Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Changed Miko ❯ She Wakes ( Chapter 11 )

“Well Lady Sango, do you think Inuyasha has behaved himself while we were away?” Miroku asked with a chuckle, knowing the answer before the question even left his lips. Inuyasha was always a handful and when Kagome was in her own time, he was even worse. He was fairly certain that the hanyou had driven the village crazy and beaten poor Shippou countless times by now, even though they had only been gone for six days.

 

Sango smiled at the monk, “You know better than that houshi. Inuyasha never behaves himself and without Kagome around to `sit' him, I am sure he was a terror.”

 

They were only a mile or so away from Lady Kaede's village and had decided to give Kirara a break and finish the distance on foot. It had been a beautiful day and they wanted to enjoy the cooler air of evening. Both were returning early simply because they had accomplished what they had wanted to early. Miroku had finished his tasks with Mushin a day earlier and had gone to the Taijiya village to meet up with Sango. When he had arrived, he was surprised to find that Sango was already packing up to leave, saying she had stayed long enough.

 

The two companions decided to just head back to the village that they both called home, despite the fact that they needn't be back for another day at the minimum. They really didn't have anything else to do so they figured they would just play lazy and enjoy the cooler days of upcoming autumn and wait for Kagome to return.

 

Coming up to the edge of the village, monk and taijiya were met by a thoroughly panicked and sobbing Shippou. “Miroku! *sniff* Sango! You have to *sniff* hurry!” Just as he finished with a hiccup, Shippou fell to the ground in a faint wrought of exhaustion and worry.

 

Sango picked the slumbering kit up in her arms and looked worryingly at Miroku. “Shippou never gets this worked up. Something must be wrong with Kagome!” With that, the slayer broke out into a run easily clearing the remaining distance between her and Kaede's hut with Miroku and Kirara on her heels.

 

As they four reached the elder miko's hut, they came upon two unknown humans waiting expectantly just outside the door. “Excuse me, what business do you have here?” Miroku asked calmly, fingering the beads on his rosary covered hand. He could tell these two were no normal humans and were possessed of high spirit energy. They also were attired similar to Kagome, which had instantly put him on guard, following the incident with Shippou at the edge of the forest.

 

Yusuke and Kuwabara shifted nervously under the gaze of the two in front of them. Kagome had been unconscious for two days already, despite the constant care of both Youko and Kaede, and they were on edge as it was. Their unease lessened though, when they noticed Shippou curled up in the woman's arms. “We are friends of Kagome's from her time. My name is Yusuke Urameshi, this is Kazuma Kuwabara and we are Spirit Detectives in the future. We came here with two others to save Kagome.”

 

Sango paled and Miroku raised an eyebrow. “Yusuke, Kuwabara…My name is Miroku and this is Lady Sango. We have been traveling with Lady Kagome for the past four years. What has happened to her? Can we see her?”

 

The detectives shared a look before Yusuke proceeded with an explanation, “Well, she isn't in very good condition to start with. We met her about two days ago when we were assigned to protect her and travel with her here to help with your shard hunt. The four of us were at her house to talk with her about everything when your companion Inuyasha came and took Kagome back here. Our other two companions are youkai and knew she was in trouble so our boss sent us here to save her.”

 

Yusuke took a steadying breathe, “We almost didn't make it in time.” He finished in a near whisper. The group had seen quite a few things since becoming a team but nothing could have prepared them for what had been done to Kagome. Hearing a sharp intake of breath, Yusuke looked up at Miroku and Sango.

 

“What did that bastard do to her?” Sango ground out. Inuyasha had always been abusive to her little sister, but had yet to cross the line. Apparently, he had done just that while they were away and she was itching to bury Hiraikotsu into his skull. She felt Miroku place a calming hand on her shoulder and she relaxed, even if only a bit. The slayer moved over to Kirara and placed Shippou next to her on the ground to finish his impromptu nap before turning to regard the newcomers once more.

 

Kuwabara spoke up this time, seeing that Yusuke had already said enough. “Honestly, we don't really know what happened. When we came upon Kagome in a clearing, she was covered in blood and dirt. The only ones that seem to know what happened are Kagome and Hiei. Kagome is still unconscious and Hiei isn't talking.”

 

“Who is Hiei and how is it he knows what has happened and no one else does?” Miroku asked, quirking an eyebrow. Things seemed to be taking a very unusual turn and he didn't want to be left in the dust wondering what happened.

 

All four humans jumped from their skins when they heard a deathly calm and quiet voice from the entrance to the hut, “I am Hiei and I know what happened because Kagome showed me. You are her friends?”

 

Sango and Miroku turned to regard the newest face. This short, spiky haired young man was obviously one of the youkai that Yusuke had mentioned as a teammate. The monk could feel the strength that radiated off of the small demon and was instantly thankful that he was friend and not foe.

 

“Yes we are. She is family to us. Please, will she be alright?” Sango asked with tears in her eyes. Kagome was the only family that the small group had. The time traveling miko had come to mean so much to Sango, Miroku and Shippou that the thought of her dying by anyone's hands, let alone Inuyasha's, was almost more than the strong slayer could bear.

 

Sighing heavily, Hiei walked from the doorway of the hut to take up a place near the barely burning fire. He sat and waited patiently as the members of both his group and Kagome's huddled close to him. All were desperate to finally hear what had befallen the young woman who had become so close to them all.

 

Seeing as how everyone had finally become settled, Hiei began. “I trust that the two of you already know how we know Kagome, correct?” Seeing a nod from both humans, he continued. “Then I will skip to the information you are all most eager to hear. Inuyasha raped Kagome, though we made it to her in time to save her innocence. From what I have learned from my time with her, she and the dog were very close. That alone may be the reason for her continued unconsciousness.”

 

The fire demon heard the sharp intake of air from the four and had to pause to give them time to register everything. That and hearing it all out loud made it even harder on him. Sango was barely containing her sobs and Miroku had traces of tears down his cheeks. Even the two detectives were struggling with their emotions.

 

Hiei took another deep breathe before he resumed speaking. “That damn mutt nearly broke her. Her body has been healing nicely thanks to Lady Kaede and Youko, but her soul is still shattered. Inuyasha committed a most atrocious act and it has torn her mind and soul to ribbons. I have been working alongside the ones healing her body in an attempt to heal her mind, but it is slow coming. Kagome's physical injuries will be fully healed in another day's time, but I don't yet know if her emotional and mental injuries will ever recover.”

 

Upon hearing this, the sobs from the four that had been muted took on heart-wrenching sound. The slayer broke down completely and sobbed into the monk's robes as he himself cried for their friend. Hiei knew they would take it bad because he had taken it bad. In the short amount of time that he had been aware of the miko, his very soul had been touched by her and seeing her so shattered made his heart ache.

 

He felt no need to sugar coat what Kagome had been through even though he was speaking with her friends. They would have to know how badly she had been damaged if there was going to be any hope of helping her. Hiei knew also that they would have questions for him, so he waited patiently until they had their emotions under control.

 

Sango was the first to find her voice, simply because she had questions and was ready to demand answers. Her sister had been harmed in a most brutal way and at the hands of the first man she had ever loved. Sango was going to assure that Kagome had redemption. “Where is that bastard? I hope you haven't killed him yet because I want a piece of him.”

 

That was the point in time where Youko decided he might as well make himself known to the newcomers as well. He had heard the entirety of the conversation and knew that the other members of their group needed some time apart from talking. “He lives for now, though for how long will depend upon Kagome. He is being restrained in the forest in the clearing of his misdeeds.”

 

Sango and Miroku turned to face the newest voice and were taken aback at seeing a silver kitsune. Neither had ever seen one and had almost thought them to be myth due to their rarity. Yet, here was one in perfect form standing before them.

 

Youko gave a small bow to the miko's friends and introduced himself. “I am Youko Kurama. I am half of the last member of the Spirit Detectives and before you ask about the other half, I will show you.”

 

With that, Youko receded to the back of Kurama's mind and let the redhead take over once more. Youko had taken total control of the shared body in the clearing because he knew that his strength and abilities would be needed for both the restraint and subjugation of the hanyou, as well as the extensive healing of the priestess. He was handing control back to Kurama now because he knew that Kagome's body was almost healed.

 

Monk and slayer watched in awe as the silver kitsune shifted. Silver hair became crimson and golden eyes became emerald. Though both had heard of such a thing as an avatar, they had never been witness to such a spectacle. `Lady Kagome sure makes some unusual acquaintances.' Was the shared thought between the two.

 

Kurama bowed as well to the houshi and taijiya, “I am Kurama. Youko has been working tirelessly with Lady Kaede to heal Kagome and though she is fairing well, she is far from being out of the woods. We left Inuyasha in the woods because we only thought it fitting that Kagome choose the punishment for him.”

 

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Hiei sat idly by the group as they continued to discuss the traitorous hanyou and possible punishment for him. He smirked inwardly as the thoughts of what the fox would most like to do to the dog filtered across his senses, though he had already entertained many such notions.

 

For the hundredth time since meeting Kagome, Hiei found himself frustrated with his own emotions. He knew that he wasn't supposed to feel or be capable of love and feelings of the like, but somehow, when Kagome was concerned, he couldn't put a stop to them. The fire demon had never been in love and therefore wasn't entirely sure what that particular feeling consisted of. What he did know was that Kagome was extremely special and she made him feel calm and at peace. Now, the very soul that had granted him his first moments of true contentment was in jeopardy.

 

He knew that the fox had an attraction to the miko as well and hated the fact that she needed Youko at that point in time more than she needed him. Despite his partner's earlier feelings and actions towards Kagome, he had begun to wonder whether or not the fox was actually going to try and win the girl's affections. It seemed to him that both Kurama and Youko had come to the decision to let Hiei have his chance well before they made a move.

 

This very suspicion had been confirmed by none other than Youko less than a day ago. Hiei had been more than melancholic since the incident and Youko had told him to stay strong, that Kagome was going to need him more than anyone.

 

Now, Hiei was back to struggling with his feelings. He had been granted access to Kagome's mind inexplicably and was nearly brought to tears by the things he found as he waded through her subconscious. Hiei had been slowly piecing her world back together in her mind while she slept on and was left in shock when he realized how much Kagome had loved Inuyasha and just how many times he had betrayed her love and trust.

 

The fire demon had also come across a few wayward thoughts that concerned him and was most intrigued. He thought it almost impossible for a human to have any kind of positive feelings towards youkai, but Kagome had love for some of them. He had found that she loved a hanyou, a kitsune kit, a fire neko and even an ookami youkai. Hiei had also found a place in her mind where he alone resided. This place, however, hadn't had time to develop before her soul was shattered. It still made him feel good though.

 

Hearing some talk about what attempts would be best to try to help heal Kagome's mind and soul, Hiei began dragging himself from his own musings to join the conversation. Sango had just suggested taking Kagome back to her own era when he heard it.

 

`Hiei, what happened?'

 

He very nearly choked on his own tongue when Kagome's soft voice brushed across his mind. For the past two days while he sat with her, she had never even acknowledged his presence and now, she was talking to him. He shrugged off his shock and made his way into the hut and to the bedside of the woman who was slowly beginning to own his heart.