Chapter 20: The Koiudo

Inuyasha was surprised by the girl's spunk. No one ever really stood up to the usual questioner, especially with his intimidating ways, and he liked the joke she said about his breath. When Myoga had stopped the questioner from punching the living soul out of her, they started yelling at each other. And Miroku seemed quiet. Inuyasha kept his gaze on the woman and narrowed his eyes as she reached into her hoari and stood. She smirked at the questioner and the next thing he knew, everything was covered in smoke.

Fortunately, he was semi-immune to the smoke bomb, used usually on youkai. He was only half. He heard her take her weapons and run off to the doors so he quickly gave chase. Being faster than her with his demon blood and she being injured, he had reached the Garden just as she was climbing the tree. She was going to jump the wall.

Inuyasha followed her and watched as she gracefully jumped from the tree branch to the wall. The woman was now at a dead end, the wall was tall, and if she jumped, she'd undoubtedly break her legs. His eyes widened when she did jump. Quickly he jumped on the wall and watched as she landed on a somersault in a pile of leaves.

"Damn…" Inuyasha muttered and jumped off the wall, landing with ease as he blocked her path.

The woman stopped and stared at him. Her features caused Inuyasha to look at her in a new light…She vaguely reminded him of someone…

"Get out of my way," She demanded.

Inuyasha shook his head from his thoughts by her statement, but didn't move removing his sword with swiftness, the item transformed into a large fang. Maybe he could intimidate her and she would come back quietly.

"Move out of my way," She demanded again, ignoring the sword, however, she staggered slightly from her injuries.

Inuyasha frowned, but was surprised to see she had removed her own katana. The woman wanted to fight. She charged forward and Inuyasha brought his sword down. She dodged with ease and nicked him on the side. Inuyasha was in mild shock, and it soon turned to anger. No one struck him, especially a woman. The woman had jumped back, her bun becoming loose. Inuyasha called up the power of his sword, a wind forming around its blade, the girl watching with amusement.

Inuyasha brought the sword down with brute force and yelled, "Wind Scar!"

There was a flash of light as five streaks of energy destroyed the trees, dust flying everywhere. Then it hit him. They wanted the girl alive. Oops. But as the dust settled, his eyes widened in alarm. A figure was bended on one knee on the ground…it was the girl, but it was the sight of her that struck him.

Her hair had come loose from its bun and her eyes were narrowed, those same stormy eyes he had seen before as she held her sleeve over her nose and mouth, just as the bandana had done. It was the thief from a week and a half ago. The two blinked at each other and the dust finally settled as the guards finally joined them. The woman stood straight with pride until the trickle of blood down her leg caught his attention, and she fell onto the ground in another faint.

Inuyasha looked over to see Miroku in total shock as Myoga stood on his shoulder.

"Well done Lord Inuyasha," Myoga said, "We almost lost her."

Inuyasha grunted and sheathed his sword, picking up the woman bridal style and carrying her inside. Myoga called a nurse to tend to the woman's wounds and she was brought upstairs to the Hospital Wing.

Everyone waited impatiently for the nurse to finish; they still had questions for the girl, especially Inuyasha. The inu hanyou ignored his side wound, knowing full well that it would heal in no time. Miroku leaned against the wall next to the door as he gazed intently to the floor. And few guards stood nearby, just in case the woman wished to make another escape. Myoga sat on his shoulder, going over what was to happen now.

"She must see your Father," He whispered, "She must. And to think...she may be the one to solve all our problems…To bring the 'Grand Uprising' down. If she had gotten away, we would have been in a whole mess of trouble."

The shoji door slid open and the nurse came through, walking over to Inuyasha to whisper something for Myoga to hear. All eyes turned to her as she leaned towards the inu hanyou's right shoulder.

"I think you should see this Master Myoga," She said softly.

Myoga nodded his head and Inuyasha walked in, closing the shoji door behind him. The woman lay asleep on the bed, in the nude, her breasts covered with a towel as well as her hips down by a blanket, her waist however showing. As they moved closer, Myoga gasped and Inuyasha's eyes widened in disbelief.

"She couldn't…" Myoga whispered.

Upon the woman's side lay a large scar, from her breast going past her hip. The scar of The Koiudo…

"This is him," Myoga said, "But he's a she…and she's the 'Grand Uprising' leader…"

Inuyasha couldn't believe it, she was the thief that had saved him, the thief that had saved Shippo, the one his Father was looking for. But she seemed harmless, something didn't seem right. Myoga had started muttering under his breath.

"Are you sure it's her that's The Koiudo?" Inuyasha asked as he took a look over her facial features.

Myoga sighed, "It must be…She holds the scar, and she has the fighting abilities. We'll have to find out if her scent matches…Although I have a good idea this is the 'Grand Uprising' leader…"

Inuyasha ran a hand through his silver tresses and sighed. There was a good chance that she was The Koiudo. She had saved both he and Shippo in the forest, if she lived in the forest, than she probably lived with the 'Grand Uprising'. Several scents also lingered with her own, meaning she lived with a group.

Myoga started muttering again as he looked over her features. She was a young and fit woman. Her attitude was rather, different from other women he knew. As she slept, she looked peaceful and not dangerous. Her raven locks fanned out under her as the steady rise and fall of her stomach spoke of her contented dreams. Looking over her body, Inuyasha's amber eyes landed on the scar and flinched at its length…it must have been painful…for a human that is. The scar alone almost told of all the pain she had gone through in the span of her life.

She seemed too young to be a leader. Shippo had said her name was Kags, but he doubted it was her real name. A secret leader would never share it with a noble of the Western Kingdom. The woman must be strong to have survived and led in the years of war.

"I must tell Lord InuTaisho of our find. He will no doubt wish to see her…" Myoga spoke.

"Will he hurt her?" Inuyasha asked quietly, careful not to wake her.

Myoga sighed, "I am not sure Lord Inuyasha. However, she is a child and I have doubts Lord InuTaisho would give her harm."

Inuyasha nodded as he heard shuffling outside the closed shoji door.

"I will go and speak with him now," Myoga said, "Stay here and make sure she is not to escape…"

The hanyou frowned, he didn't want to stay, but a part of him wanted to speak with her. She probably had not recognized him, he was a human when he met her and now he held silver hair, claws, amber eyes, and dog ears. He also had to make sure Shippo didn't catch wind of her. If his Father chose to execute the woman, the child would never live it down. He would probably cry for her for weeks. No one knew of the good deeds the woman had done for him and the kitsune, but only two would not change their decisions for the girl.

Myoga had already left to inform his Father and Miroku had quietly come in. The monk stood next to the woman with sorrowful eyes and Inuyasha wondered why they held such emotion. The woman's eyebrows were furrowing together in pain, as if in a horrible nightmare, and Miroku slowly placed his hand on her forehead, the girl immediately going calm as she smiled in her sleep.

"She is a good woman…" Miroku whispered.

Inuyasha's eyes held confusion when he looked at the monk, "Do you know her?"

Miroku smiled, "I met her in the forest on my way here and she asked if I would tell a boy named Shippo 'hello' for her…"

Inuyasha frowned as he looked at the woman, eyeing a recent scar on her left shoulder, "She does not seem like a leader of a Grand Rebellion…"

Miroku chuckled without humor, "I suppose looks can be deceiving."

The two men waited beside the woman's bedside, the nurse entering from time to time to check on the girl's wounds. It seemed Inuyasha's 'Wind Scar' had grazed her thigh, but would eventually heal. The hanyou felt somewhat guilty. She had saved his life, and he repaid her by injuring her. He felt like an idiot.

It was around half an hour before Myoga returned with news on his Father's word. The flea jumped back onto Inuyasha's shoulder as Miroku and he sat crossed legged against the wall, watching the bed where the woman slept.

"Lord InuTaisho is busy," Myoga explained, "But he has set up a Meeting in the Throne Room tomorrow afternoon. Both you and Master Miroku are to attend."

Miroku nodded his head as Inuyasha just stared at the bed.

"Make sure Shippo doesn't here about this," Inuyasha told the advisor.

"Yes Lord Inuyasha," Myoga bowed and jumped off to inform the guards to keep quiet.

Inuyasha sighed; things were just getting too complicated…

Miroku had gone into the room where Kagome lay once Myoga had left. He wanted to know if his friend was alright. When he had exited the Palace to find Inuyasha with Tetsusaiga in his hand, five marks in the ground showing he used the 'Wind Scar' and desecrated trees, he paled. He was relieved to see Kagome well when she stood but pain engulfed his heart as he watched a crimson liquid flow down her leg and she fainted, landing unceremoniously on the dirt.

Now, as he gazed down at her sleeping features, he sighed and was glad, knowing she was alive. As he looked over to Inuyasha, he could see guilt in his amber eyes. He wondered briefly why.

The Buddhist Monk sighed. Miroku was devastated to know that they had found out Kagome was the 'Grand Uprising' leader, The Koiudo. They had seen her scar, the one she said she had received when the Sin Kingdom had attacked. He hoped that the King would spare her life; she was young and only trying to protect hundreds of people, fighting herself to avenge those who were killed by the Sin Kingdom's hands, including her parents.

He slightly wondered if Kagome could feel the sinister aura within the Palace when she had arrived, but it didn't seem she had. Miroku watched as Kagome's face distorted in pain and fear, he felt her aura becoming restless. He hated to see his friend as such and placed his hand on her forehead, letting her know he was there for her. She calmed and Miroku smiled.

Inuyasha and he made small talk until Myoga returned. He wished that Kagome would be safe, especially when the Lord would see her the next day's afternoon. Miroku was nervous to meet the King but also a bit excited to see the one that the people talked so highly of. Brave, Intelligent, Caring, the attributes reminded him of Kagome's leadership. He couldn't be that bad.

Thinking about Kagome, Miroku wondered how the 'Grand Uprising' was doing. Sango and everyone were probably worried for her and planning how to get her back. Souta was probably in a small depression. The boy had already lost his mother and father, and now his sister had been taken. Hopefully, the Wolf Tribe wouldn't find out, or Kouga would go into a full-blown rage.

Miroku watched Kagome give a sigh as she slept. One thing was sure; he would do everything he could to keep her safe.

She was lost, it was dark, and it was eerily silent. A single light shone down on her as she sat on the smooth black ground. Stormy grey eyes looked around, trying to find anything that would help her find out where she was…or who she was. The woman bit her lip, looking down to find she wore a red kimono and black hoari. The woman stood and turned slowly, hoping to find any other images that might pop out somewhere.

"Hello…" She called.

There was no answer. Frowning, the woman started walking forward, the light following her, but nothing came into her view. Fear gripped her heart as it started to thunder in her chest. She was all alone. She started running, looking desperately for someone, anyone.

Her running continued, until she tripped and fell on the ground. She whimpered and slowly got up, turning around to see what exactly she had tripped on. Surprise marred her features when a bow and quiver full of arrows was lying on the ground where she had tripped. Cautiously, the woman moved forward and picked it up.

Warmth filled her fingers as she touched the two items. Sounds started filling her head as she stared at the black and red bow. Birds sang as a wind picked up and danced with her wavy locks. Yelling was heard and Kagome looked up from the bow to see she was in a forest, luscious and green. A woman's voice followed by two boys yelled a name in encouragement.

"You can do it Kagome!"

"Yeah!"

"We believe in you!"

The woman turned around in confusion to find three figures cheering her on. Was she this Kagome? They stood at a gravel filled area nearby camps and fires. She then found herself facing multiple targets.

"Shoot Kagome!" The woman yelled.

Grey-blue eyes turned back to face the cheering girl, her brown hair in a high ponytail wearing a black and pink outfit, a large boomerang at her back. Two boys stood at her side. One wore a similar outfit to the girl but was yellow and black instead of pink and black. His hair was held in a bushy ponytail and he cheered excitedly. The other boy struck a pain in the girl's heart. He wore the clothes of a peasant his hair a lighter color than her own and his brown eyes brightened, a proud smile on his face. Somehow, these people were important to her.

Smiling weakly, she notched an arrow into place and aimed at one of the targets. Hoping it would reach its mark; she released and watched as the arrow flew, a pink and sparkling hue around it as it hit the bull's-eye. The three to the side cheered and their voices soon faded.

She frowned and turned to see why they had stopped cheering and the sight she met made her eyes widen in horror. The camps that looked so peaceful were in flames and Kagome watched as demons ripped humans apart, piece by piece. Two humans caught her eye immediately and only two words left her lips.

"Mother! Father!"

Three demons appeared and she recognized them instantly. One was in all white, her face pale and her eyes emotionless as she held a mirror. The other held red eyes and had hair tied in a neat bun, a fan in her left hand. And the last brought anger to her heart, a demon dressed in the pelt of a baboon.

The little pale girl used the mirror to suck her mother's souls and she watched in agony as the older woman's body fell to the floor. Her father had gone off to the baboon, only to be impaled by a tentacle coming from the demon's back. The woman screamed and quickly shot her arrow, the projectile burning through the pelt as it revealed a bare arm.

The next thing she knew, the baboon was behind her, whispering in her ear.

"Interesting," The man said, "You have great power within you."

The woman tensed as he placed a hand on her back, intent on plunging it through her body to kill her.

"It was fun to kill them," He whispered, "No doubt you will be next…"

Her eyes widened and she screamed in rage, slicing her arrow to stab him, but he moved away. The man chuckled as the taller woman demon raised her fan and yelled, her red eyes flashing.

"DANCE OF BLADES!" She shouted as crescent projectiles flew towards her, slicing her arm.

The woman did not feel the pain in her arm, but at her side, where a tentacle from the baboon ran her through. Kagome whimpered and fell to the ground, the poison taking its toll until a shout echoed.

"Hiraikotsu!"

The sounds ceased and Kagome was alone, in the dark plane once more as the bright light shone down on her sitting form. Her arm and side still bled, but her thoughts, her loneliness hurt her more. Her aura was restless and tears flew down her cheeks like waterfalls.

But she was calm, as another aura touched hers and offered peace and…a friend. It was a man's spiritual aura…the one she knew as her mentor, her companion. She calmed and closed her eyes as the pain washed away.

"Kagome?"

The woman opened her eyes. Oh yeah…she was Kagome. Familiar faces stood around her and she smiled. She knew these people, they cared for her.

There was Miroku, Sango, Souta, Kohaku, and Kirara. Then there was General Hiroshima, Rin, Shiori, and Hojo. Ayame, Kouga, Ginta, and Hakkaku entered her vision. And finally, Shippo grinned down at her next to her parents. She wasn't alone, and Kagome sighed with pure bliss.

Sango opened her eyes and flinched as the sun rays irritated them. Closing her eyes and moving more towards the shadows of the main hut room, Sango tried again and blinked furiously. She had fallen asleep on the futon, right after she coaxed the distressed boys to bed. She had gone to the Main Room to think more as she sipped on some tea, looking at the flickering flames. She wanted to be closer to the exit, just in case word came through.

That previous day, Sango and the Members of the Council had gone out to keep the news of the stolen leader quiet. Especially with the fact a war would be waged at the cause of Kouga and Kagome could get killed. The people agreed to keep the news to themselves. Judging by the wolves not coming to ask what was going on, she suspected they knew nothing. It was only the Warning Horn, they usually came for the Battle Horn.

Sango stifled the tears that wanted to break loose and huddled onto the futon. General Hiroshima had helped a lot and she was grateful. But she was worried more for her friend than herself. The Western Region wanted the 'Grand Uprising' leader's head and now they had her, it was now up to Kagome to keep her secret.

There was also the fact to be more cautious on patrols. Miroku had made them pretty powerful concealment spells which brought them at a disadvantage. Stupid monk! More youkai were going to have to take over the patrols since they were to have a better chance of battle and sensing anything suspicious.

Frowning, Sango looked out the window to find it was noon. She had stayed up most of the night telling villagers to keep quiet about worrying over Kagome. Frowning, Sango walked over to a basket, still dressed in her kimono, and removed a piece of parchment and paint. Miroku had to know what was happening, and to tell him off for what he did.

Okay, there's your next chapter. i'll post the other one up too so I hope you all like it! Read and Review!! Thanks!

Next Chapter: Chapter 21: Off To Meet The King

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em!!

Luvinukag83