(3 hours later)
Uzina sat at the table, playing the card game, war, with Togoru, when Kaido walked in the door.
"Where are the people you wanted me to fight?" he growled as his ears twitched irritably and his tail swished through the air.
"Patience, Kaido, "Uzina said, not even looking at him, "I have them trapped in a glade near here," she lifted a mirror that showed the scene of the four of the five spirit detectives sitting in a clearing, talking. The fifth one, the young fire demon, was jumping around with incredible speed, trying to burn down the forest, to no avail.
"Hn," Kaido chuckled, "These are the five you want me to fight? Pathetic! They're only children, fifteen at the oldest."
"Don't underestimate them, Kaido," Uzina warned as she stood to go outside, "Their ki is very strong, and they're some of Kuenma's best fighters. I wouldn't have summoned you if they weren't a challenge."
Togoru rose to and followed Uzina outside. He had never liked Kaido, who always treated him badly when Uzina's back was turned. Kaido aimed a kick at Togoru, but stopped when Uzina turned to her servant.
"Come, Togoru," Uzina said, "We must deliver the artifacts to Yomi. Quickly, go get my pack."
Togoru hurried to her bedside, but was tripped as Kaido stuck out his foot.
"Kaido!" Uzina snapped; she had seen it happen, "Don't you dare hurt Togoru! He's my servant, not yours."
Kaido grumbled, but made no other remarks. They walked outside, where Uzina shouldered her pack.
"Kaido," she said, "I have no money to pay you with, but, if you succeed in beating those detectives, I will give you a fraction of the money I earn from this deal."
With that, she and Togoru ran off at an easy pace to the opposite side of the forest. Kaido watched them go with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face.
'If I beat them,' he thought to himself, 'Hmph! Who does she think she's talking to? They may be strong, but I've never lost a fight. They'll get the beating of their lives.'
Just as he was thinking this, he felt five kies coming through the forest to him. Uzina had freed them from the glade as soon as she and Togoru had been a mile away. Kaido looked at his new adversaries. One of them he recognized as the uptight fire demon that had been trying to burn the forest down. Two of them were human; one with almost orange hair, and the other had black. There was another human looking figure, but Kaido could tell by his ki that he was a youko. What surprised Kaido most was that there was a girl. She hung back behind the youko-human, making it seem that she wasn't a fighter. But in her eyes Kaido saw an angry fire burn in her bright orange eyes. Kaido couldn't tell what she was, but figured she was a demon.
"Where're the artifacts?" the black-haired human asked.
"If you are referring to the toys that my cousin took with her on her journey, then they are far away from here," Kaido said, taking pleasure in the shocked looks on all the teenagers faces, especially the youko's and the girl's, "But I highly doubt that that is your main concern. You see, my cousin kindly asked me to guard her house until she came back from her trip. I happily obliged, and will protect this house with my life."
"Give us the artifacts," the fire demon growled and pulled out a sword. Simultaneously, the orange-haired human made a spirit sword and the girl took off running towards the house.
Kaido bent down and picked up a good-sized rock. Swiftly, he chucked it at her head.
"Kate look out!" the youko yelled, but it was too late. The rock connected to her skull with a sickening crack, causing her to fall to the ground, "Kaita!" the youko shouted and moved to the girl.
Kaido pulled a knife out of his cloak and threw it near the girl's head. It landed three centimeters from her skull, slicing half of her bangs close to her face.
Kaido crossed to the girl and tugged his knife out of the ground. Then he pulled the girl up on her feet by her shirt collar. She was starting to come back into consciousness, and groaned as he dragged her over to a tree and tied her up with a rope that he had brought.
Turning back to the four boys, Kaido addressed them, "If any of you try anything, she will die.
* * * * *
Uzina and Togoru sprinted the short distance from her house to Yomi's castle. She was one of his many subjects, and one of his more faithful ones. She always gave him the things she stole from her victims. And in turn he gave her free leave to steal on his property.
"Wow, his castle's big," Togoru said as he looked up at the battlements.
"Yes it is," Uzina said and tugged his arm, "Come on, its not polite to stair."
They hurried through the gates and up to the grand door. There they were stopped by the guards.
"You cannot pass here," one of them said.
"Well then," Uzina replied, "I suppose Yomi won't want these seven powerful and dangerous artifacts I snagged from a youko earlier today? Then I'll just leave." She turned around.
The guards looked at each other. "Wait!" they called, "I'm sure he'll allow you to come through."
Uzina smiled triumphantly at Togoru and marched smartly up the steps. The guards led them through a twisting set of passageways to Yomi's throne room.
"What is your name Ms?" one of the guards asked.
"Uzina," she said proudly and shook her head of long red hair, "This is my servant Togoru."
The guard knocked on the throne room door.
"Who's there?" called a muffled male voice.
"Ms. Uzina and her servant Togoru, my lord," the guard called.
The door burst open and there stood Yomi in all his splendor. Uzina bowed and everyone else followed suit, "My lord Yomi," she said with eyes downcast.
Yomi extended one hand and cupped it around her chin, tilting her face upwards, "Uzina," he said simply. Then he turned and marched back into the room to sit on his throne. He beckoned Uzina and Togoru forward and then bade the guards shut the door. Then he said, "What have you brought for me this time my loyal supplier?"
"Uzina took each of the items out of her pack. All of them were weapons of some shape or another that could do great harm if they fell into the wrong hands. Uzina, who had no wish to destroy any world or kingdom, was merely a middleman of sorts to those, like Yomi, who wanted them for more sinister things.
"You have never disappointed me before and I'm pleased to say you haven't now.
* * * * *
Yuusuke was the first to attack Kaido.
"Spirit gun!" he yelled and fired a blast of spirit energy at the pure youko. It connected with his shoulder, leaving the pure youko's right arm temporarily useless.
"Why you!" Kaido said and tried to attack Yuusuke, but Hiei got behind him and struck him in the neck. Kurama, meanwhile, dashed forward, trying to get to Kaita so he could free her. But Kaido threw a seed that caused a man-eating plant to spring up between the human/youko and his girlfriend. Kurama tried to dodge the plant's many mouths, but couldn't
"Yuusuke" Hiei, seeing that Kurama was in trouble, "You and Kuwabara take Kaido. Kurama and I will deal with this over grown weed and free Kaita." He darted off to help Kurama.
But Kaido had a different idea. He threw three more seeds causing various species of man-eating plants to appear and challenge the spirit detectives.
Kurama's plant had one large bright orange head with a mouth ringed with saliva-dripping teeth. Its leaves had suction cups on them so that it could hold its victims. The leaves were wide for swiping at pray and the tips had paralyzing vines them it to capture pray. It swiped at Kurama and them opened its mouth to grab him from the ground. Kurama leapt up onto the back of the neck of the plant trying to confuse it. The plant swung its head back, throwing Kurama from its neck and making him land on the ground hard on his side. The plant lifted up Kurama in its leaves and held him open over its mouth. Kurama looked over to his friends to see if they were having better luck.
Hiei was dodging any attempt of his plant's lunges. He leapt back and made his plant slam into a tree. Then he sunk his sword deep into the plants stem. The plant roared and struggled, finally managing to throw Hiei to the ground. He caught himself from falling, but barely. The giant plant slammed a purple flower into Hiei, stunning him. Then the petals closed over the back of Hiei's body so that he couldn't move.
Kaita, meanwhile, had come to. She chewed through the ropes that bound her to the tree, and then they broke away. She jumped up. Not saying anything, she crept behind Kaido and pulled out one of her throwing knives. She snuck closer and closer to him until she was finally able to put him in a strangle hold with her knife.
"Unhand me you -" Kaido shouted, but Kaita silenced him by tightening her grip on his neck.
"Shut up," she murmured, then she turned to the plants, "Look here," she yelled, "I have your little youko master all tied up. What would you do if my hand just happened to slip," she smiled, "And I accidentally slit his throat? What would you little plants do?"
The plants dropped their victims and moved toward Kaita. The other spirit detectives took the chance to finish off the plants. Kaita grinned evilly at Kaido, "Well, now I guess we know that plants do have feelings. How about you just leave this little house and go back into the little hole you crawled from."
"How about not," Kaido spun and slammed one of his fists into her stomach. Kaita gasped as she was thrown backwards into Kurama's waiting arms.
"Thanks," she managed to say and smiled at the redhead.
"No problem," Kurama's eyes sparkled as he helped her to stand then they both turned back to the youko in front of them.
But before any of them could do anything, Uzina landed between the fighters.
"Kaido," she snapped, "I see you failed to defeat these little spirit detectives. I thought I told you not to underestimate them!"
"Five on one is hardly fare, little cousin," Kaido sneered.
"Fare! FARE!" Uzina screeched, "I've seen you take on twenty high A-class demons and win. There is no way you can say that the odds aren't fair." With that, she stretched out her arm and directed a vine to wrap around Kuwabara's neck.
"Guys!" he yelled in a strangled call as the vine pulled him backward away from his comrades.
"Kuwabara!" Yuusuke yelled and ran after his friend, but was stopped in his tracks by another wall of unburnable vines. Kaita attempted to jump the wall, but one of the top vines reached out and slammed her down to the ground. Kurama caught her just before she hit.
Kaita laughed shakily, "Looks like I just can't win today," she said and fainted.
Kurama set her on the ground and got behind her so that her head could rest against his chest. Now only Yuusuke and Hiei could fight the strange youko cousins.
* * * * *
Uzina sat at the table, playing the card game, war, with Togoru, when Kaido walked in the door.
"Where are the people you wanted me to fight?" he growled as his ears twitched irritably and his tail swished through the air.
"Patience, Kaido, "Uzina said, not even looking at him, "I have them trapped in a glade near here," she lifted a mirror that showed the scene of the four of the five spirit detectives sitting in a clearing, talking. The fifth one, the young fire demon, was jumping around with incredible speed, trying to burn down the forest, to no avail.
"Hn," Kaido chuckled, "These are the five you want me to fight? Pathetic! They're only children, fifteen at the oldest."
"Don't underestimate them, Kaido," Uzina warned as she stood to go outside, "Their ki is very strong, and they're some of Kuenma's best fighters. I wouldn't have summoned you if they weren't a challenge."
Togoru rose to and followed Uzina outside. He had never liked Kaido, who always treated him badly when Uzina's back was turned. Kaido aimed a kick at Togoru, but stopped when Uzina turned to her servant.
"Come, Togoru," Uzina said, "We must deliver the artifacts to Yomi. Quickly, go get my pack."
Togoru hurried to her bedside, but was tripped as Kaido stuck out his foot.
"Kaido!" Uzina snapped; she had seen it happen, "Don't you dare hurt Togoru! He's my servant, not yours."
Kaido grumbled, but made no other remarks. They walked outside, where Uzina shouldered her pack.
"Kaido," she said, "I have no money to pay you with, but, if you succeed in beating those detectives, I will give you a fraction of the money I earn from this deal."
With that, she and Togoru ran off at an easy pace to the opposite side of the forest. Kaido watched them go with his arms crossed and a smug expression on his face.
'If I beat them,' he thought to himself, 'Hmph! Who does she think she's talking to? They may be strong, but I've never lost a fight. They'll get the beating of their lives.'
Just as he was thinking this, he felt five kies coming through the forest to him. Uzina had freed them from the glade as soon as she and Togoru had been a mile away. Kaido looked at his new adversaries. One of them he recognized as the uptight fire demon that had been trying to burn the forest down. Two of them were human; one with almost orange hair, and the other had black. There was another human looking figure, but Kaido could tell by his ki that he was a youko. What surprised Kaido most was that there was a girl. She hung back behind the youko-human, making it seem that she wasn't a fighter. But in her eyes Kaido saw an angry fire burn in her bright orange eyes. Kaido couldn't tell what she was, but figured she was a demon.
"Where're the artifacts?" the black-haired human asked.
"If you are referring to the toys that my cousin took with her on her journey, then they are far away from here," Kaido said, taking pleasure in the shocked looks on all the teenagers faces, especially the youko's and the girl's, "But I highly doubt that that is your main concern. You see, my cousin kindly asked me to guard her house until she came back from her trip. I happily obliged, and will protect this house with my life."
"Give us the artifacts," the fire demon growled and pulled out a sword. Simultaneously, the orange-haired human made a spirit sword and the girl took off running towards the house.
Kaido bent down and picked up a good-sized rock. Swiftly, he chucked it at her head.
"Kate look out!" the youko yelled, but it was too late. The rock connected to her skull with a sickening crack, causing her to fall to the ground, "Kaita!" the youko shouted and moved to the girl.
Kaido pulled a knife out of his cloak and threw it near the girl's head. It landed three centimeters from her skull, slicing half of her bangs close to her face.
Kaido crossed to the girl and tugged his knife out of the ground. Then he pulled the girl up on her feet by her shirt collar. She was starting to come back into consciousness, and groaned as he dragged her over to a tree and tied her up with a rope that he had brought.
Turning back to the four boys, Kaido addressed them, "If any of you try anything, she will die.
* * * * *
Uzina and Togoru sprinted the short distance from her house to Yomi's castle. She was one of his many subjects, and one of his more faithful ones. She always gave him the things she stole from her victims. And in turn he gave her free leave to steal on his property.
"Wow, his castle's big," Togoru said as he looked up at the battlements.
"Yes it is," Uzina said and tugged his arm, "Come on, its not polite to stair."
They hurried through the gates and up to the grand door. There they were stopped by the guards.
"You cannot pass here," one of them said.
"Well then," Uzina replied, "I suppose Yomi won't want these seven powerful and dangerous artifacts I snagged from a youko earlier today? Then I'll just leave." She turned around.
The guards looked at each other. "Wait!" they called, "I'm sure he'll allow you to come through."
Uzina smiled triumphantly at Togoru and marched smartly up the steps. The guards led them through a twisting set of passageways to Yomi's throne room.
"What is your name Ms?" one of the guards asked.
"Uzina," she said proudly and shook her head of long red hair, "This is my servant Togoru."
The guard knocked on the throne room door.
"Who's there?" called a muffled male voice.
"Ms. Uzina and her servant Togoru, my lord," the guard called.
The door burst open and there stood Yomi in all his splendor. Uzina bowed and everyone else followed suit, "My lord Yomi," she said with eyes downcast.
Yomi extended one hand and cupped it around her chin, tilting her face upwards, "Uzina," he said simply. Then he turned and marched back into the room to sit on his throne. He beckoned Uzina and Togoru forward and then bade the guards shut the door. Then he said, "What have you brought for me this time my loyal supplier?"
"Uzina took each of the items out of her pack. All of them were weapons of some shape or another that could do great harm if they fell into the wrong hands. Uzina, who had no wish to destroy any world or kingdom, was merely a middleman of sorts to those, like Yomi, who wanted them for more sinister things.
"You have never disappointed me before and I'm pleased to say you haven't now.
* * * * *
Yuusuke was the first to attack Kaido.
"Spirit gun!" he yelled and fired a blast of spirit energy at the pure youko. It connected with his shoulder, leaving the pure youko's right arm temporarily useless.
"Why you!" Kaido said and tried to attack Yuusuke, but Hiei got behind him and struck him in the neck. Kurama, meanwhile, dashed forward, trying to get to Kaita so he could free her. But Kaido threw a seed that caused a man-eating plant to spring up between the human/youko and his girlfriend. Kurama tried to dodge the plant's many mouths, but couldn't
"Yuusuke" Hiei, seeing that Kurama was in trouble, "You and Kuwabara take Kaido. Kurama and I will deal with this over grown weed and free Kaita." He darted off to help Kurama.
But Kaido had a different idea. He threw three more seeds causing various species of man-eating plants to appear and challenge the spirit detectives.
Kurama's plant had one large bright orange head with a mouth ringed with saliva-dripping teeth. Its leaves had suction cups on them so that it could hold its victims. The leaves were wide for swiping at pray and the tips had paralyzing vines them it to capture pray. It swiped at Kurama and them opened its mouth to grab him from the ground. Kurama leapt up onto the back of the neck of the plant trying to confuse it. The plant swung its head back, throwing Kurama from its neck and making him land on the ground hard on his side. The plant lifted up Kurama in its leaves and held him open over its mouth. Kurama looked over to his friends to see if they were having better luck.
Hiei was dodging any attempt of his plant's lunges. He leapt back and made his plant slam into a tree. Then he sunk his sword deep into the plants stem. The plant roared and struggled, finally managing to throw Hiei to the ground. He caught himself from falling, but barely. The giant plant slammed a purple flower into Hiei, stunning him. Then the petals closed over the back of Hiei's body so that he couldn't move.
Kaita, meanwhile, had come to. She chewed through the ropes that bound her to the tree, and then they broke away. She jumped up. Not saying anything, she crept behind Kaido and pulled out one of her throwing knives. She snuck closer and closer to him until she was finally able to put him in a strangle hold with her knife.
"Unhand me you -" Kaido shouted, but Kaita silenced him by tightening her grip on his neck.
"Shut up," she murmured, then she turned to the plants, "Look here," she yelled, "I have your little youko master all tied up. What would you do if my hand just happened to slip," she smiled, "And I accidentally slit his throat? What would you little plants do?"
The plants dropped their victims and moved toward Kaita. The other spirit detectives took the chance to finish off the plants. Kaita grinned evilly at Kaido, "Well, now I guess we know that plants do have feelings. How about you just leave this little house and go back into the little hole you crawled from."
"How about not," Kaido spun and slammed one of his fists into her stomach. Kaita gasped as she was thrown backwards into Kurama's waiting arms.
"Thanks," she managed to say and smiled at the redhead.
"No problem," Kurama's eyes sparkled as he helped her to stand then they both turned back to the youko in front of them.
But before any of them could do anything, Uzina landed between the fighters.
"Kaido," she snapped, "I see you failed to defeat these little spirit detectives. I thought I told you not to underestimate them!"
"Five on one is hardly fare, little cousin," Kaido sneered.
"Fare! FARE!" Uzina screeched, "I've seen you take on twenty high A-class demons and win. There is no way you can say that the odds aren't fair." With that, she stretched out her arm and directed a vine to wrap around Kuwabara's neck.
"Guys!" he yelled in a strangled call as the vine pulled him backward away from his comrades.
"Kuwabara!" Yuusuke yelled and ran after his friend, but was stopped in his tracks by another wall of unburnable vines. Kaita attempted to jump the wall, but one of the top vines reached out and slammed her down to the ground. Kurama caught her just before she hit.
Kaita laughed shakily, "Looks like I just can't win today," she said and fainted.
Kurama set her on the ground and got behind her so that her head could rest against his chest. Now only Yuusuke and Hiei could fight the strange youko cousins.
* * * * *