InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Birth Marks ❯ Found ( Chapter 48 )

Chapter 48: Found

 

Disclaimer: Hmm… the nostalgia of not owning this… Oh, wait, I still don't own Inuyasha, nor YuYu Hakusho.

 

A gift for the New Year, an extra long chapter! (This was 20+ pages handwritten, 19 pages typed, and overall way too much for one day's work.)

 

Last time: “Yeah, and Hiei's going to watch the village.” Agreeing to meet up at Kuwabara's that night, Yusuke absently shut the compact. “What the…?” Kashisu had summoned a few of the men into the motor pool and a moment later, they carried out… something in a large crate. Funny, he hadn't seen a crate in the truck, only a brown tarp pulled taut over the bed. Tree-hopping to get a better look, he only managed to get within range to see the box put into one of a row of small storage huts. A few moments later, the men came out with the now-empty crate and went back to doing whatever they were doing before. Shrugging it off, he assumed that Kashisu had bought some supplies and carrying it from his truck in a crate was the easiest way. Yusuke shrugged, it was not his place to question the uses of crates.

 

This went on for the next two weeks, the shrine silent except for Souta doing morning drills before customers started arriving, and the village exhibiting no real suspicious character traits, except for one incident of a lost deer youkai.

 

“This isn't right,” Inuyasha maintained, looking out the window as he crashed the younger boys' daily meeting, “Kagome should have been back by now.” He growled, flicking a stray strand of black hair over his shoulder to join with the rest that was tied back with a black ribbon. He wore a red tee shirt with a black leather jacket and jeans.

 

“Calm down, Inuyasha, you know this is all we have to work with for now.” Kurama tried to placate, setting his canned drink down on the coffee table.

 

At the clack of a can meeting glass, Yusuke's head snapped up from his concentrated look into the empty space between glass tabletop and carpeted floor. “It's not much, but I might have something,” he mumbled, catching the Tantei's full attention. “It's something Souta said.”

 

“The gaki's young, but his instincts are good, what is it?” Inuyasha asked, turning from the cityscape.

 

“It's more like a feeling he had, but he said that the well's… cooling, or something like that. He said that whenever Kagome went to Senjuku, the well felt hot. Not like temperature, but like it was giving off energy. Then it would flare up as she used it to time travel.” Inuyasha nodded, remembering that feeling vaguely during the Traveling Year. “Souta said that it felt like there was a flare-up when he got home, but he thought it was just hyper-sensitivity from training. But now it's cooling, like when Kagome's in this time.”

 

“If Kagome-chan's in this time, why haven't we found her then?” Kuwabara asked, coming in from the kitchen with water in one hand.

 

“Because we missed her.” Kurama murmured, remembering the energy flash right before showing up at the shrine. “And she was taken.” Kurama remembered seeing the white truck with the tarp pulled over the bed, plastered with ofuda.

 

Yusuke's eyes narrowed, remembering the crate, “She's been right there the whole time.”

 

Kuwabara, on the same page, agreed, “I have some ears inside the village and there was a rumor going around that they had a demon captured and subdued, but nobody's seen it, so I can't tell you if it's true or not.” Seeing his curious eyes, Kuwabara bowed to Inuyasha. “Kuwabara Kazumaru, first son of Miroku, Inuyasha-sama.”

 

Inuyasha held up a hand, sizing up the orange-haired teen, “So the pervert finally had a boy, eh? About time, I was starting to think something was wrong… but you don't look like either of `em, and that hair's not dyed, is it. Adopted?” Sampling the air for his scent, his brows drew together. “Nope, biologic. Where were you born?” Blushing from the sudden scrutiny, Kuwabara turned away, trying to busy himself with the contents of the coffee table, straightening some magazines and case files… and a text book or two.

 

“Northern Great Britain, sir. They were taking care of a Redcap infestation at the time. When I was five, I came here to say with Shizuru for school.” Inuyasha nodded, knowing the role Kazumaru would play in Kagome' past.

 

“Yusuke couldn't hold it in anymore, “Kazuma-ru! Redcaps!” He doubled over, laughing, “what do they do, threaten you with bad hats?!” He didn't see the glare aimed his way.

 

“That's why I go by Kazuma, Yusuke, names have power.” He gave Yusuke a look when he wouldn't stop laughing, “And Redcaps get their name by dipping their hats into the blood of their victims. They attack travelers in groups, doing anything from smashing the human with boulders, to smashing their heads in with their iron pikes to get to the blood. About the only way to kill one is to have the blood dripping from their cap dry up.” Nobody was laughing now.

 

“Thought your parents were dead.” Hiei finally spoke up, sitting on the sill.

 

“No, they just can't stay in one place for too long, it'd look suspicious, so they started traveling again when Shizuru-nee got old enough to take care of me.” Sighing internally, Kuwabara hid his eyes behind a hand. In the end, it was only fair his secrets came out as well. “When I get old enough, I'm supposed to inherit the Slayer Village's Leadership, but I don't know if that's such a great idea by now. It's becoming more corrupt every year he's in charge, and if I take over with the abilities I have, I could be seen as a threat.”

 

“Too late for that!” Yusuke crowed, “Too late as soon as you volunteered to help me on that one case!” Kuwabara nodded, absently flexing his sword hand.

 

“Speaking of the village,” there was no way for Kurama to steer his teammates back onto topic gracefully, “How are we going to find out if Kagome-chan's there, and if she is, how to get her out?”

 

Kuwabara shrugged, “I walk in.” He commented nonchalantly. “I go in for some training, and bring up the rumor that there was a captured demon. I find her, and then we fight our way out. Like we always do.” Silence followed his statement, shock written on his teammates' faces. Stunned, they were, never have seen Kuwabara outline a plan of attack. Usually that was Kurama's cup of tea. ”What? I was going in next week anyway.”

 

“Kazuma-san,” Kurama was the first to wrangle in his fleeing thought process, “These humans have trained to harm, if not kill, youkai; and we are only allowed to knock them out, how will we defeat them?”

 

Kuwabara shrugged, “Simple. They're human, right? I'll form a mental link with everyone, and then pull a Hiei on all of them at once. They all go to la-la land, and you guys K.O. the ones that I missed or have good mental barriers.”

 

“Kazuma-san, if you were able to make people sleep, how come you have never used this ability before? It would have helped greatly in past missions.” Kurama spoke gently, with Hiei nodding in agreement, crossing his arms and acting bored.

 

“It's a new technique, fox, that's why.” Hiei spoke up, putting in his two cents.

 

“Nopers,” Yusuke shook his head, “it's just specialized toward human energy, and humans that have that as their main energy source.”

 

Kuwabara picked up on the speech, “There are four energy types: reiki, holy, youki and ninki. Usually there is a blend of just two or three to make a person, and, depending on what the person focuses on, these individual energies can overpower another.”

 

“Take Kagome-chan for example,” Yusuke took his turn, “Her holy energy if strong because she had to work with that the most.”

 

“Bad example.” Kuwabara held up four fingers and wiggled them, “She has all four somehow.” Thinking for a moment, Kuwabara grinned, “Keiko-chan is a better example. Before Urameshi died… the first time, Keiko only was aware of her human energy, but now she at least has a little awareness of Reiki as well. Most `normal' humans live their daily lives only exorcising their human energy, their ninki, so their spiritual, holy and/or demon energy is practically nonexistent.”

 

“Ok, so what does this have to do with this `special attack' of yours?” Inuyasha was getting impatient. He may have been older and wiser, but he was still the impatient hanyou of legend.

 

“You attack the source of energy directly; you can do anything from making the person temporarily clumsy, knocking out their senses, temporary amnesia to instant death.” Yusuke detailed, pulling Kurama into the center of the room and away from any furniture. Kuwabara moved the coffee table further away, just in case. “Stand still.”

 

Kuwabara bowed apologetically to Kurama, forming his spirit sword. “This,” holding up the orange energy for all to see, “Is pure spirit energy.” Concentrating, the blade dimmed for a moment and started flickering like a bad TV signal. “Holy energy, definitely not my forté.” Sweating a little, he gave the demons in the room a small smile as an uncomfortable electricity raced up their spines from the sword. After a few moments more, the sword seemed to disappear completely, except for what seemed like a heat shimmer in the form of a rapier. “I'm sorry, but I'm going to make you fall asleep for a moment, Kurama.”

 

Yusuke, able to see the Ninki rapier, moved to catch Kurama as he fell after being stabbed… or more like Kuwabara making a general stabbing motion. Kurama's eyes slid shut and his form morphed, becoming swathed in white with a fox's ears and tail.

 

“Well, that was interesting.” Yoko commented, sitting up from Yusuke's supporting arms. “The boy is completely unconscious, unaware of my prodding to wake him.” Standing up, he looked at Inuyasha. “Nice that you're finally doing something more than hiding from your family, old man.”

 

“Shippou, not now. We'll talk more when we get your mother back. Give Shuiichi back his body now.” Inuyasha spoke gently, knowing he deserved the biting remark. With a smirk, Yoko allowed his soul to fall back into the human boy's body, to allow him to awaken in control. Though, with relinquishing control, Kurama slumped, nearly hitting the coffee table but for Inuyasha catching him by a quick lunge.

 

“Damn pup, be careful,” he murmured, setting Kurama down on the couch gently. Falling quiet, Inuyasha stared at Kurama's face, remembering the child from so long ago. Absently, he brushed aside some bangs and gently tugged an ear tail with a small smirk. Pup wouldn't say it out loud, but he still admired his dog-hanyou father, even though the only proof was the near-identical hair style.

 

Kurama's breathing changed to awakening and Inuyasha moved back to where he was leaning before. A moment later, Kurama moved, his hand coming up to cover his eyes. “Mmm… ow. What happened?” He asked, meaning to Yoko, but spoke to the others instead.

 

“Sorry, but you're the only person here that I could use that on with… minimal damage.” Kuwabara smiled apologetically and handed Kurama his soda. “With the hanyou and those with youkai blood, as well as human, the human energy would be temporarily knocked out, making the youki flood the body.”

 

“Not fun.” Yusuke murmured, remembering the Sensui incident not so long ago. Inuyasha closed his eyes and nodded, feeling a ghost tingle from where his demon markings would scar his cheeks.

 

“Hiei was out of the question, and I can't do that to myself… I tried that already.” Kuwabara finished with a shrug.

 

“Ok… Well, we know that works now.” Kurama spoke, head in his hand, sipping the carbonated drink. Surprisingly, the sugar was helping his energy recovery, “when do we head out?”

 

“You guys can go out and get ready, and I'll meet you there later.” Kuwabara said, taking control since it was his plan.

 

“Not tonight,” Inuyasha shook his head, “Shippou needs to recover, and you have been out all day. Go home and prepare for tomorrow morning.” He was perhaps the most worried about Kagome, but after nearly five hundred years, another lonely night would be nothing much. The detectives were young, not yet realizing that just going in and hoping for the best wasn't the best plan. Hiei, noticing that the meeting was over, left via the open window to likely Genkai's shrine.

 

“I should go as well,” Kurama stood up and recycled his finished bottle in the kitchen. “I'm already late for dinner.”

 

“I'll drive you home, you still look unsteady.” Inuyasha volunteered, putting a steadying arm on his son's shoulder. “Yusuke, Kuwabara, I want to talk to you two tomorrow morning before you leave.” The boys nodded, Yusuke going to casually slump across the couch.

 

A packet landed on his lap and Yusuke picked it up. “What the…” A black and dark blue ribbon, an inch wide and a yard long was carefully folded up and taped into a packet. Looking up, Kuwabara was tying an identical ribbon across his forehead, letting the ends lay loose down his back.

 

“Have you been getting the dreams too?” he asked quietly, a third identical ribbon lay on a shelf.

 

“Yeah.” Yusuke nodded quietly, staring at the intricate blue embroidery on the black backing. “You get your wings back yet?”

 

Kuwabara took off his large T-shirt, revealing two welt lines on either side of his spine, between his shoulder blades. “I was lucky Shizuru wasn't home. One of the dreams caused it.” Putting his shirt back on, “You know, I never forgot when you three did. I knew that they would call us back eventually.”

 

“Keiko too?” Yusuke nodded toward the third ribbon, sitting innocently on top of the waist-high shelf of the china cabinet.

 

“She came to me the other day, asking about flying. She also complained that she would never be able to lead a normal life.” Yusuke snorted, finally unraveling his length and started wrapping it around his upper arm, underneath his white T-shirt sleeve. Stepping in, Kuwabara smoothed it out comfortably and tied the knot, letting the loose ends fall to the front.

 

“Normal's boring, doesn't Keiko know that already?” making sure the ribbon wasn't cutting off circulation, Yusuke nodded, “So she's going to help tomorrow, huh?”

 

“Yusuke,” Kuwabara's eyes unfocused on the mortal plane, and into their shared dreams, turning an icy blue. “This is bigger than just Kagome. We need everyone together in this one. I think…” Kuwabara shuddered, “I think the barriers themselves are in trouble.”

 

Yusuke nodded, standing up, “I guess we have stuff to do now, so I'll go see Keiko on my way home.” Waving back, he stepped outside, “See ya,” and closed the door.

 

(O)

 

Yusuke picked up the communicator, glad for an excuse to get away from the tedious boredom of watching Taijiya morning routines, “You better be on your way, Kuwabara, we've been here an hour already!”

 

“Good morning to you too, Urameshi.” All Yusuke could see were Kuwabara's eyes shifting to the right and a grin. “I had to go get some things ready.” Yusuke heard an indignant `hey!' in the background and smirked. “We'll be there in about five minutes.”

 

Nodding, Yusuke jumped back to the large branches they were camped out on. “We're about to start. Be ready for when Kuwabara gets here.” He would have some fun, watching their expressions when an extra person showed up as well.

 

“The third from the right, correct?” Kurama confirmed, standing comfortably at the base of the branch, dressed in an emerald green tunic with brown pants and sash (he refused to call it copper). Fall leaves fell from a set of branches on one shoulder to the opposite hip. There were a total of fifteen or so small storage huts, lined up in two rows. The one they watched was in the row facing the training field for mid-range weaponry. At the moment, it was a group kata space, where nearly everyone was set up in even rows like a school gym class.

 

“Yeah, and nobody's come close to it since Souta got home.” Yusuke swallowed concern and stuck to the facts, “but we only have circumstance and rumor saying she's in there.”

 

“Rumor's good enough for me.” Kuwabara came in on angel's wings and alighted as well as any bird. “And if not, we can easily get the information we need from Kashisu.” Hiei and Kurama couldn't help but stare at the wings, orange that darkened to a red at the tips, like they were dipped into red ink… or blood.

 

Keiko touched down as well, Yusuke touching her elbow to help in case she lost her balance. “And if she is here, Inuyasha-san has a car ready by the main road.” Keiko shifted self-consciously as eyes shifted to her. “What?” she had sparrow's wings, a brown matching her hair with tan flecks. Her clothes, not her usual school fare, was a black leotard with tan capris over top. She was currently barefoot.

 

“N-nothing Yukimura-san, I just did not expect you here.” Hiei agreed with a `hn' and continued to passively be on lookout. Surprisingly, somehow Kuwabara's bright wings and clothes hadn't drawn any attention.

 

“Things would have been worse off if I had found out that Kagome was kidnapped and I couldn't do anything to help,” a beat, “again.”

 

Yusuke nodded. “Keiko, do your thing.” She nodded, absently rubbing the blue and black ribbon tied with a bow around her neck. Bringing a wing forward, she plucked a small feather with a wince. Holding it between her fingers, she blew on it gently.

 

“Kazuma-san, your cat better not eat any of my birds this time,” she warned, watching Kuwabara pull Ekichi from the well-ventilated bag on his back. The calico kitten looked up at Keiko and mewed innocently.

 

“You brought your cat baka?” Hiei growled out, things starting to leave any and all understanding. Songbirds and various small animals started to gather around Keiko, where she petted a sparrow on her finger and nudged a chittering squirrel that had made its home under her hair at the base of her neck, wrapping around like a furry collar.

 

“Ekichi's not just a cat, his line's been in my family for generations, and he's a nekomata.” It was then that Hiei noticed the modified Taijiya uniform. Instead of black, he had on white pants with pale orange armor, blue trim and sash, which held a bokken. His forearms had bandages with a bracer and fingerless gloves hiding a blade and its trigger.

 

“Ok, it's ready,” Keiko said, ignoring the birds that flitted around her, even landing on her tightly-folded wings.

 

Yusuke nodded, turning to everybody, “Kuwabara, you go get ready to `arrive,' but give us time to get ready. Keiko, do you have the dogs down there as well?” Keiko gave a nod, looking down at the canines that were sitting patiently by their kennels. “Good. You stay here and send in distractions. Hiei, Kurama and I will take a few birds to our spots and send them back when we're in place. When you get down there, Kuwabara, go around and say your `hello, how are you's'. When you drop everyone at once, we come in and knock the rest out. Whoever gets to the third hut first, get Kagome and get out. Okay everyone?” They quickly agreed and spread out. Keiko sighed and sat on the branch, sending out the rest of her creatures to get as close as animals could, given being the middle of a forest.

 

After a few moments, a trio of birds came back, signaling that they were ready. Now all they had to wait for was Kuwabara and then the fun would begin.

 

(O)

 

Halfway down the road and well away from the village, Kuwabara alighted on the ground, letting Ekichi down and taking his bag off with some difficulty. Taking a deep breath, he willed his wings away and kneeled before the bag, taking out his shirt, armor and trench. “Ready to go boy?” the kitten mewed, sitting and watching his ward close the last frog closure around his neck on the snug-fitting shirt. His clothes were actually youkai beast hides, stained white instead of black, trimmed and sleeves of silk instead of leather. If the arm blades were ever triggered, the silk would be easier to cut and replace instead of rare leather. The lightweight armor would protect against most blades and claws, as well as deflect most low-level energy attacks.

 

Putting on his yakusa-style trench as a finishing touch, Kuwabara stood up and slung his bag back over one shoulder. “Let's go then, lead the way,” Ekichi's mew turned into a low rumble as he stood up and a dark cloud surrounding him grew up to Kuwabara's waist. The kitten had transformed into a black saber-toothed cat that his shoulders came up to Kuwabara's thigh. Scratching behind the beast's ears absently, Kuwabara started walking. He would give them a good fifteen minutes to get in place.

 

Reaching the front gate, Kuwabara raised his hand in greeting up to the guy in the tower, “Hey, mind letting me in?” He asked, a touch of impatience in his voice. Ekichi curled next to Kuwabara's legs, rubbing against him possessively.

 

“Oh! Kazuma-sama!” the guard sweated, releasing the gate door, “I heard that you were coming next week.” He climbed down, bowing to the redhead formally, afraid to upset the heir further. “May I take your bag to your room?”

 

Kuwabara shrugged his bag further up his shoulder, “It's fine, I'm not staying long. Oh, hey,” he spoke up, as if he just thought of something, “is it true that someone caught a humanoid youkai?” Kuwabara made sure to make eye contact enough to connect a link to his ninki.

 

“I heard about that, sir, but I can't really say anything on whether it's true or not. Personal opinion, sir, is that it's made up. Wishful thinking.”

 

Kuwabara nodded, feeling Yusuke's amusement up in the nearby tree. `Yes-suh, no-suh, want me to rub your feet, suh' the wisp of thought from Yusuke made Kuwabara frown and shake his head. “Well, I heard that rumor, too. And I want to see if it's true or not. See ya later!” he waved back, on to the next `victim'. Over the next half hour, Kuwabara made his way around, joking with one, to helping another with a quarterstaff fighting kata, making sure to make eye contact with each one. Casually walking around, he eventually made it past the third hut.

 

“She's here.” Kuwabara murmured, directing the thought to the others, hopefully. Nodding, Kuwabara spotted Kashisu, sparring with another of the high-ranked Taijiya, and beating him. Going over, he leaned against the corral fence that served as the sparring ring. After a few moments, Kashisu defeated the warrior spectacularly, spitting on the man as he groaned on his back, where he had been thrown. Closing his eyes for a moment, Kuwabara swallowed back the impulse to just go in and pulverize the man for unneeded humiliation. “Good fight, Kashisu-sama,” Kuwabara managed to speak up, holding out a towel. “How about you an' me next round?”

 

Kashisu smirked, holding his towel around the back of his neck. “Young Kazumaru-sama, I was unaware that you would grace us with your royal presence this week.” He gave a mocking bow, using his towel to do a graceful sweep, “I would be honored to spar you.”

 

Nodding, Kuwabara jumped the low fence and Ekichi sat to watch patiently. “Your spar, your rules,” he gestured generously to the older man.

 

Kashisu smirked, intending to humiliate the young Taijiya prince. “Let us make this interesting, eh, Kazumaru-sama, and use stealth weapons!” he hadn't even finished before throwing three needles in quick succession. Stuck dodging, Kuwabara frowned. The needles were small and fast, but slower than he knew some youkai weapons to be. A tri-tipped throwing star bit into his arm, a piano wire tied to it, strong and nearly invisible.

 

Swallowing a hiss, Kuwabara had no choice but to activate his right arm's blade, cutting the wire and nearly Kashisu himself if he had been any slower reacting. “Oh-ho-ho,” He smirked, drawing his sword already, “So Kazu-chan does have a real weapon after all.” Blocking a third swipe, Kashisu aimed a kick that connected, knocking him breathless.

 

On the ground, Kuwabara fought for air, rolling away from a stab that sunk the sword a good four inches into the packed earth. Abandoning his sword, he grabbed a dagger strapped to his waist and went in for the kill.

 

Lining up a kick, Kuwabara pushed Kashisu away with both feet, giving him enough room to stand up again. Grabbing the dropped dagger, he used it to deflect another shuriken; this one had at least twenty needle-like blades, intending to pierce the skin with some toxic substance. With another kick, he sent the man into the fence, knocking off the top rough-hewn bar of wood.

 

Making the mistake of not pushing the advantage, Kuwabara was knocked back as Kashisu regained his balance. Using the fallen piece of wood, he intended to use it as a bludgeon and swung wildly. Sighing, Kuwabara didn't like being swung at with the improvised club. Taking his bokken, he laced it with spirit energy to reinforce the wood and slammed it against the beam and both exploded on impact. Through the debris cloud, Kuwabara jumped to put a knee in his face, and when he missed Kashisu, he used the leap to put sufficient distance between them.

 

“So, we're using energy attacks now, are we?” Kashisu smirked, taking out a weighted wire. The wire glowed as he began to spin the last two feet with the marble-sized lead tied on. Kuwabara formed his reiken using the remains of his bokken… and gave a show of having trouble keeping the sword's shape. “This will be finished quickly!” Throwing the sickly purple wire, it wrapped around Kuwabara and his sword, cutting into his silk-clad arms. A tug had him lurching forward. Taking advantage of this, Kuwabara slammed his invisible ninki dagger into Kashisu's heart.

 

The man went down, screaming in agony and tearing where he perceived to be wounded. While most of the Taijiya silently collapsed, suddenly lacking any energy, Kashisu screamed like he was on fire. While all his human energy disappeared, something else replaced it, burning his very veins. Staring at the man that wouldn't stop screaming, Kuwabara didn't remember taking what was left of his bokken to his temple.

 

He signaled the all clear and the demons descended, quickly knocking out those that had come out, summoned by Kashisu's hell-like screaming. Hiei reached the hut first, throwing open the sliding door to see inky blackness. Kurama, arriving next, touched it only to be thrown back by the unknown force.

 

“Kuwabara?” Yusuke landed next to his friend, touching his shoulder in concern. The human jumped, reflex-stabbing with his ninken. Yusuke shuddered, his demon blood burning as it asserted itself. The marks of his heritage darkening into its usual indigo, but his hair stayed in its short, slicked back `do. Taking a few breaths to steady his non-existent heart, Yusuke grinned, “Feeling better now, buddy?”

 

Kuwabara looked up, unfocused, at Yusuke's face. Standing up, he steadied himself on Ekichi's head. “I feel sick man.” His head swam. “Give me a few minutes to go get the antidote and I'll feel better.” Ekichi dutifully led Kuwabara to another hut, where the apothecary was next door to the doctor's hut. The cat had to check Kuwabara's balance a few times before Keiko came down to take his other side. Through unfocused eyes, he somehow managed to find the antidote and took it dry. Kneeling, he let the medicine get to work and let his head stop spinning on fire.

 

(O)

 

Yusuke walked over to Kurama and Hiei, standing outside the third hut. “What, is Kagome not here?”

 

“No, Momma is most definitely inside.” Kurama said absently, looking at the black void that started just beyond the open door.

 

“Oh.” Yusuke murmured, going to touch the black barrier.

 

Kurama grabbed his wrist, “I wouldn't do that if I was you,” he warned, holding up his own scorched hand. “Where is Kuwabara-san?” he asked, looking around.

 

“Getting his head screwed back on correctly.” Yusuke supposed, getting his hand back and walking as close as he could to the Black. Raising his hands, he let them hover an inch from the barrier, concentrating. “The bastard used a poison on his practice weapons. Kuwabara's immune to most of them, but that just means he doesn't immediately die from it.” Cautiously, Yusuke gently touched the barrier, but was blown back as soon as he tried to force it back, “The hell!?!?”

 

“Apparently the idiot will be needed again.” Hiei scoffed, walking off to where he saw the humans go. Kurama nodded and followed.

 

“I'll be right back, Ka-chan,” Yusuke murmured, hands and forehead resting on the barrier lightly in apology. The barrier seemed to react to his promise, but that could have easily been his imagination.

 

Walking into the apothecary, Kurama first noticed the amount of various substances that lined the shelves in neatly labeled bottles or boxes. The person in charge clearly took great pride in their responsibility. Kneeling down, Kurama was careful to stay right out of striking range. He had felt the random spike in youki and had seen Yusuke's markings; it didn't take a genius to figure out what happened. “How are you feeling, Kuwabara-san?” he asked politely, watching a shudder shake the boy's entire frame.

 

“Not… fun.” He managed before lunging out the door with surprising speed and around the corner. The sound of retching could be heard a moment later. Yusuke, the last to enter, sighed and left, off to find some water bottles. Five minutes later, Kuwabara was reduced to dry heaving and spitting, sitting heavily against the door frame. Keiko handed Kuwabara a handkerchief to keep wiping off his mouth.

 

“Here. Rinse with one, then sip at the other, slowly.” Yusuke set the two bottles down and sat against the other side of the door frame. “So… any idea which one he used this time?”

 

Kuwabara held up his shirt, the sleeve torn and bloody from his wrist blade, revealing a small stab wound. “Black vine, best guess. Blindness, disorientation, severe vomiting, seizures, death within an hour.” He listed off the symptoms as Keiko used some of his rinsing water to clean it out and then wrap it with a bandage she swiped from the doc's hut. “Don't touch,” Kuwabara warned, watching her, “even a hint of the stuff on your skin can kill.” She nodded, careful to only let the cool linen touch the clotting blood.

 

“Black vine, are you sure?” Kurama asked, honestly mesmerized that Kuwabara didn't drop instantly from one of the top ten deadliest plant poisons on earth or the demon realm.

 

“Yeah, I'm sure. I've been on the receiving end of this stuff before. Won't die from it, but I still have the symptoms in order.”

 

“Baka's a cockroach.” Hiei scoffed, hiding the slightest concern in his eyes by keeping an eye out.

 

“Yeah,” Kuwabara smiled distantly, “love you too, Shrimp. How else would I start a camp fire without ya when I forget the matches?” It was once, once that Hiei had to start the fire. It was late, cold (not that it bothered him) and had been raining all day.

 

Kuwabara started shivering, drawing his knees to his chest and dropping his head, he started to concentrate on his breathing. It came in short pants, but at least he could still fully expand them. As soon as it became too difficult to breathe, he would have to lie down until it passed. “Kuwabara…”

 

“Hmm…?” He couldn't form words easily anymore.

 

“Your heartbeat's erratic.” Kurama kept his fingers on Kuwabara's pulse, feeling skipped beats and random valve firings. Nodding, Kuwabara stood up, and somehow made his way to the center of the room, where he lied down, an arm over his eyes and the other tapping on the floor for a pencil and paper. Quickly finding some next door, Keiko carefully put the paper down and guided his pencil-holding hand to it. Death, he wrote, putting it in quotes, ten minutes. Be back soon! With a small laugh, Kuwabara put the pen down. His heart beat slowed to the point where Kurama started to panic and start CPR.

 

Yusuke pulled the Kitsune back in a gentle, yet unyielding, grasp, “Chill fox, Kuwabara's fine He can't die. It just needs to work through his system first though.”

 

“Wait, what? What do you mean `he can't die'?” Kurama gave Yusuke an unbelieving look.

 

The detective shrugged, trying to think of the best way to describe it. “It's like… Kuwabara's soul and body are welded together, one and the same. Like concrete to a shoe once you step in it and let it dry. Normal living things, the soul is like in a room with a door, and sometimes a window. Dying is like opening that door and walking out. Kuwabara's room has a window, but no door. And the only way for him to die is to break that glass window.” Yusuke shuddered, remembering Toguro during the Dark Tournament. “I thought cutting his heart in half would break that glass...”

 

“Naw, but that hurt like hell though.” Kuwabara mumbled, staring up at the ceiling. “Wouldn't stop bleeding for a while, either.” Trying to sit up, he winced, rubbing his sternum. “Ugh, Kurama, there's no gentler way to do compressions, is there?”

 

“I'm sorry, Kazuma-san, should I get you some painkillers?” Shaking his head, Kuwabara denied Kurama's offer, but took a drink from the bottle Yusuke provided.

 

“I'll use painkillers when I die. They don't work, anyway.” Looking around, he noticed the lack of one key person, “Where's Kagome-chan? She's definitely in that hut.”

 

“Ninki barrier.” Yusuke shrugged, “You up to it yet?”

 

“Yeah, just let me do a systems check first.” The two boys gave a pair of smirks, referencing the mecha game they played the other day they both had off. Starting with his fingers, he flexed them until they started moving with ease, then moved up to his wrist and arm. “Yes… rigor sucks.” Yusuke, and, surprisingly, Keiko nodded in agreement, moving in to help with the muscles in his legs.

 

“Doesn't it take a day for Rigor Mortis to set in, not a few minutes?” Kurama asked, hearing the odd sound of crackling coming from Kuwabara's flexing muscles as the stiffness was worked out.

 

“Usually,” Keiko shrugged, pushing Kuwabara's knee to bend, “but there are cases where someone has died right after vigorous exorcise. The muscle fatigue causes the muscle to go into rigor faster, and the core temperature is raised, so it makes exact time of death nearly impossible to tell.” Kurama stared at the girl as if she should belong to a zoo exhibit. “What?” Keiko grunted, helping Kuwabara stand up, “having your boyfriend die tends to make you find out these things.”

 

“Yukimura-san, this may seem like an odd question, but what are you studying for?” Kurama asked, half fearing it would be something like a mortician.

 

“Child psychology, why?” Kuwabara nodded and Keiko let go, allowing him to stand on his own and do a few last stretches.

 

“Ready to go.” He said, stretching his arm across his chest to stretch the trapezoid.

 

“Nothing much, I was just wondering, Yukimura-san.” Leading the way out, Kurama gestured to the open door, surprised when he turned around to the others, to see both Kuwabara and Yusuke shirtless and winged, standing on either side of Keiko. Kuwabara walked up and touched the barrier. Eyes closed, he tried to read it. Stepping back, he plucked a long flight feather, wincing and shuddering from the nearly-painful sensation. Holding up the two-foot feather, it started to glow. “Are you not using your jigen-tou?”

 

Shaking his head, Kuwabara let the hand holding the feather drop. “It's too dangerous. If I forcibly break the barrier, I could hurt Kagome-chan as well.” Kuwabara lifted the feather again, pointing it at the barrier. “I'm hoping to just open a doorway so we can slip inside.” He started to mutter a spell and after a few seconds the feather seemed to morph into a flame, wavering in the slight breeze. Carefully, Kuwabara placed it on the barrier, where the darkness seemed to ripple like a leaf falling on the pond. After a few seconds, the feather disappeared, sinking down into the blackness. “Okay, Urameshi, you first.” Kuwabara whispered, one hand sunk into the black as if to hold the barrier open.

 

Yusuke nodded, “Keiko, keep watch,” and stepped in. The girl nodded, kneeling and caping her wings. After a few seconds, making sure Keiko was focused on the barrier portal, Kuwabara ducked in as well.

 

(O)

 

“Gah, I forgot how cold it is here.” Yusuke muttered, cloaking his black wings and shivering. Looking back, he saw a blue ball of flame, then two more, to a circle of about a dozen or so, highlighting Kuwabara's frame strangely. The flames all hovered at about Kuwabara's chest, his wings caped as well, looking like an orange cloak.

 

“Hey Glow Stick, found her yet?” Kuwabara asked, gesturing for his fireballs to spread around to circle both.

 

“Nope,” Yusuke's skin seemed to glow from within, proven by the more intense light in his eyes and mouth when he spoke. “Send out your wisps and we might have some luck.” Nodding, Kuwabara spread his wings, small feathers falling off and turning into more Will o' th' Wisps. With twenty or so, he sent them out into the Infinite Darkness until they looked like stars.

 

“Found her.” The lights looked like they were a million miles away, but three steps later, they stood in front of a dark huddled figure, the gay lights bobbing around them.

 

“Hey, Kagome,” Yusuke murmured, settling his hand on her shoulder, rubbing small circles with his thumb. “We're here to get you out.”

 

“Let me die, Yusuke, let me be with them.” She shook her head. “They're gone, all gone, I'll never see them again…” she muttered faintly, like a mantra. Her eyes remained unfocused, forehead resting on her knees, arms wrapped around her legs. “They're all gone, there's no point…”

 

“Kagome-chan!” Kuwabara shook her other shoulder. The contact giving him a shock, he heard voices, crying for help. “Yusuke,” Kuwabara growled, pulling Kagome into his lap and focusing his energy over her heart. “Burn this off, now!” Kuwabara shielded her with a wing, protecting her from the sudden blast of pure light.

 

Yusuke bent over, hands on knees and wings limp. In panic, he used nearly all his energy and the blackness was immediately replaced with white, stars dancing in his eyes when the sight of the inside of an empty hut appeared. Kurama was the first in, gasping at seeing Kagome's skeletal form pulled into Kuwabara's lap. “Kagome-kaa…” he kneeled by the two, hesitating, wanting to touch the fragile girl, but afraid she would break.

 

“Kurama, tell Keiko to call Inuyasha.” Kuwabara instructed softly, seeing the kitsune's reluctance.

 

“Ah, ri-right.” Standing up, he practically ran back outside to talk to Keiko. Nodding, she stood up (slightly disoriented from the barrier's sudden release; like a popped soap bubble) and took wing, landing in the watchtower by the time Inuyasha picked up.

 

“Yeah, we found her… I don't know… I don't know…” Keiko took a deep breath, trying to stay calm for Inuyasha's sake. “No… Yusuke and Kuwabara are with her…”

 

Back inside, Kurama gestured to take his mother, all thoughts of useful tidbits of information, gone. Not noticing, he started to keen, the high pitch barely audible to most ears. He held the woman like a precious doll, her form so small in comparison to his. At a gentle request from his tenant Kurama relinquished control to the fox, who curled over the woman as his keening grew into whimpering, loud enough for all present to hear. “Momma…” he whispered, brushing dull bangs and drawing her attention.

 

“My baby,” Kagome smiled sadly and touched his face, “I'm so sorry…” her hand fell to her breast and glazed eyes slid shut. But for the shallow rise and fall of her chest, she would be dead.

 

Kuwabara kneeled from where he was resting and placed his hand over hers on her chest, watching the flame of her life dim slowly. “Come on, Kags,” he pleaded, using a nickname he hadn't used since they were eight, “don't give up on me yet.” Using his own energy, Kuwabara reached to her spirit like a lifeline, not letting it sink away.

 

Outside, a car pulled up, sending dust and small stones flying. A door slammed and Inuyasha rushed in, stopping short at the sight of this pale mate. “Ka-Kagome,” he breathed before getting a hold of himself. Fishing his phone from black slacks, he tossed it to Kuwabara. “Call your Momma, gaki, tell her that we found her. Yes, brat, they got back late and crashed at the SBH, now get going!” He snarled, seeing Kuwabara's temporarily confused look. The boy nodded, thoroughly cowed, and dialed a number he knew by heart. “Now you, pup,” he said, gesturing at Yoko, “Car. Now,” Nodding, Yoko stood up gently, with Yusuke's help, and lifted Kagome into his arms.

 

“Hello?” a tired female voice picked up on the third ring.

 

“Momma…” Kuwabara washed away a wave of longing, needing to talk of more important things. “We found her, and she doesn't look too good.”

 

Sango nodded, sitting up in bed and sliding into her robe and slippers. “Okay, honey, Inuyasha wants us to set up things then, doesn't he?” Miroku rolled over and propped onto his elbow, giving his wife a questioning look. `They found Kagome' was all she mouthed to him before he rolled out of bed as well, reaching for his pajama pants and a black tee.

 

“Yes,” Inuyasha called over, hearing the phone clearly. “Set up Kagome's room with a heart monitor and a few saline bags. We're starting an IV as soon as we get there.” Kuwabara relayed instructions, following them to the car. “And Jinenji too.”

 

“And Jin-who?” Kuwabara asked, mid-direction.

 

“A healer that's a good friend.” Miroku spoke up, having their end on speaker phone as they finished getting dressed.

 

“Ok, honey, we have to get off now if that's all, ok?” Sango said sweetly, hanging up a moment later with a negative from Inuyasha. Finished getting Yoko situated in the back seat with Kagome's head on his lap, he pressed Kuwabara into the passenger seat. Sometime during the call, he had managed to grab his trench after losing his feathers.

 

“I hope the rest of you can find your way, Yukimura-chan?” He asked, getting a positive bob of the head from the brunette. Nodding back, Inuyasha got in and drove off, leaving Keiko, Yusuke and Hiei surrounded by defeated demon slayers.

 

Taking a deep breath, she didn't even have to look at Yusuke to see his silent question. “Volunteering, Yusuke, is a wonderful way to meet new people.” She gave him a superior smirk, “Try to keep up.” With that, she took wing, flying low and fast over the trees. It was a long travel without going through down town Tokyo, and even then it would take at least an hour.

 

(O)

 

“So, heh, you got wings too?” Inuyasha commented lightly, staring straight ahead in mid-morning traffic, knuckles white on the steering wheel.

 

Pulling the trench closer, Kuwabara nodded, “Yes, sir, Keiko and I were on the same angel-squad team as Urameshi and Kags when we were younger.” Inuyasha nodded absently, observing through the rearview mirror that his son had become the redhead human again.

 

“I remember you now; you were that runt that took care of those other kids.”

 

“Yes, sir, Okubu, Kirishima and Sawamura are good friends,” he answered, looking over at his childhood friend's mate. Inuyasha seemed completely human, with black hair tied back in a ponytail and a red band tee, but in Kuwabara's eye, he flickered as well, like Kurama sometimes did. Just at the corner of his eye, Kuwabara would see black hair turn platinum blonde, and human ears disappear, to be replaced by white triangles. All traces of attempted conversation fell silent, save for the sound of faint breathing they strained to hear over traffic and their own nervous heartbeats.

 

“She'll be fine,” Kurama said softly, more of a prayer than any real assurance, stroking her muted hair.

 

Kuwabara nodded, looking introspective, “She's strong, but the children are stronger.”

 

“Children?” Inuyasha looked shocked, nearly crashing the car with a surprised reflex. “Children…?” he repeated, daring a glance at Kuwabara's truthful face.

 

“After….” Kurama swallowed, placing a hand on his mother's still-flat belly. “It's still alive…” He felt life, weak, but alive. Concentrating, he felt two, “They're still alive.” A feeling of elation washed over him, having not believed that even one would be alive after seeing Kagome, weak with starvation and rejection.

 

Remembering to breathe, Inuyasha readjusted his white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel, “Not for long,” he growled, staving back unnecessary emotions, “if we don't save Kagome first.” We could lose all of them, was the unspoken thought that crossed all their minds.

 

Out in the forested countryside again, Inuyasha took a dirt road, hidden from the casual passerby by a bend in the road and the natural foliage. Worn down by years of use, he took the car as fast as he could, wary of bumps and potholes in the way, and wincing when he hit one. Looking in the rearview mirror, he saw Kurama hold Kagome as best as he could, sheltering her from the rough terrain. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived in front of a house, though it could be more accurately described as a feudal castle of sorts, and parked. Taking Kagome gently, he led the two boys inside, having them open the modernized front double doors. “This way,” he murmured, leading them up a grand staircase in two carefully measured bounds.

 

“Kagome!” Sango called, the first to spot the group as they rushed toward them down the hall. Miroku and Jinenji looked up at the yell, shocked to see Kagome limp in her mate's arms.

 

“In here,” the earth hanyou instructed, opening a door for the couple. Over the years, he had changed from his twenty foot height and horse-like face, to a more humanoid form with shocking blue eyes, but still balding, much to his chagrin, covered with a bandanna. It was mostly an illusion, but it was much more useful in this age with two worlds, to live among the human one.

 

Inuyasha carefully set her down on the fancy four-poster bed and was virtually pushed away by Jinenji so he could get to work. “I'm sorry about this, Kagome-san,” he murmured, carefully loosening the belt on her hakama enough so that he could remove her haori. Mildly surprised at binding instead of a bra, he set the haori onto the chair by a writing table. Underneath, he saw the frame of her body, the skeleton, forming harsh angles covered with naught but flesh. Having no choice, he took the IV needle and taped it to the back of her hand, praying that those veins hadn't collapsed as badly as the ones typically used in the inner elbow. Next was the heart monitor, easier to place with just sticky pads with electrodes onto her torso. Moving down to her belly, he gently palpated it, feeling the early pregnancy, slightly further on than a human would be, given her demon blood. Sighing, Jinenji did all he could, pulling Inuyasha aside.

 

“Inuyasha-sama,” the hanyou started softly, gently pulling the curtain aside to look out the balcony windows, “I've done all that I can until Kagome-san wakes up, but until then, you have to make a decision.” Jinenji swallowed, not wanting to think that one life was more precious than another. “In the condition that she is in currently, it will be time before she will be back to full health, but with the pregnancy as well, there is a possibility of losing one or both of them.”

 

“There's two of them, twins.” Inuyasha said quietly, arms crossed and observing his territory.

 

“Ah, that makes it more difficult.” Even more, he both loathed and needed to bring up the option. “It's still early enough in the pregnancy that it wouldn't hurt Kagome-san,” Inuyasha turned an ear to the taller doctor and started growling. Jinenji gulped, “I-I would suggest terminating the pregnancy, for Kagome's sake!” he managed to squeak out before Inuyasha pounced.

 

“Do what, again?” He growled, hair white, eyes red and purple stripes appearing on his cheeks. Full demon, Inuyasha kneeled on top of the hanyou, one hand around his throat, the other poised to dismember. “You will not touch my pups.”

 

“Inuyasha!” Sango yelled, from where she was reuniting with her own son out in the hallway, “Let Jinenji-san go!”

 

Looking up with a growl, he stared at Sango with a crimson glare. She glared back, not intimidated in the least by his temper. “Feh,” Inuyasha spat, standing up with Jinenji's throat still in his grasp. With a toss, he landed against the wall by the door, hard. “Don't touch my mate.” Sitting under where he hit, all he could do was nod, rubbing his neck and wheezing. “Monk, get your ass over here.” Calmed down somewhat, Inuyasha stood with clawed hands on hips, his physical presence resting at neutral hanyou, what his body was accustomed to.

 

Miroku pat his son's shoulder (awkward since Kuwabara was good few inches taller) and went over to talk to Inuyasha, “Yes? You want me to be the one to take care of Kagome-chan's medical needs, correct?” After a quick nod, he went over and did his own brief exam, a faint concerned touch here or there, but nothing invasive. With two fingers glowing, he examined her weaknesses, “Son, I believe this is your specialty,” he observed, `seeing' an orange string connected to her spirit, tying it to her body. Sitting up, Miroku watched the heart monitor, not wanting to look at anything else. “Given that Inuyasha is still alive after five hundred years without Kagome-chan, I would put a high chance of Kagome's surviving, provide Inuyasha,” he gave the hanyou a side-glance, “stays with her and tries to strengthen their bond… the children… I will pray for their survival. It comes down to the mother's strength in the end.”

 

Nodding, Inuyasha pulled up a simple chair beside the large bed. Taking her hand gently, Inuyasha started rubbing small circles with his thumb. “I believe it would be best to leave them alone at this point in time,” Kurama said gently from his corner of the room, his arms wide to shepherd the others out. Turning back, Kurama stood opposite Inuyasha and pulled a seed from his hair. Making it sprout, he coaxed the vine to wrap around the posts and canopy. Large pale flowers and broad leaves bloomed, giving off a calming scent. “I hope this helps… Papa,” he said quietly, tenderness he rarely showed in his voice, “Make Mama come back to us.” Inuyasha nodded, determination in his gaze.

 

“I'll try,” and with that, he shut the door, leaving his parents alone.

 

(O)

 

Gah, I don't know whether to cry or to sob in relief! Happy New Year everyone! I hope you like this little gift, despite horribly needing editing. I'll get to that tomorrow.

 

Oh, and I need baby names!!!

 

Dark Inu Fan

 

Edit: I edited it! There are no more serious faux-pas!