"So she's the famed Hoshimi," Hiei watched her leave. "I didn't feel much of presence as I did when she released that energy."
"Hoshimi likes others to underestimate her," Hokushin explained as he smiled at the plants she left. "It also makes it easier for her to move around. I am glad she came back." He knew Raizen would enjoy the gifts she left.
"Well this is all fine and dandy but I am curious as to what Koenma's relationship to her is like," Yusuke thought out loud. He turned around and waived. "I'll see all of you back at the tournament. Don't try to take on each other without me."
"I'll off as well," Kurama nodded to the rest as he followed after him. Yomi and Mukuro decided to pay their respects in person before heading in their separate ways. The two got back into the human world. Kurama notified Koenma that they found her and sent her his way. The two got there before she had arrived.
Koenma was in his teenager form. He was waiting for Hoshimi. Jorge, his assistant, was waiting with him. The doors opened to his office. Koenma was excited but when he saw that she was not among Yusuke and the gang he frowned.
"Huh?" Yusuke went up to him. "Why this form?"
"I was waiting for Hoshimi," Koenma was narrowing his eyes. "Shuichi said you found her and sent her my way. I am glad I hired him. It would have taken you a few months."
"We did find her," Yusuke mentioned. "She went to pay that old demon dad of mine her respects. She should have come back first since Shuichi said that you were in need of her."
"I bet she still thinks of me," Koenma sighed. "Wait you made it sound like I was desperate."
Kurama gave a small smile. Yusuke laughed. Botan came in with a few Special Defense Force, Hunters, by her side.
"I'm sorry, Lord Koenma but the SDF took charge without orders to be here," Botan spoke.
"Commander Shunjun," Koenma started to speak. "What brings the S.D.F. here?"
"We have a breach into Spirit World, an Upper S class demon is here," Shunjun answered. "If that kind of demon can get in here-"
Before he could finish there was loud noises coming from the doors he just entered from. Everyone looked to the doors. Shouts and banging then silence. The doors flung open and in walked Hoshimi in her single tail fox demon form. Her eyes held mischief as if she created it. She strolled passed them with a curl in her soft smile. She wore a white cheongsam that reached her ankles and had splits on both sides. She wore white pants underneath with white flats. The group was surprised by her entrance and even more surprised about the rubble she left behind. The S.D.F. was piled high behind her and groaning.
"Is that any way to greet a contracted employee of the Spirit World?" Hoshimi set her eyes upon Shunjun. "Or are you still hurt about the last time I beat you?"
"I admire your capabilities, but you are not allowed in," Shunjun spoke. "Who knows what your intentions are, but I do know your work." He was entranced by her. "Only if you weren't a demon."
"I could say the same to you," Hoshimi flicked her tail to fan her alluring aroma to him. "Hunter."
Hoshimi walked passed him to Koenma, whose eyes were big with astonishment. The rest watched with anticipation. "Look at the new King of Spirit World. But," she stopped in front of Koenma. "I hear that you had ogres in front of your vaults?" Koenma blinked. "How silly it must have been with those three demons that fought through. It is also silly to have company." The S.D.F. were staggering to get up and see what was going on. Her tail flicked back and forth. She eyed them. "You have more friends and I see that you have grown." Her tail flicks under his nose and he lets out a sigh of being in love with her. It didn't help she was putting the lusting aroma to them to make them under her spell.
She turned back to him. "But I think I miss your chubby cheeks!" She gave a soft smile and pinched his cheeks. He lost focus and went back to his toddler form. She giggled as he blinked up at her.
"Hoshimi!" He blushed in anger and embarrassment. He held onto his cheeks. "I don't need the Special Defense Force here. She won't be trouble. You may leave at once."
Hoshimi waved goodbye to them as they left with disgruntled looks. She then turned to the Yusuke and Kurama. "So who are they exactly besides your messenger and Raizen's son?"
"Oh, this is Yusuke and Shuichi and you know Botan and Jorge," Koenma introduced them. "Everyone this is Hoshimi."
"Taking out the SDF without breaking a sweat, I'm impressed," Yusuke spoke the truth.
"Oh that, it was just by a flick of a tail," Hoshimi giggled. "Now, really Koenma, that vault needs more security. Three demons?" She gave him a serious look.
Koenma gave out a nervous chuckle. "So you have heard about that?"
"Every demon on Earth knew once the Three Dark Artifacts were stolen," Hoshimi narrowed her eyes.
"Then why didn't you come then?" Kurama asked. He was struggling on keeping his human form. He felt the urge to snap to his demon form. The pheromone she was emitting was enticing him.
"And ruin my hiding place? I don't think so," Hoshimi replied. "Earth was my hiding place, but now that the barrier is down, any demon on come to Earth. No mischief allowed on humans, but the new King didn't say anything about other demons. Once my name has been spoken in the demon world, my existence will be remembered and I will be tracked down. Maybe I can stay here with you?" Koenma started to nod his head. Koenma excused himself with Hoshimi by his side. The two headed to the vaults to get to work.
"Are you alright?" Yusuke could see Kurama was struggling internally.
"I'll be fine," Kurama stabilized himself.
A couple of hours later the two came back. "I hear there will be another Dark Tournament. Is this true?"
"Yes, except it will be run by demons this time and not rich humans," Koenma explained. "It will start this year and be every fifteen years like usual."
"Oh, good, I would like to watch sometime, maybe you can go with me," Hoshimi flirted.
"Of course!" Koenma assured her. "I can get us box seats that have a great view and no one can interrupt us."
"Well, that didn't take long. You're done already?" Yusuke was lounging around.
"What are you still here?" Koenma was furious and embarrassed.
"Go ahead, try it out," Hoshimi taunted all of them. "There will never be another like it. Only the best for Koenma." She picked him up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He turned bright red. She set him down. "I'll be leaving now. Don't try to follow me." She walked away with her tail flicking back and forth hiding her aroma.
"That Hoshimi, isn't she something?" Koenma was in a daze.
"Yeah she's something alright," Yusuke watched her go.
Kurama headed to the vaults.
"He seems eager," Koenma watched him.
"If Hoshimi is the legend they say she is, of course he's going to try to break in," Yusuke answered. "Besides I want to try too." Koenma shook his head and caught up with them.
The three stood in front of the vault's doors. It didn't seem as if it was protected by locks and had traps.
"Are you sure she didn't just con you and walk away with the money?" Yusuke asked.
Koenma chuckled once. "That's why she made it like this for idiots like you to think that it's not guarded and it's easy to enter."
"Yes, but it's odd, I feel a presence but then I don't," Kurama was headed to the door.
"Wait, let me try first," Yusuke stepped up. "If you do break in, I won't get a chance to try."
"You have a point, be my guest," Kurama stepped back.
"Oh, I hope nothing bad happens to you, Yusuke, I may still you need you," Koenma became worried.
Yusuke stepped forth and tried to open vault doors but nothing happened. "Huh?" He pulled again. He tried to the point where he used his spirit energy. The doors opened. "Huh? Well, that's odd."
The doors shut behind him as he entered the darkness. A few seconds later he was behind the two as they waited staring at the doors.
"Huh?" Yusuke was confused. He looked down at himself then back to them. "What happened?"
The two looked to him. "How did you end up way over there?" Koenma asked. Yusuke shrugged his shoulders. Koenma sighed in relief that nothing had happened. "Here I thought it was going to be something bad."
"I don't know, one-minute I was walking and thought I was getting closer and the next minute I saw that you guys were before me," Yusuke blinked.
"It's my turn." Kurama looked at the doors. He found a way to open the doors by picking a lock he had found hidden in the doors. Kurama entered. The other two waited to see if he could get to the Dark objects. Koenma started to sweat, but there was no need since Kurama ended up in the same place Yusuke had. He got there fifteen minutes later. Kurama blinked in surprise as well. The two looked behind to see him with their jaws dropping.
"That's my Hoshimi!" Koenma smiled and became proud. "She knows her stuff." He chuckled. "Not even the great Kurama could surpass her locks."
"Let me try again," Kurama was determined as he pushed passed them.
Koenma started to leave. "I'll let you to your fun. If you can't get to it now, there is no chance you will be able to get to it after a million tries. I should send her something nice. What should I send?" He started to talk to himself. "Oh how about some chocolates or a nice dress?"
Kurama went to the doors and tried to open them. He was surprised. He knew he unpicked the lock. He tried to find the lock where he had picked it earlier but it was not there in the same spot. It had moved. Interesting. He thought to himself. So there is a presence of some sort but it switches everything. It could be a simple algorithm. Spirit energy makes the doors easier to open but they come back quicker. I noticed it took longer for me to come back. I used simple measures but inside was pitch black for both of us. There must a transportation device in there. Kurama went over to where they had appeared. He sensed nothing there. No trap doors. Nothing showing any indication of connection to the vault. Koenma said any altercation to the lock and it would collapse on itself.
"You might as well take defeat on this Kurama," Yusuke warned him. "You'll just work yourself over nothing. Maybe you can use your charm and ask her how to get inside." He gave a small smile. "Or scare her enough and she will." He grabbed his arm. "We'll try it again tomorrow."
The two left. Kurama was still thinking of ways to get past her vault. The next few days, Kurama went to help Kuwabara keep up his studies. They were studying at a local library. Kuwabara brought Yukina so that she could also find books to read and intermingle with the humans around her.
Kurama and Kuwabara had books opened in front of them. Yu Kaito bumped into them while trying to find some research.
"Greetings." Yu Kaito stood in front of them. "How are your studies, Kuwabara?"
"Hey, they're frustrating and kicking my trash!" Kuwabara could not understand one of the concepts.
The three noticed Yukina passing by the aisles.
"It seems she is doing well," Yu Kaito pushed up his glasses.
"Yeah," Kuwabara smiled. "She's transitioning really well."
"Huh?" Yu Kaito noticed two school girls whispering to each other.
"Hi, Kuwabara!" They spoke in unison at him.
"Hello, I got to get back to my studies," Kuwabara waived them off.
The girls were awe as they passed by the aisles. The three were talking about some topics when Kurama stopped midsentence as he spotted Hoshimi in her human form Isae. Hoshimi was looking through the book stacks.
Kuwabara and Yu Kaito followed his line of site.
"Oh, I see," Kuwabara snickered.
"You have taken an interest in her?" Yu Kaito asked. "I'm surprised you never noticed her in class."
"Huh?" Kurama turned to him.
Yu Kaito shook his head. "You must not have paid attention to those around you. Unlike you, I did. Nanase, Isae. Intelligence that equals our own but smart enough to not stand out. I believe that was her whole goal."
"If she was that smart why did she not want to stand out?" Kuwabara couldn't understand.
"Remember she lives with demons," Kurama explained. "If she stood out that meant a higher chance to be found out."
"Exactly," Yu Kaito watched her. "I had an opportune moment of watching her study while passing by. She knew all the answers but added certain mistakes that could be counted against her. Only a few marks away to keep her from competing with us."
"Did she participate in any clubs?" Kurama asked.
"She didn't involve herself with clubs but she did help the engineering club out from time to time," Yu Kaito smirked.
"The engineering club?" Kurama looked to where she was but she had left.
The two school girls were making fun of Yukina.
"I thought demons were supposed to be strong," one girl snickered.
"Some demon she is," the other joined in.
The two bumped into her making all of her books fall down. They did this near the boys. Yukina apologized and started to pick up the books. The three boys looked over to where the sound was. Hoshimi turned the corner and were behind the two culprits.
"What's going on here?" Hoshimi asked if she was just a passerby. The two turned around at the sound of her voice.
The girls gulped. Hoshimi tried to peer over them.
"What happened to her?" Hoshimi asked.
"Oh, her?" The two looked behind and then tried to block Hoshimi's view when they looked back at her. "She fell with books in her hands."
"Then we should help her," Hoshimi pushed passed them and was about to pick up the books when the two girls grabbed her.
"Oh, let us do that!" One girl started to pick up the books while the other helped Yukina up.
Yukina looked up as Hoshimi gave her a wink. The two girls helped her on her way as they followed Hoshimi around.
"She seems quite popular," Kuwabara got up to go check on Yukina. He watched Hoshimi walk by with the two girls in tow.
"I still don't remember her, even if she was popular," Kurama tried to remember her.
"You wouldn't unless you looked for her, she made herself indifferent that she only stood out to me because she didn't," Yu Kaito explained. "The best way to stand out is to blend in. She's an interesting puzzle."
"Are you okay, Yukina?" Kuwabara consoled her.
Yukina smiled. "I'm fine. That girl helped me. I wonder who she was. She seemed different."
"If you're okay then I'll guess I'll go back to studying," Kuwabara scratched his head as there was nothing else he could do. He didn't want to tell her that she was the florist who helped him pick out the flowers. Yunika always thought Kuwabara did an amazing job at picking the flowers out. The group studied for a few more hours when Yu Kaito spotted Hoshimi again. He wandered over to her while Kurama was quizzing Kuwabara.
"Hey I got it!" Kuwabara cheered. He had gotten all of the questions correct.
"Keep it up and you may get offers from several universities," Kurama smiled.