Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

Chapter 9

Yusuke never answered the question Korien had asked him, because he honestly didn't know. If Korien had not been this powerful demon, he might not have met her at all, or even cared frankly. He would of thought of Korien as another face in the crowd, and not have known the pain she felt, or that she was even a mom. It was true, if she wasn't someone who would bring the end of the world, he'd never have known her.

Korien slept on the couch for the rest of the night and half-way through the morning. During the middle of the night someone had picked her up and put her in a bed to allow her proper sleep. When she opened her eyes in the morning, she found Kurama sitting next to her in a chair, legs crossed with a book in his lap. He looked up from his book and smiled seeing her awake..

"Good morning Miss Korien, good to see you awake at last, here, drink this," Kurama turned for a moment and faced her with another canister of medicine for her to drink. After she ungracefully drank it down she looked at him

"What time is it Kurama?"

"Oh I don't know, I'd say about a quarter past nine?"

"What?! Are you kidding me today's a school day Kurama!" She threw the covers aside "I've already missed almost half a week!" She squirmed to get up but Kurama gently pushed her back on the bed.

"You needn't worry, I've got Yusuke, Kuwabara, and even Hiei at your school recording it all. I know they aren't brilliant in the world of education, so if we taped it you'd hear it straight from the source, and not a second rate tale"

"Where's Higue?" Korien asked him quietly

"Let me go get him for you, he's been waiting to see you again," Kurama left the room, and left Korien sitting alone. It just seemed, unnatural, being here, the way everything was so calm again. Kurama reappeared with a smile, his sea green eyes were so soft and he placed Higue in her lap and she wrapped her arms around him so tight

"Mommy!" Higue screamed happily hugging her "urt?"

"No baby, I'm fine, you miss me?" She asked kissing his cheek

"Ots Ots! Kuwababa fun!"

"Oh? Kuwabara is a fun boy? Well of course he is silly" she laughed rubbing his hair "What did you eat for breakfast?"

"Uffins Uffins!"

"Muffins really, aren't you so lucky!"

Kurama watched this interaction between a mother and her baby, and he wondered if he had acted this way with his human mother. With him being a demon, had he treated his mother unfairly, now he truly wondered. With his mother right now away, it made him feel somewhat guilty, for bringing all these people here. He allowed those thoughts to leave him however as Korien asked him a question

"I'm sorry what Korien I do believe you caught me daydreaming?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay"

"Me, whatever for, as I recall it was you who went up against Rekan by yourself."

"That's not the point Kurama, even the people who walk the streets like normal folk are worried about something..." she took his hand in hers lightly "I just wanted to make sure you were okay.." Kurama blushed when she took his hand. He wasn't sure, what he should be doing or saying, but just let his thumb rub over her soft skin. "Sometimes people lock away the feelings, and in your eyes, that's what I'm thinking..."

"There is nothing of your concern that fears me, or things that you already don't know. The fate of man kind rests on our shoulders, but when hasn't it since our team was established? It just seems, that with you being her, in a sense, a woman with her child, we are extra careful and not so reckless this time around in fear that we might hurt the innocent."

"I'm afraid to say, I'm not so innocent anymore Kurama. I did blow up a building and kill innocent men. I'm not sure if I fit the innocent standards anymore." She stopped stroking his hand and looked down at the floor "I don't fit any standard, I'm not normal."

"Don't say that Korien," He squeezed her hand gently "Don't make being different into a bad thing, its what separates us from all being the same. You're beautiful for who you are, you're just a mere girl, only 18, you're raising a baby you weren't nearly prepared for, you have powers and you're still brave, you're wonderful, don't downsize that. The death of those men were out of your control, but they were bad men anyway, you will not be punished, two wrongs do not make a right, but living in the past will not bring them back anyway! Do you understand Korien?"

Korien smiled and nodded him a yes as she watched Higue crawl along Kurama's bed just being an innocent baby "I hope he stays that way as long as possible, so he won't have to worry about the things adults do..."

Kurama held her hand still and smiled "I do believe he'd handle these ordeals quite well, he has a great teacher," Korien smiled "Give yourself some more credit once in a while, for a human who just awoke her powers, I say you handle it quite well,"

Korien couldn't help but smile again, and she shifted herself and sat down in his lap, and he automatically wrapped his arms around her waist, "Do you remember Kurama, we were like this after we first met, after I ran into that day in the hallway. It seems like ages ago, worlds away"

"Indeed, seems that fate had much in store for us that day. You were indeed the girl I was searching for," he laughed lightly cuffing a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk for a little bit Kurama, I think I'm going to take Higue with me, I haven't spent a lot of time with him." Kurama released his grasp from her and she hopped off picking up Higue "Lets go baby, we'll go see the sunshine"

Korien carried Higue out to the backyard, through a few pathways, mazes, until she came to a secluded area where she could train again. Higue was happy with his blocks and few of the flowers that were growing around him, good too, she felt back for leaving him to entertain himself, but he just smiled at his mommy telling her it was fine.

Korien first sat down to tie up her hands in bandages and take a few good stretches. She stood up and started with simple arm thrusts that formed into punches, and stretches with her legs that evolved into kicks. When Korien got a running start she was able to do a cartwheel and even a front flip. She then stood up on one hand and tried to balance it out and fell over with a thud. Higue laughed when she lifted her head up to find a mouth full of grass. She blew them out quickly and stuck her tongue out at her own baby in a juvenile manner.

Korien slowly got back up, and this time tried to balance on her other hand, in case that one was more dominant. She was able to get herself to stand straight up and down like a stick but ended up stumbling again and falling over "Oww..." she rubbed the back of her head groaning and she looked up to hear someone laughing.

"Well aren't we graceful?" he laughed walking up behind her, Korien turned around to see her and she let out a small gasp with her name

"Botan...."

Botan's voice lowered, softer, and in a sense sadder. She was happy a moment ago, but looking into her frail eyes he felt so helpless "Hey Korien," She smiled softly and he sat down next to her "Do you really think you should be out here after what happened?"

"You can't keep me locked away forever Botan, I have to live a little,"

"But dear, you're in such danger, and in no condition to be around normal people" Botan told her gently

"I'm not that weak! He didn't kill me or rape me if you didn't notice, I can at least fend for myself! The more you isolate me from everyone else the more I'm going to become like him, a crazy derive lunatic. If I'm truly in such danger, keep me in Spirit World behind bars beside Koenma and leave me like a trapped bird! Don't isolate me like my father tried, I won't stand for that again!" Korien told her sharply, she didn't mean to come across as rude, but she did not want to be isolated again

"Korien...."

"If you're so worried, if they're all so worried, have someone train me. If his greatest weakness if fire then let me learn instead of being so useless! Please Botan I can't rely on the guys like this they have lives"

"Sweetie, this is their job, this is why they were picked for it to begin with, they all know that," Botan told her gently running her hand through her hair.

"But you should know how I feel; you're neither dead or alive, human or demon, you're just well, you. You should know what that feels like to be different from everyone! They can't fight all my battles for me"

"I do understand what you are saying, but whether I be dead or alive, I believe I belong with these people, they all love and understand me. I'm not going to let them boss me around" Botan let her hand rest on her chest as she spoke

"Then why can't they understand me? Why are you letting them boss ME around?! Do you see how little sense you make?! You say they understand you, but they won't me? You won't let them boss you around, yet I listen to their every command? Even if they don't train me, I'll train myself so I can KILL that Rekan! I will kill every last demon that comes to me with a challenge and I will PROTECT what I've been destined to protect, including my son! I will not be LOCKED away like an old used possession! I'm still part human, don't count my "blind emotions" out of this equation!" Korien scooped up Higue and stormed into the house

"Korien, what's wrong?" Kurama had heard her slam a few doors before getting to her room and he came to see what was the matter. He walked in on Korien throwing on her school uniform on over her bra and she turned to him

"Take care of Higue, I need to get out of here for a while!" She walked right by him, and Kurama from surprise stepped out of the way

"Do you really think you should be going out after what happened?"

"I'll be fine, I'm only a phone call away," She held up her cell and walked out the door.

"Seems she's just as stubborn as Yusuke," Botan leaned against the door letting out an aggravated sigh

"What did you two actually talk about?" Kurama asked still totally confused

"Oh you know, girl things" Botan smiled

Korien walked straight to the school, so pissed off at Botan and everyone else. She could go where she wanted, the few scrapes were covered, the arm wound couldn't be seen, powers never awoke unless danger, what was the problem? She walked through the front door, signed herself in, and was just in time to go to history, which meant of course, a trip up to the roof. She opened the huge metal door with a push and smiled when she saw the outline of a familiar person.

"Was wondering when you'd show up," Yusuke told her, his back still to her. She walked up to him quietly and wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his spine and cried "Korien?" He was surprised to find her crying, he wasn't sure whether to turn around or not.

"Am I really such a dangerous freak, that you'd all lock me up in the house forever Yusuke?"

"No, if anyone knows freaks, it would be us; me, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, we're all not normal people, half of us aren't even humans."

"But Botan..."

"Don't worry about what Botan says, she means well, but she's never lived on earth like you and I have." He told her gently "You gonna be okay?"

"I'm just tired, its all happening so fast. I just want time, time to figure this all out, Botan's going to end up talking to Koenma, they might even make me live in Spirit World. I need to be able to protect myself Yusuke, what would I do if...if you or the others got hurt...I couldn't stand it" She buried her face in his hair

"Everything's going to be fine. Kuwabara and I have been in tougher situations before. I've already died once, if we die, we die, that's just the way this world runs. I won't ever leave you, neither will the others. We went let you be sent away like that, you need to be around people who understand you, not examine you."

"I want to be able to protect myself....so I can at least not be so useless next time,"

"Well, I've got a great teacher, I'm sure Grandma will help ya out," Yusuke laughed thinking about Gen Kai. "Now let go of my hair and come here,"

Korien let go of him slowly and she shuffled to his side until he pulled her into his lap and held her tight. Korien closed her eyes and let her tears and tear jewels hit the floor.

"Thank you Yusuke,"

"You're so stupid sometimes, thanking me for nothing," he laughed softly squeezing her.

Korien only laughed and rested up against him.

Spirit World

Koenma's buzzer on his desk went off "Yes hello?"

"Koenma sir, Botan is back from human world,"

"Ah yes send her right in" Botan entered quietly, where her standard uniform and not her normal earth clothes "Ah Botan, good to see you,"

"Indeed Koenma, I haven't been here in a while it seems,"

"I'm sure you're here to report on Korien,"

"Yes, Koenma sir, Rekan has tattooed her with a very strange marking on her arm," Botan slid a photograph onto his desk "Besides that Korien is asking for a mentor to teach her to control her powers, she refuses to stay in the house under house arrest and refuses to come here and live in spirit world even though its for her protection"

Koenma studied the picture "I see, this is indeed an interesting mark, OGRE!"

The ogre came rushing in "Yes Koenma sir?"

"I want you to do some research on this tattoo, find out any information on its symbol"

"Right away Koenma sir!" he shuffled off and Koenma folded his hands together on the desk.

"Botan, its understandable this girl doesn't want to be under house arrest. We never did this to Yusuke when he was being hunted down,"

"But Koenma sir she's DIFFERENT! She can bring the end of the world if she knew how!"

"If she knew Botan, that's the key, if she is put under house arrest, she'll be defenseless, she could accidentally bring out that power. Its better to control it!"

"But Koenma what happens if she betrays us!"

"Did Yusuke betray us when he had opened his powers?"

"Well no sir...."

"I do believe, that Korien has been through enough pain in her short life to understand the consequences of actions. Its been a few years since Toguro. All the team has grown up a little, even Yusuke and Kuwabara. If you think about it, when Yusuke was out battling, Korien had her own battles with her baby and father. She understands things in a different perspective from yourself Botan,"

"But that's not the point sir! Any girl could deal with her baby if she loved it!"

Koenma sighed "You're missing the point Botan! Not EVERYONE could deal with it! Most teenage mothers put their children up for adoption, or they KILL them! Not only did Korien care for this child, but she also protected him! Think about her abusive father, she put up with ten long years, no complaints or anything, and she just kept going! She is destined to learn her powers, you can't protect her from the unknown when everything to her IS THE UNKNOWN!"

"Koenma...."

"As of right now under the jurisdiction of me, Koenma, son of King Yamma, I hear by decree that Korien will begin training under Gen Kai by the end of this week. She is to continue her life as normal!"

Botan bit her bottom lip and stared at Koenma, why was everyone going the extra mile for this girl? She had nothing against Korien personally, but why did everyone seem to think her life had been normal, or that her life and living it was such a gallant act? Botan broke her trance to find Koenma shifting forms and leaving his desk

"Koenma sir where are you going?!" Botan gasped

"Well to see this girl of course!"

"WHAT?" Botan nearly fell over

"Well, she is the one who's going to be deciding the outcome of man kind for the next few years, I think it would be polite if I introduced myself"