InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ A New Dream, A New Destiny ❯ Chapter 5

A New Dream, A New Destiny

 

Disclaimer: YYH belongs to Yoshihiro Tagashi; IY belongs to Rumiko Takahashi; I'm neither, pity me!

 

A Quick Note: This chapter is unbeta'd!!! *shock* so… if I screwed something up and missed it on my own read through, please blame Houseki and her insane work schedule and lack of computer time. (Unless you would rather wait the possible month it would take for her to get to reading it?? Eh? Eh? Didn't think so…) Thank you =^_^=

 

A Quick Warning: This chapter contains slight traces of shoujo-ai/yuri (girl-girl love/sex). I do not believe it is really enough to warrant anyone being squeamish from it (if you would get squeamish… if so I feel sorry for you…). Just bein' cautious, so you guys that absolutely don't read that sort of thing don't get all mad at me like I tricked you into reading it or something… it's really not “bad”, and would warrant a PG-13 rating at most, so I hope you all still read it…

 

Chapter Five:

 

~*Last Time*~

 

She struggled to loosen his grasp, though he wasn't hurting her; merely restricting her. “You want to know what I mean? I heard what you said to whoever was eavesdropping on the roof. You know what you're really supposed to do with me? What are you supposed to do with me, Kurama? Tell me the truth!”

 

*~~~~~*~~~~~*

 

At her exclamation, Kurama released her and laughed in relief. Frowning at his reaction, Kagome forgot about escaping and merely crossed her arms and stood there waiting for his reply.

 

“Is that all?” the redhead asked with a light laugh.

 

“What do you mean `is that all'? Isn't that enough? You lied to me, Kurama!”

 

Kurama shook his head and answered calmly, “I did no such thing, Kagome. I told you right from the start that I'd been assigned to find you for Reikai. Because of your strong reiki, Koenma believes you would be a valuable addition to our team of tantei.”

 

Kagome frowned deeper and groaned to herself. He had said that, hadn't he? She supposed with everything she'd been thinking about recently, that first conversation between them had somewhat slipped her mind. Still… “Before you left that first night, you told me not to worry. What am I supposed to not worry about? I thought you meant you wouldn't tell anyone about finding me, but on the roof I overheard you say you wouldn't keep my secret forever. I didn't realize there was an expiration date on something like that.”

 

Kurama sighed. “Kagome… that was what I meant when I said that. What you overheard on the roof was not me betraying my word. It's true I didn't intend to keep you a secret, but I was going to as long as you were uncooperative with the idea of anyone finding out.”

 

Kagome cocked a brow at the boy, “What do you mean you were still going to keep me a secret? You're not anymore?”

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurama saw the rest of the students approaching them, on their way to the lockers themselves now. “Kagome, I'll tell you whatever you want to know, but first we need to get more privacy.” With a slight nod of his head, he directed her attention to their classmates.

 

Though she was still feeling rather uncooperative with the kitsune, she didn't exactly want others overhearing their conversation either. “Fine, let me go change first though.”

 

Kurama nodded. “Please meet me in the hallway when you're done. School is almost over, so let's leave and find someplace better to talk.”

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

Nori was trying not to lose her patience; trying not to make a scene; but she was Just. So. Frustrated!! I mean, seriously, what the hell was going on?! Shuuichi and that Kagome girl seemed close, but according to what Katsuki had found out, they weren't a couple. In fact, the way it sounded, Kagome barely tolerated the boy, which Nori couldn't even fathom. Yet, Shuuichi seemed to, for whatever reason, have some sort of infatuation with the girl. He'd even dropped the honorifics with her already and was calling her by her given name only! Nori didn't know anyone else in school that Shuuichi spoke that familiarly to.

 

Admittedly, it did seem that Kagome really didn't appreciate Shuuichi's presence around her. Even while running laps, Nori had seen the rude look Kagome was giving Shuuichi. It had made the blonde seethe so much she had actually started running a bit faster to try to catch up, though her efforts to match their pace were futile. Only Shizuka and a couple other boys could even come close to their speed. However, when they were done running laps, in almost record time their sensei had commented, though Nori doubted the two had heard, Shuuichi had caught Kagome when she almost fell. After that, the interaction between the two during their hushed conversation had seemed… more intimate than it would be between most students, despite the fact that Kagome still didn't seem too happy about that.

 

Their conversation ended and they'd gone their separate ways to the locker rooms, and Nori had been relieved. Then she saw Shuuichi leaning against the wall opposite the gym and barely had time for her stomach to flutter before the raven-haired outsider girl had passed her and walked over to him. He smiled at her and, though Kagome seemed hesitant, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her away.

 

Nori immediately sent Katsuki to follow them, sure she wouldn't be able to watch the two hold hands for much longer before she would explode. Nori ran into them again, however, when she went to retrieve her bag from her locker before heading down to change her shoes. Kagome was also getting her things from her locker and she and Kurama then went down to the ante room together. Neither of them even noticed Nori.

 

When Katsuki spotted Nori, she walked over, an apologetic look on her face. Nori glared at her and the expression was quickly wiped from the pink-haired girl's face before she cast her eyes down and waited for Nori to get her things. The two girls then went downstairs together.

 

As they left the building, Nori saw that Shuuichi and Kagome had already made it across the street and down the block, and were now crossing to the next. She was so tempted to follow, or at least send Katsuki to, but they were already pretty far and moving farther quickly, and despite the many students now filing out of Meiou Senior High, there was no one else on the street they were now on; no one to use as cover while trailing them. Nori clenched her jaw and fists, causing Katsuki to wince and tap Nori on the shoulder. Looking down at her right hand, the blonde girl noticed she still held Katsuki's hand, now in a painfully tight grip, which she had grabbed in order to drag her small pink-haired friend outside.

 

She let go wordlessly and Katsuki rubbed her hand a bit, looking worriedly at Nori. Nori ignored her, as, even above the din of many students exiting the school, she heard the sound of four of her followers coming up behind her. Remembering she'd made plans to go to the mall with them, she turned around to greet them. As she called out to the girls, all of which had smiles on their faces as soon as they saw their blonde leader, she noticed movement through the windows in the doors to the school. As the movement got closer, she glimpsed purple hair and brown hair and felt a cold sweat coming on. Quickly gathering the girls around her, Nori again grabbed Katsuki's hand and dragged her away as she led everyone off school grounds and in the direction of the mall.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

A tall, slender figure glided up to a row of shoe cubicles and leaned against it. On the bench in front of it sat a girl with long brown hair. Mika was bent over, slipping on her Mary Janes when a shadow was cast over her. Looking slightly to her left, she saw a pair of purple sneakers. Casting her eyes slowly up, she was greeted with the familiar easy smile of Aizawa Shizuka.

 

“Ready, Mika-chan?” the smiling girl asked.

 

Feeling a chill go through her, Mika could only nod in ascent. She had been expecting Shizuka to show up, so she'd told her friends to go on without her. The purple-haired girl's smile grew wider as she held out a hand to help the other girl up, then hooked her arm around Mika's shoulders as they headed outside. Neither said a word as they walked down the steps leading up to the school, down the path to the gate, and down the few steps there to the sidewalk.

 

There were a few cars waiting in front of the school, and precisely two limos. Though most of the students of Meiou either walked, biked, or took the bus like most other students in Japan, there were a few more pampered types that were driven. As they passed the cars, Mika slowed down, looking back towards the limos as she finally spoke.

 

“A-aren't we taking your limo, Shizuka-san?”

 

Shizuka clicked her tongue lightly at the girl, and, still smiling, said, “Ne, Mika-chan, has it been so long you've forgotten already? You know I cannot stand taking the limo. Walking is good, ne?”

 

Linking their arms, Shizuka continued to walk with Mika at an easy pace. Nevertheless, Mika was paling at the thought of walking all the way to Shizuka's home, at least a forty-five minute walk, in her Mary Janes. Not only were they not exactly the kind of shoes made for walking such distances, but she had only bought them a week before and they weren't even near being broken in yet.

 

“Sh-Shizuka-san?” Mika started reluctantly.

 

“Hmm?” Shizuka hummed in reply.

 

“D-do we have to walk the whole way? Couldn't we take the bus part way, at least?” she looked at the purple-haired girl with large, pleading brown eyes.

 

Shizuka stopped to look at Mika. She looked her up and down appraisingly, causing the girl to blush slightly at being studied so closely. Then Shizuka's gaze stayed fixed on Mika's feet, seeing the style of shoes the girl was wearing. Watching as the purple-haired girl inspected her footwear, Mika just caught the tail end of an open-eyed-Shizuka-moment before the turquoise eyes were once again closed into a smile.

 

“Okay, Mika-chan. We can take the bus at the next stop,” Shizuka finally agreed, sounding perfectly happy with the idea.

 

Two blocks down, they took the bus on a line that ran every fifteen minutes. It took them almost all the way there, letting the two girls off at a point a few blocks away from the street that led to Shizuka's house. Really it wasn't a house, it was practically an estate, gated entrance and all. Stopping in front of a keypad intercom, Shizuka pressed in a code and Mika jumped slightly when the gate clanked apart and made a whirring sound as it opened to let them through. On the other side of the gate, Shizuka put the code in again, the gate closed, and the two girls walked up the long circular driveway.

 

Upon entering the house, Shizuka called out, “Tadaima!” as a butler came to greet the girls as they removed their street shoes.

 

“Okaeri nasai, Aizawa-sama,” he said and leaned down to put Mika's shoes in the cabinet by the door.

 

Before he could pick the shoes up, though, Shizuka shooed him away. “You know you don't need to do that with me, Akita-san,” she said, smiling up at the man from where she crouched in front of the cabinet.

 

The butler politely replied, “Aizawa-sama, despite what your personal preferences may be, it is still my job to see to such things, especially when you bring a guest like Sato Mika-san.” He finished with a bow to the brown-haired girl. Mika smiled politely and gave a short bow back.

 

Shizuka gave a soft, throaty chuckle, “It's just Mika-chan, Akita-san, you know her. There is no need to be so formal, ne, Mika-chan?”

 

Before Mika replied, a maid came out of the hallway leading back to the kitchen. “Did I hear Shizuka-san come home—Mika-san! Is that you? We haven't seen you around here in ages!”

 

Mika smiled brightly at the girl that was merely a few years older than her. “Hai, it's me!”

 

“My you've grown! It must be… what, going on two years since I last saw you? Where'd you disappear to? Why'd you stay away so long?”

 

“A-ano… eeto…” Mika wasn't sure what to say. She couldn't exactly say why she and Nori, her former best friend, were now rivals and enemies, could she? Not in this house, where Nori and her cousin Shizuka lived with Nori's parents. She was saved from thinking of an answer.

 

“She didn't disappear, she has always been around, you simply haven't seen her, Natsuko-chan,” Shizuka purred out smilingly. She once again hooked her arm around Mika's and pulled her towards one of the two large staircases in front of them, saying, “We're going to study. Please do not disturb us.”

 

The maid and butler exchanged an amused look before returning to their normal household duties. Well, normal other than whatever they may have needed to do on the third floor. That floor contained, among the many empty rooms, Shizuka's bedroom suite. As she had asked not to be disturbed, and somehow always knew if they were even in a room at the other end of the extremely long hallway, plus this was one of the few orders she ever did give them, they were obliged to stay downstairs until their young mistress was done with her studies.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

“Ne, Mika-chan, go ahead and look around. Reacquaint yourself. It really has been too long since you've visited.” Shizuka gently took Mika's backpack from her shoulder and set it down along with her own beside a low table in the middle of her bedroom's sitting area. “I'm going to make us some tea,” she then said, and disappeared through a doorway into another room that Mika found to be the kitchenette Shizuka had been talking about requesting from her aunt and uncle just before Mika and Nori had their falling out.

 

Mika obediently looked around the room, noticing, besides the kitchenette, quite a few other changes from the last time she'd been in there. She walked slowly and cautiously, still feeling slightly nervous and out of place here. She wasn't even really sure why she'd come at all. She was pretty sure she knew Shizuka's reasons, so why had she come just to be manipulated? Sighing to herself, she realized there had really been no other choice anyway. Aizawa Shizuka was not someone you said no to.

 

It was unexplainable really, and she'd noticed that the purple-haired girl seemed to have that effect on a lot of people, but it still unnerved her a bit. Why could she be her usual bright and cheerful, exuberant, confident self anywhere else, but around this girl she'd known, and been friends with along with Nori since preschool, she was always so flustered. Not wanting to walk around the room anymore, she sat on the small sofa in the sitting area to wait for Shizuka.

 

Mika noticed, also, that other than the bed not having been made since she'd slept, Shizuka's room was very tidy. Much more than it had ever been before. The posters on her walls had changed and all memories of anything the three of them; Nori, Mika, and Shizuka; had done together as children were gone. She was starting to be nostalgic and shook her head, realizing she did still need to be on her toes. Though she harbored no grudge against Shizuka, really, she was still the enemy. She had chosen Nori's side, after all… not that Mika had expected anything else. Again, Mika scolded herself inwardly for letting her mind wander back, and decided to distract herself by thinking more on her plans for getting Shuuichi this year.

 

Mika cleared her head of these thoughts, too, when Shizuka finally returned, carrying a tray with a quaint lavender porcelain tea set. She set it down on the table in front of the sofa and sat next to Mika. Pouring out the tea, Shizuka put sugar in for Mika, exactly the amount she knew the girl usually took. Foregoing sugar for herself, Shizuka offered the first tea cup to Mika before turning toward Mika and crossing her legs Indian-style, sipping at her own.

 

Mika smiled inwardly as she sipped her tea, `Same old Shizuka, she doesn't care if she's ladylike or unladylike, as long as she's comfortable. It doesn't matter, anyway. No matter what she does, she looks graceful.'

 

“Do you have homework for tonight?” Shizuka asked after swallowing a bit of her tea.

 

Taking another sip, Mika nodded and answered, “Just a bit. Math and English, though.”

 

“Mmm, your favorite subjects,” Shizuka commented softly but teasingly.

 

“Yep, you know me, I can't get enough of them!” Mika chuckled sarcastically. She wasn't sure why, but she was starting to feel more at ease. `The tea must have helped me relax,' she thought to herself, and took a bigger drink.

 

Before she knew it, Mika had finished her cup and Shizuka had promptly filled it for her, adding more sugar while she chuckled as well. “Would you like me to help you with them?” she asked, handing the cup back to Mika.

 

“Yes, please!” Mika exclaimed breathlessly, eager for something else to do besides stare at Shizuka alone in this room in a house she shared with Mika's rival, Imano Nori. Something to do besides talk about what she knew Shizuka intended to talk about.

 

Shizuka smiled, eyes slitting open slightly from their smiling position as she watched the brown-haired girl drink the tea she had prepared. They each sipped in relatively-comfortable silence, Mika being used to Shizuka's preference for not talking unless necessary. After a few more minutes, the tea was gone. Shizuka's eyes smiled closed again as she put the tea things back on the tray and asked, “Would you like more, Mika-chan?”

 

“Hmm? Oh… hai… arigatou, Shizuka-san, it was delicious. I'm sorry I drank it so fast… I guess I didn't realize how much I had missed your tea blend…” Mika relaxed into the cushions of the couch, pulling her legs up beside her and getting more comfortable than the rigid, uptight position she'd been sitting in at first.

 

Shizuka shook her head, “Mmm, it is perfectly fine, Mika-chan. I am happy you enjoyed it so much.” The purple-haired girl took the tray back to the kitchen and made a new pot of tea before returning to the room. She sat on the floor to pour the tea and, handing Mika another cupful, she asked, “Would you like to start now, then?”

 

“Hmm? Start on what?”

 

Shizuka smiled up at her, “On your homework, of course, Mika-chan.” She began getting the books out of both of their bags.

 

“Heh, oh yeah,” Mika said, blushing a little. Feeling a little warm, suddenly, she took off the sweater she'd worn over her uniform that day and draped it over the arm of the sofa. Then she lowered herself to the floor, sitting across from Shizuka at the low table.

 

Quietly they started on their work. Shizuka helped Mika with her English and Math in her usual softspoken manner and soon the long-haired girl was flying through her homework. The closer she got to being done, though, the slower Mika began to work. She paused to sip at her tea and waste some more time, but she noticed Shizuka looking at her.

 

The short-purple-haired girl had long since finished all of her work, and had actually been watching Mika for quite some time, quietly observing the girl with her half-opened eyes, leaning her elbow on the table and resting her head in her hand. Seeing that Mika had finally noticed her, Shizuka smiled pleasantly again, though her eyes remained partway open. “It really has been awhile, has it not, Mika-chan?” Shizuka purred out.

 

Mika knew the look coming into Shizuka's face, and it was a dangerous one. One she hadn't seen directed her way for two years. She began breathing a little shallowly, getting a funny feeling in her stomach, and tried to distract herself from the feeling by asking, “Is this still the same tea you've always used, Shizuka-san? It doesn't exactly taste the same as I remembered, though it is still delicious.”

 

Shizuka nodded, somehow gliding her body over to the other side of the table to sit beside Mika and fill her cup again. “Hai, Mika-chan, I am glad you noticed. It is a new blend, though it is only a variation of the one you probably remember.”

 

“I suppose I can't expect even that to be the same,” Mika half-mumbled to herself, though Shizuka heard her and gave a slight nod.

 

Shizuka again settled her elbow on the table and her head in her hand to continue watching Mika drink her tea. Mika was becoming very aware of Shizuka's close proximity, and felt a funny, buzzy, tingly feeling starting to thrum through her. The warm feeling she'd had before taking off her sweater was back, and had been steadily increasing as she'd sat at the table across from Shizuka. Now that the girl was sitting right beside her, the heat Mika felt between them was like sparks.

 

Finally Mika could take no more and declared, “Shizuka-san, can we just get this over with?” She wanted Shizuka to get to the point, have their little interrogation, and get out of there before Nori returned from wherever she'd gone after school in order to avoid Mika being in her home. And before nostalgia got the better of Mika.

 

Shizuka smiled and put a gentle hand on Mika's shoulder. “Get what over with, Mika-chan?”

 

That strange feeling went through her again at the contact, and Mika turned to face Shizuka, putting her teacup down finally, and said, “You know exactly what! Shizuka-san, I know you didn't just ask me over to help me with my homework. I know this has to do with Nori-chan, so please don't try to deny it and let's just get to the point!”

 

Shizuka's eyes opened all the way to regard Mika, and Mika's breath hitched as she was caught in that intense turquoise gaze. Then Shizuka suddenly swooped down upon the girl's lips, kissing her tenderly but firmly. Mika had no time to even think of reacting before Shizuka took her mouth away. Then her silky voice purred into Mika's ear, “Is this the point you meant, Mika-chan?” She licked her earlobe lightly, then kissed and nipped at it gently, moving her way down to Mika's jaw and back to her lips, again reclaiming them.

 

Shizuka's warm mouth moved against Mika's, enticing her participation. The brown-haired girl at first didn't respond, but her body was suddenly humming, sparks flowing through her from Shizuka's touch, and she couldn't find the will to push Shizuka away, either. Shizuka's tongue politely asked entrance to Mika's mouth, and Mika's resistance, which she'd thought was firm and resolved after all this time, quickly crumbled. Her lips parted to allow Shizuka in.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

“Nori-chaaaan,” one of Nori's followers whined as they stopped for their fifth crosswalk light. “Can't we take the bus? If I'd known we weren't taking the limo, I'd have asked my mom to take us.”

 

“Why didn't you have the limo today, anyway, Nori-chan?” another girl asked.

 

“Yeah, really, I hate walking. Plus, we already ran all those laps during gym. Wasn't that enough for today?” yet another complained.

 

Nori's mouth twisted, trying not to go off on the girls. It wasn't like she wanted to be walking this far, either! “Shizu insists we not take the limo to school this year. She thinks it's pretentious and says `high school students should not need a limo to get them where they are going',” Nori said, trying to imitate her cousin's silky tone and easy smile. Then she shrugged, “Besides, Shuuichi-kun walks as well. If he can, so can I. I have to prove my worth to Shuuichi-kun by proving I can do everything he can do. He'll realize I'm deserving of his love because of how hard I've worked for him.”

 

“Is that why you've been wearing sneakers instead of your heels, Nori-chan?” the fourth girl asked, looking down at the white and red sneakers that were there instead of Nori's usual platformed wedges.

 

Nori nodded and began leading them across the street as the pedestrian light finally changed. “Those are in my bag,” Nori said, as she hitched up the item resting on her shoulders. “Shizu insists I wear sneakers to walk around in so I don't ruin my feet.” She paused as they reached the next sidewalk, sticking a foot out and inspecting it, “Besides, they're not that bad really, are they? They're kinda cute.”

 

Katsuki smiled at her busty blonde friend, “Hai, Nori-chan!”

 

They all continued walking. After a little while, the first girl asked again, “Can we at least take the bus?”

 

Nori glared over her shoulder at the girl, and stopped again. She turned around, hands on her hips, and exclaimed, “Imano Nori will not take the bus! If you want to take it, go ahead. Anyone who wants to get on the next bus instead of walking, go ahead, but I will not. Who's coming with me, raise your hand!”

 

Katsuki and the fourth girl raised their hands meekly. The first glared back at Nori. “Fine, well I'm taking the bus. Care to come to my house?” she asked the second and third girls.

 

They glanced at Nori, then back at her, and followed the first girl to stand by the bus stop. Nori `hmphed' at them and continued walking, Katsuki and the fourth, Ami, following with one last backward glance.

 

`So they show their true colors for something like this? Ridiculous, they have no value whatsoever. It's one thing to keep them around, people I know would just as soon stab me in the back, when they were of some use in my goal to get Shuuichi-kun. But now they're openly showing their hatred of me. Truly, most of these girls are around me to get a chance with Shuuichi-kun, too. They don't care if they get him before or after me, but they think if they're with me they'll have the edge over any other girl that wants him. What they don't realize is that it will be me to get Shuuichi-kun, and there will be no second chance for them. Once Shuuichi-kun is with me, he won't want anyone else.

 

If these girls aren't of use to me, there's hardly any reason to keep them around, other than to keep them from becoming worse rivals once they separate from me. Out of any of them, probably only Katsuki-chan and Shizu truly want to help me get Shuuichi-kun. Oh well, I really don't have a choice still. I'll just have to continue this charade of a fanclub until I reach my goal.'

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

“So, what do ya want, Botan?” Yuusuke grumbled as the blue-haired girl walked with him and Keiko from school.

 

“I have a message for you from Koenma-sama!” she said cheerfully.

 

“What is it?” he asked.

 

“Well I need to tell the others too, and you're meeting them, right? I'll just wait until we're all together.”

 

“Che,” Yuusuke cursed under his breath and kept walking. After dropping Keiko off, he headed for his house to meet with everyone. Soon Kuwabara and Hiei showed up. After half an hour, Yuusuke, Botan, Hiei and Kuwabara were still waiting for Kurama.

 

“I doubt he's going to come,” Hiei's stoic voice said matter-of-factly.

 

“What makes you say that, Hiei?” Botan asked.

 

“I believe he may have other plans,” the flame youkai answered cryptically.

 

“Oh?” Botan asked, sounding interested. She smiled, “Well, that's okay. Kurama already knows what I'm going to tell you.”

 

Yuusuke's brow cocked, “What's that, Botan?”

 

“Koenma-sama says you can stop your search for the miko.”

 

“Stop the search? Why?” Kuwabara asked.

 

“It seems it is no longer necessary,” Botan answered.

 

“Indeed it is not,” Hiei said in a low voice.

 

Yuusuke looked at them, “Why not?”

 

“Well, I'm not really supposed to say…” Botan began.

 

Hiei interrupted her, “It seems Kurama has already found her.”

 

“What? He did? When? Today?” Kuwabara ranted.

 

“His first day of school. Or rather, should I say, the early morning before school…?” Hiei smirked, though the other boys were just confused by it.

 

“Hiei, what are you talking about?” Yuusuke demanded.

 

Hiei looked at him slyly, but said nothing more. Botan stood between them feeling uncomfortable. “Okay, well, I'm going to go now,” she announced. Before she'd turned to bid goodbye to him, Hiei was gone from the apartment.

 

Once the blue-haired girl had left, Kuwabara turned to Yuusuke, “I wonder what that was all about?”

 

Yuusuke shrugged and Kuwabara left.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

Kurama led Kagome away from school quickly, hoping to avoid the usual spy he knew Nori sent after him usually. He noticed the presence of Hiei not far behind, and quickened their pace to lose him. The flame youkai got the hint and turned in an opposite direction. Lacing his fingers with Kagome's, Kurama asked, “Is it okay if we go to the same place I took you the other day? Or would you feel more comfortable someplace else? We do need at least a good level of privacy for what we're going to discuss.”

 

Kagome considered it and allowed him to lead her to the same park he'd led her to the last time. “But this time, let's stay out in the public area. I'm sure we can find somewhere to talk that still has enough privacy.”

 

Kurama agreed and, once they were there, they found a tree to sit under and talk.

 

Kagome was the first to speak. “So you'll answer anything I ask now?”

 

Kurama nodded.

 

Kagome asked, “Okay, why were you speaking about keeping my secret in the past tense?”

 

Kurama sighed and answered, “Evidently, Koenma already knows I found you.”

 

“What? What do you mean, `evidently'? Didn't you tell him?”

 

Kurama shook his head, “No, I didn't! Apparently he saw us see each other on the steps the first day of school, on Reikai video.” He wasn't going to tell her about the dream. He knew she was embarrassed enough that Kurama knew.

 

As expected, Kagome's face turned slightly pink, “What? He saw us? What's Reikai video?”

 

“It's… surveillance taken for Reikai. Supposedly for security purposes.”

 

Kagome raised a brow at that. “What is Reikai anyway? You've been talking about it from the beginning as if I should know.”

 

“Forgive me,” Kurama replied, “I suppose I should explain. Though I suppose I thought you would already know since you knew about youkai. Reikai is the Spirit Realm, the Otherworld. Just as Makai is the Demon Realm.”

 

“Ah, I see…” Kagome said, getting the picture. “And… you work for Reikai?”

 

Kurama scratched the back of his head, smiling, “Ah, sort of. You see, in a way, I am serving a sentence, though it is true I offered my services willingly.”

 

Kagome gave him an odd look, “Serving a sentence?”

 

Kurama chuckled, “Ah, yes… you see, a little over a year ago, I stole something from Reikai. I am paying my debt to a friend by working with him as a Reikai Tantei.”

 

Despite herself, Kagome was curious. “What was the debt? What did you steal?”

 

Now Kurama felt slightly uncomfortable. He had told her he would answer whatever she asked, but he hadn't really expected this to come up so soon. `What should I say?'

 

(Why not just tell her? It cannot hurt, can it? Most girls would find it sweet for a boy to offer his life to save his mother's. Besides, if she's going to be working with you, she needs to know about these types of things.)

 

Somewhat hesitantly, Kurama answered, “Well, awhile back, my human mother was very ill. She was on the verge of death and there was nothing the doctors could do to help her. They were barely able to keep her comfortable from day to day. I desperately wished there was a way to save her, and it was at that time that I was contacted by a youkai by the name of Hiei. He's who you heard me talking to after you left the roof earlier.

 

Hiei asked me to help him steal three dark treasures from Makai, the Koma no Ken, Gakidama, and Ankokukyo. I remembered the Ankokukyo was a mirror that would grant the user any wish, though the price was mysterious and very high. I agreed to join Hiei in this, but ended up breaking away from the group once we got the mirror, so that I could use it to save my mother. I had found out that the price for my mother's life would be my own and I was willing to give it. However, the Reikai Tantei appointed to retrieve the items for Reikai, a boy named Urameshi Yuusuke, couldn't stand the idea of my mother losing her son, and instead offered his life. Because of his selflessness, we both survived.

 

After that, I helped him during a fight with my former partner, Hiei. Once Hiei was defeated, I willingly turned myself over to Reikai. When another big case came up, Hiei and I were offered the chance to work for Reikai in the capacity as backup for the Tantei, rather than serving time for our crimes. Certainly that was better than serving a sentence in a Reikai prison, and also this way I could repay my debt to Yuusuke and continue to live with my human mother.” Kurama finished his story and looked at Kagome for her reaction.

 

Her expression was… unreadable. Her eyes were wide, but not with the kind of surprise most people would probably have after hearing that type of story. “You were going to give your life for your human mother? So, your mother is a human too…” she seemed more like she was saying the last part to herself than to Kurama, but he caught what she had said.

 

“Too?” he questioned curiously.

 

Kagome smiled uneasily and quickly replied, “Oh, no, nevermind… what I meant was, you have a human mother? So you are a hanyou then?”

 

“Well… not exactly…”

 

“Then what?”

 

Kurama paused and then asked, “Kagome, I know I said I would answer everything, but can we leave that for later? I thought the main point of your questioning was to find out about my connection with Reikai and what you were needed for.”

 

Kagome frowned, but Kurama reminded her slyly, “After all, you now know much more about my past than I do about yours. Perhaps if you want to trade stories with me I could be persuaded to tell you now.”

 

Kagome crossed her arms and stuck up her nose, “No, it's fine if you don't tell me. I don't really care, anyway.” To her horror, she realized she'd momentarily forgotten not to care. Damn curiosity.

 

“You won't tell me a little bit of your past? I did just tell you something rather personal to me, Kagome,” Kurama urged gently.

 

Kagome felt pressured to reciprocate, but her stubbornness pushed that urge down and instead she asked, “Hey, when did you find out that Koenma or whoever knew about me? You could've told me that on the roof, you know!”

 

Kurama allowed her change of subject, “I just found out this afternoon. Koenma sent Botan for me, because he'd realized I'd been lying about not finding you, and I missed most of my afternoon classes to have a meeting with him.”

 

“Who's Botan?”

 

“She's… well, her official role is the spirit guide across the River Sanzu, the Grim Reaper, basically. But she's mostly been an assistant tantei ever since Yuusuke took the job with Reikai. When Koenma has a job for us, she usually shows up in Ningenkai to tell us, or contacts Yuusuke through a communicator.”

 

“Botan… Grim Reaper… so that's probably who that was…” again she seemed to be speaking to herself, and Kurama wondered what she meant, but Kagome spoke again before he could. “So, what happened during your meeting with Koenma?”

 

“Ah, well… he wanted to know why I had lied about you, and who you were. I had to tell him a little bit to satisfy him, but I did not tell him your name. I told him I wanted you to feel comfortable with the idea of joining us before I brought you to him.”

 

“You… you did?” Kagome relaxed a little.

 

Kurama looked at her, his gaze deep and meaningful, “Of course Kagome, I would never want to force you into something you don't want to do. I feel… protective of you. Though I know part of it is because of my attraction to you, I can't help but feel like there's more to it than that. I need you to trust me first and foremost, and be comfortable with me, otherwise how can you rely on me to keep you safe during dangerous missions?”

 

Kagome's frown returned full force and she stood up, “You listen here, Kurama, I don't need you to protect me. I can do just fine on my own, thank you. And I won't need your help during any missions because I won't be going on any. You can tell that to your Koenma.” With that, she turned and started walking away quickly.

 

Kurama followed her immediately. “Kagome, wait,” he pleaded as he caught up to her. She was heading out of the park, and she turned on the sidewalk, in the direction of her house, ignoring him. Kurama refused to give up, however, and said, “Kagome, how can you deny your power so easily? You have this incredible power, but you're doing nothing with it? Don't you at least want to see what you're capable of and how your reiki can be useful and helpful to all of the world? If you work with us, you can!”

 

Kagome stopped and looked at him, “What exactly do you do for Reikai?”

 

Kurama wondered how best to word it, “Basically, we're like the police of Reikai. Most of what our job entails involves protecting Ningenkai from the evil intentions of youkai, protecting the integrity of the barriers between Makai and Ningenkai, and catching thieves of Reikai treasures and other such things. Occasionally, I will tell you now, our job is very dangerous. We put our lives on the line for the good of the world, but we're all very powerful, and you are too. I know, with some training, you'll be able to fight alongside us equally. I told Koenma as much.”

 

“So, what you're doing, basically,” Kagome said, “Is saving the world?”

 

Kurama nodded.

 

Kagome turned from him again, “I've had enough of that to last a lifetime.”

 

Struck dumb by her words, Kurama didn't follow again right away. When he realized Kagome had left, she was already at the end of the sidewalk, ready to cross the street. He again ran after her.

 

“Kagome! What is that supposed to mean?” he asked when he caught up again on the next street. “This is about your past again, isn't it? You've had to use your reiki many times before, haven't you? What were you doing, Kagome? Why are you so scared of this?”

 

“I'm not scared,” Kagome insisted as she stopped for a crosswalk light, “I'm… tired.” The light changed and Kagome started to step onto the crosswalk, but paused, putting her hand to Kurama's chest. He felt a familiar spark go through him at her touch, then he noticed a spark of a different kind concentrating where her hand was. Looking down at it, he saw she was again gathering her reiki. “I'm tired, Kurama,” Kagome said again, “Please let me rest. Please, don't make me go to work for Reikai.”

 

He could hear her voice waver slightly as she spoke, and saw that she was holding back tears. Moved by this and not wanting to be the cause of her sorrow and fear, Kurama put a gentle hand over hers, noticing the strange tingle her reiki sent through his skin, but it did not harm him. “Kagome, okay, I won't talk to you about it anymore, if you don't want me to. But… Kagome?”

 

She was staring at his hand over hers, desperately clinging to the tears collecting in her eyes, willing them not to fall. At his pause, she looked up to his face and saw the deep concern there, though her eyes were slightly blurry from the tears. “H-hai?”

 

“Will you please not push me away anymore? I can be your friend, even if you don't want to join Reikai. I know you don't really hate me, and even if you really don't feel for me what I feel for you, we can still be friends, can't we? You wouldn't discriminate against a guy for being a youkai, would you?” he smiled at her appealingly.

 

Kagome sighed. “O…kay… Kurama… we can try being friends.” No matter how much she denied it, she did at least want to be friends with Kurama; to be around him. If she was completely truthful with herself, she wanted more than that, including all the familiarity that came with his youki, but Kagome wasn't ready to even admit that to herself, let alone Kurama. For now, she could live with this. At least she would again have someone that knew there was more to life than what everyone else around here saw and knew. Someone she wouldn't have to hide her abilities from. It wouldn't be exactly the same as it had been with her friends in the past, but maybe… just maybe… it would be enough for Kagome to no longer feel so alone in the world.

 

Kurama grasped her hand under his and squeezed gently, “Thank you, Kagome.” He smiled at her and she let out a breath.

 

She closed her eyes and turned her head down, hoping Kurama wouldn't see the tears sliding silently down her face. Just giving up this much of her fight against Kurama brought a sort of calm to her and she unconsciously moved closer to him. She looked back up at him, smiling despite the few tears that stained her face, and their eyes locked into each other. Neither knew who moved first, but soon their lips had met in a tender kiss. They stood there, just letting their lips touch gently for a few seconds, then broke the kiss and looked at each other. Kurama waited for Kagome's reaction. Seeing her break into a small smile, he smiled as well. Kagome took his hands in hers and held him at arm's length, saying, “Thank you for being my friend, Kurama.” She let go of him, and turned back towards the street, again needing to wait for the pedestrian light.

 

Kurama stepped beside her and took one of her hands in his, waiting for the light as well. “No, Kagome, thank you.” He walked her home, then went home to call Yuusuke and apologize for not meeting him with the others.

 

Kagome didn't kiss him again that night, but she had agreed to be friends with him. He knew, once she trusted him, it would be more than that. He knew, Kagome had to feel the same pull to him that he felt to her. He just needed to help her admit it. And in the process, hopefully, find out what was so bad in her past to make her not want to use her powers, and help her get over that as well.

 

The way Koenma had spoken to him about the mysterious `fortune' about Kagome, Kurama and Kagome were destined to be together. Though Kurama didn't completely believe in fate, he did believe in certain people being connected in life, destined to be together. And if the relationship between him and Kagome was important enough for Reikai to know of it, it must be a connection they will be unable to ignore for long, no matter how stubborn anyone was.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

Mika wrapped Shizuka's sheet around herself and left the bed to retrieve her clothes from where they'd left them on the floor in front of the sofa. She grabbed Shizuka's as well. Unmindful of her own state of undress, Shizuka propped herself up on her elbow, laying sideways as she watched Mika from the bed, smiling almost her usual smile, though her eyes were partially open in order to watch Mika better.

 

When Mika turned back towards the bed, she blushed when she realized Shizuka had been watching her. She laid Shizuka's clothes on the bed and retreated behind a handpainted folding screen, in order to redress away from the pressure of that gaze.

 

Shizuka smiled at the screen, and knew Mika could feel it even through the privacy screen. “Do you need help finishing your homework, Mika-chan?”

 

“N-no, Shizuka-s-san, I can finish it later on my own.”

 

“Will you be needing more help with your homework in the future, Mika-chan?” Shizuka purred out as she began to redress.

 

“N-no, Sh-Shizuka-san… I think I will get a tutor through school. Th-thank you… for your help tonight, though…” Mika could almost slap herself. She was back to stuttering again. She'd felt so confident through it all, but as soon as things are back to `normal', she was back to feeling so flustered by Shizuka.

 

“Oh? Are you sure, Mika-chan? You know I would never charge you for my tutorage, Mika-chan,” Shizuka said silkily.

 

“I-it's okay, Shizuka-san. I already made plans to be tutored by Shuuichi-kun, so…” Now Mika really wanted to slap herself. After how much she'd psyched herself up before, not to give in to Shizuka's questioning, and she gave it away without even being asked directly!

 

She heard Shizuka chuckle softly, “Hmm, is that so, Mika-chan? Okay, well good luck to you in that. I'm sure Shuuichi-kun will help you excellently with your Math and English.” Mika did not miss the hidden message in that statement. Shizuka was telling Mika that nothing other than actual homework would be done during any tutoring sessions with Shuuichi-kun. Shizuka was telling Mika that, no matter what, Nori would be the one to win Shuuichi.

 

She was telling Mika… if Mika gave up on Shuuichi and came to Shizuka… Mika shook her head of the thought.

 

Pulling her socks onto her feet at last, Mika peeked around the screen and stepped out when she saw that Shizuka was fully dressed again, and standing as well. Mika walked up to her. “Why do you do this, Shizuka-san? I know you love—”

 

Shizuka cut her off with a firm kiss. “That's why,” Shizuka breathed against Mika's lips. “I shouldn't, so that's why. Besides, I know Mika-chan likes me too.” Shizuka finished her words with another kiss, then turned to gather their school things and put them in their respective bags. She took care of their abandoned tea, washing the tea set and putting it away.

 

As she waited for Shizuka, Mika put her sweater back on and hitched up her backpack, trying to appear calm when all she wanted to do was bolt out of there. Shizuka probably wouldn't mind if she did; hell, she probably expected her to. She was probably taking her time just to see if Mika would. But Mika did not want to appear that weak in front of Shizuka, nor have to explain anything to anyone else that might see her on her dash out of the house. She swore to herself that she would at least say goodbye to Shizuka and walk, rather than run, out of the room.

 

Shizuka came back through and walked up to her, her usual smile back in place, eyes closed. She delicately smoothed a few stray hairs on Mika's head, and tucked the sides behind her ears. “Please do not let your next visit be so far in between, Mika-chan,” Shizuka said, eyes smiling.

 

Mika cast her eyes down and blushed a pretty pink, “H-hai, Shizuka-s-san.”

 

Shizuka took her hand away from where it had paused while tucking Mika's hair. “Shall I walk you to the door?” She did not wait for an answer as she opened her bedroom door and gestured for Mika to leave first, following her out. Shizuka walked Mika to the front door, put her shoes on with her, and saw her to the gate, letting her out with the code. She gave a wide smile to the retreating Mika before turning back around and returning to her house, taking a detour to walk through the gardens for a bit first.

 

Mika started walking away, paused to see Shizuka just turning around, then Mika continued walking down the street, towards the nearest bus stop.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

Hiei had gone back to the school to meet Kurama, only to see him walking out with the miko he'd been talking to on the roof. Hiei followed them for a short time, but saw clearly that Kurama didn't want him to follow, so he instead went to meet the others at Yuusuke's.

 

After leaving there, he again went in search of Kurama, and caught sight of him running toward the miko as she waited to cross the street. Watching them from a rooftop, Hiei saw the miko go from arguing, to crying, to then kissing Kurama. Curious despite his anger at Kurama telling Koenma about the girl but not him, Hiei followed the couple.

 

They must've been too caught up by each other again, because again neither of them seemed to notice Hiei's presence. He was able to follow all the way to the girl's house, and even caught the name `Kagome' as Kurama told her goodnight. He remembered hearing the name earlier on the roof, too.

 

After Kurama left, Hiei stayed to watch for a little bit, though nothing especially interesting happened. Finally giving up out of boredom, Hiei left the girl's house around 11:30pm as she lay in bed in the dark, staring silently at her ceiling.

 

`Human women,' he complained to himself, rolling his eyes. Then he went off to give his complaints to Kurama.

 

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

Kagome lay in her bed, in the dark. She'd been laying there for maybe three hours after eating dinner and finishing her homework for the next day; since around 11pm. She was supposed to be sleeping now, but she couldn't. Not that she had really been trying. She had been too busy thinking about her day to worry about sleep. It seemed to her like a lot of stuff had happened today, yet it also seemed like just another day in her life. In fact, compared to what used to be a `normal' day for her, today had been rather mild, yet had also changed her life completely. And though she hadn't planned on it, allowing herself to be friends with Kurama actually took a great weight off of her shoulders.

 

She didn't want to have to work for that Reikai place, but she thought at least having Kurama around would put a balance in her life; that `other thing' that had been missing until now.

 

Kagome fingered the delicate chain that hung around her neck. The one so fine that many didn't even notice it, especially since she basically wore it under her uniform top all the time. Pulling the chain out from under her nightshirt, Kagome grasped the small sphere that came up with the end. The bright glow of pink reflected in her eyes as she gazed at the complete Shikon no Tama. “You're enough responsibility as it is,” she whispered to the jewel. She held it in front of her for a little while, just admiring it and feeling nostalgic. Then Kagome tucked it back under her shirt and laid down to sleep for real. And then she dreamed…

 

End Chapter Five

~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~~~~~~~~~~*~

 

A/N: Yay, another chapter finally!! Woot!! Sorry if there was too much of the OC's in this one… but dammit, I've decided they're more important to the plot than originally planned, so I hope you guys don't kill me. Don't worry though, if you're thinking I plan on any of my original characters being put together with the actual anime characters, I'm not. I did decide I want to actually use my girls a bit more, though, so please forgive me! Oh well, hopefully you guys will be cool with it since I've gotten good responses about them, Katsuki and Shizuka in particular. That makes me happy. ^____^

 

Also, as you know by now, yes, there's hinting of shoujo-ai/yuri in this because of Shizuka's lil plotline, but I will try to have as little of those actual scenes as possible, cuz whether or not you like that type of thing, in an anime/manga fanfiction, you're not really there to read about the OC's lemons, are ya now?? If you guys just don't like it because it's shoujo-ai… well… I'm sorry but… tough luck *cough* that's how it is…

 

Anyway, to my More Important Author's Note: AND2 probably won't be updated again for a couple months at least. I have decided that first I will finish my Gravitation story, Disappearing Act, since it only has a few chapters left and those chapters are much shorter than most of my chapters for other fics. Then I plan on writing the next chapter to my first IY/YYH fic and getting started on the revisions so I can post it on AFF. After I get a good start on UA's revisions, I will get back to AND2. That is all I have to say about that for now. :p

 

Japanese:

Other than the normal/stock/standard Japanese that many should know just from reading fanfics, there are a couple words I used in this chapter I thought were actually worth translating:

 

Tadaima: I'm home (said when entering the home)

Okaeri nasai: You have returned (said in reply to tadaima)

 

To All My Reviewers: *glomps you all* I love you guys, please keep reading!! I hope you continue to enjoy it as much as you all have been, and that my story continues to make you happy. I'm sorry I can't update faster yet, but I'll try my best. ^__^

 

<3<3<3

~ LG

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Please Read and Review! Thank you!!