Disclaimer: YYH is the property of Yoshihiro Togashi. If I were him I would be creating more manga, not writing fanfiction.

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The Beginning

A small figure, clad in black, sat perched on a branch in Makai. Underneath the hood, one could see the nose crinkle in disgust at the smell—that is, if there were anyone around to see. Thankfully there was not; the quarry could be found in peace...

A twig snapped, and the figure was off, merely a blur jumping from tree branch to tree branch, out-running the pursuer...or trying to.

A glance back—no! still there. The hunter had become the hunted.

And there! underneath! Another chaser ran. The assassin muttered a small curse.

Ahead there was a high branch, one easily defended, but to risk the jump--?

The figure jumped, landed on the branch—it snapped! Down plummeted the assassin. The pursuer in the trees stopped. No one but the best could survive that fall.

But the figure landed—however shakily—on their feet, and turned to run again.

No! The way was blocked by vines. A hand reached out...the figure tried to jerk away—a hood fell back, revealing pale skin, mouth, nose, wide eyes, long hair—a woman!

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Koenma's Office

"They should have been back by now." A disgruntled Koenma paced back and forth on his desk, mashing his pacifier with his teeth. He feebly kicked his tiny foot at a stack of official documents, toppling them onto the floor.

Yusuke sat on the edge of the prince's desk, tapping his foot and drumming his fingers against his crossed arms.

' "You have to be here!" Koenma says. "You're the Spirit Detective!" Buncha bull. Hiei and Kurama can take care of themselves.'

For the next several minutes, each sat in his respective silence, waiting, waiting--

"Koenma-sama! They're back! They have the assassin!"

"Well come on then, pacifier breath! Take us to him, Botan!" yelled Yusuke, eager to do anything but sit around and do nothing.

Botan led them down to the dungeons, to the deepest place, the most damp and dark. By a small corner cell stood two people: one, a short fire demon with ruby eyes and a dark glare; the other a tall man with vibrant hair and emerald eyes.

Kurama turned at the sound of the others, but Hiei remained locked in a glaring contest with the prisoner.

"Koenma-sama," started Kurama, "the assassin-for-hire is not what we expected."

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A/N

Well, how's that for a first chapter. My writing style is, admittedly, a little strange. Did anyone find it too strange? R&R. Cheers.