Legend in the Making

Chapter 24:

All Bets are Off

Waking up just before the sun was not what she had in mind for a day like this one. But for whatever reason, her room was freezing! Slowly opening her right eye, she found Hina standing beside her bed with a smile on her face. "Good morning Milord."

"Go to hell." Kagome grumbled, rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. The temperature dropped more and she pulled her blankets closer to her.

"You have chaos in the village."

"Let 'em burn." Kagome grumbled again, burrowing under the blankets.

"I will give you a moment to get out of bed yourself before I clean your sheets, Milord." Hina stated, stepping back and allowing her a moment.

She grumbled a bit more before stepping out of bed, feeling the temperature return to normal. Hina held out her open, new, black with blue swirls, spider silk kimono, allowing for Kagome to put it on like a robe. She walked around the groggy miko, taking the navy blue sash and closing up Kagome's kimono, wrapping the sash twice around the miko before tying it.

"Your boots are by your bedroom door, Milord."

"Fuck you." She responded, sleep walking toward the door, putting her shoes on. She would have run into the door if not for Shippo bursting through, grinning up at her innocently. "Too early. To bed with you." She murmured as he hugged her around the waist.

"I thought of a prank, kaa-san." Shippo grinned. "It took a few days, but I promise I won't destroy anything!"

"Good. To bed with you."

"Youko-san will be arriving today." Lomai commented from beside the kitsune. She didn't know, nor did she care how long he had been there.

"To hell with you too."

"Come now, Kagome-sama. The village needs you." Hina interrupted, gently ushering her out the door and sliding it closed behind her. Taking a ribbon, she put Kagome's hair into a low ponytail as they walked.

"Die."

The two rounded a corner, Kyomatsu immediately spotting the two. "Milord." He greeted, coming up to join the two.

"Fuck off."

Kyomatsu blinked, turning a quizzical gaze to Hina. "Is she going to be alright going into the village?" Hina just smiled, not bothering to answer. It didn't take them long to get there. And one lewd comment sent the Central Lord into a flurry of motion.

The village was under fire.

And there was only one going after them.


Shippo grinned in glee as he answered the front door. Rin and Sesshoumaru standing there patiently waiting. Though they hadn't been standing there long. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Kaa-san is in the village! May I borrow Rin-chan?"

Sesshoumaru didn't falter in his response, having heard the cries of the villagers upon his arrival. "Rin."

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" She smiled, following in step with Shippo.

Lomai watched the two leave, keeping his gaze on the younger fox. "Sesshoumaru."

Inclining his head, Sesshoumaru nodded. "Lomai-sama."

"Shall we head to the study? I am sure you will not want to witness the upcoming debacle." The elder fox smiled. Sesshoumaru didn't bother to respond, following beside the elder youkai toward the library.

"You are training the kit."

"Hai, I am." Lomai agreed, "Reminds me of myself when I was his age...in need of guidance and full of energy."

"What is it he is plotting." Sesshoumaru questioned, peering at the elder youkai out of the corner of his eye.

"A meeting with a couple of thieves." Reaching the library, he opened the door, "Less talk on that, how is your hunt for a mate coming along?"

He was promptly ignored.


"What are we doing, again?" Inuyasha questioned with a yawn, relaxing on hall wall leading to the training area. The higher ups were already in the area, having been gathered to be in on everything, and Shippo was proudly describing what they were going to do.

"Rin-chan is going to pretend to be Kaa-san! Lomai-sama said that Youko and Kuronue would be surprised if Sango-obasan greeted them outside the meeting hall! Sango-basan and Kembo-san will act as if they are intruders and beat them and drag them into the meeting hall where Rin-chan will be waiting inside on Kaa-san's seat with Ryu and Ryo on either side of her. Inuyasha will shut the door behind them and they can talk business...Miroku-jisan can be sitting in the room close to Rin-chan too!"

"So...essentially we're going to allow them to enter, pretend that they broke in, and have Rin discuss the consequences and punishments for such actions?" Miroku queried, earning a proud grin from the fox. "It's not bad…"

"Sounds like fun." Kyoko interjected, "Mind if I join?"

"Yes!" Shippo grinned, excited. "Now go get ready!"

Rin giggled, running off with Shippo to find new clothes.

"They're really doing this…" Rinko murmured in surprise.

Sango shook her head. "At least the plan doesn't involve destroying everything. Come on Kembo-san, Kyoko-san. Let's get ready."

The three walked off and Rinko shook her head. "I'll be back in my workshop. Come get me if someone dies."

"You mean the healing ward?" Kora questioned, though it came out more as a statement.

Rinko shrugged. "Same thing."

"She scares me." Kora stated, walking away. "I'm never getting injured."

"And if you do?" Inuyasha turned to her curiously.

"I'll heal myself."

Inuyasha didn't bother to hide his laughter from the woman.

"They're here! Get in your place!" Shippo's mini mushrooms shouted before poofing out of existence.

"When did he..?" Kora questioned, shaking her head and moving away. "Nevermind."


Kyoko watched from the lookout point as the two thieves entered through a windowless window off to the left of the building. The very same window Lomai "accidentally" broke two days prior while training Shippo. A small grin crept onto her features as she created a flame, causing it to flicker in something Kagome-sama called 'morse code'. She'd never tried it before...up until coming here, of course.

Moments later, she spotted Sango moving through the halls from behind. Kembo started from the front. Her grin expanded as Kembo distracted the two for just long enough to let Sango get Youko over the head with her Hiraikotsu, effectively knocking him to the ground.

Kuronue did slightly better, knocking Kembo back before focusing on Sango. Though that ended up being his downfall as Kembo used that opportunity to knock his legs out from under him.

Kyoko's eyes squinted as she missed the next bit, before watching as both Youko and Kuronue were being hauled away, now awake, toward the next step in their little kitsune-kit's plan.


"You pack quite the punch, woman." Kuronue stated. "Is that common for humans? Or is it just for the ones here?"

Sango grinned. "Who knows?" Noting Heero and Mitarai standing guard at their destination, her gaze connected with Kembo's briefly.

Kembo nodded. "Open the doors. We have the intruders Milord requested."

"Aa." They nodded, opening the doors simultaneously, allowing the four to enter the room.

Inuyasha walked up behind them from within the room, motioning the doors closed. "Report."

"The intruders, Youko Kurama and Kuronue."

He nodded, looking to Miroku.

Miroku held his amusement at Kuronue's glare. "Welcome, guests! Milord, perhaps we can show them a little leniency?" He stated, turning to face Rin at the center of the room.

Rin was covered head to toe in formal wear fitting royalty. Her two guards in all black on either side of her. "Why should I?"

"Why, Milord. Surely you have not forgotten our report a few days ago?" Miroku played along, enjoying the little game. Though he couldn't hide the slight wariness for the kitsune with the vines growing along the posts in the room. Last he recalled, Youko could control plants.

All plants.

"The report?" She questioned, playing dumb. Though it wasn't hard to do, as she was not kept in the loop for the official report. "And which one was that?"

The doors opened and Kagome entered, Hina and Kyomatsu just slightly behind her.

Rin looked surprised momentarily, as did the others, though Miroku played it off best. "Aa, milord, it looks like your staff has arrived back from the village. Perhaps we should postpone until after their report?" He questioned, looking at Rin, before glancing toward Kagome.

Amusement laced her features before she stepped forward.

"Very well." Rin nodded, motioning them closer.

They obliged, getting down to one knee in the standard bow. "Milord," Kagome began, hiding her grin behind a serious facade. "The village had been invaded by a series of individuals with ill intent. As you requested, a barrier has been reinforced to keep the malicious out and the villagers safe. It appears as though this was only the first wave."

"I see...we will discuss this more in depth later." Rin stated, then turned a curious look to the two. "Stand. What say you, regarding these thieves?" She questioned, attempting to sound like one of her sensei back in the western lands.

Glancing back at the two momentarily, she commented. "They broke in?"

"Aa. Attempting to steal from us no doubt." Rin nodded.

Miroku interrupted before the two in question could speak, "Yes, milord, but may I be so bold as to say...they also saved the lives of your patrol division."

Turning so that she was able to still see Rin, but also see the two theives in question, she stated, "I'd say let them go...at a price."

"Oh? And what price would that be?"

"Why...loyalty to the Central Lands, of course. We could use a good spy within their territory, could we not? After all...they are quite good at gathering intel."

"They're not all that good if they can't even tell this is a joke." Shippo stated off to the side, laughing at the confused looks on the two's face.

"A joke?" Youko questioned, eyes narrowing at the kit dangerously. "That is what this is?"

"Relax, grandson. There was no harm to this ruse." Lomai stated as he walked in behind the kit, an amused lilt to his lips. "Though I must say...I wasn't expecting for you to fall for this so easily. Either you are losing your grip...or they are very good actors."

"We're just trained actors, ne, Miroku?" Kagome smiled, causing Miroku to chuckle.

"I have no idea what you mean, Kagome-sama."

"-sama?" Kuronue questioned, then turned back to the woman.

"Kagome-sama, perhaps I should properly introduce my Grandson." Lomai stated, coming a little closer to her. "Youko Kurama, and his friend, Kuronue. Youko, Kuronue, this is Kagome-sama. Lord of the Central Lands."

Shock shot across their features in a wave before turning into annoyance.

"Your staff stole my pendant."

"I apologize." Kagome said in what sounded like actual honesty. "He has sticky fingers." Walking up a little closer, she took the pendant from Miroku and handed it back to Kuronue, his hands becoming free from Kembo's grip at her request. He carefully took the pendant back and she turned to Sango. "Let him go, please."

She did as requested, stepping back.

"I apologize for my family...they have a sense of humor that doesn't always click with others." Turning to Rin, she smiled. "Did you have fun playing Lord?"

Rin grinned. "Hai, kaa-san!"

"Your family? Are they not your staff?" Youko questioned, his curiosity peaked.

Her gaze turned back to them. "I suppose so...I do pay them." Then she paused, "Well, most of them. But they live in my house and help out. So I consider them family. Do you consider your heist crew family?"

"They are a means to an end."

"All of them?" She questioned and he stayed silent. She let it drop. "My offer still stands. If you'd like to negotiate terms, of course, I'd be more than happy to do so. We can't have you feeling like you're not getting anything out of this, after all." She smiled. "For now, just enjoy some time with your grandfather...and the events that are going to take place with the four lords and all six advisors. Oh the chaos we'll see…" She stated, murmuring the last bit. "I have to prepare for the four lords arrival. Hina, are the rooms ready?"
"I will verify they are, milord."

"Kyomatsu, is your staff ready?"

"We will continue our training immediately. We are ready for the first round, Milord."

"Good. No slacking. Go." She stated, causing both to leave.

"Oh, Kagome-sama, Sesshoumaru-sama is in your study. Perhaps you should entertain him?"

She raised a brow. "Entertain the lord of the icicles? Right...hopefully he hasn't dissected my wise men yet…Thanks Lomai. Oh! And keep Shippo occupied, would you?"

Left alone, Miroku turned to look at Kuronue with a friendly smile. "What do you say we let bygones be and start over?"

A glare was his only response.

To Be Continued…

Well...it's been a hot second since I've posted anything. Sorry about that! Amidst everything crazy happening in the world, what's something fun or positive everyone has been up to? I'm thankfully working from home, so my puppy is loving it. Makes work go by quickly as well!

Hopefully the next chapter wont be as far out. Especially since I've found my notes and re-read all the chapters, haha!

Please review! Stay safe & healthy everyone!

Full Moon Howl