Chapter Eleven
Kagome woke up to an irritable poking in her side. Turning over so that her back was to the offending poker, Kagome tried to slid back into that wonderful chasm of sleep snuggling her head deeper into the pillow. She heard an exasperated sigh, and another deeper poke.
"Wake up already!" A voice practically screamed. Kagome, not expecting the scream shot up bumping her head against someone's forehead.
"OH! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to…WHY DID YOU SCREAM?" Kagome screamed realizing that this person was the cause of her unfortunate wake up call.
"Because you were taking to long to wake up yourself!" The woman said. Kagome finally realized where she was. The Nurse's Office. The one place she hated. The school nurse, she had heard, was a quiet woman on the outside, but once you were in her office… No one went to the nurses office. Kagome stood up slowly and looked at the nurse, and sat back down.
"Mrs. Yamanashi? But…weren't…aren't you my Mythical History teacher? I'm so confused!" Kagome moaned. The nurse smiled.
"Oh no! That's my sister. We're twins except for some slight differences…like my eyes for example." She opened her eyes like owls, and blinked. Kagome almost burst into a fit of giggles. She really did look like an owl. She took in the difference of eye color. Where Mrs. Yamanashi's eyes were silver with white, the nurse's were silver with black specks. Kagome had that sense of familiarity again that she had with Ms. Yamanashi.
"So…uhm…Ms. Yamanashi how did I get here?"
"Hmm…call me Minity. Ms. Yamanashi is to formal! Make me sound old why don't you. As to how you got here…well you passed out in the middle of my sister's lesson. And young Shuuichi brought …well carried you over. I had to threaten him to get him out of here." Minity said while moving around the small nurse's office gathering a few tools, that Kagome was sure she really didn't need.
"Ah…well I feel right as rain…so I think I should go to my class now." Kagome said a little nervously. Now what is she going to do with that needle? She thought as Minity grabbed an extra long needle from a tube.
"Ah ah ah! Nope, I'm supposed to examine you Little Fox!" She said as she spun around the needle flashing dangerously. Kagome stopped, but not because of the needle.
"What did you call me?"
Minity lowered the needle slightly, and her eyes looked back and forth as if searching for an escape, and her fingers twitched.
"Uh…Little Fox. It's because your as…skittish as a fox!" She finished brightly with a false smile.
"No…Minity you tell me this instant! You and Atsuko were always hiding things! Its not fair!" Kagome blurted out. Her eyes widened as she realized what she said, and her hands rushed to her face to cover her mouth. The needle dropped from Minity's hand, and she walked slowly over to Kagome, a look of wonder gracing her features. Then it happened again, a Kitsune's image superimposed over Minity's this time it flickered longer. Kagome stepped back slightly.
"So…your remembering Little Fox. So soon. Well…I was sent here to break the spell over your memory. So…are you ready?" She asked. Not waiting for an answer, she grabbed Kagome's head and smiled. A black upside down crescent moon outlined in sliver appeared on her forehead along with black stripes also outlined with silver. And then Kagome felt herself falling, and saw black.
XI
Ryuko paced back and forth in the small interior of Koenma's office. He had just finished telling the Spirit Detectives what was going on, and who was who, and now they awaited instructions.
"So…what your saying is that…Naraku has found some way to travel here…and is now able to cross the barriers?"
"Unh huh."
"And he is now taking up residence in the Makai?" Kuronue said. Koenma nodded once again. All the spirit detectives were present, including Kuwabara who had just come back from his trip. Kuronue and Ryuko sat side by side on one side, while Hiei, Kurama, Kuwabara, and Yusuke stood or leaned against the wall.
"Alright toddler. What do we gotta do? Travel to the Makai, defeat Naraku, and come back in time to save the barrier?" Yusuke said sarcastically.
"Precisely."
Yusuke's mouth dropped.
"Now that we have an understanding, I have a task for all you. Ryuko don't give me that look, I know that I said all you had to do was watch her…but we do need you. We will need all the help we can get. Kuronue I want you and Ryuko to go back to the Sengoku Jidai and retrieve Kagome's friends, Sango and Miroku. You'll probably have to bring Shippo along too. Inuyasha…hmm…him too. If at all possible leave the dead one, she's not to be trusted. Hiei and Kurama I want you two to go to the Makai and check out any strange activity. Yusuke and Kuwabara…I want you two to keep an eye on Kagome."
Oh no they don't! Kurama let me out!
Is that really a good idea? You don't seem to be very happy, and when your not happy… especially about Kagome it seems you lose control.
Shut up human. AND LET ME OUT!
Kurama tried to hold on to the slight control he had over his body, but it wasn't enough. Youko broke through and he felt himself transforming.
Hiei watched as Kurama seemed to be having an inner struggle. Shaking his head slightly, Hiei wanted for the inevitable. Youko was coming out. Hiei noticed that it was happening more frequently, and summed it up to it being him being in "love" with the ningen Koenma was talking about. Hiei didn't care how powerful the ningen was, she was still a ningen. And anyways Love is a weak emotion. Emotions are a weakness, and this only proves it. He finished as Youko appeared in front of them.
Youko was ready to rip apart Koenma's throat. Who did he think he was, getting in the way of him and his mate-to-be's way. Growling low in his throat he advanced on Koenma, who eeep'd and scuttled behind Hiei.
"Uh…Youko, so nice of you to uh drop in. How about that mission eh? What brings you…uh out?"
"Koenma…change it."
"But…I need you and Hiei to watch for strange activities…come on! Alright alright! I'll change it…uhm…Ryuko and Kuronue you guys will go to the Makai and watch for any strange activity. Youko, you will watch over Kagome. Er…Hiei you and Yusuke will go back and gather her friends, oh and Kuronue take Kuwabara with you. I don't trust him in the Sengoku Jidai. And ogre…bring me food!" Koenma said as Youko nodded slightly and backed up. Jumping back into his chair Koenma dug into his food.
"Welf? Gef gwoin!"
The crew took it as their sign to depart and they exited through various portals.
XI
Exiting through the portal Ryuko scanned the area for signs of danger. Seeing nor sensing non she turned back around to her companions. The orange headed idiot was just now stumbling through the portal and she could almost feel Kuronue's exasperation with having to bring him along. Ryuko was thinking the same thing, he didn't seem like much help. More of a hindrance really.
"Well…where should we start?"
"First, let's go to my house. Youko and I have a network of various people who bring us information about what's going on in the Makai…the Reikai too. Never know when something good might pop up in the spirit world." Kuronue walked away with an annoyed glance back at Kuwabara. Ryuko shook her head, realizing that this would be a long trip.
XI
Yusuke and Hiei surveyed there surroundings casual.
"Nice change of scenery doncha think?" Yusuke asked, stuffing his hands in his pockets and leaning against a large tree.
"Hn." Hiei replied. Shaking his head Yusuke sighed.
"Well…lets go, I don't wanna be here anymore than you do."
The duo walked through the forest until they came to a small village. They had barely stepped into the outskirts when a huge boomerang sailed towards Hiei, who dodged the huge projectile with barely veiled disgust.
"Ningens." He said contemptuously. Yusuke, who did not have Hiei's nose was slightly confused, and upset at being attack.
"WHO THE HELL THROUGH THAT? COME OUT NOW YOU FUCKEN COWARD! SHOW YOURSELF!" He yelled into the village. A young woman appeared to the side of them, the huge boomerang in her hand, next to her was a monk with his hand on a rosary surrounding his right hand, on his shoulder was a small kitsune.
"This must be them." Yusuke said to Hiei.
"Obviously." Came the fire demon's reply. Yusuke glared at him before turning his attention back to his attackers.
"Hey! We're not here to hurt you! We're actually trying to help you!" Yusuke said.
Sango looked at them cautiously.
"They're wearing clothes from Kagome's time…" Miroku whispered to Sango. "Well, one of them anyway."
"Help us with what?" Sango yelled out.
"Kagome needs you help." Yusuke said. So it was a lie. He couldn't think of any other way to get them to come along.
"What were you saying about the wench?" A voice came, soon followed by the body of Inuyasha, with Kikyo on his back. Hiei gagged softly, and Inuyasha glared at him.
"Who the fuck are you?" He yelled at them. "And how do you know Kagome?"
Yusuke choose to ignore him, and directed his attention towards the two humans.
"Apparently Naraku has found some way to get to our time, and we need your help." He said. That got everyone's attention, and soon enough he had opened up another portal and was leading them all out.
"The corpse is coming?" Hiei said as they watched them all enter the portal.
"It can't be helped." Yusuke said, following them into the portal that lead to Koenma's office.
XI
Kagome opened her eyes slowly. She slowly stood up, her limbs feeling weak. When her vision cleared, the first thing she noticed was her sister standing over her, watching her carefully.
"Minity…what are you doing?" She asked, very confused.
"Do you remember anything at all?" She asked.
What kind of a question is that?
"Of course I remember everything…what kind of a-……oh." Suddenly she actually made sense of her memories, everything fell together with a click and she dropped to her knees.
"Youko…"
It was barely a whisper. Minity dropped down next to her.
"There hasn't been clear word of him since the day he pushed you into the well. Some say that he's dead…others…" Her voice trailed off as Kagome's body started to shake slightly. She wrapped her arms around her and whispered comforting words.
"Ah…but Kagome. I have reason to believe that Youko is indeed nearer to you than you think." She said. She heard a small laugh escape Kagome's mouth.
"You know. That's the first time that I can recall you being serious…"
Minity sniffed indignantly.
"Where can I go to find more information about Youko? Is there anyone that might know if he's alive or not? Do you-"
"Cool it Little Fox. We can find your lover-boy…but first you have to visit father."
"Why should I? He's the one who sent me away in the first place."
"You know why he did that Kagome! Mahou Kitsune were being killed left and right, you were targeted next!"
"But you don't know what I've gone through!"
"Of course I do! We watched you grow up while we were in hiding! You have no idea how much it pained father not to be able to watch you grow up!"
"I-I just don't think I can see him right now…I have to find Youko."
Minity huffed, and nodded her head.
"Fine. But we go to father directly after that!"
"Agreed."
Kagome stood up and stretched.
"Minity…how can I revert to my true form?"
"Father will teach you."
Kagome grumbled.
"That's what I thought."
XI
(END)