Hi! Thank you for reading and those of you who have reviewed!

Last chapter, Yusuke's team might have seemed weak but they weren't. They were just trying to hard not to hurt anyone on Kagome's team and ended up either underestimating them or ( in Kurama's case) too consentrated on getting answers to pay attention to the fight. Also, Shioori is a master of barriers. If she makes them, they a almost completely unbreakable and there intended effects unstoppable. There were also some other factors that will become known later in the story, but, for now, that's all I'll tell you.

The announcer was the fox, Koto.

I'm sorry it took longer than usual. Right now, I'm having technology difficulties with my typing program.

Please read and review.

Chapter 7

With Answers Comes Anger

*Yusuke's mad.*Now, that was the understatement of the century.

~Why, I believe he is, Youko. ~ Kurama said.

-Fox, quit you're pointless conversation involving the obvious. Aren't you upset about the bat?-

*Now, Red, why would we be upset with Kuro-kins?* Youko said in mock confusion.

~I believe it would be because Kuronue didn't tell us that we would be seeing him so soon. Or maybe it would be seeing him alive without telling us.~ Kurama said thoughtfully, putting a mixture of emotions into that one word, ~But, no. We are not going to pass judgment yet. Kuronue said he couldn't tell us until now, and now we will get our answers.~

*We trust him. Even if it does hurt a bit that he didn't tell us, we're sure he had a good reason.* Youko said, showing loyalty to one he had thought dead for five hundred years or so.

-What about the detective's cousin?- Hiei asked.

*I'm sure Kuronue won't mind sharing with me. It wouldn't be the first time we shared something.* Youko stated. He was surprised when his statement warranted him a mental death glare from the hybrid.

-Fox, you better not do anything that will end up hurting her. She is not one of your one night stands!- Hiei's control had snapped, and a very threatening, almost ferral growl ripped from his throat causing Kurama to take an involuntary step away from him. Luckily, no one else noticed.

~I would never go for a one night stand. Why does-~ Kurama started in a deadly, serious voice but was cut off by the 'leader' of their little group.

"Would you hurry up? We don't exactly have time to wait around all day while ya' have your little private conversations! You want answers too, don't you?" Yusuke yelled back to them, impatient to end this confusion he didn't know how to deal with. He had just recently found out that his sweet, innocent, sickly, female cousin actually knew about youkai, was friends with many supernatural beings, youkai or not, and seemed to have some sort of power of her own. He wanted answers, and dm!t, one way or another, he was going to get them!

Kurama resumed walking but kept watching Hiei also.

~Why does she matter so much to you, Hiei? What are you keeping from us?~ But even as he asked this, he knew he would receive no answer. Hiei simply gave him a look that said 'don't forget what I said or else', and then the mental link was abruptly cut. Annoyed that Hiei was keeping something from him but knowing it would get him nowhere, Kurama focused his attention on the openly fuming detective. That didn't keep him from watching the hybrid out of the corner of his eye, though.

*Maybe Hiei likes our vixen.* Youko's playful guess earned a snicker from his usually polite counterpart. *Hey, it was only guess* And they continued on, ignoring what seemed like the most unlikely idea.

If they had turned back to look at Hiei, they would have been surprised to see a smirk on his face. And if they had still had a mental connection with him, they would have been confused and a bit indignant by what they heard.

-How little they know about me; how little they know about anything they are getting themselves into.-

=-) Scene Change (-=

"Kagome, we came, and we will get answers now!" Yusuke yelled as we came to the top of the staircase. The girl in question, who seemed to have been deep in thought, merely sighed and stopped sweeping before responding.

"I will answer what I must, but first, would you kindly step inside. We wouldn't want any unwanted visitors to come by and eavesdrop," Kagome said and walked toward the house, leaving us to follow. Yusuke, a bit put off that there was no argument over it, just huffed and then followed, the rest of us left to follow also.

=-) Scene Change (-=

Once inside the house, she led us to the living room where we were shocked to see many of the people we had seen team Higuroshijya with at the tournament. The room itself was not all that traditional to Japanese design, but we were unsurprised having been here before.

On the wall opposite the door we just came through was a window that took over the expanse of the wall, stopping half a foot from the ceiling and floor. There was a one foot ledge on the outside where the land dipped down into a clearing surrounded by woods from the hill the house was on. In the middle of the wall to the left of the entry wall, a brick fireplace stood with wooden bookcases on either side. The walls themselves were wooded as were the floors. There was usually a forest green rug in front of the fireplace with two, brownish red armchairs on either side and a couch facing the fireplace. On the other wall, a flat screen tv was in view with another couch and two arm chairs to view it. There was a glass coffee table with another green rug under it and two glass end tables. Right now, all of the seats were turned to face the center of the room.

What we were surprised to see was all of team Higuroshijya, Lord Sesshoumaru, two ookami youkai, one ookami youkai in animal form, an inu youkai in animal form, two kitsune youkai in animal form, a nekomata, Souta , a wind youkai, a void youkai, a tiger youkai, a kitsune youkai, all three of the children, Souta and a young ningen male about his age.

After a moment of silence had passed, Kurama decided to get things on a roll before Yusuke could overreact to so many dangerous beings near his (insert 'obviously not') weak, delicate, and innocent cousin. Clearing his throat, he waited until he had Kagome's attention before raising a brow and staring pointedly at people present upon their entrance. Understanding lit her eyes after a second, and she quickly went about with introductions of those they didn't already know.

"The two ookami are Kouga and his mate, Ayame, rulers of the north. The other ookami is Tetsu. The inu is Roju. Inara and Shintaru. Kirara is the nekomata. The wind youkai is Sesshoumaru's mate, Kagura. The void youkai is Kanna. The tiger youkai is Kisa's uncle, Semba, lord of the east. The lord of the south is the kitsune youkai, Foukun. Last but not least, Kohaku is Sango's younger brother," Kagome stated, turning to look at the 'guests' that had just arrived, "Everyone that wasn't at the tournament, this is Yusuke, Hiei, Kurama, Genkai, and Kuwabara," As she said this, she indicated each of us with a wave of her hand 'which could be used on such bett-'

~Youko!~ I yelled.

*What?* Youko asked, flattening his ears to his head and looking confused.

~Now is not the time to be fantasizing about Kagome!~ I said.

*Wha- oh*Youko started but stopped, a lecherous smirk covering his face *That wasn't me.*He stated simply, looking oddly proud for some reason.

~What do you mean it wasn't you; who else could it be? And what's with the look you're giving me?~ I suddenly had a feeling that whatever the reason for the look was, it meant trouble to come. Instantly weary of the unpredictable fox taking residence in my body, I mentally took a step back.

*It was you, my kawaii, little Red. Congradulations! You just met someone with a very high soul compatability to yours! It could have been just normal attraction, but you don't go after or think too much about someone because of looks alone.* Youko said, beaming at the fact that they had another reason to get the girl.

~Soul matches. I understand that, but why didn't it start until now?~ Kurama asked. Youko shrugged.

*Sometimes, the soul needs a deeper foundation to start leading to possibilities. Sometimes, it takes time for the soul to familiarize itself with the presense of the other. You could walk by someone with an exact match to you and never think to spare them a second glance.* He stated, not really caring about the details. *I myself feel a pull towards her as I believe Kuronue does also. Go back to reality, Red. They're about to start explaining.* With a shake of his head, Kurama turned his attention back to the situation at hand.

"Alright, alright Yusuke. I'll tell you what happened, though I have to wonder why Reikai has no information. I guess Enma didn't tell his son that we were still alive, and he thou-" Kagome was cut off by her every-overprotective cousin.

"Still alive? Kagome, why wouldn't you be alive?" Yusuke was starting to seriously think about putting Kagome in a padded room so nothing could get to her and never let her out.

"Oh, come on Yusuke! Have you not cheated death twice yourself?" Kagome asked, trying to distract him from his questioning.

"How did you know tha-" Yususke started but stopped himself, redirecting his attention to his unanswered question, "Never mind that. Why wouldn't you be alive?" With a sigh, Kagome decided to placate him for the time being.

"That's farther into my story, so I'll tell you when I get to it," Kagome started then finished, "Oh, just to let you know, I know all about the Reikai Tantei. It's kinda my self-appointed job to make sure Reikai doesn't screw up things beyond repair. I thank you for dealing with Koenma for so long. I haven't met him outside of a passing greeting myself, but I've heard he can be quite incompeten-" Kagome's ever-rude cousin decided now to interrupt.

"Quit stalling, and start talking," Yusuke said rudely. Sighing for the millionth time since we arrived, Kagome plopped down beside Kuronue, the children and animal form youkai quickly clambering to sit on her lap, shoulders, or by her.

"It all started on my fifteenth birthday. I went into the well house to find Buyo and ended up getting dragged down the well by a youkai that was a woman from the torso up but below, at least thirty feet of a giant centipede's body was all you could see, … (tells story up until she had met everyone she does in the show without telling about Kikyo ) … That was my first six months of my time as a time traveling miko. For a while, we had been tired of having to live off of Kaede while we were in the village, so we built a hut near the well. It took a long time because we put a long-lasting, impenetrable barrier around it. Since I was there so much, I left all of my school stuff I couldn't take with me in it. The last traveling session had lasted a whole month instead of the usual two weeks, so I was in a hurry to get home. When we got to the well clearing, everything was dead. Miasma filled the air, and dead, scorched ground replaced the usual vibrant, green grass. Even the trees looked like they were slowly diing. And in the middle of the clearing by the well, Naraku stood, a victorious smirk in place. Just as he was about to jump into the well, I did the only thing I could do short of destroying it. I sealed it so it could be used by neither side ever again. Expanding my aura as I had recently been taught, all of the miasma dissipated, and the forest began to regain its usual, healthy glow. But that left me open to attack.

"While the others were distracted by the youkai hordes that had suddenly popped and before I could regain my balance from using the new technique, I was whisked far away from my friends," Up until now, we had listened with rapt attention, awaiting each new twist in the tale that had been Kagome's life for the last few years. Taking a deep breath, Kagome continued on, though she seemed to be struggling to do so, "In the clutches of our worst enemy," By now, she had started shaking, her voice quivering as she spoke, "I was- he-" She was stopped by a gentle hand on her shoulder. As she turned her head up from its position of staring at her hands in her lap, something deep inside of me called to spill the blood of whoever had made the tears cascading down her face, and it wasn't just Youko.

"It's okay, Kags. You don't have to talk about that," Kuronue whispered softly, pulling Kagome into his lap and rapping his arms around her protectively, her head tucked under his chin. With a slight nod, Kagome took a deep breath and wiped away her tears.

"After awhile, I escaped with Kohaku in tow, no longer under Naraku's control. I had no idea where we were, so I decided to travel until I found decent to stay while our wounds healed. I found a cave with a waterfall and a hot spring not too far from it in the middle of the woods. While scouting our surroundings a few days later, I came across a village. From what I was told by the villagers, I realized that it was too far to try to travel to Kaede's village with our injuries. And with winter fast approaching, I knew the only thing I could do was prepare to wait it out. Over the next month or so, I collected herbs and dried fruits and meat, I received clothing, vegetables, rice, and other supplies from the villagers for ridding them of attacking youkai and helping the sick. On one of these mornings, I found Kuronue almost dead from bloodloss. Taking him back to the cave, I began the long process of treating the many poisoned wounds decorating him. The poison made it worse because it stopped his youkai healing and tried to attack his immune system. By the time winter rolled around, I had made a door of sorts to protect the cave from the weather. There was plenty of firewood, and I had made three beds of sorts with some extra blankets for when the temperature dropped.

"After winter, we made it back to Kaede's and joined back up with everyone. Along the way, we saved Rin and Kisa from Naraku's minions. We met the Eastern Lord for the first time and were soon joined by him, Sesshoumaru, Kouga, Ayame, and Foukun, who had been intrigued by a kitsune kit being so attached to a miko. After asking, I received training from everyone. A child of about seven by the name of Hiei," At this, we all glanced over at him, "showed up, having heard after fifty years that the bandit he had burned to death hadn't actually died. We told him the story of Onigumo, and after a while, he decided to try to go find any information that might be of use to us. While he was gone, the final battle came along; we beat Naraku but lost the village we had called home, Kaede, and Inuyasha…" Kagome stopped hear to take a deep breath, obviously holding back tears again, "After all was said and done, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Rin, Kisa, Kirara, Inara, Roju, Tetsu, Shintaru, and I came back through the well. On our way back, the well stopped a couple of times and had us change things so everything worked out the way it was supposed to. We created the great barrier along with the rest of the great powers or ancients. The reason we were at the tournament was to get rid of some loose ends. That's my story…. I need to go," Kagome's voice hadn't completely stopped quivering since she had started talking again, and the scent of salt was pungent on the air as she spoke of the final battle. It had both Youko and I whimpering, wanting to comfort her but not being able to. No one stopped her from leaving. Everyone was still shocked silent at the tale. A sigh brought me out of my reverie, drawing my attention to Kuronue, who was sadly watching the retreating form of Kagome. When she was out of earshot, he turned to look over at our group.

"I'm guessing you realized she toned it down a lot and left a bit out, huh? You probably want to know what, right?" Kuronue asked, looking directly at me. At this, Yusuke stopped glaring at Hiei for knowing something and not telling them. Instead, he swung around and stared at Kuronue in shock.

"You mean there's more than that to the story? If there's more, then tell me now. What else has my cousin been keeping from me?" Yusuke shouted, all of the pent up anger from what had happened to Kagome coming out the only way he knew how without destroying the house.

"Why, yes. I figured it was obvious since I told her at one point she didn't have to talk about something, and there were gaps in the story line. I guess I overestimated your brain's capacity to take in new information and digest it to form an intelligent response," Kuronue said, words laced with mock for the detective's slip up before getting serious, "You will not go and force her to talk about something she's not ready to talk about, do you understand me?" Yusuke shot him a glare before replying.

"If you tell me what I need to know, I won't go asking her about it," He said gruffly, his gaze never averting from Kuronue's. With a sigh, the sad look returned to Kuronue's features, and he started to speak. The words that came out of his mouth shocked me and sent both Youko's and my bloodlust into overdrive.

"She was tortured."