Inuyasha brought the torch closer, embedding it into the earth. "Start writing."

"Nori," Kagome gave Inuyasha a look. "You can write, sweetie?"

Nori ignored them both as she focused on her hands.

"Nori." Miroku handed Sango his staff and went forward to kneel beside her in the firelight. "Would you answer questions for me? For Kagome?"

"If she's so damned stupid—"

"Sit." Kagome stepped over Inuyasha to kneel in front of Nori. "Nori? Do you know why my hair has grown?" The ningyo looked at her blankly; Kagome patted the dirt between them in what she hoped was an appealing manner. "Come on Nori."

She started to draw something.

"You are too impatient Inuyasha," Sango shook her head.

"It's not like we're dealing with a genius here," Inuyasha snorted. "The only thing she understands is fear."

"No, not ships," Miroku gently touched her wrist. "We are not asking you to draw pictures, dear. Draw words—characters with meaning. It would help us greatly."

"Nori…um, you were talking to Inuyasha, weren't you? What does 'blood-born heart' mean?" Kagome changed questions. Maybe they were asking the wrong questions. Maybe Nori wanted to tell them something.

She received a look of disbelief.

"Blood-born heart," Kagome pointed at the dirt. "It's what you wrote here. What does it mean?" They all watched as Nori wiped her hand to clear the characters from the dirt, replacing them with new ones.

"Human heart," Miroku read. "Do you mean Inuyasha?"

Nori nodded.

"Does that mean anything to you Inuyasha?" Sango turned her head. Inuyasha's eyebrows were together and he was staring at the fish-woman.

Balance, he repeated to himself. She's so content with what she—I am because she thinks we're fucking balanced? That my human blood gave me a heart?

"Stupid," he snorted, turning away.

"A human—" Miroku attempted to speak.

"Imina!" Nori's voice pitched. She gestured towards Inuyasha, whose ears flickered backwards. A series of sounds escaped her mouth that no one understood, leaving her breathless.

"I think she wants you to listen," Sango touched Inuyasha's elbow.

"Yeah, I know." Inuyasha spun around, kneeling in front of her. "And I know you think being hanyou is something great, but it fucking isn't! And you're too stupid to get it!"

"What?" Kagome's mouth opened.

The others were too stunned to intervene.

"You live in the ocean with other idiot half-fish!" Inuyasha glared in Nori's face. "You don't have a clue what being hanyou means!"

She frowned, shaking her head.

Miroku studied the characters in the dirt with an odd feeling, as Inuyasha continued to argue with Nori in a one-sided conversation. He was missing something, here. He briefly reconstructed Nori's previous characters in the dirt, blood-born heart. Something, something.

"Inuyasha, she is not stupid," Kagome scolded quietly. "You shouldn't say things like that."

"She lives in a clan of other half-fish! What the hell does she know about land? Nothing! And she wants to tell me that we're balanced?"

"You are," Sango answered firmly.

"And what fucking good is that?" Inuyasha turned to snarl at her.

"Blood," Miroku studied the characters.

"You wield the Tessaiga, don't you?" Kagome winced. "And other demons can't, because they hate humans. If you weren't half-human—"

"Oh sure, bring that up!"

Miroku held out his left hand. He blew lightly to expose the faint, blue mark on his hand, and he watched as the character appeared. He compared it to the words in front of him.

Blood?

Why would she impress 'blood' into my hand?

"Houshi-sama?" Sango touched his shoulder. "Are you all right?"

He showed her.

"They can't even touch Tessaiga, Inuyasha!" Kagome stamped her foot. "That's a good thing! And Nori's right. Being hanyou isn't bad, even though—"

"Kagome-chan?" Sango interrupted. "Do you have any markings?"

"Markings?" Kagome's eyebrows came together. "Like scars?"

"Did Nori cast anything into your skin? Something that you might not have noticed?" The taijiya was nervous.

"I don't think so—why?"

Miroku continued to stare at his hand. Nori hears my thoughts about becoming physically stronger, and she casts a spell. And now I am stronger. Did the mark cause the change? And if so, why does the mark read 'blood'?

"The mark on my hand reads 'blood'." Miroku focused his eyes on Nori. "Is the spell linked to blood?"

Inuyasha snarled fiercely; Nori bolted.

"No you don't!" Inuyasha easily caught up to her. Nori was unused to running and her ankle gave before Inuyasha could slice her back, sending her flying. She protested loudly as he hooked her arms behind her back, hoisting her to her feet again.

"Blood?" Kagome's voice wavered.

"Hai." Miroku allowed his eyes to rest on the young miko.

"I once heard of humans who drank youkai blood to become stronger," Sango winced. "But they usually fell sick afterwards. What could she have done, Miroku?"

Youkai blood?

She couldn't…could she?

The strength, his temper—he could remember calling his friend half-breed, a name Inuyasha despised, and did not deserve. Could Nori have linked her blood to his…somehow? Was that possible?

"Enough." Inuyasha forced Nori down a few feet away.

"Inuyasha, you don't have to be so—" Kagome sighed. Nori was not the smartest creature that they'd ever met, and kind of cowardly, but she wasn't evil. "Don't hurt her, ok?"

"What did you do to his blood?" Inuyasha loomed over her. "Augh, you stupid—"

"Sit," Kagome said softly. Nori didn't run, but she was very pale. Inuyasha's insane anger wasn't going to get them anywhere with someone so timid.

"Nori, we need some answers this time—for real." Kagome kneeled down, tucking her skirt underneath her knees. "And if you don't, I might have to let Inuyasha kill you. We have to protect Miroku, ok? So we're going to go inside now, and I want to understand what you did. Do you understand?"

She nodded.


Hanyou balance, the paper read. Strong, human heart. They watched as Nori continued to move her ink-covered fingers across Shippo's drawing paper.

"So…what? What does any of this have to do with—"

"Inuyasha, shush." Miroku sat across from the ningyo. intent on her writings. "You keep mentioning this balance. Why is a human heart so important?"

Hanyou heart, human. Other…Nori's hands paused. Danger. Too strong. Lose human.

"What is she talking about?" Shippo peered around Kagome's hip. The kit had been woken from the girl's bag.

"You are correct," Miroku read the words again. "Hanyou cannot handle pure youkai blood or they lose themselves."

Nori flexed her hands before taking Miroku's hands, blowing over them gently. The mark stood luminous against his skin; it was strangely beautiful. Once again, he could feel how fond she was of him. The female hanyou cared about him on some level, however superficial.

Nice human, her voice echoed inside his mind. You ask.

Ask what? He was confused. Was he supposed to ask for something now? What?

Warm, dizzyingly affectionate feelings rushed over him. He was vaguely aware of the others in the room staring at him as Nori pushed her emotions onto him.

Help to be strong. Safe. Strength.

Miroku fought to master his errant thoughts. What did you do with my blood, Nori?

Nori released his right hand to cradle his left in hers gently. Miroku met Sango's eyes then; she was wary, and frightened for him. Sango always fought for him, worried for him—

"What the fuck?" Inuyasha leapt forward as soon as the smell reached him. "Bitch!" Streams of blood ran down the outside of Miroku's hand where Nori had cut him; he hadn't even felt her do it. "I've had it!"

"Here," Sango rushed forward to push a cloth onto his hand. "You're bleeding, Houshi-sama. Are you listening?" She waved her hand in front of his face.

"Yes—it doesn't hurt," Miroku covered her hand. She continued to apply pressure to his hand but he noticed that her cheeks were flushed. "But thank you."

Wet gurgles disturbed him.

"I'm sick of all this shit, do you hear me?" Inuyasha's hand tightened around Nori's throat. "I should have just left you in the forest like I wanted to!"

Kagome looked tempted to sit him but she only handed Sango her first-aid kit.

"All she does is cause trouble," Sango said softly as she removed the pink cloth. "I am becoming rather tired of her myself. We have more things to do than spend our time afraid of what she will do next." She opened Kagome's box," And she is much too attached to you Houshi-sama."

You do not know the half of it, Sango.

Using Kagome-sama's poultices, he watched the taijiya's calloused hands wipe his hand gently. It brought a small smile to his face; for all her strength and determination, she had a very sweet nature. She took such care with others.

"How deeply did she cut you?" Sango touched his wrist.

"Hm?" She was quite beautiful. His hand was tempted to—

"Look." Sango quickly dabbed the wet cleaning cloth against his hand once more. "It is pretty shallow, Miroku." The cut which had produced so much blood was…a scratch? "You must be prone to blee…"

The cut was shrinking.

"Houshi-sama, it's gone."

"That's what Nori's tail did when Kilala bit her," Kagome's eyes were wide. "Inuyasha!"

"What?" Inuyasha glared back over his shoulder.

"Let her go, ok? Just for a minute." He dropped Nori. Inuyasha's handprint was imprinted on her throat in a series of bruises as she wheezed for air. As expected, Nori began to heal, and the bruises began to fade to reveal beautiful, tanned skin.

"Oh shit!" Shippo squeaked.

"She changed your blood," Sango's jaw dropped. "She must have."

Dazed, Miroku cautiously pricked the end of his finger with the end of his staff; a single drop of blood rose to the surface. He watched his skin almost immediately sealed itself again.

Bizarre.

No wonder Inuyasha's fist did not kill me, strong as he is.

"She made him stronger, and this?" Shippo was turning green.

"Do you know of any spells to change human blood Kagome?" Sango's hands covered his before he could further injure himself in his query. "Don't do that, Houshi-sama. Stop."

"No." Kagome's eyebrows lowered. "Do you, Inuyasha?" Miroku seemed…boggled…by his own skin. Sango was focused on stopping him; he didn't even seem interested in touching her behind, which was closer than she usually allowed it.

"He heals like I do," Inuyasha went over to peer at the monk's skin. "How the hell did she do that?"

"Is there anything else that you did?" Kagome watched Nori carefully. "Are there any other changes?" Kagome read the paper as she wrote the character again: Blood. "The changes are all connected to his blood?"

"Oi, fucking—!" Inuyasha immediately pulled Sango several feet away as Miroku began to pull at the edges of the prayer beads covering his Kazanna. "Miroku, you idiot!"

"It is still there," Miroku sighed. "So be it." Sango gently moved Inuyasha's hands away as she went to rejoin Miroku, touching his arm.

"What did you do Nori?" Kagome tapped the girl's forearm. "Tell me." Inuyasha crouched beside her, invading her space. She was glad. "What spell?"

Nori gestured.

"No—write it moron." Inuyasha scowled, pushing more paper in front of her. "Write down whatever you did so Kagome can fix it."

Stronger. Safe. Whole. Bind blood, protect. Nori looked to where Miroku and Sango were sitting together. Kagome's mouth opened as she realized.

Nori liked Miroku.

"Bind it with what?" Inuyasha nearly snarled. "What did you bind his fucking blood to?"

"To her," Kagome gasped.

"What?"

"You bound him to you, didn't you?" Kagome stood up, hands fisting. Nori's expression didn't change. "Because you like him? Are you crazy?"

"She did what?"

"She bound Miroku to her! To her blood or something!" Kagome stomped her foot. "That is the most selfish—you're in love with him Nori!"

"With Miroku?" they repeated.

"He flirted with the wrong lady this time," Shippo shook his head. "Nori doesn't know that he flirts with any girl!"

"This cannot—" Sango shook her head. "Nori has only been with us for a few days! It's impossible to fall in love with anyone that quickly."

"She's also been underwater her whole life." Kagome could understand how Nori could become infatuated so quickly; had she ever met a man before Inuyasha or Miroku? But it didn't excuse binding him with a spell!

"So she casts a spell on the first human she meets?" Inuyasha rotated his arms.

"Did you bind me too?" Kagome quickly glanced over her hands. Just in case.

Nori shook her head.

"Then why is her hair so long?" Inuyasha nudged Nori's shin with his foot.

The hanyou shrugged.

"When you went fishing with Inuyasha, you injured her, did you not?" Miroku spoke up. "When Inuyasha carried you back you were unconscious for quite a while."

"It just happened," Kagome blushed. "And she healed."

"You were covered in her blood Kagome. Kaede and Inuyasha spent time cleaning you up." Miroku looked down at his left hand again. "I can't help but think...if being exposed to her blood changed me—"

"—that it changed Kagome too?" Inuyasha finished. "Fuck! She was covered in the shit!"

The room filled with silence.

Being exposed to Nori's blood changed me? Could that be true? She couldn't look at the ningyo who was staring at them all. I've touched Inuyasha's blood dozens of times and nothing has ever happened to me before! What is so different about her?

Kagome's fingers accepted the small knife from Sango's sleeve. After a nervous moment, she shut her eyes and prepared to draw a line along the inside of her forefinger as a test. Her hand gripped the handle tightly. I can do this! I need to find out if Nori's blood changed me too.

Kagome moved the blade.

"Ow ow ow!" she winced, dropping the knife. "That hurts!"

"You had your eyes closed baka!" Inuyasha swore as he took her hand.

"Ee-ah," Nori sank to her knees in front of her. "Ina!"

"If Kagome doesn't heal I'll make you fix her," Inuyasha blocked her hands from touching Kagome. "Back off!"

"Owwww," Kagome pressed the white handkerchief around her finger tightly. That really hurt! Her finger was still burning! "Nori, can you—"

"Lemme see it first so we don't have to do this twice!" Inuyasha took her hand. Kagome watched as he peeled back the pink cotton from the wound; a deep line ran down her finger, jagged at the end. Her skin was starting to turn pink and puffy.

"It really hurts ok? Just let Nori heal it!" Kagome whined.

"Look." Inuyasha's hand pressed down across her palm. "You're not even bleeding anymore."

It was true. Slow as it was, Kagome's hand had stopped bleeding. Even more slowly, she was watching the outer surface of her skin begin to reform over the wound and the muscle underneath.

"Oh." So it did!

"Did it work?" Miroku asked.

"Sa ta," Nori's hands reached forward again. This time Inuyasha let her place both hands over Kagome's, and when they were gone her finger was perfectly healed.

"I think so," Kagome ran a finger over the smooth skin. "Just not as quickly."

"If her blood allows her to heal, I could see why Naraku would want her." Sango shuddered. "He is already difficult to injure, but if he absorbed her—"

"Oi," Inuyasha eyed the ningyo warily. "Do you know where he is? Naraku?"

Nori's face remained blank.


"One more time," Miroku rubbed his forehead.

"Nori?" Kagome leaned forward, but the ningyo continued to fidget with her clothing. "Nori. I know you're listening to me! Where is Naraku? Can you put it here, on this paper?"

This is getting pointless.

Kagome rested the small ink container beside Nori's legs, leaving the paper in front of her. "Nori, please? Is there something you want? Inuyasha could go hunting or—"

"Like hell I will!" Inuyasha pushed himself away from the wall to tower over her. "I am so fucking sick of this bullshit! You think she isn't dumb? She can't even—"

"I have a question," Shippo darted across the room to Kagome's side. "You said that she was running from the ocean, didn't you? Does she know what Naraku is called or what he looks like?"

There was a pause.

"Nori, the hanyou in the ocean," Kagome spoke slowly. "Did you ever see him?" Nori looked up towards Inuyasha, blinking. Kagome waited patiently. "Inuyasha, move."

Her hanyou moved a few feet away.

"Nori sweetie, did you ever see that awful thing absorbing things?" Was it possible Nori wasn't answering…because she didn't know his name?

Nori nodded slowly.

"Pale, black-hair..." Kagome suggested. The ningyo's positive response was heartening. "His name is Naraku, Nori." She found Miroku's hand drawn map inside her bag and showed it to the hanyou. "Have you ever seen a map? It shows us where things are. Could—"

Nori's finger touched the paper.

"Finally!" Inuyasha leapt forward. "Where?"

"Those are mountains," Kagome explained patiently; Inuyasha was turning red. "And here is the ocean—is that where Naraku is? In the water somewhere?"

Nori nodded.

"Where, idiot?" Inuyasha was hovering again.

"Sit," Kagome sighed. You're scaring her. He crashed to the floor and Nori flinched. "Do you think you could point to where Naraku is on the map for us? Inuyasha would be very grateful if you could do that." She showed the water hanyou the map again, smoothing it out. Nori leaned forward to look at the lines, names, and descriptions.

"You stupid—what was that for?" Inuyasha lifted his head.

"Inuyasha, quiet!" Shippo hopped onto his head.

Nori tentatively touched the paper again, glancing at Inuyasha.

"He's near that island?" Kagome asked. Her finger was off-shore, near an island so small her pinky could cover the mark.

Nori nodded.

"We have a destination?" Miroku's eyes brightened.

"We should've shown her the map before!" Shippo giggled, fleeing to Kagome's lap.

"Indeed," Miroku chuckled.

"It would have made things easier," Sango touched Kilala's head.

"H-Hello?" a stranger's voice wavered. They collectively turned; the young man Inuyasha had chased away earlier stood in their doorway looking extremely pale. "I d-don't mean to disturb you…"

"What do you want?" Inuyasha barked.

The boy fainted.

"Oh dear," Sango kneeled to check his pulse. "You must have really frightened him, Inuyasha."

"What a coward!" Shippo shook his head from Kagome's sleeping bag.

Screams.

"Inu—" Kagome watched him run to the door before she could finish speaking.

"Shit!" he half-turned. "We're upwind—Kagome, come on! I can smell dead bodies. Something's going on." She nodded, immediately following after him with her bow and quiver.

"Shippo, do you feel comfortable staying here with Nori?" Sango lifted Hiraikotsu one-handed, turning.

"What? I don't want to babysit—"

"Kilala, stay here," Sango touched the transformed nekoyoukai's head. "And don't eat anyone!"

"Rawr!"

"Not again," Shippo pouted as the others ran off.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome stopped next to him, gripping her bow. There were lines of zombies in front of them, approaching from the woods. Many of the villagers were frantically retreating to the other side of the town.

"This is Kagura's work," Inuyasha glared.

"Where is she?" Kagome looked up. "I don't see her." They hadn't seen Kagura or anyof Naraku's incarnations since his disappearance. What was Kagura doing here now?

Inuyasha drew Tessaiga, brandishing it. Without answering her, he swung his sword in a wide arc, sending the Kaze no Kizu towards the walking dead men. They vanished within Tessaiga's golden light.

It was quiet.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku and Sango—redressed—stopped beside them.

"The bitch is redirecting the wind," Inuyasha growled softly. "I know she's there but…the wind keeps shifting. What the hell is she doing?"

"I dunno," Kagome removed an arrow from her quiver.

"Kagura!" Sango called. "Show yourself!"

"If you insist," Kagura's haughty voice rolled towards them. In an elegant move, she dropped from the sky, rising from one knee. "You have hid yourselves well in these mountains. It has taken me a few days to find you."

"Save it!" Inuyasha brandished Tessaiga.

"I did not come to fight." Kagura's fan remained by her side.

"You came for the ningyo," Miroku glared. "Naraku's afraid that she will lead us to his hiding place, is he not?"

"You assume that creature knows where Naraku is," Kagura raised a single eyebrow, "when even I have not been privileged with that information. It is almost as if he has disappeared into thin air," Kagura brushed her hip. "He is determined that no one find him this time."

"Don't try to fool us, Kagura! You know where he is!" Inuyasha yelled.

"Let me ask you Inuyasha—has she killed one of your companions yet?" The words sent a chill running down Inuyasha's spine; Kagura frowned. "How disappointing. I was certain that she would have disposed of a human by now."

"Kaze no—"

"Fujin no Mai!" Kagura struck first, forcing the rest of them to retreat several yards behind Inuyasha; he blocked the wind sorceress' strike with Tessaiga's blade. "How pathetic, Inuyasha!"

"Inuyasha, move aside!" Miroku was unwrapping the Kazanna. "I will—"

"Miroku, the Saimyosho!" Sango touched his elbow.

"I don't see any of them with her. Why are you really here, Kagura?" Miroku called to her. "If Naraku hasn't sent you, what is your purpose?"

"There have been strange youkai destroying human villages to the southeast. And, as I was nearby, I witnessed your she-creature fleeing upriver. If I did not know better, I would think that she was being pursued." Kagura watched him with blood red orbs.

"You believe Naraku is towards the southeast then?" Kagome blinked. "Towards—"

"How did you know the fish was with us?" Inuyasha glared suspiciously. "You've been spying!"

"Kanna brought me a message, for the slayer." Kagura extended her fan. "Naraku is willing to return Kohaku to you in exchange for the fish creature. He knows she is with you."

"Why not take her yourself?" Sango's hands gripped Hiraikotsu firmly; Kagome noticed how white they turned. "You've been following her for days. Why not take her when she was alone, or human?"

"I need not answer you," Kagura reached towards her hair. The wind made their hair swirl as she disappeared into the night sky once more.

"Am I mistaken, or did she tell us to go south?" Miroku watched Sango worriedly.

"Do you think that Naraku knows Nori told us where to find him?" Sango asked nervously. "That…that would mean that he's watching us, would it not?"

"The timing is strange," Miroku muttered.

"It doesn't matter," Inuyasha re-sheathed Tessaiga. "We know where he's hiding now and I'm going to kill him."