Chapter 20: Blurry

Kagome began to notice that the farther they went from the metal door, the more 'evolved' the demons were becoming and the stronger the youki was becoming as well. This renewed some of the hope she had lost. She scanned each cell faster now, nearly leaving Kati behind. Some of the youkai were even beginning to speak now as she hurried down the left wing again, running back she caught up to Kati who was halfway down the right wing.

"Did something scare you?" Kati asked, giving her a quizzical look.

Kagome shook her head head, "No, why would you think that?"

"Because you are running." Kati stated as she continue down her side, glancing in each cell.

"Oh..." Kagome hadn't even realized she had been running. The excitement in her was growing, but how could she tell her friend the reason for that was because she was hoping to find one of her friends from 500 years in the past? "I guess I am just in a hurry." She said lamely.

"I feel your pain. I want out of this forsaken place too. Even with these masks, the smell is giving me a headache. I'll need five showers once I get home just to wash the stench of this place off. You know, I have only ever been in here one other time."

"Really?!" Kagome asked, shocked.

"When I was 6. Daddy brought me in here, Liliane too. To pick out our handmaidens, our keepers. We never got to look around like this, we were escorted to a particular section and told to select one. I picked out Rivka, and Lili picked Odelia. Do you want to hear a secret?"

"Sure!" Kagome smiled sweetly, forgetting that Kati couldn't see due to the mask.

"For a long time, I wished to be a demon. Like Rivka. She is so beautiful and strong, and she never ages. She's a wolf demon from here in the states. She took such good care of me, so nurturing. I envied her for a long time." she sighed.

"But you don't anymore?" Kagome was confused.

Kati shook her head, "No. She is doing her job. What she is forced to do, because she is bound to me. She has to obey. I have thought of setting her free, but that is impossible. Besides, what would she do? She doesn't know her family, she was taken when she was a child. Eventually, she would be captured again, and her next master might not be nice. When I am gone, she will go to a new master anyways, but at least for now she is treated with some dignity with me."

Kagome didn't know what to say. She was right, afterall, what could demons do out there in a world ran by humans? "Maybe she can, you know, stay in the family. Once you have one, of course." Kagome suggested, trying to ease her friends mind. Kati gave a small shrug.

"Come on, we still need to find your gift." Kati said, heading back to the main hallway. ~Guess sharing time is over~ Kagome mused and followed after her.

At the next intersection Kagome again hurried down her side and back to the middle before calling out to Kati that she was going to go and check the next one as well. Now the demons were starting to look more humanoid. Some, though different species, reminded her of how Jinenji looked. These ones she suspected were half demons, just as Jinenji was. Bar cages were replaced with some type of glass now. Small holes were drilled along the tops and bottoms, to allow in oxygen, Kagome guessed. After hitting the dead end she turned around and headed back, her hope in finding a familiar face was deminishing again. Kati had started scanning the same row she was exiting.

"I'll check the last row." Kagome said softly, Kati nodded in response.

Walking to the end of the main corridor, she turned left and started again, glacing in each of the glass cages. She tried her best not to make eye contact with any of them, as it only depressed her more that they were stuck in this wretched place. She could faintly hear some talking to her as she passed, some begging and pleading to be set free. It made Kagome's stomach churn. How she wished she could free them, all of them! She couldn't though.

She was nearing the end again, when she notice a hall off to right. Curious, she walked down the hall. The hall wasn't very long and there was only one glass cage at the end. It appeared to be empty. As she nearer to it, that when she felt a small wave of familiar youki wash over her, sparking at the edges of the shield her miko powers had created. She rushed forward, trying to see what was beyond the glass. Kagome's knees gave way, sending her unceremoniously to the grimy floor. Kagome pressed her hand to the glass, eyes burry with tears as she tried to catch her breath and regain composure.

The cage was small, maybe 4 feet in both directions, barely lit and bare. Even from where Kagome sat, she could see the blood on the walls and the pool of fresh blood on the floor around its occupant. Fresh wounds. Kagome liked this place even less now, if that was even possible. It was obvious that someone had been torturing this occupant, and recently since the blood had not congealed yet.

Kagome shakily got to her feet and ran back down the small side hall. Spotting Kati, she yelled for her to come. Once Kati arrived, she grabbed her by the arm and brought her to the glassed in cage. "I want him." Kagome stated, pointing inside.

Sitting, regal as ever, though looking nothing the part in torn and bloodied clothes, was Sesshoumaru.