Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Her Spirit ❯ Playtime ( Chapter 3 )

Kurama took the time to study the boy - after all, he would have to pay more attention to the female when she was talking. He was a fairly regular boy, the only thing different about him was his obviously close relationship to a woman that had been in a coma for four years.

A very regular boy, when you looked even closer one had to wonder how he was related to the woman who caused such a rise in their boss. He had the dark chocolate hair standard of most of the Japanese population and the same slight stature, but it was his eyes that set him apart. They were a brown, yes, but they had this shade of dark blue in them that made them seem almost unnatural.

The boy at first grew nervous under his scrutiny, but he turned to his sister and seemed to gain a strange confidence before turning back. His sister didn't even glance at him, he could see her motions in his peripheral vision, but she squeezed his hand and gave a small slightly proud smile. The boy straightened his back and returned his gaze stubbornly- and he still seemed to be connected to his sister.

`Odd.'

`Odd? Is it the mystery?' Youko rose from the deep depths set aside for the spirit fox in his mind.

`The boy, the girl, separated for four years…it just seems odd to me.'

Youko stirred closer to the surface, using his eyes. It created a sort of double vision, not that he'd tell anyone he could do this. It did not actually seem prudent for them to know the extent of him and Youko's more accessible abilities. And the double vision let him observe things in much sharper detail.

From his view in his mind, Youko seemed to scan everything about the boy in one glance. `Ningen, close to his sister,' he cocked his head in curiosity, `very close to his sister. Almost as close as a soul bonding, but that would be impossible, especially if she has been in this coma.'

The boy started to narrow his eyes, obviously bristling under his stare.

`I don't think the boy could be that close to her even if she was never in the coma. They have a sizeable age difference; it would make a large gap in most human relationships.'

The female had just turned to the boy; his tense posture had finally broken her staring contest with the prince.

`I don't think-'

Just as she female turned to the boy, he interrupted Youko's thoughts. “Stop looking at me like that.” He snapped.

`OOOOh, I think I'm gonna like this kid.'

“Souta.” The girl glanced curiously at him before dismissing him and turning her attention fully to the boy.

Youko was stunned into silence. Any previous comment he was about to make died on his tongue, leaving him looking suitably off-guard and slightly perplexed.

The boy glanced at his sister but didn't look regretful of his snappish comment. If anything, the look he turned on her was innocent enough to make a kitsune proud.

`I really like this boy!' Youko, it seemed, had recovered. Kurama could picture him grinning in his head and rubbing his hands together with glee.

She just shook her head and laughed softly, drawing the boy close to her for a quick hug. Then, she looked at him again. `It's her eyes…'Youko trailed off.

Kurama looked closer to her eyes, almost exactly the same as her brothers, except for the blue shade almost overtaking the brown…and the expression in them.

`They look like - like -`

`They look like veterans eyes.' Youko snapped out, absentmindedly twirling his hands in the mind space to create a version of her eyes.

Kurama nodded in agreement, and was surprised when the female bowed her head in contemplation as she regarded him, her eyes darting between his as she searched for her answer.

Koenma cleared his throat. “The questions?” He spoke rather impatiently. The female bowed her head again. Kurama caught the end of her grin as she wiped it off her face when she looked up.

The boy seemed to glare harder at him before he turned an even darker look to Koenma. “If you want to get our attention at least have the decency to use our names.”

Koenma spluttered. The female shushed Souta but you could see the way her eyes danced. `Oh, boy'. Koenma always got himself into the worst messes.

.x.

Kuwabara watched the two siblings, he may not notice things that Kurama could but he still could provide valuable insight from time to time. It also helped that this would actually keep his attention.

Kuwabara grinned behind his hand and winked at the boy. The boy regarded him suspiciously at first before grudgingly nodding his head. It seemed the boy just wanted time with his sister. `I can respect that…this is a family Koenma is butting into. I wonder if he realizes that.'

The female looked expectantly towards Koenma when he opened a folder. She seemed to grow confused for a moment, but then the prince stopped flipping pages and seemed to scan down a certain paragraph. “Miss - Kagome - then.”

She bristled, her eyes narrowing at the perceived insult. `What is he doing? The idiot!' Kagome looked ready to split hairs and the boy - Souta - was making his way off the bed.

His form seemed to hunch over with his anger - `He's had no fighting experience' - and the dark aura swirling about him almost made Kuwabara dizzy. He had to take a step back to watch the boy approach his boss.

Koenma sniffed haughtily before the boy started to pull a fist back. So quickly he almost didn't catch her movement, Kagome was holding the boy in her embrace and whispering in his ear.

`She can move that fast?' Kuwabara shook himself out of his daze. `How can she even move at all?'

“You would do well to show us some respect, young Prince.” Kagome stated. “One could prove to be difficult when they believe there is nothing to be gained from a conversation, more so when they were belittled as such.”

Kuwabara glanced at Kurama out of the corner of his eye. The fox looked decidedly pleased, not that one who didn't know him could tell. It also helped that Kuwabara had a stronger sixth sense now; he could examine the auras. When he was really familiar with them he could even transfer some of his energy by manipulating it to suit theirs.

Kurama just happened to be delighting in the torture he was too polite to indulge in. Kuwabara stifled another snicker behind his hand. This would definitely keep his attention; one only had to wonder if Koenma would get fed up before too long.

The boy glanced at him in confusion before a wry smile quirked his lips. He sighed and nudged his sister to the window seat, carefully situating himself behind her as they settled. “Let them ask then.” He sniffed with good humor.

`I'm starting to like this kid.' He's got a lot of spunk.

Koenma sighed with long suffering as he took a chair like it was his throne. Elegantly - `pompously is more like it' - settling the robes of his station about him like he was the Queen of France.

Souta giggled and started to play with his sister's hair.

“Now, I need you to tell me how you got to be like this.”

Kagome blinked innocently, - `it's anything but innocent if the gleam in her eye is anything to go by' - before she demurely set her hands in her lap and smiled. “Well, I remember the fire; I guess that was four years ago wasn't it?” Souta nodded, not that she could see, and she continued. “I covered Souta with my body when the Well House collapsed…and I woke up here! End of story.” She grinned at Koenma's deadpanned expression.

Kuwabara heard Kurama choking on his laughter but he had no such qualms about voicing his mirth. The loud boisterous laugh filled the hospital room.

Souta actually grinned at him this time and squeezed his sister's shoulder in reassurance- to himself or her he didn't know. Kurama calmed down and placed forth his question, “Do you remember anything from the period in between?”

“Oh my, I got asked an actual question? And he asked it with some manners? I didn't think you three had any!” Kagome mocked with a sugary voice, placing one hand to her cheek with her acting.

Kuwabara watched his boss' face burn with anger and decided to step in. “Forgive us; we weren't aware our boss hadn't explained previously.” Now Koenma was glaring at him. `Oh Joy.' “My name is Kazuma Kuwabara, call me Kuwabara if you like.”

Kurama was drawn out of his daze and gave a slight bow over her hand, kissing the back of it lingeringly. “Minamino Shuichi…but please call me Kurama.” Kagome blinked as a blush spread across her cheeks and Souta glared at the fox.

“Yes, yes, and I'm Enma junior, Prince of Reikai and boss to the Spirit Detectives.” Enma started out rather petulantly and ended rather proudly.

Kagome snickered. “Well I'm Higurashi Kagome,” she straightened up importantly, “older sister to Souta Higurashi and shrine miko to our family shrine.” Souta grinned and started playing with her hair. Obviously the Higurashis thought the Koenma was being a little too proud.

“My question, Lady Kagome,” encouraged Kurama. Her eyes grew distant and the crackle of power in the room took a while to settle. Souta's hands never ceased their action in her hair and Kuwabara realized that he was braiding the thick strands.

“I went far away, yet not. I was here physically, but there as well. I felt the pain and anguish of this plane while I didn't. Tell me Enma, have you ever experienced Nirvana?” The whole room seemed to still with her question and Koenma openly gaped. She smiled as the hands in her hair continued their soothing motion and glanced to Kurama. “No then, how about Limbo?” Her gaze pointedly remained on the fox.

Souta finished braiding her hair and placed the braid over her left shoulder, where it draped into her lap. Absentmindedly she picked up the end and started playing with the strands.

Kuwabara's gaze was drawn to the braid, its impossible length being tamed in a matter of moments belying the young boy's long practice with a female's hair. But as he stared at the braid his gaze was drawn to her hands.

Her hands were holding the braid like a stranger to life held a flower, cautiously and reverently, as if it was a mirage that could slip through their fingers in an instant.

“Have you ever meditated Koenma?” Her tone was slightly exasperated. She even gave him the nickname he despised in his teenage form; the child Enma.

“Of course I have.” He said rather indignantly.

“Ah yes, then you know of the half state you desire to achieve- the supposed achievement of enlightenment?” Koenma gaped.

“You're not telling me you achieved that state from a knock to the head!”

She blinked innocently. “No, I'm not. I'm drawing allusions to help you understand how I felt.” Kurama was glancing speculatively at her hands now, watching the way they gestured he guessed.

“How you felt?”

She smiled at him, it was a gentle smile. It was one that had all the patience in the world and more to spare; along with a warming dose of compassion and wisdom. It spoke to his soul.

“Hai, I felt my spirit. I was connected to my spirit like in meditation, yet I was here.” She glanced lovingly at her brother and pulled him into her lap. “I was listening and feeling and thinking.” Her brother grinned shyly, a blush spreading over his cheeks, and bowed his head. Her smile turned loving as she squeezed his hands in her embrace.

“So…what exactly did you experience with the spiritual side of this - Limbo?” The red-heads question caused Kagome to look down at her brother. He seemed to sense her emotion and snuggled deeper into her embrace.

`It's rather odd that he's almost twelve and they still act like they were children. Granted very smart children, but they crave the same level of comfort a young child seeks in its family.'

The siblings seemed to ignore everything for a moment of time, treasuring the embrace like water to a dying man.

“It does not matter.” Her voice was soft. “I have seen all that I desired to, and I have experienced what was needed of me.” She looked up at them; her eyes caught Kuwabara in a tangled web and drew him in.

Despair.

Longing.

Joy.

He gasped and stumbled back putting his back to the wall of the room. She gazed steadily at him before she turned away ashamed.

“What do you remember Souta-kun.” The boy seemed to grow annoyed at the honorific but he settled when his sister kissed the crown of his head.

`Thanks are to Kurama!' Kuwabara cheered in his head. If it was one thing that Kurama was good at it was diverting attention from the important things. Kuwabara took a steadying breath before he studied the duo more closely.

As Souta told his version of the Well House disaster and his sister's stay in the hospital Kuwabara found something he thought he'd never see.

And it scared him.

He snapped back into reality when a dominant presence approached the room. Lord Enma.

“Son…” He seemed to thunder as he stepped into the room. Thankfully he was in his more humanoid form. `I guess he needs to fit through the doors.' He mused distracted.

“D-daddy?” Koenma stuttered out. Enma bowed shortly to the room before he gestured to his son.

They disappeared down the hall, leaving the room in silence. A soft sigh drew them to the Higurashi siblings. Souta was curling into his sister and blinking his eyes sleepily.

With a start Kuwabara realized that he had probably had a long day. Koenma had said he came here every day after school and usually only stayed until six 0'clock. It was getting close to nine at the moment. “Hey kid…”

Kagome's hand stopped him and he settled back. He watched with avid fascination as Kagome stroked her brother's head, running her hands through the dark strands, the soothing action causing his eyes to droop even more. Eventually he curved into his sister's embrace and drew his legs up into her lap, curled up much like his kitten would in his basket. Souta yawned tiredly and fell into a light doze looking content and comfortable.

Kagome just kissed his forehead and slowly rocked, nuzzling into his hair when he whimpered and speaking softly when he frowned in his sleep.

No one broke the silence.

Even when Koenma came into the room, he was unusually subdued and calm. Taking in the room's occupants he curled his left hand in a come-hither gesture towards his detectives.

And silently they left the room.

In the hall Koenma started pacing and muttering under his breath. When he stopped he spun to face them and had a scowl on his face. “Either one or both of you will stay the night. I have business with the Reikai court and Miss Higurashi needs to be monitored extensively as long as she is in the hospital.” He sighed taking a suck on his pacifier - `Disgusting habit if you ask me.' “I'll come to see you in the morning and to get her papers cleared.” He looked about to add something, but he decided against it and gave them a sharp nod of his head as he stalked away.

They watched him until he was out of sight around the halls corners and simultaneously turned to regard each other.

“I rather enjoy their company.” Kurama offered.

Kuwabara nodded. “I'm staying too.”

Nodding at him Kurama entered the room first. Kuwabara followed just in time to glance the four year patient of a coma carrying her sleeping twelve year old brother towards her bed and tucking him in.

Kurama pointedly looked out the window and Kuwabara turned to look both ways out the hall before slowly closing the door.

The room was quiet but it was a comfortable silence, and it was only as they settled down into their posts for the night was when they noticed Kagome's gaze on them. They glanced at her in question and she offered an impish smile as her eyes curved. “You guys wouldn't mind telling me how you got involved with the Spirit Realm, would you?”

“I'll only answer if you answer a few of our own questions.”

“One for one.” She smiled indulgently.

Kuwabara sighed. “How much do you know about the three realms?”

“A lot. You'd be surprised at how many of the nurses' gossip.” She shook her head in exasperation before looking expectantly at him.

He blushed. “One of my friends is more involved than me, and once I helped him save our town. I kind of just got pulled in after that.” Kuwabara finished sheepishly.

Kurama only glanced at her calculatingly before posing his question. “Do you know anything about the power surges or your `power seizures' as they call it?” His gaze seemed to intensify as he stared straight into her eyes.

A small satisfied smile appeared on her lips, and a faint whisper brushed along Kuwabara's senses and disappeared before he could catch it. “I'm a shrine maiden, a miko if you will.” Kurama shifted slightly- almost unnoticeably. “My powers needed to be balanced with my spirit, hence the meditative state.”

Kurama sighed. Kuwabara felt his pain; this woman could answer questions while not giving any real answers.

.x.

“I am on probation.” Kurama said shortly almost ready to end his story there, until he caught the look in her eyes. It looked hurt and disappointed, like he had cheated her with the four word answer to a loaded question. Youko was laughing in the recesses of his mind. “I turned myself in to help my mother through a sickness. Yusuke, our leader, helped me through it and now I'm doing `community time' while repaying an actual debt to the Detective.”

That was as vague as he could possibly be without revealing too many details. Youko snickered, closer to his awareness this time. `I'm enjoying this.'

`Oh, pray tell what you find so amusing fox.'

They both stopped to silently question their sanity; especially when they used the nickname Hiei had given them on each other.

Youko snorted the first to break out of his stupor. `I would know, seeing as she has a personality that I would have respected when I was in a more physical form.'

`Personality?'

`Wait `til we all get together. Then we can compare details with the oaf, he looked like he had an epiphany earlier.'

Kurama shrugged and settled deeper into the crevasse of the window seat.

He noticed Kuwabara settling into the chair closest to the door and stretching his legs out discreetly to block anyone's entrance. `Good thinking.' He silently praised him.

Kuwabara looked up at him with his half smile and nodded towards the lone female. She was arranging the blankets around Souta and taking away the extra pillows. Smiling softly she approached Kuwabara.

Confused, he sat up straighter, almost about to inquire if she needed anything until she braced a pillow behind his head and arranged a blanket over him. Kurama's advanced hearing caught her whisper. “Don't think I didn't notice- and thank you.” Kuwabara blushed.

She walked over to him lifting his head to place a pillow behind his neck; the blanket she placed around him was warm from her arms and was gently tucked in around his form. Youko purred, `I think she just wanted to feel us up.'

Kurama would have blushed if he didn't pride himself on his control. But he did almost jump at the whisper addressed to him. “Watch yourself fox; my brother is very…protective.”

Silently she returned to her bed and slid in next to her brother. He sighed and turned into her warmth, and she blocked him from the detectives view. She moved around a bit then settled embracing her brother like he was her own child. “Good night.” She whispered before her breathing evened out.

`Did she just warn us away from something?' Youko questioned in astonishment.

Kurama's lips tilted into a smirk, `It would seem that this puzzle is our strangest one yet.'

Youko was positively gleeful. `Bring it on.'