odds3

A/N: Third part. Finally! I get to write something about the villain's plans. And I forgot to mention last chapter, I have a ruling for my fics when it comes to italics and borders. The italicized portions represent the thoughts of the character, not their words while the norders represent scene changes. That's just to clear things up. Now let's get on with it.

LOVE DEFIES ALL ODDS

by Seiyo

Chapter 3

Early in the morning the Reikai tantei and Koenma assembled in the garden. Koenma was discussing what they are about to do.

"It would be best for us—"

"Us?" Kuwabara interrupted.

"Yes, I would be going with you in this mission." Koenma answered patiently.

"Oh, okay," Kuwabara shrugged, "That's fine with me."

"Good. Now, as I was saying, we should head for Makai as soon as possible."

Kurama nodded, "We should stop Akuma from gathering forces."

"Makai is a big place. Do you know exactly where we could find them?" Yusuke asked

"Actually, no," Koenma shook his head then glanced at Hiei, "but that won't be much of a problem."

"Hn."

"For the moment, you can roam around or train with your ki."

Upon hearing this, Hiei quickly disappeared towards the direction of the forest while the other three headed to the palace.

"Good Morning!" the cheerful greeting made them turn.

"Good morning to you too, Botan" Yusuke returned her greeting.

"So, how are things going?" Botan asked them.

"Everything's fine so far," Kurama smiled at her, "We'll be going to Makai soon."

"Oh, I see," she looked down then asked, "Where is Koenma-sama?"

"We left him there at the garden."

"Thank you," then she walked away.

Botan crept up slowly behind Koenma who was standing near the clearing to the forest, staring straight ahead.

"Koenma-sama…" she called his name softly as she came nearer.

He turned gently. "What is it Botan?"

"Nothing," she shrugged, "I heard from Kurama that you're going to Makai."

"Yes, we'd be going in a little while," he turned towards the clearing once more.

"I want to come with you."

"What?!!" Koenma upon hearing Botan turned to face her.

Botan took a deep breath, "I said I want to come with you. Something about this mission is bugging me and I feel like I have to be there."

"No, Botan," Koenma shook his head, "You may not come with us. You have to stay here where you'll be safe."

"Why can't I?" Botan looked at her pleadingly, "Yusuke and the others will be there. You will be there. I'll be safe with all of you around. My heart is telling me that I have to be there. Something is going to happen. I can feel it. Please Koenma-sama, it's very important for me to be there."

Koenma stepped closer to her, held her shoulders and looked straight into her eye, "Botan, as much as I want you to go with us, I can't let you. Being with the five of us is not a guarantee that we can keep you from harm while we're there. Coming to Makai alone is a great risk, being there for a mission would mean great danger. My heart tells me that you should be here, safe from any harm and it would put my mind at ease knowing that you're in a place where you cannot be hurt."

"But Koenma…"

"My answer is final Botan, you may not go with us," he turned and walked away.

Botan's eyes followed Koenma's retreating back. When he has finally gone out of her eyesight, she bowed her head. I can't stay here, I have to be there in Makai with him. That's the only way that I can be assured that nothing bad could happen. She took a deep breath and looked straight ahead, "I'm sorry Koenma, but this time, I would have to disobey you." She followed the direction that Koenma took.

The others were already waiting for him when Koenma arrived at the forest clearing. They are about to use the gateway that would bring them to the Makai.

"Ready?" Koenma acknowledged them with a question.

"What took you so long?" Yusuke looked at him inquiringly.

"I was pondering over something," Koenma tried to evade the question.

"By the way, Botan was asking about you. Did you see her?" Kurama informed him.

"Yes, she had to tell me something," he looked away.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kuwabara asked impatiently.

"Keep your cool will you," Yusuke told him off.

"Hn, stupid ningen," Hiei mumbled.

"What did you say?!!" Kuwabara quickly reacted and another word battle started between the two.

Kurama sighed and rolled his eyes, "Stop it will you. We have some business to do." He spoke as he tried to get the two away from each other.

"Let's go," Koenma told them after Kurama succeeded in separating Hiei and Kuwabara.

The five stepped into the gateway, which swallowed them into a new dimension. They didn't notice the slim, blue-haired girl slip into the gateway a while earlier.

"Well," Yusuke spoke first after seeing all of them have arrived, "here we are."

"What do we do now?" Kuwabara inquired.

"We look for Akuma," Kurama looked at him.

"Hiei, will you use your jagan and try to find her," Koenma glanced at Hiei.

Hiei on the other hand was already ahead of them. He started to feel forces collecting on his jagan.

"Someone's staying nearby," he mumbled.

"Do you think that's Akuma?" Yusuke questioned.

"I am not sure. I can sense some kind of power, but it is not that great," Hiei answered and turned to gaze at a shrubby corner. The leaves of the plant rustled slightly.

"I guess we're about to find out soon," Kurama said as they approached the bushes.

Botan quickly hid herself in the bushes upon stepping into the Makai.

"Whew, I made it," she sighed to herself.

This was her idea. If Koenma wouldn't let her come with them then, she would have to take matters into her own hands and sneak into the portal. That way, she can be in Makai without Koenma knowing it. Just then, she heard someone speak. That's Yusuke, they've already arrived! Don't worry Botan, she assured herself, they can't find you. Not if they don't even know you're here.

"Come out whoever you are!" Botan heard Yusuke shout

Oh no, they can't find me, she thought to herself as she held her breath upon hearing footsteps coming towards them. She almost gasped when a pair of hands parted the bushes nearby.

"Well, what do we have here?" Yusuke, apparently surprised lifted something and faced the others, "It's a cute little raccoon."

Botan let out a sigh of relief and held on to her crystal. Oh God, thank you.

"Why Hiei, I didn't know you had a knack in finding raccoons," Kuwabara told him teasingly.

"Hn," Hiei turned away folding his arms across his chest.

"I guess it's a false alarm after all," Kurama shrugged.

"Yeah, and I think Hiei's jagan didn't work well that time," Kuwabara added in a mocking tone.

"What did you say!" this time Hiei turned at him.

"Hey, hey, the two of you, don't start all over again," Yusuke quickly came between the two.

"Yusuke's right," Koenma turned at them, "We have to keep on going and find Akuma. Time's not on our side. We have to put a stop to her before she gathers more forces."

Hiei and Kuwabara finally separated.

"Fine, let's go," Kuwabara walked away.

Shaking their heads, the others followed him. Hiei looked hesitant.

Kurama called him, "Come on Hiei, we need to go now."

Hiei finally followed but kept glancing back at the bushes. He could still feel the power coming from that direction.

@@@

"Why can't we find her?" Yusuke sighed exasperatedly.

"Beats me," Kuwabara yawned, "ask the one with the jagan," he motioned towards Hiei.

Amazingly, Hiei didn't respond as if distracted by some presence.

"We better rest for a while," Koenma voiced out, "We've been walking for hours. There is a possibility that Akuma had created some barrier to keep anyone from finding her premises."

Before anyone could say another word, Hiei had climbed up a tree and settled on a branch then he looked at the others and said, "Just wake me up if ever you need me."

As Yusuke and Kuwabara settled down, Kurama approached Koenma. "Is there something bothering you?" he asked after noticing the distracted look on the prince's face.

Koenma turned to look at him then let out a sigh, "I'm just a bit worried about this mission. We don't know the extent of the abilities that Akuma has and right now, we don't even know where she is, when she'll strike and why."

"I'm sure we'll find her sooner or later," Kurama tried to assure him.

"I hope you're right," Koenma responded

In a cave near the place where Koenma's group was staying, a blonde woman, slim and clad in red velvet robes, possessing attractive features sat on a beautifully carved chair. On her foot a man with graying hair genuflected.

"Lady Akuma, we have received word that six intruders, five men and a lady have entered Makai and are staying near the cave," the man spoke.

"Intruders you say, and does anyone know them by any chance?" the woman inquired.

"I heard from some of our recruits that these men handled their own power and that they had competed in the Ankoku Bojutsukai and that they had won." The man answered, not changing his position.

"Interesting," the woman raised an eyebrow, "Do you think they pose a threat to us Shinichi?"

"There is a possibility that they may have been sent here to put a stop to our gathering forces," the man called Shinichi responded while Akuma, upon hearing the reply, straightened from her position.

"Stand up and come closer," after Shinichi obeyed her orders, Akuma continued, "Now tell me. What made you think that they were sent here to stop me?"

"My lady, I have gathered from my inquiry that four of the men are in direct contact to the Reikai and they have already been sent in other missions. The other man is the Prince of Reikai himself, Koenma Daiou," Shinichi informed Akuma.

"The prince huh? And what about the woman, does she have powers too?" Akuma curiously added, obviously intrigued by the information.

"We do not know the woman. It's somehow strange because she doesn't seem to be travelling with the five men. The moment she arrived, she hid herself and have been following the five secretly eversince," Shinichi willingly replied then asked, "Should we do anything about them?"

"I don't think there's a need for violence," she drawled and stood up, "I'm sure they're looking for us. I guess it's time for them to meet me in person," Akuma spoke, as a devilish smile formed on her lips.