Disclaimer: Yeah, don't own. Stop looking at me like I do! But anyway, I promised to get this chapter out sooner than I planned, so here you go. Happy reading!
Fearless
Chapter IV
"My lady, would you wake up now?"
Kagome groaned as she rolled over and stared at the female maid that had been assigned to her. Yukio, a female neko youkai who was without a doubt one of the nicest people she'd ever met, even though technically she'd only met her last night. She had pretty brown hair with dark red highlights that definately looked natural, and crystal blue eyes. She wore a light red kimono, and had no markings. She was holding a tray with a big breakfast for Kagome.
"Mm, that smells yummy. Is it all for me?" Kagome asked groggily, her nose naturally following the smell of hot food.
"Yes. And I've laid out your bathing products, as well as a training outfit for your morning training with the Prince. You have one hour to get ready, and then he'll be here for you." Yukio told her, setting the tray on the bed.
"Thanks. I guess I'd better eat this now, and fast, if I want time to soak in the hot springs." Kagome smiled at her maid, and breezed through the breakfast in record time. But what could she say; she really liked having a lot of time in the baths.
Toga stood outside the miko's room, breathing in deeply. It smelled like her, that pineapple scent mixed with something else. But it also smelled like her breakfast, and some kind of soap, with a flowery scent. It was really good smelling, and he took another deep breath before knocking on the door. It was answered instantly by the maid, Yukio.
"Ah, Prince Toga, she's just now finished getting dressed. Are you leaving now for the dojo?" Yukio asked, bowing.
Toga nodded. "Yes. I want to get started right away; Kiyoshi's on patrol, so I want to test out her abilities before he gets back. Ah, there you are. Ready to train?" He smiled at Kagome, who looked very pretty in a tight, black training uniform. (a/n: I don't feel like describing it, so know that it looks like Sango's outfit, when they're battling youkai.)
"Yeah, I'm ready. Do I need to bring my bow and arrow?" She asked, pointing to her pack.
"No, you won't be training with it. You'll be training with a sword. Have you ever used one before?" He asked, leading her down the long hall and out of the palace.
Whew, it's a good thing I decided to take all those classes in swordsmanship. Otherwise, I would be a total newbie at this. "Yes, I took a few classes on how to use a sword, and a spear. I'm actually better with a spear. Although, I've never fought a youkai before with one, no."
"That doesn't matter. We'll have you trained soon enough. Here, pick out a weapon; you should find one easy enough that isn't too heavy for you, or to long. Of course, it doesn't have to be a sword; they're just easy enough to train with. There are katanas, naginatas, axes, special fangs, even gauntlets. Well, what are you waiting for? Pick a weapon, girl!"
Kagome started and glared at him, but didn't say anything. He'd get the message from the spark of ire in her scent, she was sure. So, instead, she walked around the large weapons room, glancing at all the weapons on display. There were quite a lot, actually, and all looked extremely deadly. She went through the naginatas, because they were most like spears, and found a long one with a sharp, curved tip on both sides that didn't feel too heavy, but figured she'd better look at the other weapons first. All the swords were too heavy, and the daggers were much too small for combat against a youkai. They'd never work. The others were much too impractical for her to use, so she went back to the naginata, and picked it off the wall, holding it somewhat expertly.
"I'll take this one, if I may." She told Toga, who nodded.
"Very well; follow me." He picked a sword from out of the corner of the room, a long sword she recognized, surprisingly. It was Tetsusaiga; a young and unbattered Tetsusaiga, but the fang none-the-less. She was surprised; she didn't think he'd have the fang this early on in his life. Toga turned back to look at her as he opened the dojo doors, then closed them behind her. "What has caused you surprise?" He questioned, confused.
She shifted. "Just your sword; it looked very powerful. You won't destroy my weapon, will you?"
He smelled the slight scent of a lie, but chose to ignore it. "No; Tetsusaiga can control itself when it needs to. Now come; show me all that you know." And the fang transformed in his hands as he pulled it out of its sheath, only it was much bigger, more powerful than any time Inuyasha had held it, and even when Sesshoumaru had held it. Again she was surprised.
"Um, okay. Don't kill me!" She told him, earning a laugh, which made her kind of angry. Feeding that anger, she spread her legs out, one in front and behind her, and drew the naginata almost parallel with the ground. She stood her ground, and waited for Toga to attack.
He did after a moment, moving so swiftly she almost couldn't see his movement. In a second he was in front of her, slashing downward with the fang. She parried, bringing her weapon up to block; the force of the collision of the two weapons made her cringe and slide back a few inches. Toga smirked, and pushed her back more, and more, growling low in his throat, until she was feet away from where she'd been before.
But that only angered her. Who was he to push her around?! Her miko powers flaring just a little, she pushed with all her strength up, and freed her naginata, which she used to take a quick swipe at his side. He, of course, dodged instantly, but not without suffering a slice on his haori. He frowned.
"Hm, you're better than I expected. But can you withstand Tetsusaiga's true power?" He asked, smirking to show both fangs as he held up the sword; she could see wind beginning to swirl around the blade.
Oh, crap, the Wind Scar! This isn't good! She looked around, but remembered she didn't have her bow and arrows with her. She felt wood against her palm, and looked down at her naginata, and curved her lips. I hope this works! She thought fiercely, calling her miko powers to the surface.
Toga's eyes were closed as he called on his power, so she knew he couldn't hear her, and the sounds of training outside was probably affecting his hearing, meaning he had only his sense of smell to know where she was. Praying silently, she took off the top of her uniform and dropped it where she was, knowning that her scent was all over it. Then she called on her powers to hide her scent, and made her way as silently as she could over to where the winds were powerfully pulling at Toga and the fang. Closing her eyes, she filled the naginata with her miko powers, making it glow a bright blue and pink, and forced it through the wind until the blade was pressed up against Tetsusaiga.
The power pulsing from the blade was incredible, and made her arm hurt just from being in contact with it. But she wouldn't give up; if her arrows infused with her miko power could negate the power of Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga, then a naginata filled with all her power should negate Toga's fang.
Toga opened his eyes, unbelieving what he was feeling. A mere second ago, he'd been feeling the fang's awesome power swirling around him, and then the next instant it was gone, and he was holding just a rusty sword in his hand, pressed against the glowing blade of a naginata. Blinking, he looked down at Kagome, and noticed her eyes were tightly closed, her grip white on her weapon, and sweating. She seemed not to notice what had happened.
"Girl."
Kagome's eyes snapped open at his voice, confusion mixed with power in her gaze. She blinked owlishly up at him, then at his sword, and there was a look of relief on her face. "Oh, good; it worked. I was a little worried it wouldn't."
Toga frowned. "What do you mean? What worked?" He questioned, trying to keep the growl out of his voice.
She paused, just the littlest bit afraid. "Um, I can't tell you that?" Again, her command turned into a question instead. But when he glared, she gave in. "Fine, I'll tell you, but only at our second lesson today. It would be better that way, because then our conversations wouldn't be so available to wondering ears."
"Fine. Kiyoshi, you may enter now."
Kagome wasn't expecting the silent warrior to enter the room as if he'd always been in there, but she supposed she wasn't really that surprised. She'd sensed another's presence outiside the dojo. "Where would you like to hold your lesson, Toga?" She questioned, setting the naginata on the side of the dojo.
"Hm, I'll have the master make one that suits you perfectly." He spoke almost to himself. "Oh, the lesson. Lets go to lunch first; we can hold your lesson in my study, which has a special barrier around it to block anything that might be seen or heard from inside."
She nodded; that would work.
"The red cushion is for you." Toga informed Kagome over an hour later as he sat himself on his own navy blue cushion. Kiyoshi took a cushion that was almost the color of the sea. Kagome practically felt the huge, comfortable cushion devour her form as she lowered herself onto it. In fact, the two youkai in the room with her were quite entertained watching her try to sit in a position that didn't leave her sinking downward or falling over. But she did manage to find one, and hugged as she blew her bangs out of her eyes.
"Where would you like me to begin?" She asked, coughing to cover her embarrassment.
"Why not start with this jewel you informed us about earlier?" Kiyoshi suggested, his voice as quiet as ever.
She nodded. "It's called the Shikon no Tama. It was made by the powerful miko, Midoriko. It's said that a person can make any wish on the jewel come true, no matter the wish. It's extremely powerful, which is why there is always a miko made to become it's guardian. That was me, this time. Only, I accidentally shattered the jewel, and many youkai found the shards and used them to gain enormous power."
Kiyoshi could sense that there was something the girl wasn't telling them. "This jewel isn't all completely good, is it, miko?"
She looked startled, but nodded again. "No, it isn't. If held in the hands of a youkai, or someone evil, the jewel is tainted. And if an impure, selfish wish is made on the jewel, then the world will be turned to the evil. Only a pure, selfless wish can make it disappear forever." Although, I've been thinking about that a lot lately, and it doesn't make sense; wouldn't making a wish in itself be selfish? But, of course, there are never answers to questions like that.
"I see. Now tell us about these mikos. How is it that we've never heard of such creatures?" Toga demanded, his eyes showing his interest in this lesson.
I can't tell him that it's because it's too far back in the past, that mikos don't come around until the Shinto era. That would be revealing too much, wouldn't it?
Kiyoshi spoke again, more than she'd heard him speak in all the time she'd been here. "You are thinking of decieving us once more, miko. I warn you that if you decide to follow through, I will kill you where you stand."
Kagome frowned; how does he always do that? Well, I guess my being here is enough to change the past anyway, and telling them I'm from the future can't possible change it anymore. And besides, I don't really want to die. And she decided. "Well, you might want to prepare yourselves. This is going to be a hard story to believe."
Kiyoshi and Toga looked at each other; finally. For once they'd get some real, straight answers from the girl. They both motioned for her to continue speaking.
"Okay, here goes nothing. I hope this doesn't change the past. Well, I'm from the future. Centuries into the future, actually. I was born in the year 1990; when I came through the well, it was the year 2008. (a/n: Yes, I'm using this year, because I'm too lazy to do the math for other years.) Originally, I only went 500 into the past, but it seems the well brought me farther this time."
"And this well you speak of? It is the well we found you in?"
"Yes, the Bone Eater's Well. We've theorized that I'm able to pass through it because at first I carried the Shikon no Tama in my body, and then because I carry the jewel or shards around." She could see the looks on their faces; they weren't exactly comforting. She sighed. "This is why I didn't tell you; it's possible this could change the past, but I figured that my being here is enough to change it anyhow."
There was a long pause, an awkward silence. Toga was the first to speak again. "That doesn't explain how you were able to stop Tetsusaiga's transformation." Kiyoshi leaned foreword; that was bothering him too.
Hm, what to say without revealing his death or his two sons... "Well, in the past, the fang was stuck in stone, and I was with two people who tried to bring it out, both of whom were repelled. But, for some reason, I was able to pull it out, and not get burned. And then when I was fighting with my friend against that other person, who was holding the fang, when I shot my bow and accidentally hit the sword, - I was aiming for his shoulder! - it cancelled out the Tetsusaiga's power. I was hoping it would do the same here, and it did. Although, your sword's power is so much stronger than it was in that past."
Toga frowned. There were many vague things in that explanation, but he didn't force her to elaborate. He knew, as well, what revealing too much of the future could do. "Hm. I'll conclude this day's lesson, then; we have much to think about. Oh, but first; if you've met Tetsusaiga in the future, have you also met its brothers?" His gaze was piercing, demanding the truth.
She nodded guiltily. "Yes, both of them. Tenseiga, and So'unga." The fang of healing and the fang leading to Hell. But she didn't say that aloud; she figured he already knew that.
"Yes, I had the Tenseiga commissioned by Totosai nearly a century ago, but I haven't figured out yet its power." Or perhaps not. "Would you know its power?" He didn't say that he'd only thought about making So'ugna; she would probably feel ashamed at revealing such knowledge after that.
Kagome sighed. "Tomorrow I will tell you, if that is what you want. Ah, is there a library here? So I can study up on what's...going on, in this era?" She remembered Sesshoumaru having a library in the House of the Moon, but that didn't mean that there was one here.
Toga nodded and stood. "Yes. Yukio will show you to it later, if you wish. And mother wanted to see you after our lesson; I believe she said she'd be in the garden. Kiyoshi, would you show her the way? I have to talk to Father."
Kiyoshi nodded, and Kagome was led to the garden, where Ayaka was waiting for her. The Lady of the house smiled at her, and patted the side of the bench next to her, dismissing Kiyoshi with a wave. As soon as he was gone, Ayaka handed Cho to Kagome, where which the former of the two immediately cuddled. She was terribly cute. Then the lady spoke.
"Now, tell me what you think of my son. He brought you here, and I heard he was carrying you. Are you...perhaps, involved?" It was a loaded question.
Kagome blushed furiously. "No! No, we aren't! I had only just met him; we can't be involved after such short of a time." Of course, that doesn't mean I'm attracted to him, but I have to remember what happened with Inuyasha. She reminded herself a little forcefully.
Ayaka hummed, sensing the discomfort and underlying pain from the little miko. She leaned closer, placing a clawed hand on the girl's shoulder. "Kagome, who was it that caused you this pain?"
Ooh, cliffie somewhat. How evil, I know, but this chapter's going past the length I want for each of my chapters, so you'll just get over it. Hm, I wonder, will Kagome tell her about Inuyasha? Is this part of the plot the two mates were planning at dinner last night? And is there going to be some evil showing up soon, or not? I'm thinking yeah! But whatever. Just so you know, I had most of this typed tuesday, but I got kicked off before I could finish it, and I couldn't finish it last night because my mom was working late, and this was saved on her laptop, which I don't have access to, and not my jumpdrive. So yeah, sorry about that. Oh, and don't forget: Please review for me!!
Ayame