InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Inescapable Destinies ❯ Calm? ( Chapter 7 )

A/N: Ok, even I have to say that I didn't like this chapter, but I am going through a lot of things, and well, almost no one reviewed so I was kind of depressed about that. I mean I know you all have things to do but… whatever, here is another chapter. Like I said before, I didn't like this chapter but I put it out for the people who reviewed. I am really sorry if this story is starting to get bad or something, but I am not about to change it, unless of course you can tell me what is bad. Then I can change it and make it better, kk? Kk! Yeah I am happy now… UGH! Now I am mad because my stupid boy friends (not literally) keep smacking my ass whenever I bend over to type. I am typing this in school right now, I e-mailed my self this chapter, and I have the fortune of my more perverted boy friends being here. Ok here you all go, I didn't want to type more because I wanted to get this in, I am thinking really hard of how to redeem myself for this chapter, and I don't want to get smacked in the ass again, or felt up on. mumbles incoherent things about leches

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha characters, but I do own Mitsuki and Kageromaru's body… Ehem…

Last Time

They finally reached the dojo and Kagome and Sesshomaru walked into the middle of the massive place and faced each
other. “Now, Kagome we move onto weapons.”

Now

While Sesshomaru went over to go choose which weapon he wanted to try out first the others in the dojo sat down on the floor the enormous dojo. Like the rest of the building it was blue and silver and it was made of marble. The walls were full of weapons of every kind from bows to pikes to fans to swords, and currently Sesshomaru was heading towards the wall with the best bow and arrows on it. They saw him pick out a wooden bow with a line on either side that also silver blue, but it also had a line winding down from to the top to the bottom that was gold, he then picked up the matching arrows that looked exactly like the bow and the feathers were all three colors. Kagome admired the bow and arrows as Sesshomaru walked over to her, then he placed them in her hands and went off to the far side of the dojo where there were some targets, he grabbed some and set them up while he held onto about five them.

He walked back to Kagome and told her something so that no other ears could hear, but to do this he had to lean in close to her and whisper in her ear, making Kagome rather uncomfortable. “We will merely put a show up right now, this Sesshomaru, as well as you, do not wish for Rin to see how you really train, so for now we will test your skills in archery.” He stood upright, and then said aloud, “Shoot those targets at the best of your ability, so that I may decipher what you need and needn't learn.” Kagome nodded her head and got into her stance, reached for an arrow, and notched it in her bow. She closed one eye and pointed the tip of the arrow at the center of the target and in her mind said, `Hit the mark.' She let loose the arrow and it immediately burst into a blue, pink, and white flame as it sailed towards its mark, and Kagome never let her stance down, while she had one hand reached over her back so she could grab another arrow and shoot again right after.

Finally you could hear a soft thud and the shattering of wood, as well as a few other things, as in a wall, which was luckily empty from any other expensive weapons. But the arrow didn't stop there, it kept going as it tore through the trees that had been safely hidden behind said wall, but were now bare to the arrows attack and energy. Kagome just stood there with a shocked and apologetic look on her face, as she stared that the fading arrow, while it sped through anything in its path. Her mouth was agape, she had never known she could do that, or even had that much power in side herself. She could hear the rustle of clothes and was brought back to the real world when she heard the others awing their amazement, then she felt a hand grip her shoulder rather roughly and she turned, still slightly dazed, and saw a peeved Sesshomaru, “You, woman, are quite fond of destroying my palace are you not.” Once again he was back to his stoic and indifferent voice, but she could hear the irritation hidden behind those words. She just looked at him as he released her shoulder and started to reach for the bow and arrows in hr hands and he snatched them away from her, if you can call it that when you are the most graceful person in the world.

She stood there for a second with her hands still the way they had been when she had the bow when she realized she wasn't holding them anymore, she could feel the amused stares she was getting and blushed. She looked around and saw that Sesshomaru was now near the wall with the pikes and when they made eye contact he silently told her to go over where he was. She nodded a bit confused that they were still going to do the tougher stuff when he had just said they wouldn't, but she was happy, she really wanted to be able to protect herself. When she was by his side he motioned for her to choose one, she looked at all the pikes before her eyes fell on one particular pike, at which she absently walked over to it and touched it.

It had a silver handle, that was just the right size for her, and it had millions of beautiful designs going around it, even to the head (Sorry, don't know much about pikes.), which has a prominent dog on one of it's sides, the side that goes up. Without realizing it she had pulled it down for so as to better examine it, as she let her fingers glide over it actually reveling in the feel of it being in her hands, then she shook her head and headed to the patiently waiting Sesshomaru who was back in the center of the room. So that was how the night went, everyone watched as Kagome worked her ass off to master the pike and a few other weapons they had decided upon for the day. They had stayed up long after everyone else had gone to rest, even after Kageromaru had left. When Sesshomaru had said they had practiced enough he also stated, “In the mornings starting tomorrow before breakfast, we will practice. Then in the nights after dinner we will train until I see fit. There are no questions asked, for this is my ruling, not yours.” But he needn't had said that because wasn't about to question him or even put a temper tantrum, her was her sensei and he knew best.

“Sesshomaru-sensei (She calls him that during and shortly after training and such. Then the rest of the day she calls him -sama), do you have a place so that I may cleanse myself. I feel rather dirty and it just doesn't seem right that I go to bed after all that training.” He gave her a strange look thinking that no human has ever cared how dirty they were or how sweaty they got, but she did, which was odd since she didn't sweat at all. He stared at her for a while before walking past her, which she immediately understood meant to follow him, in such a short time she was starting to understand his silent commands, she knew he wasn't one for talking. She followed him as he led her down different corridors and hallways until he stopped in front of a door, most likely a room, and opened it for her.

She walked in and saw a beautiful room that had a soft lilac wall with a little design carved into the wood going around the lower walls. There was a bed in the middle of the room that had lilac and baby blue sheets, decorated with little flowers and petals, and there was a canopy going around the bed with a see through baby blue sheet hanging over its sides, covering the entire bed. There were some baby blue curtains draped over a window on the right side of the wall right in front of her, and then there was another baby blue curtain, except this one touched the floor, so she assumed it was a balcony. She heard someone clearing their throat and turned to see Sesshomaru standing by one of the many dressers, he opened one of the drawers as soon as he was sure that he had her undivided attention, and said, “Any kimonos that you find in this room are yours to wear as you please, and the dresser over there holds you training outfits. This contains your yukatas, and your bag is over in that corner. I will await you outside to guide you to the hot springs.” He turned on his heels and walked out the door while Kagome started to go through the many beautiful yukatas at her disposal.

She felt so lucky right now, she had some many things to be happy about; she could finally try to forget the past and move on with her life, while pushing in the many other people in this world in her life, and face her future. But she couldn't help but feel sad, because no matter how much she denied it, she loved that hanyou that was so rude and uncaring of her. Even after all that he had done to her, she had stayed by his side and stayed loyal to him, no matter what he did in return, it had just seemed so natural that she stay with him, that she try to heal the wounds in his heart, even though she had many scars of her own. Maybe that is why she loves him so much it hurts, because they were both healing from the ever rough hands that had scratched their helpless heart and souls.

Maybe she had wanted to be able to ward off those hands that were constantly scratching and clawing their way through their spirits, and hoped that he in return would do the same for her. Ironic how it happened just the opposite of that, he had actually turned into the many hands clawing at her life, her heart, who had burned her, cut her, then come back saying it would be okay this time around, that they would keep the hands from reaching her, but would only do the same thing again and again, more and more painful and deep each and every time. She could see it happen to her too, could see ahead into the future, as if being given the chance to stop it, but she would just sit by and watch it play out, and all for what? For the hope that maybe this time he would actually be able to make the hands go away forever? Because a simple notion in her mind says that maybe he sees her when he sees Kikyou? Because he can get insanely possessive of her when it came to other men? Is that the only reason she would let it happen to her, why she would come back each and every time?

It wasn't healthy for her to be near him, to love him like she does, but she couldn't help it, it was just there, always nagging at her whenever she would even breath a simple breathe. She knew she needed to get away from those hands that her mind insists on returning to, and that she had to escape her heart to do so, but no matter how far she ran, it would always catch up and beat her to the finish line. That was why she wanted to train, that way she could have control over her thoughts and actions, and keep her heart at bay when necessary, and she knew that if she learned to control her emotions and actions during battle she could learn to control then out of battle. `Speaking of training, when did I leave the room? And where am I going…' “Oomph, ow that hurt, nani? What the…” she trailed off as she looked up and saw a very tall figure quite still in front of her, she slowly looked up and saw long silver hair cascaded over the tall figure's back, and when she reached the back of the head the figure turned around and gave her an evil glare, but then it couldn't be called evil when his eyes were lit with amusement that he couldn't contain. She saw him give up on glaring at her and decided to quirk a delicate eyebrow instead, he stared at her while she got up and gathered her things in her arms, so much for grace, she was going to have to pay attention if she didn't want to make all her training go in vain, and that would just stink.

“Gomen Sesshomaru-sama, I was not paying attention to what I was doing, much less where I was going. Please forgive me; I will no longer allow my thoughts to corrupt me while I walk.” She ended this by bowing to him, just to emphasize her sincerity towards him, then stood tall, finally registering on why she was following him. “Ano, are the hot springs near by? I am becoming rather tired and wish to bathe before I rest for the day.” She watched as he stared at her then gesture toward the door in front of him, as if it were obvious that, that door should be the one containing the hot springs. Of course it made her feel even more stupid than she just had, and she had already felt pretty darn moronic before. `Duh, Kagome, why else would he stop all of a sudden, not to say he doesn't do things suddenly, but always with reason. Ugh I need to just be clean then go to sleep, I am obviously becoming disoriented with all these thoughts and staying up so late.' So she bowed low and walked past him and into the door that hid the hot springs behind it, and she was basically blasted with the steam from them once she entered.

She walked over to the hot spring closest to her, there were about ten in total, why she didn't know, but eh, not like it really mattered right then and there. So she simply laid the yukatas she hadn't known she grabbed, down next to the spring and started taking off the training outfit. Once she was settled in the water she took the shampoo and started to massage it into her hair until it was a thick lather, then ducked under the water and stayed there while she massaged her head trying to get all the soap out. When she resurfaced she took in a deep breath and grabbed for the bar of soap, starting to rub it all over her body, silently wishing she had remembered to bring a washcloth with her in her empty state of mind, but alas it was not to be. Once she had finished cleaning herself, she got out of the water and dried herself off, shortly after placing the yukata on, and picking up her things then walking out of the hot springs. When she got out she finally realized something, she hadn't been paying attention to where she was going hence forth she couldn't back to her room. She looked down the hall and decided that going right was the best course of action; she could slightly remember making a left before stopping, when she reached an intersection she looked on and went left. After about ten minutes of wild guessing she decided that she was hopelessly lost, nothing around her looked familiar or even felt familiar, she thought on what she could do as she leaned against the wall, things in hand, and sank down to the floor.

Then something Sesshomaru had said gave her a slight glimpse of hope to ever finding her room again, “Then have the room next my own prepared…” hai! Then if everyone else is in the East wing, that must be her room! She started to sniff around with her now very advanced sense of smell, and soon caught a faint trail of Sesshomaru's, to which she began to follow, and she found out that she wasn't that far from it at all, she was actually only a few corridors off. When she finally saw the familiar door to her room she heaved a sigh of relief and entered the room closing the door lightly behind her. She quickly went through all the training outfits and chose one out that was the same figure, but was a soft green and was covered in leaves that were all a darker green. She then went to decide was grass itself, she quickly looked around the room and found a closet with even more clothes, and slippers. She quickly chose some matching green ones and laid it all out on one of the pillows near her bed (Which is more like a few futons piled on top of each other and beside, more than a bed.), then got under the silk sheets and let her eyes drift off.

One Week and a Half Later-

Kagome had been training all week, as well as playing with the kids and talking with Kageromaru, who was staying for quite the while, as well as Sesshomaru and Miroku. Well as much as you could talk to a man who didn't want to speak unless he was going to get something out of it, and a lecherous houshi who couldn't keep his hands off you for more than five minutes, but all in all, the time she had spent there had been interesting, so to say. But it had also been tiring, she had been training and practicing fiercely, and the kids didn't seem to understand that she needs a break, Sesshomaru being included in that category, since he had proven himself to be very child-like when he didn't get what he wanted. She had many rounds of laughter at his expense, of course not in front of him, with Kageromaru and Miroku, who seemed to have many things in common, amongst them being big leaches, to Kagome's great dismay.

But back to the training, Kagome had mastered every weapon and makeshift weapon, except the sword, with which new techniques never ceased to present themselves, but she pushed onward, she hadn't trained her ass off on all those other weapons just so that she can't master the sword. As she trained on she became more and more graceful, in and out of practice and training, and she was getting a good work out from it too, because she could already feel her abdomen muscles as well as leg, thigh, and arm muscles, beginning to tighten, not that she was fat or flabby before, just that they were creating a more… muscular muscle system. And she even seemed to radiate a certain aura that said, `I am stronger now, you don't want to mess with me anymore.'

Today her sensei was being extremely tough on her, where as before he would let the tiniest mistake pass; now he was bent on getting her to utter perfection with the sword. In fact she was right at the moment going through one of the katas he had taught her fifty times, because she had moved forward a fraction too far for his highnesses liking. Her face was starting to flush from the exertion and she felt as if her arm was about to fall off, practicing with a sword can do that to a person. She was getting tired fast, and that just went to show how much he had been pushing her. She had been practicing and training all day, ever since she awoke, and she hasn't stopped since then, and it was about to turn into evening.

Not that she particularly enjoyed training that long, but she didn't complain, she knew why he was working her so hard, in two days time she would return to the mind realm with him. She wasn't quite sure what they expected from her by then, but she knew without a doubt that she would try to exceed that goal, and so with a renewed strength she continued her dance with the air, until she felt a hand press on her shoulder, at which she sharply pulled away from while jumping a few feet back. But she relaxed her position when she saw it was only Sesshomaru silently telling her she could try another kata. At which she did, over and over again, and for the first time since the training had begun, tiny beads of sweat were beginning to materialize on her brow and forehead.

But she continued on with her katas and wouldn't stop until she was given the silent command to do so. She was getting better, she could tell, but how much she wasn't sure, because she never received compliments, but she didn't want them either, it made her blush when she was complimented, and she did not want to blush in front of the Taiyoukai, or her sensei, ever again. She was finally starting to get a hang of the katas and was practically doing them without thinking, it just came to her, as if her body had known how to do it, just her mind would not let itself register in the feeling of the katana in her hands. It was a very beautiful and rare katana indeed, the hilt of the katana was encrusted in jewels, emeralds, diamonds, and even some chunks of gold. Then there was a faint but present line winding around the blade that was outlined in a bluish silver combination, and had tiny little sapphires inside the outlining. It was like it was meant for her to use, which is why she picked it, and it also turned out that it was the perfect size and shape for hands and style. It was just so… flawless, so beautiful.

As she admired the katana in her hands, she went through each and every kata she had learned perfectly, she had grown so graceful in the past week or so, that sometimes she wondered if she should try training Inuyasha, and teach him how to really hold a sword, that would be kind of funny to run into him and show him up. But she soon got back to concentrating on what she was doing, it could prove fatal to get lost in your thoughts, which she had been desperately trying to avoid, she had always gotten into unwanted situations because she wouldn't pay attention to her surroundings. She felt the wind change slightly as she got closer to the hole she had made yesterday, but it wasn't like the wind was changing directions naturally, which is what made her stop her practicing (since she had finally gotten the hang of the stupid katas it was considered practice) and look out the hole with a sort of set look, with her brows furrowed and her lips set into a thin line. She used her keen eye sight to search out the near vicinity, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Other than the ominous feelings in the air, she saw nothing, heard nothing, nor did she smell anything, weird. But her instincts had never failed her before, and she was sure they wouldn't now, so she searched some more until she felt someone standing next to her, no more like three people standing next to her. She didn't have to look to know it was Sesshomaru, Miroku, and Kageromaru, she had already memorized the scent of those that she would be near for a while. She could feel that they had the same feeling as her and came to a decision, she ran over to the side with the bows, and grabbed the set designated to be her's, the first one she used. Then she ran back, bow in hand, quiver hung over her shoulder, and katana set at her side, and stopped gave them a look that said she was determined to find out what that was. “Miroku-kun, I need you to go look after the kids and don't let them out of your sight, of they don't listen to you tell them that they will be in trouble when I get back.” She saw him nod then turn and run back to where the children were to make sure Kagome's orders were heeded.

She turned on her heels and gracefully ran out of the dojo into the surrounding forest and followed where her instincts told her the danger was, or more like where she thought her instincts were leading her. She knew this could very well be a trap, and she knew that if she were to fall into that trap that innocent lives could be lost, but if she didn't twice as many lives could be put on the line, so what was the better choice? The one involving falling into the trap, set by whom, she didn't know, but she had an idea who it would be. As she ran through the forest she could hear the two Taiyoukais following her, or by her side, she couldn't tell, but they were there, which meant they felt it too, or trusted her, she didn't care which one because at least she wasn't alone in this. They were coming upon a clearing and could see and feel that the power was beyond this clearing and the next, and the thing was, these clearings were farther apart, very much, than in all the other forests she had been in. About one hour later and they were finally getting to the source of the power. As soon as she saw the clearing she set her face to emotionless and ran even faster.

When they were in the center of clearing they stood there waiting for what was going to happen, that didn't know what that was exactly, but something was going to happen, they could feel it. Then suddenly darkness started to settle in the clearing, a warm but hollow darkness, they stood still as the darkness enveloped them, as the darkness captured their being and whispered to them, whispered in a voice that made their worries go away. Kagome's mind told her that something was wrong, that she should run and get away from this warm darkness, but she couldn't, it felt so familiar, it made her fell feelings that she thought were forever lost to her. She felt herself sink to the ground, that was covered in lush grass and flowers that seemed to illuminate the darkness. She could feel someone approaching her, feel someone try to reach her and she wanted to reach them too, but she couldn't move, she felt warm and fuzzy, but it was starting to turn into an evil and hate filled coldness. A bright light shone through the sudden darkness in their eyes and a scream of agony could be heard, it sounded so distant, yet so close at the same time. Kagome felt the warmth leave her body instantly, or what was left of that feeling, and her vision was returned to her, letting her see her surroundings, something was wrong, Sesshomaru and Kageromaru were both gone but she was still in the same clearing as before. She got up and searched for them but couldn't see them or anything anywhere, like they had just vanished, but she was certain that there were small remnants left behind of their auras and scents.

She heard a soft rustling across the clearing and turned to see someone she didn't know there, but something was familiar about this person, the way he stumbled across the clearing playfully, it was as if she knew him, but this was just a child. She looked closer at the child and saw a head of silver hair and he looked familiar from the face as well, except she had never met this child, then she heard more rustling and another boy came into view, a bit older than the first, and he looked happy just like the last boy, but he held himself up regally, well for a child. His face looked familiar too, and he also had a head of silver hair, but that smile, unlike the boy before him, looked slightly odd on him, as if he didn't do it or rarely did. She turned her attention back to the first child when he spoke, “Hey aniki-san! Come on; let's see if I got faster yet! Come on, onegai, it will be funny if I beat you, maybe that is why you never want to challenge me, because you know I will beat you!” He ended by bursting out in laughter and running away from his brother in mock fear. Even the way he taunted and used little of his mind seemed familiar to Kagome, but she kept on watching, she was certain she knew them from somewhere (Kind of dense isn't she? Come on I bet even you people know who they are by know…). She turned back to the older brother and heard him speak in a cool voice that she had heard so many, yet so few times before.

She crossed over to where they were and reached out to grab the younger one as he swept towards her person, but instead he just kept going, right through her. She looked behind her and saw him running further and further into the forest, and she was about to call out to tell him it was dangerous, even for a hanyou, with cute little ears… `Cute ears? Hanyou, pompous, cute ears, all of this amounts to Inuyasha, but how could it be? He is at least twice the age she is seeing him as now. And his aniki, which mean Sesshomaru, he sure does act like him, but…' but with the child Sesshomaru's next statement any doubt that she had had was now banished. “Inuyasha, do you presume to best me?” He then laughed shortly before running after Inuyasha, yelling out that he would never beat him. Kagome stood there silently for a few seconds before realization sunk in, she was watching one of their memories, whose she wasn't sure, but she was, and those two had actually gotten along at one point in their lives. Plus Sesshomaru had laughed and smiled one point in his life, which in itself was an accomplishment.

She stared at where their backs had been mere seconds ago then everything went fuzzy again, blending with a real and false world or maybe it was real or false world, at any rate she felt groggy and she didn't now why. She opened her eyes again, but in all truth and reality she wasn't opening her eyes at all, yet she still saw things, she saw a big argument between four people, one was Mitsuki, one was an older Sesshomaru, but not much, one was Inuyasha's okaa, and finally there was another man, one she didn't know, arguing. But she could only guess it was Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's otou, he looked, or rather they looked, uncannily like him. She couldn't hear words, but she knew from the looks of how horrible the argument was going, she would rather not. She watched on as Sesshomaru pointed an accusing finger at Inuyasha's okaa, then pointed at him yelling his lungs out, while Mitsuki watched seething inside. She looked over to Inuyasha's otou and okaa only to see them yelling back, and as if finally getting fed up with it all, Sesshomaru's otou did something shocking, he went up to Mitsuki and slapped her hard. Kagome was in shock, how could he just slap her like that? But then again she hadn't heard anything that was said, so she didn't have any right to pass judgment, but who could just go and hurt someone like that?

She started to see the fuzzy background begin to overtake her view again and she could feel herself open her eyes, but this time it wasn't to a memory, but to a reality, a reality that she knew nothing about anymore. With just two memories, her life had been turned upside down once again, her vision on how things were had been altered, but now it had been altered so much that there was no vision, no perception to give her guidance on the world's most enigmatic questions and answers. But then again, nothing about her life made sense anymore, she didn't know what she wanted, she didn't know what anyone wanted from her. Her thoughts were astray and right now there was no one to help her pick up the pieces, no one to help her understand what was going on, and she doubted there would be. Her life had been ripped away from her when she turned five and no one wanted to help her get it back, but then no one could help her. She had no more help to look towards, she didn't have her okaa, or her ji, or her ni, not even Sango. She had to draw herself away from them all, and now she was paying the consequences, she would have gladly let Sango rid her of her life so she could be happy once again, she would do it for anyone, but she couldn't do it for everyone. She opened her eyes to a world she didn't recognize any longer, it was all so foreign to her, like she was a new-born looking upon the wonder that was life.

To be able to understand life was impossible she figured this out a long time ago, but what else can you do? What else can you do to console yourself when no one else can? What is there to do other than drown in your feelings, in your confusion and inner turmoil? There is nothing to do, but she wished that there was, oh how she wished that she could learn how to swim so she wouldn't drown anymore. How could they expect her to go into the ocean and save all the drowning souls when she was drowning in her own ocean, one separated from the rest so she has not even the condolence that she could possibly learn to swim just like so many do. But she has not that privilege, she has not that ability because she must be the first one to learn so all the rest don't have to swallow as much water as her, so their drowning will be shorter and much less painful. But in a way she was happy that she could be able to do that, that she will be able to help those people pick up the pieces of their soul when it shatters, that even though she can't have her own happiness, at least she can live as a ghost in their happiness.

She opened her eyes completely to find that dark still enveloping Sesshomaru, Kageromaru, and herself, for a moment she thought that maybe this might be a trick of her imagination, but when a sudden wave of nausea was sent at her she couldn't deny that that had happened, she had truly seen the past between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, and it somehow came to her mind that maybe Sesshomaru should have a say in her point of view as well. Never before had she thought that maybe he had been hurt in the separation of Inuyasha as well, that had never really hated him as he does now. She would find out, no matter what it took, she would be there to help him as she will be for all the innocent souls she must protect. Her mind made up, she began to wonder how what had just transpired happened. She sat down in thought waiting for the darkness to level into nothing but a reminder of what had been there just before.

She felt a sort of power thrumming through her veins, one she had not had recently, one that she knew associated with her miko abilities (Ok, people just to let you know, I don't like to put powers because I always thought it sounded stupid. So instead I put abilities, kk back to the story). When she thought about it she could have very well been in the mind realm, and not even know it, Midoriko and Mitsuki could have probably brought her without knowing it, she did feel oddly at peace with herself, or the remnants of a peace. That would explain why she had always taken a little lightly when she was there, she had barely showed any shock or confusion when she had seen everything. But that didn't matter right now, because she was more than positive that she had been there, and that she had some how trained the rest of her miko abilities, she would find out soon enough anyway.

She could see the darkness fade away and in a few seconds it was gone, she looked around to see the same field as before, but for some reason all the animosity she had felt in here before was gone, perished just as the darkness had. She checked the vicinity to see if Sesshomaru and Kageromaru were all right, and sure enough they were, Kageromaru was bit shaken, but there he was breathing. She looked at them and couldn't help but feel an empty sorrow swathe her being, as if trying to turn her relaxed feeling back into melancholy, back into the confusion that has been apart of her for longer than she could remember, or even wanted to. She looked upon Kageromaru again as he discussed something with Sesshomaru, but she wasn't paying attention, she was lost in thought about him. She had found out quite a bit of information, and although she still didn't view him as someone she could trust, but he was a good ally, any Taiyoukai was. She had yet to reveal anything about herself to him, but he had revealed almost all of his life, including what his relationship with Naraku was.

Naraku had been making a new personification made from his body, but he had needed a soul to inhabit this particular incarnation, for what purposes, she nor did he know, but he would not function right without it. Naraku had set up a complicated trap for the Southern Taiyoukai, and he had let his guard down that day, resulting in him being captured, which is why his lands had been left alone with no one to lead for quite a while. Naraku had held him captive and removed his soul using Kanna's mirror, then placed it in Kageromaru, the one they had met. Thus forth, he had something to get back at with Naraku, for he was one in the same as Kageromaru, yet he was different, not only in appearance. Kagome did not need for him to go from there, she had understood what he meant, and she never saw a past or extra self of someone as the same, everyone was their person.

Kagome decided that she should see what happened, if anything happened at all. She walked up and bowed down low, but they motioned to set herself straight, to her ever lasting confusion, but she did as they motioned her to do, which in a way was still the same thing as having done it in the first place, but that didn't matter right now. “Was I the only who saw… ano, memory, or something?” She watched as their faces held the slightest sign of confusion and wonderment. “Eh, never mind, I guess I was the only one. You wouldn't have wanted to see it anyway.” She gave them a smile that caused suspicion in them but at her words, but they didn't really care about that. They were still amazed how fast the training for her to finish all the things she needed to know, maybe that was what they had meant before by mitigated, by not making her really go through with all she had just went through. After they had finished his role was explained, as well as what had to be done, he was sure that she knew everything that went on then, and when the time for her needing the knowledge it would come to her automatically.

Kagome just stood there as well as they, then after a while of stretched and tentative silence, she broke it, becoming overpowered with the need to make sure everything was fine back at the palace. “So, how about we head back to the palace, I want to make sure that everything is alright, because the fact is that I felt an ominous presence, and it could have been anything. But now that presence without as much as a scent or anything indicating it was here at all, and that scares me. I don't want anything to happen to the kids…” she trailed off letting her mind wander off into her own world that was filled with horrific ways the children could be hurt or even killed, making her shudder. But then she let her seriousness take over, her face set to that of determination and seriousness. She turned on her heels then speed away with, if possible, even more grace than before, as if her training with her miko abilities was of great asset, in every aspect. Soon after the two Taiyoukais followed in step with her, knowing nothing was wrong back Sesshomaru's palace, but also wanting to make sure.

Within a matter of minutes they had arrived at the hole on the side of the dojo, and entered, never expecting to be barraged, or Kagome never expected the onslaught of hugs she received. She could hear the voices of Miroku, Shippo, Rin, Kirara's meowing, and even Jaken was hugging her fiercely, which scared more than she had initially felt anxious. She looked down at all the bodies that holding onto her as if she was their lifeline, their very essence of being, and not just that, but even Miroku, cool calm Miroku, was shivering ever so slightly. Her eyes widened, `What had happened while I was gone? Nothing could have happened in that short of time right, but then again, time doesn't pass over there. And I wasn't even aware that I was there at all in first place! But what could have even Miroku afraid, what could have been so horrific?' She stood for a while longer as they hung onto her, burying themselves in her; Miroku's face was in her hair as he shivered more violently now, breathing in her soothing scent; Shippo hung onto her neck burying himself in her chest, listening to the calming beat of her heart; Rin was hugging her mid-section, eyes letting tears spill forth soaking the Kami's training outfit, as she felt her soft delicate arms enrapture her in a hug; Kirara nuzzled her right leg as she purred softly, trying to alleviate some of her anxiety with Kagome's comforting voice calling out to them; and finally Jaken was holding onto her left leg begging for forgiveness, as his ugly beady eyes were filled with regret and fear.

Her heart felt heavy all of a sudden, if they could all be brought to this state, so vulnerable, so afraid, so cornered. She held them fast to her, trying to calm them down so they could explain; she briefly looked to the Taiyoukais for help, but was disappointed when they had a look that showed they were thinking of what to do. Although Kageromaru had the tendency to let his emotions show, he also had the propensity to hide them when they were most useful, whether it be for him or not. She gave a shaky sigh then went back to her ministrations of soothing the quailed forms, and after ten minutes such a feat seemed unfeasible when they started to take in their own shaky breaths and release their hold on her slightly, but intent on having the one thing about her that calmed them for a while longer. Then they finally unrestricted her of their virulent grips stepping back to gain some of their decency back, then sat down in front of her as well as vice versa. They stayed in silence for but a few moments before Miroku shakily began to recount to her what had taken place while her presence was absent.

A/N: told you, not a good chapter at all, well I think so at least. I hope you still like my story after this, buh bye, and tell me if anything is wrong, or something you might want to see. Any requests are taken and I will try my best to put whatever it is, or out, depends. Buh bye, and I need your opinions so review! Love you all!

Review Responses

Wolf Jade: Hello! Arigato for staying with me this far! It makes e feel good that I can maintain steady reviewers. So yeah, I think not enough people make Kagome mean to Jaken, I like hitting Jaken! If I had Jaken in front of me I would punch them laugh at his bruised and even uglier face! LoL, love you both so don't stop reviewing.

lyn: Hi hi! Here you go, I wrote more!

Jess: Hey hey! Calm down, it isn't my fault, my computer seems to think lech isn't a word, even after I add it to the dictionary, so it keeps automatically `fixing' it without me noticing. So there I tried to make sure that it was ok now, kk? Just don't get mad and keep reviewing, oh and it is ok if you tell me something is wrong, but at least tell me what you think about the story after you are done yelling at me. It hurts to get yelled at and not even be told that the story is ok, great, or even if it sucks… Oh well, doesn't matter now, at least you reviewed! I would a smiley, but document manager won't let me put many symbols… Whatever love you!

Sheenachi: Hehe, every time I get your reviews my day gets better. Arigato for staying with thus far, even though I am far from the end… maybe I should make a sequel… Well, I have time to think about that. Aishiteru, stay with me! Oh being shocked about that is ok, because I am shocked I thought about that.

 

 

The girls all sat in their circle on the floor, each starting to talk about how things had started off so far. But Miyoko did not bring up the two little girls, for if she did, they would want to help them as well. But she wanted them all to herself; because she knew what it was like to be alone. She had been as such before she had met this little group of her's and awkward group they made, but a group nonetheless. So she kept quiet and only listened about little girls that were already proving to be trouble making spoiled brats who were too high maintenance for their age, or any at that case. She giggled and laughed along with them, loving the feeling of mutual love shared between them. Then she heard a sharp whistle blow in her ear, loudly as well. She fell onto her back in fright and saw the grouchy sexist old man staring at her. It was time for their directions to be given. She pulled back away from his rancid breath, and half heartedly listened to all the rules and expectations they were to meet. After what seemed like an eternity and beyond, he was done, and he gave them each a pointed glare, and stated just about the most sexist thing she had ever heard. "I know you little dolls like the back of my hand and the only thing you are good for is cleaning, sex, and making food. Other than that you are useless things in this world, and I could sometimes wonder if we could do better without. But I can't kick you out of here because of law, so do everything RIGHT, or you will have an even worse punishment than this." They all stared in open shock and rage at the bastard who dare defile the name of the female and he took the chance to leave while they were in their state of shock. Before they realized it, he was gone and most likely explaining what to do to the guys. Enraged at their humiliation, each of the girls gathered their things and set off for their cabins, wanting to make sure they proved that old ugly, stupid, bastard wrong a million times over.