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Chapter Eighteen
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Yusuke frowned at the stubborn metal contraption before him.
The stupid locker just didn't want to open. It didn't matter how many
times he spun the dial, or how many combinations he tried, the door
remained locked and shut.
Worried brown eyes stole a glance at the young woman currently
rummaging through her own locker for her first period books. At least Keiko
hadn't noticed his lack of success.
Maybe if he just played it cool she wouldn't even notice that he
didn't have his books, saving his tender skull from the wrath of Keiko
which would undoubtedly come in the form of History and Literature
textbooks.
He knew there was a reason he disliked those classes more than
normal.
Keiko's locker closed with a resounding metal clash. It was the bell
that rang in churches on funerals.
It was the sound of his doom.
Bowing his head quickly, Yusuke began to diligently twirl his dial,
making it look like he knew what he was doing. His eyes however were
anywhere but on the numbers. The panicked orbs were darting around,
searching frantically for the familiar scarlet haired savior while at the
same time watching Keiko to see when she would turn and come this way.
No scarlet.
Keiko turned.
With speed that would make Hiei proud, Yusuke twisted so that his
back was against the locker and quickly leaned against it in a relaxed calm
manner. An indifferent mask fell over his face as he whistled an innocent
diddy.
Was it obvious that he was biting the insides of his cheek in
anxiety?
Could Keiko see the almost invisible sweat beads that were forming on
his head?
Did she know what was wrong?
Hmph! Was the earth round?! Did the sun shine?! Was Kurama going to
be so dead if Yusuke survived this morning for not showing up?!
DUH!
Groaning inwardly Yusuke found himself asking an all to frequent
question in his life.
'Why me?'
"Hey Yusuke!"
Keiko's happy greeting snapped the spirit detective out of his self
pity. Smiling nervously and lopsided he turned his head to face her.
"Uh, hey there Keiko."
The brunette in front of him eyed him curiously. Yusuke silently
prayed to every and any kami he could remember for help.
Unfortunately, there weren't many. So instead he mentally vowed not
to call Koenma toddler.
At least for a few hours.
"Are you okay Yusuke?" Keiko asked with genuine concern as she leaned
forward to place her hand on his head. The boy in front of her was sweating
and pale.
"Uh, What? Oh yeah, I'm, uh, just fine. Really."
Keiko's hand stopped inches away from his head as she eyed him
dubiously. A delicate brow arched in an unconvinced manner.
Yusuke, the spirit detective and legendary fighter of Sarayashiki
High, slayer of demons and saver of the ningenkai on more than one
occasion, could practically feel his knees shaking under the studious gaze
that Keiko was giving him.
'THINK THINK!' His mind screamed. He needed a distraction! Something!
Anything! He just needed one before Keiko noticed that not only did he not
have any books, but he had no idea what his locker combination was!
Then she would know that he hadn't known it yesterday either.
Or the day before.
Or before that.
And then she would be really mad!
'Where the hell are you Kurama!?!'
Kurama.
That's it!
"Hey, uh, Keiko, have you seen Suuichi at all today?" Yusuke asked,
forcing his tense muscles to relax and his voice to remain smooth.
Previous questions that had been on the tip of her tongue forgotten,
Keiko stared confused for a moment before a perplexed frown crossed her
features.
"No I haven't. And I haven't seen Kagome today either!" She said,
looking up at Yusuke in surprise as she realized that the new student with
whom she had been becoming good friends with was absent as well as the,
'Never been sick a day in his life, always shows up on time,' Suuichi
Minamino.
"I wonder where they are?"
So absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice Yusuke had snuck
away until the bell rang for class. But notice she did.
"YUSUKE!"
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Suuichi lay on his bed, his arms folded underneath the back of his
head as he stared up at the ceiling.
Hiei had left the night before, shortly after their discussion. The
jaganashi had not wanted to spend the night in the, "Filthy ningen world."
Tired himself, Kurama had gone to bed only minutes after the koorime left,
eager anticipation lurking in the back of his mind for the next dream.
That morning he had been oddly disappointed.
Youko was just off wandering on his own. He had left Inuyasha's
forest and the village and was just roaming the feudal country side, once
again searching for something.
Shards to the Shikon Jewel.
The motives of his kitsune self had been unclear. Ever since Kagome
had revealed her secret to Youko, and the fact that he had a future
reincarnation in contact with her, the silver fox had become guarded.
Almost paranoid.
The emotions that once flowed so freely through the dream connection
were now filtered. And Suuichi no longer knew what the fox was thinking.
The present day Youko Kurama was also deciding to be difficult, apparently
still holding a grudge that Kagome had been attacked whether it not it was
intentional. He also seemed to enjoy having the information to hold over
Suuichi's head.
Stupid fox.
'I heard that.' A familiar silky voice teased in his head.
'I know.' Suuichi answered just as smoothly.
Knowing that Kagome was still the feudal era, and therefore wouldn't
be in school, Suuichi had merely told his mother that he wasn't feeling
well. Shiori had immediately insisted that he stay home and after
apologizing profusely for not being able to stay home with him, had brought
him up some soup.
Suuichi recalled the days when he was younger, when Youko had firmly
intended to leave the human body once his power was returned. With their
two souls bound so closely together so that they were all but one entity,
it would have meant the death of Suuichi Minamino's body, if not his soul
as well.
But the determined silver fox's mind had changed the fateful day
when, when he had dropped the plate and was doomed to fall from the stool
on which he stood to retrieve the dish in the first place and fall back
first onto the broken shards of porclein, Shiori had run and placed her
arms underneath him. Catching him, protecting him, and sacrificing her own
flesh to the viscious sharp edges that littered the floor.
Her arms were still scarred.
That day, Youko had known for the first time how it felt to be loved.
Really loved.
And he had stayed.
And Shiori, still unknowing of the presence of legendary and feared
demon Youko Kurama lurking in the back of her human son's, Suuichi's, mind,
continued to care for him. Sincere genuine love pouring from her like a
waterfall, and both souls gratefully drinking it up.
That lead to why Suuichi was currently lying on his back, staring at
the ceiling. He was feeling guilty for lying to his mother. Now she would
probably spend all day worrying about him as he once had for her when she
was sick.
Even Youko felt a few pricks of conscience at the act.
The only comfort that Suuichi could offer himself at the moment was
that he hadn't actually lied. He had only said that he didn't feel up to
going to school.
And in reality he didn't.
But could he really tell his mother that he wanted to stay home
because he had some puzzles to work out about a time traveling miko from
the present day who was associating with his demon half, Youko Kurama, back
in feudal Japan while attending school with him, Suuichi, unwittingly
capturing both their hearts while at the same time presenting herself as an
iminent danger because she was altering the past?
Yeah.
Right.
'You could try telling her.' Youko insisted. 'Your mother seems to be
a very level person. She might get used to it.'
'And are you willing to take that chance that she won't?'
'...'
'That's what I thought.'
Kurama sighed. It was going to be a long day.
'Now, let's get back to Kagome.'
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Inuyasha's eyes were closed as he leaned his back against the Go-
Shinboku, once again sitting on his favorite branch.
It seemed that the silver fox really was gone. At least temporarily
as Kagome had informed them. The hanyou couldn't help but feel a little
jealous at the forlon look that had come into her eyes as the miko told
them of Youko's promise to return.
It was like she missed him already.
The little green monster inside Inuyasha was enraged. Jumping up and
down with fists barreled it threw a tantrum, demanding to know just how
Kagome could be showing such affection for this strange kitsune already
when just a couple weeks ago she had been desperately in love with
Inuyasha.
Had she really just discarded him like that when someone new of
interest came into her life? Was her love of him really so worthless?
Inuyasha's ears flatted against his head in a sad manner as he tried
to squelch the raging jealousy inside of him. He knew that Kagome did in
fact still love him. But the silver fox was slowing gaining high favor in
her heart as well.
Right now though, Youko was only at the status of friend. A friend
such as Sango or Miroku except physical attraction could be thrown in as
well.
But Kagome didn't yet feel the love for the youkai that she felt for
Inuyasha.
But she was still beginning to love Youko.
Wasn't that what Inuyasha had wanted?
For her to find a replacement for him in her heart so that he woudn't
hurt her when he went to hell with Kikyo? Inuyasha knew what he felt for
Kagome was true love. And true love meant that he would always love her, no
matter what.
It meant that he would always protect her, at least as long as he
could.
He would die for her.
But most of all, he would do everything he could to make her happy.
Even if it was sacrificing his own happiness that came from that fact
that she loved him as he loved her so that she could be with another.
That's how things had to be.
Inuyasha scowled. Youko sure as hell better love Kagome just as much
as he did. Because if that fox didn't, the hanyou would come back from hell
to kick his ass!
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Cold, calculating crimson eyes watched the shrine, noting every
movement of every animal, every visitor, every inhabitant that took place.
Their vigilant gaze paid special attention to the wellhouse over on the far
side of the yard.
The well house near the God Tree, in which he was currently sitting.
The well house that linked a feudal era with the modern time.
The well house that the mysterious miko Kagome and her hanyou friend
would return from....
And when they came, Hiei wanted to be ready.
The jaganashi's legs were stiff, he had been standing on the same
branch, all day. Never moving so much as an inch in case he should miss
something. But now the afternoon was fading into evening, and still there
was no show.
Kurama would probably want to speak with him soon. Then he would have
to leave.
They had made a deal that Hiei would visit his house every night, and
Suuichi would fill him in on any and all new revelations that occured
during the day. Then they would try to analyze it together, slowly putting
together a puzzle that was just growing more and more complex by the day.
Not for the first time that day Hiei allowed himself to shake his
head lightly as he wondered why he had ever gotten involved. Just a few
years ago there was no way that he would have ever helped someone out like
this.
Or shown such interest in their safety.
It appeared that, maybe, he had changed a bit since the day that he
met Kurama, Yusuke and the...other...member of the Reikai tantei.
He knew he had a reason for being a loner.
Distant chatter from the streets drew the koorime's attention. His
head snapped in that direction, Jagan eye already searching for the
interruption. It was a few school girls walking past the shrine.
The ningen's school was out.
He would have to leave soon or else Kurama would become suspicious.
Hiei wasn't sure that he wanted the fox to know that during the day he was
staking out the miko's home and watching, waiting, for her return.
Baka Youko had to go and leave the miko's group in the past for a
while didn't he? Had he not, then Kurama would be able to tell when the
miko was coming home before she even left.
But no.
Youko had to run away, promising to return at a later date. And now
he was doing kami knows what.
And Hiei was stuck with the voluntary mission to wait for this
Kagome's return.
He glanced over his shoulder at the lowering sun. It was getting
late. Kurama would be home by now. And most likely he would be expecting
Hiei to show up soon as well.
Hiei sent out one last mental probe with his Jagan eye, skimming the
thoughts of the ningens that he believed to be Kagome's family for any
possible new information before he had to go.
No luck.
The old man was gloating to himself about his legends, appartently
some unsuspecting person had asked to hear them. And actually heard the old
coot out.
The boy was playing a video game and had little attention to spare
for anything else.
And the woman...She was thinking about so many things at once it was
almost impossible for Hiei to filter through them. What to make for supper,
Souta's next soccer game, grocery shopping, paperwork for her job, cleaning
the kitchen, folding the laundry, buying more first aid supplies, stocking
up on ramen.
But the last thought that Hiei caught was of slight interest.
'Where is Kagome?'
His eyes widened immperceptibly as he picked up on it. Her mother, or
at least he suspected it was the miko's mother, was worried. She didn't
know where her daughter was.
Did that mean that she didn't know that Kagome was travelling through
time?
It was an interesting bit of information and Hiei stored it for later
reference before, with a powerful thrust, he leapt off of the tree branch
and vanished, a black blur, into the evening.
About a half hour later, a soft blue glow eminated from the beneath
the well house door.
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Kagome grabbed her bag and heaved it onto her shoulders before
turning with a smile and open arms to face Shippo. Needing no more urging
the kit flung himself into her embrace with such force that she rocked on
her heels for a moment despite the fact that she had braced herself well
for impact.
"Bye Shippo. I'll be back this weeked and I promise I'll bring you
some more crayons and chocolate." The young woman promised as she squeezed
him gently before putting him down and ruffling his hair affectionately.
"Bye-bye Kagome." Shippo replied, flashing her his biggest puppy dog
eyes to assure her that he would miss her. And he would hold her to her
promise.
Kagome smiled once more before waving to Miroku, Sango, and Kaede.
Then she turned to face an impatient Inuyasha who was hovering over the
doorway, obviously more than ready to leave.
"Feh, are you finally ready wench?" He demanded, a barely visible
curt nod in the direction of his companions the only good-bye that he gave
them before bending his knees so that Kagome could get on his back.
Kagome just rolled her eyes and shook her head gently before climbing
onto Inuyasha's back. Not a second later they were racing across the
village, a red, silver, green , and yellow blur to any who witnessed. As if
it were second nature the villagers found themself stepping out of the way
for the hanyou to pass uninterrupted, not sending a second glance in his
direction.
In no time at all they had reached the clearing with the well.
Inuyasha stopped abruptly and slid Kagome off of his back. She glanced at
him curiously but he didn't notice, he was already striding towards the
well, his head and ears twisting in every direction as his senses scanned
the area, listening, looking, and smelling for anything that might be off.
Shrugging Kagome just followed him to the well.
"What are you doing that for?" She asked softly when she reached him,
his behavior causing her to be mildly concerned. He was crouched on the
ground, sniffing diligently all around the well.
Scenting her concern Inuyasha's amber eyes turned up to meet her
sapphire orbs. "You don't need to worry." He told her gruffly. "I'm just
trying to make sure that there's no one waiting for us on the other side of
the well."
Kagome didn't attempt to hide the surprise that she was feeling.
"You can smell things on the other side of the well when you're over
here?"
Inuyasha nodded slowly. "Sometimes. I could smell your blood on your
brother's hand when the Noh mask was after you didn't I?"
"Um, yeah." Kagome admitted after brief thought. "So can you smell
anything right now?"
"No." The hanyou sighed. He really wished he could though. Going
though the well right now was blind. With those ningens and demons over
there, it was actually dangerous.
They had no idea what would be waiting for them on the other side.
But there was nothing else they could do about that. Kagome needed to
go back to her time. With Inuyasha nearby to watch over her she would go to
her school. There she could confront the ones that attacked her and find
out what was going on if possible.
Normally Inuyasha would be against it all. But he couldn't help but
think back to the fight that occured that day. The one that was Youko in
the future, he had protected Inuyasha from the little dark demon's attack.
And the two ningens. They had been surprised when Kagome had shown up. They
hadn't tried to hurt her at all.
As long as that spiky haired demon wasn't there, the inu felt that
Kagome would be safe.
And if he was...
Well then, Inuyasha would be right nearby to make sure that Kagome
was protected.
It would work out.
It had too.
"Well, let's go." He finally said. And with those words, he wrapped
an arm around Kagome's waist and together they leapt into the well.