Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ The Sin of Regret ❯ Chapter 2

A/N: You can go to my webpage to find out more about the Kitsune Mythology Challenge (the link is in my profile). While you're there, you might as well check out the rest of my page too ^_~ ; not that there's much to look at, I don't even have all my fics up yet.

More reviews would be nice! The last chapter got 60 views on mm.org, but the whole story only got 2 reviews (mm.org people seem to think that just because we have hit counters we don't need reviews; very not true, reviews are muse-fodder), and on ff.net only 1 of the 8 reviews was for chapter 1 (though that's probably largely due to the "small" fiasco I had with posting it...). Feed the muse, people!!! Shonia's obstinate when she's hungry! She's starting to think you don't like us! My inspiration is starting to dwindle already! I might just have to hold on to chapter three for a while longer so that my buffer doesn't run out! (I keep a buffer so that I can make adjustments keep the flow from chapter to chapter smooth; its one of my polishing techniques.)

Replies:

katyfoxdemon2 (ff.net) -> Yeah, I wish the chapters were longer too (this one is, but it's the longest one so far [I have chapter 4 finished already]); unfortunately that's the way the inspiration goes; I couldn't ignore the natural chapter breaks any more than I could put chapter breaks where they aren't. Hopefully they'll get longer as the story progresses, but I somehow doubt that will happen.

StormAZ (mm.org) -> Well, I'm not anticipating any strange twists in this one, but then, I wasn't expecting what happened in "Parting Gift" either...

Chapter 2

"...Yukina says that it's like his youki is tearing him up from the inside. Any ideas?"

Koenma's teenage face regarded them seriously from the screen of Yuusuke's com.

"Off the top of my head, I can't say I know what it could be," Koenma said. "However I know of something that might be able to help him; I'll send Botan with it immediately. Have you contacted Hiei? I know he and Kurama are friends, he might know something."

"That shrimp's still hiding in the Makai," Kuwabara said from behind Yuusuke. "No one's heard from him in months; not even Kurama."

"I'll tell Botan to take one of you to Mukuro's castle afterwards. I'll contact you when I know more."

~*~

Half an hour later, Botan met them in front of the hospital.

"What did you bring us?" Yuusuke asked.

"It's a ki-limiter," Botan said, showing them the thin silver armband. "It should slow the damage to his body. So where's his room?"

"On the second floor, on this side...I think." Yuusuke said.

Botan did a quick fly-by of the second-floor windows before stopping by one. She blanched when she caught sight of Kurama, his body shaking with small spasms, his face a study of pain. There was no else present, so the ferry girl quickly ghosted through the wall into the room and closed the ki-limiter around Kurama's right upper-arm before ghosting back out.

"I hope that helps," she said as she landed.

Suddenly, Yuusuke's com started beeping.

"What is it, Koenma?" Yuusuke asked, once he'd turned it on.

"I found Minamino Shuuichi's file on my desk," Koenma said gravely.

"WHAT!?!" Yuusuke and Kuwabara shouted in unison.

"Relax," Koenma said. "It was in a pile of pending cases."

"Well? What does it say?" Kuwabara asked.

"Normally I wouldn't--"

"Yeah, yeah, we know." Yuusuke said, rolling his eyes.

"His chances of survival are less than 10%," Koenma said. "Apparently this is a situation that he has had several chances to avoid but he's failed to make the right choice every time. As for the cause of death, it says to refer to Youko Kurama's file."

"Well, what does the other file say?" Kuwabara asked.

"I don't know."

"You don't _know_!?!" Kuwabara demanded in disbelief. "What the hell do you mean by _that_?"

"Youkai death records are not in my jurisdiction." Koenma said. "And by the time I get through all the red tape It'll be a moot point anyway."

"Shit." Kuwabara muttered.

"So now what?" Yuusuke asked.

"I have George and Hinageshi in the Reikai library digging up any pertinent information on Youko, and I have another group checking for any similar youkai illnesses. I'll call you when I find out more." The screen went blank as Koenma disconnected.

"So we just _wait_!?" Kuwabara grumbled. "Whatta lousy plan."

"Well, if you want to kill some time we still have to go get Hiei," Botan reminded them.

"Forget it," Kuwabara muttered. "Dealing with the shrimp isn't my idea of fun right now."

"Why don't you escort Yukina and obaasan back to the temple?" Shizuru's voice came from the hospital entry. "Yukina's practically dead on her feet after working on Kurama. Besides," she said, lighting her cigarette, "you never know if there's some rogue youkai wandering around waiting to prey on a delicate young lady."

"Of course!" Kuwabara announced. "I must protect My Love! Yuuukiiiiinaaaa-chaaann!!!" He ran off into the hospital.

"Let's just hope he's able to pull himself together before he gets to the waiting room," Shizuru commented.

"He's definitely what they meant by `love's fool'." Botan giggled. "Well, let's go."

"Are you and Keiko going to be staying long?"

"I can't speak for Keiko," Shizuru said. "But I'll wait around until you get back with that ill-tempered firebaby."

"Take this," Yuusuke tossed her his com. "Call us if anything happens, and if Koenma calls tell him to call us on Botan's com."

"Right."

"I should scold you for giving Reikai property to a civilian but--"

"Yeah, yeah, let's go."

~*~

Hiei had just come back from patrol and was looking forward to a couple hours of uninterrupted sleep, when a small youkai waylaid him and informed him that he had visitors.

Grumbling to himself, Hiei headed toward the room the youkai had told him the guests were waiting in.

"What a surprise," Hiei commented, with a combination of sarcasm and annoyance, upon seeing Yuusuke and Botan. "Whatever Koenma wants this time, it's none of my business."

"This isn't about Koenma," Yuusuke said. "It's about Kurama."

Something prickled somewhere in the vicinity of Hiei's heart, even as Hiei replied indifferently; "What _about_ Kurama?"

"He's sick," Botan said.

"So what?" Hiei said, crossing his arms and feigning disinterest. "It's his own fault for staying in a weak, ningen body. He'll get over it." He turned away and made as if to walk back out the way he came, but he stopped to give them a sidelong glare over his shoulder. "Or does he want me to come hold his hand until he's feeling better? I thought that's what that ningen onna was for."

Yuusuke and Botan were taken aback by Hiei's attitude. Sure, Hiei was antagonistic by nature, but they had been under the impression that Hiei and Kurama were close. What could have changed that?

"Hiei..." Botan said quietly, as the fire demon started to walk to the door. "Kurama's dying."

Hiei stopped dead, eyes widening. The prickle became a vicious stab. He clenched his eyes shut and tried to get his emotions back under control before turning to face the others.

"What happened?"

"We don't know." Yuusuke replied. "Yukina examined him; she said that it's like his youki is trying to tear him apart."

"I put a ki-limiter on him to slow the effects," Botan said. "But it's only a matter of time." Hiei's hands clenched at his sides. "The thing is," Botan continued slowly. "It seems this is something he had a lot of opportunities to avoid, but didn't."

"Have you considered the possibility that he's just gotten tired of his human body, and he's getting rid of it?" Hiei asked.

"Well..." Botan said, biting her lip.

"And in any case, why are you getting so worked up over this when he'll just return to his old form in the Makai anyway?"

"Look," Yuusuke interjected. "Are you coming or not?" Hiei turned and started walking back to the door.

"Ore wa kankeinai." [1]

"Maybe he's right," Botan said, after Hiei had left.

"Yeah right!" Yuusuke replied disdainfully. "Kurama would _never_ willingly hurt his mother like that!"

"That's true..." Botan said, as they left the room. "But I mostly meant the other part; the part about Kurama just returning to the Makai when his human body dies. I mean, that would explain the annotation about referring to his Youko file, right?"

"Maybe," Yuusuke replied.

They continued out of the castle in silence, but as Botan mounted her oar Yuusuke added; "But if that was the case then wouldn't Koenma just assume that's what the note meant?"

~*~

Hiei watched his visitors leave, his mind in turmoil.

`Kurama is sick.'

`Kurama is _dying_.'

`Ignore the stab that thought causes.'

`Kurama will just be coming back to the Makai, free from his human obligations... won't he?'

Hiei's brow knotted and he fixed his expression into a scowl.

`What does it matter?'

"He's Youko, Hiei. A kitsune...

"I'm only telling you this because I'm concerned about you..."

Quickly, Hiei crushed the memory; but not quickly enough to prevent the feeling of overwhelming betrayal that it induced.

"He can't just take whatever he wants from me!" Hiei shouted out the window irrationally. The few youkai that happened to be walking below glanced up and him with puzzled expressions; Hiei glared at them until they left, then turned and walked to his bed and fell onto it, the exhaustion of the long patrol and the visit from Yuusuke and Botan catching up with him quickly.

But even as he fell asleep, one thought continued to circle through his head, accompanied by an image of shining green eyes and long crimson hair.

`Kurama is dying...'

[1] "Ore wa kankeinai" - "It doesn't concern me."