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A.N. – Hey everyone! Before I start this chapter, I would like to say a special thank you to all who not only read the last chapter, but left a review as well. Your attention to my story is very much appreciated. To those of you who added me to your favorite author/stories list, a special thank you is given as well. I hope you all enjoy this new chapter, so let's go!
Poltergeist Report 2: The Untold Saga
Chapter 6 – A New Pupil
By: Shisoukengo
Kuwabara couldn't believe the sight of the figure standing just a few feet away from him. His eyes were bugged as he took sight of the uniformed man in front of him. The clothing, combined with his strangely colored blue hair, was a dead giveaway to his identity, as well as a disgusted reminder of their last encounter.
'Damnit, tha hell is this guy doin here? Anytime this bastard shows up, it's never a good sign.' Kuwabara looked down at his clenched fists, silently trying to ascertain how much strength he has left. 'Damn, it took nearly everything I had just to take that punk Rando down. I don't have anything left.'
'This guy picked the perfect time to show up,' He thought before a light-bulb went on his head. 'Wait a sec…' Kuwabara's reverie was cut off by the voice of the girl still kneeling beside him.
"You're, the man from that time, outside of Genkai-san's temple!" Her look of recognition was met with cool gaze from the Spirit Defense Force captain.
"Yes, that is correct, but I don't believe we have been properly introduced. Allow me to introduce myself; I am captain of the Reikai Special Defense Force, Shun-jun."
"The hell are ya doin here? Ya already sent Urameshi and the others away, and I doubt you're here for an evening stroll." Kuwabara's narrowed gaze was met with a smirk.
"Ah, yes, I do recall sending those three demons away when last we met."
"They have names, ya know, it's Urameshi, Kurama, and Hiei!" Kuwabara yelled, his anger peaking momentarily.
"Your defense of those three is admirable really, admirable, yet foolish. After all, were they not the ones who left you behind?" The words only served to infuriate Kuwabara even more, as they reflected thoughts he had been thinking himself. "In any case, it is none of my concern, as my duty is to see to it that your power over dimensions is permanently dealt with, Kuwabara Kazuma."
"What? But why?" Kuwabara asked, caught off-guard by Shun-jun's announcement.
"My, you're certainly full of questions. And utterly clueless as well, we're here to seal your power because it is far too dangerous to leave unchecked."
"And just who was it that gave such a bullshit order anyway?" Kuwabara attempted to rise to his feet as he spoke, his body protesting against the movement. "I know it wasn't Koenma, according to him he's been in exile for backin Urameshi up after that whole Sensui deal went down."
The ever present smirk on the captain's face was all the answer Kuwabara needed.
"That's correct; Koenma-sama was not the one who issued the order. The order was of course, by decree of Enma-daioh-sama."
'Figures,' Kuwabara mentally swore, realizing the situation. 'The fight with that freak Rando drained most of my reiki. I gotta distract em,' he thought, and there was only thing he thought could do it.
"Is he also the one who let that freak Rando out to attack the city?" Kuwabara knew he had struck pay dirt when Shun-jun's cool gaze dropped momentarily, an eyebrow being raised in response.
"Oh, and what draws you to that conclusion?" Shun-jun questioned which caused Kuwabara to smirk this time.
"Well, the fact that you didn't try to deny it just now is a big tip off in of itself. Not to mention that it's highly doubtful that psycho got out by himself. I also doubt you guys showin up after my fight with him is just one big coincidence. That means ya had to be watchin me the entire time."
"That's quite impressive; you're more intuitive than you look." Kuwabara bristled at the jibe, trying yet failing miserably, to level the S.D.F. captain with a hardened glare.
Several other figures suddenly appeared, each dressed in the identical uniforms as the blue-haired captain. Turning, Shun-jun addressed one of the members.
"Tadashi, what's the status?" The man with the bowl-cut hairstyle bowed formally as he responded.
"Sir, we have just confirmed that the sleep inducement spell has been successfully executed, and the memories of the events involving the battle that took place here have been erased." Tadashi replied with a nasal tone and a bow.
"Excellent work, now proceed with erasing any and all evidence of the events that occurred here. Make sure the others are informed as well."
Shun-jun's order was followed with a firm "yes sir" as he disappeared along with 5 other S.D.F. members to accomplish their task. Turning back, the S.D.F. leader was greeted with a confused look from Kuwabara.
"Ya mean ya put 'em to sleep to erase their memories?" His question seemed like it was trying to confirm suspicion, rather than being due to a lack of comprehension.
"That's correct; after all, Ningenkai is far from being ready to accept the existence of spiritual entities, including yokai. It is important, therefore, that humans be kept ignorant of either's existence."
"Well, isn't that convenient for ya!" Kuwabara only scowled as Shun-jun spoke.
"I suppose you could look at it that way. Now please, Kuwabara Kazuma, cease with the stalling tactics. The sealing of your dimensional power will commence now."
With a nod of his head, two of the captain's S.D.F. subordinates suddenly surrounded Kuwabara. A female bearing a strange similarity to Shizuru grasped Yukina by the arm, firmly dragging the now struggling Koorime away from Kuwabara. The rumbling that had been building in his chest erupted in a growl from his throat as he surged to his feet, his reiki spiking along with his emotions.
"LET HER GO BASTARD!"
His shout was met with a pair of hands gripping his shoulders on each side as his body was forced down before he could even finish ascending to his feet. He grunted in pain as his face met harshly with the cement. Two members of the S.D.F. knelt beside him, their grip firm as they held him down.
"Now just be a good boy and lay still, brat. No reason to make this any more difficult than it needs to be." The larger of the two men stated as he pressed down a little more firmly than was necessary.
"That is enough, Iwao; there is no reason to be unpleasant as well. We have not been given any orders to terminate. Suffocating Kuwabara –san isn't necessary." Shun-jun's calm demeanor remained, even when Kuwabara lifted his head to glare at him with furious eyes.
"Calm down, Kuwabara-san," Shun-jun stated calmly, unfazed by the teen's furious stare. "Rest assured that no harm will come to the girl, provided that you give us your full co-operation." Though his words were polite and sincere, Kuwabara didn't seem convinced. An amused smirk shone on the captain's face.
"While our job is to track down and eradicate any yokai that pose a danger within the borders of this world, the girl does not pose such a threat." Shun-jun then stepped forward, his hands beginning to shimmer with a bright glow as reiki flowed into and filled his palms.
Kuwabara's glare did not whither in the slightest, even while his struggles ceased. He cursed at the feeling of helplessness, mentally berating himself for having the lack of strength necessary to resist his captives. A condescending thought in the back of his mind exposed itself as he met the frightened eyes of Yukina. It whispered that neither of his former teammates would allow themselves to be pinned like this. A burning rage began to simmer within him at the thought, and he felt his once depleted reiki refilling once again.
Noticing the surge of his energy as his muscles tightened in response, his assailants pressed him down tighter, one of them muttering for him to "not even think about it." Before the captain's hands could reach him, however, the sound of heavy breathing and hurried footsteps caught the group's attention. As they came to a stop, Kuwabara glanced in their direction, only to be stunned at the sight of his sister standing a few feet away. Her chest heaved with exhaustion from her run, a worried looking Botan hovering slightly overhead. An equally exhausted Koenma in his teenage form appeared right after, followed by a haggard-looking Genkai.
"Koenma-sama, I must say this is a little surprising."
Shun-jun's cool demeanor cracked for a moment, expressing some of the surprise he was feeling. Koenma's narrowed gaze swept over the area, surveying the amount of damage done, as well as spying the headless form of what he recognized as Rando. His eyes then drifted over to Kuwabara's prone form, the other two S.D.F. members still holding the young teenager. If not for the situation he was in, Koenma might have found the boy's stunned expression amusing.
"Did you think I wouldn't be able to feel that demon's yoki? And more importantly, how about you informing me of what, exactly, is going on? You can start by explaining how a criminal that I've already had locked away was able to cross back over into Ningenkai."
"Perceptive as usual, Koenma-sama, I can see that dwelling in this lower world has not dulled your intuition. The answer to your questions is relatively simple. We are here under the orders of the great Enma-daio-sama, to seal away the powers of this boy." Koenma and the others could not contain their surprise at the revelation.
"I see, and do those orders include assassinating Kuwabara as well?" At Koenma's question, a spike of tension was suddenly felt in the now quiet intersection. A slight drop in temperature was also felt as the group turned to the source, Shizuru having what could only be described as a furious look on her face.
Koenma and Botan each wore looks of unease, while Genkai maintained a look of neutrality, though the slight quirk of the corner of her lips suggested she was more amused than she let on. The two S.D.F. members still holding Kuwabara grinned smugly, as they too found amusement in the small amount of killing intent the young woman was releasing.
"Oh, that's slightly impressive for a human with no spiritual training. However, you should calm your anger woman, as I've stated before your arrival, our mission is not one of assassination."
"Then what the hell do you mean by sealing his powers?" Shizuru demanded, her anger having not wavered in spite of their answer to Koenma's question. Shun-jun eyed her for a long moment, as if deciding whether or not to respond to her.
"Since the emergence of A- and S-class beings in Makai, Reikai has been responsible for ensuring the safety of Ningenkai from these destructive beings. The construction of the Kekkai barrier and the establishment of the Reikai Special Defense Force are the main factors implemented to accomplish that goal."
"Skip the history lesson, captain, I know the specifics. What does all of this have to do with Kuwabara?" Koenma's tone implied his annoyance.
"Then surely someone aware of such information will also be aware of the fate of one who endangers Ningenkai by damaging either of those protective forces." Shun-jun's gaze remained cool, though the tone of his voice was as sharp as steel.
Koenma startled, not knowing what to say in response. While his instinct was to defend the boy who had helped his detective on nearly all of his cases, he knew that the Spirit Force captain also had a point. What Kuwabara had done was a grave offense that could've put the living world in danger, one that was answerable only by the worst punishment Reikai could issue.
'He's right, compared to what Father would've normally done, sealing Kuwabara's powers is a very lenient gesture,' Koenma thought of the rare display as Shun-jun smirked, knowing that the prince had no retort for his comment. Shizuru surprised everyone as she stepped forward, addressing the captain directly.
"So you're not here to kill my otouto*?" The question had the newly appointed captain cocking an eyebrow, his expression unchanging.
"No, as I said previously, those were not the orders given to us." Shizuru's face seemed contemplative, and Koenma and the others realized that the older sibling was actually considering it.
"Shizuru!" Botan gasped. "Think about what you're doing?"
"I AM thinking about it. I'm thinking about Kazuma's safety. He promised to stop fighting, and if he doesn't have his powers anymore, then that means he won't have to fight," she responded. "He can be normal again," she added in a whisper.
Both Botan and Koenma were silent, each knowing the agreement that the elder sibling had practically made her brother agree to.
"Don't be foolish Shizuru," Genkai's voice was sharp, causing the young woman to turn in her direction. The aged psychic met Shizuru's narrowed stare unflinchingly. "I understand that you don't want to see Kuwabara get into any unnecessary danger, but sealing his powers away won't help. If anything, it'll only place him in even greater danger."
"What do you mean?" Shizuru asked confused
"That very question is why you shouldn't make this decision so lightly. Sealing his powers will only prevent Kuwabara from having access to them. Those powers are a part of him, and will still be present within his body. Think of it as placing a sheet over a lamp. While the light cannot be seen as clearly, it is still visible, and stands out even more in the surrounding darkness. Naturally, anyone wandering in that darkness will be attracted to the light's source."
Shizuru frowned at the analogy, trying to discern the true meaning behind it. Botan looked equally thoughtful, if slightly confused, while Koenma cast a knowing, side-long glance at Genkai. The aged psychic, by this time, had turned her gaze back toward the S.D.F. members standing over the prone form of Kuwabara.
"Your brother is much like the light I'm speaking of, Shizuru, and while casting a seal over his powers will make it harder for demons to detect its presence, I can assure you it will still be there. And if attacked, Kuwabara would be completely defenseless."
The aged psychic's words seemed to have a startling effect on Shizuru, as her brows drew together in recognition and thought. She turned a contemplative eye back toward her brother, who was still being held down and was struggling to get up. Genkai stepped forward, slightly in front of the group, yet maintaining a respectable distance between herself and the S.D.F. captain.
"If this is really about King Enma worrying about Kuwabara's new powers falling into the wrong hands, then I'd like to offer a proposition of my own."
"And that is?" the captain asked, arching an eyebrow curiously.
"Leave Kuwabara to me, I'll train him in learning to properly control and master his abilities." Genkai's statement drew surprised gasps from Koenma and Botan, being that they were unaware of Genkai's earlier proposal to Shizuru.
"Our orders were given to us by the mighty King Enma," Shun-jun spoke with a stern gaze, "why would we abandon our duty for such a meaningless proposal?"
"Because the proposal is a better alternative," Genkai spoke confidently.
"And just how did you come to that assumption?" The question was rhetorical, she could tell, yet she answered him readily.
"Simple, based off what you have told us, King Enma's main concern appears to be having Kuwabara's power fall into enemy hands. Certainly this is an understandable fear, but as I've already pointed out, sealing that power is not a permanent solution, and will only leave Kuwabara even more defenseless."
Taking the spirit captain's lack of response as a sign, Genkai continued explaining her offer.
"However, if you allow me to give him sufficient training, I guarantee he will not only be able to fully control his power, but he will be strong enough to defeat any B- or even A-class yokai that passes through the Kekkai barrier."
Kuwabara, along with the others present, stared at Genkai with mixed looks. Some, noticeably Kuwabara, with the same wonder he had shown when the aged master announced her proposal; and some with apprehension, such as the SDF members, skeptical as to whether or not such an alternative suggestion would truly be a better solution.
"Mastering reiki isn't something as simple as some human exercise program. It takes both talent and dedication to accomplish such a thing, especially since it normally takes years to reach such a level. How can you be so sure that a boorish child such as him can accomplish that?" The captain pointed a finger at Kuwabara, emphasizing his point. While Shizuru scowled in defense of her brother, however, Genkai remained un-phased by the subtle challenge.
"Kuwabara has always possessed potential, almost as much as Yusuke. I've known that since the first day he appeared at my tournament for a successor. I've watched as he not only manifested his power, but also developed it, all without any coaching and with the barest of training. I have every bit of confidence that he can master his power. Hell," she smiled condescendingly, "I wouldn't be surprised if after my time with him he's able to take on any of you."
"Oh? Placing your confidence in a child, your age must finally be catching up with you."
"Humph," Genkai smirked, "perhaps, or maybe I'm just mature enough to acknowledge a hard worker when I see one. Either way, just give me half a year, and I'll turn that kid into a fighter capable of beating any one of your tights-wearing buddies there." She nodded to the two members holding Kuwabara, both of whom scowled at her remark of their wardrobe.
Fortunately, their captain intervened; stifling any urge they may have had to retaliate. His confident grin was back in full effect, intrigued by the old woman's offer.
"An interesting proposition indeed. Koenma-sama, are you willing to place your trust in this old woman and immature child?"
"Of course, I trust both Genkai's experience and Kuwabara's work ethic fully," the prince of Reikai declared firmly.
"Very well, I will report this to King Enma-sama, and request the time that you have set. We will give you 6 months to accomplish your task; otherwise, WE will carry out King Enma-sama's order without fail." Turning to his comrades, Shun-jun gave a nod, followed by a hand signal. The remaining forces appeared beside him instantly, each gathered in formation. Turning, he gave one remark. "Good luck with your task, Genkai-san, you and this child will need it."
In a flash of light, the S.D.F. members shot off, returning back to Reikai. With the confrontation over, Koenma let loose a relieved sigh, as Yukina and Shizuru shot past him to Kuwabara's unconscious form.
"I don't like this, the S.D.F. are my father's most trusted fighters, they would never willingly abandon an order like this." Koenma spoke, turning his gaze away from where the S.D.F. had disappeared, to the silent form of Genkai. "Are you certain you can pull this off? Six months isn't exactly a whole lot of time."
"I'm aware of that, just as I'm also aware of the S.D.F.'s reputation, which is why I felt asking for any more time than that would be foolish." The aged psychic turned to look at Kuwabara who was beginning to sit up with the help of Shizuru and Yukina.
"The rest simply depends on Kuwabara's future efforts." Her calm, brown eyes lingered on Kuwabara for another moment, before she turned to head back in the opposite direction. "Come on, the authorities are going to be here sooner or later, and we don't want any more attention than we've already been given."
Kuwabara awoke slowly, his vision cloudy and senses dull. Blinking slowly, he felt the soft cushion of a mattress on his back, supported by the bed frame that he was beginning to realize he now rested upon. As his vision cleared and daylight from a nearby window filtered into his eyes, he turned his gaze to spy a figure sitting in a nearby chair. As the grogginess from his sleep began to wear off, he realized with a shock that the figure in the chair was Yukina, and that both he and she were in his bedroom at home.
With a groan he sat up, the memories coming back as his brain began to process everything, the events of the evening before playing in his mind.
'That's right, I beat that creep, Rando.' He thought as he continued to observe Yukina, asleep with her head propped on a desk. His pet cat, Eikichi, was curled up asleep in the demoness' lap.
'Wait, I'm sure I'm missin somethin,' the teen frowned for a moment, trying to piece the jumbled fragments of his recent activities together. 'Wait, now I remember. Those punks from the S.D.F., they had grabbed Yukina while tryin to do somethin to me.'
"I see you're back from la-la land, baby bro." The calm, mocking voice of Shizuru caused Kuwabara to direct his frown at her.
"Geez, gimme a break for once, Sis; I saved the city after getting attacked last night."
"Yes, and you also broke your promise not to fight anymore." Shizuru seemed unforgiving as crossed the room toward her brother. Grabbing him by the shirt he was wearing, she yanked him toward her, bringing them face to face.
"Now what do you have to say for yourself?" She demanded.
Knowing she had a point, Kuwabara found himself looking down for a moment, before meeting her glare with one of his own.
"Yeah, I did break that promise. But people were bein attacked, and I ain't a coward. What was I supposed to do?" This caused Shizuru to soften momentarily before releasing her brother. Sighing, the elder sibling made herself comfortable sitting on the edge of his bed, just as a cheerful Botan bounded into the room.
"Ah, Kuwabara-kun, it's good to see you awake." Her cheerful spirit and wave caused his eye to twitch, while also causing Yukina to stir awake as well.
"Kazuma-san!" She sat up with a start, a startled Eikichi leaping suddenly from its perch. "Are you okay? How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, don't worry, tha sleep did me good since the fight pretty much wore me out. And thanks to your healing powers and the power of our love, my wounds feel all better."
He reached out and clasped her soft hands in his, trying to give her a look of adoration that made both of them blush. But just as the mood started, it was cut off by Shizuru giving him a sharp rap to the back of his head.
"Give it a rest will ya!" She snapped, secretly glad that her brother seemed back to his goofy self.
"So what happened last night after the fight?" He asked while rubbing the sore spot of his head. Each of the girls glanced at each other, before looking back at the teen.
"Don't you remember, Kazuma?" Shizuru asked, frowning slightly with worry.
"Huh, I remember the fight, I beat Rando with my reiken. Then those S.D.F. guys showed up," Kuwabara glanced at Yukina, then to his hands which were now clutching the sheets. "They had Yukina, I tried to stop em, but they pinned me down. Guess I blacked out past that point."
Worried for her friend, Yukina placed a calming hand on his shoulder, hoping to soothe away his troubled thoughts. She couldn't explain it, but since her first meeting the red-headed teen, there was a thinly-veiled feeling that had been passing between the two. Though mysterious and barely detectable, it had been slowly gaining in intensity throughout their time together.
'Kazuma-san is so full of worry, and sorrow.' She thought as she watched him slightly lean into her touch. 'I can feel it, it's almost like the feeling I get when Nii-san is nearby.'
Her thoughts were cut off as a figure bounded into the room.
"Ah, back from the dead eh son?"
Kuwabara eyed the tall, broad man, who appeared to be the spitting image of his son, or rather his son of him. One of the only minute differences between the two being that his father opted to wear his hear in a casual ponytail.
"Yeah, at least I feel that way," Kuwabara groaned, placing a hand to his head in an effort to stem the dull ache caused by his dad's booming voice. "Feels like I shoulda got tha license plate of whatever truck hit me."
"You should've, yer just lucky that Shizuru-chan and Obaa-san were there to cover fer ya."
At the last name Kuwabara looked up, confused as to why Genkai's name was being mentioned. Before he could give it much thought, however, he found himself being yanked forward.
"Didn't yer sister and I teach you how ta fight better than that! Ya could've been killed ya brat!" His father's booming voice and menacing glare cut into his thoughts, immediately putting his son on the defensive.
Pushing his father's hand away, Kuwabara responded with equal ferocity, his forehead butting against his dad's.
"OF COURSE YOU DID, THAT'S HOW I WON THE DAMN FIGHT! BESIDES, I WAS OUTNUMBERED THROUGHOUT THE DAMN THING!" That admission seemed to stun the elder Kuwabara, as he blinked in confusion while leaning back.
"Outnumbered, really? By how many?"
Kuwabara's eye simply twitched in response to his father's question.
"You mean you seriously didn't know that?!" The incredulity in his voice had Shizuru shaking her head. It was clear by the way their father was standing with a mock expression of innocence, a finger scratching his cheek, that he already knew the facts surrounding the fight and was just messing with his son.
"Well, I suppose given this new piece of information, I can let you off the hook for getting such a beat down." The Kuwabara patriarch's words, along with his cavalier attitude, only increased his son's vehemence.
"TRY FINDING OUT ALL THE FACTS NEXT TIME DAMNIT!" Kuwabara yelled, only to blush and grin in embarrassment as he noticed his sister letting out an annoyed sigh, accompanied Yukina's soft giggling.
A knock sounded at the door, interrupting the mood as Genkai walked inside. Her face was in its usual impassive mask as she approached.
"You're finally awake sleeping beauty. That's good, because you and I have something to discuss."
Kuwabara's eyes narrowed at Genkai's remark, his mind recalling the discussion he'd had with Yukina the day before. It was one thing that Yusuke had been able to train under the old master after all, he'd won her tournament fair and square. But to discover that she was willing to train a group of demons, while he had been forced to, for the most part, develop his skills on his own was no less than insulting.
'You'd figure I'd have at least earned that much by now,' he thought as he turned his face away from Genkai to look at the window, apparently not caring that the blinds were closed.
Noticing his reaction to her remark, Genkai turned to the others in the room, suspecting their conversation might take longer than she anticipated.
"Give us a minute will you? I've gotta talk to the baka about something."
Noticing the woman's serious look, Kuwabara's father nodded, having already been filled in on the situation by the old woman and his daughter the night before. Turning, he addressed the other two women in the room, only to notice that Shizuru had already stood and was casually strolling out of the room. Turning, he offered his arm to Yukina, a polite grin offered to her confused expression.
"Come Yukina-chan, I'll give you a tour of our home while we talk about you staying with us."
"Hai," Yukina responded with a gentle smile as she took the man's offered arm.
Together, the two strolled out of the room as Genkai took Yukina's place in her seat. Kuwabara could hear the boisterous voice of his father down the hall as he pointed out different rooms down the hall, gritting his teeth in annoyance. While he was grateful to his dad for offering Yukina a place to stay in the city, he couldn't help but be annoyed with his dad's obvious attempt not to appear prying. His attention didn't stay on his dad for long as the watchful stare of Genkai forced his attention back onto her. The two locked gazes for what seemed like minutes, though it was only mere moments, impassive eyes staring into narrowed ones. Finally, a sigh broke the staring contest as Genkai finally spoke.
"Before we go any further, let me first congratulate you on a job well done last night." The compliment did its job of startling Kuwabara, granting Genkai the upper hand in the conversation. Not being one to waste an opportunity, she continued her speech.
"Rando was clearly not the same apparition you and Yusuke encountered in my tournament. Shizuru and I could sense it all the way from here. Not only had his bloodlust grew, but his power too, he was the equivalent of a low B-class apparition. For a while there, I anticipated perhaps having to handle him myself."
"W-whatta ya mean by 'you could feel it from here?' Are ya saying you were at my house?" Kuwabara's startled look was comical, as if the very concept that she was willing to make a trip to his home in the city were that unbelievable.
"Of course ahou, that's exactly what I'm saying." Before Kuwabara could mouth a response, Genkai was speaking again. "I came back to my temple the other day to check on Yukina, since I detected a presence had entered my compound. Of course, it wasn't until I arrived that I realized the presence I felt was yours. However, that also meant I was there to hear your conversation with Yukina. Well, at least part of it anyway."
Smirking, the aged master continued to focus on Kuwabara, seeing the confused expression still etched on his face.
"Are you serious about your training?" She asked suddenly, jerking the young man's attention away from his thoughts and back onto her. "The main reason I came to your home last night was to speak with Shizuru. From what I understand, the two of you have some sort of arrangement made after Yusuke defeated Sensui, right?"
"Yeah, that's right. Shizuru-nee made me promise that I would quit fighting and concentrate on school. Said she wanted me ta think about my future for once." Genkai nodded, having pretty much gained the same explanation from Shizuru.
"So, what does that have to with your question?" Aged brown eyes stared into young ones as Genkai could since the teen's wariness. She paused another moment for added effect, knowing it would irritate him further.
"I asked because I informed Shizuru that it was about time that I oversee your training." She expected Kuwabara's shocked response, as both knew Shizuru was not the type to bend on such matters. "After I made it clear to her that it would be foolish to allow you to strut around with a new power unchecked, Shizuru told me that if I took you in for training, that it could not interfere with your progress at school. Frankly, I agree with her on that issue, but incidents like last night only proved that letting you continue as you are without some sort of basic training will only put you and those around you in danger."
Standing from her seat, the aged psychic and martial artist strolled casually over to the window, reaching up and opening the blinds to allow sunlight to stream into the room. Kuwabara squinted at the sudden introduction, his eyes slowly adjusting in time to see the older woman's face turn toward him.
"I paid a visit to your school this morning, after I got directions from Shizuru. After speaking briefly to your school's principle and your homeroom teacher, they understand that you'll be taking a leave of absence from the school once you finish your current semester. So, they've agreed to allow you to home-school for your next course, and will be sending a tutor from the school to my compound, to oversee your studies."
"Are you serious?" Kuwabara asked, not believing what he was hearing. 'Strange, I was certain Shizuru-nee would never have signed off on something like this. She was adamant about me continuing in school. And with this being my first year there, I'm certain they don't normally allow this sorta thing either.'
"What the hell did you say ta them, obaa-san?" The disbelief in his voice was palpable, even though his face held such a serious demeanor.
"It's not important what I said. What matters is that I've gone out of my way to set everything up so that I can oversee your training. All I want to know is are you serious about it?" Genkai's sudden seriousness caused Kuwabara to rock backwards. Leaping out of bed, the teen suddenly knelt before Genkai.
"Hell yeah, I'm dead serious. Please, Genka-baa-san, give me the training I need to control my power!" His sudden show of humility, while heartwarming to most, spoke volumes to Genkai of his character, even as she maintained her impassive gaze on him.
"Alright, since you seem to be serious about your request, I'll accept it. For the next 6 months, you will be my student. However," she spoke, cutting off his intended response, "I don't have the time or patience for half-assed slackers. If you train under me, I expect you to give me your full effort. That means no griping and no laziness; if I ask you to do something, you do it, and put all of your effort into it. If not, I'll send your ass back here and you can continue studying math, do you understand?"
Kuwabara, a little pissed at her words, could understand her request. After all, Yusuke had never been known for being an ideal student, and Kuwabara imagined that Genkai was no exception when it came to getting headaches that inevitably followed from being the former detective's teacher. Nodding, Kuwabara gave his answer.
"I ain't like Urameshi, I'm actually capable of taking stuff seriously when I need to."
"Humph, that's not what I recall throughout most of the Dark Tournament." Genkai resisted the impulse to grin as her words gained their intended response.
"Gah, that's old news! I'm not the same punk I was back then. Besides, I came through for the team in the end. If it wasn't for me, we woulda never won in the first place!" His was flushed with his embarrassment, as he recalled some of the damning matches he had from the tournament.
"That's good to know because if I see any shitty performances like the ones you gave back then, I'll kick your ass right out of my compound. Those demons Kurama asked me to train have come far in their training, and no longer need my instruction. By the time your current classes end, they'll be heading to the Makai to meet up with Kurama. That means that a war could be right around the corner, and if you're going to protect this world, you can't afford to dawdle. You'll need to become stronger fast, and that means that you'll have to focus and, above all, work hard. If you're able to do that, then I guarantee that in 6 months you'll have the strength necessary to protect Ningenkai."
Her eyes bore down into his, and she could see the determination within them. A fire burned in those eyes, one that had lain smoldering ever since he fully awakened his power. Unlike Yusuke, he had the will to protect everyone around him, and perhaps, she hoped, he had an equally strong work ethic. Standing, Kuwabara kept his eyes on Genkai's.
"Ah, I got it. Don't worry obaa-san, I'll prove to you that I'm not some lucky punk." He thrust a thumb to his chest, puffing it out for effect. "I'm a man, and I'm willin to put in the work to earn my spot like one!"
Smirking, Genkai turned away, walking toward the open bedroom door. She paused at the entryway, her voice carrying over her shoulder toward him.
"That's good to hear because I don't intend to go easy on you. Come to my temple a month from now when you've finished your classes. Your training will begin as soon as you arrive."
With that, she walked out of his room, leaving a determined Kuwabara to his thoughts.
To Be Continued…..
A.N. – I know this chapter has been a long time coming, and I sincerely apologize for keeping you all waiting. I had college courses throughout last year and earlier this year and had to deal with a position change at my job shortly before the summer season set in. However, the season has mostly ended, and I've obtained my Associate's in Business Administration, so I can get back into my writing now. Thanks again for reading, I'll try to have the next chapter up shortly. Also, be kind, and review if you enjoyed it!