The next several days passed by in such a manner, mornings spent inspecting the nuances of her powers, as Youko repeated the various tricks he wanted her to attempt. Kagome was surprised to note that she was actually learning, her powers growing and bending to her will just a little more than usual.
Although to be honest, she hadn't had much control when Youko had decided to surprise her by hanging her upside down by a vine. Tactical information, he had said. She couldn't be blamed for the resulting destruction of youki-filled foliage.
Afternoons then was when Kuronue, Youko, and her lazed around, and she got to play twenty, thirty, three-thousand questions with them. Apparently the bat-youkai was fairly well-versed in kitsune-lore and the odd behavioural patterns that Youko didn't think to mention, and Kagome learnt about grooming, how kitsune's preferred soothing touches to anything else, and the fact that pranks were absolutely essential.
Above all else, she learnt there was hope.
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