Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho

Chapter 10

The school bells chimed for the end of the day and everyone met outside at the gate. Yusuke and Korien stood together and waited for the other three. Kuwabara was the first to make it to them and he twirled Korien around like a little sister and rubbed her hair. Kurama and Hiei appeared next, Hiei was quieter than usual, and Kurama simply waved and bowed like his usual self

"So are we all going to head back then?" Yusuke asked, and then his communicator went off "Oh gee what does the toddler have planned for me now," Click on went the communicator "This is Yusuke"

"Ah Yusuke so good for you to think so fondly of me!" Koenma told him cooly

"I errr..." He stumbled about words "Hey wait a minute, how did you know I said that?"

"I'm right behind you!"

Yusuke turned around to see a full grown Koenma standing there with his binky out for the moment as a cover up. This normal humans for some reason found it rather childish.

"Hey Koenma sir.... hehehehe" Yusuke laughed and he was then hit over the head by Koenma's fist.

Koenma straightened himself out and looked at the group. He was looking for Korien, and found her peering out from behind Kurama watching. He must say, she was rather beautiful, just like her profile had depicted her, but he also saw, that depicted fear and weariness in her and in made his heart sink. No mortal should have lived this horribly.

"Miss Korien Meoji?" Koenma asked extending a hand out to her. Korien stepped out quietly and he took her hand and shook it "I'm Koenma, I'm the second in command to Spirit World."

"A pleasure to meet you Koenma sir...." Korien told him shaking his hand

"I'm here to discuss with you some ideas about your current powers and situation. But first, I think its better if we all get back to Kurama's mansion,"

"Yes sir..." Korien mouthed quietly.

It was not that Korien did not trust the Urameshi team, nor their newest arrival Koenma, she was just, feeling so extremely tired. She hadn't been sleeping well, from nightmares of her father to the new ones of Rekan, it felt sleep was almost out of the option. She managed just barely to focus in class, the classes she did actually attend compared to her time on the roof with Yusuke.

The walk wasn't that far, and already inside Kurama's house was Botan cooking up some food for them. Korien went upstairs to where Higue was playing and she brought him back downstairs in her arms. Suddenly again, Korien was smiling again, and Hiei observed it. It seemed that every pain possible had fallen into Korien's lap, but every time she picked up Higue it was like it all melted away. Koenma wanted to talk with Botan, so Korien took Higue into the backyard, and Hiei followed her. She sat down in the grass and Higue began pulling at the blades of grass and playing with the tear jems like marbles.

"Is something the matter Hiei?" Korien asked gently, her eyes following her son

"No."

"You're lying. You haven't said anything to anyone, even me, you usually have a wise crack or something. What's troubling you?"

"....." Hiei brought his knees to his chest and looked from the boy to her. Her eyes were pleading, and Higue's were innocence, since when did he hang around such soft people?

"Please Hiei...I'm worried about you,"

"Even if Rekan is defeated, what happens to you? You're forever going to be hunted, unless you go to Spirit World and remain safety under Koenma's care. But even there, you can't get what you want for you son...don't you feel, trapped?"

Korien smiled softly and looked at him "Is that all that's been bothering you...Hiei..." She took on of his hands and laced her fingers through his. "It doesn't matter now. It doesn't matter where you put Higue, as long as he is safe. Even if grows to lead a different type of life, he still gets to live."

"But...after all you've said you've wanted for your son..."

"People must make sacrifices if it means our loved ones can stay safe. He's so young right now, maybe we can bring him back out when he's a little older. Thirteen maybe, by then, whatever powers he have will be awake and we can train him."

"You aren't scared?" He asked her looking down at their hands. Her squeezed his hand tightly

"Not with you here." She told him softly "I will fight him with everything that I am, not an ounce more or less, and if I'm supposed to die, then I guess that's just the end of it."

"Why are you so suddenly willing to die now?"

"I don't want to die, I'd much rather live. Everyone is born with a purpose, and if I die now, then maybe my purpose will be complete. Maybe my job was to meet all of you, I'm not sure. I didn't want my mother to die, but she did. You see, everything has so many complications and exceptions to rules, I'm not sure what I should believe in now. In fact...sometimes I wonder...if I was dead...then maybe we'd all be safer."

"Korien...."

"Maybe...if I'm gone...Higue can grow up normally, and you can all continue with your lives....I mean...I don't want to hurt people....I just don't know anymore..."

"Ssshhhh...its okay..." he told her very softly "Your body is drained of all energy, you're exhausted...you should rest..." He told her unemotionally

"He's the only thing in my dream; his evil horrible face and this stupid scar...it isn't normal," she whispered quietly

"Hey...its okay..." he didn't know what he could say that helped her. She rested against him, practically falling into his arms, and he wrapped his arms around her reluctantly "Hey....easy..."

"Hope he finds me, because when he does, he's going to pay, I'm going to tear him limb from limb until he's nothing but a pile of shreds!"

He laughed "Brave words for such a lazy bum" He stroked her hair gently

"I'm not a lazy bum...I'm just tired Hiei...." She told him almost half-consciously

"Then lets get you to your room...." he told her gently. Hiei scooped her up, and Higue in his other arm, in an instant he disappeared and was already upstairs in her room jumping through the open window. He walked Higue into the other room, and tucked him in for a nap, and Korien threw the covers over herself to rest. Hiei sat down on the bed beside her, her eyes shut sleeping on her pillow.

He allowed his hand to reach out to her, and trace her lips slowly. She opened her eyes slowly looking up at him. He stopped, and retreated his hand, but his eyes never left her. He seemed to have a question. Korien smiled

"Something on your mind Hiei?" She asked curiously

"What does it mean, when someone presses their lips on another's?" He asked nervously, falling back into the memories of a few nights ago. Her quick and swift kiss before he could even react, and her brilliant smile.

"It means, that that someone cares about you a real lot, and they.... believe in you...."

There was a strong silence that filled every corner of the room. Hiei's eyes never once left her face, and Korien closed her eyes again to rest. His hand traced her forehead with his fingers until Korien opened her eyes back up again. "Korien....I...."

"Yo KOENMA HERE!" Koenma threw open the door and Hiei jumped back and disappeared into the shadows before Koenma could even have sensed him. Korien sat up in her bed and looked at Koenma

"Hello Koenma, I guess you're done talking to Botan then right?"

"Yes ma'am, I left Spirit World just so I could talk to you" Koenma sat down on her bed "I need to really speak with you Miss Meoji"

"Ask away, do you want me to come to spirit world, is this about a trainer, are you going to kill me now before I can do no harm, come on I'm prepared to hear the worst?"

Koenma frowned and took one of her hands, "I'm not going to lock you away, in fact, I need your help"

"My help?" Korien was surprised

"I need you to defeat Rekan. You're the only one who can" He held her hands tight "You need to be trained, that's for sure, and your wound needs to be examined by Gen Kai, she might know what it is. Besides that, it won't interfere with your school work and normal life, we've already prepared an excuse for that. You'll be trained here of course, so you can be with Higue. Yusuke and the team will also be here with you too. The question is...are you up to it?"

"And the other option is?"

"Painless death," he told her quietly and he sighed "I'm sorry Korien, I know these are two extremes. We either make you our ally, or you don't live, I know that's cruel, but we can't risk you falling into the wrong hands. You have power that hasn't been seen in centuries."

"I understand Koenma. I just wish, you had gotten someone a little more worthy ya know?" She laughed and then stretched "When do I start training?"

"First thing tomorrow morning, but first, I have to check on your arm. According to what Botan told me it isn't a very good sign,"

Korien rolled up her sleeve and Koenma could already see the black pulsations from the deeper depths of the bindings. She tugged at the bandages knot, and watched as it unraveled and peeled itself off. The tattoo seemed to pour out dark energy and it pulsated like a demon aura.

"It hurts sometimes....it eats away at me I think," Korien stroked her arm gently, and suddenly the pulsations stopped

"You can control that?!" Koenma asked in disbelief

"I guess so, every time I did stroke it, the pain stops."

"His touch...is soothed by yours....it makes sense now! But then, why would he give you this mark to begin with?"

"It's the angel arm you ninny" A old hag's voice told Koenma in the door

"Gen Kai you're a day early!"

"Yeah well, this girl's gonna need all the help she can get!" Gen Kai stood tall and proud, or as tall as her shortness took her. She walked straight up to Korien and looked her in the eyes "If you can control this small pulsation, you can learn to manipulate his powers" She reached out to touch her arm and the darkness automatically sparked her upon reaction, leaving a burn mark on her hand "It seems you're the only one who can touch it."

"Well that makes sense, its her body, and his curse, of course she could" Koenma stated

"Restating the obvious you moron?" Gen Kai barked, she turned back to Korien "I need to know about your past, all the pain, everything that happened,"

Korien looked away hearing about it and Koenma jumped in "Is it really necessary? She's been through so much as it is!"

"SHUT UP Pacifier boy! Details aren't needed Korien, generalize"

"Rape, age fifteen, abuse and beatings, age ten and on, whip marks age ten and on, pregnancy age sixteen delivery."

"I see. Well child, I'm first going to tell you this once, and only once, you are strong. You are strong not from physical attribute, but for your will of survival, never in all my years have a seen a more stubborn candidate. Someone who would not turn away from life, no matter how horrible it has treated her. You have potential, not because of your power, but your will. Something Yusuke will never fully understand. You're going to begin training with me tomorrow. The boys are free to join us, but my training is only for you. We will start with basics, move into demoniac. You should be ready in maybe two weeks if we're pressed for time, month is normal, Yusuke took two months because he is such an idiot"

"Yes Sensei" Korien smiled "I will do you proud'

"Now you go eat, then rest, as for your son, we'll protect him, I have protection barriers that no demon can break" Gen Kai told her finally, knowing Korien would worry about her child.

She exited without a bow or anything, just walked straight out the door. Koenma watched her and he sighed still sitting on the bed. "She does that to everyone, don't take it personally" He ran his hand through his hair and over his face. Korien laughed gently and laid back down in her bed

"How did I get myself into all of this?" She asked staring up at the ceiling

"I don't know, none of us were expecting it all to happen, even in legend" Koenma looked up at the ceiling to "I guess you can call this fate, something even out of Spirit World's hands. I wonder about it to, what would the world be like if Yusuke hadn't died the day he had, come back, met the others, met you. Where would we all be right now?"

Korien closed her eyes "I guess, its better this way, now, I've met a lot of amazing guys, you included. I met Botan and the other girls too, now I don't feel nearly as lonely. The pain isn't constantly ringing in my ears"

"You're extremely brave Korien, something like this, even I am not brave enough to face alone"

"I'm not alone....I have everyone here for me...." Korien was drifting off to sleep and Koenma smiled softly

"I'll leave you to rest" He rose from his spot and stopped in the doorway to check on her one more time. Then slowly, he pulled the door closed. Korien shuffled around in her bed trying to sleep, but there were no dreams that could comfort her. She hid herself under the quilt frustrated until the door was opened up again with a soft knock

"Korien? I uh brought you dinner, Koenma said you should try to eat still" Kuwabara told her. She smiled and allowed her head to pop out from under the quilt "You look sorta like a mole like that."

Korien laughed and she scooted over so he could sit down. He handed her a tray of food, sandwich, drink, just normal stuff. She broke the sandwich in half "You want half?" She asked offering it to him

"Sure," Kuwabara grinned a stupid goofy Kuwabara grin and ate his "Tell me, aren't you scared?"

"Does everyone ask that question?" Korien asked taking a small bite of her sandwich "Yes I am, but will it stop me? No it won't"

"Wow, you sound like Shizuru sometimes, I wonder if you two are related and I got replaced with you at birth" He laughed rubbing the back of his head "Higue's a great kid you know, I mostly watched him while the others stood by the door waiting for you. He's really sweet, he's got your kindness I think. He loves those tear gems though, he plays with them like crazy!"

"He always did, I never understood why, but who does understand the mind of a child?"

"Yeah, way to think too much for my brain to handle"

"Don't worry Kuwabara, no mind will ever understand that of a child's..... We no longer know innocence."