Captured!

Since I had to actually get some sleep, I hope this nice long installment will keep you
all happy. I still actually cropped it short from the version I have on paper. But I feel that there's a lot of interesting information in here. :o)

Keep sending all those wonderful reviews. Also, thanks for the votes ;o)

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Scene 34 ****************************************** Spirit World

* Koenma rushes into the holding room where Botan is just opening her urn. They
watch solemnly as the soul cloud floats out of it then over to a chair. When the
opaque form of Kuwabara reveals itself Botan has to turn away a moment. Kuwabara
looks all around then notices them.

Koenma- Kazuma...
Kuwabara- I-I'm... dead...

* The spirit bows his head at the deadpan statement.

Koenma- I'm afraid so.
Kuwabara- So they couldn't find me in time...

* Botan looks at Koenma puzzled, but he raises a hand slightly to quiet her. The
Prince goes over to lay a hand on Kuwabara's misty shoulder.

Koenma- You've had a rough time... Why don't you rest some before we talk about it?

* Kuwabara stands and floats away some, turning away from them.

Kuwabara- I don't wanna talk about anything... Just send me on... I know what goes
on here.. sorta...
Koenma- I have to get a record on the ones who.. killed you, Kazuma.
Kuwabara- I don't know.

* Koenma studies Kuwabara a couple moments, then motions Botan to leave.

Koenma- Processing you will take some time. You're safe here now, Kazuma.

* Kuwabara sighs. Koenma leaves the room. He places a 'Do Not Process' sign on
the doorknob. The teen Prince then turns to face Botan.

Koenma- Okay. Tell me what you know.
Botan- I only seen Yusuke and Kurama.
Koenma- Not Hiei?
Botan- Not where they were. Kurama did mention that name... Satyo..
Koenma- Satjiyu.

* Botan nods.

Botan- Yusuke was obviously very upset...
Koenma- Did you get the note to them?
Botan- Yes... Kuwabara's body was in very bad shape. Not long after I got his spirit
a large tiger demon and a couple smaller ones came in to take the body...
Koenma- What??
Botan- Yusuke protested but... this tiger demon is controlling them somehow.
Koenma- D---... If they destroy Kuwabara's body...
Botan- There's nothing Yusuke or the others can do as things are now, sir.

* Koenma turns to head for his office, then pauses.

Koenma- Was there anything.. unusual on them?

* Botan thinks as she walks along with him quickly.

Botan- Well, Kuwabara was... naked... Yusuke and Kurama were wearing blue yukatas... Nothing fancy, short sleeves... Plain black collars, probably leather...

* Koenma nods.

Koenma- Probably controlling wards.

* They get into the large elevator. Koenma hits the big "O", then looks at Botan
again.

Koenma- Tell me about how they acted when this Satjiyu came in.

* Botan answers thoughtfully.

Botan- Well, this tiger guy barged in and announced that Kuwabara 'was expired'.
Then said that they were going to take the body. Of course, Yusuke naturally started to protest. The tiger just looked at them and said their names, then... 'collars, take your hosts to their room'... Or something like that... Then they listened. I could tell that they didn't want to, especially Yusuke...

* Koenma nods.

Koenma- A controlling ward... It's an ancient power that not too many demons
possess anymore.

* They leave the elevator and hurry into Koenma's office. They find George at his
computer, as usual, writing down information that's displayed on his monitor.

Koenma- Tell me you know where they are, Ogre!
George- I've got the coordinates, sir... I just need to get a better... fix...
Koenma- Hurry! They're going to destroy Kuwabara's body!!
George- I'm working as fast as I can, sir, but I'm only one...
Koenma- Now's not the time for crying, George.. Please.

* Koenma's serious tone spurs George to work quicker. Koenma looks at Botan
again.

Koenma- You said one of them mentioned that name?
Botan- Yes... Satjiyu.
Koenma- And he's a tiger demon?

* Botan nods.

Botan- A big tiger guy... Not as big as Byakko was, but...

* Koenma hurries to his intercom.

Koenma- Records!
George- This is wierd...
Intercom- Records Department.
Koenma- Send information on a tiger demon named Satjiyu up to my office immediately!
Intercom- Yes, Sir!!

* Koenma goes back over beside George.

Koenma- I didn't like the sound of that, George.
George- These coordinates just lead to an old cave in Demon World, sir.
Botan- Where I was was definately no old cave, Ogre! It was a decent-sized, well-kept
apartment-type of some kind. Two bedrooms. Security cameras in every room I was in... And warded walls with no windows.
Koenma- Must be a d--- illusion, Ogre! See if you can break through it.
George- I'm already on it, sir... But it'll take a little... time...

* Koenma sighs.

Koenma- We don't have much time if we want to save Kuwabara's body.

* Koenma turns to pace away.

Koenma- D---! I'm going to obliterate that demon!!
Botan- Whatever he did to Kuwabara must have been cruel, sir... He didn't even know
that Yusuke and Kurama were both with him...
Koenma- I'll see what else I can learn from Kazuma later. I agree with you, though,
Botan... He went through something terrible.

* A red ogre rushes in and hands Koenma a file.

Red Ogre- This is the only file we have on a tiger demon named Satjiyu, Lord Koenma,
sir.

* The teen godling takes the file, opens it, and scans the paper quickly. Botan
exchanges glances with the red ogre when Koenma begins to suckle his pacifier
quicker. Koenma then looks at Botan again.

Koenma- You said you didn't see Hiei anywhere with them?
Botan- No.

* Koenma sighs forlornly.

Botan- He has to still be alive, though, right? No alarm has gone off for him.
Koenma- No... I haven't got nothing on him lately, but...

* Koenma turns away, wondering if he should reveal everything that he knows right
now.

Koenma- That might not be a good thing, either...
Botan- Why would you say that?

* Koenma half glances at Botan, then looks back at the red ogre again.

Koenma- Get back down to records, Stanley... I want every record of any offspring
that Hiei has sired.

* The red ogre leaves quickly.

Botan- Hiei never struck me as the... family type...
George- D--- it!!

* They look toward the blue ogre.

George- Still trying, sir.
Koenma- This demon, Satjiyu, is a breeder...
Botan- What?
Koenma- He breeds demons for profit... Specializes in breeding half-breeds for food.

* Botan swallows as she pales.

Koenma- Half-Human hybrids are... especially a delicacy lately in Demon World...
Botan- Half... human... Oh, sir... But why would you search for offspring of...?

* Koenma sighs deeply.

Koenma- If you must know... The tiger used to own Hiei when he was a very young
demon... I was able to extract Hiei's memories for our records as part of his parole agreement... It was before he acquired the jagan... He had to kill this demon's brother, Majou, in order to escape then... These two tigers are sons of Byakko...
Satjiyu could be using... something or... someone to control Hiei.

* Koenma goes back over to George, leaving Botan to process everything he's told her.

Koenma- We have to get in that place, George.

* The ogre nods busily.

Botan- Sir, Hiei's been nothing but loyal to Yusuke... You don't think he would betray
them...
Koenma- Not willingly, perhaps... But...
George- Bingo!! There's the actual place, sir!! It is huge! - Hey, wait... I recognize this place... uhhh...

* Koenma and Botan watch the blue ogre blush a bright orange.

Koenma- What?! This isn't no time for modesty, Ogre!!
George- Well, I.. I was there... a couple times... ages ago... I won a couple free...
sessions.. in a crap game when I was working in records...

* George covers his eyes.

George- It's also a... brothel... of sorts...
Koenma- That's not illegal in Demon World, George... But I do frown on it... If you
want you can file a fine on yourself later...

* Koenma paces away.

Botan- So lets go get our boys out of there! Can you shut him down?
Koenma- Oh yes. I can shut him down permanently... once I get the proof I need from
Kuwabara... While all that stuff is legal in Demon World, Satjiyu crossed the line when he took them from Human World.
Botan- So you know he took Kuwabara... Why are you not storming down there right now with the SDF...?
Koenma- I will, Botan! Believe me.. Satjiyu's a-- is toast... But I still need Kuwa's
personal testimony to be able to place the warrant.

* George looks at his ruler, after counting a stack of money out of his wallet.

George- That could take hours, sir... What about Kuwabara's body?

* Koenma closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose.

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Don't you just love red tape? :o/