Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Her Spirit ❯ Paranoia ( Chapter 10 )

Koenma was pacing- again. He had sent Hiei out on a reconnaissance mission to the makai, as rumors from that world had been reaching him. He usually put no stock in these rumors, they were just one way for him to keep a general eye on the population of makai; as ruthless and unforgiving as it was there, gossip and rumors were usually helpful and mostly truth.

The unauthorized portal had stunned him, and it had been made worse by the fact that his father head been entertaining the esteemed lord when the alarms had blared off. Needless to say, neither of his superiors had been very happy.

He gave an exaggerated and mournful sigh as he glanced at the blinking time; it was mocking him he was sure. First it was mocking him because he hadn't even had enough influence and power to stop his detectives from continuing their contact with the Higurashi family, and then it was mocking him because he had seemed to prove himself inept and let a portal escape his attention to reach that shrine.

Things just weren't going his way.

Koenma let out a deep and pitiful sigh, and his head seemed to bow down as if in defeat. But alas, nothing seemed to go his way, at least not when it was important.

Koenma sighed as he let his mind drift; too many things to think about had led to a very vexing morning and too many more questions and very few answers and…

Well…

You see.

`Hiei should be back soon.' He had sent him out earlier, and glancing at the mocking time display again, he took a deep breath. He had sent out the forbidden child to do some rumor gathering and maybe even gather some solid facts- but no Hiei had to take his precious time; and waste his.

Koenma cast a chagrined expression to the pile of papers threatening to engulf his desk like some wood eating demon from the makai. It's not that Hiei was keeping him from doing that paperwork; he just provided a handy excuse to push his legal work to the side.

Then he sighed and tried to growl as he held himself back from swiping at the papers and making them fall into a nice little mess of obscurity to further delay his work…but he had received one too many paper cuts that way. No matter how small they were those damn cuts sting!

As he looked at the paper again he growled once more sure it was mocking him- just as he made his move to upset the precariously balanced work, the portal opened to admit Hiei into his office. (And the paper sighed in relief).

He spun to face his charge angrily- or as angrily as he could make himself look, there was just something about the forbidden child that made anyone else's anger seem so petty and miniscule. And he drew himself up and cleared his throat. It was best to get straight to the point with this demon- lest he lead you on a round about path away from what you really needed to know.

Hiei was like that.

So Koenma figured he wouldn't let Hiei skirt around the subject he most wanted to hear about and started the questioning directly. This way…he would have to answer all that Koenma wanted- else Hiei be in violation of his probation.

So it was with a gleam in his eye and a haughty shift into his leather seat that he began. “There are rumors of an uprising. Are the demons planning another violent coup?”

Hiei snorted and Koenma couldn't decide if it was at the question or at the pitiful demons he held himself above. “Hardly; no violent uprising,” And his eyes flashed a crimson ruby. Koenma raised an eyebrow and settled deeper into his chair, tilting his head at just the right angle for Hiei to know he had to continue. He rolled his eyes; “None of the demons that I encountered were making any moves to initiate a coup- even then you know it would be disorganized and faulty.”

Koenma nodded his head in satisfaction before he relaxed further into his chair- this not a sign of authority but ease. Because it was true- demons just didn't work together very well. Many a times the demons who inhabited the lands of tainted makai had tried to revolt so they could indulge in a blood bath or two, but they always somehow ended up fighting amongst themselves and indulging in their more carnal and selfish desires to make secret alliances and stab one another in the back.

He always managed to find some amusement that they were the cause of their own imprisonment, but enough was enough.

If there was no hint of another such violent uprising (more detrimental to the makai demographic census than his position) then he had no cause for worry.

So he smiled as he laced his fingers together behind his head, and he sent Hiei on his way. He smirked as the demon disappeared, for there was no reason for him to worry now. He had the answers he needed, and he had the time he wanted.

His position was safe.

He deadpanned as he had the fleeting thought; `My posterior will be safe as well.'

You just never knew with his father.

So he swung his chair back and forth with his feet planted firmly on his desk for leverage, and he only stopped his jubilant humming when he once gain caught sight of the damnable papers.

Maybe he didn't have all that free time he had been dreaming of….

And it was with a rather loud exclamation of annoyance that the ogres in the hall and connecting room were informed that their boss was once again going to work.

.x.

Hiei raced through the looming branches of the park, knowing that his associates would be where he needed them to be, now that they knew something big was going on and they needed to pay attention to it.

Although the team had had an altercation over Yusuke's presence at the shrine, they had resolved the differences without much trouble. After all, they couldn't blame one another; it wouldn't do for them in working conditions. And Yusuke had gotten some feel of the family and how it interacted.

They just had to put it all together.

He growled slightly in pleasure- something he would kill over if anyone heard it. He wasn't one to voice his satisfaction; but the toddler (as Yusuke had aptly named the Prince of the spirit world) had proved exactly why he had to be paranoid, he needed to be so to balance his own ineptitude. He scoffed and landed swiftly, no sound but the faint hiss of dust disturbed by his abrupt presence, and he turned to his team mates. Kurama was already there, leaning against a tree and Hiei hoped conversing- moving the mouth like that without talking to someone was the sign of insanity.

He sent the fleeting thought to the fox and chuckled as Kurama startled out of his plant induced daze and sent him a glare that turned to a smirk. `It is also, my friend, the sign of a genius. One would think since you are so disinclined to speak you are wary of being pronounced idiot.'

Hiei growled lightly at Kurama due to his teasing, but let it slide. The fox was one he would allow to tease him, but for now they had serious business to attend to. Koenma was now blind to the real happenings of makai, listening only to those of violence and political upheaval.

Hiei, in contrast, listened to all that he could.

And he found himself in a much better position than the prince of reikai- in regards to knowledge at least. Koenma had the thought to question him directly instead of letting him lead the conversation somewhere, but Hiei knew that not even Koenma would give him the exact questions to tell this information. He just wouldn't think of something like this.

Granted, Hiei gave him that he wouldn't have thought of it either, but now he had heard he rumors and it made a little more sense to him- and brilliant.

But Hiei was loyal to only few, his family and the teammates that had accepted him; certainly not to a reikai brat who thought he could boss him around just to pay for some debt he believed he owed- Hiei was sure that the whole team had paid off their individual debts, Koenma was just itching for workers, being unable to accomplish anything himself.

The team had gone silent, because he had obviously announced his presence with his landing and had not yet said a word. He nodded his head in confirmation, half proud that they could read him so well (it meant that they were getting better) and half perturbed that they could read him so well.

“Koenma is finished with his paranoia for the day?”

Hiei smirked; “He asked the wrong questions, now I'll give you the right answers.”

Kurama looked around discreetly, hiding his perusing glance behind a stretch and laugh. He nodded his head to the team and they all turned to the hybrid- no one was attempting to listen.

“There is no violent uprising.” Yusuke grew confused, and Kuwabara opened his mouth to ask a question before Hiei continued, “In fact, the more violent and aggressive denizens of makai are unaware of anything concrete.”

Kurama smirked happily with an enlightened look upon his face. “But you are aware of something aren't you?”

Hiei nodded his head to give the point, but they all knew it was more of a statement than a question. “There is no violent uprising, but there are rumors of the Eschew coming out. It would seem that they feel the time has come.”

Yusuke and Kuwabara were confused, understandably so. The Eschew were a purely makai legend- and unless you had lived in the makai you would have heard nothing of them. Kurama answered their question before it was asked. “The Eschew are those demons that are gentle or impaired some way. They are the demons that don't fit into the general description of makai, and would gladly live along side each other peacefully if they weren't so hunted.”

Yusuke stepped up. “You mean to tell me that there are demons out there that don't like to fight?”

Hiei snorted disdainfully, “Just as there are humans who would sooner tear your heart out to sell it than help a child from the ground.”

Yusuke settled back in contemplation, but Kuwabara got that thinking glare on his face, and Hiei waited. It wasn't that the big man was a dunce, but he was the last to trust him- so Hiei was the last to trust Kuwabara. But he large man wasn't stupid, and the ideas he did come up with were helpful.

He cringed at the thought of them ever finding out he just thought that.

“The Eschew? To abstain?” Hiei turned fully to face the tall man, one eyebrow raised in honest curiosity. He shrugged in response, “My sis likes to read a thesaurus and laugh at the odd words.”

Hiei snorted because he believed it, Kuwabara had a very strange family in that one woman after all. Kurama took the initiative and nodded before he answered. “They are those that try to avoid violence if they so can- mere rumors that circulate through makai every now and then, a legend within a legend if you so dare. It was even once said that a demon lord took the vow, becoming one of the Eschew, but I find that impossible considering he was a war lord in the Warring states era- he grew up with violence. And the inu no taiyoukai tomb has lain in plain sight for centuries.”

Kuwabara leaned back, resting his broad shoulders against a convenient tree and ignoring the way that the rough bark bit into his skin and clothing. “So what are the rumors that have you looking like the cat that swallowed the cream?”

Directed at him; of course the big lug couldn't refrain for inserting some catty phrase. “There are rumors of Jinenji even coming to aid the others, and that they have found their prophet.”

Kurama sported a confused expression as he brought up one hand to rub his chin. “I was under the impression that their prophet was a rather odd miko. There have been no such…” He trailed off as his expression lightened considerably and his whole body seemed to perk up from a funk.

Yusuke caught on strangely enough, and Kuwabara only took one confused look at them both before he as well followed their train of thought. “Are you saying that Kagome is somehow related to the original miko?”

Kurama nodded his head. “That would seem to be so; she is completely human by her scent and soul, and she does not look or feel like those old souls of the ancients…she must have somehow contacted the spirit…or learned from a personal scroll.”

Hiei snorted, having entirely different thoughts about it than his team mates, but he wouldn't voice them just yet. After all, Hiei never went into any situation without researching thoroughly and gathering facts, he just didn't have enough facts to support his claim- and even in this time some things were considered impossible, even for demons and the spiritually aware.

So he listened as the conversation gained enthusiasm as they put together certain details and totally discarded other ideas- of course Kurama had a penchant for pulling out the correct details. But Hiei listened to them all, and snapped his head to them when a certain whispered comment caught his ears.

“What was that?” As always his voice was a smooth low growl, but his teammates had gotten used to hearing him- they had had many years of practice after all. Kuwabara looked up sheepishly, always somehow forgetting that his more demon companions could hear even the faintest sound if they concentrated enough.

But he reiterated. “I saw her…I met her old friends.”

Yusuke scoffed. “I did too…the assholes.”

Kuwabara shook his head. “No they…they were talking about the shrines odd events. Th' said something about Kagome and her family being creepy.” Kuwabara swung to the next topic quickly. “Did you guys know that their shrine still does the old healing exorcisms and divination?”

Yusuke looked confused before his head cleared. “You mean that their family is a group of seers?”

Kurama intervened. “The old miko could converse with the gods, and they could exorcise and heal like any priest.” He looked around the park again to help himself find words while Hiei leaned against the trunk of a tree to observe. “If they can still prophesize accurately then their original miko blood must have been very strong, I have yet to encounter a modern day family like this.”

Kuwabara inserted himself back into the conversation. “They also started talking about how weird their family was…is it always like that for those who are different?”

Hiei now joined in, finding the conversation going to too familiar territory and wondering exactly how the Higurashi were so different. “Was there anything else that they said?”

Kuwabara drew back in contemplative thought, murmuring faintly with his lips as he scratched his elbow and looked around detachedly. “Yeah, now that I think about it,” his scrunched up his nose, “do you guys have any idea what the Higurashi meant to their old town?”

Hiei stopped glancing around to pay attention- that was the trouble they had. When portals were opened they were only transported to the town they needed to be in, and in the case of the Higurashi they knew nothing about their surrounding area. It leads to a rather difficult case (that the fox adored) unlike the ones where they had known sources and streets of their town.

But now they were in this city of Tokyo and were unable to collect rumors and gossip and facts fast enough to explain the Higurashi to them. That's all they wanted really. Hiei had figured that Yusuke just enjoyed the shrine and its company because it was a soothing knot in all the chaotic turmoil of the rest of the city- there was no stink of pollution or stale air and there was no hint of the humans' tremulous thoughts and fickle emotions.

Not at this shrine at least.

Kuwabara enjoyed the family, pulled together and bonded even though they had their problems and worries and squabbles, and Kurama was always one for puzzles, but Hiei got the underlying hint of thought that suggested Youko had far more interest in something at the shrine.

He snorted and bothered to show he was paying attention, causing the larger man to blush lightly and scratch his head in embarrassment with a forced yet light chuckle. “It might just be something useless you know. I happen to...”

Hiei growled and snatched at the air with his claws extended, effectively cutting off the direction of the conversation as they all heard the approaching giggles of some females and their rather loud footsteps even on the soft earth of the park.

Yusuke glared and growled lightly, bringing Hiei's attention to his dark expression as he watched the girls from their relatively covered gathering place, and the equally dangerous expression on Kuwabara's visage sent warnings off in his mind. He stepped in front of them to block their path should they try anything stupid, but he found himself commiserating with them as they heard the conversation.

“O, my god! Can you believe how short she still is?”

There was a shrill laugh accompanied by some lighter chuckles, and their footsteps and vague figures settled around their position to rest under the shade of a rather daring tree- away from the true beginnings of the forest.

“Totally! Did you hear her speak? It's so~ weird!? Like those characters from the old movies; you know?”

Another bout of laughter, “I so can't believe that she actually woke up. I mean that family is so crazy you'd think she'd want to escape forever!”

“Speaking of crazy did you hear the news? All those stupid little cults were raving and had resorted to some violence that destroyed a district! I can't believe people can be so deluded!” A rather smart looking girl stated. (Hiei deadpanned).

The girls shared another round of laughter before a hail for their attention caught them- and the reikai tantei to attention. The rather lean brunette waved and smiled genially as he approached, even going as far as to close his eyes into mirthful crescents. Hiei scoffed as he joined them with some useless and annoying chattering before the conversation invariably shifted back onto its original course.

“Higurashi-san looked a little pale didn't she?”

A girl waved off his comment rather jeeringly. “You know she always was prone to those bouts of…illness.”

The air around the group seemed to still as the teens shuddered in unison at the mere thought of those illnesses. Hiei noticed Yusuke look up alertly at the mentioning of this, eyes sharpening and pupils dilating as he focused on the female who had said this, cursing softly as the conversation seemed to dwindle slightly.

A girl broke out in laughter. “To think we actually believed that shit!” The rest joined in. “I mean; come on! Being able to see the future? Healing with a mere thought?”

A girl's giggle became shrill as she remembered with a hoot. “That family was always weird! Remember the old man who always was spouting off about illness and demons and shit!” The male stretched out with a smile as the girl continued. “You'd think that the government had taken a leaf from their book?”

Giggle.

Hiei was starting to hate that sound.

“Yeah, those news casts about the so called mutants as a result of American science and nuclear bomb test is farfetched- even for government conspiracy.”

They all nodded their heads, but Hiei was distracted by Kurama's muffled chuckle to turn and spot him holding both hands against his mouth and trying to suppress his laughter. `Trouble fox?'

Kurama's mirthful green eyes looked up at him and he winked slightly as his eyes colored gold and green and emerald. `For all that they seem to understand the politics of their world they are immensely stupid.'

Hiei smirked bemusedly and shook his head once as he turned once again to view the gathered friends through the branches of the bushes and shrubbery and trees. The conversation gradually shifted to the amusement the group shared at the actions of the cults and governments, and Hiei found his mind drifting…

He needed to contact the miko, just to gauge if his suspicions were correct. But there was something more going on around this town, and he knew that they were on the beginning of something big…something that would change the world as they knew it.

Maybe Koenma had good reasons to be paranoid after all.

.x.X.x.

.x.