Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Like Sakura Petals Falling... ❯ Compassion ( Chapter 11 )

Blanket Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, YuYu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. Perverse bastardizations of both can be blamed on me.    

 

“You got to help my body, heal my soul.” `Color Me Twice' by The Violent Femmes

 

  Chapter Eleven (Compassion)  

 

“I'm thinking of volunteering at the hospital.” Kagome replied, dark eyes dancing brightly. “You know, serving meals, tending to patients basic comfort need, morale boosting.” She ticked off cheeringly with a pleased sigh, that lifted her shoulders.   “It'd be great. And give me something to do that's useful outside the shrine.” Kagome continued on with a radiant smile, before deflating slightly. “Though, convincing my mother to let me out of her sight for that long is another matter entirely.” She muttered bleakly.  

 

It never ceased to amaze Kurama how quickly the young woman across the quaint kitchen table could switch from overly optimistic to dourly bleak. And all the while pleasantly avoiding the algebra equation in front of her.  

 

To say Kagome hated math was quickly proving to be a grossly inaccurate understatement. At this point she was actually vying with his step-brother, Shuuichi, for the dubious honor of Laziest in the Fields of Basic and Advanced Mathematics. It was impressive, really; but her antics had Kurama far from fooled. Nor did she have him near as distracted as she hoped.  

 

“Perhaps you could start with smaller, part-time shifts.” Kurama suggested musingly. “Going in a day or two a week, then gradually add days to your schedule. It would give your mother time to adjust to your absence.” He offered helpfully.  

 

“I suppose,” Kagome sighed. “It wouldn't hurt to try.” She replied brightly. “You're so clever, Shuuichi-kun.” She praised cheerfully.  

 

«Sly little minx.» Chuckled the youko.  

 

«Glad you find her antics amusing.» Kurama countered.  

 

«Apparently so do you, or we wouldn't be indulging her.»   Kurama fought hard not to allow his brow to twitch in annoyance toward Youko's flippant and all too true remark.  

 

«I suppose I am simply in an indulgent mood this evening.» Kurama replied dryly, only to blink and frown as his eyes focused in on a hand waving quickly before his eyes.  

 

“You didn't hear a word I said, did you?” Kagome pouted mildly.  

 

“You were complaining about the math equation.” Kurama hazarded in an attempt to cover up his lapse into inattentiveness. The sulking “humph!” telling him his guess was indeed correct.  

 

“I'm sorry if I fail to see the practical application of matrixes and negative integers in my daily life and routine.” Kagome sniffed in response as she daintily pushed the notebook in front of her away.  

 

“By knowing it, you can keep out of the course, while still getting your accredited and required hours.” Kurama replied easily, laughing lightly behind a cupped hand at the sudden death glare sent his way. “One test as opposed to an entire semester filled with such equations.” He added lightly.  

 

Kagome eyed him warily. “Is that what you did?” She asked in a deceptively mild tone that, even in their brief acquaintance, Kurama had learned to be cautious of.  

 

“Unfortunately, no.” Kurama replied. “Something had come up that rendered me unable to test out of my mathematics requirements.”  

 

“Oh,” Kagome replied in the same mild tone before pinning him with a fierce glare. “Then under what delusion are you suffering to think I'd actually pass that test?” She snapped out at the kitsune with a surprising vehemence.  

 

Kurama gave a startled laugh at the remark, and made a quick, placating gesture. “Your math skills are quite commendable, is all.” He offered quickly. “You've been solving advanced trigonometry and calculus equations for the last two days. College algebra will be child's play for you.”  

 

“What?” Kurama blinked at the surprising volatile eruption from the petite creature across the table from him.   “I assumed that you would find mathematics boring, and thus testing out would be the wiser choice.” He defended quickly, his cheerful demeanor taking on a nervous edge.  

 

«She's a bit scary when she gets like that.» The youko mused. «Do it again!»  

 

«What? Why?» Kurama inwardly frowned at the contradictory remark.  

 

«Because her power and aura flares.» Youko replied slowly and expectantly.  

 

«She's a miko, of course she going to have an aura and abilities of such a pure nature.» Kurama reasoned with his baser self.  

 

«How many shrine maidens have you met with that kind of strength?» Youko demanded.  

 

«Genkai.» Kurama offered with another inernal frown.  

 

«Our Kagome is stronger, and you know that.» Youko scoffed openly at the notion. «And Genkai's ability had very little to do with purification.»  

 

«Perhap… “our Kagome“? Youko…» Kurama began only to be cut off by the inner fox.  

 

«She called to us; therefore, chose us.» Youko drilled out. «Therefore, she is ours.»  

 

«How can you be so certain it was us, if she even is your mysterious “she”?» Kurama demanded, «Or that “she” is calling to us? And us alone?»  

 

«Scent, and why wouldn't she?» The youko easily countered, appalled at the line of questioning.  

 

 

 

“You're as bored by this as I am!” Kagome proclaimed, cutting through Kurama's inner dialogue.   “Yes, I suppose I am.” Kurama replied quickly, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.   “Then can we do something else?” Kagome whined, slumping in her chair for effect.  

 

“Well, what else would you like to study?” Kurama asked obligingly.   “I don't know,” Kagome mused faintly as she drifted off into her contemplation. “Something easy.” She finally cheered out with a decidedly obtuse, yet exuberant tone.  

 

Kurama suddenly found himself resisting the urge to slap a hand to his brow. “It would be pointless to focus heavily on easy subjects.” He replied with exaggerated patience.  

 

“Why?” Kagome asked deflating at his negation.  

 

“Because, if they are easy, then it's something you know well already.” Kurama explained narrowing green eyes at the miko across from him. She was up to something, but what?  

 

“Oh! I get it!” Kagome chirped. “So, it's better to focus on my trouble areas.” She replied pleasantly.  

 

“Exactly.” Kurama replied cautiously.  

 

“Like math.” Kagome cooed out in a saccharine sweet tone. “Since I'm so good at it like you said.”  

 

“What about math?” Kurama asked already sensing where this was going, yet too morbidly fascinated to stop it.  

 

“There's no need for me to study it anymore.” She answered simply with a small laugh. A laugh that struck Kurama as ominous to say the least. “It'd just be a waste of time and valuable energy. Right?”  

 

Kurama couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips. “Perhaps.” He conceded with a slight nod, winning a triumphant grin from Kagome.  

 

Kagome shoved the offending math equations away cheerfully. She was positively beaming at the kitsune across from her. “Then what's next, Oh Wise One?” She chirped out, obviously pleased with herself.  

 

“Physics.” Kurama replied simply, a glint of mischief in his emerald eyes. “You'll need to find the jet-speed propulsion for a carrier jet, given these variables.” He added jotting information quickly down onto a piece of paper. “Using this formula.” Sliding the paper across to the smug miko, and taking silent satisfaction to her quickly souring disposition.  

 

“Hey! This is still math!” Kagome exclaimed with a rather unladylike expression marring her delicate features.  

 

Kurama took this as his cue to issue forth a triumphant smirk of his own. “Ah, so now you see the importance of studying the subject as you will also need it in other arenas of academia.” He replied sagely, his features carefully schooled to match his tone.  

 

Kagome simply glared back at him. “You're a jerk.” She declared, winning herself a small chuckle from the redhead.  

 

“Solve the problem, Kagome-chan.” He replied lightly. “It can't solve itself, you know.”  

 

“Shuuichi-kun!” Kagome bemoaned, dropping her chin to the table in a decidedly childish fashion.  

 

«So when wits fail she resorts to whining and big, watery eyes.» Laughed the youko.  

 

«It would appear to be the case.» Kurama agreed mildly amused by the miko's antics.  

 

Kagome sighed dramatically, and slumped her shoulders, doing her best attempt of sad, puppy eyes. “My brain feels like it's about to explode.” She whined out with a marked pout. Lower lip firmly thrust out to better offer a completed effect of pure petulance. She truly was a piteous sight to behold.

 

“I suppose we can call it quits for tonight.” Kurama replied with a thoughtful air, even going so far as to stroke his own chin. Kagome perked up at the comment and sent him a radiant smile. A smile which caught Kurama slightly off-guard, it was so disarming.  

 

That smile is possibly the greatest weapon she has in her arsenal. He mused as he blinked at her sudden change in mood. Further taunts, dying on his tongue.  

 

“I should probably get going.” Kurama replied after a moment, rising and gathering his things.  

 

“I'll walk you out.” Kagome volunteered amicably as she easily led him to the front door of her home. “Thank you again for all your help Shuuichi-kun.” She added as they stepped out and into the shrine's courtyard. “I really do feel more confident about taking the exams now.”  

 

“Think nothing of it, Kagome-chan.” Kurama replied off-handedly. “It's something I've come to enjoy.” He added, inwardly smirking at the blush that stained the young woman's cheeks. Offset by the setting sun, she really was quite beautiful.  

 

“I see,” Kagome murmured in a flustered tone, as they crossed the shrine's grouds at a sedate pace.  

 

“Who was it that Yuusuke reminded you of?” Kurama aksed after a moment.  

 

“Who?” Kagome asked, turning confused, dark eyes toward the kitsune, before realization dawned in them. “Oh! Just a guy I used to go out with.” She laughed. “He was a diamond in the rough.” She added wistfully as her expression grew distant. A soft, sad smile playing on her lips.  

 

“I see,” Kurama observed thoughtfully. “May I ask what happened to him, your friend?”   Whatever Kurama had been expecting by way of reaction it had not been for the young woman to freeze with such a pained expression. Her eyes spoke of a pain so deep it could cut the very air around them.  

 

“I'm not certain.” She finally managed in a small voice.  

 

“Was this friend `Shippo'?” Kurama asked after a moment, remember the hopefulness she'd held after initially mistaking himself.

 

Kagome turned wide eyes to Kurama's carefully blank ones. “No.” She breathed out in response. “No. Shippo was someone else. Just a child the last time I saw him.” Her voice was hushed, holding the air of a dazed confession.  

 

“A child?” Kurama repeated in confusion. If this Shippo was a child, why would she confuse him with a child. Perhaps her state of delirium was worse than initially thought.  

 

“Yes, though that was a long time ago.” Kagome answered looking off into a stand of trees. Finally, she came to a stop in front of the Goshinboku, and gazed up at the tree wistfully.  

 

“Shuuichi-kun,” Kagome asked, her eyes traced over the tree fondly. Almost as though it was replaying scenes only for her eyes.  

 

“Yes?” He replied, coming to stand beside her.  

 

“Do you ever look back on parts of your past and question if maybe it had all been some strange dream? That they were too much like-- like a faerie tale to have really happened? Or as though they happened to someone else entirely?” She turned wide, brown eyes to the kitsune once again.  

 

Kurama nodded after a moment. “And yet, the proof of their occurrence is indelible.” Kurama replied in an equally soft tone.  

 

Kagome assessed him silently for a long moment. He could almost see and feel her mentally weighting what he had said before finally nodding.  

 

“Yeah.” She agreed softly.  

 

~*~  

 

“So let me get this straight.” Yuusuke interjected raising a hand to start ticking off his points. “We got thirty-five shrines and temples that have been attacked. People from each attack displaying tremendous psychic abilities and vanquishing the youkai attackers. Then, said psychics turn psycho and begin self-mutilating themselves very seriously. Kuwabara's getting weird vibes at all his crime scenes. Kurama's step-brother's on the crazy psychics list. Hiei's Jagan eye is going bonkers. Kurama's new girl is a miko with some serious psychic abilities, yet not going crazy. And Koenma's still holding to the `There's nothing going on' line.” Yuusuke paused to take a deep breath.  

 

“Am I missing anything?” He demanded moodily. “Oh yeah! A life-sized statue made from a fucking diamond inexplicably explodes, and the same night Kurama's girl mysteriously turns up.” The Spirit Detective added, massaging his temples.

 

“Now I have a fucking headache.” He groused, as he slouched further into the couch in Kurama's living room. He and the rest of the Rei-kai Tantei had gathered there for a much needed meeting to pool their information.  

 

“I believe you have summed everything up.” Kurama replied dryly.  

 

“Great. Now what the hell does it all mean?” Yuusuke demanded irritably. “Aside from Koenma being no help on this one. Oh, and that we need to have a nice long talk with your girl.” Yuusuke added, taking a small piece of grim satisfaction out of the slight twitch to the kitsune's brow every time he refered to the miko, Kagome, as Kurama's girl.  

 

He's not even trying to deny it. Yuusuke thought smugly.  

 

“A lot of it seems to be interconnected with Kurama.” Kuwabara cut in suddenly. “More than just this Higurashi chick.”  

 

“What?” Came a response in stereo as three sets of confused eyes turned to the tall detective.  

 

“Well, there's Higurashi. He was there for the first assault on the Higure Shrine, which was never reported, I might add. Then, on hand for the second. His brother was involved in the initial assault on the Higure Shrine. His brother is now being assaulted by psychic visions. As well as a former acquaintance, one Kitajima Maya, and a former professor, a Murata Kenji, who teaches anthropology; specializing in the Sengoku Jidai. Both are also victims of psychic visions escalating to a state of self-inflicted violence. Then there's the matter of his youko aspect being reawakened by the Diamond Girl of Musashi.”  

 

Kuwabara fished a small notepad out from his breast pocket, and regarded it for a moment. “The discovery of a disoriented Higurashi, the night of the miko statue's destruction. Hiei's Jagan eye then being flooded with strange visions.” Kuwabara frowned in thought. “What else?” He muttered more to himself than any anyone in particular. “You also seem to be the least affected by the growing psychic energy. Even I've been getting the occasional dream and flash of vision.” He added irately.    

 

“Now that you mention it, I keep getting those weird dreams about being killed by this crazy looking armored youkai.” Yuusuke added with a slight frown.  

 

“Latent psychic ability.” Hiei added flatly. “Someone is psychically projecting their memories. That much I have been able to assess to certainty.”  

 

“They can see them because of their own psychic awareness.” Kurama added seriously, his face at its most contemplative. “And for individuals that are unaware of their own sensitivities, I'm sure it's quite stressing to their psyches.”  

 

“So are you getting them, or not?” Yuusuke demanded of the kitsune.  

 

“I'm afraid not.” Kurama replied with another frown.  

 

“Curious.” Hiei snorted out derisively. “Perhaps it is time we pay your Higurashi a visit, after all.”  

 

“Allow me to speak wit her alone first.” Kurama replied with a sharp glance toward the fire apparition.  

 

“And how can we be sure that your objectivity hasn't been compromised, Fox?” Hiei demanded, red eyes glinting back an unspoken challenge.  

 

“When has my objectivity ever been compromised?” Kurama nearly demanded, the first trace of the betraying heat of anger lacing his words.  

 

“Whenever those you love are intimately involved.” Hiei replied with a small smirk.  

 

“Whoa!” Yuusuke intervened as he watched the kitsune's jaw visibly clench. “Hey, we'll let Kurama give it a try first. If nothing comes of that, then Kuwabara or I can come up with an excuse to talk to Higurashi.” the Spirit Detective attempted to pacify the two angry youkai.  

 

“That sounds fair.” Kwabara quickly agreed.  

 

“That is acceptable.” Kurama replied coldly.  

 

“Hn.”  

 

“Then we're agreed.” Yuusuke dismissed, silently thanking whatever gods he could for the near-disaster averted. “Well, with this matter settled, I'm heading home. And Kurama, watch your back.” Yuusuke dismissed with a wave.  

 

“I will.” Kurama replied distantly.  

 

~*~  

 

«They were wrong.» The youko insisted as Kurama stood silently on his balcony overlooking his sleeping neighborhood.  

 

«I know.» He answered quietly.  

 

«Even now she calls to us.» Youko added.  

 

«They do not know that.» Kurama persisted.  

 

«She calls out for our protection.» Youko relentlessly continued.  

 

«We cannot force our company upon her.» Kurama added wearily, lifting his gaze to the stars.  

 

«She calls to us. Yet we stray?» The youko demanded, utterly refusing to be pacified.   Kurama felt his jaw clench painfully as his eyes flashed gold.

 

«We shall call upon her again tomorrow.»