The Legend of the Kyubi

0"Maybe I need a more humanoid Yokai" - muttered Kurama as he sighed with regret because he thought that with the crow, he could find a clue, although it seemed that things would not be as easy as he thought - "I'd better get back with the others..."     0

Kurama was about to retreat, when he felt something strange in the surroundings, as if someone was watching him, though he quickly decided to ignore it and concentrate on the problem in front of him.     

As the white-haired man disappeared, the silhouette of a man appeared behind a tree.     

"This power, no doubt about it, that man is a Daiyokai" - muttered the man covered by what appeared to be a coat made from the body of a white baboon - "And he is close to the priestess of the Pearl of Shikon, this may complicate my plans..."     

The man was silent before frowning under his coat that covered his entire body - "No, I can't let a mere Yokai stop me from fulfilling my wish."     

Quickly, he disappeared from the spot, unaware that the gears of fate were beginning to turn in an unknown direction.     

* * * * *     

"You're back?" - Kagome said in surprise as Kurama appeared in front of the group.     

"No, he's still far away, it's just that this is a residual image" - Inuyasha replied sarcastically, only to impact his body against the ground thanks to Kagome's spell - "Grr"     

"Seriously, you should think things better before annoying the person who can torture you without even touching you" - said Kaede while shaking her head.     

"Keep quiet, old woman" - Inuyasha growled with a frown - "I still can't believe that the shrimp that followed Kikyo everywhere, is now a decrepit old woman"     

Kaede's eyebrow twitched slightly, though she didn't respond to the hanyo's words because it was true. She was old now and there was no argument that she could deny this truth.     

"Where were you, Tousan?" - Izumi asked curiously.     

"I was at a nearby thieves' camp, I took care of them after I sensed a demonic presence in the place" - Kurama answered honestly.     

"Thieves?" - Kaede repeated with surprise.     

"Yes, ones who had a camp on that mountain" - replied Kurama as he pointed towards the nearby mountain.     

"Oh, you mean them, yes, some cruel and remorseless people" - said Kaede with a frown - "Thank you for clearing our surroundings, though I'm curious about the demonic presence you speak of."     

"Oh, it was a crow Yokai, probably about two or three years old of mutation" - replied Kurama as he shrugged, then looked at Yura - "How's your training going?"     

"Fine, though it's hard, I need to be all the time concentrated or else I'm going to destroy the damn leaf" - Yura replied with a frown while wiggling her little nose - "Seriously, this leaf couldn't be in worse shape"     

"Oh, it can" - replied Kurama with a huge smile as he handed her a dry leaf that looked like it would break at any second.     

Yura's expression darkened as she internally cursed her big mouth for saying something so stupid.     

Kagome smiled at how the bitch had gotten what she deserved.     

"As for you..." - Kurama said as he pulled out a talisman and placed it on the future girl's forehead.     

"Huh? What's this?" - Kagome asked as she frowned, only to feel everything around her seem to blur - "What have you done to me!"     

"I'm just interfering with your spiritual control, I did this to make your training much harder" - Kurama replied as he glared at the girl.     

"The training is supposed to make my job easier, not harder!" - Kagome exclaimed in irritation as she tried to concentrate her spiritual power on one point as she had done before, only to find her efforts ineffective - "Why!"     

"Because that way you can concentrate your spiritual power in any situation, even in critical moments, like for example, an ambush" - Kurama answered honestly - "Think about it, the moment your opponent attacks you, and you can't react, you're dead!"     

Kagome was silent before she started to cry.     

Kurama sighed when he saw this, after all, this girl had had a normal life so far, and she was only about 14 - 15 years old at most.     

"I want to go home..." - Kagome said with tears in her eyes.     

"Don't worry, you will" - Kurama replied calmly - "I promise you that when this day is over, you will be at home, besides, I'm curious to see your future."     

"Huh?" - Kagome stopped crying and looked at Kurama with a surprised expression - "Are you really going to the future with me?"     

"Yes, I'm curious to see the human society of the future" - Kurama replied calmly.     

"I don't think it's a good idea for a Daiyokai to go to a place where only humans exist" - Kaede said with a frown.     

"If I really wanted to do something, I would have just followed Kagome while she returns and thus wreak havoc without showing my presence" - Kurama replied while cocking his head to the side.     

"Oh, you have a point" - nodded Kaede as she thought some more about the overall situation. Kurama was a monster in every term of the word, and yet he was still a person she could strike up a conversation with, not to mention that he didn't seem to be interested in the pearl, but that could just be a simple screen he put up to gain her trust. Kaede quickly shook her head when she thought this because it didn't make sense, I mean, Kurama could take the pearl with utmost ease, so there was no need to put so much thought into the matter.     

"That's a bit scary, although it does calm me down a bit, besides, I'd rather have someone I know I can talk to, instead of the grumpy dog lord" - Kagome replied disdainfully as she looked at the irate Inuyasha.     

"Tousan..." - Izumi said with a frown as she didn't like the idea of being separated from her father.     

"Relax, I'll be back in a little while, besides, you have to start spreading your wings like your brothers" - replied Kurama while shaking his head - "They have already chosen their paths, while you are still by my side as if you were my shadow, my little princess."     

"I'm not a little girl, don't call me princess" - Izumi snorted as her fox tail swished back and forth.     

Kagome gave him a blank stare as it was obvious that the girl wasn't upset in the slightest.     

Inuyasha watched this interaction as he thought about how things would have been if their father relationship had been the same as the one Kurama had with his daughter. He quickly shook his head, after all, that didn't matter now that it was all over, and there was no way to change the past.     

"Anyway, I'm going to bring Kagome-san to her home, check out the nearby places and bring you a souvenir, then I can take you to see the place with me, I might even try to take you guys" - Kurama replied with a smile.     

"Ok, but don't be late" - muttered Izumi as she wagged her fox tail back and forth.     

Kurama nodded before telling the girl to lead him.     

"What about me, master?" - Yura asked as she looked at the white haired man.     

"Train, when I come back I want to see your progress, and if you do well, I promise I'll give you a prize." said Kurama as he nodded in her direction.     

"A prize?" - Yura repeated as she looked at the beautiful hair of the ten-tailed Kitsune.     

"Yes" - nodded Kurama as he retreated along with Kagome.     

Inuyasha watched him go before he got to thinking, so he quickly looked at Izumi - "Tell me, is there any way I can get stronger?"     

"Your race usually specializes in close combat and physical power, so I think I have a way I can help you" - Izumi replied with a small smile as she grabbed the boy's hand, who only blushed slightly, though he quickly returned to his typical angry expression.     

Izumi noticed this, though she did nothing to try to tease or remark it, she just smiled as she led the Hanyo away.     

Kaede watched this interaction as she raised an eyebrow because as much as she didn't want to admit it, Izumi was a much better match than her sister. Kikyo was a strong, determined woman, but she had many flaws, such as her apathy for almost all things, she was one of those people who didn't show much emotion, and when she did, there didn't seem to be much change in her expressions.     

"I hope this interaction can heal you, Inuyasha," Kaede murmured as she closed her eye. She had heard his side of the story from Inuyasha, so she knew that something or someone had intervened during the last moments of the relationship between the Hanyo and the Priestess, that's why now she was happy to see again the boy she knew during her childhood, the same one who had opened his heart to her apathetic sister.