Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho 1. Chapter 1

**'Hiei'**

**_'Youko'_**

_'Kurama'_

**Chapter One**

Yusuke kicked his feet on the side of the building. He looked out across the town, scanning his eyes over the city he worked so hard to protect. He smiled. It did feel good to be back. After spending the entire summer bouncing between missions in the Makai and grueling training sessions with Genkai, it would be nice to be normal for a while. Skipping class, street brawls, fighting a couple low-class demons every once in a while.

And Keiko. Yusuke grinned. He would get to see Keiko again. He hadn't seen her all summer. He leaned his head back and reclined onto his forearms, thinking about her big brown eyes.

"Urameshi Yusuke! _What_ are you doing up here?"

He opened his eyes.

"Shit."

Keiko grabbed him by the ear and pulled him up.

"Let's go! Lunch is almost over. We're going to be _late_!"

Yusuke struggled in her grip, trying to maneuver his ear away from her pinching fingers.

"Owowow! Okay, okay! I'm comin'!"

Walking down the stairs, a couple people stared. He knew why. Big, bad Yusuke who skipped class and swore at teachers with sweet, pretty little Keiko who worked hard and got straight A's. Who'd have thought? Somebody whistled.

"She's got you _whipped_, Urameshi!"

Yusuke scowled and looked over to see who would dare say such a thing. _Oh_.

"Hey, shut up, Kuwabara!"

Kuwabara stuck his tongue out with his thumbs in his ears and waggled his fingers.

"Make me! Nanananana!"

Yusuke pulled away from Keiko and walked up to the red head.

"Hey, Kuwabara?"

Kuwabara stopped and looked up at him, tongue still hanging out of his mouth.

"Wha—?"

"I said, _shut up!_"

And with that, he brought his fist down on his head and resumed his walk to class, this time free of his girlfriend's murderous, ear-pinching fingers.

ooo

Kurama looked at the door as it burst open, Yusuke stumbling through with Kuwabara running in after him yelling something or other and looking angry, and Keiko coming in after them, pinching the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger.

"Well, Yusuke, it's nice to see you in class today."

Yusuke threw a careless wave in the teacher's general direction and took a seat next to Kurama. Kuwabara grabbed the one on Yusuke's right and Keiko trotted to sit somewhere far, far away.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

Kurama smiled.

_'Still the same old Yusuke, no matter how long he's gone.'_

**_'That isn't necessarily a good thing.'_**

Kurama chuckled.

ooo

"Before you go home today, class, I have a small announcement to make."

The class turned to their sensei.

"We will be having a new student joining us. She had to miss the first week of school due to some personal issues, but will be starting here tomorrow. Please try to make her feel welcome."

Walking out of the room with Yusuke beside him, Kuwabara wondered who the new girl would be.

_I hope she's pretty._

Yusuke was thinking something along the same lines. Youko just sighed pitifully inside Kurama's head.

**_'Not another fangirl.'_**

Kurama resisted the urge to snort.

_'Oh please, your fat ego practically thrives on all that attention.'_

**_'Usually, but sometimes it's just annoying!'_** Kurama doubted that.**_ 'At least if they were actually _****pretty_ I could deal with them, but how often is that the case? '_**

_'Most of them _are_ pretty. Just because they're not as good looking as some of the demons we've met, it doesn't mean they're ugly.'_

**_'No, Red. That is precisely what it means.'_**

Kurama frowned.

_'The point,'_ he tried to explain, patiently,_ 'is that you can't hold human girls up to demon standards. It isn't fair.'_

**_'Hey, it's not my fault they were born into the inferior species.'_**

_'So was I!'_

**_'But you have a beautiful fox demon inside of you.'_**

Kurama sighed. Yusuke glanced at him.

"So, like the school so far?"

Kurama turned to Yusuke, effectively broken out of his impromptu reverie, and tried to ignore the annoying voice in his head.

**_'I am _not_ annoying.'_**

"I do. It's very nice." He smiled.

"Why'd you have to switch?"

"Koenma thought it would be easier for us if we were all going to the same school. Excepting Hiei, of course."

"Mhm. What's it like living on your own?"

"It's...different." The demon paused thoughtfully. "I was already so independent to begin with, of course, so it really isn't so far of a stretch from before. The actual concept, however, may take some time to get used to."

"The concept?"

"I'm without my mother for the first time in my life. Even Youko's a little disoriented. And it's hard knowing that we won't be there to protect her if anything should happen."

Yusuke nodded. It was pretty much why he'd stayed with _his_ mother for so long. He figured he'd move out eventually. If he ever got to college, or just whenever. He wasn't in a rush.

"You wanna grab a bite to eat?"

"I can't. Hiei and I are to patrol the barrier today. Koenma said there had been some low-class youkai and spiritual activity going on around the northern edge, around Tokyo."

"Sucks for you. Thank kami for a day off once in a while."

Kurama smiled and turned the corner to catch the bus.

ooo

He walked into a small alley on the western edge of Tokyo, where it wasn't quite the slums yet but where one couldn't help but to feel a bit weary turning corners.

"Took you long enough, Fox."

He looked up at Hiei, who was waiting impatiently in a tree.

"This school gets out later than my old one."

Hiei jumped down. He landed softly to Kurama's right, without a sound.

"I don't see the point," he said, although Kurama knew he didn't really care. "You already know everything they teach."

Kurama shrugged.

"Appearances."

Hiei snorted, and they walked the rest of the way to the barrier site in as comfortable of a silence as two frequently murdering demons could in a crowded city such as Tokyo. After a while, the scent of demon blood had made its way to their youkai senses, and they began to run.

It took roughly two minutes to reach the barrier site. Evidently, it was two minutes too late.

They came upon a dragon demon. It lay in puddle of its own blood. A girl was leaning over him. Her back was toward them. She grabbed something shiny out of the palm of his hand and stood up.

"I told you," she said, "It doesn't work anymore. Even if it did, I wouldn't let you have it."

The demon looked up and grabbed the hem of her white sleeve, and Kurama thought he saw something in his eyes. A glimmer, he thought. One of new understanding.

"It's you, isn't it? It's inside of you. That's why no one can steal it—why, even when they do it never works?"

"They always do realize it just a moment too late," she said sadly. The demon was invigorated.

"Please, spare me!" he shouted suddenly. The girl jumped. "I will work by you, for you! To be in the presence of such power is as honorable as wielding the power itself!"

The girl looked down. A mixture of pity and wariness spelled itself across her face.

"And to die by it?"

The demon struggled to sit. He couldn't. The girl leaned closer.

"The greatest way to go."

She frowned.

"You understand why I cannot spare you." The demon nodded. "There are ways to redeem yourself, however, after death." He looked surprised. "And reincarnation is a plausible option, for those who do."

There was a long pause. Kurama felt himself hold his breath.

"Farewell then, for now, dear houseki."

She laughed. It was beautiful. But Kurama and Hiei were confused. Dear jewel? Wasn't she about to kill him?

"I have no doubt we will meet again, Ryuuko."

The demon looked at her in surprise.

"How did you—" She tapped her head playfully. He laughed. "Of course, of course. Now, if you'd please? I should like to get this done quickly."

The girl nodded and knelt down, placing her palm on his forehead. Nothing was said. Kurama and Hiei watched as black fire outlined the demon's body, turning it to ash. As they made to walk forward, the girl's back stiffened, evidently just realizing they were there. Hiei, for his part, thought this was simply poor practice for someone with such evident power.

"Who are you?" she asked, without turning around.

Kurama frowned.

"We could ask the same of you."

She shook her head.

"You could," she said, "but I won't answer."

"Then answer us this," Kurama said after a moment, "What are you doing here?"

"Taking care of a problem."

"What problem?"

"A thief," she said simply.

"You were so kind to a thief?"

"Death was his punishment, not slander. He had his reasons, as we have ours."

"Reasons that justify murder and thievery?"

Kurama realized the hypocrisy in his statements. He was both a thief and a killer, after all. He waited for her reply.

"Of course."

"Are you human?"

The girl stood up, but did not turn to face them.

"Don't ask what you cannot comprehend."

She began to walk away.

"That isn't an answer," Kurama said to her back. She stopped.

"No," she agreed. "It's a dismissal."

Resuming her exit, she walked into the trees and out of their sight.

ooo

Kurama walked back to his house as Hiei followed in the trees. Both were deep in thought.

Opening the door, Kurama shook off his coat and draped it over the edge of a chair. He motioned to Hiei, who shrugged off his own cloak and stepped over to the couch. Walking into the kitchen to get some tea, Kurama smiled. It had taken a very long time for Hiei to become close enough to relax in his house, although he supposed Hiei was never really _relaxed, _per se. Before when he came to his house, the apparition would linger by the door or window and rarely stay past five minutes. Kurama was happy that he had gained the small demon's trust. He brought the tea over and sat on the chair opposite of Hiei.

**'I'm _not_ small.'**

Kurama chuckled as he sat himself comfortably across from Hiei. They were silent for a while. He sipped his tea. Hiei looked angry and brooding, as per usual.

"Well," Kurama said finally. "That was interesting."

"Hn." Hiei wasn't really paying attention, Kurama could tell.

"I suppose that explains the spiritual activity."

"Hn."

"And the lack of demons where there is demonic energy lingering."

"Hn."

Kurama sighed and put down his cup.

"Do you have _nothing_ else to say?"

Hiei seemed to think for a moment.

"The Jagan wouldn't let me read her thoughts," he said simply.

Kurama cocked his head to the side.

"She had a mind barrier?"

"No."

"What, then?"

He shrugged.

"It just wasn't capable?"

Hiei sneered.

"The Jagan," he said, "is its own entity, separate from myself. And a very powerful one, specifically concerning feats of the mind. It is perfectly capable of entering into the thoughts of that onna, it says."

"It talks?"

"It thinks."

"Of course, of course." Kurama nodded. "Why would it not read her thoughts, then, if it was capable of doing so?"

"It didn't want to," he said simply.

"Didn't want to?"

"I tried to make it, but it adamantly refused. It was...scared."

"The Jagan? Scared?"

"Terrified."

Kurama's eyes widened. He hadn't thought it possible. The Jagan was an enigma to everyone but Hiei. It was a fearsome thing to all who had no control over it, but to think that _it_ was scared of something else was simply unfathomable. And that Hiei didn't have complete control over it...Kurama shuddered.

"But-" Hiei hesitated. Why did he seem so uncertain?

"But what?"

"Hn. Nevermind. I have to go."

And with that he opened the window and disappeared into the trees.

**_'Geez, can't he just use the door like a normal person?'_**

ooo

As Hiei zipped through tree after tree, nothing more than a dark shadow to those he passed, he wondered if Kurama had felt the same thing he had when the woman created the fire. It was such a strange sensation; he didn't really know what to label it. First he sort of tingled, like he could _feel_ the waves of immense power pouring out of the woman. The ground thrummed to an unheard drum, corresponding to the music of her energy. And what _strange_ energy. It was almost like Kurama's, like there were two entities inside her slowly seeping together, but it was also so--so _pure._ And then this--this _feeling_ just washed over him, almost drowning him. It was like--

Peace.

ooo

**Author's note.**

So, here is the first chapter!

Wooh!

The next chapter will see more of Kagome, and perhaps learn a bit more about her and what's happened to her since her time traveling days. Perhaps. And, umm, I think that's it.

Questions, comments, concerns?

Contact me!

Ja ne,

Hayley

PS - I love reviews! My little ficlits _thrive_ on them! And I know for a _fact_ that the review button just _loves_ to be clicked. So click away, my friends! Click away!

Please?

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	2. Chapter 2

_**'Youko'**_

_'Kurama'_

**Chapter Two.**

_Kagome woke up and looked around her. _

_Dirt. Wood. _

_She was in the well. She looked up at the sky, but there was something blocking her view. She frowned. Why couldn't she see the sky? _

_Ah, she realized, she was back in the present. Future. Whatever it was. Her head hurt too much to think about it clearly, and her body was stinging, specifically her wrists. She looked down._

_Blood._

_What...?There was blood all over her forearms, and she could just make out the various shaped cuts underneath. She looked down at her attire._

_Black._

_A black kimono, extremely elaborate. She fingered the draping sleeves, tracing patterns of silver dragons climbing up her arms. Had she been at Sesshomaru's, then? He'd always preferred traditional kimono for banquets. _

_Her feet were bare. And dirty._

_Kagome was beginning to worry. What had happened? She wracked her mind but couldn't remember._

_Deciding she should at least get out of the well, she started to climb up, but slipped and landed hard on her back._

_Ow._

_Getting back up, she tried again. Slower, this time. Walking out of the well house doors, she realized it was raining. Hard. She slipped._

_Oh, not again. What she wouldn't give for a bit of grace every once in a while. She pulled herself up, but stopped when an image flashed through her mind._

_Blood._

_Black._

_Fire._

_She screamed, falling to her knees in the mud. _

_Oh my god, what have I done? _

_What have I done, what have I done, what have I done?_

_She repeated it over and over to herself, not realizing it had been aloud until she quieted herself enough to see she was in her mother's arms._

"_Mama," she whispered. "They're gone."_

ooo

Kagome awoke with a start. She shook her head and looked around. Where was she? Bed, desk, chair. She gave a weak laugh. Her room. She was in her room. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with her arm, and sighed. It had been a while since she'd had that dream, since she'd remembered. She looked down at the bundle of blue cloth in her lap.

It was her school skirt. She remembered thinking it was too long. Restricted movement or something. She had been hemming it, and must've fallen asleep. She picked the bundle up and promptly dropped it.

"Fuck."

She looked accusingly at the shiny needle sticking out of the cloth, and then at her finger.

_Blood._

She shivered. After quickly licking the blood off, she checked the clock. Big, red, blinking numbers read 7:30. They blinked again.

Blink.

Blink.

Kagome got the distinct impression it was mocking her. She frowned and unplugged it.

Seven-thirty. She had about forty five minutes to get ready before she had to leave.

Her first day of school.

She was terrified.

ooo

Thirty minutes later, Kagome studied herself in the vertical mirror hanging from her door. Big, ever shifting eyes stared back at her. A dainty, slightly sloping nose sat in between two high cheekbones, which were forever stained with a faint rosy blush. Full, pouting red lips dipped into a smile, but it seemed shallow, so she let it drop. Her new uniform was blue, instead of the familiar green and white of her old sailor fuku. She wasn't used to the jacket that was required with her blouse. It made her a little uncomfortable and slightly hot. She only liked the skirt. It now sat a comfortable six inches above her knee. Certainly not as short as her old skirt, but she had always found that one to be a little _too_ short anyway. This was fine.

She found herself remembering her dream, and what it meant. It was really only a memory, but it was one of the worst in her life. For almost ten glorious minutes, she had been blissfully ignorant, her only concern was getting out of the well. Then she'd been ripped back painfully to the reality of her life. The reality that told her that, no matter how much she wished she didn't remember, she could never forget. She had tried over and over again. Hypnosis, meditation, drugs—nothing worked.

She always remembered.

She watched in fascination as a single rogue tear escaped her barriers and dipped down her face, her neck, and into her shirt.

_No._

She would not cry. She had gotten over crying. No more. She closed her eyes, and tried to build a figurative mental dam. After a while, it worked.

Turning back to the mirror, she debated on whether she should wear her hair up or down, or in pig tails, or half up, or what. She decided to just leave it down at its full length—which ended just above her hips. It was certainly the easiest, and she could bring extra hair bands just in case. Grabbing her stuff and a quick snack, she walked out the door.

ooo

Exactly seven minutes after leaving the house, Kagome felt that familiar tingling sensation running down her spine. Youkai. It was the same one from yesterday, she knew. One of them at least. She could tell by its aura.

_Damnit, _she thought._ Not even ten minutes into my day and the kami are already screwing me over._

She sighed. Well, it was her own self-imposed duty. She thought that maybe Kouga had been right all those years ago. He told her time and time again that her actions were all direct results of a severe super hero complex. It wasn't healthy, he'd said. And it wasn't; it had gotten her into her fair share of trouble. She looked ahead of her, and then to where the aura was coming from. She didn't think she was even going the right way anyway. She should have gone with her mother when she'd signed her up, instead of just waiting at home. She realized the thought of her mother made her sad, and so pushed it out of her mind. She looked at the direction of the youkai again and sighed.

_Might as well. Not like I'm actually relishing the thought of high school anyway. And this shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes, so I won't be late._

Nodding to herself, she turned left in the direction of the aura.

What she found was mildly surprising, but really it was only because she hadn't expected it this early in the morning. A slightly short, spiky-haired demon was fighting a huge blue oni. And _damn_ was that oni ugly.

If it wasn't the giant purple boils sprouting out of his skin, perhaps it was the nasty, smelly, brown _goo_ that was coming _out_ of them. Kagome wanted to gag.

The demon who was fighting was dressed in a long black cape, and was extremely fast. Kagome could barely see it move. After making quick work of ugly oni, it began to walk away. Kagome briefly wondered if perhaps he should do something with the twelve-foot-tall corpse lying in the alley, but all thoughts about that flew out of her head when she realized it was _moving_. How on _earth_ something could have survived _that_ attack was beyond her, but seeing as how it was getting up fast and moving to strike the demon while his back was turned, Kagome figured she should probably think about it _later_. Her senses picked up an increased aura and she could see the newfound anger in it.

And, boy did it look pissed.

She didn't even get a chance to call out to the youkai before it began to attack. Thus, instead of relying on his speed, no matter how great it seemed to be, she decided to be safe and put a barrier around him.

When the pink barrier lit up behind him, he turned around sharply in Kagome's direction. He regarded her quietly for a moment, glaring, before the oni made itself known. Then he narrowed his eyes and reached for his sword. Kagome took that as her cue to drop the barrier.

Once again, the demon seemed to make quick work of the creature, but this time he stuck around a while to be sure it was really dead. Sure enough, a few minutes after being chopped up to pieces, he began to reform.

C_an this thing not stay dead?_

It reminded her of when youkai used to use the Shikon shards to regenerate. _Hai_, she realized. _It is the same thing_. She searched the body while it engaged once again in combat with the demon. Finally, she found a small concentration of power in..._oh_.

_What kind of sick joke is this?_ She watched for a second longer, waiting for the demon to target that spot before she realized it wasn't going to happen. Well, this would be embarrassing.

"You! Youkai!" She cringed at the almost insulting way it came out, but she didn't know his name, and he had to know this. "Look!"

Kagome blanched openly when the oni slapped him in the head with his huge hands as the demon turned to glance at her. Getting off the ground, he glared at her fiercely.

"You need to attack his, er, well, that is to say—" She stopped stuttering when she noticed his scowling deepening, and decided to just spit it out. "He's regenerating from his _nether regions._"

She blushed mightily, and as the semi small demon raised a single eyebrow at her before attacking the oni in the family jewels, she got the distinct feeling that he was laughing at her without actually doing so. She scowled.

"Damn ungrateful youkai."

When the oni was lying on the ground yet again, both stayed to make sure it was for real this time. After a few minutes of just watching it lie there, the demon seemed to be satisfied and stood up from his kneeling position. Glancing at Kagome, he nodded slightly in a grudging appreciation before walking away.

"Wait!" she called. "Shouldn't you do something with the body?"

When a sudden heat licked at her legs, she looked down and realized the oni was ablaze with fire. As was her skirt. She screamed swatted it out with her hands.

"Damn pyros!"

ooo

Walking along the sidewalk with his hands behind his head, _at least_ a half hour late for school, Yusuke Urameshi whistled a small song and thought about his job as Spirit Detective for the Reikai. When he first got the job, he hadn't particularly enjoyed it. It was cutting into his time of doing, well, nothing. But, see, that's just what Yusuke Urameshi did in his free time: a whole lot of nothing. Minus the occasional street brawl, of course.

But then, after a while, he came to enjoy it. It was nice doing something he knew he was good at. It was nice to have a purpose, a reason for living. And it was nice to be _needed_. It was just..._nice_. Although he had to admit, if that damn toddler interrupted one more date with Keiko_,_ someone was going to be waking up with a pacifier up their ass.

As he was thinking, Yusuke was totally oblivious to his surroundings—as per usual. Thus, when he fell down on top of a pretty girl in a short blue skirt with his face buried in her rather soft cleavage, he should have simply considered himself lucky and helped the girl up like a nice, polite boy. Yusuke snorted.

_Like hell._

He nuzzled his nose into the cushioning he had miraculously found his face in before standing up.

"Damn. If this is the greeting I get every morning, I should start unplugging the alarm clock more often."

The girl scrambled up with heated cheeks, and looked like she was about to slap him before glancing at her watch.

"_Shit_. My first day and I'm going to be _at least_ an hour late! Please tell me, _what_ do the kami have against me?"

Yusuke chuckled. "You going to Sarayashiki High?" he asked, recognizing the uniform.

She nodded.

"Come on. I go there too."

She looked up at him, large green eyes practically shining with gratefulness.

"Thank you so much! I thought for sure I was going the wrong way."

"Oh, you are. I was planning on skipping, but I'm always willing to help a damsel in distress."

She laughed, and he had to close his eyes briefly. Her laugh was like...bells.

"Arigatou, then, even more so. I hope I'm not imposing."

He scrunched up his nose and shook his head.

"Nah. I should probably go once in a while anyway. You know, keep up appearances."

She laughed again and followed him down the street.

ooo

"Here, ol' Takanaka should be happy to see you. You see, he's got a thing for pretty girls."

Kagome smiled shyly as another blush spread itself across her nose and cheeks. Yusuke couldn't help but think how adorable she looked as he led her into the principal's office. He knocked on the wall and waited for the man behind the desk to look up.

"Ah, Mr. Urameshi. It's nice to see you've decided to grace us with your presence today."

"Yeah, well, I had a reason today," he nudged Kagome gently forward.

"Hello, sensei. I'm new here." Her voice was shy, but she was looking him in the eyes. He smiled.

"Ah, you must be Miss Higurashi, ne? Well, I'll have to have someone show you to your classes." He thought for a moment. "Urameshi, would you be interested?"

Yusuke shrugged. "Might as well since I'm already here."

"Ah, wonderful! Here is your schedule Miss Higurashi. Hopefully Yusuke will be in some of your classes as well, and for the ones he's not, he can leave early to find you and escort you to your next one. That sound good?" He smiled kindly at her.

"Hai, Takanaka-sensei. Arigatou."

Outside of the office, Yusuke propped himself against a wall and regarded her silently.

"What class you got now?"

She looked down at the piece of paper in her hands and grimaced. "Math."

Yusuke laughed. "Don't like math much, huh? Well that's alright. First period's pretty much shot anyway since we're so late already. Why don't we just skip it and come for second?"

She smiled gratefully at him again, and he had to force himself to look away before he got caught in those dark blue eyes. Wait, hadn't they just been green?

"You're eyes," he coughed, "they changed color."

She nodded.

"Hai. They change with my mood."

With her mood? That was interesting.

"It's...pretty."

She blushed. "Arigatou."

ooo

Up on the roof of the school, Kagome let her long legs dangle from the edge, kicking them against the side of the building. She thought quietly. Yusuke was certainly a nice boy. She was glad she met him. Very helpful, too. Maybe she finally found a friend? She knew she couldn't really confide in him like she would want to, but perhaps that could be ignored. She hoped so.

She felt comfortable around him. Like she wasn't so different. He didn't make her feel isolated like she thought he might. He reminded her of a sort of mixture between Inuyasha and Kouga. Kouga's playfulness with Inuyasha's gruffness and both of their devotion. Not that she had actually seen him prove he was devoted in much of anything as of yet (in fact, the way he regarded school would probably point in the _opposite_ direction), but she just had a feeling. When he cared about something, he stuck to it.

"Arigatou, Yusuke," she said quietly.

"For what?"

"For everything."

He smiled. "Well, you're welcome, then, I guess."

She laughed. "I hope we can be friends Yusuke. You don't mind, do you?"

"What? No, of course not. You're pretty cool Kagome. I'm glad I met you."

She turned around and smiled brilliantly at that, and his mood lifted considerably.

"Arigatou, Yusuke."

ooo

When second period rolled around, Yusuke asked what she had next.

"History," she smiled. This will be her easiest class.

"Oh, good. You'll have that with me and Kur—Shuichi."

_Thank kami_, she thought. She dreaded the thought of her first class alone. Kagome jumped as a sudden, loud beeping noise rang through the air.

"I'm gonna go grab something from my locker," Yusuke said. He looked nervous. "You think you can make it to class by yourself?"

She nodded, but she knew her eyes would belay her uncertainty. Yusuke, however, didn't seem to notice as he practically fled down the hall.

"Well, that was interesting."

She looked in front of her. The hallway seemed to stretch for miles. She could either go straight or to the right. She frowned. _Well then, desperate times call for desperate measures._ She took a deep breath.

"Eenie, meenie, miny, mo..."

ooo

Yusuke ducked behind an empty locker and opened his pink communicator.

"Geeze toddler, what is it? You can't call me _now_! I was with someone, she could've found out!"

The image of the baby on the screen frowned.

"Injuries to the safety of humanity can occur at any time of the day," he said simply. "If I were unable to call you during school hours, the Ningenkai would likely already be dead. And you would be a pretty crappy Spirit Detective if that were the case."

Yusuke sighed.

"Alright, alright. What is it?"

"As you know, there has been some recent demon activity going on by the barrier, but no demons to speak of. I just want you to go check it out today. Nothing too difficult."

"An investigation case? Fine. But it's waiting until after school. I'm helping a friend today."

"That's fine, Yusuke. Bye."

"Later, toddler."

"Hey! I told you not—"

Yusuke clicked it shut and walked back to where he had left Kagome. Hopefully she hadn't gotten lost.

ooo

Kagome looked around. She had gone to the right. Then she had taken another couple rights, making a left, but somehow wasn't back where she started. She was now at...the janitor's closet?

_Damnit._

Now, she could either go right or left. She frowned. Right didn't like her much today. She was already well out of her way.

_Left it is, then_.

As she walked, she thought about how perfect this was. In a sarcastic way, of course. Really, she should have expected something like this. She should have _known_ her day was already fucked when she pricked her finger on the sewing needle. Like Sleeping Beauty. She wondered if she would find a hot boy trying to kiss her the next time she opened her eyes, and giggled. _Well, why not? _She closed her eyes and continued walking. Perhaps it shouldn't have been such a surprise, then, when she fell.

When she opened her eyes, she found herself looking into a shock of bright green eyes, her face centimeters away from a particularly hot male. For a moment, she thought about how perfect this was, this time in a non-sarcastic way, before coming back to reality and, subsequently, her school floor.

"Oh my god!" she cried. "I'm so sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!"

"Well, evidently so," said a laughing voice. "Your eyes were closed."

She blushed.

"May I ask why?"

"No—I mean, it was stupid. It doesn't matter."

"Mhm. Is this a normal occurrence for you, then?" he asked, helping her up. She frowned.

"Now you're just teasing me."

He laughed.

"You're right, I'm sorry. My name is Minamino Shuichi. And you are...?"

"Higurashi Kagome. I'm new here," she said. "A friend was helping me around, but he had to go get something from his locker."

"Who was your friend?"

"Yusuke. I hadn't actually gotten his last name."

Kurama raised an eyebrow.

"Yusuke? Well, I believe you're in my class. Would you like me to fill in for him while he's away?"

"Oh, thank you! I really didn't know _what_ I was going to do! I turned right a whole bunch of times and ended up lost back there. It's really a miracle that I bumped into you!"

"Literally."

She laughed, and followed him down the hall.

ooo

When they got to the classroom, Kurama told her to go introduce herself to the teacher, and he'd save a seat in the back. She nodded and walked up to the big desk in the front of the room.

"Hello, sensei. My name is Higurashi Kagome. I'm new here."

The old woman looked her over once, and Kagome got the sudden impression she was testing her. After a moment, the woman smiled.

"Well, hello dear. Why don't you introduce yourself to the class and have a seat where you like."

She nodded, and when she stood up in front of the class, Yusuke noticed her eyes were a more bluish-green now.

"Um, ohayo minna-san. My name is Kagome. I live at a shrine in Tokyo, and, um, I have a cat named Buyo? Not much to know about me, really."

As she was about to walk to her seat a hand shot up. The teacher nodded at the student in acknowledgment.

"Your eyes changed color."

"H-hai. They tend to do that."

"Are they contacts?"

"No. Just...different." Kagome looked back at the teacher, who nodded at her, and sat down next to Kurama in the very back of the class.

"Well, you looked nervous."

She smiled sheepishly. "I'm not much of a public speaker. Never was."

He nodded thoughtfully as the door opened and in walked Yusuke. Spotting the two, he made his way towards the back.

"Nice of you to join us, Yusuke," the teacher said to his back.

He nodded, but didn't turn around.

"I thought so, too."

The teacher frowned, and Kagome had to stifle a laugh. He sat on her right.

"Made it to class okay then?"

Kagome nodded and smiled.

"Minamino-san helped me. If it weren't for him, I'd be taking class in the janitor's closet."

Kurama laughed.

"Please, just Shuichi," he smiled graciously. She blushed a little and ducked her head.

Then she felt it. He was a youkai. But, he also...wasn't. She looked at him curiously. With his blood red hair and emerald green eyes he was certainly attractive enough to be a demon, as so many of them seemed to be.

In fact, he was downright gorgeous. He may have given even Sesshomaru a run for his money. She pushed out a discreet amount of her ki, not enough to be noticed, but enough to get the job done, and felt his aura. It was both human and youkai. Kitsune, to be exact. She frowned and thought for a moment.

An avatar?

She cocked her head to the side. What would a kitsune avatar be doing in the Ningenkai? She frowned, but she couldn't feel any malicious intent from his aura. She decided to let it go for now and turned her attention back to the front of the class.

ooo

**'**_**She's staring, Red.**_**'**

_'Yes, Youko. I see.'_

_** 'Maybe she likes us?'**_

_**'**__Possibly.'_

_** 'Probably.'**_

_ 'Your confidence is astounding, considering she doesn't know you even exist.'_

_** 'I hope she's not another screeching fangirl.'**_

___'She's very nice, Youko.'_

_**'Well it really doesn't matter if she's a fangirl, does it?'**_

___'I don't think she's done anything to warrant being called a fangirl.'_

_**'Oh, please. Don't tell me you have the hots for her.'**_

___'She's very pretty, but no. There's just something about her...'_

_**'Sounds like love to me.'**_

___'Shut up, Youko. You have no idea what you're talking about.'_

_**'What are you saying? Kitsune are the masters of the art of seduction. We thrive on affection.'**_

_'Your sentimental capacity doesn't allow room for anything past sex. You wouldn't know love if it fell on top of you.'_

_**'Like she did?'**_

Kurama frowned and turned his attention to the front of the class.

_**'Did you see her eyes, Red?'**_

****_'Hai. It's interesting.'_

** _'I wonder what color they'd be when she—'_**

****_'Youko.'_

**_ 'You didn't even let me finish!'_**

****_'You're in my mind, Youko. I know what you were going to say.'_

_** 'Yeah, well, you're wondering too.'**_

Kurama sighed and shoved him back in a mental closet.

ooo

**Author's note.**

Okay, so I know this is sort of a weak ending, but whatever. I couldn't really think of anything else for this chapter.

For those who are wondering, when Kurama and Youko were talking about her eyes, Youko was going to say "when she climaxed/had sex/something to that effect." In case you didn't get that. I know I didn't really explain it.

Ja ne!

Hayley

PS - reviewreviewreview

Right there!

\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/


	3. Chapter 3

_**'Youko'**_

_'Kurama'_

**Chapter Three.**

_So, if Kurama is an avatar, who is the other youkai I feel?_

Kagome looked around at the class. The pull, however, led her senses to right beside her.

_Yusuke? He can't possibly be a demon. _She looked a little closer, brushing her ki along his aura. The small tingling sensation was unmistakable. How had she missed it? The blood was extremely diluted though, from the feel of it. He might not have even known.

She looked at him a little closer, studying him carefully. She sensed...awareness. Yes, he knew. She wondered what kind of demon he could be. It was difficult to tell because of how low the blood was. It would likely only come out if he was in extreme danger.​​​ Rather like Inuyasha, actually.

How would he look as a youkai? Would his hair be longer? Probably. Demons seemed to like long hair. She'd like to see him with his hair loose some time. He was a rather good looking boy. She wanted to see how he looked when he got up in the morning--before he slicked back his hair and put on his tough guy act. She wondered what he looked like when he blushed.

Kurama, too. As kind as he was, she could tell he had his guards up. Were all youkai emotionally retarded? She thought for a minute. Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, Naraku...

Yes, she decided. They were.

Looking at Yusuke again, she decided he'd probably be taller, too, as a youkai. Most of them were. And more muscular. Stronger, as well, although she got the feeling he was already extremely strong anyway. He would make a wonderful youkai, she thought.

Kagome also noticed his abnormally high reiki and spirit awareness. She wondered what had happened to make him so strong in that field, and if he used his talents for anything. He could do a lot of good with his abilities.

She realized she'd been staring when he turned his head to the side to look at her. Blushing, she ducked her head quickly, hoping he hadn't noticed.

ooo

She was staring at him.

Yusuke started to fidget. He wasn't used to girls giving him much attention, and it made him a little uncomfortable. He was a pervert, maybe. And he flirted, sure, every once in a while. But only with Keiko. And that was only because he'd known her for so long. He didn't know _why_ he'd been so forward with Kagome this morning, except that she was pretty and made him feel like he'd known her forever. He knew it wasn't very boyfriendish of him, and he felt terrible for it. He didn't really know what he'd been thinking. Chancing a sidelong look at her, he watched as she blushed and ducked her head and wondered what she was thinking.

Looking her over, he realized he hadn't really gotten a good look at her before. "Pretty" did quite do her justice. He took in her midnight hair and watched as it shone slightly blue when the light hit it at a certain angle. He traced the curves and contours of her profile-- slightly sloping nose, high rosy cheeks, full, pouting red lips, and huge light blue eyes. Her skin seemed to have a sort of glow to it, like she was some kind of celestial being or something.

Her hair fell to slightly above her hips, wavy and flaring at the tips. It certainly set hair apart from the other girls, with their short bobs or shoulder length straight hair. He wondered if it was as soft as it looked.

His eyes fell willingly to her body. Her chest wasn't overly large, but it was a nice size. And he new from experience that it was very soft. He smirked at the thought. He took in her flat stomach and her long, muscular legs. She had dainty ankles and wrists, but her arms were toned to perfection, and her hands were slightly calloused. He wondered what she did in her spare time.

Yes, she was very beautiful. He felt the sudden urge to run his fingers down her body, to see if she really was that perfect. He could practically feel her soft, smooth body under—_No. Bad Yusuke! Can not think these thoughts._

Gods, what was wrong with him? He was with _Keiko_. He _loved_ Keiko. He couldn't be thinking this about, well, _anyone—_other than Keiko. But, suddenly, Keiko seemed a little..._dim _in comparison.

Shit.

He had to be careful around this girl. He knew that he didn't actually _love_ her, but he was certainly attracted to her. Oh yeah, _very_ attracted.

Realizing it was he who was now staring, he turned his head to the teacher and tried to actually focus.

He watched the teacher drone on about some legend for a while—something to do with a ceremony and a jewel and a miko— not really listening, when he felt it. It was like...sadness. An overwhelming melancholy washed over him and he looked over at the source. To his right, he could see Kagome still had her head ducked. As he watched, something wet splashed down quietly onto her desk. She was...crying? He looked over her head to see Kurama's questioning gaze as well. Yusuke shrugged, not quite knowing what to do.

Leaning over, Kurama hooked his fingers underneath her chin and brought her head up to look at him. The first thing he noticed was her eyes. They were a dark gray, with small hints of violet here and there. He watched in fascination as they lit up like fireworks. Violet sparking up on a gray backdrop. When a second tear slid down her cheek, he half expected it to be colored. It wasn't.

Whispering quietly, he asked her, "Hey, what's wrong?"

She blinked rapidly and swiped at her eyes with her sleeve. "Gomen, Shuichi. I just—memories, you know?"

He nodded, slightly confused, but he guessed he could understand her. New school, new classes, new people. She was probably just missing her old life. "Yeah, I do. No reason to cry, though. You have Yusuke and me now."

She looked up at him, regarding him silently for a moment, before turning to look at Yusuke as well. "H-hai. I guess I do. Arigatou, guys. It means a lot."

Kurama smiled at her and put his hand over hers in a comforting gesture. "Any time, Kagome. Did you know your eyes look like fireworks right now?"

She smiled. "No, I didn't."

"It's beautiful."

She blushed and ducked her head again, as Kurama chuckled quietly. Yusuke found that he couldn't help but feel a little jealous just then. _He_ might have said her eyes looked like fireworks, had he not been more concerned about her emotional state. He sighed.

This was not good.

ooo

Kurama had watched, entranced, as fireworks exploded before his eyes. She was...beautiful. She looked like an angel. Suddenly, all he wanted was to see her smile.

He put his hand over hers in a comforting gesture. "Any time, Kagome. Did you know your eyes look like fireworks right now?"

He could practically feel the shift in her mood as she gave him a small smile. "No, I didn't."

His eyes traced her face. Permanently blushing cheeks, dainty nose, soft, pouting red lips. He wondered how it would feel to kiss her. Looking into her eyes, he saw her purity. This was a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve, and even when it was ripped apart, he knew she could find a way to sew it back together. He wanted nothing more than to hold her until she stopped crying.

"It's beautiful."

As she blushed and ducked her head, he chuckled quietly at her shyness. But her innocence grabbed at him. Such a creature should be in the highest order of angels.

_**'You sound like a fool.'**_

_'Shut up, Youko. You agree.'_

_**'I agree that she is beautiful, yes, and there is something different about her, although I can't tell what it is yet.'**_

Although she gave them no reason to believe so, both sides of Kurama had the distinct feeling that she was somehow different. They both knew she was hiding something, although whether it was of big or no consequence could hardly be determined at this point.

ooo

Kagome had been fine, listening to the teacher drone on. She hadn't really been paying attention, as she knew what she was supposed to be listening to. History class was a breeze for her; mainly because she lived it all already. Then, though, the teacher had mentioned the ceremony, and suddenly she was drowning.

She watched all over again as the four men that had come to mean so much to her stepped up around her, as if they were lining up for their execution. Which, really, they were. She felt the raw energy inside her and the mix of holy, demonic, and celestial powers taking shape, licking flames at her heart. She could hear her own breathing, the only sound in that deafening silence. The smell of burnt flesh and spilled blood filled her conscious. And then she could feel the coolness of the jewel, rolling it around in her fingers and relishing in the feel of the small fragments of the ones she lost.

"Kagome?" Yusuke shook her shoulder a little, effectively breaking her out of her reverie.

"Hmm?"

"Class is over."

Kagome looked around. People were getting out of their seats and heading for the door. The teacher was already gone. She stood up.

"What do you have now?"

She looked around. Where had she put her schedule? Frowning, she picked up books and checked her pockets. She could've sworn she had put it in her notebook. Someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around. Shuichi stood there with a slight smile on his face. He held his hand out. Ah, her schedule.

"Is this what you're looking for?"

She laughed, but even she could hear the falseness in it.

"Yes, thank you!" She glanced at it before turning to Yusuke. "I have free period now."

He nodded.

"Me and Shuichi have PE now with our friend. Wanna watch?"

Smiling perhaps a bit too widely, she nodded and followed them out of the classroom.

ooo

Kurama brushed passed Yusuke on his way out of the door. He chuckled a little, only half amused.

"Showing off?"

Yusuke frowned, but didn't answer.

ooo

Kagome smiled as she watched. They were sparring today. The class was segregated between boys and girls. Boys on one side of the gym, girls on the other. The boys sat on the right side of the big room, lined up against the wall. They paired up with members of the same sex.The girls were on the left. So far, neither Kurama or Yusuke had fought. Yusuke would be coming up soon, though.

Kagome looked around and sat down on a bleacher on the far side of the gymnasium. She didn't particularly feel like talking to any of the girls here. They all seemed so...naive. A lot like Yuka, Eri, and Ayume from her old school. All they had to worry about was boys and make up and who went to what base at which party. Kagome was simply beyond that. It made her a little sad, though, to know that she would likely never fit in with a group of normal teenage girls again. But at least she had Yusuke and Kurama now, right? Kagome sighed.

When she'd first found out that they were demons, she had been overjoyed. The prospect of having someone she could confide in without them running away or trying to have her committed was a happy one. The illusion hadn't lasted long though. They couldn't find out that she knew about demons or magic or the barrier or anything. They would want to know _how _she knew. And that would lead to uncomfortable questions that she just didn't want to answer. She wanted to confide in them, yes, but there were some things they just didn't have to know. Thinking about it made her sad. She had known that she couldn't be like that with a human, but she'd always thought that perhaps she could befriend a demon. She'd never really thought past meeting them, but now that she did, she realized it could never really happen.

Searching the groups of sparring boys, she found Yusuke walking into a fight with a tall redhead. They must have been close friends, because they seemed to know each other's moves very well. In the end though, which wasn't really too long of a wait at all, Yusuke had the boy knocked to the ground. Putting his foot on the other boy's chest, he struck a victorious pose and yelled, "And the Great Urameshi wins again! Take that Kuwabara!" Kagome giggled as the teacher yelled at them to be serious and stop messing around. She watched the boy get up and smack him over the head and decided she would have to meet him.

Looking over to the sidelines, she found Shuichi. It looked like he had been watching the two spar as well, and Kagome wondered how he might do in a fight. Despite his slightly feminine appearances, she had no doubt that he would be a powerful opponent. Especially if his demon counterpart came out to play. She wondered what his demon side might look like. He was already incredibly good looking, she couldn't really imagine him getting any hotter.

She waved at him, grinning when he waved back, which was really just a dainty flick of his wrist and a small smile in her direction. She laughed, thinking about how regal he always seemed. She shrunk back, however, when several girls to her right seemed to be _growling_ at her. She quickly sent out some of her ki to calm them down and resumed watching the fights.

ooo

After exiting the gymnasium, Kagome found Yusuke, Kurama, and the redhead talking in the hall. Running up to them, she smiled.

"Hello, Oh Great Urameshi! I see you've made a name for yourself around here."

He blushed as Kurama chuckled.

"Yeah, well, being such a punk tends to do that."

She smiled warmly at him before turning to regard the redhead.

"Hello, there. I'm Kagome."

She jumped when he grabbed her hands and went down on one knee.

"Oh fair maiden! Would you bestow upon me the greatest honor of a date?"

She giggled. "I think I'd have to know your name before I went on a date with you, ne?"

"Oh, yes! Of course! You may call me the Great and Wonderful Kuwabara Kazuma!"

"Oh, but, Great and Wonderful Kuwabara Kazuma," she said in mock thought, "That's a little long, ne?"

"Oh, hai. I guess..."

"What do your friends call you?"

"Kuwabara."

"Then I shall call you Kuwabara. Besides, I think you'll be just as great and wonderful _without_ the title as with it."

He smiled brightly at her, and Kurama didn't miss the way she had tactfully evaded answering his question. "Fair and kind! What have we done to deserve the presence of such a creature?"

Kagome giggled as Yusuke smacked him. "You dumbass, leave the girl alone before you traumatize her."

Kagome shook her head and laughed. "What's next period?"

"Lunch."

Kagome nodded, turning her head away so they couldn't see the sudden nervousness in her eyes.

Lunch? She dreaded the thought. A sea full of murderous, Kagome-eating students just waiting to pounce on the unsuspecting new girl. She shuddered.

Okay, so maybe she was exaggerating a bit, but still. She ducked her head and wrung her hands together nervously.

"Ano, do you—I mean, well, could I—"

"Kagome," she looked up at Kurama's smiling face. "Would you like to sit with us at lunch?"

She let out a breath and smiled gratefully.

"Hai, Shuichi. Arigatou."

He held his arm out to her, and as she took it they began to walk away, leaving the others to follow.

ooo

They were back on the roof, eating lunch, when Kagome sensed a youkai in the trees. She looked up, but all she could see was a black blur. Closing her eyes and concentrating her ki on the youkai's aura, she found that it was the same one from earlier. She was concentrating so hard on the feeling of the aura, and blocking out the world around her, that she almost fell off the side of the building when she heard Yusuke's voice behind her.

"Hiei! What are you doing here?"

She turned around and saw Yusuke talking to the youkai by the staircase. She raised an eyebrow.

She watched as the demon turned to glance at her and smiled at the slight widening of his eyes and the small flash of recognition. Evidently, guests up here were a rare occurrence. Putting her index finger to her lips, she silently beckoned him to let the events of that morning remain a secret, nodding appreciatively at the slight, almost imperceptible nod of his head.

"Oh, Hiei. This is Kagome. She's new here."

Kagome noticed how nervous Yusuke looked. She knew he was trying to conceal the fact that he was a demon, but, come on, he was so _obviously_ not human. She stood up and walked over.

"This is Hiei. He's a bit antisocial, so don't expect him to actually, you know, _talk_."

She giggled at the fierce scowl he sent Yusuke's way.

"A pleasure, Hiei-san, I'm sure."

He nodded again, but she felt his focus shifting. At first she thought he was staring at her chest, but then she realized it was rather the bowl of ice cream in her hands. _Well, pyro's got a sweet tooth, ne?_

Turning his attention back to Yusuke, Kagome finally got to hear his voice. "We have a mission tonight, Yusuke. I want it to be quick, so don't be late."

For whatever reason, Kagome found that voice to be incredibly sexy. It was a little gruff, and a little..._dangerous_. She shivered.

Hiei turned his head back to her and raised an eyebrow before giving a small smirk. Kagome blushed fiercely and scowled. She had forgotten youkai could smell arousal. She hoped it was too slight for Kurama to sense. Yusuke she knew wouldn't, as he was not in his youkai form, and Kuwabara was human, so she was safe there as well.

Hiei didn't stick around long. After a quick word with Yusuke and the others, he walked over to the edge of the building. Kagome could tell he was about to jump into the trees. She had no doubt he'd make it. A small cough from Kurama, however, had him scowling in the direction of the staircase--as if the very thought of having to actually _use_ such _human_ devices absolutely _disgusted_ him, before finally walking down. Kagome smiled. They were all _so_ obvious.

When the bell rang, she told the others to go on down and she'd meet them in a minute. After they had left, she set her untouched bowl of ice cream by the edge of the building and went downstairs.

ooo

Hiei raised an eyebrow as he watched her set something down by the edge of the building. What on earth was she doing?

He jumped down and landed with a soft thump on the big concrete roof. Upon further inspection, he found it to be the bowl filled with sweet snow. He frowned. How had she known?

The ice cream was certainly tempting, if not exactly appreciated (for Hiei had never been a very appreciative demon to begin with), but he abhorred the idea of a human—and a female, no less—catching onto his thoughts so quickly, or at all.

He had to admit, he'd been very surprised at seeing the same girl from that morning with Yusuke and the others. He supposed he should have realized it though, judging by her uniform, which was identical to that of the detective's onna--albeit much shorter around her legs. Although, at the time, he'd been rather distracted with that big, ugly oni that kept regenerating itself. He absolutely hated to admit it, but he'd been lucky she was there. No doubt he would've found a way to kill it himself, but it would likely have taken much longer. She had saved him a surmountable amount of trouble and bruises.

He looked at the bowl in his hands again and licked his lips. He knew that, when it came right down to it, he had never been able to resist a good bowl of sweets. It was a fact he hated to share, as it completely belied his reputation. Who would be scared of a demon that got drunk off his ass on _sugar_? He looked down again.

_Oh, to hell with it._

He took a bite.

ooo

The next period, neither Yusuke or Kurama would be with Kagome. She was glad, however, that she would at least have Kuwabara.

Walking into class together, they sat down—again, at the very back—and chatted quietly until the teacher came in. Kagome could feel incredible spirit awareness in the boy, even more than Yusuke, although his reiki was not quite as high as his friend's. This boy could do great things as well. In fact, Kagome speculated, between the four of them—Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, and Kazuma—the Ningenkai, or at least that in Japan, could be very well cared for. She smiled. Hopefully, one day, they could find a way to use their potential.

When the teacher came in, he asked Kagome to introduce herself to the class. So, again, she walked up to the front of the class and told them all a bit about herself as her eyes melted into an agitated blue-green. As she sat down, Kuwabara told her kindly that her eyes really were amazing. She thanked him and turned her attention to the teacher, who had begun to explain an upcoming project. They were told to pick partners.

Kagome was nervous. She hadn't expected to have to _pick_ partners. In her old school, they were all picked _for_ the students. She had no idea what to do. When she snuck a glance at Kawabara, however, she clearly saw that he was in the same predicament. No doubt he was used to having Yusuke as his partner.

"Kawabara," Kagome started quietly. "Would you mind if perhaps—perhaps we could be partners? I know you don't know me very well but..." she trailed off.

He looked at her. "Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea." Nodding, they set to work.

ooo

Kagome had her next class with only Yusuke, but he had assured her there would be someone else there that she could meet. She smiled. He was going through such trouble to make her feel welcome.

"Arigatou, Yusuke. I don't know what I would have done without you today."

He shook his head. "Nah, it was nothing."

She nodded and followed him down the hall, where she saw a pretty girl with the typical short brown hair and uniform blue skirt and jacket. She was waiting by the doorway of a classroom and tapping her fingers against her arm. She looked angry.

"Ooh, that Yusuke. Never shows up for class! Can't he just give a damn for once? Honestly! You'd think he'd be more _responsible_ considering what his job was."

As Kagome listened, she couldn't help but not really like the girl who was evidently waiting for Yusuke. Really, it was just none of her business. She seemed, to Kagome, incredibly domineering.

"Urameshi Yusuke! You get your butt over here right now, mister! You're going to be _late_!"

Kagome had to rub her ears from the shrill voice, which gave her a slight headache.

"Hey! At least I'm _here_ today, right? Come here, I've got someone I want you to meet."

Walking over, she finally regarded Kagome. Her gaze was cold as she appraised her silently, and Kagome could practically _feel_ the jealousy rolling off her in waves.

"Keiko, Kagome. Kagome, Keiko." He introduced the two with a smile.

"Yusuke, who is she?" Keiko asked. Her voice was clipped.

"She's new here. I've been showing her around today, but I figured she'd want at least one girl friend. Whaddya say?"

Kagome smiled at her. Perhaps, eventually, they could get over their initial reactions to each other and at least become semi-companionable. Perhaps. Kagome doubted it. "A pleasure, Keiko-chan. How are you today?"

She gave out a forced smile, and Kagome had to at least give her credit for effort. "I am well, Kagome-_chan_. And yourself?"

Kagome nodded, not really bothering to answer since she knew the girl didn't actually care. Instead, she motioned to the classroom door.

"We should go to class now. I would hate to make you late, as punctuality seems so important to you."

Keiko nodded and grabbed Yusuke by the arm, dragging him into the classroom. Kagome just shook her head and followed.

This time, they sat in the middle. Kagome realized that the two must have reached this compromise a while ago. Yusuke obviously preferred the back, but Keiko seemed the type to sit in the front. Kagome laughed a little to herself. What opposites! She wondered how they had come to be friends.

As they waited, the room began to fill with fellow students and eventually the teacher came in. He was a ugly looking man, with buck teeth and a long, beaver-like face. He didn't seem at all friendly like the others that Kagome had had so far. He looked out over the small sea of students in front of him.

"Higurashi," he called out. His voice was as annoying as his face, and Kagome couldn't stop the small jump she made at the sound of it in the shape of her name. "Where is Higurashi?"

Kagome raised her hand weakly.

"You're the new student?"

She nodded.

"Come up, then. Introduce yourself to the class."

Kagome sighed as she stood in front. _Not again_. Before she could speak, however, the teacher stopped her.

"Higurashi, turn to me."

She turned to face him.

"Yes, sensei?"

"Go to the bathroom," he said shortly. "Wipe off that make up."

She frowned.

"But, sensei, I'm not wearing any make up."

He didn't seem to hear her.

"And take out those contacts, as well."

Kagome flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment.

"Sensei, I'm not—"

"Higurashi, I said go. I don't believe you want to see the principal on your first day."

Hearing the sound of a chair scraping against the floor, she looked over to the class to see Yusuke standing up by his desk and looking angry. Keiko was trying to calm him down. She turned back to her teacher.

"I'm not wearing any make up," she said. Her voice was clipped with the strain of not lashing out at him. "Nor am I wearing contacts."

The teacher frowned and looked at her.

"Come closer."

She resisted the urge to slap him as she took another step toward the man.

"See? Nothing."

He ran a finger down the side of her face, and she shuddered out of revulsion. Her anger was mounting.

"Fine," he said shortly. "You may sit."

Kagome didn't bother to correct the fact that she hadn't gotten to introduce herself to the class. She was too angry to say anything other than curses anyway.

The rest of the class passed in relative calm.

ooo

**Author's note.**

Okay, so I know this is a sorta unexciting chapter. In fact, I know the past three chapters have been pretty unexciting. But, you see, I need them all to _meet_. By making a few boring chapters in the beginning, I am setting the foundation for their relationships. I would have made it all one chapter, but it would've been simply way too long. Somewhere around thirty pages. So I divided it into three.

The next chapter will either be just as boring or more exciting. Depending.

Also, I don't know if I should even continue with the story. I'm getting absolutely no reviews. Is anybody even reading this?

When I first starting writing my fics, I told myself over and over again that it was for myself. Not for whatever readers that might actually come along. I would _not_ be one of those writers that rely on reviews for inspiration for their stories. But, I mean, _come on. _The whole point of this was to get feedback so I could improve my writing. I am getting none whatsoever! Even a simple "good job" or "keep writing" or "you would improve by..." would suffice.

Sigh

Well, I suppose I'll keep writing. Reviews are definitely appreciated. I don't think I need to tell you where the button is by now.

Ja ne,

Hayley


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Kagome walked with Kurama and Yusuke after school. She was still angry about the little incident from class.

How _dare_ he? How dare he speak to her like that? Or touch her like that? His aura practically leaked sleaziness and taint. She shuddered.

And to call her out like that! In front of the whole class! _What a way to make a first impression,_ she though dryly.

"Mou! How embarrassing!"

Kurama watched as Kagome silently fumed, the angry flush on her face giving her away. Yusuke patted her head mockingly, smirking as she glared.

"It's not funny!" she cried.

Kurama watched her playful outrage with interest. She was a magnificent puzzle. She was shy and bashful and demure at first glance, but upon further inspection the shyness became mystery and intrigue and the bashfulness warped into a sparkle of mischief that was decidedly kitsune, and what was once demure seemed simply wise, as if she knew much more than she was letting on. He wondered what it was she was hiding.

"Yes it is," Yusuke laughed, brushing away her glare with a careless wave. "You should be flattered, though. You got in trouble for being too _pretty_."

Kagome blushed.

"I don't think—"

Kurama shook his head, cutting in and effective cutting off any self-degrading comments she was planning on making. This girl was so incredibly modest, one had to wonder if she was blind or fishing for compliments. He hoped desperately it was the first. Kagome seemed so _pure_. How disheartening it would be to find that her whole persona was a lie.

"And I, for one, would have to agree. You are _far_ too pretty," he smiled gently. Looking at her closely, he watched for any signs deceit in her image. She blushed and ducked her head.

"Thank you," she said quietly. He found none.

ooo

Hiei waited for his teammates in what was, for him, a miraculous patience. As a bandit, killer, and demon, his instincts had never allowed much capacity for such a virtue. It had generally been in his best interest to complete his task and run, never sticking around for the aftermath of his deeds. It was simply survival.

When he had first found himself suddenly coerced into the rag tag group of pseudo superheroes that Koenma had dubbed his "Spirit Detectives", Hiei had had a very hard time adjusting. This was partially due to the fact that he _couldn't_ run. He supposed it sounded like a cowardly thing to say, but it was true. He felt trapped.

It wasn't that he didn't enjoy occasionally watching the fruits of his labor take effect, though. In the past, he had often found himself watching the show of chaos and confusion from a tree or shadow or other obscure place he wouldn't be found--a sort of twisted voyeurism, he supposed. But, all those times, it had been from a relatively safe distance. Even now, three years after being recruited to Koenma's staff, he found it difficult to stand by idly. The fear of being caught was deep seated, ingrained into his person to the point of becoming instinct. And, as they say, old habits die hard.

So, as he sat on the park bench, waiting for his teammates and trying to ignore the building annoyance that stemmed mostly from the curious and slightly wary stares of random passerby was becoming increasingly difficult. His fingers itched to do something, anything, and Hiei found himself unconsciously clenching the hilt of his sword. A balloon popped to his right, and the sudden high-pitched, keening wail coming from the stroller by the bench next to him nearly sent him over the edge. He heard the mother coo to the child, desperately, but ineffectively, trying not to cause a scene in the crowded park. She gave a little shake of a rattle, but the infant just screamed harder and threw the toy across the bench. It hit Hiei on the head. As the child looked over the edge of his stroller, Hiei sent him a glare colder than ice. The baby promptly shut up. The mother looked over at him nervously, but Hiei wasn't paying attention. He had caught sight of his teammates across the sidewalk. He stood up.

_Finally._

ooo

Kagome looked at Kuwabara. They had decided to begin working on their project as soon as possible.

Kagome was a natural procrastinator. She was very smart, and generally grasped concepts easily, but she tended to wait until the last possible moment to complete—and by complete, she meant begin—a given task. Give her a long term assignment, and she would wait until the day before to even look at the material. She always scraped by though.

This was why she liked working with partners on assignments such as these. It encouraged her to work hard on her part, because to do otherwise would result in a bad grade for somebody else. Plus, a partner served as a constant reminder. So, her and Kuwabara began working right away.

"Which legend do you want to do?"

For the assignment, they were to pick a legend, myth, or fable of their choice and accurately portray the information to the class by any means they found appropriate. It was a very open assignment, giving them many options and room to make it how they wanted.

Kagome thought.

She figured that, if she wanted to get the best possible grade while doing the least amount of work, as she was so prone to do when it came to school (mostly because it was just boring and, quite frankly, _unnecessary_), it would be wisest if she chose a legend she was familiar with. Kagome was familiar with many legends. In fact, Kagome was a _part_ of many legends. But, she wondered if she could handle publicly announcing them. Some of them were private parts of her life, parts she wasn't quite sure she wanted to share with, well, _anybody._ But, then again, it might be good for her. Maybe getting it out in the open (or, as much as possible, anyway, without telling people outright that it was _her_ in the stories) could help clear some of the emotions running through her mind. Kagome sighed.

It had been years, and the pain hadn't stopped. It had subsided slightly, and she thanked the kami for that, but she wondered if it would ever just _go away._ She wished she could just forget. Perhaps doing this would help her come to terms with everything that had happened, could serve as some sort of closure.

Kagome thought for a moment, and when she felt a tear make its way down her cheek she decided against it. The last thing she needed was to begin spontaneously crying in front of her new classmates during a presentation. She had just escaped being the "Sick Girl", and she didn't want to repeat the process and take the risk of becoming something potentially worse. Probably something like "PMS Girl" or "Psychotic/Emotionally Unstable Girl".

No, she could do a legend she was familiar with, and perhaps have been a part of, but none including those particular instances. She decided to choose something funny. A good, lighthearted laugh that _wouldn't_ make her cry.

"What about—"

She paused. A shiver ran up her spine and Kagome felt the sudden sensation of having the wind knocked out of her. She felt a burning itching feeling in her side.

"_Shit,_" she said eloquently. Kuwabara looked up in surprise.

"Something wrong?"

Kagome looked up at him nervously. Why did this have to happen _now_?

"Yeah, um, I just remembered that I have to meet a friend today to do, uh, something important," she said lamely.

In general, she was a very good liar. At times, she took pride in that fact. It had saved her life on more than a few occasions. However, with the intense pain shooting through her body right now, coming up with and executing a smooth lie was something she was simply incapable of doing. Frankly, she was surprised she could speak a coherent sentence. Plus, Kuwabara was neither forceful or sharp enough to catch on to her deceit, and his spiritual awareness hasn't been toned enough to alert him to it, so Kagome knew she didn't really have to make it good.

"You have to go?" Kuwabara looked a little sad. They'd been having a good time.

"Yeah, I'm really sorry, Kuwabara. I promise I'll make it up to you. We can reschedule for tomorrow, 'kay? And then maybe we can go to the arcade or something, if it's alright with you."

He seemed to have been properly appeased, so Kagome took off. Kami, she hated when this happened.

ooo

Kurama looked at Hiei. The demon's eyes were narrowed and his hand was clutching the hilt of his sword.

"You're late," he growled.

Kurama gave placating smile and put a hand on his friend's shoulder, which was promptly shrugged off.

"Sorry, Hiei. The buses were running slow today."

Hiei frowned and twitched violently at the sound of a pitching scream from the stroller behind him. Kurama raise an eyebrow.

"Hn."

He led them out of the park.

ooo

Once they were a safe distance from the noise and aggravation that Hiei had come to associate with public places, he looked around.

"Where's the oaf?"

"Kuwabara couldn't come. He's working on a school assignment with Kagome."

Hiei raised an eyebrow.

"I told him to just stay," Yusuke said with a careless wave of his hand. "It's just an investigation case."

"Hn."

They continued walking. The closer the group got, the more they could feel the power of the barrier.

"Is it just me," Yusuke said finally, "Or does the barrier feel weaker than usual?"

Hiei frowned.

"Hn. There's a demon there."

They began to run. It didn't take much longer for them to reach the site, but, once again, it seemed that they were just too late. On the ground was a dead youkai, which, upon inspection, seemed to be of some bird species, being slowly devoured by black flames. A little farther down the clearing was a girl. Her palm lay flat in the air, and although the bottom of her face was covered with a black cloth, as her body was covered in a long black cloak that Kurama thought was vaguely like Hiei's, and her eyes were closed, they could all see the look of intense concentration on her face.

"Hey, what—" Yusuke cut himself off, as a sudden feeling of immense power washed over the three of them. They watched in fascination as a wave of pink rippled out of the girl's hand, outlining what they supposed to be the barrier before disappearing. The barrier suddenly felt much stronger. The girl opened her eyes and looked at them in shock, but all they saw was a flash of pink before she ran away, black robes waving behind her. Hiei saw a small flash of blue underneath the black. He narrowed his eyes.

ooo

Kagome ran as fast as she could.

_Shit._

This was the second time this _week_. She had no idea what Yusuke and the others had been doing at the barrier site, but luck certainly wasn't on her side.

_Shitshitshit._

She only thanked the gods that she'd had the foresight to put on her semi disguise. There was no way she'd be able to charm her way out of being caught doing _that_.

When the burning feeling in her side started to be replaced with a new pain and her breathing came in short gasps, she decided she'd probably ran enough. She stopped and bent herself over her knees, bracing herself with her hands, to catch her breath.

ooo

It was a few hours later, and Yusuke had contacted Koenma to report what they'd seen. They were currently seated in his big office, located in the Reikai, and waiting for Kuwabara to show up.

A portal opened in the center of the room, and Yusuke snorted as he watched Kuwabara trip through, followed by the ever-cheery Botan. The redhead seated himself next to Yusuke as Botan went to stand by her boss.

"So," Koenma started hesitantly. "There was a girl at the barrier site?"

Kurama was the only one that bothered to answer, nodding his head in the affirmative. Koenma sighed at the lack of respect from his subordinates.

"And a demon?"

Kurama nodded again.

"Who was on fire?"

Nod.

"Black fire?"

Nod.

"Made by the girl?"

Nod.

"Who, you say, _strengthened_ the barrier?"

At this point, Kurama had stopped nodding, opting instead to play with the edges of his hair.

"What was she wearing?"

Kurama spoke.

"She wore a black cloak."

Koenma made a small noise of interest.

"Like Hiei?"

"No. Hers was entirely black, and had a hood."

"So you didn't get a good look at her?"

Kurama frowned in thought.

"She had pink eyes."

"Pink eyes, you say?"

"Yes."

Koenma adopted what the detectives had come to know as his thinking face. His eyebrows drew together, and his lips made a sort of pout. Every once in a while his nose twitched or he made a particularly loud suck on his pacifier. Hiei made a disgusted face.

"Perhaps—but, no, it couldn't be—but, it _sounds_ like it—I thought it to be just a rumor—but, no—but—"

"Jesus Christ, toddler, spit it out!" Yusuke was getting tired of the nonsensical muttering that had been the prince's only response for the past five minutes. He wanted answers _now._

"_Well_," the prince started, "there is a legend—or rather a rumor, I suppose—about the creation of the barrier."

The boys looked shocked.

"You mean you don't _know_ how the barrier was created?"

"Well, no. It all happened when I was a baby, a _real_ baby, Yusuke, which was, I assure you, a very long time ago."

"So what _do_ you know?"

It really just figured, Yusuke thought. His boss was just so incredibly _incompetent_ sometimes, he wondered why his father would have trusted him with the fate of the entire living realm to begin with.

"Well, as I was saying, there is a rumor. It is said that in the beginning, meaning, before the barrier, humans and demons lived together freely."

Yusuke snorted.

"Well _obviously._ There was no _barrier_ to separate them."

Koenma glared before continuing.

"In _any_ case, after a particularly nasty incident, the details of which are all very obscure, the gods decided that it was no longer safe for humans and demons to reside on the same plane. Thus, they sought to create two separate worlds to keep them separate. My father, who was still the reigning king at the time, had enough power to create the worlds."

"What about the other kami?"

"They didn't. Still though, they needed a barrier to keep the worlds apart. That was something that my father couldn't do."

"Why?"

"I don't _know_," he said irritably. Was no interruptions _really_ that much to ask? "He just _didn't_. So he recruited the help of a woman who had recently died, and together they created the barrier. She was granted access to both sides, and any who were tied to her heart was able to pass through it as well. She was the guardian of the barrier, and used her powers to fix it every time something happened to cause it to weaken. She would have to be either a youkai or tennyo, though, for that to happen."

"Why's that?" This whole encounter had interested Kurama greatly. He'd never heard the story of the formation of the barrier before.

"Because tennyo are immortal, and youkai live for thousands of years. Humans don't. She would need to, though, if she were to guard the barrier."

Yusuke nodded. That made sense.

"So what else?"

"That's it."

Yusuke frowned. The whole story didn't sound very likely, but then again, this was the supernatural he was talking about.

"So why haven't we ever seen her before, if she's been there since the creation of the barrier?"

"Well, since the job of Spirit Detective has been filled, the barrier's probably been stronger. Or so I would imagine. There probably wasn't much of a need to fix a barrier that wasn't broken."

"So why is it breaking now? This is the second time we've caught her at it."

Koenma frowned.

"I-I don't know."

None of them quite liked the sound of that.

ooo

**Author's note.**

So, here is the next chapter! A bit short, I know, but at least it's there, right?

Thank you, to **shannon** and** Minogaki TenTen**, who reviewed after my last chapter. TenTen even put me on her favorite authors and stories lists, of which I am eternally grateful. That _so_ made my week. .

The oneshot I wrote, Heart of Winter, is dedicated to the two of you.

So, yeah, I guess that's it.

Ja ne!

Hayley

(**Review. I need **_**more**_**.**)

\/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/ \/


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_It was night now, and darkness was everywhere. She could only see by the light from the small lanterns surrounding the area, and even that wasn't much. Kagome wondered if this was what the rest of her life would be like—shrouded in darkness, barely able to see, wishing she didn't have to do what she knew she _had_ to do. _

_Kagome raised her hands and her head, and spoke into the silence. She hoped her voice wouldn't tremble as much as her heart._

"_Sesshomaru, of the West."_

_Sesshomaru stepped up to her right, about four feet back. He looked at her sadly, and Kagome struggled to keep her breathing even._

"_Kouga, of the East."_

_Kouga stepped up to her left, the same distance as Sesshomaru. He looked at her steadily for a moment before closing his eyes and bowing his head. A tear slipped down her cheeks._

"_Inuyasha, of the South."_

_Inuyasha stepped directly in front of her, about eight feet away. He just watched her. His eyes never left hers. Kagome began to cry, and she tried desperately to speak through the salty taste in her mouth._

"_The miko of the North."_

_And then she spoke those damning words. It was blood for life, and life for blood, and _oh_, the _blood._ And then there were flames bursting out of an obsidian fire. Only, it wasn't fire at all. It was cold. And suddenly, Kagome was freezing._

_And it was everywhere—they were surrounded, trapped. And the blood and the lives and the sins of the many for the blood of the few and they were trapped, trapped, trapped. There was no way out. Kagome screamed. She couldn't see, couldn't breathe. _

_Breathe, she told herself, breathe._

_Only, there was no air to breathe. It was sucked up in the fire. Gone like the wind. _

_There was no wind that night. _

_She raised her hands, palms to the moon, and the blood was on her hands and her arms and there was fire and blood and then the lives were just...gone. _

Kagome shot up in her bed, panting and sweating and almost _crying. _It had been a long while since she'd let herself actually cry. Every once in a while a tear would slip, but she hadn't actually _cried_ in a very long time.

Figures her subconscious would try thwart her efforts.

She mopped her head with the back of her hand and threw the sheets, sticky with sweat and tangled haphazardly around her body, off the bed. Getting up, she sighed.

"I hate this."

And she did. She hated it all. She hated herself and her past and her ever-looming future. She hated what she'd _done_ and she _hated_ that she still hated it. It wasn't something she'd had a choice in, after all. And they would _want_ her to stop hating herself for it.

But, _damnit. _She _hated _it!

She growled and gave her dresser a good kick.

"Ow, _fuck!_"

Perhaps that wasn't the smartest idea. She let out a small stream of curses that would have made Inuyasha proud before deciding to just take a shower. And after looking at herself in the mirror, she decided she really needed one.

Her hair was rumpled and messy and clinging to parts of her forehead, shoulders, and neck. Her entire body was slick with sweat and her clothes hung off her body in the worst places.

In all actuality, she thought, she looked like she'd just had a fantastic lay. Just replace fantastic with fucked up and lay with...life. She frowned into her mirror before stripping off what little clothes she had worn that night—panties and a tank top.

Hey, the weather had been _sweltering_ lately.

After turning on the shower as hot as she could without physically harming herself, she stepped in. The burn, she decided, was just what she needed.

The hot water felt good on her body. As she lathered up her hair, she got ready for some serious thinking.

This shouldn't be happening.

These dreams—she hadn't had them for years. Why were they starting up again now?

Perhaps, she thought, it was her subconscious. (Damn that impudent thing.) Maybe it was telling her to just get off her ass and do her duties. She had put them off for long enough.

And it was true. She _had_ put them off. It had been two weeks since she'd started school again, and she hadn't done anything. And it wasn't even because of her procrastination issues.

She just—she just wanted to _forget_. She wanted to be at _peace_. But how could she do that if she had a constant reminder of _everything_ around her neck? She swore.

Maybe she just had ODD or something. After all, she hadn't _wanted_ to do it. And now she didn't _want_ to do this. In fact, for her entire life, she had been doing things for _other_ people that she just didn't _want_ to do.

Maybe now all those years of suppressed emotions were coming out in a rebellious attitude. Not that it was so extremely rebellious, of course. But still.

But, she remembered, she had to do it. If not for those in need, then because she was bound. She really _had_ to.

Eventually.

Bah, she had to do it _today_. If she didn't, she would never do it.

It was decided, then. Today she would begin looking for Miroku and Sango's descendant. She would go from there.

ooo

There was no school today. It was Sunday. Kagome was immensely grateful for this. It gave her a chance to do what she actually needed to do. Not like school.

Now, how to go about this?

She frowned. Miroku and Sango had lived roughly five hundred years in the past. How in the hell was she going to find out who would represent them in the _present_? Sighing, she headed to her jii-chan's storage shed.

She'd start at the books.

ooo

It was dusty and dank in the shed, filled with the smells of old books and herbs and _knowledge_. She almost didn't want to touch anything, for fear of breaking the spell. But she did anyway.

Opening the large wooden door, she walked quietly to the back of the room, where she knew he kept most of his historical books. She walked up to a particularly large one and picked it up, swiping the dust off the cover with her palm.

_Feudal Freaks: Sex in the Warring States Era_.

The cover had a picture of what looked like a priestess and a samurai playing Twister.

Okay, wrong book.

Putting it back, something to her right caught her eye. It was an envelope. The front read "Kagome" in her grandfathers scraggly handwriting. She frowned and opened it, pulling out a letter.

_Dear Kagome,_

_Your birthday is coming up, in just a few days. I have to say, I have been at a loss for what to get you. I suppose a mummified kappa hand won't do you justice anymore. Not after all you've seen, anyway._

_Perhaps my gifts in the past have been a bit...useless. You need something you can use, something you can depend on. So, your mother, brother, and I all pitched in and got you this set of custom made arrowheads. I'm not sure what they're made of, some kind of super metal or something, but your brother assures me they are very strong and very sharp. There are five of them. The engravings were created by the three of us, and they were all blessed by myself._

_We hope you like them, and we hope that you hold them as close to your heart as we do you. You are a wonderful granddaughter, Kagome, and in all of your eighteen—twenty one—however old you technically are years, I don't think I've ever really told you just how much that's true. You make me extremely proud, for all your accomplishments and mistakes and for everything you've done for us and the world around you. We all love you so much._

_Happy birthday!_

_Jii-chan_

Kagome looked at the note in her hand, watching as a couple tears fell down and marked the small piece of paper. She looked where the note had been and, sure enough, there was a small, black wooden box engraved with her name in gold. She picked it up and opened it. Five beautiful, shining arrowheads glinted back at her. The carvings on them really were exquisite.

This must have been from before it happened. She'd forgotten her birthday had been coming up.

She closed her eyes and held the letter and box against her chest, slowly sinking down against the wall and leaning over until she was completely curled up in herself. She gave out a strangled sob and, for the first time in a very long time, Kagome cried.

ooo

Forty minutes later found Kagome sifting through books and records with renewed fervor. This was something she would do for them—for all of them. The small table in the shed was practically drowning in papers and old books and the like. And Kagome was right at the middle of it all, reading and muttering to herself and looking for all the world like her grandfather.

She ignored the tracks on her face where the tears had been.

About two hours later, she slammed a book closed, thrust her finger in the air, and shouted, "Aha!"

_Finally_, she'd gotten a name. So maybe it wasn't the _current_ descendant, but it was one of them. From about three hundred years ago. Heh, so maybe she needed to do more research.

Back to the books.

Again.

For the next thirteen hours, Kagome sifted and read and muttered and searched online. She didn't bother to eat. This was _far_ more important. In the end, it was pitch black out, and Kagome was utterly exhausted. But, she had gotten a name. Of the current descendant. She was happy.

She stumbled through the doorway to her room and promptly collapsed, only half of her body actually on the bed. She didn't dream that night.

ooo

It was Monday. School again.

Kagome sighed. She really didn't want to go to school. Not after yesterday, anyway. By the time she'd gone to bed, it was practically morning already. She'd gotten almost no sleep at all.

After a quick shower, she threw her hair up into a ponytail, put on her uniform, and ran out the door, grabbing a quick snack as she went. She was already running late.

While running to the bus stop, and hoping that she hadn't missed the seven-forty, Kagome wondered what she should do next.

She had a name, but not a face. Kagome had no idea where or how to find this person. All it said was that the woman lived at a temple in Japan. Do you know how many temples there are in Japan?

A lot.

Kagome sighed as she stepped onto the bus. She'd just have to ask around and hope that luck was with her today.

ooo

"So, Kagome," Yusuke said. It was lunch now, and she was walking up the stairs to the roof with him. "I have someone I want you to meet."

_Oh no,_ she thought, _not another._

Keiko still hadn't warmed up to her. She smiled anyway.

"Who is it?"

"She's up there. You'll like her."

Kagome nodded and followed him up. Once outside, she saw a pretty blue-haired girl talking to Kurama. Hiei stood at the edge of the roof, but Kuwabara wasn't there.

"Hey, Botan, this is Kagome." Botan looked over and smiled cheerfully. "Kagome, this is Botan."

Kagome smiled as well. This girl seemed nice, despite the fact that Kagome could tell she wasn't entirely human. Actually, she felt like a spirit.

"Hello," she greeted warmly, dipping her head slightly in a small bow. Botan laughed.

"Oh, Kagome-chan! I've heard so much about you!"

"Really?" Kagome was happily surprised at the thought.

"Oh, yes! The boys just can't stop talking about you!"

Yusuke went red and Kurama coughed a little, turning his head aside so she couldn't see his reaction, although he seemed to be laughing. Kagome just smiled.

"So, I hear you live at a shrine," Botan said after a moment. Kagome nodded.

"What's it like?"

"It's...quiet."

"Really?"

"Yeah. What about you? Where do you live?"

"On the other side."

Kurama coughed a little and Yusuke looked startled. Her violet eyes widened.

"That—I mean—the other side of Tokyo, of course."

Kagome laughed. How any of them had managed to keep their secrets to themselves over the years was beyond her. None of them seemed like very good liars, except maybe Kurama. Still though, what a strange group of friends. Kagome smiled. She liked it.

"Of course," she said dismissively. She sat on the edge of roof, patting the space next to her to indicate to her new friend to sit. Kurama and Yusuke did as well. Hiei just stood impassively where he was, although he seemed to be watching her. Kagome shivered.

"Hey, Kagome."

She looked over at Yusuke, who had a curious look on his face.

"Yes?"

"The day before you came to the school, our teacher said you'd missed the first week because of 'personal issues'. What was she talking about?"

"Yusuke!" Botan smacked him. "You can't ask that!"

Kagome smiled sadly. "No, no. It's okay. It—I was taking a trip."

"A trip? You missed school because of a trip?"

"Well, no, I suppose it wasn't really the _trip_. It was my family," she said quietly.

"What about them?"

"They—they died."

The three sitting beside her looked properly shocked. Hiei simply raised an eyebrow.

"They...died?"

"The trip was for me. I thought it would be best."

"Did all of them die?"

She nodded.

"It was Mama, Souta, and Jii-chan. I...couldn't save them."

They watched as the girl ducked her head, but could see no tears fall. She damned her pride. Before yesterday, she had forgotten just how good crying felt.

"Oh, Kagome-chan, I'm so sorry." Botan looked at her sympathetically before scooting closer and putting her arms around the girl. Kagome leaned in to her embrace, allowing herself the small comfort of being held, which she hadn't had in a long while. After a while, she picked herself, looking perfectly calm and composed, and smiled at them.

"Thank you," she whispered. They nodded, and Kagome set about eating her lunch. The rest followed her example.

After a few minutes of slightly uncomfortable silence, Kagome decided she couldn't take it anymore. She _hated_ when people reacted like this. It was why she'd kept it to herself in the first place. She appreciated the sentiment and respect and all, but come _on_, she was still a freaking human being. Mostly, anyway. Sure, she had been a little torn up over her family's death. Very torn up, actually, but Kagome knew that this was just the way things worked when it came down to powerful jewels. And her family knew that, too. In their dying moments, all they wanted was for her to be happy. Don't mourn for them for too long, they said, and don't waste your life on revenge. Kagome remembered this, and so she was fine.

She figured now would be the time to try her luck.

"Hey, guys?" They turned their attention to her in silence. "I know this is kind of random, and it's a complete stab in the dark here, but would any of you happen to know someone named Genkai?"

They looked at her in what she perceived to be shock. Kagome hoped that was a good thing.

"Genkai?"

"Yeah. She lives at a temple somewhere. Is that a yes?"

"Yes, she is a good friend of ours." Kagome glanced over at Kurama, relief evident in her eyes.

"Oh, good. Would you mind introducing me to her sometime soon? It's an odd request, I know, but it's very important."

Kagome noticed that they looked unsure.

"She's expecting me," she added quickly. Well, sort of, anyway. Kurama nodded.

"Yes, I suppose we could do that. Say, tomorrow? We have a previous engagement scheduled for today."

"Yes, yes. Tomorrow will be fine. Thank you so much, guys. You're awesome."

ooo

After school, Yusuke met the other three by the gate, who were waiting patiently with Botan.

"Took you long enough, Urameshi." Kuwabara was leaning against the school gate with his hands behind his head.

"Yes, Yusuke, what kept you waiting?" Kurama stood near Botan, hands in his pockets and looking politely uninterested. Yusuke wondered how he managed that look.

"I was helping Kagome with her books. She realized she was missing one after class but had no idea where she left it, and barely knew her way around the school. Turns out it was on the roof."

"Ah, I see. I am pleased that you're making an effort for her to feel welcome here. She is a lovely girl." Yusuke threw Kurama a slightly suspicious glance before answering.

"Yeah, sure. So, are you ready?"

Hiei dropped from his silent position in the trees.

"Hn. Let's go."

And with that, Botan opened a portal for them and they stepped through.

ooo

"Alright toddler, what's the deal this time?"

"Yusuke Urameshi, _how_ many times must I tell you _not—_"

"Yeah, yeah. Just spill it so we can get it over with and go home."

Koenma huffed and looked as if he was about to retort, before seeming to decide better of it and simply throwing a glare in the detective's general direction.

"Okay, if you'll turn your attention to the screen," They swiveled their heads to look at the large screen on the other side of the room. "This is the Kokuyouseki no Houseki. It is an extremely powerful jewel that must be protected at all costs. It was recently turned over to the care of the Reikai, a couple decades ago, and it is of utmost importance that this jewel remains safe and unscathed."

"And by 'turned over' I suppose you mean 'taken'?" The Reikai was notably famous for taking items of importance from their owners to "protect" them in their vaults. Hiei snorted at the thought; those Reikai fools were too incompetent to guard a rock, let alone actual powerful artifacts. He himself was testimony to that.

Koenma scowled at Yusuke, but didn't bother to answer.

"We have reason to believe that there will be an attempt to steal it. Your mission is simple: guard the jewel. You will have tonight and tomorrow to prepare for your guard duty. You should not have to stay longer than a week. Go home, get rest, and get ready, and come back in two days. Botan!"

"Yes, sir."

And they walked through the recently formed portal and into the Ningenkai to prepare.

ooo

**Author's note.**

Yay! Another chapter done!

So I wasn't entirely pleased with this chapter, but it portrayed what I needed to get across well enough.

Ah, by the way, "Kokuyouseki no Houseki" means "Jewel of Obsidian".

**Minogaki TenTen**: Heh, you will find all that out eventually. However! For the pairing, I do need advice.

I know I want to do a bit of everything throughout—Kag/Yus, Kag/Kur, and Kag/Hiei. As of yet, though, I have no idea what the final pairing will be. If anyone has a personal preference, let me know. (Note, though, that it can only be one of the three listed above.)

And, of course, **review**!

Yay!

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	6. Chapter 6

_**'Youko'**_

**Chapter Six**

Yusuke plopped down, rather ungracefully, onto Kurama's couch. Hiei stood by a window on the other side of the room, and Kuwabara sat on the couch opposite. Kurama walked into the room with a tray of tea in his hands, hoping that his guests would actually drink it. Usually, they just disregarded it in favor of yelling, or else simply didn't see it. After placing the tray gently onto the table and sitting elegantly on his own cushiony chair, he folding his hands on his lap and looked expectantly at his teammates.

"So," he stated into the silence. He waited patiently for someone to begin talking. He had no doubt they would.

"So," Yusuke reiterated, and, after a moment, "What do we do?"

This whole thing had been bugging him. For the entire duration of his employment as a Spirit Detective, it had generally just been the four of them. It was very rare that a new person was added into the equation—such as Toguro or Sensui—and whenever they did, it never ended pleasantly for him.

"I'd imagine there's not much we can do." Kurama spoke the truth. With their new mission, it would be difficult to investigate further on the issue of the guardian of the barrier. Sure, Koenma had said it would probably only be for about a week, but he had promised nothing. With the nature of the case, it could very well stretch out for an indefinable amount of time.

"Why do we need to do anything?" Kuwabara spoke up from his seat in front of Yusuke. "She isn't doing anything wrong. Actually, she's helping us."

Kurama nodded thoughtfully before speaking again.

"Yes, if that is indeed what she is doing."

Kuwabara looked confused.

"What?"

"We have no idea if this girl is the same one from the legend, and we don't know that what she's doing is actually beneficial to the barrier. And the story Koenma told us was, in his own words, simply a rumor among the older deities. Even if it did have some credibility to it, Koenma's information would likely have many errors," Kurama explained patiently. Kuwabara nodded his head; he supposed that was true enough. Kurama glanced at Hiei, who was still in his position by the window. "What do you think, Hiei?"

Hiei looked up and frowned slightly. What, indeed? Hiei had his suspicions, but no substantial evidence as of yet. Although he did have some rather useful facts about Kagome that the rest of his team seemed to be lacking, such as her knowledge of demons and inherent miko powers. She must have been relatively trained, at the least, to both create a moderately strong barrier around a separate entity from herself and conceal her powers enough so that no one would notice.

He wondered why she didn't just tell them. She obviously knew they were demons, if she could see that he himself was. Although he supposed detecting an avatar and a hanyou with such diluted blood may be slightly more difficult. But then he remembered her slightly conspiratorial and mischievous look from that first day on the roof, and decided that she must know. She had an air about her, he thought, a sort of mysterious, "I-know-something-you-don't-know" feel that he couldn't help but wonder just how much she _did_ know. And if she was indeed the girl from the barrier...

Well, what a coincidence that would be.

Furthermore, Hiei wondered why _he_ didn't tell his teammates. He trusted them, for the most part, and respected them, albeit grudgingly, and he knew it was the same vice versa. They would expect him to tell them any useful information he had that would aid them in their case. Frankly, he would expect the same. But there was just something about the girl that intrigued him, which was, he found, a surprising thought. Not much had intrigued him in his two hundred or so years. Although he doubted that his interest in her actually ran so deep as to call it as such, but still, for a human onna it was a grand feat. And as withholding such information didn't seem to harm his teammates in any way other than severely frustrating them, which, he would admit, he found great amusement in, he decided he would keep up her charade. For now, at least.

Realizing that they were still waiting for an answer he shrugged and managed to look both vaguely interested and distant at the same time.

"Hn," he said simply. The rest took this to mean "I don't know" and continued with their speculations, rather uselessly, Hiei thought, for some time more before separating to their respective homes for the night.

ooo

Kagome closed the door behind her as she left her house. It was night now, almost pitch black. Her favorite time to take a walk, despite the memories she tended to associate with darkness. Feeling the slight, unanticipated chill in the air, she pulled her jacket tighter around her as she walked down the steps of her shrine.

Tomorrow, she thought. Tomorrow she would face her past. All of the memories and the pain and the tears were manifested into that small jewel. And, after meeting Miroku and Sango's descendant, it would all be hers to bear. Again.

Was she ready?

Kagome wondered what Genkai would be like. Would she have Miroku's cunning nature? Or Sango's fierce loyalty? Would she look at all like her long lost friends? Would she even know who Kagome was? It was going to be an interesting meeting, she decided. She only hoped she didn't cry.

As she walked, Kagome tilted her head to the sky. It was a dark navy blue, the only light coming from the moon and the stars, which seemed considerably more bountiful that night than any other she had experienced in a while. The air smelled of premonitions and mystery, and the trees whispered to her through the wind.

She made her way to the park, and down a barely visible trail into the woods to her childhood place of peace. The small clearing was surrounded by trees and flowers, comforting her and telling her how much they'd missed her presence. She sat down against a smooth rock at the far end, waiting patiently. The trees spoke of a visitor. He would be there soon.

Sure enough, Kagome soon saw a shadow stepping into her little safe haven. She smiled.

"And who might you be?"

The figure didn't step out of the shadows, but answered nonetheless.

"A friend," the deep voice replied simply.

"Friend," she said quietly, nodding to herself. "Then, to what do I owe this visit, Friend?"

"I have come with a warning."

"And what might that be?"

"Only that many faces cause many problems."

Kagome was slightly confused by his answer, but, in all honesty, was also used to the vague responses of obscure men whose faces she couldn't see. It crossed her mind that perhaps this was a thing to worry about, but she dismissed it as part of her way of life.

"And when will this warning become a necessity?"

The man paused for a moment.

"Soon."

She nodded, silently.

"Thank you, then," she said after a moment.

"Of course, dear Kokoro."

Kagome smiled faintly. She hadn't heard that name in a long while. After a moment of silence, the man's presence disappeared from her senses. She settled herself more comfortably against the rock before calling out.

"Hiei, you can come down now."

With a soft thud, Hiei landed in front of her. She smiled.

"A nice night, isn't it?"

Hiei only glared. She sighed and patted the ground next to her. He hesitated slightly before sitting down where he was. In all honesty, Kagome was surprised he'd allowed even that much.

"Who was that man?"

Kagome's head lay back against her arms for support. She grinned slightly.

"A _Friend_."

He frowned.

"What friend?"

Kagome gave him a sideways look before turning her head back to the stars.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she said simply.

"Is it a regular occurrence for you, then, to meet strange men in the middle of the night?"

She smiled.

"More so than you would think."

He gave a small "hn" sound before lapsing into silence, simply glaring at her.

"You've been following me," Kagome said after a while.

"I have questions," he answered. Kagome laughed a little.

"Don't we all?"

"Indeed." They were silent again before, "How old are you?"

Kagome was caught off guard. The demon was more perceptive than she'd thought.

"I suppose that depends on your point of view," she answered cryptically. She suddenly found herself with the tip of his sword in front of her jugular.

"I do not appreciate games and trickery," he said coldly. Kagome pushed the sword away with her hand and smiled.

"Games and trickery are not my style," she paused. "Not all the time, anyway."

"I will ask again. How old are you?"

She grinned.

"There are several ways I can respond to that question."

"That's not an answer."

Kagome laughed.

"Of course it is; just not the one you were looking for."

He frowned, but figured it rather fruitless to continue questioning. This onna was positively infuriating. They were quiet for a while.

"He called you Kokoro," he stated, curiously. Kagome nodded. "Why?"

"It is an old nickname." She smiled in the darkness, and Hiei could see the nostalgic, reminiscing look that spilled into her dark green irises. She looked like a war veteran remembering his days in the front line.

"My teammates are still oblivious," he said randomly. She nodded, only vaguely wondering what kind of "team" they were on.

"Arigatou, Hiei, for keeping my secrets."

"Hn."

"I know how hard of a burden secrets can become."

Hiei didn't answer. After a while, he stood up to go. Before he could disappear completely, Kagome spoke.

"Be careful," she said quietly. Hiei only raised an eyebrow, so she clarified. "The night whispers of changes and dangers."

Hiei nodded before jumping into a tree and out of her sight. She sighed to herself. What dangers, though, she could only imagine.

ooo

The next day at school, Kurama and Yusuke found Kagome sitting on the roof during lunch. She looked lost in thought, staring out over the edge and kicking her feet on the side of the building.

"Hey, Kagome."

She started and turned to face them before breaking into a grin.

"Oh, hello! I was beginning to think you guys wouldn't show."

"Sorry 'bout that. Hey, can we talk to you?"

"Of course. Is something wrong?"

Kurama smiled at her. "No, nothing's wrong. We just wanted you to know, though, we may not be here for a while."

"Not be here? Why not?"

"Our job."

Kagome's eyes dimmed a little. The thought of high school without them was not pleasant. "Oh. How long?"

Kurama sighed. "About a week. We'll still take you to see Genkai today, but after that I'm afraid we must leave."

Her eyes were rapidly approaching gray. "Oh. And will it just be you two?"

They looked at each other. "No, Kuwabara will be coming, as well."

"Oh. And Hiei?"

They were a little surprised that she would mention the apparition, but answered nonetheless.

"Hai, Hiei will be coming."

Yusuke and Kurama felt like dirt as they watched the girl in front of them duck her head.

"I see. I hope you have fun doing—whatever it is you do."

"Arigatou, Kagome. We will."

"I'll miss you guys."

"We'll miss you too."

"I suppose I have things I must do, as well. If you won't be here, I guess I'll just do them then."

Yusuke looked a little uncomfortable.

"Hey, Kagome. Don't skip school because of us."

"No, no. I-I do need to do this, anyway. I was planning on waiting, but, it's better to do it now."

"Well, okay then. We'll be back before you know it."

She looked up at them and gave a sort of half smile.

"Hai, I hope so. Don't have too much fun without me, ne?"

"'Course not, Kags."

She smiled brilliantly at the new name.

"We should be getting to class."

ooo

School was over, and the boys were taking Kagome to Genkai's, minus Kuwabara, who had to stay home to help his sister with mowing the lawn. Botan would come for him when he was finished. Kurama noticed how the girl beside him was alternately jumping with excitement and shaking with fear. He wondered what she could possibly have to see Genkai for to cause such a reaction. And why would she seek her out if she didn't even know her? It wasn't as if she was a well known woman to the ningen population. He frowned.

Kagome, for her part, had mixed emotions about finally meeting the woman. Her thoughts had been occupied almost entirely by the unknown person all day. She had known for some time that this day would have to come. Really, she did. But she supposed the knowledge and the reality of the prospect were two separate things entirely. She had been hoping, in the back of her mind, that perhaps she could prolong her actually having to receive the jewel. She had been hoping to wait until a time when she was more alone—away from the eyes and minds of her friends and classmates. Since the boys would not be here anyway, though, she figured she might as well just get it over with. On one hand, she absolutely couldn't wait. It was Miroku and Sango's descendant, after all. A tie to the people she had loved and lost so long ago.

On the other hand, she was scared, although she knew it was extremely insensible. All her fears were petty and unnecessary, she knew, but she couldn't help it. What if Genkai didn't like her? What if she didn't know who Kagome was—had no idea why this strange girl was appearing on her doorstep? And, most importantly, Kagome was absolutely terrified of the jewel itself. She didn't want it—not at all.

Kagome looked at the boys around her. It was a damn good thing they were there, she decided, or she would have run away before she even started on her way to Genkai's place. Kagome stopped dead in her tracks when she heard a familiar voice call her name from somewhere behind her. Slowly, she turned around, plastering a fake smile on her face as she went. This didn't escape Kurama's attention.

He watched as a girl ran up to their side, slightly out of breath, and promptly smashed her body into Kagome's in a bone-crushing hug. When he saw her beginning to choke, he coughed, effectively making the rest of their presences known. The girl looked up and gasped.

"Mi—Minamino-san?"

Kurama was, to say the least, very surprised. He had never met this girl in his life, and, judging by the green and white sailor fuku she wore, didn't even go to the same school as her.

"Yes," he said uncertainly. "Have we met?"

The girl laughed.

"Oh, no," she smiled. "But I've seen you. And heard of you. _Everybody_ has."

Kurama simultaneously paled, blushed, and grimaced, making for a very amusing face to the rest of the group, although the girl in front of him didn't seem to notice. She turned back to Kagome.

"Oh, Kagome-chan! I haven't seen you in _forever!_"

Kagome coughed a little and smiled. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to see Eri, really. In fact, she'd missed her friend terribly. It was just—what an inopportune time! She was so jittery and nervous and imbalanced already, she couldn't imagine what havoc her friend's slighty over-bubbly attitude would wreak on her mindset.

"I know, Eri-chan. I've missed you!" she said sincerely, adding quickly when she remembered her escorts, "Oh! And these are my friends—Shuichi, Yusuke, and Hiei."

Hiei seemed to glare at her for the label she'd given their rather nonexistent relationship, but she just smiled at him and turned back to her friend.

"Kagome!" her friend cried. "You are so lucky!"

Kagome cocked her head to the side.

"Pardon?"

"You're friends with Shuichi Minamino?! Why didn't you _tell_ me?!"

Kagome smiled sheepishly, and Kurama made that weird face again.

"Sorry, Eri-chan. They go to my new school."

Her friend nodded.

"How is that anyway? Have you been getting less ill lately? You look healthy, although I never did see you during your absences. Your jii-chan always did keep you heavily guarded. I'm sorry, by the way, for your loss. I wish I could have been there for you," she said sadly. Kagome's head was spinning from the amazingly quick and constant changes of topics, so she just smiled and nodded in a general affirmative. "Oh!" Kagome jumped. "Houjo-kun misses you terribly, by the way!"

Kagome blushed and gave a small, nervous laugh.

"R-really?"

Eri nodded empathetically.

"Do you know how many girls have asked him out since you left? And he rejected them _all_! And do you know what he said when he rejected them?"

Kagome shook her head slowly, a little unsure that she actually wanted to know the answer. Once again, her friend didn't seem to notice.

"He said that there was only one girl for him, Kagome. _One girl for him_. That's you! I know it, because I asked him! Oh, Kagome-chan you're so lucky!"

By now, everyone's head was swimming. Except maybe Hiei—you could never really tell with him. They all wondered about this new boy that the girl was talking about, though.

"I miss him too," Kagome said finally, "But I really feel bad about all that. I like him, a lot, but not like that. It's not fair for him to keep ruining his own chances because of me." Eri looked scandalized.

"Kagome, you don't like him? Oh, but how could you _not_? He's so cute, and nice, and sweet, and _cute_! I suppose you do have your new boy toys now, though. You have good taste, by the way. Poor Houjo."

By now Kagome was blushing profusely, as were the boys behind her. Even Hiei had a slightly shocked expression on his normally stoic face.

"That's not—I mean they're not my—it's not like that!" Kagome couldn't really do much more than sputtering at this point. Eri tilted her head to the side.

"It's not?"

"No!"

"Well, then! I guess I can still play matchmaker for you, huh?"

"What?" Kagome seemed to pale a little. "No! That's not what—"

"Great! Actually, there's this new boy at school I think you might be interested in. He's very cute, and nice, and sweet, and _cute._ I think—"

"Eri!" Kagome interrupted before she could get any ideas. "Whoever he is, I doubt he's my type."

"Your type?" Eri smiled. "Oh, _Kagome_! You have a _type_, now? That's great! What is it then?"

Yusuke found himself listening at this point. What _was_ her type? And, more importantly, why did he _care_? Kurama, too, found himself wondering. Even Hiei was looking more attentive, although his interest mostly lay in his general ponderings of the situation in general, rather than the girl herself. Kagome just sighed, figuring it would be best to just answer.

"His hair," she said after a moment. "He has to have nice hair." Eri grinned.

"Like Minamino-san?"

Kagome glanced at Kurama.

"Shuichi does have very pretty hair, doesn't he?" she smiled. Eri nodded thoughtfully, staring at his red locks and looking very much like Yura of the Hair had, to Kagome. Kurama was blushing again.

"What else?" Kagome thought again.

"His eyes. I like different colored eyes." She looked at Yusuke and laughed a little. "No offense, but brown eyes are a little boring." He shrugged, not really knowing what to say. Eri nodded. She could understand.

"Different colored eyes...Minamino-san has nice eyes."

Kagome nodded, looking carefully at said eyes. They _were_ a magnificent shade of green. Kurama's blush deepened.

"Hai, he does. But so does Hiei-san."

The boys looked startled, Hiei especially, but Eri just nodded and silently agreed. Kagome thought his eyes looked like fire. While he had trained his face and body to not portray any of his emotions at all, and quite successfully, his eyes gave him away. Although Kagome supposed it was only because she was so used to emotionally constipated male youkai that she could actually read him semi-correctly.

"What else?" It seemed she was getting excited about the whole thing. Kagome thought for a moment.

"I like them rough," she said finally. She blushed at the looks she received. "Not like that! I mean...rough around the _edges._ Or just rough in general." Eri giggled.

"Kagome!" Kagome smiled and, after a moment, they burst out laughing together. The boys looked like a mixture of confusion, shock, and amusement. Eri checked her watch and seemed to jump. "Oh, dear, Kagome, I have to go! I promised Yuka I would help her watch her little brother today."

Kagome nodded and hugged her friend.

"I'll see you soon, then. Bye!" As she started to walk away, Kagome thought of something and quickly called out. "Wait!" Eri stopped and turned.

"What?"

"Fangs!" She cried, slightly giggly. At her friend's questioning gaze she elaborated. "My type! I like fangs."

By now, the boys were completely shell shocked, and Youko was hooting inside Kurama's head.

_**'Mou, kit! I think I'm starting to like her!'**_

Kurama shook his head, a little bemused.

_**'I guess sweet, innocent little Kagome isn't quite as sweet and innocent as we thought!'**_

Her friend looked confused for a moment before laughing out loud. "Kagome! You want an all out gang member!" Kagome just smiled and laughed, and Eri admitted to herself that she had to agree. Fangs were sexy.

ooo

During her first steps into the new grounds, Kagome could feel the energy reverberating excitedly through the air like a poignant smell—somehow bitter and aromatic and acrid and calming all at once. The grounds recognized a powerful, strange company, and the life forces talked excitedly to each other about what it could mean.

_Was it her?_

Standing at the bottom of the temple stairs, Kagome looked up. And up, and up, and up. She sighed. It was a terribly _large_ set, grand even to the standards of ancient temple-keepers. Yusuke groaned.

"Damn stairs," he mumbled. "Freakin' ridiculous."

She smiled at him, but realized that he must have had quite some experience with these particular stairs, and even the temple in general, judging by the accusatory look in his eyes.

"Well," she said finally. "Let's just hop to it, then."

Yusuke looked at her as if she was insane, and she just stepped onto the first stair, Kurama following behind while Hiei seemed to have already zipped off through the trees. Kagome wondered vaguely if he was trying to be discreet while steadying her breath for the encounter that was about to occur.

Once at the top, they were greeted by an old, wrinkled lady with pink hair and an imposing manner. Or, at least, Kagome _thought_ it was a greeting.

"Oi! Dimwit!" she rasped. "I haven't seen you since summer! Twenty laps!"

Twenty laps? Kagome cursed under her breath. These grounds were huge. Yusuke grumbled as he began to run.

"Kurama," the woman called sharply, coughing slightly. Kurama snapped his head toward her, before realizing what she had just said. He tried to motion toward the girl next next to him with his head and eyes while being discreet and respectful at the same time. Both Kagome and Genkai rolled their eyes. "I haven't seen you at _all_ lately. Follow Yusuke. You'll be tending to my garden tonight. The one _out back._"

Kagome watched as Shuichi, who had for some reason been specified as "Kurama", gulped slightly and started out the way Yusuke had gone. Kagome wondered why the name seemed so familiar.

"Now then," the woman turned toward Kagome. "Who the hell are you?"

ooo

**Author's note.**

Yay! The long awaited sixth chapter! Yee-haw!

To clarify: "Kokoro" means heart.

**Alternative Angel**: Do I like it? I suppose. I mean, I don't _hate_ it. Why? Do you? Originally, it was in the prologue, but I got rid of that and the other bit that was in it in favor of putting it here—if that's what you mean. Thanks for reviewing, by the way. . And, yeah, when I was trying to think of the perfect character for Miroku and Sango's descendant I admit I was kinda lost. But then I considered _Genkai_ and it just _clicked._ She's just so utterly perfect for the part, like a mentor and a bully and a frenemy all rolled in to one sour-faced, pink-haired, scary little woman. Heh. 8P

And last, but by no means least...

(You know what's coming)

**Review.**

_Please?_

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	7. Chapter 7

**'Hiei'**

'Kagome'

_'Kurama'_

_**'Youko'**_

**Chapter Seven.**

Kagome gazed at the woman in front of her. She looked nothing at all like her ancestors, with her pink hair and small body and frowning face, and Kagome found herself feeling just a little disappointed. But then she raised a thin pink eyebrow at Kagome's continued stare, and she thought she saw a small bit of Miroku, like when he was laughing at Inuyasha or flirting with girls. And she found that if she looked just a little closer at her eyes, there was a shimmer there of what might have possibly been Sango's fire once upon a time. She smiled, then.

"Genkai-sama," she bowed respectfully, "I am Kagome."

The old lady looked at her steadily for a moment, as if studying her for some kind of deceit, before nodding and walking toward the door to the temple. Kagome realized the lack of respect, but didn't mind much as she followed her inside.

Genkai led her through a couple halls to a comfy looking room with several plushy chairs, before telling her to wait there. The walls were an off white color, and the floor was a polished wood with an auburn colored carpet over the center of it, under where the chairs and couch were. There were several candles in the room, but most of the light came from a lamp hanging off the ceiling. Two people were already in the room, and Kagome smiled.

"Hiei," she greeted. He looked at her for a small moment before turning back to the blue-haired demoness in front of him. Kagome turned to her as well. She was small, smaller than Hiei, with big red eyes and aqua colored hair. Her blue kimono made her look smaller, daintier, and her light pink lips rested in a sort of semi smile, as if she was just waiting for the moment she could laugh at something. Kagome smiled at her, and she smiled back.

There was one other presence in the room, other than herself, but Kagome couldn't see it at all. She had felt it before, while in the presence of Hiei, but for the life of her she couldn't figure out what it was. It seemed to be hiding, almost, or shying away from her. Kagome frowned. She didn't like it when people were scared of her. Unless they were an enemy, of course. But she didn't think this was an enemy, certainly not if it was connected to Hiei, although it might prove dangerous if he should find out that she didn't see him as a threat. At all. She sent out a small slimmer of her ki into the air, and Hiei turned to her sharply. Kagome tilted her head to the side, regarding him silently for a moment.

Hiei had been surprised when he felt something tugging at the edges of his mind. Or the Jagan's mind, rather, but since they were telepathically connected it was pretty much the same thing.

Kagome could feel the fear in the being, and so continued to coax it calmingly. After a minute, something clicked in her mind and suddenly Hiei was talking to her.

**'What are you doing, onna?'**

She glanced at him, and he was frowning.

_'_What is this?'

**'None of your concern.'**

He watched as the miko pouted.

'That's not an answer.'

**'Of course it is; just not the one you were looking for.'**

Kagome scowled as Hiei smirked. She absolutely hated having her words thrown back at her.

'Jerk.'

She turned back to the blue-haired girl, who was watching them with some interest.

"Hello," she bowed. "My name is Kagome."

She returned it. "I'm Yukina," she said, "And it is a pleasure to meet you, I'm sure."

Kagome smiled. "Likewise, Yukina-chan, if I may call you that."

The demoness nodded, still smiling, before turning politely back to Hiei. Kagome looked thoughtfully at the pair of them for a moment. Red eyes, short stature, similar auras. She gave a little laugh, and Hiei looked at her sharply. Remembering overhearing Yusuke and Shuichi speak once about the ornery youkai and his personal affairs, she gave Hiei a wicked grin. She clearly read the warning in his eyes, and her mind, now, but only smiled a bit wider as she stepped forward and took hold of the girl's hands.

"Yukina," she said softly, "You are closer than you think."

The girl looked up confusedly at her for a moment before her eyes widened and her face adopted a look of hope.

"You mean—" Kagome smiled and nodded, and Yukina squealed as she threw her arms around her happily. "But how did you know?"

Kagome shrugged and smiled at the girl.

"I just do."

Yukina laughed and accepted the answer well enough as Kagome looked over her shoulder at Hiei and raised an eyebrow. He only scowled and looked the other way.

_'You should tell her. She has a right to know.'_

Hiei didn't answer.

After a small moment, in which Kagome and Yukina had suddenly become great friends, Genkai returned to the room with a small box and shooed them away. Kagome glanced at the box and closed her eyes briefly before opening them and looking at Genkai. The box was placed on the table, and Kagome was suddenly very, very nervous.

"Is that it?" she asked. Genkai looked at her silently for a bit before pushing the box toward her. Kagome nodded and picked it up, taking a deep breath before opening it and looking inside. She gasped. "Genkai-sama, it's..."

Empty.

Kagome was utterly confused. Genkai only sighed, slightly angrily, and looked at Kagome.

"My mother had it," she spoke, "But it was taken."

Kagome looked startled.

"Taken?" she stuttered, then again, "_Taken?_"

Genkai nodded, and Kagome fell back on the chair behind her with wide eyes. This was not good, certainly not good at all. If that jewel got into the wrong hands...Kagome shuddered at the thought. It was simply not good.

"Well who took it then?" she asked, justifiably angry. This was their _job_, after all, and the consequences of such negligence were enormous. Genkai studied her again for a moment before speaking.

"The Reikai," she said finally. Kagome looked up sharply.

"The _Spirit World_ took it? Why in the seven hells would they do such a thing?!"

Genkai shook her head, obviously as displeased as Kagome herself was.

"It was under the jurisdiction of the new ruler."

Kagome was furious.

"_Koenma_ did this? That incompetent, nosy, _stupid_ child! It was entrusted into your care for a _reason_!" she thundered. Genkai nodded in agreement.

"He felt it would be safer in the Reikai vaults; the idiot."

"The Reikai vaults?" she said, disbelieving. "As in, the ones that were _just_ broken into a little over four years ago?!" Genkai only nodded again.

Kagome couldn't believe it. She had only met Koenma once, when he was still a small child, but had heard of his incompetence. Enma was a wonderful ruler, and a close acquaintance of Kagome's; why on _earth_ he would entrust such a job to his son, who was still _so young_ in the world of spirits, was far, far, beyond her. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"I will go then," she said. "And give Koenma a good kick in the ass for this, before taking it back. That stupid, _stupid_ child."

Genkai shook her head.

"You can't."

Kagome frowned.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You can't go."

Kagome could not believe it.

"And why not?!"

"Because," the woman said, as if it were obvious, "Koenma is an idiot. He will not believe that you are who you say you are, and, if he does, he will not give it to you anyway, for his own idotic reasons."

"Reasons like what?!"

"Well, I believe Koenma knows his own idiocy, and I'm sure it has caused insecurities over the years. He hates to admit that he is wrong. And he will fear retribution from his father."

Kagome was horrified that such a petty creature could decide the fate of the Realms.

"Then I will go to Enma!" she thundered.

"He is not available."

Kagome frowned again. Of course, she thought bitterly. While Koenma was the ruler of the Spirit World in Japan, Enma was still the reigning king of the spirits overall. He would be constantly busy, and often went on trips to other parts of the world, or different worlds entirely, or other places Kagome simply could not reach him. She cursed.

"When will he be back?"

"Well," Genkai thought for a moment. "I'm not sure, but he's been gone since a bit before the recruit of the new Spirit Detective."

Kagome made a small noise of interest. "A new one?"

Genkai nodded, then smirked a little. "Have you met him?"

Kagome shook her head. "No. I didn't meet the last one, either, but when I do I'll be sure to thank them. They've made protecting the barrier a whole hell of a lot easier for me."

Genkai smiled. "It will be an interesting encounter, when you do."

"No doubt," Kagome agreed. He was rumored to be extremely brash and slightly crude throughout the Reikai, and his friends were supposed to quite interesting as well. Kagome had never heard of converting demons to the employment of the Reikai. Kagome had a feeling, however, that Genkai was talking about something else entirely. She sighed, feeling a headache coming on. "Then what should I do?"

Genkai shrugged.

"Steal it."

"Steal it?" Kagome could have laughed. It was all so utterly ridiculous. The jewel had been stolen _from_ her, and she had to steal it _back_? She had already been so nerve wracked and terrified to begin with, and now _this_?

"Yes," the old woman said. "Steal it."

Kagome scowled, but nodded. It seemed the only way to go about it, if perhaps not the _best_ way to. And Kagome decided that it could prove to be at least a bit entertaining.

"Fine," she said, "But when Enma comes back he's getting a piece of my mind."

Genkai nodded and smirked a little at the thought, and they lapsed into silence for a while.

"I will need your help," Kagome said finally. "To create portals."

"It was my understanding that you already knew how."

Kagome shook her head. "I do, but my way is far too noticeable. I need a way to get in unnoticed."

Genkai nodded again. "Come back tomorrow, then, and we will begin your lessons."

Kagome thanked her politely and rose to leave.

ooo

Yusuke stopped and bent over, bracing his hands on his knees and panting heavily. Kurama finished a moment later, leaning against a tree and swiping a hand through his hair. Yusuke turned to him with a scowl that was really too tired to hold any actual strength.

"Jesus Christ, that hag is freakin' insane."

Kurama didn't bother to answer as he fought to catch his breath. He stood up after a moment, regaining his posture. Looking back at the temple, he sighed.

"I can't imagine what Kagome could have wanted with Genkai," he said idly. Yusuke turned to him with a small frown, clearly wondering the same thing.

"I dunno, but it seemed important."

Kurama nodded, but it was bugging him. He was about to speak again when Hiei suddenly landed in front of them. They jumped back a little, not really expecting it, and Hiei smirked slightly before speaking.

"The ferry girl will be here shortly."

The two of them nodded, and soon after Botan appeared. She created a portal for them, and the two were quite happy as they stepped through that they had found an excuse to abandon their training.

As they came out on the other side, they found Kuwabara to already be there, asleep on one of the chairs on the far side of the room. Koenma was at his desk, hitting papers repeatedly with the same stamp while obviously not even looking at them to see what they entailed. Yusuke wondered just how many innocent spirits he had sent to hell that way over the years. The demi god glanced up as they stepped in.

"Oh, good. You're here. Now before—" He was interrupted by a particularly loud snore from the carrot top in the chair, and threw a rather large stamp at him. It hit him on the head, and he woke up with a start.

"Huhwhaa?"

Kurama coughed a little and Hiei rolled his eyes as Yusuke snickered. Koenma continued.

"Now, before I send you to start your mission, I have found out some new information regarding the Kokuyouseki no Houseki." He paused, looking around on his desk for the paper with the proper information.

"Well spit it out, then." Koenma found it and threw a glare in the irate detective's general direction before resuming his speech.

"Well, it was created some five hundred years ago, about, by a very powerful miko, who, incidentally, was also a tennyo."

"Another?"

Koenma nodded to Yusuke, and Kuwabara frowned.

"What exactly _is_ a tennyo, anyway?"

Yusuke snorted. "It's exactly what it sounds like; a celestial maiden, you dumbass."

"Yeah, I know _that_!" he shouted, "But what _else_?"

"There really isn't much else to it," Kurama explained. "A tennyo can either be born celestial or made so by the kami, and are extremely pure. They don't really have any powers to speak of, but the stronger ones can sometimes control the elements, although they are limited to fire, water, and air."

Kuwabara nodded. "Botan, you're celestial, right?" She nodded. "Are you a tennyo, then?"

Botan blushed and quickly put her hands out in front of her, shaking her head as she did so. "Oh, heavens no," she laughed a little, and blushed some more.

Kuwabara looked at her curiously for a moment. "Why are you blushing?"

"Because," Kurama answered again, possibly to save Botan from further embarrassment. "To call someone a tennyo, a female especially, is an amazing compliment."

"Why?"

"They are rumored to be exceedingly beautiful. So much so, in fact, that they are said to be capable of capturing a man's affections from a mere glance."

Koenma nodded. "And anyway, she's a spirit. As in dead. Tennyo are alive." Kuwabara nodded.

"In any case," Koenma continued, "the details of the jewel's creation are all very botchy and unreliable, but it had something to do with her ki, and the girl was said to have been the Kokoro no Miko."

Hiei's head snapped up. _Kokoro..._

Kurama tilted his head to the side and decided to speak to his other self, who was currently sleeping in the back of their mind. He poked him with a mental finger until he opened one sleepy, golden eye.

_'Youko, do you know anything about this?'_

Youko glanced up at him, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes in the recesses of their mind before nodding.

_**'The Kokoro no Miko? I do, indeed. A very beautiful woman, I might say.' **_

As he spoke, he conjured a throne of vines and sat upon it daintily. Kurama rolled his eyes.

_'You've met her in person?'_

_**'I have. Very kind, too, although her purification hurts like hell.'**_

_'You hit on her, didn't you?'_

_**'What can I say? Her innocence was simply too tempting.'**_

_'One of the most famed miko to ever live, for both her innocence and purity, and you _still_ made a move on her.'_

_**'I think she was more renowned for her beauty, although that may just have been to me.'**_

_'You are shameless.'_

Youko chuckled.

_**'And you, my friend, have the sexual capacity of about a rock. You shame **_**me****_, my brother.'_**

Kurama ignored him, and turned his attention to the situation at hand, now with Youko as well. He glanced over at Hiei, who seemed to be brooding perhaps a bit more than usual.

_'Something wrong, Hiei?'_

Hiei didn't look up.

**'Hn.'**

_**'You're hiding something, aren't you?'**_

He glanced at them and rolled his eyes.

**'Don't flatter yourself. I am not hiding anything; I simply do not wish to tell you what it is I'm thinking.'**

Youko frowned, the smirked a little.

_**'Don't make me **_**force****_ it out of you, my little firefly.'_**

Hiei made a disgusted face at the risqué mental pictures Youko was throwing at him.

**'Kurama, control your stupid fox before I shut him up manually.'**

_**'Oh, you'd like that, wouldn't you?'**_

Hiei started to glower, and Kurama laughed a little nervously through the link.

_'Hey, let's not forget that this is _my_ body you two are currently discussing.'_

Hiei snorted but didn't answer, opting instead to resume his brooding. Youko smirked again.

_**'He so wants me.'**_

ooo

For the next three days, Kagome studied hard with Genkai to execute a proper portal. It was terribly difficult, and she was having a horrible time trying to get it. You had to use a completely different type of energy, after all. Kagome was well used to using her miko powers and ki, but her seishou was almost completely untapped. Sweat was beading on her brow, and Kagome's arms were trembling.

"Come on, girl! Put some power in it!"

Kagome resisted the urge to snarl.

"I'm _trying_ Genkai-_sama_."

She threw out her hands and concentrated with all of her might, and for a moment there was a sort of swirling blue void in the air in front of her. But then, after about two seconds, it fizzled a little and disappeared. Kagome growled in frustration.

"What the hell?!"

"You're acting too much like a miko," Genkai admonished in that raspy voice of hers, and Kagome wondered if she had smoked at some point in her life.

"Huh?"

"A miko is pure," she explained, "because her feelings are pure, as in raw. A miko does not have to be a saint in order to purify, because purification is murder, and murder is not fundamentally good. Their feelings are raw, and thus their power is pure, which is why it hurts so much. That is, because people and youkai, especially, aren't used to feeling such raw power."

Kagome tilted her head to the side. Even after having been a miko for so long, she had never really known the actual specifics to her powers. Although she supposed this explained how Kikyou had managed her powers when her hatred for Inuyasha was all that drove her to live.

"So, purification is just..._emotion_?"

Genkai nodded.

"You are putting too much of _that_ into _this_, and causing unnecessary strain. Detach yourself from the situation and concentrate on your seishou."

Kagome tried, and another swirling void appeared in front of her. She was delighted to see it open into an actual portal.

"Yes! I actually—"

The blue began to shake, and the picture of the portal seemed to static, and, yet again, it disappeared.

"Aargh! Forget it!" she cried. "I'm done!" Genkai raised an eyebrow.

"You are not retrieving the jewel, then?"

Kagome scowled.

"No, I have to. I just...won't use a portal. Somehow."

Genkai shook her head.

"There is no other way to get to the other side," she said, "unless you plan to die."

"I _know_ that," Kagome snapped. "And I've died once. I am in no rush to do it again."

"Then what to you plan to do?"

Kagome was ready to tear her hair out in frustration.

"Oh, I don't _know_! This whole thing is just so _stupid_! You know, I didn't even want to do this in the first place!"

"Well unfortunately," Genkai snapped, "You have to. I refuse to allow myself or the ones I care about to be injured because of Koenma's stupidity and your unwillingness."

Kagome scowled.

"Well unless you have a better idea, than—"

"I can do it."

Kagome turned to the voice, and was surprised to see the small koorime standing there with her hands clasped in front of her.

"Pardon?"

"If you are still unable to create a portal," she said quietly, "I can create one for you."

Kagome was surprised. "You can make portals?"

She nodded. "Botan-chan taught me."

Kagome smiled, and her mood lifted considerably. If nothing else, those last three days had produced a vital friendship between the two. And Yukina didn't bother to censor what her friends really were, because she already knew Kagome knew. (It turns out Yusuke was a Mazoku, a sort of man-eating cat—she laughed at this, because the thought of Yusuke eating _anything_ other than fast food or candy was simply beyond her imagination—and Kurama's spirit fox had been a thief in his past life.) "Oh, Yukina-chan, thank you! That would be great! I really didn't know _what_ I was going to do!"

Yukina nodded, smiling. "Great! Come by tomorrow then, if you're ready, and we'll do it."

Kagome agreed, saying that the next day would be perfect, and took her leave.

ooo

**Author's note.**

Woo hoo! Chapter seven arrives!

Okay, just so you know, all that stuff about tennyo and making portals and miko and ki and seishou and even that one room in Genkai's temple were all creations of my own imagination. I have no idea—I highly _doubt, _actually, that they are accurate in the least.

Also! Thank you, to the **two** people who had reviewed my last chapter! I love you! (To the rest of you, I am disappointed. Okay, I'm not, but I still like reviews. Heh. And I do read them, and appreciate them. Very much. . )

And, also just so you know, the reason my last chapter was so long awaited was _mainly_ because I had broken the cord to my laptop, and was thus rendered incapable of writing anything until I got a new one, which wasn't until about a week later. Updates might take a bit longer now, though, than they had for the first few chapters. Not overly long, but long_er_. This is simply because, up until now, I have had sections of the chapters already written, or an elaborate idea of what I wanted to happen in that chapter. Now, though, I have been thrown into the deep end. With sharks. And no floaties. Heh. So...yeah.

Oh! I need to know one more thing: If Sango and Miroku were gods, which ones would you prefer them to be? A friend of mine had suggested Vengence and Deceit, and I also like that very much. If anyone has any suggestions, let me now. And the same thing still goes for the ultimate pairing for the story.

I think that's it.

REVIEW!!

Ja ne,

Hayley .


	8. Chapter 8

_'Kurama'_

**'_Youko'_**

**Chapter Eight.**

And so, Tuesday morning found Kagome back at Genkai's wearing a taijia outfit of entirely black, bringing a pair of elaborate daggers that had been a gift from Sango long ago just in case. Fitted and flexible, it allowed her ease of movement without being too loose, so no one could grab her by her clothes, or too noticeable, as it would be night when Kagome finally arrived in the Reikai.

The rest of the day was spent with Yukina, talking about this and that, and having some much needed girl talk, which Kagome had not had in a long while. They played games and baked cookies, and Kagome found herself having the best day she'd had in a very long time. She was saddened when Genkai told her that it was time.

Nodding, she stood up from the couch she was sitting on and walked out the door, followed by Yukina. They would do this outside, where it was more open, because Yukina had said she couldn't really control her portals quite yet. They tended to shake a lot, or sometimes moved, and things often got knocked down or destroyed while she was practicing, she had said sheepishly.

So Kagome stood outside in her taijia outfit, with her mask already securely in place to conceal her identity when she arrived, while the wind whipped her hair into her face slightly, and readied herself for the upcoming encounter. She had never stolen anything before; it simply wasn't in her nature, and was never really needed. She was a miko, for heaven's sake - some of the purest beings to walk the living realm.

She rocked back and forth on her toes a couple times, a bit of a nervous habit she'd developed over the years, and felt the ground through her taijia boots. The life forces around the shrine gave words of good luck, and Yukina stood before Kagome in her usual kimono, with her hair tied back into that pretty red bow of hers that matched her eyes, looking about as nervous as Kagome herself felt. Genkai stood back a bit, looking as imposing and critical as ever.

Throwing her hands out, Yukina concentrated with what Kagome could tell was all of her might. It took much longer than if a professional were to do it, or if Kagome had with her normal powers, but she _was_ an amateur. Kagome figured she shouldn't be talking, though, seeing as how she hadn't been capable of making a seishou portal at _all. _

In the air in front of her, a blue blobbish void appeared. It shook a little, but didn't give out. Kagome gave small words of thanks and praise to Yukina and nodded appreciatively to Genkai, who simply raised a thin pink eyebrow in farewell. With one last glance around her and one last thought of what she was about to do—stealing from the _kami_; what would her friends think _now?—_she stepped forward and through the portal.

Kagome stepped out and into a dark corridor somewhere in the maze of halls in the Reikai castle, with her eyes set in a determined gold. She had no idea how she was going to get back home, unless she were to create her own portal, which she didn't want to do. She figured luck would be on her side, though, since she had connections with that particular kami. No doubt something would happen to aid her. And, in any case, she was far too important to die.

Kagome walked down the hall and took a right. Her steps were soundless on the marble floors of the castle, and her long braid brushed against her back, sending slight chills through her spine. Paintings of kami and deities and other respective members of the Reikai hierarchy lined the walls, and Kagome could have sworn that their eyes were following her. She shivered a little, but kept going.

On the positive side, there was nobody in the halls. The castle was completely deserted, it seemed, and Kagome walked through them freely and undisturbed. On the other hand, she had absolutely no idea where she was going. Kagome had been to the Reikai multiple times, the first occasion being when she died. However, the castle was a vast place, and even the residents themselves often lost their way. One who didn't know where they were going could easily get lost in these corridors, and not be found until it was simply too late. Kagome kept going.

After passing the same painting six times, and tripping over the same indistinguishable step four, Kagome realized that she wasn't really getting anywhere, and endeavored to find something that might point her in the proper direction. Looking around, she found nothing.

Kagome was at a fork now, and realized she could either go to the right or left. She took the right.

After another couple minutes, consisting of another couple rights and a left or two, Kagome found herself even more lost than before. She was now at...the janitor's closet?

_Ah, damnit!_

Kagome was at another fork in the hall. Once again she could go either right or left. She frowned, looking to the left, then to her right, and then to the wall in front of her.

_Oh, fuck it._

Pulling her fist back and charging it with as much power as possible, she punched the wall with all her might and smiled at the large hole in front of her with some satisfaction.

_When you don't like the paths presented, create your own._

That's what her mother always used to say, or something to that effect. She stepped through with a grin, and couldn't help but think that it was such an _Inuyasha_ way to get where she was going.

On the other side, she saw a small, distant light to her left. Deciding it was probably her best bet, she started that way. The light, she found several minutes later, was a flashlight. From the darkness Kagome watched as a purple ogre, who must have been one of the castle's many custodians, set it on a picture which he proceeded to dust off with a feather duster. Kagome took her mask off and stepped forward.

"Excuse me, sir?" she spoke demurely. The ogre looked at her in surprise.

"Ah! Miss, you are not allowed to be here," he said to her in a voice that was half stern, half nervous.

"Oh dear," Kagome said sweetly. "I'm _so_ sorry. But I'm lost, you see. These halls are so _big_, after all."

The creature nodded in agreement. "Yes, they are excessively large, aren't they? If you want, I could—" he stopped himself, and spoke with a new suspicion. "Who are you, anyway?"

Kagome faltered for a moment, but her outside demeanor never slipped. "I'm...a new spirit." Then added sadly, "I just died."

His eyes widened. "Oh! Oh dear, I'm sorry. How—how did you die, if I may ask?"

Kagome looked down and allowed her eyes to tear up slightly. "I don't—I don't really want to talk about it," she said quietly. "I miss them so much, though."

"Miss who?"

Kagome let a few tears fall down her face. "My—my family. I miss them so much. But, I know they're okay, at least. If nothing else, they're still alive."

The ogre's purple face was filled to the brim with pity, and Kagome almost felt bad for tricking him. "Well, if you like, I can help you find your way. Where is your room?"

Kagome put on a small, grateful smile through the tears. "Oh, thank you so much, my friend. My room is...by the vaults."

The man nodded, not suspecting a thing, and gave Kagome directions to her "room".

"I think I can find my way now. Thank you, again, and may the kami bless you," she said with a small kiss to the cheek. The ogre blushed and nodded as Kagome turned and walked away. Once she was far enough not to be seen anymore, she pulled her mask on once again.

ooo

Kuwabara was bored.

Bored, bored, bored.

At first, the case had been interesting. Guarding an extremely powerful and mysterious artifact for the kami was something not many had the privilege to do, after all. And the possibility of an intruder and the resulting fight was also a nice prospect. Kuwabara did love fights, after all. Just not with girls.

However, after a while of simply sitting there and discussing the jewel and the barrier and the elusive girl his teammates could not seem to stop talking about, Kuwabara had found himself rather less enthusiastic about the whole ordeal.

He turned his attention to the jewel itself. It was very pretty, he had to admit, in a dark, foreboding sort of way. Like Hiei, except Hiei wasn't really pretty. At all.

The jewel was pitch black, but there were swirls of gray and white that ran through it in slow, languid movements. It looked almost _alive_, he thought with a shudder, or like black blood.

On top of that, the jewel seemed to have its own aura. Kuwabara was confused at this. It was an _artifact_, right? As in _inanimate._ He had seen some artifacts with auras, of course, like the Noh mask they had been told to exterminate a while back, only to find it already broken to pieces on a construction site. The aura was already fading by the time they got there. And he supposed that the Forlorn Hope would have had an aura, as well, because of the demon inside it that granted the wishes. But this—it was a _jewel_. It didn't grant wishes, and it certainly didn't suck people's faces off. It didn't even _move; _just sat there, looking perhaps like a particularly interesting rock.

It was weird.

Soon, even thoughts concerning the jewel became dull and redundant, as there was not much to say of an inanimate object, especially when it didn't seem to even know any good tricks.

So, after a while, Kuwabara had found the entire case simply not to his liking. It was dull and boring and quiet and _dull_. And he could tell the rest of his team thought so too. Yusuke was slumped against the wall with his legs stretched out in front of him, whistling a small tune. Kurama stood with his hands in his pockets, and seemed to be contemplating the meaning of life, or whatever it was went on in that guy's head; one could never really tell. Hiei stood in the shadows of the small room, partially covered in darkness, with his hands folded in front of him and looking as if he was deciding the best way to kill humanity, or whatever it was went on in_ his_ head; you could never really tell with him, either.

Kuwabara found himself thinking of Yukina. Oh, sweet Yukina. Her lovely face, aqua hair, big smile. Yukina, Yukina, Yukina. He hoped she found her brother soon, he thought idly.

His thoughts of love were interrupted, however, when the door suddenly opened. In the threshold stood a woman who he swore looked exactly like Cat Woman.

ooo

Kagome had felt absolutely terrible after leaving the ogre, but reminded herself that it was part of her job and, really, for the good of the worlds. Who knew what would get hold of the jewel if it was left in the care of these Reikai fools? And then what would happen?

Bad things, that's what.

So Kagome kept walking, mind fixed determinedly on her mission. She knew she was going the right way because she could feel the aura of the jewel getting stronger and stronger. She relished in the feel of it, and despaired at the same time.

Turning a corner, she walked just a little faster in anticipation, and stopped outside a door. The feel of the jewel was unbearably strong now, and Kagome was ready to laugh and cry at the same time. She hesitated for but a moment with her hand on the door handle, before taking a deep breath and turning it. Thinking that a direct approach might be the best way to go about this, she let it swing open and nearly had a heart attack.

There stood the four boys she had come to depend on so much. Well, three, really. She hadn't really depended on Hiei for anything. Kagome felt an onslaught of confusing emotions, and had to grab hold of the door for a moment to steady herself.

_They_ were the new Spirit Detectives.

The four stood up from their relaxed positions in the small room, and got in battle stances. Hiei drew his sword, looking menacing. Shuichi picked something out of his hair, which turned out to be a pretty red rose, and Kagome laughed at that, because it fit him perfectly. Yusuke held his right hand out in a gun-like shape, and Kuwabara just stood there looking nervous.

"Guys! It's a _girl._ We can't fight her! It's against the Code!" Ah, his Code. Kagome remembered hearing about it. Kuwabara had even tried to explain it to her once, but it was so twisted and confusing and even downright chauvinistic at parts that Kagome had a hard time actually taking it seriously. She hoped it might convince them not to fight her, though. She really didn't want to hurt them.

"Shut up, Kuwabara! Your code is so stupid, like we'd actually _follow_ it!"

Oh, of course.

"But Yusuke! She's a—a _she_!"

_Yeah, no shit._

As much as Kagome loved Kuwabara, even she had to admit he wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed. She blessed that now, though, hoping he'd provide her with enough of a distraction to just grab the jewel and go.

"Yeah, a _she_!" Yusuke yelled. "But if _she_ is evil, _she_ is gonna find herself at the receiving end of _my_ Spirit Gun!"

Kagome almost laughed. Spirit Gun? She wondered if anyone _actually_ took him seriously when he said that.

Hey wait! Did he just call her evil?!

"But—but—a _she_!"

She was trying to _save_ all of their asses, and they call her _evil_! What kind of gratitude was that?!

"I _know_! And _she's_ going _down_!"

Kagome decided she'd had enough, and stepped forward toward the jewel. She soon found herself, however, at the pointy end of Hiei's sword. And not in the good way, either.

"I don't think so, onna," he said menacingly.

She looked into his red eyes for a moment. They were narrowed, and his posture was one of confidence. She stepped back and looked toward her other friends, although she had to wonder if she could still call them that after tonight. In any case, they were still fighting.

"But she's—"

"Yeah, she's a _she_! I get it! Now shut up so I can kill her!"

Kagome frowned. She was so misunderstood.

"But—"

"_Enough_!"

They all turned in surprise to Shuichi, who was standing there with a deep frown marring his pretty face.

"This is a _mission_, guys. We're lucky the girl didn't decide to just walk out on us already!"

Hm. Now why hadn't she thought of that?

"But—but—come _on_!"

"No!" Yusuke yelled. "She might not even _be_ a she! Remember last time?"

Hey! Did he just accuse her of—of—_hey_! That is _so_ _not_ they way to compliment a girl!

Kuwabara adopted a look of thoughtfulness.

"Well, fine. It's _possible_! But how are you gonna prove it?"

Yusuke grinned. Kuwabara looked confused for a moment, before seeming appalled.

"You can't _do_ that!" he cried. "Not again! It's sick!"

Kagome had no idea what they were talking about at first, but then she caught the smirk on Yusuke's face and figured it out well enough. She crossed her arms over her chest, and his grin widened when he saw it. Kagome frowned.

"Well we'll never know until we try," Yusuke said, not taking his eyes off her.

Sheesh, he's a pervert even when he's on the job! What kind of Spirit Detectives _are_ these guys, anyway? Shuichi seemed to be watching them with some interest, and Hiei was looking at them with something akin to disgust and impatience. Shuichi should stop this! Wasn't he supposed to be the polite one?!

Suddenly, Yusuke lunged at her, and she had to flip back to get out of his way. She ended up on the other side of Hiei, who turned to her, looking ready to fight again. Kagome was now trapped against the wall. So, she did what any girl would do in this situation. She screamed.

Hiei, who was closest to her, felt his entire body twitch, and Yusuke and Shuichi had to cover their ears. Even Kuwabara, who didn't have demon hearing, cringed slightly. Kagome took that time to do the _next_ thing any girl would do in this particular situation. She reared her leg back slightly before swinging it forward with all of her might directly into the one spot that might cause the face of the emotionally retarded fire demon in front of her to actually move.

That is, in the balls.

For a moment they all looked stunned, and Kagome had to wonder when the last time was that anyone had done that to the ornery youkai. Probably never, she decided.

Hiei's face went through several funny shades of colors, from totally pale to completely red, and the range of emotions displayed on it greatly increased. Mainly, though, it was pain. Kagome could tell he was trying _not_ to show it, and she could_ see_ how pissed he was and how much of a blow that was to his pride, and she swore to _kami_ she tried not to laugh. Really, she did. But, after fighting a losing battle, she gave up and just let it out. The rest looked at her in utter shock, and possibly thought she was simply insane, but she just kept laughing.

Soon, though, Hiei's sword was making a direct path to her neck, and Kagome decided that perhaps she should get moving. She jumped out of the way, still chuckling slightly, and made her path back to the small table on which rested the jewel. They saw this and started towards her, but she was already well on her way.

Grabbing the jewel and slipping it into a pocket on her hip, Kagome flipped over their heads and ran out the door. Unsurprisingly, they followed.

Hiei came for her first, probably still pissed about her actually making him show some emotion. She could hear the swish of air as his sword made its way toward her, and so ducked out of the way. And, remembering from their first face-to-face encounter that his speed was perhaps his greatest asset, she decided to use it against him. After running at top speed for a while longer, with him so close behind her they were almost touching, she stopped suddenly, ducking down and throwing out her leg. Hiei's sword, which he had swung in an effort to perhaps chop off her head, she thought rather bitterly, was still held out to his right as he stumbled on her out turned leg.

Of course, being the utterly stubborn youkai he was, he didn't fall, merely stumbled a bit before recovering. But Kagome used that small moment of, dare she say it, vulnerability on his part, and the momentum of going down to bounce back up and knock the sword out of his hand completely. It went flying in the opposite direction, well out of his reach, and he growled, _obviously_ not amused in the least. Suddenly, he was in front of her, rather then behind, and Kagome found a firm fist in her gut. She stumbled back a bit before throwing herself forward, snarling. How _dare_ he hit her like that? Kagome hit him square in the torso, and soon found the pair of them on the ground. She flipped them over and elbowed him in the gut in retribution before he grabbed her and knocked her over his head. Kagome realized his skin was tinting green.

They both jumped up, looking at each other for a moment. The others made to step forward, but, at a snarled warning from Hiei that he wanted to kill her himself, they grudgingly stepped back. Kagome didn't want to do it, she hated hurting a friend—ally—_whatever_ he was like this, but figured it was possibly the only way she was going to get out of this without one of them dying. She focused her miko ki into her hands and did the one thing that surprised them perhaps more than when she kicked him. Throwing her herself forward, Kagome flung her arms around him and squeezed as hard as she could. For all intents and purposes, she was hugging him. The surprise alone gave her the opportunity to do what she had intended to. The miko ki focused itself into almost a ribbon-like state and proceeded to bind him completely. Every time he moved, it would only zap him harder. Blowing a kiss to him in a smug farewell, Kagome ran forward with the others following closely behind.

Yusuke came next, but didn't really put up much of a fight at all. Perhaps, though, it was simply that she knew his style all too well from sparring with Inuyasha so much. A couple blind punches and the like with a few insults thrown in for good measure. Suddenly, he held out his hand the same gun-like shape from before, only this time he seemed to be serious. Kagome could feel the colossal amount of energy gathering in the tip of his finger, and decided that perhaps that was not good. Right when he seemed about to let go of it, she threw up a barrier. The bullet of energy knocked into it and bounced back, right towards him.

"Shit!" he yelled, ducking down. After that, Kagome figured it would be best if she simply incapacitated him quickly. She built off the barrier already in front of him to encase him completely, then allowed it to shrink until it melded against him, binding him in the same way it had Hiei.

Kuwabara didn't really attack, just ran after her with Shuichi, so she didn't touch him. Shuichi, however, surprised her when a shout of "Rose Whip" came to her ears. A long vine wrapped around her waist with thorns digging into her skin, and she glanced back, tracing what looked to be a whip back to his hand. That pretty red rose he had taken out of his hair didn't seem quite so much pretty anymore as, well, deathly. She realized she should have expected it though, since it was one of a kitsune's major weapons, mostly ones that controlled plants.

He seemed to think that he had captured her, though, to which she shook her head. Hadn't he learned? She sent a jolt of purification through the whip, which fell limp as it went, that led straight to Shuichi's hand. He cursed a little and dropped what was left of his weapon, which was now a simple rose. His head shot up and looked at her with new understanding.

ooo

_A miko?_

Kurama couldn't believe it. They were being attacked by a _miko_! Not only were they all supposed to be _dead_, but they were also supposed to be _pure_! As in, they_ didn't_ steal from kami and try to kill people. Youko looked on with interest from inside his mind.

_**'Her energy feels familiar.'**_

He was chasing her again, and so his reply was a little breathy, even in their mind.

_'Really now? That would be much better news, Youko, if she wasn't _getting away from us_.'_

Youko didn't seem to hear him.

_**'Familiar, although only vaguely so. She's hiding her ki too much for me to tell. Did we meet her anywhere?'**_

Kurama concentrated on running; the girl was remarkably fast for a human.

_**'I don't doubt it though, now that I think of it. Look at that outfit; you can clearly see the lines of her body through it. We probably fucked her.'**_

He stumbled a little at that, but recovered quickly and kept going. It was true, though. On some nights, Youko's needs had simply become unbearable, and he'd find himself the next morning in bed with someone who, as hard as he tried and as shamed as he was to admit it, he simply couldn't remember the name of.

_**'It was probably a **_**good****_ fuck, too, considering how limber and powerful she seems to be. And her stamina! How can I not remember such a good bedding?'_**

Kurama hissed a little at the thoughts running through his head that weren't his.

_'Youko, this really isn't the time!'_

_**'Hm, but when is it **_**ever****_ with you? I tell you, I can count on my hands and toes the number of times I've gotten laid in the past eighteen years.'_**

_'For some people, that's good enough!'_

_**'Not for a **_**kitsune****_, though. You're _part_ of me, aren't you supposed to feel my pain?'_**

_'It's called self control, Youko. Evidently, great kitsune thieves such as yourself aren't capable of it.'_

_**'But, see, there's my point! I am a kitsune thief! I delight in conquest!'**_

Kurama was still struggling to catch up to the girl, and was gaining on her fast.

_'I _know_!'_

_**'Well you certainly don't show it. How much is it to ask for a bit of sex every once in a while?'**_

_'Youko! Enough! We have a situation here that requires our attention!'_

She feinted to the left before spinning and making a right. Kurama almost tripped in his efforts to catch her.

_**'Okay, okay. How can one girl cause so much trouble, though?'**_

_'She's a miko. They're _made_ to cause trouble for us.'_

She kept running, but Kurama was still faster than her. He soon caught up and lunged forward, knocking both of them to the ground. He tried to ignore Youko's comments about her body while he did so.

ooo

Kagome could see his eyes flashing from green to gold as he pinned her down, and realized he must have been consulting his other half while they fought. She was a little insulted, that he didn't think he even needed to be fully there while fighting her. She flipped them over and jumped up, running off.

Again, she felt a vine around her. She sighed. They _just_ did this, didn't they? Sending another jolt of her miko ki through the plant, she waited for it to let go of her. Only, nothing happened. She looked back at the red head with surprise and found him watching her smugly. She scowled, but didn't get it. Why wasn't it working? She tried again, just in case, and, again, nothing happened. Looking down at the vine, she realized the problem.

It wasn't a youkai plant. She had forgotten that some kitsune had control of regular plants, as well. This particular one was just a regular, albeit elongated, rose vine. She frowned again. Well, now, how to get out of this one?

Suddenly, though, she heard a noise down the hallway. Looking at it, what she saw caused some mild fear on her part. Evidently, all the commotion of their fight had woken up a couple residents of the castle. And, evidently, they had woken everyone else. Soon, Kagome was surrounded. She tried to flip out of the way, but the vine was still holding her in place, and she only ended up falling on her back with a hard thud.

_Ow._

The jewel rolled out of her pocket. And rolled, and rolled, and rolled. Right into the hand of Shuichi, who was looking incredibly pleased with the unexpected outcome of the situation. Kuwabara stood next to him, obviously happy he didn't have to fight her. Kagome scowled darkly.

_God damnit! These Reikai idiots and their lackies are going to kill us all!_

The people around her were completely surrounding her by now, and Kagome decided, quite unhappily, that she was simply screwed. The crowd was looking uneasily at them, clearly not knowing what to do. Some looked angry, others scared, and the rest seemed like they simply wanted to go to bed. There was a shout at the edges of the crowd.

"Good job, Kurama!"

Oh, there was that name again. Was Kurama his kitsune spirit then? And _why_ did it seem so familiar? She looked over to the direction of the voice, and got her first look of the grown up Koenma, who didn't look grown up at_ all_. Kagome had to stifle the urge to laugh again.

The tiny deity stepped forward next to her and leaned down, obviously intent on unmasking her. She snarled, though, and arched her back, inadvertantly thrusting her breasts into his hands while grabbing a dagger from its place in the back of her belt. He blushed a little, but was soon thrown across the the circle of ogres and spirits by a powerful kick. He hit a large blue ogre, knocking him down. They sat there for a moment, confused.

"George!" He screeched finally. "What are you waiting for? _Get me up!_"

"Y—yes, sir!"

Kagome used the momentary distraction to cut the vines holding her in place with her dagger. As soon as she stood up, she used her ki to create a portal. Everyone in the room, and even those outside of the castle, could feel the energy. They all looked alarmed, and several people seemed ready to attack, while the rest cowered away. This, of course, was what she meant by "too noticeable." The room shook a little, as the portal was just a little shaky due to her haste, and Kagome jumped through, catching smiles from two familiar faces as she went. Koenma was yelling as it closed behind her, and Kagome stumbled as she went through, landing happily on her bed on the other side.

She slipped her hand into the pocket at her hip, before remembering that she didn't have the actual object the entire ordeal had been executed for.

_Bloody fucking hell!_

ooo

**Author's note.**

Yay! Another chapter done! And this one with some _action_! Yee haw! Haha.

I hope I wrote this chapter well; I'm not used to writing fight scenes.

And _oh my God!_ All these reviews! I woke up yesterday morning (at three p.m., hehe) and turned on my computer and found _fourteen_! By now, I have _twenty two_! Practically over night! I had no idea that many people even _read _my story! I swear I almost had a heart attack.

So, I got started right away on the new chapter. See what kind of inspiration you guys can be?

**Demonic Cho:** Yes! Kagome's fighting prowess in this chapter is dedicated to you. Girl power, baby. Girl power.

**Alternative Angel: **No, Kagome doesn't know that it's Youko inside Kurama. At this point, all she's sure of is that there's a kitsune spirit inside him that used to be a thief and who causes him to called Kurama. And, yes, Youko's perverted habits are gonna get him into trouble. Hehehe.

**Minogaki Ten Ten:** Hah! A threesome sounds like a _wonderful_ idea.

And thank you to everyone else for your constructive critism and compliments alike! I couldn't stop _grinning_ all day! My brother kept asking what was wrong with me. Heh. I just threw something at him. :D

Oh, and the reason you got an update (which I am delighted to find you put me on) was because I wrote the last half of this at _about_ one-three a.m. I posted it at about 4:30. But then I decided that, perhaps it wasn't quite as good as I thought it was in my tired state of mind, and so took it off to wait until morning to reread and repost it.

Ja ne!

Hayley

(Review summore!)


	9. Chapter 9

**'Hiei'**

_**'Youko'**_

_'Kurama'_

**Chapter Nine.**

For the first few moments after the portal closed behind the strange girl, everything in the large corridor was quiet, as if no one quite knew what to make of all this—because, really, they didn't. After those first few moments had ended, however, it wasn't so quiet anymore, and everybody began talking at once.

"Who was that woman?" A stout lady with bright red hair in the front of the group looked towards Koenma expectantly. She was one the older spirits, who had asked to remain in the castle for a bit longer before she went to Nirvana, so she could watch her kids grow up. She particularly loved gossip.

"What was she doing?" Her friend stood next to her. They had only met after their deaths, but were attached decidedly at the hip. Members of the castle tended to avoid them, and they'd been dubbed the "Resident Bitches", much to their surprising amusement.

"What was she _wearing?_" asked another woman from across the lot.

"I don't know, but it was pretty freakin' hot," said a guy who had recently died. (He had been a bachelor his entire life, which would have lasted twenty seven years the previous Thursday.)

They all spoke excitedly amongst each other, although most of the conversation was directed toward Koenma. While in the Reikai, you see, you were either a spirit, deity, or ogre, and the spirits were the ones that caused the most trouble. As it turns out, you don't get much excitement after you die, until you get to Nirvana, of course. (Or Hell, as the case may be.) Because of this, the residents of the castle tended to gossip a lot, although they were decidedly lacking in anything to actually gossip about. Scandal didn't happen very often in the Reikai, after all, and it had been four whole years since the last break in. Koenma groaned; they would be talking about this for _weeks_. He turned to the two detectives at his side.

"Where are Hiei and Yusuke?" he asked, rubbing his temples. Kurama rolled the jewel in his fingers a little before answering, and Koenma could see the bit of gold melting through his eyes in the moments before he spoke.

"They are incapacitated. The thief had managed to restrain them."

Koenma raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

"Indeed." As the demi god could see no other answer from the avatar was currently forthcoming, he ushered them all through the crowd and into the empty corridor where the two remaining detectives were, yelling to the people that had gathered as he went.

"Okay, back to your rooms, everyone! Nothing to see here! Back to your rooms!"

Slowly, the people started to melt away.

Down the corridor, Koenma found that he had to forcibly restrain himself from laughing. The sight of both Yusuke and Hiei bound and practically gagged in ribbons of pink, lying prostrate on the floor, was really just too much. His high-pitched, child-like laugh reverberated through the hall, and the twin glares sent his way only served to further his amusement. Kuwabara, who followed only slightly behind, was snickering and throwing insults at his two teammates, while Kurama watched them with barely concealed amusement, his eyes flashing from green to gold every once in a while. Koenma watched in turn as Hiei twitched correspondingly to the flashes of color, realizing that the redhead must have been privately insulting the fire demon's pride.

"Can you—can you get up?" he asked between his gales of laughter. Hiei scowled at the blatant pleasure him and his teammates were receiving from the sight of his distress. He tried to sit up, but a huge zap of pain sent him flopping back on his back with a hard bump, twitching slightly from the purification. Koenma was crying now in his laughter, with his pacifier almost falling out of his mouth. The look in Hiei's eyes became deadly. "I-I guess not," the prince choked.

"Koenma." He turned merrily to Kurama, who had addressed him. "If I may?" he said, motioning to the two on the floor. Koenma saw the wicked gleam in his eyes, which was likely Youko's influence, and nodded, waiting to see what he would do.

Kurama took another rose from his hair (Koenma had to wonder where he stashed them all), and the prince watched as it elongated into a whip, only one of a more docile nature, as it was without the steel-slicing thorns this time. Kurama then took another seed from his hair, placing it at the base of the vine, and manipulated it to create a second that was attached to the other at the end. The two branches fell to the floor and slithered their way over to the two detectives, before coiling and wrapping themselves snuggly around the two. Koenma watched as the plant manipulater dragged them across the floor by his vines, and began laughing so hard at this point that he had to hold his stomach from the mild pain in his abdomen.

Youko, for his part, was having a wicked time.

**'Let me go.'**

_**'Oh, my firefly. You **_**know****_ you like it.'_**

**'Let me _go._'**

_**'I can't blame you, though, of course. Any being with eyes would enjoy being tangled up in my taws.'**_

**'I said, _let me go.'_**

_**'Now, now, let's not be hasty. There will be plenty of time for such **_**vehemence****_ later, I assure you.'_**

Hiei thrashed a little in his holds, but was only zapped by the energy holding the binds together. He let out a frustrated growl.

_'Hiei,'_ Kurama spoke through his own laughter._ 'This is the only way to get you to the office anyway. Until the binds wear out, we cannot touch you.'_

**'The oaf can, and the child.'**

_'You would want them to carry you?'_

Hiei didn't answer that. He wasn't sure how many more blows his pride could take that day. Yusuke himself was still struggling against his holds, either unaware of the pain or simply trying to ignore it. Kurama supposed it was the latter, when he heard the hisses that accompanied the slight zapping sounds as he moved. He glanced over his shoulder at Hiei again, as he was dragged across the marble floors by his vines.

_**'Oh, what fun, what fun.'**_

_'Indeed.'_

When they arrived at their boss's office, Kurama quickly deposited the two inside the door, his vines slithering back to his hands and becoming once again nothing more than a rose and a seed. He tucked them back into his hair neatly. After a moment, the pink bindings on the two demons dissolved, and they stood up from their positions on the floor, glaring rabidly to the room in general as they went. Koenma waited a moment for everyone to get settled before speaking.

"Now." He spoke from the large chair behind his desk, still wrestling with some minor snorts of laughter every once in a while. "Congratulations on the mission."

Kuwabara looked confused. "Congratulations? For what?"

"For successfully completing it, of course."

Yusuke shook himself a little before speaking, still feeling some of the aftershocks of the purification. "Completing the mission? We _failed,_ toddler."

Koenma shook his head, looking incredibly pleased. "Oh, heavens no. The jewel remains intact and in our possession. You succeed. Although I had hoped for a quieter means of success. In any case, this one was certainly entertaining."

Yusuke and Hiei glared.

"The woman got away," said Kurama from their left as he handed over the jewel. Koenma turned to him.

"Yes, but her efforts were fruitless. _We have the jewel_. That's all that matters."

"Won't she come back again?" Kuwabara scratched his head a little.

"Most likely, but it probably won't be for a while. We should be good for the next week or so. I'll call you back again after that."

"But that's so stupid!" cried Yusuke. "You _just_ had a break in and attempted robbery, and you're telling us to go home because she _probably_ won't be back for the next week or so? If this jewel is so damned important, act like it!"

The group looked in shock at the detective, and a fine pink blush started on his cheeks.

"If you don't mind me asking," said Koenma with a confused look on his face, "why the hell do you care?"

Yusuke sighed. The truth, he figured silently, was probably just because he had been beaten. Not that he'd admit it, of course. He didn't like losing, especially in fights, and the fact that it was by a _girl_ no less! He didn't care if it was chauvinistic or sexist; the fact of the matter was that he should not have been beaten by a girl. Or by anybody, for that point. "Forget it. I don't. If this is all then, can I go home?"

Koenma nodded. "Yes, yes. Of course. Good job, again. I'll be calling you back soon, in about a week or so. Try to dig up as much information as you can about our thief."

"Yeah, yeah. Later, toddler."

Koenma didn't bother to correct the detective on his name calling as he nodded to Botan, who stepped forward and created a portal with a cheery, "Yes, sir!"

ooo

Kagome couldn't _believe_ it. All that trouble, and for what?

Nothing.

And—and _them_. Just what the hell were they doing there? Those _detectives_ were supposed to be her _friends_. She briefly remembered the look on Shuichi's—Kurama's—_whoever's_ face as he rolled the jewel around in his fingers before she left.

Oh, that sneaky _kitsune_!

Once again, Kagome was wrought with several different emotions at once. What could she make of this? What _should_ she make of this?

Should she tell them? Oh, she was sure that would go over nicely. They would likely report her to Koenma.

But how could she just _ignore_ it? They were the _Spirit Detectives_, for kami's sake. Everybody who knew anything knew about them. And, still, they knew nothing of her. They didn't even know she knew of the existance of demons!

"Oh kami," Kagome moaned into her pillow. What had she gotten herself into now?

Why couldn't she ever simply find a nice, normal person to befriend? Her thoughts strayed to Yuka, Eri, and Ayame.

Perhaps normal wasn't the proper word then...

And they worked for the Spirit World! Kagome and the Reikai had butted heads on several occasions, although Enma tended to find amusement in it. Personally, she liked the decidedness and ruthless honor systems that ruled the Makai society rather than bending to the whims of a fussy child. The Reikai had no decisive set of rules. Anything could be twisted or manipulated to fit the needs of the person or being who wanted power. And she didn't particularly approve of bartering a person's life for a permanent job fixture, as they were rumored to have done to Yusuke.

She supposed, though, that her anger mostly stemmed from the fact that they had kept it all from her. They hadn't even _bothered_ to try to explain. Whenever she had asked what they did all the time—when they would leave together as discreetly as possible, or whisper together on the roof, or meet up with Botan after school—all they said was, "Oh, a little of this, a little of that," or some equally, infuratingly _stupid _answer that she _knew_ was a lie but had decided to just forget about instead of prying. She should have pried, she thought now.

Of course, she wasn't exactly forthcoming with herself either. She felt a little guilty for judging them for their secrets while she herself had many more, but still. She didn't want _anyone_ to know who she was, although why this was even she herself didn't really understand. Perhaps it was that she was afraid of the isolation that tended to accompany the knowledge of her position, or perhaps she _liked_ living a double life. Or, perhaps, she just wasn't ready to confront what she was even to herself, _especially_ herself—even after all these years.

She sighed and glared halfheartedly at her empty pocket.

Maybe she should have taken Miroku up on those thieving lessons he had proposed so long ago. No doubt he could produce much more fruitful outcomes from such endeavors. He was probably rolling in his grave right now, or his seat in the deities' corridor, as it was. Maybe she just wasn't meant to be a crook...

Kagome laughed. As if _that_ would stop her. She would have to train. Who could help learn her to thieve?

Shuichi, for certain. The entire kitsune race was notorious for their sly ways and tricks. But she couldn't ask _him_. He didn't know she knew he was a kitsune, and if she simply asked him outright, she would be accusing him of thievery. Hiei would likely know, she was pretty sure she'd heard somewhere that he had been a thief before being coerced into the Reikai employment, but Kagome doubted that he would even bother. And she was still mad at him for that sucker punch from before. That had _hurt_, damnit! Yusuke was too blunt to know the intricacies of thieving, and Kuwabara was just too, well, stupid. So who was left?

Yukina? Certainly not. Kagome doubted if the innocent koorime even knew the first thing about deceit. Genkai?

Kagome's eyes widened at the name in a sudden revelation.

_She—she knew!_

She had _known_ who the detectives were, and she didn't even warn her!

Oh, she was going to get it.

ooo

Kurama sighed as the group deposited their coats in a heap by the door, but decided to ignore it in favor of making some tea.

They had, once again, assembled in Kurama's home to discuss the current situation.

After pouring four cups of the steaming liquid and gathering it all on a tray, Kurama made his way back to the living room, where the rest of his team was currently awaiting. The cups were passed out, greeted with a murmor of thanks, and promptly put down beside each person as they continued to brood. Kurama sighed into his own cup and waited again for somebody to speak.

"So just what the hell _was_ that lady, anyway?" Yusuke asked from his spot on Kurama's right. He looked troubled by the question, and it was obvious that he had never had a similar encounter before. Indeed, thought Kurama, the way that girl had handled him was quite amazing. He didn't think he'd ever seen the detective become incapacitated quite so fast. Certainly, it spoke of much experience with similar fighting habits.

"That," he answered as he set his cup down, "was a miko."

Kuwabara looked up from his spot next to Yusuke. "A miko?"

"Yes, which is surprising in and of itself."

"Why?"

"Because they're all _dead_." They turned to Hiei, who was leaning against the wall with his arms cross and scowl firmly in place, looking both disinterested and enraged at the same time.

He, of course knew that this was not true. Not entirely, anyway. He happened to have knowledge of one very _alive_ miko, right under their very noses, in fact, but he didn't particularly feel the need to share this with his teammates. It's not like the two were the same person...right?

"What he means," Kurama fixed, "is that they were supposed to have died out long ago, due to the creation of a barrier. They killed demons, you see. Most, anyway. Without the barrier, there was no need for them other than healing and the like. And with the advancements in technology and medicine in the years after the erection of the barrier, even that was unnecessary after a while. There are still shrine miko today, but they are almost all entirely powerless. Very few have actual magic in their blood."

"So how does this one still have power?" Yusuke asked from his seat. Kurama shrugged.

"The last recorded miko in history was the Kokoro no Miko, but she had lived very long ago. Unless she really is a tennyo, as Koenma's informants had suggested, she would be long dead."

"You don't think she was?"

Kurama paused. "It is doubtful," he said finally. "The position of a tennyo is highly regarded, amongst both the living and the dead. Being so also makes the position extremely rare; there are very, _very_ few of them, and they tend to hide away from people and demons alike in favor of living together. Rather like the koorime, actually."

Yusuke nodded, looking thoughtful. "So that power she used, when she _binded_ us," he said with a sort of half snarl at the word, "was purification?" Kurama nodded in confirmation. "Isn't purification supposed to hurt, though?"

"Well, a miko's powers can generally be used for three things. That is, offence, defence, and healing. She manipulated her powers in such a way that it would incapacitate you without actually harming you, unless you tried to get out of it. She likely would have combined a defensive barrier with offensive purification, which shows very good control on her part."

"So she's pretty powerful, then?" Kurama nodded and Yusuke sighed. "Alright, well, I don't see us getting anywhere else today, so how 'bout we just go home for now?"

The rest nodded in agreement before departing.

ooo

Kagome walked quickly up the temple's steps with narrowed eyes and hair trailing slightly behind her due to the slight wind in the night. The grounds whispered hello to her, and attempted to soothe her with its natural energy. It appeased her anger, but only slightly. Upon reaching the crest of the stairs, she called out.

"Genkai!" She didn't bother with the honorific this time.

After a moment, the temple door in front of her opened and out stepped the small, pink-haired woman Kagome had come to see. She pulled her small jacket tighter around her and scowled.

"What do you want?" she snapped. "I'm tired."

Kagome frowned. She had forgotten how late it was when she'd returned from the Reikai. But she had stepped through Yukina's portal after sunset, she reminded herself, so it was likely quite late.

"You knew," she said simply, refocusing on the task at hand.

"Knew what?" The woman didn't look confused in the least, only highly annoyed. Kagome decided she didn't really care.

"You _knew_ who they were—_what _they were! Why didn't you tell me?"

Genkai frowned. "You mean the dimwits?" Kagome nodded, and Genkai motioned for her to come inside. "I didn't tell you," she stated in a hushed voice, likely so as not to wake her housemate, "because I didn't deem it necessary or relevant."

"Necessary or _relevant?!_ How is that not—"

"Hush girl! Let me finish!" Kagome muttered a little, but quieted nonetheless. Genkai continued. "The identities of the detectives were of no consequence. Had you known, you would have overthought it.You would likely have done something stupid, like held back. There could be no reserves for this. There is no room for sympathy in our world."

Kagome frowned a little, but figured it was was meritable. She probably _would_ have overthought it. She would have fretted and worried about hurting them or being discovered, or she would be angry for them not telling her. She would have likely botched up the entire mission. In this respect, Kagome had to thank her.

"Thank you, then," she said, albeit grudgingly. Genkai nodded.

"Now," said the woman, "where is the jewel?"

Kagome frowned again. In all honesty, she had quite forgotten about the jewel while in the midst of her anger. It was one of her many faults, she knew, but she tended to lose herself in that way.

"I couldn't get it," she said, adding with a scowl, "Those Reikai idiots will be the death of us."

"You didn't get it?" Kagome was surprised at the lack of emotion in Genkai's statement. She had expected the woman to be angry at the announcement, but, instead, she looked particularly uncaring of the entire situation.

"No, I didn't. I was surrounded. By the _entire_ castle. I only barely escaped."

Genkai made a small noise of interest. "How did you do it?"

Kagome smirked a little. "I shook the castle."

"You made your own portal, then?"

Kagome nodded.

"So you don't have it?" The miko shook her head. "Well, then, you'll just have to go back and get it."

Ah, Kagome thought, so that's why she wasn't angry. She expected her to simply drop everything and go through the entire ordeal all over again. Kagome sighed, though, because she knew she would.

Perhaps, though, she should try a different approach? Thieving, she had decided, was simply not for her. Not without some practice, anyway, and she didn't have time to practice. And was she just going to go right back in there, when they already knew she would be coming and what she was after and even her preferred fighting techniques? (The little stunt Shuichi had pulled made it clear that he knew of her powers.)

Well, fuck _that._

She was not going to go in the middle of the night again, slinking around like some dirty criminal. That jewel was _hers_, damnit, and no child was going to make her beg for it. She would go in and _demand_ to have it back, and if he didn't believe her or refused to give it to her for some other completely idiotic reason, well then he can just go to hell for all she cared. She was _getting_ that jewel back.

She nodded to Genkai.

"I will. But first, I think, I should go back to school for a few days with the boys. It would arouse their suspicion if I were not there. I will go back again in a few days."

Genkai put her wrinkled hand to her equally wrinkled chin and thought for a moment before nodding. "Yes, that is a good idea. You should not wait to long, though. Three days at the most. They will not be expecting you so soon."

Kagome agreed, and told the woman so, before thanking her and bidding her goodnight. Walking into the slightly chilly night and onto the road back to her home, Kagome hoped all would be well. She had a feeling it wouldn't.

ooo

**Author's note.**

Wooh! Chapta _nine_.

Okay, so this chapter is rather dull compared to the last one, I know, but it needed to be done.

After this, we will spend a few days with Kagome at school before she goes back to retrieve the jewel—which, yes, she will do.

Hopefully there will be more excitement soon. ;)

By the way, cast your vote for the final pairing on the poll I've set up. I'm really at a loss here, people! All the pairings are so fun! It's easier this way, and I think more people will respond to the question that way than if you just answered in reviews. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Heh. Either way.

Ja ne!

(_Review!_)

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	10. Chapter 10

**Warning:** This chapter contains smut. ;)

_**'Youko'**_

**Chapter Ten.**

Hiei sat in the tree as he watched the light turn on in the window. He had arrived earlier, suspicious of the woman and her possible connections with the thief, but she had not been here then. So he had waited.

It was well nigh very late by now—or early, he supposed. And as he had watched the girl walk through her door with a thoughtful look on her face—a scheming look, one might even say—while pulling her jacket closer to ward off the slight chill in the air, his suspicions had grown.

The feel of the grounds was an odd and unfamiliar thing to him. The holy energy that seemed to saturate the air sent small tingles down his spine every once in a while, and he shivered once or twice because of it, much to his consternation. But there was something else here—something that was just so _calm_ and _peaceful_, he couldn't really understand it. How had she even reached such a level of peace?It usually took even the most powerful and experienced of monks _decades_ to achieve such a rank of cosmic understanding. But this girl, she didn't look to be past the Detective's age.

The combination of the relaxed atmosphere and the purifying twinges was just...weird. It was almost sickening to the fire youkai at first. After a while though, in the tree, he had become accustomed to it, and was now only slightly aware of the strangeness.

The tree he sat on was interesting as well, he decided. It was simply huge. It felt ageless, as if it had lived in a time long ago and had seen far too much to allow such a peaceful aura to radiate off it. He had wondered briefly at the scar about a quarter way up the trunk, but disregarded it. He found he rather liked this tree; it felt of knowledge and ancient wisdom, and Hiei couldn't help but feel respect for it. Kurama would have liked to see it, he knew.

He could see from his vantage point as the light flickered on in the small window at the top right corner of the house and watched it intently, waiting to see what the girl would do. Would she perhaps practice her magic? Or entertain another suspicious nightly visitor, as she had that time in the forest? Certainly, at least some of his questions would be answered by this nightly endeavor.

And so it was with great surprise on Hiei's part that he watched as the silhouette of the girl slowly came undone. The curtains were closed, so he could not see the actual flesh of the woman before him, but the shadows themselves were seductive in their own right, and left little to the imagination in any case. As he watched as she pulled her shirt over her head, bringing her breasts up with it and letting them fall after, bouncing slightly, the weird tingling sensation didn't feel so weird anymore as..._arousing_, dare he say. He shivered again, but wasn't quite sure whether it was from the sensations in the air or in his body.

The demon wondered what was wrong with him. His control, after all, was iron clad—in both his body and his mind—and had he ever felt such attraction before, which certainly he had (he was a _man_, after all, and even demon men had such needs), it was _never_ to a ningen, and only ever happened during his heat cycle.

He frowned thoughtfully for a moment. When had been his last heat? He counted on his fingers, trying to remember the corresponding cycles of the moon. Yes, he realized, it was about time for that.

Such an inopportune time, though—right in the middle of the whole jewel ordeal. He hoped it wouldn't be so bad as last time. It varied slightly, the intensity and length of his heat. Last cycle's was particularly awful. He'd tried to ignore it, but the need had become so unbearable that it was almost painful, and he had fled for a while to fuck some Makai whores. He hated feeling as if he had lost control of his body and his needs, as he did during these times, and he hated having to rely on others to satiate him. It was early yet, though, in the cycle. The first day was never so bad.

He felt that tingling sensation again, and the mixture of the small zaps of purification and the heat of his skin suddenly felt very, very _good_. His eyes were drawn again to the window, and he found himself watching as the clothes were stripped off completely, half of a mind to get up and fly away through the trees and the other half to stay and watch. He found himself watching.

And he would never have admitted it, for certain, but there was yet another reason he had come to find himself in a tree outside a girl's window. It was, quite simply, the Jagan's fault. Ever since that morning at Genkai's temple, when the girl had coaxed the Jagan into opening up for her, it had been completely insatiable. It seemed to like the girl, which was an understatement in itself, he thought dryly. The demon eye had loved the feel of the girl's mind, and its own mind waves were surrounded incessantly by thoughts of her. It was irritating to absolutely no end, but it just wouldn't stop. So when the chance had presented itself, the Jagan had urged him so vehemently to find out more about the girl that Hiei really couldn't refuse. He hated that his control over the implantation was not as iron-clad as he would have liked, but there was really no helping it at this point.

So now, as he sat watching the girl undress through her window, the Jagan supplied images of its own to Hiei's mind, sending him positively reeling in the large tree on which he sat. The images became gradually more explicit, ranging from simply undressing to moaning and writhing, and Hiei couldn't decipher the difference between the real and fabricated ones. When one image flew into his mind, of her underneath him with her head thrown back and arms fisting in his hair, he almost fell out of the tree.

That intoxicating, unrelenting feel was blanketing him, and his body was growing hotter. He found the ties of his hakama undone without even noticing he had done it. Vaguely, he felt disgusted at his lack of control, but the heat was intensifying, and he was soon lost in it.

His breathing had shallowed slightly, and he found himself gripping his length. Starting with small strokes and light touches, not really wanting to succumb to his own needs, he continued to watch through the window and in his mind. Gradually, though, his strokes became firmer and quicker, and he had to dig his claws into the bark of the tree as his thumb slid over his tip. He let out a low moan and increased the speed of his thrusts as the silhouette of the woman let its hair down and the one in his mind took him into her mouth. Even after the real one had gone to sleep, the images kept up, prolonging the experience. Then his breath hitched and his back arched slightly as he felt a sudden lightning sensation running through him.

Panting a little, and quite forgetting the reason for which he had come to the shrine in the first place, he wiped the sticky substance from his fingers and stomach and onto the bark of the tree before getting up and fleeing.

ooo

At first, she had thought it to be another memory. They were often vivid, after all, and quite real to her sleeping mind. Soon, however, she found this particular one to be quite different.

As she walked to the bed, she couldn't tell if her clothes had been off to begin with, or if it had happened suddenly and just then. In any case, they were off—in a pile on the floor. The room was hot, _so_ hot, and her skin was slippery with sweat.

She found herself sitting on the bed, her back leaning against the headboard with her legs bent and her feet flat on the mattress in front of her. She slid her hands down her body, letting her fingers tease her nipples before trailing down to her belly button and then further. She ran her hands through the small group of curls before tickling the inside of her thigh. Tracing a single finger along the slit of her most sensitive place, she leaned back and let out a deep, shuddering breath.

She slipped a finger past the slit, opening her legs slightly, and ran it down and up. She started off light, as the area was very sensitive and particularly unused since Inuyasha's death, but soon her strokes came harder and quicker. She let out a rasping moan and tilted her hips to bring her finger to her opening, rubbing the outside a bit before inserting it. As she pumped she moaned, and soon added another finger. _Oh_, she had not felt this pleasure in such a long while.

Just as her breathing became shallow and the coil in her abdomen started to tighten, she was stopped. A figure stood over her, dark and foreboding but still incredibly sexually appealing to the girl, and for some reason she found the unexpected addition of the stranger completely normal. His face was covered in shadow, so she could not make out his identity, but she could tell he was a demon, and that she had been expecting him.

He cupped her bottom, bringing her hips up further, and set his mouth on her now drenched sex. Kagome moaned, and she could feel him smirking into her wetness before he let his tongue draw across it. She let out a small cry, arching her back slightly, as he ran it up and down in the same pattern she had previously created. He slipped his own finger into her passage, quickly adding another, and another, and she thrashed her head left and right and cried out to him.

"Oh! Please!"

She begged him to stop teasing her, and so he soon withdrew his fingers while settling his body over hers. She ran her hands up and down the hard planes of his chest and abdomen as he guided himself into her. He paused for a moment once inside, seeming to know that she had not done this in quite a while, and was thus very much like a virgin again.

They groaned together as he set a pace; the feeling was just so _tight_. She tilted her hips and kept up with him thrust for thrust, but soon the pace quickened. She tried to meet him, but he was going so fast and hard that she just gripped the edges of the mattress and hung on for the ride.

His movements became sloppy soon, quick and savage and bestial. It was an entirely primal thing, furious and frenzied, and she moaned and cried and loved every minute of it.

"Oh, faster! Faster! _Oh!_"

So he went faster, and harder, and with each thrust he hit something deep inside her that made her throw her head back and moan. And soon she could feel the coil tightening again, and he gripped her hips with his claws and let out a snarl before both their worlds shattered at the same moment. And, right then, she woke up.

She shot up in her bed panting and sweating, with her sheets kicked and tangled around her legs and the sleeves of her top falling over her shoulders. Wisps of hair clung to her wet skin, her bangs sticking to her forehead, and she pressed a shaking hand to her heart, willing it to stop beating quite so fast. As she shifted her legs, she felt the wetness and sensitivity between them, and it sent her moaning again.

Kagome didn't really understand, though. That dream, those urges—she hadn't had them in such a very long time. After Inuyasha had died, she'd really been too depressed to think of such things. She simply carried out her duties and cried. After a while though, as the pain began to ebb, she began to feel the needs of her body more thoroughly. She had never resorted to actually having sex, never wanting to betray Inuyasha, but had felt pleasure at her own hand more than once. Soon, though, the needs shallowed out, and after a while, she didn't feel them at all.

So why now? Why were all these strange things happening now? With the memory-dreams and the barrier weakening and now _this_. What was happening?

Kagome knew, of course, that it all led back to one of the jewels. Everything did, eventually. Her family's death, the ceremony, _everything._ How, though, she wasn't quite sure—although perhaps her sexual urges were an individual problem. She hoped so, anyway, as she didn't quite relish in the thought of someone watching her as she had an erotic dream.

She kicked the sheets from around her feet and stood up to take a shower before heading to school.

ooo

Kagome found school to be entirely too awkward for her liking. Her friends, of course, had no idea why it was so awkward for her, but Kagome herself was all too aware.

They were the _Spirit Detectives._

It wasn't that they held any great power in the grand scheme of things—certainly, there were beings stronger and of more importance than they—it was just that they were currently on two separate sides of a battle, and they didn't even _know_ it. It wasn't exactly the worst situation she had found herself in, not at all, but it was still a bit disconcerting to say the least.

She took extra caution to hide her ki and the parts of her aura she had revealed the night before, and tried to act as nonchalant as possible. Of course, she really _was_ a good liar, and so her visage barely changed at all from normalcy. Yusuke likely wouldn't notice, she decided, as he tended to look over such things. Kuwabara only might because of his heightened spiritual awareness, but that was doubtful as well. Hiei might possibly see a small change, but more likely than not, he simply wouldn't care. It was Shuichi she was worried about.

With the soul of a former kitsune thief inside him as well as his own naturally toned skills, he was incredibly perceptive. Too perceptive, she thought with a frown. It rather irritated her at times, and especially now. And kitsune loved puzzles. If he found the slightest change in her, or the quietest hint of secrecy, Kagome knew that he would likely not rest at all until he figured it out. This was, of course, not helpful to her cause in the least. Should they find out, everything would be ruined.

So she did her best, and went about her day as she would any other. She pretended that she _wasn't_ angry at Shuichi for tying her up and causing her to lose the jewel, and that she _didn't _beat Yusuke and Hiei up (which, she would admit, she found great satisfaction in). And with Kuwabara, she didn't need to pretend at all. And so no one was the wiser.

ooo

Well, no one but Kurama, of course.

He _was_ a kitsune, after all.

She was a terribly good liar, he thought to himself. He doubted that anyone else would notice. But she glanced at him and Yusuke once or twice out of the corner of her eye, when she didn't think they would notice. And she flinched once, only very slightly, when he set his hand on her shoulder. And her gaze would fall out the window sometimes, distracted from the lesson entirely, and only return focus when prompted by himself or Kuwabara. They were all very little things, to be sure, but each little thing spoke of something bigger. It was a lesson learned through a life of thieving.

He wondered what it was that she was hiding. He had known there was something—something she wasn't telling or skipping around—although he had no clue of what it was. None of the detectives knew much about her family other than that they were dead, or of her past at all. They didn't know what hobbies she had except that she had a love for archery and the old legends of her shrine, and they didn't even know where that _was_. In fact, for one of their closest friends outside themselves, the Spirit Detectives knew almost as little of her as she did of them.

What an odd friendship, he thought.

They were in the auditorium now, having been called for a lecture of some sort. Kurama sat with Kagome, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko in the back of the crowd, neither particularly caring about anything that might be said other than the latter. Kagome was spacing out again, it seemed. Her face was turned toward the window with her head cradled in her hand and her elbow propped up against the sill. Yusuke and Kuwabara slouched in their seats, trading insults every once in a while, with Keiko trying to get them to quiet down and pay attention, and Kurama could see Hiei in a tree outside, seemingly lost in thought as well.

Their principal, Takanaka-sensai, walked up the stairs to the stage. He waited at the microphone podium for the room to quiet down and, when it didn't, told them to do so in his booming voice, which was amplified greatly by the speakers. He smiled then, and introduced a man at the right edge of the stage as a Hirikama Jun, a member of the House of Councilors.

The man walked to where their principal stood, taking the stage to tell them all about his job. He was a moderately handsome man, Kurama supposed, probably in his forties or so.

_**'Not as handsome as **_**us****_ though, and _we're_ over three hundred years old combined.'_**

Kurama didn't bother to deign that with a response as he continued to study the man on the stage. He had the dark brown hair typical to a ningen male of Japanese descent, combed back neatly. His smile was engaging, his eyes big and dark, and his suit immaculate. There was something about him, though, that Kurama simply didn't like. Something in his aura spoke of taint, but it was only a very small part, so Kurama decided to simply ignore it. Not much could come of this man anyway, unless it was in politics, for which Kurama had no taste at all. His shoulders were broad but his frame slight; he wouldn't last long in a fight.

The man spoke to the room about his job, and how he endeavored to help create a better Japan for them all. He went on to say that it was them, though, that held the power. _They_ were the public; _they_ were who he represented; _they_ were the ones who would reelect him. Kurama rolled his eyes. This was just part of his campaign, then. He didn't pay attention after that.

ooo

It was lunch now, and Yusuke sat on the roof next to Kurama and Kuwabara, with Kagome on Kurama's right and Keiko gone to eat with some of her friends. He let his legs dangle off the edge and pondered their mission.

He _still_ couldn't believe that he had been beaten by a girl. He was _Urameshi Yusuke_, for heaven's sake. It just _didn't happen_. If that girl was a miko, though, than she had the upper hand with all of them. In fact, if she did indeed have the power to do so, Yusuke really couldn't understand why she didn't just kill them all and take the jewel in the first place. It wasn't as if she didn't want to hurt them—her and Hiei had pretty much been wrestling with each other on the ground—so why _didn't_ she? And how the hell did she make that portal? As far as he knew, Botan was the only one with that ability. And maybe Kurama, as he was often in the Reikai before any of them.

And _what_ was so special about that damned jewel?

It was obviously important, and if it was important it was powerful, but what did it _do_? The history and background of it was so shady and unreliable. Did Koenma even know?

Of course, it would figure if he didn't. The toddler often sent them on missions of which he knew next to nothing about. But he had been particularly overzealous about this one, so he had to know _something, _right?

And they still hadn't figured anything at all about the girl by the barrier. What exactly was going on with her? Something about all this just didn't sit well with Yusuke, although he had no idea what. It was irritating him to no end, though.

They hadn't even figured anything out on the thief. All they knew was that she was a miko and, evidently, after the jewel. Actually, _she_ probably knew more about the jewel than Koenma did. If they were to capture her (which they certainly _would_ do) they would have to question her to find out about it. And she would tell them, of course, if she didn't want to die, he thought with a small smirk.

Hey, it was his _job_.

And now, of course, he was almost entirely certain that she was indeed a _she_. A miko was a priestess, after all, and priestesses were girls. You simply could not have a male miko; that would be a monk, and monks had different powers entirely. So Yusuke would not have to grope her next time to prove his point to Kuwabara, although he might do it anyway. Well, maybe not. She could kill him, after all.

His musings were interrupted by Kurama, who was speaking to Kagome on Yusuke's left.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. Yusuke frowned. Alright? Why wouldn't she be?

"Hm? Oh, yes, I'm fine," she answered softly. Yusuke nodded. Good; she was fine. The girl had become a good friend to all of them, it seemed, and in only a matter of days.

"You've been acting...differently today." Different? How? Kagome paused for a moment.

"How so?"

"You've been spacing out a lot. Is there anything I could help you with?" Spacing out? Yusuke hadn't noticed. He had been spacing out a lot too, though. His frown deepened.

"I've just been thinking."

"About what?"

He watched as Kagome frowned a little herself. "Stuff."

Kurama's lips twitched. "What stuff?"

"Just stuff. You wouldn't get it."

"Try me."

"No."

Kurama sighed. "Alright. But if you need to talk, you know I'll listen."

Kagome nodded distractedly and they were quiet again for a while until, "Hey, Yusuke?"

He turned to her questioningly. "Yeah?"

"How did you and Keiko meet?"

Yusuke tilted his head to the side a little. Keiko? If there was one thing he had been expecting, it certainly wasn't that.

"We met in school. Kindergarten." Kagome nodded thoughtfully. "Why?"

She smiled a little. "You two are just so _different_. Like polar opposites, almost. I was just wondering how you two came to be friends."

Yusuke frowned again. Friends? He had forgotten that she didn't know about the two of them. He sighed.

What kind of boyfriend was he, anyway? He should have told her to begin with. But he found that he rather abhorred the thought of it.

Him and Keiko, though, they had been a couple for almost four years now. Since he died. They'd been together through it all—thick and thin, high and low. Since he was first bartered into become a Spirit Detective, through his first missions, meeting his new teammates, the Dark Tournament, the Makai Tournament, Sensui, finding out he was part youkai. She had been there, and she supported him through it all. They were more than together, and certainly more than just _friends. _They were..._them_. Yusuke and Keiko, Keiko and Yusuke.

So why couldn't he tell her?

"Kagome?" She turned to him with a smile on her face. Argh, that stupid smile! "Well, me and Keiko knew each other for a long time, you see," he started, and was quite annoyed to find that he was actually _nervous_ about saying this. Kagome nodded, waiting for him to continue. "And then, um, about four years ago or so, I—" _I asked her out. I kissed her. I started dating her. _"I—" _Come on! I asked her out!_ _Say it! _"I—I died!" he blurted suddenly.

Kagome looked almost as shocked as he himself felt.

_I died?!_ That was not what he had meant to say at _all_. He dropped his head into his hands.

Oh, now what? Why couldn't he just _say_ it?

And what would Kagome say now? He _died?!_ People didn't _die_ just come back to life.

"Oh, I, uh," she seemed at a loss for words. "I'm...sorry?"

He shook his head.

"No, no. That's not—I mean—oh, fuck _this_. Forget it."

She looked a little confused, he noted, but thankfully didn't say anything more. Yusuke sighed. What the hell was wrong with him?

He glanced over at Kurama, who was watching him quietly with a raised eyebrow. Yusuke scowled at him, but he only smirked slightly and turned the other way.

Kuwabara had a disapproving look on his face, and Yusuke knew what he would be thinking. He was not being good to Keiko. But it wasn't as if he was leading Kagome on, right? He blanched a little, and turned away from him. Kuwabara just shook his head a little and began chatting quietly with Kagome, who looked even more lost in thought than before. She glanced at him suspiciously a couple times, but he didn't dare look her in the eye, opting instead to gaze out at the view in front of him.

After a while, lunch ended, and they all went back to class.

ooo

Walking home, Kagome thought quietly to herself. She was aware of a presence in the trees, likely Hiei, but didn't bother to acknowledge it.

Of course Shuichi had noticed, she thought bitterly. She had known he would. But it bothered her greatly, how she could fool anyone but him. She had lied to far more powerful demons, and they had believed her. Never, though, had she tried to deceive a kitsune.

And of course he would ask her about it. But to call her out like that in front of all of them! Obviously, he had no idea what she was worried about, and thus probably hadn't thought much of it, but still.

Kitsune were nosy creatures. She knew it was a weakness as well as a strength of theirs, but couldn't he just leave it alone this once? She'd had to forcibly restrain herself from blushing at the time, as her thoughts had somehow strayed to the dream from that night.

His hands on her breasts, her skin slick with sweat, all those sensations running through her body. It was enough to send anyone into a heated fervor.

Kagome moaned a little, and quickened her pace to the shrine. She felt the presence in the trees strengthen slightly, and realized that Hiei was probably able to smell her arousal. Blushing terribly, she sent a small wave of purification in his general direction and smiled with satisfaction when she heard a small thump in the forest followed by a rustle of leaves, quite as if something had fallen out of a tree, and continued her walk.

And then of course there was that man. Hirikama-something-or-other. She hadn't been paying much attention at the time, as her thoughts had been filled with ways to get the jewel back. He had felt tainted, though, if only slightly. But he was a politician, of course. With them, small taint was often the case.

She laughed a little, thinking about evil politicians, and her thoughts went once again to the jewel. What _was_ the best way to get it back? She had decided on force, this time. A repeat of last night really wasn't necessary, and hopefully the detectives wouldn't be there. Genkai had told her of Koenma's arrogance. Evidently, he was so confident from his small victory of retaining the jewel that he was certain there would not be another encounter for at least a week. She would have to go soon, then, if that were the case—in the next couple days, at least.

She felt the aura in the trees again and growled. Can't youkai take a hint? They were all just so _dense_ sometimes. She turned to the right and headed to the park instead of her original destination.

ooo

Hiei watched the girl through the trees. His heat was still fully raging, and the smell of her arousal drifting through the air had sent him reeling. Really, the purification had been a favor, as he was now not so much aroused as pissed off. That had _hurt_, damnit!

He followed her into the park, and she sat down by a tree. She stroked a flower next to her, and it seemed to preen slightly at her touch. She smiled at it for a moment, before turning to his position in the tree.

"Come down, Hiei." He landed in front of her, with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face. "You've been following me again," she said, obviously annoyed. "More questions?" He nodded.

"Who are you?" he said simply. She raised an eyebrow.

"Me? I'm Kagome. Who are you?"

He scowled. "That's not what I meant, onna—"

"Kagome."

"Onna," he repeated firmly, and she frowned at him. "That is not what I meant, and you know it. Now who are you?"

"Who am I?" she asked, "Or _what_ am I?"

"Both."

"I," she smiled at him, "am a mystery."

He scowled. "That's not—"

"What you meant? Yeah, I know."

His scowl deepened. "Fine," he spat. "What do you know of the Kokuyouseki no Houseki?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Kokuyouseki no Houseki? You are far too perceptive, you know. Possibly even more so than the fox."

"Answer me."

She nodded thoughtfully. "What do I know of it? Quite a lot, I'm sure. More than you, anyway." He nodded impatiently, and Kagome smirked a little. "I know much," she reiterated slyly, "but that doesn't mean I'll tell."

"Tell me."

"No." She stuck her tongue out at him, and he had to force himself not to react as he would have liked. Although, with his heat, he wasn't quite sure if he wanted to rip the tongue out or suckle on it. He shook his head, trying to dispel himself of such thoughts. "I will tell you this, though," she said after a moment. "The jewel and the barrier are connected. One would not have existed without the other."

Hiei frowned. "You _are_ the woman from the barrier, then."

She only smiled a little secretively, and then, "What do you know of the jewel?"

Hiei frowned. What _did_ he know? No more than he had learned from Koenma, which certainly wasn't much at all. "It was created by the Kokoro no Miko," he said finally. She nodded.

"Do you know _how_ she made it?" she asked. He frowned, trying to remember.

"With her ki." She nodded again.

"Do you know why it's called the Kokuyouseki no Houseki?"

Hiei sneered. "Don't be dense. It is because of its color."

"It is," she agreed with a smile. "And do you know why it is that color?"

Hiei frowned. He didn't. Kagome smirked a little at his silence.

"Do you know," she said after a moment, "what other names the Kokoro no Miko had?"

Hiei thought for a moment. He didn't know much of the Kokoro no Miko in the first place, only that she was a miko who had lived long ago. She was supposedly very beautiful and powerful, and also legendary for her kindness and purity. It was said that she went around to different villages, helping those in need.

"The Houseki no Miko for one," she said when he didn't answer, "For obvious reasons. She had an affinity for jewels, you know. She was also, however, called the Youkai no Mitsukai."

Hiei shook his head. "That is impossible, onna. The Kokoro no Miko was a human miko. The Youkai no Mitsukai was a demon."

He had heard of the Youkai no Mitsukai many times, although he had yet to see her for himself. She was a demon who did much the same as the Kokoro no Miko, only in demonic standards, said to be a ruthless killer and deadly beautiful. Kagome looked at him again and gave him a small smile.

"Yes," she said thoughtfully, "I suppose it is."

ooo

And an entire world away, in a small cave at the center of the Makai, a figure sat in the darkness. His long black hair brushed against his back, and the hem of his cloak draped around him on the floor. He looked across the fire at the woman in front of him.

"Patience, my dear. Everything will come to pass."

The woman pouted a little, and her long red tail swished agitatedly across the floor behind her.

"When?" she asked, irritated but respectful in the face of the man.

"Soon enough, my dear. Soon enough."

ooo

**Author's note.**

Yay! _Finally _some smut. Heh.

Actually, I'm a little nervous about that part. I've never actually written a lemon before, you see, or anything with citrusy content. It wasn't planned, either. It just sorta happened. And, of course, I've never actually _had _sex before, and since sex is a pretty fundamental part of a sex _scene, _I'm not quite sure how I did. So please review and tell me.

And, _gasp_, who are these mysterious people? Heh. The plot thickens.

I want you to know that Kagome _will_ be going back for the jewel, and soon. But I need a couple chapters in between first, to get a few things out and about. And the plot goes much further than her just trying to get it back from Koenma, just so you know. So, yeah.

( On a side note, if you're looking for a good movie to go see, try _The Dark Knight_. It's really good, and I _love_ the Joker in it. Or, if you don't want to go to the movies, I watched _The Other Boleyn_ the other night, which was also pretty good. It's more of a chick movie, though, so I don't know how well any guys might like it. : )

Ja ne!

Hayley

**(Review!)**

Review!Review!Review!

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	11. Author's Note

**Author's Note.**

Okay dudes. Here's the deal. It's early August now, and my mom is cracking down with her usually nonexistent disciplinary crap. I _was_ staying up all night (quite literally) to write and read fanfiction, but I am now unable to do that. And, I've been taking a summer math class that I've been neglecting all throughout break, and I'm almost at the deadline to finish it. I am, needless to say, nowhere near done.

Once again, cracking down.

_And_ my mom is _desperately_ trying to get me off my ass, despite my constant efforts to keep it on the contrary. She's signed me up for a ballet intensive from this Wednesday to next Friday. (I'm pretty sure that's when it is, anyway.) And I'm gonna be sore. I've only taken two or three classes all summer. I hope my pointe shoes will last...

So, what does all this mean, you ask?

Well, it simply means that updates will not be coming quite as quick- or regularly as before, and will likely be that way when school starts as well. No worries, I'll still be continuing _Two Faced_. I absolutely refuse to abandon another of my works, especially since this one has gotten such incredibly positive feedback. I'm also thinking of starting a Twilight fanfiction. I have a few ideas.

Upon the completion of the next chapter (**Chapter Eleven**), which is already underway, I will replace this with that and all will be well.

I hope you don't all hate me too terribly; Lordie knows that I am eternally grateful and love all my reviewers, and I couldn't stand it if I lost any of you due to something as annoying as circumstance. And I will thus try my darndest to get this going as well as possible, rest assured.

And, oh oh oh.

I've been thinking of changing my name.

So, if I have suddenly disappeared from the site, just search for _Two Faced_ under the Inuyasha category and you should be able to find me well enough. Or just type "IYYYH" into the search bar under "summary". My story should be in there somewhere.

And so I love you all very, very much, and am missing your encouragements and critiques horribly. I bid you good night. (Or morning, as it is.)

Ja ne!

Hayley

(( You don't really have to review this one, hah. But you can if you want to, of course. 8P ))


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Inuyasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, Adventure, Romance