This New Life Ch 2
By JM Reverie

Looking back, what I did was really, really stupid.

Knocking the fire demon out of his tree… Really, really stupid… It's possible he could have killed me. And yet… The look on Hiei's face, it was so… hilarious…. I think I was the very first to ever accomplish such a feat. (Well, and live to tell the tale…) I saw his eyes go wide in shock when I touched him. As Enma-sama had told me when I was born, that those of the Makai are less able to feel my rei the more I exert myself so… To Hiei, I must have vanished. I didn't think about that little detail, then, when I confronted him. Honestly, I did not mean him to fall. I only meant to move him. But… Oh and poor Hiei… He landed on his head…

I don't know why I think it's funny, I shouldn't. That's just not like me.

While Hiei was getting to his feet, I jumped from his former tree to the ground. I am also able to move very quickly, because of how my rei is. Sometimes I feel like I'm more spirit than human, though Enma-sama assures me that I am mortal and will die.

Hiei raised his katana and rushed at me. He looked angry.

I sidestepped it, while Yusuke looked on. He had this smirk on his face. Yusuke thought Hiei's little fall there was quite funny, too, I could tell. He was just smart enough not to burst out into laughter for once. Maybe Mr. Immaturity was just too curious about the situation.

Hiei kept swinging at me and I kept eluding him. It was too easy. I don't know if I'm faster, but I could sense him and he could not sense me, so I had the advantage. Still, I refused to fight him back. That really wasn't my intent, to initiate combat earlier, but… As I said, things just sort of happened. And, my refusal to fight, I believe now, was angering him more.

While I was avoiding Hiei, Kuwabara came into the field and stood by Yusuke. All we needed now was Kurama and all the Reikai Tantei would be together. I doubted he would know about all the action going on; he's a devoted student and loves his ningen life. However, once I used my power to cause harm to Hiei, he would know. And so would Enma-sama, too.

I gathered my rei into my hands and focused… then tossed it Hiei. It wouldn't have been good to for him to summon his kokuryuu-ha or anything drastic like that. I wasn't even sure if he would, but what else was left if he could not touch me? So, I let my rei-ball knock him out.

"Yurei, do you know what you just did?"

"I… Knocked out a demon, didn't I?" I didn't know what to say to explain myself. I couldn't just be like… Gee, I was only trying to be macho for you all, sorry… Yeah, right.

"He's an ally."

"Oh." I stared at Hiei. He was lying on his front, face in the dirt.

"You two go back to school or something. I'll handle Hiei."

Kuwabara gave me a once over, and then reached over to lead me away from Yusuke and Hiei. It seemed to me he was being very familiar. He had this expression on his face that I just couldn't read. It were almost as if he were on the verge of amazement or confusion and could not decide which to feel or what to say.

"Did he know?" I wondered.

He opened his mouth and spoke. "Huh?"

I hoped and prayed my face wasn't giving my emotions away. I have trouble sometimes keeping secrets. It's not that I want to tell, I don't. My face is just honest.

"You're a Reikai Tantei, aren't you?"

"Why, yes, I am. You are, too, am I right? Your rei gives you away."

He smiled at me. I mean really smiled - I could see the warmth in his eyes. "Yours does, too." Kuwabara then coughed and looked at his feet, before giving me another quick once-over, taking in my appearance. "So what do you call yourself?"

"I'm called Yurei. Sometimes people think I'm more spirit than human. The name just sort of stuck."

"But you are alive?"

"I'm human, like you."

Kuwabara put both his hands in his pockets and relaxed his stance a bit, though he still looked a bit surprised.

"So what brings you here, Yurei?"

I grinned at him. "Well, I'm here to train with the best if you'll have me."

"Does Koenma know about this?"

I hoped my smile would not falter, thinking about certain things… I was prepared, though. "No. His father is the one responsible for me becoming a Reikai Tantei…"

Jane Reverie
December 6, 2003
(Revised & Improved)

A very special thanks to Red for excellent YYH character assessment.

~JM