Chapter 2: Normal Life? And Departure
In an apartment of downtown Tokyo, there was a buzzer ringing in a medium size room. A teenage boy, no older than 14 or 15 slammed his hand onto his digital clock. Sleepily, he pulled himself out of bed, and yawned.
'Great…two weeks after the freaking Dark Tournament and I have to go back to freaking school…' he thought, wiping his eye, "Damn, I hate Mondays…"
This teenager was Yusuke Urameshi, the young man who won the Dark Tournament. Life had become almost normal for him, well, if you call having an alcoholic clueless mother, spiritual powers, no father figure and demons for friends normal that is. He walked out of his room and out into the kitchen, where his mother was still in deep sleep.
'Man, great mom, where's my breakfast?' Yusuke thought as he tip toed to the cabinets, 'Good, there are at least some good cereals left…'
He took out a bowl of Honeycombs, and poured it into the bowl. He tried to do it as quietly as he could so he wouldn't wake up his mother. He poured milk into the bowl, and walked into the living room. He turned on the television, and watched a bit of the news; he wanted to check up on the sports.
After finishing eating, he went into the bathroom for a shower. He still had all the cuts, bruises, and scratch marks he received from Toguro. Some were still a little sore, but he could manage. After cleaning himself, he brushed his teeth and walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist, and he saw his mother.
"Good…morning Yusuke…" Mrs. Urameshi yawned deeply, and she rubbed her eyes, "Oh…that's right, you have school today…"
"That's only because Keiko's making me go!" Yusuke retorted, never liking school because of the abusive teachers. The only teacher he respected at Sarayashiki Junior High was Mr. Takanaka, 'Man, someday, I'm going to beat down Mr. Iwamoto and Mr. Akashi someday…'
After changing into his green jumpsuit (the wrong uniform for his school), he went to his mom.
"Don't you have a job interview today?" he asked, taking a drink of milk from the carton.
"Oh…yeah…thanks for reminding me Yusuke, I don't know what I'd do without you…"
"Go on endless drinking binges with your cross-dressing friends?" Yusuke joked, and his mother blushed, "Well, I'm off for another day of hell…"
Yusuke walked out the door, leaving his mother to her thoughts.
'Yusuke seems to be getting more responsible lately…' she thought, watching her son walk down the hall toward the elevator, '…must be something in the water…'
Yusuke met Kuwabara and Keiko on the road, and they began walking towards Sarayashiki Junior High. Yusuke yawned, and then gazed down to the ground.
"Aw, I'm beat! Since we got back, all I've felt like doing is watching stupid daytime television," Yusuke said to his two friends.
"It's such a pretty day too, doesn't feel right to be locked up in school," Kuwabara added as he followed Yusuke.
"Uh oh, I think I just got sick," Yusuke chimed in, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk.
"Me too, I heard the arcade has medicine," Kuwabara said as he walked up to his friend.
"I guess we'll just have to go then-OW!" Keiko slammed Yusuke over the head with her book bag, "Hey! What was that for?"
"Don't even think of skipping school. You're mom had to do a lot of convincing so they wouldn't fail you this year," Keiko told him, her bag still hovering over his head.
"Guy saves the world, and still has to do algebra, makes sense," Yusuke growled as he walked off.
"Yes, it does…" Keiko said as she followed him.
They then saw a group of thugs tormenting a couple.
"Hey, nice little girlfriend here!"
"Show us how you kiss her!"
"Didn't know the low lives come out this time of day," Kuwabara said, extremely annoyed.
"Oo, look at what we have here, this girl has two boyfriends," and the one with the shaved head and sunglasses snickered, "Got room for a third, honey?"
He then got a look into Yusuke's eyes, and stood there speechless, like he was frozen in terror.
"What's the deal, they're just kids!" the leader of the thugs pushed his way to the front, but he got a look at Yusuke's angry expression.
"Let's not fight okay, Yusuke?" Keiko asked, as she clutched Yusuke's spirit beast, Puu, in her arms.
"Sure…" Yusuke said as he started walking threw the thugs, and they made their way for him.
"Yeah, they're not men," Kuwabara added as he and Keiko walked threw the crowd of thugs.
In a nearby café, Professor Xavier, Hank who had his holo-watch on, Logan, and Ororo watched what had just transpired.
"I guess that punk in the green suit is Yusuke…" Logan said as he drank some sake.
"Seems to be…" Hank said, taking a sip of his green tea since he never drank alcohol.
"Hurry, we must get to his school," Xavier told them, as he left the yen on the counter for the drink, and he wheeled himself out followed by Logan, Hank, and Ororo.
By the time lunch came around, Professor Xavier had started talking to Mr. Takanaka, with his three followers. The two assistant principals were in the room, for they have heard of the famous Charles Xavier.
"I have been told you're Professor Xavier, it is an honor to meet you," Takanaka bowed in respect to Charles, and he did the same, "What brings you to Sarayashiki?"
"I have come seeking gifted students to join my school," Xavier told him, after he bowed to the head principle, "My sources tell me that there are three gifted students here, Yusuke Urameshi, Kazuma Kuwabara, and Keiko Yukimura."
"What?" one of the assistant principals, Mr. Iwamoto yelled, "You want Urameshi and Kuwabara to join your school?"
"That source of yours has to be mistaken! I can understand Yukimura, but not Urameshi and Kuwabara!" the other, shorter, buck toothed assistant principal, Mr. Akashi yelled, as he and Iwamoto walked forward, "You cannot be serious."
"Our source has a gift of knowing potential, and those two boys have plenty of it," Hank interjected, and the two assistant principals looked over to him, "From what we've been told, given the right teachers, those two would do really well."
"What? Are you insulting us?" Iwamoto growled, testing Logan's patience.
"I wasn't addressing you, Mr. Iwamoto. Do you have something to hide?" Hank asked, smirking slightly.
"You…"
"Hank McCoy here is one of the best teachers at the institute," Xavier said to Takanaka, "Other than getting schooling at the institute, the students also go to normal public school. Yusuke, Kazuma, and Keiko are all old enough to start freshmen year at Bayville High School."
"It would give your school more credits if you send three students to the Institute you know," Hank added casually, and he glanced at Iwamoto and Akashi.
"What would you know of good schooling, Mr. McCoy?" Iwamoto berated, "Those two punks aren't even fit to go to elementary school!"
"You seem to have a personal vendetta against both of them," Hank said, they're eyes making contact, "Good teachers don't judge who is fit to teach. They pass on their knowledge, no matter who the person is. A good teacher likes all kids, no matter what lot of life they're in, and if they're in a rut, they help out their students, not let them fail."
Logan smirked, he rarely got to see Hank getting pissed off, 'He really is passionate about teaching…hm, Iwamoto looks familiar…"
Before a fight could break out between Iwamoto and Hank, Takanaka stopped his assistant.
"Mr. Iwamoto, you are in no position to know who is a good student or not," Takanaka told him, reaching into his desk for something, "You and Mr. Akashi here have been abusing your power as educators."
"I can see why those two boys don't like school…" Xavier said after he did a brief mind scan of the two assistant principals.
Mr. Takanaka then pulled out two slips; both of the pink color, "And, after hearing Mr. McCoy's speech on what a good teacher is, you don't even deserve to work at this school."
Mr. Akashi and Mr. Iwamoto went speechless, as their boss started filling out the pink slips, which were firing forms.
"M….Mr. Takanaka, you can't be serious," Mr. Akashi trembled, as he looked as his name was entered onto the first slip.
"You have no right to talk, Mr. Akashi," Takanaka told him, "You have been on the edge of a knife ever since you tried to cheat Kuwabara out of his friend's job. Once more, you forbade him from defending himself, which is another offense. You have no business being here, so please empty your locker, and get out of my office."
Mr. Iwamoto then looked on, his rage at Takanaka growing. He was part of the famous Iwamoto clan, and it would be sacrilege of him being fired from such a prestigious school.
"You…can't do this, Takanaka…" Iwamoto growled, as he watched Mr. Takanaka finish filling out his pink slip, "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes, but your family line doesn't excuse your abuse of power, Mr. Iwamoto," Takanaka replied sternly, and he handed his former colleague, "Now, please, leave this school. Maintain what is left of your dignity, and never go into teaching again."
Iwamoto snapped, and he charged both Xavier and Takanaka. He wouldn't be insulted, he wouldn't give up his post of assistant principal of Sarayashiki Junior High, and he threw out his fists at both of them.
"I was saving this for Yusuke, but you two bastards will do!" Mr. Iwamoto roared, preparing to beat down his former employer.
Logan then leapt out of his seat, tackling Iwamoto, and they both rolled on the ground violently.
"Get a hold of yourself, bub!" Logan warned as he quickly overpowered the former teacher, and raised his hand over his head, "Stop this, or do you want to end up like your father?"
That hit home, and Iwamoto stopped thrashing.
"How…how do you…know of my…father?" Iwamoto asked, speechless.
"My father met him at the end of World War II, your father was an evil man without honor, and you're turning out exactly like him," Logan told him, not revealing the fact that he actually fought Iwamoto's father in the ending days of World War II, "Now please, leave this school with your dignity."
Iwamoto agreed to that, and got his things. He knew his father, a crook, a former soldier, the very man who beat him and his mother. He had turned out exactly like him, and it horrified him.
'Nice job controlling your rage, Logan,' Xavier congratulated his friend telepathically, 'I am surprised you didn't pull out your claws…'
'We are in a normal school; after all, I just gave him a good fright.'
"Thank you Mr. Logan," Takanaka bowed to the man who protected him from Iwamoto's assault, "Now, to get Yusuke, Kazuma, and Keiko up here, please, wait a minute."
In Mr. Takanaka's classroom, Kuwabara and his gang had sat down to lunch. Kuwabara had began eating a sub sandwich, while his gang were eating out of sushi and rice boxes.
"You know Kuwabara, the punks from the other junior highs are too afraid to really mess with us anymore," Okubo told the gang's leader, Kuwabara, while eating some rice.
"Feels good to be king, doesn't it?" Komada asked, and he drank some milk.
"Yeah…" Kuwabara replied, not sounding like he was happy about it.
"We got to push on their turf now!" Kirishima shouted, getting out of his seat, "We could rule the whole city! Just like you always wanted, Kuwabara!"
"Forget it you guys. We got our peace, and we should be enjoying it" Kuwabara asked as he got out of his seat, and looked into a nearby window, "There is a lot more to life than just shoving punks into the pavement."
"We shouldn't let him go onto these long vacations anymore," Komada said as he turned to the other members.
"He's changed…" Kirishima added, putting down his food.
"It's probably because that girl dumped him again…" Okubo said to them.
'Yukina, my sweet love, that's twice now that we had to go to our separate worlds, but I know someday, we'll be together for good, until that day, I'll try to be a better man…' Kuwabara thought, looking up into the sky, not noticing Yusuke, smirking mischievously, and he bent down.
He put both hands together, with the index fingers point out, and then jammed them into Kuwabara's butt, "Spirit gun!" and then he went back into full upright position, "Next time your going to be daydreaming, make sure you pack a rearview mirror."
Kuwabara shrieked, the pain was excruciating, and he put his hand on his back, "You punk! That's not the feeling I was going for!"
"I don't know, you looked were busting your balls on something to me, now share your lunch, I'm starved," Yusuke grinned, trying to make his assault sound like a prank.
"Hmph! The nerve! Assault me then ask me for a meal?" Kuwabara asked, annoyed, "You're not getting squat!"
"That's how you treat a guy who won the Dark Tournament?" Yusuke retorted, "'Thanks for saving my life pal, but my sandwich is just too damned good!'"
"Don't try with the guilt trips Urameshi! My manly powers are what carried us threw the tournament! When have you ever saved me?" Kuwabara berated, getting more and more annoyed.
Before a fight could break out, Mr. Takanaka appeared at the door, "Mr. Urameshi, Mr. Kuwabara, please, come with me to my office."
"Uh, okay…" they both said and then followed the head principal to Keiko's classroom.
"Miss Yukimura, please come with me," Mr. Takanaka asked, and she nodded and gathered her books and Puu.
"Whoa, looks like Keiko's in trouble for something…" Kuwabara whispered into Yusuke's ear.
"Impossible, Keiko never gets in trouble, that's my gig!" Yusuke whispered back, and they continued following Mr. Takanaka to his office.
When they arrived, they saw four people in the room. One was bald and in a wheelchair, one was African-American with white hair, one had a muscular built with glasses on, and one had wild hair growing out of his head that made it look like a lion's mane.
"Who are they?" Yusuke asked, a little confused.
"They are from the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning, and they want you three to join in their school in Bayville, New York," Mr. Takanaka replied, "And this is the curator and founder of the Institute, Professor Charles Xavier."
"Hey, I've heard of you," Keiko said in an enlightened voice, "You're the famous geneticist and Oxford graduate!"
"I'm surprise you've heard of me, it's a pleasure to meet you three," the Professor greeted the three extraordinary students, "These are my colleagues, Henry McCoy, Ororo Monroe, and Logan."
"Professor Xavier sees great things in you three," Mr. Takanaka said, smiling, "And I agree with him, but it's your choice to go to his school in America and his school."
"Whoa, that's pretty heavy Mr. Takanaka…" Yusuke said, as he looked around, "Where are the two 'teachers of the year'?"
"Fired," Mr. Takanaka replied bluntly, "I'll start looking for replacements tomorrow."
"What? You fired them, seriously?" Yusuke and Kuwabara asked, their faces lighting up in joy.
"Mr. McCoy here reminded me what teaching was all about, the students. They weren't here for the students, they were here for the school's reputation," Mr. Takanaka explained, "Everyone, no matter who their parents are, or how much money they have, deserves a good education."
"Now, onto the business at hand, do you three want to go to my school?" the Professor asked, putting his fingers together, "You would get public schooling of course-!"
"Now wait a minute, we would still have to go to regular school?" Yusuke asked, starting to doubt if he wanted to go to the school.
"Yes, but trust me Yusuke, it's much different than schooling here in Japan," Hank interjected, "At the Institute, you are taught how to harness your gifts to their full advantage, but, you would be taught how to do math, English, history, etc, so you could have a good life in the real world. Plus, you three would be starting out in High School."
"High school?" all three of them asked, and Xavier nodded.
"Trust me, you would like it," the Professor told them cheerfully, "Of course, you would be starting as freshmen, but many of our students at the Institute are freshmen."
"Well, I'm convinced," Kuwabara said, folding his arms to prove his decision, "I want to go to your school."
"It sounds fun, I'm sure I'll like the challenge," Keiko said as she shook the Professor's hand.
After some deliberation, Yusuke made his decision, "Alright, if you guys are going, then me too."
"Excellent," the Professor exclaimed, "Mr. Takanaka, will you please leave us alone for a half and hour? These three have to fill out some forms, and we'll talk about the courses that they will be doing."
"Of course," Mr. Takanaka replied, and he walked for the door, "Fill free to call me back in when you're done."
Mr. Takanaka closed the door, and walked down to his classroom, since he was also a teacher.
"Now, time for you to know the true purpose of the Institute," Professor Xavier started, and Hank reached for his watch and turned it off.
"WHAT?" All three of them yelled, as they saw Hank McCoy's true form, a being with blue fur and hair, "I…Is he a demon?" Keiko asked, and her two friends shook their head.
"He…doesn't have a demonic aura…" Yusuke replied, and Hank smiled.
"Don't worry; I'm not a demon," Hank told them calmly, "I'm just a mutant, like Ororo, Logan, and even the Professor here."
"Mutant?" all three of them asked, a bit confused.
"Let me explain, there are humans who are born with extraordinary abilities. Hank has super human strength and agility, to go along with his brilliant mind," the Professor explained, "Ororo here has the ability to control the weather, she can control wind, rain, snow, heat, fog, etc., but she also has claustrophobia. Logan here has super human strength and agility, plus he has a high degree healing factor. And I have telepathy, telekinesis, and mind reading powers. I am the most powerful psychic on Earth right now."
"Yeah," Logan formed a fist, making three very sharp claws rise out of his knuckles, "Plus, I also have this adamantium skeleton…"
"Uh…" Keiko started, and Logan smirked.
"Don't ask," Logan said to her, "I can't recall it all myself."
"S…s…so all the…people at the school…are mutants?" Kuwabara asked, getting a bit nervous.
"Yes, and we believe, even you Keiko, have mutant abilities," the Professor replied, "Yusuke, your master Genkai contacted me telepathically, you see, her and I are old friends, and she wanted to tell me about her disciple, you, and your friends. She told me about you winning the Dark Tournament, and we thought you would like to come to the Institute, since you deserve a normal life. We can help you harness your powers, and control them better."
"We are also picking up your friend, Shuichi, also known as Kurama, from the senior high," Hank told them.
"Well, I'm sold," Yusuke smirked, "I'm tired of this school, so I'll give yours a shot. Plus, the students will probably be grateful that you got Iwamoto and Akashi fired, so you're in my debt for that."
"Well, if Urameshi's going, then I am too!" Kuwabara added, "Maybe I'll be able to get my spirit power back!"
"I…don't know guys…" Keiko stammered, and Yusuke looked over to her, "But, if you're going, then I'm going too."
"Magnificent," the Professor exclaimed, "Looks like we'll have some new students after all."
NEXT DAY
Kurama was instantly sold about the idea of going to the Institute, and found an intellectual equal in Hank. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, and Kurama were already to go, having packed their bags and passports ready. Kuwabara's gang were there to wish him luck, as well as Kuwabara's sister and parents, Yusuke's mother, Keiko's mother and father, and Kurama's mother.
"Now, you be careful over there," Mrs. Yukimura told the departing group.
"We will," Keiko said cheerfully, trying to hide her tears.
"Kuwabara, you better not get a new gang over there and forget us!" Komada told his former leader, "Alright?"
"Yeah…I won't forget about you guys," Kuwabara said, tears streaming down his face, "Okubo…you are in charge of the gang now…don't take anymore turf, we have enough already, okay?"
"Yeah…sure…" Okubo sniffled, seeing his long time best friend leaving.
"Yusuke, I just want to say…I'm proud of you!" Mrs. Urameshi cried, embracing her son, "I'll turn my life around, and make you proud of me!"
"Uh…mom…you're embarrassing me…" Yusuke said, before returning the embrace, and a tear trickled down his cheek, "I'll miss you, mom."
Kurama was hugging his mother, who now knew his secret, "Mother, I'll write every day. I'm sorry I won't be able to make it for your wedding…"
"Don't worry about that, Shuichi…" Shiori Minamino, Shuichi's mother told her son, and leaned in, "Kurama, you be sure to protect my boy…"
"Yoko will, you don't have to worry about that…" Kurama said, the fox demon inside of him nodding in agreement, "The Professor will help me be able to control my plant manipulation power even more, and even help me transform into Yoko Kurama at will…"
"Do your best, my son…" Mrs. Minamino said, giving him a kiss on the forehead as tears streamed down her face.
"You have nothing to worry about, Mrs. Minamino," The Professor assured her, wheeling towards them.
"Professor Xavier is putting your children in the very best of care," Ororo assured the weeping mothers, "You don't have to worry, we have plenty of students at the Institute from different countries, and they are able to keep in contact with their parents."
"Be sure to keep my brother out of trouble, okay?" Shizuru, Kuwabara's older sister told Ororo and Hank.
"Of course, he'll be just fine," Hank assured her, "He'll enjoy the school, and probably will like my physics lessons."
"Hey, Professor, we have to go now," Logan said, as he grabbed some of the student's bags, "We have to beat that storm."
"Right, now, if you're done saying your good-byes, we can go now. The private jet is outside, so just follow us," the Professor said, and his new students complied, after getting one more hug with their loved ones.
They passed the airport security, and flashed their passports to them. Walking down to the lower levels, they walked out the door and into a hangar, where the X-Jet was ready.
"This is what we're taking?" Kuwabara asked, starting to get really excited.
"Yes," the Professor replied, as the bottom hatch opened, and they all walked up the ramp.
"About time you got here," an old feminine voice said coming from a seat.
"Genkai?" Yusuke asked as the old Spirit Wave master turned around, "You're coming too?"
"Yes, I want to be sure my pupil gets the right training," Genkai told him, "Now, dimwit, just sit down."
Yusuke shrugged, and sat next to Keiko. Kuwabara sat next to Kurama, while Xavier, Hank, Logan, and Ororo went into the cockpit.
The hangar door opened when all of them were in and seated, and Hank activated a cloaking device for the aircraft. It changed into an ordinary looking small private jet, and taxied down the runway. It then started taking up speed for takeoff. When it reached takeoff speed, it started lifting off the ground and started flying toward America.
"Hey, you don't think Hiei will come, do you Kurama?" Kuwabara asked, and Kurama smirked.
"He has a way of reaching any area, even if it means crossing a large ocean," Kurama replied, remembering how Hiei tracked him down, "So, we'll probably see him in Bayville eventually."
Perched on top of the flight control tower, Hiei watched as his former teammates flew off.
'Figures, now they're gone, probably I'll get some peace and quiet…' Hiei thought, smirking, 'But, it would be fun seeing where they are going and I need a vacation…'
The fire demon then vanished, and he began following his teammates by running across the very ocean at blinding speeds.
SPIRIT WORLD
Koenma, King Enma's son, was sitting on his throne, watching the Spirit Detective and his friends go off to America. Ayame, the second in command pilot of the River Styx walked in, and noticed that Hiei was leaving his probation zone.
"You're allowing this Koenma?" the black haired beauty asked, and he nodded.
"Yes, Hiei has served his time," Koenma replied, "They'll all be in good hands. Tell Botan to go down to Bayville as well."
"As you wish, Lord Koenma," Ayame bowed then walked out of Koenma's office.
'Just don't cause any trouble, Hiei,' Koenma thought seriously, as he continued to watch the screen.