Chapter Four
Early the next morning the girls were taken before Koenma again, this time they were each given a new set of clothes (black tank top and green pants for Tsuki and a black tube top with red pants for Yoru) and fitted with a pair of red and green…
"Collars! Why do we have to wear collars?" Yoru said in disgust as she flicked the bell that was attached to the front of hers.
"I agree with Yoru, these things are humiliating." Tsuki replied as Yusuke tightened the strap at the back of her neck.
"They are to insure that you two behave yourselves in the beginning. They will be taken off as soon as you prove yourselves to the team and Koenma." Kurama replied from his place next to the toddler that was his boss.
"That's right girls and if you don't behave those bells will force you to relive the worst memories of your past." Koenma said as he stared at the girls with an evil grin.
"Do you think that scares us? We relive our past every night when we sleep. There is nothing that you can possibly do to us to make us fear you." Yoru growled in Koenma's direction causing Kuwabara to tighten her collar to where it threatened to strangle her.
Koenma gave her a blank, wide eyed stare as if he had just lost the only edge he had against them. Which he had. What would his father say if the girls got loss and he didn't have any way of stopping them? He was about to protest about it when both the Jaganshi brothers came marching into the office arguing loudly.
"I'm telling you Hiei we really should go see Yukina." Hinote said as he slammed the door behind him.
"And I'm telling you that it was a mistake to even tell her I'm her brother." Hiei argued as he walked to the far corner of the room.
"So you'll just forget about her? Pretend that it never happened and that you don't care for her."
"Umm, what are you two arguing about?" Yusuke said looking from Hinote to Hiei.
"He refuses to go to the human world when we take the girls to Genkai's place. All because he doesn't want to see Yukina." Hinote responded pointing at Hiei.
Both girls looked at each other in confusion when Hinote said the words 'human world' and 'Genkai'. If their guess was right then they would soon be going to see one of the best fighters the human world had to offer. She had won the Dark Tournament years before, had trained Yusuke to use the spirit orb and had also been part of his team as the masked fighter. Now she was a wrinkled, old hag who taught beginners to control their spirit energy and strength. They both thought about the concept of meeting the legendary Genkai and possibly training with her when they felt a small tap on their shoulder, which caused them to turn with a start.
"You two ready for a trip to the human world?" Yusuke asked as he faced the others.
They walked down the halls filled with ogres and back outside to where all the paths to the afterlife led. They walked down the biggest of these paths to where Botan stood waiting for them. Behind her was a huge glowing sphere that the girls supposed led to the human world. Botan beckoned them forward and began placing them in pairs before allowing them to go through the portal. Yoru was placed next to Hiei just behind Kuwabara and Yusuke, while Tsuki was partnered with Kurama behind Hinote and Botan. Tsuki watched the rest of the group file into the swirling mass of light before she and Kurama were able to move forward. They both walked forward slowly but felt an immense tug when they came within a foot of the light. The next thing Tsuki remembered was being spun around uncontrollably by an unknown force and feeling very sick. As her head spun she felt a small, secure pressure on her side. Looking up she gave a start when she saw the face of her husband there with a small smile on his face. She shook her head with her eyes closed and when she looked back she saw Kurama facing her with the same smile playing on his lips. She continued to stare until she felt the force decrease and her feet touch ground again. She fell to her knees as soon as she felt her feet hit earth. Looking around she saw Yoru, Hinote, and Kuwabara on the ground from motion sickness.
"God damn portals! Can't they find an easier way to the other worlds?" Hinote moaned as he got to his feet.
"Stop whining dimwit. Those portals are good for your training, keeps you on your toes." Said a small raspy voice behind them.
They all looked up to see an old lady standing before them. She had slightly curly pink hair that was faded with gray due to her age. She was also small, shorter even then Hiei, dressed in a fighters style outfit and her light brown eyes gave the impression that she was ready to take on any challenge. This was the infamous master Genkai, winner of the dark tournament fifty-five years before and part of team Urameshi during the same compotation five years ago. The girls stared closely at her and felt a small vibration of spirit energy that made them shiver, not with fear but with excitement, excitement at the thought of possibly training with her and learning her secrets.
"Nice to see you too grandma." Yusuke said in Hinote's defense.
"Shut up Yusuke, your still in deep shit for not reporting back here for training two days ago." Genkai said giving Yusuke an evil glare that would have made any normal human cower in fear.
Yusuke merely smiled and gave a small sigh in response. Genkai then turned and noticed the girls still sitting on the ground. She eyed them for a moment before turning to Yusuke with another evil glare.
"Who are they?" she said to him in a semi angry tone.
"These are they two demons that Koenma sent us after. Then he told us to bring them to you." Hinote replied
"Why did he tell you to bring them here?"
Before anyone could answer they heard a small cooing sound coming towards them. They all turned to see a small flying blue thing with a beak, another small white and blue creature hopping along the ground followed by two, very happy and relieved looking girls. One of these girls had short brown hair and was dressed in a short pink dress, and the other had long sea green hair tied back with a red hair band and wearing an ice blue kimono.
"Yukina!" Kuwabara yelled as the tiny ice maiden ran towards them.
"Kazuma, I'm so relieved to see that you and everyone else are alright." Yukina replied as she stopped in front of them.
Both girls watched in disgust as Kuwabara began to preach about how strong the power of love was. Yoru made a move to say something about his idiocy but stopped when she heard Tsuki give a snort of laughter. She turned to see her friend rolling on the ground with her hand over her mouth pointing at a very agitated looking Hiei. It was no wonder why, perched on top of his head was the small white and blue creature that up close appeared to be nothing more then a head and tail with eyes and a mouth, tangled in his hair making cooing that sounded a lot like 'coon'. His eyes began to twitch slightly as the little creature began rubbing itself on his skull in a sort of 'I missed you' way. Yoru couldn't help herself; she let out a loud burst of laughter that would have made any wonder about her sanity. Both of them stopped after a moment but started up again when the small blue creature planted itself atop Yusuke's head and began making tiny squeaking noises.
"Get this ridiculous thing off of my head." Hiei said with the voice like he was going to kill someone.
Hinote quickly reached over and grabbed the little creature from his brother and held it in his arms like a little dog. The creature made a small noise of displeasure at being separated from Hiei but soon grew comfortable in Hinote's arms.
"Honestly Hiei, I don't see how you could hate your own spirit beast. I mean look at him, he's so cute." Hinote said holding the little beast in front of his face.
"Hold on, back up, are you saying that that is Hiei's spirit beast?" Yoru said in surprise.
"Yeah, Hiei died two years ago and rather then send him to one of the other worlds Koenma decided to give him a spirit egg and restore his life."
"But I thought you had to die unexpectedly in order to get a privilege like that." Tsuki replied not really believing the story.
Hinote rolled his eyes in an embarrassed manner before continuing, "It was unexpected. He died rescuing me from a sludge demon."
There was a moment of silence before the girls were consumed by another burst of laughter. Not only was it a know fact that sludge demons were the most disgusting demons in history but also that they were incredibly weak. To be captured by one was a disgrace as well as an embarrassment to any demon.
"Ok, let me see if I have this straight, your saying that Hiei, the same Hiei that help win the dark tournament, the Hiei that stole the conjuring blade from King Enma himself, couldn't even beat a sludge demon." Yoru said the whole time trying to hold back an immense giggle, which finally came out as she finished.
Yoru didn't even get the chance to catch her breath before Hiei had her by the throat with his sword in hand. Yoru wiggled for dear life and air but couldn't break the grip that was slowly breaking her neck.
"If I'm so weak answer me this, how is it that you were captured by me?" Hiei said with a snarl.
"Hiei, that's enough!" Genkai shouted from her place half way up the stairs to her temple. "You'll need her in the up coming months so I suggest you don't kill her just yet."
"And why should I listen to you old hag?" Hiei growled in response.
"Orders from Enma, you are all to stay for more training and that girl is your sparing partner so take care of her."
"Your crazy lady, Yoru and I are more then capable of taking care of ourselves." Tsuki said in disgust at the thought of being babysat.
"I see we have a lot of work to do." Genkai grumbled before turning back to the group, "This is the first part of your training learn it and learn it well. In order to survive you must be able to trust each other not to screw up, to know that the rest of your team is looking out for you. In other words treat each other like they were the closest thing to your heart."
And with those words six months of training started. Ever morning the group would rise far before the sun, run three miles through the forest of pain, carry buckets of water up the five thousand five hundred and forty two stairs (Yoru had counted out of pure boredom) that lead to the temple, fight each other in the room of darkness, and lastly focus their spirit energy into a sphere at the end of their finger, or whatever body part Genkai chose, and balance on the end of a needle for an hour. All this and they still had to make breakfast. Their afternoon consisted of more balancing on needles, more carrying water, shooting their spirit energy at targets throughout the forest and grounds, and then five to six hours of sparing with their partners.
During the first evening of training Genkai had split the group into pairs of two and sent them to training in different areas all around the temple grounds. Naturally Yusuke and Kuwabara were put together and sent to the wasteland part of the grounds, Yoru had been placed with Hiei and sent to a place near the river, Tsuki was placed with Kurama and sent to the very heart of the forest of pain, lastly was Hinote. Being as there was no one to partner with he was given the task of going from group to group at random intervals and chasing them with his gun so as to prepare them for surprise attacks. Of course Genkai didn't warn him that the other groups may attack back but he learned that on his own and was more then happy when Koroko came and asked if he would baby sit her kids. After she left, however, he was reduced to Genkai's lackey and force to do what ever she ask under fear of a more savior training then the others were going through.
One evening, after the days training, Yoru lay awake in her bed listening to the sounds of her sleeping comrades. Once she was certain that all were fast asleep she quietly slipped out of the room onto the porch that laid just at the edge of the forest of pain. She gave a quick glance around to see if Hiei was sleeping in any trees nearby (He never sleeps indoors) seeing none she undid the tie that held her sleeping yukata closed and let it fall to the ground. She stood in silence for a moment, enjoying the sensation of the wind and moonlight on her skin before she dropped to all fours and felt her body begin to change. It was mild at first, she felt the tingle of fur growing throughout her body, then a more painful shock filled her as her bones began to shift and grow. Her hands and feet began to change into paws with razor sharp claws. Within minuets she had completely changed into a powerful cat, with beautiful golden fur and black spots outlined in a deep red. Her eyes were bright, almost starry, as she glanced at the open forest in front of her. With one spring from her powerful legs she leapt into the first tree then the next before dropping back to the ground at a run. For hours all she did was run through the forest simply enjoying the wind through her fur, the soft earth beneath her feet, and the gentle light of the moon above.
Eventually she returned to the temple. She was completely exhausted and quickly found a bucket of water so as to quench her thirst. After that she quietly pawed her way back to the porch where she'd left her clothes and changed back to her normal form. She swiftly pulled her arms through the holes of her yukata and tied it before sitting down on the hard wood of the porch.
"That's quiet a form you have." Whispered a voice from behind her
Yoru spun around and saw Hiei standing behind her. He was leaning against one of the pillars that supported the roof and had a semi-amused smile on his face. Yoru pulled her yukata closed around her neck as if he intended to rip them off her. But he merely stood there glaring at her until she decided to speak.
"How much did you see?"
"Your entire run. If I didn't know better I'd of thought you would try to escape."
Yoru gave the bell around her neck a flick, reminding him that she couldn't run if she wanted to. She gave a small sigh as she remembered when she and Tsuki used to run like that. She was almost tempted to tell her thoughts to the demon standing behind her but decided better of it.
"Hiei I've been wondering, what was your past like?" Yoru asked taking Hiei completely by surprise.
"Why do you care?"
"Because everyone else here seems to know but wont say anything. Even if we aren't friends, we are teammates and I'd like to know if there is anything I should keep an eye out for. Anything that might really, set you off in a fight."
There was silence for a moment as Yoru waited for an answer.
"Hiei, are you even listening to me?"
She turned and found the doorway behind her to be empty. She gave an irritated sigh and threw a rock into the nearest tree hoping that she'd hit him. After a while she lifted herself to her feet and stumbled inside thinking that she might still manage to get an hour worth of sleep. As she turned back for a last glimpse at the stars she didn't notice the two blood red eyes watching her and how they seemed to become soft as she slid the door shut and settled into bed.