A/n: back from my vacation and ready to go. Enjoy the latest addition of hells kitchen.
Disclaimer: nope I still own nothing.
HELLS KITCHEN
BY PANTHERA1984
CHAPTER 13
Kagome slowly crawled through the secret passage she had found a few days ago, completely by accident of course. Nope she had been trying to find a place for herself at all and she surely wasn't responsible for the itching powder in Sesshô maru towels. The last one made her almost lose her advantage. Getting to the room undetected she needed to be very still.
As usual she got stuck halfway but with some tucking she felt her body shoot lose and was able to crawl the last bit effortlessly. Reaching the dark paneling she used her index finger of her left hand to press in a hidden button and a small door soundlessly opened. Wringing her body through the opening she found herself in a room no bigger than three by four, but it was enough and suited her purpose splendidly.
Dusting herself of (it was much better then the first day) Kagome went for the bean back in the right corner. With a whoosh Kagome dropped down and just stared into space for a few moments. This was her place of rest to help her keep her sanity not even Thunder was able to find her here and best the room was sound proof.
She found that out her first day here when she had accidentally dropped the six feet high heavy oak bookcase. That stood against the opposite wall from the bean back. A huge tornado of dust and a lot of noise had been the result, but after the noise died down and the dust had settle and Kagome had waited a long time nobody had come. That had been enough to ensure Kagome the room was soundproof.
So she had started cleaning the place that was all that was really needed since furniture and books and other things had already been taken care of by a previous owner. Now Kagome used the room to enjoy some quiet time from Sesshô maru's ever going lessons. Truly a army teacher could learn some new tricks from him. Of course deep down Kagome knew she needed the lessons if only to learn to control her powers enough so she wasn't a threat to herself and others.
But know it was more important than ever Naraku was moving openly now and when Kagome heard what happened to the tavern she had decided to listen to Sesshô maru and learn what he had to teach, but that still didn't mean she was going to be at his disposal 24-7. God that youkai thought it was totally allowed to wake you up at two in the morning by throwing you in a bathtub with freezing water.
After cursing his royal ass up and down to hell Kagome had clawed her way from the bathtub to upset to notice her virgin white nightgown had turned into a no cover at all. Only when she had noticed the weird look in those golden eyes Kagome had begun to wonder what was going on and why he hadn't retaliated yet. Then a strange flicker had run through the golden depts and Sesshô maru had started advancing on her his lips curled up in a half-smile that made Kagome's flesh tingle. It was this feeling that had made her look down and see how she was standing practically naked before a male. Kagome did a wonderful imitation of a tomato jumped out of the way just in time sending Sesshô maru flying by her strait into the bathtub still filled with ice cold water. At the sound of the splash Kagome had made a dash for it picking some garments from the ground on her way out.
On her way Kagome had frown of the wet nightgown and donned her worn jeans and army t-shirt. At some turn she had misjudge her path and had gone running into the wall. Making a nice smack sound Kagome bounce back only to come into a painful collision with the ground, for a moment she had just panted and looked dazed, but after a few minutes she was good to go and had placed her right hand on the wall to support herself standing up.
The moment she had pressed some weight on the wall she had set of the look to the secret room. After that Kagome had sat down for some more minutes looking at the narrow passage covert with dust and generations of cobwebs. At that Kagome had wondered if cobwebs could become ancient for if they could she was looking at a whole bunch of them right now.
After some more minutes Kagome had come into action sticking her head inside the opening and trying things out to see if they were safe. She tested the machineries that opened and closed the door, she didn't fancy getting stuck at the other side waiting for someone to trod along and accidentally finding her like she did the door. Calculation told her the chance wouldn't be big. She mentally cursed the nuns who had thought her to calculate such thing in her head.
That day she had found the room and now Kagome had dubbed it the rest room so far it had been the only place Sesshô maru hadn't come, so Kagome used it to think about ordinary stuff and well all kinda things normal females think about. Like that she needed a haircut pretty badly or how she was going to pay Sesshô maru for all the new brand cloths he got her or that she wanted to be normal back at the tavern only worrying about Kagura and pleasure houses.
Waving her hand in the air as if to chase away a bug Kagome set her thoughts in different directions and went for the bookcase. Standing before it she sifted out the book she was reading at the moment. Books had become pretty important to Kagome they took her away in a different world making her forget about her own life for a while and instead follow someone else's misfortune. At the moment she was reading Bram Stockers 'Dracula'. Fishing the book from the top shelve Kagome went to her bean sack and sunk down for a half hour reading.
Absorbed in the book Kagome indeed forget about true life for a while but like usual it called her back or in truth her stomach called her back. It was time to make an appearance again and fetch lunch then it would be going back to the working pits. If she was correct Sesshô maru was going to guide her further with the radar practice. In real it went by a different name but Kagome liked to call it radar for the principal was very much the same accept that you worked with your own energy casting out rather than sound and you were feeling the barriers that bounced your energy back from other energies instead of objects. It pretty much was comparable to what bats used for hunting.
In real Kagome was fascinated by what Sesshô maru taught her, but the ice king had a way of just rubbing her wrong. A half-smile appeared on her face that was becoming a very repeating thought. But most disturbing were the times she could almost feel connected to him like she was at the verge of understanding and caring. That was what frightened her more than his cold prick behavior.
Reluctantly closing the book and putting it back on the right space Kagome left her little heaven and went to join the real world. One in with Jaken found her in the hallway near the room lunch was set and smacked her with his staff on the head and then kept prodding her in the small of her back to guide her in the right direction. The little toad was positive humans were lost without a good shepherd and had appointed himself to guide Lady Kagome in the right direction, it would be actually funny if it weren't so painful.
Busy mumbling and prodding Kagome let the toad be it wasn't worth arguing with at least if you wanted a normal nights sleep. Kagome was only listening to Jaken with half a ear when she came into the room and found Sesshô maru already sitting at the table watching her with his predator eyes. At the moment Kagome could have never guised what he was thinking Sesshô maru was a master with showing emotions meaning a didn't display much of them at all and when he did it mostly was very intense and brain wrecking experience. At least for Kagome.
Sitting down she felt Thunders form curling at her feet bending down to scratch his ears Kagome noted a piece of white cloth. At first Kagome didn't think to much of it but then familiarity hit her and she looked at it more closely. Forgetting about the scratching Kagome wrestled the cloth out of Thunders mouth and reappeared about the table. Now that she was holding it she felt that it was silk and that it looked like the cloth Sesshô maru's costumes were made of. At that thought a feeling of dread filled her.
Working hard to keep her mouth in a trait line Kagome ducked under the table once more and looked to the other side and sure enough even from here she could see the missing chunk in Sesshô maru's pants, it was too much. Forgetting about what may come after her behavior she burst out laughing, emerging from under the table again trying not to look in Sesshô maru's direction.
Under the table Thunder's mouth dropped open in a wolfish form of smile, His fangs gleaming in the light that reach under the table. Sesshô maru felt like a martyr and reach for his fork and attacked the poor vegetables on his plate. 'Damn his situation, damn the wolf and damn Kagome for making him feel... well feel... stupid' right after that last though Sesshô maru forced his brain in other directions like what he could do to the wolf. Slowly a plan the campaign unfolded inside his head and for the briefest moment a wicked smile adorned his lips sending Kagome in a fit of choking while she thought the smile was mend for her.
Finally cooling down Kagome hurried to help herself to lunch trying not to think about that smile Sesshô maru had just let his face cross, it could only mean trouble, she hoped that what he would pull on her was in the same class as the ice bath for she could handle those. Dumping this and that on her plate Kagome ate not really tasting the foot much to busy thinking about all the horrible thing Sesshô maru might come up with and how to sidestep them.
Silence surrounded the pair until Sesshô maru cleaned his plate. "We're going to the reck-room, put that aside." The 'that' was of course the left over food Kagome had been trying to finish. With a sigh she pushed the plate away and stood to follow.
Heading for the door Sesshô maru began explaining what he was going to do and what he expected her to have learned and mastered by the end of the session. His aim was always sickly high and Kagome felt like she might not survive until a showdown with Naraku. She wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Today we will further enhance your casting senses. In the reck-room I have hidden certain objects dead and live ones you need to find them and tell me what they are. You will tell me if it's alive or not tell me what species it is and you will describe how it looks that means including coloring, seize and if it has what weapons it carries." They reached a double door Kagome had seen before but never passed. It was the reck-room all Kagome knew about it was that it was supposed to be huge it had to be if according to Jaken it was suited for four full seized Inu-youkai to battle in it.
Even that warning wasn't enough to prepare Kagome for the sheer size of the reck-room. It was Kagome imagined if you stood in the middle you probably would get the feeling that you were standing in the middle of the Sahara. Humongous was nothing compared to this one room and here Sesshô maru had hidden some object for her. It was going to be a long day.
Ignoring the awe that had taken a firm stand on Kagome's face Sesshô maru walked into the room a bit further. "Begin your breathing exercise, when you feel ready start casting you senses." The velvety voice brought Kagome back to business and she followed the order at once breathing she had down pat now spending you whole first day being trained only in that would do that to you.
Relaxing her mussels Kagome deepened her breathing until it was nice and even and she felt that her lungs were taking in as much oxygen with every breath as they could. She felt ever nook and grain fill and felt every bit of trash leave. All the while her eyes ere open and she tried to find something by just watching but she gave up after several seconds just using her eyes would be hopeless.
When her breathing was good Kagome started to call up her energy after her first training on casting senses she was able to do this good enough to her own satisfaction of course Sesshô maru though otherwise but he didn't matter at least not for the moment. When she had a firm hold on her energy Kagome starting sending it away from her while she stood in the middle a thing circle of pink light sped away from her then a second followed and a third then something went wrong.
Just when she was getting the hang of it an explosion to her right side took Kagome of her concentration and her powers flared wild before disappearing all together. A crashing on the left made Kagome turn again just in time to see a pink ball the size of a football crash into the ground leaving a crater. "I though I told you the first time you need to focus not let every little whoosh or bang draw you attention if you get casting down pat you won't need to see you surroundings you energy takes care of that and in a much better way than you eyes ever good."
Scowling Kagome threw Sesshô maru a face and she noticed the object that set her of her path in Sesshô maru's right hand. Feeling stupid and angry at the same time Kagome just turned away from him and focused on her breathing again. She should have suspected he would come up with something like that.
Again Kagome send out circles of energy this time making sure not to react to any sounds or blurs. Souly focused on her casting sense Kagome first didn't notice the picture forming inside her head until it had grown bigger. A black-grey-white platform started forming in her head she saw Sesshô maru standing behind her using his youkai heritage to make all kinds of distractions she saw the tiny life forms of ants walking three feet away from her in a strait line probably out to finding something or going back to there colony. Feeling pleased with herself Kagome felt a jolt of pure pleasure at her success that jolt was enough to send her crashing again only the ball was much bigger.
Pieces of rock and sand flew around and Kagome could do nothing but gape at the three feet wide crater she had just created. Her guts were telling her Sesshô maru wouldn't be pleased. "I remember that I also told you that there is no room for feelings. And since you same to be not going to do anything else than destroying my training room I'm going on a different approach." Kagome's shoulders drooped and a feeling of forbidding washed over her.
Kagome wanted to protest but then the telling of what happened to the tavern come to mind and what had happened to Bankotsu. Her frustration ebbed away and she let Sesshô maru put a blind fold on her. The crappy day had just become crappier. "You will walk around with out the use of your eyes until I deem you ready. Don't try removing the blind fold you won't be able to I'm the only one who can so don't bother asking anyone else."
Kagome felt Sesshô maru leave letting her standing in the big room alone a flash of panic swept her and she hurried after his footsteps not wanting to be left alone trying to locate the door. Save in the hallway Kagome tried listening if Sesshô maru was out of side. After a few minutes she though he must have walked far enough and she started to pull and push on the blind fold, it didn't work. "I told you it wouldn't."
Letting out a scream and feeling a round with her arms like mad Kagome came in contact with a silk clad torso. 'Great he's been watching the whole while.' "Sesshô maru I didn't know you were still here you gave me a heart attack." Shock began to make place for anger and she could almost feel herself being filled up with the emoting when she could practically feel his gloating. "That was nowhere near a heart attack. I suggested you start working and you senses or it's going to be a hell couple of days all those stair and walls you have to deal with and they don't breath."
A long time Kagome did nothing but stand then she turned around thrusting her hands forward and walked until she reached the wall. She felt like crying, screaming and hitting all at the same time but for now she just concentrated on finding her way back calling up a mind card of how to get to her room from this hall was hard and after what felt like hours Kagome sunk down to the floor and let the tears out. It was going to be hell and it was all Sesshô maru's fault way did the dog had to be so cold way couldn't he just accept that she wasn't perfect and would need more than one time to do the things he asked good. Now not even the thought of her twentieth birthday that was a week from now cheered her up. She wanted Sango and Miroku around her and Shippô who was always able to brighten up anyone's day, but they' weren't here and it could be a long while before she would see them again. Also Sesshô maru's fault he could have let them stay here or send her to them.
After hours Kagome had already settle on sleeping on the ground all her other attempt had gone wrong she didn't even had the slightest idea were she was and casting her senses didn't work she was blocked somehow probably also Sesshô maru's fault. A live form approached her Kagome recognize Thunder immediately the wolf had come to help her and for the first time in a while Kagome felt she might pull through this newest setback.
Today Miroku could be found skimming the top shelves from a wall bookcase all the way in the back. He was just balancing dangerously to read a title from a book on his left when another bookshelf lower got his attention. Lowering himself on the ladder Miroku moved the riding ladder in front of the black book. In fading silver letters the title stated 'Higurashi history' to say he was baffled was a mild statement.
Removing the thick folium with a trembling hand Miroku went down and without looking around he went for the pit. The pit was a sunken square in the middle of the room it was where the couches and tables stood. Automatically walking down the six steps Miroku went for his favorite couch in the pit. A dark bleu one that stood right besides the steps so he could get in and out of the pit fast.
Sinking down on the couch Miroku placed the book on his lap and opened it. It was a old book the pages yellow and wrinkled the text not printed but hand written. The first page was one that needed folding. Carefully opening the page to its fullest extant Miroku was faced with a family tree. The first thing he noticed was the new ink on the bottom were names had been added his heart chilled when he saw Kagome's name. Miroku mumbled one of his grandfather's favorite sayings. "There is no such thing as coincidence." Now Miroku was convinced that his gramps had been right.
Sinking further back into the comfy couch Miroku folded the family tree and turned the pages to the prologue. It was a short and brisk summary of what would be handling in the book. Giving the reader a clear idea of what so suspect and what could be found in the book. Now with more interested than ever Miroku began turning the pages.
The old yellow pages made creaking sounds when they were turned and the further Miroku got the interesting it became. Every second page a half page sized picture could be found either to represent something from the text or just as decoration. So caught up in this intriguing artwork Miroku barley noticed the hours passing by and for the first time since there lucky escape Miroku was completely able to relax and enjoy what he was doing.
Ruffling his hair pulling some tendrils lose from his low pony tail Miroku slowly turned a page. This chapter was about different branches that had split from the Higurashi core. Resting the book in his left hand he used the right to run down the paper as he read the list of family names that had parted from Higurashi when he reached the last name his heart stopped for only to then bursts in a full out crescendo.
The last name was of a man an a female who had broken away not even a hundred years ago. In bold manly handwriting the name Banray sprung to his eyes. It was his true family name. a chill filled Miroku's body bringing his heartbeat down. He was a descended from the Higurashi holly line.
Thousands of thoughts crossed his mind all frown away for this one big thing. What he had been thought from childhood was only but a half truth. Barely a shadow of the real thing. His grandfather had know but never told him. Bit's of sentences some word or suggestions came rolling in his mind tiny pieces that danced around. Little bits of clues that put together would have made sense and send someone to revile the real truth. All this time he could have know if he had but paid attention to his grandfathers words and not thought that the man was half senile.
Bending down over the book again Miroku looked behind the name after every name a page number was mentioned for if you wanted to read a bit more about that branch. With trembling fingers Miroku found the page and was overwhelmed when he found it and the first thing to reach his eyes was a drawing of the man and female. He had seen this before only as a oil painting. This were his great grandparents, quickly Miroku read the small piece of text standing underneath it.
In general the pair had separated because the wanted not to belong to a big clan. That had been it. There was nothing big being mention and Miroku knew the other side of the story of by heart. They had gone away formed a small shrine and to earn some extra money they had gone into business. They had done great and had built up a great impirrium which his grandfather and father had only expended. In truth he was rich not as rich as Kouga or Sesshô maru but he was richer than most.
The only reason he had led the girls into the collecting came was because he couldn't hand the money to them trait or even tell them he was rich it had all been according to a plan from Sugimi the head leader of the society. Instead he had taken the things they had nicked and returned them to the owners and given the girls his money. This way nobody had gotten any the wiser and he had been able to help the girls out.
Heading back to his previous point Miroku slowly read pieces of text let them sink in then think about that he was a blood relative to Kagome read some more thought some more until Sango burst into the room. The huntress had been fine after that one night of terror and to his surprise and thanks she hadn't kicked his but or cracked his skull when she awoke the next morning. Instead she had somehow awoken earlier than him (the big surprise here being that he had slept at all) she had been kneeling down before the bed by his head eye height. A small smile had flashed over her face when he acknowledge her presence by flinging, but the reprimand hadn't come instead he got words.
"Thanks Miroku." Only those two words but to him they spoke folliums. Her gratefulness pored over him and he had shot her a devil may care smile one he knew that would make her scowl and as she did he felt that the world was still making sense in some departments.
Now Sango burst in the room carting trait for him settling right beside him. This was a thing she had been doing a lot lately she would just turn up and sit beside him some times in quit another times talking about what was happening and her thoughts and feeling about it. Now Miroku needed to talk it was time to tell the truth, the whole truth.
::::: Inu yasha walked down the narrow path. It leaded to the north tower and was the only way to reach and leave it. As a young boy he had discovered it and since then it had been his hideout. A place to think and it was here that he had started and finished his first novel. It was here that he was free in showing emotions he usually didn't it was here that inspiration found him it was here he had admitted his feeling for Kikyo it had been here that he had said his last goodbye's. This place mends much to his mind as well as his soul.
Today Inu yasha had come to seek comfort and to think on the information his dad had just poured on him. They were running out of time, time was the key factor here in but a few days things would come to an end. In a few days Naraku would make his final move. His dad has also told him that there was a spy from Naraku working on the grounds they had to tread carefully making sure not to alert the fauwl beast of what they knew and what there plans were.
A shadow of a smile crossed his face when he felt a familiar presence come closer only one other knew about his hide out and Inu yasha turned to greet him. "Hay there Kea any news? The fox didn't answer instantly instead he made sure he was standing on something more firm than a path of just a couple of inches.
Finally joining the hanyou Kea looked up brushing his inky black hair with dark bleu hue back. His intelligent lemon colored eyes took in the surroundings as if he was looking for spies or other form of intruders. After a few moments the fox turned to Inu yasha. "It has been to long old friend, but I need tread carefully I don't fancy hitting rock bottom."
Inu yasha nodded in agreement. "So how are things standing, how was your last mission and how is your brother doing? At the mention of Kea's brother both males caste a wicked smile Skate was there general slap stick. The grey-silver fox always made a good target to pull of jokes.
Bringing a sharp clawed hand before his mouth Kea put one finger on his lower lip putting up a stand of deep thought. "Were to begin...
::::A/n: well this was a rather informing chapter if I do say so myself. Hope you enjoyed it and let me know.
Response to reviewers:
Hinoke: (I'm jumping for joy) sorry for the other time to make you wait so long. And thanks for liking the fluff scene in the last chapter Sess really had that one coming for a long time he kinda deserved it. Not in a bad way though. I just remembered isn't there a song by the title 'stuck on you' it really fits the situation. Hope you had a great time at the junior Olympics. Did you go there as a visitor or did you partake?
Witchyinuyashagurl1: all I'm going to say is suspect the unsuspected. I'm pretty much confident that none so the one coming about Miroku and Kagome being related by blood. As about Thunder all I can say he is something special and truly a wicked piece of my imagination. (Not meaning he is evil persee)
Kagomexlegolas-rox: I will and I have. Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter.