[Morning time at Kurama’s apartment. In the bedroom Midori is lying in bed and Kurama leans over her kiss her forehead.]
Kurama: Now I’ve got plenty of fluids and some food right here if you need anything. Please promise you won’t sneak out of bed again today. It’s not healthy for you or the baby.
Midori: Okay, dear, I won’t.
Kurama: When the doctor prescribes bed rest you need to stay in bed and rest.
Midori: I’ll be fine. Have a good day at work.
Kurama: I will, hon.
[Kurama makes his way to the front door grabbing his briefcase and overcoat. There is a knock at the door. Kurama opens the door to answer. A gun is fired.]
Episode 15 : Beckoning of the Fortress
[Back in the bedroom, Midori hears a gunshot. She sits up, which causes her immense pain. She rolls onto the floor crawls out to the hallway, and braces herself against the wall as she heads to the living room step by step. Turning the corner to see the front door, she sees Kurama lying by the open door with a gunshot wound in his chest. She picks up the nearby phone and presses a speed dial button. She waits a short while for it to pick up.]
Midori: Hello? Mr. Hatanaka? Yes…this is Midori. I’m afraid Suichi will be unable to come to work today…No, you don’t need to worry mother about it. [dial tone is heard] Hello? Shoot! [hangs up phone, picks it up and dials again] Yukina? ...This is Midori, can you come over quickly? Something just happened to Kurama, it’s an emergency! [drops phone and falls on the floor] Ow!
Kurama: [eyes closed and teeth clenched] What are you doing? You need to stay in bed!
[Midori starts to crawl over to Kurama.]
Midori: How do you expect me to stay in bed after hearing a gun?
Kurama: But your health…
[Midori reaches Kurama and props up over him and positions her hands over the hole in his chest.]
Midori: Don’t forget your own!
Kurama: You didn’t need to call father.
Midori: He’s your boss.
Kurama: But now he is coming over, isn’t he?
Midori: I would presume so.
Kurama: He will be unable to understand that I can recover quickly and inform mother.
Midori: We can explain to him.
Kurama: I may have to erase his memory.
Midori: That would be terrible, please don’t. Perhaps it is time to tell him the truth.
Kurama: Then he’ll tell mother, and how do you think she’ll react?
[A bullet emerges from Kurama’s wound.]
Midori: Got it!
Kurama: [covered in sweat] Thank you. Now go back to bed. I can handle it from here.
Midori: Hold on…there is something wrapped around the bullet…[unwraps the paper] It’s a note and… [rubs finger on it and inspects finger] Oh no! [drops paper and ferociously casts healing spells on Kurama] This is amalgam polycarbonate; if any of it is absorbed in your bloodstream, it will kill you!
Kurama: That would explain the onset of dizziness, but if you continue exerting yourself, you will die also!
Midori: No…I must. You can’t die…
* * *
[Feet are running up apartment building stairs. The feet turn a corner on a landing and run down the hall. The feet stop in front of an open doorway. The camera shot backs up to show Mr. Hatanaka as the owner of the feet as he turns to see Midori healing Kurama on the ground inside the apartment.]
Hatanaka: I got here as quick as I could, [sees the scene] OH NO! What happened? Have you called for help yet?
Midori: [wearily] Yes, it’s on its way.
[Yukina appears in the doorway. Midori sees her and passes out on top of Kurama.]
Kurama: Midori? NO!
* * *
[Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei stand around in Kurama’s living room, Midori lies on a couch with Mr. Hatanaka sitting nearby. Yukina is working on healing Kurama on the floor. Yusuke is looking at a note.]
Yusuke: [reading] To Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei—You are invited to front row seats for the end of the world. If you do not wish to meet the same fate as Kurama, you will come to the inscribed location of the Foliage Fortress and see if you can change your fate. Be prompt for time is short. Destruction begins ‘fore the new moon.
Kuwabara: Is this some sort of sick joke?
Yusuke: Well if it is, I’m not laughing. The world is at stake and they’re asking for us of all people to show up and kick their butts.
Hiei: Yes. But why invite us? And why target Kurama?
[Midori groans and tries to sit up.]
Yusuke: Hey take it easy.
[Midori relaxes with a sigh.]
Midori: Sorry. I feel rude trying to talk to you lying down. [breaths] It seems the opponent sees your group as an obstacle for their objective. Apparently this foe has a plan to defeat everyone but Kurama. That’s why they stooped so low as a bullet. The poison powder his body absorbed would have killed him if I stayed in bed like I was supposed to.
[Kurama forces himself to sit up with a grunt.]
Kurama: Unless they knew you would go beyond your capacity in order to save me, meaning you are in more danger at the moment than I am.
Yusuke: So Kurama, you got an old jealous girlfriend pulling the strings on this or something?
Kurama: [shakes head] None this powerful.
Midori: If that were the plan, it was easily thwarted by a working phone between the bedroom and the front door. Amalgam polycarbonate does not come by easily, much less to amateurs. Doesn’t the note emit a demon aura? Demons understand little about the power of the human heart and would consider me, being bedridden, not an obstacle. Besides Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei all discovered notes around the same time telling them to come here, which, judging by the wording, was probably after the anticipated time of your death. They will now consider you dead. So going with the others would be a great secret for our side.
[A moment’s pause. Kurama tries to say something, but does not have a comeback.]
Yusuke: I’d never thought I’d see the fox outfoxed!
Kurama: [nervous light laugh] That is why I married her.
Kuwabara: Well what are we waiting for? Let’s go kick some tail!
Kurama: Thank you Yukina. I think I’ll be all right now.
Yukina: You’re welcome. I’m glad I was able to help.
[Kurama stands up. He walks over to Mr. Hatanaka and Midori while Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei head for the door. Sweating, Mr. Hatanaka is massaging his temples with a look of awe on his face.]
Hatanaka: So the whole world is in danger? And you are able to help stop it? This is overwhelming; I can’t believe it!
Kurama: I am sorry that you had to find out the way you did. I never told Mother in order to protect her.
Hatanaka: I suppose [pause] that is understandable.
Midori: Please, you won’t tell her, will you?
Hatanaka: I don’t think she would believe me if I did. But what should I tell her?
Kurama: Tell her I had to go out on a mission; perhaps an emergency business trip that only I could handle.
Hatanaka: A decision like that might not bode well, considering Midori’s condition.
Yusuke: [turning] Hey, don’t sweat it pops! I’m sure Kayko would be more than happy to keep an eye on Midori while we’re gone.
Kurama: Thank you, Yusuke. [kneels in front of Midori] Forgive me for leaving. Assuredly I would rather not.
Midori: [grunts] You know our child’s due date. Just don’t miss it.
Kurama: Right, no coming back late this time.
* * *
[Koenma sits at his desk in Spirit World looking at a piece of paper.]
Koenma: Hmm…This report is quite interesting.
George: What does it say, sir?
[Koenma jumps up and hits George on the head.]
Koenma: That you’re big and stupid!
[George rubs the fresh bump on his head.]
George: Ow! That wasn’t very nice, Koenma sir.
Koenma: Well it isn’t very nice of you to disrupt my thought process with your blubbering. If you must know, there is a strange spot of energy concentration in the Human World. It is well masked though, so humans and demons can’t sense it, except for brief moments when its cover wanes. [yelling over the intercom] Botan! Get in here!
George: So is there something special about this masked energy that we should be alarmed about?
Koenma: I would like to say no. But the fact that it is being hidden probably means something is up. Besides, from the readings of when its cover was down, the energy was growing exponentially without even increasing size. Considering the concentration, if this keeps up, whatever is holding the energy will break and the outburst of energy could do some great damage.
[The office doors slide open and Botan enters.]
Botan: You called, Koenma sir?
Koenma: Yes! I have a case I need you to take to the Spirit Detectives to look into!
Botan: [saluting] Yes sir!
***COMMERCIAL BREAK***
[Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama are walking through a thick forest.]
Yusuke: Wow, the four of us on a mission to save the world. Reminds you of old times doesn’t it?
Hiei: Regrettably.
Kuwabara: So Kurama, did you get a good look at who shot you?
Kurama: Unfortunately no. The executor was concealed in a cloak.
Yusuke: Well if they intended to kill you, why would they need to hide their identity?
Kurama: To avoid being identified by surrounding witnesses is one reason that comes to mind.
Kuwabara: Whoever it was, I guess we’ll know soon enough and make them regret it!
Hiei: Let’s hope your strength is as strong as your voice.
Kuwabara: You’ll see half-pint! Later you’ll be glad I’m along because we’re going to need all the help we can get! And in case you didn’t see me in action back with the Zerka thing I’ll have you know I’ve gotten a lot stronger too! And I was holding back on those poor demons! Speaking of that, Hiei, where’s your little Puu Junior?
Hiei: If you insist on comparing Ryone to Yusuke’s spirit beast, you should be asking him where HIS animal is.
Kuwabara: You left him at Genkai’s compound? Or [laughing tease] did you leave him with your girlfriend?
Hiei: You better shut your mouth before you shove your foot in it.
[The group enters a small clearing. In front is a vine-covered archway with a towering plateau covered in vegetation rising behind it. Kurama places his hand near the roots of the vines. He closes his eyes for a moment then looks to the others.]
Kurama: The Foliage Fortress may end up being a Maze Castle reprise. There is a primary plant along the whole way up the plateau forming a network, but there are also many demon varieties of plant mixed in. So it is hard to judge the correct path through. I judge, though, that where we need to be is in the center, about two-thirds of the way up.
Yusuke: AH! Stupid maze! We don’t have time for this!
Hiei: I am sure we could each hold our own if we were to split up.
Kuwabara: Hang on. That’s probably just what the bad guy wants us to do.
Kurama: He’s right. However with the time issue at hand, we have but little choice.
Yusuke: Well, can’t you manipulate these plants into a straight path for us or something?
Kurama: It is best I keep my presence masked from this point on.
Hiei: Stripping us of that advantage is probably why you were targeted. Indeed, it has already benefited them more than enough.
Kuwabara: [eyes narrow] And since they invited us, they are sure to know we are coming.
Kurama: It is obvious they want us here rather than going naively about our lives, so the labyrinth should not have been constructed as too difficult.
Yusuke: [shouts] We’re wasting precious time! We should at least start moving before the whole world is destroyed! [calm but stern] I say we split up and the first one to reach the fortress should make a big explosion so we can regroup. It’s not like we have the element of surprise on our side anyway.
[Yusuke and Kuwabara start marching into the archway. Hiei looks at Kurama.]
Hiei: Kurama. They must have been tracking all of us to orchestrate the timing of us finding our notes at a specific time. If they are still keeping tabs, they may already know you survived.
Kurama: Then we’ll take the chance that they don’t know. Otherwise if Midori was correct that a silver bullet was the only way they could dispose of me, we should expect a frontal assault soon.
[Overhanging tree branches rustle. The guys stop and look up. One set of rustling circles around them clockwise while the other goes counterclockwise. The branches are being jumped off of as quickly as being landed upon. The guys follow along the different movements as the two paths continue circling around.]
Yusuke: You just had to say something, didn’t you Kurama?
[To the side, a girl, age 14, somersaults out of the trees while from the other side a boy, age 15, emerges likewise. They cross and land in front of the guys. They pull their hands back gathering spirit energy into balls and are ready to fire.]
Kids: TWIN DRAGON BLAST!
Yusuke: Hey wait a minute! Ain’t you guys Kuroko’s kids?
[Shocked, the kids unpower their energy blast.]
Girl: You know our mom?
Kuwabara: So you know these kiddie clowns Urameshi? Mind introducing them to the rest of us?
Boy: No need for that!
Girl: We can make our own introductions!
[The camera spins around the children as they introduce themselves.]
Boy: I am Kaisei Sanada!
Girl: And I am Fubuki Sanada!
Kaisei and Fubuki: And we’re… [pose, camera still shot] the Super Spirit Detectives!
Yusuke: You both are the new Spirit Detectives? Wow, you two sure have grown. Last I saw you, you were still in diapers!
Kaisei: No I wasn’t!
Fubuki: Only at night!
Yusuke: Okay, okay. It was a joke, geeze. So what brings you guys all the way out here?
Kaisei: Koenma sent us.
Fubuki: Duh! We’ve been Spirit Detectives for a while now.
Kaisei: Got to save the world and all that.
Kuwabara: I suppose times have been more peaceful lately.
Kaisei: Hey! What’s that suppose to mean?
Yusuke: That’s true. But that means old pacifier-breath is watching us right now. Oh well, I’m sure we could use the help.
Hiei: And I thought I was done babysitting.
* * *
[Koenma is watching the scene from his office in Spirit World.]
Koenma: Ooh, I don’t know if I should be repulsed that I have to put up with Yusuke’s abusive jokes again or relieved that the old team is looking into matters too.
George: Overall, shouldn’t it be a good thing? They’ll be able to help handle that mysterious energy. And besides, Yusuke used to be a spirit detective so he could train the kids as they go through this mission.
Koenma: Yes, having Yusuke help without him realizing it would be a bonus; but that is only if Kaisei and Fubuki listen to him. Those two have cocky, prideful attitudes that can rival even his.
George: So remind me again why you chose both of them to be spirit detectives when you can’t stand their arrogance?
Koenma: [thoughtful] I could not overlook the amazing skills that they inherited from their mother and they work extremely well as a team.
George: Hm…
Koenma: Grrr… [baby bawling] And they both were so determined to take Yusuke’s place after we fired him, [crying] I couldn’t refuse.
George: Oh, is that how it is?
Koenma: [firm] Yes. That’s how it is. [sips hot cocoa]
* * *
[Back by the entrance to the foliage fortress.]
Yusuke: Okay, so everyone do your best and when you make it through, blow something up so we can regroup.
Kaisei: You guys were seriously thinking about splitting up?
Fubuki: WE don’t have a problem getting through! We can maneuver through places like this easily!
Kaisei: Just follow us!
Yusuke: [sarcastic grumble] Great. Then lead the way.
Narrator: So spirit detectives old and new enter the mysterious Foliage Fortress. What lies in store to greet their anticipated arrival?
“Hey it’s Kuwabara! So we had a bit of excitement but now we’re ready to show these jokers we mean business! We’ll make them regret inviting us to their party of doom…that is if they don’t make us regret it first. Whoa! Hey how did that happen? Maybe Midori was right that they had a plan to get rid of each of us. Or is this just a hoax to blind us to some awful truth? And who’s in charge of the shots being shown here? They’re making me look stupid! Find out about our invitations and why they chose us. Not to mention a couple of unexpected struggles next time on YYH Beyond!"
