Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Coming Clean ❯ Goodbye ( Chapter 33 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: This story was written by me, mhmartini, for enjoyment purposes only. All characters taken from a show/series/book/etc. are property of their respective creators; I am only borrowing them. Original characters are mine. The storyline is mine. I am making no money from this endeavor. The only �profit� involved is the joy of writing and the reviews of my readers. No copyright infringement is intended.

Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Fantasy / Hentai | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 08.26.2005 | Updated On: 06.03.2007 | Pages: 8 | Words: 12.0K | Visits: 699 | Status: Completed

The detective team was just heading out the door to go to Genkai's forest when they ran into Shiori, carrying a large casserole dish. "Where are you going?" the woman asked immediately. "Is it Shuuichi? Do you know where he is?" Motherly desperation crept into her voice.

"Maybe. It may just be another false lead," Botan answered quickly.

"Take me with you!" Shiori said, shoving the casserole inside the door on the floor and hurrying to keep up with the team.

"Mrs. Hatanaka, I don't think you should come," Yusuke began, but Shiori fixed him with a look that left little room for argument. With a sigh, Yusuke gave in. "We're going to Genkai's. We can't wait for you to keep up, but if you go there, we'll meet up with you after we follow this lead and let you know what we found."

"Thank you, Yusuke," Shiori whispered and hurried back to her car. Before she had even started the engine, the team had disappeared on their way to the psychic's stronghold.

When they arrived at Genkai's, the old woman was not surprised to see them. "You had better learn to conceal your power better than that; I felt you coming from miles away. Not you, Hiei." was the greeting they received.

"Oi, Grandma, Koenma thinks Kurama might be in a cave near here. Anything weird going on lately?" Yusuke said.

"Of course not, Dimwit. If I felt him nearby I would have gone and gotten him by now," the older woman spat back at him.

"Master Genkai," Botan interjected before Yusuke could respond. "Koenma thinks Intaro has Kurama in a cave in the hill to the west."

"Hmm. That hill is a demon burial ground; many have gone there to die. Their power still inhabits the earth that claimed their flesh and bones. If Intaro and Kurama were there, they could not be detected by their energies alone," Genkai mused.

"Okay, then, we'll go check it out. Botan, stay here and wait for Shiori," Yusuke directed. Right before the three teammates left, a soft voice stilled them.

"Take me along," Yukina said.

"No way. Stay here and be ready to heal..." Yusuke began.

"I was not asking, Yusuke. I am a demon and Kurama is my friend. I will go along to help rescue and heal him," the ice maiden stated and walked past the boys towards the west.

"Well, we know where she gets that," Yusuke said, glancing at Hiei and setting off after Yukina. Hiei did not comment. He was too anxious to find his fox.

"Come with me," Kurama heard a voice say. It may have been real; it may have been a dream. He felt the coldness seeping into his body slowly, creeping up each limb towards his chest. His heart was beating slowly, and his breathing hitched. His mind growing ever fuzzier, he realized that his breathing had stopped completely. Cold tendrils wrapped around his sluggish heart, choking it. An invisible darkness began to settle onto him; the shroud of death was covering him, claiming him.

"Come on!" the voice urged, more insistently. Kurama realized that the voice was directed towards him, but he could not leave yet. His laboring body had not yet released his soul. To leave now would be premature. He was dying, almost dead, but until the body let go, he was still clinging to life.

Finally, the kitsune's spirit felt a tug, and with a jolt and a ripping sensation, Kurama was looking down upon his own body. He wanted to turn away, but found himself morbidly fascinated by the sight beneath him. His body still shook and twitched slightly. Blood was still seeping out to the final, lethal wound. The fox's heart beat a few more times, then finally stilled. Perplexed, Kurama wondered about that. How was it that he had separated from his body before it had died? He had done this once before, when he fled Makai to seek solace in Ningenkai after being injured by the hunter. But that escape had taken all of his physical strength and youki combined. He had not had the strength to do so today; his captor had ensured that over the past week of torture. Kurama let these thoughts meander through his mind as he stared dully at his own lifeless form.

"That was too close," The voice said, shaking Kurama from his trancelike state. Turning, the disembodied kitsune saw a figure floating beside him, perched on an oar similar to Botan's. The figure turned her head to look at the fox, brushing her dark hair from her face. "You need to learn to listen better, Kurama," she stated.

"Who? What? I..." Kurama stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence. He had always imagined that Botan would escort him to his afterlife. He had counted on it. The bubbly ferry-girl's presence would have been reassuring right now. The dark, somber presence of this other being intimidated the fox, a feat not easily accomplished.

"I know; you were expecting your friend, Botan. She is not here. I am Ayame. Lord Koenma will explain it all to you when we get to Spirit World. Come with me. We need to get out of here before the freak below us realizes what has happened," the figure said.

"Who, Intar..." Kurama began, but was immediately silenced by Ayame.

"Do not speak his name in his presence! It will alert him that we are here. If he discovers that, there will be nothing I can do to save you from him. Now, let's go before that happens," she instructed, turning her oar. Still confused, Kurama tried to follow. The fox tried to walk, but found that since he was hovering, and had no body, walking was quite impossible. After a few minutes the kitsune figured out how to direct himself, and floated slowly behind the dark figure.

Intaro looked upon Kurama's lifeless form. "Well, I must admit that this was somewhat anticlimactic. I usually experience much more of a rush when my victim's life flees their useless, mangled form. But it doesn't matter. We had our fun. And now, we will be with each other for eternity. You in my memory, and me as the last thing you experienced in your life. Farewell, my Little Foxy. You truly are my fox now; no one else will ever lay claim to you." With that, the demon placed another soft kiss on Kurama's still warm forehead, and left the cave before the approaching, would-be rescuers could find him.

Once they arrived in Reikai, Kurama found his form attached to the ground again. He resumed walking, rather than floating, as did the girl on the oar. The red head followed her in silence as she led him to Koenma's office. When they entered, Kurama was surprised at the state of Koenma's desk. Usually it was covered in papers, with leaning towers of folders precariously perched on every available surface. Today, the desk was bare, save for one folder placed carefully in the center. The folder was very thick, much thicker than most, indicating that this individual had led an extraordinarily long life. Kurama knew without being told that this was his own folder, detailing the events of his own life. With a resigned sigh, he looked up at the Junior Lord of Hell. Koenma was in his teenage form, sitting behind the desk, resting his elbows on the polished wooden surface, and pressing his fingertips together before his face. The demigod fixed the fox with an appraising gaze before saying, "Welcome to Spirit World, Youko Kurama, a.k.a. Shuuichi Minamino."

The cave to which they had tracked Intaro was dark. Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara walked in a protective ring around Yukina as they entered the small opening. Silently, they crept forward. After about forty yards, the tunnel-like cave turned, and opened into a much larger, well-lit chamber. The four entered carefully, wary of an ambush. To their surprise, the cave was mostly empty. The only person there was a still form lying in the center on the room. Yusuke and Hiei advanced, while Kuwabara remained near Yukina, to shield her from any harm should this be a trap. As they drew closer to the form, Yusuke and Hiei realized that it was no trap.

The figure lay supine, on its back, in a puddle of its own blood, still wet. Many cuts and bruises adorned its pale skin. Its mouth was agape, and its open eyes stared, unseeing, at the roof of the cavern above. From the wounds and the position, it was obvious that the person had suffered abysmally prior to his release into death. Various bloody marks around the floor and walls told the story of the past week, and the horrors this one had faced. Yusuke stopped his approach and turned his head from the gruesome, mangled corpse before him. Hiei stopped and stared. The small hiyoukai's shoulders slumped, and his eyes grew wide. His throat constricted painfully, and he felt every beat of his heart as the world went deathly silent around him. He tried to push a word past the lump in his throat, but all he achieved was a pitiful squeak, "Kurama?"

The strained voice of their friend drew the attention of Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Yukina. As they turned to face the fire demon, Hiei took a few shallow breaths then screamed loudly, "KURAMA!" before launching himself onto the body before them. The small form huddled over the remains of his fallen lover. Kneeling in the blood of the other, Hiei bowed over, leaning his head against the immobile chest of the kitsune. Sobs wracked the small form as he cried for his love. His hands tried to find purchase on the form, to grasp on and cling, but there were no clothes to grab onto, and the fox's flesh was unresponsive. Still shocked to find his beloved dead, Hiei spoke incoherent words into the body below him, as more tears fell from his eyes, coalescing into solid spheres, and rolling off the corpse to lie on the ground below. Hiei realized, as he pressed his face to his lover's chest, that the body was still quite warm. They had only been a few minutes too late. The guilt of allowing his fox to be tortured and killed, and allowing him to die alone and afraid and in so much pain turned like a knife in the fire demon's heart.

Yusuke and Kuwabara had no idea what to do for their friend. They had seen the two together, and had known that they were lovers, but they had never pictured the cold fire demon to have true feelings for the other. The sight of Hiei's grief was overwhelming, and both boys could do nothing but avert their eyes. Yukina watched for a moment then went to her brother's side.

She reached out to gently touch Kurama's head, to feel for any sign of life that she could possibly nurture back to health. One brief touch was all it took for her to know that there was nothing she could do. Kurama's spirit had already left. The fox had died alone at the hands of his enemy.

"Hiei?" she whispered softly, reaching out a hand to touch the hiyoukai's shaking shoulder gently. He ignored her. "Brother? I'm here, Brother," she said softly, as she grasped his shoulders and gently, yet firmly, turned him towards her. His puffy, red-rimmed eyes looked at her uncomprehendingly for a second, before he pitched forward, curling his body to lay his head in her lap, and began to sob anew. Yukina just ran her fingers through his hair gently, allowing him to release his grief and his guilt.

After a moment, Kuwabara approached. He circled around to the other side of the body, and kneeled beside it. "Yukina?" he asked softly. The ice maiden looked up at him, and saw the hopeful question in his eyes. Looking back down at the still form of the kitsune, she shook her head. The hope died in Kuwabara's eyes. They had expected a fight. They had expected to find the fox wounded, perhaps severely. That is why they had allowed Yukina to accompany them (not that she had given them a choice). They had not expected to find only the corpse of their friend. Kuwabara reached out and gently closed Kurama's lifeless, staring eyes. As he looked up slightly from the completed task, he saw red eyes watching him silently from Yukina's lap. Hiei was watching. Tears still welled in his eyes, but instinctively he had become guarded when someone new approached his fox. Not that it mattered anymore.

Kuwabara removed his long white trenchcoat to cover the body, but stopped. He looked down at the hiyoukai. "May I?" he asked, his usually coarse voice now soft. Hiei nodded, never raising his head. Kuwabara draped the coat over the form, and drew it up over the bruised and abused face. The companions all remained in silence for a few minutes, each thinking of their departed friend, and wondering where he was now.

Finally, Yusuke broke the silence. "We should get back to the temple. People are waiting for us," he said somberly. Kuwabara nodded, and reached down to pick up Kurama's body.

"No!" Hiei growled, again laying himself over the shrouded form. Yusuke attempted to approach, but Hiei fixed him with a glare that would melt stone, and he stopped. Yukina reached out to take her brother's arm.

"We need to go back to the temple now, Brother. Let him carry Kurama. You are in no condition to do so." Hiei tried to pull back and stand, to prove her wrong, but his legs gave way beneath him, and he collapsed right into her arms. He rested his head on her shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. "It's alright, Brother. Let Kazuma carry him. We need to go now." Wrapping his arms weakly around Yukina's waist, Hiei nodded his assent. Kuwabara carefully picked up the limp form, and began walking to the tunnel that lead back outside. Yusuke took hold of Hiei under his arms and pulled the fire demon into a standing position, supporting him since he could not support himself. Yukina quickly gathered up all the dark hiruseki that her brother had shed, and slipped them into a pouch she carried in her obi. She then wrapped an arm around her brother, and helped Yusuke to lead the fire demon from the cave.

Koenma raised his eyebrows at the ethereal form before him. "Kurama, you no doubt wonder what you are doing here," he began, but stopped when the form of the fox spirit shook its head.

"No, I do not. I am dead. All those who die come to you for judgment. I am no different," Kurama stated sadly.

"Actually, you are different. Kurama, you are not dead," the demigod announced. At this, Kurama was speechless. He had died; he was there. He had separated from his body, then his heart stopped and he was dead. With sudden realization, Kurama remembered the feeling that something was odd, that he had separated too soon from his body; he had separated before his body had died.

Koenma saw the fox spirit's eyes widen as the knowledge descended on him. "That's right, Kurama. I sent Ayame to pull your spirit from your body before it could die. Although your body is now, technically, dead, you were not in it when it died. Therefore we have a small window of time in which to restore your body and put you back into it. Since we intervened before your actual death, it will be as if you did not die." The fox spirit was stunned. Koenma continued, "I'm sure you expected Botan to come to ferry your soul to Reikai, but I could not send her. She's too close to you, and would have let her emotions and compassion get in the way of the mission. Once she saw your suffering, she would have snatched your spirit up right then and there. We had to time it just right so that Intaro believed you to actually be dead. If we took you too soon, he could have utterly destroyed your body. Then we would have no chance of restoring you at all. As it was, I believe he was suspicious of your death when he didn't feel the rush of actually having killed you himself. But, the other detectives were approaching, and he knew he had to get out of that cave quickly. Botan would not have been able to wait for the right time. Ayame works in my records department. I assure you, she has no compassion." Kurama glanced quickly at the dark form, who nodded nonchalantly. "She was the only one I had who was capable of watching over you for so long without taking action prematurely."

This caught Kurama's full attention again. "How long?" he asked quietly.

"Huh?" Koenma sputtered, not expecting to be interrupted.

"How long was she watching before she took action?" Kurama asked again.

"Umm, well, uh, we were trying to keep tabs and still coordinate the others, and then there were the logistics, and the moon is waxing, and..." Koenma began.

"How long?" Kurama asked, a bit louder.

"Six days," Koenma replied softly.

Kurama was stunned. He had been Intaro's captive for eight days. During that time he had suffered pain he never imagined possible. Ayame had been watching for six days. That meant that Koenma knew where he was, and did not act to rescue him. Kurama was certain that if his friends had known where he was, they would have attempted to reach him, even if it meant disobeying Koenma. Koenma's voice broke through his consternation.

"Kurama! As I was saying when you so kindly spaced out, I could not inform the others where you were. Intaro was too strong. He was pumped up on that stuff he used to increase his strength. The others would have been killed, and you would have died anyway. My actions may have drawn out your suffering, but when you look at the overall picture, it was the best course of action."

"You watched for six days?" Kurama asked softly.

Koenma blinked a few times. "Well, no. Ayame watched and gave me reports. I didn't actually see anything. She said it was pretty gruesome, but I'm sure a demon like you has dealt with worse. We just stuck to the game plan. Now we can restore you to life. When Intaro has his guard down, we can attack him again. This time we will win, all because he thinks he has achieved his goal of killing you. I'm sure you understand," the demigod concluded. Kurama just stood immobile, numbed by this information. He had been ruthless as a demon, one of the coldest there was. He had slain friends and enemies alike, and contracted hits on friends as well. But never had he tortured anyone as he had been abused. Never would he devise a plan hinging on the painful pseudo-death of one of his men. Never would he know where a companion was being held and suffering, and do nothing to save him. Wordlessly, Kurama stared at the floor. He felt betrayed and used. He also felt alone, very, very alone.

Koenma saw Kurama's reaction to his plan. He felt bad, but there was nothing he could do. Any other action would have resulted in the death of someone on the team. At least this way, everyone lived in the end. What else could he have done? Besides, how bad could a little beating up be? Koenma convinced himself that Kurama was just upset about 'dying' and left it at that. Turning to Ayame, he gave her new instructions. "Bring them here, Ayame. They should know what is going on as well." The dark haired ferry girl nodded and dissolved into a shadow. Kurama just remained still, staring at the floor wordlessly.

Shiori waited impatiently on Genkai's porch. She paced back and forth nervously, unable to sit down. The elderly psychic sat behind her, sipping a cup of steaming tea. Genkai felt the approach of the group before they became visible, and knew from their auras that the news they bore was not good. She wanted to warn Shiori, but could not. No amount of warning could prepare a mother for what was about to happen.

Several figures emerged from the forest. They were too far away for Shiori to make out clearly, but she rushed to the edge of the porch to greet them anyway. She was about to run out to greet them, but Genkai's voice behind her stopped her. "Wait for them here." was all the psychic said, but her tone had an arresting quality to it, and Shiori did not move form the porch, nor did she ask questions.

Although elderly, Genkai was in superior physical shape, and had extraordinary senses, including sight. She had easily discerned the figures approaching them. Even the old woman's toughened heart sank when she saw the shrouded figure carried by the tallest human. They had been too late.

Shiori waited impatiently for the group to come closer. Finally the forms began to separate and become recognizable. She saw Yusuke leading the group back, walking in the front. The tallest boy, Kuwabara, was walking slightly behind him and to the side, and was holding something large, but Yusuke blocked her view of most of it, so she could not tell exactly what it was. All she could see was that it was wrapped in white. Yukina walked behind them slightly, supporting Hiei. Hiei was trudging, his arm over his sister's shoulder, his gaze on the ground. He looked utterly defeated.

The group stopped a few steps from the porch. Yusuke, in the front, realized it was his job to break the news. "Mrs. Hatanaka," he began, but she cut him off.

"Where is he? Where is Shuuichi?" she asked. Her mind refused to register what Kuwabara was holding, refused to acknowledge the shape. After all, it could be anything. The boy had probably grown hot and removed his trenchcoat.

"Mrs. Hatanaka..." Yusuke began again, but he realized he could not tell her. No words would convince her of the truth. Instead of continuing, he silently stepped aside so the bundle in Kuwabara's arms became fully visible.

Shiori was confused at first when he moved. He eyes followed his movement, but he said nothing. After a second, she focused on what he revealed by moving. The bundle the taller boy was carrying was large, and looked heavy. It was more than just a trenchcoat. It was something wrapped in a trenchcoat. Shiori's eyes followed the wrapped form to the end that had been concealed by Yusuke's form. Long red hair hung limply out from under the white material. Shiori just stared for a minute, not letting herself accept what that meant. Only the gentle touch of Genkai's hands on her arms, moving her out of the way, brought her back to reality. She watched silently as Kuwabara passed her and entered the building. "First room on the left," Genkai whispered to him as he walked by, followed by the others, and finally by the two women.

Kuwabara took the body to room Genkai had indicated, and laid it gently on the futon there.

Botan was in the room preparing the futon for the patient. When Kuwabara laid Kurama's body on the soft mattress she stared unbelieving at the sight before her. "No. It can't be," she whispered softly. Shiori stood in the doorway, waiting for her son to sit up and tell her everything would be alright. Yusuke just hung back. For once he had no words.

In the outer room Yukina still supported her brother. Hiei leaned against her heavily, staring at the floor. He had not spoken a word since his outburst in the cave, and seemed to be in shock. His breaths were fast and shallow. Genkai watched both the twins and the others from her vantage point near the doorway. Although her emotions were hidden, she mourned the loss of this humanized demon that her earned both her respect and her friendship.

Botan arose quickly and left the room, tears streaming down her face. Shiori took her place beside the futon, and reached out to uncover Kurama's face. Kuwabara gently took her wrists and stopped her. "You don't want to do that, ma'am. It's...not something a mother should have to see," he said softly. Shiori stared at him numbly, unable to articulate a reply.

Yusuke turned away. He was angry, hurt, guilty, and scared all at once. He had failed his friend and teammate. A sob nearby caught his attention. Turning, he approached it.

Botan stood off to herself crying unabashedly. "I thought you were used to this stuff," Yusuke said to her in a flat voice.

"That's the point. I am the chief pilot of the River Styx, and it is my job to ferry souls across. Kurama went without me," Botan sniffled.

"Well, there are other ferry girls, right?" Yusuke asked.

"Yes, but I...we..." She sighed heavily. "Shortly after we began working together as a team I made a request of Lord Koenma. I asked that when my teammates, my friends, passed, that I would be summoned to ferry them across. Now Kurama is gone, and I was never summoned," She broke into tears again.

"Well, that's kinda morbid," Yusuke said.

"Not at all. It's an honor. This is one thing no one else on the team can do; it's my talent alone. And I feel it's my duty to be sure my friends make it to their final destination safely and without fear. I'm so angry with him for not telling me! Now I've let Kurama down when he needed me the most," Botan sobbed. Yusuke gathered her in his arms and held her while she cried. He didn't know what else to say.

Shiori stood and walked from the room in which Kurama's form laid. "Genkaisan, may I use your telephone? I need to call my husband," she said softly. Genkai nodded and pointed her to the phone.

After a moment, Yukina led Hiei into the room where Kurama lay. Kuwabara was still kneeling by his friend's side when they approached. Hiei all but fell onto his knees wordlessly. He sat with shoulders slumped next to his fox, not speaking, and staring at the floor. Without a sound Kuwabara arose and laid his hand on Yukina's shoulder. "We'll be right outside, Brother," she said softly as they left, sliding the door closed behind them and leaving Hiei to release his grief in private.

Once Shiori was off the phone the group assembled in the living room of the house. No one knew what to say, so everyone was quiet. The shock of their friend's passing was a fresh wound, and each of them was still hoping that they would wake up and it would have been a dream, a nightmare.

Hiei sat by Kurama's side. His tears had stopped. Slowly he reached out and pulled the coat off the face of his beloved. After long moments he finally spoke in a dry, dead voice.

"I failed you, Fox. I was supposed to protect you. You were taken in our own home, our sanctuary, and I was nowhere around. I should have been by your side. I should never have left you," Hiei shifted slightly to face Kurama, and sat up higher on his knees.

In the living room Kuwabara looked back at the door to what had become the viewing room for Kurama's remains. "Something doesn't feel right," he said, drawing the attention of his fellow mourners. "His aura is fluctuating and darkening."

"I'm sorry, Kurama," Hiei said, barely above a whisper. "I promise, I'll never let you down again, and I will never leave your side again," he murmured as he drew his katana.

"What the..." Kuwabara practically shouted, springing to his feet and running to the door. Yukina felt the sharp change in her brother's energy as well, and was barely a step behind the tall human. The rest of the group knew only that their expressions were filled with terror and raced behind them. Kuwabara flung the door open wide enough for all to see as Hiei thrust his katana through his own abdomen and doubled over Kurama's body.

Without a word Kuwabara raced to the small demon's side. Hiei had impaled himself, but was still quite conscious. Kuwabara grabbed his arms and tried to prevent him from finishing his attempt to kill himself. "What are you doing, Hiei?" the boy cried as the hiyoukai struggled to free his arms and complete his killing stroke. Kicking out, he tried to kick the larger human off him without losing his grip on the katana hilt protruding from his gut.

Yusuke was beside the struggling pair in a heartbeat. The detective grabbed Hiei's flailing legs and pinned them to the floor. Following his lead, Kuwabara finally pulled Hiei's hands from the sword and pressed them to the floor as well. The boys stretched the demon out on his side to prevent his struggling from causing worse damage. Yukina approached and knelt at her brother's side.

"Brother, no! I need you to stay here," she begged as she placed her hands on his stomach and back where the steel blade entered and exited his thin body. Hiei still struggled fruitlessly. He wanted these humans to leave him alone. He had to go to Kurama; why couldn't they understand that?

"Please, the sword has to be removed before I can heal him. I need my hands, and cannot remove it myself," Yukina said. Shiori approached slowly. Seeing the demon lover of her son sprawled on the floor, completely skewered by his own sword and his own hands unnerved her. She had come to view Hiei as a son, and she knew she could not bear to lose both her boys in one day. Slowly she knelt and took hold of the hilt.

"What do I do?" she whispered.

"Pull the sword out in a slow, steady motion. I will heal the skin and tissue as the sword is removed," Yukina directed.

"No," came a hoarse pant from the floor. "Leave me be." No one listened. Yusuke and Kuwabara had their hands full restraining the hysterical demon, and Shiori focused all her attention on performing the task at hand without passing out. Yukina placed her hands over the wounds in her brother's stomach and back and summoned her energy. As the sword slid out of his body and the wounds knitted shut, Hiei's plaintive howl of "NOOOO!" filled the room.

As soon as the sword was withdrawn and the wounds healed, Hiei ceased moving altogether. Yusuke and Kuwabara let go of him, and he lay on the floor, on his side. His eyes were open, and he was breathing, but he might as well be dead. He was utterly defeated. Again he had failed his fox; failed to fulfill his promise to join his lover.

"Move him across the hall." Genkai's voice echoed into the room. She and Botan had quickly set up a futon in the next room. Kuwabara picked up Hiei, whose limp form practically dangled from his arms, and carried him to the soft bed as Yusuke pulled the coat back over Kurama's face, then joined them. Once the fire demon was settled, the team backed off, unsure what to do. Shiori sat by his side and gently soothed back his hair.

"Please, give us a moment," she requested of the group. They filtered out slowly, closing the door. Since Hiei's bloody katana lay on the floor next to Kurama's body, they knew he could not try that stunt again. Genkai made her way to the kitchen as the others settled in the living room once more, their already overloaded minds even more full or sorrow and hurt.

A knock at the door was the only interruption to their sad silence. Hatanaka was in the doorway. When his wife had called he had immediately dropped his son at a neighbor's house and raced to the location she had given him. She had not made any sense at all on the phone. All he could make out was that something awful had happened to her son. At the sight of the morose faces around him, his heart felt heavy.

Yusuke led the man to the viewing room. Genkai had returned from her kitchen when the guest had arrived, and followed them, holding some unseen item behind her back. Hatanaka had told Yusuke to stop joking when the youth had informed him that Kurama was dead. It seemed the only thing that would convince the elder human was to see it with his own eyes. Hatanaka looked at the coat-wrapped form numbly.

In the forefront of Hatanaka's mind he thought, 'what a cruel joke.' In the back of his mind it began to register that this was no joke, no scheme. His stepson lay before him. In an effort to reconcile the two parts of his mind, he strode forward and threw the coat off Kurama's form. The pale, bloodied, obviously tortured body lay unmoving in the light from the lamps. Hatanaka stared for a few heartbeats before his stomach heaved. Pulling the wastebasket out from behind her back, Genkai shoved it in front of his face just in time. Yusuke looked at her questioningly. Her expression clearly said, 'I didn't have to be psychic to see that coming."

Shiori kept running her fingers through the hiyoukai's hair. Hiei was silent, and stared off at the wall. After some time, the human finally spoke. "Hiei, you can't go to him. I wished I could join my first husband as well, but there is too much here that kept me from going. I mean, I had Shuui..." she broke off into tears. "Dammit, Hiei, you're all I have left of him now!" she cried loudly. "Don't be so selfish as to take that away from me as well! His love for you is the only remembrance I have of him! Please, stay with me! I can't lose you both! Please..." she trailed off, covering her face with her hands.

A gentle hand on her arm and a soft voice caused her to lift her head. "I'm sorry...'Kaasan," Hiei whispered, looking at her with eyes full of sorrow, pain, and grief. His mirror-like wall was gone, shattered, and his bare soul was visible on his face. Shiori gathered him into her arms as tears trekked down her face. Hiei just wrapped his arms around her and sobbed quietly. When the door slid open, this was the sight that greeted a slightly green Hatanaka.

Shiori looked at him, her sadness written on her features. She did not relinquish her hold on Hiei. She was a mother, albeit a now childless mother, and comforting Hiei, being a mother to him, brought her unspeakable comfort as well. Hatanaka seemed to sense this, and stood just inside the doorway. At the human's entrance, Hiei stopped his sobbing, but kept his face buried in Shiori's shoulder.

After a few more minutes Genkai entered. She handed a cup of tea to Hatanaka with one word: "Drink." She approached Shiori with a second cup. "Give this to him," she said softly. Shiori just did as she was told, coaxing Hiei to drink the brew. He did as she directed, interrupted by a few hiccoughs. When the cup was empty, Shiori pulled him back into her embrace. Some time passed before she realized he had gone completely slack against her. When she looked down, Hiei was asleep in her arms, all expression wiped from his face.

Shiori looked at Genkai questioningly. "It's a tea that induces dreamless sleep. It's the only way he would rest, and they only guarantee he won't try to hurt himself again," the psychic explained. "I have another cup for you as well, if you wish." Shiori shook her head.

"Maybe later?" she asked softly. Genkai nodded, and left the room. Shiori gently laid Hiei down and covered him with a blanket. She then arose and went to her husband's embrace. Hatanaka's tea had settled his stomach, and he wrapped his arms around his weary wife as she cried into his shoulder. He led her from the bedroom into the living room.

One more guest appeared at the compound that night. A dark clad figure materialized in the living room and instantly drew everyone's attention. Before the figure said a word, however, Botan fixed her with a venomous glare and began speaking. "It was you! Why did you take Kurama across? I was to ferry his soul! What happened?" The anger in the normally bubbly voice made even Yusuke cringe.

"Lord Koenma will explain everything when we arrive. We must go to him immediately. Bring the body," Ayame directed in an emotionless voice.

"Like Hell!" Yusuke spat. "Tell Diaper-Boy to get his toddler ass down here and explain this mess! He's got connections; he should have known Kurama was going to die. Why the hell didn't he say anything?"

Turning, Ayame regarded the detective calmly with no expression on her cold face. "Lord Koenma had his reasons. He will explain to you in Reikai. Come on," she said.

"No." came a soft voice from the doorway to the bedroom area. Shiori and her husband stood there staring at the newcomer. "We will not come along until Hiei has awakened and we have all had some rest," the woman stated.

"You do not have a say in this matter," Ayame replied.

"Of course she does; she's Kurama's mom," Kuwabara supplied. "And she's right. We're not going until we're ready. So just shut up and chill out." Although normally he would not speak to a woman in this manner, this was the cold being who had taken Kurama from them. His patience was gone, and his grief was fresh. A soft, supportive squeeze of his arm showed Yukina's support of him.

Surveying the group before her calmly, Ayame realized that she could not make them go until they were ready. "Fine. Rest. We will go at dusk," she said and faded away before their eyes.

The sun had just set when the dark ferry girl returned to the temple. The group had gotten what rest they could. Kurama was now wrapped in a sheet instead of Kuwabara's coat. Yukina had washed the trenchcoat for him, and in the evening chill he had no choice but to put it back on. Hiei had awakened, and had not attempted to hurt himself anymore. He had not been back in to visit Kurama's body again; they others would not allow that, and his sword was cleaned and confiscated by Genkai. All in all, they were as ready to go as they could be.

As Ayame opened the portal, she motioned for Shiori and Hatanaka to remain in Human World. "He is...was my son. I will not stay here," Shiori said shortly and stepped into the portal, followed by her husband. Ayame just shook her head. Humans were so irritatingly stubborn. Genkai alone decided to remain behind. She had already said one painful goodbye in Spirit World and had no desire to ever repeat the experience.

When the group: Yusuke, Kuwabara (carrying Kurama), Hiei, Yukina, Shiori, Hatanaka, and Botan, entered the office, they were immediately shocked. Kurama, his ethereal, ghostly form, stood off to the side, near the wall. He looked up when he saw his friends enter, but did not say a word. Although his spirit was now free of its physical confines, he still appeared in his human form and showed human traits. He turned back to the wall and wrapped his arms around himself, looking miserable. Had he been more substantial, his shiver would have been visible. Hiei looked at him with wide eyes, but did not approach or speak.

Koenma arose to address the group, but a mixture of voices burst into speech before he could draw a breath.

"What the hell happened?" Yusuke bellowed.

"Why was I not called?" Botan shrieked.

"Why did you let Kurama die?" Kuwabara shouted.

"Is that my son by the wall?" some woman Koenma had not met asked.

"Who are you?'" queried the man next to her.

Koenma's head swam for a moment before he finally screamed, "QUIET!" To everyone's surprise, it worked. "I will explain everything. But first, who are you?" he asked Shiori and Hatanaka.

"This is my husband, Hatanaka Kazuya, and I am Shiori. Minamino Shuuichi is my son," Shiori said quietly. Koenma's eyes softened. He had not counted on their presence. It made his confession harder.

"I see," he began. "You are all wondering what happened. Let me explain. First of all, yes, that is Kurama by the wall. Well, it's his spirit, at least. He has retained his human appearance, but he is only visible here in Reikai. Outside of this palace, he would be nothing but an invisible ghost."

Shiori stepped towards the form. "Shuuichi?" she asked. Kurama glanced her way, then just lowered his eyes and looked back towards the wall. He did not speak. Shiori looked stricken.

"Don't be offended. He spoke briefly when he arrived, but he has not spoken since. I'm not sure what his problem is; I've explained everything to him," Koenma continued. "Next, I see you brought Kurama's body. Good. I need Yukina and Botan to get to work immediately to heal it. I want to get Genkai here as well. We have very little time if this plan is going to work. Third, I know you are all upset, but you should be relieved. Kurama isn't completely dead. Ayame pulled him out of his body before it died, so once it's healed we can restore him. Since Intaro thinks Kurama is dead, he will stop taking the strength enhancement drugs, and you can go kill him when they wear off. See? Everything is going to be fine," the demigod finished. That wasn't as hard as he thought it would be. As he glanced at the faces staring at him, his confidence waned.

"You pulled him from his body before he died?" Yusuke asked, confused.

"So, you knew where he was, then, but didn't tell us?" Kuwabara supplied. Koenma nodded.

"You didn't even tell me so I could ferry him across? You know how I feel about that! He must have been so alone!" Botan said.

"I couldn't let you watch over him, Botan. You would never have had the strength to observe without interfering too early!" Koenma protested.

"Observe?" a cold voice split the air, rank with anger. It was the first time Hiei had spoken since they arrived. All eyes, including Kurama's, were on him. "You 'observed without interfering' before you acted?" the hiyoukai seethed.

"Of course. Timing was critical," Koenma replied lightly.

Hiei stepped over to Kurama's body. "You let him suffer and die, and you fed us false leads to waste our time?" Hiei continued, his eyes smoldering.

"I...uh...well..." Koenma blanched a bit. "Leaders do this all the time. They must make choices to save the most lives. Presidents and kings send their people to war knowing that many will die, but a far greater number will live in peace because of that sacrifice. I made a decision, like any other leader. Only in this case, no one will die. Sure, Kurama got a little jacked up, but he'll live in the end, and so will all of you. My plan was superior in every way! And the false leads were to keep you busy, to keep you from screwing it up. If you found Intaro before he thought he had killed Kurama, I'm sure you would all be dead or injured badly," the demigod explained.

Hiei wanted to kill the being before him, but he could not argue with Koenma's assessment of the politics of leadership. The hiyoukai's only response, therefore, was to turn from the demigod and to rip the sheet off his lover's body. The team looked away. Even Kurama turned in shame from the sight of his own corpse. Hatanaka grabbed Shiori and turned her, hugging her to him and protecting her from the evidence of her son's suffering as he clenched his eyes shut and tried to block the memory of the body from his mind.

Koenma looked at the tattered corpse and the stains, bruises, burns, and torn flesh that gave silent testament to the agony the kitsune had borne. His pacifier dropped from numb lips as the acrid taste of bile flooded his mouth. After long moments, the only words he could muster were, "Kurama...I'm sorry." He had had no idea that the fox had endured THAT.

Hiei draped the cloth back over the body and stared quietly at Koenma. The rest of the group stood silently, unsure what to do. Finally Yukina spoke. "Where will we be healing Kurama?" she asked.

"I'll show you," Koenma said in a subdued tone, and proceeded to the door to lead the group to the healing chamber he had had set up. Hiei remained. Koenma was about to say something, but did not. Shiori took a look at her son's spirit. A sad smile from him stalled her words. With a sad smile of her own and a glance at Hiei, she left them alone together.

Once the others had left, Hiei turned to Kurama. "Fox, I'm sorry. I should have protected you," he said. Kurama just shook his head no. Hiei approached the spirit. He wanted to touch Kurama, to reassure him all would be well. He could not. Ghosts have no flesh and are not meant to touch the living. Silently, remorsefully, Hiei knelt next to the body and gathered it in his arms. "Sorry, Kurama. It's the best I can do," he whispered brokenly.

A soft voice next to him caused him to look up again. "Koenma said it will take a week, and then I must go back into my body or perish. I'll hold you again in one week, Love," Kurama whispered, speaking only for the ears of his lover. Hiei nodded at Kurama and smiled. The kitsune smiled back. Finally, Hiei laid down the body and the two rejoined the group.

In the healing chamber Yukina and Botan were telling the ogres what they would need to begin healing Kurama's body. Koenma stood to the side silently. The image of Kurama's body haunted him. When the ogres scurried off to collect the needed items, Botan turned to him.

"Everything is in order. We just need to bring him here now," she said coldly. Koenma nodded and motioned to another ogre to do so.

"Why is it so hard?" he asked softly. Everyone stopped moving and looked at him. He glanced up, surprised that he was the center of attention. "What?" he asked.

"Why is what so hard?" Botan asked.

"Did I say that out loud?" Koenma asked. When the whole group nodded, he sighed. "I thought I had come up with the perfect plan. Instead of deaths and multiple casualties, only one person would get hurt. No one would die, at least not permanently, and everyone would be fine in the end. On paper it looked so smart, so responsible. Why does it hurt so badly to do what I know was the best course of action?"

"Because you have feelings, Lord Koenma." Botan said softly. "My compassion may not have given me the 'strength' to watch Kurama suffer, but that does not make it a weakness."

Koenma looked up at her, and around the group. "I'm learning that. And I am sorry to have deceived you. I was doing what I knew to be right, even if it hurts," he said.

"If that's a request for forgiveness, we'll think about it," Yusuke supplied. But deep down, each member knew that this was the only course of action. As much as they hated the situation, Intaro would have killed Kurama and anyone else who got in the way if not for Koenma's deception. Still, forgiving this betrayal, no matter the justification, would be difficult.

The ogres arrived then with Kurama's body and placed him on the bed. As Yukina began to heal him, Botan ferried the others back to Ningenkai and collected Genkai to come assist in restoring Kurama's body. The fox's spirit had to remain in Reikai, of course. He waved sadly at his friends as they departed. His words echoed in Hiei's head, "I'll hold you again in one week." That week could not pass fast enough for the hiyoukai.

On the journey back to Ningenkai, Yusuke addressed the group. "Screw this waiting crap. We're going after that bastard now!"