I'm back after only a week. Well, here's the next chapter. I'm not sure when the third one will be finished, but I'll try to get it up as fast as possible.
I actually got a few reviews. You people know who you are (I won't mention your names unless you want me to, in which case just let me know it's ok). Thank you so much! It really made me very happy.
Well, until next time, read and enjoy.
Chapter 2: The Meeting With Koenma
"Oh, my," Koenma said, a sweat drop appearing on his head, "This is unexpected." The scene before him basically consisted of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei, all with their hands cuffed behind their backs. There was a girl with them who had been the one to drag them in, with purple hair so dark that it could be mistaken for black if one did not look close enough and bat wings sticking out from her shoulder blades. There was a trench coat she was holding onto thrown over her shoulder.
"Hey, Pacifier Breath, get this psycho lady to let us go!" Yusuke shouted.
"How dare you talk to Koenma-sama like that!" the girl growled, giving Yusuke a rather hard hit to the back of the head, "And just where do you get off calling me 'psycho', Psycho!"
"Now, now, Adrianople," Koenma spoke to the girl, attempting to calm everyone down, "You can let them go. They're Spirit Detectives as well."
"What!" Adrianople protested, throwing her coat violently to the floor for emphasis, "You have to be kidding me! These four just helped a dangerous criminal I've been tracking patiently for nearly a year now to get away when I had him right where I wanted him! As far as I'm concerned, they're criminals!"
"Hn, you're right about two of us at least," Hiei smirked.
"Well, we thought you were the criminal!" Yusuke shouted, "It looked like you were robbing him!"
"Well, that's because he had stolen a dangerous artifact that I needed to get back!" Adrianople raged, hitting Yusuke over the head again, "My second priority was capturing the scum, but my first was to get the stolen gem he took! And thanks to you four, I failed my mission! There's no way to tell where he's gone now!" As she ranted, she removed the spiritual cuffs from their wrists, though she didn't look happy about it.
"Why didn't you tell me there were other Spirit Detectives out there!" Yusuke growled after he had been freed, glaring at Koenma. The prince met the gaze and spoke frankly, "You didn't honestly think you were the only one in the world, did you? There's no way you could handle every single attack and criminal in every country. That's why each country has it's own Spirit Detective. Adrianople here, for example, is the Spirit Detective from America. One person could never do it all."
"Ok, I'll buy that. But if that's so, and she and I are basically equals, then why don't I have those?" Yusuke asked Koenma, pointing to the handcuffs Adrianople was putting away.
"Because I didn't give those to her," Koenma sighed, "She figured out how to make them. She hasn't told anyone how she does it."
"Oh, really?" Yusuke grinned, turning to the girl, "Say you wouldn't consider…"
"Not on your life," Adrianople snarled, looking like she was about to maim him if he suggested any further. Yusuke backed away, slightly nervous, "Didn't think so."
"I'm very sorry," Kurama apologized, trying to ease the tension, "We jumped in without understanding the situation. If there's anything we can do to help, please let us know."
"Well, I don't think there is anything," Adrianople sighed, Kurama's calmness having the right effect, "After all, the guy's escaped and I have no idea as to where he could have gone. I suppose I'll just have to stay here until I get another clue and can pick up his trail."
"But wouldn't that leave America susceptible to attack, if you're here in Japan tracking the guy?" Hiei inquired in his usual monotone, obviously not caring one way or the other.
"I have friends who are taking care of things in America while I'm gone," Adrianople explained, obviously boasting a bit, "They're demons like me, and they're strong and can take care of themselves. I don't have to worry about them. America is in good hands."
"Who is substituting for you?" Koenma asked, though he had the feeling he already knew, "I need to know to make sure America is safe."
"Tsukasa, Chogun, and Devil Eyes," she replied, "You know them, don't you Koenma-sama?"
"Figures you'd leave them in charge," the toddler sighed, "I know they're completely capable. But by the time you get back, Chogun will be dead, Tsukasa will be covered in his blood and laughing manically, Devil Eyes will be sitting quietly reading and exactly where you left him might I add, and America will be destroyed."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Adrianople growled. Koenma glared, "Well, you have to admit it's true. You remember what happened last time you left them alone, when you had to go help out in England because the case had mixed jurisdiction?"
"Don't remind me," she groaned, "That was awful. I've never been so furious in my life. In fact, I was hoping Tsukasa's fear of my losing my temper again would put a halt to anything that might happen."
"Was he scared?" Hiei asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Nearly wet himself," Adrianople smirked. This answer was to Hiei's amusement, and the half-fire demon sneered.
"Well, if you're going to stay here, perhaps we could help you in tracking the criminal down," Kurama suggested, "It's the least we can do to make up for letting him get away." Adrianople was already shaking her head, "No, I'm sure you guys have your own cases to deal with right now. And even if you don't, I'm sure you deserve a break. I can do this on my own. Besides, I don't work with criminals."
"I thought we told you it was an accident!" Yusuke raged.
"Accidents are no excuse," she stated simply, and picked up her coat and began to walk out, "I'll keep in contact with you, Koenma-sama, until I finally bag the bastard."
"Wait, Adrianople," Koenma said firmly, causing the bat demon to stop in her tracks, "I want you to work with them in capturing this criminal, as an apology from them for accidentally aiding him in his escape."
"What!" Adrianople and Yusuke shouted in shock at the same time, "You've got to be kidding me!"
"I'm hardly joking," Koenma stated frankly, "You heard me correctly. I want you to join up with this team, just until the criminal is behind bars."
"I can handle this guy on my own, Koenma-sama," Adrianople argued, "I don't need any help, especially not from those clowns, though Mr. Sunshine and Good-Looking over there could be of some help possibly." She jabbed her thumb at Hiei and Kurama, indicating who she was talking about.
"Adrianople, am I correct in assuming this is the unidentified criminal who has been stealing the infamous soul jewels?" Koenma asked, though it was clear from his tone that he knew the answer to the question.
"Yes, Koenma-sama, but…" she began, before the toddler interrupted her, "But nothing. When I first assigned you to this mission, he already had two of the five that exist. This must mean he now has three, since you were unsuccessful in getting this recent jewel away from him and you know that the more soul jewels one has in his possession, the more powerful…"
"Actually, Koenma-sama," Adrianople whispered, looking extremely embarrassed and running her hand over the back of her neck, "He doesn't have three soul jewels."
"Oh, you managed to get one away from him?" Koenma asked delightedly, "Good! That means that…"
"No, it's not that," the bat demon blushed, "He doesn't have three. He has four."
"WHAT!" Koenma shouted, "You want to go off and fight him ALONE when he has FOUR of FIVE soul jewels! What's wrong with you, do you have a death wish or something! And how did he get four anyway! You were supposed to protect all of the remaining jewels! That was the main thing I told you to do!"
"Hey, I tried!" Adrianople shouted, becoming angry through her embarrassment and the scolding she was getting, "And if Tsukasa wasn't such an idiot, I would have stopped him from getting the third one!"
"Well, what about the fourth one?" Kuwabara asked, having been completely forgotten about until just now.
"That was simply a fluke," Adrianople sniffed, trying to act like it didn't matter though it obviously did, "There were complicated circumstances that came into place, keeping me from stopping him until after I had tracked him here… and that's when you guys showed up, so I'd say that fact that he has four now is your fault personally, not mine."
"Will you shut up about that, you bitch!" Yusuke screamed, tired of her repeated mention of their mistake. In no time flat Adrianople sent him flying through the ceiling with a punch to the gut. Not 'into', but 'through'.
When he came back down and landed with a loud thud at her feet, Adrianople cracked her knuckles loudly, "Want me to send you higher next time!"
"Adrianople," Koenma sighed, "Could you please refrain from that here? I don't want to have to fix anything else anymore."