Tenika Dargan - When I wrote that chapter, I actually did have hair down to my butt. Then I let my mom cut it to right below my shoulder blades the day before school started, then not even a month ago it was hacked off to just above my shoulders. *twitch* Maybe Becca'll have that problem later...hm... *hides scissors behind back*
Kiyoshi-neko - *glomp* Yay! You're back! And with plushies! *hugs it so tight the head pops off* O.O I can fix that...really...*duck tape* Anyway. Thanks; I wasn't sure how people would react to my reference to Charlie. No one flamed me, so I guess no one really minds. Good to know people are still open-minded about some things...
Thanks to everybody who read, my wonderful reviewers, and President Bush for letting the soldiers come home. Charlie might be coming home next month!
I was dozing when someone touched my shoulder and jumped, turning over on my bed and blinking in surprise. Brown eyes watched me lightly. "Time to get up," an old voice said.
Woah...bed...old lady...uh...oh! Temple. Charlie. "'K," I mumbled, sitting up and rubbing my eyes.
Genkai sat on the edge of my bed and watched me put on my trusty glasses and watch. "You're depressed."
My chin jerked down slightly. "A little."
She rose a faded pink eyebrow. "And the move had nothing to do with it?"
I inhaled sharply, about to damn her to hell in two languages, when I checked myself and stared at her calmly. "I never said that."
"Why are you-"
"Don't!" I interrupted, rage pooled into the word. I swallowed hard and forced myself to calm down. "Please, don't be my dad."
"There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?" I looked at her in surprise. "Well, I suppose we'll figure it out someday. Let me know when you're ready to talk." She stood up and left.
Tears stung the back of my eyes, and my throat burned. I'll be here when you're ready to talk, a voice echoed in my mind. "Josh," I whispered, getting up numbly and shutting the door. I breathed slowly, swallowing and trying not to blink. I didn't cry.
I took off my pajamas and went in search of clothes. All I found were kimonos. I growled. I had told myself I'd never wear Japanese clothing, but...it was either a kimono or my three-months of straight wear American clothes. I marched over to the dresser and switched to a strapless bra before returning t o the closet. Scowling violently, I yanked a silver and purple kimono off of a hanger and pulled it on. The silver obi had a purple violet on the front and was almost too small. I snarled and stamped and fussed, finally succeeding in getting the tight garment on. I took a deep breath and settled it more comfortably on my stomach. I paused and looked in a mirror.
Damn.
This obi was larger than usual; it touched the top of my hips and pressed my breasts up. Not that I'm complaining. Time to give it an American-girl twist. I sucked in my breath again and pulled the top sides of the kimono apart to make a V-neck. Since the freaking thing was small, I pulled the collar down my shoulders to create longer sleeves, revealing skin in the process. That done, I pulled at the bottom part of the kimono so that it created a slight slit up my thighs. I tugged at the hem, not letting any wrinkles in the garment, and smoothed it over my hips.
It would have to do.
I brushed my long hair and combed my thankfully-short bangs. I pulled the front sections and top layer of my hair back and pinned it up. Putting on lip gloss again, I headed out my room, still fussing with my obi as I walked down the stairs. Since no one really seemed to understand English, I was muttering to myself. I gave it a final, angry tug that for some reason made it easier to breathe and my stomach stop hurting. With that, I made it to the landing and jogged down the last flight of stairs, emerging in the living room just as Genkai announced it was time for breakfast.
I swear these people had a staring problem.
"Morning," Kurama finally smiled.
"Morning," I replied, grinning slightly.
"Sleep well?"
About as well as an insomniac. "Sort of."
"I see you're larger than Koenma expected," Genkai chuckled. "If that one's small, they all are."
"Koenma expected? How did he know I was coming back to the temple?" I asked with a frown.
"The moment he had a fraction of an idea the gateways weren't working, he sent a whole lot of clothes and other things. He didn't want any of you traveling between worlds with the portals down. He tried to send Botan, but the gateways crashed so fast that she didn't make it out of the Reikai."
"Sounds like a computer virus," I snorted as I sat down.
Genkai looked at me incredulously. "That's exactly what it is. That's what Lord Enma and Koenma called it, and they 'hmed' and 'hahed' over it before even saying that."
"Bingo was his name-o," I sang quietly, making myself grin.
"Looks like there's another brain in the group," Kuwabara complained.
I gave a breath of a chuckle. "I'd hardly say that."
We began eating, and I dismissed myself from the table early again. I walked back into the living room and flipped through the channels until I found the English one. I leaned back on my elbows, crossing my legs as I watched. Pictures of cheering Americans flashed across the screen, and my heart ached. A song kicked me in the head, and I began to sing a song that had at one time bugged the crap out of me but had since come to love. "If tomorrow all the things were gone, I'd worked for all my life..." Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it was 'God Bless the U.S.A.' And I sang the entire thing. Familiar pop artists sang it songs along with other patriotic songs, and I sang with them as I recognized them. I didn't have a flag to wave around, but I figured enough people had them that I could imagine one as my own. More cheering Americans, more money-earning artists, and I groaned and flopped to the ground. It was actually pretty depressing, so I began to channel-surf again. Yusuke walked into the room, and I threw the remote control at him. He caught it, grinned, and dropped onto the couch.
I blinked.
"What?" Yusuke asked, frowning at Genkai.
"Koenma has asked me to train Becca in martial arts. He said part of the reason is that it'll keep us all busy while the gateways are down," the old woman said again.
"What's the other part?" he asked. I was feeling decidedly nervous.
"That reason is, and will remain, undisclosed." Her voice had an edge to it.
"Wait a minute. I thought I-" Yusuke began.
"Don't worry, Yusuke; you are my heir and successor. She's just going to be a student. Becca's training is physical, not spiritual."
I had a feeling I was supposed to snap something retorical, but...
I blinked.
"What do you say?" Genkai asked me, smiling faintly.
I jerked slightly, shaken out my surprise. Then I frowned. "I have a choice?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't you?"
I felt my breath hitch but continued to talk. "Since Koenma asked you to, and he's the price of the Underworld and all, I figured asking could be the same as commanding in this case." How did I always manage to sound so smart when I put my mouth on auto-pilot?
She chuckled. "You're right; it usually is." I let out a small breath of relief. "In your case, however, it's entirely up to you."
I hesitated. "Sure."
She smiled pleasantly. "That's good to hear. We'll start your training tomorrow."
Something about the way she said that....Damn. Why the hell did I say yes? I stood up to go to my room, feeling as though I'd signed my name on a contract for pain.
Well, it started out like gym class. In fact, it was almost exactly like gym class. The only thing missing was the bells. I worked out for an hour every morning, practiced basic martial arts moves with Genkai in the afternoon, ran for time or distance in the evenings, and had a class about marital arts before bedtime. Doesn't sound bad? Consider I did this seven days a week, weekend or no.
I worked out by myself. The weights were built to somehow not crush me if the weight was too much but still worked normally if I could lift or push them correctly. It confused me and I never really felt safe, but the energy it required to be so keyed up helped me lift heavier weights.
At first, Genkai had me do a lot of stupid toning exercises that only made me uncomfortable and sore. After a few weeks she taught me basic defense and offense moves. She never made me fight her or anyone else, and no one was allowed to watch. She taught me moves, made me repeat them, and made me do them faster. I learned many moves in one 'set,' as she called it, and I could only learn a new one when I could gracefully and flawlessly preform the previous. Since I had a slight dancing background, the moves were not hard for me to learn.
Everytime I ran, someone came with me since I had to run in the Makai. Apparently it was too dangerous for me to be alone. It was soon discovered that Yusuke and Kuwabara could not keep up with me. I was by no means fast, but I was head-strong and did what I was told without stopping or walking, even if it meant literally collapsing later on. Kurama ran with me most of the time. He always ran directly beside me and seemed to sense when I was about to speed up or slow down. I could never lose him. We never talked, but after a time, the silence between us became companionable and bearable. However, I liked it when Hiei ran with me the best. He ran in the trees around me when I ran in the woods, leaving me to run through the paths by myself. It gave me a sense of freedom, in a way. Even though I knew he was always watching me, I always felt like I was alone. Knowing both of those feelings made me relax more.
The class, as most classes are, was boring. Very boring. But I, as I always did, took notes and forced myself to pay attention. I was a better student than she had expected and often finished the studies early. It was hell, but I somehow kept myself awake every evening.
It didn't take me long to realize that not only had I signed a contract for pain, I'd signed one for exhaustion too.
Gym class memories...@.@...oh the horror, the inhumanity...*dies*