InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Chaos ❯ Suspicion ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, YuYu Hakusho (As much as I'd love to) or any of the anime/manga characters.

Warnings: Very Mild Language

Suspicion

 

“Come on! Hit me!” Yusuke yelled with a mocking laugh. Kagome growled and lunged, swinging her claws with full force.

“When did you get so fast?” she panted as she, for the fifth time, missed him by an inch.

“Hey, what can I say? I guess it's being part demon. So what's your excuse, slowpoke?”

Kagome straightened and turned, getting ready to pounce again. Her aggravation was increasing steadily. It had been two weeks since she'd healed and started training with Genkai again, as well as Yusuke, and she still couldn't hit him for some reason.

Of course, the rule against her using youki was probably a part of it, but it wasn't the whole problem.

“What happened to the girl that used to boss me around more than Keiko, huh?” he laughed. “You used to be tough!”

Kagome lunged again, and this time, missed by mere centimeters as he jumped high above her.

“I do not boss you around!” a female voice complained.

“Sorry, Keiko! But you used to act like my mother,” he countered to his fiancé, who was watching their sparring match just like everybody else at Genkai's temple.

Keiko pouted, making both Kagome and Yusuke laugh.

“You know he doesn't really mean it, Keiko,” Kagome sighed. After having met up with her other childhood friend, Kagome had quickly reconnected with Keiko. They'd spent a lot of Kagome's free time talking over the last week and a half.

Of course, the reason that Yusuke had brought her there, that he wanted to keep her out of any potential traps, wasn't a good thing, but at least Kagome had someone to talk to other than Yusuke.

“Think fast!”

Kagome spun away from Yusuke's fist and quickly shot her foot up, attempting to hit his chest. He quickly jumped back, making her miss by a fraction of a second. Evidently, her body was having a much harder time adjusting to the youki inside of her than she'd first thought.

“Wow, Kagome. You almost hit me again!”

“Shut up, Yusuke. I'll make sure when I do hit you, it'll hurt. I was a fantastic fighter, before my body stopped listening to me all the time.”

That was another thing that was making Kagome irritated. Much like when she'd had that first backlash of power, the miko often found that her body didn't want to listen to her commands, often as simple as `stand straight.' Over the last two weeks, her body had slowly begun to react as it had before she was transformed, but she still wasn't in control enough to hit Yusuke.

“Yeah, well, that's why you're training with the hag and me! Hopefully, you'll be able to follow through with that threat sometime this century.”

“Calling her a hag is disrespectful,” she scolded, causing his smirk to grow.

“There she is!”

Kagome glared at his cocky smirk, and once again started running. After another hour of near-misses, Kagome finally hit Yusuke, using a kick to distract him while she hit his abdomen. And, just as promised, he doubled over in pain.

“Ha! Don't be so cocky, Yusuke!”

“That was a good trick,” he wheezed.

Kagome sat on the ground, her breathing erratic and shaky.

“Thanks… Man that was a workout…”

“But at least you've got some good control over your youki now. Chasing me around for two hours while holding it all in should give you control…”

“Yeah,” Kagome said with a smile. “Maybe I'll be able to get full control of my body soon.”

“Let's hope so,” he said, smirking. “I want to see what you can do in a fight with everything you've got.”

After a long time, the two got up and the group walked back to the temple. Kagome disappeared for a few hours of peaceful relaxation via sleep, and woke with a sense of foreboding.

Shaking it off, she quickly got dressed and walked back to the temple, where she found everyone talking quietly.

“What's up?” she asked, seeing their tense faces. The fact that Botan was there when she hadn't been before falling asleep had her worried.

“Reikai thinks you somehow escaped on your own to the Ningenkai, and they're looking all over the world for you. They aren't even pretending to care whether you're brought in safely anymore,” Botan said quietly.

“Alright… So I'm leaving, then, if it's going to cause problems. I can move on my own now, for the most part…”

“Not a chance,” Yusuke sighed. “We don't know everything about this whole thing, so we're not about to just let you get yourself caught.”

Kagome sighed, trying her hardest to ignore the sense of foreboding that was coming at her in waves.

“Look, I don't want to cause any trouble for Master Genkai-”

“Right now, it would seem, they don't have a clue as to your whereabouts. They don't know of your connection to either Lady Genkai or Yusuke. This is the safest place, at the moment,” Kurama said matter-of-factly.

With a sigh, Kagome sat down with the others. After a few more rather explosive arguments, Kagome had begun to somewhat like the kitsune. He was obviously smart, and he was usually collected and calculating with everything. So, at least the two had stopped going at each other's throats.

“I think that you'll be able to completely move with another day or two of training,” Yusuke said optimistically.

“Alright, then… None of you owe me anything, you know.”

“It's got nothing to do with owing you anything. I just don't like giving someone over to be tortured without a very good reason.”

“Thanks, Yusuke… I don't think I have to tell anybody but you, but if the people after me do show up here for me, don't fight for me. If it's me or you, it has to be me.”

“You're more like the dimwit than I thought,” Genkai sighed.

“It's not out of pride or anything like that,” Kagome quickly added, seeing the looks on most of their faces. “As long as only I know where the jewel is, then dying doesn't really scare me. I'm just hoping to kill Naraku before they get me…”

“So, what you're saying, I believe, is that if it comes between choosing your side or Reikai, we shouldn't fight Reikai,” Kurama summarized.

“Yeah. You work for them. I'm not having any more people die because of me. I need to go work out some aggression,” she sighed, standing up.

Yusuke quickly followed, and so did the others. Both Genkai and Yusuke took stances in front of Kagome, who took a defensive stance instinctively.

“You need to hit both of us,” Genkai stated.

“And you can't use your youki, and you can't let either of us hit you,” Yusuke added.

“And if you don't hit us both in twenty minutes, you have to do two hundred push-ups,” Genkai finished, making Yusuke's eyes bulge.

“I wasn't thinking of any time limit.”

“It's fine,” Kagome said quickly. “I do better under pressure.”

“I'll keep the time,” Kurama said from the side. “Begin,” he said at the same time he started a stopwatch.

The two took off in different directions, and Kagome quickly spread her aura to watch one while she physically followed the other.

Genkai lunged at her the second she took off after Yusuke, and the two started a painful dance of evading. Every time Genkai punched at her, Kagome would slide out of its path and swing her own attack. As they pushed each other back and forth across the grounds, Kagome felt Yusuke coming. At the last second, she dropped and rolled backward, making sure both would be in front of her.

She then launched forward, using a helicopter-kick to attack them both.

They easily dodged, and Kagome then spun so her momentum carried into a fist. It hit Genkai, sending her back a few feet.

“Nicely done,” she said, smirking. Kagome found her hand smoking from the impact that her hand had received from the coating of energy Genkai had formed at the last second, but quickly ignored it.

She charged at Yusuke once more, now completely focused. They quickly fell into step with each other, each blow being met by a quick block. The effort Kagome was throwing into each attack was much greater than last time, the knowledge of her disappearing time spurring her on.

“Hey, you're energetic all of a sudden!”

Kagome wordlessly continued her attacks, slowly backing Yusuke into a corner. Unfortunately, he seemed to know that, and sent a roundhouse kick toward her side. Kagome quickly slid aside and attempted to sweep him only to be met with a knee coming toward her head.

She swore under her breath as she pushed backward, making herself barrel-roll out of the attack's path.

As soon as her momentum stopped, she crouched and lunged, her hands clenched into tight fists. She faked Yusuke into blocking with the first strike and immediately followed through, knocking him to the ground.

“Excellent,” Kurama said. “Unfortunately, it was one second over twenty minutes,” he added, killing her good mood.

“It's a big improvement,” Yusuke said to cheer her up. “Your body's almost normal, I think. When you started training, you couldn't hit me. Now it only took you over twenty minutes while Genkai was involved.”

“I know,” Kagome sighed.

“It doesn't save you from the push-ups, though,” Genkai added, making Kagome groan.

“I'll get right on it,” she said before lowering herself to the ground. She started the exercises and found that nobody was moving away.

“Not that I don't trust you, but you're not getting out of it,” Genkai said, sitting down.

Wordlessly, Kagome got back to the push-ups. As it turned out, doing two hundred push-ups was a physically exhausting feat, even for a demon. Though, if she were allowed to use her youki, Kagome knew it would be a lot less exerting.

As she finished the last push-up, she fell to the ground, panting.

“It's been far too long since you trained with me, Kagome,” Genkai sighed.

“It's not like I got lazy or anything. Most of the time, I was using my leg muscles in the Warring States. I barely ever had to use my arms.”

She slowly got up and started walking back to the temple. Just before anyone got inside, the foreboding from before came back full-force and everyone froze.

A fast-approaching youki had the entire group tensed, and then a mass of fast-moving whiteness came into view. Kagome gasped as it quickly descended, spiraling out of control. Just before it hit the ground, she recognized the mass and ran toward it, forgetting her previous exhaustion.

She reached it right after it hit the ground with the painful thump of a body hitting the ground from high in the air.

Blood slowly leaked over the mass, which seemed to be a huge feather, in a stream. The ground around it soaked red as Kagome walked onto the feather.

The group reached her to find Kagome holding a naked and profusely-bleeding demoness. Long black hair formed a curtain over her body, though it didn't hide the hundreds of gashes all over her. What wasn't covered in blood or hair was a pale, ghostly white. Her chest rose and fell with labored breaths, and the youki coming from her was immense. Had she not looked so ghost-like, Kuwabara and Yusuke would have most likely been embarrassed that she was stark naked.

“Who's she?” Kuwabara asked, taking in the way that Kagome was gently lifting the woman up curiously.

“A rather powerful demon, it seems,” Kurama answered, observing the woman's immense youki.

“She got through the hag's wards on that thing,” Yusuke said, eyeing her warily.

Kagome quickly took the woman's vitals, and she blinked in confusion. She'd only remembered after starting to take the woman's vitals she didn't have any. But, for some reason, she did.

“He gave you your heart?”

The woman's unfocused red eyes found Kagome and she weakly nodded.

“Dying,” she panted. Kagome looked at the various wounds littering her body and finished lifting her.

“No, you aren't. Where's Yukina?” she asked, waiting for an answer from anyone in the group.

“She's in the temple,” Kurama finally said.

The woman leaned close to Kagome and whispered, though every demon present heard it.

“He… knows…”

And then, the woman went limp and Kagome was quickly walking across the grounds to the temple, not caring about the blood that was now covering her.

She found Yukina making tea, and the koorime instantly stopped when she saw all of the blood.

“Wha-!?”

“Can you heal her, Yukina?” Kagome asked quickly.

After a reluctant nod, they went to the guest room, where Kagome was staying. Without caring for the bed she was sleeping on, Kagome put the woman down and let Yukina get to work.

“What could have done this?” her quiet voice asked. “There are a lot of wounds, but there's also poison in them… What happened?”

“And who the hell is she?” Yusuke asked.

They then noticed Shippo in the corner, staring at the woman with huge, fear-filled eyes.

“K… Kag…” his small voice stuttered.

Shippo appeared to be trying to get as far from her as possible and that had the others concerned.

“Who exactly is this demoness?” Kurama asked.

“Right now, it's not important. If she lives, I can tell you, and if not, then it'll just be one more person that died because of me.”

Kagome knelt down next to the woman, who was having obvious problems breathing. Her red eyes focused on Kagome, a scared expression on her face.

“Momma? Why is she-”

She turned to find Shippo trying to hide from the woman, and sighed.

“Shippo, she won't hurt you. I'm here to protect you.”

His fear seemed to subside a little at that, and he straightened somewhat.

“All these wounds… Even most demon would not survive,” Yukina said as sweat beaded her forehead. The woman wheezed and her eyes snapped shut.

Kagome closed her eyes and gently put her hand to the woman's forehead. A large power slowly seeped out of her and after a minute, it receded while Kagome began to pant.

“I can't do much, but the wounds should be easier to heal without the miasma…”

“Thank you,” Yukina sighed. Slowly, the remaining wounds started to seal, and Kagome sighed in relief.

“Why is Shippo so scared of this woman?” Kurama inquired, bringing her attention away from the woman.

“She fought us a lot in the past,” Kagome sighed.

“And can I assume, based on the strong reaction he had, that she is in some way related to this Naraku person?”

“Not anymore,” she said quietly. Her eyes surveyed the woman's slightly darker body.

Red eyes slowly opened and focused on Kagome.

“Are you alright?”

She took a minute to think about that and slowly, her head nodded, though it was weak and appeared to cause her pain.

“Why did he return it to you?” she asked. The woman's eyes seemed to clear slightly of the pain as she spoke in a pained, quiet voice.

“He… found out.”

Nobody understood exactly what that meant, but from Kagome's solemn expression, it obviously held some weight for her.

“I'm so sorry,” she whispered, appearing as though she was holding herself from crying.

“Don't concern yourself,” she replied, though it apparently caused more pain.

“If you're here… Does he know where you are?”

Panic was in Kagome's eyes now, and the group was having a difficult time following along.

“No… He threw me away... I let the wind carry me…”

“How did you get through Genkai's barrier?” Yusuke growled. The woman's eyes rolled as she took in his appearance, apparently not impressed.

“A friend of yours, Kagome?”

“Yes, he is,” Kagome said, frowning. “You need to stop talking. Rest. I'll figure something out while you heal.”

With a sigh, the woman's eyes slid closed and quickly, Kagome exited the room, along with everyone else.

“Okay, who the hell is she!?” Yusuke barked. “Someone obviously tried to kill her.”

“And you said she's with the demon after your life,” Hiei added.

“No, she was. I think the wounds should be enough of a way to make her excommunicated,” Kagome sighed.

“What's her name?” Kuwabara asked.

After a long minute of silence, Kagome sighed.

“It's Kagura.”

“She's part of Naraku,” Shippo added quietly.

“And why the hell'd you save her if she's part of whoever wants you dead!?” Yusuke growled.

“I owe her a lot.”

“Why? Didn't you say she attacked you?” Kuwabara asked.

“I hope it's not for some dimwit-like reason,” Genkai added.

“She was there, in the castle,” Kurama guessed.

“Yes, she was.”

“Well, it makes sense, if she's with whoever is after you. Other than Reikai,” Yusuke sighed. “Please don't tell me you befriended her `cause she brought you food or something while you were there.”

“No, that's not it. The simple fact is that I'd be dead if she hadn't been there,” Kagome growled…

 

A/N:

Miasma- poison

helicopter-kick- When you jump into the air and spin so you can kick with both legs in two different directions, making you look like a helicopter rotor.

Well, there's chapter 3! I told you the drama would start in this chapter. So tell me what you think! Like the fanfic so far? How was the drama of Kagura's introduction? What do you think of my character development so far? Any thoughts at all, positive, negative, or indifferent, I'd love to hear people's opinions on my work!