To Reach Higher
Chapter: 4
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!
Also I'm sorry if it is confusing as the website wont put the symbol I use to end a specific point of view. I'll try to find something in the future to accomplish this. Very, Sorry.
Genkai relaxed as they passed through a subtle opening in the tree, resting for the first time in a while. Her last words had startled the teen severely, any sane person would. Humans were mortal, it was a simple fact that they didn't normally live beyond a hundred. The world was a dark place though, people like her lived longer than they should, mostly for reasons none too noble.
She took a deep breath of the air here: calm and peaceful.
The forest ended abruptly and there to behold was a large flat of land, acres of short grass blades and numerous varieties of trees that shouldn't be found in Japan, nor that could survive here.
But they did.
The scenery was beautiful to behold the air was filled with hundreds of different smells and the feeling in the sky was calm. Genkai had never thought a place like this could exist anywhere on Earth, but like many things, she found out the hard way.
Precisely why I chose him. She knew that if anyone could open the eyes of others it was this one man.
This one ancient, bastard-of-a-man, was their hope.
And sometimes she 'really' had to wonder, how they got by.
"Master Genkai?"
She paused to see that Kuwabara as staring into the distance, dazzled by what he saw. Good-humouredly she followed his line of sight, knowing full-well what he was looking at.
A castle, one of feudal Japans most defensive designs, beautiful in its craftsmanship. It also appeared to be well-cared for. Beside the castle was a small rice field, recently been harvested, and a ring of sakuras encompassing the stone structure. To top it all off a lake over a hundred yards in circumference just a mile away from where they stood.
It looked like something straight from a story.
"It looks like something straight form a story!" Kuwabara's jaw had dropped, amazed that such a place could exist without all of Japan knowing. "He lives in a castle!" the teen looked at the wizened elder for the answer.
"No, sadly, he doesn't anymore." Genkai continued to walk across the grass heading somewhat away from the castle. "He used to but he said it feels empty when you live alone." she looked over her shoulder "Come on, I haven't all day you know."
"Yes Ma'am!" Kuwabara gave a small bow of the head and picked up the pace.
After a moment, however, Genkai stopped. Then looked up. Kuwabara did as well.
Flying past the forest was a streek of silver blue, fastly approaching. After a few seconds it's shape became more defined: it had wings and four small legs. Then it got closer still and it was completely evident as to what it was…or was not.
It was a weird combination of cat and bird. It's body was that of a cat, though it had no whiskers and instead had a beak and wings. It's fur and feather were a bright silvery-blue, it's eyes were a vivid green and it had a small bit of hair coming out of its head, like hair.
"Didn't Urameshi say," Kuwabara muttered to no one in particular "he saw a weird flying cat when he fought Suzaku?"
"Hello Katzztar!" Genkai calmly called out to the creature, who flew lower and perched itself on a small red oak.
"Yo Genkai!"
It's voice was feminine and as it after a few seconds the two had noticed something in it's grip. Somehow Kuwabara had missed the rolled up newspaper it had in it possession despite the fact that the thing was twice as big as the flying cat that was carrying it!
"It's been a while old lady…" the bird-thing paused in thought "about twenty years. Anything interesting happen…beyond the incident with the crazy seven humans?"
I wonder how many people knew what was happening…and now that I think about it the bird did say 'twenty years'. The teen looked at Genkai as she smiled at it, confused by the relationship these two shared. Apparently they are friends who haven't seen each other for a long time. I wonder how many people she knows?
"Well we've come to see Sumeragi a visit…he's still here isn't he?" the question was mocking in tone, something she usually only used with Yusuke. "I'd think I'd die a heart-attack if he wasn't here!"
She threw her head back and laughed, Katzztar joining in with a giggle herself. Kuwabara stood like stone until they calmed down. Katzztar finally noticed him as he tried to fade out of the picture.
"Say, who's this!" she tilted her head a few times as if analyzing him with her eyes. "Why are you here?"
"He's someone that wants to be trained in various arts, his name is Kazuma Kuwabara…in a way Sumeragi's will-be student."
Apparently Katzztar was surprised, she fell over and the oversized newspaper fell on her. The two could see her struggling to get out from under it, finally it stopped shaking.
"help please." came the muffled request of the thing under the paper.
Quickly Kuwabara picked the paper, surprised at it's weight. He looked at the front page.
Hollow News
September 11th, 2001
Today the World Trade Center (North America; U.S.A.; New York City) was destroyed at mid-afternoon. Technocracy says it was terrorists, whether they mean the Axis or someone else, remains to be seen.
Glass-Walkers and Cainites have suffered tremendous financial loses, ranging in the billions. Mortal casualties range in the thousands; six Princes of the New York area were reported to have been killed in the buildings destruction. This event may be a sign of the end of
The paper was suddenly snatched from his hands by Genkai as she handed it back to it's carrier. Giving Kuwabara a pitying look, Katzztar sat on Genkai's shoulder as they walked on.
After nearly half an hour latter they stood in front of a thatched building. It looked well-kept in good condition, despite the ominous feeling it gave.
"Hey Sumeragi!"
Genkai and Katzztar looked at each other when they got no response.
"Hey Genkai is that him?" Kuwabara pointed at a hammock a dozen feet from the house, someone was laying in it.
"hmm…Yes I believe that is he." Slowly they made their way over to the hammock.
There was a digital clock laying on a branch by the hammock, clearly slowing that it was late in afternoon, and a large black blanket bulging out in the shape of a humanoid figure.
"Wake up fool," Genkai gave the bottom of the hammock a nudge with her foot and slowly the thing under the blanket started to move. Kuwabara leaned forward to get a better look at the guy.
What he saw surprised him.
He was expecting a very wrinkled old man, most likely without any hair or teeth, but the guy looked nothing of the sort. Instead a shaggy mane of black hair popped out to look at them, the man's hair was blocking his eyes.
Subari Sumeragi blew a few strands of hair out of his face and simply looked at the clock.
"Yer early…GET LOST!"
Then he turned his head and quickly fell asleep, again.
It took a lot of effort to not laugh, scream, or curse at the moment. Sixty seconds and the first words he says are 'get lost', the nerve of this guy…he's worse than Hiei! Not needing a reminder of his short companion he looked at Genkai and Katzztar, then stepped back.
The look on Genkai's face was only seen when she was angry at someone, namely Urameshi, and the response she would use when aggravated was either; lecture; strike, or both.
Kuwabara thought it would most likely be both.
The bird-thing flew off the elder's shoulder and instead sat on Kuwabara's. Then she whispered.
"Take a step back." Swiftly he took a step back, and was correct in doing so.
"WAKE UP JACKASS!"
Propelling her leg under the hammock, she slammed her foot at it's mid-section. Sumeragi screamed as he flew through the air and struck a tree branch over his back. Then he fell.
Landed in the hammock, which spun around wildly for a minute before unwinding at a slower pace.
Then dropped the man unto the ground, blanket covering him still.
Then the digital clock fell on his head, to add insult to injury.
Kazuma Kuwabara and the creature known as Katzztar laughed their heads off, after the clock fell on his head. It was just to funny to not laugh, no matter how disciplined you are.
"….Katz…tar…" Sumeragi's voice was groggy and muffled by the blanket "….dumb…bird…bitch…thing."
Finally the man pulled the blanket off his face and was about to open his mouth and say something, silently and without each others notice they betted it was something sharp-tongued, until he saw Genkai staring at him eye-level.
"ah Gen…k-kai?" Sumeragi stared at her for a moment muttering incoherently then finally straightened himself up "Well it's been a while, twenty years I believe. What brings you here?"
"Finally got your attention slacker, when I let word that I was taking a student you sent a letter and asked if I saw anyone with great talent that didn't get chosen, to send him or her here…do you remember."
"Why yes I…" like Katzztar, Sumeragi only noticed Kuwabara when he had tried to fade out of the picture "Is that the one?"
"Yes." Genkai waved her arm in the teen's direction "This is Kazuma Kuwabara. An 'extremely' talented boy with great potential."
The man got up and looked him in the eye, studying him. After a few moment Kuwabara studied him back. His dress attire was so plain and ordinary he could easily fit in anywhere simply because you'd never notice him. Everything he wore was either black or gray!
"You must be kidding me Genkai!" Sumeragi surprised the two with his outburst "What can he do that makes him so quote extremely talented end-quote, hmm?"
The elder growled at the man with a frustration borderline furry demeanor. The twitch in her eyebrow said it all.
"Kuwabara show him your sword!"
Without so much as a thought he summoned his reiki-blade and held in in both hands. Been a while since I've done that. Kuwabara grinned with pride.
Subari Sumeragi, though, stumbled back; tripped over the hammock; and fell on his head. Fumbling with the tree branch he pulled himself up.
"HOW THE HELL DID HE DO THAT!" the mans eyes were wide and the bruises on his face made him look like he lost a fight.
"You're in to kill yourself today, eh Subari-san?" came the cat-call from Katzztar, sticking her tongue at him from Kuwabara's shoulder. "Keep this up and you're a dead man fer sure, dude!"
"Silence feather-brain!" He pointed a accusing finger at the mix-breed "I could put you in a cage you know!"
"Speaking of cages," Genkai interrupted their argument suddenly with a grim face "I need to speak with you. Now of course, and alone."
Sumeragi glanced at the wizened woman for several moments. Grunting he nodded and rose.
"In my home?" Genkai nodded silently to his question "Hey Bird take the boy for a tour of the place while we talk!"
"JERK!" the thing flew over Sumeragi's head and dropped the newspaper on his head "PANZI!"
"bird." the dark-haired mans voice was quiet and strained.
"Come on Kuwa-kun!"
Katzztar took off waving her wing for the boy to follow. One more look at the old psychic and he was off after the flying cat.
"And don't call me Kuwa-kun!"