Sango spoke, "It's so warm for this time of year. I don't understand it."
InuYasha spoke, "This happens every so often. Some autumns are warmer than others. I've seen others like this."
"When?" Miroku asked.
InuYasha shrugged, "About 70 years ago, I think."
There was a pause.
"I forget, sometimes," Sango said softly, "That's you're so much older than us."
""Physically," Kagome said, "But not mentally."
"What's that mean?" the hanyou asked.
Kagome blinked, "I mean you're the same age as we are, in your behavior and stuff."
"Oh..." InuYasha fell silent.
Kagome closed her eyes, "Although..."
"Knock it off," InuYasha growled, and Kagome smiled at him. He faintly smiled back.
Miroku sighed, "I don't like it, though. It might happen every so often, but it's not good."
"Why not?" Shippo asked innocently.
DarkWind now spoke up, "Because, Kitsune-child, many animals use the seasons to help themselves."
Shippo spoke again, "But if it's still warm, isn't that good? I mean they won't be cold, and there's still lots and bugs, and..."
DarkWind spoke again, "The thing is, often these warm periods of time end suddenly. Some animals do not migrate because it is warm, and then when the warm weather ends so suddenly, they are stranded. It is too late to try migrating, and they must try to survive in the winter in a land they are unfamiliar with for that season."
"That's right," Sango said, "And there are other animals that need the winter. Some birds and small animals store a winter's supply of food in the ground or in the trees, and if it doesn't freeze, their winter supply of fod can turn rotten, and then they have nothing to eat."
"The world is a very wonderful, complex thing," DarkWind said, "Everything works as it should. And then when something like this happens....animals and people can suffer."
"That's terrible!" Shippo said.
There was silence for a minute, and DarkWInd turned to Kagome, frowning slightly. He could sense she was feeling down, sadder than usual.
"Nushi?"
Everyone turned and looked at Kagome.
"Oh...it's nothing. I just...my world is so polluted and we're experiencing what's known as "Global warming", and.....it's just really sad. Let's talk about something else, ok?"
InuYasha spoke, "I think..."
"InuYasha?"
The hanyou paused for a second, then spoke, "It was a Hunter's Moon last night."
Kagome nodded, "I noticed. Are you going to head to Sokai's?"
"Yeah, I think so. She said it was a few days after the Hunter's Moon. I'll head on up. Are..." he glanced at her, "Are you coming?"
"We all are," Kagome smiled.
"That's right," Sango said, smiling, "I was telling Kagome the other day I'm looking forward to seeing her again."
"Indeed," Miroku smiled, "She's quite a charming child."
"I even bought her something!" Shippo said.
InuYasha looked at him, "You did?"
"We all did!" Kagome laughed, "You can't show up to a child's birthday and not bring them something."
"What did you get her, InuYasha?" Shippo asked.
"You'll see later," InuYasha said.
"You did get her something, didn't you?!" the Kitsune demanded.
"Yes I got her something, stupid! Mind your own business!"
"When should we leave?" Kagome asked, "She lives in the mountains. InuYasha can run in a day, but there's no real need to rush, is there?"
"We can take our time," Miroku smiled, "Enjoy the scenery. I see the leaves are just starting to turn."
"That's another thing," Sango said, "The leaves are changing, but it's not getting cool. How is that possible?"
Kagome remained silent. Being from the future, of course, she understood that the seasons weren't brought about by temperature, but the distance of the earth to the sun. So in a way, it was possible for the leaves to change, because the earth was moving away from the sun, and the leaves were getting less and less sunlight, so changing.
But why was it still warm?
They packed up a little later that day, and started the trip towards the mountain. DarkWind and Shippo ranged on ahead a little, talking amongst themselves. Kagome was happy to see that the Kitsune, at least, had taken to the Kageri. Shippo had become a self-appointed teacher for the Kageri, teaching him about this world, and how much it had changed since the last time he walked here.
Kagome wasn't sure if that was a dangerous idea or not. But it kept both the child and the Kageri out of the way. And InuYasha seemed a little more at ease when the Kageri wasn't too close to Kagome.
"So," Kagome asked him as they walked along the path, "Can I ask what you did get for Sokai?"
InuYasha didn't look at her, "I got her a sword."
"What? InuYasha!"
"Take it easy," he said, "It's small, and it's got no edge. She can't hurt herself or anyone else with it. It's for practice."
Kagome calmed down a little. Remembering the little girl's temper, she wasn't sure a sword was a good idea. But if it was dull...
"It's a practice sword," he said again, not sure she understood, "You know. The roundish ones."
"Ok," she smiled, "But why on earth-"
"She had a Tetsusaiga."
"What?"
Kagome looked at him, amused to see he was blushing, "She told me she had a Tetsusaiga...a little...you know, a little wooden thing she made. Like mine. But she lost it when she was leading the other kids to find me. So I wanted to get her something of her own."
Kagome beamed, "That's so cute!"
InuYasha said nothing, just walked, blushing.
"She thinks so much of you, InuYasha."
A voice came to him, of Sokai's grandfather, "She thinks of you as her father, InuYasha."
What do I do? I'm no father! I'm not responsible enough to...to...
InuYasha glanced at her, saw her smiling at him, and spoke warily, "What?"
"You're blushing."
"I am not!"
"Yes you are!"
He snorted.
Kagome laughed.
InuYasha glanced at her. She seemed happy. Really happy. The quiet look was gone from her face. There was color in her face, her eyes seemed sparkly.
At least she's happy.
He inwardly sighed.
They walked on.
All that day they travelled. Shippo ranged out front, chatting easily with the Kageri. Kagome was starting to think about checking in on them, to make sure Shippo wasn't confusing DarkWind any more than necessary.
"Why don't we stop and eat?" Sango asked, "We're making excellent time."
"Good idea."
Once more, DarkWind hovered in the air in a sitting position, watching as the others settled down. As before, Kagome gave him a small amount, so he could partake of eating with the others.
Kagome kept an eye on InuYasha. He seemed to be in better spirits now, at least. She suspected it had something to do with the fact they were going to meet the little girl. She always cheered him up.
"Who are we going to see?" DarkWind asked, his chopsticks hovered over his bowl.
"Her name is Sokai," Sango said, "A little demon girl we met a while back. She's very adorable, and full of spirit."
"She's really taken to InuYasha," Kagome smiled.
DarkWind smiled as well, but InuYasha didn't see, more concerned on his food.
"She thinks she's going to be six," Sango said, "She really can't remember her age, but her grandfather, the leader of her pack, says she'll be 6."
"She's amazing!" Shippo said, "She can bring things back from the dead!"
DarkWind blinked, "What?"
"It's true," Kagome said, "She brought Kirara back, after she had been killed in a fight. Kirara was in her little form, then. Sokai says she can only bring back small things."
"How very extraordinary!"
The wind was dying off.
He was in a foul mood, sulking against a tree.
Muzan did not have time to appease him. The newcomer stood before her.
"Are you sure you know what to do?" Muzan asked the new Shadeling. He looked wild and uncontrollable, and she didn't like working with these kinds of people. But the ones she was working with now seemed to be failing her.
"Of course I do," grinned the man. He was bald, and his eyes were strange, having no iris or pupil. His eyes were pure white, like pearls in his face. There were strange markings on his robes, ublikely to be read by anyone of this world.
"Just kill as many as you can," Muzan said tartly, "No performances. No fun. Just do your job and get out, and you'll be rewarded handsomely."
The wild man nodded, and turned, walking away to force a confrontation with InuYasha's group.
Neith spoke up, from where he leaned against the tree, "Why are you trying to kill them? They could be so useful to us!"
"I don't have time," Muzan snarled. Neith looked at her closely. She had been in a bad mood herself, for days now.
"What do you mean, you don't have time?"
Muzan turned on Neith, "They have a Kageri! My spies report they have a Kageri with them! Things are getting tense now!"
Neith walked to her, "So they have a Kageri."
"Are you a fool? You know we cannot stand against a Kageri! They are more powerful than you pathethic Shadelings!"
"You don't know that-"
"Do you want to go down and see?"
Silence.
"I thought not."
"Well, who owns the Kageri? We could just go and kill that person."
"We don't know who owns it. We cannot see the link. It's a good protection. We have to try and kill as many as we can. That's why I brought in that new Shadeling. If he fails....no matter."
Neith grinned, "Why Muzan, how kind of you!"
"Stuff it, Neith. I care nothing for you, but I've trained you too much to lose any of you now. Better this stranger die than you."
"I still want to try and subvert InuYasha to our cause."
"You can try all you want, you know he's not going to-"
"We don't any such thing now, Muzan. Kagome rejected him! He's weaker now. Easier to corrupt. Give me one more chance."
Muzan studied him silently. Neith seemed very intent on getting InuYasha to join the cause. Was it true, what Jemu had told her? That the half-Shadeling felt some strange bond with the hanyou?
"I will think on it, Neith. Please me, and I will give you that chance."
Neith grinned, "You won't regret it."
The lunch over, the group was packing up, getting ready to move on again.
"DarkWind?"
The Kageri looked over at Kagome, "Yes?"
"Did you tell Sango that you have..."lands"...on another plane?"
"I do indeed. Sort of in the same way humans have "lords", I suppose. A group of individuals who look to me for guidance and so on. I like to go back and make sure all runs well."
"Who looks after it when you're...asleep?"
He smiled, "I have a "second-in-command", as it were. He watches the place for me."
She nodded, and then he spoke, "Would you like to see it?"
"What, now?"
DarkWind shook his head, "No, we are going to the child's birthday, no? Some other time."
Kagome smiled, "I think I'd like that."
"Come on!" Miroku called back, "Let's get going!"
They walked on, talking lightly amongst themselves about this and that. Shippo chatted endlessly about the party, and what sorts of food were likely to served.
"They're Wolf Demons," InuYasha said, "They're probably going to cook you and eat you."
"Augh!"
"InuYasha!" Kagome scolded, "Honestly!"
"D-Do you think it's safe, Kagome?" the kitsune asked.
"Yes, Shippo, I'm sure they won't eat any guests." Kagome glared at InuYasha, telling him to stop it.
"What?" the hanyou asked, "They might."
"InuYasha, you shouldn't-"
"Guys?" Sango asked.
They stopped, and looked at her. Sango was pointing up the path ahead of them, and they all turned to look.
There was a strange man standing there, bald, and with strange, white eyes. He wore black robes with red runes on them, symbols no one could make any sense out of.
InuYasha could already sense the power coming off this person, and he spoke lowly, "It's a Shadeling."
"Another one?" Kagome cried, dismayed. How many were there?
DarkWind spoke lowly, "This is one of the Shadelings you spoke of?"
"Yes," Kagome said, "It is. Though we don't know this one, he's...new."
"Well hello there!" the stranger spoke, "I thought I was going to have to search a lot longer for you than this! How convenient!"
"You were looking for us?" Miroku spoke, "Why?"
"Oh come now," the Shadeling spoke, "I think you know perfectly well why. I'm here to kill you!"
Everyone blinked. They had expected it, of course, but for the Kageri to just come out and say it like that-
"Guess again," InuYasha snarled, "You're not killing anyone here."
Muzan and Neith moved, standing on a cliffside, overlooking the little group. From where they stood they could not be seen.
"I want to see InuYasha for myself," Muzan said, "Get a good look at this....hanyou."
Neith grinned, "You saw him before, when Jemu was battling him."
"Not that close," Muzan said, "Now be quiet. I want to watch."
The strange Shadeling spoke, "Now now, why fight the inevitable? I'm going to kill all of you, so wouldn't it just be easier to just give up now?"
"You're really something else!" InuYasha snarled, "Man, I can't believe the ego on you!"
The Shadeling grinned, and moved his hands in a strange patter, "Which of all of you should I kill first?"
InuYasha growled, and pulled the Tetsusaiga, taking up a battle stance.
Behind him, DarkWind shifted, and spoke very lowly to Kagome, "Nushi, should I-"
"No," Kagome said, wringing her hands, "I mean...I don't know...I don't want anyone hurt, but...." She knew that if DarkWind interfered with InuYasha, the hanyou would never forgive the Kageri. Ever. His pride would be hurt. But she was afraid someone would be hurt...
"Well," the strange Shadeling said, "Let's just get the lesser ones out of the way, hmmm?"
He moved his hands in a frantic motion, and everyone tensed.
Shippo, who had been perched atop Miroku's shoulder, was suddenly, violently, blasted off the monk's shoulder, as if struck hard with an invisible object.
"Shippo!"
He struck hard, nearly knocking himself unconscious, sprawling on the ground, crying out in shock and pain.
Kagome started to run towards the Kitsune, crying out his name, "Shippo!"
InuYasha looked at the Shadeling, "You bastard! Can't take on a real threat?!"
"Oh please," the Shadeling laughed, and moved his hands again. Again, poor little Shippo went flying, bouncing cruelly on the ground. This time when he landed, he howled in pain.
"Stop it!" Kagome cried, "He's just a little kid!"
Shippo, landing, tried to move, and then froze. His voice was high-pitched with fear, "I...I can't move!"
"Shippo!"
Shippo gasped, as if in pain, and Kagome saw the Kitsune's face go red with effort, "I...c-c-can't...b-b-breathe..."
"Stop it!" Sango yelled, and lunged atop Kirara, who had morphed into her large form. The cat ran at the Shadeling, Sango readying her weapon.
DarkWind was right beside Kagome, and she spoke to him, "What's going on?" She tried to reach the child, but something was holding her back, some sort of invisible wall. In front of her, she could see Shippo, spread out on the ground, eyes squeezed shut.
DarkWind dissapeared from beside her, and reappeared next to the Kitsune, kneeling. It suddenly looked as if the Kageri was being pushed down by something.
Kagome watched as the Kageri raised his hands above him, palms up, just above his shoulders, as if pushing up on something invisible.
"There is a very powerful, heavy force here!" the Kageri yelled back to her, "It's trying to crush the child!"
With DarkWind taking on some of the force, Shippo was able to raise his head. Kagome saw he had started turning blue from lack of oxygen. Now that the force was off him, he was able to take in a deep, whooping breath, "Ka-Kagome..."
"Can you move, Shippo?!"
"There's a barrier around us," DarkWind said, "I could lower it, but I will have to let go of this weight first, and I fear it may kill him!"
Kagome turned, looking at InuYasha, who was watching all this worriedly.
"InuYasha, you have to stop him! He's trying to kill Shippo!"
The hanyou turned back to the strange Shadeling, "All right, you, knock it off right now! Leave Shippo alone!"
"Stop me," the Shadeling grinned, and raised a fierce-looking weapon: like a sword, but with many nasty-looking hooks and pointed parts, and motioned for the hanyou to make his move.
"So," InuYasha said, holding up his sword, "You got a name, or what?"
The Shadeling grinned, "I go by the name of Buniko. But you don't have to remember it. You'll be dead soon enough."
The Shadeling raised his hands, and a long bladed kitana appeared, the blade itself was a dark grey, almost a black.
InuYasha felt a strange chill coming off the blade, and knew this was no ordinary weapon.
Kagome looked back to where DarkWind was holding the invisible weight off the kitsune child. Shippo, able to breathe better, had more color in his face now, and was sitting up, two little hands pressed against the invisible barrier, looking out at her.
"DarkWind," Kagome said lowly, "How long can you hold that up?"
"It's not that heavy, Nushi," the Kageri said, "I can hold it as long as I am needed, but I am unable to help InuYasha-Warrior for fear of killing the child."
"Yeah!" Shippo blurted, "We don't want the child dead!!"
"InuYasha can handle this on his own," Kagome said, looking back at the hanyou, I hope.....
Up above, Muzan and Neith watched. Muzan was silent, looking at InuYasha. Where they were standing now, they could not be seen, for Muzan had woven a spell of invisibility around them.
"If we are invisible," Neith said, "Why do we not move closer?"
Muzan shook her head, "InuYasha will be able to sense us, not to mention smell us. And the monk...he may be able to sense us as well. So we stay here."
Neith leaned forward, grinning, "This should be good. InuYasha's a real battler."
Muzan spoke, almost as if to herself, "Yes...."
"I have heard of that sword," Buniko said, eying the Tetsusaiga, "A most impressive blade."
"Yeah, and if you don't stop attacking Shippo you'll get a real close look at it - right between your eyes!"
"Oh? And what are you going to do, hanyou? Flash me to death? Haven't you learned by now? Your WindScar doesn't work on us Shadelings."
InuYasha seethed with fury, tightening his hands on the hilt of his sword.
Miroku walked up to stand beside the hanyou, and spoke lowly, "Easy InuYasha. He's trying to anger you into action."
"Yeah, and it's workin'." InuYasha growled.
"Well?" Buniko spoke, "Let's go, InuYasha. I haven't got all day."
InuYasha growled lowly, and then spoke, "Get outta the way, Miroku."
"InuYasha, you can't-"
"Get out of the way."
Sighing in frusteration, the monk stepped back, readying his staff in case there was anything he could do to help.
Grinning, Buniko attacked.
InuYasha lunged forward, leaping up to meet Buniko, and they met in midair, a resounding crash as their blades crashed together; the massive Tetsusaiga, and the lighter but very strong kitana. Sparks flew when blade hit blade, and the combatants seperated again, landing, to turn and regard the other.
InuYasha, though he didn't want to, had to admit that the slender kitana was a powerful blade, and the chill it put in the air as he flew towards it made his very bones feel cold.
Buniko smiled, "Not bad, InuYasha. Your blade is very strong. A pity you aren't strong enough to weild it."
InuYasha swallowed back his anger, trying to keep it under control. He knew he was too capable of becoming too enraged, and making stupid mistakes as a result.
"Don't be so sure of yourself," InuYasha grinned, and leapt again.
So did Buniko, and both fighters swung.
InuYasha followed through on his swing, missing Buniko, but the kitana did not miss it's mark, and the blade bit into InuYasha's left shoulder. The hanyou locked his teeth against the scream that threatened to burst out, as a cold so deep it ached ripped through his arm, and his left hand loosened on the hilt.
Landing a little roughly, InuYasha juggled the hilt of the Tetsusaiga to take most of the weight in his right hand, trying to keep his opponant from seeing his left hand was weaker.
To InuYasha it felt like his very bones had turned to ice, and his entire arm throbbed and ached terrible, to the point his heart was pounding. His left hand had gone weak, unable to tighten properly on the hilt.
Buniko, however, didn't need to see the hand to know what his sword had done.
He grinned, "What's the matter, InuYasha? Is there something wrong with your hand?"
"Nothing you need be concerned with, bastard," InuYasha snarled, trying to force some strength into his hand.
He heard Miroku speak from beside him, "InuYasha, how badly are you-"
"I'm fine." he growled, and lunged again.
InuYasha, slow down, you're doing this all wrong! You're going to get yourself killed!
Kagome, back by the Kageri, watched InuYasha, her hands clenched tightly together.
InuYasha, be careful! Don't push yourself!
She clenched her hands, and looked again towards DarkWind, "Can you break the barrier yet?"
The Kageri looked at her, unhappy, "If I try, Nushi, I fear the child may be crushed."
Kagome, with a soft whimper, looked back towards the fighting hanyou.
DarkWind looked towards InuYasha as well.
How can I do this? Surely there must be some way I can help InuYasha-Warrior and not have to lose Shippo-Child as well! Yet this power is strong, and if I slip in any way, the child will be crushed. No matter who I choose to save, Nushi will grieve....
InuYasha lunged again, swinging towards the Shadeling, using his good hand to push the blade, and his weaker one to just guide it.
Buniko watched the hanyou coming, and spinning, swung again.
InuYasha tried to move out of the way, but he was too slow, and his right thigh was scored.
His leg went completely numb, and he stumbled, falling to his side, cursing in fury.
Miroku ran over to the downed hanyou, robes flapping, Sango right behind him, "InuYasha!"
The monk knelt beside him, looking up at Buniko for a second, then back to the hanyou, and spoke lowly, "Can you stand?"
"My...my godsdamned leg..." he growled, one hand to his wounded thigh. The blood welled out over his hand, and even it felt cold, "It's numb."
"We have to get him out of here," Miroku said to Sango, lowly, and she nodded. Kirara moved in, preparing to lower herself.
"No!" InuYasha yelled, "I'm not running!"
"InuYasha, make sense!" Sango said lowly, "You need to heal. How can you fight if you can't even stand?"
"Where's that damned Kageri?" InuYasha snarled, furious with himself, "If he's so damned good, why isn't he-"
"He's keeping Shippo from being crushed," Sango said lowly.
InuYasha cursed again, "And how am I supposed to run if we can't get Shippo out? What do we do, leave him behind?"
Miroku looked around, frusterated and upset.
"Maybe I can distract-"
"No!" InuYasha snarled again, slowly getting to his feet, "How the hell do you expect to take him if I can't?"
"Then what do you suggest?" Miroku asked, angry.
"He's coming!" Sango warned, and turning, ran at Buniko. Miroku watched, frightened, but she stopped short, letting her weapon go spinning outwards.
Buniko saw it coming, and turned to meet it, but he misjudged the speed, and it struck him, knocking him clear off his feet with a shocked shout.
Before Miroku could say anything, Sango darted forward, to retreive her weapon, to throw it again.
But Buniko was up already, and furious, turned, and sped towards the demon-slayer, blade ready.
"Sango!"
She saw him coming, and lunged, but not forward. Backward, where Kirara was waiting. With one hand she caught the feline's fur and hoisted herself up onto her back. Kirara roared in anger at Buniko.
Buniko snarled, and lunged upwards, and spinning, sent his blade flying outwards towards them.
Kirara, protecting HerSango, turned, and caught the blade along her hind leg.
With a screech of pain, the giant feline faltered, and clumsily fell from the sky, no longer able to support her weight in the air. Sango cried her name, terrified Kirara had been slain.
The tumble from the sky was hard, and Sango went flying, to crash amongst some bushes, while Kirara landed roughly on the ground.
"Sango! Kirara!" Miroku ran towards them.
"You son of a bitch," InuYasha snarled, and pushed himself up off the ground, wavering slightly as he tried to keep his weight off his weak leg, "Why don't you just die?"
He raised the Tetsusaiga over his head, and brought it slamming down, biting deep into the ground.
"WindScar!"
The bright attack went flashing outwards.
Tetsusaiga, please, work for me now!
The light flared brightly, and he squinted to see into it.
For a second, it looked like it had worked.
Until he saw Buniko walk from the light, shaking his head.
InuYasha seemed to sag a little.
Tetsusaiga...why?
"You just don't learn very well, do you?" Buniko said, grinning, "Your attack doesn't work on us!"
InuYasha tightened his hand on the hilt, flicking his eyes towards where Miroku and Sango were. He could just see Kirara standing up, holding her injured foot off the ground, and Miroku helping Sango out from the bushes. The man, woman, and feline, were looking back at him, frightened and unsure.
Tetsusaiga...I'm no longer worthy of you. Is that it?
He looked at the blade and felt a strange, deep sorrow.
Everything leaves, he thought, weakly.
A light, flashing overhead caught his attention, and he looked up, in time to see a brightly glowing arrow shooting over head.
He turned, to see Kagome running up towards him, bow in her hand. Both her hands and the bow was glowing faintly, "You leave him alone!"
He could see the Shikon, under her shirt, was glowing, very, very faintly, nothing nearly as strong as that time she had weilded it completly.
The arrow slammed into Buniko, hard, taking him clear off his feet, throwing him back a few feet.
"Kagome!"
But she was already notching another one, "You don't hurt him!" she howled, and sent another one flying.
Buniko was just standing up when the second arrow caught him in the arm, and he dropped his kitana with a shriek. He had never been hurt like this before. The arrows sticking into him burned with a deep fire that stole his breath away.
He looked up at the woman, who was readying yet another arrow, and fury rose in him. With a muffled curse, he threw out his arm, palm out towards her, and uttered a single word.
InuYasha felt it coming. He tried to push her out of the way, but his numb arm and leg slowed him.
It was like a sudden, chilling wind, and suddenly Kagome was knocked back, hard, almost flying out of her shoes with the impact, all the breath knocked out of her chest. The attack was like what had hit Shippo, only this was a thousand times worse.
She flew back a good 20 feet, slamming into the ground hard enough to leave a hollow gouge in the ground.
~NUSHI!~
"Kagome!"
She lay still, and he hobbled back to her, horrified that she wasn't moving. His lame leg faltered, and he fell to one knee. Cursing his lameness, he half crawled over to her, calling her name.
DarkWind spoke in her mind.
~Nushi!~
The pain was intense, but she was able to send him a message, ~Stay with Shippo.~
~But-!~
~Stay with him!~
When InuYasha caught up to her, he saw her eyes were open, and she was looking at him. Her face was pale, eyes wide with fear. There was a lot of fear and pain in those eyes, and a mute beg for help.
"Kagome!"
Her voice was the smallest squeak, "I...can't...breathe...."
She was being pinned, crushed, as Shippo had been.
InuYasha looked up at Buniko, "LET HER GO!"
"That bitch dared attack me! I'll make her into goo!"
InuYasha turned, fury rising up inside him. The image of her eyes, mutely appealing for help, made his blood burn, searing everything else away but Buniko, standing before him.
He spoke, his voice rougher and deeper than normal, "I'll crush you into dirt, you filth."
His anger fueling him, he raised the Tetsusaiga over his head, and brought it crashing back down again, to bite deep into the ground.
"WINDSCAR!"
What came forth was not the WindScar.
At first it appeared to be the WindScar. The bright light flashed outwards, speeding towards it's prey.
And then something odd happened.
The bright light began to move back and forth, like a serpent, winding it's way towards the Shadeling. Buniko, for his part, grinned at the light moving towards him, thinking InuYasha a fool for trying this yet again.
The light burst into flame.
Massive flames roared outwards, white-hot in the center, a bright golden at the edges, brilliant and almost severe in it's intensity.
InuYasha threw up an arm to cover his face, confused as to just what happened.
There was a horrified scream, a scream of agony, and then silence, as the flames burned and devoured.
Up above, Muzan gave a startled gasp, stepping backwards, as if the flames could hit her. Neith gave a startled curse.
"No!" Muzan shouted in anger, "That damned hanyou!"
"What the hell is it?!"
Muzan narrowed her eyes, and hissed, "Izumi."
For a second, InuYasha thought, that for some reason, the Tetsusaiga had exploded, and had unleased all it's fury, destroying everything before him....and maybe even him. The roar of the flames blocked out all sound.
And as suddenly as it started, it stopped, dying back.
The light vanished, leaving only tiny little fires burning here and there, bits of grass and leaves, and then with a soft sigh, they too puffed out, leaving nothing.
InuYasha stood there, Tetsusaiga resting on the ground, hilt in hand, eyes wide.
"What the hell...?"
"InuYasha?" a weak voice.
He turned to see Kagome pushing herself up into a sitting position, looking at him with wide eyes.
InuYasha dropped the Tetsusaiga, as if hot, and hobbled to her, kneeling beside her. He grabbed her shoulders, "Are you ok?!"
"InuYasha..." her voice was a whisper, "What happened?"
"I...I don't know."
~Nushi! Are you hurt?!~
~No...I'm good.~
"Kagome! InuYasha!"
Shippo lunged at them, landing roughly in Kagome's lap. He had tears in his eyes, and hugged her tightly. Kagome hugged him back as Miroku, Sango, and Kirara caught up, "Shippo, are you ok?"
"Yeah. When InuYasha got that Shadeling, the barrier and weight vanished. I fell outside, and DarkWind toppled over!"
Kagome looked back at the Shadeling, who was standing behind her, and smiled, "Thank you."
DarkWind smiled.
"InuYasha," Sango spoke, "What happened?!"
"I...I don't know. I burned everything."
"You burned nothing," Miroku said, "Except Buniko. He's....vaporized."
"What? No, the ground and the fire..." he stood up.
Nothing was burned. Not the grass, not the nearby trees, nothing. There was a faint scorched smell in the air, but nothing was damaged. A dark, somewhat greasy spot was all that was left of Buniko, and the burned outline of a kitana. Even the blade was gone.
"But...the fire..."
Silence.
He helped Kagome to her feet, looking into her face, "Are you sure you're ok?"
She nodded. Her face was a little red from extertion, but she seemed ok. InuYasha turned, and walked back to the Tetsusaiga, picking it up gingerly, just in case it was hot. But the blade was fine.
Looking at it a little closer, he suddenly realized there was a symbol on the blade, right down where the blade joins the hilt. That same symbol he had seen when that strange lady had done something to his sword. A circle, with five little squiggly lines coming off of it.
Tetsusaiga?
He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he turned to see Kagome watching him. She spoke softly, "Are you ok?"
He nodded, and spoke softly back, "Yeah."
Miroku and the others came up, looking at the sword. InuYasha saw that the symbol was gone now, as if cooling off made it dissapear.
InuYasha slid the sword back into the scabbard, and looked at them. He felt strange, with them all looking at him like that.
He shrugged, "Well.....let's keep going."
Kagome spoke, "Your leg?"
"It's....I can feel it now. It's weak, but I can feel it. I think I'll be ok."
"Alright," Kagome said quietly, "But we go slow, until your arm and leg heals."
The group walked in silence for a while, Kagome carrying Shippo, Sango carrying Kirara. The little feline seemed to be feeling better.
No one really knew what to say; they could all feel the emotions coming off the hanyou.
Confusion.
Utter confusion.
What had happened? Why had it happened? HOW had it happened? Did InuYasha himself do it, unknowningly? Or did the Tetsusaiga do it itself? Had it somehow...grown, to meet the new challenges?
InuYasha walked, deep in thought. His leg and arm felt funny, like when it fell asleep and was almost fully awake, but at least they were no longer weak.
None of it makes sense. Nothing. I thought Tetsusaiga had rejected me, but...was it creating a new power? Or does this have something to do with that strange woman? Why would she give me this new attack when I don't even know her?
He sighed.
"InuYasha?"
He looked up to see Kagome walking next to him.
"How are you feeling?"
He was about to snap, to ask her how she thought he felt....when the anger died down. He remembered the fear in her eyes, remembered how she had looked to him for help...
"I'm...confused. I don't understand what happened. Did I do that? Or the Tetsusaiga?"
"I...I think you did."
"How?"
She shook her head, "That I don't know. But Tetsusaiga listens to you, InuYasha, not the other way around."
He nodded, and then smiled at her, hesitantly, "Thank you."
She smiled back, and suddenly resisted a desire to reach out and brush his bangs back from his face, "You'll get a handle on this, InuYasha. Give it a little time. Maybe Tetsusaiga grows, like you do. You get stronger....maybe it does too."
He nodded, and wanted to take her hand, so badly. But he knew that she'd just pull it back.
But she believed in him.
And that meant a lot right now.
Muzan was enraged. Back at the place where they lived, she was cursing and screaming, and throwing things around in utter fury. Everyone had vacated the area at once, even Jemu, not wanting to be within reach when she was like this.
All except for one person.
"Having fun?"
Muzan spun from where she was about to throw a pitcher across the room, to see Omek standing there, leaning against the door, arms crossed, watching her. She smothered down the desire to pitch it at him, and turned away, "Get out."
"You're in a foul mood. What happened?"
"Izumi happened, that's what."
Omek looked interested, "Oh? Tell me."
Calming herself, smoothing her hair, she related what had happened.
Omek grinned, "Are you surprised? You knew Izumi would make sure her side was properly prepared to meet your minions."
"I thought..."
"Thought what? That she'd update you of her movements? You know better. You know Izumi...better than any of us here."
Muzan gave a tired curse, and flopped down on the cushions.
"Don't worry. I have a little surprise waiting for them."
Muzan looked at him, warily, "What do you mean?"
"You'll see."
Grinning, he turned, and slipped out.
Muzan watched him go, and murmured to herself, "Gods, I hate him."
They topped a hill, and saw several Wolf Demons walking towards them. They were obviously planning on meeting with them, and checking them out.
InuYasha moved on ahead, to talk to them, as they knew him.
Sure enough, the Wolf Demons' demeanor changed when they saw who it was. The older one, a female, smiled.
"We were expecting you, InuYasha."
Miroku blinked, "You were?"
"Oh yes," she laughed, "Sokai has had us on high alert, once the Hunter's Moon came. She grills us just about every four hours, asking if anyone has seen you yet."
Kagome laughed, "That's so cute!"
"Where is she?" InuYasha asked.
"Back in the main camp. Go on in, you're expected."
The group walked on, as the two scouts continued on their seperate path, walking a perimeter, watching for trouble.
Sango smiled, "She certainly expected you to keep your promise."
"Well, I said I would!" InuYasha said, somewhat defensive.
"I can't wait to see her again!" Shippo exclaimed.
Kagome thought about what InuYasha had told her, back in her world, a while back. How Sokai had it all planned out: she was going to marry Shippo, and have a little house by the river. She also thought suddenly about how red Souta had become when Sokai had actually visited over there.
"You know, InuYasha," Kagome said, "I never really thought about it, but Sokai's powers must be getting much stronger if she was able to get through the well so easily."
InuYasha nodded, "Yeah. I don't know what she's going to be like when she's an adult, if she's this powerful already."
They walked on, topping a little hill, and coming down the other side, where they could see other Wolf Demons gathered around talking and so on. They didn't look like they were having a party or anything like that. Kagome wasn't sure if Wolf Demon's even celebrated birthday parties in that manner. Sokai was raised by her "Nana" and may have a more human view of things.
InuYasha noticed that there were a few more Wolf Demons here than the last time he had come. Was the pack getting bigger?
He found the pack leader, Sokai's grandfather, standing off to one side, talking to some other Wolf Demons. When he saw InuYasha, he smiled, and turned to him. InuYasha felt a small bit of relief; he remembered the man's words to him, how Sokai felt InuYasha was like her father now, and he wondered how the old man must feel about that.
"InuYasha! I am glad you are here! Sokai has been talking about you non-stop!"
"So we heard," Sango laughed, "How is she, and how are you?"
"We are both well," the old man smiled, "Thank you. Sokai has had a very active day. She's 6 today, and she thinks that makes her grown up."
Kagome laughed, "My little brother was like that."
"So was Kohaku," Sango smiled.
"Where is Sokai?" InuYasha asked, looking around.
"She's currently out with some friends, but she'll be back soon. Are you hungry or tired? We have some extra caves where you can stay."
"That's very kind of you," Miroku said, and the old man motioned for them to follow him. He started walking, and talking, "As you know, we lost many to the Plague that swept through these lands, but we continue to grow. We have had a few survivors from other packs join ours, so we grow in size, and that is good. Nowadays it's not safe to be a very small pack."
"Nowadays?" Kagome asked.
He nodded, "There are powerful demons moving in the forests now, more powerful than I have seen in a long while. And strange creatures."
InuYasha felt a chill move up his back, and he touched his shoulder, where it still throbbed, "Creatures?"
"Yes, they-"
The old man's voice was cut off by a high-pitched squeal, and a flying bundle attacked the hanyou, knocking him onto his feet.
"'YASHA!"
InuYasha hit with a thud, Sokai perched on his stomach, hugging him so tightly she threatened to cut off his air supply.
" 'Yasha! You came like you said!"
InuYasha hacked in reply.
"Sokai," her grandfather said, "Let him breathe."
"Oh! Sorry!"
She sat back, and InuYasha, looking a little blue in the face, sat up, rubbing his throat, "Hey Sokai."
The little girl was positively glowing, smiling at him in adoration, "I knew you'd come!"
"Well, I promised, didn't I?"
"Hmph."
InuYasha looked to the side to see Sutmu standing there, arms crossed, scowling heavily. InuYasha rolled his eyes, "Hello Sutmu."
Only a sullen glare.
InuYasha stood up, picking Sokai up, and turning to the others. Sokai smiled happily at them all, "Hi! Everyone came to my birthday!!"
"We certainly did," Miroku laughed, stepping forward, "A birthday is a very important event."
"Have you been having fun?" Sango asked.
"Oh yes! I got gifts and I ate and ate and ate and I played games, but now 'Yasha is here, and everything's perfect!"
Shippo jumped up onto the monk's shoulder, "We brought you gifts too!"
Sokai clapped her hands, giggling.
Suddenly, her smile vanished, and she fell silent, eyes fixed on the Kageri, who was also watching her. He stepped forward, quietly looking at the little girl.
Kagome saw InuYasha tense, as if he expected the Kageri to suddenly attack her.
No one said a word, as the Kageri and the little girl solemnly stared at each other, seconds ticking by.
Suddenly they both burst out laughing, Sokai hiding her smile behind her hands, "You're funny!"
"He's something," InuYasha muttered.
"So this is the lucky child who is celebrating a birthday!" DarkWind smiled, hands on his hips, "Well, I wish you a powerful and happy life! I fear I did not bring you anything in the way of a gift, for I was not aware until today I would be meeting you. But I shall find you something most suitable for this occasion!"
"Ok," Sokai said, giggling again.
InuYasha rolled his eyes.
Great.
Sutmu, like wise, looked utterly disgusted, and turned, stomping back towards the main area of the pack.
The little group wandered a little, the little girl chatting and telling them all about the things she had gotten, and the things she had done. She was very happy to see them all, and graced each of them with a hug and a kiss, instantly slipping back into their hearts as she had before. But it was to the hanyou she would return over and over, to hold his hand, or ask to be picked up, clearly not willing to leave his side for long.
They had sat to eat, when Sokai, sitting beside Kagome for a minute, looked at DarkWind.
"What are you? You're not a demon, or a human."
"No, I am Kageri."
"Kaggery?"
"Kageri."
"Kalgary?"
"Kageri."
"Kaggairy?"
"Kageri."
The other watched, somewhat surprised, as the little girl tried and tried to grasp the name. DarkWind, for his part, never seemed to lose patience, and simply kept repeating that same word over and over, until it almost became a game.
InuYasha watched, uneasy, as did the monk. Sokai was a little girl, and was very impressionable at the moment, and DarkWind was...well.....evil.
Though they made sure not to say that aloud.
Kagome would flatten them.
"Here, try this:" DarkWind said, "Ka."
"Ka."
"Ger."
"Ger."
"Ree."
"Ree."
"Now try."
"Kaa Gar Ree."
"Perfect!"
Sokai giggled.
Kagome saw something pass over the hanyou's face, and she moved to speak, "Sokai, would you like to see what we have for you now?"
"Oh! Yes please, very much!"
There was a sudden flurry of paper flying about as the little girl ripped into each gift with the delight only a child can muster. Sango gave her a small faded scroll, with animals pictures and words on them.
"It's a reading scroll. You can learn to read this way. Each picture is of an animal, and the writing beside it is the animal's name. This way you will learn to recognise writing."
"Where did you get this?" Sokai asked, looking at the faded pictures.
Sango smiled, "It was mine, when I was your age."
Sokai threw her arms around Sango and hugged her, and kissed her, "Oh, thank you! I'll take good care of it!"
Shippo had given her some toys he had put together himself, and earned himself a kiss as well, turning bright red.
Miroku gave her a good luck charm, made of brightly coloured beads. As he explained to Sango one night, "If anyone needs good luck, it's Sokai." The little girl kissed the monk as well, generously bestowing kisses on everyone, she was in such a good mood.
Kagome had given her some new colouring books and crayons, as well as some soap in the shape of little animals. She hoped it might encourage Sokai to wash up a little more, but she fondly knew it wasn't likely.
Sokai was almost beside herself when InuYasha pulled his gift out of his backpack and handed it to her. It was about two feet long, long and thin. The paper was somewhat clumsily wrapped, and Sokai shredded it in her eagerness.
She gasped in utter delight.
"A sword?! You got me a sword like you!!"
"Yeah, well, you said that you lost - hey! Don't swing it around like that! You'll hit someone!"
Sokai had been in the process of swinging it over her head like some savage beast about to go to war. Kagome was relived to see it indeed had no actual blade, and had somewhat squarish flattened edges were the actual blade would be, though it was metal. She figured the worse she could do would be to bruise herself or anyone else she struck.
InuYasha knelt beside her on one knee, "I'll show you some moves you have to practice, alright? Starter moves, that will teach you how to balance and move with it properly. I've got the scabbard in my backpack too. You have to start wearing it all the time, because you have to get used to feeling it there. Otherwise you'll keep getting it caught on things and hooking up."
Kagome remembered how she would do the same thing, tripping on it, slamming it into things, knocking things over with it.
Sokai nodded, eyes shining brightly, "Ok!"
Kagome hid a smile.
Sokai grabbed InuYasha's hand, and started tugging him, "Come on!"
"What? Where?"
"I want to show you something!"
"Alright, don't take my arm off!"
"We'll stay here," Kagome called, as the little girl dragged the hanyou off, chatting all the while.
DarkWind smiled, "The child is very attached to InuYasha-Warrior."
"She is," Sango nodded, "He saved her from a very sad life."
DarkWind spoke quietly, "InuYasha-Warrior has a good heart."
Miroku said nothing.
Sunlight drifted in through the cave's opening, sunbeams lazily making their way to the cave floor. Outside a few birds called to each other.
Inside, InuYasha sat on the cave floor, Sokai on his lap, her back against his chest. InuYasha was holding up a large drawing book, Sokai sitting between his arms, pointing out things she had drawn with her crayons.
"-And this is a really strange bird I saw one morning. It was all red, and it sang a silly song. It was eating nuts from the trees!"
InuYasha turned the page, and Sokai pointed to another drawning, "This is a demon we all saw one night. It was really big! Grandpa said we all had to be careful, but it didn't seem interested in us. It just looked at us for a few minutes, and then left."
"Oh yeah?"
"Uh-huh," she turned a page. On this page was a large reddish blob and a smaller brownish blob. InuYasha frowned slightly, "What's this?"
"That's you!" she said, indignantly.
"Oh! Right! I knew that. And that's...?"
"Me!"
"Right, right!"
Sokai giggled.
InuYasha smiled. He looked like some kind of insect that got splattered on the ground.
He turned a page, and froze, feeling a chill come over him. His shoulder throbbed again, as did his lower leg. That wound was healing faster, but now the ache seemed to come back.
The picture was of a person, standing on a hilltop, looking the other way. Though the drawing was very poorly done, he was able to recognise the strange hair very easily.
"Sokai? What's this, where did you see this?"
Sokai shrugged, "That's some guy I saw a while ago."
"Did you talk to him? Did he see you? What was he doing there?"
Sokai was silent for a second. InuYasha put the book down, and turned her around, facing him, and spoke sternly, "Sokai, where did you see this guy?"
Sokai blinked at the tone, and spoke hesitantly, "I saw him in the woods. But I didn't like him. He...felt funny."
"What do you mean?"
"There was something not nice about him. Like that rock in Kagome's well."
"Did he see you?"
She shook her head.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure. Do you know him, 'Yasha?"
"Yeah. Sort of. His name is Neith. And I don't want you talking to him, ever, understand? He's....he's bad, Sokai. Very bad, very dangerous. Don't ever talk to him, no matter what he says. Just run."
Sokai's eyes were solemn and wide as she listened.
"Promise me, Sokai."
"I promise, 'Yasha."
He mentally sighed. Gods Above, what was Neith doing here?!
They made their way back to the others, where they were waiting for them. Sokai giggled, and ran on ahead, having easily forgotten InuYasha's tense tone. She was having far too much fun.
InuYasha walked back and joined the others, as Sokai sat with Shippo and talked.
The hanyou lowered himself to the ground, and spoke lowly, "Neith was here."
Miroku blinked, "What?!"
"Sokai saw him, and drew a picture of him."
"Did he see her?" Kagome asked, upset.
"No. At least, I don't think so....she said he didn't, anyway." He sighed, "It makes me sick, to think of him here."
"I know what you mean," Miroku said. DarkWind said nothing, knowing who Neith was from Kagome, and feeling the tenseness of the situation, "Did you tell Sokai-?"
"I told her to run if she ever sees him again, yes."
Sango spoke lowly, "Why would he even be here?"
"I don't know," InuYasha said, "But if he hurts Sokai..."
They fell silent. InuYasha tried not to think about it, but if Neith was singling him out for some reason, if he was trying to hurt InuYasha for some reason...then he wouldn't stop at going after Sokai.
Giggling, Sokai and Shippo played a game with some of his tops, trying to see who could get them to run the longest. Shippo didn't use his magic, which made it more fair.
After a few minutes, Sokai got up and ran a little ways away from them. InuYasha watched, and called, "Sokai? Where are you going?"
"I want to show Shippo what I can do!" she called back. InuYasha had a brief panicked thought, Oh great, now what? when she turned to face them, up on a smallish rise, and closed her eyes. There was a brieg silver flare, and then the little girl was gone, and the silvery wolf pup was there in her place.
Sango and the others blinked, "That's amazing!"
InuYasha relaxed.
"You said she could turn into a pup," Kagome murmured, "But to see it....she's incredible!"
"She definately has some amazing powers," the Kageri agreed.
The silvery glow returned, and then the little girl was standing there, the pale silver light fading out. It was as if for a second Sokai was all silver, before her normal coloring returned.
Miroku laughed, "I can't imagine what she's going to be like when she's grown."
Sokai was about to say something, but she stopped, and turned. She was looking away from the group, and InuYasha saw her nose twitch. Then she was off like a shot, running as fast as she could away from them.
"Sokai?"
She didn't answer, just kept running.
Frowning, InuYasha got up, and started to follow her, and the others followed him.
A light breeze kicked up, and InuYasha froze, as a familiar, but not cherished, scent came to his nose.
"What the hell?!"
"InuYasha?"
The hanyou started after the little girl, and confused, the others started after him, "InuYasha?"
"What's he doing here?!"
"Who?"
They finally topped the small rise, and looking down a little embankment, they saw Sokai running pell-mell towards three figures, walking towards them. They were close enough to see, but even if they had been a distance away, InuYasha would have been able to recognise the tallest of the figures while half-asleep.
He walked calmly, tall and slender, a silvery motion against the green of the grass and forest.
Sesshomaru had arrived.
She walked along the grand hallway of her master's place, lost in thought.
How could things have gone so wrong? She had been sure Lord Sesshomaru would join her cause! She knew something of the Demon Lord, and knew he respected power above all else.
She offered him that power, so why did he refuse?
Muzan had spoken to the others for a short while, telling them to be ready. All was now in place. And while the main battle would not take place just yet, there would be many smaller battles that were just as important. But finally....finally...everything was ready.
Izumi will be getting ready as well, Muzan thought, and suddenly thought of the other woman, walking through the golden palace of her Lady, talking to those she needed to, seeing to the things she would need to. That other one, Mikado, would probably be with her, tagging along, as she often did.
Muzan was suddenly overwhelmed with a great sense of lonliness, and regret.
What have I done? she asked herself, feeling panic welling up inside her.
No. She pushed that out of her head. She had thought about this, and thought about it, and had made her choices. She would not look back now.
Besides....what other choice did she ever really have?
As she walked past an open doorway, she heard muttering from within. Pausing, she peered inside.
Omek was there, looking down onto a map, muttering under his breath.
Muzan entered, and spoke, "Talking to yourself?"
Omek turned, jumping, as if caught in thoughts he did not want known. Seeing who it was, he grinned, "Well hello Muzan. How are you today?"
Muzan did not deign to answer, and looked down at the map, "What is this?"
"It's called a map."
"I know what's it called," Muzan snapped, "What are you doing with it?"
"I am starting to cast a spell that will allow us to see the battlefield when we need. As our Master's army moves, so too will the pieces on this map move in accordance."
"Useful," Muzan said.
She gazed at the map, and noticed that a large black object was slowly moving over the map of the hills and moutains. She frowned.
"What is that?"
"That, my dear Muzan, is my pet."
"Another one? Where do you get the time for these?"
"I make time."
"What does this one do?"
"I am not completely sure. I merely threw some things together, and set it loose."
Muzan said nothing, just watched as the round object continued to roll over the map.
"Oh, by the way, our Master asked me to bring someone new into the fold."
"Someone new?" Muzan said sharply, looking at him, "Who?"
"You'll meet her soon enough."
"You dared go behind my back with this?!"
Omek smiled at her, in an oily sort of way, "It was not my idea, Muzan, but Master's. Would you like to take it up with him?"
Muzan crossed her arms, "Don't be a fool."
Omek smiled, and looked back to his map, "Please excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."
With a disdainful snort, Muzan turned, and left the room, heading back towards her own small quarters. Things were happening too fast, and she didn't like it.
"What's Sesshomaru doing here?!" InuYasha demanded again, and started down the other side of the hill, hand on his Tetsusaiga. The others struggled to keep up.
Kagome saw a tiny figure break from the threesome, and begin running towards Sokai, who was still hurtling along, in her humanoid form.
"Sokai!"
"Rin! Rin!"
Damn! I remember Sokai telling me Rin was her friend! But why is he here now?
Rin ran as fas as she could, which was a little faster than Sokai, waving her arms and giggling, "Sokai!"
"Rin! You came!"
"I said I would!"
The two little girl met with a crash, throwing their arms around each other. They were both winded from running and laughing, and they toppled over onto the grass, still hugging, a little giggling pile of childhood, arms and legs entangled.
"I'm so glad you came!"
"I told you I wouldn't miss it!"
By this time, Jaken and Sesshomaru had approached the two little girls, and stopped, watching. Rin and Sokai sort of rolled around on the grass for a few minutes, before sitting up. They both had grass in their hair, and both beamed like the sun itself.
"Rin," Jaken said, "Get up off the ground, you're behaving badly! You-"
"Jaken," Sesshomaru said flatly, and the imp shut up.
Rin looked up at her Lord, uneasy. You never really knew what Lord Sesshomaru was thinking, and she was a little worried that Sesshomaru might cut this reunion very short.
Sokai looked up at the demon lord towering over her. She stood up, and paused for a second, and then moved.
She had been practicing this for over a week, once she knew her birthday was coming soon. 'Yasha had told her to be polite, and this Sheeomaru was very important to Rin. Which made him important to Sokai. And Sokai knew she had a big mouth, so she wanted things to go very smoothly this time.
Quickly smoothing her clothing, she faced the demon lord, and slowly bowed very deeply, straight from the waist, an almost-perfect 90 degree angle. Her two little pigtails flopped forward when she did. Then she starightened up, and twisting her fingers together in her concentration, she spoke.
"Good day Lord Sheeomaru. I hope you had a very pleasant journey, and I thank you very much for bringing Rin here today."
There was silence. Jaken wasn't sure what to make of it, and Rin thought it sounded good.
Except for the Sheeomaru part.
Sesshomaru, for his part, said nothing, just studied this little girl intently. Sokai strengthened herself not to wiggle under that scrutiny, then he looked away, and that was that.
Rin thought, she thought, there might have been a very faint beginning of a sort-of smile....but she couldn't tell whatsoever.
Rin decided to step in at this point, and she took Sokai's hand, "How are you?"
Sokai turned her radiant smile on Rin, "I'm so glad you could come! My 'Yasha is here, and now everything's perfect!"
InuYasha, for his part, had finally caught up with the demon Lord, and now Sesshomaru had his attention.
"InuYasha," Sesshomaru said, "Still among the living, I see."
"What are you doing here, Sesshomaru?" he demanded, "Isn't this a little out of your way?"
"My goings and comings are no concern of yours, little brother," the demon lord said acidly.
"Gentlemen," Kagome said softly, because she really couldn't scold Sesshomaru. When InuYasha looked at her, and the demon lord glanced in her direction, she nodded towards the two little girls seated on the ground.
"I made you a gift," Rin was saying shyly.
"You did?" Sokai asked.
"Yes. Here, hold out your arm."
Sokai complied, and Rin took a small length of braided grasses. They had been braided tightly, one length of grass dyed blue, and one reddish, the third left green. Rin's fingers were stained with blotches of blue and red dye.
Rin tied the length carefully around Sokai's wrist, "There. Now we're friends forever. I have one too, see?" She held up her other hand, where there was a similar one tied around her wrist.
"You made this?" Sokai asked, looking at the bracelet as if it were manna.
"Yes. Master Jaken showed me which berries I could use to dye the grass. He tied mine on for me, because I couldn't do it with one hand."
Sokai giggled, and threw her arms around Rin, "Now we're sisters!"
InuYasha turned his attention back to Sesshomaru, "Let me get this straight. You expect me to believe that you came all this way out here for her?"
"I do not expect you to do anything, InuYasha, except mind your own business."
Sesshomaru glanced at the humans his brother had taken up with, in a bored sort of way. When his eyes fell on Sango, however, he paused.
Her eyes. the demon lord thought, This human has eyes similar to Izumi's. Not as dark, certainly, nor as deep, but she is younger than Izumi. Yet there is something there...
Sango, suddenly noticing this intense scrutiny, turned her attention back to the children, not sure she wanted this powerful, and unpredictable demon looking at her intently.
"You're up to something," InuYasha said, glaring at Sesshomaru, "I'm no idiot."
"No?" Sesshomaru said nothing else.
Growling, InuYasha wrapped his hand around the hilt of the Tetsusaiga.
Narrowing his eyes, Sesshomaru's voice was cold, "Do you think to attack me, little brother? You are more of a fool than I thought."
InuYasha said nothing, just tightened his grip.
Eyes narrowing further, the demon lord took ahold of his own blade, Toujikin, preparing to draw the blade.
The two little girls never noticed any of this.
Kagome suddenly held her breath, getting ready to run.
Her eyes sought out his face, and she paused when she saw the demon lord pause. He closed his eyes for a second, and then straightened, releasing the hilt. There was almost a faint smile on his face.....but she was mistaken, surely?
InuYasha noticed this as well, and he blinked.
Sesshomaru turned slightly, glancing behind him, and it was then that InuYasha caught the scent he had smelled before, that strange flower smell. Glancing around Sesshomaru, he suddenly blinked to see someone approaching the little group.
That woman.
That one who had done soemthing to his sword!
InuYasha narrowed his eyes.
So it would be two against one? Fine.
He'd take them both.
Alone in his small room, Omek crouched over his map, looking closely at it. Once Muzan had left, he had moved his hand over it, and other figures had appeared. A silvery rectangular image, about an inch high. One that was blood red. One that was purple. A green one. A bluish one. And one was approaching, reddish and blue.
Omek smiled down at the figures as they stood on the map, the red and blue one approaching the others.
"Ah Izumi. I knew you would be joining the others soon enough. I am keeping a close eye on you, my dear. You, the Neutral One, InuYasha, and his friends. All the players. I can watch you all, here on my map. A pity I could not let Muzan know my map is completed....but what she does not know will benefit me.
Now then..." he let his gaze travel over the map, to where the black ball Muzan had asked about still moved. Right now it was wondering aimlessly, but it was still moving in the general direction of all the other little figures on the map.
Soon they would meet.
Omek smiled deeper.
Kagome looked up and saw the woman walking towards them, and she was struck by the graceful way she walked, and by her long hair.
She must be a princess or something. she thought, Commoners of this time certainly don't have hair that long and hanging, it would only get in the way. She's so lovely.
The woman reminded Kagome very much of Kikyo, and that made her very uneasy.
Miroku glanced at the woman, and blinked, doing a double-take.
Whoever she is, I can sense her power, even from here. What is she doing here?
Sango watched her approach, and took a small breath.
It's her! The woman from the scroll! The clothing is different, and the scroll is faded, but that's her, I know it! But this is no spirit, but a flesh and blood woman! What's going on?
If they were all astounded by the woman's sudden appearance, they were even more so when she walked right up to them, and the demon lord turned to her.
"Lady Izumi. I suppose I should not be surprised to see you here."
She smiled at him, "No, you should not."
She turned her attention to the others, all gathered around, watching, unsure. She smiled at them, and spoke their names.
"Kagome. I trust you are well?"
"Uh..."
"Miroku. You as well?"
"Sango. You...you are looking very lovely," Izumi's voice was soft, and Sango suddenly found herself thinking of her mother.
Sango was also shocked to see Kirara approach this woman, in her giant form, and purr. Izumi smiled, and gently patted the feline, "Hello, Ooro."
"Her name is Kirara," Sango said gently.
"Oh yes....forgive me. Kirara."
The feline purred again. Uneasy, Sango called her to her side, and the feline went instantly.
Izumi looked at the hanyou, who was glaring back at her. Kagome instantly saw the woman's eyes soften, and she spoke his name very softly, and warmly.
"InuYasha."
"Yeah, we already met," InuYasha growled, "I got some questions for you!"
Sesshomaru turned, his hand on the hilt of his sword, "Arrogant welp. I should-"
Astounding everyone, the woman rested her hand atop Sesshomaru's where it gripped the hilt, and she spoke softly, "Sesshomaru."
He snorted, disgusted.
But he let go of the sword.
Did I just see what I think I saw? Kagome asked herself.
"Lady Izumi!" Rin cried, and ran over, dragging Sokai behind her, "Lady Izumi!"
"Hello Rin!" Izumi bent over, smiling at the two little girls, "How are you?"
"Oh I'm very good, my Lady! This is Sokai, my best friend I was telling you about!"
"Is it now?" Izumi smiled, and looked at the little girl.
Sokai, oddly, had gone very silent. She stared at Izumi in silence for a second, then stuck her thumb in her mouth, looking up, almost awed.
Izumi spoke softly, "Don't suck your thumb, dear one, you're too old for that."
Sokai lowered her hand, and spoke softly, "You're Izzy?"
"Izumi," Rin whispered.
"Yes, I am."
The little girl suddenly smiled shyly, "Hello."
"I hear it's your birthday today."
"Yes."
"Well then, happy birthday."
Sokai stepped back a little bit, still staring, and Rin took her hand, overjoyed to be with her friend.
"So," InuYasha's voice broke the silence, "What's going on? What the hell did you do to my sword?"
Sesshomaru looked at InuYasha hard, then at Izumi.
Izumi spoke again, "I blessed it, InuYasha. To help you in the times ahead."
"What times ahead? What the hell is going on?"
Izumi spoke, "You have encountered the Shadelings, InuYasha. All of you. You have faced many hard trials, but you have all succeeded."
DarkWind, silent until now, suddenly spoke, "You! You are the one who spoke to me, the one who interrupted my sleep!"
Izumi nodded, "I did."
Izumi's standing slipped a notch lower in InuYasha's eyes.
She spoke again, adjusting her blood red shawl, "There is a reason for what you have all been going through. This is no random attack."
"We already know," InuYasha grated, "The Master of the Shadelings wants to take over the world."
Izumi nodded, "That is a part of it, yes. But not all. There is much more to it all. It goes much deeper."
Suddenly, Rin let out an ear piercing scream.
Everyone turned, InuYasha and Sesshomaru's hands going to their weapons as reflex moved them.
Rin was pointing to the distance, eyes wide. Sokai, beside her, was wide-eyed.
Everyone looked.
A tree toppled in the forest, as a huge creature moved into view. It looked like an Oni, only it was enormous, easily over 14 feet tall, and having no horns. It looked as if it were a statue that someone forgot to finish, and it came to life. It was black, as if made of obsidian, and had 2 foot claws on it's 4 human-like hands. It's lower legs were like those of a cow. It's head looked like a bull's, except for the long fangs jutting from the maw. It's eyes burned red.
InuYasha cursed in awe, despite himself.
Izumi cursed as well, lowly. She knew already who had sent this thing.
The creature raised it's head to the sky and screamed a challenge.
InuYasha tensed, and he suddenly felt Kagome's arm on his. He looked at her.
"You're not thinking of fighting that thing?!" she cried, agast.
"What else am I gonna do?"
"No," Izumi said clearly, and he looked at her. She was speaking to Sesshomaru, but her words were clear, "No. This thing is beyond all of you now. I will deal with it."
Miroku gasped, and stepped forward, "Lady, you can't be serious!"
"I am very serious, Miroku," she suddenly smiled, and turned, murmuring, "It's just as well. I was getting weary of the hiding anyway."
She started to walk towards the creature.
InuYasha turned to Sesshomaru, furious, "Are you going to just let her go face that thing alone?!"
"Don't be a fool, InuYasha. You have no idea who you're talking about."
"Master InuYasha!"
Everyone was distracted as a small figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere, hopping up onto InuYasha's shoulder, "What is that thing?!"
"Myoga?! What the hell are you doing here?!"
"I hear the crashing in the forest, and came to see! What is that thing?"
"Your guess is as good as mine."
The flea leaned forward, squinting, "Someone is walking towards that creature! That's not a good-" he fell silent for a second, then suddenly straightened, "Is that Izumi?!"
Sesshomaru turned, looking at the flea, "You know of Izumi?"
"Well...yes, I do! I have known her for many hundreds of years!"
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes.
Izumi, striding towards the creature, suddenly reached up, and grasping her shawl, let it go, to flutter to the ground behind in. A medallion on her chest burned with light; a circle with five squiggled lines coming from it.
Miroku leaned forward, just able to make it out, "That symbol! I have seen it before!"
"Yes, you would have," Myoga said, "Being a monk. You studied the levels of heaven, did you not? She is Senmin."
Kagome spoke, "Unreachable?"
Sesshoumaru, lightning fast, reached out and grasped the flea from InuYasha's shoulder. Myoga screeched in shock.
InuYasha protested, "Hey!"
Sesshomaru glared at the insect, "Tell me who she is, insect, or I shall crush your pathethic body. Tell me what you know of the lady Izumi."
Izumi now stood just before the creature, on a small hilltop. She raised her hands, and fire roared into being all around her, rippling her hair. To InuYasha, Myoga, Sesshomaru, and DarkWind, the woman's power increased tenfold, almost blinding them for a second.
Myoga's voice spoke loudly, for all to hear.
"That is the Lady Izumi, First Born of the Senmin, Daughter of Sunlight, Handmaiden to Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun."
