Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Freak Show ❯ Short Childhood ( Chapter 10 )

~Hiei: Thank God!

~Kurama: Why, pray tell are you thanking God?

~Hiei: Because I don't have to be paired up with Botan.

~Botan: What's wrong with me shrimp?

~Hiei: Other than your ever annoying cheerful attitude, perhaps I don't like blue hair.

~Belle: Now, now, simmer down there is no need to dis the hair.

~Botan: Yeah, three eyes! No need for name calling!

~Kurama: Where's Kagome? I need to be around sane people.

R&R!!!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was an uncomfortable night for Kagome. She could not sleep. The miniature Kurama peacefully slumbered in her arms, but the fact that he fit into her arms caused her great unease. Hiei and Botan had left hours ago, mentioning something about needing to meet with their superior and some other spirit detectives.

Inuyasha had left through the well to get advice from Miroku and Kaede. He would be arriving shortly. The sun already was beginning to rise over the eastern horizon as the moon disappeared in the West.

"Kagome?" A sleepy voice questioned when the rays of sun began to filter through the window.

Kagome looked down at the three-year-old version of her would-be boyfriend. "Yes Kurama?"

"Something is wrong with me." Kurama observed. He had the mentality of what he had as a three year old child, however, with the spirit of Youko still within he managed to retain some of his intelligence although his memories were hazy. He knew that he knew Kagome. He also knew that he knew Hiei, Botan, and Inuyasha. He felt most drawn to Kagome so that is whom he attached himself.

"Yes, something is wrong. But we are going to fix that tonight. However, that doesn't mean we can't have fun today. Would you like to go to the zoo?" Kagome asked as she helped Kurama stand on the floor; he seemed a little heavier. She then climbed out of bed herself to lead into the kitchen.

"Really? I like the zoo! I especially like the bears, lions, and wolves. Why do you think there are no foxes?" The chipper little boy inquired as he took Kagome's hand and followed her down the stairs towards the kitchen.

Inuyasha was found in the kitchen. He was making the attempt to be helpful. He was pouring cereal into a bowl and drowning it with milk. He noticed his audience and gave a lopsided grin. "Cheerios?" He asked.

Kagome laughed at the mess in the kitchen. It would appear that more cereal lay upon the counter than within the bowls, but the milk fortunately made its target. She nodded her head and Inuyasha placed the bowls along with spoons onto the kitchen table for the two. He then stirred the Ramen noodles that he was making on the stovetop.

"Is he making Ramen noodles for breakfast?" Kurama whispered in Kagome's ear.

Kagome nodded her head. "But, that's not breakfast food!" Kurama argued.

"I'm grown, I can eat whatever I want for breakfast little boy." Inuyasha taunted as he took the whole pot off the stove and began eating straight out of it.

"Your manners are very poor." Kurama told him with disgust apparent in his voice. He carefully spooned his cereal and ate it without a single piece missing his mouth. He wiped his mouth on a napkin and then looked at Kagome again. "So why are there no foxes?"

Kagome looked thoughtful. "Well, I imagine it's because foxes do not like to be kept caged up. They value their freedom."

"I do not think bears and lions enjoy cages though." Kurama replied.

"It's because no one would want to look at a fox." Inuyasha answered with a smug look.

Little Kurama rose from his chair and climbed onto the top of the table to walk towards Inuyasha. He looked him in the eye. "Then why does the Ring Master want to put me into a cage?"

Inuyasha choked on his Ramen. "You mean you remember?"

"Of course I remember. Well, I remember some. I'm starting to remember more. I think maybe this spell is only temporary." Kurama walked back over towards Kagome. "Am I taller?"

Kagome looked at him critically. "I can not tell. Come on." She picked him off the table and set him upon the ground. He did seem heavier, maybe he was reverting back to his proper age. "You are heavier it would seem."

She led him out of the kitchen towards the coat closet found in the corner of the den. She opened the door and had him stand before the doorframe. She ran to retrieve a pencil and then marked where the top of his head reached.

Inuyasha walked over to observe Kagome's actions. "What are you doing that for wench?"

"We can check his height at different times of the day. If he's getting taller, then we will know if he is aging properly again." Kagome answered.

Kurama turned around to inspect the magnitude of his height. Then he looked at Kagome expectantly. "Well?" He asked. Kagome looked at him blankly. "Am I taller yet?"

Kagome and Inuyasha laughed at the little boy as he pouted at their response. "Kurama-chan, it is too soon to tell. We'll check back after we go to the zoo." Kagome answered.

"I don't want to go to the zoo." Kurama answered.

"Really? Why not?" Kagome asked.

Kurama's large green eyes welled with tears. "Because it's wrong to lock up those poor animals and I don't want to be locked up either!" He ran over to his protector and wrapped his little self around her leg and buried his face into her stomach.

Kagome gently smoothed down his red locks. But then she noticed that his face reached her stomach. She pushed him back towards the doorframe and marked his height. It was a little higher than the last mark. "Kurama, you are growing again."

"Good. Let's go to the park or something." He answered while straightening up. He now appeared to be five years old.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"What do you want Jr?" Hiei demanded annoyed with the gibberish the prince kept speaking.

"I would appreciate it if you would treat me with the respect I deserve!" The prince replied.

"Whatever, when you take out that pacifier I'll respect you." Hiei answered.

"Fine. What I was saying is that the spell placed upon Kurama was not permanent or at least isn't in the presence of a great deal of spiritual energy. It is already fading and he will return to his normal age by the end of the day most likely." The small ruler replied.

"Is there a need to return to the Ring Master then?" Botan ventured.

"He's a dangerous demon and he must be defeated. He holds prisoner many demons of animal characteristics. I believe that Kurama and Kagome will both be necessary to defeat him. Perhaps that dog demon with the big sword will help too." He answered.

"What about us?" Yusuke asked, he was annoyed to be left out of this obviously important mission.

"You are not needed human." Hiei answered.

"Yeah, sounds like you've got everything under control alright." Yusuke retorted.

"I think that the more that can help, the better we'll be. Don't you agree your highness?" Botan tried to pacify the situation.

"Yes, yes. Yusuke and Kuwabara will also aid on this mission. The Ring Master is a formidable foe. He captured Kurama for months. The only reason he was able to escape was because of the spirit energy the miko contained. Although, at the time, I'm sure he didn't realize her energy was the determining factor in his breakout." Jr. replied.

"Fine. I just want to get this over with." Hiei replied.

"I just want some action before I have to start going back to school." Yusuke grumbled.

"When does it start again?" Botan asked. She would be attending the high school this year under the guise of a regular student.

"In about two weeks." Yusuke told her.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Can't you make this go any higher dog face?" Kurama complained as Inuyasha continued to push his swing. Kagome was sitting on a bench nearby laughing at the two. She had gone threw half a roll of film that day already. Watching those two interact was better than pay-per-view.

Inuyasha stopped pushing and walked over towards Kagome to join her on the bench. "You're big enough now. Push yourself." Inuyasha crossed his arms and stuffed them up his sleeves in his typical sour expression.

Kurama jumped off the swing and landed a few feet shy of the occupied bench. "That was fun. I'm hungry now. I'm a growing boy and all!" He rubbed his tummy for visualization.

Kagome offered him her hand and he helped her to her feet. He now stood up to her shoulders. He was the equivalent of a ten-year-old. He just needed to age another seven years and grow about another foot and a half.

"Let's go Kurama-chan. I know the perfect place." Kagome answered as Inuyasha also stood.

"Stop calling me `chan.' You know you never call me that and I don't like it." Kurama complained while still letting Kagome hold his hand. He didn't mind that part so much, but he did mind her treating him like a child. "You realize I am older than you."

"Right now you are not. And you are too cute not to call `chan'!" Kagome answered.

"You know you think I'm a lot cuter when I'm normal." Kurama told her matter-of-factly.

Kagome blushed. "That may be true, but for now, you are cute this way and I'll call you `chan' until you are taller than me!"

Kurama smiled sweetly at Kagome. "Very well, because if I remembered correctly, when I turned twelve I had a huge growth spurt!"

Inuyasha simply listened to the conversation between the two. Internally he wondered how his life had become so weird. Sure he was a half-demon that was pinned to a tree for fifty years only to be released by a girl from the future. His best friends were said future miko, a perverted monk, and a demon slayer. None of that compared to this though. Spending the day helping his best friend raise her boyfriend. It was odd to say the least.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By five o'clock that evening, Kurama was his proper age and the spell was over. He was a little confused. Having one's mentality alter between the stages of three-year old level and seventeen was a little disorienting.

"I must say, this has been an interesting day." He told Kagome as he took her hand into his larger one and helped her up the stairs leading to the Higarshi Shrine. Inuyasha had taken off towards the God Tree in the backyard, deciding to leave the two alone.

"So, do you want to see how tall you are now?" Kagome teased. She was unsure of how she should feel about this day. She had just spent the last many hours watching her love-interest grow up into the gorgeous guy she originally met.

"I believe I am the perfect height for now. We must strategize for our visit with the Ring Master tonight. I am curious if he was aware that the effects of the spell were temporary. And besides, I want to apologize." Kurama began.

"Apologize for what?" Kagome asked as she removed her hand from Kurama's grasp to unlock the front door. Her family still had not returned.

Kurama raised his hand towards her face and brushed a raven lock away from her eyes. He then ran his fingers down her cheek softly caressing the ivory skin. "I promised to return to you last night, however, I had intended it to be under different circumstances." His smile reached his emerald eyes.

Kagome returned his smile tenfold. "I'm just glad that everything is back to normal." She replied in a dreamy voice losing herself in his eyes.

Kurama slid his hand further and took her chin in his palm. He leaned closer and closer. "Let's just make sure that everything is back to normal." He leaned closer to those lips that had greeted him that one blissful morning and wanted to taste their sweetness once again.

"Hey! Where have you been?" A harsh voice broke in while Kurama was mere millimeters from his prize. He quickly pulled back and Kagome's eyes fluttered open in disappointment and recognition of that interrupting voice.

Kurama's eyes flashed golden as he was prepared to kill Yusuke for his horrible timing. However he did not expect such a reaction from his dear, sweet Kagome.

"You!" Kagome shouted while pointing an accusing finger at the boy from the arcade.

"You! What the hell are you doing here?" Yusuke demanded.

"I live here!" Kagome explained.

"Do you two know each other?" Kurama asked surprised, but kept his voice calm.

"Unfortunately. He is the jerk from the arcade the other night." Kagome explained.

"You were playing my game and then your youkai friend started a fight with me!" Yusuke defended.

"I see. So why are you here?" Kurama asked while slipping a calming arm around Kagome's shoulders trying to calm her down. Fortunately, Kagome relaxed immediately in his embrace and Kurama smiled with pride at his little victory.

"Koenma sent us to help you tonight. He said you were turned into some kid." Yusuke explained. Hiei, Botan, and Kuwabara soon arrived on the scene. Inuyasha also returned to stand on the other side of Kagome and cast threatening glares onto the two arcade losers.

"So the spell was only temporary?" Hiei asked.

Kurama nodded. "I suspected as much. Or at least, I had hoped as much when I blocked you from the attack. I figured that since Kagome's power is the reason I was able to escape my imprisonment that it was the bane to all the magic cast by the Ring Master. At least, that was my hope. "

"Would you like to come inside?" Kagome asked as a chill in the winds sent a shiver down her spine. Or maybe it was her close proximity to Kurama. The others followed her into her family home and made themselves comfortable in the den.

"We have a few hours still before we need to confront the Ring Master. Tell me everything that you have learned." Kurama requested as he sat upon the recliner and pulled Kagome down with him. He spent the whole day as a child and was about to face the one responsible for his previous imprisonment. He felt he deserved to take some comfort in the girl that had so recently bewitched him.

Besides, she didn't seem to mind. So he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest and settled her on his lap. He rested his chin upon her shoulder and gently blew on her right ear to entertain himself by feeling the shivers run down her back as a result.

Hiei merely stared at Kurama and Kagome. He had known the fox for years. He knew that in his former life, Youko had been quite the womanizer, but to see his best friend so open with his affections to this girl startled him. The cool, calm, calculating Kurama suddenly appeared to become somewhat human.

"Basically, according to Koenma, we need to destroy the Ring Master. He has imprisoned demons with animal qualities for years. The reason you were able to escape was because of Kagome's great spiritual powers, which you seem to already know. With all of us working together, we should be able to defeat our foe." Botan answered.

She had to admit she was a little jealous of Kagome right now. She looked at Hiei briefly and then rolled her eyes. Good thing she had decided to give up on that speed demon. Maybe she'd meet some nice boy at school that didn't mind that she was the embodiment of the grim reaper.

She wasn't the only jealous being in the room. Hiei wanted to make a comment about the thoughts of a certain inu-hanyou. However, he could also hear Kurama's thoughts about killing a certain Yusuke later for a similar interruption. He decided to not share the wrath of Kurama.

"Who is this Koenma exactly?" Kagome inquired curious about the popular name.

"In essence, he serves as our boss." Hiei replied.

"So what kind of weapon does your spiritual energy manifest itself into?" Yusuke asked, he seemed to crave death via Kurama.

"Mine is a sword and Yusuke's energy is a gun." Kuwabara answered.

Kagome looked thoughtful. "Well, I charge my arrows with my miko energy but I have also before shot out bursts of power from my palms."

"Her power is a different caliber that the two of yours." Kurama answered as he tighten his hold upon his miko, for some reason his Youko qualities of possessiveness were surfacing and he felt no need to deny them.

"What about you? Or do you just throw your enemies around?" Yusuke asked Inuyasha while eyeing the sword in his scabbard.

Inuyasha smiled and had an evil gleam to his golden eyes. "I prefer to use Tetsusaiga." He answered while affectionately patting the handle of his beloved heirloom.

"What's it look like?" Kuwabara asked.

Inuyasha pulled it from his sheath. The rusted old sword was not impressive to any of the new combatants in the room. Kurama, Kagome, and Inuyasha all glanced at each other knowingly. Inuyasha winked at the couple.

"Tetsusaiga proves mighty useful in battle. You'll see."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

On the other side of the well another waiting game was being held. Miroku and Sango were both beginning to lose their patience with a certain Kitsune. Shippo was walking along the edge of the Bone Eater's Well and peering within its depths.

"When do you think Kagome and Kurama are coming back? Shouldn't Inuyasha have made them return? I really wish Kagome were here. I hope Kurama can teach me some more Kitsune magic!" Shippo continued rambling as his constant pacing failed to end.

Miroku and Sango were becoming dizzy watching the fox child walk circles around the lip of the well.

"Shippo, they will return shortly. Why don't you draw Kagome-chan and Kurama some nice pictures?" Sango suggested.

Miroku was fighting an internal struggle. Shippo was making him dizzy so he was averting his eyes. Unfortunately, he kept averting his view to that of Sango's backside. He was torturing himself. Kurama's advice on not touching Sango inappropriately was working wonders for their relationship, but it was tearing him in two.

"Okay!" Shippo agreed excited about creating pictures that Kagome and Kurama would adore. Surely they would praise him and treat him to some chocolate! He rushed past the two humans and knocked Miroku off his feet.

Sango helped him up. Miroku gladly accepted the offered hand. Too bad his determination faltered and his hand went unbidden. Soon he found himself back on the ground with swirly eyes. But perhaps it was worth it.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The midnight hour soon approached. Kurama vowed to not be taken by that blasted Ring Master. Nothing would catch him off his guard. He was still surprised that the demon mastermind had managed to capture him the first time those many months ago. It must have been related to his excessive studying for finals. And still he ended up losing his number one position in spite of it all.

The large group of warriors prepared themselves for their impending battle. The spiritual power of the humans was practically radiating for the trained eye to see. The demons involved were all focused with their sites set towards victory.

The stones were unnecessary this time. The fighters found themselves transported to the desired location and were once again greeted by the darkness that the Ring Master seemed to favor. Two other presences were also in attendance.

"It would appear we have a few uninvited guests." The Ring Master told his companions.

Kurama tried to match the presence of the Magician from the previous night to the other entity, however it was not the only being. There was an unknown entity in attendance.

"It would appear we are not the only ones playing by our own rules." Kurama told the Ring Master.

"Indeed, you are not. However, I see you have returned with the miko along with an inu-youkai. I must say, this evening should prove quite rewarding for me." The Ring Master sneered and nodded his head towards his companions and a large tiger youkai appeared before the group and the room suddenly became engulfed in flames.

Everything still looked manageable until the tiger youkai increased in size and then multiplied into fifty angry enemies!

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles and then looked over towards Kurama and Hiei. "Let's get this over with, I've got a bowl of Ramen calling my name."

Hiei's removed his bandage around his third eye and gave a wicked grin. He too felt the Black Dragon within begging to be released.

Kurama reached into his hair and removed a rose and transformed it into his trademark rosewhip. He moved so that he stood back to back with Kagome as he picked out his first victim. The Ring Master would have to wait to become a blooming tree of death.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

~Belle: Big fight scene coming up.

~Inuyasha: When do we go back to the Fuedal Era? I'm sick of this place!

~Kagome: Calm down Inuyasha, we'll go back after we help Kurama defeat Ring Master.

~Inuyasha: Kurama this, Kurama that, don't you think about anyone else!!!???

~Kagome: (*looks thoughtful*) Well, there are those occasional dreams about Kouga, Miroku has really beautiful violet eyes, Sesshoumaru's hair is amazing, and well Naraku has a very sexy voice.

~Inuyasha: (*faints*)

~Kagome: Was it something I said?

~Kurama: Let him stay unconscious. I don't need any help to take the Ring Master. Well, maybe just a little help, but he isn't necessary!