Chapter Sixteen: Soul Detective

The entry gate to the park loomed over me like the gates of hell; the ice and snow draped over it, illuminated by the rising moon, made me believe that such a place must have been a frozen wasteland. For if Hell were a place of burning fire, wouldn't one's suffering be over quickly? It is the ice that slowly bites at you, taking away feeling, touch, and hope as your very soul is seemingly sucked dry of energy.

It was a good thing my energy – or rather Kuronue's – would have thrived in such a place, for isn't darkness cold? I couldn't tell really, for one who wields it as their own can hardly feel its grasp.

I let out a low sigh, my breath seen in the air like a ghost as I turned to look at my friend, the dark color of my hair catching me slightly off guard once again. It was something a bit hard to get use to really, but something I would have to ignore. "Time's up…we should go." My brother was waiting, somewhere farther beyond it, the claws of a demon wrapped around him in a cage of fear. Kuwabara gave a sharp nod and moved forward, but I stalled, biting my lip. "Kazuma?" The boy paused, surprised at my use of his first name. My heart clenched; I should use it more often. "If something about this goes wrong, you'll make sure Damien gets home, right?" It was a selfish question, one asked out of fear even when I was so sure my plan would work.

The boy blinked, and while I was sure we would become serious, as so many did as times like these, he didn't. Instead, a grin appeared on his face, sending a tremor of shock down my spine. "There's no reason for it though. You're a total badass Izumi—a badass hero come to save the day, and the hero always wins."

I was dumbfounded, staring bewildered at him like he was crazy. "How do you do that?"

Kuwabara blinked. "Do what?"

"Say something like that, and have so much belief behind it?" It was like he spoke with the words and the hope that only those who have never seen the world for what it really was can say. Yet, he had seen the world for what it was; he'd fought in it, almost died because of it. He saw his friends face their demons, their past, seen them die, yet…yet somehow he kept that joyful innocence as if we could step so easily away from it, as if he were still truly the age he was.

I had lost that the day I had died, as had Yusuke – though it had taken him twice. Kurama and Hiei had never had that, being born as demons in a world that didn't allow it.

"Oh, I don't know," Kuwabara grumbled sheepishly, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I guess because I like to believe in the best possible outcome, no matter what. How can it happen if you don't believe in it, ya know?" He grinned at my face. "I mean, isn't that what you kind of are? I can't think of anything more amazingly impossible than a demon and a human with such a close bond that I can't even tell them apart. It's the best outcome, at least I think so." He paused, eyes tightening slightly, "But, if it makes you feel better, I promise I'll get him home, k?"

I smiled, wanting nothing more than to hug the big softy, but knew it wasn't the time or the place for such an action. "Thanks." I took a step forward and then for the briefest of moment I doubted myself, I wondered if I should call Kurama. There was still time…

"It's better this way," Kuronue muttered in my head. "You're making the right choice. He sealed away most of his power, I'm not sure he'd be a match for the demon. We have to assume he's powerful if he somehow got into Human World."

He was right, of course he was. I hated to think about it but Kurama's choice put me at a higher chance of protecting us than he did. It was his choice though; I would never go against that. It just meant there were things I had to do without him.

Taking a deep breath I walked under the gate and into the park with Kuwabara tailing me. Some how the park lights seemed colder than the ice and snow they lit up, and my combat boots bit into the earth with every step. I was past the point of no return now; it was best to keep my eyes and ears sharp.

It didn't take as long as I thought it might to find the demon; he wasn't really hiding himself or his energy, he just wasn't flaring it so only people nearby would have felt it. He stood at one of the forking paths, his back to a light a few feet behind him, casting a sharp shadow that pointed back at me as I approached. He was tall with shaggy dark blue hair that curled around his ears and two unmistakable horns on the sides of his head. They were pale, the color bleached out by his surroundings. His black scaled tail and heavy armor on both his shins and forearms were all I really needed to pin down who he was.

I stopped a few feet from him and Kuwabara came to a halt slightly behind me, watching my back. I narrowed my eyes at the demon, anger building when I didn't see my brother. "I guess Umeko wasn't alone after all," I said flatly, fishing when I knew I'd already hooked my prize. The demon's eyes narrowed, but he didn't growl nor did anger appear on his face. He was calm, stony almost.

"She did," his voice was just as hard if ever so slightly conversational. "You don't seem surprised."

"There were only so many people it could have been given the time line." I scanned over him only again, taking in the features that Umeko had worn if only in a different color. Was he an acid user as well? "She was family then? It would make sense, seeing as you took my family." The last words came out in a snarl, my anger ripping out even as Kuronue chastised me.

He snorted, a small sneer on his face then. "I suppose you are a detective after all, any less would make me question the title. Umeko was my sister; I thought it only fitting to bring your brother into this." He moved his eyes, shifting them behind me and I felt Kuwabara tense slightly. "I see you brought help."

"I brought insurance to make sure you keep your end of the bargain," I argued taking a step forward. "Where is Damien?" I had to make sure my brother was alright before I went through with this. The demon snorted again before lifting a hand and seeming to brush at something in the air. The wind picked up and quiet suddenly something came off of the ground, light and flimsy like cloth. A wind demon…? His coloring threw me off but then again Jin hadn't looked the part either.

Turning my attention to what had been revealed, I tensed when my eyes focused. What I had thought was another mound of snow in the shadows off to the right of the demon had in fact been a cover of some sorts. With it gone I could now clearly see the shape of a person slumped over. My demonic empowered eyes saw more than I could have on my own. I saw the rise and fall of Damien's chest, but his eyes were shut and his hands were bound. Much like in the video his clothes were in pretty bad shape and a few cuts and bruises littered the skin I could see.

He was alive, but his state of being wasn't something I was too happy with.

"I thought it best that he was asleep for this. Don't need him seeing his sister die again, do we?" A grin touched the demon's face as I gave him a deadpan expression. If he knew what I did for a living it wasn't too much of a long shot to assume he also knew how one became a Soul Detective. How? I had no clue, but the how hardly mattered now. Running a clawed hand through his blue hair the demon tilted his head slightly. "Now, how should we go about this little exchange? I hardly need your friend trying to be a hero." As he spoke, he started walking to the side, making an arching path and putting a good distance between himself and my brother. "How about you come over here first and then he can move. Oh, and be a dear and throw those little weapons of yours away would you. I want them on the ground, not where ever they go when you're not using them."

I frowned, Kuronue growing lowly in my head as I glanced back at Kuwabara. The older teen gave a sharp nod, his face worried but brave, determined. I could count on him to do his part. Facing the demon again, I slowly as to not catch any confusion in my actions, took both my chained scythes in hand. Looking down at them, the cold metal biting at my hands I let out a smile sigh. With no real goal in mind I threw one and then the other to the side in different directions, not caring to see where they landed.

The demon seemed pleased. "Good little girl. Now come over here. If I catch you reaching for that pendant your brother will be dead before you can do anything." He certainly knew a lot about my powers, I noted as I started forward, my arms slack at my sides. He'd taken a lot of care in what he allowed me to do. I stopped in front of him, hardly a foot between us and frowned at him. He simply eyed me quietly and started speaking again, his eyes never leaving me. "You can go over now boy."

I couldn't turn to watch as Kuwabara made his way over to my brother, but I heard his footfalls on the snow as I stared down the demon in front of me. After a few moments there was a larger crunch that I could only assume was Kuwabara kneeling down next to Damien.

"He looks alright Izumi!" he called out and then grunted, probably picking the younger boy up. There were more foot steps and then he must have traveled back to his original spot because the world went quiet again. The demon made a small sound of approval his eyes darting away for a moment before nodding slightly.

"You're free to go if you wish I suppose…. You really should thank me Izumi, its not as if I was given the chance to choose to give my life to save Umeko's." His eyes were back on mine before he was done talking, but I didn't hear Kuwabara move to leave. I knew he wouldn't even if I told him too. There was no way he would leave me alone to face this.

"I'm not going to thank you," I said evenly, my chest tightening with anxiety. The demon rolled his eyes slightly before raising a clawed hand and grabbing my chin.

"Oh, I know. You're too proud to ever do such a thing; it is enough that you have made yourself defenseless." My skin stung, his claws slicing into it as he tightened his grip and curled his fingers. "Now, how do I wish to start?"

I had figured as much. While I had not wanted to, Umeko's death hadn't been very quick at first. My anger had gotten the better of me and I'd let her burn in her own powers until she was past agony before ending her. No doubt her brother was the same on me.

"I did try to give your sister a chance you know," I said off hand, buying myself just a little bit of time, playing the part of a fearful captive. "I didn't want to kill her, I tried to get her to leave. She didn't listen and then she made the mistake of hurting someone I cared about."

"So I was told," he said flatly and then yanked my chin forward; his claws cutting across more of my jaw line as I took a small step forward, closing the distance between us. He was taller than me, his mouth inches from my hairline as he spoke. "Do you know why she couldn't do that little girl? She'd made a deal with that other detective, the one trying to get the barrier down. If she killed you…he'd have gotten me through first." His breath was hot on the side of my face. "She just wanted her family back after being trapped on the other side, away from them for so long. I'm sure you can relate." While there was no acid in his veins like his sister there certainly was in his tone.

I would have nodded, had his hand not been gripping my face, blood dropping down on to it from my cuts. I could feel Kuwabara's nervous tension behind me. He wanted so badly to step in, but he couldn't. He knew better. It wouldn't last much longer anyway; I'd gotten my answer. I'd wanted to know why, and now I did. A part of me couldn't fault the demon in front of me

"I can," I said quietly and blinked—a snap of energy and then a sickening squish, like plunging a knife into a rotting vegetable. The demon lurched, his hand tightening impossibly on my chin once more, eyes wider now, and blue just like his hair. His mouth opened slightly, a hitching breath coming out as I spoke again. "I'm sure she would have done anything to get you back, just as I must now."

There was another squishing sound and then a sharp rip and the demon shuddered, blood flowing over pale lips. "Wh…" his voice was swallowed in a gurgle and then his hand fell from my face along with his body as he crumpled to the ground, pushing snow back in clumps as he did so.

Under the cold light of the street lamp above I could see the perfect three inch line slit in the demon's bare chest to the right of his sternum. I glanced down to the right arm where it still hung at rest and followed the sharp angled piece of cloth that jutted out, blood still dripping from a rather sharp point.

As if I had needed my weapons or my pendent for this. The demon had done well to look into my powers, but he hadn't figured everything out. After all, the animated puppets that acted as my armbands didn't need my words to work, just my thoughts and the smallest amount of demonic energy to spur them to life. The blood runes inlaid on them did the rest.

I'd made it quick at least, commanded it to harden and sharpen like a blade and then drive it's self diagonally through the demon's chest, wrap around his spinal core – vertebra included – and rip it apart. It had been a lot faster then what he had planned for me, of that I was sure.

Letting my hold on the puppet go, the fabric instantly shivered and went slack and I looked to the demon's body once more as I wrapped the arm band once more back into place. Blood was already pooling around him, cooling as it melted the snow. I'd need to call Koenma and get someone out here to clean this up and get my brother back home.

"Well done," was all Kuronue said, but I could feel the beaming pride through our bond and smiled slightly. Only a demon would be proud of a friend for killing someone so brutally.

The crunch of snow alerted me to someone running and I turned abruptly, my back to the corpse, my mind trying to come up with a story for who ever was coming into the park. Kuwabara, who had moved and leaned my brother against one of the many trees close to him, looked just a tad worried.

When the person got closer I caught their scent and felt myself relax slightly as Kuronue rolled his eyes. "Of course."

Kurama came into view moments later, his red hair and orange coat striking against the white and gray world. He stopped when he neared Kuwabara, spotting him first before turning and meeting my gaze. We were still a good ways apart and for a moment he looked as if he were staring at a ghost. Perhaps he was, given my currently form.

"Izumi?" He sounded bewildered, probably a pretty good reaction to seeing his former best friend in front of him with the same body shape as his girlfriend. I gave him a small smile and waved slightly, surprised as well to see him there.

"Kurama…I…how are you…" I trailed off not sure how to go about asking him why he was there without sounding ungrateful. I had after all excluded him from all of this.

He smiled at me and started walking over.

"Of course I'm here. When I felt your energy rise from across town…I figured it out rather quickly. You should have called." He looked around, frowning and I wondered what he was looking for. "Where is the demon?"

I jabbed a finger behind me at the body and smirked. "In spirit world by now I'm guessing. It was rather easy…honestly I am a bit disappointed." To think the demon had thought he'd beaten me so easily. Looking back on it now it had been so easy to fool him. Anger and obsession were often things that made people think less rationally, a tip I had picked up from Kuronue's centuries of fighting.

Kurama frowned even more as he stopped, his eyes narrowing at the demon, eyes flickering over it twice before he looked back at me. He almost looked confused at that moment. "Izumi…there is nothing there."

"Eh?" I glanced at the body. "Yeah there is, the body is right here; maybe you should get your eyes checked." The demon was right under the lamplight, had his powers diminished so much his eyes were that of a human? Hell, I was pretty sure a human could see it from that distance.

The redhead shook his head walking forward again, his eyes carefully darting around the scene. "Izumi, there's no body there; I don't know what you're seeing but—"

"Hey, Kurama, I can see it too, you know, saw her take the asshole down myself." Kuwabara shouted looking as confused as I felt. Kurama just looked even more agitated by our answer. Frowning I turned and looked at the body. It was here, clear as day, the light of the street laps illuminating the blood splattered on the ground.

Or at least that is what I thought I saw, till I realized something rather odd. The closest light was closer to me than the body, and suddenly the lighting for the blood just looked… off, like I was looking at a painting rather then the real thing.

The world opened up, shattering around me. The image of the demon I had killed seemed to waver suddenly, his body becoming like a mirage. I blinked and tried to focus taking a step forward.

What it the world? What was going on?

Demonic energy soared through the air and I gasped turning slightly to look around, Kuwabara's shout of surprise echoing mine. Where had that suddenly come from? Glancing back at the body I felt my chest seize up for a moment. It was gone. All of it, the body and the blood that had poured out around it, even the snow was back in perfect order. It was all simply gone, as if it had never existed at all.

Never existed…

"Izumi!" It was a warning that I heard often enough when I didn't see what Kuronue did in my momentary glance around, not because I couldn't see it, but because my lack of experience didn't call it forward. The moment where the detective I was supposed to be, failed.

That then and there, would be a moment in time that I would regret for the rest of my life.

What an ending! OMG, you've got me on the edge of my seat here, Hon! Great job on this, and hope you have a great rest of the week!


Kuwabara just doesn't get enough love in my opinion. He'd be such an awesome brother figure, haha.

also don't kill me...-hides-