Inuyasha felt the pain before he awoke to It. His body throbbed, and his right eye wasn't working right. His right leg felt off. Movement only brought more fire to burn through his body. He felt someone holding his hand, and turned his head to see Kagome, who was sleeping. It was her hand holding his. She had bandages wrapped around her upper leg and waist. Anger flared in him. Kagome was hurt, and whomever was responsible was going six feet under, if there was enough left to bury that is. He slowly started to move, only to gasp in agony as even more fire shot through him. He felt something tearing. His mind went blank as he screamed.
That woke everybody up, and Suki was already halfway to Inuyasha's side. Kagome let out her own scream as she saw Inuyasha for the first time. She quickly moved to his side, ignoring the protest of her own injuries.
"It's okay! I'm right here! Just breathe!" She clung to his hand, which was tight around her own. "Easy! Calm down!"
"Everybody back up! I need room to work here!" Suki cut through the bandages on Inuyasha's stomach, "Rin, in your pouch, do you by per chance have any poppyseed?"
"I should, if a certain demon dog Lord hasn't already eaten all of them!" She looked at Sesshomaru.
"I had a headache!" Sesshomaru shot back.
"I told you to take two seeds! You took six seeds!"
"Two doesn't do much for me!"
"Seeds now, fight later!" Miroku yelled.
"I better have some in here!" Rin dug through her pouch, "If I'm out again, guess who's going to be wearing the beads!"
"They work great, don't they, Rin?" Kagome called out.
Sesshomaru shuddered, "I can't even transform wearing them!"
"Yes, yes they do." Rin said, "And I'm out." Before Sesshomaru could even protest, the beads were around his neck. "Sit, boy." Sesshomaru hit the ground with a groan.
"If I had my pouch, I could ease his pain." Suki sat back on her heels. "It was taken from me by the Chaos Monks along with my sword, Hikaru."
Sesshomaru started to move.
"Sit boy!" Rin snapped, sending Sesshomaru back into the ground, again.
"I will go in the morning." Miroku replied.
"Here, try this instead. It's a Micle Berry. It'll knock him out." Rin handed the fuzzy white berry over. Suki took it and peeled the skin off to reveal the green fruit inside.
"Micle berries are pretty rare." Suki squeezed the juice into Inuyasha's mouth, "They grow only in the Maki Oasis in the wastelands in the east. It is a months journey from here." Inuyasha quieted, eyes open, breaths ragged. Suki tended to the open wound. "Hand me a clove of garlic and a large bay leaf." Rin handed them over. "And I need saliva from Sesshomaru."
"Here, spit it up!" Rin grinned.
Sesshomaru grumbled unintelligibly as he worked up some saliva.
"Why do you need his saliva?" Sango asked.
"Daiyokai salvia mixed with bayleaf and garlic is very effective at cleaning wounds. I need him held down as this will hurt. I wish I had my dagger for this." Suki answered.
"How about a claw?" Sesshomaru joined Suki, "I'm beginning to wonder if you are torturing me."
"I need you to cut here, here, and over here." Suki instructed. Sesshomaru did as told. They were rewarded with a gush of blood. Again, Miroku bolted outside where retching could be heard. Sango sighed. She was holding down Inuyasha by his shoulders while Rin and Kagome held his hands. Sesshomaru was kneeling on Inuyasha's leg. Suki swallowed. "Get ready. He will fight this." Suki reached into the open wound.
Inuyasha screeched. He tried to get away from the burning agony in his stomach, but strong hands kept him in place. Multiple faraway voices floated into his ears, each one urging him to hold on, that it would be over soon. What would be over? Why wouldn't the pain stop? He felt another screech tear free of his ravaged throat. Kagome's voice drifted to him, the words too garbled to make out. White hot lances of agony erupted from his stomach. He couldn't stop the agonizing screams erupting from him. Blood filled his mouth. He choked, desperately trying to wrench his arms free. More pain. A finger clearing his mouth. Growing heat against his stomach. A searing spike of agony. He screamed repeatedly, tears falling from his eyes. Again the faraway voices came. Finally, darkness, sweet, sweet pain free darkness.
After Inuyasha finally lost consciousness, everybody sat back, exhaustion weighing them down. Sango was crying. She knew that Suki had to hurt him in order to help him, but the tortured screams had broken her heart. Miroku sat next to her, holding her. Kagome laid her head on Inuyasha's chest, careful to avoid his injuries. She looked haggard. It had to have been hard on her hearing Inuyasha scream. Suki moved and checked Kagome's injuries, satisfied with how well they were healing.
"I'm sorry! Seeing him scream and fight like that hurts!" Sango buried her face into Miroku's chest, much to the shock and secret joy of the Monk.
"How much more can Inuyasha take before his body quits?" Sesshomaru asked.
"He didn't handle the cauterization very well, but no one ever does. I'm sorry. There wasn't any other way to stop the bleeding." Suki explained. "I'm doing the best I can with what I got. I'm not sure I can save him."
"You are doing your best, Suki." Sesshomaru said, "I have been wondering. You are not Daiyokai. My parents are not your real parents."
"Yes, I was formally adopted by them, and they are Mother and Father to me. I don't know my real parents, and my birth mother is dead. Father was with her when she died, but he never got her name or mine. Her throat was slashed open and she couldn't talk. Father said she handed me to him with a desperate plea in her eyes. She died right after he took me. He brought me home to Mother. They decided to raise me themselves, even though I am not Daiyokai." Suki explained.
"Are you sure you are not Daiyokai?" Kagome asked.
"To tell the truth, I don't know for sure." Suki looked away, "Is it me, or has this night been long?"
"It feels long as we all haven't slept much." Rin said.
A rapid knocking sounded at the door. Suki squeaked in fear, scrambling to hide behind Sesshomaru, who drew Bakusagia. Sango gripped her boomerang, while Miroku began removing the beads he wore around his right hand. Rin tensed. Kagome picked up her bow. The knocking continued.
"Anyone here?"
"That's Shippo!" Kagome went to the door, but was pulled back by Sesshomaru.
"Are you daft, girl? You know there are demons that can mimic friends!" He hissed.
"Oh for the love of fire. It's me, Shippo!" Shippo stared at the door, "Miroku's wind tunnel is on his right hand, Inuyasha's favorite food is Ramen, Sango has the hots for Miroku, Kagome kissed Inuyasha to stop him from transforming."
"You do?" Miroku stared at Sango.
"I'm going to kill that fox!" Sango growled, starting for the door.
"Sesshomaru is addicted to poppyseeds." Shippo continued.
Sesshomaru stormed for the door and flung it open, "Where's that little rodent?"
"Need I go on?" Shippo asked, completely unaware of the looming sword falling toward him followed by a boomerang.
"Shippo!" Kagome pointed.
Shippo looked up, squeaked in horror, and shot toward Kagome.
"Sit boy!" Rin called out. Sesshomaru crashed to the floor. "Sit boy! I knew there was Sit boy! A sit boy! Reason sit boy! Why sit boy! My sit boy! Supply sit boy! Of sit boy! Poppyseed sit boy! Kept sit boy! Disappearing sit boy!" Sesshomaru only groaned in response. "SIT BOY! SIT BOY! SIT BOY! SIT BOY! SIT BOY!"
"That's going to leave a mark." Shippo said.
"Yes, on the floor." Miroku watched.
"Will uggh! You uggh! Stop uggh! Now Uggh! Please? Uggh!" Sesshomaru grunted between being slammed into the floor.
"NO!" Rin screamed.
"Let me at him!" Sango screamed, being held back by Miroku.
"No! You are not going to kill Shippo!" Sango broke free of Miroku's grip.
"Come here and die, fox!"
"Sango, put down Shippo!"
"No!"
"I Uggh! Get Uggh! Headaches Uggh! I Uggh! Take Uggh! The Uggh! Seeds Uggh! To Uggh! Deal Uggh! With Uggh! The Uggh! Pain Uggh!" Sesshomaru grunted, "Make Uggh! Her Uggh! Stop Uggh!"
"Rin, that's enough." Kagome said. Rin finally stopped much to the relief of Sesshomaru, who didn't move.
"I think I broke every bone in my body." He groaned.
"Somebody save me!" Shippo wailed.
"Drop the kitsune now!" Suki ordered, "If your noise has woken Inuyasha, I will force traveling herbs down your throat!"
Traveling herbs were known to be very bitter. Miroku stifled a gag. Sango dropped Shippo with a look of utter disgust. No one liked traveling herbs.
"Shippo, why did you come here?" Miroku asked.
"I came here to warn you. Chaos has been seen." Shippo responded, "Several Yokai and humans have died trying to fight it. One of the Yokai that has died was Crete, the Seraph."
"Crete? Crete is dead?" Sesshomaru raised his head.
"But I thought Crete was immortal?" Kagome asked.
"Immortals don't die of natural causes. They die if they are mortally wounded." Suki explained.
"Crete is very powerful. If he couldn't defeat Chaos, who can?" Miroku asked.
"Embodiment of the Lady's arrow, awakened once more." Shippo spoke, "Once used the arrow fades, Chaos slumbers once more, til once again to awake. One choice never made, Chaos sleeps forever more."
"The old verse, believed written by the Lady of Light herself." Rin responded, "The Lady is believed to have been the creator of the Arrow of Light. She may have been the first to use it."
"One choice never made? What does that mean?" Kagome asked.
"No one knows. It is said that a hero will rise and wield the Arrow of Light." Sesshomaru had finally got up, "I'm going to feel this for the rest of my life…"
"That brings us to the first problem. Where is the Arrow of Light?" Suki asked, "The Chaos Monks seemed to think I have something to do with it. They said the Arrow is a living being."
"Maybe it is like the jewel of four souls that was hidden inside me." Kagome thought, "The Arrow may be inside someone."
"Could it be inside Suki?" Sango asked.
"I don't know. It would explain why Father was harsh on training me. He may have known something about the Arrow and my possible ties to it." Suki responded.
"We've got nothing to go on and Inuyasha is down. This is just dandy. I feel we should return to Kaede's village. Maybe she might be able to point us in the right direction." Sango said.
"Suki, can he be moved?" Sesshomaru asked.
"No, not right now. His wounds need time to close." Suki answered, "If his stomach wound were to reopen, the bleeding would be catastrophic. I wouldn't be able to stop it. I need my pouch, and my sword."
"We also need information." Kagome added.
"I have an idea, but Miroku won't like it." Rin said, "He'll need to dress up as a Chaos Monk and infiltrate their camp. While he gets information, he can grab Suki's pouch and sword. Suki, what does your pouch and sword look like?"
"My pouch is cream yellow with leather drawstrings. My sword, Hikaru, is bone white with a leather handle ringed with white fur. It is curved like Tenseiga is." Suki explained, "Hikaru was a gift from my parents upon the day I left the nest so to speak to train under Kaede as a healer."
"I'll do it." Miroku didn't hesitate.
"No! It's too dangerous, Miroku!" Sango protested.
"See? She has feelings for him!" Shippo said, and promptly ran for his life as Sango went after him with her boomerang. Again, Miroku grabbed her.
"I need to kill that little fox!" Sango screamed.
Another knock sounded at the door. Again everyone froze.
"I know the routine." Came Jaken's voice, "There's a small round scar on the top of Lord Sesshomaru's-" the door was flung open and a black boot sent the imp airborne into the trees. Kirara darted in around Sesshomaru's feet. She darted toward Sango. Sesshomaru knew everyone was staring at him.
"That would be where the top of the staff of two faces impaled him. It's above his backside, and guess who had to treat it? Me." Rin said, "I didn't know he could scream so loud."
"How did that happen?" Suki asked.
"You don't need to know!" Sesshomaru ground out, "I swear I'm going to kill that Imp!"
"You fell on it, didn't you?" Suki grinned, watching as her younger brother turned beet red and stormed over to the other side of the room where he sat in stony silence.
"We'll leave it at that." Rin said, "Are you sure of this, Miroku? It is going to be very dangerous."
"I know. We need information, and your pouch is almost empty." Miroku responded, "Without the medical herbs Suki needs, Inuyasha could die. I'm doing this because I'm the best choice."
"I'm going with you." Sango decided.
"No. I know the ways of the Chaos Monks. I trained as one for a while. I don't know much about Chaos other than it's an ancient demon, possibly even a Primordial Force. The Monks will not harm me. Please, stay here and let me do this." Miroku said.
"I'll go with him." Suki said.
"You can't!" Sango protested.
Jaken finally dragged himself into the temple.
"I'm the one they want! It will be far more convincing if Miroku were to enter the camp dragging me with him." Suki explained.
"It would work." Jaken said.
"Absolutely not." Sesshomaru replied, "I refuse to let my big sister put herself in danger like that!"
"Oh crap!" Sango suddenly shouted, "I can't believe we all forgot!"
"Forgot… oh crap!" Miroku cried out.
"The night of new moon is tomorrow night!" Kagome screamed, "This is bad!"
"What's bad about a new moon?" Suki asked.
"Hanyos turn human one night of the month. Inuyasha turns human on the night of the new moon." Sango explained.
"Inuyasha is only alive because of his demon half. Without that, he will die." Suki looked away, "I won't give up. I will fight with him until he tells me he is done and wants to pass away."
It went quiet.
"He's stubborn." Kagome whispered, "He won't die. HE WILL NOT DIE! HE WILL NOT DO THAT TO ME! YOU WILL LIVE, DAMMIT! YOU HEAR ME? YOU WILL LIVE!" She started crying, "Inuyasha, come back to me!"
Sango went to the crying girl. "Inuyasha is very stubborn. He's survived injuries that by right should have killed him instantly. Heck he survived being bitten by that spider demon, remember?"
"That was because Myoga drank the venom out of his blood!"
"He survived Sesshomaru running his hand through him."
"Yeah, he survived that."
"I did that to get the jewel shard!" Sesshomaru snapped, "Its not my fault it was the night of the new moon!"
"You didn't have to nearly kill him in the process!" Miroku shot back.
"Inuyasha was the one who told me to!"
"You were the one who listened!"
"Stop it, you two! It should be morning by now, so where is the sun?" Suki asked.
Shippo went to the door and looked outside. "Guys, you might want to see this!" His voice was filled with horror.
"What?" Everybody minus Inuyasha rushed to the door.
"What is that?" Rin asked.
"Is that the sun?" Suki asked.
"It can't be. It's like a giant eye." Miroku's voice trembled.
"It's the Eye of Chaos. It is searching for the Arrow of Light." Sesshomaru spoke, "This is what the ancient scribes must have meant by the term, fall of the sun."
"If it's searching for the arrow, does that mean it has fed?" Sango asked.
"I don't know. Suki, we need to go now." Miroku responded, "Hang on." He disappeared back into the temple for a minute, and returned wearing the robes of a Chaos Monk and wearing the mask. Suki stifled a whimper. "It's okay, just me."
"I know. The mask reminds me of the cage. You'll need to rough me up a little. It would look wrong if you brought me in without a fight." Suki said.
"You'll have to rough me up a little too." Miroku nodded, "We need to be convincing enough to get in."
They both swallowed, tackled each other and fought a bit. They both stood after a few minutes, both looking bruised and battered.
"That's going to be a nice black eye later." Sango studied Miroku's already puffy right eye. Suki snapped a few of her long nails, and embedded one into Miroku's cheek under the eye, making sure to leave a scratch behind it. She broke a finger with a faint wince of pain. She bore scratches and bruises as well. "You two look good. Is the broken finger necessary?"
"It's more convincing." Suki said, "Next, use your sash to tie my hands behind my back. Be rough. I'm not enjoying this." Miroku did, making sure to use a slip knot, and gouging Suki's right hand. "Let's just get this over with. Rin, watch over Inuyasha."
"You got it." Rin promised.
"Be calm." Miroku led Suki away.
"I'm trying. It's the cage that terrifies me."
"What is scary about a cage?"
"They beat on it, jab me with sticks, shake the cage. It's worse at night. That's when the hands and voices come. They touch me, tell me bad things and how I'm going to enjoy it. I don't do that kind of thing."
"You've never been with a man before."
"Nor a woman, ether. I don't do that kind of thing."
"Have the hands ever…?"
"Have the hands ever what?"
"I was trying to be tactful about it, but have the hands, uh, well, have they touched you… down there?"
"Miroku, get your mind out of the gutter! They don't touch me there! They run themselves over me, and not in that area! I can't stand being touched!" Suki glanced around, and began fighting Miroku's grip, "Let me go!"
The motion nearly caused Miroku to lose his grip on her. She darted her eyes to the right. Miroku looked to the right, and turned, "Brothers."
"Brother." One of the two Monks said, "Is that the Arrow of Light?"
"Yes. She fits the description."
"Good work, Brother?"
"It's Brother Moro. I have been away from the fold for a long time because I was on my Spirit Quest. I grew doubtful about our mission so I decided to travel around and study under other teachers. I found myself and I have returned." Miroku explained, "Brothers?"
"I'm Brother Ciro and this is Brother Sakai. Come, to camp." Ciro led the way.