Reikai, yesterday, 9:30 PM

A letter was lying on Koenma's desk. He picked it up, ready to pass it to someone else, when his eyes caught the words on the front. It was his father's seal.

He opened it quickly, scanning over the words, and then called Botan.

"I need the old team for this one," he said to her.

"But Koenma we broke up the team two years ago," Botan replied.

"Well look at this!" Koenma responded, showing her the letter.

"Oh…oh my goodness," Botan said, grabbing her oar. "I will get them."

8:17 AM, Genkai's temple, Japan, Ningenkai

"Why are we here?" Hiei said irritably.

"It's the shift, isn't it?" Kuwabara asked.

"Shift? What shift?" Yusuke asked.

"My sister woke up in the middle of the night last night," Kuwabara replied. "She muttered something about the 'end of spirit world' and a 'shift in power.'"

"That's exactly what it is," Botan said.

"I never thought I'd live to see her," Genkai said.

"See who?" Yukina asked.

"There is one in every century," Genkai said. "They are usually women. Joan of Arc, Empress Suiiko, Cleopatra, Helen Keller, those are the ones that you will know. Some centuries have more than one. But once in a while you have a bad one. Like Morgan La Fey of Arthurian legend.

"Yes that's right, the file!" Botan said, handing it to them. "Morgana, or Morgan la Fey was scorned by love and tried to destroy spirit world. She knew in her time she could never have anything of her own, so she started a revolution between the human and spirit worlds. Finally, we were able to alter her memory so she knew nothing more of her own abilities. Although she eventually rediscovered her powers, the only thing she did in the end was ferry her brother to Spirit World. This was before me, so I only know what was on file."

"Now hold on a second!" Yusuke said, standing. "How can you just assume this chick is going to be bad? Remember how you did that with me and what happened?"

"Yusuke! Watch your mouth about what you don't understand!" Genkai said. "If a human with these kind of powers decides to overthrow Spirit World, then it's the end for humans and demons alike."

"Yes, that's right," Botan said. "I was told to get Yusuke on the case in particular. This girl has no idea she has powers. Her body has rejected it's own DNA, in particular, her lungs. These American doctors don't understand. She is angry, and people call her a liar, saying she is making up her illness because they can't see it. Koenma and I believed that because of your…unique experience, you would be able to help her. And stop the second Reikai Revolution before it begins."

1:21 PM ACU campus, Texas, USA (University Place Apartments)

I lay back on my twin bed in my spacious dorm room. My shoulder length brown hair splayed out around my head in waves. The hair is in strict contrast to the pallor tone of my skin.

My skin is so pale white that I have been hospitalized for anemia. The lack of iron in my blood makes my immune system weak. I get sick easily.

My face suffers from this anemia, giving me the hated dark circles, and lips with almost no color, not unless I bit them, like I was doing now, in my frustration.

You know how you can be standing in a crowd of people and feel like you are alone? I spoke the words in my head. Or maybe its more like, you know how you are alone and feel surrounded by people. No matter where you go, there is this pressured feeling of despair and sadness. And you feel weak, always weak.

And when you learn to fight, you realize how weak you truly are.

The careless words of another turn to a mantra until your own self-loathing makes you want to rip everything around you to shreds until the very universe lies dead at your feet.

I went to open the door, after hearing a series of loud knocks and some talking.

There was a boy on the other side of the door. Japanese, by the looks of it, with dark hair and brown eyes. His skin was naturally darker than mine, but then, everyone's was. He was wearing jeans and a brown t-shirt.

"May I help you?" I asked, giving him a puzzled expression.

"This is room 316, right?" he asked in an annoyed tone. "You're Ren Johstone."

"I'm Ren," I said. "But my roommate bailed on me. They said they were sending a replacement. I hope it's a chick. Wait, who did you say you were?"

"Yusuke Urameshi," he replied. "Your new roommate."

I jumped back. "W-What? B-But you're a…."

"A guy? I know," Yusuke said, grinning, pushing past me into the apartment. "But the manager told me you wouldn't mind."

"HEY!" I yelled, chasing him down. He was already in the guest room. "You can't jus—"

"Look I don't wanna do this anymore than you do," Yusuke said. "So why not make this easy on both of us and get over it already?"

He walked over to the next room. "This one yours?"

He opened the door, walking in. I didn't stop him. Not like I have anything to hide."

"Hm…what's this you're researching?" he picked up a book titled, 'Life and the Afterlife, or Understanding the Reikai.'"

"What's this here?" he asked, pulling out my print-outs from the school library. "'Reikai Tentai', that's..."

I turned and glared at Yusuke, snatching the book away. "That's private."

I put the book down and surveyed the room. "The empty desk and bookcase are yours, provided you clean up after yourself."

"But your half is a huge mess!" he complained.

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. I would have cleaned up if I had known he was coming. "Shut up. I lived here first so I make the rules. Just do it or I get a lock put on this door so only I can go in."

"You can't do that!" Yusuke protested angrily. "I live here too! Dammit, what's your problem?"

"The only one with the problem here is you," I replied. "I don't wanna fight all the time, okay? Let's do this like we're friends. Here's your room."

I opened a door to the guest room he had gone into first.

"Only rule," I said. "If I say I wanna be alone, then leave me the hell alone."

He held his hands up in mock-surrender. "Sure, whatever. Where's the food?"

"You think I cook?" I laughed. "Nah. There's your basic junk food in the fridge and pantry. If you can cook, be my guest and take a whack at it, but we aren't insured for fires so keep the burners on low."

I turned to leave the room, upon hearing another knock.

This time when I opened the door, it was a tall redhaired boy and a short black haired boy on the other side. The shorter fellow was clad in all black. The boy that I called 'tall' (probably average for you, I'm just rather short) was wearing a white shirt and jeans.

"Hello, I am Shuichi Minamino," the redhead greeted. "This is my roommate, Hiei. We are exchange students from Japan along with your roommate Yusuke. Has he made it yet?"

"Yeah, the jerkface is off eating all my food," I responded. "I'm Ren. Does this Hiei guy talk?"

"Yes, sometimes," Shuichi said. "He is just suffering from a bit of jetlag, I'm afraid."

Hiei twitched. "K—Shuichi. Don't put words in my mouth. I don't have jetlag. I just despise this place and its people."

I smirked. "So. You're a people-hater too. I think we are going to get along."

"Hn…I doubt that," replied Hiei.

"You guys made it," Yusuke said, coming in holding a bag of potato chips.

Shuichi smiled. "It is good to see you again, Yusuke."

"Yes, it is good to see that you didn't manage to kill yourself during travel," Hiei said, an almost smile on his face.

Yusuke glared at Hiei. "I didn't find that funny."

I sighed. "Have a fun house party guys. I'm out of here."

I headed for the door. Hiei was in front of me in a second. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Look, Hiei," I said. "I don't know how it is in Japan, but America is a free country. If I wanna go out to the movies alone, I can."

"You are a woman," Hiei said. "Even in a free country like America that isn't safe. We are coming with you."

I narrowed my eyes in challenge. "I don't need bodyguards."

Shuichi put a hand on my shoulder. "Then don't think of it that way, Ren. Please think of us as your friends."

I sighed. "You I am okay with. It's just the little guy with his attitude. And Yusuke, with his taking advantage of everyone!"

Yusuke put the bag down on the counter. "Hey! That's not fair! I was trying to be nice and you're just being in a bitchy mood all the time. That isn't my fault!"

I clenched my fists. "Look, if you guys are coming, whatever. I don't care. But I'm not calling anybody my friend till they earn it."

3:32 PM Carmike Park Theatre

Yusuke looked in the dark next to him at the weakened young girl.

She really was a sight. Although she was anemic, bruised, and without color, somehow she was still extremely pretty. He found that he wanted to be the one to release her from the darkness. The darkness that made her eyes shadowed that way…

"Yusuke…" her voice whispered to him. "If you aren't gonna watch the movie that's fine. But stop glaring at me intensely like that. It's freaky."

Yusuke jumped. "Eh? Sorry…"

He put a hand behind his head in a sheepish gesture.

Meanwhile, Hiei had never been to the movies before. He held the drink in his hand and examined it closely.

He looked it up and down, then poked it. "Hey…Kurama…"

Kurama turned. "You're supposed to call me Shuichi."

"The girl is hardly listening," Hiei said. "Anyway. What is this hollow stick in this cup? How the hell do I drink this drink?"

Kurama sighed. "It's a straw. You suck the drink out of the cup. How did you not know this?"

"We don't have straws in the Meikai," Hiei replied in a musing voice.

11:45 PM, ACU UP Apartments-Room 316

I sat in my living room, watching television with Yusuke. Finally I stood up and said, "It's been nice, but I need to get to bed."

"Wait," Yusuke said. "You had information on the Reikai Tentai. What do you know about them?"

"Only that they are just the stuff of charismatic occultists," I laughed a little. "Please. If the Reikai truly had such a team…I-I would hope they would have had time to help me. That was my prayer. But I lost faith in things like that. For some reason or another, whoever's up there is allowing me to suffer this daily pain."

With these words I turned, walking to my room.

Yusuke stood and followed me, opening his mouth for a response.

"Yusuke. Do not disturb me, even if the building is on fire, until morning," I said.

"Yes. Don't lose faith, Ren," Yusuke said. "I am sure someone will help you."

I looked at Yusuke. "So many times people tell me to have faith. But what good are the wings that faith gives you…if you do not know how to fly? Good night."

I closed the door, and locked it, a smirk on my face. I slipped off my shirt and white wings sprang from my back. Painfully hidden through Reiki training, I could only free them as I slept.

I feared that people would see them and attack me. I had no idea why I had them. Why a human girl would have wings.

That was the reason I ventured into the Reiki training and the beliefs of the Far East. My best friend was Japanese, and she taught me these things. She alone knew of my wings.

I folded the wide feathered things around my skin, warming my tired pale flesh. Quelling the power of these wings sucked all of my energy away.

But in one feather, lurked amazing powers. I kept a few in my pocket every day just in case things got bad.

But the Reikai Tentai…the prayer for them…it had been foolish. I found a website claiming that the Reikai kept a team around for missions. I had thought I might qualify. For help.

"Hm…Reikai Tentai…what a joke," I laughed, slipping a modified nightgown on and slipping into bed. After that, I curled my wings around myself and slept.