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Chapter 7

Blast from the Past

Yuusuke sat in a state of silent shock.

Yoko and Kagome? What about Kurama? Did he have a stake in this as well? Just thinking about the implications made his head spin. If Kagome Mated Yoko, what would Kurama do?

It was too complicated for the Detective.

"Ow," he muttered, clutching his head.

"Yuusuke? Are you alright?" Kagome asked, peering at him closely. Yuusuke stared at her for a moment as if she was some stranger he had never before seen.

"Kagome? What do you think of Yoko?" he asked, whispering. Kagome tilted her head to the side, thinking.

"Yoko-san? He's sweet,"

Yuusuke shook his head and pressed on, "What about Mating Yoko?"

Kagome choked and stared at Yuusuke. "Mating?" she squeaked. Yuusuke nodded. Kagome bit her lip, thinking it over.

Yuusuke groaned as Kagome started blushing again. "Never mind, I can see it written all over your face. What about Kurama? Shuuichi, I mean. The human side?"

"Kurama-san? He's sweet too, I guess," She shrugged indifferently. "But he doesn't Feel the same. Do you understand?"

"I don't," he admitted, defeated, "But I think Shippou does,"

"Shippou?" Kagome was confused.

"Oh yeah. The guy keeps muttering about some kitsune thing that we wouldn't understand. Said it's too complicated to explain without making it sound cliché,"

"I'll ask him about it," Kagome promised. Yuusuke had gotten her curious.

The morning passed with little else of note as the fighters and holy persons awaited word from Shippou's Kids. The sun rose higher in the strangely coloured sky.

Sesshoumaru gave Kagome an ancient looking letter. "Read this, Kagome. It has much to do with what will happen," he said before striding out of the room in a swirl of white and red silk. Kagome cautiously broke the seal and unfolded the letter. Flakes of paper cracked away from the edges.

Dear Kagome,

Wow. This feels weird. I'm writing a letter to myself. Or rather, to my past self. I don't need to tell you of the joys of time travel. I'm writing this mostly because when I got this letter it helped me handle what's going to happen better. Oh yeah, you just gotta love time travel. Anyways, things are going to get pretty hectic soon. One of Shippou's Kids is going to come with news and Totousai is going to send Miroku-sama's shakujo in a couple of hours. Just remember that the guy who took Souta is weak up close, so get into trapping range quick. Don't bother with distance attacks, hit him hard and fast.

The guy that the magician is working for knows all about you and everyone else. He has a spy network that's almost as good as Shippou-chan's. Almost. You know you can stick close to Sesshoumaru, Shippou and Yuusuke, but don't forget Yoko-san. He thinks more of you than you know. That's part of why Shippou-chan doesn't like him much. Silly, isn't it? Don't worry, he gets used to the idea. OK, back to the big bad guy. He's tough, so don't worry about unleashing all of your frustration on his miserable behind.

The problem is what he's got downstairs. That's where Souta and the other kid is. Yes, there is only one more. And not all of them came out in as good condition as Souta is. Your going to have to hurry if some of them are going to survive. And don't worry about how Souta looks. He's still the same annoying little brother that we'd go through every layer of the Catholic Hell and back just to save. Of course, he's probably going to have to work with Hiei-san for a while.

Well, I really can't say much more without giving everything away. And if I did that then where would the fun be?

Take care,

Higurashi Kagome

P.S.

Give Yoko a kiss from me!

Kagome looked up from the letter, blushing. Her and Yoko? Her kissing Yoko? Her cheeks went from a cute bubblegum-pink to over-ripe-tomato in record time.

"Oi, Kagome, what's wrong? What's in the letter? You look like you fell asleep at the beach," Yuusuke prodded. Kagome folded the letter back up and tried to slide it back in the envelope. The envelope disintegrated in her hands.

"That letter? Oh, it's just a letter, you know. From a friend. You know, to tell me what's happened to her and what she did. You know," she shrugged uncomfortably. Yuusuke didn't look convinced and Kagome bore the weight of his inquisitive stare for several long minutes.

"Right," he drawled slowly, deciding to drop the subject for the moment.

Kiss Yoko? The prospect had merit. But...kiss? She hardly knew him. Why on earth would her future self want her to kiss the handsome silver kitsune?

If she kissed Yoko-san would she be kissing Kurama-san as well? They shared a body, so did they experience everything together? Kurama-san was nice and all, but he did not Feel like Yoko-san. She could not imagine herself with him that way.

"What does it say, Kagome?" Yoko asked, his curiosity peaked. Kagome shrugged.

"Oh, you know, nothing much. Just reminding me of a couple things I need to know," she shrugged innocently. Yoko hitched an eyebrow up and looked down at the letter.

That was now in his hands.

Yoko stole her letter!

Kagome watched, silent as his eyebrows rose closer and closer to his hairline. Yuusuke tried to get close enough to read over his shoulder, but Kagome kicked him in the back of his knees. This started a heated argument that kept everyone else entertained enough to keep their thoughts away from Kagome's mysterious letter.

Of course, everyone stopped in their tracks when Yoko burst into gales of laughter. He was grinning, staring right at a tomato red Kagome.

"Alright Kagome, you have got to tell me what is going on." Yuusuke demanded, looking between the bandit and his cousin. Kagome stuttered something unintelligible, making Yoko grin even more.

"Since you can't seem to be able to tell him, why don't you just show him what is asked of you in the letter?" The silver kitsune strolled sinuously towards the befuddled miko. She watched as he crept closer, scooting away as much as she could.

"Yoko don't," She whispered. He graced her with a foxy grin and caught her behind her head, reeling her in.

"You said I had to ask. May I?" He asked, promptly ignoring Kagome's weak protests, and everyone else's more exuberant ones in favor of a chaste kiss.

Shippou growled, but did not move when he noticed that his mother wasn't protesting anymore. Yuusuke shouted at Yoko to 'get his dirty kitsune paws offa Kagome!' Koga also growled, but was quickly knocked unconscious by his Mate. Ayame glared at Koga on disgust before dragging his limp body out of the dojo. Miroku, of course, grinned like the lecher he was.

Yoko pulled back and grinned some more at his captive. Kagome settled for a weak glare.

"You can let go now," she huffed. Yoko obligingly released her, grinning all the more when she stumbled. Kagome shot him a dirty glare. "I can see why Yuusuke called you a horny fox. And why Shippou was so bent on keeping you away from me. You're nothing but trouble!" she declared, "My mother would never approve of your advances on me, and I can't say that at the moment I feel any different." She poked him in the chest as she made her point. Yoko's grin faltered as he looked into her eyes.

"Kagome..." he started. Kagome glared at him.

"When I said you had to ask first, that included gaining my permission. How like an overbearing, overconfident man to just assume that his advances are welcomed!" she snorted, turning away from those pleading golden eyes that threatened to melt her defenses.

No! She told herself. No, I will not give in!

Looks like you might just loose her, Yoko, no matter what that letter implied.

:Shut up.:

-Aw, you poor, poor fox,- Hiei snickered in Kurama's head.

:You shut up too: Yoko snapped.

Yoko, she's human, not a kitsune. You're going too fast for her. Kurama chided.

:What are you talking about? I've never gone too fast in my life? Why would I start now:

Because you feel a special connection to the girl and unconsciously assume that she feels it too.

:Stupid psychology courses: Yokomuttered.

Helpful psychology courses. Kurama corrected.

:Whatever. So you're suggesting I back off for a while:

It's a plan.

Yoko sat back and allowed Kurama to resume control. Kagome looked surprised at the sudden appearance of the red-headed human side.

"Kurama-san," She smiled. "It's nice to see you again,"

"Good morning Kagome-san," Kurama laughed, "I believe that I must thank you,"

"Oh? For what?"

"Shocking Yoko to his toes. As I understand he's never been rejected before,"

Kagome's eyebrow rose. "Well, he'd better get used to it," she muttered.

"If it changes anything, I have never seen him this serious about anything else before. I believe that he truly holds Feelings for you,"

Yuusuke and Shippou groaned. Kagome shot them a questioning look that they both waved off.

"Okay," She rubbed her temple, "There's obviously this kitsune thing that I'm apparently not getting. Anyone care to explain willingly?"

Silence.

"Or will I be forced to use some extreme methods I picked up during my stay with Naraku?"

"It has to do with courting and mating rituals, momma," Shippou relented. Kagome waited for him to continue. "You're right, it's a kitsune thing. No other youkai species can sense a future mate the way we can. Basically Yoko has staked a claim."

Kagome grew still. "Claim?"

"You can reject him," Kurama continued for Shippou, "But it would be unlikely that he would ever try to mate again, even if you had mated another,"

"So he's serious? This isn't just some moonlight escapade for him?"

"As I said, this is the most serious as I have even seen him," Kurama said matter-of-factly.

"I still don't like it," Shippou growled. "He's not worthy of my mother,"

Kagome turned to face her son, "Why's that, Shippou-chan?"

"You deserve better than some mere Master Thief,"

:Mere Master Thief? Why that little brat! I'm show him Master Thief:

Calm down, Yoko. He's only looking out for his mother. It is understandable considering your reputation.

:Which reputation:

All of them.

:Point taken. Still don't like him. You'd think he'd understand. It's not exactly like I have a choice, not that I would even think about fighting a pull towards such an intriguing and beautiful female:

"Calm down Shippou-chan," Kagome sighed, "Consider it something like fate. I just can't escape people with daunting reputations,"

"At least they weren't philandering, murdering thieves," Shippou ground out under his breath.

"Well, at least not rolled into one person," Kagome laughed. "You were quite the little budding thief when we met, remember? And there is nothing you can say that will convince me that Miroku-sama isn't one of the most perverted men I know,"

"Hey!" Miroku protested weakly.

"And as for my murderous friends do I even need to list them?" Kagome shrugged, grinning. "So seeing all of that in one person is almost refreshing. At least I know what to expect. To a point,"

"I can't talk you away from him can I?" Shippou wilted.

"Let me put it this way, if he tries anything I don't approve of I'll purify that which he holds most dear," she flexed a glowing hand.

Every male around her gulped.

Yoko don't try anything! I do not feel like loosing anything important anytime soon and Mother's expecting grandchildren!

:Do I look stupid to you:

-No, just perverted,-

:Pipe down, firebrat:

Kurama sighed and rubbed his temples, feeling a headache forming as the two youkai bickered in his head. A servant came into the dojo and announced the noon meal. Everyone gratefully followed him to where the meal had been set up.

Lunch turned out to be a pleasant affair, especially after the uncomfortable – for the men – threats made in the dojo. Kagome mulled over a dish that had been made 'just for the Lord's human guests' thinking about Souta. And how much Sesshoumaru's chef needed to learn how to make oden.

But the problem with rescuing Souta ran forefront in her mind.

Why did she have to write such an ambiguous letter anyways? Details would be nice. So this evil guy knows all about them? Why hasn't he done anything yet? Unless he does not know that he has ticked off the wrong person, of course.

"What's on your mind?" Yuusuke asked, watching as Kagome poked holes into a vegetable with her chopsticks.

"Huh? Oh, just thinking about the guys who took Souta. And how I'm going to kill them in the most painful ways I know," she shrugged.

Yuusuke was worried. He had never heard Kagome say something like that before. She had always been the epitome of purity and kindness. The toushin almost felt sorry for the scumbags who kidnapped Souta as he thought of some of the ways he had seen people die. Not pretty.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku said soothingly, taking the miko's hand. Yoko twitched from his passive place inside Kurama. "You must not let such dark thoughts take you. Such will only lead down a terrible path of darkness,"

Kagome thought on his words, then nodded. "You're absolutely right," Miroku smiled, "I'll leave the torturing to someone else,"

"And you won't watch?"

"Yes sensei," she grudgingly allowed.

"That's my girl," the lecherous monk beamed. Yuusuke calmly reached over and disengaged Miroku's hand from Kagome's.

"That's far enough, pervert," he grumbled. Miroku feigned hurt. No one believed in him.

"Shippou-sama!" a shoji door was thrown aside to make way for a tiny, harried looking cat youkai. She immediately dropped to the floor in a bow once she spotted the Master Spy, ignoring the defensive stances everyone but Shippou had adopted upon her rather abrupt entrance.

"Speak," Shippou commanded

"The Magician is in the employ of an aspiring toushin to the east. While I have been unable to find anything to determine whether or not the Magician himself is dangerous his employer has been amassing an army of low to mid level youkai and oni. Nothing much above a C-class in the average ranks. There have been rumors, yet unconfirmed by my contacts, that he has also been experimenting on humans,"

"Experimenting!" Kagome gasped, going deathly pale. "What do you mean?"

"Answer," Shippou commaneded when the cat looked hesitant.

"I believe that it is his desire to establish a way to fuse youkai DNA to a human. So far the survival rate is extraordinarily low. The only known survivors are those with incredible holy or spiritual powers," the tiny cat youkai spy said apologetically.

"Momma, Souta was exhibiting houriki wasn't he? That might have saved him. He might be alive," Shippou comforted.

"Yes. It's something I've found runs in the family. On my father's side. We exhibit powers late, too late to train traditionally, but very strong. I was fifteen and Souta started just before his fourteenth birthday. I was going to start training him just in case," Kagome bit her lip, tears pooling in her sapphire eyes. Yuusuke groaned.

"Ah heck, Kagome, it's not your fault the kid was snatched. We're going to go trounce the guy who did it and string him up, naked, by his toes over a pool of starving piranha. Sound good?"

"And that's after we've all used him as target practice," Shippou smiled, his fangs glinting dangerously.

"After all," Sesshoumaru interrupted smoothly from the still open doorway, "This Sesshoumaru cannot allow even a possible uprising. And the slight to his honorable family is inexcusable. I cannot allow the brother of my sister to lie in captivity," he sniffed.

Kagome smiled softly up at her youkai brother, "Thank you Sesshoumaru. That means a lot to me," The stoic youkai lord nodded his head regally, smiling slightly to reassure the fragile miko. He turned to face Miroku.

"Houshi. Totousai has contacted me informing this Sesshoumaru that your replacement shakujo should be arriving this evening. If he is not mistaken in his timing then we shall depart before dawn,"

Kagome groaned, a memory of the first time she had traveled with Sesshoumaru surfacing. Sesshoumaru heard, understood, and grinned wickedly, scaring half the people in room.

"That's right Kagome, you shall all be awakened as the hour of the rabbit begins to turn,"

"Crap." The priestess swore.

Shippou sighed, "Not how I'd put it but apt enough, Momma,"

"Hour of the rabbit?" Yuusuke scratched his head. Kurama explained.

"Before Perry arrived there was a different time system, Yuusuke. There were twelve hours in the day, each named for an animal of the Chinese zodiac and the approximate length of two modern hours. The hour of the rabbit runs from five o'clock to seven o'clock in the morning,"

"Five in the morning!" Yuusuke blew up. "He wants us up that early? That's as bad as the old hag!"

"While this Sesshoumaru will not pretend to understand who this 'old hag' is you should remember to hold your tongue in my presence," he growled, switching moods quicker than a pregnant woman. A chill settled upon the room as Sesshoumaru glared at Yuusuke.

Thankfully Kurama, being the levelheaded boy he is, grabbed Yuusuke by the head and forced him into a respectful bow.

"I apologize for Yuusuke, Sesshoumaru-sama," he said, bowing as well.

Kagome tittered, eyes dancing between her brother, cousin and Yoko's avatar. Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rose as he glanced at his sister. Kagome waved him away. With a silent sigh, Sesshoumaru left his guests with a swirl of silk.

"Well, it's a good thing I've been working on his temper these past years," Shippou grinned.

"Otherwise the Detective would be dead," Hiei surmised.

Kagome nodded. "Yes, it wouldn't matter if he was my cousin or not. Sesshoumaru would have melted him with his Toxic Flower Claw quicker than I could bespell a sutra,"

Yuusuke ran a hand through his hair. "Man, dealing with this guy is stressing me out. He's as bad as Hiei on a sugar-low,"

Hiei growled dangerously, crimson eyes boring into Yuusuke's skull.

"Don't worry, Sesshoumaru isn't that hard to deal with. Just be polite, remember he's the top dog and all will go well," Kagome simplified the matter with a smile. "Even I defer to him off and on. But then again I have special privileges, being his sister and all. He knew what he was getting into when he asked if I would like to be adopted,"

"Why did he adopt you anyways?" Yuusuke asked. Kagome sighed, smiling wryly.

"Well, Yuusuke, five hundred years ago it was very dangerous for a woman to travel on her own without a male escort of some kind, something Sesshoumaru loved to constantly remind me of. When we first met, he had to rescue me from a youkai that had decided that I looked like lunch. He killed the nasty thing, found me a mentor, Kaede-sama, and began dropping in on his 'project' to see how I was doing. He never said but I have the feeling that he was curious to see how training holy powers at such a late age would affect their growth. He didn't know that I had just started exhibiting them," Kagome shrugged, "After a while I had to do some traveling and he started to tag along occasionally. Not long after that he asked if I would mind being adopted into his family, 'to give me a strong male relative,' he said,"

"Good thing he did too," Shippou added after he dismissed his informant, "Kagome was lucky she hadn't been forcefully mated before Sesshoumaru claimed her for the House of the Moon. She was a beautiful, unattached, powerful woman in an age dominated by men,"

"With a head filled full of woman's equality and a mean right hook," Kagome snorted.

"That mean right hook didn't do squat about Naraku, Momma," Shippou whispered. Kagome stiffened.

"Maybe so. But I killed him for it," She growled, leaving the room. The Spirit Detectives shot each other puzzled glances at the reference that Shippou had made.

:What happened with Naraku that made Kagome like this: Yoko asked. Kurama could not answer.

"What happened with Naraku?" Yuusuke asked, mirroring Yoko's silent inquiry.

"That is not our place to say," Miroku said, slowly getting to his feet. "If Kagome-sama wishes for you to know what transpired between her and Naraku then she will tell you. As for me, I have meditation to catch up on," the monk bowed and excused himself from the room.

"Stupid, useless priest," Yuusuke growled, glaring down at his half eaten lunch. Kurama and Hiei's eyebrows rose as Shippou burst out laughing.

"What is so amusing, Shippou-san?" Kurama asked politely.

"That's what Inuyasha always called Miroku," he answered, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "It's just amusing to hear it from someone else, after all this time,"

"Whatever," Hiei snorted.

A beeping sound interrupted any other comments that might have been made. Kurama pulled his communicator out of a pocket and flipped it open.

"Kurama! What are you guys doing?" Botan demanded.

"Waiting Botan. Miroku-sama's new Shakujo should be arriving sometime this evening. Sesshoumaru-sama says that we'll be leaving in the morning," Kurama sighed.

"Well that's good. Koenma wants this guy taken care of soon,"

"And we don't?" Yoko demanded, wrestling control out of Kurama's grasp.

"Yoko-san! What are you doing out?"

"Looking after Kagome, Ferrygirl," Yoko sniffed. "No one will harm her or anything dear to her on my watch,"

"Oh. Well, that's nice," She sounded entirely too cheerful, "Just don't kill Kurama-kun while you're protecting her, okay?" and she cut the connection.

"I will never pretend to understand her," Yuusuke swore. "She makes less sense than Keiko sometimes,"

"How is Keiko by the way?" Yoko asked slyly. Yuusuke glared and turned back to his lunch, making a show of picking up his chopsticks and rice bowl.

"Wouldn't know. Haven't talked to her since you and Kurama last saw her,"

"Ah," Yoko grinned.

"Wassat supposed to mean?"

"Nothing,"

Yuusuke eyed Yoko warily but left it alone. It wasn't worth losing a verbal spar over anyways. Then something twigged the toushin's interest.

"Why have you been popping up so much recently?" he lifted an eyebrow.

Yoko sniffed delicately. "That, my dear boy, is none of your business,"

"It doesn't have anything to do with my cousin, does it?"

"You think to stop me?"

Yuusuke seemed to think on that. He shook his head, "No, I think I'll watch the greatest thief of all history fail. It'll be more amusing,"

"Fail?" Yoko demanded, offended. "What do you mean?"

"You have set out to steal something that can't be stolen, fox. What can I say, you're going to fail,"

Yoko was puzzled. What in the three worlds could not be stolen? Nothing was beyond his reach. Nothing.


Kagome shivered. It was not cold out. There was no breeze to chill her skin. In fact, it was rather warm.

Kagome rubbed her arms, tracing scars. Memories of a past, long gone, unforgotten.

Kagome cried.

She was not strong. She was only human. Fear held her heart in its icy grip, squeezing the courage out like water from a rag. It did not matter that she was a living legend in the Three Worlds, a miko of insurmountable power and a feared warrior.

Right now she was only a tormented soul without comfort.

So she hid under the covers of her futon like a child waiting out a lightning storm. Waiting for the evil faces of her past to leave. Waiting for the monsters to vanish from underneath the bed.

Someone knocked on her door.

"Kagome?" it was Yoko. She didn't answer. "Kagome, I know you're in there,"

More silence. He slid the door open.

The room was dark, not even a candle lit to dispel the blinding darkness humans could not see through. Youkai on the other hand had no troubles. Yoko padded silently to the shivering lump of blankets on the futon. Sitting down beside her he placed a hand on top of the blankets, the scent of her fear and sorrow hitting him like a shotgun blast.

"Kagome what happened?" he breathed. "What happened to cause one such as you so much pain and suffering?"

Kagome slid a trembling hand out from under the covers searching for the comfort he offered. Yoko took the pale hand in his and held it tight, reassuring her that he was not going to leave. Slowly the miko unfurled and peeked out to see her suitor.

"Yoko?" she squeaked. Yoko nodded. Kagome buried her face into her pillow, trying to hide her tears, "I'm sorry. I should be strong. I shouldn't cry over the past,"

Yoko barely caught the muffled whisper. "Oh Kagome," He sighed, stroking her hair, "You have no reason to be sorry. Even youkai cry,"

This made Kagome cry even harder. Yoko rubbed his hand up and down her back, soothing away the pain and tears.

Kagome cried long and hard. Her scars began to ache in a phantom re-enactment of what she had suffered in the wars for the Jewel. Slowly she heard the soft murmurings of the kitsune beside her, bringing her out of her nightmare.

Coughing and hiccupping she looked up into the worried golden eyes that stared down at her.

"Yoko? What are you doing here?" she whispered. Yoko smiled softly, brushing her bangs away from her eyes.

"You were in pain. How could I ignore that?" He asked. And that was that, in his opinion, for what else mattered?

"It's been years and he still haunts me," she murmured. "He's dead and he's not coming back, but sometimes I wonder if it was really me that won in the end,"

"No one can defeat you unless you let them. Be strong. Drive this phantom out, Kagome,"

"I try," She whimpered. Yoko tightened his grip on her hand.

"Tell me about it, Kagome, and let me aid you,"

Yoko was met with more silence. He began to fear that he had been too bold. Was it too much to ask for her to trust him with her past this soon? Kurama had said to take it slow but how slow was slow enough?

"Yoko, what do you know about torturing and breaking women?"