=^.^= ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ =^.^=
It seemed now that I had no choice but to visit my mother, even if I didn't want her to read my emotions with the 'mother's intuition' all human mothers seemed to have. I wish I could have been more like Hiei at times like this. He was always able to keep his face devoid of anything. You could only see a harsh, carefree look on his face. There was no telling what he was thinking or feeling. I could occasionally smell the emotions from him, but that was it. I was never sure of what he felt. The only time his strict features softened was when Yukina was present. She alone was gifted with the talent of making Hiei become capable of happiness and love.
You don't want to be Hiei because of that, do you? You only want to be him because of the ferry girl.
As usual, Youko knew me all too well. That was hardly something to be amazed of. He was partially correct.
~~Sarayashiki Hospital~~
(A/N: Again, I want you to know that I used the name Sarayashiki because Yusuke's jr. high is named this. You see places like "Creighton jr. High" and in the same town, "Creighton hospital". Ok? Now back to the fic!)
"May I help you?" the nurse asked me. She looked very young, even for human standards. I felt myself bristle. Young females were so vulnerable to my looks. No, I'm not trying to be bigheaded. It's just a fact. The human girls here are vulnerable to my kitsune charm. What's the fun in that? I want to be challenged. Maybe that was why Botan was so alluring to me. She was unreachable. It was a challenge. I think that was a part of it . . .that and the fact that she was beautiful and—
"May I help you?" the nurse repeated. I snapped out of my thoughts.
I felt heat rise to my face. "Forgive me, I'm a little preoccupied."
She smiled. "Understandable." I felt her gaze move from my eyes to my heavily bandaged wrists. "Oh, are you here for an emergency?"
I thought of my human mother. "Yes."
"Here. Fill out these forms and I'll have the doctor be with you shortly."
"No, no, you misunderstood me. Not an emergency for myself, it's my mother. I need to know her room number. I'm afraid they've changed rooms on me yet again," I said quickly.
"What's the name, dear?"
"Minamino Shiori."
She took a clipboard that was hanging on the wall and flipped through some pages muttering, "Shiori. . .Shiori. . ." She flipped through another sheet of paper. "Here it is!"
She gave me the room number and an ID card to prove that I was family. I thanked her and climbed the flight of stairs to my mother's ward. I passed by a room. The doors were marked Intensive Care. I paused briefly and checked quickly to see if that was the number that my mother was in. She wasn't, thankfully. I watched as a small girl was wheeled out of the Intensive Care on a bed. Her body was wrapped in what looked like black plastic. She was sobbing hysterically.
I looked closer at her. That wasn't plastic. It was her skin! Poor human child. She was maybe only 6 at the most.
"Please, sir, move along. She's very sensitive to people staring at her. Children feel as if they are being threatened if there are too many strangers around them," the doctor said softly.
I knew too well. I met the girl's eyes. She stopped her sobbing almost immediately. I wondered curiously what she could see in me. I knew that small children were more sensitive to changes in Spirit Energy than humans did when they grew older. Reikai has tried to disprove the fact, but I could sense the curious understanding in the child on these occasions.
I could smell the pain and wonder floating in her aura. As soon as she saw me, the smell of pain receded to a barely noticeable whisper.
"A-are you an angel?" she asked breathlessly. The doctors stared from the child to me.
"Sure," I said softly, moving carefully towards the child. I summoned some of my charming skills to calm her and to recede the pain to nothing. I could feel that she was lulling into a sense of comfort as she felt my Reiki (A/N: I'll just use this for Spirit Energy since it doesn't take as long to type it!) move into her. I used what little healing techniques I knew to help ease some of the blackened flesh to feel numb rather than pain.
"What's your name?" she asked.
I smiled at her childlike innocence. "You can call me Suichi, if you want. What's your name?"
"I'm Yumeko. Are you going to take me to Mommy?" She reached out with a quivering hand to touch my hand. I met her hand and held it.
"Your mother?" I looked to the doctors who mouthed silently that her mother had died in the accident that caused Yumeko to be burned severely.
"Not yet. You're going to be a big girl. Your mother will watch over you. Don't worry about her, okay?"
She smiled her innocent smile and lay her head back down on the pillow. She squeezed my hand. "When you go back, tell Mommy that I love her, kay?"
"Of course I will."
"And, and 'member that she's the one in the funny blue shoes, kay?"
"Of course." Of course I had no idea about what she was talking about. I used my Reiki to lull her to sleep. She let go of my hand and sighed as if she had seen the most wonderful thing in the world.
"What are you thinking?! Giving a child false hope?" the nurse whispered angrily.
"False hope on what?"
"That she'll survive? These are 3rd degree burns at least!"
"She'll survive." I walked away, feeling a lingering happiness from the girl's innocence. Small children could cheer a person up. It gave me hope to visit my mother.
Surely Mother would be well. Surely she'll be there to smile and tease me with her human nonsense. Surely she'll be there to talk about how foolish the doctors were for believing she was dying. Right?
I walked into the room my mother was in. Immediately, my hopes were crushed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sorry about the cliffie, but hey, it'll be effective! Now you HAVE to read the next chapter to know what happens!
Review, and I'll update! Promise!
This is three pages typed. Now enjoy. If you don't, oh well. There WILL be another chapter!
Don't worry, Kurama will get his break. Just be patient! (Does anyone ever read these things?!)