Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chained To You ❯ Chapter Two ( Chapter 2 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter Ni
Scene: The Castle of the Royal Silver Kitsune Clan,
Akaso, The Makai.


Kaoru led Kagome up the wooden staircase that led out from the kitchen, onto the second floor. It was much darker here- the interior was made of a deep brown wood. Shoji screens to the right and left of them formed a cool corridor, and Kagome wondered what was beyond the paper walls. Kaoru walked in front of her, and occasionally they had to press to the side, heads bowed, as some important figure passed by.

“It's just through here...” Kaoru finally spoke, leading them down some stone steps. Kagome's head was spinning from the complexity of the castle and a shadow of a doubt began to creep into her mind. Escaping such a place might not be as easy as she thought.

Outside, Kagome finally realised the vastness of the castle and its grounds. The palace gardens stretched for many miles, but in the distance the miko could see the high grey walls that kept the castle separated from the world outside. She followed Kaoru through some forestry, until they reached a series of wooden huts. The neko hanyou politely nodded to them, and kept her distance.

Kagome entered the middle hut, and immediately covered her nose at the smell. Thankfully her travels to the past had taught her that certain times lived in certain ways. She took the opportunity to think, leaning against the wooden door frame.

If I run, Kaoru might come after me. Even if she doesn't, she would surely be punished for letting me escape. Perhaps she will show me around, and then once I know the area, I can make a bid for freedom...

Satisfied, Kagome left the hut. Kaoru guided her to a small waterfall behind the lake so she could wash her hands. It was immensely beautiful, and the miko wondered how such a place of tranquillity could exist in the home of one such as Yoko.

“This is where we usually bathe,” Kaoru explained. “The water is cold, but bearable. One a week, the servants are allowed to use the hot springs.”

Kagome shuddered at the thought of having to wash in cold water again. In the last three years she had grown accustomed to the luxury of a daily hot shower and bath. The miko was thankful at least that her time travelling experiences would be put to good use.

“How lovely that we have access to the hot springs, even as servants...” Kagome played along, as they walked back to the castle.

“Yes, it is,” Kaoru smiled. “Yoko-sama is extremely kind to us.”

Kagome managed not to choke at this statement, instead, faked a sort of cough.

“Yes, it would seem...I don't know much about him. Is he good to work for?” Kagome asked, feigning interest.

“Yes, he is a good master. The best I've ever worked for,” Kaoru spoke earnestly, “A lot of masters treat their hanyou servants cruelly...Yoko-sama is very intimidating, but fair.”

Kagome took this information in silently. Kaoru glanced at her as they reached the steps.

“Of course, with your circumstances...” the neko hanyou glanced at the rosary around Kagome's neck, “You know of course, how he is. Another youkai as powerful as Yoko-sama would have killed you- or worse. He is very merciful.”

He's only keeping me alive to repay a ridiculous debt, Kagome wanted to say, but Kaoru's loyalty to Yoko touched her. She knew Inuyasha had suffered as a child due to his half demon, half human status, and she could imagine Kaoru had a similar fate. The difference being, Inuyasha had lived in a world of humans, whereas Kaoru lived in a world of demons.

I wonder which world is more accepting of hanyou?


         ~OoOoOoO~

Kagome had faced many adversities in her life- school exams, a dead miko who was the reincarnation of herself, an evil hanyou who wanted to rule the world- and his many evil spawn- yet the week she spent in the Palace of the Silver Kitsune was without a doubt, the most exhausting of her life. She could not remember the last time every bone in her body had ached so much. She had blisters and bruises in every place possible. She was constantly light headed from lack of sleep and food. She was Bancho-san's newest punch bag, and she no longer flinched when the rolling pin flew into view.

If it wasn't for Kaoru, Kagome didn't know how she would have made it through alive.

The neko hanyou woke Kagome every morning four o'clock, and after the few hours sleep under the table, the miko would rise, stiff and sore, and make breakfast for all the servants. Then she and Kaoru would deliver all the fresh laundry and sheets to the different rooms of the castle. And there were many rooms. Kaoru would give Kagome titbits of informations as they carried armfuls of washing-

“There are two different types of inhabitants in the castle- those related to the royalty, and those to the bandits. Yoko-sama is the Crown Prince; his parents have been dead many years. He has a sister, who is travelling. In the third floor of the Palace live the Elders; the oldest blood of the silver kitsune clan. They are Yoko-sama's political advisers.
 
On the second floor resides the distant cousins and second cousins, and other family members.

On the first floor, there are rooms for visiting bandits. The reason the Silver Kitsune clan is so wealthy is due to the double life lived by the reigning prince- his other title is the King of Thieves, and the band he leads brings in much fortune and wealth for the clan, and so is supported by the elders.”

“I see,” Kagome replied as she helped Kaoru pack fresh futons into cupboards. Her 'debt' was starting to make a little more sense. “But why is Yoko called the Crown Prince, and not King, if his father is dead?”

“It's a silver kitsune tradition,” Kaoru smiled, “Yoko is considered too young to be King yet. That is why he must keep the Elders in his favour.”

They were walking down one of the narrow staircases of the castle when Kagome realised, in her interest of Kaoru's story, that she had left her laundry basket in the previous room.

“I'll go back and fetch it,” Kagome said, “I'll catch up with you downstairs.”

Kaoru left without resistance, and it was the first time Kagome had been left alone outside the kitchen. The strange sense of freedom tingled on her skin. She numbly retraced her steps to the room, and opening the shoji screen, saw the forgotten basket lying on the tatami.

The room was unremarkable- like the countless other guest rooms dotted around the castle, simply a empty space with a low wooden table, flat floor cushions and a futon ready in the cupboard. The window was blocked by shutters, and Kagome crept through the darkness, longing to feel the spring sunshine on her face.

Her fingers found the latch, and she sprang open the shutters. A fresh breeze blew across her skin and hair, and Kagome shielded her eyes from the morning sun, having been in blackness in the castle. Birds were chirping outside, and the miko sighed gratefully for the moment of peace. It was the first time she had seen the surrounding area from a great height- she was amazed not only at the size of the grounds, but the town she could she sprawled outside the castle walls. It was like being in the past again- even from here Kagome could tell the town was built of traditional houses- not like back home in Tokyo with the skyscrapers and neon lights.

“Busy at work, I see...”

The silky voice shattered Kagome's silence, and she remembered exactly what she was doing in this place.

The miko spun around guilty, and the King of Thieves was before her. His arms were folded, his golden eyes piercing into her own. He was wearing some sort of royal robe- an amber kimono with a scarlet obi, studded with red jewels. She instinctively moved away from him, but there was nothing but the window behind her, and the frame bit into her back.

“I was just airing the room...” Kagome explained, cursing the flush blooming on her cheeks. He had really caught her by surprise, and her heart was hammering. She hadn't seen him at all since he had left her in the kitchen, and she had forgotten how intimidating his presence could be.

She also felt a rush of hatred for this being who had inflicted such a fate upon her.

“You are a terrible liar, miko-sama,” Yoko moved slowly, the red tassels from the obi swaying dangerously. He was so close to her that she could smell the faint scent of roses from his silver hair. “I am certainly not paying you to admire the view.”

“It's not like I asked for this job,” Kagome retorted, “And this is the first breather I've had all week, I'll have you know.”

Yoko's eyebrows rose at her tone, “I hope you are not forgetting yourself, miko. I would hate for you to accidentally fall out that window and break your lovely neck...”

His voice was menacing, and Kagome could feel her skin grow cold at the threat, her bruise marks from the kitsune all but faded. But still, after the week of hard labour she had experienced, her attitude had grown a lot tougher.

“Well that would reveal your cover up- I'm certain a hanyou wouldn't be stupid enough to fall out a window; especially a neko. You would have some explaining to do about that!”

Yoko's eyes widened at her quick reply. He was certain the little miko would have been terrified at being caught slacking of- instead, she was standing here answering him back. He grabbed her wrist, and she made a noise of pain at the tightness of his grip.

“I hope I do not need to remind you of your place,” Yoko hissed, “You ningen are so weak- and I really don't think anyone would miss you if you suddenly disappeared...”

Kagome's face remained stony, and she didn't resist his grip. “The others servants would be quite happy, I'm sure,” she retorted. “I'm sure my ningen weakness will make my disguise worthless soon enough!”

“There are worse things than death,” Yoko replied, his golden eyes cold.

“Yes- I've seen them.” Kagome snapped back. She pulled her hand from the kitsune's grip, and left the room, the laundry basket forgotten.


         ; ~OoOoOoO~

The encounter with Yoko was the last straw for the miko. She was determined to flee that night, no matter how. A bubble of dread and anticipation settled in her chest as she carried out her afternoon chores. She carried a lacquered tray laden with a sumptuous feast for the silver kitsune Elders. Her stomach growled hungrily at the sight and smell of the goodies- but she dare not risk a bite, as other servants followed her with other trays.

The old youkai were seated around a low circular table, smoking pipes and drinking sake despite the early hour. There was much laughter and coughing, and Kagome picked up parts of the conversation as she placed the loaded plates onto the table. As a servant, they ignored her.

“Even so, my dear Kenji, we simply must settle this heir issue. We've been without a successor to the throne for decades now, and Yoko is not getting any younger!”

Kagome couldn't help but listen at the mention of Yoko's name. She began to slowly arrange chopsticks and dipping dishes of soy sauce.

“Ahh, but he is still in his prime! He's from good blood, Yoko is. We have nothing to worry about there. As long as those Reds don't cook up another potion, we can bide our time, and he can mate when he feels ready.”

Kagome had to stifle a laugh as she backed out of the room on her knees. It was so strange to hear these old men talk about Yoko's potential future. Although he seemed to be all powerful and in control, it seemed the kitsune Prince was not entirely master of his own fate.

Serves him right! Kagome thought as she slid the shoji screen shut and rose to her feet. Her  knees cracked, unused to the constant kneeling and crawling along the floor. But she was a servant now, and that was how she must appear.


~OoOoOoO~

Yoko sat at the low table in his chambers, pressing his right temple with the tips of his fingers. He was reading the mountains of legislation documents that he had to approve and seal, but his mind was constantly wandering. His encounter with the miko had unsettled him somewhat. He was taken aback by the change in her appearance, despite only a few days passing since he had seen her last. Her skin had become porcelain pale, especially her face, and there had been large purple shadows under her eyes. Her dark hair, which he had seen lustrous and shiny, hung bedraggled. The only life about her was her eyes, which still burned with that pure blue fire. Her spirit certainly hadn't been cowed, despite her body's clear signs of wear.

Yoko puzzled over this rather out of character train of thought. He then realised it had been the miko's words- “I'm sure my ningen weakness will make my disguise worthless soon enough!”- that had prompted the analysis of the miko's appearance.
Even her wrist, when he had grasped it, had been thin and fragile. It really did feel like he could snap her bones as easily as burnt twigs, or rip her skin like rice paper.

I will need to keep an eye on her, and make sure she is not weakening too fast, Yoko mused. It mattered not to him if she expired due to exertion, but it would cause some troubling questions around the palace if it happened too soon.


~OoOoOoO~

That night, Kagome was too nervous to eat, but she knew it was the last meal she might get in a long time, so she carefully chewed each morsel of fish and rice. The chatter washed over her, and she was glad her servitude had came to an end. Any longer in this place and she would have killed one of the other servants, if not herself. The conversations consisted of mainly work talk, local gossip, and the good looking bandits. It seemed that the servant girls had no qualms sleeping with the bandits, and gaining certain protection and privileges from them. Of course, the top prize was Yoko himself, but no female here had ever achieved that.

Kagome couldn't help but roll her eyes as she snuck a second helping of rice. The male servants were far more agreeable, but she hadn't had a chance to talk to any of them, as they worked mainly as labourers outside the castle, in the grounds. Neko seemed the most common of servant, and Kagome couldn't understand why. She didn't want to ask Kaoru, in case she offended her only friend.

After helping to clear away the meal, Kagome had planned to try and get a few hours sleep before she tried to escape, but Kaoru tapped her cheerfully on the shoulder.

“Do you want to go to the hot springs, Kagome-chan?”

The miko felt a ripple of deja-vu wash over her. She was back in the past, and the Inu-tachi had finished a hard day's work of shard collecting. After eating in Kaede's hut, Kagome wanted nothing more than to snuggle into her sleeping bag, but her best friend Sango had nudged her and whispered, “Let's go to the hot springs, ne, Kagome?”

The miko snapped back to the present as Kaoru's smiling silver eyes waited for a response.

“Hai....” Kagome nodded, and Kaoru's face lit up happily. The miko couldn't disappoint her new friend, but even more, she couldn't resist the thought of the burning hot water easing her muscles.


~OoOoOoO~


“We take it in turns,” Kaoru explained, as they wandered into the lush overgrowth. Kagome could feel the air getting warmer as they approached, and her skin sighed in anticipation.

“It's nice to have company, ne?” Kagome smiled, remembering that most of her heart felt conversations with Sango had taken place in hot springs.

“Hai,” Kaoru agreed, “I knew it would be awkward if  one of the other girls had to bathe with you...”

Kagome laughed as they finally reached the hot springs, and put down their wooden buckets, in which they carried a towel and soap.

“I'm not exactly flavour of the month with the other servants, am I?” the miko acknowledged. She put her hands on her hips, admiring the view of the beautiful enclosed rock pool. Ahhh, finally, a reward for my hard work!

“Oh, that's not what I meant!” Kaoru said, waving her hand. “It's just, because the others don't know what you are...” The neko hanyou immediately blushed after speaking, putting a hand over her mouth.

“Oh!!” realisation hit Kagome with a bump. Her body, would of course, be different from that of a hanyou. The miko suddenly giggled. “How thoughtful of you, Kaoru-chan! Arigatou, you really saved me there!”

Kaoru smiled gratefully, seeing Kagome wasn't offended.

“The pleasure was mine, Kagome-chan....”

The girls quietly undressed and Kagome felt herself glowing with the friendship of Kaoru. The neko hanyou had no reason to be so kind, and yet she was doing everything she could to help her.

The miko couldn't help but notice the multiple scars criss-crossing Kaoru's back as they washed before entering the hot spring. It reminded her of Sango-chan's own scars from Naraku. These welts looked as though they were caused by a whip, and Kagome shivered as she remembered the wrath of Yoko's vines. However, Kaoru had made it clear she thought the kitsune was a good master, which made Kagome think she had received them at her previous employment. She felt another rush of empathy towards her new friend.

“Ahh, it's so good!” sighed Kaoru happily as they sunk shoulder deep into the water. Kagome nodded appreciatively, remembering the many times they had used the hot springs to relieve the pain after battle. It was a similar feeling- the aches and pains of her constant working were relieved by the heat.

They rested in silence for a few moments, enjoying the noises of the night- owls hooting and the occasional flap of wings. It was peaceful, and Kagome could have easily drifted to sleep. She shook her head, and concentrated on getting information from Kaoru- though she felt bad for using her friend in such a way.

“So, have you worked here long?” The miko asked.

“Hai, over twenty years now.” Kaoru replied. Kagome flinched, thinking Kaoru looked roughly the same age as herself, but then remembered that hanyou and youkai aged differently. She nodded, waiting to see if Kaoru would elaborate.

“You probably want to know how I was born?” Kaoru laughed. Kagome blushed embarrassedly. She knew, of course, how it worked. Inuyasha's mother had been human, his father a inu youkai, and therefore, he was half and half. But it did intrigue Kagome, if the border was so strong and hard to navigate, how so many hanyou existed here.

“It's quite common, really, especially among neko. Especially when times are hard. We can transform into our animal form and can live quite happily in the Ningenkai. Animal forms can slip easier through the barrier. Some neko youkai live as strays, some taken in as pets. Of course, not everyone likes the domesticated lifestyle.”

Kaoru paused to laugh again, seeing Kagome's enrapture. “I've heard cat girls are popular in your time, ne? Ever wonder how that came about?”

Kagome blinked. “You...you mean...?”

Kaoru nodded. “Cosplay, is it? Some neko youkai eventually get bored of living the cat life, and want to try sleeping with a human. Of course, they can't give birth to hanyou in the Ningenkai, so we get dumped here...”

The miko bit her lip. “Sounds harsh. These neko youkai don't seem to care about the responsibility of their actions...”

Kaoru shrugged, agreeing. “I never met my mother. There are many hanyou orphanages around the Makai. When we become old enough, we have to work to pay them back for bringing us up. I've paid off my debt now, so now I just work to make a living.”

Kagome was stunned by her friend's story. It wasn't quite the romantic tale of Inuyasha's birth.

“Of course, there are other reasons. A lot of humans wander into the Makai- those under alcohol or drugs seem able to pass through by accident. The girls are often captured and often made sex slaves- although youkai hate ningen, they love to use and abuse them.”

The miko shuddered, feeling a little sick.

“The last master I worked for particularly liked ningen girls,” Kaoru explained, her soft grey eyes darkening. “The barrier patrol guards are pretty corrupt, and they often sell these girls to the highest bidder, instead of returning them back to where they came from.”

“That's terrible...” Kagome gasped, seeing a new side to the world she was in, and the danger it presented.

Kaoru smiled, though her eyes were sad. “Yoko-sama is a very good master, Kagome-chan. I know you have suffered too. But he has treated you very well, considering.”

The miko couldn't meet her friend in the eyes. It's almost like she has read my mind, and knows I'm going to run away.

“Let me tell you a story this time,” Kagome said, changing the subject, “Where I came from, I managed to travel to the past, and met an inu hanyou, called Inuyasha...”

Kagome successfully managed to distract Kaoru with her tales of Inuyasha and the others. They spoke for an hour, continuing the conversation as they dressed and walked back to the castle. Kaoru wanted to know everything about her adventures in the past, and was shocked that the miko was so used to mingling with youkai.

“It makes sense!” Kaoru giggled, clapping her hands. “You never seemed terrified of us, or even uneasy!

They continued to talk as they finished the evening chores, cleaning up the kitchen from the mess of cooking the evening meal. Kagome felt herself gushing her tale, happy to have someone to tell after years of walking about in her world, numb and silent to what she had seen and done. The others skirted around them, curious as to their deep conversation. Kagome was about to prepare her potato sack, when Kaoru put a hand on her arm.

“Kagome-chan, please share my futon. It can't be comfortable, or good for your back, to sleep on the floor.”

The miko was aghast. How could she refuse, after all they had shared in the last few hours, and how kind the neko hanyou had been to her since her arrival? It would mean she couldn't escape, but after hearing the Kaoru's stories, she had became a little scared of the Makai, a world she knew little about. She could learn some more, then try to escape.

“Thank you, I'd love to, Kaoru-chan!” Kagome beamed. She followed her friend into the servant dormitory, a room six tatami long. There were rows of blue tidy futons that the other hanyou were unrolling as they entered. Kagome kept behind her friend, feeling the eyes of the others scorch her questioningly. There were many whispers in the darkened room, but Kaoru held her head high, disregarding them.

“Here we go...” she stopped at the far end, indicating her tatami. Kagome stood by it, watching as her friend opened the sliding screens of a cupboard to take out an extra pillow. She carried it over, and then placed her bucket to the right of the bed. There was a wooden tray there too, which contained her personal items- a hairbrush, a fresh yukata and socks, a coral shell. They had already changed into their sleeping yukata, and Kaoru took Kagome's bucket and folded clothes she had worn that day, and put them on the tray.

“Thank you,” Kagome said, as a black neko hanyou approached them.

“What are you doing, Kaoru? She sleeps in the kitchen!” she said reproachfully.

“Well, now Kagome's sharing with me, until a futon is made available,” Kaoru replied calmly. All the eyes of the other neko hanyou were watching them. The other types of hanyou pretended nothing was happening and continued to make their beds. The miko realised the cliques were much stronger than she had first believed. She also realised Kaoru was the only grey neko in the room. So she's also an outsider.

“Bancho won't be happy,” the black neko commented with a sneer.

“Then she won't be happy,” Kaoru shrugged. “If you don't mind, we're going to sleep now.”

Kagome swallowed as her friend stuck up for her. The candles were snuffed out, and the pair settled down in their futon.

“Thank you,” Kagome whispered, clutching her friend's hand, “for everything.”

She could sense Kaoru's smile in the darkness.

“So how is our new servant?” Kuroune asked his comrade the next day. Yoko was sitting on his throne, tallying up the income the bandits had made that week. One of the younger bandits, a red kitsune, was scribing for him, making careful brush strokes on the paper ledger.

“Fine, as far as I'm aware,” Yoko muttered, in between rummaging through sacks and trunks. “Eight whole cut diamonds, five rubies, rough, one thousand gold coins, seven bolts of silk...”

Kuroune sighed. The scribe being there meant they couldn't talk explicitly. He had told Yoko he would write, but the Prince had told him bluntly his handwriting was terrible.

“Ah, I want to see her again! This is boring. Can't you call for her?”

Yoko didn't blink. “Seventy small sapphires, two large chunks of rose quartz. Good, that can replace the ones they wasted for that rosary. Three hundred silver coins...”

Just then, there was a noise as the shoji screen was scraped back. Kuroune looked up eagerly, and sure enough, Kagome was kneeling outside the door, a tray balanced in her hands. Yoko didn't miss a beat in his counting, though he would have recognised her scent.

“Your tea...” The miko said softly, rising just enough to enter the room, before she knelt again and placed the tray down on the tatami. She slowly placed three ivory cups, painted with cranes, onto the low table. She then began to pour the tea.

“Dear me, Kagome, you look terrible,” Kuroune commented. The girl's face was chalk white, and a red slap mark was visible on her cheek. Her hair in particular was in disarray, the curls tangled and clumped as though she had just woken up.

The miko blinked, looking at the koumori youkai strangely, this being this first time she had laid eyes on him, yet he seemed to know her.

“Excuse me, I haven't introduced myself,” Kuroune chuckled, “I'm Kuroune, Yoko's second in command. I helped to, eh, supply your uniform.”

Kuroune winked at the miko, motioning to the red kitsune in the room who was silently scribing with downcast eyes, and used his two fingers above his head to indicate ears. Kagome blinked, and finally caught on.

“Ahh. Please to meet you, Kuroune-san.”

“Please, just Kuroune,” he grinned.

Yoko finally glanced up, wondering what his comrade was up to.

The koumori knelt down next to the table, accepting the tea and continued to stare at Kagome as she prepared the cups.

“Is there a reason I can smell flour and oil from your hair?” Kuroune enquired.

Kagome jumped a little at the sudden observation. She couldn't tell what type of youkai he was, but guessed his sense of smell was an indication.

“Ahh, hai.”

She was avoiding eye contact, and Kuroune was intrigued. “And what is that reason?”

Kagome finally looked at him, meeting his eyes squarely. “Some girls thought it would be fun to pour hot oil and flour on my hair this morning. It burned my scalp, so I went to the stream to wash it out. Then Bancho-sama punished me for skipping chores.”

Her voice was even and soft, but Kuroune could detect a concealed anger. She finished pouring the tea, bowed to Kuroune and pointedly ignored Yoko, and left the room, shutting the screen with a clack.

“Ooh, she's mad,” Kuroune said gleefully. “Her blood was singing to me, it was boiling so much. And she totally blanked you! I'm surprised you aren't angry!”

“Of course I'm angry.” Yoko retorted. “It's incredibly disrespectful to ignore one's master. I've had people killed for less. I'll make sure she is punished.”

Kuroune sipped his tea with a smirk.

The miko left the room, wondering over the youkai Kuronue, and what his relationship to Yoko was. She assumed he was a bandit, but unlike the others, he didn't wear the silver attire. Instead, he wore a strange get up, mostly in black: a battered hat with holes for his pointed ears; a waistcoat with straps wrapped around his arms; a long, grey skirt fastened with a belt, and black boots. He had leathery wings, but Kagome didn't get the impression he was a bird youkai. His long, ebony hair was scooped into a ponytail, and his eyes were a lovely shade of violet.
It seemed ironic, that his colour palette was so dark, and Yoko's so light- their appearances certainly didn't match their dispositions.

Kagome tugged at her hair as she walked, feeling it still slick and sticky despite washing it. She couldn't care less what the others said or did to her- yes, it had burned, but luckily it was more hot than scalding. Yes, it had been difficult to remove and had probably ruined her hair. But what angered her more was that they had done it to Kaoru, too. Well, I'm not going to stand for that.

She made her move at lunchtime, when they had nearly finished their meagre portions of rice and grilled fish. Kagome craved seasoning- it seemed servants had to do without. How she missed soy sauce and wasbai!

Before they cleared away, Kagome stood up. The others looked at her in surprise, Kaoru's face the most in shock. Her beautiful silver hair was a mess this afternoon, and it made Kagome mad.

“While we're all together, I'd just like this chance to warn some of you- back off. We're all the same here, just trying to get on with our jobs, and no one should be making it harder for anyone else. I don't care if you don't like me, but just deal with it. I've been through too much shit in my life to be bothered with this pathetic attempt at bullying.”

She sat down and there was silence in the room. The male youkai, mainly oblivious to what had happened between the girls, shrugged and heartily continued to eat. The neko preened and huffed, while the other types of hanyou females grinned, glad the neko had been put in their place.

Kagome was cleaning the dishes, realising what monotonous work this job contained. Morning, noon and night there were dishes to be washed. She could feel her arms strengthening with the constant hauling of water to the large basin and the constant washing and drying. The exercise made her long to pick up a bow and arrow, and she wondered if there were any she could get her hands on in the castle.

“Hey, you,” said the black neko hanyou from the night before, who Kagome had discovered was called Yasu. “Yoko-sama wants to see you.”

Her tone was still cold, but Kagome noticed there wasn't as much malice in the hanyou's eyes as before- though she was clearly interested why the master wanted to see her.

As am I...Kagome took her time, drying her hands on a towel carefully. She walked up the stone steps from the kitchen, slipping out of her slippers onto the tatami mat. She padded along in her socks softly, wondering where she was meant to meet the kitsune. Then she saw him, waiting at the end of the corridor, arms crossed.

She stopped a little in front of him, curious. He hadn't ever sought her out in the many days she had been here. Perhaps he had wanted to check on her since that incident that morning?

“Are you not going to bow to your master?” Yoko asked. Kagome's eyes widened and she dipped her head slightly. Quick as a flash, the kitsune had her pressed against the wall, his hands around her wrists. The corridor was dimly lit, but his golden eyes flashed.

“Do you enjoy punishment so much that you continue to disrespect me?” he asked lowly, his tone dangerous. The tips of his claws brushed her skin, and she repressed a shiver, refusing to show weakness this time.

“I was taught to show respect only to those who earned it,” Kagome replied.

Yoko barred his fangs, pressing even closer against her. “Are you implying I do not deserve your respect?”

“Pretty much!” The miko answered, and she struck out with her foot. The blow glanced off the kitsune's knee, and he barely flinched.

“Bad move, miko,” he hissed. “Very, very bad move.”

They froze as they heard voices echoing up from the kitchen, and Yoko dragged her into a room on the left, sliding shut the shoji screen. He flung her with contempt to the floor and she fell back, off balance, onto her backside.

“Itai!” she gasped, catching her breath. “There was no need to throw me!”

Yoko stood over her, seething. “Your very presence irks me, miko. It would have been better if you had simply died.”

“I never asked for this mess!” Kagome protested, too tired to rise to her feet. She glared at him, uncaring at the anger radiating from his body. “I'm going to die at some point anyway, either from exhaustion or Bachou's rolling pin! Why don't you just hurry it up a little!”

“You're pathetic,” Yoko sneered. “A few weeks of solid work and you crumble. This is why I despise ningen. You're all weak!”

“We are not!” Kagome shouted, getting to her feet. “Of course I'm exhausted! I'm being made to do the work of someone half youkai, and being punished as such! My body is different from the others!

“Stop complaining and just get on with it,” the kitsune retorted. “You should be thanking me for giving you shelter and a place to hide in this cruel world. I could have easily left you outside, where you would be tortured mercilessly!”

Kagome choked on her response, remembering Kaoru's stories. Yoko raised his eyebrows, surprised by her sudden silence.

“You're right.” The miko's eyes fluttered, fighting tears. She slowly sank to her knees, and appealed to the youkai tall above her. “You are right. That's why I'm begging you, please. Please help me get back to my world. I don't belong here. Please...”

Although it killed her inside, the miko bowed deeply, her head grazing the floor. Silence permeated the room, and as the seconds ticked away, she waited for a response.

“It is impossible, miko. Even if I could convince someone to take you, the risk of your discovery would be dangerous to you both. And as I said before, there is a debt to be repaid.”

Kagome raised her head in time to see the kitsune sweep from the room. Tears of anger fell from her eyes to the matting below as she sat up, her fists clenched on her knees.

“Screw your debt, Yoko. And screw you too!”

The miko fumed throughout the rest of the day, silently letting her rage ferment. Once again she wished for Sango's poison, or some sort of weapon to help equip her escape. Her mind was made up- she would leave tonight.

I can't believe this world can be any worse than what I experienced on the other side of the well...

Kaoru detected there was something wrong, but attributed it to the prank the others had played on them earlier. She could see Kagome was tormented about something, but in the busy kitchen, she thought it unwise to ask. She didn't want to risk another outburst from the miko.

Kagome did all her tasks diligently, and for once wasn't reprimanded. The other neko hanyou steered clear, but the other breeds made attempts to talk to her. If it weren't for her foul mood, Kagome would have been happy and tried to make friends, but as it was, she kept civil.

She was getting water from the well for washing linen when a strong wind whipped around her. The skies in the Makai were always dark at night, not matter how nice the day had been, but the sky was a peculiar orange colour, like copper rust. It reminded Kagome of Yoko's eyes, and she swore as she lost concentration and let the bucket slip from her fingers.

After dinner, Kagome excused herself to the outhouse. She waited for the right moment, when Kaoru had left the room with a tray, to slip away, knowing her friend would have accompanied her.

Forgive me, Kaoru. At least this way, the others will leave you alone.

Kagome could feel her heart thump painfully in her chest as she stuck to the darkly lit corridors. The castle was quiet at this time of night- only the servants were still to go to bed. The miko prayed she wouldn't bump into Yoko, and half expected to see him standing at every turn. Relief flooded her as she stepped outside. Then she broke into a run.

The miko had seen the view from the high up floors, and knew which direction to go in. She would make for the town clustered around the castle, and hope to find someone willing to take her to the barrier. She kicked herself as she realised she should have stolen something to barter with.

If only this darn rosary could come off!!

There was still a strong wind, and it shrieked through Kagome's yukata. She ran until she got a stitch, then slowed to a jog. She gulped air greedily, making her way through the forest, the darkness tricking her with shadows and shapes. Luckily the miko had much experience with forests, and was undaunted by this one.

She kept up the swift pace for half an hour, keeping a straight path as far as possible, winding through trees and bushes. Her arms and face became scratched and some thorns stung her leg, but Kagome barely paused. Anticipation was building in the pit of her stomach, to be finally free from the confines of the castle, and be heading home.

At last she saw the lights of the town through the trees, and they thinned out. Kagome brushed herself down, pulling twigs from her hair. She checked her ears were properly in place before setting off.

It was late at night, and the town was mainly quiet, the odd noise and song coming from the tea houses and inns. The miko felt very exposed in this place, and kept her face down. She had every right to be here- the servants of the palace often visited the town on their nights off. Anyone would just think she had came to experience the night life. At least, so she told herself.

It felt like being back in time again. The houses were similar to those in Kaede-bachan's village, little wooden shacks. They were all built close together, with narrow side streets, restaurants clear from their signs and door coverings. It reminded Kagome once again of her visit to Osaka, and the small streets of Gion.

Here goes nothing...

Kagome took a deep breath, and entered the friendliest looking restaurant. At this time of night there were few customers left, finishing their sake and telling jokes. They were brown kitsune, Kagome noted, remembering overhearing how they were the 'commoners' compared to the red and silver.

“What can I do for you, sugar?” The brown kitsune nearest her winked, downing his cup. He stood up, his friends laughing at his antics, as he was wobbly on his feet.

“I'm looking for directions to the barrier...” Kagome spoke waveringly. She saw their eyes widen, and they glanced at each other.

“The barrier?” repeated the kitsune on his feet. He swayed, and held onto the table for support. “Whatcha wanting that for?”

“Ehh...it's a secret mission...” Kagome admitted. The kitsune approached her, taking in her appearance.

“Well aren't you as cute as a button? I reckon they keep all good ones in that castle, eh?”

The miko inwardly sighed. She had little time before they others realised she was gone, and she had to make the most of it.

“Can you just tell me the general direction?” she asked.

“Sureee! It'll take you a good few hours though, and there's a storm brewing in the desert. You ain't thinking of travelling now, are ya?”

“No,” she lied.

“Oh, good! It's not safe for a pretty little halfer like yourself!”

Deciding to ignore the insult, Kagome asked again for directions. After much debating between his friends, the miko got what she needed to know, and headed out into the night.

So that's what he meant by desert...

Kagome let out a gasp. Behind the town and another forest, she had finally reached the large expanse of land. It seemed an odd place for a desert, but it was the Makai after all. The winds had died down a little, and as Kagome observed the massive stretch of sand, she couldn't see any storm.

Must have been pretty drunk. Besides, I've came too far to give up now. A little wind won't hurt.

She kept repeating the directions like a mantra in her head. Go straight through the desert. At the next town, cut diagonally across until you reach the mountains. Follow the trail for “Ayogan”. Walk north-west for ten miles, and the barrier patrol will be in sight.

Although she had been exhausted before, her quest had given her a new rush of adrenaline. The miko knew, that thinking sensibly, there was no way she could reach the barrier any time soon. But she planned to walk as far as she could, and take frequent rests.

But first I need to put this desert between myself and the castle.

Kagome took her first brave step onto the sand. It felt strange, shifting beneath her sandals. They weren't the most sensible shoes to walk on sand with, but they were all she had.

The sky was darker now, deep purple with swirls of the orange from before. There were never any stars, which made Kagome think it was a completely different sky from the Ningenkai.
The wind began to pick up, and the miko used her long sleeves to shield her eyes from the flying particles. Before long, her socks were ruined, and she decided to take the sandals off, as they were  causing her to trip and stumble.

It felt strange, touching the sand with only socked feet. It was cold, the heat of the day evaporated with the sun. The desert seemed straight, but every now and then it would slope downwards dangerously. It was hard to see, with no artificial light, only that of the moon and the lights of the next town twinkling teasingly.

Just when Kagome was thinking things could be worse, the storm whipped up. Like a clever predator, it has waited for her to reach the deepest and middle part of the desert. The winds howled around her, sand storms striking her from all angles. The miko coughed as the minuscule grains found ways into her mouth, nose and ears.

Kagome had never experienced or seen a sand storm before, and she couldn't have predicted how terrifying it could be. They resembled thick clouds of dust, but it was so dark Kagome couldn't make out the shape- only the sand hitting off her and blocking her breathing, and the angry noise of the wind were the indications she had been enveloped by another.

No! It can't end now, not when I've just begun! She fought forward, her arms crossed in front of her face. She couldn't protect her ears at the same time, and the sand was as sharp as shards of glass, cutting her and blocking her hearing. Unable to see or hear, she fell downhill, her face buried in the grit as the winds picked up incredible speed. She was utterly disorientated, unable to know which way to go. She spat, trying to clear her mouth, having swallowed so much sand it was tearing the inside of her throat. Coughing and spluttering, she was defenceless as the storm hit her again, shaking her aggressively. She hunkered down, making herself as small as possible. Her yukata was so sprayed with the golden dirt that the sleeves were no longer a useful guard for her face, but she tried to cover it anyway. Her energy was spent, and although her original plan was to stay like this until the storm subsided, the intensity of the winds surrounding her left her breathless. Her lungs heaved in protest, and she could feel her body shutting down from the lack of oxygen, spots dancing before her squeezed shut eyes.

Yoko had been alerted by Kaoru that Kagome had disappeared. Although the neko hanyou guessed the miko had ran away, she was worried for her friend, and for two hours searched for her and waited for her to reappear. Eventually, she gave in and sought Yoko out. Luckily the master was awake, as he had been drinking with Kuroune.

The kitsune was more angry than Kaoru had ever seen him, and she wondered if she had done the right thing. Then she thought of the poor miko wandering around Makai, and knew Yoko's anger couldn't compare to the other fates awaiting her.

Please, please be all right, Kagome-chan! The neko hanyou prayer, as she watched her master leave the castle in hot pursuit of the miko.

Big thanks to everyone reading this fic- I'm glad you are all enjoying it ^^ I'm really excited about this story. As you can hopefully tell, my writing style has matured. I hope you all liked this chapter, and continue to tell me what you think!
I'm so happy to see so many followers from Not the Only One- I promise I'll be better at updating this fic hehe...
For those of you who don't know, I'm now living in Japan and teaching English! You can check out my blog on my profile!
Arigatou gozimasu~

Reviews:

AnimeMoonlightGoddess: He can be a right bastard, can't he? That's why we love him though! Don't worry, Kagome is just as stubborn!

Valleygoat: Glad you think so! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too!

LunaWilderness: It's always nice to see a familiar pen name! Thank you, my life is more stable now! I'm glad you're happy- it's one of my favourite pairings, I love writing Yoko. He's such an interesting character! ^^

Universalbeat: Thank you, that makes me happy. Please enjoy this chapter!

Anonymous Perspective: Nice pen name! Glad you like! Hehe there's much more hardship for Kagome to come...poor girl, I really do give her a hard time!

Redangel2463: Yay! Hope you liked this chapter too!

IchikoKitsuneKoumori: I'm not sure if you mean the stuff I get into, or you get into?

Chibi moon baby: Thank you! Hope you liked the update!

Fierynightangel: Thank you! Hope you enjoyed this one!

Deebeth89: Well I hope you enjoy it! Thanks, that was a typo, it's fixed now!

MariisCa: Ahh thank you, that makes me so happy! I hope this fic becomes as loved as Not the Only One was! X

Guest: Yay! There's no greater joy in my life than somebody enjoying my writing, so thank you! ^^ Glad to hear it, I strive to always keep my characters IC as much as possible! We know so little about Yoko from the anime, so it can be difficult at times, but I'll do my best!! Hope you enjoyed this update!

Charlielou1998: Haha well I have many chapters planned! Glad you enjoyed!

DawnFireice1: Thank you, that's the best compliment I can receive!

Muggle Minx: I am excited by how many people are excited by this fic! \^^/ Thank you, that means a lot. Not the Only One is very dear in my heart, but now I've developed as I writer, I hope to make Chained to You my masterpiece! Hope you liked the update!


CinnamonCupcake: Haha don't worry, he's one of my favourites too! He's got a big role to play so you'll see a lot more of him!