Just then when Stein mentioned Hiei reforming the dragon appears again far off crashing into a place in the forest devastating a small area. In the middle of the devastation was in unconscious Hiei. Turns out that he was in full control of the dragon the entire time and used it to get away from Stein. Now he was just resting and waiting for his demonic energy to regenerate per say.

(That can still happen he and Mia can still duke it out and he can still become the target for her obsession. I just didn't want the only master of the darkness flame becoming an assistant just yet.)