Chapter 11

"So why didn't you attack Yusuke? I could feel your murderous intent in the warehouse."

I couldn't really see his expression since I was focused on trying to clean the stab wound through his stomach. My heart was beating wildly in my chest but not because Kurama's shirt was currently off but because of what he has demanded me to attempt. He was making me heal his wound as best as I could. I was nervous about the result. Last time I attempted to use my healing technique it ended disastrously.

"I had already committed a crime against Spirit World. Harming their Spirit Detective would not do me any favors."

"I see…But why were you so angry with him?"

Even though I asked, I was fairly certain I already knew the reason. Still, I wanted to confirm my suspicions. When his wound was cleaned I stepped back, realizing that I had nothing else to stall for time. I really didn't want to try and heal him. I was terrified that I would cause his tissue to necrotize.

"You are an intelligent person, Midori." Kurama stated simply, "I'm certain you know."

"Because he put me in danger?" I supplied.

"Yes. You were an innocent and he put you at tremendous risk."

"Well, I kind of put myself into that position. It's a bit unfair to hold him to such responsibility. If he didn't do anything I would have been killed."

"He still should have been more certain before taking action."

I sighed and did not pursue the subject.

"Now." Kurama continued, "Try to heal this injury as best as you can. Take it slowly. I put some thought into this ability of yours and I am fairly certain that your mishap occurred because you tried to rush the process of working your energy into the cells. That caused you to rupture them. Be patient."

Shakily, I nodded. I lifted my hands up and rested them over the wound, blood still slowly oozing from the hole. My spirit energy responded to my call and encased my hand in its blue glow. Very carefully, I urged my energy forward, winding meticulously through the spaces between each cell. In my ears I could hear my power pulse, glowing brighter on my hand before dimming and then growing bright again.

The way my spirit ebbed and flowed, I was reminded of the rocking current of a calm ocean and I found myself becoming one with my power. I could feel the wound throbbing with such agony that it made me flinch. Then the pulsing blue slithered into the surrounding aching cells. It was there that life began to brim. The glow grew bright and the cells began to dilate.

'Easy now…' I felt those words more than I thought them but obeyed none the less.

The glow dimmed and the cells shrank slightly. And then the real pulse began. Throbbing in a steady rhythm I felt the surrounding tissue and flesh begin to creep slowly towards each other. The area around began to buzz and thrum and still the tissue continued its dragging trek to meet the other side. A dizziness took hold of my brain but the flow and rhythm of this harmonic blue ocean held me tight. And I did not want to leave. It was so beautiful, teeming with life, beauty, strength, soothing calm and no darkness. No bad things existed here.

I could hear Kurama's muffled voice but I could not understand him. Nor did I care enough to try. I just wanted to keep up this flow, to heal what has been hurt. The thrumming around me was growing weaker and I could feel the progress on the injury slowing. I couldn't stop yet. Carefully I oozed out more Spirit energy even though it made my head throb. My vision darkened as I focused on the hole in Kurama's stomach. But I couldn't stop.

The demon jerked away from my hands and the loss of blue encasing my very being jarred me. My head pounded and I felt dizzy. Before me the room was darkening and suddenly I collapsed, falling into darkness.

Xxxx

When I awoke my eyelids were thick and heavy. I instantly realized that I was not in my bed, but rested on a couch with a blanket draped over me. Weakly, I sat up to survey the room. I was still at Kurama's apartment. I groaned when I felt my head throb painfully and cupped it with my hand. What happened?

"Ah, you are awake. Good."

Kurama was standing in the doorway to the kitchen and came forward with a glass of water in his hand. He set it on the coffee table and commanded me to drink. I did so, feeling parched. I swiftly drained the water and slumped against the back of the couch, cradling my head.

"What happened?"

"You expended too much energy and exhausted yourself. You nearly depleted yourself entirely of your Spirit power. Doing such can be dangerous."

No wonder I felt like shit. Although I wasn't entirely certain what kind of effects drained Spirit Power would have on the body.

"How long was I out?

"For a day." He answered calmly, taking a seat next to me on the couch, "You missed school today."

"What?!" I exclaimed in horror, making my head throb, "You let me sleep through a school day?!"

"Not sleep. You were unconscious. You were in a precarious state, Midori. You had completely exhausted your Spirit energy. Had you continued on, you would have started using your Life energy."

"And that's bad…right?"

"Yes. You would have killed yourself. Spirit energy and Life energy are two separate things. Spirit energy is what you utilize. But Life energy, as the name suggests, is the sole energy that is dedicated to keeping you alive. Had you drained it, even I could not have saved you."

"Oh…" I croaked weakly.

I looked down at my lap. How was it that I came close to dying twice in a twenty four hour period? I'm beginning to think that this world hates me. Some deity must. I mean I was reincarnated into a world without cellphones and ipods! So dinosaur technology, one pissed off fire demon and then my nearly draining my Life energy after going into a trance and I was fairly certain somebody hated me.

I looked up then, "Did I at least heal your wound? Did I do good?"

A dry smile came across his mouth, "Other than nearly killing yourself, you did an excellent job. See for yourself."

Kurama carefully lifted his shirt and pulled down the bandages. While the hole was still there, it was half the size it had been when I first started. I grinned weakly, happy at my accomplishment. The idea that I was stepping closer to healing up any injuries made me near giddy. The only thing that kept me from really rejoicing was the pounding headache that I had.

"That's awesome! Now if we can get it so I don't nearly die, we'll be in good shape!"

"Why did you push yourself that far?"

"Well it wasn't…intentional. It was strange…I fell into a trance, I guess you could say. I felt my energy pulsing and I just…was pulled into it. I could…feel every cell, touch each damaged wall and I could feel the hurt from the wound. It felt like I was becoming one with my Spirit energy. Other than the fact that I went a bit too far, the experience was amazing."

The fox thoughtfully raised a hand to his chin, considering the information that I had just told him.

"Interesting…"

"What? Is that not normal?" I tilted my head to the side.

"While that kind of experience is normal for those first delving into their powers, it is not normal for them to experience it in the way that you do. It's…very unusual. You appear to be sensitive to using your own abilities. I'm not sure you were aware but your eyes were glowing as well while you healed me."

Wait, what? My fucking EYES were glowing?! Ok that's pretty damn cool! Wonder if I could shoot lasers from my eyes? Or what if I could enhance my eyesight? I paused. That was actually a possibility! If I could influence cells and make them multiply I could probably enhance their function as well!

"Kurama I need paper and a pen now."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I have IDEAS! I need to write this down or I'll forget!"

"But ideas for what?" He cocked an inquisitive brow.

"Kurama, god, just do it!"

He chuckled but left the room to do as I commanded. He reemerged with a pen in hand and a large yellow notepad. Eagerly I snatched it from him and began scribbling down my ideas for cellular enhancement. So many possibilities! I could give better eyesight! Maybe increase someone's speed. Strength, resilience, improved organ function! My mind was reeling with so many thoughts that I could not write fast enough. By the time I was finished I had four pages of notes, cell diagrams and a sore hand.

"Hang on, let me tear these out." I told Kurama, reaching my hand up to the top of the pages.

"Don't bother. Just keep it."

It may have been a simple notebook, but I smiled at the gift none the less.

"So what ideas had taken your mind so fiercely?"

"Cells. My power works intimately with cells. So if I can encourage cellular division, that means I am capable of influencing cell function! Cellular enhancement! That means I could potentially increase someone's speed, strength, endurance, improve organ function! The possibilities are so vast!"

I did not need to be infront of a mirror to know that there was a gleam of passion in my eyes. This power opened up the doors of so much potential! I couldn't NOT be excited about the chance of me doing things that I never could have done in my first life. You know what, I don't care that the Big Man Upstairs has a hit on me in this life! This made it totally worth it!

"All brilliant ideas and valid points." Kurama agreed, "But please focus on mastering the action of healing first before you delve on to other prospects. I believe you learning to heal with be a strong foundation for this growth you see."

"Oh I will!" I laughed, "Trust me, I learned my lesson after killing a portion of my arm!"

By this point the wound was gone but there was a scar as Kurama had said. I didn't mind though. It was a reminder for me to keep a level head in this stuff and also would look cool and dangerous to anyone who did not know how it got there.

"I hope so." Kurama said, "That being said, you did well. How did you learn to sooth the pain of the wound? I had not expected that."

"I didn't…." I blinked, "I never looked into that kind of ability. Are you telling me that while I was healing you, it soothed away the pain?"

"Intriguing…Yes. It felt warm and calmed the area around the hole and damage. Your power is revealing more and more sides than we had anticipated it seems."

"Wow…I mean I could 'feel' the area in pain but it wasn't my goal to stop it. Well outside of healing it. This is awesome! This ability is turning out to be more faceted than I had intended!"

"But still dangerous." Kurama reminded me somberly, "Please do not forget that."

"Impossible. You are always here to remind me." I shot back.

Of course it was a joke but the red-head did not see the humor.

"I cannot stay with you while you practice your powers forever." He reminded me.

This conversation was beginning to exasperate me. I knew I screwed up big time but, honestly, I was new to this and learning, mistakes were going to happen! Kurama was well intentioned but I was starting to feel very suffocated with how he was fussing. I made a stupid mistake! Sue me! Adults make them too. How else do we learn unless we screw up?

"Kurama…" I sighed pinching the bridge of my nose, "Just back off, please. I'm still going to practice in front of you and even though I make stupid decisions from time to time, I'm still an adult, not a child. I know you are many, many, MANY times my senior, but that does not mean I need to be babied. Mistakes were made, definitely, but that's how we learn. And honestly, now that I will bear a scar for the rest of my life on my arm, I'm pretty sure I won't be forgetting how dangerous my power is anytime soon."

"Very well." He said simply.

The tone he used was a blank one but on his face I could see he was thinking. WHAT he was thinking was an entirely different matter. He was still for a moment, as if he was contemplating what to say next. Or if he would say anything at all. Great, did I just make things awkward? Ugh, I'll just shut up forever, now.

The moment likely would have stayed quiet except the window to my apartment shot open and suddenly a very familiar blue haired woman flew in on a…oar? How the hell did I forget that detail? Ok, I must have Alzheimer's or something.

"Botan?"

"Bingo!" She chirped, "Sorry to barge in on you like this!"

"That's…ok…but why are you here?" I asked confused, "And more importantly, how did you know where Kurama's apartment was?"

"I found it because I was tracking him." She pointed to the demon in question.

"But why would you be-"

"She's here to bring me to Spirit World." The fox demon stated calmly.

"That's right, I'm afraid." Botan nodded a bit somberly.

"B..but why?!" My eyes widened, "Oh god you didn't die while I was passed out did you?!"

I turned to face my friend but he merely chuckled with amusement and shook his head.

"I am under arrest. I did, after all, commit a crime against Spirit World."

"Oh for the love of-" I rounded on Botan, "Are you fucking kidding me?!"

"Now that kind of language isn't very nice!" she chided.

That only served to annoy me further, "You're going to imprison Kurama! I'm not too happy about this development! Come on, I mean he helped Yusuke in his fight against Hiei! And he helped Keiko! I mean he got STABBED through the STOMACH for helping! How much more proof do you need?!"

"I'm sorry, but I am under orders from Koenma and the boards. He has to go on trial, there's nothing I can do."

"No." I stated firmly, standing before Kurama with my arms folded, "You aren't taking him."

I felt the room sway a bit dangerously with this motion but I stood my ground. Botan wasn't a fighter so she didn't need to know that I was so dizzy she could probably take me down with just her oar. The bluenette widened her eyes and recoiled in shock, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of her face. Oh yeah, that's right. She saw that I have some sort of spirit power back in the warehouse.

"Midori, stop." Kurama placed his hand on my shoulder and I nearly swayed.

"But-!"

"This isn't helping." He pointed out, "And I did commit a crime, regardless of my motivations. I will go with her and face my sentence."

My heart clenched then. What if he went to jail? How long were Spirit World sentences anyways? He could be sentenced to death or some other nasty punishment. I clenched my jaw and stared at the ground, trying to fight off the fear that was creeping over me.

"But you could go to jail for a…very long time. Or worse."

"If that is my punishment, then I will accept it."

"But…but what about your mom?"

"I will come up with something." He evaded simply, "Midori, you will only make this worse."

He was right. If I put up too much of a resistance, it could not only get me in trouble, but agitate his own situation and give him a harsher sentencing. I sighed and looked at the ground, the carpet rocking gently beneath my feet.

"Ok…" I conceded.

When I looked up, Kurama was smiling gently at me. In a way that was reassuring. I knew he was doing that for me and not himself. But I wasn't sure if he was smiling because he was proud that I gave up my pride and saw reason or that he was trying to wordlessly tell me that it would be alright. Then he tore his green eyes away from mine and looked to Botan.

"Before you take me, may I ensure that Midori reaches her house safely? She is not well."

"Of course. I'll meet you two there!" Botan nodded animatedly, flying out the window.

"Wait!" I called after her, "How the hell do you know where my apartment is!?"

"She probably will learn from following me." Kurama answered, "Chances are she has a device suited for tracking me."

"Oh… Well, let's get going."

Kurama walked with me the whole way, taking a firm hold on my arm whenever he saw me sway to keep me from falling. In a way it was cute and had I not been feeling so lousy, I might have even been giddy and blushing a bit.

"Do you really have to do this?" I finally asked, leaning a bit on his shoulder because of a particularly dizzy spell that had washed over me.

"Yes. Spirit World is known for their tenacity. If I evade them now, they will send someone else. Someone of power and for every time I escape their grasp, they will grow more relentless and my sentence will be worse upon capture. It is a simple theft, even if of dangerous artifacts so in comparison the sentence will be light."

I really didn't want to let him go. In the anime I didn't remember him being arrested but it had been so long, it could have happened. I mean I didn't even remember that Botan flew around on an oar. You'd think that would be memorable.

"Ok…I really don't like this…"

A soft chuckle rumbled in his throat, "It will be fine."

We arrived at the door to my apartment and I weakly unlocked it and turned to face him, awkwardly rubbing my arm.

"Figures my only friend here gets arrested."I laughed half heartedly.

Kurama didn't say anything but he was smiling all the same. But I think it was more out of sympathy for me than the actual situation.

"See you soon, yeah?"

He nodded. It was a question I had to ask to reassure myself. I didn't like the idea that once he left I may never see him again. Somehow asking that question, even if it remained unanswered brought me a bit of comfort. It was then Botan appeared, floating behind Kurama on her oar.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes." Kurama said with closed eyes, turning to approach the deity.

Had the situation not been quite as grim, I would have found it comical to see Kurama seat himself on the oar next to the blunette. But given the circumstances, I could not find it humorous. My eyes flicked over to the woman who was going to fly off with my friend.

"Hey Botan…"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been that way with you."

An impossibly bright smile spread across her face, "That's alright. Besides, young love is just so adorable!"

I choked in shock and my face flushed brightly. What did she just say?! Oh hell no she did not! And she said that in front of Kurama! At my expression she giggled and flew off into the sky, the fox demon with her.

"Bye, bye now!" She told me in a sing song voice.

She-

She did NOT.

She definitely did.

I'm totally killing her.