Koenma was sifting through his stacks of files of missing humans until an alarm was set off.
One of the Special Defense Forces came into the room. "Koenma! Demons have crossed into the Spirit World."
"What? How did this happen?" Koenma shut his hands on the desk.
"We've been compromised," the soldier listened to his earpiece. "Demons are all over. We need to get you out of here." Koenma started to complain about how he could help until a blast from someone's powers blew a hole into the room. More S.D.F. soldiers protected Koenma as they moved him away.
Botan and Jorge were trying to get to safety when a demon grabbed Botan. "Jorge!"
"Botan!" He yelped.
"We need you Grim Reapers to get our pals," the demon spoke. A few of them grabbed Botan as she struggled to get away.
"Get Yusuke!" Botan yelled as she was dragged away. "Go to the Demon World! Get Help!"
Jorge nodded. He ran away to head off into the Demon World.
Tatsuo was surrounded by Grim Reapers and his demons. He ordered the demons to take the reapers to get the souls. Tatsuo strolled through the castle not a care in the world. The S.D.F. was forming around Koenma while the other half was fighting demons.
Tatsuo was in front of the vaults. He stared at the doors. An ogre was pulled forth by demons. "These vaults hold some prized possessions; Forlorn Hope, Orb of Baast, and the Shadow Sword."
"The Black Tape is in there as well," one of the demons mentioned.
"That would be a worthy prize," Tatsuo tried to open the vault doors. "Check on those who are getting souls. I'll get whatever it is in these vaults." They nodded. Some of the demons departed. He broke the door handle. It allowed him to enter the dark room. The door shut on him. He headed farther into the vault until he ended up back where he started. The ogre sighed in relief. Tatsuo saw his relief. "Why do you look so happy, ogre?" He was about to head back in to give it another try but the relief on the ogres' faces caused him to hesitate.
The ogre gulped. "No-no reason." The others backed away from him.
"Who made these vaults?" Tatsuo stroked the door handle that was once broken off. The ogre shook his head. "Who made them?" His eyes flashed as he gazed into the ogre's eyes.
"Hoshimi," his meek voice mustered.
"Hoshimi?" He retracted. "Right hand?"
"Yes!" The demon with a tablet came forward.
"Hoshimi, why does that name sound familiar?" Tatsuo searched his memory.
"She was part of the first family you slaughtered," the demon explained. "Her brother, Hotaka, is the other that escaped your hands. We have been searching for them ever since."
"Ah, the youngest and the oldest of those two powerful nine-tails," Tatsuo stared at the vaults. "Her brother is still alive too. Two powerful foxes, alive. Get the souls we need." He moved away from the vault. "We will capture them just like we did the rest."
Demon souls were taken from Hell and were placed in bodies. These bodies were then transported back to the demon world. Tatsuo headed back with his horde following behind him. He headed straight to his room. The demon bodies were placed in terrariums as well. They were placed in secret rooms.
Jorge hurried to find Yusuke. He was picked up by some demons. He yelled out that he needed Yusuke as they picked him up. The demons took him to the castle where Yusuke was talking with Hotaka.
"Yusuke!" Jorge cried out.
"Jorge," Yusuke stopped what he was doing. "Why are you here?"
"Demons attacked Spirit World," he started to sob. "They nabbed Botan. Koenma was protected but I ran away to get you. Jorge is scared! I don't know if everything is okay since they talked about getting souls of those who were already dead."
"WHAAaT?" Yusuke yelled in surprise.
"Take us there," Hotaka ordered. He spat out more orders to his followers.
Yusuke took Hiei and Hotaka to Spirit World. The place was a buzz. S.D.F. was protecting Spirit World while the ogres were tidying up the place. The Grim Reapers were talking to Koenma about who was missing.
"Yusuke!" Koenma sighed in relief. "Huh?" Hotaka was surveying the place. "Why is he here?"
"He wanted to come," Yusuke waved it off. "Who did this?"
"I didn't mean him," Koenma crossed his arms. "I mean that scaredy-cat Jorge. You ran away while Spirit World was under attack. Some help you were."
"But Botan asked me to get Yusuke," Jorge hid behind Hotaka. "How-how is Botan?"
"You don't get to know since you couldn't protect her!" Koenma sucked on his pacifier with aggression.
Hotaka looked between the two. "Who did this?"
"A golden demon with purple eyes and hair but he had teal markings," one of the reapers explained. "He took souls of demons. He had bodies made for them."
"Tatsuo," Hotaka put a name to the demon.
"He didn't get the secrets in the vaults," one ogre explained. "Thanks to Hoshimi. Maybe we need to make the pathways to Heaven and Hell the same."
"Did any of you mention our names?" Hotaka examined their faces.
"We-we did," the ogre shivered in regret. "We mentioned Hoshimi but he forced us to! He commanded us to speak. One of his followers explained that the two of you were still alive. He had one of those tablets seen allover Demon world."
"Koenma, who did he take?" Yusuke asked.
Koenma sighed. "It's terrible. Yusuke. Just terrible. He took the souls of Rando, Genbu, Byakko, Seiryu, Suzaku, Gama, Karaso, and a few more."
Yusuke and Hiei looked to one another. Hotaka had heard some of these names. He was filled in by his followers along with Hoshimi. He knew about them and what destruction they caused. "I must get back. Koenma, if you need anything, ask and I'll send it. Demon World is not the only world in trouble I fear." Hotaka headed back to his world.
"We beat them all before," Yusuke was confident. "We can beat them all again."
"He is planning to take over all of the worlds," Hiei explained. "Starting with our world first."
"I hate to say this but we need to team up with Hotaka," Koenma rubbed his head. "Where is Hoshimi?"
"She's in the enemy's base as we speak," Hiei answered.
"She must be compromised or else she would have warned us," Yusuke thought out loud. "Where is Botan?"
"This is turning into a terrible mess," Koenma hanged his head. "Botan is with the rest of the reapers that got nabbed at the infirmary."
Back at the hidden cavern, Hoshimi heard the familiar steps of the one in charge.
"You didn't eat anything," Tatsuo sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I can't eat if I don't have my hands," Hoshimi stared at the tray. "It's also so far away."
"He didn't harm you, did he?" Tatsuo brushed the hair out of her face. Hoshimi shook her head. He removed her restraints. "Come." He held out his hand. Hoshimi looked at it before taking it. "I'll show you what I have been aspiring to create." He escorted her around his place. Explaining what he is wanting to do and how he was going to achieve it. Hoshimi took in all the information and asked questions when it was appropriate.
When she was alone, she snuck off to do some quick adjustments before getting back to the secret room. The young male foxes were curious and intrigued.
One whistled at her while checking her over. "Little child grew up."
Kurama eyed her with curiosity. "You have another disguise."
Hoshimi rested on the glass. "It's getting worse. They attacked Spirit World. Koenma and the others. I couldn't warn them in time. They forced reapers to get high ranking demon souls out of Hell. Our time is drawing near. I put more fruit into the vats. I need all of you stronger. Especially you."
"When is he going to attack?" Kurama narrowed his eyes.
"You only need four more tails," Hoshimi noticed. "Technically two more."
"Answer the question," Kurama he budged against the restraints. He couldn't stand the thought of Spirit World being attacked. His friends, Koenma, Botan, and Jorge, must have been hurt and frightened. He needed to escape to help them. He was also feeling guilty about how he put himself in this position.
Hoshimi lifted off the glass and headed into the flower bud. They watched it bud around her and drag her into the ground.
"Little girl is rebellious," the young male chuckled. "That would be fun to tame."
Kurama ignored him while staring at the ground, waiting for her to come back out.
"Hoshimi!" Hotaka had been waiting around the flower. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"How is the Spirit World?" Hoshimi ignored his question. "Koenma? Botan? The S.D.F.? Jorge? Everyone?"
"They're fine, they're fine" Hotaka tried to calm her down. "When is he going to attack?"
Hoshimi explained everything to him. He relayed information about how ready his army was and how close they can achieve that. They discussed the logistics for a while. They came up with a date to attack. Hotaka gave the orders to his generals. Hoshimi came out to see that they had more tails.
"When?" Kurama asked again.
"Soon," Hoshimi stretched.
"Hey, I prefer foxes but you'll do too," the one male was enticed.
Kurama stared him down. The fox tried to sink back into his glass. He gulped. The others glanced away as well.
"He remembers us," Hoshimi was faint. She walked up to the glass. "We're on his radar again."
"If anybody searched for you, they will never find you," Kurama comforted her. "You wished for that. Besides, I get to be the one who catches you."
"Hm," Hoshimi smirked. "You're equaling out."
"Equaling out?" One of the young males was confused.
"When you get your nine tails, you become benevolent," Hoshimi explained. "We gain equal footing on all emotions. Cunning and vicious are still prominent but less primary. High S Class get that way too. They gain certain human emotions and are not as blood thirsty."
"How do you know?" Another male lifted his chin.
"When you receive your second tail, you can shapeshift," Hoshimi continued. "When you gain more tails, you get more skills and can shapeshift into whomever you want. The ones who were here before you were surprised he only had one tail." She looked at him with warmth. "The story of the great Kurama was a great thief but he got caught. He had to fuse his soul to a human. That's why he should have more tails. He had human emotions already."
"Which side do you like more?" Kurama titled his head to the side. His lip curling up to show a fang.
"You know that answer," Hoshimi winked. She looked to the rest. "There will be a day when you are no longer bound by these cages. I'll need those willing to fight to help protect the kits and the mothers. The rest will fight against the army. We have a rival army to defeat Tatsuo and his horde. I have found a way out of here as well. You will discover it by vines once the chain of reactions sets in motion."
"Oh, you're on first name basis," Kurama murmured. "That's right, did he make you change?"
"I'll need you to be ready," Hoshimi ignored him.
"Again why?" The fox was hesitant.
Hoshimi transformed into her nine-tail fox form. There were gasps and one groan. She stretched and ruffled her tails. "It feels nice to be back in this form. Now, do you trust me?" She transformed back into the adult version of her demon child form.
"You had to show them," Kurama rolled his eyes.
"What is your name?" Some of the males wagged their tails.
"Hoshimi," she stood with confidence. "My brother, Hotaka, is coming." She scurried out of the secret room while Kurama gave her a dubious look.
The young males were about to say something when Kurama eyed all of them. "Don't even think about it."
"He's quick at dibbing," one muttered.
Kurama heard that. He was about to speak when the secret door opened. His glass cage was the first to leave. He faced the Master once again.