Chapter 9-- New understanding

someone explained Hollow has no "A" so sorry. I didn't know. So sorry I havent updated. I got grounded again.

I own nothing. I swear.

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Kagome slowly rose out of the darkness. She tried to open her eyes but something heavy was on it. She heard voices, all concerned and familier.

"Is she alright mister Urahara?" She knew that was Orihime's voice. Then she heard another voice, male that she didn't recognize.

"Yes she is fine. She just must wake up. Orihime why dont you go into the other room and check up on Ichigo and the other boy." She heard shuffle of feet and a screen roll open then shut. She tried to lift her hands but they were restrained by something soft and warm. Suddenly the voice spoke up again. "Here let me help you with that." Suddenly the object was lifted from her line of vision and she was staring up into a face. The face was warm and kind but kinda creepy. The person had on a hat over semi long hair that curled at the end. It was a white blond. His eyes were hidden under the green and white hat. He looked at her and put a cup in her face. "Here drink this it will help your strenghth come back young miko."

Kagome had taken the cup and was drinking the contints when he said this. She spit out the liquid and looked at him questioningly. Finally in a shaky voice she asked. "How do you know what I am. I dont know you...Do I." She was bigining to wonder if he was a demon or some kind of creature that had known her in the feudal era. She never remembered everyperson she met.

The man smiled and stood up. Holding out a hand he answered, "I am Urahara. I own the shop you are currently in...Now can you stand?" Kagome looked at his extended hand. Shaking slightly she took i and slowly stood up. She released his hand but clutched his shirt when her knees buckled. Catching her he led her to a table with tea on it. Setting her down gently he sat down on the opposite side of the low japanese table. She looked as he sat down. He poured them both tea and she waited.

After he had taken a couple of sips he finally spoke. "I am sure you are wondering what has happened. So you may begin."

Kagome looked at her hands. ' Where to begin...' "How do you know I am a miko?"

"I could sense your power when you came through the door." Kagome made an 'o' with her mouth. "So are you a monk or something like that?"

He smirked and shook his head no. "No I am not a holy man. Nor am I some other demon. I am an ex-soul reaper." Kagome stared at him stupidly. Urahara sighed. He hated explaining stuff like this to people. "A soul reaper is..."

Many diagrams that look like kindergarten drawings later and about two hours later ... "And thats the story behind it."

Kagome sat there shoked. What she had just heard was hard to handle. ' That cant be true...How is Kikyo alive? What about demons and hell. From what he is saying the soul society is like a refuge almost like a heaven...Oh my head I am too confused..' Kagome clutched her head as a head ache raged inside her brain. Urahara held out some tea.

"Here this will relax you." Kagome took and gulped down the tea gagging. It was strong. There were spices and herbs. She remembered that they were some that Kaede had taught her. ' So if all these are together then this is a relaxing serum...' Mothers in the village used this tea to calm their fitfull children. As if reading her thoughts he said. "As a miko I expect you know what that is. Am I correct?" Kagome nodded. "Alright. I know you are not a child but it still soothes the soul." He waited for her to gag the rest down. Finally she gulped. "I still dont understand. How do I see these 'Hollows' When I have no spiritual powers?"

"Well you and inuyasha.."

"Inuyasha also saw them?" She then remembered him hitting the monster with his Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. ' He must have seen them. He hit that one dead on. But how can we see those hollows...' "Yes Inuyasha can see them. He is a demon so he can sense things. Same for you. Because of your spiritual energy you can sense them. His demonic energy allows him to see them."

"But I dont get it. So if spirits aren't excersised then they stay on earth where no one could see them unless they had spirit energy. But where I come from there is this dead Miko whom everyone can see."

"Well is she in a vesal?" Kagome looked at him confused. "Is she in a fake body?" Kagome nodded.

"She is in dirt. Her body is made of mud and clay. Plus human souls." Urahara thought for a while.

"It is possible to put a soul in a body. Even a fake one but for it to be mud it must be dark magic. " ' Naraku' "Why even Rukia is in a fake body." Kagome's mouth hung open. ' Rukia?' Rukia couldn't be. She was nothing like Kikyo. Urahara saw her cofusion. "Yes Rukia is a soul in another body but she like me is a soul reaper. Ichigo is her replacement. She is in a gigai which can hold form without magic but rather feeds on the person's energy so eventually Rukia will turn human." Kagome was still trying to get over the fact Ichigo was a 'reaper'. She still couldn't believe Urahara could tell she was a miko and Inuyasha was a demon.

Finally in a shaky voice "So is that why no one ran from the hollows?"

"Yes. To the humans there was an explosion." Kagome nodded slowly understanding what was going on.

"But what was with the robe. And Uryu was wearing something also weird."

"The robe is a typical Soul Reaper outfit. The giant sword you talkled about earlier is his zanpakuto. Its a sword that can let out spirit energy to kill hollows or save souls. Uryu... well Uryu is a quincy."

"A what?"

Enter thirty minute detail of how quincies came to be, why they dissapeared, and why Uryu is named the last one.

After about thirty minutes... "So he has the glove to help channel it?" Urahara nodded. Kagome just sat there in silence. There was a knock on the door.

Orihime walked in. "Urahara Ichigo...KAGOME!!!" Orihime launched herself at the poor girl. Kagome yelped and fell down. Urahara smirked and tried to remain composed. Which was hard. "Orihime you came here to tell me something?"

Orihime looked up. "Oh yea." She jumped off of Kagome and straightened her clothes. Smiling she said. "Ichigo and Inuyasha finally woke up. They are in thier room waiting for word on Kagome." She walked out the door. Urahara stood and held out his hand. "Can you walk better?" Kagome grabbed his hand and stood up shakily still shaken up from the attack. She let go of his hand and took a step. Not falling yet she took another step testing her legs. Positive that she was stable she walked to the door and walked out.

She waited for Urahara to step out. When he did she asked him. "Did you ever tell anyone who we are? Me and Inuyasha I mean." Urahara shook his head.

"I figured you would tell them when you are ready." Kagome smiled gratefully. "oh and Kagome. That jewel...Make sure you hide the jewel shards. Dont wear them anymore. Something tells me the hollows were after you. Rukia said they didn't attack till after you got there." Kagome looked down in thought. She wanted someone to know.

"Urahara you can tell Rukia if you want to. If she is what you are she might understand." Urahara nodded.

They walked in silence to the room the boys were in. They walked in to see them arguing. Inuyasha was standing up pointing at Ichigo. "Its your fault Kagome got hurt. Because she followed you she got hurt. If you hadn't left her she would have been safer."

Ichigo was standing and yelling pointing at Inuyasha. "Well if you had gotten there faster you could have stopped her." Apparently Ichigo didn't know that her and Inuyasha could see these 'hollows' She would have to explain to Inuyasha. She knocked on the door to get their attentions. Both yelled Kagome and ran to her.

Putting up her hand to stop them she quickly said "I'm fine just sore." They backed off with guilty looks on their faces.Both mumbled an appology. Kagome looked at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha we need to head home. I am sure my aunt is worried sick. So when you feel energetic enough we can go." Inuyasha looked up and quickly grabbed his shoes from the corner of the room. "We can go now." He didn't like staying there. Urahara and the other people had been giving him wierd looks. No one surprisingly had asked them anything about what happened. Inuyasha wanted to leave before they did ask any awkward things.

Inuyasha and Kagome walked out the door after saying goodbye and thanks to everyone. And after a glare fest between Ichigo and Inuyasha.

Walking down the street Inuyasha asked, "Do you wonder why none of them had asked us any questions about our powers..?" Kagome inwardly grinned. Urahara had earlier explained he had told everyone that Inuyasha and Kagome had very low level powers and didn't know anything so they were nothing to worry about. "Dont worry Inuyasha they probably forgot about the fight." Inuyasha nodded.

"Kagome do you think anyone knows who we are?" Kagome decided to tell the truth. " Urahara knows about us. He promised not to tell them... He also said to hide the jewel."

"WHAT How did he find out?! Did you tell him? Kagome you are so stupid. Why dont we just tell the world who we are. Why not advertise the jewel." He continued on with the rant getting louder and his movements more dramatic. Finally Kagome had had enough.

"Inuyasha." He instantly quieted knowing he was in for hurt because her voice was low and that only happened when she was mad. Plus they were in a dark alley because the sun had sat about an hour ago. So there was no telling what would happen. He shifted from foot to foot and finally asked sheepishly "Yes?"

"Inuyasha...I did not tell Urahara. He found out on his own. So DONT GO AROUND ASSUMING THINGS!!!" Inuyasha had retreated to a far corner and was hiding.

Finally Kagome was calm enough to continue. In a swwet voice, "He said to hide the jewel. He said that the hollows were after me." Inuyasha walked over to her forgetting that she was still mad. "Why?"

She shook her head. "I dont know. He just said to hide the jewel." Inuyasha agreed. Walking out to the end of the alley with Inuyasha still about ten feet away she looked over her shadow and said in a sweet voice. "Oh and Inuyasha?"

"Yea?"

"Sit." She smirked as she heard a loud thump behind her. Walking out she waited for Inuyasha who walked up with a mad expression. He didn't say anything because he deserved it but he was still mad.

---------------WITH ICHIGO AND THE GANG---------

Orihime, Chad, and Uryu all sat in the dinning room. Rukia had left awhile ago with Urahara to talk about some things going on in the Soul Society. Ichigo was still a little sore and tired so he had gone back to sleep. Orihime looked up to see Uryu and Chad staring at their food just like her. No one had spoken and no one had talked much since the incident. So many questions left unanswered and confusion. Urahara had told them not to tell Ichigo what had happened and not to tell anyone what they had seen. But why? Voicing everyones thoughts Orihime said. "Why cant we tell Ichigo about Kagome or Inuyasha."

Uryu looked up. "I dont know. But I realized something. Didn't anyone notice the hollow seemed after Kagome. Two had came at her and the one me and Orihime were fighting tried to turn towards Kagome but we stopped him before he could go. " Orihime nodded.

Chad sat there then finally spoke. "Why would the hollows be going after Kagome." Uryu shrugged. Readjusting his glasses. "I dont know. All I know is we need to keep an eye on those two. Something is off. I dont sense any spirit energy from them. But they seemed to see the hollows just fine."

"Well maybe Kagome will tell us eventually. Urahara had said that she would tell us when she was ready. Knowing Kagome she would tell us if something was wrong. " Orihime smiled as everyone agreed with her.

"Tell us about what. " Everyone turned to see Ichigo walk in with Rukia behind him. Looking at them expectantly. "Well. Tell us about what?"

Everyone sat there trying to think of anything to keep away from the subject of the fight. Finally Orihime spoke. "Nothing. Just if she would want to go to the mall tomarrow." Ichigo looked at her with narrowed eyes.

"And she would tell you if something was wrong why?"

Uryu answered. "She said she couldn't go. We wanted to know what was up." Ichigo just nodded. Sitting down he asked "So what happened at the school."

Rukia answered. Urahara had told her all about Kagome and Inuyasha so she knew not to tell any of them. And since she was the only one there when Kagome and Inuyasha showed up at first she knew the most. Coming up with a quick lie she answered. " Oh she ran up after you passed out and got hit. She asked me why I was staring at the ground holding air when the building exploded. Then the hollow swipped her and she passed out. Then it hit Inuyasha." Everyone but Ichigo knew it was a lie but no one corrected her. Ichigo sighed. Rukia knew he blamed himself. "Ichigo it isn't anyones fault. No one knew she was going to follow you or that the hollow would hit her." He nodded and turned toward the door. "I'm headed home. Rukia you comming?"

"Later. I need to talk to Urahara." Ichigo left without a word. Rukia turned to everyone. "So...What are we going to do now?" Uryu looked at Rukia.

"We were just talking about that. It seems the hollows are after Kagome. We need to keep an eye on her from now on." Rukia agreed nodding her head. Her and Urahara had just talked about that also. Urahara told her about the jewel and he thought it had to do with the jewel since she had no spirit energy just spiritual power. Holy power, and hollows didn't seek out that. And Inuyasha was a demon so they couldn't be searching for him.

Orihime stood up and stretched. "Well we have to go to school tomarrow. Everyones memory is gone so we should still be having school so I am heading home." Uryu stood up.

"I will go with you." They walked out together. Rukia smiled behind them knowingly. "You can tell he cares for her a lot." Chad's voice scared Rukia and she jumped. Clutching her chest she breathed deeply. "Dont scare me like that." Chad appologized. "Sorry."

"What were you saying?"

"You can tell Uryu cares for Orihime alot more than anyone." Rukia nodded as she looked out the door to where everyone had exited. She yawned and streatched .

"Well I'm going. Care to walk me home?" Chad nodded and they left.

--------------------------------------------FEUDAL ERA------------------------------------

"HENTAI" SLAP Sango stood over Miroku who was unconcious and had a red hand print on his face. Sango got up and stormed out of Kaede's hut.

She walked to the hill and sat on the slope. She sat there for a while when she felt a presence. Turning around she saw Kaede. The old woman smiled at her and sat down. Crossing her legs she faced the setting sun. They sat in silence when Kaede spoke. "So child. Tell me what ailes thee." Sango sighed.

"I am afraid Lady Kaede. What if Kagome cant help Shippo or if something has happened to them. Inuyasha would have come back with news by now. What if they died and a house burned down killing them..."

"Sango." Sango instantly calmed after Kaede spoke. "Sango. Miss Kagome will send Inuyasha or come back herself to let us know. I am sure young Kagome is taking care of Shippo and Inuyasha but hasn't time to visit." Sango nodded knowing the older woman was right. "I hope she comes soon. I miss my sister."

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i am sorry for taking so long. I got grounded and school has me buckled down. So please forgive me. Please review.

FIRE BREATHER: JA NE