InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Stronger Than Yesterday ❯ Chp. 14 Reconcile ( Chapter 14 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Denial.

It wasn’t a river. It was an ocean. And Kagome Higurashi drowned in it. Lost in its chasms for three days as a herd of small children ran reckless throughout the house and made their big brother cry. The house was a mess and the spirit detectives were on their very last straw. Their nerves were thin, and the Doctor Caeli couldn’t fix it. He didn’t want to fix it. He too was growing restless for want of returning to his other patients. Yet, Lord Shippo refused to leave, barely left Kagome’s side, and only graced them with his presence when venturing out to get something for Kagome.

“Oi!” Yusuke called out as Shippo went waddling back to Kagome’s room with a pile of things that were too big for him to properly carry. “When the hell are you leaving? Your kids are driving us crazy!”


“Yeah!” Lui demanded as he punted a sibling out of his way to confront his father.


Giving Lui a disappointing look, Shippo placed his load on the floor and turned to face his confronters with his hands on his hip.


“I’ll leave when it is absolutely necessary. And I don’t see that coming up too soon.”


“But, my Lord,” the doctor voiced up. “I have other patients to attend to.”


“Indeed you do. Go check Kagome’s boo boo.” Not sparing the doctor a second look and ignoring his sigh, Shippo looked to his brood.


“Pups!” he barked, making them all halt their antics to pay attention to him “Has big brother been taking care of you?”


“Yes papa.” They announced in unison, to which Shippo gave Lui a nod of approval.


“Good. Now sit and behave until I come get you.”


Seeming to wear the same mischievous smile, the herd all sat down and faced the TV they had broken only hours before.


“Is that better detectives?”


“No! Now they’re just creeping me out.”


“It’s called Ima-gi-na-tion!”Shippo told him with a smile.


“It looks like they’re plotting total destruction!”


“I have no control over that.” Turning towards his oldest, Shippo’s smile dropped. “Oh oldest disappointment, what is it do you want?”


“I want you to leave us alone. And stop wearing that kid disguise, you’re a grown man!”


“Us?”


“Me and Kagome!”


“Kagome doesn’t want me to leave her alone.” Shippo countered with a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Kagome loves me!”


“She doesn’t love you! She loves who you use to be! She loves that skin you’re wearing! She doesn’t know anything about old man Shippo! The evil, bad things you’ve done!”


“I’ve told her about the dark days.”


“Did you tell her you killed my mother out of jealously because she loved me more than you?”


“I’m sure you already told her as much.”


“What about your sex grotto of whores you’re using to make an army?”


“Don’t call your sibling’s mothers whores when they can hear you.”


“Would you just get out of here?”


“Is that a challenge to your old papa?” Standing up as tall as he could in his current body, Shippo’s face went stony as he looked upon his eldest.


Looked upon was taking it easy. The look he gave off, though directed at his son, was felt throughout the room. It gripped the heart and placed fear into its core. It was cold, calculating, and deadly. Now they knew where Lui had gotten his stare from, but it was a butterfly kiss compared to his father’s.


“No sir.” Lui offered up with a weak voice as he back downed with his eyes downcast and neck exposed.


“Good.” Shippo piped out with a cheery grin to the silent room. “Now take care of my army until I deem fit to return.”


“So,” Yusuke chimed in after a moment. “I now know what it is like to get bitch slapped with a look.”


Hiei sniffed and looked disgusted. “Someone pissed themselves.” But no one owned up to it.


~_____~


As Kagome found out, the ocean of denial lead to the Lonely Island of Depression where Shippo was currently trying to construct a raft for her to escape from it.

He was currently applying salve to her back and helping massage the sore areas as he told her stories of his and their friend’s past.


“And that’s when I realized I loved her.”


“What happened to her?” Kagome asked, interested in the story of Lui’s mom despite her sadness.


“She abandoned us a little while after she gave birth to Lui.” As he said this, his hands tightened on her and she winced at the pain.


“I’m sorry.” She muttered, genuinely sorry that Shippo had suffered another abandonment.


“It’s okay. It’s been years since it happened, besides, poetic justice; she was killed a few months after she left.”


Looking over her shoulder, Kagome caught a humorous smile upon Shippo’s face, but as he saw her looking he wiped it away.


“Lui blames me. He thinks I had her killed because I was jealous of the attention she showed him. I’d rather he think that than know the truth. He’s a sensitive boy.”


“He has horrible stories of you.” She suddenly told him. “Why were you so mean to him?”


Shippo sighed. “He was my first kid and I pretty much raised him alone. And my father figures weren’t really father-ish. I may have been tough on him, but…Kagome, come one. You’ve been around him. He is very dramatic. The boy exaggerates.”


“Yeah. I can see that. Besides, the rest of your kids seem pretty happy.”


“They are.” He confirmed with fondness in his voice. “Lui’s very good with them. When not fighting with me, he spends plenty of time with them. I just pray that he doesn’t rub off on them.”


Kagome laughed at this and he smiled.


“I wish I had him before Sango died. She could have helped whip him into shape for me.”


Kagome felt a hitch catch in her throat.


“How did Sango die?”


Shippo was silent a moment as he tried to remember.


“It was a sickness. I can’t remember the symptoms too well, I only heard of it later on from word of mouth. She was greatly loved and admired. She practically revolutionized demon hunting throughout the land. I was there for Miroku though.”


She couldn’t bring herself to ask, but Shippo continued anyway.


“He was kicked in the head by a mule.”


“Shut up!”


“No lie. But he didn’t die right then. He died a few days later surrounded by his kids.”


“Kids?”


“Yeah. He died as an old man with a fat, angry wife and many kids to carry on his name, and to hide the fact that their patriarch died from a case of mistaken identity when someone called out something about an ass.”


“Yeah, that sounds like an old man Miroku.”


“He never changed.” Shippo told her with a shared laugh.


“Shippo?” she asked her voice somber once more. “You said Miroku died as an old man. What about his wind tunnel? What about Naraku? Is he still around? Was he defeated? I need to know.”


“Naraku?” he repeated conversationally, rubbing and kneading the muscle at the base of her neck. “Naraku exploded.”


She sat up at this and looked at him in confusion as he grinned up at her.


“He exploded? Naraku? The evil guy we were after the whole time? That guy? He exploded?”


“Yep.”


“He just exploded? Why, how?”


“Don’t know. Never really understood it. Legend has it that he spread himself so thin, you know with all those ‘children’ he was making, that his body couldn’t hold all his power and he just went…boom.”


She blinked slowly.


“And after he exploded, his ‘children’ went right after him. There was Naraku everywhere. It was gross.”


She blinked at him again, and the only sound to be heard from her was a growling in her belly.


He laughed at the sound. “Guess I’ll go get you something to eat now.” Making to hop off the bed, he was halted mid-leap as Kagome grabbed him around the middle and hugged him to her.


“I’m, I’m sort of glad that they died that way.”


“What do you mean?” Shippo asked in confusion.


“Inuyasha told me he killed them. Told me he killed you all.”


“Ah. So you ran into him.”


“Yeah.” She moaned aloud. “He’s dead now. I was so angry, so enraged at him…at them. I killed Kikyo and I tried to kill Inuyasha.”


“Tried?”


“Th e boys stopped me, but Hiei told me later. He delivered the finishing blow.” Her voice became choked up as the urge to cry overcame her. “He killed Inuyasha.”


“Oh no you don’t!” Shippo exclaimed as he pushed her onto her back. “Don’t you cry for him. He’s the reason that I went so long without you. He doesn’t deserve your tears. But I deserve your laughter.” And with that said, Shippo made it his duty to find her every tickle spot.


It’s hard to cry and be depressed when you had a tiny, fluffy tailed youth who could barely reach your knees tickle you so thoroughly. She laughed, she couldn’t help but do so, and as she was relentlessly tickled, tears began to leak from her eyes in mirth.


“Stop it!” she screamed between laughter as she tried to squirm away, but Shippo was too fast, too merciless, to head her plea.


“Blasphemy!”


Stopping mid tickle and laugh, Kagome and Shippo turned in unison to her doorway to find the entire gang staring at them, some in anger. Well, maybe just the one person.


“That’s it!” Lui yelled, pointing a finger angrily at the duo. “Father, Lord of the Western Lands, Shippo, I challenge you!”


Letting the part of Kagome’s shirt that he held in his mouth fall, Shippo stepped to the middle of the bed and stood up straighter with a smirk on his face as he looked to his angry son.


“You wish to challenge me, Aluicious?”


The boys burst into laughter and Kagome bit her lip to keep from sounding at.


“Yes. I. Do.” Lui answered him, ignoring the guffaws.


“What, I ask, will be at stake? What shall be the spoils of the victor?”


“Besides your death by my hands, the winner, I, shall win Kagome’s heart and you will be forbidden to see her ever again.”


“Why the hell am I the prize, Aluicious?” Kagome couldn’t bring herself to finish the question with a straight face and ended up laughing.


“You really wish to defeat me?”


“Yeah. I’ve been saying it since I was twelve.”


“Do you think you can? Can you, Aluicious, defeat your papa? Can you take up his place in the world? Are you strong enough to raise your siblings up big and strong? Will you be able to defend the castle and lands from Uncle Sesshy when he gets bored of tormenting humans? Uncle Sesshy will not tolerate weakness. Will you take my place today? Can you even handle the real Kagome? She is not one of your dolls, Aluicious. She bites back!”


“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and YES I CAN!”


“Then outside, Eldest! Show me that you can and I will depart this very day. Whether it is by death or of my own accord.”


“Damn right it’ll be by death.” Lui muttered as he turned around to get ready. “I’ll rip your throat out like you did to my puppy.”


“He does this every few years or so.” Shippo told them as a way to answer their questioning stairs. “It won’t take long, I’ll just give him a quick spanking and I’ll be back in your arms before you know it.” With a hop and a skip, Shippo was gone out the door to battle his son to the possible death.


“This family is weird.” Kuwabara stated to the quiet room.


“Want to go watch the fight?” Yusuke asked the silent Kagome.


She shrugged as much as she could. “Yeah, why not? I’ve spent enough time in this bed.”


~____~


“What did we just watch?”


Kagome shrugged as they continued to watch Lui literally get spanked by someone almost five times smaller than him.


“What are you doing Lui?” Yusuke yelled. “He’s the size of your foot! Fight back!”


“And now he’s crying.” Kuwabara observed.


“Oh my.” Kagome murmured.


Though he was not outright sobbing, Lui did seem emotional as he kneeled in front of his father as Shippo either consoled or scolded him. None of them could hear the words that were exchanged, but they did see Lui nod ever so often.


“Does anyone else feel kind of sad for him?” Yusuke asked aloud, and when no one answered him back, his eyes drifted over to Kagome. “You look like a vulture.”


“What?”


“You know. With you all hunched over and with your crooked neck. You look like a vulture.”

 
With offense written all over her, Kagome struck the offender in the gut and made herself stand up straight. Standing up straight was hard to do, her back’s dull ached reawakened and the skin was tight and stretched painfully, but she managed to do it.


“See, now you’re just sticking your boobs out to try to make us forget about the vulture.”


Grumbling to herself and shooting the detective a dirty look, Kagome walked away from them and headed straight to the dysfunctional family. As she approached, Shippo flashed her a smile, while Lui hurriedly stood up and wiped his eyes.


“How much did you see?” he asked, trying to put up a brave front.


“All of it.” She answered truthfully, shattering his charade, while she happily caught Shippo as he hopped into her arms.


“So is everything alright?” she asked them both.


“Yeah. Since he…won…  ” Lui muttered darkly, choking on the word. “I guess he can stay.”


“There is no doubt about me staying.” Shippo told his son from within Kagome’s arms. “The question that remains in the air is whether or not you shall remain here in her presence.”


“The hell you talking about, pop?”


“We never discussed the terms for when I win. And I won, son.”


“And I guess you want her all to yourself.”


“I deserve her all to myself.” Shippo goaded him as he hugged Kagome closer.


“No you don’t!” Lui yelled, his face turning red with anger. “No he doesn’t, Kagome! Tell him!”


“I have no say in this.” She told him, not wanting to get drawn into the family dispute but wanting to spend more times with Shippo.


“He killed my mother!” Lui countered, sure his conviction with convince Kagome of Shippo’s evil.


“Didn’t you tell me you killed your girlfriend?”


Lui opened and closed his mouth multiple times.


“He’s still on punishment for that.” Shippo offered up into the silence, a cheery smile on his face. “This is why he shall be returning home with Dr. Caeli and the troop. Immediately.”


Lui began to argue, but a look from Shippo silenced and killed any fight in him.


“I shall tell the rest.” Shippo announced, reading Kagome’s silent glance. Hopping from her arms he ran back towards the watching crowd.


“I guess this is good-bye.” Kagome started off after an awkward moment passed.


“Do you know how it feels to lose the woman of your dreams to your own father?” Lui yelled over her.


“Not at all.” She answered him. “And I’m not the woman of your dreams.”


“Are you sure? Because this voice in my head is saying otherwise.”


Kagome said nothing as she tried to gauge whether that had been a joke or not.


“What?” Lui asked to her questioning face in confusion.


“Come here.” She said in resignation as she pulled him to her in a hug. “You’re such a weirdo.”


“But you liked it, right?” he asked as he pushed her away, his face hopeful. “Liked me?”


“Not as much as you would have liked.”


“Oh.”


“But I’m glad to have met you.” And before he could react, she gave him a swift peck to his cheek.


After dodging his attempt at a deeper kiss, Kagome led him back to the others. Upon arrival, she saw that Dr. Caeli and the kids had joined everyone.


“You ready, eldest?” Shippo asked as he jumped into Kagome’s arms.


“No. But I have no choice.”


“That’s right. Doctor, sorry to have delayed you for so long.”


“And thank you, for treating me.” Kagome told him earnestly as she gave him a quick bow of thanks.


“My pleasure. And do not fret over the tightness of the new skin; it shall loosen up considerably when the scales set.”


Kagome dropped Shippo. “I’m sorry, the what?”


Caeli opened his mouth but was interrupted by the arrival of a helicopter over the horizon. Lui squinted into the storm of noise and wind before turning accusingly to his father.


“How the hell did you get that here so fast?”


“I called for them yesterday.” Shippo answered, not bothering to look up at his eldest as he busied himself around his other children.


“They got here pretty damn conveniently!”


At this, Shippo did look up. “I know you, Aluicious. You are my first, my eldest, my prodigy. I watched you grow and develop. I know you.”


“That’s…kind of nice and creepy.” Lui looked uncomfortable. “Why are you being fatherly?”


“Contrary to your psyche, I actually love you.”


Lui twitched. His mouth opened and closed rapidly, and he looked to be constipated. By now, the helicopter had landed a little ways off from them and the increased noise helped them to look pass Lui’s issues.


“Give Papa kisses!” Shippo squealed to his brood, ignoring his eldest ordeal. “You big good for big brother while papa is away. Okay?”


“Yah, Papa!” they chimed in, surrounding their miniature father and smothering him in hugs and kisses.


“But not too good.” He whispered loudly, and with a united yell, they ran for the chopper, trampling their still flabbergasted brother in the process. They were soon followed by the doctor.


“No!” Kagome yelled after him. “About this scale thing!”


“Wait!” Lui yelled over her, but it wasn’t the doctor he was yelling for. “I can’t leave! Kagome needs the other half to a relic that you have and I don’t know where to look.”


Shippo whistled loudly, again drowning out Kagome’s yell. From the chopper, one of the smaller, and quicker, children came running towards them. As they made it to them, he quickly handed Shippo a package and ran off again.


“Oh come on!” Lui exclaimed as Shippo produced the missing half of the relic and handed it to Kagome. “How the hell did you know to bring that?”


“Kagome told me.” He answered simply.


“Really Kagome?”


“What? It helped me out.”


“Give Papa kisses.” Shippo demanded, hopping onto Kagome’s shoulder so he could get level with his son.


Looking torn between showing Kagome affection and avoiding his father, Lui deciding on just grabbing Kagome’s hand in a loving caress.


“Don’t forget me.”


“I couldn’t if I wanted to.”


Lip trembling slightly, Lui nodded his head at her, pushed his father off her shoulder, and turned and walked to the awaiting helicopter.


“So…I’m going to be growing scales.” Kagome announced after the chopper had taken to the sky and the sight of Lui’s forlorn face had gotten old.


“Well what did you expect,” Hiei asked her darkly. “Mistress Schlange?”


“You know this thing you do? It’s not cute.”


“What are you going to do about it?”


“What’s going on here?” This came from Kuwabara but was ignored.


“I’m going to end up kicking your ass, that’s what, bitch.”


“Kagome!” Shippo reprimanded her in his father voice.


“Yeah.” Yusuke complained. “Stop flirting and just put the damn relic together.”


“Where the hell do you live?” Kagome asked as she produced the main relic. “What kind of flirting is that?”


“Hiei flirting.” He mumbled, enticing a quick jab to the kidney. “Don’t think I didn’t notice.”


“What?”


“Let&# 8217;s just finish this.” Kurama intervened.


“You always seem to surround yourselves with characters.” Shippo commented as he jumped on her shoulder for a better look.


“I didn’t surround myself, they surrounded me. It was a kidnapping.” Though mumbling to herself, Kagome finally placed the missing half into its place and completed the relic. As it slid into place, it began to hum in her hands and glow a soft light.


The others gathered closer to her as the light grew brighter and the relics began to turn in their places. It seemed to emit a low keening noise, but it was too low to be sure. Just as the relic seemed to reach its crescendo, all the activity began to wind down. And by the time it was once again dead in her hands, they were all fully disappointed.


“Well that was lame.” Yusuke commented, voicing everyone’s opinion.


“Maybe you have to shake it.” Kuwabara offered up. Kagome was about to give it a shot, why not, when the relic started acting up again.


Kagome shrugged while trying not to get blinded by the light. “I guess it’s just old.”


“Look.” Shippo yelled enthusiastically. “Something’s about to happen.”


Indeed something did happen. The relic seemed to open, revealing a magical beautiful world with a light so bright, it seemed to be a gateway to the heavens. The opening let out a warm gust that blew their hair back as they stared into it in wonder. Though, where there was beauty, there was also the putrid stench of rotted flesh.


“What is this?” Kagome asked aloud. Is what Kagome wanted to ask aloud. But just as she opened her mouth, a hand was placed over it. The hand covered her mouth, her nose, and her eyes. It was larger than her head and its gripped completely engulfed it and even clamped down over her shoulders, giving her little ability to maneuver her arms. The hand hit her in the face with the blunt force of a wall. On impact she bit her lip and felt sharp pain throughout her head, but the pain to her nose was the worst. Hot blood immediately began running down her face. She screamed with the taste of her blood in her mouth, but her voice was drowned out by the roar, and rancid breath of the beast whose hand was trying to squeeze her to death.


Through the gaps of the fist, she saw that it came from the relic, and as she watched, more and more of it exited the hole. With a second and louder roar, the beast squeezed her harder, making her body contort as her back was forced to bend. She heard the boys yelling, but if they were yells of battle or pain, she wasn’t sure. Her feet had left the ground by now and the strain on her already injured back was amplified. She found it hard to breathe; every struggle she attempted was met by another squeeze. All around her was chaos, the boys yelled and growled, her name was called and yelled, the beast roared, lights and colors flickered and flared pass the gaps in the fist, and she was mere rag doll in the hands of fate.


“Break it!” she heard yelled. “Break the damn thing!”


“Please break it!” she yelled, her voice muffled and nasally. She wasn’t sure if they heard her. She wasn’t even sure if she actually said it aloud. But Hiei was suddenly there, looking at her through the gaps. He stood upon the hand and stared down at her with steely, angered eyes and she froze at the intensity of their heated glance.


“I’ve got you.” He told her, and she could do nothing more than nod.


She saw him draw back, but she never saw him draw the katana. It was just there. His face was determined and his steel was capable. She wondered at what he would do. Would he sever the hand? Just the fingers? Carve out a hole for her to escape?


He stabbed the great beast with the resulting roar hinting at a pained insertion. His plan was a success and Kagome was dropped.
As she fell, she finally got to see her captor. The monster stood almost as tall as the trees. Its body was vaguely humanoid in anatomy. Its skin was a rough leathery texture and it had no hair. The face was little more than a place to hold the grotesque mouth and had no discernible nose and no eyes, but as she fell it turned in her direction and roared again in anger.

Hiei was falling with her, and she reached out desperately to him, but just as her fingers grazed his, the monster’s hand was there and swinging wildly. One swipe swatted Hiei away like a bug, and the next pushed her down harder and faster to meet the ground. She braced her as much as she could, but the collision still made her world go dark.

She could barely hear, each blinked felt like it took forever, and the darkness between each felt longer and longer. And it was during this state that she saw him. The little boy. He walked slowly towards her. He was dirty and barefoot. His black hair was a dirty matted mess atop of his head and his skin was an ashen white. Though her condition wasn’t a reliable source for accuracy, the kid seemed impervious of his surroundings. Once he stood before her, the little boy crouched down to look her in the eye. And as brown met a stormy grey, he smiled at her, but there was nothing sweet about it.


“Hello, Kagome.” He greeted her, but before she could respond, before she could begin to defend herself, her world went entirely black.


~_____~


She was coming to. She didn’t want to, but she was. Nothing but hurt waited on the other side of her consciousness; she could already hear it. Well that and the thunderous footfalls of a monster, but she didn’t want to deal with that either. Now she just wanted to deal with the life crisis she had just fallen into. She had just had an epiphany and realized something terrible but true. Her life had been better with Inuyasha. Yes he demeaned her, played with her heart strings, and even tried to kill her, but at least that’s all he planned to do. With Inuyasha, though she just called names and cheated on constantly, she had been surrounded by loving friends and protected. She’d trade that any day for the poisoning, kidnapping, molestation/rape, and constant injuring that she was undergoing while with the spirit detectives.

She would have whimpered but it was suddenly forced out of her as her head was painfully yanked back by her hair.


“You are awake.” The kid declared, forcing her to acknowledge reality.


“I am.” She confirmed with a groan. She tried to look at him properly, but found it hard to open her eyes. ‘I never got black eyes with Inuyasha.’


“Who are you?” she asked, looking at the grey eyed kid as best as she could.


He regarded her with his stormy gaze, and as he sat back on his haunches, she noticed he was sitting on a giant arm. At the end of that arm was a big, meaty hand, and clenched in that meaty palm was a little black haired miko with crushed ribs.


“My mother called me Weylin.”


“We were told if we combine all the pieces to the relic, we would end up with a powerful weapon.”


“I’m not a weapon.”


“Then why were you, both of you, in that thing?”


Weylin stood up, his face impassive, and as he turned darkened eyes to her, the big ogre began to crush her in its grip. Weylin seemed deaf to her distress and casually sauntered up to the head of their transporter.


“They put me in there.” He whispered, looking out at the horizon.


“Who?” she croaked out, hoping to sound sympathetic.


“Everyone.” The word was said with the heat no child should be able to muster. His voice grew low and his grey eyes darkened. With the utterance of the word the beast roared angrily and pain grew in her head and extended down her spine. The pain was so intense she was acutely aware of every hair on her head.


“They all put me away.” Weylin continued angrily, seemingly unaware of her trauma. “Mother, father, and the whole entire village.”


‘I really hope that’s not blood!’ Kagome screamed inside her head as she felt liquid coursing down her face.


“They called me names.” His voice got angrier, and with the anger the beast squeezed her harder and the pain in her head intensified. She tried to scream, but she could scarcely pull air into her body.


‘I can’t black out! Oh god, let me black out!’


“I cried and they did nothing.”


“You’re killing me!” she accomplished to yell. The pain lessened and the pressure on her body let up as the beast eased up. As she was finally able to breathe, she slumped over onto the fist and shook. She hadn’t noticed she had been sweating until she had to see through hair that was now plastered to her face. She would have moved it aside, but the thought of even lifting her arms made her ache more.


“Oh. So I am.” Weylin commented dryly as he looked down upon her. “Maybe I should.”


“What?” wheezing, Kagome flopped her head around until she could see her supposed executioner.


“Kill you.” He repeated his voice as dead as he promised her to be. “You need to be punished for what you did and I need to exact revenge. So, decidedly, I should kill you. Right?”


Kagome choked on her fear. “No.”


“No?” he seemed genuinely surprised. “You don’t think you should die? That you shouldn’t be punished?”


She just managed to nod her, too scared and tried to say anymore.


“Liar!”


The pain was back and so intense that Kagome reeled back at the sudden assault. She tried to scream, but a spout of blood made its way out first.


“Stop it!”


“But you deserve to die!”


“No! I don’t!”


“Stop lying!” the pain intensified at his outburst. “You know you should be punished! I can see it in you!”


“Why?”


“Because you abandoned him! Shippo! You abandoned him and everyone you knew! I heard you say it! I see that you know it!”


“You shut up!” It took all her might to get the words out and mean it. At this the pain suddenly subsided as Weylin was shocked into a slight stupor. Slumping over and breathing heavily, Kagome made sure to keep him in sight. “Yeah. Yeah! I feel like I abandoned him. I feel that deep in my heart.”


She had to take a break and regain her breath. She was surprised that he let her do so. He merely watched her in curiosity.


“But the truth is…I didn’t.”


His eyes widened at her declaration.


“I always intended to go back. I never abandoned them. Something must’ve happened to keep me from returning.”


She finally felt herself drifting off and she welcomed it. “I would never purposely hurt him.”


Sleep evaded her as she felt her body erect itself up ramrod straight. Breathing heavily though her mouth and shaking from both fear and pain, she stared straight at Weylin as he looked stoically at her.


“My mother purposely abandoned me.” The way he told her, it seemed to her as if he was looking for response.


“Then she wasn’t a very good mother.”


He looked surprised at her answer. “And you are?” the question came out more as an accusation.


“I’m not his mother.”


“Then why do you feel guilty? You reek of it when you are with the kitsune.”


She didn’t even have to think of a reply. “Because I love him.”


“How can you do that? He’s a demon? He’s stronger than you. He could kill you easily if he wanted.”


“That has nothing to do with me loving him.” she groaned, getting tired and irritated. “Besides, I’m not that easy to kill. Now, let your hold on me go, so I can pass out.”


“How can you tell me what to do?” Though his voice sounded indignant, he did release his hold. As she slumped, fell, over in relief, he merely watched her curiously.


“Because…” she huffed. “You’re just a kid.”


He stood up straighter and the pressure in her head was increased again. She growled amidst the scream. “I am more than a kid. If I wanted I could be a god. I could be your god. I can do anything I want. Create anything I want. Destroy anything I want, and you could do no more than what you do now.”


“Yeah, but do you know what you need?” she managed to get out between clenched teeth.


“I need nothing. But I guess you’re going to enlighten me.”


“You see what you need is a swift kick to your little jewels and a spanking.”


“I have no jewels.” Weylin uttered slowly in confusion. Kagome only laughed at him.


“You’re weird.” This declaration only made Kagome howl louder. After a moment’s consideration, Weylin’s confusion cleared up. “Oh, you’re just going into shock.”


Shock and delirium would make the strongest person laugh in the face of pain when they undergo it long enough. To follow this with a statement declaring Kagome as in this state would be redundant. So if a giant, red fox suddenly appeared and began viciously gnawing at the arm of the golem, it shined brightly in Kagome’s favor that she only laughed in relief.

Weylin didn’t look pleased at the sudden arrival. Raising his arm up, he made a slashing movement at the fox. Kagome couldn’t see anything move, but as the fox leapt away, she witnessed the spot it had just occupied being cut through. The cut was quick and clean, cleaving the arm in two. As the hand dislodged from the arm, Kagome fell quite a distance before hitting the ground. Upon impact the hand came unclenched and she was finally able to take a full breath.


She barely had time to access her surroundings before Hiei was by her side.


“Are you alright?” he asked, as he managed to successfully hold her upright without causing her to moan.


“I don’t know.” She answered him truthfully.


“Well you look horrible!”


Seeing as how one of her eyes was now completely swollen shut, and that she had blood on her face from a broken nose, she completely agreed with him.


She laughed weakly before her body slumped over into his arms. He quickly scooped her up and dashed away to the tree line. He didn’t take her far before propping her up against a sturdy wood. Although her breathing was shaky, she smiled as he moved a few hairs from her face.


“So I had to get this beat up for you to be sweet?”


Giving her an onceover and deciding she would be fine, he stood to his full height and looked back to where they had come and unsheathed his katana.


Looking at her from the corner of his eye, he smirked. “I’m never sweet.” And then he was gone and she was left alone.


Her intentions were to rest and regain some strength before joining the rest. She didn’t know how they were fairing; the only sound she could decipher from the battle was Weylin’s golem as it roared in anger. Since she heard no sounds of mayhem and horror from her friends, she assumed they could wait.

Starting at her toes and working her way up, she slowly relaxed her body and took deep breaths to get herself ready. Already feeling better, she closed her eye and tried to think healing thoughts.

Light touches on her face made her jerk alert, and that’s when she realized she had fallen asleep. In her sleep she had fallen over and she found herself slumped over the roots of the trees with her face pressed into the dirt. The light touches to her face she found to be an albino butterfly, and as her eye opened, the flutter of her eyelashes chased it away. Despite being injured and lying on the forest while a battle waged on behind her, Kagome assumed there could be worst ways to wake up.

As she considered it, it was a pretty damn good way to wake up. She felt good, her body didn’t ache, she still found it slightly difficult to breathe and her other eye was still swollen shut, but the pain wasn’t a problem anymore. She was well rested and felt stronger. Her left hand especially. Her left hand actually felt too damn strong. She felt that she could crush bricks. It felt as if the power of greyskull was running through it.


“Wow!” she found herself growling, strength seeming to fall from her lips. Sitting up, she looked to where her hand rested upon the relic holder.


“Oh.” She said, sitting up. “Well that’s convenient.”


~____~


“Hey.”


Breathing heavily and dripping sweat like a salty waterfall, Yusuke Urameshi turned to see just who the hell was sending out greetings in the middle of a battle.


“You look like shit.” Kagome told him as she emerged from the forest.


“Well look who’s talking!” he growled. “What the hell is up with your arm?”


“Phenomenal cosmic power?” she suggested, looking down at the glowing pink appendage that was so full of power that it slightly hurt.


“Just keep it away from me.”


“This hand isn’t for you.”


“It’s intended for someone?”


“Shut up.” she yelled, pushing him down as the golem made a swipe for them. With her hulk arm, Kagome awkwardly struck out with a backwards stroke. The hit caused the golem to rear back with a roar, its arm disintegrating from where she touched it.


“Did you just bitch slap that monster?”


“I think I did.” The golem was quickly being purified, its remaining anatomy flailed around, trying to take out anything and anyone before it died. Thankfully, it was disintegrating too fast to cause any harm, unfortunately, while she had been unconscious and juicing up on ancient unknown power, Weylin had apparently been busy manifesting more golems to keep everyone bus; one for each fighter. The kid was nowhere in sight.


“Where’s Weylin?” she asked him before he could run off to help Kuwabara.


“Who?”


“The boy.”


“I don’t know.” He yelled, running off. “He’s been too busy calling up those damn things!”


Kagome surveyed the surroundings and saw that everyone was busy fighting their own monstrous golem. The boys were holding their own, but she could tell they were getting tired while the golem tended to be unrelenting.

Her arm convulsed as if it couldn’t contain its excitement. Clenching her fist and testing her strength, her miko powers flared around her and moved her hair with the motion of a gentle breeze. Kagome Higurashi had just gone Super Miko and she was going to flaunt it.

Giving out a battle cry, more to warn the guys than to intimidate, she ran into the middle of the battle and delivered backhand swing after backhand swing to the legs of any golem she ran across. Her blows were awkward, seeing as she had to use her left hand, but effective. The golem’s legs purified first and as they dropped down, the boys were able to finish them off more quickly.

She would have called their work done if it wasn’t for the fact that as the golems fell, more materialized out of the air.


“This is what’s been happening all this time!” Yusuke yelled. “We kill them and more pop up!”


“It’s Weylin!” she told them as she ran at the new arrivals. “That kid has the power to create them!”


“Then find him and stop him! I’m getting hungry!”


“Boys.” She growled under her breath, running through the seemingly never ending forest of golem legs. She was blind to her pain, if there was any, as her hand connected with leg after leg. The golem looked to be made of flesh but as her hand connected with them, they crumbled like dirt.

As she worked, she began to feel a resistance on her legs and began to trip up. She tried to press on, but the feeling increased until she completely stopped in her tracks and fell to the ground. Squirming onto her side, she looked down to see what tripped her and found her legs covered in dry mud. She tried to move her legs but the mud was just too thick, and when she went to brush it away, it immediately turned to dust at her touch.

She jumped to her feet and tried to resume her attack of the golem apparitions, but as soon as she tried to move her legs, she stumbled. The dirt was back and higher than ever. Frantically, she slapped and beat the creeping mud, but when she would brush some away, it came back faster and higher.


“Hey guys!” she called out in warning as the mud reached her waist. By now it was starting to get uncomfortable as it tightened around her.


She fought and beat against the mud, but it continued creeping and soon had her arms trapped to her side. It became harder to breathe as it encroached over her chest. The mud was so tight she could barely move her fingers and only her left arm had any freedom as the power that controlled the dirt was annulled at its touch.

She tried to scream, but the mud had enclosed around her neck and cut off any scream she could must. Her eyes looked around erratically as she searched for someone to notice her, but no one looked her way, and soon, her vision turned dark as her head was covered.

While her body tried to hyperventilate, she tried to stay calm so as not to inhale any dirt. As she tried to calm herself, she felt the dirt shifting around her and she hoped to death it wasn’t pulling her underground.


“Why are you fighting me?”


Before she could begin to wonder at the voice, her dark shell was invaded by light. The mud crumbled from around her, but stopped at her waist, keeping her getting away as she found herself in the presence of Weylin. He was looking expectantly at her.


“What do you want?” she asked him, spitting out as much dirt as she could.


“For your friends to leave me alone.”


“They’re only attacking because you kidnapped me.”


“So tell them to stop. I didn’t hurt you.”


“But you did hurt me.”


He seemed to try to recall such an incidence. “That’s not my fault. You’re just too weak. Everyone I hurt was too weak.”


“Yeah, well, I’m not too weak now.” And with a grunt of effort, Kagome’s backhanded Weylin in the face. The little boy didn’t fall down, but he stumbled back at the impact.


When he looked back at her, she saw that his face was burned where she touched him. She also saw that he had teared up and for a brief moment, his eyes were filled with hurt and fear. But it lasted only for a brief second. His face tightened with anger and his burn healed, leaving only a slight red indication of the wound.


“You’re not supposed to hit me.” He told her in a quiet voice.


“And why not? You’re just a little bully.”


“You’re not supposed to hit me.” He repeated with an even lower voice, staring up at her through his lashes. “Because I can break you.”


He said it with suck conviction and menace that Kagome felt her heart dropped as cold fear filled her belly. The dirt began to run over her body again, but she could barely bring herself to struggle again. The fear gripped her harder than anything.

“W-w-wait, Weylin.” She stammered as the dirt gripped her limbs and stretched her out like a ragdoll. “Let’s talk about this.”


“No.” he whispered the word, but she wouldn’t have heard him if he yelled it in her ear. No, he said, but all she heard was the pop. Cereal went snap, crackle, pop, but the sound of her arm being torn from her body went pop, snap and crack.


The world went silent at the initial pop and her body jerked as the arm came away. Weylin looked at her, his face somber as he wiped the tears from his eyes.


“You made me hurt you.” The words didn’t match his lips, and they sounded muted and slow to her ears. “They all made me hurt them.”


Her brain started to catch up with the situation and her mind was left behind. The first thing she noticed was wetness along her side and how fast it spread. She felt her lungs expand as her body sucked in air. Her mouth was opened wide in a silent scream that she didn’t know she was releasing. The sound was back suddenly, an explosion in her ears, and she finally heard the scream. It was a second later before she felt connected to it.

The pain was instantaneous. It tore through her with such ferocity that if she didn’t know, she wouldn’t have been able to pin point its origins. Her scream attempted to wrench itself from her very being and she thrashed and jerked about in frenzy.

Her scream was the only thing to be heard, the sound seemingly animalistic and long in a continuous note. Her scream set her throat afire and made her lungs ache, but the pain would not let her ease up on it. Her body broke out into such an intense sweat that her hair became instantly plastered to her face and neck.

Though she couldn’t see, or comprehend, all fighting ceased at her yell of anguish, and the boys were rooted to their spots as her scream tore through them. They couldn’t bring themselves to move as she was held in the air by mounds of dirt and thrashed around in pain. She was covered in blood from her the hole in her shoulder from where her arm used to resign. They saw it on the ground a few feet away from her and by the looks of the extra bones protruding from the limb; it wasn’t just an arm that she lost.


Weylin still stood before her and seemed to visibility cringe at her screams and refused to look at her. From where he stood, some of her blood had splashed upon him and he held his hands over his ears to block out her screams.


“Be quiet.” He yelled, but Kagome was oblivious to his discomfort and continued to scream and tossed.


“I said shut up!” with his outburst, a blast of unseen power struck Kagome in her chest. The impact broke her free of her dirt prison and threw her across the clearing and into a tree. The collision made her pause in her scream and her body instantly took a breath before she began screaming again.

Kagome falling to the ground snapped the boys to attention. They all ran to her side, but stopped when they saw that they all had the same idea in mind. In their hesitation, they saw that they all had similar looks, on coming rage.

Shippo was the first to snap out of it, and with a ferocious growl, he took off after Weylin. Seconds after, Yusuke and Kuwabara followed suit until only Hiei and Kurama stood undecided. Both stood, breathing hard, and looking at each other.


Hiei gripped his katana hard and set his jaw. “Go to her.” He ordered through clenched teeth. Giving a curt nod, Kurama ran to the quieting Kagome, while Hiei sought out vengeance and something to satiate his rage.

At her side, Kurama found himself at a loss at to what to do. He didn’t know where to touch her, he didn’t know how to deal with an injury so sever, and he didn’t know a damn thing to ease her pain.

Her screaming began to quiet and were replaced by sobs. He called out to her, but she didn’t hear him. He called out to her again, and turned her face to him, but her one open eye was dilated and didn’t see him.

Shippo, still in the form of a giant fox, easily eluded the stomping of the golems as he zoned in on Weylin. The kid was looking distracted and didn’t sense the angry ball of fur coming his way. It wasn’t until the jaws snapped around his midsection that he decided to pay attention.

Snarling viciously, Shippo attempted to rip the child in half. He clamped his jaws tight enough to taste blood and he shook his massive head to try to wrench the torso in pieces.

Weylin cried out at the assault and beat at Shippo’s muzzle with his small fists. “Leave me alone!” he cried, and when his demands went unheeded, an infliction of power forced Shippo’s mouth open and with a yip of pain, something swatted him away like an annoying bug.

Standing on his own, Weylin tried to examine his wounds but he was on the defense from Hiei ashe was suddenly there. By the way he moved, it was terribly obvious that Weylin had either never fought or had never fought anyone as fast as Hiei. The only thing saving the slower and inexperienced boy was the raw power he kept around himself that he used to deflect Hiei’s angry strokes. Yet his deflections were sometimes too slow, and occasionally when he used his hand to throw his power around, Hiei would sometimes nick him before his blade was rebounded. Whenever the blade made contact with his skin, Weylin would let out a yelp of dismay at the pain.

“Stop it!” he whined loudly, tossing his arms out to his side and forcing Hiei away from him. He began to scream like a kid having a tantrum and kept Hiei busy by slinging raw power his way in the form of razor thin wisps that would have cut the fire demon to shreds if he wasn’t fast enough to dodge and parry them. He would have had a harder time of it, if Weylin hadn’t then been shot down by a spirit blast. As he had been too preoccupied with physical fighting that he had forgotten to produce more golems.

The blast pushed Weylin across the clearing and down onto one knee. Looking up and breathing hard, he saw that they all had recovered were slowly advancing upon him, all cautious, and all bent on destroying him.

He stood too his feet and faced down his combatants. He couldn’t understand it. He hadn’t done anything to them. They had attacked him first. Everyone always made the first move and blamed him for when people got hurt.


“Back off!” he yelled, his voice loud in the air as he mustered his strength and force the boys down onto their knees as his power battered at them.


They were weak. Weak and attempting to put him away. Just like everyone else. He refused to be locked away again.


With his power incapacitating them, he used the strength of his will to lift them from the ground. With them under his full control, he began a campaign of breaking every bone in their body by playing pong.

They could do nothing to defend themselves. The pain in their head caused every nerve in their body to be aflame. It forced them to their knees and to drop their weapons as they grabbed their heads to keep it from splitting open. When they left the ground, they could do no more about it than the clouds could stop the wind.

Knowing something bad was coming, they would have braced themselves, but their bodies were too preoccupied with the previous pain to prepare them for another.

With Weylin in control, they were bounced from tree to tree to ground to tree. The impacts were jarring and too random to try to predict.

Despite the pain, Yusuke managed to get his resolve together attempted to shoot the little monster again. But as the blast neared him, Weylin brushed it aside like it was nothing.


“Yeah.” He grumbled through his teeth. “Try that when I’m on top of my game, little bastard!”


Whether Weylin heard him or not, he didn’t respond. The kid didn’t laugh or smile, nor did he goad them in their downfall. He simply looked to be focusing on their utter annihilation. No ADD for him.


“Let’s not tell anyone we got our ass kicked by a toddler.” Kuwabara yelled.


“Who do you think you’re talking too?” Yusuke shot back. “I’m not even here.”


“Shut up!” Hiei yelled, more annoyed at his inability than at their banter. “Both of you!”


Shippo only barked and growled in unbridled anger.


Ignoring them, Weylin was suddenly blinded by a tornado of leaves that cut into his skin and annoyed him greatly. A whine escaped his throat as he looked to where the assault came from. Upon seeing Kurama, he took a firm hold of the others and began using them as a weapon against their friend.


“Where’s the girl?” Hiei yelled as Kurama dodged their bodies.


Instead of an answer, Kurama just shot him a look, and it didn’t look good.


“Kill him.” Hiei demanded after a thick pause, his voice low and dangerous.


“That’s what we plan on doing.”


No one got the chance to ask the obvious question. They were silenced by the arrival of the bald, naked woman with no face. Her bodily features mimicked those of a baby doll, her skin was the color of stone, and her head showed no more details than the shape of her head.


She paid them no mind as she swept by. She didn’t run, but her pace was quicker than should have been possible. Her attention was on Weylin, and as she bared down on him, he seemed to recognize her and growled in anger.


His hold on the boys dissipated as he focused on the woman.


“Leave me alone!” he yelled, flinging his powers at her, but with no sign of affect. The only indication of its presence was the scour marks in the grounds as it contacted with it.


The woman seemed to quicken her pace as she neared him, and as she drew upon him she delivered a mighty and swift kick to his groin.


“Well that is obviously Kagome.” Yusuke voiced up, his voice barely audible over Weylin’s prepubescent scream of pain. “Why does she have two arms? Because I clearly see her old one lying over there.”


“It’s the relic. It is a weapon after all.” Kurama answered him, dragging their exhausted and immobile bodies into the tree line. “She told me that it could help her. But when I received it for her, her hand slipped into the hole and…that happened.”


“So she’s wearing the relic?” Kuwabara asked, watching as Kagome delivered open hand strike after open hand strike to the shrieking child. “Is she trying to spank him?”


“Get away from me!” Weylin yelled, throwing his power at the armoured Kagome.

The attack didn’t hurt her, but it did push her back. It didn’t hinder her enough for him to escape, and he was soon being hounded again. He tried to run from her, but the armor made her faster than him. He attempted to incapacitate her with his will, but it bounced away harmless. He didn’t even try to physically assault her for he knew she would feel nothing within the suit. He had come across it before.

She delivered a blow to the back of his head with an impact so strong he fell to the ground and skid across the ground. Before he could come to a stop, she appeared before him and punted him in the opposite direction.


Weylin stumbled to his feet and faced her with unabashed crying. “Please!” he cried. “I don’t want to go back in there!”


“You’re not.” He heard her say, the voice audible despite the lack of a mouth. Though her movements were quick and fierce, her voice sounded as weak as the dying.


She delivered a swift uppercut to his chin and as he flew upward, she jumped up to meet him.


“I didn’t do anything!”


She ignored him and delivered an elbow to drive him down. As he hit the ground he bounced and landed on his feet.


“It’s not my fault!” he continued to yell as he attempted to dodge her every move. “I didn’t mean it!”


He was getting better at dodging, but her strikes were powered by miko and she left her mark upon him. He healed up after each strike, but he became more desperate and his tears fell harder.


“What did I do wrong?”


She delved a blow to his belly and he doubled over and coughed violently.


“I said I was sorry.” He moaned.


She backed away, only to kick out and catch him in the chest. He flew into a tree and seemed to give up as he cried harder. He didn’t wait long before Kagome was there before him. She hoisted him up with one arm and pinned him against the tree.


“Don’t use that for too long.” He told her in a saddened voice as he looked to where her eyes should be. “It uses your soul to work and prolong use will kill you.”


Kagome was silent a moment as she stared at the crying boy. “Its okay.” She finally told him. “You already killed me.”


The arm that didn’t hold him morphed into a stone blade, and with a swift and effective blow, she impaled him to the tree and started the process that would end him. Her miko powers began to work their way out from the point of impact. There was no healing that could counter it.


“I really am sorry.” He sobbed.


“I know.” She answered. “I don’t blame you.”

“Everyone else did. And they locked me away.”


“They were wrong to do that to you.”


“My mother hated me too, she was the one that put it all together. I rather death than that prison.”


“That’s no way for a kid to talk. They failed you.”


He looked at her in confusion, showing her that the burn of the purification was creeping up his neck.


“You didn’t ask for any of this. You’re just a little kid with too much power. They feared you instead of love and discipline.”


He cried harder.


“I wish it was different, but what’s done can’t be done.”


He stopped crying and looked up at her with a look that she couldn’t quite decipher. His face was now fully blackened from the purification and his body began to flake away like ash. The last thing she saw were his pleading grey eyes, but he managed to speak before he disintegrated. “I could’ve done something.” But he never got the chance to prove it.


Sighing, Kagome removed her arm from the tree and turned to face the boys. They all looked exhausted and merely stared at her as she walked towards them.


“Hey.” She greeted them lamely.


“Hey/” Kuwabara said back.


“You look naked.” Yusuke added.


“Look.” She began, ignoring him. “When I…power down this thing, or whatever it is that turns it off, I’m probably going to pass out, or die, because that’s what I feel like.”


“Don’t say that, Kagome.” Shippo pleaded, back in his child form.


“I’m just telling you guys as a warning.”


“You’re not going to die.” Yusuke grumbled with a roll of his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic.”


“That’s my arm over there.” She said with an edge to her voice. “And what looks like some ribs and part of my shoulder. I’ve been battered and had my brain scrambled, this suit shuts down my pain receptors of something and its draining my damn soul to work. I have the right to be dramatic.”


“Maybe Kurama can give you another tongue bath to help.”

“I love you Shippo.” She told him as she turned her back on them. “Catch my body, boys.”


With her back to them, the stone covering began to melt away to reveal her bloodied and battered body. Where her left arm hung, the stone revealed nothing but a collection of blood that splattered onto the ground with nothing to hold it.

A groan escaped her lips and she fell backwards into them before the suit completely retreated. They called her name and they shook and clutched at her, but Kagome did not respond, she didn’t move, and her breathing slowed to a halt. She was gone.



~___~


She felt like the dead. Her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton and any effort to open them seemed to drain her energy more and more. She attempted to move, to sit up, but she only managed to get a twitch of a response which was followed by a loss of consciousness.


~____~


The next time she woke she heard voices. They were low and muffled and she couldn’t decipher what they were saying, but she was certain they were near. There were multiple voices bouncing into her ear, and as one drew closer she felt something cold and wet touched her face. Though her face was slightly numb, she guessed that it was a towel that had been placed on her face. A gentle pressure around her eyes let her know that someone was cleaning her face. Someone was taking care of her.

She attempted to speak, to let them know that she was waking up, but her throat was too dry and sticky. Her mouth wouldn’t open and her lips cracked as she tried to part them. The towel continued to caress her face, but when it got to her lips it gave her little soothing. She would have smiled at their care, but her cheeks refused to listen to her.


‘Kagome.’


Her name was whispered and she felt a hand smoothing out her hair. She wanted to answer; let them know she was awake, but even as she thought about it, her name was growing fainter as it resounded against the walls of her mind. Her already dark world grew darker.


~____~


Someone slapped her in the face with the floor. Though her body was still numb and she couldn’t really move, she knew what it was like to have your nose pressed into tile.


“Look what you did!” she heard someone shout.


“Don’t blame this on me.” Another voice countered vehemently. “You started this?”


“It’s both of our faults, okay. Now help me get her up before someone walks in.”


At her unknown assailants’ mercy, Kagome could only lay on the ground as hands suddenly accosted her. They were rough and jittery but quick. She felt herself being turned over onto her bacl and hoisted into the air. She hung lamely between their arms for less than a second before she was abruptly deposited on a softer surface. She hoped it was a bed.


“Did she have that cut on her forehead before we knocked her over?”


‘Cut?’ she managed a groan at this. It was supposed to be an angry, I’m going to kill you when I get up from here, growl. But it only came out as a pathetic moan.


“Let’s go before she wakes up.”


She didn’t hear the other one confirm, but she assumed he did if the sound of retreating feet meant anything. She growled loudly to an empty room. Wishing for the day when she would be able to fully awaken.


~____~


When she felt the cool air of the a/c she felt that she was ready to get up. That and fear of whatever happened to her last time she was conscious.

Her eyes were heavy, but she was able to blink. The light was too bright, but it was light. She blinked; long and slow.


A figure stood over her, tall, dark, and red, but her vision was blurry and she couldn’t get any details off of him.


“Doctor!” the figure called out, gesturing frantically before leaning over her closely. “I think she’s waking up.”


She blinked again and her vision cleared, but the figure that had been towering over her was gone and replaced by a small child.


”Hey sleepy head1” Shippo greeted her enthusiastically.


Thankfully her body responded to her will this time and she was able to speak. Only if wheezing was the equivalent of speaking.


“Here, let me help you.” Hopping off of her bed, Shippo grabbed a water bottle and held it her lips. Slowing pouring the liquid he used his little paw to step on a remote near her hand. She tried to sigh as the bed rose, but she began to choke instead. Shippo quickly took away the bottle and began to pat her on the back.


“And how are we feeling this fine day?” Dr. Caeli asked as he appeared by her side and shined a bright light into her eyes.


“I’m fine.” She said horsley as she flinched away from the light. “Where am I?”


“You’re in my Lord’s infirmary.”


“I’m still in the demon world?” she asked, turning towards Shippo who grinned happily at her and nodded. “How long have I been here?”


“Five months.” The doctor answered for her as he moved to the other side of the bed.


She shot up at this in alarm, but as she pushed herself up, she fell to one side. Straightening up to see what had pulled her down and only say her arm. It looked like her arm; it was attached to her body, but she couldn’t comprehend the sight of it. And the fact that she couldn’t feel it didn’t help.

“What is that?”


“That’s…your arm.”


“You managed to save it?” her voice was low with detachment.


“Yes. The doctor and the boys hadn’t gone far before the fight ended. I called them back and rushed you hear.”


Kagome continued to stare at the appendage.


“Lui had to be tranqulized to keep from freaking out.” Shippo’s voice seemed to lighten up at this. “In fact, we have to administer a dose every three days.”


Looking up, Kagome noticed for the first time, that the bed next to her was occupied. Lui lay peacefully to her left, arms strapped to the bed, and an IV drip going into his arm.


“At least he gets to be close to you.”


“Did you tattoo me?” she asked, ignoring the sleeping, drugged prince.


“That will be the scales.” Dr. Caeli answered for her as she ran a hand over the arm. What she assumed to be tattoo were in fact scales. She could feel the raised texture under her fingers. They weren’t too obvious and she only say them after the doctor had moved and the light reflected off of them. The scales were the color of her skin, but were separated by a pattern of startlingly white lines and shone with a slight green hue. The entire arm was covered with them.


“Your back is in a similar state. Due to the snake venom in your blood stream, any new skin that you will grow will contribute to your collection of scales.”


“So when the dead skin cells fall off, I’ll have scales waiting underneath?”


“No, my dear. Human skin is quite thick. You’ll only grow scales in cases of burns or abrasions. Any scarring event will result in the scales.”


“Don’t worry, Kagome.” Shippo reassured her after seeing her distress. “They’re beautiful.”


“I can’t go around with scales, Shippo.” She countered with heat in her voice. “I’m human. Humans don’t have scales.”


“They might just think they’re tattoos?” he offered.


“Why can’t I move it?” she asked, still upset.


“My guess is that the nerves are still growing.” The doctor told her.


“Guess? What do you mean, guess? Don’t you know what you’re doing?”


“To be honest, miss, I did not think a reattachment would even be possible. The arm was detached for too long without being on ice. Most of the cells had died by the time we made it to the medical unit. You had died twice making it here.”


“I died?” She asked for confirmation rather than disbelief.


“DOA. But the lord saved you and your vitals leveled out.”


“How did you save me?” she asked turning to Shippo.


Smiling, he hopped to the other side of the bed and lifted up the relic. “When you’re in contact with it, it gives you a boost or something. It doesn’t heal, but it kept you from dying.”


“I thought you guys had broken it when the attack first happened. I heard someone say to do it.”


“Yeah, we were.” He dropped it to the floor, disturbing the relatively quiet room with the loud impact. “It’s really hard to break. Good thing we didn’t, eh?”


“Is that how you were able to reattach the arm?”


“No. Like my lord said, it does not have healing power. I did not feel it would work to reattach it, by my lord insisted. Miraculously, after a few weeks, the dead cells began to reanimate and blood flow began to circulate in the limb once again. All the dead flesh fell off and your new shiny scales waited beneath it.”


“Why?”


“A mystery.” The doctor told her as he finished checking her vitals and equipment. “It would seem the gods want you to live.”


“Would you like me to take Master Lui off  the…”


“Not at this instant.” Shippo interrupted him. “That’ll be all doctor.”


With a nod and bow to both Shippo and Kagome, Dr. Ceali left them alone to the sounds of Lui’s snoring.


“You going to be okay, Kagome?” he asked the silent girl after a minute or so of silence.


She couldn’t feel or move her arm, she was groing scales, five months of her life were spent in a coma. She thought about the nightmares she was sure to have from killing a child. She thought of a sad child with too much power and not enough love. A child without discipline who had been locked away, alone for years. She saw his crying face and the knowledge that it was too late for him; that if there was only a reset button, she could’ve save him. She thought of the mistakes his parents had made and the ones she was sure to avoid. Finally she looked up at Shippo, and seeing the concern on his face, she smiled as she rubbed her stomach.

“I’m going to be just fine.”

~_____~


“Kagome!” Shippo yelled as he came running into her private room and leaping onto the bed with her.


After waking up and not relapsing, shippo had her moved into a guest room while she continued healing. To anybody else, the room would have been the master suite of some fine and glamourous hotel, but to a Lord of the western Land, it was just a measly guest room with vaulted cielings, plush furniture, Paul bunyan sized canopy bed, and a window wall that let in tons of natural light.

Next to her bed was a wheelchair. Five months with no movement and poor circulation made it hard to walk when your legs were unresponsive. Unlike her arm, the doctor reassured her of her leg’s recovery and that with routine therapy she’d be up and being clumsy in no time soon. Her arm she kept in a sling; hating for it to just hang listlessly by her side.


“You have company!” Shippo told her, just as the Spirit Detectives along with Koenma walked into the room, all carrying flowers.


“Aw!” Kagome squealed. “You guys shouldn’t have.”


“That’s what I said,” Yusuke commented as they set her flowers down on various counters before coming to surround her bed. “but we decided to make your day.”


“You’re still the charmer.” He grunted in response.


“How are you feeling?” Kurama asked.


“Considering my surroundings and company, I’m doing pretty well.”


“How are you feeling despite those things?” Hiei countered in his own show of concern, by being blunt, gruff, and insensitive.


“I have a dead arm, I can’t walk, and I’m slowly turning into a scaled, freak of nature, but I’m going to be fine.”


“Miss Higurashi, I will just like to say, on the behalf of the spirit world and King Enma, thank you for all that you’ve done and that we are deeply sorry for your current state. On completion of the mission, I will like to offer you a position with…” he paused as Kagome mumbled something to Shippo, but when they both smiled deeply at him he stopped.


“Is there a problem?”


“No.” she anwered. “No problem at all.”


“Then what are you two smiling at? Was it something I said?”


“Yeah.” She said cheerfully. “You said you were sorry. But you’re not.”


“I assure you. I am deeply sorry.”


“No you’re not. But you will be.”


“What are you talking about?” Koenma asked after almost choking on his pacifier.


“Well, I’ve been talking it over with Shippo, and weighed the pros and cons in my head. After all the trauma that I’ve been through, I think it is in my best interst to file a lawsuit against you.”


“W-what?” In his shock, Koenma dropped his pacifier as all looked at her in shock. “Under what grounds?”


“Well let me see,” she held up her hand and began counting. “uh, 1. Kidnapping, 2. Stalking. You had your goons stalk me down to my very school where they 3. Harassed me. Then I meet you and number four comes into play: false imprisonment and 5. Forced labor.”


“You can’t do th…”


“I’m not finished and since I’ve run out of fingers, let me just list it out. There was attempted murder, threats, rape, molestation, poisoning, reckless indangerment, and bodily harm.”


“You can’t be serious.”


“I died! How many times, Shippo?”


“Twice.” He announced smugly, enjoying his role as instigator.


“Twice.” She repeated with pursed lips. “Oh yeah, I’m suing.”


“You can’t sue my team!” a flabbergasted Koenma managed to spit out.


“I’m not suing your team. I’m suing you and the spirit world. They work fo you, don’t they?”


“You’re insane. No one will take your case.”


“Sesshomaru might.” Shippo piped in.


“You think?” Kagome played along.


“Oh sure. He used to be a lawyer in the human world. I’m sure he’ll enjoy the challenge of being the first person to sue the Spirit world. Oh, he’ll have a field day. Probably keep him off my back for a few more decades.”


Shippo clapped his hands in satisfaction. “Kagome gets justice, Sesshomaru gets entertainment, and I’m being a public nuisance. It all works out perfectly for everyone.”


“We’re not in trouble though, right?” Kuwabara asked, trying to make sure. “Just him?”


“You got it!” Kagome clarified with a thumb up.


“Then it does work out for everyone!” Yusuke agreed and they all laughed good naturedly. All except Koenma, who was getting angrier by the second, especially as he looked at his pacifier touching the dirty floor.


“Shut up!” he snapped. “What is this? The end of sitcom? It just got real!”


~_____~


She was pretty sure now. About what had really happened.


The cryptic last words haunted her dreams along with the stormy eyes. Countless dream upon dream upon dream about the crying, whining, about swollen bodies, and undying love. He had said he could’ve done something and she think he succeeded. Maybe. She had her doubts, but the clues kept stacking up.


She had been home with family for months now, and life was relatively normal. She had been use to missing school before, hunting for the jewel, but she had never been gone as long as long as she had with the detectives. The weeks hunting the relics plus months of recovery had her a high school flunk out. Thankfully she had the spirit world in her pocket, a cutthroat former feudal lord as her attorney, and a demon lord of the western lands as her cuddly buddy. Her transcripts were wiped clean and she was currently undergoing homeschooling from some of the best tutors in the world.


All female tutors now. She had peculiar interactions with the males, and the higher the prowess and suitability, the stranger the interaction. With the dreams, the accelerated, and impossible, healing, and the uncontrollable release of pheromones when in the presence of suitable males, Kagome was certain that while Weylin was dead, he wasn’t entirely gone. She lay in her bed, looking at the ceiling, trying not to think about the obvious, when her mother poked her head into her room.


“Kagome, dear.” She called out sweetly with a smile. “You have a visitor.”


“Ok mom, thanks. I’ll be down in a second.”


She didn’t get up until her mom had shut the door. She didn’t need to do much to present herself, her hair was in a ponytail and she was full clothed, but if anything would take time, it would be her arm. Still not being able to move it, she usually kept it in a sling or in a jacket pocket. In warmer weather, she just stuffed her hand into her pants pocket, as she did now. A casual look that was quick and easy to pull off while keeping her invalid arm from looking too awkward and drawing attention.

As she trotted down stairs, she expected to see one of her friends from school, or Sesshomaru for another case session, or even Shippo who was known to stop by and stay for prolonged times, but what she didn’t expect to see was Kurama. She hesistated at the sight of him, but only momentarily. He smiled unsurely at her, and as she made it to the foyer, her family quickly went to pretending they were doing something other than watching Kurama.


“Hey.” She greeted. “If Koenma sent you here to change my mind, you’re going to be disappointed.”


“That’s is not why I’m here.” He answered. “Would you…do you mind if we talk, privately?”


Looking back at her obviously nosy family, she agreed. “Yeah. I’ll be back soon.” She told them before she and Kurama stepped out.

They walked in silence for a small duration and Kagome just pretended she was giving him a tour of the shrine. She also pretended she didn’t smell him with every step he took and on every breeze that wafted pass her nose. If she were to acknowledge it, she knew that she had a similar effect on his sense and she praised him for his self-control. There wouldn’t be aany cause to render someone unconscious today. Even with one arm, she found that she was an incredible one punch knockout. After the knockout though, she did realize they had less of an effect on her too. They were weak.


“I came today to apologize.” Kurama suddenly speaking snapped her out of her thoughts and she realized that he had stopped walking.


“I’m sorry, what?”


“I came to apologize.” He repeated.


“For what? I’m suing your boss, no need to feel sorry.”


“No.” he said again, his voice determined. “I never apologized for what happened…between us.”


“Oh.” Catching on to what he was apologizing for, she blushed in embarrassment. “Yeah. Right, apology accepted.” ‘No need to ever bring it up again.’


“That’s not the only thing I came to say.” He told her, before she could dismiss his apology.


She looked at him expectantly. “What is it?”


“I’m only apologizing for how it happened. I’m not sorry that it did.”


“That’s great fuel for this lawsuit. I only regret not having a recorder.” She turned to leave but he stepped into her path.


“It was wrong about what happened. I apologise for how it made you feel. For your violation. For mine. I was as much as a victim as you were. When Youko takes control, I am aware but inable to control my body. I am a prisoner inside my own mind.”


“So you remember all of it?” she asked, her face reddening further.


“Yes. I was witness to everything.”


“So what are you getting at?” she asked, trying to get the meeting over with.


“Despite the shame and embarassement that you felt, on both of our parts…I cannot get the thought of you out of my mind.”


She blinked slowly. Afraid to breathe as he stared heatedly into her eyes.


“That night, I was weak in more ways than one. I should’ve resisted harder. Resisted you.”


She couldn’t say anything, but she thought that this had to be the most awkward conversation she ever had.

“I just needed you to know that, and I hope, if the thought doesn’t distress you, that we could start over.”


“Uh…” was her articulate response.


Kurama backed away and lowered his eyes. “I’ll take my leave now, and hopefully with favorable thoughts.”


“Yeah, okay. Bye.”


His hair seemed to fall at her parting, and with a brisk nod, he turned and walked away. She watched him until he disappeared down the steps, and once he was gone she let out the breath she was holding. Looking back at her house, she saw the curtains fall back into place as her family tried to hide the fact that they were spying.

Rolling her eyes, she looked back to the steps and couldn’t look away. She tried to pretend it was just the remaining pheromones in the air that made her want to go after him, but she couldn’t truly believe it. It was the hormones fault.

Frustrated with herself, she stamped her foot and kicked up the dirt before she ran behind him. He was half way down the steps by the time she got to him. He heard her approach and stopped so she could catch up. To say that his demeanor wasn’t hopeful would have been a lie.

“Kagome?” he questioned, his voiced sounding cautious.


“I guess, well it would only be fair to say,” she told him, sounding like a teenager being forced to do something they didn’t want to. “that, while the…thing…”


“The happening.” He offered.


“Yes, the happening. Well while the happening was happening, I was under glamour and forced to feel the urge. But it started wearing off after a time, and…when, by the time you, as in the redhead you, were, when you joined, or took over…” she struggled to find the words to describe what she was trying to say.


She sighed and looked him in the eye. “Look, I just could’ve fought harder at the end, okay.”


He stepped closer to her, invading her space and quickening her heart rate. “What are you saying?”


She turned away in embarrassment. “I think you know.” She breathed out, and when he gently gripped her chin and forced her to look at him, she had to catch it.


He leaned in closer to her, pulling her lips closer to his. She found his green eyes harder to resist than the golden orbs that had seduced her earlier. They were kinder, warmer. She didn’t remember all of the ‘happening’ but the green eyes had been the better part of it. She closed her eyes in anticipation. She could feel his breath on her lips, and she attempted to lean into him, but as a breeze caressed her face, cooling her heated encounter, his presence backed off. Fast.


Opeing her eyes in confusion, she saw that Kurama had fallen down the steps and sat on his behind, staring up at her in surprise. She saw that his shirt had been cut at chest height.


A noise drew her attention to her left where she saw Hiei sheathing his katana and staring down at the fallen Kurama. He glanced at Kagome from the corner of his eye before standing up to his full height and regarding Kurama once more, who seemed to be annoyed.

“What’s going on?” Kagome asked, just as Kurama made a move to get up. And just as fast, Hiei attacked. Kagome didn’t see it when it happened, but Kurama was suddenly further away, the blade of Hiei’s katana buried in the stone closest to his groin and his face ashen white.

Smiling smugly, and before Kagome could react, he had her by the collar of her shirt and in what she would call, the most passionate kiss any romance novelist would die to have come up with.

He set her aflame, her blood reacting strongly to his fiery nature. There was nothing romantic about the kiss, not loving and fully dominating. He stole her breath and made her want to give him more. Her lips actually tingled where he devoured them and the hand he had clamped to the back of her neck made her want to feel more of him. There was a battle going on inside her mouth. Any move she thought of to add to the kiss, he shot down with his tongue and would bite and nip at her lip whenever they would move. He suckled at her lip and ran his tongue over them to soothe them. At the end, while she was out of breath and sweating, she found herself leaning into him as he backed away.


\With Kagome trying to calm herself by his side, Hiei turned to Kurama with a superior façade.


“This will not be that easy, fox.”


Getting control of his facial expression, a golden eyed Kurama gave Hiei the look equivalent to that of a yellow traffic light. Try to beat me, if you dare.

And Hiei’s response was the heart of all true road warriors. Challenge accepted.