InuyashaForever1989: Hey, I'm back with an all new chapter. Read and enjoy

"Speech" 'thought' flashback/dream 'other thought'

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Chapter 8: All is Explained, Revealed, and Resolved

Inuyasha then burst into the hut soaking wet. "Kikyo, you won't believe what your sister made me . . ." he trailed off as he came upon Kagome. He said something but Kagome couldn't hear him as a strange feeling took over her.

'We're forgiving him too easily,' her youkai voice rasped, clearly unpleased with the situation.

'It wasn't his fault; he didn't want to hurt us. It was all Sesshomaru's doing," the miko defended him.

'So now you're going to be the one to easily forgive as well,' the youkai voice argued.

'Just be quiet, both of you,' Kagome instructed her other selves before they could really start to fight. She stood up to face the soaked hanyou. "Inuyasha I--" Suddenly, Kagome was cut off as Inuyasha rushed forward and hugged her tightly. There was a loud growling noise off to the side and Inuyasha turned to see Kouga giving him a death glare.

"Shut up you mangy ookami," Inuyasha spat out giving Kouga an equally powerful glare.

"No, please don't fight you two," Kagome pleaded and both of them stop bickering to look at her. "Now, Inuyasha, I'm not just going to forgive you. What you did was extremely stupid, but it was just a mistake so I know I can't hold it over you forever." Kagome finished and Inuyasha nodded solemnly.

"Kagome, I can't tell you how sorry I am about all this. I never wanted to hurt you; you were my best friend." Inuyasha explained.

Kagome gave him a sad smile and he smiled back. "So," she started, trying to change the subject for a bit, "Why are you all wet?"

"Feh, that hag decided she needed some stupid flower that just happens to grow on a tree that was growing on a patch of dirt in the middle of a river," Inuyasha complained.

"Inuyasha, ye are over reacting," the aged voice of their old friend came from the doorway.

"Keade?" Kagome smiled and rushed over to the old woman. "It's been so long."

"Kagome?" Keade asked. "I had thought something like this had happened when we didn't find your body where Inuyasha had said it should be."

"So you know what happened to me then?" Kagome asked curiously.

Keade nodded her head. "Ye see, when the spirit leaves the body ye do not die, but the body simply becomes an empty shell, if it remains that way for long it will die but not right away. When the spirit that leaves the body is powerful, which indeed it was, it leaves behind a residue that another spirit may attach to and possess the vessel."

"But if the youkai possessed me why am I still myself and not the youkai," Kagome questioned.

"A soul is life and is unique to each person, hence the change in your appearance. Like why ye resembled my sister Kikyo when ye had her soul, but it does not make a person. Even though ye looked like Kikyo ye did not act like her correct?"

"Yeah, that's right," Kagome confirmed.

"You're personality, memories, the person ye are, is in you're head and heart child and has nothing to do with the spirit."

"Wait a minute, just backing up a little, now I resemble the youkai that this soul used to belong to?"

"Yes, just as if you were her reincarnation," Keade answered and everyone went quiet letting all the information sink in.

"Wait, why does Kagome still have her miko powers then?" Kouga voiced his question.

Keade appeared to be thinking seriously on the matter. "I really don't know," she said finally.

'May I explain that one?' Kagome's miko voice questioned. Kagome nodded to herself and sat down. Everyone looked at her strangely as she began her meditating exercises. Within a few minutes Kagome's fangs and claws began receding and her eyes became purple again.

"Kagome's miko powers, my presence, are due to the Shikon no Tama." Everyone gaped at Kagome and then what she had said was realized.

"What do you mean the Shikon no Tama? It was destroyed when I wished Kikyo back to life." Inuyasha voiced what everyone was thinking.

Kagome shook her head. "The jewel was destroyed, yes, but the power could not be destroyed and without a vessel it had to go somewhere. Seeing as a youkai spirit had already possessed her body the stronger demonic power should have destroyed her, but her body is designed to channel miko power, balancing the power out. This created me and the youkai side within Kagome. We fight almost constantly unless Kagome brings us to a peace. We've been keeping her in turmoil this last year, but she has finally found a way to contact us so she can keep us in check."

With her explanation finished her shining purple eyes began to fade and she began to regain her youkai appearance. Everyone looked at Kagome with near amazement. There probably wasn't another girl on the planet who could have done what Kagome had managed to accomplish and to top it off she did it without realizing what she had done.

"Well, I guess that just about explains everything I wanted to know," Kagome stood up and smiled like none of it was any big deal. Kouga's heart swelled with pride and love for the amazing girl before him and he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist and just stared into her eyes. Kagome blushed and looked back up at him shyly. "Kouga," her words trailed off as he bent his head to hers and gave her a quick peck and released her.

"We should be getting back soon," Kouga announced. Kagome looked around sadly at all her friends. "All of you are welcome to visit anytime," Kouga added, "Even the mutt-face." Inuyasha was about to say something about the name until Kagome's face lit up and she just looked so happy he didn't want to spoil it.

"Thank you, Kouga," she smiled and leaned up to him giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "And you better come visit," she pointed an accusing finger at Sango.

"You too, Kagome," the older girl smiled and they both hugged goodbye.

Then Kagome turned to Kikyo. "You take care, ok?" she gave the girl a warm smile and Kikyo looked as if she might cry and they hugged as well.

Kagome pick up Rin and then Kouga picked Kagome up bridal-style and gave a smile to the room. "Bye," and with that said he was off. Not quite the whirlwind he used to be, but still a speed to be rivaled. It took a couple of days to get back to the mountains and another few hours to get back to the ookami's den.

As they looked toward the waterfall that blocked the entrance Rin asked, "Are we there yet?"

"Yes, Rin, we're here," Kagome insured her. As they walked through the entrance Kagome tried to shield Rin as much as possible from the water, which didn't work very well. All three came though the waterfall soaking wet. Kouga just shook it off and called for something dry for the other two to wear.

"You get used to it," he said as the girls were handed there cloths. Both were handed outfits made of fur and Kagome's came with optional armor.

"Come on Rin, let's go change, ok?" Kagome said as she led the girl off to Kouga's room, seeing as it was the only room she knew of. It didn't take long for the girls to change. Kagome chose to go without the armor for now. Rin's outfit consisted of a shirt and a skirt and while Kagome had a skirt you could hardly call the scrap of fur she'd been given a top. It wrapped around her chest and left most of her mid section exposed.

"Mommy you look pretty," Rin commented innocently. Kagome smiled down at Rin although the whole time she was cursing Kouga who had probably picked out the outfit for her.

When the two walked out they saw Kouga talking with someone, an ookami youkai, but judging by the different shade of fur he wore Kagome guessed he wasn't from Kouga's pack. Kouga nodded his head and the strange ookami youkai ran off out of the den.

Kouga seemed deep in thought as they approached, he didn't even notice them. Kagome clear her throat to catch his attention and when she had it she asked, "What was that about?"

"The ookami pack in the North is having a problem," Kouga responded.

"What kind of problem?" Kagome raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, you see," Kouga paused wondering how to put it, "They're being attacked."

"Attacked by whom?" Kagome felt stupid asking all these questions, but Kouga wasn't giving her anything here.

Kouga took a deep breath and Kagome hoped she was finally going to get the whole story. "A youkai," Kouga stopped again and Kagome wondered if she would have to ask another question when he spoke up again. "It's a very powerful youkai, but it never attacked anyone before. It's also attacking the ningen villages as well."

When it looked like Kouga wasn't going to say anything else she just had to ask, "Why?"

Kouga sighed, "It lost its mate." Kagome looked at him strangely as if she didn't understand what he was getting at. "When youkai mate it forms a bond that can only be broken by death, but when it is broken it is very possible for the other partner to die as well and if they don't the best they can hope for is being left half-mad."

Kagome looked horrified and Kouga feared he had scared her off of the idea for herself. "The poor youkai," was all she said and Kouga stopped holding his breath. Then Kagome looked up at Kouga with something like realization in her eyes. "If you every make me deal with that I'll bring you back somehow just to kill you again."

Kouga put on a cocky grin and raised an eyebrow at her. "So you'll mate with me then?" he asked in his all high and mighty tone.

Kagome's eyes widened and she blushed. "Well, maybe, eventually," she mumbled as she took a sudden interest in a spot on the floor. "So this pack, they're asking for help then?" Kagome asked to change the subject.

"Yes," Kouga answered curtly, getting a little more serious with the change in topic. "The problem is, if I send any of my men down there I'll have to go also, but I don't want to leave you and Rin here alone."

Kagome thought it was sweet that he was thinking of Rin as well as her, but he needed to go. "I'll go with you," Kagome stated firmly. "And," she turned to Rin, "You don't mind staying her with a babysitter do you sweetie?"

Rin shook her head rapidly. "Rin doesn't mind," the girl said and gave a big smile.

"Then it's settled," Kagome said.

"But, I don't know how long we'd be gone, the trip itself is three days and besides it's dangerous, you could get hurt," Kouga argued.

"Well, you have to do something and I'm not getting left behind, so I'm going!" Kagome said, raising her voice. Kouga winced away from the yelling and realizing she wasn't going to back down he gave in. "Alright, we'll leaving tomorrow so I have some things to do before then." Kouga motioned for one or the ookami youkai to come over. "Would you please bring Kagome to see Nira?" Kouga asked the man and then turned to Kagome. "Nira will watch Rin while we are gone."

Kagome simply nodded her head and followed the man toward the back of the den. As she walked she observed that there were many side caves that wound off into different directions and a lot of little room like caverns like Kouga's.

They stopped at one particular door that opened suddenly and two women walked out and one called back into the rather large room, "Thank you so much Nira." Both women then continued to walk down the cave toward the exit.

Kagome entered the room and saw four or five young children running around the room. In the middle of all this was an older woman, not too old, she looked to be either in her late 30's to early 40's. Seeing as she was youkai she was probably much older.

"Hello," Kagome said to get the woman's attention. Wise, brown eyes landed on Kagome and the woman gave her a kind smile. "Um, would you be Nira?" she asked and the woman nodded. "Oh, well, this is Rin. I was wondering if you might watch her for a while. You see I'm going on a trip with Kouga to the north and I don't know how long we'll be gone--" Kagome was cut off when Nira raised her hand in a bid for silence.

"It is quite ok. I can take care of the girl for as long as needed. It is my job in the pack to take care of the young when needed. This includes orphans, those with sick or injured parents, or simply babysitting," Nira explained.

Kagome looked around the room. "Are any of them here for anything other reason besides babysitting?" Kagome asked almost shyly.

"No, I'm just babysitting at the moment. Although that one there is mine," Nira said as she pointed to a young child about six or seven, a boy; he had a head of short, thick, black hair and his mother's shinning brown eyes.

Kagome smiled at the boy. "He's beautiful, what's his name?"

"Jiro," she answered. "His big brother helps me sometimes, but since he came to age to start going out to hurt he's been putting a lot of energy into that lately."

"Hmm," Kagome nodded.

"Well Rin, why don't you go around and introduce yourself to some of the other children I'm sure your mother has much to do to prepare for her trip," Nira said and took the girl's hand.

"Bye mommy," Rin waved back at Kagome.

"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow before I leave, ok?" Rin nodded her head and ran off to play with some of the other children. And with that Kagome left in search of Kouga. She found him back in the main cave with the waterfall entrance.

"Kouga!" Kagome called out and caught the ookami's attention. She made her way over to stand next to him as he gave the last couple men some orders before he turned his full attention to her.

"How, did things go with Nira?" Kouga asked as he started to walk over to a ledge where he then sat down.

"Good, she's really something," Kagome said wistfully. Kouga smiled at the thoughtful look on Kagome's face but it disappeared when she turned to him. "Is there anything you need me to do?" she asked.

Kouga got a mischievous grin. "I could think of a couple things," he said as he lean ever so close to Kagome.

"Kouga," Kagome chastised him, leaning back away. "I mean for the trip."

Kouga rolled his eyes and leaned back. "Nope, everything is being taken care of," Kouga assured her. Kagome nodded her head, so what was she going to do with herself then?

"You know, you look like you need to relax," Kouga mentioned. Kagome looked at him funny, wondering why he had brought it up. "If you go down that path there," Kouga pointed to a cave that opened up on their right, "and go to the very end there's a curtain and behind the curtain is a hot spring, why don't you go try it out?"

Kagome's eyes lit up at the prospect of a bath in a hot spring and it had been a while since she had just relaxed. "I think I will," she murmured as she stood to go down the path.

"I'll have someone bring you towels," Kouga called after her.

When Kagome found the spring she was amazed. It was huge and the walls had crystals embedded in them and the roof of the cavern was missing so the heat didn't build up, but it also let in light that reflected off of the crystals. 'Now this is how you relax,' she thought to herself.

She quickly stripped and stepped into the water and just soaked for a while, thinking about the next few days.

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InuyashaForever1989: And that's it for now. I got such writer's block on this one I went back and proof read and fixed all the mistakes I could find in the previous chapters, so if anyone wanted me to do that it's done, I don't guarantee this chapter though. Well, until next time, ja ne.