Heh, that update took a while, yeah.

"Global warming my ass!" Genkai snatched the banging doors, her tiny body struggling against the wind. Yukina rushed to her side, helping the master finally slam the doors shut.

"Uh!'' Both women collapsed to the floor as Kuwabara latched the windows shut. "Guess I'm getting old," Genkai panted. "Wasn't it 90 degrees outside just a while ago?"

"And is it just me, or is the earth losing its life force?" Shizuru sat down at the tatami floor, listening to the howling wind.

A small boy sat beside her, shivering in his filthy red-striped t shirt. "Huh? Its life force?" He glanced at her, puzzled.

"Hey, Washigo," Kuwabara sat down beside him. "The weather started acting weird right after I fought Kumochi. He or that one lady Flom might have had something to do with it." Genkai and Yukina gathered into the circle, both looking intrigued. "Tell us everything you know about Kumochi or anybody working with him."

"U-um." Washigo glanced at the others. Being a pickpocket, he especially hated being center of attention. It felt almost as if he had been caught red-handed, even when he hadn't done anything.

"K-Kumochi-sama made me steal stuff and he pawned them off. I was very scared of him. I don't think he was with the Yakuza. But he had a fighter, too. His name is Takashi."

"Where did you live?" Genkai demanded. She hugged her arms to her chest.

"In his hotel. It was out of business for years. I don't know why he didn't use it. He had lots of money."

"Yeah, he was a multi-millionaire," Kuwabara looked confused. "I doubt all he had was an abandoned hotel. I don't think just a kid could make him that much money, either. What about Takashi?"

"Oh I like Takashi!" Washigo's attitude immediately changed. "He does the fighting and stuff whenever me or Kumochi gets in trouble! He is strong too! He stood up too when Kumochi was being mean to me." Washigo beamed at the thought of his hero.

"What's his last name? What else does he do?" Kuwabara looked like he had struck gold.

"I dunno. He goes missing a lot, sometimes for a whole week." Washigo busied himself picking at a small hole in his shirt.

"Hmm, nobody else that you know of?"

When Washigo shook his head in reply Kuwabara got to his feet. "Then I gotta find this Takashi fellow."

"Wait!" The boy jumped to his feet and snatched the edge of Kuwabara's Hawaiian t shirt. "Mr. Kuwabara! You aren't going to arrest Takashi, are you?"

"I dunno, kid." Kuwabara removed his shirt from the ten-year-old's fist as gently as he could. "I might have to."

"Please, Mr. Kuwabara! He didn't do anything wrong! He's my best friend!" Washigo hiccuped, fighting the urge to cry. Yukina stared at him sympathetically as he sniffled and chocked back his sobs..

Finally, he burst into tears."I wanna go home!" Washigo broke into hysterics and buried his face into his dirty collar.

Yukina got to her feet to lead the howling boy from the room. "Here. I'll get you some hot tea and a change of clothes."

"I have a couple of men's yakata." Genkai called after them. "Kinda big, but it'll do until his clothes get washed."

Shizuru glanced at her brother. "Why are you so interested about Takashi, bro?"

Kuwabara stared into the fireplace."'Cause he might be our only lead."

"No way!" Koenma kicked down an entire stack of papers from his desk. "We found dragon presence in Ningenkai about 13 years ago, and bust our butts to get them out before they do anything! And before we can detect where they are, they up and leave and earth turns into an ice box!" He banged his tiny fists on his desk.

"I think they took a large source of energy from Ningenkai, sir." Ayame looked just short of panic herself. "And it seems there is more unique human spirit activity than normal." She glanced at her report.

"But which sources?" Koenma squeezed his oversized head between his hands. "'Anything could've happened!"

"Koenma!" A mess of blue hair stormed into Koenma's office. "Kuwabara seems to have beat Kumochi. But Yusuke is helping Hiei on the Makai assignment! Is this weather normal this time of year?" She looked like she had quite a flight; every heaving pant blew another clump of blue from her raw pink face.

"What? Botan!" Koenma's pacifier almost fell from his mouth. "You don't even follow up with Kuwabara with a big assignment like this?! You should be fired just for that!"

"B-but.." An already exasperated Botan looked taken aback. Being the nervous wreck that he was, even Koenma wouldn't speak like that to his assistants. "I-I didn't know itwassuchabigassignment..." She whined. Her boss glared at her. "Well, I mean... Kuwabara's done such a terrific job with some of the upper A-class troublemakers that I thought a little B-class wouldn't-"

"Koenma, sir!" Ayame looked wide-eyed at the report.

"Not now! We are in a crisis!" He pointed at Botan. "If you-"

"Koenma, sir!" George rushed into the office in a sing-song tone, followed by several other ogres carrying large stacks of papers. "I got you some more ink," He held up a parcel. "I noticed that you were low."

"I was going to follow up on Kuwabara! I just needed-"

"Seriously, sir! You will not believe this!"

"The death toll in Ningenkai is rising! Hypothermia, power failure taking a toll on hospitals, slippery rodes-"

"Ferry girls just can't fly in this weather!"

"AS YOU CAN SEE," Koema screamed. "WE ARE ALL IN THE MIDDLE OF WORST- CASE SCENARIO! WHY CAN'T I JUST QUIT?!"

The crowded room instantly hushed.

"Botan!" The ferry woman jumped as he pointed at her. "Follow up on Kuwabara this instant! No ifs, ands, or buts!"

"Ayame! Gather some stats. Let's see exactly what we're looking at. Pronto!"

"Ogres! Take care of the petty work, double time!"

Everyone went away with their orders.

"Wait! Ogre!" George stopped in his tracks; he was just about to take a quick unwinding break. "Get me some black coffee. Strong as it gets!"

In this state, George didn't feel now was the good time to reprimand his boss. He got to work."This is gonna be a long day."

"Lord Mukuro." The woman's watch duty was nearly over for the day. She and her former general balanced atop the Guard.

"Kirin. Don't you think that ship has sailed by now?" Kirin's former master stared blankly ahead.

He bowed his head. Old habits die hard, especially the sentimental ones. "The first lesson I learned in your service was respecting the enemy. I honor my lord as Raizen's men honor him still."

"Of course," Mukuro nodded. "However you see fit.

"Now, we must find what this new energy is, that made its way into Makai yesterday." She folded her arms.

"We are afraid to approach it."

"Yes, and whatever came through is hiding all its energy." She agreed.

"We will send a message to Spirit World. But right now," Kirin motioned her to follow. "There's something you need to see."

Hope u guys liked it some! Please con-crit! I wanna learn to write better!