranged the things in the trunk. Then she spoke. "You know, this might sound crazy but I feel like I've seen that tree before."

"What?" Keiko asked shutting the trunk close. "Like Déjà vu?"

"Somewhat... yes." Botan nodded her head slowly.

"Well considering you're a deity, it doesn't surprise me." Keiko answered rationally. "Maybe you stayed somewhere near here when you were still alive."

"Oh, thank you for reminding me that I'm actually dead." Botan chuckled with mild sarcasm. Keiko smiled as she prepared herself to get inside the car. Just then she stopped.

"Oh Botan before I forget." She said fishing something out of her jean pocket. "Look what I found the other day."

Botan walked towards her and saw a ring resting on the palm of her hand. She frowned upon noting the unusual metal used for the band. Not gold, nor silver. The stones adorning it also had its share of its strangeness but nevertheless the ring was exceptionally made. The intricate designs clearly showed the extraordinary craftsmanship of the maker. Instantly, the strong urge to have it washed over her, much to her surprise.

"W- where did you get it?" Botan asked.

"Flea market." Keiko replied. "Actually, I only got it for two dollars."

"May I have it?" The words came out of Botan's mouth before she could stop them. She quickly turned away and blushed with embarrassment.

"Why of course... if you want it." Keiko answered slowly. "It doesn't fit me anyway." She said handing the ring to Botan. Botan, in turn, hastily took the ring from her, almost snatching it from her hands. Upon feeling the cool metal against her skin, the annoying urge to have it mercifully disappeared.

"Arigato." She said smiling up at her.

"Go try it on." Keiko said. Botan's smile widened as she placed the ring on her left ring finger. A perfect fit! Keiko gushed.

"It's lovely on you!"

"Thank you!" Botan beamed studying the ring against her hand.

"I don't know but it looks like that ring really does belong there, on your finger." Keiko continued.

Botan didn't say anything as she busily studied the ring, its unusual shine fascinating her. Somehow Keiko was right. It really felt like that ring was just waiting for her. It really felt like that ring really belonged to her... only to her.

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