To Reach Higher

Chapter: 2

Author Note : Yusuke still doesn't have his job back yet. And Hiei still spends most of his time in the demon world. Not that am saying that he wont be in this story, just that his personal life is out of my concern.

There are elements from X/1999 and from White Wolf's "World of Darkness", like names and 'other' things.

Any element from "Wandering Souls" is a product of Katzzatar, Inc. I do not own.

The floor creaked loudly as an old lady, shorter than most children, walked across to the doorway of her home. A massive training ground that could house over a hundred students. Yet, no one but her lived here. As she got to the staircase that stretched over half the length of a football field, she waited for her visitors.

The wind picked up some of her long, wavy hair, once a vibrant pink, now fading into gray.

She finally spotted two people finally appearing out of the forestry. Both were tall, about three times her size, but dressed differently. One was wearing blue jeans, most likely from the Americas, with a white and blue T-shirt with the kanji for "honor" and "blades" written sideways. The others was wearing a style of cloths that were very out of place in the modern day, much like her own uniform, the appearance of a lot of purple gave the insight of royalty. That one also had the word Junior written on his forehead, only slightly hidden by the brown hair.

"Well," she stated bluntly at the two when they were in earshot "took you long enough. I don't have time to wait all day."

She turned and walked inside and sat cross-legged on a mat with two mats in front of her; making a triangle.

"Hello Master Genkai!" Kuwabara bowed low in respect for the elder woman

"Genkai." Koenma bluntly stated.

He had had a quick chat with her an hour before and it was decided that Kuwabara would need to be present. He would of left it to his Head-ferrygirl, Botan, to get the teenager; but she was off somewhere. The fact that he didn't know where she was aggravated him. He didn't want to walk across the city just to come back, he was a busy man.

Genkai waved her hand and they sat down on the mats: Kuwabara on her left and Koenma to her right. She turned and poured the prepared tea into three small cups, handing them carefully to the guest serving herself last. Again the two bowed.

"Lets hear this, shall we?" Genkai took a sip from her cup and glanced at the 'young' lord "By the way how did it go with Emna?"

Koenma grimaced as the elder smirked "Not well. But it could have been worse."

"What happened?"

"Well I've only been grounded, in a sense, until the next Dark Age…some few hundred centuries from now." Kuwabara's jaw dropped and wondered how 'anyone' could of taken that kind of punishment so calmly.

A sweatdrop formed over Koenma's head as he realized that they were getting off subject "err Anyways we are here to find a suitable teacher for Kuwabara. With your help of course."

After the tall boy took a careful sip of the tea he added "That is if there 'is' anyone." The two noticed his change in demeanor.

Depressing. The elder thought. But not without reason…there is one person that could teach him a thing or two. But I think he needs to hear a bit about him, first. "I know someone that could train you."

"Really!" both men increased their interest and awaited the revealing of who this was.

Genkai noticed and inwardly grimaced "Yes, he's now labeled as the fifteenth strongest man in this plain of existence."

The two men fell over, face-first, into the floor. Shocked.

"What!"

"Well actually." She counted down with her fingers "Eleventh strongest since Sensui, Toguro, Elder Toguro, and now that I've passed on my powers…me, have all but left this world."

Dumb-founded stares accompanied the silence that followed.

"Genkai…are you serious!" Koenma wasn't expecting her to hand him to such an individual. "I mean isn't it a little insulting to mention…"

"Koenma." Genkai wasn't one normally to interrupt people but this time she wanted to get things done and over with.

"Wait until you hear his name." Genkai said as Koenma stared at her.

"Then you can yell."

"Master Genkai, who is this guy. And what could he teach me?"

Genkai smirked at Kuwabara, fantasizing on what it would have been like to have him as a student instead of Yusuke. Wouldn't of been as fun. I wouldn't get to hit him over the head enough…I must be getting old. The old woman smirked. Though I guess I really have no regrets about training him.

Upon hearing her named called she snapped out of her thoughts. "Yes."

"His name!" Koenma was about to die from anticipation, and Kuwabara was little better "What is his name!"

"Subari." There was a cold glint in her aged eyes "Subari Sumeragi."

After a moment of silence Kuwabara had thought to ask who he was, but Koenma was faster.

"WHAAAAAT!"

The tall boy fell over from the force of the yell and was dimply aware that his ears were ringing. What's up with him! Muttering he pulled himself up and was balanced enough that when Genkai yelled for Koenma to 'shut up!' he didn't get knocked over. The ruler wasn't so lucky.

"No human on Earth has the physical powers to even match his strength! What he needs, fool, is not some dimwit like Yusuke! But a man who can teach him more the subtle ways of fighting."

"I'm sorry that I yelled." Koenma picked himself up and looked more disappointed in himself, than angry at Genkai. It 'is' the most logical reasoning. "I'm sure your right, its just that you know I have a bone to pick with him."

"I know. But this is for a debt, am I correct."

Both men fell silent and she nodded looking at the clock she had made her decision.

"Get lost." Their jaws fell "And Kuwabara…meet me at Bone Ulcer Village at five tomorrow afternoon. And I know that you won't be late." Silently she walked from the room and closed the door to her quarters.

The two men split after they walked out of the door. Koenma vanishing, using whatever method of travel he does to enter this world; Kuwabara settled on walking.

Subari Sumeragi huh? his thoughts were settled on the name of a guy who would, hopefully, teach him to be stronger. Why do I have the gut feeling that I'm gonna have problems with this guy? He grimaced remembering the look of anger on Koenma's face. Wonder what he did to have the Junior Ruler of the Underworld after him?

His thoughts drifted from one theory to another, never finding one that made sense. In the distance a dark figure watched him walk and read the surface thoughts of the teen. Fool. After a few more moment of watching the teen melding into the crowd of the city, the dark figure left.

Kazuma Kuwabara entered his home without a greeting. Looking around he found that no one was home. He shrugged and walked into his room, wanting to go to sleep…instead he found himself in front of his computer with a burning curiosity. He clicked on an email address with an odd nickname: Kurama.

Shuichi Minamino found time to actually use his computer for more than just school, as soon as he logged-on he found that there was a letter from a person he knew well. Only one person could have an email address like: mulberryfield.

Curious he clicked on it and slowly read the message. Memorizing each word for latter reference, a thought came to him. A teacher! So that's what he wanted, and by his words he is very unsure about it. Shuichi chuckled under his breath. Eleventh strongest, and not actually earning the very title… This Subari Sumeragi.

Shuichi turned in his chair and without missing a beat stated into empty air. "Hiei, shouldn't you learn to knock?" he knew his mocking tone would make his friend twitch.

Hiei appeared in a blur with a peeved look, directed at the red-haired man. "Kurama if you weren't a deadly kitsune, as well as my ally, I would have had your head on a split." The death threat was, however, lost to Kurama. Simply smirking in the only way to get under the demon's skin.

"May I ask you who…"

"I don't know anybody by that name."

Kurama rose an eyebrow in mock surprise, amused at something that his friend let-slipped.

"So…you've been stalking Kuwabara now?"

The demon let fire spring to his hands momentarily. However, Kurama's gaze made him quench the flames quickly. Setting off the fire alarm would undoubtedly made Hiei's day more hectic. If for no other reason to have a man who could make his day true Hell if he pushed him too far.

"humph Well I just came by to give you some unusual news."

"Unusual new, Hiei?"

"When I was under my 'arrest'," his face twisted into a vicious snarl before fading away "I noticed some unusual activity at night. Flashing lights, and moving shadows and the like."

Kurama frowned.

"I would of expected that something like that would have been reported on the news." and his frowned deepened as he glared at the fire demon "And why didn't 'you' take care of these things?"

"They stayed out of my way, so I didn't have any reason to waste time on them." He paused. "I was looking for a portal back to the demon world."

"They?"

Hiei shrugged dismissively. "I never paid whatever it was any attention. So it could be a he, she, or it. I simply say 'they' because I think there might be more than one."

There was silence for several minutes before Hiei turned to the window that he had entered.

"Anyways the activity seems to be getting more obvious, so be on guard."

Kurama nodded his head hearing the rush of wind as the room once again only held one person. Musing he answered the words of Kuwabara with the same equally-truthful response:

He didn't know either.