[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.]
