InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Decisions ❯ Chapter 14

 

Chapter Fourteen

 

---With Kagome and the group---

 

Well, this is going to be fun.

 

What?

 

Trying to get you to knuckle down and learn all that you need to before we have to leave. All things considered, I think that we should let Sesshomaru have you during the day and the sword and I will come at you in your dreams. Don't worry; mikos can go for days without sleep. Anyway, your body will be getting sleep. Your mind is all that we really need. You should be able to go through a month or two of lessons before you get tired.

 

That is such a comfort.

 

Well, during the time that we will be staying here, I suspect that you will want to go back occasionally to see your family. You can use that time to rest with only mine and the sword's lessons to worry about. Although I suspect that Sesshomaru will make you at least exercise a little while you are away.

 

I don't know when I will find the time to study. Even though I have taken a leave of absence from school, I still need to study so that I don't get too behind.

 

You were not destined for a regular job that would make school necessary. You have no need of it.

 

Tell that to my mom! And school is important to me. I would like to go to a university some day. I like learning…well, except for the math. The history is so interesting and science and botany are fun. You would think that history would be boring seeing as how I'm living it, but it's fun to learn if only to find out what they are getting wrong about this time. And just because I'm living through this point in history doesn't mean that I can't learn about others and in different parts of the world. I think that is what I would like to major in if I can ever get into a university.

 

Kikyo was surprised that Kagome was this passionate about school. From her thoughts about it she would have guessed that she hated it.

 

Kagome seemed to get what Kikyo was thinking, not difficult seeing as how they shared the same mind. For the most part, I do hate school. Some of the teachers are more evil than Naraku, I swear. Some of the kids, too. But I don't discount the purpose that school serves. Some of the things that they teach us are useful. I don't think that you can make a living as a miko anymore, so I will have to have a job. Even though I will probably end up taking over the shrine if Sota still refuses to do so, it won't bring in enough money to support Shippo and I, much less the rest of my family. I need a job.

 

Hmph. I guess history could be slightly useful.

 

Thanks, Kikyo. SO! First thing in the morning, training with Sesshomaru. Whenever he lets me off, I study. When I sleep, training with you and Guardian. Once every two months, I get a week with my family. Does this sound acceptable to you?

 

Yes, but it is not me you have to worry about rejecting it, it's Sesshomaru.

 

We will cross that bridge when it gets here. Kagome ended her conversation with Kikyo. They were at the hut where they had stayed the night before.

 

“Wait.” Inuyasha said just before they entered the hut. He sniffed the air. “That little runt you saved has been here. It seems that he has left you something. I smell dried blood.”

 

Kagome rushed into the hut. Almost immediately she saw the injured little cat youkai. She rushed over to it, almost stopping when she counted its tails. The poor little thing was almost dead. Immediately she put her hands to the wounds and healed the cat. It went from a pain induced coma to a peaceful, healing sleep. Once that was done, she noticed the necklace and the note under it. Sango picked it up and read it aloud to everyone. Kagome picked up the necklace. “I wish that he would have stayed.” She stared at the necklace, then put it around her neck and tucked it into her shirt.

 

She looked at the cat and saw that it was male. “I think that I will call you Niiku. (A/N: I have no idea what that means, if it means anything at all. It sounded Japanese when I thought of it and I kinda like it so I used it.) Sango, do you have any idea as to why he has three tails?”

 

Sango nodded. “I have heard that they are an indicator of both age and power. From his condition, I would say that he just finished growing the tail. When they grow their tails, they are vulnerable and unable to change into their large form for a time. It was probably the only reason that those weak bandits were able to capture him. I wonder if his coloring is significant. Both Kirara and the other fire cat that we met had similar coloring but this one...”

 

“Do fire cats have different breeds or is it a breed itself?”

 

“I have no idea. Kirara has been the only fire cat that I have had much contact with. I'm sure that there is a book in Sesshomaru's library.”

 

Kagome nodded and they got ready to leave. Kagome made a bed for Niiku in her backpack and gently laid him in. Once everyone got packed, Shippo jumped up on Kagome's shoulder. “I'm going to ride on Kirara. Is that okay, Mama?”

 

“That's fine, Shippo. Everyone?” They turned to look at her. “Don't be surprised if I don't speak for a while. I'm going to take the opportunity to practice manipulating my energy with Guardian.”

 

They took off. The group soon became accustomed to the fluctuations of energy from Kagome. By the time they made camp, Kagome felt that she had made great progress. She had learned to completely hide her miko energy and Guardian had shown her a new barrier to hide the Shikon Jewel. The new barrier hid the jewel's energy and disguised the jewel as one of the fake ones that her grandfather sold at the temple. Of course, this barrier would only be useful until the jewel became part of her soul again. Learning it wouldn't be completely useless though. Learning it made it easier to understand hiding and disguising her energy and soul. When she finished her lessons, she should be able to appear a normal human, nothing special. She explained everything that she had learned to her friends around the fire. After that they talked about the wedding. Miroku wanted to have it as quickly as possible, but Sango, the one that really counted, wanted to have a big wedding. She wanted a memorable wedding. Plus, Sesshomaru had already said that he was going to take over the organizing. Sango only had to tell his servants what she wanted and he would arrange it. There would still be plenty for Sango to do, but Sesshomaru didn't do anything half way. If he was arranging it, then it would be done on a grand scale. Kaede, of course, would be marrying them and Mushin, the closest thing to a father that Miroku had, would bless their union. Kagome would be her maid of honor and Inuyasha would be the best man. Kirara would carry Sango's train and Shippo was going to throw the flowers. (A/N: I don't know how marriage ceremonies were conducted then. I know just the basics of marriage ceremonies now so this is going to follow that.)

 

Niiku was still sleeping when they went to sleep for the night. Kagome took him out of her backpack and made him a bed close to her. She asked Kirara to sleep near him so that he could be comforted by his own kind if he woke up scared during the night.

 

Which was exactly what happened.

 

Kagome woke to a low growl somewhere in the vicinity of her head answered by another low growl from Kirara. She ever so slowly rose to a sitting position and stared the now transformed, three-tailed fire cat youkai in the eyes. As soon as their eyes met there was a flash of recognition in the cat's eyes. It immediately retransformed into his smaller form and jumped into his new mistress's arms. It had taken him centuries to find her and when he did he almost attacked her! It was not how he had pictured finding his destined master to be. He had just thought that they were the one's that had hurt him while he was weak from growing his third tail. He told Kagome all of this by telepathy.

 

Kagome didn't even bat an eye when her new cat had started talking to her in her mind. After all, once you have heard a sword talk, you are not surprised by much of anything anymore.

 

Kagome looked at the rest of the group, who had woken when the growling began. “Sango, does Kirara talk to you by telepathy?”

 

Sango looked startled. “No. Is Niiku speaking to you?”

 

Kirara meowed to Niiku. Kirara says that she has about four to five hundred years before she will grow another tail. I'm seven hundred, forty years old. With a third tail, comes the ability to communicate with our destined masters. I have tried to find you for a long time. I thought that I had found you three hundred years ago, but when I went to where I sensed you, all I saw was pile of statues. I love my name, by the way.

 

Kagome relayed this information to the rest of the group as she stroked Niiku's soft fur. “Do you think that I can keep him in my time? It would be hard to explain the three tails and the purple markings.”

 

You idiot, how do you think that we will hide Shippo's youkai characteristics? There is a spell for these kind of things. Anyway, with all the things that you will be learning, do you think that it will be difficult to change someone's appearance? Kikyo, ever the charmer.

 

“Never mind. Okay everyone, let's get some sleep. I have the feeling tomorrow's going to be a long day.”

 

Niiku couldn't bring himself to let Kagome out of touching distance after trying to find her for over seven hundred years. Since Shippo had already claimed a spot in her sleeping bag, he transformed into his larger form and allowed them to use him as a pillow. He fell asleep purring; for the first time in his life he was content.

 

Sango looked at the threesome from across the fire, absently stroking Kirara as she reminisced about when she had first met Kirara. It was almost just like that, except Kirara hadn't been waiting so long and couldn't use telepathy to communicate. Now that was something to look forward to, although they could communicate fine now. Maybe Kirara could find her reincarnated form and, then, they could talk.

 

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