CHAPTER1
Yusuke lie back in his seat comfortably. He handed a cup of soda to the young woman sitting next to him while he threw some popcorn in his mouth.
"Took you awhile" said the young woman, unable to tear her eyes from the motion picture in front of her.
"Yeah well I ran into some loud mouths on my way back" he said holding up his fist. "Must you get into a fight everywhere we go?" she glared at him.
"Keiko he had it coming! The guy was harassing some girl, trying to force her to go out with him and all his buddies!" he replied loudly.
"Shhhh!" Keiko held her finger to her lips.
"What did I miss?" he asked quieter.
"They found another body. I think the detective suspects the women, but she had a good alibi" she answered.
"It's her boss. He's the one who did it" he stated.
"How do you know? It could be her ex-husband." she whispered.
Before he could answer her his pocket began to ring loudly. The people around them glared heavily. "You didn't silence your phone?" Keiko asked harshly, a little embarrassed.
"No I did" he pulled out the device from his pants pocket angrily. The caller ID read Unknown, and the symbol for silent mode was still lit up at the top of the screen. That's weird, he thought before flipping it open.
"Yusuke! Drop everything! I need your help at once!" an alarmed voice yelled.
"I thought I wasn't spirit worlds detective anymore!" replied Yusuke, struggling to keep his angry voice down.
"We can talk about that later, but for now we have a serious problem on our hands! I called Kuwabara and Kurama. We are all meeting at Genkai's place immediately! Once you get there ill explain" he hurried.
"Dammit Koenma!"
"Yusuke keep it down!" Keiko demanded, still receiving dirty looks from people.
"Listen! A dangerous instrument has been stolen out of demon world! If used improperly it could manipulate or kill hundreds!" Koenma shouted.
"Alright fine!" the frustrated teen snapped his phone shut and jammed it back into his pocket.
"Listen Keiko I've got to go..." he began
"What! But this is the first time we've gotten time alone since you got back!" she seemed to forget about keeping her voice down as well.
"I know, but Koenma says it's an emergency, I'll have to make it up to you another time"
Before she could protest any further he ran down the stairs and out of sight.
"Yusuke!" she yelled bitterly.
"Hey keep it down!" someone shouted. Keiko sighed heavily and sat back down in her chair gloomily, feeling defeated.
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Yusuke began to climb the steep stairs at the start of Genkai's property. Memories flooded his head of climbing these stairs for the 1st time, and fighting in Genkai's tournament.
"Hey Urameshi! Long time no see!" a familiar voice called to him when he reached the top of the stairs.
"Hey how ya been Kuwabara?" he walked up to the taller man.
"Alright, busy. Taking 5 classes this semester, and working down at Yuno's pet store. Shizuru's making me pay rent now" he answered.
"Damn that sucks man".
"Yeah, but it's nice to see all the cats come in. Plus Yuno's really nice. How are you and Keiko?"
The thought of ditching Keiko at the movies unnerved him. He pictured her standing outside the theater furious, with red eyes and breathing fire. He flinched at the thought of what she would do the next time he saw her. Probably lie low for while til she cools down, he thought.
"Well I had to leave her at the movies to get here, so not so good." Yusuke nervously scratched the back of his head.
"What you were on a date when the munchkin called you! Bad luck."
Yusuke sighed heavily, then looked Kuwabara in the eyes. "I know. She's already thinned out from classes and working at her pops restaurant. This was probably the only free time she had. Whatever Koenma has for us better be important."
"Kurama's inside already. Yukina made some tea and oniguri." the taller man walked toward the front door, a big smile on his face, and Yusuke joined him.
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"As you all know I called you here on urgent business" Koenma began.
Everyone sat around him in Genkai's living room sipping tea, and taking a bite out of their oniguri.
"My informants have confirmed that an ancient deadly instrument has been stolen from my father's fortress in Makai. It's called the Flute of Demonic Conjure, and whoever plays it has the ability to control and conjure yokai."
"I've heard of this ability, but i never believed it actually existed" said Kurama.
"My father recognized the dangers of it long ago and ordered it to be hidden and locked away, so no one should have known of it's existence" said the prince.
"Wait! If the wielder can control yokai, then how are we going to be any help?" Yusuke interjected.
"Kurama and you still have some human in you, so I believe you will be able to break the spell. I'm afraid any pure-blood demon would have a very hard time, but the more powerful the yokai the greater the chance" answered Koenma.
"You didn't call Hiei, because you feared he would turn into more of a liability than an asset in this case" stated Genkai frankly.
"Of course! You know how Hiei is, and would you really want to fight him alongside the perpetrator and any other demons he summons" exclaimed Koenma. "Whoever possesses this instrument can build a massive army of powerful yokai, which could upset the balance in Makai. I don't even want to imagine the destruction it would have in Ningenkai" explained Koenma.
"The criminal broke in last night and is still at large. We think he's near the southern-most hemisphere of Makai, somewhere past Makuro's territory. We don't have many leads of this culprit, but we know he's a male yokai, height approximately 6' 5", weight approximately 250 pounds. I've arranged the Special Defence Force to set a portal south of Alaric. You all should prepare to leave in the next hour" finished the spirit world prince.
"We only have an hour!?" shouted Kuwabara. "I need to run back to my place to grab some things, and it takes almost an hour to travel there and back!"
"Well that's when the SDF will arrive to put up the portal. I think an hour is ample time, considering the current situation" spatted Koenma.
"I need to pack some things as well, and I need to tell my mother I won't be home for awhile" said Kurama.
"Alright, but don't leave without me" Kuwabara stood up and walked out of the room, Kurama right behind him.
"Hey Koenma how are we going to find a guy we don't even know what he looks like or his abilities?!" asked Yusuke irritated.
"I'm sorry Yusuke, but my father's cameras only picked up the size of the culprit. We couldn't get a good view of his face. He was wearing a hood, and a large cloak. All the guards my father posted have all been killed. No marks or bruises indicated they were beaten. We think they suffocated or perhaps breathed in a lethal dose of poisonous gas" explained the worried toddler.
"Fat load of help that is" Yusuke walked away feeling annoyed.
"Ohhhh I hope Botan gets here soon or they're doomed" mumbled the prince.
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Kurama checked his watch, "Fifty-eight minutes, and we're still waiting on Kuwabara. The SDF will be here soon" he said.
The two teens stood outside holding a backpack looking for any sign of the big lug. Genkai leaned on her porch smoking a cigarette, and Yukina stood by the door frame.
"Leave it to Kuwabara to make us wait. He's probably still picking out what clothes to bring" said Yusuke.
"Koenma! I've got it!" exclaimed an excited voice from above. A young woman with electric blue hair, wearing a bright pink kimono, floated down on an ore. Once she touched the ground she dismounted, and the ore disappeared.
"Jeez! I thought you wouldn't make it here in time Boton!" shouted an angry toddler.
"Oh hello Yusuke, Kurama. How are you? Where's Kuwabara?" asked Boton.
"Hello Boton. Good been busy with classes, and taking care of things at home. How have you been?" answered the polite red head.
"Good" she said.
"We're still waiting on Kuwabara" said Yusuke.
"We don't have time!" yelled Koenma. "Now give me the case Boton".
She pulled out a long cylinder tube with a strap out of her kimono, and handed it to her boss. He than handed it to Yusuke.
"This is the case to the flute. It will emit an energy frequency when it gets near the instrument, which will aid you in finding the thief" he said.
"Good I'm glad we have some way to identify him" said the moody teen.
"Koenma sir, we have arrived right on schedule. We will begin preparations for the portal" a tall older gentleman bowed respectfully. Three others behind him wearing the same uniform bowed as well.
"Ah perfect. Thank You" said the prince of spirit world dismissing them.
"Kuwabara better get here fast, or we're leaving him behind" said Yusuke.
As if on Que a brawny man with a giant backpack with pots and pans hanging off the bottom, and a sleeping bag rolled up under it, came running up the stairs. He was heaving loudly trying to catch his breath.
"Don- huh- leave -huh- without me guys!" he barely choked out.
"Actually you're right on time. They're making the portal now." said the fox yokai.
"Damn! What the hell is all this stuff? You're just going to slow us down Kuwabara" said Yusuke.
After he caught his breath he responded. "Well I didn't know how long we're going to be gone, so I brought all my camping gear, extra clothes, and food".
"You don't need all that stuff. There are plenty of things to eat in the forests, and you only need one pair of clothes" Yusuke argued.
"Urameshi! I'm not a demon, and there's no way I'm going to sleep on the cold hard ground without a sleeping bag" he shot back.
"You're more high maintenance than Keiko is" Yusuke continued to egg him on.
"Actually Yusuke, I brought a sleeping bag as well, and a spare for you" said Kurama. And with that Yusuke dropped the argument.
"Preparations for the gateway to Makai are complete Koenma" the same older man bowed to the prince of spirit world.
"Good, and did you set it where I gave you the coordinates?"
"Yes sir"
"Alright we don't have anymore time to waste. You three", he pointed to Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara, "into that portal" Koenma ordered.
Kuwabara walked over to the ice maiden standing on the porch, and clasped his hands around hers. "Yukina my love, while I'm in Makai I'll keep an eye out for any sign of finding your long lost brother" he told her affectionately.
"Kazuma.." she said touched by his words.
"I don't know how long I'll be gone but I promise to return with new news of his where-about" he finished heartily.
"Please return safely. That's what I care most about" she said seriously.
"Come on Kuwabara!" shouted Yusuke.
"Of course I'll come back my snow angel. Don't worry, cuz Kazuma Kuwabara is on the case, and I won't let anything happen" he smiled brightly, then leaned in to kiss her on the cheek.
"Kuwabara we're leaving and I guess your staying, so good-bye!" and with that Yusuke stepped through the portal.
"We really should be going Kuwabara" Kurama looked apologetic.
"Alright I'm coming!" he exclaimed, and walked over to Kurama. They both entered the portal at the same time. The surrounding woods at Genkai's dissolved and reappeared as the dense forests of Makai. The red sun absent as it was night time.