Ichigo sat on the edge of the second floor balcony and stared at the stars thinking back on the day. The girl Tohru's collapse after Aizens attack had been unfortunate but Kagome had assured everyone that she was alright. What had he been after though…Ichigo knew that Aizen was no pushover, did he jump from the girls body because Kagome had been able to hurt him or did he jump to keep her from finding what he was after?
He looked over his shoulder at the small girl sleeping on the couch in his room. Rukia had been troubled over it as well. How powerful was this Kagome? Ichigo shrugged and got to his feet. It didn't matter so long as she was on their side to him but Rukia seemed extremely bothered by it. He looked down at her and shifted the blanket she was under over her shoulders and smiled so softly it was barely there. He turned away and climbed into his own bed and threw an arm over his eyes. Morning would come all too soon and he needed sleep to continue in his search for the thing Kagome had asked for.
Rukia woke slowly with the sound of screams reverberating around in her head. She shivered and sat up glancing over at the bed to see Ichigo still sleeping. It was not unusual for her to sleep in the same room as him, after all she lived in his closet but she never actually watched him sleep before. He looked so peaceful, not the hard closed off face he showed during the day but rather a sweet gentleness that came with sleeping well. Rukia moved closer to the bed and looked down at him. He had saved her life…this man was so powerful so…strong and so devoted to what he believed in.
If you had asked Rukia; she would have told you she ruined his life one dark rainy night so long ago but he didn't agree with her. He thought that what she had done was a great thing; he was finally getting the chance to help people and helping people was so important to him. Rukia smiled to herself then moved off toward the door to the bathroom silently.
"Save some hot water for me." Ichigo's voice came from the bed as he rolled onto his stomach and shoved his head under a pillow. A slight blush ran over her cheeks and she darted into the bathroom shutting the door behind her.
Kagome sat cross-legged in the yard with her eyes closed enjoying the light that shone down on her warming her skin. She could feel Inuyasha a few feet away as he moved through a training exercise keeping an eye on her. The door behind her slid open and she tensed feeling the malicious wave that accompanied the people who exited the house.
"Kagome-chan!" Tohru's voice called out happily and Kagome stood to smile at the cheerful girl.
"Hello Tohru. I am so glad you seem better!" She took Tohru's hand and used a little of her powers to check how she was spiritually. Tohrus power was untainted by the invasion and Kagome knew it would soon be time to work with her.
"Kagome." Rukia grabbed Kagome's hands and pushed her power away from Tohru. "What are you doing?"
Kagome stared at the young girl shocked. "I am seeing if Aizen left anything inside of her."
Ichigo grabbed Rukia's shoulder but she shrugged him off. "I don't trust that you could be able to just throw Aizen out of her. There's something wrong with that."
Inuyasha came up behind Kagome to her defense and Kagome motioned him quiet. Ichigo looked down at the small girl horrified and Tohru looked back and forth between them all confused. "What is wrong?"
Kagome studied Rukia and saw the fierce protectiveness in her that made her so untrusting. "What would you like me to do to prove that I am what I say I am?"
"Prove your priestess powers." Rukia said balling fire in one hand.
Kagome stepped up to Rukia and grabbed the fire. It sparked and glowed pink for a moment before extinguishing. Rukia leapt away and shot another blast of magic at Kagome who caught it and closed her fist around it. Kagome clasped her hands together and closed her eyes as a thin veil of pink surrounded her. Rukia stared open mouthed and Kagome smiled apologetically at Inuyasha before touching his cheek.
Inuyasha's hair slid from silver to black and his eyes to brown. His claws disappeared and his dog ears melted to human ears on the side of his head. He leaned into Kagome's hand momentarily and when she removed her hand he went back to his normal self and Kagome stopped glowing. Kagome looked back at Rukia.
"I was not always this powerful." Her eyes unfocused. "I was born the reincarnation of another priestess and when she was brought back, stealing part of my soul I lost some of my power. When she died I got it back and it increased further when I purified the Jewel of Four Souls." She looked down her nose at Rukia. "I can see your power little girl and it scares you that you can see mine." Rukia flinched and looked away. "Don't be afraid, Rukia." Kagome touched Rukia's hair gently. "My power, my life, will be used to protect that which is precious to all of us."
Kagome walked away and ran a hand down her stomach happily when Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her. Rukia watched tears in her eyes. "Precious…" She felt Ichigos presence behind her and the blush began again.
"She died once." Orihimes voice said behind her.
Rukia and Tohru looked back at the unusually somber girl who gazed down the field. "What?" Tohru whispered into the wind.
Orihime nodded her face momentarily covered by the strands of hair that blew in the cool wind. "She spoke of it lightly but…she was captured once and forced into a vat of spelled liquid that forced her soul from her body and into a clay imitation of the woman she had been before." Orihime's eyes moved from Kagome to Rukia. "For almost an hour she was dead. Her body left in the vat as the woman she used to be tried to kill Inuyasha, her soul forced into something else, someone else who wanted to kill the one she was growing to love. She was never told but…when the woman yelled out for Inuyasha to die, she forced herself to life to save his. Her powers expanded with the love of him. If he were not here, if he had died during their adventures…she would have less power than Tohru." Orihime shook herself bringing her mind back to itself and grinned. "Don't fear her Rukia! She's going to be a mommy!" Orihime went running off after Kagome and they bent their heads together giggling as Inuyasha continued with his exercises.
Ichigo shook his head and walked off. "I'll be back later. Don't forget what she said Rukia." He yelled over his shoulder.
Rukia looked at Tohru. "I am sorry."
Tohru met her eyes shyly. "I am not the one to say that too."
Yuki found Kyo in the library head bent over a book with the man Miroku. "What did you find?"
Miroku looked up at the other of the cursed cousins and felt an affinity for them that he had never felt for anyone else. They knew what it was to be burdened with a generational curse. "We discovered a book that discusses the banquet of the Zodiac and the cat's curse."
Yuki came over and bent to look as well. "What does it say?"
Kyo's eyes looked excited. "It discusses what the cat said to God after he was punished."
Yuki turned the book toward him and read.
'Do not punish me for the trickery of your children. I have been the fallen but I shall fall no more. Until I am forgiven and I forgive, no peace shall there be between your children and me.' The cat angrily said to God.
God replied: 'So shall it be, my thoughtless children, and cursed shall you be, all of you, until you discover what the lesson is to be.'
Kyo looked out the window and repeated a phrase. " 'No peace shall there be between us', how true that is."
Yuki gazed down at the script on the old book and shook his head. "What lesson? What is it we need to discover?"
Miroku flexed his hand and studied the two of them. "Trickery and curses…just like my grandfather and Naraku. To lift this curse," he muttered lifting his hand into the air and studying it, "I must kill Naraku. Maybe…to lift yours, you must kill your God."
Yuki and Kyos eyes clashed together and they had trouble breathing. "Could it be that simple?" Kyo asked unable to believe it.
"Akito was never simple. The first time any of us saw him…we cried at the pain we felt. Are we strong enough to fight him physically when we can't fight his words?" Yuki asked remembering the dark words that were whispered to him over so many years.
Miroku spotted Sango outside the window with Sesshomaru and Yoruichi. "The real question is: to protect those you love, can you become strong enough?"
Yuki and Kyo turned to Miroku, their faces hardened and determination became imprinted in their eyes. As one they nodded.
Please review! Much more is coming, more talking yes but! Sesshomaru and another person are going to get into a fight. I won't tell you who!!! No not serious though we do get to hear about the villians again in the next chapter.
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