Chapter 3
Koenma winced as doors slammed and people continued to yell, the noises getting louder as they drew closer to the office. Gods, his head hurt. The main double doors slammed opened and Yusuke came strolling into the office, no one would give him any answers and he was pissed, he'd had to leave Keiko during the busiest time of the day.
"Okay….I'm here, now will someone please tell me what the hell's going on." He yelled as the doors hit the walls.
Botan came in right behind the boy, carrying a large ice pack. Making her way to the desk, she picked up an infant Koenma, sitting him on her lap as she took the seat and placed the ice pack to his head.
"Sorry sir, I just told him it was an emergency and to get here as fast as possible." She said softly, helping the demi-god hold the ice pack.
"Thank you Botan." Koenma said and winced again as the ice pack was placed on the growing bump.
"What happened here, it's worse than an ant hill that's being invaded by an ant eater?" The raven hair asked. "And what happened to you?" He added as he saw the pained look in the infant's eyes.
"Taiga escaped and….." Koenma was cut off.
"How did that happen, I mean she was in maximum security, she….." Yusuke was cut off.
"Apparently Yomi managed to bribe some of my lower ranking guards, been planning it for months it seems."
"What…and you had no clue." Yusuke said, shocked that something like this could happen in the Reikai palace.
"I'm afraid it gets worse." Koenma said, lowering his head at the thought of how the boy was going to take the news.
"I don't see how." Yusuke said, hands on his hips.
"She took Kurama with her." Koenma said quickly, wincing and closing his eyes as Yusuke yelled.
"How in the world did that happen and what in the fucking hells was Kurama doing anywhere near her." He was fuming.
Koenma went to explain, keeping his voice soft as he tried to control the pain in his head. "I requested to see him about a matter that isn't important right now. Taiga must have known he was going to be here and with the guards help, planned her escape. Kurama tried to stop her and was poisoned or something and they left, but not without leaving me with one dozy of a headache." He shifted in Botan arms, she had been hiding her face throughout the talking, yelling and was trying not to cry.
"Where's Hiei?" Yusuke asked, running a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself. Getting upset was not going to help anyone right now and they needed to figure out where Kurama was.
"I don't know." Koenma whispered.
"Sir." Botan said softly. "I tried to locate him when I got in touch with Yusuke and he is not in the Ningenkai, maybe he is with Mukuro."
"Okay…get Mukuro on the screen." Koenma said and jumped up to let Botan reach the controls on his desk. When he went to sit, he was in his teenage form.
"Lord Koenma what a nice surprise. You usually don't contact me unless it is important. I hope this is not bad news." Mukuro said as her image filled the screen.
"I'm afraid it is." Koenma said and motioned for Yusuke to stand next to him so the once former ruler could see him.
"Lord Yusuke, my this is bad." She said.
"First…do you know where Hiei is?" Koenma asked. Hoping to hear he was there.
"No." Mukuro blinked her one good eye and had a confused look on one side of her face. "I assume he is in the Ningenkai with Kurama. That is where he always is when he is not doing assignments for me. Why, what has happened?"
Koenma sighed. "He is not in the Ningenkai so you might want to send out a patrol to look for him there." He said, taking a deep breath. "Taiga escaped from my prison and she…" He didn't want to say it again.
"I'm waiting." She said, impatiently.
Yusuke finished. "She managed to get a hold of Kurama. Apparently Yomi made good on his promise to get her out and bribed guards to help him. In return she's taken Kurama as a prize."
Mukuro hissed her anger. "That bastard, Hiei must have been set up as well. Let me do some research and I will let you know what I've found. It won't take long. Lord Yusuke, if you wish to join me here, I can have a room ready. No doubt Kurama is here in the Makai by now and with Yomi." She said.
"Okay. I'll be there in a few hours, I have to tell my wife and make sure Kuwabara can look after her." Yusuke told her and then looked to Koenma, receiving a nod.
"Kuwabara…is he the tall orange haired gentleman that was here that one time." Mukuro asked.
"Yes." The raven haired answered. "He's one of my best friends and I trust him with my life. My wife is due in a few weeks with our first child and I want to make sure he can look after her in my absence." He told her.
"Congratulations, though I wish the circumstances were different. I'll have something to report by the time you get here." She said then closed the communication.
"Yusuke." Koenma said.
"I know, we need to find him and fast, gods know what Yomi has planned." Yusuke said already walking out. He hoped by the time he reached the Makai, that at least Hiei would be found okay, they needed all the help they could get.
a)a)a)a
A few hours after Koenma informed her of the situation. Mukuro found a leak in her lower ranking guards and had learned of the ambush in the Suna no Jikan desert. She had the traders interrogated until she knew everything they knew. When she had heard that Hiei had been left for dead in the desert, she immediately sent the closet patrol. They reported back that there was no sign of the Lord, though there was a bloody black cloak and bandages found.
Mukuro paced and cursed, had Hiei survived the attack only to perish on his way back. She had the patrol widen their search.
As promised Yusuke showed up and was escorted to the main room of the castle. Mukuro looked up from her desk as the raven haired walked in.
"Anything?" He asked, hoping Hiei would come out of the walls, alive and fuming.
She informed him of what she had learned. After she was finished, Yusuke's hand met the table with a loud thump.
"Damn….damn…damn." He muttered with each thump.
The door slammed opened and a guard came running in. "So sorry to interrupt, but…. my Lord, we've found him. He was on the west side…he's not looking so well, he should be here any minute. They are having to carry him." The guard sucked in a deep breath, after spilling the news.
The two Lords quickly made their way to the foyer as three guards came in. Two were carrying Hiei by his ankles and shoulders.
"Hiei." Yusuke said as they gently placed him on the floor. He got on his knees, lifting the fire demon so he was leaning against his chest.
Hiei coughed and a trickle of blood ran down his chin. "Yusuke." He managed to say hoarsely.
"What happened?" Mukuro asked, going down on one knee next to her heir.
"Set up." He coughed, bringing his hand up to his face. Yusuke noticed the dragon was not warded.
"Are you hurt badly?" Yusuke asked. He could feel something sticky coating his hands, which were under the small frame.
Hiei's only answer was a wince and another round of coughing.
Yusuke looked to Mukuro, both knowing the best way to help him heal and it would be the fastest as well.
Gently picking up the fire demon, they went through the door that led to the basement and the regeneration tank.
a)a)a)a
Green with gold trim eyes opened. Confusion clearing as the room came into focus. Kurama's breath hitched in his throat as an image came to mind. He was in the cell that had held the assassin, the assassin that had blinded Yomi instead of killing him. The red head sat bound just like he had been. The smell of decay, rot and death filled his nostrils as the image of the dying demon came to mind. Looking down between his legs, he saw a rust colored stain, along with brown and yellow ones, on the floor. Apparently no amount of scrubbing could ever get rid of the stains of death.
He tested his bonds, it was no use, but worth a shot. He tried to play in his mind what had happened, hoping Koenma was okay and also wondered if Hiei had been told of his abduction yet. He didn't know how long he had been out, but by the way his stomach was growling, it had been hours if not a day.
As if by cue, the cell door opened and a guard came in carrying a tray. He dropped it on the floor between the red head's legs before reaching in a pocket and pulling out a piece of cloth.
Bending down, the guard roughly grabbed the red head by the hair and tied the cloth, putting the long hair in a high pony tail. 'Not again.' He thought.
The guard pulled back and released Kurama's left hand, he then stood and left, locking the door behind him.
Kurama's first instinct was to try and remove the ward. Reaching up, he barely touched the tail and pulled his hand back with a hiss, the tip of his fingers were burnt. He looked to the tray and saw a small glass of water, he sighed as he placed his fingers in the cool liquid. He then studied the tray and it contents. Along with the glass of water, there was a sandwich. Lifting one corner, he saw it was peanut butter and jelly, strawberry jelly his nose told him. Well, that was eatable, picking up the sandwich he gave it a sniff and not smelling anything out of the ordinary, ate the whole thing. He finished it off with the water and waited. Yomi was bound to come and gloat and he wasn't going anywhere.
He mentally started to prepare himself for whatever was going to happen and prayed to Inari, though he probably wasn't going to be much help. It was going to be bad, no matter how much he prayed for it not to be.
End Chapter 3
