"Shiori?"
Shiori Hatanaka, formerly known as Shiori Minamino, looked up at her husband, Kazuya Hatanaka. "Yes?"
He sighed. "Suichi came to see me today. He quit his job, Shiori."
She raised her eyebrows, startled. "What? Did he say why?"
Kazuya sighed again and shook his head. "No, he didn't. Shiori, I'm worried about him. He hasn't been himself."
Shiori frowned. It was true. Two weeks before, her son, Suichi Minamino, had returned home after disappearing for several days. He'd had a fever, and offered no explanation as to where he'd been. He'd barely spoken since he'd come home, and when he did it was always in a soft, sad tone. She was convinced something was wrong, but no amount of pressing had gotten her son to reveal what was troubling him. "I'll try to talk to him again" she said wearily.
She climbed the stairs and went down the hall to her son's room. "Suichi?" she called, knocking on the door. There was no response. She sighed and went in.
Suichi was sitting on his bed, draped with a blanket, staring at the wall. Shiori noticed two objects in the room she'd never seen before. Propped up against the wall was a sword in its sheath. On her son's bedside table was a chain with some sort of pearl-like gem strung on it. Both objects were beautiful. "Suichi, where did you get these?" No answer.
"Kazuya told me you quit your job today." Her son didn't comment. His eyes never left the wall. She sighed. "I'm sure you have your reasons for quitting. Did you find a better job?"
Her son closed his eyes and sighed. "Mother, please. I want to be left--"
He broke off. His eyes shot open and he threw a hand over his mouth. Shiori watched her son get up and sprint across the hall to the bathroom. Moments later she could hear him retching.
When he returned he didn't say a word, just sat back on the bed and rewrapped himself in his blanket. She looked him over and frowned. Her son's normally healthy complexion was now a dull ashen color. His hair was unkept, and he'd noticeably lost weight.
She sneezed and he handed her a tissue off the table. While doing this his sleeve slid back a little, and Shiori stifled a gasp upon seeing her son's wrist was bound up in gauze. He noticed, and quickly snatched his arm back, looking ashamed.
Shiori swallowed. Was he cutting himself? "Suichi, I don't want to pry. I respect your privacy and I trust you. But I feel that something is troubling you. And whatever it is, you're making yourself sick over it." She reached out and gripped his shoulder, ignoring the bony feel. "Whatever it is Suichi, you can tell me."
Now he turned his head and looked at her. Shiori cringed when he looked at her. His eyes…had changed. They were no longer the bright, sparkling emeralds full of life and warmth. Now they were a dull jade, cold and dead.
And then he spoke. His tone, too had changed. In a hollow voice that matched his eyes, he spoke.
"No Mother, I can't."
"What's this all about Koenma?" Yusuke demanded. "It sure as Hell better not be another damn mission."
"I assure you two" the toddler said. "It's not."
"Then what'd you call us here for?" Kuwabara asked, irritated.
"Medical examinations" the godling replied. "To make sure you're healthy." He looked over their shoulders. "Hello, Kurama."
"What?" Yusuke groaned. What lame excuse was that? Koenma had never commissioned such a thing before. "I don't need a stupid examination. Can you believe this Kuwabara?" No answer. He looked at the carrot-top. Kuwabara was looking behind them, a startled look on his face. Yusuke quirked an eyebrow and turned. Then he stared.
Kurama was walking toward them. He was very pale, his hair and clothing were dishevelled, and he'd lost a good amount of weight since Yusuke had seen him at the funeral. The Fox watched them through dull, pained eyes set in a gaunt face. His youki was so weak it was barely detectable. Now Yusuke understood. Koenma may have ordered them all be examined, but Kurama was the one really sick.
The Kitsune looked at Koenma. "Examinations?" They all winced. His voice, so low they could barely hear him, was flat, hollow.
"Uhm, yeah" the godling answered, sounding nervous all of a sudden. "Due to recent events I want to be sure nothing happens to the rest of you--" he stopped when he noticed how Kurama looked like he'd just been slapped. "I'm sorry" he said quickly.
He sighed and nodded. "It's okay" he said, voice cracking. He clenched his teeth and stared at the floor.
"Right" Koenma continued, giving the Fox a worried look. "Anyhow, I just want to make sure everyone's okay. Ah, Yusuke and Kuwabara, I need to speak with you two real quick."
They followed him out into the hall, away from Kurama. Once the door was shut, Yusuke asked what was on both boys' minds. "What's wrong with him? He looks like shit."
"I suppose neither of you have been to see him since the funeral?" Koenma asked.
"We've tried" Kuwabara said. "But every time we came over his family said he was sleeping or didn't want any company. Is he sick?" He remembered asking Hiei that same question the day the Koorime had died, though then he hadn't been serious.
"I don't know" Koenma said. "That's what I want to find out. Now listen you two, this examination is very thorough, and some may call it intrusive. But keep in mind that this is to help Kurama, so you two had better go along with everything, got it?" Once he obtained their agreement, he opened the door and called Kurama out into the hall. "Kurama, George is going to escort you three to the doctor's room, okay?"
He nodded, and the trio followed the oni down several hallways before he stopped at a certain door. He knocked on it. A green oni answered. "The patients Koenma wanted you to see are here."
"Yes, of course. Which one is--?"
"The redhead, long hair" George said in a low whisper. The doctor nodded and gestured for the three to come in.
Once they were all in and the door was shut they were ordered to strip down. "Mr. Kurama, I'll need to have you remove those bandages." Kurama hesitated, glancing at his friends, then reluctantly conceded. His friends stared, horrified, when they saw the numerous cuts covering both of Kurama's lower arms. Many looked fresh, as recent as that morning even. Kurama looked away from them and refused to make eye contact with anyone.
The doctor didn't miss a beat though. "May I ask how long you've been practicing the habit of cutting yourself?"
Kurama sighed. "About three weeks" he muttered.
"I see. You do realize it's an unhealthy habit? If you--"
"I'm not stupid" the Fox said, a slight tone of edge to his voice. "Are you going to examine me or continue interrogating me?"
After that soft outburst the doctor ceased lecturing Kurama and set to the examination. It included much prodding and poking. The oni's hands were quite prying and the only reason Yusuke and Kuwabara put up with it was out of concern for Kurama. The cuts on his arms made them both uneasy. Blood was drawn from each of them, and then they were sent to the restroom to collect urine samples. Kurama was still gone when the other two returned with their samples.
"You two may leave now" he said upon receiving the samples. "As far as I can tell you're both perfectly healthy. It's your friend I worry for, he's in obvious need for help."
"Yeah…" Yusuke muttered. "You'll be able to help him, right?"
"I hope so. He's in terrible shape though. Koenma told me he lost his lover recently?"
"Yeah" Kuwabara affirmed. "But someone can't really die of a broken heart, can they?"
"No one can die of grief itself, but the way they react to the loss may send them down a path of self-destruction. That could be the case as he's cutting himself. But I'll do my best to help him." They thanked him and left.
Shortly after that Kurama returned with his sample. "Thank you. I already sent your companions along, but could you sit tight while I run these tests and gather your results?" Kurama dimly nodded and sat down. So this whole examination stunt had been directed toward him, he'd suspected such.
Several hours later the doctor oni burst through the doors of Koenma's office. "Where's Kurama?" the godling asked.
"He's still in my office. I've brought his results. My lab contains the latest technology to offer" he explained upon seeing his employer's amazed face. "It produces test results quicker than most analyzers. But I really think you should take a look at these."
Koenma groaned. "It's really bad, isn't it? You can tell just by looking at him." The doctor didn't say anything, merely handed him the results. He looked through the papers, then dropped them, eyes wide. "WHAT! There must be a mistake. This is impossible!"
"Not quite" the oni said. "I've done research, and this has occurred before, especially in his species. But with the state he's in right now, and his youki being weak as it is…"
"Damn. Well, bring him in here. We need to tell him what's up and try to figure out what we're going to do."
The doctor nodded and disappeared. Several minutes later he returned with the Fox. Koenma heaved a sigh.
"Kurama, we have your test results." He swallowed. "There's something you should know."