Chapter One
The goddesses, Tsuki of Fire, Misato of Water, Kumiko of Wind, Risha of Earth, Saori of Darkness, Maki of Light, Miyuki of Lightning, Mie of Ice and Rei of Love, Hate, Life and Death, had never expected their friend to be killed as revenge for something they had done, but she had. They were under a sleep spell when the news reached them. They awoke instantly, their powers out of control.

"Another mission? Involving something highly powerful," the spirit detective, Yusuke Urameshi, repeated. Koenma, the son of King Enma, ruler of the Reikai, nodded.
"Yes. The nine goddesses. They're even more powerful than the Saint Beasts. They were recently awakened, and they're causing chaos in the Ningenkai," he explained. Yusuke sighed.
"Are the others coming?" he asked. Koenma nodded to him.

The goddesses sat under a tree, discussing the new developments.
"What we need to do is use this to stop the conniving fool who killed our best friend! I won't stand for his foolishness!" Saori declared, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder, her dark brown eyes gleaming. Maki ducked behind Risha, her purple eyes full of fright.
"Saori, sit down and shut up. We'll stop him, but if we can't control our powers, we might hurt innocent people!" Tsuki snapped. Saori scoffed.
"So what?! The damn fool should regret ever crossing us!" she growled. Tsuki stood, glaring at Saori.
"Shut up, right now. You alone cannot make decisions for all of us. If you want to, then go find him. But don't cry to us when you get hurt," she shot. Saori laughed.
"And we're supposed to listen to you?" she asked. Kumiko growled, standing now. Risha stood as well.
"Saori, stop this right now. Tsuki's right. When we aren't in control of our powers, we're too dangerous to others," Kumiko demanded, her silver eyes starting to glow, her blue hair fluttering in the breeze. Saori stepped back, sitting down. Tsuki yawned as a wind swept through, tearing at her long blue braid. Maki attempted to stop her long purple hair from blowing. Tsuki opened one eye to look at Kumiko, whose eyes were glowing green. Then, as suddenly as the wind came, it stopped. The tree they were under had lost most of its leaves. Risha looked at it, then her sapphire eyes began to glow in a tan color. Almost instantly, the tree's leaves returned.
"I agree with Kumiko," Risha muttered. Miyuki nodded, her gray eyes holding some hidden knowledge as she smoothed her long black hair.
"As do I. Misato, Mie, Rei?" she asked. Misato nodded, shaking out her long blue main and closing her bright blue eyes.
"I also agree. Without control, there's nothing we can do to stop this guy," she replied. Mie nodded as well, her dark blue eyes blazing as she also smoothed her ice blue hair.
"As badly as I want vengeance, I still agree," she whispered. Rei looked around with her dark eyes, her gray hair unaffected. Her youthful face showed no emotion.
"Yes, I agree," she commented in her quiet voice.

"What are we looking for?" Kuwabara asked. Yusuke sighed.
"The nine goddesses," he growled. Kuwabara nodded.
"Oh," he muttered. Then he paused. "Goddesses? You mean girls?" he asked, bewildered. Yusuke nodded.
"That's usually what a goddess is," he answered. Before Kuwabara could say anything more, the trees around them caught fire. One fell, landing on Hiei's right leg as he attempted to dodge it. Kurama summoned his Rose Whip and slashed most of them. As he jumped out of the way of one, another landed, knocking him unconscious. Hiei was back up his leg badly wounded. Two girls appeared, one having long blonde hair and sapphire eyes, the other having blue hair, braided down her back, and eyes of the same color. The blonde's eyes began to glow tan, and the others turned red. The flames disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and the blonde levitated the burnt trunk and threw it. Their eyes returned to normal. The blonde went back into the trees, but the other stayed. She looked to Kurama, then Hiei, muttered "I'm sorry," and finally disappeared into the shadows.

Tsuki closed her eyes to stop her tears. She opened them, showing they were glowing red again.
"Damn it, Risha... Why did this have to happen now? I know Tenshi's death caused our powers to go out of control... But why did they have to show up? We've been seen!" she whispered, tears spilling from her eyes as they returned to normal. Risha hugged her.
"It's okay," she whispered. "Misato is an expert at disguises. We can still help them," she consoled. Tsuki wiped her eyes, unbraiding her hair and tying the ribbon around a tree limb.
"But what if it won't work?" she asked. She looked back once more, then followed Risha.

Risha explained to Misato what was going on as Tsuki brushed out the fluff that was once her braid. Misato agreed to give them disguises on one condition.
"Someone has to go with you. I have three new costumes. What do you say?" she asked. Risha agreed right away, but Tsuki looked pale. Finally, she agreed to let Misato come with them.
"I just can't let them die..." she muttered. They started with her. Risha grabbed a blue, schoolgirl uniform and a red and black jacket for her as Misato fussed with her hair. She finally got the wig to sit right and hide all of her hair. It was short and black, with sides to her shoulders. Misato put three bobby pins in it. Then Tsuki changed, adding a black choker necklace. Risha was next. When she was finished, she had long, purple hair pulled up in a ponytail and she wore black bracelets, a black headband, a black neck ribbon and a black dress. Misato's disguise had long, sea green hair, a red, sleeveless shirt, a white vest and a red and white denim, knee length skirt.
"Are we ready?" she asked. Saori, who hadn't been paying any attention, looked up.
"Who the hell are you three?" she asked. Risha nodded.
"If she doesn't recognize us, they certainly won't," she muttered. Tsuki shook with fear as Risha led them off.

Yusuke noticed a blue ribbon fluttering on the branch of a tree nearby and walked over to it, seeing a strand of long, wavy blue hair trailing from it. He grabbed it, remembering the two strange girls.
"I wonder it they were two of the goddesses. Koenma says they're evil, but they saved our lives," he whispered to himself. Then he looked up to find Risha, Misato and Tsuki standing there in disguise. He raised his eyebrow at them. Tsuki smiled.
"Hi! My name's Izumi, and this is Tsuchi and Nasake. We're a little lost, could you help us out?" she asked. Kuwabara walked back with them.
"Who are they?" he asked Yusuke. Tsuki smiled to him as well.
"I'm Izumi, and this is Tsuchi and Nasake. We need so- Oh, what happened to you?" she exclaimed, pretending she just noticed Hiei. He "hn"-ed and looked away. Yusuke answered.
"His leg got smashed by a tree and it was broken. The other one got knocked out," he explained. Tsuki walked over to Kurama, who was laid on a blanket with his head on a rock.
"Oh my, the poor thing. Tsuchi, Nasake, you two help the one who broke his leg, I'll take care of him. Would you mind if we stayed with you for awhile?" she asked. Yusuke shook his head.
"That's fine," he replied. She sat down and laid Kurama's head in her lap, stroking his hair. Risha laughed.
"What's so funny, Nasake?" Misato asked her. Risha shook her head.
"Izumi is just so cute sometimes, isn't she?" she asked as Tsuki continued stroke Kurama's hair.
I feel like I've met him somewhere before, and I did exactly the same thing, she thought. He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her. That jogged her memory.
"Tsu...ki?" he whispered. She smiled at him.
"Yep, that's me," she whispered back. "Remember when you saved me from that demon?"
He smiled softly and closed his eyes again, nodding lightly. She leaned down and kissed his forehead lightly.
"You know him?" Misato asked in amazement. Tsuki nodded.
"Do you remember that water demon that attacked me about a year ago? Well, he's the one who saved me from it. He's very strong, just like Higeki and Taiyou are," she explained. Misato walked over and looked at him closely. "His hair was shorter then. That's why I didn't know who he was until he opened his eyes. Tsuchi, I need to speak to you and Nasake in private," she added. Misato nodded and the three headed into the trees.

"So, who is he?" Misato asked. Tsuki blushed lightly.
"Remember when I told you about the gorgeous knight who saved me from a horrible fate? His name is Kurama. I fell in love with him right then. It was amazing; he summoned something called a Rose Whip, like Risha and I saw him do before we got rid of the trees. I vividly remembered his eyes, and their beautiful jade color. Anyway, he saw through my disguise. I don't think he knows I'm a goddess, but he knows I'm not named Izumi... and I told him he's right..." she explained. Risha sighed and shook her head.
"Best thing to do it find out if he loves you and if he can keep your secret from this guy whose after us," she muttered. Misato nodded and Tsuki turned, walking back out to Kurama.
"Kurama?" she whispered. He opened his eyes. "I want to know something, and be honest with me. Do you love me?" she asked. He gave a weak smile and sat up, hugging her gently. She hugged him back.
"Yes..." he murmured. She blushed.
All those times after he saved me counted for something... Especially that kiss he gave me before I was put under the sleep spell, she thought, resting her head on his shoulder.
"I love you too," she whispered in his ear. "Can we recreate that kiss we shared?" she asked. He chuckled and gently lifted her chin, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers. She pulled off the wig, letting her long, blue hair flow in the slight wind that went by as they closed their eyes and she pressed her lips back against his. Yusuke stared, remembering her now.
"You're the girl who stopped the fire earlier!" he exclaimed. She broke the kiss and looked to him.
"Indeed, I am. And my name is not Izumi; it is Tsuki, the goddess of Flames, controller of the Fire, whatever you'll call me. Just don't call me dangerous, because I'm not. I saw what happened earlier, and I was scared half to death. And I'm in love with Kurama, but even when I didn't know it was him, I was scared. We have someone after us, someone who killed our best friend. That is why we can't control our powers," she explained. She looked away from Kurama, not wanting to see the look on his face. He turned her face back to him, a gentleness in his eyes. He leaned toward her and softly pressed his lips to hers, closing his eyes. She closed her eyes as well and pressed her lips back against his, a single tear rolling down her cheek. After awhile, he broke the kiss.
"Goddess of Flames or human woman, I still love you, Tsuki," he whispered. She hugged him, tears streaking down her face now. Risha sighed, allowing her long, golden hair to be visible now, and Misato decided to go along and threw off her sea green wig. Yusuke stared as Risha curtsied.
"I am Risha, goddess of thyne Earth, and this is Misato, goddess of Water," she explained. Misato nodded to them in acknowledgement. Tsuki stood, walking over by them. Yusuke finally snapped out of his daze.
"Where are the others?" he asked. Misato turned and walked off. Risha followed. Tsuki walked back over to Kurama.
"Can you stand?" she questioned. He nodded and she helped him up. He leaned against her for support, a little off balance still from being knocked out. Hiei watched them walk off in silence as Yusuke followed.

Saori looked up when she saw Tsuki, Risha, Misato, Kurama and Yusuke walk into view. She smirked.
"And just who the hell are these two?" she asked, eyeing Kurama, who was no longer leaning against Tsuki. Maki and Mie looked over, Maki blushing crimson. Risha introduced everyone.
"This is Saori of Darkness and Maki of Light, Kumiko of Wind, Mie of Ice, Miyuki of Lightning and Rei of Love, Hate, Life and Death. Ladies, this is Kurama and Yusuke," she informed them. Maki walked over to Kurama, then stepped back as Tsuki's eyes began to glow red. Kurama looked to her and she kissed his cheek.
"I love you," she whispered. He smiled and hugged her against him.
"And I love you, Tsuki," he replied softly. She nuzzled against his chest. The winds shifted and she looked over to Kumiko, whose eyes were glowing green.
"Hang onto me," Tsuki whispered in Kurama's ear. He nodded and she gave a glance to Risha. Risha looked to Kumiko.
"Hold on! Don't call the winds now!" she cried, placing her palm on the ground. Several small roots laced around everyone's legs as a strong gush of wind tore threw the forest they were in. As the trees fell from the wind, Risha stopped them or Tsuki incinerated them. Then she knelt down, dragging Kurama down as well.
"Sorry. As you probably know, we can't control our powers 100 of the time," she explained. He nodded and held her tightly.
"I understand that," he replied. Tsuki's eyes turned red and she snaked a flame over to Kumiko, who yelped. The wind stopped suddenly and she looked around at everyone. Risha recalled the roots and Tsuki and Kurama stood up. She leaned against him, closing her eyes.
"Promise me that you'll always love me," she requested. He nodded to her.
"I promise," he whispered. She nuzzled against his chest, smiling.
"I love you so much, and I promise I always will as well," she murmured. He rubbed her back gently, then took her hand.
"Marry me," he purred in her ear. She stared at him in shock.
"A goddess marry a demon?" she asked in astonishment. He nodded, hugging her close to him. She closed her eyes.
"Please, will you marry me?" he asked again. She kissed his cheek.
"Yes," she replied. "Hey, sis, are you okay?" she called to Kumiko. She nodded, rubbing her foot. Everyone stared at her. She began to blush and nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "I guess I forgot to mention I'm Kumiko's little sister, didn't I?" she asked. Kurama laughed and hugged her against him.
"If you think about it, it was obvious," Rei whispered. Saori scowled at her.
"If you're over seven thousand years old, maybe. But the rest of us aren't as wise as you, Rei..." she growled. Yusuke blinked in surprise.
"Seven thousand?" he asked. Tsuki nodded.
"Goddesses reign until they're killed. They always have an heir before that, no matter what. It's extremely rare a goddess has more than one, though. My mother was one of those rare cases. The fire goddess before me was killed only a couple months after she took on the role, so her child was born Human. Had that not happened, I wouldn't exist. It's actually forbidden for goddesses to be sisters, but now they have to make a lot of exceptions unless that human child can hone the required skills, which is borderline impossible. If the goddess had survived, she would be only around twenty-something. The child is probably only one or two years old... And who knows if it was born male or female. The oddest thing is I have an older brother, too. His name is Taiyou... He's half-human because of that fact. There's a spell used on us that makes us pregnant. So any kind of contact with the human, demon, or spirit realm inhabitants results in the half breed children that are allowed to live with the parent only for the first ten years of their lives. So I don't really know my brother very well..." she explained. Saori nodded.
"And also, any goddess who has more than one child is often executed, unless a second daughter is needed. So I would assume that when Tsuki and Kumiko's mother was pregnant with Taiyou, they expected a female child, and when it was a male, they feared a rebellion, which is why they let her have Tsuki as well," she guessed. Rei nodded.
"Yes, they told Shinrai that she would be killed when Taiyou left her if she had contact with the male whom provided the necessary component for his birth again. They tried other goddesses to have the fire child, none succeeding. It is believed that Shinrai slipped off and was with the male again, though she confided in me that she had a secret child, a female showing signs of fire control. When the child, Tsuki, turned four, she was brought here. Taiyou was eight at the time, so Tsuki only knew him for two years. But when she arrived, the failed attempts were recognized. Shinrai loved children so much, so she memorized the spell and conducted it on herself. She was caught trying to have another child and she was killed at four months in. While Taiyou was here, I noticed that he was also showing signs of a power, though it didn't develop enough to determine its origin," she informed everyone. Tsuki's jaw dropped.
"WHAT? You mean Taiyou could be a... But... Hold on a second! I thought hybrids were WEAKLINGS!" she exclaimed. Rei shook her head.
"If your mother had been with the Archangel or the Guardian, then Taiyou could have the powers of a god, and be the first in several millennia. In the war between the demons, when the gods and goddesses tried to stop the battles, the Arch and Guardian survived with only nine of the goddesses. There was once a goddess of honor, one of truth, one specifically for love, one for hate, one for life, one for death, one for friendship... And there were gods of the same. The goddess of death, my mother, survived, and took on the roles of death, life, love and hate. Or perhaps Taiyou has demon blood," she replied. Risha looked thoughtful.
"I think this is the most I've ever hear Rei say..." she murmured. Yusuke shook his head.
"So, tell me who the real villain is in this story so I can kick his ass and get on with it," he demanded. Tsuki's face turned serious.
"His name is Zangai. He was the one who put us to sleep because he couldn't kill us, then killed our best friend so we'd lose control and potentially destroy the world," she explained, leaning against Kurama. Maki nodded.
"He's a real jerk!" she yelled, her eyes glowing white. Wings fluttered on her back as she pulled out a bow and arrow.
"Maki, put the bow down..." Risha whispered. Miyuki looked to the trees.
"We have a visitor..." she told them.