Things may have seemed peaceful, but peace was not to be kept. Looking for his lost wedding ring, Yusuke returned to the Foliage Fortress only to be captured by the former SDF Captain, Ootake. Meanwhile, Kurama answered Koenma’s request for the need of a thief, and was likewise captured by the current SDF Captain, Shunjun. In Demon World, Hiei found another member of the Special Defense Force and took him into custody, but another plan emerged as he and Mukuro were the ones detained.
Episode 23 : Conspiracy
[Kuwabara sits back at his desk and ponders.]
Kuwabara: Lets see, I’ll want to put in all my examples of discovering my best friend was a demon, oh and how the love of my life is one, too, and all the nasty things humans did to her. Leading up to how demons like the Toguro brothers use to be human and how humans like Sakyo and Sensui were the real ones causing trouble. That should turn the tables on their ideology.
[Shizuru walks in with some packets.]
Shizuru: How’s the paper coming?
Kuwabara: [irritated] I’m writing it.
Shizuru: Well, that’s good, but are you writing it right? No fragments, no run-ons, all your commas in the right places?
Kuwabara: Checkin’ it twice!
Shizuru: You better be! They’ll flunk you if you use the wrong ‘to.’
Kuwabara: Gosh darn it Shizuru! Why do you keep nagging me?
Shizuru: So you don’t slack off, but since you’ve been working so hard, how ‘bout a break?
[Kuwabara scoots his chair back.]
Kuwabara: [annoyed] Sis! I gotta get my thesis done! [smiles] But if you insist… [chuckles]
[Kuwabara reaches for the phone.]
Shizuru: Good. Take a break to fill these out!
[Shizuru tosses the packets to Kuwabara. They hit his outstretched hand. He tries to catch them with both hands and falls onto the floor. He rises.]
Kuwabara: [screeches] What? I don’t have time to fill out paperwork!
Shizuru: [aggressive] You’ll make time because without them, you won’t get into a good internship program!
Kuwabara: But my thesis is due!
Shizuru: And these applications have deadlines!
[Kuwabara grumpily gets back on his chair.]
Kuwabara: [mumbles] Are these really that important?
[Shizuru grabs Kuwabara by the collar.]
Shizuru: Hey! You’re going to need the experience if you expect to support yourself and your girlfriend and not be a deadbeat working for minimum wage! [releases Kuwabara, calm] The world out there is highly competitive. [hand reaches into pocket to hold Sakyo’s lighter] Even when you try your hardest, you don’t always get what you want. You need to be prepared so when the time comes, you can live up to your potential.
Kuwabara: [solemn] Okay Shizuru. I’ll do my best.
Shizuru: [shouts] Then stop arguing and get to work!
* * *
[Yusuke is chained up to an Energy Extractor in the room Rose used as the Cloaked Master. The room is now devoid of plants. Ootake observes soldiers’ activity out the window while rolling Yusuke’s ring around in the palm of his hand.]
Yusuke: You really should talk to your decorator. This place has gone downhill.
Ootake: Joke now, Yusuke, but soon, you and the rest of your kind will be gone.
Yusuke: [resentful] What do you mean?
Ootake: I’m sure you recall this machine you are in from before.
Yusuke: [sarcastic] Hardly recognize it.
Ootake: To refresh your memory, this is an Energy Extractor to suck out all your energy. When we fire your extracted energy from the orb it is stored in, it will disintegrate every demon in its path. Ironic, isn’t it; using demon energy to destroy the demons?
Yusuke: What’s your deal?
Ootake: [confident] Trust me. It’s for the greater good.
* * *
[Kurama is bound with spirit ropes to a chair in the secret spirit records room. Shunjun leans against the table in front of the fire.]
Kurama: So what do you plan to do with me?
Shunjun: That depends. Let’s see what we have here.
[Shunjun looks at papers in a file about Kurama.]
Shunjun: [reading] Kurama. Human alias, Suichi Minamono. Background originally unknown. [skimming] Hm, it looks like you did a lot for Koenma in the past. [shuffles through papers] This looks added. Ah, records of a Yoko Kurama. So you use to be a fox bandit. [reads, then clicks tongue] Oh, dear. It looks like you’ve already been here before. Policy states to give demons a second chance. Your first offense was sneaking around Spirit World as a spirit fox. Stealing the Forlorn Hope in your human form was your second. Had we known of the former back then, you would have been done away with already. Lucky for you, you proved profitable for Spirit World before this connection to Yoko was made…
[Shunjun tosses the file behind him. It burns in the fire.]
Shunjun: …but your luck has run out, as now you will cease to exist.
Kurama: You seem very sure of yourself for dealing with someone wiser.
Shunjun: I am privileged to be dealing with you again, spirit fox.
* * *
[Mukuro is strapped to the table with energy rings. Hiei is bound to the wall in a similar fashion. The SDF Guy struts around them.]
SDF Guy: What a catch. Wait until we get you back to Spirit World.
Hiei: If you live that long.
SDF Guy: Huh? What’s that?
[The SDF Guy punches Hiei’s face. Hiei turns his head, unfazed.]
SDF Guy: Not so sprite now that the tables have turned. How do you like being the one tortured?
[The SDF Guy punches Hiei’s stomach with electric shocks surging out. Hiei’s eyes widen and he clenches his teeth.]
Mukuro: [dark, interrupting] What do you plan to do with us in Spirit World?
SDF Guy: Well, that is confidential information. But seeing as you won’t remember it for long, I might as well tell you the beautiful grand scheme of things.
Hiei: [grunts] Won’t remember?
SDF Guy: [smug] Not after we alter your memories.
* * *
[Kayko is on the phone with Midori while both of them are trying to put their kids down to sleep.]
Kayko: Hey, Midori, is my husband there? I haven’t seen him since he left for work yesterday, and today was his day off.
Midori: No, I haven’t, Kayko. And Suichi hasn’t come home yet either. Do you think those two are up to something?
Kayko: They must be! Ooo! When will that boy learn to tell me before he goes off on some mission.
Midori: I thought they didn’t have those missions anymore.
Kayko: But it’s odd that they both disappeared.
Midori: Have you called Kuwabara yet?
Kayko: No. I’ll check his place next. [sigh]
[Brief moment of silence.]
Midori: Tell you what. Keep track of how long they’re gone. When they get back, we’ll leave them with the kids while you and I go have a girls night for twice as long.
Kayko: [chuckles] Thanks.
[Kayko hangs up the phone. Kazuki begins to fuss and Kayko begins to rock him.]
Kayko: There, there. It’s all right, little Kazuki.
***COMMERCIAL BREAK***
[Yusuke glares at Ootake.]
Yusuke: What load of ‘greater good’ crap are you trying to pull here? In case you forgot, I saved the world from psychic stealers, makai insects, the Toguros, Sakyo, Sensui, and averted an all out war erupting from Demon World. Did I refresh your memory?
Ootake: Another great irony. But you see, the Human World is full of exceptional resources, and demons ruin those resources.
Yusuke: So your ‘greater good’ is just for you because you are too selfish to share.
Ootake: On the contrary. Humans have tons of energy that goes unused. We have been able to attain the unused energy and put it to maximum use thanks to one of the Gifts to Deity.
Yusuke: Gifts to Deity? What the heck are those?
Ootake: Monuments such as this one that the primitive people of this planet made centuries ago. Selfish creations, really. Their so called gods these were created for would have found little use for them. Like this flying fortress, it was meant to orbit the planet, gathering energy in space like a magnet. When it eclipsed with the sun, it would fertilize the life energy here below.
Yusuke: Lemme guess, you’re the one who tampered with it to fry demons instead.
Ootake: Stunning deduction, coming from you.
Yusuke: I still don’t see how this affects your stupid energy crop.
Ootake: As I was explaining, the Human World’s resources are pure. However, with demons about, their evil influence pollutes the energy that they don’t steal. It’s like adding axel grease to your ice cream.
Yusuke: Pollute this!
[Yusuke screams as he releases an enormous amount of energy. The Extractor absorbs all of it.]
Ootake: Get angry all you want, Yusuke. It will only speed your demise.
* * *
[At Genkai’s compound, Puu is sleeping on the porch. Puu raises his head and lets out a screech. Yukina runs out to him.]
Yukina: What is it, Puu?
[Puu spreads his wings and takes off, causing wind that Yukina braces against. Puu flies away. Yukina watches him disappear in the distance.]
Yukina Voiceover: I wonder what’s wrong with Puu?
* * *
[Kurama glares at Shunjun.]
Kurama: You hunted me down before, and I survived.
Shunjun: You really think you escaped on your own when you were so weak? You only lived because I let you.
[Kurama lets out a soft growl.]
Shunjun: We had it all planned out. You still proved useful, so we brainwashed you and made you think you escaped.
[Shunjun pushes himself away from the table and walks around Kurama.]
Kurama Voiceover: Brainwashing? If they did something like that with Rose, then that would explain her warped thinking.
Shunjun: [continuing] Now you have used up your usefulness, so it is time for you to become one with The Core.
[Shunjun stops behind Kurama and raises his hand. A dark orb appears in front of the table.]
Shunjun: Behold one of the Gifts to Deity, our eternal resource. It acts like a black hole for energy; this is the fate for demons who have committed their second felony. The Core utilizes their power to strengthen our own. As of late, we have gathered many “disagreeable” demons. Thanks to them, we have been able to make extraordinary technological advances that enable us to hold power over many S-class demons.
Kurama: And do you brainwash those demons to be “disagreeable,” so you can justify getting rid of them?
Shunjun: Even as we speak, some of my men are capturing the strongest demons they can to brainwash them to attack the Human World.
* * *
[Koenma slaps his hands on his desk, causing a small radio to bounce.]
Koenma: WHAT! [hits intercom button] BOTAN! Get your patootie in here this instant!
George: But sir, didn’t you just send her out on some errands?
Koenma: This is far more important!
George: Why is that?
Koenma: Haven’t you been listening to the transmission Kurama has been sending us?
George: Yeah, Kurama got caught. But what can we do? Are you going to send in Botan to save him?
Koenma: No, you dolt!
[Koenma is interrupted by Botan entering the room.]
Botan: I’m here, Koenma, sir!
Koenma: For once I’m glad you lingered about instead of doing what you were told.
Botan: Oh, Koenma, sir, you know I do that in case you ever forget anything.
Koenma: Enough with the chipper attitude, we’ve got some serious business!
Botan: Oh, dear.
Koenma: Forget what you were doing. I need you to get the detectives to Demon World right away and stop the SDF from gathering demons, pronto! If they get the demons here and brainwash them to attack the Human World, I’m afraid Kaisei and Fubuki won’t be able to stop them.
* * *
[The SDF guy strides around the table that Mukuro is on.]
SDF Guy: We have far better use of your energy than you demons do. [shakes a finger at Mukuro] You have enormous power, but what do you do with it? Just sit in this giant centipede? When we’re done with you, we’ll have the power to crush others of your strength and higher!
Mukuro: So you plan to alter my memories in order to trick me to fight the other demons?
SDF Guy: Not exactly. You’ll attack the humans. Then when you are caught, we will dispose of you properly, which will surrender your energy to our uses.
Hiei: Fool. You already caught us. Why brainwash us to catch us again?
SDF Guy: Because when we catch you again, you won’t remember this, and so you will face your punishment, knowing that you have done wrong.
Mukuro: Are you sure you want to set me on the humans? You realize with my power, I’ll obliterate a continent or two before you can detain me again.
SDF Guy: Not if we’re quick to engage you in battle. You see, there’s this nice little feature about our brainwashing that will cause you to hold back subconsciously, so even if you try your hardest, it will prohibit you from overcoming us.
[Hiei and Mukuro glare. The SDF Guy picks up a needle from the ground.]
SDF Guy: Don’t worry, we still have some time yet before we get there, so let’s enjoy ourselves. [sinister chuckle]
[Freeze frame with Yusuke, Kurama, and Hiei in their captivity.]
Narrator: Answers about the true motives of Spirit World are unraveling, but will it do them any good with their destruction in sight?
"If you’ve been following along, you’re probably pretty upset about now. Yeah, Spirit World, the guys we’ve been fighting for, turns out to have quite a few skeletons in their closet. But that’s not all. Now that we know, how are we going to do anything about it? We kind of have our hands tied at the moment. But maybe if I’m lucky, I’ll get my chance to take on King Yama himself! So be sure to catch us next time as we bring the world down in YuYu Hakusho Beyond!"
