InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ No Such Thing As Fate ❯ On the Road Again ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Hi everyone!

This is chapter 10 of my story and i'm at 74 reviews!! Thank you all!

This chapter is kinda slow moving but the next chapter should be filled with a little more excitement. I hope you enjoy and please tell me how i'm doing, a review is a thousand words, at least it is in my brain... ANYWAY on to the story. I'm getting to Sesshomaru, just be patient :)

Chapter 10: Wandering: On the Road Again.

Disclaimer: Am I wrong for downloading pic's of sesshomaru and posting them in my sisters room to turn her into a fan?

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They arrived in the next village an hour before sundown. The site that greeted them wasn't a welcome one. There was a group of village men gathered with swords, kitchen knives, farming equipment and torches standing in a group talking.

“I think they're ready to fight a youkai” Shippou announced turning his nose up and sniffing the air. He nodded, as if acknowledging his theory, then looked to Kagome, who for once looked like a girl. A hot springs just outside the village had allowed her to take a nice little bath and she changed into the simple purple yukata instead of her slightly smelly monks robes. Her blue eyes peered at him through her hair and he shook his head at her unwillingness to be seen as a pretty girl by the world.

Her staffs hung around her neck next to the shikon jewel tucked securely in her top. He found it strange that the jewel was so calm but thought nothing of it. Kagome was a lot stronger now, keeping the demon staff from tainting the Shikon shards was nothing, right?

Kagome's gaze turned to the group of women watching the men with concern.

“Are you going to help them fight the youkai?” Kagome shrugged not sure herself.

“What type of demon is it we have to fight?”

Shippou shrugged much like his mother had before he smiled cockily.

“Kaa-san didn't Jiji tell you to learn to smell really good.”

Kagome scowled rubbing her nose, “I don't know how to yet, just tell me about the youkai” she grumbled.

He shrugged and before he could answer the village men began to rally.

“We must stop the demon”, one man cried

“But how? We're only human. The beast is huge!”

“Well we have to do something, or we won't have a village left when it attacks again,” said the first man as the whispering continued among those too scared to speak up.

Kagome choose then to enter their line of sight and she immediately caught attention. “What's going on?” she asked quietly. The villagers looked at her and few men pointed weapons at her. She paused and her face went blank.

“A demon, how dare you demons enter our village,” the self appointed leader of the little group snarled even as his companions moved away fearfully.

“I am no demon and my kit here is still young and no threat to full grown men like you, now lower your weapons,” she said calmly. They looked at her and the kit silently; Kagome hugged Shippou closer to shield him from their glares. “Do I look like a demon?” she yelled brushing her hair back to reveal her face. The men lowered their weapon but still eyed her uncertainly

“Your eyes are a strange color.”

Kagome snorted, “So what if my eyes are a weird color? Your head looks kinda funny to me.” There were quiet chuckles and the man gritted his teeth.

“You'd better watch yourself little girl,” he spat. Kagome was sure the whole group was convinced she was no threat at this point. “Oh yeah, why should I. You threaten me, and make fun of me, then expect me not to get angry? I just wanted to know what was going on,” she huffed.

The man opened his mouth ready to yell at her, but another man in the group put a hand on their `leader's' shoulder to calm him. He looked to her, his face grave.

“Forgive our rudeness, we thought you were here to attack the village,” he explained. “There's a cat demon that has been attacking the village at night and eating the people, we must stop it before it kills us all.” Kagome looked down at Shippou who looked rather bored then back to the villagers.

“I can help if you want” the glares returned full blast.

“What can you do? You are but a woman, you'll only get in our way.” Kagome's eyes narrowed as they continued, “You should stay in the village with the other women and children.”

Kagome found herself wishing she had never changed clothes. “I can tell the other villagers about your battle against the youkai,” she said with a smile.

“A young woman like you shouldn't see such carnage.” Kagome pouted.

“I've seen worse before my village was destroyed, I've been attacked by youkai too,” she huffed, her voice confident. “I promise not to get in the way, that way I can watch and tell everyone about the battle,” she chirped.

They didn't seem fully convinced and Kagome felt the urge to scowl but she stomped her sour feelings down. She gave an innocent and oblivious smile even as the men began to murmur amongst themselves. There was a long pause before they acknowledged her with reluctant nods. Kagome gave a small nod before turning and walking away from the group. A cold smirk found its way onto her face.

“That was bad kaa-san, how come you didn't tell them you're a miko?” Shippou asked quietly though he wore a similar smirk on his own face.

“It's their own fault, they want to treat me like some little girl that needs protection then that's what they will get. Like I promised I plan to observe for a bit,” she responded in a bored manner.

“And then what?” Shippou asked finding the whole situation mildly amusing.

Kagome tapped her chin thoughtfully, “Well if this cat youkai has the jewel shard then I'll step in but I have to be careful, I'd hate to hurt someone's manly pride” she snorted at the thought and Shippou shook his head.

“What if it doesn't have the jewel shard?”

Kagome stared off into space a moment before letting her shoulder sag, “I might as well help out if they really need me” she conceded.

Shippou snickered to himself “You don't want to help them if they're so mean to you?”

Kagome didn't answer and Shippou smiled and pet her cheek in a comforting manner.

XXXXX

Kagome swung her legs back and forth thoughtfully as she watched the group of men standing below the tree she sat in. Shippou also watched them with wary eyes, every once in a while looking up to his mother to see her reactions. The men seemed to come to an agreement below her on who would lead the `attack'. They pushed one of the men forward and followed him as they started deeper into the forest.

Kagome stood on her tree branch and grabbed Shippou before jumping through the trees after the group. The group rushed toward a rather large cave opening and began yelling obscenities and such.

“Come out youkai we have come to slay you,” was the most prominent comment she kept hearing over the yelling. There was a snarl and Kagome raised an eyebrow seeing a big purple cat emerge from the cave.

The men rushed in at once toward the demon and Kagome watched in morbid fascination as the cat began to smack it's attackers away carelessly.

“I sense the shard but where is it?” she hummed aloud. A flash on the Cat's chest caught her attention and she smirked. “Ah, there it is.”

The men were throwing rocks, sticks, and whatever sharp objects they could get a hold of at the youkai. This only served to piss the cat demon off. Kagome cringed when one of the cat's paws smacked a group of men off into the distance.

She noticed that something was horribly wrong with one of the cat's front legs.

The right front leg seemed to be the one the cat struggled not to stay on too long. The leg had patches of fur missing and the skin was an off blue-grey color like…”Is that mold?” she murmured aloud.

A scream drew her attention to one of the men who had been smacked away from the demon. He hit the ground and bounced before rolling to a stop under her tree.

“They aren't doing too well,” Shippou said with a cringe as a high pitched scream reached his ears.

“Yeah,” she trailed off watching as one of the demons claws tore a man in half. “They really should have asked a miko or monk for help before trying to attempt this,” she thought aloud shaking her head in horror.

Shippou hummed in agreement.

They watched a little bit longer until there was little more than one third of the village men left standing. Pushing off from her seat, she jumped down and landed in a neat crouch beside the man who had landed by her tree a little while ago. She put a hand on his neck feeling for a pulse. He was alive just hurt and unconscious. Kagome yanked the demonic staff from her necklace and rubbed the engravings Jiji had carved into the wood. A small burst of magic and the full grown staff appeared before her. She snatched it from the air and twirled the staff expertly. “Let's see how well this works,” she chirped rushing for the demon.

She had it all planned out in her head, she would hit the demons good forepaw just to slow it down a bit then she could change staffs and take the demon out. As she closed in on the demon, she suddenly realized it would make much more sense to just use the monk's staff.

Now that she was extremely close, the demon snarled and stepped back seeing she was a lot more dangerous than the men who had attacked. Kagome cursed herself, she was in too close to try and switch weapons now. She would just have to hit the demon with all she had and come back again after switching.

The staff hit the demons leg and Kagome slid to a stop in time to be drenched in blood. She blinked stunned as the demon let out a high pitched cry stumbling back some more toward the cave. Instinct demanded that she put some space between her and her opponent. She jumped back and landed neatly.

The demon's leg hit the ground, and Kagome could only stare in shock. She looked down at her own bloody body. Much to her horror, her skin was soaking the blood up.

Her face twisted in fear, she finally looked up at the staff that had dealt the damage. The metal bird had vanished and replaced with a scythe. The `wood' of the staff was warped around the metal of the blade and throbbing with veins. She let her eyes trail down the staff she held. A winding rope of metal had wrapped itself around the staff until it reached her hand.

“Oh my god,” she whispered numbly.

The metal stopped at her hand, branched out into very thin little strings about the size of a needle and dug little holes in the top of her hand. The veins in her hand and halfway up her arm were bulging under her skin grotesquely. It didn't even hurt it just was a horrifying site. Her blood was feeding the scythe in her hands.

The cat was rushing her now. A blur of orange jumped in its path.

“Fox Fire!”

The cat gave another kneeling cry as it stood up on its hind legs before toppling back first into the forest. The trees creaked and snapped under the cat's weight as they were knocked over. Shippou landed with a proud smirk on his face. He looked back at Kagome who was standing still lost in her own world.

“Whoa,” Shippou laughed with wide shiny eyes as he finally noticed the staff. “When did that happen?” he asked eagerly.

Kagome shook her head. “I don't know but we can worry later. That demon has the shikon shard,” she rasped making her way quickly to where the demon fell. As expected, the demon was nowhere to be found but there was a trail of blood, though not as much as one would expect from a gigantic cat with a severed leg. She and Shippou climbed over the toppled trees and followed the blood trail. It didn't take long for them to stumble upon the cat in a humanoid form. It, or rather she, was laying on the ground gasping for breath.

The bleeding from her arm had stopped and the shikon shard was shining brightly from her chest as it struggled to heal its host. The girls arm had stopped bleeding but it was bubbling and hissing. The limb began to heal and re-grow at a startling rate and Kagome could only pause and stare in open interest.

The demoness glared at Kagome from bright yellow eyes, twigs, leaves, and dirt were tangled in her curly haze purple hair. Kagome cringed at the site she made.

“Kill me hanyou!”

Kagome froze and scratched her head in complete confusion. “Its official I've been called everything in book.” She shook her head as she pulled out a sutra. Walking around the demoness who was just about near seizing in her pain, she slapped the sutra onto her forehead and her body immediately stopped moving.

The demoness snarled in anger, “So you're going to torture me. Disgusting humans, get away from me hanyou. I didn't think one of you would let yourself be used by humans just to defeat me.” Kagome rolled her eyes.

She was a pretty young demoness. She looked more like a foreigner with natural purple hair but the cat like features of her face was what caught the most attention. The demoness looked to be about fourteen or fifteen but Kagome knew better to assume a demon's age. Now if only she wasn't so violent.

“I won't torture you, and I won't kill you if you explain why you've been attacking that village and why you have this shard?” she huffed.

“Oh, and if you didn't know hanyou's can't use holy sutras” she whispered sarcastically.

The demoness snarled but seemed to suddenly see truth in Kagome's words. “Demon..weapon,” she rasped. Kagome glanced at the staff and cringed. She sat the staff on the ground and the metal needles slid from her arm without so much as a pinch. The metal was sucked up toward the scythe and the weapon quickly reverted to the bird form Kagome had seen upon receiving it. Kagome flexed her hand watching as the little holes closed before her eyes. “Yeah, that was given to me,” she admitted crouching beside the demoness.

“Miko…yes miko I won't tell you a thing.”

Kagome narrowed her eyes in frustration but pulled out the familiar strips of paper all youkai knew. Biting her thumb, she began a purification sutra. “That's fine with me if you don't want to live,” she huffed.

The cat demoness began to breathe frantically. Kagome finished the sutra in time to hear the cat give a sharp cry.

Kagome looked at her startled.

“My arm… There is something wrong with my arm!”

Kagome glanced at the obviously infected limb covered in what looked like a fungus or rotten skin.

“I can't hunt my usual prey.” Her face twisted in anger as she struggled to wiggle around even just a bit. “Do you think I like to eat you smelly humans? I even had to use that cursed shard to make myself tolerate this way of life. I'd rather just step on you and go about my business.”

Kagome glared at the demoness. “That comment isn't helping me decide if I want to let you live or not.”

The demoness mouth snapped shut. Kagome pulled out her dagger and the demoness turned hateful eyes on her.

“I knew all humans were disgusting liars,” she shrieked.

“Oh shut up” Shippou sighed obviously irritated and tired.

“Ah, the rush from battle has worn off, my kit?” Kagome asked playfully as she pulled the dagger from its sheath. Shippou grumbled a bit and glanced at the demoness.

Kagome made a few incisions in the demoness chest and pulled the tainted shard free. The moment she touched the shard it was purified causing the demoness' skin to sizzle a bit but otherwise she wasn't harmed. She eyed the little piece of jewel. She channeled healing energy into her hand moving to heal a bit of the damage she had caused.

“Don't touch me, don't touch me!” the demoness shrieked frantically. Kagome ignored her and put a hand over the cuts she had made in the girls chest and watched in satisfaction as the wound slowly closed up.

The demoness panted tears of fear streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Kagome wide eyed.

“Y-you can heal me?”

Kagome paused, “Yes. If you bleed anymore you'll drop dead, we can't have that happen now can we Kitty-chan.” The demoness blinked at Kagome offended yet grateful at the same time.

She sighed adding her newly acquired shard to the rest. The demoness didn't even bat an eyelash at the jewel but was instead staring at Kagome with something akin to awe. Kagome turned her healing power on the demoness' other arm and after a good 10 minutes the infection began to clear up.

“Are you a god?”

Kagome shot a glance at the demoness.

“No…I think you should rest the blood loss is getting to you,” Kagome responded with an amused smile. She cut the power to her hand.

“How did you heal me?” the demoness cried trying to blow the paper sutra off her forehead so she could move.

“Eh, why can't I heal you? You were hurt,” Kagome said annoyed.

“You may want to have someone look at your new arm” she said pointing to the newly reshaped limb that was covered in a strange slime. Kagome was completely oblivious of the gazes of shock directed at her.

“Kaa-san how did you do that?” Shippou pointed out just as pale as the paralyzed demoness. Kagome thought about it a moment still very confused.

“Kuro-chan said I could, so I tried really hard and I learned,” she said as if that were the simplest solution to everything in the world.

Both demons stared open mouthed at her Kagome waved a hand to dismiss the question. “You kitty-chan,” the demoness hissed angrily at the title, “If you attack another human and I catch you, I will purify you, and you will go to that pet land in the sky.”

Kagome pulled the slip off paper off the demoness forehead. She looked at her arms and Kagome saw something akin to adoration flash through the demoness eyes.

Just as quickly as she saw the look, it was gone and the demoness lunged at her. Shippou squeaked in fear but Kagome didn't even flinch. She extended an arm and back handed the demoness, powers added. The demoness shrieked as she was sent flying. She bounced on the ground much like the man she had swatted earlier and immediately scrambled to her feet.

She glared at Kagome touching a hand to her bruised cheek. “I just warned you didn't I? Are you stupid or just slow?” Kagome asked annoyed. She glanced at the demoness from the corner of her eye.

“I heal you even after you destroyed my clothes and you still have the nerve to attack me?” She absently scratched at her blood crusted arm weighed down by blood drenched clothes.

The demoness lowered her head a bit but her body remained tense as if ready to attack. With a frustrated cry, the demoness yanked a fang from her mouth and threw it at Kagome. Kagome looked horrified at the fang lying at her feet. “Um…”

“What is my fang not good enough for you human?” the demoness sneered.

Kagome only stared at her a very long moment.

“I said my clothes were ruined not that you had to mutilate yourself, haven't you lost enough blood tonight?”

The demoness snorted, “My name is Chisa. Call on me when it is time to repay my debt” with that said, she took off into the forest.

Kagome snorted, “I'm surprised she can see strait let alone jump around like that”

“She probably can't see strait, that's not stopping her from proving blood loss doesn't affect youkai,” Shippou added.

Kagome glanced down at the fang then to the ones on her necklace “…don't tell me Jiji pulled his fangs out just to give to me?” she asked quietly.

“Yeah he did why?”

Kagome groaned in disbelief.

“You're supposed to use it like a beacon thing, Jiji told me to tell you since he knew you would ask.”

“I just don't understand youkai and why they do some things” she murmured suddenly wary and confused.

“It's not a big deal our teeth grow back by the next morning” Shippou grunted.

Kagome only shook her head and picked up the fang. “I guess I'm supposed to keep this” she said with a grim glance at the tooth.

Shippou nodded, “When you need her help you hold the tooth and say her name. She's supposed to come as quick as she can and help you.” Kagome only sighed.

XXXXXX

A snore drew her attention and she shook herself awake. With a stretch she turned from the low table in a very nice inn room and glanced at Shippou who was stretched out on the single futon asleep. Kagome rubbed her eyes confused and glanced at the items on the table. Her necklace had a new fang added to it and both her weapons were in their shrunken forms where she had been examining them.

After returning to the village with Chisa's fang she had tried to find out more about this `debt' thing. The moment she had returned with the fang the villagers had gone into an uproar and offered her all kinds of gifts, one such gift being a stay at the village inn. Kagome tried to tell them she hadn't killed the demon but wounded men who had fought at the cat demoness claimed otherwise.

“When did I fall asleep?” she thought aloud.

She remembered looking over the carvings in her weapons and eating dinner. She glanced at the tray sitting on the desk with her and Shippou's meal. She couldn't remember much after that though.

She looked around the room making sure she hadn't forgotten something in her sleepy haze. She noticed her old kimono was missing and she was wearing a simple yukata she had borrowed from the owners of the inn until she could buy her own clothes.

`Ah, the villagers did offer to burn my other clothes, they were ruined by blood after all.'

She stood running her fingers through her still damp hair, “That's what I did I took a bath,” she chirped happy she could finally remember. After her bath, she had gone to try and figure out what exactly the spells on her weapons were and to add her newly gained fang to the collection…from there she had obviously passed out from exhaustion. She had lots of energy but staying up for hours to tend to wounded men before she had been allowed to retire had quickly drained whatever energy she had.

“The problems with the seals are obviously showing themselves. I don't think anyone planned on me having my body attached to a demonic weapon that way. The seals still reacted and tried to suck my energy, I didn't even feel it until the adrenaline rush had worn off. I won't be using that weapon much.”

Scratching her head annoyed she blew out the dangerously low candle and crawled into bed next to Shippou. Shippou mumbled in his sleep and wiggled a little closer to her.

Kagome smiled drowsily and ran her fingers through Shippou's hair. A strange sound caught her attention and she glanced back toward the open window. She watched the window a moment until something appeared in the little alleyway. She raised an eyebrow seeing a black blob followed by a small moving figure. The blob fell into the room through the window and the light taping of claws echoing in the room after a long moment.

“Chisa?” The moving figure paused and Kagome saw a pair of glowing yellow eyes turn on her as if startled. Kagome stared back fully aware her eyes were glowing in the darkness of the room. Chisa stepped into the light after a moment showing her a small purple kitten. Being dragged in the cat's mouth was a cream colored cloth with butterflies on the fabric.

The cat tugged the cloth around to rest in front of its body before turning and jumping from the window. Kagome chuckled in the darkness “I didn't mean you actually had to get me a yukata but thank you Chisa” she whispered amused. She left the gift where it was and let herself fall into a deep sleep.

The next morning, she and Shippou woke early and set out for the next village. Kagome glanced back at the villagers who watching her go with wary eyes. “I don't understand why the villagers always do that,” Shippou sneered. Kagome smiled at the kit walking at her side. “Its fine Shippou, it's not like we're going to settle down there.”

Shippou frowned. “But in every village we do save, they look at us like we're devils or something. They can't even be thankful,” he huffed.

“They are thankful, but it's scary to see a human who can stand up to the demons they struggle against. They do it to mikos and monks too,” She explained, “and you have to remember they didn't know I was a miko. I look like a demon to them especially after what the men saw last night.” Shippou poked his lip out. He obviously didn't agree with her but he didn't comment.

“Well…I like your new yukata,” he pointed out obviously trying to change the subject.

“Yes, we had a little visitor last night. I thought I should wear it since she went through so much trouble to get it to me.”

Shippou eyed the cream colored yukata with butterflies dancing across the fabric. “If you got a new yukata, why did you buy that cloth from the village seamstress?”

Kagome shifted the sac on her shoulders that held her and Shippou's things. “I was going to start a little project. It's not cloth for wearing; I'm going to make a courier bag so I don't have to carry our things on my shoulders like this. It gets tiresome.”

Shippou squinted his eyes, “courier bag…you want to make another bag like your big yellow one?”

Kagome snorted in her amusement.

“No this is a bag I can sling over one shoulder and let the sac sit on my hip”

Shippou thought about her description then shrugged, he needed to see it to understand. “Did you talk to Jiji last night? I fell asleep,” Shippou said with a sheepish smile.

Kagome gave a teasing grin. “And you have the cutest snore too.”

Shippou blushed and scowled at her. She chuckled and he gave a mischievous smirk. “You can tell Jiji that you do like demon food, he'll be so happy that you were almost drooling.”

It was Kagome's turn to scowl

She rolled her eyes. “I fell asleep yesterday and forgot. I'll get around to talking to him eventually,” she shrugged a bit.

“I really like the staff he gave you, it turned into a scythe,” Shippou gushed excitedly. “Can you ask Jiji to make me a weapon?” Shippou pouted giving her the big watery eyes of adorable love he had used to make her save him from Inuyasha one too many times.

“When you get a little bigger Shippou I'll ask, but I can't promise anything. He made these feather senbon for you isn't that enough?”

Shippou scowled. “No I want a weapon like yours, so I can protect you from anybody who threatens you.”

Kagome giggled and Shippou blushed a bit. They walked in silence a while, Kagome snickered as Shippou sulked for maybe 10 minutes before completely forgetting what he was upset about. She watched him dart around the relatively empty road and dart up trees like he'd just had a shot of coffee. After a meal from a human vendor they met on the side of the road, Shippou's energy soared to new heights.

Kagome squinted a bit trying to ward off a headache as Shippou continued to call her name for no reason. She had answered a few times and whenever she did Shippou wouldn't tell her what he wanted he'd just smile stupidly and look up at her in adoration. It was really cute and she understood why he was doing it…a little, but that didn't make her headache any better. He was still happy he could call her Kaa-san and she had thought about scolding him to make him be quiet a moment so she could think without Shippou's voice ringing in her head.

She glanced down at Shippou by her side his head held high and walking as if he owned the world. Sadly, she didn't have the heart to tell him to be quiet a moment. `I am so not cut out to be a mom, will I ever be ready' she thought warily as she rubbed her forehead.

Honestly, she loved kids she just didn't have the patience she had seen in her own mom. She was actually very ashamed of her thoughts to scold Shippou for being…well Shippou.

“Kaa-san!” A growl spilled from her throat she couldn't stop and her gaze darted to Shippou.

“What?” she sighed warily.

Kagome suddenly wanted to smack herself when Shippou's eyes shined with glee and he gave the universal fox grin. It was mischievous. It was cunning. It made her wonder how she forgot Shippou was a fox kit and his kind thrived on pranks and irritating people.

“Are you mad at me?” he asked innocently sniffling a bit to add effect. Kagome smiled at Shippou a bit.

“You're getting good at that” she praised.

Shippou's face lit up in his delight and he gave a grin before racing ahead to burn off some more energy. He took a small under traveled path and she simply followed. She had no real direction she wanted to go anyway. She smiled watching as Shippou let loose a few foxfires. Jiji was right; if she wanted to raise Shippou properly, she needed to think more like a youkai sometimes. She was stuck in both worlds and would probably be as long as she had demon friends and a fox kit to raise.

“Kaa-san!” Shippou called eagerly popping out of a bush up ahead. She grunted in acknowledgement even if he didn't hear the sound. He waved for her to hurry up then jumped back into the bushes. She shook her head amused and kept her leisurely pace.

When she finally reached the place where Shippou had vanished, she heard the kit talking quietly. Confused and a little alarmed she searched for auras. She found Shippou and another child close to a calm youkai's aura. Stepping through the bushes, she followed Shippou's voice. The tree line wasn't long and led into another open area at the top of a grassy slope. The slope led down into a dip where a river ran.

“Look! This is my kaa-san!”

Kagome turned her head and looked down at Shippou, who was tugging at a little girl's hand. She was a cute girl with a well made pink yukata. Chocolate brown eyes stared up at her and the girl wore a shy smile on her face. The little ponytail on the side of her head made Kagome grin in amusement.

“Kaa-san, this is Rin,” Shippou announced grinning broadly.

Kagome glanced at the kit. It never seemed to amaze her how he seemed to find little girlfriends in the strangest places. Kagome bent down slowly and glanced at the suddenly violent demonic aura tucked in the forest. She glanced at the two sets of angry red eyes warily then to Rin who seemed blissfully ignorant of the beast behind her. The girl was human but her protector obviously wasn't.

“Hello Rin-chan, my names Kagome.”

Rin's smile seemed to widen a bit more. Kagome's eyes darted to the demon hidden in the bushes. Rin followed her gaze and a frown found its way onto her face.

“Ah-Un, stop it, your scaring Kagome-san” the child huffed her hands flying to her hips.

There was a whimper and one of the sets of eyes lowered a bit but the other set remained unwavering.

“Ah-Un isn't bad, he protects me. You're not scared are you?”

Kagome smiled weakly but choose not to answer. She stood correctly as Rin rushed the hidden demon and coaxed him from the forest. She raised an eyebrow at the two headed dragon. “Have we met before?” she asked warily.

Ah snorted and Un chose to simply stare at her. Now more than a little intrigued, she turned to Rin who held the dragon's reigns. She found it incredibly strange a human child was out in the forest, with a two headed dragon none the less.

“Rin-chan” Rin looked at her and smiled.

“Why are you out here by yourself, humans are weak and need protecting?” Shippou blurted out before his mother could speak. Kagome scowled at Shippou as Rin blinked at the fox kit.

“I am not weak and Kagome-san is human,” Rin pointed out.

Shippou turned his nose up. “That's `cause my Kaa-san is special and really strong,” he announced proudly.

Kagome rolled her eyes, “Don't mind Shippou Rin-chan, where are your parents?”

Un leaned down and allowed the human girl to stroke its scaly muzzle. “Oh, my mommy and daddy died, my lord cares for me now” She chirped.

Kagome turned her gaze back on Ah-Un. `A human lord with a dragon? Not likely…I know I've seen this dragon before,' she thought with a frown. Another youkai was approaching but its youkai was pathetic and its aura was annoyed.

“Come along you stupid girl, I found a place for you to bathe!”

Kagome looked in the direction of the youkai's aura and watched amused as the toad youkai stumbled from the forest. All eyes turned on the toad that blinked at the group owlishly. All was silent for a long moment before the toad gave a cry and pointed at Kagome, “I-it's you, Inuyasha's wench.”

Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger but she didn't react to the insult. “You're Jaken, Lord Sesshoumaru's annoying little pet,” she responded coolly.

Jaken glared at her and Rin gave a giggle “Jaken-sama knows Kagome-san!”

Her eager cry made everyone look at her strangely. “You're with Lord Sesshoumaru?” Shippou asked in a weak voice. Rin nodded eagerly oblivious to Kagome and Shippou's discomfort.

“Be gone wench. You're more trouble than you seem!” Jaken yelled waving his staff at her. Kagome jumped over the staff of heads and stomped on Jaken's head.

“Watch yourself toad or I will purify you,” she growled.

Jaken flinched and glared at her holding his staff close to his body. “We aren't here to cause trouble we stumbled upon Rin-chan here. That's all.”

“Well, leave then” he spat in a weak voice.

Kagome's eyes narrowed. “I just decided to spend a little extra time with Rin-chan here because you can't keep your mouth shut.” She kicked Jaken sending him rolling down the hill. Rin giggled as Jaken hit the river below with a loud splash.

“Jaken-sama shouldn't be rude to Kagome-san” she called. Ah-Un peered down the hill before glancing at Kagome with interest. Kagome smiled at Rin and clapped her hands together.

“Didn't he say he found a place for you to bathe?”

Rin grinned.

“Kaa-san can we take a bath with Rin-chan!”

Kagome shrugged, “Why not, I took a bath last night but Shippou-kun fell asleep before I could get him bathed.” She shot the kit a playful glare.

“Yay, I get to take a bath with Shippou-kun and Kagome-san but Jaken-sama is the only one who knows where to go,” she looked thoughtfully down the hill. Jaken was pulling himself from the water. Kagome smiled sheepishly.

“You're right, I let my anger get the better of me. I should apologize to Jaken. He was only protecting you,” she said quietly. Rin nodded slowly.

“Jaken-sama says mean things but he is actually very kind,” she admitted.

“I guess we have to wait for ugly to make it back up the hill,” Shippou grumbled. Kagome only shrugged and looked to Ah-Un.

“I'm sorry for scaring you earlier but I swear I wouldn't hurt Rin-chan, I hope we can get along.” The only dragon grunted.

“Jaken-sama's back,” Rin suddenly announced as Jaken ran up the hill with a startling quickness. He paused a moment to catch his breath before turning a hateful glare on Kagome. “You wench,” he hissed in a raspy voice. Kagome squatted by Jaken and took his chin. Jaken went as stiff as a board.

“My name is Kagome and I want you to use it. I want to take a bath with Rin-chan and my son so I'd advise you to shut up and lead the way. Am I clear Jaken?” Jaken glared at Kagome but said nothing else as she released him. He shot a glance at Rin. “Come on you stupid girl,” he grumbled. Kagome's eyes narrowed at Jaken and he shifted uncomfortably before racing ahead to lead the little group.

They stopped in an area connected to the river Jaken had been kicked into earlier. The river was hardly a river at this location. The water ran quickly over the brown rocks that would usually be present on the river bed. It looked as if it had been built to be a crossing area of some kind. Not five feet on either end of the river crossing the water got a little deeper. It reached her waist when she stood in the water.

Kagome examined the area searching for a demonic aura. She found no youkai nearby so she shrugged. There were two shrieks of delight and Kagome saw two pairs of clothes fly past her vision followed by two naked children racing for the water. Kagome smiled amused as both kids immediately went for the slightly deeper water and began to splash each other. Jaken didn't seem nearly as surprised as she was.

“Bathe yourself so that we can go, you stupid girl,” Jaken yelled angrily.

“But Jaken-sama I want to play,” she whined a quick sneeze silenced the girls plea. Kagome chuckled a bit. “I'll make sure she's cleaned well, Jaken, but let them play” she said with a smile. Jaken scowled at her and Kagome only smiled suddenly. She was in a better mood than she had been the previous day or she was sure Jaken would have been eating foot right then.

“Ah-Un,” both heads shot up attentively then as if realizing their mistake they both grumbled to each other. Kagome only chuckled.

“Will you make sure Rin and Shippou stay out of trouble, I need to get something from the forest,” she explained letting her baggage drop from her shoulders. Ah turned its attention on the playing kids and Un watched her as she walked toward the forest.

She returned a while later with medicinal herbs in hand. Jaken glared at her and Ah-Un grunted to her before looking back to the kids. Kagome stuffed the herbs into her bag so they wouldn't fly away then walked toward the river.

“Are you ready to be bathed?” both kids looked up and pouted.

Kagome chuckled as she pulled out a little wooden container she used to hold her own homemade soap. She undressed and folded her kimono neatly, she really didn't care if a two headed dragon and a human hating toad saw her. They wouldn't stare or anything.

She stepped into the water and both kids glanced at each other before splashing her with everything they had. Kagome covered her face as the kids laughed. Diving for them they both scrambled away. She caught Rin but Shippou was much faster. Kagome set Rin on the river crossing. “So I guess you get a bath first huh.” Rin pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. Shippou pointed rudely as he laughed aloud from a safe distance.

Kagome scraped some soap from the little container and set it aside so she could lather Rin up well. Rin stood still and let Kagome do as she liked. “Where is Sesshoumaru-sama?” Kagome asked after a long moment. Rin flicked a bit of soap hanging from her hair away. “I don't know, Sesshoumaru-sama just leaves sometimes. He left today so he probably won't be back for a few days,” she said thoughtfully.

“Really?”

Rin nodded, “Sesshoumaru-sama has to protect his lands and he doesn't want me to get hurt when he has to go to dangerous places.” The smile on Rin's face was bright and adoring. Kagome shook her head at the little girl's obvious love for the demon.

“What do you, Jaken, and Ah-Un do while you're waiting for your master to return?”

Rin shrugged a bit. “Wander the lands, my lord always knows where to find us,” Rin assured with a nod.

Rin sighed in delight as Kagome scrubbed her back.

“You should travel with us Kagome-san, it will be fun.”

Kagome looked thoughtful.

Rin was a little warm. Kagome was sure the girl was coming down with a cold. It couldn't hurt; she'd just leave before Sesshoumaru got back.

“Sure it'll be fun.”

Rin's face split into a grin and she jumped onto Kagome hugging the older girl tightly. “It'll be great me and Shippou-kun can pick flowers and play with Jaken-sama, and Kagome-san can tell us stories,” she gushed her eyes darting frantically, “and you can meet Sesshoumaru-sama.”

Kagome put the girl back on the bedrock “Rin-chan I don't want to be here when he returns. Hopefully I'll be long gone by then.”

“I'm sorry Rin-chan” she said gently.

Rin smiled weakly at Kagome, “we can have fun while you're here though right?” Kagome smiled brightly, “That is very true Rin-chan.” Rin grinned a bit.

“Now go play while I wash Shippou.” The kit pouted and Rin giggled with a quick nod to the older girl.

They didn't move very far from the river as they wandered for the rest of the day. Kagome let Jaken lead them around as she kept the two children entertained. They stopped rather early when Rin began to complain about being tired. That was all that needed to be said for Jaken to stop and began to set up a camp.

Currently Kagome sat poking at the fire as Rin sat chatting with Shippou about something. Jaken had run off to go hunt for a meal for the girl to eat after the rather loud declaration that he wouldn't be feeding her or her kit. Kagome had only smiled and agreed. She wouldn't need to eat for another day or so after last night's meal combined with the newt that had replenished her strength. She wasn't going to assume that Shippou wasn't hungry though, she would go find something for him to eat after Jaken returned.

“Ah-Un,” the dragon glanced up warily from its spot on the ground. Kagome crawled a bit closer to the dragon and smiled at him. He eyed her warily even as she reached forward hesitantly. The dragon didn't move to stop her so she touched the green scales that had fascinated her since she had first seen the demon. She stroked Ah's muzzle, Un growled at her obviously feeling a bit left out.

With a smile she reached over and ran her fingers through his green mane.

“…What was I going to say? Oh, please watch them I'm going to get some water.”

Rin stood and walked over to Ah's saddle. She reached in one of the massive pockets and pulled out a small pot. She handed it to Kagome with a smile, “Thank you Rin-chan.”

She stood and walked into the forest, she returned a few minutes later with the pot full of water. Positioning the pot close to the fire she pulled out the herbs and cut them up with her dagger before tossing the pieces into the water to boil.

“Eww Kaa-san that really stinks,” Shippou growled pinching his nose. Kagome smiled amused but said nothing. Jaken returned about 10 minutes later with a sac filled with meat. Kagome took the meat from him and he didn't question her as she began to prepare the food. He paused to stare at the pot now filled with boiling green mess.

He sent her a questioning glance and Kagome only glanced at Rin before turning attention back to her work. Jaken looked at Rin too then nodded absently before going over to take a seat under a tree. Kagome smiled to herself when she noted there was enough meat in the bag to feed everyone.

Amused, she raised an eyebrow at Jaken who only glared at her with guarded eyes. Rin's Jaken-sama was indeed a softy.

The meat now seasoned and cooking Kagome sat back against a tree and watched the stars. There was only the occasional pop from the fire and the children's quiet giggles as they talked among themselves.

“Kagome-san, why do you have that weird thing around your ankle.” Kagome shot Rin a glance and her lips twitched upward. She brought her knee to her chest so she could reach the level 1 seal around her ankle. “This is a seal, it was used to keep me locked up for a bit. I just didn't take it off when I was released.”

Rin frowned in confusion, “you got locked up, did you do something bad?” Kagome smiled a bit and brushed her hair from her face so she could see the girl.

“No…it's a really long story Rin-chan.”

“There's a bell on it, is it broken I didn't hear it at all?”

Kagome smirked and dug her fingers into the little slots in the bell. She pulled out a little piece of cloth and flicked the bell letting it chime lightly. “I didn't feel like stepping quietly so I stuck the cloth in it to stifle the sound.” Rin nodded fascinated.

She tucked the tiny piece of cloth away for later. “Rin, fetch your cup,” she said to the girl. Rin jumped to attention and obeyed without question. Shippou walked over to the pot full of the offensive smelling liquid and scowled. Rin returned with her cup in hand and passed it on to Kagome.

Kagome took the pots contents and dumped them into Rin's cup. “You drink this and then you can eat,” she said gently. Rin pouted as a stick of meat was passed on to Shippou. She sat down and glared at the cup of medicine as Kagome passed out food to Jaken and then to Ah and Un.

Her stomach growled angrily so she sighed and began to sip at the hot liquid. Kagome sat down again and waited for Rin to finish. “Aren't you hungry? I thought humans have to eat every day?” Jaken grumbled.

“I'm not a normal human,” Kagome responded dryly. She took Rin's cup once the girl had finished and handed her the skewered meat. She stood with the pot and cup and moved to go clean the dishes.

It didn't take her long at all. She returned to Rin tossing her stick void of meat into the fire and Shippou rubbing his stomach in a satisfied manner. She bent down and petted Shippou's head as he grinned up at her. She walked to Ah-Un and put the supplies back where she had seen Rin take it from.

“I want you two to go to sleep, especially you Rin. You're getting a little cold.”

Rin pouted, “I'm not sick Kagome-san. I only had little sneezes”

Kagome leaned over the girl and pinched her cheeks playfully. “Kagome-san is only worried for Rin-chan. Will you do it please?”

Rin nodded and rubbed her cheeks. There was a mat set out for Rin but she quickly grabbed Shippou and dragged him over to the sleeping mat.

With a sigh, Kagome dug through her own supplies and found the cloth she was going to use to make her bag and sewing material. “Call me down if you need something,” she said absently before jumping up into a tree. Jaken's squawk made her pause and look back at him. He stared up at her and his eyes widened when he saw her glowing eyes. She sent Jaken a dull stare and jumped higher into the tree.

XXXXX

“Kami-sama…” Kuro's unseeing eyes followed the movements of the lord before him as he bowed low to the ground. The man was nervous, afraid even, but he was a lord; he couldn't fear anything, not even the gods.

“I am lord Sagisoto. I have come here seeking your assistance.”

“We know who you are Lord Sagisoto, but Kami-sama can be of no assistance to you.” One of the two elders on either side of Kuro murmured. Sagisoto sneered at the two old men flanking the blind child.

`Taisa, Meru!'

Both elder straitened hearing the voice of their master in their heads.

`Don't be rude to our guest' he purred. Both elders tensed, surprised he had actually purred to them. Their master hadn't started doing such things until Kagome had come to the temple.

`I will heed his request if he can pass my test.'

Sagisoto was talking again but the elders only listened with half an ear.

`If he can hear my voice then I will assist him as he pleases' Kuro promised.

`Yes master' they replied somberly.

“…I understand this is not a good time with the death of the temple head and you are going through ceremonies to see he is sent into the afterlife properly.”

“We could not ignore your request to see our master” Taisa replied in a droning voice. Indeed, they could not ignore the human lord because he had forced himself onto the holy grounds of the temple with armed men. The true threats to monks were not demons so much as the humans that could rally and torch a temple.

`Lord Sagisoto if you can hear me you need to tell me so' the mischievous Kami cooed to the human lord. The lord didn't even bat an eyelash to suggest he could hear Kuro.

“I won't keep you long Kami-sama I understand you have many a duty to take care of…”

`That I do, you imbecile' Kuro sneered directing his thoughts to the lord who didn't react but kept talking. Kuro smirked to himself. `As I thought he can't hear me,' he thought amused.

`Taisa, Meru you will translate for me' he told his two elders. They didn't nod to acknowledge they heard him. In the past such an action brought the ire of nobles who thought previous elders to be conspiring against them.

“What do you need lord?” Meru murmured respectfully.

“I am in need of Kami-sama's unnatural site.” That caught the attention of everyone in the room. “I suspect me and my lands will be under attack soon, I merely want to know a way to prevent it.”

The elders glanced at Kuro who had gone quiet. Kuro's eyes flashed blue and Sagisoto watched apprehensively until they faded to black for a moment then back to grey.

Sagisoto was startled when the elder on the right spoke in the boy's stead.

“You lie,” it came out as a strained grunt.

Kuro shifted tilting his head in Taisa's direction. Taisa made a strange sound in the back of his throat appalled by his masters `language' and the mere fact he had to translate and edit a Kami's words. Kuro only sent an image of himself smiling nastily to his two remaining elders.

Sagisoto's eye twitched but he forced a smile. “It's true, Kami-sama can see the future, forgive me your holiness it was a test to find truth in the rumors,” he said coolly. Kuro could imagine the lord rubbing his grubby little hands together eagerly.

“In truth we are preparing for a war of sorts, nothing too big, and we wish to use your power to help us make plans against the enemy,” he explained as civilly as he could manage. “Of course you'll be compensated for your assistance and you'll have the finest protection.”

“We cannot help you lord, please forgive us,” Taisa responded almost instantly.

Sagisoto seemed to realize the elders were speaking for the child Kami so Sagisoto sat rigid a moment his face blank.

“You don't understand, I should have made the urgency of this matter clear.” He cleared his throat a bit, “This war is going to begin in less than a year, Kami-sama I ask you to help me or I can't save you from the evils of the world outside this temple.”

That was his way of saying `I will drag you from the temple by force and make you help me or I will destroy the temple and all its inhabitants and still make you help, pick your poison.'

The elders shifted uncomfortably waiting for their master to speak to them. He was silent a long moment `Tell him I will help him…'

Taisa glanced at his master, his face stricken. Lord Sagisoto was well known for being a warmonger. Many a lord had come to the temple to pray over disagreements with the bloodthirsty lord.

`Tell him!' Kuro said a bit more forcefully.

Meru spoke up for the stunned Taisa, “We will assist you Lord Sagisoto,” Meru glanced discreetly at the Kami in the form of a child. “Our master asks that we be allowed to finish our ceremonies to lay Elder Sanso to rest.”

Sagisoto smiled a bit. “I'm glad you see things my way Kami-sama. In three days I will send transport for you,” he said kindly.

“I hope we can work together well. I'll be taking my leave now,” he bowed again and the elders sat tense as the lord stood and left.

They sat in silence a long moment.

Taisa was the first to speak, “What have we done? I can't help but think Elder Sansa would have done something different,” he rasped.

`You did as I asked it was all you could do.'

Another tense silence fell over the three males.

“Kami-sama what do you wish us to do?”

Kuro sighed bowing his head a bit.

`In two days time I will personally send Sansa's soul to the afterlife.'

The elders at his sides tensed, “…We understand master”

`A decree will be made right now' they nodded listening even as they felt the world around them crashing down.

`No one is to speak of Kagome-sama unless she returns to us of her own accord. Make this punishable by beheading.'

The elders glanced at each other in shock. `If they must speak of her make sure they say she is male but they won't speak her name. She is our hidden hope against Sagisoto'

“Master is that why you gave her the mark?”

`No she was to be given the mark even if she had not met me. She is the embodiment of purity; there was just never a means to mark her.'

The two elders blinked stunned, “That child, but her manner is…” Kuro raised a hand to silence the two elders.

`You should not question my knowledge on such things, it's just the way things are' He said gently. The two elders could only nod. They could tell things were going to be far from peaceful for a very long time.

XXXXXX

All hell is gonna break loose but i can't remember in which chapter. -pondering-

Review or I'll become a zombie and bite you!!! Happy Holloween