When You Think You Know a Man

They were partners, best friends and for this reason Youko knew everything about Kuronue there was to know. Or at least that was what he thought until he met her…Kuronue's Twin.

Disclaimer: None of the animes used in the making of this story belongs to me. They are not mine and will never be mine.

Chapter Thirteen

Although he lounged on the roof of another hut a great deal away from the one of interest, Youko with his sharp eyes and equally sharp senses watched as Kuronue easily broke through the wall of the hut of interest. The resulting rise of dust and the purposely loud noise his entrance made quickly sent a panic through the people of the village, one that increased when Youko was noticed, but the villagers and their fear went by ignored as a quickly plotted but brilliantly simple plan was put into action, and with a darkly amused smirk, Youko chuckled.

The battle was won far before it even began.

Through his cold golden gaze Youko watched as the humans, and, he noted with distaste, hanyou foolishly lost them to fear and froze under the icy stare he knew Kuronue was oh so generously gifting them with. Their reaction lasted only for a few moments but as any battle-experienced soul knew: the slightest hesitation, no matter what its cause is, meant failure and more than likely death in any sort of dangerous event. May it be a battle between two men or a war between thousands, no matter what was going on one always had to be guarded and ready for what was to come, so when that brief moment of fear passed and instinct kicked in...It was too late.

They were trapped.

Kuronue's highly distracting entrance had been just that, distracting, and Youko had used it along with the slight hesitation following to command thin vines with a metal-like strength to push through the poor hut floor and wrap around their target's bodies. The vines were naturally weightless and easily overlooked alone but with the humans and hanyou having their attention elsewhere they had fallen into the trap all that much more quickly. It was so painfully easy that Youko found his amusement dying for a brief moment until it kicked up again when the reactions came.

The human woman gave a startled sound and while her look turned helpless, the anger in her eyes blazed brightly to the point Youko thought it might truly burn his plants like he was sure she hoped it could, the human man- a monk it seemed- gave little away on his expression and in his gaze but the way his hands clutched into fist gave away more than he would like to know, and as for the hanyou… well his reaction was the most amusing to see.

His hands, much like the monk's, grew into a pair of tightly clenched fist before he began growling and thrashing around. His attempts to claw at the vines and grab his weapon resulting in his own failure and anger that came in a red to match his clothing and insults laced in heavy swearing. Youko would have strangled him with the greenery long ago just for the offence on his looks, the hanyou although similar was far from his level of grace and similarity was insulting if anything at all, and his ears as well, but the hanyou for the moment was amusing and would remain breathing until he was no longer.

Sensing his slight irritation though the vines grew just that little more tighter around everyone within the hut and for a moment Youko grinned proudly before he suddenly drew back and hissed through clenched teeth, crimson flashing eyes darting to the last one in the hut he hadn't given much attention: the miko. Unlike those around her, her focus was on him rather than a silent Kuronue. He could tell from her hard gaze that she knew well who the vines belonged to, a fact proven when she purposely stung him through his connections with the plants, and with another surged of holy power she purified the chain-like things off of her.

Youko could see instinct run across her skin and move her limbs like strings controlling a puppet. He could sense the warning of danger flashing through her own senses and he could nearly taste her bitter power as it wrapped around another arrow. His ears twitched at the sound of swirling wind when that arrow was released, and Youko found that he could almost hear the mindlessness that came with that action. He knew the miko thought herself clever when the arrow soared above Kuronue's head and in his direction at an alarming speed and could feel the same smugness in her eyes…because he felt very smug indeed when the arrow was shattered barely a hair away from his nose.

Obviously the miko thought that between him and Kuronue, he was the greater of the two demons to be dealt with. She thought that even with Kuronue being the one in a closer distance with her, that if she ridded of him first Kuronue would fall easily after. Youko was the one who quickly showed control over an element that was inescapable to them while Kuronue only gave the appearance of needing a weapon of sorts to harm. All they had to do was disarm Kuronue and he would be taken care of whereas if Youko was given the chance, he could use even the smallest of flowers to harm them.

Ah, but only as he and those in the other world knew: Kuronue had one hell of an aim. He could hit any target with ease and fought with, not one, but two scythes. One attached to a chain made for closer battles and another attached to a near-impossible to break wire that could expand far greater than it let on, the wired scythe was also Kuronue's favorite. Even with the distance between his place and Youko's the blade of Kuronue's weapon tore through the arrow like paper and before the miko could notch another one, the blade of the chained scythe splintered her remaining arrows and bow.

A flick of both his wrist and the chained scythe was hooked at his side while wire of the other scythe was wrapped tightly around the miko in place of Youko's vines, the blade of the scythe being slammed into the ground so that Kuronue didn't have to hold the miko's leash and risk being bitten by holy energy as Youko had.

They planned for the miko's attack as soon as they sensed her energy when approaching.

Knowing that the important factors of their plan were hit and that it was time for their targeted result to be achieved Youko stood and with a small disappearance, reappeared at Kuronue's side. His friend spared him a glance and a nod which he returned before turning his attention to the one thing he hadn't been given a true chance to look at: Kuronue's so called sister. He saw wings, hair, and a bit of skin but other than that he could make out much due to her position and the humans blocking her, so with Kuronue he turned his full attention on the trapped fools before them. Kuronue's expression was what he expected: a look of iced furry and death-promising eyes while his own quickly melted into nothing more than an emotionless mask that covered both his features and eyes.

Together they stared at their prey, eyes taking in whatever they could gather before finally after a moment of tense silence…Youko smiled. It was an unexplainable smile. Something that lacked kindness and warmth but held the amusement of one who laughed at murder and the pleasure one gained from realizing another's failure and crashing dreams. The smile was as chilling as the devil's smirk and the voice that followed, while being husky and seductive with deepness enough to drown a woman in lust was just as terrifying as that horrid smile. "I suggest that, have you any value of your lives, you simply do as we demand." His laugh was filled with mockery and shadow. "Although there isn't much you can do at the moment is there?"

"I aunt doing shit for you!" the hanyou snapped back defiantly.

Golden eyes flashed in response and with no other reaction from Youko than that, the few vines around Inuyasha's neck tightened. His eyes grew wide and horrible choking sounds escaped his collapsing throat until one minute…two minutes…three…four…. Just at the right moment the vines loosened up their tight grip and the hanyou slumped forward in his capture. His head bowed and eyes shut almost peacefully, not from death, but from a forced faint that served as a lesson to the others who stared at him in soundless worry. Smart.

Lesson one: Do not defy them.

"All we require from you is two things. Answers…" Youko began,

"And the demoness." Kuronue finished icily.

Both noted with interest that while the two humans tensed in unsure protectiveness, the miko remained cold. Interesting if anything at all.

"What do you demons need that require her?"

Eyes darting to the monk in a cold stare Youko watched emotionlessly as the same treatment given to the hanyou was done to him. His body too slumped forward in a faint.

Lesson two: The only questions to be asked were theirs.

"Miroku!"

"Woman," he addressed the human who called out to the monk. "What is the name of the demoness behind you?"

She stared at them distrustfully and did not answer. A bit of force was applied to her own neck but bravely, and stupidly, she kept silent again. Knowing she was of no use Youko allowed his vines to send her to a faint too. By this time it was both old and boring.

Lesson three: When asked you will answer.

The miko was the only one left.

"Answer wisely, miko."

"My scythe's wire is not like my companion's vines. Should it tighten around your flesh, the wire will not strangle you…but cut into you. It'll inch into your flesh bit by bit, cutting away at you slowly until your head is fallen from your shoulders."

For a while the Miko stared at them, seeming unfazed when Kuronue nudged his foot against his scythe and the wire tightened-cutting into her neck a bit as promised. Instead of panicking though she continued to stare until finally she began speaking.

"Kagome."

The bitterness hidden behind the name was ignored as Kuronue nodded, knowing the answer but allowing his hidden fears to burn away. He opened his mouth to question her next but rather than speaking his body suddenly tensed and both he and Youko moved.

Just as they did so, a great demonic cat tore at where they were standing. Enraged crimson colored eyes stared them down as the demon took a protective stance before her mistress and allies and minutes later the cat was joined was a young looking boy wielding a weapon similar to Kuronue's. He glared at them and with the ignorance of a youth but power of a fighter stepped forward.

"Release them and leave us demons!"

Out of the corner of their eyes violet and gold spotted the men of the village growing near with various weapons and farming tools. They thought themselves sly, did they? Meeting eyes Youko and Kuronue nodded. The message was clear.

Grab the target and kill all who witness.

Quicker than the naked eye could see Youko pulled from his fine hair and rose as crimson as the blood soon to be spilt. A small spark of power and the rose was transformed into a whip as green as acid. It tore through flesh and bone as easily as a hand moves through water and within moments there was a horrid swirl of skin, bone, meat, and blood. It splattered about, marking everything in red yet missing his light colored figure. Only four or so humans had been torn but the mess was grand and the remaining victims stared in shock before running.

"Fools…" he uttered to himself, ready to attack them as well and attack he did.

As this happened Kirara was watching in her own silent horror and remorse, yet her loyalty was not with the villagers as much as it was with her mistress and companions. Kohaku tried to interfere with the kitsune's careless murder as well but vines much like the ones around her mistress were now around him. He was defenseless and if his death came once more, this time it would fall on her. She refused to allow her mistress such pain and turning a blind eye and deaf ears to the scene before her, she snarled at the other, darker, demon.

It was a shame that the vines had gotten to her when they had Kohaku.

Ignoring the angry snarling of the demonic cat, Kuronue pushed pass the obstacles in his way and finally, finally stood before the treasure that was stolen from him long ago. She was standing stiffly with her head bowed and slowly, carefully, he reached out and touched her cheek.

And like a doll she fell forward into his embrace.

Something was wrong.

Throwing himself into action, Kuronue kneeled down and rolled Kagome in his embrace so that she was facing up towards him. Her skin was pale, but not the tone he remembered. It was sickly…deathly and from the touch to her cheek from moments ago and the uncomfortable heat pooling into his skin from her body, Kuronue realized that she was burning. Her eyes were also opened in a blank, lifeless gaze. It was a look close to the blankness of death but closer to the unawareness of dreaming. He could hear the matching dream-like words she softly muttered but couldn't understand what they were saying so he moved in closer to hear better. His nose wrinkled slightly as he breathed…

Shit.

Standing with Kagome in his arms, Kuronue growled and flashed out of the hut. On his way out he harshly kicked his scythe out of the floor. It flew into the air, the wire releasing the miko, and he caught it and hooked it to his belt before running to where he felt Youko. "Fox!" he snarled out angrily, running pass him. "Stop your fucking playing, now! We need to return!" he gave no reason to his words and did not wait for Youko to respond before his wings stretched out and he shot off into the sky, haunted by that he smelled.

The smell of poison was tainting her scent.

Watching as Kuronue flew off, Youko frowned but followed after. Something was wrong. He could tell by the slight waver to Kuronue's voice and with an increase of speed he all but disappeared from view.

x.x.x

Though her mind was lost in a state of memories and she was inwardly trapped in her past, the familiar feeling of arms holding her so close and so protectively, woke something within her. Her eyes, having never closed, slowly blinked and while the haze she couldn't break was strong, she found herself staring at shadow-like hair whipping in the wind and worry-laced violet eyes staring ahead.

She smiled. "Kuro…" she whispered weakly. "You…came…."

x.x.x

Watching as the two demons left Kikyou frowned before she turned her attention to the treasure left behind. Still in its two dark halves, the Shikon was lying innocently. She stared at it emotionlessly and reached out to grab it, but just as her fingers barely brushed against the jewel…it gave a dark, shadowy glow and disappeared, reappearing miles away around the neck of a demon.

The demon, Yue, chuckled softly as he stared off into the direction he knew the object of his affections was. A smile, insanely soft, lit his lips as he laughed.

The rest of the player's have entered the game.

The game in which Kagome was the prize.

x.x.x

…Does that count as sibling interaction? If it doesn't…screw it! They TOUCHED! That's good enough and I'm tired and I hate the ending and you should never give a writer this much candy and coffee and and and and abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxy(and)z.

Oh! I just KNEW that last chapter was going to be confusing so let me try to explain it better. Kagome is currently (high*cough*high) trapped in what you could call her memories. The memories she was seeing involved the four souls of the jewel and in the last chapter Kagome was awake, yet sleeping. Everything she saw and heard from Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha was replaced by what a spirit from the jewel said in her dream so when someone like Sango would talk…Kagome saw it as one of the spirits talking and mocking her.

There are three demonic spirits, and three friends. Kagome saw each friend as a spirit while Kikyou was replaced with the fourth spirit (you better know who…think….holy powers) of the jewel in Kagome's eyes. I tried to blend it while spacing it out so the stuff that KAGOME was SEEING/DREAMING was like this while what was REALLY going on/happening was like this. I'm sorry if it didn't make sense but I was trying something new and hey: I had fun doing it!

Please take the time and review and thank you for reading

Kagomes Kit