Living beyond life (Kurama x OC)

Part 3

"Hey." May calls, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder before her making him jump.

"Oh, it's just you. You almost scared me to death! What's the deal?" Yusuke grumbles annoyed.

May smirks, amused. "It's a gift. Anyway, Botan got tired of chaperoning you?" she asks, ignoring his attitude.

"Said she has stuff to do. What are you doing here? Came to replace her? I don't need a babysitter you know." he states making May purse her lips in attempt to hold her tongue.

"I was nearby and saw you wandering around rather aimlessly. Just came to warn you." she explains, making Yusuke furrow his brow. "Warn me? For what?" he wonders concerned.

"That." she points out through the darkness. Yusuke has to strain his eyes to see anything and it is not until something moves that he swiftly turns his head to May.

"What the hell is that!?" he wonders in shock at the grotesque figure floating through the residential streets. It has no eyes to look at, only a gaping maw with saw like teeth and a body that looks to have been swallowed by darkness, it is hardly to make out within the unlit street.

"You didn't think you would be the only spirit wondering about do you?" she asks making him look surprised.

"You're telling me that's a spirit?! You're kidding right?"

May shakes her head, not taking her eyes away from said spirit. "There are some who manage to evade us and as time passes, well you can see, they don't end up well." she tells him seriously.

"Do they...always start to look like that?" he asks, looking grossed out as he stares at it. May nods in reply.

"It takes serious time to become like that and one has to be really unable to let go of whatever that is making one want to stay here. At one point you will start to change until you can't even remember what it is you are here for. Then, you are just a ghoul. The only purpose you'll have is to hunt down weaker spirits and consume them. You had better be careful and stay away." she warns him.

"Noted." he mutters, looking to be shivering.

He turns to her suddenly. "You were right by the way." he starts, fishing a large golden egg out of his jacket, showing it to her. It looks like one depicted from an old fairytale; Jack and the beanstalk. Just not as big.

"I see. He did give this trial to you." she muses, reaching out and letting her hand hover over it, trying to read its energy. "Mh." she hums to herself.

"What?" he urges, wanting to know what she seems to be reading from it.

She turns her eyes to him. "It's too early to say. It could go either way." she explains calmly, making him stare hard at the egg. "Take good care of it." she advices.

"Right." he mutters, putting it back. "Feels like a school assignment, you know, when they try to judge your parenting skills by making you carry around an egg all week without it breaking.... No?" he questions, seeing her blank look. "What did you do in your childhood?" he questions.

She grimaces at the question. "You don't want to know."

He glances around, looking awkward for all intend and purpose. He's not a social bird and he can tell that May isn't much of one either, though she seems to speak with purpose and with confidence. She must be a smart person... reaper... thing, he concludes. Much more fitted for her job than the bright and cheery Botan. How she ever became a reaper, he'll never understand. How does anyone become one? He's about to ask when a beeping noise interrupts him.

May rises to her feet with a sigh. "Work." she mutters in explanation, turning around to leave.

"You don't look very excited about your job." Yusuke comments, seeing her slumped shoulders. She straightens them automatically after being called out.

"There is nothing exciting about death." she states before disappearing in the shadows.

A day has passes before May finds herself on the rooftop of the hospital again, facing a redhead who she's slowly getting more familiar with.

"Why did you call me here?" he asks, getting straight to the point. He had been surprised when she did.

She crosses her arms, looking at him dully. "The Forlorn hope." she states dryly. Kurama's eyes widen for a moment in interest. He knows of it.

"It's in Spirit world's vault. I trust you know how to figure out a way in, though that might not be the most difficult part. Getting out will be." she tells him.

"I will need help." he says, to which she shrugs.

"What you do beyond this point doesn't have anything to do with me. If you do get caught, you'd better not drop my name." she warns.

He nods in understanding before pausing, looking back in those cold blue eyes. "Thank you." he finally states.

She scoffs. "Don't thank me yet. If this works out, I'll be here to collect your soul instead of your mother's." she reminds him.

"I understand." he nods solemnly.

"Why are you helping me again?" he questions as she steps past him, ready to go back to her duties.

She glances back at him, in thought. "Hell if I know." she answers after a moment. "What?" she asks, seeing him shake his head in disbelief, a tiny smile on his lips.

He holds up a hand in defense. "I'm sorry, but I'm not actually used to someone lending a helping hand without wanting something in return." he admits, sounding a little skeptic still. "Plus, I don't even know your name." he adds as an afterthought.

She rolls her eyes. "You clearly have been hanging out with the wrong crowd."

He chuckles ruefully at that. "Clearly." he states.

She throws him a final look before making her way down. "It's May by the way." she throws over her shoulder before leaving him on his own.

He nods to himself. "Thank you May."

......

"May-senpai~, I'm so happy Yusuke passed the trial. Now he's back to life." Botan tells her with a sigh. It has been a few days since she saw the boy.

May blinks at her. "Then why are you pouting?" she questions, not understanding what her problem is if everything worked out so well.

"Well, Koenma sorta... Well, he..." she stammers.

"Spit it out Botan!" May tells her, losing her patience.

"Eep!" she squeaks. "Well, Koenma decided to make Yusuke a Spirit detective and already send him on a mission before he could even have any training." she rushes.

May scoffs. "That idiot." she says, referring to her boss. "What does he have to do?" she wonders. Maybe it won't be so bad?

"Yesterday, the Spirit world vault was broken into. Three items were stolen by three demons. Yusuke is to capture them and bring back the items." Botan explains nervously, chewing on her lip.

She is too distracted to notice the look on May's face, which she masks quickly. She curses herself inside. This is her fault. Why did she have to tell Kurama about the Forlorn hope?

"Anyway, Koenma told me to help Yusuke along, but the first one we're after, Gouki, stole the Orb of Baast. He's been stealing the spirits of young children and...eating them." Botan shivers, making May's guilt increase. "I was hoping you have some advice." Botan tells her, looking slightly fearful.

May sighs after a moment. She knows she has to fix the mess she caused. "Where is this demon now?" she asks.

Botan shrugs. "We don't know yet. We lost sight of him after our first encounter."

May nods, relenting. "When you find him, call me. I will help you." she tells the other reaper.

Botan jumps at her excitedly. "Oh thank you, thank you~. You're the greatest May-senpai!" she cheers, hugging her tightly.

"Right." May breathes. If only Botan knew...