Yusuke, Botan and Mayu finally caught up with Kurama...which Yusuke had thought was extremely stupid! If he tried to fight him now, he'd be meat on a stick! Then again, it was probably their best chance to get Kurama.

Kurama noticed them, and remembered the boy and the fire apparition girl. He walked by, looking as normal as possible. As he walked pass Yusuke, he began using telepathically communication to talk to him.

"Don't worry...I have no intention of fighting.", he said. "Nor do I intend to flee. In fact...I came to ask you a favor."

Yusuke stared at him, "Are you crazy?! he asked. His team mate tried ripping him to shreds, and now the other was asking for his help. It didn't make sense.

Kurama sighed a bit, "..If you have trouble trusting me, meet me outside the local hospital in a little while.", he said. "If you do...I swear I will explain my reason for taking the Forlorn Hope and gladly return it to you." After he said that, he had already walked out of sight.

Yusuke looked over at Botan, "..I guess were heading to the hospital after all.", he said, trying to make it humorous.

Botan's eyes widened, "You mean you're actually going?!" she asked in shock. "Isn't that a bit reckless?!"

Yusuke blinked, "So?" he asked. "Do I have many other options?" He hobbled over to a bench to sit for a second.

Botan sighed and went over to him, "But it could be a trap you know!" she said. "Lets not forget his dear old teammate tried to rip you into tiny bits."

Mayu looked up, "..True that might be...but the question is where his loyalty truly lies.", she said. "I overheard the four of them arguing over Kurama and Tamaki leaving the alliance."

Botan and Yusuke blinked, "Huh?" they both said. Yusuke sat up a bit, When did you hear that? he asked.

Mayu sat up a bit, "When I sensed Gouki's energy, I used telepathic abilities to try to pick up where his group was hiding.", she said." ..Kurama and Tamaki both said they were leaving. I'm not sure what happened after that...but then the girl was suddenly so silent, and Kurama decided to stay."

Yusuke looked over to her, "..I get it now, he said. So what you're saying is...Kurama was forced to stay."

Mayu nodded, "If my hunch is right. And I'm pretty sure it is.", she said. "They used Tamaki as bait to keep them there."

Botan interjected, "But that still doesn't explain why they worked with them in the first place!" she said. "They want the Forlorn Hope for their own gain!"

Mayu looked over to her, "But does that make them evil?" she asked. "..I don't know, but maybe we should give them a shot. He has promised to return it."

Botan sighed, "Well it'd be pointless to get it back if his wish destroys the world.", she reminded them.

Yusuke looked over to her, "I dunno Botan, something tells me to trust him.", he said. "His eyes looked more sad then evil."

Botan sighed in defeat, "Very well, go on to your meeting with Kurama.", she said. "And Ill head over to Spirit World to find out more about the Forlorn Hope. But please be careful."

Yusuke nodded a bit, "Yeah yeah, Ill be walking on eggshells.", he said, hopping up to head out. Botan rode her ore out of there and back to Spirit World to talk to Koenma. Mayu helped Yusuke limp to the hospital where Kurama was waiting.

Tamaki woke up a bit, feeling a chill down her spine. As an Ice Apparition, cold weather never bothered her. In fact they prefer it cold...it helps their strength. But this cold wasn't the kind that nipped your nose during a snow storm. It felt...disturbed. Like something was about to happen. Something she didn't want to happen.

A paranoid feeling made her want to check on the guys to see if they were alright. Silly, yes, but it'd make her feel a bit better. She silently sneaked out into the hall way without making a sound and looked over in Kokoda's room. He was sound asleep, his homework spread out over his bed. He must have passed out and not have finished it. She sighed a bit, needing to remember to tell him to finish it before he went to school. She shut the door quietly and sneaked over to Kurama's. She opened the door...and found it empty.

Tamaki blinked a bit. Where did he run off to? she said out loud. She noticed the window was opened and peered out. ..He sneaked out the window? For what though? Her eyes widen a bit as Hiei's face materialized in her mind...had Hiei challenged him to fight? If he did, Kurama was sure to need backup! Hiei was no pushover! She climbed out the window quickly and started running down the street. She couldn't sense any energy, so they must not be so close. She thought for a moment...where would Kurama most likely go..

..The hospital! She poured it on now, heading there now. All of a sudden something flew right past her head very fast. Tamaki looked up and saw Botan up on her ore, looking very frantic.

Botan was basically freaking out...Koenma had told her the fate the befalls anyone who uses the Forlorn Hope and had now pieced together what Kurama and Tamaki had done now. She looked into Shiori's records...she was deathly ill. And Kurama was going to use it tonight...he had to tonight! Shiori wouldn't make it through this night unless he did it. She looked down and spotted Tamaki on the ground and recognized her.

Botan zoomed down towards her without a second thought, "Tamaki!" she cried. "We have to go, quickly!"

Tamaki blinked, "..Botan?" she asked, remembering her from when she met with Koenma. "Whats going on?"

"It's Kurama!" Botan cried. "He's going to use the Forlorn Hope! We need to hurry!"

Tamaki sighed a bit in relief...for a second she had thought something had happened. "Don't worry, she said. Kurama isn't going to harm anyone with the mirror. He isn't evil. He just needs it so he can help his mother."

Botan blinked a bit. "..You...don't know what will happen, do you?" she asked. "If Kurama uses it...hell lose his life."

Tamaki's eyes widened in shock. "..What?! No! What do you mean hell lose his life?!" she cried, a bit scared.

Botan looked down, "In order for it to work, the user must give something in exchange.", she said. "And that thing...is life."

..Whatever color Tamaki did have in her face was drained out...Kurama was...going to die. In order to save his mother. No...not again! Not another death of a loved one! She couldn't bear it again. If Kurama died...that pain would just come back again. And it wouldn't just be her that time. Shiori would also feel it...and no one, not even the cruelest of monsters, should ever have to feel that pain. No one.

Tamaki looked at her, "..Where is he now?" she asked.

Botan blinked a bit, "He should still be at the hospital.", she said. And before Botan could even fit in another word, Tamaki took off running faster than ever. Botan's eyes widen, "Hey! Wait up!" she cried, following her. Meanwhile, Kurama had just finished explaining his story to Yusuke and Mayu.

"..So thats it.", Yusuke said. "You stole it so you can save Shiori's life." Kurama nodded, "Yes.", he said. "Just allow me to do so, and you can gladly take it back."

Mayu blinked a bit, "..But what about the girl?" she asked. "Why did she help you? What does she gain out of it?"

Kurama looked down and smiled a bit, "..I could never answer that, even if I had a hundred years to ponder the question.", he said. "Maybe she just liked Shiori...maybe she felt it as atonement for something a long time ago...Ill probably never know. But...I think the most likely reason is shes...just a kind person."

"..Or perhaps our little silver-haired mistress has a thing for redheads?" Yusuke asked with a smirk, being stupid.

Kurama blushed a bit and Mayu whacked him over the head, "Idiot!" she yelled, since he ruined the drama in it.

Suddenly the nurse ran out onto the roof. "Shuichi! Its your mother!" she cried. Kurama's eyes widened a bit and the three of them ran down to where his mother was.

The doctor went up to Kurama, "Shes entered what we call The Critical stage." he said. "..To be perfectly honest, your mother is about to die."

Kurama tried to remain calm on the surface, "...How long?" he asked.

The doctor sighed, "Probably tonight.", he said. "Well do the best we can...Shuichi I'm sorry, he added.", turning back to Shiori trying to save her life.

Kurama raced back up to the roof top, with Yusuke and Mayu following behind him. "So you're going to use it now?!" Yusuke asked when they reached the roof.

Kurama nodded, "I have no choice now", he said, getting the Forlorn Hope out. "If I don't now, my mother will most likely die."

Yusuke blinked a bit, "I heard you have to dish something out to the thing in order to make it work.", he said. "Do you know what it is?"

Kurama nodded, "..Yes...life.", he said. Mayu's eyes widened, "What did you say it needed?!" she asked.

Kurama sighed, "In order to grant my wish, I must give my life to the Forlorn Hope.", he said, starting to activate it. "Come Forlorn Hope...awake from your slumber and grant my greatest desire." It started glowing a bright white light.

Yusuke's eyes widen, "Hey wait a minute!" he cried. C'mon man, isn't there some other way to do this?!"

Kurama's eyes lowered, "..No.", he said. Shiori's image was in the mirror. "The happiness of this woman is your greatest desire, and you're desire shall be fulfilled." It started taking Kurama's life away. Kurama cringed in pain a bit...so this was the end then.

"KURAMA!" a voiced yelled from close by. Kurama turned and saw Tamaki running towards him.

His eyes widen in shock a bit, "Tamaki?!" he asked...he was a little happy to get to see her one last time.

But Tamaki had no intention of letting him die. At least not alone, if she couldn't stop him. She put her hands on the mirror as well. "No!" she cried.

Kurama's eyes widen. "Tamaki, what are you doing?!" he cried, watching it take her life as well.

Tamaki cringed, but looked at Kurama, "I...wont let you die like this!" she cried through the pain.

Kurama looked at her, "Get away! Hurry!" he cried. "This is my wish! You shouldn't have to suffer with me!"

Tamaki looked at him back, "Do you honestly think this is noble of you Kurama?!" she yelled a bit. Kurama blinked a bit...what did she mean by that? Tamaki flinched again from the pain. "Do you think sacrificing yourself will make everything better?!" she continued. "Have you ever thought about how everyone else will feel when you're gone?! Do you think Shiori would be happy that her son is dead?! Are you really going to let her mourn that for the rest of her life?! How about Kokoda?! He needs you there for him! How do you think he'd feel knowing his big brother died?! And what about the rest of your family?! You're friends, the people that care about you?!" Her voice got a little softer. "And...what... about me...didn't you think Id be sad when you were gone? I don't want to find that happening. She looked into the mirror. Forlorn Hope, grant Kurama's wish, but take my life instead!"

Kurama's eyes widened a bit, thinking of Tamaki's words. "But what about you?!" he asked. "Doesn't anything you just said apply to you at all?!"

Tamaki looked down," ..No it doesn't, she said. ..It doesn't matter if I live or die anymore. It hasn't mattered for a long time now...because the only ones who would have actually had cared...are dead." Then the light of the Forlorn Hope swallowed them both.