Yu Yu Hakusho: A New Spirit Detective

Chapter 1

Inside the desolate hallway, the sounds of feet trotting echoed throughout the chamber. These sounds came from a blue ogre carrying a large pile of papers. With every few steps, he'd grunt to himself, "C'mon. Almost there, almost there." Papers would scatter and litter the floor as he kept running. Since his hands were full, all he could do was glance at them before moving on.

He kept running while counting his steps; for doing the same job, day in and day out, it's pretty easy to remember little things like this. "129, 130, 131, 132..." He began to slow down as a large wooden door came into view above the stack of papers. The sound of stamping and muddled ranting could be heard behind the door.

The ogre couldn't help but sigh, "Oooooh, Koenma isn't going to like this. We've been swamped today." Koenma is scary; he always gets angry when he comes in with a new batch. Koenma's thrown stamps, staplers, and mean words whenever he shows up. It's not his fault though, he's just doing his job. It didn't matter though, it's his job to make sure all the papers are given to Koenma, and by god, he's gonna do it. With new-found confidence, the ogre opened the door with his foot and entered.

"Lord Koenma, I have a new batch of applications for you!" Within that moment, a stapler flew towards him, destroying his neatly stacked papers and hitting him in the face, toppling him onto the floor with papers flying everywhere. Before he fell he saw his face; an angry toddler with beady eyes piercing into his soul, all while sucking on his pacifier.

"Ogre! What did I tell you about coming in without my permission!?"

Ogre's confidence was shattered, sitting in the piles of forgotten papers. "B-but sir, I have to bring in these—"

"I know what you have to do! Can't you see that's all you've been doing!?" As he waved his hand around.

Koenma's office floor was covered with papers with piles reaching up to the ceiling. With no more space to organize, Ogre has simply placed them onto the floor. Over time, it has become a sea of forgotten applications with no end in sight.

"I've been backed up for years! Every time I manage to stamp a page, we get 5 new ones! Oh..." Koenma slumps into his chair, disappearing from Ogre's view, "I need a nap."

"But sir, there's so much we still have to do. There's no time for-"

"I know Ogre, I'm just exhausted. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like what sir?"

Koenma's stern look showed that was a bad question, but to Ogre's surprise, he continued, "It's my father..."

"K-King Enma?"

"Yes, Ogre, now stop being overly-dramatic. It's been nearly a decade since the Kakai Barrier has been lifted, but my father is still in a feud with Demon World."

"But Lord Koenma, our reports have shown that demon-related incidents have actually decreased ever since the 1st Demon World Tournament. In fact, we've been at an all-time low."

"That's true, but..."

Koenma became quiet, as he was deep in thought. At times like this, Ogre knew that all he could do was wait until Koenma started speaking again. As he waited though, the only sound that broke the silence was Koenma sucking on his pacifier. After all these years, the sound still grates his ears.

"Honestly sir, you really need to stop with that pacifier! There's not even a need for-"

"I know I don't need it anymore Ogre! It's my coping mechanism!" Koenma yelled as he threw a tantrum, hurling more things at Ogre. If there was anything that Ogre wished would have change, it would have been this.

After his tantrum, Koenma slumped back into his chair, "Like you said Ogre, you're right; the amount of demon-related incidents has decreased. In fact, we're at the lowest point in recorded history. However..."

Ogre watched Koenma as he glared at his father's portrait by his desk, with clenched fists and gritted teeth. It's normal to see Koenma throw a tantrum and yell at him. It's even common for him to smack him, throw stuff at him, and do many other things that would be illegal at any other job. However, to see Koenma mad, truly mad, that's something rare and scary.

"It's not enough for my father. He believes that the tournament was a terrible idea, that Yusuke's idea threw Demon World into chaos. That's why he..."

Ogre's ear perked upon hearing this, "You're talking about hiring a new spirit detective?"

"That's correct Ogre, my father wants to see preventive action being taken. He still doesn't trust Demon World, and honestly, I don't think he ever will."

Ogre couldn't help but feel his heart jump, "Then we should get Botan to contact Yusuke and the others! It'll be like the old ti-"

"That's not an option Ogre."

"What? Why not sir? Yusuke and the others would be perfect for the job! They're capable fighters! They know about both worlds, they can jump straight into-"

"I said no Ogre."

A tear ran down Ogre's face as he saw Koenma's serious demeanor, "But why sir? Why not them?"

Koenma tried to keep a stern appearance, but Ogre's tears were too much. He eased his expression as he walked towards his friend in the pile of papers.

"Because my father doesn't trust them. You have to understand Ogre, three of them are demons. If my father doesn't trust them, why do you think he would want to hire one? He blames the current state of our world on them, especially Yusuke."

While talking, Koenma handed Ogre a tissue, then threw it into a pile of papers. "He's not wrong, but he doesn't see it that this can be a change for the better. And besides Ogre, they have their own lives now. They don't have time to play the hero anymore."

"Then who Lord Koenma sir? Who's gonna be the new spirit detective?"

In the first time in years, Ogre heard the childish laugh from Koenma; that cocky laugh he gave when he thinks everything will work out. It usually leads to trouble instead.

"Don't worry, I already have the next applicant set up! All I gotta do is bring him here!"

"Wait sir, are you saying they're still alive?"

"That's right!"

Koenma began to leave the office in a triumphant march. Ogre tried to get up, but with the floor covered with papers, all he could do was slide on the floor, "But sir, no living being can enter into the spirit world!"

"Right again Ogre! Don't worry, I have it alllll planned out!, trust me!"Koenma gave a final laugh as walking out of his office, closing the door behind him. "Oh, and while I'm out, take care of these forms for me. I expect them to be gone by the time I get back, or you'll get a hundred spankings!"

With the booming sound of the door being slammed shut, piles of neatly stacked forms crumble and piled onto Ogre. With Ogre covered head-to-toe in papers, he stared at the door with the sounds of Koenma's laughter etched into his mind, "Oh no, what are you planning on doing Lord Koenma?"