InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ This Year Might Just Be A Little Bit Different ❯ Kikyo and Sinna ( Chapter 10 )

Chapter 10: Kikyo and Sinna

 

Yami-396

 

Sorry for the wait. I didn't want to deal with Kikyo.

 

Dedicated to: Sedona, `cause Sedona's reviews rock.

 

Disclaimer: I don't own nothing except for Sinna.

 

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“Kikyo?” Kagome's voice wavered slightly. Her mother nodded, seemingly unaware of her daughter's apprehension.

 

“Isn't it wonderful! We haven't seen her in such a long time!” Kagome didn't mention the reason they hadn't seen Kikyo in so long was because she had taken residence in a shrine on a completely different island, and was training to become a miko there, for whatever reason that may be. “You two must have so much to talk about! You're not that far apart in age.”

 

“Three years can be considered a bit of a gap,” Kagome said sullenly. “And we've never gotten along, even when we were little.”

 

It was true, the first true memory of Kikyo Kagome had was back when Kagome had been seven, and Kikyo, in her lofty ten-year-old voice, had told her she acted too childish for Kikyo to `hang around with,' as she had put it. Ever since then, the two girls never spoke to each other much, speaking only when absolutely necessary, or, only if to exchange slight insults. They had lost touch when Kikyo was seventeen, only to learn a year later that she had started training, something her grandfather had been ecstatic about, following Kagome around the house for a week, telling her she should do the same. Finally, her mother put an end to it, saying that one miko in the family was enough.

 

“Famous last words,” Kagome thought, nervously twisting her fingers together. “Which room will she be staying in,” she asked aloud. “We don't have any guest rooms…”

 

“Actually,” her mother began, turning to Kagome, eyes sparkling happily. “She asked to share your room.” Kagome sincerely hoped her jaw wasn't frozen in place, and that the pressure wouldn't crack any teeth. “I think it would be good for the both of you,” her mother continued, either blissfully unaware of Kagome's stiff demeanor, or steadily ignoring it.

 

“Are you sure it's wise, Saiya?” Midoriko's voice drifted in from the hallway. Kagome jumped; Midoriko had a nasty habit of sneaking up on people, and talking to them through doorways or from hallways. She looked around cautiously, as if expecting a demon to be listening from a corner. “Does she know about the jewel?”

 

“I suppose so,” Saiya replied, shrugging slightly. “I don't know how much her parents have told her, or if her instructor has ties to our family.”

 

“Can she be trusted?”

 

“With secrets, no,” Kagome interjected somewhat sulkily. Saiya looked sharply at her, but Kagome only crossed her arms, frowning defiantly.

 

“She's very trustworthy,” Saiya contradicted her daughter's opinion. Kagome snorted. The memory of the time when she had a crush on Hojo Akito back in the third grade was still fresh on her mind.

 

Kikyo and she had been going to the same school at the time, and every girl in the seventh grade had a crush on him. Hojo-kun, as he was called, however, was always a bit dazed, and therefore, never really paid too much attention to the swarms of girls that surrounded him. Kagome acted as if she didn't like him, but deep down, she knew she was in denial, and, one day, in a fit of jealousy, anger, and sadness, blurted out the whole thing to Kikyo. Two days later, the entire population of the secondary school knew. And that was when the teasing started, extending to the point where even now, some of her oldest friends still joked around about it. To Kagome, though, it had been humiliating, and had destroyed any ounce of trust she might have had in Kikyo.

 

“Kagome's just a little bitter to her, that's all.” Saiya was still speaking, evidently trying to explain Kagome's less than appealing behavior.

 

“It's not that I'm bitter,” Kagome snapped defensively. “She was the one who was always being sarcastic, or always had something to say to me.” Midoriko sighed.

 

“Just don't let it get in the way of your training.”

 

“You said I was done for the week!”

 

“I did? I don't remember.”

 

“You…”

 

“Tomorrow. In the backyard. Right after school.” Midoriko left no room for argument. Kagome grumbled something about evil sensei and bratty cousins, stalking off upstairs to call Sango and wail a little bit, just to relieve some stress. Saiya and Midoriko exchanged secret smiles, and the latter slipped away to gaze out the window, the small smile adorning her face slowly tightening, morphing into a straight firm line, one that clearly showed something was not right.

 

Midoriko had her reasons for taking back her promise of a week off for her student. The arrival of this cousin, this Kikyo woman, was in sync with the bad tidings the spirits and that apparition had predicted. Before she had come into the house just in time to hear the snippet of conversation between Kagome and Saiya, she had been paying a visit to one such spirit under the Go-Shinboku.

 

“She is coming nearer,” Daisuke said, cryptic as usual.

 

“Who?” Midoriko probed.

 

“I cannot tell you, Milady.”

 

“Daisuke.” Midoriko's tone was flat. Daisuke grinned. Sixty-seven years of being suspended between life and death had no effect on his dry sense of humor. However, as he spoke, he became serious, the mischief leaving his eyes.

 

“I would tell you if I knew, you know that,” he said. “But there is only so much we can find out. Naraku is acutely aware of our presence, and he is careful to guard his secrets. You remember Manami?” Midoriko nodded. “She got too close to him. She's truly dead now.”

 

“He can kill spirits?” Midoriko asked, feeling her strength ebbing away from her legs. Daisuke nodded grimly.

 

“That is why we do not dare to venture close to him. We can only watch from the shadows. But beware any strange women that come into contact with the Higurashi family, especially Kagome. And it might be best to keep an eye on that hanyou boy, InuYasha. Before Manami was absorbed, she was able to tell Ryuu about a plan that involved the two.”

 

“But what would that do?” Midoriko asked; trying to fit the vague pieces of information she was able to find together to see the master scheme proved near impossible. Something jumped out at her from her thoughts, and, startled, she fixed Daisuke a pointed look. “Wait, you said `absorbed.' How exactly did Manami die?” Daisuke looked slightly disgusted.

 

“He absorbed her. Just like that.” He snapped his ghostly fingers.

 

“Absorbed?”

 

“He wrapped his tentacles around her, and then, she was gone. He sucked her into himself.”

 

“But you shouldn't feel solid at all!”

 

“Tell Naraku that.”

 

“Daisuke! This is serious!”

 

“I am being serious,” he said, shoulders sagging. “Naraku can do a great many things he should not be able to. If I didn't know any better, I would say it was the influence of the Shikon No Tama.”

 

“The Shikon No Tama does not exist,” Midoriko hissed sharply.

 

“You and both know that Naraku knows about the jewel, as well as do the demons that follow him, so the façade does no good, ” Daisuke pointed out, and as much as it pained her to admit it, he was right. Many of the lesser demons that had gone underground centuries before were slowly ascending back to the human world, lured by Naraku and his false pretences that they would be greatly rewarded for their services.

 

“Yes, I am well aware of that,” Midoriko murmured. “Just as I am well aware of the snake demon who is currently slithering through the bushes!” At her shout, the bushes rustled, and a large snake lunged out at her, its disjointed jaws hanging open, showing abominable fangs dripping deadly venom. It rushed at its prey, confident it could take the down the already dead miko. Midoriko's eyes bored into its own, her own body unmoving, and when it was less than an inch from closing its gapping maw on her, she suddenly sprang into action.

 

“Shinasari!” she bellowed, leaping back, and pushing her hands and arms in front of her, directly in the path of the snake demon. Her thumbs and forefingers on both hands met to form a triangle, with the rest of her fingers splayed out, and from the triangle, a blast of blue light spiraled out, colliding with the snake demon, slipping into its demonic aura, engulfing it, purifying it from the inside out. A screech sounded from the demon, suspended momentarily in mid-strike, and then it imploded onto itself, leaving behind only scorched remains of demonic flesh trailing from the air to land on the burnt grass. Midoriko sighed and dropped her hands.

 

“Overdue it much?” Daisuke asked, semi-sarcastically, surveying the damage inflicted on the surrounding area.

 

“There are others watching. I thought it best to make a statement,” Midoriko explained, kicking a rather large piece of flesh away from her, purifying it more as it came into contact with her being.

 

“Just be careful. You'll alert Naraku.”

 

“Perhaps it's best to lure him out.”

 

“And put your student and her family in danger.”

 

“…True,” Midoriko admitted. “But from what you report, they are already in great danger. Are you sure you know nothing about this woman?”

 

“I have told you all I know, Midoriko. I'll try to find out more, but Naraku has become even more secretive now that his plan is in motion. He has gone underground.” Midoriko swore, earning an amused look from Daisuke, who continued, “We'll monitor the local demons' activity, even the ones that have made a name for themselves, and we can have Ryuu watch the girl.” Midoriko nodded her approval.

 

“One more thing.” Daisuke looked back at her expectantly. “Keep safe, Daisuke.” He flashed her his cheekiest grin.

 

“Whatever my lady wishes, will be my command,” he said, sweeping into a low bow. But he too was worried. He just hid it a lot better than Midoriko could.

 

She tapped the windowpane to some tuneless rhythm, listening to the faint boopings and whirrings of Sota's video game, the slight rustle of Saiya's skirt as she walked to and from the kitchen to the living room, and to the slightly whining voice of Kagome from on top of the stairs. Midoriko rested her head on the cool glass. “There has to be some way to stop this.”

 

“I'm telling you, Sango-chan, I have no life anymore!” Kagome sighed into the phone. “Watch, when it comes time to graduate, I'm not even going to realize it!”

 

“It can't be that bad,” Sango said, her voice slightly muffled.

 

“Are you eating?”

 

Silence.

 

“No…”

 

“Yes, you are.”

 

“Well, you called just as I sat down to watch television, Kagome-chan. I'm allowed to binge on cake every once in a while.”

 

“This coming from the girl who refuses to eat the school lunch because she says it's too unhealthy,” Kagome muttered.

 

“That food is toxic. It'll kill you!” Sango said, balancing the phone on her shoulder, while juggling the remote control, her plate, and her fork. “Did you hear the news tonight?”

 

“I don't watch television anymore! Remember? I have no life!”

 

“Oh, come off it,” Sango brushed aside Kagome's complaints. “Anyway, they said that some demons from underground have been spotted recently.”

 

The phone crashed with a jangle. Kagome froze, one hand still at her ear, clutching empty air where the receiver had been.

 

“Kagome-chan? Kagome-chan! What happened!?” Sango's worried voice was muted by the plush carpeting.

 

“S-sorry, Sango-chan,” Kagome apologized, scooping up the receiver. “I was just a little startled, that's all.”

 

“You don't think it could be because of the you-know-what,” Sango whispered urgently. “I mean…”

 

“No, it can't be,” Kagome said firmly, though she had trouble convincing herself of that. “It's nothing but a few random demons getting big egos.” But still, her voice quavered.

 

“Listen Kagome-chan, I would love to talk, but Kohaku wants to use the phone,” Sango said, knowing her best friend needed some alone time. And Sango also wanted to check up on something, something she knew Kagome wouldn't have approved of if she knew.

 

Once Kagome had hung up, Sango took a deep breath, tried to calm her racing heart, and dialed the number she had memorized, telling herself it was because the number was too east not to know by heart. After several rings, a deep, silvery masculine voice answered.

 

“Hello, Houshi residence.” Sango tried to breathe, but found, that for some strange reason, her throat was stuck.

 

“Can I speak to Miroku please,” she near whispered, completely out of breath. There was a pause and then muffled shouting issued from the phone.

 

“Miroku! There's a girl on the phone for you! She'd better not be calling because you asked her to bear you children!” Sango blushed. There was another pause, and the voice asked her, “Can I have your name please?”

 

“It's Sango.”

 

“Sango's calling!” All at once she heard Miroku's voice.

 

“Well, why didn't you say so!” There was some scuffling, and then Miroku came on, causing Sango's heart to stop before speeding up again. “My dear Sango-chan! Why might you be calling my house at this time of night?”

 

“Can it, Houshi-kun,” she said sharply, fighting down the impulse to giggle like a loon. “I need you to tell me something.”

 

“Tell you I think you're the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on? I believe I told you that just two days ago,” he said, his grin visible through the phone.

 

“Can you ever be serious?” she asked, exasperated to the point where she wanted to hang up.

 

“But I am Sango-chan! I would be honored if you would bear my children.”

 

“Miroku!” Sango yelled, leaping out of her seat to glare at the phone, daring him to say more. Instead, she heard only laughter. “What's so funny!?” she demanded.

 

“You've finally called me by my name!” Sango's jaw dropped, and heat crept up her face.

 

“So what if I did,” she muttered, cursing herself for the slip.

 

“If I give you the information you want, will you keep calling me by my given name?” Miroku asked, and Sango could just see that oh-so-innocent smirk playing across his lips, which of course, made her think of his lips, and that made her all flustered again, thus bringing her back to square one.

 

“It depends on how much information you give, and how good it is,” she said. Two could play at that game.

 

“What would you like to know?”

 

“What do you know about the Shikon No Tama?” Miroku stared at the phone for a minute.

 

“Why do you want to know about the Sacred Jewel, Sango?” he asked, all traces of playfulness gone.

 

“That doesn't matter. Just tell me all you know about it.” She had honor, and she wasn't about to betray Kagome's trust.

 

“Does this have anything to do with Kagome's attitude as of late?” Miroku asked, hitting the nail on the head. Sango sat stunned for a few moments. That pervert was more aware than she gave him credit for. “Quick, gotta stall him!”

 

“Look, Miroku,” she said, hoping to appeal to him by using his name. “I can't tell you. It's sort of an honor thing, but if you tell me what I need to know, I promise to tell you everything I know.” She cringed. “But you have to swear to keep it a secret. You can't tell anyone.”

 

“It's that important?”

 

“I guess betraying your best friend's trust doesn't count to you.”

 

“I'm hurt, Sango-chan.” The playfulness was back, but was that a good thing? “But.” His voice changed again. “You in return must also swear to answer all of my questions.” Sango bit her lip. On one hand, she needed Miroku's help, but on the other, she had only known him for a few months, six or seven at best. Yet, she somehow knew that he was not the double-crossing type. “No,” her conscience supplied. “You're the double-crossing one.” She chose to ignore that, though the thought alone clawed at her chest. Was this how Kagome felt every time she lied to InuYasha about her situation? Sango took a deep breath, and then plunged in.

 

“Tell me everything.” Miroku took the initiative, sounding as if he was reciting a well-learned lesson, rather than telling Sango secrets that should never have even existed.

 

“The legend of The Shikon No Tama, or Sacred Jewel as it is sometimes called, originated back in the days of Feudal Japan, where it was rumored to have come into existence when a powerful priestess who supposedly existed several eras before died during battle with an incredibly powerful demon. In a last ditch effort; she expelled both her soul and the demon's soul, the two intertwining in to one crystallized jewel. As the legends have it, the two souls are forever fighting for dominance within the jewel, their success depending on who or what is currently possessing the jewel.

 

“If it is a demon, the demonic soul will come into dominance, thus tainting the jewel, but if it is possessed by a miko, or another pure soul, the priestess's soul will come into dominance, and the jewel is purified.

 

“The legends all differ on the fate of the Shikon No Tama. In some, it was destroyed, sometimes by a miko, others, a battle like the one between the priestess and the demon took place, and the sacrifice of the battler's life to kill the demon was enough to sate the jewel. In the rest, however, the jewel stills exists today, carefully hidden and protected from demons by mikos and priests.

 

“While these legends differ from one another during some point in the narrative, one fact remains the same throughout all of them; a fact that believers never hesitate to point out when challenged. All of the legends agree on the priestess's name.

 

“Midoriko.”

 

Silence.

 

“Are you okay, Sango?”

 

“Just a little…” Sango trailed off. What was she supposed to say? She was just a little shaken? There were no words to describe how she felt, now, or at the moment she heard the priestess's name, the one that was to have died long before The Warring States Era began. And yet, maybe about an hour ago, Kagome had called, looking for sympathy from a friend, complaining bitterly about her `evil sensei,' Midoriko.

 

Coincidence? Sango knew better than that. Kagome's involvement with the Sacred Jewel, and the vague details Kagome had given her about finding a tutor, fit too closely together to be mere coincidences. No, whatever Kagome had gotten herself into went deeper than she knew, or anyone else knew, for that matter.

 

“Sango-chan, have you died on me?” She jumped at the voice rising from the phone she held in her hands, knuckles white from clutching at it.

 

“No, no, I'm here,” she assured him, trying to keep the quiver out of her voice. She was strong, damn it! She was not going to cry!

 

“Well then, I've told you everything I know, now it's time for you to answer my questions,” he said, grinning.

 

“Fine. What do you want to know?”

 

“First off, Sango-chan, you must be completely honest with me, okay?”

 

“Yes, Miroku, totally honest, no holding anything back.” Her voice was tired.

 

“You promise.”

 

“Yes!” Wait, now it was slightly aggravated.

 

“…Sango-chan, what exactly is your bra size?”

 

There was shocked silence. Then, a sharp curse that even InuYasha would have been proud of, a bang, and then the dial tone played lazily in Miroku's ear. Still grinning like the Cheshire Cat, he replaced the receiver back on its hook. He would ask Sango why she needed to know about the Shikon No Tama when they went to school. He had heard the quavering in her voice when she first spoke after he told her the legend, and rather than have her break down on him, he made her angry enough to forget what was troubling her, at least, for the moment. Besides, he was never that good with crying girls. Sure, he could comfort the latest victim of InuYasha callousness sometimes, but then he would usually throw her his famous pick-up line and, basically, that wouldn't work with Sango.

 

Of course, that was the plan, and because the montage group of friends seemed to be living Murphy's Law at the present, the plan had to be revised.

 

The first revision came the next day at school during homeroom. Mayuko surprised them all with the announcement of a new student, something very rare to happen that late in the school year.

 

“So, who do you think it is?” Kagome asked, ignoring the general hubbub of the classroom. InuYasha snorted.

 

“Hope it's a guy. There's too many girls hanging around here,” he said, placing both arms behind his head and reclining back in his seat. Sango rolled her eyes.

 

“If you be quiet a minute, you'll find out,” she said, pointing to the front of the class where a young woman stood shyly, fidgeting slightly with the hem of her skirt, and scuffing the floor with the toe of her shoe. InuYasha groaned and put his head on the desk, telling Kagome to wake him up when first period ended.

 

“Umm…Hello,” the woman spoke tentatively, as if seeking assurance she was welcome from the blank class. Upon receiving no indication of any emotion, she rushed on. “My name is Koyokashi Sinna, and I've just moved here from Sendai, and I hope I'm no trouble to you at all…soI'mjustgoingtogositoverhere,” she mumbled, fleeing to nearest open seat, face flaming. Kagome, ever the sympathetic, reached over and patted her on the back, earning a very small smile from Sinna, which Kagome returned warmly.

 

During the few classes Sinna and Kagome shared, Kagome noticed that although she seemed friendly enough, Sinna kept to herself mostly, eating at an empty table at lunch, and sitting by herself in classes. She talked to the few students that ventured near her, and even giggled with them over a small joke, but, for the most part, she remained aloof. A few times, she caught Kagome's eye, and though Kagome blushed out of embarrassment, Sinna always smiled, and one time, when Kagome was so embarrassed, she nearly fell out of her chair, she outright laughed, bending over her desk in an attempt to stop herself.

 

“She seems nice,” Sango said to Kagome later on in twelfth period. Kagome nodded.

 

“Maybe we should say something to her. But not you!” she said sharply to Miroku, who had perked up at the mention of `say something' and `her.' “We all know what you'll say.”

 

“If that's the behavior expected of me, then I must not disappoint,” he said, getting out of his chair and moving towards the window, smirking the whole way. Kagome raised her eyebrows at Sango, who in turn, shrugged, and joined the rest of class in watching Miroku's latest stunt. “Sinna-chan!” he called out; she had gym that period. “Will you bear my children?”

 

“That's enough from you,” Sango hissed, moving with blinding speed to the window, where she decidedly put a stop to Miroku's antics simply by pinning his head to the windowsill with the window itself, using it as one would a guillotine. “Are you done?” Miroku looked as he was about to die, his face blue, and arms flailing about in every direction. Hysterics from the rest of the class ensued, only halting when Sesshoumaru appeared at the door. He didn't seem the least perturbed by Miroku's condition, pausing long enough only to smirk and inform him that he had detention.

 

“That was mean, Sango-chan,” Kagome admonished her friend when the bell rang. Sango shrugged.

 

“The hentai had it coming,” was all she said. InuYasha too shared the same opinion.

 

“Better him than me,” he said. “You want a ride?”

 

“Sure!”

 

“The invitation wasn't open to you, Sango.”

 

“Wait a minute, you guys,” Kagome said, moving away from the two towards Sinna's figure waiting by the curb, sliding in and out of view as groups of friends and students passed by. “Hey!” she said brightly, and Sinna jumped. “Oh, I'm sorry!”

 

“It's okay, I just didn't see you there,” Sinna dismissed the apology, waving her hand. “You're Higurashi-san, right?”

 

“Please, call me Kagome.”

 

“Only if you call me Sinna.” The two grinned, bonds of friendship already forming. “That was your friend in the window?” Kagome cringed.

 

“Sorry about him,” she said. “He's always like that. If he offended you…”

 

“No, I don't mind. In truth, I'm glad for the attention,” she said, nervously pulling her collar length hair. “I'm shy, so I don't normally talk to people, and sometimes they get the wrong idea and think I'm stuck-up, so it's okay. Was that girl his girlfriend? If it was, tell her I'm really sorry, and if she's angry with me I'll…” Kagome held up her hand, silencing the agitated girl.

 

“You can say Sango-chan's Miroku's girlfriend.” Kagome stopped at the horrified look on Sinna's face, trying not to show she was joking. “But, neither one of them will admit it, and Sango-chan knows how Miroku is, so it's him that she's mad at, not you.” Relief was visible in every feature of Sinna's face, and she exhaled the breath she had been holding.

 

“Good. If I had insulted her or something, I don't know what I'd do!”

 

“Sango-chan's nice like that. Trust me, you'll know if she's real mad at you. You can't miss it.” They both grinned again, but before either one could anything more, a car pulled up beside them and honked.

 

“Oops, there's my ride. I'll see you tomorrow, Kagome,” Sinna said, opening the back door of the car. “Bye!” Kagome waved her goodbye as well, and rejoined Sango and InuYasha.

 

“Yeah, that was a minute,” InuYasha told her, sarcasm exuding from his being. Kagome rolled her eyes.

 

“I was only being nice,” she said. “Now you can be nice and give us a ride!” He shrugged, too tired to argue much, and drove off, just as Miroku exited the school building.

 

“This cannot get any worse!” he muttered, trying to judge the correct direction to walk in by the sun. “The sun sets in the east, right…”

 

~#~-----~#~

 

“Oi, wench.” Kagome looked up, irritated by the nickname. “Why is there a car parked in front of your house.” Kagome looked out the window and moaned.

 

“Damn it!” she snapped in one of the rare instances where she cursed.

 

“What's wrong?” Sango asked, knowing full well that Kagome only cursed when things got really, really bad. Kagome banged her head lightly on the headrest.

 

“My cousin is here.”

 

“Your cousin?” That came from InuYasha.

 

“I never told you about my cousin?.”

 

“You mean the evil one?” That was Sango.

 

“Yep.”

 

“You don't like him?”

 

“I don't like her,” Kagome corrected InuYasha, opening one eye. “We have a history. I'll tell you about it later. Right now, I've got to go bite the bullet.” With that, she climbed out of the car, and shuffled her way up the stairs to the shrine, dragging her feet the whole way up, just to extend the time between then and meeting her cousin again. Unfortunately, she could only stall for so long, and all too soon, she found herself staring at the door. Before she could open it, it was yanked inwards, and Kagome found herself facing the eerily similar to her own face of her cousin.

 

“Kagome.” Short. Simple. Direct. “How nice of you to join us.” Icy. Biting. Degrading.

 

“Kikyo.” Kagome gritted her teeth. “How nicer it would be for you to leave.” Childish. Kikyo smirked.

 

“I'm not sure Aunt Saiya would approve of you speaking to me in that manner,” she said, turning around. “You may come in.” Kagome pulled a face behind her back.

 

“You're inviting me in to my own home?” Kagome asked sarcastically, trying to master InuYasha's tone of voice.

 

“I may as well, since you seem to have no desire to come home.”

 

“I was busy!”

 

“With that InuYasha boy?” Kagome stumbled in shock.

 

“H-how?!” Kikyo waved a hand, wafting it lazily in the air.

 

“Aunt Saiya and Midoriko told me about your relationship with him.” Kagome sighed.

 

“It's nothing for you to be concerned about,” she said, desperately trying to avoid squeaking her voice. It wasn't like she wanted it to, but she was embarrassed, and her voice always jumped a few octaves because of it. “Gotta keep it together, Kagome!” she chanted to herself.

 

“Au contraire.” Kikyo turned toward Kagome this time; her icy brown eyes boring into Kagome warm one. “Consorting with a demon. You shame your family and your abilities.” Kagome froze, anger forming as her fists balled up on their own volition.

 

Later that night, a cell phone rang; it's tuneless beeping echoing off dark slimy walls. A dark shape answered it.

 

“Have you done it?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“What are you waiting for?” the voice, masculine, snapped. “We don't have much time.”

 

“Relax,” the other voice answered, this one a smooth feminine one, calm and detached. Professional. “Soon the two will be separated. I just need a little more time.”

 

“Time is of the essence,” the masculine voice said, promptly hanging up. “Now to the matter at hand,” he said, more to himself than to the other presence in the room. “Would you care to stay awhile, so I can show you what happens to eavesdroppers? No? But I insist.” He cackled manically.

 

Daisuke glared up at him, ghostly arms and legs bound by shackles brimming with dark power, mouth clamped shut by metal.

 

……………………̷ 0;………………………… 230;…………………………& #8230;……………

I made this chapter a little longer than regular length to make up for the short chapter before hand. And it only took a month!

 

I meant to update sooner, but I kind of lost myself to a circle of depression, simply because I lost yet another writing contest, and I lost confidence in my writing. Then I read the winning story, and seeing that it was clichéd, (This is probably just jealousy talking. Don't take my word for it.) decided, “Screw this! I'm finishing that damn chapter!” So, now I'm better, and here's your chapter. I hope you like it. R&R!

 

Shinasari - Loosely translates to purify. I couldn't translate the first two kanji.