InuYasha Fan Fiction / Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Those We Leave Behind ❯ Explaining the Game and Making Your Own Rules ( Chapter 14 )

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

Those We Leave Behind

Chapter Fourteen

Explaining the Game and Making Your Own Rules

11111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 111111111111

There she sat in one of cavernous meeting halls of Sesshoumaru's castle crying. She wasn't thinking about getting out of there, as she should have. She didn't realize that Sesshoumaru could have come back into the room at any given second.

No. She was too busy reliving all the pain she had experienced over the last handful of years, most of which she had yet to fully recover from.

`Why? Why can't I ever seem to find a way to be happy?' The poor, sullen girl thought of the pain she had endured since she turned fifteen over two years ago. Would her life had been better had she not traveled through the well? What if she had never met Inuyasha? Would the world have been okay without her wish?

She knew none of the answers. All she knew was sorrow and bitterness right now. Wasn't Naraku supposed to be the only one suffering in Hell? It sure felt like she was there as well. She didn't want to think about all the sacrifices she had made nor the betrayals she had suffered.

No. All she wanted to do right now was surround herself with the comforting presence of her awesome older brother. His newly found presence soothed her aching soul. He would never betray her. He loved her no matter what.

“I've missed you so much Kazuma.” The sobs came once more as her memory flooded with painful remembrance of all the people she lost. At least she had her family back. “It's been...so hard without you. I love you Kazuma.”

“Now that we're together again, there's no way I'm letting any of those creeps near you again. I've failed you. I'm sorry.”

“Shut UP! You could never fail me. Just having you makes everything so much better. I'm just glad I'm not alone anymore.” She buried her face into his chest as he rubbed the once beautifully done hair style that had been undone in all the commotion.

No matter what she said, he had failed. He had left her open to this kind of emotional breakdown. If he had been there, he could have stopped her from getting hurt. Wasn't that what he was supposed to do? Take care of his family? And she was definitely close enough to be family.

He had been so focused on comforting her and she was so grateful to accept it, that neither heard the three startled figures approach the room until they nearly forced the large doors off their hinges.

They expected to find a fierce battle between the mysterious stranger Hiei claimed had save Kuwabara and himself and Sesshoumaru. However, they did not expect to find Kagome in Kuwabara's kneeling embrace. Were they missing something?

“It'll be okay Kagome.”

“I'm just so glad you're back." In all of the excitement, she had forgotten the whole purpose of her journey. "Wait! There's something I have to tell you.”

Although it surprised him to discover Kuwabara was who Kagome had been looking for, Kurama was able to put two and two together and realize Kagome might want a little privacy. “I think we should wait for them outside.”

“Yeah,” answered Yusuke a bit awed at the sight. “Yeah we should.”

The three silently left.

“Kazuma, Gramps isn't doing so good. I came out to search for you because...” she took a deep breath to collect herself and prevent more tears from flowing down her face. She started again, except this time she spoke slower in an attempt to control herself as she broke the news to him. “I came out to search for you and Shizuru because the doctors don't think he has too much time left.”

“No.” He shook his head in disbelief. “No.” Tears were welling up in his eyes. “No,” he stated very firmly until he started yelling. “NO! That old geezer is too strong and too proud to DIE!!! I don't BELIEVE you!!!” He screamed as he began to sob. He broke away from her and started to haphazardly destroy Sesshoumaru's carefully decorated dining room just adjacent to the small ballroom. “He can't die!!! He can't die. He can't.”

Signs of his anger faded only to be replaced by pain, frustration, and bewilderment. He had expected the man who taught him so much as a boy to live forever, or a least long enough for him to meet the children Kuwabara hoped to raise someday...in the same manner he had been by Gramps.

Kuwabara simply sat on the floor feeling alone only to find himself in Kagome's embrace. She had always understood him. She had always defended from the pure bred Japanese children who had teased and beat him because he didn't look like them. He shuddered to think of what he could have become without her and Gramps to guide him.

He realized he could have turned out hateful and desperate, just like Sea-man. They simply sat there for a few minutes just helping each other heal. At least she was able to find him, able to give him a last chance to say goodbye to man who helped him figure out what kind of man he wanted to become. The man who had helped shape him into the honorable, proud man he was today.

They both silently rose and left to join the others in the main hall

22222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 222222222

“Why are we simply standing here while those idiots act like simpering women?! We should be leaving now that the mission has been completed,” complained an irked Hiei.

Although he hated to admit it, Kurama had to agree with the koorime. “I fear you are correct. It is imprudent to allow them to continue their reunion much longer.”

As Kurama finished his statement, the doors opened with Kagome and Kuwabara emerging through.

“Finally! It took the two of you long enough to stop acting like children.”

“HEY! Shorty, if you don't shut—” He stopped his retort as Kagome, appearing calm but raging with fury, gently placed a hand on his arm, signaling him to be quiet.

Hiei smirked at the gesture. “I thought even you had more pride than to be controlled by a weak woman.”

Kagome did not respond verbally. She preferred responding...physically. The others were simply too shocked. Hiei had never acted so jumpy or been so reckless with his words.

Kuwabara's anger radiated off of his body. No one spoke to Kagome like that. “Shorty, you're treading on thin ice, man. I'd stop if I were you.”

“And what do you do about it, Idiot?!”

Everyone expected Kuwabara to answer. However, it was Kagome who gave the initial response.

“Nothing.”

Hiei chuckled. “So you intend for him to let the insult stand? What a feminine response.”

She replied softly. “I do intend for him to let the insult stand.”

“Go home and play with your dolls little girl. Let the warriors fight. Take the baka with you.”

“I WASN'T FINISHED YET! Be silent.” The anger of her words surprised three of the four boys. Kuwabara, however, was used to it. He was, however, concerned she was biting off more than she could chew.

”Kagome,” he spoke quietly enough so that not even demon hearing could pick up his words. “You do know he is a demon and might try to kill you.”

“He's welcome to try.” She faced and replied to Kuwabara in a soft, gentle tone. “I intend for you to let the insult stand only because I will defend both our names.” The soft, endearing demeanor left her as she turned her head to the left to sneeringly glare at the apparition. “Choose your terms.”

Hiei disbelievingly glared at the girl. “Are you actually challenging me, human?”

“Are you too afraid? Choose your terms,” she said a bit more forcefully.

Yusuke was not liking the direction this was going. “This is not smart Kagome.”

“I am inclined to concur. I do not think this course of action wise.”

Kurama and Yusuke didn't know what she was doing, but whatever it was, it could only end badly. Neither wanted her harmed. Both could not help but hope for something more with this girl. Neither wanted her harmed, and Hiei knew it.

He would finally get one up on the damn fox and the human who humiliated him and damaged his pride. He had to simply figure out how.

Kagome smiled at the red-headed boy who had taken her in. “Didn't we cover the whole loosening up thing?” she sarcastically directed to Kurama.

“Don't joke about this!” yelled Yusuke.

“Who's joking?” she retorted very seriously. “State the terms!”

“Swords.”

“Agreed.”

“Spirit energy allowed.”

“Agreed.”

“First blood.”

“No. I would prefer submission.”

Oh! Hiei had never even hoped to anticipate such a treat. Wait...this was perfect. She would have to make the ultimate submission to get out of this fight alive. And he couldn't wait. “Agreed.”

“What shall winner receive Hiei?”

“When I win, you will have to suck me.”

She paused for a moment to contemplate his request.

Kuwabara, however, gave an immediate outburst. “Hell no! You can't do that Kagome!”

“You're a perv.” She snorted and studied him a moment longer with a look of disgust tainting her once always cheerful features. “Agreed.”

“WHAT?!” None of the males expected that answer, not even Hiei. Either she was more than willing to perform sexual favors for Hiei, or she was confident in winning.

“However,” she began. “...if I win, you become human.”

Hiei started for a minute, but scoffed at the thought. She would be unable to both beat him and produce the means to transform him. “Agreed. Foolish human. You have no way to make that happen, even if by some miracle you did win. There's no backing out now.”

“Oh I'm counting on that.”

33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333