Chapter Nine: The Appearance of the Two Soldiers
Everyone was in shock. The video was so detailed that it was frightening. Kurama was biting his lower lip. He didn't want to think about the consequences if they managed to release Ceres from her body. Koenma was sucking pretty hard on his pacifier. Apparently, the last message wasn't there before.

Koenma: That image wasn't there before!
Yusuke: Are you serious!
Koenma: (nods)
Kuwabara: (hiding behind the couch) I-I think I wet myself…
Hiei: That's nice to know.
Kurama: Ceres must know that were trying to protect her body.
Botan: That or she's hunting us down since we're with the Spirit World.
Kurama: (slams his hand on the arm rest) NO! She's not like that!
Yusuke: Why are you getting all protective Kurama? Are in love with Ceres?
Kurama: (head goes down and hair covers eyes) …
Hiei: He's in love with the reincarnation. If Raven gets dragged into that place her faith is sealed. Kurama is trying to get close to her so she wouldn't go back to that hellish void.
Botan: Is that true Kurama?
Kurama: (nods)
Yusuke: So you do like her.
Kuwabara: We need to be gentle now huh?
Koenma: Yes, we must. Kurama, will you be okay?
Kurama: Yes… I just need some air, but before I do that… who was Yashimaru?
Koenma: He was one of the angelic demons of the Spirit World, and he was also the angel of the dark side of the moon. They are truly rare these days. Yashimaru was a loyal follower of my father. He went to the Shadow Realm to search for the answer of that impassable barrier. That was when he met Ceres. They both loved each other and they also had a little boy, but he only managed to stay for six years. He did find the answer, but when he returned to the Spirit World he was assassinated.
Kurama: I understand. (walks to the door)
Yusuke: Wait Kurama. Do you sense that?
Kurama: Yeah…
Hiei: A demon is near.
Kuwabara: I sense it too.
Suddenly the window shatters. A small figure was standing in front of all of them. The person stood up and wearing a black ninja outfit and a high ponytail. The face was covered with a veil, but brown eyes were visible. A dark blue sash was wrapped around the waist.

(Unknown): Good morning boys.
Hiei: Who the hell are you?
(Unknown): I'm Ayame the Sound Keeper of the Shadow Realm.
Yusuke: Ayame? Isn't that a girl's name?
Ayame: What are you trying to say!
Kuwabara: Well, aren't you a boy?
Ayame: NO! I'M A GIRL!
Yusuke/Kuwabara: Nani! O.o
Kuwabara: She's kind of flat chested isn't she?
Yusuke: (trying to reframe from laughing) Kind of! More like extremely!
Ayame: SHUT UP! You should take that back! I'm the Lieutenant Major for the army of the Shadow Realm and I'm not the one to take so lightly.
Hiei: What's your business here?
Ayame: Wouldn't you like to know.
Kurama: (stands up) You must be after Raven then. I take it you're one of the two soldiers sent by Eclipse.
Ayame: You are correct. I'm after Ceres's reincarnation, but I need to get rid of some pests that are in our way.
Yusuke: That won't be happening flat chest! Spirit Gun!
Ayame: Foolish child!
The spirit blast was going towards Ayame, but it clashed with a shuriken that came from a different direction. Ayame turned around to see her partner. He was wearing a ninja outfit that looked a bit modern. An armor shoulder pad was on his right shoulder. A row of shuriken was visible on each side of his pants. A short katana was on his left side. He had short black hair and fox ears on his head. His arms are wrapped in black leather and he was wearing fingerless gloves. He was standing on the railing with his arms crossed.

Ayame: What are you doing here Kenji!
Kenji: Hmph… you can't handle them alone.
Ayame: What!
Kenji: (jumps down and enters the house) Don't mind her. She's just a bit anxious to fight men.
Ayame: Blah! You're the one who wanted to fight too!
Yusuke: Who are you now?
Kenji: I'm the Shadow Soldier, Kenji. I'm here for the spirit detective and his colleagues.
Hiei: walks forward You two are bark and no bite. All you do is talk and I'm getting quite bored. Fight already.
Kenji: So… shrimp here wants to fight huh?
Ayame: I'll take him.
Kenji: Fine… go ahead. I'll go find the girl.
Yusuke: Oh no you don't! (runs forward but gets stopped by Kurama) Huh? Kurama?
Kurama: Save your strength, Yusuke. Let me and Hiei take care of this. You and Kuwabara go to Raven's and get her to spot where these reprobates won't find her. Lord Koenma, you should go.
Koenma: Right. Come Botan.
Botan: Yes sir. (both go off)
Yusuke: You sure Kurama?
Kurama: I am. Now go.
Yusuke: Okay! Come on Kuwabara! Let's go!
Kurama: Hiei… shall we do this?
Hiei: You know the answer to that Kurama.
Kenji: So… two demons on the human side. Sounds interesting, but not as interesting as the prize I'll get for getting Raven.
Ayame: Oh brother.
Kurama: You won't be getting Raven anytime soon.
Kenji: Oh really? Are you supposed to be her boyfriend or something? That's funny… I thought I would get her body after this mission.
Kurama: What! (fist tightening)
Kenji: I can't wait to play with her. (licks his lips)
Kurama: You disgusting dog! (runs towards Kenji) Rose whip!
Ayame: That idiot…
Hiei: Forgot about me?
Ayame: Huh!
Both Kurama and Hiei push their opponents out of the apartment and fall to the cement at the bottom. Kurama was slashing at Kenji with his rose whip out of anger for that repulsive comment. Kenji was trying to dodge, but Kurama was slashing as fast as he can. He managed to cut him on the shoulder, but Kurama didn't flinch. Both were fighting with different styles; one with physical attacks and the other with spiritual attacks. Kurama was whipping that rose of his with such precision that it almost got Kenji but not quite.
Meanwhile, Hiei was out of Ayame's league. He was obviously faster and more skilled, but can she be stalling for something? Hiei was just moving his sword everywhere. Ayame was finally fighting back with her weapon… the blue sash around her waist. Ayame swung the sash in the air creating a sound barrier. Hiei was flung backwards due to the sonic boom.

Hiei: What was that?
Ayame: Like it? It's my power over sound and vibrations. I send my spirit energy into the sound vibrations to control it however I want. Of course, I have to interrupt the balance of the vibrations in order to use my power. That's what the sash is for.
Hiei: You're really annoying.
Ayame: Maybe you should give up then.
Hiei: Never!
Meanwhile, Yusuke and Kuwabara are searching for Raven. They both searched everywhere, but there was no sign of Raven.

Yusuke: Damn! Where could she be?
Kuwabara: I don't know…
Yusuke: If only we knew where she lived! "Mr. Smart guy" forgot to tell us where she lives!
Kuwabara: Let's keep searching Urameshi.
A high pitch scream was heard from a distance.

Kuwabara: What was that?
Yusuke: We'd better find out.
They both run north until they stopped near an alley. They saw a big black fox attacking a horde of demons bearing flame-shaped tattoos on their arms. Behind them was Raven. She was wearing mahogany colored pants and a long sleeved shirt. She was sitting up against the brick wall holding her right leg. It looked as if it was injured. Yusuke and Kuwabara run over there.

Demon: It's the Spirit Detective! Get him!
Yusuke: Looks as if you need help. Spirit Gun!
Kuwabara: I can help too you know! Spirit Sword!
Ren: (gets in the boys way and releases a shadow attack) Ignore them! Get Raven to a safe place! I'll take it from here!
Yusuke: Huh? What are you?
Ren: Just go! (beating the crap out of the horde)
Yusuke:(runs over to Raven) Come on Raven! Let's go!
Raven: I can't get up… (holding right leg)
Yusuke: Come on… (lifts Raven over his shoulder) we have to go quickly!
Kuwabara: Um… should we really be carrying her like that?
Yusuke: Just come on!
Kuwabara: Alright!
Raven: (being carried off) What were those things?
Yusuke: We'll explain later.
Kuwabara: Yusuke! Look!
Yusuke: Huh!
They stopped by an unsupervised area and saw blood on Yusuke's shirt and on his left hand. Raven was trying to get down until Yusuke let her go. Raven was bleeding very bad. Once she sat down, the blood started to leak like a fountain.

Kuwabara: That looks pretty bad.
Yusuke: We have to get some help! Raven, are you okay?
Raven: (coughing) I'm… fine. Just a little weak.
Yusuke: (takes off his jacket and wraps it around her leg) That should help a little, but we need to get you to a hospital.
Raven: I'm fine.
Kuwabara: It doesn't look like it.
Yusuke: Don't be stubborn. (gets one side of Raven and lifts her up) Kuwabara help me!
Kuwabara: Alright… don't have to yell you know.
Raven: (whispering) I don't want to go back there…
While they get Raven to a hospital, the other two are still fighting. Kurama was in a standoff with Kenji. Both of their weapons are entangled together. Kurama was trying to pull him in with his rose whip.

Kenji: (trying to resist motion) Is this all you can do?
Kurama: I'm just getting started. (throws one seed)
Kenji: Heh… that it? You can do better than that.
Kurama: That's what you think.
The seed sprouts in midair into a weblike encloser. It goes straight to Kenji's arm and starts to tighten and sucks up his spirit energy.

Kenji: What the hell is this?
Kurama: Let's just say it's a plantlike leech. You're a fox demon. You should know these things.
Kenji: (flinching) Well apparently, I don't.
Kurama: That's quite evident. Now that I got you where I want you; I'll try to do this quick.
Kurama raises his rose whip to do his Whiplash, but Kenji disappears and so did Ayame. Hiei walks up to Kurama with a very annoyed expresion.

Hiei: Those cowards.
Kurama: At least they're gone. Let's go find the others.
Hiei: That's going to be easy.
Kurama: Let's go!
At the local hospital in the waiting room
Yusuke: (both rush into the room) We need a doctor and fast!
Kuwabara: Hello!
Nurse: Boys, please be quiet!
Yusuke: But this person needs medical attention now!
Kuwabara: She's really badly injured!
Raven: (hanging from both of them and bleeding still) uh…
Nurse: Oh my! I'll go get a doctor right away! (runs down the hall)
Yusuke: Raven? Raven! Wake up!
Kuwabara: Come on! Don't go to sleep! You might not wake up!
Yusuke: Shut up Kuwabara!
Kuwabara: Sorry!
Nurse: (comes back with a doctor and a stretcher) There you are.
Doctor: Please put her on the stretcher.
Both: Okay. (places Raven on the stretcher)
Doctor: (puts the oxygen mask on Raven) We'll treat her immediately. Let's go before she looses more blood.
Nurse: You two wait here. (goes off with the doctor)
Yusuke: Man… I hate waiting.
Kuwabara: Let's just sit down.
Yusuke: (growling) Damn demons.
Raven is in the emergency room with her eyes slightly opened. All she can see is blurry figures. She can hear the voices of the doctor and nurse.

Doctor: It looks as if it's a blade wound.
Nurse: Will she be able to recover?
Doctor: Yes, but it will take a few weeks. The wound looks pretty deep.
Nurse: Oh! She's still awake.
Raven: Uh… don't…
Nurse: Shh… you'll be okay dear.
Raven: Don't… kill… me…
Nurse: Don't worry. Those people are gone now. They won't kill you.
Raven: No… (crying) please don't kill me…
Nurse: Please calm down. We're just here to help you with your leg. She doesn't seem to understand.
Doctor: It's probably the pain from this wound. She might think that we're the ones who attacked her. Her vision might be altered.
Nurse: Poor girl. She's just a young woman. Must be terrible to face so much pain.
Doctor: Yes. We have to clean out the wound. Give her the shot so her leg will go numb. We don't want to use the anesthetic because it might give her more problems.
Nurse: Okay. Please do not move dear. We need to put something in you so you can't feel the pain.
Raven: (closes her eyes)
Nurse: (inserts the needle in her leg and injects the serum)
Doctor: Okay, let's clean the wound and remove anything that might have entered.
Yusuke and Kuwabara are still in the waiting room. Kurama and Hiei come into the hospital with Ren beside them. Kurama rushes to Yusuke to get answers.

Kurama: What happened!
Yusuke: Raven got a nasty cut on her leg and it started bleeding like a waterfall.
Kurama: She got attacked?
Yusuke: Yeah… we don't know how long she got that cut, but I think we got her in on time.
Kuwabara: Let's hope she survives.
Ren: (runs over to Kuwabara and bites on his leg)
Kuwabara: AAAHHH! It bit me!
Ren: Don't you dare say that about Lady Raven! (growling)
Yusuke: Wow…
Kuwabara: AH! It talks!
Kurama: This is Tatsuke Saidenkai Ren. She's Raven's gaurdian.
Kuwabara: But she bit me!
Hiei: I must say that you got what you deserved.
Kurama: You should be grateful that she didn't take your whole leg off, Kuwabara.
Kuwabara: Don't tell me your against me too Kurama.
Kurama: For what you said I might be. She will survive.
Hiei: Should we wait with them Kurama?
Kurama: (runs his hand through his hair) Why not. I want to see if she'll be okay.
Yusuke: (staring at Ren) So this is the thing that helped us out?
Ren: You got a problem with that, Yusuke Urameshi?
Yusuke: AH! How the hell does it know me?
Ren: (eyes narrow) I have to know everything about my master's life, and that includes her friends.
Yusuke: I get the point. Just don't bite me, okay?
Ren: Then I advise you to watch your tongue.
Yusuke: Yes ma'am.
Kurama: She's a strict mother.
Kuwabara: What are you talking about?
Kurama: She's kind of like Raven's unknown mother to say the least.
Hiei: She's tired of those Shadow Realm demons also.
Kurama: That's right…
Yusuke: Do you think Raven will be okay?
Kurama: I already told you that she'll survive. She has a will stronger than the average human, so she will not go down easily like those two thought.
Yusuke: So how did it go?
Hiei: They escaped.
In the emergency room while Raven's wound is being fixed.
Raven: (thinking) Please don't let them kill me… I don't want to die… I don't want to die… I don't want to die… please don't kill me… again…