Disclaimers Notice: Maybe...yes...n-n-no...um...possibly???
Authors Beginning Note: Harsh critisizm please! But no flames.
Rayme325-Yah, somethin like that, not completley. And yah, it can get a whole lot worse...um...actually, I'm thinkin it will, before it will get really better!
Shinna- I guess now you'll fianlly know!
Animefreak808- You're so crazy! LOL! I never know what kind of review I'll get from you next.
Chapter 39
Kouga?
"Kagome!" Came a gleeful cry.
"Kouga? What are you doing here?"
"Well, you see..."
"Not now. Kagome you go ahead." Kagome nodded her thanks to her wonderful understanding sister figure as she quickly entered the hut.
"Wait! Kagome!" Kouga went to chase after his 'mate to be', but was stopped when Sango moved in front of him.
"Move outta my way! I wanna see my woman." He growled. Sango got a dark sardonic look to her.
"She's busy."
"I don't believe this. I don't have time for you. Ginta, Hakaku." He moved to the side to straddle past, but was again blocked.
"Ginta, Hakaku!" He growled. Getting no reply he spun around.
"What are you guys..." and saw his two comrades tied up and pinned to a tree, an oh so innocent monk leaned on his golden staff, while Shippo was trying to tell the poor captured wolf demons his version of the story about Kagome, Inuyasha, and Kouga during their last fight.
"Why hello Kouga. I'm afraid they're all tied up at the moment."
-WHAM! -
Lights out as Sango hit him on the head and knocked him unconscious (Kouga, not Miroku...for once...)
"Inuyasha?" Kagome stepped in as Keade pulled away from bandaging his last wound.
"No worries child. He is fine. He sleeps for the moment." Kagome knelt next to him and examined the gnashes on his body, most of which already beginning to heal.
"I will leave yee two for a moments peace alone." Keade got up and left the hut, her wooden sandals clicking lightly.
"Inuyasha, you idiot. Always getting yourself in trouble. You had me worried you know! You can never take care of yourself. You're always getting hurt, or into fights, or something. What do you think you were doing this time? I bet you thought you were stronger than one of Naraku's demons and took him head on, didn't you. Inuyasha...you are such an idiot." Kagome said, undecided as to which emotion she was more...angry or sad?
"No...I wasn't fighting one of Naraku's cronies." Kagome, shaken out of her state, squeeled.
"You're awake!"
"Damn wench! Not so loud." He mumbled as he sat up.
"Sorry. So where were you?"
"I was fighting with a demon who wouldn't get out my way." Kagome bristled.
"You jerk!"
"What I do now!"
"What did you go do that for?!"
"Like I had a choice!"
"You're going to get yourself killed one of these days!"
"Your kidding. Me? Killed? Feh."
"Sit!" Inuyasha plummeted to the ground, squalling in agony, as Kagome coolly walked out and was surprised by what she saw next.
"Um...guys? What happened?" She looked at the two wolf demons tied up, gagged and crying from Shippo's wonderfully illustrated Story, and the young prince wolf who hung by his tail, swinging back and forth unconscious.
"Oh. Nothing. We're just playing a game." Sango said nervously, trying to act as if nothing had happened.
"Uh, huh. What game would this be called?" Sango sweat dropped as Miroku quickly tried to come up with a perfectly natural and reasonable answer.
"Um...I forget what it's called, but I came across it in one of the small villages far away from here. I decided to teach the others how to play."
"I'm listening."
"Very far from here. Um...very VERY far away from here."
"Kagome. A word with you." Kagome jumped up as Miyako suddenly appeared.
"Um...Miyako..."
"What is this?" She indicated to the three tied up wolves.
"Bullying are we. I shall deal with this." She raised her hand as sparks gathered at her fingertips.
"No. It's okay, it's custom from here to greet...um...royalty like this."
"Oh really?" She raised her eyebrows at Kagome's strange explanation.
"Um, ya! You see, Kouga is the prince of the demon wolf tribe. That is why he gets the honor to be lifted in the air as such. And Hakaku and Ginta are tied to the tree in symbolization to their bonds of loyalty to him."
"Hmm. Very well. If it is custom." She lowered her hand, much to Miroku and Sango's relief.
"You wanted me?"
"Yes. Come with me back to my quarters."
"What? So soon? Is this about the apprenticeship? If it is..."
"No."
"Than, what?"
"Hush. All things have ears." Kagome sighed and was resigned to follow the priestess in silence through the crowded streets.
"Can we talk now?"
"Not until we are inside." She said stepping aside to usher the girl in. Kagome walked in and gasped.
"Greetings, Kagome." The man who wore white nodded his head, which was now easily seen with his hood completely back and his face no longer covered.
"But...you look exactly...like Kanna...."
He has white hair even! His eyes are more of a crystal blue than an actual white, but the resembalance is unmistakable!
"You think so? I was always told I took after father."
"Father...what?"
"Kagome, Keio is Kanna's brother."
"Her...brother? But she never mentioned having a brother."
"Because she did not remember."
"Oh! This is so exciting! Than you two will have to meet! I think Kanna's..."
"Dead."
"No! I was going to say..."
"We found her dead." Kagome stepped back.
"What? How?"
"Kagome, please sit." Miyako put her hands on Kagome's shoulders and pushed her to sit on a chair to sit.
"Hey!"
"Now, you are going to explain to us exactly how it happened."
"What? How would I..."
"Before she died she mentioned you."
"Wait, how do I know what you're saying is the truth? I mean, I saw her just the other day, actually playing with a few of the village children! Wait...I get it, it's another test."
"Kagome. Look." Kagome glanced at Keio before her eyes landed on the mirror in his hands.
"Her...mirror. How can you have it? I mean she would have had to of..."
"Given it to me? She did. I will show you if you don't believe." And was captivated by the horrifyingly gruesome scene as the mirror no longer reflected what was expected, but what had been in the past.
"You have come at last, brother."
"Brother?"
"Yes. You are my brother...Keio."
"Kanna?"
"Yes. It is I." The girl smiled.
"How is it that you are still...a little girl?"
"Then at last. I've been searching everywhere. I went back home and everything was gone. Our father's troops were killed and pillaged back in the mountain pass even. I found our mothers body, but not you. Where were you?"
"Many things have happened. And I am still not completely who I was."
"What do you mean?"
"It does not matter."
"Why are you here?"
"Do you not welcome me Keio?"
"No, that's not what I meant..." Kanna laughed.
"I know. The one called Kagome...ugg" Kanna began to gasp as she clasped her throat, and in doing so dropped the mirror that had never left her grasp or had been missing from the ties at her side.
"Kanna?!" The girl pushed her brother back with amazing strength.
"The mirror...mothers...take it..."
"What?"
"It is now...yours." The girl gagged more, her eyes rolling back and blood seeped through her chest as her heart exploded within it.
"No...Kanna!" Keio raced to the body but fell back as it burst into flames, and turned to ash in a moment's time.
Kagome shook in horror.
"What happened to her?" Keio asked sternly.
"I-I think it was Naraku."
"Naraku? Why do you think it to be him? And why was she here? Of all places." Kagome clutched her stomach as she felt bile rise in her throat.
"Excuse me." She quickly exited and puked at the corner of one of the dirt roads.
"Kagome?" Kagome whirled around.Her stomach had been well emptied and it left her fatigued.
"Oh Shippo. What are you doing here."?
"Kagome...if you want, I'll tell them for you."
"What?"
"I was...um..."
"Shippo, were you eaves dropping?" Shippo dropped his head slightly.
"I'm sorry, but that lady is just so strange and..."
"Shippo! It's rude to talk about someone like that." Kagome scolded. Shippo shifted his feet in the dirt.
"Come here." Kagome held her arms open and Shippo happily jumped into them.
"No Shippo...I will tell them."
"Can I at least come? Please! I'll be super extra quiet! I'll even turn into a cool looking bracelet! See!" He put a leaf on his head
POP;
He instantly turned into a tiny red beaded bracelet that had a small tail where the clasp should have been.
Kagome reentered the room and was offered a glass of water.
"Now then...please do explain." Kagome shivered at the sudden cold change in attitude that Miyako showed. Swallowing hard, she began to tell all that she knew.
Authors Ending Note: Oy Avea! This chapter was kinda hard to get done, so it kind of turned out to be a bit of a dud. (Blah) So I'm sorry it's not nearly as good as the rest, but the next few chapters should be interesting. Till then! ;)