InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pack Law ❯ Denial ( Chapter 22 )

Pack Law

 

Chapter 22: Denial

 

Something pulsed in Kagome's soul. `Something's coming…' Spinning InuYasha with her, Kagome put his back to the wind, looking into the dark tree-line for a sign of movement.

 

“Kagome?” Sango questioned, “What's wrong?”

 

“There's something out there. Something's… off. N-not right. Can't you feel it?” Kagome turned to Miroku, whose forehead was wrinkled in thought as he nodded.

 

“It's not strong, but you're right… something strange is there.”

 

InuYasha unwrapped his arms from Kagome, cursing the direction of the wind. “I'll go take a look.” As he moved to hop into the nearest tree, Miroku extended his staff and Sango readied one of her guns, prepared for anything. Slipping on her ring, Kagome was suddenly accosted with the blue-lavender aura she'd come to associate with sorrow. Like a cloud, it was seeping closer…

 

“InuYasha, wait!” The pang shot through her again, stronger, and she thought she knew…

 

`But she's dead and gone. Five hundred years ago…'

 

The hanyou dropped from his tree behind a tall, blonde youkai woman. “Who are you and what do you want?”

 

The woman couldn't respond, though. The moment she laid eyes on Kagome, her hands flew to her head, trying to deal with the onslaught of images rushing through her brain. She fell to her knees, groaning.

 

`It hurts! Why? Why doesn't it hurt to look at her?' She hadn't realized she'd spoken aloud until the girl came closer.

 

“Stay back!” The girl in a sailor outfit… a school-girl uniform she'd seen in passing online. Herself in miko robes, firing a bow… white snake-like youkai hovering nearby… sorrow… pain… a sense of longing… She finally fought off the torrent of emotions and pictures, forcing herself to her feet. `I am stronger than this!' “You, child-miko. You have something that belongs to me!” She extended her arm imperiously, claws flashing dangerously in the moonlight.

 

“Child-miko? Excuse me?” Kagome was taken aback.

 

“What exactly does Kagome have that could possibly belong to you?” Sango asked, weapon trained on the unknown youkai.

 

The woman drew herself to her full height, tossing her hair over her shoulders. “I suppose I do owe you an introduction. I am Chiaki; more commonly known as Ki. You stole the Shikon no Tama from me, girl, and you will return it!”

 

Kagome blinked. “I didn't steal the Shikon from anybody! It was supposedly in me when I was born!”

 

Searing heat, crackling flames… “You lie! My master warned me of your trickery… your lies. He told me the Shikon is mine to control, was mine until you stole it away.”

 

“Just who is your master?” Miroku stepped forward, holding a warning hand out to the group.

 

“Naraku,” InuYasha growled from behind Ki. “I can smell him on her.” Ki fought the urge to whirl around, refusing to put more people behind her than in front of her. It would be difficult to fend off the inu-hanyou behind her, but harder to dodge a bullet she couldn't see.

 

Sango cocked her gun, glaring coldly at Ki. “Then nobody will mind if I wipe her off the earth? She isn't just another youkai after the shards… she's Naraku's spawn.”

 

Kagome shook her head. “Wait, Sango.” She turned back to Ki, who was glaring coldly at her still. “Why are you so sad? And why… w-why do you feel so familiar? It's like my soul is speaking with yours…”

 

Panic flared in Ki's eyes. `This child… she feels it too? How can this be? How do I know these people? Did I know them before I was made youkai?'

 

“Keh. You don't know this wench… I ain't never smelled her on you before.” InuYasha's voice was gruff, betraying his statement. `Kagome doesn't smell like she's lying. Why would she say she knows this youkai?' His hand itched for Tetsusaiga, to take out the person who may be a threat to his now-officially-named mate. But Ki was in between him and the farmhouse. He was positive the Taisho Council would be royally pissed if he were to blow up the building they were in.

 

Thinking, InuYasha was caught off guard as Ki leapt forward, arm outstretched, to catch Kagome by the chain around her neck. “Give me the shards!” Her demand was cut short as she gazed at the chunk of jewel, slowly turning black. “Why? Why does my touch taint them if I used to be their owner?”

 

Kagome, gazing over Ki's shoulder, scrunched her eyes shut, throwing up a barrier and burning the unknown youkai away from her. A moment later, InuYasha stood between the two women.

 

At her first full glance at the hanyou, Ki's eyes glazed again, shone with tears. “Why?! How do I know you? Why do I love you and yet hate you?” She cried out, overwhelmed, confused.

 

`Kill them, Chiaki. Kill them and take the jewel for yourself!' Naraku's voice echoed through her head. But she couldn't kill these people… not yet. Maybe they knew something about who she used to be. Maybe they had the key to bringing back her past life. None of the questions had seemed pressing until seeing them; now, she needed to know.

 

Unsure of what else to do, but knowing the path behind her was clear, Ki turned on her heel and ran.

 

`What the fuck?' InuYasha blinked, mystified by the strange youkai's even stranger behavior. He didn't like being confused. He didn't like not knowing what was going on. So he settled on things he could understand; that youkai woman was after the jewel shards, obviously hated Kagome, and had some sort of connection to Naraku. And she was getting away. `Screw this shit.' Slamming Tetsusaiga into its sheath, he crouched, preparing to leap into the trees, chase this Ki down and demand answers.

 

“Wait, InuYasha.” Kagome's voice stilled him. “I don't think we have anything to worry about right now.”

 

InuYasha raised an eyebrow. “Is your brain fucking broken? There's a youkai working for Naraku who got close enough to grab you by the fucking neck and yet you don't think she's a PROBLEM?” His voice rose steadily throughout the sentence, until he was all but yelling at her. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

 

“I-I… I… I don't know.” Kagome gulped at the murderous expression in InuYasha's eyes. She knew it wasn't aimed at her, but at Ki. Each moment she stalled him, his eyes grew darker. `How am I supposed to convince him not to go after her when I don't even know why I'm stopping him?' She took a deep breath. “I understand that we can't just let her escape, especially if she's working for Naraku. But something tells me… she can be…”

 

“Trusted?” InuYasha spat, beyond pissed at the ludicrous idea. “You trust her?”

 

“No!” she cried in response. “I don't trust her! But she feels… familiar, somehow. Something's telling me we know her. I don't think she wants to hurt us right now! She's confused and probably trying to find out answers. Right now, we have other things to worry about.”

 

“Fuck this shit,” InuYasha growled, turning on his heel and striding toward the forest. Sango shrugged at Kagome, unsure of what to think or say. Miroku appeared deep in thought but wasn't about to jump in front of a murderous hanyou and raise his ire any further. InuYasha made it about halfway before a familiar voice floated from the doorway.

 

“Where the hell do you think you're going? The Council is ready to see you,” Arata called, halting InuYasha in his tracks. Letting out a string of curses strong enough to peel paint, he clenched his fists. “They'll get pissy if you're late, little brother,” Arata chided.

 

Anxiety colored Kagome's scent, flowed to InuYasha on the wind and made him cringe. In a heart-beat, he was back by her side, shoving thoughts of Ki's strange behavior out of his head in his haste to reassure Kagome. “You'll be fine, wench,” he muttered, daring to hold her close for a moment.

 

`What if they don't let me in? Will InuYasha and everybody give up on me?' Kagome took the moment to bury her face into InuYasha's chest. He clutched her closer, feeling tension seep out of her just a bit. `This is where I'm safest. InuYasha protects me… what if he can't do that anymore?'

 

“Let's go, guys.” Miroku motioned toward the building, falling behind InuYasha with Sango in a sign of support.

 

**********

 

As they walked into the large room in the center of Kouga's den, Kagome searched out those she knew. As usual, she couldn't discern the expression on Sesshomaru's face. Next to him, Shippou looked upset. `That can't be good…' Kagome gulped, trying to clamp down on her nerves, knowing they'd be apparent to every youkai in the room.

 

As they reached the middle of the room, the foursome turned to face the neko youkai who'd been chosen to lead the council that year. He raised his head, glowing eyes narrowing on the girl in front of him.

 

“Kagome Higurashi,” the neko said loudly, quieting the low murmur that'd been going on even as she and her friends walked into the room. “The Council has spoken on your request to join the inu pack. We have seen what you have to offer the youkai community at large and heard from your pack members what they feel you could bring to the pack as an alpha female.” Kagome felt her cheeks heat at the insinuation but refused to tear her eyes away. “You hold vast amounts of spiritual power and it is our belief that you will be an amazing addition to the pack.”

 

“However,” the dragon youkai next to the neko broke in, voice heavy with condemnation, “you are not of proper human age to receive a talisman. We set these rules for a specific reason; a human body is much weaker than ours and yours, for all your power, is not an exception to this. Your body must be given time to reach maturity before your growth is hampered by a talisman, am I not correct?” His pleasure in imparting this news sparkled in his black eyes, though very little seeped into his voice. “In fact, I move that the Council strip you of the chunk of Shikon no Tama you carry.”

 

Kagome's eyes widened impossibly far at the suggestion; she grasped the jewel as she looked around the room. Different youkai were reacting in various ways; the raised voices at the dragon youkai's proposal began to grate on her already stretched-to-the-limit nerves. Behind her, InuYasha shifted at the spike of her nervousness. He could never be comfortable if she was not.

 

The dragon's voice raised above the racket, silencing the group. “I do not say this in hopes of gaining power, my friends. I am simply concerned about our young miko here, and worried for all of our fates,” Kagome barely repressed a shudder. She didn't like this man, not one bit. “After all, she admits she has shattered the jewel twice now. What's to keep her from making a similar mistake this time? Spreading fragments of the Shikon throughout an area is dangerous to the secrecy we've held for so long.” More murmuring drifted from the group. InuYasha's arms tightened around Kagome, who could feel his rage as though it was her own. She focused on forcing soothing waves into her aura, hoping to calm him and keep him from making a scene.

 

Miroku stepped forward. “With all due respect, Taisho-sama, it is unfair to judge Kagome for deeds committed 500 years ago.”

 

“Centuriessss ago perhapssss for usssss, but we have heard thissss young miko is from thissss era,” the Taisho of Serpents hissed from behind them. “'Tissss only a year ago the adventure occurred in her reality…”

 

“That may be true,” Kouga spoke up, “But this still happened ages ago. I move to strike the proposal from the record unless greater cause can be given.”

 

“But I can,” the dragon said oily. “The miko who held the jewel before young Kagome died protecting it, did she not? Have we not been told the youkai who cut her down is once again after those shards?”

 

A low growl broke from InuYasha's throat the moment the youkai brought up Kikyou. “That won't happen to Kagome,” he spat, angered, “I refuse to let this happen. I… we will protect her.”

 

“You trust a miko to protect a jewel of such power?” The dragon youkai feigned confusion.

 

InuYasha's voice was low, gravelly as he responded. “You know I do. We all know it. She's the only one who can keep it pure.”

 

Miroku nodded, adding, “Even a youkai with the greatest intentions will eventually be swayed by the jyaki of the Shikon.”

 

“Prove it,” the dragon commanded. InuYasha locked eyes with Kagome, nodding slowly and indicating for her to remove the jewel. Sesshomaru stepped forward, holding out a hand imperiously. Wincing as she did so, Kagome placed the shards on his palm. They immediately began to swirl with a dark purple, power growing as Kagome stepped away. Sesshomaru growled, shoving the artifact back at her. As it touched her fingers, the jewel glowed brightly. The dragon sighed. “Fine. You've made your point.”

 

The neko cleared her throat. “Kagome may remain with you. In fact, I recommend she be near a youkai at all times for her protection. If there is no more business before the Council, we will depart.” She waited a beat. When nobody spoke up, she nodded and began to move toward the door. Friends began to converse among themselves. Kagome hung her head, refusing to allow herself to tear up, but feeling as though she'd failed her friends.

 

**********

 

Kagome gasped, shooting to a sitting position, as lightning struck somewhere nearby, thunder ripping loudly through the silence. The flash briefly lit up InuYasha's form, once again sitting quietly under the window. `My silent protector,' Kagome mused softly. She lifted her gaze to the window; the heavy rain pounded on the glass. She sighed. `At least the weather matches my mood.'

 

InuYasha hadn't said a word as the pack got ready to sleep, breaking off to various rooms after wishing each other “sweet dreams.” He'd simply watched, silent, as Kagome slipped under the covers and turned off the lamp near the bed. Lowering her eyes again, Kagome realized once again his golden eyes were focused on her. The intensity was enough to send a shiver down her spine. `I wonder what he's thinking about.'

 

`I can't believe that youkai wench got so close to Kagome. I'm getting too weak if she's in such obvious danger as she was tonight. And now, thanks to that dragon asshole, we don't have the Council to rely on.' The thought brought a frown to InuYasha's face. `Feh. Fuck `em. If the bastards don't want to help, it'll be on their hides if Naraku goes after them.' He was still seething at the insinuation that he couldn't keep Kagome safe.

 

“You okay?” Though she was whispering, he heard her as clearly as if she were right next to him. “You look really uncomfortable all scrunched up by the wall,” she teased lightly, trying to ease the tension.

 

“Keh. I'm fine, wench. You should be sleeping, though. We leave tomorrow.”

 

“We're going back to Japan?” Kagome was shocked, though she wasn't sure why.

 

His reply confirmed her suspicious. “Ain't no reason to hang around now, wench. You've gotten all the knowledge you need. You were here to learn Pack Law. Now you know it, but it ain't gonna do a damn bit o' good.”

 

Kagome worried her bottom lip. “I'm sorry,” she muttered. Her scent was laced with shame, drawing InuYasha closer.

 

“Hey,” he said softly, grabbing her chin and lifting her face so he could look at her. He smelled the tears before they managed to fall and it reminded him, again, just how much he hated to see her cry. “It's not your fault, don't blame yourself. The Council's a bunch of stuck-up assholes, all self-important like my bastard brother. What matters is you're coming home with me, where I'll be able to keep you safe.”

 

Kagome nodded as a few tears finally gave way and rolled down her cheeks. With a softness she rarely saw in him, InuYasha reached up to brush them away with his thumbs. “Oi, no crying wench…” his voice held none of its usual gruffness.

 

“You're not going to leave me, are you?” Kagome questioned, shivering a bit. “You're not mad at me?”

 

“Keh,” InuYasha shifted to sit behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist after pulling the blanket up higher. “I ain't mad. I'm pissed at the Council… I'm thinking about how I'm going to kill Naraku and make sure you're always safe. Why would I be mad at you?”

 

“B-because I…” Kagome gulped, realizing she didn't want to share the real reason. `What if he's not mad that I told him I love him? What if he just doesn't feel the same way?' She recalled Ayame's words at the spa: `I've heard he's absolute heaven in bed, you'll have to tell me!' Even Sango had said it so matter-of-factly… `You didn't expect him to wait forever, did you, Kagome? After all… he thought-' Kagome sighed, fighting the urge to lean back in his arms to his warmth. `Don't think about it… yeah, right. What's not to think about? The man I love is five hundred years older than when I met him a year ago… he's more experienced, now. He's been with real women…and I'm just a kid in comparison. He's not holding me because he wants me. He's holding me because he hates to see me cry.'

 

Noticing the girl had fallen into thought - painful, sad thoughts if her scent was any indication… and it always was, damn it - InuYasha wiggled his arms a bit to get her attention. “Kagome?” She jerked back to the here-and-now. “What were you going to say?”

 

Kagome wracked her brain. `I can't tell him what I'm really thinking…' “W-well… you know, because you were so mad at me before. Before I came here and when I started school...” she trailed off, not sure where to take that.

 

InuYasha closed his eyes, remembering painfully the harsh words he'd thrown at her in his anger. `How the hell can she say she loves me when I treat her like dirt? I've always done it, damn it… I don't deserve her. Kami-sama knows I've always doubted her, even though she's been nothing but loyal to me… and I repay her by going off with all those other bitches…' “Feh… I wasn't mad at you.” She twisted around, giving him a look that clearly stated she didn't believe him. “Well, fine. I was. Sneaky wench. But I shouldn't have been.” It pained him to say the next sentence, “I-I… was w-wrong, bitch, and shouldn't have taken it out on you. I was the dumbass who broke the damn well.” His rather reluctant admission brought a sunny smile to her face.

 

“I just… I hated living all those years without you. I swore I'd be alone the rest of my life.” He suddenly recalled her attitude last night when he hadn't responded to her admission. “And for what it's worth… I mean, last night and all…” Kagome tensed in his arms. He gulped, leaning forward and putting his mouth near her ear. “You too, wench.”

 

**********

 

Her breath came in heavy, harsh pants as she finally slowed, realizing nobody had given chase.

 

`Why? Why didn't they come after me?' After the encounter with the group of people her master had hunted for centuries, Chiaki was completely out of sorts. `How can I love somebody I don't ever remember meeting? What was my history before this life?' Just as she'd known all along she was not always youkai, just as she'd known she'd lived a previous life, she knew she'd met that particular group before. The emotions they'd raised in her frightened her in their intensity. Hatred, sorrow, love, longing… even need to the point of obsession.

 

`I need answers. My master has been kind thus far. There is no reason why he will not provide me with the answers I seek.' She reached out with her youki, searching the dark until she felt his ominous barrier. She moved toward it and none too soon; as she stepped within its stifling confines, she hear rain begin to patter above her.

 

“Beautiful Chiaki… you disappoint me…” Naraku's oily voice gave her pause. She'd never quite heard that tone from him before. She gazed at him. Weeks of solitude had given him the power to take a wispy form again. “Why did you not do as I ordered you?”

 

Ki lifted her head, refusing to bow. She was a youkai of the earth! She created life and could take it just as easily. He had no business questioning her when she herself was searching for answers!

 

“Master Naraku, tell me. When I laid eyes on the dangerous miko you sent me to slay, I had expected to meet a venerable woman. Instead, she's a child! How is that child dangerous to you?”

 

Naraku's eyes narrowed. “Are you questioning my judgment, dear Ki? Even you should have been able to feel the power welling up around that girl. She is virtually untrained and thus very dangerous, as she is not afraid of over-extending herself past her limits. Though such a move would be fatal to her; it could be deadly to us, as well. But you failed me. I told you to kill them. I told you to bring me the Shikon!” His voice was growing louder, echoing in the bubble he'd created. “Yet there is no sign of blood on your hands! You bear no jewel! You would betray ME?”

 

Ki hung her head, unwilling to meet the anger in his gaze. She had been unfaithful, had wavered in her loyalty to a man who'd shown her nothing but kindness. “I am sorry, master. I was unable to deal with the confusion my mind was in after meeting them and fled,” the last part came out as a hoarse, ashamed whisper.

 

Naraku sighed, not unkindly, and reached out to caress Ki's cheek with his mostly non-existent hand. “I shall forgive you this time. Perhaps next time, and there WILL be a next time, you will be less inclined to ignore my orders. I did not want to do this, but I will share some information with you. Do you know how you came to be?”

 

Ki shook her head. “No, master. I do not believe I was youkai before I lived with you…”

 

Naraku nodded. “Indeed, you were not. You were human. I knew you hundreds of years ago, Ki, when we were in love. Before you came to be with me, you loved the hanyou. But he betrayed you. He went off with the girl, Kagome, who trapped you in a false existence and stole most of your soul. She took the jewel from you and shattered it rather than give you the jewel back. She knew with its powers, you would gain your full soul back. In fact, both the hanyou InuYasha and Kagome tried to kill you. In the end, though I tried to save your life, you slipped away. And now, I have returned you to your existence, stronger than before. You owe me your life and your soul, Chiaki.”

 

Ki was silent, contemplating all he'd said. If they'd known each other hundreds of years ago, why was she just now living as a youkai? How did he find her? What was his plan? Ki knew there was something she wasn't being told… but she also knew that she hated Kagome, hated InuYasha… she swore then to kill them and regain the Shikon's power. Perhaps with that power, her master would assist her in regaining the rest of her memories.

 

“Now, go sleep. We are leaving for Japan tomorrow. The Council will dis-band tonight and our prey will be out of reach.”

 

With a sweep of her hand, Ki created a comfortable hollow in which to bed down for the night. If her master said they'd be leaving the next day, they most certainly would be up early and she wished to sleep properly beforehand. Youkai themselves did not require much sleep; she assumed the comfort she gained from such an act was a remnant from her previous life.

 

That hanyou, InuYasha… he was holding her, arms wrapped tightly around her. He was wearing a rough fur jacket of some sort, loose and scratchy against her skin. She knew it had to be scratchy… but the touch of it felt diminished, as though her sense of touch wasn't quite up to par. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, began to crack around her. Glowing lights grew and they began to sink toward an area of great heat.

 

`Hell! He's trying to take me to hell!' Ki was trapped in his arms; she vaguely realized her arms were around him, too. She couldn't move! He must have put her under some sort of spell…

 

“Ki-!” That girl… the child-miko. She was against a tree, with serpents hovering around her. She was shouting something… Ki couldn't make it out past the rumble of rock around her.

 

`Wait… that child is a miko! These balls around me… creating the spell… they are spiritually based! Is she the one trying to send me to hell? Does she command those creatures?' The child-miko let out a harsh scream for the hanyou in her arms. Suddenly his head snapped up to look at the other girl. He leapt to her side, leaving Ki in the gaping tunnel they'd begun to form to Hell. Tears inexplicably pricked her eyes, she wiped them quickly.

 

Before she knew what was happening, the child-miko's serpents were carrying her away… and Ki wondered `Why? What did I do to deserve this treatment?'

 

Ki woke up, gasping, clutching her chest and almost expecting to find herself hovering in the air.

 

**********

 

“Here y'are!” Dai grinned at Kagome and Sarah, handing the kitsune hanyou's bags to one of the attendants on Sesshomaru's private jet. “Hope ya'll had a hell o' a time.” Sarah nodded quickly.

 

“It was awesome, wasn't it, Kagome?” Kagome agreed with her friend, making sure to thank Kouga and Ayame as well for their hospitality.

 

“You're never a problem, Kagome,” Kouga said seriously, again taking Kagome's hands in his. “If there's ever anything we can do for you, don't hesitate to let us know. And if dog-shit here gives you any problems,” he continued over InuYasha's rising growls, “you're welcome with us. As you saw, we have plenty of room, and Dai's still available.” Sarah's higher-pitched growl joined InuYasha's.

 

Kagome bit back a sigh, disentangling her hands from Kouga's. “My family is in Japan, Kouga, you know that. But thank you, anyway.”

 

An hour later, they were in the sky, preparing to cross the Pacific. Kagome leaned back in her seat, a bit awed by the comfort and glamour the interior of the plane exuded. `Then again,' she thought wryly, `this is one of Sesshomaru's planes. Only perfection for somebody like him, right?' She waved her hand as an attendant asked in she wanted anything. The only thing she wanted that moment was to snuggle up in the extra-fluffy seat (`More like a recliner!' Kagome had thought, staring at them in awe) and sleep until they landed.

 

“Oi, wench,” InuYasha called, making his way across the cabin. Apparently her nap was just not meant to be… “I forgot to tell you before, but your mom's getting out of the hospital. Sesshomaru's men finished on the house and the shrine last week; we furnished it and they'll be moving back in this week. We'll have people watching the shrine to make sure nothing gets at them.”

 

Kagome's faced lit up, visions of her old bedroom dancing in her head. “That's great,” she exclaimed, completely honest. “I miss them so much…” Her smile drooped a bit as she remembered her brother was still in the hospital, and knew that if InuYasha hadn't said anything, he was probably still in a coma. It appeared he'd gotten a stronger dose of the miasma, having been not even a foot away from where Naraku had formed. “It'll be nice for things to go back to as normal as they can be,” Kagome continued. “Living with Mama, going to school, seeing my other friends again…”

 

`It's kind of weird being around InuYasha, Sango and Miroku,' Kagome thought, feeling somewhat guilty, `But I can't help it. It's like they moved on without me. I guess I never really thought about it before, back when I was going back and forth between worlds.' Kagome was pulled from her thoughts by InuYasha's voice, which had steadily grown louder as he realized she wasn't listening.

 

“Wench! I'm fucking talking to you!” All eyes were on the duo at this point, and Kagome responded with her usual reaction, refusing to back down in front of everybody.

 

“And I was thinking! Just because you usually don't doesn't mean the rest of us have the luxury!”

 

InuYasha's eyes went wide, not expecting her to fire back at him so harshly. It grated on his nerves, but he fought the instinct to discipline the wench. “I said,” he choked out through bitterly clenched teeth, “that you're not going back to live with your family.”

 

“Excuse me?” Kagome gaped. Sure, he'd kept her in the Sengoku Jidai for weeks on end… but this was different. “Excuse me?! Just where do you think I'll be staying?”

 

“Feh, at the den, of course.” InuYasha knew from Kagome's tone that she was rather less than impressed at his statement. In fact, he was standing on shaky ground and was quite aware of it. But this was something he was not about to back down on. Kagome blinked, apparently astonished beyond words at his proclamation. He took advantage of her silence and pressed the point. “You ain't going back to the shrine with the shards. It's not safe for you and it's not safe for your family. Hell, I wouldn't fucking let you go to school if I didn't know Tsukiyoshi, Hitomu and Sarah would be there.”

 

“Let?!” Kagome shrieked, much to the dismay of the youkai on the plane. “What do you mean let me? Who are you to tell me what to do? In fact, who are you to tell me where I'm going to live?” Only the knowledge that they were over pure, uninterrupted ocean kept Kagome from slamming InuYasha through the floor of the plane. She wanted to mutilate him, not kill him.

 

Seeing things escalate, and realizing that InuYasha was unnervingly close to losing it in an enclosed tube several miles above the ocean, Miroku intervened. “Kagome,” he interrupted calmly, “Remember that the Council wished for you to be near a youkai at all times, to help protect the jewel-”

 

Kagome scoffed, a rather un-Kagome-like action, “That same Council tried to take the jewel away from me! Are you going to listen to them, too?” Internally, she wondered where her sarcasm was coming from. Certainly, she'd always had a fiery temper, to which dozens of InuYasha-shaped craters across the domain of Musashi could be attributed, but she'd never quite had this sort of attitude. Heck, she was acting almost like InuYasha!

 

Miroku cringed, realizing that the miko was quite a force to be reckoned with at the moment. He turned a pleading glance to Hitomu, who looked back at his book, whistling as though he hadn't heard a word of the argument, and then to Sango, who took pity on him.

 

Sango stood, walking slowly over to her distraught sister. “Kagome, most of the Council thought it was a horrible idea to take the jewel away, especially when we proved that only you can keep it safe. But just like you protect the jewel… it's our job to protect you. We want to keep you safe, so you can grow older and become a member of our pack.”

 

Kagome turned to Sango, an anxious expression on her face. Sango's heart nearly broke. “I know you miss your family. But… but you're our family, too. I don't care what the Council says. You're one of us. You helped all of us when we needed it. Now let us help you.”

 

Kagome sighed, lowering her head in acquiescence but obviously not liking it one bit. “Fine,” she bit out, feeling InuYasha's triumphant smirk and refusing to acknowledge it. “You are all older and wiser than I am, who am I to know what's good for me?” She inwardly marveled at the sarcasm absolutely dripping from the statement… and then felt incredibly guilty as Sango pulled her hand off her shoulder as though burned. `What is wrong with me?' Kagome wanted to cry.

 

“Wench…” InuYasha's voice was hesitant, making her feel even worse. Obviously her bad attitude was affecting him, as well. `Well, at least he isn't bragging about winning,' she thought meanly, once again feeling guilty for thinking that way. He just wanted to keep her safe, right? So why was she lashing out at them? “It… it ain't that we don't want you to see your family. You just… you shouldn't be staying there. Not yet. You don't want them in any more danger, do you? We'll still take you to see them,” he offered.

 

Feeling weary, unwilling to argue anymore, Kagome sighed and nodded. She refused to look up. She knew - she just knew - his ears would be flat against his head in a sign of absolute dejection, and she felt guilty enough as it was.

 

The rest of the plane ride was silent. Laying down, burying her face and stifling her tears in a pillow, one thought echoed in Kagome's mind. `What is wrong with me?'

 

**********

 

Kagome stifled a yawn as her math teacher droned on. Taking a few notes, she angled her head to the side, grinning at Hitomu, who was nodding off over his book to her right. They'd been up late the night before practicing for their choir performance; the group had missed everybody else and only given a few days to catch up. The practice had paid off; Kagome was sure they'd be given a passing grade. Now, they were starting to focus on popular American music genres; Sarah had been thrilled and swore to play as much of it as possible for them in the coming days.

 

Four seats ahead of her, Tsukiyoshi looked completely calm and unflappable. `Figures. Youkai stamina, he probably doesn't need to sleep at all.' Kagome recalled the times InuYasha would stay awake, late into the night, obviously much later than the rest of them, if he fell asleep at all. Even then, he'd be the first awake, chivvying everybody else into “getting on the road”. She forced those thoughts out of her head quickly. Though he was going out of his way to be nice and helpful to Kagome (which almost scared her as it was), she couldn't help the flash of irritation that accompanied thoughts of him recently.

 

Kagome was interrupted from her musings by the creak of the door, and swiveled in her seat with much of the rest of the class to see a tall blonde youkai enter. Kagome gasped. `Chiaki…' A look to Tsukiyoshi and Hitomu confirmed their suspicions - this was the mysterious youkai she, InuYasha, Sango and Miroku had encountered outside the Council meeting. Removing her ring for a moment, Kagome saw what most everybody else did: a young woman of the same height with black, wavy hair and dark brown eyes. Kagome gulped. `If I didn't know I was Kikyou's reincarnation, I might think-'

 

Her sensei looked up, having read the note in the new girl's hand. “Students, this is Onigumo Chiaki. Let us welcome her warmly to our school. Now, it says here she is quite familiar with Higurashi Kagome. Chiaki, there's a seat open next to her, why don't you sit there? Kagome, I expect you to show your friend around the next few days.”

 

Eyes wide, Kagome nonetheless nodded, making sure her ring was again secure on her finger and being sure to tuck the jewel as far down her shirt as the chain would allow.

 

Chiaki sat, smiling demurely over Kagome's shoulder at Hitomu before turning a rather evil-looking (in Kagome's estimation) smirk at the girl. “Gee, Kagome, I certainly hope we can be friends…”

 

A/N:

 

Ki's nightmare is based on manga chapters 76 & 77.

 

Random note: I love Ki. Her character evolved VASTLY, overnight, at 3am. It was ridiculous - I woke up from a sound sleep after a GIANT RAMPAGING PLOT BUNNY hopped across my bed and demanded to be heard. Ew, carrot-breath at 3am! I've read a *lot* of fanfiction and as far as I know, Ki's story is 100% original. I'm super-super-super psyched and I hope you're all buckled in for the ride!

 

Let's hear it for the wave of inspiration I've had recently! I've found that as long as I can find the *time* to write, I'm able to churn chapters out quickly! I've even managed to sketch out the next few chapters, so hopefully you won't be waiting long for the next one. That being said - I'm swamped at work with election stuff, so finding time to write is nearly killing me. I've taken to writing at work when I'm supposed to be doing other stuff (shhhh! It's our little secret!).

 

I love all my reviewers! Specifically -

kodiaqkitten - (Arata's a lot of fun… and you're not the only one dreaming of sexy youkai in cowboy gear! Ginny, the doll, totally hooked me up with some Yasha-in-chaps action [link's in my reviews]… *swoon*)

Sovereignty

Lunabell

kokoronagomu

loretta537 - (You get the “great catch” award! For some reason, the chapter went screwy, so I had to scramble to figure out how to fix that. I have no idea why I didn't catch it at work!)

inuyashaloverr - (I didn't make you cling too long, see?)

angel-up-above-heaven - (And now you know!)

wbk - (*puts on a tinfoil hat* There will be no reading the author's mind! *grins*)

Deathmvp

CatLover260 - (Haha, I enjoyed putting Shippou up on par with Sesshomaru. Can you imagine what a blow to Fluffy's ego that must have been? Be careful when caring for any injuries gotten from sitting on pins and needles - infection can happen!)

KayAkuma

 

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any other characters from the anime/manga. They all belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

I do, however, own the original characters in this story. Please don't steal them! (I may let you borrow them if you ask politely.)