It hadn't taken too terribly long to drag Kurama and Hiei to the park where they were filled in on the mission. Hiei sitting up in the branches of a nearby tree didn't even bother to look at them, which was…entirely expected actually. Rude as hell, but expected.
Kurama however had a slightly more animated response to the information. "Kokoro Yuki?" He echoed with wide eyes.
"Yeah, you know her?" Yusuke asked curiously.
"Of her." Kurama corrected. "She has many titles but her most well-known is The Arctic Fox."
Hiei gave a slight start. "The one that kept a ice statue garden of all the demons that angered her?" He asked turning finally to face them.
Kurama nodded. "The very same. She also has the titles: Ice Vixen, Ice Bitch, Snow Heart, and The Torture Queen. All of which she achieved through various unsavory ways."
"T-torture Queen?" Kuwabara did not like the sound of that one at all.
"Yes. Even among demons she's know to be quite effective at getting information from her victims. I understand she freezes them partially then lets them thaw and continues that for a while before advancing to more…complex methods." Kurama supplied absently.
Kuwabara didn't look particularly happy to hear that. Hiei smirked at the largest of their group. "Hn. Don't worry, moron. Kurama said 'getting information' that would imply you were intelligent enough to have information. You are perfectly safe."
"Why you little-"
"What I don't understand though…" Kurama continued, ignoring Kuwabara's outburst. "Is why she would break out now? She only had thirty some odd more years on her sentence I believe."
"Maybe she got bored with waiting." Yusuke suggested with a shrug. "Gotta be boring in jail for centuries."
Kurama gave a slightly bitter smile. "Tarturus is anything but boring, Yusuke. Horrible and suicide inducing perhaps…but not boring. Besides Kokoro Yuki is notoriously patient she wouldn't have gone through all that time behind bars only to break out now if there wasn't something in it for her."
"Like what?" Yusuke asked raising an eyebrow.
"I believe, Detective, that is what we have to find out."
Yusuke frowned a bit. "So where do we start looking for her? Any ideas?"
"Can't the shrimp just use that eye of his to find her?" Kuwabara asked pointing his thumb to Hiei.
Hiei glared at him. "Idiot. I need to know what her ki signature is before I can track her. I've never met the Vixen…how exactly do you propose I track something I've never seen?"
"Perhaps we can use her nature against her." Kurama mused out loud.
"What d'ya mean, Kurama?" Kuwabara asked curiously.
Kurama gave a small smile. "She is an Arctic Fox after all. They're rare…even amongst Spirit Foxes. It happens perhaps once every eighteen thousand births. Being that they are so rare they tend to seek out other rarities. I believe Yuki has quite the trove of rare items hidden somewhere in the Northern Reaches of the Makai."
"So…how do we use that against her, exactly?" Yusuke asked.
"Leave that to me." Kurama said.
"Hn."
"Hmm…The one with red hair is quite handsome." A contemplative voice said from where two demons were watching from a distant rooftop. The image in the park was cast over a large mirror that was in between the two of them.
"Oh no you don't. You're not to go near any of them." The male demon said narrowing his deep black eyes at the vixen next to him. He was easy to pick out as demon. Three horns sprouted from his head and curved upwards to point above him like a crown. He didn't bother to hide the horns nor the fangs and claws he bore. His long green hair was a deep forest color and hung to just past his shoulder blades before slicing off in a straight line.
Yuki frowned. "I've been cooped up in jail for three centuries, Menzi. If I don't have a little fun then I may just have to reconsider our agreement."
Menzi scoffed. "I know all about you, Kokoro. You only get sloppy when you find yourself attracted to someone. Don't let your over-suppressed sex drive get in the way of everything or you will find yourself in a very unpleasant situation. Besides…you haven't regained enough power to think to challenge me."
Yuki frowned, "Perhaps not yet…but I will. And I suggest you not make enemies of me, Menzi. People who are my enemies are added to my garden."
Menzi's eyes flashed green venom. "Don't think to threaten me, Vixen!" He growled angrily.
Yuki didn't seem particularly disturbed by his display. "Menzi…you will do nothing. You need me, hence the reason you broke me out of jail in the first place. Now…who is that red head?"
Menzi sighed. "Kurama."
Yuki frowned. "That name seems rather familiar…"
"He was Youko Kurama, The King of Thieves. But he had to take refuge in that weak human body." Menzi explained. "He's grown powerful but he's part human now and everyone knows they let their hearts get the better of them."
"Hmm…indeed." If that was indeed Youko Kurama's spirit in that body things just got much more difficult. A fox verses a vixen. It was sure to be entertaining at the very least.
As Yuki thought Menzi peered closer at the mirror itself. "What is this thing anyway?"
"Careful Menzi…wouldn't want to lose your soul, now would you?" Yuki asked absently.
"What?" Menzi jumped back slightly.
Yuki smiled. "It's called the Incarnate's Mirror. It's a relative to the Orb of Baast. Though clearly it has other skills than stealing ningen souls. I acquired it when I was very young. A mere kit as a matter of fact."
"You mean you could just drain souls and you didn't say anything?" Menzi demanded.
"Of course not. The Mirror is very touchy. It doesn't let just anyone tap into its powers. You're lucky it even lets me use it as a vision tool." Yuki said looking back at the group in the park. It was a pity she could only see what was going on. She was curious as to what they were plotting.
Cookies for anyone who can guess where that Mirror is from! Review if ya like it. Thank you!
