So here is my christmas gift to all you readers...ANOTHER CHAPTER! It isn't obnoxiously late and its a little longer than normalXD And to avoid some confusion I must warn you that a lot of my references are going to come from the manga from here out. I read it more than i watched it.
Disclaimer (since i don't think I've done one since the first chapter): I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. The author does... the author even owns some of the dialouge in this chapter... I borrowed if for purposes of plot XD
SolitaryNyght: ^_^ I do hope it backfires on Kurama, but we shall see and thank you
TrunksgirlBlaze27: THANK YOU AGAIN for showing me my very silly mistake. And the ring IS a Claddagh. ^.^ its reasons shall be seen later.
And now ON WITH THE SHOW!
Tay spent the better part of the next week with Ms. Minamino. Kurama, or Shuichi as she called him around his mother, visited for the first few days but stopped after that. Tay was worried but did her best to keep Kurama's mother happy while he was gone.
They spent most of the time talking about the United States. It turned out the Shiori was very interested in the states. Tay did her best to remember all her history lessons, while Shiori would in turn explain to Tay many of the customs of Japan. She even let slip some stories of Kurama's childhood, though funny and embarrassing ones were few and far between. However, Tay wasn't surprised that the serious Kurama had been a serious child. One story that Tay never got out of Shiori was the one behind the scars up and down her arms. Try as she might, Tay couldn't get Shiori to budge on that one.
But because she wasn't family, Tay was only allowed in during visiting hours. Outside of visiting hours at the hospital, Tay explored the city and, because she had no place to stay, Shiori allowed her to stay at her home until she could find her sister.
As the week passed, Shiori's condition got worse and worse. Whenever Tay would ask the doctors about it they would avoid the question. From what she could gather, Shiori wasn't on track to getting any better. All Tay could do was watch as she deteriorated while her son was nowhere to be seen. All the while, Shiori put on her best face for her boyfriend whenever he came to visit.
"He's the president of the company where I work," Shiori had answered when Tay asked about him earlier that week. It turned out the two had been seeing each other for a while before the illness set in. Tay was glad Shiori had someone loving who was there while her son was still off doing whatever.
At the end of the week, during one of Shiori's better moments, Kurama finally showed up. Tay was sitting in the window while Shiori was asleep. A knock on the door brought her to consciousness while Tay called for the visitor to come in. The visitor was Kurama and with him came a boy about the same age. The boy had slicked back, black hair, a bandage over one cheek, and bruises in the process of healing all over like he'd recently been in a fight.
'He looks about as confused as I first was,' observed Tay as she watched the boy look between Kurama and Shiori.
"Oh," said Shiori, shaking herself awake as she sat up. "It's so rare to see you bring a friend over …besides Tay of course."
Kurama hurried to her side. "You should just lie down mother."
"I'm feeling better today." Shiori tried her best to put on a smile.
"Today yeah," Tay mumbled to herself. The boy that came with Kurama just looked at Tay with a questioning glance. Tay just shook her head and motioned for him to keep watching Kurama and his mother.
"I'll peel you some apples," Kurama continued as he cared for his mother.
"Don't bother," Shiori said with a sigh, "I don't have an appetite today."
"She really won't eat it Shuichi. I've been trying to get her to eat it all day." Tay jumped down from the window sill, walked over and sat on the bed.
"Mother, if you don't eat something healthy you'll never recover." Kurama just continued to peel the apples.
Tay watched Shiori as she smiled up at her son. "Okay, okay. You are so strict Shuichi." She looked on curiously as Shiori ate the bits of apple her son handed to her. Mother and son shared their moment until Shiori finally fell back to sleep. The three were quiet as the left the room passing Shiori's boyfriend in the hall.
Tay and the boy that came with Kurama followed him to the roof. It seemed the time for explanations had come.
Kurama walked over to the railing and looked out beyond the city. Before Tay or the black haired boy could say anything, Kurama began his tale.
"Shuichi is my alias in the human worlds. And she's my foster mother, my foster father died not too long ago."
"Your background resembles some famous pop-star," commented the boy.
"Kurama, I hate to interrupt, but who is the smart mouth who tagged along with you?" Tay asked still thoroughly confused as to why this boy came along.
"My apologies Tay, this is Yusuke Urameshi. Yusuke, this is Tay."
Yusuke seemed in a hurry as he said, "Thanks for the unneeded introductions, now continue with the explanations man!" Tay just chuckled at Yusuke's impatience and looked toward Kurama as he continued his story.
"Well, the two of them had been taking care of me for fifteen years, yet I've been hiding the truth. My true form is a fox demon. I was a highly skilled thief up until 15 years ago. It was then that I was hunted down by a skilled assassin and injured. I escaped into the human world in spirit form until I found the body of a still forming fetus. My only option for survival, as injured as I was, was to lay dormant inside the fetus. If I could bear it for the next 10 years, I would be fully recovered and able to leave Shiori's sight forever."
As Kurama paused in his story, Tay interrupted. "So you don't just know a lot about demons, you are one?"
'Yes Tay, I am. That's how your sister knew she could believe my answers to her questions."
As Tay processed what he said, Yusuke started to ask the next question on Tay's mind, "But why did you st-"
"Did you see the wounds on her hands?" Kurama cut in.
"Yes, they looked like scars to me," Yusuke replied.
"It was because of those scars six years ago that I've stayed. I was being careless. I had been reaching for something on a higher cabinet, dropped some plates and almost fell backwards onto them. Shiori caught me, putting her arms between me and the plates, causing those wounds. After the bandages were removed, the scars still remained. I've tried many times to leave, but her smile, and those scars still hound me. It's because of that that I am unable to leave home. Even though I am a demon, she has brought me the closest to loving another being more than myself."
Kurama looked at Tay apologetically, the back toward Yusuke before continuing. "She won't last another month, so I want to use this mirror to save her. It's my only wish. Afterwards I'll return it to you."
Tay looked between the two of them. She was obviously the only one who didn't know the secret of this mirror, so she was confused as to how it was going to save Shiori. However, the look on Kurama's face told Tay that whatever the mirror could do, Shiori would defiantly not approve.
Yusuke continued. "If you give yourself up, won't she be very lonely?"
"It doesn't matter," Kurama said with a sigh. "She has a loving boyfriend now. She'll be happier without me around."
"Wait a second Kurama," Tay interrupted, stepping between the two boys as their conversation got more intense. "Kurama, whatever you're planning to do, I'm pretty sure it sounds extremely stupid and that Shiori would defiantly object. And any way, how is a mirror going to save Shiori when modern medicine can't?" Tay was starting to get a little suspicious as his story started unfolding.
"The mirror is an artifact from the spirit world. It can grant its holder one wish," Kurama explained. Yusuke interrupted with a question of his own. "Why are you telling us all this?"
"Perhaps I needed someone to listen to my regrets. After all, both of you believed me." Before Kurama could continue, the company president ran onto the roof.
"Shuichi! There you are." He paused for the slightest moment to catch his breath before continuing. 'He must have run all the way here from Shiori's room,' thought Tay as the man continued.
"Hurry up downstairs! Ms. Shiori is-" was all the man got out before Kurama bolted down to her room, with Tay and Yusuke close behind. There was a doctor outside her door who looked like he had been waiting for Kurama, but was surprised to see the other two so close behind.
"Her illness suddenly got worse," the doctor explained. "Frankly speaking, she's in an unstable state right now. Tonight will be critical. I've tried my best." With that the doctor walked away, leaving Kurama and Shiori's boyfriend looking astonished. Suddenly Kurama took off down the hall.
"I have to do it now!" Kurama exclaimed.
"You're going to use the mirror?" both Yusuke and Tay asked.
Yusuke glanced at Tay before continuing. "I heard you have to give up something in order for the thing to grant your wish. Do you know what?"
Kurama looked away, refusing to meet their eyes. "Yes… It's life."
Kurama reached for the roof door and pushed it open. Yusuke and Kurama stepped out onto the roof while Tay stood at the door. Kurama placed down the mirror before finishing his explanation to Yusuke.
"This is a mirror which fulfills your wish but at the same time takes your life. Therefore it's known as the dark mirror." Kurama's eyes finally met Tay's.
"So you weren't planning on explaining anything were you?" Tay glared at Kurama.
"Tay, I was, until Shiori's condition worsened. The mirror can only be used at a full moon and had I another month I would explain it to you. But I have to save my mother," Kurama pleaded.
Tay glared a few moments more before relenting. "Do what you must Kurama. But think about what Shiori would really want." Tay watched from the door as Kurama was about to throw his life away.
"Oh dark mirror, accept the moonlight and awaken. Reveal you strength that will fulfill my wish reflected on your surface." With those final words, the mirror glowed with life and began to speak.
"The happiness of the woman," it began, showing a smiling Shiori with the company president, "Is this your wish?"
Without hesitation Kurama answered, "Yes."
"HEY! Are you sure about this? If she lives and you die, won't it be meaningless?" Yusuke demanded. Tay was just as confused but realized it was Kurama's choice to make.
Kurama looked at Yusuke, then at Tay. Tay could see that Kurama was at peace with his decision. It was obvious he thought that this was the only way to do this.
"Is this really your wish? Sacrificing your life for someone else's happiness?" the mirror asked.
Kurama smiled. "I've been deceiving her for 15 years. If I can pardon myself by doing this…," he trailed off, leaving Tay and Yusuke to finish the sentence.
"Very well! I shall grant your wish!" Kurama reached down and as soon as his fingers made contact with the mirror, there was a flash of light and what seemed like lightning engulfed Kurama. Tay averted her eyes. If Kurama was about to die she wasn't going to watch.
All of a sudden she heard Kurama exclaim, "What are you doing?" Tay turned back toward the mirror and saw Yusuke engulfed in the same lightning as Kurama.
"Hey, mirror. Take part of my life instead. That way you can still fulfill his wish without taking all his life right?" Tay looked on incredulously. She couldn't believe a complete stranger was willing to throw away his life for someone. He was either really brave…or really stupid.
"Are you crazy?" Apparently Kurama shared the same sentiments as Tay.
Yusuke looked over at Kurama with determination on his face. "Have you ever seen a mother cry over your death? It would be the ultimate unpardonable act to cause that." As he said that, a bright light and a large bang came out of the mirror. Tay could barely see as Kurama and Yusuke were thrown away from the mirror. After the flash died down, she ran over to the both of them to check that they were still alive. Upon confirming life, Tay let out a sigh of relief. So the idiot actually did the right thing. She then glanced over at the mirror.
Tay walked over to it and picked it up. It wasn't as terrifying when it was in her hand as Tay had thought.
"Girl, your friend over there is lucky. If all wishers were like him, I wouldn't have to be called the dark mirror." The voice of the mirror seemed somewhat comforted by that thought. "And another thing girl…watch your back. There are those who would wish to use you and your gift as they do mine." The mirror drifted off toward the end, as though falling asleep.
"What an odd thing to say," murmured Tay as she walked back over to the unmoving boys.