Confessions
The first school day came and went quickly. Boton's friendly, but intense study time after school ended only when Kagome couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. Kagome didn't complain, and instead was relieved to believe that she passed the literature test easily.
If only math were so easy to comprehend...
The next two days flew by just as easily as the first and now, it was time to leave her new friends again and join the ones in the past.
To her surprise when she walked out of her last class with Shuuichi, all the others were there to escort her home. She felt kinda funny with the large entourage surrounding her, but she enjoyed the company. Even Kuwabara trailed along with them, sacrificing his evening with his lady love. Kagome wanted to meet this girl who seemed so special to him.
"How one person could smile so much is beyond me," Yusuke teased her.
"How one person could be such a grump all the time-" she nudged Keiko in reply to his jab.
"I know," Yusuke answered deliberately changing her words to suit his purposes, "But no one has been able to get Hiei to lighten up. I think the world would end if he ever laughed."
Hiei growled.
"You would be wrong," Kurama said.
Hiei looked at him, remembering the time he had found the fox amusing enough to lose his composure. A small chuckle escaped him when he watched the tall red head blush himself, remembering as well.
"Don't pick on Hiei," Kagome suddenly said seriously. "I hate to see Keiko cry after he gets his revenge on you. He's stronger then you are."
"What!? Yusuke glared. "I'll have you know that I have always come out on top when battling that little-"
"Watch it, Yusuke. We could always start a rematch." Hiei warned. Kagome's belief in him was confusing.
"I don't doubt that you beat him before," she shrugged. "But you've already reached your potential. Hiei's strength is still growing. So is Shuuichi-er, Kurama's." She stopped and put her hands on her hips. She faced the passive fox spirit. "When I get back next week, I expect to hear your story," she informed him. "This whole two names thing is confusing when I don't know the reasons I'm doing it."
"Agreed," he answered softly. It was true that both demons had gotten stronger, but surpassing Yusuke was another matter. It was possible, but not probable. He couldn't help but feel proud that she noticed his strength. Youko preened in Youkai pride.
Smart girl! Youko said.
No one disagreed.
She reached the shrine steps and posed prettily in the sunshine. "In one week?"
A chorus of goodbyes and phrases of agreement chased her up the stairs. She smiled at the waiting Inuyasha who followed her inside to collect her things.
"You smell again," he greeted her.
She just rolled her eyes and ignored him. Now was not the time to approach him about staying and collecting that other shard. When he's in a better mood. She told herself, and resumed packing. When we can't do anything more where we are...
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Koenma appeared suddenly at the shrine steps, surprising the spirit detective team. "Kagome!" he called. "Damn! I'm too late!" They felt the now familiar wave of energy from the well wash over them.
He held up the seer stone to show them. "It broke."
"What happened?" Boton asked.
"My dad. I finally told him about the well."
"What did he think you should have done?" she pressed.
"It wasn't the well, it was the stone that ticked him off. He seemed to think I was spying on her," he pouted. "Now I have no way to check up on her."
"Idiot. You were spying," Hiei stated.
"That's Lord Idiot to you, three eyes!" Koenma fumed.
"We'll just have to trust that Inuyasha can take care of her," Yusuke said unconcerned. "Just like he was doing before she met us."
"They haven't needed us yet..."Kuwabara agreed.
"But this is a critical time! Don't you get it yet?!" Koenma yelled.
"Get what?" Yusuke asked suspiciously.
"Oh, why did I ever think that this might work out?" he mourned. He vanished back into the Reikai with a thought, leaving them standing there.
"Well, I'm not sure if I'm pleased or worried," Boton considered. "I didn't really like that whole spying business, but it was nice to know we could help her if she needed it."
"Hn." Hiei disappeared as quickly as Koenma.
"Just where are you two going?" Keiko asked Yusuke and Kuwabara.
"To Genkai's. I'll show her who's reached their potential!"
"Well, I'm coming too," she announced and followed them.
Boton and Kurama both seemed lost in thought. Unthinking, they fell into step beside each other and walked to the park nearby.
"Boton," Kurama suddenly said, "What do you think of Inuyasha?"
"He acts like Yusuke and suffers from Hiei's emotional constipation," was her prompt reply.
Kurama laughed lightly. "And?"
Boton blushed. "Uh, well, I thin Kagome's right. He does have a good heart."
"I agree. Despite appearances, he is the best person to help Kagome now."
"Yeah...I guess so." She dropped down into the grass and plucked at the petals of a clover. "Hey!" she looked a the boy leaning against the tree. "Didn't I ask you a similar question a few nights ago?"
"Yes."
"Well, are you going to answer it now?"
"I like her."
"Well duh. I already knew that," she snorted. "What insights do you have, Kurama? She's so blasted cheerful all the time."
"We could say the same of you," he responded. "We have all seen her life, and you know as much about her as I do...if not more."
"We didn't see how she felt about those things." Boton dropped her head down till her chin touched her chest. "I like her too. Everyone does, actually. That's what makes this so hard."
He sat next to her in the grass. "Makes what so hard?"
"Liking her."
"Liking her makes it hard to like her?" he tried to reason this out. From any angle it made little sense.
"No. Being her friend makes it hard to like him."
"Inuyasha?"
She nodded.
"I see. And Kagome likes Inuyasha."
She nodded again, miserably. "But..." she hesitated. "She kinda talked to me about him. And she doesn't really know how she feels. The only thing she seemed sure about was that even if he liked her back, it wouldn't work out between them."
Kurama said nothing.
"This is probably boring you..."
"No, I understand." He glanced down at her. "I do really like her."
Boton's eyes widened. "Oh! I see. So we're both is the same boat, so to speak."
"Mmmm," he agreed.
They sat is silence for a while, content to be miserably alone together.
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"Kagome!" Shippo threw himself into her arms. "I missed you!"
"Shippo," she smiled into his russet hair. "Hello everyone! Sango! What are you doing?!"
Sango dropped her weapon and stood more comfortably. The giant boomerang was slung back over her back. "Sorry, Kagome. It's just I could sense a great ki but it didn't feel like you."
Kagome blinked owlishly at her friend. "Not like me? But Sango, I haven't changed."
"I know. That is what was so strange."
"Feh! It's that residual energy from her new friends." Inuyasha sneered. "Stinks..."
"Inuyasha, one more comment about my smell and I swear I'll say it until you fall through the other side of the world."
Shippo eyed her warily. "Is that possible?"
"Feh!" but he moved a short distance away from her.
"I am more than willing to take the time to find out!" Kagome ground out.
"Lady Kagome," Miroku approached her. "It is good to see you again. And I don't mind your smell at all. It's a pleasure to be close to you."
"Not that close."
"Sorry," he put a hand to his stinging cheek.
"Shall we go then?" Sango ignored the monk.
"I suppose. We could just pick a direction...I have no feeling at all of any jewel shards."
"Maybe you're broken." Inuyasha said.
"What!?"
"You haven't sensed any Jewel Shards in months. There must be something wrong with you," he explained.
"I am not broken, Baka!" she shouted. "You think you can do better? Fine!" she stomped off.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Inuyasha yelled.
"This way."
"What's that way?" Sango asked.
"Not Inuyasha."
"Ahhh...." Miroku nodded in understanding. "Good choice, Lady Kagome."
Sango and Miroku looked at he pissed hanyou with matching smiles on their faces. "Let's go Kirara!" Sango coaxed. They willingly followed Kagome's stiff back, with Inuyasha trailing as far behind as he could without losing sight of them.
Feh! Why is it always my fault? He wondered. Stupid girl...
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*Sounds of ecstatic cheering*
I have just finished typing from my first notebook! Now I have the next to begin! And I'm already writing in a third.
For those of you who may have forgotten my warning...This is going to be a Looooooooooonngg story!
I'll try to get more chapters up every few days until I catch up to what I have written out.
Thanks to all the reviewers! You really keep me motivated to keep typing!
Sylvannastar