+----+ Chapter 5: Beginning of a Turbulent Battle! Reikai is Invaded +----+
Shinrai groaned softly, wondering what had happened. The last thing he could remember was defeating Kakitome, and then everything went black. He tried to sit up, and found that his wounds had all been healed - not a scratch was on him. As he sat up, he noticed a handsome young man sitting in the bed next to him. The man was wearing long, stylish robes and had a pacifier in his mouth for some bizarre reason. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was Koenma, Shinrai thought to himself. The man noticed Shinrai's movements and turned to face him.
"Good to see that you're awake, Shinrai-kun," the man said in a calm voice, "Congratulations on your victory, and thank you for saving Tokyo from Kakitome's raiding party. But still, you need your rest."
"Are you.... Koenma?" asked Shinrai uncertainly, afraid of offending the young man. The man simply nodded, and, in a burst of smoke, the Koenma Shinrai was familiar with appeared.
"I use this form to go out in public," explained Koenma, "but I decided to show it to you as my way of giving my respect. Not many people see my like that."
Koenma cleared his throat, and began to speak again. "Anyway, you're probably wondering where you are right now, correct? This is the medical recovery center at Reikai. I ordered you and the others here for treatment after the battle. Your wounds were severe, but they were easily mended." "So, I'm in the spiritual world now?" asked Shinrai.
"Correct. Or, more precisely, a sort of mid-point between life and the afterlife. This isn't the sort of spiritual world with specters and dead old people or anything wandering around. We here at the Reikai Administration determine a soul's path in life - good or evil - and thus their path in the afterlife - Heaven or Hell. It's certainly a difficult job at times, with some souls...." Koenma sighed, then cleared his throat again.
"But what I mainly came here to talk to you about was your next mission. This'll be a doozy, so I can only pray that you're ready. Feel free to ask any questions about what I'm about to say, alright?"
"Fine," said Shinrai. He thought that the LAST mission was a 'doozy,' so this one must be particularly hard. Slight beads of sweat formed on his brow just thinking of what new threat would present itself as his next case.
"Let me start at the beginning. Your mission is simple - defend Reikai. How, you may ask? By defeating a group that calls themselves the 'Reikai-Kakumei.' This group has been raiding Reikai supply stations for months now, and we've received word that they might be planning a direct assault sometime soon. They claim to be against Reikai's tyranny, that they want to, quote, 'free those who have been imprisoned against their will,' unquote. What they mean, I have no idea."
"Wait, Koenma," Shinrai said, interrupting. "DO they have a good, actual reason for attacking you guys like this?"
Koenma was silent for a moment, and then he said, "I can't say for sure. It may actually be true - maybe the work of my father, Enma Daiou."
"Enma Daiou?"
"Yes," said Koenma. "Enma Daiou was the founder and leader of the Reikai Administration, and has worked for peace between the three worlds of Makai, Reikai, and Ningenkai, for many centuries. But he was corrupt - he hired demons to cause trouble in Ningenkai, so that the Reikai Tantei of the time could save the day and let him get all the credit. I discovered this, and put him on trial thirty years ago.... he was executed for his crimes against the human world.... Though I can't say that he didn't deserve it. Not all of my father's 'programs' have been uncovered yet, so there may be some truth to what they say.... If it is true, then I'd be more than happy to resign as leader of Reikai, and dissolve the entire administration. But, with only some faint innuendo, I refuse to let this stop our work."
Shinrai looked down and was silent. Sending demons into the human world just to make yourself look better? Insane, thought Shinrai. It was then that the doors of the room burst open, and a blue-haired young woman wearing a pink kimono ran into the room.
Koenma was surprised, but managed to blurt out, "Botan?"
Botan was breathing heavily, as if she'd ran several miles here. At last, she managed to speak up. And what she said was....
"Reikai is under attack by the Reikai-Kakumei! They're heading here!"
Shinrai groaned softly, wondering what had happened. The last thing he could remember was defeating Kakitome, and then everything went black. He tried to sit up, and found that his wounds had all been healed - not a scratch was on him. As he sat up, he noticed a handsome young man sitting in the bed next to him. The man was wearing long, stylish robes and had a pacifier in his mouth for some bizarre reason. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that was Koenma, Shinrai thought to himself. The man noticed Shinrai's movements and turned to face him.
"Good to see that you're awake, Shinrai-kun," the man said in a calm voice, "Congratulations on your victory, and thank you for saving Tokyo from Kakitome's raiding party. But still, you need your rest."
"Are you.... Koenma?" asked Shinrai uncertainly, afraid of offending the young man. The man simply nodded, and, in a burst of smoke, the Koenma Shinrai was familiar with appeared.
"I use this form to go out in public," explained Koenma, "but I decided to show it to you as my way of giving my respect. Not many people see my like that."
Koenma cleared his throat, and began to speak again. "Anyway, you're probably wondering where you are right now, correct? This is the medical recovery center at Reikai. I ordered you and the others here for treatment after the battle. Your wounds were severe, but they were easily mended." "So, I'm in the spiritual world now?" asked Shinrai.
"Correct. Or, more precisely, a sort of mid-point between life and the afterlife. This isn't the sort of spiritual world with specters and dead old people or anything wandering around. We here at the Reikai Administration determine a soul's path in life - good or evil - and thus their path in the afterlife - Heaven or Hell. It's certainly a difficult job at times, with some souls...." Koenma sighed, then cleared his throat again.
"But what I mainly came here to talk to you about was your next mission. This'll be a doozy, so I can only pray that you're ready. Feel free to ask any questions about what I'm about to say, alright?"
"Fine," said Shinrai. He thought that the LAST mission was a 'doozy,' so this one must be particularly hard. Slight beads of sweat formed on his brow just thinking of what new threat would present itself as his next case.
"Let me start at the beginning. Your mission is simple - defend Reikai. How, you may ask? By defeating a group that calls themselves the 'Reikai-Kakumei.' This group has been raiding Reikai supply stations for months now, and we've received word that they might be planning a direct assault sometime soon. They claim to be against Reikai's tyranny, that they want to, quote, 'free those who have been imprisoned against their will,' unquote. What they mean, I have no idea."
"Wait, Koenma," Shinrai said, interrupting. "DO they have a good, actual reason for attacking you guys like this?"
Koenma was silent for a moment, and then he said, "I can't say for sure. It may actually be true - maybe the work of my father, Enma Daiou."
"Enma Daiou?"
"Yes," said Koenma. "Enma Daiou was the founder and leader of the Reikai Administration, and has worked for peace between the three worlds of Makai, Reikai, and Ningenkai, for many centuries. But he was corrupt - he hired demons to cause trouble in Ningenkai, so that the Reikai Tantei of the time could save the day and let him get all the credit. I discovered this, and put him on trial thirty years ago.... he was executed for his crimes against the human world.... Though I can't say that he didn't deserve it. Not all of my father's 'programs' have been uncovered yet, so there may be some truth to what they say.... If it is true, then I'd be more than happy to resign as leader of Reikai, and dissolve the entire administration. But, with only some faint innuendo, I refuse to let this stop our work."
Shinrai looked down and was silent. Sending demons into the human world just to make yourself look better? Insane, thought Shinrai. It was then that the doors of the room burst open, and a blue-haired young woman wearing a pink kimono ran into the room.
Koenma was surprised, but managed to blurt out, "Botan?"
Botan was breathing heavily, as if she'd ran several miles here. At last, she managed to speak up. And what she said was....
"Reikai is under attack by the Reikai-Kakumei! They're heading here!"