InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ No Such Thing As Fate ❯ I Dub Thee Kuro ( Chapter 6 )

Hi everyone and welcome to chapter 6.

I was waiting for the beta chapter from Anime_fairy_13 but I decided I wanted to put the chapter up and then I'll update when I get her version. This current version was looked over by my good friend SilverTwilight, so thank her if you get the chance. I threw in your scene of Sesshomaru and the gang even though there's supposed to be a moment before he shows up (thank me people)

Chapter 6: The Temple of Light: I Dub Thee Kuro

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Sango and Miroku stood as close as they could to one another as they observed the fight before them. Sesshomaru visibly cringed when Tetsuaiga met violently with Tojikin. Sparks flew from the two swords, both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were knocked back by the force of the meeting blades. Inuyasha regained his footing at the same time as his brother and lunged for the older male again. This fight was much nastier than usual and for some reason everyone seemed to see it but Inuyasha. Sesshomaru's habit of `stumbling' upon them was very normal for the youkai lord. He always showed up once every few months to terrorize his younger brother and fight the hanyou. This time Inuyasha had chased Sesshomaru down and jumped into battle for no particular reason. Sango frowned glancing at the frightened child standing at the tree line behind Sesshomaru's dragon steed and an openly gapping Jaken. She tugged Miroku's sleeve and tilted her head in the direction of the child.

Miroku's eyebrows shot up in surprise before he turned back to the fight frowning.

“I never thought I would see Sesshomaru-sama with a human child, I doubt we were ever meant to see the girl,” he murmured grimly.

Sango nodded in agreement, “It's likely he wasn't even coming toward us, he's already shown up once this month right?”

Sango shifted uncomfortably as her hand reached for hiraikotsu. Despite her urge to jump into the fight she didn't know who she would attack should she obey her whim. She could attack Sesshomaru and hope he didn't behead her. On the other hand she could attack their ass hole of a leader and get rid of some fusturation. She licked her lips smiling sinisterly as she clutched the strap tied onto her boomerang. Without a glance, Miroku quickly reached over and pried her hand free from the strap that would allow her to fling her weapon at the Inu brothers.

“My dear Sango killing Inuyasha won't bring Kagome-sama back to us,” he said calmly despite the fact his arm trembled in the effort to stop the Tajiya's attack.

Sango tugged against Miroku's grip gnawing at her lip vigorously, “Just once, I swear I won't kill him” she whispered harshly. Miroku shook his head in dismay as his eyes darted for the undead Miko in the hopes she might grow a heart and help him restrain Sango before she killed an unaware Inuyasha.

`Ah yes Kikyou hasn't returned yet,' he thought without a hint of surprise.

The cry of an attack name, followed by the roar of wind, Miroku decided to turn back to the fight. Sesshomaru was shoved back just before Inuyasha let loose a Bakuyurha and it ripped up the ground on its way to Sesshomaru. The youkai lord stood his ground quickly sheathing Tojikin and drawing Tensaiga. When the attack was upon him, a simple wave of Tensaiga negated the attack. He smirked coldly as Inuyasha gave a cry of rage and charged Sesshomaru.

“Foolish little brother, I thought you would have learned that attack isn't the way to fight me. I have a means to stop it,” he chided lightly as if talking to a child. He jumped back as Inuyasha swiped at him. Inuyasha clenched his fist drawing blood and he smirked at his elder brother.

“Blades of Blood!!!”

Sesshomaru snorted and again swung Tensaiga at the incoming attack. He cut the blood blades right down the middle and the blood simply splattered on the ground.

“Hanyou you would use that foolish attack on me again? We both remember what happened last time,” Sesshomaru sneered for once looking thoroughly pissed.

Inuyasha gagged when something clamped around his throat, his brother appearing before him like a ghost. Sango and Miroku cringed when Inuyasha was tossed into a tree head first. The tree toppled over taking three others down with it. Miroku quickly said a prayer to the forest spirits as a cloud of dust flew up to cover Inuyasha's form.

Sesshomaru stood waiting for his brother to leap back out at him, he wasn't disappointed. Inuyasha flung himself from the cloud of dust both hands flexing claws. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed seeing Inuyasha no longer held Tetsuaiga and his eyes were bleeding red.

“Your idiocy knows no limits little brother”

His piece said, Sesshomaru flung his whip at the still airborne hanyou and Inuyasha yelped as solidified acid met with his side.

Inuyasha dropped to the ground as if suddenly subdued and Sesshomaru took the time to crack the whip across his younger brothers back. Inuyasha screamed turning blood red eyes on his brother as his fangs began to protrude from his mouth. He snarled clutching at his burned and bleeding side.

Sesshomaru strode toward Inuyasha confident the hanyou wouldn't be standing anytime soon. His poison would make sure the boy howled in pain if he should try to stand. Sesshomaru paused to eye Inuysasha in disgust as the hanyou snarled and spat at him in his crazed demonic state. He smirked sinisterly down at his younger brother and stomped on Inuyasha's head effectively silencing the Inu hanyou. Sesshomaru stared at Inuyasha's form a long moment.

Something was missing. There was supposed to be yelling and curses and maybe a purified arrow or two. He stood a moment listening, waiting, but nothing happened. Now more than a little curious as to the lack of response he turned his gaze on the Shikon hunters, or what remained of them.

Sango stood silently eyeing Inuyasha with distaste and Miroku was watching Sesshomaru carefully, ready to move should he decide to he wanted to end the hanyou's life. Of course this didn't worry the youkai lord, it wasn't as if the monk could actually stop him. Despite the fight that had taken place neither had tried to get involved. Sesshomaru stared at them a long moment then looked around the area as it slowly dawned on him what was missing.

“The miko is gone.”

He looked back to Inuyasha a moment. He already knew the little miko was gone but he thought she would have returned by now to hang off his brother's arm like she always did.

`The girl decided to stop wasting time on my idiot brother, did she?' he mused to himself.

Sesshomaru glanced around the area searching for his father's sword. He spotted the rusted blade in the bushes near one of the fallen trees. His destination decided he walked toward the blade making sure to step on the bleeding welt scaring his brother back on the way. Inuyasha grunted in pain but remained dead to the world. The blade lay innocently on its side and Sesshomaru paused again.

This was just too easy.

He knew something needed to happen. But even as he bent down near the sword, and it hummed as if angered by his presence, he couldn't bring himself to shake off the feeling something was terribly wrong with this scene. His eyes narrowed again and he glanced around searching for what had disturbed his senses. Discreetly he tested the air and immediately found what was bothering him.

`The undead miko has taken the other girl's place.' The taiyoukai thought even as he snorted to rid his nose of the lingering scent. He put a hand to his nose as he turned and glared at his brother's prone form. How could he stand such a horrid scent? The smell of death and graveyard soil was never something pleasant to wake up to in the morning and yet the hanyou had attached himself to the undead wench. In bringing the clay-pot into their group he had effectively alienated his other pack mates which explained why they weren't as willing as usual to jump to his aide.

Satisfied he had figured out why the group was behaving strangely he slowly reached for the sword. He didn't have to touch it before Sango's boomerang tore a gash in the ground right before him. He jumped back and glanced at the Tajiya as she caught her weapon on the rebound.

“Lord Sesshomaru, we can't let you take that sword, it's the only thing that holds that idiot's blood in check” she huffed whipping the massive bone weapon around to sit on her back.

Sesshomaru completely ignored her.

He hadn't even wanted to touch the blade. To touch the blade was simply foolish. The cursed blade would reject him should he touch it.

Of course not everyone knew this. His actions were meant to draw out an attack from someone far more irritating than the monk and tajiya.

Sesshomaru turned and strode toward Inuyasha. He bent down and grabbed Inuyasha by the collar of his robe. Sango and Miroku looked at him thoroughly confused

“I will take the hanyou.”

Sango and Miroku looked at him stunned. “Sesshomaru-sama I think we misunderstood you.”

Sesshomaru looked at them dryly as he lifted the limp hanyou and proceeded to drag him across the ground. As expected an arrow swirling with dark miko energy shot toward him. He dropped Inuyasha and leapt out of the path of the purifying projectile.

“Demon!” Kikyou hissed her face twisted in rage as she stepped from the bushes.

Sesshomaru shrugged the comment off as Kikyou shot a glance at Sango and Miroku. “What are you doing? How could you let that demon just do as he pleases?” she spat at them.

Sango shifted her weight as she shot the miko a glare, “Look who's talking, you go run off to eat souls before making sure Inuyasha wasn't going to run off and start attacking random people. Kagome-chan could at least make him stop when he was being stupid” Sango huffed turning her nose up to the miko.

“I am not that stupid girl! At least Inuyasha listens to me!”

Sango gripped hiraikotsu a little tighter but a stern glance from Miroku made her pause.

Sesshomaru watched them with dry interest until a dead leaf danced across his vision. He looked to the dead leaf as it hit the ground then turned his gaze on the trees around him sporting healthy green leaves. A whimper made him look back to see his ward being pulled into the forest to safety as she stared at a tree not too far from where she stood. He turned to the tree as another leaf danced by him before hitting the ground.

The tree where Kikyou's arrow had imbedded itself had turned a very light brown and the leaves of the tree were shedding as if it were suddenly fall. All of those present in the clearing paused to stare as the tree rotted before their eyes before a loud snap startled them from their dazed states.

The tree came up from its roots and toppled over with aloud crash landing just behind Sesshomaru. The youkai lord blinked a few times as a cloud of dust was kicked up from the dry ground. He looked back to Kikyou who was staring in open shock at her work. She smirked weakly and readied another arrow to shoot the youkai lord.

“Be-gone demon or you will be next.”

Sesshomaru glanced at Kikyou in disinterest before looking to a very pale Miroku and a gapping Sango, even kirara sat at the slayers feet looking stunned.

“Where did the other miko go? Why do you tolerate this creature that is walking death?”

“Kagome… Kagome left almost a year ago” Sango murmured quietly.

Sesshomaru glanced back to Kikyou then to his brother who was starting to come to. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened to drive the younger miko from the group. The fox kit was missing too so he had obviously gone with the girl. “Sesshomaru-sama have you heard anything about her,” Miroku asked uncertainly. Sesshomaru glanced at Miroku again but didn't answer as he turned and walked in the direction the rest of his group had vanished in.

“The hanyou needs to be watched or I will kill him next time,” Sesshomaru said quietly as his white clad form faded into the shrubbery. It didn't take long for his demonic presence to vanish.

Kikyou turned on them with a hateful glare.

“Isn't Inuyasha your friend?” Kikyou sneered

Sango turned on Kikyou with an impressive snarl. “Be quiet you dead bitch, he's no longer a friend of mine, he's simply the easiest way to find Naraku and Kagome,” she spat. Miroku flinched at the viciousness with which Sango spoke. The Tajiya didn't even bother to act civil with the undead priestess, and she hadn't tried since Kikyou had first joined the group.

“Now help him up so we can go,” Sango snapped. Kikyou's face contorted in rage but she quickly reined her emotions back in and went to Inuyasha's side with a blank expression.

She knelt by Inuyasha's side checking over his wounds with her gaze, “You should be careful Tajiya. I am a miko, don't forget it,” she said with a frosty glance in Sango's direction. Sango froze at the not so subtle threat and leveled the undead miko with a glare.

“I'm all for a cat fight Kikyou, you want to try me? Lifting Hiraikotsu is just as easy as me lifting and throwing you.”

Sango smirked as Kikyou glared at her.

“Sango please you have to stop this, how are we supposed to work together while we're at each other's throats? We can at least get along for a little while,” Miroku huffed irritably.

“But Miroku-“

Miroku shifted the rings of his staff chiming lightly. The sound brought silence over the clearing.

“Remember we have all suffered at Naraku's hands, we should be united in our cause to stop him from ruining more lives. We can at least get along long enough to fight the hordes he sends after us but you two want to fight each other in battle instead of the enemy,” he frowned at both females.

“Kikyou you may not like us but we don't like you either, Sango you must stop causing arguments and antagonizing Kikyou. We have enough problems in Inuyasha, we don't need more!”

He took a few calming breaths and both females eyed him warily.

“Fine!”

Miroku glanced at Sango as she scowled at the ground. He understood that she simply hated Kikyou and there was nothing else to it, but the constant fighting was nerve racking.

Sango shot Kikyou a final glare before giving a sharp whistle. Kirara immediately transformed into her bigger form. She stared up her mistress curiously waiting for orders.

Sango ran a hand through Kirara's fur and turned to the hanyou and undead miko. With a resigned sigh, she walked over to Kikyou.

“Kirara will carry him until we can stop and tend his wounds,” she grumbled sourly. Kikyou wisely chose not to comment on the Tajiya's sudden change of heart.

“I don' needs no damn help you….” Inuyasha slurred a bit as he struggled to stay conscious. Sango rolled her eyes and bent over to help Kikyou lift the dog demon.

Mirkou choose to go and retrieve Tetsuaiga. Once the blade was safely in his grasp he turned and looked at Kikyou with narrowed eyes. He had the feeling he had just missed something very important. He glanced at the hanyou that was currently starting an argument with Sango.

Yes, something was very wrong. He could feel it and but he didn't know what it was.

With a wary sigh he made his way over to the little group.

XXXXXXXX

Kagome's eyes flickered open a bit and she stared at the brown ceiling. She closed her eyes a moment.

`Okay…where am I?' she turned her head to the left and opened her eyes again. The room spun a bit and it took her a moment to regain her normal sight. She found herself staring across a room. It was a tiny room with simple white walls and paper sliding doors. A bit of smoke floated into her line of sight and her gaze flickered up to see an incense holder with a stick of incense lit and filling the room with a light scent. She turned her head back to the ceiling a moment in thought.

“I see you're awake.” She jumped and turned her gaze to the right to see an old monk.

He was a bit strange looking with his slightly longer than normal bald head, very bushy white eye brows, and very long beard. He had a black mole right in the center of his forehead. His monk robes were like Miroku's but instead of black and purple, they were yellow and white. He was smiling softly, his wrinkled old face kind and gentle his brown eyes were dancing in amusement. Kagome was quickly reminded of the fact that demons and humans age in completely different ways.

“Can you sit up young one?” She raised an eyebrow, her body didn't hurt at all…which was slightly frightening, but she slowly sat up. She seemed shocked by her ability to move without pain, “Our master has healed you. Be grateful child.”

She nodded quickly and glanced around the room “Where am I?” she asked softly.

“This is the Temple of Light”

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He chuckled a bit seeing her expression “It is a temple dedicated to the sun goddess, we bring her children here to protect them.”

Her eyes widened in understanding and her thoughts drifted to the young boy she had met, “Gods in human form?”

The old monk nodded, “They often come to earth and live among us. The monks here serve the gods brought here to live out their human lives.” She nodded thoughtfully then smiled

“Thank you for taking care of me, but who are you?” he smiled a bit more at her innocent question.

“I am elder Sansa.”

The old man grabbed the battered wooden cane at his side and used it to push himself into a standing position.

“If you can stand young one our master would like to see you”

Kagome nodded and moved to stand, her back itched a bit and her clothes felt somewhat nasty. She looked down at the futon that used to be white and found it stained and crusted with blood. She wrinkled her nose when she found her clothes in a similar state.

“I'm not in any condition to see anybody,” she sighed scratching away flakes of blood that somebody had missed when they had cleaned her bloody face.

“Of course not, we have clothes for you to wear and you'll be escorted to the waterfall to clean and purify your body before you see him.”

At that moment, a monk opened the door and walked in with neatly folded orange and white monk's robes with a pair of underwear and breast bandages folded neatly on top. She raised an eyebrow at the monk and he blushed furiously and looked away. The old man patted the younger man on the shoulder and hobbled out of the room.

“Miko-sama, please follow me to the waterfalls,” the young monk grumbled. Kagome stood and nodded. He turned with her clothes and walked from the room, she followed quickly.

The halls were very plain, she could only see young monks and no women around. She was led down the stairs and out to an outside porch. She could hear the waterfall now. After going around the porch to the back of the temple they went down a very long set of brick steps and down to the waterfall. There were two other monks there facing away from the water looking to be standing guard.

She raised an eyebrow but shrugged `At least I get a bath' she thought warily.

An hour later, she found herself in a heavily guarded room wearing the same monk's robes elder Sansa wore but orange and white. She glanced around warily, the room was dark, lit by candles and lamps but was otherwise very ominous looking. It was huge like it was meant for something important but not overly huge like a ballroom or something of the sort. She glanced back at the two very big warrior monks guarding the doors with their boa staffs in hand. The door behind them looked inviting but the monks did not. With a pout she looked forward again eyeing the beautiful drawings on the walls. The scraping of a door opening caught her attention.

On the other side of the room a door she hadn't noticed earlier opened. An old man stepped from the door and in his arms was the boy she had met in the forest. The old man nodded in acknowledgement to her and shifted the boy in his arms as he turned and closed the door behind him. He shuffled toward her and stopped at a respectful distance. The old man sat the boy on the floor, bowed to the child, then walked over to a wall, and sat down to wait. Kagome looked between the old monk in yellow and white robes and to the child in yellow and white monk's robes. The boy wore a gold band around his neck and a set of prayer beads. Around his wrist and ankles were beautiful gold bands of all of sizes but not too big as they didn't fall off.

The boy smiled at her his grey eyes shining despite the fact he couldn't see her. She tilted her head to the side in confusion.

`Hello Kagome-sama.'

Kagome jumped hearing the voice in her head again, “Hi…how do you know my name?” she asked warily.

`I know a lot of things Kagome-sama. I am a Kami' he said gently.

“That's still kind of weird, and you're talking in my head,” she grumbled.

The boy blinked owlishly at her, `Forgive me, this is my only means of communication and so few people can hear my voice,' he bowed his head a bit ashamed. `I cannot speak the way you do.' Kagome instantly felt bad.

“It's okay you can talk however you like, I'm just not use to hearing new voices echoing in my head, I thought I was crazy at first,” she admitted rubbing the back of her head sheepishly. He nodded seeming to cheer up a bit.

`Kagome-sama you needn't speak aloud, the monks do not need to hear your end of our conversation so simply think what you wish to say.'

Still a bit uncertain she nodded slowly, `How's this?'

The boy nodded in approval.

`So you somehow know my name, are you going to tell me your name?' she asked hopefully.

`Name…I don't have a name,' she looked at him startled as he frowned thoughtfully oblivious to her reaction. `The monks always find me when I am reborn so I have never been given a name.' He tapped his chin thoughtfully. `The monks call me Kami-sama, is that my name?'

Kagome shook her head quickly, `No, that's a title.'

`Is master a title too?'

`Yes…'

The boy frowned then waved a hand, `Then a name is unnecessary for I've never had one before. Sansa would have given me one if it mattered,' He said calmly.

Kagome stared at him thoughtfully as all expression left his face and he became lost in his own thoughts. Finally, she could see underneath the mask, despite how he smiled and looked happy he still felt cold and unemotional to her. Even stranger he was oblivious to the custom of actually naming a child. She could see he had feelings and emotions but of course, he had never seen facial expressions so he was doing what was taught to him.

She stared at him thoughtfully a moment.

`Would you like a name?'

He twitched a bit but his face remained indifferent. He didn't answer and Kagome stared at him a moment until he finally responded in a rather strange manner. His cheeks puffed out in frustration and Kagome's eyes widened, that was definitely something he had just thought to do. The old monk in the corner grunted in surprise too.

`What is a name but another title?' he all but sneered.

Kagome smiled, Kami or not he was still thinking as a child, `Well it's a name given to you by someone who cares for you…'

The boys face went blank again `So you're saying no one cares for me?'

Kagome smacked her forehead, `No a lot of people here care for you, respect you and love you but…well I don't know how to explain it, I just know I'm happy to have a name.' He tilted his head a bit.

`You're confusing.'

Kagome bowed her head in defeat, `Hai, I am, just ignore what I said,' She sighed deeply.

They sat in silence a moment, Kagome stared at him as he fidgeted, she smiled weakly, `Would you like me to call you a name just while I'm here?' he looked away refusing to answer. His cheeks puffed out cutely and she giggled.

`Kuro-chan…'

His head snapped up in surprise, `I'll call you Kuro because I think your black hair is beautiful.' Kagome beamed brightly.

Kuro blushed then puffed his cheeks out again `Do as you will,' he grumbled.

Kagome smiled at him, `Kuro-chan is so cute,' She giggled.

Kuro blushed furiously, `Kagome-sama, please stop it.' She nodded quickly and sat waiting for him to calm down.

`Kagome-sama, I wanted to thank you for saving me.' Kagome's expression sobered when she remembered the young boy that was killed by the wolf.

`You're welcome, I'm sorry about the boy that was killed,' she murmured somberly.

He nodded, `He lost his life early but nothing can be done, I'm sure he is not suffering where he is.'

Kagome blinked a bit startled by the odd comment. `How long have I been here, if you don't mind me asking?'

Kuro looked thoughtful, `It's been two days since you were brought to the temple,' Kagome groaned in dismay.

`It would have been longer or you would be dead had I not healed you Kagome-sama.'

She nodded quickly, `And I can't thank you enough but I need to get back to Jiji and Shippou.'

`Why are you leaving is this place not to your liking,' Kuro asked calmly.

Kagome raised an eyebrow as he continued, `I hear of people who cry and suffer, even die for a chance to come and serve in this temple.' He explained waving a hand around as if to display the room to her. `You can stay here and have everything you please.'

Kagome frowned. `I noticed this temple is only full of monks, I don't think they would like having a woman here to distract them.'

Kuro waved the comment off, `If I say so they will do as I please, this is mother's temple and my home, they would not disobey my word.'

She shifted uncomfortably, `It's a very nice offer but I want to go back to Jiji's cave.' she said sternly. Kuro was silent a long moment even as Kagome continued to talk `I'll come back and visit you I swear it but I do have to go, I have the duty of collecting jewel shards.'

Kuro's cheeks puffed out again, this time Kagome didn't find it as cute as a bit of fear built in her stomach. `If a youkai comes and it has your shards I'll have it fetched for you, but you must stay here,' he demanded.

`No!' she said with a scowl.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

The old monk that brought Kuro in was standing slightly behind her “Miko-sama, I'm sorry to interrupt your meeting with Kami-sama but it is time for his next appointment, he is very busy,” the old monk said gently.

She glanced at Kuro before looking back to the monk, “I need to leave anyway.”

The old monk shook his head, “You must stay with us for breakfast Miko-sama. It would be so shameful if you, who saved our Kami-sama, did not join us for at least one meal.” She rubbed her temple.

“Fine, I wouldn't want to offend,” she grumbled.

“Here, follow the guard and he'll take you to go eat,” the monk said gently pushing her toward one of the guards. The guard to the left bowed and turned to leave once he was sure she would follow.

Kuro sat silently as Kagome was led away. The door he had come from slid open and two monks in similar yellow robes to his filed in. They were old and moved to join the monk that had brought him in, among them was Elder Sansa. They sat in a line to his right and bowed low before sitting up to observe their master.

“Kami-sama, why have we allowed the Miko into the temple of light,” Sansa asked in a grave voice.

`Because she is to be trained here', the old monks stiffened in their shock.

`B-but why Kami-sama this is-`

`Because I wish it,' the monks could only bow and obey his orders.

Kuro continued to stare at the spot Kagome had occupied. “We will do as you bid”

Kuro nodded sagely `You have six months, eight at the most, to turn her into a warrior.'

Horror crossed the faces of the elderly monks, “Master that is preposterous, we can't make the girl to stay here and force such heavy training on her. Six months to turn her into a fighter…the things we would have to do to her. Why can't we convince her to stay and go through normal training,” The monk to Sanza's right rasped.

`If I let her leave now she will be killed, I have foreseen such. She needs to be trained to face her duties as guardian of the shikon, she doesn't have help anymore and she must destroy the evil hanyou Naraku.' At the mention of Naraku, the monks began to whisper and debate among themselves. `Eight months is all the time I can allow her to stay here,' Kuro's shoulders sagged as he thought about what he was about to do to the innocent miko he had just met. `I tried to get her to stay by use of the normal greed and simple needs humans have, but she wants to go home to badly, she has no real desire for wealth or power.'

Sansa hummed thoughtfully. `The ideal personality for monk's training' he thought with a sigh.

Kuro turned to them `Do what you must to her, beat her, scare her, and force her to learn. She is not to leave any sooner than the six months that I have asked, and no later than eight months.' The monks stared at their master with pale faces.

“We have to put this girl through such suffering but I don't think six months will be enough for anything when it takes a normal warrior monk in training years of study and training,” Sansa muttered.

`Bring her to me at least once every two months. I will help her along, but in the mean time she is not to leave. I can't stress the importance of this enough.'

The monks nodded all of them feeling bad for her, “How do we keep a miko of such power restrained in our temple?” the monk to the left asked warily. The others nodded in agreement with his question.

`Make sure she is too exhausted to move or beat her, whatever works. When she has overcome the obstacles you set before her come back to me and I will have something for her,' at this comment Kuro smirked and the Monks cringed having never seen their master truly smile.

`There are monks here that can tend to her training and studies, give her what she needs but don't let her die,' Kuro sighed his expression quickly becoming grim again.

“Why are we doing this, what we are about to do to that poor girl is just short of torture, if we plan to get her to the level you wish in the allotted time.'

`Because she is the Shikon Miko and no one ever took the time to train her, I can only see bits of her future and from what I have seen she will need all the help she can get. This training will save her,' He explained. `…and it is the will of the gods' he finished to himself.

The monks bowed low before standing and walking toward the door.

They had a mission they could not fail.

XXXXXX

Kagome shivered violently and hugged herself to stop the trembling. She paused just outside the dining hall and the guard turned on her confused. She eyed the monk the chills of fear continued. Rubbing her arms to get rid of the goose bumps that had jumped up all over, she took a step back eyeing the monk warily. Either there was something bad on the other side of that door, or she was in deep shit already.

“I'm not hungry anymore,” she murmured, her stomach was twisting in knots and she was not going to ignore the intense feeling of dread. She stepped away from the guard a bit as her eyes darted about in a paranoid manner.

“Miko-sama are you okay?” Kagome's senses were screaming at her and when the guard took a step toward her, she immediately bolted in the opposite direction. She ran through the halls as fast as she could, needing to get away from the temple. The elders were ahead. She raced past them at a break neck pace and was vaguely aware of them calling for guards to stop her. Two guards appeared in her path and she screamed as they leapt at her. She weaved her body around their lunge and kept running. Something clamped around her waist and she yelped as she was tackled. Guards were upon her immediately.

She screamed herself hoarse as they dragged her to her feet and held her firmly so she couldn't run. Her eyes found the elders who were making their way toward her as quickly as their old bodies would allow.

Sansa frowned at her grimly, “Her sense of danger is well refined,” he sighed.

Kagome whimpered as he came close and cupped her face in his hands, “Young one forgive us for what were about to do to you, but this is for your own good.” Her eyes shinned in unholy fear and Sanza stepped away.

“Take her, have her head shaved, and put her in training clothes.” Kagome's jaw dropped in horror.

The guards tied her feet with rope they seemed to pull from nowhere, she screamed in anger and fear as she was dragged away. Sansa shook his head “I need four of our best warriors to meet me on the training grounds,” he said to a young monk who had been close enough to watch Kagome's chaotic run come to an end, He nodded and ran off to obey.

“We must do as Kami-sama says, you have done well,” the other two elders praised Sansa.

The door opened with a crack and Kagome sobbed still fighting the two monks that held her.

“Wait, please don't!” she cried seeing the dagger in the hand of the monk in the room.

“We must,” one of the guards argued as they sat her on the floor.

“You can either sit still and have your hair cut with dignity, or we will hold you down and pray you don't get hurt too badly.”

Kagome sniffled bitterly the shock beginning to settle in. She bowed her head finally letting the tears slip down her face as they came closer with the dagger in hand to cut her hair.

She watched in a twisted sense of interest as her black hair began to float down to rest on the ground around her. Her hands trembled, why this was happening to her, she just wanted to go home, why were they cutting her hair. All of it was too much and it made no sense. She was snapped back to her senses when lukewarm water was poured over her head and somebody rubbed her baldhead roughly. A fourth monk stumbled into the room with orange clothes like his own; Kagome glanced up at the young monk who seemed as traumatized as she was.

One of the guard monks was untying the ropes around her ankles while the second guard took the clothes and brought them to her, “You need to change; your training will begin in a bit.” She nodded numbly even as her mind struggled to comprehend what was happening. This time the monks left her in the room with nothing but her hair on the floor and the change of clothes in her arms. Kagome stood shakily and after a moment of fighting let her clothes fall to the ground into the puddle of water on the brick floor. She didn't bother making a fuss over changing clothes. They had given her a bit of privacy and besides there was no one in the room to fight with.

She found herself in the boys pants outfit. She looked at the long sleeves on the top and fixed the sash. As if knowing she was finished the door opened again and the guards stared at her. They motioned for her to come forward and she did so reluctantly, as long as they didn't tie her ankles up again she would do anything. The guards flanked her sides and led her outside. She shuffled numbly down the halls and outside.

In the field there were four warrior monks standing in their bright orange clothes. The elders had been with them but were quickly retreating from the field even as she was lead down to it. Moments later, she found herself before the four monks who eyed her.

“Lady Kagome, I am Satoshi one of the strongest warrior monks at the temple, that can be spared for your sake right now. The elders have asked us to train you as quickly as we can. We were even given a deadline. We will train you in our ways and you will be able to fight against youkai and destroy them”

“I don't want to destroy them if they aren't doing bad,” she said with a miserable moan.

“You're a miko it is your duty” he said coldly.

“I am not a miko, I just have the powers and the dumb luck!” she cried bitterly.

She wiped her face feeling the tears of confusion sneaking up on her, “I was never trained as a Miko okay, I understand that I have to kill youkai but why do I have to hurt them when they haven't done anything?”

The monks were silent a moment staring at the girl who resembled a skinny frightened little child at the moment.

“You will learn. If you aren't a miko you will be a warrior monk by the time you leave here and you will see youkai as the disgusting creatures they are,” Kagome scowled the fire in her eyes lighting instantly.

The monks raised eyebrows seeing the change from frightened to very feisty young woman. “I don't want to stay here and become a warrior monk I want to go back home” she spat angrily.

“We have orders to keep you in the temple, we have no say and neither do you,” another monk argued.

Kagome clenched her fist angrily “You can't keep me here against my will!” she screamed angrily.

“It's the way things are,” One of the other monks retorted.

“Now prepare yourself your training begins now,” he fell into a stance as the other monks spread out and did so too.

Kagome stepped back fearfully.

“We will teach you to move properly first then we will move on to weapons use and hand to hand combat, I advise you learn to dodge and hide quickly, a youkai won't give you the chance unless they wish to play before their meal,” Satoshi sneered. She glanced at the other monks and back to Satoshi to see him moving.

He swung his staff and Kagome shrieked in pain.

XXXXX

And that was the next chapter for the newest arch, The Temple of Light.

It was also brought to my attention that Jiji was mistaken for meaning grampa. Jii-san or ojii-san might be, but Jiji is just a nick name, I looked it up, though Jiji was meant to be reference to an older male.