Yu Yu Hakusho: The After Years

Episode 15: A New Mission

Sometime before they had finished packing to return home, Hiei had disappeared without saying goodbye. Yusuke had explained to her that it was "just the kind of guy he was." But still, Rieka could not help but wonder when, or if, they would ever cross paths again.

It was surprising how quickly she was able to fit back into the routine of school. It was almost as if nothing had ever happened in the mountains.

Rieka and Hiro were lucky enough to be in the same class, but they didn't sit near each other. In class, they didn't speak much, as Hiro was usually flocked by girls. Rieka couldn't get a word in edgewise through the sea of female hormones. It didn't bother her though, she usually spent the time in the morning by herself, reading a book or a manga magazine.

Once class began, Rieka's ears pricked at the mention of a new student. She looked up at the girl walking into the room, "Botan!" she called.

The teacher blinked at her, "You know each other?"

Rieka stood, "Er, yes sir, we um, went to the same elementary school."

Some of her classmates whispered, "I never saw her there, did you?" But the teacher ignored them, "Well, then, Botan, you may take the open seat by Urameshi."

"What do you know? You do make a passable middle schooler," Rieka whispered as Botan sat beside her.

They didn't have much of an opportunity to speak, so Rieka was anxious to talk to her by the time the lunch bell rang. Rieka grabbed her hand, along with Hiro's and rushed up to the roof with them before Hiro's fan club could close in on him.

Hiro barely managed to hold on to the stack of bento he was given, and set it down cautiously when they made it to the roof, "Sheesh, did you have to make me run?"

"Are all of those yours?" said Botan, eyeing the stack.

"Hiro is something of a prince at our school," Rieka explained. "Girls go nuts for the whole sensitivity thing, and I guess his face isn't completely revolting."

"I'll let you have first pick of what they gave me," said Hiro.

Rieka grinned and started opening the containers and peeking inside, "But this is why you're my best friend."

"Isn't it a little rude to eat something that wasn't made for you?" Botan objected.

Hiro shrugged, "I can never eat them all and it feels rude to reject them. You want this one, Botan? It's pork cutlet."

"Besides, all the other girls in class don't like me already because I'm too close to Hiro" said Rieka as Botan reluctantly accepted the bento.

Hiro scoffed, "More like everyone is scared of you," he looked to Botan, "When I first started here, I got picked on because, y'know, I look a little different. Rieka went up to the bullies and was all 'he's my best friend so if you're messing with him, you're messing with me!'" He imitated a smaller Rieka's voice, making Botan laugh, "Some of the boys didn't like her tone, and confronted us after school, so Rieka just clobbered them."

"No," said Botan in disbelief, "Didn't you get in trouble?"

Rieka shrugged, "They were all too embarrassed to admit they got beat up by a girl, so they didn't report me. But no one's picked on Hiro ever since."