A.N. I know I know it's been awhile but atleast i'm back and ready to write! Hope you enjoy!

italics-thinking

'...'-mind talking

Chapter 9 Penance

In the Present

Kuro and Toga stood wide eyed at the retreating back of Kiara. Toga turned around and glared at Kuro,"You pushed her to far Kuro." Grunting Kuro paced in front of Toga,"She needed that you know she did, besides she put us in danger doing that Toga!" he growled. Toga sneered,"Put us in danger! Hell Kuro she got us out of it in the first place! It's time to swallow your pride, we're going to need her when all this shit hits the fan." Kuro snarled and paced some more. He knew they needed her. I just don't want to lose her again damn it!

Sengoku Jidia

Pain. Screaming. That's all that really registered to Kiara. That and crisp clean air, something surreal. She tried to open her eyes and managed to squint in the direction of all the commotion. What she saw made her head hurt and her sore heart ache.

Kagome and Sango screamed in shock, what had first appeared to have been a bird was in fact a body falling from the sky. At first it was too far to decipher exactly what it was, but when it got closer to the ground it was painfully obvious that it was not a bird but a body plummeting to the ground. Unable to move but mearly stare in morbid fascination both Sango and Kagome stared as the body fell to earth amid tree branches and finally hitting the ground with a resounding thud and crunch.

Sango carefully got out of the spring and cautiously walked over the unconscious body on the ground when it moved. Kagome had just got up to follow Sango when she registered Sango's stiff posture. "Sango...is it alive?" whispered Kagome. Sango shrugged and once again continued to move toward it. "S-St-top." Both Kagome and Sango froze at the stammered out word. Sango opened her mouth as if to say something but instead took two steps back to come at a stand still besides Kagome.

Both stared wide eyed as the person started to move. Kiara grunted in pain but managed to stand, she stared at her sister and the unknown female beside her with a blank expression. "W-where am I?",croaked out Kiara. Kagome stared,"Ki, what a-are y-you doing here?" she stammered out. At the sound of recognition in Kagome's voice Sango relaxed and stared between both the strange woman and Kagome.

Kiara grunted again,"I asked a question, where am I?" Kagome backed away from the cold voice and shivered. "Well you see Ki, ummm your kind of not home anymore." Kagome whispered. Kiara stared and stared hard. "What do you mean not home anymore?" Again Kagome slowly retreated. Sango was lost, for lack of a better explanation she had no idea what was going on. "Kagome who is she?" questioned Sango slowly. Kagome flinched and Kiara stiffened at the inquiry, "She's m-my sister." Kagome whispered. Sango gaped at her long time friend in shock.

Having enough of the staring Kiara started forward toward her sister and stopped a few feet from her. "Send me home Kagome." It wasn't a question but an order from an older more scary looking sister to a younger one. Kagome winced and stared at her feet.

"I don't think I know h-how."

Kiara snarled, "Then how in kami's name did I get here?" Tired, irritated, and above all frustrated all she wanted to do was go home and sleep. Why was today becoming so complicated?

Sango stepped forward and stared down the offending woman glaring at Kagome, "Stop yelling at her! It's not her fault your here." growled Sango. Kiara sneered and advanced forward, "Do not stand against me or you will regret it."

Kagome paniced and shoved Sango to the side to face down her sister. "Ki please! Don't! I'm sorry I'll find a way to get you back I promise. It's just I didn't know that my wish would come true."

'how could this have happened' kagome had no idea what to do. 'you wished for something you desired, we fulfilled your wish' Kagome froze her mind just talked back 'but that's impossible!'

'why do you fret child? we mearly did as you wished' the voices replied.

Confused beyond reason Kagome closed her eyes and breathed, 'i'm going crazy.' The voices chuckled 'no you are not child, we are the four souls trapped within the jewel you protect.' Blinking Kagome chuckled dryly, 'let me guess you took my wish seriously?'

The voices acknowledged, 'you were unhappy we mearly gave you what you wished for.' Having enough of disembodied voices in her head Kagome opened her eyes and rubbed her temple. Kiara pivoted around and started walking away.

"Please I know how to get you back." Kagome called out. Rooted to her spot Kiara turned her head and blinked, "no more jokes Kagome, I need to get back." Nodding Kagome gulped, "Alright I just don't want you to be mad at me." Even after years Kiara can still make me fell no more than a child. Turning around Kiara moved towards her sister and smiled,"I'm not mad at you, I'm just tired and wish to return home." Smiling Kagome nodded.

Sango approached cautiously and looked at Kagome, "Can she be trusted Kagome?" Kagome blinked and then giggled at Sango's question. "Of course Sango, this is my sister Kiara." Motioning in her direction and giggling some more. Mearly quirking an eyebrow at her younger sister's behavior she none the less bowed towards Sango. Shocked at the show of respect from Kagomes' sister Sango stumbled but righted herself in time to bow back.

"Forgive my rude behavior earlier I was just caught unawares is all," whispered Sango. Nodding and acknowledging the apology Kiara once again stared at the two women. "Is it safe to say that you can now put clothes on safely?" questioned Kiara, amusement clear in her eyes. Clearly confused both Kagome and Sango stared at eachother and the questions meaning finally dawned on them, they blushed a deep crimson.

"You could have warned us earlier Kiara!" spluttered an embarrassed Kagome. Kiara mearly shrugged,"I would have figured you two would have eventually noticed is all." With a smirk clear on her face Kiara backed into a tree and leaned against it. While both Sango and Kagome got ready to head out Kiara stared at the sky. How in the world did I get up there? Kagome said something about a wish, what wish?

Beginning to get a headache Kiara broke away from her thoughts and found that one girl Sango staring at her. "What is it?" questioned Kiara. Startled Sango blushed and turned away,"Kagome are you ready?" Lifting an eyebrow Kiara moved toward the girls and stood directly behind Sango, "Why were you staring at me so attentively for?" whispered Kiara.

Shivering Sango turned and took one step back, "It was nothing." Smirking Kiara backed away and motioned for Kagome to get moving. Once both Sango and Kagome were ready to go all three started towards camp. "Ki, I just wanted to let you know that we're going to head over to camp and then in the morning we'll find a way home k." assured Kagome. Kiara knew something didn't sound right but after being awake fifty hours with no sleep, was starting to get to her. So nodding her head to show that she ubderstood she followed both girls into the woods to camp.

I'll just get to the bottom of this in the morning.

End of Chapter 9. Hope you enjoyed!