Ugh, really late Mother's Day special. I feel bad… I'm slacking off again! Someone—hell, anyone— come over here and kick my ass back into working! (I think it's because I'm out of school… slack there, slack here, you know?) Yuck, and semester tests really bite this time around… xP I hope for all of you who are still in school have done/will do good on them! And for those of you out of school… kick life in the butt when it sucks and tell it to fuck off. ;D
Enjoy, alle!
Disclaimer: I own no one mentioned in the following story, only the story-line and such. No pestering me over how they aren't mine, 'kay?
I Give You Truth
Written By Anna Jaganshi
Dedicated to my own Mother, Tami
(whom I am more indebted to than she knows)
Shiori wiped tears from her eyes as she put away the personal belongings of her son. He'd only di—passed away a week and a half ago, and already things were finally settling down with family and friends, and they were supposed to get on with life.
But Shiori couldn't. Not so fast, not like this.
When that nice boy she'd only met a few times—Yusuke was his name—had come to her door with the rest of his friends (except the small dark one) to tell her that her son was no longer among the living, she had asked for proof. They had insisted that no, she did not want proof. She stood from the seat she had taken and pointed to the door, and they couldn't tell her no. Not with that look.
She regretted that decision.
The bloody corpse that was once her son (she couldn't think of it as her Shuichi's body, not like… that) was, quite literally, torn to pieces. His right arm had been torn from his body at the root, as had both his legs, and his left arm was twisted completely backwards. That all by itself was enough to make Shiori ill. But, of course, there was more to it.
His eyes and mouth were wide open in a silent, never-ending scream, and Shiori could see why. His stomach had been torn open (or perhaps blasted, it was difficult to tell with all the blood), and that was as far as she looked before she turned away, trembling so much she looked about ready to fall to pieces.
Apparently, an old… enemy (when they said this, Shiori could tell there was more to it, but at the time she was too distraught to care much) had… come back (again with the feeling, also ignored by her) to take revenge for… getting him put into… prison (she was getting this feeling a lot). He got his revenge (obviously), but Kurama (she noticed they didn't correct themselves when saying his nickname like usual) had also killed him. In self-defense. Kurama wouldn't kill someone on purpose. Or so they said. The feeling was really nagging at her…
And that was that. Things just seemed to fly by after that. She remembered bits and pieces, like the piteous bawling of people who had come to the funeral when all they'd been was people that had come for free food or to look like they knew the great Shuichi Minamino, the sympathetic looks from family and friends, and Shuichi's friends. His real friends. They had all helped as much as they could, and Shiori had greatly appreciated it.
Now, sitting on the floor of her son's room, alone, she reflected back on everything. Back to her first husband, back to the birth of her son, to her husband's death, and to Shuichi's secrets that she just knew he was hiding. She hadn't pried, though. She wanted him to come to her. And maybe, just maybe, he would have… but now he would never have the chance.
A sob racked her frame, and she had to hold onto the leg of the desk she knelt next to. This was becoming painful, but she had to do it. If only to get over this terrible ache in her heart. It was like her first husband dying all over again.
Taking a deep, shaky breath, she held back the tears. No, the time for crying was over. Shuichi wouldn't want her to keep crying over him. With that thought in mind, she set back to work.
Pulling open the first drawer of the desk, she immediately stilled. Sitting square on top of other papers and files was an envelope. In her son's neat handwriting was written 'Mother'.
She quickly snatched it and ripped it open. A letter? Had Shuichi known of his fate? What did this mean?
Dear Mother,
In the following letter, I am going to be completely honest with you like I never have before. Which probably means I am now dead, if you have found this. I'm sorry that I could not have told you any of this while I was still alive, and I regret not doing so, for I believe it to be very heartless and selfish of myself.
Mother, I know you most likely knew about the many things I hid from you. I'm good at hiding, but not good at hiding the fact that I am hiding something. I acted as perfect as possible so as not to raise suspicion, but I believe that only made it more so.
Continuing on, the first secret… I know this may be hard to believe, but I have left some proof behind. Mother, this first and foremost is the reason I never told you anything, for fear of you hating, despising… Hell, fearing me with your entire being.
I am not human. My proof: my friends Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Genkai, any one of them or the others can vouch for me on this. And if you simply ask them, I'm positive they will hold nothing from you. Which somewhat scares me…
I did say I would be honest.
I am, Mother, a demon. But, not exactly the type you would imagine from folklore and fairytales. I am, as a demon and slightly as a human, vain. I was not hideous as the stories say. I'm not in either form. That I also have proof of. I'm sure if you ask Hiei or one of the others, they still have a picture of me as my Youko self. Yoko Kurama was my demon birth name, and I was—and I am honestly not bragging when I write this, but I do feel some pride—the 'King of Thieves'. I stole things form kings to warlords to the gods themselves. You remember Koenma? Yes, he is son of Enma, and I stole form his vault, along with Hiei and another imbecilic demon not even worth mentioning.
Shiori couldn't help but laugh at some of the things he'd written, no matter the shocks she was receiving. He hid more than just secrets from her, so it seemed.
The theft from Koenma leads to, sort of, secret number two. I… how should I put this… not exactly a 'super hero', but someone who supposedly fought for right. I, for my parole, was to help Yusuke (whom is a spirit detective for Spirit World, for more details, please ask him) along with Hiei (and, not quite at first, Kuwabara) to defeat/arrest/kill demons terrorizing the Human World.
Sounds easy, right? Yes and no.
We went through Hell and back again and again, to be bluntly honest now, and I only did it to take care of my parole. Otherwise, to Hell with that. Well, there was that and Hiei, but that's another story.
Secret three: I never really kept count, and like I said, I was going to be honest, but I think… at least three times (possibly more: again, ask Yusuke, he was there for at least two, and he will make a big deal of them both… I think I told him of the third) I have risked my life for yours. That was another reason I told you nothing of my demonic heritage. It would make it even more risky. For you, Hatanaka, Shuichi, and me as well. I could not allow any of you to be put in harm's way.
Shiori had to stop her reading there. At least three times, he had saved her? Once was enough, to her, but three? She fell back against the leg of the desk. She needed something to keep her up.
Mother, even though I have kept these secrets and more from you, lied to you more than a lawyer, and pushed you away when I was young—Hell, even when older—I still love you, more than life itself. This is probably the only thing I cannot prove to you, but believe me when I say that I love you with all my heart, soul, and being, and anything I am able to give.
I have no regrets of dying other than I was unable to tell you any of this while I still lived. I hope you find it in your heart to forgive me, but I know I do not deserve this. Please now, for my sake, if nothing else, keep living your life with hope and vigor, as you always have.
And so… I have given you truth. And hopefully some peace of mind.
Sincerely Yours, and with the Greatest Love,
Shuichi Minamino (Kurama)
No longer able to keep herself up, even with the help of the desk, she crumbled, tears pouring forth from her clenched eyes. Too much. This was too much. Yes, it did give her some peace of mind, but now that some of the truth was out…
She knew. She knew she didn't have to confirm with her son's friends that anything in the letter was true. In her heart, Shiori could tell that every word had come from Shuichi's—Kurama's—own heart. She would go and ask about some things, but otherwise…
"Oh, Shuichi…" she sobbed, clutching the letter to her chest.
"… Thank you, Shuichi. I… I'm glad to have heard… about the real you."
Fin
Blech. I hate the ending. But I really couldn't think of anything else…
Please, do tell me what you thought of it! Ciao!
Slave or Save? SHOULD be updated sometime this week. Look for it!
