A/N: Ah, exams. The very word strikes fear into the heart of most graduate students, but when you're a first quarter law student, it damn near kills you. And I almost did die. But I lived for the sake of you guys and this story. So I'm sorry it's been awhile, but I hope to get the next chapter out much more quickly to make up for it. We'll see.

The Once and Future Taiyoukai

Chapter 4: Familiarity

Dust swirled around her feet as she moved, searching for ingredients among the unmarked clay pots that sat around the edge of the hut. The fire burned low and she barely looked as she threw another log on. Sparks flew up, dangerously close to the hem of her red hakama.

"Here it is," she murmured, picking up a large jar close to the door. She put her nose to it and sniffed, grimacing slightly. "Still good." She picked up the strips of cloth she had found earlier and moved towards her patient.

She worked silently for a few minutes, dipping the cloth into the balm and wrapping it around Kagome's ankle. It was warm and slick and Kagome shifted, uncomfortable to have this great miko at her feet.

"How did you know my name, Kagome-san?" murmured Midoriko, reaching for another strip.

Kagome blushed and looked away, wishing for more company than the quiet priestess. She had been ushered into the hut quickly after calling out the other miko's name. The villagers had accepted her as a miko as soon as the words fell from Midoriko's lips, but Sesshoumaru was still outside. He had growled as one of the braver men had lifted her out of his arms, but they kept their scythes pointed at his throat and he had acquiesced. Kagome wondered if he would continue to wait for her. "I um… you're famous… where I'm from."

She smiled shakily at the other miko. Midoriko was not the sort of person to lie to. She wasn't lying, of course. Kagome could envision that stone form of the miko every time she closed her eyes. This was definitely the same woman. The same strength, the same unyielding passion, the same woman that had birthed the Shikon no Tama from her soul and the soul of the demons she fought. She was just a few years younger in this time, in this moment.

"I did not think I was so well known," murmured Midoriko. "Where are you from?"

"Um, you know, here… there… I wander a lot." Another truth.

Her careful, dark eyes fell upon Kagome. "I see." She stood up and retrieved a few more strips of cloth, cleaning out the chest where they rested. "You must excuse the conditions of this place. I was passing through and the villagers told me that their healer and his apprentice had died in the last sickness. I have been having a hard time finding things."

"It's alright." Kagome squirmed a little as the balm continued to envelop her foot in unnatural warmth. "So, where are you from?"

"A tiny village to the North," she replied, sitting down to wrap Kagome's foot so that the balm was sealed into the inner layers.

"Are you staying here from now on?"

"No. I was planning to leave today actually. Then, you showed up with your companion."

Kagome gave an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your plans."

Midoriko shrugged as she tied off the bandages, securing them in place. "I have no true plans. I go where I am needed." She stood and dusted off her knees. "I will go and have one of the men fashion a crutch for you. You should not stand on that foot for a couple days." She frowned at the sludge-like blood still running down Kagome's side. "Perhaps you should change?"

She wrinkled her nose. "I left my things with Sesshoumaru. If someone could…"

"I don't think that anyone is going to approach that demon," replied Midoriko, her voice suddenly hard and crisp. She held up a hand as if Kagome had any choice to remain where she was, and retreated into the other, private room. After much shuffling, she returned with a coarse blue kimono and some geta in her hands. "Here. It belonged to the healer's daughter. She was about your age."

"Doesn't she need it?" asked Kagome, taking the bundle of cloth.

"She died with her father and his apprentice," she replied swiftly. "Are you bothered about wearing the clothes of a dead woman?"

Kagome immediately thought of Kikyo, remembering how agitated Inuyasha had been when Kagome had worn the clothes of a proper miko. It had been a long time ago, but she remembered the jealousy that was already worming her way into her heart, even that early in their relationship. "No, it's fine," she said with a nonchalant shrug.

Midoriko nodded. "I'll get you a crutch. Change and you'll feel better." She pushed aside the door flap and let in the bright orange of the late afternoon sun.

When she was gone, Kagome lifted herself off of the cot and peeled off her filthy jeans while balancing on her good foot. She tossed them into a corner, along with her equally filthy top, wondering if the blood and muck would ever come out. Not that her mother was ever particularly surprised when she managed to destroy another outfit.

She sighed, her arms halfway through the kimono sleeves. She just hoped that she would be able to see her mother again. And her brother and grandfather. And Inuyasha and her friends. Heck, she would be pleased to see Naraku, just to get some semblance of normalcy.

Getting into the kimono took the better part of ten minutes, including the obi, but it took her mind off of other matters. When she was done, and had collapsed onto the cot in sweaty exhaustion, Midoriko returned. A crude crutch, essentially two bits of wood tied together with a leather strap, hung from her hand. "Here you are," she said, smiling lightly. She leaned it up against the cot.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"Would you like some tea?" The miko held up a worn kettle.

Kagome nodded. "I would, thanks. I should go tell Sesshoumaru I'm alright, though. Do you mind if I go out for a few moments?" She tried to ignore how Midoriko's expression darkened. "He wants to get back to his father and I'm just holding him back. I just need to get my stuff and say goodbye." For the third time, she added silently.

Midoriko breathed out a long sigh. "Very well. It will take a few minutes for the water to boil. Would you like me to come with you?"

The younger woman frowned slightly, imagining how that meeting would go over. She was beginning to get a painfully clear picture of how Midoriko felt about youkai. "No, that's alright. He won't hurt me, you know."

The priestess appeared unconvinced, but turned back to the fire, stoking it with a poker before putting the kettle on. "I will wait for you here then," she said.

Kagome got to her feet and hobbled out of the hut without another look. Midoriko's attitude towards Sesshoumaru was troubling, but not entirely unexpected, especially from a miko. She probably had spent her life destroying youkai like Sesshoumaru. Then again, Kagome had spent the last four years of her own life doing the same. Well, perhaps no one quite like Sesshoumaru.

Outside, the villagers paused in their work to stare at the strange miko. They were coming in from the fields, holding their sharp tools at waist level as if to strike. They were still on guard. She could tell that Sesshoumaru had upset more than one person that day. She wisely decided not to ask where the taiyoukai had gone and continued her limping march down the main avenue of the village, towards the hill and the well.

Dark was closing in quickly. The days were growing shorter and the temperature dropped more every night. Kagome wished she could wrap her arms around herself, instead of hobbling on a crutch, but she was saved at the end of the fields.

"Are you staying here for the night?"

She nearly screamed and she did jump, landing sharply on her ankle. "Son of a… Ow." She closed her eyes a moment and jerked around to look at him. "Thanks for that," she groused.

"I apologize for startling you. Are you staying here for the night?" he asked again.

Kagome looked up at the sky. "Looks like. I came to get my stuff." She smiled uneasily.

He picked up the yellow bag and held it out for her. "That power…" he trailed off.

"Yes?" She worriedly reached out for the pack. All the shards were there. She could feel that, but the curious gleam in Sesshoumaru's eyes was disturbing. She was reminded once again that this was a younger, more rash Sesshoumaru. "What about it?"

"Will you tell me its nature?"

She laughed without mirth and took the bag. "Why should I? It's my burden. It has nothing to do with you."

"I am aware of that," he said, his eyes upon her face now. "But if I leave you, you will be alone with that power."

"I've done it before," she murmured, unclear of where he was going.

"But before you had your friends," Sesshoumaru replied. "Now, you have only these humans around you."

Kagome smiled softly. "You're worried about them taking it? Don't. It doesn't have any effect on humans. Only miko can sense this power and only demons can be affected. I shouldn't have left it with you actually. You were the one in danger."

"It called to me," he whispered.

She bit her lip and nodded. "I would imagine it did." She checked again to make sure he wasn't hiding any shards on his person. Nope, all clear, she thought with relief. Fighting a shard-crazed Sesshoumaru on a bad ankle wasn't how she had planned to spend her evening.

"It rang false," he said, straightening his spine. "It promised power, but it would not be my power. It would be its power. I have no desire for power that is not rightfully obtained."

Kagome suddenly thought of taking him to have sit-down with Naraku or Inuyasha. An hour with the Jewel and a young Sesshoumaru understood. Maybe it was only hanyou that had thick skulls. Of course, she wasn't sure he had a clear idea of what 'rightfully obtained' meant either. Didn't he continually try to murder his own brother for the Tetsusaiga? "I'm glad you realized that," she said.

He nodded. "But it remains dangerous. To all that only hear the promise and not the deception."

"And to everyone in that demon's way," she added. "I've seen villages laid to waste over this damn thing."

"So why are you taking it among humans who you cannot trust?"

Ah. Kagome shook her head slightly and smiled. "I told you. They can't be affected by it. And do you really think any of that bunch is about to make cuddly friends with demons?" She looked at him. "Besides, I've only known you for a day. And yet I gave you the shards."

"Shards?"

She flinched. "Yeah. That's what they are. We should call them as they are. 'Power' gets kind of vague." She shrugged and dropped the bag to her feet. Her arms were tired from the walk with the crutch. "Look, I'm not holding you to any obligation here. You've done your thing. Saved me twice. I think that's pretty fair for a stranger. And I know you want to get back to your father and tell him about your suspicions."

"They are your suspicions, not mine," he replied. "What will you do if I leave?"

"I don't know. I was thinking of asking Midoriko to help me," she said. "I'm separated from my friends by more than just distance. I might need some major magical work to get back to them. I figure a priestess might be a good bet."

"You are a priestess."

"Not a very good one." She laughed softly. "At least, not until this morning. But Midoriko knows a lot more than I do. She's had proper training."

He glowered for a moment and crossed his arms. "She hates my kind."

"Most do," she murmured.

"But you do not," he replied. "You would be so willing to travel and trust someone that does not hold the same values as you do?"

Kagome frowned. "Well, I wasn't really thinking about it that way. But what choice do I have? As it is, I'll probably have to stay here until my ankle heals. And then, I'll need help with my… my situation." As she spoke it, her ankle began to bother her again. "Look, Midoriko put on some tea for us and…"

"Very well. You can go." He turned. "I am not leaving though."

"What? Why?" She picked up her bag and nearly tipped over from the weight.

He caught her easily and situated the bag on her back. "Obviously, you need my assistance," he said. "Discuss whatever you need to discuss with the miko and we will leave tomorrow to go wherever you need to go."

"That's really not…"

"It is. Those shards have great power and two human women, even if they are miko, cannot defend against the onslaught of what you may face." Sesshoumaru sighed and squared his shoulders. "And I do not trust her."

"You haven't spoken to her."

"I do not trust her scent."

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Oh. Well, then. She must be evil. Kami, you dog demons and the smell thing! It's creepy. Ever think of that?"

He arched a delicate brow. "Dog demons?" he repeated. "You know of more than me?"

Mentally slapping herself, Kagome sighed and nodded. "Inuyasha. He's half. I guess his name kind of gives it away."

"You consort with half demons?"

She was about to snap at him, tell him off for ragging on hanyou that couldn't help that who they had for parents, but she stopped. He was looking at her with a curiosity that she had never seen in the future Sesshoumaru. He really wanted to know, she realized. "Um, yeah. He's my best friend," she murmured. "Didn't I mention that?"

"No." He shifted his weight and looked at her with his golden eyes, which blazed under the slowly setting sun. "You had a relationship with him?"

Kagome frowned. "I don't really see how that's any of your business."

"I simply ask because mates will find one another, regardless of the barriers," he said, scoffing lightly. "He would find you."

"Oh. No, then. We're not exactly in a relationship." She was hit by his curious look again and shrugged half-heartedly. "Once… I kinda wished for that. But it's silly. He's completely hung up on his former girlfriend and she's back. And oh, it's just a big old mess. Kind of irritating too, you know? I'm out of high school already. Enough with the drama." She huffed and crossed her arms, before realizing that Sesshoumaru was completely clueless as to half of her rambling. "Sorry."

"It is alright. I began to think of other things," he said.

"You're kind of a jerk," she muttered, pushing her hair out of her eyes. "Why would I want you along with me?"

"Aside from the reasons I stated earlier?" he asked, arching his brow again. "You might get tired of walking on that pathetic crutch."

"So?"

"I will carry you, if necessary." He watched as her eyes bugged out. "I detest sloth."

Kagome balanced on her good foot and waved the end of the crutch under his nose. "Not sloth! Twisted ankle!" she growled. She grew tired and leaned against the crutch again, sighing. "Fine. I suppose you can carry me."

"Thank you for the honor," he said, narrowing his eyes.

"You're the one that offered!"

Sesshoumaru shrugged. "My responsibility to my father is to protect his lands. These shards you carry present a potential threat, greater than the rumor of a powerful demon. There are always powerful demons, most of which I could destroy myself. But those shards… they are different. And dangerous."

"You really have no idea," she murmured. She sighed and looked at him. "If you come with me and Midoriko is there, you have to realize that she's not the same as me. You're right. She doesn't like demons. And she's got more power than me."

She took a breath and he only looked at her expectantly.

"In other words, Sesshoumaru, don't piss her off. Not so good for your health, get it?" Kagome watched as deep irritation rooted into his expression. "All of this is getting so difficult. I'm sorry."

"Why?"

The miko smiled. "Because you haven't been able to escape me. I'm sorry that I'm causing you so much trouble."

"It does not bother me. I have no great desire to return home," he said. He looked up to see the sun setting behind the hills. "You should return to the priestess."

"Okay," she murmured. "I am sorry. Probably not sorry enough though. I'm finding that I kind of like having you around."

"That is surprising to you?" he asked.

She laughed and nodded. "It is, actually. Goodnight, Sesshoumaru. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes. Tomorrow."

Kagome smiled brilliantly and turned back, ambling towards the village on her crutch. She knew he was watching her. He wouldn't be there if she looked back, but he was watching to make sure she made it to the village safely. She felt oddly warmed with the thought and she was still smiling when she entered Midoriko's temporary hut, dropping her bag by the door. "Sorry I took so long," she said, still smiling. "Sesshou…"

Midoriko sprang up like a jack-in-the-box, her eyes fixed upon the yellow bag at Kagome's feet. She let loose a soft cry and turned her face away.

"Midoriko?" Kagome hobbled forward as fast as her ankle would allow. "What's wrong?" she asked, reaching out for the miko.

The priestess calmed after a moment, her breathing evening out, although sweat was shining upon her brow. "I… It's going to sound silly, but that yellow bag felt like… it felt like it had my heart inside of it. It felt like my heart – the one inside of me – was screaming." She took another deep breath and smiled softly at Kagome, clearly embarrassed by her behavior. "Forgive me."

"No, no. It's… it's fine," Kagome said, cursing in her head. Why hadn't she thought of this? Bringing Midoriko and her complete soul into the same area as broken pieces of that soul was bound to have some effect.

Midoriko was relaxing, coming away from the wall she had shoved herself against, but Kagome could see that she was sending wary glances towards the yellow pack. The younger miko reached out and touched her arm. "It's like that for miko, when they first encounter it," she said, wildly improvising, and wincing at the brassy tone of her voice. "It hurts. When I first came aware of it, believe me, it felt like something was ripping out of me too." Ain't that the truth, she added silently.

"What is it?"

Kagome wrinkled her nose and sat heavily down on the cot. "Um, well, funny story. Maybe not so funny…" She stopped and frowned. "It's just some shards of a powerful jewel."

"How is that funny?" asked Midoriko, frowning also. "And how is it that I feel it?"

"Only miko and demons can sense it," whispered Kagome, realizing that she was quickly backing herself into a corner.

"Where did it come from? Who created it?" She took a step towards the bag and Kagome reached out, capturing the elder woman by the wrist. "Why is with you?" Midoriko asked, looking down at her.

Kagome sighed. "It's… well, I can't tell you any of that. It's powerful. That's all you have to know. And it's dangerous. I suppose you can say it's my job that it doesn't get used for evil purposes." She released Midoriko and leaned back.

"Does it have anything to do with…" she trailed off for a moment. "With why you're different?"

The younger miko blinked. "What? How am I different?"

"In many ways," said Midoriko, sighing lightly. "But I would have to say that the most glaring difference is one that probably only I can see. You glow."

"What?" She sat up again and squinted at the other miko. "What do you mean by 'glow'?"

Midoriko waved her hand towards the doorway. "Everyone out there, from the town pauper to the villager elder to that demon that accompanied you here, is like a white light. And then you… you're like this blinding pink light. More than a light, even. A great fire." She looked away for a moment. "I knew you were coming as early as yesterday. I could feel you. See your light."

"Oh, kami…"

She leaned close. "I have met kings and great miko. None of them had a light like yours. It's as if you don't even belong here. You… you aren't from this world, are you?" Midoriko's eyes widened at her own suggestion. "I should have figured it out earlier. That power, your glow, your clothes. Even the way you speak is foreign to my ear. I have never seen anything like you."

Kagome's heart was plummeting, through her chest and down into the floor. She had wanted to do this on her own terms, on her own time. But then, time wasn't exactly on her side lately, was it? She sighed and pushed her hair back. "Midoriko…" She couldn't finish.

"Are you trapped here? In our world? In my world?" Her eyes were alight with the fire and the curiosity. Her hands were shaking.

"Okay, you have got to calm down," said Kagome, realizing that this was the height of excitement. She grabbed Midoriko's hands and forced her down onto the cot beside her. Looking into the miko's burning gaze, Kagome sighed. "Listen to me and listen to me carefully. You cannot tell anyone this. Especially not Sesshoumaru…"

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The taiyoukai walked up the hill slowly, completely unaware of the two women talking about him in the village below. He had seen her to the hut and now looked forward to a restful night under the boughs of a tree somewhere. After all, he had been awake the entire night before, protecting Kagome and those shards, as she called them. Normally, he could last many nights without a wink of sleep, but he had been pushing himself hard on this patrol and now he could barely keep his eyes open.

It was probably the only reason he hadn't slaughtered those villagers that had threatened him with their farming tools. Farming tools! As if the son of the West would allow himself to be injured by farming tools. Of course, he had also promised Kagome to not to hurt them, but he felt that righteous indignation at the villagers' rudeness deserved the majority of his attention at the moment.

He stopped and looked down at the human village, where they were beginning to light their oil lamps. He could smell the fatty liquid burning, even from here. Weak little creatures. They couldn't even see in the dark. He had not been lying to Kagome when he had said that he held nothing particular against humans, but he did pity them for their weakness.

Kagome. She was not weak. Well, perhaps she was in the physical definition of the term. But so many demons fought with their magic as she did that morning and they were not considered weak. No, he had to admit that Kagome had escaped his pity for that particular inferior trait. Although she did talk, didn't she? Girl never shut up, not even in her sleep. He wouldn't admit that he found it rather appealing, listening to her half-pronounced mumbling.

The early evening wind whipped around his form and he sighed, remembering that he was bare from the waist up, except for his bandages of course. He ran a hand over his chest and didn't feel even a hint of tenderness. The wounds were all sealed up, as expected. He would have torn off the bandages, but he had little desire to wander about with absolutely nothing on.

He began walking up the hill again, hoping to find a pleasant spot free of villagers' interference, but in view of Kagome's hut before dark. He spent little time on why he was so concerned with watching for her safety. That was not the point, after all. She carried the shards and it was the shards he followed now.

Sesshoumaru came within sight of the well and stopped with a frown.

The well was overflowing with black, odorless smoke. It rolled over the sides and across the ground like fog. In the waning sunlight, he could see that the smoke was glittering with a pink and purple sheen.

He had a feeling Kagome would be quite distressed to see this.

A shadow eased out of the forest and Sesshoumaru's frown deepened. It walked on four legs, skulking through the smoke and he could hear its jaws snapping. Another wolf.

"You killed my brother."

Sesshoumaru drew his blade. "I kill many demons' brothers," he replied, not bothering to say that it had been Kagome that killed the wolf's sibling. The skin across his chest tightened as he began to swing his blade, telling him that perhaps his body wasn't quite ready for this.

The wolf snapped its jaws again as it emerged from the smoke. Sesshoumaru noted, with some irritation, that this was apparently the elder brother of the pair. He was as large as a warhorse. "I am here for my brother's revenge," the wolf said.

"I guessed," said the taiyoukai dryly.

The wolf sprang forward.

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"So that demon is in your future too?"

"Well, it's not very hard, is it? For a demon, that is, to live another three hundred years."

"What is he like in the future?" Her eyes were narrowing dangerously.

Kagome frowned. "You know I can't tell you that." She watched as the other priestess sank into a dark mood. "Look, I didn't tell you all of this so that we could talk about whether Sesshoumaru becomes a big teddy bear or a cold-blooded killer. He really has nothing to do with this, not here in the past and not there in the future. I told you because I need help."

Midoriko took a breath. "Of course. Forgive me." She gave her companion a wan smile. "Perhaps we should start with studying the actual well itself?"

"Nothing felt wrong when I was there earlier," said Kagome. "But if you can see something wrong, that would be something."

"The trouble is that the well isn't imbued with holy magic," said the elder miko with a frown. "Any priestess would have a difficult time managing such power unless she knew exactly what she was doing. Something could go wrong if I tried to meddle too much."

Kagome drew her good leg up and tucked her knee under her chin. "Alright. We'll take it easy. What if you can't find anything?"

Midoriko thought for a moment. "There are tales," she began slowly, "of a witch in the mountains to the north. They say that she is human, but that she is older than any demon. She knows everything about arcane magic, like the magic in the well. If she couldn't figure it out, I don't think anyone could."

"A trek to the mountains?" asked Kagome, looking down at her ankle.

"You'll be fine in a couple days. I suggested the witch because she never leaves the mountain peaks. Every person that you tell about the well is another person that could…" She trailed off. "Well, I'm not exactly sure how it works, but I can imagine it wouldn't help matters."

Kagome nodded. "You're right. The less people that know, the better." She looked at the other miko from out of the corner of her eye. "Are you going to come with us? If your inspection of the well doesn't come up with anything?"

"I was considering it." Her expressions hardened for a moment.

The younger girl sighed silently. "You don't have to protect me from Sesshoumaru, if that's what you're thinking. If you're going to come, come because you want to. Otherwise, just point us in the right direction."

Midoriko closed her eyes, pressing her palms together. "I will go," she said at last. "I think that…"

The priestess was cut off by a shrill scream from outside. "What was that?" muttered Kagome, scrambling to get upright as fast as she could.

They rushed outside to see the entire village gathering in the street. The sun had set, casting a blue-gray haze over everything. Many villagers began to light torches and they rushed upon Midoriko as soon as she appeared. "That demon! That demon is here!" they cried. "He's killed something!"

Kagome turned and saw the shock of silver hair that she so easily identified as Sesshoumaru, moving closer to the village. The people cried out at the invasion, turning away from the two miko and going to meet the demon head-on. "He'll kill them all," she whispered to Midoriko. "If they threaten him, he'll kill them." She pushed past the elder priestess and began to limp towards the taiyoukai.

The villagers were crowding in around him, shouting unintelligible words, offending her with just their tones. They wouldn't clear the way for her and she abandoned the crutch, after a child grabbed onto it and would not let go. She simultaneously pushed people away and leaned upon them as she made her way through the crowd.

A woman confronted her. "You said he would go away!" she yelled. "And look what he's done! He's killed our livestock! What will we do?"

"Get out of my way!" Kagome snapped, shoving the woman hard. Her heartbeat was pattering erratically and she was shaking. She watched as the woman fell, dragging her eyes away as she was stepped on. "Stop!" she cried, lunging forward so that the woman could take her hands.

The woman kicked out at her, catching Kagome above her injured ankle and flooring the miko. "Get away from me!" she screamed, crawling to her feet and disappearing back into the crowd.

Kagome groaned, but stood up as well, hanging onto oblivious peasants that were screaming at the demon. She could understand their words now. They echoed the woman, screaming that Sesshoumaru had slaughtered their animals.

She broke free, through the perimeter that surrounded the taiyoukai. He stood in the center, his eyes finding her immediately. "Kagome."

He was covered in blood, although his sword was sheathed. In one hand, he carried the massive head of a wolf demon, nearly identical to the one Kagome had purified that morning. "Sesshoumaru?" She winced as she limped forward. "Are you hurt?"

"No. None of this blood is my own," he replied. "But I am starting to put more faith into your ideas of a powerful demon roaming around this area." He lifted the wolf head as blood dripped onto the ground. There was a trail of it behind him.

Kagome glanced at the villagers. They were staring at her, but had not stopped their shouts and threats. "They think you killed the livestock." She wavered on her good foot, keeping the bad one propped up on her toes.

"I am aware of that," he said, swiftly dropping the wolf head and reaching around her waist. He looked down at her as she rested against him. "It was the wolf that killed the animals."

"I figured that it wasn't you," said Kagome, closing her eyes as her ankle throbbed. "Thanks."

"Hn." He shifted her so that more of her weight fell upon him.

"Of course, you're getting blood all over me. Again." She smiled at him, trying to ignore the shouts of the crowd.

He arched an eyebrow. "Then you will have to wash it out."

"I was thinking of changing into my other jeans."

Sesshoumaru craned his neck, looking down the length of her body. "You have already changed and I prefer this," he said.

"Oh. Well." She laughed lightly. "Then I'll wash it." She was getting a funny feeling in her stomach. Not quite butterflies, but definitely not food poisoning either. She'd had both and this was a whole new sort of feeling. Perhaps it had something to do with chatting to a taiyoukai about clothes in front of livid villagers that were poised to kill him.

"You should not be here," he said, glancing up at the crowd. "They will harm you without regret in order to harm me."

"I'm a miko," she replied, aghast. "They wouldn't."

"They think I have tainted you." He smirked at her confusion. "They think that you are not a virgin. Because of me."

"Oh!" A flash of anger crossed her face. "That's really rude of them."

He nodded. "And foolish. You are obviously a virgin."

"Okay. We're going to have to talk about that little comment later, pervert. But here, let me talk to them." She felt his grip loosen and touched her good foot to the ground, turning neatly in his arms. The villagers stilled. Kagome could see Midoriko at the edge of the crowd, carrying her yellow bag. She was frowning at the younger miko.

"What are you guys doing?" Kagome said, her brow creased. "He just saved you from a wolf demon, a demon that did kill your animals and you repay him with threats?"

"We didn't have any wolf youkai around before he came!" called a man. The others cheered in agreement.

Her head was beginning to hurt already. "Look. He had nothing to do…" She trailed off as the villagers behind her began to shout. "What now?"

Everyone turned. Even in the twilight, they could see the black smoke rolling down the hill towards the village. The villagers began to panic around them, alternately screaming for their crops and for their lives.

"Ah. Now I remember why I came," murmured Sesshoumaru. "It is moving faster than it was when I was on the hill."

"Why didn't you tell me?" asked Kagome, her voice rather shrill.

"I was being threatened by farming tools."

She sighed. "This isn't my best day ever," she murmured, watching the smoke approach the village. "What is it?"

"I do not know. It is coming from that dry well."

"The well?" Her eyes darkened and she frowned. "Of course. That would just figure." She wanted to scream, to hit something, but she lacked the energy to do any more than swear under her breath.

Midoriko appeared at her side. "Come on, Kagome-san. I think it's safe to say we're going to find that witch. But we have to do something about this first. I'm thinking a barrier to contain it. Here," she said, handing her the battered crutch.

"It would be much faster if I carried her," said Sesshoumaru, narrowing his eyes at Midoriko.

"Yes," said Kagome, cutting in before the elder miko could make a remark, "but this is going to take some major holy power. You should stay very far back, Sesshoumaru. Once we have a barrier around it, we'll leave. I don't think we're very welcome here anymore."

Sesshoumaru nodded and the two miko began to walk towards the cascading smoke. Blood dripped off of Kagome's kimono where she had been pressed up against him.

He turned away, intending to take Kagome's advice to heart. He had felt the pain of purification before, and he had no wish to repeat it. He was fully aware that he was lucky to even have a chance to repeat such pain.

He had killed that miko, he remembered. She had joined a group of brigands as a decoy, asking travelers for help until the gang could fall upon them. It was an effective con. Who would deny the poor priestess help? Sesshoumaru suspected that she had no idea he was a youkai when she had tried to play her game with him, although he was always unclear how she could not have sensed his demon power. It had been dark and cloudy when she had stepped out in front of him on that road. She had been horrified at her mistake, when he easily killed the gang that tried to attack. She tried to purify him. It was like blades raining down on his skin and he had snapped her neck for it. She was the first human woman he had ever killed.

The fact that he didn't do the same to Kagome when he had first realized what she was had surprised him.

Now, he never could. He could have escaped those villagers easily, despite the difficult battle with the wolf that had drained most of his remaining energy. But she tried to protect him. She didn't stand back and let them attack. And… had she been flirting with him?

The idea was preposterous. She was a priestess. Even if she had no proper training, he had a feeling that miko knew they were supposed to stay away from 'unclean' things. And he had a good idea that he fell under that category. At least, Kagome was the first miko to act as if he didn't fall under that category.

He was just not accustomed to humans that did not turn away from him in fear. That was all. That was the only difference between Kagome and any other human. And although it was a pleasant difference, it meant nothing more than that. He was appalled by any other implications it could have anyway.

So he would not think of it anymore.

He walked through the streets, listening to the angry whispers of the villagers. They would not act now. They had dispersed and no longer felt safe in their diminished numbers. And although they were blaming him for the ominous fog, they would not risk bringing it upon themselves any faster by antagonizing him.

He leapt up into a towering tree on the edge of the village, watching as the black smoke rolled ever closer. He could see the two miko walking slowly up the hill, protected by a small barrier. The smoke didn't seem to actually affect anything, but he was pleased that they would take such a precaution. Even if it did nothing, black smoke pouring from a dry well probably did not bode well.

It was mysterious though. He had never seen anything quite like it. Threatening, but apparently harmless. It defied logic if it was an attack of some type. What would be the point? Perhaps, he mused, it was a byproduct. It was simply the waste of some other process. Like the smoke produced when he burned something with his poisoned claws. The smoke did nothing, but the poison was quite effective. He had no idea how that could apply to this black fog, but it would explain its tactical failings.

They were standing in the smoke near the well now. They spoke to each other, putting their heads close together. Sesshoumaru could almost hear the soft, serious voice of the younger miko. He wondered if she was as upset as he had predicted she would be by this occurrence. She had seemed to accept it rather easily in the village, almost as if she expected it. Of course, she had also been attacked by a large wolf demon and twisted her ankle during the day, so perhaps she was simply tired of the intrusions into her life.

But there was something about that well… He couldn't figure it out for the life of him why anyone would care about a dry well, although it obviously was not all that it appeared to be. He remembered that she had been running from the direction of the well when they met. And he remembered how she rested upon it that afternoon with sad eyes and a quiet voice.

And that elder miko, Midoriko, had mentioned something about a witch once the well began to spew forth the smoke. He had a feeling that Kagome had told Midoriko some secret while her ankle had been fixed up.

He was rather offended by that.

But, he could understand it. Perhaps it was something between miko. Or perhaps between women, although he wasn't sure that Midoriko qualified as a woman. She had more stone in her heart than he did. He couldn't imagine Kagome warming up to anyone as cold as her. Then again, she seemed rather fond of him. But he wasn't thinking of that.

He saw Kagome dropped her crutch and lifted her arms in time with Midoriko. The air began to crackle with energy. Sesshoumaru's skin began to tingle as if someone was lightly scratching him, and he shivered as he sat in the boughs of the tree.

There was a flash of pink light and a translucent dome appeared, arching out over the well and the entire cloud of black fog. Sesshoumaru drew back, feeling he was too close to the flame, but the dome withdrew even faster. It shrank, pulling the smoke towards the well until he could only see a small pink bubble on top of the hill covering the well and its immediate area. All of it was over in a matter of moments, although the air still held the static of holy power.

He watched as the two miko leaned upon one another. Kagome was clearly the worse for wear. He leapt down from the tree and made his way to them, avoiding the villagers who were now pouring out of their huts and staring up at the hill. He could hear them speaking about Midoriko, praising the 'glorious' priestess. There were no words of praise for Kagome. They were only amazed that she had any power after defiling herself with the demon. He wondered why they were so obsessed with the sexual behavior of a miko and youkai. Maybe it was a human thing?

Kagome was still sitting upon the ground when he found them, as Midoriko was circling the well. The pink barrier was completely filled with black smoke, swirling beneath its surface, but Kagome smiled at him. "That was kind of hard," she breathed.

"But you were successful," he said. He offered her a hand and pulled her up. "Will it hold?"

She tucked the crutch under her arm, letting go of him, and nodded towards Midoriko. "That's her call. I've never done anything like that before."

"It looks like it will hold," said Midoriko. "Not forever though. If that smoke continues to come out of the well, the barrier will break."

"And you still do not know what it is?" he asked, directing the question to Kagome.

"No." Kagome sighed. Sesshoumaru could tell she was telling the truth. "We should go to this witch and see what's wrong."

"A witch?" asked Sesshoumaru, arching an eyebrow. "You mentioned that before. What good would a witch do for a miko?"

"Well, Midoriko thinks she might be able to help get me back to my friends."

"I see." The demon and elder miko regarded one another, neither very pleased.

"We should go now," said Midoriko, "before the villagers decide to come up here." She didn't need to say more about their intentions, but cast an accusing look towards Sesshoumaru.

Kagome smiled sleepily, oblivious to the dark looks passing between her companions. "Yeah, I guess we should leave. Do we have to go very far tonight, do you think?"

Sesshoumaru glanced behind him, towards the village. The people were still in the streets, still wielding farming tools. "Yes." He took her wrist and then pulled the crutch out from under her. "This is a piece of trash," he said, throwing it aside and crouching down in front of her. "Get on."

Kagome smiled again. Truly brothers, she thought as she climbed onto his back, looping her arms around his neck. "Why are you so nice to me?" she murmured.

"Because you are kind to me," he said, straightening up and hooking his hands under her knees. "Did you expect me to repay kindness with cruelty?"

"No," she murmured, leaning forward onto his shoulder and closing her eyes. "You always were honorable."

Sesshoumaru frowned, turning his head to ask what she meant, but Kagome was asleep.

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A/N: I've been watching a lot of British television lately, hence the rather cheeky talk between Kagome and Sesshoumaru in the village and the brisk pace. I thought it was preferable to Kagome and the villagers trading ugly words anyway (earlier versions like that dragged). A few of you have mentioned that Sesshoumaru is getting to be too cuddly too fast. Remember though, this is a younger Sesshoumaru. Izayoi hasn't come into the picture yet and he hasn't had the experience with humans to find out how irritating they can be. Really, Kagome is the first human he has exchanged more than a few words with. And he thinks she's amusing. Nothing past that. Not yet.

And if anyone is wondering, Kagome obviously did not tell Midoriko about the source of the Jewel. She told her the barest details she could manage about the time traveling. Hope that was clear.