Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or his characters, and have no right to it except as a long time fan.
Rebirth of the Phoenix Priestess
VII: Volatile Confrontations
The Inu group had been without Kagome for a month now and most of them were feeling it. It had only taken a little over a week for Miroku and Sango to begin to miss Kagome and the life she brought to the group. It didn't help that they had no luck in finding Shippo. His absence just highlighted Kagome's, and it looked like Inuyasha didn't even care that they hadn't found him or heard anything about him.
Everything was so quiet now, no one talked anymore if only to make it seem like time was passing faster. Neither of them expected Kikyou to talk. She just didn't give off that vibe and they really didn't want to talk to her.
They couldn't help thinking that in a way she had taken Kagome's place in the group, and not in a good way. She did none of the things Kagome used to do. There was no going to villages to make money and listen for leads, no making meals and making sure everyone was well fed, and no making sure they had slept long enough to be effective in battle.
It also hadn't escaped their notice that they had found no jewel shards. Despite the youkai they had fought in the past weeks, some stronger than others and yet no shards. It was an assumption that Kikyou couldn't sense them since those strong youkai hadn't put themselves back together like they would if they had a jewel shard. Despite the fact that she had complained about Kagome's inability to find jewel shards right alongside Inuyasha, they were beginning to wonder if she could sense them at all.
They also hadn't heard anything from Naraku nor could they find any trace of him. They realized the irony of the fact that they had thought Kagome was slowing them down on their hunt for the kumo, and here they were without her for a month now and they seemed to be worse off.
Inuyasha had also been missing Kagome. He had become used to her talking all the time and keeping the silence away, and making him eat at every meal. Not that he really had to be forced. The food she had brought from her time was good, especially the ramen. He missed her checking him over after fights to see if he was okay and take care of his wounds, and her riding on his back when they needed to travel fast.
Kikyou did none of those things. She only talked when she wanted something or was letting him know she was going somewhere, and she barely did that. She didn't seem to care if he ate or not since she didn't have to, and if she cared about any injury he got during a fight she never said anything or showed concern. And with her soul collectors she didn't need him to help her get around.
Then there were the personal things between them; their relationship. As far as he could tell there barely was one. They didn't really touch in front of the others. The closest they got was walking and sitting side by side.
They hadn't kissed in weeks and they obviously hadn't done more than that in that time. That was something that he didn't like. They hadn't gone beyond kissing and touching when she was alive and since she had been brought back they hadn't done much more than kiss, and simple light kissing at that.
He had hoped that once they were traveling together and he didn't have to sneak off to see her they could do more. He had wanted hand holding, something Kagome had occasionally done with him and felt nice, passionate kisses, and sex. He didn't care that she wasn't exactly alive. She could still feel and return his affection, but none of that was happening and he couldn't understand why.
It all made him wonder what things would be like when she was alive again. She would need to eat then and she wouldn't have soul collectors to help her since she wouldn't need them, but it was hard to say if her personality would change. Would she be interested in returning his affection then, when her body was warm and soft?
Of course none of that would matter if she wasn't alive, and it didn't look like that would happen.
The part of her soul that Kagome carried obviously wasn't returning to Kikyou since it hadn't yet, and Kikyou had yet to lead them to any jewel shards. That had brought back his thoughts on if she could sense them or not multiple times, but it was very much looking like she couldn't sense them.
It was looking more and more like Kagome had been killed for nothing, and that thought along with his missing her was making him feel guilty and regretful.
Kagome hadn't deserved to die, and she had been killed because he wanted to be with Kikyou. And now he was unsure if he still wanted her now that he was getting a sample of what life with her would be. Not to mention he hadn't known he would miss Kagome as much as he did.
He was even thinking ahead to his ningen night. Kagome usually stayed with him the whole night, reassuring him with her presence. He wasn't at all sure Kikyou would do that. He thought she might even use that time to her advantage to go off somewhere. Something she had been doing occasionally without an explanation.
He knew Miroku and Sango would be there with him, but he had noticed tension in them. He wasn't sure but he thought they might be missing Kagome as well. He definitely knew they weren't happy with Kikyou's presence.
There was tension in his pack, something that hadn't been there with Kagome's presence. He didn't like it. Not one bit. If it kept building he worried that they might leave, and he would lose his pack. Then he would be alone again. He wasn't sure how to keep that from happening since Kagome couldn't be brought back.
That thought made him think of his bastard half-brother and his sword. He was getting desperate enough to ask, but he knew even if he had Kagome's body it was way too late to bring her back.
oOo~RPP~oOo
A few days later Inuyasha went off a ways away from where his pack was camped one evening after Kikyou had left to take on more souls. He sat on a boulder and looked out at the rolling plain before him as he tried to figure out how and when he could speak to Kikyou.
After his recent thoughts he had decided he needed to talk to Kikyou about what they were going to do next, if anything, since they couldn't just continue on like they were.
They weren't finding any jewel shards, Kikyou's soul was incomplete, and they hadn't come across any of Naraku's incarnations, let alone the kumo himself. His pack was still full of tension and all the members didn't get along. Sango was giving Kikyou dirty looks, and Miroku was looking at her in concern. He had no doubt that his houshi friend was concerned about their situation and not her health.
The looks they gave him were irritated, unsettled, and concerned frowns. There was no doubt they wondered why Kikyou was there. She didn't do anything. When a youkai attacked she stood on the sidelines watching while they fought, and she had yet to point them toward any jewel shards.
Of course he had brought her into the pack in the first place because he wanted to be able to spend time with her, to be with her. At the time he had thought her addition would be great, another fighter. Unlike Kagome Kikyou was an excellent shot with her bow, she was powerful, experienced when it came to spiritual matters, and she could sense jewel shards.
At least, she had been able to when she was alive. He didn't know for a fact if she had ever sensed any jewel shards since her resurrection. He had just assumed she could since she had been the previous shikon miko.
It was understandable that they would look at him the way they did. He didn't like it, but he understood. He had brought her there, and even though they didn't know it, he was responsible for why Kagome wasn't there, and ultimately why none of them were getting closer to their revenge.
Now he didn't know what to do. They were traveling, but were at a standstill. Kagome was forever gone and Kikyou was there, just as he wanted, but she wasn't alive. She wasn't alive, wasn't being useful, didn't get along with the rest of his pack, and he wasn't sure he wanted her around anymore. Wasn't even sure if he wanted to be with her.
Kikyou walked slowly, her soul collectors following along behind her and at her sides, as she moved closer to her inu hanyou. With her soul collectors it hadn't taken her long to learn that he wasn't in camp with the others. Once her collectors returned she sent one of them to find him. Once it had the remainder led her to him.
When he came into view she wondered why he was out there so far from camp. The only time she could remember him leaving his camp like this was to come see her, and obviously that was no longer necessary. He also wasn't seeing another female, so she was curious as to why he was there.
She walked to him quietly, silently sending her soul collectors to stay back, and stopped next to him. She stared at him for a few long moments, seeing his thoughtful countenance, something she had been seeing a lot of.
"You have been preoccupied lately." She said. It was her way of wanting to know what was wrong with him.
Inuyasha held in a sigh. Now that Kikyou was there with him he found himself reluctant to talk to her, to even look at her, but he knew he had to.
"I was thinking about our situation. We haven't found any jewel shards, you don't have the rest of your soul, and we aren't closer to finding Naraku." He said.
Kikyou pursed her lips and looked away. He was right but that didn't mean she liked it. They of course hadn't found any shards since she couldn't sense them. She didn't think they had passed any by since they hadn't fought a youkai that could reform after its defeat, but she knew that meant little since ningen could possess the shards as well as different objects.
The rest of her soul still hadn't returned to her, and by this point she hadn't thought it would. Her soul collectors had been unsuccessful in finding her reincarnations body, so she was now sure that it had been returned to her time. That also assured her that the girl couldn't still be alive and walking around with the remainder of her soul. She still didn't think it had moved on to be reincarnated once again since she still had her portion. Unless it wouldn't reincarnate until it had her piece.
As for Naraku, they had yet to come across anything to do with the kumo. Including his numerous incarnations. She had thought that at least one of them would come across them, but so far none had confronted them.
Kikyou looked back to Inuyasha and saw him looking off into the distance with a frown and a despondent look in his eyes.
"Are you regretting your part in my reincarnations death?" She asked as she narrowed her eyes.
"Yes." Inuyasha answered bluntly. "It's looking more and more like Kagome was killed for nothing."
"Our plan was good and worked as it should have, but we could not have known the rest of my soul would not return to me or that my reincarnation would have hidden the shards she carried." She said reasonably. "Still, it is good that she is gone since she did belong here."
Not to mention her reincarnation was no longer around to interfere in her relationship with Inuyasha. The girl hadn't said anything to them or shown any hurt feelings at her presence in the group, but she knew the girl had been hiding her feelings for him. And she didn't want Inuyasha thinking he had to choose between them or that he had a choice at all.
"We could've sent her away; sealed the well so she couldn't return. You had the power to do that." Inuyasha said gruffly.
"I did have that power, but as I said before we could not have known we would not get what we needed. Sending her away instead of killing her would not have given me the rest of my soul, and she would not have handed over the jewel shards willingly." Kikyou said.
Inuyasha sighed, knowing she was right but still not liking it.
"Well, what're we supposed to do now?" He asked gruffly. "Getting Kagome's soul and the jewel shards was our means of bringing you back to life." He said reluctantly. "How's that supposed to happen now? Can it even happen anymore?"
"I did not consider any other way since getting the rest of my soul and the jewel shards to complete the jewel, and make the wish would have been a sure way of bringing me back to life without any side effects." She said. "I can try to find another way, but it will take time."
Inuyasha nodded then sighed. "I want to talk about us."
"What about us?" Kikyou asked.
"I wonder if you really want to be with me." He said with a shrug.
"How can you think such a thing, especially since I am here with you and have been since I joined the group?"
"Because you don't act like it." He replied and watched her frown. "You don't seem to want to touch me. Our relationship was passionate when you were alive, but now that we're together you're not showing any interest in getting that passion back."
"You don't seem to care if I eat, if I'm injured, and you aren't trying to fit into my pack. Sango and Miroku didn't mind when I brought you into the pack, but now I can tell they're upset with your presence. You don't speak to them, you don't fight with us when youkai attack, and I'm sure they've noticed that you haven't lead us to any jewel shards." He continued.
"Beyond that they've noticed your lack of attention to me. They know you're here to be with me, but you don't act any differently than them besides walking next to me when we travel. This's caused tension in the pack, and I'm worried. You show no interest in having a real relationship with me, and Sango and Miroku are distant with me. I just don't want to lose my pack." He finished.
Inuyasha didn't bother mentioning his own conflicted feelings about whether or not he wanted to be with her. He hadn't exactly thought of his own feelings for her yet, so he wasn't sure if he just needed the things he said she hadn't been doing or if his feelings for her were fading.
Kikyou looked away yet again and considered his words. A lot of what he said was true. She was guilty of those things. She didn't help in fights because she didn't think she needed to. They had no trouble and they were used to fighting together. Her helping could actually hinder them.
And she didn't necessarily care if he ate. He was old enough to manage himself if he was hungry, and since she didn't need to eat she didn't think about it. She didn't show concern when he was hurt because she knew he would heal. There was nothing she could do that would speed up his own healing process.
She didn't rush to him for intimacy and affection because she didn't feel the need for any. Now that she was thinking about it she imagined it wouldn't feel all that great since her body was nothing but clay and dirt. She could feel the emotion but her body couldn't respond correctly even if she did want such things.
Kikyou suppressed a sigh. She did love Inuyasha, but she still had her feelings of hate for him. She was also different then she was when she lived. It could be a combination of the two that made her distant from him and anything to do with his pack. She didn't know if the others really thought the things Inuyasha said they did, but she had noticed their tension and the looks they aimed her way.
"I do want to be with you. You are right that I do not do a lot of things, but most of it is because I do not think I need to." She said honestly. "I think you are old enough to make sure you feed yourself, and I do not worry for you when you are injured because I know you heal better without my interference. If your injuries were worse I would have stepped in."
"I do not bother trying to fit in because even though the others did not seem to have a problem with me, I do not have anything in common with them. We have nothing to talk about. And I stay out of the fighting since I figured I would be in the way. You all are used to fighting together as a group and I did not wish to ruin any coordination you had."
"As for our relationship, you are right about there being no passion. That is because I feel none and do not feel the need for intimacy. I am dead Inuyasha. My body is made of dirt and clay, and I imagine anything we try would not feel as it should because of that." She finished.
Kikyou didn't feel the need to inform him about her feelings of love and hate for him. She knew he wouldn't like it. Part of her wanted to tell him just to hurt him, but she resisted the temptation.
Inuyasha accepted her words silently, feeling that they were truthful, but there was still the matter of his conflicted feelings toward her. He was going to have to figure them out before anything happened between them, including getting her a flesh and blood body.
Both of them were so caught up in their talk and their own thoughts and feelings, that they didn't notice the Saimyōshō lingering nearby, listening to every word they said.
oOo~RPP~oOo
A few days had passed since Inuyasha and Kikyou's private talk and though an outsider wouldn't know anything had happened Sango and Miroku could easily tell that something had in fact happened that they were unaware of.
The couple still walked side by side but they no longer stood as close. They no longer sat close together in the evenings after they made camp, and didn't seem to go off together before everyone went to sleep. They had never talked much, especially Kikyou, but now there was always silence. Neither Sango nor Miroku could tell if it was awkward, but it was there none the less.
Miroku wasn't entirely sure but it appeared to him that it was Inuyasha putting up the distance between him and Kikyou, and he couldn't help wondering why. After all, he had brought her into the group, obviously as his chosen love interest, so why distance himself now? Was he having second thoughts about the relationship? If he was then why?
Nothing had happened as far as he knew, but then something had obviously happened for Inuyasha to be acting the way he was with the woman he supposedly loved.
Miroku looked over to Sango speculatively as they walked, and she returned the look with an uncertain one of her own before she returned her gaze forward to Inuyasha and Kikyou.
She didn't know what was going on between them, but she knew she wasn't going to get involved in it. It was their relationship and it was up to them to work out. They were probably just fighting over something, and that had nothing to do with her or Miroku.
Besides, she didn't like Kikyou and wanted nothing to do with her. Kagome may have chosen to no longer travel with them and had made it clear that she didn't mind Kikyou being with Inuyasha, but she had clearly made Kagome's life difficult when she was first brought back to life and she hadn't done anything to make up for it.
As far as Sango was concerned Kikyou likely thought she didn't need to make up for it, especially with Kagome no longer around, and felt no need to make herself agreeable and friendly with neither her nor Miroku.
And now Kikyou's presence was an irritation since she appeared to be useless. She wasn't helping them fight when youkai's attacked, not even from the sidelines, and she hadn't lead them to a jewel shared yet. It was as if she was there solely for Inuyasha's pleasure, and now even that was uncertain.
Miroku glanced to the sky, and noticed the sun was beginning to set.
"Inuyasha. We should begin looking for a place to camp." He suggested.
Before Inuyasha could react to his words they saw a child walking on the road ahead of them carrying a naginata that was much taller than him.
Only a few seconds passed before Inuyasha tensed and drew his Tessaiga.
"It's Hakudoshi!" He yelled as he watched the child walk casually toward them.
At his words the rest readied their weapons, their eyes flickering all over, anxious not to be caught off guard by a surprise attack from Naraku.
"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked loudly, stepping forward as Hakudoshi grew close enough for everyone to see clearly.
"What? I can't come for a visit? Didn't any of you miss me?" He said teasingly in his child like voice as he moved closer before coming to a halt.
"Don't play games!" Inuyasha snapped. "We don't want to deal with that. Either say something or get fighting."
"You're missing someone." Hakudoshi stated casually after looking at each of them, even Kirara. "Where's the miko Kagome?"
"She's not traveling with us anymore." Sango answered slowly, hesitant to say anything.
"She's traveling on her own then." He said as he looked to her. "I haven't seen her and I've been traveling around quite a bit lately."
"She's at home. Well out of yours and Naraku's reach." She said with a frown.
"She certainly is out of our reach." He said as he nodded slowly. He paused as he once again looked at each of them, lingering on Inuyasha and Kikyou, before he returned his gaze to Sango. "You must've been mistaken because to my knowledge the miko is not at home."
Miroku frowned at his words. He could sense that something was not right. He had been involved in many fights and knew very well how they started. Although this child incarnation of Naraku had a weapon he clearly wasn't looking for a fight. He appeared to be there for another reason, and he had a bad feeling of what that could be.
"What do you mean? How do you know Kagome is not home?" He asked as he stepped forward. He wasn't one to believe an incarnation of Naraku, but he wanted to understand what the child meant. Especially with what he was sensing.
"I mean she is not at home as some of you believe." Hakudoshi said with a smirk.
Sango frowned. Some. She repeated. What did he mean only some of them believed it? If Kagome wasn't at home where else could she be?
She supposed it was possible that Kagome had come back through the well without them knowing and was traveling on her own. That would be reckless and dangerous of her since Kagome wasn't the best fighter, and she always stood out with the clothes she wore.
She shook her head slightly. She shouldn't be listening to him anyway. He wasn't to be trusted, being an incarnation of Naraku. Kagome was safe at home.
"The miko Kagome is in fact dead, has been for some time." Hakudoshi said casually. "She didn't just die; she was killed." He added, and watched Inuyasha stiffen. "Would you like to know who killed her?" He asked in a pleasant tone.
Everyone remained silent; not believing him, but wanting to hear what he had to say anyway.
"Two of your own did it. Inuyasha and Kikyou are responsible. They killed her." He revealed. "All for her soul and the jewel shards she carried." He added.
"Naraku wanted her dead, but then he wants all of you dead and out of his way. Those two on the other hand wanted her dead for her soul and to take possession of the jewel shards, and all so they could wish Kikyou back to life." He explained nonchalantly.
Inuyasha's eyes widened. He wondered how the kid knew about that. He had made sure they were alone when Kagome walked toward them that day. He hadn't wanted anyone to know. And if the kid knew then Naraku surely did. There was no way he didn't. This whole encounter was probably his idea.
Kikyou looked from Hakudoshi to Inuyasha and nearly groaned at his reaction. It was possible to deny the kids words, but only if Inuyasha could pull himself together and stop reacting.
Hakudoshi gestured up to the youkai wasps that had flown out of the nearby trees and hovered above him.
"Next time you should be more careful about where you have your private conversations." He said with a smirk.
Hakudoshi giggled before he laughed outright and floated off in his barrier, disappearing into the distance and leaving them to deal with the information he had relayed.
Sango and Miroku were shocked. Sango didn't believe it, and Miroku didn't want to but he began to think.
He wondered if this was why Shippo had left. Could he sense the truth somehow? Inuyasha had said he couldn't get through the well and they had just assumed it had been sealed, that Kagome had sealed it somehow, but Miroku had never gone to check and see what kind of seal it was. It also hadn't occurred to him to check and see if he could undo the seal so Inuyasha could go to Kagome and talk to her.
They had just assumed she was done traveling with them and dealing with Naraku and jewel shards, and hadn't looked deeper into what they thought was her sudden desire to quit. It just showed how selfish they were. They had been fine with what they thought was her decision, happy even that she would be gone and that their travels wouldn't take nearly as long.
Could Kagome really have been dead all this time and they had been glad she was gone. Yes they were missing her now but at first they thought her absence was a good thing.
And her jewel shards?! He couldn't believe it hadn't occurred to him before then. What happened to the shards she had? If she had truly been done in their time then she would have left those behind.
Sango could see Miroku thinking and the look on his face was disturbed. It got her thinking even though she didn't want to believe it.
She really didn't want to believe it was true. She looked over to Inuyasha since Kikyou's face was as blank as ever. He wasn't looking at any of them, and his ears were pinned back to his head.
And he still hadn't denied the accusation.
She knew then that it was true. They had killed Kagome. She was dead, had been dead most likely since at least the day he claimed he couldn't get through the well. She wondered now if he had even tried, then realized that of course he didn't. He obviously knew Kagome was dead, so there would have been no need.
Sango remembered how she had been happy that Kagome had supposedly stayed in her time. How she thought things would fare better without her presence to delay them all the time, and not have to listen to her arguing with Inuyasha all the time.
Kami! She had even thought they would have a better chance at finding jewel shards quicker with Kikyou since she had experience and control of her spiritual powers.
How could she have been happy when Kagome was dead?! And Shippo?! He was still missing. Had he left because he knew? Or had he just left because he could sense that Inuyasha was guilty? Did he really leave on his own or was he dead too? She wouldn't have thought Inuyasha capable of killing Shippo, but she had never thought he could kill Kagome and look what happened.
She closed her eyes in grief and disgust. Not only was she disgusted at herself, for in learning the truth she could now see how her not wanting to hear Kagome arguing with Inuyasha and wanting to get at her revenge faster was all selfish, but she was disgusted that she had been traveling with two murderers.
She hugged Kirara to her and made a slight keening sound as she thought of Kagome's family. She had nearly been destroyed when her remaining family and village had been killed. How was Kagome's family dealing with her disappearance? Did they somehow know what had happened to her or did they think she was merely traveling with them as she had been since the beginning?
Miroku's mind skipped from considering what happened to Kagome's jewel shards to Kagome herself. How had she died? Was it quick? Did she suffer? Did she know what was happening, know who was killing her?!
Miroku looked over at Sango and watched as grief and disgust shifted her face. He looked over to Inuyasha and Kikyou. Kikyou was as cool and blank as always, staring at Inuyasha. Inuyasha on the other hand was looking everywhere but at one of them, even Kikyou was spared his gaze. His ears were pinned back, his arms crossed over his chest, and his posture stiff.
He gripped his staff and dropped his eyes to the ground and tried to think passed the chaos in his mind, but he was stuck on the fact that he had been traveling with murderers. Two who had murdered their friend.
It was honestly something he could see Kikyou doing. If the situation had been different that fact would have been reason to be glad Kagome had decided to stay home, but the situation wasn't different and that thought hadn't even crossed his mind.
Inuyasha he couldn't see killing Kagome, unless it was an accident. If his youkai blood took over and he killed her when he wasn't in his right mind, but if that had happened he would have reacted differently. He would have stayed away for days and days and his guilt would have been all over his face. He hadn't reacted that way at all. He hadn't reacted at all as far as Miroku could tell.
"When did it happen?" He quietly asked Inuyasha as he looked back to him. He didn't bother asking if he had did it. He knew Kikyou being the way she was wouldn't react to the accusation either way, but Inuyasha hadn't denied it. Hadn't gotten angry or anything. In fact, he and Sango had reacted more than him.
Inuyasha remained silent pressing his lips together as if that would keep the knowledge from escaping him. He hadn't denied what Naraku's brat had said. His guilt wouldn't allow it, but that didn't mean he had to say anything.
"I want answers!" Miroku yelled. "It is too late to deny it; your silence was answer enough. Now when did it happen?"
"The day she said she was comin' back." Inuyasha finally answered.
Kikyou closed her eyes at the fact that he couldn't keep his mouth shut, but Naraku had obviously heard them and made sure the others got the information so what was a few more details.
Both Miroku and Sango grimaced at the answer. Kagome had come back through the well to rejoin them only to be killed. He obviously couldn't have done it in her time without anyone knowing it was him.
"How did she die?" Miroku asked and listened as the hanyou sighed gustily.
"She was shot in the chest with an arrow." Inuyasha said, and Kikyou decided to speak up.
"She most likely drowned in her own blood." She added cruelly. After all, even though she was dead Kikyou still didn't like her reincarnation, especially since Inuyasha was feeling guilty over her death.
Miroku grimaced again. Kagome had obviously suffered. Still, he had his answer and now knew that it was actually Kikyou that had killed Kagome, but Inuyasha was obviously there since Kikyou wouldn't have known Kagome was drowning in her own blood unless Inuyasha told her.
"Kagome knew!" Sango cried out. "She knew who attacked her; who was killing her. She must have felt so betrayed and afraid."
"What happened to her body?" Miroku asked.
"She disappeared back to her time." Inuyasha replied.
Sango cried out and collapsed to the ground, imagining how Kagome's family would have reacted. Would her body have appeared in the well or in her home? Or would it have appeared in the same spot she died only in her time, perhaps out in the open?
Kagome had said she lived on a shrine and visitors regularly came. What if she had been discovered by some random person and they thought her family had done it? Especially if the arrow was still in her chest!
What did her family think? Finding her body without an explanation? She could only imagine the horror and grief.
Miroku thought that was at least some good news in all they had learned. At least her family would know and be able to bury her, but despite that he was more than a little skeptical. How did they know that was the truth? Did they see her body disappear or was it simply gone when they happened to come back to it?
He shook his head and held in a sigh. He wouldn't find out either way, so he moved on.
"And her jewel shards?" He asked next.
"She didn't have them on her. She must've left them in her time." Inuyasha guessed.
Miroku didn't know what to think about that. If that was true then it meant Naraku couldn't complete the jewel and make his wish. Unless he happened to live to her time and then resumed his hunt for the jewel shards.
It also meant Kikyou and Inuyasha couldn't wish on the jewel either. Did they realize it would have been a selfish wish and that the jewel would have remained, corrupted and there for someone else to wish on?
He closed his eyes as if to block out the truth. Their friend, innocent Kagome, had been killed for her soul and jewel shards.
Again he thought Kikyou more than capable, especially since she didn't like Kagome, but he couldn't believe Inuyasha had been a part of it. He had well and truly chosen Kikyou over Kagome to be willing to let her be killed, so the one he loved could have the rest of her soul and not interfere in what they wanted to do with the jewel.
He opened his eyes and walked over to Sango with only one thought in mind. They needed to get away. He couldn't stand to be around them, and he doubted Sango could either. He helped her to her feet, seeing that she was blinded by her tears and lost in grief, and looked to Kirara's tiny form.
"Please Kirara. Take us away from here." He begged the fire neko.
She released a soft meow and shifted to her larger form, and he helped Sango on before climbing on behind her.
"Where're you going?!" Inuyasha asked with a frown. He didn't want to believe they were leaving him; didn't want to believe his pack was falling apart around him.
Miroku ignored him and adjusted his staff so he could hold it and Sango comfortably.
"We are ready." He quietly told Kirara.
Kirara silently jumped up into the air and soared higher and higher into the sky before picking a direction, and flying off at top speed to keep Inuyasha from following them.
oOo~RPP~oOo
Kagome and Rin silently slipped into the heated water of the hot spring they had decided to bath in that evening. After relaxing in silence for some time Kagome grabbed the shampoo she had brought along and began to wash Rin's hair.
"How do you feel now that Sesshomaru and I are mated?" She asked softly as she scrubbed Rin's dark locks.
"I am happy." Rin said with a pleased sigh. "You and Sesshomaru-sama look and act happy, so that makes me happy. Sesshomaru-sama is my father, and now you are my mother. You both protect me, teach me, and make sure I eat and have clothing. I have never been more happy."
"I'm glad to hear that." Kagome said as she gently scrubbed her scalp. "How do you feel about Shippo?" She asked. She knew that although Rin was only ten she was mature for her age; her deaths had left their mark on her, so she felt this type of conversation was fine. She also wanted to know if Rin thought of Shippo as a brother because if she did than that would make his task harder.
"I like Shippo. I like him very much." Rin said with a smile as she moved her fingers through the water. "He is always fun to be around, and always brings a smile to my face. He does not mind playing with me no matter what I want to do."
"He does not mind me being around Sesshomaru-sama, and he is still willing to play even with him watching over me. I tried that with some village kids before, but when they saw Sesshomaru-sama watching they would get scared and run away." She said a little sadly. "Oh and I like seeing him as he really is. He is so pretty, and so very soft."
"Would you be upset if another girl decided she liked Shippo as well?" Kagome asked.
"No. We would be friends and I would hope the girl would want to be my friend as well." Rin answered.
"What if the girl didn't want to be your friend? What if she only wanted to be around Shippo, and have all his attention to herself?" She asked, and Rin was quiet for a while.
"I would be very unhappy." She said with a small frown. "Shippo is my friend, my best friend. I am always happy to see him and be near him. I would not like the girl coming and taking him from me."
"I do not think he would leave me. Shippo was always sad when our groups parted, but now that we travel together we do not have to worry about that anymore." Rin said happily.
"You're very right." Kagome said as she nodded. "You two won't be parted unless it's your decision to go your separate ways when you're older, but then again you two are pack now so maybe you won't go your own ways but decide you like someone else."
"I guess, but I do not think it will happen." Rin said. "I have been around boys my age that liked me, before they knew I traveled with Sesshomaru-sama, but I only wanted to play with them. I did not want to spend all my time with them." She said very seriously.
"They were ningen. Have you ever been around youkai your age?" Kagome asked.
"I saw some in the different places we traveled, but they were too scared to come near or did not like ningens or maybe both." Rin said with a slight shrug. "I still think I will only like Shippo." She added and Kagome nodded.
After they finished their bath they dressed and headed back to camp. On their way they were unexpectedly confronted by Kanna. She was standing in their path holding her mirror as usual.
Kagome placed her hand reassuringly on Rin's shoulder and summoned a protective barrier that easily sprang up around them. She wanted Rin protected from her fire just in case it got out of her control if she had to use it.
"What do you want?" She asked the child incarnation as she stepped forward, out of the barrier.
"I am here for Rin. Do not interfere." Kanna said quietly in her emotionless voice.
"You're not going anywhere near her." Kagome stated flat out.
"Then you will die for your interference." The quiet little girl stated.
Kanna shifted her mirror, angling it so Kagome could see her face in it, and watched as it began to glow. Kagome felt the unpleasantly familiar tug deep inside her, and blue instantly flooded her eyes just as quickly as her anger grew. She was so very tired of beings trying to take her soul from her.
She let out a musical cry of pure rage and flung her hand out toward the child incarnate of Naraku. Blue white flames shot from her hand and instantly engulfed the little girl.
Kanna's white hair and kimono caught fire, and her mirror cracked then shattered under the heat of Kagome's intense fire. She let out a pain-filled sound between a scream and a shriek as she began to burn alive.
She doesn't seem to be able to show emotion, but she can express her pain if it's intense enough. Kagome angrily supposed.
She stopped her fire when Kanna quieted and watched as she burned to ashes. She then calmly moved forward and purified the ashes to make sure she could not be brought back.
Kagome returned to Rin and released her from the protective barrier and they continued on toward camp. They only made it a few steps before their alpha arrived, demanding an explanation for hearing the sound of his mates anger and who the pain-filled scream belonged to.
oOo~RPP~oOo
Kagome sat on the grass in the shade of a tree, her legs bent at her side to keep her comfortable in her clothing. It was a nice day so she had decided to wear a full sapphire blue kimono with a white under kimono, decorated with large white feathers.
It was lunch time and she was watching Rin play in a small field of flowers next to the place they had stopped while Sesshomaru took Shippo to hunt. She looked over to Ah-Un basking in the sun, and Jaken sitting nearby watching Rin.
It was so quiet and peaceful, so different then when she traveled with Inuyasha. Before, she liked to talk to help pass the time, travel to villages to see what merchandise was for sale almost like she would if she were in her time shopping with friends at stores. There was always at least one attacking youkai a day at least. Sometimes there were more and they spent so much time fighting and tending wounds.
Beyond that she had spent so much time worrying and stressing. Worrying about Inuyasha at first because of her feelings for him, wondering if he felt the same for her since he would show affection and then take it away and go to Kikyou, and then as just a concerned friend with his turbulent relationship with Kikyou.
She had stressed about finding jewel shards with his constant complaints about her taking too long to sense them, stressed about her lack of training and how it was hindering their efforts against Naraku and other attacking youkai, and stressed over her education in her time. Trying to keep on top of it with how much time she was spending in the past and with Inuyasha always trying to pull her away from it, complaining it wasn't as important as finding jewel shards.
Not to mention stressing over all the arguing she and Inuyasha did on a daily basis over things that were really nothing of importance.
Things were definitely different now. She never fought with Sesshomaru and she had no doubt that if they disagreed they would talk about it like the adults they were. He never talked down to her or called her derogatory names. He called her by her name or a respectful title. Before, it had been 'miko' because that's what she was, and now he addressed her as 'mate' because that's what she now was. It was also a more intimate address.
She was no longer stressed and worried. She had the natural worry that came with caring for someone, but she didn't worry about Sesshomaru's safety since she knew he could take care of himself and wasn't prone to acting rashly.
They weren't constantly attacked since she was now keeping the jewel shards masked inside her body, and no one bothered their pack with Sesshomaru leading the way.
She also didn't have to stress about her education anymore. She could go through the well any time she wanted without having to worry about it suddenly closing and sealing her away from one time or the other. Sesshomaru had no problem making sure she had time to study and adjust their travels for when she needed to go back to her time.
Beyond that Kagome no longer felt the need to talk to pass time, and sometimes to fill the silence. She simply took time to think, read, or simply enjoy the scenery. Going to villages didn't interest her anymore either. She would not mind helping people, but she hadn't openly entered a ningen village since her rebirth and was unsure of what her reception would be.
Kagome was pulled out of her thoughts as she sensed a dark presence headed toward their location. She closed her eyes to better focus on it and instantly realized it was Naraku, recognizing his aura after all the times she had encountered it.
I don't sense any jewel shards, so it must be a puppet. She concluded.
She opened her eyes and trained them on Rin as she monitored his approach, and considered that he must be used to his enemies not being able to detect his approach with how casually he was moving.
This skill must be another benefit of my rebirth since before I was never able to sense him coming, whether it was really him or a puppet, unless he had jewel shards. She thought idly.
As he got closer Kagome stood and adjusted the weapons in her white obi, then her kimono, and swept away any stray pieces of grass. She reminded herself that Naraku would not recognize her since she looked different, and according to Shippo and Sesshomaru her aura felt different, though there were nuances of what it used to feel like still there if one looked close enough.
Still, I doubt Naraku will be able to tell, just as Kagura and Kouga couldn't. Kagura probably reported that I was a bird youkai. She thought as she shook her head. He's most likely coming for Rin or myself, or maybe both of us. She decided. She didn't know if he had chosen a time when Sesshomaru would be away or if it was just coincidence, but decided it didn't matter.
As she moved over to Jaken and Ah-Un Kagome wondered if Naraku was going to attempt to kidnap them, but decided whatever he planned also didn't matter since she wouldn't let it happen.
"Naraku is approaching. I'm sure it's a puppet but I could be wrong and it could actually be Naraku himself." She warned them. "We need to protect Rin. I want you to be close to her but not look like you're ready for a fight since I don't want him to know we're aware of him before he gets here." She added quickly and they nodded.
As they moved toward Rin Kagome veered off and placed herself between the rest of her pack and the direction Naraku was coming from. She pulled her battle fan from her obi and opened it before she casually began to wave it toward her face. She was calm and relaxed, but she wanted to appear like she had no idea he was coming.
Soon enough she sensed his presence arrive in the tree line behind her, and she closed her fan as she turned around to see his tall form covered in the white baboon pelt he seemed to favor.
"What do you want?" Kagome asked, not bothering to ask who he was. One, she already knew, and two, it would give the appearance that she didn't care who he was.
"I am Naraku. You must be important to the Western Lord for him to trust you with the safety of his ward." He said.
"What do you want?" She asked again, ignoring his entire statement.
"You are no fun. Not entertaining at all." Naraku said almost in a pout. "The Lord of the West has been a thorn in my side for quite some time now, and I thought it was time I get rid of the only threat left to me." He explained.
"I had planned to just take the child but there is no reason I cannot take you both. It is sure to get the youkai lord to come running in all haste." He added almost thoughtfully.
"That's not happening. You should leave while you still can." She said, though she knew he wouldn't.
"What good would that do me?" He asked before his poisonous purple black miasma burst from him and began to cover the area like a tidal wave.
Kagome quickly threw up a purifying barrier around her pack to protect them from the miasma. Then she put up a smaller barrier around herself to protect her from the poisonous gas and waited for his next move.
Is his miasma like the gases in my time? The kind that can explode when fire comes into contact with it? She wondered as she waited. She blinked and decided it was time to find out. It was better than letting him know she had spiritual powers. She only hoped she didn't do too much damage to the area if it worked.
She silently modified the barrier around her pack to withstand fire then snapped her fan open. She let her fire surround her hand and fan before she swung in the puppets direction, sending out a wave of blue fire. Instantly there was an explosion of oddly red fire that began to spread along the poisonous gas, exploding whenever it reached a particularly dense area.
Kagome heard Rin scream in fear, but knew she was protected by the barrier she had placed. Instead she remained focused on Naraku's dark presence until it suddenly fizzled down to nothing.
Now all she had to do was purify the remaining gas so her fire had nothing left to burn. She once again adjusted the barrier around her pack to make sure the youkai would be protected from her spiritual power. She then allowed her reiki to surround her before once again waving her fan, spreading her reiki outward into the fire, and watched as it purified the miasma, allowing the fire to stop.
She was pleased and surprised that there was no damage done to the area. She then made sure Naraku's dark presence was truly gone from the area then released her barriers, freeing her pack.
She moved over to the burnt remains of the puppet as she stored away her fan, and looked over as Sesshomaru and Shippo came running. She watched Shippo go to Rin after looking her way to make sure she was okay. She smiled in approval, glad that her kit was concerned for her safety but that he went to the one he hoped would be his future mate.
Kagome looked to Sesshomaru as he walked to her, watching his eyes scan her body for injuries. When satisfaction flashed briefly at finding none she took that as her cue to fill him in on what happened.
"So Naraku sent a puppet here. I don't know if he knew you were away or not, but he said he wanted to get rid of the only threat left to him. He was planning on just taking Rin but decided he would take me as well. He thought I was important to you since you left Rin in my care." She explained.
"He released his miasma and I put barriers around us before using my fire to cause an explosion I hoped would destroy the puppet. Thankfully it worked and I purified the remaining miasma to stop the fire. This is all that was left of the puppet." She finished as she gestured down to the burnt remains.
"Hnn. It seems it is time to get rid of him." Sesshomaru stated simply, and Kagome nodded calmly.
Neither of them were happy that Naraku had shown his face and attempted to capture the females of the pack. It was quickly decide that they would go after Naraku since he was making a point to target Sesshomaru and their pack.
