Chapter 5.- Rejecting Coincidence

2005, before deviations

There was no need for the four of them to make rounds together, then again, this was just one of Draken's ploys to make sure Mikey didn't accidentally find himself in front of the Higurashi shrine. Not that the delinquent leader particularly minded. He'd promised 7 days, so he'd give his friend the 7 days in full. In the grand scheme of things, 4 days wasn't that much of an extension. So he'd play along, spending his afternoons in with his friends for unaware watchers.

And then, he heard the insults being yelled while they waited at a red stop.

The crude remarks and threats were all things he was familiar with; what he hadn't been expecting, however, was to see a small slip of a girl running full speed to cross the streets with a bunch of gangsters chasing after her. The school uniform she wore wasn't one he recognized, but the long, wavy black hair and the blink of blazing blue eyes were features he wouldn't mistake, even if they'd only met once. That was Me-chan, all right. It was only for a brief moment, but he could swear the look he saw on her face was the same he'd spied back before he and Draken interfered last time. He couldn't put a name on it yet, but no matter how he looked at it, there was no fear in those eyes.

Judging by the astonished expressions painted on his friends' faces, that little detail wasn't what they were focusing on.

"What the…"

"Say, Mikey?" Draken cut Mitsuya off.

"Yeah?"

"Did I just see what I think I did?"

"You mean Me-chan being chased by a bunch of assholes?" There was a hint of a smile on his lips as he answered. Because somehow, this ridiculous scenario seemed to fit her perfectly. "Then yep, I think we all saw it."

"Wait, you know her?"

"There should be a shopping district not far from here; it would be a good place for her to hide in," Mitsuya offered, ignoring Baji's astonished question.

"No."

In all honesty, he didn't really know much about the girl, but he clearly remembered what happened when they met. She'd planned to go further into the alley. He was sure of it. There had been no anxiety or nervousness within her form, even though running further into the alley would only limit her movements. By her own admission, Me-chan wasn't a fighter, and yet, she'd felt so confident about dealing with three gangsters that she was willing to sacrifice mobility to trap her opponents too. She was being chased, but the girl wasn't running away. Outnumbered as severely as she was, however, a small and narrow place would cage her far too much. An open space would let them surround her, but she'd also get more chances to move around.

"A parking lot or a park," he said, determined despite having nothing to back up his decision. "Somewhere with lots of empty space!"

"What?!"

"She's guiding them to an open place." He'd bet anything on it.

"I..there's a park a couple of streets from here." Mitsuya glanced around, trying to find something familiar as the one who lived the closest to this area. "Are we going there?"

"Absolutely."

He could see Draken think it over before sighing and nodding. They both knew his decision was based on his gut instinct, but even if he was wrong, this was still the best bet they could make. If Mikey was wrong and the girl did go to the shopping district, she'd have enough stores to hide in to get some help; at the of the day, she'd still be safe. But if they went to the shops and she was at the park, things could take a turn for the worse. He was right though, something in him was absolutely sure, and his confidence was proved right as they followed Mitsuya and heard the rising insults and yells coming from that direction.

And then he saw her.

Me-chan hadn't lied.

She wasn't fighting; she was dancing. Weaving between the eight lumbering thugs that kept trying and failing to catch her, their motions clumsy and slow, unable to escape the dexterous hands that grabbed and pulled on fabric at just the right time to send them to the floor. Every so often, she'd send a quick kick to the back of her attackers' legs while dodging frantic fingers. She wasn't strong, but the last word that could be used to describe her was weak. The closer he got, the clearer he could see her expression, and Mikey was entranced. It wasn't enjoyment; the girl wasn't lying about that either. She genuinely didn't like fighting. And yet, she looked…free.

This polite girl, who'd been raised in a shrine, clearly had an awful lot of experience when it came to fighting. And he couldn't help but wonder what would happen if he told the others to stay back and watch.

Because Higurashi Kagome was no bird.

The glint in her eyes was different from anything he'd seen so far.

No, the girl was no bird, and he was sure no cage would ever truly hold her. If something in that old rhyme suited her, it could only be it. The demon in the center, the one who didn't need to look back to know who was behind her.

Quiet whispers insisted on asking: what would happen if left on her own? If pushed to the edge, how would she react?

With a shake of his head, Mikey sped up, the sound of his friends' engines behind him rose as they raced into the park. He was curious, but he would get more chances to see more of what she could do if he got her to stick by his side.

She was jumping back to get some space before he could yell at her to get out of the way. Azure eyes locked with onyx as he drifted to a stop before her. There was a smile on her lips.

He wanted her.

"I thought I made myself clear last time," he said, his words sharp as he turned back to the assholes trying to attack the girl, "stop tarnishing delinquents' names."

"You!" Ah, so that's the one Mikey beat up last time.

"Who the fuck are you supposed to be?!"

"Who do you think?" Draken was pissed off now, it seemed.

"This is still Toman territory, you fuckers!"

"Are you alright, miss?" Unsurprisingly, Mitsuya was the one to glance back, trying to offer an unnecessary reassurance. "Just stay in the middle."

"Toman?" One of the taller assholes asked, failing to be intimidating. "Who the fuck cares?!"

Eight against four shouldn't be good odds, especially since the other gangsters looked older, but he had to agree with the contradiction-filled priestess when she claimed the three jerks that tried to accost her three days ago were nothing to be afraid of. None of these guys were strong enough for him to consider them dangerous.

Clumsy and slow.

Made even more evident since Me-chan not only lured them to the park but also gotten them into the playground, using its structures to her advantage, jumping and docking between them. A smart move, considering even his friends were struggling a bit more than usual as they began to hunt down the bastards. Still, the blond wasn't really worried about it. Instead, he let his gaze wander around finally stopping at a vaguely familiar face. It wasn't like he'd bothered to memorize the faces of the jerks he beat up, but this was the one who'd tried to grab the girl. And now, the jerk was trying to hide in the back, not brave enough to jump into the brawl now that his opponent wasn't a frail-looking girl. He smirked as he finally rushed in as well. Like hell he was going to let that happen.

"Shit!"

"Not so fast." His feet connected with the asshole's back. Way too easy.

"Kyah!"

The high-pitched yell froze him. Blond strands of hair partially obscured his view as he looked to the right. Everyone else had stopped too, rooted to the spot as the largest of the thugs pulled the small girl by her hair, forcefully dragging her in front of him. A shield, a hostage. Fingernails dug into his palm, the pain far from enough to distract him. None of his friends were close enough to get to her.

A coward's move.

One that would be the last one he could do if Mikey had any say in…Me-chan's right hand was slowly rising, not stopping at the brute's hand. Where his friends had taken to scream and mutter obscenities, the girl had remained quiet after that first pained yell. Instead, she'd regained her balance, now standing on her two feet. Not shivering or crying or frozen. In fact, her stance almost seemed relaxed. And then, he got a glimpse of her eyes. That same sharp gaze that got him more and more interested in her,

"Here, there, it's always the same…" There was something lacing her words, something he could almost recognize.

Her movements were fast, practiced, even. There was a fluidity to her motions as her slow rise became a quick strike, her fingers dangerously close to the guy's eyes, her nails leaving scratches behind when the asshole moved back in a hurry. Panicked, the gangster let go of her hair. Dark eyes could barely follow as she turned, left arm immediately launching up to hit the man's throat as her knee shot upwards, crushing a very sensitive part of any man's anatomy that almost had him wincing in sympathy. Almost. Her first hit may not be enough to keep her opponent down, but that knee would definitely end it.

"I swear…" she huffed, brushing her hands on her skirt. "What is it with you people always to drag me around like some sort of rag-doll?"

Me-chan stomped the ground as if throwing a tantrum. And Mikey laughed.

She was chased down, surrounded, attacked, even caught by someone who clearly wanted to harm her…and yet, all she did was huff and stomp like a child who dropped candy on the ground. No, Higurashi Kagome wasn't weak. And he wanted her.

Once is happenstance. Twice is a coincidence. Thrice is fate.

That's what the saying was supposed to be, right?

It wouldn't do.

So far, they'd met twice, but it just wouldn't do. Silently, the blond sent an apology to his best friend of years. Me-chan wasn't a part of their world, that's why Mikey agreed to wait for a week, but he was far too interested in her now. A coincidence wasn't enough, and if he had to force this to turn into fate, then so be it. He was greedy and unrepentant. And he wasn't about to deprive himself of something that kept pulling his interest.

Sirens broke his reverie.

He didn't run to his bike, choosing to stop in front of the odd priestess. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes rumpled; it was obvious she'd been roughed up. There was no need for her to run; she was nothing but a victim, and even if the group of thugs tried to push the blame onto her, the cops would never believe them. And that was if they had the balls to admit a girl half their size had utterly humiliated them. No, she really had no reason to get away from the park, and yet, he stopped in front of her, hand open in front of her as he grinned.

"Come, Me-chan."

Something flickered within her eyes, something he couldn't quite name before it settled, and she smiled, slender fingers closing around his after that almost imperceptible pause.

There was no hesitation as she followed him, and she didn't even falter before climbing behind him, her arms wrapping around his center. Not too loose, not too tight. The first time Emma rode with their older brother, she'd squeezed all the air out of the boy; even now, his sister still gripped Mikey a bit too tightly if he took her off-guard when he gave her a ride. But when he accelerated, her grip remained firm.

Mikey laughed once more, the sound louder than the roar of his engine, causing his friends to look back at him, confused looks on their faces; he wouldn't be surprised if Me-chan looked the same. He didn't care enough to stop his laughter, because the more he thought back on what just happened, the funnier the whole thing felt.

"You weren't lying," he yelled, his voice fighting the wind, "you really are very good at dodging."

"Oh, come on, they weren't that fast," she responded in kind, joining in his mirth.

As she laughed, the girl leaned closer to him, her warmth seeping in. It was different from Emma's, but he found himself enjoying the feeling as he overtook the others, leading the way with no set goal in mind. He wasn't going to let go. Which meant he'd have to figure out how to get the girl involved with Toman without pushing her too fast. There had to be a way to involve her with his friends and his sister that didn't feel too forced.

Speaking of, he should probably warn Emma about the assholes roaming around as soon as he got home because so far, his meetings with Me-chan were two for two with being accosted. That said, as used as his sister was to being around delinquents, she was probably far more cautious than this shrine-raised girl.

Idly, he realized habit had him going to the shrine Toman met at. They were getting away from the Higurashi shrine itself, though the girl seemed happy just pulling a little closer, not raising a word of complaint.

Stopping in front of the abandoned building, he got off the bike in time to watch the odd priestess follow suit. She wasn't dismounting with the practiced ease he or the others did, but it wasn't the tumbling way Emma did the first time she tried to dismount by herself. Almost like Me-chan was used to a similar motion. The girl was smiling even as the others parked around them. Ken-chin shot a cautious glance his way that he pretended not to notice. Baji and Mitsuya only looked confused. This wasn't the first time they broke up a fight or helped out a girl who was being harassed, but even without considering no girl had ever stayed behind during the fight, this was the first time he'd ever taken anyone with them as they ran away.

A loud huff from Ken-chin cut any possible question.

"You know, I'm pretty sure Mikey said not to get into fights without us." The tattooed blood mock glared as he dismounted.

"Hey!" The priestess's protest was undermined by her laughter. "I did not start any fights this time either."

"But it was a fight," Mikey added, grinning from ear to ear.

"So…" Mitsuya trailed off. "You guys know each other?"

"Yep!" The delinquent leader jumped to push through with introductions. "This is Me-chan. We met when she got into a fight a couple of days ago."

"I wasn't trying to get into a fight then either, I really was only trying to calm things down," she pouted, arms crossed, but her glare lacked heat. "Also, Kagome isn't that hard of a name, is it?"

"Nah, it's not, but it doesn't suit you."

He could see the sudden widening of his friends' eyes, shaking their heads, clearly trying to tell him to abort and backtrack, but he'd never cared to pick his words before, and he wasn't going to start now.

"Sorry…what?" She sounded confused, not upset.

"I mean, it doesn't suit you at all." Onyx locked on azure, and he could see something else hiding under her confusion. "No matter what anyone says, you're no bird, Me-chan."

"I…that's…"

Red dusted her cheeks, making the blue of her eyes look brighter, and he decided then and there that he wanted to see it again. She was flustered and floundering, and he liked the look on her face. It was fun to watch, and he didn't fight the grin off his face. She huffed before laughing. He liked the sound too.

"Alright, fine, but it's still my name, and I do like it, you know," the girl said, uncrossing her arms and turning to his friends. "My actual name is Kagome, Higurashi Kagome, but there's no need for honorifics. And I wasn't getting into a fight."

"Oh, were you gonna back down?" Now, he was just trying to fluster her again.

"That's not what I…!"

"Right, right." The blond held up his hands in mock surrender. "Anyway, Me-chan, these are Baji and Mitsuya they're Toman captains."

The girl rolled her eyes and shook her head, lips curled up. Maybe he wouldn't need to try that hard to get her to stick around because she was obviously amused at the stunned expression on the other two's faces. And going by Ken-chin's resigned sigh, the taller blond had given up on having him keep his distance.

"It's a pleasure." She was just as polite as she'd been a few days ago, bowing respectfully at his astonished friends. "And thanks for helping out, I was starting to get a bit tired."

"Why not just hide in a store, Kagome-chan?" His second in command tried to calm down the chaos that was starting to unravel.

"Huh? Well, I thought about it, but I don't think it would've helped in the long run." The girl was looking around, and try as he might, Mikey couldn't see an ounce of worry at the unfamiliar place. "I mean, they were specifically looking for me this time around. Besides, I knew I could handle them and buy enough time for my…friends to call the police. Those guys weren't that fast anyway."

It took a couple of seconds for the reality of the situation to sink in. Being chased because she tried to stop another fight was one thing, but being targeted was wildly different. Attacking a girl was a shitty thing to do, no matter the circumstances, but targeting her just because she was around them was beyond disgusting, and he could feel himself start to tense up, anger boiling beneath the surface. Sure, this time around, Me-chan took her time making fun of them, but last time she'd barely done anything. From what he'd manage to hear, she hadn't even actually traded that many insults. He and Draken were the one to kick their asses, and yet, they were targeting her.

"Also, I'm wearing my school uniform," she added, as if she was commenting on the weather. "If they spent three days looking for me because they were too cowardly to go after you, they would've absolutely tried to accost me at school."

"Better to face them now than later, huh?" Mikey nodded.

"Fair enough, but if they were targeting you…" He could hear the concern lacing Mitsuya's voice. Unsurprisingly the boy was as considerate as always when it came to girls. Already, he was probably trying to think of a way to help out. "Things could get a little…"

"That blood…is it yours?"

Dark eyes followed azure. There was a patch of crimson on Mitsuya's hand. Not a pretty sight, but far from the worst he'd seen; the skin seemed to have been busted by landing a punch. Before he could wonder if the girl would wince and look away, Me-chan had crossed the space separating them and took his friend's hand on her own; a pensive look on her face. She was assessing the wound, he realized. Her movements were careful, but she was clearly not afraid of touching blood.

"What did you hit?" The priestess' was lifting the injured hand to get a better look.

"The…swing set, I think?"

"It's just a scratch," Baji snorted.

"A scratch?" Me-chan huffed. "That thing is a sorry, rusty excuse of metal. Infections are a pain to deal with if not properly treated. I should have everything I need at home."

"It's really not that bad."

"You guys got dragged into this mess because I can't mind my own business." Shaking her head, the girl let go of Mitsuya to look at him. "It's only fair to help patch you all up."

"We get hurt all the time, so really…"

"It's fine, isn't it?" Mikey cut his best friend up. "If that's what Me-chan wants to do."

"It's settled then." Her answering smile was bright. "Let me just…"

It dawned on him just before the girl started to look through her pockets. Now that he thought back to the fight, she had been carrying a black shoulder bag when she was chased, one she hadn't been carrying when they caught up to her in the park, and no one thought to look for her belongings when the police sirens filled the air. Considering she was still the victim, the cops shouldn't give her much grief if she tried to get her stuff back. Still that knowledge did nothing to stop the trickle of irritation within him. This wasn't a mistake, with how messy things got at the end, there was no one who could be blamed except the bastards from Minami, but the blond couldn't help but be annoyed all the same. It was an overreaction. He was aware; he owed the priestess nothing, and Draken may be right about how it might be better to keep their distance from her in more ways than the taller blond knew, but it didn't matter. Something about her was different, and he wanted to know, so he grinned and took his own cell phone out of his pocket, ignoring Ken-chin's glaring warning that told him his friend knew exactly what he was planning to do.

"We…sorta forgot your bag, didn't we?"

"No, no, that's on me." With a grateful nod, Me-chan took his phone. "I'm the one who forgot I threw it at them."

"You sure you don't fight, Kagome-chan?" Draken asked, a resigned smile in place.

"Trust me, you wouldn't even notice I landed I hit," she snorted, typing a number into his phone. "I had to level the playing field somehow."

Waving the girl's thanks, Mikey kept an ear on the conversation as the priestess hurried to reassure her mother that she didn't get hurt at all and to please get the first aid kit out, only to go back to gentle reassurance that she was fine before turning to ask if his offer for a ride was still open, and rolling her eyes with humor when he replied they'd get there in seven minutes if they booked it. There was a fearlessness in the way she scoffed at him. Ken-chin and the others were his friends. They were his, but he knew if push came to shove, they'd back down. As strong as they were, they'd never win against him. Not that the girl would fare any better. Me-chan was fast, and her instincts were apparently insanely good, but he could corner her, and that would be it. She probably knew it by now, too. But those eyes…he was sure those eyes wouldn't lose that sharp defiance even when her back was against the wall.

This playful teasing wasn't born out of naivety, it was confidence.

It was obvious in how her gaze sharpened when he offered his hand once more. She probably noticed the surprise on his friends' faces, but this time, there wasn't even a sliver of hesitation when her fingers closed around his. He was curious, of course, he was, but there was something more pulling him to her, and it felt like she was well aware of it too.

He could feel the tension in his friends' frames as the older woman glanced their way.

It was one thing for Me-chan to accept them without a second thought, but most adults from decent families didn't tend to react well to people like him. The fact that her daughter wasn't a judgemental arse meant next to nothing when the girl didn't seem to fit anywhere. He'd noticed the slight change in the girl when she spotted her mother waiting at the top of the steps. Even ignoring that they'd asked for a first aid kit, there was no hiding that they were delinquents. Still, the Mrs only seemed to give a tired smile and a shake of her head.

"Well, I'll have to thank you, boys, for helping Kagome out of whatever problem she got herself into. The woman's voice was kind, if perhaps a little tense.

"I was not looking for trouble." He could barely hear her mumbling.

"Of course," the lady sighed. "I'll put on some tea if you want to come in."

"We'll be fine outside, Ma'am." Unsurprisingly, Draken did his best to be polite.

"I swear, it's not like I want to get into these messes. Anyway, if we're staying out, then come this way."

Something about the girl's expression felt somewhat different as she led them past the actual shrine and to the back of a two-story house. It was a nice place that suited the image he'd carelessly pushed onto her on their first meeting. Completely different from the way Me-chan went through the kit with practiced ease. Her movements were deliberate, not faltering to take Mitsuya's hand once more, cleaning the wound and taking a second to further study the injury before grabbing a butterfly band-aid and some gauze, as well as picking a handful of pills from some select bottles and giving detailed instructions for how to clean it and to come right back if the skin began to feel odd or if he got a fever. And then, the girl turned to Baji and held out her hand.

"What?"

"Landing a punch ends up bruising the knuckles," she explained as if the boy hadn't almost growled at him. Gentleness laced every word, and her expression was calm. "We're all already here; might as well deal with everything."

"No need…"

"As I said, patching you guys up is the least I can do as thanks." Her smile was ever present, but it was definitely sharper, her voice sickly sweet. "You won't refuse a simple gesture of appreciation, right? Am I wrong?"

This time, Mike bit his tongue, glancing around to see Ken-chin and Mitsuya swallowing down their own laughter. Physically speaking, Draken was more visually intimidating, and the shorter blond was the strongest, but they'd been light-hearted throughout their short acquaintance with the girl, and Mitsuya was unflinchingly polite towards her. Baji was the loudest and had held nothing back. And yet, he was growing visibly flustered while Me-chan kept her hand out, a soft smile on her face. Kill them with kindness was a phrase Mikey heard before, but never had he seen the words be personified by someone before.

"So," the black-haired boy grumbled and tsked but shoved his hand in her direction. "When are we beating those bastards to the ground?"

"Think they'll actually try again after today?"

"Stupid people do stupid things," Mikey added, his gaze still fixed on the priestess, "right?"

"Wouldn't be surprised. We'll definitely deal with them, so just try not to go out too much, Kagome-chan."

"Oh no. No, no, no, you don't." For the first time since they met, there was heat in her voice as she turned to glare at the tattooed. "I'm not hiding at the shrine while you're all out dealing with those idiots."

"Look, Kagome-chan, those guys are not going to hold back," Draken was trying his best to calm down the rising tempest that was so very obviously brewing.

"Of course, I know that, I'm not stupid, but I'm the target here, and I'm not about to let someone else fight my battles while I sit on my hands." Oh, she was upset, genuinely starting to get annoyed. "I know I'm not strong enough to fight them off on my own, but I'm not about to cower when this whole mess started because I couldn't mind my own business. Even if I can't fight on my own, I can handle myself."

"Uh…"

"It's fine, isn't it?" A part of him wanted to see how far she'd go with her tirade, but he supposed he could help his best friend out. "If that's what Me-chan wants, then it's fine to go for it. Plus, even if we don't agree, it's not like she'll stay put, right?"

There was something he couldn't quite pinpoint in her eyes before all combativeness vanished from her stance, playfulness now taking over as she placed a slender finger on her chin.

"You mentioned they were encroaching in your territory, so if I keep walking in the direction of the store from three days ago, I wonder how long it will take me to bump into one of those jerks?"

"When you put it that way…I guess Kagome-san would be safer if she's around us," Mitsuya glanced at their second in command; he was wavering.

"Besides, if you want a decent fight with that gang you're going to need me." Me-chan probably saw the confusion in the blond's eyes because she continued. "I've dealt with people like that before. They are cowards who won't show up to a proper fight after they lost this badly when they had double the numbers. Not when they probably think there's an easier way to get to you."

"Through you," Mikey completed for her.

Strictly speaking, they'd only met twice, but both of those times they ended up helping the girl out. The thugs from Minami weren't exactly smart, and they were likely to jump at the idea that Me-chan had some sort of connection with Toman. While the girl made a mockery of the other gang, she'd still be a way easier target than any number of Tokyo Manji.

"Yep." Oh, she was amused now, wasn't she? "So there's no better bait than me." Before the tattooed gangster could speak, the girl continued. "They won't face you in a fair fight, so it will be easier to use me to lure them out. I haven't seen all of them, but unless there's someone who's massively talented in their midst, they're all slow. Even if I do get cornered, as long as I'm not knocked out in a single blow, I can free myself."

Experienced colored every word, the same experience that allowed her to dance away from violent hands. It didn't make any sort of sense, but the priestess said it herself; she'd dealt with people like this before, and her mother was used to her getting into trouble. Despite her claims to dislike violence, this girl, with her kind smile and gentle actions, could have the eyes of a demon. Ice burning bright in the middle of a fight. And oh, how he wanted to see more. Which was why he wouldn't ask a single question about all of those intriguing contradictions that swirled around her. He liked the Me-chan in front of him right now. The how or the when didn't matter as long as he could keep her.

"Sounds like the start of a good plan to me." Mikey grinned, unrepentant.

"Got yourself a loose screw," Baji scoffed, but he grinned all the same. "Well, as long as you don't end up crying, that's fine with me."

"It does make sense." With a nod, Mitsuya relented as well.

Truth be told, this whole thing wasn't up for a vote, not this one decision. Still, things worked better if everyone agreed with the idea of pulling Me-chan into their world, and looking at the way Ken-chin sighed and shook his head, it was clear now that his second in command had finally given up. It was one thing to try and push against Mikey's wishes, but with the priestess so willing to jump in, there was just no way to win this fight.

"Fine, fine." Draken would probably still nag him, but there should be no problems from here on out. "We'll need to be more careful."

"All-captain meeting, this Friday." The short blond nodded.

"Sounds like a plan," Kagome said, putting an end to the topic as she turned to the taller blond. "Now, then…"

A petite hand was extended towards his vice-president, the same expectant motion and overly sweet smile she'd given Baji a few moments ago. As if she hadn't been arguing with him until just now, and this time he wasn't the only one to laugh. In what was likely his smartest move that day, Draken passed his hand to her and let her start proving around. Something told him this would soon become a familiar sight for Toman.

Technically, Me-chan's involvement with the gang was only meant to last until their conflict with Minami was over, but the blond wasn't planning to let it end there. Haruchiyo rarely ever disagreed with what he chose to do, and Pah-chin would likely be confused for a while but agree anyway. His captains' acceptance was all but assured. As for the priestess herself, well if she could handle Baji, then she could handle everyone else. With just a little bit of luck, he wouldn't even have to try and make her stay. Of course, if Me-chan got worried about her reputation, things could get tricky, but he really didn't think that was all that likely. Not when Me-chan seemed to have completely forgotten about the classmates who'd been with her when the gangsters found her. It wouldn't surprise him if in her school too, the priestess likely didn't fit there either. She'd be better off with him. Maybe it was because it seemed like everything was lining up in his favor, but as he leaned back, Mikey could feel himself getting excited.

A/N: Kagome definitely has a bit of a complex with being left behind and treated like a damsel in distress, and of course Mikey picked up on that. Honestly, for as easy going as he's usually shown, he was the only character who figured out by himself that Takemichi knew what was going to happen to Draken, so we know he is observant. Still, his decision not to demand answers from him, makes me think he probably wouldn't ask Kagome for any clarifications. Most of all, he wants to satiate his interest on who she is now, and that kind of end up creating a perfect storm that leads to that first chapter.

I can't say it enough, but thank you guys so much for reading and any and all reviews/comments/criticism is greatly appreciated, they really make my day.