Umm….so, here is the last chapter of this update. I was wondering…why is it that I got so many reviews for this? I know it's good, but my past stories have been good, too, or so I thought. I'm super-happy to be getting so many, but it's just the thought. Suddenly, I'm getting a lot of reviews. Well, a lot for me, anyway.

Why is that? UK is confused…

Chapter 12: Something More

Kurama

I remember days where she would work herself until she blacked out. Why was she so determined to do this thing? It would help her, yes, but there had to be something else motivating her. This wasn't some idle thing to her. She was threatened and against the wall by the Vacant Lot, but that wasn't it. Bri was no scared little mouse.

There was something more here.

I always stopped her after four or five hours, because that's all I knew I could do on my own straight through. We'd talk idly about things, and I told her more about what had happened to our little spirit detective unit.

Then she would say something about going to write or draw or something, and she'd disappear into the other room. She'd come back out completely refreshed, so usually I only assumed she took a bath or a shower.

My curiosity had grown. After about a month of us repeating this cycle, Gina appeared at the door, her eyes shut tight. I was glad she was smart enough to close them when coming into the Chronodom. Or maybe Koenma had told her.

"Hey, Kurama, where's Bri at?"

"In the other room," I said. "It is unwise to interrupt her."

I don't know why I said it. Bri had never told me not to come in the room, nor had she ever displayed that she didn't want to be disturbed. It was an unspoken request, I think, from Bri. She'd never told me outright. Like I said before, she was like Hiei in many regards, and this was one of them.

She had a silent Bri-ish that she spoke to me.

"Ah, all right, then," Gina smiled. "I just brought your homework from today, and her painting. It's three on the outside, you know."

"Yes. I do know."

The time in the Chronodom compared to the time on the outside was fairly usual. It would probably be another "two months" before Gina returned with the next day's assignments.

"How's she doing?"

"Well."

"That bad, huh? Pushing herself too much. Just like her father." She set the books on the living room table.

"You knew her father?"

"Well, no, but Gunner did. Gunner knew them both, of course. Still knows her mother, in fact."

This confused me. From what Bri had said, she believed her mother to be dead, just like her father. Was Bri's mother alive?

"Earth to Kurama?" Gina waved her hand in front of my eyes. "Listen, don't tell Bri I said anything. Her mother… Well, let's just say Bri wouldn't like it."

"I wouldn't like what?" Bri learned against the doorway into the living room. Sweat coursed down her cheeks and back. "Hi, Gina."

"Er…hey," Gina squeaked.

Oh, just perfect.

"I heard it all, Gina. Spill. Where's my mother?"

"Well…that is…oh, Tsuki's going to kill me!"

"Tsuki?" Bri straightened. "What's Keiko's mom got to do with it?"

Gina's eyes were wide in fright, like a rabbit before a fox. Or like a wildebeest before a lioness.

"I-I…Bri, if I tell you, you promise you won't say anything?"

"That depends." Bri's eyes flashed. She was not happy.

And yet she was so pretty when she was angry.

"On?" Gina squeaked.

"If you tell me."

"Okay, okay!" Gina closed her eyes tight, as though blocking out her sight would make it easier on her. "Tsuki is your mom! Okay, I said it! Tsuki Sawaguchi is your mother!"

And she ran out the door.

Calmly, Bri walked up to me, eyes closed softly. When they opened, I was instantly reminded of a lioness ready to strike.

"Kurama, exactly what did you think you were doing?"

I lost any protest in my voice.

"Don't bother me for a few hours." Her eyes narrowed straight into mine. "I have some thinking to do."

If I had wanted to stop her, I wouldn't have been able to. She ran from me faster than I could have reacted.

Bri

The machine waited for me. I dove into the game, at level eight, and fired the steps out from my feet. Kurama and Gina had been discussing my mother behind my back. I gleaned that this was the first time Kurama had asked her about it, of course, but still, why hadn't he come to get me? Usually, I didn't want him to. But if Gina had come to give us our books, why didn't he come get me?

It didn't make any sense.

I started to meow at the screen. My cat sounds soothed my frazzled nerves, letting me take my dancing to new levels. I don't know how or why meowing with music could possibly have made me better, but it did.

I had to get stronger.

If not for me, then for Keiko's memory. Maybe even for Kurama. I was angry with him, sure. But I had to not think about him for a while. There had to be an explanation why he hadn't come to get me, probably a very simple one, too.

Until then, I'd dance.

For some reason, just the simple movements, back and forth, front and side, moving through the air with ease, made me feel better. Each time I gave a small mew at my accomplishments, I felt energized. Even when I hissed at the score for not being at least a good score, I could feel my blood pumping.

After two or three hours, I finally shut the machine down. I'd figured the room out pretty well. I didn't have to go out and come in again for it to change. All I had to do was think about what I wanted to do, and it changed.

I needed a bath.

A nice hot spring appeared and I sank into the mineral-rich water to sooth my nerves and legs even more. I always wore a bathing suit, on the off chance that Kurama might actually come in.

This time, I was right.

"Bri?"

"Come in," I sighed and turned to look at the door. "Look, I just want to know why you were talking to Gina without me. That's all."

Kurama blushed and looked away. "I…I thought you didn't want to be disturbed."

I could sense the truth.

"Why am I cursed like this, Kurama?"

He started and stared at me. "Cursed?"

"One day I'm an ugly little nobody that nobody wants in a nowhere school in the middle of nowhere, the next, I'm some powerful special thing that everyone's after."

Kurama sighed. "Is that really what you believe?"

I sighed and shifted my thoughts back to the simple room with white walls I knew from the first day. The springs disappeared and my clothes turned back to my normal blue jeans and white t-shirt. Kurama blinked in shock.

"I got used to it," I smirked. I meant it to both his question and his reaction. "Say, what did Genki tell the school, anyway?"

"That we were going to an art show in New York City," Kurama answered, still a little stunned. He was still in the doorway. "Gina did. Actually."

"Ah. So, how is she explaining that she's giving us our homework?"

"Email."

"Kurama, are you just going to stand there all day?"

"What? Oh…" He finally moved. I led the way back into the living room. "You're not angry anymore?"

"No. You told me the truth. I accepted it. Simple as that." Though, I'm still wondering how he knew I didn't want to be disturbed before. Was he an Empathe, too?

I grabbed the stack of books and slid into one of the plain wooden chairs at the table. Kurama seemed to hesitate a moment before taking the other chair and opening his biology book. I picked up the assignment list, written in Keiko Ukimura's neat handwriting. Her lecture notes were also there.

"Looks like Keiko's going to help us," I said. "She says the majority of the questions in the book he already covered in his lecture. She tried to take good notes."

Kurama nodded.

"Here, I'll be Toguro," I grinned, standing up with Keiko's notes.

"CLASS! Today we learn of single-cell organisms. Bacteria are some of these. WOLF! WOLF, what are we learning today?" I sank into my chair and glanced up as innocently as I could at the air where I'd been standing. "Er…today?" I stood up again. "WOLF! You're not paying attention! DETENTION!"

Kurama tried not to laugh, but as I was already laughing at my own interpretation of Toguro's biology lectures, he really had no choice.

"That's very good," Kurama choked. "Ever considered theatre?"

"Nope," I giggled. "Never crossed my mind. I don't think I'd do very well, considering I'd always want to top role. Kinda impossible with Hamlet, don't you think?"

"I don't know, I think a female Hamlet would be interesting."

"Oh, yes. To be or not to be, that is the question! Should I wear a skirt or pants today, and do these shoes match this belt and that purse? Oh, the troubles of a female aristocrat!"

Kurama laughed even harder, shaking with mirth.

"What, now I should join a acting troupe? Or is this all just for your entertainment? We should get to work. Kurama?"

"I…I'm sorry…" he coughed into his hand, trying to get the laughter out. "You're right."

Keiko's notes were immaculate and precise. They looked nothing like mine, with doodles at ever given turn, especially with this class. In fact, I think my biology notebook was nothing but doodles at the moment, except where I actually could hear what Toguro said.

"Jeez, nothing but review," I grumbled, closing the book when I finished. "I already took biology in middle school, and it's all the same so far."

"You've only been in the class three days."

"I know. I just don't like biology. Especially the human part of it. I heard Japanese schools do sex ed in biology." I shuddered. "I don't like that."

"I think we'll start your training in harnessing power today," Kurama said, blatantly changing the direction of the conversation. I was sort of grateful for it. And a little suspicious. But I left it there.

I was starting my new training.