FOREINGER By: OtakuSailorV
Chapter 23: Boy's Worst Nightmare
They left the castle around 3 in the afternoon. The sun a decent shade of yellow. Hisui had recovered from the sudden change of emotions that her master had undertaken only hours before. "You think she would be used to it by now." Heather said, holding the sleeping dragon in her hands. "I change my emotions all the time at home & quick too. Maybe it was just strange for her to feel sadness." Heather guessed. Hikari looked at her quizzically, Saisei was still nowhere to be seen. "What do you mean? She's never been sad before?" Heather shook her head. "When dragon's are born they have no emotions, they can feel no emotions either. They are simple creatures, like demons sorta. Not demons like Sesshoumaru or Shippo mind you, like the ones that seem to only have battle on their minds. Anyway, spending time with humans can change that. That's why it's so taxing on their minds & bodies & they sometimes are extremely sleepy." Hikari nodded. "Saisei has never been like that but I have seen Shiro act strangely, & he sleeps longer than Saisei on some days too." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's all based on your reactions & your emotions. Shiro will act strangely for a long time until he has absorbed & copied every aspect of your personality. Saisei though.I'm not sure. Maybe he still has all his emotions still since he seems to be so in l." Heather dropped off. Was Hikari aware of Saisei's feelings for her? Hikari gave her an attentive look. "Yes, go on." Heather stopped staring. "Since he seems to be so attached to you. I doubt he still has his dark intentions because he can no longer gain a human form no matter what he does. But he does seem to not be affected by your emotions.I wonder if that has to do with his reincarnation?" Heather went into deep thought on the matter. Hikari thought no more of it & walked on. 'Where was that dragon?'
Sesshoumaru watched the two girls talk ahead of him. 'What was it they were saying? Something about dragons, that was certain, but what?' He strained to hear their conversation. "Demons.Sesshoumaru." He perked up at the sound of his name & race. Where they having an argument about him? If so, why? He listened harder but the other conversations going on between the others seemed to drift in & cloud out Hikari & Heather's conversation. He looked from the ground up at Hikari to see her falling back, leaving Heather to think deeply. She stopped by him & watched his confused eyes. "What?" She asked him. "Is there something wrong?" Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Actually.yes." He confessed, feeling her eyes bore into his cheek. "What were you talking about? I thought I heard my name." He leaned closer to her & almost whispered the words. Hikari only smiled. "Oh, Heather was voicing her thoughts on why Saisei doesn't get exhausted from copying my emotions. She said that Shiro was but that Saisei didn't seem to get his emotions from anyone. That he seemed to have them already from his previous incarnation." Hikari looked ahead thoughtfully. "She mentioned you & Shippo as examples of demons that could feel emotions, not like the demons that wander aimlessly & only seemed concerned with fighting." He was slightly embarrassed by her remark. 'Able to control emotions? To feel them?' What was she speaking of? He had always been able to show emotion, he had only concealed it after Hana's death. As for fighting, what youkai didn't like a good brawl once in a while? Or was she speaking of the lesser demons that attacked humans & ate their flesh? He shrugged it off. "I was just wondering." Hikari smiled at him, seeing what he thought they were talking about. "Heather has past the stage where she interfered with my decisions. We seem to have a way of knowing when the other won't give on the subject. Strange but it does seem that way sometimes, like we're bonded somehow. Sometimes I even think that I know what she's thinking before she says it." Hikari blushed. "Did you ever have a friend like that?" Sesshoumaru remembered distantly a friend who had fought along side him, who had laughed & played with him, but who or where that person was, was a mystery. "I did, at one time, but I can't remember who they were or anything else about them." He looked slightly sad. "Maybe aunt Tsume knows?" She suggested. He laughed. "Tsume & Kiba would know! They seem to know everything about me lately!" He laughed again. Hikari, seeing his mirth, joined in; not sure of what was funny.
They arrived back at the castle around 5. They had stopped several times to look at something or to talk. Hikari had found a single jewel shard nestled in a weed by Kagome's foot. "I just saw the glitter as you looked around & went for it. Sorry to have scared you." Hikari apologized for zipping by Kagome so fast that she had almost knocked her down. Kagome took the shard with a simple smile. "I wonder why I didn't feel it before?"
Tsume was standing in the garden, watching their approach. She smiled at them from her perch. "I wonder how tonight will be?" She mused & left to greet them.
Kirei had run ahead of everyone with a smile. "I gotta go!" She called over her shoulder. They watched her spring nimbly around on the lawn until she had passed out of sight. "Wonder what she's doing?" Hikari thought aloud. Heather smiled as she watched the tiny dot. "She's meeting someone." She said with a slight smile. Everyone stared at her. "What kind of 'someone'?" Inuyasha & Sesshoumaru asked, standing over her. Heather backed down slightly, smiling at them playfully. "I don't think you should interfere until she decides to tell you about him herself." Heather said finally, giving them a stern look. They stood down. "Who is the man? Is he human or demon?" Heather smiled. "Demon." They looked at each other in thought. "Someone very close to Hikari." Heather clued them in. All surrounding demons looked at each other. "It's not Sesshoumaru & it can't be me so it must be either Myoga or Shippo." Inuyasha said with a growl. "Spill it runt!" He grabbed Shippo by the collar & yanked him up into his face. "Think clearly Inuyasha, why would she run off to meet Shippo if he is here with us?" Miroku asked him. The hanyou dropped his captive & looked around. "MYOGA!!!" He growled louder than he thought possible. Kagome looked at him in alarm. "Wow." She said seeing him gasping for breath afterwards. A tiny dot scampered up & landed on his shoulder. "You called Lord Inuyasha?" He asked. Heather, who was getting annoyed with the Hanyou's ignorance, sat down in the grass. "Are you.?" Inuyasha began but stopped when he saw Heather's look. "What?!" He asked her angrily. "Wrong." She said with half lidded eyes. Inuyasha looked around. "Who then? Miroku never asked her to bear his child I think." He began. "He did but she laughed & hit him really hard when he touched her butt." Shippo said with a smile. The monk went pale & looked anxiously at the two angry youkai he was standing by. "You did what?!" They both growled & went in for the attack. "Osuwari!" Kagome yelled, Inuyasha was pulled to the ground, leaving Miroku to fend off Sesshoumaru. Hikari thought faster & jumped on his back. Her added weight didn't stop him though. He landed by the monk & gave him a powerful punch to the face, which sent him back through the forest. A deep growl emitted & Hikari put her legs down & wrapped them around Sesshoumaru's. Using a trick that she often used to use on her brothers she pressed her toes into the pressure points in his knees. He suddenly tumbled forward with a small gasp. Hikari jumped off so she wouldn't crush him with her extra weight. He fell & caught himself with his arms but still got a good fall in. Hikari apologized as she pulled him to his feet. He simply gave her a slight smile. "Thank you for stopping me." He whispered in her ear. She smiled at him warmly.
The monk pulled himself up to show that he had not been hit as hard as everyone thought. He smiled at them & stood up. Sango gave him an angry look but seemed to decide to hit him later. "I guess nothing is a secret any longer." He mused. Inuyasha pulled himself up with a curse. "So who is this mystery man?" He asked from the ground, trying in vain to cool his temper. "Think hard. I said a person very close to Hikari. He is demon, not hanyou & not human. He is not in this group at the moment." Everyone thought but from Hikari's look she seemed to have guessed. "No." She said seeing Heather smile. "Yeah." Heather said. Hikari went slightly paler. "But he's so much older." She said. Heather shook her head. "Not in this time he isn't." Hikari nodded. "No I guess he isn't that much older here. But why haven't I seen him or why hasn't he come to check out my power that comes from the Dragon Clans?" Heather laughed slightly. "In this time of demons do you think he can sense a single one like yours amidst all these other powers? No, you will have to raise it more maybe to full power before he gets the idea that someone with your talents is here." Hikari looked at the ground. "How does this affect 'My Hikaru'?" She asked. The other's seemed to notice it for the first time who they were speaking of. "Hikaru? Dog Youkai, mind reader, Hikaru? Your dog Hikaru?" Inuyasha asked her. Heather & Hikari nodded. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it as if in thought. Shippo climbed onto his shoulder. "Thinking before speaking for change Inuyasha?" He asked with a smile. He received a blow to the head that sent him sprawling across the ground. He held his head with a whine. "Is that 'yes'?" He asked. Another blow sent him farther across the lawn. 'Honestly I wonder if he will ever learn when to stop?' Heather thought to herself on the ground. Inuyasha looked at them directly in the eyes. "Are you serious? Is this really the truth?" Heather sat up straight. "We are incapable of lying." She said in a matter-of-fact way. "That's a lie right there." Hikari said looking sidelong at her friend. Heather gave her a slight glare. "Are you insinuating that I lie all the time?" Hikari yawned. "I don't have to insinuate, I know." Heather gave her a hurt look, then smiled cheerfully. "You know me too well." She announced. "Well? What is it?!" Inuyasha asked, getting angrier. "It's the truth. I'm dead serious dude." Inuyasha cocked his head to one side. "Dude?" Heather laughed slightly. "It's like a way of saying 'man!', or 'cool!', or 'awesome!' or something like that." Inuyasha still looked slightly confused. "Kagome will explain it later." He nodded. "Is Hikaru a little." He searched for the right word. 'Please don't be blunt!' Kagome prayed silently. "A little.I don't know.crazy?" Hikari smiled & Heather laughed. "Yeah, he is in our time but who knows what he's like out here." Heater said.
They chatted on in the grass until Tsume decided to come out with them. "What are you talking about?" The group knew she could hear their conversation already but decided to amuse her. "About Kirei's boyfriend." Heather said with a bright smile. "She has a boyfriend?" Tsume asked, sitting in the grass also. Kiba strode out & landed in a bound beside her. "Kirei has a boyfriend?" He repeated. Everyone nodded. "Yeah, it's Hikari's dog in the future! His name is Hikaru. But we all have to sound surprised when she announces it, she might be upset that we found out already." Kiba smiled. "We swear not to mention a thing about her boyfriend to anyone." They stared at the smiling twins for some time before seeming to accept that. "I've been meaning to ask, do you two have, you know.a significant other?" Heather asked, tracing a line with her finger in the grass. Everyone looked at her in shocked way but she didn't seem bothered with her own question. The twins laughed, dog-ears popping out from their silver manes. "Yes, I am in love with a very handsome young man from china." Tsume said with stars in her eyes. "He lives their but wasn't born there. His name is Tochi. He's a dog demon that has the power over plants & growth." Tsume sighed dreamily & shut her eyes. Kiba was smiling. "Well, what's her name?" Inuyasha asked, head in hand. "She is the cousin of Tochi & is called Taki. She is also a dog demon that has the power over water & rain. Her fur is blue & her eyes are gray like the sea before a storm." He also sighed & closed his eyes. "I bet they have another cousin or brother or something that has the power over fire & is called, let's see.Netsui. And an aunt or uncle or a cousin or brother or sister named Kumo & that they have the power over the winds." Heather mused to herself thoughtfully. "How did you know that Taki had a sister named Netsui?!" Asked Kiba, his face suddenly in hers. "And what about Tochi's brother Kumo?! How did you know about him?!" Aunt Tsume's face rose in front of Kiba's. Heather looked at them nervously. "I swear it was a lucky guess!" She cried. "Plus I can read minds & I got a brief glimpse of all of you standing together in a grassy field like this one from a long time ago." Heather explained. The two demons settled back on the ground. "Oh." They said as one. They smiled at each other with sweatdrops forming. "Sorry."
It was around 8 o' clock when they finally went in to eat. Like the night before the girls all went on an artificial stage that Heather created & did a little Kareoke. Hikari & Heather dressed in baggy street clothes again & walked out with their mics to meet the crowd.
'I Got Your Back'
From 'Cardcaptor Sakura'
"I got your back.
I-I-I,
I got your back.
We've been good friends,
For sucha long time.
You know my rap,
& you finish my rhyme.
Through thick & thin
I can depend on you.
Any kinda weather
You always see me through
I'll always be there for you.
I'm always gonna be your best,
Together, you & me,
to the very end.
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (got your back)
You can always count on me.
I got your back!
You're in control
But sometimes it's hard to see
It's never easy like you want it to be
Life's what it is
You gotta deal with it
You got the pieces
But they don't always fit
There's nothing we can't do
I'm always gonna be your best friend
Together you & me
to the very end!
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (got your back)
You can always count on me!
I got your-
I got your back
I'm always gonna be your best friend
Together you & me
To the very end!
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (Got your back)
You can always count on me!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!"
Everyone cheered as the song ended. Sango clapped as hard as she could for her friends. A hand touched her shoulder & she was pulled backward, out of her seat. She gasped & growled out 'Miroku' in a warning way. Heather was beaming at her shocked face. "Shh, all the girls are doing a song now." Sango nodded & followed, seeing Hikari grab Kagome from her table. "What song are we doing?" Heather put her hand on Sango's forehead. A slight electric feeling jolted through her head. And a song that she had never heard before started to play. She gasped. "I've never heard this song before. What are those loud instruments?" She cupped her hands over her ears but she couldn't block out the song that was making her ribs vibrate. "This girl's voice is strange. Who is she?" Asked Sango as she was dragged behind the curtain. "That's Janet Jackson, the song is called Doesn't Really Matter. We're all gonna sing that song on stage, & don't worry about not remembering the words, I just imprinted them so that you won't have to study them. You'll be fine." Sango was suddenly dressed in a pair of flair jeans & a white shirt that had the number 23 on it. She looked over to see Heather wearing the same thing only her shirt had the number 25 on it. Hikari walked over, wearing the same outfit also. Her shirt number was 24 & Kagome's was 22. "Well, does everyone know the song?" Heather asked looking at them from under her hat that read 'wassup?' in English. Everyone nodded. Kirei ran out with a shirt that read the number 26 on it. "You weren't thinking of raising the curtain without me ready yet were you?" She asked with a playful smile. They all shook their heads. "We could never forget you Kirei." Hikari joked. Heather beamed & flicked her fingers upward. The curtain pulled up & the band instruments automatically changed & started playing. The colored lights whirled around the stage until the cue came.
"Doesn't matter.doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter at all.
Doesn't matter what your friends tell you
Doesn't matter what my families sayin' too.
It just matters that I'm in love with you
It only matters that you love me too.
It doesn't matter if they won't accept you
I'm accepting of you & the things that you do.
Just as long as it's you.
Nobody but you.
Baby, baby, baby.
My love ! For you! Unconditional love too!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that it.
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is your nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
(You're so kind)
Just what I asked for, your so loving & kind
(And you're mine)
An I can't believe you're mine
Doesn't matter if you're feeling insecure
Doesn't matter if your feeling so unsure
Cause I'll take away the within your heart
And show that my love will never hurt or harm
Doesn't matter with the pain we've gone through
Doesn't matter if the money's gone too
Just as long as I'm with you
Nobody but you
Baby, baby, baby
Your love! For me! Unconditional I see!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that it.
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is your love for me
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is you're nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
(You're so kind)
Just what I asked for, your so loving & kind
(And you're mine)
And I can't believe your mine
Doesn't matter what they say
Cause you know I'm going to love you anyway
Doesn't matter what they do
Cause my love will always be with you
My love! For you! Unconditional love too!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that
My love! Is true! And its! Just for you!
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't matter what they believe
What matters to me is you're nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
And best of all you love me too!
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me
(Whoa oh-oh
Whoa oh-oh!)
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody who's heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
(I'm always doing that!)
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me!"
The remaining crowd went wild at the end. The girls were all smiling at each other. "Now the boys have to sing!" Heather yelled from the stage, her hands cupped over her mouth. It took a few moments for the news to sink into the men's skulls. "What?!" Inuyasha asked looking at them with wide eyes. "You want US to dress up & sing something silly?" The girls gave him an indignant look. "So you think we're silly?" Kagome asked him. He averted her eyes. "No." He mumbled. Kagome smiled. "Then you won't complain that you have to do it." She said, climbing down from the stage. Inuyasha looked back at her. "Feh." Th girls huddled together. "Make them sing something really stupid." Kirei whispered. "No, make them dress up stupid." Kagome said. "I know, lets make them sing a nursery rhyme." Heather suggested. "I got a great idea. Let's do all of the above." Hikari said. "Wait, what did they do to deserve this?" Sango asked. The other's gave her a confused look. "They didn't do anything, this is just for fun. I mean they have been sitting there watching us so...why not make them do it?" Heather asked. Sango nodded. "Then lets not do a song that sounds.'cool'?" She asked looking at the future girls. They all smiled & nodded. "I think we can make this work."
The boys strained their ears to hear the excited voices, & giggles of the girls. But even the sensitive ears of the demons couldn't pick up the words that were whispered in the tight circle of chatting girls. "I hope they don't ask us to do something really stupid & girly." Inuyasha grumbled his head in his hand. "Well, you are the one who agreed to this all." Sesshoumaru said in his cool tone. "What do you mean me? Are you saying this is all my fault?" He looked at his brother angrily across the table. "You catch on quicker than I remember, ototo." Inuyasha fumed & stood up, his hands spread out on the table. "You didn't say a thing about not wanting to! I didn't even agree to anything!" Sesshoumaru only stared at him vaguely. "You said 'feh', & we all know that when you say that it means 'yes' or 'fine'. The reason I didn't say anything is that you seemed to have the situation under control with your woman until you said 'feh'." Inuyasha sat back down, his ears twitching in anger. "Sonnuvabitch." He grumbled to himself. Sesshoumaru smirked to himself.
"We've decided that you boys have to sing 'Ring around the Rosie' while wearing flowered dresses." Kirei announced on Heather's microphone. All the boys looked astonished. "What?! That's a kiddie song! Can't we sing something more." Inuyasha dropped off, looking for the right word. "Masculine?" Kagome suggested. "Yeah." Inuyasha said. "Why do we have to sing that song?" The girls all giggled. "Because we said you do." Kirei said. "Plus, we're tired of singing, it's your turn, ototo & oniisan." Sesshoumaru stood up with a sigh. A sweatdrop formed on his head as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Where do I acquire a flower dress?" He asked. All the girls cheered. "Behind the stage." Kirei laughed, pointing to the makeshift stage. Kiba & Tsume laughed until they could hardly breath. "This is going to be good."
And it was good. The other boys had to be pushed onto the stage. Well, Inuyasha actually had to be 'sat' to the stage. "I ain't doing this." Inuyasha sulked, leaning against the wall backstage. "I can't believe you two are going through with this." He jerked his angry eyebrows up at them. Miroku was trying to pull the dress on with Sesshoumaru next to him, zipping the back of the dress. "I ain't dressing in drag to amuse the girls." Inuyasha protested. "This is only fair Inuyasha." Miroku informed him, zipping his dress. "Now get you dress on so we can get this over with." "Yes, you don't want Kagome to 'sit' you again, do you?" Inuyasha looked slightly frightened. He could already feel the necklace pull him down to the ground with an unbearable force. "Feh." Grabbing a dress he got undressed & put it on.
Outside the girls cheered & jibbed the boys on the stage as they sang. All three were blushing as they danced around. Heather took pictures with a camera she had whipped from the air. "This is going to be so good. Wait until Kouga." She dropped off & looked out the window in the direction of the mountains. The other girls, laughing & shouting encouragement, didn't notice her words at all. "Kouga." Heather breathed. With a quick snap on her head she woke up from her daze. "Pictures." She commanded herself & snapped several more hilarious shots.
Saisei was still strapped down to the table in the corner. When the boys had finished he let out a roar so loud that Hikari had to notice him. "Oh, Saisei." She said, standing & running over to the black dragon. He shifted slightly in his place & stared at her with mournful eyes. "How long have you been here? I thought you were asleep somewhere. Wait.you look like you stuck or something." Heather grabbed him under the belly & yanked him off the table. "Dammit, it was like you were being held down by super glue or something." The black dragon disappeared from her hands & dove at Heather. "Saisei no!" Hikari yelled trying to get in front of him. He screeched & was near to Heather's head when she lifted a plate in his way. "Not today." Heather said with a smile. The dragon fell to the floor, unconscious. Heather giggled & picked him up. "Ha, try to hit me again." She said & handed him to Hikari. "He'll be fine, just needs to sleep off that extra energy."
It was midnight when they went to bed. Heather was sitting, half- asleep on the couch by the stage, which she had removed. "I'll be going tomorrow afternoon." She said. "I'll meet you guys at the mountains." Hikari yawned. "Ok. We'll be there the next day or so." Both girls fell asleep with a dragon in her lap. Sesshoumaru laughed at them from a corner. Inuyasha departed to his room with Kagome not far behind. Miroku was unconscious, taking the giant boomerang to the face was something even he couldn't handle. Shippo, Kohaku, Rin & Jaken were all asleep in separate chairs. Myoga had gone with Kirara to the guests quarters with Sango. With a final smile in the direction of the other's Kiba & Tsume left for their private rooms also. "Tomorrow we must do something very fun." Tsume said to her brother as she walked down the hall beside him. "Yes, we must." He said. They came to a fork in the road & each went their separate ways.
The next morning Saisei opened his eyes to find, to his great relief, that Hikari was asleep beside him. Her long hair flowed down on her shoulder as she slept. Looking around he found that Heather was watching him from a chair. Hisui was awake as well, eating a donut like her master. Heather smiled at him & looked away, toward the mountains. Yes! She was going away that afternoon, back to the mountains! He would not have to worry about her interfering for sometime then! He smiled brightly & laid his head back down on the cushion, in a much better mood than he had ever been.
He woke in the middle of the afternoon. Hikari was gone, far outside in the gardens. Saisei turned his rift ears to hear footsteps, many footsteps outside. He looked around & to his great surprise found that no one was present in the hall. He flew up to peer out the window. He saw the others running around outside, chasing a white ball around & kicking it in different directions. He flew down the nearest hall & found an opening to the garden. He looked in surprise at the game. It was a set of posts that had nets on them. In front of either net was one of the members of the party. For the one on the right it was Kiba, for the one on the left it was Tsume. The others seemed to be split up into teams. They stole the ball from each other, slipped in the grass & mud, tackled each other & laughed at each other. Saisei flew over to Hikari's running form. "It's soccer Saisei! Play! Hisui & Shiro are." A white dart flew past & snatched the ball from her. With a laugh she took off after him. Rin followed close behind. "Saisei should play too." She informed him as she ran. Saisei shook his head & landed in the grass on the sidelines. With another shake of his head he watched the game play out until team 1 had made 21 points. Everyone cheered & clapped each other's hands. A gesture that confused Inuyasha & the other Sengoku Jidaii members. Kagome explained to them what was happening & the sign was done by everyone this time. Saisei flexed his ears slightly, along with his wings that he had spread to absorb heat from the sun. His eyes whirled a deep shade of red, envy. He had wanted to play but he had been too proud. He sighed, pondering what Heather had told him only a few days before. 'She doesn't love you in that way. She never will, give it up.' He closed his eyes to try & hide the tiny tears in his eyes. What would happen to him then?
At that moment Hikari walked over & picked him up. "I told you that you should have played, you need to use all that restless energy sometime, it's not good to keep it locked up. Plus, you look plain miserable." Saisei opened his sad eyes to look at her smiling face. A smile?! A smile just for him?! Yes! He would prove to that idiot Heather exactly what he was to Hikari! He perked up right away & flew around her head, twittering a happy, triumphant song. The words were lost to him but he had a faint distinction of what his dragon kindred sang in triumph. 'I am the one that fights! Hmm hmm hmm.I will not be stopped! Beware I am he who hunts for fun! Hmm.I will triumph no matter what! Beware I am he who hunts for fun!' He sang the song over & over until he was sure he knew every word again. The others simply laughed at his joy. Shiro went rigid though. 'I have felt love & will not let the one has made me fell this joy escape my grasp.' A squawk from the tiny white dragon interrupted the next verse. Waving his wings back & forth & flaming angrily he roared at his black companion. "Stop it! That is no song to sing!" He growled in the dragon's own language. "You show disrespect to our clan to think of such a thing with a human! How dare you feel that kind of love toward your own master?" Rin was staring wide-eyed at her dragon that was perched on her shoulder. "Shiro-chan?" She asked him, looking frightened suddenly. The dragon calmed down & his scales relaxed back onto his skin. Saisei drifted slowly back down to the ground. His eyes had lost their sparkle & he could hardly see anything but Shiro's angry eyes, boring into him. He suddenly furrowed his own brow & flapped his wings harder. How dare that fool reprimand him when he had was in the middle of a victory song! He growled angrily until Hikari cupped her hands over him. He fluttered around angrily in her hands, clawing & screeching until he was hoarse. Hikari held her hands together until she couldn't stand the feel of his claws raking her skin any longer. With a small gasp she let him go, to fly in the air. He growled down at the other dragons & then disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Hikari watched the smoke drift away with worried eyes. "Oh, I hope he's Ok. He looked angry." She said, poking her lip as she walked. Heather only smiled at her. "Come now, can't you tell a temper tantrum when you see one? Saisei is very prone to go off like a volcano like that if pushed the wrong way, I thought you of all people would notice that." Hikari shook her head. "I find it very hard to sense his feelings sometimes." Heather nodded, then checked the sun. "Oh, holy shit! I was supposed to be gone several hours ago! I'll have to sleep on the ground tonight!" She disappeared & then was back in the blink of an eye. A single bag slung over her shoulder. "Why not just teleport there?" Hikari asked her friend. Heather gave her a shocked look. "And make it easy to get somewhere? Are you daft? I WANT it to take time! I LOVE car trips!" The red motorcycle appeared beside her. Hikari smiled at her friend. 'Heather would make a great dog.' She noticed with a laugh. "I heard that!" Heather said over her shoulder. "That's soo cruel!!!" She gave her friend fake teary eyes. Hikari laughed harder at her friends hurt look. "I know exactly what you're doing without reading your mind Heather Dunaway! You want me to apologize then you'll say something like, 'oh, I wasn't sad.' I can read you like a book!" Heather smiled. "We have been friend much too long if I'm that readable. Tell me, what is this thing that I've forgotten?" Hikari gave her a puzzled look. "Wha?" Heather nodded. "I thought so. You said you could read me like a book, so I was hoping you could tell me what in heavens name I forgot." Hisui appeared on her shoulder at that instant. "Never mind, found it." She pointed stupidly at her dragon as she prepared to mount the red cycle. "Hey, call me, mmk?" Hikari said. Heather gave her a v-sign. "YOU had better call ME. I'll forget." Heather tapped her helmet with her finger. "All-timers remember?" Hikari laughed. "How could I forget?" "It's contagious.I warned you."
The motor of the cycle made everyone that was nearby jump. Hikari & Kagome, who were used to such things, didn't budge an inch as the thing was popped into gear & was ridden away with Heather waving back at them. "I'll see ya soon!" Hikari waved back. "You bet! I'll call you tomorrow when we're leavin'!" Without another word the red vehicle had moved from sight. Hikari looked after it with slightly sad eyes. "Heather was never one to stay in one place for long." She thought aloud. "She'd even leave during class without the teachers permission to do something at random." A small smile broke on her face. "Yeah.I remember that." The others simply stared at her as she muttered to herself & finally smiled. "Well, who wants to play a round of volleyball?"
Leaving so soon was not Heather's idea of fun, but she had promised Kouga & something else besides the promise seemed to lure her there. "It must be my love for quiet places. I was always attracted to nice quiet places where I could think to myself." She muttered. "What do you think?" She asked the dragon that sat, low to the rail, on the front of her bike. "Seems logical captain." She said with a true blue dragon smile. Heather patted her gently, being careful not to leave her hand off the bar too long. "I'm cutting you off al the TV you watch."
The sound of the horrible beast rang in her ears for sometime before she could find the source. "Accursed heightened hearing!" Kagura gasped, clapping her hands over her sensitive youkai ears. "I'd hate to be a dog or wolf demon right now." She said with a smirk. "You can hear that beast for miles! What is it that makes such a noise though? It is sounds of something dying!" She spotted the clouds of dust long before the source itself. It swept clear from the west toward the mountains in the north. "What in the 7 hells?" Kagura asked. "If that is that accursed demon Kouga then I will have to see what he has to make such noise." She directed her feather in the direction of the smoke. That is until she noticed that the curls of smoke were heading toward her. "Good, the horrible noise will pass beneath me." She said. A red dot was seen against the light brown dust as the noise came closer. Kagura lowered her feather slightly to get a better look at the rider & her companion.
The rider wore a red helmet that matched her vehicle. She, or at least Kagura thought it was a she, was bent low over the bars, her head sticking out slightly from the front. A small black dragon with it's wings furled & in the same position with a smaller red helmet on her head. Kagura sighted a small lock of blond hair peep out from the helmet. "Ah, so she IS back. That fool demon was lying! He said that girl with blond hair was riding a red dragon that graced the ground & that the rider was a goddess with powers unknown! I thought he was talking of someone with powers similar to this girls! But no matter, I have Naraku's information. Kachiki killed Kikyo & Hikari has definitely returned riding an angry red monster with a black dragon at her side." Another smirk formed. "I have to bring her now.but.what am I going to do that she will come easily, the last time I had to use a threat.what could I use this time? She seems to be traveling alone." With a whoosh Kagura was gone, her feather whizzing in the direction of the castle. "Damn him always sending me out on these stupid missions."
Heather watched the feather curiously from behind her visor. Hmm.wonder what she was looking at?" Heather asked herself thoughtfully. "Ah-well." Another pull on the gas & she was went faster down the dirt road. "Hope no one tried to get in my way, I haven't perfected my stops yet."
Hikari & Kagome tried their best to teach the youkai & others how to 'bump' the volleyball to one another. "No, no Shippo, like this." Kagome showed him how to fold his hands so they wouldn't smart after connecting with an air ball. Shippo nodded & stopped rubbing his wrists. "Thanks Kagome." He smiled at her, showing his little fangs. With a sigh Kagome walked back over & admired the trainees. "This reminds me of how much Heather hated PE" Hikari said dully. "She hated PE?" Kagome asked a little shocked. "Still does. She never did like sports that much, so PE just got in her way. Plus, she was never good at sports, except for maybe baseball. She never understood why she shouldn't swing her hardest & not knock people out." Hikari didn't even smile as she usually did when remembering Heather's funny moments. "She knocked people out?" Kagome asked. "Not on purpose. She was a great hitter, always connected with the ball, which always connected with a body-part, head, groin, stomach, leg, you name it she hit it. Very bad aim still has it. She's been banned from playing, she finds it hilarious, I think she's really angry about it though." Kagome winced at the thought of what the beaten players looked like. "What brought this up?" Kagome asked her. "Oh, well, the sports & everything. Plus, I was just thinking about how well she did in the soccer game. She's better at sports that involve her feet kicking something rather than her hands grabbing it." Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I see what you mean. I don't think she'd do very well in those either."
Inuyasha had the hang of it slightly. He kept seeing something out of the corner of his eye though. He finally turned his head to see Kirei playing expertly as if it were natural to her. He was so shocked that he didn't even notice the ball coming back down. "Curse gravity." Hikari said, watching the ball fall on the unsuspecting Inuyasha. "Dodge left!" She called to Inuyasha. He jumped immediately & looked up at her confusedly as the ball landed in the grass beside him. "Quick reflexes." Hikari observed. "How?" Kagome asked. "It's like a thing in the brain. When you're not concentrating you seem to act a command without even thinking about what you were asked. It isn't until after you've done the act that you know what is happening." Hikari said. "It's like a simple hypnosis thing." Kagome nodded, she had never thought of it that way. "I noticed it first when I was little, that I would be thinking of something else & would hear a command & simply walk away like a zombie or something. I wouldn't wake up from what I was thinking of until I felt my fingers clasp something, then I seemed to suddenly realize that I had moved." Hikari smiled slightly. "But that was a long time ago.
It had grown dark now. Only the sounds of crickets & other being's of the night were heard. Hikari leaned her head idly against a post in thought. No party had been organized, no songs had been sung, no one had danced to some song that was played by an invisible band. There was no one to organize such an event. Heather had not given the information on how to do such things with Hikari. Even though Hikari was sure she would be able to do them if she tried, she didn't feel like celebrating without her friend. With a sigh she shifted slightly in the cold autumn air. "What is you doing out here Hikari-san?" Rin asked, walking out. She started to shiver immediately. Hikari stood & a red sweater made of wool covered the tiny girl. "Sorry Rin, I was just thinking." Rin looked at the oversized sweater. "What was Hikari thinking about?" She asked looking up with her large, innocent eyes. Hikari couldn't help but smile at them. "I was wondering if Heather was cold. Rin shrugged. "Heather has got lots of magic powers. She can make herself warm. Plus she has fire-breathing dragon, Hisui with her." With a small turn she walked back into the cavernous entry. "Is Hikari-sama coming?" She asked over her shoulder. Hikari smiled. "Yeah, I think I will."
It was the night of the third day. Kouga looked over the top of the mountain but he couldn't see a thing even with his sharpened hearing & sight, he saw nothing. 'I will be back by noon of the third day.' Her words still rang in his ears. The other youkai in the caves had grown restless near sundown. "Where is the human witch?" They had asked. "Surely she was not LYING when she said she would return." They had emphasized 'lying' in a way that irritated him, yet he had not reprimanded them. Ginta & Hakkaku were the only ones who seemed to believe her besides him. She would return. 'I will send Hisui ahead with the message.' He remembered what she had said about the dragon now. Yes, she would send her black messenger, he would hold it captive if she said that she planned on not coming after all. He had to find out why his heart ached & why the pain grew worse whenever he thought of her. Looking over the edge of the cliff again he could faintly hear something in the distance. He narrowed his eyes to try & see if his sight would get better if he did this. Nothing changed except that his lashes hung in his vision. He sighed & turned away. He would just have to go find her in the morning if she had not come by then.
Heather pulled her large monster off the road toward a small opening she had found. Hisui was half-asleep & Heather was afraid she might slip off & be crushed by the large wheels if she didn't stop soon.
The motor of the machine was cut short as Heather stopped it & parked it nearby. The mountain loomed several miles away. With a sigh she flexed her wings which she hadn't used in several days. The large black feathered wings looked very ominous behind her in the dark & she quickly let them go back into the 'shadow world' where things that are invisible go. She took her hair down from the long ponytail & with a flick of her finger the long sleeved shirt & another pair of long pants appeared on her. She rubbed her hair until it was lank & out of the form of a ponytail. With another sigh she picked her little dragon off the front of the bike & flicked her finger again. A few blankets appeared on the ground. She laid her dragon friend on the ground by her pillow. She moved in her sleep & groaned as she got used to the hard, cold feel of the ground as it converged underneath her into a small pillow with a tiny blanket spread over her curled form. Heather smiled at her & curled up in a blanket next to her, too tired to notice the presence above her.
Kagura had returned after a visit with Naraku to report her findings. She hated to run errands for him but couldn't wait to exact her revenge on the girl that had humiliated her several times before. She wondered on the idea that the girl might destroy Naraku for her this time, the girl had come pretty close the last time with the help of her friends. She smirked. "Freedom." The word still made a flame inside her jump alive whenever spoken aloud. It always seemed to have more of an effect on her when it was spoken rather than thought of.
Without a sound she glided down toward the earth below. The girl seemed to be fast asleep already but even her demon senses could be wrong at times. She slid from the feather as it hovered above the ground. The girl looked content as she slept. Her legs sprawled out to the side, sticking out from the covers. Her hair lying spread out on the white pillow. Her arms were bent up by her head & her mouth was open & she appeared to be drooling. She smiled slightly in her sleep, sighed & rolled over. Kagura looked at her in detest. "He knows I loath her & he still will not send out someone else besides me to bring her to the castle. Though.she does not look like her self." Kagura studied the freckles, the slightly longer legs, the girls hair seemed slightly darker too. "Masking her appearance & scent but not her aura? I wonder if she even knows she bears one?" Kagura grabbed a handful of the girls hair & pulled her upwards. Heather only smiled in her sleep. She mumbled something & her smile turned to a frown in pain. She suddenly fell back down onto her pillow with a thump. Left in Kagura's hand was a fake wig that had been pulled off Heather's head. "Retched girl still playing her tricks! Who knows how many years she has aged in the portal that Naraku made! This might even be her silly daughter if I." Kagura stopped & took a good look at the girl again. She didn't look anything like Sesshoumaru though.was another the father then? The monk? Certainly not, that demon slayer liked him. The thoughts whirled through her mind. If she were hanyou then this might be her 'time of the month' for she had no smell of demon of any kind now. Kagura took another smell of the air. Nothing save the smell of a dragon was in the air other than this girl. Kagura shrugged. With a huff she hoisted the dead weight of the girl onto her feather. "You weigh a ton girl! Did you gain weight while you were gone?!" A grunt was all she received as answer.
Lifting the dragon next to her was easier. It was only the size of a cat & weighed barely anything. With a small look over her shoulder Kagura looked at the large red motorcycle. How was she to bring that thing? She furrowed her brow in thought then noticed that the thing had disappeared. Everything in the clearing was gone, the bed of blankets, the motorcycle, even the scent of someone being in the clearing was gone. Kagura gasped slightly & looked at the girl questioningly. Her head was leaned on her arm & she was still smiling to herself dreamily. Kagura could sense that she was still no where near waking, but then who? The dragon? No, it was still asleep too, on the back off the girl. With a small shrug Kagura climbed onto the feather. The girl moaned slightly as they took off into the cold night air. Kagura smirked, at least the girl was not comfortable.
It took some time before she reached the barrier to Naraku's castle. They slid easily through the purple ooze that Heather would later describe as a 'wall of grape Jell-O'. She shifted as the feather came back to the ground. Kagura got off & directed the feather up to a screen on the side of the castle. The girl still hadn't moved or showed signs of waking. Kagura strode through the house until she found the room she wanted & walked inside. She opened the screen to let the huge feather in & then let the girl slide into a futon on the ground. Heather shifted in her sleep again as she hit the pillow. Hisui lay in her hair above her head, her tail lolling over the edge. With a smirk Kagura closed the screen to the outside & shut the screen behind her as she left to Naraku's chambers & then her own.
"What news Kagura?" Naraku asked as she entered. "I have brought her as you requested. She is still asleep in a room in the East Side of the castle." Kagura reported. Naraku stared past her at the door. "And what of Kikyo & Kachiki?" He asked for about the thousandth time. "I have told you already, she died with Kachiki close behind her, at the hands of Kachiki herself. Kagome didn't seem involved at all. The Girl Hikari is asleep, as I have told you, what do you plan to do now? Ask her how she got back? Or is that my job?" Naraku suddenly looked at her with sharp, angry eyes. "Kagura, are you sure that this girl is her?" Kagura nodded. "Or her half- demon daughter that is having her demon 'time of the month' now. They do look similar." Naraku nodded. "Wait until morning & see if she recognizes you."
Kouga could feel that something was not right when he smelled Kagura in the air. The light was slowly coming over the eastern mountains as he caught her scent, it was old but she had been close by. Another scent filled his nose as he walked though the wods where he had heard the noises the night before. It was Heather! She had been around here & Kagura too! Were they in leagues together? No, Heather had not smelled of that witch or of the tainted smell of Naraku. He looked further, until he could take it no more & followed her scent back to where she had come from, hoping that Kagome was where she had been.
They had started walking earlier that morning. They were well behind Heather on the way to the mountains by the time the wolf demon ran into them. He appeared to be only a hurried looking dust cloud & he almost passed them by in his haste.
Inuyasha's hand went for Tetsusaiga but Kagome stopped him. "He looks worried by the way that cloud is formed." Kagome pointed at the dust that was splayed in every direction instead of in a tornado look like it usually was. "Let's see what he has to say, plus, wasn't Heather going toward his mountains? Maybe something's wrong." Inuyasha dropped his hand & watched the cloud get closer. It stopped right beside the party & Kouga looked at them in bewilderment before he noticed that he had found them. "Where is she?!" He demanded a bit more roughly than he meant. Inuyasha bared his teeth. "She's with me!" Kouga looked at him angrily. "Shut up pup!" he growled & looked at Hikari. "You look like Heather! Where is she?!" He asked again, his eyes narrowed slightly. "She was ahead of us by a whole night, isn't she with you?" Hikari looked worried as she saw the distraught look in his eyes that he was trying hard to hide. "Does she have a shard with her?" Hikari thought it over. "Wait, you mean she's not with you?!" Kouga growled & seemed to lose his patience fast. "Yes! She is gone! I smelled both her & Kagura's scents earlier this morning! Does she have a jewel shard?!" He demanded with a great deal of force. Hikari tried to hide the tears that welled up in her eyes at the thought of losing her best friend. Was even Heather strong enough to stop Naraku? She gulped down a great deal of air before answering. "I'm.I think she did. She told me about it a couple night ago." Kouga turned then to Kagome, leaving Hikari with her questions & tears starting to form rapidly. "Can you feel the jewel shard?!" He demanded looking her dead in the eyes. Kagome read the emotion that consumed his vision as she peered back & nodded. 'Worry, deep worry.' Kagome thought as she looked around & tried to sort out Heather's jewel shards particular energy. "It's coming from over there, in the same place as Naraku's large orb piece." Kagome's voice quavered a little. Kouga smiled at her. "Thanks Kagome." He tore out toward the way that Kagome had pointed, right in the heart of the country.
Getting toward the end. I know, long series, but hey, it was hard to try & think of when I would stop writing. I'm going to have a sequel though, I hope you'll read it too. Not completely sure of the name yet but it will be cool & more about Rin & Hikari together than this story is. Another about.well, you'll find out. I'm going to have several side stories too. I'll tell you in the beginning of each one whether it is a side story or direct sequel, but each sequel might mention something happening in a side story or vice versa so, who knows. ^_^ Thanks for coming this far wit me. I can't wait to write the ending. I hope you like it. Reviews!
~ OtakuSailorV ^_~
They left the castle around 3 in the afternoon. The sun a decent shade of yellow. Hisui had recovered from the sudden change of emotions that her master had undertaken only hours before. "You think she would be used to it by now." Heather said, holding the sleeping dragon in her hands. "I change my emotions all the time at home & quick too. Maybe it was just strange for her to feel sadness." Heather guessed. Hikari looked at her quizzically, Saisei was still nowhere to be seen. "What do you mean? She's never been sad before?" Heather shook her head. "When dragon's are born they have no emotions, they can feel no emotions either. They are simple creatures, like demons sorta. Not demons like Sesshoumaru or Shippo mind you, like the ones that seem to only have battle on their minds. Anyway, spending time with humans can change that. That's why it's so taxing on their minds & bodies & they sometimes are extremely sleepy." Hikari nodded. "Saisei has never been like that but I have seen Shiro act strangely, & he sleeps longer than Saisei on some days too." She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Yeah, it's all based on your reactions & your emotions. Shiro will act strangely for a long time until he has absorbed & copied every aspect of your personality. Saisei though.I'm not sure. Maybe he still has all his emotions still since he seems to be so in l." Heather dropped off. Was Hikari aware of Saisei's feelings for her? Hikari gave her an attentive look. "Yes, go on." Heather stopped staring. "Since he seems to be so attached to you. I doubt he still has his dark intentions because he can no longer gain a human form no matter what he does. But he does seem to not be affected by your emotions.I wonder if that has to do with his reincarnation?" Heather went into deep thought on the matter. Hikari thought no more of it & walked on. 'Where was that dragon?'
Sesshoumaru watched the two girls talk ahead of him. 'What was it they were saying? Something about dragons, that was certain, but what?' He strained to hear their conversation. "Demons.Sesshoumaru." He perked up at the sound of his name & race. Where they having an argument about him? If so, why? He listened harder but the other conversations going on between the others seemed to drift in & cloud out Hikari & Heather's conversation. He looked from the ground up at Hikari to see her falling back, leaving Heather to think deeply. She stopped by him & watched his confused eyes. "What?" She asked him. "Is there something wrong?" Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Actually.yes." He confessed, feeling her eyes bore into his cheek. "What were you talking about? I thought I heard my name." He leaned closer to her & almost whispered the words. Hikari only smiled. "Oh, Heather was voicing her thoughts on why Saisei doesn't get exhausted from copying my emotions. She said that Shiro was but that Saisei didn't seem to get his emotions from anyone. That he seemed to have them already from his previous incarnation." Hikari looked ahead thoughtfully. "She mentioned you & Shippo as examples of demons that could feel emotions, not like the demons that wander aimlessly & only seemed concerned with fighting." He was slightly embarrassed by her remark. 'Able to control emotions? To feel them?' What was she speaking of? He had always been able to show emotion, he had only concealed it after Hana's death. As for fighting, what youkai didn't like a good brawl once in a while? Or was she speaking of the lesser demons that attacked humans & ate their flesh? He shrugged it off. "I was just wondering." Hikari smiled at him, seeing what he thought they were talking about. "Heather has past the stage where she interfered with my decisions. We seem to have a way of knowing when the other won't give on the subject. Strange but it does seem that way sometimes, like we're bonded somehow. Sometimes I even think that I know what she's thinking before she says it." Hikari blushed. "Did you ever have a friend like that?" Sesshoumaru remembered distantly a friend who had fought along side him, who had laughed & played with him, but who or where that person was, was a mystery. "I did, at one time, but I can't remember who they were or anything else about them." He looked slightly sad. "Maybe aunt Tsume knows?" She suggested. He laughed. "Tsume & Kiba would know! They seem to know everything about me lately!" He laughed again. Hikari, seeing his mirth, joined in; not sure of what was funny.
They arrived back at the castle around 5. They had stopped several times to look at something or to talk. Hikari had found a single jewel shard nestled in a weed by Kagome's foot. "I just saw the glitter as you looked around & went for it. Sorry to have scared you." Hikari apologized for zipping by Kagome so fast that she had almost knocked her down. Kagome took the shard with a simple smile. "I wonder why I didn't feel it before?"
Tsume was standing in the garden, watching their approach. She smiled at them from her perch. "I wonder how tonight will be?" She mused & left to greet them.
Kirei had run ahead of everyone with a smile. "I gotta go!" She called over her shoulder. They watched her spring nimbly around on the lawn until she had passed out of sight. "Wonder what she's doing?" Hikari thought aloud. Heather smiled as she watched the tiny dot. "She's meeting someone." She said with a slight smile. Everyone stared at her. "What kind of 'someone'?" Inuyasha & Sesshoumaru asked, standing over her. Heather backed down slightly, smiling at them playfully. "I don't think you should interfere until she decides to tell you about him herself." Heather said finally, giving them a stern look. They stood down. "Who is the man? Is he human or demon?" Heather smiled. "Demon." They looked at each other in thought. "Someone very close to Hikari." Heather clued them in. All surrounding demons looked at each other. "It's not Sesshoumaru & it can't be me so it must be either Myoga or Shippo." Inuyasha said with a growl. "Spill it runt!" He grabbed Shippo by the collar & yanked him up into his face. "Think clearly Inuyasha, why would she run off to meet Shippo if he is here with us?" Miroku asked him. The hanyou dropped his captive & looked around. "MYOGA!!!" He growled louder than he thought possible. Kagome looked at him in alarm. "Wow." She said seeing him gasping for breath afterwards. A tiny dot scampered up & landed on his shoulder. "You called Lord Inuyasha?" He asked. Heather, who was getting annoyed with the Hanyou's ignorance, sat down in the grass. "Are you.?" Inuyasha began but stopped when he saw Heather's look. "What?!" He asked her angrily. "Wrong." She said with half lidded eyes. Inuyasha looked around. "Who then? Miroku never asked her to bear his child I think." He began. "He did but she laughed & hit him really hard when he touched her butt." Shippo said with a smile. The monk went pale & looked anxiously at the two angry youkai he was standing by. "You did what?!" They both growled & went in for the attack. "Osuwari!" Kagome yelled, Inuyasha was pulled to the ground, leaving Miroku to fend off Sesshoumaru. Hikari thought faster & jumped on his back. Her added weight didn't stop him though. He landed by the monk & gave him a powerful punch to the face, which sent him back through the forest. A deep growl emitted & Hikari put her legs down & wrapped them around Sesshoumaru's. Using a trick that she often used to use on her brothers she pressed her toes into the pressure points in his knees. He suddenly tumbled forward with a small gasp. Hikari jumped off so she wouldn't crush him with her extra weight. He fell & caught himself with his arms but still got a good fall in. Hikari apologized as she pulled him to his feet. He simply gave her a slight smile. "Thank you for stopping me." He whispered in her ear. She smiled at him warmly.
The monk pulled himself up to show that he had not been hit as hard as everyone thought. He smiled at them & stood up. Sango gave him an angry look but seemed to decide to hit him later. "I guess nothing is a secret any longer." He mused. Inuyasha pulled himself up with a curse. "So who is this mystery man?" He asked from the ground, trying in vain to cool his temper. "Think hard. I said a person very close to Hikari. He is demon, not hanyou & not human. He is not in this group at the moment." Everyone thought but from Hikari's look she seemed to have guessed. "No." She said seeing Heather smile. "Yeah." Heather said. Hikari went slightly paler. "But he's so much older." She said. Heather shook her head. "Not in this time he isn't." Hikari nodded. "No I guess he isn't that much older here. But why haven't I seen him or why hasn't he come to check out my power that comes from the Dragon Clans?" Heather laughed slightly. "In this time of demons do you think he can sense a single one like yours amidst all these other powers? No, you will have to raise it more maybe to full power before he gets the idea that someone with your talents is here." Hikari looked at the ground. "How does this affect 'My Hikaru'?" She asked. The other's seemed to notice it for the first time who they were speaking of. "Hikaru? Dog Youkai, mind reader, Hikaru? Your dog Hikaru?" Inuyasha asked her. Heather & Hikari nodded. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it as if in thought. Shippo climbed onto his shoulder. "Thinking before speaking for change Inuyasha?" He asked with a smile. He received a blow to the head that sent him sprawling across the ground. He held his head with a whine. "Is that 'yes'?" He asked. Another blow sent him farther across the lawn. 'Honestly I wonder if he will ever learn when to stop?' Heather thought to herself on the ground. Inuyasha looked at them directly in the eyes. "Are you serious? Is this really the truth?" Heather sat up straight. "We are incapable of lying." She said in a matter-of-fact way. "That's a lie right there." Hikari said looking sidelong at her friend. Heather gave her a slight glare. "Are you insinuating that I lie all the time?" Hikari yawned. "I don't have to insinuate, I know." Heather gave her a hurt look, then smiled cheerfully. "You know me too well." She announced. "Well? What is it?!" Inuyasha asked, getting angrier. "It's the truth. I'm dead serious dude." Inuyasha cocked his head to one side. "Dude?" Heather laughed slightly. "It's like a way of saying 'man!', or 'cool!', or 'awesome!' or something like that." Inuyasha still looked slightly confused. "Kagome will explain it later." He nodded. "Is Hikaru a little." He searched for the right word. 'Please don't be blunt!' Kagome prayed silently. "A little.I don't know.crazy?" Hikari smiled & Heather laughed. "Yeah, he is in our time but who knows what he's like out here." Heater said.
They chatted on in the grass until Tsume decided to come out with them. "What are you talking about?" The group knew she could hear their conversation already but decided to amuse her. "About Kirei's boyfriend." Heather said with a bright smile. "She has a boyfriend?" Tsume asked, sitting in the grass also. Kiba strode out & landed in a bound beside her. "Kirei has a boyfriend?" He repeated. Everyone nodded. "Yeah, it's Hikari's dog in the future! His name is Hikaru. But we all have to sound surprised when she announces it, she might be upset that we found out already." Kiba smiled. "We swear not to mention a thing about her boyfriend to anyone." They stared at the smiling twins for some time before seeming to accept that. "I've been meaning to ask, do you two have, you know.a significant other?" Heather asked, tracing a line with her finger in the grass. Everyone looked at her in shocked way but she didn't seem bothered with her own question. The twins laughed, dog-ears popping out from their silver manes. "Yes, I am in love with a very handsome young man from china." Tsume said with stars in her eyes. "He lives their but wasn't born there. His name is Tochi. He's a dog demon that has the power over plants & growth." Tsume sighed dreamily & shut her eyes. Kiba was smiling. "Well, what's her name?" Inuyasha asked, head in hand. "She is the cousin of Tochi & is called Taki. She is also a dog demon that has the power over water & rain. Her fur is blue & her eyes are gray like the sea before a storm." He also sighed & closed his eyes. "I bet they have another cousin or brother or something that has the power over fire & is called, let's see.Netsui. And an aunt or uncle or a cousin or brother or sister named Kumo & that they have the power over the winds." Heather mused to herself thoughtfully. "How did you know that Taki had a sister named Netsui?!" Asked Kiba, his face suddenly in hers. "And what about Tochi's brother Kumo?! How did you know about him?!" Aunt Tsume's face rose in front of Kiba's. Heather looked at them nervously. "I swear it was a lucky guess!" She cried. "Plus I can read minds & I got a brief glimpse of all of you standing together in a grassy field like this one from a long time ago." Heather explained. The two demons settled back on the ground. "Oh." They said as one. They smiled at each other with sweatdrops forming. "Sorry."
It was around 8 o' clock when they finally went in to eat. Like the night before the girls all went on an artificial stage that Heather created & did a little Kareoke. Hikari & Heather dressed in baggy street clothes again & walked out with their mics to meet the crowd.
'I Got Your Back'
From 'Cardcaptor Sakura'
"I got your back.
I-I-I,
I got your back.
We've been good friends,
For sucha long time.
You know my rap,
& you finish my rhyme.
Through thick & thin
I can depend on you.
Any kinda weather
You always see me through
I'll always be there for you.
I'm always gonna be your best,
Together, you & me,
to the very end.
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (got your back)
You can always count on me.
I got your back!
You're in control
But sometimes it's hard to see
It's never easy like you want it to be
Life's what it is
You gotta deal with it
You got the pieces
But they don't always fit
There's nothing we can't do
I'm always gonna be your best friend
Together you & me
to the very end!
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (got your back)
You can always count on me!
I got your-
I got your back
I'm always gonna be your best friend
Together you & me
To the very end!
Fighting side by side (by side)
I got your back (Got your back)
You can always count on me!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!
I got your back!"
Everyone cheered as the song ended. Sango clapped as hard as she could for her friends. A hand touched her shoulder & she was pulled backward, out of her seat. She gasped & growled out 'Miroku' in a warning way. Heather was beaming at her shocked face. "Shh, all the girls are doing a song now." Sango nodded & followed, seeing Hikari grab Kagome from her table. "What song are we doing?" Heather put her hand on Sango's forehead. A slight electric feeling jolted through her head. And a song that she had never heard before started to play. She gasped. "I've never heard this song before. What are those loud instruments?" She cupped her hands over her ears but she couldn't block out the song that was making her ribs vibrate. "This girl's voice is strange. Who is she?" Asked Sango as she was dragged behind the curtain. "That's Janet Jackson, the song is called Doesn't Really Matter. We're all gonna sing that song on stage, & don't worry about not remembering the words, I just imprinted them so that you won't have to study them. You'll be fine." Sango was suddenly dressed in a pair of flair jeans & a white shirt that had the number 23 on it. She looked over to see Heather wearing the same thing only her shirt had the number 25 on it. Hikari walked over, wearing the same outfit also. Her shirt number was 24 & Kagome's was 22. "Well, does everyone know the song?" Heather asked looking at them from under her hat that read 'wassup?' in English. Everyone nodded. Kirei ran out with a shirt that read the number 26 on it. "You weren't thinking of raising the curtain without me ready yet were you?" She asked with a playful smile. They all shook their heads. "We could never forget you Kirei." Hikari joked. Heather beamed & flicked her fingers upward. The curtain pulled up & the band instruments automatically changed & started playing. The colored lights whirled around the stage until the cue came.
"Doesn't matter.doesn't matter.
Doesn't matter at all.
Doesn't matter what your friends tell you
Doesn't matter what my families sayin' too.
It just matters that I'm in love with you
It only matters that you love me too.
It doesn't matter if they won't accept you
I'm accepting of you & the things that you do.
Just as long as it's you.
Nobody but you.
Baby, baby, baby.
My love ! For you! Unconditional love too!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that it.
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is your nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
(You're so kind)
Just what I asked for, your so loving & kind
(And you're mine)
An I can't believe you're mine
Doesn't matter if you're feeling insecure
Doesn't matter if your feeling so unsure
Cause I'll take away the within your heart
And show that my love will never hurt or harm
Doesn't matter with the pain we've gone through
Doesn't matter if the money's gone too
Just as long as I'm with you
Nobody but you
Baby, baby, baby
Your love! For me! Unconditional I see!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that it.
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is your love for me
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't really matter what they believe
What matters to me is you're nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
(You're so kind)
Just what I asked for, your so loving & kind
(And you're mine)
And I can't believe your mine
Doesn't matter what they say
Cause you know I'm going to love you anyway
Doesn't matter what they do
Cause my love will always be with you
My love! For you! Unconditional love too!
Gotta get up, get up, get up, get up, get up & show you that
My love! Is true! And its! Just for you!
Doesn't really matter what the eye is seeing
Cause I'm in love with the inner being
Doesn't matter what they believe
What matters to me is you're nutty, nutty, nutty for me.
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
And best of all you love me too!
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me
(Whoa oh-oh
Whoa oh-oh!)
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody who's heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me
Nutty, nutty, nutty my love for you
(I'm always doing that!)
I can't believe my dreams come true
I finally found somebody whose heart is true
& best of all you nutty, nutty, nutty for me!"
The remaining crowd went wild at the end. The girls were all smiling at each other. "Now the boys have to sing!" Heather yelled from the stage, her hands cupped over her mouth. It took a few moments for the news to sink into the men's skulls. "What?!" Inuyasha asked looking at them with wide eyes. "You want US to dress up & sing something silly?" The girls gave him an indignant look. "So you think we're silly?" Kagome asked him. He averted her eyes. "No." He mumbled. Kagome smiled. "Then you won't complain that you have to do it." She said, climbing down from the stage. Inuyasha looked back at her. "Feh." Th girls huddled together. "Make them sing something really stupid." Kirei whispered. "No, make them dress up stupid." Kagome said. "I know, lets make them sing a nursery rhyme." Heather suggested. "I got a great idea. Let's do all of the above." Hikari said. "Wait, what did they do to deserve this?" Sango asked. The other's gave her a confused look. "They didn't do anything, this is just for fun. I mean they have been sitting there watching us so...why not make them do it?" Heather asked. Sango nodded. "Then lets not do a song that sounds.'cool'?" She asked looking at the future girls. They all smiled & nodded. "I think we can make this work."
The boys strained their ears to hear the excited voices, & giggles of the girls. But even the sensitive ears of the demons couldn't pick up the words that were whispered in the tight circle of chatting girls. "I hope they don't ask us to do something really stupid & girly." Inuyasha grumbled his head in his hand. "Well, you are the one who agreed to this all." Sesshoumaru said in his cool tone. "What do you mean me? Are you saying this is all my fault?" He looked at his brother angrily across the table. "You catch on quicker than I remember, ototo." Inuyasha fumed & stood up, his hands spread out on the table. "You didn't say a thing about not wanting to! I didn't even agree to anything!" Sesshoumaru only stared at him vaguely. "You said 'feh', & we all know that when you say that it means 'yes' or 'fine'. The reason I didn't say anything is that you seemed to have the situation under control with your woman until you said 'feh'." Inuyasha sat back down, his ears twitching in anger. "Sonnuvabitch." He grumbled to himself. Sesshoumaru smirked to himself.
"We've decided that you boys have to sing 'Ring around the Rosie' while wearing flowered dresses." Kirei announced on Heather's microphone. All the boys looked astonished. "What?! That's a kiddie song! Can't we sing something more." Inuyasha dropped off, looking for the right word. "Masculine?" Kagome suggested. "Yeah." Inuyasha said. "Why do we have to sing that song?" The girls all giggled. "Because we said you do." Kirei said. "Plus, we're tired of singing, it's your turn, ototo & oniisan." Sesshoumaru stood up with a sigh. A sweatdrop formed on his head as he spoke through clenched teeth. "Where do I acquire a flower dress?" He asked. All the girls cheered. "Behind the stage." Kirei laughed, pointing to the makeshift stage. Kiba & Tsume laughed until they could hardly breath. "This is going to be good."
And it was good. The other boys had to be pushed onto the stage. Well, Inuyasha actually had to be 'sat' to the stage. "I ain't doing this." Inuyasha sulked, leaning against the wall backstage. "I can't believe you two are going through with this." He jerked his angry eyebrows up at them. Miroku was trying to pull the dress on with Sesshoumaru next to him, zipping the back of the dress. "I ain't dressing in drag to amuse the girls." Inuyasha protested. "This is only fair Inuyasha." Miroku informed him, zipping his dress. "Now get you dress on so we can get this over with." "Yes, you don't want Kagome to 'sit' you again, do you?" Inuyasha looked slightly frightened. He could already feel the necklace pull him down to the ground with an unbearable force. "Feh." Grabbing a dress he got undressed & put it on.
Outside the girls cheered & jibbed the boys on the stage as they sang. All three were blushing as they danced around. Heather took pictures with a camera she had whipped from the air. "This is going to be so good. Wait until Kouga." She dropped off & looked out the window in the direction of the mountains. The other girls, laughing & shouting encouragement, didn't notice her words at all. "Kouga." Heather breathed. With a quick snap on her head she woke up from her daze. "Pictures." She commanded herself & snapped several more hilarious shots.
Saisei was still strapped down to the table in the corner. When the boys had finished he let out a roar so loud that Hikari had to notice him. "Oh, Saisei." She said, standing & running over to the black dragon. He shifted slightly in his place & stared at her with mournful eyes. "How long have you been here? I thought you were asleep somewhere. Wait.you look like you stuck or something." Heather grabbed him under the belly & yanked him off the table. "Dammit, it was like you were being held down by super glue or something." The black dragon disappeared from her hands & dove at Heather. "Saisei no!" Hikari yelled trying to get in front of him. He screeched & was near to Heather's head when she lifted a plate in his way. "Not today." Heather said with a smile. The dragon fell to the floor, unconscious. Heather giggled & picked him up. "Ha, try to hit me again." She said & handed him to Hikari. "He'll be fine, just needs to sleep off that extra energy."
It was midnight when they went to bed. Heather was sitting, half- asleep on the couch by the stage, which she had removed. "I'll be going tomorrow afternoon." She said. "I'll meet you guys at the mountains." Hikari yawned. "Ok. We'll be there the next day or so." Both girls fell asleep with a dragon in her lap. Sesshoumaru laughed at them from a corner. Inuyasha departed to his room with Kagome not far behind. Miroku was unconscious, taking the giant boomerang to the face was something even he couldn't handle. Shippo, Kohaku, Rin & Jaken were all asleep in separate chairs. Myoga had gone with Kirara to the guests quarters with Sango. With a final smile in the direction of the other's Kiba & Tsume left for their private rooms also. "Tomorrow we must do something very fun." Tsume said to her brother as she walked down the hall beside him. "Yes, we must." He said. They came to a fork in the road & each went their separate ways.
The next morning Saisei opened his eyes to find, to his great relief, that Hikari was asleep beside him. Her long hair flowed down on her shoulder as she slept. Looking around he found that Heather was watching him from a chair. Hisui was awake as well, eating a donut like her master. Heather smiled at him & looked away, toward the mountains. Yes! She was going away that afternoon, back to the mountains! He would not have to worry about her interfering for sometime then! He smiled brightly & laid his head back down on the cushion, in a much better mood than he had ever been.
He woke in the middle of the afternoon. Hikari was gone, far outside in the gardens. Saisei turned his rift ears to hear footsteps, many footsteps outside. He looked around & to his great surprise found that no one was present in the hall. He flew up to peer out the window. He saw the others running around outside, chasing a white ball around & kicking it in different directions. He flew down the nearest hall & found an opening to the garden. He looked in surprise at the game. It was a set of posts that had nets on them. In front of either net was one of the members of the party. For the one on the right it was Kiba, for the one on the left it was Tsume. The others seemed to be split up into teams. They stole the ball from each other, slipped in the grass & mud, tackled each other & laughed at each other. Saisei flew over to Hikari's running form. "It's soccer Saisei! Play! Hisui & Shiro are." A white dart flew past & snatched the ball from her. With a laugh she took off after him. Rin followed close behind. "Saisei should play too." She informed him as she ran. Saisei shook his head & landed in the grass on the sidelines. With another shake of his head he watched the game play out until team 1 had made 21 points. Everyone cheered & clapped each other's hands. A gesture that confused Inuyasha & the other Sengoku Jidaii members. Kagome explained to them what was happening & the sign was done by everyone this time. Saisei flexed his ears slightly, along with his wings that he had spread to absorb heat from the sun. His eyes whirled a deep shade of red, envy. He had wanted to play but he had been too proud. He sighed, pondering what Heather had told him only a few days before. 'She doesn't love you in that way. She never will, give it up.' He closed his eyes to try & hide the tiny tears in his eyes. What would happen to him then?
At that moment Hikari walked over & picked him up. "I told you that you should have played, you need to use all that restless energy sometime, it's not good to keep it locked up. Plus, you look plain miserable." Saisei opened his sad eyes to look at her smiling face. A smile?! A smile just for him?! Yes! He would prove to that idiot Heather exactly what he was to Hikari! He perked up right away & flew around her head, twittering a happy, triumphant song. The words were lost to him but he had a faint distinction of what his dragon kindred sang in triumph. 'I am the one that fights! Hmm hmm hmm.I will not be stopped! Beware I am he who hunts for fun! Hmm.I will triumph no matter what! Beware I am he who hunts for fun!' He sang the song over & over until he was sure he knew every word again. The others simply laughed at his joy. Shiro went rigid though. 'I have felt love & will not let the one has made me fell this joy escape my grasp.' A squawk from the tiny white dragon interrupted the next verse. Waving his wings back & forth & flaming angrily he roared at his black companion. "Stop it! That is no song to sing!" He growled in the dragon's own language. "You show disrespect to our clan to think of such a thing with a human! How dare you feel that kind of love toward your own master?" Rin was staring wide-eyed at her dragon that was perched on her shoulder. "Shiro-chan?" She asked him, looking frightened suddenly. The dragon calmed down & his scales relaxed back onto his skin. Saisei drifted slowly back down to the ground. His eyes had lost their sparkle & he could hardly see anything but Shiro's angry eyes, boring into him. He suddenly furrowed his own brow & flapped his wings harder. How dare that fool reprimand him when he had was in the middle of a victory song! He growled angrily until Hikari cupped her hands over him. He fluttered around angrily in her hands, clawing & screeching until he was hoarse. Hikari held her hands together until she couldn't stand the feel of his claws raking her skin any longer. With a small gasp she let him go, to fly in the air. He growled down at the other dragons & then disappeared in a puff of red smoke. Hikari watched the smoke drift away with worried eyes. "Oh, I hope he's Ok. He looked angry." She said, poking her lip as she walked. Heather only smiled at her. "Come now, can't you tell a temper tantrum when you see one? Saisei is very prone to go off like a volcano like that if pushed the wrong way, I thought you of all people would notice that." Hikari shook her head. "I find it very hard to sense his feelings sometimes." Heather nodded, then checked the sun. "Oh, holy shit! I was supposed to be gone several hours ago! I'll have to sleep on the ground tonight!" She disappeared & then was back in the blink of an eye. A single bag slung over her shoulder. "Why not just teleport there?" Hikari asked her friend. Heather gave her a shocked look. "And make it easy to get somewhere? Are you daft? I WANT it to take time! I LOVE car trips!" The red motorcycle appeared beside her. Hikari smiled at her friend. 'Heather would make a great dog.' She noticed with a laugh. "I heard that!" Heather said over her shoulder. "That's soo cruel!!!" She gave her friend fake teary eyes. Hikari laughed harder at her friends hurt look. "I know exactly what you're doing without reading your mind Heather Dunaway! You want me to apologize then you'll say something like, 'oh, I wasn't sad.' I can read you like a book!" Heather smiled. "We have been friend much too long if I'm that readable. Tell me, what is this thing that I've forgotten?" Hikari gave her a puzzled look. "Wha?" Heather nodded. "I thought so. You said you could read me like a book, so I was hoping you could tell me what in heavens name I forgot." Hisui appeared on her shoulder at that instant. "Never mind, found it." She pointed stupidly at her dragon as she prepared to mount the red cycle. "Hey, call me, mmk?" Hikari said. Heather gave her a v-sign. "YOU had better call ME. I'll forget." Heather tapped her helmet with her finger. "All-timers remember?" Hikari laughed. "How could I forget?" "It's contagious.I warned you."
The motor of the cycle made everyone that was nearby jump. Hikari & Kagome, who were used to such things, didn't budge an inch as the thing was popped into gear & was ridden away with Heather waving back at them. "I'll see ya soon!" Hikari waved back. "You bet! I'll call you tomorrow when we're leavin'!" Without another word the red vehicle had moved from sight. Hikari looked after it with slightly sad eyes. "Heather was never one to stay in one place for long." She thought aloud. "She'd even leave during class without the teachers permission to do something at random." A small smile broke on her face. "Yeah.I remember that." The others simply stared at her as she muttered to herself & finally smiled. "Well, who wants to play a round of volleyball?"
Leaving so soon was not Heather's idea of fun, but she had promised Kouga & something else besides the promise seemed to lure her there. "It must be my love for quiet places. I was always attracted to nice quiet places where I could think to myself." She muttered. "What do you think?" She asked the dragon that sat, low to the rail, on the front of her bike. "Seems logical captain." She said with a true blue dragon smile. Heather patted her gently, being careful not to leave her hand off the bar too long. "I'm cutting you off al the TV you watch."
The sound of the horrible beast rang in her ears for sometime before she could find the source. "Accursed heightened hearing!" Kagura gasped, clapping her hands over her sensitive youkai ears. "I'd hate to be a dog or wolf demon right now." She said with a smirk. "You can hear that beast for miles! What is it that makes such a noise though? It is sounds of something dying!" She spotted the clouds of dust long before the source itself. It swept clear from the west toward the mountains in the north. "What in the 7 hells?" Kagura asked. "If that is that accursed demon Kouga then I will have to see what he has to make such noise." She directed her feather in the direction of the smoke. That is until she noticed that the curls of smoke were heading toward her. "Good, the horrible noise will pass beneath me." She said. A red dot was seen against the light brown dust as the noise came closer. Kagura lowered her feather slightly to get a better look at the rider & her companion.
The rider wore a red helmet that matched her vehicle. She, or at least Kagura thought it was a she, was bent low over the bars, her head sticking out slightly from the front. A small black dragon with it's wings furled & in the same position with a smaller red helmet on her head. Kagura sighted a small lock of blond hair peep out from the helmet. "Ah, so she IS back. That fool demon was lying! He said that girl with blond hair was riding a red dragon that graced the ground & that the rider was a goddess with powers unknown! I thought he was talking of someone with powers similar to this girls! But no matter, I have Naraku's information. Kachiki killed Kikyo & Hikari has definitely returned riding an angry red monster with a black dragon at her side." Another smirk formed. "I have to bring her now.but.what am I going to do that she will come easily, the last time I had to use a threat.what could I use this time? She seems to be traveling alone." With a whoosh Kagura was gone, her feather whizzing in the direction of the castle. "Damn him always sending me out on these stupid missions."
Heather watched the feather curiously from behind her visor. Hmm.wonder what she was looking at?" Heather asked herself thoughtfully. "Ah-well." Another pull on the gas & she was went faster down the dirt road. "Hope no one tried to get in my way, I haven't perfected my stops yet."
Hikari & Kagome tried their best to teach the youkai & others how to 'bump' the volleyball to one another. "No, no Shippo, like this." Kagome showed him how to fold his hands so they wouldn't smart after connecting with an air ball. Shippo nodded & stopped rubbing his wrists. "Thanks Kagome." He smiled at her, showing his little fangs. With a sigh Kagome walked back over & admired the trainees. "This reminds me of how much Heather hated PE" Hikari said dully. "She hated PE?" Kagome asked a little shocked. "Still does. She never did like sports that much, so PE just got in her way. Plus, she was never good at sports, except for maybe baseball. She never understood why she shouldn't swing her hardest & not knock people out." Hikari didn't even smile as she usually did when remembering Heather's funny moments. "She knocked people out?" Kagome asked. "Not on purpose. She was a great hitter, always connected with the ball, which always connected with a body-part, head, groin, stomach, leg, you name it she hit it. Very bad aim still has it. She's been banned from playing, she finds it hilarious, I think she's really angry about it though." Kagome winced at the thought of what the beaten players looked like. "What brought this up?" Kagome asked her. "Oh, well, the sports & everything. Plus, I was just thinking about how well she did in the soccer game. She's better at sports that involve her feet kicking something rather than her hands grabbing it." Kagome nodded. "Yeah, I see what you mean. I don't think she'd do very well in those either."
Inuyasha had the hang of it slightly. He kept seeing something out of the corner of his eye though. He finally turned his head to see Kirei playing expertly as if it were natural to her. He was so shocked that he didn't even notice the ball coming back down. "Curse gravity." Hikari said, watching the ball fall on the unsuspecting Inuyasha. "Dodge left!" She called to Inuyasha. He jumped immediately & looked up at her confusedly as the ball landed in the grass beside him. "Quick reflexes." Hikari observed. "How?" Kagome asked. "It's like a thing in the brain. When you're not concentrating you seem to act a command without even thinking about what you were asked. It isn't until after you've done the act that you know what is happening." Hikari said. "It's like a simple hypnosis thing." Kagome nodded, she had never thought of it that way. "I noticed it first when I was little, that I would be thinking of something else & would hear a command & simply walk away like a zombie or something. I wouldn't wake up from what I was thinking of until I felt my fingers clasp something, then I seemed to suddenly realize that I had moved." Hikari smiled slightly. "But that was a long time ago.
It had grown dark now. Only the sounds of crickets & other being's of the night were heard. Hikari leaned her head idly against a post in thought. No party had been organized, no songs had been sung, no one had danced to some song that was played by an invisible band. There was no one to organize such an event. Heather had not given the information on how to do such things with Hikari. Even though Hikari was sure she would be able to do them if she tried, she didn't feel like celebrating without her friend. With a sigh she shifted slightly in the cold autumn air. "What is you doing out here Hikari-san?" Rin asked, walking out. She started to shiver immediately. Hikari stood & a red sweater made of wool covered the tiny girl. "Sorry Rin, I was just thinking." Rin looked at the oversized sweater. "What was Hikari thinking about?" She asked looking up with her large, innocent eyes. Hikari couldn't help but smile at them. "I was wondering if Heather was cold. Rin shrugged. "Heather has got lots of magic powers. She can make herself warm. Plus she has fire-breathing dragon, Hisui with her." With a small turn she walked back into the cavernous entry. "Is Hikari-sama coming?" She asked over her shoulder. Hikari smiled. "Yeah, I think I will."
It was the night of the third day. Kouga looked over the top of the mountain but he couldn't see a thing even with his sharpened hearing & sight, he saw nothing. 'I will be back by noon of the third day.' Her words still rang in his ears. The other youkai in the caves had grown restless near sundown. "Where is the human witch?" They had asked. "Surely she was not LYING when she said she would return." They had emphasized 'lying' in a way that irritated him, yet he had not reprimanded them. Ginta & Hakkaku were the only ones who seemed to believe her besides him. She would return. 'I will send Hisui ahead with the message.' He remembered what she had said about the dragon now. Yes, she would send her black messenger, he would hold it captive if she said that she planned on not coming after all. He had to find out why his heart ached & why the pain grew worse whenever he thought of her. Looking over the edge of the cliff again he could faintly hear something in the distance. He narrowed his eyes to try & see if his sight would get better if he did this. Nothing changed except that his lashes hung in his vision. He sighed & turned away. He would just have to go find her in the morning if she had not come by then.
Heather pulled her large monster off the road toward a small opening she had found. Hisui was half-asleep & Heather was afraid she might slip off & be crushed by the large wheels if she didn't stop soon.
The motor of the machine was cut short as Heather stopped it & parked it nearby. The mountain loomed several miles away. With a sigh she flexed her wings which she hadn't used in several days. The large black feathered wings looked very ominous behind her in the dark & she quickly let them go back into the 'shadow world' where things that are invisible go. She took her hair down from the long ponytail & with a flick of her finger the long sleeved shirt & another pair of long pants appeared on her. She rubbed her hair until it was lank & out of the form of a ponytail. With another sigh she picked her little dragon off the front of the bike & flicked her finger again. A few blankets appeared on the ground. She laid her dragon friend on the ground by her pillow. She moved in her sleep & groaned as she got used to the hard, cold feel of the ground as it converged underneath her into a small pillow with a tiny blanket spread over her curled form. Heather smiled at her & curled up in a blanket next to her, too tired to notice the presence above her.
Kagura had returned after a visit with Naraku to report her findings. She hated to run errands for him but couldn't wait to exact her revenge on the girl that had humiliated her several times before. She wondered on the idea that the girl might destroy Naraku for her this time, the girl had come pretty close the last time with the help of her friends. She smirked. "Freedom." The word still made a flame inside her jump alive whenever spoken aloud. It always seemed to have more of an effect on her when it was spoken rather than thought of.
Without a sound she glided down toward the earth below. The girl seemed to be fast asleep already but even her demon senses could be wrong at times. She slid from the feather as it hovered above the ground. The girl looked content as she slept. Her legs sprawled out to the side, sticking out from the covers. Her hair lying spread out on the white pillow. Her arms were bent up by her head & her mouth was open & she appeared to be drooling. She smiled slightly in her sleep, sighed & rolled over. Kagura looked at her in detest. "He knows I loath her & he still will not send out someone else besides me to bring her to the castle. Though.she does not look like her self." Kagura studied the freckles, the slightly longer legs, the girls hair seemed slightly darker too. "Masking her appearance & scent but not her aura? I wonder if she even knows she bears one?" Kagura grabbed a handful of the girls hair & pulled her upwards. Heather only smiled in her sleep. She mumbled something & her smile turned to a frown in pain. She suddenly fell back down onto her pillow with a thump. Left in Kagura's hand was a fake wig that had been pulled off Heather's head. "Retched girl still playing her tricks! Who knows how many years she has aged in the portal that Naraku made! This might even be her silly daughter if I." Kagura stopped & took a good look at the girl again. She didn't look anything like Sesshoumaru though.was another the father then? The monk? Certainly not, that demon slayer liked him. The thoughts whirled through her mind. If she were hanyou then this might be her 'time of the month' for she had no smell of demon of any kind now. Kagura took another smell of the air. Nothing save the smell of a dragon was in the air other than this girl. Kagura shrugged. With a huff she hoisted the dead weight of the girl onto her feather. "You weigh a ton girl! Did you gain weight while you were gone?!" A grunt was all she received as answer.
Lifting the dragon next to her was easier. It was only the size of a cat & weighed barely anything. With a small look over her shoulder Kagura looked at the large red motorcycle. How was she to bring that thing? She furrowed her brow in thought then noticed that the thing had disappeared. Everything in the clearing was gone, the bed of blankets, the motorcycle, even the scent of someone being in the clearing was gone. Kagura gasped slightly & looked at the girl questioningly. Her head was leaned on her arm & she was still smiling to herself dreamily. Kagura could sense that she was still no where near waking, but then who? The dragon? No, it was still asleep too, on the back off the girl. With a small shrug Kagura climbed onto the feather. The girl moaned slightly as they took off into the cold night air. Kagura smirked, at least the girl was not comfortable.
It took some time before she reached the barrier to Naraku's castle. They slid easily through the purple ooze that Heather would later describe as a 'wall of grape Jell-O'. She shifted as the feather came back to the ground. Kagura got off & directed the feather up to a screen on the side of the castle. The girl still hadn't moved or showed signs of waking. Kagura strode through the house until she found the room she wanted & walked inside. She opened the screen to let the huge feather in & then let the girl slide into a futon on the ground. Heather shifted in her sleep again as she hit the pillow. Hisui lay in her hair above her head, her tail lolling over the edge. With a smirk Kagura closed the screen to the outside & shut the screen behind her as she left to Naraku's chambers & then her own.
"What news Kagura?" Naraku asked as she entered. "I have brought her as you requested. She is still asleep in a room in the East Side of the castle." Kagura reported. Naraku stared past her at the door. "And what of Kikyo & Kachiki?" He asked for about the thousandth time. "I have told you already, she died with Kachiki close behind her, at the hands of Kachiki herself. Kagome didn't seem involved at all. The Girl Hikari is asleep, as I have told you, what do you plan to do now? Ask her how she got back? Or is that my job?" Naraku suddenly looked at her with sharp, angry eyes. "Kagura, are you sure that this girl is her?" Kagura nodded. "Or her half- demon daughter that is having her demon 'time of the month' now. They do look similar." Naraku nodded. "Wait until morning & see if she recognizes you."
Kouga could feel that something was not right when he smelled Kagura in the air. The light was slowly coming over the eastern mountains as he caught her scent, it was old but she had been close by. Another scent filled his nose as he walked though the wods where he had heard the noises the night before. It was Heather! She had been around here & Kagura too! Were they in leagues together? No, Heather had not smelled of that witch or of the tainted smell of Naraku. He looked further, until he could take it no more & followed her scent back to where she had come from, hoping that Kagome was where she had been.
They had started walking earlier that morning. They were well behind Heather on the way to the mountains by the time the wolf demon ran into them. He appeared to be only a hurried looking dust cloud & he almost passed them by in his haste.
Inuyasha's hand went for Tetsusaiga but Kagome stopped him. "He looks worried by the way that cloud is formed." Kagome pointed at the dust that was splayed in every direction instead of in a tornado look like it usually was. "Let's see what he has to say, plus, wasn't Heather going toward his mountains? Maybe something's wrong." Inuyasha dropped his hand & watched the cloud get closer. It stopped right beside the party & Kouga looked at them in bewilderment before he noticed that he had found them. "Where is she?!" He demanded a bit more roughly than he meant. Inuyasha bared his teeth. "She's with me!" Kouga looked at him angrily. "Shut up pup!" he growled & looked at Hikari. "You look like Heather! Where is she?!" He asked again, his eyes narrowed slightly. "She was ahead of us by a whole night, isn't she with you?" Hikari looked worried as she saw the distraught look in his eyes that he was trying hard to hide. "Does she have a shard with her?" Hikari thought it over. "Wait, you mean she's not with you?!" Kouga growled & seemed to lose his patience fast. "Yes! She is gone! I smelled both her & Kagura's scents earlier this morning! Does she have a jewel shard?!" He demanded with a great deal of force. Hikari tried to hide the tears that welled up in her eyes at the thought of losing her best friend. Was even Heather strong enough to stop Naraku? She gulped down a great deal of air before answering. "I'm.I think she did. She told me about it a couple night ago." Kouga turned then to Kagome, leaving Hikari with her questions & tears starting to form rapidly. "Can you feel the jewel shard?!" He demanded looking her dead in the eyes. Kagome read the emotion that consumed his vision as she peered back & nodded. 'Worry, deep worry.' Kagome thought as she looked around & tried to sort out Heather's jewel shards particular energy. "It's coming from over there, in the same place as Naraku's large orb piece." Kagome's voice quavered a little. Kouga smiled at her. "Thanks Kagome." He tore out toward the way that Kagome had pointed, right in the heart of the country.
Getting toward the end. I know, long series, but hey, it was hard to try & think of when I would stop writing. I'm going to have a sequel though, I hope you'll read it too. Not completely sure of the name yet but it will be cool & more about Rin & Hikari together than this story is. Another about.well, you'll find out. I'm going to have several side stories too. I'll tell you in the beginning of each one whether it is a side story or direct sequel, but each sequel might mention something happening in a side story or vice versa so, who knows. ^_^ Thanks for coming this far wit me. I can't wait to write the ending. I hope you like it. Reviews!
~ OtakuSailorV ^_~