PART THREE: KNOW THY ENEMY
Chapter Twenty: The Mission Ahead
"Okay," the young Spirit Detective sighed, "from the beginning." Only two days had passed since what had almost turned into war between Yusuke and Hiei, and things were still fairly shaky. In retaliation, Koenma had almost passed a ruling that Hiei was prohibited from entering the royal palace, but Ayame had convinced him that Hiei wouldn't really care what Koenma said, and any attempt to keep him away from Botan would be a fairly poor move. For the same reason, Botan had been reinstated as Yusuke's assistant, and Megumi was pushed back to ferrygirl.
Although matters with Hiei were still fairly tense, other issues needed to be seen to. Tsarakino was still out there, the Tomorrow was still planning something, and there was the mystery night with Keiko that still needed to be puzzled out. For these reasons, another meeting was called, this time with Koenma presiding over it via Yusuke's communicator. It was time to find the truth about what was going on.
Kuwabara had taken up his favored seat at his chair, in the small room. Kurama stood with his back against the wall, his mind racing furiously to find the answers they so desperately needed. While Yusuke had taken his position on the floor, he couldn't help but grin at the fourth of their party. Hiei had been moved from his preferred windowsill, Botan had seen to that. And it was with a look of mild embarrassment that he now resided on the bed, pulled much further into Kuwabara's room than he'd ever wanted to be, with two soft, tender arms wrapped around his neck and a head of blue pressed against his shoulder.
The pink compact that held the communicator sat on Kuwabara's desk, next to the computer. Koenma was easily visible through it, for this was a meeting he was not willing to miss. It was time to take action. Additionally, they needed his input on something, and that very thing was the first note of the meeting.
"Okay," Kurama sighed, running over it for the group. "Kuwabara and I have been taking turns keeping watch over Keiko for the past four nights. And every night, it's the same thing. She seems to be having some kind of horrible nightmare, but she never remembers any of it when she wakes up. Every so often, I can feel some kind of presence, but...it's almost like it doesn't really exist. I can't quite place what it is."
"It's that black snake!" Kuwabara exclaimed, turning his attention to Yusuke. "Remember, the one I was telling you about? That thing's got her good, so far nothing's been able to really affect it. I've tried my Spirit Sword, I've tried waking her up, nothing so much as budges it. It's like she's–"
"Wait," Koenma interrupted over the communicator. There was a look of urgency on the toddler's face that Yusuke had long since become accustomed to. However, as the young prince spoke, there was a greater tension in his voice than Yusuke was used to. "A black snake?"
Kuwabara nodded his head. "Yeah, this weird, misty black snake. It wraps itself around Keiko every night, and then she starts shaking and sweating like she's having some kind of nightmare. It's hard to see, though. I can only catch it every now and then."
"Indeed," Kurama nodded. He hadn't seen the snake, but he had seen the shaking. "She never remembers the nightmares when she wakes, though. I've asked her how long she's been having these lost nightmares, and she said it's been almost a month now."
"A MONTH!" Yusuke exploded. "This THING's been hurting Keiko for a MONTH!"
With a gulp, Kurama nodded his head in confirmation. "I'm afraid so. She has been having these absent nightmares since..." he fell silent, and slowly the event dawned on everyone. It had started there, that's when whatever had taken her had found her. Whatever was happening to Keiko, it had started there.
Yusuke's eyes widened in realization, followed by Kuwabara. Koenma was silent, not saying a word, his eyes closed in thought. Something was going on in his mind, something difficult to make out. Hiei had gotten it before, he was the first after Kurama. But Botan, on the other hand...she was the last to realize it, her head slowly lifting from Hiei's shoulder and her mouth opened slowly. "...the Dark Tournament..." Kurama nodded his head, confirming.
"Urgh..." Yusuke grumbled for a moment, before he exploded. "This is STUPID! Tonight, I'm going to kick that thing's–"
"No." Koenma's voice was very stern, and it carried within it a more serious tone than Yusuke had ever heard from him. "There are more important matters to–"
"MORE IMPORTANT!" Yusuke exploded. "This is Keiko! She's–"
"Everyone is in danger if we don't find out what the Tomorrow is planning," Koenma interrupted. Botan listened to his voice, and she found herself frightened. There was a directness in it that even she had never heard before, not from him. It was almost like he was actually afraid of something, of this black snake they were discussing.
"Screw that!" Yusuke argued. "You can't tell me to–"
"DETECTIVE URAMESHI," Koenma exploded, and even Hiei was visible surprised by this sudden outburst. It was not like Koenma to get so angry. "You have a job to do and you will do it, or so help me I will find someone else to take your place. The snake is not important, not now, and I will not risk my best people to a rushed mission against something they're not ready to face. The Tomorrow cult is your first priority, after that you can worry about the snake. Do I make myself clear?"
Silence filled the room once more, before realization dawned on Botan. She was the first to speak, standing up from her embrace around Hiei and stepping towards the communicator. She realized something, and now she needed an answer. "You know," she whispered, her voice straining to come out. "You know what that thing is..."
Koenma's hand reached up to rub his forehead, as he struggled to explain. "No. I have guesses. Hunches. But...it's not important. Right now, we have a mission to focus on. I'm sending you into Makai. It's time to take the fight to the Tomorrow's doorstep."
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Deep in the heart of the Tomorrow's Sanctuary, the demon Fjerin paced back and forth in his throne room. Impatience was beginning to settle into his mind, and he was beginning to wonder how much longer Tsarakino's plan would take. The Jagan sat in its jar beside his throne, waiting for the time when they would put it to use. But how much longer would that be?
He turned his head down to Atsuko on the floor, but she hadn't moved of her own volition in days. The broken heap of a woman wasn't any fun anymore, she had since ceased to respond to anything. She ate little, and the only time she spoke was when Tsarakino spoke through her. Even confronting her with her impending death had ceased to be amusing, because she had lost any fear of it, and he wondered if she actually yearned for it. This broken woman was simply no fun.
The sound of the large doubledoors opening assaulted Fjerin's ears, and he knew that his servant had returned. As he turned his attention away from the battered mutt by his throne, he couldn't help but wonder at the whole point to this. Kitrone, one of his best, stepped forward onto the red carpet, walking to her master. Fjerin drew a deep breath, looking down at her, then mustering a smile. "Welcome back, my child," he greeted her as he greeted all his people.
Kitrone stepped forward and bent down on one knee, bowing to her master. "Thank you, my lord," she greeted him, her eyes turned down to the floor, awaiting his instruction.
"Rise," Fjerin smiled, and she did as she was told. "Do you know why I have called you back here?" he questioned her. Kitrone shook her head, so he continued. "You are here because I am concerned about Phase Three of the plan. How is progress on Hiei proceeding?"
Kitrone sighed, afraid she would be asked this. "Not well, my lord," she admitted. "He is a difficult egg to crack. I don't believe he'll be all that willing to talk, even if I do make a small dent in his armor."
"And that," the voice spoke from behind Fjerin, "is the very point." Fjerin turned around, somewhat surprised, and saw Atsuko standing beside his throne, on her feet with that same smirk he had grown to know so well on her face. Though the words did confuse him, and of course, he needed clarification.
"What is?" he asked, not sure he understood Tsarakino's intent.
Tsarakino laughed. "Do you really think we're going to get Hiei to spill? He'd probably crack Kitrone open before she'd crack his shell."
Fjerin narrowed his eyes. "Then what, pray tell, is the point?"
Tsarakino stepped forward to put one arm around Fjerin and the other around Kitrone, a sort of conspiratory whisper beginning in his throat, but got Atsuko's neck caught on her collar. Being still in the bonds that Fjerin kept her in, he didn't have the mobility required, and wound up yanked back by the throat and hitting the ground hard. Fjerin laughed, though Kitrone didn't dare make a noise. The grin on her face told everything.
Fjerin took three steps forward and stood over Atsuko, fighting down the chuckles. "I do so hope THAT was not the point, or I may find myself questioning your sanity, friend."
Tsarakino reached his hand up and rubbed Atsuko's throat, with a sarcastic glare cast at Fjerin. "Very funny," he coughed. "Now...back to the point."
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"Right now, we have a mission to focus on. I'm sending you into Makai. It's time to take the fight to the Tomorrow's doorstep." Shizuru heard Koenma's voice through the door, as she listened silently to the meeting within. Sakyo would be more than pleased to hear this, she smiled, it would mean more alone time for the two of them.
Shizuru vanished from the door immediately after hearing those words. She didn't care what they had to say to each other, all she cared was that they would be gone soon. She had agreed to meet Sakyo on the roof tonight, after her brother was asleep. She would tell him the good news then.
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The throne room of Tomorrow's Sanctuary stood still for several minutes. Fjerin had gone to inspect the troops, leaving Tsarakino alone with Kitrone. Several minutes passed by, neither saying a word, just watching and listening to make sure he was gone. Finally, the silence was broken by Kitrone, her voice tentatively reaching for Tsarakino. "So...my job is to–"
"Yep," Tsarakino nodded his head. "Just what I told you. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do fine. Remember, the whole plan depends on this. If we can pull this off, we'll have that toddler prince eating out of our hands. The whole Unit K plan revolves around this; you should know that better than anyone, Kitrone."
Kitrone nodded her head, then looked back towards the door. "What about..."
Tsarakino smirked his devilish smirk. "Don't worry about him. Just keep stroking his ego and we'll do just fine."
Kitrone's voice filled with a nervous tension, she wasn't certain if the plan was going to work. "Do you think he suspects anything?" she asked carefully, "If he realizes that–"
"He's not going to realize anything," Tsarakino interrupted. "That old fool still thinks he's the one with the power around here. Still thinks you guys are HIS people, that he has control over you and the others. Boy, is he in for a surprise. Don't worry about it. Just let him live out his delusions and keep the Detective sidetracked. I'll deal with him when the time comes. You just worry about Hiei."
Kitrone nodded her head. "We're really going to do it, aren't we? Just like the prophecy said...we're going to make it happen!" she exclaimed, her excitement getting the better of her.
Tsarakino grinned. "As long as we let everything happen according to plan, we're going to pull it off. Just make sure you do your part, and let me worry about the rest. The Dawn of Tomorrow is almost at hand. It won't be long now."
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The meeting had ended, and Koenma found himself alone in his office. Ayame stood to his left, and his favorite ogre was on his right, but neither of them could really understand what was happening. His mind raced with the information he'd been given, with the horrible warnings that blared through his head. This couldn't be happening, it simply couldn't.
He thought back to his earlier days. What were those stories his father had told him? He'd heard so many of them, of his father Yama's exploits as a child. Of the earlier cases of the Spirit Detection Agency, before he had even been born. There were so many stories, of demons and humans and spirits, of all manner of spirit cases that had come up.
But only one really stuck out in his mind, and it was one that chilled him to the bone every time he thought about it. The more he considered what Kuwabara had said, the more it frightened him. It couldn't be true, there had to be another explanation. A demon, an attack, a psychic, this answer and that answer and all sorts of answers swirled in his head. It just couldn't be true.
"Ayame," he began to ask, "Have you ever...no, never mind." He dropped it almost as soon as it was out of his mouth. She wouldn't know, it was long before her time. No, there was only one way he could be certain. He had to know, one way or another. He had to make it not be true, and the only way to do that was to prove it wasn't real.
"Yes, Lord Koenma?" Ayame asked, confused by his words. But he didn't respond, there was too much urgency in this.
Koenma climbed down from his desk, walking towards the door. His ogre stopped him for a moment, confused, but let him go after the young prince shot him a glare that spoke more than a thousand words. He raced down the halls of the palace, running as fast as those little legs could carry him. The more he thought about it, the more he considered it, the more frightened he became. The story was only a story, he told himself. Stories couldn't harm you, especially ones from an age long past.
Koenma found his way to the archives, where they kept the records he needed. He was greeted by an ogre, who he quickly waved aside. "Open the door," Koenma ordered.
"Yes, my lord," the ogre nodded quickly. He unlocked and opened the door to the archives, and Koenma stepped quickly inside. The first room contained the records of the people, from Ningenkai, from Reikai, and even from Makai. But he needed more than this. He passed as quickly as those little legs could carry him down the archives, coming to the next room. And it was there he hesitated, staring up at the door that he was afraid to open. The words "Spirit Detective Case Files" was emblazoned across it, and for minutes, he stared at those words, not knowing what to expect.
He had been in this room many times before, checking up on old cases, reading up on old activities. But none this dire, none this severe. Slowly, finally, he mustered the strength to do it. He was afraid of what he would learn within, but he had to go and find out. He slipped the door open and stepped inside.
A wall of records greeted him, that seemed to stretch on forever. As he came to the first file, he lifted it up in his arms. "Case File #376: Tarukane" was written proudly on the cover of the folder, and he knew inside was every piece of information they had on the last completed case. This was the case from when Yusuke and Kuwabara infiltrated the mansion of the wealthy man Tarukane, in order to rescue the ice maiden Yukina, Hiei's sister, from his clutches. It was also where they had met the Toguro Brothers for the first time.
Koenma set that folder down and moved on. There were so many folders, so many files, so many different cases. Finding the folder he sought would be difficult, if it wasn't so distinctive. No, he knew that he would simply need to work his way back until he reached it. It wasn't long before he'd reached Yusuke's first case. Koenma remembered those days with a smile, back when things were so simple. Three demons, Hiei, Kurama, and a demon named Gouki, had stolen artifacts from his father's vault. So simple.
Koenma moved past that, to the next Spirit Detective, before Yusuke. His name had been Sensui. He had been a good kid, before...no, he knew, that was a different story. There would be time for that some other day. For now, he needed to focus. He moved back past Sensui, to the one before him. And the one before him. Yamato, Hiroshine, so many names, so many Detectives, so many cases. Back and back further, until he reached Case File #216: Kiratene. He stopped here a moment, staring at the folder with fond memory. This had been his first case, the first time he had overseen a Spirit Detective. This was the first case he had ever given out, back when he was put in charge of the Agency.
Koenma looked up from the folder, then started to head farther back. Back to the years when his father had been in charge. Back to before he'd ever been born. He remembered the stories that his father had told him, of all the different cases he had overseen. 197, 184, 169, back further and further. Some names struck him, remembering his father's stories about them. Most were a complete blank to him, but he kept going. The black snake, he knew, would be back here. The black snake was his father's most terrifying story.
The black snake. The thought chilled him once more, from the stories his father had told. It could not be the same black snake, he knew it. He had to be sure, though. He kept telling himself this. It couldn't be her but he had to be sure. It couldn't be her, right? He kept going, further and further back, until finally, he found what he was looking for. His hand trembled as he reached for the file, pulling it slowly from its resting place. Probably the largest file in the entire archives, he stared down at the folder, afraid to open it. It couldn't be her. It just couldn't be. But, once again he told himself, he had to be sure. With a deep breath, he started back for his office, carrying with him the large, brown folder. And written on the folder were the words "Case File #001: Nightmare."
