A/N: I'm appreciating the feedback as it is only making my desire to write this stronger and stronger. I will admit these chapters are coming more frequently ever since I began to plan them, but I will give you all a heads up and an update right now.

For those of you who sent me wishes for my grandmother, I thank you so much. I really do because she has finally recovered enough to come home. I was so overwhelmed with emotion and I just could not think of anyone who had given me much assistance and understanding as my family and my readers so I thank you for that.

Another thing would be that I'm coming to the end of my semester and so I might have longer periods in between posts because I'm hitting the books pretty dang hard.

10. Return of the Artifact

Yusuke sighed as he walked through Alaric's merchant district. The Demon Lord Mukuro was not very pleased with their sudden appearance, disrupted from a training session with her men when they had arrived. Hiei had smirked at her disgruntled form, amused by her annoyance at them. Kurama and Yusuke informed her of the circumstances and the Demon Lord sniffed.

"If one is so ignorant to bring a Spirit World artifact into my territory, then be my guest. I'm not going to stop you. Just don't cause a catastrophe." \

Yup. Good ol' Mukuro.

Now, they were wandering the district, Hiei and Kurama feeling out for the energy the artifact was said to give out when Kurama stopped, turning towards a path leading to some side stands. Emerald green eyes narrowed as he studied the path and stepped forward, Yusuke and the gang a step behind him. Hiei soon felt the same energy Kurama did and followed the group down the pathway until they came across a merchant talking with a young demon female. The girl was leaning against the stand's frame and she was chatting with the merchant, nodding her head towards a piece of jewelry. She donned a bright blue blouse that had sleeves which belled out around the elbow and over it was a black leather waist cincher. Her hair tumbled down in waves and curls to the middle of her back. Bits and strands of her hair framed her face, giving her such an innocent look. Upon her hips was a deep cobalt sash that tied at the back, holding to her a small hide pouch which she currently had her hand over, semi-protective of the small bag. Her legs sported a pair of white pants which fanned out at the knees, giving the appearance of a skirt. Her feet were in beige slip-ons and she seemed to be getting a bit aggravated.

"There." Kurama finally said, his emerald eyes drifting to her hips.

The other three boys looked down to the girl's hip and in a sheath was the artifact they had been searching for. It had a faint blue glow to the hilt and the wearer stomped.

"It's all I have!" she said, her deep sapphire blue eyes widen with a pleading tone, "You can't knock it down a few more Bits?"

"Not happening. Just cuz you're good lookin' don't mean imma give you items for dirt cheap."

The female seemed upset and sighed, turning from the stand and stopping as her eyes fell upon the four boys who were watching her. She tilted her head to the side and stepped back, an alarm in her ears as she noticed that they were staring down towards her new collective item. She stepped back, knees bending as she considered her options.

Kurama was the second to notice her stance and he went to say something when Hiei disappeared from his side, appearing behind the girl. The merchant backed away and watched with wide, fearful eyes. The demon turned, eyeing the short male who seemed to teleport behind her and she looked back and forth between him and the group he arrived with before turning towards the merchant and darting that way, propelling herself over the stand's table. She broke out into a run, trying to remove herself from the district.

Hiei rolled his eyes as his three companions shouted after her and he followed them, half-heartedly. Yusuke was gaining on her, his training with Hokushin paying off, and he yelled after her to stop. The female glanced behind her, gasping at the short distance between herself and Yusuke and she leaps into the air. She propels herself up and the boys stop, watching her float in the sky.

"A wind demon." Kurama stated, standing beneath her.

"Damn it." Yusuke cursed, glaring at the girl.

"Who are you?"

Yusuke face palmed. Where was this chick two, almost three, years ago when the demon tournament, which he had created, took place? Did she not know who he was? He looked up at her and frowned. She seemed innocent enough.

"Miss," Kurama called up to her, "You are in possession of a stolen artifact from Spirit World and we've come to retrieve it."

The poor thing almost fell from the sky.

"S-stolen?" she stuttered, "This? B-but I bought it in Gandara like a week ago?"

Hiei rolled his eyes and moved from behind the group, using his speed to scale a mountainous hill behind her and he pushed himself off the side, reaching out and grabbing at the female. Surprise caused her focus to dwindle and the two fell towards the earth below until they hit the ground, Hiei on top of the girl, holding her down.

"Oww." She whimpered.

"HIEI!" Kuwabara shrieked, "THAT'S NO WAY TO TREAT A LADY!"

The fire demon glared at the idiotic buffoon.

"I see."

So, the former Spirit Detective of the Living world was harboring his slave. He tapped his fingers on his desk as he let his thoughts wander to two things. One: How to get his slave back. And Two: What delightful things could he do to her once she was returned to him? He felt as though he were a giddy child, imagining the many things he could do with the ungrateful slut.

Daisuke, the shinobi wind demon who he had employed to locate his property had also reported that she was dressing in a tomboyish fashion; pants, shirts and hats, etc. This information had infuriated him. He had always kept her naked, ready to be used when he wished, and this infraction against his own rules made him want to get her back as soon as possible. With the information Daisuke had given him, he was sure that the group would still be looking for him and suddenly, he snapped his fingers, calling for Daisuke in order to reveal this tidbit of information to the shinobi.

"Hey Binky Breath!"

Koenma glared as he looked up from the pile of paper work he had accumulated during the visits he took to see the demon female who could not speak. Yusuke was the first person he saw and he huffed.

"What have I told you about that?" the toddler Prince retorted.

"Yeah, yeah." Yusuke spat, "Look what we brought you."

Stepping to the side, Kurama walked in with a female in tow, her hands behind her back and Koenma quirked a brow. This female looked young for a demon and absolutely innocent. She seemed to be teary eyed and flustered as Kuwabara came in behind them, holding the sheathed dagger.

"The artifact!" Koenma cheered.

Hiei was the last to enter the large office like area.

"The girl claims she bought it from a merchant in Gandara." Kurama reports as the girl cringes.

"I did!" she says, looking at the small sized ruler, "I don't know how many times I have to tell you I didn't know that it was s-stolen!"

Kuwabara frowned.

"C'mon guys. Give her a break."

"Hn. Yes, because she is of the opposite sex we should just let her go and believe her story."

"That's enough." Koenma demands, turning his attention to the woman, "Who did you buy this from?"

"I-I don't know his name." she admitted, "But it looked so cool…I liked the blue glow. So I bought it for eight hundred Bits. Unfortunately, it left me short on Bits for actual food."

"Hmm…I see. Unfortunately, I will have to write a report up for you. Being in possession of a highly guarded artifact is dangerous."

"But I didn't know…" she whimpered.

Koenma glanced the female over and sighed. He called in Botan who bounded in and inquired as to what he needed of her.

"Please locate the file for Miss…" he trailed off, looking at the demon woman, "What is your name?"

The girl seemed to shake under his stared, "W-Wisp."

"Bring me our file on Miss Wisp, here."

"Yes, Sir!"

The reaper flitted away, exiting the room.

"That's a brilliant idea." The shinobi chimed in, "When shall I execute such an idea?"

Takeshi was smirking. It was a dangerous smirk, one full of a hidden malice and twisted ideas that he was finalizing in his mind, "As soon as we can. I want to get my hands on her, now."

"Hmmm...Your file is practically clean."

Koenma could hardly believe the records of the young woman, finding it hard to believe that a female who would collect things like daggers that looked cool and even flee at the sight of his team as though she had done something wrong was absolutely innocent. He glanced up at the six people in his office, Botan standing a bit off to the side, and cleared his throat.

"I will dismiss this charge," he began, "But the dagger is going to be placed back in my father's vault."

The girl frowned.

"Eight hundred Bits down the drain…" came her saddened murmur.

"For now, I do wish to get descriptions of the merchant you bought it from. Feel free to head home boys. And Hiei, the girl has been decently taken care of."

"Hn. Like I care." The fire demon grunted, rolling his crimson eyes as he exited the office.

"We're home!"

Keiko and the young sound demon jumped. Both had been in the kitchen, Keiko beginning to cook dinner and the demoness assisting in any way she could. Keiko was the first to move, happily cheering for the return of her fiancé.

"Welcome home!"

The brunette wrapped her arms around Yusuke, glad for his return. Although she wasn't alone this time, she still longed for her fiancé to return. She was glad that he was safe and as he returned the warm embrace, the mute woman emerged from around the corner, her notebook in her hands. Hiei eyed the spiral bound book, arching a brow in curiosity when Keiko turned, motioning the girl to her.

"While you were away, I taught her how to write!" Keiko explained proudly, "She's able to communicate on a basic level now."

Yusuke snickered.

"What are ya' a damned teacher, Keiko?" he teased.

She huffed at him, reaching out to smack him. Yusuke dodged, a boisterous laugh escaping him as he made his way towards the kitchen where the smell of food drifted from. The group moved to the kitchen and sat down to eat after Keiko served the food. The white haired woman ate, watching Keiko and Yusuke interact with one another. She studied them, confused as to why this male rather enjoyed the company of the brunette beside him who seemed to enjoy smacking him. Never having experienced anything but sexual contact with a male, she was confused as to what humans considered such communication and actions to be. Being in captivity all of her life, it was strange to see such emotion and actions between a male and female. The dinner passed with joyous conversation between the lovers, Yusuke trying to involve Hiei every once in a while, and as Keiko set the dishes to wash, she emerged to find Yusuke lounging on the couch, watching TV. The white haired maiden had retreated to her room and Keiko moved Yusuke's feet so she could sit down on the couch. He sits up and she leans towards him, laying her head on his shoulder.

The sickening emotions these two were expressing were thick enough to gag Hiei. He got up from his spot on the window sill and he moved towards the bedroom he shared with the women when he hesitated to enter. The memories he had seen, had felt, through her own eyes made him shiver for a moment and he wondered if he should just leave. The artifact was returned and the woman could not correspond with the Prince of Spirit World should he come asking questions. Sure, the damned demon wasn't caught yet, but he was sure that the female would not be touched.

After all, how could he possibly know she was here?

A knot in his gut changed his mind.

He entered the room and took notice of the female who was sitting on the bed, knees drawn up as she scribbled something upon the papers within the notebook she had laid against her knees. He watched her for a few moments before stepping in, closing the door behind him. Her eyes flickered up at him, a daring move on her part, before returning to the paper before her. He was relieved to not have to find some form of entertainment for the female and he made his way to the window, hopping upon the sill before looking out. The leaves were beginning to brown, autumn finally making its appearance. He leaned back and simply let his mind wander as the girl finished what she was doing before she stood and located some of her night clothes to change into. Eventually she climbed into bed and laid down, succumbing to the darkness that edged her into a deep slumber.

The following morning, the occupants of the apartment awoke, going through daily routines and even having a nice breakfast together. It was about eleven when Koenma showed up, greeting them. He informed them that he had let Kurama and Kuwabara know to come over as soon as possible because he had some new information on the magenta eyed demon who thwarted their attempts at bringing him in a few months ago. Thirty minutes passed before everyone was assembled and Koenma began his briefing.

"As it turns out, this demon has been seen in the industrial side of Mushiori. We've been watching him and my sources have found that he is in a warehouse down there."

"So…What are we waiting for?" Kuwabara asked.

"I'm with Kuwabara," Yusuke agreed, "Give us the place. I want to wipe the floor with this asshole."