Chapter 6
In the forest that was located outside the city, Yusuke and Kuwabara ran together in full speed... They saw a black clad figure ahead of them, which it came to their immediate attention. Both of them had reached and stopped before it when it came into full view.
The black clad figure that stood before their way was none other than Hiei. He was expecting for the two humans arrival in the flesh for quite some time now. His demeanor was calm with his arms together behind his back. He also had his eyes closed as if he was in a meditation mode.
"Hey!" Yusuke shouted as he furrowed his eyebrows and pointed an accusing finger to the cool and passive fire demon. "You made the machine to go haywire on us and made us ran in circles as you gained time to run from us, didn't ya?"
…There wasn't any retort from Hiei nor did he make any body movement.
Silence was answering his question instead, Yusuke thought in slight annoyance. "Surrender now, Hiei," he pointed his index finger as if he was going to use his Spirit Gun. "This is the end of the line for ya!" he exclaimed.
Eventually, Hiei opened his eyes as if he was finished with his meditation mode. He had this determined look on his face when he gave his own reply to Yusuke. "…I will not surrender without a fight, detective. I challenge you to even try," he said firmly.
Yusuke was already expecting that kind of answer from him. After all, he was ready for another battle with the Jaganshi after three months. "You do know that death is one of the means necessary to stop you, right?" He said as a way to reasoning.
Hiei looked thoughtful for a moment or two…What he heard didn't appear to be as reasoning. He understood that the detective was giving him, of all demons, a chance to surrender and go back to Spirit World. Or better yet, was the detective being hesitant to fight? He didn't look like the kind to turn down a challenge.
Hiei stopped pondering in his mind. "Hm. Death is an exciting way to put an end to my evil doings. I would like that," he said in a cold sarcasm. "If I defeat you and your partner single handedly, there will be nothing else in my way to rule all the three worlds."
Yusuke understood that Hiei was definately beyond reason. He had this thought at first that if the battle was avoided, he would have been able to keep his "strange energy" in check. He had no choice but to proceed with Spirit World's orders and to put an end to this case once and for all.
After being silent and observing the short opponent, Kuwabara clenched a fist in determination and took a valiant step forward. "I'll take care of this guy, Urameshi!" he declared out loud.
Hiei turned his look to the other tall and odd looking human. He was a fool declaring out loud to face him yet he was a brave soul. "Hn. It doesn't matter who's going to face me first. You two are going to die anyways."
Yusuke also looked at Kuwabara for a moment. His close rival wasn't sure what kind of opponent they were facing but he would give him the opportunity to at least find out for himself. "Fine. Let's settle this down the old fashioned way."
Kuwabara nodded his head in agreement and approached close to Yusuke until he made enough space in the center between them. He and Yusuke made a pose holding a fist behind them as they concentrated themselves. They had a staring contest against each other.
Hiei was quietly looking at them. 'What are they doing? I wonder…'
"Rock…paper…scissors!"
Both humans launched the fist in the center:
Yusuke had the shape of a scissor on his hand, while Kuwabara had the shape of a rock on his own hand.
"W-what?" Yusuke was flabbergasted. He couldnt believe that he had lost this trivial game to Kuwabara.
Kuwabara laughed in joy at the outcome. "Ha! I win! You lose, Urameshi! I get to fight first!"
Yusuke covered his eyes in shame with one hand. He used the other hand to wave at the other quickly in dismissal. "Ugh…Just go, will ya?" he said irritated for never experiencing a loss in a game ever in his life.
Kuwabara was grinning widely for his first victory against Yusuke Urameshi, the terrible and unbeatable foe in games and street fighting of the entire city. Now, he was about to achieve his second victory to the fire demon in a dangerous duel. He could just smell the victory around the corner, he thought giddily. It was his lucky day after all.
He turned to look at Hiei with a serious look. Playtime was over, now it was time to get serious. He could sense that the fire demon was strong by his energy, which a certain amount was suppressed. "All right, you! Get ready to be defeated by none other than the great Kazuma Kuwabara! Let's get started, shall we?"
Hiei was rather unfazed. He studied Kuwabara briefly, as he was trying to formulate a strategy to defeat him at ease without having to use much energy. That human was not very bright and he probably relied on brute strength in a battle, in his quiet opinion. It was going to be favorable and it will work as a warm up before the second battle against the Spirit Detective.
Kuwabara blinked his eyes in confusion. Hiei had just pointed a finger to the trees that were behind him before he'd disappeared in mid air. What was that fire demon trying to point at, especially to him of all humans?
"I think he wants you to follow him over that direction." Yusuke finally said with his arms crossed to his chest. He had managed to decipher Hiei's non-verbal message. "Be careful, Kuwabara. Hiei can be a tricky demon," he warned to his partner.
"Ha! His tricks won't work on me!" Kuwabara exclaimed and ran after Hiei's direction to the trees.
YAKAMO STREET:
Shuichi was wondering to himself as he stood on the pavement. He had crossed the street not too long ago when he saw a small group of people gathered together where he last was standing. He looked to his left and approoached an old lady. "Excuse me. What's going on over there?" He asked politely.
"Oh it was terrible, young man. A young woman has fainted over there for no reason," the old lady explained.
Shuichi looked over once more where the crowd was standing. He immediately noticed something… or better yet, someone peculiar entering among the crowd. "That guy..." he muttered.
Shunyin was entering through the crowd. He found Botan, who was unconscious on the floor. Next to her, a gentleman who appeared to be a doctor was kneeling and ready to help with medical attention. "Allow me, sir. I know her very well." He said to the doctor as he kneeled down on the pavement.
"I hope you know what you are doing," the doctor said as Shunyin took Botan in his arms, and brought her close to his own body.
Shunyin looked at the unconscious Botan and he stroked her hair with one hand. He kissed her forehead after he whispered this words softly: "It's been a long time…Sorry, but I have to do this, sweetheart." He hugged Botan tightly to his chest.
The majority of the female in the crowd were amazed at the display of affection coming from the tall and handsome Demon Hunter.
In truth, the public display of affection had an ulterior motive. Shunyin proceeded to extract energy from Botan's body just by using body contact to her. The two of them were surrounded by a blue energy that was invisible to every human eye. They stayed like this for a full minute.
'Perfect…Botan's spiritual energy from the Power Sphere is just what I need for my "one-sided project" in the Demon World.' Shunyin said mentally, almost in triumph.
When Shunyin was finished extracting the spiritual energy, he set Botan down, carefully on the pavement. He stood on his feet to walk away from the scene, leaving the crowd rather confused.
"Hey!" The doctor called out to the retreating form of the Demon Hunter, who appeared to be somewhat eccentric with his actions. "Are you just going to leave your girlfriend lying out here on the ground?"
Shunyin never looked back as he raised a hand up in the air. He waved that same hand in dismissal. "She will be all right. She will wake up before you know it!" he replied rather casually.
Shunyin stopped his tracks abruptly: Shuichi was in his way, and had this questioning look that wwas inspecting him. He didn't let this bother him: he only gave a smirk to the teen.
"I dont know about you but I feel like I have met you before. I just dont remember exactly where..." Shuichi said out of the blue. The older man gave him a strange yet familiar feeling.
Shunyin looked at Shuichi, and put his hands in both pockets. "So have you been feeling different over the past year? Am I correct?" He inquired like a doctor to a patient before he could give out a diagnosis.
Shuichi glared at the other. "How do you know about this? How much do you know about me?" He demanded. At least that was what he could interpret from those questions. He felt that Shunyin knows more that he was leading on, especially at the following:
Instead of answering the demanding questions, Shunyin had a pleased look and he put both of his hands in his pockets. He chuckled before speaking. "All due time, Shuichi. You will be your old self again eventually. I apologize for any inconvenience that had brought you," he said in a way of reassurance.
Shuichi felt very intrigued. He understood that Shunyin was the reason why he was different over the last year. 'I think he knows everything about me, and he will not reveal any information until he feels like sharing it with me,' he thought.
"By the way, Yomi says hi all the way from Demon World," Shunyin had changed the subject. "Be kind and send him a postcard, pay him a visit or something—he wants to see you so badly. Oh and please do," he took a moment to shudder his body. "He gets very creepy sometimes when he talks or thinks about you," he commented rather appalled.
Shuichi was going to ask Shunyin who was this Yomi from the Demon World. Shuichi had assumed that Yomi was some sort of demon like his new friend, Hiei. He wasn't sure why but Yomi also gave him a familiar feeling in his chest. As if he knew that demon very well a long time ago…Who knows, he might give him a visit as well.
The doctor in the crowd yelled the following: "It's a miracle! She is waking up!"
Shunyin used the opportunity to dissappear in mid air since Shuichi got distracted and rushed to help Botan.
Botan had already sat on the pavement, trying to remember what had happened to her. She felt somewhat weaker before she lost her consciousness. As if her own spiritual energy had been drained from her body...
"Take it easy now. Do you need to go to the hospital?" the doctor asked to Botan
Her eyes had widened. She had realized that a certain amount of spiritual energy from the Power Sphere that she carried inside her soul had been taken away. Another spirit from Spirit World or from the Netherworld only would know about this…She felt stupid. She was supposed to guard that sphere with her life…
"Are you all right, Charlene?"
Botan looked to her left side to see the handsome red headed human that she had a short conversation with before she lost her consciousness. She remembered his name. "Huh? Shuichi…? What happened?"
"You fainted right out here in the middle of the streets, remember?" Shuichi said gently. He placed a hand on one of Botan' shoulders when she was looking to her surroundings. She was probably uncomfortable talking around a group of people. "Let's go talk somewhere else in private, okay?" He offered kindly.
Some time later, the two of them had left together to a small cafe business that was around the corner of the same street. They had a simple glass of orange juice that the waiter had brought for them at their table.
"So, how are things in Spirit World?" Shuichi inquired rather openly to the ferry girl.
"It has been kind of messy lately," Botan replied with honesty before she gave out a sigh..."There's a strong criminal on the loose and the current Spirit Detective, Yusuke, and his partner, Kuwabara, are facing him at this very moment."
Shuichi would have helped them but his number one priority is the safety of his own mother. In addition, he wasn't as strong as he used to be within the last year. He would only get in the way. "Well, I have faith that Yusuke and Kuwabara will defeat that fugitive," he said being optimist and supportive for the two humans. "By the way, what will happen to that criminal after being caught once again?"
"This time, Yusuke can cause him death in battle."
Shuichi nodded in understanding. "It's rather unfortunate…" He somehow pitied the criminal for his pending fate.
"Yeah…but those were Enma's orders and Koenma had to comply since this case has been going on for too long. I better get going; I'm worried for those two."
"Yes, take care of yourself, Botan…or is it Charlene?" Shuichi gave Botan a funny look.
Botan couldn't help herself by laughing nerviously. "I was hoping that you would remember me since the last time we talked. I was afraid you wouldn't so I came up with that name."
Shuichi smiled at her antic, which it made sense to him. "No, I could never forget about you. Besides, I cannot talk to you openly around other people about Spirit World." He placed a hand on one of Botan's shoulders. "We are still friends no matter what happens; don't you ever forget that."
Botan returned the smile with her own one. Shuichi was still the same warm human that she met almost two years ago.
MEANWHILE:
"Come out now! I know you are hiding over there! You can't deceive my senses!" Kuwabara shouted in the forest that many trees were surrounding his every direction. He was looking for Hiei after he ran after him for some time…
Hiei stood on top of one of the branches, readying himself to attack the tall human. For the past hour, he had been literally running away from the psychic because of his ability to sense him. He would catch him without his presence being sensed and strike a weak point like the neck or the heart. He launched himself by jumping down the tree where he was standing.
"What the-?" Kuwabara turned around in time to find a moving flying shadow coming down towards his direction. He out of nowhere, made a sword out of his own spirit energy in one hand. He grabbed that same sword with his two hands and made a strike right on the moving shadow.
"Gotcha now!" Kuwabara attempted many times to strike that same shadow with the sword.
The flying shadow evaded every sword swing until took a distance. It revealed itself: Hiei was slightly panting with a superficial wound cut on his chest.
Kuwabra was also panting for swinging his sword excessively with little to no coordination. "I was gonna save this for Urameshi to kick his butt next time but this would be the perfect time to use it! I call it the Spirit Sword! It is made out of my own energy! Neat, huh? " He beamed proudly.
"You fool! You can create a sword with your own powers and you don't even know how to use it? That's pathetic!" Hiei exclaimed to him. With the proper training, Kuwabara can become a great swordsman handling that sword made out of his own spiritual energy.
Kuwabara took a pose with the Spirit Sword. "Don't mind if I practice with it on ya!" He yelled as he ran to Hiei.
Hiei braced himself for another sword encounter. If only he had his own sword with him now…
Just when Kuwabara was going to make a single strike, the Spirit Sword went out of his hands that Hiei easily evaded the failed attack.
Kuwabara fell to the ground upon noticing that his spiritual sword and his opponent were gone in an instant.
"What? Why did it go out on me?" Kuwabara wondered as he looked at his own empty hands. He tried to summon the sword once more in his hands but it was futile. He was having a hard time.
'It seems that he is not good at concentrating his powers…' Hiei thought of the possible answer to Kuwabara's predicament. He rushed with a speed to attack Kuwabara bare-handed. He had the advantage now. "Enough playtime with you. Fight me when you learn to control your sword that is made from your spiritual energy."
Kuwabara blinked his eyes at the words coming from his opponent. "Huh? Are you t-?"
Kuwabara got punched by Hiei right on the face.
Kuwabara clenched a fist as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the other free hand. He clenched his teeth of the anger. "Oh, it's personal now!" He launched himself to attack Hiei without his sword.
The two of them were exchanging punches and kicks, and sometimes making dodges, in a rapid motion…
Back in the open forest, Yusuke was getting impatient. Hiei and Kuwabara were taking too long in their fight. Either way: it was Yusuke or his strange energy wanting to take surface…
"Yusuke!"
The Spirit Detective looked up in the sky to see the ferry girl descending on her oar to the ground.
Botan landed right next to him and putted the oar away. "So what's going on? Where's Kuwabara?"
"He's fighting Hiei over the trees."
"Huh? So Hiei was here all this time?"
The two of them looked up: Kuwabara gave out a cry as he flew right past them and crashed to the ground.
Botan rushed to Kuwabara side and knelt down next to him. "Kuwabara! Are you okay?"
"Yeah, Botan. Is just a scratch…" Kuwabara said as he somewhat struggled to sit properly. That fire demon sure was strong.
Then, Hiei appeared in mid air before the three of them. He narrowed his eyes at Yusuke. "You better be best prepared than last time, detective. As soon as I am through with you, I will proceed to take everyone's life."
"Quit your small talk, Hiei!" Yusuke growled and launched himself to attack Hiei with full force.
Hiei easily blocked the punches and kicks, one after another.
Yusuke got angrier by the passing second. He had a fierce look and gaining speed on him as if he was trying to match his own lightning speed.
Hiei took notice of this gradual change in Yusuke's pace: 'He's faster and stronger than last time! Something is wrong with him! Something is changing inside the detective—I can feel that it is a demonic aura! There's no way that he is a demon!'
Botan realized as well what was happening to Yusuke and his newfound growing powers. "No way... It cannot be happening yet."
"What's wrong, Botan?" Kuwabara asked to her. Maybe she could explain to him what was going on, especially why Yusuke's aura was changing.
"Yusuke is trying to turn into a demon but he is kinda holding back," she explained to him.
Kuwabara did a double look. "What!? Urameshi can't be a demon! He is a human like me!"
"I'm afraid not, Kuwabara," Botan said, ready to explain to him why Yusuke is a demon. "His ancestor is a powerful demon named Raizen. Yusuke's power was doormat until he had the car accident, and being revived afterwards had somehow aweken his powers. I know this because Spirit World has been researching this when it started to happen."
Hiei had heard every word coming from Botan. He and Yusuke had stopped their blows. 'So that explains everything...His ancestor is the most powerful Demon Lord that exists,' he said in his mind as he looked at Yusuke, who was pondering for a moment.
"Now, let's finish this. I am more than ready to go for the kill. But first..." Yusuke concentrated heavily as a great deal of energy and an aura surrounded him. His casual shirt had been ripped away as strange blue markings patterns appeared all over his chest. He smirked at Hiei like a hunter to its prey. "Here I come!"
Yusuke ran forward to Hiei, throwing punches in a blinding speed than ever. Hiei was having a hard time keeping up with Yusuke's new pace that he was receiving too many damages on his body. He crashed on the ground as Yusuke gave him a blow with a stong version of the Spirit Gun.
"The detective is getting too strong...Impossible." Hiei grunted because of the pain. He tried to stand back on his feet again, and managed to do so.
Yusuke smirked only upon seeing his opponent wincing in pain. "I hope you can endure another powerful round of my Spirit Gun, Hiei!" He pointed his index finger at the fire demon as he charged his weapon. "You better survive this one if you can!"
He thought of his next move to put Yusuke back to normal because he was too strong for his own good.
"I don't want to use this technique. I'm still mastering it but it will do at this state of emergency," he said as he became surrounded by a dark aura that burned his tattered black cloak, his white scarf and headband from his forehead to reveal the Jagan eye glowing. He was getting ready to summon a very difficult technique with whatever was left of his demonic energy he had with him. He had spent five years trying to master the technique with harsh training.
"Huh?" Botan noticed that Hiei was concentrating too much energy on his right hand, which it became engulfed in a dark flame. She could tell that it was going to be very dangerous. "Kuwabara! Take cover!"
Kuwabara had watched the mass concentration of energy between Hiei and Yusuke that the surroundings were being affected. It was too powerful that if he and Botan didn't take cover soon, they can be affected as well. He took cover by laying his body on the ground and held Botan's body close to him.
Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the dark flame Hiei had on his right arm. "What the? What technique are you trying to pull?"
Hiei smirked at the look on Yusuke's face. He was going to get it. "Oh you will like this one. Let's see if you can handle the intensity!" He exclaimed with his technique ready to be unleashed.
"Dragon...of the...Darkness Flame!"
The dark flames flew from Hiei's arms into the shape of a black dragon. It went flying straight to Yusuke with its sharp fangs and mouth wide open.
Yusuke shot the Spirit Gun to the black flame dragon, which it devoured the ammunition.
Botan and Kuwabara covered their eyes and kept themselves on the ground to prevent the impact of the technique to fly them away.
Yusuke tried to stop the dragon with one hand while as he resisted the powerful attack. Hiei had pushed the limits of his energy... The dragon attacked Yusuke and a raging black fire consumed him. Yusuke screamed in defeat.
"Yusuke!" Botan screamed for her friend.
There was an explosion…
When the smoke had vanished, Yusuke fell unconscious to the ground right after the black-flamed dragon had ceased.
Botan got up from the ground and she ran as fast as she could to Yusuke's side. Yusuke's body was slightly burned but the strange blue markings were gone from his body. "Please, dont die yet..." she almost wanted to cry since her friend wasnt making any movement other than his breathing, which it was very weak.
"He is not dead yet, that technique had made damage but not overly so since I only used a quarter of its power. He will be fine. I only attacked his demonic energy."
Botan looked at Hiei, who was talking and never moved from his place. His left arm got slightly burned, and he was trying hard to still stand on his feet. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Phew! I thought you wanted to kill him."
"Hn. There will be plenty of other opportunities to kill you all. For now, I..." Hiei didn't finished his sentence as exhaustion had taken over him. He collapsed on the ground with his own eyes closed and the Jagan eye had stopped glowing.
Kuwabara approached and stood before Botan and Yusuke. He looked at Yusuke and then at Hiei. "What happened to him?" He got curious of what made a strong demon like Hiei to be unconscious on the ground.
"That dangerous technique he had performed on Yusuke might have consumed a great force of his energy," Botan explained very well to Kuwabara the reason for Hiei's exhaustion. "Now that the fight is over, we gotta do something about these two."
Kuwabara nodded before he went to pick Yusuke carefully with his hands and threw him over his shoulder. "I'll take Urameshi back to his apartment, and you take that demon back to Spirit World."
"Are you sure you are gonna be okay, Kuwabara? I can call out some of the spirit ogres to help out." Botan said being worried for his own health.
"Oh I will be fine, trust me!" Kuwabara appreaciated her concern for him. He didn't had much difficulty to make his way back to his own house while carrying Yusuke over his shoulder. He would get an earful from Shizuru first for getting himself hurt but she would help them to get healed.
Botan sighed in relief. At least everything was over... "Oh well, time to call that back up."
SPIRIT WORLD: TWO WEEKS LATER
"Finally, this case is over… Yusuke had already recuperated and Kuwabara is doing okay. What about Hiei?"
Botan asked to Koenma, who was sitting on his desk. She was standing before his desk when she asked.
"I cannot make a decision as of yet. The ogres are making a deep evaluation before passing on the communication to me," Koenma explained before handing over to Botan, a folder containing secret information. "Here's the next case briefing."
Botan took the red folder and she opened it to read it quickly. She smiled when she was finished reading the next case. Her request to provide assistance to the Spirit Detective and his partner was approved and granted by Koenma. She bowed her head in gratitude for a short period of time.
"Thank you, Lord Koenma. I will accompany them to Master Genkai's Temple. I have a question to make. If Yusuke and Kuwabara are going away for some time to chase this demon named Rando and train with Genkai afterwards, then who's going to assume the responsibility over the rest of Human World?"
It was a good question, Koenma never thought about it. He put a hand under his chin as he pondered for an answer. "Well, someone who can help me up with my stack of paperwork would be ideal…"
"Gaaaah!" Botan fell over to the floor in a weird and cmical fashion.
"The Spirit Detective that was before Yusuke was excellent," Koenma commented as an afterthought.
"More likely, he was being pushed around by you to do everything. The poor thing…" Botan muttered when she recovered herself from the floor.
Koenma had overheard her words. "What did you say!?" he got agitated.
Botan was nervous that she raised her hands as a sign of peace."Nothing! Anyways, I have an idea to cover our incoming predicament! We could try and convince our previous Spirit Detective to help us around. But that's not all! Since he used to work mostly by himself, he would have this time a partner to rely on. Think about it, our last Spirit Detective could use his mind to solve the cases while his partner can contribute with his own intelligence and use his strength to defeat the enemies. And I know who would be that partner…."
Koenma got interested with Botan's proposal that he called out two ogres to get that partner and bring him to the office.
A few minutes later, Hiei was inside the office as he stood before Koenma's desk. Botan had already left the room.
"Well? What is my sentence?" Hiei inquired rather hastily to Koenma. After he had fainted of using by force his underdeveloped technique, the Dragon of the Darkness Flame, he had awakened in his prison cell once again. He had resigned to his fate in the Spirit World.
"You can relax, Hiei. I'm not going to punish for an eternity. In fact, the ogres have determined that this is more of Youko Kurama's doing."
"That is true but he abandoned the crime at some point. Gouki and I were acting upon our own accord, which you already know that side of the story."
"Yes, that is also true but Botan brought a proposal. She had mentioned things about you what she had witnessed and heard in the Human World, so I took that into consideration. You are not as evil as you claim to be, so there are good things about you if we get to know you more."
Hiei growled because he was irritated of the pointless talk. "Get straight to the point. What will happen to me?"
"Hiei, you will be put on probation. You will have conditional liberty by working in the Human World until I determine when you will go back to your home for good. You can think of it as a way to repay for what you've done. Plus your accumulated criminal records will go blank."
Hiei raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms to his chest. "So I will be as some kind of lap dog doing your dirty work? I refuse…Let's proceed with my sentence, shall we?" he said coldly.
"I don't want to do this but you have left me with no other choice…" Koenma took a remote control and turned on the wide screen television.
In the television, Yukina appeared in the house on Koorime Island. She was sitting by the window as she was looking outside with a sorrow look on her features.
'Yukina!' Hiei's mind screamed as he saw Yukina after some time. He glared at Koenma. He was thinking that since Koenma learned about the ice maiden, he would go as far to manipulate him to do his bidding.
"Your information in your files has been updated but we don't have any information about her." Koenma explained to Hiei as matter-of-factly. "We can only obtain information about criminals and powerful class demons that are a potential threat."
Both had turned their attention back to the television screen when they saw the following:
A fellow and older ice maiden entered through the door of the house. She stood before Yukina, and had a concerned look on her features. "Yukina? You haven't eaten much of anything this past three months …We are all worried about you."
Yukina never looked at her visitor. "I'm just not very hungry, Rui. Thank you," she said quietly.
Rui sighed, knowing very well the cause for Yukina to lose her appetite. "Is Hiei, isn't it? He may be dead if he is yet to sh-" She was interrupted with Yukina's rare icy glare that could freeze any living soul.
Yukina became livid upon hearing such horrendous assumption about the fire demon that she most cared about with her own life. "He's alive somewhere! He always takes his own time to come back! He always keeps his promises to me…You'll see." She whispered more to herself before she turned her gaze to the window.
Rui closed her eyes as she grasped her hands together. Ice maidens are known for not having emotions but Hiei and Yukina had proved to be different. "I don't think he is not going to make it back to Koorime Island this time. At least, that's what the Elder and everyone else believes."
Yukina had heard enough of the Elder or everyone else's view of the situation. Two solid tear gems fell from Yukina's crimson eyes."Rui… please let me be, I will wait for him in this house."
"But Yukina-!" Rui was once again interrupted when she felt an ice barrier that was surrounding the young ice maiden. She shook her head. "Fine, but I'll be back some other time to check on you," she said in defeat before leaving the house.
Hiei was in shock of what he saw on the television. He didn't care to show his emotion freely in the office. 'Yukina…She's suffering because of me…' he said mentally as he felt very bad on the inside. He hadn't given much thought about Yukina waiting for him back at that island, where he was hated by everyone, especially the Elder. Only Rui and Yukina didn't hate him for being Hina's Forbidden Child…
"That lovely ice maiden seems very dear to you."
That comment made by Koenma brought Hiei back to reality.
"It is your choice, Hiei," Koenma spoke. "You can work for Spirit World so you can work your way towards your freedom or you can accept the felony and charges on behalf of your other two alibis and never see her again in your life. I will give you some time to think about it. Please, choose wisely, Hiei. Godspeed."
A FEW DAYS LATER AT MINAMINO RESIDENCE:
Shuichi had this blank look on his face... He had received Botan's visit at the front door of his house not too long ago. He had welcomed her to come inside the house and both of them were sitting in the living room. Luckily, Shiori was out of the house on the beauty salon.
Finally, after a moment of brief silence: "Huh? Spirit World needs me again?" Shuichi asked carefully to Botan.
"Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara are already on their way to the next case out of the city, and we happen to be short handed. Koenma believes that we are going to receive more cases any time soon. You and the other demon are the ones that we can rely on right now."
"A demon is helping Spirit World?"
Botan nodded her head. "He was the criminal that I talked to you about the other day," She said she took out of her pink backpack that she brought with her a file folder before she handed it over to Shuichi. "Inside this file, we have his picture and detailed information about his recent criminal history."
Shuichi raised a fine eyebrow as he took the file folder with one hand. "Then with this, I will actually believe you guys are short handed then," he said in pity. In his opinion, Spirit World was getting desperate to resolve their current predicament by asking a criminal for help... It was sad, really. He opened the folder to read with his eyes information about the lucky demon…His eyes went wide as he had finished reading and took a good look of that demon's physical appearance according to the provided photography.
"Something wrong, Shuichi?" Botan got concerned with the redhead's reaction.
Shuichi looked at Botan and closed the file folder before he handed it over to her. "I'm simply surprised. I never heard of Demon World before. I thought that place only existed in fictional movies."
"I never told you anything because I didn't know how you would react after Koenma recruited you. Also, you probably would have refused to work for us in the past. As I can see now, you are taking it rather well."
Shuichi didn't say anything else to his friend…
"As much as I love to, Hiei cannot become a Spirit Detective. If that happens, then we are all going to experience the Apocalypse- also known as King Enma's wrath," Botan looked terrified for that possibility since she had a good imagination.
Shuichi agreed quietly with Botan. In order to become a Spirit Detective, a human must have a high spiritual energy and being a capable fighter. There were no exceptions by Enma. He, too, had experienced that wrath and he wished not to anybody else to experience it for themselves.
"So I thought if it was best to look for someone who already has the experience. The first female Spirit Detective, Kuroko Sanada, is married and had retired...You have met her before right?"
Shuichi nodded again. He remembered meeting Kuroko and her new family one day in a fine afternoon. He played with her twin children in a friendly sparring match, and he even got his palm read by her husband…
"After her, that would leave you even if your service to Spirit World was short lived," Botan said afterwards.
Of course there was another Spirit Detective that Botan knew of and Shuichi never learned about: Shinobu Sensui and his demon partner, Itsuki. Sensui was the next Spirit Detective who took on the role after Kuroko had retired to start her own family. By that time, Botan was a new and inexperienced ferry girl… However, Sensui and Itsuki are way out of the picture after that incident that happened years ago on a particular case…It was banned on Spirit World to talk about them or even mention their names.
Shuichi gave it some thoughts. He decided that it would be selfish of his part to limit himself on protecting his mother while the entire Human World was left unprotected to new upcoming dangers … "I'll think about it. In fact, you will hear my answer very soon. It will be quite interesting to have a demon as a crime fighting partner."
Botan gasped as her mouth went fully open. She didn't think that Shuichi would ever come back to work for Spirit World... Her plan had worked and it gave her the desired results. "You will? Thank you, Shuichi! I always knew I could count on you!" She said as she stood up from her seat. She bounced of happiness she was feeling inside her human form.
She grinned as she took her pink backpack that was placed next to her. "I'll go tell Koenma the news!" She said as her transformation into her spiritual form had taken over her.
As soon as Botan was gone through the open door of his house, Shuichi was able to think freely in his mind.
'Hiei…I helped him out when he was injured after he escaped from Spirit World, and that makes me somehow involved…' he thought of the consequences that would bring to him if spirit World ever learns that he was involved by helping out a running criminal in any shape or form. 'I better not say anything, especially to Botan. She may be my friend but she is a bit of a motor mouth.'
Shuichi looked over the skies outside his house as he stood on the doorway. "To help Spirit World as a Spirit Detective once again…" he said before releasing a deep sigh that expressed anguish. "Kitamija, I wish you were here with me to give me your sincere opinion," he said more to himself. He missed her dearly so…
"Let's go get the bad guys, Minamino! We will do this in the name of justice, peace and love for the sake of hundreds of innocent people! Yeah!" Maya Kitamija had exclaimed in enthusiasm with a fist in the air…
Shuichi laughed to himself as he reminisced the past and his childhood friend. A smile formed on his lips, "Yes, that is something you would definitely say to me. Let's protect the innocent people from the bad guys…well, in this case, demons."
A/N: That's the end of the first saga.
Here's the information of the new summary, which the current summary will be replaced once Chapter 8 is published. I'm so excited! I can't wait to write about Hiei and Shuichi solving cases together as a team! Weeeee!
Please leave reviews and see you all on Chapter 8!
NEW SUMMARY FOR THE NEXT PLOT: In order to regain his freedom and clean his criminal record, Hiei accepts to work for Spirit World until he had proven himself worthy in the Human World. He must also team up with a former Spirit Detective to help solve harder cases and face against stronger opponents with Yusuke and Kuwabara away for the time being.