32Disclaimer: I don't own Saiyuki or InuYasha
AN: Sorry for the lack of updates lately. I don't have internet anymore and I don't really have access to any computers with it. Hopefully that will change next month and I will update Untitled, Get Back the Shikon no Tama, and Healing the Heartache.
Also I've noticed my mistakes in chapter two and three and I have fixed them, sorry about that.
Last Time"Yes, I don't believe that we should overly concern ourselves with Kagome's welfare. She has been out on her own before, and she knows how to survive." Miroku spoke up, placing his arms around Kikyo and Sango.
Nodding her head, Kikyo shrugged Sango and Miroku's arm off, and thanked them. Taking a glance on the only member of their group who has yet to speak, Kikyo watched as Rin tried to soothe a distraught Shippo.
Though Kagome was her sister, Shippo had been with Kagome the longest. And he was also taking her absence the hardest.
Kagome slowly began to awake due to the throbbing coming from her side. Confused, it only took a second for the memory of last night to come rushing back to her, but that still did not explain where she was. Muttering a small prayer, the wound was soon healed.
Looking around, Kagome was surprised to see the people the monk from the restaurant. Studying his face she let out a small gasp. There, curled up in the corner sleeping, was Kouryuu, she was positive of it.
Quietly, Kagome made her way towards him. Kneeling down, so that she was face to face with him, she was tempted to touch his face.
Knowing that he was a light sleeper, Kagome decided against it. Standing back up, she decided that it would be best if she left now. She did not want a repeat of last time.
With one final look back around the room, Kagome took off, careful not to wake him. Unaware that someone had seen her sneak out of his room.
Stepping outside, she looked to the sky to determine the time of day. Realizing that there was only an hour or two until sunrise, Kagome set off, not quite sure where she was going.
"Hey where are you going?" A voice called out, hopping to stop her.
Coming to a halt, Kagome spun around to face the owner of the voice. Recognizing the short, brown haired boy, she slowly began to approach him.
"Why'd you leave? It's dangerous to be out here all alone. Come on let's go back to the inn and get some food." Goku spoke, wondering why she was out here.
Hesitating, Kagome took a second to consider his offer. But before she could come to a decision, Kagome felt the presence of an all too familiar demon.
About to act, she suddenly came to a stop when a sultry voice began to speak. "Well look what we have here. A mute miko and a chimp. Don't tell me that your pathetic friends finally decided to ditch you." She taunted.
Glaring, Kagome made no move to reply, instead she just prepared for an attach she was certain to come. Goku following her lead, not liking the look of the new comers before him.
They didn't have to wait long, for they were soon surrounded.
Chapter Four
Flashback
"Kouryuu! Kouryuu!" A miniature version of Kagome called out, seeking a certain blond apprentice monk.
"What do you want?" Kouryuu replied grumpily from his spot under a huge tree carefully shaded from the sun.
It had been two weeks since she and Priestess Midoriko had first arrived here. Kagome could only remember bits and pieces of her past so Midoriko had decided to stay here until she got her memory back.
She was a little annoying at times with all of her questions, but in the time she had been here, Kagome had already declared him her best friend. And to be honest he sort of liked that, not that he would ever admit it to anyone.
"I have an older sister and she's alive." Kagome spoke excitedly, sitting herself beside him.
Now this caught Kouryuu's attention. The day after Kagome had awoken, Midoriko had told them that the place where they had found her had burned down and that she was orphan like himself.
"I thought Midoriko said your family had all been caught in the fire?"
"I thought so too, but lately I've been having these weird dreams. And when I woke up this morning I remembered someone looking sort of like the older version of myself, but more serious." Kagome answered, looking hopeful that she was not the last of her clan.
"Really, do you remember her name?" He asked, appearing to be bored though on the inside he was actually very curious.
As soon as he had asked that, Kagome's hopeful façade was replaced with a depressed one, "I… I don't remember." She stuttered.
Feeling guilty, Kouryuu replied not quite sure what to do, "I'm sure that in time you'll remember."
Smiling at his words, Kagome leaned her head against his shoulder and in a matter of seconds, she was asleep.
Tensing up for a moment, Kouryuu soon began to relax. He was not used to people being so close to his person. And soon he too fell into a light sleep.
End Flashback
Sanzo woke with a start. Sensing that something was amiss, he took a look around the room. He was surprised to see that Kagome were no longer in the room.
Getting up, he quickly went to wake Hakkai, Goku and Gojyo. Only to find that Goku was also missing.
"Who was that women?" Goku asked in between blows.
So far only the lowered level demons had started to swarm them. But by the time they finished with them, they'd be too exhausted to deal with the stronger demons standing on the sidelines, baiting their time for when they could join in on the fight.
Sparing a swift glance towards the short brunette, Kagome ignored his question and instead chose to block an attack at a demon that had managed to sneak up on him.
Muttering a small thanks, Goku forced his concentration on the youkai surrounding them. He struck demon after demon with his Nyoi-Bo, making sure to keep an eye on Kagome from the corner of his eye.
Fully engrossed in the fight, he was surprised to see that all the demons were beginning to back away. Turning towards Kagome to question her, Goku saw her mouthing something as she began to glow a light pink.
Soon the pinkish glow started to become lighter and lighter, and before long Goku had to shield his eyes from the immense light radiating off of her. As he looked away, the light seemed to have started to spread throughout the clearing, killing any demon in its path.
The light sizzled his skin but Goku paid it no mind, instead choosing to look back at Kagome when the light had finally died down.
Flashing him a brilliant smile, Kagome collapsed in a heap from exhaustion.
Rushing to her side, Goku saw that she was still awake though breathing really heavy. Helping her up, he instructed her to hold on tightly as he let her climb up on his back.
"Hey, are you okay?" He questioned her. The only response he got out of her was a nod of her head.
"Well it seems the little miko had finally worn herself out. Now all we have left is the monkey to play with and then it's time to eat." The strongest of the demons that was left spoke, grinning eerily down at Goku, eying the priestess on his back. It seemed that Kagome had managed to kill all the weaker demons and a few of the stronger ones, but they were still out numbered.
Gritting his teeth, Goku was about to reply when someone beat him to it. "Hey we are the only ones allowed to pick on Goku here and only we have the special privilege to call him monkey." A masculine voice called out, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Did you guys feel that?" Rin spoke, suddenly stopping in her tracks, the others doing the same.
Allowing a brief moment of silence to pass over their group, Shippo was the one to finally break the quiet, speaking for the first time in days, "Well, what are we standing around here for? Let's go, that was definitely Kagome's energy signature." With that being said, they all rushed into the direction they sensed Kagome.
They weren't running long, in a matter of seconds their small group had come upon a startling sight. In the distance they saw Kagome being carried on the back of the short, monkey demon they had met the other day, as his friends fought against a horde of demons.
In no time Kikyo and the others had made their way down towards the battle. Helping take down a demon that Goku was having trouble with, she sent a rare smile his way, more for Kagome's benefit, and went on killing demons. But not after telling Goku to set Kagome down a ways away from the battle.
Kagura being the first to spot them quickly retreated. She had, had her orders, and she followed them just like he said. What need was there for her to risk her neck in a losing battle that she wanted nothing to do with?
With a wave of her hand, Kagura was up in the sky on her huge feather. One last glance back, she sent a farewell gift upon an unsuspecting Sanzo.
Kagome was the only one to see the wind blades heading for Sanzo's back as he was busy dealing with several stubborn youkai who refused to die. Trying to warn Goku about the attack, but she was unable to gain his attention as he was too occupied with killing demons.
Getting up, Kagome ran past Sango and Gojyo who both hadn't noticed her. Reaching Sanzo, Kagome used the last of what little strength she had to put up a light pink barrier, successfully blocking the attack. Turning around, Sanzo barely caught Kagome as she began to fall to the ground out of pure exhaustion.
Looking into his violet eyes, Kagome barely managed to whisper, "Kouryuu." Before slipping into a deep slumber.
"We don't have to tell you guys anything." A soft voice snapped.
"Hey we helped y'all out, the least you could do is answer our questions!" A baritone voice angrily replied.
"You only helped because your little monkey got involved!" She retorted, only to have a more childish voice yell in protest to her comment.
Groaning, Kagome's groggy mind attempted to block out the yelling going on around her. She faintly recognized the voices, but her mind was in a complete haze and the shouting wasn't helping any. Opening her eyes, she watched as her sister argued with the half demon while everybody watched.
"Hey the chimp was only trying to help your sister. You should be a little more grateful that he even bothered at all!" Gojyo continued to shout.
"That monkey should have just minded his own business like you should." Kikyo icily shot back.
"I have a name you know!" Goku cried out, tired of being called monkey.
"Gojyo, Kikyo why don't both of y'all take this outside? Can't you see that Kagome is trying to rest? Do you want to wake her up?" Sango spoke, irritated at all the commotion they were causing.
"It's too late for that." Shippo's voice rang out, having spotted Kagome watching the argument.
"Kagome you're awake." Rin and Sango both said together, going to her bedside, Kikyo following behind them.
"Now that she's finally awake can we get some answers?" Gojyo gruffly inquired.
"Calm down Gojyo patience is a virtue." Hakkai spoke, trying to calm the water kappa.
"Well I'm not a virtuous person Hakkai." He bit back.
Snorting, Kikyo commented, "Well that's for damn sure."
Growling, Gojyo was about to reply when Rin spoke first, "Kikyo behave. They did help up after all, and maybe we should tell them the nature of our journey."
"Fine, but only if they tell us theirs." Kikyo reluctantly agreed.
"Deal." Sanzo verified keeping his eyes transfixed on Kagome. He was actually very curious as to what had happened to her over the years since they had each gone their separate ways. One thing he knew for was that she had definitely changed. Her eyes seemed sadder, and it surprised him that she really hadn't said a word yet.
Smiling, Miroku asked, "So who wants to go first?" HH
TBC