How come I haven't seen him before?
But of all these thoughts, only one made it out of her lips.
"I am going to KILL SilverStar!"
half an hour later, in the feudal era
Kagome happily jumped out of the well. She hummed the funeral march, which was both ironic and incredibly inappropriate. Nothing could take down her mood today. All she had to do was tie up a few loose ends and go home to her Youko. And then they could have some weird sort of demonic 'happily ever after' and be together till they were old and throwing their dentures at the other people in their nursing homes...
Kagome shook her head... no more watching Ji-chans recordings of great-grandma Chiyo. They were doing weird things to her head.
Kagome suddenly felt a soft ball hit her stomach at light speed, sending her flying onto the soft grass path. Kagome looked up at the furry misille for a moment before realizing that it was Shippo. She saw his shoulders start to shake and pulled him into a comforting hug.
"I... I thought," Shippo sniffled and grabbed her shirt tightly, "I thought you were gone forever when Dog-boy couldn't go through the well! I thought you sealed it cause you never wanted to see me again!" And with that he let out a broken sob and broke down crying.
"Shhh, honey! I'd never leave you! I just had a few things to..." it was only then that Kagome realized what Shippo had said, "Inu-Yasha couldn't go through the well?" Shippo shook his head, still holding himself firmly to his surrogate mother.
"No... he jumped in and there was the light and everything, but then he came flying back out and he started yelling about the well not letting him through. He's still mumbling about a voice or something. I thought you had sealed it and were never coming back!" With that he latched himself onto her shirt again and started sobbing. Kagome held him and murmured comforting words into his ear, all the time heading slowly towards the village. She was surprised that Inu Yasha hadn't caught her scent and come running yet. Oh well... looked like someone was getting rusty!
She grinned. She would have been slightly worried before she'd met Youko. But her feelings for Inu Yasha had slowly faded. Now she didn't really care what he was doing. Well, she didn't want him dead. She still considered him a friend. Or off slaughtering a village. Or off bugging some innocent villager...
Kagome started to worry now. The previous three were actually possible situations, ones she really didn't want to see happening right now. She had things to do right now and didn't want to call up the Goddess of life and ask for a favor (that she probably would deny anyway) or pay off the villager for the damage, or have to bury another group of people...
Kagome shuddered. Then she suddenly caught the faint scent of two familiar people... Shippo seemed to catch it too and looked at Kagome worriedly. Kagome rolled her eyes and turned to her left, the direction she had caught the scent, and started walking. Shippo right away became uncomfortable and started suggesting they not go this way. She glanced down at her son and smiled.
"Don't worry. I know perfectly well what I'm going towards and I'm not sad or angry or anything like that," Shippo smiled, but he didn't look too reassured. Kagome just walked on with a smile on her face. She was going to LOVE the look on his face!!!
Within two minutes she pushed away the last branch to come face to face with a lip-locked Inu Yasha and Kikyo. She grinned. They hadn't noticed her.
"Oi!" They both jumped apart, Kikyo having already grabbed and loaded her bow, while Inu Yasha looked for all the world like he had just been given the most complicated math problem to solve before sunset, "I got something to talk to everybody about. When you two are finished here you can join us." And with that Kagome turned and walked back to the village, mood slightly withered from the sight of the hell-bound figurine, but pride still firmly swelled.
A laughing Shippo still in her arms, she hurriedly walked into the hut and began all of her excited hello's to her friends, who had all shared similar worries to Shippo's (minus the crying and self blaming). When they had all sat down, a solemn look came onto the three's face.
"Kagome... We have some bad news," Kagome smiled encouragingly and waited for them to go on, "Well, you see... Inu Yasha... he thought you'd never come back. He ran into Kikyo a few days back and got to... er... talking, and he decided that she'll be joining us on our search for the jewel shards." Sango jumped in right away.
"We didn't want him to, Kagome-chan! Really! We tried to convince him that it was a bad choice and that it'd hurt you but..." Kagome cut her off.
"It's fine Sango! Really! I don't care! I'm just wondering why he didn't get it over with sooner and ask her to join us BEFORE she gave most of our jewel shards to Naraku..." Everyone looked at one another curiously, wondering if Kagome just didn't want them to see how sad she was. They all silently agreed on it.
About that time Kikyo walked in. She looked everyone over, nodding to each, before her eyes landed on Kagome and a cold look came into her eyes.
"Copy," she nodded as she had with the others. Kagome smiled politely and waved.
"Poltergeist," she nodded, "You finally done playing tongue-hockey with Dog-Boy?" Kikyo may not have understood what each of the words were, but she knew enough to throw a cold glare at Kagome before sitting down at the other side of the room. Shortly after, Inu Yasha walked in. Glancing guiltily in Kagome's direction, he 'keh'd' and walked across the room, sitting in a neutral position behind the fire.
Kagome waited for everyone to assemble, and then frowned, trying to figure out how to put this without making them worry, but without leaving them without enough information to make them understand she wasn't just abandoning them for something stupid.
"I'll be leaving for a while. A friend of mine needs me right now. I'd like it very much if you'd continue the search without us until Shippo and I return. And if you can, save the fight with Naraku until Shippo and I come back," everyone looked stunned. A barrage of questions flooded the room.
"I'm coming with you??? YAY!!!" Kagome grinned and pulled Shippo close.
"You're leaving? Fat chance, wench!" Inuyasha growled from his position behind the flickering flames.
"Will you be in danger, Kagome-sama?" Miroku grasped his staff and absently rolled the beads on his cursed hand with his center finger.
"Ye will do what ye must, child, but we all would like to know more about this occasion." Keada said sternly, not moving except to glance briefly at her remade sister.
"You can't stay longer?! But you just got here!" Sango seemed close to tears.
Kagome frowned. She hadn't really considered her friends reactions. A stupid thing on her part. Briefly changing the plans inside her mind, Kagome sighed.
"First: Yes Shippo, you're coming with me. I couldn't very well abandon you like that," Kagome glanced at each of her friends in turn as she answered their questions, "Inu Yasha: I very much doubt you can stop me. Miroku: Yup. A little danger, but nothing I can't handle. Keada: I don't have much time to explain, but I'll try to elaborate a little. Sango, I'm really very sorry but it is very important I get there quickly. And above all, I can guarantee I'll be back before your wind tunnel takes you in Miroku." Miroku's eyes widened as Kagome came to his unsaid worries.
"How can you 'guarantee' anything, wench?! You're never on time! And what the hell do you mean by you doubt I can stop you!?!" Kagome ignored Inu Yasha and stood. Walking up to stand by Miroku, Kagome grabbed his cursed hand. The rooms occupents were about to object when she turned his beaded palm upward and placed her otherhand parrallel above it. Closing her eyes in consentration, Kagome muttered softly for a moment before pulling off the protective glove.
The entire room jumped and grabbed the nearest object. But nothing happened. A slightly pink light hovered above his palm, allowing everyone view to the swirling abyss of nothingness inside it. Kagome reached into the mist and cupped her hand around it. Still muttering, eyes still closed, a bright light flashed inside the alcove of her hand, sending blinding rays between her fingers. Pulling her hand away from it, the room gasped. The wind tunnel had shrank an inch in diameter. And where the edges had been ragged and torn, it now had a smooth perimeter. The abyss beneath it didn't fly nearly as violently anymore. The wind tunnel had regressed.
Kagome grinned and slid the glove back on, watching as the pink light faded. "That should give you a good ten, maybe even fifteen years if you're careful." Turning to Inu Yasha, Kagome's grin widened slightly, "And that, Inu Yasha, is what I mean by 'I doubt you could stop me'."
In the hut, not one living person's eyes (or eye, in Keada's case) hadn't reached the size of a tangerine at Kagome's obvious show. But of the dead however, the eyes weren't wide, but merely slits and glaring angrily. Kagome saw this and winked. Kikyo had, after all, called on the gods to plea for a place in the seats of guardians. She had taken, and failed the test. She would be bitter
Kikyo snarled, "How did you manage, reincarnation? Did you cheat in the test? Or perhaps they went easy on you because you were weak?" Kagome growled.
"You failed the test, Kikyo. I didn't. And they wouldn't put a weak heart in first class," Kikyo's eyes widened, and Kagome pulled her bangs back to reveal the star. Seventy three through seventy class had clear stars with a different amount of sides. Sixty nine through sixty had lavender stars with different sides. Fifty nine through forty had red and gray with different sides, and so on until the lowest of ranks. Kikyo knew all this, she'd seen it before she'd failed the test, and her face became impossibly (well maybe not for a dead girl) pale.
Kagome grinned.
Kikyo sat in shock.
Keada's jaw dropped.
Everyone else just looked confused.
Kagome suddenly realized what she had done and dropped her bangs. That had been wrong. she wasn't supposed to flaunt her achievements like that. It was shameful. And it was dangerous. To her and each of her friends.
Lowering her head in shame, Kagome silently chastised herself for that slip. She had been trying to goad Kikyo. To embarrass her. She had been selfish. Muttering a soft spell, Kagome molded the memories of the all in the room but the full demons (Kilala and Shippo... well and Scorch) and the reborn priestess. She made it so they suddenly couldn't remember what had been said between Kikyo and Kagome, although they remembered the two arguing.
The room was suddenly filled with blank stares and a look of profound disturbance on the old priestess. Chances are she had heard of it from Kikyo when she was a child, and was the only one besides her sister and the Guardian who knew it's importance. Kagome couldn't wipe that knowledge away, so she instead just wiped away the words, leaving the old woman with a feeling of incomplete confusion.
She hated to do that, but she couldn't destroy. The powers she had been given as a Guardian were those of the power to create and shape, not to destroy. It had been what she asked for. A single right answer in the test. So she didn't feel so much guilty about leaving the woman as she had made her but from having put her into that position in the first place.
"Kikyo," Kagome began, careful to speak in a way no one but she and her reincarnate would understand, "I was given a message for you from The Upper Elements. Something meant only for you, something I can't even begin to understand. Something about failing because the dark path was worn down, and your feet having been set...?" Kikyo's eyes widened, then narrowed in anger, before softening slightly and fixing itself of the fire as if it would provide the answers.
That message had only been meant for Kikyo, but Kagome had lied. She knew what it meant. It meant that the gods had known this was her destination from the beginning. The 'dark path' was the gods title of the path to/around/from or just of hell. Her feet having been set meant that, even though she meant well, she was destined to be where she was now. Imagine the blow to your pride. Having prided yourself on being a great, pure and holy priestess working for all good, finding out after spending fifty years in hell that you were meant for it. Meant for betrayal, meant for blood, meant for war.
Kagome grinned, set herself on one knee, and looked at the priestess for the first time. She had only just realized how hard it must have been for her. She wouldn't have even been in collage yet in her time and she had already taken on a life-binding responsibility, much like a child. Well, a child half the demon population wanted to use for power... but she had gone through what she considered betrayal, having to die shortly after, hoping to spend eternity guarding the jewel in bliss.
But the jewel, having been tainted, had dragged her soul to hell.
Kagome had never felt more sympathy for the clay woman before her.
"But your fate is only set to here," Kikyo looked at her blankly, "From this moment forward, from the moment you can see your possible paths, you have a choice. You don't have to follow the shadows of this path anymore. This is your crossroad, choose it wisely." Kagome's grin widened and she picked up Shippo with one arm and jumped up. About to walk out of the hut, the dead woman spoke up.
"Kagome?" The future-girl halted, but didn't turn. This was the first time Kikyo had said her name, "The last part, the part about the choices... that wasn't part of the message from The Upper Elements, was it?" Kikyo had stood sometime during her response. Kagome didn't do anything for a moment. Then she turned, head tilted and eyes glinting. She pulled a camera from her back pocket and snapped a picture, freezing the group in their places. For a moment she just smiled, waiting for the Polaroid to dry. Then she stepped forward and offered it to the woman.
"Not a chance! Those cold guys wouldn't say anything unless it's got a shadowy part," She grinned, "Much like Miroku's 'ominous clouds'." Kikyo softly took the picture, not looking away from Kagome. The young girl grinned, shouted 'See ya!' and was off to her well. Only when she was hardly visible in the distance did Kikyo look at the picture.
She was standing off to the side, Sango directly behind her, Inu Yasha behind the flames and to Sango's right. Keada sat to his right, and Miroku to hers. The only person left in the picture was Kilala, who was looking into the flames with what could almost pass as a sad smile.
And in the flames itself was the phantom of a praying Midoriko, the four gods at her shoulders.
Kikyo's head whipped up to look at Kagome, the girl she had hated so strongly. Part of her was confused as to why she helped, the other just excepted it. Kikyo purified the shard in her chest, the one that bound her to Naraku, and fell to her knees.
With Kagome
Kagome sighed sadly. She had shown Kikyo the choices, and she knew she'd pick the right one. In the moment when she'd heard Kikyo's question, she knew that Kikyo's hatred had faded, and she knew she was ready to see the other choice. The choice that was so much better then spending eternity in hell, love at your right hand or no, but resulted in her death.
She had appealed, silently, with the gods. She had told them that she would take full responsibility for the girl if they gave her a seat by the gods in heaven, and let Inu Yasha sit by her side when his time came as well. She knew that they would resurrect the woman, and all that Naraku had killed, when the jewel was complete, but that wouldn't stop Inu Yasha from being depressed. From not understanding.
So Kagome pulled the note she had prepared from her backpack, and set it on the wells rim. The message was simple, but got the message across.
'Dear Inu Yasha,
I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you, but you must understand.
Kikyo isn't gone, use your head.'
That was the note in it's entirety, and beside it she set a jewel shard, as a clue in case he didn't understand her in his grief. Kagome already heard his angry footsteps approaching, and hastily jumped into the well. She couldn't face him. He'd question her as to 'why' she and Kikyo had done such and such and 'what' it all meant. These were dangerous questions, one's she couldn't afford to answer.
Once she was on her side, Kagome noticed that Shippo had somehow fallen asleep, and hastily sat the block on the well. She had things to deal with now. No interruptions.
half an hour later
Kagome collected a duffel of clothes to wear. She brought mostly charmed jeans and t's that would repair themselves within twenty four hours and under things that would keep certain... ahem.... THINGS from sight no matter how bad the damage to her clothes was. She brought tenni's with charms similar to the ones on the jeans and ankle socks to keep her feet from blistering.
She debated silently for a moment about weather to take a school team jacket, baseball cap and sunglasses as a way to disguise herself. On one side, she didn't want to wait any longer then necessary to see Youko. But then there was the fact that she wasn't even sure he remembered her. He might be able to live his life out happily now without bringing back painful memories from his past life. Then there was the fact that he might be suspicious to think she had somehow survived all these years in mint condition. He might also have some hidden agenda for this whole thing that, despite the fact she probably wouldn't approve of it, she didn't want to reveal who he really was, considering very few of the demons had recognized him.
In the end, she brought the disguise.
Damn it! Sometimes the thief in him was a pain in the butt...
Kagome pulled herself out of her dry mood and grinned. This could be fun. After all, it wasn't every day you got to try and beat a thief in disguise at his own game!
at the demon portal
Kagome walked into the deserted warehouse whistling to 'You Are My Sunshine'. The happy tune stopped immediately when her shin connected with a brick-hard box and sent her tumbling over it. When she finally stopped, her head was at the bottom with her arms spread out on each side, back curving to where it met another box and leaving her feet sticking up in the air.
Growling, Kagome muttered a few choice words about the reckless designs of idiot humans (in a style that would have given Sesshomaru pride) and pulled herself up. Somewhere along the way she'd lost a tennis-shoe, and it had left her left foot to freeze when she hopped down inside the maze of boxes to search for it.
Amazingly, Kagome felt her instincts flare. Probably the demon portal setting it off, she thought dourly. But nevertheless, she took the warning and suppressed her scent and aura, stepping lightly to avoid making any sound. Her foot almost went numb working it's way across the tiled floor and ice cold boxes before she found the missing shoe. Jumping into the air (silently) and pumping her arm in the air triumphantly (still silently) she gave herself a pat on the back (with her free hand) and slipped the shoe back on.
Walking back towards the portal, she was just about to start whistling again when she heard scratchy voices. Jumping the ten feet to the top of the nearest tower of boxes in an effortless grace that would have reminded any watcher of a cat, she sat on top of the tower quietly and didn't make a sound. The presences didn't seem to notice her, demon though they were, and continued as if no one had the ears to hear.
"You know what the man said, Bunzo! It's him or nothin'!" The scaly demon smacked his friend, an unattractive oily green fellow who either had a bad demon rash or a very bad purple breakout, "Your such a moron! We don't catch him, we don't get paid!"
"But I'm HUUUNGRRYYY!!! And this is Youko, Eiji! Think of the power!!!" 'Bunzo' shivered in pleasure and Kagome felt nausous. This dimwit, low level demon thought he could take on, and EAT! Youko! Kagome felt like laughing out loud. In fact, she did, and the two demons attention snapped in her direction. She looked down and them cooly and waved.
"You should really pay more attention, Baka, if I came in here with anymore warning I'd be wearing a stop light!" Kagome lied. But hey, what would they know?
"Shut up stupid mortal! Do you know who your messing with?!" Eiji shouted, "I'm a second class demon! So show some respect!" Bunzo nodded eagerly, looking up at her with, as far as she could tell, boastfulness or some mindless pride.
Kagome giggled, "I could tell you were at most third class the second I saw you ratty hides!" She shouted, "No demon as ugly as you has the strength to kill a fly demon!" It appeared the demons didn't know which insult to respond to first. In a moment of mercy, she spared them the trouble, "Tell you what, you go back to whoever hired you with your tail between your legs and tell them you couldn't pass by the barrier, and I'll spare your dignity. Not to mention those nasty little faces of yours. Though any change to them would certainly be a good dead on my behalf. Save a lot of poor peoples eyes, I could." She nodded sagely, imitating Miroku and rubbing her chin. The demons bristled.
"YOU DIRTY LITTLE NINGEN! WE SHOULD TARE YOU IN HALF! HOW DARE A WEAK LITTLE HUMAN LIKE YOU THREATEN US!" Kagome grinned.
"So, you go for the charity option? Good. I need a work out before I go meet the team anyway." The demons growled and lunged.
Ten minutes
Kagome was whistling 'London Bridges Falling Down' as she stepped through the demon portal, in good spirits once again. Glancing back at the two demons she grinned and waved. The two were hung upside down sixty feet in the air from the beams that lined the roof of the warehouse. Their faces were blank as they tried to comprehend the situation. Where were they? What was going on? What's... oh bugger it...
Bunzo and Eiji hung their, trying to remember who they were until an hour later, when a blue haired girl with an oar on her shoulder walked into the warehouse and caught site of them. Each seemed to be missing their left fighting sandal...
At the arena's entrance
Kagome walked, suppressing her human aura and scent, through the crowd of demons and towards the arena. It wasn't surprising, she supposed, that rumors were going around about Youko's team. They obviously had mixed feelings for it. Some (very little) thought that they might get to the final round before they were defeated. Most seemed to refuse even that because there was, after all, humans on the team. Any demon who traveled with humans couldn't have the strength for such a feet.
She inwardly bristled, but continued listening to catch any news she could. She heard something about the sponsor of the team, a Prince Koenma, and how some wanted to complain to him about the team members. A couple theorized about the woman on the team, apparently a human girl with her head wrapped in in gauze like a mummy. Most of the females talked about their favorite demon fighters. She fought off a rising jealousy and then righteous anger when one said she wished Kurama would stay in his demon form and court her ('for surely' Kagome began to growl, 'he wouldn't want anyone but me.' Kagome snorted). But when she commented on his pathetic human form Kagome had to alter her course to keep herself from ripping the woman's head off.
Looking up the players in a flier she found all the people in the teams and the rooms they were staying in. She had to keep back an unhappy growl when she saw that, thought their were long advertisements for the teams of most of the players temporary rooms, Youko's team had brief titles and nothing else. Obviously they didn't think it a good thing to spread around that humans stayed in their hotels. Folding up the flier and putting it in her back pocket, she headed toward the Arena. The VIPs stayed there, along with Koenma who supported her team. She'd have to speak with him in order to get a spot close enough to the team to scope it out and make sure Youko wasn't planning anything before getting any closer.
In Koenma's office/room (okay people, this is where the story strays from the yuyu guidlines)
"GEORGE!!!" The familiar ogre scurried around a chair and very almost bowled over the child-shaped leader in the process.
"Y-Yes... Koenma... sama..." George muttered, still catching his breath.
"I WANT SUSHI!" the hysterical prince calmed and put a finger to his chin, "And maybe some oden... I feel like oden..." George sweat dropped, "WELL?! WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR?! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!" George sighed and ran off to do as he was ordered. Koenma, now alone, turned to look out the window. It wouldn't be long now, he mused. Not long at all. The child sighed sadly and turned around.
Only to be met with a black eyed alien.
"AHHH!" Koenma launched himself into the curtains hanging in front of the window, gripping on for dear life. When he heard a girlish giggled behind him, he turned slowly to face the creature.
The 'alien' standing there was a black haired human with jeans, a blue and white sailor jacket (like her uniform from school), a baseball cap and sunglasses. The black eyes were the tinted lenses, and Koenma suddenly felt very childish (pun intended).
"Uh..." Koenma sat in shock for a sec before hopping from the curtain and pulling himself back into his chair. Sitting regally, he straightened out his clothing and hat and put on a serious face he'd worked hard on. Hearing a snort, he looked up to see the human desperately holding back laughter and glared, "May I help you?" His cold voice seemed to bring some sense to the ningen, but a lopsided grin still hung on the pale face.
"Yup," the voice of the human was decidedly female, and something about it he couldn't help but like. It reminded him, in a distinct cheerful way, of Botan, "I'm here to speak to Koenma. I assume you're him?" Koenma nodded and she frowned, "Strange... I had assumed you'd be a bit... well, a bit more 'princely'." Koenma glared and she shook her head and put her hand in a defensive position, "Not like that. I only meant that I'd heard from the demons outside that you were an adult who... who didn't jump up curtains for instance." Koenma turned bright red, turning away in an effort to hide it.
"You surprised me," he heard her giggled again and glared mutely at the wall, "You said you needed to speak to me?" The girl sobered and nodded.
"I'd like to apply for a back-up position," Koenma's eyes widened and he openly stared. The girl blushed sheepishly and brought a hand up to scratch the back of her neck, "I figured since this is the first team with humans in as long as I can remember, I'd like to show some support for my species you know? Not that I have anything against demons... it's just they aren't to open to visitors. I'd hoped I could be there in case something happened. Wouldn't want the team to get bumped."
Koenma realized that this could be an ideal situation. After all, he didn't exactly want to take Genkai's place, but he'd just assumed he'd stand on the teams shoulders. It'd be a lot easier if they did have a backup. But this was a little too ideal. Frowning in suspicion, Koenma narrowed his eyes at her.
"Who are you working for?" The girls eyes widen and, even through the sunglasses, he could see her confusion.
"Beg your pardon, sir?"
"Who-do-you-work-for?" Koenma growled. The girls face turned sad.
"I just thought I'd help!" Kagome murmured.
"Yeah right! No one in this forsaken realm wants to help this team!" Koenma jumped onto his desk and pointed an accusing finger at her, "I'm the Prince of the Spirit Realm, son of King Yama, and I'm not idiot enough to believe you came her to support anybody!"
"Geeze, toddler! What's your problem?!" She seethed. Paranoid kid. "You may not be idiot 'enough' kid but you're still an idiot! Fine! You want to know who I work for?!" she ripped her baseball cap off, spilling her hair down her back and revealing the star, "I used to know one of your team's players and there's no way in any of the hells that I'll watch him die!" Pulling her hair back up into the cap, she growled, "I didn't intend to fight in the stupid tournament, I just wanted to watch and make sure they'd be okay! I don't know what you're puny little brain can't comprehend, but I'll fight my way to the front row if I have to!"
Kagome turned to walk out and went toward the door, walking past a running ogre on the way. She was already out the door before she realized what it was he'd been carrying. Spinning around, she marched back in, still angry, and grabbed the bowl of oden from the table just as the ogre sat it down. The kid seemed to still be in shock, giving her time to walk right back out of the room and toward the exit. She was done with it before she reached the exit and her spirits considerably higher.
That all came crashing down when she came outside to find it raining. She would have just charmed her clothes to repel it, but she was pretty tired from all the magic she'd used today. After all, it was her first day using it, and she'd only eaten a serving of oden today. Besides, it wasn't a good idea to waste magic. It gave away too many secrets.
Pulling the collar over her neck and holding the front of her baseball cap low, she ran towards the only place she could think of: the hotel Youko was staying at. Not sensing any familiar aura's Kagome sighed and sat down under a ledge besides the building. It was only mid- afternoon, but Kagome had only got a few hours of sleep the night before, and she had a feeling she'd only get a few tonight. Sitting down and making herself comfortable, Kagome pulled her hat down to hide her face and went to sleep, effortlessly putting up a miko barrier invisible to any sense.
But of all these thoughts, only one made it out of her lips.
"I am going to KILL SilverStar!"
half an hour later, in the feudal era
Kagome happily jumped out of the well. She hummed the funeral march, which was both ironic and incredibly inappropriate. Nothing could take down her mood today. All she had to do was tie up a few loose ends and go home to her Youko. And then they could have some weird sort of demonic 'happily ever after' and be together till they were old and throwing their dentures at the other people in their nursing homes...
Kagome shook her head... no more watching Ji-chans recordings of great-grandma Chiyo. They were doing weird things to her head.
Kagome suddenly felt a soft ball hit her stomach at light speed, sending her flying onto the soft grass path. Kagome looked up at the furry misille for a moment before realizing that it was Shippo. She saw his shoulders start to shake and pulled him into a comforting hug.
"I... I thought," Shippo sniffled and grabbed her shirt tightly, "I thought you were gone forever when Dog-boy couldn't go through the well! I thought you sealed it cause you never wanted to see me again!" And with that he let out a broken sob and broke down crying.
"Shhh, honey! I'd never leave you! I just had a few things to..." it was only then that Kagome realized what Shippo had said, "Inu-Yasha couldn't go through the well?" Shippo shook his head, still holding himself firmly to his surrogate mother.
"No... he jumped in and there was the light and everything, but then he came flying back out and he started yelling about the well not letting him through. He's still mumbling about a voice or something. I thought you had sealed it and were never coming back!" With that he latched himself onto her shirt again and started sobbing. Kagome held him and murmured comforting words into his ear, all the time heading slowly towards the village. She was surprised that Inu Yasha hadn't caught her scent and come running yet. Oh well... looked like someone was getting rusty!
She grinned. She would have been slightly worried before she'd met Youko. But her feelings for Inu Yasha had slowly faded. Now she didn't really care what he was doing. Well, she didn't want him dead. She still considered him a friend. Or off slaughtering a village. Or off bugging some innocent villager...
Kagome started to worry now. The previous three were actually possible situations, ones she really didn't want to see happening right now. She had things to do right now and didn't want to call up the Goddess of life and ask for a favor (that she probably would deny anyway) or pay off the villager for the damage, or have to bury another group of people...
Kagome shuddered. Then she suddenly caught the faint scent of two familiar people... Shippo seemed to catch it too and looked at Kagome worriedly. Kagome rolled her eyes and turned to her left, the direction she had caught the scent, and started walking. Shippo right away became uncomfortable and started suggesting they not go this way. She glanced down at her son and smiled.
"Don't worry. I know perfectly well what I'm going towards and I'm not sad or angry or anything like that," Shippo smiled, but he didn't look too reassured. Kagome just walked on with a smile on her face. She was going to LOVE the look on his face!!!
Within two minutes she pushed away the last branch to come face to face with a lip-locked Inu Yasha and Kikyo. She grinned. They hadn't noticed her.
"Oi!" They both jumped apart, Kikyo having already grabbed and loaded her bow, while Inu Yasha looked for all the world like he had just been given the most complicated math problem to solve before sunset, "I got something to talk to everybody about. When you two are finished here you can join us." And with that Kagome turned and walked back to the village, mood slightly withered from the sight of the hell-bound figurine, but pride still firmly swelled.
A laughing Shippo still in her arms, she hurriedly walked into the hut and began all of her excited hello's to her friends, who had all shared similar worries to Shippo's (minus the crying and self blaming). When they had all sat down, a solemn look came onto the three's face.
"Kagome... We have some bad news," Kagome smiled encouragingly and waited for them to go on, "Well, you see... Inu Yasha... he thought you'd never come back. He ran into Kikyo a few days back and got to... er... talking, and he decided that she'll be joining us on our search for the jewel shards." Sango jumped in right away.
"We didn't want him to, Kagome-chan! Really! We tried to convince him that it was a bad choice and that it'd hurt you but..." Kagome cut her off.
"It's fine Sango! Really! I don't care! I'm just wondering why he didn't get it over with sooner and ask her to join us BEFORE she gave most of our jewel shards to Naraku..." Everyone looked at one another curiously, wondering if Kagome just didn't want them to see how sad she was. They all silently agreed on it.
About that time Kikyo walked in. She looked everyone over, nodding to each, before her eyes landed on Kagome and a cold look came into her eyes.
"Copy," she nodded as she had with the others. Kagome smiled politely and waved.
"Poltergeist," she nodded, "You finally done playing tongue-hockey with Dog-Boy?" Kikyo may not have understood what each of the words were, but she knew enough to throw a cold glare at Kagome before sitting down at the other side of the room. Shortly after, Inu Yasha walked in. Glancing guiltily in Kagome's direction, he 'keh'd' and walked across the room, sitting in a neutral position behind the fire.
Kagome waited for everyone to assemble, and then frowned, trying to figure out how to put this without making them worry, but without leaving them without enough information to make them understand she wasn't just abandoning them for something stupid.
"I'll be leaving for a while. A friend of mine needs me right now. I'd like it very much if you'd continue the search without us until Shippo and I return. And if you can, save the fight with Naraku until Shippo and I come back," everyone looked stunned. A barrage of questions flooded the room.
"I'm coming with you??? YAY!!!" Kagome grinned and pulled Shippo close.
"You're leaving? Fat chance, wench!" Inuyasha growled from his position behind the flickering flames.
"Will you be in danger, Kagome-sama?" Miroku grasped his staff and absently rolled the beads on his cursed hand with his center finger.
"Ye will do what ye must, child, but we all would like to know more about this occasion." Keada said sternly, not moving except to glance briefly at her remade sister.
"You can't stay longer?! But you just got here!" Sango seemed close to tears.
Kagome frowned. She hadn't really considered her friends reactions. A stupid thing on her part. Briefly changing the plans inside her mind, Kagome sighed.
"First: Yes Shippo, you're coming with me. I couldn't very well abandon you like that," Kagome glanced at each of her friends in turn as she answered their questions, "Inu Yasha: I very much doubt you can stop me. Miroku: Yup. A little danger, but nothing I can't handle. Keada: I don't have much time to explain, but I'll try to elaborate a little. Sango, I'm really very sorry but it is very important I get there quickly. And above all, I can guarantee I'll be back before your wind tunnel takes you in Miroku." Miroku's eyes widened as Kagome came to his unsaid worries.
"How can you 'guarantee' anything, wench?! You're never on time! And what the hell do you mean by you doubt I can stop you!?!" Kagome ignored Inu Yasha and stood. Walking up to stand by Miroku, Kagome grabbed his cursed hand. The rooms occupents were about to object when she turned his beaded palm upward and placed her otherhand parrallel above it. Closing her eyes in consentration, Kagome muttered softly for a moment before pulling off the protective glove.
The entire room jumped and grabbed the nearest object. But nothing happened. A slightly pink light hovered above his palm, allowing everyone view to the swirling abyss of nothingness inside it. Kagome reached into the mist and cupped her hand around it. Still muttering, eyes still closed, a bright light flashed inside the alcove of her hand, sending blinding rays between her fingers. Pulling her hand away from it, the room gasped. The wind tunnel had shrank an inch in diameter. And where the edges had been ragged and torn, it now had a smooth perimeter. The abyss beneath it didn't fly nearly as violently anymore. The wind tunnel had regressed.
Kagome grinned and slid the glove back on, watching as the pink light faded. "That should give you a good ten, maybe even fifteen years if you're careful." Turning to Inu Yasha, Kagome's grin widened slightly, "And that, Inu Yasha, is what I mean by 'I doubt you could stop me'."
In the hut, not one living person's eyes (or eye, in Keada's case) hadn't reached the size of a tangerine at Kagome's obvious show. But of the dead however, the eyes weren't wide, but merely slits and glaring angrily. Kagome saw this and winked. Kikyo had, after all, called on the gods to plea for a place in the seats of guardians. She had taken, and failed the test. She would be bitter
Kikyo snarled, "How did you manage, reincarnation? Did you cheat in the test? Or perhaps they went easy on you because you were weak?" Kagome growled.
"You failed the test, Kikyo. I didn't. And they wouldn't put a weak heart in first class," Kikyo's eyes widened, and Kagome pulled her bangs back to reveal the star. Seventy three through seventy class had clear stars with a different amount of sides. Sixty nine through sixty had lavender stars with different sides. Fifty nine through forty had red and gray with different sides, and so on until the lowest of ranks. Kikyo knew all this, she'd seen it before she'd failed the test, and her face became impossibly (well maybe not for a dead girl) pale.
Kagome grinned.
Kikyo sat in shock.
Keada's jaw dropped.
Everyone else just looked confused.
Kagome suddenly realized what she had done and dropped her bangs. That had been wrong. she wasn't supposed to flaunt her achievements like that. It was shameful. And it was dangerous. To her and each of her friends.
Lowering her head in shame, Kagome silently chastised herself for that slip. She had been trying to goad Kikyo. To embarrass her. She had been selfish. Muttering a soft spell, Kagome molded the memories of the all in the room but the full demons (Kilala and Shippo... well and Scorch) and the reborn priestess. She made it so they suddenly couldn't remember what had been said between Kikyo and Kagome, although they remembered the two arguing.
The room was suddenly filled with blank stares and a look of profound disturbance on the old priestess. Chances are she had heard of it from Kikyo when she was a child, and was the only one besides her sister and the Guardian who knew it's importance. Kagome couldn't wipe that knowledge away, so she instead just wiped away the words, leaving the old woman with a feeling of incomplete confusion.
She hated to do that, but she couldn't destroy. The powers she had been given as a Guardian were those of the power to create and shape, not to destroy. It had been what she asked for. A single right answer in the test. So she didn't feel so much guilty about leaving the woman as she had made her but from having put her into that position in the first place.
"Kikyo," Kagome began, careful to speak in a way no one but she and her reincarnate would understand, "I was given a message for you from The Upper Elements. Something meant only for you, something I can't even begin to understand. Something about failing because the dark path was worn down, and your feet having been set...?" Kikyo's eyes widened, then narrowed in anger, before softening slightly and fixing itself of the fire as if it would provide the answers.
That message had only been meant for Kikyo, but Kagome had lied. She knew what it meant. It meant that the gods had known this was her destination from the beginning. The 'dark path' was the gods title of the path to/around/from or just of hell. Her feet having been set meant that, even though she meant well, she was destined to be where she was now. Imagine the blow to your pride. Having prided yourself on being a great, pure and holy priestess working for all good, finding out after spending fifty years in hell that you were meant for it. Meant for betrayal, meant for blood, meant for war.
Kagome grinned, set herself on one knee, and looked at the priestess for the first time. She had only just realized how hard it must have been for her. She wouldn't have even been in collage yet in her time and she had already taken on a life-binding responsibility, much like a child. Well, a child half the demon population wanted to use for power... but she had gone through what she considered betrayal, having to die shortly after, hoping to spend eternity guarding the jewel in bliss.
But the jewel, having been tainted, had dragged her soul to hell.
Kagome had never felt more sympathy for the clay woman before her.
"But your fate is only set to here," Kikyo looked at her blankly, "From this moment forward, from the moment you can see your possible paths, you have a choice. You don't have to follow the shadows of this path anymore. This is your crossroad, choose it wisely." Kagome's grin widened and she picked up Shippo with one arm and jumped up. About to walk out of the hut, the dead woman spoke up.
"Kagome?" The future-girl halted, but didn't turn. This was the first time Kikyo had said her name, "The last part, the part about the choices... that wasn't part of the message from The Upper Elements, was it?" Kikyo had stood sometime during her response. Kagome didn't do anything for a moment. Then she turned, head tilted and eyes glinting. She pulled a camera from her back pocket and snapped a picture, freezing the group in their places. For a moment she just smiled, waiting for the Polaroid to dry. Then she stepped forward and offered it to the woman.
"Not a chance! Those cold guys wouldn't say anything unless it's got a shadowy part," She grinned, "Much like Miroku's 'ominous clouds'." Kikyo softly took the picture, not looking away from Kagome. The young girl grinned, shouted 'See ya!' and was off to her well. Only when she was hardly visible in the distance did Kikyo look at the picture.
She was standing off to the side, Sango directly behind her, Inu Yasha behind the flames and to Sango's right. Keada sat to his right, and Miroku to hers. The only person left in the picture was Kilala, who was looking into the flames with what could almost pass as a sad smile.
And in the flames itself was the phantom of a praying Midoriko, the four gods at her shoulders.
Kikyo's head whipped up to look at Kagome, the girl she had hated so strongly. Part of her was confused as to why she helped, the other just excepted it. Kikyo purified the shard in her chest, the one that bound her to Naraku, and fell to her knees.
With Kagome
Kagome sighed sadly. She had shown Kikyo the choices, and she knew she'd pick the right one. In the moment when she'd heard Kikyo's question, she knew that Kikyo's hatred had faded, and she knew she was ready to see the other choice. The choice that was so much better then spending eternity in hell, love at your right hand or no, but resulted in her death.
She had appealed, silently, with the gods. She had told them that she would take full responsibility for the girl if they gave her a seat by the gods in heaven, and let Inu Yasha sit by her side when his time came as well. She knew that they would resurrect the woman, and all that Naraku had killed, when the jewel was complete, but that wouldn't stop Inu Yasha from being depressed. From not understanding.
So Kagome pulled the note she had prepared from her backpack, and set it on the wells rim. The message was simple, but got the message across.
'Dear Inu Yasha,
I'm sorry for the pain I've caused you, but you must understand.
Kikyo isn't gone, use your head.'
That was the note in it's entirety, and beside it she set a jewel shard, as a clue in case he didn't understand her in his grief. Kagome already heard his angry footsteps approaching, and hastily jumped into the well. She couldn't face him. He'd question her as to 'why' she and Kikyo had done such and such and 'what' it all meant. These were dangerous questions, one's she couldn't afford to answer.
Once she was on her side, Kagome noticed that Shippo had somehow fallen asleep, and hastily sat the block on the well. She had things to deal with now. No interruptions.
half an hour later
Kagome collected a duffel of clothes to wear. She brought mostly charmed jeans and t's that would repair themselves within twenty four hours and under things that would keep certain... ahem.... THINGS from sight no matter how bad the damage to her clothes was. She brought tenni's with charms similar to the ones on the jeans and ankle socks to keep her feet from blistering.
She debated silently for a moment about weather to take a school team jacket, baseball cap and sunglasses as a way to disguise herself. On one side, she didn't want to wait any longer then necessary to see Youko. But then there was the fact that she wasn't even sure he remembered her. He might be able to live his life out happily now without bringing back painful memories from his past life. Then there was the fact that he might be suspicious to think she had somehow survived all these years in mint condition. He might also have some hidden agenda for this whole thing that, despite the fact she probably wouldn't approve of it, she didn't want to reveal who he really was, considering very few of the demons had recognized him.
In the end, she brought the disguise.
Damn it! Sometimes the thief in him was a pain in the butt...
Kagome pulled herself out of her dry mood and grinned. This could be fun. After all, it wasn't every day you got to try and beat a thief in disguise at his own game!
at the demon portal
Kagome walked into the deserted warehouse whistling to 'You Are My Sunshine'. The happy tune stopped immediately when her shin connected with a brick-hard box and sent her tumbling over it. When she finally stopped, her head was at the bottom with her arms spread out on each side, back curving to where it met another box and leaving her feet sticking up in the air.
Growling, Kagome muttered a few choice words about the reckless designs of idiot humans (in a style that would have given Sesshomaru pride) and pulled herself up. Somewhere along the way she'd lost a tennis-shoe, and it had left her left foot to freeze when she hopped down inside the maze of boxes to search for it.
Amazingly, Kagome felt her instincts flare. Probably the demon portal setting it off, she thought dourly. But nevertheless, she took the warning and suppressed her scent and aura, stepping lightly to avoid making any sound. Her foot almost went numb working it's way across the tiled floor and ice cold boxes before she found the missing shoe. Jumping into the air (silently) and pumping her arm in the air triumphantly (still silently) she gave herself a pat on the back (with her free hand) and slipped the shoe back on.
Walking back towards the portal, she was just about to start whistling again when she heard scratchy voices. Jumping the ten feet to the top of the nearest tower of boxes in an effortless grace that would have reminded any watcher of a cat, she sat on top of the tower quietly and didn't make a sound. The presences didn't seem to notice her, demon though they were, and continued as if no one had the ears to hear.
"You know what the man said, Bunzo! It's him or nothin'!" The scaly demon smacked his friend, an unattractive oily green fellow who either had a bad demon rash or a very bad purple breakout, "Your such a moron! We don't catch him, we don't get paid!"
"But I'm HUUUNGRRYYY!!! And this is Youko, Eiji! Think of the power!!!" 'Bunzo' shivered in pleasure and Kagome felt nausous. This dimwit, low level demon thought he could take on, and EAT! Youko! Kagome felt like laughing out loud. In fact, she did, and the two demons attention snapped in her direction. She looked down and them cooly and waved.
"You should really pay more attention, Baka, if I came in here with anymore warning I'd be wearing a stop light!" Kagome lied. But hey, what would they know?
"Shut up stupid mortal! Do you know who your messing with?!" Eiji shouted, "I'm a second class demon! So show some respect!" Bunzo nodded eagerly, looking up at her with, as far as she could tell, boastfulness or some mindless pride.
Kagome giggled, "I could tell you were at most third class the second I saw you ratty hides!" She shouted, "No demon as ugly as you has the strength to kill a fly demon!" It appeared the demons didn't know which insult to respond to first. In a moment of mercy, she spared them the trouble, "Tell you what, you go back to whoever hired you with your tail between your legs and tell them you couldn't pass by the barrier, and I'll spare your dignity. Not to mention those nasty little faces of yours. Though any change to them would certainly be a good dead on my behalf. Save a lot of poor peoples eyes, I could." She nodded sagely, imitating Miroku and rubbing her chin. The demons bristled.
"YOU DIRTY LITTLE NINGEN! WE SHOULD TARE YOU IN HALF! HOW DARE A WEAK LITTLE HUMAN LIKE YOU THREATEN US!" Kagome grinned.
"So, you go for the charity option? Good. I need a work out before I go meet the team anyway." The demons growled and lunged.
Ten minutes
Kagome was whistling 'London Bridges Falling Down' as she stepped through the demon portal, in good spirits once again. Glancing back at the two demons she grinned and waved. The two were hung upside down sixty feet in the air from the beams that lined the roof of the warehouse. Their faces were blank as they tried to comprehend the situation. Where were they? What was going on? What's... oh bugger it...
Bunzo and Eiji hung their, trying to remember who they were until an hour later, when a blue haired girl with an oar on her shoulder walked into the warehouse and caught site of them. Each seemed to be missing their left fighting sandal...
At the arena's entrance
Kagome walked, suppressing her human aura and scent, through the crowd of demons and towards the arena. It wasn't surprising, she supposed, that rumors were going around about Youko's team. They obviously had mixed feelings for it. Some (very little) thought that they might get to the final round before they were defeated. Most seemed to refuse even that because there was, after all, humans on the team. Any demon who traveled with humans couldn't have the strength for such a feet.
She inwardly bristled, but continued listening to catch any news she could. She heard something about the sponsor of the team, a Prince Koenma, and how some wanted to complain to him about the team members. A couple theorized about the woman on the team, apparently a human girl with her head wrapped in in gauze like a mummy. Most of the females talked about their favorite demon fighters. She fought off a rising jealousy and then righteous anger when one said she wished Kurama would stay in his demon form and court her ('for surely' Kagome began to growl, 'he wouldn't want anyone but me.' Kagome snorted). But when she commented on his pathetic human form Kagome had to alter her course to keep herself from ripping the woman's head off.
Looking up the players in a flier she found all the people in the teams and the rooms they were staying in. She had to keep back an unhappy growl when she saw that, thought their were long advertisements for the teams of most of the players temporary rooms, Youko's team had brief titles and nothing else. Obviously they didn't think it a good thing to spread around that humans stayed in their hotels. Folding up the flier and putting it in her back pocket, she headed toward the Arena. The VIPs stayed there, along with Koenma who supported her team. She'd have to speak with him in order to get a spot close enough to the team to scope it out and make sure Youko wasn't planning anything before getting any closer.
In Koenma's office/room (okay people, this is where the story strays from the yuyu guidlines)
"GEORGE!!!" The familiar ogre scurried around a chair and very almost bowled over the child-shaped leader in the process.
"Y-Yes... Koenma... sama..." George muttered, still catching his breath.
"I WANT SUSHI!" the hysterical prince calmed and put a finger to his chin, "And maybe some oden... I feel like oden..." George sweat dropped, "WELL?! WHAT ARE YOU STANDING THERE FOR?! THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!!!" George sighed and ran off to do as he was ordered. Koenma, now alone, turned to look out the window. It wouldn't be long now, he mused. Not long at all. The child sighed sadly and turned around.
Only to be met with a black eyed alien.
"AHHH!" Koenma launched himself into the curtains hanging in front of the window, gripping on for dear life. When he heard a girlish giggled behind him, he turned slowly to face the creature.
The 'alien' standing there was a black haired human with jeans, a blue and white sailor jacket (like her uniform from school), a baseball cap and sunglasses. The black eyes were the tinted lenses, and Koenma suddenly felt very childish (pun intended).
"Uh..." Koenma sat in shock for a sec before hopping from the curtain and pulling himself back into his chair. Sitting regally, he straightened out his clothing and hat and put on a serious face he'd worked hard on. Hearing a snort, he looked up to see the human desperately holding back laughter and glared, "May I help you?" His cold voice seemed to bring some sense to the ningen, but a lopsided grin still hung on the pale face.
"Yup," the voice of the human was decidedly female, and something about it he couldn't help but like. It reminded him, in a distinct cheerful way, of Botan, "I'm here to speak to Koenma. I assume you're him?" Koenma nodded and she frowned, "Strange... I had assumed you'd be a bit... well, a bit more 'princely'." Koenma glared and she shook her head and put her hand in a defensive position, "Not like that. I only meant that I'd heard from the demons outside that you were an adult who... who didn't jump up curtains for instance." Koenma turned bright red, turning away in an effort to hide it.
"You surprised me," he heard her giggled again and glared mutely at the wall, "You said you needed to speak to me?" The girl sobered and nodded.
"I'd like to apply for a back-up position," Koenma's eyes widened and he openly stared. The girl blushed sheepishly and brought a hand up to scratch the back of her neck, "I figured since this is the first team with humans in as long as I can remember, I'd like to show some support for my species you know? Not that I have anything against demons... it's just they aren't to open to visitors. I'd hoped I could be there in case something happened. Wouldn't want the team to get bumped."
Koenma realized that this could be an ideal situation. After all, he didn't exactly want to take Genkai's place, but he'd just assumed he'd stand on the teams shoulders. It'd be a lot easier if they did have a backup. But this was a little too ideal. Frowning in suspicion, Koenma narrowed his eyes at her.
"Who are you working for?" The girls eyes widen and, even through the sunglasses, he could see her confusion.
"Beg your pardon, sir?"
"Who-do-you-work-for?" Koenma growled. The girls face turned sad.
"I just thought I'd help!" Kagome murmured.
"Yeah right! No one in this forsaken realm wants to help this team!" Koenma jumped onto his desk and pointed an accusing finger at her, "I'm the Prince of the Spirit Realm, son of King Yama, and I'm not idiot enough to believe you came her to support anybody!"
"Geeze, toddler! What's your problem?!" She seethed. Paranoid kid. "You may not be idiot 'enough' kid but you're still an idiot! Fine! You want to know who I work for?!" she ripped her baseball cap off, spilling her hair down her back and revealing the star, "I used to know one of your team's players and there's no way in any of the hells that I'll watch him die!" Pulling her hair back up into the cap, she growled, "I didn't intend to fight in the stupid tournament, I just wanted to watch and make sure they'd be okay! I don't know what you're puny little brain can't comprehend, but I'll fight my way to the front row if I have to!"
Kagome turned to walk out and went toward the door, walking past a running ogre on the way. She was already out the door before she realized what it was he'd been carrying. Spinning around, she marched back in, still angry, and grabbed the bowl of oden from the table just as the ogre sat it down. The kid seemed to still be in shock, giving her time to walk right back out of the room and toward the exit. She was done with it before she reached the exit and her spirits considerably higher.
That all came crashing down when she came outside to find it raining. She would have just charmed her clothes to repel it, but she was pretty tired from all the magic she'd used today. After all, it was her first day using it, and she'd only eaten a serving of oden today. Besides, it wasn't a good idea to waste magic. It gave away too many secrets.
Pulling the collar over her neck and holding the front of her baseball cap low, she ran towards the only place she could think of: the hotel Youko was staying at. Not sensing any familiar aura's Kagome sighed and sat down under a ledge besides the building. It was only mid- afternoon, but Kagome had only got a few hours of sleep the night before, and she had a feeling she'd only get a few tonight. Sitting down and making herself comfortable, Kagome pulled her hat down to hide her face and went to sleep, effortlessly putting up a miko barrier invisible to any sense.