The Pure Heart of A Child

A/N: Sorry for the long awaited update. School has been a pain and I haven't had much time to write. Hope you all enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don’t own anything!! *sob*

The Pure Heart of A Child
Chapter 6: Training Part 2


Kagome raided the kitchen alongside Kurama and they got out random ingredients to make something unknown.

“So what should we make? There’s a lot of people here, so it’ll have to be a big dish.” Kagome asked, looking to the red head as he chopped up some tomatoes.

“How about…spaghetti? It doesn’t take that long to make, and we can make a large quantity of it relatively easily.” He replied, smiling.

“Sounds like a plan, Kurama! You really are perfect, aren’t you?” she asked, smirking at his blush. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, my dear Kagome.” He said, getting into the playful banter.

“Sure you don’t, kitsune.” She replied, slyly smiling back at him before tossing him some more tomatoes.

“You two should get a room.” Yusuke grumbled, coming into the kitchen. Kagome frowned and instinctively stepped behind Kurama, a fact that didn’t go unnoticed by the kitsune.

‘She trusts you, Red.’ Youko said immediately, looking to Yusuke. ‘I see that…what’s he doing in here?’ Kurama asked before looking at the expression on Kagome’s face. It was a mix between regret, sadness, and fear.

“Uhm…Yusuke?” Kagome’s soft voice questioned hesitantly, her eyes becoming glued to the floor.

“What do you want, Higurashi?” he snapped, glaring at her.

“I…I’m sorry about earlier.” She said, her eyes still not leaving the floor.

“Is that supposed to do something for me? You thoroughly humiliated me in front of everyone, not to mention knocking me out for a couple of hours…you’re lucky I haven’t killed you yet.” He said darkly, making the scent of her fear increase.

Kurama’s eyes narrowed as he looked deep into his teammate’s eyes. “She apologized, Yusuke, you should let it go. You know as well as I do that you helped instigate this from the very moment you two met.” He said, suppressing a growl that Youko so desperately wanted to come out.

“So you’re taking her side, Kurama? Fucking great. Now you are too. First Hiei, now you, I might as well take on this bastard by myself, as I obviously am not going to have any help from you two. You two are going to have your noses stuck so far up HER ass that you won’t have the time nor effort to defeat the demon.” He spat out, glaring at Kagome, who was now crying as she rested her head against Kurama’s back. He could feel her tears seep through the thin material, and all he wanted to do was to turn around and comfort her, but he would not turn his back on Yusuke…the detective was unpredictable at the moment, and he would not risk putting Kagome in danger.

Suddenly the energy in the room snapped, and Yusuke jumped up, intent on getting to Kagome, who on impulse shouted, “SIT!”

Yusuke crashed into the table, breaking it in two and causing the rest of the team to come out of the living room and into the kitchen.

Yusuke wasn’t down for more than two seconds so Kagome shouted, “SIT!” again, her voice choking up with fear. Hiei jumped in front of Kurama, his aura flaring and anger radiating from him.

“I’ve had about enough, detective. Why is it that you think that Kagome is a threat?” Hiei ground out, trying to keep his demonic self under control.

“Dimwit! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Genkai shouted out, anger in her voice.

“She’s my problem! She’s got the two best members of our team wrapped around her little finger, and she’s acting all miss high and mighty! It’s like nothing else matters when she’s concerned. Even the toddler is bending to her will, bringing her here so she can get trained by you! What next? We die just so she can live to protect some damn jewel?!” he shouted, his eyes bleeding red, as he went to charge again.

“SIT!” Kagome shouted again, her chest heaving painfully. She was on the verge of hyperventilating, and she felt lightheaded. Kurama turned around to her and pulled her into a calming embrace, hoping to ease her fear enough to get her to breathe properly.

Her powers were flaring uncontrollably, and Kurama had to let go, as the power attacked the first demon it felt, being the kitsune. She backed up away from him, her eyes still on Yusuke as he stood once more.

“Yusuke, stop! It’s Kagome!” Kuwabara shouted, his hand glowing subconsciously.

“Yusuke! What in the hell do you think you’re doing! You’re supposed to protect her, not kill her!!” Koenma shouted, anger in his voice.

“Shut up, Toddler! This is none of your business! It’s between me and the miko bitch!” he shouted, glaring at her retreating form.

Kagome took one look into his eyes and frowned. There was nothing in them, it was as if…

“He’s being controlled…someone is controlling him!!” Kagome shouted out, getting everyone’s attention.

He growled primitively and charged her once more, but this time, she let him come. He came within her body’s barrier and stopped, his face contorting into a gruesome image that had Kagome flinch in fear. She concentrated harder on her power that was being fueled by her fear and pressed harder on him, pushing her power through him, and pushing out a dark, cloud like aura that she had seen before…the same aura that made her want to give up…the aura that Hiei had defeated by telling her she wasn’t alone.

Yusuke’s face went soft and he slumped to the ground, his body twitching gently. Kagome fell to her knees, relief and tears racing across her face.

Kurama leaned down beside her quickly and brought her into a comforting embrace, now safe that she wouldn’t purify him accidentally.

“You okay, Kagome?” he asked, looking to her worriedly. After a few moments, she gathered her strength and said, “I’ll be just fine, squishy. But maybe you should check on Yusuke?” she said, earning a small smile from the kitsune.

“Okay, squishy.” He replied, earning a smile from her as well. Hiei and everyone else were lost on the joke, making the two actually laugh. Kagome stood and looked to the black haired boy and leaned down beside him, earning a growl from Hiei. He didn’t quite trust the detective just yet, even though he had seen the darkness come from the boy’s body.

She placed a hand to him, and a little more black mist came from his body. “It’s almost as if…I’m purifying it from him…” she said softly to herself, as the darkness was surrounded by her aura once more and destroyed.

He moaned and stirred, making Kagome jump back. “Kagome…what’s going on?” he questioned, getting up from the floor.

“Don’t you remember anything that happened, Yusuke?” she asked softly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“We were at your house…then…I don’t remember what happened after that wolf showed up…” he said, shaking his head in frustration.

Kagome looked to Kouga fearfully, her eyes widening. Hiei instantly stepped in front of her with Kurama right beside him.

“Kouga…kun?” she questioned, as a malicious glint appeared in the wolf prince’s eyes.

”I was wondering when you would figure it out, Kagome.” Then he jumped for her, but got pushed back by Hiei’s blade. He knew something was up with this wolf when he hurt Kagome in the first place.

Genkai got into fighting position with Kuwabara in front of Yukina, protecting her from the fight. Koenma looked fearfully around, wondering what to do. Kagome’s eyes darted to the living room and she jumped for it, closing the door quickly. Her heart beating a million miles a second, she dumped out her bag and brought out her arrows and bow, turning to the door as it slammed open. She ran through the front door and raced outside, drawing him out into the open as she drew an arrow.

Hiei beat down the wolf into the ground, his speed far exceeding the wolf’s.

Kagome didn’t want to shoot at him, she didn’t know if he was alive in there somewhere, or if he was being completely controlled by Naraku.

“Kouga!! Wake up!!” she shouted, fear in her voice once more, as he darted around Hiei and grabbed a hold of her, his claws digging into her soft flesh.

“KOUGA!!” she shouted, as her powers exploded from her, enveloping them in a dark pink light that make everyone flinch at the brightness.

“Kouga kun…” she whispered out, holding onto his limp body…his head in her lap.

“Please be okay…please…don’t leave me alone again…I don’t want you to go…” she whimpered softly, stroking his hair.

“Like I would be stupid enough to die, Kagome…” he whispered out, a cough in his voice.

“Kouga kun!” she shouted out in relief, hugging the wolf’s head.

“Naraku…is alive…Kagome…he’s gonna come after you…” he said, leaning up, and looking her in the eyes, the warmth that usually resided there now back.

She nodded and wiped her tears away. “You…don’t remember…anything…do you? Before you ran into Naraku?” she asked, looking to him gently.

“What are you talking about…wait…how did I get here?” he asked quickly as the pink light faded from around them to reveal the world once more.

“He was controlling you, Prince Kouga, and you just about killed Kagome using Yusuke. If she had not noticed that he was being controlled, I hate to think what could have happened.” Koenma said, stepping towards the two.

“I…almost…killed…?” he questioned, looking fearfully to Kagome.

“You did, wolf, now step away from her before I make you.” Hiei said darkly, his aura flaring and swirling around him menacingly.

He jumped up and stepped back from her, looking at his hands in disbelief.

“Kouga? Kouga—talk to me…are you okay?” Kagome asked, a little panicky as she got to her feet.

“Kagome…I almost…how can you still care about me?” he asked, his face holding pain and guilt.

“Kouga…it wasn’t you…it was Naraku…remember in the past? He did many things to hurt people…he did control people…remember?” she said a little shakily, trying to calm him down.

“Remember, Kohaku? Sango’s little brother? He used him by controlling him with a jewel shard…and remember Kagura? He had her heart…it wasn’t you…it was Naraku…trust me…I know him better than anyone…and I know you would never attack me…” she said, trying to reassure the wolf demon.

He looked to her a moment before Kagome launched herself at him, hugging him tightly as she cried onto his shoulder and the last remnants of the black cloud pushed out of his body and was destroyed.

He hugged her gently back and began his own tears, whimpering softly into her shoulder.

“Kagome…how can you still forgive me? How can you still even care for me?” he cried softly, holding onto her tighter. “I spilled your blood…I was so close to killing you…” he whispered, his tears soaking into her shirt.

“Kouga…you can’t let him win…I know it wasn’t you...there is nothing to forgive!!” she shouted, hugging him tighter as a little more pink energy enveloped them.

After a few moments, they let go, and she wiped away his tears with a gentle hand. “I need your help Kouga. I need you to go find Sesshoumaru and…Inuyasha. I think we’re going to need their help. Naraku…may be controlling them, as well…if so…come back and tell me…we’ll figure out what to do from there. Can you do that, Kouga kun?” she asked, her voice soft, but firm.

“I’ll get it done, Kagome. Don’t worry about it.” He said, not staring her in the eyes.

“Kouga…?” she questioned, making him look her in the eyes. “Smile. I can’t stand to see your face without a smile.” She said, giving him the brightest smile she could muster.

He looked dubious for a moment before nodding firmly, flashing her a smile, a little twinkle coming back into his sky blue wolf eyes.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can, Kagome.” He said, before bounding away for the Makai.

She looked back to everyone and her eyes settled on Hiei and she fell to her knees, once more sitting on her legs. Her eyes never left his, and he walked closer to her. Her eyes were so jumbled with emotions that he wanted nothing better than to run away from her than do what he was about to do.

She reached up her arms and he went down to his knees and embraced her, letting her finally cry out her fear and pent up adrenaline. “He almost killed me…I was almost killed by Kouga…why…why does Naraku do this to my friends? He could have killed me himself, but he insists on breaking my spirit…” she sobbed loudly, giving everyone a clearer picture as to what this demon was like that they were going against.

“He…he…” she couldn’t talk anymore as her throat constricted and she could do nothing more than to sob into his shoulder, her body shaking violently. Hiei began to growl softly, in hopes that his voice would soothe her enough to stop her tears. He began to rub her back softly, and slowly, she began to still in his arms, her sobs reducing themselves to soft hiccups and sniffles.

“I’m so tired…of fighting him…” she whispered, before she fell asleep in his arms, her body and mind thoroughly exhausted.

He looked to Kurama, who was looking rather weary himself. Hiei picked her up in his arms, much like he had done in their first encounter and he walked back into the house, laying her down on a bed that Genkai led him to.

“I say we all call it a night. This has been one hell of a day.” Kuwabara said, and for once, the suggestion was a good one.

Kagome’s hand clutched tightly onto Hiei’s cloak and she wouldn’t let it go for anything.

She whimpered softly in her sleep, and Hiei’s eyes met Kurama’s.

“I guess you should stay with her, tonight, Hiei.” The fox said before getting a slight glare from him.

“I think not. You stay with her, kitsune.” He said, releasing his cloak from her hands as he walked out, hell bent on releasing some frustration. He could feel it. He was about to go into his heat cycle, and with her that close, he refused to be in the same room as she.

Kurama sighed and walked to the side of the bed, grabbing her hand, which she instantly clutched onto. Her eyes opened softly, for a moment, and she smiled. “Squishy…” she said, smiling.

He smiled back at her and she pulled him closer into the bed with her. He went to protest slightly, but she wouldn’t give him a choice as she covered him up and buried her head into his chest.

“Night, Kurama…” she murmured, falling back asleep instantly.

This only left the kitsune with one problem: Youko. ‘She has you in her bed, so what are you going to do now?’ the fox asked, his hentai mind in over drive.

‘Nothing…she trusts me to protect her from Naraku…she is afraid, do you not smell that scent coming from her?’ he retorted, not happy that the kitsune would even suggest such a thing.

He sighed before replying, ‘I do. This opponent must be something else to scare her so deeply.’ He said, abandoning his current train of thought for now.

Her whimper broke through their thoughts once more before she whispered out, “I’m sorry, everyone…I wasn’t strong enough…” then a trail of twin tears slipped down her cheeks and she buried her head further into his chest.

~*~

Hiei slashed another tree in frustration as he growled out to the night sky. “Naraku, you bastard!” he shouted out, anger and aggravation in his voice. ‘He is intent on killing her, even if it is not by his own hands…he was going to have her friend kill her!!’ that thought sent him into an even further rage and he began slashing at another poor defenseless tree.

“Hiei!” Yukina shouted, getting his attention.

“What are you doing out here? It’s dangerous, Yukina!” he shouted, rather loudly. She didn’t even flinch.

“That girl…why does that girl need such massive amounts of protection?” she asked, worry in her voice.

The fire apparition calmed and jumped down to stand in front of her. “That girl is protecting a jewel known as the Shikon no Tama. It’s easily tainted by evil, so it always needs a miko to keep it pure.” He informed her, sheathing his blade.

“That means…that you’re in danger, too, doesn’t it, brother?” she said, her voice turning soft.

“Hey, you don’t have to worry about me. I’m strong enough to take on that bastard, if only he would face me head on.” He said, brushing her worry to the side, but noting it in his mind and smiling.

“But…he is using your friends to attack her…first, it was Yusuke…and then that Kouga person…” she said, her voice still filled with worry.

“Don’t worry.” He said, placing a hand under her chin and staring deep into her eyes. She nodded and sighed, her eyes becoming weary.

“We’ve got everything under control. Genkai is going to help her learn to use her power, so we’ll be even more powerful. We will defeat him…we have to.” He said, his voice serious.

She nodded and gave him a strong smile before asking, “So what was with that hug you gave her?” she asked, a smirk on her face.

He looked appalled at her a moment before clearing his throat saying, “She was crying, it was annoying. So I gave her something to cry on.” He said, looking away from his sister.

“Sure, Hiei, you keep telling yourself that. But…Kurama seems to like her too. I hope you guys don’t start fighting over her…” she trailed off, walking back to the house.

He issued a playful growl to her retreating form and was rewarded with a giggle as a response. He sighed and thought of the little miko he had become attached to. ‘Me and Kurama will have to have a talk about her…I wonder if he is interested in her at all? Wait a minute! What am I thinking!? She would never be interested in me like that! What the hell am I even thinking this for?!’ he thought harshly, growling at himself. This was just not a good day.

~*~


A/N: Please R/R!

A/N: Thanks for feeding my muses, they are content, and when they are content, new chapters with fresh ideas come spilling forth! Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!! :: huggles everyone ::

A/N: Next Chapter: Getting to Know You