A/N: Thanks to all the people who reviewed my first chapter. Your wonderful compliments are very encouraging. And to answer a reviewer, yes I have heard that in an OAV Hiei asked Botan out, I believe that both he and Kurama were trying to steal a kiss from her. I'd love to hear more about this (Valentine's Special?) from anyone. Has anyone ever seen this? Or better yet, does anyone know where I can find it?
Dark & Light: Her Night, His Day
Chapter Two: A New Twist
It was forty-five minutes later when Botan's communicator went off. Taking it out from within the fold of her kimono she answered, "Botan here, what can I do for you Lord Koenma?"
"Botan," Koenma's face had a slightly panicked look, "where are the others? I have new information on this case, it's VERY important!"
"Oh," Botan glanced out into the meadow where Yusuke was practicing his aim with the Spirit Gun while Kuwabara slashed his Spirit Sword through several large boulders at the forest's edge. Hastily she waved them over, "Where's Kurama?"
"Right here," the stealth kitsune emerged from the bushes behind her holding his rose whip. Obviously he too had been training.
"I've just received a call from Lord Koenma," she replied, "he says he has news of the utmost importance about the mission."
Everyone surrounded the screen of the communicator as the toddler's image cleared his throat, "Yes well, it seems that this mysterious fire youkai isn't as mysterious as we first suspected. In fact, he's related to our very on ex-spirit detective member Hiei Jaganeshi."
"WHAT?!" startled gasps rang out from the group.
Nodding Koenma continued, "We think he may target his son and Yukina not to mention he might know the exact keeper of the artifact I'm sending you to retrieve."
"Huh?! My darling Yukina may be in danger?!" Kuwabara shouted with a glance across the meadow at Yukina who was happily chatting with Shizuru and Keiko.
"Sh! You big dummy are you trying to worry her sick?!" Yusuke snapped.
"Wait a minute," the orange haired man froze in puzzlement, "if he's Hiei's father then why would he be after my sweet Yukina?"
"What an idiot." Yusuke mumbled. He couldn't believe that the moron hadn't put all the pieces together yet and figured out that Hiei was the long lost twin brother Yukina was searching for. Then again...this is Kuwabara we're talking about. he sniggered.
"Um...because the jewel is located in Yukina's homeland so he probably suspects that she might know where it's hidden!" Botan chimed in nervously. Hiei'd better appreciate this. What am I saying?! He never appreciates anything!
Kurama sweatdropped, it was going to be more difficult than ever to keep Hiei's relation to the ice maiden a secret. "Does Hiei know about this yet?"
Koenma shook his head, "I've dispatched Ayame, head ferry girl of the Research Department, to travel to Makai and explain this new situation to him. I expect he'll want to rejoin the group, if only for the remainder of this mission."
"Ayame?" Yusuke repeated, the mellow ferry girl didn't really strike him as the type who'd handle herself well traveling through the pits of Makai.
"H-Hiei's coming?" Botan muttered earning her a glance from Kurama.
I hope she'll be alright, he heaved a mental sigh, I don't really think Hiei feels he was so greatly missed by any of us, least of all Botan.
"Yes so I want you all to remain close to Genkai's temple. The moment he arrives you must head out to the Island of the Koorimes--hiding place of the Reikai Orb--and bring the jewel back to Spirit World before the fire youkai obtains it."
"Right," Botan nodded, shutting the communicator and tucking it back inside her kimono.
"Wait," Kurama spoke up, "isn't the Island of the Koorimes supposed to be floating? How do you suppose Koenma expects us to reach it?"
"The portals can be set to open at very precise locations within the worlds," Botan explained, "My guess is that he plans to open one which will lead somewhere on the island itself."
"Okay then that only gives us about a half hour or so to wrap up this training before Hiei hauls tail over here." Yusuke concluded.
"What'll ya say I kick your butt a few times for good measure then Yusuke?" Kuwabara challenged, "It'll be a good warm up before I trounce that fire demon guy! I just hate that Hiei's gonna have to see his old man get whipped by a professional fighter like me." he added the last part with barely a hint of remorse.
The others all sweatdropped. In the unlikely event that it did come down to a Kuwabaka verses inhumanly strong relative of Hiei match...they were all doomed.
Inside Mukuro's castle...
"I'm afraid that you don't fully comprehend the urgency of the situation," Ayame said solemnly to the black and white haired fire youkai slumped in a chair across the room.
He wouldn't look at her, not even once had he made eye contact since she'd first arrived with the 'dire news'. After re-explaining the mission to him she'd seen a small trace of curiosity after disclosing that it was a fire youkai they were facing off against in their race to the Island of the Koorimes, but nothing more had followed to show that he had any interest in leaving Mukuro's realm.
"Hn," came the monotonous reply. With his arms crossed he continued to stare at the stone wall just left of the window.
Narrowing her eyes the normally placid ferry girl had grown quite impatient with the stubborn little fire youkai's indifference. "These people are your allies Hiei! They've risked their lives for you! How can you let them do this alone? Especially when you know the terrain better than any two of them combined?!"
"I don't care to revisit my past onna!" Hiei declared, his stance never changing, "If those fools want to get sucked into another pointless mission from Koenma then it's their own idiotic choice!"
"But-"
"But nothing ferry onna!" he finally stood and headed across the room, grabbing the handle to the large wooden door he jerked it open and pointed firmly outside, "Now go back to Spirit World and tell Koenma that I no longer work for him. My debt has been paid and I'm a free youkai, NOT a Spirit Detective. I want nothing more to do with this ludicrousness."
"Fine," Ayame summoned her oar and stormed towards the door. She paused a second before calling over her shoulder, "By the way, was there anything you wanted me to have them tell him for you?"
Hiei stopped in mid slamming of the door, "Nani?"
With a knowing smirk Ayame turned, "Hm, did I forget to mention? The fire youkai seeking the jewel, we've just discovered, is none other than your father."
Hiei's eyes widened, Crafty onna, that's quite a trump card you were holding.
"I just thought maybe you might have a thing or two to say to him, after all this time..." Ayame shrugged and sat upon her oar.
"Hn, fine then onna," Hiei conceded, "you win. I'll take this case, but this is the absolute last time that I help out Koenma or his precious Spirit Detectives in any matter!"
"Understood," Ayame gave the fire youkai a curt nod, "the others are waiting for you at Genkai's Shrine, I suppose I don't have to tell you to hurry."
Hiei sneered and the dark haired ferry girl was off, back on her way to Spirit World.
My father...he thought staring at his reflection in the mirror hanging by the door, ...this venture should prove interesting.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the depths of Makai...
"The Reikai Orb," a demon minion spoke in a hissing tone from his perch upon it's master's shoulder, "a very well kept secret of Spirit World. It took us ages to discover that it was hidden on the floating Island of the Koorimes."
The fire youkai nodded, his face shrouded by the darkness of the shadows he was stalking through. "My first attempt at retrieving this item proved unsuccessful. Thanks to inaccurate information from my last head minion." the crimson eyed demon glared at the creature on his shoulder, "I won't tolerate such failure again."
"Yes Master." the smaller demon quaked. "I will make absolutely certain that I verify the artifact's location. The Reikai Orb will be yours."
"Precisely," the demon smirked, "and then I will become the most powerful creature of all, and all three worlds will tremble at my feet."
The green haired koorime sighed from her seat on the steps leading up to Genkai's temple. She had been waiting with the others for Hiei's arrival. What was taking him so long?
"Hmph, some speed demon he is." Shizuru muttered while stomping out her cigarette.
"Yeah," Kuwabara yawned, "what the heck could be takin' the shrimp so long?"
"Oh Kazuma," Yukina fretted, "you don't suppose he's hurt or something do you?"
Kuwabara opened his mouth to reassure her but Yusuke cut him off.
"He's fine Yukina, probably just stopped to nap in some tree or play with his dragon."
"Hn," a voice startled the group on the steps, "I do not 'play with my dragon' you buffoon. I unleash it's mighty terror upon all who cross me, so don't cross me."
"HIEI!" Botan burst out happily, racing up a few stairs to greet him.
Hiei stared at her surprised as she bounded towards him, Kurama snickered to himself, and the others looked a bit shocked by her enthusiasm. Botan sweatdropped at their reactions and instead of grabbing the adorably baffled little fire youkai in a bear hug as she had intended to do she simply grasped his hands laughing nervously, "Um...it's so great that you could make it. Yep, the team just wouldn't be the same without you. Hahaha, good times huh?!"
Arching an eyebrow he was about to reply (questioning her sanity) when she delivered a hearty slap on the back that sent him sprawling down five stairs straight into Keiko and Kuwabara.
"Wha-" Keiko grabbed his boots before they could collide with her head.
"Hey shorty watch where you're goin'!" Kuwabara shouted looking down in his lap.
Hiei opened his eyes to see a very unwelcome sight, Kuwabaka--only, the dolt was--upside down?!
With a horrified expression he hopped up off the oaf and darted over to Kurama who was furthest down the steps.
Everyone laughed causing Hiei to glare up at Botan, "Don't ever do that again! Baka onna!!"
"Sorry," Botan waved, still giggling.
"Well now that we've all be reacquainted," Kurama spoke, stifling chuckles, "I think it's time we got on with our mission."
Right on cue a portal opened at the top of the stairs. Botan turned around, "This is it! Everyone in, it should take us straight to the Island of the Koorimes!"
The ferry girl was on her way through when the head Spirit Detective spoke, "Anyone smell that?"
"Wasn't me!" Kuwabara said hastily.
"No stupid, I mean smoke!" Yusuke yelled.
Keiko paused to sniff the air, "Yeah, I smell it too. But where's it coming from?"
"Guys..." Botan murmured, this portal wasn't going to stay open forever.
"The temple," Hiei pointed to a spiral of smoke eking up past the temple walls.
"Oh no!" Yukina gasped, "Genkai is still in there!"
"And Puu!" Keiko added.
"Stay here!" Yusuke ordered the girls, "We'll go check this out!"
The four boys raced past Botan and up to the temple where flames were spread out everywhere.
"This isn't some sort of natural forest fire Yusuke," Hiei gave the detective a side glance, "a demon is behind this."
"Or several lesser class fire elemental demons ." Kurama suggested.
"Well duh!" Yusuke exclaimed, "Just start putting out these fires, I'm gonna go find Puu and Grandma!"
"Right." Kurama nodded.
Yusuke took off into the temple while the others remained outside stomping out the fires, slinging water, and smothering them out with large branches or clothing.
Just outside the girls were staring up at the flames and smoke worried for the safety of their friends.
"Oh this is terrible," Botan noted, "I'm sure it was that fire youkai Koenma warned us about."
"Fire youkai?" Yukina questioned recalling the briefing she'd overheard earlier.
"Um..." Botan spun around, sweat rolling down her forehead, "...did I say fire youkai? I meant...um...boy is it dry! Yes! With all this dry weather that we've been having lately it's a wonder that this is the first fire we've encountered!"
"But Botan," Keiko objected, "it rained just yesterday, we got over an inch."
Shizuru wasn't buying this story, "Alright Bo, spill it. What's going on?"
"Yes, I get the feeling that you know more than you're telling us." Yukina agreed.
Oh no! Botan panicked, They're on to me! But I can't tell Yukina everything or she'll find out that Hiei's her brother! And then...she gulped...he'll KILL ME!
"Well?" Shizuru urged.
"Um...okay you've got me! It's like this," Botan began explaining, careful not to let the big secret slip, "the fire youkai after the Reikai Orb the boys are being sent to retrieve is actually related to Hiei."
"Really?!" Keiko and Yukina gasped.
"Yes," Botan nodded seriously, "that's why Hiei agreed to come back and help us out on this mission. We believe that the criminal may target Hiei, if he indeed knows that Hiei is his son, and possibly anyone else who might be able to lead him to the jewel."
"How would Hiei know where it is?" Keiko questioned.
"Um..." Oh great, I've already said too much!
Understanding Shizuru decided to help Botan out, "Hiei was a big time criminal/assassin before he joined up with the Spirit Detectives right?"
"Yes." Keiko agreed. "How could I forget that?"
"Well, maybe this evil fire youkai figures that he's heard about the jewel before and might know where to find it." Shizuru fabricated, "I mean Hiei did know enough about the Artifacts of Darkness to steal them right out from under Koenma's nose."
"I guess that makes sense." Keiko replied skeptically.
Yukina was silent, something about Shizuru's theory just didn't seem all that sincere to her.
"OH NO!" Botan shouted, "The portal's closing!!"
"That's not good." Shizuru turned to see that the majority of the flames were gone now.
"I'll go inside and tell the others," Keiko offered.
"I'll come with you." Yukina said following her.
Studying the rapidly closing portal the older Kuwabara shook her head, "They're not gonna make it in time."
"Ohh..." Botan fidgeted realizing Shizuru was right, "...it could take hours for Koenma to get another portal ready for us."
"The fire youkai could already have stolen the jewel by then." Shizuru frowned.
"What should we do?!" the ferry girl tugged at the strands of hair hanging over her ears.
A look of determination crossed the brunette's face. "We'll go through."
"WHAT?!"
"Look either we go through and find the jewel before that maniac does or we sit around here waiting while he beats us to it," Shizuru stated.
Botan considered this for a moment, "Alright," she balled up her fists and strutted up to the portal, "let's do it!"
"And once we've got it you can just fly us off on your oar." Shizuru concluded, "I'm sure it'll be easier for Koenma to open a portal back to Spirit World or something than to a secluded island in the sky."
With that plan the two women stepped through the closing portal and vanished from sight.
Inside the temple Yusuke was still charging through doors calling out to his trainer, "GRANDMA! GRANDMA CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"
A faint noise caught his ear and he spun around on his heel to listen for it again. "Grandma? Grr...SPEAK UP YOU OLD HAG SO I CAN HEAR YOU!!!"
The sound came again, footsteps.
"Huh?" Yusuke noticed a silhouette behind a door just before it slid open revealing Genkai with her hands clasped behind her back. "Dimwit, stop shouting, I'm perfectly fine."
"Grandma!" Yusuke raced up to her tears in the corner of his eyes, "Would you stop trying to scare me?! It was bad enough that ya went and DIED on me back around the Dark Tournament!"
Genkai stared at him as though he were the dumbest man on the planet. "Stop your blubbering you big baby. Why aren't you outside putting out the fires surrounding my temple?"
"BECAUSE I CAME IN HERE TO SAVE YOU!!!" Yusuke shouted, waving his arms about for emphasis. "WHAT THE HECK DID YOU INTEND TO DO IN HERE ANYWAYS?! FROLIC THROUGH THE FLAMES?!?!"
"No," Genkai replied calmly bringing a hand around front, "while you were running around like a fool I was chasing down this little pest."
Yusuke paused to stare at the miniature fire youkai clutched in Genkai's hand. "Huh, that little thing started all those fires?"
"No, it had help." Genkai said matter-of-factly. "Unfortunately this nuisance was the only one I could capture."
"Release me mortal!" the demon hissed and squirmed, "You'll never defeat my Master!"
"And just who is this master of yours anyway?" Yusuke inquired narrowing his eyes as he stooped down level with the captive creature.
The demon clamped its mouth shut.
Genkai squeezed tighter, "We're growing impatient."
"Ack!" it choked out, "Okay, okay! Master Inferuno is the fire youkai seeking the Reikai Orb!"
"Why didn't that coward just come himself?!" Yusuke demanded.
The demon spit a tiny flame at him which barely singed the tip of his nose. Yusuke did not look amused, although Genkai cracked a grin. "Master has big plans for the jewel, he would not waste time with trivial annoyances like you!"
Yusuke raised a fist, determined to pound the little youkai into the next life when someone shouted from across the room. "Yusuke!"
"Kurama?" he turned.
The kitsune approached the dark haired detective with a serious face. "What's up Kurama?"
"It's Botan and Shizuru," he answered, "we can't find them anywhere."
"What?!" Yusuke couldn't believe it, this was the day from Hell.
"Those fools probably went through the portal just before it closed." stated Hiei who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.
"Then they're somewhere on the Island of the Koorimes now?" Genkai asked.
"Yes," Kurama nodded, "and Koenma probably won't be able to send us another portal anytime soon."
"I don't believe this!" Yusuke exclaimed, "What the heck were they thinking?!"
Yukina and Keiko entered with Kuwabara trailing behind them. Puu peered in an open window curious about the ruckus.
"Well that takes care of it, no more fires." Kuwabara said dusting off his hands.
"Kazuma," Yukina turned gingerly running a finger over the back of his hand, "you're all covered in soot. And is that a burn?"
"Only a little one my beautiful snow angel." Kuwabara wore a goofy grin as Yukina continued to inspect his injury.
Hiei reached for his katana growling at the disgusting display, That oaf is getting way too close to my sister!
"Calm down Hiei," Kurama whispered, "We've got far more serious problems right now."
With a low growl of irritation Hiei reluctantly sheathed his sword (the few inches he'd drawn out) and turned back to the others. "So what's the plan now?"
Shrugging Yusuke pulled out his communicator and gave a heavy sigh. "Now, we call Koenma."
Amanda/Artiste: Okay well, the ball's rolling on the plot now. The name Inferuno (Hiei's father) means "inferno" in Japanese. Next Chapter: Hiei's father reaches the Island of the Koorimes through an altered illegal portal at one of the "hot spots" mentioned in chapter one. Shizuru and Botan arrive first and are confronted by a koorime who knows the whole story behind the 'first attempt' at stealing the Reikai Orb. And the Spirit Detectives have to get to the girls before it's too late. Keep reading and don't forget to review, see ya next update!