Kagome sat beside the door and took some deep cleansing breaths before heading back into the class. Kouga ignored the hanyou in favor of watching Kagome return to her seat. Clark sent a glare at the youkai before turning to his cousin worriedly, "How are you feeling, Kagome?"

Kagome sent him a smile, "I'm fine; I just needed a breather."

Whitney took a glance at the two youkai then turned to Kagome, "So they've been like that the whole day? If I were you I'd go nuts."

She smiled, "I wouldn't change it for the world. I love them the way they are."

The jock shook his head slowly before turning his attention to his lab notebook, "Pete I don't think that's what we're supposed to do… it has a little t I'm sure that's teaspoon not tablespoon."

Pete shook his head, "I'm sure, trust me."

Clark seemed to have been watching the youkai instead of paying attention to the group. The two men turned to Kagome in hopes that she break the tie, "Sorry, I never learned the English system but I think tea because a teacup is smaller then a table, but don't quote me on that."

Pete put the tablespoon of baking soda into a bottle filled with vinegar. The resulting explosion of fizz left the table covered in the goop. The teacher looked up, "So whose fault is it?"

Pete winced and was about to speak up when Kagome spoke, "Sorry, sensei, it's my fault I read the lab wrong, please don't punish the others for my mistake."

The teacher rubbed her forehead, "I'll let it go this time seeing as you are new."

Kagome bowed and began to clean the mess up. Pete whispered, "Why'd you cover for me."

"Simple, I have new kid immunity and you couldn't afford a detention what with practice."

"I think I love you, Kagome."

Kouga jumped up ready to charge the ningen, when InuYasha held him back, "Baka, that's an American thing to express his appreciation for her help. Besides, she isn't one to sway from her loyalties. For some god forbid reason she actually likes you and has for a while, regardless of my trying to stop her."

Kouga sat down stunned, "So she has liked me for all that time, why didn't she come with me when I asked her to?"

"You are an idiot aren't you? She wouldn't have left me and the others while Naraku was still around and the shards were still missing."

The bell rung and Kagome trashed the paper towels before heading out for her locker for her gym bag. Ignoring the two trailing youkai, she walked into the girl's locker room

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Houjo smirked feeling the crackle of jyaki snake across his skin. He then pocketed a fuyouheki to disguise his youki and went to the Talon to meet up with the girls. Yuka, Eri and Ayumi all waved him over to their table. The door opened and Kagome walked inside the coffee shop towing along a small red-headed boy. The miko caught sight of them and gave them a short nod before heading to the counter.

Lana looked up, "Hey, Kagome, who's this little guy?"

Shippo turned up his nose and Kagome grinned sheepishly, "This, Lana is my son Shippo. He doesn't like being called ittlelay."

Lana nodded sagely, "I apologize, Shippo, how would you like to try some mud pie?"

Kagome set him on the stool, "That's what I brought him for. Two mud pies please."

Lana nodded and ruffled the kitsune's hair, before retrieving plates and forks and placing a slice of pie on each plate. Shippo looked at the pie nervously, " 'kaa-chan, is it really made out of mud?"

Kagome blinked at the question trying to hid her laugh, "No, Shippo, it's made from chocolate, and because chocolate is dark they call the pie mud pie."

He nodded and began eating it with gusto. Kagome smiled at the kit and ate hers more slowly. She pushed her half eaten pie over towards him once he finished his slice, preventing his need to give her his infamous puppy eyes. He grinned and dug into his newest conquest with as much fervor as he had for his first slice.

"That son of yours has quite the sweet tooth."

Kagome turned around and smiled at Clark who had arrived with Chloe and Pete. "Hello, Clark-kun, Pete-kun and Chloe-chan, I'm glad to see you guys could make it."

Kagome paid Lana for the pies and scooped up Shippo, leading the group to a deserted corner. Shippo hopped down from Kagome's arms and slid into the booth first. Then waited as Kagome slid in after him with Chloe and the other side was Clark and Pete. Clark urged her to begin. "So, we were brought here why?"

She ran her hand through her hair, "I don't know how much you guys know…"

Chloe looked between them, "I know about Clarks biological parents."

Pete looked at Clark, "I know what Clark knows."

"I mean about me."

The African American repeated what he had said while Chloe shrugged. Running her hand through her hair again, Kagome sighed, "Um, you know that in Japan there's a legend about a jewel that could grant any wish and when in a person's hands gives him or her increased strength as well as bringing to life any latent abilities. For instance 500 years ago, there was an artist who had a shard of this jewel in his ink well and when he painted his drawings came to life. Of course he used his new found ability for his own gain drawing ogres and having them attack. When he was defeated rather then parting with his precious ink well he offered his life blood and the ink absorbed it. It was one of many tragedies surrounding the jewel. The jewel has thus far brought down on whomever is near it misfortune."

Chloe picked up on it, "You have it don't you."

Kagome sighed and took it out to show them, "Yep it's a priestess's job to purify the jewel of any taint it gains from the darkness in people's hearts and I'm the last of my kind."

Clark scratched his chin, "I thought there were hundreds of priestesses in Japan."

She looked around for eavesdroppers but, finding none she continued with a lowered voice, "Those are just for show, I mean a real priestess with real holy powers."

Chloe scoffed, "That stuff ain't real."

The miko smiled, "Believe what you want, but I ask you not tell anyone what I told you and please don't tell anyone where I'm staying."

Clark's eyebrows furrowed, "Why is that?"

She shuddered at the memory, "I have someone stalking me and I'm afraid they will come here or they already are here. Who ever this guy is, raped my friend so I rather you guys stay ignorant. That way you cannot be hurt for knowing something."

Kagome stood and bowed, "Well I must go; Kouga and InuYasha must be on the verge of killing one another. Thank you for taking the time to listen to me."

Shippo sighed and told Kagome to wait outside because he wanted a man-to-man talk with Clark and Pete. She smiled and took the hint to wait outside.

Shippo tugged on Clark's shirt to get his attention, "Hey, Clark, are you strong?"

Clark nodded and waited for the kitsune to continue, "I'm worried about Mama. Do you know how the Shikon no Tama was created?"

The Kryptonian shook his head and listened to Shippo who explained about the priestess Midoriko and how she had fallen in love with a demon and in her village their was a human who lusted after her. The man then offered his soul up to demon to become strong enough to fight off the priestess's lover but the demons who devoured his soul hated her because she was too powerful so they quickly took over and fought her. Midoriko had to fight hundreds of minions before the half-demon showed his face and they fought for days and she was tired so much so that with the last of her strength she forced the combined souls of the hanyou and her's trapping it thus making the Shikon no Tama. Later on it was given to a priestess by the name of Kikyou and basically the same thing occurred, but she fell in love with a hanyou and the human who lusted after her made the two believe that they betrayed one another and he killed her. And me and my friend, Miroku, talked and we believe the jewel likes to recreate its bloody origins and with Kagome now its guardian, I'm scared the same will happen to her. I think it would be Houjo, but she doesn't believe that he would hurt her. What she doesn't get is that he may not want to but if he does offer his soul to the demons, the same cycle would repeat and I would lose my mama."

He ran off to meet up with her, passing the table where Houjo was sitting and glared at him.

Houjo merely arched an eyebrow at the child surprised to pick up youki from him.

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Sesshomaru was lost in thought his memory going back to the first person he had fallen in love with, 'Midoriko, I apologize again I should have been strong enough to have protected you even though I was but a pup. But, I promise that I will protect Kagome and save her from joining the fates you and InuYasha's miko suffered. The day you died, I swore to not let emotions interfere with duty.'

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