Authoress Notes: Annnnnnnd, here's chapter 27. We're almost to the 30 chapter mark, my friends~
One Step Forward, and Three Steps Back
Round Two Begins!
Yoh's eyes shot open as he suddenly awakened. Instead of being greeted by the sight of his familiar bedroom ceiling, he instead found himself staring up at a wide, open sky. Its vastness was an ocean of gold with rivers of hot pink seeping through. The shaman couldn't help but frown.
He immediately knew what was going on: another lucid dream.
Sitting up, he looked left and right. Of course. He woke up at the exact same spot where he had woken up many times before: at the bottom of the grand staircase that led up to the Higurashi shrine. He knew what he had to do, and where he had to go.
There was a mysterious force that urged him to ascend those stairs once again. The force was familiar, yet still an enigma. It was both gentle and eager. It was sweet, invisible hands caressing his cheeks, coaxing him to follow it. But it was also a strong, impatient gust of wind that pushed him from behind.
Yoh did not need the feeling to urge him forward though. He got to his feet and instinctively dusted off his pants.
He wanted to figure out the meaning of these dreams. He could not describe himself as being "haunted" by the dreams, no. Those words had a stigma that he did not want to be associated with these visions. Despite their mysterious and recurring nature, Yoh viewed them as a blessing, an opportunity; They were chances to discover the source of his bond with Kagome.
Ever since his first vision, Yoh had felt something shift inside of him. Prior to the memory, his bond with Kagome was like a hidden spring. He could kick off his sandals and wade in the gentle, shallow depths that made up their everyday interactions. But if he kept walking, he'd soon find himself slipping into depths that he was not prepared for: almost drowning in a love that he was not supposed to feel for anyone except for Anna. But that was before…
Now that the visions and dreams had begun on a regular basis, there was more to that hidden spring. If Yoh closed his eyes, held his breath, and dove in… swam out deeper and further… there was a passage, submerged and obscured by murky waters. He'd made it his goal to find out what awaited him at the end of the corridor. His daily interactions with Kagome gave him no hints behind what he felt. His only clues came in the form of dreams, which was the reason why Yoh welcomed them.
The young shaman's resolve was absolute, and it showed on his face as he passed through the first red torii gate at the base of the stairs. Just as in his other dreams, Yoh felt himself transform as he crossed the threshold of the torii. His line of sight grew significantly higher, and he felt the weight of his hair lightly tapping his lower back. With that transformation, he lost control of himself once again. It was like he had become another person, forced to take the passenger seat inside of his own body.
Yoh's resolve and feelings of intrigue converted into a stronger resolve and anticipation. The Asakura Yoh who he grew into was looking forward to this encounter. Ascending those stairs did not faze him. The further he climbed, the wider his smile became. Finally, he stood in front of the crude, wooden sign that read Shrine Closed along with a paragraph of legal jargon that did not interest him. He was never one to care for the laws of man. He walked past the sign onto the shrine grounds.
For some reason, this Yoh was not surprised at how the Higurashi property did not look maintained or cared for. The once well-swept cement paths were overgrown with vegetation and returning to nature. Opportunistic vines constricted around the rotting, lonely home of the Higurashi family and threatened to swallow it whole. He had come here so often that he memorized where to sidestep crumbling pavement and potholes. It was like a scene from a fantasy film: a once lively inhabitance left to the will of the Earth.
Again, the shaman walked past the lonely house and passed the waiting shrine. He knew where he would find her. She did not disappoint his expectations; The sound of her beautiful voice shattered by long, primal cries stopped Yoh in his tracks. His chest constricted, his breath hitching. Kagome's agony echoed from the wellhouse. It was unavoidable. The solitary guardian of the decaying shrine was a person who Yoh knew did not deserve this tragic fate. And yet, she accepted it, despite the anguish that it brought her each day.
These sounds of despair were what brought him back to this spot. Even the Yoh trapped inside of this dream could understand that. Abandoning Kagome in her suffering was not an option.
He took a few steps forward until he stood at the double doors that separated them. "Kagome, I'm coming in." Without waiting for the priestess' consent, he drew the doors apart and winced when one of them splintered and fell off. The brunette gave Kagome a bashful, apologetic grin while rubbing the back of his neck as she glared at him fiercely with those miserable, stormy eyes. "Hiya, I'm back, as promised~!" He waved.
Kagome was quick to wipe away her tears, frowning in shame and anger with herself for being caught in such a position once again. After composing herself, she stood up from her kneeling position in front of the dried well. "I didn't ask you to come here," She challenged Yoh, glaring him down with a look of repugnance.
Undaunted, Yoh nodded and smiled, "I know but you're lonely. So someone has to keep you company." As expected, the priestess' glare intensified, and her hands formed into fists. Her hostile body language would have been a bit intimidating if not for the pink blush and flustered pout decorating her face. "See that? A cute lady like you shouldn't spend so much time in a place like this."
Kagome's fists unclenched and found themselves on her hips as she stomped over to him. "A place like this?!" She shouted, indignant and offended. "What's that supposed to mean, huh?!" She demanded while roughly poking Yoh in the chest.
He raised his hands, closing his eyes and grinning, "There, there. I just think that it doesn't suit you…" He said soothingly to appease her anger. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring down into her conflicted, blue orbs. He raised a hand to her face, frowning when she flinched instinctively. However, he kept going, as Kagome did not back away. Yoh thumbed at the tears in her eyes. "Tears don't suit you," he declared.
The priestess only teared up in response.
"Kagome, come with me."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
This time, Yoh's eyes opened slowly. He was staring up at his bedroom ceiling, letting him know that he was truly awake this time. The shaman let out a loud, drawn-out yawn as he stretched. "How was your nap, Yoh-dono?" Amidamaru asked amicably with a gentle smile.
"Pretty refreshing actually," Yoh responded, returning his partner's smile with one of his own. "How long was I out for?" He asked curiously as he swung his legs over the edge of his bed and placed his feet on the solid floor. There was something strange about feeling the weightlessness of a dream one moment, then the gravity of reality in the next.
"Just a bit past seven," The samurai spirit informed him. "You fell asleep right after dinner."
Yoh flinched as the tranquility of the Asakura house was suddenly blown away by a collective roar of feminine squeals and laughter. The shaman's eyes were as wide as saucers as he quirked one of his eyebrows, "W-What the hell was that…?"
"Oh," Amidamaru chuckled heartily. "Kagome-sama is hosting a…" he paused for a moment as he tried to recall her exact words, "Girls only sleepover in her room tonight. It seems that they're celebrating Kagome-sama's miraculous recovery."
"Ah, I see…"
Amidamaru noted how Yoh did not take the news in stride, like he did most things. "Yoh-dono…" he whispered. He knew what was truly bothering his partner. It was not the sleepover itself, but the unpleasant memory that accompanied Kagome's recovery.
It was what she had told them the previous morning that left his partner unsettled.
The priestess had taken everyone by surprise. As soon as Yoh had opened the door to her hospital room, Kagome had nearly soared into his arms while crying out in excitement, "Look, Yoh! My legs! I'm okay now!" Everyone's jaws dropped. Not only was Kagome on her feet again, but she was not moving like anyone who had been paralyzed, even for a short period of time.
Yoh resisted the instinct to return her embrace. Instead, he gently placed his hands on her shoulders and peeled her back a bit so that he could look at her face. Her blue eyes were wide with confusion and surprise that her best friend did not return her hug for once.
Neither could see how Ren glowered at Yoh. If Kagome had chosen to aim her hug for him instead, he would have surely returned the affection before getting down to business.
"Kagome…" Yoh began, his inquiry slow and tentative. His brown eyes were flickering with both relief and disbelief. "When—I mean, how…?" He was sure that the latter half of his question was the one that all of them were keener on finding the answer to.
Kagome's bright smile falling into reluctant, tight-lipped frown told him all that he needed to know. Yoh had known the secret behind the miracle before Kagome admitted that she had been visited by Hao once again. Naturally, Ren openly displayed and vocalized his ire with the development. But Yoh was sure that the Tao felt the same way that he did…
Uneasy, but clandestinely grateful.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"Alright! Let's get this party started!" Pirika cheered, eagerly pumping her fists into the air. This would be her first time having such an exclusive get-together with only the other girls. The thought of being able to talk freely about things that she could not talk to her brother about was thrilling and got her blood pumping. Inside Kagome's room were the teenage girls one would expect; Kagome herself, Pirika, Sango, and Jun.
Sitting on the bed were Jun and Sango, on the priestess' insistence. Meanwhile, Kagome and Pirika were parked in two pink and purple fluffy beanbags that Jun bought for the occasion. Kagome couldn't blame Pirika for being so excited about the sleepover. Kagome hadn't been at a sleepover like this one since her last one with Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi. This one was different and special though, since Kagome did not have to avoid the topic of the supernatural. She was also finally invested in the topic of love and relationships.
Pirika's hyperactive fit of twirling on the ball of her foot was halted by Kagome holding up a hand and telling her with a grin, "Hold on, Pirika-chan~ There's one last thing that I need to do before we start!"
"Ehhhhhhh?!" Pirika's face fell as she whined aloud. Kagome continued smiling as she grabbed a plastic bag full of snacks that the Tao girls had brought over. "But we already told the boys not to interrupt or spy on us!"
"Don't worry!" Kagome reassured her as she opened her door. "It'll only take a minute." The smiling priestess beamed at Yoh as he exited his room that was parallel to hers. He nodded and smiled back as she went by. She skipped down the hallway until she reached the stairs that took her to the first floor. A handful of steps brought Kagome to the living room, where she found Anna lounging in front of the television, staring blankly at the bright screen with a rice cracker hanging from her mouth.
"Ohhh, Anna-chaaaaaaaaaaaaan," Kagome sang out to the blonde from the border that separated the living space from the staircase. Anna merely looked at the priestess from over her shoulder, not even making a move to sit up.
"Yes? What is it?" The blonde girl asked bluntly, as she was someone who preferred getting straight to the point. Additionally, Kagome was interrupting one of Anna's favorite Tom Cruise movies.
Kagome smiled and held up the bag of goodies as she offered, "Would you like to join the sleepover in my room? All the other girls are there~! We've got games, magazines, and yummy snacks~!"
The two stared at each other in silence for a moment.
Anna's face was as neutral and unreadable as usual, while Kagome's warm and welcoming.
Finally, Anna closed her eyes as she sighed softly, "I'll pass."
Kagome pouted, but she was not surprised that Anna declined her offer. It would have been wonderful if Anna had taken her by surprise by accepting the offer to join in their merriment. Knowing the follow-up answer, she pressed lightly, "Are you sure?" Blue eyes locked with dark brown ones. "You don't have to be shy. The other girls are all very open and friendly! I'm sure you'd have fun if you gave it a chance~!"
Anna wordlessly turned her head to face the television again. "It's fine. I'd rather watch my movies," She told the priestess. The itako hoped that those words would be enough for the other girl to give up and leave her be.
Several more moments of silence passed between them.
"HoroHoro-kun and Pirika-chan told me that you're the one who suggested the dango when I was in the hospital," Kagome stated out of the blue. Within the blink of an eye, Anna spun around. Kagome smiled at the blonde's quiet, blushing and glaring face. It looked like she was holding back an internal scream. 'She reminds me of Ren with that face,' the priestess mused. "I won't force you to join us if you're not ready," Kagome continued as she reached into the bag and placed a pack of sugar cookies and a can of cold-brew tea on the table. "But next time for sure, okay~?"
Anna huffed when Kagome smiled at her with a wink.
The blonde girl's embarrassed face shifted back to a neutral one as she replied with a simple, "No promises." Kagome nodded in agreement. She was just grateful that it wasn't a flat rejection again.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
"So Sango," Jun began as she gently ran a comb through Pirika's blue tresses. "Are you looking forward to your fight with Renny?" The dàoshì asked curiously. The smile on her face softened because she could practically feel the bliss radiating from the younger girl. It was obvious that Pirika had never been doted on by an older girl before, and Jun was more than happy to change that so as long as she could!
"Hmmm…" Sango closed her eyes as she thought about how to answer the question. She honestly hadn't thought about it much since she had been focused on Kagome's recovery lately. "I guess so?" The other Tao replied, unsure of how she felt, or if she felt anything at all. "Regardless of who it is, this will be just another Shaman Fight to win, to me," She added while glancing down at her nails that Kagome was painting a shade of bold pink.
"I see," Jun smiled. "I like that resolve of yours, Sango. It's truly worthy of the Tao name."
Pirika spoke up from her position in front of Jun, "Still, it feels a bit crazy to make family members fight each other like that. I wonder how these things are decided."
"Yeah, it is a bit shocking, isn't it?" Kagome asked before she huffed at the thought, "I honestly don't know who to cheer for now," she admitted with a miserable sigh.
Sango playfully glared at Kagome and asked in a hurt voice, "What's that? Kagome-chan is torn between me, her best friend and future wife, and a boy? I'm wounded by your indecision!"
Kagome glared back and rebutted, "No fair, Sango-chan! He's not just any boy!"
She had no clue why Sango and Jun exchanged amused grins at her answer.
"Speaking of boys!" Pirika piped in as she pulled away from Jun to grab one of the magazines that she got Jun to buy for her a convenient store. "There was an amazing article in this magazine that we should read together!"
"Oh, that's right," Jun giggled in amusement. "The one article that you wanted the entire magazine for!" She nodded approvingly at the girl. "Sure, which one is it?"
All eyes turned to Pirika as she flopped sideways to Kagome and began flipping through the many colorful, printed pages. "Oh!" She beamed at her discovery. "Here it is! 10 Telltale Signs That A Guy Likes You!" She read aloud with innocent enthusiasm. She sat up a bit so that her voice would project properly. "It says here that if a guy displays three or more of these signs, then there's a high possibility that he has a crush on you!"
Jun looked amused. Kagome blushed a bit and her curiosity was piqued. Sango was not too keen on the topic, but she would not stop her friends from enjoying themselves.
Pirika cleared her throat before beginning to read aloud, "Let's see…! The first sign is that he protects you!" Her eyes scanned the details beneath the larger text before adding, "It says that if a guy is romantically interested in you, then his natural instinct would be to protect you! He'll want to defend you from any harm or discomfort, physical or emotional!"
Kagome hummed while tapping her chin at Pirika's words. "It feels like that one can be misleading… I mean, I want to protect all of my friends, but it doesn't mean that I'm in love with them," She laughed a bit.
Sango nodded in agreement, "That's true. Wanting to protect someone isn't exclusive to romantic interest…" She looked between the faces of her friends. "I'd protect all of you with my life," She told them quite seriously, before chuckling, "But I don't want to date you."
"Ehhhhhh?" Kagome pouted at Sango's statement as she capped the bottle of nail polish. "Sango-chan, how cruel! I thought we had something special!"
The older girl gave Kagome a smirk while narrowing her eyes, "You have no right to say that, especially after agreeing to marry my cousin in the future."
Pirika's jaw dropped open as her fingers released their eager grip on the magazine. She craned her neck to look at Kagome and questioned, "K-Kagome-neechan...you're engaged to Tao Ren...?!"
The priestess felt her cheeks lighting up as she came under fire, "I-It's not even official or anything serious! Ren was just trying to cheer me up, he said it was a back-up plan!" She explained while flailing her arms about.
The Ainu girl found herself hiding a wide smile behind the magazine that she recovered from the floor, "Mmhm~ Suuuuuure~!" Despite Kagome's denial, it was still great news in Pirika's mind. The blunette was partially excited because, as a young girl, she loved love and was giddy at the thought of any of her friends investing in a romantic relationship. Additionally, it was even better news because it cemented what Kagome had been telling her since Pirika first confided with her about her crush: Kagome had no romantic feelings for Bankotsu. 'Ban-san, I'm sorry,' She smiled inwardly. 'I can't support your love for Kagome-neechan~' She giggled at her next thought, 'But don't worry~ You have your Pirika!'
Meanwhile, Sango was still having a blast flustering and teasing Kagome, "Unofficial or not, you're technically betrothed~" She released a melodramatic sigh while falling backward with a hand clutching her chest, "Alas, my dearest Kagome-chan has left me for another~!" The Tao almost regretted the act as her freshly painted nails brushed against her nightgown.
Kagome huffed as she began playfully banging against Sango's chest in protest, "Sango-chan, you're so mean! You're not supposed to give me up so easily! Fight for my love, Sango-chan!"
Pirika pouted and cut in, "Come oooooon! Let me keep reading!" The pout instantly reverted back to a smile again after Sango and Kagome offered their quick apologies. "The next sign is that he smiles a lot at you. Additionally, it says that if you feel like he's happy to just be around you, then he probably likes you!"
Kagome couldn't help but feel a bit excited at that information. This sign did sound a bit like Yoh. 'Then again…' She challenged her hopes. 'Yoh smiles at everyone, and around everyone. It's not like his smile belongs to me exclusively.'
Sango took notice of Kagome's internal conflict with the news and smiled a bit.
"The third sign is that he's interested in your love life," Pirika told them. "It says that normal guy friends are not like girl friends. They do not particularly care about your romantic interests unless they are romantically in you. Pay attention to if your guy friend asks about your relationship with another guy."
[How about… how you became so close to Ren. I mean… you seem very close to him. You're comfortable enough to let him kiss you, after all…]
Kagome's face went completely red and she had to slap her cheeks a few times. Yoh's uneasy voice popped into her head. 'T-That means nothing, Kagome!' She yelled at herself while slapping her face a few more times. 'He's your best friend! It's only natural that he'd be curious about something like that!'
Jun's concerned voice brought the flustered girl back into reality, "Kagome-chan, are you alright? I think you're beating yourself up too much, your face is quite flushed."
Kagome forced a reassuring smile to her face as she nodded slowly, "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."
"Awwww, man!" Pirika suddenly whined with a disappointed pout. "So far, none of these sound like Ban-san with me at all!" She then gave the magazine an even closer look, squinting as she tried to find evidence of a future romance between her and her crush.
The distressed girl began speeding reading through the remainder of the article, "A massive sign that he likes you is that he teases you a lot, especially if he does not tease other girls? If he pinches or playfully hits you, it is a sign that he is physically attracted to you and needs a way to satisfy his unconscious urges."
Sango and Jun's eyes met hearing this advice. Both were actually quite surprised that some of the signs were accurate. Their eyes then moved to Kagome, who was staring intently at Pirika as she paid close attention to the younger girl's voice.
"Pay attention to how often he pops up wherever you go, especially if he appears in places where he normally wouldn't be! If he showers you with gifts or says "yes" to all of your requests, then this guy's heart is as good as yours—AHHHHHHHH!" Pirika threw the magazine into the air in frustration. "This thing is useless!" She exclaimed, squeaking when the magazine crashed into her face. "It's like this person is trying to tell me that Ban-san doesn't like me at all!" Jun immediately went to comfort Pirika and lift her spirits with reassuring and head rubs.
Meanwhile, Sango blinked when she noticed how red Kagome's face became once again. 'She couldn't possibly have realized…?' The Tao wondered silently before she spoke up, "Hey, Kagome-chan? What's on your mind? You're looking a bit flustered there."
Kagome was brought back into reality once again. Sango noted how Kagome's blue eyes did not rise to meet her violet gaze like they usually did. Instead, Kagome looked off her side as she raised her hands to touch her hot cheeks. "I-It's nothing really…" The priestess replied, her voice meeker than usual.
"Are you sure?" Sango asked, clearly unconvinced. She wasn't worried about her best friend, but she was interested to know who Kagome was thinking about after Pirika read over half of the list in the article. "You seem a bit distressed by something."
Kagome shook her head and waved her hands dismissively, "No, no! It's nothing bad like that, don't worry!" Blue eyes, drowning in confusion and embarrassment, finally met curious violet ones. Sango had to purse her lips to stop herself from smiling at the way Kagome twiddled her fingers. "It's just, when Pirika-chan read those last few ones…" Her eyes looked away for a moment again. "Ren popped into my head," she murmured.
Sango's head snapped over in Jun's direction.
Unfortunately, the other Tao was too preoccupied with stroking Pirika's head and reassuring her that magazines could not tell the future.
As much as Sango wanted to tease Kagome about her predicament, she decided that acting natural and cool would be better for Ren in the long run. She tucked a stray tuft of hair behind her ear that must have fallen out of loose, messy braid that Kagome had made for her earlier. She inched close to her best friend and smiled warmly, "So you think that Ren likes you?"
Kagome's eyes widened at the question and she was quick to wave her hands again, "No, that's not it at all!" Despite her calm exterior, Sango was thoroughly entertained by this development. "I don't think that Ren feels that way! It was just startling that some of those signs reminded me of him!" She explained. 'Ahhhhh! I shouldn't have said anything! I can just tell that Sango-chan wants to make fun of me! And if she tells Ren, he'll think I'm weird! Or worse, he'll make fun of me too!'
"Ohhhhh," Sango's all too casual smile twitched a bit. "Is that all~?"
Kagome suddenly got to her feet and made a swift escape to the door, "I-I need to use the bathroom!" She lied behind her red cheeks. She just needed a moment to herself to calm down. The priestess' stride was longer and quicker than usual as she escaped the room and made her way towards the stairs, only to be halted in her tracks when a small cluster of bodies blocked her way from descending to the first floor.
"Eh? What are you guys doing?" She blinked upon encountering Yoh, HoroHoro, Ren, Manta, and Ryu all walking up the stairs. All of them were in yukatas and their skin was glowing.
"Ah, we just got out of the bath~!" Yoh replied with a small smile.
Kagome nodded silently, it made sense now.
"You girls should give it a try," The Asakura added while smiling at the other boys. "Baths really are way more fun with your friends." Manta nodded in agreement. The smaller boy was rather surprised that he was able to enjoy himself around so many strange characters, but he had Yoh and Kagome to thank for that.
Before the conversation could continue, HoroHoro suddenly grinned and stepped forward to sling his arm over Kagome's shoulder. "Hey, Kagome-chan!" He greeted. "Guess what Ren just whispered?" The blunette looked from the girl's curious face to Ren's death glare. His grin only widened as he continued, not bothering to wait for her response, "He just muttered that you look so damn cute with that ponytail~!"
Steam nearly blew out of Ren's ears as his entire face became bright pink. He began shaking the cackling Usui by the hem of his yukata and calling him every swear word under the sun.
Yoh then looked at Kagome. He too was taken aback at how cute she looked with her hair pulled up into a high hanging, wavy ponytail. The way that her fluffy pink scrunchie matched her nightgown was also too much. He blushed and looked away to keep from mentioning how he wholeheartedly agreed with Ren. Kagome really was too damn cute like this.
Kagome did not notice the effects that she had Yoh though, thinking on the new hairstyle that Pirika had suggested she try earlier. 'It's cute on me, huh?' she thought, feeling amazed that the hairstyle was so cute that it even gathered a compliment from Ren of all people. She gently caressed her wavy, silky tresses before smiling, feeling confident and refreshed from her previous fluster. The priestess then moved to pat Ren on the shoulder.
Of course, the scion turned his attention away from HoroHoro immediately.
Kagome beamed brightly at him and gave him a heartfelt, "Thanks so much, Ren~!"
The soaring in his chest made Ren unconsciously release HoroHoro from his outraged, vengeful grasp. The blunette fell flat on his butt with a muted thud. "…no problem…" he muttered, his golden eyes glancing away from her sparkling blue ones. Ryu and Manta watched the interaction with curiosity; they were still somewhat new to the prospect that the previously murderous, scary Tao Ren had a soft spot for Kagome.
Meanwhile Yoh wished that he had spoken up and told her that he thought that she was cute too. But at the same time, as long as it was said and it made her happy, Yoh was happy with that too.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Yoh heaved a deep sigh as he slid the door closed behind him. He knew that he was in the doghouse now. He knew that Anna knew that he had inappropriate feelings for Kagome. And even worse, she knew that he knew that she knew. There was distance forming between them, and it was all his fault. Anna was distancing herself from him and everyone around her. He had overheard Kagome's invitation to Anna, and he was grateful for his best friend's friend cordiality. He had hoped that Anna would have accepted the offer, but he was not surprised that she did not.
Before he ended up joining his guests in the living room, he asked his fiancée if she would prefer if he slept at her side tonight. Her eyes were withdrawn and her voice hollow as she declined that offer as well. So here he was, laying on a futon in the living room along with the other boys. It was late, so all the lights had been turned off long ago. The only sounds in the entire house were the occasional giggle fit coming from Kagome's room. 'At least they're having a good time up there,' Yoh thought to himself as he laid down near Manta and closed his eyes.
Sleep did not come as quickly as it usually did for the troubled Yoh.
He laid there in the silent darkness until he heard HoroHoro's voice suddenly break the quiet.
"So Ren," the Ainu shaman began. Yoh was surprised that anyone else was even awake from how silent and motionless they were moments ago. "I manned up and told Kagome-chan what you said," Yoh could practically hear the grin on his friend's face. "You should do your boy a solid and help me out with San-tan."
Ren's exasperated voice indicated that he was awake too, "What do want me to do? I'm not a magician." Golden eyes rolled in the darkness. "I can't make Sango attracted to stupid."
HoroHoro's jaw dropped as he sat up to glare to Ren, "Wow! That's how you treat the man trying to hook you up with your dream girl?!" He glanced between all of his friends, "Yoh, Manta, Ryu, back me up here!"
"Hm," Ryu stifled a chuckle at the mention of his name. "Obviously Ren wants to make sure that Sango-chama ends up with the best man." The older teen ran his hand through his plump pompadour and cracked a smile at the thought of Sango rejecting a crowd of other men in favor of placing her hand inside of his.
Manta sweatdropped as he heard Ryu cooing and becoming lost in fantasies, "Ren probably doesn't approve of either of you…" He added in a deadpanned mutter, "And honestly, I don't blame him." The blonde boy was surprised to feel HoroHoro's hands stretching at his cheeks.
"What was that, Manta?!" HoroHoro clenched his teeth through his grin. "You need help making this mouth of yours even bigger?!" He asked sadistically. "I got'chu, bro!"
Yoh chuckled and ignored Manta's cries for help as HoroHoro continued abusing his face. It truly was a lot of fun to spend time with your friends. The brunette's eyes narrowed as guilt tugged at his heartstrings, 'If only… Anna…'
"Hey, Yoh," Ren suddenly muttered beneath the racket that the other three teens were making. He closed his eyes for a moment, wondering if it was alright that he engaged in this conversation. 'Is it alright if someone like me…' Kagome's cheerful face flashed inside of his head. '…pursues someone like her?' He wondered to himself. Ren had committed so many sins. He had let himself become consumed by hatred and darkness for as long as he could remember. Was it acceptable for someone with such a filthy soul yearn for someone so pure?
Yoh blinked when Ren suddenly spoke to him in a voice that was so small and filled with uncertainty. It was quite unlike him to sound so vulnerable. "…yeah?" The Asakura whispered back, keeping his voice as low as Ren's.
Yoh was caught off guard by Ren's next statement. Not because he was ignorant of it, but because it was so abrupt and candid.
"I'm in love with Kagome," Ren confessed plainly. Without Kagome within earshot, it became something easier and easier to say. But perhaps part of that was because most of the people around him could see through him anyway?
Yoh closed his eyes and chuckled a bit, lightly teasing, "That's not news."
Ren ignored the jibe and kept his focus.
He could hear Bankotsu's voice inside his head, and he knew that the other boy was right.
["Nothing will change if you don't make your intentions clear."]
"But she's already in love with someone else," Ren added. He sweatdropped and sighed at Yoh's shocked bellow as the Asakura suddenly sat up in his futon.
"S-Seriously…?!" The brunette inquired with wide eyes. "Who does she like?!"
"Calm down," Ren sighed in frustration. "She'd kill me if I told you," He explained briefly to dodge the answer, sweatdropping again as Yoh practically pelted him with energy waves of excitement.
"Ehhhh?" Yoh pouted in the darkness, but the brunette was quick to recover from the disappointment. He smiled and questioned curiously, "So, why are you telling me that?"
"You're her best friend," Ren's mouth answered quickly. 'Because you're in love with her too, baka.' "So you should know that I plan to make her mine," He spoke freely and felt a swell in his pride at the sound of Yoh's nearly inaudible, sharp gasp. His eyes didn't miss Yoh's flinch either, having already adjusted to the dim lighting. "You okay with that?"
Despite the cover that the darkness provided, Yoh still grinned to thwart the mounting dread in the pit of his stomach. He released a chuckle that was broken by his own uneasiness. "I'm just her friend. You don't need my permission to date her, you know."
Ren narrowed his eyes at Yoh's response. "Be honest with me, Yoh."
Yoh blinked. Ren saw through his charade so easily. Realizing this brought a smile to Yoh's face. "Okay, then," He sighed and finally admitted, "It's selfish of me, but I don't like the thought of anyone pursuing Kagome, romantically."
Ren hummed and nodded in approval; he was glad that Yoh was being honest.
This was a step forward in the right direction.
"But…" the brunette added in. "I have no right to feel that way, I know that," He confessed and went silent for a moment. He thought about the nasty situation that he ended up in. Then he thought about the line that he had been haunting him for over a week now.
["Mind your own business. Whoever I decide to kiss has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU—!"]
Those words were directed at him for sure, at some point.
Then, Yoh recalled all the times that he had seen Ren interact with Kagome. Many of those encounters ending with Ren being flustered and Kagome smiling, so happily. Those tiny interactions made Yoh's chest tighten… but…
Maybe they were for the best?
"If I'm being honest…" Yoh whispered. "I don't want to give Kagome to anyone, but I have a wonderful girl who I made a promise to. I can't be a good man to either of them if I let things continue as they are now."
Ren nodded hearing this, discovering a new level of respect for the Asakura after he acknowledged his unfavorable position. There was no way Ren would ever allow Kagome to give herself to someone who could not be honest with his intended.
His introspection was interrupted by Yoh's soft voice, "Believe it or not, but if Kagome was to get a boyfriend, I could rest easy if it were you." The brunette admitted, before suddenly releasing an embarrassed sigh as he added, "About what I did back at the bathhouse… sorry about that."
Ren blushed a bit. He had not expected that type of response from his romantic rival. "Leave it to me," He mumbled as he stared up into the darkness. It was then that Ren noticed that his life had completely changed. He was surrounded by so many new people, so many smiling faces. So many people who saw through his tough exterior and accepted who he was. All of these people saw who he truly was on the inside, and they did not think of him mock him for it. And the shaman who he had silently resented for stealing Kagome's heart… he was more than a romantic rival and another steppingstone to his path to Shaman King…
Asakura Yoh understood his feelings.
Asakura Yoh was his friend.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The long climb up to the ancient temple reminded Kagome of the climbs that she used to make up her family's shrine. It felt like she hadn't made that climb in ages. Why would she? Their graves were elsewhere, and the shrine brought up nothing but painful memories. She used to think that her family had been spirited away years ago, but the demonic spirit that had terrorized Tokyo had conjured up memories that had been repressed. 'Naraku...' She narrowed her eyes at the thought of vengeful spirit that her other self had consumed. 'What was your intention for showing me that memory…?'
The images of her older sister trying to vanquish her flooded her mind. Then came the image of her parents and grandparents running out of the house to stop one twin from slaying another—only for the one who they tried to save claim their lives in a burst of light.
The guilt and despair were almost too much to bear.
Knowing that her own existence and lack of discipline was the reason why she had been alone for so long was almost too much for her mind to process. Sometimes the priestess wondered why she was born if the only consequence of her existence was to hurt others and be hurt by others in return.
Kagome had single-handedly eradicated her own family years ago.
She had single-handedly ostracized herself from an entire school.
And finally, she had single-handedly destroyed her bonds with the people who had become her second family, her refuge in this godforsaken world. It was a world that was much too small and fragile for people like her… and yet, she had severed her bonds with the few people who were like her in this world.
["Because you're always picking fights!"]
["Mind your own business. Whoever I decide to kiss has NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU—!"]
Kagome tried to suppress her soft sniffles as the memories of Yoh's and Ren's pained expressions assaulted her mind. Then there were the looks of guilt on HoroHoro and Pirika's faces. Sango and Jun's shocked eyes appeared, followed Mukotsu and Manta's horror. Finally, there was Bankotsu's determined, passionate eyes.
'Mom… Yoh… everyone… I'm so sorry…' She shut her eyes in a futile attempt to shut out the images in her mind. But she only succeeded in squeezing out a raging flood of tears.
The priestess' eyes then snapped open and she gasped. A touch that was as light as butterfly glided across her cheeks, wiping away her tears ever so gently. Kagome looked up at Hao and tried to smile, but only hiccupped softly. "H-Hao, I'm sorry. I—!" She felt pathetic with how her words dissolved into more blubbering.
"You needn't worry, my dear," The shaman smiled down at her as he tightened his grip on her shoulder. "I'm going to take care of you from now on." Kagome nodded silently as they reached their destination. Finally, they had reached the apex of the staircase.
The priestess frowned as a thought struck. She shot a suspicious glare up at the young man who had been carrying her bridal style up the stairway to the temple. "Wait—why didn't we just ride the Spirit of Fire up here?" She asked in a deadpanned tone.
As she suspected, Hao laughed aloud and grinned quite cheekily, "I'm just practicing for our wedding day." The shaman did not seem phased by the intense glare and indignant slaps to the chest that Kagome inflicted upon him. His brown eyes scanned the grounds of the sanctuary. There were no monks in sight, but this was what he had expected. Word of his raid of ancient temples and shrines seemed to spread like wildfire.
The demonic spirit Naraku had drawn Kagome out of hiding by turning her old friends against each other. After the one known as Bankotsu was cut down in cold blood, Kagome fainted on spot and reawakened moments later, older and immeasurably stronger. Within minutes, the transformed Kagome turned the tides of the battle and completely consumed the demonic spirit. With the demon neutralized, the other Kagome had disappeared with words that his Kagome would be gone to repair her damaged body. Hao was not one to be daunted. Even in the face of the divine being, he smirked and reclaimed his priestess.
It was upon his Kagome's awakening that Hao had discovered his grave mistake. An angry raid of the other Kagome's dimension left him with the information that the paralysis was a result of his world's environment being unsuitable for healing the affliction. He stormed away from the other Kagome, his cloak angrily flapping behind as he left. It then became his personal mission to redeem himself by finding a cure for Kagome's supernatural malady. It was only natural that he began his quest by raiding every ancient temple and shrine for their secret scrolls and guarded knowledge.
By day, Hao pillaged sacred grounds, killing any monk, shaman, or priest that dared to stand in his way while his priestess was guarded by his followers. By night, he held Kagome in her sleep, soothing her through her pain with the lull of his furyoku. It was during his last raid, his twelfth one, that a quivering priest leaked information of an elixir that could cure any supernatural malady if made to perfection. Hao spared the priest's life but promised certain death if the elixir failed. This brought Hao deep into the mountains where an aged sanctuary still stood, small and quaint.
"Hao…" The girl in his arms suddenly whispered as he walked up the grand doors to the structure. He looked at her down, despite knowing what she was going to say. "Don't kill anyone," Kagome told him. Her mouth was as straight as a pencil and her eyes were firmer, stronger than they had been lately.
Hao sighed, but smiled, "Of course. Whatever you say." Ignorance truly was bliss. As long as she did not know of the trail of bodies and fire that he had left behind to arrive here, it would be fine. Everything would be fine. He would restore her to normal, and they would transform the world together. That was the goal.
It was during this visit that Hao had learned the recipe for the elixir that he sought. The creation of the elixir borderlined on using alchemy; a hybrid between science, math, spirituality, and magic.
It was also at this time that Kagome impressed him once again. A defiant, elderly monk had the foolhardy idea to stand between them and the locked room of scrolls that held the secret formula that they desired. Hao almost lost his patience with the man and was about to set him ablaze when Kagome placed a hand on top of his. His deadly flame extinguished as he looked down at the priestess, who silently shook her head at him.
The priestess then turned to look at the monk. Her blue eyes suddenly glowed like tiny stars as white orbs danced and twirled within her oceanic irises. "Sir Monk, stand aside," She told the man. The monk's brown eyes widened before briefly flashing like a light switch quickly turned on and off again. His defensive posture relaxed, and he meekly stepped aside. Even with Kagome in his arms, it did not take Hao long to find exactly what he was looking for. They departed the tiny temple with no casualties in their wake.
Hao could not stop his smile, earning nothing but huffs from Kagome. "Don't be that way," He told her as his grip on her body tightened, pulling her even closer. "That ability of yours," he smirked. "It's something that we can master."
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
The designated location of the fight between the two Tao's was Shinjuku Gyo-en. Sango chuckled when she found out where and who she would be fighting for her second match. Not only was she going to fight her cousin, but she was going to fight him in a place that she and Jun had planned to visit as tourists before departing back to China. Fate could be cruel and ironic. It was strange. Surreal. They ate dinner together and commuted to the park together by limousine.
Now, they stood on opposing sides of the river that cut through the vast greenery of the area. Now, they no longer stared at each other as close family members, but as rivals, competitors. Violet eyes stared across the wooden bridge that connected the divide in the land until they contacted Ren's golden scrutiny. There was no room for sentimental words here, nor was there any need for them.
'Ren, forgive me…' She thought before glancing to the spectators who took shelter away from the action behind the coverage of some trees. She smiled reassuringly at Kagome, who aimed a worried gaze at the both of them. Sango was honored that Kagome chose to don the new fighting qipao that she had worked hard to recreate. 'But I'm not just going to hand over a free win to you.' Jun merely gave her a firm nod when their eyes met. Her older cousin's eyes told her to do what she needed to do; there would be no bad blood between them.
Tiny Kirara mewled quite cutely at her side before transforming into her true form: the ferocious spirit that Sango was forced to tame at a young age. 'I must become Shaman Queen, in order to reform our family.'
"Kirara, here we go!" Sango called to her spirit. The nekomata growled in response before transforming into a ball of burning, golden energy that Sango pushed into her chest.
"Bason, let's do this!" Ren commanded as he followed suit. He watched Sango's movements. He had watched her train Kagome for weeks now. He had observed her fighting style from the girls' sparring matches. He knew exactly what signs to look for. Finally, he spotted her fingers curling around the strap of her boomerang. 'I don't think so!' His eyes narrowed as he propelled himself across the bridge.
As a Tao, Sango was gifted in both her strength and her brain. She knew that her best chance to defeat Ren would be to keep him at a distance and take him out with her massive Hiraikotsu. However, Ren saw through the plan and quickly closed the distance on her. Within a matter of seconds, Sango found herself staring directly in Ren's steely, golden orbs.
'Shit,' Sango swore as she slid backward. The world seemed to move in slow motion. 'He won't let me use the Hiraikotsu…' She realized as her eyes widened at the sight of Ren's reeling back his glowing kwandao.
"Sango-chan!" Kagome gasped and called out to her friend, despite her promise not to distract them. She dodged the panicked hands of the Usui siblings who tried to cover her mouth. The sight of Sango being sent flying backward into a cherry blossom tree was beyond worrisome. The priestess sighed in relief at the sound of Sango's groan. Kagome then turned a fiery glare at Ren and shook her fist at him from the tree line. "Ren! How could you do that to Sango-chan?! You're the worst!"
Ren visibly flinched before glaring back and shaking his fist back as he held out his kwandao, "What the hell!?" He asked incredulously. "I hit her with the pole! It's not like I tried to kill her!"
"You still—MMRRPH!" Kagome's outraged shouting was finally muffled by HoroHoro.
"Don't worry about it, Kagome-chan," Sango suddenly said as she slowly got to her feet. She lightly brushed some dust away from her qipao. "It wasn't as nearly as bad as it looked," She explained before stealing a quick glance at the boomerang she had dropped after taking the brunt of Ren's attack. "I actually expected a lot more from the all-mighty Tao heir," she taunted her cousin with a smirk.
As expected, Ren's face displayed the great offense that he took to her gibe. 'Sango, damn you…' He glared at her for a moment. 'After I went easy on you—!' His eyes widened at the thought. Wait, he was going easy on her? 'Damn it…' He cursed himself for his weakness. Despite their obvious difference in strength, Sango was no amateur, nor was she an average opponent. He couldn't afford to let his guard down and take it easy on her because she was his blood.
"Tao Ren…" Sango smirk became a confident smile, one that showed her great respect for her cousin. It wasn't out of respect for the future leader of her family, no. It was respect for a formidable adversary. She reached for the sword at her hip and released it from its sheath. "Fight me," she commanded as she held her blade double-handed in front of her.
"Baka," Ren scoffed as he began charging at Sango once again. "That was the plan from the start!" Both Taos grunted when their weapons clashed and caught each other. Neither was surprised at the brute strength behind each other's attacks. "Sango…" Ren seethed through clenched teeth. It was a bit humiliating that she was able to hold him back as he tried to press forward. But the sight of Sango's own teeth clench was a sign that she was putting her all into standing her ground. "I'm not going to lose to you, or anyone else."
Sango smirked and whispered back, "Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you!" The older Tao promptly ended the meeting of their weapons, knowing that such a clash was putting too much stress on her blade. In a swift, fluid motion she spun to her right, causing Ren to lurch forward from the sudden lack of resistance against his push.
Ren was quick to catch himself mid-stumble and raised his kwandao to block Sango's sword striking at his left. "Yeah, way to go, Ren!" Kagome suddenly cheered from the sidelines. Both Taos turned deadpanned, incredulous stares at the priestess, whose fists were balled up excitedly. Jun merely smiled and shook her head at the girl, who had broken her vow of silence twice already.
"Just whose side are you on anyway?" The cousins asked simultaneously, sweatdropping.
"Don't make me choose!" Kagome protested as she posed dramatically with her hand over her heart. "I love both of you!" She cried out to them.
Ren twitched at this.
Sango smirked as she took the opportunity to smash the dull side of her sword against Ren's forehead. Kagome and Jun's jaws dropped as the sight of a small spew of blood squirting from behind his long, purple bangs. Sango was not worried though, because her cousin was no ordinary human. She knew for a fact that he had been subjected through much worse at a younger age.
Ren did not disappoint her as he released a soft, "Tsk," Only annoyed at her cheap shot. But she would do it again if she saw the chance. "Now, you've done it," He grumbled as he willed more furyoku into the blade of his kwandao. Sango took this opportunity to make a mad dash for her Hiraikotsu.
The spectators were in awe at Sango's incredible speed. In the seconds that it took Ren to collect crackling golden energy the size of a basketball, Sango not only recovered her boomerang, but she also infused it with her furyoku and sent it flying at him. Simultaneously, Sango's flaming boomerang and Ren's electrified energy cut through the air at each other. Once again, their attacks collided.
However, there was a clear, decisive winner as Ren's energy easily pushed the Hiraikotsu back and sent it whizzing towards its owner. Sango cursed as she quickly ducked. Her boomerang clipped her bangs, causing a few strands of brown to float down in front of her face. She couldn't help but feel annoyed at this. The sound of a loud crash several meters behind her told Sango that her boomerang was well out of her reach once again.
'He's not fooling around anymore,' Sango noted after rolling out of the way of another golden ball of energy. It would be a lie if she told herself that she wasn't even a little intimidated by the small crater that the attack had made. 'Good.' Sango jumped to her feet and then to her left to avoid another ball of energy. 'Ren has a lot more furyoku than I do,' She thought as she was forced to take evasive maneuvers repeatedly. 'I can't beat him by dragging the fight out.'
"Sango, how long are you going to run like that?" Ren shouted while glaring at his cousin. It was frustrating, but he knew that she had to use her head in this fight. He couldn't blame her, but it did not make the chase any less aggravating. He glanced at Kagome's worried face from the corner of his eye.
In addition to the bother that it was to chase down his opponent, he did not particularly care for the troubled look on Kagome's face. 'I have to end this quickly.'
Sango's eyes widened when Ren suddenly changed his stance and handling of his weapon. He gripped it with his right hand and pulled his arm back. 'There's no way.' He proved her wrong by launching his kwandao across the field. The female Tao did not bother moving, however. She calculated the trajectory of the weapon. As she expected, it landed a few meters in front of her, its sharp blade embedding itself into the soil. 'What—?'
Before Sango had the chance to process what was happening, a burst of golden energy erupted from the weapon and engulfed the surrounding area. HoroHoro had to grab Kagome by the shoulder as she instinctively lurched forward. "If you interfere, she'll be disqualified," the Ainu shaman reminded her.
Kagome looked like she wanted to protest but deflated at HoroHoro's reprimanding glare. "Don't worry. My San-tan won't lose," He grinned down at the priestess while pulling her close to his side for comfort. He was relieved when she smiled and nodded quietly.
Ren did not wait to see if Sango had recovered from his surprise attack. He slowly began walking towards where she had been standing as he unleashed his energy. Within moments, the light from the energy subsided and revealed Sango's sprawled out on the grass. She was moaning softly as her body smoked and her face twisted in pain. "R-Ren…" She groaned out as she struggled to lift her head. "That one really hurt," She whispered as she opened a single eye and looked up at him.
This was it.
Sango was in a moment of complete vulnerability as Ren stared down at her with the weapon that he had picked up along the way in his hands once again. "It's over now, Sango," He told her calmly. "Just yield and we'll get you fixed up."
There was something about Ren's soft, guilt-ridden expression that made Sango want to do the exact opposite. She did not want to give up. She would not tolerate anyone pitying her or feeling bad for going all out on her. She was just as much a Tao as Ren or Jun!
Ren blinked when Sango suddenly smirked.
And, she had one more trick up her sleeve.
"Kirara…!" She called out to her guardian spirit. "H-Hyoi…" She grunted as she struggled to sit up. "Hyoi—" She glared up at Ren. He instinctively took a step back when Sango's fiery aura suddenly flared up. "THREE HUNDRED PERCENT!" The spectators gasped at the scene before them. It was unreal to everyone except for Kagome. She had seen something like before—she had experienced it herself before.
Blood red began to seep into the white of Sango's eyes. Her large violet irises narrowed into thin, black slits. Creamy blonde streaks bled through the dark brown of Sango's hair. Ren was taken aback. He had seen this phenomenon before—back when Kagome was practicing her Hyoi Gattai with Sesshomaru. He was not expecting his cousin to allow the demonic spirit inside of her to take more control of her body.
Without any words, Sango was on her feet and upon her cousin within the blink of an eye. Her elongated nails were burning with the flames of nekomata's energy. Ren hissed at the heat as he narrowed dodged a furious swipe from her swift right hand.
The golden eyed shaman was forced to raise his kwandao to block a follow-up swipe from Sango's left hand. She did not even wince from the impact of nail against metal, nor did her nails crack or bend. 'She's fighting like an animal,' Ren grunted as he leaned his head to the right to avoid being scratched across the cheek. 'So you're that desperate, huh?' He thought as he was forced to catch Sango's hand inside of his own. Ren hissed again.
The nekomata's fire burned hotter than any ordinary flame.
Ren's eyes narrowed as he caught Sango's other hand inside of his hand.
"Sango," He smirked as he held her at bay with both of her hands inside of his. "I've got you now," he whispered to her. His voice oozed with confidence of his certain victory. Despite being caught off-guard by her sudden transformation, Ren had still managed to immobilize Sango. 'Now to end this.'
"Heh," Sango whispered back as the frustrated sneer on her face widened into an eerie grin that felt out of place on her face. Ren's eyes widened. "I stole this trick from Asakura Hao," She whispered before shouting, "Burning Shackles!" A burst of flames burst from Sango's hands and formed blazing hot handcuffs that Sango's hands phased through as they held Ren's in place. The onlookers' jaws dropped once again as they watched Sango suddenly turn the tide of the battle.
Without giving Ren a chance to process what was happening, Sango grabbed Ren by his cuffed wrist and began spinning around on the ball of her foot. After she was satisfied with the speed that she had picked up, she hurled Ren away. His body weight was nothing in comparison to her Hiraikotsu. 'Dammit...' Ren swore at the sight of a wide tree trunk closing in on him. 'I messed up.'
With that final thought, the heir crashed face-first into the great sakura tree.
And everything went black.
S.H.A.M.A.N.K.I.N.G.
Ren had to blink a few times to clear his vision. The fact that he was looking up at Kagome's distraught face told him that he had indeed lost. Even the jokester HoroHoro breathed a loud sigh of relief when Ren slowly sat up. "Oh, Renny, I'm so glad that you're alright," Jun choked out as her hand landed on her chest. "I was so worried! There was so much blood!"
"Blood...?" Ren blinked before looking behind him and grimacing at the gruesome sight of a ridiculous amount of blood spatter painting a tree as well as the surrounding grass and bushes dark red. He glared up at his cousin, who smiled sheepishly in return, "Sango, you ass! Were you trying to kill me?!"
"Eh heh…" Sango shuffled a bit before bowing deeply. "My apologies. I got carried away."
HoroHoro shrugged nonchalantly, "Eh, look at him. He's glaring and yelling like a champ. He's fine!" He placed a hand on Sango's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Don't worry about it! It's his fault for not taking you seriously enough!"
Sango looked down at the offending hand on her shoulder before pointing a sharp glare at HoroHoro, who gulped and promptly removed his hand from her person. However, this action did not stop Sango from closing in on HoroHoro to lecture him about her personal space again.
Ren shook his head then looked at Kagome, who was sitting on the ground next to him, smiling for some reason. "You know, considering that I almost died," he grumbled. "The fact that you're just sitting there quiet and happy is scary."
Kagome shook her head, her smile widening. She reached out and placed a hand on Ren's cheek, which warmed up immensely. "Sorry, I was just thinking that I'm glad that I was able to save your face!" She confessed in a tone that was too chipper for the dark statement.
Ren grimaced once again, "Save… my face…?" He paled at the thought.
Kagome nodded again as she practically glowed, "Yeah, it was not pretty!" Ren twitched at Kagome's lack of bedside manner. "But don't worry," she reassured him while holding up her pointer finger. "My healing ability has definitely improved! I fixed you right up and you're gorgeous again~!"
The Tao found himself facepalming to hide the blush was surely spreading across his cheeks. Despite the scowl on his face, his heart was pounding from those words. 'Gorgeous, huh…?'
He'd take it.
More Notes: So, that takes care of Sango's second Phase 1 Shaman Fight! She's good for moving on to Phase 2! Up next will be Kagome's 2nd Shaman Fight? Will she prevail against her mystery opponent, or end up having to fight a third one to move on? We'll also a sneak a peek on what Yoh was doing during Sango versus Ren fight! And maybe we'll meet Faust in the next chapter as well! If not chapter 28, then we'll definitely meet him 29~ I hope you look forward to it!