DISCLAIMER" I UNFORTUNATELY DO NOT OWN INUYASHA OR YU YU HAKUSHO JUST WRITING FOR FUN AND PRACTICE. SO BACK! BACK! YOU SAVAGE BEASTS I SAY TO THE CIRCLING LAWYERS

SORRY FOR SUCH A LONG DELAY. I ACTUALLY HAD A ROUGH DRAFT FOR ALL FOUR PARTS OF THIS WRITTEN OUT READY TO BE TYPED AND EDITED. I HAD SOME PEOPLE I KNOW READ OVER IT AND SAID THAT I FIXED A LOT OF THE CONFUSION AND THINGS OF THAT SORT, AN IMPROVEMENT, THOUGH NOT MUCH OF ONE. BUT YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED. I LOST THE NOTEBOOK THAT I HAD IT IN! I'M LIKE COME ON! IT'S ONE OF THOSE THICK FIVE SUBJECT ONES WITH THE COVERS COVERED (LOL) IN PICTURES AND DOODLES AND STICKERS, HOW COULD I HAVE LOST IT? I'M NOT SURE HOW OR WHEN I LOST IT BUT ITS MOST LIKELY IN A TRASH HEAP SOMEWHERE OR BEEN RECYCLED ALREADY. BUT IF I SEE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO WHAT I WROTE SOMEWHERE I KNOW WHERE IT WENT TO. LOL JOKING JOKING. SO HERE I AM TRYING TO WRITE IT AGAIN AND I DON'T COMPLETELY REMEMBER WHAT I HAD SO I'M BASICALLY BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

(was originally called The decision but i'm going to make that the next chapter since this part didn't fit in too well lol) i'm sorry if this still seems a bit rushed, that's how my mind works, and may not make a whole lot of sense. each chapter i leave a clue about some things and eventually it will all come together.

Chapter 8 Nothing a Grandma Can't Fix

'Just what the heck was that?' Genkai thinks some what sluggishly to herself as she slowly stands to her feet, using the tree behind her as a support. With a final shake of her head she pushes herself gently from the tree to stand on her own two legs. She observes the clearing as the dust settles from the unexpected blast. The damage, surprisingly , appears to be minimal, just some missing bark and broken branches here and there. 'I would have thought that there would have been more with how strong that power surge was.'

Genkai cautiously makes her way to where she last saw her charge, all her senses wide open and alert, body tensed with anticipation of an attack. The demon is not anywhere in sight and she is unsure of where it is or what happened to it during the blast. Genkai does recall hearing pain filled screams, but she doesn't know if he is dead or simply injured, or possibly shocked, to some degree.

As she walks toward what looks to be the 'blast' area her eyes are drawn to places here and there along the ground. In some places it looks like the ground has been sliced, like with a plow or something similar; others there are streaks that are burnt, not uncommon to energy blasts or perhaps a fire attack. Other more curious things the old tree roots that look to be partially uprooted. Some parts of the ground are dry while others look over saturated. And more curious yet, everything seems to be radiating from a central point, the area that Genkai last saw her new student in the hands of the tiger demon.

So far there is no sign of said demon but in the short distance she see's what looks to be a small child laying motionless on the ground. Genkai moves a little quicker towards the unmoving figure hoping that she is still alive and not too badly hurt. When Genkai comes upon the figure she is shocked to see that the girl is lying in the middle of a six foot in diameter crater that is only a couple of inches deep at the most and that the small area around it has the most damage of burnt grass and wet, upturned ground. Genkai ignores that now for the most part, only making a quick mental note of it as she quickly moves to check on the girl whom was on her left side, slightly on her front. Genkai gently rolls her over so as to not do any further damage than there already may be and feels the neck for a pulse, which she finds. After finding the pulse she searches for any serious injuries, but just finds some bumps and bruises with some cuts and small gashes; nothing life threatening and easily treatable. During her examination she spotted some scraps of clothing that she recognizes as what the tiger demon was wearing, but she doesn't know if it was just torn off of his form or if that is all that is left of him.

With the close proximity Genkai is now able to get a better look at the girl. She is rather small for her estimated age of six years and appears to be malnourished; not surprising from what she witnessed earlier. And again, as expected, she and her 'attire' are absolutely filthy, dirt and grime covered, soiled from Kami knows what and her hair is so knotted and dirt matted that it will probably have to be cut off. Before any training can be done, she will have to be brought up to a proper weight and health, or no progress will be made and she will not last.

Genkai's head snaps up as she senses the fast approach of demon energy. She quickly stands in a protective stance over the girl, prepared to defend her against the unknown and perceived threat. However a warning flare from a familiar energy has Genkai relaxing from her defensive crouch to wait for the arrival of the first responders to the spiritual explosion that she experienced. As expected, within a couple of minutes the clearing is filled with at least twenty demons of Sesshoumaru's guards. Among them is Kirara, the familiar energy Genkai felt before, who rushes toward Genkai looking slightly worried.

"Genkai, are you alright?" she asks as she kneels down and checks checks Genkai for injuries like a mother who checks her child over that has been found after being lost in the woods.

"I'm fine Kirara," Genkai grumbles as she pulls away from Kirara, hating being treated like a child. "She however is unconscious." Genkai says as she motions with her right hand to the girl behind her, out cold on the ground.

When Kirara's gaze falls on the girl, a gasp escapes her as he moves to kneel next to her. "Oh my, the poor child." she says and her ears droop as she checks over the girl as Genkai had done earlier. "What happened here Genkai?" Kirara asks softly as she turns her sad, but inquisitive eyes to Genkai, taking in her somewhat ragged appearance.

With a sigh Genkai begins to retell the tale of what happened this night. "I was wandering around the area for I could not sleep and I was feeling kind of restless so I went out for a walk. I was by one of the lakes when I sensed some demon energy that felt hostile so I went to investigate it seeing as I was close by. But on my way to the source of the energy I heard a frightened scream which had me moving faster."

"I come into this clearing when she," Genkai motions to the girl laying on the ground, "entered it. She was trying to run away from three demons; two ogres and one tiger. I defeated the first two, but the last one, the tiger demon, managed to get a hold of the girl. I couldn't fire a shot at him without taking a risk of hitting the girl."

"Then how did you defeat him?" Kirara asks, interrupting Genkai's retelling of the events that had taken place.

"I didn't." Genkai says simply with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Then how -," Kirara begins but stopped when she sees Genkai point to the girl in answer to the question she was about to ask.

"The demon was strangling her, when I'm guessing, her energy exploded from her body, resulting in the damage you see here and what you most likely felt bringing you here. I am unsure though if the demon is actually defeated or just injured." Genkai finishes saying.

"I see." Kirara says softly as she slowly stands to her feet and turns to face the guards that have gathered. "What I would like to know," she begins in a louder, clear and somewhat berating tone," is why no one responded to this sooner? Why none of the security got here before an innocent child got injured. What if there were more people out who couldn't defend themselves? What then? If Genkai sensed it then surely you, or someone else should have as well."

She looks like she is about to go on with her 'scolding' when she is interrupted by Genkai as she clears her throat. With Kirara's attention now on her Genkai looks toward the small girl with a nod. Kirara's eyes dart to the girl as well, then looks back to Genkai; she nods to the older woman to show that she understands and turns back to the guards. "We will discuss this later, but for now I want the grounds searched for any other intruders." Kirara dismisses them, but she asks one of them, Hiro, a shadow neko demon to stay behind for a moment.

"Now Genkai, do you have any idea who those demons were, or who might have brought them to this realm?" Kirara asks once they are the only ones left in the clearing.

"They didn't say much, only the tiger seemed to have any sort of intelligence. Though one name was mentioned, Riku." Genkai tells them.

When they heard the name both Kirara's and Hiro's eyes widen and they share a glance. "We did not suspect him," Hiro said, his voice is deep and rumbles like thunder.

"We have not had any reason to. Go and inform the others and make sure that word of this makes it to Sesshoumaru and be prepared to move on his orders. Don't let Riku know that we are on to him." Kirara orders. Hiro leaves with a small bow and runs back toward the manor.

"Well lets get this little one back home back home and taken care of shall we." Kirara says to Genkai with a small smile. Genkai nods at the suggestion and Kirara smiles a little brighter and jumps back from them by about ten to fifteen feet and in a large burst of flames that gets larger before it shrinks in size and shape. When the flames subside there stands Kirara in her true saber tooth fire cat demon form. She gracefully ambles over and lays down next to Genkai and the girl and motions to her back with her massive head with a small encouraging purr.

Genkai nods in understanding once more and gently picks up the small, light weight child and drapes her across the fire cats broad back before climbing on herself behind the child. After making sure that they are both secure Kirara slowly stands and then begins to walk out of the clearing carefully so as to not jostle her riders; steadily picking up speed and height until she is flying above the trees toward the manor that was lightly shining like a beacon in the dying light of the moon.

As they descend to land in the courtyard at the end of the stairs, already it looks like there are healers waiting to be called upon. As the group passes them Kirara taps a few with her nose as they pass. Those that are tapped fall into step behind the mighty beast as it continues to walk through the building, up the stairs, down some halls and such until in enters an unoccupied room that is next to Genkai's. Kirara continues until she is next to the bed. Genkai carefully dismounts her so as to no disturb the child. Before Genkai can do much more the healers that Kirara chose gently push her aside and with the utmost care the pick up the child and place her on the bed.

Kirara jumps to an empty corner and in a burst of fire is once again transforms into her humanoid form. Once the process is done she quickly exits the room and disappears from the room just to return a short time later later with an elderly looking hawk demon.

"Right this way Chiyo-obasama." Kirara says as she guides the elder demon toward the bed with one hand behind her back and the other holding the hand on the left side which she is standing.

"Whomever this is must either be really important or gravely injured for me to be summoned to take charge of the healing." Chiyo says in a voice that, despite her apparent age is still as clear as a bell, just holding a slight tremble to it. As they came closer Genkai can take in Chiyo's features more clearly. She can tell that the elder demon is around the same height that she is, most likely would be taller if her form wasn't so worn and stooped with age. Her light gray, almost white hair is kept in a small, tight bun at the crown of her head; most likely to keep it out of the way while tending to the injured. Her face is devoid of any markings except a dark bluish purple one that starts, or ends depending on how you look at it, on the tip of her nose, continues upwards to her brows where it begins to split toward the corners of her thinning hair line at her temples.

As Chiyo glances up to Genkai, piercing onyx eyes connect with hers and the wisdom of a millennium lived can be seen sparkling in their depths. With a cursory look over, Chiyo see that Genkai doesn't have any visible injuries she makes her way to the bedside, the knowing eyes turning to the form laying upon it.

"Poor dear," Chiyo mutters, " she is going to be feeling really sore when ever she wakes up." After releasing a sigh Chiyo turns toward a younger demoness behind her and motions to the water basin on the near by table. Once a wet washcloth is placed in her hands she sits on the side of the bed to be better able to reach the small child's face so she could clean it of blood and dirt. When the face is clean of all foreign materiel Chiyo's form seems to stiffen as she pulls her hand away from the unconscious child. All is silent and still as every watches Chiyo as she stares at the child, unsure of her actions.

"Lady Chiyo?" Kirara asks as she approached the bed to stand on the opposite side that Chiyo is sitting on.

"I take it that he means to go through with it then?" Chiyo questions quietly. Kirara sighs as she lowers her head but it is unclear to Genkai if it is in shame, pity, resignation, or what. "I thought that he would have grown out of this silly 'quest' of his by now. He has already succeeded in his schemes, he should be happy with that." Chiyo lightly scolds the absent party they are talking about.

"He is just making sure the incident occurs, not that it will change much of anything. He just happens to gain a major profit from the whole ordeal." Kirara says in defense of the actions.

"She is not some play thing that they can fool with or a tool to be used!" Chiyo snaps. If Genkai didn't know any better she would say that those involved know the girl, know what she is. But didn't Sesshoumaru tell her the opposite? Either way the seed of suspicion within her sprouts a little more. With a sigh of defeat Chiyo hands the now dirty wash cloth back to the demoness the she took it from and slowly stands to her feet. "Very well then." she says. "You four take the girl into the bathing chambers to get her cleaned up then I will assess and treat her injuries. Meanwhile I'll make some special tea for the girl that will help with the pain."

As directed the four other people in the room, minus Genkai and Kirara, move to gently pick up and carry the girl through a door on the far wall that Genkai believes leads to the bathroom. She once again wonders what the heck she got herself into but reminds herself that she has already given her word to Sesshoumaru that she will train the child and she will keep it.

All is quiet in the room as Genkai and Chiyo wait for the girl to be brought back out. Genkai is sitting in one of the chairs in the room and Chiyo is moving around, making tea, checking her supplies and getting what she believes she needs ready. Both of them however are lost in their own thoughts; questioning, pondering and wondering thoughts that at the moment have no answers. Most especially for Genkai who is not even sure of what questions to ask, just like during the rest of this impromptu trip.

Genkai is brought out of her thoughts by the light clanking of a teacup being set on the table before her. She looks up after blinking a few times and sees Chiyo sitting across from her, settling into her own seat after pouring them both said cups. Chiyo leans back more into the seat with a sigh before she takes a sip of the still steaming drink.

"Do not worry child." she begins to say as she lowers her hands that still hold the warm up onto her lap. "His motives and actions may seem cruel and heartless but in the end he means well, but he is still not completely over using it for is advantage either." She lets out a soft chuckle before she throws out one last comment. "For all his wisdom, the foolish pup still acts childish with some things from time to time."

"I don't know of what you speak. I'm just here to collect the girl for training." Genkai says before she takes a sip of her own tea.

"You will eventually dear, with time." Chiyo states with a small sigh and smile. "We are all playing our parts and yours in this tale is about to begin."

'I don't like being used as a pawn.' Genkai thinks to herself, 'but I have a feeling that is what everyone is in this circumstance. What is it? I don't know. I guess as Chiyo says: time will tell.'

The two sit in silence for a while longer, relaxing for now. Knowing that soon the other healers will be returning into the room, but they both enjoy the silence and peace while it lasts. And just as they both know will eventually happen, the healers come back into the room. The first one to come through is wearing soaking garments, which the light cream color has a slightly pinkish tint to it here and there, especially across the chest. It is clear that she must have been the one to sit in the tub or what ever it was that they were using to wash her in, to hold the girl afloat so that she wouldn't drown. The next two that come into the room only have slightly wet sleeves so they must have only been washing the girl off and and checking the injuries fir the bloody rags the one on the right carries is any indication. The last one that enters the room appears to be the driest and she is carrying the young girl, who is wrapped in towels, in her arms to the bed that Chiyo prepared while they were in the bathing room.

"Emi-chan, if you were going to enter the spring to hold the child up then you should have changed into a bathing yukata." Chiyo lightly scolds the young demoness who entered the room first as she approaches the table at which they are sitting.

"I'm sorry Chiyo-obasama, but it was an accident." the young demoness now known as Emi states. She is a young, pretty demoness. A neko of some sort Genkai can tell if the slightly feline features are any indication. She appears to be in her late teens so she is still you by demon standards, perhaps a century or two in age. "Akiko-san was supposed to be the one to sit with the child but I slipped in on accident so I ended up staying in rather than getting out so she could take my place." Emi finishes explaining with her head bowed and a dusting of pink across her cheeks, showing her embarrassment.

"I see." Chiyo states with a small chuckle. "Well I believe that we will be able to handle things here so why don't you go ahead and go back to your chambers and change into some dry clothes."

"Yes Chiyo-obasama." Emi says with a small bow before she walks to the door and then dashes down the hall, quickly disappearing from sight and senses.

Chiyo once again chuckles at the young demoness's actions before she turns to look at Genkai. "You would never believe that she's a neko with how clumsy she she can be." she says with yet another chuckle. "But she is still maturing, she has yet to grow into her grace. It depends on the individual on how long it takes." Genkai chuckles a bit herself at the thought of an ungraceful cat. Picturing in her mind one not landing on its feet like they are said to do.

Genkai settles into her chair, tea in hand as Chiyo moves to examine the girl that is to be her new student, knowing that she is in good hands and knowing that she will most likely be in the healers way if she were to watch from the bed side. Chiyo pulls the towels away away from the girl puts keeps her modestly covered with some smaller ones so that she can better see the damage done. She mumbles to herself as she examines the child for injuries, gently probing the cuts, scrapes and bruises that are scattered along her form. She carefully cleans the cuts and such, then bandages the larger ones that Genkai can tell even from where she sits that they are still lightly bleeding with the help of the other demoness healer in the room.

After the external physical is concluded Genkai can feel a slight increase in demon energy that causes her to snap her eyes back in the direction of the bed that she had taken her attention off of about half way through the previous process. The energy alarms her because she isn't expecting it but after analyzing it and finding no malice behind it, and finding that it is at a low level, decides that there is no harm in it. Her thoughts are confirmed as she sees Chiyos hands take on a faint color that matches her markings, the light getting brighter in accordance to the rising energy. 'She must be checking for internal injuries,' Genkai thought recalling Yukina doing something similar.

A few more minutes pass before Chiyo straightens her posture and takes a step back away from the bed. "She's alright now. Dress her and tuck her in now Akiko. I'll make the tea." she says softly before she turns around and heads back to the chair that she was sitting in earlier. With a slightly exhausted exhalation of air Chiyo sinks into the chair with a slight pop of her knees. Even with demons time eventually catches up with them and takes a toll on their bodies. She slowly reaches for the half empty tea pot and pours herself a fresh cup. With a satisfied hum she takes a large sip of the soothing brew, bringing a fresh wave of energy into her aged bones.

After a few more smaller sips Chiyo accepts a small tea pot full of hot water from the other demoness whose name has yet to be spoken, the one who handed her fresh wash cloths, with a word of thanks. She sets the pot in front of her on a stand sitting on the table. Then she unwraps a cloth napkin that Genkai hasn't given too much attention to before revealing a small pile of herbs. She recognizes a few due to Yukina and Kurama tending a small herb garden at her shrine in Japan so she has no concern about them.

"She is fine except for some cuts, scrapes and bruises. She is lucky to have nothing worse than a nasty bump on the back of the head and maybe a sprained ankle from possibly tripping on a tree root while running from those that were chasing her." Chiyo informs Genkai as she grinds up some of the herbs while leaving some whole and intact. All of which she places in a strainer this is then suspended in the hot water creating a medicinal herbal tea. "Other than that she is malnourished and a little underweight. Nothing Grandmother Chiyo can't fix without some help from the cook." she finishes with a smile and a wink to Genkai.

With that she takes the strainer out of the water and sets it aside to dispose of later and pours some into a cup that Akiko, a black wolf demoness, has set on the table. "Get her to drink this and give her one cup every hour until I otherwise tell you. It should help with the soreness and pain she will be feeling along with giving her system a little energy boost since most of it is drained. Whenever she wakes up send for me and a meal of stew, bread and milk. I don't care what time it is, a meal when she wakes will be a big help for her." Akiko nods an affirmative of her orders and Genkai watches as she goes over and sits on the edge of the bed and gently sits the girl up before slowly getting the dink into the young girls system. Akiko didn't have much trouble getting her to drink the tea so it was gone in a matter of minutes. Afterwords so moves to finish cleaning the room with the other demoness still left in the room.

"You know Genkai-san, as much as I love my work, some days it feel like I ought to retire," Chiyo says with a small smile toward the other older woman.

"I hear that." Genkai says in agreement with a small smile and chuckle in return as she refills both her and Chiyo's cup with the fresh tea at their table.

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