To Be Normal

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Memories/Voices

Stressed

A soft sigh escaped the silver lips as she stared up at her apartment building. She had paid a lot for this apartment, but she was glad. As stared up at the sixth floor she smiled from underneath the tree. Footsteps caused her to look over at the disgruntled boy. Kagome smiled down at him, he was still only about up to her shoulder. His black hair was cut and spiked a bit. His brown eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement as he stared at her. Kagome began to fidget from nervousness as she turned away.

"Here comes the fox," he whispered as he walked away.

"Kohaku, you say that about every guy I meet," Kagome scolded him as his laughter filled the air.

"Fancy meeting you here," a smooth voice interrupted her thoughts.

Kagome turned around and was truly surprised to find Suiichi standing there. His emerald eyes sparkled in the sunlight as he smiled at her. Kagome's gaze traveled to the indigo cat he was holding. It's tail swished back and forth, as he grinned up at her. Kagome frowned and snatched the cat from his arms. Suiichi eyes widened as he watched her with the cat.

"What do you think you're doing Kioku?" Kagome demanded as the cat meowed at her. It's red eyes blinked at her before she dropped it to the ground.

"Meow?" It seemed to question.

"Go up with Kohaku to the apartment!" Kagome growled. The cat ran off and disappeared into the building.

"Kohaku…boyfriend?" Suiichi asked.

"No…he's a brother," Kagome warily said.

"I see," Suiichi mumbled.

'No you don't see,' Kagome thought.

"How'd you meet my cat?" Kagome decided to ask.

"Your cat was happily perched above my friend before it attacked him and ran off," Suiichi answered as he chuckled at the memory.

"I'm so sorry," Kagome apologized, "Kioku seems to be troubled."

"Stop flirting and help me take up the boxes," Kohaku happily teased.

Kagome growled as she pulled his ear and smacked him upside the head. Kohaku whined before he tossed a box at her head. Suiichi stepped in between and caught the box. Kagome smiled at him and stuck her tongue out at Kohaku.

"Would you like to come up for tea?" Kagome asked.

"That would be nice," Suiichi accepted.

"It'd be nice if you unpacked the tea," Kohaku mumbled.

"Don't make me bury you Kusarikama again," Kagome threatened with a grin.

"You wouldn't!" Kohaku dared.

"This time I'll make sure to bury it in another country," Kagome promised.

"You're evil," Kohaku mumbled as he walked off.

Kagome laughed at Kohaku as he walked off into the building. Suiichi walked with her up the stairs until they reached her apartment.

"A kusarikama? Isn't Kohaku to young for a weapon like that?" Suiichi questioned.

"No, he's had it all his life," Kagome waived off before she cursed her stupidity. "We like to train like our ancestors."

"So you're into family traditions?" Suiichi casually asked.

"Kohaku and I are the only family we have," Kagome softly whispered.

"I'm sorry," Suiichi unsurely apologized.

"No need to be sorry," Kagome happily assured.

Kohaku walked out of their kitchen carrying a teapot and two cups. He set it down on the table they had currently cleared. His brown eyes turned to the boxes as he left the apartment. Kagome slightly frowned but brushed his attitude off. Turning back to Suiichi, she smiled and poured the tea.

"Green tea is all Kohaku could find," Kagome sheepishly said.

"Green tea is fine," Suiichi assured as he took a sip to assure that it was fine.

"Thank you for helping with the boxes," Kagome softly thanked.

"No problem, I was glad to help," Suiichi calmly said as he gazed at her shy face. She kept looking everywhere but at him.

"If there is anything I can do to help you, feel free to ask," Kagome added as she glared at the teapot.

"I couldn't bother you," Suiichi protested.

"No," Kagome sternly said, "I owe you a favor."

"If that's what you wish," Suiichi mumbled with surprise.

Kagome was about to respond when both their cell phones went off. Kagome pulled hers out of her pocket and frowned. Suiichi rolled his eyes at the number before they both stood up.

"Excuse me," they both said. Kagome walked into the kitchen while Suiichi stood in the hall.

"Kurama," Yusuke quickly said.

"What is it?" Suiichi asked, slightly annoyed.

"Koenma's called a meeting," Yusuke plainly stated.

"Can't it wait?" Suiichi asked as his eyes moved to the kitchen.

"Nope, says it depends on the fate of the world or some crap like that," Yusuke mocked before he hung up.

Suiichi scoffed as he walked back into the apartment. His hearing picked up the last bit of farewell from the conversation.

"As you wish Master," Kagome dully responded.

She walked out of the kitchen and froze when she saw Suiichi there. He smiled at her not bothering to tell ask her about the farewell.

"I have a meeting to go to," Suiichi sadly said.

"Well I hope to see you again," Kagome sighed as she wondered if her words were to bold.

"Maybe we could go out sometime," Suiichi suggested.

"I'd like that very much," Kagome replied with a shy smile.

She walked him to the door and before he walked out Kohaku brushed by and walked off to his room. Kagome shut the door and locked it with a bit of disdain. She hated when she was interrupted with friends. Kohaku walked out already dressed in his Taijiya armor. He wore a stomach guard that was held up by a turquoise sash. The stomach guard came down to his knees and then he wore shin guards of the same color. Kagome noticed that he held his kusarikama in his right hand and had his katana placed in his sash. Kagome patted his shoulder as she walked by him and felt the hidden shoulder guards.

Kagome quickly put on her dark blue trousers that tied at the ankles and at the waist. She then quickly pulled on her dark blue haori and tied the sleeves around her wrists. Kagome then pulled on her tabi boots that tied at mid-thigh. She clicked her tongue and watched as her cat came into the room. Its indigo body glowed white before its tail split into two and silver moon appeared on its forehead. Kagome reached into one of her boxes and struggled to pull out her sash. Smiling in victory, she pulled it out and tied it around her waist so it hung to her ankles. Kohaku walked over to her and handed her a katana. Kagome thanked him and tucked it into her sash. She then reached into her wooden box and pulled out a set of Buddhist prayer beads. She counted one hundred and eight beads that were ordered as black and purple.

"What must we do tonight?" Kohaku asked as he watched her tuck the beads in her sash.

"Naraku ordered us to just give Reikai a scare, he wants them to know that there is a threat," Kagome explained.

"Wouldn't we do better to work in silence?" Kohaku asked with look of doubt.

"Yes, silence is best but you know how Naraku is," Kagome sighed.

"When do we start?"

"We start when the sun goes down, then we travel to Makai and raise the dead," Kagome said with a hint of a smile.

Reikai wasn't the liveliest places to visit because most of the residents were spirits. Walking through the halls, Suiichi reached Koenma's office. He pushed open the doors and casually walked into the room. His emerald eyes stared at Koenma for a bit before he took a seat next to Yusuke. Hiei was standing against the wall his crimson eyes hidden by the shadows. His black hair was spiked up with a white star strike going through the front. He wore a bandana around his forehead and dressed in a black cloak. You could make out the shape of a Katana by his side.

Koenma turned his attention to Kuwabara who was glancing at everything. He no longer wore that blue school uniform. He still had the same bad Elvis hairstyle that an orange. His dark blue jeans matched with the white shirt he wore underneath the brown aviator jacket. Kuwabara. Yusuke simply had a pair of black jeans with a forest green shirt Keiko had forced him to wear. Hiei smirked when the thought drifted to him; he would never let a female get the best of him.

"I have good news and bad news, what would you like to hear first?" Koenma asked as he sat behind his desk.

"Flip a coin," Yusuke suggested.

"This is a very serious matter," Koenma growled as he leaned forward.

"Hn," Hiei mumbled as he closed his eyes.

"Since I'm boring you I'll ask this, whose heard of the Shikon no Tama?" Koenma questioned with a grin. Yusuke frowned at this question thinking it was a trick.

"I thought that was just a legend," Kuwabara voiced.

"Unfortunately the legend is a reality," Koenma said with a bit of unease.

"What does this have to do with us?" Yusuke roughly asked.

Koenma sighed as he pulled out a box from his drawer. He placed the tiny jewelry box in front of them leaving it closed. There were so many protection and sealing spells on the box that if seemed beyond plain.

"The legend of the Shikon no Tama has literally been wiped from all records save for a rumors and fake stories. Many youkai that were alive during this time refuse to speak of the Tama," Koenma began. He opened the box and turned it toward them so they could see the content.

"Is that what I think it is?" Kuwabara asked as he stared on in disbelief.

"This is the last known Shikon no Kakera," Koenma answered.

"But it was supposed to only be a legend," Yusuke mumbled as he stared at the soft pink shard.

"What do you mean this is the last known Kakera?" Hiei asked as his crimson eyes glared at the tiny ruler.

"No one knows what happened to the rest of the Tama or the Miko that protected it," Koenma nervously answered.

"How did something this important manage to vanish?" Suiichi asked in true curiosity.

"I don't know all the details…but what I do know is from what one of the shard hunters told me," Koenma began.

"One's still alive?" Yusuke asked.

"Lord Kouga is very much alive," Koenma mumbled remembering how the wolf made a mess of his office.

"What did he tell you?" Yusuke asked already becoming impatient.

"He wouldn't tell me the name of the Miko, but he told me that a powerful demon had managed to break apart the group hunting him. He said the youkai was Naraku and he vanished after he had retrieved the Tama. Kouga also claimed that the Miko vanished the same time as Naraku," Koenma told.

"What happened to the rest of the group?" Kuwabara asked.

"The Houshi was killed, the Taijiya managed to survive, and the hanyou Inuyasha was never found again," Koenma sadly answered.

"Do you want us to guard the Kakera?" Suiichi asked.

"This Kakera must remain in Reikai!" Koenma quickly said. "Naraku could never reach it here."

"What do you want us to do then?" Yusuke angrily asked.

"I need you to travel to Makai and patrol the lands," Koenma ordered.

"That's a bit vague," Suiichi commented.

"Watch the cemeteries," Koenma clarified.

"Maki has cemeteries?" Kuwabara asked.

"Each territory has one main cemetery," Suiichi answered.

"What's supposed to happen?" Yusuke calmly asked.

"My father received a threat telling him that the dead will dance tonight," Koenma stated.

Yusuke scoffed at that, "Whatever."

"I want only the Eastern and Western lands patrolled," Koenma firmly said.

"Favoring sides?" Hiei asked as he pushed away from the wall.

"I just have a hunch," Koenma muttered as they left.

Author's Note:
The pairing is going to be Kagome and Kurama for sure!
I'm slowly piecing the story together because it may begin to get confusing.
Thanks to the reviewers and readers.
Please Review