"So Yoko and his mother were saved, with the help of a friend. But Yoko had a friend, Hiei, who was intent on killing the one who helped him escape with his life. Yoko prevented Hiei from killing the boy, but did not stop the fighting. During their fight, the Forlorn Hope was shattered, and could no longer be used. Though Yoko found that he had no more need for it, so he figured it didn't matter."
His mother was listening intently. She was truly loving this story. Kurama smiled. He didn't think she knew what direction this story was headed in though.
"Now the Forlorn Hope was a stolen artifact, and Yoko must pay his time for stealing it. He was not put in prison, but instead had to join a team with a spirit detective and the spirit detective's friend. Spirit detectives are usually young fighters who work for the spirit world - which is where people go to find out where they will be living in their afterlife. He completed several cases with his new-found friends. He could not tell his mother that he was a fighter for a different world. She would worry and it would be hard for her to believe such a thing. So he didn't. He told her he was going to camp, a retreat, vacation with a friend... different things that would explain his absence."
Kurama sighed and looked up at Hiei through the window.
"After one of his cases, he came home and found his mother reading one of his books he was borrowing from spirit world. He becomes angry because of what she was reading. She had been reading his history, and he had not wanted his mother to know of his horrible past."
"But Shuichii.." his mother started. Kurama quickly inteviened.
"Please wait mother."
The woman nodded weakly.
"Yoko ran away until the next morning. There his friendship with a friend grew immensly, and his friend helped Yoko find the strength to tell his dying mother who he really was." Kurama paused, but quickly continued before his mother had time to speak. "Yoko had believed that he would need the Forlorn Hope no more, so he was not distressed when it was shattered. But he was sadly mistaken. This time there was no way to save his mother."
A tear trickled down the fox's cheek.
Using almost all of the strength she had left, she lifted her hand and brushed her son's cheek dry. "Shuichii-chan, is this Yoko you?" she asked softly.
Sadly and pathetically, Kurama nodded. Tears spilled from his eyes as he looked at his mother's caring face. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He wailed. "I couldn't tell you! I just couldn't! It would have been too painful for you to know that your son was a famous theif in Makai... I'm sorry..." Kurama's voice was tired and strained. "Just please don't die! I wanted to tell you because I didn't want you to die thinking that I was just simply your son, Shuichii. I still have Yoko inside of me, I still have his powers, he is still me! I was afraid to tell you because of how you'd react. I didn't want you to hate me and reject me because of who I was."
His mother didn't answer. She turned her head towards the window, and saw Hiei for the first time. His presence startled her. "Is that a friend, Shuichii?"
"Yes mother. That is Hiei," Kurama explained. "Just please get better. I know the doctors said you don't have very long to live, but you can change that, can't you?"
Shiori smiled weakly at her son. Hiei saw right through it. "I'll try sweetie." Her expression and smile were hiding what she thought. A demon came out of my body?A thief, a killer? It was exactly what she was thinking.
"That's good mother. I need you to get well. If you die I don't know what I'd do."
"I just need some rest, that's all..."
Hiei shook his head. The mother wasn't accepting Kurama's true self. He saw it, though for some reason he wished Kurama didn't. From the look on his face it didn't look like it, but maybe Hiei ought to tell him. He deserved to know the truth.
Kurama stayed with his mother a while longer until she fell asleep, then exited the room. Hiei met him down at the doors.
"She'll make it Hiei! I know she will," Kurama announced happily. "I told her, and that's what counts, right?"
"Hmm... yeah," Hiei replied softly, cocking his head to one side and smiling. His smile wasn't fake, but Kurama's giddiness was. Maybe the fox had sensed his mother's rejection. Hiei just didn't want the fox to get hurt, but if his mother got well, that was what was going to happen.
