Chapter 2: Tracking Down Blood
They all met at Kuwabara's house discussing their plans and what they thought. "I can track down one of the members from that group because they left demon residue behind so that Reikai Intelligence can track it down. Their tracks end at a cave deep in the forest," Koenma explained helpfully.
"So we just track them down and destroy them," said Yusuke. Koenma nodded his agreement, "Try to keep them alive so we can question them if not it's alright."
"So which forest is it?" asked Kurama. Koenma sighed and closed his eyes in frustration, "That's the problem we can't find out which forest because the demon residue goes off and on and we nearly lost the trail until they tracked it down in front of the cave. Maybe if we give you the surroundings around the cave you'll figure it out?" asked Koenma hopefully. Kurama nodded and Koenma disappeared only to reappear with a full color photo of the cave. He handed it to Kurama and everyone huddle around him except for Hiei who was sitting down on the windowsill. "Yes, I know this park. It's in front of the same jewelry store they tried to burglar," said Kurama. Kuwabara nodded his agreement, "Hey you're right only these kinds of trees grow at that park."
"Okay it's settle we fan out and search for the cave," said Yusuke. Koenma smiled, "Thank you," he muttered and disappeared with a pop. Everyone gathered around the entrance to the park and Kurama looked it over carefully. "Kuwabara will probably the most likely to find the cave with his acute spirit awareness," said Kurama carefully, "So he should be given a bigger portion to look over." Yusuke nodded, "Yeah I think you're right. Okay Kuwabara you take the entire west side of the forest and Kurama can take half of the east section and me the other half and Hiei since he's really fast and has the Jagan Eye he can take the entire middle portion," said Yusuke. Everyone nodded, "When shall we meet back?" asked Kuwabara frowning at the west section of the forest.
"Um when you're done meet back at the entrance and see if anyone's found it. If you have just fire an energy flare into the sky and we'll recognize it," said Yusuke.
"Wouldn't the enemy notice it?" questioned Hiei. Yusuke frowned, "Hm, never thought about that. Oh well if you found it just wait for the others to return I suppose and then we'll go and check it out together," replied Yusuke. They nodded and soon Hiei disappeared and Kuwabara ran off to his section. "So which half do you want the right or the left?" asked Yusuke eying the east section disdainfully.
"Any is fine with me," said Kurama jogging towards the east section.
"Okay you take left I'll take right," said Yusuke and they both disappeared into their respected sections.
Kuwabara was combing through the west section sighing every so often. There was no demon energy anywhere and it was getting quite tiring walking around doing absolutely nothing. He pushed through the branches and looked around spotting no cave except for a small stream. It was quite peaceful listening to the stream with the sunlight streaming through the leaves making the ground light up a leafy green color. "Man this sucks," muttered Kuwabara unhappily as he sat down near the stream. It's already been an hour and still there were no signs of the demons anywhere. "What sucks?" asked a voice that echoed all around him. He stood up immediately, but frowned when he sensed no spirit energy. Kuwabara searched the clearing once then twice searching for a form between the trees then suddenly he saw it a flickering shadow among the tree branches. It was going slow for a demon and Kuwabara frowned something wasn't right about this demon he felt neither spirit energy nor demons energy. The form stopped moving, "I asked you what sucks?" the shadow asked again. It had a sweet melodic feminine voice so it was either Chimamire or Sakkidatta. "Who are you?" Kuwabara yelled to the trees. Laughter rang all about him, "Who am I? Why I'm the blood that flows through your veins, the very ground you step on, the shadow on the ground, the nightmare of your sleep. I'm the very air you breathe, the water you drink. Nothing, but a constant moving shadow that watches every move you make, every breath you take. That is what I am," said the voice.
"…Yeah right!" shouted Kuwabara angrily. The shadow stepped out from the trees and smiled, "Well if you really want to know the name's Sakkidatta." Her maroon hair shone brightly and her eyes had an eerie glow to it. She reached for the bow strapped to her back, "I always like a good fight."
Kurama walked through the forest warily there was no demon energy anywhere and it was unnerving him how quiet and still the forest was. It had a feeling in the air that, to inexperienced people, lulled you into a false sense of security making you vulnerable at that very instant. Finally he stopped walking and entered a clearing with the sun shining down on top of it. Kurama sighed, "It's no use hiding." A laugh echoed around him, "You're pretty good, fox." Out from the trees stepped a silver haired demon. His red eyes glowing despite the bright sunlight, "My name is Satsugai and yours?" he questioned curiously. Kurama frowned, "Why would I tell you my name?" Satsugai frowned, but his eyes shined of mirth, "You're very clever despite your human disguise. Tell me can you transform into Yoko if I torture you enough?"
"You can try," Kurama replied smoothly. Satsugai smiled and unsheathed the sword strapped to his back. "Very smooth, fox," he said softly almost whispering. He vanished in a smoke of thin air, "Let's see if you can keep up," laughed the voice. Kurama frowned his eyes darting to a fro, trying to identify where Satsugai went. Suddenly a sharp pain in his left arm made him gasp sharply. He looked down at his arm, but frowned when he saw no cut or laceration of any kind. "Do you like it?" whispered a voice that seemed to come from everywhere, "It's my special demon technique the art of illusion."
"If it's just an illusion it can't hurt me," said Kurama determinedly.
"Oh contraire my friend," whispered the voice back.
Hiei darted from tree to tree pausing between each tree to catch his breath. What the hell is wrong with me! I never grew this tired before, Hiei thought angrily. Suddenly a knife came whizzing by barely grazing Hiei's cheek. "Shit," he murmured, this was also a first being taken by surprise. Hiei jumped to the ground and grimaced at the pain that accompanied it. "Having problems?" asked a voice from the trees.
"Hn, the only problem I have is you," Hiei said. A man with long green hair and glowing red eyes stepped from the trees. "Really then you should fix the problem should you not. Know it's not really nice to start the battle without first knowing one's name. Mine's is Ketsueki and yours is?"
"None of your business," Hiei replied sharply. Ketsueki smiled, "I like you. You have a great attitude problem." Hiei drew his katana out and Ketsueki drew out his. The sound of metal upon metal rang throughout the forest and Ketsueki smiled down on him his hot breath tickling the bangs covering Hiei's Jagan Eye. "It must've hurt," said Ketsueki indicating the white cloth covering Hiei's forehead. Hiei snarled and forcefully pushed Ketsueki away driving him back with his sword. Ketsueki smiled and vanished blending with the shadows the trees made for the sun didn't shine so bright since they were so deep in the forest. Suddenly Hiei felt Ketsueki's sword graze against his cheek causing a small cut to appear. Hiei turned around and narrowed his eyes viciously. Ketsueki stood behind him the sword point held to his lips slowly he licked the blood off his sword and closed his eyes. "You remind me of someone called Kuromomotaro," said Hiei disgusted. Ketsueki smiled, "Yes, and you remind me of someone called the Forbidden Child." Hiei vanished and swung his sword downward, but it was parried easily with Ketsueki's sword. "Tsk, tsk Hiei you're getting slow," teased Ketsueki lightly. Hiei frowned for he knew it was true.
Yusuke wandered about aimlessly not caring if he got lost or not. "It's not my problem I can always ask my buddies to get me out," murmured Yusuke to himself.
"You can't always rely on them," muttered a cold voice from the shadows. Yusuke turned around and held up his right index finger a faint blue aura surrounding it. "Now, now Yusuke calm down, I was just stating the facts. You can't always rely on your buddies to bail you out every single time," a girl stepped out from the trees her long red hair flowing behind her, her eyes glowed red. Yusuke frowned and lowered his finger, but not so much. "Tell me who are you?" asked Yusuke keeping a wary eye on the red head girl.
"My name is Chimamire which fits me perfectly as you can see," said Chimamire indicating to her blood red hair and eyes.
"Yeah it definitely fits you and labels you as a freak of nature," muttered Yusuke. Chimamire narrowed her eyes, "Better watch what you say, punk." Yusuke smirked and got into a fighting position, "Make me," he said softly watching her narrow her eyes angrily. She pulled out two three feet daggers and grinned, "Fine I guess I'll have to force you." Yusuke lunged at her first swinging his right fist towards her stomach a blue aura surrounding his entire fist. She dodged it easily and swung around to slash him with her dagger, but he ducked just before it hit him. Yusuke jumped away from her and pulled back his arm his fist glowing a brighter blue, "Alright then. Shotgun!" shouted Yusuke swinging his fist directly at her. Glowing blue bullets shot from his fist a lightning fast speed and smoke surrounded the entire field obscuring his vision. When the smoke cleared and frowned in disbelief she was completely unharmed a red barrier surrounded her. "It's impossible to use those attacks on me," she said softly slips of paper with incantation written on top circling her.
"Hn, what were you? Yomi's student? Sheesh and I thought he was good," muttered Yusuke.