Kurama's Keeper

64: I Want To Be Your Disciple

The surgery was successful. Marie woke up a day after it was over. It had been a few weeks then.

Marie : can I see my baby ?

Arina : you can't. But I promise you, he's fine and steadily growing.

Marie : it's a boy ?

Arina ; um.

Marie : why can't I see him ?

Arina: because what I'm doing is already against what's supposed to happen. So I can't let you see him.

Marie: I won't tell anyone.

Kurama : Marie. Arina won't lie to you. Just listen to her, ok ?

Marie : how long, how long then can I see him ?

Kurama : 8 more months. Like a normal pregnancy.

Marie : I really really can't see him ?

Arina : gomen. If you want him alive, you can't.
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Yukina: Arina.

Arina : oh yukina. Looks like your baby is doing great. Ready to pop out anytime.

Yukina: Marie... Can't she...

Arina: yukina. It's not that I don't want to.

Kurama walks in " don't make it difficult for her. She's already getting herself in trouble just by saving Marie because you wanted her to. By saving the baby, she had to use non human methods. But since the baby will not remember or know growing up, we won't have to worry. We can't let humans know about the non human methods she uses to save Marie or the baby. "

Yukina : I understand... It will bring trouble.

Kurama: the baby will be fine . Don't you trust Arina ?

Yukina : of course I do. That's why I came here.

" Then rest. You'll need it. " And Arina leaves the room.

Yukina : I made her upset didn't I ?

Kurama: she's worried that Marie will find out what she did to her baby and stop her. But she does want to save the baby. You made her feel like she's a monster.

Yukina : gomen...

Kurama : it's ok . I'll go talk to her.
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Marie : Arina.

Arina : huh ?

Marie : could I become your disciple ? Learn from you.

Arina : learn from me ?

Marie : you have skills unrivaled to any doctor I know. I want to learn that. You can know what sickness people have from one glance. I want to learn that.

Arina : the glance thing, impossible for the rest of your life.

Because it's not an ability humans can gain. I did surgery on myself to gain this pair of eyes from another yokai who can see through one's body.

Arina: are you just bored ?  I told you to go back home or work while waiting for your baby to be ready and born. I even gave you x-ray films to show you his current stage.

Marie : I know. It's just, I want to be a doctor like you.

Arina: you don't want to be like me. I do whatever the hell I like. You don't like me.

Marie kept quiet.

Arina : I can tell. You think I'm not fit to be called a doctor because I don't heal everyone who comes to my door. Shuichi does it for me. But you can't deny my skills.

Marie : that's right. That's why, I want your skills. I want to cure cancer to those you reject at your door.

Arina laughed " you're not the first to ask that of me. Go home. "

Marie: I'll even go into contract, like the one I signed.

Arina was annoyed and she sighed " come with me. " Marie follows her to the front where the counter is.

Arina : do you know where the cancer books are ? The one we wrote about how to deal with cancer.

Kurama: I kept it locked up. Can't have someone stealing our secrets. It's profitable to healing humans of cancer. Can't have them just taking it.

Arina : where ?

" Why ? " He takes the key from the drawer and goes to another sliding cabinet below and unlocks it. He takes 5 thick books out.

" Take it. Photocopy it. Return it . " She turns to leave " ah ! " She turns back around " no sharing it !! It's ours !! We spent days making that. " And she left.

Marie : these... Cure cancer ?

Kurama ; heal, rather then cure. Since they can come back even if by doing the treatments clears them. And these only work on stage 1 and stage 2 where there's enough time to heal using medicine before the patient dies.

Marie : medicine? What kind ?

Kurama : herbs. We both worked really hard. My mother used to have cancer. So I told Arina, it would be good if we found a way to help others.

Marie: I see. Is it really ok ? For me to take these ?

Kurama : go ahead. Just please return it.

Marie : I see. Arigatou. Shuichi-san. You're so kind. I think she doesn't deserve you.

Kurama : why do you think she's not kind ?

Marie ; I mean, you're the one healing everyone who comes to the door. She just does only whatever she's interested in.

Kurama: she is the one saving your baby. Is she not ?

Marie: her skills are good. That, I cannot deny. That's why I want to learn her skills from her. Be a better doctor than she ever is.

Kurama : I see. And she rejected you. Maybe I can go and talk to her about it.

Marie: you will ?

Kurama : sure. Why not ?