I was searching through the stories on here and saw that there are hardly any Shiori stories. Granted she's a side character but she plays a big part in my opinion just because of the fact she shaped Kurama to be the kitsune we all know and love. So I'm going to try my hand at this and see where it takes me. Enjoy.

I knew from the moment my son was born he was different. It was his eyes. As he opened them for the first time I saw behind them immeasurable age. At first it was unsettling the way he watched my every move so carefully as I changed him or fed him. It seemed as if he was aware of his surroundings completely which is nearly impossible for a small baby. By the end of Shuichi's first year he had already begun to talk and walk with little assistance needed from anyone. His demeanor seemed distant as if he were always thinking, hardly ever asking me for help unless he wanted something that was out of reach which eventually ceased to a halt as he grew older and was able to become completely independent. Shuichi's father, my beloved husband passed away when Shuichi was just four years old leaving me in a condition of distress and shock. I remember when I told Shuichi tearfully he simply looked at me dare I say sympathetically and had shrugged it off. I watched almost horrified as he had simply sauntered out of the room just as quietly as he had come in. It was at that point I began to fear that something was horribly wrong with my child. Granted Shuichi wasn't the type to break down. Even when he was a baby he rarely ever cried unless he needed something or I tried to hold him but this was his father and he had just shrugged it off as if it were nothing. Shortly after the funeral I took Shuichi to the doctor where I was informed they thought he may have some form of autism. For the second time in just under two weeks my perfect world shattered leaving me asking myself what next? Shuichi's first two years of elementary school were at Otaka School or as other people referred to it, the retard academy. Shuichi hated me for it. I could see it in his eyes. I close my eyes and still can recall in perfect detail the day we came to a head about it.

"Shuichi what is wrong?" I asked him across the dinner table.

"Nothing." He said flatly looking severely depressed.

"You can tell me anything. Anything at all." I had said. Shuichi had glanced up from his meal to glare at me that sent chills down my spine.

"Anything? Then fine. We'll talk about anything. Here's something for you lets see if you can understand. I refuse to return to that facility which you call a school. I do not belong there with those morons who drool on themselves." He said coldly painstakingly pronounciating his words for emphasis. My mouth dropped not only at his demeanor but at his word usage, he was six! He sighed annoyed and walked away going to his room to do god-knows-what. I sat there in shock staring at his seat. My eyes filled with tears and spilled down not knowing what to do. The next day I with drew Shuichi from Otaka against their urgings not too and got the paperwork for Shuichi to enter regular school. Shuichi took the entry exam that was required to place him and he passed so much so he jumped two grades ahead! My son whom I had believed was autistic for the past two years was near seven and in the fourth grade! Over the next few years we merely co-existed with each other barely conversing unless we had too. It wasn't until an awful accident did Shuichi really show any sort of emotion towards me other than detached coldness. It happened the spring that he was ten. He walked in the house and stated he needed a jar for art class. I told him not to worry I would get in for him but before I knew it he was up on a chair reaching for it. I shrugged it off and went about my business when I heard class shatter and Shuichi let out a yell. I turned just in time to see him falling towards the jagged pieces, if he fell he would be killed. In an instant I threw myself in his way feeling the shards cut deep and even deeper when Shuichi feel on top of me. Shuichi had quickly straightened himself and knelt beside me with a look of complete shock on his face.

"Kasaan are you alright." He had whispered choking up. I felt myself becoming weak from blood loss but grateful all the same he seemed unharmed.

"I'll be fine. Are you alright Shuichi." My surroundings became hazy. I was vaguely aware that Shuichi was tightly binding my arms with the kitchen towels I kept in the drawers never breaking my gaze.

"Yes I'm fine. You shouldn't have done that." He said glancing as he leaned me back against the counter cabinet and elevated my arms. How did he know so much about first aid? I must have blacked out because next I knew I was in a hospital room with my arms in heavy white gauze bandages. Shuichi sat by my side stroking my hand looking deeply concerned. After that his attitude changed somewhat. It seemed as if he became more tolerant with me and less distant. We began spending more time together especially in the garden. Shuichi loved that garden and still does for that matter. He can spend hours tending to it or just simply sitting on the garden bench in quite contemplation, always with a smile on his face. I never saw Shuichi truly smile unless he was in his garden, well before he became friends with the Kuwabara siblings but I'm getting ahead of myself. For four years Shuichi and I lived happily together getting closer and finally bonding the way a mother and child were meant too. When Shuichi was fourteen was when I began getting terrible headaches. At first the doctors dismissed it then gradually upon my son's persistence decided to do an MRI. The results that came back were devastating. A malignant brain tumor so deeply imbedded it could not be removed or treated. To say that Shuichi was distraught would be an understatement, he was in complete shock and kept muttering apologies under his breath. He spent long hours and endless nights by my side and quickly abandoned the few friends he had which is why I was grateful when I met little Kuwabara Kesaki or Keaka as every one else calls her. I wasn't quite in my right mind that night so the details are hazy but I do remember Shuichi entering the room with her and introducing her to me. Though I didn't say it I was wondering why Shuichi was with such a small child, a mistake many people make when they meet her from what Shuichi has said. Kesaki is about the size of a seven year old, I almost went into shock when she told me she was twelve. She simply smiled happily and brushed it off as if it were nothing. That night that I met her I made a full recovery and was back home with in a day much to every ones astonishment as well as my own. Shuichi fussed over me as was his way making me want to tell him to go and be a normal teenager for a change but I bit my tongue happy that my son finally cared for me. The day I met Kazuma and Yusuke was interesting to say the least. It was maybe two months after I had met Kesaki, Shuichi and I were leaving the grocery store to hear yelling in the parking lot. I immediately recognized the small voice as Kesaki's along with two boys. I glanced over at them to see what I would later learn was their first annual shopping cart derby. To the side of the lot is a grassy embankment that they were cruising down in the carts. Shuichi stopped to watch them turning red as if embarrassed and slowly shook his head as if in disbelief. I stood next to him watching them make fools of themselves as teenagers have a way of doing. Kesaki climbed inside of her designated shopping cart swearing up a storm at Kazuma. Surely this wasn't the same sweet natured girl that Shuichi tutored after school. Sure enough just as I convinced myself if couldn't be she grabbed a cigarette from Yusuke and lit up.

"Keaka Kuwabara!" Shuichi suddenly yelled making me jump. Kesaki looked around frantically throwing the cigarette back at Yusuke who yelled at her in a colorful mannerism. She shaded her eyes and then spotted us. She quickly lowered her head embarrassed and jumped out of the cart letting it roll down the hill.

"HEY! That thing damn near killed me! Uh, what's wrong sis?" Kazuma said bounding up the embankment. How such a cute girl like Kesaki have such an ugly brother is beyond me. Kesaki looked up at him and muttered something quietly before sucking in her breath and walking over to us. Yusuke and Kazuma followed close behind.

"Hello Shiori, hey Shuichi. How's it going?" She asked friendly. Shuichi stood with his arms crossed and looked down at the small girl obviously none too happy with her.

"What are you doing here? What are any of you doing here? School is still in session." He said. Yusuke and Kazuma snickered beside her nudging her gently.

"Ha ha. Busted!" Yusuke said.

"Your are too dumb ass!" Kesaki quickly retorted then blushed remembering I was there.

"Sorry." She apologized softly.

"Um, Shuichi aren't you going to introduce me to your uh, friends?" I asked trying not sound too judgemental. Truth be told I could tell that these kids were all out delinquents. The kind of kids who skipped school, smoke, swore and who knows what else. Hanging around with my Shuichi.

"Oh yes of course mother. This is Keaka's older brother Kuwabara Kazuma and the other is Urameshi Yusuke." Kazuma bowed slightly where as Yusuke merely nodded a little.

"Why are the three of you not in school?" Shuichi asked again not as angry as before.

"It was too nice to spend it sleeping in school." Yusuke said. Shuichi sighed slowly shaking his head.

"Where are the three of you headed now?" I asked politely. The three of them shrugged saying no where in particular. Although I felt I would regret it I invited them over for dinner being that they were seemingly Shuichi's friends. Kesaki and I chatted happily in the kitchen cooking while the boys lounged in the family room.

"You should call your parents and let them know where you are. Yusuke too." I said grabbing some plates out of the cabinet.

"Oh don't worry about us. We don't need to check in." She said somewhat heavily.

"It doesn't matter if they say it's alright not too, you should anyways." I said.

"Well our mother is gone and our sister works late." She said chopping vegetables with her back turned to me.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I said.

"No don't be. She's not dead she just left us. Oh and uh, don't worry about Yusuke's mom either. Half the time she doesn't even remember his name." She said trying to sound carefree. I could hear the pain ground into each word.

"Oh." Was all I could manage as I slowly set the table wondering how any mother could leave their children and what was wrong with Yusuke's mother that she didn't remember her own son's name? Drugs more than likely. I watched these three children as they sat at my table and chatted happily amongst themselves including me in the conversation as well. They were not bad kids simply had the odds stacked against them. Shuichi was fortunate to have so much and that was when I realized what a truly wonderful person my son was. He never really did like any of his fellow classmates saying they were too shallow for his liking. I smiled to myself as I glanced at him as he joked with Kesaki whom was sitting next to him. Over the next months Kesaki, Kazuma and Yusuke were frequent visitors in my home so much so that they came and went as they pleased which did not bother me in the slightest. They brought out a side in Shuichi, especially Kesaki whom Shuichi seemingly adored, that I didn't think existed in him. He began acting like a regular teenager. He would come home from school asking if he could go to the movies or for a walk with one of his friends. At first I was all too pleased however things began to change. I would get phone calls from him with obscure details of his where abouts leaving me feeling panicky and just plain scared for his well being. Enter Hiei. Hiei showed up one day tagging along side Kesaki looking none too happy in his drab black clothes and grimace. From the looks of the two they had known each other a while and perhaps even had something between them which I was, in a way, afraid of Shuichi finding out if he already didn't know. Shuichi had confessed to me that even though Kesaki was three years younger than he was he had grown very fond of her and found himself even falling in love with her. I had told him to tell her. As I watched Hiei and Kesaki it became apparent he hadn't. She kept trying to hold his hand and he would except when he would see me glancing their way where upon he would jerk it away. A heavy sigh from Kesaki would escape her lips followed by a staring contest between the two of them as if they were conveying everything with their eyes. The night that I found out defiantly about them hurt deeply. I saw from the kitchen window into the garden. Shuichi was standing in the shadows of the porch where Kesaki and Hiei couldn't see him. Hiei took Kesaki in his arms and began to passionately kiss her. She hungrily returned it positioning herself to sit in his lap. Shuichi quickly stormed in the house.

"Shuichi sweetie." I tried to soothe.

"Not now mother. Please not now." He said his eyes glistening with un spilled tears. What could I say? What could I do? My son who had rarely ever shown any emotion until just a few short years before was broken hearted. Over the next few months I rarely saw Kesaki or Hiei. Shuichi niether for that matter. He would come home in a hurry explaining breathlessly that he had been invited with some friends from his class or was going away on a school trip. I always smiled sweetly feeling my heart twist in knots knowing well that Shuichi didn't really have friends from school and Meiou High never had a field trip. In a rush he would gather his clothes and dissapear for weeks on end leaving me wondering and fearing the worst. Kesaki began coming around again and explained that Hiei had moved away. I began questioning her about Shuichi's where-abouts and she would get the oddest look on her face then smile and say somehing along the lines of,

"Oh you know Shu-chan busy, busy, busy!" or "I really don't know Shiori I mean you have no clue where he is?"

She knew. I could tell in her eyes. They almost looked guilty as if she felt bad that she was lying to me but was protecting Shuichi. Protecting Shuichi from what? Little did I know I was about to find out.