A/n: yeah I got more reviews, I love you guys.
Vilja: thanks for the review and the compliment.
Gero: great now I can write more chapters for you to read. And thanks for the lovely compliments.
Disclaimer: after lots of therapy sessions and counseling I was finally ready to put my signature on the, I don't own Inu yasha form. What they don't now was that I was holding my fingers crossed behind my back. Gna gna.
HELLS KITCHEN
BY PANTHERA1984
CHAPTER 3
Running up the stairs down a hall to the living room isn't easy on high heels. But Kagome and Sango menaced quite well. Holding up the coats and dresses so they wouldn't trip on them, they rushed to the messenger boy.
Both where already thinking up strategies for when the worst would happen. Reaching the open room that was dubbed the living room. They found Shippô sitting on the ground protectively in front of the couch.
On the couch was the messenger, clearly not awake. Both girl recognized the wet looking male at once but it was Sango who voiced there thoughts. "But that is Bankotsu isn't he supposed to be dead. The ones who where able to tell the story afterwards said that he was one to fall by the hands of Naraku himself when he was trying to get Kikyo a free path to the hanyou."
Walking to where Bankotsu's head was resting Kagome kneeled down. Watching him closely she saw that his breathing was steady and from what she had seen of the rest of him his condition was normal no visible wounds. "Well he's not dead now; I wonder what happened to him and why he's here now."
Hearing Miroku's footsteps in the hall she looked up at Sango, and as always they understood each other without words. Kagome received a curt smile and a nod from Sango, before she went of to intercept Miroku in the hall.
He would need to go out right away to inform some of the members from the society. This was too important to keep a secret. And Miroku had to go to Loverboy first; Bankotsu was after all his most trusted and best fighter just like Kikyo had been.
When Sango rounded the corner and she could here her talking to Miroku. Kagome turned to the fox demon still sitting on the ground only now was he facing the couch like Kagome rather than the door. "Tell me all Shippô every single detail, this is too important to mess up."
Tears appeared in Shippô's emerald eyes, but Kagome knew that they weren't from sadness or fear. But from relieve to see that one of your best friends made it back alive after all. Hell seeing Bankotsu back and living was better than the Christmas presents Kagome had gotten when she was a little girl.
Sitting down with her back to the wall Kagome opened her arms invitingly. Shippô leaped into her before she had opened her arms fully. Clutching the moist coat with his little claws he put his head against her chest crying his eyes out.
Closing her arms around him she embraced the boy and rested her own head on top of his. She felt her own eyes prickle with a familiar feeling. Soon after tears where silently falling down from Kagome's eyes to.
Along with Kikyo, Bankotsu had been a very important person in the lives of Sango, Kagome and the most of all Shippô. The day when the news had reached them Kikyo had died they also heard that Bankotsu was dead to. But unlike Kikyo they didn't have Bankotsu's body to burry, it had never been found.
In the first few months after the battle everybody had hoped that maybe he had made it out a live and had just gone into hiding. But the longer he was gone the smaller there hope became. And after seven months of fruitless waiting they had begun to give up hope. Of course in the back of there heads they would have this little piece expectation.
And here he was to prove everybody wrong, but what had happened what had kept him away. Bankotsu was very loyal and protective and his honor was legendary in hells kitchen, so what had been big, bad enough to keep him away for over a year.
After some time Kagome lifted her head from Shippô's. Keeping one arm about the little fox she used the other to reach out for the knitted wool blanket that colored up the old couch. It had been the result of a creative Sango, at the time nobody had dared to tell her the thing looked absolutely hideous.
Well nobody living in the house had dared a quick visit from Kikyo and Inu yasha had in lighted her. The dog demon had come into the room and asked what kind of animal had died on the couch. It ended with Inu yasha having a great amount of lumps on his head and Sango had never knitted again.
But for all it ugliness the blanket was really warm and soft. Getting hold of a corner Kagome pulled the golden brown blanket closer so she could dry her face with it. Don with her own face she started on Shippô's face, he had stopped crying also.
Shifting him on her lap so that she could look him in the eye, Kagome took a deep breath. "I think it's time you tell me what happened Shippô."
Giving an understanding nod Shippô made himself comfortable in this new position. "Well it started when I woke up in the middle of the night feeling thirsty. Normally mommy would have left a glass of water on my bedside table but she forgot this time. So I went to here to get some water, it was thundering a lot and I thought that it was weird that it wasn't raining. At first I didn't hear the noise and if I hadn't been looking outside at the time that lightning bolt illuminated the balcony I would have never seen the body lying there. So I saw that some one was lying there and I decided to take a closer look but before I did that I went to Sango's room to get her baseball bat first and than went to the balcony. When I was at the door another lightning bolt lighten the person up again and I recognized Bankotsu. I threw away the bat and got mommy to help me carry him in. he hasn't woken up since."
Ruffling his hair Kagome gave him a big smile. "You've don great Shippô; if you hadn't found him the cold would have finished him of by now. Now all we can do is waiting for Sango and Miroku to return with news from Loverboy and hope that new a better place to hide Bankotsu than this tavern."
Nodding in agreement Shippô climbed from Kagome's lap to resume his earlier position in front of the couch. The way he sat there he reminded Kagome of a guard dog in pocket size. Hoisting herself up with help of the wall Kagome went to the other side of the living room where a small kitchen block was situated. Next to it stood a very old gas cooker. Poring water into dented whistling kettle she set herself to the task of brewing tea.
Placing the kettle on the pit she went for a quick change of cloths to her bedroom. Disposing of her coat wet dress and shoes Kagome slipped into her old warm tracksuit. Retrieving her slippers from under her bed she went back to the living room.
Checking up on the kettle told Kagome that it was almost ready. Opening the cupboard above her she got two mugs, for Shippô and herself. Mrs. Kitsune would be in the kitchen from the tavern getting things ready to open up at one. It was now more important to act like everything was normal so they wouldn't alert one of Naraku's spies.
Wondering where Sango and Miroku would be Kagome opened a wooden box filled with all kinds of tea bags. It was one of the little extra's they aloud themselves. Getting the sugar jar out was a bit more difficult since some one probably Miroku had placed the thing on the top shelve again.
It didn't matter how many times Kagome had told him not to do this because she wasn't that tall and had to go to extremes to get herself high enough so she could actually get to the damn jar, Miroku kept putting it on the top shelve, after living so long with the Houshi she had a feeling he did it only to bug her.
Looking around for something she could use as a ladder she sighted none of the chairs in this room was safe enough to stand on, the old dinning table would fall apart at the mere idea of some one standing on it and the stool wasn't high enough.
Rolling her eyes Kagome went out into the hall to look for something more suitable. To her relieve she spotted the small ladder standing right next to her. Picking the wooden thing up she remembered the gathering the society had right before there big attack.
Dragging the thing to the cupboard and placing, she climbed up to get the sugar can still deep in thought. It had been in an old warehouse. And the members who would be fighting had stand in groups of there own level.
There had been four levels each distinctive in there own ways. Lowest where the shadow walkers, they where the spies the information collectors. In that category they where unbeatable but when it came to real hand to hand combat they sucked, they knew enough to get themselves out of tight situations but that was all.
Then you had the guardians, they where great defenders but slacked at the attack. They where the ones to protect the secret hide outs where children and mothers went when Naraku attacked. They where legendary in protecting but in a real battle they would just be in the way, finding it hard to cope with the attacks coming from all directions.
The third group is the soul hunters or just hunters. They are great in fights and battles, but are at there best when they had to hunt down the enemy. Using there skills both physical and in spiritual ways. Most of the times there prey was already beaten before they had gotten there hands on it.
And then the supreme, the best of the best. The messengers of death or how most called them messengers. They are famous for there fabulous skills in the battle field. They are under normal circumstances almost impossible to beat. They where dealers of death where they stood in battle fields dead bodies would be pile up around them.
It had been a great sight for Kagome and Sango both had sneaked in at the beginning of the ceremony. Watching everything hidden between the rafters. Loverboy had given a sort of pep talk. When Sango had seen Loverboy standing on the platform she had elbowed Kagome in the ribs to draw her attention and pointed him out.
Both girls had been disappointed that Loverboy had been covert from head to toe in a black cloak. Nobody knew Loverboy's true identity not even the ones who worked closest to him. At that moment Loverboy finished his speech and was answered by the yelling of a couple of hundred fighters, soon after they had left to go to battle. Only the smallest amount stayed behind to defend the home front.
Getting hold of the sugar jar Kagome went down the ladder putting the jar on the kitchen sink so she could put the ladder back where she had found it. Coming back into the living room the kettle just started whistling, the great timing brought a smile on her face.
Readying the mugs for the hot water to be poured in she then went to fetch the kettle, putting an oven cloth around her hand out of precaution. She then proceeded into pouring the hot water in the mugs with the tea bags. Putting the kettle on the pit behind the one she had been using, so it wouldn't accidentally cause a burn mark on some one passing it by close.
Making sure that the gas was turned of she finished the tea for Shippô and herself, great amounts of sugar disappeared into both mugs. Walking over to the fox she placed herself next to him before handing over the hot cup. On the couch Bankotsu still hadn't given a sign of awakening jet.
After taking a few sips Kagome Nudged Shippô's foot with her own to get his attention. "Has your mom given him some of her medicines?
First Shippô looked puzzled then he gave a curt nod of conferment. Shippô's mom wasn't only known for her splendid cooking but for her knowledge of medical herbs as well. The small backyard they had was one big herbal garden. After Mrs. Kitsune's kitchen this garden was one thing she didn't allowed any body but her son and herself in.
Kagome had wondered in once and had gotten a big scolding for it; she hadn't been crazy enough to go there again. Any way if she had given Bankotsu some of her herbs he was likely to be asleep from those then from something else. One less thing to worry about.
After parting ways with Miroku who would be going to Loverboy, Sango was now trying to get to Black Panther. If there was one person that would know the best places to hide a messenger it was him. Black Panther was of course a code name nobody in the society knew the other names. Well accept for the once you lived with in normal live as well.
In her Barbie pink coat she was an eye catcher for every one who would be even near a window. That made Sango travel as fast as her high heels in knee high snow would allow her. It didn't went very fast so it was a good thing Black Panther wasn't living to far from the tavern.
Finally she reached the old crappy house of Black Panther letting out a sight she went to the back door. Giving three rapid and two slow knocks on the door she waited. After waiting for a few minutes the door was opened only a little bit. "Who's wondering the streets and comes to my door."
Wincing slightly Sango hastened to reply, she had forgotten that Black Panther could be real cold. "It's Flaming Soul from the level of soul hunters and you're Black Panther from the level of the shadow walkers."
The door opened a bit more. "So you claim girl but can you prove it?
Looking into lime colored eyes Sango sighted, it was of course the rules he was fallowing but that didn't mean that they weren't irritating the heck out of her. "Of course I can prove it." Turning around she lifted her hair up so her neck was revealed. Right beneath the hairline a small tattoo of a wolf could be seen, the sign of a hunter.
"Well what are you waiting for silly girl get your ass inside." Tensing for a moment Sano tried to suppress the urge to sock the man one. After a moment the urge become bearable and she turned and entered the house.
Lime green eyes followed her inside, before scanning the streets to make sure there where no spies or other unwelcome personas to witness this. After a couple of tense moments he closed the door.
Looking around Sango noticed that the place looked a lot better from the inside then from the outside. But the door was the most surprising. From the outside it looked like a rotten piece of wood but on the inside you saw that it was made out of solid steel. This was one door that would go down fast.
She felt a soft tingling in her neck; some one was staring at her. Turning her head to Black Panther she saw his lime green eyes resting on her. Now she finally saw him completely she sucked in her breath.
Shadow walkers where known for there good disguises and she had never seen Black Panther without his until today that is. His hair was a lush brown red and put up in a high pony tail it rested over his right shoulder and the tip hung where his belly bottom would be. A green army colored shirt was molded over his torso showing of every muscle and a tiny waist. She couldn't tell much about his legs do since he was wearing a skater pants.
"Well girl do you approve of me, and I would like to know why yu came here. Must be something very important if you came strait to me." He cocked his head and kept watching her.
A red blush crept over Sango's face when he let her know so bluntly that he knew she was checking him out, at the thought of that she had really don that she turned a couple of shades darker red. "S... sorry it's just I never saw you without costume before, but you're right I need help and I need it from the best."
Now she felt herself in safer waters, Sango was able to thing clearly again. "Thunder Ghost and me had an unsuspected night visitor, Diabolic has returned."
Sango saw Black Panther turned o few shades whiter. H then just tuned around and headed for what Sango thought was the living room. "Well get moving, I suppose you want me to hide him don't you?
Following the man into what indeed was the living room she made herself comfortable on a chair. She watched him walking up and down for a while, one hand on his back well he was holding his chin with the other, he was clearly thinking this over with much consideration.
As she had suspected, he was after all the best of his level. When she had been young Bankotsu who had started his training came home with stories about Black Panther. He was one of the youngest ever to join a level. He was the only exception Loverboy had ever made.
At the age of fourteen he had joined the shadow walkers but Bankotsu had told Kagome and her that he could have easily joined the messengers; instead he wanted to be a spy. And in the beginning older members had said he was crazy to work below his talent but he had proven them wrong.
Finally sitting down opposite to her he leaned forwards, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Alright we need to work on this fast; as far as I see it Naraku doesn't know yet! Or he would have been at your place hours ago.
"So we have to move him as fast as possible so I will come tonight around eleven. Make sure that he's wearing grey and white colors. I'll take him somewhere. You have informed Loverboy of this incident I hope?
Sango had to digest the waterfall of information before she could answer him. "The monk is going to him as we speak and where is this place you're going to take him?
Scowling at the question he could have seen coming for miles, he let himself fall into the chair. "You know I can't tell you and don't you have a tavern to run you better get going. I trust you remembered the way out? The last was said in a thick sarcastic tune mend to irritate her, females where a bother he wanted to be to spent as less time with as he could, with some exceptions of course.
The message hit home and Sango stood up in a huff, with a tensed back she went the way she had come in meanwhile wishing she had brought her boomerang with her. Giving him a smack over the head with her beloved weapon would have been sooo satisfying.
Closing the door behind her proved to be tricky, the thing was just heavy and on a normal day she would have been able to do it with difficulty. But now with the snow making everything slippery she felt her feet slipping away every time she tried to push. Not to mention that the high heels where of no help, at her sixth attempt she felt herself slipping once again but this time her heel also broke. Before she could help herself Sango was lying on her back in the snow.
"And what are you doing now girl, do you want to get the attention of the whole neighborhood or do you just like to catch a cold? A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth up into a mocking expression.
Balding her fists Sango sat up, opening her mouth to answer she thought better of it and just kicked her shoes out and stood up. Stopping to pick up her shoes she turned around with as much dignity that she had left and started to go home. The next time he would be close she would make sure she had her boomerang within reach.
A hoarse laughter followed her departure, o yes she would defiantly bring her boomerang and a bucket of piranhas to dump over his unconscious body. But soon her thought turned to more pressing matter like her feet that were slowly feeling num, that couldn't be good. Hastening her pace Sango followed the path she had made earlier. At least she was a little bit faster now and the moment she couth home she would put her feet in a tile of warm water.
When she finally reached the door of the tavern Sango was almost crying with joy. She had lost the feeling in her lower legs when she reached the street the Robin Hood was situated at and only the thought of warm water, warm cloths and warm food had kept her going.
In the back of her head she was also thinking about Bankotsu, she couldn't believe it, he was back and apparently in good health. She like all the others that housed in the Robin Hood had been overcome with sorrow when the news about Kikyo's and Bankotsu's death reached them.
They had after all grown up together for the bigger part of there lives. Sango only knew it by the story's her mother had told her, but apparently they hadn't always lived here. They had moved when Sango had been four together with Kagome who was also four Kagome's parents and her older sister Kikyo.
One day both mothers had been out shopping, old habits die hard even when you live in hells kitchen, it took some time before Kagome's and her mother faced the situation and stopped trying to live a normal live.
Anyway they had been shopping and on there way back they had come across a group of children beating up what seemed to be a dog. Now was Sango's mom some one who took offence of this kind of behavior big time and Kagome's mom wasn't such a sweetheart herself.
Together they had set of to free the animal and had started swinging there shopping backs and for those who don't know it those things can be real heavy. After delivering some blows the street kids had run of leaving a pile of raged cloths and what turned out to be a human.
Kagome's mom had used her bag that was stuffed just for situations just like these to give the child some first aid help. When he was up and about they had asked him where he lived so they could take him to his house.
When his answer had been that he had no house the woman had exchanged looks and asked him for his name, which turned out to be Bankotsu. They had told the boy that he could come live with them if he wanted to.
Normally bringing a drifter from the streets of hells kitchen wouldn't have worked out but there's seemed to be the exception to that rule. Bankotsu had gladly agreed and without so much of a second thought he had gone with the two ladies'.
Sango had never been tired from hearing this story from her mother when she was younger. And Bankotsu had turned out to be a great person to be with he was the best big brother Kagome and she could have wished for.
Opening the taverns door Sango went inside as fast as she could. Closing the door with a sight she was greeted by Miroku who was holding up clean warm cloths she had been longing for. Throwing the shoes away she rushed towards him and almost tore the cloths out of his hands.
Giving him a bright smile, she then preceded to the privet quarters where she would be able to take a warm shower, long live technology.
Watching Sango disappear upstairs Miroku went to the kitchen door, it was fast approaching one o'clock and at that time the bar opened. And he suspected that one of Naraku's spies would drop by just to see if thinks were going as should be and then you had the normal costumers.
The Robin Hood was known to be the best tavern in all of hells kitchen of course they had most to thank to Mrs. Kitsune's cooking. Aldo he rather not find out what she put in her food, you could never be sure she was a demon after all.
Pocking his head inside he found her bending over a huge soup pan. He decided now wasn't the time to ask if she was on schedule and he shortly wondered why would actually bother her since she was always on schedule no matter what happened.
Closing the door Miroku decided his time was better spent reading the dinner tables. Putting the chairs on the ground he slowly made his way through the room halting every now and then to see if the chairs didn't need to be fixed.
It was one of his jobs here to give him a cover. He prized his luck that he was handy with wood because he certainly hadn't like the other ideas the girl had come up with. When h had all the chairs down he went to the bar.
Checking if everything was okay and if they where stashed up on all the supplies, he found the napkins where running low so he put them on the shopping list. Above his own writing he saw Sango's tiny letters. She had put ten down the thing Kagura had order them to get.
Looking at the grandfather clock hanging behind him he saw that there where only five minutes for opening time. Taking in a deep breath he tried not to think about who was lying upstairs. It was show time.
He hadn't even finished his thought or old Sam came in. he was one of those old man that wouldn't miss a day even if they had to bully there great great grandchildren into taking them here.
He just hoped that Sango or Kagome would appear soon, the old man was also one of those that kept telling you about his past and how everything had been better back then. It was a nice story the first two times and it became a bit dry the third time but you were ready to pull your hair out at the sixth time. Not to mention that old Sam thought he was something all the ladies longed after.
Looking around for an escape he felt the trap close the moment old Sam seated down. "Hay dare boy, how are things today good I hope? O well we'll have to do with what we have after all the old days aren't coming back aren't they. Yes I remember those days well.........
Swallowing Miroku fixed a fake smile on his face, he better be rescued soon or he might just commit a murder on an old man.
A/n: yeah another chapter don, I'm so happy hope you are to. Well just one more thing to say, don't be shy and hit that review button.
Vilja: thanks for the review and the compliment.
Gero: great now I can write more chapters for you to read. And thanks for the lovely compliments.
Disclaimer: after lots of therapy sessions and counseling I was finally ready to put my signature on the, I don't own Inu yasha form. What they don't now was that I was holding my fingers crossed behind my back. Gna gna.
HELLS KITCHEN
BY PANTHERA1984
CHAPTER 3
Running up the stairs down a hall to the living room isn't easy on high heels. But Kagome and Sango menaced quite well. Holding up the coats and dresses so they wouldn't trip on them, they rushed to the messenger boy.
Both where already thinking up strategies for when the worst would happen. Reaching the open room that was dubbed the living room. They found Shippô sitting on the ground protectively in front of the couch.
On the couch was the messenger, clearly not awake. Both girl recognized the wet looking male at once but it was Sango who voiced there thoughts. "But that is Bankotsu isn't he supposed to be dead. The ones who where able to tell the story afterwards said that he was one to fall by the hands of Naraku himself when he was trying to get Kikyo a free path to the hanyou."
Walking to where Bankotsu's head was resting Kagome kneeled down. Watching him closely she saw that his breathing was steady and from what she had seen of the rest of him his condition was normal no visible wounds. "Well he's not dead now; I wonder what happened to him and why he's here now."
Hearing Miroku's footsteps in the hall she looked up at Sango, and as always they understood each other without words. Kagome received a curt smile and a nod from Sango, before she went of to intercept Miroku in the hall.
He would need to go out right away to inform some of the members from the society. This was too important to keep a secret. And Miroku had to go to Loverboy first; Bankotsu was after all his most trusted and best fighter just like Kikyo had been.
When Sango rounded the corner and she could here her talking to Miroku. Kagome turned to the fox demon still sitting on the ground only now was he facing the couch like Kagome rather than the door. "Tell me all Shippô every single detail, this is too important to mess up."
Tears appeared in Shippô's emerald eyes, but Kagome knew that they weren't from sadness or fear. But from relieve to see that one of your best friends made it back alive after all. Hell seeing Bankotsu back and living was better than the Christmas presents Kagome had gotten when she was a little girl.
Sitting down with her back to the wall Kagome opened her arms invitingly. Shippô leaped into her before she had opened her arms fully. Clutching the moist coat with his little claws he put his head against her chest crying his eyes out.
Closing her arms around him she embraced the boy and rested her own head on top of his. She felt her own eyes prickle with a familiar feeling. Soon after tears where silently falling down from Kagome's eyes to.
Along with Kikyo, Bankotsu had been a very important person in the lives of Sango, Kagome and the most of all Shippô. The day when the news had reached them Kikyo had died they also heard that Bankotsu was dead to. But unlike Kikyo they didn't have Bankotsu's body to burry, it had never been found.
In the first few months after the battle everybody had hoped that maybe he had made it out a live and had just gone into hiding. But the longer he was gone the smaller there hope became. And after seven months of fruitless waiting they had begun to give up hope. Of course in the back of there heads they would have this little piece expectation.
And here he was to prove everybody wrong, but what had happened what had kept him away. Bankotsu was very loyal and protective and his honor was legendary in hells kitchen, so what had been big, bad enough to keep him away for over a year.
After some time Kagome lifted her head from Shippô's. Keeping one arm about the little fox she used the other to reach out for the knitted wool blanket that colored up the old couch. It had been the result of a creative Sango, at the time nobody had dared to tell her the thing looked absolutely hideous.
Well nobody living in the house had dared a quick visit from Kikyo and Inu yasha had in lighted her. The dog demon had come into the room and asked what kind of animal had died on the couch. It ended with Inu yasha having a great amount of lumps on his head and Sango had never knitted again.
But for all it ugliness the blanket was really warm and soft. Getting hold of a corner Kagome pulled the golden brown blanket closer so she could dry her face with it. Don with her own face she started on Shippô's face, he had stopped crying also.
Shifting him on her lap so that she could look him in the eye, Kagome took a deep breath. "I think it's time you tell me what happened Shippô."
Giving an understanding nod Shippô made himself comfortable in this new position. "Well it started when I woke up in the middle of the night feeling thirsty. Normally mommy would have left a glass of water on my bedside table but she forgot this time. So I went to here to get some water, it was thundering a lot and I thought that it was weird that it wasn't raining. At first I didn't hear the noise and if I hadn't been looking outside at the time that lightning bolt illuminated the balcony I would have never seen the body lying there. So I saw that some one was lying there and I decided to take a closer look but before I did that I went to Sango's room to get her baseball bat first and than went to the balcony. When I was at the door another lightning bolt lighten the person up again and I recognized Bankotsu. I threw away the bat and got mommy to help me carry him in. he hasn't woken up since."
Ruffling his hair Kagome gave him a big smile. "You've don great Shippô; if you hadn't found him the cold would have finished him of by now. Now all we can do is waiting for Sango and Miroku to return with news from Loverboy and hope that new a better place to hide Bankotsu than this tavern."
Nodding in agreement Shippô climbed from Kagome's lap to resume his earlier position in front of the couch. The way he sat there he reminded Kagome of a guard dog in pocket size. Hoisting herself up with help of the wall Kagome went to the other side of the living room where a small kitchen block was situated. Next to it stood a very old gas cooker. Poring water into dented whistling kettle she set herself to the task of brewing tea.
Placing the kettle on the pit she went for a quick change of cloths to her bedroom. Disposing of her coat wet dress and shoes Kagome slipped into her old warm tracksuit. Retrieving her slippers from under her bed she went back to the living room.
Checking up on the kettle told Kagome that it was almost ready. Opening the cupboard above her she got two mugs, for Shippô and herself. Mrs. Kitsune would be in the kitchen from the tavern getting things ready to open up at one. It was now more important to act like everything was normal so they wouldn't alert one of Naraku's spies.
Wondering where Sango and Miroku would be Kagome opened a wooden box filled with all kinds of tea bags. It was one of the little extra's they aloud themselves. Getting the sugar jar out was a bit more difficult since some one probably Miroku had placed the thing on the top shelve again.
It didn't matter how many times Kagome had told him not to do this because she wasn't that tall and had to go to extremes to get herself high enough so she could actually get to the damn jar, Miroku kept putting it on the top shelve, after living so long with the Houshi she had a feeling he did it only to bug her.
Looking around for something she could use as a ladder she sighted none of the chairs in this room was safe enough to stand on, the old dinning table would fall apart at the mere idea of some one standing on it and the stool wasn't high enough.
Rolling her eyes Kagome went out into the hall to look for something more suitable. To her relieve she spotted the small ladder standing right next to her. Picking the wooden thing up she remembered the gathering the society had right before there big attack.
Dragging the thing to the cupboard and placing, she climbed up to get the sugar can still deep in thought. It had been in an old warehouse. And the members who would be fighting had stand in groups of there own level.
There had been four levels each distinctive in there own ways. Lowest where the shadow walkers, they where the spies the information collectors. In that category they where unbeatable but when it came to real hand to hand combat they sucked, they knew enough to get themselves out of tight situations but that was all.
Then you had the guardians, they where great defenders but slacked at the attack. They where the ones to protect the secret hide outs where children and mothers went when Naraku attacked. They where legendary in protecting but in a real battle they would just be in the way, finding it hard to cope with the attacks coming from all directions.
The third group is the soul hunters or just hunters. They are great in fights and battles, but are at there best when they had to hunt down the enemy. Using there skills both physical and in spiritual ways. Most of the times there prey was already beaten before they had gotten there hands on it.
And then the supreme, the best of the best. The messengers of death or how most called them messengers. They are famous for there fabulous skills in the battle field. They are under normal circumstances almost impossible to beat. They where dealers of death where they stood in battle fields dead bodies would be pile up around them.
It had been a great sight for Kagome and Sango both had sneaked in at the beginning of the ceremony. Watching everything hidden between the rafters. Loverboy had given a sort of pep talk. When Sango had seen Loverboy standing on the platform she had elbowed Kagome in the ribs to draw her attention and pointed him out.
Both girls had been disappointed that Loverboy had been covert from head to toe in a black cloak. Nobody knew Loverboy's true identity not even the ones who worked closest to him. At that moment Loverboy finished his speech and was answered by the yelling of a couple of hundred fighters, soon after they had left to go to battle. Only the smallest amount stayed behind to defend the home front.
Getting hold of the sugar jar Kagome went down the ladder putting the jar on the kitchen sink so she could put the ladder back where she had found it. Coming back into the living room the kettle just started whistling, the great timing brought a smile on her face.
Readying the mugs for the hot water to be poured in she then went to fetch the kettle, putting an oven cloth around her hand out of precaution. She then proceeded into pouring the hot water in the mugs with the tea bags. Putting the kettle on the pit behind the one she had been using, so it wouldn't accidentally cause a burn mark on some one passing it by close.
Making sure that the gas was turned of she finished the tea for Shippô and herself, great amounts of sugar disappeared into both mugs. Walking over to the fox she placed herself next to him before handing over the hot cup. On the couch Bankotsu still hadn't given a sign of awakening jet.
After taking a few sips Kagome Nudged Shippô's foot with her own to get his attention. "Has your mom given him some of her medicines?
First Shippô looked puzzled then he gave a curt nod of conferment. Shippô's mom wasn't only known for her splendid cooking but for her knowledge of medical herbs as well. The small backyard they had was one big herbal garden. After Mrs. Kitsune's kitchen this garden was one thing she didn't allowed any body but her son and herself in.
Kagome had wondered in once and had gotten a big scolding for it; she hadn't been crazy enough to go there again. Any way if she had given Bankotsu some of her herbs he was likely to be asleep from those then from something else. One less thing to worry about.
After parting ways with Miroku who would be going to Loverboy, Sango was now trying to get to Black Panther. If there was one person that would know the best places to hide a messenger it was him. Black Panther was of course a code name nobody in the society knew the other names. Well accept for the once you lived with in normal live as well.
In her Barbie pink coat she was an eye catcher for every one who would be even near a window. That made Sango travel as fast as her high heels in knee high snow would allow her. It didn't went very fast so it was a good thing Black Panther wasn't living to far from the tavern.
Finally she reached the old crappy house of Black Panther letting out a sight she went to the back door. Giving three rapid and two slow knocks on the door she waited. After waiting for a few minutes the door was opened only a little bit. "Who's wondering the streets and comes to my door."
Wincing slightly Sango hastened to reply, she had forgotten that Black Panther could be real cold. "It's Flaming Soul from the level of soul hunters and you're Black Panther from the level of the shadow walkers."
The door opened a bit more. "So you claim girl but can you prove it?
Looking into lime colored eyes Sango sighted, it was of course the rules he was fallowing but that didn't mean that they weren't irritating the heck out of her. "Of course I can prove it." Turning around she lifted her hair up so her neck was revealed. Right beneath the hairline a small tattoo of a wolf could be seen, the sign of a hunter.
"Well what are you waiting for silly girl get your ass inside." Tensing for a moment Sano tried to suppress the urge to sock the man one. After a moment the urge become bearable and she turned and entered the house.
Lime green eyes followed her inside, before scanning the streets to make sure there where no spies or other unwelcome personas to witness this. After a couple of tense moments he closed the door.
Looking around Sango noticed that the place looked a lot better from the inside then from the outside. But the door was the most surprising. From the outside it looked like a rotten piece of wood but on the inside you saw that it was made out of solid steel. This was one door that would go down fast.
She felt a soft tingling in her neck; some one was staring at her. Turning her head to Black Panther she saw his lime green eyes resting on her. Now she finally saw him completely she sucked in her breath.
Shadow walkers where known for there good disguises and she had never seen Black Panther without his until today that is. His hair was a lush brown red and put up in a high pony tail it rested over his right shoulder and the tip hung where his belly bottom would be. A green army colored shirt was molded over his torso showing of every muscle and a tiny waist. She couldn't tell much about his legs do since he was wearing a skater pants.
"Well girl do you approve of me, and I would like to know why yu came here. Must be something very important if you came strait to me." He cocked his head and kept watching her.
A red blush crept over Sango's face when he let her know so bluntly that he knew she was checking him out, at the thought of that she had really don that she turned a couple of shades darker red. "S... sorry it's just I never saw you without costume before, but you're right I need help and I need it from the best."
Now she felt herself in safer waters, Sango was able to thing clearly again. "Thunder Ghost and me had an unsuspected night visitor, Diabolic has returned."
Sango saw Black Panther turned o few shades whiter. H then just tuned around and headed for what Sango thought was the living room. "Well get moving, I suppose you want me to hide him don't you?
Following the man into what indeed was the living room she made herself comfortable on a chair. She watched him walking up and down for a while, one hand on his back well he was holding his chin with the other, he was clearly thinking this over with much consideration.
As she had suspected, he was after all the best of his level. When she had been young Bankotsu who had started his training came home with stories about Black Panther. He was one of the youngest ever to join a level. He was the only exception Loverboy had ever made.
At the age of fourteen he had joined the shadow walkers but Bankotsu had told Kagome and her that he could have easily joined the messengers; instead he wanted to be a spy. And in the beginning older members had said he was crazy to work below his talent but he had proven them wrong.
Finally sitting down opposite to her he leaned forwards, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "Alright we need to work on this fast; as far as I see it Naraku doesn't know yet! Or he would have been at your place hours ago.
"So we have to move him as fast as possible so I will come tonight around eleven. Make sure that he's wearing grey and white colors. I'll take him somewhere. You have informed Loverboy of this incident I hope?
Sango had to digest the waterfall of information before she could answer him. "The monk is going to him as we speak and where is this place you're going to take him?
Scowling at the question he could have seen coming for miles, he let himself fall into the chair. "You know I can't tell you and don't you have a tavern to run you better get going. I trust you remembered the way out? The last was said in a thick sarcastic tune mend to irritate her, females where a bother he wanted to be to spent as less time with as he could, with some exceptions of course.
The message hit home and Sango stood up in a huff, with a tensed back she went the way she had come in meanwhile wishing she had brought her boomerang with her. Giving him a smack over the head with her beloved weapon would have been sooo satisfying.
Closing the door behind her proved to be tricky, the thing was just heavy and on a normal day she would have been able to do it with difficulty. But now with the snow making everything slippery she felt her feet slipping away every time she tried to push. Not to mention that the high heels where of no help, at her sixth attempt she felt herself slipping once again but this time her heel also broke. Before she could help herself Sango was lying on her back in the snow.
"And what are you doing now girl, do you want to get the attention of the whole neighborhood or do you just like to catch a cold? A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth up into a mocking expression.
Balding her fists Sango sat up, opening her mouth to answer she thought better of it and just kicked her shoes out and stood up. Stopping to pick up her shoes she turned around with as much dignity that she had left and started to go home. The next time he would be close she would make sure she had her boomerang within reach.
A hoarse laughter followed her departure, o yes she would defiantly bring her boomerang and a bucket of piranhas to dump over his unconscious body. But soon her thought turned to more pressing matter like her feet that were slowly feeling num, that couldn't be good. Hastening her pace Sango followed the path she had made earlier. At least she was a little bit faster now and the moment she couth home she would put her feet in a tile of warm water.
When she finally reached the door of the tavern Sango was almost crying with joy. She had lost the feeling in her lower legs when she reached the street the Robin Hood was situated at and only the thought of warm water, warm cloths and warm food had kept her going.
In the back of her head she was also thinking about Bankotsu, she couldn't believe it, he was back and apparently in good health. She like all the others that housed in the Robin Hood had been overcome with sorrow when the news about Kikyo's and Bankotsu's death reached them.
They had after all grown up together for the bigger part of there lives. Sango only knew it by the story's her mother had told her, but apparently they hadn't always lived here. They had moved when Sango had been four together with Kagome who was also four Kagome's parents and her older sister Kikyo.
One day both mothers had been out shopping, old habits die hard even when you live in hells kitchen, it took some time before Kagome's and her mother faced the situation and stopped trying to live a normal live.
Anyway they had been shopping and on there way back they had come across a group of children beating up what seemed to be a dog. Now was Sango's mom some one who took offence of this kind of behavior big time and Kagome's mom wasn't such a sweetheart herself.
Together they had set of to free the animal and had started swinging there shopping backs and for those who don't know it those things can be real heavy. After delivering some blows the street kids had run of leaving a pile of raged cloths and what turned out to be a human.
Kagome's mom had used her bag that was stuffed just for situations just like these to give the child some first aid help. When he was up and about they had asked him where he lived so they could take him to his house.
When his answer had been that he had no house the woman had exchanged looks and asked him for his name, which turned out to be Bankotsu. They had told the boy that he could come live with them if he wanted to.
Normally bringing a drifter from the streets of hells kitchen wouldn't have worked out but there's seemed to be the exception to that rule. Bankotsu had gladly agreed and without so much of a second thought he had gone with the two ladies'.
Sango had never been tired from hearing this story from her mother when she was younger. And Bankotsu had turned out to be a great person to be with he was the best big brother Kagome and she could have wished for.
Opening the taverns door Sango went inside as fast as she could. Closing the door with a sight she was greeted by Miroku who was holding up clean warm cloths she had been longing for. Throwing the shoes away she rushed towards him and almost tore the cloths out of his hands.
Giving him a bright smile, she then preceded to the privet quarters where she would be able to take a warm shower, long live technology.
Watching Sango disappear upstairs Miroku went to the kitchen door, it was fast approaching one o'clock and at that time the bar opened. And he suspected that one of Naraku's spies would drop by just to see if thinks were going as should be and then you had the normal costumers.
The Robin Hood was known to be the best tavern in all of hells kitchen of course they had most to thank to Mrs. Kitsune's cooking. Aldo he rather not find out what she put in her food, you could never be sure she was a demon after all.
Pocking his head inside he found her bending over a huge soup pan. He decided now wasn't the time to ask if she was on schedule and he shortly wondered why would actually bother her since she was always on schedule no matter what happened.
Closing the door Miroku decided his time was better spent reading the dinner tables. Putting the chairs on the ground he slowly made his way through the room halting every now and then to see if the chairs didn't need to be fixed.
It was one of his jobs here to give him a cover. He prized his luck that he was handy with wood because he certainly hadn't like the other ideas the girl had come up with. When h had all the chairs down he went to the bar.
Checking if everything was okay and if they where stashed up on all the supplies, he found the napkins where running low so he put them on the shopping list. Above his own writing he saw Sango's tiny letters. She had put ten down the thing Kagura had order them to get.
Looking at the grandfather clock hanging behind him he saw that there where only five minutes for opening time. Taking in a deep breath he tried not to think about who was lying upstairs. It was show time.
He hadn't even finished his thought or old Sam came in. he was one of those old man that wouldn't miss a day even if they had to bully there great great grandchildren into taking them here.
He just hoped that Sango or Kagome would appear soon, the old man was also one of those that kept telling you about his past and how everything had been better back then. It was a nice story the first two times and it became a bit dry the third time but you were ready to pull your hair out at the sixth time. Not to mention that old Sam thought he was something all the ladies longed after.
Looking around for an escape he felt the trap close the moment old Sam seated down. "Hay dare boy, how are things today good I hope? O well we'll have to do with what we have after all the old days aren't coming back aren't they. Yes I remember those days well.........
Swallowing Miroku fixed a fake smile on his face, he better be rescued soon or he might just commit a murder on an old man.
A/n: yeah another chapter don, I'm so happy hope you are to. Well just one more thing to say, don't be shy and hit that review button.