I double checked my duffle bag, making sure that I had everything that I would need before I headed off to speak with my principal before school started. We had a two hour delay today in the high school while the junior high started at the normal time. Yesterday I only was able to meet with Mrs. Tanaka to discuss taking a leave from dance rehearsals, and I arranged a meeting to discuss with my principal just what that would mean for my classes and for studying. I wasn't looking forward to this meeting whatsoever, but I needed to get it over with so I could hop on the bus back to Genkai's.

Shizuru gave me a hug at the door, giving me a look that told me just how much she didn't care for this plan. I looked down, fiddling with my bag before looking up at her again. She just shook her head and touched my shoulder.

"Be safe and try and phone home whenever you can, alright?" She asked, her voice tense. Kazuma had gotten the short end of that stick last night when we got home, though I was pleased to say that it had taken remarkably little convincing to get her to agree to let me go. I wanted to say something comforting, something that would ease her mind, but nothing was coming. So, as in true Gavriella fashion, I nodded awkwardly and rested my hand on hers.

"I will. I promise." Shizuru nodded, and released me. I swallowed, forcing a smile again. "I love you, Shizuru."

"I love you too, Gav."

It felt good to hear those words, and I felt much better about everything with that simple sentence. I gave her one last hug and headed out, slipping on my tennis shoes and making my way to the high school. I was halfway to the school when I heard footsteps pounding near me. I frowned, glancing up and seeing Yusuke booking it like hell with his bookbag over his shoulder. I turned, watching him as he passed me completely, running around the corner and out of sight. I stared at him, wondering if I should try and catch up with him or just keep at my own pace before deciding that quickening just a little wouldn't hurt.

'Mental check... clothes, my study books, toothbrush, toothpaste, gauze, wraps for my wrists and ankles, extra shoes, socks, notebooks, pens, undergarments, a list of numbers just in case of emergency and my dance rehearsal book with all of our routines in it. I had promised Mrs. Tanaka constant practice to make sure I could still perform when I returned. It wasn't difficult to convince her, and the routines, as before, were still ridiculous in their simplicity, but I planned to honor my promise regardless.

"You're following Koenma's orders?" I heard Yusuke behind me, frowning again and turning around to face forward. He should be AT the school by now with how fast he was running...

I almost tripped over my own two feet at the sight of the boy in front of Yusuke. That same boy I saw at the train station, the one with the trenchcoat and the bandage over his forehead and the massive amounts of hair sticking straight up. Those red eyes that I kept seeing everywhere...

"Something wrong, Hiei?" Those red eyes landed on me, and Yusuke followed his eyes and turned to see me, jumping. "Ella, what are you doing here?"

"You passed me a minute ago, Yusuke. I'm on my way to talk to my principal about taking leave from school." I explained, walking up to his side and inspecting the boy... 'Hiei' as he was called... and bowed to him in greeting. "Hi, I think we saw each other at the train station yesterday. I'm Ella, Kazuma's cousin."

"Hn." He looked away, completely disinterested in anything I just said. I stared at him, then looked at Yusuke, who was focused on him. Yusuke blinked in surprise, and I turned to find that this Hiei person was gone. Not even just walking away or catching a glimpse of him turning somewhere, but gone. Like he had disappeared into thin air.

What a royal jerk.

Trying to shrug off how much it bothered me that he had been so dismissive, I looked at Yusuke again, looking him up and down.

"So that was a demon, huh?"

Yusuke actually fell to the side, just like a corny anime character, staring at me and his mouth gaping, grasping at words he couldn't seem to form or connect into a basic sentence. It was funny as all hell, but I decided to take pity on him.

"Kazuma told me a little about that world the other day."

"Why would he-"

I reached down to help him up, and when his hand touched mine I was thrust into a world of blues and reds, fighting for dominance over one another. It was warm, similar to Kazuma's, but foreign in the fact that everything was so intense, so fierce. Like everything about him was fighting over itself like the swirling colors that refused to combine.

I pulled away from him, feeling that dizziness popping up again, but looking him in the eyes as he stood up completely and stared at me for a second before laughing and rubbing the back of his head.

"I was wondering if that goof was the only one in your family that had spirit awareness. So you know all about what the old hag put me through then?"

"Kazuma said it was difficult training..."

"Yeah, difficult doesn't begin to cover it! Balancing for twelve hours on my fingertip, rock climbing with a ball and chain around both of my ankles - and she assaulted me on the way up I might add - not to mention sleeping in the woods for days on end without direction or explanation!"

I stared at him, trying to wrap my head around this new information. There had to be a mistranslation in my head somewhere in that. When Kazuma told me that he wanted me to know what I was getting myself into, he never told me any of this, and for him to neglect something that crucial was beyond even his realm of forgetfulness.. How was I supposed to survive a trip to the mountains with an old woman I didn't even know putting me through what sounded like a completely and utterly traumatic rollercoaster ride through Hell?

"-made me pretty tough though, I'll give the old timer that much. My spirit gun has never been stronger." He boasted. I blushed, closing my eyes. I definitely spaced out and missed context...

Yusuke jumped again, and I followed suite, not really sure what to expect.

"I'm late for school! Damnit, I gotta run. See you around!"

I watched him disappear into the distance, a little amazed at just how fast his panic could make him move. After a minute I forced myself to keep moving, turning around and letting myself drift off into my own little world. I was getting second thoughts about training with Genkai, but I already agreed to undergo her training, and something told me that if I were to back out I would regret it for the rest of my life. Whatever came was what was coming anyway, regardless of if I worried about it all the way to school or not. I just had to trust that whatever she did to me would help me improve and control whatever this was.

Without Yusuke there to cause a scene, the rest of my walk to school was fairly peaceful. Cars drove around me, voices called out the nearer I got to the school itself, but my walk was uninterrupted and my mind was free of complaints other than what my future held and the way that boy dismissed me like I was nothing more than a pest.

I was raised in Japan. Courtesy was a common thing, and even amongst the most rude people I had met, you were at least ACKNOWLEDGED, even if it was an insult or a sneer. I literally got no response from him and all he did was turn away and disappear. I mean, yeah, he was a demon (apparently) so the culture was going to be a lot different, but being ignored was just something I mentally couldn't handle. Even my father's family, as spiteful as they are, acknowledged my presence. Hiei the demon was getting far too deep under my skin for my liking.

I nodded to Mako on my way in, surprised to see her here so early. She tilted her head, confusion on her face, and I mouthed that I was going to see Principal Kobayashi. She nodded, offering a small smile, before flicking her eyes back to our science teacher, Ms. Sunadori. She must be getting extra help before the tests next week. I was going to miss her, I realized with a start.

One of the secretaries seated at the desk glanced up at me and made a note on a sticky pad before motioning for me to go right in for my meeting with the principal. I took in a deep breath, calming myself. This would be fine. There was nothing to worry about. Everything was going to work out and I wouldn't be kicked out of school and my future would not be lying in ruins for an opportunity that very well might not provide any sort of help to what was happening to me. Yeah... everything was going to be just fucking peachy.

Now or never.

I knocked on the door, taking another breath when he told me to come in and twisting the knob. However, the smile I had managed melted immediately. Seated in front of the desk was a pink and grey head of hair that was waving down a think back, a yellow tunic contrasting her hair. The energy in the room was thick and deliciously tangible, thin layers of blue crackling in and out of my vision as I glanced around to find the source.

It was all her.

Genkai.

"Ah, Ms. Kuwabara. I was just speaking to your new tutor. It seems everything is in order for your break from school."

I stared at him for a moment, wrapping my brain around this new development. How in the hell did she get here? WHY did she come here in the first place when she told me to take care of all of this myself?

"I appreciate that sir. I apologize for the last minute inconvenience."

"It's no trouble at all. With everything that's been going on, it's understandable that you would need some time off. You found an excellent substitute for the institution, it seems, so I am not so much worried about your scores and grades as I am about your socialization. You were just making headway with the other students..."

With everything that's been going on? What?

"I know sir, but they say absence makes the heart grow fonder. Perhaps it will be easier to connect with my fellow students when I return, once my mind is cleared and I have a better grasp on my reading skills." I forced a smile, shifting the bag on my shoulder and doing my best to play along. Dance helped more than I could ever imagine, since we had to act with our entire bodies during recitals and performances, and I silently thanked my mother for pushing me into it. It comes in handy more often than not in my life.

"I think that will be all. A pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Principal Kobayashi stood and shook Genkai's hand, who nodded to him in return.

"The pleasure is mine. Shall we get going, Gavriella? We have a lot of ground to cover today before we get settled in." She turned to face me, amusementin her eyes, and I clenched my jaw to hold in my remarks.

"Of course. Thank you, Principal Kobayashi. I will see you in a few weeks."

I followed Genkai out of the room, fighting very hard to stay quiet despite all of my questions, and practically panting for answers. We walked in silence through the halls, past the few schoolmates and teachers who had shown up early, and out the doors. I didn't say anything, walking ahead of her and turning around so I was facing her and walking backwards, muddling through how I was going to ask just what I needed to when she spoke for me.

"Gentle manipulation is a simple enough technique. When you flex just a little of your control over another being, it makes them more susceptible to your will, and if you are careful, you can convince them of anything with good logic. It's good for avoiding paperwork."

"So you convinced him that you were my new tutor..."

"To avoid suspicion of why you were suddenly going to be missing so much school." She finished for me, her hands behind her back as we walked. I shook my head, biting my lip a little.

"I thought you were leaving it up to me to make these plans."

"Consider it a gesture of good faith that you will prove to be a worthy pupil." She smirked, glancing my way. "I trust you've said your goodbyes."

"I have my ticket and was going to head to the station after the meeting." I confirmed.

She smiled again. It was starting to make me uncomfortable with just how pleased she was with this entire situation. "Excellent. And am I right to assume that you brought studying materials for your classes?"

"...Yes..." I narrowed my eyes at her, turning with her when she turned a corner, glancing to make sure there was no one I would bump into.

"Perfect. We will start immediately with your literature assignments."

"I'm sorry?" I slowed down, turning as she walked past me and walking slowly behind her. "You were serious about the whole tutor thing?"

"I can hardly sent you back to school with the same level of education you left with, can I?" she smirked, and I bit my lip to keep my comments to myself. "Your education will be taken care of, and your fears of being expelled from school and not having a future can be put to ease. So stop looking like someone kicked your puppy and give me your reading list."

I did as she asked, taking out a folder with the expectations of each of my classes, what we had been studying, would be studying, and when. The one thing I loved about Japanese schooling is they were always prepared with everything they were going to do for the year. Hopefully this would be more in my benefit than my downfall in the coming weeks; I wasn't sure what to expect anymore from this woman.