Hello and thank you for reading my first published story! I am an aspiring author and I want nothing more than to improve my skills. Please review if you have time, and don't be afraid to hurt my feelings. That being said, if I'm doing something right, please tell me that as well. I'm challenging myself to write 1000 words a day, so you'll find I update a lot. If you like what you see, follow the story to keep up with them all. :)

Chapter One

"Lord Koenma!" a blue ogre shouted as it scurried into the office of the Spirit World prince. A stack of papers fell to the ground in a heap, scattering across the floor as a powerful vibration passed through the palace. He lifted his hands to his temples in an attempt to keep his brain from rattling in his skull. "Lord Koenma, it seems there's some kind of disruption in Human World!"

"What was your first clue?!" the toddler shouted, almost losing his binky. Koenma's hand grabbed for a remote control, but the next wave of energy briefly paralyzed him before he can complete the action. He shivered, rubbing his hands across his arms to quell the goose bumps. "What the hell is going on down there?" The next wave dropped the remote control in his lap.

More ogres ran into the room, papers flying in every direction. They shouted their questions desperately at the prince, who quickly found himself overwhelmed.

"Sir," Botan said as she flew into the room, "what is happen—"

"Would you all just shut up!?" Koenma screamed, quieting the room and fiddling with his remote. He pressed the button and a hologram showed an erupting volcano.

"A volcano?" Botan asks. "How could something like that cause all these vibrations?"

"Good question." Koenma looked around the scene. "It's not unheard of for a demon to have a little fun in the Human World, but this is an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, hundreds of miles from any living human." Koenma fell back in his chair, watching as a bubble of magma suddenly exploded from the volcano, unleashing another wave of vibrations through the office at the expense of the cowering ogres. "Botan, I want you to send the new Spirit Detectives over there immediately."

Botan gasped, her eyes widening. "But sir, they aren't ready for something like this yet! They've only been in that role for a few months…"

"I have no choice," Koenma responded, not looking at the grim reaper. "Whatever demon is down there, it's extremely dangerous. I've never seen demon energy powerful enough to reach Spirit World from the Human World." Koenma looked up with desperation. "The last thing I need is a demon like that rampaging through human cities!"

Botan looked toward the ground. In a monotonous voice, she murmured, "yes, sir."

"I'm going to call Kurama and Hiei for help. They only need to survive long enough for those two to arrive."

Botan nodded, wiping away a stray tear. She looked into Koenma's eyes with vigor. "We'll do our best, sir!" She hopped on her oar and flew off.

Koenma shivered when another wave of energy shot through the office. He reached for the compact in his desk and called Hiei, but there was no answer. "Dammit!" he shouted. He called Kurama next. The line was full of static, and just when the prince was about to give up, a voice answered.

"Koenma?" the redhead asked quietly.

"Kurama, there is a very strong demon in the Human World, and I need you to help me take it out! I can't risk having that thing find its way to human civilization."

Kurama nodded. "I had a feeling you would be calling about that. There have been some significant earthquakes happening in Japan, and I can sense the demon's energy nearby—"

"What do you mean 'nearby'?" Koenma interrupted. "The demon is at least 2000 miles from Japan!"

Kurama froze. "Then how…?"

"What part of 'very strong demon' did you not understand?" Koenma watched as Kurama's eyes widened. "I've sent my new Spirit Detectives to the volcanic island, but there's no way they can beat that thing by themselves. I know you've been hanging out with humans for the past few years, but you're one of the strongest demons I know I can count on…" Koenma looked away briefly. "Kuwabara is too weak for this, and Yusuke is too busy keeping his territory in check."

"And Hiei?"

"Won't pick up when I call!" Koenma said, rubbing his temples in annoyance. Another wave of energy crashed through, briefly interrupting the connection. "These vibrations keep getting stronger, and I don't know how much longer we can afford for this to go on." Koenma watched the hologram above his desk. His detectives had just arrived at the island. "Please, you must hurry!"

Kurama nodded. "Send me a portal and I'll leave immediately."

Koenma hung up. A swirling blue portal opened.

"Why didn't you pick up when Koenma called?" Kurama asked, looking pointedly at Hiei across the empty classroom he snuck into.

"I didn't even know he was calling. Do you really think I carry around that stupid communication device everywhere I go?" His red eyes locked on Kurama.

"Come on, let's go."

"It's about time something happened around here. It's been years since I've faced a demon with any semblance of a chance against me." Hiei smirked, hopping through the portal behind Kurama.

As soon as the two reached the other side, a blast of heat knocked them to the sandy beach, rocks and pebbles falling around them. "What the…?" Kurama started, rubbing his sore head. He looked at the destruction around him.

The island was almost entirely covered in hot magma. What was once a vibrant, green forest was now a blazing inferno of skeletal trees and smoke. The center of the island housed the erupting volcano spewing black gas into the sky, creating a tower of angry lightning that crashed into the sea around them.

"Over there!" Hiei pointed after another shockwave hit. "These blasts are picking up intensity. Whatever is doing this isn't holding back."

"I agree." The two started leaping on jutting rocks along the beach, making their way around the island and avoiding the magma. "A demon only has so much energy before it runs out, however." Kurama readied his rose.

Hiei unsheathed his sword. "Hn. And from the feel of things, I'd say this one is just about empty." His smirk dropped. "It's hardly a fair fight at this rate."

"That's not important right now. Besides, we have no idea how much more energy it might have. Let's be cautious for now."

Hiei scoffed. "Whatever."

The two jumped high into the air, seeing a glowing figure on the beach below them. "That must be the demon. Let's not waste time."

Hiei nodded, diving with his sword overhead and preparing to strike. Kurama extended his rose whip, raising it overhead. Neither was prepared for the sudden blast of raw, hot energy. A white light flashed around the demon below, blinding Hiei and Kurama who didn't have time to shut their eyes. Both were pushed high into the air, eventually landing in the waves of the ocean.

Sputtering, Hiei quickly swam over to the sinking, unconscious Kurama. He placed an arm around Kurama's chest, holding him close and swimming back to shore. The closer he got to the shore, the more blood he swam through.

Hiei dragged Kurama to the sand. "Wake up, fox!" Kurama didn't respond. "Dammit!" A large gash across Kurama's head begab to bleed into his hair. Hiei bent toward the redhead's face and sighed in relief upon hearing his steady breathing. A ringing noise sounded from Kurama's left pants pocket, and Hiei reached for the compact communicator. "What is it?"

The blast destroyed the screen of the device, but Hiei knew from the voice that it was Koenma on the other side. "Hiei?"

"Don't worry, Kurama's fine. I followed him through the portal."

"Right. It seems after that explosion we can't detect any demon energy except for yours and Kurama's. Has the demon been killed?"

"Don't know." Hiei stood to look around. He noticed multiple human body parts strewn throughout the beach. "But your new spirit brats certainly have been."

A pause. "Shit."

Hiei walked toward the bodies and looked around. "Did you really expect that they would survive?"

"I had no choice."

"You don't have to make excuses for me, prince. Anyway, I don't feel anything either, so this demon is either dead or gone." Hiei looked toward the island, noticing a figure kneeling over something a hundred feet away from him. "Wait…"

The connection ended when Hiei closed the compact, stuffing it into his pocket. He sprinted toward the figure quickly, finding a jutting stone to hide behind. A human pulled a collar off of the limp body beneath him. He stood and walked toward the nearest shadow, pressed a button on his watch, and disappeared. Hiei quirked an eyebrow. He walked toward the body lying on the sand. The compact started ringing again.

"Hiei! What's going on?"

"I'm not sure, but there's a human female here. Is she one of your detectives?" He bent down to inspect the body, finding the pulse. "Seems she survived the blast."

"None of my detectives are female."

The girl's body was almost completely covered in soot, and her dirty hair was matted on her head. "How odd that she is still alive… Guess I'll bring her back with me, then."

"Good. I'll open up a portal to my office." Hiei hung up.

He bent down to pick her up, and once she was off the ground, he noticed the limp, furry tail hanging from behind her. He heaved her over his shoulder, placed Kurama over the other, and then jumped into the portal that opened up a few moments later.