Disclaimer: No, I do not own anything related to Inuyasha. I just watch the anime. The characters of Inuyasha belong to Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 7: The Exorcism

Souta sat in the middle of a training room. The walls were decorated with swords and other weapons, but Souta simply continued to meditate in silence. At least, he appeared to be meditating. I can't believe it has already been two weeks. Two weeks ago Sakura started training me to help Kagome. Two weeks ago I was normal, now I am a normal preteen turned Officer for the demon Underground.

Souta was unaware that he had garnered an audience. Mika watched from the doorway while Taro looked over her shoulder. "Isn't he supposed to be moving?" he asked.

Souta was startled back to consciousness when he heard the question. "I'm meditating, Taro." Souta replied. "It calms my mind and focuses my energy so I can create barriers."

"Well then, kid, let's see what your barrier can do." Taro challenged. "No weapons, only energy attacks while you defend."

Souta stood and nodded. His face was a determined mask. "Don't assume I will go easy on you because I am only a kid, Taro."

Taro smirked and began. Souta made the first move by chanting to form a barrier between him and the demon. Taro tried to kick and punch through it, but ended up rebounding to land several feet away. Instead, Taro resorted to forming fireballs to throw at the barrier. After five direct hits, the shield dispersed in a shimmer of light. Taro assumed the fight was over, so he only threw one more shot at Souta as a sign of victory before turning his back.

He saw Mika frantically pointing behind him. Taro assumed the worst, that he accidentally hurt Souta, and turned to face his opponent. Souta simply stood there holding Taro's fireball in one hand. "You dropped this." Souta replied casually, before clenching his fist to diffuse the fireball.

Taro stared in shock at the ten year old that managed to counteract his demon magic. "How the..." he stammered out. "That's not possible."

Souta grinned, "Sakura says I have an affinity for fire. It's supposed to be really rare and powerful. Good thing you guys made me join the Officers to get training."

Taro dumbly nodded, but Mika seemed to have gotten her voice back. "Souta, elemental affinities are beyond rare. You're probably the first in this century. I guess it makes sense what with your sister being so powerful. But how could the Registry have missed this? We really need to update that."

Taro appeared to have recovered enough to speak. "So what can you do with that special power?"

"I can't conjure fire or anything like you can, that means no throwing fireballs. But I can put out fires, and catch a fireball if it is aimed at me."

Boss appeared in time to hear the last part of Souta's statement. "So you are sharing your secret affinity. I would recommend not doing too much of that. Demons don't like powerful humans and you definitely qualify as one of them. Some of the more vicious would try and exterminate you. Now, Souta, how has your training been?"

"All right I guess. Sakura taught me how to do the barrier spell. It held up to five of Taro's fireballs without reinforcement. She also taught me the couplets to exorcise and banish the binding spell."

Boss nodded in acceptance. "Very remarkable for only a few weeks training. Very good idea to have you join the Officers. It seems you are ready to tackle your first field operation, exorcising that binding spell from Kagome. Mika, Taro, go to the shrine and prepare the scene. Souta, you need to convince your family to release Kagome from the hospital and bring her to the well house. But remember not to mention anything too specific."

Mika and Taro nodded quickly and left the room. The Boss turned to Souta. "I need to explain a few more things to you before we leave. I'm afraid I did not tell you all the background about your sister. Kagome's file mentions disappearing from Feudal Japan for a month after defeating Naraku."

"Yeah, Boss, you already mentioned that when we were in the Registry, that was when she was in the coma."

"What I didn't say is that after that she never left Feudal Japan again. The well resealed itself, but this time it wasn't a spell, the magic went away."

"What?"

"Kagome has to wake up, because she already has. She already lived this whole time in the past. We can't change the past, everything has to happen the same way."

"But that means I will never see her again. Why are you telling me this? Aren't you worried I might say something to keep her here?"

"Souta, I want you to have a chance to say goodbye. Kagome doesn't know she has been in a coma, leaving now would be like leaving after being home for a day. It would be less traumatizing for her. I know you can understand how important Kagome is to the past, she is needed there."

Souta nodded, his eyes filling with tears that refused to fall. "Let's go, Boss, Mama won't do anything unless I am there to explain. But you have to show my family what is in her file once she is gone."

"I will find some way to tell you what happened. You and your family deserve to know."

Souta took a deep breath before opening the door to his home. No big deal, just walk up to Mama and say "You know how Kagome is in a coma, well, it's a magical one caused by a spell. These past few weeks I have been training at night with a bunch of modern demons to break the spell. Tonight we are going to do it; the only problem is that Kagome has to be here for it to work. So I need you to check her out of the hospital and bring her home. Oh, and she will never return." Right, that is going to work real well, and the Boss said not to mention anything pertaining to the Underground, Officers, or demons in general. Why me?

"Mama?" Souta called into the house. "Mama, I have an idea about Kagome."

"What is it, dear?" asked Mrs. Higurashi walking out of the kitchen. "It is almost time for dinner."

Souta began his carefully concocted tale. "Well, the doctors say Kagome isn't changing at the hospital, so why don't we bring her home. She would probably be more comfortable here and then the hospital bills will go down." Souta held his breath as she considered the idea.

"I think that is a great idea, honey, but Grandpa and I moved her home last night. You were already in bed, so we decided to tell you today, but you left this morning very quickly."

Souta gaped at his mother. "You mean she's here, upstairs?"

"Yes, sweetie, since last night."

"Thanks, Mama, you just made my night a lot easier. Will you hold dinner, I want to try something?"

Souta grumbled as he and Grandpa struggled to carry Kagome across the yard to the well house. Why does she have to eat so much? Souta looked over his shoulder to the building across the street and could faintly make out four figures on the roof. Mika, Taro, Sakura, and Boss, here to watch. "Thanks for the help, Grandpa, you and Mama should wait inside. I just want to say a few words and we can bring her back in, I don't want you to catch a cold. Mama could probably use your help in the kitchen anyways."

"I still don't see why we had to dress her up and drag her out here, you could have said your piece in her bedroom." Grandpa muttered under his breath, but nodded and left.

Souta waited to be sure his family was inside the house before starting the ceremony. First he chanted to bring up the barrier spell around himself then reached into his pocket for the Jewel. Souta began to whisper couplets to exorcise the spell. Wind began to blow around the courtyard, and he could hear the evil voices calling for the spell. Souta concentrated harder and grasped the Jewel, it flashed and the wind died. Souta opened his eyes to see the shadow in front of him. It seemed surprised to see him.

"Little one could not have broken spell, little one will not finish sealing spell. Little one will perish," the voices whispered to Souta, urging him to give up.

He resisted the voices calling and chanted to reinforce his barrier to include Kagome then started banishing the binding spell. The shadow tried to enter her, but failed; it reached for him, but before it could even try it was gone. There was no trace of it left except a memory of its presence.

Souta released the breath he was holding and brought down the barrier spell. Kagome began to stir beside him. That was fast. She tried to sit up but Souta restrained her.

"Kagome, calm down, you were hit pretty hard."

Kagome looked around in confusion. "Hit? Hit by what?"

"There were these kinds on the street throwing rocks at buildings. I guess one of them bounced off and hit you in the head. I tried to warn you, but it came too fast for you to react." I hope she buys that.

"What? How long have I been out? It's night already. Where are Mama and Grandpa?"

"Kagome, calm down. You only out for a few hours. Mama and Grandpa are inside cooking dinner."

"A few hours! And you left me here on the ground for a few hours!"

Um, need a new topic. "Mama said not to move you, and the hospital said to wait. All the ambulances are responding to other emergencies. Anyways, can you show me that thing you did with the well again? I never get to see any magic."

"Uh, okay, but don't think you are off the hook for leaving me in the dirt." Kagome brushed off her clothes and walked to the well house. She gathered her energy and chanted to release the well. "There are you happy, now can we go inside, I'm freezing and starving."

They started to walk back inside but Kagome suddenly stopped and whirled to face the angry half-demon that had emerged from the well seconds before.

"Oi, wench, and where do you think you are going?"

"Inuyasha, I am going inside to eat with my family as I planned to."

"No you're not, you promised you would be back in two days. It's been over a month. You are coming with me." Inuyasha began trying to drag Kagome back to the well.

"Inuyasha, I just got back a few hours ago, and most of it was spent lying on the ground. I want to see my family. It's not my fault the well decided to speed up time on your end."

Souta could see Kagome and Inuyasha were about to get into a full-blown argument, and Kagome always won those by using the beads. He decided to interfere to ensure Kagome went back. "Kagome, your friends must have really missed you in the past. Why don't you go back tonight for a visit. You can see us tomorrow night."

Kagome paused mid insult to stare at Souta. "But what about Mama and Grandpa?"

"I can explain everything, but here, you will need your Jewel back. You dropped it when you fell. And I moved your backpack upstairs, you can get that tomorrow too."

Kagome moved forward to claim the Jewel. She felt something wasn't right, but her friends did need her. "Alright, Souta, tell Mama and Grandpa, and I will see you all tomorrow."

She walked with Inuyasha to the well and gave one last look over her shoulder. "Goodbye, Kagome." Souta called with tears in his eyes. Kagome heard the farewell but did not notice the tears as she jumped into the well.

Goodbye.