Hello! Thank you for your reviews! Here's Chapter 9! Enjoy!

Chapter 8

INSIDE TARUKANE BUILDING:

Shuichi was crawling on his hands and knees inside the ventilation system. Hiei had been following him quietly from behind. The two of them have been crawling inside the ventilation system for a good half an hour.

Hiei wondered mentally when they were going to stop crawling like helpless infants… He was starting to become annoyed. That was when he noticed that his human partner had just stopped his movements. His annoyance was replaced with slight curiosity.

Shuichi had stopped to look down at the square shaped opening that was situated just to look that at the basement. There were many people dressed in formal clothing while the basement was richly decorated and a classical music played on that background. He analyzed in his mind what was happening: 'This looks nothing more than a gala party between rich people…' he thought, and that was his conclusion.

'Oh so that's what is called?'

Shuichi got surprised: he had just heard Hiei's voice in his mind. Not only he heard that but his thoughts were also read. He looked hastily over his shoulder to look at his demon partner to inquire him to make sure he wasn't 'hearing voices' inside his head, "Hiei! How do you..?"

Hiei made a gesture with his hand to Shuichi to not to speak out loud with his mouth. 'Keep quiet! I'm talking through your mind so we don't have to make any noise. Especially you since you are so talkative.'

'Oh, that's very smart of you. I forgot to ask George for some communication equipment,' Shuichi agreed with the idea of communicating telepathically with one another. Again, Hiei was proving himself to be useful and reliable.

He made some space so that Hiei would join him to his side and look down at the party that was currently happening at the basement of Tarukane's building.

Indeed, Hiei got the non-verbal message, and he moved until his own left arm touched with Shuichi's right one.

Shuichi slightly blushed at the contact he was making with Hiei. He shook his head to shake off the feeling because he had a mission and he needed to not to lose his sense of focus. He thanked Enma that Hiei was too concentrated to not even notice or else he was going to get scolded.

Anyways, Hiei raised an eyebrow upon what he was witnessing down at the basement, 'What is this event that is going on between humans?' He asked to Shuichi in his mind because this type of gathering between a large number of humans was new to him.

'It's a gala party. It is a formal reunion between humans who has a lot of money to mingle, dance, eat and talk mostly about politics, money and business,' Shuichi explained to Hiei as simply as possible for him to comprehend. He assumed that Hiei had never been to such formal events since Demon World is quite different from the Human World.

'Hmm…We are wasting our time here. We should let them celebrate whatever they are happen to be celebrating and carry on with the mission,' Hiei said, not wanting to witness more of the party that was run by humans.

Shuichi looked at Hiei momentarily. He wanted to disagree since Tarukane, their objective of their mission, was probably roaming among the people in the party. His eyes scanned the room once again…He became alert.

'Wait, I see some gentlemen going to that room. I saw Tarukane heading there as well. Let's go after them, Hiei.' He found Tarukane and a small group of men walking into another room. He was able to recognize Tarukane since he had been provided with a picture that revealed his physical identity on the red folder that had the mission briefing.

Hiei went on to move ahead…He quickly stopped when he turned to look at Shuichi, who was now standing frozen in his place. 'What is it?' he inquired.

Shuichi looked at Hiei, and he shook his head. 'Let's…move on where this meeting is held.' he said, yet his eyes went back to where he was staring. 'Then again, there was something strange about those three down at the party…They are demons,' he was able to explain.

Hiei turned his body at the opposite of the Spirit Detective to look at the same direction. Indeed, he was able to sense right away on three shaggy looking humans' demonic energy. Those three were guarding the door. It was a relief that he had concealed his energy soon after reaching this spot or he and Shuichi would've been spotted in the first place. 'Oh so were you finally able to tell them apart from the rest of the crowd?'

Shuichi sighed. He had to explain himself to Hiei later; today, he had sensed those demons on his own. It was something he wasn't expecting to do. 'Like I said earlier, don't get me wrong. I can somehow recognize demons—today, at least…Kitajima used to do this better than myself…'

Shuichi didn't say anything else as he began anew to crawl deep further through the ventilation system.

Hiei frowned to himself as he followed suit. So it turns out that other humans did a better job on sensing energy than Shuichi actually does. It was pathetic, really. Sensing energy was highly elemental that was a must-have skill for every living being to increase the chance of survival. He was afraid that not only he was going to protect Shuichi from harm and danger, but also is highly dependent on him. Really, one day that human will be the end of him…

Eventually, the duo had moved on further ahead on the ventilation system until they found another opening. Upon looking at that other opening, the two of them saw a quiet and private room that Tarukane was standing in the middle while other five men sat on separate lounge chairs.

'Well here it is: Tarukane is reunited with those other men,' Shuichi informed to Hiei.

Hiei could only fix his gaze at Tarukane and ignored everyone else that was present in the room. That man just gave him a very bad and indescribable feeling, and it made him uneasy.

"Boys, welcome," Tarukane said as a welcoming host to his five guests. "I thank the five of you for coming to this fund raising event. The funding for the Black Black Club, which your generous amounts of donations is greatly appreciated as always. My secretary will send out the itinerary for the next activities for next month for every member. I'm afraid that's all we have for now. Why not enjoy the rest of the party?"

The first set of four men looked at each other questionably. Usually, Tarukane's meeting took longer than this, which it set a new record and disturbing…

'Well that was rather dull…I was hoping for a plot of the three world's domination,' Hiei commented in his mind in a bored fashion.

Oddly enough, Shuichi wanted to agree with Hiei but something told him that there was more to this impromptu and short meeting meeting.

"Tarukane… I believe there is something you haven't shared with us lately."

Everyone in the room looked at the quiet younger man with the long black hair and scar. He was smoking a cigarette and looked at Tarukane with a knowing look.

Tarukane's eyes narrowed at that man for a moment. "Ah yes, Sakyo. I believe I haven't…you prying cocky bastard," he muttered the last few words, which Sakyo caught on. "Anyways, the hiruiseki stones haven't been selling in years in every market, right? Well, I plan to bring it again on the black market and sell it at the highest bidders. You know, gotta keep moving business."

"And how do you plan to do that? The hiruiseki stone is a rarity to find these days around the world," one of the members, Butajiri, a portly older man with grey hair and jowl cheeks, asked to the founder of the Black Black Club.

Hiei's eyes focused much more heavily on Tarukane. How this horrid looking human plan to get the hiruiseki stones for his disgusting money-making purposes? There was not a human technologic contraption that could possibly imitate the stone to its original perfection… There was only one way that could be achieved.

Shuichi wondered about what the hiruiseki stones are…He should look it up on the school library's computer with Internet access as soon as possible.

"That's a good question. However, I plan not to feed you boys on information this time. Buuuuut! Here's a sneak preview for your entertainment!" Tarukane said as he took out a black hiruiseki stone from one of his pockets and showed it to everyone in the room. "Take a load of this gun!"

Hiei and Shuichi's eyes went wide as different thoughts passed through their minds without words:

So that was a hiruiseki stone…That one looked exactly like the stone that he found one day in his room, Shuichi thought.

Hiei glared at Tarukane's form with a dark intensity. He had dark thoughts that involved blood and murdering. Where he could possibly got it with his greedy hands?

"Impressive," Freudman, a bespectacled and bearded member, said as he adjusted his glasses.

"Wonderful! That one is really a rare!" Butajiri exclaimed.

"Is it for sale? How much is it for that stone?" Takazawa, an elderly and bald member with a mole, inquired with a genuine interest.

"Set your wager, Tarukane! I want that stone for my hot and young wife's upcoming birthday!" Gondowara, an old man with grey hair, was determined to get the black stone.

…Sakyo was the only in the room that was merely impressed with the rare and beautiful looking stone.

"Now, now, boys! I believe it is not for sale…yet! This is the only one I have so far in my possession. Some stinking beggar found this on an abandoned park one day, and I gave him two million dollars for it. If I find more of these hard-to-find babies, then I'd be happy to set an initial price in the betting pool at the black market!" Tarukane grinned like a mad man. Too much money would be coming his way with the return of the hiruiseki stones, specifically on the black market. It already felt like Christmas at this early time of the year.

"Then with that solid evidence, I believe we better not press on Tarukane. We have a fine party out there with beautiful women, why not enjoy ourselves? We could wait until he had gotten more of the hiruiseki stones for his inventory," Sakyo finally said.

The four other members agreed instantly with him. Tarukane, somehow, also agreed with the youngest member that he dismissed the high ranking members of the Black Black Club. Four of them went back to the party until only two of them stayed in the room.

"You! Where did you learn about everything?" Tarukane approached Sakyo as soon as the door closed. Nobody was supposed to know about his upcoming plan with the hiruiseki stones.

"I simply have my resources," Sakyo simply said. He finally stood up from his seat to join everyone else in the party. Before he reached the door, he turned to face Tarukane once more: "By the way, I have already set up my winning team for this year's upcoming Dark Tournament."

Tarukane was annoyed immediately and he crossed his arms to his chest. Sakyo was always somehow one step ahead of him. "I haven't given much thought about that with the hiruiseki stone running in my mind day and night. I'm sure I will be able to set up my own winning and the strongest team before then."

"It will be fun this year, I know it…I will be expecting to see your own team until then," Sakyo said with a smirk before he left the room this time.

Tarukane growled, and he became infuriated. "I hate that guy!" he screamed on top of his lungs. He eventually calmed down in order to go back to the party as a composed member of the rich and high society.

On the ventilation system, Hiei's hate was rivaling his own hate for Tarukane than Tarukane currently has for the arrogant, resourceful and cunning Sakyo. He should retrieve that black hiruiseki stone somehow…

'We should head back. I think we have enough intel for today,' Shuichi said finally to Hiei after witnessing the reunion of the Black Black Club.

SPIRIT WORLD:

George came inside Koenma's office with some documents on his hands. Hiei and Shuichi came not too long ago to report the findings of the past mission. One of the ogres from the Intelligence Department had documented it by making data-entry on a computer, which it had been announced to George to pick it up and take it personally to the prince of Spirit World.

"…What do you think, sir?" George asked once Koenma was finished reading with his eyes. He stood next to the chair.

This was Koenma's conclusion as he looked at George in the eyes: "…I believe there's nothing much I can do until Tarukane had done the worse soon enough or that Sakyo guy. I will set the Intelligence Team watching their movements from afar," he explained as matter of fact, and he took the remote control that lied on his desk. He put the volume up to hear what was happening in live action over at Genkai's Temple, where Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan were. He was checking how they were faring so far in capturing Rando until George came into the room with the past mission report.

"By the way, George, did you left the other file containing the next mission briefing?"

"Yes, I left it somewhere where Shuichi is able to find it easily in his house."

"Very good."

MINAMINO RESIDENCE:

Hiei and Shuichi suddenly appeared in mid air right on the front door of the house.

"Well, here we are. This is our last stop," Hiei announced to Shuichi since they have been teleporting from Tarukane Building to Spirit World and from Spirit World to this house.

Shuichi found himself in a daze since he wasn't used to teleporting from one place to another. "Hiei, I must say that your teleport skills are quite convenient. I should ask you the next time to use it so you can take me to school whenever I oversleep in the morning," he said amazed for his partner.

Hiei rolled his eyes upon hearing that. "Tch. It'll cost you. Don't expect me to do it for free," he said almost in sarcasm.

Shuichi was about to retort in complaint when he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. He looked over to the side of the pavement to see his mother, whom just came from work. "Hello, mother. You are home early," he greeted with a warm and welcoming smile.

Hiei looked to see the older human woman as well. He couldn't help but to stare at her. That woman gave him a warm and familiar feeling that he hadn't felt in such a long time. She had a gentle, loving and nurturing disposition, and something else…She looked like she could be hiding a secret or two. At least, that was the first look and impression of her gave away. She immediately reminded him of his own mother, Hina, who may rest in holy peace. He missed his own mother dearly so…

Shiori looked at the other person that stood next to her own son. "Oh my, we have a visitor in such a long time! Why don't we all go inside so our visitor can make himself comfortable?"

Eventually, the three of were inside the house on the living room. Hiei and Shuichi were sitting next to each other on the large sofa. Shiori, on the other hand, sat on the small sofa that faced the large sofa.

"Hiei, this is my mother, Shiori," Shuichi properly introduced to his partner his own mother. He was slightly nervous because he hadn't introduced his mother to anyone in over a year or so, or let alone bring any guest of his own to this household over that time.

"Hiei, it is nice to meet you. I like your name. It's very cute," Shiori gave Hiei a warm smile that was similar to Shuichi.

Hiei became irritated: Shiori shared some personality traits of his own mother yet she also had some of Shuichi's personality traits in the feminine way. "Hn," he grunted as he crossed his arms to his chest and looked towards another direction.

Shuichi laughed nervously upon witnessing the interaction between Hiei and his mother. "Mother, please excuse Hiei's behavior."

Shiori hadn't lost her smile. "Oh that's all right, Shuichi. Hiei seems like a fine young introverted man. So Hiei, I take it that you are one of Shuichi's friends from his school?" She asked because Hiei was an interesting person and she wanted to know more about him.

"Um, we are just friends," Shuichi replied for the sake of both of them. He couldn't tell her easily that Hiei was actually a demon from another world and his crime fighting partner. At least as of yet since Shiori was good at figuring things out that went on his life with time and patience on her favor.

Shiori blinked her eyes; she could have sworn there was something else going on between them. "Friends, huh? Well, any good friend of Shuichi is welcomed every time to this house. I have faith that you are going to be even best friends. Although, you guys have different personalities but somehow complement each other enough to work together as a team."

This time, Hiei looked at Shiori to retort. "You talk too much, woman. Now I know why your son is also talkative."

"Hiei!" Shuichi was appalled: Hiei was now being awfully rude to her. He looked then to Shiori. "Mother, I'm sorry. Hiei is not that mean."

"I was being honest. I never lie about anything, especially about my opinion of others."

"Hiei, my mother is good at reading people by first impression. You'll like her."

"But she talks too much."

"Will you please give it a rest and let that slide?"

"How about no?"

Shuichi sighed in defeat in a funny way. Not only Hiei was rude but also stubborn. He sure was hard to deal with; it would be best to be on his good side during any mission. Shuichi simply disliked arguing, fighting and disagreement in general terms since he considered himself good-natured and pacific.

Instead of being initially offended, Shiori was laughing quietly in amusement after watching the two exchange on what it seemed Shuichi nearly begging for Hiei to approve and accept her. "So Hiei, where are you actually from? Where do you study? Do you plan to go to college when you graduate from high school?"

Hiei was about to be rude once again when Shuichi quickly spoke: "Hiei, why don't you go upstairs to my room? I'll meet you there soon. It is gonna be to your right hand side."

Strangely enough, Hiei listened to Shuichi's words as he stood from his seat. He was actually doing as told.

Once Hiei was gone from the living room, Shuichi spoke again: "Mother, Hiei doesn't open up to anyone easily. It is best not to ask anything about himself unless he feels like sharing," he said more or less in words for his mother to take precaution to avoid Hiei's temperament in the future.

"Well then, I'll leave him in your capable hands. You seem to know how to handle your friend."

"It's just a gut feeling."

"Well, it seems to me that it is more than a gut feeling. It is like, you know him from a long time."

"I think so too…from another lifetime, perhaps," Shuichi said softly, almost in a murmur, and he was met with Shiori's quiet gaze. "Mother, why are you staring at me like that?"

Shiori shook her head in dismissal and stood up from her seat. "Oh, it's nothing, dear. Let's prepare a snack for Hiei in the kitchen, shall we? He must be really hungry."

Moments later, Shuichi he found the door to his room open. He entered his room with a tray that contained two tea cups and a plate with four rice balls. His eyes found Hiei standing with his back against the wall as he read a red folder.

"What's that you are reading?"

Hiei looked up to Shuichi and closed the red folder. "We got ourselves another mission from Spirit World in two days," he replied.

Shuichi got curious. He and Hiei had just finished the first mission today and they already got the second one two days from now on.

While Hiei ate the snack and drank the hot drink as the two of them sat together on the same spot on the floor close to the bed, Shuichi read the red folder carefully. He was yet to touch his own snack and hot drink, which it was getting cold. The nature of the next mission had him intrigued that he was in deep thought.

"This is rather tough," Shuichi spoke after a few minutes with his eyes still glued on the open read folder.

Hiei drank his hot tea with honey until the last drop and he set down the cup back on the tray. "It could be a serial killer among them," he finally said. The two rice balls and the tea were good but he wasn't going to admit it wide openly.

"That's probably it…No wonder we were paired up together," Shuichi said as he closed the red folder, not wanting to think more. He was slightly tired of the events of today and he was very hungry. "Speaking of which, Hiei, I didn't knew you were a criminal and were running away from Spirit World."

Hiei looked at Shuichi with a dead serious look. So it seemed that Koenma had already informed him everything. "…What about you? You helped me by that time I was hiding. You could be considered an accomplice," he said with astute.

Shuichi was taken aback. He was afraid that Hiei would ever come up with this. He thought Hiei was much more than going that low. "I was just helping you out with good intentions when I first found you," he said sincerely.

"Not on my side of the story."

Shuichi furrowed his eyebrows. "…You don't really have to say that. Why are you saying this?"

"I want an answer," Hiei demanded to the Spirit Detective. "You are not aware of this but I can sense that somewhere inside your body, you have a strong demonic energy. Other demons can sense this from you and it would bring nothing but unnecessary attention."

Shuichi understood now. He didn't have an answer to Hiei's good question. He looked away from the demanding fire demon, preferably to his window. "I…I really don't know…Maybe I could get some answers when I get my memories back. I lost some of my memories a year ago along with my powers during a case that I failed to accomplish..." he said full of guilt. "So please, bear with me."

Hiei frowned at Shuichi for his incompetence, insecurity and lack of strength. He just couldn't put up with it. He stood up from his seat on the floor and approached the human. He grabbed him by his collar and brought his face close to his own.

Shuichi immediately looked at an angry Hiei at the eyes.

"I am telling you this once. Just because you are weak, clueless and without your powers, don't expect me to protect you all the time. You would just get in my way. Got it?" Hiei said coldly to Shuichi.

Shuichi nodded slowly as those words brought a chilling threat down to his spine. "Yes, I understand, Hiei. I don't want to be a burden for you," he said quietly. The last thing he wanted was to fight or argue with Hiei.

Hiei released Shuichi's collar and he was quickly out of sight.

Later that night, Hiei was resting on top of a random tree in the same abandoned park he used to be hiding from Spirit World. He was searching earlier on the cave where he was previously hiding for another black hiruiseki. He didn't found any—he quickly remembered that the stone came from his own tears from a bad dream, and he had forgotten to pick it up.

He suddenly sensed an approaching energy. It was familiar that he recognized it right away. He jumped from the tree branch down to the ground. He walked a few distance until he reached a lake.

Shuichi was there as he faced the lake. He eventually turned around to face Hiei and got surprised because he wasn't expecting him here of all places. "Hiei! What are you doing here?"

Hiei crossed his arms to his chest. "I could ask you the same at this hour," he said. It was near midnight, and most humans were supposed to be sleeping on their beds inside their houses.

Shuichi sighed. He felt the need to explain himself to Hiei. "So, you caught me. I thought about what you said to me earlier, and…you were right. I decided to train out here to hone my fighting skills… I must say, I'm a little rusty."

Hiei raised an eyebrow. So the weakling claims that he can actually put up a fight? "Oh really?"

"Yeah…"

Out of the blue, Hiei disappeared in mid air.

Shuichi wondered where the fire demon had gone to…He was going to search for him until this happened:

…Hiei reappeared from behind Shuichi…

Somehow, Shuichi turned around in time to get a glimpse of an incoming fist towards his face. He quickly raised his arms to block the attack.

"What was that for!? You nearly got me!" Shuichi was in shock. He wasn't expecting Hiei to be suddenly hostile with him! They were supposed to be a team!

Hiei, on the other hand, kept attacking Shuichi forward with a combination of punches and kicks.

Shuichi used one foot to another to move backward as he had been blocking each attack with his bare hands. He was doing it with a little difficulty since Hiei was attacking him in an inhuman speed. He was getting overwhelmed and a bit exhausted by each passing second. He didn't want to attack Hiei. He just couldn't!

Just when Hiei was about to land a fist, Shuichi grabbed it before it could hit him. However, he didn't block the two kicks that went to his side of his temple. Then, he received a series of lightning physical attacks on his torso that was leaving him breathless until he couldn't take the impact any longer. He went flying back, crashing to all the way back to the forest.

Hiei stood in his full feet on the ground as he watched the direction where Shuichi crashed. He got alert: he suddenly was able to feel a rising demonic energy!

And it was approaching him!

Shuichi was walking back to where Hiei was until he stood a few feet infront of him with his fists tightened. His uniform got a little torn and had a slight trail of blood running at the corner of his lip. He had a deadly and serious look on his delicate face. His eyes had a golden color that the moonlight provided an effect. "You leave me with no other choice," he said void of any emotion.

Hiei readied himself. He took his distance; there was something stirring inside the red head Spirit Detective. It was the demonic energy itself!

A/N: Oh boy! So Shuichi got his pissed mode on! So it's Hiei vs. Shuichi! Who will win? Put your wager on your reviews! hahahaha