"What do you mean Koenma has a job for me?" Yusuke asked warily.
"Don't worry, it's nothing you can't handle", Botan replied. "Your targets are several lower-class demons who've been prowling this area. Koenma told me to bring you and the others so he could fill you in on the details."
"If they're just lower-class demons why does he need all of us?" Now he was officially annoyed. He had enough to worry about without Reikai Tantei business.
"I don't know, he didn't tell me. Luckily, we won't have to spend the whole day searching either. Kuwabara and Hiei are both near the Temple and Kurama's at his house. I propose we split up and meet at Genkai's."
"Right. I'll take Kuwabara and Hiei." The temple was closer by than Kurama's house. They split up and he headed for Genkai's.
He found Kuwabara quickly enough; he was at the temple steps flirting with Yukina. Yusuke pulled the lover boy aside and quickly told him everything he knew. "Now we have to find Hiei", he said. "I know he's around here somewhere."
"And why do you need to find me, Detective?" They turned and there stood Hiei.
"Hey, where'd you come from?" Yusuke suspected he already knew. Hiei had probably been watching Yukina in secret.
The fire demon didn't bat an eye. "You didn't answer my question." Yusuke sighed and once again related what he'd been told. "Why does Koenma need all four of us?"
"I asked the same question. Botan just said Koenma wanted all four of us."
"Well we're already here. If this job's so minor there's no need to bother Kurama."
"Uh, but Botan already went to get him."
Hiei narrowed his eyes. "She shouldn't have. Kurama doesn't need to come."
"What, is he sick or something?" Kuwabara asked.
"I don't believe I am." Everyone looked up and saw Kurama and Botan approaching. "Unless Hiei knows something I don't?"
Hiei frowned and looked at the ground. "Hn." He still hadn't told Kurama what he'd discovered, though pretty soon he'd have to. Perhaps then he'd find some answers.
Kurama noticed his friend's expression and frowned. Lately Hiei had been behaving strangely toward him, but he didn't know why. The half-Koorime seemed particularly concerned about Kurama's health and it puzzled the Fox.
Botan pulled out her communicator and messed around with it. "Here we go!", she exclaimed. A moment later Koenma's image appeared on the screen. "Hello, Koenma", she said cheerily. "I've got them all together."
"Yeah", Yusuke grumbled. "Now maybe you can tell us why we're here?"
"Nice to see you too Yusuke", the toddler said dryly. "I'm sure you've heard about the chain of strange killings in your area?"
"Yeah", Kuwabara said. "Do they have something to do with these demons?"
"Precisely. The cause of those deaths is a group of demons--complete homicidal maniacs who call themselves 'The Butchers'. Each 'Butcher' is identified by a letter. They go from letters F to A, Letter A being their leader."
"And you need all of us to handle a group of low-class delinquents?", Hiei asked coldly.
"It's not that simple. They hunt in a pack formation, they can easily take down a higher-class demon who's not careful enough. They'll stop at nothing until they've obliterated their chosen victim."
"So you wish for us to execute them?", Kurama asked. Already he strongly detested these 'Butchers'. Their attitudes reminded him very much so of Karasu, and how he'd nearly fallen victim to the Crow's dark, twisted desires.
"Enki's law is clear: no violence against humans."
"Uh-huh", Yusuke said. "So where are these Butchers?"
"They've been operating out of an abandoned car garage. They don't stray too far from that immediate area unless they're on a hunt. It shouldn't be too difficult to find them." The godling went on to tell them the location of the garage before bidding them good luck and signing out.
"Right", Yusuke said. "Let's get this done as quickly as possible. I'd like to enjoy what's left of my day off."
"Hn", Hiei muttered as they took off in the direction of the garage. He glanced nervously over at Kurama.
This action did not go unnoticed by the Fox. "What's wrong?", he asked softly. "You've been acting rather unusual."
Hiei blinked. "Nothing", he muttered. "Everything's fine."
Kurama frowned. He knew Hiei was keeping something from him. The only question was, what?
"Spirit Gun!", Yusuke bellowed. A moment later Butcher F was no more. The late demon's accomplices continued with their attack as though nothing had happened. Koenma had been right when he said they moved like a pack. They'd already split the Reikai Tantei into two groups, as though trying to single out the weakest one. They bore the mind and instincts of predatory animals and sported swordsmanship that could possibly even rival Hiei.
Now the remaining Butchers split their formation, E and D pursuing Yusuke and Kuwabara while C, B, and A attacked Hiei and Kurama. Hiei lunged to one side to avoid being slashed, Kurama to the other. B was quickly dismembered by Hiei's katana while C was torn to shreds by Kurama's rose whip. Kurama was making to finish Butcher A but to his utter bewilderment and Hiei's complete horror the Fox stumbled and fell to his knees. He hadn't the slightest clue what was happening, he was just suddenly incredibly dizzy. Everything was spinning around in circles. Butcher A saw his chance and lunged for the Kitsune, sword ready. Hiei's heart skipped a beat.
"KURAMA!", he shouted. He sprinted in a dark blur to the Fox and pushed him out of harm's way. Then he cried out in pain as he felt something sharp and cold sink into the flesh of his back and reappear as it protruded form his chest. He groaned as he crumpled to the ground. Blood was squirting from his wound, haemorrhaging, confirming his suspicions--his heart had been pierced.
He looked over at Kurama. The Fox was staring at him, milk-white, body trembling violently, his mouth and beautiful green eyes wide open in disbeleif. But he wasn't physically hurt, Hiei noted thankfully. Good. He clenched his teeth and forced himself to his feet. He would not go kneeling on the ground. No sooner had he stood up than he started to fall again.
"HIEI!", Kurama screamed, his cries mingling with the shriek of death the last Butcher uttered as Kuwabara beheaded him. Paying no attention to the demise of his enemy, the Fox rushed forward and caught Hiei as he fell. "No, no, Hiei, no", he pleaded as his eyes began to grow blurry with tears. "No, Hiei, don't go. Don't go Hiei."
The Jaganshi listened to his friend's pleas, knowing Kurama's wish couldn't be granted. A biting cold was seizing his body, his vision grew dark. "Kurama", he said in a hoarse voice, so soft the redhead could barely hear him. "I love you, understood? Remember that."
"HIEI!", he shrieked. He could feel the fire demon's life force rapidly draining from his body. "No, Hiei, please don't go. Stay here Hiei, stay with me Hiei, I love you." Desperately he kissed Hiei on the lips, as though trying to force Life back into the small body. "Hiei, I'll give you some of my energy. You'll pull through this, okay? Don't die!"
"No", Hiei said quickly. The Fox needed all the energy he had. "You…can't do anything. I'm…sorry…Don't forget me, okay? I love you." He drew a quick breath, then died.
"NO!!!", Kurama shrieked when he felt Hiei's body go limp in his arms, felt his ruined heart quit beating. "NO, COME BACK!!! HIEI COME BACK!!!" He collapsed and lay sprawled over Hiei's body, head buried in the soft black spikes, bawling, begging the corpse to resume living.
Several feet away Yusuke and Kuwabara watched a hysterical Kurama grieve, stunned. The Butchers were lower-class demons. None of them were supposed to get hurt, let alone killed.
"Come on", Kuwabara said, snapping out of it. "Let's take Shorty back to Genkai's, clean him up. Can you help me pry Kurama off of him?"
"Huh?" Yusuke was still in shock. "Yeah." They walked over and Yusuke gently laid a hand on the Fox's shoulder. "Come on Kurama. Let's get out of here. He's gone, we can't do anything." Kurama ignored him and didn't move. Kuwabara sighed and plucked the redhead up off of Hiei, having to keep a stronghold on Kurama, who was now kicking and screaming, trying to get back to the body.
"NO!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. Yusuke removed his jacket and covered Hiei's face with it out of respect before picking him up. Kurama ceased screaming when the Jaganshi's face was no longer visible. Instead he went limp and Kuwabara had to tighten his hold lest the Fox collapse onto the ground. "Hiei", he cried hoarsely, burying his face in his arms and sobbing.
Yusuke looked at the limp body he was carrying, feeling quite numb. "Let's go", he managed shakily. "Let's get out of this Hellhole."