Chapter 8: A Strange Encounter

"This is the pits," said Raizen as they walked through the forest. "We've got no leads now. How are we going to find our parents?"

"If you shut up for a second, I can think of a plan!" said Rain a little annoyed. Since they left Yomi's city the day before they had been searching for more clues on how to find their parents. Unfortunately they couldn't think of any.

"What about the one from the first Dark Tournament?" asked Megumi. "Bui?"

"And where do you suggest we look," asked Hina. "In case you haven't noticed, we don't have an unlimited amount of time."

"What about the Elder Toguro brother?" asked Tama.

"Trapped in a tree in a cave in Ningenkai," said Rain. "He couldn't have escaped from that."

"Itsuki?" asked Shiori.

"In another dimension with his dead lover," said Hina.

"We don't know if they were like that," said Megumi with a blush.

"Oh come on," said Raizen. "They were always together and he was the only one Sensui trusted the most. Of course they were like that!"

"Well, we don't have very many clues," said Yukei. "A swordsman, and possibly a wind demon, and artificially created water."

"At very low temperature," said Kurohi.

"Low temperature," asked Shiori. "Wouldn't that be an ice demon?"

Everyone looked at her in confusion then at each other.

"It would, wouldn't it," said Raizen.

"Okaasan said Hiei-oji-san and she were from an ice tribe," said Tama. "The Koorime."

"The Koorime don't leave their Glacier," said Hina. "Why would they attack Hiei-oji, and Dad and Yusuke-oji?"

"And Okaasan?" asked Shiori.

"Calm down, guys," said Rain. "It was just a thought and a good one as well. Besides we don't know if it was the whole Glacier that went of Mama and Daddy. Maybe it was a rogue Koorime."

"But why our fathers," asked Raizen.

"Maybe they got in the way," said Kurohi. "When they were investigating."

"That makes some sense," said Megumi shyly.

"Should we go visit the ice realm," asked Tama.

"I see no other choice," said Rain getting from her seat on the ground. "It's the only clue we've got that we can follow."

Suddenly Hina gasped and jumped from the ground. "Everyone, scatter!" she yelled and the group followed her advice. Just as the group split a large blast collided where they were and six figures appeared, all varying in size, from child-like to almost seven feet, wearing cloaks.

"Who are they," yelled Kurohi.

"Who cares," yelled back Raizen. "Eight against six. We can take them!"

"Yeah," agreed Hina.

"I don't like this," said Rain. "Why did they show their face now?"

"Who cares," yelled Yukei and charged toward the demons.

Rain tried to give a shout to stop him but it was too late. Yukei flashed toward one of the average sized demons and drew his katana, intending on swiping his opponent's head off, but before he could make the killing stroke his katana was caught by one of the others and Yukei was thrown back.

"Yukei," yelled Shiori and ran to help her twin.

"What the hells was that," yelled Raizen, watching his friend fly across the ground and came to a crashing halt against a tree.

"Uh, duh, it's called teamwork," said Megumi. "Papa told us about it a million times."

"This will be harder then we thought," said Kurohi.

Rain held herself as her father taught her and walked up to the demons that have not moved since Yukei's attempted attack.

"Where are our parents" she demanded.

"You dare demand such from us," said a deep, but oddly familiar voice. "We, who hold the great Urameshi-gumi!"

"Forget it, Rain," yelled Hina. "They're not going to tell us!"

"Yeah," said Raizen raising his fist. "So let's forget this stupid Twenty Questions game and beat the answers out of them!"

"Guys, wait!" yelled Rain, but Hina, Raizen and Yukei had already charged toward the opponents. "They're going to get themselves killed!"

"So, let's go in there and prevent them from getting killed, love," said Kurohi with a grin. Rain hit him over the head in irritation.

"Much as I hate to say it, I agree," said Rain and the rest of the group ran in.

Shiori and Yukei took over one of the demons, who pulled out a sword, which made Yukei pull out his. The rose that was in Shiori's hair became a Rose Whip, the signature move of their mother's. Raizen took over the largest demon while the others took over the medium size one. For some reason, Hina got the smallest.

"Are you the ones who took our parents," asked Rain with her sword out to one of the demons. As she spoke the wind started to pick up. "Please, we just want to find them!"

The demon swung, and Rain dodged. She felt the air move around the demon, like a vacuum, and sucked the air around them toward him. 'What the…This attack! It's so familiar!' she thought and turned to watch the others fight.

Hina, meanwhile, was fighting the shortest member that was about the size of a ningen ten or twelve year old. The demon had just continuously done acrobatics around her, making it impossible for her to hit him with her Rei Sword.

"Hold still, you little midget!" she yelled.

Meanwhile, Raizen and Megumi were having trouble fighting with the largest. It seemed that demon had far more experience in fist fighting. Yukei seemed to be holding his own against the swordsman with Shiori, Kurohi was fighting with his scythes but his opponent kept blocking, and Tama fought against the last demon who seemed to be a martial artist as well. Each of the opponents' attacks were familiar to her.

"Pay attention," yelled her opponent and she dodged another attack.

"Please where are our parents," Rain asked again.

"If you want to see them again, come to the abandoned ruins in Makai Desert."

Suddenly, as quickly as they came, the demons moved away and left.

"Hey!" yelled Raizen. "Get back here, you bastards! Give us back our parents."

"Stop, Raizen," said Rain. "I know where they are, and I think I know who the kidnappers are."

Everyone looked at her in surprise.

TBC