Yamisui

Well, I guess I'll put in a plug for my fics, as well. All my stuff is posted on ff.net. I have seven Inuyasha fics: four humorous one-shots, one serious one-shot (winner of the MeikoAnime Fanfiction contest on Mediaminer.org), and two novellas. The first novella (The Bearers of the Shards) has won three awards, two specifically for Action/Adventure (IY Fanguild, and also Mediaminer's Third Annual Big Ass Fanfiction contest). :animesigh Just posting a little PR here to let you know these are not your average Inufics. The second novella is its sequel (Lord of the West), which for some bizarre reason people seem to like more than the first one. It's still a work in progress, though at this time I only have about 3 chapters to go (out of 19). I'm currently obsessed with Naruto :animeknow , so I'm also writing a Naruto novella. It's mainly centered around Team 7 and the mystery surrounding a mission they're on, though Gaara has half a chapter dedicated to him for one of the fight scenes. I'm not going to post this particular fic (Red Blossom) on this site until it's finished, because the fight scenes are so difficult to write that it takes me forever between posts. Suffice to say, this work-in-progress is going to be LONG. I plan on 11 chapters. There are 4 chapters posted on ff.net thus far, totalling 100 pages. On a general note, we need more good Naruto fanfiction. Sorry, fangirls, but you're flooding our fandom with FAR too much OOC-ness, utterly implausible yaoi, and icky pedophilia. Let's get some stories people can sink their teeth into, ne?

[COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?I can?t tell you, my Lord.? Sesshoumaru?s head whipped around to glare at the Seer, who refused to look at him as she spoke. Her long, dark hair fell over her thin shoulders, hiding her face. ?Surely,? he said icily, ?you do not profess to retain actual [I]loyalties[/I] to the [I]hanryu[/I]. . .? The claws of his hand clicked against the stone floor as he shifted on the cushion into a position facing the Seer. ?No, my Lord!? she replied hastily. ?I truly don?t know! I Saw only what you saw in the scrying bowl! There was nothing. . .nothing to tell me what it is that keeps the Dragon from rising in the flesh.? Sesshoumaru was silent for a while, staring at her and trying to gauge the truth of what she said. The fire crackled beside them, sending a small shower of sparks onto the stones. Slowly, the Seer lifted her head and turned to face him. Though Sesshoumaru kept his face a cold mask, he had the impression that the Seer was beginning to sense his intentions---regardless of whether or not she could read his mind. ?Demon lord. . .? she murmured, speaking with a puzzled little frown. ?The answer that you seek. . .wouldn?t Irusei know. . .? Perhaps you must speak with Irusei, and not Asano-[I]o-sama[/I]. I think that Irusei is the one who seeks the Dragon, while the king has been reduced to a mere pawn in all this.? Sesshoumaru offered no reply. For some reason, the mention of Irusei?s name roused in him a deep pain that he had not anticipated. [I]?Have I become so weak[/I],? Sesshoumaru thought, ?[I]and so foolish. . .that human treachery brings me to sorrow?? [/I] His eyes narrowed to slits, red demonic anger beginning to creep into them. ?[I]No[/I],? he amended, rising abruptly to his feet. [I] ?I have seen centuries of life. There are no illusions left.?[/I] To the Seer, he only said, ?There is no need to seek Irusei. He will come to me.? Yet as Sesshoumaru turned to leave, something stopped him---her hand, tugging on the corner of his white robes. She knelt at his feet, blue robes pooled around her and pale face upturned and earnest. ?If you will destroy the Dragon,? she told him, ?I will serve you.? There was something hard and fierce in the way she said it that gave Sesshoumaru pause. In that moment, she became a person to him. Then sorrow stirred again in the Lord of the West, and his anger returned. . . . . .and she became a pawn, kneeling at his feet. ?Irusei will come,? Sesshoumaru told her coldly. ?And I will destroy the Dragon. If the Tatesei fall with it, then so be it. If you fall, so be it. I no longer care what lives are spent, so long as this threat is vanquished.? He turned from her once more, white robes flowing around him as he went. ?You don?t trust me,? she called after him. It wasn?t a question. Sesshoumaru came to a halt again, his last footstep scraping harshly against the stone floor. He was silent for a moment, his one hand hanging placidly at his side. Then he raised his chin and breathed in the damp winter air. ?It is no longer a matter of trust,? he said softly. ?I never had faith in the honor of humankind.? The Seer bowed her head in humble acceptance, staring down at her folded hands. There was nothing to say to him---nothing she might say that could sway him from his bitterness. Nevertheless, she dared to ask, ?Then what of Rin?? The Lord of the West did not deign to answer this, but swept from the room and left her, kneeling alone in the vast hall. Her question made him angrier---he did not understand why she brought Rin into this; nor did he care to. Rin, like the Seer, like Jakken---like all whom he surrounded himself with---was nothing but a pawn. The child had been useful to him once, and because of that he had brought her here. One day Rin would serve him further, when he had need of her again. But in the end, as always, Sesshoumaru of the Inu Youkai walked alone.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?There?s one final thing I must tell you before you venture into the Tatesei lands,? Myouga told his listeners, seated cross-legged on Inuyasha?s knee. ?It is a great secret. . .one that your father told only to me and no one else. Not even Sesshoumaru knows of this.? Inuyasha leaned forward eagerly, greatly intrigued by a secret being divulged to him that his brother wasn?t aware of. The [I]hanyou?s[/I] ears perked forward with interest. ?One dragon survived your father?s war,? the flea demon told him. ?The strongest of all dragons; the first. This Great Dragon was too strong for even the Greater Youkai to slay. Instead, your father imprisoned the beast deep within the mountains. I don?t know exactly how he managed this. . .but I was meant to tell you this, Inuyasha: the place in which the Dragon has slept until this time. . .is the mountain that both men and demons have named ?Reiyama?.? ?You-you?re saying the Dragon is actually [I]inside[/I] the mountain?? Kagome asked, amazed. ?Could this mean, then, that the eruption, the deaths. . .are all going to be tied into the fact that the Dragon in the mountain is [I]awake[/I]?? Myouga nodded. He was strapping his tiny pack back over his tiny shoulders and standing up. ?Well, that said, I?ll be off,? he announced, and stuck a foot out to start walking. Inuyasha, however, caught him by the tiny pack between the nails of his thumb and forefinger. ?Leaving so soon?? the [I]hanyou[/I] asked, baring his fangs. ?I think you ought to come with us, since you seem to know so much.? Myouga?s little legs flailed in mid-air as he struggled to free himself from Inuyasha?s grip. ?Really, I?ve told you everything I know,? he insisted. ?I?ll be of no further use to you.? ?Hmph.? Inuyasha bent nearer to the flea demon. ?Then answer me this: why did my father only tell YOU this, and why were you meant to tell only [I]me[/I]? Sesshoumaru is the Lord of the West; the Tatesei are under his dominion. The way I see it, this is more [I]his[/I] problem than it is mine. . .? Myouga stopped struggling, and a puzzled frown crossed his wizened face. ?I don?t know myself,? he mused, fingering his chin with two of his arms and scratching his bulbous head with a third. ?But I do know that all those years ago, when the Tatesei betrayed your father and made war on the Inu Youkai. . .it wasn?t Sesshoumaru that their prophecies spoke of. The one they truly feared. . .was [I]you[/I], Inuyasha-[I]sama[/I].? Surprised, Inuyasha released his hold on the flea demon?s pack. ?Best of luck!? Myouga called, giving them all a general salute. Then he hopped off the hanyou?s knee and disappeared into the snowy darkness beyond the campfire.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{END OF CHAPTER 9}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [color=gray][i]Author?s Note: ?Ki? is the Japanese form of ?chi,? referring to spiritual energy in the body. A ?haori? is a shirt. An ?onsen? is a hot spring. A ?yukata? is sort of like a kimono but lighter.[/i][/color] [center][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} THE LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 10: The Lord of the West, Betrayed {+} {+}[/b][/color][/center] [color=purple]In Reiyama the snow fell soft upon the rooftops, adorning the pagoda tiers and the gardens, the houses and the terraces with purest white, like a bride awaiting her groom. And the city did wait; a deathly quiet had settled over it as it waited. The Tatesei were waiting as well--their king could feel it, as surely as he himself sensed the coming of the Dragon. His feet crunched in the snow as he trudged up the Temple stairs. They were keeping Irusei in the Temple. Asano nodded to the guards who stood upon the terrace surrounding the main building, and they returned the gesture, regarding him oddly. All of the Tatesei looked at their king the same way now, with their strange black eyes. They were confused--confused by the Dragon?s call, and by the changes in themselves--and they looked to him for answers that he did not have. The guards swung the Temple gates open wide, and Asano strode briskly into the dark halls, brushing the snow off his shoulders and the top of his head. His footsteps rang hollowly off the wood and stone. The king navigated the warren-like halls without faltering, though the place called up unpleasant memories. The Wise had tried to kill him here, once. When he came to the room where Irusei was sequestered he motioned for the guards to step aside and slid the wooden panel door open himself. The room was windowless and utterly bare save for two braziers burning on silver stands at opposite ends. The prisoner knelt facing the door with his head bowed low in the presence of his king. He was shirtless, wearing only a [i]hakama[/i], and even that was tattered and singed in places. His warrior?s queue fell forward over one shoulder as he raised his head after bowing. The flames in each brazier flickered as he moved. ?My Lord,? he murmured respectfully, removing his palms from the floor to rest them on his lap. Asano waved one hand behind him and the guards obediently slid the panel shut, leaving him alone with the prisoner. ?I think you know...why I have not killed you,? the king said, kneeling opposite Irusei on the wooden floor. ?But before you speak to justify your actions, let me first make you aware of the measures I have taken.? Irusei nodded slowly. In the faint light, when he lowered his head his eye sockets became pits of shadow. ?I have lied to the Lord of the West,? Asano informed him. ?I have told him that you were executed. Do you understand the implications of this? What I?ve done?? Again Irusei nodded assent. ?You are protecting me, my king...though you do not want to. You do this because you are noble, and because you believe in protecting the Tatesei.? Asano sighed. He understood Irusei?s motives all too well, though Irusei was ten years older and a warrior, and Asano had lived the gilded life of Tatesei royalty. He understood, and he saw no evidence of treachery in Irusei. There was only a fervent centrism, whose focus was the Dragon. He could scarcely fault the warrior for this--he felt it as well. ?But you have acted rashly,? Asano said sternly. ?You have caused this breach of our contract of loyalty with the demon lord Sesshoumaru. Did you not understand the danger he poses to us? You were there as well, two years ago, when he laid waste to this city.? Without warning, Irusei?s calm demeanor slipped. ?WHY, I ask, do you insist we keep this CHARADE going?!? he said loudly, leaning forward and pounding both palms on the floor. ?HE is a DEMON! What he did two years ago earned our FEAR?not our love.? ?His quest for vengeance was human enough,? Asano snapped. ?What the Wise did to his family was unforgivable. Theirs was an evil that did not deserve to endure.? ?Then the women and children he crushed beneath his claws were evil as well?? Irusei countered. Asano shook his head slowly. ?No,? he replied quietly, ?and neither was my father. But still I recall the massacre and say, ?It was a fair trade.?? There was no condemnation in the young king?s tone, or on his face. Irusei?Sesshoumaru?he condemned neither of them. At this point, Asano was weary of condemnation. There was only one choice left to him, and he had resolved from the moment he betrayed the lord of the West that he would see it through. ?Did you come to kill me, then?? Irusei asked, frowning because he was staring at Asano?s face and did not like what he saw. Slowly, he straightened, replacing his hands in his lap. ?You can?t.? Asano?s eyes narrowed. Slowly, his hand reached back to encircle the hilt of the short sword fastened to the sash at his waist. His silken sleeve whispered as it brushed the floor. ?I am king here,? he said sternly. ?You serve me. You do not tell me what I can and cannot do.? Irusei drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. The brazier flames flickered. ?I am not a traitor,? he said quietly. ?You are my lord, and I would die if you asked it of me. But I am no longer free to do so. Do you understand why? It is because the Dragon has chosen me.? Asano?s expression remained stony, and the sword at his side slid a little ways from its sheath. ?Chosen for what?? he asked coldly. Irusei tilted his head back and gazed upward, as if his sight could pierce the Temple roof to see the sky beyond. ?To see this nation rise to its full glory,? he answered, his voice trembling with an undercurrent of excitement. ?To put an end to this era of wars and see all humanity raised high on a pedestal of wealth and peace.? The young warrior lowered his head, and his black eyes gleamed in the firelight. ?To see the Dragon awaken in full to lead his children,? he said softly, ?beginning with the eradication of demonkind...? ?Madness,? Asano whispered. ?If you truly believe that,? Irusei told him, ?then try to kill me.? Green and untried as he was in the ways of the sword, the young king did not hesitate. In a heartbeat his blade sang forth from the sheath as he rushed at the kneeling warrior with full intent of slashing his throat. Irusei made no move to stop him, even going so far as to tilt his chin upward, baring the vein for his lord to strike. Yet the sword stopped its fatal descent inches away from the warrior?s flesh. Asano stood there panting, frozen mid-strike. The edge of his white sleeve swung forward and brushed the side of Irusei?s throat, but aside from this the king did not touch him. Asano could not touch him. The sword slid from between his suddenly nerveless fingers and clattered to the floor, and slowly he staggered backward, away from his last chance to end all this before it began. With equal and deliberate slowness, Irusei rose to his feet and advanced toward the retreating king. ?You see now where you stand,? Irusei murmured. ?You can?t oppose the Dragon, for it is in your blood also. And now that I have spoken with you, it is time for me to leave this place.? He brushed past Asano and slid open the wooden panel. ?I am the Dragon?s avatar, but that alone is not the answer. There is much yet to be done...? ?What will you do?? Asano asked, fighting to keep his voice from trembling. ?How will you raise the Dragon?? Irusei paused on the threshold of the small room, his profile outlined in the torchlight from the hall. ?The Dragon chose me,? he said, ?because I was the only one who felt its coming and embraced the power in our blood without a backward glance. And it has filled me with fire. But...there is still only one who knows where the Dragon is imprisoned. The Dragon is held back by something, but I do not have the insight to see what it is.? Asano?s heart clenched, and his blood turned to ice. ?But Suiton does,? he said softly. Irusei stepped beyond the threshold. ?My sister does,? he agreed. ?She will never go with you!? Asano insisted. ?Even if Lord Sesshoumaru were to allow it.? Slowly Irusei slid the panel closed behind him. ?If the white demon dies,? he said, ?she won?t have a choice.? The guards outside made no move to stop him, and he strode out into the night beneath the quiet snow.[/color] [center][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/center] [color=purple]The passage through the mountains proved to be long and arduous for Inuyasha and his friends. The clouds that they had seen looming over the peaks in the distance now showed themselves to be formidable overhead. The hanyou guided them through the same pass that they had traversed two years before. Now the necromancers? webs were gone, and in their place was a path plagued by driving snow. The long trek consumed the entire morning, after which they stopped to eat lunch and to rest before making the descent into the valley. Lunch was rather unappealing fare--strips of dried meat that Sango had brought, which everyone was decidedly sick of and about which everyone (even the stoic Miroku) complained. Inuyasha was the most outspoken among them (?It tastes like shit!?), and in the interests of peace Kagome fished out her last cup of ramen for him. He ate it cold and uncooked because there was no place sheltered enough from the wind and snow to build a fire. However, he didn?t seem to mind, because he crunched it between his fangs with as much relish as he usually exhibited when slurping it up. After they had eaten Inuyasha led them down the steep hill and into the valley. Kagome was now riding Kirara behind Sango, so that Kagome?s weight on Inuyasha?s back didn?t cause him to sink further into the snow. In some places there were drifts higher than his head, and sinkholes waist-deep. Miroku, who was also on foot, brought up the rear. ?What the HELL?!? Inuyasha turned around at one point and noticed something very strange about Miroku?s mode of travel. ?Yes?? the monk inquired mildly, looking down at the [i]hanyou[/i] from where he stood atop the snow. He had been walking across the surface instead of sinking in up to his waist like Inuyasha. ?Why are YOU prancing across the snow like some oversized fairy while I?M slogging through it up to my stomach?!? Inuyasha demanded, pointing an accusatory claw in Miroku?s direction. Unruffled, Miroku took a few steps forward to demonstrate. ?It?s quite simple,? he explained. ?I?ve used my spiritual powers to draw my [i]?ki? [/i]into the bottoms of my feet.? Inuyasha scratched his head, looking thoughtful. ?Well, if Myouga?s right about demons being born from magic, then I should have WAY more[i] ki [/i]than you!? he concluded. Miroku stared at him, resting his staff tip atop the snow. ?Doubtlessly,? the monk agreed. ?However, because you are a demon you are not pure and therefore you can?t control it. That is a spiritual ability allotted to a select few, even among humans.? Inuyasha clenched his fists and bared his fangs, straining in what was apparently an attempt to control his [i]ki[/i]. However, when he took an experimental step forward, he only succeeded in sinking neck-deep into the snow. ?WHAT THE FUCK?!? he bellowed, thrashing around and spraying snow everywhere. Miroku extended the end of his staff for Inuyasha to grab hold of, but the hanyou was still too miffed to bother freeing himself just yet. ?Since when are YOU ?purer? than me, anyway?? he demanded. ?Does ?please bear my child? ring a bell?? ?I wasn?t referring to virginity, Inuyasha,? Miroku explained, adopting a rather Buddha-like persona to put up a sagacious front. ?MY VIRGINITY IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!? Inuyasha snarled, bursting his arms free of the snow. ?Of course not,? Miroku agreed, nodding sagely. ?It?s Kagome?s.? Both Inuyasha and Kagome--who was peering down from atop Kirara to observe the commotion--turned identical shades of crimson. Sango merely sighed with an air of long suffering. ?[i]Miroku's[/i] the one who needs the prayer beads and the ?sit? command,? she muttered. ?Uh, Inuyasha...? Kagome?s parka called. ?What is it, Shippou?? Kagome asked, glancing down at the Kitsune, whom she?d been wearing all day upon Inuyasha?s insistence. ?You?d better get out of that sinkhole really quick. I smell some of the Tatesei heading this way!? Inuyasha?s head lifted and his mouth snapped shut mid-rant. Quickly, he accepted Miroku?s proffered staff, and the monk clasped hold of his other arm to haul him out of the sinkhole. Upon reaching firmer ground, Inuyasha found a large, flat boulder to climb onto and stood there gazing down the slope. ?Shippou wasn?t kidding,? Inuyasha muttered, shielding his eyes from the snowflakes blown into his face. ?What do you see, Inuyasha?? Sango called, raising her voice to be heard over the wind whistling through the pass behind them. Kirara alighted on the rock behind Inuyasha, shaking her head to keep the snow from piling up on the bridge of her nose. ?This can?t be good,? Miroku murmured, following Inuyasha?s downward gaze. He had climbed up next to the hanyou, who was fingering Tetsusaiga?s hilt. Kagome peered over Kirara?s massive shoulders to see what they were all staring at. She couldn?t see down the slope, but she COULD see that Inuyasha had gone tense and rigid. Though only his back was visible--and even that was covered by his long white hair--she could tell that he was angry. Usually a very dynamic and physical person, when Inuyasha went utterly still like this it always meant trouble. In this way, she supposed he and his brother were complete opposites. ?No,? Miroku warned. He clamped a hand around Inuyasha?s wrist before the [i]hanyou[/i] could draw Tetsusaiga, and covered the movement with his long black sleeve so that the approaching Tatesei wouldn?t see the gesture. ?It?s not a welcoming party--it?s a bloody ARMY,? Inuyasha said tightly. ?We can?t just stand here and allow them to surround us...? ?They?re under Sesshoumaru?s protection,? Miroku reminded him in a low voice. ?If you spill blood here you will violate whatever contract he has with them, because you?re his brother.? Inuyasha shook the monk off, edging away from him. ?They?re under Sesshoumaru?s protection, are they? Look at their EYES.? Miroku nodded grimly. ?Like Sango?s,? he murmured. The Tatesei, in the meantime, had already caught sight of the group standing atop the hill, and were making straight for them. They were indeed a veritable army--there were forty young men in the company, warriors all. They wore the green haori of Reiyama beneath their armor and long queues beneath their helmets. Bows and quivers were strapped across their backs, swords at their hips, and daggers at their thighs. ?They?ll be upon us in about five minutes at the rate they?re traveling,? Kagome said apprehensively. ?We hold our ground,? Inuyasha ordered. ?Kirara, at the first sign of hostility I want you to take Kagome, Sango and Shippou out of range of their archers. Miroku, I?ll need you with me, because if we?re going to try not to draw too much attention to ourselves I can?t use the Wind Scar.? Miroku nodded, and Kirara grunted her assent. After but a few moments? span, the warriors had reached them. The Tatesei stopped twenty feet downhill, holding rank but making no move to reach for their weapons. One of their numbers stepped forward; a tall young man with a lean, angular face and slanted, almond-shaped eyes. Apparently he was the leader; he seemed prepared to speak for them all. He took two steps forward, and sank waist-deep into a sinkhole. ?[i]They?ll use their archers[/i],? Inuyasha was thinking, sizing them up. ?[i]The snow?s too deep for them to get close to us and fight effectively with short-range weapons.?[/i] However, the young leader soon proved that snow wasn?t going to impede his progress. He looked down at the snow he had become mired in, frowning, and almost immediately it began to disappear, melting away from the general vicinity of his body in a faint hiss of steam. [i]?Shit![/i]? Inuyasha thought, fighting the sudden raging desire to feel Tetsusaiga?s pommel secure in his hand. ?[i]This is too fucking weird...[/i]? Beside him he heard Miroku?s sharp intake of breath. The young man, on the other hand, seemed equally as surprised to see Inuyasha. ?Silver hair,? he murmured, studying Inuyasha intently. ?And demon?s claws. You?re an Inu Youkai...? Inuyasha reached for his sword. The young warrior noticed the gesture and held out empty hands to indicate peaceful intent. ?I am Setsuna no Irusei!? he called, tilting his head back to look up at them. ?We have no quarrel with you, Inuyasha-[i]sama[/i]. Our quarrel is with the Lord of the West. He has wronged us greatly, and we go to make amends.? Inuyasha stepped forward to the edge of the rock, still gripping Tetsusaiga?s hilt. Miroku stepped forward as well, laying a cautionary hand on Inuyasha?s arm. ?Lord Sesshoumaru is your ruler,? the monk said sternly. ?How can he have wronged you so greatly that you must retaliate?? The young warrior?s expression darkened. He appeared older when angry. [i]?This guy is dangerous[/i],? Inuyasha thought grimly, ?[i]even though he says he has no quarrel with US[/i]...? The warrior regained his composure, and it was an eerie thing to watch--rather like a calm, cold mask sliding over something roiling beneath. ?He has taken from us...something very precious,? he answered carefully. ?A Seer--a priestess of our new Temple. Though we have forsaken the teachings of the Wise...? Kagome straightened in her seat atop Kirara. ?A Seer...?? she murmured. ?Tatesei Sano told me that Seers gave them prophecies... It must?ve been a Seer who gave them the prophecy that made them fear Inuyasha...? Sango, sitting in front of her, shifted uneasily but said nothing in reply. Her gaze was continually drawn to the Tatesei warriors, with their strange black eyes. ?What would Sesshoumaru want with a human fortune-teller?? Inuyasha asked, squinting down at them with great suspicion. ?He thinks humans are a waste of flesh--why would he bother kidnapping one?? ?Suiton is the one who woke the Dragon,? Irusei replied, seeming somewhat offended. ?Somehow, Suiton?s power has achieved what no Seer has ever done before. You see...Suiton is connected to us all through the Dragon?s blood, the central thread of a spider?s web. Perhaps the Lord of the West feels threatened by Suiton?s power--or perhaps he intends to use it to destroy us. Either way, we go to confront him now, to plead for Suiton?s release.? He paused, looking down at his feet and frowning, and then lifted his gaze and asked, ?Will you come with us?? Inuyasha mirrored the warrior?s frown. This sounded like a trap to him--a trap set by Sesshoumaru. ?Our business is with Asano-[i]o-sama[/i],? Miroku interjected, planting his staff in front of him on the rock. ?We came to speak with him, and would prefer to continue on our way to Reiyama.? Irusei?s gaze remained unwaveringly fixed upon Inuyasha. ?Asano-[i]o-sama[/i] sent us,? he explained. ?He fears for his people. Though we are hanryu, we have nothing but human strength to wield against the Lord of the West should he choose to attack us. However...you are his brother, aren?t you? Two years ago you came to the aid of the Tatesei when he would have slaughtered us all. That sword you carry (here he nodded toward Tetsusaiga) has the power to match his. If you came, our lives might be spared.? ?[i]Definitely a trap[/i],? Inuyasha thought, folding his arms. ?[i]Sesshoumaru?s probably been looking for an excuse to destroy the Tatesei since day one. Now he?s stolen their Seer to get them to attack him. And he stole the shard from US to lure me here... No, wait, that makes no sense... Why would he want to lure ME here?? [/i] ?Inuyasha?? Miroku prodded his arm, apparently awaiting his decision. A firm refusal was about to escape from Inuyasha?s lips when Kagome approached him from behind. She had slipped off of Kirara?s back after the warrior?s first mention of the Seer. ?Inuyasha, we should go,? she urged. ?We shouldn?t just let them walk into danger alone.? He glanced over his shoulder, looking quizzical. Silently she shook her head, letting him know not to argue. ?The [i]SEER[/i] can foretell the[i] FUTURE[/i],? Kagome told him, stressing the two words and hoping he got the message. Slowly, he nodded, and then turned back to face the Tatesei. ?We?ll accompany you,? he informed them. ?Lead the way.? Something flickered in the warrior?s black eyes, but he nodded assent and motioned for his company to resume travel. The warriors filed past the rock, melting the snow around them to clear a path as they walked. Inuyasha waited until they had all passed, watching with great misgivings as the steam rose around their bodies and hissed--a sound audible even over the creaking of their armor. Then he motioned for his companions to follow him and they descended into the runnel in the snow created by the warriors. ?I don?t like this,? Shippou complained, nestling in Kagome?s lap once she had climbed back onto Kirara. ?Sesshoumaru?s creepy. And these Tatesei are only slightly less creepy...? ?Oy, you--you?re supposed to be a par-ka,? Inuyasha snapped, not taking his eyes off the warriors ascending the slope in front of him. Shippou sighed and transformed with a pop. Absently, Kagome put him on again. She was extremely nervous now, because they were heading into what promised to be direct conflict with Sesshoumaru. However, if that was where the Seer was, there was probably no way around it, either. Apparently Miroku was thinking along the same lines. ?If this ?Suiton? is the one who started all of this, then he may be the key to fixing the future,? he murmured. But he kept a firm grip on his staff and a sharp eye on the trail ahead, and every so often he would finger the prayer beads around his right hand. Their ascent up the mountainside veered off to the right--gradually at first, and then sharply as they approached the woods that blanketed the slope. Inuyasha was unfamiliar with this particular route, but Irusei seemed to have no doubts as to where they were going. Miroku noticed this and commented on it. ?He seems to have visited Sesshoumaru before,? the monk said in a low voice. ?Look at him up ahead--he isn?t looking anywhere but straight ahead. He knows this route well.? ?He knows the exact direction to take because he can sense where the Seer is,? Sango said, speaking up unexpectedly. She had been utterly silent from the moment when they first sighted the Tatesei, and even now there was an unusual hush in her tone. Her gaze was fixed somewhere ahead up the mountain, as if she could see through the thick screen of pines. Miroku slowed down and fell into step beside Kirara. ?Sango, can you sense the Seer as well?? he asked, looking up at her. ?Yes,? Sango murmured, but she wasn?t looking at him when she answered. Sango?s distracted manner troubled Kagome, who leaned forward to whisper in her ear. ?What about the warriors, Sango? Can you sense [i]them[/i]?? Sango didn?t reply for quite some time. ?It?s just as Irusei-[i]sama[/i] described it,? she said. ?It?s as if all the [i]hanryu [/i]are threads in a spider?s web. Suiton is at the center; we can feel the Seer?s every movement.? Miroku walked beside her for another moment, frowning when he finally realized she wasn?t going to add anything to clarify this explanation. Then he turned and moved forward again to join Inuyasha. Both monk and [i]hanyou[/i] noticed then that Irusei had paused further up on the trail, and stared intently at Sango for a moment before turning to resume his lead. [/color] ?I don?t like this,? Miroku muttered. [center][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/center] [color=purple]Sesshoumaru left the Seer alone in the palace?s main hall and swept from the room in an extremely ill mood. He spent the better part of an hour restlessly pacing the dimly lit corridors. So swift was his stride that the torch fires blew sideways as he passed. Finally, in a fit of temper, he flung open the sliding panel that led from his personal chambers to the terrace overlooking the garden. The door rattled on its hinges. For some reason, the sight of the snow-covered groves outside calmed the anger roiling in him, and he stood there for a moment as his breathing slowed. He had stood here, in this very place, looking out upon this very scene, since he was but a child. Now the sight left him feeling calm and strangely empty. Absently, he brushed the white fur away from where it had fallen forward over his chest, watching the snow fall. He lost all recollection of how long he stood there, awash in memories, but after a time awareness of a different kind of emptiness in his gut gradually lured him back to the present. Sesshoumaru had not eaten for many days, even as he had not slept since he first learned of the Seer?s existence. Jakken--who normally kept better track of his master?s health than his master--had been too intimidated by Sesshoumaru?s ill temper to come barging into his chambers wheedling and coaxing him to eat. After a moment?s consideration, he decided that this was an ideal time to hunt. After all, there was nothing to do now but wait for the [i]hanryu[/i] to come for their Seer. He owed the Tatesei woman no warning or explanation, just as he no longer owed her people the shelter of his protection. Stepping out onto the terrace, he breathed in deeply, filling his lungs with the freezing winter air; drawing in through his keen nose the scent of prey. Then he stepped of the edge of the terrace, and rose into demon-shape before his foot ever touched the snow beyond. [/color] [center][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/center] [color=purple]Returning hours later--near sunset--Sesshoumaru slipped back into man-shape in the snow outside his chamber. He did so with a good deal of reluctance; there was a wild, cold freedom in wearing demon-shape and hunting in the mountains. Flying over the snow-crested peaks, his mind was clear of everything save the chase and the kill. And there was always the scent of flesh; of his prey?s blood beating rapidly through the chambers of the heart... Shaking aside those desires before they could distract him further, Sesshoumaru straightened and climbed back onto the terrace. His step was lighter now that his belly was full, as was his mood. He recalled that he had not seen Rin for several days, and headed down the halls to search for her. He stalked through the palace, following her scent as he had the trail of the white wolves along the course of the frozen river that snaked through the mountains. Sesshoumaru preferred to prey upon predators--upon souls that he understood, so that he felt in communion with them as they died beneath his claws. He also preferred pale, pure quarry, untainted by disease or blemish--or the touch of [i]Ningen[/i]. Livestock he considered beneath him, though inwardly he also harbored a secret horror that a creature could be bred solely for the purpose of being slaughtered. Rin was nowhere to be found. After searching all of the rooms the little girl frequented, he finally met Jakken coming out of her chambers carrying a tray laden with untouched food. ?M-my Lord,? Jakken stammered, nearly dropping the tray in surprise. ?I d-didn?t suspect you back so early. You?ve hunted...?? ?Where is Rin?? Sesshoumaru interrupted, glancing pointedly past his little servant into the empty room. This time Jakken did drop the tray. It clattered to the stones, scattering jasmine rice every which way. Guiltily, he turned his small round head right and left, but of course the halls were empty. ?I-I don?t know,? he replied. ?I thought she was with you. She WAS saying earlier that she wanted to visit her special place, but I told her she couldn?t go alone...? Sesshoumaru?s nose caught the subtle fragrance of pine and metal, and immediately he pushed past the baffled imp standing in the doorway and swept out the terrace door of Rin?s chamber. It was her meal-time, judging by the angle of the sun--normally she would not have missed it. This left him with no further doubts. ?The Seer,? he murmured darkly, eyes flashing. Then he swept out the door. ?W-w-WAIT, my Lord!? Jakken called, stumbling through the snow as he attempted to follow his master through the garden. But Sesshoumaru was in no mood to wait. Now that he was outside again, he could smell the Seer?s scent commingling with Rin?s. ?[i]I should not have left her alone with Rin[/i],? he thought, breaking into a run. He didn?t believe that the Seer herself was any sort of threat to the little girl, but he did not want her anywhere near Rin when the Tatesei came for her. The warriors of Reiyama already knew that Rin was a liability to him, and now that they had betrayed him they would no doubt wish to take advantage of that fact. He counted himself fortunate that he knew the location of Rin?s ?special place.? It wasn?t long before he found them together, in a stream at the garden?s northern edge that ran down the mountainside. There was a fissure leak beneath this area, and the northern fork of the stream was a natural hot spring. Rin bathed here most of the time because she liked to play in the water, and Sesshoumaru allowed it because if there was one smell he truly abhorred it was the stench of unwashed [i]Ningen[/i]. As long as Rin was clean, he didn?t mind that she smelled faintly of sulfur. Sesshoumaru washed himself only in the snow, which blanketed the highest peaks above where he hunted even in the summer. The Seer and the little girl were bathing now. The Tatesei woman sat serenely on a rock half-submerged in the steaming water, watching as the more boisterous Rin amused herself by using a nearby bush for snowball target practice. Rin saw him approaching first and hastily submerged herself in the water up to her chin. The Seer turned in surprise, but made no move to hide herself. ?Rin, you should not have come here,? Sesshoumaru said quietly. Though his tone was smooth as ever, Rin knew when he was being stern and nodded solemnly. Then he turned cold yellow eyes toward the Seer, who was regarding him with a slightly puzzled expression. ?Suiton, you are being disrespectful,? Rin said, tugging at the Seer?s hand and trying to pull her beneath the water as well. Still frowning at Sesshoumaru, the Seer patted Rin?s head. ?A demon lord is not like a man,? she told the girl absently. ?The wolf doesn?t care that the sheep it hunts are naked.? To Sesshoumaru, she said, ?Why wouldn?t we be safe here? Aren?t we under your protection?? Then she lost her balance as Rin finally managed to tug her off the rock. She landed with a splash in the hot spring, and Sesshoumaru was oddly relieved that this opportunity had been provided to avoid speaking the truth in front of Rin. The possibility of lying never occurred to him--the Lord of the West had always been ruthless in his honesty. As the Seer broke the surface again, sputtering and coughing, Sesshoumaru?s head snapped up as he caught the sudden strong scent of pine and metal. His eyes widened in surprise. ?[i]Why did I not detect them before?[/i]? he thought, disgusted with himself. [i]?I only catch it now...now that they are upon us...??[/i] Then he realized the reason for it.[i] ?The onsen! I could not catch their scent above the sulfur smell!?[/i] Through the trees beyond the hot spring, a host of Tatesei warriors moved in the shadows. In the long shadows of twilight, they were scarcely visible. The black pits of their eyes seemed to darken their entire faces--it was like watching ghosts slip through the garden. Irusei emerged from their midst, wearing full armor and weaponry. ?Sister!? the warrior called sharply. ?We?ve come for you!? The Seer froze at the sound of his voice, staring wide-eyed at Sesshoumaru. ?Have you?? Sesshoumaru asked coolly. He made no move to cross the stream to stand between the hanryu and their quarry. This was not as he had envisioned it. He had hoped that the Seer would try to run from the palace, and that the Tatesei would take her when she was alone. Yet now Rin was here, and this complicated matters greatly, for he was not going to stand idly by if they chose to take the girl hostage. ?Suiton, come to me,? Irusei told her, his tone softer than before. He knelt beside the stream, reaching a hand down toward her. The snow around his knees melted and ran down the bank. ?You?ve been fighting it for a long time, and for that we acknowledge your strength. But now you must forsake your own strength, for you were always meant to bow to the Dragon?s will. We all were.? The Seer saw him out of the corner of her eye, but she did not turn to him. Instead she looked up at Sesshoumaru, her black eyes full of pleading. Naked and shivering, dark, wet hair clinging to her neck and shoulders, she was a pitiful sight. Sesshoumaru could not stand to gaze upon such unabashed vulnerability. Wordlessly, he bent and picked up her clothing--draped across a boulder nearby--and tossed it to the opposite bank, where it landed in the snow beside Irusei. Then he stepped away from the stream?s edge, indicating that he would do nothing to defend her. ?Don?t let them take me,? she begged. ?They wish to free the Dragon!? When Sesshoumaru merely stood there, gazing down at her dispassionately, a frantic note entered her voice. ?Do you not understand?! I have Seen this! If the Dragon is resurrected, fire will rain from the skies! The world will change! And the Inu Youkai Line will die!? ?Foolish [i]Ningen[/i],? Sesshoumaru murmured. ?Did you truly believe your loyalty would earn you my protection?? ?Sesshoumaru-[i]sama[/i]?? Rin cried, confused. ?We must help her!? To Rin, he merely said, ?Come, Rin. Let us leave them to their foolish pursuits.? The Seer stared at him in disbelief. Losing patience, her brother grasped her by the arm and hauled her up onto the bank. Numbly, she allowed herself to be pulled. Once he had her on the bank, Irusei draped her robes over her shoulders. Rin climbed out of the water and wrapped her yukata around her small body. As she did so, Sesshoumaru turned and began walking in the opposite direction. This final denial of any obligation to defend the Suiton jolted the Seer back into mobility. ?Was it not [i]you[/i] that brought this upon us?? she cried. ?All for the sake of an answer!? Sesshoumaru glared balefully at her over one shoulder. He did recall that he had forced the Shikon shard upon her because he had wanted an answer to his question. Yet now...the question no longer seemed important. It was dwarfed by the Dragon?s shadow; out-shown by the Dragon?s flame, which beckoned him to find it, to make it his own. ?I have no intention of destroying the Dragon,? he said icily. Even as Irusei pulled her to her feet, the Seer called out to him one last time. ?COWARD!? The white demon?s foot paused mid-step. The Seer began to thrash and struggle, kicking at her brother?s shins and attempting to push him away from her. ?Enough,? Irusei told her sharply. Then his fist connected with her jaw. The impact snapped her head back, and her teeth clicked together loudly. Then she sagged forward in her brother?s arms. ?What the HELL is going ON?!? At the sound of [i]this[/i] voice, Sesshoumaru turned swiftly on his heel. Rin nearly collided with him, but he used his hand to push her out of the way. ?The Seer has just been returned to us,? Irusei said in calmer tones, turning toward the red-clad Inu Youkai who had moved forward to stand beside him. ?I will bring Suiton with us.? ?Inuyasha...? Sesshoumaru said, in a low voice very much like a growl. Inuyasha eyed his brother suspiciously. ?You just GAVE her back? Just like that?? ?Why are you with them?? Sesshoumaru asked, ignoring the question. ?Have you come to Reiyama to police my actions yet again?? Inuyasha stepped forward, one hand on Tetsusaiga?s hilt. ?Yeah, that?s right,? he snarled belligerently. ?We came upon the Tatesei warriors and they told us you?d kidnapped their Seer. And after the little stunt you pulled stealing the Jewel shard from us, I believed them!? Sesshoumaru made no move toward his own weapon. ?Then you will be sorely disappointed,? he said calmly, pushing back the white fur that trailed over his shoulder. ?I am giving them what they want.? ?Is that the Seer?? Inuyasha?s monk companion had just come to stand beside him, the rings on his staff tinkling as he set the tip down in the snow. He frowned at Irusei. ?Why was it necessary to subdue her?? Sesshoumaru?s instincts were now urging him to reach for his own sword. If Inuyasha and his friends were going to make trouble, the monk was the one who would most likely put an end to it. Yet he refrained, knowing that the best way to get what he wanted here was to avoid a fight. ?You have heard all that I have to say,? he told Inuyasha coldly. ?I will say nothing more to the [i]hanyou[/i] who chooses loyalty to his Tatesei blood over our father?s.? ?[i]Hanyou[/i]?? Irusei murmured softly, frowning. ?So you?ll be returning the Seer to the city?? Miroku asked Irusei, but again the warrior ignored him. Abruptly, Irusei shoved his sister?s inert form into the arms of one of his comrades. His black eyes were beginning to fill with fire. Sesshoumaru knew by now what this precluded. In a flash, Tokijin sang forth from its sheath. It blazed in his hand, trailing red [i]kenatsu[/i] through the air as he hurtled forward toward his enemies. Tokijin rang as it clashed against Tetsusaiga. Sesshoumaru suddenly found himself face to face with Inuyasha. Red and gold sparks showered around them as both brothers pressed their blades forward in an attempt to hold off the other. ?I knew it, you fucking LIAR!? Inuyasha growled through clenched teeth. ?You were planning to attack them all along!? Tokijin burned brightly in Sesshoumaru?s grasp. He could feel its heat spreading to every muscle in his body, lending him strength. His temper, which he had kept in check for the sake of his ambitions, now spiked beyond his limits of control. ?YOU FOOL!? he snarled. ?DON?T DEFEND THEM!? In one swift, fluid movement, Sesshoumaru pulled Tokijin back in an arcing path that freed it from Tetsusaiga?s defense. Then he turned the blade forward and buried it up to the hilt in Inuyasha?s flesh.[/color] [center][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 10}[/b][/color][/center]

[color=purple]Not even bothering to wipe away the flecks of it that had fallen onto his clothes, Inuyasha whirled around to face Kouga with renewed vigor. ?Feh,? Kouga snarled, cracking his knuckles. ?Now that you?ve had your little snack...PREPARE TO DIE!? ?In your DREAMS, wimpy wolf!? Inuyasha retorted, and then both of them charged at each other. They came together in a violent clash of snow and flying fists. Snow sprayed in every direction from the impact, temporarily obscuring the observers? view of the two combatants. Miroku, Kagome, Sango and Shippou stared at the sight tensely, waiting to see who would emerge victorious. The eruption of snow settled, forming a huge mound where Inuyasha and Kouga had previously stood. At first, nothing moved. ?I can?t see them,? Sango said, fingering Hiraikoutsu?s straps anxiously. ?Maybe they exploded?? Shippou suggested. ?The brown powder is explosive?? Miroku asked, turning to Kagome in concern. ?N-no...? Kagome stammered. At this very instant Inuyasha burst forth from the snow pile in a geyser of scattered flakes. ?MOOWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!? he cried, raising his fists skyward and looking maniacally triumphant. ?IHAVEDEFEATEDHIM!? It seemed that he spoke the truth, because his emerging also partially unearthed an unconscious Kouga. ?Well, I guess it IS explosive, in a sense,? Kagome amended. ?Oh, good, Kouga?s defeated,? Sango breathed, moving her hand away from her weapon. ?Now we can get on with this.? ?It won?t be that easy,? Miroku said flatly, taking a firm hold of his staff and standing up on the rock. ?He?s coming this way.? True to the monk?s word, in two bounds Inuyasha landed on their rock, knocking all of them off it onto their backs. ?ThereyouseeI?vebeathimwithmybarehandssodon?tyouEVERgosayingIdidn?t!? Inuyasha rattled off, looking down at their legs sticking up from the snow. ?OnceagainI?mthestrongestdemonalive!MooWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!? Sango stared at Inuyasha, dumbfounded. Kirara laid back her ears and growled, apparently wanting no part in this. ?Inuyasha, have you gone mad?? Sango asked, reaching for Hiraikoutsu again. ?DON?T, Sango,? Miroku cautioned, pushing himself to his feet. ?You do NOT want to give him a reason to fight you when he?s like this.? ??CAUSEI?MTHESTRONGESTANDDON?TYOUFUCKINGFORGETIT!? Inuyasha bellowed, standing up and jabbing a thumb toward his chest. ?Only because I gave you coffee,? Kagome grumbled, clutching onto the rock to pull herself out of the snow. ?Now calm down--we?ve got to keep moving to get the Jewel shard back from Sesshoumaru.? Inuyasha suddenly stopped dead in the middle of another string of maniacal laughter, body going rigid. His eyes went very narrow and steely, and his hands balled into fists. ?Is it over?? Shippou asked tremulously. The Kitsune was hiding behind Kagome?s legs and clinging to her. Miroku took a firmer grip on his staff. ?We can only hope it?s--? ?BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!THATLILYASSEDEXCUSEFORADEMONISGOINGDOWN!!!? Inuyasha shouted, so loudly that the snow was knocked off all the branches in the near vicinity. ?Youslowhumanscatchuplater?causeI?mgoingRightNow!? He jabbed one clawed finger in the general direction of the mountains. Then he took a flying leap and bounded off the rock. ?[i]Osuwari[/i],? Kagome said flatly. [i]WHAM![/i] Inuyasha crashed to the ground, sinking down through three feet of snow. ?I?m glad he has his prayer beads on this time,? Miroku remarked, mopping at his brow with a corner of his sleeve. ?Otherwise there would be no controlling him.? ?Whew,? Shippou sighed in relief, emerging from behind Kagome and hopping up onto the rock. ?I?m glad THAT?S over. We--OH NO! KAGOME, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!? Kagome was heading for the prone [i]hanyou[/i], carrying another bag of coffee grounds. ?Lady Kagome, I really must protest!? Miroku told her, moving to block her way with his arms outspread. ?You can?t be meaning to--? ?I have to,? Kagome insisted, skirting the monk and crouching down next to Inuyasha. ?Inuyasha, listen to me,? she said, opening the bag. ?DAMMITPUNYMORTALSLETMEGO!? Inuyasha growled, flailing his arms and legs in an effort to throw off the ?Sit? spell. The only thing this achieved was to form a rather grotesque-looking snow angel. ?Not until you listen,? Kagome told him. ?Then I?ll let you go.? Inuyasha?s only response was a long and heartfelt string of swear words, rattled off at breakneck speed. But he stopped struggling, so Kagome assumed she had his attention. ?I?m going to give you more coffee,? she explained, holding the bag open. ?It?ll give you energy so you won?t get overtired when you fight Sesshoumaru. It?ll counteract the effects of the flu, and the fact that I?m giving you more will keep you from crashing for quite a while.? Inuyasha managed to lift his head from the prone position, fixing two gleaming eyes on the bag of coffee grounds. ?Thecrunchybrownstuff,? he breathed, almost in awe. Kagome held it out to him. Then he opened his fangs wide and, in one mighty gulp, bit off most of the bag and its contents. Kagome backed away hastily as he leaped to his feet. ?Inuyasha, you ate the bag, too!? she exclaimed. ?Plastic isn?t edible!? Inuyasha stared at her a moment, blinking, and then let out an earth-shattering belch. The remnants of the plastic bag went flying and landed somewhere on the ground. ?AllrightI?moff!SAYONARA,WEAKLINGS!? he declared. And then, before anyone could say anything else to him, he was off like a bat out of hell, heading straight for the mountains. Sango watched him go, gaping. ?I really hate him when he?s like that,? Miroku muttered, rubbing at an ache in his temple. Kagome sighed, bending to pick up her bow and backpack again. ?Well, I guess there?s nothing we can do now but follow him,? she said. ?With the amount of caffeine I gave him, he?ll be in that--er--?state? for the next twelve hours.? Shippou sighed heavily, shaking his head. ?I?m glad it?s SESSHOUMARU who has to deal with him and not us.? ?Ah, Miroku-[i]sama[/i], I hate to be a bother,? Sango said, ?but just how are we going to find him? Inuyasha?s [i]far[/i] ahead of us, and [i]he's[/i] the only one who knows the way to Sesshoumaru?s home.? ?Oh, that won?t be a problem,? Miroku said flatly, gazing off in the direction that Inuyasha had taken. ?We just follow the path of destruction.? Kagome followed the monk?s gaze, and true to his word all the trees and bushes along the way had been crushed and scattered. ?You?re right,? she agreed. ?With that much caffeine in him, he could probably tunnel through sheet rock.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]A company of warriors drew aside the bolts and manned the pulleys to open the gates to the city. As the heavy wooden doors swung outward the morning light streamed in, blinding the men who stood beneath the shadows of Reiyama?s walls. When their eyes had become accustomed to the sun, they saw the white demon standing there, brilliant and terrible. ?Open the gates at dawn,? their king had ordered. ?The Lord of the West is coming.? And he had come indeed. For a moment he stood still, taking in the company of warriors with icy scrutiny, assessing the weapons that they carried and dismissing them just as easily because they didn?t pose him any real threat. ?Where is Asano?? he asked them curtly. ?He awaits you in the palace, my Lord,? one of the warriors told him. Sesshoumaru stalked off in the indicated direction with the Seer following close behind like a shadow. The Lord of the West did not like what he saw. Everywhere along his path through the city, the Tatesei he encountered knelt at the side of the road and bowed to him. Yet he knew, though they hid their faces from him, that the eyes of every man, woman and child here were black as pitch. He came upon King Asano in the northernmost palace garden, standing on a footbridge amidst a cluster of bamboo. Though the young man stood with his back to Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West did not announce his presence. He merely stopped and stood there, staring at the white cranes that soared across the silk on Asano?s back. The Seer, after a moment?s hesitation, knelt down in the snow and bowed, as the Tatesei had to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru glanced down at her, wearing an expression bordering on contempt. ?Stand,? he told her coolly, but she remained as she was. At the sound of Sesshoumaru?s voice Asano turned to face them. He inclined his head toward Sesshoumaru, causing the gold in his hair to tinkle. Then his eyes came to rest upon the Seer, and for a moment he stiffened, frowning. ?Please rise, Suiton[i]-sama[/i],? he finally told her, seeming uncomfortable in her presence. ?You have heard your warrior?s message,? Sesshoumaru addressed the king. It was not a question. ?Ah...yes,? Asano replied, returning his attention to the demon lord as the Seer rose to her feet. ?I do not mean to be disrespectful, but I anticipated something like this happening the day you took the Seer from us.? Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed. ?Don?t try my patience, [i]Ningen[/i],? he warned. ?I gave you a choice; I have come for your answer.? Asano regarded the demon lord somberly for a moment. The young king?s black eyes appeared liquid and alien against the fair, youthful face. They were eyes far too fey and ancient for the flesh that encased them. Asano lowered down onto his hands and knees and bowed before Sesshoumaru so that his forehead touched the snow. The Seer stared down at him in surprise. ?This, Lord Sesshoumaru, is my answer,? said the king. Then he lifted his head. Looking up into the demon lord?s face, he added, ?Irusei is dead.? Sesshoumaru stood utterly still, as if frozen in place. For the briefest of instants, his eyes widened, and flashed with the terrible brilliance of sun on ice. Then the moment passed, and his expression became as placid as ever. Between the kneeling king and standing lord, a quiet snow began to fall. ?It is done,? Asano murmured, lowering his head. ?Go in peace, and take Suiton-[i]sama[/i] with you. Do not bring the Seer to this city again.? This last was worded oddly--almost like a plea. Alarmed by the strangeness of this, the Seer turned to glance at Sesshoumaru for some indication that he understood. But the demon lord was already walking away, his footsteps soft and nearly soundless in the light snow. Casting one last puzzled look back at Asano, she hastened to Sesshoumaru?s side. The king remained kneeling in the snow; a lone, pale figure against a forest of dark bamboo. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Clouds roiled overhead, building into what promised to be a heavy winter storm. Sesshoumaru stood watching the graying skies from the terrace outside his chambers. He knew what was coming. ?My Lord.? The Seer stood beside him, frowning. ?Despite Irusei?s threats, the king continues to swear fealty to you. And he has executed my brother, no doubt as an example to any sharing Irusei?s--? ?Irusei is not dead,? Sesshoumaru cut her off. The Seer fell silent in surprise, taking an involuntary step backward. ?Not dead?? ?The king lied,? the demon lord went on inexorably. ?He lied, for he does not have the strength to fight the power of the dragon?s blood in his veins. He has kept the warrior alive, because he believes that Irusei will lead him to a better understanding of all that is happening. And Irusei...will no doubt oblige him.? The Seer frowned down at her feet. ?Then why did he seem to be warning you when he told you to keep me away from Reiyama?? she asked. Sesshoumaru was silent for a long while. ?The boy Asano,? he said softly, ?was the last chance I gave the Tatesei.? The Seer glanced up at him, standing there with his white robes fluttering in the breeze, and for the briefest of moments she thought she read sorrow in the rigidity of his posture. It surprised her, but she prudently chose not to remark on it. Instead she asked, ?What will you do now?? The answers slid through Sesshoumaru?s mind in an orderly stream. ?[i]I will wait here, to let the Tatesei believe that I am fooled by their king?s feigned loyalty[/i],? he thought. ?[i]I will wait for Irusei to come after his sister again, and allow him to take her. I will follow them and they will lead me to the dragon, for that can be the only reason that the Tatesei wish to use her. I will take the dragon?s life and power with Tokijin?s blade. And then...I will abandon the Tatesei. Leave them alone and empty of strength, naked to whatever swarm of demons has a taste for their flesh. Leave them alone and betrayed, as they have betrayed me...?[/i] But Sesshoumaru did not tell these things to the woman standing beside him. Instead, he said, ?Get inside and stay there. Someone is coming.? ?Tatesei?? the Seer asked in alarm, already backing away toward the sliding door. ?No,? Sesshoumaru answered, laying his hand upon Tokijin?s hilt. ?Not a traitor. Just a fool.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Inuyasha, whose swift and arrow-straight passage had been churning up snow and flying debris all the way through the Inu Youkai palace gardens, skidded to a halt about fifty feet away from where his brother stood watching. For a moment the [i]hanyou[/i] just stood there panting, having run a good twenty miles in one hour. Then, abruptly, he straightened and pointed a claw at Sesshoumaru. ?YOU!? he bellowed, standing with his legs planted shoulder-width apart. ?YOUBASTARDGIVEMEBACKTHESHIKONSHARD!? Sesshoumaru just stood there staring at him, which of course inflamed Inuyasha to no end. ?WHATAMIFUCKINGTALKINGTOMYSELF?! FORK OVER, BUTTMUNCH!? Inuyasha reached for Tetsusaiga. By this time Sesshoumaru seemed to realize that the [i]hanyou[/i] was seriously going to attack him and drew Tokijin in a flash of red flame. However, he did not attack, staring down at Inuyasha and frowning. While Tokijin certainly seemed to be working, Tetsusaiga remained a skinny, ordinary blade--it hadn?t transformed at all. ?WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR?? Inuyasha shouted. Then he glanced down at the sword in his hand and said, ?Oh.? He gave it a shake or two, and then the blade fired into functionality, becoming the large glowing fang it was meant to be. ?There we go,? Inuyasha muttered. Then he straightened, brandishing the blazing Tetsusaiga. ?ALL RIGHT, SESSHOUMARU: PREPARE TO DIE! [i]KAZE NO KIZ[/i]---? Tokijin?s blade clanged against Tetsusaiga before Inuyasha could complete the attack. Tetsusaiga glanced off Sesshoumaru?s sword as the white demon struck it, and Inuyasha flew back several yards before skidding to a stop by digging his feet into the snow. ?Not [i]here[/i], you fool,? Sesshoumaru said coldly. ?You?ll destroy our father?s house.? Then the Inu Youkai proceeded to force Inuyasha back a good two hundred feet into the garden with a deadly elegant series of slashes keeping the hanyou on the defensive. When Sesshoumaru seemed satisfied that they were beyond the palace-trashing range, he eased off a bit to circle Inuyasha warily. ?You are here for the shards, are you not?? he observed. ?Well it doesn?t matter. For this intrusion you will die.? With predatory swiftness, the white demon rushed at his brother, blade aimed straight for Inuyasha?s heart. Sesshoumaru?s speed was phenomenal--so fast that his body became a blur that was nearly invisible... ...but Inuyasha was high on some speed of his own. He arced Tetsusaiga around and countered Sesshoumaru?s charge. The two blades met in a violent clash of fire and lightning. For a moment, neither brother moved, and they stood there locked in stalemate. Snow flurries swirled around them, stirred up by the violent [i]kenatsu[/i] of both swords. ?You have...increased your speed,? Sesshoumaru observed in surprise. ?DAMN STRAIGHT I HAVE!? Inuyasha bellowed into his face. ?NOWHANDOVER THESHARDANDNOONEHASTODIE!? They both sprang apart, forced into movement as each brother attempted to press his strength against the other?s blade. Sparks lit the air between them, sizzling as they sank into the snow. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed and he tightened his grip on Tokijin?s hilt--a sure sign that he was growing angrier by the second. But Inuyasha avoided every attack with ease, practically dancing as he hopped from side to side and grinning fiercely from ear to ear, which was all the more infuriating to his opponent. ?WHAT, BACKING OFF?? Inuyasha jeered, dodging another lightning-quick thrust of his brother?s sword. ?WHAT, ARE YOU AFRAID? AFRAID NARAKU WON?T LOVE YOU IF YOU SCRATCH YOUR PRETTY FACE?!? Sesshoumaru stopped altogether and stepped back, keeping Tokijin raised between them. This last affront to Sesshoumaru?s dignity seemed to have been the final straw. ?What the [i]hell[/i] is [i]wrong[/i] with you?? Sesshoumaru demanded angrily. ?Stop this at once!? ?GIVE ME THE SHARD, YOU OVERGROWN PRETTY-BOY!? Inuyasha insisted, brandishing Tetsusaiga. The sword seemed to be blazing even brighter than usual--some of the overhead tree branches were beginning to be singed. Sesshoumaru weighed the possible outcomes. He didn?t particularly want or need the Shikon shard for himself, and he knew that it would be safe from Naraku if it were in the hands of Inuyasha?s human girl, so there was no harm in returning it. Inuyasha had greatly insulted him, not only implying that he preferred to mate with males but also that one of those males was the despicable Naraku. But Sesshoumaru also, as a rule, refused to fight his brother when Inuyasha was insane, and this certainly seemed to be the case. Sesshoumaru also had bigger fish to fry, and wasting more time exchanging blows and insults was not the least bit preferable. ?Take the shard,? he conceded icily, sheathing Tokijin and producing the fragment from a pouch hung from his sword-belt. ?Just retreat and leave me alone, and cease destroying the garden our dead kinsmen so laboriously planted.? Inuyasha seemed somewhat disappointed, because the stupid grin vanished from his face, but he reached out and took the shard from his brother. Then, abruptly, he turned and sped off in the direction he had come with crazed swiftness. Sesshoumaru watched him go with a mixture of distaste, bemusement, and a great deal of vexation. Inuyasha?s crazed ?MOOWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!? echoed through the valley. [i]?Next time I see you, Inuyasha[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought, [i]?I will kill you.[/i]?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [/CENTER] [color=purple]Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippou were all sitting huddled against Kirara?s warm sides for warmth when Inuyasha returned. They heard him coming long before they saw him coming in a cloud of snow and debris. However, his momentum was noticeably dying as he sped down the slope toward them. Kagome glanced at her watch, which she wore underneath her gloves. ?Are you ready with your ?sit? command?? Sango asked her, nodding toward the approaching [i]hanyou[/i]. ?Won?t need it,? Kagome replied. ?He?s back just in time. Caffeine crash in five...four...three...two...one.? ?I?VE GOT IT!? Inuyasha shouted triumphantly, skidding to a halt in front of them and spraying them all with snow. ?THAT ALBINO DRAG-QUEEN NEVER STOOD A CHANCE AGAINST MY--? Whatever it was that Sesshoumaru hadn?t stood a chance against, they would never know. Inuyasha flopped forward, landing face-first in the snow with one fist still triumphantly upraised. ?Oh my!? Sango exclaimed, looking worried. ?Is he dead?? ?No,? Kagome said, kneeling beside him. She pried open the fist and, true to the hanyou?s words, the Shikon shard was there.[/color] [color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color] [color=purple]The boy-king Asano knelt in the garden, alone in the bamboo grove. The snow beneath his knees had long since melted and seeped through his white silk robes, but he paid no heed to the chill. The chill in his heart was greater. ?Heaven preserve me,? he whispered, staring blindly into the verdant depths of the grove. ?I?ve betrayed him, and he knows it. Yet what choice do I have? I had to draw him into this; he?s the only one who might yet turn back the change that has come over us...? In the king?s mind, a darker echo of a thought whispered, ?[i]He is the only one, yet he will never forgive this. It is not in his nature. You have gambled for the lives of your people on a fool?s hope that a demon would show you mercy...?[/i] ?If he cannot save us, then there is no one...? Asano murmured. Then he lowered his face into his hands and wept.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 8}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [COLOR=SlateGray][I]Author?s Note: A ?tennyou? is a ?heavenly maiden?---sort of like a fairy in Japanese folklore, for those of you who?ve no familiarity with Ayashi no Ceres. ?Gaijin? is the Japanese term for ?foreigner.? ?Chichi-ue? is a term used to address one?s father with endearment. ?Otou-sama? is a respectful way of addressing one?s father. ?Ningen,? in case you?ve forgotten, means ?human.? Sesshoumaru uses the term in a derogatory fashion, because he is usually speaking condescendingly when addressing a human. His use of this term implies that to him all humans are alike and scarcely worthy of his attention. This chapter is going to clear up a lot of mysteries at once, so hopefully you readers are fully awake. Of course, not ALL the mysteries will be cleared up. . .got quite a few plot twistses up our sleeves in the chapters ahead, yesss, don?t we preciousss?[/I][/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][B][CENTER]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 9: Dragon?s Blood {+} {+}[/CENTER][/B][/COLOR] [I][COLOR=Purple][CENTER]?Drifting snow A soft curse upon the bride?s dark hair White, the color of my sorrow. . .?[/CENTER][/COLOR][/I] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple][CENTER][B]Seventy Years in the Past[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple][I]It also snowed on that day---the day his father betrayed him.[/I] [I]He came home from one of his long absences at midday, when the sun shone weakly through the mountain haze and the air was clear and cold. He walked lightly atop the snow through Reiyama?s fields, crossing the valley at a leisurely pace. Such a slow pace was rare for Sesshoumaru, who always felt that the destination?s importance far outweighed the journey?s, yet today he moved idly through the territory of his enemies. He walked with a warrior?s grace and dignity, knowing that the Tatesei watched him from atop their walls. The Tatesei were always watching. And always, whether in the company of the city guards or standing alone, the ones in gray robes watched him with cold eyes. He saw the Wise more and more frequently as the years progressed; those of his kinsmen who had been inside the city said that their numbers had grown. Calmly, Sesshoumaru approached Reiyama?s northern gate and stopped when he stood in its shadow. He made no formal announcement of his presence, but atop the walls the guards hastened to draw the gate aside to let him in. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed as he passed between their ranks, which stood at attention on either side as he entered. He remembered many years ago, when Reiyama?s gates were always open, because under his father?s protection there had been no need for defense. Now they closed the city unless they were formally called upon to conduct business with their Youkai guardians. Even now, the Tatesei flourished under dominion of the Lord of the West, and feared no invasion. It was the Inu Youkai that they shut their gates against. Seeing the gates of Reiyama closed even on the day when the Inu Youkai lord was to be wedded to its princess, Sesshoumaru understood that it was only a matter of time before the Tatesei betrayed his father. He walked silently through the streets, where the venders and the merchants and the women on their errands scattered to either side of the road to make way for him. As with the samurai in the ages to come, the Tatesei people sank to their knees and averted their faces from him lest he strike them down for their disrespect. He passed them by without sparing them so much as a glance, lip curling slightly at the strange scent of their flesh. In general all Ningen smelled alike to Sesshoumaru, but the Tatesei were different. Their scent bore the odd mixture of pine and cinnamon, beneath which ran an undercurrent of fire-smell, like burning wood. Eventually he reached the palace grounds, and after following the familiar scent of Inu Youkai through the gardens he entered a courtyard and came upon the place where the wedding was being held. An enormous crowd had gathered there; Ningen on the right and Inu Youkai on the left. The snow had been cleared from the ground here, and all were kneeling in the presence of the Tatesei royal family and the demon lord who ruled over them. Sesshoumaru did not kneel to join his kinsmen. He had entered the courtyard on a path hidden from view behind a bamboo grove; now he stopped and stood utterly still, watching the ceremony from between the dense cluster of stalks. From this vantage point, Sesshoumaru could see his father kneeling beside the princess. Both faced away from him---she in her white kimono and silk drapings, hung with silver; he in the black groom?s attire that Ningen wore, bare-headed yet crowned with the silver of his hair. Facing both of them and the assembled crowd was the Temple?s head priest, resplendent in a cloak embroidered with the twisting shapes of flames and dragons? claws. Standing in silent attendance behind him were his gray-robed servants---the Wise. They wore their hoods low so that their expressions were impossible to read, but even from that distance Sesshoumaru sensed that they were not pleased at all with what was taking place. Sesshoumaru, of course, was not pleased either. Later, after the ceremony had ended and the obligatory feast had been consumed by the wedding?s attendees, his father remained for a while with the princess to speak to her father the king. While the rest of the Inu Youkai Clan left the valley and returned home, Sesshoumaru waited in the outskirts of the forest just outside Reiyama. The Lord of the West and his bride followed soon after, passing beneath the pine tree in whose branches Sesshoumaru waited. The thick winter needles hid him from view as he sat comfortably in the cradling boughs. ?Your plan won?t work,? Sesshoumaru said softly. Both the Lord of the West and his new bride stopped in their tracks; the woman seeming startled, while Sesshoumaru?s father seemed to have been expecting this. ?A white bird calls to me from the branches, returned from his long migration,? the Lord of the West said softly, turning and gazing up at his son. ?I caught your scent in the Tatesei gardens as well. After all this time, you come to speak with me? Then speak.? Smoothly, Sesshoumaru descended from his perch and landed a little ways in front of his father. Sesshoumaru?s long white hair, bound behind him to keep it out of his face, fell heavily across his back. ?This is futile, and you know it,? he repeated. ?This union.? His resentful stare was directed at the back of the princess, who turned around slowly turned to face this new and unexpected opposition to her marriage. Her new husband had draped a black fur cloak over her shoulders for the journey to the Inu Youkai palace. Above this dark mantle, her face was exquisitely delicate, possessing a pure beauty to rival any tennyou?s. She regarded him calmly and without judgment, despite the obvious resentment with which he regarded her. Hastily, Sesshoumaru averted his gaze and rounded to confront his father. ?Do you truly think this charade will keep Reiyama loyal to the Inu Youkai Line?? he asked in a low voice. He was forcing his tone to remain reasonable though his hands clenched inside the folds of his long sleeves. ?It is a blind hope, Otou-sama. They grow restless beneath our rule.? ?I have known this for quite a long time,? his father replied, unruffled. ?Even before they stopped paying us tribute.? The princess? brow knitted at this, but she did not speak up in defense of her kinsmen. ?THIS is NOT fitting tribute,? Sesshoumaru said coldly, pointing at her without sparing her a glance. ?This is a ruse, meant to buy them time while they gather their strength to move against you.? He lowered his hand. ?She is meant to be a distraction from their disloyalty.? The Lord of the West did not grow angry, as Sesshoumaru had hoped he might. ?Moriatae,? his father said softly, using the name from Sesshoumaru?s childhood. ?I recall your bitterness when first I came to you to give you news of my imminent marriage. You left me in anger that day, taking with you nothing and no one and journeying alone into the wilderness. And now you return, but your bitterness remains unresolved. And your rashness and your warrior?s spirit have led you to judgment without wisdom or foresight.? Sesshoumaru took a step toward his father, his foot crunching in the snow. ?I foresee the Wise, with their strange death-magic, coming for the souls of your children,? he said, voice trembling with ill-restrained emotion. ?I see a coward who clings to peace when we stand on the brink of war.? Still the Lord of the West did not grow angry, but nodded slowly instead. ?When first I laid claim to this valley, the Tatesei were already there,? he told his son. ?You are right in saying that the Tatesei are dangerous. They are a people of many secrets. I know what you would have me do---slaughter them all, as I could have when first I encountered them. Slaughter them before they become a danger. But. . .it isn?t that easy. You can?t condemn a man simply for the blood that runs in his veins; only for the path he chooses for himself.? Sesshoumaru stood silent after this speech, but his mouth was set in a stubborn line. Reading in Sesshoumaru?s face his closed state of mind, the Lord of the West adopted a sterner manner. ?I will do all that is in my power to make this peace last,? he told his son. ?Even though I, too, foresee what it is you fear. I do this because as a Lord of the West it is my sacred charge to love those over whom I have been given dominion. If you cannot learn this before the time comes, then you are not worthy to inherit the title.? For a moment father and son stared at one another, each vying silently for the other?s accord. Yet when the moment passed, neither had gained it. Sesshoumaru?s father turned and rejoined his new wife, who had listened patiently to all that was said. ?Come, my beloved and my son,? the Lord of the West said to them both. ?Let us go home.? As they began to walk ahead of him, the words that had been on the tip of Sesshoumaru?s tongue from the beginning spilled forth. ?How can you love something so weak?? He glared at the princess? receding back, but he was also referring to the Tatesei. His father glanced over his shoulder to answer. ?Not all strength lies in a man?s ability to bring death to his enemies.? Sesshoumaru made no move to follow them. Standing silently in the snow until they passed from view, he murmured softly, ?On this day you have betrayed us.? Yet in his heart, the white demon was thinking, ?On this day, you have betrayed me.? A soft snow drifted down, beginning to settle on the branches and on Sesshoumaru?s head. With these bitter thoughts in his heart, he started up the slope toward the place he called home.[/COLOR][/I] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]The Feudal Era[/B][/CENTER] Inuyasha awoke at sunset and sat up with a start. Immediately, he wished he hadn?t. ?SHIT!? he exclaimed, and laid back down. Apparently his friends had wrapped him up in a blanket to keep him warm while he was unconscious. ?Oh, you?re up, are you?? Miroku observed from across the campfire. Everyone was seated around it except for Kirara, who was curled up in Sango?s lap, asleep. ?Inuyasha, how do you feel?? Kagome asked, coming over to kneel beside him. Inuyasha started to bluster something about being perfectly fine, but then Kagome laid a gentle hand on his forehead and he decided maybe he still felt sick after all. ?I feel like there?s a demon in my skull trying to gnaw its way out,? he groaned. ?Well, at least you got to enjoy the effects of the coffee before you crashed,? Shippou reminded him, sounding somewhat jealous. ?All she ever gives ME is chock-lit.? ?Let us just be thankful that it was someone [I]else[/I] who enjoyed Inuyasha under its influence,? Miroku remarked to Sango, who nodded in agreement. ?Huh.? Inuyasha rubbed his jaw with one hand. ?Actually, I don?t remember much at all. I sort of recall Sesshoumaru?s face. He looked really pissed off.? ?Well, you obviously had to fight him to take the shard back,? Kagome pointed out. ?And you obviously won, because you?re here now with the shard. I can [I]see[/I] where that would make him mad.? Inuyasha sat up, headache completely forgotten. ?I defeated Sesshoumaru, and I can?t even REMEMBER it!? he exclaimed, pounding the blanket with both fists in frustration. ?Of all the rotten luck. . .? ?Inuyasha, we?re just glad you?re back safely,? Kagome said, interrupting his tirade. ?Hmm. . .? The [I]hanyou[/I] shifted to sit cross-legged, tucking his hands into his sleeves. ?I wonder if I actually killed him, or just beat the crap out of him. . .? While Inuyasha lapsed into pleasant rumination, Shippou finished his bowl of ramen and scampered over to sit in Kagome?s lap. ?Hey, Kagome?? he asked, gazing up at her. ?Since Inuyasha has the Shikon fragment back, does this mean the problem will fix itself? Can we just forget about Reiyama and go home?? Kagome, Miroku and Sango exchanged very serious glances. ?You were out looking for firewood, Shippou, so you wouldn?t remember,? Kagome told him. ?We already came to the conclusion that the problem is far from over.? ?What?d I miss?? Inuyasha asked, frowning at their serious faces. ?You guys look like someone?s died.? ?On the contrary, it?s someone?s [I]survival[/I] that presents a problem,? Miroku remarked darkly. ?Kagome-[I]sama[/I], please show him the maps, and the paper.? Kagome unzipped her backpack and pulled the maps out. There were two of them; she unrolled the first one and spread it out over her lap. ?There it is,? she said, pointing to a spot on it surrounded by mountains. ?Reiyama. This is a map of feudal Japan, according to archaeologists from my time. This is what Reiyama looked like about twenty years ago on your timeline. There?s the mountain Reiyama, the valley?s highest peak.? She unrolled the second map, spreading across the first one. ?And this is a map of historical Japan in the eighteen hundreds. Reiyama is still there in that time, and it?s grown a lot since we last saw it. There are roads leading in and out of the valley?a lot of them?which means the Tatesei are making regular contact with the outside world. There are even roads leading to the sea.? Inuyasha leaned closer to follow the path she traced with her finger. ?That means that the Tatesei must?ve made contact with the Gaijin during the Meiji Era,? Kagome explained. ?This must have been where they became so powerful?introducing the special metal they call ?[I]ryunochi[/I]? to the world.? Inuyasha rocked back onto his heels, looking pensive. ?For the Tatesei to be alive and well at that time,? he said, ?can only mean [I]one[/I] thing---sooner or later they?d have to face the wrath of Kenshin Himura.? This earned him blank stares from all present. ?You?ve got the wrong anime,? Kagome whispered, nudging him with her elbow. ?The Battousai isn?t one of Takahashi?s characters.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha scoffed. ?Well, he [I]should[/I] be. We need more sword action on this show to balance out the romantic shit.? Kagome gave him a weird look. ?Er---right.? She turned her attention back to the map. ?Let?s not get sidetracked here. In my era, the sorcerer Reikotsu?s reincarnation told me that there was an eruption in the Tatesei valley---an eruption that exposed the [I]ryunochi[/I] metal. He said that, according to the history, at the time of the eruption the boy king Asano sacrificed himself in the fire so that somehow it would spare his people. And afterward. . .someone named ?Raiiru? took over, and that was the start of the Tatesei Line?s success. And Reikotsu---Tatesei Sano---also told me of a legend. . .one in which the last two sons of the Inu Youkai died in that same eruption, fighting each other to the bitter end.? ?So you?re saying there?s supposed to be some sort of eruption tying in all of this?? Inuyasha asked, sobering up. ?In the Tatesei Valley?? Kagome frowned. ?That?s the weird thing. There aren?t supposed to [I]be[/I] any volcanoes in this mountain range. Before the future---my time---was changed, there wasn?t even a mountain called ?Reiyama?. It simply didn?t [I]exist[/I]. But in the Feudal Era map we can see it marked clearly right here.? She jabbed the spot on the first map with her finger for emphasis. ?What about the second map?? Shippou asked. The Kitsune was leaning on Kagome?s knee and peering over her arm at the maps. ?Was it on the second map, too?? Kagome shook her head. ?No, it isn?t. Look there.? She pointed. ?In the eighteen hundreds, there [I]is[/I] no mountain called Reiyama. There isn?t even a mountain drawn here. It?s like it vanished completely, even though the Tatesei city at its base is still there.? ?Or,? Miroku interjected, ?maybe it didn?t vanish. . .it [I]erupted[/I]. Maybe the eruption destroyed the entire mountain.? ?So that means. . .it [I]did[/I] happen,? Sango murmured, absently stroking Kirara?s head. Kirara stirred but didn?t awaken. ?What this man Reikotsu told you wasn?t just a legend---there really [I]was[/I] an eruption. And the part about the three deaths. . .it?s probably true.? Inuyasha folded his arms, looking unusually pensive. The firelight flickered, fading a little. Shippou fed it some more dry wood. ?Tomorrow we?ll probably reach Reiyama,? Miroku remarked. ?We?ve made very good time. We?ll find a way to fix this.? Unobtrusively, his hand slid to the right to cover Sango?s. ?Don?t worry.? Kagome sighed, shivering a little and rubbing at her arms. ?I just wish,? she said, ?that I knew what I did to change the future like this. It could be something so simple. . .even though it?s leading to death.? ?Feh.? Inuyasha picked up the blanket he?d been sitting on and dropping around her shoulders. ?Hey, like Miroku said, don?t worry so much. What?s done is done, and if you can?t change it then there?s no sense beating yourself up over it.? He plopped down again beside her and folded his arms. Shippou tossed a pinecone into the fire. While a brief flurry of sparks ascended from it, he slyly suggested, ?I bet INUYASHA?S responsible for all this. He probably stepped on a beetle or something and now mountains are exploding.? ?HEY, YOU FUCKING BRAT!? Inuyasha exclaimed, slamming one palm down right in front of the Kitsune, who dodged it hurriedly. ?I WAS TRYING TO CHEER US ALL UP AND YOU?VE GOT TO GO AND---? ?Well, you?ve certainly squashed [I]something[/I]. . .? All five heads swiveled downward at the sound of this new voice. It was strikingly familiar, if somewhat small and feeble. ?Myouga '[I]Jii-san[/I]?? Inuyasha identified it, lifting his hand from the ground. A nickel-sized Myouga pancake floated down from beneath his palm before re-inflating with a pop. ?Master Inuyasha! We have to stop meeting like this,? the old flea demon said earnestly. Looking somewhat indignant, he hopped onto Inuyasha?s knee to address the hanyou from a higher vantage point. ?[I]Really[/I]---squashing me when I?ve come all this way to tell you something of such vast importance. . .? ?Eh? Vast importance?? Inuyasha bent nearer to Myouga in surprise. ?Are you saying that you know what?s going on?? Myouga nodded sagely. ?I sensed that something was amiss, so I journeyed down to the Tatesei Valley riding on a raccoon,? he explained. ?There I made the arduous trek into the Tatesei city itself to see what had happened. What I found there chilled my very blood. . .? The old flea demon paused dramatically, apparently savoring his tale?s importance. ?Well? Get on with it,? Inuyasha demanded, one thumb hovering perilously close to squishing the little demon. Myouga sighed with the patience of the long-suffering. ?Very well,? he conceded, seating himself cross-legged on Inuyasha?s knee and bowing his head. ?But in order for you to understand what you?ll be facing when you reach Reiyama, I must tell you where the problem began. It all started two hundred years ago, before the Tatesei even existed. . .when your father added fuel to the fire of a bitter feud that would eventually lead to his death, and the deaths of all your kinsmen. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple][I]?At the dawn of the Greater Youkai, there were also dragons.?[/I] ?What?? Sesshoumaru came to a halt and pulled a sharp about-face. ?What did you just say?? The Seer, who had been trailing after him, stopped also, eyeing him warily. Though his face was as calm as ever, Sesshoumaru had been in a foul mood since their return from Reiyama. ?You spoke those words before you lost consciousness, when we saw the dragon in the scrying bowl,? the Seer answered. ?I was wondering what they meant.? They were standing in the cavernous main hall of the Inu Youkai palace, whose walls were lined with tapestries and whose central tables and gilt cushions were abandoned and empty. Though the afternoon sun warmed the palace?s outer chambers, here the air was cold. The words struck a resonant chord in Sesshoumaru. [I]?Moriatae,? his father had said, carrying the child through the darkened halls. ?Since tomorrow I leave for battle, tonight I will tell you a story.? ?Chichi-ue, why must you go?? the boy asked earnestly. His father?s footfalls, unlike the strong arms that held his son, were soft and measured upon the stone floor. All of their kinsmen had retired for the night; the soft echoes of his father?s voice in the hall and the darkness---broken only by periodic torches along the wall---made it seem that the two of them were the only living souls in the world. ?I must because I am Lord here,? his father answered. At that time, there was a grave, sad quality in his father?s face that the child did not understand. ?What is the story?? the boy asked, understanding only the safety and the warmth of his father?s arms, and that they would soon be parted. A fierce gleam came into his father?s eyes. ?Before the dawn of the Greater Youkai,? he began, ?there were also dragons. . .?[/I] ?Sit,? Sesshoumaru said sharply. The Seer flinched, startled by the command after so long a silence. She had begun backing away in preparation to leave the demon lord alone with his bad temper. Yet now he gestured toward the cushions nearest the end of the hall. Slowly, the Seer nodded and approached them. The ones closest to her were arranged neatly before a great stone hearth. A fire blazed cheerily therein, in front of the empty seats. The imps that served the demon lord kept the palace clean and warm and hospitable. . .for kinsmen who would never return here to wander its shining halls. Feeling as if she were taking the seat belonging to a ghost, the Seer sank down onto her knees on one of the cushions facing the fire. As she arranged her dark blue robes around her lap, she was surprised yet again as the demon lord knelt down on the cushion beside hers. His shoulder did not brush hers, but she felt his presence and the shift of his weight as surely as if it had. She did not need to touch his mind to sense his strong presence. ?You are Tatesei,? he said coolly, settling into a cross-legged position, ?and yet you do not know how the Inu Youkai Line ties into your own history. . .though your people saw fit to destroy us and make slaves of our souls.? The Seer bowed her head in assent. ?No,? she agreed. ?I know only what I?ve been taught, and what little I?ve Seen.? Staring moodily into the flames, Sesshoumaru frowned. ?I myself do not know it in full,? he murmured. ?What I do know. . .is the story my father once told me. . .? He paused, casting a brief glance toward the woman at his side. ?Your people believe that a dragon created this land. In a way, the legend is true. One hundred years ago. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?. . .when Inuyasha?s father had yet to lay claim to the Western Lands, there were also dragons,? Myouga began. ?There were two great forces in this world: dragons, and demons, and both of them were born of the human race.? ?[I]Feh[/I]. Dragons, born of the [I]human[/I] race?? Inuyasha scoffed. ?And I could give birth to a chicken.? ?Don?t interrupt, Inuyasha,? Kagome murmured. ?Myouga, what do you mean by that?? The flea demon pointed on finger skyward, looking very professorial. ?Well, you first have to understand how demons came to be,? he explained. ?Every one of us, fierce or gentle, is descended from a demon born of a human. Not in the physical sense,? he added hastily, ?but in the spiritual sense. Human thoughts and dreams; human passions---these things are full of power. With them, it is possible to create anything, and also to destroy anything. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?Humans are fools,? Sesshoumaru murmured, staring into the hearth without really seeing it. ?They were not content to live on this world while the gods watched over them from the heavens. They found no comfort in the worship of infinite beings; [I]Ningen[/I] in their greed and shortsightedness sought instead what they could touch, and see. They told stories. Legend was born. . .and the beings of which these stories told were born as well. ?From the hearts of those humans longing for simpler days, when their kind lived in harmony with all nature, came the demons of the woods and hills; spirits of rock and stream. From the minds of those who longed for human dominion over land and sea, rock and river. . .there came the dragons. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?So you?re saying that demons first manifested from the souls of [I]humans[/I]?? Sango asked, clearly taken aback by this suggestion. In her lap, Kirara stirred, awakened by the sudden movement of her mistress? body. ?That is precisely what I am saying,? Myouga responded, turning toward her. Upon noticing her strange black eyes for the first time, he frowned, rubbing his chin pensively. ?So. . .it isn?t just the Tatesei. . .it?s all the dragon?s descendants as well. . .? ?Myouga-[I]sama[/I], please continue,? Miroku interjected, laying a hand on Inuyasha?s knee near where the flea demon was seated. ?It?s important that we understand this.? (He then hastily withdrew the hand, because Inuyasha was bristling---apparently the [I]hanyou[/I] disliked being touched so familiarly by anyone who wasn?t Kagome.) ?Very well.? Myouga nodded. ?The first demons were indeed born of human dreams and emotions. Demons are still born that way. For example, the Mu-Onna: the demon born of a woman?s grief over her lost child. Inuyasha and Kagome encountered such a demon, long ago. Also there are the Spider-Headed Demons, born of the souls of soldiers beheaded in battle. Demons are born of love and greed, grief and hatred. . .and in times like these, when the human world is consumed by wars, many demons are born.? Inuyasha frowned. ?So I came from my ancestors. . .who were created by humans?? This thought apparently rankled, because his left ear had developed a slight twitch. ?Correct,? Myouga replied. ?After all, Inuyasha, your father was one of the Greater Youkai. And isn?t it interesting. . . I met many Great Demons when I served your father in my youth, and there is one trait that they all shared to the greatest degree: they---the most powerful of all demons---[I]were the most like humans[/I]. Not just in form, but in spirit as well. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?But dragons are a force of creation,? the Seer dared to argue, interrupting the demon lord?s tale. ?How can both demons and dragons be born of the same human souls?? Sesshoumaru paused, glancing down at her. Her expression was earnest; almost childlike as she attempted to defend her heritage. The foolish, fearless way in which humans so unabashedly bared their vulnerabilities was oddly painful for him to see. He turned away from her to face the fire, which despite its brightness was easier to look at. ?Creation, woman, is merely the earliest form of destruction,? he said coolly. ?You say that the Dragon?s body shaped your land, and its fire shaped your mountains? That is true. In my father?s time---in the time of the Greater Youkai---the Western Dragon Clan did indeed shape the land. ?They laid waste to the forests and rivers. Where their tails lashed the sea, tsunami arose. Where the tsunami crashed, the coastline was formed. They summoned volcanic fire into the mountains from the deep places in the earth, granting to Ningen the gifts of metal-shaping and jewel-mining. With their breath they burned away the old forests, exposing the fertile land beneath. They made war on the Youkai, their brethren, so that we would not seize control of the land they had prepared. . .so that we would not rise to power and take the land that they had prepared for their precious humans.? Sesshoumaru lowered his head, absently running his hand along the white fur over his shoulder. ?But my father saw the danger back then,? he said softly. ?He foresaw that the dragons? nurturing of humankind was a dangerous thing. He saw how the greed of [I]Ningen[/I] grown powerful would eventually lead to the doom of all Youkai. Of all the Greater Youkai, it was the Lord of the Inu Youkai Clan who possessed the most foresight. He saw then the poison that mankind could become if they were not kept weak beneath demon rule. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?Inuyasha?s father never wanted to see humankind grow weak and fall prey to demonkind,? Myouga continued. ?Don?t make the mistake of assuming that. Yet neither did he wish to see them grow too strong. Under the protection and guidance of the Western Dragon Clan, [I]Ningen[/I] would become too powerful too fast. They would grow in population; develop in government and technology---before they acquired the wisdom to use it. And then, because those were turbulent times, they would make war on each other with their newfound power instead of growing peacefully as a civilization. Inuyasha?s face had grown quite solemn. ?So [I]Otou-sama[/I] led an alliance of Greater Youkai against the dragons,? he murmured. ?He drove them into the mountains, didn?t he?? Myouga nodded sagely. ?That?s correct, Inuyasha. The dragon Ryukoutsussei, whom you fought to strengthen your Tetsusaiga, was once your father?s enemy. Ryukoutsussei was one of the dragons that went to war with the Greater Youkai long ago.? ?But [I]Otou-sama[/I] completely destroyed the Western Dragon Clan, didn?t he?? Inuyasha asked, frowning. ?My mother told me the stories. So what do dragons have to do with the Tatesei?? ?Be patient,? Myouga admonished, waving both hands at him. ?I?ll explain. . .?[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?Until recently, I believed that my father had slaughtered all the dragons save one,? Sesshoumaru said, ?and that one was destroyed by the [I]hanyou[/I] Inuyasha a year ago. The Western Dragon Clan was no more. And yet. . .their blood remained.? He paused, evidently mulling over something distasteful to him. ?In the same manner which Youkai interbred with humans, the dragons had been interbreeding as well. There came to be a new race of [I]Ningen[/I], bearing the blood of dragons in their veins. This was the Western Dragon Clan?s chosen race: the [I]hanryu[/I], of whom you spoke when Irusei came here. ?When the dragons were defeated, the [I]hanryu[/I] fled into the mountains, fearing for their lives because they were no longer protected by their progenitors. However. . .now I see that I was mistaken. The [I]hanryu[/I] survived the harsh life in the mountains because they were still under the dragons? protection. I was mistaken---my father did not destroy all the dragons. One remained---the one whom you call the ?Great Dragon?. . .the one whom I saw in the scrying bowl. Somehow, that dragon escaped being killed, and has survived even to this day. That is the one who watched over your ancestors, and who sent into their midst the [I]hanryu[/I] priestess Midoriko. The [I]hanryu[/I] survived, and the Tatesei are their descendants.? The Seer looked down at her hands, shivering despite the fire?s warmth. ?The Dragon survived war with the Greater Youkai because he was the strongest. He was the Lord of all Ryu. But he was weakened, somehow. . .I don?t understand it fully. All I know is that my gift combined with the Shikon no Tama in the scrying bowl sent out a summons to him. And now he has awakened, wherever he is.? She glanced up at Sesshoumaru, wonder and horror at war upon her face. ?And he is calling upon his children to restore him to power.? The firelight flickered across Sesshoumaru?s face, deepening the shadows there and setting his eyes aflame. His gaze flitted briefly toward the Seer, and then returned to the blazing hearth. ?If I am to destroy this threat before it claims dominion over your people,? he said softly, slyly, ?then I must know the nature of this monster?s weakness. How is it that something so powerful is kept from rising up and taking what it truly wants? Why must it use humans bearing its blood as its pawns? Can it be that my father. . .imprisoned it, somehow. . .?? The Seer bit her lip, bowing her head.[/COLOR] [COLOR=DarkOrange][CENTER][B]{+} {+} {+}[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=Purple]?Now that I?ve seen you, Sango-[I]sama[/I], I understand,? Myouga said, nodding as he addressed her. ?The dragon?s blood has been awakened in [I]all[/I] of its descendants; the Tatesei. . .and the demon-slayers.? Sango stiffened. Her face went deathly pale. ?You?re saying that I---that [I]I?m[/I] a [I]hanryu[/I] also?? she asked. Miroku squeezed her hand, which was shaking. ?Because I?m one of the two remaining demon-slayers?? Myouga stood up and walked closer to the edge of Inuyasha?s knee. ?That has to be it,? he agreed. ?And whatever?s happened in Reiyama has awakened the dragon?s blood in you as well as in the Tatesei.? Inuyasha slammed a fist down on his knee, nearly bouncing the flea demon clear off it. ?[I]That?s[/I] why Shippou and I couldn?t smell anything different about Sango!? he exclaimed fiercely. ?Her scent didn?t change when the dragon?s blood was awakened in her, because [I]it?s always been inside her[/I]. It?s a part of her---we just never realized what it was.? ?Only her aura changed,? Kagome murmured, glancing sidelong at the horror-struck Sango. ?Her blood was always the same---it?s only the spiritual part that the dragon has awakened.? Suddenly, Sango?s eyes widened as a sudden realization occurred to her. ?Kohaku!? she cried, placing one palm against the ground as if making ready to push herself up and rush off somewhere. ?This must be happening to [I]him[/I], too! What if Naraku kills him, to prevent him from becoming dangerous. . .?? Miroku laid a calming hand on her arm, gently forcing her to remain seated. ?Sango. . .Kohaku?s not alive in the same way you are. His life?s blood flows only at the command of the Shikon shard in his back.? The monk paused, sighing. ?I don?t think his body is capable of responding to the dragon?s call.? Sango sighed heavily---a sigh full of both misery and relief.[/COLOR]

[I][CENTER]Soft the curse of winter On the heads of lovers parted On the red arms, warm with memory; On the white arms, luring love to sorrow beneath the ice.[/I] [B][COLOR=Red]+ White Arms +[/CENTER][/COLOR][/B] [COLOR=SlateGray]His back rests on cold stone; his hand upon cold steel. He is seated cross-legged outside the cave, at the place just beyond the dark mouth where the shelter of the overhang ends and the quiet snow begins. Beyond where he sits lies the treacherous mountain road that he and his companions have spent the day climbing. And beyond that?there is only the edge of the cliff. From his vantage point, the land below the edge is swallowed in darkness. Night is spreading slowly across a slate-gray sky. Idly he tips his head back against the rock wall, resting both hands on the flat of the sword-blade lying across his lap. The monk offered to relieve him of tonight?s watch, insisting that he sleep, but he would have none of it. He can hear his comrades? voices echoing inside the cave, and he can see the flickering of their firelight on the walls out of the corner of his eye, but tonight it isn?t enough to lure him in from the cold. On this winter night, too many memories arise in his mind?s eye. He needs the quiet. He once kissed her on a winter night, for the first time. . . . . .which was also the last. Now he gazes out across the land, through a soft curtain of snow, and memory swallows him whole. . .[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B][CENTER]+ + + +[/CENTER][/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=SlateGray]Outside the shelter they had been sharing, the wind howled fiercely, lashing its anger against the wooden walls in the form of ice. [I]Inuyasha, you?re leaving? Yeah. [/I] A pause. She sat with her back to him, crouched over the square fire-pit in the center of the hovel. He could see---even behind the black curtain of her hair---that she held one hand poised above the burning coals she tended, for his answer dismayed her. [I]That embrace we shared, standing on the water?s edge. . .so it DID mean something to her[/I], he thought. (A memory within a memory: a cold day in autumn when amid the lazy drift of leaves onto the river he pulled her into the fire of his arms. . .) Much had happened since that first embrace. The seasons changed. Since that day, trust had kindled between them. Together they had fought, defending the talisman she guarded, which he coveted. Many demons came, and men with souls twisted by greed. Through the hail of arrows and the flood of unholy spirits, he stood by her side. Then winter came, bringing with it another demon; another enemy. Shadowy and wraithlike, it led them on a chase through the snow-covered lowlands and into the woods. Together they hunted it for miles, but now a storm had come, and despite the priestess? strength she could not bear the cold any longer. Yet her half-breed companion knew that if the demon moved on while they took shelter, it would soon happen upon another village to massacre. [I]I HAVE to leave[/I], he insisted. You stay here, and protect the jewel. What he really meant was: [I]You stay here in safety, and protect yourself for once.[/I] It was a meaning she didn?t fail to miss; she missed very little. This person knew him better than he knew himself, which he found a bit frightening, but there was a force around her that was almost magnetic. It made him wish he were merely a man, and she a woman, and that he could draw her into the fire of his body, to warm her cold, shivering flesh on this dark winter night. She was so weary, and so pale. Her hands and lips were white with cold. In the magnetic air surrounding Kikyou, the pull of love and sorrow were equally strong. She smiled at him, and nodded slowly, murmuring her farewell. That she could smile to see him off when all she wanted was rest and warmth and not to be alone was almost more than he could bear. He turned from her and pushed open the wooden door of the hovel, wading out into the snow. She was so selfless---so full of courage---that he would be too ashamed to do otherwise. He was gone for days---short, dark days in which his body tracked his demon quarry while his soul lingered mile behind, in a freezing hovel beside a woman huddled over a dying fire. And now he was returning. [I]Kikyou[/I], he thought, his lips moving to form the word. The blizzard raged around him, raking claws of frozen air across his flesh. He staggered onward with grim resolution, leaning into the wind to keep from falling. Ice struck his face; his body. He narrowed his eyes to slits to keep the ice out of them. Many times he stumbled from weariness, for he had been walking for nearly six straight days with no food and no rest. Yet his mind was as clear as ever---clearer, perhaps, than ever before---and his strong resolve kept him moving when even his Youkai fortitude had deserted him. Her parting words rang in his ears like a clarion call, drowning out even the howling of the gale. [I]Your return will make the winter disappear. [/I] He didn?t know what she was promising, but now even though his body grew numb he could almost feel the spring waiting in her arms---the promise of love. She was a place he could belong, and he strove to return to it. Inuyasha trudged through the drifts of snow, his steps stirring up flurries of white in their wake. When at last he had come down through the mountain pass, half-sliding on the snow-covered slope, he raised his head and saw the light. It was but a pinpoint; a minute thing; a speck of fire in the darkness. But his eyes fastened themselves upon it like a starving man before a feast. And his chest tightened with the fierceness of his sudden certainty. Shedding his weariness like a cloak, he hurried across the frozen field, toward the place where her firelight burned through the window. When he flung the door open, she turned and smiled, kneeling before the hearth as if she?d never moved. There were deeper, darker circles beneath her eyes, and her hair was frayed and lackluster. But her eyes shone jewel-bright, and her arms lifted toward him. She was beautiful. He knelt to meet her. Warmth was born between the clasping of their hands. He bent over her, pressing burning lips to hers, leaning into her, falling into her like the home he?d longed for all his life. Her white sleeves whispered against his crimson ones, or perhaps she whispered something. It didn?t matter to him; it was lost in their mingling breath. They were sinking together beside the fire, driving back the winter between them, in the kindling of their arms. Between the parting folds of his [I]haori[/I], he felt the cold, hard press of stone against his chest. He was instantly aware of what it was; his body trembled against her. Then he was sitting up, releasing hold of her, and she likewise was pushing him away. They regarded each other from a breath away, unable to speak for the regret raging in them both. There would be no spring---not while the burden she bore stood between them. There was no choice but to bear the winter a while longer. Spring came in its time, but with it came Naraku. And the jewel between them led to death and parting. . . [/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][CENTER][B]+ + + +[/B][/CENTER][/COLOR] [COLOR=SlateGray]There are tears in his threatening at the edges of his vision---tears he won?t shed because they won?t do any good. They?ll only freeze on his cheeks. But he[I] sees[/I] her, there in front of him, as real as she was that winter night. She?s reaching for him now, her black hair flowing around her as if she?s underwater. She flows toward him like a vision; the moon goddess in maiden form. She reaches pale arms toward him---hands so cold it crushes his heart to feel them. She brushes his cheek, his lips, leaning down over him, falling into him. . .or maybe he?s falling into her. Maybe they?re falling together, rekindling that warmth they once found before cold fate tore them asunder. He belongs with her, he knows. He should follow her down. It?s what he thinks he should want. White arms wrap around his shoulders, pressing dead lips to his while black hair swirls around his face in rivulets. He can?t see the darkness yawning behind her; he feels only the chill of her skin, and understands that what he loves is made of ice and memory. And he doesn?t care. He doesn?t [I]care[/I], until. . . [I]?Inuyasha.? [/I] Suddenly, there is a gentle presence at his back. The sound of her voice drives back the ghost of winter like firelight through a window. She lays her small hand on his shoulder. ?Inuyasha, you?re standing too close to the edge.? In front of him, the abyss yawns deep over the edge of the cliff. Harsh winds sweep the snow around him toward it, brushing ice past his cheeks like the pull of fingers. ?Yeah, I guess so,? he answers, remembering his voice. He lets her draw him away from the dangerous place, but he won?t follow her into the cave. It?s warm in there---warm enough to drive back memories. But he doesn?t want that. His memories are too precious; if he forgets what he?s lost he will lose it forever. She smiles gently, and he?s torn because she?s so beautiful and because she sees him so clearly. ?[I]Someone[/I] needs to keep watch out here,? he insists stubbornly, folding his arms and sounding like himself again. ?Any of you lot would just fall asleep and freeze to death.? He plunks down cross-legged outside the cave mouth. She kneels beside him, and to his surprise her arms encircle his waist. Resting her chin on his shoulder, she says, ?I?ll keep watch with you, so you don?t get cold and freeze yourself.? Her warmth seeps into him; she?s drawing him back from the brink of memory in her own small way. His face is burning, and he?s flustered by her nearness. But he merely breathes in her sweet scent and lets her hold him, drawn into the arms of spring. The pull of love and sorrow were strong, but maybe love was just a little stronger.[/COLOR] [COLOR=Red][B][CENTER]The End[/CENTER][/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=SlateGray] [I]Yamisui: See? See? I can be poetic too! Just trying out a different writing style in my fanfiction. This is a My First One-Shot Ever. It's the first in what's going to be a collection of one-shots.[/I][/COLOR]

[CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Sesshoumaru swept through the halls in a fury. So swift were his steps that the torches lining the way blew slantwise in a great rush of flame. He would not have been so angry if the dark magic coiled inside him were not warning him that the intruder was Tatesei. That one of them had dared invade the sanctity of his home was unforgivable. He rounded a corner and flung open the screens leading out into the garden so violently that they were nearly thrown from their runners. Outside, the snow fell quietly, piling over the bushes and foot-bridges in drifts; coating the stark brown branches with a mantle of white. The torchlight through the open doorway shone on the snow, making it sparkle. Irusei stood beneath the terrace roof, silent and utterly still. He stared calmly at the demon lord as if he had been waiting for this very moment. The young warrior wore no armor and no cloak to stave off the chill. He wasn?t even wearing shoes, though he must have walked for hours to ascend the icy mountain slope to reach the Inu Youkai Valley. Sesshoumaru stood motionless in the doorway as well, eyeing the young man narrowly and wondering at the strangeness of his appearance. Irusei?s clothes were utterly soaked through; his dark hair dripped melted snow onto his brow, which trickled down his cheeks like tears and pooled in the hollow of his throat. His hands were clenched into fists. ?Lord Sesshoumaru,? Irusei called, in a low voice. His head was lowered, but his stance was firm and resolute--it seemed he had no intention of fleeing. This was fine with Sesshoumaru, who at this point had no intention of allowing him to flee. ?What folly has brought you here?? Sesshoumaru asked coolly. At his side, the nails of his hand began to glow a poisonous green. Still Irusei made no move to flee. He tilted his head to one side, as if the demon lord about to slay him was merely an object of curiosity. ?I see it?s true, what they say,? the warrior said softly. ?You hate us. I have crossed your boundaries, and now I am to die. But...don?t you even want to know why I?m here?? The green glow around Sesshoumaru?s claws expanded down the lengths of his fingers. ?Speak, [i]Ningen[/i],? he answered coldly, ?but don?t think that it will spare you the fate you?ve brought upon yourself.? Irusei took a step toward the demon lord, plucking his [i]hakama[/i] away from where the water made it cling to his legs. Drops of melted snow pattered softly on the wooden floor, falling from the young man?s clothes. ?I?ve come for my sister,? he said simply. The gleaming poison now encompassed Sesshoumaru?s entire hand. ?Really?? the demon lord said dispassionately. ?You won?t take her. The Seer is mine.? Irusei took another step toward him, not seeming to care that there were five toxic glowing claws with his name on them. ?Oh, no, my lord,? he said softly. ?You see, the Seer has always belonged to the Tatesei. She belongs to us now. Especially now. Now that she has awakened the fire in our blood...? He paused, correctly interpreting Sesshoumaru?s bland expression as one of surprise. ?Don?t you know, my lord, what you?ve done? What you have allowed to happen?? Sesshoumaru made no move to raise the glowing hand, but it clenched into a fist at his side. ?Explain,? he ordered, his tone a warning not to try his patience. ?Very well,? Irusei said, halting his slow progress toward the demon lord. ?But perhaps you might ask [i]her [/i]to explain it, for she knows it as well as I.? Sesshoumaru glanced over one shoulder to see that the Seer had come to join him in the doorway. She stopped short at the sight of her brother, frozen with shock as if she were afraid of him. ?Explain,? the demon lord commanded her. ?There...there is a legend that tells of the Great Dragon who...who formed these lands,? she began, somewhat haltingly. ?They say his lashing tail stirred the first currents of the ocean...his claws gouged hills and valleys into the lowlands...and that with his mouth he breathed fire into the mountains...? Sesshoumaru turned from her in disgust. ?I will waste no more time on the legends of [i]Ningen[/i],? he told her. ?Speak plainly, or do not speak at all.? But the Seer laid a placating hand on his elbow, and when he glanced down at her Sesshoumaru saw that her eyes, though black and inhuman, still gleamed with the inner light of her gift. This was the Seer, not the frightened woman from the inner chamber, and Sesshoumaru remembered that once the gift claimed her she would speak only truth. ?Here legend blurs into history,? she continued, ?for in the heart of the mountains far to the north there dwelt a clan of humans bearing the Great Dragon?s blood. They began as half-breeds, this race, but after years of intermixing with humans they came to be human themselves. The Dragon still looked upon them as his children, and into their midst the First Seer to guide them. She came in the form of a young priestess wearing a man?s armor, called by the name Midoriko. ?It was Midoriko who gave the Tatesei the prophecy that you have heard, Lord Sesshoumaru. The very same Midoriko from whose soul the Sacred Jewel was born. Yet afterward...those villagers who wished to dedicate their lives to defending the Jewel were the ones to inherit it...while those who feared the greed of demons chose to flee, taking the prophetic scroll with them. These found refuge in the valley where Reiyama exists today. The rest you know--the legacy of the Tatesei.? The light faded in the Seer?s eyes and the woman glanced up at Sesshoumaru. ?All I know, my lord, is that the Tatesei bear the Dragon?s blood within them. I didn?t know what would happen if I used the Shikon shard to See your answer, but somehow...somehow my doing so has awakened the Dragon.? Sesshoumaru stared at her, saying nothing and refusing to admit even to himself that she had tried to warn him. ?You tell it so nicely, Suiton,? Irusei said, frowning. ?Yet you leave out what is truly important. For someone so wise, sister, you really don?t know what you?ve [i]done[/i].? Sesshoumaru turned back toward the young warrior standing on the terrace. ?Speak, then,? the demon lord bade him, in a tone devoid of anger. ?This becomes interesting.? ?[i]Ryunochi[/i],? Irusei said softly, ?is the metal we call ?dragon?s blood,? drawn from the mines in the mountain... That is what the scrying bowl was shaped from, in the forges of the city. It was given to Suiton ten years ago by the Wise, who foresaw a time when she would use it. They knew then, from the warnings given by the Second Seer, that in time there would be born a Seer whose vision would wake the Dragon. Then the Wise were destroyed, and the Second with them.? He paused a moment, so that Sesshoumaru would not miss this point. ?But there were still those of us...who never gave up hope.? Slowly, the warrior lifted his chin. The long strands of dark hair that concealed his face in shadow fell away. The Seer gasped, backing away from the terrace. She recalled her brother as she had last Seen him--standing on the Temple stair, arms wide open to draw the shadow into his breast. Seeing him now, she began to understand what that had meant. ?You could not imagine our joy...? Irusei whispered, ?when we felt the blood in us begin to stir...? His almond-shaped eyes were black now--black as the shadow that he had welcomed into his body. Now Sesshoumaru sensed the hot energy gathering within Irusei?s flesh, and understood what it was that he was facing. Irusei had come here to attack him. [i]?Like Yaburenumaru, the exiled prince[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought darkly, [i]?this young one has accepted something fell inside of him in exchange for power.?[/i] ?Has everyone been...changed, like you?? the Seer asked her brother worriedly. ?Have all the Tatesei succumbed to the Dragon?s will?? Irusei?s face was grim. ?It?s not a matter of choice,? he answered. ?Everyone has been changed because this is what we are meant to be. Even you,? he added, nodding toward her. ?Even you have the Dragon?s eyes, and the Dragon?s blood, if only you would call upon it.? A strange, fey light was beginning to gather around his skin. With his right hand Sesshoumaru pushed the Seer back further from the door. ?Go home, [i]Ningen[/i],? he told Irusei, his voice a soft warning. The warrior?s expression darkened, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. ?No,? he answered firmly. ?No. I?ve come for my sister, and I mean to leave with her.? Sesshoumaru raised his hand, calling power into his fingers once again. ?Go home,? he repeated. Something flared brightly from within Irusei?s skin, and then both demon and Seer experienced the strange spectacle of the fire running through the warrior?s veins, visible even through the flesh. An aura of flame was gathering around Irusei, rushing and swirling like a hot wind; Sesshoumaru could feel the heat warming the skin of his face. Then Irusei rushed at him. Flames wreathed the young man?s body, regardless of the fact that his cold, soaked clothing clung to his skin. They touched him but did not burn him, and now he was summoning them into his hand. He was thrusting the burning hand straight out in front of him as he rushed forward. He was aiming this deadly attack directly at Sesshoumaru?s heart. He was stopped a mere few inches away. Sesshoumaru caught him by the wrist and held him fast. The two regarded each other from this sudden proximity--Irusei with open hatred; Sesshoumaru with icy disdain. ?Did you truly believe, [i]Ningen[/i], that you would kill me?? the demon lord asked scornfully. ?With this mortal hand, you thought to destroy your own lord and protector?? ?You aren?t my lord,? Irusei retorted through clenched teeth. ?We never chose you.? He was straining against Sesshoumaru?s vise-like grip, but it seemed that even the strength granted to him by the Great Dragon?s blood was not enough for him to break free. ?The Tatesei, had they been allowed to choose, would have set a liar and a murderer upon Reiyama?s throne,? Sesshoumaru said frostily. He tightened his hold on Irusei?s wrist. ?I have little faith in the ?choices? you make.? ?I care nothing for your faith,? the warrior responded. ?And don?t think your demon strength can stop me.? Though his hand was held fast, the flames that Irusei wielded spread outward from the vertex of his palm, reaching toward Sesshoumaru?s heart so hungrily that they seemed to be alive. Sesshoumaru did not move to avoid them at all, but his grasp of his enemy?s arm tightened further. Then the flames began to shrink. ?The dragon?s blood in yours, is it?? the demon lord murmured idly. ?Then, if I were to cut off the flow of blood to your hand...it dies. Or perhaps I should remove the hand completely...? To emphasize his point, Sesshoumaru clenched his hand, and the snapping of bones was audible even above the crackling of the flames. The fire surrounding Irusei?s hand shrank back into his flesh and disappeared. To his credit, Irusei did not flinch or cry out. However, now flames were beginning to gather in his one free hand. Sesshoumaru sensed it the instant the magic began, and his eyes narrowed. ?Go home, [i]Ningen[/i],? he repeated for the third time. ?No,? Irusei whispered. ?Die.? The flames finished gathering in his left palm, and he thrust it at the demon lord?s belly. But this time his hand froze on its own, inches away from striking. A shadow passed between them, from demon lord to Tatesei. [i]?What is this?[/i]? Sesshoumaru thought, uncertain as to why this had transpired. ?[i]The magic in my blood that binds me to the Tatesei...has protected me of its own accord??[/i] The coiled serpent had never struck unless he bade it to do so--with the exception of the time he and the Great Dragon had locked eyes through the scrying bowl. At that time, it had struck [i]him[/i]... Irusei pulled away, staggering backward. Sesshoumaru let him. Even as the Tatesei warrior did so the fire in his veins subsided and its light vanished. ?So I must obey,? Irusei said bitterly, clutching his broken wrist and continuing to back away. ?But don?t think this will save you. The Dragon is awake. Your binding sorcery won?t make slaves of us for much longer.? ?Slaves?? Sesshoumaru asked coldly. ?Slaves? Whom, [i]Ningen[/i], do you think has been protecting your borders? It was not the dragon.? ?We belonged to the Dragon, demon, before we ever belonged to you,? Irusei spat. Sesshoumaru stepped smoothly out onto the wooden terrace, eyes flashing. ?Go home, [i]Ningen[/i], and tell your king that I am giving him the choice you so desire.? Irusei?s scowl deepened. ?I will give him three days to choose,? Sesshoumaru continued inexorably. ?If he chooses not to abandon what honor the Tatesei have left, then I shall come and new fealty shall be sworn.? The demon lord paused, lowering his head. ?If he chooses to betray what he had sworn to uphold...then I will come.? There was no need to explain what the white demon?s coming would mean in the second case. Apparently too angry to reply, Irusei turned and stalked off into the garden. Sesshoumaru watched him go with a placid stare, as if he understood the magnitude of what had just transpired but he didn?t care. The Tatesei warrior?s dark form vanished beyond the curtain of falling snow. ?Why did you spare him?? It was the Seer, whose presence behind him he had forgotten. ?He will bear my message,? Sesshoumaru answered coldly. He would not do her the courtesy of turning to face her--this frail woman with her eyes inhumanly black and her fall of dark Tatesei hair. ?I will give them their precious choice.? Absently, his hand slid over Tokijin?s hilt. ?[i]And then[/i],? he thought, ?[i]whether or not they betray me... I will use them to lead me to the Dragon...? [/i] The lord of the West removed his hand from the sword. ?When they betray me...? he murmured aloud. ?My lord,? the Seer whispered, daring to lay a hand on the back of his sleeve. ?Is your hatred for them so strong...that you WANT them to betray you...?? Sesshoumaru didn?t move. ?Get out of my sight,[i] Ningen[/i],? he said icily. Immediately the hand removed itself and she left, vanishing down the palace corridors. He hated the way her scent lingered.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?Sango,? Kagome whispered, body so frozen with shock that she could scarcely move her lips. ?Your eyes...? ?Black,? Miroku said softly, joining girl and hanyou in staring at Sango?s face. ?Completely black.? ?Truly?? Kaede asked, getting up to see. ?Is it so?? The old priestess ran her hand across Sango?s forehead, muttering a spell. She touched Sango?s eyelids with gentle fingers, uttering another spell. Nothing changed. ?It?s no curse put upon her,? Kaede told them when she finally stepped back. ?I admit this is not something I?ve seen before.? Inuyasha sniffed the air. ?She doesn?t SMELL different at all,? he announced. ?She still smells like Sango.? Sango pulled a face. ?And just what does [i]that[/i] mean?? she asked, fingering Hiraikoutsu?s straps uneasily. ?Listen, all of you: I don?t [i]feel[/i] any different. In fact, I?m quite warm and well-rested.? ?Your aura has changed,? Kagome said softly. ?But I?m still [i]me[/i],? Sango insisted, frowning worriedly. ?Relax,? Miroku admonished, sneaking an arm around her shoulders. ?No one?s saying you?re not. We will take care of this, I promise.? ?I?m not sure she should come,? Kagome murmured, still staring. ?Her aura...looks like flames...? But no one heard her last words, because at that point there was a sudden loud burst of erupting flames from the opposite corner of the hut. Everyone jumped, except for Shippou, who was still clinging desperately to Kagome?s leg. ?Kirara?? Inuyasha asked, turning around in surprise. The tiger-like demon had just transformed into her large shape--that had been what the flash of fire was all about. ?Kirara, you shouldn?t be up with that injury,? Sango told her worriedly. ?Kirara, you shouldn?t transform in the hut,? Miroku scolded her. ?Wood is flammable, you know.? Kirara shook her head, growling a definite negative, and then she swung her head in Sango?s direction, seeming to wait for the girl?s response. ?She wants to go with you,? Sango told everyone, ?and I think she wants me to go with you, also.? To confirm this, Kirara moved closer and nuzzled Sango?s arm with her nose. ?Huh,? Inuyasha said. ?I guess she?s going, then.? He always trusted Kirara?s instincts--probably because he was the next closest thing to an animal himself. Despite everyone else?s apparent determination to go through with the journey together, Kagome still felt highly uneasy. Inuyasha sick, Kirara wounded...and now Sango... The change in Sango?s aura made her uneasy. It had faded since she?d first noticed it, but nevertheless it reminded her of something she couldn?t quite remember. ?He took the Jewel, and the skies rained fire...? Kagome whispered to herself. But Inuyasha was already tugging at her hand. ?Come on,? he insisted. ?Let?s GO...? Donning her knapsack and wrapping her scarf snugly about her neck, Kagome followed her friends out into the snow. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]END OF CHAPTER 7[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Yamisui: The plot thickens. (It?s about gravy-consistency by now.)[/i][/color] [color=gray][i]Yamisui: Think of Chapter 8 as a bit of a break while you digest the deluge of history, prophecies, and other confusing krapola you?ve had flung at you in the first seven chapters. Now we?ll get back to Inuyasha, the Inu Youkai brother who ISN?T busy hurtling toward his doom... ...or IS he...? (kukuku) P.S. I apologize in advance for the language in this chapter, but what can I say? The crunchy brown stuff made him do it... ;-P[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 8: The Return of the Brown Crunchy Stuff {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]What would have been a very long and miserable trek through the snow-covered lowlands beyond the village turned out to be a one-hour trip. With Miroku and Sango riding Kirara and Inuyasha carrying Kagome on his back the pace they kept was far swifter than their first journey to Reiyama. Two years ago, it had taken them nearly an entire day of walking on foot through the marshes in the rain. Now despite the snow the group was hurtling across the terrain at Inuyasha-speed--in other words, like a bat out of hell. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome yelled in his ear over the wind rushing past them, ?shouldn?t you take it easy and go a little slower? You don?t want to overtax yourself when we?re relying on you to get the Jewel shard back from Sesshoumaru.? Apparently feigning deafness, Inuyasha kept up his breakneck speed, though Kagome could?ve sworn she heard him mutter a scornful ?Feh? under his breath in response to her suggestion. Kirara was flying overhead, a little ways behind. Being the shrewd, sensible beast that she was she elected to watch the [i]hanyou?s[/i] back, as his haste in these cases tended to make him oblivious to more immediate threats. Miroku was seated astride her with his arms around Sango?s waist--a position which seemed to suit him just fine. Shippou was not with them. [CENTER][b]Flashback: One Hour Ago[/b][/CENTER] [b]Shippou[/b]: ?I wanna GO!? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: ?No.? [b]Shippou[/b]: ?But--? [b]Miroku[/b]: ?No means no.? [b]Sango[/b]: (muttering under her breath) ?Like that?s ever stopped YOU. . .? [b]Miroku[/b]: *sweat drop* [b]Shippou[/b]: (clinging to Kagome?s legs and wailing at the top of his lungs) ?You CAN?T go without me! Inuyasha won?t last a DAY without someone around to talk some sense into him!? [b]Kagome[/b]: (gently) ?I know you?re just as worried as we are about the risk, but that risk also applies to you, Shippou. We just don?t want you getting hurt.? [b]Shippou[/b]: ?YOU HAVE TO TAKE ME! YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO YOU HAVE TO!? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: *claps a hand to his forehead in irritation* [b]Shippou[/b]: COME ON! LEMME COME! [b]Inuyasha[/b]: *BAM!* (punches Shippou in the head) *dead silence reigns* and then... [b]Sango[/b]: ?Inuyasha, don?t you think that was too violent?? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: *glances down at Shippou* [b]Shippou[/b]: *lies on hut floor with swirlies in his eyes* [b]All present[/b]: ?. . . . .? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: (breaking the silence) ?Well, he?s quiet now. Can we go?? [CENTER][b]Return to the Present---erm...the Past...whatever (time travel is confusing)[/b][/CENTER] Kagome pulled her scarf up over her chin because the wind was stinging her face. They had just passed beyond the lowlands and were now navigating the more difficult terrain beyond. The area was a maze of snow-covered hills with groves of trees in between. Beyond it, according to Kagome?s map, the land was flatter but covered in dense forest. Beyond the forest were the foothills, and beyond these were the mountains. Peering around Inuyasha?s hair (which the cold winter wind was blowing every which way) Kagome could see the mountains from here. They looked as if they were covered in snow. She frowned, imagining the conditions that she and her friends would be forced to endure when it came to sleeping there. The closest pass leading through the mountains was extremely windy, and last time they?d been forced to use boulders for shelter. Kagome supposed that this time would be worse because they?d have to dig for the boulders to find them under all that snow. That night they made camp in the shelter of a grove between the hills. Even beneath the trees the ground was covered with snow, so Inuyasha took it upon himself to dig them all a campsite. Snow scattered in every direction as his dog-like shoveling made the perimeter larger. Meanwhile, Kagome was starting a cook-fire with the meager portion of dried wood and pine cones that Miroku had collected for her. She could tell that finding dry kindling of any kind was going to be a problem. Sango knelt beside her on the blanket they?d spread out over the cold earth. The demon exterminator was silent and pensive, staring down at the burgeoning flames with her strange black eyes. While Kagome watched, Sango shuddered unexpectedly. ?Sango, are you all right?? Kagome asked worriedly, laying a hand on the other girl?s shoulder. ?Mm? Oh, yes,? Sango replied somewhat uncertainly, rubbing her forearms as if to stave off gooseflesh. ?It?s nothing.? To Kagome, who was used to interpreting Inuyasha?s withheld emotions, it didn?t look like nothing, and she said so. Sango sighed. ?This is frightening, Kagome,? she admitted. ?There doesn?t seem to be any [i]reason[/i] why this has happened to me. And I feel a little strange...? ?Strange like what?? Kagome asked, frowning. The rings on Miroku?s staff clinked softly as he shifted in his spot by the fire. He wasn?t looking at Sango, but he was obviously listening intently. ?Well...? Sango hesitated, glancing at the monk for reassurance. When Miroku didn?t look at her, she went on to say, ?I feel...warm. And alive. Like my senses have been sharpened.? Kagome poked at the kindling with a stick. ?Sango...? she began hesitantly, ?your aura has changed. There?s a weird [i]kehai [/i]about your body that wasn?t there before.? A pinecone shifted, and the fire flared abruptly, scattering sparks and crackling. ?It resembles flames, doesn?t it?? Miroku asked unexpectedly. He was gazing into the cook fire, wearing a somber face usually reserved for discussing Naraku. ?I--I don?t know anything about that,? Sango answered, looking uneasy. ?But I think I?m doing the right thing in coming along. At least, Kirara still seems to think so.? Kirara, who was curled up in Sango?s lap, mewed contentedly. ?She seems to agree,? Kagome said encouragingly. She had started a pot boiling over the fire and was now adding the ramen and its seasonings. ?It?s all right, Sango,? Miroku said, initiating a comforting gesture but ending up patting Sango on the rump. To Kagome?s dismay (and Miroku?s delight) Sango didn?t even seem to notice. A heavy silence followed, and then Kagome paused, wooden spoon poised over the pot that she?d been stirring. ?Sango, do you think this might have something to do with something I?ve done to alter the past?? she asked, looking thoughtful. ?I mean, all of this happening at once can?t be a coincidence, can it? Just like the changes back home happened before I knew it, you changed overnight.? Sango said nothing, pulling restlessly at the cloak over her shoulders as she always did when she was nervous. ?Lady Kagome,? Miroku mused, ?don?t forget that the true question we must worry about is the connection between the event that altered the future and Reiyama?s rise to power. Though I don?t make light of it, perhaps Sango?s transformation and the predicted deaths of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are merely byproducts of the main event.? A hush fell over them all as Inuyasha returned with more firewood. There was a small conical pile of snow on top of his head and two smaller piles on each shoulder. He stood there for a moment, looking down at them very grimly. [i]?Did he...hear that?[/i]? Kagome wondered uneasily. [i]?After all, this must be the hardest for him, knowing that he?ll die but not admitting it to himself...?[/i] ?I smell ramen,? Inuyasha declared. He allowed the firewood to fall to the ground with a clatter. Kagome?s face contorted in frustration. ?[i]And then again...[/i]? she thought. [i]?Maybe he?s too dense to realize how serious this is.?[/i] ?Well?? Inuyasha crouched down beside her, looking very much like a dog begging for scraps. ?I seem to be through puking. I want some ramen.? Despite Inuyasha?s apparent refusal to accept the direness of the situation, everyone?s spirits were low for the remainder of the evening. That night they slept huddled around the fire, somber and silent... ...everyone except Inuyasha, that is, who as it turned out [i]wasn't[/i] through puking.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color] [/CENTER] [color=purple]For the next two days, the strange pall that had settled over the group remained. However, by the third evening they had passed beyond the hills and reached the forest, which afforded considerable relief from exposure to the wind and constantly being cold and wet. Kagome was infinitely grateful that her fur-lined parka was so heavy--it had prevented her from being soaked to the skin for the duration of their passage through the hills. That evening, seated around the campfire, she boiled more ramen and surprised everyone with a bag of plums, which in the Feudal Era were out of season and therefore unavailable. Miroku and Inuyasha were feeling lively enough to argue over the last plum. ?Inuyasha, you shouldn?t be eating all of those--they?re wasted on someone who?ll just throw up afterward,? Miroku said. ?So? It still tastes good going DOWN...? Miroku sighed, looking pained at the hanyou?s vulgarity. ?Well, at least don?t eat more than your fair share,? he said. ?I?m NOT!? Inuyasha retorted, reaching for the coveted item even though his mouth was still full of his previous helping. ?That?s your third one,? Miroku argued mildly. Kagome went to hang her soaked parka on a nearby branch to dry, wisely choosing not to get in the middle of this. ?Feh. So? It?s YOUR fourth,? Inuyasha pointed out, using his demon speed to take the fruit before the monk could grab it. ?Just because you?re wearing that bland look on your face doesn?t mean you?re the reasonable one here.? Kagome sighed and shook her head, but she actually felt relieved to hear them acting normally. Only Sango seemed quiet and withdrawn, sitting with her hands in her lap and staring absently into the fire. Kagome didn?t know what to say to comfort her friend because no amount of reassurance seemed to be working. ?Who?s counting? You?re the one--? Miroku began, but he was cut off from further argument by a sudden loud popping noise. It sounded very much like someone had put a microphone to a cork popping out of a bottle, and it startled all present into silence. Slowly, Kagome turned away from the campfire to see what they were all staring at. On the branch behind her, her parka had disappeared. Scuffling around in the bush below the branch was a very disgruntled-looking Shippou. ?Don?t just sit there GAWKING,? he wailed, thrashing around and sending twigs flying every which way. ?Get me OUT!? Still somewhat dumbfounded, Kagome set to disentangling the Kitsune?s tail and clothing from the bush and set him down on the bare ground next to her. ?Shippou?? Sango finally said, raising one hand to her mouth. ?What on earth are you doing here?? ?YOU!? Inuyasha pointed an accusatory claw in the Kitsune?s direction. ?I thought I TOLD you not to come!? Then he added, muttering out of the side of his mouth, ?With that punch to the head you should?ve been out cold...? Out of all of them, only Miroku didn?t seem too surprised. He merely sat there cross-legged, as if he?d been expecting something like this. ?You used one of your leaf-magic replicas, right?? the monk asked mildly. ?Knowing we wouldn?t let you come, you transformed into Kagome?s parka and let Inuyasha punch your double.? ?Yeah, that?s right,? Shippou agreed, trotting over to join them. ?Say, YOU seem to know a lot about this...? Inuyasha said, leaning threateningly toward Miroku and glowering. Miroku shrugged. ?It is the most prudent course to let wisdom speak for itself,? he intoned. Then he calmly took a bite of the last plum, which he had slipped away from Inuyasha when they were first distracted by Shippou?s appearance. ?So...um, Shippou? I was wearing YOU all that time?? Kagome asked, coming to sit down beside him. ?That?s right,? Shippou replied as she ladled him out some ramen. (Inuyasha was eyeing the ramen-ladling process somewhat jealously.) ?We sorta kept each other warm.? ?A most enviable position,? Miroku remarked, dabbing at plum juice with the corner of his sleeve. ?Er...oh...? Kagome looked somewhat unhappy. ?Don?t be upset,? Shippou urged her around a mouthful of ramen. ?I didn?t mind one bit. Besides,? he added, ?you smell good.? Two small circles of pink appeared on each cheek. ?Don?t be sniffing Kagome!? Inuyasha warned, hurling his plum pit at Shippou and hitting the Kitsune in the head. ?Hey! Don?t THROW things at me!? Shippou wailed. ?You should be GLAD I?m here! You wouldn?t last one DAY without me!? ?Feh,? Inuyasha snorted, folding his arms. A vein looked close to popping in the middle of his forehead. ?RIGHT. Like YOU?LL be a huge help if we run into a demon who wants to kill me...? ?Rough as he may sound, Inuyasha?s only looking out for your safety,? Miroku pointed out. ?He just doesn?t want to put you in the same grave danger he?s in.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha grumbled, turning his head to the side and looking sullen. Shippou ceased rubbing at the lump on his head and sighed with an air of long suffering. ?Inuyasha, just admit you need me,? he said, folding his hands in his lap. ?You didn?t even NOTICE that we?re being followed!? This floored everyone, and for a moment they all just stared at the Kitsune. Shippou nodded very solemnly in agreement with himself, seeming quite pleased with the bombshell he?d just dropped. ?Are you certain, Shippou?? Miroku asked after a minute. ?I haven?t sensed anyone threatening. What about you, Inuyasha?? This seemed to touch on a bit of a sore spot with Inuyasha, because he actually managed to look even sulkier. ?Feh,? he snorted, hands disappearing into his sleeves. ?Who?s following us, Shippou?? Kagome asked, glancing around the area. She detected no movement in the trees, and sensed no jewel shards and no demon aura, either. There was nothing but snow-laden pines and bamboo groves for miles in every direction. ?I haven?t noticed anything unusual.? ?You wouldn?t,? Shippou told her. ?He?s staying well out of range of your shard-sensing. But Kouga?s still got his shards, all right, and he?s been following us since we left the village. The wind?s been carrying his scent towards us.? ?KOUGA?!? Inuyasha exclaimed. ?Why the hell is HE following us?!? ?I don?t know,? Shippou answered, and then filled his mouth with noodles. While he chewed, Miroku rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. ?If Shippou says he?s been following us since we left the village, then he might have sensed Hakudoushi?s presence the night Kagome?s shard was stolen. He might be following us, thinking we?ve found a lead to the location of Naraku?s heart.? ?But why is he keeping his distance, then?? Kagome asked. ?Usually he barges into our midst without hesitation, asks what we know, and then tries to hit on me before he leaves.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha snorted. From within the depths of his sleeves they could all hear his knuckles cracking at the mention of Kouga hitting on Kagome. ?He must?ve sensed Sesshoumaru?s [i]kehai[/i] as well, and he?s too scared to get near us because he doesn?t want to run across the Lord of the Assholes.? Kagome shrugged, sipping at the tea she carried in her thermos. ?Just as well for him, since he has shards in his legs and Sesshoumaru seems to be after the Jewel now.? ?What d?you MEAN, ?just as well for him??!? Inuyasha said, rounding on Kagome. ?Don?t tell me you?re WORRIED about that whiny wolf!? ?Have some more ramen,? Kagome told him, passing him another bowl with air of long experience. Inuyasha took it, and calmed down immediately as he started shoveling it into his mouth. ?So now we know Kouga?s following us,? Miroku said. ?But that still doesn?t explain why Shippou smelled him but Inuyasha never caught his scent.? Shippou glanced at Inuyasha somewhat nervously. The Kitsune?s eyes were wide as saucers but his mouth was safely stuffed with ramen. Fortunately for Shippou, Miroku answered his own question. ?Ahhh...that?s it,? the monk exclaimed, nodding sagely. ?Inuyasha [i]couldn't[/i] smell Kouga. Somehow his illness is affecting his nose. That also explains why he couldn?t smell Shippou, who was disguised as Kagome?s parka.? ?Speaking of which,? Kagome interrupted. ?I don?t have a parka to wear now. I?m going to be freezing once we hit the mountains.? ?Right,? Inuyasha agreed, turning to staring pointedly at Shippou (who rapidly filled his mouth with more ramen). ?You heard her, Shippou. She needs a par-ka, and YOU?RE going to make sure she has one.? Because his cheeks were full like a chipmunk?s the Kitsune could only blink in reply.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [/CENTER] [color=purple]That night, they slept huddled around the fire as usual. Or, rather, four of their number slept. ?You?re still awake, aren?t you, Sango?? Sango, who was lying with her back to the fire, opened her eyes. ?Yes,? she answered softly. Inuyasha was staring at her from across the smoldering embers, where he sat cross-legged keeping watch. His expression was unusually grim. ?You aren?t sleeping,? he observed. ?At all. Not since the first day, when you woke up changed.? Sango was silent for so long that Inuyasha thought she wasn?t going to reply. ?No,? she finally said with a sigh, ?I?m not. I haven?t needed to.? ?Like a demon,? Inuyasha murmured, frowning. ?As far as I know, Youkai can go for almost a week without any sleep. And that?s just ME...? Privately, Inuyasha was thinking, ?[i]Who knows if Sesshoumaru EVER sleeps...creepy bastard...?[/i] ?I wonder if this is what being a demon feels like,? Sango whispered, staring absently at Kirara, who was sleeping curled up atop Hiraikoutsu. ?I feel restless, like there are winds shifting all around me, urging me to [i]move[/i]. Only I don?t know where... I feel like I should control those winds, drawing them to me, gathering them into my flesh...until I can?t contain them any more...and they burst from me in all directions, and the world feels the power of my being...? Inuyasha?s head lowered, so that his long white bangs hid his face. ?That?s pretty close to it,? he agreed softly. ?It?s like this weird longing to draw everything into you...so close to you that it shatters and becomes your own.? He paused, thoughtfully, and then said, ?When I become a full-blooded demon...I?ll be able to control the winds of demon energy like that. I?ll wield powers like the Wind Scar--but I won?t need a sword to do it.? ?I feel it, too,? Sango murmured worriedly. ?I understand, now, why the demons I?ve hunted take such joy in destruction.? Inuyasha?s brow knitted with concern. ?You HAVE changed,? he told her. ?I couldn?t smell any difference in your scent because I?m sick, but neither did Shippou, and he?s the one who caught Kouga?s stench. That means you?re still the same person. But what you just told me...it?s something only demons can understand... Which makes me think that whatever this is, it?s changed your soul, not your body.? Beneath the blankets, Sango hugged herself as a shiver ran down her spine. But she wasn?t cold--not at all. In fact, since she had woken up changed there was a constant heat circulating just beneath her skin, as if it were running through her blood. ?If my flesh hasn?t changed, then why are my eyes like this?? she whispered. Inuyasha was silent for a while. ?I don?t know,? he finally answered. ?But whatever this is, it happened after Sesshoumaru stole the Jewel, so we?ll fix it when we get the shard back.? After this Sango didn?t speak again. Inuyasha left her alone, though he knew that she wasn?t sleeping. He regarded her back for a while, wearing a puzzled frown and wondering what she might be thinking after what she?d just admitted. It was something he knew all too well, and something that weighed upon him very heavily despite his desire to become a full-blooded demon. He sighed, weary of [i]that[/i] particular issue, and glanced over at Shippou, who was asleep in the crook of Kagome?s elbow. The Kitsune was right about one thing: they [i]did[/i] need him. Inuyasha scowled because this irked him to no end. ?[i]In a way[/i],? he pondered, ?[i]all of this is my fault, after all. If my sense of smell hadn?t been off four days ago, I wouldn?t have fallen into Hakudoushi?s trap. I would?ve smelled that the one I followed was a golem sent to trick me. Kagome never would?ve been lured away from us and Sesshoumaru never would?ve taken the Jewel fragment.?[/i] Kagome made a soft noise and shifted in her sleep. Shippou?s mouth fell open and he began to snore. [i]?Because I couldn?t protect Kagome I got us all into this mess[/i],? Inuyasha thought, looking at her. ?[i]But I can?t keep worrying about that. There are more important things to figure out... Like: what does Sesshoumaru want with the Shikon fragment??[/i] In truth, however, Inuyasha had a horrible gut feeling that he already knew. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The end of the third day began with a brilliant dawn, streaming light over the hills and through the pass; stretching fiery lines over the snow-covered garden surrounding the Inu Youkai palace. The skies had temporarily cleared, and the snow had ceased for a time--at least until the mountain of gray clouds building up just beyond the valley crested the ridge. The Seer stood on the terrace overlooking the garden, utterly still. She wore only her dark blue robes--she had given up wearing the veil, and for some reason the sight of her in the black fur cloak seemed to make the demon lord angry. She watched the sunrise grim-faced and tight-lipped, and as it rose her heart sank. Time had run out for the Tatesei. Whatever they chose: betrayal or loyalty...Lord Sesshoumaru would find a way to take what he wanted and then destroy them. The Seer wasn?t exactly certain what it was that he wanted from them, but the fact that he hadn?t used Irusei?s attack as a motive to destroy them immediately indicated that he had further use for them. ?Come, Seer.? The Seer stiffened; she had not sensed the demon lord?s presence as he stepped out onto the terrace behind her. He brushed past her, moving out of the shade and into the morning. Silhouetted against the garden, his clothing and white hair were so bright that it hurt to look at him. The Seer shielded her eyes with both hands as he walked across the sparkling snow. His feet, unlike those of mortals, did not sink into the deep drifts. ?You want me to go with you?? the Seer asked, frowning against the brightness. ?Aren?t you afraid I?ll allow myself to be captured? My brother won?t be the only one wanting to reclaim me.? Sesshoumaru kept walking. Still the Seer remained on the terrace. ?Aren?t you afraid I?ll betray you?? she called after him. The demon lord paused atop an arched bridge spanning a stream. He glanced backward over one shoulder, white hair fluttering in the breeze. ?You won?t,? he said calmly. ?Because you hate them, too.? Suiton?s first instinct was to deny it...but she was pervaded by a sudden keen awareness of the truth in this. The Tatesei claimed to revere her, but had made her a prisoner in their Temple; a slave to their greed for knowledge. And she, in her bitterness, feared the forces the dragon might unleash more than she feared the fate that awaited her people. That a murderer and a monster should understand her so clearly was both frightening and shameful at once. In this moment, the Seer truly hated Sesshoumaru. But she stepped out into the snow and stumbled out to join him on the bridge. Then he turned and began moving westward, and she followed him. She had resolved long ago not to weep for the doom of Reiyama.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} [/b][/color] [/CENTER] [color=purple]Inuyasha and his friends set out early in the morning under a bleak winter sky. Overhead, the clouds were proceeding southwest, heading for the mountains. Kagome observed that it looked like they were heading into a storm, to which Inuyasha didn?t reply. He just pressed his lips together grimly and increased his speed. They would reach the mountains by nightfall, if he had anything to say about it. ?Hey, Inuyasha, maybe you should slow down?? Kagome?s parka suggested. ?No,? Inuyasha replied immediately. ?Inuyasha!? Miroku called from atop Kirara. ?Perhaps we should--? ?No,? Inuyasha repeated. ?We have to keep moving. Kagome?s right about the storm, and I don?t want to have to fight Sesshoumaru in a blizzard. It?d be like camouflage for that albino freak.? ?But InuYASHA, there?s--? ?Shut up,? Inuyasha snapped. ?I don?t take orders from clothing.? Kagome?s parka had sprouted a pair of saucer-like eyeballs, both of which were now fixed on something behind them. Noting the eyeballs? focus, Kagome craned her neck to see what Shippou was talking about. The sun reflecting off the snow was nearly blinding, but even as she turned her head Kagome realized what it was. She sensed the Jewel shards immediately. Two of them. Seconds later, she was able to see the whirlwind approaching. Inuyasha turned just in time to get a face full of snow scattered by the whirlwind?s passage through the drifts. Then the whirlwind?s rotation slowed and it vanished altogether to reveal the wolf demon crouching in its midst. ?HEY! WHAT THE FUCK!? Inuyasha bellowed, spewing snow. ?Hey, Kagome, long time no see!? Kouga called out in greeting. ?Er...it?s only BEEN two weeks,? Kagome said, peering out from behind Inuyasha?s ice-encrusted hair. ?Whaddya want, wimpy wolf?!? Inuyasha demanded, balling both hands into fists. ?That?s what I?m here to ask YOU, mutt-face!? Kouga announced. ?Whaddya mean by THAT?? Inuyasha asked, one fist lingering near Tetsusaiga?s hilt. ?YOU?RE the one following US.? ?I?ve only been following you because I thought you?d be useful,? Kouga retorted, jabbing a finger level with Inuyasha?s chest. ?But you?re just leading me on a pointless trek through this god-forsaken country!? ?USE me, EH?? Inuyasha?s right hand closed around Tetsusaiga. ?We?ll see about THAT. I?ll--? Kouga cracked his knuckles, settling into a rather bulldog-like stance. ?You?ll what?? he sneered. ?Hey! If you two are going to fight, put me down first, Inuyasha!? Kagome insisted. Temporarily, Inuyasha?s expression lightened. ?Oh, right,? he said, crouching lower so that she could step down off him. The instant both of Kagome?s feet plopped into the snow, however, Inuyasha was all business again. ?Now where were we?? he asked, grinning fiercely. ?Wait, Inuyasha!? Kagome cried, taking hold of the hanyou?s elbow. ?Just because I got down doesn?t mean you SHOULD fight...!? But Kouga, noting Inuyasha?s grip on Tetsusaiga?s handle, seemed to think better of it and jumped back in a hurry. ?Hey, wait, I didn?t come here to waste time brawling,? the wolf demon explained hastily, waving both hands to indicate a truce. ?I caught that creepy Hakudoushi?s scent five days ago and followed it. He led me to you, and then he disappeared. But then YOU started traveling, and fast, so I thought you were on his trail.? Kouga folded his arms, looking bored. ?But I should?ve known that YOUR sense of smell would just lead you on some pointless trip to the western mountains.? ?Wait,? Kagome told him, surreptitiously stepping between the two Youkai to ensure that they didn?t resume their fight. ?What do you mean, ?pointless??? ?Heh, just what I said,? Kouga snorted. ?Pointless. Those mountains you?re headed for can?t be crossed. For a long, long time they were protected by these weird nets with bones hanging in them.? He paused, rubbing at the furry wrist-guards he wore. ?Makes my fur bristle just THINKIN? about it. Me and my clan moved on from THERE in a hurry. Why the hell are you following a scent THERE? Have you got stinkweed up your nose?!? ?Feh.? Inuyasha?s hand moved away from Tetsusaiga. ?The nets are gone now, wimpy wolf, so don?t wet yourself in fright.? ?Now that territory belongs to Inuyasha?s brother, Sesshoumaru,? Miroku interjected. He had come down to join them, prudently sensing that conflict might ensue. Kirara had alighted several feet away with Sango on her back. ?It?s protected under his dominion.? ?No kidding?? Kouga rubbed at his arms again, apparently as intimidated by the prospect of braving a Sesshoumaru-infested mountain pass as he was by the spirit-web wardings the Wise had once constructed to guard their valley. ?Either way, Inuyasha, if you?re gonna head in there do Kagome a favor and don?t drag her along. That place is cursed, no matter WHO?S guarding it.? ?Yeah, whatever,? Inuyasha said dismissively, looking somewhat bored. ?It?s not the VALLEY that?s cursed--it?s the people living in it.? Kouga looked pensive for a moment--a look that was quite unusual for him. ?My grandfather told me that the highest peak in those mountains was called ?Reiyama? long before those Tatesei bastards picked that name for their city. Youkai named it that, and kept far and clear of it, because everyone who encounters it says that it?s haunted by a powerful spirit that hates demons. And lately...there?s been the scent of blood and metal around that valley...? He paused, seeming to shake himself out of his reverie. ?Anyway, take my advice and stay the hell away from there. For KAGOME?S sake at LEAST...? ?We?re GOING,? Inuyasha insisted. ?So get lost.? But Kouga ignored him and grasped hold of both Kagome?s hands, pulling her close. ?Kagome, are you really gonna let that mutt-face drag you into danger like that?? he asked, in tones far more romantic than the words he was using. ?Er...it?s not a matter of me LETTING him take me,? Kagome argued, surreptitiously trying to disengage her small hands from the wolf demon?s large ones. ?I CHOSE to--? Kouga?s expression darkened. ?What, he?s FORCING you to go?? Turning to Inuyasha and superimposing his body in front of Kagome?s, he declared, ?I can?t allow this! I won?t stand for it this time!? ?Oh, shut up,? Inuyasha grumbled. ?You know, just for that I think I?ll kick your ass.? The [i]hanyou[/i] advanced on the wolf demon, cracking his knuckles ominously. ?Just try it, dog turd!? Kouga barked back, starting an advance of his own. ?Oh, great,? Kagome muttered worriedly. At this point she knew she?d just have to let this thing run its course, because it seemed that where Reiyama was concerned Kouga wasn?t going to take no for an answer. She had never seen him so serious about separating her from Inuyasha...well, with the exception of the first encounter, when he?d kidnapped her and hauled her off to his den... True to her assessment of the wolf demon?s mentality, it was Kouga who attacked first. He flew at Inuyasha, aiming a kick at the hanyou?s head. Inuyasha sidestepped just in time, simultaneously dodging the blow and landing a blow of his own to Kouga?s lower back. But Kouga whirled and landed a right straight to Inuyasha?s jaw. The [i]hanyou[/i] went down hard, but fortunately the snow cushioned his fall and he was back on his feet in a flash. ?Heh! You?re slow today!? Kouga taunted him, rubbing at his back. ?What?s the matter, mutt-face? Feeling faint? Or is it too hard to fight me man-to-man instead of drawing that sword of yours?? Inuyasha?s face darkened. ?Now he?s done it,? Kagome?s parka remarked in hushed tones. ?I?m not drawing Tetsusaiga because I?m SAVING it for someone STRONGER!? Inuyasha shouted, and then he flew at Kouga. But the wolf demon dodged the attack, and once again Inuyasha landed face-first in the snow. Kouga came at him with lightning speed, aiming what promised to be an earth-shattering punch. Inuyasha, however, managed to roll to the side, and as Kouga?s fist landed where the [i]hanyou?s[/i] head would?ve been the force of the blow exploded the surrounding drifts in a veritable geyser of snow. Sango, who was observing the brawl from atop Kirara, asked wryly, ?Shouldn?t we stop them?? ?It?s not necessary,? Miroku replied. The monk rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ?Kagome will shout ?Sit!? before Inuyasha can kill Kouga, and on the off-chance that Kouga wins I?ll just--? ?Oy!? Inuyasha rounded on Miroku. ?WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN--if KOUGA wins?!? In a sudden fit of temper, the [i]hanyou[/i] unfastened his sword from his side and shoved it into Kagome?s arms. ?I?ll show YOU! I?ll win this battle WITHOUT Tetsusaiga!? Miroku rubbed at his brow as if all this were giving him a headache. ?If you want, Inuyasha, but DO IT QUICKLY. We shouldn?t waste time.? Kagome cast a worried glance at the monk. [i]?What he?s really saying,[/i]? she thought, [i]?is that the more energy Inuyasha wastes here, the less he?ll have when he finds Sesshoumaru.[/i]? Taking a deep breath, she squared her shoulders and shouted, [i]?OSUWARI[/i]!? And Inuyasha, of course, plunged through two feet of air and three feet of snow to land on the frozen earth below with a resounding smack. ?BWAH!? he yelled. Meanwhile, Kouga apparently saw Inuyasha?s misfortune as a golden opportunity. He suddenly turned and flew at Kagome, and before anyone could move to stop him he caught her around the waist and slung her over one shoulder. ?KYAH!? she screamed, beating at his back with her fists and kicking at his chest with her knees. ?PUT ME DOWN!? ?Sorry, Kagome, but I?m not letting him take you to that place,? Kouga told her. ?Something big?s goin? down, and I don?t want you in the middle of it.? ?KAGOME, what?ve you DONE?!? her parka wailed, the saucer-like eyeballs peering down at Inuyasha, prone in the snow. ?Now Kouga?ll take you for SURE!? [i] BAP![/i] Abruptly, both Kagome and Kouga went flying and landed in the snow. Kouga was temporarily stunned by the impact, and Kagome scooted hastily out from under the wolf-demon?s arm. Then she saw that he had apparently been smacked in the head by what appeared to be a very large snowball. Recovering quickly, Kouga pushed himself up onto his knees, looking around him angrily. ?What the hell was THAT?? he demanded. He turned to look over his shoulder just in time to catch a second frozen projectile straight on in the face. It knocked him over again. Kagome?s followed the missile?s trajectory to its origin: Inuyasha. The [i]hanyou[/i], though still laid low by the ?Sit!? she?d shouted, had managed to scoop up a chunk-full of snow in each hand and to hurl them at her would-be abductor. ?You bastard!? Kouga bellowed around a mouthful of snow. ?That?s fighting dirty!? [i]Piff![/i] Another snowball struck the wolf demon hard across the back. Inuyasha was on his feet again. ?Whatever it takes to protect Kagome,? he growled. ?Wow,? Kagome?s parka remarked in an awed, hushed tone. Kagome herself had gone beet red and speechless. But Kouga wasn?t through yet. He pushed himself to his feet and whirled around to face his attacker with clenched fists. ?Oh YEAH?? he yelled. Then the wolf demon knelt and scooped up a huge lump of snow. With demon speed he compressed it into a head-sized ball and pitched it overhand straight toward Inuyasha. The hanyou dodged, rolled, and in the process gathered his own king-sized projectile from the nearby ground. In the meantime Kouga assailed him with a sudden barrage of smaller snowballs--no less violent because they were hurled at much faster speeds. [i]Piff piff piff piff piff piff piff piff piff piff! Piff![/i] ?HEY!? Kouga hollered, glancing back over one shoulder because a snowball had just hit him in the back of the head. ?Who threw THAT?? ?It seemed like fun,? Miroku admitted, brushing white flecks off his hand guards. ?STOP THIS NOW!? Kagome cried, seizing the brief snowball-free moment and running between the two battling demons. ?We don?t have TIME for this!? She suddenly found herself thrown to the ground and held flat by Shippou, who had transformed back into his Kitsune form. ?Kagome, this is one snowball fight you SHOULDN?T get involved in,? Shippou warned her. Kagome glanced up just in time to see why. At the moment Shippou had forced her to fall, Inuyasha had let loose an enormous snowball that went sailing right over where her head had been. It missed Kouga, but hit a low tree branch just past his head. The branch snapped and fell off. ?HEY!? Kouga shouted angrily to Inuyasha. ?THIS IS WHAT I MEAN! STOP FUCKING PUTTING KAGOME IN DANGER!? As the barrage of snowballs continued, Kagome and Shippou crawled out of range and sat down on a rock near Kirara. Miroku, tired of standing knee-deep in snow, came to join them, and they all settled down to watch. ?I guess all we can do now is wait,? Sango said. Fifteen minutes later, the fight was still going strong. ?Will this EVER end?? Shippou complained, throwing his hands up and rolling his eyes dramatically. ?Well, they sure don?t seem to be getting tired of it yet,? Sango observed, frowning. The surrounding trees were now quite devoid of branches, and the ground was littered with sticks and half-exploded snowballs. ?At least Kouga isn?t,? Kagome murmured, watching Inuyasha intently. ?[i]Inuyasha?s beginning to show the strain[/i],? she thought worriedly. [i]?He?s pushing himself too hard and it?s making him sicker.?[/i] Because she knew him so well, Kagome noticed the slight slowness to his movements, and the fevered brightness in his eyes. The more he fought, the paler his face became. ?If I don?t do something soon,? she thought, ?he?ll end up fighting Sesshoumaru half-dead.? Inuyasha, in the meantime, had just managed to dodge a head-sized ball of snow in time to see the wolf demon foot descending after it. Kouga?s kick was lightning fast, and it caught Inuyasha squarely in the face. He flew several yards and hit a tree trunk, causing the snow on its branches to fall and form a pile around him. [i]?Shit[/i],? he thought, baring his fangs. ?[i]My body is...?[/i] Kouga came at him again, and with a snarl Inuyasha burst free of the snow pile and dodged, landing a roundhouse punch on Kouga?s shoulder. The wolf demon pin-wheeled sideways and landed in a crouch. ?Inuyasha!? Inuyasha spun around just in time to see an arrow speeding toward him. He leaped to one side as it went sizzling past. ?WHAT THE FUCK?!? he shouted, glaring over at Kagome, who was lowering her bow. ?If you?re trying to get me to stop fighting, I?d PREFER you say ?[i]Osuwari[/i]? instead of trying to SHOOT me!? ?I?ve sent you something to help,? Kagome called, nodding toward the arrow, whose point had sunk into a tree trunk. ?Look at the tree!? Inuyasha reached the tree in one bound, dodging yet another kick attack by Kouga. True to Kagome?s word, she [i]had[/i] sent him something. Tied to the arrow?s shaft was a bag full of a dark, gritty-looking substance. For a moment, Inuyasha just stared at it, dumbfounded. Then he tore the bag free from the arrow. Shippou watched, looking very nervous. ?Kagome, are you SURE this is the best idea?? he asked, scooting closer to her on the rock. ?Kagome-[I]sama[/I], tell me you [i]didn't[/i]...? Miroku said in a hollow, dead sort of way. ?We don?t have any other choice,? Kagome replied, a bit shakily. ?Inuyasha?s the only one of us strong enough to fight Kouga off with those jewel shard?s he?s got in his legs, and Miroku can?t use his Wind Tunnel because Kouga has the shards.? ?What did she give him?? Sango asked, perplexed, looking down from atop Kirara. Inuyasha tossed aside the bag, having just poured its contents into his mouth. ?YES!? he cried, a triumphant gleam in his eye. ?THE CRUNCHY BROWN STUFF!?[/color]

[CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 6: The Curse of the Scrying Bowl {+} {+} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]He sailed through the night; a collection of lights bearing his physical form in within the envelope of his soul. Trees rushed by beneath him; clouds blew past above him. Wind rushed through him, yet he felt no chill. This gift was his mother?s legacy--she who had been a wild spirit of the deeper woods; a relic of the dawn of demonkind given moon-pale flesh and a woman?s warmth. She had met his father in the wood, in a glade where the sun fell slantwise through the interlacing branches and there existed such stillness and such peace that the Youkai lord?s heart had never known the like. He looked up from the spring where he had been drinking and she stood on the other side, ephemeral and unreal as a legend. Though it was morning, there was moonlight in her hair, and in her eyes. Yet her flesh had proved real enough as both fell upon a bower of moss to merge beneath the forest canopy, drawn together by the magic of the place. Afterward, she kissed the lord?s eyes, and he fell into a deep slumber, and did not wake again until nightfall. When he did, she was gone, swallowed by the forest as if she had been given form only for that moment in the glade and none thereafter. Sesshoumaru?s father had never seen her again, though he searched for her often and always walked alone in that forest in the morning light. Yet one such morning, he arrived at the spring, and found a sight that made his heart clench with the fires of memory. Where once the spring moss had grown to carpet the forest floor, there now grew a cluster of snow-white flowers. In their midst there lay a small child, pale and ephemeral and unreal, lying curved like a crescent moon. The Youkai lord bent to touch the boy?s hair, his face, breathing in the sweet scent of the blossoms that cradled him. The child awoke, turning his small, beautiful face upward, revealing eyes the golden shade of amber--eyes like his father?s. The child?s head lay cushioned on white fur; his father?s fingers brushed across it carefully, as if the Youkai lord were afraid this boy were an illusion that would vanish as his mother had. White fur was the mark of the Inu Youkai Clan. The child was his. The Lord of the West lifted his son in his arms, and the fragrant blossoms tumbled from the boy?s body in a soft shower of white. Though he was very small the boy was not afraid. Trustingly he wrapped his arms around his father?s neck, and allowed himself to be carried away beyond the forest. The child did not know speech at first, though it seemed he understood everything that was said to him and he learned rapidly. His father taught him this and many other things, but when the boy asked about his mother his father could only answer: ?I have lost her, but the forest gave you to me.? He called the boy Moriatae meaning ?Forest Gift.? Later, when the boy became a man, he chose for himself a new name, but in those first years he was Moriatae to his father. Sesshoumaru?s ability to travel as he did now--in the form of clustered light--and the crescent mark upon his forehead were the only remnants of his mother in him. He did not care to remember her because she had left him, and he could not have remembered her even if he had desired it. From the moment of birth his life had passed in a strange dream of moonlight and vines, and he had not awoken until the moment his father lifted him in his arms. Then his life had begun anew, and all else faded to white. In this way, Sesshoumaru was not so very different from Rin. He flew over the woods, over hill and dale, rock and river, and then on into the mountains. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The Seer lay dreaming. She tossed and turned in her bed, entangling one hand in her hair, which was splayed across the pillow like a halo. The dream was dark, as all of her dreams had been since the Youkai lord had brought her to this place. She saw his face clearly now when she slept. The black, obsidian eye was open now, and watching, and now it was turned upon this proud, quixotic demon whose obsession she understood all too well. ?He walks blindly,? she whispered as she slept. ?BLINDLY. Blindly into...? ?Into what?? The Seer snapped awake to see a pair of large brown eyes peering down into hers. She let out a startled cry and sat up, pressing one hand to her bosom. ?Into what?? the child bending over her repeated. It was a little girl, wearing a silk kimono embroidered with fish. For a moment the Seer could do nothing besides stare at this vision of youth and happiness in the heart of what seemed to her a very lonely, empty castle. The little girl stepped back a little, placing her small hands on her hips. ?What is your name? Can you not speak?? she asked, tilting her head to one side and eyeing the startled woman with a look both curious and shrewd. Something about the girl?s formal manners and rather piercing scrutiny seemed very familiar to the Seer. ?I am Suiton. Are you a ghost?? the Seer asked, letting the blankets fall away from her shoulders. It was the only explanation she could think of for such a young human child wandering around the Youkai lord?s halls. She supposed that he must have devoured this girl at some point and now her spirit was confined to the castle. ?Sesshoumaru-[i]sama[/i] says that there were ghosts once, but now their souls are free,? the girl replied, laying one thoughtful finger on the side of her chin. ?Rin is glad there are none,? she added, ?because the ghosts made him sad.? Suiton stared at the girl, unsure of what to make of this strange speech. This child spoke as if she knew the Youkai lord well, and she certainly didn?t [i]seem[/i] dead... ?Come on,? the little girl urged, suddenly catching hold of the Seer?s hand and tugging at it. ?Let us go exploring now!? Suiton flinched at the contact of skin on skin, fearing that she would frighten the child from the offset with the strangeness of her gift, but then she realized something that came as a further shock to her. Even as the little girl?s small hand grasped hers, no magic came, and no illusions filled the space between them. The Seer was aware only of the small, warm fingers as the girl pulled her hand encouragingly. This girl--this ?Rin?--had no memories. Suiton opened her mouth to ask something, but then she changed her mind and allowed the child to lead her from the room. It didn?t seem plausible that the girl could be one of the Youkai lord?s servants; the imps seemed to be quite efficient on their own. Whatever reason it was that made him keep Rin, the Seer was not sure she wanted to know. Together they traversed the long, lonely halls, skirts swishing softly as they walked. There were torches lit everywhere, even though there didn?t seem to be any other inhabitants. ?Where are we going?? Suiton asked, by this time quite lost in the maze of empty corridors. She pulled her blue robes more tightly around her shoulders; a cold draft pervaded the hall, and it was beginning to seep into her very bones. Rin didn?t seem to mind it. ?Into the garden,? Rin answered, skipping so that she landed on every other stone in the floor. The Seer paused, frowning. ?It?s very cold outside,? she pointed out. ?I?m not dressed for this.? Unexpectedly, Rin?s eyes lit up. ?I know!? she exclaimed, grabbing Suiton?s hand. ?Let?s go find you something warmer in the silk room!? ?The ?silk room??? the Seer asked somewhat doubtfully as the girl pulled her down the hall with renewed zeal. ?I found it all by myself,? Rin explained. ?There are lots of clothes there. Most of them do not fit me, but you are much bigger.? The ?silk room,? as it turned out, contained many items other than silk. Suiton ran wondering hands over them. There were folded silken kimonos, all stacked neatly as if waiting for a crowd of women to pluck them from their shelves. There were sashes dyed the color of flame, and haori hakoumas embroidered with ornate depictions of white dogs and fluttering red banners, swords and arrows, animals and flowers. Some of the men?s clothing she found particularly unusual--many of the robes were lined with what appeared to be predator?s fangs sewn onto the fabric. ?Here,? Rin said, presenting the Seer with a cloak lined thickly with black fur. ?Wear this.? Suiton took it somewhat reluctantly--it was soft and warm, and as she slipped it over her shoulders she felt as if she were putting on a living thing. ?These things were theirs, weren?t they?? she murmured, glancing about the room. ?They belonged to the Inu Youkai. So I shouldn?t take them.? Rin tilted her head to one side, considering. She had found an oversized man?s haori, and was wearing it like a coat. ?But you belong to Lord Sesshoumaru,? she pointed out. ?So his things belong to you, do they not? Besides, all of the Inu Youkai are dead except for Lord Sesshoumaru and his brother. No one else will use these things.? Slowly, the Seer nodded, and allowed the girl to lead her from the room. They traversed the hall some more, and then stepped out through a sliding door into the snow-covered garden. Suiton breathed in deeply, enjoying the crisp winter air and the sunlight sparkling on the snow. ?Come on,? Rin urged, tugging her onward. ?I will show you my special place.? Then she added, as an afterthought, ?But we must come back before lunch, or Lord Sesshoumaru will catch us.? At this the Seer?s heart plummeted. [i]?What am I doing?[/i]? she thought, raising one hand to her mouth. ?[i]Why am I staying here? He?ll return with the Shikon no Tama, and soon if the girl is to be believed. I should use what time I have to run...?[/i] Lowering her hand, she followed Rin out into the garden.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Inuyasha emerged from the Bone-Eaters? Well in Kagome?s time with snow still caked in his hair. The night air on the other side was cold but still temperate when compared to the blizzard in the Feudal Era. The sudden contrast in the air sent a convulsive shudder down his back. Kagome was limp as a doll in his arms. He didn?t even bother knocking on the Higurashis? front door. Instead he dug the claws of his left hand into it and flung it aside so violently that it was nearly jounced from its hinges. Inside, he was greeted with the much more tranquil sight of Kagome?s mother and grandfather seated at the table drinking tea. At the sight of Kagome in such a state clutched in the arms of one snow-encrusted hanyou, Grandpa?s jaw dropped. The cookie that Mrs. Higurashi had been holding slipped from between her fingers and landed with a splash in her teacup. ?What--?!? she exclaimed, horrified. She leaped to her feet instantly. ?What did you DO to her--bury her in a snowbank?!? Grandpa demanded, advancing on Inuyasha in a fury. ?She needs to get warm!? Inuyasha insisted, pushing his way past the both of them and heading for the stairs. ?Where are you taking her?? Kagome?s mother called, hurrying after him. ?Her bed is warm,? Inuyasha answered as he thudded up the stairs, a flurry of snow scattered behind him. ?If we put her there she?ll get warm.? ?Inuyasha, that?s not quite enough,? Kagome?s mother protested. ?She won?t warm up quickly that way. We need to get her in a warm bath.? ?How does HE know her bed is warm?? Grandpa muttered, wheezing as he pursued them. ?In here, then,? Inuyasha decided, veering off to the left and skidding to a halt on the bathroom tile. Despite his rather clumsy entrance, he did manage to lay Kagome down gently on the fuzzy bathmat. Kagome?s mother caught up with him and started the water running. ?So when do we put her in?? Inuyasha asked anxiously, hovering around the girl on the bathmat, over whom Grandpa Higurashi had draped a blanket. ?We have to get these clothes off her,? Mrs. Higurashi remarked. ?They?re caked with ice.? ?That?s your cue to leave her to us,? Grandpa added, bending to assist his daughter. Inuyasha turned very red and hastened out the door. Grandpa kicked it shut behind him. Such was the [i]hanyou?s[/i] haste in exiting the bathroom that he almost fell over Souta, who was standing just outside holding Buyo the cat and looking very frightened. ?Is Kagome okay?? he wanted to know. ?She won?t die, will she?? Inuyasha folded his arms into his sleeves. ?Of course not,? he replied loftily. ?I saved her. She?ll be okay in the warm bath.? But Souta?s lower lip was quivering. Inuyasha scowled--dealing with tears wasn?t one of his strong points. ?I?ll sleep in your room again,? he announced. ?Really?? Souta managed a watery smile, clutching Buyo to him so tightly that the cat began to squirm. ?Okay.? Inuyasha followed him back down the hall. ?So, uh, your room is near the other bathroom upstairs, right?? he asked casually. ?You?re still sick and puking, aren?t you?? Souta asked with interest. Choosing to ignore the question, Inuyasha pointed to Buyo. ?I?ll keep you company on one condition: THAT goes OUTSIDE.? He and Buyo still had issues. Souta dropped the cat, which immediately scampered away, hissing as it passed Inuyasha and taking a brief swipe at Inuyasha?s foot with its claws. ?Fucking cat must have demon ancestry,? Inuyasha grumbled.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]For a while Suiton?s resolve wavered. As Rin led her through the maze of garden paths, showing her interesting statues and trees, the woman did not think she could bear to simply leave the child without explanation. Her conscience balked at this and conjured up the vision of Rin trying to chase after her, wailing for her to come back. Being a Seer could be burdensome at times. But then nature intervened. As the morning progressed and noon approached, the snowfall had thickened dramatically. [i]?It would be easy[/i],? Suiton rationalized, ?[i]to appear to get lost. She knows her way back to the palace even though I don?t. This way, if the demon lord finds me I will have an excuse...?[/i] And she began looking for opportunities. Suiton?s toes were completely numb by this time, though Rin didn?t seem to mind the cold at all. The little girl skipped here and there, her attention alighting on objects of wonderment at every turn. The numbness was making the Seer clumsy and somewhat unsteady on her feet. [i]?I?d better do it soon[/i],? she thought, [i]?before stealth is entirely out of the question.?[/i] ?I will show you my special place,? Rin announced with a winsome (if gap-toothed) smile. ?It is just beyond those trees over there.? The Seer?s heel slid in the snow as she made to follow Rin, and she stumbled a bit. Then she looked up, and her head reeled. For a brief moment, it seemed her heart stopped. Then she understood. She had hesitated too long. There would be no running now.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Sesshoumaru stood quietly, as if the icy winter air had frozen him into a column of marble. One white sleeve was still stained with Hakudoushi?s blood. At his side, in a pouch fastened to the sword-belt from which Tenseiga and Tokijin hung, he felt the Shikon no Tama begin to pulse. Before him, the Seer stood utterly still as well, as if his presence had cemented her in place. He hesitated, because her scent was commingled with that of the black fur cloak she wore. Seeing her standing thus--face averted and shielded behind a curtain of black hair; body swathed in the long, formless cloak--he saw a memory that he did not care to see. Then she turned, and the spell was broken. Her face was very pale--but a few shades darker than the snow--and her dark eyes were long and slanted. But he avoided looking her in the eye, instead resting his gaze somewhere over her left shoulder. He did not want the memory to overwhelm him. [i]?Is this why she wears the veil?[/i]? he wondered detachedly. ?[i]Does her very face work a curse??[/i] The Seer?s gaze was wide-eyed and frightened. Sensing that something was amiss, Rin ran over and caught hold of the woman?s cold hand in her small, warm one. ?Lord Sesshoumaru, you have returned!? the little girl chirped, smiling a little uncertainly. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed. ?Step away from her, Rin,? he said softly. ?She is here only to do my bidding, and now I have come for her. Go back to your chambers.? But he also thought, ?[i]Interesting... Rin can touch the woman and remain untroubled.?[/i] Rin obediently backed away, but she hesitated to leave. ?Please do not be angry with Suiton,? she pleaded. ?It was Rin who brought her out here.? ?Go,? Sesshoumaru repeated without looking at the girl. This time Rin obeyed, scampering off toward the palace. Then, before the Seer had time to react, Sesshoumaru grasped hold of her arm and pulled her along with him toward the northern wing of the palace. Very much afraid now, she clawed at his wrist with her free hand; even tried to work her magic on him, but his mind was too focused on the present to be swayed by her gift. He paid her frantic attempts to free herself less heed than the twigs that snapped beneath his feet as they went. By the time they had reached the Seer?s chamber, the breath was sobbing in her chest. He had forced her along with demon swiftness; now with demon strength he pushed her away from him, toward the scrying bowl. ?Please...? the Seer pleaded softly, but her hands automatically reached out and took hold of the scrying bowl as if they knew of their own volition that the demon lord would not be swayed. With the air of a woman tying her own noose, she slid the bowl a little ways across the stone floor, so that it lay between them. The water sloshed a little, slopping over one side because her hands trembled. Slowly, Sesshoumaru reached into the pouch at his side and withdrew the Shikon Jewel. The Seer drew in a deep, shaky breath and let it out slowly. At her sides, her hands clenched and unclenched within the black folds of her sleeves. Deftly, Sesshoumaru knelt before the scrying bowl, raising the jewel into plain view, where it glimmered despite the dim winter light. ?Demon lord,? the Seer said softly, ?if you give me the Sacred Jewel, then what I have Seen will come to pass. I warned you before; I am warning you now. I have Seen the Black Eye open, and the skies rain fire.? Sesshoumaru?s expression remained cold and resolute. ?Take the Jewel,? he ordered impassively, ?and give me my answer.? ?Do you know, demon lord, that there is a curse upon the scrying bowl?? she asked. Though she did not move to take the jewel, her eyes were fixated upon it. Sesshoumaru?s expression darkened and he did not reply. The Seer did not seem to notice; she spoke in a low voice, as if she were already in a trance. ?Men turn to Seers because they have neither the wisdom to let the past lie nor the courage to shape their own future. Noble men turned to me--men of compassion; men of honor; warriors and kings. They chained me to a Temple throne and worshipped me with their desperation. And when I ran, they hobbled me that I might run no more. And when I tried to crawl beyond the Temple walls, dragging my broken body with me, they sent warriors to guard my prison. And then you came, and took what you wanted. And what you take will destroy you, even as theirs will destroy them.? Sesshoumaru, whose patience had already reached its limit (a very short trip), began to call upon the magic that bound the Tatesei to his will. It uncoiled like a serpent stirring, raising its head and sliding sinuously toward the kneeling woman in a thin line of shadow. Still the Seer did not reach for the Jewel. ?The curse of the scrying bowl, demon lord, is obsession,? she whispered. ?Because you do not believe the disaster I have foreseen, you will awaken it blindly.? The shadow passed through her breast and disappeared. ?Take the Shikon no Tama,? Sesshoumaru said sharply, as if she had not spoken at all. With her left hand she reached out and covered the jewel in his palm with her own small hand. Her skin was hot now--feverishly so. She did not take her eyes off the Jewel. ?There is no need to force me,? the Seer said softly, ?for now that the Sacred Jewel is so close I am drawn to it as surely as a moth to flame.? Her fingers closed around it convulsively, and she took it from him. Then she passed it into her right hand and let it fall into the bowl. Ripples spread outward from it in perfect rings as it sank to the bottom; the jewel was a glowing pearl settling into an ebony chalice. Seer and Inu Youkai leaned closer, bending their heads so close that they nearly touched. Light swirled in the water, following the current of the rings until, upon reaching the center of the spiral, it spread outward until the bowl was filled with brightness. Sesshoumaru squinted, trying to see past this sudden brilliance, but even his demon eyes were not keen enough. Images flashed out at him: his own face, younger and full of anger; a river of fire twisting sinuously down a mountain; a sword-blade, flashing in the sun; a child standing on the edge of a ravine, bleeding and defiant... Bombarded by these strange sights--some of which were achingly familiar--Sesshoumaru was finally forced to avert his gaze, fearing that he might go blind--or mad. In glancing up, he found himself eye-to-eye with the Seer. There was accusation in her stare, but Sesshoumaru was beginning to sense that she was no longer herself. He had never seen the gift take hold of her this strongly. ?Remember, Lord, you chose this,? she whispered. ?You brought me the Jewel, and the choice was no longer mine. What you reap now...are the fruits of your endeavors.? Then her eyes were flooded with darkness, and the scrying bowl was filled with fire. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Present; Our Era[/b][/CENTER] Kagome sat up in bed with a start, shuddering. ?What...?? she asked without knowing why, eyes darting nervously around the peaceful darkness of her room. For a moment her disorientation terrified her, but then things spun into focus and she remembered what had happened and how she had gotten here. She was tired but no longer freezing; the warm bath and sleep beneath piles of blankets had helped immensely. Yet Kagome clutched her shoulders, shivering as if from bitter cold. ?[i]No, not cold[/i],? she thought. ?[i]Fear...?[/i] ?Hey, you okay?? Inuyasha?s head popped up over the railing at the foot of the bed. He was sitting on a sleeping bag that he had dragged in from Souta?s room--sleeping in there had not worked out because as it turned out Souta?s room [i]wasn't[/i] near the other upstairs bathroom, and Inuyasha [i]hadn't[/i] been able to keep down the [i]soba[/i] Mrs. Higurashi had fed him before bed. The sleeping bag underneath him was rumpled but unused; restless and worried about Kagome, Inuyasha had been unable to sleep and instead spent the night sitting cross-legged atop the sleeping bag and twitching occasionally. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome breathed, very much relieved to see his face. ?I?m glad you?re with me.? Inuyasha was too concerned to blush at this, and with one bounding leap he was crouched on the bed in front of her. ?What is it?? he asked, prying one of her hands off her shoulder and feeling it to reassure himself that she was warm now. ?Did you have a weird dream again?? ?No,? Kagome answered, shaking her head. ?Not this time. What I saw...I think it?s happening right NOW.? She looked up at the [i]hanyou[/i] worriedly. ?I think we have to go back now. Whatever this is, it?s in Reiyama. We have to stop it from happening before it?s too late.? Inuyasha eyed her gravely for a moment, then nodded slowly. ?Get your stuff,? he told her. ?Get warmer clothes this time. If we?re going to head for Reiyama, we?ve got a long journey ahead of us.? While Kagome slid out of bed and set about the task of packing again, it occurred to Inuyasha that he ought to let Kagome?s family know that they were leaving. Then it occurred to him that her family might not let her leave given that she was still recovering from being dunked in a frozen river. Then it occurred to him that since he was going to take her with him anyway he?d better leave a note. ?We should leave a note,? he told Kagome. ?Right,? she responded, fishing pen and paper out of her desk drawer. ?But what should I tell them about--?? ?Never mind that,? Inuyasha interrupted, snatching pen and paper from her grasp. ?Hurry up and finish packing before the fucking cat wakes up and decides to come after me.? Kagome eyed him curiously. ?I didn?t know you could read and write.? Inuyasha stared back, on eye beginning to twitch. ?Of COURSE I can! My mother taught me how.? Somewhat doubtfully, Kagome returned to her packing while Inuyasha scrawled out a message. Then he and Kagome were off, bounding out the open window and heading for the Well. On Kagome?s desk, the note said: ?We will go back to my time now. Kagome will be back soon (word ?if? crossed out) when we kill the (word ?bastards? crossed out) enemy. Do not worry; I will protect us all.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Feudal Era[/b][/CENTER] In the depths of the scrying bowl, Sesshoumaru and the Seer saw the obsidian eye open as the massive head lifted. Its scales shone like mirrors, reflecting the fire and stone that surrounded it. ?[i]I SEE it[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought wonderingly. ?[i]What IS this, and why can I see it as well as she does? Is her power that interconnected with the Sacred Jewel?s??[/i] Then the dragon raised its head and fix its flinty gaze upon them. In that briefest of instants, Sesshoumaru felt as if he were drowning in blackness deeper than the earth itself. All thoughts of what he had asked of the Seer fled, leaving him empty and naked beneath the dragon?s watch. He felt its heat surround him, lifting robes and fanning his hair out around him. The dragon?s presence was like a rush of desert wind; he had never sensed such immense power before. It was the power of a god. And he wanted it. But the dragon?s eyes upon him were filled with malice. This being hated him; hated him with the intensity of an old enemy who knew him well, even though he had never met such a creature in his life. ?What are you?? he found himself whispering beneath the roaring of the flames. ?What is this power?? ?No,? the Seer whispered, but neither demon nor dragon would heed her. Sesshoumaru felt tides stronger than the force of will sweeping him into the fire. He sensed that something great awaited him there, if he but had the desire to reach out and take it. The dragon?s power was terrible...greater than any force wielded by Tenseiga or Tetsusaiga... The dragon, too, was bound to him, and because of this it hated him. The serpent coiled in the demon lord?s breast--that which bound the Tatesei to him--reared its head and struck. Sesshoumaru?s hand, which had been reaching toward the vision in the water, landed instead upon the rim of the bowl, upsetting it and knocking it over. Numbness consumed his limbs and he pitched forward onto the stone. The Seer?s hands shook uncontrollably as she pulled the scrying bowl out from beneath his arm. Most of the water had spilled out onto the floor. Some of it had soaked into the demon lord?s sleeve and spattered across his pale brow; the rest pooled in a depression in the floor. The Shikon no Tama lay in the puddle. The Seer?s breath would scarcely move through her chest--her body had gone tense with fear. Yet still she crawled closer to peer into the water where the Jewel lay. In it, in place of the brown stone beneath, she saw the dragon turn its head away. The vision followed its gaze, moving swiftly down the side of the mountain to the city below. A shadow moved with it, pulsing outward from the dragon?s metallic flesh like a black wave. The shadow covered every house; every building of the city. A man stood on the Temple stair, with almond-shaped eyes and a noble, aquiline face. He saw the darkness coming, and spread his arms open wide to receive it. It passed through his body, and when it had gone she saw that his veins now ran with fire, and his eyes were black as the dragon?s. As she watched, the shadow moved on to every house, passing through wood and stone and demon bone-pillars as if they were naught but illusions made of air. And in each house, she knew that it passed through each person there, igniting the blood of the Tatesei...awakening in them a magic as old as demonkind... The man on the stairs turned his face toward her, and when she saw who it was she dashed her hand across the water?s surface, sobbing. The vision shattered into fragments and then disappeared, dissolved because she had willed it so. She had Seen enough. And now she was frightened--afraid for herself, and for her people, even though she bore very little love for them. The demon lord lying motionless at her side had brought her the Jewel, and now the creature in the mountain was awake. She did not know what it would do. It had awakened to find the people who bore its blood ruled by the son of its demon enemies. There was no fathoming the rage of such a creature over this strange twist of fate. ?What have we done?? the Seer whispered. But the vision was gone, and the white demon lay as one dead, his hair and robes draped over his tall body like a shroud.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]In the still quiet of the palace, King Asano awoke from a fitful slumber. He sat up in his bed, the covers slipping down over his chest. His breath was heavy, as if he had just run a great distance, and cold sweat was beaded on his forehead. Frowning, he felt at his bare chest with both hands, where he had dreamed the shadow passed. It had been so vivid, and now he felt...[i]changed.[/i] As if there were now something inside him that had not been present before. For a brief moment he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember. All that came to him was a flash of flame, and then darkness. The vision would not return. With a sigh, he glanced down to his left. At his side, his wife stirred, grimacing as if in the throes of a nightmare. Asano brushed his fingers across her forehead, smoothing her hair away from her brow. He was surprised to see that his hands were not shaking. In fact, despite the strangeness of what he had dreamed, he was not shaking at all. In fact...he felt stronger than he had ever felt before...[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]In the peaceful confines of Kaede?s hut, Sango awoke with a gasp from what had been a deep, exhausted slumber. She sat up, clutching the blankets to her chin, eyes scanning the darkness for the source of the fear she felt. But there was nothing. Nearby, Miroku slumbered happily, one of his fingers clutching at the cushion beneath his head. [i]?Probably thinking about my rear[/i],? Sango thought with fond irritation. Reassured by the monk?s presence, she lay back down and forgot what it was that she?d dreamed.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The Seer crept away from the water on the floor on her hands and knees, weak with fear and exhausted but wanting to put distance between herself and the Jewel in the puddle. She didn?t know what she could do to right this wrong. She wasn?t even sure she [i]could [/i]stop this fire, now that it had been awakened. She laid a hand on the demon lord?s back, pressing a little to feel for breath. To her immense relief, his body still rose and fell beneath her palm; he wasn?t dead. Had he been dead, she would not have known whom to turn to. The man on the Temple stair, who had so willingly embraced the shadow and drawn it into himself, was her brother. Now the demon lord was the only one who might be able to stand against the Tatesei and their newly-wakened blood. She knew because he had demonstrated his power to control them before. Though it seemed he remained unaware of her touch, Lord Sesshoumaru?s pale lips moved beneath the white curtain of his hair. At first only a breath escaped. Then the Seer bent nearer, and heard what it was that he whispered. ?At the dawn of the Greater Youkai,? he murmured, ?there were also dragons...?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 6}[/b][/color] [color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 7: Fire Awakened {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Wordlessly, the infant Naraku stared into the mirror for a long time. He had turned his attention away from watching Inuyasha and his comrades the moment Sesshoumaru took the Shikon shard from Kagome. ?How troublesome,? he murmured. Kanna, who was holding the mirror, merely glanced at him blankly. This was fine with Naraku--noisy subordinates were more likely to become food for the worms. ?An irritating development,? Naraku went on, ignoring her and talking to himself. ?The mortal girl no longer has the fragment. This complicates things...? Regardless of the fact that she was under Inuyasha?s protection, Kagome was still mortal--albeit a mortal who could see the shards. But Sesshoumaru...this was not something that he could have predicted. Sesshoumaru had never shown any direct interest in obtaining the Jewel before... ?Knowing him, it must be a quest for vengeance,? Naraku mused wryly. ?In the mirror, I have seen that he still watches the Tatesei city with hatred in his eyes. Yet up until this point, he has done nothing, because Reiyama is silent...? The mirror that Kanna held was dark and silent. Naraku had witnessed what Sesshoumaru saw in the scrying bowl, but at the instant the dragon turned its burning gaze upon its watchers something strange had happened and the vision had vanished. Now the mirror would no longer call up Sesshoumaru?s image. ?It?s as if something has erected a wall around his soul, barring all from entering,? Naraku murmured. Kanna?s mirror revealed images seen by people whose souls were troubled by hatred or fear or sorrow; the way her magic worked was for the soul to become the window to the eye. Naraku?s violet eyes narrowed. ?Somehow, he has managed to summon a dragon--which may prove to be his undoing, for the dragon hates him. Yet at the same time something is protecting him from me, because I can no longer use the mirror to spy on him... A mystery.? ?What do you want me to do, Naraku-[i]sama[/i]?? Kanna asked in her soft little girl?s voice. ?The mirror is dark. Shall I go to Hakudoushi and send him to find Sesshoumaru?? Naraku frowned. In his current physical state, regardless of the crystal that he had obtained to disguise his demonic aura, this was still the most vulnerable that he had ever been in his life. Thus he could not go personally; that would be too much of a risk. It was a considerable price to pay for spreading himself so thin--distributing his demonic life-energy among his minions so that he might seek the last Shikon fragment more swiftly. That was why he had been forced to hide his heart in this small, weak form, which would ever be vulnerable until the day the completed Shikon no Tama was placed in his hands... ?I will not send Hakudoushi, or any other,? Naraku decided. ?Nor will I go myself into that particular den of vipers--the Tatesei city. Instead...I sensed something vital at the last moment before Sesshoumaru?s mind became closed to us... He wants the dragon?s power. With it, he will no doubt come to destroy me. This I cannot allow.? Kanna merely stared blankly at him, now that he was no longer directly addressing her. The only other sound in the cave was the infrequent dripping of condensed moisture from the ceiling to the rock below. ?Yet...there is another way,? Naraku mused, a cruel smile flitting across his lips. ?A trump card, which I have waited for a long time to put into play. The dragon, wherever it came from, hates Sesshoumaru. Yet he will seek it, because he desires to kill me, and perhaps he also desires to finish what he started and destroy the Tatesei.? Naraku paused, eyes flickering toward the darkened mirror. ?Very well. Let him be lured to the dragon, to take its power if he so desires. There is another weapon that will kill him, though I cannot be present. This weapon is a blade ever aimed at his heart.? He laughed softly, and the sound echoed through the cave. ?When Sesshoumaru is dead, I will send Hakudoushi to take the last shard for me. Once the Sacred Jewel is made whole in my hands, nothing else will matter.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]In the palace chamber, the fire still crackled heartily but the air had grown colder. At least, it seemed this way to Suiton, who had been kneeling on the stone floor for so long that her limbs were stiff and chilled to the bone. The demon lord still lay unconscious, speaking no more after his last strange pronouncement. She managed to turn him over onto his back and laid a blanket over him because his skin had grown icy to the touch. She refused to or even so much as glance over her shoulder at the Shikon no Tama on the floor. At this point she felt that seeing another vision might truly drive her mad. Even as this thought occurred to her, the Seer turned back toward the white demon in alarm. She didn?t exactly [i]know[/i] what it was that had happened to him to make him like this. Had he Seen what she had Seen? And, if so, why had he alone been affected? What if he had been driven mad? The hand that she had been reaching toward his face withdrew and returned to her lap. If he had been driven mad, then touching his mind would do her no good. Suiton had no desire to risk her own sanity by plunging into whatever maelstrom the dragon had unleashed within him. So instead she waited, keeping a silent and worried vigil at his side. Hours passed, and eventually her head slumped forward onto her chest as patience gave way to exhaustion. She awoke moments later to the sound of his voice, opening her eyes to find him sitting up and rubbing his forehead. ?Where is the dragon?? Sesshoumaru asked softly. He did not seem angry, but the slight knit of his brow gave indication of bemusement. The demon lord seemed to show no sign of lingering pain or weariness. He rose onto his knees and then turned to stare at the Seer, who was regarding him with something akin to amazement. ?You--you?re ALIVE,? she blurted out without thinking. She had half-expected him to die from whatever it was the dragon had done to him. [i]?He is strong[/i],? Suiton thought to herself. ?[i]Perhaps there is hope...?[/i] Sesshoumaru didn?t appear pleased that she?d had any doubts about his survival. His arm shot out and grabbed her by the front of her robes, pulling her off-balance. He leaned toward her, until their faces were nearly touching. Suiton braced herself. She had supposed that death was imminent from the moment the demon lord had laid claim to her, but she wasn?t overtly fond of pain, either. ?Your eyes,? he said unexpectedly. ?They have changed.? ?I?m sorry, my lord,? she managed, averting her gaze. ?I will find the veil and wear it again so--? He gave her a little shake, cutting short her stammered apology. ?Your eyes are like the dragon?s now,? he said sharply. ?Why?? ?What?? Suiton straightened, hands moving automatically to her face, but of course she felt nothing amiss. Her face was still her face. Yet his words echoed the unease that she had been feeling before he awoke, and she rushed to the chamber?s dressing table, casting about clumsily in her desperation to find a mirror. The disc the Seer found was small, but it was enough. Holding it level with her face, Suiton saw that her eyes were black--completely black. No white remained, though she was frightened and her eyes were wide open. The Seer dropped the mirror, and it shattered on the floor at her feet. She sank to the floor after it. ?What is this?? the Seer whispered, pressing her fingers into her eyelids as if it were a stain that could be rubbed off. ?It?s inside me...[i]inside[/i] me...? A strong hand caught hold of both her wrists at once, forcibly pulling them away from her face. ?Be still,? Sesshoumaru ordered, wrenching her wrists downward. ?Tell me what you See.? There was no fear in the Inu Youkai?s voice, nor any anger, and the Seer calmed down a little. ?I See no visions,? she answered, staring down at her hands, which were held fast in the demon?s grip. ?It?s as if these were my own eyes. But I feel...something stirs inside me.? ?What is it?? Sesshoumaru asked sharply. His touch on her skin was cold, as if he had been holding snow in his hand. He was recalling how the shadow-magic that bound the Tatesei to him had seemed to strike him from inside his very blood. He had been aware of its presence within him from the moment of his ordination, but nevertheless it unnerved him. And now...from the moment that the dragon had been summoned in the scrying bowl it had seemed to come awake... But was it acting to protect him, or to destroy him on behalf of the Tatesei...? [i]?Or perhaps[/i],? he thought darkly, ?[i]it acted according to the dragon?s own will...?[/i] But the Seer could not hear these thoughts. ?I don?t know what it is,? she answered. ?But it moves through my blood...and I feel stronger, somehow. More alive. I don?t know.? Sesshoumaru released his hold on her, and her hands fell limply into her lap. ?Have I changed as well?? he asked softly. The Seer lifted her chin and stared boldly into his face, as she had not dared to do before. His features were cold and perfect as sculpted marble; his mouth a firm line that betrayed neither fear nor anxiety. ?You are as always, my lord,? she answered. ?Your eyes are your own. But...? She paused, frowning. ?Explain,? the demon lord ordered. Unexpectedly, the Seer reached out and took hold of his wrist with both her small hands. Immediately Sesshoumaru began to feel her sorcery at work, and snatched his arm away. ?You will not touch me,? he told her icily. But the Seer did not cower from him this time. Instead she leaned toward him, heedless of the broken glass upon which she was pressing her palms. ?My lord, I cannot See your mind,? she told him, peering up at him earnestly. ?The way is blocked. I See only darkness.? Sesshoumaru rose briskly to his feet, backing away from her. His gaze down upon her bordered on contemptuous. ?Good,? he replied tersely. ?That is as it should be.? For a moment the Seer stared at him in amazement, scarcely able to believe the folly that his arrogance was driving him to. How could he not see the danger? Something had taken hold of him when he and the dragon locked eyes. Now that her gift was blinded, the Seer could not divine what it was. ?My lord,? she murmured, bowing her head. ?Then you must know that I can no longer serve you. Believe that I?m telling the truth, because if it is indeed truth then my life is now forfeit.? Sesshoumaru was silent for a while. The Seer crouched with her head bowed low--so low that her black hair brushed the stone floor, trailing through spilled water and broken glass. ?Killing you,? he said finally, ?would be an utter waste of my time.? Slowly, the Seer raised her head. ?And,? Sesshoumaru continued calmly, ?I smell the stench of [i]Ningen[/i] nearby.? ?What?? the Seer whispered, surprised yet again. Though the demon lord?s tone of voice was even, she could tell from the sudden ire kindling in his eyes that he was not referring to Rin. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?Wake UP! We have to leave NOW!? Inuyasha?s bellow filled Kaede?s previously peaceful hut. Miroku and Sango were up in a flash, staff and Hiraikoutsu in hand. ?OW!? Shippou wailed. ?That?s my TAIL!? ?Sorry,? Kagome apologized, removing her foot. ?It?s so dark I can?t see. Inuyasha, you shouldn?t have yelled--we?re not under attack or anything.? ?MIROKU, THAT?S MY CHEST!? Sango exclaimed in exasperation. ?Whoops?ah?? Miroku didn?t bother to offer any explanation for this particular ?accident.? ?Ye gods, ye have given us a fright,? Kaede grumbled from the opposite side of the room. Inuyasha didn?t bother to apologize. ?Get packed so we can leave!? he ordered. ?We?re going after Sesshoumaru!? There was a fierce gleam in the [i]hanyou?s[/i] eye; he didn?t seem overly dismayed at this prospect. ?You mean we?re going after the SHARD,? Miroku corrected him. ?We are [i]not [/i]dragging ourselves out into a blizzard just because you finally have a good excuse to go slay your brother.? Kagome placed both hands on Inuyasha?s shoulders to calm him down. ?Inuyasha, you?re still sick,? she reminded him. ?This isn?t the time to be ?slaying? anyone. Remember we?re doing this for your sake...? To her surprise, Inuyasha shrugged her off, bristling and somewhat perturbed. ?Will you STOP with the ?heading to my doom? crap?!? he snapped. ?We?ll worry about the Reiyama problem AFTER we?ve got the shard back.? Stepping away from him, Kagome knelt and fished a flashlight out of her backpack. ?[i]HONESTLY[/i],? she thought in frustration. ?[i]He thinks he?s immortal or something...?[/i] Once she had produced the flashlight, she switched it on to reveal the scene of tracked-in snow, scattered bedding, hastily-packed food provisions, and the hut?s rather tense and irritable occupants. Shippou scampered over and clung to her legs. ?I?m coming too, right?? he asked her, gazing up at her hopefully. ?No, you?re NOT,? Inuyasha told him from off to the left. The [i]hanyou[/i] was hefting Kagome?s pack. ?Hey, Kagome, you?re going to have to leave most of this stuff behind or it?ll take us ten times as long to reach the mountains.? Kagome sighed. She knew she should?ve thought of this earlier. Of course they needed to pack lightly in order to make good time; time was of the essence when one?s quarry could travel in the form of little glowing balls of magic. ?Fine,? she told him. ?Just keep the food, about half the clothing, the toothbrush, the hairbrush, and the math book.? Inuyasha just stared at her. Kagome sighed again. ?Okay, maybe not the math book...? ?Right,? Inuyasha replied. Hunkering down over the bulging knapsack, he set to. Soon the objects he deemed unnecessary were flying across the room in all directions. ?Inuyasha, quit it!? Shippou cried as a shoe hit him across the back of the head. He was still clinging to Kagome?s legs. ?What?s this?? Miroku asked, fingering a bra that had been flung into his arms. ?Some sort of sling?? He seemed genuinely mystified, prodding at it with one finger. Sango walked over to investigate, frowning. ?I?ve seen this before,? she told the puzzled monk. ?You?d better give it back to Kagome.? Kagome snatched it back, blushing furiously. Then she dropped it, just in time to catch the pair of blue panties sailing through the air. ?InuYASHA!? she cried. ?Stop throwing stuff away that I?ll NEED! I?m NOT going on a journey that long without clean underwear!? ?Underwear?? Miroku asked, a gleam of interest kindling in his eyes. ?Here, Kagome,? Sango said, collecting some of the objects flung onto the floor and handing them to Kagome. ?I?ll help you repack.? Inuyasha and Miroku stepped back and watched while the two girls crouched over Kagome?s knapsack and replenished its supplies. ?Will you hurry up?? Inuyasha grumbled, folding his arms and looking cross. ?Sesshoumaru?s probably already reached the mountains by now.? ?Underwear...? Miroku muttered, rubbing his chin and looking pensive. ?Inuyasha...? Kagome paused in her work, looking thoughtful. ?How do we know that that?s where Sesshoumaru went? We don?t really know WHAT he?s taken the shard for, so we can?t assume he took it to Reiyama...? Inuyasha shrugged, looking somewhat sullen. ?Feh. You?re the one that predicted our doom in Reiyama,? he reminded her. ?And the way things are going it sure looks like I?m gonna have to fight him if we follow him. So we assume that?s where he went.? ?But why REIYAMA?? Sango asked, standing up and brushing the dust off her knees. Kagome?s flashlight beam revealed that she was wearing her demon-slayer?s suit now, albeit with a woolen cloak over it to keep the snow off it. ?Do you think he?s changed his mind and means to finish the massacre that he started two years ago? I can?t see any other reason for him to take the shard there.? ?I never said he?d go DIRECTLY TO Reiyama,? Inuyasha told them. ?I said he?d go to the mountains.? Kaede, who was seated opposite the room?s central fireplace, frowned at them over the glowing embers. ?What lies there, Inuyasha?? she asked. ?In the mountains, at this time, there is naught but snow and wind and rock.? Inuyasha, who was heading for the door, paused in the doorway with one hand on the bamboo curtain. ?He lives there,? the [i]hanyou[/i] said in strange, flat tones, ?in the palace of the Inu Youkai.? ?I wanna go!? Shippou insisted. The Kitsune had reattached himself to Kagome?s leg. ?NO,? Inuyasha and Miroku said at once. ?Ye will stay here with me,? Kaede told him. ?I fear this trip may be too dangerous for the likes of young Kitsune.? ?I can go, right, Kagome?? Shippou pleaded, peering up at her. ?Kagome...?? ?Is something wrong, Kagome?? Sango asked, strapping Hiraikoutsu across her back. Kagome was standing utterly still, with the flashlight aimed at Sango. ?Kagome?? Inuyasha moved to stand beside her. ?What?s wrong? We don?t have time to stand and...? Inuyasha?s gaze followed the path of the beam and then his voice trailed off.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Abruptly, Sesshoumaru spun and swept out of the chamber, white robes snapping with the suddenness of movement. For a moment, Suiton knelt there, frozen with shock. Why any human intruder would come here, she could not fathom. Yet the boldness of this intrusion showed that the stranger had either abandoned all fear of death...or all fear of Lord Sesshoumaru. The Seer staggered to her feet, clutching at her skirts. She was about to hurry from the room when it occurred to her that the intruder might be someone seeking the fragment of the Shikon Jewel. Remembering that she had flung it onto the floor, she began searching for it on her hands and knees. Her hand plunged into the puddle in which the shard lay, but the instant the shard had settled in her palm, a very strange thing happened. The shard, which had been opalescent and shining before, was now jet black. As the Seer stared at it with wide, frightened eyes, it began to sink into the flesh of her hand. ?NO!? she cried, flinging it to the floor again and clutching at her palm. The flesh was whole and undamaged--it seemed the shard had not pierced her skin but was being absorbed by it. The Seer knelt there a moment, breathing hard, wondering what this meant. Then, slowly, calm returned and she was able to think rationally again. ?[i]This didn?t happen before the dragon appeared[/i],? she thought. [i]?Either my use of the Jewel to See Lord Sesshoumaru?s answer in the scrying bowl tainted it...or somehow the dragon has done this...?[/i] Whatever the reason, the fact remained that Suiton could not touch the Jewel. Instead of trying to pick it up again with her bare hands, the Seer wrapped it in a silken sash lying nearby and tucked it into the inner sash of her kimono. If the intruder tried to take it, then they would first be forced to come within range of her sorcery. Unless, of course, they came at her with a sword... The Seer hurried out into the hall to search for the demon lord and his quarry.[/color]

[color=purple]Befuddled, Inuyasha walked across the clearing on a carpet of white until he came to the object at its center. He knew exactly where he was. [i]?The Well[/i],? he thought, face settling into a puzzled frown. [i]?Why has he led me here? What the hell does this MEAN??[/i] He rested a hand on the well?s rim, absently digging furrows into the snow atop it with his claws. Then, suddenly angry, he whirled to face the darkness of the trees, standing with his back to the well. ?Show yourself!? he demanded, brandishing his claws. ?Hakudoushi!? There was a moment of empty silence, and were it not for his enemy?s ever-present scent, Inuyasha would have thought him long gone. But Hakudoushi slipped noiselessly from the trees: a short youth with pale skin, paler hair, and sly violet eyes that marked him as an incarnation of Naraku. He wore a white hakouma, and black sandals fashioned from ebony; his shoulder-length hair hung loose about his face. ?Why are you here?? Inuyasha growled, unsheathing Tetsusaiga in a flash. ?On second thought, I don?t give a damn. Prepare to DIE!? He lunged for Naraku?s incarnation and swung the blade downward toward Hakudoushi?s skull to cleave it in two. The boy never moved. But the creature behind him did. It came forth from the darkness of the wood, chittering and scuttling on its many legs. With demon speed it moved to grasp Tetsusaiga between its black pincers not two feet above Hakudoushi?s head. With an exclamation of disgust Inuyasha wrenched the weapon free of its grasp, staggering back a few paces to take stock of this new opponent. Had he known what a scorpion was, Inuyasha might?ve described this as a much larger version of one. But he hadn?t, and he wasn?t quite sure what to make of it. It had a stinger on the end of its long, curling tail, and four giant pincers that functioned as arms for grabbing prey. Its body was composed of black chitin, which was rounded and hard like a beetle?s carapace. But its eyes, which were divided into what looked like a thousand tiny mirrors, were a sickly violet color, and Inuyasha knew that he was dealing with another of Naraku?s creations. The creature?s tail whipped down toward him at lightning speed--for all its size and awkward shape it was fast. Inuyasha recovered himself and slashed at the stinger with his sword, but just as quickly the tail retracted. Not waiting for it to finish this maneuver, he took a flying leap at it, preparing to stab downward through the top of its abdomen. Instead he found Tetsusaiga buried in the bark of the tree trunk beyond it. Amidst a shower of wood splinters scattered by the force of the blade?s [i]kenatsu,[/i] he turned to see that the creature had scuttled sideways on its many legs. One of the pincers snapped at him. He kicked it with his right foot, forcing it backward, but then the smaller pincer that had been hidden from view beneath it shot forward and clamped around his left foot. With a shout of pain and anger, Inuyasha yanked Tetsusaiga free of the tree, twisted his upper body, and sliced downward. The creature chittered as the pincer gripping Inuyasha?s left ankle was severed. A gout of sickly yellow ichor sprayed from the wound, but the creature did not retreat. Instead, as Inuyasha bent to slice the severed claw from his ankle, shot its left large pincer forward and caught his right wrist, which held Tetsusaiga. ?You?re slow, Inuyasha,? Hakudoushi observed calmly from somewhere beyond the monstrosity. ?You may die sooner than I had anticipated.? ?LIKE HELL I WILL!? Inuyasha yelled, baring his fangs. The Youkai?s tail unfurled rapidly toward Inuyasha, whom it had used its pincer to yank off-balance. But just as swiftly Inuyasha plucked Tetsusaiga from his right hand with his left and swung it downward. The creature?s chittering rose to a high-pitched whine; Inuyasha had severed not only the pincer holding his right wrist, but also the one below it. Then he leaped clear, and the creature?s sting fell harmlessly upon the snow. Yellow-green poison trickled from the needle-thin point of it, staining the snow. ?WHERE ARE YOU, you little BASTARD?!? Inuyasha demanded, whirling around; eyes searching the clearing for Hakudoushi. The snowfall had grown thicker, and it was harder to see. With Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha managed to pry the two pincers from around his ankle and wrist, though he did manage to cut himself in his haste. When he looked up from this brief occupation, he spotted Hakudoushi, seated comfortably on the rim of the Bone-Eaters? Well. The pale-skinned youth had tucked his arms into his sleeves, and he watched Inuyasha coolly. The scorpion-like Youkai, now maddened with pain, rushed at Inuyasha, but he dodged just in time, swinging Tetsusaiga and managing to take off one of the creature?s legs. Then it aimed its tail at him, and he was forced to roll out of the way. By the time he got back on his feet his hair was full of snowflakes. ?You think this pathetic excuse for a Youkai is gonna KILL me?!? Inuyasha scoffed, pointing the blade toward Hakudoushi accusingly. ?What are you--stupid?! I?m already hacking this thing to pieces!? Hakudoushi tilted his head to one side, smiling a little. ?Of course you are. But the fever seems to have addled your senses.? Inuyasha scowled, slashing half-heartedly at the scorpion as it rounded for another attack. It dodged Tetsusaiga, but backed away for a moment, as if the wounds he had inflicted upon it had made it wary. ?What the hell do you mean?!? Inuyasha shouted. ?How did you know I?m sick? And why did you REALLY bring me here?!? The pale youth?s smile deepened. ?Was it not YOU, Inuyasha, who followed ME here?? The scorpion came at Inuyasha with demon speed, its insect?s legs scuttling so fast they seemed to blur. Inuyasha waited until the thing was almost upon him, and then he leaped high into the air and landed on its back. He stabbed downward with Tetsusaiga, but the Youkai?s black armored carapace was so hard that even the sword?s strong [i]kenatsu[/i] was deflected. The [i]kenatsu[/i] rushed upward around Inuyasha?s body like a strong wind, ruffling his hair and Fire-Rat robes. The Youkai bucked its body, attempting to throw him off, but he managed to shift his weight and keep his balance. ?Just answer the fucking question!? Inuyasha growled. Hakudoushi rested one foot on his other thigh, looking amused. ?I know you?re ill because Naraku knows. Naraku knows because Kanna saw it in her mirror. I decided to take advantage of the situation.? The pale youth raised a sardonic eyebrow, running a hand along the wooden railing. ?As for the Bone-Eaters? Well...? Inuyasha glanced down and experienced a bit of a nasty shock. The scorpion?s severed appendages were magically reattaching themselves to its body. They slid along the ground as if they were being dragged by invisible hands. Inuyasha was simultaneously forced to shift sideways as the creature lurched sideways and to duck to avoid its flailing tail. ?This creation of Naraku?s cannot be killed by stabbing it, Inuyasha,? Hakudoushi informed him calmly. ?If you slice off its limbs, they will re-attach themselves. If you try to stab its body, your sword won?t pierce the hard shell. And as for the Well... I know that for you and the priestess? reincarnation the Bone-Eaters? Well is some kind of portal. You cannot use the stronger magic of your sword against the Youkai, or the Well will be destroyed in the process.? ?Oh, I?ll find a way, BELIEVE me,? Inuyasha retorted. He hacked off one of the reattached pincers, which was making another grab for his ankle. But inwardly, he was worried. ?[i]So now Naraku knows about the Well??[/i] he thought. ?[i]Damn Kanna and her mirror! Now he?s found another of my weaknesses to exploit...?[/i] Then a rare flash of ingenuity struck Inuyasha?s brain like lightning. He attempted to slash the scorpion?s tail off, but the tail was coated with the same chitinous armor as the rest of the creature?s abdomen. He had expected this; severing the tail wasn?t his main objective anyway. Then he deliberately allowed the snapping pincer to clamp onto his ankle and sank into a crouch, pretending to be thrown off-balance. As he?d predicted, the tail furled and then unfurled rapidly, hurtling down toward Inuyasha?s mid-section with the intent of embedding the stinger there. Instead, he dodged at the last minute, and the scorpion chittered with rage. Its stinger had missed him, and become embedded in the vulnerable flesh attaching the pincer to the body--which Inuyasha had known to be vulnerable because it was the only place aside from the legs that Tetsusaiga had done any damage. The scorpion tried to free its stinger from its own body, but the blow had been hard, and its own poison was now flowing into it. Inuyasha leaped clear of the bucking, thrashing body wearing a feral grin. ?Heh,? he said, approaching Hakudoushi, who hadn?t moved from the Well?s rim. ?I guess Naraku overlooked the fact of making it immune to its own poison when he made it.? He flicked the dying creature?s yellowish blood off of Tetsusaiga?s blade. Hakudoushi looked on with a calm expression. ?Why did you follow me into the woods, Inuyasha?? the pale youth asked coolly. Inuyasha brandished his sword in Hakudoushi?s direction. ?I came to take back the shard of the Shikon Jewel that was stolen from Kagome.? Hakudoushi smiled and removed his slim white hands from his long sleeves. There was nothing in them. ?I don?t have it,? he told Inuyasha. ?But the Shikon no Tama [i]is[/i] the reason that I let you chase me here...? Inuyasha, who wouldn?t have known a riddle if it bit him in the rear, shouted, ?Shut it, you lying bastard!? and swung Tetsusaiga. The blow clove Hakudoushi completely in half at the midsection. Hakudoushi laughed as it happened. There was no blood. Then Hakudoushi disappeared, leaving only a small wooden golem lying in the snow on the rim of the Bone-Eaters? Well. Baffled, Inuyasha picked it up, examining it between his claws. There was not a single jewel shard to be found on it, or around it, either. Hakudoushi hadn?t been lying...but this hadn?t been the [i]real[/i] Hakudoushi, either... ?Just a puppet?? Inuyasha murmured, confused. ?But then WHY...?? ?Inuyasha! What happened here?? Miroku had just entered the clearing, and now stood panting and clutching his side. He cast a sidelong glance at the scorpion Youkai, which appeared to be dead though its legs still twitched spasmodically. Then he turned and noticed the wooden figure in Inuyasha?s hand. ?A golem?? he asked, frowning. ?Naraku sent another one of his golems and a new incarnation to attack you? That seems pointless. For someone who wants you dead, a bug and a puppet seems rather halfhearted. Unless...? The monk straightened, having dispelled the stitch in his side. ?Unless it was a lure...? Inuyasha?s eyes widened. ?DAMMIT! THAT was what Hakudoushi meant! The golem led me here...so that the REAL Hakudoushi could go after the JEWEL SHARD...KAGOME...!?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Kagome and Sango hurtled through the forest atop Kirara, following the direction that Kaede had given them. The woods were dark and cold, but the two were warm because riding Kirara was like sitting atop a furnace. The woods were dark, but they weren?t silent. Kagome could hear the faint sounds of Inuyasha shouting as they rode, echoing through the trees. But it wasn?t the echo she was following--it was the [i]kehai[/i] of the jewel shards. ?That way,? Kagome told Kirara, pointing off to the left where a small shadow had just slipped between the pines. ?It?s there.? Kirara seemed to have other ideas. The enormous tiger-like Youkai was sniffing the air in the opposite direction and rumbling a little in her throat. ?Kagome...are you certain it?s left?? Sango asked. The demon-slayer was seated behind Kagome with her arms around Kagome?s waist to keep her balance. ?Kirara seems to think Inuyasha?s somewhere to the right.? Sango was in full battle gear, with Hiraikoutsu strapped across her slender back and a metal breathing-mask on because dealing with Naraku meant dealing with poisonous miasma. Kagome didn?t need a mask, because out of the entire group she was the only one completely immune to the poison. ?No, I?m sure it?s left,? Kagome insisted, reining Kirara in that direction. ?I sense the Shikon no Tama not far ahead, and that should be where Naraku and Inuyasha are.? With some reluctance, Kirara veered off to the left. The snowfall was growing thicker by the moment, making visibility worse. Were it not for Kagome?s ability to see kehai and Kirara?s keen nose they might as well have been blind. The ground was beginning to slope upward as they covered more ground and traveled further from the village. Neither girl was very certain exactly where they were now. After a while, Sango?s doubts were growing. ?Kagome, I think we should go back to the place where we turned,? she urged. ?I don?t even think Kirara knows where we?re going any more.? Kagome pressed her lips together worriedly. She had her doubts as well, but she was more afraid of leaving Inuyasha alone to fight for himself even though Tatesei Sano had told her he died in Reiyama. The certainty that Inuyasha was going to die had sapped the confidence she had in Inuyasha?s ability to defend himself, and the fact that he was ill didn?t help, either. ?Just a little farther,? Kagome insisted, squinting to keep the snow flurries out of her eyes. ?The [i]kehai[/i] is gathering ahead. I can almost see the actual shape of the jewel, so it?s close!? Kirara seemed to be sensing it as well. Her great furry head swung from side to side, sniffing intently at the air. The low rumbling in her chest sharpened into a growl. She pushed off a rock protruding from the snow and bounded up and over the slope ahead. Beyond it was a small gully, carpeted with snow. ?It should be here--? Kagome started to say, but then she was cut short by a sudden jolt. From beneath the snow in the gully white-robed Hakudoushi rose so fast his body became a blur. Kirara snarled and twisted in mid-air. Kagome and Sango gripped the Youkai?s thick orange fur to keep from being bucked off. Then Hakudoushi?s hands flashed again, and Kirara reared and let out a high-pitched yowl. Her two riders were thrown to the ground; both of them sank into the snow on either side of the gully?s banks. Kagome struggled to push herself into a sitting position, unable to scream because the wind had been knocked out of her. With fingers already numb from the snow she grasped at the arrows in the quiver strapped to her back. Sango was much quicker. The demon-slayer rolled down the slope onto her feet, swiftly drawing her sword. ?What on earth...? KIRARA!? Kirara sank into the snow, flames blazing around her body as she transformed back into her smaller form. In that brief flash of fire, Sango saw in the sudden light the flash of steel in each of Hakudoushi?s hands. He held two daggers, with which he had sliced Kirara?s vulnerable underbelly four times when he leaped up from the bottom of the gully. Then Kirara?s flames went out, and the little beast lay motionless in the darkness. Sango wasted no time and flew at Hakudoushi, aiming her slash for his throat. Sword rang against metal as another boy and his weapon imposed themselves between Sango and Hakudoushi. ?Kohaku,? Sango breathed. Her brother stood between her and her enemy; her blade had struck his sickle. In the moment that she hesitated, he curved the weapon?s blade around her sword and jerked the chain. The sword pin wheeled off into the darkness. It landed point-down, and its landing was followed by a very loud crack. Meanwhile, Kagome had managed to find her bow, which had been dislodged from her back when she was thrown from Kirara?s back. However, now she was having trouble notching an arrow, because her hands were almost completely numb from digging through the snow. The ground beneath her was strangely hard, as if the very earth had frozen under the snow. The first crack was followed by a longer one. ?What [i]is[/i] that?? Sango asked, reaching for the smaller dagger concealed beneath her sash. Kohaku, of course, did not reply, but proceeded to drive her back with a series of vicious swings of his sickle. Sango tripped and fell backward as the lower tip of Hiraikoutsu caught on a protruding rock and hit the backs of her knees. But Kohaku did not press his advantage--instead he advanced slowly upon his sister, with eyes downcast and hidden. Kagome finally managed to notch an arrow. As Hakudoushi stood over Kirara?s small, motionless form, poised to stab downward with his swords, she let fly. The arrow glowed as if set alight, cutting a short path through the darkness as it sped toward Hakudoushi. However, the enemy saw it coming. He whirled around, crossed both swords in front of him. The arrow struck them and flashed brilliantly. Still silent but no longer smiling, Hakudoushi tossed the blades from him. They fell into the snow, still crackling with energy. ?I grow tired of this,? the pale youth said calmly, addressing Kagome. ?As much as it would please me to kill the beast and the demon-slayer, it was you that I came for. It?s time I put an end to this.? Over the top of the gully a large insect with a stinger on its tail came scuttling. Kagome heard it coming before she saw it--multiple legs thumping against the earth like horses? hooves. Its chittering call raised the hair on the back of her neck. ?Take the flesh,? Hakudoushi told it. ?But leave me the jewel fragment.? ?[i]Where are Inuyasha and Miroku?![/i]? Kagome thought frantically. ?[i]Why haven?t they COME?!?[/i] She notched another arrow, clumsily this time, and made ready to fire it at the new monstrosity. But she had underestimated the creature?s speed, and it was upon her before she could shoot. Its pincers snapped at her mid-section. Her heavy winter clothing saved her. The scorpion?s top two pincers sliced through three layers of fabric and a little skin as well, but she managed to throw herself backward against the ground to avoid the brunt of the attack. As she did, the arrow she had notched shot forth from the bow, and went blazing into the night sky.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Inuyasha was speeding back toward the village with Miroku on his shoulders to make better time. ?Inuyasha, they may not even be in the village,? Miroku shouted into Inuyasha?s ear over the rush of wind. ?Hakudoushi lured you here so that he could attack Kagome alone, right? He may have lured [i]her[/i] out into the woods as well!? ?She?s with Sango and Kirara, right?? Inuyasha shouted back. ?Let?s hope that means she?ll be safe until we get there...? Then a brilliant flash of white light lit up the sky. Inuyasha skidded to a halt, turning just in time to see the white blaze die as the arrow reached the pinnacle of its ascent and began to return earthward. ?That?s--? Miroku began. ?Kagome?s arrow,? Inuyasha finished for him. Then they were off, running in the direction of the signal.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?Little fool,? Hakudoushi remarked coldly. ?You?ve wasted your shot.? One of the scorpion?s lower pincers shot forward and clamped around Kagome?s bow. The appendage clenched, and the wood splintered. Abandoning any hope of retrieving the ruined weapon, Kagome scooted backward on all fours, trying to find some purchase in the snow with her heels to get to her feet. But the ground beneath the snow was too slippery. In fact, it was [i]very[/i] slippery... The scorpion?s tail crashed downward, and Kagome threw herself to one side and rolled just in time to avoid it. The stinger struck the ground with terrifying force. And then there was another crack. A loud one. Followed by a groan as of large things shifting underfoot. Kohaku sliced his sickle downward, severing his sister?s sash. The small weapons that she had concealed in it tumbled out and rolled away from her, but she did not attempt to retrieve them. Instead she used her dagger to parry the sickle?s blows. Then the groaning of the ground beneath them rose to a thunder-loud rumble, and both looked up in surprise. ?Master!? Kohaku cried, backing away from Sango a little as she leaped to her feet and swiped at his weapon-hand. ?You must call the demon off! It will collapse beneath us!? ?Ice!? Sango cried in realization. ?This isn?t a dip in the earth; it?s a [i]river[/i]...? Hakudoushi cast a cold stare Kohaku?s way but offered no sign of acquiescence. Instead he stepped backward carefully until he was standing on the slope above the frozen river. ?If you can?t save your own life then you?re of no use to Naraku,? the pale youth said icily. To the scorpion, Hakudoushi said: ?Finish it. Kill her.? Then the demon bore down upon Kagome, who threw her hands in front of her face in one last attempt to protect herself. Her right hand came into contact with one of the scorpion?s multifaceted eyes. It chittered in agitation as light flared between them and the eye began to melt, but it didn?t retreat. Then the creature?s body heaved as something struck it heavily from behind. Red light blazed in lines along the creature?s body as if claws were raking themselves along it. The attack did not pierce the scorpion?s armor, but in the process every one of its legs were severed. No longer able to support itself, the creature crashed to the ground. Kagome struggled, but she remained pinned beneath its weight. The only good thing about this was that without being able to support itself standing, the scorpion could not maneuver its pincers well. In its rage it flailed them, attempting to snap her head between them. The ice beneath them groaned, and the air was split with the chain-reaction of cracks that followed. Hakudoushi saw that the object he?d come to steal was about to fall through the collapsing sheet of ice and be swept beneath it downriver. He darted back down onto the groaning ice, and reached toward Kagome?s throat, where the last fragment of the Shikon no Tama hung on its chain. ?NO!? Kagome cried, but she was powerless to stop him with her arms pinioned beneath the scorpion?s body. She could see the Sacred Jewel hanging inside Hakudoushi?s clothes near his heart as clearly as if it had been outside of them. It was beautiful--she?d forgotten how beautiful, because she?d been carrying the last small fragment of it for so long while Naraku carried the larger piece. The shard at her throat began to pulse, almost seeming to rise toward Hakudoushi?s hand as he reached for it. It was almost as if, after all this time in fragments, the jewel itself longed to be whole... Then a sword-blade flashed between them, wreathed in red flame. Hakudoushi?s reaching hand was severed halfway up the forearm, and the youth rose and leaped back with demon speed to avoid taking the full brunt of the blade?s [i]kenatsu[/i]. Crouched spider-like on the side of the gully, he glared at his attacker, violet eyes narrowed to slits. ?YOU,? he breathed, clutching at the stump of his arm. ?Why YOU?? Kohaku abandoned pursuit of his sister, running up the opposite bank and disappearing over the top. Sango, now free of having to defend herself, shouted: ?KAGOME, I?M COMING!? She scrambled to her feet and slung Hiraikoutsu off her back. Yet in her haste, she had forgotten that the ice was collapsing beneath her very feet. The ice groaned and crackled as she moved, and she realized that if she moved any further it would collapse in full. Yet she couldn?t throw Hiraikoutsu forcefully without running momentum. And then she saw the red flash of light illuminate the face of the one who had intervened. Red light still smoldered at various places along the ice--remnants of Tokijin?s [i]kenatsu[/i]. ?Sesshoumaru,? Hakudoushi hissed, backing up the slope. Miasma seeped from his wound, slowly turning the air in the gully to mist. Sango watched with both horror and surprise as the mist began to spread and Inuyasha?s half-brother advanced on the enemy. ?I?ve come for the jewel,? the white demon said softly. ?You fool,? Hakudoushi said in a low voice. ?After all the time that it has been in my hands, do you think you can just take it from me?? Sesshoumaru took a slow step toward Naraku?s incarnation, nudging the severed hand with his foot. ?I have taken [i]this[/i] from you,? he answered calmly, ?and it was a [i]part[/i] of you.? Sango tensed. The poisoned mist was growing thicker. If she was going to handle this, she would have to do it soon because it was even with the mask she couldn?t stand Naraku?s miasma for long. And she also wasn?t sure if she should aim Hiraikoutsu for Hakudoushi or Sesshoumaru. On one hand, Sesshoumaru seemed to have become somewhat reformed. He had saved her life and the others? several times before, though he claimed otherwise. On the other hand, it seemed that now he had developed a sudden interest in the Shikon no Tama itself--something which he had never done before. Sango frowned, shaking her head. [i]?The miasma must be getting to me[/i],? she thought chidingly. ?[i]What am I thinking? He?s too strong for me to handle. Hiraikoutsu won?t DO anything to Inuyasha?s brother except make him angry[/i].? In this sense attacking the pure-blooded son of a Greater Youkai with a single un-enchanted weapon was roughly the equivalent of walking up behind him and slapping him heartily across the rump. Plagued with indecision, Sango hesitated a moment longer. And then fate made the decision for her. Hakudoushi?s eyes flashed white, and an aura of power gathered swiftly around his body. ?The jewel, Lord Sesshoumaru, is more a part of me than any [i]flesh[/i].? The white demon flew at him, but the aura pulsed once and then exploded. A rush of light filled the gully. Sesshoumaru was thrown back by the force of the magic. [i]?So this...this is the true power of the Shikon no Tama[/i],? he thought as he was hurled against the snow-covered ice. ?[i]And it is not even WHOLE yet...?[/i] By the time the light had cleared, and the eyes of those watching had grown accustomed to the darkness once more, they saw Hakudoushi and Kohaku ascending heavenward atop the back of an enormous white horse. Sesshoumaru immediately tried to leap up to meet them, but all around the horse clouds had gathered and the skies flashed lightning. Froth poured forth from the beast?s mouth, and its eyes were mad. This was Hakudoushi?s steed Entei, whose hooves made thunder as it flew. No one, not even Sesshoumaru, could match it for speed or flight. The white demon descended to the earth once more, where he sheathed Tokijin and stood watching silently as horse and riders ascended beyond visibility. Meanwhile, the scorpion?s legs had reattached themselves. The ice groaned as it lifted itself off of Kagome. She scrambled out from under it. Then Sesshoumaru turned, seeming to notice her for the first time. The scorpion attempted to pursue her, but it didn?t get very far because the ice beneath it was breaking up. Sesshoumaru stared at Kagome as she staggered to her feet on legs numb from being pressed against the snow, and there was something calculating in his stare that unnerved her. Then several things happened at once. The scorpion lunged for Kagome, pincers clacking menacingly. It caught her around both legs, and at this very instant the ice beneath it gave way entirely because of the sudden weight shift. The creature was plunged into a dark hole in the white and into the icy waters running below...and still it did not release its hold on Kagome?s legs. Then Inuyasha and Miroku burst forth from the trees, shouting things that no one could hear above the deafening groan of the ice breach and the enraged chittering of the scorpion. Inuyasha took a flying leap and landed on the creature?s back. The sudden impact caused the ice to collapse further. The scorpion sank in so far that only its upper body and tail protruded from the dark, swirling water. Only Kagome?s head and shoulders were visible above the ice; the scorpion?s upper pincers were now clacking wildly in an attempt to grab her head and pull her under with it. Kagome herself could scarcely move--her body had become numb almost instantly in the freezing river. ?Hang on, Kagome!? Inuyasha cried. He grasped hold of the scorpion?s tail with one hand and dived under the water with it. Then the ice really began to churn as the beast and the [i]hanyou[/i] thrashed beneath it. ?Stay there, Miroku!? Sango cried to the monk, who was still standing on the bank. ?The miasma?s too strong down here, and you have no mask for it!? Reluctantly, Miroku obliged. He couldn?t use the Wind Tunnel, because his friends were too close to the scorpion to avoid being sucked in, and they had nothing to hold onto to anchor themselves. Sango plunged into the miasma, regardless of the risk, heading for Kagome. Sesshoumaru reached her first. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Beneath the water, though he faced the numbing chill and nearly no visibility, Inuyasha managed to force the scorpion?s tail down against one of its legs. Then he grabbed the leg, and impaled it upon the stinger. The scorpion?s thrashing intensified into death throes, and for a moment he thought he might drown because he lost sight of which way to swim to the surface. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?KAGOME!? Sango shouted, fanning at the mist with one hand while keeping a firm grip on Hiraikoutsu with the other. ?WHERE ARE YOU?!? She could scarcely see a thing; the large amount of miasma that had issued forth from Hakudoushi?s wound now pervaded the air in the gully. It was thick as any fog. Sango made her way along the ice with difficulty--haste was making her less sure-footed, and it seemed as if everywhere she stepped new cracks opened up and the ice groaned and sank. She almost tripped over Kirara, who lay curled up in a nest of blood-soaked snow. ?Oh, Kirara,? Sango whispered, tears coming to her eyes. ?Please don?t be dead...? To her immense relief, the little cat?s eyes opened slightly, and she mewled at the sound of her mistress? voice. Clutching Kirara tightly against her chest, Sango pressed on. She didn?t have time to take Kirara to safer ground before she reached Kagome--the ice was breaking up with increasing speed. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Sesshoumaru stood before Kagome, staring down at her as she held on to the shifting, cracking ice while the claws of the scorpion demon tried to drag her under with it. ?P-please,? Kagome managed through chattering teeth. ?H-h-help m-me...? Sesshoumaru did not move, but his yellow eyes flickered toward the scorpion?s head, which had just emerged from the freezing river beyond Kagome and was now chittering madly. And then, slowly, he drew Tokijin from its sheath. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]A hand plunged beneath the icy waters and grasped hold of Inuyasha?s wrist. He clasped it convulsively in return, and pushed off the bucking demon?s carcass in order to propel himself in the direction the hand was pulling him. He broke the surface with a gasp, using his claws to drag himself up onto the remaining ice. As Miroku helped Inuyasha to stand and climb clear of the breaking ice, they heard Sango cry: ?NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!? Both of them plunged back into the miasma, regardless of the risk, stumbling over the ice in the direction of Sango?s shadowy figure. The scorpion was very large and very long, and they had to circle far around it to avoid falling into the breach in the ice shelf created by its thrashing.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?S-s-sesshou-ma-maru,? Kagome whispered through blue, trembling lips. Her body was beyond even the point of shivering. The white demon knelt and bent near to her, laying Tokijin across his knee and reaching his hand toward her. Kagome?s eyes widened. He was reaching for the chain at her throat. ?SESSHOUMARU! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!? Inuyasha and Miroku had just emerged from the miasma to see Sesshoumaru looming over Kagome. Miroku noticed Sango standing frozen, her face pale and frightened. Kirara was cradled in the crook of one of her arms; with the other hand she gripped Hiraikoutsu?s edge as if were thinking of throwing it but was afraid to. ?Inuyasha...? Miroku said in a low, warning tone. ?Don?t be rash...? Sesshoumaru?s claws curled and slashed downward. Kagome gave a weak cry of protest. The white demon rose swiftly to his feet, lifting Tokijin off his knee. Dangling from his fist, with the broken chain still threaded through it, was the fragment of the Sacred Jewel. Inuyasha started forward, his face darkening with fury. ?If you touch her again, I swear I will send your soul to hell if I have to drag it down there myself,? he said in a low, harsh whisper. Sesshoumaru heard, and his fist clenched more tightly around Tokijin?s hilt. For a moment time seemed to stretch. There seemed an eternity between the blade gleaming as he raised it above his head and the instant of closure as he stabbed downward with inhuman force and plunged it into the ice. Tokijin pulsed once. Then a wave of red light poured down the blade in rivulets and shot outward in all directions upon contacting the ice. Red, jagged lines shot through the ice like veins. And then, with a final, heaving groan, the entire surrounding ice shelf gave way. The scorpion was suddenly submerged again, and this time it dragged Kagome with it into the roiling, dark waters. Sesshoumaru sheathed Tokijin even as the ice gave way beneath him. His hand closed around the jewel. Inuyasha flew at him then, a blur of white through the falling snow. But then Sesshoumaru was gone--dissolved into motes of light and traveling well beyond the [i]hanyou?s[/i] reach. ?Inuyasha, HELP ME!? Miroku shouted. The monk was kneeling on a small island of broken ice, floating rather precariously but still trying to reach for Kagome in the water. Inuyasha leaped to his aid, plunging into the icy river. He found Kagome floating just below the surface, but when he tugged at her she would not move. Then he realized that the scorpion?s pincers still held her legs, even though the thing was dead now. Swimming a little deeper, he slashed the creature?s limbs asunder with his claws. He re-emerged from the river and hauled Kagome to safety. He hated having to lay her in the snow on the bank, but Sango and Miroku needed his help getting off of the river as well because both were somewhat weakened from breathing the miasma-fouled air. Then Inuyasha crouched beside Kagome. ?Sesshoumaru...he...? Kagome whispered. ?Don?t speak,? Inuyasha ordered. ?Save your strength.? To Sango and Miroku, he said, ?You?ll be all right getting back to the village, right?? ?We will,? Sango agreed, removing the short waistcloth she wore over her pants and wrapping Kirara in it. Miroku sat up, coughing a bit. When the fit had passed, he added, ?And if worst comes to worse we won?t freeze. Sango and I can always strip and use my robes as blankets to wrap ourselves in.? This earned him a glare. ?Precautionary measures, you understand,? he told Inuyasha. Satisfied that his friends were lively enough to make it to safety on their own, Inuyasha turned back to Kagome, whose condition was more critical. ?I?ll take you home,? he promised, sliding his arms underneath her. ?I won?t let you die.? ?W-why...d-did...he t-take it?? Kagome asked insistently as Inuyasha carried her across the river in one leap. ?Why...would he w-w-want it?? But Inuyasha didn?t answer, and she was losing consciousness. She heard voices, swimming in her head: Sango?s and Miroku?s, and Inuyasha?s... She wanted to tell...wanted to tell Inuyasha that... ?What did she say?? Miroku asked, frowning down at Kagome, who had gone limp in Inuyasha?s arms. ?She said ?in the dream he took the jewel, and the sky rained fire?,? Inuyasha replied, confused and more than a little worried. Then he was off, feet scarcely touching the ground as he headed for the Bone-Eaters? Well. In the river, the last burbling breaths of the dead scorpion surfaced amid the churning ice.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 5}[/b][/color][/CENTER]

[color=gray][i]Author?s Note: I forgot to mention in my manga update before the previous chapter: at the most recent point in Takahashi?s manga scripts, Miroku and Sango have agreed to be married once Naraku is defeated. This is not to say, of course, that Miroku has mended his lecherous ways. . . Also, the word ?kehai? means the aura radiated by someone or something possessing supernatural or spiritual power.[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 4: One Man?s Obsession {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The Seer flinched as Sesshoumaru?s sword cleared its sheath and watched as he turned the blade into a position of readiness, but still she made no effort to rise from the divan. The white demon lifted his gaze from the weapon for a moment to study her reaction. Seeing that she was not about to flee him, he approached her calmly. As he passed beneath the beam of light around the bowl and its pedestal, his sword shown with borrowed radiance, and for the briefest of instants the Seer thought she saw it pulse. Watching the gleam pass across the lambent blade, she understood that this Youkai lord was not one to bluff. As Sesshoumaru skirted the pedestal and the scrying bowl, the fear that had been clutching at the Seer?s heart with icy fingers now sharpened into panic. She pushed herself backward off the divan and onto the floor. The impact on the cold stone was jarring; she was unable to suppress a whimper of pain. The divan was overturned by her sudden lurch, and had landed across the backs of her calves. But this didn?t stop her from dragging herself free and crawling rapidly away from the advancing enemy. The crunch of bone in her knees was nearly unbearable, but her instinct for self-preservation was stronger. And now she had the overturned divan between her and the Youkai lord, which she hoped would buy her a few seconds? time. Then she glanced up, and he stood directly in front of her, the sword angled downward toward her in his one hand. The white folds of his clothes hung motionless from his tall frame, as if he had not needed to move at all to intercept her. Yet he HAD moved--with lightning speed, faster than her eye could detect. There would be no running from this fey creature. Instead of trying to creep away from the Youkai lord on her hands and knees, the Seer made a sudden lunge for his feet, stretching out her hands to grasp them. If she could but touch him... But Sesshoumaru knew now to expect this particular defense, and sidestepped so swiftly that she landed on her stomach, hands clutching at empty air. Before she could recover herself to try again, he planted a foot in the small of her back. This was done with surprisingly little brute force, but it did serve to effectively immobilize her by pinning her to the stone floor. Though she could not see it above her, the Seer heard the whoosh of air as the sword sliced downward through it. ?NO!? she screamed. But Sesshoumaru?s strike never faltered, and then the blade passed through her flesh.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]It was the late afternoon by the time Kagome finally arrived home. She echoed her family?s greetings somewhat hollowly, because there was indeed a hollow in the pit of her stomach. What had she done? What had she DONE? Or was it something she had YET to do in the past? This was all so confusing, and frightening as well, because Kagome had no idea what it was, and so had no idea as to how to avoid it. Whatever it was, it would inevitably bring about Inuyasha?s death. Wearily, she climbed the stairs, scarcely aware of when she accidentally stepped on Buyo?s tail and sent the cat yowling down the stairs. She walked slowly down the narrow hall and then turned into her room. Inuyasha was sprawled across her bed, apparently slumbering deeply because Buyo?s racket hadn?t awoken him. The warm afternoon sunlight slanted in from the window, falling across the [i]hanyou?s[/i] face and the one arm he had tucked beneath his head. Kagome sat down on the edge of the mattress, not wishing to disturb him. It wasn?t at all reassuring to her to see him sleeping like this. When he was awake, Inuyasha seemed practically invincible--loud and full of life, and inhumanly strong. But like this...he seemed more human...more...fragile. For the briefest of instants, Kagome?s heart skipped a beat as she imagined him lying thus, dead beside his brother as the mountain fell...and then the vision was mercifully gone. She reached over and removed a stray lock of hair that had fallen over Inuyasha?s nose, wondering what she should tell him when he woke up. She had scarcely one second to ponder this, because in a flash his eyes snapped open. Instantly, he half-leaped, half-rolled off the bed, grabbing Kagome around the waist and taking her with him. Both of them thudded to the wood floor below. ?Get DOWN!? Inuyasha shouted, peering over the top of the bed as if he saw something fierce and slavering coming at them. Kagome, who?d had the wind temporarily knocked out of her when they landed, now found her voice and let out a scream. ?KYAAAAAAAAAAAAH!? She tried to kick at him, but her feet were tangled up in the bedspread. The scream, however, was more effective, and seemed to snap Inuyasha out of whatever dream it was he?d just woken up from. He blinked repeatedly for a few seconds, and then glanced down at Kagome, whom he was straddling. Her arms were pinioned beneath his knees. She was glaring up at him, her expression the prelude to explosion. ?Fuck! I thought there was...? Inuyasha started, and then decided that it would be better to start with an apology than it would an explanation. ?Sorry. Are you okay?? ?I WILL be when you get OFF me!? Kagome snapped, trying to pull her arms out from under him. ?Okay,? Inuyasha told her, ?I?ll get off if you promise not to slap me when I DO.? They glared at each other for a moment--Kagome with righteous indignation and Inuyasha with mistrust. Then he climbed off of her and she sat up, straightening her blouse and rearranging her hair. ?I dreamed there was a HUGE eye staring at me,? Inuyasha explained, scooting backward to stay well out of slap range. ?It was bigger than I was, and then the head started to move.? Kagome stared at him, but he didn?t elaborate. ?And...um, that?s it,? he finished, folding his arms in front of him. His long white hair was still bristling from remembering the dream. Kagome?s anger vanished, because she suddenly realized that this wasn?t a nightmare--it was a premonition. Now that he mentioned it, she recalled a dream she?d had that was similar... ?What did the eye look like?? Kagome asked, frowning. She was trying to remember what it was that she?d seen BEFORE the eye, but for some reason the images eluded her. There was a brief flash of white--something white. It could?ve been[i] anything[/i]. It could?ve been Inuyasha?s HAIR for all SHE knew... ?Hmm...? Inuyasha laid a finger on the side of his chin, looking pensive--which in his case meant owl-eyed and button-nosed. ?Well, its eyes were pitch black, but they SHONE, Kagome, as if the color black could GLOW. It saw me. I could FEEL it. That was why I flew at you like that. I could still SEE the thing when I woke up.? He paused, looking somewhat disgusted with himself for admitting fear. ?I can STILL see it.? Kagome shuddered. That was what she had seen, all right: a black eye, luminous as obsidian in sunlight, slowly beginning to open. But Inuyasha had seen it open all the way...now Kagome was no longer certain that it was Sesshoumaru who would kill Inuyasha. If BOTH brothers were to perish...it was possible that both would die at the hands of a greater enemy... Inuyasha crossed his legs, hiding his hands in his sleeves. ?So...? he said, ?how was Reiyama?? And Kagome spontaneously burst into very noisy tears. For a moment Inuyasha recoiled, caught completely off-guard. Then he approached her cautiously, reaching his arms toward her somewhat hesitantly as if she might bite him. Comforting crying women was not one of his strong points. ?Hey!? he told her nervously, still reaching for her. ?Don?t be like that! It can?t be THAT--? [i]WHAM![/i] Inuyasha never had time to finish whatever words of reassurance he was trying to convey, because at that moment Grandpa Higurashi?s frying pan connected with the back of the hanyou?s head. ?ACK!? Inuyasha squawked in surprise, falling over backward and clutching at his skull. ?How DARE you assault my granddaughter!? Grandpa bellowed. ?And in MY OWN HOUSE, too!? ?HEY! WHAT THE FUCK?!? Inuyasha bellowed back, sitting up and rubbing at a lump on his head. ?I didn?t MAKE her cry...!? ?Grandpa, STOP it!? Kagome pleaded, wiping hastily at her tears. ?He didn?t DO anything to me!? Grandpa Higurashi took another swing at Inuyasha, but this time the hanyou caught the frying pan between his claws. They grappled for a bit, and then Inuyasha?s demon strength allowed him to wrench it free of the old man?s grasp. The [i]hanyou[/i] tossed it backward over his shoulder, where it sailed through the air before connecting with Kagome?s lamp and shattering it all over her desk. [i]CRASH.[/i] Kagome covered her face with her hands and shouted: ?STOP IT, you two! Gramps, I?m OKAY, so will you PLEASE stop whacking Inuyasha?! Inuyasha! Will you PLEASE stop BREAKING things?!? ?Okaaaaaaay,? both men replied. Grandpa retrieved the frying pan and shuffled off down the hall, looking sheepish. Inuyasha rubbed at his head, looking grouchy. After a moment, Kagome?s tears were reduced to sporadic hiccups, and Inuyasha felt that it was safe to resume their prior conversation. ?So tell me what happened,? he said simply. And she did. She told him everything that had happened to her during the field trip to Reiyama?s capitol building--everything that President Tatesei Sano had said. She couldn?t look directly at Inuyasha during the part about the ?legend of the White Brothers?--she didn?t want to unnerve him even further by starting to cry again. When Kagome had finished, Inuyasha was silent for a moment. Then he shrugged and said, ?Heh. So THAT?S it.? Kagome?s hiccups vanished completely, and her hands balled into fists at her sides. ?What do you MEAN, ?THAT?S IT??! It means that you and your brother are going to DIE!? Inuyasha?s expression settled into a very familiar closed stubbornness. ?Like I give a flying fuck if SESSHOUMARU eats it,? he muttered. ?Er...? He had just taken notice of Kagome?s revived prelude-to-explosion face. ?Look, it?s no big deal. Now that I know what to watch for, I?ll be ready when it comes. If it?s Sesshoumaru, I?ll whack him first. If it?s some big-ass eyeball, I?ll use Tetsusaiga to hack up whatever the hell the eye?s attached to.? He paused, considering. ?If all else fails we can just have Miroku suck it up. I have to admit, he DOES come in handy sometimes...? Kagome sighed. It seemed there was just no convincing Inuyasha that ?near-immortal half-demon? did NOT mean ?immortal.? ?We should go back,? she told Inuyasha, regretting these words even as she spoke them. ?Whatever I did--whatever happened to throw off history, it NEEDS to be fixed. We need to explain all this to Miroku and Sango, at any rate. And maybe Kaede can help us, too.? Regardless of what she was suggesting, Kagome?s heart balked at having Inuyasha return to the time where he ran the risk of dying. ?Yeah,? Inuyasha responded, climbing to his feet. ?Let?s go, then. Get your stuff together.? He paused, blanching a little. ?But first...before we go, I?ve got to...? And he ran out of the room. Kagome clapped a hand to her forehead during the puking noises that followed. ?[i]WHAT are we getting ourselves into?[/i]? she wondered, shaking her head.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple]([b]The Feudal Era)[/b][/CENTER] Now that the blade no longer pulsed in his hand, Sesshoumaru sheathed it and stepped back to observe the effects upon the one he had struck. These always interested him, because the sword?s true magic still remained something of a mystery to him. Usually Tenseiga chose its target and Sesshoumaru wielded it, curious to see what reasoning lay behind the sword?s choice. It had been so with Rin, and also with Jakken. This was only the second time the white demon had actually chosen to wield it--the first had been to give life to the head of Goshinki, Naraku?s telepathic minion, that the sword Tokijin might be forged from its fang. The Seer lay prone on the floor for a minute, apparently frozen with terror. Then, slowly, she rolled over and sat up. She ran tentative, exploratory hands down her legs, stopping at the knees, and then gasped. ?I?m not harmed!? she exclaimed. Sesshoumaru couldn?t see her face through the veil, but it was obvious from her tone that she had been expecting him to kill her. ?The sword...has healed me?? It seemed to be so, because she then proceeded to draw her knees beneath her and rose shakily to her feet. Sesshoumaru said nothing, watching her calmly. ?[i]So[/i],? he thought, ?[i]I have willingly called upon the sword to heal a mortal, and it has obeyed.?[/i] He wasn?t overtly surprised by this, but he was slightly embittered--the sword had only disobeyed him once, when his beloved father had been slain by the Tatesei. The Seer shifted her weight from one leg to the other, testing the extent of the healing spell. Then she stepped on the edge of her long cloak, tripped, and almost fell right into Sesshoumaru. He stepped back hastily, and she righted herself, making no move to touch him as she had before. ?You healed me?? she asked him somewhat hesitantly. Her eyes were downcast now, as if she were afraid to look at him. Sesshoumaru, who despised timidity, turned his back on her and started walking. ?The sword chose to heal you,? he corrected her sharply. ?Now follow me.? He didn?t hear footsteps behind him, so he came to a halt, glancing backward over his shoulder, so that one yellow eye glared balefully at her. She stood motionless, the blue veil fluttering in and out gently as she breathed. ?What the sword did I can just as easily undo,? he told her pointedly. ?Come now. Or stay, if you like. I can obtain my answers from the Tatesei officials using far bloodier methods, if that is necessary...? ?I will go,? the Seer murmured. ?In truth, it does not matter; one way or the other.? Sesshoumaru frowned. The Seer bent to lift the scrying bowl from its pedestal, her veil falling forward and concealing her human face in an opaque curtain of blue. Then she straightened again, and he could see with the veil resting once again near her face that her lower lip trembled beneath it. Wordlessly, he turned and stalked out of the chamber. Striding briskly down the dark halls of the Temple, he knew that she followed by the salt-scent of her tears. When at last the two of them had reached the Temple?s outer stairs--rebuilt since Sesshoumaru?s massacre of the Wise two years ago--they were met not only by the nervous guards (who gave Sesshoumaru a very wide berth) but the king and his highest servants as well. The guards? armor creaked as they shifted uneasily. They parted to allow their king to walk through their midst, but flanked him closely as he approached the white demon and his Seer. ?Well met, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West,? Asano said softly, bowing low and respectfully. The boy king?s gold discs tinkled gently against each other in the dark nest of his hair. He straightened just as slowly, and there was a moment?s silence as his black-eyed gaze shifted from the Youkai lord to the Seer woman, who stood behind Sesshoumaru?s tall form as if she were hiding. Asano?s heart had always been noble, and now the passing years had made him shrewd and perceptive. ?You?re taking her from us,? he murmured, inclining his head slightly in the Seer?s direction as well. ?Yes,? Sesshoumaru agreed. ?I have use for her.? ?As do [i]we[/i],? one of the nobles behind Asano interrupted, but the boy king cut him short by holding up a restraining hand. ?The Seer belongs to the Tatesei,? he explained calmly. ?Her gift is needed.? Sesshoumaru was not one to be fooled by outward appearances; Asano was afraid--afraid because he did not understand why the Lord of the West had returned after two years of silence. The Youkai lord could see that it was time to remind them all who their [i]true[/i] ruler was. ?The Tatesei belong to me,? he told them icily, ?and so does ?her gift?.? Asano took a deep breath, squaring slender shoulders beneath white silk robes embroidered with flying cranes. The boy-king?s face was young and unlined, but his eyes were old. ?The people are afraid, Lord Sesshoumaru,? Asano ventured to explain, spreading his hands in a gesture of appeasement. ?They do not see the new world that I see. They do not see that your presence--and the spiritual ties that bind us to you--shield them from invading demons and men. They see only that the Wise are gone, and that we have only our warriors to protect us, and a young, untried king. They fear and hate you because they believe you have reduced us to weakness. They see the change you brought as a curse, when in truth you forced the City of the Dead to live again, as men--however...bloody the lesson you taught them.? He sighed, noting Sesshoumaru?s impassive stare. ?I don?t expect you to pity them,? he added, ?but the presence of a Seer among them, whose predictions may guide them in a time when the future is uncertain... This is one comfort I would not deny them.? Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed. A sudden, icy wind ruffled the white fur slung over his shoulder, but his body remained immovable as stone. ?I am lord here,? he told them. ?I will take what I desire. And what I desire is an answer to the riddles of the past.? His yellow eyes flashed a warning. Low, angry muttering broke out among the assembled warriors, many of whom were nearly as young as their king because Sesshoumaru had killed all the older ones. Calmly, the white demon surveyed the crowd of mortals, reading the fear and the helpless anger in their faces. His gaze came to rest upon one familiar face: high, proud cheekbones and earnest almond-shaped eyes: the young man named Irusei. The warrior exuded only anger. ?[i]This young fool[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought, [i]?is one to watch.?[/i] Asano studied the white demon thoughtfully for a moment, weighing the possible consequences of questioning him further. However, after a moment he apparently thought better of it, and bowed low in acquiescence. ?I see that you cannot be swayed,? the boy king observed. ?Then I can only ask that you will protect the Seer and treat her well, for her sake and ours.? To this Sesshoumaru did not reply. Instead he turned away from them and finished his descent down the Temple stair. Behind him, after a moment?s hesitation, the Seer followed, lifting the hem of her long blue robes with one hand while clutching the scrying bowl tightly in the other. They had almost reached the bottom when the warrior Irusei broke away from his comrades to pursue them. ?I beg of you!? he cried. ?Don?t take her! She is my sister! She is the only family I have!? The Seer?s pace slackened, but then Sesshoumaru?s hand gripped her shoulder, propelling her roughly on ahead of him. Behind him, Sesshoumaru heard the clang of a sword hastily drawn from its sheath. He turned quickly at the sound to behold the young warrior standing on the stair, naked blade in hand. ?Stay your hand, [i]Ningen[/i],? Sesshoumaru said calmly. ?Or attempt to strike me, if you wish. Give me a [i]reason[/i].? Slowly, mechanically, Irusei lowered his sword and replaced it at his hip. ?Return to the barracks, Irusei-[i]kun[/i],? Asano ordered sharply. ?Come,? the white demon told the Seer, and she obeyed. Together they strode out of the city and into the open fields, unhindered by any who crossed their path. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]A quiet snow was falling as the Youkai lord and his Seer ascended the slope leading homeward. Sesshoumaru did not deign to speak with her, but he did breathe more deeply than usual every once in a while to catch her scent and to reassure himself that she hadn?t fallen behind. He was [i]not[/i] in the mood to be fishing human girls out of snowdrifts right now. The Seer trudged wearily after him, breathing hard because she wasn?t used to traveling long distances on foot in two feet of snow. Together they slipped silently through the forest like two ghosts, through the narrow, craggy pass, and into the valley that comprised Sesshoumaru?s estate. Sesshoumaru paused a moment before starting down into it, as he always did, enjoying this first sight of the palace. It was surrounded by vast gardens, lovingly tended by the little wood spirits that his father had given sanctuary in the valley. Through these gardens ran a maze of paths and streams and bridges, though now because night had fallen none of these were visible. All the paths led to the valley?s center like the spokes of a wheel, the hub of which was the palace, rising from the dark, snow-capped trees in all its ancient splendor. It was fashioned from gray mountain stone and dark pine, left to their natural colors because his father had always appreciated natural beauty. The roof of the building?s main hall was high and vaulted, and its corners curved upward into peaks. Its size was mainly for show--the Inu Youkai did not transform inside it. Even Sesshoumaru could count on the fingers of his one hand the number of times he had seen his father transform--such displays of power were frowned upon if used unnecessarily. From each window of the palace there shown tiny pinpoints of light: beacon fires, lit by the household imps to welcome their lord home. Sesshoumaru drank in the sight of them, remembering a happier time when those lights had been lit for his family members, who were already inside enjoying the warmth--unlike their young, impetuous son. Even in his early youth Sesshoumaru had been full of wanderlust. Yet he had always returned home and paused here, to look upon his family?s halls and let the sight fill his heart with peace. He did so now out of habit, imagining for the briefest of instants that he would not find those fire-lit rooms barren and empty. He savored this moment of spiritual quiet, knowing full well that a noisy human child and an even noisier family servant awaited his return and would doubtlessly begin to irritate him the instant he set foot across the threshold. He glanced over at the Seer, who was ruining his moment of peace by gasping like a fish out of water from the exertion of the long climb into the valley. He supposed that after a time even she--silent, pathetic creature that she was--would become an irritation. Perhaps he would kill her if he decided the nuisance she caused outweighed her usefulness. For now, it looked to be a long journey down through the gardens when she was already exhausted, and Sesshoumaru didn?t feel like waiting. Without warning, he wrapped his arm around her waist and slung her over his shoulder. She uttered a very undignified shriek of surprise, clutching at the bowl to keep herself from dropping it. With the briefest of glances over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru ordered: ?Do not touch me.? Then he was off like an arrow from a bow, every stride carrying him for yards at a time. Some of his bounding leaps carried them about the level of the treetops. The Seer obeyed his warning and did not grasp at his skin, but when at last they arrived at the palace the Youkai lord had to pry one of her fists open to free his hair. He did so roughly and briskly, so that he only touched the skin of her hand for the briefest of moments. He saw no visions. Mutely she staggered after him into the main hall, staring curiously at everything around her. As Sesshoumaru had predicted, they were met immediately by a very flabbergasted Jakken, who after a moment of gaping at the human woman standing behind his master launched into a very whiny string of protests. ?Oh, NO milord! Why have you brought a HUMAN?! What am I to do with ANOTHER one?! This bodes ill for us, Master! We haven?t the room!? This last, of course, was preposterous, because the palace was far larger the living space needed for four people. Of course, Sesshoumaru preferred there to be a large number of vacant chambers between his own and those belonging to the palace?s two noisier tenants, so there was always THAT to consider... ?This, Jakken, is the Seer of Reiyama,? the white demon explained blandly. The Seer did not seem the least bit concerned with Sesshoumaru?s reasons for bringing her, and was now studying the paintings on the vaulted ceiling, which were outlined in intricate gold filigree. The household imps were beginning to creep into sight, staring curiously at the Seer with their bulbous eyes. ?Take her,? Sesshoumaru ordered them, and then turned his back on her to confer with Jakken. Several imps approached her, and after two of them tugged on her skirts with their child-like fingers the Seer understood that they wanted her to follow them from the hall. ?Truly, Milord, what are you thinking? Why--? Jakken was saying. Sesshoumaru stopped him mid-sentence with a glare. ?You overstep your bounds, Jakken,? the white demon warned. Prudently, the imp shut his mouth and hurried after his master, who had begun to walk down the hall in the opposite direction. ?The [i]kirin[/i] ordained me Lord of the West,? Sesshoumaru said quietly. His footsteps rang hollowly across the stone floor. ?Yet it also told me something which after these two years I have not forgotten...?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]It was still gently snowing many miles to the north when Kagome poked her head out of the top of the Bone-Eaters? Well. She paused a moment before hauling herself up out of it, raising her eyes to the level of the rim in order to scan the area for unwanted interlopers. There were no footprints that she could see, and the glade was quiet. She was just about to duck back down again and shout an ?All clear!? to Inuyasha when a pair of strong arms locked under hers and pulled up onto the Well?s rim. ?KYAH!? she screeched, and then nearly fell over off the rim as the hands hastily detached themselves from her body. ?I?m sorry!? Miroku apologized, backing away from her in a hurry. ?I didn?t mean to--say, where IS Inuyasha?? Kagome turned to see the monk glancing about him somewhat nervously. He seemed more worried about Inuyasha pounding him for touching Kagome than he did about the fright he had caused her. She sighed, supposing that was the best anyone could hope for. ?He?s coming,? Kagome replied. ?He?s just bringing my stuff through for me. There?s quite a bit of it this time.? True to her word, a moment later Inuyasha appeared over the rim of the Well hauling an enormous sack as well as Kagome?s backpack. Both were full to the point of bursting. ?Girls,? Inuyasha grumbled. ?What a fucking LOAD...? He paused, dropping the sack and turning quite pale. ?Are you all right, Inuyasha?? Miroku inquired solicitously, apparently still wary that Inuyasha had seen him with his hands on Kagome. He had hastily withdrawn the offending appendages into the folds of his sleeves to avoid drawing attention to them. Inuyasha didn?t answer, but then the moment passed and his normal color returned. ?He?s all right,? Kagome assured the monk. ?It?s just when he goes from white to green that you want to stand clear.? Inuyasha scowled, and Miroku rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. ?So you?re still ill, are you?? he remarked. ?Well, I suppose you ARE mortal...? As Inuyasha?s scowl deepened, and Kagome saw that a hasty change of subject was in order. ?Where?s Sango?? she asked the monk. ?She?s with Shippou in the village, helping Kaede cook dinner,? he replied, brightening a little. ?There?s stew tonight.? ?Good,? Inuyasha grunted. ?Now help me haul this shit down there before I die.? He happened to glance over and noticed Kagome?s sudden blanching at this, so he amended, ?Help me haul it before I puke again.? Dutifully the monk took the backpack while Inuyasha slung the bulging sack over one shoulder. With the added weight he sank a good three inches deeper into the snow on the ground than his two companions. By the time they had arrived at Kaede?s the night had fallen completely. In the chilly darkness Kagome was cheered by the sight of the firelight shining through the bamboo slats covering the windows of the village houses. She often thought of this village as her second home. [i]?No, wait, that?s not quite it[/i],? she thought fondly. ?[i]It?s more like wherever Inuyasha is, THAT?S my second home.?[/i] The object of her affections barely managed to stagger in Kaede?s doorway before dropping the sack with a loud thud and scurrying back outside to wretch over the snow. Kagome paused before going in to pat his back comfortingly. As he followed her in his mood seemed to have improved somewhat--either because of the pat or because his guts were through heaving for the time being. As Kagome pushed aside the door hanging she was nearly bowled over by the small ball of brown fur that came hurtling into her arms. ?Hi, Shippou!? she greeted him, catching him. ?Oh, Kagome, I MISSED you,? the Kitsune exclaimed, hugging her. ?You have no IDEA how boring it is being here alone with THOSE two.? He pulled away from her long enough to glare at Miroku and Sango, who were now sitting companionably by the fire. ?All they ever DO any more is sit and TALK with each other, and sometimes all they do is SIT...? Miroku and Sango smiled in unison at this, and Shippou turned away from them in disgust. Then Miroku, because he was Miroku, couldn?t resist adding: ?That?s because that?s ALL she?ll [i]let[/i] me do...? Sango ignored this and said, ?Welcome back, Kagome...Inuyasha... Say, Inuyasha, you still don?t look too well.? ?Feh,? was Inuyasha?s only response as he flopped down into a cross-legged position in front of the fire. ?Give me stew,? he demanded of Kaede, pointing at the pot. ?Welcome back, Inuyasha,? the old priestess said dryly, stirring the stew with her ladle. ?I hate to break the cheerful mood, now that we?re all together,? Kagome told them, seating herself beside Inuyasha, ?but we came back earlier than we intended for a reason. Otherwise, we would?ve stayed until Inuyasha was over the flu.? Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to explain everything that had happened since she had first noticed the changes in her time. The others listened with growing concern as her tale unfolded. [/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Fifty miles to the south, in the darkness of a cave, the demoness Kanna listened as well. She sat on a damp, moss-covered rock holding before her a silver disk that shone with unearthly radiance. She watched the images that swam through it, and listened to Kagome?s tale with a face utterly devoid of expression. At her side, on a bed of moss, there lay the small, frail form of a baby wrapped in swaddling. Yet the darkness concealed the truth of what it was. In its tiny infant?s hands it clutched a fist-sized jewel, stolen from the demon Fuyouheki. The jewel concealed the [i]kehai[/i] left by the baby?s Youkai presence, and so prevented enemies from finding it. The baby?s eyes were sly and fey, and black as the abyss. ?Turn the mirror toward me, Kanna,? it said, its voice not the high mewl of an infant but the deep tones of a man. ?I wish to see her face as she speaks of Inuyasha?s death.? Wordlessly, Kanna angled the mirror?s light toward the baby?s face. The child who bore Naraku?s heart smiled into the darkness.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Sesshoumaru did not go to the Seer immediately upon changing out of his snow-sodden clothes. Instead he visited the girl Rin in her own chambers to see that she ate properly. The imps had managed to convey to him that if no one enforced her eating habits the little girl would tend toward eating only meat--a practice which Sesshoumaru couldn?t really fault her for, but he sensed that this wasn?t healthy for humans. Sesshoumaru himself didn?t eat food cooked or sliced or mixed in the human fashion. He had lost his taste for human food long ago on a battlefield, standing among his fallen kin while their blood stained the snow crimson. ?[i]Itadakimasu!?[/i] He sat and watched Rin eat, though, sitting cross legged in front of her. The little girl wore a silken kimono embroidered with blue and red fish. She was perfectly comfortable with being under Sesshoumaru?s sharp scrutiny, and kept herself busy tucking into her dinner. When she had finished, she laid her chopsticks across her bowl and dabbed at her mouth with a towel brought with her wash-basin. Sesshoumaru tolerated nothing less than the best of behavior from her--even when one?s Youkai form was an enormous white dog that drooled poison, this did not imply that one?s manners should be boorish. The little girl favored him with a sunny, gap-toothed grin, which--despite its human lack of solemnity and disturbing lack of teeth--did not irritate Sesshoumaru at all. Usually after Rin ate she would show him what she had learned during the day--generally what she had read from the scrolls and records she found in the palace storerooms, but occasionally something she?d found lying around that interested her. The latter were a rather kitsch mixture of artifacts left by the Inu Youkai--Rin liked swords the most--or things she?d found in the garden. Once she had brought a pair of mating beetles, which had led to a very interesting conversation: [b]Rin[/b]: ?Look, milord, this beetle has two heads!? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . . .? [b]Rin[/b]: ?Was it born this way?? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?THEY are mating.? [b]Rin[/b]: ?Oh. . .? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Rin[/b]: ?Why?? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Rin[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?Because it is in their nature to breed. They must do this to make more beetles.? [b]Rin[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Rin[/b]: ?So beetles mate, and I know Youkai come from eggs. But what about humans?? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?Do not bring insects into the palace any more. They will breed here and eat holes in the woodwork.? And that, fortunately, had been the end of THAT. Though he knew it was a sign of his own weakness, Sesshoumaru found that Rin?s exuberance made the palace?s emptiness seem less acute. Rin had enough exuberance to fill up several chambers at once. She seemed to relish making noise, as if she remembered being mute for her early years and was now making up for lost time. Now that she had finished her dinner, Rin told him, ?Jakken says that you have brought a lady here.? ?I have found a Seer,? Sesshoumaru answered stiffly. ?She will serve me by explaining the visions that she Sees.? Rin wasn?t about to be dissuaded from her current train of thought. ?Maybe we can play when you are gone,? the little girl mused. Since Sesshoumaru had stopped taking Rin with him when he left the palace, she was alone for most of the day. Sesshoumaru rose swiftly to his feet, suddenly feeling very restless and irritable. ?You will stay away from her, Rin,? he ordered, glaring down at her. ?The Seer is Tatesei.? Rin frowned, wrinkling her nose. ?But the Tatesei do whatever you tell them to, right?? she pressed, tilting her head beguilingly to one side. ?So she is not dangerous. Sesshoumaru, who was in the process of leaving, paused in the doorway, glancing back over his shoulder at the little girl sitting on the marble-tiled floor. The imps were already clearing the remains of her meal. ?You will not go near her,? he repeated. ?She is not a human like you are. If she touches you, you will see nightmares. You will see your memories.? Then he disappeared through the doorway. Rin watched the white flag of his hair fan out behind him as he vanished around the corner, somewhat confused because he seemed sad about something. ?But I LIKE my memories,? she protested to the empty room, ?because when I first woke up, you were there.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?So somehow, because of something Kagome did, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha are going to kill each other?? Sango asked slowly. ?Or whatever this eye belongs to will destroy them both?? Mutely, Kagome nodded, swallowing back the tears that were threatening to spill. ?Hmm...? Kaede rubbed her chin thoughtfully. ?I?ve never known anyone with the gift of foresight. I don?t have it, and neither did my sister.? Inuyasha?s left ear twitched. ?But I will say this,? the old priestess went on. ?Never ASSUME that ye know the meaning behind a prophecy. This is not the time to abandon hope.? While the others mulled this over, Kaede proceeded to begin doling out the stew in wooden bowls. ?Oh, she?s RIGHT,? Shippou asserted, breaking the silence and pounding his tiny fist into his palm. ?We CAN?T just SIT here and LET this happen!? ?Then what do we do now?? Sango asked. Her hands rubbed absently at her elbows; it was habit that manifested itself when she was worried. Miroku seized the opportunity to sneak an arm around her shoulders. ?I think the answer is clear,? the monk responded. ?We must go to Reiyama. That is where all this started, according to the legend Kagome-[i]sama[/i] heard from Tatesei Sano.? ?It does seem the most logical way to go about this,? Kaede remarked, handing Kagome and Shippou their bowls. Inuyasha held out his hands expectantly as she filled the next one. ?None for you, Inuyasha,? Kagome told him. ?You just threw up, remember? You should just have tea for tonight.? ?You said the Tatesei were necromancers,? Sango reminded Miroku. ?Even with my demon-slayer?s training I?m not sure I know how to handle the spirits of the dead...? ?I want stew,? Inuyasha insisted, attempting to grab the bowl from Kaede. Kagome grabbed it first and passed it to Miroku. ?But they?re not necromancers any more,? Shippou told her. ?Remember, we told you that Sesshoumaru took over and now he won?t let them use it.? Sango looked doubtful. ?If they were so powerless without their sorcery, then why is the predicted danger in Reiyama?? she asked.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The Seer lay in her chamber upon the bedding provided for her. It was made of green silk, and rustled when she shifted upon it. She would have liked very much to sleep immediately, but she knew that the white demon was coming and there would be no point in trying. Instead she rested her weary head upon the down pillows with her eyes open and her face turned toward the fire blazing in the hearth. She knew that the Youkai lord would be coming because she saw in his eyes the same hunger that she had seen in the eyes of the Tatesei nobles. The Tatesei were obsessed with knowing the outcome of a future they perceived to be uncertain; the Lord of the West was haunted by a past sodden with bitterness and a riddle that he did not understand. There was very little difference between one man?s obsession and another?s, the way she saw it. Both wanted answers that they did not necessarily deserve to questions that even they were not entirely certain how to ask. The Seer?s greatest difficulty lay in deciding whether to answer the questions that they [i]asked[/i] her or the questions that plagued them because they were [i]afraid[/i] to ask. The Youkai lord entered through the hallway door, his footsteps a soft and measured tread upon the stone floor. He was quiet, this one. The Seer had never known such a creature as this, who wore silence wrapped around him like a cloak. As he entered, she sat up and pulled her veil across her face before turning to face him. He looked down at her, then glanced elsewhere in the room as if searching for something. ?Where is the bowl you carried?? he finally asked, in his soft prince?s voice. ?The dark one.? He moved closer, then settled down onto the floor in a cross-legged position. The Seer obediently fetched it from the corner where she had set it. She threw aside the corner of the bed-sheet that she had used to cover it and placed it between them. There was already plenty of water in it--melted snow that she had collected by placing the bowl in the chamber?s window. Sesshoumaru sat perfectly still, his white robes pooling on either side of his body. He watched her intently. The Seer found this unnerving--she was more than a little afraid of him. In her sheltered life she had never met a demon before, and now she was to serve one. ?If you lie to me,? the Inu Youkai told her, ?I will know. And I will deliver you back to your people... You will not be alive.? The Seer blanched beneath her veil. She was not afraid of him catching her in a lie, but she [i]was[/i] afraid that he might interpret something as a lie that was indeed truth. ?The only power I have,? she warned him, ?is in choosing which questions to answer. I can?t lie to you, even if I want to. The gift of prophecy means that truth flows through your lips like water.? She touched the surface of the water in the scrying bowl delicately with one finger. Small, perfect ripples spread outward from her touch. ?I am but the vessel for it.? She raised her eyes to his, allowing the gift flowing through her veins to gather and build so that it eclipsed her fear. ?Ask your questions, Lord of the West.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?We don?t really have any other alternatives,? Miroku reminded them all. ?We will have to make the journey as soon as possible.? Kagome?s face was a study in misery. She wondered if they were doing the right thing. ?[i]What if, by going now, we FULFILL the prophecy because we?ve taken Inuyasha to the place where he?ll die?[/i]? she thought worriedly. Sango moved to kneel beside her, resting a comforting hand on Kagome?s arm and giving it a squeeze. ?It will be all right,? she assured Kagome. Then she looked up to address the group. ?But don?t you all think it would be better if we waited for Inuyasha?s illness to pass? I mean, it IS winter out there, and we don?t want to take any chances, do we? And we?ve got time, because the unknown threat we?re worried about is nowhere near this village.? Inuyasha crossed his arms more tightly, shoving his hands even further into his sleeves. ?Feh,? he grumbled. ?I feel FINE.? ?Oh REALLY?? Shippou chimed in. ?Of course. That couldn?t have been YOU out there ralphing in the snow a while ago...? Kagome scooted closer to him and put a hand on his cheek. He blushed at the closeness of the contact, and then scowled even more because he was blushing. ?You?re definitely not over this,? Kagome told him. ?You?re all hot and flushed. You should get some rest now.? Inuyasha, who was not about to explain the real reason for his coloration and temperature, obediently moved off toward his corner of the hut, muttering, ?I STILL want stew,? under his breath as he went.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?What do you mean, you cannot answer this?? Sesshoumaru stared down at the woman before him with a mixture of disbelief and the beginnings of anger. Was she defying him, or did she mean that the answer to his question was beyond her ability? Through the blue veil he could see the Seer?s eyes widen with fear, and then she looked down quickly at the scrying bowl. ?I See why it is you ask this,? she told him in hushed tones. ?I See it in the water, as surely as you see me sitting here. There is one who looks like you, whose hair and flesh are white as yours. Yet his blood is not the same, and you hate him for it. You wonder...why he was chosen, and you...were not.? Sesshoumaru?s brow knitted at the way her words eerily echoed his most private of thoughts. Yet he said, ?Speak,? and peered down into the depths of the bowl himself, curious to see if he might catch a glimpse of what she was describing. ?Jealousy festers in you,? she went on. ?You have everything now: power, your father?s inheritance, two swords of immeasurable power... You no longer desire the sword your brother carries, because you don?t need it. But you wonder why he was the one the Tatesei feared. You wondered why he was the one they tried to murder to stop the prediction of Reiyama?s destruction from coming to pass...? The Seer looked up at him, studying his cold, proud face the way one might study a curiously shaped marble sculpture. ?You wonder why the [i]kirin[/i] told you...that the prophecy chose HIM to shape destiny...and not you.? The white demon lifted his gaze from the scrying bowl, and leaned closer to her with eyes of burning yellow ice. ?You [i]will[/i] answer,? he told her. His tone, unlike the savagery that shone in his gaze, was deadly soft. The Seer glanced down at her hands, which she removed from the bowl?s edges and replaced in her lap. ?Foresight is completely unpredictable,? she told him. ?It doesn?t come at a Seer?s beck and call. It often comes when it?s least expected. For me to call up a vision of my own volition would mean I need a great deal more power than I actually possess.? ?More...power?? Sesshoumaru repeated, eyes narrowing further. Recognizing how thin the ground was upon which she was treading, the Seer realized that she couldn?t tell him no now and remain breathing for much longer. She had no choice but to look into the scrying bowl and see what it was that she needed. ?I see a stone,? she told the Youkai lord. ?It falls...into the bowl... The stone is white...but drops of blood are spattered on it.? Sesshoumaru stared at her, his anger vanishing only to be replaced by dawning realization. He thought he understood...but he had to be sure... ?I see. Where is this jewel now?? he pressed, peering down into the scrying bowl. The Seer frowned down at the water. ?A boy carries it. He is pale--pale as a corpse, but his eyes are dark and alive. Another boy walks beside him...a human wearing armor. He carries a sickle on a chain.? Sesshoumaru straightened, pushing at the fur over his shoulder because it had fallen forward when he bent over. ?That is Hakudoushi, Naraku?s incarnation,? he murmured. ?And the stone is the Shikon no Tama.? The Seer looked up from the scrying bowl wearing a troubled expression. ?I have heard of this ?Jewel of the Four Souls?. They say it was shattered, and now demons and humans both strive to reform it. They say it magnifies the power of the wicked a hundredfold, but that it is purified in innocent hands.? ?So...? Sesshoumaru said slowly, ?you must have the jewel to reveal the fulfillment of this prophecy, and to explain why it is tied to Inuyasha.? He mulled this over silently for a moment. The Seer continued to gaze into the depths of the bowl, and her expression changed to one of abject horror. ?The jewel is needed,? she whispered, ?but I do not [i]want[/i] it. I See a hand closing around it...and then I See fire, flowing like a river to the sea. I See an eye, black as the void, opening.? Her hands gripped the sides of the bowl, turning white at the knuckles. ?Oh, do not seek it! I beg of you! Don?t bring it here, to the realm of the Tatesei! I fear its very presence will awaken some evil that has been sleeping here. I beg you, do not--? Sesshoumaru?s face remained impassive. He leaned forward and, taking hold of her jaw through the veil, forced her to look up from the bowl and its visions. He was inhumanly strong, and she could not break away. ?Tell me,? he murmured. ?[i]Where[/i] is the jewel? Where [i]are[/i] Hakudoushi and his servant, Kohaku?? ?I beg, you don?t ask this of me!? the Seer whispered. Her tears were beginning to soak through the veil, which Sesshoumaru?s grip on her face had caused to be pressed closely against her eyes. ?It is perilous to bring it here! You will wake the eye, and the skies will rain fire!? Sesshoumaru gave her a shake. ?Fool,? he said calmly. ?You are Tatesei. You [i]must [/i]obey.? From the moment of his ordaining as Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru had always been conscious of the supernatural connection that existed between him and the Tatesei. It was what had bound the Wise to him; it was why they had obeyed him and released the souls of his kindred. It was sorcery, slumbering in his blood until he should call upon it. He had not done so yet. The Wise had obeyed him because they [i]knew[/i] he [i]could[/i] force them to obey. Yet now...this pathetic, weeping creature before him dared to defy him even when she knew it was futile... And inside his heart, the slumbering, coiled serpent began to stir. A shadow passed between them--demon and Seer--and though the woman flinched at the shadow?s touch, she could not shrink from it because Sesshoumaru?s hand held her fast. Then the shadow passed over her face and vanished. For a moment, her lips tightened, and it seemed she had lost her ability to speak. Then, in a voice subdued and hollow, she answered, ?The boy carries the Jewel toward a human village. I see a well.? Sesshoumaru had heard all that he needed to hear. He released her and swiftly to his feet; there was no time to waste. The Seer slumped forward, resting both palms on the cold stone floor on either side of the scrying bowl. ?Please,? she whispered. ?Don?t go. Don?t let this obsession with knowing the prophecy?s answer drive you to folly. The jewel will bring a curse down upon Reiyama.? Sesshoumaru paused at the chamber?s threshold, his shoulders and back; squared his head unturned. ?Since when,? he asked, ?have I ever cared what suffering befalls the Tatesei?? Then he was gone. Alone in her chambers, the Seer trembled with fear. He did not see what she had Seen. His bitterness and jealousy had blinded him to all save his own ambitions.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]The violet-eyed baby watched Kagome through Kanna?s mirror. ?So,? he mused, ?both brothers are to die. Most interesting. It would seem that this girl has been granted foresight. She has seen what will come...when I have at last completed the reforming of the Sacred Jewel.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 4}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Yamisui: Hold onto your hats, folks---the stage is set for war.[/i][/color] [color=gray][i]Author?s Note: Yet another consistency with the updated manga scripts that I forgot to mention: Kohaku?s soul is now completely free of Naraku?s dominion, but he, like Kagura, intends to maintain the illusion that he is serving Hakudoushi (Naraku?s incarnation) in order to learn the secret location of Naraku?s heart. In order to do so he has not told Sango that he is free now. Kohaku desires to destroy Naraku?s heart as penance for the crime Naraku fooled him into believing he committed---the murder of his father and the other demon-slayers. Thus he and Hakudoushi are traveling around on a white horse Youkai that flies. Oh, and for those of you who don?t know, ?Hiraikoutsu? is the name for Sango?s boomerang-like weapon.[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 5: The Battle For the Fragment {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Snow fell quietly in the night, clothing bare branches like sleeves and gathering atop clusters of needles on the pines. In the village, Kaede stepped over the sleeping bodies on her floor to stand in the doorway. She pushed aside the bamboo door fastenings and peered out into the darkness. The snow beyond her house was nearly a foot high now, and showed no sign of melting. [i]?This winter will be a hard one[/i],? she thought to herself, not as a complaint but as an observation of one who has seen many such winters and weathered them well. Her elderly bones ached from the cold, but her keen [i]miko?s[/i] intuition was focused on the things that moved through the night beyond. ?What is it, Kaede-[i]sama[/i]?? She didn?t turn around as Miroku came to stand beside her, but her eyes narrowed, and with her hand she fingered one of the protective wardings carved into the wood beside her door. ?I sense a foul presence tonight, young monk,? she replied. ?It lingers in the trees, watching.? Miroku followed her gaze and frowned. He held his staff in one hand, already prepared for defense. ?I, too, sense this presence,? he said darkly. ?It watches us, waiting for the opportune moment.? ?Oh, aye,? Kaede agreed. ?Naraku.? Miroku skirted the priestess to stand between her and what lay beyond the door. ?Do we wake the others now?? he asked quietly, gripping his staff with both hands and beginning to call up a barrier spell the instant he saw any movement in the forest. ?I can?t think of a moment more opportune for Naraku than this. He?s been watching us; he must know that Inuyasha?s ill and isn?t at his best and he?ll [i]AAAHHH[/i]!? A strong, clawed hand had just clamped onto the monk?s shoulder, nails digging into his robes. ?Not at my best, EH?? Inuyasha drawled, an evil gleam in his eye. His breath smelled like the tea Kagome had forced him to drink. ?Weren?t going to tell me, EH?? ?I-Inuyasha,? Miroku stammered, still recovering his nerves. ?I didn?t think you were awake...? ?Well, you THOUGHT WRONG, DIDN?T YOU?!? Inuyasha bellowed, giving Miroku a shake before the monk was able to wrench himself free of the hanyou?s grip. ?Stupid humans--thinking after THREE YEARS of shard hunting I don?t know Naraku?s scent like I know my own SMELL?!? Miroku rubbed his shoulder, stepping away before Inuyasha could inflict further damage. ?Speaking of which...? he began thoughtfully, but fortunately Kaede interrupted. ?Silence, ye ungrateful dog!? she hissed. ?Since ye insist on not being left out, then do thy part and aid us in our vigil!? ?Feh,? Inuyasha grumbled, tucking his hands inside his sleeves and looking sulky. ?So...is this one of Naraku?s golems, or another one of his incarnations?? In the shadows of the forest, something stirred. ?We shall see,? Miroku murmured, stepping outside into the snow. The instant his sandaled foot touched the ground outside with a crunch, the thing in the woods was off like a startled animal. It darted swiftly away from the village, leaving the faint rustle of pine needles as evidence of its passage. And the instant Miroku?s eyes were drawn to this small movement, Inuyasha flashed past him in a blur of white and red. ?Inuyasha--WAIT!? the monk cried, reacting too slow with his human reflexes to stop the [i]hanyou[/i] from streaking out into the night. To Kaede Miroku said: ?Wake the others. We?re going to need help.? Under his breath, he muttered, ?...to control Inuyasha...? ?[i]Mew[/i]?? Kirara had appeared in the doorway beside them; she had not returned to the hut until nightfall because she had been out hunting all day. Miroku had almost stepped on her. ?Bring Sango and Kagome,? Miroku told the little cat, who promptly vanished inside the hut with a flick of her tail. He and Kaede glanced at one another. ?I will alert the villagers, so that they may flee the village if they have to,? the priestess told him. He nodded, then took off in the direction Inuyasha had taken. ?Damn that fool of a [i]hanyou[/i],? Miroku muttered as he pelted across the snow. ?That temper of his will be the death of him...?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]Inuyasha hurtled through the forest, feet barely touching the ground as he went. Twigs snapped against his sides, but the toughness of the Fire-Rat [i]hakama[/i] he wore prevented them from snagging and hindering his passage. His nose detected Naraku?s foul scent wafting back to him; his demon ears heard mocking laughter, which might or might not have been in his head. His enemy smelled sharp and cloying--a smell much purer than that of any earthly thing, yet it reminded him keenly of a graveyard. Along the road chasing Naraku and the Shikon Jewel, Inuyasha had seen many graveyards. The voice became clearer the further he ran. It was a boy?s voice, but soft and cultured, for the child was old beyond his years. ?Are you coming for me Inuyasha?? it asked him teasingly. ?You would chase a mere part of me all this way, knowing all the while that destroying it will not destroy that which is Naraku?? Branches whipped past, and a shower of snow fell upon Inuyasha?s head. Then he burst through the trees into a clearing. The snow fell quietly here, and nothing else moved. The clearing was empty. [/color]

[color=purple]Her friend leaned over next to her and whispered, ?[i]Sensei[/i] just reminded us about the field trip tomorrow.? Kagome directed her gaze toward the front of the classroom, where her teacher was writing the time and place of departure on the board. ?Field trip?? she asked, blinking groggily. ?Oh, I forgot...Where are we going again?? The teacher turned around to address the class. ?Be sure to be on time,? he told his students. ?This is our nation?s capitol building we?re visiting, and the available hours for tours are few and far between. We can?t afford to wait for anyone.? Kagome frowned, sitting up straighter in her chair. ?So we?re going to Tokyo?? she asked her friend. ?Isn?t that a bit far for a day-trip?? Her friend stared at her. ?Hell-OOOOOO.? She waved a hand in front of Kagome?s face. ?Since when is Tokyo our capitol?? Kagome stared right back, slightly dazed. ?You?re kidding, right?? ?Eight-o-clock sharp,? their teacher was emphasizing over their whispered conversation. ?The last bus for Reiyama leaves at eight sharp.?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Feudal Era[/b][/CENTER] Sesshoumaru sat cross-legged on a wooden terrace overlooking the gardens. Right now they were covered in snow, which glittered in the moonlight revealed by the clearing clouds. The flowers and leaves of spring lay frozen beneath the white blanket, bent and subdued. Only the reeds that grew around the edges of the pond weathered the chill, standing straight and proud above it. His long white hair spilled over his body like a silken curtain. He sat completely motionless--deep in thought, with his yellow eyes fixed upon the moon reflecting off the frozen pond. [i]?I don?t care to know what Inuyasha was chosen for that I was not[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought. ?[i]And yet...the kirin?s words haunt me still... I have found the Seer...and she is Tatesei. Can it be. . .that she is a precursor to some darker form of sorcery spawned among them??[/i] ?Milord?? Sesshoumaru didn?t so much as twitch, but his lips moved. ?What is it, Jakken?? he murmured, his tone insinuating that violent chastisement would ensue if the imp had bothered him for nothing. ?I?ve brought you tea, Milord,? Jakken offered timidly, shuffling nearer to his master. ?You?ve been sitting in the cold for so long.? Sesshoumaru held out a hand expectantly and Jakken placed the small, steaming cup in his palm. ?Jakken,? Sesshoumaru said, bringing the cup to just beneath his lips that he might breathe in the steam. ?Yes?? Jakken responded. He had been preparing to leave in a hurry in case Sesshoumaru?s mood turned ugly. ?You are older than I,? Sesshoumaru murmured. ?You knew my father and his dealings with the Tatesei. What can you tell me...about a Seer among them?? The imp?s bulging eyes narrowed as best they could, and a pensive frown wrinkled his green, bulbous face, making it uglier than usual. ?So...? Jakken croaked, folding his little arms in front of him. ?After one hundred years, they?ve found another one...? Sesshoumaru sipped his tea, frowning slightly. ?Then you know of a Seer from [i]Otou-sama?s[/i] time,? he said softly, lowering the cup to his lap. ?Oh, yes,? Jakken answered, warming to the subject. ?Among the Tatesei, the advent of a Seer can either mean great prosperity for their people...or great danger...?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?WHAT?! You mean that city and those people still exist TODAY?!? ?For heaven?s sake, don?t shout, Inuyasha,? Kagome advised, laying a placating hand on Inuyasha?s chest to push him back down into bed. She was sitting on the edge of her bed, having just taken his temperature. Inuyasha was glaring up at her, one eye slightly obscured by his bangs flopping over it. He was wearing his [i]haori hakama [/i]again, even though he had apparently come to a truce with the striped pajamas. ?But it seems like it,? Kagome added when he?d settled. ?This is very weird. Not only is the city of Reiyama on all my MODERN maps now; it?s now Japan?s CAPITOL.? ?And you?re going there tomorrow?? Inuyasha demanded. ?Alone?? ?Yes,? Kagome answered firmly, seeing where he was going with this. ?And, no, you CAN?T come. People in my era aren?t used to seeing Youkai. They?ll either think you?re a nutcase or they?ll just get scared and shoot you.? ?I guess you?re right--they WOULD be afraid,? Inuyasha agreed somewhat smugly. Then he grew more serious. ?If Sesshoumaru?s guarding them, I can see why the Tatesei might?ve survived for so long. But why would they be so POWERFUL? With Sesshoumaru as their lord, they can?t practice sorcery and they can?t leave their valley. They?re no better than any other mortals. Sesshoumaru?s practically made them his bitches.? ?I can?t see why, either,? Kagome said, laying a thoughtful finger on the side of her chin. ?But all this seems to have changed RECENTLY. Sesshoumaru?s ruled the Tatesei for two years and I haven?t noticed the Japanese capitol city being anything other than Tokyo...? Inuyasha frowned. ?Unless...? he began. ?Unless something?s happened recently in the Feudal Era that I CAUSED...? Kagome finished. She was really beginning to worry. What would she find in Reiyama? That the Wise had been reborn and risen to power again? Or something worse...?[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]END OF CHAPTER 2[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Author?s Note: I would like to remind readers at this point that this story takes place somewhere in the midst of the latest manga scripts coming from Japan. (You can check these out at [url]www.wot-club.org.uk/Inuyasha/[/url].) At this point in time the near-completed Shikon No Tama is in Naraku?s possession. The secret of Naraku?s seeming immortality is now known: he has hidden his mortal heart in an infant incarnation of his self. The baby is being protected by the demoness Kanna, who has her hands full because now EVERYONE is out to destroy Naraku?s heart---including Kouga, Sesshoumaru, Kikyou and Kagura, as well as Inuyasha?s group. Kagome bears the last Shikon shard needed to complete the jewel. [/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 3: Paradox {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]?The first Seer,? Jakken began, ?was with the Tatesei race even before they moved to the valley where they live now. I don?t know who she was; only that she was a woman, and that she gave her people that prophecy you?ve heard of.? The imp paused, because Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed at the mention of the prophecy. But then the demon lord turned his face out toward the garden and replied, ?I am willing to listen now. Tell me what came after.? Jakken swiped at his brow with his sleeve, very relieved that his master?s temper was not about to ignite. ?Eh...right,? he responded, bowing. ?As I was saying, the first Seer left the Tatesei with a prophecy. The Tatesei consider their Seers to be very sacred. They were said to ?speak with the Breath of God.? The next Seer was not born for another century. He lived during your father?s time. He gave no prophecy that anyone knows of, but he did see the future. A [i]blind[/i] man could?ve seen the future [i]he[/i] saw...? Sesshoumaru lowered his head, frowning. He took another sip of tea and then said, ?He saw that the Wise were going to rise to power and betray the Inu Youkai, my kin.? Jakken squatted down on his stumpy little knees. ?Yes and no,? he answered, holding up a finger and looking rather professorial. ?The Wise had already risen to power by that time. The Seer was the only one warning the Tatesei king that one day there would be [i]retribution[/i] for the betrayal.? Jakken paused, smirking. ?And he was right, wasn?t he? Now the Wise are dead, and you?re Lord of the West.? ?Don?t waste time flattering me, Jakken,? Sesshoumaru cut in, watching the moonlight shift across the ice. ?This is not a matter that I can allow to slide. The Tatesei warriors...did not want me to find out that this Seer existed.? ?I?m getting there, I?m getting there,? Jakken stammered, breaking a sweat. Even as a pup, patience had never been Sesshoumaru?s strong point. Jakken still had scars from the bite marks to prove it. ?What I?m trying to say is that the second Seer warned the Tatesei over and over again that betraying your father was sheer folly. He predicted many years of great prosperity for the city of Reiyama, and then he warned that the son of the Youkai lord would return and destroy their way of life.? The imp?s voice trailed off. ?And the third Seer?? Sesshoumaru prompted, disliking Jakken?s halting narrative. Jakken looked slightly crestfallen. ?Well, you see, there isn?t that much to tell,? he said apologetically. ?There was no third Seer. This mortal you?ve found is the first in many years.? Sesshoumaru sighed faintly. ?If that is all, you may go,? he told Jakken. The little imp bowed low and trundled off into the warmer palace rooms. He pulled his robes tightly around his small, shivering frame, muttering as he went. Sesshoumaru stretched his arm out in front of him, catching in his hand the snow that now fell beyond the shelter of the roof. The small flurries gathered in his palm, white on ivory. [i]?Do I interfere?[/i]? he mused. ?[i]After two years of watching from afar while the boy king Asano rules in my stead...it seems that I may have missed much. Perhaps too much. Yet to whom do I go? To the king...?[/i]? The shadows interspersed among the bamboo stalks in the garden offered him no counsel. ?My Lord.? Sesshoumaru neither moved nor spoke; a tall statue with its marble arm outstretched to catch the snow. Jakken had returned, and the white demon?s silence indicated that he was listening. ?My lord...? The imp approached somewhat hesitantly. ?I?ve just remembered...What I said before...was not entirely true... It may be that there WAS another prophecy...? Sesshoumaru lowered his head ever so slightly. ?It ?[i]may[/i]? be...?? he murmured. ?The second Seer,? Jakken told him, rubbing his nonexistent chin with his thumb and forefinger, ?mysteriously fell ill--at a time when he was warning the king not to betray the Inu Youkai. He died young.? Sesshoumaru stared at the snow gathering in his hand. ?Of course,? he murmured. ?He had to die. The king valued the ?Breath of God? more than any counsel the Wise could give.? ?They were afraid,? Jakken agreed. ?They were afraid that the second Seer would sway their king?s course of action. They hated the Inu Youkai and wanted them dead, but they could not act without the consent of their ruler, whom the kirin had ordained. I believe they poisoned the Seer to keep him from stopping the king?s betrayal of your father?s people. And they succeeded: the Seer fell very ill indeed. In the throes of his fever, he became delirious. But his wide-eyed ravings were not as incoherent as the Wise would?ve liked. They made sure that the king never heard them. His words were jumbled, but they were pieced together to mean essentially this: [i]?A great tree of two boughs stands in the valley. Strong is the branch of the Tatesei. But take care what power you bring to this place; do not expose the roots, which have long lain dark beneath the earth. Do not wake the sleeping blood; for then you wake your doom...?[/i] Sesshoumaru closed his hand into a fist. Clenched tight against the warmth of his flesh, the snow melted and ran in rivulets down his arm, soaking the edges of his sleeve. ?This means nothing to me,? he responded. ?I see only that the Tatesei are obsessed with the number two. In the first prophecy they saw two rivers and predicted doom as well.? He paused as a thought occurred to him. ?If the king never heard the Seer?s words, then how do you know them?? Jakken nodded sagely. ?An excellent question, milord. You see, the king didn?t go near the Seer because he was told the man had a contagious disease--by the Wise of course. But the king?s daughter did...? Sesshoumaru?s lip curled with disdain. ?Inuyasha?s mother,? he said, wiping the melted snow off on the folds of his robes. ?So she gave the Seer?s words to my father, no doubt. Why else would he keep a human pet unless she was useful?? ?Yes, well...? Jakken prudently chose to skirt around [i]that[/i] particular issue. ?When the princess went to live with your father in his palace, the Seer fled with her. It was in your father?s house that she cared for the Seer and nursed him back to health. Your father kept the second prophecy among the family documents, along with the first one.? Sesshoumaru turned away from the garden, frowning down at his servant. ?The poison did not kill this man?? he asked. ?You told me that he died young.? ?Ah...? Jakken tapped his fingertips against each other nervously. ?He didn?t die of the poison. But by the time he had recovered, the war between the Tatesei and the Inu Youkai was almost over. By this time...the Wise had taken the princess and her little half-breed son back to Reiyama, and they had recaptured the Seer as well. It was too late for him to stop the war from happening, so they decided to make use of him. They brought him out onto the battlefield with them. Seers have strange powers, you see. They can see more than visions. If one touches you, they can see your memories and thoughts as well. The Wise had just defeated your father, but before he died they wanted to use the Seer to learn something from him. What it was, I have no idea...and at any rate they didn?t succeed. The Lord of the West died...and then you came...? Here Jakken?s narrative faltered yet again. But Sesshoumaru had heard enough. ?I came and killed them all,? the white demon finished. ?I left none alive there, so the Seer was killed with them.? He went silent for a moment, frowning, and then arrived at a decision. ?Where are you going?? Jakken asked as his master swept past him. ?You?re going to find the Seer you encountered?? Sesshoumaru was across the terrace and into the palace chambers. ?I am going to see what it is the Tatesei are hiding from me,? he answered without looking back. ?I will go alone. See to Rin.? Jakken was left standing on the wooden deck, looking rather forlorn and put-upon.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple](The Present; Our Era)[/CENTER] [i]?Two rivers I see: one flowing alongside the other. They are two great Lines; theirs is a flow to span the Ages. One is a line of Youkai, strong and terrible. The other is a long line of sorcerers and kings--a race guarded by a shield of spirits. Where these rivers meet, I foresee the end of this Age, for a battle which began long ago shall at last be lost. And that which was broken shall at last be destroyed.?[/i] Kagome stared at the words embossed on the plaque in front of her, feeling as if she?d slipped into another dimension. Behind her, the last of her classmates were filing off the bus, chatting and laughing as if alternate futures were too commonplace to be worthy of notice. ?Gather around, everyone,? her teacher was saying. As the throng of uniformed students gravitated toward him, he began taking roll. ?Asagi, Atonashi, Ayako...? The buses had unloaded on the street right outside the capitol building, which was surrounded by a very ornately-carved stone wall. The building itself was very high and made entirely of some kind of shiny black stone. It was a good twenty stories tall, with transparent elevators rising and descending at each of its four corners. To Kagome it looked sort of like an obelisk, which fit in pretty well with her impressions of the rest of the city. She?d spent the entire bus ride through Reiyama with her nose pressed up against the glass windows, taking it all in. She wasn?t sure what she?d expected to find, but it sure wasn?t this. She had expected to see distorted influences of the Feudal Era everywhere--perhaps pagodas with tiers that floated on magnetic fields instead of resting on pillars. She had half-expected to see cars being towed by enslaved Youkai souls, or gray-clad Wise milling around everywhere like agents in the Matrix ?. Instead, everything seemed quite modern and normal. The people walking the streets were ordinary people. They drove cars; they wore skirts and suits; they certainly didn?t have any ghostly servants trailing after them. The architecture of the buildings was simple and professional, like any modern Japanese city. However, this appearance of normalcy unnerved Kagome even more than anything abnormal might have. Three years of experience with ordinary-looking peasants who transformed into enormous bug-like carnivores tended to make a girl a little paranoid. And then she?d gotten off the bus and seen the plaque, and she knew with a sinking feeling in her gut that this was where the weirdness was going to begin. The plaque seemed to be displaying some kind of prophecy about Reiyama, because it mentioned a ?line of sorcerers and kings--a race guarded by a shield of spirits.? That was the Tatesei race, all right. And it spoke of another ?great Line?...a line of Youkai. That had to be the Inu Youkai--Inuyasha?s family... ?Higurashi...Higurashi?? ?She?s over there, [i]Sensei[/i].? Kagome startled out of her reverie to see one of her classmates pointing at her. ?Oh, sorry,? she told them. ?I was just a little distracted, reading this.? Her teacher beamed at her over the sea of teenagers? heads. ?I?m glad to see you taking such an interest in our nation?s history,? he praised her. Pasting a fake look of curiosity on her face, Kagome joined her classmates in following their teacher to the capitol?s main gate. There they were met by a group of security people wearing black suits and rather dour expressions, who--after a few moments of intercommunication via their tiny phones and earpieces--caused the mechanized gate to slide open. ?[i]This is nothing new[/i],? Kagome reminded herself. [i]?EVERY capitol building has secret service bodyguards and a whole lot of security.?[/i] The students were half-way up the long walkway leading to the building?s entrance when they were met by their tour guide, whose expression was a whole lot less dour than the guards?. ?Welcome,? she told them all, beaming, ?to our nation?s capitol. Please stay with me and don?t fall behind, because people who lag tend to get...? ?...shot,? one of the boys near Kagome muttered. The tour guide?s smile never wavered as she waited patiently for the tittering that followed to subside. ?They tend to get lost,? she finished. ?Now, if you?ll walk this way and look to your right...? In the next hour, the students received a tour of what appeared to be a completely normal government building, full of offices and long halls with pictures of various officials lining them. Everyone was busy pushing papers or had their phones glued to their ears, and no one seemed the least bit concerned with anything REMOTELY relevant to magic. All of this normalcy was making Kagome tenser by the minute. Then there was a question and answer session with the local governor, in which Kagome didn?t participate because any of the questions she REALLY wanted to ask were far too weird. What she REALLY wanted to know was the history of how Reiyama had come to be the capitol of Japan--so that she could go back and fix whatever it was that she?d done. It wasn?t until the class was ushered into the gardens in the courtyard to take lunch that the real weirdness became apparent. The courtyard was indoors, with a very high-domed ceiling of gold-tinted glass over it. It was filled with statues--one of the strangest assortments of statues that Kagome had ever seen. While the other students sat and ate on benches along the walkways, she wandered from pedestal to pedestal, reading the plaques there and trying to make some sense of them. The first one Kagome studied was the statue of a samurai warrior. His helm and attire were excellent replicas of what she had seen two years ago on the warriors of Reiyama--whom Sesshoumaru had slaughtered without mercy. The statue was carved from some kind of shiny black stone, and when Kagome peered up into the figure?s face it gave the effect that his eyes were luminous as any living man?s. Frowning, she lowered her gaze to the plaque on the pedestal: [CENTER]?[u]Raiiru-o-sama: The White King; He Who Shook The Earth[/u]?[/CENTER] The date below this rather cryptic description was, according to Kagome?s quick mental calculations, a good forty years after the last time she?d been to Reiyama--years in the Feudal Era, at any rate. By modern terms, there were several centuries between the present and when she?d last set foot in the Tatesei city. Pondering this was very confusing, and the warm sun glinting down through the semitransparent ceiling was giving her a headache. Time to move to the next statue. The statues had evidently been placed in the garden for purely aesthetic reasons and not for historical instruction, because they seemed to be in no particular chronological order. The next one was also the life-sized figure of a man, but he wore a modern business suit and a sharp military crew-cut. He was tall, by Kagome?s estimate, and very dignified-looking, but his sculpted eyes seemed cold and calculating. ?I?d say it?s a good likeness, except for the eyes.? Kagome jumped a little, startled. She had just been bending to take a closer look at the fine engravings on the statue?s pedestal, and when she turned to see who had spoken, she found herself confronted with the man the statue represented. He was gazing up at the statue?s face, wearing a very similar expression. ?I?m sorry Sir, you startled me,? she told him, bowing. ?I was just starting to read the--? ?The description?? the man finished for her. ?Allow me. I?m Tatesei Sano, president of Tatesei Systems.? It took every ounce of Kagome?s willpower not to start backing away from him. Even though common sense told her that to him she was just an ordinary schoolgirl, instinct made her want to run. Two years ago, Kagome, Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou had come face to face with the Tatesei sorcerers who called themselves the Council of the Wise, and experienced firsthand what it was to fight against necromancers. It was not an experience that she cared to repeat. This man?s resemblance to Reikotsu, the leader of the Wise, was almost perfect. There were minor differences, of course--his navy blue business suit was a far cry from the gray robes of the Wise, and he wore no hood over his close-cropped dark brown hair. His gray eyes, which Kagome had thought piercing and cold when she saw him in the Feudal Era, smiled at her through his blue-rimmed spectacles. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he smiled. Reikotsu-of-the-Feudal-Era had died when Miroku deflected his own spell back at him. Then Naraku had assumed the dead sorcerer?s shape in a plot to trick the Wise into stealing jewel shards for him. That, of course, was a whole different story. The point was that apparently the necromancer had been reincarnated and now ran what was apparently a very successful company called ?Tatesei systems.? Kagome was vaguely surprised that Reikotsu had been allowed to come back in human form--with all the bad karma he?d racked up a cockroach would?ve been more appropriate. Blissfully unaware of Kagome?s reproachful thoughts, Tatesei Sano was giving her some history of his company?s foundation. She forced herself to pay attention. From listening, she could see that Tatesei Systems was a perfectly normal modern enterprise--completely ordinary save for the fact of its immense success. Apparently the company had great influence over the government, and practically controlled Reiyama--which made perfect sense. The governor himself was one of Sano?s distant cousins. When the president paused, Kagome used it as a polite way of changing the subject. ?Your family is very successful,? she remarked. ?But the Tatesei family was successful long before they founded the company, right? How far back can you trace your lineage?? Sano did not seem the least bit suspicious; instead her flattery seemed to be working. ?You must like studying history,? he replied, nodding toward the statues. ?Come with me, and I?ll give you a little tour of the garden. The statues tell our story, you see--the story of the Tatesei Line.? Kagome followed the businessman down the path, ignoring the curious glances of her fellow students. If they wanted to think she was brown-nosing some congressman, let them. There were greater things at stake here than her reputation. The path wound around a cluster of bamboo and over a small arched bridge. With a jolt of [i]deja-vu[/i], Kagome realized that this bridge could easily have been one of the very bridges she and Inuyasha had walked over in the Reiyama of the Feudal Era. They skirted around the enormous bronze carving of a dragon breathing fire, and then Sano stopped in front of a sculpted woman wearing a miko?s robes. She had very long, straight hair and a proud, high-boned face. Over her robes she wore a man?s armor. ?This woman was a priestess in the time before the Feudal Era,? Sano explained, gesturing toward the statue. ?In the Tatesei bloodline--her bloodline--there were people who foretold the future, whom we called ?Seers.? She was the first.? Kagome stared, dumbfounded. She knew this woman. She had seen this priestess in a cave once, petrified by time and magic to remain eternally locked in the coils of a mighty demon. This was Midoriko, from whom the Shikon No Tama was born. Of course, Sano had no idea that Kagome knew this, so she forced her expression to remain neutral as she asked her next question. ?So she?s one of your ancestors?? Sano nodded. ?She gave us the prophecy you may have seen on the wall near the main gate. Did you see it?? he asked. ?I...saw it,? Kagome answered. ?What does it mean?? Sano leaned back against a pillar, folding his arms across his blue-clad chest. ?I?m not sure whether it?s true or not, but it was said that there were once such things as Youkai, and they were the scourge of Japan,? he answered. ?The Inu Youkai in particular were the enemies of the Tatesei. Their lord laid claim to our lands even though we arrived in this valley first. He assumed control over our borders and demanded tribute from us. Eventually we rose up against them and defeated them.? Sano paused, shrugging slightly. ?Purportedly the Tatesei had sorcerers among them who controlled the dead, and that was how the Inu Youkai were defeated. I myself don?t believe it, but it was recorded in the Feudal Era that the prophecy was fulfilled. I don?t believe in Youkai, either, but I do believe that a warlike tribe calling themselves ?Inu Youkai? did exist and did indeed oppose my people. The ?two great Lines?--the Tatesei and the Inu Youkai, met and eventually came to war. The prophecy warned us beforehand that when ?the two rivers?--the two Lines--met, the Age would come to an end. ?Legend tells of a Youkai-human half-breed, born to the so-called ?Lord of the West? and a princess of our people. Well, you can imagine how this fueled those Dark Age superstitions, and the Tatesei decided that the young [i]hanyou?s[/i] birth foreshadowed their own doom. They thought that somehow his destiny would be tied to the destruction of Reiyama--and to the breaking of the Tatesei Line.? Here Sano shrugged again. ?It was probably some poor child born deformed, and so they blamed their troubles on him. All of this sounded more like a witch hunt to me than some epic battle between mortals and demons.? Again Kagome prudently kept her mouth shut. At least the part about Inuyasha being innocent of the destruction was true. But she wanted to keep the businessman warmed to the subject of the prophecy, so she pointed to the next statue and asked, ?And what about this one?? It was a statue of a short youth with a very gentle expression and a regal bearing. He wore the raiment of a king of the Feudal Era. Kagome could tell that he was Tatesei by the traditional long plait that hung down his back with pearls in it. ?That is Asano-[i]o-sama[/i], the fifth king of Reiyama,? Sano replied. ?He was young when he rose to the throne...and young when he died.? Kagome blanched. Gentle, noble Asano--the boy king whom even Sesshoumaru had deemed worthy to rule the Tatesei--dead? If the boy had died young...then whatever had happened to change the future so drastically must have occurred because of events surrounding his death. This was too much of a shock--Kagome plunked down on a nearby bench. ?How did he die?? she managed to ask. ?Are you quite all right, young lady?? Sano asked solicitously, peering down at her over the lower rims of his glasses. ?Does that upset you?? ?More than you know,? Kagome thought, but all she said was: ?No, it?s okay. Please go on.? ?Very well,? Sano said, redirecting his piercing gaze toward the statue. ?At that time there was a great eruption of Reiyama--the highest of the mountains surrounding the valley, after which this city was named. Lava and ash rained for miles all around, and for a long time all of western Japan was covered in it. But for some strange reason the city of Reiyama was spared and untouched. It was written by a Tatesei scribe that the boy king threw himself into the volcano as a sacrifice to save his people.? Sano paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. ?Now, I?m a bit of a skeptic, but I can?t really say it didn?t work. By all physical laws the city should have been buried by the eruption.? [i]?So that?s IT[/i],? Kagome thought. ?[i]That?s the event I need to change to make things normal again. Somehow I have to go back and convince Asano not to do such a thing.?[/i] ?It?s a pity history had to lose so fine a king, though,? Sano mused. ?He was the one who put an end to the reign of the priest-caste who called themselves the ?Wise?. He was the one who freed his people from ignorance and religious oppression.? For a moment Kagome?s head reeled from the absurdity of it all. Here she sat in an alternate future in the capitol of Japan listening to a reincarnated necromancer telling her that he didn?t believe in sorcery. ?When he died, another young lord became the sixth king,? Sano went on. ?And it was then that the Tatesei Line was set on the road to progress that it?s still traveling today. The eruption of the mountain exposed an extraordinary new kind of liquid metal that we call ?[i]ryunochi[/i].? With it we were eventually able to design thin films and conductive plasmas like none the world had ever seen.? ?And this sixth king...was this man?? Kagome asked nodding toward the next statue. It was the statue of the samurai warrior, Raiiru. In its hand, the figure gripped a [i]katana[/i] by the blade. The lines running down his hand and onto the blade indicating blood seemed eerily realistic with the reddish glow of the noonday sun through the stained glass above. ?That is Raiiru, the White King,? Sano agreed. ?He led his people to a new way of life, forsaking all practice of spirituality for the way of the warrior and of metal-shaping.? The businessman stepped closer to the statue and ran one long-fingered hand down the length of the blade. ?His statue is carved from [i]ryunochi[/i]. It would not shatter, not even if a nuclear bomb were to hit it. Now, this next statue--? ?What about the prophecy?? Kagome interrupted, no longer caring about seeming nonchalant. ?You said it was fulfilled. But ?that which was broken? DIDN?T shatter. The Tatesei Line, which your Seer predicted would be broken and finally shattered because of the birth of the half-breed, was never broken and never destroyed. So the prophecy never really came true, did it?? Sano frowned. ?That?s another place where history is diluted by myth. The prophecy, it seemed, wasn?t referring to OUR Line, but the INU YOUKAI Line. After the Tatesei defeated the Inu Youkai, THAT Line was broken. And then...there?s a mythos that says only two remained. You?ve never heard the legend of the White Brothers?? Kagome swallowed against the sudden tightening in her throat. ?I?ve forgotten,? she managed, folding her hands in her lap to conceal a sudden onset of nerves. Sano removed his hand from the statue and turned to face her, folding his arms again. ?Some old records say that after the Inu Youkai Line was broken, only two brothers of that blood remained. They were said to be white of hair and pale of skin, like all the moon spirits in the old tales. One attacked the city of Reiyama in a desperate attempt to avenge his fallen kin. The other...the other stopped him. And then both disappeared for a long time, and the Tatesei lived in peace. Then they reappeared, returning to the valley not to slaughter the Tatesei but to wage war on each other. It was said that one of them stole from the Tatesei something very valuable. One pursued the other into the caverns of the mountain. Then it erupted, and neither brother was ever seen again. The sixth king, Raiiru, was said to have seen them at the last, fighting each other even as the fire rained down from the sky. Maybe they were so full of hatred for each other that they didn?t care if they lived or died.? Kagome?s eyes had gone wide with shock. ?So...because the half-breed was born, he fought his brother, and they died,? she said softly. ?And then the broken Inu Youkai Line was finally destroyed.? Sano nodded. ?That?s it, I guess,? he answered. ?The White Brothers died, and with them the Inu Youkai. Somehow their deaths seemed to mark the end of all appearances of Youkai in historical records. No demons were seen afterward, anywhere in Japan. And Raiiru became king, and ushered in a new age of metal and progress.? ?Higurashi? Higurashi?? Kagome?s head snapped up like a dreamer waking as she heard her teacher call her name. But this dream was a nightmare, and it didn?t end with waking. Mechanically, she rose to her feet, and hurried back to join her classmates after stammering a rushed thank-you to the businessman for his time. In a way, she was relieved that Tatesei Sano hadn?t had time to show her any more. She didn?t think she could bear it. There was no doubt in her mind as to who the White Brothers were. If nothing else, the manner of their death told it all. Kagome had always been afraid that the hatred between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru might bring them to this. Then Sesshoumaru had found Rin, and he had begun to change. Then he had found Tokijin, and no longer coveted Inuyasha?s inheritance of Tetsusaiga. But now it seemed there was something over which the two brothers would fight. Something for which they would die. And somehow, Kagome had done something in the past to cause this. Somehow, [i]she[/i] was the [i]cause[/i] of their deaths...and this future...[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple]([b]The Feudal Era)[/b][/CENTER] The inner sanctum of the Temple was dark and cold, and smelled of ash and stone. The Seer sat upon a divan in the shadows with her cloak drawn about her shoulders for warmth. The room was dank and windowless save for a single shaft of light beaming down from a square opening in the roof. The light fell upon a stone pedestal in the center of the room. On it was a round, shallow bowl full of water. The Seer?s gray eyes avoided the water. She knew that if she looked, she would See. But she did not want to See. Outside, she knew, the snow was falling quietly. The Tatesei people sat around blazing fires, bedecked with jewels and well at ease in the company of loved ones. And she cursed the gift that condemned her to remain in this place. A soft tread fell in the hallway. She heard its muted echo, but did not move. A tall figure slid through the shadows. She did not move as he approached, because he was not human and there was nowhere she could run from him. The priests of the newer, gentler Temple Order had allowed the demon in without protest, because he was Lord of the West and he held the lives of the Tatesei in the palm of his one hand. She didn?t look at the water in the bowl, because she didn?t want to see how the demon would kill her. The Lord of the West halted his slow, measured approach to stand before the bowl and the shaft of light. ?You are the Seer of Reiyama,? he said softly. She shuddered, revolted that so soft and cultured a voice could come from a creature of such violence and greed. There was no need to answer; he had not meant it as a question. But then he posed another question that she could not ignore. ?Will you serve me?? he asked simply. Then she turned to look at him, her gaze piercing even from beneath the blue veil that she wore to hide her face. [i]?Here it is[/i],? she thought bitterly. ?[i]The animal DOES bear some semblance to a man. He desires not my death, but the enslavement of the gift that is my curse.?[/i] Aloud, she answered, ?I know you, demon. You think yourself above humanity, yet what you desire is no different from what men desire of me. You want to know what I See. You want me to unveil the past and so unveil your future.? He moved forward into the light--cold and pale and cruel, with the grace of a lion stalking its prey. ?Yes,? he said, in that deadly soft whisper. ?I know that the priests imprison you here to hide your truths from the people, because truth is a deadly weapon indeed. Yet I offer you freedom, if you will serve only me.? The Seer eyed him coldly. ?You offer me another cage,? she told him, ?and in return you demand that I belong to you.? The white demon?s face remained calm and impassive. ?Yes,? he said again. Then he held out a hand. It passed through the light above the scrying-bowl; a knife-slash of white against the stark gray stone. ?Come, then,? he told her, ?if one cage is not so different from another.? She made no move to rise. ?When they brought me back to the city,? she said, ?they broke both my knees.? The demon stared at her for a moment. Then, with a hiss of steel, he drew the sword at his side. ?Did you really think,? he asked slowly, ?that I would give you a choice??[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{END OF CHAPTER 3}[/b][/color][/CENTER]

[color=gray][i][u][b]Author[/b][/u]: Yamisui [u][b]Rating[/b][/u]: [b]PG-13[/b] for violence, language and Miroku [u][b]Summary[/b][/u]: Welcome back to the Tatesei city of Reiyama, where the past never dies and Japan's future is at stake. The Sacred Jewel is one potential prize; the contender: Sesshoumaru. Driven by an obsession with the past and by his innate desire for power, he has found among his human subjects a Seer to serve him--one whom he has been promised will unravel the riddle of a prophecy spoken centuries before, by Midoriko herself... Meanwhile, an abruptly altered future draws Inuyasha, Kagome, Miroku, Sango and Shippou into a quest to restore fate. Once again they make the journey to Reiyama, where a force more ancient and terrible than Naraku or his coveted Jewel has begun to stir. A new battle is about to begin, for the struggle to save the Tatesei from themselves may lead to a future in which Inuyasha and his brother are destined to die... Author?s Note: ?Lord of the West? is the companion to my first full-length story (?The Bearers of the Shards?), and I highly recommend reading ?Bearers? first. It's posted on this forum, and also on ff.net. ?Lord of the West? will make a whole lot more sense that way. A reference for this chapter: the word ?Ningen? means ?human.?[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=green][b]{+} PROLOGUE {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple][i]Long ago, before the Feudal Age of kings and warlords, the darkness rose, and the world burned. War surged onto the land from the north and from the south, from the east and from the west like a tidal wave. It crossed the mountains, and the fields, and behind it, as in the lee of a great inferno, lay the fields of the dead, and the rivers running red with blood. Onto these fields of ruin, through these forests felled by the passage of warriors...there crept the demons of the wood and of the rivers, of the hills and of the deep places in the earth, and these grew fat on the flesh of the dead. Some were small and weak--little more than animals. Then came the larger, more hideous beasts--brutal and fierce and mindless as they were strong--and also the sly, poisonous ones who reveled in cruelty. There came the wild but gentle spirits of the water and the wood, who had long shunned the settlements of men for quieter places. And then...from the midst of these hordes there emerged the oldest and most enigmatic breed of demon. These were strangest of all, for they were straight and beautiful, and possessed within them souls not unlike the souls of men. Yet for all their human appearance, these demons wielded the power of monsters. And they--the Greater Youkai--were the most dangerous of all. In the emerging era of darkness, they were like gods among men... ...Or wolves among lambs... But then She arose: a human woman, yet wielding holy powers strong enough to oppose them. Midoriko. She came from a village in the mountains--a young priestess, wearing a man?s armor over her miko?s robes. In her hand she carried a sword of unknown make, and at her side there walked a Youkai resembling the tigers from across the sea. And with these things, she waged war against the demons, until finally she became immortalized in the tale of the Shikon Jewel?s formation. But that is another story. On the night before she went into her final battle with the Youkai, Midoriko went into a meditative trance to prepare her spirit for the fight to come. Yet the trance went far deeper than she had planned, and from her lips prophetic words poured forth. When she came to herself again, she remembered them, and gave them to her people, who recorded them and held them sacred. Once Midoriko had sealed her soul and the demons? inside the Shikon Jewel, the people of her village became very afraid, for demons now flocked to the mountains in hordes. These hordes, driven by greed and lust for power, desired the talisman for themselves. Very quickly, the villagers became divided over the decision of what to do with the Jewel. Most of them wanted to surrender it to the demons and flee to safer lands. But the warriors of the village were unswervingly loyal to Midoriko, and wished to stay and defend the talisman containing her soul. Thus it was that the warriors chose to remain in their home, with the Jewel in their possession. This proud group of fighters would one day mature into a larger tribe of demon-slayers, dedicated to guarding the Jewel of Four Souls. The others--those who chose flight from the mountains--traveled southwest for a long ways before settling. They chose a valley there in which to live--a valley green and fertile; ringed by mountains on all sides. They brought with them the scroll upon which Midoriko?s prophecy was inscribed. Time passed. A Greater Youkai came upon the valley, having newly laid claim to the western lands. Yet he did not destroy the villagers, offering them protection instead. These people, who were once Midoriko?s people, were cowardly and selfish, caring only for the survival of their own race. So they accepted the great demon?s dominion, and bided their time until the day when they would become strong enough to overthrow him. They learned necromancy: the darkest of all sorceries, and there arose among them a ruling class of priests, second only to the king himself. These sorcerers called themselves the Council of the Wise. Under the great demon?s protection, Midoriko?s people established a splendid city--Reiyama--in a time when other lands were too ravaged by war to build anything but fortresses. But these mortals had grown greedy, and the Wise had grown powerful. Finally, after many years of prosperity, the people of Reiyama betrayed their Youkai protectors. The great demon and his kin were killed, and their souls were taken by the Wise and enslaved. These enslaved spirits were bound to the city, and forced to guard it even in death. Thus Midoriko?s people forged a new name for themselves: the Tatesei--the ?Spirit Shield.? Over half a century later, the son of the Greater Youkai returned to avenge his ancestors. He destroyed the Wise after forcing them to free the Youkai souls. He set a new king upon the throne of Reiyama--one who hated sorcery, and one whom he believed he could control easily. But the Tatesei Line harbored secrets that even the young Youkai lord could not have guessed. Hidden in a deep chamber in the Temple of the Wise, there lay a tattered scroll with Midoriko?s words still printed upon it: ?Two rivers I see: one flowing alongside the other. They are two great Lines; theirs is a flow to span the Ages. One is a line of Youkai, strong and terrible. The other is a long line of sorcerers and kings--a race guarded by a shield of spirits. Where these rivers meet, I foresee the end of this Age, for a battle which began long ago shall at last be lost. ?And that which was broken...shall at last be destroyed...?[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=green][b]{+} Sesshoumaru Speaks {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [i][color=purple]"You know my tale. You know me for the great evil that I have done, and also for the strange mercies I have shown. Perhaps you look upon me and think me beautiful. Perhaps you look closer...and think me hideous. Beneath the veneer of civilization, I am the steel of sword-blades and the iron of shields. I have killed. Does that frighten you? It does not trouble MY sleep, for I regret nothing. All that I do is done in the name of my father?s broken Line--in the name of an old power that passes slowly from the world, before my very eyes... Judge me as you will; I am not human, and I do not care how you see me. It is enough for you to know that I am not soulless. Inside this cold steel there burns the warrior?s flame. In this shield of metal is a hairline crack--the weakness of a heart burning alone, in this world where honor fades..."[/color][/i] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=green][b]{+} Chapter 1: The Gray Specter {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Feudal Era, In the Tatesei Valley[/b][/CENTER] Three figures cut across the rice fields at mid-day, drawing the eye of every man, woman and child within distance to see. One was tall and white--pale as the ghosts that roamed the mountains; cloaked in white so pure it hurt to look at him. At his heels scuttled a small, imp-like creature with eyes big and bulbous as a frog?s and a harsh, croaking voice to match. Completing this strange trio was the bewildering presence of a young human child, walking at a respectful distance behind the tall one. The first two held themselves aloof, disregarding the stares the humans cast their way. But the child noticed, and upon noticing spoke to the tall one in a thin, piping voice. ?Sesshoumaru-[i]sama[/i], why are they staring at us?? she asked. ?Ew,? she added, ?I stepped in mud.? ?Hush!? the frog-like being ordered, picking his way around the puddles in the road. He was already mud-stained up to his bulging middle from previous mishaps. ?They stare because they are afraid,? the tall one told her without turning around. Yet his yellow eyes flickered from right to left, searching for signs of possible attackers. Tatesei archers lined the walls of the city overlooking the fields. Sesshoumaru had nothing to fear from them--their arrows could not fly fast enough to strike him at ANY distance. Yet he did not want the child to die, or to give his enemies in the city evidence that the girl was his weakness. That was what Rin was to Sesshoumaru: a weakness. But he was too proud to be embarrassed that he had one, and so he did not cast Rin aside. Though he had slaughtered many the last time he set foot in Reiyama, the Tatesei city, the [i]kirin[/i] had still named him lord of the West. Sesshoumaru had used his newfound dominion over the Tatesei to force the Wise to free his family?s souls. The working of that final spell had killed all of the Wise, for they had bound their very lives too tightly to their own sorcery to survive the reversal of it all. Sesshoumaru had thought their deaths would bring him peace. But then he had looked upon Reiyama, the city whose fate he now ruled, and realized that the same old bitterness still resided in his soul. The kirin had warned him before that, in order to become the great demon that his father once was, he must not become like the Wise. Yet it had also left him with a warning: [i](This is not over.)[/i] Because of that warning, Sesshoumaru was always wary of Tatesei treachery. Why the [i]kirin[/i] had chosen him to watch over them was beyond even his own intelligence. He certainly hadn?t [i]asked[/i] to be saddled with the burden of protecting them. For the time being, he controlled his anger because it was necessary. The day that it ceased to be necessary there would be a reckoning. The Tatesei watched him pass and made no move to attack him. He and his two companions moved beneath the protective cover of the woods, beyond the eyes of his enemies. Sesshoumaru did not know it, but his own fate was still bound to the Tatesei, even as theirs was bound to him.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Present; Tokyo, Japan[/b][/CENTER] A world away, in the Time beyond the Well, Kagome was brushing her teeth. She was still in her pajamas, and her hair had yet to be brushed. Fortunately for her, it was a school holiday, and she had been allowed to sleep in. She had [i]conveniently[/i] neglected to tell Inuyasha that it was a three-day weekend, and so today she looked forward to some much-needed relaxation. Kagome proceeded to rinse and spit, and then reached up to close the medicine cabinet in front of her. She contemplated her half-lidded reflection in it for a minute, then realized what she was looking at and let loose a blood-curdling scream. ?KYAAAAAAAAAAH!? ?Gah! Stop that fucking noise!? Inuyasha yelled, clapping both hands over his ears. The acoustics in the bathroom caused the scream to reverberate and amplify itself manifold. Kagome stopped, pressing a hand to her heaving chest and glaring at his reflection in the mirror. ?Don?t...EVER...do that...AGAIN!? she panted. He was perched behind her on the rim of her bathtub, peering at her rather glumly. ?It?s the New Moon already, huh?? Kagome commented, running hot water to wash her face. Her hands were still shaking as she turned the faucets. ?Feh,? he grumbled, looking even more glum. His hair, of course, was black, and his ears were human. If his claws hadn?t disappeared, she would?ve made him get off before he scratched up the tub. Kagome finished washing and then turned to face him, hands on her hips. ?You?re bleeding, you know,? she observed. ?All over the bathmat.? This, of course, was an exaggeration. There was a small cut on his cheek that had dripped one droplet of blood onto the fuzzy pink mat. But Kagome disliked being surprised while in her pajamas and she hadn?t cooled down yet. ?No one answered the door, so I tried climbing up the side of your house,? Inuyasha explained. ?Then I realized that I didn?t have any claws.? He paused, scowling. ?Why the fuck did you have to plant those thorny flowers under your window?!? Kagome exerted a very valiant effort to keep from laughing. She had begged Inuyasha time and time again not to climb through her window because the neighbors had begun to notice the gouge marks. ?So,? she said, setting the matter aside. ?Why exactly are you here?? ?I?ve got a problem,? Inuyasha announced. Kagome stared at him, waiting for him to elaborate. It took him a second to realize this. ?Um, yeah,? he said. ?Someone is fucking HEXING me.? In response to Kagome?s blank stare, he added, ?I think I?m gonna DIE.? Surmising that this was going to take a while, Kagome hoisted herself up onto the sink. ?So--er--when did this start?? she asked reasonably, folding her hands in her lap. Inuyasha frowned. ?Yesterday,? he answered. ?Miroku claimed he couldn?t exorcise me. Kaede tried to feed me some fucking NASTY herbs. I gave HER a piece of my mind! Sango and Shippou tried to hold me down and MAKE me take the herbs. I kicked their asses. Then Miroku tried to jump me, telling me to calm down; I wasn?t being hexed. I kicked his ass, too. I KNOW I?m being hexed, so I came to see you because you live in a shrine.? He paused, scratching one ear pensively. ?They didn?t try to stop me. Seemed kind of happy I was going...? Kagome peered at him curiously. His face seemed more flushed than usual. ?What does the curse feel like?? she asked reasonably. Inuyasha pondered this for a moment, then answered, ?Dizzy. And hot. And it makes me have to...? He broke off, turning a delicate shade of green. Apprehensively, Kagome watched as he stood up. Inuyasha stood very still for a moment, and then his eyes bulged a little. He staggered out of the bathroom and into Kagome?s bedroom. ?[i]Oh, NO[/i],? she thought, hurrying after him. ?[i]Don?t tell me he?s going to-- ?[/i] ?Come BACK, Inuyasha!? she wailed, but he had already flung open her shutters and was now proceeding to puke out the window. ?Oh, GROSS,? Kagome moaned, covering her face with her hands. ?COOL!? exclaimed her little brother Souta, who had just wandered into the room to see what all the fuss was about. ?Hey, Sis, at least he made it to the window instead of using your sock drawer or something.? Kagome found Inuyasha a paper towel to clean off with before she would allow him to bring his head back inside. He flung the towel out the window when he was done with it. ?Souta, go get that before the cat finds it,? Kagome ordered. ?Aw, SIS,? Souta complained, but she ignored him, turning to Inuyasha. ?This is not a hex,? she explained. ?It?s called ?the flu.?? Inuyasha just stared at her. ?The what?? He sounded vaguely disappointed. ?The flu,? Kagome repeated patiently. ?Remember that cold I got a long time ago?? She almost added, ?When you dragged me shard-hunting, we ended up fighting a lot of necromancers, and then I broke my arm? When you came home with me and flooded my bathroom?? But in the interests of peace, she held her tongue. ?Hell, yeah, I remember!? Inuyasha looked disgusted. ?So it?s some human disease?? Kagome sighed. He made it sound like he?d caught the plague from rats. ?Whatever you call it, you?ve got it, and you?re stuck with it for at least the next twenty-four hours.? Inuyasha managed to pull a face that was horrified and indignant at the same time. Kagome exited the bathroom. ?Hey, where the hell d?you think YOU?RE going?!? Inuyasha called after her. ?I?m SICK, here!? ?I KNOW that,? she answered, her voice sounding slightly muffled through the wall. ?I?m getting you some pajamas.? There was a pause, and then: ?What the fuck are ?pajamas??? Inuyasha sat there, wracking his brains in an effort to remember where he?d heard that term before. Kagome didn?t bother to answer this. Instead, she called back, ?Oh, and if you need to be sick, do it in the toilet. Do NOT miss.? ?Yeah, sure,? he grumbled. ?And remember what you learned LAST time, okay?? Kagome warned him. ?The toilet is NOT like Miroku?s Wind Tunnel. It does NOT suck up objects larger than--er--? ?Shit?? Inuyasha offered helpfully. ?Er--right,? Kagome replied. She had a feeling she was in for a bit of a ride.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Feudal Era; The Tatesei Valley[/b][/CENTER] Sesshoumaru and his two small companions walked swiftly through the forest--or, rather, Sesshoumaru walked swiftly while Rin and Jaken hurried to keep up with him. He deliberately kept his pace quick--Rin was always quieter when she had been well-exercised, and Jaken... Well, Jaken had no excuse. Jaken had been serving his master since Sesshoumaru?s infancy, and should have long since ceased his endless, whining entreaties for his master to wait for him. The woods were silent to Rin and Jaken, but to Sesshoumaru?s keen senses the very darkness seemed to breathe. He heard every heartbeat of the hare running from the wolf; every call of the white owls roosting in the trees. He felt the eye of every lesser demon, fair and foul, that watched him from the shadowed and sheltered places of the wood. This was what it meant to be a demon of the purest blood. In the great garden of savagery, his senses sang and yet he feared nothing. He, Sesshoumaru, was lord here. ?But what is that clacking sound I hear?? he mused aloud. His head turned slightly, so that one eye beheld the source of the noise. ?L-look, my l-lord! S-snow!? Rin announced between chattering teeth. With one arm she hugged herself for warmth; the other hand she jabbed skyward excitedly. Sesshoumaru?s pace didn?t slow, but he did turn his gaze upward. A flurry of snow was indeed beginning to fall. It settled gently on his hair and eyelids. ?We will be home soon, Rin,? he told her. Sesshoumaru felt the cold like any mortal, yet because it represented no danger to him he chose to ignore it. The child was another matter, of course. He did not want to have to use Tenseiga on her yet again just to thaw her out. And the chattering of teeth was most irritating. ?Wh-whining brat,? Jaken grumbled, embracing himself and shuddering just as violently. Then the little imp stopped abruptly as he bumped right into Sesshoumaru?s legs. ?M-my lord, what is it?? Jaken asked. Sesshoumaru shot him a glare that clearly meant, ?Cease speaking or die,? and he fell silent. The demon lord then directed his attention elsewhere, keen yellow eyes sweeping the area. The mountain pass connecting the Tatesei Valley to Sesshoumaru?s personal estate was heavily wooded and almost never traveled by anyone but Sesshoumaru himself. He had brought Jaken and Rin with him this time because he needed them to tend his two-headed steed. But A and Un had been killed--slain in battle by Naraku?s latest hideous creation--nearly taking down with them Naraku?s real target. ?Rin,? Sesshoumaru called, to make sure she hadn?t gotten herself lost already. The little girl snapped to attention. ?Yes, my lord!? she chirped. Simultaneously relieved and annoyed, Sesshoumaru did not deign to answer. Rin immediately seemed to forgive him for not answering and began skipping after him. It was becoming clear to him that it was high time he stopped bringing her with him on these excursions. Having Rin around when he went into battle was irksome. Naraku had clearly identified her as Sesshoumaru?s weakness, and kept trying to burn/stab/poison/melt her. Soon, Sesshoumaru surmised, his nemesis might run out of ways of trying to off her... But then again, Naraku was a most cunning and persistent character. Sesshoumaru rather admired his creativity. But now he sniffed the air, frowning. It was not Naraku?s scent that he caught. ?What is it, my Lord?? Jaken asked, approaching him tentatively. ?An intruder?? Sesshoumaru?s lip curled upward in disgust. ?[i]Ningen[/i],? he said, with heartfelt distaste. ?Rin is [i]Ningen[/i],? Jaken interjected slyly. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore him. Somewhere behind them, only a bit further down the slope, a stick cracked. More noises followed--either the intruder was unaware of their presence or simply didn?t care. ?Jaken, take Rin home,? Sesshoumaru ordered calmly. Obediently, the two continued on up the slope. Sesshoumaru, in the meantime, turned and started downward at a pace that was almost leisurely. As he walked further, his frown deepened. Beyond the single intruder, more Ningen were coming--he could smell the tar on the pine torches that they carried. But the lone intruder carried no torch with him. [i]?So,[/i]? Sesshoumaru mused. ?[i]Hunters and their quarry...[/i]? He was not smiling. ?What fools you are,? he murmured softly, ?to trouble me with your insignificant quarrels...? Then the first intruder burst through the undergrowth, scattering flurries of the snow that had settled on the bushes. He was of medium height for a [i]Ningen[/i], but all other features were indistinguishable, because he wore the gray cloak of the Wise with the hood pulled low. Sesshoumaru?s ire at the sight of that cloak was instant and terrible. His eyes flared red, and he flew at the enemy so fast that the man had no time to react. His strong white hand encircled the man?s throat, cloak and all, and pulled him close. It cost him a supreme effort not to kill the man outright, clenching until the head burst from the body. But he was Lord of the West; master of himself, and so he reined in the sudden tide of dark passion. ?I don?t care who you are,? Sesshoumaru said icily. ?I don?t care if you?re some mere charlatan, fool enough to wear their raiment. But you will tell me...why your boy king has suffered you to live. . .and why he has dared to tempt my wrath.? He loosened his grip on the man?s neck to allow him breath, but did not let go. ?Don?t let them take me,? the intruder pleaded in a choked whisper, clutching at Sesshoumaru?s white-clad arm in an effort to free himself. ?I swear, I will serve you and only you...if you?ll protect me...? Sesshoumaru?s expression was hard and cold. ?I make no pact with filth like you,? he said softly. ?Answer, and your death will be swift. That is the extent of the mercy you may expect from me.? One of his nails pierced the gray cloth, digging into the flesh beneath. The man gasped, and attempted to pull away, but Sesshoumaru?s grip was far too firm. The intruder?s hood slid askew, enough to reveal one wide, gray eye beneath. ?Please,? the man whispered. ?Why me?? Sesshoumaru asked. ?Why do you come to me, your enemy, to ask for aid? Do you think to haunt me, like some gray specter of the past?? The man did not answer, and neither did the gray eye?s gaze waver. His hand, with which he had been clutching Sesshoumaru?s sleeve, now slid downward to grasp the white demon?s wrist. At that touch--that pressure of human flesh upon demon--Sesshoumaru recoiled. He didn?t let go of the man?s throat, but his arm flinched in an effort to make the man let go. When this didn?t prove successful, he allowed his Youkai poison to begin to seep into his hand and outward toward his nails--toward the intruder?s neck. He had been touched by humans before--oftentimes when he killed them; seldom against his will--but this... ?Sorcery,? Sesshoumaru gasped, face darkening further. ?You [i]dare[/i]...!? This was not like any human touch he had ever encountered. He was no longer even sure that this WAS a human. Though the hand upon his wrist was real and alive, he felt as if the intruder?s sorcery was seeping into his head, laying his mind bare and vulnerable. Sesshoumaru despised vulnerability. ?Die,? he whispered, making ready to poison the man with his claws. But then the sorcery that had been building so rapidly finally took hold of him. Time seemed to slow and stretch, and the world around him shifted. The trees and the slope vanished, and the moon?s brilliance was suddenly shining down upon him where before there had been only clouds. The ground he stood on now was flat and blanketed with snow. It was a field--he was standing in a Tatesei field. Slowly, Sesshoumaru glanced down at himself and began to understand. His clothing was stained crimson. In his hand there was a sword. Then he looked up at those surrounding him and he understood in full. ?I know this place...? he whispered.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Present Era[/b][/CENTER] ?What the FUCK are THESE? I?m NOT wearing them!? ?Inuyasha, please calm down! Besides, you?re ALREADY wearing them!? Kagome and Inuyasha were facing off, standing on either side of her bed and glaring at each other. Inuyasha was wearing a pair of black, pin-striped pajamas and looking none too pleased. One arm was out of the shirt sleeve, and was crossed stubbornly over the other arm across his chest. ?They?re too small!? he complained. ?How the hell am I supposed to have room to fight in them?!? Kagome tried darting around the side of the bed to overtake him, but he vaulted over the entire mattress, landing in a defensive crouch on the other side. ?For the LAST TIME, Inuyasha: you don?t have to FIGHT anyone here!? Kagome cried, exasperated. ?You came here to get WELL! No one?s AFTER you!? ?YOU are,? he pointed out, squinting at her. ?Just leave me the hell alone! I?ll sleep in my clothes like I always do!? ?Your clothes are all germy!? Kagome fired back. ?They need to be washed!? ?FINE!? he snapped. ?I?ll sleep in these short pants-thingies you?re making me wear under it, but NOT the PA-JA-MAS!? To his surprise, Kagome turned bright red and took her hands off the bed. ?FINE, then!? she shouted. ?JUST wear the boxers. But don?t think you?re sleeping in HERE!? ?FINE!? he hollered back. ?You?re pissing me off, anyway!? Inuyasha seemed on the verge of launching into a long tirade about this, but his face suddenly went quite green, and he dashed out of the room. Kagome slammed the door shut behind him. For a minute she just stood there, leaning against it. Then she let out a long, slow sigh of frustration and opened it again. She walked down the hall toward the bathroom, but when she peered in he wasn?t there. The evidence that he HAD been there was still there, however. Kagome flushed the toilet with a grimace and then started back down the hall and down the stairs to find him. She didn?t have to search long--there soon came a mighty ruckus from the laundry room. ?WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT?! NOOOOOOOOOOOO!? She nearly collided with Inuyasha as he stormed out of the laundry room, still wearing the pajamas and looking positively furious. ?I?m sorry, but they?ll have to drip-dry or they?ll shrink,? Kagome?s mother called from behind him. Kagome wasn?t too sure just HOW you washed the robes of a Fire-Rat, but she sensed that this wasn?t a good time to join the argument. She also wasn?t sure that Inuyasha?s tantrums were the best thing for his health right now. ?Inuyasha, why don?t you go lie down in front of the TV?? she suggested, putting on her sweetest expression. ?You?re here to relax, remember?? Inuyasha glared at her suspiciously. ?You?re not going to feed me any of that nasty herb shit, are you?? Kagome sighed and shook her head. ?No,? she answered, ?but if you?ll quit charging around the house and lie down on the couch I?ll bring you some miso.? ?Ramen,? Inuyasha demanded, folding his arms across his chest. ?Miso,? Kagome corrected him. ?It?s good for you.? She didn?t bother turning around but headed straight for the kitchen. ?RAMEN,? Inuyasha repeated more loudly. Then he noticed that the background around her had gone all dark and swirly, and prudently shut his mouth. Grumbling half-heartedly, he meandered into the family room and flopped face-down onto the long, squishy chair-thing. It smelled of crunchy potato flakes, incense, and Buyo the cat. Inuyasha rolled over onto his back, sniffing. This room didn?t smell anywhere NEAR as good as Kagome?s, and he wondered vaguely why she wouldn?t let him sleep in THERE. And it was really hot here, too. Kagome was wearing some kind of shift that looked more suited to summer than to the Feudal Era?s weather--well into winter now. What had he been complaining about? Oh yes...the weird clothes. A problem easily fixed... ?Hey, your miso?s ready,? Kagome said after a while, coming to stand behind the couch. ?It?s...HEY, PUT SOME CLOTHES ON, WILL YOU?!? ?What?? Inuyasha asked. He was lying on his back with both hands behind his head, wearing nothing but the short pants that Kagome called ?boxers.? ?These [i]are [/i]clothes! Aren?t they clothes?? he asked Souta, who had just come into the room to see what all the commotion was for. ?Yep,? Souta agreed. His hair was wet, and he was wearing nothing but a towel around his waist--evidently having just come from the shower. ?Jeez, Kagome, why d?you have to be so bossy? It?s not like he?s NAKED...? Souta was, if anything, just as naked as Inuyasha. ?You hear that?? Inuyasha smirked, turning toward Kagome again. She stood frozen on the spot, the bowl of miso still poised in one hand. ?HE says it?s fine, and HE?S a boy. If HE can wear THAT and you don?t complain, why can?t I just wear THIS?? Kagome flushed a little and averted her gaze. ?It?s not the SAME, okay?!? she sputtered. Inuyasha stretched his arms out over his head, cracking his knuckles. ?This is much better than those wimpy little things YOU wanted me to wear.? Kagome set the bowl down on the coffee table and straightened slowly. Inuyasha?s smirk died when he realized she wasn?t buying this. ?There?s nothing wrong with them!? she snapped. ?They were my dad?s!? Kagome seemed upset, and Inuyasha saw the dangerous sparkle of tears in the corners of her eyes, but he wasn?t the sort to go nosing into other peoples? pasts, so he kept quiet. After a minute she sighed and plopped into a nearby chair, reaching for some kind of small metallic object. Inuyasha tensed, expecting her to throw it at him, but instead she aimed it at the shiny box facing the couch and clicked something on it. The shiny box became even shinier. ?I remember this!? Inuyasha remarked, eyeing it suspiciously. ?The tivvy. You stare at it and it sucks out your soul.? Kagome gave him a weird look, and the tears receded from her eyes. ?I watch it, and I STILL have MY soul,? she pointed out. ?You?re not eating,? she added, nodding toward the soup on the table. Dutifully, he picked up the bowl and began slurping at it, obeying mainly because he?d already won the right to stay in the boxers and he didn?t want to push his luck. ?Well, it just gives your soul back when you turn it off,? he suggested. The miso was actually quite good, for all its resemblance to pond scum floating in water. They watched the tivvy for most of the day. Inuyasha didn?t seem to care one whit about the technological marvel of it all, but he did get far too involved in whatever was on it. He frowned at the game shows (?They oughta kill the people who don?t answer right.?); scowled at the dramas (?Change it--I don?t want my soul being sucked into THAT.?); went silent with wonder while watching the sports (?. . .?); yawned at the news (?Forget this fake crap. I want to watch the REAL stuff.?); and was positively mesmerized by the music channels (?Why does that ugly spike-haired pierced guy have all those women fondling him??). Through it all Kagome pressed an endless stream of glasses of water on him, which he accepted but after a while took to dumping on the carpet under the couch when she wasn?t looking. Finally, he fell asleep on the couch, one arm and one leg hanging onto the floor. Nobody woke him until late that evening. Souta came in and poked him in the head. ?BWAH!? he yelled, sitting up in a flash, reaching for Tetsusaiga, which, of course, was nowhere near him. ?Hey,? Souta told him. ?It?s time for bed. You?re bunking with me.? Inuyasha?s eyes narrowed. ?I?m what??[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple][i]Kagome dreamed of the jewel.[/i] [i]She dreamed of a man raising a blade over his head. She saw the Shikon jewel tumble from her grasping fingers. She saw the jewel fall into a bowl of water. Ripples spread outward from the place where it fell. The ripples became tidal waves crashing on the shores of Japan. The waves became mountains. Between the mountains, there lay a valley. She saw a city of people with blood coursing through their veins that glowed through their skin like rivers of fire. She saw a hand close around the jewel. She saw a great and luminous eye slowly begin to open, and was filled with nameless dread for what this might mean.[/i] She awoke to find Inuyasha staring at her, his nose inches from her face. ?Hey,? he said. ?What?s a ?pimp??? Kagome sat up with a start, clapping a hand to her heaving chest while clenching the bedclothes with the other. ?You--you--WHAT?? she gasped. ?You woke me up to ask me about THIS?! What?s WRONG with you?!? ?[i]No wonder I dreamed about an eye[/i],? she thought. ?[i]With him STARING at me...?[/i] Inuyasha settled back onto his heels. He was crouched by the side of her bed, wearing the pin-striped pajamas. ?You said I could sleep in here if I wore these,? he explained simply. ?But Souta said I looked like a ?pimp.?? Kagome scowled in the darkness. ?The real question is: how does SOUTA know what a pimp is?? she muttered. To Inuyasha, she said, ?It means a really strong warrior.? ?Oh,? Inuyasha said, looking well-pleased. ?So...? He glanced around. ?Where do I sleep?? Kagome stared at him a moment, then pointed to the foot of the bed. ?There,? she told him. ?Unless you don?t mind the floor.? She flopped down against the pillows again, assuming he would take the floor. However, the creaking of the mattress springs told her he was taking the bed. He sprawled across the foot, near her feet. [i]'Oh well[/i],' Kagome thought sleepily. [i]'Just like sleeping with Buyo, I guess...[/i]' She drifted off again, and forgot about the dream.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]END OF CHAPTER 1[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Author?s Note: Again, I plead with you: if you have not read ?The Bearers of the Shards,? PLEASE READ THAT FIRST. I assure you it?s just as good as this story, so you won?t regret it. But this story will make a WHOLE LOT MORE SENSE if you do. Onegai! Also, ?Otou-sama? means ?Lord Father?---a respectful form of address for one?s father.[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+} LORD OF THE WEST {+} {+} {+} {+} Chapter 2: The Seer of Reiyama {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [i][color=purple]The young man stood in the field, ankle-deep in snow. His clothes and flesh were torn and stained with blood. Some of it was his; some belonged to his enemies...and some belonged to his family, who lay dead beneath the blanket of white. He stood frozen, but it wasn?t from the chill. He had fought his way through a multitude of warriors, sent by the human king to stop him from reaching the battlefield. And he had slain them all. Their bodies--ripped and dismembered by his own claws--lay strewn in a bloody path behind him. Yet he had reached the field too late: his father lay dead, the last to fall amongst his kin. Their enormous bodies lay in the snow, as if they were slowly sinking into it. Their souls were no longer their own, for the Wise had taken them. And now the sorcerers were moving toward his father, chanting their dark spells to entrap the dead Youkai?s soul. He had been standing frozen with shock before; now something snapped in his mind, and he rushed at his enemies with no thought for his own life. ?NO!? Sesshoumaru snarled, curling his claws in preparation to tear them down. ?You will NOT take him!? They were the Wise: the self-appointed priests of the Tatesei city, who had long been practicing their dark necromancy in secret, until the time came when they were strong enough to attack the Inu Youkai Clan... Until the time when they were strong enough to betray the very ones who protected their people... Now some of them turned from his father, and the red light of their necromancy reached toward him like grasping claws. It seemed they wanted to take him as well. ?No!? he cried again. He pushed past them, brushing their fragile human forms out of his way as a man might swat at flies. He did not stop until he had come to stand between the leader of the sorcerers and his father. The high priest of the Wise was an old man; wizened and shrewd. To his comrades, he said, ?Take him.? The sorcerers obeyed, moving toward the young demon slowly but steadily. Their long, gray robes covered their feet, so that they seemed to glide like ghosts over the snow. Sesshoumaru, knowing that their advance meant his doom, drew the sword that hung at his hip. ?If you would take me,? he said to them in a low voice, ?then take me. But I will not let you take him.? He raised the sword, gripping the hilt so tightly that his hand went white at the knuckles. ?Tenseiga,? he thought, speaking to the sword with his spirit. ?If you are truly the Sword of Life, then give me back my father...? ?That sword,? the sorcerers murmured. ?It shines. That is no ordinary blade!? They drew back from it, fearing that the young Inu Youkai would mow them all down with one sweeping arc of the blade. Yet his attention rested not upon them, but upon his father?s enormous body. The true form of the lord of the West was twice as large as Sesshoumaru?s--larger than any other Inu Youkai?s. Yet his father?s brilliant fur had lost its silver luster, and the snow beneath the Greater Youkai was dyed crimson. ?I can see him,? Sesshoumaru murmured, and it was so. His father stood before him--not in his massive Inu form but as the man who had once held Sesshoumaru?s hand as they walked through the forests together. This was the man who had taught him sword-craft and Youkai magic, and how to kill with predatory swiftness. This was the man who had shown him not only the beauty of the woods and streams, but also the music and the gardens of Men. Now this man--Sesshoumaru?s father--was surrounded by the imps of the dead, who had come to guide his soul onward. ?Come back to me!? Sesshoumaru called to him. ?With Tenseiga I call you back!? But his father?s soul, standing amongst these otherworldly messengers with quiet dignity, smiled and slowly shook his head. His gaze upon his son was keen with love and pity. But Sesshoumaru was weary and nearly numb with shock, and still barely over the threshold of manhood. He didn?t want pity. ?Father!? he cried, aggrieved. ?You gave me the Sword of Life! I want you to LIVE...!? Sesshoumaru brandished the sword and made to slash at the imps. But his father stepped between the little guides and the descending blade. He caught it in his hand, and his fingers around it were firm and strong as any living man?s. ?No,? he said softly to his son. The eyes of the lord of the West were grave; for all the love there, there was no possibility of him accepting his son?s offer. ?Don?t turn away and leave me,? Sesshoumaru pleaded, forsaking all pride in his desperation. ?Return, and you and I will walk together as we once did. We will avenge our kin!? He paused to take a deep, shaky breath, and then added in a low voice: ?Their blood cries out from the fields of the Tatesei. How can you leave me...to stand alone here?? But his father only shook his head again. ?Live,? he bade his son, ?and protect them.? Then he turned his face upward, and his form dissolved into light. His soul as he began to ascend into the night sky was so brilliant that Sesshoumaru could not bear to look upon it. Throwing one arm up before his face, he averted his gaze. When he was able to see again, his father was gone--taken by the messengers to whatever lay beyond. Slowly, Sesshoumaru?s gaze drifted to the sword in his hand, Tenseiga. ?Useless,? he whispered hoarsely. ?He is dead. Of what use is a life-giving sword when it cannot even bring him back?? And with an incoherent snarl, he cast Tenseiga aside, flinging it to the ground. Then he became aware of the bemused mutterings among the Wise, and remembered that he was surrounded by enemies. ?The Great Demon is gone,? the leader of the sorcerers told his fellows, ?and the sword is proven powerless. Take the young one, then.? Then the old man turned his pitiless gaze upon Sesshoumaru and said, ?Son of the Inu Youkai: the age of your kind dies with your father?s Line. You must accept this. Don?t waste your last breath fighting a battle that you cannot win. Die like a Man, and not a beast.? Sesshoumaru?s young face settled into a calm, cold mask; still waters hiding the current of hatred that ran beneath. To the sorcerers, he said, ?Oh, but I AM a beast...? Then he plunged forward into their midst. He lay about him as if his hands had become scythes and he was reaping grain from the fields. Yet it was human lives that he harvested now, and their blood drenched his hands. He struck blindly in his rage, not caring who it was that he killed, for the only living ones around him were his enemies. His sorrow maddened him, and with this new unraveling of his sanity his human form was also departing. He began to rise into his true form. Then he was the great white Inu, laying about him with claw and fang. His rage filled his spirit with so much strength that the spells of the Wise could not take hold of him, and because the souls they had captured were newly taken, they could not yet be used to attack him. He was white death, and they were helpless as children before his might. Only when their bodies had been trampled to a bloody pulp beneath his claws did Sesshoumaru come to himself again. He cast one glance about him, surveying his dead foes, and then turned away from them, no longer caring to dwell on the fact of their deaths. Before his father?s corpse, he sank onto his knees in the snow and wept bitterly. After a time, his hoarse sobs became dry, for there were no more tears left in him. He rose to his feet, scarcely aware of the chill in the air. It had begun to snow again. Then he remembered Tenseiga. He walked over to the place where he had flung it and stood there, gazing down at it in silence. Flurries of white were slowly burying it. Why shouldn?t he leave it here? Its powerlessness had left him bitter and angry. His father had left him a worthless blade, because Sesshoumaru was not the one chosen. His father had not given him Tetsusaiga, the sword that might have destroyed the Wise before they could utter their foul spells. His father had not thought him worthy. In the instant that the lord of the West had turned away and left him, Sesshoumaru?s heart turned to ice. And yet... And yet...though his veins now coursed with the poisoned chill of bitterness, Sesshoumaru found himself bending to retrieve Tenseiga. He sheathed it quickly at his side, because he no longer cared to touch it. But he kept it...because his father had given it to him. The snow swirled around him, pure and cold and empty as the night...[/color][/i] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=purple]...Then the world spun and shifted, and once again Sesshoumaru was standing in the forest on the slope of the mountain, but a few miles away from his home. He was himself again--no longer the young man he had been then, who had let his passions rule him. The hand that had held Tenseiga was no longer there. But he was stronger now, and quieter as well, for time had begun to ebb away his arrogance and his bravado like the tide upon the sands. Yet for a moment the anger and bitterness that had driven him so long ago had been slashed open like an old wound by the sudden onslaught of memory. [i]?What can this mean?[/i]? Sesshoumaru wondered to himself. He was not frightened, but neither was he glad. He had heard of mind-readers before, but what the man in the gray cloak had done to him was something else entirely. The sorcerer, of course, had vanished. Sesshoumaru had no idea how much time had passed since the spell had first been cast. Then, with sudden concern, he touched his remaining hand to the hilts of both his swords. He was reassured to find that Tenseiga and Tokijin were both still hanging at his hips on either side. Though the Wise would not be able to wield Tenseiga because it only obeyed its master, he had no such certainties where Tokijin was concerned. His strength had overcome the sword?s evil will and bent it to his own, but he was not certain what would happen if it ever fell into the hands of another. Sesshoumaru wondered why a sorcerer so powerful would be fleeing from mortals. That the man was a practitioner of the arts Sesshoumaru himself had forbidden was no mere possibility... Sesshoumaru was not allowed much time to stand and wonder. By this time, the torch-bearing posse had overtaken him. They burst through the trees as noisily as a bunch of stampeding yaks. They were, as he had surmised, Tatesei warriors, but to his surprise they were armed to the teeth. They carried bows and arrows, swords and shields--though the shields were lightweight to make for faster travel up the slope. They wore metal helmets and thickly studded leather armor. They stopped short at the sight of him, and then half-sank, half-fell to their knees before him, regardless of the snow. [i]?So[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought. [i]?Even in the boldness of their intrusion I have their fear.[/i]? This was always good to know. A long and uneasy pause ensued. Sesshoumaru was notoriously not very sociable, and the warriors waited nearly a full minute for him to say something before finally giving up and addressing him first. ?Great Lord of the West, have you seen the girl?? their leader asked. He looked very cold and wet, doubtlessly longing for a cup of tea and a warm fireside. If he was looking for hospitality, he certainly wasn?t going to get it from Sesshoumaru. ?A girl,? Sesshoumaru repeated slowly. He supposed the sorcerer might have been female--not that it mattered. Male or female, all [i]Ningen[/i] smelled alike to HIM...But he wasn?t about to let these clanking fools know that the sorcerer had eluded him. Instead he asked, ?Why have all of you (his gaze swept across their numbers) come chasing one girl with so many weapons?? The warriors shifted uneasily at this question. Sesshoumaru rather enjoyed watching his enemies shift uneasily in his presence. ?She is a most valuable servant of the king,? the leader finally answered. ?Truly?? Sesshoumaru asked with feigned idleness. ?Your king serves under me; is she not my servant as well?? The warriors did not answer. Sesshoumaru fought the urge to grimace. They reeked of fear. Yet after another moment?s pause he switched to a different tactic. ?She passed this way,? he informed them. ?She heads upward toward my estate. The punishment for such intrusion is death. Especially...(here his eyes flashed) for a heretic necromancer who has dared to practice those arts that I have forbidden you.? There it was. He had found the warriors? weakness. They blanched at his words; it seemed they had come to take the girl alive. The warriors, in turn, seemed to realize that he was toying with them and that avoiding giving explanation was getting them nowhere. ?We cry your mercy, O Great Lord,? their leader pleaded. ?Spare her. She?s not a sorcerer like the Wise. She?s a Seer.? Sesshoumaru?s piercing gaze flickered, and it was with supreme effort that he concealed his surprise. The [i]kirin?s[/i] last words echoed in his ears as if they had been spoken a moment ago and not two years: [i](This is not over. Though I ordained you, you are not the one chosen in prophecy. If you will not rule the city, then choose a king who will. But do not abandon the Tatesei. It is dangerous to do so--far more dangerous than you know.)[/i] Sesshoumaru had then asked of the [i]kirin[/i]: ?Why does this prophecy the Wise spoke of point to Inuyasha? Why do they fear him so?? And the [i]kirin[/i] had answered: [i](If you would know, then take this Shikon shard and use it to find the Seer.)[/i] But Sesshoumaru had cast the shard away, giving it to the girl who traveled with Inuyasha. Though he did not like to admit it, he had been more arrogant then. He had refused to heed the [i]kirin?s[/i] advice out of pride. Yet now he was not so certain. He had elected not to seek the Seer, but he had never anticipated that the Seer would find [i]him[/i]... But all this was meaningless, regardless of the coincidence. Sesshoumaru did not trust the Tatesei enough to reveal that he was interested. If there was one thing that he had learned from his encounters with Naraku... [i]?If your enemies cannot prey upon your fears,[/i]? he thought, ?[i]then they will prey upon your desires. And that is a more dangerous thing, because they are YOUR desires...?[/i] The warriors made no attempt to rise. They watched the white demon warily, awaiting his answer. Some of them were visibly shivering now. Sesshoumaru asked, ?What will you do with the Seer when you have found her?? The leader bowed his head. ?Then you wish me to find her, Lord?? he inquired respectfully. ?Don?t make me repeat myself,? Sesshoumaru said coolly. ?Tell me now, or I shall lose patience.? He shifted the stump of his left arm ever so slightly, so that its sleeve fell away to reveal Tokijin at his side. The warriors noted this and tensed, thinking he would reach for the sword. ?We will bring her back to the city,? the leader answered, daring to raise his eyes to Sesshoumaru?s unsmiling face. He was a much younger man than the others, but he seemed to hide his fear more successfully. ?A Seer is prized among our people. He or she brings us great counsel and advice.? ?[i]Either this one is young, and has not heard the stories of me[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought wryly,[i] ?or he is a fool who believes them to be lies.?[/i] In the white demon?s two-year reign as lord of the western lands, never once had the Tatesei offered the slightest hint of revolt. But Sesshoumaru?s memory was long, and he recalled that there had been many years of peace before they betrayed his father, as well. As for their betrayal of Sesshoumaru...he believed that it was not a matter of if, but when. [i]?Did you know, Otou-sama?[/i]? he often wondered. ?[i]Did you feel this ever- deepening mistrust that I feel now? This lordship so binds me to them, in ways that I can neither fathom nor deny. I can sense the approaching storm, even if I cannot judge its distance. You MUST have known...and yet you guarded them. You...loved them...?[/i] Sesshoumaru realized that, without noticing it, he had lapsed into silent contemplation of the young warrior?s face. The man?s jaw and cheekbones were angular and high; his eyes were deep-set, bearing the shape and color of almonds. His expression now was very earnest. ?Will you allow us passage?? the young man asked humbly, with ill-concealed hopefulness. As he gazed upon this young man?s face, Sesshoumaru found himself wondering--as he so often did--?[i]Will it be you? Or your children someday?[/i]? The young warrior bore this piercing scrutiny stoically, but Sesshoumaru could tell that his companions were very frightened now. They probably thought that he would take their leader?s head because the youth had dared to lock eyes with the white demon. His nostrils flared slightly, and his lip curled in disgust as he smelled that one of the warriors had wet himself. Disgusting. The beast in him urged him to slaughter these contemptible creatures where they knelt, painting the snow red with their flesh. But the lord of the West turned his back on them instead, sharp gaze spanning the darkness between the trees. He caught the Seer?s scent; she wasn?t far off. ?Find her,? he bade the warriors, ?I will allow it.? With some difficulty because fear and cold had made them stiff, the posse rose to its feet. The men were too nervous to pause and stretch the flow of blood back into their muscles, so their progress as they filed off into the trees was slow and awkward. The leader brought up the rear, probably to ensure that his cowardly underlings didn?t give up altogether and flee. ?You,? Sesshoumaru said to him, calling him back. The warrior did not approach the white demon, but turned and inclined his head respectfully. His long warrior?s queue slid over one armored shoulder. Like all the Tatesei, his hair was a very dark brown, like the trees in winter. ?Yes, my Lord?? he murmured, sloe eyes fixed upon Tokijin hanging at Sesshoumaru?s side. ?What is your name, [i]Ningen[/i]?? Sesshoumaru asked. He had already decided that he disliked this human stripling who didn?t seem afraid of him. ?Irusei,? the young man answered. ?Well, Irusei,? Sesshoumaru said, ?if you and your men are not down from this mountain by morning, I will hunt you.? Irusei bowed lower to conceal his apprehension, but Sesshoumaru saw his lips tighten. Then the young man turned and followed his companions off into the darkness of the wood. Sesshoumaru stood watching the flickering lights of their torches until they became mere fireflies against the denser shadows of the trees. ?It is good that you fear me,? he said softly to Irusei, even though the warrior was long out of his sight. ?The day that your fear of me dies, so shall what little trust I have in your people.? Sesshoumaru waited until the falling snow had filled the last prints left by the warriors, and then turned to move homeward up the mountain.[/color] [CENTER][color=green][b]{+} {+} {+}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]The Present Era[/b][/CENTER] ?...and so we conjugate this verb by adding...? [i]Thunk.[/i] ?Kagome-[i]chan[/i]? Kagome-[i]chan[/i]?? Slowly, Kagome lifted her head from where it had just hit the desk, blinking groggily. Her friend Yuki was gently shaking her arm, whispering her name. As Kagome?s eyes came into focus, she saw that her face had fallen onto her open textbook. There was a faint nose-print right over the poem they were reading aloud in class. She glanced up at her teacher, but fortunately he hadn?t noticed her nodding off. To prevent further mishaps, she propped her chin up on her hand and directed her gaze in the general direction of the blackboard and zoned out, recalling the reason for her current condition. She had been starting to dream of holding the Shikon no Tama in her hand when a sudden commotion set the bed to rattling on its frame. Naturally she sat bolt-upright to see what was going on. What she found was Inuyasha and Buyo the cat locked in what appeared to be a life-and-death struggle over the spot at the foot of the mattress. Buyo had dug his claws into Inuyasha?s chest and was also managing to hiss around a mouthful of Inuyasha?s hand. Inuyasha, while trying to swat the cat away from his right hand with his left, had also managed to bite him in the rump. ?ET IS FFFKING GAT OV ME!? the [i]hanyou[/i] managed around a mouthful of white- and-brown-spotted fur. Somewhat reluctantly, Kagome plunged into the fray. After some kicking and scratching on her own part, she emerged holding Buyo by the scruff of his neck and Inuyasha by the ear. Buyo she dropped over the side of the bed. He landed with a thud on all fours and scampered out of the room. ?HEY, LEGGO!? Inuyasha bawled--apparently the ears were very sensitive. ?Not until you PROMISE you?ll go to sleep and STAY asleep!? Kagome insisted. ?I?ve got school in the morning. EARLY.? Inuyasha nodded and she released the ear. ?School,? he muttered, rubbing it as if to bend it back into shape. ?School...? Kagome flopped back down in bed and rolled over, pulling the comforter over her head with both hands. There was a moment of silence, and then... ?School?? ?I?ve got to go to learn about math and Japanese so I can get a good job,? Kagome explained with a groan. ?Why the fuck d?you have to LEARN Japanese?? Inuyasha demanded, folding his arms. ?You already KNOW how to TALK!? Kagome could see he was in one of his stubborn moods--one of his ESPECIALLY stubborn moods. Apparently this was a side effect the flu had on demons. ?I have to go,? she explained patiently. ?And you have to stay here and rest. You?re sick, remember?? ?Relax,? Inuyasha told her, lying down with his arms behind his head. ?I?m not going to tag along like some lost little puppy. I?ll stay here and protect your family while you?re away.? ?Okay,? Kagome murmured from beneath the blankets. She was too tired to worry just what he meant by ?protect.? She had awoken this morning with her head feeling like it was full of lint. Getting ready for school involved twice the usual effort because she was so tired, and also because Inuyasha was making things difficult. He seemed to have decided--perhaps as revenge for the Buyo incident--that he was going to milk being sick for all it was worth. He kept demanding that Kagome bring him glasses of water, and then soup, and as what was perhaps his last desperate attempt to keep her from leaving he demanded that she bring the ?glass stick? to insert in his mouth. Thus Kagome had arrived at school late and bleary-eyed. ?Kagome-[i]chan[/i]?? ?Eh?? Kagome?s head snapped up again from its slow, nodding descent toward the desktop. ?What did I miss??[/color]

[COLOR=Blue]Slowly, Sesshoumaru turned to face his brother. The red had gone from his eyes, as had the rage. His expression was calm and smooth now, but his eyes were bitter--bitter to a depth that even Inuyasha could scarcely fathom. ?You are wrong,? Sesshoumaru said softly. But with a flick of his wrist the coils of the whip loosened and fell away. ?Because of your impure blood you can never understand,? he murmured. ?But while the sword is a worthy cause...I have no desire to die in this place.? Astride the back of a great Inu Youkai, hovering over those facing each other on the ground, Honechi watched this exchange with narrowed eyes. If the white demon would not take the sword from Inuyasha, then Reiyama?s doom, predicted long ago, would now come to pass. On the banks of the lake below, Shippou raised himself from where he had lain in the mud, panting with exhaustion. Kagome still lay on her stomach; half submerged, with her arms sprawled over her head, which was turned to the side. Her eyes were slightly open, as was her mouth, but the rising and falling of her back was very faint. ?Kagome!? Shippou gasped, dragging himself closer to her. ?Kagome, please be okay!? He pummeled her shoulder and back with his tiny paws, then tried slapping her face. When she didn?t respond, he raised his head to peer over the top of the bank, searching urgently for someone to help. What he saw was the gray edge of the robes of the man standing above him. ?The [i]hanyou[/i] Inuyasha loves this girl,? Honechi murmured, gazing down upon Kagome in a very calculating manner. ?She is his weakness.? Then he uttered a soft incantation, and a thin red mist appeared between them. It formed a visible connection between Kagome?s body and Honechi?s outstretched hand. ?Leave her alone, you bastard!? Inuyasha cried, brandishing Tetsusaiga. Honechi turned and called, ?Inuyasha! Lay down the sword and step away from it, or the girl?s soul joins the ranks of those you see here.? ?Don?t do it, Inuyasha!? Miroku yelled. ?Kill him now, before he can cast the spell to take her soul!? ?Don?t deal with these treacherous mortals,? Sesshoumaru warned from beside Inuyasha. ?Don?t give up Tetsusaiga for the sake of some mortal girl!? Honechi smiled thinly. ?I am the High Priest of Sorcerers, Inuyasha. Think carefully. I already hold her soul in my grasp, and she is near death. I can bind her to Reiyama faster than you could blink, let alone swing that sword.? Inuyasha?s face was very grim as he surveyed the red mist and Kagome?s lifeless expression. ?You will DO this?!? Sesshoumaru whispered, recognizing the look on his brother?s face for what it was. ?For the sake of your pathetic human sympathies, you would condemn us all to death?! Do you really think the Wise will spare her?? Inuyasha didn?t say a word; his eyes never left Kagome. Honechi?s smile deepened. Then, at this crucial moment, when words were all that was left to sway the course of things, a hush fell over all present. It was not a true silence, but a supernatural stillness. A sudden peace descended upon the hearts of those who stood upon this field of battle, and all turned to see the reason for it. The white beast moved calmly through their midst. Its delicate cloven hooves scarcely seemed to touch the ground at all; it moved with a grace so unearthly as to be considered floating. Though its gaze upon each individual was wise and penetrating, its eyes were also merciful; round and soft as pearls. Its horn flashed with borrowed radiance, for it still possessed the jewel shard, embedded there. ?It is the [i]kirin[/i],? Honechi breathed. His face wore an uncharacteristic expression of awe. ?The [i]kirin[/i], here to ordain the one to rule us.? ?The [i]kirin[/i],? Asano echoed, still clutching the stump so hard that his fingers turned white at the knuckles. ?To choose the true king.? Miroku thought to himself, ?[i]If it chooses Asano-sama, then this will end well. Honechi himself said that the power of the Wise is bound to the ruler...?[/i] ?It has to choose Asano-[i]sama[/i],? Shippou whispered. ?It HAS to...? Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru stood transfixed, watching the [i]kirin[/i] move in silence. Yaburenumaru turned from his brother to face it, human eyes watching it intensely from the grotesque demon?s face. ?The [i]kirin[/i] always chooses the strongest ruler,? Honechi murmured to himself. ?It chooses the man who is powerful enough to defend Reiyama from those outsiders who would invade it. Thus has every Tatesei king been chosen.? Among the grim ranks of the Wise, sorcerers murmured to themselves, ?It MUST be Yaburenumaru-[i]sama[/i].? The [i]kirin[/i] passed through the ranks of the Wise, who stood at a respectful distance from it, and also through the legions of souls, which parted like a green tide before it. It walked to the center of the battlefield, where it stood like the calm eye of the storm, luminous eyes taking in all who stood around it. Then, after a long and pregnant silence, it moved forward toward the one it had chosen. As with all [i]kirin[/i] of legend, it sank to its front knees and bowed its head so low that the silken mane brushed the churned-up mud. Its long, silver horn angled downward, touching the ground with the tip. A faint, sweet scent of orange blossoms filled the air, and a shimmering radiance pervaded the space between the white beast and the choice it had made. A silence full of mixed emotions reigned among those who stood around where the [i]kirin[/i] knelt. The ruler had been ordained. What had been done in this moment would now bind all present to the new lord?s fate.[/COLOR] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 12}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Reader: O_O Yamisui: kukuku[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 13: Homebound {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]As the [i]kirin[/i] knelt before him, it seemed to him that all the world melted away, and it was only the two of them together, surrounded by a circle of light. He supposed the beast had cast some kind of spell, and his supposition was confirmed when it spoke to him. The [i]kirin[/i] had no human voice, but its speech in his mind was like the pealing of bells; thunder ringing in the heavens. For the briefest of instants he felt small and insignificant, a drop in the ocean--too overcome with wonder to do anything but listen. But when the [i]kirin?s[/i] first words fell silent, he became angry. ?No!? he hissed. ?NO!? The emotions warring in his heart were almost too much to bear. One hand clenched into a fist at his side, nails digging into flesh so hard that blood ran down his palm. He could speak no further; the blood pounded in his chest and rushed in his ears, threatening to deafen him. But the [i]kirin[/i] did not seem to care that he was angry. It did not rise from where it knelt, but its eyes, luminous as twin stars, rolled upward toward him. Its regard was not without pity, but it was also hard and unyielding. Once the [i]kirin[/i] had chosen, the choice could not be unmade. ([i]You ARE[/i].) The clarion voice rang out in his head. ([i]There is no denial. From a star of the heavens I was born, plucked from the dance of the firmament to descend. For you, I have come. For you, I kneel. You ARE.)[/i] ?[i]What[/i] am I?? he demanded, ?that the heavens should play this cruel game with me? Go! Choose some other if it pleases you. But do not bind me to that which I am loathe to be bound!? The gaze of the white beast did not waiver. ([i]Your father before you bound himself to these lands, and so to Reiyama. Now your time has come. If you do not accept it, then They shall[/i].) Abruptly, his mind?s eye was flooded with images of gray robes, of an army of sorcerers pouring forth from the valley and into the world with their legions of the enslaved. There was no need to ask who ?They? were. The [i]kirin[/i] tilted its silken head to one side, giving him the impression that it knew his reasons and did not care. ([i]Accept it in hatred, if you will. They are yours, to destroy or to defend. You have been ordained.)[/i] ?I have...power over them now,? he said softly. A sense of this power stirred in his chest, warming him. ?True power. With it...they can no longer threaten with their sorcery. If I choose to wield it...there are none left to stop me.? The light around him seemed to quicken its current, like wind rising, and the [i]kirin?s[/i] eyes flashed. ([i]Mark well: to become as your father was, you must cast aside this anger or it shall consume you and the ones you rule.)[/i] He was too incensed to fear the [i]kirin?s[/i] wrath, and spoke down to it harshly. ?My [i]father's[/i] nobility earned him the peace of the grave while the Wise made slaves of his children! I will [i]not[/i] guard them!? The [i]kirin?s[/i] horn lifted from the earth, glinting in the light. [i](It is not required that you withhold justice from those who have wronged you. Only take care that you do not follow the path of the sorcerers...)[/i] Once again, images flowed through his brain: moving through the city streets, so strewn with the dead that the road seemed paved with them. Then he saw, as if in parallel, gray robes moving through the empty streets, populated by none save souls entrapped--human and demon souls alike. And for the first time in many years, his heart was filled with horror at the sight. The sorcery of the Tatesei was an evil that should not be allowed to spread. In this moment, he finally understood the magnitude of what it was that he was being asked to do. ?No, not [i]asked[/i],? he murmured aloud. ?[i]Chosen[/i]. Is this not what I have always desired? That I should be chosen?? [i](To be a ruler is to avoid being ruled by your desires[/i]) the [i]kirin[/i] warned. ([i]Mark this well, if you would accept the power and the burden your father bore[/i].) He lowered his head, so that his silver-white hair shaded his brow, and only the grim line of his mouth was visible. In this moment, with his mind laid bare before the [i]kirin?s[/i] purity and wisdom, a strange peace settled over him like a mantle. [i]?I have forgotten my father?s honor[/i],? he admitted to himself. ?[i]But I will not do so again. It is not befitting that the son of so great a Youkai let his darker passions sway his heart from its true course[/i].? Slowly, he lifted his head. ?Rise, [i]Kirin-sama[/i],? he said softly, ?for I accept.? Gracefully, the white beast unfolded its slender legs and rose to stand before him. Standing thus, it was as tall as he was. ([i]I ordain thee, then, passing on to thee the rights granted to thee by blood and by honor[/i]) the [i]kirin[/i] said. [i](To thee, Sesshoumaru; Lord of the West.)[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]# # # # # # #[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]All assembled parties--the two princes, the Wise, Inuyasha, Miroku and Shippou--watched in shock as the [i]kirin[/i] knelt before the tall, bloodstained figure. As they gazed at him in speechless confusion, he seemed to be undergoing some kind of internal struggle. His fist clenched; his face contorted, going from wonder to rage to bitterness to calm. Through all of this the [i]kirin[/i] knelt patiently, apparently awaiting some kind of answer from him. Then, at the last, he said in a soft, even voice: ?Rise, [i]Kirin-sama[/i], for I accept.? Muttering broke out among the Wise, outraged and fearful. ?A Youkai has been chosen. Why? Why?? ?Is this heaven?s judgment, visited upon us by the son of our enemies?? ?What the HELL?!? (This last was Inuyasha?s.) ?It?s--it?s chosen Sesshoumaru?? Miroku had come to stand beside Inuyasha. ?Amazing...? ?Stupid!? Shippou breathed, peering around Honechi?s robes. ?Does it WANT the Tatesei to be squashed like bugs?? Yaburenumaru was the first to break the spell of stillness that had settled over them all. He could not speak because his demon form could not speak, but he let out a bellow of rage that clearly meant: ?NO!? Then he lowered himself onto all fours, and his body convulsed. The [i]kirin?s[/i] head turned to glance at him, and Sesshoumaru looked too, as if aware for the first time of his surroundings. The white demon stood calmly as the ball of flame surged toward him, scouring the ground and sizzling the air. Then, when it had come within a few feet of him, he brought up his hand and held it there, palm out. His hand flared green as the fire broke upon it and disappeared. Then Sesshoumaru turned toward the Wise, not even waiting to see the somewhat subdued Yaburenumaru retreat backward a few steps. The sorcerers drew back, very much afraid. To the Wise, he said, ?I am ruler here; you are bound to me. Release the souls.? Though his comrades? expressions were nervous, Honechi?s face went dark with hatred. He glared at Sesshoumaru, and it seemed for a moment that he might dare to defy even his own ruler. But after a moment he said through clenched teeth, ?As you wish.? To his companions, he said, ?Let it be so.? The red light pulsating between his hand and Kagome?s inert form flickered and dissipated. The faces of the Tatesei sorcerers were very pale and frightened now. Their eyes were wide with new terror. ?Why are they so afraid?? Miroku mused. ?Sesshoumaru?s only ordered them to use their magic. After all, his rage seems to have abated...? ??Cause they?re gutless little goat-fuckers,? Inuyasha snapped. Then, abruptly, he made a dash for the bank of the lake, heading for Kagome. ?Outta my way!? he ordered Honechi, who readily stepped aside. The High Priest nodded to his underlings and then raised his voice in song. At first he sang alone, his rich tenor echoing through the air against the stirring of the souls. ?Kagome,? Inuyasha murmured, kneeling in the mud and reaching for her. Honechi?s comrades began to join him, hesitantly at first, but then with growing strength. The souls, already restless since Sesshoumaru?s ordination, shifted and blurred as if caught in the wind. Miroku hastened to Inuyasha?s side. ?No,? Inuyasha murmured, squeezing Kagome?s wrist and pulling her into his arms. ?Inuyasha, give her to me,? Miroku insisted. ?I know a technique that might--? ?Kagome,? Inuyasha said softly. Ignoring the monk, he pressed his face into her hair. ?He?s not listening to you!? Shippou wailed, beating at Inuyasha?s side with his tiny fists. ?You?ve gotta make him listen!? ?Kagome,? Inuyasha repeated brokenly. ?INUYASHA!? Miroku?s staff descended over the [i]hanyou?s[/i] head, landing with a thud. The unexpected blow left Inuyasha temporarily stunned, and the monk was able to wrest Kagome from him. He laid her down on the cold, wet earth and knelt to push on her chest. Then he bent and pressed his lips to hers. ?HEY!? Shippou cried, now pelting Miroku with a rain of tiny punches. ?You?re supposed to HELP her, not MOLEST her!? Miroku ignored him and repeated this process a few more times. ?She?s still breathing,? he told Shippou, when he came up for air. ?But we have to get her conscious again or the cold water in her lungs will kill her.? The monk?s reward for his services was a swift and unexpected punch delivered to the back of the head. As he toppled sideways, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome again and crushed her tightly against him. ?Hands OFF, [i]hentai[/i],? he snapped. The force with which Inuyasha had clasped Kagome to his chest put quite a bit of pressure on her diaphragm. Even as he spoke to Miroku, she spit up a great gout of icy water over his shoulder and into his hair. Inuyasha was too relieved to be disgusted. He wound both his arms around her shoulders and held her close as she proceeded to spit all of it out. ?Inuyasha,? Miroku protested, sitting up and rubbing his head. ?Stop being so violent! The technique was meant to expel the water from her lungs and to get air into them!? He paused, laying a thoughtful finger to his chin. ?Though...I can?t say that I didn?t enjoy using it...? he added. ?That...song...? Kagome gasped, peering over Inuyasha?s shoulder to see what was going on. ?The...Wise...are...?? ?Try not to talk just yet,? Inuyasha advised her. ?The [i]kirin[/i] came,? Shippou piped in. ?It must have its horn on crooked or something, because it ordained Sesshoumaru! He?s making the Wise set the souls free!? ?Oh,? Kagome breathed, frowning. ?So THAT?S why I...? She broke off into a coughing fit. ?Why Honechi didn?t get your soul,? Shippou finished for her. The song of the Wise rose in intensity and began to resonate in the hearts of all present, living and dead alike. It was not like the sorcerers? other spells of binding or destruction, but there was a strange, soaring sound to it that was so pure as to be almost gut-wrenching. The Youkai souls swirled around their captors, hissing and glowing. The faces of the Wise turned upward, and their eyes began to glimmer with a fey, golden brilliance. Sesshoumaru watched silently, with a face now devoid of bitterness. The [i]kirin[/i] still stood at his side, as if awaiting some further command from him. Asano stood listening to the song, unaware of the tears streaming down his cheeks. Yaburenumaru, who stood apart from the others, cried out suddenly and sank to his knees, clutching at his arms with both hands. He had regained his human form. The spirit of the salamander Youkai had come out of him, now exuding the same ghostly green translucence of the others the Wise had enslaved. Its lingered around the boy, and did not rise into the air as the other souls did. ?NO!? Yaburenumaru cried. ?Don?t leave me!? The very flesh of the sorcerers was glowing now. Their faces shone eerily from the depths of their gray hoods. The song of the Wise soared into a crescendo, and then the Youkai spirits rose with it. Their forms blurred and melded into a swirling cloud of light, and the cloud rose higher and higher, until it disappeared through the veil of clouds. Sesshoumaru, watching them, let out a long, slow sigh. ?NO!? Yaburenumaru repeated, stretching his arms upward toward the salamander spirit, which was rising to follow the Inu Youkai. He squeezed his eyes shut and shouted, ?I WILL NOT BE DENIED!? And then the Youkai spirit vanished. As the light of the Youkai souls disappeared beyond the clouds, the skin of every sorcerer who had taken part in the casting of the spell glowed a brilliant white, outshining even the gold glimmering in their eyes. Though his comrades? faces remained upturned, Honechi lowered his head to glare at Sesshoumaru. ?THIS ISN?T OVER YET!? he cried. ?THE TATESEI WILL ENDURE, BECAUSE YOU WERE NOT THE ONE CHOSEN--!? Honechi clutched at his chest as if in intense agony, unable to finish. Sesshoumaru started toward the sorcerer, anger returning to his eyes for reasons that no one other than the [i]kirin[/i] understood. But then the light faded. Every one of the Wise collapsed to the ground, and the white demon stopped his advance. Miroku went over to look at Honechi and then announced to all present, ?Dead.? The monk surveyed the other sorcerers, lying prone on the ground. Their eyes had rolled back into their heads, flashing a sickly white. ?All dead.? He glanced over at Inuyasha and Kagome. ?The Wise died because of the spell, I think. They had bound the souls to themselves so completely...that setting them free meant death.? ?But why isn?t Yaburenumaru dead?? Shippou asked, pointing to where the Tatesei prince stood. The boy?s head was lowered, so that his lanky hair obscured his eyes. ?He?s used the same magic as the Wise...? Sesshoumaru, upon hearing this, turned and flew at the prince so fast that his body blurred. But he stopped short as a small, slender form imposed itself between them. ?NO!? Asano cried, spreading out his hands to block Sesshoumaru?s access to his brother. ?Spare him! Please!? Sesshoumaru did not lower his claws. ?Do you think me merciful?? he asked softly. ?Do you think me a fool? That boy is a sorcerer.? ?No,? Asano protested, shaking his head vehemently. ?The fact that he?s alive proves that he wasn?t consumed by the evils of the Wise. He wasn?t so bound to sorcery that losing it meant losing his life!? ?Do not think that the freedom of my kin has made me soft,? Sesshoumaru warned. ?If I must take your life to take that creature?s, then so be it.? ?He is foolish,? Asano murmured, refusing to move from where he stood. ?He has let himself be seduced by the Wise. He?s come all the way here to kill me, just to get the one thing he was never meant to have.? The prince paused, swallowing hard, then said, ?But he?s my brother.? Slowly, Sesshoumaru lowered his hand. His gaze shifted over the boy?s shoulder to the face of the prince behind him. His eyes narrowed. ?Thank you, Asano,? Yaburenumaru said in a low, hoarse voice. ?But I don?t deserve this loyalty. For you are wrong...about one thing.? He lifted his chin, and his hair fell away from his eyes. His face was hard and cold, and his eyes were red and full of malice. ?I would [i]never[/i] call a soft little brat like you my brother.? Fire flared outward from every pore of his flesh, reflecting in Asano?s wide eyes and illuminating his shocked face. With demon speed, Yaburenumaru reached out with both arms to enfold his brother in a fiery embrace. With demon speed, a blow knocked Asano to the ground, away from Yaburenumaru?s grasp. He hit the earth so hard that it stunned him, and for a moment his vision blurred. When he looked up, he saw what had happened. Yaburenumaru sank to his knees, looking down to see Tetsusaiga?s enormous hilt protruding from his chest. Inuyasha stood not twenty feet away, arm still raised from flinging the sword. Standing between Asano and his brother was Sesshoumaru. ?You--? Asano gasped, but Sesshoumaru wasn?t in the mood for explanations. Instead the white demon bent down, stretching out a hand toward Tetsusaiga. ?HEY!? Inuyasha bellowed, rushing toward them. With one vicious tug, Sesshoumaru yanked the blade free of Yaburenumaru. However, even as he did so he let out a gasp as electricity crackled around his hand. Tetsusaiga clattered to the ground, its transformation reversed because he had touched it. ?HANDS OFF, JACKASS!? Inuyasha hollered at him, swooping down and catching the sword up again. Now that it was in the [i]hanyou?s[/i] possession, the sword blazed into life once more. Sesshoumaru straightened but made no move to take it back. He merely stared at it, evidently mulling something over. ?I have been named Lord of the West,? he murmured, ?and still the sword does not choose me.? ?You?re damn right it doesn?t!? Inuyasha affirmed. ?You?re a real piece of work, you know that?! You?ve been named Lord of the West and you still want the only thing I?VE got!? ?Hey!? Kagome called indignantly from the bank. ?That sword?s NOT the ONLY thing you?ve got!? Shippou snickered at this, and Inuyasha blushed a little. ?Yaburenumaru,? someone said softly. Inuyasha half-turned to see Asano kneeling in front of his brother, clasping the dying boy by the shoulders. Yaburenumaru neither attacked him nor pushed him away, but slumped into his arms, already weak beyond supporting his own weight. His head lolled onto Asano?s shoulder. ?Yaburenumaru,? Asano repeated, taking one of his brother?s hands in his own and clenching it tight. ?I wonder...if...I wonder...? ?What is it you wonder?? Sesshoumaru asked dispassionately, looking away from Tetsusaiga and gazing at the city across the lake in an obvious effort look anywhere [i]but[/i] the sword. ?I wonder,? Asano said with sudden anger, glancing up at the white demon, who stood with his cold, beautiful face averted. ?What would have become of him...had YOU not brought him to this...? Sesshoumaru said nothing. The[i] kirin [/i]was approaching him, silver eyes alight with wisdom--or was it judgment? A wind stirred between them--white beast and white demon--and for the briefest of moments Sesshoumaru?s face darkened, as it had when the [i]kirin[/i] first spoke to him. ?Do you know, Asano...why I killed that child in the northern village?? Yaburenumaru asked, his voice shaking from lack of breath and muffled against his brother?s shoulder. Asano?s brow knitted, and his mouth tightened with pain, but he only answered, ?No.? Making a faint noise of scorn or disapproval, Sesshoumaru turned his face away from the [i]kirin?s[/i] blazing regard. ?Ahh,? Yaburenumaru sighed, struggling for breath. ?I...destroyed his face...because it resembled yours.? Then he breathed his last, and the fire went out of his eyes. Asano clutched Yaburenumaru even more tightly against himself as the demon spirit the prince had held inside him to the last shot toward the heavens in a glowing column of green. The force of the Youkai soul?s exit stirred the robes of both boys--Asano?s robes of rich and kingly raiment; his brother?s worn to rags and stained with blood and filth. And then, with the demon?s passage, the light died. With a sigh, Inuyasha sheathed his sword, while Sesshoumaru turned toward Asano. ?Stop your weeping, boy,? Sesshoumaru admonished sternly. ?Don?t waste your sorrow on one who would not have wept for you.? Slowly, Asano loosened his hold until the dead prince had been lowered to the ground. In death, Yaburenumaru?s face looked young and very small. ?Will you kill me now?? Asano asked without looking up. ?Am I, too to be prey to your vengeance?? Inuyasha?s hand went to Tetsusaiga?s hilt again, and he glared at his brother. There was a brief, tense pause. Then Sesshoumaru answered, ?No.? Asano raised his head to stare at the white demon in surprise. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed, and he repeated, ?No.? The [i]kirin[/i] backed away slowly, inclining its luminous head. The white demon?s expression was calm. ?It was not myself that I wished to avenge. And that is done, for my kin have been freed. But I...? He frowned across the lake toward Reiyama, where some of those who survived his massacre stood on the rooftops to see what had transpired. ?I have no desire to be king to a race of humans whom I detest. And so...? Inuyasha?s hand moved away from Tetsusaiga?s hilt. ?Asano, I name you king here in my stead,? Sesshoumaru declared, ?You, boy, will rule the Tatesei as you see fit. However...do not think that I will ever allow Reiyama to be as it was. These lands are now mine; Reiyama is mine. I will watch you, prince of my enemies. I will leave the city, but I will also return in the hour when you least expect me. And when I come, if I see but one trace of the sorcery that has wrought so much evil...I swear to you that not even the innocent will draw breath when I have dealt with you.? Solemnly, Asano nodded, ignoring the tears that ran freely down his cheeks. ?I swear to do as you say,? he replied. Then he seemed to draw himself up, straightening into the regal posture his people would expect of him. ?I will return to the city,? he said. ?And tell them all that has happened here. And I will take these brave travelers with me.? He nodded toward Shippou, Miroku and Kagome, who were still sitting on the bank. The [i]kirin,[/i] which had been watching silently throughout Sesshoumaru?s proclamation, now lowered its head before him once more. This time, the jewel shard fell from its horn. It landed at Sesshoumaru?s feet in the mud, where it glinted all the brighter. The white demon stared at it a moment, then picked it up and held it between the nails of his thumb and forefinger. ?Hey!? Kagome cried, running toward them. ?Kagome-[i]sama[/i], don?t be rash!? Miroku cried, chasing after her. ?You can?t [i]fight[/i] him for it!? ?Wait for ME!? Shippou shouted, chasing both of them. Kagome attempted to come to a halt at ten feet away from Sesshoumaru, but instead she skidded in the mud, went flying, and landed on her rump only five feet away. ?Er--? she stammered, intimidated now that her proximity was closer. Sesshoumaru glared down at her, and Inuyasha stepped toward them both, gritting his teeth and preparing for the worst. But after a moment the white demon only made a scornful noise and flung the shard down at her feet. ?I?m through wasting time with these fools,? he sneered, then pointed a claw at Inuyasha. ?Do [i]not[/i] think that this is over. I will come for the sword, and when I do I [i]will[/i] make it choose me over you.? This said, he pulled a sharp about-face and stalked off, long white hair stirring as he went. For a moment they all stood there, nonplussed. Then Kagome and Inuyasha bent to pick up the shard at the same time and knocked heads. ?Ow!? Kagome exclaimed, but she was already pocketing the jewel fragment. ?Damnit!? Inuyasha swore. ?You?re so CLUMSY! I don?t know WHY I put up with you!? ?Oh, REALLY?? Kagome said, turning up her nose. ?You had me in your LAP earlier...? Inuyasha became extremely flustered and red-faced and backed away from her hastily. ?Well, I wouldn?t have had to SAVE you if you weren?t so STUPID!? he retorted, folding his arms and looking sulky. ?Going diving for Tetsusaiga! You could?ve been KILLED!? ?Hey, Inuyasha, your head looks like a tomato,? Shippou observed. Fortunately for both Kagome and Shippou, Miroku was ready and managed to lock Inuyasha?s arms behind his back to keep him from attacking. Distracted as they all were by Inuyasha?s outraged flailing and swearing, only Asano noticed that the [i]kirin[/i] had vanished. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]# # # # # # #[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha?s sullen mood lasted for the next four days. The four of them stayed at their room in the palace thanks to Asano?s good graces, but after two nights of rest it became clear that Inuyasha was growing antsy. ?All this damn SLEEPING,? he grumbled, ?is NOT going to find us more shards.? He was short-tempered and irritable for the next two days as they journeyed through the mountains and beyond the valley. This, of course, might have been related to Shippou?s endless recounting of how Kagome had been revived. The story made Kagome blush furiously, and finally she took a leaf from Inuyasha?s book and threatened the Kitsune with bodily harm if he refused to shut up. Inuyasha?s mood improved considerably after this; Miroku?s was dampened somewhat. The monk had apparently been quite proud of his little mouth-to-mouth demonstration and had not objected to hearing about it over and over again. Kagome walked alongside Inuyasha now that he was in better spirits. ?Hey,? she said, smiling. ?My cold?s gone!? ?Huh,? was all he said in reply. Kagome?s expression softened. She could see that he was deep in thought, and she could take a pretty good guess what he was thinking about. ?It must have been hard for you, staying in Reiyama,? she told him sympathetically. ?I know it must?ve hurt being around the people who were once so cruel to you.? Inuyasha shrugged. ?Well, yeah,? he admitted. ?But it wasn?t ALL bad. That room we were staying in at the palace...I didn?t tell you before, but those were the quarters I shared with my mother.? Kagome, surprised by this revelation, lapsed into thoughtful silence. She tried to imagine Inuyasha and his mother sitting on those marble walkways, watching the sun set over the lake. She tried to picture him as a baby, asleep in the princess? arms in the bedchamber. But for some reason, she kept remembering waking up to find Inuyasha holding her in his arms very tightly, while Shippou or Miroku asked something on the order of, ?Are you done yet?? Her face burned, and to banish [i]that[/i] particular incident she began thinking about what would happen to the Tatesei now. ?You?re okay with leaving the Tatesei in Sesshoumaru?s control, aren?t you?? she asked him, peering up at him to see his face because he was trying to conceal his expression beneath his long white bangs. ?I don?t know,? Inuyasha muttered. ?I guess.? He gave up and raised his head, looking pensive. ?Y?know, I think whatever it was the [i]kirin[/i] said to him, it changed his mind about things. Not just the first time, when he chose to be ordained, but there was another time, too. I think the second time it convinced him to spare Asano and make him king.? Kagome laid a thoughtful finger on the side of her mouth. ?You know,? she mused, ?I think you may be right.? There was a bit of innocent surprise in her tone that raised Inuyasha?s hackles. ?Hey!? Inuyasha protested, folding his arms and looking cross. ?Don?t say that like I?m hardly ever right!? Kagome was slightly taken aback. ?I?m sorry,? she told him. ?Anyway, do you really trust Sesshoumaru not to change his mind and finish the massacre he started?? Inuyasha pondered this for a while. Birds twittered in the trees overhead; the rains, it seemed, were over. ?It?s weird, but I DO,? he finally answered, staring up through the interlacing branches. ?You know, he?s an asshole, but never in my life have I known him to lie.? Recalling her few past experiences with Sesshoumaru, Kagome nodded slowly. As they walked, she painstakingly withdrew her map from her backpack. She had a hunch, and she wanted to see if it was correct. Studying the map, she saw that it was. ?Wow,? she said, holding it up to the light and squinting at it. ?The city of Reiyama has appeared on my historical map. This means that the Tatesei still existed in the late feudal era, because the map-maker marked them as a city. There?s even a road going toward it through the mountains. I guess this means Reiyama WILL be okay in Sesshoumaru?s hands--at least for a while...? ?Oy,? Inuyasha said, speaking out of the side of his mouth. ?What?? Kagome re-rolled the map and tucked it away again. ?That day, I thought you were going to die,? he muttered. Bracing herself, Kagome thought, ?[i]He?s going to chew me out, or worse: he?ll tell me to stay in my time again...?[/i] ?I?m sorry I let that happen,? Inuyasha said quietly. Kagome glanced off to the side, blushing. ?If I hadn?t gotten you into this, none of that crap would?ve happened,? he continued, making her blush deepen. ?I?m sorry. It just makes me so MAD...? ?Th-thank you,? Kagome stammered. ?But you don?t have to be mad at yourself for--? Inuyasha slammed his left fist into his right palm. ?When you were by the lake, the damn monk?s lips were ALL OVER your face!? he growled. ?WHAT?!? Kagome exploded. ?THAT?S what you?re mad about?!? ?Yeah,? he replied, looking sullen. Kagome sighed heavily, getting her exasperation under control. After a while, she said, ?I?m sorry I made you worry. I?ll try not to do it again.? Inuyasha didn?t answer, but Kagome was almost positive she saw him smile in relief.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]# # # Epilogue # # #[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]More days passed, until finally they reached the village near the Well. Throughout the return journey, Kagome had tried valiantly to avoid complaining, but the pain in her arm was very bad. She had run out of aspirin by the fourth day out of Reiyama. By the time they reached Kaede?s she was dead set on going home, with no further adventures until she was completely recovered. She stole away to the Bone-Eaters? Well by herself, not wanting [i]anyone[/i] to delay her, because enough was enough. Thus it came as a rather unpleasant surprise for her to see Inuyasha seated cross-legged on the well?s rim. ?Oy,? he greeted her. ?Thought you?d fucking get away with it, did you?? ?Thought...I?d...get...away...with...WHAT?!? Kagome asked, clutching her backpack with her good arm and preparing to make a run for it. There were ten feet between her and the well, but if Inuyasha moved with his demon speed he?d intercept her for sure... ?Leaving without me,? he said simply. ?You see, Kaede told me that you?re supposed to take care of sick people. I got too distracted during the trip to do that.? ?But I?m not sick any more!? Kagome insisted, waving her good hand frantically in the air and trying to put on a cheerful face. ?So it?s no problem!? Inuyasha unfolded his legs and got down from the rim of the well. ?Well, now you?re INJURED,? he told her. ?Injuries are a lot less gross than spewing snot out your nose. So I?m gonna come to your house to take care of you.? ?Ack!? Kagome sputtered. ?You will NOT!? She made a mad dash for the well, but Inuyasha caught her by the backpack straps and stopped her in her tracks. ?Yes, I AM,? he informed her, glaring. Before Kagome could utter another word, he scooped her up in his arms, backpack and all, and jumped into the well. As they descended, she briefly considered beating at him with her one good fist, but then thought better of it because he might drop her. ?Hey,? Inuyasha said as the light of time passage enveloped them both. ?At your house, do you have any more of the crunchy brown stuff??[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]# # # Epilogue, Part Deux # # #[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Sesshoumaru stood atop the mountain, staring down at the city below. The cold wind ruffled his hair and stung his eyes, but as always he did not care. The [i]kirin?s[/i] last words echoed in his memory. ([i]Honechi spoke truly. This is not over, for though I chose you, you are not the one chosen in prophecy. If you will not rule the city, then choose a king who will. But do not abandon the Tatesei. It is dangerous to do so--far more dangerous than you know[/i].) To the cold night, Sesshoumaru now asked the same questions he had asked then. ?Why does this prophecy the Wise spoke of mention Inuyasha? Why did they fear him so?? ([i]If you would know[/i]) the [i]kirin[/i] had answered, ([i]then take this Shikon shard and use it to find the Seer[/i].) But Sesshoumaru had cast the shard away, giving it to the girl who traveled with Inuyasha. His blood was pure and strong, and he neither needed nor desired the Shikon Jewel. His vengeance had been enough, he told himself. The only other thing he required was Tetsusaiga. ?The Seer? Why should I waste my time seeking another sorcerer?? he murmured. ?The [i]only[/i] reason they call my weak little half-brother ?chosen? is that sword. Once Tetsusaiga is mine, he will be nothing.? Yet small, nagging doubts tugged slyly at his thoughts. ?[i]Is that it?[/i]? they whispered. ?[i]Is that all? The sword is the ONLY answer to these riddles??[/i] ?I am the Lord of the West,? Sesshoumaru said aloud, to silence them. ?There is none other so worthy as I. Least of all Inuyasha...? Having said this, he turned and descended down into the high valley that enclosed his home. He would go and make ready for another journey. It was time to go see a dragon about an arm.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]# # # Epilogues Forever! # # #[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue][b]Inuyasha[/b]: ?Hey, the [i]kirin?s[/i] heading this way!? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: ?It chose YOU?! Is it on CRACK?!? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b] (to [i]kirin[/i]): ?Go away before I disembowel you.? [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: *ignore* *ignore* *nuzzles at Sesshoumaru* [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: *sidesteps to avoid it* [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: *sidesteps to intercept him* [b]Kagome[/b]: ?Wow! It?s so beautiful and cuddly!? *throws arms around its neck* [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: *still pursuing Sesshoumaru, now dragging Kagome with it* [b]Inuyasha[/b] (addressing [i]kirin[/i]): ?Hey, where the fuck are you taking her, you horny beast?!? *draws Tetsusaiga* [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? *avoid* *avoid* [b]Kagome[/b]: ?[i]Kawaii[/i]!? *squeeze* *hug* [b]Inuyasha[/b]: *strikes [i]kirin[/i] with Tetsusaiga* [b]Tetsusaiga[/b]: *BOUNCE* (bounces off [i]kirin[/i] as if [i]kirin[/i] were made of steel) [b]Inuyasha[/b]: ?Damnit! How do we get this thing to go away?!? [b]Shippou[/b]: (watching with interest) ?Hey, Sesshoumaru, I think it LIKES you. Huh! Who would?ve known?? [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: ?. . .? *worried now* [b]Miroku[/b]: ?Fascinating! A [i]kirin[/i]! *approaches it* [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: *sweat drop* [b]Miroku[/b]: *reaches out hand toward it* [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: *more sweat drops* [b]Miroku[/b]: *within inches of touching it* [i][b]Kirin[/b][/i]: !!!!!!! *lashes out and kicks Miroku in the groin, then runs like hell* [b]Sesshoumaru[/b]: *very relieved* [b]Kagome[/b] (aghast): ?MIROKU!? [b]Inuyasha[/b]: *sheathes Tetsusaiga* ?Well, REALLY, it shouldn?t be THAT much of a surprise...?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 13 AND END OF STORY}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Yamisui: ?The Bearers of the Shards? is over, but the STORY sure isn?t. Look for its companion, coming very soon: ?Lord of the West.? Though the title may suggest otherwise, the story will NOT be completely Sesshoumaru-centric. But he will be in it, of course. Because I like him. Because I like to mess with readers? heads (kukuku). . [/i][/color] .

[CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]As the last [i]oufuda[/i] fell, and the barrier collapsed with it, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome with one arm and the bow and quiver with the other. He and Miroku ran directly through the midst of the demon cloud. The souls seemed to fall back from Tetsusaiga?s [i]kenatsu[/i], and with it Inuyasha was able to hold them at bay until he and his friends had reached an opening. The demons, of course, came howling after. Yet even as Inuyasha embraced Kagome to shelter her from what he believed to be the last assault he would survive, the demons flowed past. He looked up, and saw to his immense relief that they had moved on to a much livelier enemy. Ahead of him, Naraku was battling the Wise--living AND dead--in his true form: the roiling, ever-shifting mass of flesh, from which limbs protruded as scythe-like blades. Brutally, he fought his way free of the sorcerers? midst, and with a rapid hurtling motion flung himself toward the place where Sesshoumaru had just thrown off the Inu Youkai?s ghost. ?He?s going to take Sesshoumaru?s shard!? Kagome cried. ?He knows he can?t win, so he?s going for the last of the shards and then he?ll escape!? A great multitude of spirits now brightened the horizon. Kagome?s heart sank at the sight of them. But Inuyasha grinned and said, ?Feh. Not if I can help it!? He sprinted away at breakneck speed, moving to intercept Naraku. The Saimyoushou, Naraku?s poisoned insects, had long since fallen prey to the demon spirits, and the air was clear. Miroku turned toward the Wise and called out in a strident voice: ?Call off the souls, or I shall use my Wind Tunnel to hurl you into the void!? Honechi stepped forward. ?You won?t use your hand, Honorable Monk,? he said calmly. ?Because you will condemn the Inu Youkai souls to the void as well. You seem to be a good man. The spirits spared you once.? Honechi raised his hand skyward, the strange green light making a stone mask of his hard, chiseled features. ?Take the girl and leave, and we will spare you. Our quarrel is only with the white brothers.? Miroku began to raise his staff. Honechi?s gaze flickered. ?You cannot hope to give the souls release,? he warned. ?That is something that only the Wise can do, and it must be done willingly.? Miroku placed a firm hand on Kagome?s shoulder. ?NO!? she cried, trying to shake him off. ?WE?RE NOT LEAVING HIM HERE! WE?RE NOT LEAVING HIM!? ?Leave now and live,? Honechi continued inexorably. ?Accept it. The Inu Youkai Line is about to be broken beyond all repair, that our city might live...?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 10}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Reader: O_o Yamisui: mooWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA![/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 11: Judgment Passed {#} {#} [/b][/color] [color=blue]([b]One Month Earlier)[/b][/CENTER] Upon the highest mountain overlooking the Tatesei Valley, a man trudged up the slope. The chill in the autumn air was fierce and biting; the wind harsh and unforgiving. It snapped the man?s dark trousers and sleeves against his limbs. It whipped his long black hair about his face, though he had bound part of his hair back to prevent this. The night was freezing and the wailing wind lonely, but the man smiled. As he crested the slope, he saw what he had come to find: the white demon standing there, staring down at the city. ?You can?t stay away, can you,? he asked the demon softly. The Inu Youkai did not turn around. The wind blew his hair about his face, and stirred his clothing, but he did move. ?It draws you, doesn?t it...?? Still the white demon did not move, but the man approaching him sensed his anger. ?Lord Sesshoumaru,? he murmured, moving to stand at the Inu Youkai?s side. Sesshoumaru turned his head ever so slightly, so that one eye glared balefully at the one beside him. ?Have you come to mock me?? he asked. ?Naraku?? Naraku lowered his head, smiling as he gazed down upon the valley below. ?The fields are green,? he commented, ?and the city prospers.? Sesshoumaru glanced away from him again, dismissively. ?Enough, puppet. Explain to me why I should not kill you where you stand.? He lowered his gaze to rest upon the city once more, and his eyes narrowed. ?Perhaps I shall kill you anyway.? ?I am [i]here[/i], Lord Sesshoumaru,? Naraku told him, still smiling. ?Here beside you, in the flesh. This is no golem, but my own true form.? This achieved no reaction from Sesshoumaru, who continued to watch the valley. ?I have come to you thus as a matter of trust, to make you an offer,? Naraku informed him. ?And I have brought you a gift.? He held up one hand. Resting upon his palm was a shard of the Shikon Jewel. ?Heh,? Sesshoumaru said without looking at it. ?I hold no esteem for the offers you make. Did you not lend me an arm before? Knowing that it would not last?? The wind blew Sesshoumaru?s hair across his face. He pushed it aside with the fingers of his right hand. The ghost of his left arm still remained, so that sometimes he could almost imagine the fingers of his left hand performing this gesture. ?I recall quite well,? Naraku murmured, glancing sideways at him, ?that you took it of your own accord. Your hatred for Inuyasha is equal only to mine. Yet it seems to me...[i]this[/i] hatred runs deeper...?? Naraku gestured toward the city below with long, fluid fingers. ?Do not speak of what you do not understand,? Sesshoumaru warned him, tight-lipped and narrow-eyed. ?I understand that you dream of vengeance,? Naraku continued, inexorably. ?I have walked among your enemies, Lord Sesshoumaru. I know their secrets.? Sesshoumaru half turned to glare at the man beside him. ?How was it that you penetrated the Tatesei defenses?? he demanded. ?The wardings in the mountains? Only humans may pass those.? Naraku smiled and answered, almost apologetically, ?I took possession of a human body.? Sesshoumaru?s lip curled in disgust, but he seemed willing to listen. ?The king?s heir comes of age,? Naraku went on. ?Soon he will be ordained the new ruler. But this boy is not the king?s eldest son. The eldest Tatesei prince is exiled.? ?What do I care?? Sesshoumaru asked flatly. ?Why is one Tatesei prince any different from the others?? ?From the Wise I learned that this one had dabbled in forbidden sorcery,? Naraku answered. ?Now his body is possessed by a demon?s during the day, and he is only human when night falls. But this prince is full of greed and jealousy, or so they say. He was fascinated with sorcery; his own father called him a ?creature of the Wise.? Power was the string with which the Wise planned to control their royal puppet once he ascended the throne. But he was too rash for his own good. Now he wanders the lands of the North, brutal and mindless by day, filled with rage and fear by night.? ?How do you know that this accursed prince is still alive?? Sesshoumaru asked suspiciously. ?And why should I care about his plight? Why can [i]you[/i] not just pass through the wardings as a human and then destroy them for me, that I too might pass?? Naraku lowered his head, smiling. ?I know that he?s alive because I have seen this prince for myself,? he answered. ?This wretched boy, cursed to bear the form of those Youkai that he so detests... And alas: I cannot help you through the warding. I may pass through using a human body, but only one who knows the arts of the Wise may release the souls that guard the mountains. Only a Tatesei sorcerer may destroy the wardings that bar you from your revenge.? The wind wailed through the valley below. ?And what is your part in this?? Sesshoumaru demanded. ?What does Naraku gain from this?? ?I?? Naraku murmured. He held out the shard, and the Inu Youkai took it from him. ?I ask only that you find a way to lure Inuyasha to Reiyama. I desire the shards that he carries. And then I wish him to die--either by your hands or by the hands of the Wise.? Sesshoumaru nodded and was silent for a time, watching the wind rustling through the trees in the valley. ?Why is it that you hate Inuyasha?? he asked after several moments had passed. Naraku shrugged. ?Why is it that [i]you[/i] hate him?? he asked casually, then answered his own question: ?Because he was chosen, and you were not.? Sesshoumaru?s ire was instant and white-hot. He struck out to the side with his claws. Naraku?s head fell from his body, and then Naraku was not there at all. On the ground where he had stood, there was only a small wooden figure. Sesshoumaru did not bother looking at it; he had known that Naraku was lying, and that he had really only sent a golem. He knew that it was folly to trust Naraku. ?[i]And yet[/i],? he thought, enclosing the jewel shard in a fist, ?[i]he is most useful as well.?[/i] Borne on the wind, Naraku?s voice echoed through the air around him. ?Find the Tatesei prince Yaburenumaru, Lord Sesshoumaru. You have waited too long for justice. It is time to set vengeance into motion.? Then Naraku?s presence was gone, and Sesshoumaru stood alone once more. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color] [color=blue][b](The Present)[/b][/CENTER] Writhing, twisted, and enraged, Naraku flowed toward the Inu Youkai that had crushed Sesshoumaru. The trap that he had laid so carefully, the trap that he had set for Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru and the girl and the monk...all had failed. He had gone to all the trouble of verifying that the Tatesei were indeed a force capable of destroying the Inu Youkai brothers. Well, now he had firsthand verification. And he, Naraku, was afraid. He had made a grievous underestimation of the Tatesei sorcerers: he had not anticipated the sheer [i]numbers[/i] of spirits at their command. If he did not take what he desired and escape quickly with it, the Wise might well defeat him and take [i]his[/i] soul. Though this body was a golem?s, his soul was still inside it. The soul would ordinarily fly back to his own body if the golem was destroyed, but the Wise possessed the power to bind any soul to some physical remnant. He resolved to make this a fast exit. Naraku could not see Sesshoumaru beneath the massive Youkai that crushed him against the earth, but he could sense the shard there. And the shard was what he wanted. The Wise were beginning to converge toward the same direction as well, clearly with the same intentions. Acting quickly, Naraku raised himself from the mass of flesh, one arm forming a long scythe. With it he cut a deep slash into the Inu Youkai?s heaving side. The beast, however, did not seem to feel any pain, despite its apparent solidity. The scythe passed through it with no seeming effect. [i]?What?!?[/i] Naraku thought, alarmed. ?[i]Though I cut it, it doesn?t even turn toward me...?[/i] ?DIE, ASSHOLE!? Naraku turned quickly, just in time to see Tetsusaiga sweeping down toward him in a deadly arc. He dodged it just in time, his entire mass flowing swiftly to the side. Instead of striking its intended target, the sword?s [i]kenatsu[/i] struck the Inu Youkai instead. Time seemed to speed up. The Inu Youkai reared upward, opening wide its slavering maw to bellow in pain and rage. Naraku scarcely had time to register the fact that Tetsusaiga?s blow had had an actual effect, because the next thing he saw was the gleam of the shard falling from its gaping jaws. Instinctively, he swooped down to take it before the Inu Youkai spirit recovered itself. The logical part of his psyche--the demon whose first concern was survival--warned him of the danger. ?[i]Why does the DEAD ONE have the shard??[/i] it asked. '[i]What of the other...?[/i]? However, fueled by Onigumo?s greed, Naraku reacted too late. As his hand closed around the shard, he felt the laceration tear through him. Even as his body absorbed the shard the slash sliced a red line through him from throat to navel. ?What--?!? he gasped, raising himself to see the one who had just dealt the blow. Sesshoumaru stood before him, shaking ichor-like blood from his hand. ?Naraku,? the white demon said softly. ?Did I not tell you...that I do not need the shard to defeat you?? As the golem?s body began to dissolve, and Naraku?s consciousness with it, he thought he saw Sesshoumaru smile.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]When Naraku had gone, only a small wooden figure remained. The Wise swooped down upon it with predatory swiftness, but before they reached it Tetsusaiga descended upon it and clove it in two. ?And YOU?RE next,? Inuyasha told the sorcerers, who backed off in a hurry. Sesshoumaru backed away as well, waiting to see what Inuyasha would do, or perhaps wary of Tetsusaiga. Near the broken golem lay Kagome?s Shikon shards, which Inuyasha promptly snatched up and slung around his neck, pocketing the one that had come from Sesshoumaru?s body with evident distaste. Upon the Temple stair, the sorcerer Honechi watched this with great misgivings. ?It is that SWORD!? he called to his fellows. There was a new note of urgency in his voice that belied a turning of the tides. ?It repels the souls!? Miroku, who stood near the stair beside Kagome, took hold of her shoulder with one hand and pointed with the other. ?Look, Kagome-[i]sama[/i]!? he exclaimed. ?He?s right!? The Inu Youkai that had been attacking Sesshoumaru continued to retreat from Tetsusaiga, which seemed to blaze even brighter than usual. From the beast?s side where it had been struck there poured forth a greenish light that flowed like blood. However, just as it reached the earth it vanished into thin air. ?But why Tetsusaiga?? Kagome asked, clenching Miroku?s arm worriedly. She didn?t like the way the attention of the Wise now seemed to be focused entirely on Inuyasha. ?Why does a SWORD work against the dead when nothing else does?? ?I don?t know,? Miroku answered, frowning. ?I think the spirits spared me once because I expressed compassion toward their plight. And my spiritual powers seem to have [i]some[/i] effect against them. But a [i]sword[/i]...? ?But Tetsusaiga is special,? Kagome reminded him. ?Even though Inuyasha?s a hanyou he?s still the only one who can wield it...? Honechi glanced down at Kagome and Miroku, distracted by what Kagome had said. ?This...Inuyasha...is a [i]hanyou[/i]?? he murmured softly. Then, to his comrades, he ordered, ?Command the souls to attack these two humans! They are his weakness!? ?Come ON!? Miroku urged, gripping Kagome?s shoulders and propelling her alongside him toward Inuyasha. The souls moved swiftly, swarming at them from all directions, but Inuyasha was faster, coming instantly to his friends? aid. He swept Tetsusaiga in a series of arcs so quick that it became a blur of light. Kagome and Miroku threw themselves on the ground, crouching at his feet to avoid the swinging blade. Inuyasha was aware that he was defending them, but there was also a very strange feeling came over him. Even as he swung the sword, a convulsive shudder passed through his body. He felt himself grow cold all over, as if an icy fang had slid into his spine. His hands still gripped Tetsusaiga, and his arms still swung it, but this new awareness was something else entirely. It felt as if the ghost had risen up through Inuyasha from the very ground beneath him. He had not seen it coming, nor sensed it, but in that moment his field of vision was swallowed in a brilliant flash of green. It was all around him. Inuyasha remembered disconnectedly that Miroku and Kagome were still kneeling beside him, and his heart clenched with fear for them. He lashed out with Tetsusaiga in desperation, striving with all his might to drive the ghost from him, but for once the sword had no effect. The thing was too immense, and while inside it he could do nothing. Time seemed to slow and stretch. Inuyasha?s vision shifted and blurred. He became like one great eye, seeing every Youkai soul that closed in on him--only now his perception of those souls had changed. His gaze spanned the multitude of faces--sad and hateful, tormented and bitter--and it seemed that he knew them in a way that he had not known them before. Inuyasha did not understand what was happening, and so could not have put it to words. Yet even if he?d wanted to, he couldn?t have. His tongue would not respond to his brain. He thought that he might have spoken to the spirits, but he couldn?t be sure. His gaze swept over them, and as it did they began to fade. As they faded they floated back into the Temple, into the buildings of the city, as if flowing on a tide of air. Gradually, as the spirits retreated, the green light of the ghost faded, and Inuyasha?s perception of the world returned to normal. The first things that he heard were the angry and fearful exclamations among the Wise, who were apparently as baffled as he was. Then he heard Kagome?s voice calling his name as she tugged on his sleeve. She seemed a bit nervous; dimly Inuyasha supposed that he cut a pretty impressive figure standing there with Tetsusaiga ablaze, having just thrown off the attacking ghosts. The third thing he heard was Miroku, already on his feet and rattling off a variety of possible explanations for what had just happened. Inuyasha still felt too oddly to bother with the monk?s prattle, so he ignored it. The first thing that Inuyasha saw was the last of the spirits? light fading into the city. He felt that the worst was over now, though he didn?t know HOW he knew this. Somehow he had driven them back into wherever it was they were bound to, and the Wise--who were still chanting in a rather pathetically determined manner--seemed powerless to reverse this. The second thing that Inuyasha saw was Kagome?s worried face, and Miroku?s pensive expression. The monk had planted his staff in the dirt and was leaning on it rather heavily, as if he were very tired. Humans, Inuyasha recalled, were weak and wimpy creatures. Next Miroku was probably going to insist that he needed SLEEP... The third thing that he saw was Sesshoumaru standing there, watching him with a regard as icy as the spirits? touch. The Inu Youkai was covered in blood--much of it his own--and purple slime. His hair was matted with it. But Sesshoumaru glared at his brother unflinchingly, and his steady stance made it clear that he wasn?t going to die any time soon. Inuyasha supposed it had been too much to hope for. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome murmured, resting her good hand on his arm. ?What happened?? ?What spirit was THAT?? Miroku asked in hushed tones. ?Why did it come to OUR aid?? ?How the HELL should I know?!? Inuyasha responded, gesturing widely and throwing up his hands. Kagome and Miroku had to duck, as one hand still held Tetsusaiga. Standing among the Wise--who had finally gone silent--Honechi stared, aghast. ?How can this BE?? he murmured. ?We cannot destroy him?? He cast a long, solemn glance at each of the remaining sorcerers clustered around him. ?Then this,? he said to them, ?is the end of all things...? Wordlessly he moved out from their midst and walked slowly toward those he had been trying to kill. He met Inuyasha?s gaze with a long, grim stare. ?Stop that,? Inuyasha demanded, glaring back at him and brandishing Tetsusaiga. ?You Wise are SO fucking WEIRD.? Then, to everyone?s surprise, Honechi knelt before him, bowing his head. ?Many generations of sorcerers have protected this city,? he said. ?And none have stood against us and lived. But now...I have failed. And if Reiyama is to die, then I beg you: strike the first blow to give me death, so that I must not live with this dishonor.? ?What?!? Inuyasha was completely nonplussed. ?You?re giving UP?? ?It would seem so,? Miroku murmured, coming to stand beside the [i]hanyou[/i] and wearing an expression of equal perplexity. Cautiously, Kagome joined them, still eyeing the kneeling sorcerer warily. ?It might be a trick,? she warned. ?He might want us to kill him for a REASON. The Wise enslave their own dead, remember?? Inuyasha paused, gazing at his solemn reflection in Tetsusaiga?s blade and considering this. Honechi did not move. ?But my sword protects me,? Inuyasha responded after a moment, frowning. ?The dead can?t hurt me or those I?m protecting.? Slowly, he lowered Tetsusaiga. A new idea was occurring to him. Up until this moment he had been fighting to protect his friends, and to prevent his enemies from getting their hands on the Shikon shards. But now the enemy was defeated and surrendering to him, and he didn?t have to worry any more. And in this moment, with his thoughts in perfect clarity, Inuyasha understood just how much he wanted to kill them all. It was not rage that made him decide this, nor bitterness, but only a vague sense that some justice had to be done here. The sorcerers were evil; their magic was twisted and cruel. Why should they live? Inuyasha clenched his hand tightly around Tetsusaiga?s hilt and began to raise it. Why shouldn?t he? They deserved to die. And he could start with the bastard kneeling in front of him, whose head bowed in acceptance. Behind him, Sesshoumaru made a noise of disgust. ?They?re toying with us,? the white demon observed. ?They know you can?t be killed, but they also know that unless we spare them the Inu Youkai souls will never be free.? Kagome startled and pressed closer to Inuyasha--she had forgotten that Sesshoumaru was still here, and now he had moved closer to Inuyasha?s group. She preferred that there be a good fifty feet between herself and Inuyasha?s brother--or a good fifty miles. ?How are we supposed to get them to FREE the souls?? Inuyasha demanded without turning around. ?I?ve got to show them I mean business before I get around to MAKING them do anything...? ?Apparently you?re deaf as well as stupid,? Sesshoumaru replied coolly. ?The magic must be done willingly. You can?t FORCE them to do this.? ??STUPID??!? Inuyasha bellowed, glaring back over his shoulder. ?I?M not the one who got the bright idea of shoving a SHARD up my ass and going on a rampage through the city!? Sesshoumaru?s haughty expression went temporarily blank, and he appeared slightly taken aback. ?Um...Inuyasha?? Kagome murmured, tugging on his sleeve. ?WHAT?? he demanded. ?I lied when I said the shard was--er--you know,? she replied. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed, but for the moment neither of them noticed. ?Really?? Inuyasha asked, pulling a face and lowering Tetsusaiga. ?WHY?? ?I didn?t want you to fight him,? Kagome said simply. ?You would?ve been distracted from the REAL danger and the Wise might?ve defeated you.? ?So where was the shard?? Inuyasha asked, still somewhat befuddled. ?In his arm,? she answered. ?I see,? Miroku murmured, rubbing his chin pensively. Up until this point, he had been listening with an expression of faint amusement. ?But he removed the shard and thrust it into the mouth of the Inu Youkai attacking him. Then, when Naraku went after it, lured by his ability to sense its nearness, Sesshoumaru caught him attacked him. Naraku probably thought he was dead by then, so he was caught completely off guard.? Sesshoumaru?s scowl deepened. ?What I still don?t get,? Inuyasha remarked, ?is why that one Youkai spirit rose up around me like that and drove the others off.? Honechi looked up, apparently curious about this as well. ?But it wasn?t a ghost,? Miroku corrected him. ?It was more like...an echo.? Inuyasha scratched his head, frowning. ?Felt like a ghost to ME,? he mused. ?But then, it also felt like it was kind of...speaking through me, I guess. Like it was using my body for something.? ?I knew that voice,? Sesshoumaru said, unexpectedly. His own voice was very bitter. ?It was our father?s.? Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku stared at him incredulously. Honechi?s eyes narrowed. ?It was an echo of our father?s spirit,? Sesshoumaru continued, ?summoned by the near presence of the Inu Youkai souls. It was preserved, like his Youkai power, in that sword.? The white demon?s gaze came to rest upon Tetsusaiga. He took a step toward his brother. ?If you were dead, Inuyasha,? he said hungrily, ?then perhaps the sword?s spirit would choose [i]me[/i]...? ?Back off, [i]baka[/i]--it?s MINE!? Inuyasha retorted, but he backed a step away from his advancing brother. This, of all places and times, was the LAST one he wanted to get in a dogfight over Tetsusaiga. But abruptly Sesshoumaru swept past Inuyasha, tearing his gaze away from the sword. Instead he came to stand before Honechi. ?Release the souls,? he ordered, voice low with hatred. ?I won?t kill YOU, but I WILL batter Reiyama into dust...if you won?t release them.? Honechi?s eyes filled with a fire to equal Sesshoumaru?s. ?They are the lifeblood of this city,? he hissed. ?They serve and protect its people.? ?They?re DEAD, you sick bastard, and they should be FREE,? Inuyasha retorted, moving to stand at Sesshoumaru?s shoulder. ?What do we have to do to convince you Wise to let them go?? Sesshoumaru shrugged faintly. ?It does not matter,? he said, and his tone was calm. ?If you will never free my kin anyway, then killing the Tatesei sorcerers is going to ease my heart greatly.? His eyes flickered down toward Honechi. ?But you I will kill last, so that you can watch your brethren die.? He lowered his voice to a toxic whisper. ?And I swear to you on my father?s grave that it will be [i]slow[/i].? Honechi swallowed hard, squaring his shoulders. There was a moment of pregnant silence during which it seemed the sorcerer might still dare to defy Sesshoumaru. Yet finally he answered, ?With Reikotsu dead, I am the new leader of the Wise. I speak for my brethren in saying that we promise to do as you ask. Pass judgment upon Reiyama as you will. But our magic is tied to the will of the king. We may only release the souls if the ruler orders it.? ?Iryokugou-[i]o-sama[/i] is dead,? Sesshoumaru told him icily. ?I have passed my judgment upon him.? ?Ah,? Honechi said softly. ?Yet two princes remain...? [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 11}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 12: The True King {#} {#} [/b][/color] [/CENTER] [color=blue]In the tunnel beneath the lake, Shippou and Asano ran in darkness. By this time both were drenched with the moisture that dripped from the stone ceiling. Shippou?s foxfire had long since died out, because in order to keep up with the human prince the Kitsune was forced to scamper on all fours. From somewhere behind them there came a sudden, resounding thud that echoed deafeningly through the narrow space. Though they had run a long ways, the impact still caused a flurry of small rocks to rain down upon them. ?What?s going ON?!? Shippou panted, periodically casting nervous glances over his shoulder. ?I--I don?t know!? Asano replied, breathing hard. ?It sounds like something?s trying to come through the ceiling!? The sound came again; louder this time. ?The Wise have found us!? Shippou yelped. ?Come on!? Asano scooped the Kitsune up in his arms. ?We have to make it to the exit before they break through!? The sound came again, before they had run three steps. And then, with a mighty, heaving groan the tunnel gave way. Water spurted through the breach like blood through a vein. It filled the narrow passageway and tossed Asano and Shippou like rag dolls. The pressure of the water?s weight was causing the tunnel to cave in. Cracks and then further decimation of the stone ceiling spread rapidly from the breach, but the massive, surging tide carried both of them through the tunnel. Ahead of him, through the murky water, Shippou could see a blurry square of light growing larger. Then, abruptly, he and Asano burst free of the tunnel?s exit. The force of the flood bore them upward and onto the rocky banks of the lake. Behind and below them, the tunnel?s entire structure finally gave way with a deafening roar, and the level of the lake ebbed slightly as the water quickly filled it. Shippou lay there in a daze, bedraggled and soaked and blinded the brightness of daylight after the long stint in the dark underground. Then a shadow moved across the sun, and he could see again. Shippou raised his head, blinking muddy water out of his eyes. Somewhere behind him, he heard Asano gasp and exclaim: ?That?s--!? But whatever the prince intended to say, he never finished it, because the shadow loomed down and struck him with its claws.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?Asano!? Kagome gasped, realizing what Honechi was saying. ?What?s happened to Asano and Shippou?!? ?Fuck!? Inuyasha exclaimed, brandishing Tetsusaiga and making those nearest him duck again. ?I forgot about them! Didn?t Miroku tell them to go hide somewhere?? ?Asano,? Sesshoumaru murmured, more to himself than anyone else. ?The prince...? ?Inuyasha, why hasn?t Yaburenumaru shown himself before now?? Miroku asked. ?Unless...? ?Damnit,? Inuyasha swore again, sheathing Tetsusaiga and making ready to be off. ?That little bastard?s MORE trouble...? ?Inuyasha, he didn?t come to fight [i]us[/i],? Kagome reminded him worriedly. ?He came here to kill his brother.? ?We have to find them!? Miroku urged them. ?Kagome-[i]sama[/i], can you locate the [i]kehai[/i] of Yaburenumaru?s jewel shard?? Kagome nodded solemnly and Inuyasha knelt so that she could climb onto his back. Then he sprang forward and they were off, in the direction that she indicated. Miroku, left alone in the company of Sesshoumaru and the Wise and a whole lot of half-melted corpses, took off after them with great haste. The Wise watched him go with great misgivings. ?What must we do?? one asked. ?What CAN we do?? ?These outsiders will choose our king for us if we don?t act!? another argued heatedly, clenching his fist so violently that his long gray sleeve fell back below his forearm. ?They will kill Yaburenumaru to save the younger one, and all our efforts will have come to nothing.? All eyes turned to Honechi, who had risen from where he knelt before Inuyasha and glided over to stand among them. ?We can?t hope to defeat Inuyasha,? he told them gravely. ?We have already tried to defeat the prophecy and failed. He wields a power heirloom whose magic contains a part of the Great Demon?s soul. This mere [i]hanyou[/i] can force our legions to retreat; even if we called them back what good would it do?? ?You are all fools,? a smooth voice interrupted their discussion. ?Listening to some old man?s inane babble and thinking a mere [i]hanyou[/i] has come to destroy you.? A hush fell over the sorcerers as Sesshoumaru stalked straight through their midst. They parted around him to all him a wide berth. ?The words spoken by our prophet are not to be taken lightly,? Honechi warned. His eyes narrowed, and he lowered his head until his face disappeared into the shadow of his cowl. ?And you, white demon, take us too lightly for one who would have died beneath our magic...had not the [i]hanyou?s[/i] sword saved you.? Sesshoumaru stopped walking and turned his head ever so slightly. One eye glared balefully down at Honechi. ?You will regret saying that,? he told the sorcerer. ?Inuyasha is a fool. He came here because I led him here. He is too human to hate you as I do.? He paused, turning away again, then said with his back facing them: ?I don?t care which whelp the [i]kirin[/i] ordains. Only know this: if the one chosen will not free the souls of my kin, then I swear I will hunt down every man, woman and child of Tatesei blood until Reiyama truly [i]is[/i] a city of ghosts.? Then the white demon stalked clear of the gathered Wise, moving swiftly in the direction that Inuyasha had taken. One of his strides was as long as two mortals?, and soon he had vanished from view. Then the Wise began to move, gray-robed figures seeming to glide over the gore-soaked ground. They followed Sesshoumaru, knowing that he would lead them to Yaburenumaru. ?Unlike Inuyasha, that one cannot be reasoned with,? one of the Wise observed. ?He is too angry. What is to stop him from slaughtering us all once he has achieved what he wants?? With seeming indifference the sorcerers passed over the bodies of the murdered Tatesei, as if planting a foot upon a child?s face was no different from treading upon a lump of dirt in the road. ?Yes, he is angry,? Honechi agreed, ?angry enough to act rashly.? The leader of the Wise lowered his head, smiling. ?Did you not see his face? He wants the [i]hanyou?s[/i] sword. Why not goad him into taking it? The human girl bearing the Shikon Jewel shards said that only Inuyasha can wield it. If the [i]hanyou[/i] and the sword are separated, then...? The other Wise nodded understanding. If Inuyasha and the sword shielding him were parted, then he and his jealous, dangerous brother would see the same doom as their forebears.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?STOP IT! Don?t you realize what you?re DOING?! He?s your BROTHER!? Shippou cried out in terror as the demon?s claws raked across Asano?s back and right arm. The blow had not struck directly, or the human prince would have been impaled by it. At the last second Asano had thrown himself to one side, and so was only wounded. But the demon was agile and lightning-quick, and as soon as the strike was pulled its other arm was moving. ?FOXFIRE!? Shippou shouted, recovering his wits and aiming his attack at the space between the demon and its prey. The green fire shot forth from between the Kitsune?s cupped palms, enveloping Asano and giving the demon pause. The human prince, terrified by the sudden appearance of the flames around him, crawled backward rapidly. The demon drew back for a moment, but the flames that had been intended to scorch him were instead absorbed into his scaly hide. Yaburenumaru?s eyes, so eerily human in the demon?s face, narrowed to slits as if in ecstasy. He seemed to be consciously drawing the fire into himself. ?Oh no!? Shippou cried, slapping his forehead with his paws. ?I forgot he?s a SALAMANDER demon! Salamanders are DRAWN to fire!? As Asano simultaneously tried to scramble to his feet and dive behind a rock for shelter, Yaburenumaru lowered himself onto all four reptilian feet, lashing his tail. He seemed to convulse, as if he were about to wretch, and then his jaws snapped open and he spat a fireball toward his brother. It was massive--roughly the size of the boulder behind which Asano was hiding--and so hot that it left a scorched furrow through everything in its path. It would have scorched right through Asano?s makeshift barricade had not another barrier imposed itself between the fire and the boy. The fireball struck Inuyasha dead on. But he held his sleeves in front of his face, and his fire-rat robes shielded him completely. The orb seemed to burst upon contact with him, spattering flames in all directions but nevertheless coming nowhere near Asano. ?Kyah!? Kagome screamed as the flames shot toward her. Inuyasha had put her down at what he judged to be a safe distance away once they?d arrived on the scene, but it wasn?t far enough for HER liking. ?Gah!? Miroku cried, facing the same threat. He lunged for Kagome, grabbed her around the waist, and tackled her to the ground. The flames shot over their heads, less than a meter above. ?Oy! Monk! Keep your hands off her!? Inuyasha yelled, glancing over at them. ?YOU watch where you make the demon?s attacks ricochet!? Miroku fired back, raising his head to glare over at the [i]hanyou[/i]. His arms still encircled Kagome?s waist, even though the flames had disappeared. ?Better you than me, yah pervert!? Inuyasha retorted. ?Inuyasha!? Kagome called, clearly incensed by the attack?s near miss. ?Will you SHUT UP and STOP that thing before it barfs up ANOTHER fireball?? ?Heh,? Inuyasha snorted, turning back toward the demon and raising Tetsusaiga. ?Consider it done.? The demon, having been given time to re-gather its strength, now spat forth two fireballs in rapid succession. Inuyasha took a swing at the first one with Tetsusaiga, wielding the sword like a player at bat. It flew about a hundred yards away, scorching the tops of the trees at the edge of the lake. Inuyasha didn?t see the second one until it was almost upon him. ?Shit!? he swore, dodging it. ?Who the FUCK tried using fire against this thing?!? Shippou, who had been watching all of this in a wide-eyed, dumbstruck manner, now scampered toward Kagome, where Inuyasha was least likely to pound him. ?Feh,? Inuyasha grumbled, shooting a glare Shippou?s way. ?I?ll deal with YOU later...? ?Say, Kagome-[i]sama[/i],? Miroku murmured into Kagome?s ear. ?Do you see where the demon?s shard is?? ?HEY, you CAN remove your hands now, you know!? Kagome told him, using both arms and one foot to pry herself from his grasp. When she had put at least three yards between them she squinted at Yaburenumaru, looking for the shard. She saw the telltale glow located in the demon?s back. A sudden memory came to her of when they had first met Yaburenumaru, and there had been a great bloody weal across his back. Now she knew why. He had torn the shard from his own body that night and hidden it somewhere to prevent her from sensing it and realizing that he was after the jewel. Sesshoumaru had warned him that she had the ability to see the shards, and Sesshoumaru had given Yaburenumaru the means to return to Reiyama, but in the end it had been Yaburenumaru?s choice to come. It made Kagome very sad to think that a young boy could have such an ugly heart. ?Inuyasha, it?s in his back!? she called, cupping her hands to her mouth. ?Just underneath the largest spine!? The salamander demon had a single ridge of razor-sharp spikes growing down along the length of its spine. Inuyasha nodded understanding and ran at Yaburenumaru. The demon spat another fireball at him, but he took a flying leap and vaulted over it. As he flew through the air, he slashed Tetsusaiga downward in one vicious strike. The blow cut deep beneath the largest spike and into the flesh beneath. The demon howled in fury as a great gout of red-orange blood sprang from the wound. The jewel shard that had been embedded in that flesh became airborne upon the spray of this fount. ?Inuyasha, quick!? Kagome cried, but he had already seen it. With his Youkai reflexes he snatched it up and bounded over the rest of the demon?s body to land on his feet on the ground below. ?Damnit,? he swore, pocketing the shard and hurrying off toward the lake with even greater speed. Kagome, Shippou and Miroku watched with a great deal of surprise. ?He?s running away?? Shippou asked, sounding shocked. Kagome had her doubts, but she was wondering the same thing as well until Inuyasha crouched down and stuck his hand under the water. A small puff of steam escaped the surface just above his hand, and the [i]hanyou[/i] let out a sigh of vast relief. ?Damn, that was hot!? he complained. ?That thing?s blood?s like sticking your hand in boiling water.? Kagome, still watching him, thought, ?[i]Well he?s certainly had enough experience trying to steal ramen from the pot to know...?[/i] The demon, its opponent temporarily distracted, was headed for Asano again. It reared up on its hind legs and came down upon the boulder that he was hiding behind. Broken chunks of rock flew in all directions. Asano gave a hoarse yell and flattened himself against the ground, attempting to shield his head and neck with his hands. ?Yaburenumaru!? he cried, in a voice both fearful and anguished. ?Brother!? The demon?s jaws descended toward him, glowing with the heat of the fire building within them. Then Inuyasha?s red-clad form imposed itself between the two brothers. ?Oh no you DON?T!? he shouted, swinging Tetsusaiga. The blade?s [i]kenatsu[/i] sent energy crackling along the flesh of the demon?s face, and it retreated, roaring and shaking its head as if to clear it. Some of its blood spattered on the ground again, causing the grass to sizzle where it landed. Then it was lunging for Asano again, this time on all fours and spewing fire. Again Inuyasha imposed himself between the demon and its prey, and this time the fireball broke and scattered before even touching Tetsusaiga because the [i]kenatsu[/i] was growing in strength. As the demon recoiled from the crackling field of energy, Miroku hastened to Inuyasha?s side and stepped in front of him. ?What the hell are you doing?!? Inuyasha hollered, swatting at the monk with his sword. ?Get the fuck outta my way!? Miroku stepped forward more to avoid being swatted and planted his staff firmly in the sodden earth. ?Let me help,? he insisted, facing down the demon with an expression of determination. ?Perhaps I can defeat him without spilling more blood.? Miroku placed his hands on either sides of the staff?s ring and concentrated his spiritual energy into a locus around the ring. The smaller rings on the staff jangled violently as the staff vibrated. Then the monk uttered a low incantation, and the light building between his hands shot forth and struck the demon between the eyes. ?Yaburenumaru!? Miroku said clearly, calling to the boy within the demon. ?Kikan! [i]Kikan!?[/i] Kagome scooted backward to crouch behind a tree stump to watch from a safer vantage point. ??[i]Kikan[/i]??? she thought, surprised. ?[i]Return?? He?s exorcising the demon??[/i] ?[i]KIKAN[/i]!? the monk repeated, more forcefully. ?Hmm...? Shippou mused. ?You know, we?ve never actually SEEN him perform an exorcism. I always thought he was faking it.? From the amount of power Miroku was sending through the air he apparently WASN?T faking it, but from the looks of things he wasn?t having an easy time of it, either. The demon?s outline was becoming blurred and wavered, but it was still advancing toward Asano--albeit slowly and steadily. Miroku?s expression was becoming strained. At first Kagome thought it was because he?d already been drained by the long battle with the Wise. But then, abruptly, Miroku aborted the exorcism, catching up his staff in his left hand before retreating behind Inuyasha. ?You done now, dumb-ass?? Inuyasha jeered at him. ?NOW can I get on with this?? ?He--he wouldn?t let me,? Miroku panted. A thin sheen of perspiration had developed across his forehead. ?Yaburenumaru is [i]there[/i], in the demon?s form. But he [i]refuses[/i] to let the Youkai spirit be exorcised.? Miroku?s expression was one of utter dismay. ?It?s like he?s [i]chosen[/i] to become one with the demon so that he can control it.? The demon seemed temporarily stunned by the monk?s spell, but it was recovering fast. ?Well, I could?ve told you THAT!? Inuyasha replied, but his expression was grim. ?If this is what the kid wants, then we can?t make him see reason. If he WANTS to be an evil little runt in a big body then I?m gonna have to kill him.? And then, without further ado, Inuyasha proceeded to raise Tetsusaiga for one final, fatal slash downward. The blade descended toward Yaburenumaru in an arc so swift it blurred. But something moving just as swiftly stopped Tetsusaiga?s deadly descent. The force of the counter-blow knocked it from Inuyasha?s grasp and sent it flying. Caught completely by surprise, Inuyasha scarcely dodged the crackling cord of light before it retracted and fell back toward its wielder. Had he not leaped back in time, it would have struck him directly across the face. ?You...fool!? Sesshoumaru hissed. Inuyasha dove after Tetsusaiga, which went somersaulting through the air before landing with a splash in the lake. Sesshoumaru snapped the whip-like weapon at his brother again. Inuyasha was forced to jump off course to avoid it. He landed in a crouched position, glaring at his assailant. ?What the HELL do you think you?re DOING?!? he shouted. ?That THING isn?t the new ruler! It?s not even human any more!? ?That,? Sesshoumaru replied, ?is the point.? He remained planted between his brother and the demon, staring down at Inuyasha with a kind of feverish intensity. ?He?s--he?s DEFENDING Yaburenumaru,? Kagome exclaimed, surprised. ?But WHY?? ?What the hell d?you MEAN; ?That?s the point.??? Inuyasha demanded. He tried another mad dash toward the lake, where the ripples still spread around the place where his sword sank. Once again Sesshoumaru?s weapon diverted him from his course. ?Why are you doing this? Is this about Tetsusaiga?? Jealousy flared in the white demon?s eyes, but he lowered his head and visibly drove it back. ?Yaburenumaru knows what it is to be Youkai,? he answered softly. ?He has tasted demon power, and he has chosen to become one with it.? He added, ?That soft, puling little princeling does not,? making scornful reference to Asano. This seemed to give Yaburenumaru pause. Until this instant he had been moving away from the two Inu Youkai, searching for Asano amidst the debris with his roving, burning gaze. Now he hesitated, turning to look at Sesshoumaru. ?What difference does that make?? Miroku asked, leaving his hiding place to approach them. ?You can?t choose their king [i]for[/i] them...? Sesshoumaru?s eyes flashed, and his claws tightened around the end of his weapon. ?Can?t I?? he asked, in a low, warning tone of voice. He sent the whip cracking down on Inuyasha, who rolled to the side to get out of the way. The weapon left a deep furrow in the ground that glowed a poisoned green. ?Stop! He?s right!? It was Asano, rising to his feet and stepping out from behind the barricade of debris he?d been using for shelter. ?You can?t choose which of us will be king. Only the--? Then the prince saw the murderous gleam in Sesshoumaru?s eye, as the white demon turned slowly toward him. ?One cannot be ordained,? Sesshoumaru murmured, ?if the other is dead.? Moving so fast that his body became a white blur, he launched himself toward Asano, who could only watch in horror his approaching doom. Then Inuyasha was between them, absorbing the impact of Sesshoumaru?s momentum and letting it bowl him over. Asano stood stock still, frozen with fear but also unwilling to flee. He watched as the two brothers rolled over and over, scraping a deep gouge into the earth until they finally came to a stop. They landed with Inuyasha crouching over his brother. Both of them had each other in a strangle hold. ?Will you just GIVE IT UP?!? Inuyasha bellowed. ?Ass-holes who want to kill their own brothers don?t get ordained!? ?We have to do something!? Kagome exclaimed, watching worriedly. ?And QUICK!? ?I dunno,? Miroku muttered, scratching his head and looking pensive. ?They don?t exactly seem to be destroying anything at the moment...except maybe each other...? For once the two brothers were evenly matched in physical strength. Though Sesshoumaru was full Youkai, his injuries were worse than he let on and he had only one hand with which to strangle his brother. Inuyasha, on the other hand, was relatively fresh and spry, and had two hands with which to throttle the throat between them. Kagome wasn?t reassured by the sight of this, and vowed that she would retrieve Tetsusaiga before things got out of hand. She kicked off her shoes and socks. ?Kagome, [i]wait[/i]!? Miroku cried. ?Have you lost all common [i]sense[/i]?!? But she ignored him, took a running start and dove into the lake. ?Kagome, WAIT FOR ME!? Shippou cried, and hurried after her. Yaburenumaru, in the meantime, had resumed his advance upon Asano. Asano wasn?t running any more, but had picked up a sharp, broken branch and was swinging it at his brother. ?Don?t come near me!? he cried in desperation. ?Don?t do this! I don?t care what you are now--you?re still my BROTHER!? But Yaburenumaru didn?t stop. His advance was slow. He slashed at his brother lazily with his long claws, as a cat might swat at a mouse. The human eyes in the demon?s head were calm, and gave no indication that he cared what Asano might say. ?Asano, if you value your life, grab onto that tree stump near you and DON?T LET GO!? Miroku had come to the prince?s aid, standing behind the advancing demon and preparing to use his right hand. Asano froze, not understanding what the monk meant. He had never seen the Wind Tunnel in action. ?Do it NOW!? Miroku ordered. Still the prince didn?t move--he was too reluctant to drop the branch he was wielding with Yaburenumaru bearing down on him. ?[i]Damnit[/i],? Miroku thought worriedly. ?[i]If he doesn?t hold onto something, I can?t use the Wind Tunnel or he?ll be sucked in, too.?[/i] Meanwhile, the second pair of siblings trying to kill each other was still at it. ?Fool!? Sesshoumaru rasped at Inuyasha, eyes red with rage. ?Just which boy...do you think...is going to choose...to free the Youkai souls? The human...or the one who?s chosen demonification?? Inuyasha jabbed a clawed finger in Asano?s general direction. ?Shut up and LISTEN! Asano?s the only one of that pair with any kind of compassion! The other one?s a twisted little freak who?s all but sold his SOUL to the Wise!? Then Inuyasha realized the very stupid error he?d just made. He?d just lost his one-hand advantage over Sesshoumaru--to POINT at someone, of all things--and now Sesshoumaru was able to break free of his choke-hold. The white demon threw him off with a sudden surge of strength, sending him sprawling. Now Sesshoumaru tackled [i]Inuyasha[/i] to the ground and flew at him. He ended up kneeling over Inuyasha with his claws at his brother?s throat. The white demon?s eyes glittered feverishly, and his breath quickened. ?I see now,? he breathed, ?that I must first finish YOU. Finish...what should have been done all those years ago...?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Diving down beneath the murky lake water, Kagome forced her self to keep her eyes open. She hoped desperately that with her spiritual powers she?d be able to see Tetsusaiga, even though it had probably reverted to its ordinary, banged-up-looking mode. But after descending about ten feet she couldn?t see anything, and swimming with one good arm was difficult. She let herself be buoyed upward and resurfaced, gasping. She almost collided with Shippou, who was dog-paddling around her and calling her name into the water. ?Shippou!? she said, grabbing his shirt collar to hoist him up. ?I need your help!? ?O-ok-kay,? he sputtered, spitting up lake scum. ?I?m going to dive again to find Tetsusaiga,? Kagome explained. ?You swim after me and use your foxfire to light things up. It?s so dark down there!? Shippou nodded solemnly. They both took a deep lungful of air, then disappeared below the surface again. ?Foxfire,? Shippou managed, despite the bubbles escaping from his mouth. A small green light appeared, cutting through the murky water. Kagome thought she saw something gleaming below her, and kicked her legs with renewed hope. She tried not to think about the pressure in her ears or the burning in her lungs or the fierce throbbing in her arm as she swam. The added weight of her clothes helped; she sank like a stone. Five feet more, and then she thought in exultation, [i]?I SEE it!?[/i] It was inches away from her outstretched fingertips. She had the faint impression that it was surrounded by dark, wavy things, but she didn?t have time to think about anything but the sword. Inuyasha was in danger, and her own breath was also in danger of running out. She felt the wavy things touch her arm. Impatiently she pushed them aside, reaching further into their midst to grasp the sword hilt. Then Shippou?s light disappeared. He had resurfaced, the incantation having released too much air for him to go as far as Kagome had. ?Kagome!? he cried, alarmed because when he looked down he couldn?t see her at all. At the bottom of the lake, Kagome panicked. The sword was stuck in the mud below. In desperation she tugged it with both arms--including the broken one--and still it wouldn?t budge. But she couldn?t let go of the sword, either, or all this would be for nothing. She looked up, thinking that if she could swim down with Shippou then maybe the two of them could pull it out together. Thinking, however, was becoming difficult. Resigning herself to a second try, Kagome attempted to swim toward the surface. She needed air. It was so dark that she couldn?t see what direction to go, so she used her grasp of Tetsusaiga?s hilt to pull her feet under her to rest on the lake bottom. However, when Kagome tried to push off of it, she found that she was stuck. The wavy things--apparently lake weeds--had somehow become tangled around her legs. Frantically she thrashed and tried to free herself, but she was losing strength, and with it consciousness.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Thinking quickly, Shippou conjured up the foxfire again and plunged down as far as his little legs would take him. It was hard for him to swim with the little green flame cupped between his palms. Soon he was rewarded with the sight of the answering gleam off Tetsusaiga?s blade, but also horror-struck at the sight of Kagome, trapped among the weeds. Her eyes were open, but so was her mouth, and there were only a few bubbles trailing from it. Desperately, Shippou transformed into the heaviest thing he could think of: a small Buddha statue. It sank like the rock it resembled, and then he transformed back when he had hit the bottom. The Kitsune tugged on both Kagome?s arm and Tetsusaiga?s hilt, but neither would budge. Kagome floated up a little ways, her hair billowing around her face, but something kept tugging her downward, and even unconscious she wouldn?t let go of the sword. After a few more unsuccessful attempts Shippou?s air ran out, and he floated back up to the surface. ?INUYASHA!? he cried, flailing and splashing in a panic. ?You?ve gotta help Kagome! She?s stuck at the bottom of the lake!? Inuyasha was still pinioned beneath Sesshoumaru, whose claws at his throat had begun to glow green. ?What the hell?!? Inuyasha barked. ?What was she THINKING?!? ?She was trying to get Tetsusaiga back!? Shippou answered. ?So HELP her, already!? ?Tetsusaiga,? Inuyasha murmured, remembering what had befallen the sword. As Sesshoumaru?s claws descended toward his neck, he thought, ?[i]I still have the scabbard. If I can call Tetsusaiga with it...?[/i] Sesshoumaru?s claws stabbed downward, and Inuyasha whipped his head to the left to avoid being skewered. With one hand, Inuyasha caught his brother?s wrist just before Sesshoumaru?s rapid counterstrike could reach his face. Holding his brother off required a lot of strength, but the[i] hanyou [/i]couldn?t spare the use of the other hand, which closed convulsively around the scabbard at his hip. He thanked his lucky stars that it hadn?t been torn from him at some point during the battle. As he gripped the scabbard, he felt it send out a pulse. Sesshoumaru felt the pulse and glanced down to see what was happening. The white demon didn?t know that Tetsusaiga could be summoned by its scabbard, but he could sense the power emanating from it. He brought one knee up and stamped down hard on it, attempting to shatter it, but all he succeeded in doing was grinding it into the earth with his weight. Treading water in the lake, Shippou let out a squawk of surprise as the water around him began to pulse and ripple. But when he looked down and saw a light drawing nearer to the surface of the water. Then Tetsusaiga broke the surface, dragging Kagome with it. ?KAGOME!? Shippou exclaimed. When the sword changed direction to zoom over the bank toward Inuyasha, Kagome loosed her death-grip on its hilt and sank back down into the water. Shippou transformed into a round, buoy-like thing and dragged her toward the shore, where he half-pushed, half-rolled her a little ways up the bank. Tetsusaiga shot toward Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. The instant its hilt reached Inuyasha?s palm and his fingers closed around it, everything began happening at once. Wary as he was of Tetsusaiga?s power, Sesshoumaru was also determined to kill his brother. His claws stabbed downward again, but Inuyasha rolled to the side and they only raked the earth beside him. Inuyasha slashed at his brother with Tetsusaiga, but Sesshoumaru was up in a flash and jumping back a good five meters. Asano finally listened to Miroku and grabbed hold of the stump, and Miroku flung aside the prayer beads, shouting, ?[i]KAZAANA[/i]!? Yaburenumaru dug tried to dig his claws into the earth, scrabbling desperately for some purchase in the loose, churned-up soil to keep from being sucked in. Inuyasha was caught off guard in mid-leap by Sesshoumaru?s whip-like weapon. It coiled around Tetsusaiga?s blade and held fast, though Inuyasha tried to wrench the sword away. He landed in a crouch, planting his feet to keep from being thrown completely off balance. While all this was happening, the air had developed a sudden chill, and the sky became lit with a weird green cast. Both Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru glanced up and saw what was coming. Borne on the backs of a hundred souls, the Wise rolled onto the scene in the midst of their legions, finally coaxed from their retreat once Tetsusaiga was out of range. Miroku closed off the Wind Tunnel once he had noted the presence of the Inu Youkai souls, and Yaburenumaru paused as well to see what the Wise would do. ?Let GO, stupid!? Inuyasha bellowed at Sesshoumaru. ?Can?t you see them hovering like damned VULTURES? If this sword leaves my hands we?re ALL done for!? Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed as he studied the ranks of the Wise, waiting silent and cowled atop the Youkai spirits. ?Let GO of it, before they attack!? Inuyasha urged, pulling on Tetsusaiga?s hilt with all his might to keep from being dragged off his feet. ?Heirloom or not, the sword?s not worth DYING for!? [/color]

[CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 9: The Trap Is Sprung {#} {#} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]When at last the raging Inu Youkai had carved himself a bloody path to the Temple, the Wise were waiting for him. They stood silently upon the Temple stair, like a series of identical gray statues. Were it not for the brightness of their hard, cold eyes it would seem their faces had been carved from granite. A last line of warriors formed between the demon and his prey. They braced themselves against spears held upright, hoping merely to gouge the white demon?s paws at best. Snarling, the demon lowered its head. From his gaping jaws dripped foul purple saliva, from which there arose a vapor so thick the figures of the humans on the ground below were temporarily obscured by it. The warriors? deaths were not easy. The Wise watched, silent and dispassionate. Then the fierce visage of the Inu Youkai burst through the veil of poisoned fumes. He did not pause to orient himself but flew at his enemies without hesitation. He knew from past experience that the Wise would allow him no time for strategy. True to his memories, as he fell upon them there was a sudden rush as of wind, and their demon souls were all around him. Sesshoumaru remembered this chill, this ice in his very bones, from years ago, when a young demon lord stood alone and afraid on the field of battle. He didn?t banish these memories, but instead allowed them to fuel the fires of his rage, laying about him with claw and fang. Many Wise fell with Sesshoumaru?s first assault, mowed down and slashed into bloody pulp by his blows. Three-legged though he was, he was lightning-quick and made all the stronger by the shard he carried. But the ice in his bones grew unbearable, like a flame set alight yet cold as the grave. From behind the Wise ranks of Greater Youkai arose, and his heart froze at the sight of them. These were Sesshoumaru?s kinsmen, his family. These were the first warriors to protect the Tatesei, before that Line became consumed by its own darkness. The sight of them filled him with darkness of his own. He was infinitely glad that his father was not among them. His father?s spirit was free. The souls of the Greater Youkai slashed at him from every angle, and Sesshoumaru began to bleed. The souls of these demons were so powerful that, amplified by the spells of the Wise, they gained substance with which to fight. Roaring, Sesshoumaru plowed through their midst. Though they struck him mercilessly, he refused to attack them. He did not know if such a thing was even POSSIBLE--to damage a ghost--but nevertheless he didn?t try. These were faces he knew. Instead he plunged forward and crashed full force into the Temple. [i]?If I can destroy this place, and the bones that bind them to this life, then they will be free[/i],? he reasoned. ?[i]The Wise may die after, but first the souls...?[/i] As the first bone pillars began to crack beneath his massive weight, the Greater Youkai spirits flew at him in a fury. His heaving sides now ran red with blood, yet again and again he lunged at the Temple. Despite the strong will driving him toward his vengeance, however, Sesshoumaru was becoming increasingly aware of the fierce, biting cold that crept through his flesh at the touch of the souls. The shard within him pulsed, holding it at bay as he steeled himself against the pain. [i]?I have faced this before[/i],? he thought angrily, ?[i]and lived. And I did then what I intended to do. I WILL survive THIS...[/i]?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The Wise had not broken form when the Inu Youkai attacked, despite the heavy losses that it had cost them. The souls of their comrades would serve them still, even though death had claimed them. Their chanting rose in intensity, reverberating through the air so that it seemed a host of a thousand men stood there rather than a hundred. The souls of the dead sorcerers, bound by magic to their fellows, rose upward. Yet they could not complete their ascent, and sank earthward again, wailing. Those nearest them altered the spells that they called, and soon the ghostly forms of the dead Wise reformed beside their living comrades. Their voices had a strange, echoing quality--somehow purer than those of the living and no less powerful. ?Still he comes!? one sorcerer said to gray-eyed Reikotsu in wonderment. ?He cares nothing for his own life!? Reikotsu stood apart from the others, watching silently. The sorcerer who addressed him had broken rank to see why he stood apart. ?It is the shard,? Reikotsu murmured, not sparing the other man a glance. His cold gaze was riveted upon the awesome form of the white demon above him. ?The sacred jewel shard that he carries protects him from the souls? deadly chill.? The other sorcerer followed Reikotsu?s gaze with narrowed eyes. ?He is so strong,? the man commented. ?But his strength must surely be leaving him; his blood is raining down on us!? The sorcerer paused, and then his eyes widened in realization of something. ?Eh? All those years ago... HE was the one who...?? Reikotsu glanced over at his fellow with interest. ?Yes?? he inquired. The other sorcerer shook his head, frowning a little at his superior. ?We must take the shard SOON,? he insisted. ?He?s destroying the Temple.? Reikotsu smiled a little, returning his gaze to the raging demon above. ?No,? he said softly. ?Not yet.? The other sorcerer?s eyes widened. ?Master, WHY?? he demanded. ?We cannot afford to waste any TIME!? Reikotsu?s smile deepened. ?Because more shards are coming. And all the players have not yet arrived.? [i]?And the more of the Wise that Sesshoumaru destroys[/i],? he thought to himself, [i]?the fewer contenders there will be...[/i]?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha landed on a rooftop near the Temple and perched there a moment, assessing the situation. Ahead of him a battle was raging between his brother and the Wise. The sight temporarily rendered him stunned and speechless. He shifted into a crouching position, careful not to dislodge Kagome, whom he was still carrying. ?What ARE those things?? Kagome asked into his ear. Inuyasha was still carrying her, but he wasn?t sure he wanted to carry her into THIS... ?They?re the souls of demons,? he told her. ?The Wise trapped them. They?re attacking Sesshoumaru.? He laid Tetsusaiga across his knees, balancing it there. ?Kagome, where?s his shard located?? he asked grimly. ?Um...? She hesitated before answering. ?You don?t have to fight him, Inuyasha.? ?WHAT?!? he exclaimed, turning around so fast that Kagome fell of his back and landed on the roof on her rump. The roof was slanted, and she had a rather bumpy slide downward until Inuyasha stopped her with one outstretched hand. ?Hey, YOU were the one who told me I have to stop him!? Kagome?s most immediate response was a swift slap in the face. Inuyasha rubbed at the red mark while she righted herself. He was about to launch into a very lengthy string of swear words when he reflected that the outstretched hand might have caught her in a rather importune place. ?Eh--?? he began, fearing the worst, but Kagome seemed to have gotten it out of her system with the slap. ?I MEANT that you don?t NEED to fight him,? she explained. ?Because he?s already dying.? ?What? Really?? Inuyasha turned to watch the battle. He didn?t seem overly upset about this. ?How can you tell?? ?Well,? Kagome began, rather reluctantly, ?it?s not just that he?s bleeding a lot. I can [i]see[/i] the [i]kehai[/i] of the demon souls attacking. Every time they sort of...pass through him...the [i]kehai[/i] gets stronger. And his gets weaker.? ?He must be fucking DETERMINED to destroy the Temple,? Inuyasha remarked. ?We know from his LAST little Tetsusaiga-fetching visit that he isn?t one to go risking his life. Fucking coward.? This, of course, referred to the incident where Sesshoumaru gave up and left Inuyasha alone once the [i]hanyou[/i] had regained possession of Tetsusaiga. ?Uh...his poison doesn?t seem to be killing the Wise,? Kagome murmured. ?Inuyasha, if he dies they?re going to take his shard. We have to stop them.? ?[i]Have[/i] to--?? Inuyasha?s mood was borderline frustration. ?Kagome, do you REALIZE that while we?re ?RESCUING? him he could fucking SQUASH us?? He added in low murderous tones, ?And he?d probably ENJOY it, too...? He looked up from his dark mutterings. ?Just tell me where the shard is. So when he finally croaks I can get it before THEY do.? Kagome glanced up at the towering Inu Youkai and the massive specters around him. ?Er...it?s in his rear end,? she answered, rather apologetically. Inuyasha nodded, then realized belatedly what she?d just said. ?Tell me you?re kidding,? he told her, glaring at her. ??Cause the odds are pretty SLIM of that happening TWICE.? Kagome shrugged, looking embarrassed. After all, it was SESSHOUMARU?S rear end that they were discussing. ?I?m NOT joking, Inuyasha,? she insisted. They had a bit of a staring contest for a minute, but finally it was Inuyasha who blanched and looked away. ?I?m NOT getting THIS shard,? he told her, in a hollow, dead sort of way. Apparently he drew the shard-fetching line at the rear ends of male siblings. These, apparently, were more offensive than purple spiders?. ?Good,? Kagome replied, pulling a face. ?So stop wasting time and get down there.? He stood up, then prepared to leap from the roof to the ground. ?Hey, wait a sec!? Kagome protested. ?What about ME?? Inuyasha turned and glared at her. ?YOU?RE staying RIGHT HERE,? he commanded, jabbing a clawed finger in her direction. ?Since I?m not getting a shard, I don?t need you! So stay here and keep out of sight, okay?? Without further ado, he leaped from the building. Kagome watched him land in a crouched position, one hand still holding Tetsusaiga ready. ?Be careful,? she whispered.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Frantically, Shippou pulled Asano down the dark, narrow side-streets. ?Y?know, once we reach the palace Inuyasha will help us,? the Kitsune told his comrade, who had gone very quiet. ?So you can stop worrying.? Save for the initial directions of how to get to the palace, Asano had said very little since Shippou?s mention of Inuyasha. They reached the palace grounds without mishap, but when they came within sight of the building that served as the king?s audience hall, both children stopped in their tracks. ?What...?? Shippou began, confused. ?Inuyasha said he was coming here to protect your father. He didn?t say he was going to WRECK the place...? ?Father!? Asano cried suddenly, and took off at once, racing toward the ruins of the building. They lay in a broken heap. The whole place seemed to have crashed inward, as if hammered by a giant?s fist. ?Yaburenumaru,? Asano said softly, coming to stand in front of it. Shippou caught up with him. ?You think he did this?? the Kitsune asked, wide-eyed. ?Then he can?t have done it long ago, because the sun?s only just risen. He hasn?t been in demon form that LONG.? ?FATHER!? Asano yelled, cupping his hands to his mouth. ?IF YOU CAN HEAR, ANSWER ME! IT IS ASANO, YOUR SON!? They stood there a moment, waiting, but no answer came. ?Maybe he?s fled with Inuyasha?? Shippou suggested hopefully. ?Maybe if we hurry we can catch up with them!? Asano swallowed and shook his head. For a moment, he looked as if he was going to cry, but instead he took a deep breath and said, ?Let?s go. If he can?t answer we?ll never find him under all this.? Shippou nodded. ?But where will we go, then?? The prince grabbed him by the shoulder and pointed at somewhere beyond the ruined heap. ?We?ll take the Last Road,? he answered. ?It?s a secret, known only to the king and his heir.? Shippou shook off his arm. ?NO WAY!? he barked. ?I?m too YOUNG to commit suicide!? ?That?s NOT what I meant!? Asano explained, looking flustered. ?It?s a tunnel, leading under the lake. If the city is under attack and the walls are breached, then the royal family is to flee using this passage.? ?But if the WHOLE royal family is supposed to escape, why only tell the king and his heir?? Shippou wanted to know. Asano seemed a bit embarrassed. ?Well, the king and his HEIR certainly won?t be the ones to stage a revolt from within the city, will they?? he asked. Shippou gave him a rather cynical look. ?So demons aren?t the ONLY ones you people don?t trust, huh?? The two of them hurried through the palace grounds, to a far room overlooking the water. There Asano slid aside the screen facing east and led Shippou down a small staircase beyond it. It led down into a small alcove set at water level, so that it appeared to be under the lake. Then they slide aside a large marble slab and ducked into the dark mouth of the tunnel. Asano slid the slab closed behind them. ?Hey!? Shippou exclaimed. ?Just how long will we have to walk in the dark? I can?t see a THING here.? ?You?re a Kitsune,? the prince reminded him. ?Conjure something up.? ?Oh, right,? Shippou replied sheepishly. ?FOXFIRE.? A small but very bright ball of green flame materialized, hovering just over the Kitsune?s tiny palm. Ahead of him he could see the long, black path that lay ahead of them. There were no torches along it to light the way--given the humidity beneath the lake, there would be too much smoke. The walls were stone covered in slimy moss; the air was warm and fetid. Shippou and Asano started walking briskly. It was apparent that neither of them wished to linger here. After they had been traveling for what seemed like ages, Shippou asked, ?How much longer, d?you think? This place reeks!? In fact, it reminded the Kitsune acutely of the swampland they had traversed at the beginning of the journey to Reiyama. ?Be patient,? Asano told him firmly, though the authority in his voice sounded very much like an act to cover up his nervousness. ?It can?t be MUCH farther. The idea of the tunnel was to get the royal family out of the city as fast as possible. So it can?t be much longer.? The greenish glow of Shippou?s foxfire revealed the prince?s wide-eyed, rather frightened gaze, which was fixed upon the darkness ahead. After another long period of silence, Asano asked, ?Do you hear something?? Shippou stopped walking to listen. He tilted his head to one side as if to cock one pointy ear. There WAS a sound nearby. It sounded like something was making a light tapping noise, but there were long spaces between the taps. The spaces seemed to last about five seconds. ?Where is it coming from?? Shippou asked Asano. ?Can you tell?? The prince didn?t answer, listening with a frown. Each tap echoed through the tunnel, so that it was impossible to identify its location. Then there was one final tap, and no more came after. A bit of moss fell from the ceiling, landing on the stone floor between the prince and the Kitsune. Both of them slowly turned their faces upward. ?Uh...? Shippou began. The two of them turned back toward the direction of the exit and took off at a run.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?DIE, YOU CREEPY BASTARDS!? For a moment the chanting of the Wise faltered as every head turned to see the source of this outburst. The dead, of course, continued, ghostly lips moving to form words of necromancy as they stood in rank with their living comrades. The living were treated to the spectacle of one very irate hanyou flying towards them, wielding a very large, glowing sword and bellowing obscenities. He landed in their midst and began laying about him with his sword. The blade seemed to be enchanted--its very [i]kenatsu[/i] slashed through layers of gray cloth and thick leather armor to hew apart the vulnerable flesh beneath. Under the assault of this new foe, the Wise fell back toward the Temple, where the massive form of the Inu Youkai thrashed and snarled. ?Reikotsu-[i]sama[/i]! We MUST call the others!? The gray-eyed sorcerer turned toward his comrade, wearing no readable expression. ?The...others,? he repeated slowly. ?Yes, to keep us from being pushed back into the white demon?s path. Do it.? Reikotsu?s attention was drawn toward the building across the way, where the girl hid behind a pillar on the roof. ?Now the trap is sprung,? he murmured, more to himself than his comrade. ?The time has come to take the shards...? ?Master,? the other sorcerer persisted. ?The risk? What of the RISK?? Reikotsu shook his head, fixing his subordinate with an imperious stare. He didn?t care about ?the risk? any more. He broke rank and vanished from view into the cloud of poisoned vapor rising from the ground. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Kagome knelt atop the roof, hiding behind a stone column. She peered around the bottom of the pillar, watching the battle below worriedly. She could see Sesshoumaru outlined in ghostly green light, surrounded the spirits of his kin. His strength seemed to have waned, because he had stopped attempting to smash more of the Temple and now seemed to be fighting merely to stay standing. But her sense of the shard within Sesshoumaru had grown even stronger than it had been at the palace, and she was not sure he would die so easily. She couldn?t see Inuyasha below, but she could track his progress by watching for flashes of Tetsusaiga?s [i]kenatsu[/i] through the screen of vapor. Beyond the vapor, Kagome also thought she saw the vague forms of the Wise, only these seemed to glow and shift in and out of focus. She surmised that these were the dead ones. From what she could see, the attention of the Wise was utterly focused on repelling the two Inu Youkai to preserve themselves and their Temple. All other Tatesei had cleared the area, for obvious reasons. Thus it came as a complete and total surprise to Kagome when a long, thin hand clamped itself across her mouth. It happened so fast that screaming never occurred to her. Another arm clamped itself around her wounded arm, pinning it behind her back. She stiffened with pain, whimpering. Her free arm flailed about, only making contact with the gray silk of Reikotsu?s robes. She had never seen him coming. ?Kagome, isn?t it?? he breathed into her ear. ?So glad to see you...? Kagome?s eyes widened. The hand removed itself from her mouth, but still she didn?t scream. Inuyasha would never hear her over the racket Sesshoumaru was making. ?[i]But...why didn?t I sense this BEFORE?[/i]? she thought, fearfully. ?[i]The shard he carries. . . The kehai from Sesshoumaru?s shard must have been too strong for me to notice THIS one. . .?[/i] The long, thin fingers splayed across her collar bone, entangling themselves in the chain around her throat. Then the hand tightened convulsively into a fist and wrenched the chain until it broke. Kagome?s attacker seemed to take some time pocketing the shards, but he still did not release her. ?You have the shards,? she told him, thinking quickly. ?Now let me go.? ?Oh no,? he purred in her ear. Kagome felt the blade?s kiss at her throat even though she could not see it. ?No, because I am going to finish this.? The knife moved just a little, not enough to scratch her but just enough for her to feel the sharpness. ?The ?Wise? will destroy Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. The monk is all but dead.? He paused, thoughtfully. ?And if I am not mistaken, the prince and the fox-child will soon be taken care of as well.? [i]?He?s caught us so easily[/i],? Kagome thought, horrified. ?[i]We never had a CHANCE of realizing...?[/i] His lips curved into a thin, cruel smile as he bent nearer. His embrace was close as a lover?s, save for the bone knife that he held at her throat. ?You wear her face, but you haven?t her wisdom,? he murmured. ?[i]She[/i] would have known. But you are not the same. And the passions of the Inu Youkai Clan burn so much brighter than reason. Sesshoumaru and that despicable brother of his were blinded by vengeance from the very beginning. Or perhaps Inuyasha was merely blinded by stupidity...? He ran the back of his hand down the side of her cheek, with sickening tenderness. ?Don?t TOUCH me!? Kagome cried, struggling against the confines of his vise-like grip. With her free arm, she managed to draw an arrow from her quiver, which still hung over one shoulder even though her bow had been lost. Before he could stop her, she clenched the hand that held it into a fist, and drove it backward with all her might. There was a sudden, brilliant flash of light, and then suddenly she was free of him. Kagome whipped around to see that he had staggered backward about five feet, alarm registering in his eyes. In his violet eyes, burning through the face of Reikotsu the sorcerer. ?Don?t come near me again,? Kagome warned him. ?I?m not a [i]miko[/i], but my arrows can still hurt you.? Naraku clutched at his side, where her arrow had struck. Yet he began to laugh--a low, cold laugh that sent chills down her spine. ?FOOLISH child,? he told her. ?You think I?ll die so EASILY? This is but a [i]kugutsu[/i]--a puppet!? ?I can drive you out of that body,? Kagome answered. Her face was set into a fierce and beautiful determination. Had Inuyasha seen it at this moment, he would have been unnerved by her sudden eerie resemblance to Kikyou. ?I?ll stab you if you come near and make you leave him. From just one cut your eyes have become your own and not his." "I think not," Naraku said, the smile leaving Reikotsu's face. "The gray-eyed one's soul fled when your dear monk struck him with his own spell. This body is mine now; I've taken a liking to it. You're wounded and you can't hold a bow. Your arrow won't touch me again." He began advancing toward her, wearing human flesh yet moving more fluidly than any mortal could have. Heart slamming in her chest, Kagome retreated, then realized that she was being pushed toward the edge of the roof. A bit of loose tile crumbled away beneath her foot and fell earthward behind her. [i]'What NOW?[/i]' Kagome thought, her brain frantically searching for an answer. None came. There was no way out of this. "You see...I need not touch you to kill you," Naraku told her in a voice low and hateful. Kagome took a deep breath; felt it fill her chest with strength. [i]'It's strength I need now[/i],' she thought. [i]'To do this...'[/i] She took a slow and measured step toward him, as if into his dark embrace. Then she clenched her fist around the arrow in her hand and rushed at him with all her strength. Naraku's eyes flashed the cruel glitter of a hawk sighting prey. Reikotsu's face twisted into a fierce grin, a death's head grimace, and before the arrow's head ever reached him, he caught her and flung her from him, from the roof. Hard.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha lay about him with such ferocious swiftness that at times he wondered if Tetsusaiga had not become an extension of his arm. His father's murderers fell before him, hewn down by his sword. Yet in the midst of this righteous rage there was the knowledge of what it was he must do. The demon in him urged him forth to destruction. Yet the human in him drew him instead toward Sesshoumaru, toward the shard that he must protect, and he did not give in as his brother had. So through the ranks of the Wise he moved, cutting himself a path to the heart of the Temple. Into the crumbling, darkened halls he plunged, through men and spirits, whose chill froze his very blood. [i]'The shard[/i],' Inuyasha thought desperately, feeling his body weaken with every soul that touched him. [i]'Must reach the shard...'[/i] He did not smell Naraku, because here his brother's [i]kehai[/i] was too strong and overpowered all else.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In the midst of the collapsing Temple, Sesshoumaru's head bent earthward, drooping lower with every assault, and the assaults came at him relentlessly from all sides. He no longer fought; he could scarcely move. The ground beneath him was stained crimson with his blood. The air around him was frozen with the killing cold of the Tatesei sorcery. He raised his head one last time, to see the last of them come at him. It was a face familiar to him--a face very much like his own. A soul like his, yet bound and enslaved to do the bidding of men. [i]'So,[/i]' Sesshoumaru thought, as he began to fall, [i]'the last Inu Youkai goes to join those gone before. He dies on his feet, like a true Lord of the West.'[/i] He was transforming back to his two-legged form--falling all the faster for it--and his hair streamed around his face, blinding him as the stone floor rushed up to meet him. Yet he was not afraid. He let loose what he knew to be his last breath in a soft, calm exhalation. "At LAST..." he breathed. Then he struck stone, and all the world went cold.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]At the outskirts of the Temple, in an empty, darkened room left untouched by Sesshoumaru's rampage, Miroku awoke with a gasp. For a moment, he could not move, shuddering and clasping his shoulders tightly. Then the images of the dead rolled away from him, and he realized that he was alone and unharmed. His head ached fiercely, but otherwise his limbs seemed to function normally, so he pushed himself to his feet and peered out into the hall. There was no one there, though it was by no means silent. He could hear the inexorable chanting of the Wise outside, the wails of spirits, and a great cracking as of stone breaking. It sounded as if something massive was attacking the Temple. "Yaburenumaru?" he muttered, puzzled. "What on earth is HAPPENING?" Miroku strode down the hall toward the Temple door. Upon reaching it he slid it aside and found himself looking out onto a rather hellish scene of destruction, necromancy and gore. He sighed. Some days it just didn't pay to get out of bed. He was about to attempt a surprise attack on those Wise nearest him (who hadn't noticed him yet) when he sensed something else nearby. [i]'Naraku?[/i]' he thought, very much surprised. [i]'Here?[/i]' Miroku plunged through the ranks of the Wise, much like Inuyasha had, laying about him with his staff. Yet the souls of the dead, while chilling him to the bone, did not weaken him, and he managed to break through. The plunge through the clouds of poisoned vapor rising from the viscous purple stuff on the ground was something else entirely. He had to use three oufudas for that. The Wise sent demon souls howling after him, but these neither struck him nor passed through him. The first thing Miroku saw upon passing through the vapor was one of the Wise standing on the roof across the way. Then he saw the man catch hold of Kagome and throw her into the air as if she weighed no more than a feather. There was a dark, sickly [i]kehai[/i] about the man, unlike the sinister green aura about the Wise. "LADY KAGOME!" Miroku cried, running toward them as fast as he could. He could see the whites of her eyes as she fell--and her nice white undergarments, too, though he supposed that at this point that was irrelevant. He lunged forward and caught her, just before she hit the ground. The impact flung them both down, though, and for a moment all he could do was lie there until the stars cleared from his vision. Then Miroku heard Kagome gasp and felt her move off of him. He thought this strange because he hadn't even groped her yet. But then he looked up and understood. Somehow the gray-eyed sorcerer had made the long jump from the roof to the ground, and now he loomed over them wearing an expression of intense disgust. "What a stroke of fortune," the man said. "Now I can kill you both at once."[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 9}[/b][/color] [color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 10: The Battle For the Jewel {#} {#} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The corridors abruptly became very difficult to traverse. This, Inuyasha surmised, was because this particular wing of the Temple was collapsing. He swore to himself that he?d make this quick, because he had no desire to be buried under rubble twice in one day. He knew he was getting closer to Sesshoumaru, though, because the spirits in his way grew thicker with every step he took. He was beginning to notice something strange: the Youkai souls were not approaching him at a distance any closer than the radius of Tetsusaiga?s [i]kenatsu[/i]. It was almost as if the sword were shielding him from them. When at last Inuyasha came to the epicenter of all the commotion, he found himself literally right under his brother, staring up at an enormous white-ruffed chest and fierce Inu Youkai?s head. The head lowered, drooping toward him, and for a moment Inuyasha thought his brother had recognized him, but then he saw in the red eyes, narrowed to slits, a look he knew well. He lowered Tetsusaiga, backing away slowly. The spirits surrounding Sesshoumaru in a thick cloud also seemed to back away, and before Inuyasha?s eyes the massive demon sank back into man-shape and began to fall. The look in Sesshoumaru?s eye was that of a man who knew he was to die and who embraced it at the last. Inuyasha, who was no stranger to death, knew it for what it was. The Inu Youkai struck the ground hard, cracking the blood-slicked stone. His limbs splayed limply as he went completely still. The spirits hovered above, at the place where the roof had collapsed to reveal the gray, cloudy sky beyond. They didn?t seem to be threatening him at the moment, so Inuyasha approached the prone figure lying on the floor. Sesshoumaru?s hair fanned out beneath his head, which was turned ever so slightly in Inuyasha?s direction. A faint ray of sunlight caught the red glint of the Inu Youkai?s eye. Inuyasha approached him cautiously. He seemed to be [i]mostly[/i] dead, but you never knew with Sesshoumaru, whose face was naturally pale and deadpan anyway. Boldly, Inuyasha nudged Sesshoumaru?s arm with his foot. The red eye glared fixedly up at him, but his brother didn?t move. Inuyasha planted the foot on the fuzzy, tail-like thing, which had come half-unwrapped from the Inu Youkai?s shoulder. Inuyasha had no tail, but he was sure this kind of treatment would hurt if you had one. Thus when his brother still didn?t move, nor did the eye change its regard, he was reassured that no surprise attacks were pending. He slung Tetsusaiga over one shoulder, glaring down at his half-dead sibling. "If you think I?M digging the shard out of you, FORGET IT!? Inuyasha bellowed. ?YOU'RE going to stay alive just long enough to take it out YOURSELF!" He walked around to the prone figure?s feet, muttering, ?Fucking arsehole, stowing it in such a stupid place..." Still grumbling about what ELSE Sesshoumaru could shove up his ass, he took hold of one ankle and began dragging his brother across the stone floor. He wasn?t quite sure WHAT he was doing, but it was an alternative EMINENTLY preferable to going digging for the shard. On the other hand, Inuyasha wasn?t quite sure just HOW he was going to make Sesshoumaru give him the shard. He had just begun pondering which body part Sesshoumaru was likely to miss most when he saw the crowd of gray-robed men blocking the corridor. The Wise had come in silently and without warning. Now they stood watching him. Inuyasha kept walking, fully intending to mow them all down with Tetsusaiga with his right hand while dragging Sesshoumaru with his left. He certainly wasn?t about to let them get hold of the shard, and dragging his brother across the rough ground by the ankle was sort of satisfying. The Wise didn?t attack him, but neither did they clear out of his way when he reached them. Experimentally, he swiped at them with his sword. The sorcerers nearest him broke rank, but two of their number fell to the blade?s [i]kenatsu[/i]. Their comrades didn?t spare them so much as a glance, but began a low, thrumming chant that set Inuyasha?s teeth on edge. ?DON?T move, then,? Inuyasha jeered at them, grinning fiercely. ?It?ll make you fucking easy to cut down.? But despite his bravado he was unnerved. The Wise didn?t seem to care if any of their own number died. After all, why bother to protect your fellow sorcerers when their ghosts could serve you just as well? The pale forms of the dead Wise reformed in the midst of their comrades, chanting with hollow voices. They were no longer sending Youkai spirits to attack Inuyasha--they were sending their own. [i]?Crap[/i],? Inuyasha thought as he lay about him with Tetsusaiga. ?[i]I can?t kill the dead ones, and Tetsusaiga?s kenatsu doesn?t seem to repel the spirits of the WISE...?[/i] He couldn?t use the sword to keep them ALL away from Sesshoumaru, and he was more afraid of what the Wise might be capable of with a Shikon shard than he was of the fey, icy touch of the dead. So he began to run. The speed granted to him by his Youkai blood seemed to outstrip the floating/flying capabilities of the dead sorcerers, and it certainly outstripped those of the [i]living[/i] Wise. Thus with his unconscious brother in tow he took hasty leave of them, and finally burst free of the Temple?s crumbling halls and into the carnage outside. The ground was littered with human debris--dead sorcerers and dead soldiers and dead women and even the tiny crushed forms of dead children. Inuyasha dragged Sesshoumaru across it all, feeling that this was somehow appropriate. After all, it had been Sesshoumaru who had made all this mess. The white demon?s clothing and hair, which had been soaked with his own blood, now became saturated with the blood of those he?d slaughtered. Sesshoumaru was heavy. Glowering, Inuyasha tugged his brother?s ankle and dragged him through the puddles of viscous poison. To Inuyasha?s acute disappointment, however, the poison had no effect whatsoever, and only succeeded in tinting Sesshoumaru?s new red look purple. The vapor, meanwhile, stung Inuyasha?s nose and made his eyes water. He flung up the arm bearing Tetsusaiga and pressed it against his eyes to keep it out of them as he plowed through the vapor. When he had cleared the poisoned areas, he removed the arm, and what he saw then made him drop Sesshoumaru?s foot. The white demon?s leg landed on the stones with a thud--Sesshoumaru was very heavy. ?Shit,? Inuyasha breathed. ?KAGOME!? The gray-eyed sorcerer stood over Kagome and Miroku, who crouched on the ground, looking stunned. ?INUYASHA!? Kagome cried, never taking her eyes off her opponent. ?It?s NARAKU! He?s taken the SHARDS!? Naraku didn?t even glance at Inuyasha but swiped downward with the bone knife in his hand. He moved with demon speed, but Miroku moved first, raising his staff in time to block the blow. Kagome, shielded by the monk?s body, gasped and attempting to crawl backward, but she was half-paralyzed with fear and didn?t get far. The sorcerer?s knife shed sparks as the two weapons met. In a flash Naraku had pulled back his hand and stabbed downward again, only to find himself blocked once again by Miroku?s staff. The force of the blow vibrated down the length of it, jangling the rings at the top. The corners of Naraku?s lips lifted in a cruel smile, and Miroku glared at him. Then, in a flash, the monk flung Kagome aside and unwrapped the Wind Tunnel in his hand. With equal swiftness, Naraku produced a small, round hive from the folds of his robes (which, voluminous as they were, could apparently contain any number of things). He held it out to Miroku as if offering a gift. ?Go ahead,? Naraku urged the monk, who seemed to be hesitating. ?Take it and die.? Miroku?s face flushed as he rose slowly to his feet. ?I don?t care, as long as I take you with me,? he said in a low voice. ?Miroku, you CAN?T!? Kagome warned. ?He has the SHARDS!? ?Miroku, don?t you DARE!? Inuyasha shouted. The monk half-turned in surprise as Inuyasha launched himself past and slashed viciously at Naraku with his sword. Naraku dodged the blow, seeming unruffled, and Tetsusaiga struck the stone pillar behind him instead. While he wrenched it free, Naraku seized the opportunity to put some distance between them, running at breakneck speed back toward the Temple. ?He?s RUNNING?? Kagome asked, watching the demon?s progress. ?Why? He?s GOT the shards--he shouldn?t be afraid to fight us...? Miroku watched with narrowed eyes. ?Perhaps he?s vulnerable in that body he?s in,? the monk told her. ?It IS a human body, after all and--? Miroku didn?t have time to finish the sentence because at that moment Inuyasha came barreling into both of them, hauling them a good twenty feet before letting them go. The pillar from which he had wrenched Tetsusaiga had been cracked nearly in two, and the building was collapsing. ?What the FUCK were you two WAITING for?!? Inuyasha bellowed at their astonished faces. ?I leave you alone for HALF AN HOUR and...? ?Thank you, Inuyasha,? Miroku said calmly, while Kagome laid a placating hand on the hanyou?s arm. Embarrassed, Inuyasha chose to ignore their gratitude and instead focused his scowl on the fleeing, gray-robed form. ?Naraku,? he growled. ?Hope you?re ready to DIE...? He lunged forward, pelting toward his enemy with Tetsusaiga upraised. ?Inuyasha, WAIT!? Miroku called after him. ?This might be a trap!? ?LIKE I GIVE A DAMN!? Inuyasha yelled back. Through the vapor rising around the Temple there shown the greenish lights of Tatesei sorcery. ?Inuyasha, the WISE are--!? Kagome cried, but Miroku stepped in front of her, raising his right hand and flinging aside the prayer beads that bound it. ?[i]KAZAANA[/i]!? he shouted. Then things began to happen very quickly. The Wind Tunnel began to draw everything back toward Miroku. This included a barrage of debris and corpses, a cloud of poisoned vapor, and Inuyasha, who had been caught by surprise and had not had time to cement himself to something. From behind Miroku Kagome could see that Naraku had been flung to the ground as the wind sucked his feet out from under him. He remained fastened where he was, however, because he had jammed his dagger hard into the earth. With the other hand, Naraku reached into the folds of his robe and tossed the Saimyoushou hive into the gale. Miroku didn?t see it coming, but he had already closed the Wind Tunnel to prevent Inuyasha from being sucked in. ?YOU BASTARD! I AM GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS FOR THIIIIIIIIIS!? Inuyasha bellowed as he went hurtling past. The Wind Tunnel?s momentum still had hold of him. ?I had to stop you from charging in blindly,? Miroku told him, sidestepping to avoid being crashed into. He cast a grim eye toward the green lights beyond the screen of vapor. ?The Wise are coming.? The Saimyoushou hive struck the ground hard and burst, releasing a torrent of the buzzing, whining creatures. Miroku watched with great misgivings. ?I can?t use my Wind Tunnel any more,? he said worriedly. ?Damn,? Inuyasha swore. ?You...will NOT...use it...AGAIN...? All heads turned at the sound of this new voice, coming from the direction of the vapor. ?That?s--?? Kagome and Inuyasha said at once. Through the veil of poison, Sesshoumaru rose steadily to his feet. ?He?s still ALIVE?? Miroku murmured, nonplussed. The white demon stood at his full height, still drenched in blood but glaring at the monk with a fierceness that indicated he wasn?t going to die anytime soon. [i]?That?s right[/i],? Inuyasha thought. ?[i]He still has the shard. Damnit, I should?ve taken it even though it?s...?[/i] ?Fool! You will NOT use that attack again,? Sesshoumaru repeated, taking a step toward them. ?Or that hand will find itself detached from its owner before YOU can utter a word...? ?[i]S--SCARY...[/i]? Kagome thought, drawing back. Sesshoumaru?s face was twisted with anger. None of them had seen him wear an expression like this...none save Inuyasha. ?Inuyasha,? he said, in a voice low and menacing. ?Call off this fool of a monk.? He lowered his head, eyes burning. ?Or is it nothing to you that the souls of our kin will be flung into the void?? Inuyasha, who had just pried Tetsusaiga from the ground, did not raise it but stood there stunned. Once again he realized that Sesshoumaru was right--how could he have been so careless? Was he so human that he didn?t care if his demon kindred?s souls were cast into darkness? But of course he wasn?t about to admit that Sesshoumaru was right while standing in front of Sesshoumaru, so he threw out a red herring: ?While YOU?RE yakking Naraku is fucking ESCAPING!? ?Oh! He?s disappeared through the vapor!? Miroku exclaimed. Sesshoumaru?s eyes narrowed. ?Has he?? he said softly. Kagome, whose gaze was fixed upon the screen of poisoned fumes, said in a quavering voice, ?The Wise are coming.?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Through the veil of poison stepped the ranks of the Wise. They seemed to glide--like their dead comrades, who remained bound beside them by the invisible chains of sorcery. Their faces, hooded and fey, were focused now on the small group before them. Their eyes upon those they meant to kill were the eyes of humans, yet utterly devoid of human warmth. Naraku stood among them. His hood had been blown back from his face, revealing the violet eyes that burned through Reikotsu?s grim countenance. Shakily, Kagome rose to her feet, preparing to run. To her right, she heard Miroku gasp. ?THIS is why he fled from us,? the monk breathed. ?He didn?t want to fight us, because that would mean giving up the human body he?s possessing... And THAT would mean the Wise finding out that he?s tricked them...? A light bulb flared in Inuyasha?s brain. He frowned (light bulbs were a rare occurrence). ?[i]Then THIS means...[/i]? he thought, gripping Tetsusaiga?s hilt more firmly. ?He?s AFRAID of them,? Kagome finished his thought out loud. ?The Wise could take HIS soul, and he knows it!? ?Heh!? Inuyasha laughed to himself. ?He?s used them to set a trap for us, but he may have gotten more than he bargained for!? He slung Tetsusaiga over one shoulder. ?HEY NARAKU!? he jeered. ?ISN?T USING PUNY HUMANS AS ATTACK DOGS BENEATH EVEN YOU?!? The Wise did not react to this heckling, having no clue who Naraku was. Naraku?s eyes blazed, and Reikotsu?s mouth curved upward in a cruel, thin cross between a smile and a grimace of disgust. ?Kill them all,? he ordered. ?The two white demons first--they would destroy this city.? His gaze flickered as it came to rest upon Sesshoumaru. ?That one possesses a shard of the Shikon Jewel. Take it from him.? To everyone?s surprise, Sesshoumaru laughed softly. ?Fool,? he said. ?I do not need the shard to defeat you.? ?Heh,? Naraku murmured. ?Brash words from a man who?s drenched with his own blood.? To the sorcerers around him, he said, ?Do it now.? The Wise began to chant. ?Naraku,? Sesshoumaru said calmly. ?Why should the Wise serve you? The Tatesei do not serve under demons. I wonder...how long can you keep that human form...with my claws at your throat?? With lightning speed Sesshoumaru flew at the line of sorcerers, clearing the entire distance in one bound. Demon souls flew at him. Naraku did not transform. ?I wonder,? Sesshoumaru murmured, as he arced down toward his prey, ?if afterward they will force your soul to serve THEM?? ?KILL HIM!? Naraku demanded through Reikotsu?s lips. He did not break rank with the Wise. Sesshoumaru was almost upon him when the voices of the Wise rose in intensity. From the Temple there emerged a great Inu Youkai spirit--a great giant of a beast, larger still than Sesshoumaru?s transformed shape. It caught him mid-air, and flung him backward, pinning him to the ground. With its teeth and one great paw it pressed him into the dirt, snarling and gnashing its fangs. ?Idiot,? Inuyasha muttered, watching his brother writhe beneath the demon?s claws. ?Arrogant fool,? Naraku called to Sesshoumaru. ?That soul has fed on so much of your life-force that it has gained substance. You can?t pass through it THIS time.? It seemed that Naraku spoke the truth. The Inu Youkai soul was not the pale, glowing shade that the others had been. It looked opaque and almost alive, except for around the edges, where its form wavered and blurred against the gray sky. And Sesshoumaru lay trapped beneath it, seemingly unable to throw it off. It had become a solid, real opponent, and strong as the Great Demons of old had been. To a few of the sorcerers Naraku ordered, ?Go. Finish him and take the shard. Once we have gathered all the shards, these infidels will be powerless!? Some of the Wise left to do his bidding. The others closed rank around him, suddenly a new barrage of spirits flew forth from the Temple, heading for Inuyasha, Kagome and Miroku. ?Brace yourselves!? Inuyasha shouted to his friends. ?It?s going to get REAL cold in a second!? ?Not if I can help it!? Miroku told them. He stepped in front of Inuyasha and Kagome before either one could protest. When the distance between Miroku and the attackers had all but closed, he raised his staff. For the briefest of instants, the air between Miroku and the demons crackled and groaned. Then a hemisphere of light arced overhead, forming a kind of protective shell over the three mortals. The demons swarmed over it, clashing against it in a fury. Sparks flew from where they struck it, but they could not penetrate it. Muttering a fervent prayer, he withdrew several [i]oufuda[/i] from the folds of his robe, plastering them on the barrier?s surface. Now the demons that attacked the hemisphere drew back with howls of rage at its touch. But they would not retreat. ?I can?t hold this forever,? Miroku warned his friends. His face looked pale and strained. ?I was attacked earlier when we rescued Asano, and I fear much of my strength has been drained.? ?Just hold on,? Inuyasha told him fiercely. ?We?ll think of SOMETHING... Kagome, what the HELL do you think you?re DOING?!? She had moved to the edge of the barrier, and had just stepped through it and into the seething mass of souls outside. Instantly they enfolded her, obscuring her from view. ?KAGOME!!? Inuyasha cried. ?KAGOME-[i]SAMA[/i]!? Miroku echoed him, alarmed.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Though neither Inuyasha nor Miroku could see it, Kagome stood not three feet beyond the barrier. The spirits rushed around her body like a tornado. She trembled at their icy touch, embracing herself, but after a moment she forced herself to remember why she was doing this. Slowly she unfolded her arms and reached out with them. [i]?I come from a line of priests[/i],? Kagome thought desperately. [i]?I have the blood of a great miko in my veins. If I can lay these souls to rest...?[/i] But her prayers were lost to the clamor of souls. The demons passed through her like water through a sieve, and her body quickly went numb. She felt herself falling. And then strong arms cut through the freezing darkness to enfold her. She collapsed into them, drawn into that place of warmth and safety against him. ?Inuyasha,? she murmured. ?[i]BAKA[/i]!? he hollered into her ear, temporarily drowning out the shrieking spirits. ?What the HELL did you think you would do?? One of his arms crushed her against him. The other held Tetsusaiga. Kagome could see it blazing now, shining through the hurricane of souls. And she saw them draw back from the sword, as if they feared it. ?Tetsusaiga is--? she began, but Inuyasha pulled her roughly back through the barrier, to safety. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome tried again, once they were inside, but Inuyasha let go of her and she sank to her knees. ?There?ll be no more of THAT,? he commanded, glowering down at her. ?TETSUSAIGA--? Kagome insisted, but broke off, shuddering. The demon?s chill remained with her. ?These aren?t restless souls like Mayu was,? Inuyasha told her sternly, referring to the poltergeist child that she had once calmed and saved from hell. ?Believe me, they WANT to pass on, but the Wise won?t LET them.? ?I know now,? Kagome replied, nodding. ?I felt it from them. And I don?t think I can do anything FOR them.? Inuyasha?s expression softened. ?They should be free,? he said. ?The Wise shouldn?t hold them back.? Again Kagome nodded solemnly. The moment was broken by Miroku?s frantic warning. ?I can?t hold the warding much longer!? he groaned. The great effort of holding the demons at bay had dropped him to his knees in the dirt. The barrier?s light began to dim. With growing urgency, Inuyasha cast about him for some way out of this. ?We need some way to get the Wise to draw off the attack,? Miroku said. The first of the [i]oufuda[/i] fell from the barrier?s surface, fluttering gently to the ground. ?Kagome,? Inuyasha said suddenly, doing an abrupt about-face. ?Can you see the jewel shards through all those?? He waved a hand toward the demons swirling around them. Kagome frowned and went silent for a moment, and then her eyes widened in surprise. ?I CAN,? she exclaimed. ?The light they give off is still visible.? Inuyasha nodded, and without further ado turned and disappeared through the barrier?s sphere of protection. His form was obscured by the twisted, seething gale of souls. ?INUYASHA!? Kagome screamed. ?COME BACK! DON?T LEAVE ME!? ?INUYASHA!? Miroku cried. For what seemed an eternity they watched the place where he had disappeared. Behind them, another [i]oufuda[/i] fell, unnoticed. Then they saw Inuyasha returning, his body outlined in the blazing light of Tetsusaiga?s [i]kenatsu[/i]. He walked slowly but steadily, and after a moment he appeared through the barrier. He sank to one knee, breathing hard and using the sword to prop himself up. In the other hand, he carried a bow and a quiver with three arrows in it. Kagome just stared at him, agape with relief, anger, and surprise. ?You want me to try to shoot Naraku?? she asked, once she had found her voice again. ?Even though all I can see are the shards themselves?? ?It?s the best hope we have,? Inuyasha answered wearily. Kagome didn?t like his weariness. He had been exposed to the demon souls far more than she had, and it was a testament to his strength that he was still breathing. ?He?s right,? Miroku told her. His voice sounded very strained, as if he were trying to hold up a very heavy weight. ?What other choice do we have? My strength is almost gone, and Inuyasha seems to be the only one of us who?s somewhat immune to the spirits? killing cold.? Inuyasha held up the bow and Kagome took it from him. With the other she grasped an arrow from the quiver. But when she tried to notch it, pain flared in her broken right arm. ?I can?t do this,? she told him. To her right, another [i]oufuda[/i] fluttered earthward, and the barrier dimmed further. The air within the hemisphere was becoming very cold--all of them could see their breath in it. ?DO it, Kagome-[i]sama[/i],? Miroku warned. Sweat streamed down the sides of his face. ?Before the warding fails!? Gritting her teeth and squeezing her eyes shut, Kagome swung her arm upward and notched the arrow. The maneuver was clumsily done, but had been enacted with enough force so that the arrow did not slip from its position of readiness. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes; the pain was terrible. It shot from her elbow to her shoulder, and also to her fingertips. ?Have to hit,? Kagome whispered fiercely. She tried to draw back the arrow, but her hand lost its grip, crippled by the fire shooting through her nerves. The arrow did not fall, but the shaft tilted downward, no longer aimed toward the shards, which she could still see even with her eyes shut. But then, once more, he stood behind her. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome murmured. She had not thought he had the strength to stand. Yet now with one hand he lifted the afflicted arm, holding it steady so that she could notch the arrow properly. Inuyasha?s other arm stole beneath her other arm and held it fast to the bow, so that her left hand would not shake the bow and spoil her aim. Kagome straightened her back and steadied herself against him. Then she shot the arrow forth.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Beneath the awesome weight of the Inu Youkai soul, Sesshoumaru fought for breath. His vision grew dark as one of the demon?s fangs impaled him further, pinning him to the ground. The Wise were approaching. He could smell them--he had never encountered any other mortal with the scent of stone tombs and of old, dusty crypts. Thoughts flowed through his head disconnectedly. He was a young man, standing alone upon a battlefield strewn with corpses beneath a moon like a cruel, staring eye. He was a full-grown demon, crushed beneath the claws of a dead kinsman. He was young again, wandering hills blanketed with snow, his mind given over to the freedom of his demonic form. Then, forcibly, he returned his mind to the present. ?[i]The demon is solid[/i],? he thought to himself. [i] ?It is real. It pierces my flesh...can I not also pierce the flesh of the demon??[/i] A deep and abiding ache stirred in his gut--completely independent of the demon?s fang. ?Forgive me,? he whispered to the one above him. Then he called upon the poison in his claws and rammed them upward into the belly of the beast.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Naraku, who had been watching the light of the monk?s warding waning beneath the cloud of demon souls, turned abruptly as the Inu Youkai attacking Sesshoumaru let out a howl of rage. It reared its massive head skyward, tearing the fang free of the one below it. Its paw lifted from him also, but this was in preparation for a killing blow. And then, to Naraku?s immense surprise, he felt a sudden burning pain in his side. The arrow had fallen short of its mark--the shards thrust into the flesh of his chest --yet it had done its work. The Wise directly in front of him, who had formed a protective screen for him, had been killed. The arrow had passed through those in its path--had it not it might well have pierced Naraku?s heart. The sorcerers around him, turned to glance at him in utter shock. ?Send MORE demons to attack Inuyasha,? he hissed them, gritting his teeth. ?They aren?t dying FAST enough!? But the voices of the Wise fell silent. A gust of wind blew Naraku?s hair across his face. His black hair. The sorcerer nearest him, the one who had remained at his side for all this time, raised a hand to Naraku?s face. ?You...are not Reikotsu,? he said softly. Naraku recovered himself and smiled slyly. ?No,? he answered. ?But I have what I?ve come for. And you will destroy the Inu Youkai brothers, and the girl, and the monk, whether you do it to serve YOUR interests or MINE.? ?How powerful you are,? the sorcerer whispered, withdrawing his hand from Naraku?s cheek. Naraku?s smile vanished. ?You have exhausted your supply of souls upon the infidels below,? he said, lip curling with scorn. ?You dare not challenge me with the remnant.? The sorcerer backed away from Naraku, wearing an expression as chilling as the spirits? touch. ?In your ignorance,? he said, ?you have thought the Temple was our only source of power? Had you learned more of us, you would know...? The ranks of the Wise began to chant once more, and suddenly the sky glowed green. ?I am called Honechi,? he told Naraku, with a slight, mocking bow. ?Allow me to bid you proper welcome...to Reiyama, the City of Ghosts.?[/color]

[color=gray][i]Author?s Notes: ?Atare? (used as an incantation herein) means ?strike?---not to be confused with the video game system with the really crappy graphics. ?Seibai,? another incantation, means ?face your judgment.? ?Hikari no Kekkai? means ?Barrier of Light.?[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 7: His Brother?s Vengeance {#} {#} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]As the night progressed, a hush fell over the city--the quiet of anticipation, and perhaps fear as well. In the guest quarters, Kagome?s fingers were moving more and more slowly through Inuyasha?s hair. Finally the movement stopped and her hand fell away. Inuyasha?s eyes flew wide open, and so did his mouth. But he glanced up and the protest died on his lips. [i]?Eh? Asleep?[/i]? he thought, surprised. He lay there observing her intently for a moment, mulling this over. [i]?Oh, yeah, ?cause she?s human,[/i]? he thought, nodding to himself. ?[i] Sometimes I forget.?[/i] Well, he couldn?t stay here all night, he told himself. The monk and the fox could be back at any moment. Something inside him balked at this, but that part was soft and squishy and easy to shut up. Carefully, he sat up--carefully dislodging Kagome?s other hand, which had somehow become entangled in one of his forelocks. Unfortunately, this was the only thing holding her upright, and after teetering precariously for a moment she began to tilt sideways. ?CRAP!? he exclaimed. Then he remembered that she was asleep and clapped one hand over his mouth to stifle any further noise. Then he remembered that she was falling and caught her just before her head hit the wall. He had planned to put her down gently, but instead the soft and squishy part prevailed and he just held her, breathing in her sweet scent. And in this moment, when one of Inuyasha?s arms was around her waist and the other supporting her shoulders, Miroku and Shippou reappeared in the doorway. ?AHEM,? the monk said, to make himself conspicuous. The sound echoed a bit inside the overlarge helmet that he wore. ?You want us to wait outside ?til you?re done?? Shippou offered bluntly. ?Will you guys shut UP?? Inuyasha hissed. ?She?s SLEEPING.? ?Oh, really?? Miroku asked, sounding interested. He crouched down beside Inuyasha, armor clanking. ?Well, we?ll just have to wake her gently.? He reached out a hand toward her. Inuyasha didn?t even bother waiting to see what the hand was aiming for, but snatched her closer to him and out of its reach. ?MINE,? he insisted. Naturally, being pressed against Inuyasha so quickly caused Kagome to awaken--just in time to get a mouthful of his hair. ?Mmf!? she sputtered. ?Ppfff!? Inuyasha looked down at her head as if unaware of what he?d done, then turned very red and sat up straight so she could breathe. Naturally, Miroku had withdrawn the offending hand by this time, and Inuyasha couldn?t even [i]think[/i] of an explanation to stammer. Fortunately, Miroku had come to bring them news. ?We have to move out,? he told them. ?The young prince is in very grave danger.? Quickly he filled them in on what the Wise had said, and what the king had told him. Kagome?s eyes widened. ?So Yaburenumaru was coming here...to kill his own brother? How horrible.? ?Not so hard to believe,? Inuyasha muttered. ?All to become king,? Kagome said softly. ?He would kill his brother, and let the Wise murder his father...all for THAT.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha muttered, looking away. ?We can?t waste any more TIME,? Miroku insisted, leaping to his feet. ?We have to get the young lord Asano away from the Wise. They said they were waiting for a sign from Yaburenumaru. Just a SIGN. He doesn?t NEED to get inside the walls for them to act.? The others followed suit and made for the door. Kagome stopped in her tracks when she realized there were only three of them. ?Inuyasha?? she said, turning around in the doorway. A strong hand clamped itself around her wrist, holding her fast. His face was hard and intense. ?You?re NOT going anywhere NEAR the Wise,? he told her. ?Inuyasha, let GO of me,? Kagome protested, tugging at her arm. ?STOP it! Yaburenumaru and his brother are only KIDS! We can?t just let this HAPPEN--to EITHER of them!? Inuyasha would not relinquish his hold. ?You think they?re ?just KIDS??? he exploded. ?Believe me, Yaburenumaru KNOWS what he?s doing. Just like HIS grandfather KNEW what he was doing when he tried to kill HIS grandson. Just like the Tatesei KNEW what they were doing when they betrayed my FATHER...? ?Inuyasha, let GO of me,? Kagome demanded. ?We don?t have TIME for this...? Inuyasha?s expression was thunderous; his eyes flashed yellow lightning. ?There ARE no CHILDREN here, Kagome!? he shouted. ?Don?t you SEE?! The Tatesei Line is a POISON!? He paused, breathing hard, then said in a quieter voice, ?They breed only murder.? ?I thought you weren?t going to let your hatred get in the way,? Kagome said softly. ?Why stop us now? Why wait this long--until it?s almost too late?? Inuyasha seemed to grow calmer, though he kept a firm hold on her wrist. ?I?m not saying ?don?t save them?,? he said, without taking his eyes off her. ?I?m just saying to let THEM go.? He was referring to Miroku and Shippou, who stood silently in the doorway, prudently letting Kagome try to smooth things over. ?But not you.? Kagome blinked, surprised. ?Inuyasha, what are you--?? she asked, flustered. Her treacherous face was growing hot. He pressed his lips together for a moment, then, declared with great emotion, ?I?m NOT going to LOSE you. Not--? He paused, then finished in more subdued tone, ?Haven?t I lost enough...to them...?? Kagome was temporarily struck speechless. Then she recovered herself, understanding that this was not the time for unexplored feelings. ?Miroku, Shippou...? She addressed them without turning around. ?Go on ahead of us.? Miroku cast Inuyasha a shrewd, appraising look, then nodded. He and the Kitsune hurried off, footsteps ringing hollowly across the marble walkway. Inuyasha finally released Kagome?s arm. She picked up her bow and quiver, which had been leaning against the wall near the doorway. Then she straightened, looking him squarely in the eye. ?You tried to seal the Bone-Eaters? Well once,? Kagome reminded him. ?To keep me from crossing over. To protect me.? She slid the quiver strap over her head and left shoulder, then slung the bow across her back. ?But I came back. I think I was[i] fated[/i] to come back.? Kagome turned partway toward the door. ?To be by your side.? She smiled at him over her shoulder to take the sting out of her next words. ?Inuyasha, you can?t protect me from choices that are mine to make.? He just stared at her, saying nothing, though his expression spoke volumes. ?But you can come with me,? she offered. Having said this, Kagome turned from him and stepped outside. She paused on the threshold, taking a deep breath, then began to run. Inuyasha stood there watching her, listening to the bow clacking against the quiver. Her black hair, flowing around the arrows as she moved. He watched her, and for a moment his eyes were sad. ?[i]Like Kikyou[/i],? Inuyasha thought. ?[i]If only the strong heart came with a stronger body. Then I wouldn?t be so afraid. . [/i].?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Kagome was startled when his hands clamped around her waist. Then he slung her up onto his back. ?C?mon,? he said, not looking at her and breaking into a run. ?We?ll go faster like this.?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Down the darkened Temple halls Yaburenumaru crept, every nervous breath filling his lungs with the musty smell of old wood. [i]?And bone[/i],? he thought. ?[i]Bone in the pillars.?[/i] He paused, sniffing the air again. [i]?Dawn is coming[/i],? he thought. ?[i]His blood cries out to me, waiting to be spilled...?[/i] He rounded a corner, then slid a screen aside to step into the room beyond. Inside it hung many small cages of beaten metal, suspended from the rafters. Inside each of them rested the bones of Youkai. He lifted one down from its hook, then opened the cage and reached inside. The skull he withdrew was small--no larger than a man?s fist. It was the skull of an Inu Youkai child, taken from a battlefield fifty-nine years ago. Stripped of its flesh and its life, while the soul remained, to be commanded by the Wise. This was the signal that he wished to send his allies. Drawing upon the necromancer?s power, upon the teachings of his childhood, Yaburenumaru called forth the tiny, glowing soul. Its light filled the skull, giving the eye sockets an eerie semblance of life. He spoke to it softly, almost lovingly. Then he breathed a word of power, and it flew from its bony prison to deliver his message.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?He?s here. The Great Demon?s son. He would not have wanted this made known to you. But I order you to do it NOW. Then prepare for battle. He means to destroy us.? A pause, and then: ?She DOES possess the shards. Take them: my first gift to you as king.? In a dim, secluded room deep in the heart of the Temple, the Wise stood in silence until the message was finished. Then one of them spoke to the soul and dismissed it. When its glow had vanished from the room, the Wise turned away. They stepped over the bodies of the warriors the king had sent to guard the prince. The king?s men had been killed the instant they set foot in the room. Now the stern, grim faces of the Wise turned, with terrible slowness, to the boy in their midst, whom they had drugged. He watched them dully, but beneath the thick layers of stupor he was afraid. Now the gray-eyed sorcerer approached Asano, steepling his long, thin fingers and uttering a spell. A strange red light began to pulse between his hands. To Asano?s horror, he realized that it pulsed in time with his heart.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha and Kagome caught up with Miroku and Shippou easily--the monk?s heavy armor was slowing him down. ?Will you take that shit OFF?? Inuyasha shouted at Miroku. ?We don?t have TIME for disguises any more!? Miroku glanced over at him, surprised, then obediently stripped off the thick leather trappings. He left a trail of them behind him for a little ways because he didn?t stop to do it. On Inuyasha?s back, Kagome had become very quiet. ?What is it?? Inuyasha demanded. He always seemed to know when something was puzzling her--or when she was sensing something out of the ordinary. ?What do you feel?? ?There?s a shard [i]in the Temple[/i],? she warned. ?I?d bet you anything that?s Yaburenumaru. He?s IN THE CITY already!? ?WHAT?!? Inuyasha cried. ?How could he have gotten IN? There are guards posted on EVERY WALL. This city?s a FORTRESS!? ?Maybe the Wise let him in?? Miroku suggested. Inuyasha shook his head. ?Someone would?ve SEEN them. They couldn?t have created illusions to hide it, either--their sorcery doesn?t work that way. C?mon. Let?s get on the roof so she can see better.? In one flying leap Inuyasha was poised on the slanted roof, gripping the tiles with his feet to keep from sliding. From this vantage point they could see the city in all directions. Kagome?s gaze was drawn to the Temple pagodas, rising in tiers above the other buildings. ?There IS a shard in there,? she said, frowning. ?But that...is not the ONLY one I sense.? ?WHAT?!? Shippou cried. ?You mean NARAKU?S here?!? ?Feh,? Inuyasha cut him off, slicing one hand through the air in negation. ?Naraku and the brat aren?t the ONLY ones with shards, fox. And I don?t smell Naraku. And I can smell him from MILES away.? ?It?s only one other shard that I sense,? Kagome told them. ?I think I see it...THERE.? Abruptly she turned and pointed downward. ?It?s moving. FAST.? She paused, eyes widening. ?Even in DEMON form Yaburenumaru didn?t move that FAST...? ?Heh, so the brat?s brought a friend, eh?? Inuyasha grinned fiercely, cracking his knuckles. ?It?s moving toward the palace!? Miroku cried suddenly. ?It?s after the KING! Yaburenumaru wants them both dead, so he?s given someone else a shard to go do it...? ?Let?s go, Kagome,? Inuyasha told her. She tightened her grip on his shoulders, and with another great leap he had crossed the street and landed on the next roof. It was slanted, and he slipped a little, but dug his claws into the tile and righted himself. Then they were off again, traversing the rooftops toward the palace. Miroku and Shippou didn?t waste any time but leaped down to the streets and took off toward the Temple. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In the dark Temple room, the boy prince fought for breath as the gray-eyed sorcerer drew his soul from his body. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?They?re below,? Miroku whispered to Shippou. They had climbed onto the Temple roof and traversed it until the monk was certain of the location. Now he planted his staff on the tile. ?We?re going THROUGH THE ROOF?? Shippou asked worriedly. ?We can?t go through the front door, can we?? Miroku pointed out. ?Many guards, and lots of our Wise friends to greet us there.? ?But--but it?s a TEMPLE,? Shippou argued. ?We can?t just bash in the ROOF.? Miroku smiled mirthlessly at the Kitsune. ?Whatever they call this place, it isn?t holy,? he said. ?And it can?t stand against the power of true faith.? He drew in a deep breath, and then his face hardened with concentration. The rings on his staff began to move, clinking faintly. Then a great circle of light spread forth from the staff?s tip in every direction. Shippou shielded his eyes. There was a sudden, great rushing of wind, and then silence. Slowly, the Kitsune moved his arms away from his face. Then the tile beneath their feet gave way and everything went crashing straight downward. ?WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!? Shippou yelled. Miroku landed on the floor in a crouched position amidst the massive shower of debris. He remained calm and collected, and rose quickly to his feet. He was forced to haul Shippou to HIS feet, however--the Kitsune still seemed convinced that he was going to die. Around them, the gray, silent figures of the Wise could be seen shifting backward out of the way. One of them still held the boy Asano; the hands of another glowed red with sorcery. ?Let him go,? Miroku said coolly. ?You will not touch him.? ?FINISH it,? one of the Wise urged their fellows. ?WE will deal with this...this violation of our sacred place.? The Wise began to close in around the would-be rescuers, eyes glowing now with an eerie white light. ?Come forth,? each man whispered, and something very strange happened. From the very Temple walls there poured forth the green light of demon souls. The lights swirled around the men who had summoned them. A chilling, hair-raising wind filled the room. ?[i]Atare[/i],? the first of the Wise whispered. The others echoed the word. Their voices, though lowered to a near-whisper, reverberated in the small room. ?Use the Wind Tunnel!? Shippou cried, transforming into something larger and trying to bowl several of the sorcerers over. ?They?re going to kill us!? His maneuver didn?t work. As soon as his flesh touched one of the souls, he recoiled in horror. ?Cold,? he cried, shuddering. ?Don?t let them TOUCH you, Miroku!? ?I can?t use it HERE!? Miroku reminded him. ?I might take in the BOY! And the souls are innocent. They should be FREED, not flung into the VOID...? ?[i]Atare[/i],? the sorcerers repeated, gesturing toward the two intruders. Yet the demon souls seemed to be hesitating. Perhaps they sensed the power radiating from the monk. Or perhaps they understood that he wished for their freedom. Miroku?s expression hardened. He planted his staff on the ground before him. ?I SAID, you WILL NOT TOUCH THE BOY,? he warned them, in a clear, strong voice. ?Unholy creatures. [i]SEIBAI[/i]!!!? At the last incantation, the air between Miroku and those Wise nearest Asano seemed to pulse. Then the red light between the gray-eyed sorcerer?s fingers shattered like glass. In a sudden burst of phantom flame, the man?s own spell expanded to engulf him in one great bright flash. Then it seemed to sink into his very flesh. He fell to the floor and lay there prone, like a dead man. His fellows backed away, unnerved. The boy?s soul, which had been half-drawn out of him, flew back into his open mouth, and he pitched backward with the force of it. In three swift bounds Shippou had reached him. ?Get him out of here,? Miroku ordered. ?Go find Inuyasha. I?ll hold them off.? The Kitsune transformed into something resembling a large crane with very bulbous eyes. He lowered his neck to Asano, who despite his state of shock grabbed on and managed to sling a leg over Shippou?s back. ?[i]ATARE[/i]!? the sorcerers shouted, and it seemed that this third repetition of the spell exerted too much force for the demon souls to resist. They shot toward Miroku like a volley of green arrows. The monk lowered his head, then called in a clarion voice, ?[i]HiKARI no KeKKAI[/i]!? The demon onslaught broke like water upon the invisible barrier formed by the spell. For a moment the room was obscured by a brilliant flash of green. ?GO [i]NOW[/i]!? Miroku cried. In that moment of borrowed time Shippou-the-crane managed to carry the half-conscious Asano up through the hole in the roof and away into the night. Then the barrier that shielded Miroku collapsed inward, and the monk fell to his knees. And then the demon souls fell upon him in a great dark tide of green.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha and Kagome flew from rooftop to rooftop at breakneck speed, the wind rushing past their faces. ?I KNEW it would be something like this,? Inuyasha muttered. ?There HAD to be two of them. THAT?S why the demon?s footprints smelled like THREE different scents and not just two. There was a human scent, a reptilian demon scent...and something else. It was faint, that something. I smelled it once, when we stopped in that forest, and never again afterward.? He lapsed into thoughtful silence for a minute, then corrected himself. ?No, wait. That?s not right. The very first night, when I brought you back through the Well, you sensed a shard nearby. Then I smelled something odd...almost FAMILIAR, really. And I smelled it AGAIN in the footprint later...? ?And Yaburenumaru?s accomplice had a shard of its own,? Kagome reminded him. ?That was what I sensed. We should have guessed it, from the very beginning!? Inuyasha?s expression darkened. ?[i]That scent...?[/i] he thought. ?[i]So familiar... And getting stronger as we get closer to the palace...?[/i] ?Hold on,? he told Kagome. Then he leaped two stories down to the courtyard before the king?s chamber. And landed in the koi pond. ?SHIT!? he swore as lily pads scattered in all directions and fish fled his feet in terror. ?So much for a sneak attack.? ?[i]Well, NOW there?s no chance of that,[/i]? Kagome thought, rolling her eyes. ?[i]Swearing at the top of his lungs...?[/i] He set her down and they splashed their way out of the pond. ?Yuck, my SOCKS,? Kagome complained, wrinkling her nose. Inuyasha, who had leaped clear of the pond in one bound, had stopped suddenly, going very rigid. He was staring straight through the doorway to the king?s chamber. ?Inuyasha?? Kagome called softly. ?Do you see it?? Inuyasha?s hand clenched around Tetsusaiga?s hilt. His jaw tightened. ?Oh, I can SEE it, all right,? he answered in a low voice. She moved closer to him, trying to see, but he flung out an arm to stop her. ?Stay here,? he ordered in a harsh voice. ?I?m going in. You find a good vantage point. Then shoot him with your arrows. But DON?T follow me closely.? Kagome nodded solemnly, then moved away from the door. And Inuyasha drew nearer to it, one hand on his sword-hilt. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The king lay where he had been flung. He could not have moved if he wished to; his bones had been shattered by the blow, and then splintered by the impact. His silken robes were matted with his own blood. His tormentor crossed the room, slowly, with a predator?s grace. The king tried to speak, but his breath was leaving him. The tall man, cloaked in white, reached down and lifted him by the hair. The pain was terrible, sending fire shooting through his scalp, but it was no worse than the pain from his injuries. He was dying, he knew. ?Why?? he finally managed. The clawed hand tightened its grip and Sesshoumaru bent nearer, eyes narrowed to slits in anger. ?Why?? the white demon echoed his question in mockery. ?Why? Do you not know?? Lord Iryokugou searched his already-fading memory. The Inu Youkai Clan. War. Death. Enslavement. Stories his father had told him. Skulls now, for the Wise to manipulate, or pillars for the Tatesei palace. ?Vengeance,? the king murmured. ?They said...none of your clan...lived. I have only heard...stories...AH!? He gave out a weak cry of pain as the demon?s claws dug into the flesh of his scalp and lifted him higher still. Then Sesshoumaru dropped him, and he fell to the floor with a dull thud. For a moment stars of pain clouded his vision, and through it he heard the demon speaking. ?You[i] forgot[/i]!? The voice was low, laced with hatred. ?You [i]use[/i] the souls of [i]my[/i] kin to protect this accursed land, and you [i]forget[/i]! Tell me, is it EASIER to forget? Easier, yes, to ignore that your empire was built not on the strength of men but the blood of [i]demons[/i]?? ?I--banished--Yaburenumaru--for this,? the king whispered. ?Didn?t want--that sorcery--to endure..." The stars cleared, and he saw Sesshoumaru smiling faintly. ?Your disinherited son. He?s here. I have brought him. I found him, and drove him here. And now he will destroy the last of your Line. The Tatesei Line is about to break. And then...I will batter this city to the ground.? Behind him, there came the swift sound of a sword clearing its sheath. ?You cannot oppose me in this, Inuyasha,? Sesshoumaru said, without turning around. ?If there is any demon blood in you at all--you will not try to interfere. These people deserve to die.? Inuyasha halted, sword poised. He did not move to strike his brother. But he did not move to sheath Tetsusaiga, either. To Iryokugou, Sesshoumaru said dispassionately, ?Die.? And he ran his claws through the man?s heart. Then he withdrew them, shaking the blood from them. ?Now,? he said, face cold and hard as marble. ?Let there be an end to this.?[/color] [color=purple][b] [CENTER]{END OF CHAPTER 7}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Author?s Note: Chapter 8 is going to be the darkest yet. I give this chapter the individual rating of R, because it gets rather violent in places---just to warn those of you who are sensitive to that sort of thing. Also, ?Jii-san? is a term of address for ?grandfather.?[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 8: The Demon?s Wrath {#} {#} [/b][/color] [color=blue]Fifty-five Years In the Past[/CENTER] [i]A thin, shivering boy stumbled through the forest, clutching his shoulder. Beneath his shirt he was wounded; burnt, by the villagers from whom he had stolen his most recent meal. That had been four days ago--a roast chicken and a sack of rice. The rice he had been forced to eat hard and uncooked, because he had no bowl and no time to stop. After downing the meal hurriedly he had rushed off to find somewhere safe to sleep--somewhere where the vengeful villagers would not find him. He thought he had run far enough, until he was roused from deep slumber by rough hands. They had burnt into his shoulder the brand of a thief, not realizing that as a hanyou he would not have lasting scars. Yet the lesson they taught him remained burned into his brain: do not trust humans. The humans of Reiyama had killed his family, and hunted HIM now. So he kept running. And that meant he could not settle into any village, so he was forced to steal what he couldn?t catch on his own. And stealing meant that no one trusted him. Now he came upon yet another village. He had not been trying to find one; this one seemed to have found him. He knew he must stop to sleep or he would soon drop with exhaustion. Yet he had not wanted to stop so near to a human settlement, because he feared the Tatesei Wise would find him there more easily. ?Run, half-breed. I am going to kill you? He had only been five years of age when he heard their final warning. Now he was fifteen, and he had not forgotten. There were times when he had tried to settle into a particular village--especially when he was younger--and had fallen into the lull of a false sense of security. But then, after perhaps a few months at most, he would begin to sense a powerful presence approaching and take to the road once again. Yet now he slumped to the ground, exhausted beyond even his half-demon strength. He was too weakened from hunger to do more than drag himself beneath the concealment of the bushes. When he awoke two days later, he was no longer in the forest but in someone?s house, on a bed. The house?s owner--a kindly old man--fed him chicken broth to strengthen him, and spoke to him soothingly when he cried out from feverish nightmares. ?They?re coming, they?re COMING,? he would cry. ?Don?t touch me! They?ll take you!? But the old man only said, ?Hush, no one is here. You have nothing to fear.? Months passed; months during which he resided in the village. And, as always, with the passage of time he came to believe the old man?s words of comfort... ...Until the day he returned from hunting in the woods to find a new enemy standing in the doorway of the old man?s house. He froze, the blood from the two rabbits he had caught still drying on his hands. He had not sensed this man as he had sensed the Wise--the near presence of the Wise made his flesh crawl, while this man exuded the impression of a very different kind of power. His enemy also froze at the sight of him, and they stood there regarding each other for a moment. The boy?s first thought was that his enemy possessed an unearthly beauty. The stranger?s skin and hair were pale and luminous--as if he had never seen the sun, though he stood in bright daylight now and did not so much as squint. [I]?A prince,[/i]? the boy thought, because only royalty had such pale complexions. He hadn?t seen a man dressed so finely since his youngest days in the Tatesei city. The stranger wore mostly white, and the boy would easily have mistaken him for a marble statue were it not for the bright intelligence in his eyes. Yellow eyes, hard and cold as jewels. The stranger?s regard was hostile, yet there was also a kind of dazed wonderment in it, as if he were seeing a ghost. ?Why are you hunting me?? the boy demanded. His muscles tensed for flight--he had lived this long because his Youkai instinct to survive was very strong. ?YOU?RE not one of the Wise..." The stranger seemed to recover himself, and stepped forward calmly. ?I have come for you,? he said, ?Inuyasha.? A cool wind arose, blowing back his long hair. Though he wore a warrior?s armor, he wore his hair loose and unbound. Beneath the white mane, his ears curved upward, tapering to points. It was then that the boy realized his enemy wasn?t human. ?You?re a demon,? the boy murmured, frowning. ?Why the hell am I being hunted by both Tatesei AND Youkai?? ?The Tatesei have abandoned their search,? the demon told him dispassionately. ?Too many years have passed, and you have roamed too far. But I--I have found you now.? The boy sniffed the air, and his eyes narrowed. ?I smell blood,? he said, attempting to peer beyond his enemy to the house. ?What have you done?? The white demon took another step toward him but did not cease his blockage of the doorway. ?The human?? he asked carelessly. ?Dying or dead. It doesn?t matter.? The boy dropped the rabbits he was carrying, a sudden gleam of fury in his eye. They fell into the dirt, forgotten. ?I don?t care what you want from me,? he said, cracking his knuckles. ?You shouldn?t have come.? The white demon seemed interested. He advanced another step, and the boy held his ground. ?You?re not going to run?? the demon asked. ?Face me, then, whelp. Show me that his blood truly flows through your veins.? Inuyasha?s hands clenched into fists. ?WHOSE blood?? he demanded. ?What the hell are you talking about?? The demon took another step toward him. His hand brushed the hilt of the sword that hung at his hip, but then passed over it as if he had thought better of it. ?Our father?s,? he answered quietly. Inuyasha?s eyes widened, and for a moment his fists uncurled. ?You?re saying--you?re my--? He paused, unable to finish the sentence, then asked with characteristic frankness, ?Then what?s with your ears?? The man frowned as Inuyasha jabbed a claw in the direction of his ears. It was a fair question; the white demon did not seem the least bit dog-like. ?I am full demon,? the white demon answered with evident distaste for his brother?s manners. ?It is only the demon parent that we share. But enough.? He waved the question aside and began a slow, steady advance toward Inuyasha. He raised one hand, and a sickly greenish glow formed around the claws of that hand. ?Come. I want to see just how human you are.? Inuyasha eyed the hand warily, unsure of what to do. On one hand, he figured this man was telling the truth. He noticed the resemblance between them now, and didn?t see why the white demon would have reason to lie. On the other, his brother--half-brother--seemed like a real bastard. He didn?t think the glowing green claws meant anything good, either. He planted his feet and declared, ?Stay the hell away from me, you albino bastard!? The white demon did not seem to hear--or perhaps he simply didn?t care. With sudden, inhuman speed he launched himself at his younger brother, swiping downward with the glowing claws. Inuyasha possessed a demon?s quickness, but nonetheless he barely dodged the attack. The air beside him sizzled, smelling acrid and burnt. ?What the HELL?? he cried, confused. ?You?re trying to KILL me!? The white demon merely narrowed his eyes, then moved in for another attack. Inuyasha responded with a swipe of his own claws, which managed to shred the end of his enemy?s sleeve. His demon brother paused to assess what had just happened; a little blood dripped from his wrist from where Inuyasha had scratched him. Then he looked up at Inuyasha, and for the briefest of moments his eyes flashed red. He smiled--a slow, faint smile that for some reason made the hairs stand up on the back of Inuyasha?s neck. Then, abruptly, he flew at the young hanyou so swiftly that he became a blur. Inuyasha found himself falling steadily backward beneath a lightning-quick assault of deadly slashes. The air shimmered with the heat of the white demon?s power. Inuyasha sensed that this battle was going to claim his life; that the white demon--half-brother or not--intended for him to die here. And for some reason, he wasn?t afraid--only increasingly angry. He was angry that he was hated by so many through no fault of his own. He was angry that he had found peace here, but the white demon had come to destroy it. ?WHY?!? he cried. In a fury, he attempted to grapple with his assailant. His haphazard blows were strong, but did not strike their targets with any sort of frequency. From somewhere behind the rain of blows, his brother?s voice asked calmly: ?You ask ?why?? Are you going to plead for your life?? ?WHY DID YOU KILL THE OLD MAN?? Inuyasha cried, and one of his blows struck his attacker?s breastplate. It did not shatter, but a long, thin crack appeared in one corner. The white demon seized the opportunity. Before Inuyasha could pull back his punch, he ran his claws through the hanyou?s shoulder. Holding fast to the torn flesh, he pulled the boy toward him. ?Why do you care about the old fool?? his brother hissed between clenched teeth. His beautiful face appeared fierce and inhuman. ?FIGHT me, Inuyasha. Or bow to me, now that you know my power. But do not speak to ME of human FILTH!? ?YOU KILLED HIM!? Inuyasha yelled, wrenching free of his brother?s grasp with strength born of anger. ?YOU KILLED HIM! You deserve to DIE!? Inuyasha dug the claws of his right hand into his brother?s arm. He tried to bring his knee up between his enemy?s legs for a crude but crippling blow. However, the white demon appeared to know that one and dodged it, so that Inuyasha?s knee only struck his brother?s left thigh. Showing no indication of pain, Inuyasha?s brother sank his claws into both of Inuyasha?s shoulders, lifted him, and hurled him into the house with such violence that the walls shattered. Beneath a rain of heavy debris, Inuyasha managed to crawl over to where the old man lay. Weak and hurting as he was, he managed to shove away the heavy wooden beams that pinned the man to the floor. ?Jii-san?? he whispered, his voice husky because the wind had been knocked out of him. The old man did not answer, but let out a pathetic cry of pain as Inuyasha?s probing hand made contact. Tears washed the dust from his eyes, and he saw what had befallen the man who had shown him shelter and kindness for all this time. The white demon had disemboweled him. The floor beneath the broken wood was slick with blood--so much blood that the wooden floor had not completely absorbed it. From somewhere behind where he lay there came the sound of footsteps moving calmly over the ruins of the house. Then they ceased, and the cold voice of the white demon commanded, ?Leave him.? Inuyasha ignored his brother?s admonition. Weeping, he tried to push the old man?s intestines back into the gaping wound, but they were torn and dragged splintered debris with them, and the old man screamed in agony. ?Jii-san,? Inuyasha whispered brokenly. ?Get up,? his brother?s voice ordered from behind him. ?Leave him.? In desperation, Inuyasha clasped the old man?s head between his hands. A harsh sob escaped him. Then his brother?s foot connected with his mid-section, and he rolled a few feet, doubling up and gasping. Over the harsh sound of his own breathing, Inuyasha heard the white demon moving to stand over him. ?Forget him,? he told the boy coldly. ?He betrayed you to me. When I threatened him, he told me where you were, and that you would return to the house. THAT is human love, Inuyasha. To these puling mortals, honor is a but a thing of stories. As with the old man, they would cast all honor aside even if it means living for just one moment more...? Through the stars that swam before his vision, Inuyasha looked up to see his brother glaring down at him. Then, unexpectedly, the white demon?s face was filled with a great and terrible bitterness, and sorrow too dark and deep for words. ?Tell me you hate the Tatesei,? he demanded suddenly. ?Regardless of what BLOOD flows in your veins, tell me that you HATE them. They killed your mother--their own PRINCESS--because she bore a demon?s son. They deserve to DIE.? Groaning, Inuyasha rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up onto his knees. His brother stepped back, waiting for his answer. Yet instead of replying, he crawled slowly and determinedly back to where the old man lay. ?Tell me that you thirst for the blood of those who betrayed our kin, and I will let you live,? his brother told him, watching his progress through narrowed eyes. ?Tell me that you are our father?s son and I will spare you.? Once again Inuyasha took the old man?s face between his hands. Gritting his teeth in anguish, he tightened his grip, and then snapped his hands abruptly to the side. The old man breathed a faint sigh and went limp, his agony over at last. Inuyasha released the lifeless body and raised his head. Blinded by sorrow and pain, his eyes were sightless as the dead man?s. ?He...was not...Tatesei,? he told his brother slowly. ?Fool,? his brother said icily. ?ALL humans are Tatesei. They would use our power and strength to serve their own ends, all the while hating us for what they do not possess.? He paused, and when his younger brother did not answer he said, ?Say the words, Inuyasha. Show me that your demon blood is stronger than THEIRS. And I shall spare you for the sake of vengeance.? Slowly, Inuyasha turned to face his brother. ?Go to hell,? he whispered. Once again the white demon?s face filled with bitterness, and his eyes flashed red. ?So be it,? he declared, in a voice sharp as steel. ?Then Lord Sesshoumaru abides alone.? Inuyasha watched the coming blow dully, too dazed and weakened to do much else. Then his brother?s final blow connected with his head, and all the world went red, then black. When he awoke five days later, he lay in the forest, covered in dried blood and still half-dead. He crawled slowly and painstakingly back to the village, only to be driven away at sword-point. Though his brother had left him for dead, it seemed the villagers did not want him living among them in case the white demon returned. So he returned to the life of running and stealing, very much embittered and caring very little for either humans or demons[/I].[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [CENTER][color=blue]The Present, In the Palace of Reiyama, the Tatesei City[/CENTER] On a marble floor now slick with blood, the Tatesei king breathed his last. Slowly, Sesshoumaru straightened and turned to face his brother. They stood silently for a moment, regarding each other--Inuyasha with great dislike and Sesshoumaru with contempt. Then the white demon tilted his head to one side and spoke. ?You won?t strike me,? he said softly. Inuyasha said nothing. Nor did he move; he seemed rooted to the spot. ?You won?t strike, because you hate them, too,? Sesshoumaru murmured. ?Don?t bother trying to hide it; I can see it in your face.? Inuyasha?s face was indeed a map of warring emotions. He hated his brother--had always hated him--and yet he knew Sesshoumaru was right. In this Sesshoumaru had always been right. Inuyasha hated the Tatesei. He wanted them to [i]pay[/i], for the years of loneliness he had known with no family to guide him. For that part of him that would never be whole... His brother?s words of all those years ago returned to him: ?[i]They deserve to die[/i].? Sesshoumaru frowned at Inuyasha, at the sword still held poised between them. ?But you don?t have the strength to do it,? he said, lip curling with disdain. ?And so you leave it to me. What a child you are, Inuyasha. You would let others stain their hands with blood because the human in you lacks the courage.? It seemed that Sesshoumaru hoped for some kind of response, but Inuyasha did not move. The elder brother glared at the younger. For a moment, an open, naked bitterness passed over his face like a shadow. Then it vanished, and the white demon?s expression became as cold and calm as ever. ?So. I do this alone,? Sesshoumaru said softly. ?As always. Let the demon do what the half-demon cannot.? Then he swept past. His long hair brushed past Inuyasha?s face, and then he was gone--through the door and out into the city. And still Inuyasha did not move.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Kagome climbed half-way up the building to the nearest window, where she could get the clearest view of the room?s occupants. When she pushed aside the silk screen hangings and saw, she could barely suppress a gasp of surprise. ?[i]Sesshoumaru...[/i]? she thought in horror. ?[i]Here![/i]? She shifted into a better position, frowning. [i] ?And bearing a shard of the sacred jewel. But WHY? Why would he join forces with a prince of the people who murdered his family??[/i] She saw him strike the killing blow and saw Lord Iryokugou fall. Then she saw him speak with Inuyasha, who stood with Tetsusaiga upraised between them. And then, to her utter shock and horror, Sesshoumaru passed Inuyasha and left the room, and Inuyasha did nothing! ?Strike [i]now[/i], Inuyasha,? she whispered. ?While his back?s turned...? But Inuyasha did not move. For a moment she sat there, wallowing in indecision. Then she recalled the brutal swiftness with which Sesshoumaru had delivered death to the Tatesei king. Then she recalled that Sesshoumaru must remember all too well the Tatesei betrayal and murder of his kin sixty-five years ago. And then she realized that Inuyasha?s brother had allied himself with Yaburenumaru for a reason. He had used the boy to cross the web-like barriers in the mountains. The greedy prince, believing himself to be assured the loyalty of a great demon ally, had deliberately destroyed the wardings so that Sesshoumaru might pass. ?Oh...? she breathed, in dawning horror. The prince had not realized how he was being used. He had allowed a serpent into the nest. And it was not a [i]coup d?etat[/i] that Sesshoumaru wanted, but a chance to penetrate the spiritual defenses of the Wise, to destroy the city... Hurriedly she climbed up onto the first section of the roof and scrambled to the front, where she hastily drew an arrow from her quiver and made ready her bow. Below, she could see Sesshoumaru emerging from the palace corridor and into the courtyard beyond. Swiftly and without any warning noise, she notched the arrow and let fly. It sang through the air, parted the demon?s long white hair, and sank deep into the small of his back. He gasped, staggering a few paces and clutching at the wound, then wrenched the arrow from his flesh. Once free of his body and in the grasp of his poisoned talons, it dissolved into dust. Then he whipped around to lock gazes with Kagome. ?[i]Oh, NO[/i],? she thought. [i]?The arrow didn?t kill him. He still has the SHARD...?[/i] Sesshoumaru?s sharp gaze reddened, and a powerful light began to gather around him. ?You, girl, have just become an annoyance,? he said coolly. Then he expanded in all directions, into the form of the great Inu Youkai that he was. Snarling, he came at her faster than she could ready her next arrow. Kagome dodged his enormous, snapping jaws, but then he reared up and fell upon the building itself, and with a great cracking of stone and broken timbers the palace began to collapse. Kagome did not have time to jump clear of it, and she fell into the churning mass of falling debris. Her last coherent thought, before darkness took her, was that Inuyasha was still inside. As she fell she screamed his name. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In the Temple room, amongst bits of shattered wood and tile, Miroku lay prone and inert. The Wise called off the demon souls and ordered them back to from whence they came. The green light faded as the spirits slid silently into the Temple walls, where they resided in the prison of their own bones. Now only starlight fell upon the monk, forming a ragged circle of light around his body. The Wise approached, beginning the incantations that would draw forth his soul. Never would they allow such a powerful soul escape their clutches. A soul not wielded was a soul wasted. Yet when one of them bent down to touch Miroku, a great confusion arose. ?He is still alive,? the man said, laying a finger on the monk?s neck. ?There is still a pulse.? The man looked up from where he knelt, glaring at his fellows. ?The demon souls did not kill him,? another said. ?Though we commanded them. What does this mean?? The one kneeling beside Miroku narrowed his eyes. ?It means that this monk, with the compassion he shows toward them, is too dangerous to be allowed to live.? From within the folds of his gray robes, he withdrew a long bone knife, carved with a serpent twining around its hilt. From somewhere beyond the Temple walls, there came a resounding crash. It echoed through the city, and abruptly the air outside was filled with the cries of the warriors and the sounds of clanking armor. And above the din, there rang out a deafening roar as from the belly of a great beast. The sorcerer with the knife paused, holding the blade just over Miroku?s throat. ?Yaburenumaru?? he murmured. ?Has he begun already? Why did he not wait for our aid?? ?No!? another corrected him, shaking his head. ?It is not yet dawn! The prince is still human.? The Wise looked at each other in alarm. ?It is the Great Demon?s son!? one of them exclaimed. ?As the prince warned us!? The sorcerer wielding the bone knife tucked it back into his robes and rose to his feet. ?Call forth our forces,? he ordered sharply. He added a peculiar stress to the word ?our.? ?Then send word to the warriors that the king is already dead. Tell them to avenge him.? The Wise immediately dispersed, moving through the Temple. Their chanting echoed down every hall like a chorus of ghosts, as they called forth every soul that the building contained. Yet one of the Wise remained by the side of the one who had given the order. ?Reikotsu-[i]sama[/i],? he said, laying a hand on the sorcerer?s arm. ?Are you strong enough to lead us? The monk?s spell did not harm you badly?? The gray-eyed sorcerer smiled thinly, fingering the hard outline of the bone knife tucked into his sash. ?No,? he answered. ?Don?t fear for me. Go. Prepare for battle. The warriors will die on the claws of the Inu Youkai lord. Then there will be none left to oppose us when we set Yaburenumaru on the throne.? ?We are going to battle with the last of the Inu Youkai Line,? the other sorcerer said to Reikotsu, narrowing his eyes shrewdly. ?For in the end it is our blood he desires. We took the souls of his kin--he will not remain our ally.? Reikotsu nodded, smiling as if at some private joke. ?The demon lord will destroy the city if we do not kill him first,? he agreed. ?So we call forth all the forces bound to the Temple. All that we can muster. And we go to war.? The other sorcerer frowned at him, apparently somewhat puzzled by something. ?Reikotsu-[i]sama[/i]...ah, never mind. What of the monk? Is he still to die?? The gray-eyed sorcerer glanced down at Miroku, lying on the floor. His lip curled with dislike. ?No,? he answered. ?In light of recent events, I may have use for him.? The other sorcerer?s brow smoothed again as he nodded and he turned to leave. Gray-eyed Reikotsu stood silently for a moment, still fingering the knife. ?Wait,? he called after the departing sorcerer. ?The girl is not the only one bearing shards of the powerful jewel. The Inu Youkai carries one also. Cut it from him and you will sap his strength. Do NOT let him take the girl?s shards--for one such as he that kind of power would make him like a god and nothing will stop him. Only with the shards may we have any hope of defeating him.? The sorcerer nodded again and exited the room. Smiling, Reikotsu bent and lifted Miroku?s head by the hair. ?So your noble intentions saved you from the demon souls,? he murmured. ?But I won?t let you live [i]much[/i] longer. The Tatesei Wise are right in one respect.? He bent nearer to the monk?s ear, then whispered: ?The only true strength in this world comes from the power of demons.? Reikotsu proceeded to lift Miroku in his arms, as if the monk weighed nothing. Then he bore him from the room.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In a darkened alley, Shippou transformed back into Kitsune-shape with a resounding pop. He and Asano tumbled to the ground. Asano, though apparently somewhat weakened by what he?d just endured, pushed himself into a sitting position to get a proper look at his rescuer. ?Thank you, young Kitsune,? he said formally. ?If you had not saved me, I might very well be dead thanks to my brother?s treachery.? The prince paused, frowning. ?But what of your friend the monk? The Wise will kill him. We must warn my father of this immediately, because the Wise seem to be gathering for some kind of battle.? Asano leaped to his feet and hurried to the end of the alley. He peered around a corner and out into the streets. There seemed to be some kind of commotion--there were soldiers running in all directions. Still panting from exhaustion, Shippou eyed Asano suspiciously. ?Why do you trust me so much?? he asked. ??Cause I AM a demon, you know...? The prince glanced back over his shoulder. ?I share my father?s desire for peace,? he answered seriously. ?And I don?t think someone is evil because of [i]what[/i] they are--only because of what they choose to be.? The Kitsune shrugged. ?Makes sense,? he said, coming over to peek out of the alley beside the prince. ?What?s going on? Are the Wise attacking the soldiers? What?s all the commotion for?? ?I don?t know,? Asano answered, frowning. He looked very much like his father when he frowned. ?Maybe they?re trying to find my brother before he transforms into a demon. Or maybe they?re trying to protect my father from the Wise...? The answer to their questions suddenly reared its huge, white head above the rooftops not more than three streets over. Stone and wood beams and roof tiles flew every which way in its wake, and then the head lowered slightly to reveal burning red eyes and a mouth full of fangs. The great nostrils flared, seeming to draw in a scent, and then there was a series of resounding crashes as it began to move through the city. Every fall of the huge paws crushed yet another building, and the night air was suddenly filled with screams. ?What--what IS that?? Shippou asked in a quavering voice. He had never seen Sesshoumaru?s true Youkai form. ?An Inu Youkai,? Asano breathed, wonderingly. ?THIS was what my brother?s spirit messenger warned the Wise about. THIS is the last living son of the Great Demon...? Shippou?s eyes widened to disturbing proportions. ?That?s INUYASHA?!!? he exclaimed. ?Since when does he turn into THAT?!!!? Privately, the Kitsune was thinking, ?[i]We should?ve all been riding HIM, instead of WALKING all this way.[/i]? ?You?re mistaken,? Asano said, looking down at Shippou. ?My father told me stories about the Great Demon?s son. Have you ever heard of Sesshoumaru?? The Kitsune?s jaw dropped. ?Oh, NO!!? he wailed. ?HE?S here?! That THING is HIM?!? Shippou gripped the prince?s hand and began pulling him back down the alley, away from the dog demon?s path of destruction. ?Come ON!? he cried. ?If Sesshoumaru?s attacking the city, we?re doomed unless we can get to Inuyasha!? He dragged the prince around a corner and then they were off, racing down the streets. From every side they were jostled by soldiers running and civilians fleeing in panic. ?Inuyasha?? Asano asked, looking shocked. ?There is someone here with that name? The Inuyasha I?VE heard of was killed by the Wise during my GRANDFATHER?S time...? ?He?s Sesshoumaru?s half-brother,? Shippou informed him. ?He was the one who cut off Sesshoumaru?s left arm. He was introduced to you and your pop as ?Honnou,? but he?s here to help you. He?s going to protect the city from the demons.? Asano allowed himself to be pulled along, but his expression was now clouded with doubt. The name Inuyasha seemed to have made him even more ill at ease than the very real presence of Sesshoumaru did.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Through the city the white demon moved. The spears and blades of the warriors were mere flea-bites upon his thick hide. He swatted them aside or crushed them beneath his paws like the insects they were. He did not seek to attack the women or children fleeing his path of destruction, but neither did he make any effort to avoid crushing those in his way. ?[i]There are no children in Reiyama[/i],? he thought to himself. His heart burned with rage so great its fire scorched him. It drove him onward, slavering poison and snarling in fury. [i]?Only one thing will quench this fire[/i],? he thought. ?[i]Only one.[/i]? With every building that he battered to the ground, he drew ever closer to the Temple. [i]?Let the blood of the Wise rain over me[/i],? Sesshoumaru thought, red eyes narrowed to slits. [i]?Let it RAIN. Let it cleanse this city of death, until the souls of my kin are free. Let there be death and death and death, until this scorching pain in my heart is quenched...[/i]?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The Tatesei palace now lay in shambles--a pile of gilded wreckage that still glittered in the light of the coming dawn. Something stirred beneath the mounds of debris, and then Inuyasha burst forth from one of the piles, scattering wood and broken tiles in every direction. With one vicious yank he freed Tetsusaiga from the beam pinning it down and slid it into its sheath. Then he looked around him in alarm and sniffed the air. ?Kagome!? he cried. ?KAGOME! Where ARE you? SAY something!? Inuyasha sniffed again and found the scent of her blood. He attempted to follow it to its source, stumbling in his haste to reach her. Then, off to his right, the debris stirred faintly. In a flash he was kneeling by it, digging with a fury born of desperation. ?Kagome!? he cried again when he had found her and lifted her free. She coughed weakly and attempted to rub the dust from her eyes. One arm, however, was bent at an odd angle and would not obey. ?Ow,? she whimpered. But she moved her legs, and nothing else seemed to be broken. The blood on her was only from scratches and splinters. ?I tried to kill him,? she told Inuyasha. ?I TRIED. But he?s too powerful. And now he?s going to kill them ALL...? Suddenly she found herself pulled tightly against his chest. His heart thundered in her ears. Inuyasha buried his face in her hair. ?I?ve been a damned [i]coward[/i],? he told her raggedly. ?I had the chance, and I didn?t. I COULDN?T. Damnit, Kagome, I HATE them! Sesshoumaru was right. I hate them... And because I didn?t kill him you could have died...? Gently, Kagome pushed him away, raising her head. She placed one hand upon his cheek, ignoring the blood that was seeping from a cut there. Her own hands were slashed cruelly from when she had tried to hold onto the collapsing tiles. ?I?m okay,? she told him, making an effort to smile. ?And now you have the chance to make it right. Because you?re stronger than your brother.? ?What?? Inuyasha asked, frowning. ?What d?you mean?? Kagome paused, as if uncertain of what to say, but then she seemed to gather her confidence. ?Stop him,? she said solemnly. ?He?s going to kill everyone.? She paused, wincing, then said, ?There are good people in this city, Inuyasha. People worth saving.? Inuyasha?s expression was very somber. ?Kagome, you don?t [i]know[/i],? he insisted. ?Demon hatred runs deeper than you could EVER know.? He grasped her good hand, gazing at her with an earnest expression. ?The Wise are evil. Sesshoumaru?s doing what I was never brave enough to do. He?s facing them, as my father would have. He?s facing them like a demon.? Regardless of the pain, Kagome lifted her wounded arm, because he held her other hand too tightly. She placed her fingers over his lips, to silence him. ?You?re stronger than Sesshoumaru,? she told him, ?because I don?t see YOU out there killing innocent people. YOU have the strength to face the Wise as a man, because your heart is strong.? Inuyasha went silent, pulling a bit of a face. ?[i]My heart is...??[/i] he thought. This sounded suspiciously like romantic fan service to [i]him[/i]. But dutifully Inuyasha mulled over Kagome?s advice, took a deep breath, and then nodded slowly. ?I?ll go,? he told her. ?Get on.? He knelt while Kagome climbed onto his back. ?Can you hold on?? Inuyasha asked, glancing back at her in concern. ?With the arm?? Biting her lip, Kagome nodded, wrapping both arms around Inuyasha and determinedly forcing herself not to show how much pain she was in. He needed to do this now, or hundreds of innocent people were going to be slaughtered. And he needed her eyes, to see the shards. Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga. It blazed brightly in the fading darkness, as it could only do when he meant to protect human life. Then they were off, crossing the city as quickly as possible, heading for the Temple.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Atop the city?s northern wall, Yaburenumaru stood watching the sun rise. The walls had long since been abandoned--the warriors were now battling for their very lives against the white demon?s wrath. ?[i]Let them die upon his fangs[/i],? Yaburenumaru thought viciously. ?[i]They once drove me from my home as if I were some soulless beast...[/i]? He closed his eyes, then opened them slowly. And the red light of the morning sun was mirrored therein. [i]?Soon[/i],? he thought. [i]?Soon it will be ended, and I will be king. Let the Wise bring down the last sons of the Great Demon. Let the Inu Youkai Line finally pass from this world.?[/i] Then the first rays touched him, and his body rose into the hulking shape of the demon. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 8}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Yamisui: kukuku CRY HAVOC AND LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR![/i][/color]

[color=gray][i]Author?s Note: This chapter is quite a bit darker than the others. I hope you don?t mind if I screw around with the canon for a bit. If you do, sorry. I suggest writing a story about Yamisui being devoured by starving weasels with blunt teeth--that might make you feel better. O_O[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 5: Through the Mountains and Into the Vipers? Nest {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Inuyasha woke in the morning with a raging headache. He pushed himself up onto his hands with a groan, spitting out dirt and swearing under his breath. His recollection of the previous night was vague--he remembered feeling more powerful than he had ever felt before, and then...nothing. His hands flew to his neck, only to find that the cursed prayer beads were back and the shards were gone. ?DAMNIT!? he exclaimed. ?DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT--? ?Will you shut up?? Miroku asked pleasantly. ?We?re trying to discuss something here.? Inuyasha rose into a crouch and pointed an accusing finger at his three companions, who were sitting around the campfire drinking tea. ?You?re plotting against me again, AREN?T you?? he demanded. ?I KNEW it!? ?Oh, no,? Kagome said flatly, eyeing him coolly. ?There?s no need. You?re...back under control again.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha grumbled, moving to join them by the fire. ?He?s back on a short leash, where he belongs,? Shippou whispered to Kagome. ?I HEARD that!? Inuyasha growled, looking like he wanted to smite the Kitsune but was too afraid of Kagome. ?IF you?re QUITE done ranting, then maybe YOU can explain something to us,? Miroku cut in. ?When you were possessed by the brown powder, you said something about having a score to settle with the Tatesei. You called them murderers.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha replied, picking up a nearby rock and crushing it into dust. ?I said I had a ?FUCKING? score to settle with the Tatesei.? This earned him a glare from Kagome, so he added hastily, ?On account of that brat pissing me off.? ?Oh, no, I think it?s MORE than THAT,? Miroku said, drumming his fingers impatiently upon his knee. ?Come on, you?ve been keeping something to yourself ever since we crossed that chasm with the warding spell.? Kagome shifted over to kneel beside Inuyasha. The [i]hanyou[/i] eyed her suspiciously. ?Inuyasha, we KNOW you haven?t been following Yaburenumaru?s scent since that night three days ago,? she told him. ?You haven?t been looking for tracks. You haven?t sniffed the air ONCE. It?s like you know EXACTLY where he?s going.? Inuyasha scowled, folding his arms. ?Well, of COURSE! He TOLD us where he was going.? ?He described his kingdom to us,? Miroku pointed out, ?not how to GET to it.? ?What a fucking waste of time,? Inuyasha said, getting to his feet. ?Let?s go. We?re burning daylight.? He walked a few paces, but no one made any move to follow him. Miroku and Kagome cast significant looks at one another. ?Kagome-[i]sama[/i],? Miroku said. ?Right.? Kagome nodded, then turned and shouted, ?Sit!? And Inuyasha, of course, went crashing to the ground. He lay there a moment, splay-legged, then yelled, ?HEY, what GIVES?? His voice sounded muffled--his mouth was probably filled with dirt again. Miroku squatted beside Inuyasha, just out of swiping range, resting his staff across his knees. ?Talk,? he ordered. For a moment Inuyasha just stared at the monk in amazement. Then he pushed himself up with his palms, steely-eyed and scowling. ?What the--?? he exclaimed. ?You?re going to torture me?? ??Torture? is such an ugly word,? Miroku said mildly. ?Let?s call it ?forceful persuasion,? as in you TALK and Kagome will stop shouting ?sit.?? ?You?re enjoying this,? Shippou remarked, but he didn?t seem to be protesting. ?Stop being so stubborn,? Kagome told Inuyasha. ?I know you don?t like that kid but he needs our help. His people must need our help, because someone in the Tatesei kingdom is trying to keep the rightful ruler from the throne. Anything you can tell us is important.? Inuyasha?s expression darkened considerably and Kagome backed away, somewhat daunted by the sight. She had not seen that face on him since the day he met Naraku for the first time, and it frightened her more than she cared to admit to herself. ?Never mind,? Kagome told him hastily. ?Get up and we?ll go.? In answer to Miroku?s questioning look she added, ?Forget it. He doesn?t HAVE to tell us anything. Let?s go.? Not long after, they were moving again. The land had begun to slope upward, which made traveling more difficult for Kagome, whose cough had worsened considerably. She had not brought her bike on this trip in the hopes that Inuyasha would carry her because she felt sick. Kagome didn?t want to ask him to now--she felt guilty about trying to force his secrets out of him. In her head she had thought of it as a joke when discussing it with Miroku, and maybe even when she made him ?sit? the first time, but something about all of this ran very deep with him. She did not feel like this was something she should meddle with so lightly. Not unless he chose to let her. After a time they crested the hill and Kagome stopped short, taking in the view. Inuyasha stopped short as well--right on her heels. His stumbling weight almost pushed her down the other side, but he caught her around the waist. ?Inuyasha!? she cried, teetering for a moment until he tightened his grip to steady her. ?What the fuck?d you stop for?? he demanded. ?Well, you shouldn?t have been walking so close!? she retorted. Miroku and Shippou came up the hill behind them. The monk took one glance at them and looked as if he wished he had thought of that one first. ?Hey, Kagome, why?d you stop?? Shippou wanted to know. Inuyasha let go of her waist and stepped back hurriedly, flustered. Kagome didn?t seem to notice--she was busy fishing a map out of her backpack. ?Hey, according to this there should be a lake just over these mountains, in the valley beyond them,? she informed them once she?d found it. ?We just have to go through them, and then we?ll reach the lake Yaburenumaru described.? Inuyasha?s expression darkened now at every mention of the boy?s name, and it was in utter silence that he led them all down the slope to the river below. In order to cross it they were forced to emerge from the sheltering trees and into the pouring rain. The water was wide, waist deep and ice-cold, and when Shippou stuck a paw in he grimaced and backed away. Kagome--who had been determined to leave Inuyasha alone until his mood improved--suddenly found herself caught up in his arms without warning before he plunged headlong into the river. ?Kyaa!? she cried, startled. ?Shut up or I?ll drop you,? Inuyasha warned. She obeyed, leaning her head wearily against his chest to avoid looking at the rushing water just inches below her. Fortunately this impaired her view of his face, which underwent a curious metamorphosis from irritation to surprise to embarrassment to something much softer. Miroku followed close behind, carrying Shippou, who was clinging to his neck so tightly it was likely to leave a mark. The crossing went quickly and without mishap, save for the fact that they were all drenched to the skin by the time they had reached the trees on the other side. Grateful as she was for the ride, Kagome felt that she had gotten just as wet without setting foot in the river. They started back up the slope on the other side--a much more difficult endeavor because this was a foothill leading into a valley between the mountains. After the first time Kagome tripped on a tree root, Inuyasha insisted upon carrying her on his back, which she accepted without protest. She was very tired, and grateful that he was not angry with her. The passage between the two mountains was much narrower as they progressed further in, and the trees had an increasingly bent look to them. Miroku said that it was from the wind through the pass, but to Kagome the tree limbs appeared inexplicably tortured and grotesque--twisted by forces other than nature. When she voiced these sentiments the monk seemed concerned. ?Do you sense anything unusual?? he inquired, brushing a hand over the wood of a low-hanging branch. ?There is[i] kehai[/i] here,? Kagome admitted. ?But it?s faint...like it was broken or something.? ?It WAS broken,? Inuyasha said, from somewhere ahead on the trail. They hurried to join him and see what it was he was looking at. Across the way, between two twisted trees, there stretched a great web of ropes, two stories tall. Onto various places in the ropes were tied the bones and skulls of Youkai. Inuyasha sniffed at the air. ?The Tatesei brat passed through here during the night, as a human,? he said, sounding puzzled. ?He wouldn?t have needed to FORCE his way through...? Though the holes in the web were large enough for a small, slight boy to pass through, the ropes at levels lower than one story had been slashed asunder. ?A trap?? Kagome murmured, echoing Inuyasha?s confusion. ?A warding,? Miroku corrected her. ?This way is guarded by the spirits of the dead Youkai whose bones hang here.? Kagome approached it, peering curiously at the bones. Some of the skulls were very small, no larger than the size of a human infant?s head. ?How horrible,? she said softly. ?Was this meant to keep humans from entering the valley?? ?It was meant to keep demons out,? Inuyasha said unexpectedly, still staring at the web with intense dislike. ?The Tatesei sorcerers trapped the souls of dead Youkai in these bones and turned them to their own devices. This warding...was meant for demons. I can FEEL it.? ?That makes sense,? Miroku said thoughtfully. ??Tatesei? means ?spirit shield.? This warding is a shield of spirits.? He paused, looking as if he wanted to ask the hanyou something, but then thought better of it and closed his mouth. ?Come on, let?s get out of the rain,? Inuyasha ordered. ?We can go through--it?s broken now and it can?t hurt us.? His tone was undeniably bitter. As they passed beneath the web Kagome?s gaze was continually drawn to the bones hanging overhead, clacking and twisting forlornly in the breeze. Where the web had not been destroyed the Youkai spirits remained, and their sadness pierced her gut with a thin, keen pain. ?Shouldn?t we break the rest of the warding?? she asked plaintively, clutching her arms and shuddering convulsively. ?They won?t be free unless we do.? Inuyasha glanced back at her, and Kagome saw the spirits? sorrow mirrored in his eyes. ?When we return, maybe,? he told her quietly. ?But some of the spell still remains...and Naraku is following us.? ?WHAT?!? Shippou cried, digging his claws into Miroku?s robes. ?WHY DIDN?T YOU SAY SO BEFORE?? ?OW!? Miroku yelled, frantically trying to pry the Kitsune off of him. ?WATCH IT! You could draw BLOOD with those things!? Inuyasha shrugged. The warding was now behind them, and Kagome was not sorry to take her leave of it. ?He?s not close enough to attack us,? Inuyasha explained. ?I only smell him faintly. The bastard?s probably waiting until we get the boy?s jewel shard to steal ours. But even broken the warding may be strong enough to slow him down. He may sense it and turn back long before he realizes it?s torn.? ?[i]If we?re lucky[/i],? Kagome thought darkly. They pressed on through the pass and found two more webs, each as mangled as the first. By nightfall the rain had let up for a while, and they arrived at a place where the pass dipped downward into the valley on the other side. They made camp near the edge among a cluster of boulders, where Miroku enlisted Shippou?s help to build a crude shelter of branches lashed together with vine. The monk was raising the roof to a level where it would rest across two boulders when he noticed that Inuyasha had gone off by himself. ?Kagome,? he whispered, nudging her gently with his foot. ?He?s brooding again. Go to him.? ?And just what am [i]I[/i] supposed to do?? she asked wearily. Miroku shrugged and winked at her. ?You?re a woman. You figure it out.? Kagome rose and headed for the brooding [i]hanyou[/i], occasionally casting suspicious glances Miroku?s way. Even when he gave good advice he managed to make it sound twisted. Inuyasha was standing on the edge of the slope, gazing down upon the valley below. ?Hey,? Kagome said tentatively, coming to stand beside him. ?You should join us--or at least get out of the rain.? When he didn?t reply, she followed his gaze beyond the forests below and the vast fields of rice to the walled city that rose at the center. Even by starlight she could see the city?s palace, with its pillars gleaming ivory. She could see the temples rising from the low mists, pagodas curved upward like scimitar blades. It was beautiful, and somehow cruel at the same time--a city of warriors and soul-trappers. ?It?s hard to believe that people who could build such a beautiful kingdom would enslave the souls of the dead to guard it,? Kagome remarked thoughtfully. Still Inuyasha did not answer, but the set of his jaw was grim. Kagome glanced at him a bit nervously before continuing. ?But it reminds me of something we learned in history,? she told him. ?The Egyptians built great cities and pyramids--huge triangles reaching to the skies. And they used slaves to do it all. Lots of slaves died from overwork, and some were even sacrificed so that their spirits would guard these places. Soldiers who lived to defend the king were often killed to defend him in death.? A cool wind whistled through the pass, ruffling their hair and clothing. ?The Youkai that once defended this place were betrayed like that,? Inuyasha said quietly. ?The Tatesei sorcerers are called the ?[i]Counci[/i]l of the [i]Wise[/i].?? There was bitter sarcasm in the way he emphasized the title. ?They are the ones who did it. Those bones...those webs...were THEIR handiwork.? ?Youkai once defended the Tatesei?? Kagome asked, turning to him in surprise. ?Why would Youkai care about people who hated them so much?? Inuyasha took a very deep breath. ?This was the territory claimed by one of the Greater Youkai and his kin. He believed it was the duty of the strong to protect the weak, so he came to the Tatesei when they were just a small village and offered his service. At the time they were under attack by all sorts of men and demons who wanted the valley for themselves. So naturally they agreed. And he protected them for many, many years.? ?And then what happened?? Kagome asked. ?You said they betrayed the Youkai.? Inuyasha?s face darkened, and Kagome couldn?t help being a little nervous. But he went on. ?They grew strong,? he said bitterly. ?They built that great city down there. Their sorcerers grew in power as well. The ?Wise? learned to enslave the souls of the dead to guard their city. They learned all sorts of black magic, too. They did this...because despite all he?d done for them the bastards didn?t trust him. And they gathered dark forces, waiting for the time when they?d be strong enough to kill him. ?They stopped paying him any sort of tribute. By tribute I mean food--sheep and rice and plums and all that rot. Well, he still insisted on protecting them. But some of his kin began stealing from the humans. And then he did the unthinkable--unthinkable to BOTH sides--he took a human princess to be his wife.? Kagome?s mouth fell open--she couldn?t help it. [i]?What he?s saying is...?[/i] she thought. ?Your MOTHER,? Kagome whispered, scarcely able to believe her ears. ?And the Greater Youkai and his kin--that was your FATHER and his kin...? She broke off, unable to think of anything else to say. ?My mother,? Inuyasha said quietly, ?was a Tatesei princess. She told me all this. They loved each other. My father wanted humans and demons to live in peace. He could?ve just taken her as his mate, but he wanted the Tatesei to accept the union, so he insisted on having a wedding in the city.? He paused, still watching the city below, then went on with a bitter little laugh. ?Heh. He had his way. There WAS a wedding. But afterward, her own family treated her like an embarrassment. She went to live with my father, and HIS kin didn?t like her either. My father was all she had, really. ?And then...she had me.? Here he paused, looking unsure of himself for the first time in the telling of his story. He glanced over at Kagome. ?Go on,? she told him softly. She was careful to keep the pity out of her expression because she knew it would repulse him. ?Mm.? He turned back to face the valley wind. ?She wanted to give birth to me in my father?s halls, but the Tatesei began acting strangely once they learned she was pregnant. For some reason they were really frightened when they heard their line would mix the demons?. I guess this was because they had come to hate demons. I can?t tell you why--they had no reason to, really. The demons were only stealing livestock from them because they?d broken their promise to pay tribute.? His frown was puzzled. ?Who knows why people hate each other,? Kagome said gently. ?Don?t waste your time worrying about the reason.? ?Heh,? was his only reply before he went on. ?The Tatesei sorcerers were plotting against him for nearly two centuries. The fact that my mother was about to give birth seemed to be the last straw. They marched on my father?s hall. The battle was terrible. At least, it must?ve been, because my mother would never speak of it. So I?m not exactly sure what happened. But when it was over, my father was dead, and all of his kin. And the Tatesei stole back their princess and her son. ?I don?t know why they didn?t kill me. They wouldn?t have done it because my mother [i]begged[/i] them. She begged them to accept her MARRIAGE and they wouldn?t.? At his sides, his hands had clenched into fists. ?The Wise wanted to kill me, I know. Everyone else teased me or ignored me, but the Wise truly hated me. I had a few years with my mother. And then...they lost patience. Or something. I don?t know what changed then, but it happened overnight. They just came for me, in the middle of the night. ?I don?t remember much. My mother gave me some herbs or something to keep me quiet. Things got real hazy. We were running, and the sorcerers were coming after us. We were running through the woods. My mother was getting tired, I knew, but I was only a little runt then, so I couldn?t exactly DO anything. Then they caught us...? Inuyasha paused, and to Kagome?s surprise a shudder passed through him. Yet she dared not lay a hand on him, deep as he was into his memories. ?They caught us,? he repeated. ?They didn?t even want my soul. What a joke. To them a [i]hanyou?s[/i] soul wasn?t worth as much as a demon?s OR a human?s.? He paused again, jaw clenched in anger. ?So they drew a sword and struck a blow. It was meant to pierce my heart. Heh. Even a [i]hanyou[/i] won?t die if you just wound him. And they wanted to do it and be sure it was [i]done[/i]. But when they struck, I moved. Even as a pup I was stronger than they?d figured. And the blade only ran through my side. ?My mother was going mad with terror for me. While they were recovering from their surprise, she seized her chance to break free of the one holding her. She took the knife one carried and killed him. In her frenzy to get to me she didn?t even see the sword turned her direction. ?I think I was dying,? Inuyasha said, in a way so matter-of-fact that Kagome?s chest burned with sorrow. ?Now that I?m grown, that kind of wound wouldn?t do it--but back then I think it might?ve. And things got real hazy again. I staggered backward quite a ways from them. From the pain, you know. But just as they wrenched the blade free of her and came after me, everything became lost in a flash of white. ?I can?t tell you what it was like. Everything just...well, went WHITE. And then it faded. I was half-unconscious and half-blinded by it, but all I could think of was getting to her. But as the light faded, I saw that I had run to the edge of a deep gap in the ground. It wasn?t there BEFORE the light, but it sure as hell was there AFTER it. My mother saw me there, from the other side. ?She tried to call my name, but her mouth was full of blood. And they shoved her. She fell into the chasm. I didn?t run away. I wanted to go down to find her. There seemed to be some confusion among the Wise. Someone was killing them, one by one, further back from the chasm. ?But the Wise closest to me were determined to get me. (There were a lot of them--maybe thirty. THIRTY, for a woman and her child...) They held up a demon?s skull--which they had brought with them, I guess--and called forth its soul. They stepped onto it like it was a cloud, or a boat or something. They tried to cross, to get to me. ?But then a great wind arose. A different sort of light appeared. It was kind of blue, and faint, like the ghost-lights we used to see in the hills. It came from the chasm, where my mother had fallen. And the demon?s soul flew upward into the sky. Then it disappeared. And the Wise--because it was gone they fell. Then the blue light was gone. ?I looked across the chasm. There was only one of the Wise standing there. Like all of them he wore a white hood low over his face. You didn?t look at the Wise, or they killed you and took your soul. But I looked right at him, hating him. And I knew he was looking at me, though I couldn?t really see him. ??DIE!? I screamed, hating him. In my little boy?s brain I didn?t have words for the kind of hatred I felt then. I do now, but you don?t want to hear it and I don?t want to say it. And he just looked at me. ?He said, very distinctly, ?Run, half-breed. I am going to kill you.? ?I hated him, but in my half-blindness I couldn?t even find a rock to hurl at him. I had no weapon and no strength. So I reached into my own wound and flung my own blood at him. And it became a weapon. I didn?t wait to see if I had killed him. My vision was beginning to darken. So I ran...? Inuyasha?s voice trailed off. He frowned down at the sight of the Tatesei city below him, at the curved pagodas and pillars of bone. His was the puzzled expression of someone who has told everything and has nothing left to say, yet remains tormented by the emotions the telling has conjured. Again, the wind whistled through the pass and into the valley. The rice stalks below flattened and rose like the sea. ?So,? Inuyasha said finally, watching it move. ?Do you still want to save the boy? And his ?unbreakable line??? Kagome smiled sadly at him. For all the hollowness in his voice there was no hatred on his face now--only remembered sorrow. ?Inuyasha,? she said. ?They were murderers. You aren?t.? Unexpectedly, he turned and rested a hand upon the crook of her elbow. ?Kagome, I?m not as good as you might think,? he told her. Then his hand fell away, and he turned back toward the camp. His voice floated back to her as he walked. ?Then we?ll go tomorrow,? he said, ?into the vipers? nest.? Before she followed him, Kagome stole one last look at the city. She was sure there must be [i]some[/i] good people living--people worth saving. That was why this choice was the right one. ?[i]Who knows?[/i]? she thought. ?[i]The boy--the poor, accursed boy--might be the king they need to restore their honor.[/i]? But Kagome also thought of what Inuyasha had said--that the Tatesei had slain his mighty father--and she could not help but fear what lay ahead. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In the valley below, in the depths of the forest that framed the fields, Yaburenumaru sank to one knee. His head was bowed with weariness. ?Hours yet until daylight,? he panted. ?And still no sign of the [i]kirin[/i]. I fear it has reached the castle already...? From the darkness came the voice, sounding near enough to touch him. ?Forget the [i]kirin[/i],? it said smoothly. ?Once you do what you have come to do, slaying the beast will be unnecessary. A [i]kirin[/i] cannot raise the dead...? Yaburenumaru raised his head. The hunter stood behind him. ?Damn that brother of mine,? he said viciously. ?That weak little CHILD. And they would crown HIM in my place. The [i]kirin[/i] would kneel before HIM...? ?Not...if the demon reaches him first,? came the answer. There was a peculiar stress on the word ?demon.? ?That CHILD stole everything from you. Killing him won?t be so hard, will it?? In the darkness, the boy?s face contorted with malice. ?No,? he whispered. And then, with his last remaining strength, he pushed himself to his feet and began to stagger toward the city.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 5}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=gray][i]Well, I warned you. I realize, of course, that it's all horribly un-canon...uh, "uncanonical?" (physics joke, only nerds need laugh) If you?re wondering exactly WHAT happened at the chasm and exactly HOW young Inuyasha managed to escape certain death and exactly WHO the last of the Wise left standing was, well... THAT answer, friends, is for another story, at another time... (kukuku)[/i][/color] [color=gray][i]Author?s Very Lengthy Note: And now, of course, the plunge into the Tatesei city. Reader: Well, you?ve SORT of answered the thing with Inuyasha in the last chapter, but we still don?t know what the hell is going on with Yaburenumaru. Who the @#$% is this brother of his? Is The Voice real or just his evil alter ego? Why the @#$% is his name so long and hard to pronounce? What the hell?! Yamisui: All shall be answered below (except the name part--deal with it). I hope the answers aren?t TOO obvious--I would hate to write a story where the plot twists are mere cliché. Reader: Can you tone down the angst? I want humor! And sex! SEX, damnit! Yamisui: . . . Um, you?re getting the usual combination of humor and sexual tension. Reader: It had BETTER. I have better things to do with my time than reading crappy fanfics. Yamisui: O_O Apparently NOT, because you?ve already READ up to chapter 6...[/i][/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} {#} {#} Chapter 6: The City of Ghosts {#} {#} [/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]In the morning the four travelers descended the slope into the valley. After a long, uneventful traipse through the outlying forest they cut across the rice fields beneath a steady drizzle of rain. There were no workers around to take alarm at the sight of them--it was the planting season. The tiny green rice shoots had already been inserted into the rich brown mud weeks before. But there were obviously sentries posted at the walls, because they had not even reached the city ramparts when a party of warriors rode out to meet them. Inuyasha put a hand on Tetsusaiga?s hilt, but Miroku laid a hand on his arm. ?Use caution, Inuyasha,? the monk advised. ?These people hate demons. Let me do the talking.? Inuyasha scowled but stepped back behind Miroku. He had not told the others of his connection to this place. He would not, unless it became absolutely necessary. But he trusted Kagome not to tell, and he felt lighter somehow because she had listened to him. The warriors rode white horses and wore full armor, and upon their shields was the city?s crest. It was a simple spiral--a whorl curving inward on itself--the symbol of a spirit moving. [i]?Or a soul caught in a trap[/i],? Inuyasha thought. Behind the warriors came a group of men wearing white hoods pulled low over their brows. Their eyes were stern; their mouths were grim beneath the long Tatesei nose. Inuyasha?s chest burned at the sight of them. His hand returned to Tetsusaiga, if only to be reassured by the familiar feel of the hilt on his palm. Demon steel could kill these men. [i]?Why, Kagome?[/i]? Inuyasha thought, feeling a little sick at the sight of them. ?[i]Why save them??[/i] But he did not draw his father?s fang, and the moment passed. ?What reason brings you here?? the warrior at the forefront asked, glaring down his nose at Miroku. ?A monk? With a girl and two demons?? His horse snorted and stamped restlessly, as if sharing its master?s impatience. ?We have business here,? Miroku answered smoothly, stepping closer to the horse?s head. The leader cast the briefest of glances back to where the Wise stood and then said, ?We need no exorcisms here. And no business. This is the city of Reiyama, home of the strong and prosperous Tatesei Line. If you choose to pass peacefully my men will escort you from the valley.? At his side hung a [i]katana[/i], and across his back there hung a quiver full of arrows. There was no need to ask what he would do if they chose NOT to pass peacefully. Miroku bowed respectfully at such an angle as to include the Wise in it. It was obvious to him, even though he hadn?t heard Inuyasha?s tale, where the REAL power lay. ?But this does concern your fine city,? Miroku told them, almost apologetically. ?We have come a long way, hunting a demon we believe is heading directly for Reiyama. It must not have reached you yet, or you would know of it.? One of the leader?s men made a small noise of scorn or disbelief. The leader silenced him with a sharp glance. Behind the horsemen, the Wise stood still as statues, listening. ?We hunt our own demons,? the leader said haughtily, turning back to face the intruders. ?We take care of what little escapes the Warding.? He patted the katana?s hilt. ?Men OR demons,? he added, with a significant glance in Inuyasha?s direction. Inuyasha--being, well, INUYASHA--promptly forgot Miroku?s advice and stepped forward, bristling. ?Look, I don?t CARE what you say you can handle,? he declared. ?We?ve come to stop this thing ourselves. It?s not what you?re thinking. This demon?s been traveling south and destroying everything in its path. But at night, it takes the form of a brat who calls himself ?Yaburenumaru.?? Inuyasha paused to sneer at the Wise. ?Does THAT name ring a bell?? ?RESPECT!? the leader barked, and with a hiss of metal on metal his sword emerged from its sheath. ?You tread on thin ground, demon ingrate. Perhaps you don?t KNOW the power of the Wise...? ?Let them come into the city.? The leader spun his horse around, a look of astonishment transforming his proud, grizzled face. One of the Wise had spoken. The leader inclined his head toward the still, cloaked figures, touching a hand to his brow. He seemed to be waiting for an explanation from them. It didn?t come. Instead the Wise turned and began to walk back up the slope of the city?s ramparts. Their long gray robes hung to the very ground, so that it seemed they glided rather than walked. Inuyasha remembered well how the Wise had always conveyed the image that they were something more than human. ?But they?re just puny mortals, under all that,? Inuyasha muttered under his breath. Miroku?s staff planted itself on his foot. Hard. ?FUCK!!!? he shouted, dislodging the offending staff and stamping the offended foot. The Wise didn?t react to this outburst, but the leader of the warriors did. ?Tell him to keep his filthy mouth shut,? the man ordered Miroku. ?Or we?ll fit him with a muzzle. The Wise are allowing you in for a reason, so you?d best follow them NOW.? Then the Tatesei warriors wheeled their steeds about and followed the sorcerers. Miroku clamped a hand over Inuyasha?s mouth. ?Will you STOP picking fights?? the monk hissed in his ear. ?This is NOT helpingOWWWWDAMNIT!!!!!!? ?Wow Miroku,? Shippou commented. ?You?re as loud as INUYASHA.? The monk staggered back a few paces, clutching his left hand and wearing an expression of horror. ?He BIT me,? Miroku whispered, clearly in a state of shock. ?Feh. You?re not BLEEDING,? Inuyasha scoffed. ?Much.? ?Inuyasha, you HAVE to promise to BEHAVE,? Shippou ordered, making a great show of speaking patiently. ?We didn?t come all this way to piss them off and get kicked out.? But Inuyasha was already walking ahead of them, taking large strides to catch up with Kagome, who was determinedly ignoring them and following the warriors up the slope. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]It took twelve men to open the northern gate--two to lift the heavy log used to bar it and ten to turn the pulley that lifted the heavy wooden door. Once inside, Inuyasha and his three companions found themselves walking in the midst of the Wise. The warriors had left them at once to return to their posts at the walls. Inuyasha almost wished they?d stayed. Miroku, traveling a few paces behind him, tried several times to ask questions of those Wise nearest him. None of them answered, or even granted him the courtesy of acknowledging him with a glance. They walked swiftly and silently, staring fixedly ahead. ?Fucking zombies,? Inuyasha muttered, eyeing them with immense dislike. ?They won?t talk to anyone but those they think are powerful.? He was walking very close to Kagome, so much so that his shoulder brushed hers every step he took. She did not seem to notice--she was busy taking in the sights of the surrounding city, distracted occasionally by her hacking cough. However grudgingly, Inuyasha had to admit that Reiyama was a rich and prosperous place. Even the peasants--moving through the streets carrying sacks of rice and cages with chickens inside--wore silk. Their faces were full and unlined, and none of them seemed to be in any particular hurry. The nobles Inuyasha saw, by comparison, were beautiful, smooth-skinned creatures, their robes a riot of color and the hair of men and women alike dripping with jade and pearls. From every sleeve ribbons were draped, to catch the wind and flutter behind them like banners. The buildings--the houses, the temples, the markets, the palace--these were all as he had remembered them. Stalls selling sweetmeats and pearls from the sea villages and jade mined from the mountains. Here and there, there were theater tents, swathed in red silk as if silk were as common as thatch. And ahead, the palace rose above all others, framed with beams of ebony. Curtains of glass beads. Gardens full of bonsai trees, hung with gold ornaments. Pillars of bone. The palace had been built over the lake on Kagome?s map. Its numerous shaded walkways were supported by painted stone pillars half-submerged in the mirror-smooth water. They walked in the midst of the Wise through these outdoor halls, over bridges fashioned from teak and supported by columns of marble. By this time it was late afternoon; the sun slanting down on the lake and setting it aflame. ?We can?t let these people waste any time,? Inuyasha muttered, eyeing the city walls on the far side of the water. ?I don?t know when he?ll show up, but if he was AHEAD of US...? ?You mean Yaburenumaru?? Kagome said, looking up at him. ?Remember, I?ll KNOW when he?s here. I don?t sense him right now. I?m pretty sure he wouldn?t come here without the jewel shard--he would want to be at his strongest. So I don?t think he?s here yet.? ?He must be waiting until he?s human to try getting in,? Inuyasha said softly. ?That must be it. They won?t let him in looking like he does during the [i]day[/i]...? The eyes of the nearest sorcerer, a penetrating gray beneath the white cowl, slide sideways to rest upon Kagome. It was the smallest of gestures, but Inuyasha saw it, and his gut clenched with worry. You didn?t look at the Wise, or they killed you and took your soul. His mother had told him this once, so that he would not make the mistake of calling dangerous attention to himself. And now the Wise had chosen to turn his gaze upon Kagome. ?[i]The shards[/i],? Inuyasha thought worriedly. ?[i]She should NOT have mentioned the SHARDS...[/i]? Yet the gaze of the Wise turned elsewhere just as swiftly as it had fallen upon Kagome, and the gray-robed man did not speak. They had come to the hall of the king. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Lord Iryokugou sat upon a cushion of red silk, embroidered with cranes. The tassels of his seat had been gilded. From his white silk robes there hung chains of gray pearls, and across his breast there hung a crimson sash so exquisite that Kagome had only seen the like in museums. The Wise bowed, and Inuyasha and his friends did likewise. (Miroku had to surreptitiously kick Inuyasha in the back of the heel to get him to follow suit.) The king nodded in approval as they all knelt before him. ?His Majesty Lord Iryokugou welcomes you to Reiyama,? one of the Wise announced. ?As does his son and heir, the young Lord Asano.? At the king?s side sat a young boy of about ten years, clothed in red robes trimmed with gold. Upon his hands, which were folded in front of him in a thoughtful manner, were many gold rings, and golden chains had been woven into his hair. [i]?His HEIR?[/i]? Kagome thought, perplexed. ?[i]But if this is his eldest son, who is Yaburenumaru??[/i] ?Thank you, gracious Lords,? Miroku intoned. ?We have journeyed from afar, hunting a dangerous enemy, unto your very gates.? The epitome of polite, the monk paused until Iryokugou ordered, ?Speak.? ?It passed through our village, killing a family there. The two parents it killed for food, but the child it killed out of malice, mutilating the face beyond recognition. The demon has the odd habit of destroying everything that gets in its way--not just humans, my Lords, anything found in nature as well. It traveled unerringly to the south, and soon we realized it was coming here.? Kagome sneaked a brief glance at the young prince, Asano, but his expression did not change with the relation of this gruesome tale. He was no older than her younger brother, Souta, but his quiet composure made him [i]seem[/i] older. ?Yet one night we learned something very strange,? Miroku went on. ?A boy came into our midst. Cold and starving and wounded, he called himself Yaburenumaru, and claimed that he was the rightful heir to the Tatesei throne.? Something unreadable flickered in the king?s eyes, but he only nodded to encourage the monk to continue. ?But at dawn he was transformed into the demon, and he fled from us. We have pursued him into this valley, where we lost his trail. When he becomes human, the demon scent disappears, and my friend In--? Here Inuyasha interrupted him, ?Honnou.? Miroku didn?t blink or register surprise in any way. ?My friend Honnou,? he amended, ?finds it very difficult to locate his human scent.? The king?s expression had grown very dark, and the set of his mouth hard and grim. ?Describe this boy to me, that I might know the truth of what you are saying,? he ordered. Kagome answered quickly, ?He was thin and wiry, with large black eyes. His clothing was half-gone--torn and filthy--and on his back there were these deep cuts, like he was hit with something over and over. He claimed he was your son and the true heir of Reiyama.? The king frowned. ?We did not inflict these wounds on him. But he is who you say he is. That much I can tell.? He glanced sharply at the Wise nearest him. ?See that the walls are watched, and the warriors made ready to meet the demon should it come.? His voice was low and harsh as he issued the last command. ?Kill whatever tries to breach our defenses, even if it looks like my eldest son.? The Wise nodded assent and filed out of the room, gray robes swishing softly over the stone floor. Kagome saw, as they went, the last look one cast in Lord Iryokugou?s direction. The expression accompanying that gaze was full of loathing and contempt. ?[i]They hate their own king[/i],? she thought, wonderingly. ?[i]But why? And why do they serve him if they hate him??[/i] Inuyasha saw the eyes of another sorcerer rest briefly upon Kagome, and then the Wise were gone. He fought the sudden urge to finger Tetsusaiga?s hilt, promising himself that he would get Kagome out of this city as soon as possible, regardless of what they?d come here to do. The Wise were paying her far too much attention for his comfort. They didn?t seem to recognize [i]him[/i]--for which he thanked his lucky stars--but then it [i]had[/i] been sixty-five years since the Tatesei had last laid eyes on him. And fortune seemed to be with him: in scanning the faces of the Wise he had noticed that they were all young. None of them could be old enough to remember Inuyasha, the Halfling child of their princess. ?My lord,? Miroku addressed the king. ?There is something else. We have also seen traveling south...a [i]kirin[/i]. That its path coincided with Yaburenumaru?s seems too much of a coincidence to dismiss. And he told us that he must reach his kingdom BEFORE the [i]kirin[/i] did...? Lord Iryokugou narrowed his eyes briefly, nodded, and then turned to a servant standing nearby. ?You there. Woman. Take these travelers to the guest quarters and make them welcome.? He smiled benevolently at the four guests kneeling before him, but it was a smile that did not reach his eyes. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The quarters to which they were shown were lavish and comfortable. The back doors to the two adjoining rooms opened up onto a walkway suspended over the lake. They were given an evening meal equally as lavish, which all of them save for Inuyasha dug into with aplomb. The hanyou merely pushed his food around his plate, pulling a face sour enough to curdle milk. ?What?s eating YOU?? Shippou demanded, jabbing his chopsticks in Inuyasha?s direction. ?You?re not EATING.? Inuyasha sniffed the air long and carefully and then remarked, ?Weird. There?s no one spying on us.? ?I could have told you THAT,? Shippou replied, rolling his eyes. ?Besides, why WOULDN?T they trust us? We came to [i]warn[/i] them.? With a deep breath, Inuyasha plunged into the story of his connection to the Tatesei, finishing with the strange circumstances of his escape from the Wise. Shippou?s mouth fell open. Miroku merely nodded sagely. ?I thought it might be something like that,? he said. ?You know, you?re really bad at hiding things, Inuyasha.? Kagome laid a calming hand on Inuyasha?s arm, because he looked like he was about to dive across the table to attack the monk, food and all. ?But they don?t recognize you, do they, Inuyasha?? she said reasonably. ?After all, it?s been so many years...? ?I want to leave,? Inuyasha told them. Dead silence fell around the table. ?I don?t trust them. The Wise know you have jewel shards, Kagome. You let it slip when we were walking through the streets. I know them. They don?t let things as powerful as the Shikon Jewel slip through their greedy fingers.? ?We can?t LEAVE,? Kagome protested. ?We HAVE to stay. I saw the way the Wise looked at Lord Iryokugou. They hate him. I think they?re angry about this whole situation with the demon and Yaburenumaru. I?m afraid they might turn on their own king!? Inuyasha folded his arms. ?All the more reason for getting the hell out of here,? he insisted stubbornly. ?It?s HIS protection, we?re under, after all. And if something HAPPENS to him...? ?But THEY let us into the city,? Miroku reminded him. ?The Wise don?t know about my Wind Tunnel, or the powers of your Tetsusaiga, so they probably think they could?ve finished us off this afternoon. But THEY invited us in, not the KING.? Inuyasha did not seem convinced. ?Feh,? he said. ?Let?s just get some sleep,? Kagome urged. ?I?m exhausted. I?m sure the kehai of a jewel shard nearby will wake me up if Yaburenumaru shows himself.? She yawned expansively. But Miroku rose to his feet. ?Extinguish the lanterns,? he told them. ?Let them think we?re ALL asleep. I?ll go appropriate a disguise and join the watch at the walls. I will try to learn from the Wise exactly who this Yaburenumaru IS. And if I think they are lying, I will try to save him.? Inuyasha was on his feet in a flash. ?And why the hell can?t I do this?? he demanded. ?Since when did you get to do all the skull-bashing?? Miroku?s expression was tolerant. ?If I recall correctly, YOU?RE half-demon, and you enjoy ?skull-bashing? FAR too much,? he remarked dryly. ?I?m going now, so you?d best settle down and accept it.? To everyone?s surprise, the monk then turned to Shippou. ?You can imitate voices as well as shapes, right?? he asked. Wide-eyed and wordless, the Kitsune nodded. ?Well, you?ll have to come with me, then.? ?And what the fuck am I supposed to do?? Inuyasha demanded, cheek twitching madly. ?Sit here and stare at the walls?? ?YOU can stay here and protect KAGOME, since you?re so concerned for her safety,? Miroku said pointedly. ?Be careful,? Kagome told him. ?I think the Tatesei may be more dangerous than the demon is.? Miroku raised his right hand. ?Wind Tunnel,? he reminded her. ?Don?t forget to turn out the lights, you two,? he added, blowing Kagome a kiss. Then he turned and set off into the night, followed closely by Shippou, who looked none too thrilled to be joining him on this venture. Left to themselves now, Inuyasha and Kagome turned to stare at one another across the table. Then both of them looked away quickly, flustered. [/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The boy in question stood in an unlit room, looking out into the streets through a silk screen. He watched the activity on the city walls with great misgivings. ?Someone has warned them,? he muttered nervously. ?It must have been that Inuyasha and his comrades. My father knows I?m coming. He?s assembled his warriors; I can SEE them.? At his side stood the man who had driven him here, and who now turned his icy gaze upon the city. ?Are you losing your nerve, boy?? There was scorn in that voice. ?I will have my vengeance with or without your aid. And without MY aid you will have NOTHING.? ?The Wise will stand with me,? Yaburenumaru whispered. ?They were the ones who tried to defend me when my father cast me out. He called me unclean, because of what I?d done. He stripped me of my title, and instead he makes an heir of my brother Asano. But I have come back, with you to guide me. No, I am not afraid.? He paused, then repeated, ?The Wise will stand with me.? A moment passed in silence, and then the boy added, ?How fortunate that you are with me, or we would never have reached the city before those fools warned my father.? ?You were always meant to be King of the Sorcerers, Lord of the Necromancers,? the man at his side told him softly. ?You have a heart like theirs--hard and cruel. And that is why I chose you even when you did not desire it at first--chose you to join me on this quest for vengeance. And now, with the coming dawn...? The man?s voice trailed off as he peered at something beyond the screen. ?With the coming dawn,? the boy echoed. ?[i]With the coming dawn, this boy will become a dagger to slit the city?s throat[/i],? the man thought with a smile. [i]?How right they were to cast him out. And now he shall bring about their ruin...[/i]?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]The warriors patrolled the walls, watching every movement on the ground below with wary eyes. Below, from the Temple Stair, the Wise watched and waited calmly. The gray-eyed one who had noticed Kagome approached some of his fellows, followed by a blue-robed acolyte whose head was bowed. ?How goes the watch, brothers?? he asked softly. ?Have there been any sightings of the boy?? The Wise nearest him turned to regard him gravely. ?No, unfortunately. We wait for him to send us a sign before we come to his aid. It has been many years since he allowed the demon spirit to possess him--we must be sure that it has not overpowered his own will before we choose to supplant the king.? The gray-eyed sorcerer blinked with ill-concealed surprise, but fortunately his confusion was hidden by the shadow of his cowl. The hood of the blue-clad acolyte shifted as he stepped nearer, raising his head a little. ?He will be a fine king in Iryokugou?s stead,? the gray-eyed sorcerer replied, ?once that brat Asano is dead.? The others nodded slowly. ?Do not speak so openly of these things, even though the hour of our rise to power is at hand,? one cautioned him. ?The boy has not yet made himself known to us.? ?But he WILL?? the gray-eyed one emphasized. ?Soon?? The one who had cautioned him turned his hooded face toward the Northern Gate. ?Yes,? he said. ?We have taught him our arts. Even in human form he is formidable. The demon in him has allowed him to survive this long. Once he has killed those standing in his way, we will exorcise the demon from him, and he will be forever in our debt.? The sorcerer paused. ?And forever in our thrall, as well.? The acolyte behind the gray-eyed one prodded his heel gently with the staff he concealed beneath his robes. Shippou started slightly before remembering that Miroku was standing right behind him, listening. The monk had apparently decided that this conversation was over. With a few polite words of parting, Shippou and Miroku took their leave and headed for the palace, doing their best to imitate the gliding walk of the Wise. ?I must learn MORE,? Miroku uttered into the semidarkness. ?The Wise don?t want to kill Yaburenumaru--they want to CROWN him. Yet the boy?s own father orders him killed. We MUST have Lord Iryokugou?s side of the story.? He tilted his head sideways, smiling crookedly at Shippou. ?Do you remember what Asano looked like??[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Kagome lay on her side on the soft silken bedding provided by the servants. They had extinguished the lanterns, including the nearest ones on the walkways leading to their quarters. The lanterns in the distance cast only faint glimmers upon the lake, and on Inuyasha?s eye, which was open. And twitching, of course. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome spoke into the darkness. ?You know, Buyo is my cat.? His face disappeared from view, and then remerged from the shadows inches from her own. His expression was an odd mixture of shock, irritation, and utter joy. ?Your...CAT?? he asked hoarsely, leaning over and squinting at her face as if to reassure himself that she wasn?t joking. ?Your CAT?!!? ?Hey,? Kagome said softly. ?Your twitch is gone.? Inuyasha grinned, realizing it even as she said it. ?Yeah, it IS.? Then his face became very serious once more. There seemed to be a growing heat between them here. Kagome could feel it--thick and almost tangible in the near-darkness. And he leaned closer. ?Hey,? Inuyasha said, ?When you were caressing my head and saying the name that night...? He paused a little uncertainly before continuing. ?[i]Inuyasha was actually jealous[/i],' she thought. ?I kinda liked it,? he finished. ?Would you... Do that again?? Kagome scooted backward a little and sat up, giving him a weird look. ?[i]And then AGAIN...?[/i] she thought. ?Not the part about Buyo!? he amended hastily. ?I just liked it when you caressed my head.? His gaze was very wide-eyed and solemn. ?Especially around the ears.? ?Okaaaaay...? she agreed, not too sure about all this. Inuyasha crouched beside the bed and lowered his head expectantly so that his forelocks brushed her knees. She just stared at him. ?WELL?? His voice was muffled by masses of white hair. ?Um, why don?t you lay your head in my lap,? Kagome suggested. Privately, she thought, ?[i]Because right now I feel more like I?m about to pet my neighbor?s DOG[/i].? He stood up, circling the space where he?d been crouching uncertainly for a minute, then gave up and complied. Kagome trailed her hands gently through his hair, and he was instantly hypnotized by the sensation. But before he surrendered himself completely he ordered, ?The monk and the fox DON?T find out about this.? ?Of course not,? Kagome assured him. She was surprised to find that she rather enjoyed holding him like this, because for the first time on their long journey he seemed genuinely at peace.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]Miroku and Shippou strode into the hall of the king--Miroku now dressed as one of the palace guards and Shippou wearing the guise of Asano, the king?s heir. Lord Iryokugou started at the sight of them, rising instantly from his cushion and hurrying to meet them. ?My son,? he said urgently, placing both hands on Shippou?s shoulders. ?You were ordered to stay in the Temple with the Wise. They will protect you there. I will NOT have that abomination harming you!? ?[i]So the real Asano is being guarded by the Wise[/i],? Miroku thought, peering out at the king from beneath his armor. ?[i]And king doesn?t know the Wise plan to see him KILLED![/i]? ?But Yaburenumaru is my BROTHER,? Shippou-in-Asano-guise protested. ?WHY must he die? WHY do they say he wants so desperately to kill me?? The king?s face transformed, growing suddenly very old and weary. He let go of Shippou and backed away a few paces. ?I see that I cannot hold this back from you any longer,? he said, sighing heavily. ?You already knew that from the very FIRST the Wise made Yaburenumaru their creature. I did not want them to train him in their ways. ?But my father--your grandfather--was still alive then, and still lord of this city. And he favored the Wise, and their enslavement of demon souls. He remembered when the great Inu Youkai Clan attacked us, and how powerful we became when we gathered their souls. And he foresaw a day when the Tatesei would march forth from this valley, with great forces of demon souls at our command. But I looked to the future with eyes unclouded by greed, and saw Reiyama become a city of ghosts, where those who controlled the dead held more power than the living. ?Nevertheless, he forced me to give Yaburenumaru over into their training. And they filled the boy?s head with grand lies.? Iryokugou?s face darkened with anger. ?I was powerless to stop it. So I tried to convey to your brother the future that I foresaw: the city of ghosts. But he mocked me, saying that he trusted the teachings of the Wise, and not the words of a coward.? [i]?THAT is the Yaburenumaru that WE met[/i],? Miroku thought, shifting beneath his heavy armor. ?[i]The proud, arrogant boy who tried to steal our jewel shards...[/i]? ?But your brother was rash: he delved too deeply into the scrolls of the Wise,? the king continued, pacing with his hands folded behind his back. ?This I never told you. He called forth a soul trapped in a demon?s rib. It proved too powerful for him to handle, and so it possessed him. Yet it was a salamander demon, drawn only to light, and so at night it became dormant and Yaburenumaru would transform back into his own form. ?Despite his grandiose visions of an army of demon souls, your grandfather was horrified when he learned what had happened. He hated demons---particularly half-demons, for some reason--and under his orders our warriors drove Yaburenumaru away. Yet the party that pursued him never returned. And we could only dare to hope that the boy was dead--for our sake AND for his. It?s been three years since that time. Your grandfather is dead. And I will finish what he started, and make an end to this.? ?He?s coming to kill me because he wants the throne,? Shippou murmured with convincing plaintiveness. ?But why did he wait all those years? Why now?? The king ceased his pacing and pulled an abrupt about-face to meet his son?s--Shippou?s--gaze. ?The four travelers spoke of a [i]kirin[/i],? he said shrewdly. ?It comes to crown you, who are now my rightful heir. But Yaburenumaru told them that he wanted to reach Reiyama before the creature did. Perhaps he still believes, in his hubris, that the [i]kirin[/i] means to crown HIM. Or perhaps he means to kill you first. ?And now, get you to the Temple! I have never liked the methods of the Wise, but they are loyal to my Line, and right now they are your best defense. Be wary even while you are among them, but GO!? And Shippou left the room obediently, followed closely by Miroku the palace guard. Yet they did not return to the Temple. Instead they made haste to rejoin Inuyasha and Kagome once they were out of Iryokugou?s sight. ?Somehow I sense that we don?t have much TIME,? Miroku told Shippou, who remained in his Asano disguise in case they should run into trouble on the way. ?We MUST get Inuyasha?s help and get the REAL Asano away from the Wise. And once he?s safe, we must warn the king...?[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/CENTER] [color=blue]?You?re leaving me?? Yaburenumaru asked his companion. The tall man, who had been readying himself to leave, turned to glare at the boy. ?I have kept my promise to you,? he said coldly. ?See to it that you keep yours.? From the faint light shining through the silk screen, the boy could see the smile that played upon his lips. ?You trust me,? Yaburenumaru said quietly. His tone was unreadable, his face hidden in the shadows of the room. The man?s eyes gleamed red in the darkness. ?I don?t [i]need[/i] to.? And then he disappeared down the deserted halls. And Yaburenumaru left in the opposite direction, to search for his brother in the Temple.[/color] [CENTER][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 6}[/b][/color][/CENTER]

[font=Book Antiqua][left][color=purple][color=blue]?No,? she replied. ?But it?s weird. I?m looking at these maps of feudal Japan that I brought, and apparently there?s nothing special to the south. If we?re HERE [she pointed to a dot on the map near a squiggle] then straight ahead of us there?s nothing but some mountains and a lake beyond them. That?s down HERE [she pointed to a very large wavy spot surrounded by squiggles].?[/color][/left] [left][/left] [left][color=blue]?Say, Inuyasha,? Miroku said slyly, looking up. ?You wouldn?t happen to know anything about this, would you? You said this territory seemed familiar to you...?[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?I said the RIVER seemed--oh, shut up,? Inuyasha finished irritably, not about to be tricked into revealing whatever it was he was keeping to himself.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?So why are the demon and the [i]kirin[/i] heading along the same course?? Kagome mused. ?Villages are scarce down there, so there?s not much human prey for the demon. Neither are there any kingdoms for the [i]kirin[/i] to visit.?[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]All of them were quiet for a while. Inuyasha gradually grew more and more fidgety (and the twitch more pronounced), until he finally heaved a great sigh of resignation and opened his mouth to speak.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]But before he could utter a single word, he paused, sniffed the air, and was instantly on his feet, blade in hand.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?SHOW YOURSELF,? he called into the darkness of the trees. ?Or I come after you and wipe the ground with your guts.?[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]Out from behind a large oak tree there stepped a very scared-looking human boy. He looked to be about twelve or thirteen years of age, though it was difficult to tell because he was painfully thin. He wore a very torn and dirty [i]hakama[/i] and nothing else.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?My name?s Yaburenumaru,? he stammered. ?I'm lost; can you help me??[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]Inuyasha sniffed the air, then replaced Tetsusaiga into its sheath.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?He?s only human,? he announced. ?The only blood I smell is his own.?[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]Yaburenumaru sank to his knees, shuddering. Across his back and left shoulder there stretched an ugly, bloody weal, as if someone had struck him there with a whip.[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?I have to return home,? he whispered. ?I am the RIGHTFUL lord.?[/color][/left] [left][color=blue]Kagome hastened to his side, overcome by pity. [/color][/left] [left][color=blue]?[i]The ?rightful lord??[/i]? she thought, putting an arm around his waist and helping him over toward the fire. ?[i]Then is HE the one...that the kirin is searching for...?[/i]?[/color][/left] [b][center][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 3}[/b][/color][/center] [center][/center] [/b][/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#}[/b][/center] [b]{#} {#} Chapter 4: Why Demons and Caffeine Shouldn?t Mix {#} {#} [/b][/color] [color=blue]Where once there were four, now five were seated around the campfire for dinner. Miroku cooked up some more ramen for their guest while Kagome tended to his wounds. Shippou watched with fascination as she cleaned the long weal on Yaburenumaru?s back. ?Wow,? the Kitsune exclaimed in hushed tones. ?There?s so much BLOOD.? ?Go get a candy bar out of my backpack,? Kagome ordered without looking at him. ?There should be one more left.? Happily, the Kitsune danced off to obey. Inuyasha sat on the far side of the fire, sulking. He didn?t seem to like the boy, and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Periodically he sniffed in Yaburenumaru?s direction, screwing up his face in poorly-concealed perplexity. The boy smelled human all right, but to Inuyasha he seemed shiftier than the average kid. He also didn?t like Kagome?s hands on Yaburenumaru?s flesh. The boy himself seemed ill at ease under Inuyasha?s stare--he was probably not reassured by the persistent tic under Inuyasha?s left eye. ?That?s quite a name you?ve got there, runt,? Inuyasha remarked. ?Longer than you are tall.? ?It?s my family name,? Yaburenumaru replied shortly. He spoke out of the side of his mouth, and would not look the [i]hanyou[/i] in the eye. ?You?re heir to your family?s lands, aren?t you?? Kagome asked, looking thoughtful as she sprayed disinfectant on his wound. ?What happened? Did someone kidnap you?? ?I guess you could say that,? he replied with a shrug, glancing over his shoulder at her and cracking a wan smile. She handed him a bottle of water. ?Here, drink something. You look parched.? Inuyasha leaned back against a tree, folding his arms. ?I suppose your name means ?unbreakable? because your family line thinks it?s invincible, huh?? he sneered. Yaburenumaru stiffened. ?My lineage IS unbreakable, because I am returning to become its lord,? he snapped. ?My family is very noble, and very old. Our lineage is something that no one--man OR demon--will EVER put asunder.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha jeered, but his heart didn?t seem to be in it. He seemed slightly unnerved by Yaburenumaru?s sudden outburst. ?But you haven?t inherited your title yet, have you?? Kagome asked the boy, winding a bandage around his shoulder and middle. ?Does your kingdom lie to the south? There is a [i]kirin[/i] traveling in that direction.? Yaburenumaru?s head slowly lifted. The muscles in his back knotted beneath her hands. ?A...[i]kirin[/i], you say?? he murmured. ?Journeying south? You have seen it?? ?Yes,? Kagome answered, frowning at the strangeness in his tone. ?Then I must hurry, to overtake it before it reaches my father?s lands,? he said in a low voice. He brushed Kagome aside and rose shakily to his feet. Miroku caught him by the arm, though before he could walk away. Yaburenumaru stopped, glancing down at the monk?s hand with narrowed eyes. ?An odd place to be wearing prayer beads,? he remarked. But he did not try to escape Miroku?s grip. ?You shouldn?t be traveling alone, especially in your condition,? Miroku admonished. ?At least stay the night with us,? Kagome urged, indicating a space by the fire. ?There is a terrible demon on the loose.? ?We?re hunting it,? Shippou chimed in. His mouth was covered in chocolate. ?Indeed?? Yaburenumaru seated himself beside the fire, gazing at Inuyasha with renewed interest. ?Since when do you hunt your own kind?? ?Since they started carrying shards of the Shikon Jewel,? Inuyasha answered bluntly. Miroku shot a glare his way, but the [i]hanyou[/i] ignored it. ?The Shikon Jewel, you say?? Yaburenumaru murmured. ?I?ve heard of it.? Kagome placed a blanket around his thin shoulders, but he scarcely seemed to notice. His gaze upon Inuyasha was intense--almost hungry. Inuyasha didn?t like it. ?Yeah, you and half of Japan,? he shot back. ?What?s it to YOU?? Yaburenumaru smiled faintly, folding his hands in his lap. A lock of hair fell down over his face, obscuring one eye. ?A legend,? he replied, with a shrug. ?And nothing more. But you claim to seek out pieces of it?? ?We seek vengeance for the humans slain by the demons we pursue,? Miroku cut in smoothly. ?Oftentimes those we hunt possess shards. That is all.? Yaburenumaru?s eyes slid sideways to Kagome, who had seated herself beside him. ?And these shards...do you...keep them?? he asked softly. Inuyasha straightened, putting a hand to Tetsusaiga?s hilt. ?You ask too many questions,? he growled. He was distracted when Miroku laid a steady hand on his arm, giving him a look that warned him to be silent. ?Inuyasha, you?re being rude,? Miroku chided. Then, turning to Yaburenumaru, he added, ?I?m sorry. Tell me about this kingdom of yours.? ?My father?s lands lie beyond the hills to the south,? the boy explained, settling into a cross-legged position. ?It spans the valley there, including the forests, and the surrounding mountains themselves. My family has ruled there since the first settlement of Japan. Our line has survived storms and earthquakes; defeated invading armies...and demons.? He did not include Inuyasha in his gaze, and perhaps this was a fortunate thing because the [i]hanyou[/i] was baring his fangs. ?Feh,? Inuyasha muttered. ?So they stamp out a few fledglings and think they?re demon slayers.? Yaburenumaru smiled wryly, dipping his head lower so that his bangs fell further over his eyes. ?The Unbreakable Line has slaughtered many Greater Youkai--demons far larger than any ?fledgling.? We fashioned the palace?s pillars with their fangs...and framed our houses with their ribs.? Shippou?s mouth fell open and a hunk of chocolate fell out. His eyes were huge as saucers. ?That is barbaric,? Kagome remarked, wrinkling her nose. ?You know, not all demons are bad. Like Inuyasha here...? ?Oh, yes. Inu...yasha... You?re a dog demon, aren?t you?? Yaburenumaru commented, peering over at him. ?I have heard of your kind.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha shot back. ?Like I give a shit. Look, kid, you should be a little nicer, because we?re not OBLIGATED to let you stay with us. You can go find your ?unbreakable kingdom? by yourself.? Yaburenumaru?s intent expression softened. ?I apologize,? he murmured, bowing. ?I shall try to be more polite. The Tatesei are warriors all, but we know the value of honorable behavior. Please do not take it to heart.? ?We will be glad to escort you to your home, as it seems to be right on the way,? Miroku offered. ?This demon we?re chasing is very dangerous." Yaburenumaru straightened, suddenly seeming almost as nervous as he had been when they first met. ?I can manage on my own,? he assured them. ?I just need to rest a while until these wounds heal.? ?Nonsense!? Miroku exclaimed, clasping his arm warmly. ?It would be no trouble at all. Where are you going, Inuyasha?? Inuyasha was stalking off into the trees. ?I?m spending the night out here,? he called without turning around. ?To watch the perimeters of the camp.? ?Inuyasha!? Kagome protested, but he didn?t stop. Shippou turned to Miroku and whispered, ?We HAVE perimeters?? ?Let him go,? the monk told them casually. ?He?s just in a bad mood.? Miroku?s tone belied a warning not to press the matter.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Kagome awoke early--when it was still dark out--because she could not stop coughing. Unzipping her sleeping bag, she crawled over to her pack and fished out her water bottle and Houjo?s medicine. She downed the latter as quickly as possible. Then she took a few swallows of water and then sat there a moment, waiting for the tickle in her throat to subside. She cocked her head to one side, listening to the rain and wishing Inuyasha was nearby to demand an explanation for her being up. A stick cracked nearby with a resounding snap. Kagome half-turned just fast enough to catch a glimpse of someone moving in her peripheral vision, and then she felt the kiss of steel at her throat. Hands thin and hard as wire encircled her upper arms like a vise. And dimly, in the back corner of her awareness, she sensed that her attacker possessed a jewel shard. ?What--?? she began, but then the knife slashed downward, and the hands vanished. She pitched backward, landing hard on a tree root, and for a moment lay there stunned and unable to move. Then her hand flew to her neck. Only a little blood came away, but it was the absence of the ever-present necklace that caused her fear--the jewel shards were gone. ?Oh no!? she croaked, trying to raise a cry of alarm but failing due to the frog in her throat. Behind her she heard feet pounding and leaves crunching, and she took off in the direction of the sound. It was Yaburenumaru; she was certain of it. She could just make out his skinny form in the wan light of the approaching sunrise. The running made her cough, and he heard her. ?Go back, lady,? he called softly to her. ?This is one hunt you should not pursue.? ?No way!? she exclaimed, and with a flying leap tackled him. He fell to the ground, kicking at her face and shoulders, but nevertheless she maintained her grip around his legs. ?I said get you GONE!? he cried, struggling furiously. ?The sun is rising. You haven?t much time.? But he was weak from hunger and pain, and his efforts were feeble. She lunged forward and managed to catch him around the middle. ?Give me the shards!? she insisted, reaching for the hand clutching them, which was stretched far over his head to avoid her. Then, abruptly, his body relaxed and he ceased struggling. ?Very well,? he said with a curiously soft and bitter laugh. She snatched the shards from his relaxed hand and backed away as he sat up. He cut a pathetic figure sitting in the dirt: slight and hollow-faced. Yet from within his fragile body his eyes burned with fierce intensity, as if he held some hidden strength. ?You already HAD a jewel shard,? she said shakily. ?How did you hide it from me for all this time?? Yaburenumaru placed a hand over a cut on his chest. ?I tore it from my own body before approaching you,? he said softly. ?So that you would not sense it.? ?But how did you know I can--?? Kagome began, but he interrupted her. ?You have waited too long,? he whispered. And then, silhouetted in the first rays of the dawn, he began to change.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Inuyasha perched in a tree a good twenty feet east of the camp, doing what he did best. ?Fucking brat,? he muttered, brooding. ?Speaking of that so lightly... Oh, yes, I KNOW of his 'Line'...? He rested his chin on his knees, scowling. ?Tatesei,? he said slowly, his chest burning with anger. Then he heard Kagome scream. [/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]It was easy for him to find her; some of her blood had been spilled. It didn?t smell like much, but suddenly he smelled the demon as well, and this sent him running. He arrived at her side, Tetsusaiga ablaze, just in time to see the boy Yaburenumaru become something else entirely. The boy?s form grew and contorted, reshaping itself into something strange and raptor-like. The thing?s eyes regarded him with Yaburenumaru?s burning gaze. He wasted no time but swung his sword at it. The [i]kenatsu[/i] cut a sizzling path through the undergrowth, but the demon leaped agilely away. He dodged a vicious swipe from the demon?s powerful claws and prepared to swing again. The demon had apparently had enough, because it took off at lightning speed. At his side, Kagome sank to her knees. Alarmed, he hastened to her side. ?Kagome, what the HELL...? Are you OKAY?? Tetsusaiga forgotten, he crouched at her side, forcing her to tilt her head back so he could look at the wound. ?IDIOT! What is WRONG with you?? she wailed. ?Go AFTER it!? Somewhat deafened by her outburst, he settled back onto his heels, regarding her less worriedly. ?Well, there?s obviously nothing wrong with your air intake,? he remarked. ?Just feel a little woozy,? she murmured. ?Took some medicine. No worries.? ?When are you going to be DONE taking that shit?? he complained. ?It makes you all swoony and slow.? ?Oh, shut up,? she grumbled. ?Go after it.? Inuyasha shook his head. The demon was very far ahead now, and he didn?t like it when Kagome bled--even if it [i]was[/i] only a little. ?It tried to take the Shikon shards, didn?t it?? he said seriously. ?You should give them to me for safety.? Kagome gave him a look that very plainly said, ?No.? ?I meant YOUR safety,? he explained hastily. ?Inuyasha, how dumb do you think I AM?? she asked slowly. ?What do you think, I?m gonna EAT them or something?? he demanded, advancing on her. She was slowly crawling backward to get away from him. ?I?m NOT picking them out of YOUR butt when you turn demon and we have to SLAY you for them!? Kagome declared. ?JUST...COME...HERE!? he ordered, but she kept scooting backwards. After several minutes of this, he finally lost it and took a flying leap at her. ?YAH!!!? he cried fiercely. ?Give them up!? He landed on top of her, and they went down in a tangle of flailing limbs that rolled several meters before coming to a stop. ?Heh.? Inuyasha smirked. He had her pinned. ?Hand ?em over.? ?NEVER!? Kagome cried, staring up at him, wide-eyed. Then he paused. The rat in his brain finally found the cheese at the end of the maze. ?Hey...? He peered down at her curiously. ?Why didn?t you yell ?sit??? Kagome glared up at him. He was straddling her, pinning her to the ground with his weight. Each of his claws encircled one of her wrists, pinning them over her head. ?Because I took the prayer beads OFF you, stupid!? she exploded. ?I THOUGHT I could trust you now.? ?You thought that, eh?? he said, grinning. ?Well, then I?ll be taking the shards.? ?INUYASHA!? she cried, frustrated. ?Just until this thing with the demon blows over,? he assured her. ?Whatever. Will you just get OFF me?? Her face had gone rather pink. He stared down at her as if seeing her for the first time, then got off in a hurry, shards in hand. Then he put the necklace over his own head and stood there admiring it for a moment. Kagome got up and lunged for him, but he dodged, jeering at her. ?Why don?t you try yelling ?sit??? he taunted. ?If you yell it loud enough maybe it?ll hurt my ears.? ?So he FINALLY figured it out, did he?? said a dry voice. ?After all, Kagome took it off him several days ago.? Miroku and Shippou emerged from the trees, looking bleary-eyed and unkempt. The monk peered curiously at Kagome, who looked even MORE bleary-eyed and unkempt and had leaves sticking out of her hair. ?Feh,? Inuyasha scoffed. ?Her mistake. Anyway, I?ve got what I wanted, so let?s head back to camp.? Miroku looked shocked and horrified. Kagome went very red. Shippou just looked clueless. ?What?s that?? he wanted to know. ?The SHARDS of course!? Inuyasha exclaimed, pointing to them and looking somewhat flustered.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Inuyasha led the way on the walk back to camp, while Miroku, Kagome and Shippou discussed things in low tones, walking five feet behind him. ?We could, of course, just make him give them back to us by force,? Miroku pointed out. ?Yeah,? Shippou agreed. ?I mean he?s got to sleep SOMETIME...? Inuyasha heard them, of course, because they were only five feet away. He rounded on the lot of them, several veins popping in his forehead. ?Stop fucking plotting against me!? he hollered at them. ?And you won?t EVER catch ME asleep!? ?Unless it?s with Kagome,? Shippou reminded him. This earned him a Stare of Death from Kagome, and for the rest of the walk she was sulking as much as Inuyasha.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]The next two days proved to be an arduous trial of everyone?s patience--everyone save Inuyasha, who was taking ?obnoxious? to the extreme. Reveling in his ?newfound freedom? he wasted no opportunity to taunt Kagome with his possession of the shards, to pound on Shippou and steal his food, or to insult Miroku. Yet it was at dinner on the second day that things went horribly awry. Inuyasha had just finished stuffing his mouth with ramen when something occurred to him. ?Hey!? he exclaimed, spattering noodle bits in every direction. ?Kagome, why does Shippou get all the chock-lit? I want some!? ?It?s all gone,? Kagome told him wearily. Shippou stuck his tongue out at Inuyasha, which earned him a lump on the head. ?Well, what about that stuff YOU?RE drinking?? he asked, once he had tired of pounding on Shippou. Kagome rolled her eyes. ?It?s coffee,? she explained. ?It?s bitter. You wouldn?t like it.? Her mother had given her a bag of coffee grounds and a small pot to heat it in. Kagome was glad of it; it gave her back some of the energy the cold was leeching off her. ?It smells good,? Inuyasha insisted. ?I want it.? In a hurry, Kagome downed the last swallows of the coffee and set her cup down by the fire. ?Nope, sorry; all gone,? she told him. Her eyes watered from the heat of the liquid in her throat. A very cunning look came into his eye. ?Oh, no,? he said. ?There?s more in your bag. I can smell it.? Without further adieu he dived into her backpack. ?INUYASHA! STOP IT!? Kagome cried as he flung the pack?s interfering contents over his shoulder. ?AHA!? he announced, producing the bag of grounds at last. However, the Ziploc opening of the bag seemed to deter him as he couldn?t get his claws into the opening. Instead of losing his temper, though, he held it out to Kagome and ordered, ?Open this.? ?No,? she told him flatly. He eyed her narrowly for a moment, then grabbed Shippou by the tail and held him aloft. ?Open this or the Kitsune gets it,? he threatened. ?NOOOO!? Shippou wailed, thrashing around where he dangled in the air. With a sigh of exasperation, Kagome took the bag and opened it for him. He sniffed it, then poured himself a mouthful of grounds. ?You know you?re not supposed to EAT it,? Kagome told him dryly. ?It?s supposed to be mixed with water.? ?Not (crunch, crunch) bad,? he remarked. Then he emptied more of the bag into his mouth. ?Makes me (crunch, crunch) feel a little stronger.? He swallowed, waited a moment, and then said, ?Hey, this stuff makes you stronger, doesn?t it? Why haven?t you given me some before now?? The twitch under his eye was becoming, if anything, more pronounced. Kagome watched him nervously. ?[i]He?s feeling the effects of the caffeine ALREADY?[/i]? she thought. [i]?This is NOT good...?[/i] ?Inuyasha, maybe that isn?t such a good idea,? Miroku said, apparently thinking the same thing. ?Hell, this stuff is GOOD,? Inuyasha exclaimed, grinning around a mouthful of coffee grounds. ?I want some!? Shippou cried, but everyone ignored him. They watched with great misgiving as Inuyasha poured the rest of the bag?s contents into his mouth, swallowed, and licked his chops. He sat there a moment, apparently focusing on the sensation of the caffeine coursing through his veins, then slapped both hands on his thighs and jumped to his feet. ?Well, I?m done,? he announced. ?Let?s go after the demon!? Miroku and Shippou eyed him dully, making no move to follow him. Kagome fell into a coughing fit and took a swig of water. ?HowcanyoubesofuckingLAZY?!? Inuyasha demanded, placing his fists on his hips and glaring at them. ?Thatdemonbastard?sgoingDOWN. Let?sgolet?sgolet?sGO!? ?Inuyasha, CALM DOWN,? Kagome told him sternly. ?You won?t catch his scent ANYWAY. It?s nighttime, and somehow I think Yaburenumaru is only a demon during the day. When he tried to take the shards, he warned me to give up because the sun was rising. He knew he was going to change.? Inuyasha regarded her very seriously for a moment. Then he turned and started to go stomping off into the forest. ?DemonBASTARDfuckingtriedtokillKagome (stomp stomp) I?mgonnaWASTEhimNOW!? he shouted. Above them, birds roosting in the trees took flight in a panic. Miroku took a flying leap over the fire and tackled him before he could disappear from view. Both of them went heavily--Miroku with a grunt and Inuyasha with a string of expletives rattled off at breakneck speed. ?You?re...not...going...ANYWHERE,? Miroku ordered between gritted teeth. ?Inuyasha, LISTEN,? Kagome pleaded. ?He?s just a BOY. I think he?s under some kind of curse, like in fairy tales, where he becomes a horrible demon in the daytime. Someone must have cursed him--someone who doesn?t want him to inherit the Tatesei throne. And he tried to WARN me when he took the shards. He told me to leave him before it was too late.? Inuyasha neither paid her any heed nor ceased his struggling. ?LikeIGIVEafuckabouttheTateseifuckingMURDERERSjustlemmeAThim!? One of Inuyasha?s feet hit Miroku in the gut; the other in the groin. The monk released him and fell back onto his knees, gasping. Inuyasha scrambled to his feet, looking smug. ?Youcan?tstopMEnoonecan!? he crowed. Shippou clung to Kagome, looking worried. ?Kagome,? he pleaded, ?can?t you get your prayer beads back around his neck somehow? He?s gone BERSERK!? Inuyasha smirked down at the three of them. ?FehyouwillNEVERgetthatstupidcollaronmeAGAINI?mFREEthebrownstuffhasmademe sostrongI?llneversleepsodon?tevenTRYYOUFUCKINGWEAKLINGS mooWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!? ?That?s IT!? Miroku declared, flinging aside the prayer beads around his right hand. Apparently he had reached the extent of his patience. ?I...have had...ENOUGH!? ?Miroku, DON?T!? Kagome cried, flinging herself upon him and grappling with him to get him to lower his accursed hand. ?There are OTHER ways!? ?YOUWISH!? Inuyasha sneered. ?Let me suck him up! C?mon, let me suck him UP!? Miroku insisted between clenched teeth, trying to shove Kagome off of him. She leaned down and hissed in his ear, ?Just wait. This can?t last forever.? Reluctantly, the monk relaxed and replaced the dressings around his hand. ?Inuyasha,? Kagome said sweetly, turning to the hyper hanyou. ?We?re NOT going hunting. WE need sleep. And I need you here to protect me.? Inuyasha appeared to be listening to this; he couldn?t seem to stand still, but his ears were aimed in her direction. ?I?m awfully cold, and the fire?s dying,? she told Inuyasha. ?Will you get me some more firewood?? Inuyasha stared at her with a crazed look in his eye, but then he turned abruptly, and without another word went dashing off into the forest. ?Oh, my,? Miroku murmured, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. ?I guess he won?t listen to ANYONE--not even you.? Kagome sighed wearily, coughing a little. Yet several minutes later, they all heard a resounding crash, followed soon by another, and another. ?Wh-what IS that?? Shippou asked in a quavering voice. Kagome and Miroku looked at each other, mystified. Then, off in the distance, they saw the trees falling, and the light of Tetsusaiga?s [i]kenatsu[/i] gleaming in the darkness. The three companions stared, sweat drops forming at their brows. ?Um, he DOES seem to be doing what you told him to,? Miroku commented in a subdued tone. ?Talk about deforestation,? Shippou intoned dryly. [i]Thwack, thwack.[/i] And Inuyasha wasn?t done after the first few trees. He showed no mercy toward the nearby bushes, either. ?Um, shouldn?t one of us go stop him?? Kagome asked after a while. ?Why?? Miroku said, pragmatically. ?He seems happy.? [i]Thwack, thwack.[/i] Looking on nervously, Shippou pointed out, ?I don?t think we CAN stop him...? As they watched he swung wildly about with his sword for the better part of an hour. ?Kagome,? Miroku said after a time. ?Did you mean what you said about believing Yaburenumaru to be under some kind of curse?? ?That?s right,? she answered, nodding. ?Then HE?S the demon?? Shippou demanded. ?He seemed human to ME...? ?He IS human,? Kagome explained. ?But only at night, I think. The curse only works during the day. He needs our help, I think, because someone or something is trying to keep him from his inheritance.? ?But he tried to steal the Shikon shards,? Shippou argued. ?I think he only wanted the shards to protect himself from whoever his enemies are,? Kagome said. ?And he?s trying to return home so the [i]kirin[/i] will identify him as the rightful heir. So I think we should follow him. Follow him...but not KILL him.? ?Feh! I fucking WILL kill him...!? Inuyasha had returned, with an armload of wood that was nowhere near proportional to what he?d hacked at and hewn down. It was still sizeable enough to tower over his head, however. ?Put that down before it falls on us,? Miroku ordered sharply. Inuyasha tossed it all to one side, where the stack collapsed with a resounding clatter. ?Me and the Tatesei...we?ve got a fucking score to settle,? he announced. ?What?s wrong with him?? Shippou whispered to Kagome. ?He seems to be slowing down.? Indeed, a great deal of sweat had beaded on Inuyasha?s forehead, and his eyes had taken on a slightly glazed look. ?Maybe this is your chance,? Miroku told Kagome in a low voice. ?Now that he?s tired.? ?I can HEAR you, you idiots!? Inuyasha bellowed. ?I?m right HERE! And you?ll NEVER get that stupid necklace back on me. NEVER! You cannot match my strength! You are--? ?--getting REALLY tired of this,? Miroku muttered. His left hand kept twitching toward the prayer beads encircled around his right. ?COWER BEFORE ME, PUNY MORTALS!? Inuyasha yelled, gesturing mightily with his claws. ?FOR I AM THE GREAT DOG DEMON, STRENGTHENED MANIFOLD BY THE CRUNCHY BROWN STUFF, AND NOONE CAN WITHSTAND MY MIGHT. NEVER AGAIN WILL I LET MYSELF BE--? Whatever he was not going to let himself be, he never got it out, because at that instant he pitched forward onto the ground, one declaratory finger still poised above his head. Shippou approached Inuyasha first and lifted his head by one of his ears. ?Is he dead?? the Kitsune asked worriedly. ?He?s got little X?s in his eyes.? ?No,? Kagome explained flatly. ?He?s just crashed. Caffeine is like that--the brighter you burn on it, the sooner you burn out.? Miroku prodded Inuyasha with the tip of his staff, still not certain that the [i]hanyou[/i] wasn?t going to wake up and terrorize them again. ?She?s right, he?s still breathing steadily,? the monk confirmed, looking slightly disappointed. ?What about when he wakes up?? Shippou wanted to know. ?That stuff might be out of his system, but his behavior is WORSE than it was BEFORE you started taming him, Kagome.? ?Well, you can stop worrying about THAT,? Kagome said with a grim little smile. She withdrew the circlet of prayer beads from her pack. ?Lift him, will you?? she told Miroku. Moments later, Kagome had the Shikon shards around her neck once again, and Inuyasha had his prayer beads back on. They left him lying where he?d fallen--face first in the dirt--and went to bed. Just before she dropped off to sleep, Kagome wondered once again how Yaburenumaru--a perfect stranger--had known that she could sense the Shikon shards.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]The slight, frail figure of the boy made its way through the forest shadows, gaze switching nervously from right to left. In the still of the night, he heard the voice of the other one that hunted him. No, it did not hunt him--it DROVE him. That voice had set him on this path, and given him the means to regain everything that he had lost. He was being used, he understood. Yaburenumaru was a king?s son, and he knew what it meant to be used. Yet he knew that when he was crowned lord of his kingdom, and all the powers of his forbears descended upon him, he would be repaid manifold for what he was suffering now. He clutched his thin shoulders, wet from rain and chilled to the bone. Water dripped off his lanky hair; beaded upon his eyelashes. His back throbbed horribly from his wounds. Cutting through the still of the night, the voice spoke to him. ?Forget your suffering, young one. Soon it will all be over, and you shall have your crown...and I my vengeance.? Yaburenumaru?s eyes darted over everything in view, until he saw the dark figure of a man standing not one hundred feet away. How he hated the voice?s owner: the giver of pain...and the only force that could bring him what he desired. He limped along at a faster pace, longing for the dawn when he could shed his mortal fragility and run on claws covered in demon flesh. ?[i]This is what I am reduced to[/i],? he thought miserably. ?[i]Longing for demonification.?[/i] He heard no footsteps behind him, but knew the hunter followed. He wished he had the strength to do this on his own. ?I failed to get the girl?s shards,? he muttered, angry at himself and his weak boy?s body. ?But the [i]hanyou[/i] is too dangerous. Like the others before him. He has to die.? Behind him, in the darkness, he heard soft, silvery laughter.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 4}[/b][/color][/center] [/font]

[font=Book Antiqua][color=gray][i]Author: Yamisui[/i] [i]Rating: R for language, violence, and Miroku[/i] [i]Pairings: Inu/Kag[/i] [i]Summary: (first story of the Tatesei Arc) Laid low with a nagging head-cold, all Kagome wanted to do was stay home and rest. However, a brutal murder committed in the Feudal Era soon draws her back. Inuyasha, Miroku, Kagome and Shippou begin the hunt for a mysterious demon bearing a shard of the Shikon Jewel, but soon they are plunged into the heart of a hidden kingdom that is guarded by the dead, steeped in sorcery, and irrevocably tied to Inuyasha's past...[/i] [i]*Note: this story occurs after Inuyasha?s second battle with Sesshoumaru and before Sango joins their group--i.e. in the first season.[/i][/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} [/b] [b]{#} {#} Chapter 1: The Hunt Begins {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]The night air was still and full of dark clouds, which rolled over and through the village where the priestess slept. It curled slyly around doorways, between houses of stone and thatched straw, lapping boldly at the still forms of sleeping mortals who lay near their bamboo doors. Through the damp gray that blanketed the village, there came the dark figure of a man. His silent stride carried him smoothly over the cold hard earth, toward the house where the priestess slept. The glow of his eyes cut through the fog like twin candles. Where he walked there dripped a trail of blood. When he reached the priestess? doorway, he boldly pushed aside the bamboo hanging fastened there and entered. Behind him drops of crimson stained the wood. When his foot fell upon a loose board the priestess woke, startled from an uneasy slumber. ?What is the meaning of this?? she hissed, watching him mistrustfully. ?Where...is...she?? he asked slowly, weighting each word with a warning. The priestess pulled her blanket around her to stave off the chill and answered quietly, ?She has gone.? The man?s slow progression toward her ceased altogether, and his claws curled into fists. ?Shit,? he said. ?Hasten to thy bed here or get out,? the woman grumbled irritably. ?We?ll discuss it in the morning, if you still care to.? Her eyes narrowed as another figure appeared in the doorway, black against the slate gray fog. He reached one hand out toward the priestess? first intruder and clamped it over his shoulder. The first intruder turned and swiped at the newcomer with his claws, only to find himself soundly rapped across the skull with the newcomer?s staff. ?OW!? he exclaimed, backing off. ?What the FUCK did you do THAT for?!? Into the house stepped a very grumpy and disheveled-looking Miroku. ?Inu...yasha,? he said drowsily. ?Why...can?t you just go to sleep...like the rest of us?? Inuyasha glowered at him, rubbing the lump on his head with one hand. ??Cause I'm not tired,? he shot back. ?Feh. You humans always need rest. Me, I can go all day, and all week if I feel like it.? Inuyasha?s apparent pride in this ability was disrupted as Miroku?s staff landed on his head once again. ?Take it outside, the lot of thee,? Kaede ordered. Miroku favored her with a gallant bow. ?Certainly, Kaede-[i]sama[/i],? he said. ?I was merely coming to check on you when I saw what appeared to be a demon breaking in. But now I see that it is only Inuyasha, so there was no need to worry.? The monk smiled cherubically at Inuyasha, who was rubbing a lump on his head and swearing under his breath. Then, turning back to the old priestess, he added, ?Where is Kagome-[i]sama[/i]?? ?She returned to her own time this afternoon,? Kaede replied, dryly. ?And is well beyond thy reach, I might add. So there is no reason for thee to visit this humble cottage in the night.? Inuyasha was now regarding Miroku with a rather squinty-eyed expression, and one of his cheeks had developed a small twitch. Noting this, the monk elected to distract him by pointing to the thing Inuyasha carried in his right hand. ?What is that?? he asked casually. Inuyasha looked down in perplexity, as if he?d forgotten that he carried something dripping spots of blood on the floor. ?Duck,? he said in all innocence, identifying it. Its skinny neck drooped over his fist. ?I am aware of that,? Miroku said patiently. ?But where did you get it?? Inuyasha, apparently bored with the new direction their conversation was taking, pointed skyward. ?Inuyasha, tell me that you didn?t pilfer that from the village pens,? Miroku pleaded wearily. ?Feh,? said Inuyasha, shaking the duck for emphasis. ?I was trying to sleep in a tree and this noisy flock of ?em flew overhead. Then I decided I was hungry.? He paused, glancing sidelong at Kaede. ?Kagome likes roast duck,? he added. ?Aye, that she does,? Kaede said with a sigh. ?But not at this hour. Go to sleep, or go away, Inuyasha.? ?Well, then I shall be going,? Miroku announced cheerily. He had almost made it to the door when Inuyasha caught him by his queue. ?And just what...were you doing...visiting in the middle of the night?? Inuyasha asked with a feral grin. ?I was merely concerned for their safety,? Miroku tittered, waving the matter aside. He pried his queue loose from Inuyasha?s grasp and practically fled out the door. Inuyasha scowled and yelled after him, ?LIKE THEY?RE SAFE WITH YOU AROUND, YOU LECH!? All around the village, lights appeared in windows. The denizens of each house appeared in their doorways to see what the commotion was. Miroku had beat a hasty retreat, and they only saw one disgruntled dog demon, standing in Kaede?s doorway with one hand cupped to his mouth. A sweat drop of embarrassment appeared at his brow, and behind him he heard Kaede admonishing, ?Stop barking and get thee gone.? Muttering under his breath, he took off, his feet covering yards in leaps and bounds. He was heading for the well.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Down a crowded street, past Wacdonalds and half a dozen comic book stores a group of high-school girls pulled their unwilling companion. Nearly a block behind them, they were being shadowed by a boy on a bicycle. ?Kagome, stop dragging your feet,? one of the girls ordered. ?Why are you so reluctant to go home today? You?re sick; you should be in bed.? Kagome didn?t reply, but sniffed noisily and swiped at her nose with a tissue. ?Maybe...she?s hoping Houjo will show,? another girl suggested slyly. She was one of the two trying to pull Kagome along by her elbows. ?She?s finally accepting his advances and waiting for him for a change.? The third girl cast a calculating glance back over her shoulder. ?Speak of the devil...? Suddenly Kagome?s stride lengthened drastically, causing the two latched onto her to stumble in their efforts to keep up. ?Wait! What are you doing?? the third girl asked. ?Have you changed your mind?? ?I?m sick,? Kagome said flatly. ?I should be in bed.? ?Oh, no you don?t,? her friends cried in unison, and forced her to a halt. ?Looks like he?s got something for you,? the third observed. ?Maybe it?s medicine.? ?I?ll take my own medicine,? Kagome protested, struggling, but then Houjo overtook them. ?Hey, Kagome!? he exclaimed, bringing his bike to a halt and waving with one hand. In the other, as always, was a gift?this time wrapped in green cellophane with pink squiggles. Kagome eyed it dubiously, hating the squiggles. ?I?ve missed you,? he said. ?Here, I heard you had a cold.? Mechanically she accepted the proffered package. When she didn?t bother to open it, he explained, ?It?s an herbal remedy for head-colds. You boil and drink it.? ?Why thank you,? Kagome replied, trying to look pleased. She was promptly rewarded with a dazzling smile. Houjo was like that: he smiled, and little sparkles appeared around his head. Kagome returned the smile weakly, hating the sparkles. ?O?kaaaaay, I?ll just be going then,? she announced, stuffing the gift into her backpack. Then, before any of her girlfriends could stop her, she took off down the street at a walk so brisk it was almost a run.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]By the time she reached the Higurashi Shrine Kagome was wheezing from eight blocks of power-walking and mouth-breathing. ?[i]This stupid cold[/i],? she thought, stopping to rest before ascending the formidable Temple stairs. [i]?Well, at least I?m home.[/i]? Then it hit her. ?I?m HOME!? she cried, slapping her forehead in frustration. ?How could I have forgotten? I was going to engineer a sleepover at Yuki?s so Inuyasha couldn?t come get me tonight.? She caught her breath and began climbing the stairs, with the air of a girl approaching the gallows. ?[i]Houjo ruined everything[/i],? she thought miserably. For once, she actually was ill, and Inuyasha was coming to drag her jewel-hunting.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Inuyasha emerged from the Bone-Eaters? Well into a balmy spring evening. The trees were in full bloom, and his nostrils twitched at the pleasant smell. Upon reaching Kagome?s window he found it locked, so that he couldn?t just slide it open. So he tried knocking. ?Hey, Kagome,? he said through the wood. ?Let?s go. Open up.? When no answer came, he pulled back one fist and prepared to shatter the obstacle, but then thought better of it. If one thing made him afraid, it was seeing Kagome?s face when she was angry. With a sigh because he was so put-upon, he jumped down from the ledge he was perched on and proceeded to the nearest door on the ground floor. He didn?t bother to knock?he had knocked once and that was polite enough for him. Instead he slid the door open to reveal Kagome and her family, seated around some kind of black box. They didn?t seem to have noticed him yet. One side of the box appeared to be glowing, and he guessed that they were watching the changing lights. Humans were a weird lot. To get their attention, he imposed his mighty form between the Higurashis and their box and folded his arms to show them he meant business. ?I come for Kagome,? he announced. Kagome?s grandfather and younger brother did not seem impressed by this. ?Move,? Souta said. Kagome was lying on the couch with a blanket over her and a glass stick in her mouth. She eyed him with a somewhat woebegone expression. Her mother was the most animated of the lot. ?Oh, it?s Kagome?s little friend!? she exclaimed, coming toward him. Afraid she was going to hug him (and somewhat creeped out by the little hearts that had suddenly appeared around her face) Inuyasha dodged around her and squatted down at eye level with Kagome. ?Your time wasn?t up. Why?d you leave early?? ?What do you mean, MY TIME?!? she fired back, speaking around the glass thing. ?I don?t have to BE there a certain number of days, you know. And it wasn?t like anything big was going down while I was there.? ?Kagome, why don?t you ask your cute friend to dinner?? Kagome?s mom suggested. Kagome sat up, scattering blankets and Kleenex in all directions. She was wearing jeans and a very large, old sweatshirt. ?He?s NOT making me go!? she insisted. ?I?m sick, so I get some vacation time, okay.? ?Vacation?? Inuyasha asked, holding up a tissue gingerly between two claws. ?With THESE?? Kagome snatched it from him just in time to sneeze into it. The glass stick shot out of her mouth and nearly winged Buyo the cat, who was pawing at the figures on the glowing box. ?EW, GROSS!? Inuyasha cried, fur bristling as he backed away hastily. ?That?s what being sick IS!? Kagome shouted. ?Believe me, you won?t want me around when I?m like this! Just go back, and I?ll join you when I?m better.? But Inuyasha noticed that her eyes looked a little teary, and he knew where THAT could lead. So he played his trump card. ?I brought you a duck,? he said, holding it up by its webbed feet. Kagome stared at it, nonplussed.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Dinner found them all seated around the Higurashis? table, feasting upon roast duck in orange sauce. Kagome?s family was clearly enjoying the feast. Kagome was not. ?I?m still not going back yet,? she told Inuyasha, who was eating both legs at once. ?Yeah you are,? he told her, around a mouthful of meat. ?Your mother said you could.? Kagome glared at her mom. ?You didn?t have a temperature,? her mother said cheerfully. ?You?ll be fine. In fact, the clean air of the feudal era might even do you some good.? ?Unless, of course, the weather?s really nasty,? Souta interjected. Inuyasha considered a moment. The weather in his time didn?t seem too cold to HIM, and it WASN?T raining...yet. ?Weather?s fine,? he told them.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Half an hour later, Kagome and Inuyasha were standing on the other side of the well, in the pouring rain. Kagome?s expression looked more thunderous than the clouds. ?The weather?s FINE, eh?? she said, glowering at him. Inuyasha, sensing malcontent, was anxious to get her back to Kaede?s before she decided to turn around and go home. ?Come on, Kagome,? he insisted, grabbing her by the backpack and pulling her along. ?We?ll be dry in the old woman?s house.? Kagome slid out of the straps and headed back for the well. ?I?ve had enough of this,? she said. In a flash, Inuyasha was between her and her escape route. Angrily, she tried to skirt around him, but every time she moved he did also. ?Hah!? he said, looking pleased with himself. ?You?re staying, and that?s that.? But Kagome had stopped listening to him. ?Hey...do you smell anything strange?? she asked. Inuyasha, sensing diversionary tactics, took her firmly by the wrist and resumed pulling her toward the village. ?No, no, I MEAN it,? she insisted, trying to pry herself loose. ?I sense a jewel shard. It was nearby a second ago, and now it?s moving away very fast.? Inuyasha paused, sniffing the air. He thought he did smell something odd, but the rain made the scent very faint. It smelled vaguely familiar. But he didn?t have time to contemplate this for long. Just as he was about to ask Kagome what direction Shippou came bounding up to meet them, looking very anxious about something. ?Inuyasha, Kagome, come to the village, QUICK!? he cried. ?It?s terrible!? ?What is it, Shippou?? Kagome asked, catching him as he leaped into her arms. ?A demon attacked during the night!? he wailed. ?It killed a whole family, and completely destroyed their house!? In a flash, Inuyasha was pelting back toward the village, carrying Kagome and the fox child on his back. ?Is the demon still there?? he asked as the scenery flew by. ?No,? Shippou answered. ?But Miroku said you had to come?the demon carried a fragment of the jewel, and will use it to kill again if it?s not stopped.?[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]When they reached the village, the rain had passed, though the skies were still blanketed in clouds. Everyone was assembled in the common, taking in the scene of carnage and destruction with frank bewilderment. ?Out of my way,? Inuyasha ordered, shoving peasants aside as he made his way over to Miroku. ?What happened here?? The monk was kneeling to pray for the deceased. When he had finished, he rose and answered, ?Murder.? His face was very grim. ?I don?t need your nose to tell me it was a demon, but this demon has a very strange way of hunting.? Inuyasha looked, and was very puzzled by what he saw. The ground was littered with debris: broken thatch, scattered stones, and among it all lay what remained of the husband and wife and young son. Inuyasha?s flesh crawled at the scent of human blood, which he had come to hate, and he turned away to face Miroku to avoid the sight. ?Come with me, Inuyasha,? the monk said, and Inuyasha followed as he stepped carefully through splinters of wood and human bone. ?Stay there, Kagome,? Inuyasha called over his shoulder. Kagome was standing at the forefront of the crowd of onlookers, looking very pale. In her arms, Shippou turned and buried his head in her hair. The villagers?or Miroku, perhaps?had laid sack cloth over the dead, to preserve their dignity or perhaps just to deter the flies, which rose in small swirls of black bodies wherever the two men stepped. ?The adults were eaten?for the most part,? Miroku explained with a grimace as they came to a stop in the midst of the bodies. ?But the child...? He pointed. ?Was not only eaten but completely torn apart, as if in a fit of rage. The face, in particular...? Listening to them from a distance, Kagome thought, ?[i]But why would a demon hunting for food be so particular? Why the child??[/i] ?Kagome-[i]sama[/i], do you sense anything we don?t?? Miroku called across the wreckage. ?Any jewel shards?? Inuyasha asked. Miroku?s heel planting itself on his foot made it clear that the question was a tad overeager for such a somber situation. Kagome frowned and walked a little ways around the site, careful to keep her shoes away from the blood pooled in what had been the hut?s doorway. Shippou leaped down from her arms, not wishing to be carried any nearer. ?I do sense something,? she said hesitantly. ?But it?s faint. The demon had a jewel shard, but now it?s gone.? ?BWAH!? Shippou cried, scampering away from something on the ground. ?What is it?? In an instant Inuyasha was at his side, to see what he was pointing at. In the hard-packed earth were five deep claw marks, splayed in the manner of a reptile?s. ?A footprint,? Kagome said softly from behind him. ?Yeah, but the rain must?ve washed the others away,? Inuyasha said grimly. ?But I can still follow the stench.? ?You can smell the demon?s trail, Inuyasha?? Miroku asked, coming to join them. ?Of course I can!? Inuyasha exclaimed. ?Kagome, get your bag. We?re going shard?er?demon hunting.? While Kagome complied a mortified Miroku assured the watching villagers that the quest would be purely for noble vengeance for the slain. And then, when some of the peasants had brought them supplies for their journey, the four of them set off, following Inuyasha?s nose. Shippou had insisted on coming despite his previous horror?he was secretly afraid that the child-killing demon might return to the village while the others were gone.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]The old priestess saw them off before returning to the sad task of burying the dead. However, as she approached the scene from the direction Inuyasha?s posse had taken she began to notice something that made her grim expression deepen. Upon the ground, barely visible in the area?s rain-soaked mud, was another set of prints leading straight away from the destroyed house and mutilated bodies. It led into the marsh grasses through which the shard/vengeance seekers had passed. ?Strange,? she muttered, squinting at them. They were not large, as the reptilian claw-marks had been. They were human.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 1}[/b][/color][/center] [/font] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#} [/b] [b]{#} {#} Chapter 2: Elusive Quarry {#} {#} [/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Four travelers slowly made their way through the watery lowlands. There was no visible sign of the demon that they hunted; there was only a wide stretch of marsh grass, swaying in the cold wind. Inuyasha led the way, as he was the only one with an inkling of where to go. His pace had slackened somewhat since their journey had begun. ?Why won?t it RAIN?? he muttered. ?This place REEKS.? The wetlands did stink--the abundance of still water was not doing much for the smell, either. Brackish mud squelched beneath their feet, smelling stagnant and foul. ?Don?t wish for rain,? Kagome admonished. ?I?ve got an umbrella, but it?s not big enough for all of us.? She was walking behind Inuyasha, sniffling on occasion and fishing tissues out of her knapsack. Shippou trotted along next to her, taking in the scenery with frank, wide-eyed curiosity. He was the most cheerful out of all of them, so Kagome had given him all the fruit leather out of her pack to keep him quiet. ?Is there any change in the scent trail, Inuyasha?? Miroku asked. He was bringing up the rear--partly for protection and partly so that he could watch Kagome?s backside. ?Mm...? Inuyasha?s eyes roved the hills ahead of them. ?I still smell it. It smells cold-blooded, like a dragon, but not the same. It?s pretty far ahead of us, though, which is why we can?t see it.? Inuyasha estimated that by the end of the day they would reach the end of the valley, and traversing the hills with the humans would be a much slower process than passing through the flatter lands. He would never admit to himself, of course, that the reason for their slow pace through the fens resulted from his own weakness, which in turn resulted from the stench assailing his nose. Of growing concern to him now was the emptiness inside him, centered on the region of his stomach. When he could stand it no more he finally stopped dead in his tracks and said, ?Kagome, it?s time to eat.? He knew there was ramen in her pack--the savory scent of it had been the one thing keeping the swamp stench at bay. Kagome, who had almost tripped over him when he stopped, looked around and said, ?Here? I don?t see any rocks. Or any dry ground, for that matter.? ?It?s not so bad,? Inuyasha insisted, plopping right down in the mud with a resounding squelch. Evidently his hunger was more pressing than his distaste for his surroundings. ?Inuyasha, we really should?? Miroku began, but the half-demon had folded his arms and did not appear willing to budge. The monk gave up with a sigh and squatted down, carefully hoisting the bottom of his robes onto his knees to avoid the brackish mess at his feet. Shippou made himself useful and gathered an armful of grass for Kagome to kneel on while she ate, and she fished dinner out of her backpack with an air of resignation. Miroku then produced some reed stalks that he had found nearby and some stones, and fashioned them into a hearth of sorts. Then Kagome held a lighter from her pack to the pile and set it aflame. It took a moment because the reeds were damp, and the others gathered round to watch with interest. Inuyasha, of course, only had eyes for the ramen in the cup on Kagome?s lap. ?Ah, Lady Kagome, what would we do without you?? Miroku exclaimed when she had finally succeeded in starting the fire. ?Work for your food?? she suggested. Within moments the skies had begun to let loose. In a flash, Kagome had her umbrella in an upright locked position, and Shippou had clambered onto her lap. Miroku looked as if he wanted to follow Shippou but was distracted by a sudden outburst from Inuyasha. ?What?re you DOING?? Inuyasha cried. ?Fucking putting it away! The rain doesn?t make ME any less hungry.? ?We can?t cook it without a fire,? Kagome explained patiently as she prepared to slip the ramen back into her bag. ?Unless YOU want to eat it as is.? Expectantly, Inuyasha extended a hand toward the ramen package. ?I?m NOT wasting this,? Kagome insisted, zipping up her pack and standing up. ?We?ll eat it when we can cook it. And that?s NOT until we get to some shelter.? Inuyasha leaped to his feet. ?If we hurry, we can reach those trees up there by nightfall,? he exclaimed, with renewed zeal.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]?Inuyasha,? Miroku said, much later, ?we shouldn?t keep stopping like that during the day. There may be villages on the other side of those hills, and we can?t let the demon get too far ahead of us.? Inuyasha nodded, sobered for once by the monk?s warning. The trail was growing fainter already, and they had almost reached the trees at the end of the valley. This meant that the demon had already started back into the hills. It seemed to him that he could always be certain of its direction; it seemed to be traveling unerringly to the south. In fact, its course appeared to be a straight shot to the south, without the slightest sign of deviation for shelter or sleep. This demon, whatever it was, was driven. Once they had reached the trees he noticed more footprints like the one in Kaede?s village, preserved there because the trees gave the ground shelter. The group was forced to stop there for the night, because humans were slow like that. But to Inuyasha, time to stop for the night meant time for ramen. He cast a watchful eye toward Kagome and was rewarded with the sight of her cooking over a fire the long-awaited chicken-flavored noodles. Then, satisfied that she was finally getting down to what was important, he moved off to squat down by the tracks and get a better look at them. They were wider apart than the stride lengths of a man, but not immensely so. Inuyasha nodded to himself, figuring that he could take this demon down easily. Then his nose happened to catch the scent of demon that wafted up from the prints. Frowning, he bent closer to sniff again. ?Don?t fall in,? Shippou warned, appearing beside him. ?Shut up, I?m trying to smell,? Inuyasha said, and drew in a deep whiff of the scent. ?You do smell,? Shippou agreed, but Inuyasha ignored him. Bored, the fox trotted back to join Kagome and to hover over the cooking pot. ?[i]Weird,?[/i] he thought, placing his hand into the footprint. ?[i]It smells like several things combined. There?s the smell of the reptile-thing, and the smell of a pure demon...and also...'[/i] ?What is it, Inuyasha?? Miroku had come to stand behind him. The monk had removed his outer robes and hung them from a tree branch to dry. ?I was just thinking?? Inuyasha began, but stopped, puzzled. ?What is it?? Miroku repeated, squatting down beside him and frowning at the claw furrows in the earth. ?There are three parts to this scent,? Inuyasha said, scratching his head with his own claws. ?There?s the one from the village?the one that smells like it SHOULD make a print like this... And there?s also the strong smell of powerful, pure-blooded demon. And the third...I never noticed it until I found these, but it almost smells human.? ?A [i]hanyou[/i]?? Miroku suggested delicately. ?No, because it smells like pure demon,? Inuyasha snapped. He always became grumpy at the mention of the word ?[i]hanyou[/i].? ?It?s more like there are three separate scents in one place. Which doesn?t make much sense...? ?Naraku,? Miroku said quietly. ?No, not him,? Inuyasha shook his head. ?He can change his form, but never his scent, and it?s not him...? ?Dinner!? Kagome called, and in a flash both monk and [i]hanyou[/i] were up and running.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]?Inuyasha says there?s something odd about the scent we?re chasing,? Miroku told Kagome across the fire, around which all four of them were huddled. Inuyasha and Shippou were shoveling ramen into their faces as fast as their chopsticks would allow. ?Well, of course there is,? Kagome said, sipping at her bowl of soup and sniffling. ?It?s a demon and it kills people. There?s nothing normal about THAT.? ?Well, he says it smells like a reptile, a pure demon, and a human all at once,? Miroku told her, unfazed by the sarcasm. Kagome frowned. ?Yeah, you?re right, that IS--? She broke off into a sneezing fit. Inuyasha?s chopsticks ceased their shoveling and he paused, noodles trailing down his chin. ?Hey, you didn?t sneeze in the SOUP, did you?? he asked suspiciously. ?Of course not!? Kagome protested. Her nose had turned pink from all the sneezing. Inuyasha went back to his feeding frenzy while she took out a tissue and blew her nose. Apparently this was too much for Shippou, who edged away from her to finish his dinner at a safe distance. ?Thad IS weird,? she told Miroku. ?The smell, I mead.? ?Inuyasha, have you considered the possibility that there might be more than one demon?? Miroku asked. Inuyasha just looked at him, never once ceasing his ramen shoveling. ?Iduyasha, this is IMBORDAND,? Kagome ?NOW what?s wrong with you?? Inuyasha asked, slurping up the last of his meal. ?You sound funny.? ?I HAB A CODE!? she snapped. ?How many times do I hab to TELL you? By dose is stubbed ub.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha muttered. He settled into a cross-legged position, making ready to watch over them for the night. He kept sending Kagome sidelong glances full of suspicion, as if he thought she might sneeze in his direction. ?Lady Kagome, are you sure you?re up to this?? Miroku asked soliticiously, edging closer to her side of the fire. ?Of course she is,? Inuyasha said, watching the monk?s progress warily. ?I need her with me.? This earned him a smile from both of them, so he hastily added, ?The demon?s got a shard, remember?? In the silence that followed his face reddened and he looked away. ?Where?s Shippou?? Kagome asked suddenly. ?When did he slip off?? At that moment the fox in question came hurtling through the trees. ?I saw it!? he cried. ?I went off to pee, and I SAW it!? ?Where?? Inuyasha asked, up in a flash. ?Where did you see it?? ?I was up in a tree and I saw it standing on top of the hill over there.? Shippou pointed a finger in the general southward direction. ?He likes to relieve himself in trees?? Miroku whispered to Kagome, looking somewhat grossed out. ?It was TALL,? Shippou went on, eyes huge as saucers. ?It was standing on the hill, wearing man-shape. It looked right AT me; I KNOW it SAW me! Its eyes were red.? Inuyasha was on his feet in an instant. ?Kagome, pack up your stuff again,? he told her over his shoulder. ?We?re moving out. I could bring this thing down TONIGHT!?[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]It had begun raining again in earnest, but Kagome was forced to put her umbrella away because she needed both hands to ascend the hill Shippou led them to. Thus the middle of the night found three of them slogging up the steep slope in sopping wet clothing and the lowest of spirits. Inuyasha had made the top in five bounds, of course, and took off down the other side, leaving Shippou and the two humans in his dust. By the time they reached the top it was raining so hard that they couldn?t see what lay down the other side. ?Where?s Inuyasha?? Shippou asked, shielding his eyes from the rain with his tiny paws. ?Oh DO!? Kagome exclaimed. ?I?b oud of tissues ALREADY. Miroku, gib me your sleeb.? Before the monk could utter a word of protest she had grabbed hold of his arm and sneezed into the folds of his robes. ?Oh, GROSS!? Shippou crowed in delight. ?Stand back,? Miroku said abruptly, forgetting the sleeve for moment. ?Someone?s coming.? Obediently Kagome and Shippou moved behind him as he poised a wary hand over the prayer beads that restrained his wind tunnel. Someone tall, with very long white hair was making his way up the opposite side of the hill toward them. As he drew nearer, however, Miroku relaxed and lowered his right arm. ?Oh, it?s you Inuyasha,? he said, sounding relieved. ?I feared for a moment that it might be Sesshoumaru.? Inuyasha glared at the monk, looking rather sodden and miserable himself. ?Feh,? he said. ?Don?t compare ME to that moon-headed buttmunch.? Then his glare melted away, to be replaced with a look of puzzlement. ?I?ve lost the scent,? he said, almost wonderingly. ?It?s completely gone, like it disappeared off the face of the earth or something.? ?Iduyasha, id?s okay,? Kagome told him, moving out from behind Miroku. ?We?ll just go south. Thad?s where the debon is goig, isn?t id? And id hasn?t disappeared, because I cad still sense the Sacred Jewel.? Looking a little more cheerful, Inuyasha grabbed Kagome by the hand and started pulling her down the hill after him. ?Come on,? he urged. ?There are more trees down there. We?ll make camp again.? Then Inuyasha paused, glancing back over his shoulder. ?What?s with HIM?? he asked, referring to Miroku. The monk was kneeling in the wet grass, rubbing his sleeve against it with frenzied determination.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]?Hey, Kagome, you sound better now,? Shippou observed when they had reached the trees at the bottom of the hill. ?Yeah, but I feel worse,? she replied. By this time she was leaning on Inuyasha to keep herself upright (which he didn?t seem to mind), and her eyelids were lowered to half-mast. ?Inuyasha, I think you?ve pushed her too hard in her condition,? Miroku put in blandly. ?She?s sick, and it IS very cold and wet after all.? He seemed to have gotten past the sneezing incident. ?But you?re warm, aren?t you, Kagome?? Inuyasha asked, helping her onto a nearby rock. ?You don?t SEEM cold.? ?I FEEL cold,? she insisted. ?Just get my sleeping bag unrolled while I take some medicine. Shippou, get my backpack, will you?? She sat on the rock watching dully as the Kitsune scurried off to do her bidding. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had encountered the knot she?d tied in the rope holding her sleeping bag in a roll, and it seemed his claws just weren?t nimble enough to untie it. He tried pulling on the rope, and of course this only made things worse, so he curved his claws and prepared to slice the thing off. Fortunately, Miroku managed to catch hold of Inuyasha?s wrist before he could completely dismember his Arch-Nemesis the Knot. The monk managed to get it undone without the use of brute force. Kagome fished the medicine Houjo had given her out of her pack, poured some into the cap, and took a swig. ?Wow, Kagome, what an awful face,? Shippou remarked, watching the contortions that followed. ?Must be some nasty stuff.? Kagome didn?t reply but recapped the bottle and staggered over to the sleeping bag. She climbed inside and fell asleep almost instantly from the combination of illness, lack of sleep, but mostly from the Sleep-Tite ? Herbal Cold Remedy. Inuyasha and Miroku stood at her feet, looking down at her. ?She?s feverish,? Miroku observed. ?Someone should keep her warm.? Inuyasha glanced over at him. ?WILL YOU PUT YOUR FUCKING SHIRT ON?? he snapped. The monk was naked to the waist, having doffed his outer robes and shirt. ?It?s wet,? he explained mildly. ?I?m waiting until it dries.? ?Hmm...? Inuyasha rubbed his chin. ?Well, maybe you CAN make yourself useful.? ?Really?? Miroku asked, looking interested. Inuyasha looked down at Kagome. ?You can go find us some dry firewood. To keep her warm with.? With a faint sigh of disappointment Miroku wandered off to collect some kindling. Meanwhile, Inuyasha squatted down at Kagome?s side. ?She really SHOULD be kept warm,? Shippou remarked from behind him. ?And Miroku?s not the one to do it.? Inuyasha, who had been watching Kagome?s sleeping face intently, suddenly became flustered. ?Well, YOU do it then!? he barked at Shippou, but he didn?t budge from his spot, either. The Kitsune sighed heavily and rolled his eyes. ?Inuyasha, I?m not big enough. And besides,? he added in a world-wise tone, ?there?s no harm in sleeping with someone, is there? I LIKE sleeping with Kagome.? Inuyasha?s face apparently sprouted danger signs, because Shippou didn?t say anything more but suddenly became engrossed in making himself a bed of leaves nearby. Inuyasha squatted there a moment longer, considering, and then he reached out a hand and rested it upon the sleeping bag next to Kagome. He tensed, looking at her as if he expected her to attack, but she just went on sleeping, so he put his full weight on the arm and eased down next to her. [/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Half an hour later, Shippou was slumbering on his bed of leaves, Miroku still wasn?t back and Kagome half-awoke to see Inuyasha?s face lying next to hers. On an impulse, she reached out to touch his hair, but instead her fingers found the prayer beads around his neck. She became a little more awake, and her hand lingered there thoughtfully. ?[i]I put these here to keep him from betraying me[/i],? she thought vaguely, frowning. ?[i]But he?s changed so much... I trust him now. After all we?ve been through...[/i]? She recalled the way he had embraced her by the well after his last battle with Sesshoumaru. Of course, he had then proceeded to take the jewel shards and fling her down the well, but that had been for her own good, hadn?t it? Her fingers strengthened their grasp on the beads, and when she pulled they parted like water around Inuyasha?s neck. She lay there a moment, holding up the necklace and staring at it in the semidarkness. ?[i]He doesn?t need these[/i],? she thought, and stuffed them into the pocket of her jacket, which was lying nearby. ?[i]Not any more...[/i]?[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]At the same time Miroku was making his way back to camp after the long search for firewood in the rain, the slight figure of a human boy slipped through the trees. He had seen the half-demon in the forest, and moved quietly to avoid attracting attention, for he feared and hated demons. In the shadow of a great oak, less than fifty yards away, a man stood watching, silently, wearing a slight smile. In his hand he held a shard of the Shikon Jewel. When the boy had passed from view, he cast one thoughtful glance back toward the camp where the half-demon slept, then turned and began to walk. Through the darkness he followed the boy, with all the grace and leisure of a predator stalking its kill.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{END OF CHAPTER 2} [/b][/color][/center] [font=Book Antiqua][color=gray][i]Notes: An ?oufuda? is a paper with a charm or spell written on it. A ?kehai? is like an aura or magical residue left by the presence of something very powerful or possessing very strong emotions. ?Houshi? is a monk of lowest rank----or Miroku, to be specific. ?Hanyou,? for those of you who don?t know, means ?half-demon.? ?Kenatsu? refers to the energy surrounding something that magnifies the object?s powers. There may seem to be an extraneous amount of swearing in this story on Inuyasha's part, but in the literal translations of the scripts for the manga Inuyasha actually uses "fuck" quite frequently. The translations on sites like ear-tweak are cleaned up quite a bit.[/i][/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#} THE BEARERS OF THE SHARDS {#} {#} {#}[/b] [b]{#} {#} Chapter 3: The Kirin and the Shard {#} {#} [/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Through the wood the creature ran, glinting white in the moonlight as it passed between the trees. There was no place for it to conceal itself in the night, for its hide gleamed the color of pearls, and its eyes shone like twin stars, undimmed by the surrounding shadows. For a moment, the pounding of its hooves upon the earth were the only sound in the wood. And then, crashing through the underbrush came its pursuer: a roiling mass of flesh that flowed between the trees like a tide of darkness. From that flesh faces protruded: demons and monsters--some hideous; some beautiful beyond description--all of them violet-eyed and full of hatred. And then, having taken form from the seething mass, they melted back into it to some unknown depth, disappearing with all the fleetness of shadows. The white beast?s long, graceful legs carried it swiftly over the forest turf, but the monster drew ever nearer. And the creature was running out of ground to cover. Ahead lay a deep chasm, cut through the land by the river in its depths. The monster pursuing it slackened its pace, seeing that its quarry had nowhere to run. Yet the white beast, though it had run long and hard, had strength in it yet. The muscles in its hind legs bunched and bent, then straightened, and it was airborne, sailing over the chasm as if on wings. The monster?s grasping tentacles flailed after it, whipping through the air with wicked force, but somehow it eluded their clutches to land smoothly upon the opposite side. The dark tide of flesh attempted to span the ravine with its own body, but recoiled instantly as if burned. The white beast stood silently for a moment, watching the enemy with eyes bright as diamonds. Then it turned and fled into the woods on the other side, knowing itself to be safe for a time--until the enemy found a way to cross the holy river?s barrier. Suddenly the monster was gone, swallowed into itself until no trace of it remained. Then there was only a man standing there, upon the edge of the chasm. His face was angular, sly, and ever-shifting: the face of a thief. Yet though he wore the rich raiment of a prince, he cared very little for wealth itself. The object of his desires now lay across the river, safe from him for the moment. ?[i]It shall not elude me for long[/i],? he thought, lips curved into a mirthless smile. ?[i]There are other ways to cross[/i].? He did not move away immediately, though, but stood there deep in thought. His violet eyes burned into the night, as if to pierce the veil of trees through which his quarry had fled. ?Disgusting,? he said softly, staring. ?They say the beast is purity itself.? His eyes narrowed, and he went silent. ?[i]It moves ever southward, despite my attempts to corner it[/i],? he thought grimly. ?[i]Something draws it there; what, I do not know[/i].? He brushed back his long hair back from his eyes, his smile slowly returning. ?[i]But it does not matter. The beast carries something that I want. I will not be denied.[/i]?[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Slipping dream-like through the forest, the white beast ran southward. Nothing would deter it from its singularity of purpose--not even the enemy. For to the south lay a head, waiting to be crowned. Upon the creature?s own brow there rose a crown of a different sort: a great silver spire, reaching toward the very heavens where the beast had been born. Inserted into this accoutrement was a tiny shard of the Sacred Jewel.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]The first thing Inuyasha saw, upon opening his eyes, was a blinding ray of morning sunlight shining directly in his face. He shifted, squinting, and the second thing he saw was Miroku sitting nearby. The monk was leaning against a tree, watching him with an expression of great amusement. ?So,? Miroku drawled. ?How was it?? Inuyasha yawned, baring his fangs, then lay there, blinking groggily. And then, when comprehension dawned... ?HEY, IT?S NOT LIKE I?M INSIDE THE FUCKING SLEEPING BAG!? he cried, hoisting himself up onto his elbows so he could glare at Miroku. ?Hush, you?ll wake her,? Miroku cautioned, holding a finger to his lips. ?And what would SHE think?? Looking as if this thought had just occurred to him, Inuyasha glanced down at Kagome?s sleeping face. At that moment, she flung out an arm, caught him around the neck, and pulled him close to her. Inuyasha, once again lying prone on the ground, looked stunned and quite unsure of what to do next. ?Mph,? she mumbled, squeezing him close. ?Buyo...? ?WHAT did you call me?? Inuyasha demanded, quite forgetting that he was lying inches away from her face. By some miracle she didn?t awaken, but ran her nails through his hair. ?Buyo,? she said again. Miroku had lost his smirk, and seemed to be at a loss for words for once. This was too much. Inuyasha sat up abruptly, hair bristling. Kagome?s arm fell limply onto the sleeping bag. ?WHO THE FUCK IS ?BUYO??!!? he yelled. Kagome?s eyes flew open, and she was on her feet in a flash. However, she was still practically mummified in the sleeping bag, so she immediately fell over backward on her rear end. ?WELL?? Inuyasha insisted, advancing on her. He had yet to notice the menace that now clung to the air around her. Slowly, she sat up, hair sticking out at odd angles. Her expression was halfway between fright and prelude to explosion. ?What?s...going...ON?? she asked slowly, glaring at Inuyasha. Not about to be intimidated, he moved over and crouched down next to her, pointing an accusatory finger in her direction. ?So who?s this ?Buyo,? EH, Kagome? Is there something you?d like to TELL us?? Kagome was so surprised that she was struck speechless for a moment. Then she seemed to regain her composure. ?Inuyasha, where did you hear that name?? she asked him calmly. His face reddened, and the accusatory finger drooped away. ?You said it when you--that is--when I was--oh, damn it all.? He turned away in a huff. Kagome watched him as he rose and turned away. She seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh. ?I?ll tell you,? she said primly, ?when you?re ready to explain YOURSELF.? ?Shaddup,? he fired back. ?All right, you lot. I smell the demon again, so get ready to move out.? Miroku and a groggy-looking Shippou stared at Inuyasha as he issued this mandate: a noticeable tic had developed in the muscle just under his left eye.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Half an hour later, they were off and running through the forest--Miroku running with Shippou on his back and Inuyasha with Kagome on his. He was very grumpy; the tic hadn?t gone away. Kagome?s cold seemed to have improved somewhat during the night--now, at least, she had time to turn her head away from his hair whenever she sneezed. (Shippou had collected some leaves for her to use in place of the depleted tissue supply.) The sunny weather gave no indication that it was going to change anytime soon, and Kagome counted her blessings as she was jounced along on Inuyasha?s back. There had been more signs of the demon because the rain had let up, and from the freshness of the tracks Inuyasha seemed hopeful that they would overtake it that night. Privately, Kagome was not so sure she WANTED to overtake it. Aside from its bloodlust, it also seemed to be immensely strong. They passed through places in the forest where even the thickest stands of bamboo had been torn asunder and flung to either side. There were deep claw marks on the thick stalks. Very little remained of the TREES the demon had destroyed--jumbled splinters of bark, strewn across the path. Echoing her thoughts, Miroku murmured, ?What mindless rage would drive it to destroy everything in its path? There?s no REASON behind all this...? ?Heh,? Inuyasha laughed harshly. ?Demons don?t need a REASON for their hatred. When you?re that powerful, every feeling you have, every passion of yours...leaves a mark on the world around you. That?s why tracking this thing is so fucking easy.? ?I?d say it?s certainly made its desires apparent,? Miroku commented thoughtfully. ?We know it bears an exceptional grudge toward human children; it chooses to kill unnecessarily in that instance. We know something vital lies to the south, because it destroys everything obstacle in its path.? ?But we also know the limits of its strength,? Kagome said suddenly, ?because none of the hills have been destroyed, and those are certainly in its way. And we know it?s afraid of SOMETHING, because at night it hides itself away somehow where you can?t pick up its scent.? ?Hey, you guys, watch where you?re going,? Shippou cried. Inuyasha halted mid-stride, one foot poised to step out over the chasm in front of him. Kagome looked down over his shoulder and screamed. ?Kyaaaaaah!? ?STOP THAT FUCKING NOISE!? Inuyasha demanded, stepping back into a safer position. ?I wouldn?t let you fall!? ?You can ride me instead,? Miroku offered from behind them. This earned him a glare from both of them--Inuyasha?s punctuated by the persistent twitch under his eye. ?What river is THIS?? Kagome asked. She climbed down from Inuyasha?s back and fished a map out of her pack. ?I don?t see it here anywhere.? ?Eh? River?? Inuyasha peered down into the depths of the ravine and espied the silver ribbon of water cutting through its shadows. He crouched down, staring at it intently. Miroku had put Shippou down, and was now investigating the area. He fingered the broken twigs on a nearby tree, then bent to examine the hoof-prints that he had noticed hidden amongst the leaves. ?Something unusual has passed this way,? he observed, tracing one print with two fingers. He placed an [i]oufuda[/i] upon it with the other hand, and abruptly the tracks that came after it became visible. They shone with the unearthly light of the monk?s power, leading to the very edge of the chasm. ?A horse?? Kagome suggested, puzzled. ?Why would it jump? It must have really been panicked.? ?Something was chasing it,? Miroku said grimly. ?The twigs were broken on trees over here as well...? He pointed to a stand of cherry trees ten feet away from the first. ?The horse--or whatever it was--had a very large enemy.? ?Look, it made it to the other side,? Shippou interrupted, pointing excitedly to the opposite edge of the ravine. ?Your [i]oufuda[/i] lit up the hoof-prints over there, too.? Miroku and Kagome followed his pointing finger and saw that the shining tracks led off into the forest there. ?The [i]kehai[/i] left with the tracks is good,? Miroku said. ?In fact, I detect no evil in it at all. But on the trees... The pursuer leaves a [i]kehai[/i] that is distinctly dark.? ?They aren?t far off, either,? Kagome murmured, her eyes taking on a far-away look. ?I can still sense the Shikon shards. One of them has some...no, a LOT of them...? ?Naraku was here,? Inuyasha said, unexpectedly. He was still crouching at the chasm?s edge, staring fixedly at the river. ?I?d know that stench anywhere.? He frowned, then straightened and rose to his feet. ?Is something wrong, Inuyasha?? Miroku asked, coming to stand beside him. Reluctantly, Inuyasha turned away from the edge. ?Nothing. This place just seems familiar, is all.? There was a huskiness in his tone that belied greater meaning, but the monk knew better than to pursue something the [i]hanyou[/i] didn?t want to reveal. Miroku held his staff out over the chasm, and the rings around its head jangled inexplicably. A great wind rose suddenly, ruffling the monk?s sleeve, then subsided as quickly as it had come. He quickly withdrew the staff. ?There is a powerful warding spell on this river,? he noted. ?We can cross, I think, but I doubt Naraku was able to.? ?Well, then let?s stop wasting time,? Inuyasha said gruffly. ?C?mon, Kagome.? Obediently she climbed onto his back and he leaped across the gap. Strangely enough, no wind arose with his passage; nor when he leaped back across to help Miroku and Shippou. When he re-crossed the chasm with both of them in tow, the wind DID arise. ?Interesting,? Miroku murmured, looking thoughtful. ?Did you notice--?? ?Cram it, [i]houshi[/i],? Inuyasha snapped. And then, of course, they were off.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]Two days of relatively uneventful travel passed. The scent trail of the dragon-footed demon remained clear as ever. The rains picked up again, making Kagome?s cold worse and everyone crankier in general. Whenever Miroku brought up the phenomenon of the chasm warding Inuyasha responded by coldly ignoring him. ?[i]It?s not like him[/i],? Kagome thought worriedly. ?[i]I much prefer him when he?s threatening physical violence to THIS... He must really be hiding something for it to make him act this way.?[/i] Inuyasha?s twitch hadn?t gone away, but he was in such a foul mood that he wouldn?t let Kagome get him alone to talk. At night he took extra care to sleep at least ten feet away from her, all the while sending her suspicious glances whenever she zipped herself into her sleeping bag. Then, on the third day, Inuyasha picked up Naraku?s scent and bolted on ahead, leaving Miroku and Shippou in his dust. Kagome clung on for dear life, because hatred of the enemy had given wings to the [i]hanyou?s[/i] feet. They finally skidded to a halt in a clearing--or, rather, the site where the battle underway had destroyed the surrounding foliage. Naraku--taking on the form of a man, save for the scythes protruding from his elbows where his arms should?ve been--seemed to have cornered his intended prey. A white horse, bearing upon its head one horn, pawed at the ground and then reared, striking at its enemy with its front hooves. Its blows left deep runnels in the hard-packed earth, and when its horn happened to touch Naraku, he flinched away as if burned by it. At its back was a stand of bamboo, too dense to allow it to escape. Embedded in its horn was a Shikon shard. ?Naraku,? Inuyasha growled, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. ?Long time, no fucking see, eh?? ?Leave it alone!? Kagome replied, addressing Naraku and referring to the white beast. ?Inuyasha,? Naraku breathed, and in a great explosion of flesh discarded his humanoid form. ?I HATE spiders,? Kagome cried in horror and disgust. Inuyasha shoved her aside and into the trees, and then flew at the enormous multi-eyed spider, which reared overhead. (All of its eyes were violet.) He drew Tetsusaiga and swung at it, but though the thing was big it wasn?t slow. In a flash it had dodged the attack, and bore down suddenly upon its original prey. [i]?The ssssshard[/i],? the spider hissed, clacking its mandibles. ?I will have it.? One of Naraku?s legs stabbed downward. The white beast moved swiftly, but nonetheless its enemy scored a glancing blow, leaving a wicked-looking gash in its heaving side. It screamed: a high, pure note of rage and pain. And then Inuyasha was moving, swinging Tetsusaiga once more. ?Shape-shifting BASTARD,? he snarled. ?Don?t you ever get tired of fucking PURPLE? [i]TET--SUSAIGA[/i]!? The blade?s [i]kenatsu[/i] nearly clove the spider in two. The carcass crashed to the forest floor, scattering dead leaves in every direction. ?Oh, my, a [i]KIRIN[/i]!? Miroku exclaimed. He had just emerged onto the scene, closely followed by Kagome, who was carrying Shippou. ?A WHAT?? Inuyasha asked, wiping purple gore off his blade and onto the grass, which promptly withered. The beast paced nervously back and forth--Inuyasha and the carcass stood between it and its escape route. The [i]hanyou[/i] wasn?t about to let it leave just yet; not while it possessed a jewel shard. ?A [i]kirin[/i],? Miroku repeated, approaching it cautiously. It watched him warily with its fierce, diamond eyes. ?It is the purest creature to walk the earth,? he went on. ?It is said that the [i]kirin[/i] is only sent down from Heaven when it comes time to choose a new ruler. The creature then ordains that ruler by kneeling before him.? He paused, frowning. ?Though why it?s using a Shikon shard is beyond me...? ?It?s beautiful,? Kagome breathed, approaching it as well. ?Can you eat it?? Inuyasha inquired. ?NO!? Kagome and Miroku cried at once, horrified. Inuyasha shrugged and got to his feet, slinging Tetsusaiga over one shoulder. ?Well, too bad. It?ll have to be wasted when I kill it for the Shikon shard.? Miroku chose that moment to crack him over the head with his staff. ?UWHAAA!? Inuyasha cried, thudding noisily to the ground. The [i]kirin[/i], wasting no time, sprang over his prone body and galloped off. It skirted around the bamboo grove and then returned to its previous course. ?It?s heading due south,? Kagome observed. ?How odd; just like the demon we?re tracking.? ?And Naraku?s heading south as well, pursuing it for its jewel shard,? Miroku added. ?Sooner or later they?re going to cross paths with our quarry. Hopefully one will kill the other off.? Kagome?s gaze became narrow and steely-eyed. ?Excluding the [i]kirin[/i], I mean,? he amended hastily. ?Hey, Kagome, where?s Naraku?s shard?? Inuyasha asked, rubbing his head and looking sore in more ways than one. ?You sensed he had one, right?? ?Up its butt,? she snapped, still miffed at him for wanting to eat the [i]kirin[/i]. Miroku looked quite surprised, and Shippou?s eyes went luminous with mirth. ?I?m SERIOUS!? Inuyasha told her. ?So am I,? she replied. ?It really IS--? Inuyasha frowned at her suspiciously. ?You?re lying.? ?Certainly NOT,? she said crossly. ?And in case you?re wondering, I am NOT going to be the one to get it.? ?Feh,? Inuyasha muttered, eyeing the spider?s enormous purple abdomen with obvious distaste. But in the end he dug it out with both arms and his sword, and after presenting it to her made a run for the nearest brook to bathe.[/color] [center][color=purple][b]{#} {#} {#}[/b][/color][/center] [color=blue]That night, with the rain pattering softly on the leaves above, the group sat huddled around the campfire. Shippou was recounting in vivid, gruesome detail the earlier shard extraction process for Inuyasha?s benefit, while Miroku listened with poorly-disguised amusement. Inuyasha was shoveling ramen into his mouth and trying to appear unruffled by it all. He still had the tic. Kagome was poring over her maps once again, squinting at the tiny lines and squiggles. Ever so often she would turn away from it to sneeze, but for the most part she remained intent upon her task. ?Is that for an ?exam? in your ?geography? studies?? Miroku asked politely. [/color][color=purple][/color][/font]