Hoy, hoy. I thought I would update a bit sooner than usual just because I'm nice and because I might not be able to get the next chapter up for a bit, but I'll try my best. Anyway, I hope you like it!
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CHAPTER EIGHT
When Akiko saw Kagome her jaw nearly dropped.
"A human! You've brought me a human!?"
"Hey!" he spat defensively, then realizing who he was speaking to quieted his tone. "She's been through a lot." He finished, a pink flush covering his cheeks.
The old demon glared at him. She was scary enough on her own but accompanied by the glare it enough to send the bravest running off to their mommies. 'Midori's got nothing on Akiko,' he thought. If he wasn't so scared his knees would have been knocking.
"The nerve of you to speak to me like that you ungrateful beast!" her eyes glowed red. She was a bit taller than Kagome but very plump. He hair was Grey with silver streaking through out it. Her ears were that of most demons; pointed at the tip, and her eyes, though red at the moment were normally completely white except for light blue iris'. She was quite terrifying.
Kagome was unperturbed by this - for the moment. She hated being referred to with such disdain like she was lower than scum. She gave the old demon her own glare. Luckily for her the old demon was too pissed off at Akage to notice or she would have smacked the look right off her face.
"Sorry Akiko," Akage whispered.
"You should be, ungrateful brat. Now why have you brought me a human? Spit it out." She snapped.
" I found her the other day unconscious, nearly frozen during the snowstorm. I found a shelter and the next day came to find that she lost her memories. She doesn't even know who she is…" He was cut off.
"Of course she wouldn't know who she is, you just said she had lost her memories. Males are all the same. Bakas." She went over to a cabinet and rummaged through, all the while muttering about how stupid the male species were. She grabbed something and made her way over to Kagome taking in her appearance.
"Have you been given a name yet girl?"
"Yes." 'Thank the Gods.'
"Well… What is it?" Akage cut in.
"It's Midori." Akiko let out a howl.
"Green!? Why the hell would you give her such a stupid name? Even I could have done better than that! I suppose, your name has to do with color too, Red Head." She concluded speaking more to herself than the others.
"It doesn't matter. That's her name for now until she remembers her own, which is the reason why I brought her to you. She also has wounds on her upper arms that need to be treated. I know you can help with those but is there anything you can do about the memory loss?" He asked 'I hope she wasn't too offended. Please Gods let that one slide.'
She eyed him then turned to Kagome.
"Ok. Midori, take off your kimono. You get out of here…" It was Kagome's turn to interrupt.
"No wait!" she protested. "He can stay." She looked over to Akage panicked. 'Stay,' her eyes willing him to.
He smiled and turned to the wall.
Wondering what was going on between the two she figured she'd find out soon enough. 'But for now I've got to fix this girl up so whatever it is doesn't escalate.'
"Fine, stay. But keep you back turned until I say other wise."
Kagome's tense body noticeably relaxed she was so utterly relieved. Akiko began her examination.
"These Puncture wounds, they're from Masimo are they not." She asked over her shoulder. "Yes." He stated simply. "I could smell him all over her when I found her and I'd recognize those wounds anywhere. It's his style." 'Just thinking about him makes me want to vomit.' He clenched his jaw and fists.
"Masimo…" Kagome said slowly. 'That name sounds familiar.' She closed her eyes and concentrated on trying to remember something about it. The evil green eyes flashed before her. She shuddered, shying away from the image and opened her eyes.
"It must have been. Midori, do you remember anything about Masimo? You must judging from your reaction." Akiko was becoming very suspicious. 'What if she's lying about not being able to remember anything.'
"I don't know, I just got a bad feeling thinking about the name." She shuddered again. "Masimo. He's evil?" she felt kind of stupid asking such a childish question.
Akage had turned around when Akiko mentioned her reaction and Kagome's question was aimed towards him. He nodded in answer. But when Akiko realized Kagome wasn't looking at her she swung around.
"DID I SAY YOU COULD TURN AROUND!" she shouted furiously.
The whole room shook.
Terrified he jumped around to face the wall again. Kagome who was equally scared was backing up.
"AND YOU! Do you have no shame!? You're half naked!" She lowered her voice. "You humans," she began, muttering about the disgraceful weaker beings. She then started ripping up the leaves she had taken from the cabinet. She proceeded to put them in her mouth and began chewing. When she was finished she spat the contents into her hand, scooped some up with her fingers and applied it to Kagome's wounds. With that done she went over to a stand, opened a drawer and pulled out some wrapping. After she wrapped the wounds and Kagome put her kimono back on Akiko was ready to see what else could be done, if anything.
"Look at me Midori." Akiko took hold of Kagome's shoulders and turned her around to face her. "Look into my eyes Midori."
Very intimidated by the old demon Kagome slowly met her hard gaze.
"Look deep into them." Akiko's voice became very steady and after repeating the same phrase over again it began to flow, 'like a river.' She thought drowsily. Soon it didn't even seem like words were being spoken, it was just the sound of water flowing through a river. Kagome stood there with a vacant stare.
"Good, she's ready. Now. Midori. Midori can you hear me? She may not answer because that's not her real name." She explained to Akage who had come to stand by her. "Midori." She stated more forcibly. Still there was no answer and Akiko's patience was beginning to wear thin already. "GIRL!"
"Hai." She replied drowsily.
"Do you know who you are." Kagome shook her head slowly.
"Do you know where you come from?" She waited. "Do you know!?"
"The cabin."
"Where were you before the cabin?" Kagome shook her head again. "Were you travelling with anyone?" The image of Inuyasha's ears that were so much like Akage's came to her mind.
"Akage." She said a bit uncertainly. "I've been travelling with him searching for…for…" Naraku appeared in her mind's eye, then she was bombarded with a flood of images and emotions.
"NO!" she shouted.
Akiko let her go and staggered backward gasping for air. Akage, quick on his feet caught Kagome before she fell and glowered at Akiko, about to yell at her for an explanation when he noticed she was gripping the edge of the cabinet looking utterly terrified.
"Akiko! What's wrong!?" He quickly checked Kagome, who seemed to be sleeping and propped her up against the wall, then hurried over to Akiko.
"What is it Akiko?" he asked again even more worried.
"You keep that girl away from me! Don't bring her here any more!" she shouted still gripping the corner.
"What's wrong with her!" he shouted back unsure of what was happening. He looked back over to Kagome.
"That girl; that girl has such an immense power. She could destroy us all!" Akiko began to panic.
"GET HER OUT OF HERE! TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!" she pushed Akage away from her. "GET OUT!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs.
Akage grabbed Kagome and ran out and kept on running. 'I have to get away from here!' The inhabitants who had heard the commotion were beginning to gather. He took her back to the pool and laid her down on one of the rocks. Ripping a piece of his kimono off he hastily dipped it in the water. 'It might wake her up,'
"Please wake up!" he whispered, gently dabbing her face with the wet cloth. "Come on. Open your eyes." She moaned then slowly opened her eyes to see Akage's shadowy figure. She smiled and propped herself up on her elbows and looked around.
"Why are we here?" she inquired not understanding their current situation. She looked back at him, in full sitting position now; to find his eyes filled with concern. 'That look is just like…' then the images came flooding back. She put her hands up to her face and shook her head as if it might make them go away.
"Midori?" Akage touched her arm. Kagome dropped her hands from her face and stared up at him, eyes wide full of pain and confusion shining with unshed tears. He pulled her to him and sat her in his lap rocking her, making soothing sounds as she wept. After almost ten minutes she had calmed down.
"I'm sorry." She said into his chest. He looked down at her still concerned.
"Midori, are you ok?"
"Yes, I'm fine now."
She wiped away the last of her tears and drew in a shaky breath. "I don't know what all of that was," she flashed him a halfhearted smile. "I hope that won't happen again anytime soon." She was actually terrified that it might happen again. "It felt like I was being torn apart." Not realizing she had said this out loud, she began to move out of Akage's lap but he was reluctant to let her go.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine, really." She had been looking at him and when his grip tightened she blushed.
"Uh sorry." He let go of her seeing this, putting his hand up to his head, embarrassed.
"So what did Akiko say. Is there anything she can do?"
"Midori. Do you not remember anything that happened back there?" he asked incredulously.
"I remember Akiko telling me to look at her, into her eyes." She was getting a far away look in her own. "And then. OH NO!" she snapped right back into reality. "Did I fall and hit my head again? Is that why I can't remember anything?"
"No, no you just passed out I guess. Are you sure you don't remember anything." He desperately wanted to know what had scared Akiko so. 'Midori doesn't seem to have any powers.' 'You don't know that for sure,' the rational part of his mind reasoned.
"Well," she interrupted his thoughts. "Did Akiko suggest anything that might help because I'd like to get started on it." She pushed her sleeves up.
"Actually, she doesn't. We're just going to have to find away to do it on our own I guess. Try not to worry too much Ok. I'll be here to help you through this, I promise."
She searched his eyes. He would help her and she was very grateful. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, and as she was pulling away she whispered,
"I know you will."
Her breath caressed his skin sending tiny sensations throughout his entire body. He met her eyes and they seemed to change. Their color deepened and the look of genuine appreciation turned into something quite different.
They became locked in an intimate gaze.
Kagome's heart beat wildly. 'His eyes are so warm and caring.' Then a pair of intense golden eyes crept into her mind. "I'll protect you" a voice whispered that was not Akage's. She dropped her gaze.
"I ah, suppose we should go and ah, get something to eat. It's been a pretty eventful morning and I'm already starving, you must be hungry yourself." She rambled getting off the rock and heading to the path. 'Why do I feel so guilty?'
Akage climbed off the rock slowly processing the last few minutes. 'What's going on here? What am I doing?'