Standing At The Crossroads

Title: Standing At The Crossroads
Author: Ryukotsusei
Pairing: Hiei/Kagome
Fandom: Inuyasha and Yu Yu Hakusho
Theme: 28. decision (Written for 30 Tears)
Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Takahashi Rumiko and Yu Yu Hakusho belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi. I make no claims of ownership to either series, nor do I make any profit off of this fan fiction.

Author's Note: Yes, this one will be a multi chaptered story. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to review.

Chapter One


"Miss Higurashi." His voice was commanding, demanding attention and respect as he strode forward confidently. It was of no surprise to see her standing there, truthfully he'd been anticipating it for quite a while and had kept a close watch on her despite Koenma's misplaced trust in the girl. "You know I can't let you do it." Slowly she turned to face him, her expression one of grim determination but he didn't allow it to sway him. In spite of everything she'd done in the past he couldn't allow her to continue on her current choice of actions. The barrier was in place for a reason and knowledge of the Makai erased by those in the Reikai, only those who needed to know of the other realms were granted that information. So of course when the miko had began researching and investigating it had aroused attention. How she'd managed to get even this far was a mystery to him but this is where the road ended, Kagome would not succeed.

"Do you really think you can stop me?" Kagome turned her attention back to the shimmering net of energy in front of her. When the well had sealed itself Kagome had frantically searched for a way to reopen the portal but it had been an impossible mission. However through her studies a puzzle had begun to appear, piquing her interest and causing her to shift the direction of her research. Hearing the the world had been split into three realms had come as a great surprise but it had given her hope. Not once had Inuyasha come for her since she'd been stuck in her own era and the net in front of her was a good reason as to why he hadn't. Slowly she reached a hand out and was shocked, just as she'd expected. Safeguards had been put into place to prevent humans from unknowingly falling through but that was all about to change. Already the Shikon jewel lay in the palm of her hand, awaiting the wish that would render the barrier useless against humans. "Why are you so concerned anyway? It's not like I'm going to bring the barrier down completely."

"As if what you're planning is so much better." Despite his power Sensui knew that it would be impossible to bring her down before she'd wished upon the jewel. Maybe next time Koenma would listen to him when he voiced his opinion. Calmly he walked towards her though she made no sign of noticing. Instead she was staring down at that pink sphere in her hand, the legendary Shikon jewel. Why the Reikai continued to allow her to roam the Ningenkai with it in the first place was puzzling and more than a little disturbing. If the legends were true then a wish would indeed destroy it and it would be one less problem for him to worry about. Still, orders were orders and he'd been charged with protecting the Ningenkai, even if it was from threats like the miko before him. "It's pointless you know, I've spoken with Koenma and you should know Inuyasha is dead. Give it up and go home, we can forget this ever happened. If not you'll never make it into the Makai and Enma will be the one to set your punishment."

Kagome closed her eyes, ignoring the tears that trickled down her face. Slowly shook her head as the jewel glowed between her fingers. "You're lying, Inuyasha isn't dead. Why should I trust anything you say? All you want is to stop me from finding him again." As she grew angry her aura lashed out though it did nothing to the man standing behind her. Pity he wasn't a demon, purification would have solved the problem the spirit detective presented. The sounds of his footsteps moved closer but she wasn't worried, all it would take was a thought and the wish would be complete. What would he do then? Kill her? Not likely, the man didn't strike her as the type that gave a damn if she wanted to hop over into the Makai. This was just a job to him.

Something about her demeanor, the way she tensed as if ready to bolt through the barrier told Sensui that the time for talking was over. There was no convincing the girl that she was going on a fool's errand and as such he didn't bother to waste the words. Knowing it was now or never he moved quickly even as Kagome's lips whispered the words that would render the barrier useless against humans. Time seemed to stand still as he struck the miko, their energy colliding even as the Shikon granted the girl's wish. A bright flash of light blinded the both of them, overwhelming the senses as his momentum carried him forward. Ruthlessly Sensui struck the priestess down with the energy he'd gathered in his hands, her cry of pain filling the air as she slumped to the ground. Within moments she was unconscious. "Stupid girl, King Enma will have your head for this."


~*~


The door closed quietly as Koenma walked out of the throne room, having been dismissed by his father. The time for judgment was now at hand and the ruler of the Reikai now stared down at the woman who had caused so much trouble with one little wish. Countless experiments had been run in an attempt to repair the damage that she'd done but it was all in vain, the barrier resisted any such altercations. Short of tearing the entire barrier down and rebuilding it there was nothing they could do to prevent humans from falling through should they find it. King Enma pushed his glasses back into place as he stared down at the woman, his first thought had been to sentence her to death when Sensui had brought her to the Reikai but his son had pleaded for her to be spared at least until they determined if the barrier between worlds was irreparable. Reluctantly he had granted Koenma's request and for the past seven months she had lingered in a dank cell waiting for her sentence to be passed. Knowing that today would be that day his son had approached him once more, again asking that her life be spared. This time Koenma had attempted to shoulder some of the blame, saying if he'd accepted what his spirit detective had reported then they could have prevented it. Those words did little to sway his decision however her appearance on the other hand did.

Chains hung loosely from her wrists and her clothes seemed as if they were two sizes too large, proof of her hunger strike. For a while he wondered if the girl would actually succeed in starving herself to death but somehow his son had managed to persuade her into eating, at least enough to keep her alive anyway. Her thick hair that at one point any woman would have been proud of now hung limply and in tangles despite the fact that she had been provided with the necessities to tend to her appearance, something that was rarely allowed. Enma shook his head briefly, wondering why the love of a hanyou would drive a girl to such length. Truly, death would be a blessing to the miko if he were to grant it, unfortunately though a simple execution was far too kind in light of the number of people who had already fallen into the Makai and perished. The numbers just continued to climb, three of four people a month on average and they were powerless to stop it. Clearing his throat, Enma tried to get her attention but her eyes remained glued to the ground. Would she welcome death if he were to grant it? Most likely so he decided, however it was a question that would go unanswered. "Higurashi Kagome, before I pass sentence on you is there anything you wish to say?"

"Sure. You're an ass but you already knew that so let's get this over with." Kagome was under no illusions that she'd make it out of this meeting alive nor did she really want to. Shortly after she'd been dumped in a cell the junior ruler of the Reikai had come to speak with her and he'd brought a visitor with him thinking he was doing her some sort of favor. When she saw who it was she'd been overjoyed at first until she realized that Sensui had been telling her the truth, Inuyasha really was dead and there wasn't any changing that fact. All of this had been for nothing, her family probably believed she was dead by now and even if she were to be released what purpose would it serve? They wouldn't allow her to go back to the past, not now. So she'd been counting the days since then, waiting for when she'd finally be freed from the miserable existence that she had made for herself. She shifted slightly causing the chains to rattle as she waited for those condemning words that would ensure her life would be ending.

"Defiant until the end are we?" It was times like this that Enma wondered if Koenma's judgment was adequate enough for the job that he did. Why his son went to such lengths for her he would never know. Perhaps that was for the best, he had enough to worry about without adding more to his plate. Fixing her with a stern glare he wasn't surprised to see that the miko didn't shrink back. "Very well, we shall proceed. In the time you have been incarcerated there have been 31 deaths that have been a direct result of your foolishness. For that the punishment should be death but I have something better in mind. Higurashi Kagome, I hereby sentence you to imprisonment in the Reikai for the rest of your natural life. During such time you will be responsible for counseling the souls of the deceased humans that perished due to your rash actions. Koenma will insure that you are properly trained and conditioned for such a position, until such time that your training begins you will be confined to the cell you've been assigned."

Kagome's head snapped up as she stared at him incredulously, he couldn't be serious! "No dammit, you can't do that!" How could she possibly see those people coming in day after day, people that she'd inadvertently killed? How could she possibly cope with something like that? It was one thing to have the knowledge tucked away somewhere like a dirty little secret where she wouldn't be confronted with it day after day but this was something completely different! "Enma you bastard don't do this to me!" Her angered words fell on deaf ears as two guards hauled her to her feet and held her immobile. Wasn't it bad enough they had thrown her in a cell barely large enough to walk five paces in? Were they even considering how often that the prison was so over crowded that she'd been forced to endure another prisoner being thrown in with her? How many times had she seen the door open only to have some demon tossed in due to lack of space? Too many, she'd lost count months ago and Kagome had begun to suspect that they were doing it on purpose since every last one of them considered her an easy target. In the morning when the cells were cleaned another pile of ash would be swept away and no mention would be made of the demon's death.

"The decision has been made, Koenma will begin your training within the week. Fail to accept the fate I have given you and you'll find that there are far worse punishments than this. Believe me when I say this for none of what I have in mind involve your death." The threat hung in the air between them, the details left unspoken. Restraining her miko abilities would be child's play for one of his abilities especially considering the Shikon jewel was gone. If the girl did not perform to his expectations then she'd find herself helpless and alone in a cell with any one of their life term inmates. There was no such thing as laws against cruel and inhumane treatment here, whatever worked the best to get the job done is what was used most often. "Return her to her cell." Despite the girl's protests his guards dragged her away easily leaving him free to ponder more important matters. Now that Kagome was out of his hair he could look into the newest stain on the Ningenkai's horizon, the Black Black Club. Perhaps it was time for another mission, Sensui could easily determine if the rumors were true that they were capturing demons and enslaving them.

~Ten years later~

"ATTENTION! ATTENTION! This is the mighty Koenma speaking! Due to events associated with the recent thefts I must insist that all Reikai employees return to their quarters until further notice is given. I repeat, all Reikai employees must return to their quarters until further notice is given. That is all."

The intercom clicked off making Kagome sigh and rub her aching shoulder muscles. Today had been especially trying, a group of children and their guardian had been her latest case load and the kids had been particularly traumatized by the way they'd been killed. One in particular would be visiting her for months to come she was afraid and right now Kagome was just grateful for the chance of a break. Wearily she pulled herself out of the chair she'd been seated in after the small child had been lead away. Rumors had been flying that important artifacts had been stolen from a heavily guarded vault but that was all anyone had to go on was rumors. Koenma was being particularly quiet about the whole thing, probably because his bastard father was on vacation and the less that got back to that tub of lard the better.

While the people she'd worked with for the past several years walked towards the west wing where their personal chambers awaited them, Kagome took a set of stairs down to one of the lower levels. Even after all this time she still didn't warrant her own apartment, the few times she'd asked Enma had so eloquently reminded her that she was nothing more than a prisoner serving out her sentence. The air became cooler the lower she went and the dank, musty smell grew with each passing step. The echoes of prisoners talking echoed up from the depths but they went ignored. Occasionally one would call out to her, making some rude remark or another but Kagome had grown used to such things. Hell, she didn't even blush anymore when one of them grew particularly bold and exposed himself. Of course, that habit was quickly broken when she threatened to purify it off since he had no other uses for it. She didn't bother smiling as she walked up to one of the guards. "What's going on?"

Mamoru looked at the girl, frowning slightly as he opened up the door to her cell. Ten years and she hadn't learned to stop questioning things that didn't concern her. "It doesn't matter, get in your cell. I'm sure you'll find out soon enough." The miko gave him a haughty look but walked inside the small chamber without a fuss which to him was damned near a miracle. As amusing as she was when her anger was directed at one of the other men it wasn't something he particularly wished to deal with, especially not on this day. The door slid shut with an ominous sound and he turned away from her though Mamoru could feel her eyes burning holes through him with their intensity. Several minutes ticked by as he stared at the large double doors before a shout was heard. By the sounds of it there was quite the struggle going on.

"Dammit you little bastard you'll stop or we'll beat your head in and save Koenma the trouble of executing you!"

The shout made Kagome move closer to the door that kept her sealed away, whoever it was they'd captured must have been giving them hell and despite it all that made her feel just a bit better. None of the guards were what she would consider friendly and if someone else could gain the upper hand with them so much the better so long as they didn't look to her for some sort of cheap thrills. Briefly Kagome scanned the hallway, taking note that all the cells were currently occupied. A sigh escaped her, would she be receiving another cell mate soon? A cry of pain was heard moments later and Mamoru rushed towards the doors which had just been kicked open. To her surprise they were dragging in a demon who looked to be the same height that she was. Viciously he fought despite the fact that he was chained and she was impressed to see that he was almost holding his own in spite of it all. Blood was flowing freely from numerous cuts on the guards where only bruises marred his exposed skin. Roughly the short demon was thrown against a wall only to be struck harshly with a club. Her respect for the demon only grew when he slammed his shoulder into the one wielding the club. Bones cracked easily under the impact which only served to incite the demon further into further violence.

"Hold him!"

Kagome snorted at the barked order, silently routing the little youkai on. She had no idea what he was in there for but the little fight was definitely breaking up the monotony of the day. She could just imagine Inuyasha putting up the same struggle if he'd been in the apparition's shoes. The other inmates were watching intently, some catcalling wildly. Mamoru had managed to snag the chains which had been dropped during the assault and wrapped them around the strange youkai's neck. Another guard took the club and struck the demon behind the knees, sending him crashing to the ground. Still he fought on despite the fact that he was now seriously deprived of oxygen. Muscles bulged beneath the strain as he struggled to get free. The first click of a shackle being affixed to the wall signaled the coming end of the fight. Now the man was further handicapped and it was only a matter of time before they completely subdued him. Kagome sighed and returned to her bed, not needing to see any more. No one escaped the Reikai once they had captured you. She'd learned this a long time ago, this stranger it would seem had just received his first lesson as well.

Mamoru pulled himself away from the apparition with a sneer of disgust. "I though the report said that punk had done his job and rendered this asshole unconscious for a while!" With a shaky hand he wiped the sweat from his brow while glaring at the short demon. Why did they always end up getting the ones with attitude problems? Even now the bastard was straining to get free. Clenching his fist he brought it across the apparition's face, snapping his head over to the side before punching him in the stomach. "So you're Hiei huh? Well Hiei let me be the first to welcome you to hell!" A growl was his answer while the other guards around him laughed. "During your stay here I expect you'll be on your best behavior cause if you don't..." Mamoru gave a meaningful glance towards Kagome's cell while smirking nastily. "Let's just say we have a miko with a fondness for turning shit holes like you into ash. Got it?"

Despite the guard's brave words Hiei could smell the stink of fear blanketing him. The man was nothing when he didn't have chains binding his opponent and he knew it. His muscles rippled as he leaned as far forward as the chains would allow, causing the guard to back up a step. Hiei smirked coldly at the man, it wouldn't take much to intimidate this man into urinating himself if he so chose. The room had fallen silence as he looked the man up and down with disdain, "When I get free I promise, you'll be the first to die." As expected another blow was administered to his face, splitting his lip but Hiei welcomed the pain knowing he'd gotten under the man's skin. The threat of a miko was troubling but Hiei knew it was pointless to worry about now. They wouldn't be able to hold him long, living life as a thief for so many years had given him an advantage that most didn't have. He only needed to wait until they believed he was complacent, only then would they drop their guard and the slaughter would begin.

Kagome sighed having heard every word that had been spoken. Of course Mamoru would take to threatening this youkai with her abilities, never mind the fact she refused to use them unless one of the demons attacked her first. "The fool, he's lucky he's not a demon or he'd be the first one on my list." Sooner or later the guards would get what was coming to them. Why Koenma didn't do something about the way they treated the inmates was beyond her though she had a sneaking suspicion it was daddy's idea to make their stay as uncomfortable as possible. Hell, she was lucky that they gave her an opportunity to wash every day. It was probably due to the fact that she was in public view therefor she had to look presentable. Otherwise Enma couldn't give a damn if she showered once a month so long as he didn't have to see it.

It was tempting to just lay down and go to sleep, it really was. However Kagome knew that if she were to attempt that when the announcement was made that they could return to duty Mamoru would wake her up forcibly if necessary. As if on cue the intercom echoed in the distance though it was too muffled for her to understand what they were saying, not that she needed to. One of the other guards was approaching her cell now, pulling the door open. For a moment she lingered on the bed until he gave her an impatient look. "Alright already, give me a minute." If Kagome went by the concensous of the people around her, she was supposed to be overjoyed at the prospect of talking to a child who couldn't stop screaming about a green skinned monster biting her head off.

"Whatever, just get your ass back up there before Koenma has my head alright? This took longer than any of us expected and the paperworks piling up." Yasuo walked away from the cell allowing Kagome to come out while he kept a wary eye on the apparition who was watching the two of them intently. If it had been up to him the demon would have already gotten a bullet in the head for daring to venture into the Reikai. Breaking into the vault with his two friends had just been the icing on the cake. "Move it Higurashi I don't have all day!"

"Like I care if I hinder your schedule, it's not my fault your team did a botched up job bringing a new prisoner in." Kagome knew that she was pushing her luck when she said that much but having access to the upper levels did grant her some security from the violence the guards tended to use. She couldn't do her job in counseling people if she looked as if she'd been used for a punching bag after all. The prisoner in question was now watching them intently as she exited the cell and cast a dirty look over to the guard. Now that she was closer to him Kagome could get a better approximation of the demon's height and it surprised her. For one so small he sure put up one hell of a fight as evidenced by the bruises that littered Mamoru's body before he'd walked out.. The apparition wasn't much better off though by the looks of it, making her frown as she looked him over more thoroughly much to Yasuo's irritation. "Aren't you going to treat his injuries"?

"What do you think we're running here, a hospital?" The disgust was apparent in Yasuo's tone as he put a hand on her shoulder and shoved her roughly towards the stairs. "He's demon scum and he won't be living for much longer anyway so why the hell would we waste the time?" Word had it that Koenma was to order the demon's destruction before King Enma returned which left little time to get it done. So the bastard would sit there for a day or two, things were bound to be a hell of a lot more painful when his head was placed on the chopping block. "You're strange you know that?" Frankly that didn't begin to cover what he thought of the girl who had yet to ascend the stairs. "You've killed enough prisoners to fill this wing twice over and now you're worried because Shorty over there got bruised up? Maybe Enma was right, your sentence has driven you insane."

Kagome let out an unladylike like snort as she crossed her arms, glaring at him through her heavy bangs. "I fail to see how that's my fault. Maybe if you jerks would quit tossing them in my cell with the instructions 'Go get her Tiger!' we wouldn't have that problem now would we? And you think I'm demented, you're all just a bunch of twisted perverts looking for a live porn demonstration." She leveled a considering look at Yasuo, disregarding the sneer on his face. "Suit yourself though, just don't come looking to me for salvation when he escapes and guts your sorry asses." Abruptly she turned and stalked back up the staircase, feeling the weight of two stares upon her back. The apparition's appearance was greatly deceiving and she knew that sooner or later one of the guards was going to screw up. When that day came there would be no holding that particular demon back, they'd be begging for her assistance by the time he was finished with them. Regardless, it wasn't as if she owed them any favors. So long as Hiei didn't approach her with any ill intent she wouldn't interfere.


~*~*~

“So why is he here anyway?” Kagome leaned back in her chair, rather surprised that Koenma had taken the time out of his schedule to come and speak with her. Normally she saw him once every couple of weeks at best but today was an exception, he was interested in the demon who had been brought in earlier though why he had come to her of all people she didn't quite understand. It was no matter though, it gave her a break from her job and that was all that she cared about.

“Well to put it bluntly he tried to take over the human realm. I know you're wondering why I am here but I need to ask you. More than one of the guards reported that despite being warded Hiei was using his ki in the fight to bring him in. As such they are requesting permission to use lethal force should they experience it again. Being a miko you have a higher sensitivity to these things than they do, was he using any?” Frankly Koenma didn't trust the guards down on that particular level but his father had been the one to put them in place. However while King Enma was gone the final authority over that wing fell to him and he wasn't about to grant their request without being absolutely sure it was necessary.

Hearing those words Kagome's eyes widened in surprise, how in the hell had a demon even gotten into the Ningenkai in the first place? “I thought the barrier was supposed to keep them out. So how did he get through?” A demon hating humans wasn't exactly something new to her but she got the feeling there was more to it than that. Hiei seemed to hate everyone equally though being in the same position she couldn't much blame him. The only ones she held even the slightest feelings of friendship towards anymore were Koenma and Botan. Ten years of what amounted to mental torture did that to a person. In spite of it all, those two in particular attempted to go out of their way to make life a little bit easier for her and for that she was grateful.

“Well it's complicated really, we aren't sure ourselves. After your wish the barrier shifted to allow humans through but it's been slowly weakening towards demons as well. Now I know what you're going to say,” Koenma held his hand up to forestall the girl before she threw another question at him. “Yes, the barrier has always allowed demons to pass but only the weakest ones. Nothing above a C level has ever gotten through before, unfortunately there have now been reports of B level demons making their way through though we haven't been able to confirm it. That Hiei was even in the Ningenkai is troubling and we haven't found out why he wanted to take it over in the first place. You still haven't answered my question though.” His gaze was steady as he regarded the miko. Her judgment over Hiei was far preferable to the guards in charge. If she said he was a threat he'd have little choice but to grant their request, they couldn't afford to allow Hiei to escape. Yusuke had barely been able to subdue him as it was.

Despite the fact that she knew next to nothing about the demon, Kagome wasn't about to lie for the guards either. “I hate to tell you this Koenma but your guards are full of it. Hiei's a tough bastard but those wards they put on him did their job just fine. Mamoru and the others are probably pissed that he managed to kick their asses while he was warded and chained, they just want him dead.” A frown crossed her face as she stared at her boss, what Mamoru and the others were attempting to do was nothing short of underhanded though it didn't surprise her. “I don't know if it's true or not but they've been talking about Hiei being executed soon. A word of advice Koenma, if you are hoping to leave him alive for some reason be very careful. They won't hesitate to kill him if they are given the chance.”

“Honestly I hadn't given much thought to it. If my father is the one to decide then yes, Hiei will die. However if I pass judgment on him before my father arrives and the papers are signed then even he is bound by Reikai law and will be unable to rescind my decision.” It wasn't a decision that Koenma particularly cared to make. Already Kurama had gone before him and been sentenced to probation because he hadn't any prior record. Hiei didn't have one either for that matter though it was a bit more difficult in his case since not only had he kidnapped Keiko but he'd used one of the artifacts against her. “One of the troublemakers has spoken on Hiei's behalf, asking that I consider this a special circumstances case. I'm positive Kurama knows more than he's saying, otherwise he wouldn't be insisting that Hiei is merely misguided instead of evil.”

“Evil?” Kagome tilted her head slightly as she considered the demon in question. While she hadn't exactly opened her senses up to him some things tended to leak through anyway. Koenma was asking her opinion on Hiei in a round about way and as tempting as it was to toy with him for a moment she generally didn't gamble with peoples lives. “Kurama must be part of the team involved in the break in, am I right?” At the demigods nod she nodded slightly to herself. “I'd be inclined to trust his judgment in this one, I didn't get the impression he was evil per say though if you wish I can examine him further if you'll find something for those two imbeciles guarding the hall to do.”

“Consider it done.” Koenma wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth this time. It wasn't often that Kagome volunteered to help them with anything and he was reluctant to trust the kitsune totally. Kurama had in fact mentioned that keeping Hiei alive might be in the Reikai's best interest for the apparition had special talents that could come in handy. Right now Koenma wasn't so sure that was a wise idea but this time he was going to explore all avenues before coming to a final decision. “How long will you need to come to a conclusion? If Kurama was right then I just might be willing to give him a short sentence and then parole, but only if he can prove himself to be worthy of the chance I am giving him.”

“This isn't something that's going to happen over night Koenma. I can tell you whether or not he's inherently evil by just touching him. Figuring out whether or not he can be trusted when you set him free is another matter entirely. That will take time, I doubt he'll come right out and say he's willing to help you if I ask. I'll need to gain his trust first, only then will we know what he's really like.” Koenma was so going to owe her for this one. The look in Hiei's eyes had told Kagome that he trusted no one and it certainly didn't bode well for what she was setting herself up for. However if she backed out now he would most certainly die. Thankfully she had plenty of experience dealing with reluctant demons. Inuyasha had taught her much in their time together and though several years had passed she still looked back on those moments fondly.

Koenma chewed on his pacifier for several long moments, considering what she'd said. Though a quick judgment was what he'd been hoping for he'd also realized that it was being more than a little unrealistic. “Alright Kagome, this is what we will do. Since Hiei's coming through the barrier might have been made possible by your wish on it technically I can place him under your care though my father won't particularly like it. Every three months we'll review his case and based on your determinations we will decide what if anything is to be done with him.” So far she hadn't blown up on him and for that Koenma was thankful. He had after all just placed the blame for this on her shoulders. “I'll have Botan lighten your case load though we won't inform my father of this. Three hours of your day is to be spent with Hiei though if you believe the schedule needs to be altered further you are to inform me of this and we'll make the necessary adjustments. Do you have any questions?”

The change in her assignments weren't exactly unwelcome but Kagome wasn't sure just how this was going to go. It was inevitable that Hiei would be a most difficult case, she wouldn't expect otherwise from a demon that had been determined to take over the Ningenkai. However it couldn't be much worse than what she already dealt with on a day to day basis, at least with the apparition she had a slight chance of being able to reason with him. That was assuming that the guards gave her the room to work, if they continually hovered over the two of them most likely the demon would rebuff any advances she made. "You will inform the guards of your decision? Otherwise there will be no end to the amount of headaches we will both experience. It's apparent they can't stand him already, this will just make things worse."

"Oh yes, I'd already figured that would be necessary. Mamoru's request indicated that much at least, though I'll warn you that even with my orders they will probably get in your way whenever they can." Koenma nodded slightly as he spoke, part of this was the girl's own doing but that couldn't be helped. He wouldn't have wanted to be friendly with the guards either had he been in the miko's shoes. "Seeing that I will be the one overseeing this experiment I want your assurance you will speak to no one about this except for me I really don't want to have to deal with my father on this one any more than necessary. Your reports come directly to me and if the guards give you any amount of trouble then you know where my office is." That she would inform him of any issues was a given, Kagome wasn't the type to allow people to run over her even if they were in a position of authority. When she'd first arrived in the Reikai he'd had to pull her aside and explain to her that despite her status she was allowed certain rights. It had taken a while but slowly the woman had changed, her attitude had hardened and there were times he wasn't sure whether or not he liked the change. She rarely laughed anymore though given the circumstances what reason did she really have to be happy for?

"Then I guess we take it one day at a time and go from there. I'm sure he'll be no end of trouble before the probationary period is up so expect to see me rather frequently." Kagome stood in preparation to leave. Even though her day was finished she might as well get a start on the apparition now while Koenma was taking care of the imbeciles who stood guard over them. Koenma stood as well and together they walked down the hallway towards the stairs that would take them to the lower levels of the palace. The people and ogres they passed on the way through barely took notice of either of them which at times amazed Kagome. Even though Koenma was still a powerful entity he was only two feet tall, an easy target for a trampling if some clumsy ogre wasn't paying attention to where he was going.

Silently he walked beside the miko, his stately presence clearing the path for them as they wandered the busy halls. Kagome seemed to be deep in thought though he didn't blame her. Any other woman would most likely have refused the job of working with Hiei and it was times like this he really wished his files were more complete. Unfortunately knowledge about what happened in the Makai was found infrequently and even their operatives that were slowly mapping out the realm to bring under control had a hard time learning anything important. Sometimes though he wondered if it was a general incompetence of that particular division of the SDF, the fatality rate of the force was occasionally hard to believe. It was a wonder anyone volunteered at all but Koenma supposed it was the lure of such a dangerous challenge. Finally they reached the end of the stairway and Mamoru looked over his shoulder quickly, his expression of disgust vanishing as he lowered the fist he'd been about to strike Hiei with. "I trust you have a good reason for beating the prisoner?"

"I felt it again Sir, he was attempting to get into my mind with that damned eye of his! The wards aren't working properly." It was nothing more than a lie but one that would work in the situation Mamoru had found himself in. Calmly he moved away from Hiei who watched him with unrestrained contempt. Blood flowed from the cut on the demon's lip giving him a particularly wild appearance, surely that would help convince the lord of the Reikai as well. The apparition made an easy target for their amusement but when he had begun to respond with scathing retorts it had quickly turned serious. Mamoru only hoped that Koenma would grant him the pleasure of slitting the bastard's throat when it was all said and done.

Koenma raised an eyebrow at the man when Kagome snorted softly by his side, telling them all just what she thought of the lame excuse. There was no doubt about it, Mamoru had it out for the demon and sooner or later he'd find a way to eliminate him if he could. Perhaps alternate arrangements could be made if Kagome made any headway with the demon though he wasn't about to think too heavily on it right now. "Mamoru you would be wise to remember that I detest liars. Now, I've given thought to your request. It's denied, don't bring it up again or I'll have you reassigned to cleaning the restrooms by the cafeteria." Koenma smirked when the man paled, if Mamoru was smart he'd keep his mouth shut. There was a good reason why most people didn't eat there and those that did learned quickly it was better not to. "Very good, now that I have your attention Hiei has been placed under Ms. Higurashi's care and believe me when I say her reports are thorough. You will give her the time and space to do her job or you will answer to me. Is that understood?"

"Yes Sir," Mamoru stared down at Koenma with an expression of disbelief before snapping his gaze over to Kagome. Her look of indifference quickly melted away into a smirk of amusement. "If I may ask Sir, what will this possibly accomplish?" The miko was looking extraordinarily pleased with herself now causing his suspicions to sky rocket. Was this a way for her to get back at him for his earlier comments? The little bitch would pay if that were the case, he'd just have to figure out a way to pull it off without Koenma breathing down his neck over it.

Koenma glared at the tall man, ignoring the calculating look that Hiei was giving him. No doubt the demon was wondering the same thing and he wasn't about to enlighten either one of them. That would taint any progress that Kagome would make with Hiei and invalidate the entire experiment. "That Mamoru, is not of your concern. I expect you to go out of your way to make sure that Ms. Higurashi has no trouble with of any your men. If I need to put it more plainly, stay out of her way and let her do what she's supposed to." Koenma brushed his shirt off casually before turning to Kagome who was nearly laughing now. "Now that that's taken care of I'll leave you to it. If you have any problems I trust you'll let me know."

"Of course Lord Koenma." Kagome bowed respectively just before the godling turned and left for his office. Her expression became guarded once again as she turned to the two men staring at her, one gazing at her with wariness and the other with open hatred. As tired as she was though Kagome knew that now was a good time to start gaining the apparition's trust. Coolly she spoke to Mamoru, succeeding in pissing the man off further though she was certain he wouldn't do anything to her, at least not yet. "If you will excuse us, I have something I must attend to." There was no mistaking the challenge in her voice, when Koenma had told her to report any problems he had meant it. If Mamoru sought to interfere now then the junior ruler of the Reikai would hear about it by nightfall and appropriate actions would be taken.

Mamoru stared at the woman for several long moments before grabbing Kagome by her upper arm and yanking her closer to him. His words hissed in her ear as he spoke to her venomously. "I don't know what game your playing bitch but you'd best start remembering who it is who watches you sleep at night. You might have Koenma twisted around your finger but I'm the one in charge down here. It'd be a shame if an accident were to happen." Roughly he pushed her away, ignoring the darkening anger in her eyes. Being talked down to by a toddler didn't sit well with him and now he was counting the days until King Enma returned. Once that happened they'd see just how far this little power play of theirs went.

"Jackass." Kagome muttered under her breath as the guard stalked away from them. A slight pink glow enveloped her body as her anger continued to surge forth but with great effort she shoved it back down. Closing her eyes for a moment she took several deep, calming breaths before turning towards the demon watching her cautiously. She could tell he wasn't afraid of her even though it would be child's play to kill the man where he stood. Doing such a thing would be beneath her however and as such Kagome attempted to put a smile on her face though it felt fake. "Now then Hiei, I guess the first thing we need to do is fix these injuries. That was an impressive fight you put up earlier." Confidently she brought her hands to his face to heal one of the cuts while she talked, never taking her eyes off of him as she did so. Hiei hadn't flinched back but there was no mistaking the irritation he felt at being touched.

When the miko first made contact with his skin Hiei narrowed his eyes at her, knowing that he was now in mortal peril just by being subjected to that simple touch. She had no reason, no reason at all to want to help him and he wasn't about to accept this as simple charity. The woman wanted something, he just wasn't sure what it was just yet. When power began flowing freely from her fingertips he nearly pulled back but Hiei stopped himself. Truly he had no place to go and if she were going to make an attempt on his life he'd be dead before he was able to break contact with her anyway. Gently her fingers worked down the side of his cheek and he shuddered in disgust that a human of all things was touching him, healing him of the damage that had been inflicted earlier. "I don't know what you want but you're wasting your time miko. Whatever it is I have no intentions of giving it to you."

Kagome shrugged lazily while tracing her finger over his split lip, watching the cut heal without even a scar left behind. Blood coated her fingertips but she ignored it for now, knowing that she'd be getting them clean soon enough. "What you or I want is beside the point Hiei. I'm not going to lie to you, your continued survival depends on many different factors, some of which I'm not even in control of. What I'm doing now has no bearing on the job I've been assigned though, I could work with you bloody and beaten if necessary I just prefer not to. How you interpret my actions though is entirely up to you, I really don't care." Something had told Kagome that if she attempted to lie to the demon he'd see right through it and it would only set her back in what she was attempting. When his crimson eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise she knew that she'd chosen correctly. The apparition had indeed been waiting for her to lie to him which would have solidified in his mind that she was not to be trusted.

Within moments Hiei masked his surprise and looked at her with barely concealed interest. Her words had intrigued him for they countered everything that the guard had been taunting him with. According to Mamoru his execution was a done deal, they were just waiting on the final authorization to be stamped on the paperwork. It was strange, for he sensed no lie from the man which meant for some reason the fool truly believed in what he was saying. However if this girl were to be believed then his death was by no means certain and now that he'd seen Koenma interact with the two of them, he was more inclined to believe in what the miko said. It still didn't mean that he trusted any of them however.

It did lead to another interesting question though and that was just why was this priestess down here with the hardened criminals? It was possible that she'd just been in the area when the lock down was ordered but somehow he really didn't think so based on what Mamoru had said. Why would he be watching her when she slept if she wasn't a prisoner? Unless they were lovers but Hiei doubted that, the man wouldn't be threatening her if that was the case. Now that she had finished with his face her hands were wandering over his chest, tracing over the skin that had been ripped open. Weren't most women supposed to shrink back at the sight of so much blood? Urameshi's girl, Keiko had come awake only once during the time he had her and then prompted screamed in terror upon finding the blood dripping down her face. The noise had been so irritating that he'd struck her again just to shut her up. "So why are you here anyways? I doubt Koenma really has need of you down here to keep the prisoners in line."

Kagome paused in her healing for a moment to regard him calmly. Almost everyone in the Reikai knew what she had done and it was a bit surprising that it hadn't spread into the Makai as well. Of course it was possible that Enma had made the information confidential to those outside of the Reikai but to what purpose?It wasn't like the jewel was even in existence any longer so there was no threat that demons would be coming after it again. Sooner or later Hiei would hear the tale of her capture, there was no way of keeping it from him even if she wanted to but already her mind was working, considering how she could use this to her advantage. Her eyes dropped down to his chest as she placed a hand over a darkening bruise on his ribs. No doubt it had been caused by a vicious kick, more than likely there were broken bones and she'd have to proceed carefully. "It's a very long story but if you are sure you wish to hear the tale then I'll make you a deal. I'll answer a question and then you must answer one as well."

"You must be joking." Hiei wished he had the use of the Jagan right about now, he'd be able to rip the information from her mind easily enough the moment she was locked in that damned cell again. When she actually laughed at him his lips pressed in a thin line. Did he really wish to know enough that he'd risk telling the woman anything about himself? The idea really wasn't all that appealing but if he agreed to her terms the miko might slip up and reveal just what her purpose was. As grateful as he was that his body was no longer paining him quite so badly he wasn't going to make the mistake and trust in this generosity the miko was displaying. "Fine but I reserve the right to call an end to this little interrogation anytime I choose." A smirk crossed his face as he said this, nothing said he had to answer her truthfully. Most likely she wouldn't be able to tell the difference and she was nothing to him even if she could. He held no loyalty whatsoever to her and he wasn't about to pledge it either.


End Chapter One.