Deadly Games

Chapter Twenty-Six: The List

Kagome smiled as she gazed at her reflection from the pond's surface. Everything felt so… right. She no longer had to hide anything from anyone. It had all worked out; now she and Kurama could be together.

She picked up a rock and threw it into the water, letting it plunk into the water's depth, creating ripples and distorting her reflection in the pond. When the water became clear again, Kagome found that she was not alone and that there was a person standing beside her.

"Hi, Kura," Kagome said brightly, turning to the girl.

Kura however, did not turn to her. She only continued to stare at her reflection with a solemn expression on her face, much different from the usual happy-go-lucky attitude.

"You shouldn't have kept it hidden for so long," she told Kagome's reflection. "You've been a bad little girl."

Kagome stared at the little girl's likeness in the pond so she was able to see her expression while saying with one eyebrow raised, "I'm the little girl?"

Kura pouted. "You know what I mean."

"And what do you mean?" Kagome inquired curiously. "Everything's fine. I love Kurama."

Kura only shook her head sadly. "Things didn't go according to plan…. Goodbye, Kagome."

She began humming then singing her wordless song, though it sounded more somber than usual, having a sad tune. Kura disappeared and Kagome was left with a bad feeling deep inside her. She pushed it away though, not wanting it to ruin her good mood. She did not know what Kura meant, but she did know everything was fine, so she should not have to worry about it.

…Right?

Kagome walked into the common room sometime in the afternoon, only to find everyone already gathered in it. As she approached, the talking became less and less until it ceased completely. She supposed that things were still a little awkward in the group after Inuyasha's outburst. She guessed they all had found out about her and Kurama's relationship. But that was a good thing, right? Now they would not have to hide anything anymore.

Her gaze went immediately to Kurama, who sat next to Yusuke. Normally, she would have gone over and sat by him, but the expressionless look on his face as he, like the rest, gazed at her, made her stop. There was no kind smile or concerned look… just a blank expression. It confused her and that bad feeling came back to enveloped her. She played it safe and sat between Sango and Botan instead.

"Hey, Kagome," Yusuke said as a greeting, nodding his head toward her in acknowledgement as she sat down.

"Hi," she said with a small wave of her hand. She leaned back heavily on the couch. All her happiness had pretty much gone out the window when she entered the tense room and all that was left was a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Today was going to be a really long day.

As if sensing her less than good mood, Shippo jumped into her lap and Kirara rubbed against Kagome's hand. Kagome made an attempt at a smile. All she got was a sad half-smile.

"So, what did I miss?" Kagome said in an attempt to break the thick silence hanging in the air.

"Well, we came to the conclusion that every demon is a part of the house. So I believe as we kill more demons it manifests, then we make it weaker. That's why sometimes it hasn't been able to stop us when we we're going after a certain object, or when we find clues. We have weakened it considerably," Kurama informed her evenly.

"So if we kill enough of the demons, then we'll be set free?" Kagome asked excitedly. However, Kurama did not respond or smile at her enthusiasm like he usually did.

"Possibly, but if the house ever gets too weak it might not send any other demons. So we have to figure out how to draw the consciousness out of the house so that we can destroy it once and for all," Miroku answered.

"And in the mean time, try not to get killed," Inuyasha said gruffly.

"I wonder… am I next? Will this thing try to kill me next? I mean, it did go after all the girl's from our group first, so…" Botan wondered, while hugging her arms to her.

They were silent for a while, thinking about what Botan said. Would she be next? But somehow, Kagome did not think so. There was something else…. The order in which they died… was there anything significant to it?

Kagome began to think back to when they first arrived, thinking back on everything they did and trying to remember everything that was said. That's when it clicked.

In a brilliant moment, Kagome said, "the people have been dying in the order that they saw the messages."

Silence.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say, huh?" Yusuke commented.

"Keiko saw the first message first, when it said 'No one gets out alive.' Yukina was first to see the second, made out of the puzzle pieces," Kagome explained, "and Shizuru…."

"…she saw the third right after Keiko was killed…" Sango commented, "it said 'one down'."

"So this house has a list of who's going to die next?" Shippo asked.

"It appears so," Kurama said.

"And now…," Kagome began.

Everyone looked from Sango to Hiei and then back once again. They had seen the next message together, the one made out of fire. But who had seen it first? Sango had seen the fire moving strangely first, but when the message had actually formed they had seen it at the same time. Who would be the one to die?

"Sango…" Kagome said, fright already building up in her eyes, thinking of what might happen.

"So… one of them…" Botan started.

Sango and Hiei only stared at each other. Sango did not want to die… but neither did she want Hiei to die, as surprising as that fact was to her. Yet one of them was about to…

"Wait, but that doesn't make any sense," Yusuke commented. "That first demon that… got Keiko. It went after me, it should have killed me… but she pushed me out of the way. Her death was an accident."

Yusuke's hands balled into fists as he remembered, shaking furiously.

"Not if it knew what she would do," Miroku commented slowly.

"What do you mean?" Shippo asked. Even Inuyasha was curious, eyeing the monk.

"Think about it. Why did it wait so long to begin knocking us off one by one? It spent the time to observe us… observe our friendships and relationships…. How we'd react… even what and who we like and dislike, it probably knows. It could probably predict any one of our moves. Considering it has nothing to do but observe us."

It was a disturbing thought, but most likely true. As much as the house had loved to toy with them in the beginning, it did it so it could watch them to see what they would do in certain types of situations. It relied on their predictable-ness while picking them off one by one by its list.

"Now we have to figure out what to do to keep Sango and Hiei safe," Kagome remarked.

"We'll split into two groups, each one of them in a different group so we can keep an eye on both of them and protect them. No big deal," Inuyasha commented gruffly.

"I don't need your protection," Hiei replied, annoyed.

"Just deal with it, Hiei. This is the best way to go about it," Sango said.

Surprisingly, Hiei did not argue and kept quiet, meaning he would go along with the arrangement. He'd never given in so easily before and always did what he felt like doing. Kurama found himself raising an eyebrow. Sango was having quite an impression on the fire demon.

"Just let me go grab hiraikotsu from my room," Sango said as she got up and disappeared from the room.

"Alright, Hiei—" Botan began as she turned around, but stopped once she did.

Hiei was gone.

Sango closed her bedroom door quietly behind her. It took her only seconds to locate hiraikotsu, but first she grabbed her black demon exterminating clothes and changed into them. She turned around after grabbing her hiraikotsu, only to jump, startled, after seeing someone by her door.

"You scared me, Hiei," she told him, one hand over her pounding heart. Normally, she would not have reacted, but all this you're-the-next-one-to-die had shot her nerves.

"For a demon slayer you have terrible senses," he said as he came closer.

She let her weapon lean against the bedpost and crossed her arms while Hiei continued to move forward. "Yeah, well—"

Sango was cut off, however, when Hiei pressed his lips against hers. He pulled her roughly toward him and ravished her mouth with his tongue. A warm hand slipped under her shirt and pressed against her back, bringing her impossibly close.

When they both surfaced for air, Sango moved back, but not out of arms reach. "This may be the last time we see each other," Sango said, adding silently, alive at least. His gaze drifted to the bed for a second and Sango continued, "there's not enough time, they'll come looking for us."

He let go of her abruptly and moved back a step. "You think that's all I want you for?" he asked angrily.

Sango's eyes widen slightly and she said disbelievingly, "what else?"

"I…" he said hesitantly, then angrily, "never mind."

He brushed passed her roughly, making her stumble backward. "Forget it," he said heatedly.

Hiei stalked out of the room while Sango watched in confusion. He slammed the door behind him and Sango flinched at the sound.

She sat down forcefully on her bed, feeling weak in the knees. What just happened here? The kiss… it had had a sweetness to it. And his words… they confused her. What did he mean when he asked if that was all she thought he wanted her for? There had never been anything else to it. Something had changed… but did it make a difference?

There was an aching in her heart as she looked at the door he just slammed. She paused when she noticed it was there. Did she actually care for him and not just lust after him?

Everyone got into one of the two groups that not too soon after went their separate ways. Inuyasha, Kurama, Sango, along with Kagome, Botan, and lastly Kirara went in the first group.

"But I want to go with Kagome!" Shippo complained.

"Too bad, runt, you're coming with us," Yusuke said as he dragged Shippo off in the other direction.

They decided to search the halls and rooms for any clues and meet up with the other group that night to compare notes. The idea sounded good in theory, but now it was time to try it out.

Kurama was walking in front and Kagome hurried to walk next to him. Maybe that morning had been or fluke… or maybe she had imagined his coldness toward her. Yeah, that was it. It was all in her head.

But the second she got next to him, she knew it was no fluke. Kurama did not even acknowledge her at all, keeping his distant, if not in body, then in mind. Something was different and Kagome wanted to know what.

"Kurama, what's wrong? You've been so distant lately…" Kagome started.

"Wrong? Nothing's wrong, Kagome," Kurama told her, looking at her for a second.

Then why was he not looking at her in that tender way he always had before? He was acting like he had when they first met. Polite, but distant. Over time, he became more at ease and expressed his feelings openly, but now he did not. Why? Had… had he stopped caring somewhere along the way? Had she done something wrong or was he not fond of her anymore?

He took a step away from her so that there was more room between them.

"Then why are you moving away?" She took the step forward that he took back so they were the same distance apart as before.

"It's just improper to be so close," the kitsune told her, turning away before he would see the hurt expression on her face.

In the moment of him looking away he found himself looking at Inuyasha, who was talking with Botan. It was painfully to just walk beside her and have to be formal and polite, but she was not his anymore. She belonged to Inuyasha and they had made that abundantly clear when the two had spent the night together by the pond. Did Kagome really think things could be the same after she picked the hanyou over him? She was making it very difficult to act normally.

"Improper…? Kurama, what's wrong with you?" Kagome asked, concerned. She stopped in her tracks and grabbed his arm to make him face her. She then put her arms around him, holding him close.

Remembering to school his features, he removed her arms from him and they fell helplessly to her sides. "Absolutely nothing."

"Why—" she began, taking another step closer.

"Let's just go, alright?" he interrupted and began walking again, catching up with the rest of the group.

"Oh… okay," Kagome said, feeling lost.

She hung back, trailing behind the others in a sort of dazed-like state. Kagome did not understand and was utterly confused. Why was Kurama pushing her away? Had she done something wrong?

It didn't make any sense. He promised he wouldn't leave. He promised he would never leave her. Now, it felt like he already had. Why? Maybe she should apologize and then maybe….

"Hey," said a voice beside her, interrupting her thoughts. "You okay?"

Kagome looked over at the demon slayer walking beside her. She offered her a sad smile, but it was all she could manage.

"Fine," she said in a hollow voice that did not sound like her own, "just fine." She then glanced at Sango. "But I think I should be the one asking you that question. How are you holding up?"

Sango gave her the same sad smile. "As good as anyone that was just told they're going to die."

"I won't let you die," she told her. "I won't let any more of my friends die."

"Well, I don't plan on dying anytime soon, so don't worry about it," Sango said in an attempt to make her friend feel better. "Anyway, I think we've been through worse."

"Yeah, worse," Kagome agreed lamely.

Neither sounded very convinced.

Abruptly, out of the shadows one of the black furballs scurried out and ran to Kagome. Apparently, they had not all been killed when Hiei sent his flame out, but Kagome did not notice the thing until after it bit into her leg.

A wave of dizziness suddenly passed over Kagome. She stopped in her tracks with a hand to her forehead and tried to will it away, but her whole body began feeling weak. Her vision turned black with random multicolored dots running through it. The weakness became too much and she fell to her knees, while reaching out an arm as to try to grab onto something that would make her fall easier.

Someone grabbed onto her arm, but too late since she had already fallen. She tried to look at who had helped, but as she turned her head a splitting pain ran through her and her vision remained unfocused.

"Kurama," she said softly before she passed out.

"Is it really that surprising to you? Men are men, nothing can change that," said the spirit walking beside her.

The two walked an endless path, entirely surrounded by blackness. There was neither floor nor a ceiling only the yellowish path surrounded by complete darkness.

Kagome shook her head furiously, as though if she shook her head hard enough the words Miya had just spoken would leave her. In truth, the words stuck in her mind, haunting her.

"No, Kurama's not like that! I'm sure of it. Something's wrong…"

Miya walked beside her, straight and proper in perfect posture while Kagome's walking was slightly slumped, though it didn't seem that important at the moment.

"Something is always wrong. They're men, all the same."

Kagome cast a sidelong glance at the noble. "Why so bitter toward men all of the sudden? Last I saw of you, you were sad that Yasuo was leaving… but that was all."

She stopped while frowning. "I don't know exactly. I just have this feeling deep down that I have these emotions… so I comply. I'm having trouble remembering. There are certain pieces of my life I can remember, but nothing after I came to Lord Akio's house. That is, until you came along. Then I began re-living pieces of it and I'm starting to remember more."

Was what she was saying true? Or was she just trying to get Kagome to believe her in order to throw her off her, or the house's, trail?

Miya continued to frown prettily. "I feel like something happened… something I should remember… but after that night my memory's fuzzy."

Kagome continued walking on, but did not realize until a few moments later that Miya wasn't following her. She tried to turn back but her body froze. She gasped as a chill ran through her and Kagome's vision went black once again, however, this time it came with a numb feeling. Then she heard laughter, familiar laughter, but the laughter was in her mind as she was taken back.

Yasuo held the tray firmly in his grasp with one hand, using the other hand to knock on Lord Akio's door. Ryu had said he was busy. With what, Yasuo did not know, but Ryu had asked him if he could and Yasuo complied.

He thought he heard feminine laughter coming from inside the room, but he dismissed the idea quickly. It was only after he heard Lord Akio invite him in and he took a step inside that Yasuo froze.

Both Lord Akio and Lady Miya were sitting together at the table, Miya still laughing slightly as she looked at Lord Akio. Hearing the door open, she suddenly turned toward him and her eyes that had just been sparkling with laughter, quickly lost their twinkle. Her features became neutral as she regarded him, though there was something in her eyes… something he could not identify.

"Lord Akio," he said, bowing his head since he could not bow properly with the tray in his arms. He looked up again and then to Miya. Their gaze met for a split second before Miya looked away, hiding the shame that came on her face, so instead she looked to Lord Akio.

Still, Yasuo addressed her with the same bow. "Lady Miya."

"Where is Ryu?" the lord inquired curiously.

"He had some work to attend to. I was sent in his stead." He placed the plate full of dinner on the table and then clasped his hands behind his back. "Though I didn't realize the lady would be joining you. Would you have me bring her something?" he asked in a very monotone voice.

"That's alright I don't plan to stay long," she said and Yasuo was relived. Even if he had been the one to break things off, it made him feel easier knowing she was not with the lord.

"Is there anything else you would like, my lord?" Yasuo questioned.

"No, that is all," Akio said in a dismissive way to the servant while taking Miya's hand in his.

Yasuo bowed, trying to ignore Akio's actions, and turned to leave. Just as he was a few feet from the door he heard Akio begin to speak. Yasuo slowed his steps.

"Lady Miya… we've known each other a long time, haven't we?" Akio inquired.

"Yes, my lord, we have," Miya responded. "Since I was only a child around Kura's age."

"And as of late," he continued, "I have found myself thinking of you often."

Miya began blushing faintly. It was not very often that a man, especially Lord Akio, admitted to that sort of thing.

Akio gave her hand what was meant to be a comforting squeeze. "I know this is very sudden, but… I would be honored if you were to be my wife, Lady Miya."

Yasuo stopped in his tracks, his whole body tensing as he heard the words. He half-turned back, eyes only for Miya. She wouldn't. She couldn't! She—who was he kidding? He knew the reason why she came in the first place.

Unable to stop herself, Miya found herself glancing at Yasuo, who waited by the door and their eyes locked instantly. A silent message was in his eyes, one she did not know for sure what it was, but had a pretty good idea. Then she turned back to Akio.

"Nothing would make me happier," she responded, though her heart was not in the decision. Neither man noticed.

Yasuo's body turned to ice in the few moments it took her to speak those words. His Miya… in the arms of another forever. As his heart shattered, without further hesitation, Yasuo continued his walk out the door.

Miya tried to hide her wince as she heard the soft click of the door behind Yasuo.

"Would you be offended if I kissed you now?" the lord across from her asked.

Miya tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It wouldn't go away. She couldn't do it, not as of yet anyway.

"If you may, my lord, I'd ask you to hold that kiss for another time. I should be going now," Lady Miya informed him as she stood.

Quickly, she left the room and took a deep breath as she closed the door behind her. Miya leaned heavily against the door with her eyes closed for a moment before reopening them, only to find Yasuo a few feet away.

Before he could even speak, Miya turned her back to him.

"You have no right to criticize anything I do." After all, you're the one that left, she thought.

"Miya—"

"I'd ask you to address me properly," she said heatedly before walking away at a fast pace, not daring to look back and see his hurt face. It was his fault anyway.

It seemed so final, though. Then again, maybe it was. Maybe that was it. Neither of them would ever mention their affair again, like it had never happened. The thought of forgetting brought a pain to her chest and a lump in her throat. She didn't want to forget.

She didn't want to marry Lord Akio.

Yasuo leaned against the wall in the common room, trying to keep his thoughts blank while trying to keep a certain noble out of his thoughts.

He thought back on the time that he had asked Miya to leave the house with him, get away from it all. Her face had fallen and she told him that she couldn't. Since then he had knew he would have to end it sometime… They could not go on much longer without being discovered. Yet, he had never wanted to dwell on it and stay as long as he could. Then the time had come and he couldn't look back.

"I didn't mean to cause so much harm," he heard the all-too-familiar seductress' voice say. She seemed to consider the statement for a second, and decided to rephrase it. "Well, actually I did, but I regret it now and… look, Yasuo, I'm… I'm…"

"If it brings you so much pain to apologize, then don't do it. It didn't matter if you did what you did or not, the end result was still going to be the same. You were right. Someone like her can't be with someone like me," Yasuo informed Yuki.

"But still…"

"It doesn't matter," he said with a sigh. Then, taking all the pent-up feelings inside, he gritted his teeth and punched the stone wall. He let out a yelp as he bruised his knuckles.

"Stop that!" Yuki snapped, snatching Yasuo's hand, observing the damage.

Lightly she brushed her fingertips over his knuckles and he winced, trying to take his hand back. Yuki held on fast while smirking.

"Don't be such a baby. You're lucky you didn't break anything," Yuki informed him.

"Found a new lover already?" said a cold voice.

The two of them turned their heads to see Ryu standing nearby, though Yuki still held possession of Yasuo's hand.

"So what if I did?" she inquired defensively, then nonchalantly, "just another male, I don't care to keep track of them anymore. It's not like any of them really matter anyway."

Ryu made a sound like a growl, then looked from Yasuo back to Yuki. "Another guy to screw and not care about?"

Yuki gritted her teeth in annoyance. "Exactly," she lied.

Yasuo opened his mouth to say something, most likely explain to Ryu that that it wasn't what he thought, but Yuki never gave him a chance to. Yuki brought Yasuo's head down to her level and crushed her lips against his in a heated kiss. He was too surprised to do anything. Ryu watched with somewhat disgust and beneath that, pain.

The seductress pulled away only after she ran out of breath and both she and Yasuo gasped for air.

Someone clearing their throat loudly behind them made everyone turn. Yasuo's eyes widened.

"Miya…" he said softly.

Ryu looked at Yasuo in surprise after he failed to use Miya's title. Yuki and Yasuo, however, were too busy staring at Miya with a mixture of regret, perplexity, and shock.

Miya stood with her arms crossed, though a hurt expression that she tried to hide was displayed on her features as she looked from Yasuo and Yuki. It quickly began changing to anger. Then abruptly she turned, leaving the three.

Yasuo did not even try to go after her. She would not believe him if he told the truth. What did it matter? She had Lord Akio.

He left the opposite way of Miya which left only Ryu and Yuki, who looked at each other angrily before Yuki snorted and exited.

Kagome wobbled on her feet, but Miya steadied her.

"And just when I thought you couldn't have a vision inside a vision," Kagome muttered.

When she was steady enough to walk on her own, Miya let go of her arm and they continued walking. Miya seemed deep in thought, contemplating the memories she had just received back. Kagome decided to let her figure some things out on her own and kept her mouth shut.

They both kept walking on the same yellowish trail but stopped when they came to a fork in the path, leaving a choice of which way to go. Neither looked very promising, having a dark, gloomy look to them.

Kagome looked to Miya, unsure of which way to go.

"This is your choice to make. Both lead to pain, though both of a different sort."

The first path continued into a scary looking place where the path was not quite whole, but it continued on. The second path, however, was covered completely in darkness and stopped abruptly. Someone who went down that path would never come out.

"Which do you choose?"

"The first path, of course," Kagome said without a single doubt.

Miya eyed her oddly. "But would you really?"

Kagome opened her mouth to respond but Miya cut her off. "To choose wisely you have to consider all facts and options. Are you sure you're ready for that type of decision?" Again, before she could answer, Miya said quietly, "though I'm not sure you have an alternative."

"Miya, what do you mean?"

Miya turned Kagome around to face her while keeping her hands firmly on the girl's shoulders.

"Don't make an ill-advised decision. Don't—" She was abruptly cut off.

A look of surprise passed over Miya before she screamed as she was pushed off the path, falling into the darkness.

Kagome fell to her knees on the side the noble had fallen off. "Miya!" she yelled futilely.

Light footsteps that echoed in her mind came toward Kagome and she looked over to see the end of a dress in her line of view. Slowly she looked up, only to be looking at Yuki.

"To let her go on would have been harmful for you and her," the seductress said simply before Kagome could form the words. She took Kagome by the wrist. "You don't belong here."

Without another word, she pushed her over the edge just as she had done to Miya. She was too surprised to scream. The last thing Kagome saw before everything became black was Yuki's grim face looking down at her.

"Has she stirred at all in the past ten minutes?" Inuyasha asked, the concern he tried to hide clear in his voice.

"No," Botan responded, looking worriedly at Kagome.

No one had noticed as she fell to her knees, though Sango had caught her arm before she had collapsed completely. Now she sat completely still on her knees with her arms draped lamely at her sides, only her shallow breathing revealing the fact that she was indeed still alive. Her eyes were open, staring blankly in front of her with a far off look in her eyes. She gazed at nothing and saw nothing. She was unaware of anything around her because she wasn't there. She had not even so much as twitched.

And Kurama was getting worried. Very worried. But he kept his mouth shut and kept his distance from her. It wouldn't do if she suddenly snapped out of it and he was by her side. If she did wake up.

Next to Kagome lay the mangled body of her fur-ball attacker. Inuyasha had been the first to see it and killed it instantly, though with more force and violence than was necessary.

Kurama reflected on whether to go to her or not for sometime. He had heard her call his name before making him flinch inwardly, but something troubled him. If she was so in love with Inuyasha, why was she calling his name? Just when he decided to give up and go to her, he saw her stir. Kurama stopped in motion.

Kagome shivered once then began blinking rapidly and looked around her in a dazed way. Someone was holding onto her arm. She looked over to them blankly.

"You okay, Kagome?" Sango asked.

Kagome nodded while switching her gaze to the dead creature. "That's my attacker?"

"Yes, but I don't think it was meant to kill. Inuyasha maimed it as it was scurrying away," Kurama explained. Then again, I could only be saying that to reassure her… and myself.

Kagome looked over to him, standing some feet away, but as their gaze met, he looked plainly away.

Hiding her hurt, Kagome looked at the rest. "There was something though… I saw…." She frowned prettily, then remembering, told them about the scene she saw.

"So you saw Miya accept Lord Akio's proposal, then the misunderstanding between those four… anything else?"

Kagome frowned once again, trying to recall anything else. Before she saw Miya accept the proposal… nothing. She had fallen unconscious and then the scene was displayed. And after… just waking up. That was all she remembered.

"Nope, that was all," she said as she got to her feet with help from Sango and Botan.

Shrugging, they continued on. However, Kagome hung back, scowling as she looked at the small dead demon that had bit her. Why had it bit her? Surely it and the house had not known she would get a vision. Then why—

"Kagome?" Botan asked when she noticed she was not following.

Shaking her head to get the thoughts out of her mind, she turned to the ferry girl.

"Coming."