A/N: Wow. So tired. I've been working nightshift this weekend, 7p-7a, and I kind of want to go die now. I just slept for a few hours, but now I have to wake up and study, because summer semester finals are . . . oh crap, that's tomorrow isn't it. Dang it. And I have a project I need to finish . . .

Why am I on FFnet right now?

Anyway, you can thank my night shift for the completed chapter, because I had like five hours of nothing to do but try and stay awake(and also help this lady who kept wanting the bed pan)I know I kind of left off at a suspenseful point last chapter, but . . . I'm giving you a little change of scenery. You guys were probably wondering where SHEILD was going to get their info right? Cue 'interrogations,' or, not so much interrogations. You'll see.(Special thanks to reviewer Black Shadow Tigress, otherwise I never would have thought of this) It should take about ten seconds of reading to figure it out.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or YYH

Warning: I used a naughty word this chapter. I feel kind of bad about it, but I also feel that it fit, so I couldn't take it out.

Nick Fury stared at the the sight the greeted his eye and glared wholeheartedly.

"That's . . . a lot of stairs." Agent Hill muttered almost under her breath.

Fury glanced over at her, and she answered his unasked question. "We've still been unable to find out what's disturbing our sensors, sir."

Fury nodded gruffly. "Keep working on it."

"Yes sir."

And they began their ascent.

Their really time consuming ascent.

By the time they had reached the top, both agents were trying to pretend like they weren't out of breath. They were also wishing that solid black wasn't the SHEILD standard uniform color.

When they reached the top, a serene picture met their eyes. An old style Japanese temple floated peacefully in a background of thick foliage. A small well, and sparkling wind chimes hanging from the edges of the roof made it look even more like it was a picture out of an antique's catalogue.

And, a final detail in the little scene before them, was a small woman dressed in a traditional looking tunic and under-clothes, with a wrinkly frown on her face.

It almost looked like she was waiting for them. The two paused for a moment, and Fury let his hand drift casually toward his hip, where his gun was. He knew Agent Hill was doing the same thing- they were both trained to be cautious. This lady might look harmless, but all their sources pointed toward her as a major source of information on the 'Reikai.' (Well, actually, they pointed in a few other directions, but so far those had all been dead ends- quite literally)

"Kyoda Genkai?" Fury asked.

The old woman gave them a look over-glare and then stood easily and crossed her arms. "What the hell do you want?"

Not . . . exactly the reaction either of the agents had been expecting. But of course, being agents of SHEILD, neither of them showed any sign of surprise.

He flipped out his badge with a practiced ease. "I'm Nick Fury, head of SHE-"

"I know who you are, dimwit. I want to know what you want." Fury twitched visibly, and gave her a fearsome look- one that was returned. He managed not to bite back a retort, though. They still needed information from her, and he may be determined, but he drew the line a interrogating an old woman. Even if she did have a bad attitude.

That meant they had to be friendly- or at least civil- which meant no yelling, or insulting. Or demanding. He really would have liked to send someone else on this mission, but it was too important, and he wouldn't have been able to monitor it because of the unknown interference that currently blanketed out this place and all the woods surrounding it.

"We need information on the realm known as 'Reikai.' We've had some encoun-"

"I know all about your little run-ins with the Tantei. The fox told me all about it. So, hurry up and get to the point, or leave."

Fury had not just walked up the longest flight of stairs in the history of mankind just to walk back down them without anything to show for it. So, he got to the point. "What exactly is the 'Reikai,' how do you travel to and from it, is Koenma really a deity, what connects you to the Reikai, what exactly is the Reikai Tantei, and are the beings from this realm a potential threat to Earth and humankind?"

Genkai paused, and looked him over critically. "And why should I tell you any of this?"

"SHEILD takes its responsibilities concerning Earth's safety very seriously."

The old woman snorted. "How noble." She turned and walked into the house. Fury stared after her in something akin to shock, until she glanced back and raised an eyebrow. "Well! What are you waiting for? Get your butts in here before I decide you're not worth my time!"

Fury pursed his lips, then followed.

They entered the small wooden building, both agents eyeing the bare walls suspiciously. Genkai walked over to a small mat on the floor and sat, then glared at them. Fury paused, glanced at the other two mats on the floor, glared back, and then sat grumpily on he one facing the old woman. Hill quickly followed suit.

After he felt his knees begin to strain, Fury decided that this would have to be quick. "What can you tell me?"

"About Reikai? Not much. I knew the old ruler. He was a bastard if there ever was one, but his brat Koenma only just took over a few years back, so you'll have to figure it out yourself. I will say one thing though- ever since his take over there have been a lot less deaths due to demonic activity." Fury nodded, and glanced at Agent Hill, who also nodded. She was recording it. Good. They could go over everything later.

"And the Rekai Tantei?"

The old woman gave a half affectionate, half scornful smirk. "Now I am familiar with them. Their leader is my dimwitted apprentice."

Fury blinked. "Shuichi Minamino."

The woman stared at him. "Hah!" She barked. "You think he's my apprentice? No. Yuusuke, the punk with the obnoxious hair."

Well that was specific. Because really, long red hair was pretty obnoxious looking on an Asian guy. And so was short curly orange hair- or even long and silver.

"I don't think we've met him."

"No. He didn't go to deliver your little prisoner. He doesn't speak English, and he has a horrible temper, so he would have just gotten in the way."

"So, can you tell me all the members of the team?"

"Well, originally it wasn't a team, it was just Yuusuke. Reikai always keeps a human around called a Spirit Detective with hight spirit energy to protect normal humans from demons and any otherworldly threats."

There was a pause. "Does that include aliens?"

Genkai gave him a slight smirk. "Not yet. You should talk to him about that though. He probably wouldn't mind lending a hand every once in a while. Anyway, Yuusuke made friends with Hiei and Kurama- two demons who live nearby- well, Hiei doesn't anymore, but Kurama will probably stick around a few more decades. His friend from school, Kuwabara, turned out to be a psychic, and joined up too, and there you have it."

"What about Shuichi?"

Genkai's lips quirked upward. "Well, that's an interesting story." She suddenly looked as if she was trying not to laugh. "Yuusuke was sent to arrest him after he stole a dangerous artifact from the Reikai vaults. But as it turns out, he just wanted it to save his mother, and turned himself in after he used it, so Koenma let him off lightly- put him on parole, and made him work as a part of the team."

"But if he wasn't your student, how did he learn about Reikai?"

Genkai's smile was full blown now. "You'll have to ask him."

Fury his temper heating up. This woman was just leading them on! He took a calming breath, but it didn't seem to help much.

"You're not telling us much."

"I'm telling you more than anyone else would, so get over yourself. I gave you the information you wanted. Now get out of my house before I kick you out."

"I'm not leaving until you give me more. This is important! The entire world could-"

There was a loud crash, a very undignified and out of character yelp of pain and surprise, and Genkai glanced casually at the man sized hole in her shoji. "I'm a very literal person." She glanced at the other agent. "Do you want to follow your boss' example or learn from his mistake?"

Needless to say, Agent Hill was out of that building in under a minute.

Genkai sighed, and gave the hole a critical look. "I'll get Yuusuke to fix that." She muttered to herself, then she sat back down on her mat, and poured herself a nice hot cup of green tea.

A/N: I made up Genkai's other name. 'Kyoda' was actually taken from her voice actress Hisako Kyoda. I felt that it fit.

No, Genkai didn't answer all his questions, but she still did a lot of explaining this chapter. I kind of almost feel bad for Fury . . . meh, not really. He probably deserved it. Gah! I used the word glare way to much in this chapter.

On another note, I have noticed that actual reviews have sort of trickled off. I mean, there were only two last chapter(thank you very much by the way!) But there have been a lot of favorites and follows, so I can't help but think that people do still like the story. So, here's the deal. I will promise a short side fic that I will post separately when(not if!) this story gets up to twenty reviews. See, I'm not withholding chapters or anything, I'm just motivating the shy individuals that stalk FFnet quietly . . . I still feel kind of ashamed that I have sunk to this level though.

The side fic will feature Shizuru and Hiei, and will be set around chapter two.

And there we have it, my longest A/N so far. Review!