KH: I have been moving and that is my excuse for the late update! As well as Kagome's lack of cooperation. And the normal writer's block... Okay so yeah I have issues, but I love typing for you all!
And here is your chapter!
xXx
After the night I spoke to Inuyasha, Yusuke had come over and asked if I could help him choose an outfit for a special occasion. He said he and Mino were going to visit a friend of their boss. Since the man was really wealthy and powerful, he wanted to make a good impression without feeling too weird. He normally never dressed up, hence his lack of an outfit. Well, his rant was much longer, but that was the gist of it. I agreed and promised to try to find something acceptable in his style. We then tried to convince my daddy to let us go on without Mino. We ended up bringing Hata.
Yusuke spoke a lot during our trip to one of the closest stores; mostly about Keiko and some annoying pests that kept showing up in their job. He said he thought he had been fired, but their boss missed him and is trying to get him back by pleading to the higher ups. I just knew he was being vague, one doesn't hang around kitsune and not recognize the signs, but I didn't press the matter. Yusuke was a demon, and so was Mino, and if they were visiting a friend of their boss, it was probably as representatives or something. They were demons, had known it for a while, and no doubt knew more demons which could very well be what their boss was sending them to. Yusuke needed to find clothes that were neat and comfortable, since I have no doubt he's a fighter.
Hata threw a few suggestions about the stores to visit and the boys agreed on one I never heard of. Yusuke claimed it was near a WacDonald so he proposed we could have lunch afterwards. Thirteen outfits later – 'Wow, that's not me.' 'How about this?' 'He looks funny in those pants.' – I saw a simple shirt that was loose but not big and a nice pair of slacks that were thick enough to survive a scrape against the ground but not impedingly so. I grinned triumphantly as I held them out to him. He stared at them.
"Well?" I asked. I was sure these were perfect. He cocked his head and smiled.
"I dunno..." I laughed at him and pushed them into his hands.
"Just go try it on." I ordered as I pushed him and Hata towards the dressing rooms. Hata waited outside with me since daddy wouldn't let me be without a 'guard' for a moment. I swear, he's worse than Inuyasha. After a moment I heard Yusuke speak.
"Kagome, if I didn't already have Keiko I'd beg your father and brothers to let me marry you." Hata and I laughed and he came out, doing a spin to show us just how well he fit the outfit. I clapped and he took a bow modestly.
"Don't celebrate just yet, you still have to pay for it." Hata reminded us as he clapped with me. Yusuke gave him a salute before going back in the changing room. He paid for the outfit and we headed over to lunch, Yusuke paying for me and Hata as a thanks. We headed to the park next and just hung out, talking and getting to know each other a bit more. It was nice. Yusuke was more polite than I thought he'd be, probably Keiko's influence, and I learned a lot about Mino and his coworkers.
"So, Hiei actually works with you?" I asked. Yusuke thought to himself.
"Sort of. He was really hard to find when we needed him, but he does watch our backs." I smiled. Hiei cared for his friends. "Now though..." My smiled died. Hiei wasn't one to just take care of people on a whim. If he saves you, you were worthy enough for him to risk himself for your sake.
"Is something wrong with Hiei?" Yusuke grimaced as if Hata had made a major understatement.
"Well, he's kinda not talking to us right now. We're worried." I breathed a sigh of relief, quietly of course. Hiei wasn't allowed to talk, so they probably just didn't know what he was doing as Sesshoumaru's torture. I don't have any ideas myself, but they knew each other so that tells me it wouldn't be too difficult. Hiei's expecting humiliation at the most.
"I wouldn't worry too much." Yusuke looked at me funny. "If he has a habit of being there for you, he'll come back." I said when I realized they don't know I know Hiei... Wait, has Hiei told them? No, he said he wouldn't. Good, Yusuke's looking away.
"Hey, I've been hogging the spotlight. Tell me about yourself." I smirked.
"Careful, Keiko might think you're trying to squeeze this into a date." He snorted and gestured to Hata, who was watching the ice cream cart get closer.
"He, as well as K- Keiko and your older brother would kill me." I wondered briefly why he stuttered with Keiko's name before shrugging to myself and admitting the truthfulness of his words. "I think Hiei would try to kill me too." I laughed out right.
"Why Hiei?"
"I saw that look he gave you when you met." He grinned at me, wagging his eyes as if to imply something. I shoved his away since he was invading my space.
"What look?" I asked, keeping my hand against his shoulder since still wasn't stopping. I was grinning, wondering what he was trying to say.
"He was looking at you, watching your every move. Hiei's really quiet; really really quiet." Yusuke started, giving me a good reason to snort as I tried to keep myself from laughing. "He hardly talks to anyone one, let alone girls. At first we thought it was because he's just too young, then we thought it's because he's shy-"He grinned widely as I started to cry in my laughter. He was sooo far off, it was hilarious. What Yusuke was trying to call Hiei-
"Hiei, a romantic!" I managed to say. Yusuke started laughing loudly at my statement and Hata started laughing with us just because laughter was that contagious.
Then Yusuke and I were cut off when a horrible screeching roar grated our ears. Hata didn't seem to hear it, but he did quiet when he realized Yusuke and I were very silent. I gulped and realized that the air was very still, a bad omen.
"Wha- what was that?" I asked. No one else but us two seemed to hear it. Yusuke shook his head and stood up.
"What was what?" Hata asked, obviously getting scared by our behavior. I stood up as well and stood close. I couldn't sense anything, so it wasn't demonic. At least, I don't think it was, but it sounded so horrible.
"Now would be a very good time for those Miko powers of yours." Yusuke mumbled. My heart jumped.
"What?" Was he implying that this was dangerous?
"There's a demon, and I've never felt anything like it. With your powers, it'd be easy and I could tell this is a strong demon. I've never felt anything like it." He repeated. Some children started crying for no reason and a lot of people started leaving the park. A feeling of danger engulfed the park, and people were wanting to leave. Hata included.
"Come on, let's go home now. I, I'm scared." He said, pulling weakly at my sleeve.
"No, this thing is dangerous. We have to do something, anything." I said, gaining a look of calm amazement from Yusuke.
"What? Dangerous?" Hata stared wide-eyed and looked terrified as he cut himself off. We looked in the direction of his sight and I gasped.
It was very, very ugly and very, very large – building large. It definitely looked like a demon, but its aura felt more like Kikyou's had; kind of undead. Was it some sort of death demon or something? I really really wished for some arrows. Yusuke pointed his finger at it and his own blue reiki glowed on the tip. With a bang, he fired at the demon. The power was amazing and Yusuke was obviously not a novice when fighting demons with pure energy. The shot itself was huge and it quickly made its way to the thing's head.
The shot when right through, not even injuring it.
"Oh shit." I whispered. We were in trouble. "Hata, run home."
"What!?"
"Run home. Get to somewhere safe. Run away from here!" I yelled as it started another loud roar. It looked in our direction and started to walk our way. I pushed Hata to get going.
"What about you and Yusuke?" He asked, torn between leaving and staying with us.
"I've been practicing my reiki, I can sort of help Yusuke." I said, not wanting to say I really could just purify it. I just need it to look like an accident, preferably with Yusuke's attention away from me. "You didn't even hear it." I said loudly as it became louder the closer it became. "Run!" I yelled as it jumped towards us. Hata saw it though, duh I told myself, and was petrified.
Its jaws were gaping open, two rows of teeth on both jaws. While those teeth may not have been sharp, it was the fact that they were so big and there were so many of them that was frightening. It was vaguely human, at least in shape, with abnormally long limbs. It took a swing at us three, who were the only ones still in the park. Yusuke jumped unbelievably high above the arm and Hata and I had to roll away. Well, fly really, considering it caught me and I tripped over my brother as I was hit. Yusuke tried to fire that finger bullet again, but it still had no effect. Hata landed at the edges of some trees and I hit a tree trunk farther in.
"Ow... Not fun." I mumbled, holding my head.
"Kagome! Kagome are you hurt!?" Yusuke yelled over a snarl from the creature. I tried to answer, but was startled to see someone next to me.
She was resting on the grass, only raising an eyebrow with a teasing smirk at me when she saw I noticed her. She was rather pretty, but I couldn't understand why she was relaxing in such an obviously dangerous place. She had on armor, for her torso and shoulders anyway, and pants similar to the kind Sesshoumaru wears. She even had a sword on her hip in a smooth blue sash. Her hair was as dark as mine, but longer and straighter. Like she was a mix between me and Kikyou, or Madoriko herself...
"Well, are you going to stand, Kagome?" She said lightly. I blushed and closed my mouth before standing up. I wasn't hurt, thankfully. Daddy would kill the boys if I were, Yusuke included.
"Um..." If she was battle ready, why wasn't she helping?
"I like this part of the park, the clearing between the swings and water fountain. It's right in the middle of everything but no one really comes in." She said conversationally. I wonder if she's responsible for the attack. I tensed, calling forth both of my powers. When they fought against each other, I called my miko powers instead. No need to rely on something I hadn't mastered yet. She chuckled and stood, me skirting around her. I was hyper aware of my trademark weapon at her feet.
"Um, good for you." I managed to say, trying not to eye the bow and arrows with her noticing.
She laughed, picking up the bow and arrows and effectively destroying all hope I had to get away from this fight with minimal injuries. I could hear Yusuke yelling in frustration and the demon screaming for whatever reason it had. The woman broke the arrows in half and tossed the bow to me. I caught it out of reflex, but I figured she was just teasing. I had no real weapon now, she just broke them. She laughed again, but it wasn't the evil 'you're in a hopeless situation' laugh. More like an 'I know what else you could do' sort of laugh.
"Well, dear Kagome-chan. What ever shall you do? I really can't remember if you've managed an arrow of energy yet..." That was the idea she knew! Wait... remember?
"What do you mean 'remember'? Do you know me?" She smiled even wider to me and walked to me. I didn't do anything but watch her, and then she was behind me. I jumped when I felt her touch my hair.
"I know you very well, little Kagome." She said as she pulled my hair into a ponytail. I was frozen, stuck staring in the spot she was in just moments before.
"How?" I gulped.
"I'd say I'm psychic, but that would be a lie. I know your future though." She said, tying my hair. I realized it now looked like hers, only more wavy and shorter. "I know your past, and a little bit of your future. So does Hiei, you know. Not as much as me, of course, but still." She stepped away and faced me, fixing my bangs as if she were my mother. I didn't do anything; I was too confused. What the heck was going on?
"How can you not be a psychic and still know so much of me? Who are you?"
"Ah, just because I never got the answer, I'm not giving it to you." She gave a light giggle. I frowned. "Time, has an odd way of making sure things happen." She continued as she draped a small cape over my shoulders. It was similar to hers and after she held an odd hand sign with her right hand, she had cast some sort of illusion over me to make it look like I had her armor on as well. "For instance, I can remember a moment very similar to this one. I must admit, it's an odd case of déjà vu. Shizuru-chan is an identity twice breathing this time, at least right now. Same with a few many more important characters. You're not the only time jumper after all." She wrapped a blue sash around my sweater, over the illusion, and once again made an illusion, this time recreating her pants and shoes.
"Who are you?"
"I am like you, only more powerful of course."
"Are you Madoriko?" I asked, quietly of course. This was getting weird, and I have a very high weird scale because of my experiences. She gave a soft smile, which was very pretty.
"My story is similar to hers, yes." That didn't answer my question. "I am a Warrior, and a Miko. However, after my first chapter ended, the rest became secret so I suppose it's really no surprise you haven't heard of me." She handed me the broken arrows, the halves with the arrowheads. "Here, try using them as a medium. Good luck."
"What?" She started pushing me out of the little cluster of trees. She yanked me back suddenly.
"Oops, almost forgot something. Of course." She seemed to mentally smack herself. She took out a small necklace. "When you wear this, it'll hide you. Scent, Aura, Ki- you will be impossible to find. You are not invisible, nor are you completely hidden from sound. Anything that can be used to track you will fail to give any clues to your whereabouts. I have no idea where it came from, but I'm giving it to you."
It was really pretty. The silver chain was thin and a small clear crystal was crudely cut like a four pointed star that seemed to be grabbing something. It twinkled like it caught every ray of light around it and was heavier than it looked.
She pushed me out and I saw Yusuke get smacked to the ground. I hope he's strong enough to survive that. I gulped and took aim with my half an arrow. The weird creature -I'm doubting it's a demon but because of this I don't know what it is - looked at me and lunged. I fired.
The thing disintegrated.
"Yusuke? You okay?" I called. He was busy staring at the disappearing remains of the, thing. He passed out when I got close though. Darn. I sighed and started dragging him to a bench. I'd try waking him up, but he just passed out so he'll be impossible to wake up for a few minutes. Ten at most. I then found my brother, who thankfully wasn't hurt at all, and half dragged half carried him to the same bench. I examined the bow I had used to pass the time.
It felt like it was made of bone, but it was a bit too heavy for that. Sango would know... Speaking of whom,
"Sango?" I saw the woman from my first day of school walking down the path, another familiar woman next to her. She smiled brightly at me.
"Kagome! You did wonderful back there. I don't feel any remains of the, thing." She ended lamely. The other woman, who looked like an older Shizuru, rolled her eyes.
"Very good, Princess." She added.
"I take is you know what that was?" They nodded, but didn't say anything. "What was it?"
"Ah, what good will it be to tell you what you named them?"
"Shizuru, shh." Sango frowned. Shizuru shrugged.
"What? Paradoxes are nothing."
"Paradoxes?" It was then I noticed something in Shizuru. "Did your hair grow like, two feet since I saw you last?" She grinned. I had just seen her in Mythology class, and she was definitely different.
"Maybe. Since I saw you, it's been about..." She grimaced before clutching her temple lightly. "Never mind. Time travel is too confusing with us." Oh crap! Shizuru knows!
"T-Time travel!?" I dropped my bow. It wouldn't be till later when I realized that Sango caught it and made it shrink into a charm similar to the one she had of the Hiraikotsu. Regardless, it hit me and I stumbled back, almost falling. "What? But how?"
"How else?" Sango smiled.
"The Well." They stressed together. My eyes widened and they laughed at me. Any other time I would have been offended, but they...
"You've been using the well on my shrine." I stated. After they were calmed, they nodded. "You..." I took into consideration that they looked older than what I knew. When I say older, I mean by years. They weren't really from the past or future, since they could probably be anywhere so... "You're from an older timeline." It wasn't the future. They just lived longer.
"Right Princess." Shizuru fanned her hair off her shoulder and along her back. "Wow your smart. I still don't get how you were last to put the pieces together." Sango elbowed her.
"Stop trying to create knots."
"I'm not. If anything, her brothers made the mess."
"I'm confused..." As Shizuru opened her mouth for an elaboration, Sango pushed her away, forcing something into the other woman's hand. I later realized it was that Bow charm.
"We were sent to let you know that there exists more than one path for the Well, only those paths are determined by the individual. We can safely say that this time is crowded with doubles from a future you who lived in the past. Well, sort of anyway. Your position is kinda tricky." I opened my mouth to speak when Sango covered my mouth with her hand and Shizuru made her hands glow.
"Just remember and smile for now. Don't worry. No one will be any wiser." She said before covering my eyes. I had the feeling of falling just as the sensation of unconsciousness began to steal me.
It started as the feeling of temperature first. It was cool, but still comfortable. Then I could see. Sort of. It was night and I was in the forest, but everything seemed a bit too bright, too much. I was with Youko, Kuronue and Hiei and that made me feel a little better.
"Now just breathe." I heard Kuronue say softly. It was in a whisper, I knew this, but it still seemed loud. I tried to listen and obey, but I felt so sleepy. The sensation reminded me of when my soul was being forced out of my body and into the clay model of Kikyou. Only this time is was a gentle coaxing instead of a forceful pulling.
"Is hers stuck?" I heard Hiei ask.
"She's human, young, and probably not used to this type of energy." Kuronue answered. "Youko, get your spiritual fox ass over here." I felt a nudge against me then. It was weird, like it touched me but didn't.
"I know why her soul is slow. It was forced from her before." The nudge came back, a tap, and seemed to tease. "Come on, come out. I wanna dance and make you my sister. Don't you feel honored?" I slowly relaxed, familiar with the voices, and allowed whatever was pulling at me to continue.
I later woke up to realize that Kuronue had used a powerful drug in the water we were in. It made our bodies relax to the point of loosening our souls, very similar to what that mountain witch who revived Kikyou did, only not as forceful. It was a technique mixed from the knowledge of the bat tribe and Youko's past. After Kuronue coaxed our souls out, Youko –being a spirit fox of a sort – made us do a 'dance'. Depending on the relations we see each other as, brothers, sister, mother, son, uncles, we recognize and remember our very souls.
Because I am a human, and they are demons, my appearance and senses are slightly altered to correspond to the bits of the other three souls I kept with me. It's small now, but in a few more months, a bit after winter, I should be donning the traits of my new soul-bound family. I'd gain a bit of height from my brothers, as well as strength and night sight. Youko and Kuronue warned me about an affinity to shiny objects also. Hiei said I might gain a bit of speed and maybe a bit of a calculative mind towards how to use everything against an enemy, like terrain, objects, and weaknesses all at once. He wasn't sure, since he didn't know if this was a habit of his or a trait from his mixed blood. He also warned me against sharp objects, stating that he just knows that his father had such a trait and so did he so it had to be a demon thing. He licked his fangs.
I just smiled.
"Okay, I'll look and act a bit like you guys, got it. Will you guys become a bit like me?" Youko shrugged.
"No idea, but most likely not." He glanced at Hiei. "Well, not for us anyway. Hiei might, since your soul is in a higher level than his, being a mother and all." I nibbled my lip.
"I have a kit whose father chose me to take care of. What about him?"
"What about him?" Youko asked. Hiei curled up next to me.
"Will I be able to be his mother as well, since I bonded with Hiei even though I knew him longer?"
"I don't see why not." Kuronue said.
"What's his name?" Youko asked, though I'm pretty sure I told him about him before.
"Shippo."
"Eh? Kagome, wake up." Yusuke poked me lightly.
"Wha?" For half a second, maybe less, I could have sworn I saw tattoos on Yusuke. I looked around and saw people walking in the park. I was leaning on Yusuke, who had a pretty comfy shoulder I might add.
"You took a nap. You okay?" Hata asked. I nodded, wondering if that whole deal with that undead demon thing was a dream.
"Ready to go home?" Yusuke asked. I nodded again before standing up and stretching. From what I could tell, since I don't have a watch, I'd been asleep for about half an hour or so. We started to walk home. Well, Yusuke was walking me and Hata home. I felt slightly disoriented. Nothing remained from the battle, not even those clothes or the ponytail that woman put my hair in.
"Hey Kagome, who's Shippo?" Hata asked.
"Yeah, who? Your boyfriend?" I frowned and sniffed in silent defense while I tried to remember what I told Mino.
"No, he's not. I don't have a boyfriend. Shippo is my son." Yusuke tripped while Hata just stopped walking.
"You're married?" He asked as Yusuke wore the most confused expression I ever saw.
"No."
"How old is Shippo?" Yusuke asked. I put a finger to my chin as I thought.
"About eight or so..."
"Or so?" Hata repeated.
"I never actually bothered to figure out the difference between human and fox years. I'm pretty sure it's different than dog years."
"Fox?" Both boys chorused.
"Yup. He's a little orange coated fox kit. I took him a while ago." I smiled sweetly at them. "What did you think he was?" I absentmindedly fingered the small necklace in my pocket and walked away, turning into the street three turns from the house.
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HK: Yup, time travelers! Woot for confusion abound! Shizuru from the present has moved in with her future self and companions. She's in the loop of what all gonna happen, sort of, so to keep accidents from happening, she just keeping her distance from her own timeline.
The Bone Eater's Well is and has been in use for more than just a few years by Kagome alone! And the Higurashi family took no notice.
Does anyone care to guess what Kagome fought?
A want it to be known that I own no one from either InuYasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to Rumiko Takahashi and Yoshihiro Togashi respectively. I'm just torturing the characters for my own amusement and sharing my fun with you all. Heehee.