InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Those We Leave Behind ❯ Neglect of All Forms ( Chapter 5 )

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Those We Leave Behind

Chapter Five

Neglect of All Forms

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After Kagome and Kurama parted, Kagome spent the majority of the afternoon just walking around downtown. She and Kirara got lost a grand total of seven times, but eventually they made there way back to the Minamino residence at about seven.

Relief swept over the stressed-out Kagome. It did until she remembered she had no key to gain entrance through the locked door leading into the house. She had no idea how long Shuuichi would be, and Mrs. Minamino would have just left for the night shift at the emergency room

Mrs. Minamino's shift started at eight, but with her commute and her needing to be there early for sanitation check list, Kagome came to one unequivocal and all important fact. She was screwed.

She decided she couldn't really go anywhere because she had no idea when Shuuichi would be home. She couldn't really do anything because she had no way to reach either of the family members. Even if she could, they were both at work and most likely unable to do anything about it.

So she did the only thing she could. She sat on the doorstep and waited.

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This is what Koenma called them to do? This was the big emergency? They were called out to take care of this? The four individuals, the most powerful assembled team in the Spirit World, the saviors of the world many times over were asked to deal with these weaklings.

They walked closer to the smaller, nearly powerless demons. In about three seconds, the smallest wisp of energy sent out by Yusuke destroyed every trace of the creature.

“That's it! That's the `deadly beast' Koenma warned us about! What did he do? Magnify the size of this thing on the screen by a hundred?” Yusuke fumed. The creature was like a gecko lizard with only enough spirit energy to blast a fly. What the hell was going on?

“You're wrong. It was more like a thousand.” Hiei's anger rolled off him in a silent, but nonetheless raging fury. He didn't like wasting his time, especially for something so insignificant.

“Guys, this just doesn't add up. Something's going on and Koenma wants us away from it. What's changed with you guys in the last couple days?”

“THE GIRL!” cried Kurama. He turned around at a full on sprint with Hiei and Yusuke right behind him.

“What GIRL?!” shouted Kuwabara. Why didn't they ever tell him anything? So what if he wasn't naturally as gifted as they were. He actually worked to be where he was at.

He may not have had the charm, grace, intelligence, or grades that Kurama did, or Hiei's speed, telepathy, or uncanny ability to be an asshole, or even the reputation of the Great Urimeshi. But, he still wasn't as inadequate as they made him feel. He was strong, just not as much by comparison.

They insulted him, degraded him, and at times, just out and out ignored him. And now, they just left him.

The only things he ever had going for him were his spirit awareness and his honor. Both, he believed he acquire at the age of six at an ancient shrine. One that would be forever sacred in his memory. That was where he learned that although he was different, he mattered too. His heart was strong, even if his body wasn't. His loyalty ever present, even if his brain wasn't.

Kazuma Kuwabara was a true hero. Ever the underdog, he would risk his life to help others. Unlike Kurama, or Hiei, or even Urimeshi, people always expected him to lose. That made his courage all the more amazing. It wasn't that he fought that made him courageous, or even that he won sometimes. What made him courageous was the fact that he went up against harsher odds.

When fighters, not the puny street punks he passed by everyday, but real fighters saw Urimeshi fight, it was like they were seeing a tank go up against a bunch of losers with bows and arrows. Who uses bows and arrows these days? That stuff was for girls.

But when they saw him fight, he knew what they saw. It was just like his match with the older Togoro. Everyone thought every time he fought, his opponents toyed with him, like a cat playing with a mouse.

He was underappreciated. That was a fact.

The question was how much more could he take?

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Kurama drew closer to his home with Hiei and Yusuke in tow. There, they expected to find something amiss. They did not expect what they saw. A safe and sound, albeit sleeping Kagome. She was lying down on her side with her back to the door. She was holding what looked like a yellow stuffed animal.

Then it dawned on Kurama. [I didn't give her a key.]

{Good job idiot! We see the one girl we both like and not only do you botch the first impression, but you also manage to act like the stupid human you are, leaving her stranded on your front doorstep. What do they rate your grades on, the ability to drool on yourself?}

[Shut up Youko! You didn't remember either so shut up!]

{Keep it up and you'll need to get tutoring from Kuwabara.}

[SHUT UP!!! I don't ever think OUR mental capabilities will sink that low. Second, why wasn't she home before Mother left? She should have been home hours before Mother left.]

{Does it matter why? All that matters is because of you, she has been waiting for who knows how long. And she most likely wasn't here with your mother because she probably got lost and didn't arrive until after your mother left, human.}

He bent down and moved his hand toward her shoulder to wake her, but moved his hand just in time to avoid it being bitten off. The seemingly stuffed animal moved almost too fast to be seen by Yusuke.

The cat she had this afternoon emerged growling to protect her mistress.

“Protective isn't she?” laughed Yusuke.

“And highly untrusting,” added in Kurama.

When he didn't back off, they noticed a flicker along her tail.

Kagome woke up to see Kirara on guard and starting to accumulate power. She saw her tails starting to flame up.

“Kirara,” Kagome coaxed softly. “Kirara, they're not here to hurt me.” Kirara didn't budge from her snarling and her protective stance. “Kirara,” Kagome, now heart pounding, slowly reached toward the demon cat.

Kurama didn't move. He couldn't really do anything with Kagome conscious. He would just have to trust her.

Kagome's hand extended to meet Kirara's head and began stroking it. “Kirara, calm down. No one is here to hurt me. I'm completely safe. Now please apologize.”

Kirara looked at Kagome in shock. Seeing Kagome would not budge on the issue, she submitted and jumped into an unexpecting Kurama's arms and nuzzled his chest.

A very surprised Kurama petted Kirara in acceptance. “Your cat is very intelligent to understand you so.”

“You don't have to tell me twice. Try getting her to stop listening to private conversations. That's a lot of fun.”

Kurama chuckled and Yusuke's side nearly split at the sarcasm and hilarity of the comment.

“You will tell me why you didn't give me a key to the house tomorrow, after I get some sleep. That should give you enough time for a good excuse.” She turned and walked through the door Kurama had just unlocked.

“Wait! She's staying in your house?! Man, just keep Youko locked up. There's no telling what he'll get into.”

{Only if I'm lucky! But then again... I always get lucky.}