[IC] Yu Yu Hakusho - The New Agency

[Renny]

_{Yu Yu Hakusho: The New Agency | Arc 1. They Gather for the Cause}

A young man sat on the shingled roof of an apartment complex. Garbed in a beige cloak that hid all but the lower-portion of his face. He hid in plain sight, no one ever looked up, and even if they had he was in a blind spot for those on the ground. He was safe from prying eyes and scoping spiritualist-his master had basically beat into him how not to exist. The pale daylight of the morning promised him nothing but more work.

He pulled an apple from out his cloak for him to bite into.

There was an unpleasant feeling in the wind. A whiff of demonic energy that spelled trouble for the Human World. The young man found it palpable but he figured the prospects would be feeling uneasy, if nothing else. From what he was told all of them had some smidgen of spiritual awareness and that worried him. Yusuke warned that the demon after them was upper-c class. Was it problematic? yes, but the real concern came from the possibility of it hiding its power.

His spirit sense pulsed in response to a sudden bulging of demonic energy. He raised to his feet and looked up at the sky as if to gauge an approaching storm. A spark arced from one clear cloud to another, odd seeing as it look perfectly fine outside. The young man bounded backwards, leaving one roof and landing on another some fifty feet away. A bolt struck where he had been, super heating the shingles and creating a hole in the roof.

"What's the matter, couldn't wait to get your teeth kicked in? let's just move your appointment up." He was loud and smartalecky.

The young man grabbed his downward pointing wrist and begin to charge his index finger with spirit energy.

As he did, the demonic presence mysteriously wafted away as if taken by the wind.

The young man was shocked by this; a demon that could appear and disappear, not leaving even a trace of demonic energy? Yusuke was right, something was off. He would have to find someway to gather the prospects or at the least keep them safe from the lightening demon. The sparking blue light on his index finger fizzled out. If it was really after the prospects, then they were all in danger, their families and them.

---

_{Saturday - 2:20PM - Weather: cloudy with a chance of rain
Objective: Go about your midday as usual}

Yuunmei watched the plump, gray clouds overhead with little interest. His uncomfortable seat on the red, paint-chipped, monkey bars put him in a very dangerous place. High up, during a potential thunderstorm probably was a death wish. The ashen-haired boy found a smile behind his downward-turned face and curtain of bangs. He didn't mind dying, but he worried, ever-so slightly about his father.

His swinging legs came to a lethargic stop once he decided to leave the monkey bars. Yuunmei observed the small park in front him. It was such a waste of space and yet he felt drawn to it on more-than-one occasion. Something about it was comforting, peaceful even. He rubbed the back of his head, figuring it was high-time he headed home. He didn't have much of anything else to do and being rained on was not in his plans.

"Home? No, probably not the right word to use," he thought aloud.

The metallic can flipped and skidded to his feet. A jumble of noise that he hadn't notice suddenly grew loud. Yuunmei looked, starting from the can and to three young men carelessly approaching him. They stopped and glared him daggers. "Well if it isn't, Bad Luck Yuunmei, guys. Aye boys, didn't we say we'd pay him back with blood for that bruising last week?"

Another kid chuckled his agreement.

The three of them readied themselves with strewn about objects. One grabbed a rusty, sharpened pipe from waste pile, another withdrew a butterfly knife, showing some skill with his flourishing of the blade; in and out, in and out. The last seemed to prefer his fist. Yuunmei didn't even spare them a second-glance, he simply tucked his hands away and flared up his Spirit Shroud.

"What a waste of time..." he muttered.

[Raging Fenrir]

Ayame walked out of the store with the clerks blissfully unaware of the box of brown paper bags in her schoolbag. Typically, her bag would be filled with chips and candy bars, but today she had something a bit more... grown-up in mind. She hadn't told Tatsyua or Jaakuna what she was up to, but she was sure they'd like the surprise. Her heart thumped as she eyed the liquor store down the road. She took a breath to calm herself. She didn't know why she was so nervous. There was probably less of a chance getting caught as she wouldn't technically be stealing today... Well, the paper bags didn't count because who even cares about stupid bags?

She glanced around warily and slipped into an alley near the store. Her plan wouldn't work if she was wearing her school uniform. She had an easy fix for that, but it would draw way too much attention if people were watching. Peaked behind the trash cans for any hobos, then checked the street again to make sure no one was watching. However, she noticed her hands were trembling ever so slightly. She slapped her cheeks and scolded herself. Geez, Ayame. What the hell's wrong with you. You've don this a million times before... With that, she closed her eyes and focused. A pale blue flame puffed into existence. It started at her fingertips, then snaked its way up her arms. It swirled around her, then, after a brief flare much like a camera flash, she was a perfectly respectable Japanese businesswoman.

She stepped out of the alley and entered the liquor store, her heart thumping heavily in her chest. In and out. Just like every other time. It's no big deal... But, for some reason, she couldn't stop her hands from shaking. Her targets were simple: a six-pack of beer and a bottle of vodka. More than enough for the three of them to have some fun. I'll calm down once I get some of this in me, she thought as she brought the items up to the counter. She handed the cashier her "ID," a random gift-card cloaked in foxfire to make it look like a legitimate ID card. As long as she didn't bend it... as long as she didn't have crazy powers like Jaakuna. Crap, what if I messed up? She immediately dismissed the thought. She never messed up, and there was no reason for her to be this nervous. The cashier eyed the fake ID, looked at Ayame, then rung up the items. She paid quickly and then hurried out of the store.

"Mission successful!" she said aloud as she dipped back into the alley to extinguish her illusory flame. She slipped all the bottles into her schoolbag so no one would be suspicious, then headed off to meet up with the guys and brag about how awesome she was. She'd leave out the bits about being nervous; they'd just make fun of her. Her heart was still racing, though. She spun on her heal and glared at whatever was behind her. Nothing. She tried remembering if she pissed anyone off lately, anyone that would want to jump her while she was alone. Nobody came to mind. All she could do was increase her pace and meet up with her friends as quickly as possible.

[Matador]

"No more..." In a back alley hidden from the sight of any passerby, Tatsuya held up the head of a recumbent man by a fistful of his hair. Two other men accompanied them, though they were passed out on the floor, with only a bruise or two on their bodies. Tatsuya had already been feeling uneasy for reasons he could not wrap his head around. When he noticed that the small group of thugs was following him, he figured his sixth sense was kicking in. Only after curb stomping them did he realize how unlikely that was. His attackers were, frankly complete jokes and beating on them hardly helped reduce his tension. He'd be a damned liar if he said ragging on them wasn't the slightest bit fun, though. Tatsuya reached into his pocket with a neutral expression on his face. The man closed his eyes tight in fear, shaking his head as though begging for mercy. To his surprise, all he felt was a small scrap of paper land on his forehead. Abruptly, the boy let go of his grip, leaving the man with another throbbing pain on the back of his head.

"Huh...?" The thug slowly unfolded the piece of paper. His heart nearly sank. For a second there, he swore the beating he had just received had messed with his brain. It was a 10,000 yen bill. He eyed Tatsuya with a mixture of pain and confusion, while he looked back at him with a small smile on his face.

"Well, being a human punching bag's kinda like a service you provided, right? Enjoy. You might wanna pick your fights wisely next time though, eh?" The man's eyes closed and he was knocked unconscious moments later. Tatsuya stretched his arms upwards, curving his body from left to right. He then centered himself and let out a giant yawn. These thugs were getting kinda underwhelming. Kinda like all of the things in this town. Back in his hay day, he would be fearing for his life when he got jumped. Even the brutes in the city were more boring than the ones back home. Or had he just gotten that much stronger?

He searched the now knocked out man's pocket and took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He put a cigarette in his mouth, lit it up, and put the box and lighter in his pockets before heading out to leave the alley way.

Today was nothing out of the ordinary, outside of the cloudy skies, he supposed. Just another day off that he'd be spending with Ayame and his fun sized senpai. He just wanted to get a few swings in at the batting cages before then. Thing was, though, that ever since he stepped out of it, he felt uncharacteristically nervous. Not even taking a puff out of his cigarette could do anything to calm him down——not that he would ever show his unease on his face, of course. As he walked down the street, he started thinking about what might have been wrong. Underwear on backwards? ...Nope, not since middle school. He knew he remembered to water Bonny the Bonsai tree back home, so what? At that moment, Tatsuya saw a veeeeery interesting sight.

It was Ayame from right across the street. Carrying quite the suspicious looking bag. She even looked back, like she was afraid someone was following her. He knew what was wrong. He hadn't met his "mess with Ayame" quota for the day. And so, he put his cigarette between his fingers and put a plan into action.

He quietly walked towards the other side of the street, not so much as shouting a greeting as he walked behind his friend. Instead, he put on a deep voice tempered from countless karaoke nights and shouted:

"Stop right there, thief!"

[Blondie]

Corran Hebi was leaning against the railing of the train station. He was above ground, this was the train leading to the outskirts of Mushiyori. There was a breeze throughout the city. It picked up the debris of juice cans and foliage and spun them endlessly around the city streets. There was a small group of school girls who were huddled together on the platform, talking about their classes or television or each other - nothing thrilling. Any other time, Corran would have been eavesdropping on them. This day however, was different. Something was wrong in the city. The air was stale, and the smell was acrid. Things were...off.

The train pulled into the stop and the young girls got inside. Corran didn't. He heard the audio signal asking patrons to step away from the closing doors, and then the train took off away from the station. The wind from the train rushing by blew Corran's hair and tie askew. He hardly noticed. He was lost in thought. Things were becoming so strange in the world. He had left demon world, ashamed of his own skin. The latest king of Demon world had taken over his reign and things were already slipping. Shura. Corran was there to witness Shura's fight with Yomi in the first Demon World tournament. Corran was impressed with his strength but not with his attitude. He was brash, shortsighted, and hot-headed. How would he do as a ruler? Only time will tell now.

He turned his back on the platform and opted to walk back into the city. He was one step from the ground when he felt it. There was a strange ripple of energy - Demon energy. Corran's eyes widened. Who is that in this city? And just as suddenly as he had felt it, it was instantly gone - vanished. Corran prided himself on knowing the major players of the city. It was what he was good at. But that spiritual pressure, so quick to appear and just as quick to disappear. He looked up to the city skyline. Things were changing, and something was coming.

Corran reached into his pocket and pulled out his flip phone. He dialed the number he called the most since he's moved into the city...

"Hirata...did you feel that?"

[AlteredTundra]

---

Jaakuna’s realization that something about him wasn’t like the ordinary person he saw walking past him on the street as he would be heading from his parent’s apartment in the middle city made him have a different outlook on life. Everything from how he conducted himself in his regular day-to-day routine to how he operated in school. Normally, he would ditch every class after the second one and he would beat up just about every person who looked at him the wrong way (or so Jaakuna thought they did). Now, he stayed until the second to last class, which bumped up his GPA from below average to slightly above average. Go D+ average! And he even looks the other way when some unsavory folk is walking his way.

Today was a scheduled day off for those in Reitou High School, the school where Jaakuna attended, so his first thought was to head downtown to just chill it with a few of his close friends. Though, as Jaakuna would intend for that to be the only thing he did today, as he came across a corner that he knew in the back of his head he shouldn’t have turned to, he saw, as he always did in Juvenile Park (not the official name but that’s what Jaakuna called it), a group of 10th-graders (a year below him) whom Jaakuna has had the unfortunate experience of dealing with them. These were the kids who always tried to go against Jaakuna as a way to say they took down the biggest badass of Reitou High.

“Really? On a day like this? Aren’t we a bit old for these middle school fights?” Jaakuna said, making a half-assed plea.

“Not in your life, buddy! Today will be the day that we take down the Jaakass.”

Oh, real clever.

Rolling his eyes, Jaakuna gave these boys a glance, scanning their numbers. There were only five of them. He gave out a big sigh as they came, surrounding him. To them, they were thinking Jaakuna wasn’t ready for them. They thought this was their advantage. Jaakuna was outnumbered. These boys, though they didn’t look it, were a bit heavier than he was. Their height and reach also extended past Jaakuna’s. Yes, with everything that they thought mattered, Jaakuna was clearly out of his league.

Or so he would lead them to believe.

With their fists and assorted weapons, the five boys came in, closing the gap that separated them and Jaakuna -and doing it as they yelled like idiots. And as they did, Jaakuna simply twirled his body, feet, and hands aiming perfectly at all five men. Before they would know what hit them, Jaakuna’s Spirit Celestial Stars hit them just hard enough so that it would knock them back about three feet but not too hard to where Jaakuna would actually hurt them. Defeating them was the goal, not to cause injury.

As the blonde teen had landed on his feet, the five juveniles were laid out, moaning and groaning from the swift beating they had just received. “Well, it’s been fun, boys. I’ll catch you at school tomorrow. Cheers!” Jaakuna calmly told them, waving bye to the five as he would get back on-route.

“Tatsuya’s house here I come.”

[Cleverbird]

---

The ingenuity of humankind never cease to amaze Kiwaka. Blink, and that quiet village suddenly turned into a sprawling city. Blink again, and the horse drawn carriages were replaced by shiny metal machines. Yet today Kiwaka's eyes weren't focused on the bustling city, instead they were gazing up at the sky; her ears perked up high.

Perched on top of a high-rise overlooking the town, Kiwaka had felt an unease wash over her; like a damp cloth that blanketed the city that stuck to her skin. Yet curiously enough, as quickly as it had appeared, even quicker was it gone again. In her 400 years of existence, Kiwaka had plenty of encounters with vile demonic energy... Yet never had she ever experienced one disappearing so cleanly and quic-

BBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNNNGGGGGGGG!

The sudden, shrill sound echoed across the rooftop; startling Kiwako and nearly knocking her off the edge. Flustered, she fished the little plastic device from her pocket and fumbled with the buttons. It was a device given to her by a demon who went by the name of Corran Hebi. She didnt quite enjoy the idea of working alongside a demon, but so far he had been on the up and up and had helped her tremendously over these past 2 years. It was a sort of symbiotic relationship, she lacked information while he lacked the muscle. Still, Kiwaka had done the smart thing to keep things purely professional.

"YES? CAN YOU HEA-" She shouted into the device, holding it awkwardly in front of her face.

"Hirata...did you feel that?"

Kiwaka paused. It didn't surprise her in the slightest that he too picked up on the demonic energy and even if he hadn't, his network would've surely informed him the instant it happened. "Ah... Euhm... Yeah... It was strange. Powerful, but gone in an instant." She replied, holding the phone upside down so her voice sounded distant. "Don't suppose you know what all that was about?"

[Raging Fenrir]

"Stop right there, thief!"

Ayame's blood ran cold. Those were the words she'd been dreading since she started shoplifting. And with her disguise down, that meant they'd have an accurate description of what she looked like. It would be very bad if word of this got to the school. She debated bolting right then and there. Maybe parkour her way through an alley like a badass and then throw on a disguise and wait for things to calm down. She clutched her bag and pulled it close to her. Then again, jumping around with glass bottles -- ones that she paid good money for -- probably wasn't then best idea. Wait, she'd paid money for those. Sure, she was underaged, but she hadn't stolen them, and there was no way somebody would be giving her this much trouble over stupid paper bags. She could easily talk her way out of this one.

"Hmm? Thief? I think you've got the wrong girl." She gave a nervous laugh and slowly turned around to face her accuser. "I did a bit of shopping, but I paid for it." She put on the cutest smile she could muster. Whenever lying her way out of trouble didn't work, she could always play the "innocent schoolgirl" card for damage control, though it was only effective against those who didn't know her... unlike the person who had called her out. She clenched her fists, and puffed her cheeks. "Tatsuya, you jerk!" Her heart was still racing, but there was no way she would admit how scared he had her there. She glared at him for a moment, but then let out an indignant huff. "Hmpf. I guess you feel like sleeping with one eye open tonight." As a prankster, Ayame could take a joke, especially a little one like that. She rarely got seriously angry when mischief was turned against her. However, she did, get even.

"And here I went through all that trouble to get us something nice to enjoy today." She patted her schoolbag full of booze. Odd bulges could be seen, indicating that it definitely wasn't her typical haul of chips and candy. "But, if you're gonna falsely accuse people of thievery, I guess I shouldn't drag you into my alleged crimes." She crossed her arms and smirked. "I'll just share it with Jaa-kun. You can stay sober and watch us have a good time."

[Renny]

_{Yu Yu Hakusho: The New Agency | Arc 1. They Gather for the Cause}

_{Saturday - Weather: unusually strong thunderstorm, lightning visible and frequent
Objective: Respond to your spirit senses and the unnatural storm.}

---

Normally keeping track of individual beings-whether spiritually aware or not-was impossible. But the silver compass held in his hand had all his prospects on its screen along with several others. The young man was crouched low on the city street, looking more like a vagrant than a Spirit Detective. They were all scattered about, two of them were close, one them looked to be closing the distance to the duo, but the rest were here and there.

He tucked the compass away in one of the many pockets on him before deciding where to go next. Yusuke would be upset if I lost even one of them against a Demon. I better gather'em up. Starting with the couple.

On the way to them-which was impossibly quick once his mind had been made up-the young man had felt an explosion of demonic intent. He had not noticed the swelling clouds overhead, how they swirled and broadened with electrifying tension. A snaking spark two times larger than most bolts traveled within. "Crap," he muttered, twisting and flipping onto a lamppost near the city's latest construction site. "Guess the shitshow's not keen on waiting."

The young man glanced over at the site, a manifested apparition of demonic energy became apparent. The earthen playground complete with massive mounds, cold excavations, and machinery both tall and short became the epicenter of the unprecedented storm. A stray shaft of lightning tore at the earth next to him, illuminating him starkly.

He smirked then burst into laughter, "Oh man, its amazing how being trained like a dog all your life can numb your fear. Not even lightning scares me now," he said quieter.

A demonic voice, playing on the wind, filled the site. "Away with you, Spirit Detective. You'll collect no humans today."

The Demon's visage was haloed thinly by an obscured ring-the sun behind his dense clouds. He stood on the tallest machinery around them. "Stay and you die, Genkei."

"Yea, yea, you can take your lies straight to hell when I send you there... lightning demon: Raigeki. This is even better for me, y'know, now I can gather them without having to work around kicking your ass," Genkei replied.

[AlteredTundra]

---

So far, this day was turning out to be quite the eventful one. Kicking some 10th grader's asses without them even knowing what really happened. To the best of their knowledge, Jaakuna was just that damn good at fighting, which he wasn’t going to deny that it was the absolute truth. He could’ve probably taken them on without the use of his powers. The reason he didn’t, however, as he had things to do and his Celestial Spirit Stars were useful when they needed to be. It wasn’t as if he gave them the full brunt of his powers. He understood these abilities that he had were to be used wisely. You know, great power and responsibility. Jaakuna simply used them as an extension for his arms and legs. They only added an additional boost to the end result - which was them being laid the fuck out.

But, of course, that had nothing to do with what literally just happened in the span of only a few minutes. Jaakuna was walking down the main street leading to the marketplace where most of the convenience stores were, Jaakuna smiled as he spotted Ayame and Tatsuya. As always, the two were bickering. Whatever happened, he knew it was an overreaction from Tata’s part. Ayame would never do anything to intentionally annoy him. Hah! Yeah right. But still, it was nice to see them after his morning exercise. Jaakuna would’ve liked to have seen them when it was still light out. The sun suddenly had vanished; and in its place, dark thunderclouds and bolts of lightning flashing with them, illuminating the area around them somewhat. Whatever this was, Jaakuna knew the weather guy this morning, who had promised clear skies and a decent, welcomed breeze, was likely to get fired or run out of town by a bunch of angry people who were expecting to spend the day out with their families.

“Well, that’s not my problem!” Jaakuna shrugged, running across the street. Fortunately for him, no cars or animals were harmed in this production of Walking Across the Street. After a bit, he caught up to Ayame and Tatsuya. And just before he would be able to speak, Jaakuna suddenly felt...something. He didn’t know what exactly but Jaakuna has never felt anything this strong before. “Please tell me you two felt that as well. I seriously hope that I’m not just imagining it.” Jaakuna said a little frantically to Ayame and Tatsuya, looking up at the sky. Whatever it was, something in him was pointing him towards the direction of the sky.

[Matador]

"Bahahaha! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I saw the chance and I knew I had to——pff!" Tears threatened to leave Tatsuya's eyes as he let out a hearty laugh. Even the most intense Karaoke sessions or the most grueling dance battles at the disco couldn't hold a candlelight to how fun it was to mess with Ayame. That out of character smile she gave him and the nervous way she spoke hit him way harder than it should have. Eventually, his laughing did ease up, with some remnants popping up here and there. He wiped his eyes clean and spoke to his friend after collecting himself enough to string a simple sentence together. "Ayame, your reaction alone was worth never getting another good night's sleep for the rest of my life."

While he brushed off her threats as though he hadn't a care in the world, his demeanor immediately changed when she mentioned something about staying sober. He took a quick glance at the bags she was carrying, then two and two were put together. The lingering traces of laughter were all gone. There was still a smile on Tatsuya's face, but one born of nervousness, not laughter. The bead of sweat that had formed on the side of his head spoke volumes of how badly he messed up.

"...Y'know, Ayame, have I ever told you how beautiful I think you are? And how life changing it was for me to meet you?" And how badly he wanted to get wasted? Before he could outright get on one knee and propose to her, he suddenly felt a sensation of...well he hardly knew how to describe it. It was like that feeling of unease that refused to leave him, yet amplified somehow. His eyes were drawn to the cloud. They looked really ugly just a moment ago, but now? They were completely violent. He swore that the ensuing thunderclap was louder than any other he had heard before. Whether that was just his imagination or not he couldn't say for sure. Whatever it was that was going on, it was wholly unnatural, that was a fact. He exchanged a glance with Ayame as though to question if she felt what he just did.

"Ah, Chibi-senpai!" Tatsuya exclaimed. It was rare for him to feel outright relieved to see Jaakuna. Strange circumstances brought about strange circumstances, he supposed. "You got here right on time. You feel it too, right?"

Tatsuya looked back up at the sky. Was it his imagination, or had the lightning bolt struck somewhere close by? Maybe near the construction site that was building who knows what near the area? Regardless, there was one thing that Tatsuya knew for sure: everything about the situation demanded that he retreat back from the danger. All that did was make him feel an urge to investigate the situation even more. Worst came to worse, he had Jaakuna with him. Together they were certifiably unbeatable, so there was no reason not to check things out.

"Let's check out what's goin' on up ahead!" Before he could listen to a response from either of them, he broke out into a steady jog through the street to find out what all the hubbub was about. With each step he took, the feeling he had from before bolstered by the moment.

[Raging Fenrir]

A vulpine grin crossed Ayame's face when she saw Tatsuya's expression warp from laughter to nervousness. There were few things more satisfying to her than getting the upper hand in social Judo, especially when the other person started it. His compliments would have been flattering if it wasn't so blatantly obvious he was just trying to kiss her ass to regain his alcohol privileges. She didn't have any real intention of cutting him out of the deal, but he didn't need to know that. She had leverage and she was going to have some fun with it. However, before she could make him squirm, a chill ran down her spine. She looked up at the storm clouds just as Tatsuya did. Her chest tightened and she could have sworn she felt the demon blood in her begin to stir.

Just then, Jaakuna called out to them; apparently he felt it too. "I don't think you're imagining it, Jaa-kun," Ayame said, her eyes drawn to some point off in the distance. "I've actually been feeling uneasy all day, kind of like when you know someone's gonna jump you but you don't know where or when..." In truth, her comparison didn't do what she was feeling justice. It was way beyond anything she'd ever felt before, and for the first time in a long time, she was legitimately scared. So, of course Tatsuya had to run headlong into it.

"Tatsu-kun, hold on!" Ayame said as she jogged after him, a sense of urgency in her voice. "I've got a bad feeling about this one. Don't go doing anything stupid, okay? Whatever's going on, let's think about it and deal with it together." She jogged alongside Tatsuya towards the source of that strange feeling, and eventually came to a nearby construction site. A billowing cloak, black claws, and piercing eyes that radiated evil. Ayame's eyes went wide when she saw the thing. Holy crap, is this a demon? she thought as her whole body tensed. She took a breath and set her bag down next to a couple of oil drums. It seemed obvious that they wouldn't be able to leave without a fight...

[AlteredTundra]

---

“Reunited and it feels so good~”

Jaakuna sang to the tune of Reunited by Peaches & Herb as his golden eyes were laid upon the forms of the bickering duo of Ayame and Tatsuya. But as he did, he did not appreciate that quip that Tata-san made. As much as he liked the guy, he hated how he always drew the short end of the stick when it came to the group. It wasn’t his fault that King Yama made him a short fucker. Jaakuna will always resent that godly man for creating his ancestors in such ways that robbed them of a strong vertical base.

After they got all caught up with each other, the greetings and additional comments made Team Slacker, which was currently led by Tatsuya who seemed to be — at least for this moment — more impatient than Team Slacker’s resident impulsive knucklehead, Jaakuna Hoshinikko. Whatever had fueled his desire to run towards the danger, Jaakuna wasn’t far behind him and Ayame. He matched their pace. Though, as the trio approached the source of the eerie feeling they all felt before, Jaakuna just knew this was a bad idea. Even if they were equipped with the means to handle whatever the supernatural threw at them, deep in Jaakuna’s gut, he had a really bad feeling about it as if something deep in his core was tugging at him to go the opposite direction.

Ah, it’ll be fine.

The group eventually made their way to the source and boy was it a sense-jerker. Jaakuna had been doing this whole demon-killing business for a few months now. He had experience with these spirits and no-good-doers. They were small-fry, apparently, but this one — Jaakuna didn’t like it. The way the visage of the source of the bad feeling he had been sensing all day sent chills down his spine. And in addition to the lightning storm that came with it, Jaakuna was regretting following his two friends. There had been a moment where Jaakuna thought about running, but seeing this demon, apparition — whatever it was — had given Jaakuna no doubt they wouldn’t be allowed to leave. So, what would be their next course of action? As much as it pains Jaakuna to admit it, there really was only one thing that they could do.

Ignore Ayame and fight!

“Let’s do this!”

Jaakuna let out a battle cry, his spirit energy kicking into high gear as his Celestial Spirit Stars started to form in front of him. On his command, he sent two of the four that had been produced at the demon’s general direction. “Celestial Spirit Stars!”

[Renny]

_{Yu Yu Hakusho: The New Agency | Arc 1. They Gather for the Cause}

_{Saturday - Weather: unusually strong thunderstorm, lightning visible and frequent
Objective: Respond to your spirit senses and the unnatural storm.}

---

Yuunmei wondered with trepidation what was pulling him towards the new construction site. Normally he would never be caught in a storm, especially not some freak thunderstorm, but feelings were rare for him. One that led him to a specific location was completely new. He ran with ease, only stopping upon seeing two figures eye-locked in high-positions and a group of three far below them.

"I should just go home." He started to turn around but literal lightning stopped him.

Genkei scowled. "Fucking idiots," he chided. "Why the hell are they here?"

The Demon laughed, malice scorched the mirth away. "Human's are fools, Spirit Detective. Like lambs to the slaughter and I won't let them leave." Raigeki raised his misshapened hand into the air, lightning arced up high before falling, caging them all. Bolts zapped and locked with the columns of light, latching until a field of sizzling particles had barred them inside. "Lightning Cage of the Tormentor!"

Yuunmei frowned harshly before dropping to the ground, criss-cross.

Raigeki felt the intent to harm far too late. Two orbs plowed into him, pushing him off the precarious structure that balanced him. His black cloak righted itself in midair and he landed with a grace unfitting of a demon. His one eye, red and ominous found, Jaakuna. A high-pitch laughter overpowered the storm.

Genkei found himself in front of them, Jaakuna, Ayame, and Tatsuya. "Hey, short-stuff, try not to draw too much attention to yourself. That Demon won't hesitate to tear you apart."

Lightning breached the clouds, ripping apart the earth below before transforming into three snakes and slithering towards Genkei and his posse. Genkei raised his index finger towards it, "SPIRIT GUN!" he barked, a blast the size of a cannonball raced out to meet the snakes.The snakes formed into one dragon to meet the overwhelming blast, they collided, and the ensuing explosion belched heat and dirt.

[Blondie]

@Cleverbird

Corran Hebi was looking out passed the crowded streets of the city, still clutching the small blue flip phone up to his ear. On the other end was Kiwaka. She had picked up on the third ring, and Corran had to wince as the loud voice echoed out of his phone. He had to hold the phone awkwardly away from his ear as she asked if he could hear her. He looked to his left at a small group of men who were drinking coffees out of styrofoam cups and looking at Corran with amusement. Face turning red, he turned quickly away from the group and headed back down the sidewalk. Corran disliked standing out in a crowd, he had always been more comfortable among the masses and wasn't interested in attention. However, his unlikely partner-ship with Kiwaka had come with it's....specific complications.

"Yes, I can hear you." Corran whispered into the phone, turning the volume down on his device." Most of the upper west side can hear you." Corran was just about to answer his Spirit friend's second question when another wave of similiar demon energy flared up across town. He felt that same cold wave across his person. There was a difference this time, however. This time, the energy stayed, and was surrounded by other similar spirit power. Whatever was happening, there was now a group of people together. And the way the energy levels were spiking, it was very possible that there was about to be some sort of confrontation. But what were these levels? They seemed strange. Something was off. And Corran didn't like it.

"I take it you feel that same flare up just now? Lock onto it and do your best to meet me there if you can. But please do me a favor and try not to make yourself noticed. I don't recognize these auras and I can't be sure how safe it is..."

Corran waited for her confirmation before he clicked the END CALL button on his phone and closed it. He slipped it back into the pocket of his pants and looked over at the horizon. This was towards the series of strange energy readings he was picking up. Whatever was happening in the city may have something to do with the ongoing crime wave in Demon world. Especially if someone was able to get through to the Human world and cause trouble. Last Corran knew, there were demons in place specifically at different barriers between worlds that would protect entry from folks looking to cause trouble on the other side. What could this be a sign be? Did someone sneak through the barriers undetected? Or was the demon energy someone with good intentions and instead this strange spirit energy was the threat? Either way, he needed to make his way over there. This city had become his home over the past three years, he owed it to make sure there wasn't any serious trouble.

[Raging Fenrir]

"

Ayame's eyes widened when Raigeki trapped them in his lightening cage. She wasn't scared of it, as she had no intention of running away in the first place, but it did make her think of something. "Hey, Tatsu-kun," she whispered, getting close to her friend. "Look... we're in the Thunderdome!" She gave a small laugh, but was quickly brought back to the action by Jakuuna's sudden attack. He was always quick on the trigger, and it seemed he was fast enough to catch their enemy off guard. "Nice one, Jaa-kun!" she cheered as Raigeki tumbled from his perch. But, when he righted himself and sneered at them, Ayame's body tensed up. She'd never seen anyone take one of Jaakuna's attacks head on like that and stay standing. Hell, it barely even seemed to affect the demon.

She didn't have time to marvel at the demon's power though, as soon their was a massive clash of lightening and energy. She brought her hands up to protect her face from the blast and dug her feet in the ground to prevent herself from being knocked back. Dust and debris battered her arms and any semblance of style her hair once had was destroyed by the powerful gust of wind. Her ears rang as the dust settled and she had to shake her head to clear her vision. "Holy crap..." She hadn't even gotten hit, but it still felt like she had just gotten kicked in the chest. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of her head and she wore a serious expression. There was no way they'd be able to overpower this monster. Still, that was no reason to give up.

She looked at the young man who essentially just told Jaakuna to get out of the way. "I don't know who you are," she said, "and if you're on our side, great. But, you clearly have no idea who we are if you think we're gonna run away from a fight or sit on the sidelines." Her right hand tensed and a blue flame ignited in her palm. "He won't hesitate to tear us apart? Good. I won't either." She dashed towards Raigeki and reached up a sleeve. In the hand that held the foxfire suddenly appeared three shurikens. She ran in a wide arc, circling Raigeki. Her Shurikens flared up with blue fire as she tossed one, and then another at Raigeki's neck. These first two shurikens, though, were harmless; just illusions that would poof into a wisp of blue smoke as soon as they hit anything. The third one, though... she quickly changed directions and tossed it at the demon's chest. The shuriken was fake, but the flames surrounding it were very real. Ayame smirked, hoping that her tactics would lull the demon into a false sense of security and that her flames would be hot enough to at least scorch him a bit.

[Cleverbird]

---

Kiwaka's bunny-shaped ears perked up as lightning cracked across the sky, drenching the city in an unnatural roar before letting an eerie silence set. Her hands gripped the handles of her sword tightly till her knuckles turned white. She would never admit it, but she was afraid of lightning; ever since that one untimely storm had rocked her uneventful life so strongly.

"...-et me there if you can. But please do me a favor and try not to make yourself noticed. I don't recognize these auras and I can't be sure how safe it is..."

Kiwaka blinked, realizing that she had been staring off into the direction the lightning had struck. "Oh! Y-yes, meet you there!" She replied a little flustered, before stuffing the phone back into a pocket, completely forgetting to even press the end call button.

While not exactly keen on closing the distance to the storm in question, she couldn't ignore the sudden influx of spiritual power all condensing in a singular spot. She'd observed the city long enough now that she was sort of familiar with the power-users around, but actually discerning individual energy signatures was still impossible. Besides, she hadn't senses a demon this powerful in years now!

The pink haired Miko zipped across the rooftops with startling speed and agility, eventually landing her at an apartment complex that had a good view over the construction site. Taking in a quick inventory, Kiwako found herself seeing a few familiar faces. While she had never formally introduced herself to any of them, surely they had felt her presence around as much as Kiwako had felt theirs. A trio of highschoolers were currently engaging the demon, backed up by an unknown for now.

Even just a short observation made one thing abundantly clear to Kiwako, the people down there were horribly out-classed. Gritting her teeth, she cursed as she had to break the promise she had made to Corran. Dropping from the edge of the building, Kiwako hopped from balcony to balcony before hitting the ground. Silently unsheathing her Kogarasu-maru she ran into the fray. Cherry blossom petals quickly began to blow across the construction site, complete with the pleasantly sweet smell accompanying the Cherry blossoms in spring.

"Sakura blink!" Kiwako called out, utilizing Ayame's attack to keep the demon distracted while Kiwako blinked right up behind him; aiming to deliver a quick, decisive slash to the back of the demon's neck.

[AlteredTundra]

---

"Well, so much for that."

Jaakuna was curing himself somewhat silently, watching how his Spirit Stars were easily dealt with by the demon in front of them. This demon, who Jaakuna was sure was above his and the rest of Team Slacker's pay grade posed a difficult situation for the trio. They were the only ones who answered the calling of the odd demonic signature. Jaakuna was the one who attacked and they saw how that ended up. So there was definitely a need for an alternate strategy than just one-at-a-time attacks. Attacking as a team seemed like the best scenario.

As the idea became the dominant thought in Jaakuna's often empty mind, he would notice that Ayame, after she said some pretty amazing words to the demon that got Jaakuna hyped up and officially made him recognize her as the leader of Team Slacker (for now), she then did the exact opposite she said they should do and that was to take care and hot rush into anything.

"Eh, since when were we the careful team?" JAakuna joked as he cocked his head to the side.

Following suit, he charged his spirit energy in his palms, this time knowing that just four wouldn't do. If he really was going to have a real attempt of potentially damaging the Demon, Jaakuna would need to up his game. Consciously making that decision, Jaakuna produced an array of his Celestial SPirit Stars. There was about three times the amount previous. And as he saw a big-eared person come down from the rooftops, Jaakuna would send his attack forth.

"Celestial Spirit Stars: Barrage!" He shouted, commanding the twelve spirit stars to fire at the demon in a barrage-styled energy attack.

[Matador]

---

"Pff, you're terrible, Ayame." Tatsuya let out a small chuckle at her joke, the electric gates that had just been formed for them being more of a marvel than anything else. Truth be told, he was scared shitless of that demon. Thing looked like it could tear him apart with the flick of a wrist, but their hands were kinda tied at the moment and he wasn't one to let fear stop him from doing what he wanted. That's what made life so fun. Though, if he said that he was quick to act, that would be a downright lie. Mainly because the spectacle of the stranger and the demon's powers colliding captivated him so much. The fact that he had to brace himself to keep on his feet made it feel all the more spectacular. Was he the only person he knew who didn't have a super flashy (or any) power? Ah well, that was fine. He had his own set of 'ol reliables to fall back on, after all. He was a simple man after all. "We better help Chibi-senpai out before he gets himself killed, though. Anyone who can do that might as well have bad news written on their forehead."

Despite that incredible display of power, all Tatsuya could do was smile. His body shook with excitement as his eyes scanned their battlefield for tools to use against that monster. He remembered that he took that lighter from the guy who tried to mug him. Then, that Ayame had gotten them all drinks. And then, that he still had a handkerchief in his pocket that he would use any time he wanted to look extra sophisticated in front of some hot babe. Before he put his plan into action, he had to make sure he addressed the stranger trying to warn them about the creature. Ayame said it better than he could, but it wouldn't hurt to get his two cents in. "Ease up, will ya? If we were gonna die, it woulda been a long time ago. We're way too deep into things to let this stooge off us now."

With that, he hurried to the oil barrels. He looked through the bags that Ayame brought, praying she bought something he could use, a wide grin spreading across his face when he saw the vodka she got them. The barrel that accompanied them had small drops of oil splattered upon it that likely spilt as it was being transported. This was perfect. He dabbed his handkerchief in the oil and brought out his match. He was more of a pure math guy than a science one——too much reading for him to care——but he was sure that this wasn't a bad idea. If he could throw it fast enough, that is. He took the cap off the vodka bottle with one of his coat's sleeves and jammed the handkerchief in the opening it made. Rushing back to the scene of the battle, he lit the handkerchief up with the lighter he stole and in his hands held a certified bomb.

As Ayame attacked, a wave of Sakura blossoms swept through the air, and Chibi-senpai let out his second wave of stars, he brought out the pitch that had been perfected from countless baseball practice sessions and tossed the bottle of vodka at their enemy.

[Renny]

_{Yu Yu Hakusho: The New Agency | Arc 1. They Gather for the Cause}

_{Saturday - Weather: unusually strong thunderstorm, lightning visible and frequent
Objective: Defeat the demon Raigeki.}

---

Yuunmei kept calm throughout the ensuing battle. He ran around the construction site, finding a cavernous hole to hide in. There was mistakes of where he sat on the totem pole. He had strength, strength enough combat normal people, even to dispatch of an adult or two. But going against a demon literally chucking and controlling lightning, that was where he drew the line. He was content on letting those fools down there sacrifice themselves and hopefully go unnoticed. Crouched low, holding his knees to his chest, Yunnmei hid beneath an overarching portion of the lower-steps of massive site.

A unnerving calm in his eyes.

Despite reaching out for his supposed-to-be charges, Genkei had found a mirth in there recklessness. It would make sense that Yusuke would be as vain to choose apprentices like himself. He bounded backwards to create space between himself and the conflict against, Raigeki. If nothing else, he would make good use of their distractions. He charged his finger with three powerful spirit shots. It bulged and the flickering light became a hopeful star in the gray stormy skies.

_{* * *}

Raigeki, old as he was, ambitious and hungry as he was, disliked his odds. He held no qualms about the strength of numbers, four hyenas could, with time and teamwork, conqueror a lion. One of the humans as fast a dart, approached and yet kept her distance. Amongst them, beyond her pitiful attacks were those golden light attacks. He despised those like one would the bite of gnats. They stung and annoyed him. And that annoyance made him wary of these humans. They poised a danger to He Who Slumbers. A infant danger but a danger nonetheless.

With an ease unfitting of a c-class demon, Raigeki dodged away from, Ayame's spinning-blades. Yet he was distracted, so distracted that he missed the pink petals drifting on the wind. The demon spun on his feet, catching the earth just in time to feel the danger. Surely he would have died, though not from the orbs of light or the dying blue flames, but from the hidden blade.

The attacks surged forward, many of them in range of him. Instinctively, he hunched over and tore the air asunder with his roar. A shockwave of stunning energy boomed outwards in a sphere, it was quick: the bellowing thunder after the lightning. Almost as if spent of his energy, Raigeki stuttered and fidgeted, his red eye, white with power.

Genkei vaulted to the ground, erecting a shield of spirit energy to protect, Tatsuya from his own molotov. The sudden spirit bomb from Raigeki had broken the bottle, igniting the fire mid-air, and pushing it towards him. Genkei managed to block the concussive attack and fire for Tatsuya, yet the others would have to deal with their recklessness. It would not kill them but they'd be knocked off their asses for sure, he imagined a bit stunned too.

[AlteredTundra]

---

Anyone who knew Jaakuna - like really knew him - would know almost instantaneously that he was someone who never was all that intuitive or bright. He was always one to act first, then ask those questions and face the consequences later. It simply was the kind of person he had grown up to be. Every once in a while, however, he had these moments that often surprised those around him. They were moments that were produced by a part of his brain that suddenly got hit with some kind of bright light - a spark if you will. And this spark that ignited the rare sighting of a knowing Jaakuna resulted in him seeing something from the demon in front of them.

When all of the attacks that were launched from a distance had made their way to the demon, that loud roar quickly disseminated them all as if it took little effort, but Jaakuna felt something in the air. He couldn't quite place it, but something about it triggered a feeling in the core of his being. Again he wasn't the kind of guy who was super aware of the spiritual aspects of the world or anything like that, though he did have his moments, this was too obvious - even for just a split second - that he couldn't ignore it.

As it had just occurred to him, suddenly Jaakuna, like everyone else, was hit with a force that knocked Jaakuna on his butt. It was enough to send him a few feet in the opposite direction, prompting him to curse aloud. "Well, that could have gone a little better. Maybe we should better coordinate our attacks," Jaakuna suggested, finally taking Ayame's advice, though it was a little late. Ah well, he was a late bloomer.