The Hunt for…What?
Spirit World on a late weekday afternoon. Past the Gate of Judgement and through the halls of what a recent spirit detective would call a giant throat, the story begins inside the office of Spirit World's administrator, Koenma. By his side is his assistant, Jorge. These two are here to deliver the details of a new mission. The receivers of said mission are a former thief, Kurama, and Demon World enforcer, Hiei. "Kurama, Hiei. I specifically asked you two to perform this mission because of your expertise," Koenma informs, "That and I could use some personal help."
"Just get on with it," Hiei urges, "I want to hear about the compensation part."
"Agreed. I'm pressed for time as well," Kurama chimes in.
"Alright, alright. Turn to the big screen," Koenma instructs, "Ogre, explain the details."
Jorge clears his throat before speaking, "Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to retrieve a small bouquet of the following from this very area." On the screen is a field of purple camellia blossoms.
"These aren't your ordinary flowers. These flowers come with a hefty price," Koenma warns.
"A hefty price," Hiei asks. The large screen changes visuals, revealing the flowers and shrubs sitting within a small field inside of a canyon.
"I recognize that terrain," Kurama realizes, "That's Banshee Canyon."
"Banshee Canyon? And what the hell is that," Hiei questions.
Kurama explains, "It's somewhat legendary. It is said that spirits of deceased vocalists haunt that area. Their hypnotic voices can be carried throughout its rocky walls. Once one is enchanted by their music, they'll remain there for the remainder of their lives; their bodies eventually becoming one with the flowers. For every wanderer that remains in that field, a camellia flower grows in their place."
He turns to Koenma, "You've picked an unusual and risky mission, this time. May I ask why?"
"Something to liven this place up, I guess," Koenma answers, "Just look at how boring this room is."
"You could have picked out some specimens from the gardens here, you know," Kurama crosses his arms, "I'm sure you have every species of plant known to man."
Koenma raises an eyebrow, "And how would you know that, Kurama?" Kurama laughs awkwardly.
"This is ridiculous," Hiei makes his exit, "Obviously this is something for the fox to handle. What a waste of my time."
"Hold it, Hiei," Koenma asserts, "Don't you want to hear about your payment?" That got Hiei's attention. Koenma goes on, "Both you and Kurama will be rewarded, fully, for your trouble. You have my word on that."
"I wonder how," Hiei mumbles.
"So let me get this straight. You want us to retrieve some of these camellia blossoms for office décor," Kurama reiterates.
"That's right," Koenma confirms. Kurama, too, takes his leave, "I agree with Hiei on this one. A waste of time, indeed."
"Alright, it's for a girl, okay," Koenma confesses loudly.
Both Kurama and Hiei turn to the young prince, "A girl?"
Koenma slumps down in his chair, "Yes. There's a girl in the human world whom I have a thing for. She just doesn't know it yet."
"What happened to the girl you had a thing for before," Kurama wonders.
"Things didn't work out. Turns out, I was way out of her league," Koenma stands up with pride in his eyes, "So it's time I find another! And I need your help to do it!"
Neither Hiei nor Kurama believe Koenma's story so Kurama raises the deal, "Alright, we'll get the flowers…on one condition…"
Koenma gets on his knees in front of Kurama, "Anything!"
"You have to tell us who she is," Hiei states, "including a visual."
Koenma thinks for a moment, "Are you sure?" Both Hiei and Kurama look at Koenma with sadistic eyes, "We're sure."
"Alright, it's a deal, but no teasing," Koenma insists. The demons leave the office ready to complete the task. "You would be wise not to renege on your end of the bargain," Kurama recaps to Koenma's relief.
Arriving in demon world, Hiei and Kurama discuss possible plans for the task at hand. "I take it you have an idea of what to do," Hiei alleges.
"As a matter of fact, I do," Kurama claims, "We're approaching part one."
"What's part one," Hiei looks up at the spirit fox anticipating his next answer as the two approach a swamp.
"Part one is right here," Kurama acknowledges.
"You still haven't answered my question," Hiei avows. Kurama looks amongst the trees of the area searching for useful material. After trekking across a large tree trunk, he finds what he's looking for, a sizable patch of moss.
Kurama tears off a sample for testing, "Yes. This moss will do nicely."
"Last time I checked, that is not a camellia blossom," Hiei bellows.
"I know that, Hiei," Kurama tears off a few more pieces, rolls them into tiny balls, and stuffs them in his pocket, "This moss will be of great use, trust me."
"Whatever," Hiei shrugs. They continue walking.
Using Hiei's Jagan eye, the two demons arrive at Banshee Canyon within a matter of hours. As they travel through the rocky terrain, everything seems quiet. A text shows up on Kurama's phone. Although he's in another part of reality, he was able to create the same patch on his mobile phone that he made for the landline phone back home. Kurama smiles upon reading the message.
"What's got you so giddy," Hiei looks back.
"Oh, nothing. Nothing that you would understand," Kurama retorts while typing a reply message, "Human adolescence. That's all I will say." Hiei walks slightly ahead of Kurama in a huff.
A few moments later, Kurama catches the scent of the camellia, "We're not far. I can smell them."
"You're right, we're not. I can see them," Hiei claims still using his Jagan.
"Well then, let's continue," Kurama suggests. They later approach a bridge. Sitting at the entrance is a giant sleeping demon. He's about ten feet tall with a muscular/chubby build, one horn in the middle of his forehead, long lower canines that protrude from his mouth, and bad green skin that would make the worst acne sufferers feel beautiful. Both Hiei and Kurama are disgusted by this demon's appearance. However, they choose to ignore it for the sake of the mission. "Looks like we've hit a snag," Kurama observes.
Hiei pulls out his sword, "I'll take him."
Kurama stops him, "Wait…"
Catching a whiff of two unfamiliar figures, the ugly demon wakes up from his slumber to greet the visitors. "Alright, who the hell is responsible for interrupting my nap," the creature asks looking around and scratching his stomach. The contact between his long nails and his bumpy skin causes one of the pimples to burst, spewing out jade green pus. Kurama holds a hand up to his mouth to keep from vomiting.
Hiei steps forward, "Hey, tall and ugly. Mind letting us through?"
"Huh," the demon leans forward, "Who the hell are you?"
"The ones responsible for your death if you don't let us pass," Hiei grabs the hilt of his sword again.
The obnoxious guardian blows out a gust of air upon laughing, "You two? Please. What for?"
Unfortunately inhaling the giant's breath, Kurama makes a mental note, "A shower is definitely necessary upon returning home." He then answers the question, "By letting us pass, we'll be able to gather some of the camellia blossoms that are within this area."
"Ha! You must really want to die. Those banshees are no joke," the guardian crosses his arms, "Alright, if you wanna get through, you have to answer one riddle." Both Hiei and Kurama nod in agreement. The demon gives out the riddle, "I am greater than God and more evil than Satan. The poor has me, the wealthy needs me, and if you eat me, you'll die. What am I?"
"Hm, this riddle is pathetic," Hiei boasts.
Kurama hums a short laugh, "The answer is nothing."
"Huh, well one of you is smarter than you look," complements the guardian as he steps to the side of the bridge, "You may proceed. It's your funeral." The two move on.
Nearly half of the way across, Kurama notices a collection of camellia blossoms on a cliff about one hundred feet below, "Well, we might not need to go any further."
"Hm," Hiei looks back, eventually following Kurama's direction. He notices the same patch within a few seconds. "Let's get on with it," he suggests. After making it to the other side, Hiei advises Kurama to tie his rose whip around his waist and use it as a safety cord, Kurama agrees.
As he ties the vine around Hiei's body, Kurama notices an unfamiliar scent, "That's new."
"What? What's new," Hiei looks behind him.
"Your smell. It's different than usual," Kurama leans in, "Smells feminine."
Hiei takes a couple of steps forward, "Nonsense. Your nose must be off." He later gets into position. Repelling towards the flowers, Hiei thinks to himself, "I knew I should've washed away Mukuro's scent before leaving. That fox will never let it down if he found out."
Nearly a stone's throw away from their objective, Hiei makes one small jump and lands on the cliff. As he gathers the amount of flowers requested, the ghostly sounds of singing catch his attention. At first, Hiei thinks of it as nothing more than a breeze and continues on with the mission. However, the same sounds ring through his ears once more. Now he knows for sure it's not just some wind. Kurama checks in, "Everything alright down there?" Hiei puts down the camellias for a moment to track down the source of the noise. Within the darkness of the abyss, two banshees emerge from their hiding spot. Judging by their clothing, it would be safe to assume that they were singing geishas in a former life. Hiei is immediately entranced by their song. "Hiei! Hiei, don't listen to them! Block them out," Kurama exclaims.
The phantoms make themselves known to the Jaganashi with their lyrics, "Rest now, weary traveler. Let our voices be your guide. When you've reached your destiny, we'll take care of you with pride." Hiei's eyes become dull and drowsy as the ghostly women embrace him and carry him off, removing the vine that tied him to safety.
"Hiei," Kurama thinks of a way to rescue his friend, "Damn!" Kurama stuffs his ears with the moss that he collected from the swamp. Along the way, he pulls together his rose whip and follows the party of three as they glide away. Once the three disappear into the abyss, Kurama takes action by jumping off of the top cliff. The butterfly plant wings he used before come out again, with a difference in size due to his surroundings. Able to catch up to Hiei, Kurama glides his way through the narrow canyon, thwarting off more banshees along the way.
The first two ghosts arrive at the main field of camellia blossoms with Hiei in tow. A makeshift grave has been prepared for the next victim. "Come now," the lead banshee suggests, "We've prepared a place for you." As Hiei is lured to his assumed demise, a small choir of other ghostly sirens fill the space with their song to keep Hiei under their spell. He's so deep in their trance that not even his Jagan eye can break him out. Arriving at the grave site, the lead banshee extends her arms, "Come. It's time for you to rest." Meanwhile, Kurama (hiding behind a pillar), waits for the right moment to attack.
Rose at the ready, he throws his weapon like a dart towards the singing spirits, ending their performance. "Who's there," shouts one spirit. At the same time, Hiei slowly comes to. Assessing his surroundings, Hiei takes out his sword and removes the bandage from his forehead, revealing his Jagan.
"I think I've had enough music for one lifetime," he states, "Now it's my turn to run the show."
Kurama emerges from his hiding spot with his whip in hand, "How about we make this a duet?"
"Ha! Sounds like a deal," Hiei agrees.
A collection of more than a dozen banshees surround the two demons. Kurama hands Hiei the remaining moss balls, "Here, you'll need these."
"What for," Hiei takes the offering.
"Part two of the plan: Ear plugs," Kurama answers. The spirits attack while Hiei prepares himself. The two demons engage themselves in a soiree of whip and sword swinging. Unfortunately, their weapons prove ineffective as they slide through the ghouls as if cutting through air. "Kinda reminds you of Maze Castle doesn't it, Hiei," Kurama leaps away from danger.
"Ridiculous…this is nothing…like Maze Castle," Hiei continues swinging. The banshees uses their voices to take control of the situation once again. It's useless, the mossy earplugs Kurama made perform their job flawlessly.
Getting a little winded and running out of options, both Kurama and Hiei stand back-to-back to figure out a way to vanquish their opponents and gather the camellias that stand a few feet from them. "Perhaps your dragon would suffice," Kurama recommends.
Hiei smiles confidently as he removes the binding on his arm, "Good idea." The dragon rises from its slumber ready to strike as all of the banshees come together for one last attack. "I hope that was your final number," Hiei releases his finishing move, "DRAGON…OF…THE DARKNESS FLAME!" In one fell swoop, the dragon devours the ghostly women. As it returns to Hiei's arm, Kurama gathers an armful of camellias. The last one he picked, he sticks in his hair to be used for later. "Are we done here," Hiei secures his bandages.
"Yes. I believe we have what we came for," Kurama smiles in satisfaction.
Hiei removes the earplugs and stuffs his hands in his pockets, "Fine, let's go."
Later that day, Hiei and Kurama return to spirit world with the objective in their hands. Koenma is elated at the sight, "Ha, ha-ha, ha! I knew I can count on the two of you!" He prances around his office with the bouquet in his possession.
Hiei is annoyed while Kurama displays an awkward smile, "I take it you're satisfied?"
"You bet'cha," Koenma continues to celebrate, imagining the possible reactions from his secret crush, "She is gonna love these! Then she'll love me," he raises his eyebrows towards the demons.
"Speaking of, don't you have your end of the bargain to hold up," Hiei asks.
Koenma stops dancing, "Say what, now?"
Kurama crosses his arms, "You promised, Koenma. Now, who's the lucky girl? Better yet, who will be the lucky girl?"
"Oh, right. The girl," Koenma returns to his chair, "Well…she doesn't know yet, like I said, so no teasing, alright."
"That depends on the girl," Hiei answers.
"C'mon, Koenma. Show us already," Kurama urges.
Koenma sighs, "Fine." Taking a remote out from a desk drawer, Koenma turns on the big screen.
When the static clears, the face of Koenma's intended is revealed. Hiei is unimpressed, Kurama is surprised. "Koenma? Are you sure she's the right girl," Kurama tries to remain calm.
"Yes, that's her," Koenma answers as he swoons over his unknown lady love, "Isn't she beautiful?"
Kurama clenches his fists as Hiei observes the spirit fox's behavior, "Koenma, I cannot believe…"
"Is something wrong," Koenma grows concerned.
"That young woman happens to be someone I have plans to go on a date with," Kurama growls, "That date is scheduled for today."
Koenma stands up, "Aw, c'mon Kurama. If it makes you feel better, I-I think you have excellent taste in women." He slowly steps away from his desk.
A dark aura surrounds Kurama, "I have been trying to ask her out on a date for two weeks. And you think you can just slide in and just take her away from me in one day," he pulls out his rose whip.
"E-easy there, Kurama. You won't get your payment if you hurt me," Koenma continues to walk backwards towards the door.
"I've had my doubts about compensation. With that said, tearing you limb from limb will suffice for me," Kurama snaps his whip.
Koenma makes a break for it, "Ahhhhhhh!" Kurama chases after him. The entire sequence is amusing to Hiei.
He stands in the hallway watching Kurama throw his whip towards Koenma. "Make sure you give him a couple of snaps for me," he encourages.
HO-HO-HO! Merry Christmas! This chapter is my Secret Santa gift for one of the members of the YYH Fanfiction Writers & Readers Group on Facebook. I hope you enjoyed it as much as she does.
