Author Note: "The Mirror of Utter Darkness". I'm not sure what the Japanese
title was, or if this translation is accurate. However, that is what my
fansub of the series called it and so that's what I'm going to use. I
figure that it is probably close to what the actual name is.
Reaching Your Limits: Continual Cycle
Episode 1: Shori. A Battle Against Death
Hiei moaned when his first waking sound was that of a door slamming. It seemed to echo inside of his head, making the pounding there even worse than it had been before. He could sense through their bond that his sister was distressed, yet was unable to detect the presence of any unfamiliar energy. Forcing his eyes open, he winced as he sat up. Although his wounds were healed, his body was tired and it seemed to take every last bit of energy that he possessed just to get out of the bed he was laying on.
Following the feel of the other's energy, Hiei made his way into the main room. The others were there, save for Kurama, and were staring at the door. "What happened?" he questioned, as it was obvious something was wrong.
At the sound of his voice, Yukina jumped and spun around. Her eyes were filled with worry, but they brightened slightly when she saw him. Running toward him, she wrapped her arms around his body and hugged him closely.
Hiei was caught off guard by the hug. Although they were close, the two of them rarely touched. Their body temperatures were so different that it was uncomfortable for them to have physical contact between them, even something as simple as a hug or a handshake.
"Kurama just left. I'm so worried about him. His neighboor phoned, having been looking for him for a while. His mother is in the hospital and is very ill," she whispered against his shoulder.
The information caused Hiei to start slightly, his eyes going wide. As much as he disliked human beings, he had to admit a grudging respect for Shiori. After all, not only had she given birth to Kurama's reincarnated form, she had the strongest will to live in the face of her disease as anyone he'd known. It was a shock to him.
Still, he forced the sensation down. He had no business to be concerned for the human woman. Gently extracting himself from Yukina's gaze, he looked away from her and toward the wall. "We will return to the Spiritworld tonight," he stated, his voice not giving away any of the turmoil inside of himself.
"You're just going to leave? At at time like this?" Yuusuke exclaimed, pushing against the table to leap to his feet. The table shifted a few inches from the force of his movement.
Unable to meet their eyes, Hiei made his way toward the door. "Our paths crossed simply because we needed your help to defeat Haru. Now that he has been killed, we have no business with each other," he stated.
"What about Kurama? He loves you, and will need you. His mother is ill and he will need support from all of us, especially from you. How can you turn your back on him?" Yuusuke demanded.
The fire demon paused at those words. Pain shot through him, nearly making him gasp out loud. Just as he was turning his back on them, he was turning his back on Kurama. Still, he knew that this was the best decision for him, for all of them. This is the way things had to be. There would be more suffering if he stayed.
"I am not concerned with Shuuichi, or his human mother," he stated, accentuating Kurama's human name.
"You're a cold bastard, Hiei, no matter what kind of demon you are," Kuwabara commented, his tone harsh.
Hiei spun around, his eyes filled with the anger in his mind. "Who are you to question me, human?" he demanded. He was breathing hard from the outburst, and he could tell it had cost him when they all gave him speculative looks.
Pulling himself back under control, Hiei began to make his way toward the door again. "Come with me, Yukina. It is time we returned to where we belong," he stated.
There was a few moments of silence before he heard his sister's footsteps behind him. "I will see you again, soon," she assured with a smile.
***
"Shuuichi, what's the matter? Where am I?"
Kurama looked up at the sound of his mother's weakened voice, watching as her head shifted around slowly through his tears. He jumped to his feet and ran to her bedside, taking her hand. "Miyuki found you in the house, collapsed, earlier today. She brought you to the hospital," he explained softly, his voice catching as he fought to control his tears. His mother was one of the few people in existance who was important to him, and it had been twelve hours of unconciousness since she'd been found. The doctors had begun to suspect that she'd slipped into a coma.
"Don't be silly, child. I feel fine," Shiori stated firmly, although there was obvious pain in her eyes.
Kurama choked a little, taking her hand and leaning his forehead against it. "The doctors... they said that you might... that it is possible that, soon, you could...." He couldn't finish the sentance. Every time he tried, a sob would come out instead.
Shiori shook her head. "Don't worry, Shuuichi. After a little rest, I'll be fine," she replied. By the end of the sentance, her voice was barely above a whisper and she fell asleep only a few moments later.
Looking down at her, Kurama cursed himself for not having the ability to save her. What use was his Youko abilities if he couldn't save one life? Couldn't save the life of his own mother?
Yukina had come to see him a few hours before, telling him that she would be returning with her brother to the Spiritworld. He'd been too worried for Shiori to realize that she was saying goodbye, although she had promised that she would see him again soon. Her eyes had been sad and he'd known without having to ask that her healing ability couldn't destroy deseases. Still, he had asked anyway, and she'd only proven his fears.
There was nothing that could be done.
Kurama looked up when he heard the window sliding open, and blinked a few times when he saw Hiei sitting there. He hadn't expected to see the other until he'd had the chance to hunt Hiei down for himself. Strangely enough, his tears seemed to dry suddenly to leave only puffy eyes and a sniffling nose. It was a comfort, just to have the other close to him.
"You are an idiot, crying over one human life," the fire demon stated coldly.
"You would probably think so," Kurama agreed, turning to look down at Shiori's face. "I probably would of thought so before as well. However, she has been the most important person in my life for the last sixteen years. She's sacrified everything for me, and I love her with all of my heart. She's my mother, Hiei, and I can't help but mourn the fact that there is nothing I can do."
Hiei was quiet after his words, looking down at the figure on the bed. "Perhaps there is a way," he said finally.
Kurama's head snapped up to look at the other. "How?" he questioned, willing to do anything to save her life.
The fire demon shrugged as though he didn't care, but Kurama could see the slight pain in his eyes. "There is an artifact called the Mirror of Utter Darkness. It is one of the three Sacret Artifacts. I noticed it when I stole the Ghostslayer, but it held no interest to me. It has the ability to grant someone a wish in the light of the full moon," he explained.
"I've heard of it," Kurama replied quietly. There were many who did not know the price of the wish. However, he was one of the few who did. In exchange of a wish to save Shiori's life, he would have to give up his own. Looking down at the frail woman on the bed, Kurama knew that his decision was made before he'd even thought of an alternative one.
"You have three days until the full moon," Hiei stated.
"Then we had better hurry. You will help me, of course," Kurama replied.
Hiei looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Someone has to show you the way into the Spiritworld palace," he returned.
"You know that you could be severely punished for this. You are already on parole," Kurama said, making his way toward the other.
Hiei stared at him once again, the silence between them stretching out for a long moment. Then he sighed and looked away. "If you are willing to give up your life for this woman, this is the least I can do."
End Episode 1
Reaching Your Limits: Continual Cycle
Episode 1: Shori. A Battle Against Death
Hiei moaned when his first waking sound was that of a door slamming. It seemed to echo inside of his head, making the pounding there even worse than it had been before. He could sense through their bond that his sister was distressed, yet was unable to detect the presence of any unfamiliar energy. Forcing his eyes open, he winced as he sat up. Although his wounds were healed, his body was tired and it seemed to take every last bit of energy that he possessed just to get out of the bed he was laying on.
Following the feel of the other's energy, Hiei made his way into the main room. The others were there, save for Kurama, and were staring at the door. "What happened?" he questioned, as it was obvious something was wrong.
At the sound of his voice, Yukina jumped and spun around. Her eyes were filled with worry, but they brightened slightly when she saw him. Running toward him, she wrapped her arms around his body and hugged him closely.
Hiei was caught off guard by the hug. Although they were close, the two of them rarely touched. Their body temperatures were so different that it was uncomfortable for them to have physical contact between them, even something as simple as a hug or a handshake.
"Kurama just left. I'm so worried about him. His neighboor phoned, having been looking for him for a while. His mother is in the hospital and is very ill," she whispered against his shoulder.
The information caused Hiei to start slightly, his eyes going wide. As much as he disliked human beings, he had to admit a grudging respect for Shiori. After all, not only had she given birth to Kurama's reincarnated form, she had the strongest will to live in the face of her disease as anyone he'd known. It was a shock to him.
Still, he forced the sensation down. He had no business to be concerned for the human woman. Gently extracting himself from Yukina's gaze, he looked away from her and toward the wall. "We will return to the Spiritworld tonight," he stated, his voice not giving away any of the turmoil inside of himself.
"You're just going to leave? At at time like this?" Yuusuke exclaimed, pushing against the table to leap to his feet. The table shifted a few inches from the force of his movement.
Unable to meet their eyes, Hiei made his way toward the door. "Our paths crossed simply because we needed your help to defeat Haru. Now that he has been killed, we have no business with each other," he stated.
"What about Kurama? He loves you, and will need you. His mother is ill and he will need support from all of us, especially from you. How can you turn your back on him?" Yuusuke demanded.
The fire demon paused at those words. Pain shot through him, nearly making him gasp out loud. Just as he was turning his back on them, he was turning his back on Kurama. Still, he knew that this was the best decision for him, for all of them. This is the way things had to be. There would be more suffering if he stayed.
"I am not concerned with Shuuichi, or his human mother," he stated, accentuating Kurama's human name.
"You're a cold bastard, Hiei, no matter what kind of demon you are," Kuwabara commented, his tone harsh.
Hiei spun around, his eyes filled with the anger in his mind. "Who are you to question me, human?" he demanded. He was breathing hard from the outburst, and he could tell it had cost him when they all gave him speculative looks.
Pulling himself back under control, Hiei began to make his way toward the door again. "Come with me, Yukina. It is time we returned to where we belong," he stated.
There was a few moments of silence before he heard his sister's footsteps behind him. "I will see you again, soon," she assured with a smile.
***
"Shuuichi, what's the matter? Where am I?"
Kurama looked up at the sound of his mother's weakened voice, watching as her head shifted around slowly through his tears. He jumped to his feet and ran to her bedside, taking her hand. "Miyuki found you in the house, collapsed, earlier today. She brought you to the hospital," he explained softly, his voice catching as he fought to control his tears. His mother was one of the few people in existance who was important to him, and it had been twelve hours of unconciousness since she'd been found. The doctors had begun to suspect that she'd slipped into a coma.
"Don't be silly, child. I feel fine," Shiori stated firmly, although there was obvious pain in her eyes.
Kurama choked a little, taking her hand and leaning his forehead against it. "The doctors... they said that you might... that it is possible that, soon, you could...." He couldn't finish the sentance. Every time he tried, a sob would come out instead.
Shiori shook her head. "Don't worry, Shuuichi. After a little rest, I'll be fine," she replied. By the end of the sentance, her voice was barely above a whisper and she fell asleep only a few moments later.
Looking down at her, Kurama cursed himself for not having the ability to save her. What use was his Youko abilities if he couldn't save one life? Couldn't save the life of his own mother?
Yukina had come to see him a few hours before, telling him that she would be returning with her brother to the Spiritworld. He'd been too worried for Shiori to realize that she was saying goodbye, although she had promised that she would see him again soon. Her eyes had been sad and he'd known without having to ask that her healing ability couldn't destroy deseases. Still, he had asked anyway, and she'd only proven his fears.
There was nothing that could be done.
Kurama looked up when he heard the window sliding open, and blinked a few times when he saw Hiei sitting there. He hadn't expected to see the other until he'd had the chance to hunt Hiei down for himself. Strangely enough, his tears seemed to dry suddenly to leave only puffy eyes and a sniffling nose. It was a comfort, just to have the other close to him.
"You are an idiot, crying over one human life," the fire demon stated coldly.
"You would probably think so," Kurama agreed, turning to look down at Shiori's face. "I probably would of thought so before as well. However, she has been the most important person in my life for the last sixteen years. She's sacrified everything for me, and I love her with all of my heart. She's my mother, Hiei, and I can't help but mourn the fact that there is nothing I can do."
Hiei was quiet after his words, looking down at the figure on the bed. "Perhaps there is a way," he said finally.
Kurama's head snapped up to look at the other. "How?" he questioned, willing to do anything to save her life.
The fire demon shrugged as though he didn't care, but Kurama could see the slight pain in his eyes. "There is an artifact called the Mirror of Utter Darkness. It is one of the three Sacret Artifacts. I noticed it when I stole the Ghostslayer, but it held no interest to me. It has the ability to grant someone a wish in the light of the full moon," he explained.
"I've heard of it," Kurama replied quietly. There were many who did not know the price of the wish. However, he was one of the few who did. In exchange of a wish to save Shiori's life, he would have to give up his own. Looking down at the frail woman on the bed, Kurama knew that his decision was made before he'd even thought of an alternative one.
"You have three days until the full moon," Hiei stated.
"Then we had better hurry. You will help me, of course," Kurama replied.
Hiei looked at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Someone has to show you the way into the Spiritworld palace," he returned.
"You know that you could be severely punished for this. You are already on parole," Kurama said, making his way toward the other.
Hiei stared at him once again, the silence between them stretching out for a long moment. Then he sighed and looked away. "If you are willing to give up your life for this woman, this is the least I can do."
End Episode 1