Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Frozen Tears ❯ Chapter X ( Chapter 10 )

Frozen Tears

Chapter X

 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Yuyu Hakusho.

 

Author: Chrystal-Hearts

 

Author's Note: I've created a new website where you can talk about fanfics, and in one of the boards it's possible to get a sneak peak at some of the fics I'm working on, as well as ask questions about any of my fics. Here's the site url: http://chrystalhearts64.webs.com/

 

Summary: Every demon hunts for the sacred jewel, but now it's found out that Kagome holds yet another jewel of value. A hiroseki or tear stone. This story holds many different things. Legends, history, battles, and more. Want to know why it's called Frozen Tears? Well read to find out!

 

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It was slow going for a while. Kagome had managed to finish her slayer training rather quickly since she'd also been training with Miroku and Sesshoumaru. It was now into the second month of summer and Kagome found herself needing to return home to gather more supplies. Because of this the group was on their way to Edo, while Sesshoumaru, Kouga, and Ayame all headed off to check on their own packs, promising to return no later than three days. Once three days was said, Sango declared that she too would return in three days and that she desired to retrieve something from her old village.

 

This left them with only Kagome, Inuyasha, Rin, Shippo, Miroku, Au Un, and several wolves. Jaken doesn't count. Miroku had thus informed them that he would also be taking leave for the three days once they reached the village, so Inuyasha informed him to get his ass moving and leave already because he could protect Kagome easily. So the monk took his leave as well. And so the group quickly made their way to the village of Edo and headed straight for Kaede's hut.

 

It was there that Kagome said her good-byes and kissed each child's cheek. Then she had to pet all the wolves and give Kaede a hug. Once that was done she gave Inuyasha a hug and rushed off to the well, leaving a stunned inu-hanyou. It was with a small smile that the miko jumped into the well and landed happily in her own time. Smile still there, she ran to the shrine and let herself into the house. “Mamma! I'm home!”

 

“Welcome home dear.” Mrs. Higurashi said happily as she came out of the kitchen to hug her daughter. “Would you like me to draw you a bath?”

 

Kagome yawned but still managed to give her mother a smile. “Yes please.”

 

“Alright dear, you just relax and I'll make sure the water's nice and warm for you.”

 

“Thanks momma.” The girl replied with a tired smile as she deposited her bag on the floor and relaxed into one of the chairs. Closing her eyes, she breathed a slight sigh of relief to be home with her family for now.

 

“Nee-san!” Came a joyful shout as a young boy jumped onto her. Kagome opened her eyes with a laugh as she smiled at her younger brother. “I was hoping you'd be home this week!”

 

“And why's that squirt?”

 

Sticking out his lower lip, he pouted at her. “I'm not a squirt, and my birthday's tomorrow! You'll stay for the party, right?”

 

“I can stay for three days.” She said with a smile dancing in her soft blue eyes. “I guess that means I need to get you a birthday present.”

 

“What will you get me?” The boy asked excitedly.

 

She merely shook her head and lapsed into thought. What would she get him? It was a rather curious question. It wasn't long after that when their mother shooed him away and told Kagome that her bath was ready. And so she journeyed up the stairs and into the bathroom so that she could relax in the nice warm water.

 

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Light danced through the courtyard as people began arriving for the birthday celebration. Among those arriving were Shuichi, Kaito, and Kuwabara. Behind Shuichi was Kokota. They were immediately greeted by an extremely happy Souta. “Guess what Kokota! Kagome made it back last night! She'll be celebrating with us before she goes off with her friends again!”

 

“How fortunate,” Shuichi said calmly.

 

“Yeah! And she's even getting me a present! I hope it's something cool.” The boy exclaimed excitedly as he grabbed Kokota's wrist and dragged the other boy along behind him while the three more adult of the group chuckled.

 

“Demon be gone!” Was called out as all three adult boys found sutras glued to their foreheads.

 

Kaito pulled his off with an indignant look. “What the…”

 

“Demons, get off this shrine,” said an elderly man who was dressed in priest robes.

 

“I'm not a demon.” Kuwabara said quickly as he tried to pry the glue from his hair. Kurama had already managed to get it out and was looking curiously at the old man.

 

“Ji-san, please leave the guests alone.” Came a sigh filled voice.

 

“But Kagome…”

 

“Ji-san,” Said a dark haired girl firmly. He finally walked away muttering about people letting demons onto the shrine. Kagome simply shook her head at him. “I'm afraid you'll have to excuse him, he's become somewhat senile and believes that many people who come to the shrine are demons.”

 

“It's good to see you again Kagome, and the old man is excused.” Kaito said as he smiled slightly at her.

 

“It's nice to be home again.” The girl said with a laugh. “And it's nice to see all of you again as well.”

 

“I had hoped that you'd make it home in time for today.” Shuichi said with a smile. “Souta had spoken to Kokota of his desire for you to be here.”

 

“I'm glad that I could make him happy, even if it was unknowingly.”

 

“What do ya mean?” Kuwabara asked curiously.

 

“I had forgotten what day it was exactly when I arrived home late last night and was only reminded when Souta catapulted into my lap and started talking excitedly and asked if I'd be here today.”

 

“So you forgot about your brother's birthday?” Kuwabara asked, sounding somewhat upset.

 

A sad smile touched her lips as she nodded. “My mind's been so full lately that I can barely remember what month it is. Souta knows this and he doesn't mind, but I know that's no excuse.”

 

“Full of what?” Kaito asked curiously.

 

“This and that,” she said rather calmly. Mentally shaking herself from the thoughts that surfaced, she smiled at them. “But we shouldn't talk about those kind of things right now, so let's go enjoy the party.”

 

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“But I thought you said you could stay here for three days?” Souta complained as he lay on his sister's bed.

 

“I can, but there's something I need to do there.” The dark haired girl said with a sigh.

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like speak with someone.” Her words had him perking and looking at her curiously.

 

“Who do ya need to speak with?”

 

“A kitsune.”

 

“Shippo?”

 

“No, Youko.”

 

“Youko?”

 

“He's a kitsune I met a few months ago.”

 

“How come his name sounds vaguely familiar?”

 

“He's a kitsune bandit, better known as the King of Thieves.”

 

“Wait…” The boy said as his eyes widened in shock. “You don't mean Youko Kurama, do you?”

 

“Hai,” she said with a smile as she picked up the little rose that had been resting in a bowl of water.

 

“What is that? I saw it last time you were here too.”

 

“It's what Youko gave me.” A happy smile appeared on her lips at that. “It's his way of protecting me.”

 

“Using a flower?”

 

“It can communicate with him.” Grabbing a few more kimono, she placed them in the bag before picking something else up and tossing it to her brother. “And that's your birthday present, it's from Inuyasha as well.”

 

The boy nodded excitedly as he quickly pulled the paper open. What he saw made him gasp. “You got me a sword?”

 

“Hai, it'll help protect you against demons too. All you have to do is focus your ki into the sword. When I come back, I'll train you to use reiki and even channel that through the sword.”

 

“What about shenki?”

 

“You might have some of that.” She replied with a smile. “We'll train next time I come home, ok?”

 

“Promise?”

 

“I promise!” The girl chirped as she hugged her brother.

 

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A sigh escaped her lips as she continued looking through the forest. It was annoying to know that something was here, just not exactly where. With a frustrated sigh, she gave up and simply relaxed against the nearest tree. “Lost this time?” Asked a deep voice as the miko looked up into the trees.

 

“No, I'm looking for something.”

 

“And what would that be?” Hiei asked as he dropped down in front of her.

 

“An herb that never likes to grow in the same place,” she grumbled.

 

“So you're wandering around a dangerous forest to find an herb?” He asked with a raised brow as he shook his head. “Foolish onna, you didn't even bring your bow.”

 

“I didn't think I'd need one.” She responded with a soft sigh, before smiling up at him. “Besides, you're here now. I don't need a bow.” Cue pouting. “Unless of course, you decide to leave me here… all alone.”

 

“I suppose I can accompany you.” He said as he eyed her carefully.

 

“Good! That means I can spend some time getting to know you… alone.” She added the last word with a giggle.

 

The demon smirked at her for that, even as his face threatened to heat up from her words. “So you have been wishing for some alone time with me? You should have said so earlier.”

 

Going red herself while giggling, she smiled at him sweetly. “That's not the kind of alone I was thinking of.” Shaking her head, she added “men” under her breath.

 

The demon simply smirked at her. “You implied it first.”

 

“I did not.” The girl protested as she rose to her feet. “I merely implied that I would enjoy spending time with just you so that I might get to know you better.”

 

“Now where are you heading?” The demon asked as she started to walk away.

 

“Since you're with me, deeper into the forest; I really need to find that herb for Kaede-baba.”

 

“The old miko in that village?”

 

“Hai, she's like a grandmother to me.”

 

“So what is it you wanted to know about me that required us being alone?”

 

Cocking her head to the side as she looked over at the demon beside her, she tried to think of what to ask first. “Why become a bandit?”

 

“I was raised by bandits, becoming one made sense as I knew the skills required and had them.”

 

“I know it's none of my business, but…” she began as she started chewing on her lip. “Were you really thrown from Koorikai?”

 

“What?” The demon asked wide eyed as he turned to look at her.

 

Looking down and blushing, she apologized before explaining. “My grandfather told me that when a koorime lay with a male, that the child is always thrown from the island that floats miles above the rest of the world.”

 

“Hai, I was thrown from the island.”

 

“I'm sorry.”

 

“It doesn't matter.” The demon said coldly.

 

His coldness had the girl sighing as she closed her eyes and exhaled deeply. She hadn't meant to make him mad at her, but she was rather curious about him. “How old are you?”

 

“Does that matter?”

 

“I'm curious.”

 

“Old enough,” his answer had her giggling. “What?” He snapped, but she merely shook her head. “Well then, how old are you?”

 

“Same as you,” she said with a giggle. “Can you control both hi and koori?”

 

“To an extent.”

 

Now the girl went into thought. “Koorime are said to be powerful healers, do you, perhaps, have that talent?”

 

“Hai, but it's not very strong. Though I do have impeccable resistance to both ice and fire attacks.”

 

Kagome smiled at that. “You seem rather talkative now that Youko's not around.” He glared at her. “What, you do.”

 

“You will not speak of anything I tell you to anyone.” He said firmly.

 

And she smiled. “I promise, I won't tell a soul.” Nodding his ascent, he fell quiet as he continued to follow her, only staying slightly behind her. “Mind if I ask how you met Youko? From what I know of him he had another partner, a bat named Kuronue I think.”

 

“He did, but Kuronue was slain during a failed heist. I met up with him shortly thereafter, we have since been partners in thieving.”

 

“But how did you become partners?”

 

“We were going after the same thing,” was his simple response.

 

“Do… never mind.” The girl said quickly as she decided against asking one of the more prominent questions on her mind.

 

“What is it?”

 

“It's nothing.”

 

“Onna.” He growled out, causing her to sigh.

 

“I thought I told you, my name's Kagome.” He simply glared at her. “Fine.” Giving in with a defeated sigh, she resigned herself to being left in the forest if she made him mad. “Do you know the traditions of your mother's people?”

 

“My mother's people?” Hiei asked in surprise as he looked at her curiously. “What's that have to do with anything?”

 

“Do you know what it means when a koorime gives one of their own hiroseki to another koorime? Or any other being?”

 

Hiei's eyes widened as he realized what she was asking. She knows the traditions of the koorime? But how? “Yes, I know what it means.”

 

“Then why… why give me one of your hiroseki?” The girl asked weakly.

 

“I have explained this once before, onna.”

 

“I know, but why give such a valuable gift as an item that all can see? Most will think it a courting gift.”

 

“Who cares what others think? Besides, not many will be able to tell that stone is a hiroseki. You yourself could not.”

 

“I thought hiroseki were only pure white!” She defended. “I've only ever seen a pure one once.”

 

“A pure one?” The fire demon asked with a slight glare.

 

“My grandfather showed me one that I assumed to be fake when I was a child, but he no longer has it.” The miko explained carefully as she began looking around the ground more thoroughly. “I'm beginning to hate herbs.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“They're never nearby when you want to find them quickly.” She said with a sigh.

 

“So you wish to get away from me quickly?”

 

“No, I simply want to find the herb so I don't have to look for it anymore.” Was her response. Her mind soon began wondering as they had both fallen silent once more. Soon she allowed her conscious to recede into her mind even as she maintained her outward search for the herb Kaede needed. She could see her powers swarming around her, all of the colors swirling together and tangling around a pure white core.

 

Hiei noticed her almost meditative state and looked at her in surprise, curious as to what she was doing. Slowly a slight glow began to form along her visible skin. Skin that he now noticed seemed rather pale now. His eyes then shifted to her dark hair. It looked like a waterfall of ink, and just like ink, it looked slightly blue in the light. Next he looked at her lips, they were a beautiful red that could match Youko's roses. Quickly shaking his head of those thoughts, he decided to ignore her body… no matter how tempting it looked at the moment.

 

It happened while she was trying to tame her inner powers, something felt like it was yanking her somewhere. The white core began shifting as the pull strengthened. Now it felt like someone was trying to rip her in half. This pain… Kikyo's nearby. Were her simple thoughts as she withdrew back into her surroundings. Looking to her right she found Hiei looking at her with a hint of worry. Must've whimpered out loud. Returning her attention to the forest, she tried finding the exact location of the pull. Where is she…? She found her question answered when she peaked into a clearing not far away.

 

There she saw Kikyo with her shinidamachu. Her cold brown eyes were looking up at the sky before they shifted to where she is. “I know you are there, reincarnation. So come out.”

 

“Kikyo.” The young woman greeted as she stepped from the tree line. Hiei remained in the shadows of the trees, but Kikyo seemed unable to sense him anyways. “Why have you called me here?”

 

“To warn you,” was the undead miko's cool reply.

 

“Warn me? Warn me of what?”

 

“You must travel to the eastern wolf den and retrieve the shards of the prince. If you do not, Naraku will try to control him by spreading taint to the shards by using his own, if that does not work he will simply kill the wolf himself.”

 

“How do you know this?” Kagome questioned as she looked closely at the girl.

 

“I have my ways of finding out.” Kikyo's voice remained cool as she spoke. “You must make haste, and you must go without Inuyasha. He will surely attract attention, so I will keep him occupied.”

 

Kagome looked into the cool brown eyes of her previous incarnation and found that she could be trusted, and so she gave a nod. “I will go, but promise me you won't try to take Inuyasha to hell.”

 

“You have my word.” The older miko said simply. “Now go quickly whilst I call Inuyasha to me.”

 

Kagome nodded as her eyes caught sight of the herbs she had been looking for. Kneeling beside them, she quickly pulled a few before leaving the clearing. “I'll return to Kaede's first to gather my bow and let her know what's happening.” Seeing the undead woman nod, she left, Hiei following behind her.

 

Once they were a good distance away, the demon spoke. “How do you know you can trust her? You said yourself that she's tried killing you before.”

 

“And she has, but she despises Naraku. She's even come to my aid on one or two occasions.”

 

“That does not explain how you know whether or not you can trust her.”

 

“Her eyes,” the young miko said calmly. “They are what told me I can trust her.”

 

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“You didn't have to accompany me you know.” Kagome said with a sigh as she looked at the two demons trailing behind her. “And when did you even show up?” She added while looking at Youko.

 

Said kitsune merely lifted a brow at her. “I showed up while you were in the old priestess' hut.”

 

Shaking her head, she sighed. “But why did you come?”

 

“The rose told me of what you'd planned to do.”

 

Now Kagome turned and glared at the plant that wrapped around her arm. “Figures…”

 

Youko smirked at her then. “Why don't we hurry this along?” Before she could respond, he picked her up bridal style and took off into the trees.

 

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“This is where your wolf comrade lives?” Youko asked curiously as they looked at a waterfall a little ways in the distance.

 

“Kouga's den is behind the falls.” The miko said simply as she began making her way to it.

 

“And how do you know the wolves will let us past?”

 

“They know me,” was her response as the demons began following her.

 

And like she said, the demons let her and her escorts through, all moving aside so that she could reach the den, though this time she could see female wolves. Before they even made it behind the falls, Kouga showed up with a smile. “How are you Kagome?” Then he looked around and became surprised. “Where's Inuyasha?”

 

“One of our allies is keeping him occupied for me. I came because I need your shards before Naraku tries to take them.”

 

“Naraku?” the wolf questioned curiously.

 

“Hai, I have heard from a somewhat reliable source that Naraku is planning on taking your shards, either by tainting them or attacking you directly for them.”

 

“Let's talk about this inside.” He said as he turned and gestured them to follow.

 

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“I didn't think he'd hand them over that easily.” Youko commented as he looked at the two pink shards in Kagome's hand.

 

“In truth I assumed that he'd say he could protect them and make me have to fight for them.” Kagome agreed with a sigh.

 

“Then why allow him to keep them in the first place?” Hiei questioned her.

 

“Why not? He wasn't a threat to myself or my friends and the shards weren't exactly being tainted. And because of me, he commanded his wolves to never eat humans again.”

 

“You are too trusting.” Youko said while shaking his head.

 

“Perhaps, but it's better than not being trusting enough.” She replied with a sigh. Looking up at the sky, she smiled into the darkening scenery. “We'll have to make camp soon.”

 

“We don't need to make camp.” Hiei pointed out.

 

“You don't need to hunt either then.” Kagome replied with a slight glare in his direction. With a huff, she turned to finding a suitable clearing. Once that was done, she grabbed her bow and quiver and left in search of some game. Both demons just looked after her before Youko decided someone should follow her. Hiei simply stared at him, so the kitsune leapt into the trees to do so. About half an hour later and Kagome returned with three rabbits.

 

Setting them down, she moved toward the edge of the forest and gathered several sticks, before gathering a few rocks as well. Returning to her kill, she pulled out the grass in a certain spot and began circling it with her rocks. After she was sure the entire circle was surrounded, she placed several sticks in before picking up one other stick and using it to start the fire. Now she turned to her kill and began skinning them with a knife she kept on her just in case. It was Sesshoumaru's idea, and so he taught her to hunt, skin, and anything else she needed to do when it came to hunting her own food.

 

“You're good at that.” Hiei commented from his spot in the trees.

 

“Sesshoumaru thought knowing this was a necessity in case I ever got separated from the group… again. Or if they were injured and I was the only one who was able to hunt.”

 

“It is something good to know.” Youko agreed.

 

“Yes, and now I do.” She said simply as she moved to gather three good sticks before finding a couple herbs. Quickly taking her knife to the sticks, she made them into spits, then she stabbed each of them into a rabbit before seasoning them and placing them over the fire. “I hope you two like rabbit.” She commented.

 

“You're making some for us as well?”

 

“I did catch three.” She said simply as she went about gathering more sticks to use to stoke the fire, as well as some water from a nearby stream. It was a few more minutes before the food was finished and she offered a rabbit to each of her companions. “Here.” They both looked at each other and shrugged before dropping down and taking theirs and jumping back into their tree. “Oh, and don't think I'm sleeping down here Youko.”

 

“And where do you plan to sleep then?” He asked as he bit into his rabbit, finding it to taste extraordinarily good.

 

“Up there with one of you. There's a chill tonight, and both of you are extremely warm.” She stated simply.

 

“You plan to use us for our body heat?” Youko asked quizzically.

 

“Yes.” Her answer was stated like it was supposed to be the most obvious thing in the world. Both demons just looked at each other in slight surprise. Tonight was going to be interesting.

 

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Here is yet another chapter for your reading pleasure. I hope that you all enjoy it, and I'd like you all to know that reviews are greatly appreciated.