I'm baaack, and some one better review! I've gotten two reviews! ; Which ticks me off. For those of you who are just coming in, I will set Stanley on you. Mwahaha.
Shakes head o.0 Don't ask, it's safer
Disclaimer: I don't own any thing from InuYasha.
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"Alright, the fist thing we're going to do is teach you to make a sacred arrow, which means working on archery." Kikyo was sitting underneath a random tree in InuYasha's forest with Kel. Kel nodded and looked at the two bows and quiver full of arrows beside Kikyo. "Well, let's get started" she said cheerfully. Kikyo nodded and handed Kel one of the bows, "Let's see how well you do." Kel nodded and aimed at a tree about 15 feet away. "That's a little optimistic." Kikyo started but stopped herself; she did not know every thing after all. With little difficulty Kel set the arrow to the string and pulled it back. Kikyo noted the mistakes in the way she stood, but also the ease with witch she handled the bow. Taking her time to aim, Kel shot the arrow, and to Kikyo's surprise, it embedded itself in the center of the tree's trunk. "Well, I couldn't do that well now, much less the first time I tried." Kagome's voice floated over the two women and Kel whirled around to face her. "Your stance is horrible, but your aim is great." Kikyo said. "Yeah, I always did archery at the fairs I got to go to, and the many of my summer camps had archery, though I haven't practiced in a while." Kel blushed at the praise of the two mikos
After an hour spent learning the correct stance and practicing her aim, Kikyo finally told Kel that it was time for a brake. "Creating a sacred arrow should come naturally to you, so I don't think I'm going to have to explain it to you, just concentrate." Kikyo told the younger girl as they started practicing. Kel nodded and drew the arrow back. Concentrating on pulling her powers into the arrow she let it loose. Kikyo and Kagome stared in awe as the arrow, which glowed a deep red sailed easily into the tree. "That was extremely powerful; I think all you need to do now is practice." Kikyo stated after a few minutes had gone by. Kel gave her a brilliant smile. "Well, its time for lunch!" Kagome yelled excitedly, and the trio headed back to Kaede's.
"Hey, so did Kel come back?" Alice sighed, "Jake, she came back, but since you're the one who lost her, I want you to be in charge of this next assignment." The entire gang leaned forward. "Kel says she got a job protecting something, and she also says that she won't be in danger, I don't believe her, she came back with the side of her shirt torn and a scabbed over wound. Also she says that her job will require her to leave for long periods of time. That's all she'd say, no employer or place of work, she left no way to contact her either, I want ya'll to find out where she goes and what her job is." "Well, we can try, but you know how good she is at losing people and hiding her tracks but if she needs us we'll be there." Jake told Alice, and the rest of the gang nodded excitedly. "Jacky, what happened at school today?" Alice asked a shy looking girl in the corner. "She told that girl Katy that she was in the same mood as fourth grade, and made a friend." Alice looked up quickly. "I'm not sure which to feel more, worry over her mood or surprise at the fact that Kel made a friend. What's the friends name, what's she like?" Alice asked excitedly. "Uo, she came from Japan but speaks English very well, probably similar to Kel in temperament, she did bring an iron bar to school but that's all I can tell you." Jacky said quietly. "I wonder what has Kel stressing; I mean she doesn't usually threaten people, well not like that anyway." Jake mussed aloud. "Whatever it is its serious, god I hope she doesn't snap." Alice looked around the room worried. "It's our job to make sure she doesn't, remember there are huge things at stake." Everyone nodded and began to discuss strategies.
"Ah, ye are back early, did the lesson go well?" Kaede asked as the trio of mikos walked into her hut. Kikyo smiled softly and Kagome gushed, "Kel was just awesome, her aim is already better than mine, and her arrows are really powerful. She's just a natural with the bow!" Kel just blushed, and went over to the old woman to see if she could help with any thing. "Nay child, ye are young and should enjoy yourself. I'll cook lunch, you go and have fun, I'd like to hear ye laugh." Kaede looked at the young girl before her, Kaede could see that Kel had suffered very much, and that her heart had grown up to fast, "Child how old are ye?" the sudden question caught Kel off guard, and she paused in the doorway and looked back, as a small smirk played over her face she answered, "Half twice my age." and left leaving behind a puzzled Kagome, thoughtful Kikyo, and a sad Kaede. "What did she mean by that?" Kagome asked. "She meant that she did not want to tell us, though why is a harder question to answer." Kikyo mussed. "She doesn't want us to be able to gauge her." Kikyo and Kagome turned to Kaede, "Kel knows that if we know her age, it will affect our impression of her, and make it easier for us to predict her actions and feelings. Here she can make a new start, and she doesn't want her age to factor into that." 'So, she also wants to keep her suffering to herself' Kagome thought, and could see the same thought on the faces of the other two.
'Life is going to be really different now, I have friends for the first time, but all of them accept Shippo are much older than I am. And if they find out how young I am, they'll treat me like a kid, but I'm not' Kel thought while wandering idly through the village. A few seconds later the ground began to rumble. "Glad I brought the bow Kikyo lent me" Kel said out loud, as a boar demon rushed towards her. "Give me the jewel!" it yelled. 'Why do I get the feeling I'm going to hear that more often than I'd like?' Kel thought as she pulled the bow back. When the demon got in range she let the arrow go, and watched the red color swirl around it and purify the demon. Once she saw it dissolve into ashes, Kel smirked coldly and whispered, "One jackass down, a million more to go."
"Kel!" the shout made her look up to the air as InuYasha landed in front of her, quickly followed by Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Kikyo. "Are you all right?" was the first question out of Kagome's mouth, the second being, "Where's the demon?" "I'm fine" Kel replied, ignoring the second, but Kikyo answered it for her, "There" pointing toward the pile of ashes and arrow. "Well, some one can take care of herself." InuYasha said with new respect shining in his eyes, "Great shot Kel!" Sango smiled at her new friend. Kel blushed and tried to turn away, but Kikyo put her hand on the girl's shoulder, "It was well done, you should celebrate." Kel smiled softly and blushed some more, and Kikyo comprehended what was wrong. "You're not used to praise are you?" "No back at the house, even if I did something right, there was some detail that was wrong" Kel looked up and smiled softly, "I don't think I've ever been told that I did something well." The group looked at the girl before them in amassment, 'To go most of your life with out being told you've done something well, how did she manage, compared to her I'm very lucky' InuYasha thought, and looked at Kikyo, 'Especially since I have someone to love me'
'God, what must she have gone through, and she still smiles, and makes fun of it! I wish I had that strength' Sango walked over and gave Kel a hug, "Well, get used to it! From now on I'm going to compliment you every chance I get" she exclaimed. Kel smiled, "I'll give you plenty of reasons to complement me. Oh, by the way, if it's not to much to ask, will you train me to, I don't want to rely on one weapon to save me, and if a demon gets close range, or is to fast or I don't have a bow, I need to be able to defend myself." Kel looked up hopefully.
"Child, ye are truly wise." The group turned to Kaede, "And not only are ye wise, ye are beautiful, and very powerful" Kel smiled softly at the older miko, then ran over and hugged her tight and whispered in her ear, "You're the first person to call me beautiful for who I am." Kel looked over at Sango who nodded, "I'd love to train you, if it won't harm your ability to practice with the bow and learn your other duties." Kel smiled. "Thanks, so what's the schedule?" The group looked at InuYasha, "Well, we don't know where any jewel shards are, and Kel should train some more, so I think that we'll stay here for awhile"
"So, we'll start with hand to hand combat; let's have a little spar so I know where to start, okay?" Kel nodded eagerly, and Sango got into position. As soon as the spar started, Sango wondered if Kel had been lying about not being trained, the girl was pretty good, but she started to understand when Kel used a move that Sango had tried on her. "Halt" Sango cried, and Kel came to an immediate stop. "I'm impressed, you study your enemies moves, and then use them on the other person, with a little twist, you also improv moves out of thin air, so despite lack of training, all I can do is give you some tips and teach you normal methods of fighting" Kel smiled gratefully, and Sango continued to train her for two hours.
"Oy, you to, if you're through beating each other to death, why don't we go clean off?" Kagome asked. Kel and Sango stopped and smiled at her. "That sounds wonderful; I'm tired, what about you Kel?" Sango looked at the other girl. Kel looked at the sky, "Ya'll go on, I want to practice my bow some more before the light goes." Sango looked at the girl incredulously, "Kel, where do you get the energy?" Kel smiled, her entire family had always had an ability to push themselves to the extreme, and Kel was only just starting to wear down. "I won't take long, and I'll ask Kikyo to help me find the hot springs" Kel told the other two girls. They nodded, "Bring a spare change of clothes and any toiletries." Kagome called, and Kel nodded.
"You know, I wonder how Kel will react to this change in life style, I mean she seems to have adapted well, but I worry about her, I can tell that she's younger than me, and having that jewel can't be a breeze." Kagome told Sango. "Yeah, and the way she's lived with that family, its unreal, compared to her life, mine has been blessed, at least I called the place where my family lived home." Kagome nodded, "Yeah I noticed that, she doesn't call anyplace home." "I'm glad she came, I think that she just brightens everything up, and she isn't weak, we saw that earlier, I saw what happened, and when that demon came at her she stayed really cool, like that happened everyday, even though that's the first time a demon has charged at her." Kagome shook her head, "Second, that scorpion thing" Sango nodded and laughed.
"So, Kagura has seen the girl, I will have to investigate this myself. If she is powerful, then I'll need her on my side, but if she's as young as Kagura thought, it shouldn't be a problem" Naraku mussed as he wandered the corridors of his castle. "I'll just lead her astray, and absorb her"
After practicing, Kel picked up a change of clothes and Kikyo and headed off to the hot spring. When she got there the girls greeted her cheerfully, while they were bathing, the girls discussed a training schedule. Suddenly Kel looked up and went quiet.
"Lord Sesshomaru, where are we going?" Rin asked her lord. "To see my half brother." That was a few hours ago, and Sesshomaru had left Rin and Jaken at the camp. Silently he followed the scent of his half brother's female companions, noting that there was a new scent, and the dead miko had joined them. Coming to rest on a tree limb overlooking the hot springs, he saw them, they were bathing, he quickly found out who the new scent was, it came from a girl who looked young and old at the same time, she had hair that was a very strange color, he frowned, the dead miko seemed to have been brought to life with a new body, but he did not know of any thing with the power to do that. Suddenly the new girl stiffened and looked up, just a little to the right of him.
"What is it?" Kagome asked. "Some one is watching us, and it's not Miroku, of InuYasha." Kikyo looked at Kel strangely, "How did you know?" Sesshomaru blinked, she'd sensed him, not only that she could immediately tell that it wasn't one of the males of her group. Kel reached for her bow, but before she got there Sesshomaru jumped down from his tree.
Suddenly InuYasha looked up, "Damn" "InuYasha what is it?" Miroku asked. "Sesshomaru" immediately the two ran out of the door. 'BAD, what happens if Sesshomaru decides he needs that jewel Kel's carrying, she's good, and so are the others, but he's better'
"Lord Sesshomaru, to what do we owe the pleasure?" Kel asked which got her some very strange looks. Deciding to ignore her, Sesshomaru turned to the dead miko. "I thought that you hated any thing to do with time?' When Kel saw that Sesshomaru was going to ignore her, she decided to use the time to get dressed, automatically, the jewel concealed her movements, and Kel quickly dressed and grabbed her bow and an arrow.
"I did, but no longer." Kikyo stated, she realized when Kel started moving, and was surprised that Sesshomaru did not turn to her. "How is it that you are alive?" "That was my doing." Sesshomaru turned around to see the girl from before, out of the spring, dressed, and aiming and arrow at her chest. The second thing he noticed was that her eyes were freaky, they looked like fire was burning in them, and it gave him goose bumps. 'How did she move without me noticing it?' "My lord, ignoring someone who has spoken politely to you is not an honorable way to act; neither is speaking with maidens who aren't dressed, so if you please, would you leave us for a moment so that we may dress?" Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, she acted with no regard for his station, but she had a point. "Very well, I'll return in five minutes, be ready by then", after saying that her turned and disappeared.
When he returned the lord was surprised to see that all four girls were there, and appeared, to not have left at all. "Now then, why are you here?" Kagome asked. "I don't see what it is to you." Sesshomaru replied coldly, which brought Kagome and Sango into his face. "It is her business, and ours, because you were the one who watched us bathe, and we have every right to know why you're here" Kagome huffed at him. "I came to see InuYasha, to find out why there have been strange auras hanging over this place." Sesshomaru noticed that Kagome, Sango, and Kikyo started, but that new girl didn't move. "Well, what does it matter to you?" Kikyo asked. "It's his lands," Kel stated while looking at her finger nails. "Um, how did you know that?" Sango asked, "I didn't" "Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked, interested, in spite of himself.
'A hell yeah, a challenge, lets see how he reacts to me' 'Oh my god, Kel's going to get us all killed' 'She looks like a sweet young girl, probably won't be any more of a problem than Rin.' Kel lowered her nails enough that her hair concealed her eyes, and a dangerous smirk played on her lips. "Girl I will not ask again, who are you" Sesshomaru growled "What's it to you." While speaking Kel looked up, and the change from her normally sweet demeanor shocked everyone, her eyes burned with a sort of rebellious spirit that made normal people break out into a cold sweat. Kagome sweat dropped when she realized what had happened.
"Girl you will speak with respect towards me for my station" Sesshomaru growled at her. 'Ah Hell No, he did not just say that!' "What station, just because you were born a demon, and happened to be one of the demon nobility does not put you over her or us!" Kagome shouted. Sesshomaru looked at the young miko, and felt his heart flip strangely. "Now then, my name is Kel, use it. As for the auras you've been sensing, why the hell would you come to your half brother for help, you hate him, and if you were going to talk to him, why watch us, or waste your time talking to us?" Kel demanded, her eyes having calmed down a bit. "I think we've all gotten off on the wrong foot, I know that you hate humans, and their company, with the exception of Rin, but I believe that the best way to discuss this would be with everyone present, so my lord, would you please allow us to escort you to Kaede's where we can all discuss this like civilized beings, ne?" Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, and the other three women's eyes widened in shock, Kel had just invited Sesshomaru into Kaede's village! "Very well, as long as InuYasha can control his temper." Kel nodded and picking up her bow, she turned toward the village.
The scent of the girls was headed back for the village, but unfortunately, Sesshomaru's scent followed them. "Damn, they better not have done anything stupid, like invite him in!" InuYasha remarked as he turned around. Miroku shook his head and wondered how stupid they would have to be to do that.
Kaede looked up as the strange group came in the door, "Well, what have we here?" Kaede looked to Kel, who was in the lead for answers. "Well, we met up with Sesshomaru, who was wondering about the strange auras that have been over this area for the past week, I think that at least one of them has come from me, so I figured that we had all better explain this, also I thought that it was about damn time InuYasha and his brother at least made a truce, by the way, InuYasha should be here in a minute." Kaede looked at Kel in wonder, then looked at every one else, "Are ye okay with this?" Sango nodded, Kikyo and Kagome just shrugged. Sesshomaru seated himself by the fire across from the humans. Kagome noticed that his movements were slower than usual, but didn't say anything.
'Damn, I need to get away from here and find some where safe to sleep soon!' Sesshomaru thought looking around the cabin. Apparently everyone was waiting on InuYasha, but like the girl said, they wouldn't need to wait very long. "What the hell is he doing here?!" InuYasha yelled in horror upon seeing his half brother sitting by the fire. "Sit!" InuYasha plummeted to the ground and Miroku stepped into the hut. He started a little at seeing Sesshomaru, but when no one else looked concerned he sat down by Sango. Sesshomaru's strength was fading fast, but the damn hanyou hadn't gotten up from his crater. As his strength gave way, Kagome noticed as he started to fall, "Sesshomaru!" she gasped and caught him. Everyone looked towards the demon lord, who had just fallen asleep. "What the hell? Sango what just happened?" Kel looked toward the demon slayer, "I think that he ran out of energy, many demon lords can go for months without sleeping, but eventually their strength will give out, and their body forces them into a type of comma, he should sleep for a few days." Kagome nodded taking in the information, 'So he overexerted himself just to protect his lands.' "I say we sleep; there isn't much else we can do." Kikyo spoke up. "Yeah, but what about him?" InuYasha shouted pointing at Sesshomaru. Kel cocked an eyebrow at him, "What can Sesshomaru do, even if he does wake up, he won't murder us." "What makes you so confident about that?" InuYasha yelled outraged, Sesshomaru was dangerous. "Information. We are the only ones with the information he wants, he has to keep us alive, until we tell him at least." Kagome said, ending the conversation, and everyone settled down for the night.
Sesshomaru slept for two days, during which, Kel made rapid progress with her archery and fighting. When he woke up, Sesshomaru mentally slapped himself and looked around; the only other person in there was Kagome who appeared to be cooking something. When she felt his eyes on her Kagome glanced up. 'What the hell does she do to me?' Sesshomaru wondered looking at the beautiful miko before him. Kagome smiled softly, "Glad you're awake, when everyone comes in for lunch we'll explain, if that's alright with you?" Sesshomaru nodded his consent and began to sit up. 'Damn, I haven't had a sleep that deep since father died, what is it about this place that let me sleep like that?' he wondered looking around, then he froze, he smelled Rin's blood.
Kel was practicing archery when her necklace pulsed, frowning she looked up and stretched out her senses, using the jewel for aid. When she felt the source of the disturbance, she ran to it.
Rin had been picking wildflowers when out of nowhere a demon appeared and leapt at her. Screaming, she tried to dodge, but she got cut by the demon's claws. Jaken rushed over and tried to protect her, but the demon just knocked him unconscious. Suddenly, the demon roared in pain and dissolved into ashes, Rin looked up to see a young girl carrying a bow and quiver of arrows and instantly attached herself to the girl. "You saved Rin, thank you very much pretty lady, what's your name?" "I'm Kel, come on let's get out of here before more demons come." Kel picked Rin up, and setting her on her hip, walked away, they were halfway out of the field when the ground started to shake. "Damn" Kel cursed setting Rin down and bringing out her bow. "How dare you wench, you should not have killed him (People I need names for my bad guys, any ideas on where to find them? Those would be helpful.) for that you must be punished!" a voice rumbled from the ground and six other demons surrounded the girls. Rin looked up, frightened, at the lady; her eye was twitching in annoyance. 'Damn, I really need to know how to use my powers, but I've only had them for a few days, shit, Rin's gonna get hurt because I can't use my damn powers!' Kel thought frantically. 'What the hell, I won't let Rin get hurt; I'll send all these demons straight to hell!'
"Rin!" Sesshomaru gasped as the smell of her blood became stronger. Kagome understood immediately and grabbed her bow. On the way out, they met up with the rest of the group minus Kel. "Where is Kel?" Kagome asked "She went to go practice archery." Kikyo told Kagome who nodded; somehow, she knew the Kel could take care of herself.
Kel knocked an arrow and released the arrow, purifying the demon in front of her. She knew that she could probably get away, but there was no way in hell she was going to abandon Rin. The other demons closed in, "Lady, are we gonna be okay?" Rin asked. "Yeah Rin, we'll be fine, I mean what could these big uglys do to two tough bloodthirsty girls like us eh?" Kel looked down smiling at the girl. As the first demon charged, Kel purified him with a single arrow. 'I wonder if I can kill two with one arrow?' Kel aimed between two of the demons and watched her arrow purify the hell out of them. However three more took their place. 'What the fuck?!' Kel looked around, for all the ones she'd purified, the others kept on coming. One of the demons managed to knock the bow out of her hands. 'We're screwed. Jeeze, my third fight and I'm already down, pathetic!' "I'm not going to lose to a bunch of pathetic lowlifes like you!" Kel felt like fire had swept through her, it burst from her, purifying and burning all the demons in the area.
Rin watched with wide eyes as the pretty lady crumpled to the floor. "Well, well well, some one has interesting powers." the voice from before made Kel look up. "I'll be watching you priestess." after that everything went black.
Everyone came to a halt just outside of the clearing, in time to see Kel's bow gone and her subsequent blast of power. 'She would have sacrificed herself to save Rin, a girl with whom she has no band and did not have to save, she went into battle under trained just to save a little girls life, then that power, what is she?' "Kel!" the group rushed towards Kel and Rin as Kel blacks out. Without a word Sesshomaru picks the girl up and looks to Rin, "Come, we will be staying at InuYasha's home" Rin nods and follows her lord, leaving behind a very quiet group.
As soon as they all troupe in Kaede looks up. "Did Kel get herself hurt again?" "Lady Kel fought off all the scary demons, they all turned to ash, isn't she powerful?" Rin chattered excitedly as Sesshomaru placed the sleeping girl on the ground. "All we can do is wait till she awakes, she used much power, and know must heal." Kaede told the worried group after looking Kel over. Everyone nodded and went about their day.
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Okay, I'm done, now please review, flames welcome.