CHAPTER 3 – A one woman task

I want to take a moment and that you for the kind words provided and the support you have given me. It really means a lot to me I hope you will like this new chapter as well and sit tight, a lot more are to come.


Another early morning on the temple grounds. The air shifted as the mentors made their way to their girls. The previous night fell hard on Kuwabara's shoulders as he finally got to leave the temple grounds, yet knew Klarise would watch every move, rewind, reanalyze and request more. Yukina had greeted him with a large smile and he tried to return his best performance to the ice maiden, yet failed.

"This is bad. I feel like I am not the correct person to do this." His back slouched as he took a sit near her on the porch.

"Oh don't think that Kazuma, I have faith in you and I am certain there is a good reason why you were given this role."

It was after her statement he got the courage to round up everyone. As he announced the new pairs and rules he did his best to ignore them. Ignore Rin's spiteful laugh, Hiei's glare, Yusuke's retort. He could do it, he had the skills, he had Yukina backing him all the way. This could be done without Klarise having to show her teeth and spew venom.

Before leaving Genkai's temple, Hiei assured Rin he would track her down in the human city. Rolling her eyes she considered how creepy that was, especially for human standards. How he managed to function before in this world was beyond her. He was not the type to adapt like her.

"Inflexible rat."

Kurama walked over to Lya and she just took out her phone presenting it to him. He pressed his number and saved it, providing his own in her small hands for the exchange to be complete.

"Will you be ignoring me the same you did with Yusuke?" he could tell she was considering her answer, but he already knew Yusuke didn't even get to this phase with her.

"I don't answer phone calls, one texts and video calls." He offered her a small smile already having figured out what she related to him. Extending his hand out to her.

"I am Kurama. We haven't properly met." She lowered her eyes looking at his outstretched hand and slowly reached out to shake it.

"Lya."

A bit further away Yusuke cursed out loud at the two recalling that in a week he had made little to no progress with her. Except the one win in the staring contest, that will remain his small victory.

"Hell if I knew it was that easy I would have done it." Looking at Myra and not wanting to hear what Kurama had to say he motioned her to leave.

"Come on, I have a hell of a lot explaining to do to Keiko."

"You can just tell her you are on a mission." She advised following close by.

"And how do you suggest I do that? Oh hey Keiko remember Spirit World that left me alone, well a she devil is back in ruling. On the plus side I've been gone for a week because my mission is to get close to a girl. Pha! That will end well." Myra giggled having Yusuke stop to glare her way.

"How is my dilemma funny?" she waved her hand in front of her face dismissing his ominous aura.

"Just tell her I am with Lya. That will surely not make her suspicious." He widened his eyes surprised.

"However cool that would be, I hardly see a good outcome for me." He raised his hand to his chin thinking.

"Now that you've mentioned it, Hiei did say you don't smell entirely human. Wait!" he looked at her dumb folded.

"Are you and Lya really a couple?" the girl tensed looking at Yusuke.

"I mean good for you but she's worse than Hiei. I hardly see a normal relationship flourishing." Yusuke caught a glimpse of anger in the girl's eyes, the tip of her ears getting red as the same color also settled in her cheeks.

"Don't bad mouth or compare her to Hiei. She would punch your lights out for that single statement."

"Wow, she hates him that much?" Myra nodded her head providing him with the answer then passing him. He did have the urge to ask her why. They haven't met before, so what ties did Lya and Hiei have that catapulted him on her immediate hate list?


Hiei sat on top of a tall building scouting with his Jagan in search for Rin. She has an establishment in the city and he figured two hours was enough time for the woman to wash and find a change of clothes. He had a mission of his own this week and since he was stuck with Rin, he intended to use some of her assassin skills. Entering her building he proceeded up the stairs in order to reach the first floor. Drawing near he heard voices and soon recognized Shizuru and Rin who were in the hallway talking. Turning the corner the first thing he saw was the human woman's hand landing a slap against Rin's cheek, her body shaking in anger. She took the hit probably anticipating it, keeping her jaw clenched and eyes lowered.

"You used me. You lied to me." She spat out so Hiei rested his back against the wall watching the interaction. He thought Kuwabara's sister was crazy going up against a demon, but Rin was being submissive and even if her eyes were concealed behind her hair he could still tell she was riddled with guilt.

"This had nothing to do with you." She muttered through her teeth, not looking at the woman.

"Nothing to do with me?" she asked shocked.

"This was just a job." Her body tensed trying to deliver the last statement.

"You've been with us for the past year, you can't tell me it's just a job?" Rin carefully raised her eyes throwing daggers with her look and then she noticed Hiei. Frowning at him made Shizuru turn. Her eyes were glistening trying to hold back the obvious pain entrapped in her features. Giving Rin one last meaningful look she passed Hiei without telling him anything. Not that he needed any interaction with her.

"Are you done picking fights with humans?" the amusement in his tone causing her to snarl her teeth at him.

"Fuck you Hiei!" his face fell flat not liking her choice of worlds.

"Are you coming? I don't have all day to waste in a hallway seeing you sulk." She checked her door turning her full attention to it just to ignore his glare.

"So what are we doing today?" she enquired fidgeting with the keys in the lock.

"We are going on a scout mission." Turning a pair of curious eyes to him she smirked. She rather enjoyed the change of pace since Kurama had been too cautions, boring her to the bone. At least Hiei was more of a challenge.


Kurama checked his phone reading again the text he received from Lya. She was going to meet with him at two in front of the university. Did his file also include his schedule for school?

At the announced time he was waiting outside of the gates looking for her. She was fairly short, but he could still pinpoint her in a crowd, especially with her headphones on her head. Checking the clock it was already ten minutes passed two.

"Looks like she likes being fashionably late." Placing his hands in his pockets he sighed. From around the corner a car turned and stopped in front on the university. The window rolled down and Lya turned her venomous eyes to him.

"Get in." he bent to the window eyes wide in amazement.

"Do you even have a driver's license?" she rolled her eyes to the side presenting him the document he had asked about. It looked legit so he circled the car sitting in the passenger seat.

"Are we going anywhere in particular?" he asked looking at the road then at her. How was he going to talk to him if she wasn't looking at his lips?

"You'll see we're meeting with Myra and Yusuke."

"How did you know what I said?" she hit the break at a red light.

"Peripheral vision Kurama, please don't be as simple as Yusuke." He chuckled at her choice of words.

"I apologize, I still haven't gotten used to it." That earned him a glance.

"If I was truly deaf would that have been a problem?"

"Not at all." He answered firmly and she just nodded. This was the most she has spoken since he had met her.

"Yusuke is actually a good person." He added prying trying to really assess what she thought.

"I never said the opposite, he's just thick headed."

She had hit the break again when reaching the pick-up point for Myra and Yusuke. The jolt seamed intentional as if to warn the man beside her to not ask too many questions. It made him wonder just how dangerous this one really was. He had the impression that if you push just one button she would lash out despite her robotic allure.

Myra and Yusuke waved energetically at them and got in the car.

"So why are we all here?" Yusuke asked intrigued by the unification of forces. All eyes turned to the driver.

"We need to pick up something for Klarise."

"So this is a mission?" Lya just shrug her shoulders looking at Kurama and Yusuke turned his eyes to Myra who carried the same unaware expression as him.

"She's your girlfriend, how could you not know?" Kurama looked over at them brows raised and Lya watched the conversation in the rearview mirror, cocked her left brown then turned the keys and started driving to their destination.


"Move it woman." He barked as Rin stopped feeling her legs would give out.

"Are you insane? You want to follow a car?" she frowned, her eyes squinting suspiciously.

"Go, I can't keep up with a car. And why the hell are we following them anyway?" he glared at the weak specimen and then at her necklace.

"If you'd use your powers you wouldn't be such a hassle." She grinded her teeth searching for the next words to say.

"You still didn't answer my question." He crossed his hands over his chest.

"You're deflecting."

"I am not about to go full demon in a human city."

He watched her figuring her neko form would indeed draw too much unwanted attention. However leaving her there was not something he could do. Damn that Klarise! He had no choice, not with Spirit World watching them, he had to carry the woman to a more secluded area where she could transform.

Flipping her over his shoulder he ran in pursuit of Lya's car despite her constant protest and wiggling. He intentionally took so many turns and flips that eventually she shut her mouth having the impression that she was going to hurl if one more word was verbalized.


Lya parked the car and everyone got out looking at a cabin and a forest that grew and stretched behind it. Yusuke waved a hand in front of her eyes and she turned to look at all of them.

"Alright you, tell us what we need to pick up."

"In that forest there is a cave. Spirit World got a reading on an artifact stolen some time ago. The piece is a ring that can make someone invisible."

"So this is a mission." Kurama said a bit cross.

"Rin and Hiei should also be here." Her face tried to refrain from showing any emotions, but her pupils dilated, her eyes fixed on the man before her.

"I suggest you let me handle this, I doubt you have any skills with opponents you can't see."

She dismissed his statement entirely, tugging at his curiosity. Yusuke came in front of her putting a hand on her shoulder smiling big.

"How about you point us in the right direction and let me and Kurama handle this? Consider it as lesson number one for being a spirit detective." She pushed his hand off her causing his smile to turn into a frown.

"When you hit the dirt, I'm taking over." Her eyes locked him in place, sending a chill down his spine. To shake it off he just stuck her tongue out at her managing to get a glimpse of surprise wash over her features.

"You sure like being the center of attention don't you?" Lya titled her head to the left looking at Kurama as if telling him to get Yusuke out of her face before she was forced to take that action.

"Please lead the way Lya." She nodded once and turned to enter the forest. Behind her Yusuke was wrecking his brain trying to figure out why she was the only one who knew about the mission. Spirit World needed them as a team, so why assign just Lya? Kurama was thinking the same. Glancing over at Myra another question popped in his head. Why was she wearing long sleeved gloves? It was autumn, but it wasn't that cold. She had them on in Spirit World as well, at the temple. They were all hiding something.

Myra seemed open and friendly, yet no one knew what happened when she was in Demon World. Lya mastered a sound technique long forgotten and harbored hatred towards Hiei without any real reason. Rin was sent to kill one of them and he needed to find out why and who wanted them dead so badly. Their secrets were dangerous.


Hiei stopped just outside the forest dropping Rin, her body falling with a loud thud. She pressed a hand to her mouth arching her back, feeling the vile substance. After settling herself, although a bit dizzy, she was finally on her feet.

"Are you done?" he asked impatiently. "Transform and let's go." She crossed her hands over her chest mimicking him.

"I don't see how bringing my demon side out will help in a stealth mission." He frowned and started walking.

"Then you'd better keep up." The girl glared at his back.

"I should have vomited on you."

"Hn."


The small group stood in front of the cave peering inside the darkness. Lya pressed a button on her music device and Yusuke stepped back pointing at her headphones.

"They moved." She just watched him unamused.

"I changed them for combat, I can't afford to have them knocked off in battle." he blinked a few times then smiled.

"That's cool." She shook her head pointing to the cave leaving Kurama and Yusuke to take the lead, the girls following close by.

"I still don't know how she can fight not hearing. I mean of course she can feel the energies around her but still." Kurama listened but didn't look at him.

"I'm sure it took some discipline but consider it like this, if a human loses one of the important senses the others are enhanced." Yusuke nodded keeping a straight face eyes set on the darkness before them. It was getting harder and harder to see.

"I still can't shake the feeling that something horrible happened to her. You don't just refuse to not hear what goes on around you."

Myra looked over at Lya and shivered slightly. It was good they didn't know, it was all for the best. Kurama stopped tensing as sounds were heard further in the cavern. He turned to the girls motioning them to be quiet and pointed in the darkness. Slowly, they approached.


Hiei and Rin stood at the cave entrance, Hiei feeling their energies inside. She took out from one of her boots a dagger and Hiei drew his sword. Venturing in the dark he was stealing glances, wondering when she would take on her demon form. She was nowhere near a human now so she could easily put herself in advantage if danger struck. A loud blast ended his train of thoughts as they picked up the pace running in the direction of the fight.

Yusuke has fired his spirit gun and missed his target.

"You idiot, you'll collapse the cave." Myra yelled out trying to focus something more than pitch black. Kurama's eyes were frantically searching for the demon who was concealing his energy, reveling it only to attack. Lya's eyes also danced from left to right like she knew where the creature lurked. Yusuke pulled out his phone to create some light. After assessing everyone was alright, Kurama was left thinking how could that girl know where they were without an energy pattern while they were all stumbling in the dark? What was the secret behind her not hearing?

Her body spun around gracefully, the only indication that her foe tried to hit her being a few strands of hair that fell loosely on the cold ground.

Hiei and Rin arrived just as Kurama was struck to the ground feeling the weight of the demon on his chest. Before he could retaliate Myra stepped in kicking the beast earning a groan of pain. She quickly extended a hand out to him, pulling the fight to his feet.

"Thank you."

She circled him trying to figure out where they would attack from next. There was more than one and she quickly recalled reading about the ring. In a closed space all around who ever used the artifact would benefit from its power. She verbalized this new piece of information and Yusuke cursed receiving another punch that knocked the telephone out of his hands shattering the only light source they had available.

"We can't see, we can't feel them, how the fuck can we beat them?" he turned around bumping into something and turned pointing his spirit gun.

"Put it down detective."

"Geez Hiei, don't do that." The light dimmed again around their bodies. A swirl of energy drew their attention and Lya kicked the feet from under them, placing her hands on their chests to push them to the ground.

"Stay focused you idiots." She removed her hand from Hiei's chest and she tapped Yusuke's chest with her long nails waiting for his approval. He smiled and trailed to her shoulder tapping it.

"Tag, you're it."

From a corner a grunt was heard, Rin hitting the floor. A pair of wild cat eyes rose, shinning in the dark. Hiei smirked. So it took a few blows to get her to transform.

"Stay down. Let me take it." Lya commanded, her voice sounding a bit elevated.

"Your vision can't help you." Rin hissed at her, but did know she was right. With a low growl she stayed put. What good was seeing in the dark if he couldn't see her foes?

Lya rolled her eyes to the corners of the cavern, her stance proud, back straight, chest forward, arms resting on the thighs. Slowly her right leg went behind her left one.

Rin watched her carefully wondering if she was going to leap into battle or do a victory dance before it was even decided who the winner was. And then she saw it. A smirk played on her lips and she lashed out, her moves graceful. She was dancing. Rin blinked a couple of times and whispered "What the hell?" However odd as it seemed, she was controlling the pace of the battle, her legs kicking her foes and her punched sending them to the cavern walls.

Hiei had revealed his Jagan reading into Rin, who was too mesmerized to notice the intrusion.

Lya's body bent like liquid, evading attackers. He found himself struck by curiosity as he understood her headphones were not there to drown the sounds of the world, but to give her the rhythm of the battle. He found himself holding his breath as Rin did the same when one of the demons managed to land a hit in her stomach, having her lean forward, a soft groan escaping her lips. Her fingers curled against something they couldn't see, her nails digging deep until her fingers changed colors. They all kept quiet trying to find out who was winning, but only Hiei and Rin saw. Lya raised her left hand and just hit the demon with a short move that send an echo in his body.

The distance was created and her nails were blood stained, her fingers holding the ring. The apparitions caught form and could be seen.

Rin and Hiei ran past her attacking what they could now pinpoint exactly. Lya picked up the pace and launched back into what was her battle. Hiei slashed and Lya slid under his sword, rising to punch the demon. A smirk played on his lips. While still being connected to Rin's thoughts he knew she was proud of her skills. She was driven by the battle.

Kurama pulled out his pocket his phone as the sounds dimmed, turning on his flash light. All he saw was Rin in her human form sitting on top of the demon pile, Hiei and Lya in front of it.

"What the hell happened?" Yusuke asked scratching his head.

"You missed it all detective." His eyes watched Lya for a second before turning his attention to look back at Yusuke's confused face.

"Are we going to get an explanation?" Kurama asked smiling softly at Lya while she watched him with her poisonous eyes.

"We got the ring." He chuckled figuring she would not share the sub context of the victory. Myra just gave her a small nod.