A/N: thank you!!! I feel so happy because of all the reviews : )

Key:

"Blah" Talk

:"Blah": Talk in Japanese around non Japanese speakers

/Blah/ Youko

'Blah' Kurama or other's thoughts

;Blah; Hiei

Disclaimer: Roses are pretty, The sky is blue. I no own so you don sue.

Chapter 3

Once again the old well glowed, it's sudden rise of energy catching the attention or a certain Kitsune. Youko stopped in his running, he narrows his eyes in the direction of the strange energy signal. He had felt a similar energy a while before, but didn't bother with it. Now he was curious. Kurama sighs, 'Curiosity Killed the Cat.'

Youko growls playfully, /And I'm a fox. I don't see any relevance. do you?/

'Never mind…Go ahead and do what you wish.'

Youko chuckles and heads off toward the energy signal, being extra careful to not be spotted by any humans on a late night stroll. Youko frowns in puzzlement as he comes across a shrine, /A shrine?/

A noise from within a small hut off to the side of the shrine causes Youko to jump in surprise. And jump he did, right into the huge tree. A soothing scent wafts from with the hut, sakura blossoms, with a tinge of salt, he whispers aloud, "Tears?"

Kagome sat on the edge of the well, sobbing silently as salty tears slipped down her cheek. Her grey blue eyes shut as she tries to get her emotions under control. She raises a hand and wipes away the tears, 'Get a hold of yourself…just walk into the house and tell 'kaa-san that you accept the invitation.'

She sighs and buries the feelings of betrayal that rise up inside her; there would be time to deal with that later. She takes a deep breath and opens the door to the well house, walking slowly toward the main shrine, unawares of the gold eyes that watch her with interest.

Youko watches as the girl exits the hut, /There is something different about that girl./

'Such as?' Asked Kurama.

Youko shrugs, /I know not. But I will find out./

'You'd better do it another night. You only have a limited amount of time left.'

Youko grumbled in reply to that statement and slinks off into the night, searching for some less time consuming entertainment.

Kagome opens the door, and finds Sango sitting at the table, a nearly identical letter clutched in her hands. Sango's face was pale as she looks up at Kagome, "It….It just arrived…"

Kagome's mouth opens in surprise, how could this happen? No one knew Sango was here! Sango offers Kagome the piece of paper. The miko only had to glance at the contents to confirm that it was a letter of acceptance, "But... how?"

Mrs. Higurashi walks in, "Oh hi Kagome…"

She notices the girl's shocked expressions, "What? What's wrong?"

"Mom…Sango got a letter to."

Mrs. Higurashi smiles, "That's good. Now you both can go."

Kagome's eyes widen, "Mom! No one should know Sango is here! How would they?"

Mrs. Higurashi's smile falters for a second, "Uh. I guess you could ask at the interview."

Kagome's eyes narrow, "Trust me. I will."

With that Kagome storms up the stairs, heading for her room. Sango bows to Kagome's mother and follows her friend upstairs. She opens the door and finds Kagome punching the daylights out of the pillow. Sango waits by the door for a few minutes before asking, her voice still a little shaky, "S-so. How did it go?"

At this reminder of her meeting with Miroku, Kagome stops punching. Her eyes fill with sadness, "It…was fine.."

Sango frowned, noticing her friend's distress, "What is wrong?"

Kagome now buries her head in the pillow and mumbles, "Nothing…"

Sango sighs and lays down on the futon, knowing that Kagome did not want to talk about whatever had happened. She made a mental note to ask in the morning, "Fine…Well.. G'night."

Kagome mumbles something softly and turns off her bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness. Sango lay awake deep into the night, her concern far to great to let her sleep. Sango rolled over to face Kagome's bed when a soft sound made its self audible. Sango's eyes widen, 'She's….She's crying!'

Sango listened harder and she was able to pick out a few words, "Inu….yasha…how…?"

Kagome eventually cried herself to sleep. Sango smiled, glad that her friend was no longer sad. She sighed and closes her eyes, allowing sleep to take her at last.

Youko growled at the lightening sky, the deep blues and blacks of night slowly fading to the soft pink and oranges of morning. He felt Kurama's consciousness surge forward, retaking control. Swiftly the transformation was completed and Kurama ran a hand through his red locks, "Now to see Koenma."

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out what looks to be a compact. He flips it open, "Boton."

The face of a blue-haired girl appears in the mirror, "Oh! Kurama! What can I help you with?"

Kurama smiles sadly, still not over the grief of losing his mother, "Well, I need a portal to Koenma's office…could you…?"

Boton grins as a circular rift appears in the air in front of Kurama, "Already Done. Is that all?"

"Hai…it is. Thank you."

"Ah, don't mention it."

With those last words the 'mirror' went blank. Kurama pockets the compact and steps through the portal.

The rift closed the moment he stepped through, leaving Kurama in a large office, stacks of papers piled high, nearly obscuring the desk at the end. A toddler with a large hat sat behind the desk, sucking on a pacifier as he stamped papers, muttering to himself, "Baka oni's…can't do anything right…"

Kurama sighs and clears his throat, "Ahem."

The toddler looks up, "Oh, hello Kurama. What do you want?"

The red-haired teen tosses the letter, "Koenma, I got this in the mail the other day. What is it?"

Koenma looks at the letter thoughtfully, "Oh this? It's your new mission."

Kurama's eyes widen slightly in surprise, "Wha-?"

The toddler turns to the large screen behind him and presses a button on his remote. The picture of a large builing appeared. Koenma coughs, "Yes, well. This is the Xavier Institute. It is a school for 'Gifted' students. And by gifted I mean mutants. I have recently lowered the shield surrounding your aura. The leader of the institute, Charles Xavier…"

At this he changed the picture to one of a blad man in a wheel chair, "He picked up your non-human energies and assumed they were mutant, thus the letter. I want you to pose as a mutant and discover his reasoning behind the school."

Kurama studies the professor, "So I am to do this alone?"

Koenma shakes his head, "No, I had Boton deliver Hiei's letter…"

At this the door to Koenma's office banged open, revealing a very angry fire apparition. Hiei stalked over to Koenma's desk, waving the envelope in front of the child ruler, "What is the meaning of this!?"

Kurama puts a hand on the spiky-haired demon's shoulder, "Mission."

Hiei glares at Koenma and grips the hilt of his katana, "I will NOT go on this one!"

"I need you to Hiei! Only your Jagen can shield both yours and Kurama's minds from probing."

Hiei seethes with rage, "Then find someone else!"

Koenma's eyes narrow, "It's either take the mission or go back to jail!"

Hiei glares at Koenma but doesn't reply. Koenma smirks, "Good. Now run along, the interview will be in a few hours."

Kurama chuckles softly and leads the angry apparition out of the office, heading for a portal that Boton had opened to return them to the Ningenkai.

A/N: Once again I thank the reviewers n.n . Oh! And Rikina, only one vote per person. One more chappie left to vote in n.n well Ja ne.

Kur/Kag – 4

San/Hiei- 4

Kag/Hiei - 1