The Tablet

Chapter 4: Released

       Yusuke was nearly asleep, his arms on the table, his head on his arms.   He didn’t know how long they had been sitting in this room, but it felt like forever.

       Itani was once again bent over the tablet, making notes in a pad beside her.  She was close to coming up with a translation matrix for the main portion of inscriptions – or, at least, she thought she was close, there was no guarantee her work was accurate, and something just didn’t fit, as though she as missing something important – but the unusual inscription in the lower corner remained a complete mystery.  She couldn’t shake the feeling that it was most important.

       Slowly she followed the characters and symbols, looking for similarities between them and the other characters on the tablet.  They just didn’t match up at all.  Suddenly she stopped.

       She leaned closer and then brushed her right forefinger over a spot.

       Yes, there was definitely a piece missing.

       “But I was certain we had them all.”  The tablet had been in pieces when Genkai had first given it to her, suggesting that it might make an interesting study.  Itani’s first task had been to put it together.  Now that she thought about it, she had noticed something odd about that character before – she just hadn’t realized until now that it was a missing piece. She worried her lower lip, searching the table top for the missing piece.  It was very small and she wondered if it had been destroyed, or lost, weeks ago, even years ago.  Her one hope was that it had stuck to the cloth wrapping and was still entwined in the folds.

       “Yusuke!” her sharp call caused him to jerk upright.

       “Huh?” he grunted sleepily.

       She almost smiled – so much for teaching him patience.

       “There’s a piece missing, help me find it.” She demanded.

       Yusuke grunted, but moved to help.  As he lifted his arms something fell to the table.

       “Wait!” Itani reached over and picked it up gingerly.  It was the missing piece!

       “Can I go back to sleep now?” Yusuke asked.

       Itani waved him away, intent on placing the piece in its spot. Taking that as an affirmative Yusuke lowered his head back to the table.

       Itani had finally found the correct orientation for the piece and gently lowered it in place.

       “I think I’ve just about… got it!” she said triumphantly as she dropped it in place.

       A shock wave rippled out from the completed tablet.

       Yusuke jerked upright once more and came face to face with a wide-eyed Itani.  To be truthful, his own eyes were a little wide as well.  That shouldn’t have happened. 

       “What was that?” Itani asked, holding Yusuke’s gaze, memories of Genkai’s strange tension returning to her. 

       “I don’t know,” his eyes narrowed suspiciously, “but I doubt it was good.”

***

       Yusuke had certainly been right about that.  The shockwave evidently had not been good.  In fact, it had been very bad.

       Why else would Koenma have called a meeting of the spirit detective team in Genkai’s temple?  With Itani present no less!

       To her credit she had taken it all rather well.  She had been a little surprised when a toddler suddenly appeared in the room with them and began bossing Yusuke around - even more surprised that he had listened - but that was only natural.

       It had, of course, required Yusuke to then give an explanation of his role as Spirit Detective and the realities of demon penetration into the human world – and, indeed, the existence of demons at all.  That Botan was the grim reaper, and Yusuke’s assistant was also somewhat surprising.  But at least she now understood the tight knit bonds in the misfit group.

       That Kurama was a demon had been the least surprising of all that had been revealed to her.  After all, it had been clear from their first meeting that he was no ordinary man.  Nor did she appear to be the least bit frightened of him.  She knew his character.  What did his race matter?

       Kurama, despite their urgent circumstances, found himself more than a little relieved at her lack of reaction to his revelation.  Though he wondered if, in the long run, it would change the way she thought of him.

       He had little time to ponder this though, for Koenma was anxious to move on to the subject at hand.

       “I’m sure you all know why you’re here.” He was pacing on a tabletop, much to Genkai’s displeasure.  He glanced at Kuwabara, “Well, maybe not all of you,” he amended.  “The fact is, Itani has been working on a project at the request of Genkai and – though she, of course, did not know it – of myself.  Genkai asked her to study and decipher an ancient stone tablet we suspected to be of some importance.” He paused, taking on a mournful expression, “Unfortunately we underestimated the power of the artifact.” He resumed his pacing, sucking furiously on his pacifier, “Once assembled the tablet let out a wave of energy invisible to the natural human eye, but extremely dangerous nonetheless.”

       Kurama nodded thoughtfully; he had felt the wave and had suspected something.

       “What you did not see,” Koenma continued, “was that, once outside the temple, the energy was drawn together in a single ball.  This sphere then shot off into the woods heading northeast.  We have no idea why this happened, or where it has gone.  Nor are we certain of its power.  But we do have to find it.  Or more accurately,” he looked pointedly at Yusuke, “You have to find it.”

       “Then what are we waiting for?  Let’s go!” Yusuke jumped to his feet, already headed out the door.

       “Hold on, Yusuke!” Koenma cried, “This is a very dangerous mission.  Don’t you want to know what you need to do?”

       “How much do I need to know to find it?”

       Koenma shook his head, “Simply finding it isn’t enough.  You’re going to have to re-seal it – and to do that you need four people.”

       “So have grandma come!”

       Genkai shook her head, “No, I’ll be needed here.” Her voice was calm, though her expression was pained.

       Yusuke rolled his eyes, “So call Hiei!”

       Koenma nodded sagely, “Yes, Hiei would indeed be useful for this mission.  Unfortunately, as you know, he has disappeared into the depths of the Makai and I’ve no idea where to find him.”

       Kurama stood slowly, “We keep in touch from time to time; I’ll attempt to contact him.  If he wants to be found it should be easy enough.  Either way, we’ll know shortly.”

       “Hurry Kurama,” Koenma prodded, “Time is of the essence.

       Kurama nodded and left the room.

       “As for the rest of you,” Koenma turned back toward them, “do you have any questions?”

       “Where’s Botan?” Yusuke asked, “Shouldn’t she be here?”

       “Botan is… busy.” Koenma said evasively.

       Yusuke’s gaze narrowed in suspicion, but Koenma was saved from further interrogation by the interruption of Kuwabara.

       “I still don’t get why we’re in the temple.”

       Yusuke rolled his eyes, “Because you and Itani can’t go to Spirit World!” he snapped.

       Kurama sweatdropped, nervously rubbing the back of his head, “Uh… right, I knew that.”    

***

       Kurama reentered the room with a frown, “I have been unable to contact Hiei.”

       “Then you’ll just have to go without him.” Koenma said.  He was obviously nervous.

       “What!?” Yusuke jumped up and into the toddler’s face.  “You just said we had to have four people!  Without Hiei there are only three of us!”

       “While it would have been nice to have Hiei with you, his presence was never a necessity. You see, there are still four of you.” Koenma said calmly.  Funny how Yusuke yelling at him always seemed to make him less flustered.  He doubted that was the young man’s intention.

       “Genkai already said she won’t go.” Yusuke reminded him.

       “I wasn’t referring to Genkai.”

       “Then wh-” Yusuke stopped short as his, and all the others, eyes fell on the only remaining person in the room.

       “Itani?!” Yusuke looked at the toddler in disbelief, “Are you crazy?!”

       “Not at all Yusuke.  There are a number of good reasons to send the girl with you.” He held up his fingers, counting them off one by one, “One, she can read the writing, or, at least, she should be able to soon; two, she released the seal; and three, she’s available.” He looked around for argument, but everyone was too shocked to give it.  “Good, then it’s settled.  Itani is your fourth.  I expect you to be ready to leave in one hour.”

***

       Kurama followed Koenma outside. 

       “Are you certain this is wise?” he studied the prince carefully.

       As was often the case, Koenma’s confident demeanor faded when in the presence of Kurama alone.

       He shook his head wearily, “No,” his head came up and Kurama was mildly surprised by the earnest intensity in his eyes, “but it is the only solution.” He paused, “I didn’t want to say it in front of the others, but I didn’t expect her to be able to open the seal.  Had Genkai and I known, we never would have asked her to take on this project.” He looked away sadly, “it may be she needs to be there.  As the one who undid the seal she may be the key to sealing it once more.”

       “Can she handle it?”

       “If she was able to release the seal she must have some sort of energy. If she can learn to harness that then she should be fine.”

       “And if she cannot?” the redhead asked quietly.

       The ruler twisted his hands together, “I don’t even want to think about that.”

***

       “Can’t Botan go as our fourth person?” Yusuke wasn’t going to give up. 

       Koenma glared at the spirit detective, “No! How many times do I have to say it?  Itani is going!”

       “But Botan…”

       “What about me?” A cheerful voice interrupted.  Yusuke turned to see Botan, who had apparently just entered the room.

       “I wanna know why you aren’t coming.” He said rudely.

       Her eyes widened slightly, “Not coming?  Well, of course I’m coming.  I’m your assistant after all.”

       Yusuke turned to Koenma accusingly, “You said-”

       Koenma cut him off coolly, “I said she couldn’t be your fourth, I never said she wouldn’t be going.  You’ll need Botan to find the energy.”

       Yusuke scowled at the price of Spirit World, “Then why can’t she be our fourth?” he growled.

       Koenma seemed unfazed, “Believe me Yusuke, I have my reasons.”

       For a moment it looked as though Yusuke wasn’t going to back down.  But, after a final glare, he turned away and stomped over to a chair, plopping down angrily.

       Itani watched him silently for a moment and then spoke quietly. “I wish you wouldn’t make such a fuss, Yusuke.” He looked up at her, “I want to go.” They all looked at her in surprise.  She held up a hand to prevent them from interrupting and continued, “I released it after all.  I should go – it’s my responsibility.”

       “It will be dangerous, Itani.” Kurama said quietly.

       Itani nodded, her blue hair falling into her face for a moment before she tucked it back behind her ears, “I know, but I can’t let others take responsibility for what I have done.”

       Genkai rested a hand on her arm, “You had no way of knowing.  Even I did not know what the tablet contained.”

       Itani gave a small smile and grasped the aging woman’s hand lightly, “I know that Genkai.  And I’m not blaming myself.  But I am going to take responsibility for it.”

       The old psychic nodded in understanding.  She would be going herself if she did not know she would be desperately needed here.

       “Then it’s settled.” Koenma said, “You leave now.”