Last time Yusuke found himself in a canyon that stretched around inside the Foliage Fortress; then he found himself defending against Kurama. He tried to reason with him, but to no avail. In the end Yusuke gave his all and defeated his old friend. Returning to his task of making it through the fortress, he encountered an unharmed Kurama in a successful ambush. Now the Spirit Detectives, Kuwabara, and Yusuke are being held prisoner while Hiei is the final target on their list. With time drawing short as the fortress soars into its destined position, can the world be saved from impending doom?
Episode 18 : Into Three
[The Foliage Fortress is seen orbiting around the Earth. All motion stops as it fades into an illustration in a book. In the Spirit World records room, Koenma is sitting on top of a ladder, reading the text around the illustration. George bursts in.]
George: There you are, Koenma sir! The reception should be working perfectly now.
[Koenma stands and floats down with the book under his arm.]
Koenma: Finally! This time, it better stay fixed!
George: Uh, what is that book you have there, sir?
Koenma: I was searching to see if there was any information on this Foliage Fortress.
George: And have you found anything?
Koenma: As a matter of fact, this book does mention a gift built centuries ago for the gods, which was prospectively located in the same area. But it was meant to be a satellite.
George: Satellite? Oh that reminds me; while I was fixing the reception, the others were watching the screen to see when it was fixed. When the picture came in, they saw the fortress taking off like a rocket!
[George swoops his arm down and up like a rocket while spinning on his heel.]
Koenma: [snapping] WHAT?! You were watching what was going on without me? [orderly] One hundred spankings.
[Two ogres appear and grab George. They drag him out of the room.]
George: [calling out] But I wasn’t the one watching!
Koenma: [thoughtful] Hmmm. That confirms it. The ‘fortress’ must be one of the Gifts to Deity.
* * *
[Hiei travels down a corridor that has many doors to the side. His eyes are closed and his Jagan uncovered.]
Hiei Voiceover: Ingenious fortress. All the plants provide oxygen, and there is a core to sustain gravity. [pause] The walls have moved again. They seem to try and keep me in the same area. It is like they have a mind of their own.
[Hiei stops and opens his eyes.]
Hiei: Show yourself.
[Silence prevails. Hiei’s eyes flash back, and he pulls his sword out, slashing it while turning. It’s blocked by a grass blade sword, held by Kurama.]
Hiei: [growls warningly] Kurama.
Kurama: [sinister undertone] Hello.
[Kurama pushes Hiei’s sword back and strikes. Hiei blocks. Their swords continue in rapid clashes with Hiei on the defensive. Kurama stabs Hiei in the gut, but it ends up being an afterimage. Hiei reappears behind Kurama. Kurama rolls to the side, avoiding Hiei’s strike. Kurama gets up and lunges towards Hiei. Hiei’s sword glows with the darkness flame. Light flashes in this round of sword clashes. Then Kurama and Hiei stop, holding their swords with their backs to each other. Kurama’s grass sword tears into segments, the pieces fluttering down like leaves. Kurama drops the remainder of his blade and pulls out a rose. He spins to face Hiei as the rose transforms into a whip.]
Kurama: ROSE WHIP LASH!
[Hiei dodges the whip. Images of Hiei appear around as the whip flies in every direction. After the onslaught, Hiei lands and holds out his left hand. Kurama snaps the whip towards Hiei.]
Hiei: FIST OF THE MORTAL FLAME!
[Hiei’s arm is encompassed with fire. He grabs the whip, stopping Kurama’s attack. Kurama’s eyes narrow.]
Hiei: You’ll have to do better than that.
[Starting from where Hiei is holding it, Kurama’s whip disintegrates from the heat. Kurama lets go and blocks his face from the inferno. The fire on Hiei’s left arm dies down. He raises his right hand up to his face.]
Hiei: Let’s see how you stand against the dragon.
[Kurama sprints towards Hiei.]
Kurama: Only if you have time to summon it.
[Kurama chops Hiei’s arm with his hand. Hiei swings it around and thrusts it into Kurama’s stomach. A bulge spirals down Hiei’s arm, under his sleeve. His dragon, Ryone, pops out in snake form. Hiei smiles as Kurama flies back.]
Hiei: Believe me; I have time for this dragon.
[Ryone emerges completely from Hiei’s sleeve and grows in size to the girth of the corridor. Its mouth opens in front of Kurama. Kurama stands on Ryone’s bottom jaw and holds up the top fangs. They disappear down the passageway. Hiei prepares to chase, but he stands up straight again as one of the doors to the side opens.]
Kurama’s Voice: I believe this is the way you want to go.
Hiei: If you think you can mask yourself to elude Ryone, you’re sadly mistaken, fox!
[Hiei leaves the hall through the doorway, and wanders through the forested room on the other side.]
Kurama’s Voice: Yes, come this way.
[A pathway clears. Hiei follows it, examining his surroundings.]
Hiei: I’m only here because of what was said in that letter I received.
Kurama’s Voice: I know.
Hiei: Do you really expect me to believe that after all this time you decided to end it with the humans?
Kurama’s Voice: It is what you have long desired.
Hiei: The Kurama I know is too tainted for that.
[Kurama’s laughter echoes. Hiei stops and places a hand on his katana.]
Kurama’s Voice: Then why did you still come? Surrender and let us use your energy. It will go to a good cause.
[A rose whip flies out from between trees. Hiei pulls out his sword. There’s a clang, and the whip is wrapped around Hiei’s neck and raised sword. He uses his free hand to hold the blade straight to prevent the makeshift noose tightening.]
Hiei: We already went over this; your roses are useless against me! If you insist on attacking, at least use something that won’t bore me.
[Two more rose whips come from different directions. One wraps around Hiei’s abdomen and the other one around his legs.]
Kurama’s Voice: Is that better? Or would you prefer something more demonic?
[Demonic choke vines spiral up each whip towards Hiei. Sucker-mouths pop out and latch onto Hiei’s skin. Hiei winces and gasps at the pain. His eyes narrow to a glare. His hand repositions its hold on his hilt. His eyes close fully as flames rise around his blade. He twirls his katana around, slicing off the surrounding whips. His eyes open, focusing on a target, and he rushes off in that direction. He appears above Kurama, who is hiding in the shrubbery. Hiei descends, ready to strike with his sword when two whips come out and snap at him. One hits his hand, knocking his katana away. The other flicks his Jagan eye. Hiei falls back with a hand covering his third eye.]
Hiei: My Jagan! [growls] Curse you!
[Kurama stands, looking down at Hiei. Two more Kuramas appear in the area and walk to surround Hiei. All three Kuramas raise one arm and lower the other.]
Kuramas: PETALS AND THORNS!
[Rose petals begin to swarm thickly all around Hiei. The petals constantly cut Hiei as they brush by him.]
First Kurama: Let’s see how long you can hold your breath.
[The three Kuramas shift their arms to mirror their previous pose.]
Kuramas: DREAM POLLEN MIST!
[Yellow flowers bloom around the area. Hiei inhales. The flowers release pollen to mix with the petals swirling in the air. Hiei eyes his sword, and springs for it. Grabbing it, he twists to thrust it into the body of the nearest Kurama. The stabbed Kurama lowers his arms, causing the flying rose petals decrease. The Kurama puts one hand on his side where the sword is protruding, and grabs Hiei’s shoulder with his other hand. He looks into Hiei’s eyes. Hiei is taken aback, but he shakes off the feeling and twists his sword. The Kurama winces. His hold tightens, demonic weeds sprouting from under his sleeve and into Hiei’s shoulder. Hiei grits his teeth. He gets ready to strike again, but is interrupted with weeds from another Kurama jabbing him in the back of his other shoulder, causing him to let go of his katana. The stabbed Kurama shoves himself into Hiei, causing the hilt to strike Hiei’s diaphragm. Hiei’s eyes grow big and his mouth opens. Scene fades out.]
***COMMERCIAL BREAK***
[The Kurama with Hiei’s sword sticking out of him enters the room with the Cloaked Master. Two Kuramas follow, dragging an unconscious Hiei between them. They stop in front of the Cloaked Master. The Cloaked Master turns to them.]
Cloaked Master: Honestly M4, that is so distasteful.
[The Cloaked Master reaches for the hilt and pulls it out of M4. She tosses it to the side. M4 covers up his now open wound with his arms.]
M4: [slight groan] We at least got the last one. He resisted, but we made sure he had enough energy left.
[The Cloaked Master waves M4 to step aside, her ring glowing. She steps towards Hiei and delicately lifts his head up. He gives a soft groan.]
Cloaked Master: [pleasantly] Hook him up quickly.
[The two Kuramas holding Hiei drag him to an empty Energy Extractor on the other side of Yusuke. M4 spares a hand from his wound to lower the sleeping plants in front of Yusuke and Kuwabara. Hiei stirs as the clamps around his wrists and ankles are secured. Another Kurama enters the room, carrying Ryone sleeping in its seahorse form.]
Cloaked Master: [facing the newcomer] Well done, M9. We’ll add this creature to our collection in the corner.
[M9 carries Ryone to the corner where Kaisei and Fubuki were enclosed. Hiei sees his dragon and starts struggling as M9 places Ryone up to the block of plants. The plants wrap around Ryone and pull him in.]
Hiei: [demanding] Ryone was practically invincible! How could you know how to stop him?
[Kuwabara and Yusuke open their eyes. The four present Kuramas line up in front of the Cloaked Master. The Cloaked Master waves them out with her ring pulsing.]
Cloaked Master: Excellent work! Now go help power the orb for the Death Beam.
Kuramas: Yes, master.
[The Kuramas turn and exit the room. The Cloaked Master turns to Hiei and the awakened Yusuke and Kuwabara.]
Cloaked Master: [laughs] Now I have you all! Indeed, if there is any life left in you after this, you will all make excellent research subjects!
Yusuke: Sorry, I was never big in biology, but that doesn’t sound too fun.
Cloaked Master: Trust me. It will be loads of fun. It is a shame we lack the time now, otherwise you would be more useful towards our last obstacle.
Yusuke: Which would be?
[The Cloaked Master gives a sinister laugh.]
Kuwabara: [growls, then shouts] It doesn’t matter what it is! There is nothing you can do to us to make us help you!
Cloaked Master: Oh, I’m sorry you feel that way; because even now I am using you to help me. Indeed if it were not for this last…problem…we wouldn’t have spared your lives for this long.
Hiei: So we serve as hostages for your little scheme.
Cloaked Master: If you wish to view it that way.
Yusuke: [struggling] Why you—
Cloaked Master: [smirk] He fast approaches.
Yusuke: Who?
Cloaked Master: You shall soon see for yourselves.
[The Cloaked Master raises her arm. The lights dim in room. A window appears behind the Cloaked Master. It reveals another room.]
Cloaked Master: Behind me is a one-way window where you can witness just how useful you are when I no longer can buy time. [turns to leave] Oh, and feel free to squirm and make all the noise you want…this window is very much sound proof as it is energy proof. Tata.
[The Cloaked Master exits into darkness.]
* * *
[Kurama walks down a dimly lit, plant-filled hallway.]
Kurama Voiceover: The events do not bode well. I must be near, however. I can sense something powerful ahead.
[He comes to a big room and stops after proceeding about a third of the way in.]
Kurama: We both know of the other’s presence; there is no sense in either of us hiding now. Come out!
* * *
[In the room where Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Hiei are hanging, the three onlookers see Kurama in the room beyond the window.]
Kuwabara: There’s the dirty traitor now. Man I still can’t believe he turned on us like that. And Midori too. That whole bullet wound thing before was probably just a trick.
Yusuke: I don’t know, when he got me I thought I had him down and out, but then he came back completely healed.
Hiei: And I doubt he could have split into three equivalent fighters when he ambushed me. One thing is certain; he appears to be the “obstacle.”
[Out the window, the Cloaked Master is seen entering the room and gradually confronts Kurama.]
Yusuke: Yep, there’s the head honcho. Perhaps now we’ll know what’s going on here.
* * *
[In the spacious room, Kurama and the Cloaked Master face each other in silence. Finally, Kurama sidesteps. The Cloaked Master lifts an arm to the side. A wall of plants shoots out with snarling mouths woven in to block off the two doorways.]
Kurama: Are you the one behind all this?
Cloaked Master: [slowly] I am the one in charge, if that is what you mean.
Kurama: Very well. I warn you: let me pass or I shall leave you begging for mercy.
Cloaked Master: Such tough talk for knowing so little about your opponent. I’m disappointed in you [slight pause] Kurama.
Kurama: Then why don’t you reveal yourself instead of hiding under a sheet.
Cloaked Master: Ooh, Rude and witty, I wonder where you could have picked that up from?
* * *
[Yusuke sneezes.]
Kuwabara: Bless you.
* * *
[There is a moment of silence between Kurama and the Cloaked Master.]
Kurama: Well?
Cloaked Master: Perhaps I do not feel like it.
Kurama: If you continue this adamant behavior, then I shall carry on.
[Kurama starts to walk around the Cloaked Master, holding a hand up to part the bushes. The Cloaked Master holds up her hand, closing the bushes back up.]
Cloaked Master: Wait! Straight is not the way you seek. Besides…you are curious, aren’t you? Of what is under this little bed sheet?
Kurama: The way you say it, I could pass.
Cloaked Master: Tut tut. You haven’t wondered? About why we wanted you dead first?
Kurama: That holds little mystery, but if you are willing to reveal yourself, be quick; my patience wears thin.
[The Cloaked Master pulls off the cloak. We see the cloak flutter in the air then the back of long red hair, delicate hands, and finally pant bottoms, a bare ankle, and a white slender shoe.]
* * *
Kuwabara: HOLY COW!
Yusuke: IT’S ANOTHER KURAMA!
Kuwabara: But I could have sworn there was a girl under there.
Yusuke: It’s a FEMALE Kurama! [pauses] Hey, she’s not too bad looking is she?
Hiei: [sweatdrop] Morons.
* * *
[Camera circles around the Cloaked Master.]
Cloaked Master: You may call me Rose!
[Rose poses as the camera stops circling.]
Rose: Do you like it? I am the new and improved version of you!
[Freeze frame.]
Narrator: Kurama is faced with a female form of himself. With her claims of superiority, can he still manage to out-fox his opposite?
“And so I am brought face to face with myself. Immature as my female counterpart may seem, she still offsets my every move. She displays all my skills and all my strategies. But even though she claims that she is an improvement, she’ll bring out the worst of me. Does she really understand the far reaching consequences her actions will have? What is her motivation? Her goal? I must battle against her and against time on the next episode of YuYu Hakusho Beyond!"
