"Hiei, are you alright?" The fire demon's old friend Yusuke asked with a concerned look on his face. The gang was gathered in Kuwabara's room to hang out, now that Koenma had dismissed them from the mission at Genkai's temple.
"Yeah, why?" Hiei replied indifferently.
"You just seem to have something on your mind." The Spirit Detective answered.
"Yeah, you're being even quieter than usual." Kuwabara added.
"It's nothing you need concern yourselves about." Hiei told them.
"Perhaps.... But then again, something doesn't feel right." Kurama said.
"I know what you mean, Kurama. Something in my head tells me that what we think is a lie. Especially when it comes to the mission from last week." Kuwabara explained.
"Yeah, I may not have a sixth sense or anything, but I still find it odd how Koenma called us all the way out there on an urgent mission, but then told us not to worry about it once the guys we were chasing escaped. I mean, if they were such a threat, shouldn't we be hunting them down or something?" Yusuke said.
"That's exactly what I was thinking." Kurama replied. "It seems to me that Spirit World is trying to hide something."
"That's not unusual for them." Yusuke stated.
"So what are we gonna do about it?" Kuwabara asked.
"At the moment, we can't do anything." Kurama replied. "All of this is speculation. We have no idea what they're trying to hide, and even if we did, we would need proof. For now, we'll just have to accept what has happened."
"Damn...." Yusuke and Kuwabara muttered with frustration.
"WHO WANTS DRINKS?" Shizuru and Atsuko burst out, drunk as usual. The four boys sweatdropped.
**********
"So, how long until Spirit World lets you go back to the Demon Plane?" Kurama asked Hiei as the two of them walked through town towards Kurama's house.
"Hopefully soon. I can't stand being in this place." Hiei replied.
"You were awfully quiet back at Kuwabara's place." Kurama pointed out.
"What does it matter? It's not like I care what Spirit World's up to. As long as they let me back into Makai, I'm happy." Hiei replied.
"I'm just curious what your opinion is on the matter." Kurama said.
Hiei didn't immediately respond. He took a few moments to carefully consider what to say. Kurama watched him closely until he finally spoke: "I feel like the mission we went on never happened."
"What do you mean?" Kurama asked.
"When I think back on it, it seems like nothing more than a dream." Hiei replied.
"I see." Kurama said.
"And, well, speaking of dreams, I've been having some odd ones lately." Hiei continued hesitantly.
"Really? About what?" Kurama asked curiously.
"Well, basically I'm in a place that I can't identify. I don't know where it is or what it's called. The people there were friendly to me, but I don't know who they are. And there's a person I keep seeing over and over. He's tall, and kind of looks like me. This guy keeps smiling at me, and for some reason I feel comfortable around him, but then, for no reason, I feel angry with him."
"Interesting.... Don't the people say anything to let you know who they are, or what that place is?" Kurama inquired.
"No. Their lips are moving like they should be talking, but there's no sound." Hiei replied. "Though, I can't explain it, but everything in the dreams seems familiar."
"Do you think it could have been a place you visited in the past, but simply forgot?" Kurama suggested.
"I thought about that as well, but realized it couldn't be the case." Hiei said.
"Why's that?" Kurama asked.
"Because you were in some them. And you looked exactly like you do now." Hiei explained.
"You were dreaming of me? Forgive me Hiei, but I think we've covered this...." Kurama said as Hiei stared with confusion. "I'm just not interested in you in that way."
"TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, YOU MORON!" Hiei shouted at his friend, with his face gone completely red, and his composure flustered. "WHAT IN THE HELL MAKES YOU THINK I WOULD WANT TO DREAM ABOUT YOU ANYWAY?!"
"It's just a joke, Hiei." Kurama said with a chuckle.
"Yeah, whatever...." Hiei muttered before disappearing.
**********
That guy was there again. With his spiked hair and red eyes that almost glowed. He smiled, said a few words that Hiei couldn't hear and then gave Hiei a sword. The two of them covered their faces with clothing, and started to walk. Next thing Hiei knew, he was in a small dark room. The man who resembled Hiei was talking to someone who looked like a guard, and then the wall disappeared. Hiei and the man entered a large area which resembled a bar. The two of them sat down at a table, and then a man came up to them and started chatting to Hiei's companion. As usual, Hiei heard no sound coming from them. Suddenly, the guy who looked like Hiei killed the person he was talking to. All eyes were on him now, and he started fighting anyone who came forward. However, Hiei didn't stay to watch. He slipped through the crowd, and went to the back of the bar, where he burned a bunch of papers. Some men started attacking him, but Hiei easily beat them. Then Hiei started yelling at a scrawny, terrified guy. The man answered whatever it was Hiei was asking him, but then he was killed from someone who came up from behind. Hiei turned around and then -
"HIEI!" He heard a voice call out.
The fire demon woke with a start. It was just another dream. He looked down from the tree he had sat himself in, and saw Yusuke, Kuwabara and Kurama looking up at him.
"Hey, Hiei, come on down!" Yusuke shouted up at him.
Hiei complied, and jumped down from the tree. "What do you all want?"
Yusuke's expression grimed. "Funny thing.... Spirit World wants to talk to us."
**********
The four boys made their way to Spirit World with no trouble. Botan awaited them there with a smiling face, and guided them to Koenma's office.
"Lord Koenma, they're here!" Botan announced as they entered the large room where Koenma sat at his desk, which had piles of paperwork stacked up on it.
"Thank you, Botan. You may leave now." Koenma replied. Botan bowed briefly, then exited the office. Koenma looked at the group remaining. "So, boys, how have you been?"
"Perhaps we should get straight to the point, Koenma. Tell us why you've called us here." Kurama demanded.
Koenma sighed. "Well, alright. It's come to my attention that you boys aren't satisfied with how the last mission ended, so I figured rather than waiting for you guys to hunt me down in a fit of rage, I'd call you here and answer any questions you have."
"Hold on, how'd you know that we had doubts about that mission?" Yusuke asked.
"You had people watching us, didn't you?" Kurama said.
"Say what?! Why would you need people to spy on us?!" Kuwabara exclaimed.
"There's obviously something more going on here. Tell us everything!" Hiei demanded.
"Just listen to me!" Koenma shouted. "This is all just a misunderstanding. Back at Genkai's temple, after the guys you were after got away, I sent the SDF to deal with them. And now those guys are in Spirit World's jail. That's why I told you not to worry about it."
"Hn, Sounds more like a convenient lie." Hiei stated.
"Believe me, Hiei, whether or not it's a lie, it would be in your best interest to leave this matter alone." Koenma said to the fire demon.
"That sounds like a warning." Kurama said, eyeing Koenma.
"Yes, it is.... Now I advise you to go back to your homes, and forget what had happened." Koenma replied.
"I don't think so, pacifier-breath! We're not leaving until we get the truth!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"That's right!" Kuwabara agreed.
"You don't understand -" Koenma was cut off by the ringing of his phone. He picked it up, and began to speaking to the person who called. "Hello?....Oh....What?! But I can handle it.... I see..... Very well." Koenma then hung up the phone.
"What was that all about?" Yusuke asked curiously.
"You will all come with me." Koenma said. "My father, King Enma, wishes to speak with you."