Note: I am very grateful for the feedback I have received so far. I honestly wasn't sure that a story centering on an OC inserted into the canon would be received well, especially since this story is an ongoing personal project I just wanted to share with the community. Again, I am very grateful.
I also want to address a very important point brought up by Xser3ndipityxX: the fact that this story would be glossing over or skipping certain scenes that would not largely be affected by Miwa's insertion. I completely agree that the storytelling is in danger of becoming choppy with this style, and this is especially true for the Artifacts of Darkness arc, since Kurama, and by association, Miwa, is not yet a consistently reoccurring character. I will do my best to make the transitions into different scenes as clear as possible, and I will give consideration to other scenes I may not have originally planned for but would help in the transition, even if Miwa only contributes a single line of original content. Thank you, Xser3ndipityxX, for pointing this out to me.
Chapter 2: The Solemn Oath
Ever since Kurama approached him in the city, it was like Yusuke was in a constant state of confusion.
On their promised day, Yusuke met Kurama at a hospital, and there he met Kurama's mother: a frail woman with a kind smile, a frail human woman with a kind smile. There was no mistaking Shiori Minamino's humanity, but Kurama (whom she called "Shuichi") was certainly no human. Yusuke couldn't imagine a human being able to break into Spirit World's vault, much less work with an eater of human souls like Gouki. If he needed actual proof of Kurama's demonhood, his demon compass wouldn't have reacted when he first spoke with either Kurama or Miwa.
Yet, right in front of him was such a human picture: a sickly mother, a son worried for her health, beautiful flowers at the bedside table, a pristine hospital room and all it implied. Even Miwa was there, keeping Shiori company while Kurama had left to meet Yusuke. However, she did not acknowledge Yusuke with any familiarity. She had been speaking with Shiori when they walked in the room, talking pleasantly about something while drinking some water that had been previously prepared for three. A lone cup near the sink must have belonged to Kurama. Miwa's black pouch lay against the wall behind her.
Monsters among demons… Yusuke remembered thinking that the day before. Kurama and Miwa just didn't match what Yusuke had always imagined demons to be. Was that why Kurama showed him this? Monsters among demons…
Demons among humans…
{00}
Yusuke was right.
Up on the rooftop at sunset, with not much time left until the moon would begin rising into the sky, Kurama explained everything. Before this case even began, before Yusuke was even born, Kurama was a centuries old thief in Demon World, but injuries sustained from a hunter forced him to seek refuge in the Living World as the son of Shiori Minamino. His story was almost too crazy to believe, but crazier still was the fact that Kurama, a demon, wanted to save Shiori Minamino's dying life.
"But why would a monster do that for a human?"
"I don't know. Maybe because I'm guilty." Yusuke had never taken Kurama to be someone that would let unwanted emotions show. His unwavering calm since they first met was proof of that. But now, even Yusuke could sense Kurama's unseen anguish; the anguish of what Yusuke had just called a "monster." "I've caused her great pains," Kurama continued, " It's hard raising a child who thinks you're inferior. I feel like I broke her spirit, like maybe in some way, I caused her disease."
Monster or not, the demon before him was just a man riddled with guilt. "Why are you telling me all of this?" Yusuke asked.
"Maybe I just wanted someone else to know," Kurama answered. "Besides, I could tell that you would trust me."
Yusuke's eyes widened a bit. This was all very familiar to him somehow. Yusuke looked past Kurama. Behind the redheaded fox was Miwa, standing silently and unmoving several steps behind him, almost like the attendant to an ancient lord. She had watched the exchange between Yusuke and Kurama closely, and Yusuke thought he knew why. She had told him about it the day before. She was waiting for an opportunity. Some opportunity to swoop in and make sure Kurama does not use the Forlorn Hope himself. Was Kurama aware of what she was planning?
"And how about you?" Yusuke said, addressing Miwa for the first time since he arrived at the hospital. "How do you fit in?"
Still unmoving, Miwa answered without even changing her calm expression; very different from the desperate girl he previously met. "I don't really fit in," she said, "I basically forced myself into all of this."
Yusuke turned his head in thought. "You don't sound like you're talking about the heist you and your friends pulled off."
She smiled. "I'm not. I forced myself into his life," she said, pointing a thumb at Kurama, who in response let out a small, nostalgic laugh. "It's a bit more cliché than I would like," Miwa added, "but my parents were killed by a worthless demon thug when I was young, and to put it simply, I wanted revenge." She shrugged her shoulders, breezing through what were surely tragic events with a practiced nonchalance. Yusuke nearly cringed when he noticed that uncomfortable detail. It reminded him of himself, in some way. Miwa looked up to the sky; a common gesture when thinking back to the past. "It took me several years, but I managed to track that piece of trash down, all the while making ties with many informants." In Yusuke's mind, he imagined Miwa going to shady Demon World bars and getting information from cloaked creepers sitting in shadowy corners. "Unfortunately, while working as a bodyguard, he had been killed during a raid…" she trailed off, turning towards the demon at her side, "by Kurama himself."
"I have a duty I need to fulfill," Miwa had told Yusuke the day before. He was beginning to see where this was going. "So then you tracked down Kurama."
Miwa's smile became bigger, happy that Yusuke understood, but Kurama was the one who spoke next. " 'You stole my purpose for living, so now my life belongs to you.' Those were your words to me," he said, and this time they both let out a nostalgic laugh.
Yusuke joined in the laughter with a smile. "That's heavy."
"But I meant it," Miwa said, "My life was dedicated to revenge on that thug, but Kurama fulfilled that for me. It only seemed right that I offered up myself to repay my debt."
Yusuke remembered Hiei instantly knowing that Miwa would follow Kurama after his betrayal of their plan. He remembered Gouki calling her a "servant girl" to mock her for that decision. Insult it may be, technically it wasn't far from the truth. But, considering any bad connotations towards being a "servant," Miwa did not seem to mind her self-imposed position. She and Kurama had smiled at each other when recalling their meeting. They seemed to be close in some way, however close a master and servant can be. Actually, if it were up to Yusuke, he would call their relationship something closer to actual friendship than anything subservient.
"But that was Demon World," Yusuke said, "Now you're walking around with humans just like him. Do you have a human mother too?"
"No, a father."
Yusuke did not respond. He was trying to make a joke. He wasn't sure he would actually be right. He noticed Kurama's expression darken. There was something in this upcoming part of Miwa's story he did not like.
"Kurama and I were separated at the time he was injured by the hunter." Miwa's expression also darkened, but rather than a regretful darkness like Kurama's, hers was more a darkness of frustration. "I had sworn to always be at his side if he ever needed me, even at the cost of my own life, but…" She didn't finish that sentence. She only clenched her fists tightly. "I refused to believe the news about Youko Kurama being killed by a hunter. The Kurama I knew wouldn't have died so easily. So, I searched for him. I had become quite adept at gathering information by then, and eventually I got my lead: a boy in the Living World with the powers of a demon. I had no proof it was really him, but I was willing to take that chance." Kurama looked to the ground, expression still regretfully dark. Miwa pretended not to notice. "I had my demon powers sealed and came to the Living World as a refugee of sorts, taking the guise of a human middle school student, 'Himari Shimizu.' " Miwa smiled and placed her hands on her hips. "That was three years ago. I am weaker than before, but I found Kurama, and now here we are."
"Here you are," Yusuke repeated, "trying to save Kurama's human mother."
Kurama did not say anything, eyes still fixed to the ground. Miwa smiled sadly. "I swore to be at his side whenever he needed me, even at the cost of my own life."
Somewhere inside, Yusuke felt that what she just said held more meaning than he knew, but before he could dwell on it, a nurse opened the door to the rooftop, desperately calling for the son of Shiori Minamino, and all three of them knew what that desperation meant. As a family member, only Kurama was allowed to follow the nurse, so Yusuke and Miwa were left on the rooftop alone. The sun had set, and the night sky was slowly changing from being lit by sunlight to the light of the rising moon.
"You really care about him, don't you?" Yusuke asked. Miwa herself said that she had come to the Living World without any proof that the person she heard about was Kurama. It was a huge risk, and she would have been trapped here if she were wrong.
"That's why I asked you for help."
{00}
Shiori's condition had gotten worse. Kurama had no choice.
"I heard you had to dish out something to the Forlorn Hope in order to make it work, so do you know what that something is?" That was something Yusuke had wanted to know for a long time.
"I can't let him pay that price."
"Yes. Life."
"Kurama." Miwa, no longer standing in her usual attendant position, strode right up to his side and grabbed Kurama's arm, stopping it from reaching into his pocket. "Please, just let me do this. She'll be left alone this way!" Kurama did not answer her. Miwa's grip tightened as she frowned. Sweat dribbled down the side of her face and she was panting slightly, almost as if she were feeling ill. Yusuke didn't recall her looking ill before. Her free hand rose up towards the cap of the black pouch on her back. "Kurama…" she muttered through gritted teeth, a verbal warning of something she would rather not do. Yusuke knew without even knowing what the pouch was for; she was going to attack if it was the only way to stop him.
"I'm sorry." It happened so fast that Yusuke almost missed it, and he was powerless to stop it. With a seemingly impossible speed, Kurama brushed off Miwa's hand and threw a swift punch right into Miwa's abdomen. The girl let out a pained gasp when her eyes widened in shock. With one last desperate glance up at Kurama and an incomprehensible mutter, Miwa collapsed unconscious into his arms. Yusuke froze in his spot, shocked at what he had just seen. Miwa had said she was likely to fail in her plan, but he didn't think it would happen so soon. Why did she suddenly look ill? Kurama picked her up easily, without exerting any effort, and Miwa's dark hair swayed lightly against her sleeping face as Kurama set her down against the gated edge of the rooftop. He gently stroked Miwa's cheek, a tender gesture that received no response, and although Yusuke couldn't see his face, he knew Kurama was also not happy with what he had to do.
"She just wanted to help you," Yusuke said quietly.
Kurama stood up. "She has already sacrificed enough for me." He pulled the Forlorn Hope out of his pocket and walked back, away from Miwa, to the center of the rooftop. He refused to meet Yusuke's eyes. "This way, she can live her own life, unbound by any oath." Kurama's tone was firm and absolute. This was something he had been thinking about for a long time.
Yusuke stared at Miwa's prone body propped up against the fence. She lay there, unmoving, unresponsive, and none of the desperation she showed just moments ago remained. It was as if she were taking a peaceful nap, but in the meantime, the very thing she wanted to prevent, the very thing she asked the Spirit Detective to help stop, was about to happen, and she no longer had any power to stop it. With everything that had been said, it was something more than a servant wishing to save her master. The regret they both expressed in stopping each other was more real than something so simple as that. Miwa wanted to save Kurama's life. Kurama wanted Miwa to be free. They cared about each other, perhaps more than they had ever expressed out loud. If nothing else, Yusuke knew that for sure. Miwa's hair tussled once more in the wind, and the cap to her black pouch remained unopened; an attack that was not meant to be. This girl, desperate to save the life of someone she cared about, came to Yusuke for help. Yusuke had told her he couldn't make any promises, but…he had to at least try.
Kurama crouched down to the ground, hand extended over the Forlorn Hope. The same hand he used to stroke Miwa's cheek. The same hand he used to grip his mother's pale wrist. With this hand, he invoked the powers of the Forlorn Hope under the light of the full moon. A powerful force pushed from the mirror, nearly tipping Yusuke off his balance, and a deep voice bellowed from within the artifact, repeating the deepest desire of Kurama's heart. The life and happiness of Shiori Minamino in exchange for the life of her son, and although not said aloud, the consequence of fulfilling the wish would set Miwa free.
"Hey!" Yusuke found himself yelling, trying to reach the demon in front of him through the force of the second Artifact of Darkness. "Can't you hold on a second so we can work things out? I mean, there has got to be some other way to do this!"
"No, there is not." Kurama's voice was quiet, and Yusuke only just heard it.
The mirror spoke again, and Kurama replied with the same quiet voice, but Yusuke was no longer paying attention. This couldn't be the only way. There was no way in hell losing the life of her only son would bring Shiori Minamino happiness. There was no way in hell Miwa would accept her freedom at the cost of Kurama's life. Yusuke pushed through the pulsating force exuding from the mirror. The sound of electricity sparking grew louder, and Yusuke could feel that energy getting stronger the farther he pushed through. There had to be another way. There just had to be.
"No!" Yusuke extended his hand, and the sparking electricity traveled up his arm. "Hey mirror guy! Can you hear me!" He felt his fingers going numb. A weird tingling sensation took over the feeling in his arm. He didn't care. "I want you to take my life instead! That way Kurama can live and he can still get his wish, isn't that right?!"
"This doesn't make sense. It's my wish!" Kurama protested in surprise, showing the first true genuine emotion since they met, but Yusuke was far too distracted to really notice, let alone care.
"Yeah, well it doesn't make sense rescuing your mom so she can spend the rest of her life mourning the death of her son!" Yusuke recalled the sight of his mother at his wake. She had been crying, ignoring all of the people that came to pay her respects. His mother, who was always drinking and went off partying all the time, who gave birth to him when she herself was very young, had cried so much for him. Even now, after going through such hell to come back to life, he still wasn't sure he deserved all the tears he saw that day. "I've seen that once before and I don't want to see it again. And Miwa…" He remembered his surprise at a felon asking for his help. A girl who left the world she knew with nothing but a hunch in order to find the person she swore her life to. A girl that, in the end, hesitated to attack the one she cared for so much, even if attacking would save his life. "Are you just going to leave her here, trapped without the one person she risked so much to find?" Yusuke remembered Keiko's tears. At his wake, when he spoke to her through Kuwabara, and the moment he came back to life. Did Miwa care about Kurama as much as Keiko cared about Yusuke? He didn't know, but he was willing to bet that she did.
"Then your desire shall be fulfilled."
Another wave, much stronger than before, erupted from the Forlorn Hope, pushing back both Yusuke and Kurama before they could debate any longer about who's life should be given. Along with the force erupted a bright light, nearly blinding both of them. The tingling feeling in Yusuke's arm began to fade, but the numbness in his fingers also faded, in a way, but instead of fading away into regular feeling, Yusuke could feel nothing. His mind went fuzzy, going back and forward between the memories of his mother and Keiko crying for him, and just before those memories also faded into unconsciousness, he knew that the mirror had done something. As for what that something was…well…he didn't have time to think about that.
{00}
"Yusuke?"
A voice was swimming through his rousing consciousness.
"Yusuke, please!"
It was Botan. Yusuke briefly wondered if she had come to collect him as the Grim Reaper, but he stopped himself from entertaining that thought when he noticed he could feel the cold tile of the rooftop against his cheek. With a grunt and eyes that still refused to open obediently, Yusuke pushed himself off the ground, feeling once again that cold tile at his fingertips. He wouldn't feel that as a ghost, right?
"Hey, awesome, I'm still alive!" His eyes, now willing to open like they should, looked between his two hands, which were still full of color and life. "You know, come to think of it, that didn't make a whole lot of sense, what I just did. The point was to stop the sad mom thing, but my mom would have been sad."
Wow. What an oversight that could have been.
"Stupid," Botan said, her eyes watering with tears that had not yet fallen.
"But hey, I did get the Forlorn Hope back." Yusuke looked around a bit. Kurama was nowhere to be seen. The mirror did not take his life either, and Yusuke felt a bit of worry grow in his stomach. Did it grant the wish at all? Wait…where is the mirror? He didn't see it anywhere on the ground.
"Yusuke Urameshi."
At the sound of his name, Yusuke scrambled to his feet. Miwa was standing behind him, smiling brightly. It was the first real smile he had ever seen on her. She extended her palm, on top of which rested the Forlorn Hope. With a small twinkle of light, the last signs it would show of life, the mirror explained that it granted the wish without taking life in honor of Yusuke's "noble deed." Yusuke almost wanted to laugh. Was it noble? As usual, he wasn't really thinking through what he was doing. He just…did it.
When Yusuke did not move to take back the mirror, Miwa lightly shoved it in his direction. "I'm returning this to you. We no longer have any need for it."
Finally understanding, Yusuke reached out and took the mirror in his own hand. "Where's Kurama?"
"He ran back inside the moment he woke up." Miwa lowered her hand and returned it to her side. Then, to Yusuke's surprise, she gratefully bowed her head. "Thank you, Yusuke Urameshi."
Yusuke felt himself turning red slightly. "You don't have to do that. Really, I wasn't thinking about what I was doing at all," he babbled.
"Regardless, I am grateful." Miwa raised her head again. "I'm sure Kurama is too." Miwa suddenly smirked, and she put her hand on her hip in almost a condescending stance. "I never imagined you would have helped the way you did. You're really something else, Spirit Detective." Then, the smirk faded a bit. "Though, I think I might have done the same thing…if I were conscious," she noted, a bit of spite leaking into her voice. "But really," she said, losing all of her attitude in an instant. "Thank you."
Yusuke smirked, "No problem. We should do this again sometime," he joked, giving her a thumbs up. Botan rolled her eyes. "You should go see how he's doing," he said, using his thumb to point behind him at the door.
And that was what she did.
{00}
It was an outcome Kurama had not calculated for. To think he would get to see his wish granted. To think he would have been alive to hear his mother call his name once more. To think he could touch her hand again with the same hand he used to invoke a dark artifact that should have taken his life. To think…it was all thanks to the Spirit Detective tasked to capture him.
Kurama was wrong. There really was another way.
As a family member, the doctors allowed him to stay by his mother's side. Shiori was tired after the surgery, and it was already so late in the evening. She was exhausted; Kurama was exhausted, but Shiori was the first to fall asleep. Even as she slept, Kurama kept holding onto his mother's hand, her warm, living hand.
A familiar scent appeared at the door of Shiori's hospital room, but that scent did not enter. It waited at the door, waiting because it knew Kurama would discover it eventually. Kurama smiled and reluctantly let go of his mother's hand. He rose from his spot at his mother's bed and quietly exited the room into the otherwise empty hallway. There was still some unfinished business, business that did not have to take place in there.
"She's alright," Miwa said, not even needing to ask the obvious question.
"Yes."
"That's great."
Miwa leaned against the wall across Shiori's room. Her black pouch lay near her feet, propped up against the wall as well. At such a late hour, the hallway was practically deserted. Of course, the footsteps of other nurses and doctors were not too far away, but for that moment, the two of them were alone.
"I returned the mirror to Yusuke," Miwa said. "I hope you don't mind."
So…he survived as well.
"Of course not." Kurama crossed the hallway and leaned against the wall next to Miwa, staring forward at the door behind which his mother slept. "I'm sorry I had to knock you out."
Miwa shrugged. "I don't blame you. I would have been pissed if you actually went and died, but…I don't blame you." She paused, still marveling at the outcome of this crazy adventure. "You should instead apologize for drugging the water you served me before Yusuke even arrived." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "I of all people should have noticed it. I wouldn't have gone down so easily if you hadn't done that."
"That was the point." They both chuckled. "You still trust me too much, Miwa, even when you know I'm working against you." They chuckled again. "But I am sorry."
"It's fine. Like I said, I don't blame you." They fell silent for a moment, and the only sound to be heard in the empty hallway was the distant chatter and footsteps of the nurses and doctors, echoing softly off the walls to further places unknown. To think, if Kurama's plan had worked, they wouldn't both be standing there, having this conversation. "I'm happy that your mom is going to be okay. Truly, I am." Miwa said, quietly breaking the silence of the hallway. "But don't you dare do something so crazy again."
Kurama didn't say anything.
"Fine, you don't have to promise me that." There was no way he could make that promise, and Miwa knew that. "Just don't go dying somewhere I can't reach you."
"You always say that," Kurama said, smiling slightly. "But I can promise you this…" Kurama remembered what Yusuke had shouted at him during their whole ordeal. How giving his life would just make his mother mourn the loss of her son forever. How giving his life would leave Miwa trapped in the Living World without the very person she came here for. Thanks to the reckless actions of the Spirit Detective, he had managed to avoid some tragic outcomes. "I won't ask or force you to renounce your oath anymore." It was more than the huge risk she took in coming to the Living World to find him. Miwa had risked her life to help him countless times, had tracked down crucial information for hundreds of raids, and had been by his side through thick and thin, the most loyal companion he had ever known. If he forced her to break her oath, it would just be an insult to all that she had sacrificed for him until then, like he didn't recognize all that she had done.
He turned his head to meet Miwa's eyes. "I'll just hope that one day you decide to renounce it yourself." He at least owed her that much.
"…I do appreciate that," Miwa said, and she smirked, "but you know how stubborn I am."
Kurama smiled. "I know how stubborn you are."
More than anyone else.
{00}
The vast emptiness of the abandoned harbor accentuated the sound of their echoing footsteps. The sound bounced between abandoned warehouses, through empty walkways, and this only increased the sense of isolation they felt, but Kurama and Miwa were not truly alone. On a normal day, the harbor was still in full operation, so the lack of any human presence that night was already unsettling, but the truly unsettling point was the sensation Hiei's ever-increasing demon energy. What had Hiei done to make this harbor so empty? What could cause Hiei's power to rise so angrily?
Kurama stopped his mad sprint and griped his fingers tightly. "That scent is unmistakable. Hiei must be desperate to take that form."
There were other familiar scents Kurama recognized: particularly, the scent of Yusuke Urameshi. The Spirit Detective was taking on Hiei alone; Hiei, who had a huge group of mind-controlled humans at his command, the deadly Shadow Sword, and the power of the Jagan Eye. Hiei was also a strong, proud individual. He would not take defeat from a human so lightly, and yet, that scent was the absolute proof of his desperation to defeat the Spirit Detective.
"Yusuke's in danger," Miwa said aloud, and they both continued their sprint towards the fight.
Kurama had only briefly spoken with Yusuke after the whole ordeal with the Forlorn Hope, just long enough to thank him before both he and Miwa were taken to Spirit World to receive their sentencing. Koenma had been extremely gracious to release both of them with minimal punishment, especially considering their crime. Spirit World had always placed immense importance in the lives of humans, particularly in how demons interfered with those humans. Their plan (by however means they ended up doing it) to save Shiori Minamino and a good word put in by the Spirit Detective, or so Kurama strongly suspected, resulted in their being able to return to their human lives. Of course, restrictions were in place, but it was all more than Kurama had ever expected were he to survive his original plan. Briefly, he also glanced at the girl running at his side. Would Miwa have gotten off just as easily had his plan succeeded? He didn't know. He only knew one thing for sure.
"Miwa," Kurama said quietly, and a warehouse emitting a dangerous aura slowly loomed upon them. "You do understand I need to repay Yusuke for everything he has done."
"Are you asking me not to interfere?" He didn't answer her, and Miwa shook her head with a small smile. "Just don't get yourself killed."
"It is not my intention to die any time soon."
"Good enough."
If there was one thing Kurama didn't like about Miwa's oath, it was that she would do anything he required of her, from the simple to the insane. She was well aware that she couldn't always prevent him from getting injured, and if Kurama's plan put himself at risk, she was willing to let her dedication to his safety slide at least that much. In this case, Kurama didn't know yet what would await him when they reached the warehouse, but Yusuke's recklessness had saved him. It would not do if Kurama didn't do something to repay the deed.
Kurama chuckled to himself. "Do you feel this strong sense of debt all the time?" he asked Miwa.
"Maybe I do," she smirked. "All this time I've known you and only now you ask that?"
Kurama chuckled again. "No, this is just the first time I thought to ask about it."
The strong, angry aura surrounding the warehouse in front of them would have scared off anyone with even a vague grasp of Spiritual Awareness. Sounds of crashes and painful screams bled through the tightly closed doors, and Kurama and Miwa knew they didn't have much time, but it was imperative that they kept their element of surprise for as long as possible. It would not be easy because of Hiei's Jagan, but with all of his focus on Yusuke, they might have a chance.
With the stealth of veteran thieves, they found a window and easily broke in without making a sound. They hid themselves behind some stacked crates and peeked over the edge to gauge the situation. Kurama confirmed that Hiei had indeed transformed to his demon form, his monstrous green form covered with eyes, and his sword was extended, pointing directly at his target. Yusuke was fully bound by the powers of the Jagan Eye, and he was completely helpless. Hiei ran, Shadow Sword pointed forward, and rushed towards Yusuke with a clear intent to kill.
There was no time to think, and before Miwa could even consider stopping him, Kurama acted on instinct and leapt into action.
{00}
"See, this is why I asked you to not do anything crazy."
Kurama could not say anything to respond to Miwa's quiet scolding as she wrapped bandages around his stomach. Throwing himself between Yusuke and Hiei's sword was certainly unorthodox, but it slowed Hiei down and gave Kurama access to a medium he could use to blind Hiei's Jagan. Yet, it was certainly unorthodox, and in hindsight very unlike him. Perhaps the detective's tendency to rush into things was rubbing off on him, but Kurama had known exactly what he was doing. After using their power to stall Keiko's transformation into a demon, Kurama leaned against a nearby crate in the warehouse while Yusuke gave her the antidote. In true Miwa fashion, she had fussed over his wound, pulling out her basic first aid kit that she carried around in a small pocket on her black pouch. Miwa had no healing abilities, and the kit only carried minimal supplies, but she insisted on carrying that thing everywhere. His life certainly wasn't in danger, but he did appreciate Miwa's attention to his wounds, even if it wasn't really necessary.
"Thanks for all your help, Kurama, Miwa," Yusuke called over. "How do you feel?"
"Good, I guess. I avoided the organs at least," Kurama answered.
Miwa shoved a spiteful jab into his arm. "This happens more than you think," she said, grinning at Yusuke and shoving her kit back into her pouch. "He has a tendency to get himself hurt."
She and Yusuke shared a small laugh before Botan interrupted, asking questions about how Yusuke bounced his Spirit Gun off the Forlorn Hope. Kurama himself was surprised that Yusuke had no real strategy for his fight. The Spirit Gun being able to bounce off of the mirror was not something Yusuke knew beforehand, but something he stumbled upon practically by accident. He just thought of it on the fly. He had truly been playing everything by ear. No wonder he had kept surprising Hiei during their fight. The thought made Kurama want to laugh. It was very like Yusuke. Very fitting for the boy who offered his life to the Forlorn Hope without thinking through the consequences it would have for his own family.
"All the while we've been thinking you were a brilliant strategist," Kurama said, unable to hold back his amusement, "Really, you're just a lucky fool."
Yusuke did not take the insult very well, but his anger just made Kurama feel even more amused. What an interesting person he had met. As someone who thought things at least five steps in advance, meeting someone who didn't plan at all, and succeeding no less, was simply astounding. But Kurama could not deny that reckless, lucky fool had saved him, his mother, and Miwa.
Then Kurama noticed that Miwa hadn't been paying attention to any of that exchange. She had finished wrapping Kurama's stomach, but instead of joining in the conversation about Yusuke's less-than-thoughtful strategy, she had stared off to the side, past the crates that surrounded them all; past the crates, towards the floor, and right at Hiei's unconscious body.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
Miwa blinked, broken out of her silent stupor. "No, it's nothing," she said, dismissing it with a shake of her head.
In order to avoid any further questions, Miwa stood up and walked towards Yusuke and Botan, checking Keiko's condition and leaving Kurama behind. Kurama didn't pursue the matter, knowing she would not honestly answer him. He looked back towards Hiei's unconscious body, left where Yusuke's Spirit Gun had rendered him unconscious. A blast so powerful would keep him out for some time more, but Kurama wondered what Miwa was staring at. There was nothing unusual about the unconscious, defeated Hiei. …Well, that wasn't true. Hiei was a strong, prideful person, so defeat wasn't something even Hiei could have been used to, but Kurama did have an idea of what could possibly be on Miwa's mind. He had known her for decades, and she was not as proficient in hiding her feelings and much more emotionally driven than him. Granted, Miwa was able to keep some things from him, but after knowing each other for so long, Kurama had learned how to read her. Of course, he couldn't say for sure what she had been thinking about, not just yet, and that was fine. Everyone was entitled to his or her own secrets. He was just concerned, that's all; concerned whether or not the thoughts he suspected Miwa was having would bring about change in her.
Miwa was stubborn. Kurama knew that more than anyone else, and she was also reckless. Maybe not as reckless as Yusuke, but for as long as Kurama knew her, she held very little regard for her own life and her own future, instead choosing to prioritize his life and his future. He didn't care so much back when they first met, simply content in letting her do as she pleased; she was useful after all. As time went on, despite Miwa's insistence on her subservient position, they both gradually began to regard each other as friends. But Miwa was stubborn, and she refused to remove herself from the place she had created at his side, even going so far as to seal away a portion of her powers to infiltrate the Living World on little more than a hunch. Perhaps she was stubbornly refusing to back down on her word. Perhaps she still felt that she owed him a tremendous debt for killing the man who destroyed her family. Perhaps she was just content with where she was. Kurama wasn't sure which was the truth; Miwa had always hidden that from him, but for a long time, against his consistent urging, she refused to step out of the prison she created for herself…
…and that was all Kurama ever wanted for her.
Note: This became a longer chapter than I expected, but this wraps up the Artifacts of Darkness case. Slowly, we are learning more about Miwa and Kurama's relationship, and Miwa's story is not done yet. We still don't know what her pouch is for, and the next chapter is going to jump to Maze Castle, where Kurama first displays his powers, so we will see what Miwa's abilities are as well. I want to thank Xser3ndipityxX and Kamehameha Kitty for their reviews, and as always, any constructive criticism is welcome.