Uhhh...I was rereading this story and I realized how much it really really sucked. I mean, the plot was good but the grammar and word usage left something to be desired. SO I'm redoing it. Okay. Bear with me on this long and tedious journey of self-improvement! And review! REVIEW YOU SCHMUCK!

I'm not sure what it was about her that caught my eye. Maybe it was her raven black hair with just a hint of auburn highlights. Or her alluring sapphire blue eyes. Or the way she laughed with her friends. Not Kuwabara's raucous braying however. If that had been the case I'd have walked away and never given her a second thought. No offense, Kuwabara. Her laugh was that of someone who had never felt severe emotional or physical pain before. It was sweet and innocent, its delight contagious. It brought back so many memories of a love long past, of a devotion from centuries ago. But I forced myself to feel nothing for her. I had vowed never to let anyone besides my Reikai friends to get close to me. Never will I forget the danger my mother and Maya have been in. Anyone that close to my heart and with no powers to speak of would be easy targets for the many that wish harm on me. I would rather die before I let anyone I cared for be at such risk.

Chapter One: To Avenge Kuronue

Centuries had passed since the demon thief Youko had met and fallen in love with the princess Mirakuru. Events had continued as Mirakuru prophesied: Youko had indeed met another who he could come to trust with his life and confide in. Sadly, that person had been taken from him as well, on a heist that'd gone horribly wrong. Then, one fateful night, Kurama had gotten too cocky, and an unknown mercenary shot him down. His last thoughts were that he must continue living, in the hopes that one day, Mirakuru would come back to him. And so, in his weakened and desperate state, he sank so low as to steal the body of an unborn human child. All this so he could meet Mirakuru again. When he thought he'd found her in Maya, a horrible truth was revealed. Anyone closely associated with him was in imminent danger, and could be abducted to torture him. So, he decided to isolate his heart and never allow himself to love anyone with the same passion he had felt for Mirakuru. Her memories would be the only love he'd feel, or need. That was what he'd thought ever since the battle with the eight armed demon, until today.

Now, on present day Earth, or Ningenkai, eighteen years after Kurama had begun his new life under the alias of Shuichi Minamino, Kurama had just boarded a train. It was rickety and dirty, its compartments full of dust. The faded black leather seats were cracked with age, and the only light came from a meager lightbulb that dangled from the ceiling and swung wildly with the train's jolting movements. Why Kurama wondered, was Koenma so cheap that he couldn't even afford to send his Tantei a decent train?

In the eighteen years he'd been on Earth, Kurama's true identity had been discovered three years ago when he stole from Koenma's palace an artifact to save his mother. As a type of penance, he joined the supernatural detective agency known as the Reikai Tantei, who solved cases for King Enma and his son, Koenma, who ruled Reikai, or Spirit World.

"Hello? Earth to Kurama, come in Kurama!" Botan chirped perkily, waving her hand in front of his face. Her aqua ponytail bounced jauntily behind her and her pink eyes glimmered happily. There never seemed to be a dull day for Botan. She was always happy and talkative. It was as if she wanted to make everyone as vivacious as she was. Ironically, she was known to many as the Grim Reaper.

"Wha?" Kurama said abruptly, jolted out of his reverie. He hurriedly shoved his waist-length crimson hair from his eyes. It jutted up at odd angles, adding to his boyish charm. His long rust-colored sideburns trailed down, just barely touching his shoulders. It took him a few moments to figure out he was on a train bound for Reikai, not in the park watching the girl who'd mystified him, something no one had been able to do after Mirakuru. Usually, he was the most calm and clear-headed of the group. What was wrong with him today?

"Penny for you thoughts, Kurama. Thinking of a girl?" Yusuke grinned, already scheming up a way to play matchmaker. The mischievous ex-delinquent's coffee brown eyes gleamed, almost as much as his heavily gelled jet black hair, which he wore slicked back. Yusuke was the unofficial leader of the little supernatural detective gang. As luck would have it, Yusuke was the most hot-headed and impulsive of them all.

"What on earth, heaven or hell made you think that!" Kurama replied defensively, trying to deny what was obviously the truth. Why else would he be up in the clouds? It was no use trying to oppose it any longer.

"Hah! Liar. Spill it! Are you finally gonna answer one of those love letters?" Kuwabara demanded, his face looming above Kurama's and looking a little bit scary. Kuwabara was arguably the worst member of the team, but he had a heart of gold to make up for his less than handsome face. His hair was a lighter hue than Kurama's, more orange than actual red, and it curled inwards narrowly, like a carrot. "I mean, come on now, how ironic is it that the hearthrob of Meiou High is alone every Valentine's Day?"

"How do you know I'm alone every Valentine's Day? Do you stalk me! And I was not thinking of a girl!" Kurama shot back. "I was-"

"Well, I think it's good that Kurama's found a girl he really likes! Everyone deserves a soulmate!" Botan interrupted, the prospect of a romance blossoming before her eyes making her even more chipper than usual.

"Oh really. Then why don't you date? Huh, Botan?" Yusuke said cattishly.

"That's beside the point! Anyway, I can't date! I'm a Reikai ferry girl! It goes against taboo!" Botan snapped. With that, the three of them started arguing, Kurama and his. . . soulmate, forgotten.

Kurama was about to breathe a sigh of relief at everyone's short attention spans when he was cut short by a bad-tempered, tough, merciless, intimidating, yet painfully short fire demon.

"SHUT UP!" Hiei roared from his seat next to Kurama. They'd all ignored Hiei up to now, for he hadn't spoken a single word since they boarded the train. Unfortunately, they were more than sure that even though Hiei was silent, he was making up little insulting remarks at their every word. The petite powerhouse only had respect for those more powerful than he, and even then, it was a resentful respect.

Now, instead of lounging with his feet propped up on the table, he was standing on the table, katana in hand. "Shut up, all of you. You're giving me a pounding headache. If things don't get a lot quieter in the next five minutes I may be forced to throw you out the window and leave you lost forever in oblivion."

He glanced at the three offenders, and a rare smile twitched on his face as he surveyed Kuwabara's shocked expression. He hardly ever showed any other emotion besides anger or hate, so it was possible Kuwabara was shocked at his smile, although he probably wasn't. Poor Kuwabara was frozen in motion, balanced on one foot, hands in the air in some sort of strange fighting stance. Yusuke had fallen out of his seat, landing on his head, and Botan was sitting straight up in her seat, stiff as a board. Kurama seemed to be the only person unaffected by Hiei's outburst. Then Hiei promptly sat back down and closed his eyes as if nothing had happened.

His hair matched his personality to a degree that it was almost scary. It stood straight up like fire, and seemed to flare even more when his temper ignited. But, in contrast to the jet black locks, white highlights symbolized the equally stunning change of heart whenever it came to people he truly cared about, such as his twin sister, Yukina.

Yusuke was the first to break the uneasy silence. "Why the hell are we on this stupid train anyway?"

"Yeah, I was supposed to be on a hot date with Yukina. . ."

Hearing Yukina's name, Hiei opened his eyes again. "You try anything on her and you will taste my blade. Safe to say, you'll know what a turkey feels like at Thanksgiving." He brandished his katana, then sheathed it again as if he decided Kuwabara wasn't worth his time. "Answer the baboon's question, Botan. Why are we on this desolate train?"

"Truth be told, I have no idea. My guess is Koenma had a new mission for you."

Their arrival at Koenma's palace was less than peaceful. The train screeched to an abrupt stop, jolting everyone forward and out of their seats. The single light bulb used to light the dingy compartments swung violently and threatened to fall from the ceiling and smack Hiei on the head. They were greeted warmly by George, the blue ogre-secretary thing. He led them to Koenma's office, where they were to be briefed for the mission.

"To put it simply, you're on a manhunt." Koenma said gravely. "Two high security convicts have recently escaped. Right now they're lower A-class, but with the demonic items they've stolen, who knows what they're capable of!"

"Wait, you mean that freaky sword, the talking mirror, and the shiny ball are missing again?" Kuwabara groaned.

"No, you hideous orangutan. He said demonic, not spiritual." Hiei snapped.

"Thank you, Hiei," Koenma interjected wryly. "As I was saying, the missing items are the Takai Spear, and the Mermaid's Tears. The spear emits a deadly reiki when thrown, and its known to kill people within a 10 mile radius from the spear's actual path of flight. Its target is instantly incinerated. The tears are a powerful serum, but what the serum does depends on the soul of the user. Like for Hiei it'd probably be a poison . . . Anyway, we know next to nothing about our fugitives. Only that they are out to avenge a certain Kuronue." As Koenma said those last words he looked straight at Kurama, who had gone white as a sheet.

"Kurama, I suggest you keep one eye in front of you, and one eye behind, watching your back. As hard as it may be, keep a distance from those you care about." Koenma cautioned him.

"We can take care of ourselves!" Kuwabara exclaimed indignantly.

"Not us! Koenma means Kurama's gotta stay away from his girlfriend!" Yusuke said, disgusted at his best friend's stupidity. As punishment, they all whacked Kuwabara upside the head.

"I don't have a girlfriend!" Kurama protested instantly. "And, the two prisoners couldn't have meant the same Kuronue." Kurama declared firmly. "He had no ties to anyone, except me."

Koenma simply pushed a button, and the gigantic screen above him flickered and began playing a video. The picture was grainy and dark, static occasionally interrupting the feedback. But it was clear enough to project this stunning and gruesome image:

The tape showed two dark, shadowy figures fleeing the ruins of the jailhouse. They stopped directly in front of the camera, as if they wanted to be caught on tape. The laughed, as though proud of the gruesome scene they had created. The bodies of the guards were strewn across the floor. Some lay in a pool of their own blood, others were missing limbs. All looked like they had died a long and painful death. The shorter of the two convicts spoke: "Kuronue, you taught us everything. Your murder will be avenged." The other one nodded in agreement and spoke in a deep voice that was amazingly regal for a convict, "Youko, you left Kuronue to his death. For that, we will show no mercy."