Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A Moment Of Vengeance ❯ Chapter 1

Fandom: Yu Yu Hakusho
Title: A Moment Of Vengeance
Author: Ryukotsusei
Theme(s): 17. Eto...; Hmmmm... (~engulf by darkness)
Pairing/Characters: Hiei/Yusuke
Rating: R

Warnings: Yaoi, Language
Disclaimer: Yu Yu Hahusko belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to this series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.

 

 

Summary: An old enemy returns seeking to destroy Yusuke for his participation in past events. With his lover's life on the line can Hiei eliminate the threat in time or will they both fall prey to an enemy that's nearly impossible to fight?

 

Chapter One

 

"This can't be right." Koenma skimmed over the file that Jorge had delivered only minutes before a third time, trying to figure out just how the hell the readings could be so skewed. "You're sure this is a detailed log of every person who has been into the vault over the past week?" Only specific people were given clearance into the room for obvious reasons. The artifacts of darkness were nothing to toy with and it was a fact that had been proven many times which prompted the restrictions to be put into place. Furiously he sucked on his pacifier as he studied the report, one of the spirits that had been contained within the items had gone missing and he was willing to bet his royal title he knew just which one it was.

 

Nervously Jorge shuffled his feet as he looked at his employer, wondering just what was different this time than any other weekly report. 'Koenma couldn't know that I went in there, could he?' As the Demigod stared at him for several long moments he swallowed hard, he wasn't sure how Koenma did it but somehow the man had known. Why did he get himself into these messes? Not for the first time he regretted the fact he couldn't tell people no. If only Fusae hadn't become ill before her shift, perhaps then he wouldn't be in this predicament. Maybe it would be best if he tried lying his way out of it, nothing had happened when he'd taken her place guarding the doors and he'd only peeked in once. Nothing had gone wrong and as such he couldn't be blamed. "As far as I know sir, it's standard procedure for everyone to sign in and out. You know that."

 

Amber eyes narrowed in displeasure as Koenma stared at the blue ogre before him. "You're lying." They'd known each other for far too long for him not to have recognized the signs in his assistance. Just the way Jorge was chewing nervously on his lip was a dead give away. "Don't bother to deny it you big blue booby, I've always known when you were lying to me. Who was it that went in?" Even before the ogre answered Koenma was pretty sure he already knew, normally Jorge wouldn't have any idea of who went into that room beyond the names written on the list. If he was lying now it meant either he'd been there to see who it was or he'd done it himself.

 

"But sir!" Jorge tried to protest the accusation, if Koenma found out that he'd taken Fursae's post he was in for the spanking of a life time. What had gotten the man so worked up anyway? Frantically his eyes darted around the room when the file on Koenma's desk was closed with an audible snap and he realized that his time had just run out. Already the demigod was standing and beginning to make his way towards him. Did Koenma even realize how intimidating he could look in his teenage form? "Sir... I.. I.."

 

"You what?" The urge to throw something was strong but at the moment Koenma managed to refrain. Jorge looked like he was ready to pass out or run at any moment, confirming his suspicions. "It was you wasn't it? You're the one who went into the vault without permission." What kind of havoc would the spirit that had escaped wreak? The only thing that might help the situation was that the spirit that dwelled within the Mirror of Utter Dark was actually a neutral entity, it could be swayed by the intent of the person calling on it. That had been the only reason that Kurama's life had been spared when it had been called upon. The strength of two beings wills had been enough to overcome the selfishness of the wish which would have cost the kitsune his life.

 

Seeing that there was no escape from his boss, Jorge sighed and nodded. "I did but nothing happened! Fursae was sick and there wasn't anyone to replace her. You were busy so what was I supposed to do? Leave it unguarded?" Really, instead of complaining about him taking over the woman's post Koenma should be thanking him. Jorge crossed his arms as he stared down at Koenma, hoping that now that the truth was out maybe the worst he would get was yelled at. That hope vanished though the instant Koenma opened his mouth and started yelling.

 

"Do you have any idea what you've done? You idiot! Haven't you realized we have specially trained guards for a reason!" With his office door open as it was everyone in the main room outside was getting a good view of just what was going on inside but Koenma didn't care. They'd known that sooner or later the spirit would try to separate itself from the broken mirror and that had been the day they'd been waiting for. His father had already put plans in place of just where to send the spirit once the separation was complete, they'd just had to bide their time. The entity would need an anchor to remain on the physical plane and had been tenacious in maintaining its hold on the shattered glass, clearly loath to be sent completely to the afterlife. Now that it was free, its time was limited before it ceased to exist. Most likely the spirit was now looking for an acceptable host which meant it could be anywhere. "Now we have a rogue spirit on the loose and no telling where its gotten to!"

 

Under normal circumstances Jorge would have taken offense to being talked down to in such a fashion but as Koenma continued to rant he paled. How was he to know that before the door to the vault was to be opened a special barrier had to be put in place just in case the entity had come free? No one had bothered to tell him this, which in itself wasn't unusual. It seemed like he was always being left out of the loop when it came to important things. Still, it was just one spirit and they lost them all the time. Eventually they were recovered and there was no harm done. This was likely to be another of those times, the only problem he could think of is what King Enma would say when he found out. "So just find the spirit before it can find a host. It's a routine job sir, I'm not sure why you're getting so worked up."

 

Koenma stopped in mid rant to glare at the orge who seemed determined to placate him. If only things were that simple but true to form, this crisis just had to be anything but normal. "You really are an idiot." How could Jorge think this would be a simple retrieval job? Especially with the power that the spirit held. Granted, a good portion of it had been destroyed when the mirror was shattered but there was still a large amount for the being to work with. "Let me break this down for you. If the mirror was powerful enough to grant any wish and that power came from the spirit trapped in it, just what do you think said spirit will be capable of outside the mirror with no restraints?" Crossing his arms Koenma stared up at the orge in irritation as he waited for him to process what had just been said.

 

Mentally Jorge ran over everything he knew about the Mirror of Utter Dark. Unfortunately it wasn't much, knowing only that it took the power of the full moon to activate it and it cost the user their life in most instances. It remained dormant the rest of the time, its power inaccessible, he'd never thought to question just where the energy came from used to grant those wishes. "Maybe nothing will happen sir, its only got a limited amount of time right? Maybe it'll just disappear or you'll catch it first."

 

"Why do I keep you around?" Koenma pinched the bridge of his nose in an effort to stem off the headache that was forming. While Jorge's thoughts were nice they weren't realistic. He'd felt the anger coming off the mirror first hand when Botan had recovered it, clearly the entity hadn't appreciated having its anchor destroyed. Of course, it hadn't been happy imprisoned in there to begin with but as they say beggars can't be choosers. No one even knew how it had gotten within the artifact to begin with, it just had. To top matters off he no longer had a team that could hunt the spirit down, not that any of them were likely to be effective against it in the first place. Botan and the ferry girl's under him might be able to bring the rogue in but it was doubtful. Clearly his father's help was going to be needed on this one and Koenma wasn't sure just how the God was going to react. "Until further notice you are demoted to the filing rooms, I'm certain that they can use an extra hand to straighten up the mess down there. I can't say what punishment my father will deem appropriate for you but I assure you I am not taking the blame for this one."

 

As much as he wished it, Jorge knew there was no way to change Koenma's mind on this. Not that he could blame his boss really, he wouldn't take the blame for this either if he had any other choice. Enma was sure to be furious, there was no telling just how he'd react to the news. Would he sentence him to death? The possibility wasn't likely but as Jorge had come to learn during his many years working for the Reikai, sometimes there were things much worse than that. Time would tell what his punishment would be, until then he had to suffer the agony of waiting. "Yes sir. So umm.. when are you planning on telling him?"

 

Koenma knew exactly why he was asking and shook his head as he stared at his assistant. If the roles were reversed he'd likely be asking the same thing, no one wanted to face the mighty King Enma when presenting bad news. However this was one instance were for once Koenma wasn't afraid of his father, he was completely blameless in this one. Proper protocol hadn't been followed and he'd never been informed of the problem. "Well as they say Jorge, there's no time like the present." Ignoring the horrified cry from the ogre, Koenma grabbed his wrist and proceeded to lead him out of the office and towards the throne room.

 

"No!" Jorge struggled against the hold Koenma had on his wrist, protesting the very thought of seeing the King so soon. Shouldn't he have some time to prepare for this event? "You can't do this sir!" People were beginning to stare as he struggled mightily, whoever would have thought Koenma had such a tight grip? "Don't I get something? A last meal! A phone call for help!" For a moment it looked as if his struggle for freedom would get him a reprieve but just as he broke free, Jorge tripped and fell to the floor. "Oh sir please!"

 

"Get up, you're an embarrassment to ogres everywhere." Really, couldn't Jorge have just a little bit more dignity about the whole thing? Still the ogre hesitated, causing Koenma's scowl to deepen, why was it always up to him to fix these messes. "If you aren't going to get up then at least fix your loin cloth!" As Jorge busied himself with covering his lower half once again Koenma looked around the office at the crowd that had gathered. Horrified and amused stares all looked back at him causing him to sigh, this would be the talk of the office for the next year he was afraid. Suddenly his eyes landed on two orange ogres stationed by the door, perfect. Signaling them to come over Koenma knew they'd have no troubles escorting Jorge to the throne room. "To my father's chambers if you please." As he watched the two guards hauling his protesting assistant to their destination he turned back towards the onlookers. "All right everyone, shows over. Back to work." Slowly he made his way towards his father's office, knowing that he had a long day ahead of him. A very long day indeed.

 

~*~

 

"Hey Urameshi! It's about time you showed up!" Kuwabara watched his friend cross the street and make his way over, he was beginning to think the former detective wasn't going to show yet again. Of course, usually Yusuke had a plausible excuse for standing him up but there were times he had to wonder if he was telling the truth. Ever since he'd gotten together with Hiei the apparition had taken up most of his time and it was just a little bit irritating. Granted, Kuwabara wasn't going to butt in and tell them they were spending too much time together but hell, it would be nice to at least receive a phone call if Yusuke became too involved in whatever it was they were doing. Not that he really wanted to know just what that was, certain things were off limits even for him. "I thought you weren't going to make it."

 

"Yeah well I had to grab a shower before I came. Training hasn't stopped just because we don't work for Koenma anymore you know?" Of course, Kuwabara didn't need to know that sparring hadn't been the only reason he needed a shower, or the fact that Hiei had decided he needed one too at the exact same time which had led to even more distractions in getting ready. As amusing as it would be to see Kuwabara's expression it wasn't likely that Hiei would appreciate their sex life being discussed with him. More than once the apparition had commented that it seemed to him that Kuwabara was jealous of all the time they spent together. Yusuke couldn't see it but he wasn't about to argue. To do so would only provoke the hybrid into taking greater liberties in public just to try and prove his point. They didn't need a repeat of the restraunt debacle that had nearly gotten them both arrested.

 

Kuwabara narrowed his eyes suspiciously at his friend but declined to comment. Yusuke's hair was in its customary slicked back position but it was by no means wet signaling he'd just come out of the shower. "Next time end your training sooner then, you're a half hour late and the movie starts in fifteen minutes. We're gonna be lucky to have time to hit the concession stand before it starts." He took the time to stand and stretch before moving next to his long time rival, he wasn't about to forgo his popcorn just because the apparition had an insatiable sex drive that helped make Yusuke late.

 

"Yeah whatever, at least I'm here alright." Throwing his hands up behind his head Yusuke threw a sidelong glance over at Kuwabara who was scowling at him in irritation. "Geez you're worse of a nag than Keiko is at times." So he'd been late a few times, it was no reason to start jumping his case every time they saw each other. Yusuke looked up at the darkening sky as they walked towards the theater, it looked like it was going to rain at any moment. Thankfully the cinema wasn't that far away, they should make it in plenty of time.

 

"I am not!" Was there such a problem about people not wanting to wait around all day for someone's lazy ass to get out of bed? Kuwabara certainly didn't think so, but Yusuke it seemed just didn't seem to get it. "Let's just forget it and go watch the movie alright?" He was more than ready to go see some blood and gore on the screen, it'd been far too long since he'd had a decent fight and he'd lost his sparring partner to the shrimp so he didn't even have that outlet for fighting anymore. If he couldn't get any action one way he'd look for it in another.

 

Yusuke shrugged his shoulders, tired of the argument already. "Fine by me, so what are we seeing?" There was no worries about it being a sappy romance film or anything of that sort, he'd known his friend for far too long and knew that Kuwabara didn't go for that sort of thing. The lights of the theater were now in sight as well as the long line of people still waiting to get in. It would seem Kuwabara had been right, they weren't going to have a chance to grab anything to eat before it started up.

 

"I've heard Feast is pretty good, lots of blood and guts. I've been wanting to see it anyway." It was tempting to ask just where in the hell Yusuke's mind had been if the man hadn't even considered what was playing but again, he'd rather not know. As they came to a stop at the back of the line the scent of popcorn wafted up on the breeze each time the door opened making his mouth water. "You bring any cash with you this time?" It was a good question, the last time they'd gone and done anything Yusuke had conveniently forgotten his wallet.

 

Yusuke reached around to his back pocket clearly intending on pulling out his wallet when his cocky smirk faded. "Fuck!" His swearing drew irritated looks from the people standing in front of him, not that he cared any. He could have sworn he grabbed it before he'd walked out the door. More than likely it was still laying on the floor where it had fallen when Hiei had literally ripped his original pair of pants off. "Um about that. It looks like I forgot it... again."

 

"Well I'm not surprised. I expected it actually, you owe me for this one." Suspecting something like this was going to happen Kuwabara had made sure he had enough to cover the both of them getting in and then some. Pulling his own wallet out, Kuwabara yanked out a handful of bills in preparation of their turn at the ticket booth. Thankfully the line was moving fairly quickly, only two more parties were ahead of them now.

 

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." It wasn't as if he intended on leaving his wallet behind this time. Last time was a given, he didn't have any money in it anyway and he wasn't about to turn down a night of getting out of the house. This time though was different, Yusuke swore he was going to have a long talk with Hiei about destroying his clothes. They were getting rather expensive to replace even if ruining them did lead to enjoyable things. "Look I'll pay you back later, I've got the money I just forgot it this time." When he looked over at his friend Yusuke noticed that Kuwabara wasn't even paying attention to him. Instead the man was looking around them suspiciously, as if he expected someone to jump out at them. "What's wrong?"

 

"Don't you feel that?" Something was definitely watching them, Kuwabara just wasn't sure what it was exactly. It felt as if someone were running their fingers along his skin everywhere at once. It had been slowly building ever since they'd gotten in line and now it was just becoming too difficult to ignore. "Something's out there." Kuwabara's spiritual awareness had continued growing long after the Sensui incident so he was always feeling the pressure of all the aura's crowding around him. This however was ten times worse.

 

Focusing his attention on the crowd around them, Yusuke scanned for anything out of the ordinary but found nothing. Someone behind them yelled to move it when they didn't take their spot at the ticket booth. "I don't sense anything Kuwabara. Are you sure?" Just because he didn't sense anything didn't mean it wasn't there, Kuwabara was the most sensitive of all of them when it came to detecting these sorts of things and he was willing to lay money that the man was right. A harsh shove distracted him as someone tried to push him out of the way. As tempting as it was to pummel the guy, Yusuke was more worried about finding this thing that Kuwabara had sensed. "Back off ass wipe." Glaring at the man, Yusuke went ahead and stepped out of line with Kuwabara following closely behind them. The movie could wait.

 

"I'm positive, there's something here." Ignoring the strange looks they were getting Kuwabara began towards where he got the strongest pull, the intensity flared, radiating the malice that was being directed towards them in a wave that even Yusuke felt if the hiss of discomfort was any indication. Suddenly the presence pulled back but not completely, hovering just out of their reach even if he could still sense it. "This way!"

 

"What the hell is this thing?" Yusuke took off after his friend, knowing he was the best chance they had of locating it right away. Apprehension flowed through him and the bond that had formed between him and Hiei with their mating but Yusuke knew that the emotion wasn't coming from just him. Clearly the apparition had picked up on the fact that something was wrong and he was on his way to eliminate whatever it was. It'd only be a matter of minutes before Hiei would arrive if the irritation he was feeling was any indication.

 

The presence flared once more before moving once again, clearly leading them where it wished them to go. "It's moving again whatever it is. Who'd you piss off this time?" Kuwabara darted down a side alley, still not seeing just what it was that had been baiting them but he knew it was close. Was it a demon? He wasn't certain but that wouldn't make sense. Why lead them away from all the humans if it were? Most of them didn't give a rat's ass who saw them. Suddenly it stopped and Kuwabara did as well, leaving Yusuke to narrowly avoid colliding with him.

 

"Who the fuck said I pissed it off? If could have been you for all we know!" Already Yusuke had his hand in position to fire at the first opportunity that presented itself. The presence felt vaguely familiar but for the life of him he couldn't place it. Shadows gathered around their still forms but it still wasn't enough to determine just where it was coming from. "You bastard if you want to fight get your ass out here!"

 

The entity flared once more causing Kuwabara to shiver. "Way to go Urameshi. I think you just pissed it off!" Not that he was complaining any, he'd been spoiling for a good fight. Still, in most instances you couldn't fight what you couldn't see. Another aura flared nearby, this one extremely familiar. "Hiei's almost here, how the hell did he know what was going on?" Did the shrimp think they couldn't handle something like this on their own or was it that he knew something that they didn't?

 

Yusuke was never given a chance to respond as an invisible force slammed into him, driving him to his knees. A strangled cry escaped his throat as the foreign feeling seared every nerve in his body. Pain engulfed him, making him see nothing but darkness as his youki flared up, instinctively trying to fight off the intruder. "Fuck!" With great effort he tried to stand once more and collapsed to the ground clutching his sides. "Hiei!" The scream echoed through the alleyway, praying that his mate could help him fight off whatever this was. It felt as if his soul was ripping free from his body and he was powerless to stop it.

 

Fury gripped Hiei as he saw Yusuke go down fighting a foe that he couldn't see. As he landed on the edge of the roof his hand had instinctively ripped the ward off of the Jagan in an attempt to see just what they were fighting. Foreign energy pulsed through his mate's body, an energy signature that he didn't recognize even though he felt he should. In an instant his feet hit the concrete next to his lover and Hiei fell to his knees, placing his hands on the man's chest. Even now he could feel the terrible struggle being waged within the Toushin's body through the bond they had. Sweat poured from Yusuke's skin, soaking his clothing as he cried out once more. How long would his lover be able to keep up the fight?

 

"Dammit do something!" Kuwabara wasn't sure what the hell just happened but it was obvious that it was bad. Yusuke wouldn't just collapse like that and even Hiei looked as if he were ready to tear someone apart. Feeling helpless wasn't something he was comfortable with and frantically he looked for something he could do to help. Maybe it was a mental attack, if he could determine the position of the aggressor then maybe he could take it out.

 

"Fool, it's inside him." The human's thoughts were easy enough to pick up with the Jagan open but he couldn't concern himself with giving Kuwabara the specific details, especially when he didn't have that many himself. Instead he focused on the matter at hand, Yusuke's energy was beginning to falter under the onslaught and the mental cries of his lover was beginning to take its toll on him. Whenever he found whoever was responsible for this he was going to ensure they experienced a painful demise. Knowing the Toushin's energy alone wouldn't be enough to handle the situation, Hiei used his own and poured it into the fallen man knowing that he'd be able to accept it now with his demon heritage awoken.

 

"What the fuck!" A purple glow had begun to form around the both of them though streaks of light blue filtered through. Was it Hiei's doing? The power that surrounded the both of them was staggering, causing him to take a step back. Yusuke's back had arched underneath the apparition's touch as if in pain, his mouth opened in a silent scream of agony. Even Hiei looked as if he were struggling in trying to fight whatever it was off yet there was no sign of him giving up. Instead his eyes had narrowed in anger and his power began to flare even higher, flames beginning to surround the both of them yet neither was touched by the scorching heat.

 

The shout went ignored in favor of trying to grasp the entity inside the fallen man, every time Hiei thought he had a grip on it the thing would evade him once more. Power was building once more, this time though it was from Yusuke in what was clearly a last ditch effort to expel the foreign creature. Readying himself, Hiei waited until it reached its peak and added his own surge to it. With a shriek the intruder was expelled, yet when Hiei made a move to seize it the being completely disappeared from his range of awareness. There was little chance that it had been destroyed, the question was would it be back? "Yusuke?"

 

The voice sounded as if it were coming from far away and at the moment all Yusuke wanted to do was sink into oblivion. Everything hurt and there was no escaping the pain raging through his body. Slowly he rolled over onto his side, pressing up against the warm body kneeling next to him. Comfort radiated from that person and at the moment he wasn't above taking advantage of it. There was no need to open his eyes to see exactly who it was, the hand that now rested on his shoulder told him everything he needed to know.

 

Now that the imminent danger was over, Kuwabara breathed a sigh of relief. It was surprising to him that no one had come running once everything had started but then again people were inclined not to interfere if it didn't concern them. Lines of pain still creased Yusuke's forehead but at least now his screams of pain had stopped, leaving exhaustion to settle in. Once the man had pressed up against the apparition he hadn't bothered to move again leaving Kuwabara to wonder if he'd lost consciousness. "Is he going to be alright?"

 

For the moment Hiei ignored the question, continuing his evaluation of his mate. There didn't seem to be any lasting damage but one couldn't be too careful when dealing with soul removal. It was always traumatizing to the body to undergo, which was why astral projection was used so infrequently. Most didn't even possess the ability to do so. "He'll be fine in a few days. You will carry him back to the house." It was not a request but Hiei knew that Kuwabara wouldn't argue with him, at the moment Yusuke clearly wasn't fit to walk there on his own. If he were able he would have done it himself but their height differences made things much more difficult in instances like this. While he watched Kuwabara pick the man up Hiei turned his mind back to just who could have done this. Thoughts of astral projection resurfaced, though why would someone attack Yusuke in such a fashion? It really wouldn't make sense. The only other possibility would be someone trying to pull the same stunt that Kurama had, housing his soul in another's body. Usually it was only done if one were on the brink of death and the target was someone who couldn't fight them off. Clearly this opponent was no weakling who'd lost his body and doing this as a last resort, so why would they choose the Toushin?

 

As Kuwabara walked with his friend draped over his back, he couldn't help but think the man needed to lose a few pounds. By the time the house came into sight he was certain he was going to pass out, why couldn't they have picked a closer movie theater? Better yet, why hadn't he just called a cab instead of walking the mile to Yusuke's house? 'Oh yeah, I didn't want to have to explain why he's passed out.' That certainly would have raised some off questions. Not that he hadn't received weird looks from the people driving by. Then again, what could one expect with a limp body draped over your shoulder and a possessed looking midget walking next to you? "It's about damn time, you weigh a ton." Not that the man was likely to hear him, Yusuke hadn't stirred in the entire walk except for when Hiei got too far out of his range of comfort. It left him wondering just how attached the two of them had become. First Hiei shows up out of no where and then this? Just what weren't they telling him?

 

Hiei rolled his eyes, in the entire trip Kuwabara hadn't shut up once. It was tempting to say screw it and carry Yusuke himself despite the size differences. He'd done it once before when they'd left maze castle since there was no way he could carry Kuwabara, not that he would have anyway at that point. In fact he'd told Kurama to leave him there, not that the kitsune had listened to a word he'd said. "Shut up, it's not like you'll have to carry him any further." Unlocking the front door, Hiei pushed it open and motioned the man in. "Just put him on the couch, I'll take it from here."

 

Shooting the apparition a glare, Kuwabara made his way into the house though it was difficult to kick off his shoes while holding onto his friend. Surprisingly the inside of the house was clean, something he would have never suspected from the man he was carrying. As he passed the kitchen he noticed even the sink was clear of dishes which at one point in time would have been a miracle. "Damn runt, you really managed to whip him into shape didn't you?"

 

"Fool, I refuse to live in a pig sty. It's a wonder Shizuru hasn't taken your head by now or at least thrown you out." Truthfully it hadn't taken much to get Yusuke to change his act, a bit of persuation worked wonders. Of course, it worked best when threatening to take away something that according to Yusuke he couldn't live without. His own boots were off within moments but by then Kuwabara had already put the Toushin on the couch and was standing over him. Yusuke had already turned on his side, one arm stretched out as if reaching for something or someone. Hiei knew exactly what it was the man needed but was loath to put himself into that position with Kuwabara standing there. "Since I know he's likely to be there, tell Kurama to contact me as soon as you see him. I want answers and through him I'll be able to speak with Koenma."

 

Kuwabara took up a position leaning against the dining room table, ignoring the barb the apparition had thrown at him as Hiei moved to stand by the couch. He knew that the apparition wanted him out of the house but for him to mention Koenma there was a chance that he already knew something. "You think Koenma actually has answers?" Nothing was out of the realms of possible but it stood to reason if the prince of the Reikai knew something then he would have contacted them already. While they no longer worked for the man if something big came up then they'd likely be the first to know.

 

A hand fisted in the fabric of his pants but Hiei acted as if it hadn't occurred as he stared at the human who couldn't take a hint. "Not necessarily but if he doesn't know about this then he should. He'd be far better at tracking this down than any of us as I'm almost certain it will come after Yusuke again and I don't think it will wait for long. I won't leave until this threat is eliminated so that precludes me from going to the Reikai myself. You cannot in any case so Kurama is our only option." Hopefully that would be enough for Kuwabara to realize that he needed to move his ass and go home. If not, Hiei was more than at an end to his patience and willing to help the man out the door by force if necessary.

 

"Alright, I'll tell him but I can't guarantee when I'll see him." With how late it was getting if Kurama was still there, Kuwabara knew exactly what the kitsune would be doing and with who. If interrupting their evening didn't cause the redhead to kill him, his sister most certainly would. Really, he needed to get his own apartment so he no longer had to worry about these things. The idea of calling crossed his mind before he shook his head. Most likely they'd ignore the phone in favor of what they were doing, it's what he would do anyway.

 

Seeing the shifty looks Kuwabara was giving off Hiei scowled, clearly not impressed with the man's hesitation. What part of 'it won't wait for long' did the human not understand? Growling slightly, Hiei narrowed his eyes even further. "Get over your reluctance and get your ass out that door. If either of them have a problem that you interrupted them in mid-fuck they can take it up with me."

 

"I'm holding you up to that Hiei." Seeing his sister come storming out of her bedroom wasn't his idea of fun. Granted, they'd probably calm down once they'd learned of the attack but he had to survive to get to that point first. "If his condition worsens or that thing attacks again call. I don't care what time it is." Only once the apparition nodded did he turn from him and make his way back towards the door. Throwing his shoes back on only took a moment and once more he found himself walking, the front door shutting quietly behind him. Hopefully Hiei knew what he was talking about and would be able to handle things while he was gone.

 

Hearing the door shut softly, Hiei disentangled the hand from his pants. Yusuke still hadn't stirred but that meant nothing, what he'd had to fight off was exhausting and truthfully he was tired as well. Yet his ordeal wasn't finished, the Toushin was in a state of hibernation trying to recover his depleted energy. While it wasn't necessary for him to give up more of his own energy, it would speed the healing process and allow Yusuke to awaken sooner.

 

Quickly he stripped off his shirt and then pulled Yusuke into a semi seated position as he removed his as well. Skin to skin contact worked best for this sort of thing, and while a massive transfer of energy could be given through sex Hiei didn't see the need for that drastic of a measure since he wasn't in imminent danger of dying. If he were to take the man again anytime soon he wanted him to be conscious of what was being done. Once the man's upper half was bare Hiei laid him back down, leaving just enough room to slide in behind the Toushin. Settling in comfortably, the apparition wrapped his arms around the taller man and pressed closer to him allowing his energy to pass to his mate. Slowly he allowed his eyes to close, the energy drain taking its toll on his own body. The bond between them would prevent Yusuke from taking too much instinctively so there were no worries about allowing sleep to claim him.

 

That was the position Kurama found them in just over an hour later. The door had gone unanswered when he had knocked so he'd taken it upon himself to enter uninvited. If this was urgent enough for Kuwabara to come pounding on Shizuru's bedroom door like the world was about to end then he could be forgiven for just walking in. For a moment he allowed himself the opportunity to study the both of them, watching the flow of energy passing between the two. The edges of the Toushin's aura were frayed and and some places there were gaping holes, it was as if something had attempted to shred it. It was a process he himself was intimately familiar with, having done it once himself when he'd taken over the body he was now in possession of.

 

Kneeling down Kurama placed a hand on one of Yusuke's arms and did a more thorough search, looking for any damage that wasn't obvious. Even in his state of hibernation Hiei growled possessively at him, the apparition's arms tightening around the former detective. It was a clear warning for him to back off which in this instance he heeded. If necessary the hybrid would come awake, though if he did the mood he'd be in would be an excessively foul one. Besides, Yusuke needed the apparition's energy far more than Kurama needed it expended on him. He'd seen all he needed to, now all he needed to do was figure out why this had happened and who was behind it. A vague thought had come to him, having recognized the remnants of foreign energy immediately but the idea seemed extremely far fetched and only Koenma could tell him whether or not his guess was correct. Given how much damage had been done to Yusuke's spirit it was likely the culprit was in similar shape which would prevent an attack from happening immediately. For now, the two of them were safe.

 

As quietly as he had come, Kurama left the house and locked the door behind him. It was pointless to leave any sort of protection in the way of plant life, if his suspicion was correct it would be useless against Yusuke's attacker anyway. Making sure that he remained unseen, the kitsune slipped into the backyard where he wouldn't have to worry about witnesses seeing the portal he was about to make. With a final check of the surrounding area, Kurama was satisfied enough to begin tearing a hole between the dimensions. Abruptly the scenery changed and the scent of the air had become pure once again telling him that he'd succeeded. Now that he was in the Reikai he moved quickly, advancing upon the palace in the distance where his answers could be found.

 

Lightning streaked across the sky, threatening to pour just as it was now doing in the Ningenkai but he paid it no mind. His only concern was making it to speak with Koenma to find out just what in the hell was going on. As usual, Kurama didn't bother with the formalities of announcing himself as he made his way into the palace. Few paid him attention as he made his way down the corridor and those that did weren't brave enough to question his presence with the dangerous look that was in his eyes. There were few things he held dear in his life, family was one of them and that was the category that Yusuke, Hiei and even Kuwabara now fell into. Nothing could bring forth his lethal edge like a threat posed to those he cared for would.

 

The sound of his door opening was what jerked Koenma's attention from his paperwork, he wasn't expecting anyone to come in at this time of night. Frankly he was coming close to calling it quits for the evening, the paperwork could always wait until the morning came. Tiredly he stared up at the redhead that had come into the room without knocking, wondering exactly what the avatar was doing in his office. "This is a surprise Kurama, I'm assuming that there's something you need since you don't come here otherwise. What is it?"

 

"To hell with the formalities then? Alright Koenma, I'll be blunt as well. Tonight Yusuke came under attack by something that nearly ripped his soul out, only the fact that Hiei got to him in time managed to save him. How is the Mirror of Utter Dark involved?" Kurama's eyes developed a golden sheen as he stared the demigod down, easily picking up on the way Koenma paled at the mention of the mirror. It merely confirmed his suspicions that it was indeed the artifact that was involved, he just wasn't sure how yet.

 

The kitsune's words had shocked Koenma to the core, so far all they'd managed to do was catch faint traces of the entity which had continued to frustrate them. His father was furious with the screw up and at the moment Jorge was imprisoned until the spirit was captured. Even the SDF was on standby, ready to go at a moments notice if they received a definite lock on its position. The closest they'd come was tonight and even then it wasn't fixated long enough to get an exact location. "Are you absolutely certain it's the mirror Kurama?"

 

"Don't play with my Koenma, the artifacts energy was laced through the damage in Yusuke's aura. He's lucky to be alive right now. Who's taken it, I was under the impression that with the glass shattered its abilities were no longer a threat." It irritated him that Koenma would question him as to his certainty of just what he'd determined, he had come in direct contact with the mirror at full power as had Yusuke. Out of anyone he would be able to tell when it was the artifact that was involved.

 

All hopes that Kurama might be mistaken vanished with the look of anger he was being given. Clearly the Kitsune was positive of what he'd seen, there was no getting around it. "Is he alright?" Even with everything that had occurred in the past it still surprised him that the entity would have chosen Yusuke to attack. The Mirror had spared the man's life once because it proclaimed his act a noble deed, why choose now to try and kill the man?

 

"He'll live, Hiei is repairing the damage as we speak." Slightly mollified at the show of concern, Kurama relaxed his demeanor slightly as he made his way closer to the desk. "You know something." It wasn't a question and he wouldn't allow Koenma to think it was one. Too often they'd run off into missions without knowing pertinent information, this would not be one of those times if he had any say in the matter.

 

"You were right in your assumption, the mirror was shattered which rendered it virtually useless. However the being that was trapped inside was not destroyed along with the mirror." Realization dawned in the emerald eyes staring at him so intensely though Koenma continued on. If he was going to say this then it was best to get it all out at once. "We tried to remove the soul and force it into the afterlife but it was tenacious, clinging to the artifact. A security system had been put in place when we figured it would eventually release itself on its own in a search of a new host. Unfortunately protocol was broken and I wasn't informed until just recently, the spirit has escaped and is now looking for a new host. One powerful enough to house its enormous energy. As you know, most humans wouldn't be able to take that kind of overload. The body has to gradually adapt to the power its being infused with or it will destroy itself."

 

Koenma's words made sense but when Yusuke had come into contact with the mirror his power level hadn't been high enough to contend with what this entity contained and Kurama knew it. The former detective hadn't come in contact with it since, so what was the purpose? "Yusuke is strong enough now but he wasn't then. Was this a random attack, the spirit having run across Yusuke or is there something more to it?" If it was indeed looking for a host than any one of them were potential targets, the difference being Yusuke and Hiei could feed each other energy where he and Kuwabara had no such advantage assuming the soul hadn't become fixated on the Toushin already.

 

For several long moments Koenma was silent, leaning back in his chair as he contemplated the question. While it was possible that the entity might have just 'run across Yusuke' it didn't seem very likely. Unless the Toushin kicked up his power to battle levels it was unlikely to pinpoint him out of the sea of humanity based on that alone. "I think there is more to it than that. As you know, Yusuke was the one to destroy the mirror in the process of capturing Hiei. Without an anchor, the entity roams for a bit but eventually ceases to exist. It has to have something to ground itself to, which is why the Ferry Girls are constantly picking up souls. Only so much time can pass for them to take their proper place, whether it be reincarnated or going on to their rewards or punishment as the case may be."

 

"So revenge is the motivation." It would make sense, especially if the soul had been happy with where it had ended up. It was a feeling Kurama had gotten when he'd activated the mirror all those years ago. Since Yusuke was the one to have destroyed its anchor, it would be fitting that it take its anger out on the man seeing as how hard it would be to find another host before its time ran out. The fact that Yusuke had grown so powerful since their first encounter only sweetened the deal. It was then that Kurama knew that the Toushin would be in trouble until it was captured once again. "Realistically, how strong is this soul?"

 

"Strong enough that my father wasn't willing to expend the energy to forcibly pull it out of the mirror. He can destroy it if necessary, but he has to have it in his possession first which is why we are at a stand still. This is only the beginning of our problems though, if it actually succeeds in taking Yusuke over we're not sure how the bond he has with Hiei will be affected. It's obvious they can tap into each others energy through it which opens up another power source available to this soul if the bond was not destroyed in the process." The possibility of this being having the power of two s-class demons at its disposal in addition to it's own energy was staggering. Little was known on demon bonding practices and he couldn't be certain that the tie they had would be severed. Since it was on a soul level it was likely to be destroyed but he couldn't be certain. Koenma sighed, wishing there was a way he could delegate this entire headache to someone else but no, his father had specifically ordered him to clean it up. Not for the first time he was cursing Jorge for screwing things up so badly.

 

Immediately Kurama understood the concern though it wasn't something to be overly concerned about. The tie would be severed upon the destruction of Yusuke's soul but that opened up an entirely new set of complications. One fire apparition gone into a blood rage over the loss of his mate was not something they were equipped to deal with, especially one of Hiei's capabilities. "Your worries over possession by proxy are unwarranted, though imagine the rage Hiei would release upon Yusuke's death. If you thought that the Sensui incident was bad I assure you, it couldn't compare to what would happen if this entity succeeds." Kurama leaned against the edge of the desk and watched as Koenma digested that piece of information.

 

"Well that would just be the finishing touch on a hellish situation." Frankly Koenma wasn't certain what to do anymore, they were already taking every step they could in order to ensure the soul's capture. Until it was contained their hands were tied which did nothing to settle things in the mean time. Even the best minds in the Reikai hadn't managed to come up with a solution as of yet. Staring up at the kitsune, Koenma leaned back in his chair. In front of him was one of the best strategists the three worlds had ever seen, why not take advantage of it while he had the chance? "So what do you suggest we do? If it is revenge it is after then we know it will try for Yusuke again, that should give us an opportunity to capture it right?"

 

"Indeed, the problem with that is we don't know when it will strike. Assuming that massive damage was done in the effort to expel it from Yusuke's body we cannot be certain that an attack will come anytime soon. It could be months from now which makes it difficult to plan. You can be certain that Hiei will not leave his side until this is resolved but I can honestly say that when it happens he'll have his hands full in keeping Yusuke alive. I doubt he'll be much use in capturing it in that instance." As much as he desired to help Kurama knew that he couldn't position himself at Yusuke's side for months at a time, assuming the Toushin would even allow such a thing. Hiei might be persuaded due to the threat but even that was uncertain. Kurama crossed his arms as he tried to resolve the problem, even if he were there how would he manage to contain something that strong without becoming a target himself?

 

It was another complication that Koenma didn't need, moving Yusuke to the Reikai wasn't an option. Neither him nor Hiei would even consider the suggestion if he knew them, nor would his father tolerate the two of them living in the palace. No, the containment would have to occur in the Ningenkai but Kurama had a point. None of them could keep a constant guard on a might happen. It was still a possibility that the soul would find another body to inhabit. Suddenly Koenma's eyes narrowed as he considered containment options. Why hadn't he thought of it before? "Of course!" Shoving his chair backwards Koenma stood earning a raised eyebrow from the red head which he ignored. "Is Hiei in any shape to talk right now?"

 

For a moment Kurama wondered if maybe the stress had gotten to the demigod with the strange light that had entered the man's eyes. Was it possible the man had come up with a solution? "I expect that it will be another couple hours before he's in any condition to speak. You could attempt to awaken him now but I doubt you wish to risk his anger. What have you thought of?" Any idea coming from Koenma's head was likely to be half baked at best but he was willing to hear the man out. Perhaps he was onto something that could be twisted around to suit their purposes.

 

Slowly Koenma sank back down in his chair, clearly unhappy with not being able to speak to the apparition right away but that didn't diminish his enthusiasm. "We've been worrying all this time about containing the damned thing but we ignored what was right in front of us. The Orb of Bast was specifically made for containing souls, it doesn't matter their power level!" A grin plastered itself on his face despite the seriousness of the situation, it was a brilliant solution to the problem and it had been all his idea.

 

"Well that's one problem solved assuming you can convince your father to part with it for an indefinite length of time." It helped that Hiei knew how to use the orb from when they had it in their possession before though it still didn't solve the problem of the apparition being too busy to use it. Add in the fact that they still didn't know when the soul would strike once more and it still looked like a bleak situation. Still, it helped that they had at least one part of it solved and for that Kurama was thankful.

 

At the moment Koenma wasn't overly concerned with what his father had to say over this one. If he'd been so concerned before then maybe this wouldn't have happened in the first place. "We just won't tell him. Maybe Hiei will have some ideas as to what we can do but until he awakens there's no way to ask him what he can add." Surely with the three of them working together they'd be able to solve the rest of the problem.

 

 

End Chapter One, Please read and review.