Atopos - I don't own anything from the show. I came up with this idea while doing homework. I thought it was cute and very irresistable. Don't get mad if the ending isn't as good as my others; I did it rather quick.

My One Wish

Perhaps this wasn't the best idea he ever had. Then again, it wasn't like Koenma to give such promising favours out to just anyone. Yusuke got to live again, Hiei got to see his sister and only get parole, and Kuwabara got his wish to accompany the team on their missions, making him part of the mix-match group.

Kurama, though, had nothing as of yet. It was a slow day when Koenma decided to change that fact. The fox deserved something for his work. He kept the team together by preventing the members from tearing each other apart. He was the smartest member of the team, and sometimes took the most bloody of fights. Kurama had a world of experience to share with his friends, but got nothing from it. There was just no way staying with morons, big babies, and sarcastic words brought him pleasure.

When the suggestion was made, Kurama merely cocked his head to the side in question. "You want me to do what?"

Koenma closed his eyes thoughtfully. "You spend your days in class and breaking up fights between members on your own team. You can't possibly tell me that there is nothing you want in exchange for your services."

The fox shrugged nonchalantly. "What do you want me to say? That there's nothing you have that I want? There's plenty in this world that interests me, but I would grow bored of it in a matter of seconds."

"I'm going to choose for you then," Koenma quickly decided. He knew, that like Hiei, Kurama wouldn't take something without having it dangled in front of his face like a hunk of meat to a hungry dog. "I want you to know that I'm going to allow you to talk to one person from the dead. Would that interest you? Will that leave you with something to hold forever?"

Kurama's eyes had widened for a split second. He hid his shock quickly with a look of hunger. The knowledge the dead could give him was definitely worth the trip to Spirit World. It would be something no one could steal, replace, or break. It would forever be a memory to him that no one could take away. The fact that he could pick anyone at all from beyond the grave made his heart palpitate with anticipation.

With a smile, Kurama replied, "I'd love to have that. It might be worth more of my time than any treasure did."

"Do you know who you wish to communicate to?" Koenma asked, his chubby index finger dangling over a button on his desk that would give Kurama his wish. "Need I remind you that this will only work for a few minutes? It's hard to get the dead from either Heaven or Hell for a long time here."

Kurama nodded, but his eyes remained locked with Koenma's. "You know who I want or else you wouldn't have brought me all this way and mentioned it."

The button was pressed without hesitation and the door to Koenma's office. They waited a few minutes before a soul that looked very alive walked into the room, accompanied by a ferry girl Kurama didn't know. His attention was only for the person standing before him.

The man's smile lit up like a candle. "How are you, little one?"

"You don't have to call me that anymore." Kurama's laughter was laced with happiness that no one had ever seen on his face before. "I've grown a lot since the last time I saw you."

"Yes, I've noticed that," the man chuckled lightly. "You've changed a lot about yourself over these years. What have you been up to?"

Kurama sighed. He didn't want to bore anyone with the pointless details in his life, and now it felt like everything he could talk about was boring. "I save the world now. Me and – I have friends now, good friends. We all save the world together."

"There's something I would never imagine. I always pictured you as the little terror, running around, scaring others by just showing up without making a noise."

"I still do that sometimes, just not as much. I still think about you everyday of my life. You were a big part of me that I'll never forget."

"Kurama," Koenma interrupted the sad meeting. The tiny God pointed to the clock on the wall, indicating that they were running out of time.

Kurama turned back quickly to the dark-haired man in front of him. There were so many questions he had for this man, about his childhood, his family, anything the man could remember.

"Please tell me what death is like?" Kurama kicked himself for asked such a clichéd question. He added hastily, "Do I have anything to fear?"

"'You have nothing to fear but fear itself.'" The man laughed at the quote, at seeing the young man's expression for getting that as an answer. "Ah, you have nothing to worry about. You haven't done much wrong in your life. When it's your turn to be judged, you'll be judged fairly. Besides, everyone must leave the world to make room for the young. We made it right in our way, and they'll continue to make it better. It'll be good to see your children making a difference, right?"

Kurama now knew what it was like to grow angry at such a complex response. It was usually him making long speeches like that to his friends. However confused he was, though, he nodded.

"It's time, Kurama," Koenma said, stepping away from his desk towards the two men near the door. "Is there anything you two would like to add?"

"I'll miss you," Kurama whispered softly.

The man smiled brightly, "I'll miss you too, my son."

Kurama could only watch as his father left the room to join the other deceased spirits. At least they both knew what had become of the other.

"Kurama, maybe this wasn't the best gift I could give you," Koenma sounded sad as he spoke to the redhead.

The fox strongly believed otherwise. "Don't say that. I never knew the man my mother loved dearly, now I do. If there's anything I would keep forever in my memory, it would be that meeting. It was just like you said, the knowledge I would gain today…I wouldn't be able to let that go, right?"

Koenma didn't answer. He just watched as Kurama exited the same door the redhead's father had. The only difference between the two was that Kurama headed to the world of the living, feeling very light-headed, but also very heavy-hearted.

- Atopos