Author: Ok people look alive… it's time for the next chapter! Hilu are you here?

Hilu: Yes I am, and I am ready to assist you in any way that I can.

Author: Good because I have a load of laundry in the basement drying that I have to go get soon so you will have to start the story. grins

Hilu: sweatdrops Ok. Here goes then!

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Chapter 9

The next day was a Saturday so Kurama stayed the whole day with Kirana playing games and in the process teaching her many new and exciting things. Then when it was time for him to go he promised to try to come see her at least once a week and maybe stay a whole week with her sometime that summer. Kirana was delighted with this news, however the goodbye was a tearful one.

"Kirana, please don't cry. You know I will come back. I couldn't leave you!" Kurama said attempting to soothe the little girl.

"But what if you don't then what will I do?" she asked between sniffles.

Kurama grinned and said that if she would wait right there he would bring her something special so she would always have it and it would always smell like him. This cheered the little girl up and Kurama made a quick trip to Ningenkai and bought the little girl a teddy bear. When he returned to Reikai he infused the teddy bear with some of his spirit energy so that it would carry his sent hoping that would help the little girl in the times he would not be able to be there.

After he left Kirana ran to Koenma's office, "Look Koenma! Kurama gave me a teddy bear! Smell it! It smells like him!"

"Umm… Kirana I really don't want to smell your doll," Koenma said uncertainly.

Kirana's eyes filled with unshed tears, "But… I thought…"

"Ok, I will smell the doll," Koenma said, not wanting the little girl to cry.

Kirana instantly brightened and took the doll to Koenma who smelled it tentatively. Suddenly Koenma's voice filled Kirana's head. Suddenly she knew he would do anything for her so she wouldn't cry.

"Koenma… may I stay here with Botan forever?" she asked quietly allowing her lower lip to tremble slightly.

Koenma gulped, "Of course you can. You can stay here with Botan for as long as you want to."

Kirana smiled widely and left the room. She ran down the hall into Botan's room, but found that Botan was not there. Pouting she looked around. There sitting on the dresser was a pen. Thinking Kurama must have left it here she went to the small desk in the corner of the room that was hers. Opening the top drawer she got out a piece of paper and began to draw.

That was where Botan found her a few hours later. She was sitting at the desk drawing her teddy bear. She hadn't noticed Botan yet so the ferry girl decided to watch her from the doorway. She seemed so peaceful sitting there drawing, and Botan came to a decision. She would buy the little girl some coloring books and crayons. She would also buy pencils and pens and maybe some markers and keep plenty of paper on hand so that Kirana would be able to draw whenever she wanted to.

Suddenly Kirana sensed Botan in the room and she turned around smiling.

"Botan, look what I drew!" she said excitedly.

"What did you draw?" Botan asked as she walked into the room taking the picture Kirana held out to her.

The picture was done very well. It looked just like the small teddy bear that had been sitting on the desk and was now cradled in the small child's arms. Botan was amazed.

"Wow, Honey, it looks just like your teddy bear. How long were you drawing this picture?" she asked curious.

"I don't know… Botan can I draw you?" she asked quietly.

Botan shrugged. She didn't see any reason the little girl couldn't draw her. In fact she has so much paperwork to do that maybe she would even be able to hold still long enough. She told Kirana that she would love to be drawn, and settled down to do her paperwork.

A few hours later both girls were finished with their projects and Kirana held the picture up for Botan to look at. Again Botan was amazed at the fact that a five year old little girl could draw so well. The picture looked just like her. Botan knew this would become the little girls newest obsession. She also knew that no one would mind this at all. She could draw anything. Botan tucked Kirana into bed and followed very shortly.

The next few months flew by for Kirana. She spent her days drawing pictures for her new friends and her brother, and in return they all posed for her when they had time. Kurama did as he promised and spent at least one day a week in Reikai with her and taught her many new games. However something was missing and she couldn't figure out what it was. Finally one day she did. She wasn't going to school anymore. The day after this discovery Kurama came to Reikai.

"Kurama… how come I am not going to school anymore?" Kirana asked.

"Do you want to go back to school here in Reikai?" Kurama asked gently.

"No, but I want to learn like all the other kids do," she said.

Kurama thought hard about this. He wanted the best for his little sister, and knew that if he could manage it she would be able to be home-schooled. However she would have to be registered in Ningenkai. And he didn't know how to do that. He couldn't ask his mother, and he couldn't do it himself, he wasn't eighteen yet. So he told her he would find out something and meet her in Botan's room. She said ok and Kurama went to talk to Koenma.

When he got to Koenma's office the ogre recognized him at once and went in to see if the prince was busy. When he came out he told Kurama to go on in and Koenma would be with him very shortly. Kurama nodded and entered the office.

Koenma's desk was piled high with papers, and the toddler sat behind the desk sorting them out. He looked up when Kurama came in the room and nodded to him so the demon would know he was in the room. Kurama waited patiently for Koenma to get around to finding out why he was in his office and he didn't have to wait long.

"Kurama what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Kirana?" Koenma asked.

"Well that's the thing Koenma, she wants to be able to learn, but she doesn't want to go to school here in Reikai. Is there any way you could get the stuff for her to be home schooled?" Kurama asked quietly.

Koenma thought about it then said, "Why yes I think I could. However you know you will have to tell Kirana that you won't be here for a while. You have to go to the Dark Tournament. And I do not think it would be wise for you to just not show up," Koenma said slightly worried.

Kurama sighed, he knew he had to tell Kirana why he would be gone. He knew she would not like it, and he also knew she would insist on going. He truly hoped that Koenma would make sure she was safe in Reikai and not anywhere near the Tournament. He just nodded to Koenma and said that he had better go before Kirana wondered what had become of him.

He made his way slowly through the halls and thought about what he would say to Kirana. Finally he had a plan and knew he would have to tell her first thing. Sighing he walked into the bedroom.

"Kirana, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that Koenma is going to make sure you learn the same things that all the other kids are learning, and you don't have to go back to school here in Reikai," Kurama said.

Kirana cut him off before he could finish saying, "But you won't be able to see me for a long time because of some tournament. I know, my eye told me. Do you have to go Kurama? Can't you stay here with me?"

"I'm sorry Kirana, but I can't do that. I have to go, it's my job. And remember the promise I made to Koenma when I saw you for the first time?" he asked quietly.

"Yes, I remember. You promised you wouldn't forget your job," suddenly she brightened up, "Maybe I can go with you?"

"No, Kirana, you can't go with me it's too dangerous for you," Kurama said.

"But then wouldn't it be dangerous for you too? You are going to come back right? You're not going to leave me here alone forever are you?" Kirana asked tears coming to her eyes.

"Kirana, I will try my hardest to be able to come back to you, but this is dangerous, and I may be hurt. You know how much I love you though, right?" he said quietly to the little girl.

Kirana sniffled, "I love you too, Kurama. But I don't want you to leave, and I don't want you to get hurt."

Suddenly a tear rolled down her cheek and another crystallized and fell to the floor. Kurama had never seen her cry, but it looked like every other tear that fell was a tear gem like most koorimes. Kurama gathered her up in his arms and carried her to the edge of the bed. He sat down and began rocking her slowly hoping that she would stop crying soon. It was breaking his heart.

They sat like that for about an hour and then Kirana looked up and asked him to play with her. She wanted to spend all the time she could with her brother in case he couldn't come back to her. She knew her eye was telling her that Kurama might die and go to be with her family, she also knew that she would be very sad if that happened. So they played all day in the palace of Reikai. She drew a picture of him and decided she would ask Botan if she could hang it up in the room.

Kurama knew that he was clinging to this day hoping to have memories that would help him fight to keep his life so that this little girl was not all alone in the world again. He knew that she meant so much to him. She was his link to his father, and more importantly she was his sister, and he would do anything for her.

This time the goodbye was even more emotional than they had ever had. Kirana cried again, and Kurama asked Botan to put all but two of her tears on the black market and put the money in a bank in either Ningenkai, or somewhere in Reikai so she would have money when she got older. He really hoped this would not be necessary, but he wanted to make sure if something happened she would be able to take care of herself. Then he turned to Kirana and picked her up in a huge hug.

Kirana clung to her brother. She didn't want him to go to the tournament, but knew that if he didn't he wouldn't be able to see her anymore, so she did her best to smile as he left. But as soon as he was gone she burst into hysterical sobs. Botan picked her up and carried her to their room. She knew she would probably end up going to the tournament too which would mean that Kirana would be left in Hika-sans care. Kirana was just too active for the older ferry girl, and Botan was afraid that they would be ready for a break when she got back.

A few days later sure enough Botan left for the Dark Tournament leaving a sobbing Kirana behind again. She hated it when she was left alone and had no idea what was going on, but she also knew that this time she may never see her brother and friend again.

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Author: That was so sad! Poor Kirana… all alone in Reikai.

Hilu: You wrote that part!

Author: I didn't have a choice… Botan did go to the Dark Tournament so did Koenma! I can't change the original story!

Hilu: I guess you are right.

Author: sobs Poor Kirana!

Hilu: Since the author is currently sobbing I will ask you all to review. Thank you.

Author: between sobs Ja ne!