Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Lady of Green ❯ In which a few questions are answered and more are created ( Chapter 2 )

Icelung06: O.K. Chapter two.

Firelung06:HA! Your turn to do the disclaimer!

IL: * sigh * I guess… I/We do not own YYH. I/We only own Noric, Nova, Ivy, Josie, and Enya.

FL: * impressed * Wow, that was good. No outbursts or anything.

IL: Hold that thought. * Goes into room * * muffled yelling and thuds are heard. * * Comes back out. *

FL: O.O Feel better?

IL: Much.

FL: Good. Now- ON WITH THE FIC!

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Noric could have strangled Koenma. "What do you mean `undercover operatives' ?" he asked. "You already have your sprit detectives there."

Noric, Nova, Ivy, Josie, and Enya had been called into Koenma's office for a briefing on their next mission. Noric had been a bit confused as to why he has been called in (he generally worked solo) but it had become all too clear once the toddler-like ruler had begun to explain.

They were to infiltrate the Dark Tournament Council to see what kind of deals were being made behind Koenma's back.

"That's true," Koenma said around his pacifier. "However there have been quite a few un fair rulings against the team. They've been doing fine so far, but we need some inside information. I need to know if it's jus one person pulling the strings or a group of demons holding the council hostage or something like that."

"So…what exactly are we working with here?" Nova asked. " Do we have a cover yet, or what?"

"Yes." Koenma said. "Ivy will be working in the gamblers box. Watch for anyone who seems over confident or keeps winning. Josie will pose as a waitress at a nearby. Enya, you get the training rooms. Watch for any back lot deals or over interested team owners. Nova, you get to work as a maid in the hotel that all the teams are staying in. Watch for anything. Noric," the toddler paused. "You're going to be with me. I need someone who can get the girls information to me quickly."

Noric gave a frustrated sigh. He hadn't been on good terms with Koenma since before Nova had gotten back. The stupid toddler hadn't even told him where she was. Nova and her team had been missing for over a month before he had finally gotten a call from Koenma telling him they were back. Noric wasn't about to leave Nova's side any time soon.

"Noric," Nova said quietly, " we'll be more affective separate."

Noric grunted. He didn't care about being affective. His twin sister had nearly died last time. He finally shook his head in resignation. "It's not like we have a choice. We've already gotten our orders. I get to baby sit and you get to scrub toilets." He crossed his arms and tried for a half smile.

"Don't worry Noric." Josie said putting her arm around Nova's shoulders. "We'll take good care of your better half." She gave him a teasing smile. Ivy giggled, Enya smiled, and Nova sighed. The tension had been broken, once again, by Josie.

Koenma took advantage of the lightened mood. "O.K. people! Let's go! If we hurry we may be able to catch our guys in action!" With that he hopped off his chair and walked out the door, the five spirit spies, and his loyal blue ogre following behind.

Hmmm," Koenma muttered to himself. "We must have just missed them." He watched the crowd of demons slowly disperse, most of them talking about the matches that day.

"Stupid team Urameshi. I'm gunna be payin' Gull for months now…"

"That match with Jin was Awesome! Did you see that explosion?"

"I can't believe a stupid bunch of humans…"

"I can see that your team is a favorite." Enya remarked sarcastically.

"This is bad" Ivy said. Ivy was one of those sweet, simple people who wanted to save the world. She never killed if she could help it, but she was no weakling. When she fought she gave it everything she had. She also possessed the power of telepathy which allowed her to move things with her mind and levitate.

"This is very bad." Josie agreed. Josie was one of those hyper, insane people who wanted to rule the world. Her fighting was often spastic, ending in several knockouts. She did have a solemn side, but rarely showed it.

"Do you think we should go check on them?" Ivy asked. "I mean…they probably could use some healing."

Koenma nodded. "Right. Follow me." The toddler led the way to a large building about a fifteen-minute walk from the arena.

"May I help you, sir?" asked a bored looking demon at the front desk.

"We are here to see team Urameshi." Koenma said.

"Oooooohhhh, you must be the midget owner I've heard so much about!" She stopped looking bored and leaned over the desk to get a better look at the half-pint ruler. Then she noticed the girls in the background and giggled. "Goin' to reward them for a good fight I see. Third floor, room 325." She winked. "Have fun."

"Right." Koenma said barely hiding an amused grin and started toward the elevator. The rest of the group followed, with Ivy and Nova holding Josie by the arms to keep her from knocking out the demon at the front desk. They all made it to the elevator without any K.O.s but it was a near thing.

As the elevator door closed Koenma burst out laughing, only to get a death glare from all four sprit spies. Noric couldn't help it. He laughed too. That got him a death glare from the sprit spies.

"The nerve of that woman!" Josie said. "Why didn't you guys let me knock her out?" she turned to Nova and Ivy.

"Because we can't afford to make a big scene. Besides, if we had denied it do you think she would have believed us? I don't." Enya said surprising them all. Enya was a full-blooded steel demon (A/N meaning her main element was based in metals i.e.: fire is Hiei's main element, ice is Yukina's etc.) and the only member of Nova's team that Noric didn't understand. She rarely spoke and hardly ever smiled. She was a cold and emotionless fighter, who didn't care who she killed as long as they were an enemy. Off the battlefield, however, she was your stereotypical, bossy healer. To Noric she was a living, breathing contradiction. That's all, he figured, that he needed to know.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened allowing them all to step onto the third floor. "Let's see," Koenma muttered. "Room 323…324… and 325."

He knocked twice and entered without waiting for someone to answer the door. The room was in a state of absolute chaos. Kurama was lying on the couch, nearly unconscious, Yuske was being "treated" by a girl with short light brown hair, Kuwabara was drooling over a girl with blue hair while she tried to treat his wounds, Hiei was sitting in a window looking at the whole scene with a faint sardonically amused smile on his face, and Botan ran from person to person like a chicken with it's head cut off.

Botan finally saw Koenma in her third rotation around the room. "Oh! Koenma , sir! Thank goodness you're here! But…who-? Nova!" She grabbed Nova's arm and pulled her over to Kurama on the couch. "You need to help him. He's implanted the death seed in himself and he's too weak to get it out alone."

Nova. What could he say about Nova? She was his twin sister. She was smart, strong in body and will, kind, calm and in-charge (though she sometimes acted a little too much like Josie for his comfort), brave… she did, however, tend to have a temper shorter than Koenma. Her fighting was smooth and accurate. She could fight with a sword, a stave, daggers, and her bare hands. However, daggers were her weapon of choice. There was also her gift. She could manipulate, grow, kill, and control almost any plant she came across.

Noric had a gift too. With animals. When he was hurt any animal within a five-mile radius came to help him in any way they could. He could understand them, and they could understand him. (That was the main reason he was a vegetarian.)

"A death seed? Don't you generally plant those in the enemy?" Josie asked from behind Nova.

"He was desperate." Botan answered.

"Right." Nova said and knelt down beside the couch. "First we need to get his shirt off. You! What's your name?" She asked the girl with short brown hair.

"Um… K- Kayko." She stammered.

"Kayko, go get me some hot water, and a washcloth, please?" As Kayko walked away Nova finally pulled off Kurama's shirt.

His entire chest was a gory mess of dried blood, mixed with the paint that had held him paralyzed. Multiple little cuts ran across his chest, most scabbing over. His arm, though, was the worst off. It was still bleeding sluggishly and the death seed had taken a firm root in his muscle.

"Here." Kayko said setting a bowl of hot water and a washcloth next to Nova on the floor.

"Thanks." Nova said distractedly. She took the washcloth and began to clean the blood from around Kurama's arm wound.

Kurama made a small noise of pain.

"So you are conscious?" Nova asked.

"Barely." Came the quiet reply.

"Good. I need you to hang on for a bit longer though, Ok?"

Kurama gave a small nod.

"So you planted the death seed in your arm?" Nova asked. She sounded like she was trying to give him something to focus on other than the fact that there was a deadly plant coursing through his body.

"Yes." Came the weak reply.

"Just for future reference, you're supposed to plant the death seed in your opponent. Not in yourself." She said jokingly.

Kurama smiled tiredly, "I'll try to keep that in mind."

Nova placed her hands over Kurama's wound. "This is going to hurt a bit." She warned him then closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

It was a few moments before anything happened. Then slowly, the death plant's leaves began to shrink and the vine- like branches pulled themselves back into Kurama's skin. Kurama's face was bone white and his teeth were clenched against the pain. Finally the last green tendrils disappeared from view as Nova gathered them back into the seed.

"This is going to hurt the most." She warned him, and stuck her thumb and forefinger into the cut to pull out the seed. A split second later the marble-sized seed was sitting in her palm while Kurama took deep breaths on the couch.

"You're lucky." Nova told him quietly. "If it had been any closer to your heart you would have died in the ring."

Kurama just closed his eyes and rested his head against the arm of the couch.

Nova sighed and stood. "He'll be fine. He should probably avoid using that arm for a while, though"

"Thank you, Nova." Botan said.

"You're welcome." Nova answered with a small smile.

"What are you four doing here?" Yuske asked from the floor.

"Well, hello to you too." Josie said dryly.

"Ignore Josie." Ivy said. "She's just upset about something the demon at the front desk said."

"You know, Koenma sir," Nova said thoughtfully, "I've been thinking about why we're here-"

"Well don't." Koenma interrupted. Then muttered, "it's never been your strong point."

Nova's jaw dropped in outrage.

Uh-oh Noric thought. "Nova?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh, please don't turn him into a living trellis again." Ivy begged.

"Remember who signs our checks." Josie cautioned.

"Sic `em, girl." Enya said.

"ENYA!" They yelled. Enya shrugged.

All the sudden Nova got this look on her face. Somewhere between an evil grin and a smirk, with her eyes glittering. When Nova got the look it usually meant she had an idea. One that was usually followed by someone yelling "Hit the deck!" or "Duck and cover!"

Nova calmly walked over to a terrified Koenma. After she had first used him as a trellis, it had taken him months before he could go within ten feet of a plant and not panic. She squatted down to his level, looked him in the eye, and said, "Koenma, I'm not going to do this job. If we spy on the competition, doesn't that make us cheaters? I have enough respect for the detectives to let them do this on their own. They're big boys. They don't need our help. So I think I'm going to sit this one out, Ok?" She gave Koenma a smile that made Noric's blood run cold. He never wanted that smile aimed at him.

Koenma nodded shakily. "W-What ever you say, N-Nova."

Nova's smile changed from Oh-my-god-she's-going-to-kill-me mode to a mischievous curve of her lips. She took Koenma's hat off his head and began to run her fingers around the edge. As they watched vines began to grow on the hat, coating it with the green of leaves and buds. She put the hat back on as the first bud burst into huge white flowers. Moonflowers, Nova's favorite.

"Lighten up Koenma." She said grinning. "And don't worry. Moonflowers don't bite." She turned to Noric and said, "I'm heading home. I'll see you in a little while. Yuske," she looked at the sprit detective. "Good luck. I'd help, but I honestly think you can do this on your own."

"Thanks" Yuske said and gave her a thumbs-up.

"See you girls later!" She called to her team, then left shutting the door behind her.

Koenma's knees gave way and he collapsed into a heap on the floor.

"He fainted." Ivy said. (Nobody really cared)

"Well, that was interesting." Josie said. Everyone privately agreed. That's when Noric noticed Kurama on the couch. He was sitting straight up, staring at Koenma. At is hat more accurately. He had the strangest look on his face. A mixture of shock, sadness, a careful, tender kind of joy, all over a look of dazed remembering.

What on earth…? Noric wondered.

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FL: Oooohhhh! A cliffie!

IL: Well, kinda. Not a very good one.

FL: It's still a cliffie!

IL: whatever you say. Please review!

FL: yes! Please review!