Chapter 5: the mysterious helper
"This is the place," said the ogre. Many were gathered around. "We'll take it from here," said Kurama, "Everyone!" he yelled, "Please calmly exit the area." Most of them started to obey immediately, but some didn't seem to want to leave. Then one voice called out. "Who are you to tell us what to do?" "We are investigators asked by lord Koenma to come here," Kurama explained calmly. The rest of the bystanders left to get back to their lives. "Darn," said Kurama, "I had hoped this wouldn't happen." "Did I miss something," asked Kuwabara still vexed by the fact that he had been put even farther down the ladder. "If the thief left any tracks they have been covered by the other ones," said Kurama. "Yet there is still a chance." he seemed to be talking to himself while he walked to the other side. "Hiei, did you see anyone go this way?" he asked. "No," admitted Hiei. "But I didn't think there were any houses that way." "There aren't," muttered Kurama. Hiei saw his plan and jumped up to the roof. "How about you Yusuke?" "Nope," said Yusuke, "I took note of that." He looked into the house and saw a crying family, he pitied them. "Aren't you going to ask me," asked Kuwabara. "Actually I was hope you'd just tell me," snapped Kurama. Kuwabara was getting on his nerves. "Oh, well I did see a suspicious shadow. It seemed to watch us, and then it melted back into the house shadow," he responded. Kurama quickly turned as a figure appeared. They were covered with a long black hooded cape that completely masked their identity. "You should listen to the idiot, he's right. I was the shadow that he saw," the stranger said. The voice sounded familiar to Kurama, but he couldn't quite place it. "Do-do I know you?" asked Kurama. He tried to peer under the hood. "Yes," said the stranger, "But for now my identity will remain hidden." Kurama nodded. "So, what is it you want," asked Hiei. "I want to be included in your search," he said. Kurama thought for a moment. All eyes watched him. He started thinking about who this stranger was. "Well," he finally said, "As long as it's ok with Koenma." Kuwabara walked closer to him. "Could you guys excuse me and Kurama a minute?" he asked. They all nodded, and Kurama started following him. "What do you need Kuwabara?" asked Kurama. "Why are you letting him come with us? We don't even know who he is!" exclaimed Kuwabara. "That may be true," admitted Kurama, "For now.but I do believe I know him. His voice, I've definitely heard it before." Kuwabara sighed. Kurama pulled out a communication device, and contacted Koenma. He explained what was going on and Koenma allowed him to include the stranger in the group as long as he was watched carefully. Then Kurama asked if Kuwabara could be suspended for a while. He was speaking so the others wouldn't hear. When asked why he responded that Kuwabara didn't seem to trust his judgment. Koenma said it was OK, and to send him over. "Hey Kuwabara, go to Koenma, you're needed." "Fine," said Kuwabara. He left in no apparent hurry.
"This is the place," said the ogre. Many were gathered around. "We'll take it from here," said Kurama, "Everyone!" he yelled, "Please calmly exit the area." Most of them started to obey immediately, but some didn't seem to want to leave. Then one voice called out. "Who are you to tell us what to do?" "We are investigators asked by lord Koenma to come here," Kurama explained calmly. The rest of the bystanders left to get back to their lives. "Darn," said Kurama, "I had hoped this wouldn't happen." "Did I miss something," asked Kuwabara still vexed by the fact that he had been put even farther down the ladder. "If the thief left any tracks they have been covered by the other ones," said Kurama. "Yet there is still a chance." he seemed to be talking to himself while he walked to the other side. "Hiei, did you see anyone go this way?" he asked. "No," admitted Hiei. "But I didn't think there were any houses that way." "There aren't," muttered Kurama. Hiei saw his plan and jumped up to the roof. "How about you Yusuke?" "Nope," said Yusuke, "I took note of that." He looked into the house and saw a crying family, he pitied them. "Aren't you going to ask me," asked Kuwabara. "Actually I was hope you'd just tell me," snapped Kurama. Kuwabara was getting on his nerves. "Oh, well I did see a suspicious shadow. It seemed to watch us, and then it melted back into the house shadow," he responded. Kurama quickly turned as a figure appeared. They were covered with a long black hooded cape that completely masked their identity. "You should listen to the idiot, he's right. I was the shadow that he saw," the stranger said. The voice sounded familiar to Kurama, but he couldn't quite place it. "Do-do I know you?" asked Kurama. He tried to peer under the hood. "Yes," said the stranger, "But for now my identity will remain hidden." Kurama nodded. "So, what is it you want," asked Hiei. "I want to be included in your search," he said. Kurama thought for a moment. All eyes watched him. He started thinking about who this stranger was. "Well," he finally said, "As long as it's ok with Koenma." Kuwabara walked closer to him. "Could you guys excuse me and Kurama a minute?" he asked. They all nodded, and Kurama started following him. "What do you need Kuwabara?" asked Kurama. "Why are you letting him come with us? We don't even know who he is!" exclaimed Kuwabara. "That may be true," admitted Kurama, "For now.but I do believe I know him. His voice, I've definitely heard it before." Kuwabara sighed. Kurama pulled out a communication device, and contacted Koenma. He explained what was going on and Koenma allowed him to include the stranger in the group as long as he was watched carefully. Then Kurama asked if Kuwabara could be suspended for a while. He was speaking so the others wouldn't hear. When asked why he responded that Kuwabara didn't seem to trust his judgment. Koenma said it was OK, and to send him over. "Hey Kuwabara, go to Koenma, you're needed." "Fine," said Kuwabara. He left in no apparent hurry.