In The Blood

By: Ryu Katanna

Beta:

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter Twelve

It had taken three more days for Kagome's ankles to fully heal. She had been able to walk since the day before and get around the temple at a slow and measured pace. Now she had dressed in her own clothes once more and was preparing to leave. She felt more relaxed than two days ago as she tied back her hair and started making her way to the sitting room.

Two days ago Yusuke had left with Keiko, Shizune, and Kuwabara by the time she and Kurama had returned to the temple. She had spoken briefly with Koenma before he and Botan left to assure him that she would return to Makai as soon as she was able, and had apologized for the incident. Koenma hadn't been too happy with her presence in Ningenkai, but had understood the circumstances. She did not think there would be a problem as long as it didn't happen again. She was under no illusions though, and knew that this incident could still cause some trouble if she wasn't careful. With only Kurama, Genkai and Yukina for company her mood had improved to be a lot more pleasant.

The next day Kurama had left around noon to head back home seeing as Kagome could get around the temple on her own. They had promised to keep in touch, and Kagome told him she would sent a missive when she made it back home herself. Kurama's presence had done her some good as she felt a bit lighter than she had since Naraku's defeat. He had taken the time to talk to her, and he understood her. It was more than she'd had since Raizen's death, and for that she was all the more appreciative of the kitsune avatar.

Yukina had proven to be almost a kindred spirit in some ways. Yukina had told her about her brother and how she was looking for him. Kagome could relate to her and told her how she had someone she wanted to find as well. They had passed the time since Kurama left in conversation with Genkai.

Genkai hadn't said anything about her outburst at Yusuke in her home. Still, Kagome had apologized as she felt bad that it had happened. Genkai had waved it away telling her that she wasn't at fault. She could feel that Genkai was very wise for a human. Having spent so much time around demons who had lived much longer than Genkai, and yet were still idiots, she respected the old woman.

"Thank you Master Genkai, and you too Yukina for helping me and letting me stay these last couple of days. I may not have come here willingly, but I am glad that I have gotten to meet the both of you." Kagome said as she bowed in her appreciation.

"I'm glad we got to meet you too, Kagome. Will you really be alright for the journey home on your own?" Yukina said with a bright smile.

"It will take some time, but we are working to make things better in Makai. I'll be alright. I am currently acting as the High Lady for two of the three territories, and I do not dislike Lady Mukuro. I will be fine wherever I cross into Makai." She told her as she said her goodbyes.

Kagome turned to leave only to be held up as Genkai called to her.

"This land is meant to be a refuge for those of demonic nature here in the human world. If you do find yourself in need of it then you are welcome to return."

"Thank you!" Kagome called out, but did not accept the offer before she took off through the forest.

It took her almost a week, but she made it home. She did not stop running. The feeling of her feet on the ground as she ran and the smell of the Makai air sent a surge of relief through her when she passed the borders. Looking up she could see the purple-red of the sky and the black and gray of the clouds as she crossed into Tourin.

'Well I did get a couple days of rest from my position, but I don't know if it counts because of the stress of it all.' Kagome thought as she remembered her promise to Seitei when the tower of the stronghold came into view.

The thought of Seitei brought to mind what had happened. Kagome scowled as she remembered that Yusuke had the help of Hakushin, Seitei, Tou-oh, and Jun when he had taken her from the stronghold. She had already decided not to talk to her brother for a while, and give him some time to think and mature a bit. Yet, she couldn't do that with the other four who had helped him.

'Training, very intense and hard training dodging Miko ki.'

With that thought she walked up to the tower and made her way to her bedroom to change. Putting on her training gi she stopped first in the room she used as her study for sorting through official paperwork. Opening the door she was surprised to see her chair already occupied by a familiar face.

"Saizou? What are you doing in here?" She asked her father's old friend.

"You're back already? Enki asked that I look after Tourin in your absence while you were on vacation. Kujou and Natsume are currently seeing to things in Gandara." Saizou replied as he looked up at her and set down the papers he had been looking over.

"I am so sorry. I didn't go on vacation. I was forced to go by Yusuke with some help of persons who will know how displeased I am soon enough. I didn't mean for you and Kujou, and Natsume to get dragged into all this. You must be busy enough already with the Council." Kagome apologised as he stood and they started walking outside.

"Enki said something about a kidnapping, but we thought it to be a joke. My work on the Council is nothing to this, and I was glad to be able to help. You have your hands full between Tourin, Gandara and the Council yourself. It is not a bad thing to ask for assistance when you need to. You do not currently have a second to stand in or to assist you with either territory." Saizou replied as they left the tower and started walking to the training grounds where she knew she would find the ones she was looking for.

"I am Yusuke's second, and currently acting as the same for High Lord Yomi. I did not think it right. They will both return eventually."

"Lord Yomi did not give a set date of return, and your brother will be gone for an extended period of time as well. It would be best to select someone who could help given that you have so much to oversee. Enki has asked me to speak to you about this, and I agree with him." Saizou told her as they came to stand and watch those who were on the training field.

"You both may be right. Unfortunately it would seem that I can not trust my advisors with something that important. Yusuke is the rightful heir, but he will not be returning to take over the position for some time. Knowing this they still helped him subdue me with a suppressant cord." Kagome growled before continuing.

"We are just starting to earn trust with Rekai, but by helping Yusuke they almost shot everything to hell."

"How so?" Saizou asked seriously.

"I was kept a secret by father, for various reasons, even from Rekai. During the tournament I met Rekai's Prince, Koenma. Needless to say he was distressed. I'm an unknown of Mazoku blood. To assuage his fears I assured him that I would never step foot into Ningenkai. I was forced to break that promise by Yusuke, and during an argument with him I set off some alarms in Rekai. I apologized profusely, and I may not have heard the last of that yet either." Kagome told him knowing that she would have to report everything back to Enki and the Council of which Saizou was a member.

"Enki's not going to like this." Saizou commented as he thought about the repercussions this could have.

"He's not the only one, believe me." Kagome told him as she looked through the crowd of those who were training today.

Those four were usually always somewhere around here at this time of day.

"You will be reprimanding them?" He asked as he could see she was clearly looking for someone.

"In the same way I did my own brother." Kagome's smile was sweet and all too innocent.

"So you can not trust one of your advisors as a second for either territory?" He asked her as he wondered what she had done to Yusuke.

"If I'm to take a second then I will need someone who will not simply obey Yusuke because he is the rightful heir. Not at least until he has taken all the responsibilities and the position. That idiot doesn't even realize the extent of the damage he could have caused. I'm working for the welfare of those who live in both Tourin and Gandara right now, and he doesn't even know what that really means."

"If I can make a recommendation?" Saizou asked as he thought about what she was saying.

She was right. Yusuke's thoughtless action could have cost them all they were working for. Enki was only to hold the position of King for three years. That wasn't a lot of time to change the minds and ways of the demons of their world and gain the trust of Reikai. As long as there was no threat to human world then Rekai would not act to suppress them again. Being of Raizen's blood, and not having the foundation of trust Yusuke had, made her a threat in the eyes of the Rekai. She had known this, and done what she could by promising not to step foot in Ningenkai.

"My father trusted you as his friend, and so will I. What do you recommend Saizou?" She asked him knowing that she spoke truthfully.

Raizen had told her about the different people he had met through his long life. She had already heard their names before she had met them. It was one of the reasons she had been happy when Enki won the tournament, and she had gotten to meet them herself.

"If need be one of us will help you with overseeing things. You need only to ask. You have a good mind for what you want to achieve. I want to see where that leads us, and I know the others of our group would say much the same." Saizou looked down at her and she could see that he was speaking truthfully.

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me Saizou, but I really don't know what I'm doing half the time. I just want things to be better, and am doing what I am able to make that possible." Kagome looked at the sky and then around them before continuing.

"You know, Yusuke was the last one to talk to Father, but I was there. His last words were for Yusuke to lead us well, but he's not ready for that yet. Someday, maybe he will be, but I don't want everything to fall to ruin in the time it takes him to get there. I don't want to wait the next sixty or eighty years as we fight amongst ourselves. From the way he spoke before he passed I don't think that's what our father wanted." She told him as she thought back to that day.

It was the day everything had gone to Hell, and left her scrambling to build something new. Something that would last.

"What do you think he wanted?" Saizou asked as he remembered the way she spoke that day when he met her at the tournament.

She had spoken with such passion. He had seen her speak with that same feeling in Council meetings. It was one of the things that had drawn Raizen's old friends to her.

"He didn't want to be divided like Mukuro was content with us being. Yet, he didn't want us to be so united that we became greedy and tried for the other worlds as well. I think he wanted a median. For us to be divided enough to be content, but united too so that we wouldn't be suppressed. That's why things got to be the way that they were. Three Kings who had different views, but almost the same vision. In the end, Mukuro, Yomi, and my father wanted the same thing. They all wanted what was best for Makai and those who live here. They just couldn't agree on what that was."

They were both quiet for a while as they were lost in thought. Kagome found herself thinking back on all the time she had spent talking with Raizen. She had really come to love him as if he were her real parent. In his own way he had tried to protect her. He knew of the Shikon, and knew that others would seek for its power if they found out. Kagome thought he really didn't intend for her to be the one to act. He had entrusted that to Yusuke, and her brother had half assed it.

The reality was that Yusuke just wasn't ready. He had the power to inspire people, but he didn't think before he acted. He proposed the tournament and didn't give a thought for the consequences to the demons in Makai if someone who had the same mindset as Yomi did won. He only thought about fighting, and that he wouldn't be staying. He wouldn't have had to live through the aftermath of his decision in Makai.

"You know, I think you have it about right."

"Thank you. It is comforting to hear that from someone who knew him as more than just a King. I want to keep us free of the suppression of Rekai, and their barrier. Demons and humans have been separated for almost five hundred years now, and yet there are those who still crave for things to be as they were back then. It's time we learn a new way to live, and I want to honor my father's memory by doing that. Will you help me Saizou?"

Saizou looked at her for a few minutes as if he was looking for something. She didn't know what it was he found in her, but it seemed he did find it. Saizou smiled for the first time she had seen since meeting him. Reaching out his hand and squeezing her shoulder gently, he replied.

"If that is how you intend to honor my old friend, I am here."

"Thank you. Now, I'll trust you with a secret of mine." Kagome said as she walked to where she could see her advisors.

"A secret?" Saizou asked; a little curious.

"One of the reasons father kept me a secret from Mukuro and Yomi. I was not a typical human girl before my Mazoku heritage made itself known." Kagome said with an almost feral smile as she raised her hand to show him as she gathered the pink purifying energy into her palm.

Saizou's eyes widened just a bit as he watched her energy flow and form a ball. The pink shimmering energy was deceptive. His instincts told him well enough that to allow it to touch him would be dangerous. It was something he had not felt in several hundred years.

"I was a Miko." She said before turning and throwing a few balls of the energy at Seitei and the others to let them know just how much she was not happy with them.

Saizou watched this with some surprise. This is what his old friend had been nurturing? A Mazoku with the power of a Miko was almost unbelievable. No, more like unimaginable. What was more was that she could control it. With the combination of her and Yusuke just how much could they achieve if they wanted it badly enough?

No, Raizen hadn't been nurturing fighters to take over by the force of power alone. It was more than that. These were two who could inspire the minds and hearts of others. He had been nurturing his children. All so that they would have the power needed to live in this world. His death had just been the catalyst for them to grow. Now, standing here in front of him, was part of the results in his daughter.

'Raizen, did you know what change these children of yours would bring?'

123456

Well that's it for chapter twelve. I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry updates are taking so long. I've been a bit busy with the holidays, and some family things. I'm also working on a few other stories, and so I'm trying to work on a rotation cycle when it come to finishing and posting chapters. Let me know what you thought! Thanks!

~Ryu