Whoo! I did it!

-Crims.

.0.

She was warm. This was the first thing she noticed when consciousness found her. She was lying on something hard with some kind of thin material draped over her, so her first thought was that she was at home, in her makeshift bed, under a her worn, makeshift blanket, but when she opened her eyes, she was immediately stuck with the fact that she was not.

"Ah. You're awake." A scratchy, stern voice sounded from the room, jolting Kagome's senses to full awareness and causing her to attempt to get up, only to be hit with jarring pains all over her body and have to lay back down. "I would not be so quick to move, child, lest you wish to risk your health." The voice warned, and Kagome turned her head to look at the figure that had his (it looked male) back turned and seemed to be tinkering with something that was on top of an old, wooden table, which was decorated with all sorts of tools, some Kagome had never seen before.

"W-where am I? Who are ye?" She asked wearily.

"You, child. The word is you, not 'ye'," He corrected, "and you are in my home. I found you in the woods, and thought it wise to bring you with me to rest. You should be thanking me." But Kagome did not thank him, for she did not trust him.

"Why did you help me? If its money ya want, I haven't got none." The man sighed. "Its you, not ya, and its 'I don't have any' not 'I haven't got none'." He corrected once again. Kagome was beginning to get annoyed, but she was smart enough to gather that he wouldn't answer any of her questions unless she spoke like he did.

"Who are you?" She asked with an edge to her voice. "Never mind who I am. Tell me, who are you are." He sounded truly interested. "My name is Kagome," she said hesitantly.

"Tell me Kagome," he ordered as he took hold of a hammer that had been lying on the table, held it high, and slammed it on whatever he was working on, causing Kagome to flinch. "What were you doing in the woods, by yourself?"

"I don't know. I just…felt like I had to get away." The words sounded vague and unsure, even to her.

"Away? Away from what?" He brought the hammer again.

"I don't know. From…everything. People, I guess." Her mind supplied flashing images, forcing her to relive what happened. The burning, the pain, Sango. Kagome shut her eyes and violently shook her head to dispel the memories and oncoming tears, disregarding her headache.

"Hmm, how peculiar." The man mused.

That annoyed Kagome. She had just had the worst day of her life, and by her own hand, and this stranger thought it amusing. She glared at his back and took the opportunity to truly take in his form. He was quite small for a man; the table came up to his chest, and he wasn't dressed in the same manner that he spoke. He wore an old green (the ugliest shade of green Kagome had ever seen) robe with black, horizontal strips. The robe was large and tattered at his ankles, which, Kagome noticed, were thin and bony. She also thought it funny that the man was completely bald, save for the scruffy patch of grey hair that stuck up in the middle of his tan head. Another strike of the hammer interrupted Kagome's observing and she realized that he had been talking.

"…interesting that you are ignorant of what you are," mumbled the man.

"I am not ignorant of what I am! My name is Kagome! I'm Kaede's ward and Sango's…sister." Could she call herself Sango's sister after what she had done? Was she worthy anymore? Did Sango hate her? Did Kaede? Kagome fell into despair and silence, and the man, sensing this, capitalized on it.

"You hesitate. Why?" He asked.

"I…I hurt her. I-I couldn't control it and I hurt Sango! I didn't mean to and now I've probably killed her!" She began to weep.

"Control what?"

"I don't know!" Kagome wailed.

"Ah, so you are ignorant after all." The man declared, satisfied that he had proven his point.

Kagome cried at the new realization that she was now alone; she had hurt her family, and they most likely didn't want her anymore. The man sighed as one particularly loud hiccup stunted his precision in hammering, causing him to make a dent where a dent was not wanted.

"Stop crying child. You friend is not dead; you are not yet powerful enough to take a life, or to inflict serious damage. "How old are you?"

Kagome calmed considerably. He seemed so confident in his words that she had to believe him. But the image of Sango hitting the wall would not cease its torment. "I am 10." She answered. The man nodded. "Yes, you are not powerful enough…yet."

"Ya…I mean…You seem to know a lot about me." Kagome commented suspiciously.

"I know many things Kagome, not specifically about you but about people like you. Granted, you are the first I have come across in decades, but nonetheless, I am quite knowledgeable." He said, all while keeping his hammering at a steady pace.

"People…like me?"

"Yes. People who can…feel things that the majority cannot, an ability that is a weapon and a curse, that has destroyed many like you." His voice was suddenly dark and hallow, frightening Kagome but also stirring the embers of her childlike curiosity.

"Like," she tried to find the right word, which proved to be difficult, given her limited vocabulary, "powers?"

"It is a burden more like, a responsibility. But then again, I suppose power is a burden is a burden, so yes, Kagome. You have 'powers', powers that you cannot control and that should they go unchecked, will do more damage to a greater amount of people." His words sunk like a bitter tasting rock in her belly, and she suddenly felt sick, her mouth dry and her hands sweaty. She could feel that same sensation coming and she wrapped her arms around herself like a vice, hoping to contain whatever wished to escape.

The man stopped his work with a sigh. "I can help you. I may be the only one who can." He said this solemnly, a distance feel to his voice, but he had Kagome's attention.

"You can…help me? How? Tell me! I can't hurt more people! I can't!" The desperation and quake in her voice mimicked the tremors that had started to consume her body.

"Do you know who I am, child?" He asked, his voice turning dark.

"N-No. You haven't told me yer…your name," She defended.

"Then tell me. Do you know what I am, child?"

Now he was starting to confuse her. What did he mean did she know what he was? He was a weird old man who lived in a dingy cave. Wasn't he?

"No, Kagome. I am not a man," He said with a malicious chuckle as he slowly began to turn and face her. "I am not even human."

Kagome's eyes slowly widened, and her mouth fell agape as she beheld a leathery face. Huge, bulbous, eyes that rested in a haggard face looked down at her, or at least she thought they were doing; she could hardly see his pupils! The sharp mustache and beard of the man twitched as he glowered at her, bearing sharp canines at her. He held out a hand at her and showed her the claws that sat atop his bony fingers.

Kagome hands shot to her mouth to block the scream that threatened to spill from her lips. The man smiled a deadly smile.

"My name, Kagome, is Totosai. I am a demon. Your fright is surprising but understandable. After all, our worlds rarely cross paths, and when we do, the result is always bloodshed. However, because of what you are, this could not be helped. So Kagome, now that you know, will you leave and forever risk a life where you are constantly a danger to those around you, or will allow me to teach you how to contain your new found 'powers'?" His eyes flashed, wanting her immediate answer, but his demeanor was calm.

Kagome stammered, her mind still reeling. Demons! He's a demon! They Exist! Wait till I tell San-. Her thoughts hit a painful wall of memories, as her earlier actions sped through her mind once again. She never wanted to experience anything like that again, and if that meant putting her trust in someone that was not entirely human, so be it. Her eyes met the waiting gaze of Totosai and she felt her mouth move. "I-I want to learn. I don't want to hurt anyone."

It was like his entire threatening persona took a sudden sharp turn as his domineering face melted away to reveal a fanged grin. "Excellent!" He then crossed the cave into a room cluttered to its brim with metals and other interesting but unidentifiable objects. She heard him rummage and fight his way through the pile, with the occasional crash to announce the difficulty at which he had to do so. After a few minutes she heard a triumphant "Aha!" and he spent another few minutes making his way back through the room.

When he emerged, he presented her with what looked like a bird, but it was unlike any bird she had ever seen. Its feathers were a mirage or oranges and reds that seemed to glow, its eyes a piercing black, and its face long and sharp.

"This is s Dok-du. It will lead you home; simply follow it. In the morning, when you hear it call again, follow it back here." He instructed as he reached to unlock the rusty cage. The bird immediately took flight; it's joy about finally being able to stretch its wings obvious. When it finally settled, it perched atop Totosai's shoulder and proceeded to peck the inside of it's wings.

Kagome then realized what Totosai had said. "Home? I can go home?"

"Of course! Surely you didn't expect to stay here? I despise freeloaders, child. Now, be on your way."

Kagome quickly nodded with a smile and scrambled from the floor, ignoring her pain, to follow after the bright bird that had already began to fly out of the cave. But before she had take a step unto the rock path leading up to the cave, she heard Totosai's stern voice call after her. "Take heed Kagome, no one is to know what has transpired her today. No one." His voice promised something dark should she not heed his words. Kagome nodded slowly and stared at Totosai for a few more seconds before she bounded down the stares.

Totosai stood at the mouth of the cave with a sad smile. "A caged bird indeed…" he said grimly as he stared after the girl, who was ironically chasing after the soaring bird.

.0.

Cryptic, I know, but I like Cryptic. It keeps you coming for more. You might be wondering why Kagome didn't know that demons existed, but let me assure you that all questions will be answered eventually, some sooner than others.

Till next time, and God bless!

-Crims.