InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Unexpeced Allies Part III: Trial of the Century ❯ Kaede Drops the Dime ( Chapter 11 )

{Disclaimer: Anyone who's read this from chapter one of part one knows this already, so…}

Chapter Eleven:

Kaede Drops the Dime

Kagome awoke early the next morning. She wrapped the blanket around her and stared out the window at the rapidly brightening sky above. She sighed and went to the front room of Kaede's hut, making her way cautiously from the back since there was no light. The others were sound asleep, and Kagome noticed Katsumi for the first time. She reached down to touch her shoulder when a clawed hand grabbed hers.

"Grrr….Oh, its only you, Lady Kagome," Katsumi whispered. She released Kagome's hand and sat up against the wall as the others woke up.

"Kagome-chan! Are you feeling better?" Mira asked. Kagome nodded. "I'm a little better, but my clothes look like crap. This was all I brought with me. My mom's going to have a fit."

"Don't worry about clothes," Mira said as she pointed to another pallet in the corner. "Shorin went back to the castle to retrieve decent apparel for our return to the Council."

Shorin appeared in the doorframe a few seconds later with a small, a medium and a large bundle in her arms. She bowed before Mira, then smiled at Kagome as Keni'Chi stretched in a nearby corner.

"What's going on?" he yawned lazily. He spied Kagome in the corner of his eye and smiled. "Nice to see you're still among the living."

Kagome shook her head in amusement as Shorin plopped the bundles on the floor. "Where's Kaede?" Kagome asked.

"Outside assisting to injuries and other such miko stuff," Shorin answered as she reached inside the large bundle. She handed Keni'Chi a small green bundle and directed him to the back of the hut.

"Go change," she instructed as she shoved him into the hallway. Keni'Chi made a move to protest, but it died on his lips when she slid the door closed in his face. Kagome and Mira shook their heads.

"Wouldn't it be funny if they mated?" Mira whispered. Shorin paled as Mira and Kagome giggled at the idea. Shorin tossed Kagome and Mira their bundles, then turned to Katsumi.

"Are you staying with us?"

Katsumi shook her head, stood up and headed for the door. "No. I have family I have not seen in a while. I believe I'll try to find them." She bowed to Kagome with a smile on her face. "Thank you, Kagome-miko-sama. May the Fates protect you." She left the hut without another word.

"Wow," Mira gasped as the door closed behind Katsumi. "You seem to make friends easily."

Kagome blushed as Shorin opened her bundle. She started to undress, earning a stunned look from Kagome.

"I need help getting dressed. I'm not used to wearing these things," Shorin grumbled as she pulled on one of the many layers of her kimono. Mira and Kagome shrugged and handed her another layer.

"I don't think it's a good idea to wear so many layers," Kagome stated as she handed Mira the next layer.

"Why?" Mira asked as she passed the layer to Shorin.

"Just in case we have to fight. So many layers would wear us down."

Mira and Shorin nodded. Shroin reached for the outer kimono, then Mira helped her with the obi as Kagome did her hair. When they finished and Shorin tied her sai to her waist, she turned to Kagome and Mira. "What do you think?"

Kagome and Mira nodded in approval. The silk outer kimono was an creamy ivory, with three blood red layers underneath. Down the left arm of the outer kimono were small black flowers that formed a stripe. The obi around her waist was a blood red/white swirl, with black slippers. Kagome braided her chestnut brown hair into two braids, one that started from the nape of her neck to her crown, the other from her forehead to her crown again. The two were twisted together, then wrapped into a bun at the top of her head, with a single ruby hair pencil for adornment. Shorin patted her hair gingerly.

"This sucks." Kagome and Mira burst into giggles at Shorin's distressed face. Shorin scowled. "I hate this!"

"You're such a tomboy, Shorin," Mira said between laughs. Shorin sighed, then shrugged. "How do you think I became High General? I had to fight at least twenty males, not dress in this frilly crap!"

Kagome patted her shoulder as they helped Mira next. "Don't worry. I'm not too thrilled about this either. I hate all those layers."

Mira sighed. "Young people." Kagome and Shorin smiled in response. They passed Mira her three inner kimono layers, then her outer layer. Shorin did Mira's hair as Kagome tied the obi. Mira held the decorative comb out for Kagome to see. "Kagome-chan, if you need a weapon at short notice, use your comb."

"Why?" Kagome asked, holding the comb in her hand. It was bone white with a small sapphire oval.

"Push the sapphire," Mira instructed. Kagome did and a small blade slid out the other end of the comb.

"Wow."

"I know," Mira beamed as Shorin pinned up the last strands of hair. "My Maru-chan is so smart!"

"Huh?" Kagome said. "What does he have to do with this?"

"All of the accessories of the women of the court are makeshift weapons." Shorin explained. "The fan Lady Mira carries, the pencil in my hair and the combs that will adorn yours and Mira's hair are all an idea of Lord Sesshoumaru's." Mira handed Shorin the comb after Kagome snapped the blade back inside. "He didn't like the idea of his mother being totally helpless in court while his father could carry his sword."

"Wow," Kagome breathed. "Who knew Sesshoumaru could be so creative?"

"All done," Shorin exclaimed as she patted Mira's shoulder. "Let's see."

Mira stood, picked up her fan off the floor and opened it; holding it against her leg. Her silk outer kimono was a bright silver, with a large blue crescent on the back. The white inner layers peeked from under the helm of the outer kimono over her black slippers. The fan in her hand was dark blue, made out of sharp metal ribs, with a white embroidered dog in the middle. The obi was a dark blue to match her fan. Her hair was up in a loose bun at her crown, with the small comb in the center. Mira lifted a small piece of cloth to her face, covering her mouth and fastening it in place with small clips attached to a pair of chains on either side of the cloth to her hair. She turned around expectantly.

"Beautiful," Kagome whispered as Shorin nodded. Mira bowed. "Thank you. You're turn, Kagome-chan." Kagome groaned miserably, but accepted her fate as she unwrapped the blanket and removed what little was left of the denim catsuit, not bothering to marvel at the fact that her scratches and bruises from the fight with Naraku were completely healed. Shorin handed Kagome the first layer of her kimono, a pale white cotton sleeveless kimono.

"Are you planning to wear your armor, Kagome?" Shorin asked. "If so, you should put it on before you finish dressing." Kagome nodded and Shorin and Mira handed her the black plates.

"How do you wear this, Kagome-chan?" Mira grunted as they raised it over Kagome's head. Sliding it on and waiting until Kagome found the arm holes, they sighed in relief when Kagome took over.

"You're stronger than I though," Shorin gasped as Mira passed her the next layer. Kagome shrugged, struggling under the armor's weigh as she snapped the leather straps in place. In an instant the armor's weight lessened enough for Kagome to feel comfortable. She rolled her shoulders in relief, then motioned for the next layer. It was white as well, but had sleeves. The third layer was white with navy blue stars and crescent moon's embroidered on it.

The silk outer kimono was white, with red flowers on the left shoulder and the helms of the sleeves. The obi was gold and blue swirl with black slippers. As Kagome waited for Mira to finish her hair, she somehow felt as if she recognized the kimono from somewhere else. As Mira pinned up the last ringlet and placed the comb in front of her ponytail, Kagome gasped. She jumped up and darted outside, found a nearby pond and stared at her reflection.

"Oh my God! Why am I dressed like Sesshoumaru?!!"

Mira and Shorin appeared behind her, hiding their giggles behind Mira's fan and Shorin's hand. "You see," Mira stated. "The ladies of the court have to dress like their mates. InuTaisho and I always dressed like this," she swept the fan over what she wore "so that other males of the court knew who you were mated to."

"Shorin has a mate?" Kagome asked, earning a scowl from said general. Mira shook her head. "No, not yet. Shorin is the High General of the West, so she doesn't have to dress like her mate. She must show her station, though."

Kagome pointed to herself. "That does not explain ME!"

"You are dressed like Sesshoumaru because we could not think of anything else for you to wear," Mira said, trying to keep her face straight as she thought 'Kagome has no idea what the swords mean, so to tell her that she's Maru-chan's mate now would not be pretty. ' Kagome sighed and glanced back at her reflection.

'I have to admit, I do look rather nice,' Kagome thought as she studied her reflection. The embroidered inner kimono peaked out from under the outer kimono slightly, and the blue and gold in the obi reflected in her eyes. Shorin pulled out the last bundle she brought with her. She sighed as she pulled out small pots of various colored pastes.

"Make-up. I hate this too," Shorin grumbled as she applied the black eyeliner. Mira grumbled in agreement, her claw tracing an indigo line above her left eye.

"Come on, Kagome-chan. You too."

Kagome shook her head and headed for the hut. She reached inside and grabbed a small leopard-print pouch from her pack. She returned to Shorin and Mira, pulled a small eyeliner pencil out of the pouch and smiled.

"Modern make-up," she said as she lined her eyes. Shorin and Mira washed their hands and rummaged through the bag for a color they liked. Mira found another indigo pencil, and Shorin found a gold. They watched Kagome line her eyes for a moment, then repeated on themselves in the pond's reflection. Kagome smiled in approval. "Ok, now that that's finished, let's get Keni'Chi and my swords and go."

"Keni'Chi is ready at your command, my lady," Keni'Chi said from behind them. Shorin, Kagome and Mira turned around to yell at him for startling them, but stopped in their tracks.

"Wow," they said in unison, earning a smug grin from the tiger youkai. He wore a pair of black hakamas, with a black haori with golden trim at the sleeve helms. The hunter green steel-toed boots complimented the green sash and the silver cape around his shoulders. A silver ribbon held his striped hair back off his shoulders in a low ponytail. He straightened back up as the ladies found their voices.

"I'll forgive the 'my lady' comment for today, since you look like such a gentleman and all. You really do look like a general, Keni'Chi."

"Wow, " Shorin said again. Kagome and Mira exchanged looks as Keni'Chi blushed. He tossed Kagome her swords and she tied them in their usual places. Kaede came around the corner just as they were leaving.

"Would ye not say goodbye, Kagome?"

Kagome whirled around and ran to the old woman, trapping her in a gentle but unrelenting hug. "Of course not, Kaede-baba-chan!" she cried. Kaede hugged her back before motioning for Kagome to release her. She touched the Reioseiga gently and it sang in response.

"I wonder: Why did ye only use yon sword to fight Naraku? Last time ye used all three."

Kagome stiffened as Shorin and Keni'Chi exchanged uneasy glances. "What do you mean? I didn't use the swords together until Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha gave them to me."

Kaede shook her head. "That is not so. I was told that yon Kagome used all three swords to defeat the hanyou at Narasa's Mountain."

Kagome turned to Keni'Chi and Shorin. "Is that right? Did I really use the swords then?"

Shorin and Keni'Chi nodded. "Why didn't you tell me?!" Kagome screeched, hurting the ears of any youkai in the area.

"Lord Sesshoumaru told me not to tell you," Shorin said. Kagome turned to Keni'Chi. "What's your excuse?"

"Um," he said, scratching his head. "I don't have one?"

Kagome huffed in exasperation. She waved goodbye to Kaede, grabbed Shorin and Keni'Chi by their tails and dragged them through the village gate, with Mira shaking her head behind them. Kagome released them once they reached the dry well.

"I'm going back to my time for a few minutes. When I get back, we're going to get Sesshoumaru. Then I'm going to ask him myself why I can use the swords. Then I'm going to kill all three of you for lying to me. Understood?"

Shorin and Keni'Chi nodded as Mira silently chuckled.

"Keep an eye on them Mira," Kagome said as she jumped into the well. A few minutes later she was back with a can of hairspray and a lighter.

"What are those for?" Shorin asked as Kagome hid them under her kimono.

"Hopefully, you won't have to find out. Let's go."

Keni'Chi, Shorin and Mira transformed, instantly reverting into their youkai forms. Keni'Chi bowed his massive head before Kagome, waiting patiently for her to climb on and get comfortable on the back of his neck before giving a warning roar to Shorin and Mira. As they bounded for the Council arena, Kagome glanced over her friends. Keni'Chi's fur fluttered around her in a multicolored wave, as did Shorin's and Mira's. Mira's fur was as dark as her hair, with the crescent on her forehead and the blue stripes on her face standing out against her fur.

Kagome sighed as the Council Gates came into view. 'I don't know what to do when this is over. I'm so glad Seishou gets to see his mother, but what about the rest? What about the others? Now that the jewel is completed, won't everyone go their separate ways?' Kagome shook her head. 'I don't want to leave my new friends behind.'

Keni'Chi rubbed his head against her knee, his thoughts resounding in her mind. 'I won't leave you, Lady Kagome. You're the first human friend I've ever had.'

Kagome patted his head in thanks as they landed on the cliff ledge. Mira and Shorin transformed back to their humanoid forms first, then Keni'Chi after Kagome was safely down from his shoulders. Mira, Shorin and Keni'Chi enfolded the miko in a fierce, warm hug.

"We won't leave you, Kagome," Shorin whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "No matter what, I'm still your general."

"Me, too," Keni'Chi retorted. Mira nodded. "Whether you like it or not, you've made many allies in this era. Even if you somehow leave, we would find you in your era. If we live long enough to see it. If we don't, just know that we'll never forget you."

Kagome smiled and hugged them back, tears streaming down her face. She sighed and wiped them away happily. "Thanks. Come on, you guys. We have work to do."

----

Inu-chan: That is possibly the dumbest chapter to date.

SF: And who the hell asked you huh? I know I didn't.

Sesshou: Why did you post this filler chapter?

SF: Because it's the few moments of peace before they come and get you guys. It's important and it sets up something for the future.

Silver Fox: Yup. Oh, by the way, thanks so much to everyone who sent my cousin a happy birthday email.

SF Yeah. You guys should have seen his face. He complained the entire time, but the smile on his face was more than great! Thanks again. Oh, and I'm sorry about not having a recommendation this week. I've been kinda busy. As a matter of fact, you guys should check out my bio page for a special announcement.