As soon as the figures on the platform came into view, Koenma stopped tapping his foot. He waved a hand, "Take Hiei to the jail; Kurama, come with me."

"Whoa!" Kurama balked, "Hiei can come too – we’re going to need him."

Koenma narrowed his eyes, "I’ll decide that later, after I talk with you! I am not very pleased with you right now, Kurama."

Kurama blinked innocently.

"You are impossible!" Koenma huffed as he turned his back to them and started to walk off. He didn’t get very far before a commotion broke out behind him and he whirled to see Hiei glowing green, snarling at the guards around him, his hand on his sword, the guards pulling out wards. "What the hell?" Koenma glanced to Kurama but the thief was also looking puzzled.

Hiei growled, shifting around on the platform, his sharp teeth bared.

"Hiei! If you don’t go peacefully, there are other ways!" Koenma snapped.

Hiei’s gaze didn’t leave the guard approaching him.

With an exasperated sound, Koenma turned to his Chief of Security, "Okay, what happened?"

The demon in the business suit lowered his radio, "Sir, he reacted like this when Yoda tried to take his sword."

"Oh," Kurama breathed out, "Oops…"

Koenma shot a quick glance at the thief and his lips tightened. Then he strode through the circle of guards and approached Hiei, hand out, "I’ll keep it."

Hiei snapped his gaze down at the small ruler and stayed there for a moment. Then in one smooth motion he slipped the sheathed sword off his belts and handed it to Koenma.

Glancing down at what he held, Koenma studied it for a moment, then whirled angrily to face a certain red-haired fox, "KUR-A-MA!!!!!"

The thief shrugged, "The one you gave him wasn’t good enough." He was mildly disquieted to note that Hiei was glaring at him along with Koenma. Okay, so I should have made him leave it in the human world…

Damnit, it is traceable! Hiei’s anger was mostly directed at himself; that was twice now that he’d been careless. His only relief was that the guards intelligent enough to notice the interplay were all at a complete loss, even the Chief was frowning at the sword and obviously didn’t know what it was. Not an easily recognizable item. Good. When they next had time to themselves, he was going to have to question Kurama more directly about the sword. Koenma was definitely mad about it.

With the anger of a ruler of the Dead, the building they were in shook violently and plaster fell from the ceiling as the oni and demons scurrying around all cast frightened glances at Koenma. With a growl, Koenma put the sword into a personal space pocket and fixed the thief with a solid glance, "You, Kurama, are really asking for it now! It was bad enough when—" He shut his mouth with an effort and tossed an exasperated look at Hiei, "Why are you back?"

Kurama looked up at the ceiling and whistled an aimless tune. Okay, he did notice the compact…

Hiei shrugged, "I gave my word."

The whistle stopped mid-note as Kurama’s attention suddenly focused on the two figures.

"Like I really believe that," Koenma shook his head, "Baka. I’ll talk with you later." He walked out, "Kurama! Get over here!"

Without another look at Hiei, Kurama followed. Internally, though, he was frowning. I never told Hiei that Koenma had asked for his word. I only mentioned the compact. Yet… Hiei’s reply to me, ‘I will give Koenma his compact; and my word.’ Hiei knew… or guessed… but… The reason Kurama hadn’t mentioned it was because it was patently ridiculous to ask a demon for a promise. Any demon in the Makai who kept his word more than three times in a row would end up dead; there were too many ways for treachery to make use of honesty, so no demon ever let itself be bound to a promise. And Kurama knew that Hiei was just as ruthless as his peers, and he lied and betrayed as readily as any of them. So, just what was that interaction between Hiei and Koenma? Hiei came back so that I would not be punished. Didn’t he?

Koenma closed the door behind them and went to his seat, "I take it I don’t have to tell you about the Insect Flute."

Kurama blinked and refocused his thoughts, "We saw some of them. I put a creeper gobber at the crack."

"Humm…" Koenma pushed a button on his desk. When George came in, Koenma sent him out to gather up all the creeper gobbers he could find. When Botan’s assistant came in, Koenma directed her to send some of her subordinates and distribute the seeds. There wouldn’t be enough for all the cracks, but it would alleviate some of the problems. When they had left, Koenma turned back to Kurama, "You’re getting back in my good graces, though that was still a stupid thing to do."

"I didn’t think so."

"Obviously." Koenma snorted and sat back. "Okay, I have to send Yusuke, but this is more than he can take alone – you’re going with him."

Kurama scratched his nose, "Not that I’m objecting – but why Yusuke? Wouldn’t one of your oni be better for this?"

Koenma snorted again, "Not likely. Into Hell? With the Insect Flute? The Four Beasts will let Yusuke get near because they will be curious and not consider him a threat. Yusuke will destroy the Flute and not keep it for himself. He’s perfect."

Other than being in over his head. Kurama sighed to himself, "We’ll need Hiei along."

The small ruler was silent for a very long time. Finally, he shook himself, "Maybe. Botan still has to brief Yusuke. When she does, I’ll send you directly over, that way I don’t have to coordinate three separate transfers. Got it?"

Kurama wanted more assurance that Hiei would be with them, but sensed that it was better not for him to push it any more. He nodded and left the room.

* * *

After Kurama had left, Koenma pulled out the sword and laid it down on his desk. He stared at it for a very long time before he shrugged and went to find Hiei.

* * *

When Kurama walked into the transport room, Hiei and Koenma were fighting and the oni were cowering. Kurama's mouth twitched in a grin and he settled back to watch the fireworks, noticing with some interest that the sword was back at Hiei's side.

"Koenma, you are an arrogant asshole!" Hiei yelled, glaring at the one person in the room he was taller than.

The short ruler was unfazed, "Deal with it, Hiei! You are going to go help Yusuke, and you damn well know it!"

"You didn't even tell him!"

"He'll find out soon enough."

"Unless he blasts me on sight!"

Ah, Kurama suppressed another grin; Hiei was worried about that again. And apparently Koenma was as unconcerned as Kurama was.

At the silent response, Hiei growled again, "I tried to kill him! He's not going to work with me now! You might as well forget it."

Koenma grinned, "You almost killed Kurama instead, and he wants to work with you. For some weird reason…"

Hiei's skin shaded into green and his hair fluffed around his head, dividing into points.

"Don't worry about Yusuke," Koenma shrugged, "And give it a rest, Hiei. You've been griping about the same damn thing for the last hour."

Hiei snarled, "I never agreed, damn it!!! You can't make me!"

"Oh yes I can!" Koenma's eyes narrowed.

Hiei's hand dropped to the hilt of his sword and all the oni in the room tensed.

Kurama flicked his gaze at the monitor where Botan was talking to Yusuke and that friend of his and decided that time was short enough for him to intervene, "You agreed to work with me."

The gazes of the two most powerful beings in the room jerked to him in surprise. Kurama grinned at them both.

Koenma recovered first, "There you are, Hiei – Yusuke will accept you because you're with Kurama, and Yusuke trusts Kurama."

The sound of Hiei's teeth grinding was audible in the room. With one final glare at Koenma, and another one at Kurama for good measure, he took his place on the transport platform.

Kurama glanced with amusement at the snarling, surly demon beside him. Obviously, Hiei was back to being his usual belligerent self.

"That idiot!!!" Koenma sputtered suddenly, watching the monitor, "Kuwabara can’t…" He stopped mid-sentence and shrugged, "Oh well – you two can go now."

The platform hummed and the two ghosts faded out of sight.

"And this time it’s Yusuke who will need the luck, with both of you along," Koenma muttered as he glanced back to the monitor, "Will you hurry up, Yusuke?!"