Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters.
A/N Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. Keep it coming though coz it boasts writing morale! Thankie!
Title: Say the word
"Do you trust me?" Kagome asked softly, eyes shining with hope.
"I sense no harm from you or you might just be hiding your ill-intentions, but you seem sincere to find a seal for your vibes. Despite unwilling to share what you are to me."
Kagome held her breath as she awaited Genkai's answer.
"I will trust you seeing that you have no done the dimwit any harm." Genkai replied before getting on her feet.
"I will place my trust in you, Kagome. Don't abuse it."
---
Chapter two
"Put this on." Genkai said as she opened the silver box with intricate design which she had went to retrieve. Holding out what looked to be an armband. Five gemstones of different colours adorning the plain black leather.
Gesturing for Kagome to lift her arm a bit, Genkai wrung it around her upper arm that the five stones were at the underside of her arm, fastening it with the strings that were attached to both ends of the armband. At the end of the strings were two gemstones of clear colour, if one looked closely, a swirl of light purple were in them.
Kagome closed her eyes and felt her flowing vibes trying to push through the tight bound but was unable to do so.
"It works." Kagome whispered to the tentatively watching Genkai. Genkai nodded and closed the silver box with a 'pop'.
"How did you come across these sealing stones?" Kagome asked curiously as she glided her fingers across the smooth surfaces of the stones.
"It was a prize in a tournament that I had attended during my youth. It was claimed to be a powerful seal. I have yet to find any use for it until now." Genkai replied as she gestured towards Kagome who was looking amazed by the ability of the sealing stones.
"Tell me how do you feel now?" Genkai asked.
"It feels…like a very strongly woven net has been thrown onto me, shrinking down to meld against my skin, merging as my second skin. The unstable vibes are pushing against the second skin…but are unable to break through." Kagome answered with a smile, a relaxed look on her face.
"Thank you Genkai-sama, I do not know how I am to survive in the Ningenkai without your help."
"You do not plan to return to Makai?" Genkai questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"Not at the moment, I simply do not have the graciousness to forgive now and I have not set foot in Ningenkai for such a long time, I would like to spend some time to look around." Kagome announced.
"You will cost no trouble." Genkai commented with narrowed eyes, slight wariness could be seen in them.
"I will not harm any ningens, if that is what you wanted to hear." Kagome replied.
"Do not make use of my trust and dimwit's, seeing that he has no intention to bring you in for questioning in Reikai." Genkai sternly stated, crossing her arms before her.
"If you don't trust me in the first place, why did you chose to help me?" Kagome questioned in a rather irritated tone.
"Your vibes might have affected my decision." Genkai replied simply.
"How do you feel at the moment, Genkai-sama?" Kagome asked politely.
"If one has been affected by my vibes, if they have no desires to act that way they will not act as so. For example, like Keiko who had slapped Yusuke and accused of him cheating on her with me. If…Maybe I should say that the vibes sometimes brings out the ugly side of the person who normally suppressed it inside of them for a long time and amplifies feelings. If Keiko had not felt the jealousy and had not felt the wanting to not listen to Yusuke's explanation deep down inside of her, she will not hit him and tried to slap me as well. If she did not have the lack of trust she will not accuse him of cheating but to accuse him of other things . And if I stand before her again with this seal…although she will still remembers what she was feeling and the things she had done , she will not retain the same level of hostility towards me or Yusuke."
"If I stand before her now with this seal, and she portrays the same level of amplified hostility towards me. This states a simply fact. A fact that she really, truly, hate me and have no qualms in projecting out that particular hatred that stems deep from her heart."
"Tell me Genkai-sama, do you still hold the same level of suspicion before and after the seal towards me? If you hold the same level of suspicious then does that answer your question that you had not been affected by my vibes?" Kagome asked in a resigned tone before excusing herself from the dojo.
"Kagome. I…apologise for my accusation." Genkai had replied in an apologetic tone with her eyes close.
"Your vibes are-"
"I know that you have every right to be suspicious of me due to my vibes, it is not the first time that had happened to me and it will not be the last time." Opening the dojo door to leave.
"Kagome."
"Yes Genkai-sama?"
"You own them an explanation. And now you undeniably have my full trust. You are welcome to come here anytime."
"Arigatou Genkai-sama."
---
'Maybe I should see Genkai after school and ask her about this.' Kagome thought as she scratched the area of skin around the armband in her right arm.
'Nah…' Kagome brushed the idea away as she trailed behind a group of students heading towards Sarayashiki High, ignoring the looks she was getting from fellow students.
'Even without the vibes, the level of staring is still the same!' Kagome sighed exasperatingly.
Directing a scathing look at that patch of skin, resisting the urge to bite out that area of flesh. Kagome sighed heavily again.
Giving an audible annoyed growl as she gave the itch a vicious scratch. Kagome was not in a good mood, she had been deprived of a night of peaceful sleep due to the itchiness that had somehow started out of the ordinary.
Noting that somehow the itch was different from any other itches one would encounter. For one, it shows no signs of why it itches, and two, no matter how long and vicious she had scratched there were no broken skin or what so ever signs to show that she had actually scratched that patch of skin.
It just simply itches under her skin, and it seems to be getting worse the closer she is to school or maybe she is just imagining it.
Sighing out in frustration she headed to her locker, taking out the relevant books she needed before tossing in her backpack non- too gently, and slammed her locker door shut with a resounding bam. Ignoring the additional looks she was getting, not that she was not used to being stared at.
Stepping into her homeroom class, taking the seat assigned to her by the teacher on her first day. She slammed her books down shocking the chatting class silence before plopping into her seat beside Keiko and started scratching the itch which seemed to have intensified immensely.
Half consciously aware that Keiko was looking at her.
"Are you feeling okay?" Keiko asked, resting her right hand on Kagome's left shoulder, caringly. A bit taken aback when Kagome growled, taking her hand back as she watched Kagome scratches her arm even more violently.
"I'm fine! This itch is killing me!" Kagome spat out and tried to ignore the prickling on her upper right arm.
Keiko was just about to say something but was stopped when the teacher entered the class and started the lesson. Giving a sideway glance to the girl beside her who had placed her book to stand upright as she continued to scratch.
---
"Slow down! You're hurting my hand!" Kagome complained as Yusuke pulled her along to where he was swiftly going. Kagome tried to plant both of her feet firmly to the ground, hoping to slow or to stop him from continuing on his way. But it proved useless as Kagome felt herself still being pulled around by Yusuke as if she weighed nothing.
Kagome thanked the kami above when he finally stopped and she was finally able to retrieve her aching hand from Yusuke's slightly loosened grip. Rubbing her hand to relieve the ache she glared at the boy before her who was staring at a signboard,' Yukimura noodles shop'.
"YOU drag me here so you can EAT nood-" Before she could even finish her sentence, Yusuke had gripped her aching hand once again and tugged her into the shop.
"YUSUKE!" Kagome was starting to feel annoyed being dragged around and being ignored by him.
"Is Keiko in?" Yusuke had ignored her again, and asked the two people behind the counter. The man nodded and pointed upstairs.
"Come on." Yusuke said and resumed to tug her towards the staircase leading upstairs.
'Keiko…isn't she the one who tried to slap me?' Kagome was cut off in mid thought when Yusuke barged through a door, shocking the occupant of the room; Keiko.
Apparently Keiko was doing her schoolwork before Yusuke had rudely barged in without even knocking first. For kami sake it IS a girl's room. Feeling the urge to whack the impulsive guy on the head, the idea was quickly abandoned when a book, a rather thick book was smacked right on mark, in Yusuke's face, leaving a big red imprint.
Granted, it was laughable but Kagome curbed in her laughter as she felt the tiny hairs on her neck rising, literally. Someone was staring at her, and that someone was staring at her with intense hatred.
Drifting her eyes from the book imprinted face, Kagome gingerly turned her head letting her eyes rest on Keiko who was standing across the room. That girl was fuming and seems to be hyperventilating. The only thing left out to make her anger even more prominent and obvious is her bursting into flames.
'What's she glaring at me for! Don't tell me she really hates me!' Kagome thought, glancing to check that she was indeed still wearing her seal.
'She really hates me!' Kagome came to the conclusion and winced when she could feel Keiko's anger going up a notch.
'What's fuelling her rage…'
Following Keiko's line of attention for a moment, Kagome blanched.
'Baka Yus-kun is still holding my hand!' Knitting her brows together she tried hard to free her hand from Yusuke's grasp. Yusuke must have noticed for he let her hand go almost hastily as if her hand burned his.
Frowning when she felt how that action had hurt her.
"Keiko I can explain!" Raising both hands up, palms facing the seething girl. Yusuke beseeched, his tone bordering with plead. Somehow at the moment, Kagome felt loathing towards Keiko, an almost same repulsion that she had felt towards a certain stubborn clay pot who refuses to stay dead and drags innocent hanyou to hell.
"Fine! You have three minutes to explain Urameshi Yusuke and you better apologise for what you had done!" Keiko spat out and motioned to her clock. Her look turning ugly by the minute.
'Who does she thinks she is! Acting all high and mighty. As if she's better than Yusuke! She's acting all bitchy! Why should we even stand here and put up with this!' Kagome was now seething and dimly scratched her upper arm.
"Here." Yusuke had wasted no time and pushed Kagome to stand before him, right before Keiko who was tapping her left foot to emphasis that she was waiting.
Kagome frowned as she looked from the tapping foot to Keiko's bitter look. The look of one saying that 'you're wasting MY time, I have BETTER things to do than listening to you, but I would LOVE to hear what you got to say FOR yourself, ESPECIALLY if you are going to APOLOGISE.'
'Her face is going to stuck that way if she keep scrunching it as if she had swallowed a lemon.' Turning to look behind her shoulder, scowling to Yusuke who had nudged her in between her shoulders. Kagome turned her attention back to Keiko when the girl barked a 'well!'
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she narrowed them, cleared her throat and began to tell Keiko about her unstable vibes and at the same time swallowing the familiar distaste down her throat.
---
'Calm down girl, there is absolutely no reasons to dislike her…granted that she's a selfish brat who wants Yusuke to be what she wants him to be and claiming to love him when she finds it hard to put all her trust in him…there's no reason to hate her after all it's none of my business!' Kagome mentally hammered herself as she absently scratched the irritation called an itch.
The droning lecture the teacher was giving sent Kagome back to her thoughts on last night.
Shivering slightly when she remembered how Keiko's bitter looking face had broken up into a wide grin and had literally flung herself at Yusuke, crying. Apologising and claiming herself silly for getting mad at him using Kagome's vibes as an excuse for forgiveness.
Kagome had stared at her and retorted that if one had no desires to act that way, they will not act that way. But did Yusuke listens? No If he had listened, he done a terrific job pretending he did not.
He had actually lapped everything up and forgave her, once again, reminding Kagome of a certain dog eared friend.
Keiko had then turned to Kagome and exclaimed her apology and had been all friendly when she invited them to stay for dinner. Sincerely proclaiming herself to be Kagome's new friend.
'Ya..friends….friends with a smiling tiger that is…' Kagome thought as she gave a leery glance to the girl who was smiling at her.
'Maybe…the itch is getting to my head.'
---
"Hiei, take this and head to Zennousha palace."
That was three days ago since Koenma, the prince of Reikai had given him, the half Koorime and half fire demon of the spirit detective team, this mission in the expense of using a lame excuse that the others have to attend school while he don't, and Koenma had also decided to take some years off his punishment if he accepted the mission.
Now Hiei knew why Koenma had graciously offered to take fifty years off as he sliced through yet another class C- youkai. He had entered Yancha forest on his second night here in Makai and had yet to catch sight of an exit.
'Peaceful…my ass.' Thinking back to the sign located at the entrance of the forest as another youkai of class C- stepped into his line of vision followed by another and another and another. He was surrounded. He has been fighting constantly for two nights and a day. Today being the second day.
Growling as he displayed some annoyance, he took a stance and prepared for them to attack. The youkai were fairly easy to kill but it was the sheer number of them that was wearing him down and he was unable to fully utilise his speed in the dense forestry area.
Cussing loudly in his mind as he clutched his bleeding arm. They had actually injured him to a state that he was feeling faint from the blood loss. Irritated that he was about to be defeated by a bunch of low class youkai.
Swiftly glancing at his right arm where his dragon tattoo is. Just as he was contemplating to use the Jaou Ensatsu Koku Ryu Ha he was given a punch which sent him crashing into trees. Gasping but not revealing his pain, a look of concealed confusion drawled on him.
He was alone.
Using his sword as a crutch for his fallen form, he struggled to his feet.
'Hn, I need to get out of here fast.' Hiei thought as his vision started to waver even more with the blood loss.
'Why aren't my wounds healing…' Blinking hard, trying to clear his vision as he leaned against a sturdy tree trunk.
Lifting his head up with difficulty as if they weighed a ton, blood streamed down from his injured forehead to his right eye.
Whoosh!
Giving violent coughs as he spewed out blood down to the fist that had struck his left rib-cage. Taking shaky breaths, he pushed himself to look at the one who had attacked him. His only uninjured eye widened at the sight when his ruby eye clashed with the attacker's ruby ones.
It was as if he was looking into a mirror.
The attacker gave an all-so familiar smirk before releasing his fist, Hiei sunk to the ground with a dull 'thump'.
Groaning slowly he tried to work his tired muscles but was forced down, throbbing painfully at his back. Mustering to glare murderously at his attacker as Hiei found his forehead dangerously close to the end-point of a blade.
With ruby eyes not wavering as the blade was lowered down his face only to stop perilously close to his neck.
Fighting to stay with his consciousness, he witnessed the blade being pulled back before being forcefully thrust towards his neck. A burst of searing pain as he falls into darkness.
All was quiet.
---
Kicking a can off the sidewalk to the road, and watching the metal can getting squashed by the moving cars. Kagome was undeniably bored.
Yusuke had gotten himself into detention. Keiko had volunteered to wait for him and had asked Kagome along. But Kagome had started to feel the itch again and had declined in hopes of rushing back to Yusuke's home to soak herself in water. And now she walks home, to Yusuke's home, in slow strides.
'Well…at least the itch had stopped.' Kagome thought gladly as she kicked yet another empty can off the sidewalk.
Weirdly enough, the itch had immediately stopped when she excused herself from her homeroom class for the nurse's room. But it had came back when she went back to her homeroom class. And once again she left the class only to find the itch subsiding. Thus Kagome had decided to skip classes for today.
She had camped out at the school's roof top not surprised to find Yusuke not there as the boy had already promised Keiko to attend all classes today. Kagome felt a slight pity for that boy who had to indulge himself with the girl's whims.
Leaving the roof-top to find herself some lunch and god damnation, the itch had returned with vengeance. Growling in annoyance and frustration, she scratched the itch as she made her way towards Yusuke. Settling to sit besides him, the boy looked at her with a concerned look as she scratched.
Keiko stretched her hand across the table, offering Kagome a piece of sandwich which she thanked her for. But was unable to take her hand off the task of scratching to take the sandwich off of Keiko's hand as the damnable had decided to take that time to intensify, it was killing her and driving her crazy.
Kuwabara had suggested to take a swim to 'quench' the itch. The people at the table gave the carrot top a really weird look which he took offended. But at the point of desperation, Kagome had decided to take his advice, no matter how stupid and silly it had sounded.
Escaping to the girl's toilet, she filled the sink and submerged as much of her arm as she could in it. Widening her eyes when it actually worked. The itch had stopped.
But truly unbeknownst to her noticing, the itch was already began to lessen and stop, the moment she had left the lunch table.
'I wonder what he is doing now…' A look of froze scratched across Kagome's face as she realised where her train of thoughts was going.
"Why should I care what is he doing! It's none of my business…and besides…I should be still mad at him. Humph!" Kagome angrily muttered to herself as she crossed the street.
"Why should I even care what he is doing now…" Kagome whispered to herself, raising her palms to wipe off a few loose teardrops.
'I can't believe that I actually miss that big, fat…maybe not fat but definitely an arrogant, pompous, jerk albeit one with a very, very godly body and a nice piece of…What the hell am I thinking!' Kagome smacked herself across her forehead.
Shaking her head hard from side to side, she abandoned the thought of him. Not really up to the feeling of going home for now, changing her course of direction she headed for Genkai's shrine.
---
"Hello, Kagome-chan."
"Hello to you too, Yukina-chan." Kagome greeted with a polite bow as she skipped up the steps to the sweeping Koorime.
"Konbanwa, Genkai-sama! Konbanwa, Kurama-kun but not to Youko." Sticking her tongue out at the last name. Giggling slightly as if she could really hear the spluttering disbelief ofYouko inside of Shuichi.
"I think you upset him." Kurama replied with a smile.
"I know." Thanking Yukina for the cup of tea.
"Genkai-sama, I came to enquire something." Gaining the full attention of Genkai who was sipping tea.
Lifting up her right arm, Kagome poked the spot that had been itching.
"Since last night and at school, this spot has been itching. But somehow, no matter how hard and long I had scratched…it doesn't seems that I have scratched at all."
"What does the itch feels like?" Genkai asked as she examined her skin.
"Something crawling underneath of my skin, it was really irritating and calls for attention to scratch. I have the mind to take a knife and cut off that layer." Kagome replied.
"Is there something wrong?" Kagome enquired worriedly at Genkai's silence form.
"Nothing seems to be looking wrong, but you are saying that it itches. Does it still itches?" Genkai asked.
"Do you still remember when it started to itch, Kagome-chan?" Kurama asked as well.
"It doesn't itch now. I think the itch started when I came back from Keiko's place, Yusuke dragged me there to explain a few things." Kagome muttered disdainfully.
"Then I guess I started scratching. I was almost up all night scratching, but I guess I felt asleep as I did find myself waking up for school. The itch continued and it got worse when I entered my homeroom class…left the room it got fine but when I entered again…it came back so I skipped that class." Kagome related to the two thoughtful figures.
"I guess the itch disappeared but appeared when I went to get lunch. I was sitting beside Yusuke scratching when Kuwabara suggested taking a swim, I took his advice…WHAT!" Kagome asked loudly catching the surprised looks the others were giving her.
"I know his advice sounds stupid but I think it actually worked! I filled a sink full of water and soaked my arm inside, the itch creased…but acted up again when Keiko asked me to wait with her for Yusuke who is in detention. Declined and decided to go home to have a soak, but the itch disappeared completely again when I left the school premises…" Taking the cup of tea as she finished her tale of the itch.
"So it doesn't itches now?"
"Nope, not a bit. It totally vanished."
"Hmm…"
"Hmm…?"
"Youko says he might have a clue but is revealing nothing…until you apologises…" Kurama said shaking his head. Kagome gawked at him before narrowing her eyes and scooted neared to his face. Kurama blushed at the close contact.
"Youko…" Kagome called in a whispery sentence, knowing that she had captured Youko's attention when emerald changed to gold.
"Grow up…you are after all…ancient…" She stated, gently giving a small blow into his face, knowing full well that Youko will be able to feel it. Kurama groaned when he felt Youko getting aroused even after Kagome had insulted him to be old.
"Kagome-chan, that wasn't very nice." Yukina commented, giggling.
"Well…he ain't no saint either." Kagome retorted, smirking as she reached out and patted Kurama on the cheek.
---
VOCAB!
Zennousha- The Almighty/ Omnipotent One
Yancha- Naughty/ Mischievous
---
(drum rolls) time to answer reviewers' questions
1. Is her seal a person?
- It has something to do with a person
2. Is the person back in Makai her lover?
- Maybe-ii
3. Is something going to happen when she meets Hiei?
- Something maybe big and unpleasant might happen when she meets Hiei
4. Who is the guy she had walked out on?
- Let me give a clue: He's an inu
5. If she ain't ningen nor youkai, is she elemental or angel, sumthing along that line?
- Hmm…
6. What is the pairing?
- A big hmm…I'll let you guys do the guessing (waggles eyebrows)
---
Not really feeling satisfied with this chapter, something seems to be missing…
Anyway, a big thank to everyone who had taken the time to read this piece of work and contributed their reviews. Arigatou! AND can you see the pattern whenever Kagome feels the itch?