The Pure Heart of A Child

A/N: Nothing at this time.

Disclaimer: Don’t own Inu nor Yu Yu. It’s a harsh reality that I must face every day. *sigh*

The Pure Heart of A Child
Chapter 5: Training

Kagome took a seat and winced a bit when her ankle bounced once more.

“Yukina!” Genkai called out, looking critically over the injury. Hiei looked up as a cerulean haired girl emerged from somewhere in the temple, a smile on her face.

“Hai, Genkai?” she replied, her eyes flickering over the fire apparition momentarily before she kneeled down beside the older woman.

“Could you heal this wound? It’s just a broken ankle, but we can’t have her immobilized right now…she has to be ready to run if the occasion calls for it, and there’s no way she’ll be running on this.” Genkai said, nodding firmly.

Yukina gave the girl a smile and placed her hands over her foot, soft waves of blue emanating from them.

Kagome’s pain was instantly gone, and she moved her foot back and forth, smiling as it moved flawlessly.

“Wow…this is great! Thank you very much, Yukina!” she said, nodding.

She smiled back and said, “It was no trouble. You’re very welcome.”

She went to stand and Kagome stood, holding out a hand as she said, “My name is Kagome, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Yukina looked to her and then her hand a moment before taking it.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you too!” she said, a bright smile on her face. ‘She is a miko…she must know that I am an ice apparition…yet…she isn’t trying to hurt me or anything…’ she thought, her mind trying to figure out this new girl.

“So what did you want to do to get back at the dimwit?” Genkai asked, a smirk on her face. The girl was strong spirited; it would prove to be interesting just how far she could help her take her hidden powers.

“I need a rosary. Do you have one?” she asked, as a look of surprise ran over the woman’s face.

“Of course. Do you know the incantation?” she asked, going to a desk in the room and retrieving a necklace made of brick red beads.

“Hai. Kaede taught me the spell after she had to put one on Inuyasha.” Kagome replied, fighting down the nostalgia that threatened to make her cry.

Everyone looked confused at the two women, and Kuwabara outburst, “What’s that jewelry going to do to Urameshi? Are you gonna dress him up like a girl?” he smirked at the thought.

“No…You’ll just have to wait a see.” Kagome said in a sing song voice as she walked out the front door and followed his aura to a training building.

“Yusuke? Where are you?” she asked, confusion in her voice as she looked around and didn’t see him. ‘Where is he?’ she thought, a little fear creeping into her being.

“What do you want, Higurashi?” his gruff voice bore out, coming out of the shadows.

Kagome jumped at his voice, her aura flaring quickly before settling back down. “Jerk…don’t scare me like that…you had me worried for a sec…” she said, trying to get her heartbeat back under control.

“Why would you be worried?” he yelled back, confusion in his voice.

“Because I didn’t see you! I thought maybe…Naraku…” she stopped that train of thought, and tried to focus on what she came in here to do to begin with.

Silence filled the air around the two, and she almost began shouting again but then his voice caught her attention. “Is he really that bad?” he asked, his voice serious for once.

Kagome sighed before nodding and saying, “Yes…he really is that bad. He toys with peoples emotions, plays with their minds, shatters souls…breaks spirits…takes lives…he is the most evil thing I’ve ever encountered in my life, and I’ve seen some evil things…” she said, her voice softening in silent contemplation.

“So that just means I’ll have to kick it up a notch to defeat him. No big deal.” He said, smirking.

“You heard Koenma when Kouga gave him that attitude! Naraku has changed from the last time I fought him! He has new powers and abilities that I have no clue about. You shouldn’t be so cocky!” she shouted out, fear and anger in her voice.

“You don’t think I can take him?! You’re just a stupid woman who doesn’t know anything about fighting, so just stay out of my way.” He said, glaring at her.

“That’s it! I was thinking of not doing this, but you sound so much like Inuyasha that I’ll just have to do it so I’ll get some peace from your mouth!” she shouted, before chanting softly to herself.

“What are you…?” he questioned, confusion in his voice.

The beads glowed a bright pink before separating and going around Yusuke’s neck.

“What the fuck!? What the hell are you doing, wench?!” he shouted out, looking to the beads in slight fear.

She stopped talking and the beads glowed once more around his neck before stilling, awaiting a word of subjugation.

He pulled up on the beads and they stopped at his head and glowed bright like a strobe light, stopping him from taking them off.

“What the hell?! Take them off! What the hell did you do?! What the fuck is this?!” he cursed loudly, still attempting to take the beads off.

“Rosary beads, and you better get used to them. Now, SIT!” she shouted, as Yusuke plummeted head first into the ground.

He stood up and growled before lunging at her, a look of pure rage on his face. “Sit!” she shouted again, before walking outside the building, just waiting for him to follow her.

He came out, a tinge of red around his eyes. “Take them off now!!” he shouted, before going after her once more.

Narrowing her eyes at him she shouted, “SIT!! Sit, sit, sit, sit, sit!” By this time an audience had gathered around them, and their looks of shock went to looks of amusement in moments. Kuwabara was laughing so hard his eyes were watering, and Kurama stifled his laugh while Hiei smirked once more.

Kouga looked to Kagome and then to Yusuke and said, “You better leave her alone. She’s been known to say it all day with Inuyasha.” He said, laughing.

Kagome glared at Kouga and said, “I have a mind to get another rosary and put it on you, Kouga, so I would be quiet if I were you. I have to train my ‘friend’ here to leave me alone and watch his mouth towards me.” She finished, looking back towards the rising again Yusuke.

He stared her down and said, “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t go ahead and kill you where you stand, bitch.” Yusuke said, anger once more in his voice.

Kagome’s eyes went wide with a slight fear, a scent that didn’t go unnoticed by Hiei, Kurama and Kouga. Then the scent was replaced by deep anger.

“Yusuke…SIT!!” she shouted with so much force that once he hit the ground he was knocked out.

Everyone looked from him, to her, and back to him. She was a real bitch when she wanted to be, but that wasn’t the extent of their thoughts. Kagome’s tears could be smelled even from where she stood as she fell to her knees, sitting on the back of her legs.

“Why…why do I get so upset when they call me names? You would think I would be used to it by now…” she said softly to herself, soft belittlement in her voice.

Kouga took a step towards her, a soft expression on his face. “Kagome…? Are you alright?” he asked gently, not sure if his presence would be helpful or hurtful to her.

“Alright?! Alright?! I’m blubbering like a baby! Of course I’m not alright!” she shouted back to him, a slightly annoyed expression on her face that quickly transformed to one of deep pain and sadness as she cried into her hands.

“Damn it!” she shouted before getting up and racing for the room she just left and slammed the door behind her, hoping to finish her cry in peace.

“Did I mention she’s quite emotional?” Koenma added as an end note, looking to the closed door.

Hiei was shifting uncomfortably. He knew why she was crying. Her thoughts seemed to be just the thing his Jagan looked forward to, and each time he was in contact with her, something new about her life was revealed, this time, it was the fact that the hanyou named Inuyasha had called her names and belittled her for an extended period of time, and when Yusuke began to do it, it reopened the old wounds that she had tried so hard to close and forget.

Kurama looked quizzically from Hiei to the closed door, and sighed. ‘He wants to go in there, yet he doesn’t. Looks like it’ll be up to me. Hopefully she’ll talk to me and I can find out what the hell just happened here.’ The red head thought, sighing.

“Let’s go back inside. She’ll join us when she’s ready.” Genkai said, gesturing everyone to follow her and let the girl cry her peace. ‘She IS very emotional…but I no doubt believe that the past has something to do with it…’ the older woman thought, taking one last look at the building before heading back into her house.

Kurama slipped away from the group and waited until they were all gone before knocking softly.

“Who is it?” a sniffled voice asked, making Kurama wince at the sound.
“Kurama…do you mind if I come in?” he asked, keeping his voice gentle and devoid of any emotion other than concern.

“Kurama? O…okay.” She replied, sniffling once more as she opened the door, letting the sunlight flow through. The red head looked back to see the fire apparition look curiously to him before he darted off into the woods.

“I feel so foolish…” she said softly, as she attempted to wipe a tear away that just resulted in the downpour of fresh ones.

“Why?” Kurama asked, looking to her softly, his heart clenching in his chest. ‘She is so sad…why did she suddenly burst out into tears?’ he asked himself, waiting for her answer.

“Why? Why not? I keep taking everyone’s words and actions to heart. He called me a ‘bitch’ and I thought of Inuyasha and how he told me that I was a bitch…a wench…worthless…ugly…weak…I believe those things, because he had no reason to lie to me. He was honest, a bit brash, but honest.” She said softly, her tears coming down in gentle rivers down her face.

Kurama’s frown deepened and Youko could be heard growling his disapproval. ‘Tell her that Inuyasha is a bastard who didn’t know a thing about being a friend.’ He said, and for once, Kurama complied.

“My counterpart says that Inuyasha is a bastard who didn’t know a thing about being a friend.” He relayed the message, earning a confused look from Kagome.

“Counterpart? Who?” she asked, looking strangely to him.

“Oh, I forgot. You haven’t met Youko yet, have you? You know the demon spirit that shares this body with me?” he said, his heart rate speeding up.

“No…does that mean he can take over your body too?” she asked, her mind off of the belittling comments and now on Kurama.

“It does. If I let him.” He said a little stiffly.

“Does that mean that you don’t let him out often?” she said, her eyes going soft.

“It does.” He said again, uncomfortable at the direction their conversation was going.

“I see. It must be hard for him to watch everything from behind your eyes, and not being able to do anything. But then again, it must be equally hard for you, keeping him contained in there. I suspect he’s your complete opposite, isn’t he?” she smiled gently to him, resting her head on her knees.

“Yes, he is. But…you’re right. It’s hard to keep him locked up, not being allowed out unless we’re in danger.” He said, his voice soft and honest. Inside his mind, Youko was speechless. ‘She understands…she understands how I feel, and she has not even met me…’ his mind was whirling with this new perspective.

“No one has thought about us this way before. They just assume that we are one and the same.” Kurama said, an incredulous look on his face.

“That’s wrong though, because you are Kurama, and Youko is Youko. He is demon, while you are human…he is probably loud, where you are very gentle and soft-spoken. He is most likely like a kitsune should be: a very sexual creature, very proud, and very affectionate, while you are very enclosed, and tend to stay away from people, and take a lot of time to get to know someone before you allow them to see your true self.” She said, looking up into his emerald eyes, her own eyes looking as if they could see all the way into Kurama’s heart, as if she could see into his very soul.

Shock was the only way to describe the look on the avatar’s face, and Youko smiled at the reaction. “No one…has ever…spoken to me like that before…” Kurama said, not able to break the eye contact.

“Sorry…I shouldn’t have butted in…” she said, breaking the eye contact and looking down to her knees once more.

“No, it’s alright. It’s just…no one…has ever taken the time, to get to know us…like that. I’ve only known you for a few hours, and you…” he stopped, unsure of how to continue.

“I want to know about you. And Youko. And Hiei. I want to know all about you. We’re going to be spending some time together, and until Naraku is defeated, I know I’ll be in the constant company of you guys. I already know Kuwabara and Yusuke…” she paused and then added rather stiffly, “…unfortunately.” Then she began in a lighter voice, “But I don’t know hardly anything about you or Hiei. I want to know what you like, what you hate, I guess what I’m saying is…I want to be your friend. Someone you can trust and count on. It’s been awhile, since I’ve actually talked to someone, like this. You and Hiei are the first people…well, demons, that I’ve talked to since I came back from the Feudal Era. Everyone else makes me feel…I don’t know…uncomfortable. I can’t share anything about the past with them…they’d try and lock me up in the loony bin.” She allowed herself a laugh, and even Kurama smiled, and chuckled softly.

“I suppose that’s so.” He said, smiling to her.

“Darn straight! So…when I met Hiei in the park, I couldn’t help it. I trusted him. He was the first person outside of my friends in the past that I told the story to. I was surprised, that he believed me. But I was really happy, too.” She looked up to the roof, sighing softly. “He hates me though.” She finally said, looking down to her knees, a sad expression on her face.

“What makes you think that?” Kurama asked quickly, confusion on his face.

“He’s reserved…I know that. But I get this feeling that he just hates all humans. Not just me. He and you get along alright, but you’re part demon too. I guess he hasn’t had many good experiences with humans, but I can’t help but feel discouraged. I want him to be able to trust me, but he seems like he doesn’t trust that many people. Hell, he doesn’t even trust Koenma, and he’s the leader of the spirit world!” she said, frowning deeply.

“You’re right. He doesn’t trust many people. Think about it…fire and ice…not many people would want to associate with a demon. And especially a demon that could kill them at a glance.” He said, nodding to her. A small smile erupted in his mind. He was actually talking to someone, and they weren’t trying to jump him or kill him…it was really relaxing and peaceful. Kurama found he rather enjoyed Kagome’s company, now that she wasn’t crying.

“But, that’s not fair! Just because he was born like that, doesn’t mean people should condemn him! I mean, Inuyasha was treated like he was the worst thing alive because he was hanyou, but he was really loyal and like everyone else, he did have his faults, but he wasn’t a bad demon. He was just…alone.” She said her last word softly, looking to the floor.

“That’s something Hiei has had to deal with as well. People call him the Forbidden Child. Normally, children born of fire and ice die within days of being born. They kill themselves with the opposing forces, but Hiei survived, and he is constantly in conflict within his own body.” Kurama said, getting her attention once more.

She looked softly to him, pain and sadness evident on her face. “Why are people so cruel?” she asked herself, tears falling down her face once more as she sobbed out softly, “I don’t understand. Just because he’s a demon, just because he’s part ice and part fire, people condemn him. Not all demons are bad, just as not all humans are good. It’s like someone is just out there pushing all the buttons, telling everyone what’s good and what’s bad, who is a good person and who is bad. What is normal and everything abnormal is horrible and supposed to be outcast and feared. I just never understood that…never.” She said, looking away from him as she cried gently.

He looked to her, a strange look on his face. ‘She is so pure…she is a miko…she is supposed to fear all demons and destroy them, yet she befriends them and distinguishes them between good and evil. Good demons from bad demons…this girl is so unique…’ he thought, as Youko smiled and looked to her as well. ‘She is a good person…she is not only pure, but her heart is untainted by any evil desires…she wishes for friendship…she doesn’t want to be told that this demon is bad, or good for that matter. She wants to discover it for herself.’ He said. ‘Everyone has a chance to be her friend, and she gives everyone a chance to be themselves.’

Kagome wiped her tears away once more and said, “Sorry. It seems all you’re getting to see from me are my tears. I guess I am pretty weak, huh?” she smiled weakly, looking away from him.

“Not at all. You care a lot about your friends, don’t you?” he asked, getting a smile from her face as she nodded.

“Yup. I wouldn’t be anywhere without my friends. I would probably be dead right now if I didn’t have my friends to help protect me. That was one thing that pissed me off the most about Inuyasha. I became friends with some guys, and he was a really jealous hanyou who didn’t want me anywhere near another male. He and Kouga were ALWAYS fighting over me, and it was just annoying. That boy didn’t know when to give it up, as you saw earlier today, he still claims me as ‘his’.” She sighed, shaking her head softly while Kurama laughed softly.

“He was very…spirited…about taking care of you.” He said, holding back more laughter.

“Spirited my foot. I wanted to shove it up there, too! I hate it when they just pick me up like that, no warning, no nothing! It annoyed me to no end in the past! For some reason, demons just had a fascination with me, what that was, I have yet to figure out.” She said, becoming more animated in her speech, earning more laughs from Kurama. He hadn’t laughed this much in ages, and it felt good.

“Not funny, Kurama! They would come up behind me and just grab me up, like I was a piece of furniture, and slung me over their backs like a sack of potatoes. Man, I can’t tell you how many times I was embarrassed out of my mind when they did that. You know the school uniform for my school? The skirt was really short, and when they did that, well, lets just say everyone knew what color underwear I wore.” She said stiffly, earning more laughs from him.

“Don’t laugh! It’s not funny!” she mocked, laughing herself. Well, it WAS pretty funny now, thinking back on it.

“Sorry, Kagome, but that just sounds amusing to me.” He said, more laughter escaping.

“You think that was funny, listen to this, when I was still just traveling with Inuyasha, I was bathing in this spring once, and this Nobunaga guy comes up and steals my bra! Well, actually, his monkey stole my bra…” she said blushing, as Kurama burst into laughter.

She narrowed her eyes at him and then pushed him on the shoulder playfully. “The guy thought it was food at first. I can’t tell you how many times stuff like that happened because of the stuff that I took to the past.” She said, smiling now and feeling quite a bit better.

‘Hmm…bras and panties…she IS an interesting girl…’ Youko said, smirking as he conjured up images of Kagome in nothing but her bra and underwear.

‘Stop it, Youko…please?’ he pleaded, his mind trying to block out the images to no avail. ‘Oh, you mean, you’d like something more like this?’ he replied before giving him an image of Kagome wearing nothing. He let out an involuntary moan.

Raising an eyebrow, Kagome looked to him a moment. “Problems?” she asked, confusion on her face.

“It’s just…Youko. He…is having fun…” he stopped, not knowing how she would take the information of the fox’s antics.

“Fun? What kind of fun? What kind of fun can he have inside your mind?” she was even more confused.

“Uhm…mental…fun…” he grimaced at how that sounded as Youko kept his antics up.

“Mental…oh!” she exclaimed, her eye landing on his now growing arousal. She blushed furiously and looked away. “I…see…” she said, her voice becoming choked.

He looked to her and saw her blush, and began blushing himself. “Can he hear me? Like, he can hear our conversation and everything?” she asked, looking to him and taking in his cute blush.

“Uh, sure.” Kurama replied, before Kagome said, “Youko, leave my body out of your fantasies!” she said, smirking softly.

‘What? It’s not like your body won’t be in her fantasies…’ Youko said, making Kurama blush further.

“What did he say?” Kagome asked, somewhat apprehensive at what the kitsune would say.

“Uhm…you sure you want to know?” he asked, looking away from her in embarrassment.

“Sure…I won’t be mad. What did he say? I want to know.” She said, scooting closer to Kurama.

“He said it’s not like my body won’t be in your fantasies.” He said, looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment.

“Oh he did, did he? Well, Youko, I can’t say that you’d be lying…” she froze, her own words echoing her head. ‘Why did I just say that!!? Oh my kami!!’ she turned quickly from him, her heartbeat picking up speed and her face turning as red as a tomato.

Kurama repeated the words in his head a good five times before deciding that one: she did say that, and two: that particular knowledge was making him feel wonderful.

“Sorry…uhm…oh kami…” she tried to apologize, her face beet red now.

“It’s alright. You know, I rather like the fact that you’ve admitted that.” Kurama said, smiling at her obvious embarrassment.

“I’m sure you do.” She said sarcastically, her face hidden in her hands.

“No, really. It’s the first time a girl has been honest with me.” He said, smiling.

Confusion replaced her embarrassment and she looked quizzically to him. “What?” she had to ask.

“In high school there were a bunch of girls who started a fan club…” he said, looking away, him being the one now embarrassed.

“You’re kidding, right? That’s hilarious!” she said, laughing openly now.

“It’s not! The girls would turn to a puddle at my feet, none of them were interested in me, just how I looked. It was unnerving.” He said softly, looking down.

Kagome placed a hand on his leg. “Hey, I’m sorry. I never thought about it like that. Sure, you’re really hot, but I don’t think looks are everything.” She said, her blush coming back somewhat.

He chuckled softly and smiled. “That means a lot to me, Kagome. That, and you don’t get offended by Youko’s antics is a plus too.” He said, laughing again.

“He must be fun at parties.” She said, laughing.

Youko smiled at his counterpart. He had never seen him this happy before in his life. He wasn’t alone, and this girl didn’t care that he had another part to him, just that he was nice, and he wanted a friend.

Their eyes met and silence filled the air once more. “You know…this was really nice. Talking to you. I don’t imagine you get a lot of time to talk to people, you know, with your job and everything.” Kagome said honestly, scooting even closer to the kitsune and resting her head on his shoulder. He looked a little shocked at first before relaxing. Her weight was peaceful against his body. Her content sigh reached his ears and he smiled to himself.

“You’re right, but the same thing could be said for you. You had to go back and forth to the past for four years; I can’t imagine you got to meet many people that you could keep relationships with.” He said, earning another sad smile from her.

“You’re right there.” She said softly, relaxing further against him.

Contentment washed over them, their heartbeats becoming one as they relaxed against one another. Kurama rested his head on hers, becoming more comfortable.

“You’re really squishy, you know that?” she said suddenly, giggling as his hair tickled her forehead.

“Squishy?” he questioned, his eyes wide and the funniest expression on his face. She laughed out loud and raised her head to look him in the eyes.

“Yes, SQUISHY…you heard me, Kurama.” She said, grinning from ear to ear at him. “And I shall call you squishy and you shall be my squishy.” She said in a little kid voice, earning a laugh from Kurama before he said with a raised eyebrow, “Your squishy?”

She blushed but didn’t break eye contact with him. “Does that mean that you can be MY squishy?” he asked, with the cutest grin on his face, as he smiled at her blush.

“Sure…we’ll be each other’s squishy’s.” she said. A silent moment passed before each burst out laughing.

“That was the funniest word I’ve ever heard in my life!” she laughed out, tears streaming down her face. Kurama’s thoughts weren’t far away from that mark.

It felt so good to laugh, and Youko couldn’t have been happier for his counterpart. ‘You’re happy, Red. She makes you feel special.’ He said, interrupting the laughter.

‘So what? She’s funny, she doesn’t care that there are two of us, she thinks about others feelings, and she doesn’t turn to mush when I look at her. She can carry on a coherent conversation with me…’ he stopped. ‘Kami Youko! I’m…I think I’m…’ he couldn’t put it into words as Youko busted up laughing.

‘You’re falling hard and fast for the little miko, Red. I can’t say as I blame you, either. She is quite a creature.’ He said, this time his mind completely devoid of hentai thoughts.

Kagome finished laughing and got to her feet, extending at hand to the red head. “Let’s get back inside. It’s probably dinner time by now. I’ll cook up something for us.” She said, smiling.

“I’ll help.” He said, taking her hand and getting up.

“You cook?” she asked, interest in her voice.

“A little.” He said, smiling.

“By that you mean a lot, considering there is no guy I know that just cooks ‘a little’. They either cook really good or they don’t cook at all.” She said, nodding. Kurama laughed again as he slid the door open, following her outside to the main house.

“I suppose you’re right.” He said, before his eyes found Hiei’s. The fire apparition looked interested to say the least. ‘At least she isn’t crying anymore…’ he thought to himself as he blended with the shadows once more and followed them towards their destination.

She paused and looked to the Yusuke shaped crater in the ground and winced to herself. “Do you think I over did it just a little bit?” she asked softly, regret tinged in her voice.

He saw what she was looking at and frowned. “He shouldn’t have called you names like that. No one deserves to be degraded like that.” He said, nodding firmly.

She nodded back softly, and then stopped in her tracks, looking to where Hiei just was. “Did you feel Hiei just a second ago?” she asked, puzzlement on her face.

“He just returned from the forest, I think. Don’t worry, he’ll be around.” He said, smiling. ‘She even felt Hiei and he was masking his power and everything…she is quite the creature…’ Youko said again, smiling at her.

She shrugged her shoulders and walked forward, a new spring in her step.

~*~


A/N: Please R/R!

A/N: Thank you all for feeding my muse. It has been a bit since I updated, and for that I beg forgiveness. I haven’t had a lot of time to get on here, though I do have three more chapters of this story typed up. My other story will be updated soon, if you’re a reader of my other ficcy.

A/N: Next chapter. Miasmic Darkness