[IC] Sapphire Roses

[Genkai]

The revelation of her potential was stunning for the both them. Botan had never really put forth a substantial amount of effort in regards to experimenting with her spiritual energy and how she could possibly channel it in various means. The notion just never seemed that important to her. She had been around gardens before but she had never really taken the chance to slow down and smell the roses, or in this case, revive the roses. Either way, the woman was tickled to have unlocked a new power of hers and she was hopeful that Kurama would be able to help her hone it into something practical, not just pretty.

Their time in the greenhouse was plentiful and well spent. The plants got the attention they so deeply yearned for and Kurama and Botan got a reprieve from the hassle of homework and chores. Botan was thrilled to have found a new use for herself. Her hands could heal, could give life back to that which had once been broken beyond repair. It filled the grim reaper with both astonishment but also pride. While her own talents remained untapped at the present moment, it proved that there were still plenty of cute tricks up her sleeves. Of course, she turned to Kurama in order to get a proper evaluation but before they could probe deeper into her unearthed ability, they needed to train her up a bit. Botan knew she'd need to train up if she was going to be able to properly handle herself and her spirit energy.

For the next few days, Botan and Kurama spent time jogging around the neighborhood, lifting weights and conditioning her body for the coming training. Kurama was starting her off slow and easing her into more gradual challenges. Botan was eternally grateful for his extra attention. Not only was he helping her with her homework but he was also making sure she was getting in better shape. Botan knew she had to do something super special for him. She was already trying to figure out a gift or some kind of food. After all, she had practically fallen from the sky, into his life and she still felt like a bit of a burden.

As the school bell sounded, the blue haired reaper rose from her seat and pushed in her chair as the class began to clean up after themselves. Botan was happy to have the week done and over with, as the weekend couldn't have come at a better time. She was feeling the physical and mental strain of Kurama's assistance and was hoping for a break from everything going on around her. After the classroom had been swept, dusted and wiped down, desks and chairs stacked, the teens filtered out into the hallway to go to clubs or head home for the weekend. Botan lingered by the doorway and tugged at her pleated skirt as she observed Kurama cleaning up the chalkboard with a fellow brown haired boy.

"Ready? Let's go." Last night the pair had agreed it was about time to pay Master Genkai and Yukina a visit. Though Yusuke still had middle school to finish up, she had a feeling they might run into him at the dojo as well. The trek to Genkai's home was a two hour train ride and about a thousand steps leading up to a mountain where her manor sat. Botan decided to cheat so while Kurama decided upon walking, she fly beside him on her oar, her feet feeling rather happy to be spared the stony steps. Though they hadn't called ahead, Botan had no doubt the elderly psychic could sense their arrival well before they even step foot on her property.

Eventually the pair arrived at the top and headed over to the large door and found it already open, revealing Genkai and Yukina at a low resting table with four cups of steaming hot tea set out. "It looks like she's been expecting us." She leaned over to Kurama to say. Botan hopped off her oar and jogged up the stairs and into Genkai's sitting room. She gave the woman a quick but deep bow before taking a seat upon the small cushion which rested upon the tatami mat. "I guess it's impossible to surprise you." Botan smiled to Genkai and then looked to the quiet girl and gave her a nod in greeting. Botan hadn't spent much time with Yukina so she was still figuring out how to best interact with the young maiden. Still, she had no doubt that Yukina was nice, after all, she had caught the eye of young Kuwabara, who was so gallant and sweet.

"Where's Yusuke? I thought he'd be here..."

"The dimwit it off doing sprints through my marsh but he'll be back shortly." Genkai said, eyeing the redhead and then the grim reaper. She could tell something was different but it was difficult for her to guess what it was. Rather than ask outright, Genkai knew that in due time, they would show or tell her why they had come to her. Botan had plucked a dead rose during lunch at school and was keeping it on her to try and toy with her ability. As Yusuke wandered in, using a fluffy white towel to wipe his face, Botan decided now was as good a time as ever. "Come and watch." She instructed her pupil as Botan stared at the vacant flower.

Botan let out a deep breath and focused on the rose in hand and soon it blossomed into a vibrant shimmering blue rose. All three of the people on the other side of the polished dark wooden rectangular table let out various degrees of awe. Botan caught Kurama's reaction in the corner of her eye. Seeing him proud made her blush a little, made the hard work of the past few days well worth the stress. "I haven't come here for training Master Genkai, merely your advice on the matter." Bowing her head, she set the rose in the middle of the table and finally tended to her cup of green tea.

Genkai looked to Kurama, knowing he would be the one to guide Botan. "You will take care of her." Genkai said, more than a question, more like a statement. Genkai was fond of the grim reaper and while she knew Kurama was physically capable, she hoped he understood the responsibility of being someone's teacher. Setting her cup down, Genkai looked to Yusuke and Yukina as tey were her current charges. While Kurama was indeed powerful, she needed him to know that things would change now and that he and Botan needed to rely on one another.

[SoleAccord]

The combined stress of school, investigating a possible demon mastermind, and now training both body and spirit energy was something Kurama quietly believed too much for Botan to tackle all at once.

He was glad to be wrong.

Botan may have been exhausted by the end of each day, but in the morning she had been ready and willing to tackle that day’s challenges. Schoolwork was steadily becoming easier for her to grasp, though she did seem to get nervous if he had to step away for any reason. Without him beside her, the problems had become frightening—even more than before—and they sounded like a foreign language without him there to translate. It was all worth the struggle to see her face light up with realization before jotting down her answer and looking to him, eyes searching for approval. He had given her that in different forms; a smile, nod, even a verbal confirmation that she had solved the problem and was prepared to move on—all of which she seemed to value.

Positive reinforcement worked wonders for her, which was something Kurama had noticed early into their tutoring sessions. Without it Botan seemed to wonder what he had thought in different cues, such as verbal pauses or glances from the corner of her eye. None had gone unnoticed. Because of her desire to be watched as she succeeded, he had tried to be present with her through everything they had tackled together. In the case of her quiet confusion, he was always watching her body language when she had begun to struggle. His eye for detail was, arguably, the best out of the former Team Urameshi, so hiding stress was challenging, not that Botan tried to. In fact, she was rarely one to hide anything from him. That was something he tried to share with her, both as a friend and a new mentor.

Kurama had never lied to her when he told her she had made improvement in the last few days of her training. No matter how small it appeared to her, progress was progress. It had surprised her when he had mentioned that the Legendary Bandit Yoko Kurama had started somewhere, too; he had been no stronger than she was in the past, but hard work had given him the results he desired. Yoko Kurama earned his strength rather than simply ask for it, like in the case of the Toguro Brothers. He looked her in the eye and told her that she, too, could become strong like Yoko was. Strange as it must have sounded talking in third person, Kurama believed that Botan understood his feelings on her development, but it was up to her to believe him, just as he believed in her.

Introducing her to a local fitness center had provided them both the use of weights, while the neighborhood surrounding his home was ideal for an afternoon jog. Traffic was minimal in the evening hours, and when they returned home and washed up Shiori had dinner prepared. As this went on, Kurama had started to wonder if his style of teaching wasn’t going to indirectly harm Botan in the long run. As much as he would like to be there for her at all times, there would come times where he couldn’t be there. Something would get in the way of their being together: additional responsibilities at school, Koenma needing Botan’s aid in his office, sickness of some kind—just to name a few of the very real possibilities. It wasn’t beneficial for him to be thinking about them and distracting himself from the present, but still he did it. It was that thinking that had him raise the idea of spending time at Genkai’s temple who, last he heard, had been keeping a close watch over Yukina, possibly as another apprentice in some hidden art that only Genkai knew of. Botan was in full agreement and, with a word to mother about going to see a couple old friends after class Friday, the two had set out.

They had arrived in good spirits, though Kurama could have sworn he felt Botan’s spirit energy sink slightly after she had seen the steps that led to Genkai’s temple. It didn’t last long. She had chosen to summon her oar and render the opportunity to get additional exercise useless. He guessed that she believed herself deserving of a pass, and for a moment he agreed with her, only in the very next moment to believe that it might be a mistake. One glance at the arduous path could break anyone’s spirits, most of all a reaper just beginning to take training seriously. Genkai wouldn’t have given Yusuke any sort of pass, he was confident enough to believe that as fact. The old master—now turned young—was notoriously harsh on those she saw the most potential in. Yusuke could handle this trek with ease. Botan on the other hand still had her limits.

As they began their ascent together, Kurama’s thoughts did not cease the comparisons being created. Botan was not Yusuke and demanded a different temperament to her progress. He was certain she needed someone to help shoulder her burden, rather than force her to carry it on her own. What worked on Yusuke from Genkai could not work on Botan from himself. But if that were false, and he was looking at this the wrong way, then he was actually stopping Botan from gaining more experience in the short amount of time they had. The harsh methods Genkai utilized were proven to be effective. Without her pushing Yusuke to the extent of his human limits, he may never have ended up being able to go toe-to-toe against Toguro, and may have even lost additional rounds leading up to that final, climactic match. Facing facts as he figured them, Kurama was proud of Botan, which went without saying. But how far could he push her before she folded under the pressure of his teachings that, while not as extreme, were just as sweat-inducing and draining as Genkai’s own? She simply wasn’t cut from the same cloth. Even worse, what if she had lost faith in him and called it quits?

He couldn’t bear the thought of fracturing their relationship by pressing her far more than she could handle, but luckily he wouldn’t have to. He could see the rooftop of Genkai’s temple as the final handful of steps were taken. Just ahead, the doors leading inside were already parted, and from where he stood Kurama could just make out the outlines of a couple familiar faces: Yukina and Genkai herself, the latter of which had an impressive ‘makeover’ after the end of the tournament, courtesy of Koenma. Botan hustled inside, leaving him to follow behind at a far less eager pace. He had bowed after Botan had, but had chosen to stand rather than sit. His attention briefly kept on Genkai only to end up on Yukina, who appeared in good spirits. Hiei would be happy to hear it, assuming he hasn’t been around already.

“Genkai, Yukina, it’s good to see the both of you again,” Kurama said with a smile.

“It’s good to see the both of you again too,” Yukina said, gesturing towards the empty mat beside Botan.

Kurama had taken a seat once offered, just as Botan had beaten him to the question of Yusuke’s whereabouts. It wouldn’t be strange to know that he had spent a considerable amount of time here after the trauma of losing her once. Genkai’s response regarded Yusuke with her favorite term—dimwit—and he wasn’t surprised to know that she was indeed working Yusuke hard. Botan might have thought that jogging down a street was bad enough already. She had yet to know the difficulty of covering a distance in the wet mush that threatened to pull at her feet and strip her of the shoes tied to her feet. Another training method he considered too much for her.

Deciding to give Yusuke time to return, Kurama touched on the situation the pair were in. A small string of suicides at his academy they confirmed to be the work of a demon, or at least one who could wield energy as familiar as it, that somehow convinced ordinary students to take their lives. Yukina was horrified at the thought of something so tragic, while Genkai herself appeared unimpressed. Underhanded methods to further a goal were never something that appealed to her. Whoever was behind this would not be shown any sort of mercy from the end of her fists, or the blast of her spirit energy. The culprit should count the few blessings they’d soon have.

Yusuke had stepped inside just as his explanation had concluded, grinning at the familiar faces. He had greeted the both of them before taking a seat as Genkai instructed, still wiping the sweat from his forehead. Botan had brought out a dead rose she had thought of taking earlier that day, using it to demonstrate her gift for revitalizing the dead flower. As Kurama looked on with pride, he could catch the surprised stares of Yusuke and Yukina both. Even Genkai appeared impressed at this discovery. After it was revitalized, Botan had set it on the middle of the table and explained to Genkai that she was not here for additional training, simply advice. Genkai simply replied by telling him what he already knew: Botan was under his protection, his guidance.

Kurama acknowledged that statement with a nod. “I’ve started small. It’s only been a few days since she’s taken up my training officially, but she shows signs of improvement every day. If school wasn’t in our way I could get her up to Kuwabara’s level within the next few months—perhaps even beyond that.”

“Wait a second,” Yusuke leaned in closely, eying Botan and Kurama with suspicion. “You said ‘if school wasn’t in our way,’ so does that mean Botan’s doing part time work with you?”

“Full time, if you include tutoring her in the subjects she struggles in,” Kurama glanced at her. “As I said though, improvement every day. She’s a fast learner—“

“Why would Botan need to go to school?” Yusuke thought aloud. “The last time Botan was a student she was helping me with my—“He hesitated, then it clicked. “You’re on a case?”

“Precisely. Have you heard about the suicides that have taken place at my school?” Kurama didn’t give him the chance to comment. The explanation was already given to Genkai and Yukina, and it wasn’t as if Yusuke kept up with school-related matters when he himself hardly attended. It was best that he not linger on that. “Botan and I have confirmed that a demon—or someone with demonic power—is convincing these students to take their lives. For what purpose, I don’t know. For the duration of the investigation, Botan is staying with me.”

“So that’s why you two are sitting so close. I was wondering what that was all about.”

Kurama looked at the space between Botan and himself, finding that they had indeed been seated closely together, but no closer than he had been while helping her study at home. It had become comfortable to him. With the fake relationship they maintained at school and his need to examine what problems she had been stuck on, he was almost always this close lately. It only occurred to him now that it might have seemed far more intimate to an outsider. He felt in no hurry to move aside, but he did have to look elsewhere. “Yes, well…”

“Anyway, if you two need help, I’ll be there.” Yusuke assured them both, finally dry enough to set the moist towel on his lap. “But knowing you, you’re strong enough to handle almost anything Kurama. I didn’t think Botan needed training—not when you’re around.”

“It’s best if everyone learns how to defend themselves properly,” Yukina said, turning her head to Genkai. “Master Genkai doesn’t push me as hard as she does Yusuke, but I’m learning methods to help protect myself.” Her expression dimmed, remembering her days as a captive and what she was forced to witness for monetary gain. “I don’t want to be put in a situation where I’ll need to be saved again. Yusuke and Kuwabara got badly hurt last time.”

Yusuke patted Yukina on her shoulder, squeezing it firmly. “Hey, it’s not like we weren’t used to getting into fights. And knowing Kuwabara, he’ll jump at any chance to save you from danger. He loves the excuse.”

Yukina’s face softened, lips forming a smile. “Maybe next time I can rescue someone, like you two rescued me.”

“Stick with the ex-hag over there and you’ll learn some new things,” Yusuke narrowed his eyes over at Genkai, whose youthful appearance was now something he had gotten used to. Even so, he’d still think of her as the hag who put him to work and got him as far as he was now. He was still looking for ways to repay her. “Maybe you should give Botan a one-hour course, just to let her know how lucky she is to have someone as forgiving as Kurama.”

Kurama’s eyes rest on the rose in the middle of the table. It had done well to retain Botan’s spirit energy, but slowly its vibrant color had slowly begun to fade once it left her touch. They had time to continue improving her spirit energy reserves and control, but he could not help but continue to wonder if Genkai could push Botan further than he ever could. He cared for her, enough to allow his elder to offer any advice she could.

“Anything you can offer would be helpful. I’ve been around a long time, but I’ve never been in the role of a mentor before.”

[Genkai]

Given she had skipped the grueling climb up, Botan was willing to compromise and take the walk down, even if it was the easier trek. For now, she wanted to enjoy the company of Yusuke, Yukina and Genkai without worrying about working out or pushing her limits. Botan wasn't really one for combat to begin with but she did wish to see her new skill blossom. But how it would was still a mystery to her. Botan understood training was needed whether she went up against a demon or not. It just was unfamiliar territory for her and she knew it wasn't like Kurama to be teaching someone the intricacies of fighting. Sure, he was a great academic teacher but she could tell he was uneasy about his own ability to guide her properly.

In her mind, Kurama had no reason to be hard on himself. She was happy with any guidance and didn't want him stress too much about it, not when there were more pressing matters to tend to. The last thing the girl wished to be was a burden. As Yusuke and Kurama exchanged words, Botan took a drink of her tea, just observing the two former teammates discuss the current events. Part of her had been worried that Yusuke would take some offense to her being sent to Kurama directly, instead of her working with Yusuke as she normally would have. Botan looked to her proximity in regards to Kurama. Were they close? It seemed that way but she didn't really think much of it. She simply laughed and waved a dismissive hand, not wanting to explain how they were also pretending to date.

Yusuke didn't need to know everything.

"Oh we know, Yusuke. Don't worry." Botan tried to assure him. She just didn't want to bother him after the Tournament but she was also confident in Kurama's own talents. But if they did need assistance, she knew she could turn to Yusuke and Kuwabara for their help. It was great news to hear Yukina was getting help from Genkai as Botan was a firm believer in self-reliance and girls not needing to be damsels in distress. Even so, Botan didn't think she'd be too comfortable training under Genkai. She glanced from Yusuke, back to Koenma's old friend, who now resembled someone in their mid-twenties. "I already know I'm lucky to have Kurama." She told Yusuke gently. "Plus I don't think flying back and forth for training would be a good idea..." It wasn't a great excuse but it was what she could come up with at the time.

Genkai gave Yusuke a look, knowing his heart was in the right place but she could tell Botan was already out of her depth with training. There was no way, the grim reaper would enjoy the sort of exercises or really benefit from them. Instead of offering advice, she rose from where she sat. "We can talk over dinner." She said. It was roughly 5:30 and about the time she liked to eat. She went to bed early to ensure she woke up before the sun, enjoying an early morning routine as opposed to sleeping in. Now that she had her youth restored, she saw little point in wasting what time she had been given. And that meant better time management. In her old age, she had been content to play video games and work out as she felt like it but now she was developing a more strict way of life.

The pink haired woman led them back to the other side of her mansion and took them to another sitting room where Yukina then brought out a pot of spiced curry stew, rice, grilled fish, fried breaded chicken, steamed carrots, miso soup and freshly cut watermelon. Botan sat down as everyone began to dish themselves. As everyone settled into their food, Genkai decided to finally speak up. "I can tell this endeavor of training Botan, means a lot to you." She started to say. "Given your student is someone who is so easy going and bubbly, I'd say you're putting too much stress on yourself. Your biggest challenge will likely be channeling her attention into the training itself." While Yusuke had been a tough nut to crack, she knew Botan's attention could only last so long.

"You have to remember, Kurama, that she isn't a fighter nor has the mindset of one." Genkai said. "Therefore, her training needs to reflect the fact she won't be running into a fight." Like with Yukina, Genkai had to alter the tasks she'd given the young girl. Kurama and Botan did have very different disciplines but she was sure they had more middle ground than Kurama realized. "A teacher and their student are often not considered friends as that bond tends to form over time. However, with you two, your friendship began first and bringing in a new dynamic will change things." She said. "Maybe you should approach it as one friend to another, rather than trying to a mentor." She considered.

"That way, you're both less pressured. You don't want to let her down and I am sure she doesn't want to let you down either." Genkai said, looking to them both across the low table. "Any training you do, should instead be approached as something...enjoyable." She didn't consider her own training to be fun and she was sure Yusuke didn't either. Kurama would be a fool if he tried to push Botan the same way she pushed Yusuke and countless others before him. "My best advice for you both...would be to let your progress come naturally." It wouldn't help Botan if she was pushed and prodded, it would only frustrate her. And it wouldn't help Kurama to overthink her training, as it would only make him second guess everything.

Botan set down her chopsticks and looked to Kurama, never having wanted him to get so consumed with her training. She glanced to Genkai and then back to Kurama. "I really don't want you to worry." She said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "I know you want the best for me but not if it's at the cost of our friendship." The last thing she wanted, was for them to get too wrapped up in her training. "I'd much rather have you as a friend who I can train with, than a teacher I could train under." She told him. She wanted them to just be equals, simple as that. "You already do so much for me." Botan smiled slightly.

[SoleAccord]

Kurama kept silent as Genkai, still as wise as she had always been despite her youthful appearance, offered her valuable opinion on Botan’s new role as his student. Genkai had seen just as he did that Botan was unlike any other student in recent memory, both hers and his. She was gentle. She did not like to hurt, nor bring hurt onto anyone else. Witnessing violence during the Dark Tournament may have opened her up to the horror of what a battle meant when it went well beyond human limits, but that did not mean that this training would be any easier to handle. Tailoring it to her strengths and her desires was always his intention. She would be the last person to start a fight, but she would learn different means of ending one, preferably without drawing blood.

The relationship Botan shared with him was definitely unusual now that he thought about it. A mentor was typically above the student in both knowledge and experience. Kurama, when it came to battle sense and tactics, fit both of those terms. But Botan had known him for some time, rendering the respect a student typically gave a mentor pointless. To him, Botan was still a good friend. He believed that she saw him the same way. To wave his superiority in front of her in the role of mentor felt counterproductive. He was doing this for her safety above all else. Perhaps as a friend he could still help her like a mentor could. Less formalities would mean less complications.

Equals—no, friends it was, then.

Kurama felt his body relax, muscles releasing built-up tension from the role he thought he must assume to better help Botan. A smile of reassurance met Botan as she voiced her feelings, showing her that he was relieved. An invisible burden on his shoulders had eased, even more so after she felt the same way he did. Teaching her as a friend was by far the smarter choice. There were no complaints to voice, no fears except the obvious, and all he must do now is create a study plan that worked to Botan’s enjoyment. Already he was beginning to come up with non-harmful ideas, with a bit of sweat-breaking here and there.

“Not to worry. I feel the same way Botan,” Kurama said before turning to Genkai. “Your guidance doesn’t serve only to benefit someone like Yusuke. You’ve been a big help to me. Thank you, Genkai.”

“If it means anything, I think it’s better that way too,” Yusuke spoke up with a mouthful, gnawing at his grilled fish greedily.

“What makes you say that, Yusuke?”

“Because—“ Yusuke swallowed the chewed up remains of fish in his mouth, “—Botan’s kind of like a cat. Just give her a lot of affection and she’ll respond well. Learning under a serious mentor isn’t something everyone can handle. Like the hag said, she isn’t exactly a fighter, but she’s got some good survival instincts. Play around that a little and she might surprise you.”

“That was the plan, yes,” Kurama looked to the meal set out before him. He reached for the breaded chicken and piled a few onto his plate. “It will be a work in progress for the both of us.”

“If anyone can do it, it’ll be you. But enough about that. Dig in!” Yusuke resumed eating with disregard for basic table manners. Genkai’s training had its way of building a fearsome appetite.

Kurama had gotten his fill along with the others and had joined them in talks unrelated to the case, resulting in laughter and smiles that he had missed bearing witness to. In time the crickets had begun emerging, joining in unison to create a natural ambience surrounding Genkai’s temple. While he would have liked to stay, there was too much to be done at home. School kept the pair busy enough already. Now they must find time to put Botan’s alternative education into action. Another night on another day, perhaps they would stay.

“Come back soon!” Yukina waved them off.

“Yeah, and if you see Kuwabara before I do, let him know I’m ready to go a few rounds when he is!” Yusuke added.

“Until next time,” Kurama gave his own farewell, offering Genkai one last appreciative nod before he disappeared with Botan below the temple’s steps, homebound.

[Genkai]

Although Botan wanted to smack Yusuke for his comparison of her to that of a cat, she supposed he did have a point. His words of praise were rare and were of course welcomed. She had to consider that maybe Yusuke spending so much time with Genkai was making him grow up a little. She felt a sense of relief as it seemed as though both she and Kurama had gotten what bits of wisdom and encouragement needed to continue to uncover whatever spirit power she had that somehow gave her a connection to plants. The food and company was a welcomed change from the dull school life Botan was having to grow accustom to. It was wonderful to see old faces again and silently vowed to not let so much time come between them. "Make sure you hit the books, Yusuke!" Botan called out as they left, hoping he wasn't hiding away from school if only to get a rise out of poor Kieko and his mother.

Letting out a yawn, Botan stretched before she and Kurama headed down the long path of stone stairs. "It was so nice to catch up everyone." She said happily, for a moment thinking of Hiei before she quickly cast him out of her mind. She was sure if he knew about her new found power, he'd laugh at the notion of Kurama training her. She had to wonder why Kurama put up with someone like Hiei or why they had crossed paths if but for a simple theft to help his ailing mother. Now wasn't the best time for such stories so she kept quiet as they carefully made their way back down to the street level and headed for the train station. The night was calm and slightly warm, a perfect ending to a very hectic week.

Humming as they got off their train station, Botan gazed up at the sky, unable to stop herself from thinking about the lost souls she was no longer escorting to Spirit World. She missed her job dearly but knew this job was very important. And she wasn't alone. She smiled to Kurama silently as they headed along the street, going back towards their home. The street lights began to flicker and the wind began to blow. It was evident these small disturbances were not random. Botan still hadn't been given a bat from Lord Koenma but she had to wonder if she could do something with her own spirit energy. Could she fire a spirit gun? Surely she could but she knew it could never have the same punch as Yusuke's. Her fears were confirmed as four scrawny imps skulked out of the shadows.

They were bright eyed and staring at the pair.

This clearly wasn't a chance encounter, not after what was going on at the school.

The imps had leathery pale brown skin and large claws which looked already bloodstained. Botan looked inched behind Kurama as the four advanced on them. Botan knew they could move lightning fast and were often looking for their next victims. From what she had seen, imps often went after pets and other small animals. It was rare for them to go after children but it did happen. It was odd however, for imps to be going after full grown adults such as her and Kurama. Something was amiss and Botan did not have a good feeling, other than being looked up like tasty prey.

Of course for Kurama these four imps would be nothing to him but she got the feeling it might be the opportune time for her to try and take at least one of them out on her own. Still, it would be tough to pin one down and she glanced to Kurama, her breathing already slowed and low. "I can try to take one of them out..." She began to consider as two lunged at them while the other two imps scuttled off to melt back into the shadows, clearly more intelligent than most, they seemed to be waiting for another moment to attack while the other two acted as distractions. Botan took a nervous step back as she began to channel her energy to fire but already felt rattled. Though Kurama could likely sense where they were and intervene before harm fell to her, Botan was still unsettled. "Sh-should we capture one?" She wondered.

[SoleAccord]

It wouldn’t have occurred to someone like Botan, not without obvious signs, but Kurama’s demeanor had changed on the way home. On the outside he was the same Kurama, his expression satisfied after what he had received from Genkai earlier that evening. The night was calm and their trip home unobstructed, or so he would like Botan to believe. Ever since they had left the train station and made their way to the streets, there had been a sensation at the back of his neck, a presence he couldn’t quite explain. It was faint, and if it weren’t for the fact he had to be on guard given the nature of the case they were given he may even have missed it entirely. Someone—or something—had eyes on them, causing him to inwardly become guarded.

Catching Botan’s eyes on him, Kurama responded with a smile of his own before his gaze returned forward. He was fast enough to intercept anything that would reach Botan, and even move her aside if need be. But nothing threatening came. They were merely being looked at, taking great care not to be seen or heard directly.

‘Is this the one we’ve been after?’

Anything was possible, but there was little time left to break down the possibilities in his head. The trace of energy nearby had spiked, causing an ominous wind to brush past them. It had even affected a nearby street lamp, causing the light to flicker several times. This stalker had concealed their presence enough that Botan didn’t pick up on any odd sensations, so to throw away that element of surprise either meant complete confidence, or worse, that he had made his awareness too obvious somehow, forcing the pursuer to abandon any need for surprise. Or even more likely, this was the goal all along: strike them. Four imps of the same energy he felt from afar had crept from the shadows, claws razor sharp and practically salivating in anticipation of tasting blood.

“Stay behind me,” Kurama muttered, closing the gap between Botan and himself. Reaching into his hair he had drawn a rose, fully formed and emitting a powerful glow. Through his spirit energy it had changed shape, turning into a long and deadly whip complete with thorns. A familiar and reliable technique known as the ‘Rose Whip’, even he had to admit that it was overkill for nothing more than these loathsome creatures, but with Botan here he wouldn’t take chances.

She believed that this was a good time to try and earn some combat experience. If this were any other time he might have agreed, but he wasn’t pushing her against facing any of them, especially outnumbered.

“Help if you see an opportunity, but do not put yourself at risk trying.”

It was all he could say before two of the four had begun to charge at them. Kurama guided his whip forward to meet them, lashing out at such speed that the exact order of strikes would be difficult to follow with an untrained eye. As he retracted the whip, the head, midsection, and legs of the imps that dared to charge the detectives had been severed, their expressions unchanged. They were killed before they had even realized it. A merciful death, better than they deserved if those bloodied claws were any hint to go by.

Rather than fall to the ground in a disgusting pile of leathery, bloodied flesh, they had done the exact opposite. Each part of them had exploded just as the whip had returned to him.

‘They detonate once killed!?’ Kurama grit his teeth, his eyes immediately piercing through the nearby darkness to find a third closing in beside him, while he sensed the fourth closing in from the opposite side, threatening to lunge at Botan.

Like before, Kurama’s whip had shot forward to slice the imp into pieces, but this one had reacted faster than its brothers by leaping up into the air. Not fast enough. The whip had followed it, slicing it from the bottom up. It exploded just as its brothers did as Kurama spun around, retracting the whip in preparation to strike once again, intending to capture the final imp as it closed in.

He had felt it beforehand but wasn’t quite sure what Botan had been preparing to do. The buildup of spirit energy moving to her index finger had said it all. The Spirit Gun. While not quite on the level of Yusuke’s own in term of speed and deadliness, the technique on its own was surely enough to stun a demon of such low class. If they could capture this last one, if it would talk, they could get much needed answers.

“Botan, its yours!” Kurama said with confidence, awaiting her own strike. Should she fail or hesitate, he was there to strike out and capture the demon with a tight bound of his whip.

Botan had one shot at this. Literally.

[Genkai]

Rather than feel relief wash over her, Botan felt a renewed wave of nerves hit her as the imps did not die but instead exploded right in front of their very eyes. She jumped and felt immensely out of her league. She wasn't a fighter, she didn't like the sight of blood or things in pain, even evil creepy demon imps. She let out a small whimper though she tried to muffle it, tried to put on a brave face, the kind the boys would always wear, even when facing Toguro, their toughest obstacle to date. She glanced around and knew two more imps were between them and getting back to Shiori safely.

A part of her feared that perhaps the imps were after Kurama's mother. Surely Kurama would be able to detect if danger would lurk near his home. Surely he would have set parameters to ensure his mother would be looked after whenever he went on missions with Yusuke. Even though Botan knew the date and cause of Shiori's death, she knew cases like Yusuke were special and defied what she and those in Spirit World knew. Botan swallowed, needing to push those thoughts away from the present.

Right now she needed to focus, her life depended on it.

As the imp lunged for her, she charged up her spirit gun and clasped her left hand around her right wrist, taking quick aim and firing. A bright concentrated burst of energy burst from her right index finger and shot straight through the imp's right shoulder. It fell to the ground and growled angrily, unable to get up or flee. Now that the imps were taken care of, they could go home. She turned and saw the redhead had been able to swiftly capture it as they intended, and was in the process of tying it up with his rose whip. "I bet Lord Koenma is going to want to investigate this matter..." She considered, thinking it was good that ehy were able to capture one.

Taking a few steps away from Kurama, she gazed upward at the streetlight which was now shining down upon them like a beacon of strength. She glanced over her shoulder, rather relieved to have the ordeal behind them. It had been a long week of training, homework, school gossip and chores back at home. She was ready for bed. The idea of a long time spent in dreamland was pleasing to the grim reaper, she was adjusting well to her new role in the Human Realm and she wanted to keep those close to her, safe. Now that included Kurama and his mother.

Never had Botan imagined that being assigned to Yusuke's extraordinary case would invite her to cross paths with people such as Kuwabara and Kurama and even Hiei and his sister Yukina. Botan felt quite privileged to be where she was, even if it was surrounded by the decay from exploded demons. Before she could ask Kurama if she needed to call for someone to come get the tied up imp, there was a small explosion. She turned around and where the imp had been sitting, grinning madly, was now its remains and the bit of Kurama's rose whip.

"Oh my!"

So far the explosions came if they were hit or probably killed. But now it seemed as though the imps had another trick up their nonexistent sleeves; they could explode at will. Or perhaps at the will of someone else? It was very tricky to figure out what was going on but Botan got the sense that there was something greater at work. "We better head back...it's rather late." She said worriedly, her voice unable to conceal how tired she felt, mostly mentally at this point. Though she had exerted some spirit energy, she knew if she had to, she could conjure up one last shot, thanks to the conditioning she had done under Kurama's guidance over the past few days.

"It was really fun to see Genkai and Yusuke and Yukina." She commented. "We should make our way back there again soon. I think Genkai would enjoy the additional company."

[SoleAccord]

Before the wounded imp was even able to let half of the air slip from its lungs, Kurama’s whip had swirled around its small body a total of three times. The whip tightened, binding its arms to its torso tightly. Any complaint would be nothing more than a wheeze. Wasted oxygen. Realizing the position it was in, the last surviving imp did not attempt a prolonged struggle. In fact, Kurama would almost call it docile now that it wasn’t free to do what it pleased.

“Now then…” Kurama relaxed his stance and took three short steps closer to the imp, kneeling down to better meet the pathetic creature at eye level. It stared at him fearfully, and one last futile attempt to escape the bonds that choked its body. A weak rocking of its small body followed, then it was done. “You’re not the most intelligent creature but surely you value your life. I’m going to relax my grasp just enough for you to give me the answers I need. I’ll start by asking you who you work--”

Kurama’s eyes widened, first at the sensation of demon energy that seemed to surge through the imp, and secondly at the deep purple aura that overtook the creature’s body.

With a quick release of energy at his heels, Kurama had abandoned the handle of the whip and shielded his face with his left arm. The last expression he could take away from the imp was one of panic,, then pain, just before its eyes bulged from its body and an explosion followed soon after. Fortunately, it had done little to damage either himself or Botan. Unfortunately, they were now left without any chance of a lead. Their best bet at a hint to who might be pulling strings had now turned to dust, scattering about with another short gust of ominous wind. The sensation of being watched had vanished as the imp before his eyes did.

“That one… it exploded without my attempt at destroying it. It couldn’t have been a suicide it wanted to happen,” Kurama thought aloud as he moved to retrieve the remains of his whip. Wrapping it in his hand, he examined the space the imp had occupied just moments ago. Not a piece remained.

He could have stood there for another several minutes to investigate the area, however Botan did not have the same level of energy as him, nor the urge to form a handful of new hypothesis. It was in her voice, and as he turned around he saw it on her face. She was tired from the day’s events, and firing the spirit gun probably didn’t improve her already dwindling energy levels.

He gave her a smile of understanding, discarding the remains of his rose whip in a nearby trash can before nodding towards home. “Right. Mother will be worried, and besides that I think we’ve earned a good night’s rest.”

Their walk home was peaceful after the skirmish. Try as he might to search out for the same energy he felt spying on them before, he could not find a single trace of it remaining. It was not the relief he was looking for; in fact, it was the exact opposite. He had revealed his ability to the puppet master, and while it may not have been every trick in his arsenal it was enough for them to know that Botan and himself would not be overcome by demons of such a low class and intelligence. What was to stop them from trying again, sending something larger and much more lethal?

The inner turmoil of his thoughts were paused in time to nod in agreement with Botan's joy of seeing the others tonight. Before they had gotten into the trouble they did, it was a good evening with good company. Yet try as he might, he could not pretend that his mind was not elsewhere now. He would have loved to talk to Botan about it before, but the attack had increased the level of seriousness when it came to solving this case. If he had any free time, it would now have to be spent pondering everything they knew so far. A pity that their evening had to change so quickly.

When they finally returned home, Kurama had fished out the house key from his pocket and inserted it into the lock. He turned it, but made no further move to open the door. “Botan,” he looked at her from the corner of his eye, a concerned frown in place of a content smile. “I know this goes without saying, but I want you to be extra careful as we move forward. Things were far simpler when we were on the sidelines and watching for signs, but I fear the attack we dealt with tonight was more than it appeared at first glance. If I were to guess, I’d say those imps were acting on orders from someone else, likely the one we’re after. We defeated them with ease… but I don’t think the purpose was to harm us.”

It was a bitter pill to swallow, that was for certain. Letting Botan believe that the attack was an isolated incident may have been easier on her nerves but it was not a kindness he could afford. As his partner for this case she deserved to hear of any suspicions he might have. While he couldn’t prove anything for certain, it was better to be more guarded than remain at ease.

“I will be sleeping on any possibility, but if possible I would like you to send a message to Koenma. Ask him if he knows anything about any criminals from demon world, or perhaps spirit world, who have been known to act through weak underlings and have the capability of detonating things from afar,” He concluded with a smile to overwrite his concern, returning to the cheerful Kurama she knew well. “And great work tonight. I know Yusuke would have been especially proud of that spirit gun of yours.”

He opened the door and announced his return with Botan, welcomed by a warm atmosphere and faint aroma of the dinner that Shiori had alone.

The following Monday had gone as it always had. He was up promptly, took no more time than usual in the shower, greeted his mother and ate what she had prepared for them. Everything went as normal, all except that Botan appeared to have a rough start. She had slept through her first alarm and it had taken a knock at the door to rouse her from her sleep. Her shower was brief despite there being no real hurry. When they shared breakfast together she had poked at her food for a while before making any attempt to eat it.

She didn’t hold a fever of any kind, and when Shiori had asked him if anything odd had happened recently he had assured her that nothing unusual had occurred. A lie, but a necessary one. Not a single hair on Botan was brushed by the imps they fought off days ago. At first he believed that this was just a slow start for her after the ordeal. Botan had the right to be sleepy and sluggish, as did anyone else who had to shoulder the burdens she did. What really alarmed him was that when his mother hoped she felt better and wished her a good day, Botan had said and done nothing in return.

It wasn’t like her to miss a chance to show respect and kindness to someone who considered her feelings so much. Thankfully his mother had said nothing about it and prepared to start her own day. The walk to school was silent, with Botan repeatedly lagging behind and finding interest in the cement they strode on. When faced with the same longing stares from classmates who desired to know her more, she hadn’t said a word about it, not in the sense of ignoring it but in the sense of not being aware of anyone in particular.

She daydreamed in class, a complete contrast to the Botan he knew that desired to do better in her studies. When called to stand up and read, she had to be called more than once to grab her attention. This was perhaps the slowest he had ever seen Botan act in such a short time. Was it possible that using the spirit gun technique had caused such a drain on her new body that she hadn’t fully recovered?

Kurama stood up quickly when class was dismissed, freeing everyone to pull out their lunches and move elsewhere. He had managed to grab her attention and nod for her to follow him with her lunch in hand. When they were out of earshot and descending the staircase to the greenhouse, he glanced at her over his shoulder to see that she was already beginning to fall behind again.

“Botan, how much rest did you get last night?” he asked. “Did you overexert yourself when you used the spirit gun a couple days ago?”

[Genkai]

Although Botan had used her spirit gun in the past, it had been a considerable amount of time since she had lost found the need to actually defend herself in such a manner. She felt drained but not to the point of collapsing. Before they entered the small humble home, Kurama stopped to voice his blunt concerns on what had just happened in the street. Kurama had also expressed an interest in her approaching Koenma about the incident and seeing if it could help them. Botan already knew she would be making a formal report and she was sure if Koenma knew anything, he would inform her immediately. The idea of the event being a precursor to something more was enough to allow dread to sink into her stomach. Though she was sure Kurama was right and that she needed to be all the more vigilant, the grim reaper couldn't ward off the anxiety that building inside of her.

"Thanks." Was all the woman could muster when Kurama closed by saying how proud Yusuke would have been, seeing her tonight. Her face fell as Kurama stepped ahead and opened the door, announcing their arrival back home after the long, nearly endless Friday. Botan did her best to enjoy the evening but she ended up turning in early for the evening. Something felt like it was nagging at the back of her head. She assumed it was Kurama's warning but Botan wasn't sure if there wasn't more to her morose feeling. Over the weekend, Botan worked on her homework and spent some time in Spirit World discussing matters with Lord Koenma. She had been given the new baseball bat which had been commissioned to have small holes inside to channel her spirit energy. It would look like an ordinary black metal bat but it was much more durable and lightweight.

Come Monday morning, Botan felt her mood slip back down. She had not slept well Sunday night and that carried through to the following morning as she heard a knock at her door. She had felt like she had just slipped into a restful state when Kurama had attempted to wake her up for school, a place she didn't feel like going to. She mumbled a sleepy acknowledgement and heaved herself sideways, rolling out of bed quite literally. She climbed to her feet with some grumbling and skulked into the bathroom and took a quick shower, her pace still not as hurried or as chipper as it usually was. When she came down for breakfast, she was still messing with her hair, but found it to be tricky and in knots.

"Morning, morning." She sighed in greeting before plopping herself in her seat.

Botan finally fixed her ponytail and began to eat. She took a bite nibbles but found her appetite lacking. Food just didn't taste right, for whatever reason. She felt sad about everything going on. It was so much to deal with. She felt like she was shouldered with everyone, by herself. She sighed as breakfast continued, not interested in contributing to the light conversation between Shiori and Kurama. When Shiori expressed hope in Botan feeling better and to have a good day, Botan just gave a mild shrug. Shiori didn't understand what was going on. Botan felt no need to really...care. What was the point? Whatever they were dealing with, whoever they were dealing with, didn't really matter. Botan knew in a few weeks, she would be back to working as a grim reaper, where she belonged, doing thankless work.

On the way to school and since arriving at school, her mood did not change. She just felt so bored by everything, found the world to be pointless, her ruse itself to be also pointless. Botan felt school, all of a sudden, did not matter. Nor did the faces staring back at her. Either she would leave soon enough or everyone would be dead, killed by whatever fucked up demon was pulling the strings. Botan just didn't care. When lunch rolled around, she was content to stay in the class and eat but decided to humor Kurama and go along with him to the greenhouse behind the school. She continued her sluggish, almost aimless pace, in no real hurry to go anywhere. Upon reaching the greenhouse, she sat down on a small white plastic chair and riffled through her bento but set it aside, deeming herself not hungry, not really deserving of food. What had she done to earn it?

"Hmm? Um...I slept fine. I'm fine." She gave a shrug, not bothering to sound convincing.

Her response had been quick and effortless and the rest of the break was spent in silence, despite Kurama attempting ton converse about the plants, the garden club, school gossip and even Yusuke and their other friends. There was a lack of interest on Botan's part and soon enough, it was time to go back to class. Botan got lost in the crowds and ended up late for their history lesson. The rest of the day was spent drifting into space and when it came time to clean, she did not contribute and instead waited outside while their classmates took care of everything. She and Kurama soon reunited for the walk back home, this time Kurama's attempts were littered with topics ranging from music to movies that had been released but once again, Botan was not taking the bait and gave Kurama more silence and shrugs.

When dinner rolled around, Botan was coaxed from her room and headed downstairs to see a meal of vegetable tempura and grilled salmon had been prepared. Shiori had been bought ice cream to make sundaes for dessert. Ordinarily, Botan would be delighted by everything but instead said nothing of the trouble the kind woman had gone to. "I hope everything tastes alright." Shiori lamented as they sat down to eat together. "How was school?" She asked the pair as she served them a bit of rice before allowing everyone to serve themselves whatever tempura and salmon they wished to have. Shiori took a drink of water and looked from her beautiful son to their bubbly guest who she had grown quite fond of in their short time together.

Botan only gave a shrug and picked at her rice, not yet getting anything else to eat.

"Have you heard from your parents?" Shiori wondered if their divorce was what was troubling Botan, or perhaps it was womanly troubles. She cast Shuichi a worried look and reached across the table to place her hand over Botan's. "If you need to talk, I'm here..."

Before she could even stop herself, she blurted out, "I don't need to talk." Her tone was snippy and it caused an undeniable tension to form around the table. "I just don't..." It was getting more and more difficult for Botan to sort through her own emotions. She was so angry and tired and filled with so much sorrow. Shiori didn't understand, it was all lies in the end anyway. Kurama was getting on her nerves as well. Botan felt ready to snap and she had no idea why. "How much do you really know about me anyway? And your son?" She let out a dry single laugh. "I mean what kind of woman takes in a stranger off the street? That's insane! I could kill you, he could kill you. I mean you don't know that Shuichi isn't even his real-" Botan's small tirade was cut shot by said redhead.

[SoleAccord]

It was clear as day to him that Botan was not, in fact, ‘fine’ as she described herself.

Kurama had made an honest effort in trying to make conversation as they ate lunch in the greenhouse. As they talked, it had become clear that her disinterest and low energy did not come from the environment she was in. Maybe, he thought, she had grown tired of trying to adjust to her role as a student, and the dishonesty was beginning to get to her. Mental exhaustion can weaken the body and render one very unwilling to act with their usual enthusiasm. That was what he wanted to believe at first. Everyone, even himself, had a slow morning and the occasional lack of interest throughout the day.

She was late for History, and even sat out when it came time to clean up and leave for the day, prompting him to try once again to get her back to her normal self. On the way home, he had tried newer topics, ones that directly appealed to having fun, but to no avail. Met with nothing more than silence and shrugs, he had been discouraged enough to stop bringing anything up, but not enough to get his mind off it.

This wasn’t the same Botan as yesterday, that much was clear, yet searching her body and energy brought him nothing. A lack of physical energy, the silence, the antisocial tendencies—they all related to something troubling. ‘Depression?’ Kurama wondered as he continued to home. Botan followed closely behind, but only because he was moving slower for her. ‘No, not truly that… she’s dealt with much worse than attending a day of classes. She’s too strong to be this way because of that. But if not that… then…’ His eyes widened as a new possibility began to cross his mind. ‘The presence from the previous night. It vanished as the imps did; both groups were independent in energy, and I hadn’t seen anything of it at the time. Nonetheless there was something else there, something far more menacing.’

He was used to his mind working overtime. As much as he wanted to call it just a possibility, Kurama was almost entirely certain that the artificial mood swing and depression, the ones that affected Anabe and Meiko prior to their suicides, was what Botan had come home with. He couldn’t feel it through her spirit energy, only see it by knowing her well enough to recognize the change. Confronting her about it now would do little for them both, and might even force her into outright denial of his claims. For the time being, Kurama would settle on observing her and making certain she did nothing outrageous or self-harmful.

The pair had returned home. Just before dinner, Kurama had already completed his share of schoolwork, and was unable to rouse Botan from the privacy of her room to join him in studying or looking over her answers. He had peeked inside the room to see her merely lying in bed, staring at the wall. ‘Good,’ he thought, ‘better than climbing out the window or finding something sharp.’

Shiori had finished dinner and that was enough to get Botan to leave her room to join them. Kurama looked over the results of his mother’s efforts. “It looks as good as it smells.” He complimented her before seating himself. He had taken to the offering of rice and eagerly moved to the tempura when asked about the day. “Nothing special, I’m afraid. I don’t want to bore you with the details.”

Normally, this was when Botan would pipe up and talk about school, reciting what she had learned and voicing her frustrations to Shiori. Tonight, nothing of the sort. A shrug, followed by more and more silence. Naturally his mother couldn’t ignore this strangeness any longer. When she asked Botan about the lie that was the state of Botan’s parent’s divorce, Kurama had stopped his eating and set his bowl down, turning to her with a creeping fear inching its way up his spine. This was the one time where he hoped she would merely shrug, offer little in response, and allow him to settle the conversation.

Regretfully, it had been different.

With an attitude that was less than subtle, Botan’s irritability coursed through her tone as she voiced her lack of interest in talking. Shiori was silenced, Kurama willingly joining her in it, and they let Botan continue, which would prove itself to be a mistake. She had come after Shiori’s good heart and trusting nature, stepping into the territory of how dangerous it was to take someone off the street no matter how desperate they were. She had even gone as far as to suggest that the two of them could kill her. But that wasn’t enough of a verbal lashing it seemed. Botan intended to go too far, and teetered dangerously close to speaking of things she had no right to.

His nearest hand shot towards her lips, fingertips pressing firmly against them in a move to silence her. Successful as he was, the speed at which he had done so, combined with the hard stare he was giving her without knowing it, had made the situation even more alarming to Shiori than it was before.

“Shuichi?” Shiori asked with concern.

‘That was too close. If I had been lax, she might have finished,’ Kurama thought while easing his stare. The pressure against Botan’s lips had remained, as did the involuntary rise of his spirit energy that permeated the room. Noticing Shiori shiver from the corner of his eye had told him that his aura grew too dangerous, and so he suppressed it. “Mother,” he began, looking toward her as he cleared his throat. “I want to apologize for not being honest with you. Botan’s situation with her parents hasn’t improved, and any hope she had of them reconciling has long since passed. She confessed to me earlier this morning, but didn’t want to bear you worrying about her any more than you were.” He returned his focus to Botan. “Please forgive her. She can’t apologize and truly mean it right now, but I assure you that this isn’t a side of Botan you would ever see unless her situation was truly desperate.”

Shiori’s eyes shimmered with concern as she looked upon Botan’s face. It hurt to know that she was in pain. It couldn’t be helped. “I-I see. Botan, I am truly sorry about what you’re going through. I wish there was more that I could do to see you through this awful time. And if it makes you happy, I’ll stop asking you anything you don’t wish me to. I only want to make sure you’ll be okay.”

Botan had removed all doubt of her affliction by the unknown assailant behind his school’s suicides. Shiori empathized with her regardless of her attitude, but that was just like his mother. He, on the other hand, was not so easily able to forgive someone who had disrespected her, much less nearly outed his secret. But this wasn’t Botan; Botan had not a single shred of true darkness and contempt in her heart, so he could not hold this against her. These feelings she felt now were fake, urged on by an unseen master, and the clock had begun to tick even faster to expose him and end whatever game he was playing.

“Yes,” Kurama muttered, easing the pressure on Botan’s lips and slowly letting his hand fall. “I feel the same way as my mother. I apologize for intruding in your personal space, but I wanted to keep you from saying something you would regret.”

[Genkai]

A slender finger pressed itself upon Botan's lips, effectively silencing her targeted babbling.

Her eyes leered at Shuichi as he seemed to apologize on her behalf. 'What does he know about anything?' She thought to herself with a slight inward smirk. 'Look at sweet little Shuichi protecting his mother from the truth. I suppose lies are the common currency exchanged between people on this planet. No one is ever truly honest with one another, much less themselves.' Botan thought to herself, feeling pleased with the mess she had created. It had been so easy. 'Serves him right for meddling in my affairs. Why won't he just leave me alone? It's not like I deserve such kindness. It's not real anyway.' Her pessimism was broken when she noted the tears struggling to stay entombed inside Shiori's eyes.

A knot coiled itself in Botan's chest as she felt a sudden gust of regret hit her directly in the heart. It knocked the wind out of the girl. The woman was kind, exceptionally kind. Even after Botan was so harsh, Shiori and Kurama didn't waver from their true feelings for Botan. It was...moving. "I..." Kurama's hand as removed from her mouth as he apologized for invading her personal space. "I'm sorry, really...I didn't mean..." She said softly, her timid voice trying to reach beyond the depression closing back in on her. It was as if a grey cloud was hovering over it, trying to descend and fully surround Botan with darkness, with a means of blocking the light that Shiori and Kurama both emitted.

Her jaw locked as she struggled to see through the darkness closing in on her. She felt her emotions slipping away from her. It felt like she was slowly suffocating. The light faded from Botan's eyes as she glanced off and got up from the table abruptly. "I'm tired now." She said flatly and left the room, moving up the stairs at a lazy pace. Botan headed back to her room and shut the door, staring off into space. Botan sighed deeply and undressed, kicking her clothes to the side as she got ready for bed and headed out to the bathroom next to her bedroom.

Once she was done brushing her teeth and washing her face, she skulked back to bed and shut the door before getting under the covers. She felt isolated, misunderstood. She also felt tired and knew a night's rest would do nothing to ease her anxiety and constant strain. Curling up, her back to the door, she closed her eyes and fell into the darkness eating her away, consuming her. When light filtered through the window, Botan stirred and finally got up, knowing if she didn't, Kurama would bother her until she did. She dressed for school but found herself moving at an even slower pace.

Something felt...off. The blue haired girl felt even more suffocated than usual. She felt less empty and more sad, trapped. Like she knew getting up and getting dressed didn't matter. She didn't matter. Nothing really mattered. Botan went down the stairs and moved into the kitchen, getting herself a cup of tea before she saw Kurama heading down the stairs in his pristine maroon uniform as usual, looking perfect and flawless as ever. Botan rolled her eyes, feeling stupid for staring. Shiori had left out bowls of fruit and oatmeal for them which Botan skipped and headed towards the door to slip into her shoes, not bothering to greet Kurama a good morning.

[SoleAccord]

What went unseen through the moist eyes of Shiori Minamino did not go unseen through Kurama’s own. An instantaneous appearance of the Botan he knew, the Botan that both his mother and himself cared deeply for, had shown itself before once again vanishing as quickly as it appeared. The pain that those words caused had struck Botan beneath all of the darkness she was submerged in, causing her to break free just long enough to express regret. She wasn’t entirely lost despite the invisible affliction she carried. There was still hope.

But now that she was compromised, what was the next move?

A frown took the place of the concern that previously marked his features, but he did nothing to stop Botan from walking off and heading to bed. Shiori did not protest it either. Instead she looked at him, eyes still damp from the emotional stress of Botan’s ongoing parental split. To have a heart of good and want to help but deep down know that you could offer very little in return was truly suffering. That was a state of mind that he shared with Shiori. Rather than let the pain of her affliction halt him, Kurama instead rose to his feet and moved beside his mother to offer her a hug she was eager to accept.

“It’s a difficult time for her. She’ll talk about it when she’s ready, I’m sure of it…” Kurama spoke optimistically, countering the somber tone that Botan left for the pair. He caressed her back to offer further comfort, yet there was no whimpering or moaning to be heard. Unexpectedly, she pulled away and looked upon her son with unwavering eyes.

“Shuichi,” Shiori began, “It isn’t what she said that hurts. It’s knowing that I can’t possibly know how she feels, and how to talk to her about it.”

“You can’t blame yourself for that. Neither of us could have known how strongly her situation would impact her.”

“She seemed fine just recently.”

“I thought the same. If I paid more attention, maybe this could have…” Kurama’s voice trailed. He thought back to the ambush after they had left Genkai’s home. The low-class demons that attacked, and the ominous presence he felt all around them… It was so close and intense, but the more he began to think about it, the harder it was to imagine that he missed anything at all. He wasn’t out of practice. His senses should still be strong enough to detect the energy of a demon making all of this occur. So then, why did he not feel out the change in Botan’s presence fully? Even after she revealed her affliction he could sense no change. Only her snapping served as a hint. Just what sort of demon was—

“Shuichi?”

Snapping back to reality, Kurama set his thoughts and feelings aside for now. Focus returned to Shiori. “Sorry, I was just thinking about how I could have been better prepared for a situation like this.”

“If I can’t be blamed, neither can you,” Shiori countered firmly, releasing her son and brushing away idle droplets beneath her eyes. “We can’t change how tonight went, or even her situation. What we can do, is not let her be alone.”

“I don’t intend to. I’ll be there for her, even if she hates me for it.” Kurama, now free to move once more, reached for Botan’s plate and his own. A loss of appetite was to be expected; he couldn’t eat with so much on his mind and wouldn’t try to. Not to mention his mother would need some time to herself as well. “I’ll clean up and get ready for bed. If you’re finished, I’ll take care of everything.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure, mother. Get some rest. I’ll check in on Botan before bed, so don’t worry.”

Ease wasn’t quite the word Kurama would call it, but Shiori appeared to find a little peace in his words and agreed to retire for the evening. Wishing her son goodnight, she stood up and headed to her room. Before she had even left his sight, the thoughts of this new revelation were pouring back to the forefront of his mind.

‘The ambush, as well as the presence I felt… it could only have been then. But why only Botan?’ Kurama thought, preserving Botan’s plate and finding containers for the untouched portions that remained just as mother left them. ‘Do they know who she really is? It would certainly make more sense than just her popularity. And after revealing my strength like that, they still managed to affect her so quickly, and in such a short amount of time. They’re no ordinary opponent.’

Dwelling on his failures would not aid him in finding success from this point forward. Once the last of the containers were filled, the counters wiped down, and the evidence of dinner erased from the dining table, Kurama ascended the stairs minutes after Shiori and approached Botan’s room with soft steps. Slowly, he grasped the knob and held his breath before he cracked it open and peered inside, finding the back of the reaper turned to him while her side rose and fell peacefully. He listened to her breathing for several moments to make certain that she was not pretending before shutting her door. Even with the reassurance that she was asleep, he paused in place and listened for another few moments more.

His paranoia was not rewarded. Botan’s breathing did not shift nor did any new sounds escape her room. Satisfied with this, he retired to his room for the night and proceeded to plan for tomorrow.

And tomorrow came quickly, with sleep not coming easy for him.

He rose an hour earlier than necessary, washing up and dressing for school later in the day. Helping mother prepare breakfast was considered, but he feared for Botan’s state of mind rather than her daily percentage of vitamins being consumed. So, he chose to wait, and was eventually rewarded with the faraway sound of her dressing and eventual departure from her room. Joining her after counting an entire minute in his head, he descended the stairs after her, bag in hand, and managed to catch her gaze on him.

Unlike yesterday, no speck of the Botan he knew was there. Regardless he smiled. “Good morning,” he said. “Did you sleep well?”

As expected, Botan did not reward his courtesy and chose to act as though there was not a rift between them now. She knew that he knew of her affliction, and that was enough for now. The scent of oatmeal and fruit bowls nearby were a welcome sight, but not welcome enough for Botan to even poke at them. He drew closer to the meal, noting how undisturbed both pairs looked. ‘She won’t eat? I’m not sure whether it’s because she lost her appetite or this is an attempt to spite mother for yesterday… then again, it doesn’t really matter.’

Kurama, too, walked past the meals to not leave Botan waiting for him, hoping his mother wouldn’t worry with both untouched. Leaving with her, the trek to school was slower, but because of her refusal to eat she had given them enough leeway to walk slower. He did not complain, and he did not attempt small talk. What he did do – the only thing he could do for her until he figured out a plan – was stay beside her no matter how long she chose to drag her feet. Eventually they had made it with minutes to spare.

The popularity of Botan did not waver regardless of how down she appeared to be. Staying close to her helped keep boys at bay, but the girls weren’t going to be deterred by the new girl. When they approached, Kurama quickly warned them that Botan was feeling quite sick, and that he, too, was beginning to feel ill. A poor lie, but they took it. After all, Shuichi Minamino was an exemplary student, a model representative of Meioh Private Academy. He had no reason to lie to them.

Focusing in class was not only difficult for Botan, but for him too. Whenever he could, his eyes traced to her before returning to the lecture at hand. This back and forth with monitoring her and getting work done had continued through Trigonometry and Chemistry, until finally it was time for lunch. He gathered his things and waited for Botan to gather her own, which took her until only another student and themselves were left in the room.

Finding her second wind, Botan’s pace in gathering her things and making for the door became a respectable pace rather than that of a tortoise. Figuring it was a result of skipping breakfast he thought nothing of it until an unnatural chill brushed against him from behind. It wasn’t lethal energy, nor was it one with threatening intentions. It was just there. A warning, unmistakably from a demon.

“Shuichi Minamino,” came the voice of the unremarkable student tucked in the corner of the room. Kurama stared hard outside the door, hand grasping tightly at the knob. “Or should I just refer to you as Kurama? Or maybe just Yoko?”

Kurama held his tongue and began closing the door, stopping a few inches short of shutting it entirely. His mind raced even as the rest of his body remained still. There were many questions without guarantee of an answer. “…The plague master, I presume?”

“Plague master?” The culprit chuckled. “I like that. Although I expected such a cute nickname from your friend, Koenma’s little helper.”

Kurama turned, coming face-to-face with him at last…

[Genkai]

No words tugged at her lips as she stared ahead of her, though the woman failed to really soak in her surroundings. She paid no mind to the people who she passed, to the birds perched up on various lamp posts and tree limbs. She paid no mind to the redhead beside her, only her body moving, her mind somewhere more distant, out of reach. The pace was slow almost painful for the blue haired reaper as she remained unaware of time around her, uncaring in regards to the task at hand, the mystery that needed to be solved that was also now erasing Botan's will to do anything, much less converse with classmates, Kurama or even Shiori. Though she was hungry, there was no point in her mind to eat, to nourish herself when she felt so unworthy, so lost, so far away from everything and everyone.

What was the point?

Upon arriving at school, she remained unfocused, disconnected to the stares that followed her and Kuram's movements. Botan didn't engage in any conversation, her eyes adverting away from faces as she folded her arms across her chest in a meek and protective manner. Class itself was boring and only caused her mind to further sink further into depths previously unknown to the usually cheerful reaper. 'I feel...nothing. Numb.' She thought to herself. Sighing deeply, there was a heaviness atop her chest. It seemed with each breath, Botan felt a struggle to refill her lungs with oxygen. 'I feel...alone, I can't help anyone. I can't save anyone. All I do is burden those around me...Kurama, Yusuke, Koenma, Hiei, Genkai, Yukina...they would be better without me.' She closed her eyes, tuning out whatever concept of Chemistry was being presented to her and the rest of the class.

Botan stayed quiet as the time continued to creep along. 'What am I doing here?' She wondered, barely able to remember the case at hand. Her memory was beginning to fail her, finding zero motivation in doing anything. 'I can't do this anymore. Life would move on without me, without me getting in the way. Anyone can ferry souls. Anyone can put on a smile. Anyone can replacement. I am...replaceable. I am unimportant.' As class began to wind down, she opened her eyes, slowly approaching a solemn conclusion. 'I don't belong here...there's no point in struggling...' She realized as she began to notice students packing up.

It was lunchtime.

No longer feeling Kurama's eyes upon her, she took the opportunity to act. Gathering her things, she headed out, choosing to ignore the nagging hunger inside her stomach, not going towards the cafeteria but instead heading towards the gym. Botan had a sad resolve in her eyes as she brushed past a few hormonal teenage boys who turned to watch her continue walking away. Botan made her way through the gymnasium and headed out to the pool in the back, on the side of the school's large grounds. She dropped her things, not caring where they handed as she moved over to the high diving board, climbing up the ladder with unwavering focus. A few students had just finished changing back into their maroon uniforms and gave the girl a quizzical glance before they continued off to get lunch.

Once at the top, she paused, as if suddenly feeling the light wind against her face. The woman surveyed the pool area, it was now vacant. She got up and steadied herself on the plastic white board that overlooked to pool from several feet in the air. Botan took four steps and stood near the edge of the diving board, her round eyes staring down at the pool beneath her. 'I just jump and wait for this all to be over.' She told herself. 'No more feeling lost and disappointing everyone. No more work or school. Everything will be over. Life will move on.' She didn't care about what her death would mean to those around her. Nor did she care about her job or the case she was supposed to be focused on.

As she emptied her mind, she felt almost a calmness overtake her. Botan jumped and within seconds she felt the cold water hit her, the waves crashing around her as the pool swallowed her up. The blue haired woman didn't bother to tread water and instead allowed her body to sink beneath the water's surface. Her eyelids fell as she felt her chest tighten, trying to find air. But upon finding none, she began to feel lightheaded. She had no more thoughts as she felt darkness surround her. Meanwhile the students who had seen Botan prior to her jumping in, had moved back into the main part of the school.

"Hey Shuichi, you better go get your girlfriend. She looked like she was going for a swim...?" One of the boys mentioned. Another boy nudged him, chiming in that they should grab lunch and go back to the pool to check it out, obviously not feeling quite polite enough to keep his comments about Shuichi's girlfriend to himself. As Botan sank towards the bottom of the pool, she accepted her fate, her mind unable to fully comprehend what was going on or what she had done, or even why she had done it. The one pulling her strings was in control and this seemed to be the only way to severe them and feel at peace.

[SoleAccord]

Kazuya Yamamura arrived promptly to Meioh each day, maintained focus during lessons, and was never shy about admitting struggles to his instructors. His uniform was always in pristine condition, and his brown bowl cut never had a single hair out of place. Deep brown eyes were kept behind rounded glasses with a slight dip in the left side of his frames, a noticeable contrast to how neatly he kept just about everything else regarding himself. Average build, average height, but a good heart and always willing to lend a helping hand during study hall should anyone need it.

It was difficult for Kurama to believe that he had been the one under control all this time, considering there was no hint other than the two he had just given him. Beyond calling him by the other identities he was known as, and by releasing blatant demon energy, Kazuya was just sitting there with a smile of contentedness. His things were gathered in the bag beside his chair, leaving him room to rest his elbows on the desk while his hands served as a rest for his chin. To those that could not recognize the change in energy, Kazuya was just his usual, happy self.

Their stares pierced each other for what felt like hours when only several seconds passed. Kazuya was the first between them to break the stare, letting a chuckle escape his lips while his eyes closed shut. “You must have questions.”

“A great deal many,” Kurama replied. “You must already know several that I want to ask you.”

“Why do you hesitate then?”

“Because the chances of getting the answers I want are miniscule at best. I could tell from the moment our eyes met that you’d enjoy my ignorance. Maybe more than the sick game you play with students here.”

A chuckle hummed in Kazuya’s throat. “I have better ways to entertain myself than toying with adolescent humans. I have you. That’s all this has been about. Well, the “real” you.” Placing both his hands on the desk, Kazuya slowly stood up and fell into a relaxed stance; hands in pockets, shoulders slouched, and eyes half-shut. “You’re tense. Not just your body, but your spirit energy… it’s starting to perk up a little. You aren’t sure if you want to attack me. That’s it, right?”

Try as Kurama might to deny him the pleasure of understanding this, he could do nothing to suppress his guard from the senses of a worthy opponent. The last time he felt such tension had been against his final opponent, Karasu, in the Dark Tournament. This orchestrator of the tragedies in Meioh knew much more than he should have just by spying on him at school. ‘He's been watching me for a long time. I haven’t been prepared for case work from Koenma, but regardless… how can I only feel him now, when he wants to be spotted?’

“You’ve been watching us – watching me. Why is that?” Kurama muttered curiously. “This isn’t a chance encounter. Even knowing who I am, you still insist on standing there so composed. You aren’t afraid of me.”

“I’m not afraid of many things,” Kazuya replied, reaching down for his bag and stepping away towards the row of windows beside him. Turning his back towards Kurama would have been risky for the average person. He felt no such fear. “Least of all you, Shuichi Minamino. You’re no one; the straight-A student, the lust for girls, the envy of boys, and an all-around bore. Should I fear someone who has no hope of touching me?”

Biting back a retort, Kurama stared hard at the back of the enemy and analyzed his words. A fearless gesture with a strong response. Who controlled Kazuya now was not someone easily frightened. “I suppose not,” he started quietly. “But you still chose to make your presence known, still chose to target this ‘bore’.”

“Shuichi, you’ve got it all wrong.” Kazuna shook his head. “You? You’re not special on your own. What makes you special is the person inhabiting you.”

Yoko Kurama. His ‘true’ self beneath the flesh. More questions were lined up—again, with little possibility of helpful answers.

“This body may be Shuichi Minamino, but the person you’re speaking to is the very Yoko Kurama you’re after.”

“That’s a poor lie.”

“I am not telling any lies. You’re speaking to the one you seek to confront.”

“Then show me.” Kazuna turned around, his eyes now wider and more watchful than before. His posture straightened, however his free hand did not leave its pocket. “Free yourself of this pitiful shell. Show me the true you.”

“I can’t do that.”

His face tensed with subtle frustration. “Don’t try to toy with me. Draw on the energy necessary to bring forth your true body, your true feelings. You did so during the tournament. Do so again.”

“With the help of an item, an item I received from another. An item I have no more of. Whatever confrontation you hope to have isn’t going to come by hurting the innocent at this school. This is me whether you want it to be or not.”

The energy in the room shifted to something darker and far more menacing. Kurama noted the lines across Kazuya’s face and could tell that he, like himself, was considering his options with the knowledge he had received. Dissatisfaction. Anger perhaps. What Kurama anticipated was another fruitless demand, yet Kazuya’s possessor saw the same uselessness in it as he did. It did him no good to lie about his lack of change. Try as he might to transform of his own accord, his efforts never bore results. Bonding with Shuichi for so long had made such power difficult to draw on without there already being plentiful amounts of demon energy surrounding him, more than this one seemed to be able to muster on his own.

As quickly as it had come, the energy within the room had died down, little by little, until only a small aura remained around Kazuya himself. “That’s… disappointing, Yoko. Very disappointing.” Kazuna spoke through gritted teeth and a darkened visage. “You’ve become soft in this world. Tell me, do you ever plan to return to your former glory? Or is the daily chore of human education and boot licking more appealing to you now?”

Nothing of Kurama’s shifted at his taunts, which only irritated Kazuna further.

“Stoic as always.” Kazuya scoffed. The hard lines on his face retreated, leaving him relaxed and visibly unburdened by frustration. “I thought that you would have some concern over the fate of you dead fellows. I overestimated your desire to protect these people. But surely you realize that you are incapable of dealing with someone like me in your current form.”

“I manage,” Kurama replied simply. “What I can’t understand is why you chose not to do this in the first place. You took the lives of innocent people, even moved against Botan knowing what she really is. You’re confident enough to turn your back on me, yet you don’t seek to face me yourself. Instead, all you’ve done is try to get underneath my skin and belittle a life I’ve come to appreciate. Without this appearance, I would still be hunting you down… perhaps not ever finding you. You wouldn’t have revealed yourself without a purpose.”

Kazuya smirked, satisfied with Kurama’s summary. “You honor me by admitting your ignorance, but I suspect that without your pitiful human qualities you would have the instinct to understand the situation fully by now.” He stepped towards Kurama, noted his stance did not change, and continued towards him until he was an arm’s length away. The intensity in Kurama’s eyes was enough to send chills down this borrowed body’s spine, but Kazuya savored seeing the brilliant mind of a worthy foe at work through the light of their eyes. “You need a push, Yoko. Free yourself from this mundane existence. You’re a demon—a legend—and you choose to stay here and play human. I’m only showing you what living as you are is going to mean until then. Suppressing yourself is no longer going to be an option.”

There was so much he could take from the words spoken to him. Kurama knew that spirit energy would not be enough to win this confrontation. He lacked the vast knowledge of Genkai to draw out a hostile spirit from another body. Even worse, a part of him was becoming angered. To be respected and at the exact same time insulted for his decisions and his position in the body of a human, all for a mother who he loved deeply. He could not fight this, nor could he bother asking another question.

“A push.” Kurama repeated. “You’re after— “

His expressionless demeanor shattered like broken glass against the ground. Everything, from the first exposure of his demon energy, to his taunts, to his tidbits of information, led him to the answer of why he had chosen to reveal himself: Distraction.

“She’s running out of air,” Kazuya said in a hushed, harsh whisper. A dark grin took form. “Better move fast, human.”

Kurama spun around and pushed the door aside, nearly snapping it from its hinges in his haste and almost colliding with two classmates. Over the sound of the wind passing his ears he had heard two key words; girlfriend, and swim. It wasn’t difficult to put together Kazuya’s hint before, but the two had confirmed the theory of where Botan had fled to. Jumping from the roof or any balcony was too high-profile, and cutting her wrist was too quick. Drowning Botan was the push.

He accelerated down the staircase and made no attempt to silence his harsh footsteps pushing against the ground with as much strength as his body would allow, rushing down the staircases and forcing his way through doors leading to the school pool. Upon entering, his eyes spotted the still body of Botan within. The weak, barely visible ripples in the pool added another layer of dread in his already aching heart.

He dove into the water with a crash and swam furiously through the cold water. He reached her in seconds, collecting her body with an arm coming under her knees and another beneath her arms and around her back. Touching down on the floor of the pool, he collected a plentiful amount of spirit energy to his foot and, with a powerful stomp, kicked off the ground and flew towards the surface, emerging several feet above the water and soaring towards the ground beneath empty bleachers.

He set her down with great care without sacrificing his speed, drawing two fingers to her neck to check for a pulse. It was a weak one, but present. She wasn’t gone yet. “Hang on!” Kurama cried in distress. If Botan could have somehow heard him, he hoped deeply that she was fighting until the very end to stay alive. He tilted her head first to the left, then the right, letting any water stuck in her airways seep out of her nose and mouth. He then tilted her head back and pinched her nose, inhaled deeply, and then placed his mouth over her own. Blowing hard, all strength he could gather in his lungs was thrust into her.

‘One… two… three…four…’ Kurama counted each breath pushed into her body. ‘Please, let this work!’

[Genkai]

Her mind began to slow as her soul rattled against her chest. 'I finally feel free.' Her mind was failing to register the fact that she was in a dire situation. A weightlessness was oddly comforting as she finally felt the strain of her mind weakening. Even behind her closed lids, there were faint images of her human life and how that had ended, which had triggered her new lift as a spiritual being who ferried souls. One had to wonder how a spirit could die and cease to exist. Her human body was almost like a prison, keeping her trapped inside a sinking tomb. Thankfully the aching in her lung was eventually dulled due to her brain trying to prevent the woman from feeling the burning pain of suffocating underwater.

Among the flashes of life in her dark mind, she saw an image of Kurama and his mother, as well as the others she had encountered over the past year. Yusuke had changed her life, as well as its entire course. No longer was she floating above the clouds, helping those who had just died, but now she was remembering what it was like to truly live, to connect with humans. Botan felt an immense sadness ripple through her body. She felt nothing, no pain. Only empty freedom and yet she yearned for something more. A quiet calm settled over her as the faded images ceased to keep her company as her heart stopped struggling to pump blood into a body devoid of oxygen, devoid of hope and finally life.

Botan, upon reaching the surface, recovered with a brief heartbeat but her body was without a brain to properly steer it towards recovery. Without any assistance, she would surely return to the Spirit World within mere minutes. After a minute of Kurama's attempts, her brain and her heart-rate began to function on their own. With a sudden cough, her body jolted from its chilly slumber. Immediately met with the cool breeze and her wet body, she began to panic. 'What happened? Where am I?' She wondered frantically. Her body ached, a deep ache that kept threatening to penetrate and tear open her lungs and heart. Her eyes darted around, unable to put together the last several minutes.

It was as if she had been asleep, in some trance.

Another few coughs pushed out the remaining water in her lungs as she pushed herself onto her side for a moment, feeling the harsh concrete scrap against her shivering legs. She groaned and fell back on her back, gasping as she looked up to see Kurama by her side looking incredibly worried but also relieved. "O-oh. You saved-" She weakly raised a hand to hold onto Kurama's arm but she suddenly froze. Botan closed her eyes as another way of despair suddenly hit her again. 'You couldn't even kill yourself properly. You fail at everything you attempt.' She told herself, full of bitterness and bite.

'You continue to remain a burden to those closest to you. You keep needing to be saved. You are truly pathetic.' The voice in her head continued to mock. Whimpering, she squirmed slightly. For a moment in the pool she had been rid of that nagging doubt, that insistent voice that dragged her sanity into the abyss. Her jaw tightened as she tried to remember the people who had ran across her mind. 'Genkai, Koenma, Yusuke, Kurama, Yukina. They don't think of me as a burden...' She tried to tell herself, trying to fight against the negativity invading her mind once more.