Authoress' Notes: Hurrah! Here is the first update of Feb 2020! Hopefully I can squeeze a few more in~ Enjoy!
The Price of Power
The Caged Bird Still Sings
Ren shot Yoh another accusatory glare. The teen under optical fire looked away but could not hide his guilty expression. Yoh, who was sitting in a chair next to Kagome's bed, placed a hand on Ren's arm and squeezed it, "Look... I know what you're thinking, and you're right." Yoh's admission and acceptance of his role in Kagome's predicament did nothing to quell Ren's outrage and anger.
Without even looking at his direction, Yoh could feel the intense heat of Ren's glare. "I should have listened to… the other Kagome. I should have let her rest," Yoh continued. Ren released a short breath that was a mixture between a frustrated sigh and an indignant huff. He then released Ren from his grip. "I was desperate, and stupid. But there's nothing that I can do about it now… except apologize."
Then, there was a heavy thud as a strong hand pushed the wooden door open. "KAGOME-CHAN!" HoroHoro suddenly exclaimed as he burst through the door with a huge grin on his face. He was accompanied by Pirika and Ryu, who immediately trailed in behind him. Kagome blinked but smiled upon seeing that she had even more visitors. Ren and Sango sweatdropped when the loud teen marched over with a proud look on his face. "We brought you something nice—eh—?" He looked at the facial expressions of his friends.
Kagome and Manta were smiling sheepishly. Ren was giving him a deadpanned look. Sango sighed and shook her head. Jun smiled, but only because she was grateful for a distraction to cut the tension. Yoh grinned and waved, looking genuinely glad to see him. "Did I interrupt something?" The elder Usui asked lamely with a lost expression on his face.
"When aren't you interrupting something?" Sango asked sarcastically as she resisted rolling her eyes at the goofball. Before she could continue giving HoroHoro any more cutting remarks, a chill ran through her spine, causing her to visibly shiver, which caught Kagome's attention. The Tao scowled and narrowed her eyes, suspicious at the sudden chill. She knew this feeling. It was the feeling of a predator watching you. Her violet eyes scanned the room for danger.
Kagome? No.
Yoh? Ren? Jun? No.
HoroHoro? Pirika? Definitely not.
Finally, her eyes landed on the stranger in the room: a young man who she had never seen before. Kagome blinked, her mouth slightly ajar as she looked between the two of them. Sango glared daggers at Ryu for a moment as he openly gaped at her. "M-My Honey!" Sango grimaced at the sight of the stranger's ridiculous oversized, heart-shaped pompadour, his eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.
In a flash, Ryu zoomed past HoroHoro and Pirika and knelt in front of Sango, his hands holding one of hers tenderly. "Miss, you are a goddess! I MUST KNOW YOUR NAME!" Ryu begged her with passionate tears in his eyes.
Ren groaned. Sango paled. Kagome's expression lit up in recognition of the colorful, sparkly background that appeared around her sister-figure and Ryu. Manta shrunk away, feeling embarrassed to be associated with Ryu at all. Yoh merely smiled, finding the scene amusing. Jun giggled behind her hand.
Pirika and HoroHoro blinked a few times before fires lit up in their eyes. "Hey, Sango-nee-chan belongs with my onii-chan!" Pirika exclaimed as she stomped over to the kneeling Ryu and yanked him away from Sango by the back of his collar. She huffed and crossed her arms as the older teenager was unable to keep his balance and fell flat on his back.
Amidamaru had to smile and pat Tokageroh on the shoulder in silent condolence.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Hao was a mysterious master indeed. When he had first granted Shippo with enough power to be noticed by humans with spiritual abilities, the little fox spirit was elated. He wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his days with Kagome and Sango, basking in the familiarity of their laughter and warm embraces. He wanted to chase the feelings of nostalgia that their presence gave him. Even if they were only fragments of their mutual pasts, Shippo's soul yearned for some semblance of their old lives together.
The little fox wondered why he suddenly remembered another life, another world that felt like a faded dream. He wondered why his heart ached even more after memories of that life came flooding back. Wasn't meeting and making contact with Kagome supposed to cure him of the loneliness and despair that he felt as a lost, weak spirit? It was strange how interacting with the Kagome and Sango of this world made him feel even more distant.
Without those two remembering who they once were, Shippo felt the burden of world-shattering knowledge and secrets on his shoulders. That life where he was orphaned by a tyrannical, murderous pair of brothers but taken in by Kagome's kindness... It was not an easy life, but it turned out to be a happy one.
'Maybe… maybe I'm just a selfish, stupid little kid,' The spirit narrowed his green eyes in thought and quietly obeyed his master's orders. 'Maybe this world was born for a reason...' Shippo mused as he rolled over a fallen log. Its weight was no challenge for even the small spirit, as it was hollowed and decaying from natural succession.
He could not help but compare memories of these two Kagomes to each other. There was no doubt that they were one and the same person: bright souls exuding brilliant, warm energy with enough love to go around for miles. And yet...
There was the image of Kagome, dressed in a green and white sailor uniform, hugging her knees to her chest as she silently whispered to herself, fighting back tears, "Inuyasha..." That was the Kagome that he knew from before.
And then there was this Kagome... Shippo did not know what to make of her yet. All that he knew was that she seemed happy and surrounded by people who cared about her. Between watching her from the shadows and their small interactions, he noticed the stares of longing in her direction. She was beloved, but that was nothing unique to this Kagome.
Shippo's eyes widened in wonder at what he saw beneath the rotting log. It was like him; Alone and out of place amid a lush, green forest made of living trees, standing proud and strong. Despite seeming weak and frail, this log was the one that he needed. Shippo found exactly what he expected on the underside: moist soil, a bustling town of wiggly and crawling creatures, moss, and—just as Hao told him—an unusual and distinct clump of soil caked onto the bumpy, rough log surface.
"This must be it!" Shippo could not help his wide hopeful smile as his tiny hands flicked and brushed away the layer of soil that hid the treasure he sought. After a few hand motions, the tiny demon was beaming with pride and satisfaction as the layer of moist, cold soil gave way to reveal a mushroom with a green umbrella-head and long, pale stalk. This strange mushroom, one that Shippo had never seen or heard of when he was alive, was emitting an odd aura.
'I wonder why Hao-sama sent all of his followers on this scavenger hunt...' The fox thought to himself as he grabbed the mushroom beneath its head and yanked on it. "EH!" His tail bristled. Instead of snatching the mushroom from the log, Shippo actually ended up yanking the head away from the stalk. "N-Not good...!" Shippo grinned nervously. His eyes darted left and right. "I have to think of a plan—! I gotta—!"
The fox's panicked tirade was interrupted by a familiar, soft voice coming from behind him, "Don't worry, Shippo~! Hao-sama will not be angry~!" Shippo nearly jumped out of his own skin as he whipped around to see Opacho standing before him, smiling ever so sweetly and reassuringly.
Shippo's tension instantly deflated at the sight of the other child. He breathed a sigh of relief as his shoulders slumped. "Oh, it's only you, Opachi~!" He said while placing his free hand over his heart.
Opacho then narrowed her eyes a bit and pouted, "It's O-pa-CHO!"
"Yeah, yeah," Shippo replied with a nonchalant shrug and a wide grin. "Opachi is way cuter though~!" He had to suppress a mischievous snicker at Opacho's unsurprisingly cute glower as he pulled the mushroom's stalk away from the log. He held it up triumphantly and announced, "I did it! I found the rarest ingredient that Hao-sama needs!"
Opacho's eyes widened in wonder and awe, but that expression soon turned into a bright smile as the small girl balled up her fists in excitement, "Hao-sama told Opacho that this is the last ingredient that he needs! Let's take it to him right away!" Shippo could not help but smile at the other child's innocent enthusiasm and nodded in agreement. It did not take long for the children to find their master, who was in the midst of slowly stirring his mysterious concoction.
The shaman looked surprisingly solemn, almost focused and determined, as he stooped over the makeshift fireplace in the middle of the forest. The twirling, circling movements of his wrists were wide and deliberately slow as he mixed the simmering brown liquid. "Ah, good timing, you two," He said as his lips stretched into a smile.
"Come," He coaxed Shippo in a calm voice. "Soon, it'll be ready..." His smile widened a bit as he added, "and you'll deliver it to her."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
With the addition of the Usui siblings and Ryu, the meeting in Kagome's hospital room became much livelier and more jovial. Kagome was glad for the break in tension. It was amusing to watch Ryu make a fool out of himself by jumping from Sango to Jun after noticing her beauty as well. His passionate hair was pounding and pulsing like a racing heart at the sight of the other Tao.
But his leap for her was instantly shut down by a foot to the face courtesy of a glowering Ren who growled out a low, "You have a death wish or something?"
The group of teens delighted in sharing the dango that Pirika and Ryu had handmade with Anna as a get-well present for Kagome. HoroHoro mentioning that Anna helped in making the dango was shocking enough, but Kagome could not help but blush and felt warm inside when Pirika told them that it was actually Anna who suggested that they make her something to lift her spirits. "That dobe is the type of person who smiles even when she's not alright," Pirika quoted the blonde with her pointer finger wagging playfully. Yoh couldn't help but smile at the thought of Anna actually worrying about Kagome... it felt reassuring and uplifting, in a strange way.
They chatted about a lot of things, and Kagome finally got around to asking Yoh if he had his first shaman fight yet. Yoh grinned widely, delighted that Kagome was so interested in hearing his story, "Yeah," he began with a small nod, "I had my match a couple of hours before I met up with you guys," he explained. Ren could not help but scowl as he forced himself to continue looking at the smiling face that Kagome fixed on Yoh's, her expression bubbly and excited as she hung on Yoh's every word.
"I think his name was Shoga… Poga...?" He looked up to the ceiling and tapped his chin as he tried to recall the name of his opponent. After a few moments, the Asakura gave up and continued his story, "He was a speedy boy with a huge ego. But I couldn't blame him, he was suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper fast! And his kicks packed a punch!" The story about Yoh's fight against Shoga/Poga/maybe even Doga went on for a few minutes as Kagome nodded here and there, with Manta adding in a few side comments to cosign the story. "I thought I was a goner because I couldn't land on a hit on him, but it turns out that he exhausted all of his Furyoku by showing off his speed like that. So I won~!"
Ren crossed his arms and huffed when Kagome clapped her hands together and congratulated Yoh on his win. 'Hmph, he just got lucky that his opponent was an idiot.'
But the sight of Kagome and Yoh sharing a laugh made a thought hit him like a ton of bricks. "Asakura—" he began in a rather serious tone that ceased all the laughter and light banter in the room and made everyone's attention turn to him.
"Yoh~!" Yoh grinned, earning a few quiet giggles from Kagome and a sweatdrop from Manta at the pun.
"Are you aware that you have a doppelganger that's out for Kagome?" Ren asked, his tone only slightly accusatory. It was not that he thought that Yoh was guilty of anything, rather, he wanted to hold the Asakura responsible for the tears that Kagome shed that day. The reason why Kagome chased after that stranger was because they shared the same face. Kagome's eyes widened, and the way her lips tightened not go unnoticed by Ren's watchful, golden orbs.
"Uwah!" Yoh's eyes widened and almost fell out of his chair hearing this. "A-A doppelganger...? What do you mean?" he asked while blinking a few times.
"Come to think of it..." Pirika added, her face twisting into a thoughtful expression as she tapped her cheek with her pointer finger. "Kagome-nee-chan did show up to the fight with a guy that looked awfully like Yoh-san..." she slowly recalled. "I was actually wondering who it was, but I never got around to bringing it up... hm."
Yoh laughed lightly while scratching his cheek, he looked away from Ren and turned his attention to Kagome, who was looking a bit uncomfortable with the topic of conversation, "Is that true, Kagome? The part about him being after you."
Kagome's discomfort became even more apparent as she squirmed, her cheeks turning a light pink color. "Well… it's kind of..." she began twiddling her thumbs meekly, a habit that she only did when she wanted to dodge the topic entirely. "...true..."
Ren's eyes narrowed at her reluctance to speak on the topic. "Kind of...?" he hissed incredulously. "He tried to force himself on you, and made you cry."
The bombshell that Ren dropped resulted in the dropping jaws of the room's other female occupants, including Amidamaru and Bason, who found the statement as scandalous as the girls.
Kagome's blush deepened as Yoh's face shifted from piqued curiosity to utter shock. "Ka..." He almost couldn't get her name out of his mouth. "Kagome… is that true...?" He whispered. He could not wrap his mind around his—his best friend, being assaulted by a stranger that looked identical to him.
Without even thinking about it, his tanned hand sought out her smaller one and found it on her lap, placing it on top of hers. His expression softened into a more sympathetic one when he saw a flash of shame in her eyes. "Please, I want you to tell me..." Yoh offered her a smile when she finally met his eyes with her own. "Even if it's my evil twin, if there's a bad guy out there to hurt you, I need to know so I can protect you."
Kagome instantly felt a familiar warm tingle in her chest after he said that; it was a special feeling that only Yoh made her feel. It was unexplainable, but... initially, she had felt embarrassment and shame that she was almost unable to protect herself against the mysterious shaman. The shaman looking identical to Yoh made it twice as bad, for some reason.
"Well..." she began slowly, unsure of where to start, what to say, and how to word it. She did not want to worry her friends, but…
The priestess saw the looks of concern and shock on her friends' faces, and she knew that it was already too late for that. She might as well open up about everything. "It's true. A Yoh look-alike tried to make me kiss him before..." she admitted, but her words were skittish and slow, her tone filled with nervous energy.
"Wow..." Manta whispered aloud. "To think that someone who looks so much like Yoh could be such a scoundrel..." the blond looked at his best friend, whose face was contorted with a silent horror at Kagome's confession. "Maybe Ren is right and that person really is a doppelganger."
Sango's eyebrows furrowed as she thought back to the fight with Naraku a few days ago. "And the fact that he was able to restrain such a powerful demonic spirit attests to his strength," She observed while making eye contact with Ren, who nodded in agreement with her conclusion. "So this means that there's still a dangerous individual out for Kagome-chan."
HoroHoro scowled at the prospect, "And she's even more vulnerable now that her legs are paralyzed like this..." he added in, his voice uncharacteristically low and solemn for such a goofball.
Jun got up from her seat and crouched next to Kagome's bedside. She placed a hand on top of the free hand that was not occupied by Yoh's. The last thing she wanted was to stress Kagome out, but there was something that she needed answered before she lost this golden opportunity. "Kagome-chan, if I may ask," She began gingerly. Jun paused for a moment, hesitant, when she saw Kagome's blue eyes. Nevertheless, the Tao gave Kagome's hand a small squeeze before she asked, "Why is it that we're only hearing about this person now? I'm getting the impression that you've known about him for a while."
Kagome's eyes shot back to her lap at the inquiry. Everyone took note of this. A few moments of silence passed and some doubts about if she would even answer arose. The priestess did not know how to meet anyone's eye right now.
She wanted to tell them the truth, but the truth was confusing. It bewildered even herself. She did not know how any of her friends would react to what she was going to tell them—especially Ren, who was the only one who saw how devastated she was after her first encounter with Hao.
"His name is Hao..." The young priestess told them, so that they would know how to address him. "I don't know much about him. He's… mysterious." She fought the reflexive urge to curl her hands into fists as she spoke the truth that she was sure would shock her friends, and possibly make them question her judgment. "I'm sorry..." She lowered her head a bit. Not even the normal loud Usui siblings were able to interrupt her at this point. All eyes were locked on Kagome, all ears were in tune with her voice.
"I know that I should have said something sooner. At first, I wanted to just forget about him. I wanted to pretend that it didn't happen. But then… he came to me, again and again." Yoh and Ren visibly bristled hearing that part, both beyond uncomfortable that this Hao-person had made contact with Kagome under their very own noses. "And don't get me wrong," she disclaimed, "It's not that I trust him or anything, not after our first meeting. But I wasn't ready to tell you anyone about him coming to me again because..."
No one anticipated her next words.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed upon hearing them.
["When the time comes and you realize that no one else is able to protect you... you will call on me, my Queen."]
["Your comrades will be useless in this battle. I'm the cavalry."]
"...I can't explain it. I know that it's illogical. But, I just..." Kagome's lower lip began to tremble. 'Don't cry. You've made it this far,' she cheered herself on weakly. 'If you cry here and now, they'll only worry about you even more. Inner me, whatever you are, please give me strength.'
"...for some reason, lately, I can't shake the feeling that he's not my enemy."
"What?" Ren hissed out as he shot up from his chair. The back of his knees pushed the metal seat away and punished everyone in the room with an ear-piercing scraping sound against the tile floor. He quickly closed the short distance between them as he stood next to his sister. "How can you possibly say that after—?!"
"I know!" Kagome barked back with a glare. "I know that it doesn't make sense! I already said that!" She protested. It was already difficult enough confessing that her feelings made no sense. The last thing she needed was for someone to repeat it back to her. "I don't trust him, but at the same time, I didn't know what to make of him! I just..." Her hot energy cooled a bit as she looked away. "I just thought... that I should figure it out on my own before worrying you guys about it. I wanted to handle it by myself..." She whispered. "I'm sorry, okay?"
Despite the fact that Kagome had looked away a few moments ago, Ren still caught onto the genuinely guilty and torn look in her eyes. She was telling the truth. He did not know if it was comforting that she was truly coming clean about her silence, or if it was unnerving that she actually felt so confused about someone who should have obviously been labeled as a threat.
He could not help but huff as he tried to let go of his feelings of outrage. "You truly are an idiot," Ren told her, mustering a smirk for her sake. It was a relief when Kagome's look of melancholy instantly changed to annoyance.
Yoh then grinned as he removed his hand from hers and placed it on her head to rub it soothingly, "Sorry, Kagome, but Ren might be right on this one," he teased, enjoying how her eyes widened when he did not take her side. The pretty priestess' cheeks filled with air as she gave him the cutest pout that made his heart flutter.
"Yooooooohh!" She whined, lightly bopping him on the head with her fists repeatedly. "You're not supposed to take Ren's side! He's the meanie, and you're the sweetie!"
Ren stiffened. 'M-Meanie...' His body petrified into stone before it crumbled away.
'S-sweetie,' Yoh blushed a bright pink and rubbed the back of his head, as if it would calm the rapid beating in his chest. Kagome had always been an affectionate person when it came to her friendships, even with him. She openly encouraged him during training. She stayed by his side. She even did her best to catch up to him.
But… Yoh honestly could not recall any time that she had called him something so...
'C-Cute...' He thought while looking at her pouty and betrayed face.
Jun giggled as she watched the obvious love triangle play out. She could not even be upset for her brother's sake. How could she be? She had seen the way that Kagome and Ren got along before. The elder of the Tao siblings was not worried about the inevitable rivalry for Kagome's affection. 'It's only a matter of time...' she thought to herself as she watched Yoh panic and try to keep Ren from pinching Kagome's cheeks as punishment. She then turned her amused eyes over to Sango, who was also smiling as she watched over Kagome.
Jun was sure that Sango had been just as worried about Kagome as she was, if not more. 'Poor Sango...' Jun's eyes discreetly glanced at HoroHoro. His arms were crossed, and he seemed to be in deep thought, struggling with some sort of internal battle. Occasionally, his eyes would open to peer at Sango. It was obvious what was on his mind.
Jun then looked at Ryu, who was cupping his cheeks and openly fantasizing about the beautiful Tao girls. She sweatdropped at that. 'This one...is interesting...'
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The exact expression on Hao's face was unreadable. There was his usual cool, gathered exterior, but his eyes mirrored something more humane: anticipation? His lips were straight, and his eyes focused on the young man sitting cross-legged on the cheaply carpeted floor.
The young man held up the small, clay vial up at eye-level and gingerly sloshed around its contents to check its consistency. His dark eyes narrowed, and a low, thoughtful hum resounded from his throat.
"Hmmm... you've done fine work with this, Hao-sama," he marveled after quietly inspecting the concoction for a few minutes. "All that is left is to keep the vial warm for four days to achieve the best results," He handed the vial back to Hao, who smiled widely as he plugged the vial's mouth with a plain cork before tucking it away. "Are you sure that it's your first creating that tonic?" He asked curiously. "I understand that you're quite the gifted shaman, but never before has anyone created it in such perfect proportions," He remarked, looking incredibly impressed.
"Hmph, I'm going to be the next Shaman King," Hao told him simply. "You have my thanks for your appraisal," the shaman stated before he rose and turned around to take his leave from the seedy hotel room that his consultant resided in. He did not need to see Opacho or Shippo to know that they immediately ceased their playing to follow behind him like loyal puppies. "Oh..." Hao abruptly paused in the doorway. He turned to smile at the young man, who seemed to sweat when his guest suddenly decided not to leave. "Remain on standby. I may be in need of your assistance once again, Miroku."
With those final words, Hao and his two tiny followers exited the scene.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
A few more days had gone by since Kagome's hospitalization. The numerous doctors and specialists who came to visit, questions, probe, prod, and examine her arrived at the same results: her legs' paralysis were inexplicable. The medical professions were befuddled by the mysterious circumstances surrounding her case. Her body, nor brain, exhibited no signs of trauma or defects. And yet, the girl's legs were unresponsive.
A rather skeptical physician entered her room one day with a combative aura and a conceited smirk. He all but accused her of fabricating her paralysis. That was one of the more intense days of Kagome's stay, as it was one of the days that her family came to visit her. She took everyone by surprise when she defiantly racked a pair of medical scissors across her knee, parting the skin and drawing blood without flinching.
Her blue eyes met the doctor's without a word, as if asking 'Are you satisfied?' from her gaze alone. Needless to say, that doctor's world had been shattered and he scrambled out the room in horror and humiliation. While wiping the smug look off of the man's face felt gratifying, Kagome also regretted her rash reaction because she had to undergo psychiatric evaluations and all potentially hazardous tools were no longer left in the room.
Finally, it was the last day of Kagome's hospital stay before her discharge the following morning. There were a few lessons that she learned and things that she had discovered during her week's stay.
Number one: hospital food was not all that bad. She received three satisfactory, balanced hot meals every day. There were even options that she was allowed to choose from! Number two: being in the hospital meant that everyone who knew you would fuss over you more than usual.
It was heart-warming, but it also grew tiresome when she was not allowed to do anything for herself, even simple tasks that only required the use of her arms. The priestess did fluster and protest when Yoh fed her meals every day, but she would never admit to him how it sent her to Cloud Nine every time.
She was too enamored to notice how Ren glowered at them, every single time. Sango didn't even have the time to sympathize with her cousin, as her hands were full with Ryu confessing his affection to her on every given moment and giving HoroHoro noogies for telling him to back off from hitting on his girl.
It was a strange, long week of stay that dragged on for an eternity. Yes, she was visited every day by her friends and family. But being visited did not have the same feeling of freedom as meandering on your own accord.
Nevertheless, Kagome truly was delighted that Ren remembered to bring her taiyaki on Friday. She thanked him with a winsome smile that made him blush and mumble a gruff, "I only bought it because I happened to be in that area." or something to that tsundere effect. The priestess, who immediately became drunk on the scrumptious blend of the flaky outer-shell and the smooth, sweet filling, completely missed the longing glances that Ren shot her way as she enjoyed her treat. He did not have the shameful boldness to hand-feed her the way Yoh did, but it did not mean that he did not fantasize about it.
It was truly a long week. Cabin-fever and antsiness began to set in on the fourth day. The only fresh air and sunlight that she received were on the walks that her friends would take her on. She would be loaded up into a courtesy wheelchair and rolled out to the courtyard.
At the very least, Kagome was grateful that the hospital had a grassy, hilly area on the posterior side of the premises. Yoh faithfully pushed her up that incline every day so that she, him, and Manta could spend time together there. It was reminiscent of their times stargazing on top of that hill in Crow Cemetery. The priestess inhaled the warm air and appreciated the scent of the grass and sparse trees. It was refreshing and much more soothing than the sterile hospital atmosphere.
Yoh was lying on his back with his arms locked behind his head to her left. Manta sat flat on his bottom with his arms supporting his weight on either side of him to her right. The previous conversation about what type of food they would have for Kagome's second welcome-home party had died down into content smiles a few minutes ago. Kagome could not help but smile as she closed her eyes. This type of peace was a rarity, she was sure.
Being able to sit in a comfortable silence with others was not something that she had since her days with Bankotsu in her previous school. 'Ban-kun...' Her vision was abruptly distorted to images of her times with him from the past: experiences that they shared together that she did not cherish until now.
There was Bankotsu swiftly tossing crumpled papers with crude but endearing doodles mocking their instructors or jokes that almost made her burst into laughter during lessons. There was Kagome happily adjusting his necktie, becoming flustered, and denying being his wife—only for Bankotsu to insist that their teasing classmates were correct in their accusations.
"Well, you could be if you wanted~!" He had remarked with a wide grin. Kagome could only blush, glare, and ask why he would encourage their jeers.
There was being caught in an autumn downpour with him after school. Neither of them had brought umbrellas so he removed his uniform blazer and placed it over her head. "Here," he whispered with a rare blush that Kagome had attributed to a cold back then. "Hopefully I can protect you, with this."
For a moment, Kagome could only think about the little but meaningful things that Bankotsu had done for her...
Cheering for her at her track meet...
Consoling her when her team lost because she tripped and sprained her ankle...
Bragging to the class about her high scores on exams...
Pushing his desserts towards her during lunch...
Telling her that she was the coolest girl in school...
Finally, there was Kagome's last memory of him before she had fled the school that turned its back on her. Back then, she felt so empty, so dejected and lonely. She thought that it was her obligation to protect her remaining friends by staying away from them. But now... Kagome could envision and understand the expression on Bankotsu's face: it was not disgust, or even pity.
'Ban-kun...' Kagome's lips tightened into a pencil-thin line as her unclouded mind replayed that scene with a new perspective, one that was not obscured by her own darkness.
His face… it had been uncharacteristically sullen. His eyes had reflected so much pain... and a glimpse of hope. Hope that his feelings would reach her. He said something to her at the school gates before she departed from those grounds for the last time.
'What was it?' Whatever it was, she did not seem to hear it. Kagome could only replay that last image of him over and over again and slowly read his lips. 'I'm… on… your...' She replayed that scene again. 'side...'
Her eyes widened. She heard it. She finally heard it: his voice, his last words to her. 'I'm on your side, and I always will be...' he then broke out into a confident grin. 'Tomorrow, I'll make you smile again, that's a promise!' He had said, without knowing that she would never return. Her own misery and cowardice robbed him of the opportunity to fulfill that vow.
'I wasn't truly alone...' a feeling of guilt began to seep in. 'Ban-kun was there, at my side. But I ignored him, and I didn't truly listen. How did I not hear him before?' Kagome closed her eyes and leaned her head back, her face tilting up towards the sky. 'Ban-kun, wherever you are... I'm sorry. I truly was a fool.'
"Kagome-chan, are you alright?" Manta's concerned voice cut through her haze. Kagome's eyes reflexively opened as she was brought back to reality, to the present. She squinted at the sun beaming down at her. Slowly, the priestess extended her hand towards the daylight star, shielding her eyes. The guilt that consumed her moments earlier was replaced with appreciation; her trembling lips curved to a steady, peaceful smile.
"Yeah..." She whispered back, her smile widening as she likened Bankotsu to the sun. They were both brilliant sources of warmth and comfort that she had taken for granted before. He had always been there, watching over her, cheering her on, and brightening her day. Even now, the vision of Bankotsu in her mind was smiling down at her from above. "I'm okay now... thank you," Kagome replied, to both Manta and Bankotsu.
The blond smiled widely at the genuine happiness in her voice. He met her gaze with his own warm one and a rather hopeful, "I'll keep praying that you recover before your next match."
Yoh's brown eyes slowly opened at the sound of his best friends' voices starting up again. Manta continue speaking, unaware that Yoh had woken up from his quick nap, "I can't help but feel apprehensive at the thought of you fighting in a wheelchair... we won't be able to help you..." his gaze became downcast for a moment before his eyes met Kagome's curious ones again. He smiled and added, "Maybe I shouldn't worry though. Yoh-kun told me that it turns out, you're a lot stronger than expected, and that he doesn't know if anyone could take you on."
Yoh stiffened hearing this.
Kagome blushed at the statement. "Yoh said that...?" She whispered in wonder.
"Yeah," Manta nodded enthusiastically, feeling the same excitement that Yoh felt when he was describing the events of the Naraku fight to him. "It almost felt like he was boasti—"
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Yoh interjected, red and flustered as he jumped to his feet quicker than anyone had ever seen from the slacker. "M-Manta!" He pointed at his friend, earning an innocent blink from the blond. "A-Ah..." Yoh paused, his mind coming to a blank on an excuse for his reaction. "Well..." his brown eyes met Kagome's blue ones. She gave him a coy smile that made his heart miss a beat. "S-she already knows how cool she is!" He sputtered out lamely with clenched fists and a forced grin that did not match his body language or red cheeks.
"Oh..." was Manta's simple response. He shot Yoh a knowing look, "He's embarrassed," he muttered to himself in an amused tone. Manta then got to his feet and patted stray dirt from the back of his legs. "Well, I guess we should—"
"Race!" Kagome suddenly challenged as she pointed at Manta with a determined grin and playful grin. When her small friend stiffened and gave her a cry of 'Ehhhhh?! Why?!', her grin only widened as she announced, "I'll prove that I can do anything that I set my mind to!" Manta sweatdropped when Kagome haughtily placed her hands on her hips from her spot within her chair, "I'll do whatever I can to win!" Yoh blinked, having recovered from the Manta-induced embarrassment.
"Oh yeah? And what would that be?" Manta asked while raising an eyebrow with a deadpan expression. Despite the look that he gave her, he was actually glad to see Kagome's fire rekindled. He preferred this quirky side over the forlorn look in her eyes from a minute ago.
"First, I'll make use of all the resources available to me!" Kagome informed him with her pointer raised informatively. Her blue eyes narrowed as she pointed at Manta once again and continued, "I have plenty of henchmen. You are Number One!" She told Manta, grinning when he almost fell over hearing this. She then pointed at Yoh and added, "And this one is Number Two!"
"Wait!" Yoh immediately protested, indignant and shocked. "Why am I Number Two?!"
"Silence, Number Two!" Kagome commanded. "You're going to be my legs in this race!"
"Yes, ma'am!" Yoh saluted as he obediently got into position behind her. "Let's do this!"
"You've recovered that quickly?!" Manta shouted Yoh with a shaking fist.
Kagome then sent Manta a Cheshire-cat smile behind a dainty hand, "Oh my, Manta-kun~! Are you afraid of a little competition? It's not for money or anything~! We're just testing whose resolve is the strongest~!" Manta sweatdropped, wondering if Kagome was losing her mind from being cooped up in the hospital for days.
Nonetheless, within a few moments, all three were in position. "It's simple. We're going to race down the hill, and the first person to touch the light pole at the bottom wins!" Kagome explained with an excited grin. Yoh hummed and nodded in agreement.
'Racing down a steep hill in a wheelchair...' Manta thought while looking up at Kagome's face. She looked so excited to do it. 'Oh well,' The blond smiled and sighed. 'Yoh-kun will take care of it.' He shrugged at his common sense.
"Oh," Manta muttered when he realized that he had missed Kagome's signal to start descending. He sweatdropped when Yoh gave a battle cry that Kagome mimicked while throwing her arms in the air.
The grin on the shaman's face was suddenly wiped away when they got less than halfway down the hill.
'T-This speed!' He sweated as he realized his error. His legs were forced to accelerate, faster and faster, as the chair continued to pick up speed. "Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" Yoh cried in panic as he tried digging his feet into the grassy hill to slow their acceleration. Meanwhile Kagome was still having a blast, laughing and cheering, unaware that Yoh had lost control seconds ago. "K-Kagome, not good!" Yoh called over the sounding of her cries of, "Go go, Number Two!"
The chair then rolled over an immovable rock that did not give way to their advancement. Instead, the rock rudely arrested the wheel that ran over it.
Within a blink of an eye, the chair fell over and began tumbling down the hill as Kagome was sent soaring through the air. Manta threw his hands to his pale face in horror, his jaw-dropping. For a split second, Yoh gaped with a slacked jaw as well, but he was quick to recover and act.
"Kagome!" He called out to the girl. His panic made him deaf to the sound of her giggles and thrilled squeals. Yoh dashed towards her, as quickly as his long legs could carry him.
Meanwhile, Kagome marveled at how she felt like she was flying. The jovial adrenaline that she felt did not fade as she began to descend, fore when she looked down, Yoh was waiting for her with his arms stretched out wide; his face both alarmed and focused.
Kagome could only feel even more excitement. It felt like she was flying home, to the place where she belonged. The warmth of her sentiment nearly knocked the wind out of Yoh as she crashed into him and sent his back skidding across the grass, with her on top of him. The girl immediately sat up and looked over her shoulder to see Manta still standing at the top of the hill, his face frozen in terror. She looked down at Yoh, and gave him a proud, triumphant grin, "Good job, Number Two!" She praised him.
"Y-Yeah..." Yoh twitched as he grinned back before his head and arms collapsed against the ground in defeat and sudden fatigue. "Kagome..." He mumbled. "Let's never do that again." Just as the young shaman was feeling relief that he managed to catch her in time, the color drained back away from his face at her response:
"What do you mean?! That was obviously a practice run because Manta-kun didn't participate!"
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G
The Taos had visited Kagome every day since they learned the news. Ren did not even have to advocate for the daily wellness checks. Jun and Sango were just as concerned and invested in her recovery.
For Jun, Kagome was the girl who saved her younger brother's heart. For Sango, Kagome was the missing link that she needed to connect with her cousins. For Ren, Kagome was someone who changed his perspective and life, for the better. Even if it was unofficial for the time being, Kagome was a precious member of the Tao family.
Jun looked at the withdrawn look on Ren's face as he stared intently out of the window, his mind undoubtedly occupied over his recent realization. She just hoped that he was taking their time driving over to think of a tactful way to express his feelings to her.
They were in the middle of supper when they were surprised at the sound of Ren's and Sango's oracle bells calling for their attention. The two shamans had gotten so used to them being attached to their arms that they had forgotten all about them during their day to day activities. The cousins moved in perfect unison as they lifted their arms to peer down at the screens.
Jun noticed how Sango flinched and the way Ren went deathly silent. A few more moments went by without either of them saying a word before Jun could not take the silence anymore. "You two are worrying me, what's the matter?" She asked as she looked from Ren to Sango across the table.
It seemed that Jun's voice snapped the two from their thoughts as both of them raised their heads. Sango sent Ren a playful glare and arrogant smile, "Don't think that I'll go easy on, just because you're my younger cousin and the family heir." Jun paled at those words.
"Hmph," Ren returned Sango's smirk with one of his own as he crossed his arms. "Same goes to you, but I'll try not to go overboard, for Kagome's sa—" His golden eyes widened in realization. The next set of Shaman Fights in Tokyo was scheduled for a week and a half from today...
And so, they swiftly ate their meal before heading towards the hospital. There was something that Ren had to say to her. Both Jun and Sango knew it without him having to say a word.
The trio exited the limousine wordlessly. Jun's and Sango's eyes were on the back of Ren's head as he stood still for a moment, awaiting his orders.
"...give me five minutes alone with her."
With those words, Ren approached the hospital alone.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Come in~!" Kagome sang in response to the quick and light knock on her door. She smiled when the door opened and revealed Ren, who did not look particularly happy, but hey—it was Ren. She was used to his default expression being more on the grumpy side. "Hm?" She blinked when the door closed with a click behind him. "No Jun-nee-san or Sango-chan today?" She asked with a thoroughly surprised expression.
"They'll be here soon," Ren mumbled grumpily, a bit disappointed at how her happy expression fell when she realized that his sister and cousin weren't with him. He ignored those childish feelings and pulled a chair up to her bedside.
"Oh, okay~!" The smile returned to her face, much to Ren's displeasure. Kagome's smile widened when she noticed Ren's expression turn from grumpy to grumpier. "What's gotten you in such a bad mood?" She asked straightforwardly. Her smile widened as she lightly teased, "I thought you'd be happy to finally get some alone time with me~!"
The Tao instantly blushed from the (accurate) assumption. He glared daggers at her as he found himself protesting, "B-Baka! Why would I want something like that?! Being alone with you would increase my chances of catching your stupid!"
Kagome gave an indignant huff before she shouted back, "Excuse me?! Even if I was stupid—which I'm not—you'd have already caught it! We slept together!"
Ren's face was on fire. He instantly facepalmed and silently hoped that it would hide any traces of his unavoidable blush. "You must be stupid to word it like that," He replied in a cooler tone as he huffed and turned his face away.
"Oh, please," Came Kagome's saucy reply. "Like that'll ever happen." She twitched and sweatdropped, her hands coming up in surrender when Ren suddenly aimed a dark glare at her. "Eh—you don't have to be so angry about it," She mumbled. "Anyway," She laughed lightly, changing the topic to something more interesting. "I'm so excited about the next set of Shaman Fights! My opponent's name is—!"
"It doesn't matter."
"Eh—?" Kagome twitched, annoyed that she was interrupted. "What do you mean 'it doesn't matter'?!" This time around, she really was angry with him. "You better not be here just to tell me not to fight my next match!"
"Heh," Ren shrugged a bit. "Guess you're not as stupid as I thought."
'Damn it,' He inwardly cursed. That line was not supposed to come out as a taunt. He had planned a more diplomatic approach to getting Kagome to drop out of her next fight, but things were already going downhill fast. Of course, it was plain to see how angry and outraged she was that he suggested such a thing, but Ren could not allow himself to be swayed by that.
Even if it meant that she would be angry at him for a few days, he had to stand his ground.
Kagome closed her eyes and took a deep breath, in an attempt to calm herself. Her logical side understood where Ren was coming from. 'Calm down... you can have a mature conversation with him, even if he is being such a kid about it,' She mentally encouraged herself.
Finally, after a few moments, she opened her eyes and looked at Ren. "Eh?" Her determined look faltered at the ardent, expectant glare that he was giving her. He had not said a word and had allowed her to calm down. Despite how annoyed she felt that she was going to have this conversation, Kagome could not help but appreciate that small act of consideration.
"Look, Ren... I can't just drop out of my next match," Kagome finally told him, and Ren was not surprised one bit. "What if this match is the one that I need to advance to the second part of the tournament? Let's say that I drop out of my next match… but then, what if my third opponent is someone who I can't beat? I don't know what destiny has in store for me, so I have to take all of my chances, even now." The priestess went silent and gave a slight nod to Ren to tell him that she was finished speaking.
'Diplomatic...' Ren told himself when he realized that it was his turn to speak. If he could appeal to her sense of logic, then maybe, he could get through to her. Maybe he could make her realize that his goal was to protect her, not to upset her. 'Diplomatic,' He repeated as he replied, "Look, I get it. You want to at least try, but—" he glanced at the wheelchair parked on the other side of her bed. "How do you honestly think this will turn out for you? You won't be able to use that power of yours. And no one is going to feel bad for you because you're in a..." Ren's reasoning faltered when he saw Kagome's expression fall. "In a..." He tried to continue, but his conviction fell to guilt at her crestfallen face.
His jaw clenched when she gingerly placed a hand on her arm and gave it a small squeeze, as if to unconsciously support herself. Just the sight of Kagome's spirit deflating from his words were enough to tear him into pieces inside. He looked at her small hand that lightly squeezed her arm. Was she imagining that Yoh was there, reassuring her? Encouraging her?
Now Ren was torn being two options: telling Kagome the logical option, which was better for her in the long run, or comforting her with the words she obviously wanted to hear.
He scowled as he placed a hand on his forehead, 'I feel a headache coming on.' He had to be the voice of reason though. Sometimes love meant bringing someone delusional back down to Earth… right?
"Ren..." Kagome finally looked at him again after they spent a few moments in silence. She took his silence as a sign that it was alright for her to continue speaking. "I'm not looking for a pity party. I just… need my wish to come true, okay?" To Ren's silent relief, her voice was not sullen as he thought it would be, it was more on the calm side as she tried to reason with him.
He felt like he would break if he knew that he had hurt her with his words.
"I've told you already that my wish is worth putting my life on the line for." She said with uncharacteristic solemnity on her usually smiling face.
She did not realize that her last statement would push Ren over the edge. Before she could even blink, he was bent over the side of her bed with his hands gripping at her slender arms. Kagome's eyes widened at the unusual strength behind his hold, as he had never touched her so roughly… not since they first met, at least.
But looking into his smoldering gaze told her that she had no reason to be afraid. Those golden orbs eyed her with both vexation and desperation. His eyes told her that the firm hold on her arms were not threatening, but passionate. "R-Ren...?" Was all that she could get out as she felt her cheeks become warm.
"Tell me what it is," Ren murmured in a low but assertive tone. To Kagome, this quietness felt like the calm before the storm.
Kagome paused for a moment, unsure of what he wanted from her. "What… what is...?"
"Your damn wish!" Suddenly the Tao's volume was higher, and his tone matched his vice-like grip on her arms. He did not stop; he could not stop, even after hearing the soft, startled gasp that escaped Kagome's lips. "Tell me what's so important that you're willing to die for it! Tell me what you want that I can't possibly give you!" He vented while lightly shaking her to emphasize the frustration and helplessness that he felt.
Kagome huffed and had to ignore how warm her stomach suddenly felt, "It's not about someone giving me what I want, Ren! This is something that I have to earn for myself or else it's meaningless!" She then placed her hand on top of one of Ren's. "And besides, this disability doesn't scare me away from fighting! That's not the scariest part of it by far!"
"If having to fight for your life isn't the scariest part, then what is?" Ren asked skeptically.
The intense gaze he fixed on her never faltered, until Kagome's eyes began to mist over.
"Being a burden for the rest of my life."
This bombshell eradicated every trace of frustration-induced adrenaline in Ren's body. He was so startled out of his sour mood that he even released his grip on her and stood up straight. Ren could only quietly stare down at the priestess as she forced a smile to her face.
This smile was obviously forlorn, and Ren knew that she tried to keep it up for his sake. She averted her eyes as she met his earlier demand and spoke to him from her heart, "When I've been here alone in this room, I've thought about it a lot. I wondered what my life would be like if I didn't recover from… this..."
She looked down at the blanket-covered legs that felt as intangible as a hallucination. "Don't get me wrong," she reassured him, "I don't think that any of you would abandon me because of this... it's just... I thought about the future, when I'm all grown up..." Her small hands trembled into fists as the apprehension that she had been hiding in her heart began to claw its way to the surface. "And I wonder if… I'd be able to get my happy ending. If… anyone would want to marry me if they had to take care of me all the time," She admitted as her wistful smile widened into an embarrassed one. "You know, I can't even go to the bathroom by myself like this. If I couldn't even do the simplest things… who would want to spend the rest of their life with me?" She asked aloud, but more to herself than to Ren.
Ren stared down at the girl on the bed in front of him. He never considered that she had spent a lot of her alone time wondering if she would be stuck with this condition for the rest of her life, and the consequences that would follow it. "I know, it's pretty silly, right?" She asked with a nervous chuckle. "It's not that having a disability stops anyone from finding lo—" Her anxious rambling was interrupted by Ren's voice, clear and strong.
"I'd take you."
Kagome's eyes widened as her heart skipped at his sudden declaration. "You'd..." She looked up at him. For a moment, she thought that she would look up and find that she was imagining this entire conversation. But, no. There he was, still standing at her bedside and giving her a look was so serious yet so sincere. "You'd... what?" She asked lamely, as if her brain was unable to register what he had just said.
The shock and confusion written all over Kagome's face brought Ren back to his normal self. "I-I mean...!" He rushed to save face as his cheeks turned completely red. "I mean that I'll take you if no one else does!" He explained while meeting her surprised face with a flustered glare. "You know, out of pity! And as a last resort for both of us!"
Before the Tao could continue babble and spew out more cover-ups, his vision was obscured by white as Kagome shoved a pillow into his face. "W-What the?!" Ren's shout was muffled by the layer of fluff.
"I-It's your punishment, for saying something so weird!" Kagome told him in a pitch higher than normal. That was a lie. She just suddenly felt so strange—her face was hot, and her stomach felt tingly. She did not want Ren to see like that. She just needed a moment to breathe and relax.
On the other side of the pillow, Ren was annoyed but accepted the punishment, as it gave him a moment to compose himself. "But also..." Her voice started up, this time more relaxed but still a bit shaky, "It's still reassuring to know that I have a back-up husband~!" She stated with a wide grin as she slowly lowered the pillow and placed it on her lap. Ren rolled his eyes in response to her whisper of, "Thanks for that." He knew she did not realize how serious he actually was.
"Ohhhhh, Reeeeeennnnnnnny~!" Jun sang as she and Sango suddenly entered the room with their arms full of snacks and beverages from the vending machine. "I hope you're finished having the talk with Kagome-chan~!"
For once, Ren was grateful for his family's interruption of his alone time with Kagome. He did not know if he would be able to handle it if she continued talking about his slip-up. "Yeah, I guess," He mumbled as he retook his spot in the metal chair next to Kagome's bed. The Tao heir stole a quick glance at Kagome's face and breathed a shallow sigh of relief. The smile on her face was back to its normal state.
"So, how was your day, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked as she handed the girl a can of brewed tea. Checking up on Kagome's physical and mental wellness always came first in Sango's book so this was the first question that she always asked. And she asked with sincerity every time.
Both Tao girls were glad when they saw Kagome beam brightly at them as she clapped her hands together. "Oh~! Today was a really great day~!" She started as she recounted the highlights of her day, "Yoh and Manta came over and we raced down the hill a few times! It was really fun~!" She told them, causing Jun and Sango to exchange questioning looks. All three Taos wondered how or why she would race down the hill, in a wheelchair at that. "And then, of course, Ren here came right before you! And he proposed to me~!"
Ren's eyes shot open at the statement. His face went beet red as Sango and Jun, who were sitting on either side of him, both shot him looks of utter shock. Jun's shock was then replaced with giddiness as she leaned even closer to Kagome and took her hands within her own. "S-So!" Jun pressed feverishly, her eyes focused on Kagome's face. "W-What do you say?!"
Kagome blinked, then replied nonchalantly, "Well, it's fine with me—" Sango had to catch Jun as she nearly fainted with her hand over her heart. "—since it's only a back-up plan."
"..." Jun's face, which had once been overwhelmed with excitement, turned deadpanned.
"..." Sango did not look surprised, but she too turned a deadpanned look at Ren.
"W-What are you looking at?!" the heir snapped with red cheeks. His forced glare faltered at the sight of their disappointed expressions. "...just shut up, okay? I don't want to hear one goddamned word about it."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
It was almost the witching hour when he had arrived in her hospital window. For a few moments, he did nothing but observe her sleeping face from the other side. Her undrawn curtains allowed the moonlight to spill inside the room and illuminate her face. This Kagome was just as pretty as the one he had known from before. Her sleeping face was just as peaceful and angelic as it was before. "Kagome..." he whispered as he pressed his tiny hand against the glass.
The small fox spirit shook his head to bring himself back into the here and the now, back into this world. "I've gotta deliver this to her! We all worked so hard to make it!" He told himself. But just before he could act on his mission, Shippo's eyes widened at the sight of a bead of sweat rolling down Kagome's forehead. The lone bead was immediately joined by a parade of salty trails dripping from her face. "W-What's happening?!" He asked no one as panic began to sink in.
Shippo's green eyes wavered with tears as he watched Kagome as she slept. Hao had warned him that seeing her in her nightly state might be too much for him, but nothing had prepared him for this.
The young girl's peaceful expression distorted into one of excruciating pain as she gritted her teeth and shook her head from side to side in her sleep. All of his hairs stood on end as a once steady beating sound began to quicken. Kagome was panting heavily now as her head continued to jerk from side to side, as if she was trying to deny or escape something in her dreams. A few moments later, a small group of humans came scrambling into the room, one of them crying out "It's happening again!" The humans immediately went to work on their respective jobs, but Shippo could not figure them out. All he knew was that Kagome appeared to be in agony.
The humans' intrusion shocked the girl out of her sleep, which only seemed to exacerbate the problem and her pain. She looked utterly terrified and in a state of cloudy confusion as she was surrounded and asked a barrage of questions.
Shippo bit his lip at the scene. It was unnerving. 'So... this is part of the healing process that Hao-sama mentioned?' Shippo thought to himself. 'She experiences these spells every night until her body is healed?' His hands balled into fists at the thought of it. Did her friends even know about her miserable sleep?
After what felt like an eternity, the group of humans finally left Kagome's room. The last of them, a middle-aged woman offered Kagome a small nod before she closed the door behind her.
Finally, Shippo could act. He phased through the glass, "Hey, Kagome!" He greeted her with a friendly grin. The priestess met his friendly smile with one of her own. She had sensed him the moment that she had woken up.
"Shi… Shippo-chan," She whispered with a half-smile as she tried to act normal through the pain. "Long time, no see~! Where've you been~?" She asked curiously. Kagome and the others had all noticed that the fox spirit had a habit of disappearing and reappearing at odd times, but they chalked it up to a free spirit being free.
"Oh… you know," Shippo replied skittishly as he cupped his hands behind his back and temporarily averted his gaze as he tried to think of an alibi. "...around..." he concluded. It was the best that he could come up with.
Luckily for the fox, Kagome found his vague response to be on the cute and coy side, so she let it slide in favor of asking, "So, to what do I owe this late-night visit~?"
"I-I..." Shippo began hesitantly. No matter the circumstances, he felt guilty lying to Kagome. Regardless, he was no position to tell what he wanted to yet. "I heard about your condition from the other spirits so..." The red-haired child extended his hands and materialized a pale vial between them. "I made this for you~! It's a miracle elixir that'll speed up your recovery!" He told her. The one truth within all his string of lies made his tail wag in excitement.
Kagome's eyes widened at the little fox's words. She reached out for the vial and gingerly grabbed hold of it within her dominant hand. "Are you serious?!" She asked, her voice was both thrilled and shocked. Shippo nodded enthusiastically as he gave her a huge smile, his tail wagging even more.
"I am! It took a few days to make but I promise that it'll work wonders!" He guaranteed her.
Kagome removed the cork and grimaced when a putrid stench assaulted her nose. "Bleh!" She almost gagged on the spot. The priestess shot the fox an incredulous look, as if she could not believe that a miracle elixir could smell so much like a bottle of liquefied death. "S-Shippo-chan, what's in this?!" She asked, plugging the mouth of the vial with her thumb.
Shippo blinked in confusion, as if he was unable to smell the concoction for himself. "Lots of things~!" He replied as he tried to recall everything the Hao ordered his followers to gather for him. "A rare parasitic mushroom..." Kagome flinched. "Some type of beautiful, blue butterfly wings..." Kagome suddenly looked horrified. "The tail of a Kodomo dragon..."
Kagome held up a hand and stopped the child there, "Okay, okay. I get it. Say no more..." She looked down at the vial again and asked with a reluctant voice, "And you're sure that this… 'elixir' will speed up my recovery?"
The priestess sighed aloud when Shippo nodded a few times in excitement. From his twinkling eyes to his wagging tail, the fox child was too cute to disappoint with not drinking it. "Alright then, bottom's up..." She whispered to herself as she forced herself to remove her thumb from the opening. Before the stench could offend her senses again, she threw her head back and hastily downed the liquid.
Kagome had to fight her gag reflex as she swallowed the tonic, which turned out to be surprisingly and unpleasantly slimy on its way down. She could not help but shiver with displeasure at the overpowering aftertaste that it left in her mouth. "S-Shippo-chan… that… was..." She trembled at the unwelcome flavor.
But the sight of Shippo's still wagging tail and smiling face were enough for her to sigh and keep herself from commenting on how that was the single worst experience of her entire life.
"So, how do you feel?!" He asked excitedly as he began to bounce up and down.
Before the priestess could answer with a 'nothing different yet', she was suddenly filled with a comforting, warm sensation. Her eyes widened at the sensation. It was unlike anything that she had ever felt before. A gentle, warm feeling swept its way through her entire body, even the legs that had felt like they had disappeared entirely. Everywhere that the warmth reached, her pain miraculously disappeared, and she felt instant relief.
Within a matter of seconds, the feeling faded away and she released a deep breath. "Shippo-chan..." Kagome turned a look of disbelief to the child. "Y-You made that?!"
"W-Why...?" Shippo asked as he unconsciously took a step back. "Was it that bad?"
"Well," Kagome began with a bright smile that made him sigh in relief. "The taste was terrible, but..." she stated honestly as her eyes lit up with her explanation, "It made me feel amazing! I feel a lot better than I have in days!" She told Shippo as she looked at him as if he were an angel. "There was this strange energy that surged through me!" She placed a hand to her chest. "I know that will sound weird, but... it was so warm, and soothing, and… familiar. It felt so good that I felt like I was going to melt..." Her expression softened. "Kind of like how it feels when someone embraces you after you had a bad day... that energy was—"
"My Furyoku," Hao suddenly filled in as he stepped into the room from the shadows in a far corner. Immediately, Sesshomaru appeared between the shaman and his partner. The demonic spirit did not appear amused in the slightest at his sudden appearance.
Shippo stiffened at the sound of his master's voice, "H-Hao-sama!" He squeaked as he cranked his neck to look over at slowly approaching shaman. It was not in the plan for Hao himself to show up and confess the true nature and creator of the elixir. 'Oh, crap!' The fox spirit panicked inwardly when Hao sent him an unreadable smile and Kagome stared at him in silent shock.
"Asakura Hao," Sesshomaru spoke his name as if it were synonymous with an infectious disease. "Remove yourself from my presence," he commanded in a voice so calm that it would have intimidated any other person, shaman or not.
"Or else what?" Hao asked the demonic spirit with a knowing smirk as he merely sidestepped him. "In your current state, you're as powerless as a puppy." The shaman stated nonchalantly. He relished at the sight of Sesshomaru's molten eyes narrowing subtly.
"Hao," Kagome finally spoke up and glared at him as he stood next to her bed. "Why do you keep—?" Her irate question was cut short by a gasp when Hao suddenly tilted her chin up so that he could get a good look at her face. "Don't TOUCH ME!" She protested while smacking his hand away defiantly. It only irritated her even more when he only chuckled at her response. 'W-What's with this guy?!' She thought as her glower only intensified.
Hao smirked and nodded suddenly as he took a few steps back. "You know," he mused as he smiled at her from the small distance between then, "I find it amusing that you look at me like I'm an insect, and yet," his eyes landed on the vial in her hand. "You seemed to love the feeling of me inside of you." The brunette could not contain his burst of laughter when Kagome's eyes widened, her entire face turning pink at his words.
"Get… OUT!" Kagome shouted in pure contempt as she chucked the empty vial at Hao, who simply disappeared into a small burst of flames. The girl winced when the vial hit the wall and shattered into a hundred tiny fragments on the floor. She turned to glare at Shippo, only to find that he too vanished from sight. The priestess sighed deeply, feeling stressed and anxious from the encounter. She looked over at Sesshomaru, who shook his head silently in response to her inquisitive gaze.
Authoress' Notes: Up next - Ren versus Sango! This chapter was slightly longer than these past ones so I hoped that you all enjoyed it! ALSO, I managed to ship tease every Kagome-centric pairing in one chapter! It feels like an accomplishment~ I'll be posting a couple of requests since I'm somewhat slacking on them! So look forward to those as well!