Disclaimer: (See first chapter)

One Jewel, Two Souls

Recap:

Inuyasha pushed past Hiei, who had stopped in the middle of his tracks and turned his back to the springs. "What's wrong?"

The elder sister gasped as she grabbed a small boulder and brought it down hard on top of the hanyou's skull. "We're fine, Inuyasha." Then she turned to glare at the two demons who had their backs turned to them. "Turn around and you're dead." She hissed in a deadly tone.

Shippou snickered as he hopped on a nearby submerged rock. "It's a monkey."

Kagome pulled her sister's hair out of the monkey's paw and shooed them away.

The man silently rose up out of the onsen, not wanting to draw any unwanted attention to himself. Once he was out of the water and dry, he quickly pulled on his clothes. He then grabbed the golden staff that was resting against a nearby tree and sighed heavily. "They're with other men. Too bad. As a priest, I loathe violence."

The golden staff of the priest struck a tanuki demon across the cheek with enough force to make the demon cringe in pain. The raccoon-dog pressed a furry paw against his swelling cheek, tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. He whined softly when the eyes of the monk staring unwavering at him. "Miroku-sama, please no." the tanuki begged.

Miroku, the priest, tapped his staff on the raccoon-dog's head; each strike harder than the last. "That's why I'm saying I'll give you a reward." He smiled easily as he manipulated the tanuki into doing his bidding.

The tanuki was still rather unwilling to participate in the request that the priest asked of him, but the reward that he would be getting was very tempting. Nodding his consent, the raccoon-dog said, "Yes..."

-0-0-0

The next day atop of the mountain that had a curving path along the face, the priest and the tanuki stood. Below them was the small group that the priest had encounter the night before. The girls were exchanging possession of the necklace that held the item Miroku desire. The huge fragment of the Shikon no Tama.

The raccoon-dog fidgeted where he was standing as he looked down at the group below them. He looked back up at the priest. "So, you want me to attack the demons wearing black and white, correct?"

Miroku nodded. "Yes. Meanwhile, I'll distract the hanyou and take the girls."

"Why go through all this trouble, Miroku-sama?" The tanuki asked as he tilted his furry head as he pointed to the arm that was wound tight with a dark purple cloth and a light purple rosary. The raccoon-dog knew of the power that resided in the priest's hand and if Miroku chose, he could end it all with just that. "If you use your right arm, you end it in just seconds."

The priest frowned as he lifted the arm in question. "Idiot." He said scornfully with an evil smile teasing at his lips. "If I use this arm, everyone will die."

"That's true." The tanuki bowed his head in shame. He should have known that Miroku was against killing humans and two of the travellers were women, human women. Miroku would not dare use to power hidden in that right arm of his. "Forgive me." He then placed a small green leaf on top of his head. "If anything should happen, please save me."

Miroku placed his hand on the raccoon-dog's shoulder and squeezed gently. "Do not worry."

Feeling reassured by the priest's words, the tanuki jumped off the edge of the cliff. "Henge!"

Kaori reached behind her neck and unclasped the chain that held the jewel shard. She then held it out for Kagome to take, since it was the younger sister's turn to guard over it for the day. The younger twin accepted the shard with a monotone thanks and kept her eyes low. Kaori noticed this and began to question her sister, but Kagome denied every accusation. This went on for a few minutes until Inuyasha snapped.

"Will you, two, shut up for one minute!" he growled.

The elder Higurashi sister gave the hanyou a skeptic look, her eyes narrowed. "Are you still angry about last night?"

A deep blush covered Inuyasha's face as he recalled what happened. While he only got a glimpse of Kaori's naked body, the image of water sliding along her soft curves, dripping from her hair, and making her look like a celestial being was forever burned into his mind. Inuyasha could only wish that one day, he would have the supple body all for himself. But for now, "I am not!"

Kagome scowled. She knew very well that Inuyasha got a good look at her sister's body when they were bathing. "So, Kaori smashed a rock against your head, you got to see her naked. Call it even."

"I saw nothing!" he denied for the sake of Hiei glaring death at him. Inuyasha was not about to admit that he saw just about all of Kaori's body to the short bastard just yet. Not while the girl in question was standing right there. No, he'll gloat in private with Tessaiga in hand. Just in case.

Hiei cut his eyes up to the cliffside when a faint rumbling noise reached his ears. "Onna." he said.

Kaori felt her jaw twitch in agitation. Just how many times does she have to tell that damned imiko that her name was not 'Onna!' She sighed. At least he is speaking to her normally now. "What is it, Hiei?"

He placed his right hand on the hilt of his katana, his ruby red eyes trained up at the cliff face above them. His lips peeled back into a growl as he said, "Keep the jewel safe. We have company." No sooner than those words left the forbidden one's mouth, a gigantic boulder with a comical demonic face on it came hurtling down the side of the mountain.

"I have come for thee!" It growled out loudly.

Kaori felt her legs being swept out from under her as Inuyasha jumped out of the way of the boulder. Once he made sure that she was a safe distance from danger, he quickly went back for her sister, tossing Kagome over his shoulder rather barbarically. Of course, the younger sister gave him a tongue lashing for it and threatened to say the word of subjection when she noticed that someone was missing. Hiei and Youko had safely avoided the large demon rock, but little Shippou had not been so lucky.

Kagome's eyes widened as she watched the little red fox demon fall down the side of mountain. "Shippou-chan!" she shrieked. "Youko, go after him!"

The silver kitsune nodded. He developed a soft side of the little kit and looked after him.

Inuyasha snorted and crossed his arm over his chest. "That runt is useless." His ears twitched as soft footsteps alerted him to the presence of another being. Cutting his amber eyes over to the twins, he noticed a shadow behind the little sister, "Kagome, watch out!"

Kaori's sisterly instincts kicked in and she yanked her sister back closer to her and they both looked at the spot where Kagome was standing. Standing slightly behind them was a man of average height dressed in expensive looking robes; his dark violet eyes gleaming lecherously. "Who are you?" they asked in unison.

The priest bowed at the waist, his arms swept out dramatically. "I am but a humble priest. No one suspicious." He rose out of his bow and smiled at them. "I am just in search of the Shikon no Tama and it just happens to be attached to one of you lovely ladies." He smoothly slid his way in between the sisters and wrapped each of his arms around their waists. "Now which one of you has it?"

Hiei snarled silently when he watched the priest lean in closer to Kaori. He quickly appeared next to them and ripped the older sister from the stranger's arm. The imiko narrowed his eyes at priest and growled, "If you wish to keep that arm, don't touch her."

"Hiei?" Kaori said in a questioning tone as she looked up at him with confusion in her eyes.

The priest simply smiled and back up away from the forbidden child, his hand slowly creeping up Kagome's back.

"Miroku-sama!" a shrill, scared sounding voice cried out, "He's going to kill me!"

The group looked down the cliff and saw Youko glaring murderously at a tanuki as Shippou clung to his chest, various bruises and cuts littering his tiny body. There was a particularly nasty cut above Shippou's left eye that was bleeding profusely down his little face. Youko had summoned his Rose Whip and was prepared slaughter the raccoon-dog.

"Tsk." Miroku sighed and he loosened the beads around his right arm. "Your friend is rather violent."

Suddenly harsh winds sucked Youko's Rose Whip out of his hands, causing the green vine to revert back into a simple rose. The force of the winds pulled Youko against the sharp, jagged rocks of the side of the cliff. He quickly turned so that his back took most of the damage and to protect Shippou from further harm. Youko growled out in pain as the stones dug into his skin, cutting his flesh.

"Youko!" Kagome screamed out in alarm. She shoved the priest away from her. "Out of my way!"

Miroku smiled easily as he allowed the pretty young girl to slip past him. "Certainly." Once the small group was down on the cliff below him and his loyal companion was safe from harm, Mirok smirked. "Seeing as I have what I desire." He held up the necklace that the twins kept the jewel on, the pink shard twinkling in the light before slipping off.

Kagome was the first to reach the silver fox as she placed her hand on his shoulder, her grey-tinted blue eyes filled with concern as she asked if he was okay. He merely shrugged her hand off and looked away from her, telling her to look after the kit. Kagome sighed softly, knowing that was what he was going to say. 'Why won't he look at me still? And what was up with that priest's hand? It was like the winds were coming from it.' She let out another puff of air as she reached for the shard around her neck as a comfort reflex and her fingers touched naked skin.

"What's wrong, Kagome?" Kaori asked when she noticed the shocked expression on her sister face. She dabbed at the cut above Shippou's eye and was relieved to find that it was not too deep.

The younger twin laughed nervously as she rubbed the back of her head. "Well...you see..." Kagome laughed once more, knowing that what she was about to say will set off the fage of their demon companions. "I think that priest may have stolen the jewel shards."

There was a brief silence before Youko, Hiei and Inuyasha erupted in similar growls of, "WHAT!"

Inuyasha bent down on all fours, sniffing the ground vigorously before catching the familiar scent of the priest. He then took off charging towards a large village. "He's close by! I can smell him!"

Hiei chuckled darkly as he gave the Inu a degrading look out of the corner of his eye. "Are you sure, Hanyou?" He tightened his hands around Kaori to secure his grip on subconsciously, but the act did not go unnoticed by Inuyasha. "This is the third village we've been to. I'm positive that the onna are weary of being called youkai."

"Shaddup, midget!" The hanyou growled, his eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm absolutely sure that he's here!" He was getting sick and tired of the imiko's arrogant attitude. Just because Hiei was the one that Kaori was being carried by did not mean anything. If he chose, Inuyasha could fight Hiei for Kaori the moment the imiko set her down.

Kaori sighed and leaned in closer to Hiei to talk into his ear. "Hiei, quit pestering Inuyasha and let's find that thief!"

Feeling her press her soft breasts closer to his back was enough to make the imiko stop prattling the hanyou. "Hn." he grunted.

Miroku sighed heavily as his eye twitched in agitation. He lifted the sake bowl to his lips and took a small sip. "We have nothing but beauties." he mimicked the old man who coerced him to partake in their activities before sipping at his sake again. "I'd done better drinking with the tanuki." The hut that Miroku was residing in was a brothel and he was sitting in the middle of several hideous-looking women who were singing and dancing around him. Miroku sighed and slumped his shoulders. 'Perhaps I should have taken one of those lovely girls with me.' He looked down at the two women clinging to his arms and remember the pretty identical looking girls.

The sliding door suddenly slammed open, causing the priest to jump slightly and turn around.

"Found you, you jewel thief!" Kagome and Kaori said together as they walked in the room.

Miroku's face lit up as his dark eyes settled on the pretty faces of the young girls. He quickly jumped to his feet and rushed over towards them. He took their hands gently in his and smiled seductively. "You two certainly are a sight for sore eyes." he purred. "Your beauty is abundant in many ways."

Hiei flexed his claws as his temper rose. He's told that damned priest before to keep his hands off of Kaori! Looks like he wants to lose it. Before he could react, Youko's Rose Whip lashed out towards Miroku. But the priest quickly dropped the twins' hands and used his staff to block the strike. "Don't touch them." the two demons said venomously, their eyes gleaming dangerously.

The priest tossed the whip off his staff and smirked. "You are very violent indeed."

Inuyasha stepped forward, cracking his knuckles in a menacing way as he bared his fangs. "I get the feeling that you're not going to hand over the Shikon without a fuss." He was still feeling pissed that Miroku even dared to touch his precious Kaori in such a manner. The older sister was too pure for such indecent intentions.

Miroku smirked as he held up the large fragment of the Shikon that the group worked so hard to obtain, his violet eyes twinkling with amusement. "This isn't something that should be in the hands of a youkai." He grinned perversely as he shifted his gaze over to the twins. "Perhaps you lovely ladies will accompany me instead?" His tone was suggestive.

Youko growled low in his chest and snapped his Rose Whip towards Miroku, who nimbly dodged it by somersaulting backwards over the balcony. Hiei felt the dragon stirring restlessly on his right arm and he clenched his fist tightly to retrain it. The beast could not be unleashed while he was so close to Kaori. She would not approve of his senseless slaughter and he would rather not hear her nagging and saying the word of subjugation. Unsheathing his katana, he aimed for the houshi's throat.

The priest sensed an oncoming danger to his life and he quickly ducked his head low to avoid being decapitated by the imiko. He turned slightly and said, "I wouldn't resort to needless conflict."

Inuyasha soared through the air, Tessaiga in its true form. "Then you should just fuckin' die, bastard!"

Then the unexpected happened. Miroku turned around fully with his staff held up and he blocked the hanyou's strike. A smirk curved at the priest's lips as he watched the Inu exert more force in order to try and break his staff. "Do you insist on being punished?"

"Who the hell are you?" Inuyasha demanded.

"My name is Miroku." he introduced with a slight nod of his head. "I aid those in trouble with my houriki."

Hiei scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest before sending a pointed glare at the priest. "You're just a simple thief." The jagan began to glow ominously behind the bandana on his forehead. "Give us back the Shikon and I may consider letting you live." He placed his hand back on the hilt of his sword, dropping into a fighting stance.

Miroku sighed and shook his head. "Youko-san, is Hiei-san always this violent?"

Youko narrowed his eyes at the priests, his hand tightening slightly on the handle of his Rose Whip. "How do you know of us?"

"Those beautiful young women you are travelling with called you by name." the priest said with a shrug of his shoulder before pulling out the necklace that held the Shikon. "But back to the matters at hand, it would be wise to let me keep this."

Inuyasha had had enough of hearing this arrogant priest's talk. It was time for them to take back the jewel shards that he stole from them. He leapt up into the air and brought Tessaiga down only to have his strike parried by Miroku's staff once more. He growled and swung again and again, trying to land a hit. 'Damn! He parried my every stroke!' He blinked when a green vine suddenly wrapped around his Tessaiga and yanked him back.

Hiei ran over to Miroku and slashed upwards, knocking the golden staff out of the priest's hands. He smirked and placed the sharp tip of his blade in front of the slightly taller man's face. "Time's up. Hand over the shards now!"

Miroku said nothing as he ducked under the katana and continued to run away but he turned back to say, "People! Get away as far as you can! It's for your own safety!" He saw that they demons were swiftly following after him and a smirk slipped onto his lips. Once he reached the outskirts of the village, Miroku faced his opponents and held up his right hand. "Sorry, but I hate losing." He snatched the rosary off his arm, "Houriki!"

Kagome and Kaori were still in a slight daze as they remembered the protective tone their demons companions used when they demanded Miroku to not touch them. They way they seemed to hover over them for slight moment and the twins' hearts fluttered a bit. 'Why are they so protective over us? Oh, duh, we're their precious Kikyou and Kaede's reincarnations.' They thought sourly, not noticing the vicious battle around them.

"Kaori! Kagome! Hold on to something!" Shippou's terrified voice cried out.

The younger sister was first to react as she quickly grabbed onto a support beam of the house they were standing by. She reached out for Kaori's hand, only find that her sister had been picked up by the harsh sucking winds. Kagome called out for her twin, watching helplessly as she was carried away.

Kaori screamed as she clawed at the air for something - anything that would hold her down. She gasped when something grabbed hold of her wrist and she yanked against a firm chest. Looking up at her savior, Kaori squeaked, "I-Inuyasha!" The elder sister wrapped her arms tightly around his middle and hugged him closely.

Inuyasha blushed as he felt Kaori's soft breasts pressed against his chest. "I-Idiot!" he berated her. "Are you trying to get sucked into his Kazaana!"

"Kazaana?" she questioned, lifting her head out of his chest to peer over his shoulder. Kaori found the source of the strong winds was coming from a small black hole in the priest's right hand. "In his hand?"

Kagome, being too far to see clearly, cried out to her sister, "Kaori! Where's this wind coming from!" Her eyes widened to their fullest extent when she heard what her twin told her. This violent wind was coming from Miroku's hand? How was that possible! He's human! At least from what her weak reiki could sense from him, he was. She turned her attention to her two youkai companions who were the closest to the priest. Hiei had driven his katana into the ground to gain extra footing, but was slowly sliding towards the Kazaana. Youko had wrapped his Rose Whip around a nearby building, but he was starting to lose his tight grip on the handle. "Shippou-chan, what are we going to do?" she asked the little fox that had perched himself on her back not too long ago. "Youko and Hiei are going to be sucked in at this rate!"

Shippou shook his head as he tightened his arms around Kagome's neck. "I don't know."

The younger twin glared at the priest with angry greyish blue eyes before something in her mind clicked. Back before he opened the Kazaana, Miroku warned the villagers to run away. He does not want to hurt humans! Kagome took Shippou off of her back and set him in her bag, tying it securely to the support beam. With a determined look in her eye, she braced herself for the worse as she took a step forward.

"Kagome!" Kaori called out, her voice stern with sisterly concern. "I know what you're thinking. Don't do it!

Kagome simply smiled at her twin. "Gomen, Nee-chan." She bowed her head slightly in apology for what she was about to do. "But I just can't sit quietly when my friends are in trouble." With those words said, Kagome walked into the path of the Kazaana, flying into the air at a fast pace.

"Kagome!" Kaori screamed.

Miroku smirked. He's won. Those demons won't be able to hold on for much longer. Then he would quickly dispose of the hanyou and run off with those pretty twins. "Give up!" he said smugly. The priest saw something out of the corner of his eye and gasped in surprise. One of the girls was in the path of the Kazaana! "Damn!" Miroku cursed as he quickly closed off his arm and began to tie the rosary around it when the girl smacked him in the forehead, knocking them both backwards.

"Kagome!" Youko said as he made his way over to the young priestess. He blinked when a small black blur ran past him.

The younger sister pushed herself away from the priest's fallen body, placing her hand on her throbbing head. "Itai..." she whined. "He's super hardheaded." The rosary around his right hand drew her attention and she reached out and touched one of the beads. "This rosary must help him seal off the Kazaana." Suddenly, Kagome was pulled into a tight embrace.

"You stupid, courageous imouto of mine!" Kaori gushed as she held her twin out at arms' length, searching for any signs of injury. Finding none, her tone turned scolding, "Don't you ever scare me like that again! Willing jumping in front of that Kazaana like that! What if you gotten hurt or worse: killed! I don't know what I would do!" Kaori was visibly shaking as she hugged her little sister to her again.

Kagome rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. She should have known better than to frighten her older sister like that. Especially because of how closely connected they were. Kagome had felt empty when she had thought Hiten had murdered her sister. Like she had lost a part of herself. "I'm fine, Kao-nee." She used an old pet name to calm her twin down as she rubbed Kaori's back soothingly. Kagome gently pushed her sister away and looked down at the houshi. "I don't think he is all that bad."

Youko arched a fine silver brow, clearly annoyed as his tails were bristled slightly. "Not that bad?" he questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "He stole your jewel shards from under your nose."

The younger sister shook her head from side to side. "I know that, but with this right hand if his, he could have easily killed us and took the shards. But he didn't." She looked down at him briefly before looking over at her sister. "If we just try to talk to him - KYAH!" her words cut off with a shrill scream when something groped her.

Kaori leapt two feet into the air when she felt a large hand grab one her cheeks through her thin skirt. "Kono hentai!"

Youko and Hiei were by the twins' side the second they screamed and were instantly locked in an embrace by the girls. The twins shot glares at the priest and muttered. "You can kill him!"

Hiei growled as he held Kaori away from Miroku, who had slowly sat up with a happy, lecherous smile on his face. "You just signed your death warrant, Bouzu."

Miroku's face turned serious as he held up his hands. "Allow me to explain."

"You have ten seconds." Youko hissed, his claws itching to tear into the priest who dared to touch someone he was meant to protect. "Start talking."

The group sat a ways from the village that had been partially destroyed by Miroku's Kazaana underneath a large oak tree. The twins were watching the priest with wary eyes as he began to talk. It seemed that he was hunting the jewel shards so that he could hunt down and kill two certain demons. One of them being a youkai named Naraku. But before he could reveal the name of his partner, Kagome questioned about the demon aforementioned.

"The Kazaana in my hand is a curse placed on me by Naraku." Miroku said gravely as he looked down at his accursed hand, his eyes hard. "He is a very malicious youkai who devours people." He sighed when the twins leaned in a bit closer to hear the rest of his tale. "It was my grandfather who battled Naraku in his youth. That was about fifty years ago. Their battles lasted several years. But whenever they met, Naraku appeared as a different person."

The Higurashi twins leaned in even closer, the full attention on Miroku. "As a different person?" they repeated with a curious pitch in their voices.

Miroku bowed his head as he remembered the rest of his grandfather's story. He took in a deep breath through his nose and exhaled with his mouth. "At the last battle, Naraku appeared in the body of a beautiful young woman. My grandfather boasted an enormous amount of houriki, but unfortunately..."

Kaori cut him off with a deadpanned look. "He was a hentai, wasn't he."

"Excellent guess." the priest commented before continuing the story. "Naraku pierced my grandfather's right hand with his own sacred sutras so that he could escape, but not before he cursed him." Miroku looked sadly down at his cursed right hand. "This Kazaana gets bigger with each passing year and the winds become stronger. If I don't kill Naraku and his partner, I'll most likely be sucked into my own void."

The girls gasped in horror as shock took over the contours of their graceful faces. "That means you will die?"

Miroku nodded and heaved a heavy sigh. "Yes, but it is all right. If that is my fate." He lifted his head and stared at the twins with a hardened, determined look in his eyes. "But I will not let Naraku and his partner go unchecked. The Shikon no Tama that had disappeared fifty years ago is not back but is shattered in many fragments. They will surely gather the shards in order to strengthen their powers. It is said that Naraku and his partner nearly got the Jewel fifty years ago after killing the miko who protected it."

The air around them suddenly spiked in temperature as Hiei clenched his right fist tightly to keep the dragon from ripping itself from his arm and destroying everything in its rage. "What did you say?" He hissed in a deadly tone. He calmed down a little bit when Kaori placed her hand over his and looked at him with concern in those big grey-blue eyes of hers.

Youko started to rise from his seat when Kagome quickly grabbed his hand and pulled him back down. He was about to snap at her, but paused when he saw the look in her large eyes; the sorrow and pain in her glowing orbs. "You said that he killed the miko?"

Fox. Hiei spoke through their telepathic link. Do you think that it was this Naraku who slew them?

I'm almost positive. Youko replied, his eyes dark with hatred. But who is this partner the priest keeps speaking of?

Hiei looked up at the houshi with cold eyes. "Bouzu, you speak of a partner that this Naraku has. Who is it?"

Miroku looked at the imiko with confused eyes, but remembered that he never spoke of the partner's name since Kagome had cut him off. His eyes darkened at the thought of the youkai who placed the secondary curse on his grandfather. The reason why he now had the Kazaana in his hand. "His name is Karasu."

Youko's tails bristled at the name as he repeated it with much venom in his voice.

Kagome blinked in confusion. "But didn't we defeat him and his sister, Yura?"

Kaori pulled the shard necklace out of her pocket and gazed into the twinkling pinkish shard. "That doesn't matter." she said as she placed the necklace back into Kagome's hands. "But if we keeps gathering the shards, we are bound to run into one of them."

"How did you get that back?"

The younger sister gave him a look that said everything. She and Kaori had gotten their shards back when Miroku was busy trying to cop a feel on them. Miroku laughed nervously as he rubbed the back of his head when the demons glared death at him.

Suddenly, Kagome spoke up, "Let's collect them together."

"Excuse me?" The youkai of the group exclaimed.

Kagome gave each of the demons a pointed look before fingering the shard around her neck. "Well, I'm positive that you're not going to give these up."

"Of course not!" They barked out.

She clasped her hands together and looked back at Miroku with a pleading gleam in his eyes. "That's why you should travel with us."

Miroku looked away from the girl's shining blue eyes almost reluctantly. His right hand twitched slightly, but it was not from the curse. It was from something more personal to the priest. "I am not very good with dealing with others." he stated simply, closing his fists and trying to fight the urge.

Kaori leaned in closer to houshi, her eyes taking on the similar shine as her sister. She looked down at his clenched right hand and sighed sadly. "You will die is you don't kill Naraku and Karasu soon." Kagome joined in with her sister and together they said, "And if that's the case, then we must find them quickly!"

"Kagome-sama. Kaori-sama." the priest began, losing the fight against the urge. "Are you worried about me?" He reached out and grabbed one of their hands in each of his when they hesitated and looked deeply into their eyes. "Then may I ask this of you?" At their consent, he continued with, "Will either of you do me the favor of bearing my child?"

Inuyasha turned a murderous glare at the priest as his eyebrow twitched in agitation. What they hell was that lech talking about! If anything, Kaori would be his! And it will be his pups she would bear! He rose to his feet and started to make his way over to the priest when he was blocked off by Hiei and Youko.

Kaori tried to snatch her hand away from Miroku as a bluish tint covered her cheeks. "What's all this about!"

Miroku sighed wistfully as he drew the twins closer to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "If I should fail to destroy both Naraku and Karasu, I need a child to carry on my family's mission. That is the curse Karasu placed." His hands slowly began to descend lower on the girls' waist, itching to feel that soft flesh in his palms again.

Youko growled low in his chest when he saw this and quickly moved over to where Miroku was, barely noticing that Hiei had already beaten him there, and forcibly took Kagome away from the priest before his hand to touch her inappropriately again. "Listen, Bouzu, you will stop touching Kagome in such a manner or I will cut that hand from your body."

"I am a houshi. Not a bouzu." Miroku automatically corrected the kitsune.

Hiei held Kaori in his arms for a second longer than necessary before pushing her behind him. "Touch her again and you will be dead." he warned darkly, his jagan glowing menacingly.

Butterflies fluttered in the girls' stomachs as they looked up at the two demons who were hiding them from the priest's view. Softly they said the name of aforementioned youkai softly, their fingers lightly touching their arms. Before they could fully touch the imiko and kitsune, Miroku's next words made them freeze.

"I'm terribly sorry, Youko-san and Hiei-san. I thought of you as just companions to Kagome-sama and Kaori-sama." He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and offered an apologetic smile. "You clearly seem to be in love with them. Please forgive me."

The imiko glared at the priest. How could that idiotic human even dare to think that he was in love with that worthless woman! "The onna is nothing to me. Just a nuisance that is able to see the shards." he growled out lowly.

Youko seemed taken aback at the monk's accusation. "Me? In love with this weak girl? She is only required because of her sight." He said in a serious voice.

"What!" Kaori shrieked as she shoved Hiei away from her. "A nuisance, am I?"

"So, I'm only required because of my sight!" Kagome said as her face turned a deep shade of red from anger.

"Fuse!"

"Tsuke!"

The girls turned away from the fallen demons with an irritated huff and crossed their arms over their chests, lifting their noses in the air. "Oh yeah, that's right." they said with venom, "You're still in love with someone else." Ignoring the angry hiss of their youkai companions, the twins huffed, "What shall we do? Miroku-sama is a lot nicer than all of you."

Inuyasha's ears flattened against his skull as he hissed out, "You would betray me?"

Miroku smiled uneasily as he lifted his hands in defense. "You need a lesson is treating women."

Youko glared at the priest. How dare he say that? Youko Kurama needed no lesson. He's seduced men and women alike for many years. The kitsune was well known for his art of seduction. If he truly wanted to, he could have even Miroku begging for his touch! "Bouzu," he snarled silently, "I am a master of the art of seduction. I need no further lessoning."

Kagome rolled her eyes at the very arrogant answer the silver kitsune gave. Of course, he would say that. She could almost read his mind. "You could be gentler!" she snapped out.

Kaori nodded her head and joined in with her sister. "Yeah! And kinder!"

Miroku's hands began to twitch, the urge striking him hard. A slow, lecherous smile tilted at his lips as he itched his twitching appendages closer to the unsuspecting females. He placed his hands firmly against the soft flesh of their backsides and fondled them gently. "Yes, be gentler and kinder. Like this."

The twins shrieked, jumping away from the priest. Their faces lit up a bright red as they glared at Miroku. "Don't touch us there!" Raising their right hands, they smacked the perverted houshi across the face.

Shippou sighed as he bit into the apple he'd gotten from the girls bag. He looked down from the tree branch he was sitting on and observed the group below. The small fox shook his head at the sight he was greeted with. "Weren't they just having a serious conversation?" Shippou shrugged his shoulders. "I don't wanna grow up."

It was a little bit past dusk when Kagome felt someone shaking her. At first she ignored it, thinking that it was Shippou wanting to cuddle up against her in his sleep, but the shaking steadily gotten firmly. Blinking the sleep from her eyes, Kagome yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "Hmmm?" She hummed as she fully opened her eyes, sitting up in her bright red sleeping back and rubbing the corner of her left eye. "Youko, what is it?"

Youko regarded her with cool eyes as he rose to his feet and held out his hand. "You allowed the shards to be taken from you without your noticed. I will help you avoid that."

Kagome blinked in confusion before the kitsune's words registered in her head and a wide smile tilted at her lips. "Seriously?" She took his offered hand when he nodded and his eyes showed how serious he truly was. The younger twin could not believe that Youko actually wanted to help her. Even if it was about her protecting the jewel shards better. "Okay. Lead the way."

A small gasp rose in her throat when Youko suddenly swept off her feet and into his arms. He then leapt up into the trees and began to run among the treetops. She snuggled closer to his chest to ward off the chill of the autumn night air, hoping that he did not notice the small action. But the silver kitsune did notice. He glanced down at the small girl in his arms and a small memory flashed through his mind.

Thunder clapped loudly in the sky quickly followed by a sharp crack of lightning. A young woman with long ebony hair and piercing hazel eyes yelped in surprise as she cursed her bad luck. She had wandered too far from the village to go back without getting soaked by the upcoming storm. The second that thought crossed her mind, the sky opened up and let the heavens fall.

"Curse my luck." She huffed as she took coverage under the nearest tree. "I should have listened to my sister and brought my umbrella hat."

A low chuckle from the treetops alerted the woman that she was not alone. Quicker than what the eye could see, she drew her bow and notched an arrow on it, directing the weapon in the direction of the voice. She relaxed her stance when a tall, silver-haired kitsune hopped down and landed in front of her with a small grin gracing his face.

"Why, Kikyou." he purred, "Would you really shoot me with you Hama no Ya?"

Kikyou lowered her longbow and placed the arrow back inside her quiver. "We may never know." A hint of a smile spread over her lips as she looked the kitsune in the eyes, her voice taking on a teasing tone. "Youko, you really must stop surprising me like that."

Another low-sounding laugh escaped his throat as he moved closer to the female. "I only do it because I am the only one who can ever catch you off guard." He slowly draped his arms around her lithe waist and pulled her closer to his body.

She placed a mock scowl on her face, but allowed herself to rest her head against his firm chest and letting his warmth consume her. "Don't brag so much." she giggled. "Ne, Youko. Do me a favor please?"

Youko pressed his lips against her forehead and trailed them down her cheek, but stopped before he reached her lips. He breathed in her sweet scent of bellflowers. "I'll do anything you ask of me."

The rain began to fall harder as lightning flashed brightly in the sky and thunder clapped louder. Kikyou huddled closer to Youko, the only man she allowed to see her weak side. "Will you take me back to the village?"

Before she could even finish her question, Youko had swept her off her feet and lept up to the treetops. He was running so fast that the rain was barely touching them, but the kitsune had already grown and large leaf for Kikyou to hold as an umbrella. A small giggle escaped her as she stared up at the spirit fox, causing him to look down at her with a raised silver brow.

"What is so amusing?" he asked.

Kikyou giggled once more and tapped him on the nose gently. "That is for me to know." she smirked. "And for you to find out."

With a low growl, Youko swept that unwanted memory from his head and continued his run through the forest treetops. A few meters ahead, he spotted the clearing where he was going to teach Kagome. He looked down at the napping girl in his arms. 'But first...' Once his feet were firmly planted on the ground, he woke Kagome and set her down. "Are you ready?"

Kagome nodded, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Youko was so warm that she could not help but to take a little nap. "Uh huh..." she mumbled tiredly.

Youko smirked. "Are you sure?" he pointed a slender finger at her. "Where are your shards?"

She smiled. The younger miko in training was prepared for this. She had traded the small flimsy silver chain for a more sturdy golden chain that was heavy against her neck. "Right here." She reached up and fingered the golden necklace before moving her finger down to touch the shards. Kagome's grey tinted blue eyes widened when she touched nothing but bare skin. 'Oh no! Where are my jewel shards!'

Youko chuckled at the almost comedic expression of worry that graced her face. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled the large fragment out and held it up between his fingers. He raised his arm up higher when Kagome gasped and rushed over to take the shard back to her possession.

"When did you get that?!" she demanded as she jumped up and down on her feet, trying in vain to snatch the shard out of his hand. But he was far too tall for her five foot two frame to even hope to reach them.

The kitsune placed his hand on her shoulder to cease her actions and a smirk graced the contours of his face. "When you dozed off on the way here." His eyes took on an amused glimmer as he continued, "As for your punishment, you must handpick the necessary herbs for all types of illnesses and injuries."

Kagome's face dropped. There had to be over hundreds of different medicinal herbs for both healing and for consumption. How did he expect her to handpick all of them? Especially when she has little knowledge of the plants of this era. "No fair! I want a redo!" Kagome vented. Youko shrugged and handed the shard back to her. The younger twins clipped the fragment back on her necklace and looked at the kitsune with determination in her eyes. "Okay. Hit me with your best shot. You won't get them this time."

A slow, predatory grin spread over Youko's lips as he crossed his arms over his chest. So the little miko was challenging him. Did she forget that his was the King of Thieves? And she told him to give it his best. Kagome saw the look on his face and took a few steps back, regretting what she said. This was going to be a long training session. She reached up and touched her shards for comfort only to realized they were gone once again. A very long session.

Miroku looked over at the younger sister and noticed the tired expression on her face as she moved around the small campsite to her sleeping mat. "Kagome-sama, you look worn out. Did something happen during the night." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively as a perverse smile tilted at his lips. "Both you and Kaori-sama were gone."

"Shut it, Miroku-sama!" Kagome snapped, not catching his suggestive words. "I am not in the mood." She slumped down against her sleeping bag, throwing her arm over her eyes to block out the sun. The young miko remembered her training with Youko and groaned. The silver kitsune had managed to swipe the jewel shard from her twenty-seven times. Twenty-seven! All of which, she did not notice until he was broadcasting it in her face. Her punishments varied from listening to whatever Youko told her for the next month to hand washing the dirty clothes.

Kaori drug her feet as she moved to the black sleeping bag next to Kagome and crumbled down on it, groaning when the action pulled at her tired muscles. She looked over at her twin when she felt an elbow nudge her gently. Kagome asked if Hiei had woken her sister up to train. Kaori fell back against the cushion-y pillow and draped her arm over her eyes. "Big time. He is ruthless when it comes to Kendo."

Kaori tighten her grip on the hilt of her wakizashi, her eyes trained on her opponent. Raising her blade high at her side, she charged. Faking left and swing her blade in a sloppy right arc, Kaori felt her eyes widen when her strike was deflected easily. How? She was the best at Kendo. How did he block her strike?

"Not enough killing intent!" He growled as he dipped and swung his leg out, effectively sweeping the girl's feet from underneath her. Kaori landed on her rear hard and gave out a pained yelp. When she looked up, he swung his katana towards her. He stopped just a few inches away from her slender neck. "You will never be a master swordswoman. You don't come at your opponent with the intent to kill."

The older twin lowered her head in shame. "I can't bring myself to use killing intent when your opponent, Hiei." Kaori confessed softly, her eyes hidden by her wavy bangs. "You're my friend and I can't bring myself to hurt you."

Hiei regarded her with narrowed carmine-colored eyes. "Friends are just a crutch for the weak." He pointed his blade at her, growling lowly. "Get up and fight! I will not show you any mercy!"

Kaori sighed softly, knowing that Hiei meant what he said. He has not gone easy on once since they began training. She was positive that her body was littered with bruises and probably a few cuts from nearly being sliced by Hiei's sword. The imiko may have perfect control over his weapon, but he would use kenatsu to nick her flesh. Standing back on her feet, Kaori glared at the forbidden child for making her fight him when she did not want to. The older sister charged at him with a small warrior cry.

"Kaori!" Inuyasha's voice rang out over the small makeshift campsite.

The older twin groaned as her muscles cried at in pain when she forced herself to sit up to acknowledge the hanyou. "What the hell do you want, Inuyasha?!" she growled, her eyes narrowed as she impatiently waited for his answer.

Inuyasha widened his eyes, giving Kaori his best puppy-dog look, and tilted his ears back in a cute manner. "Will you make me some of that ninja food?"

Kaori was sorely tempted to tell the Inu to shove it where the sun doesn't shine as she held a grim look on her face. She suppressed a smile when his silvery ears twitched slightly and Kaori knew that she did not stand a chance against his cuteness. Rising to her feet, the elder twin walked over to her bag, paused to scratch those cute, fuzzy appendages, and grumbled, "You are lucky that you have such cute ears."

The Inuhanyou sent Hiei a smug look that said everything. 'Hear that, you damned bastard? She called my ears cute! That's one mark for me!' he mentally boasted.

Little did that hanyou know, Hiei could really care less about Inuyasha. The imiko now knew that Kaori was indeed the reincarnation of the one woman he adored. Hiei would be damned if he allowed some half-blood mongrel to take her from him.

The thunderous sounds of many horses trampling across the grassless terrain. Dozens of mercenaries were grinning among themselves as they boasted about their latest heist. Many bales of rice was strapped to a wagon near the center of the formation. Soon the sky began to darken to a dark orange with hints of violet and pink.

One mercenary glanced up at the sky and sweat slowly beaded at his brow. The path that they were racing on was often said to be guarded by demons come nightfall. And he did not have a death wish at the moment. "Oi, Okashira (chief), let's hurry. I've heard that youkai come out in this area after dark." His eyes widened when he spotted a tall being dressed in flowing white robes standing in their path. "Youkai!"

"Stupid bastard," one of his comrades sneered, "That's a human." The man smiled crookedly as he eyed the silver-haired man up head and noticed that he had some nice looking armor. "He's got some interesting armour!"

The chief grinned and unsheathed his blade, giving the order. "We'll kill'im and take all he has!"

The man turned slightly, his eyes glowing a deep crimson as his arm dropped from his sleeve. A malicious aura surrounded him and he lifted his arm just as the band neared him. Without giving them time to react, the man slashed his claws at the mercenaries, annihilating them from the face of the earth. Only a few splotches of blood staining the ground was left behind.

A kappa youkai stumbled out of the tall grass, a two-headed staff clutched tightly between his webbed hands. His beaked lips were arched up in a smile as he immediately began to praise the tall demon. "Sesshoumaru-sama, you're so great!" He beamed up at the Inuyoukai with large yellow eyes. "As I expected, that arm, torn from that blue oni you killed is certainly strong, My Lord."

Sesshoumaru said nothing as he kicked Jaken in the face before clutching the arm. "Are your eyes useless holes, bastard. This still isn't of any use." He ripped the arm off his body and threw it aside before walking away. "Find a demon with a more suitable arm or else, I will kill you."

The arm twitched slightly and grabbed the kappa tightly in its grip when he moved closer to it, squeezing tightly. Jaken yelped out and began hitting the arm with his staff. It seemed the more Jaken struck the oni's arm, the tighter it squeezed. It was not until, the kappa struck the nerve between the thumb and index finger was he release. He quickly kicked the arm away where it soon rotted. Jaken sighed. 'I'm tired of this life. That damned Inuyasha, this is his fault for chopping off Sesshoumaru-sama's arm.' The kappa youkai remember all the battle inside the Inu no Taishou's body for Tessaiga, which led to the loss of the Inuyoukai's left arm.

"Even if I find another arm, it will be useless after a while." Sesshoumaru sighed inaudibly as he turned his cold golden gaze back on the path before them. The stump of his left arm tingled slightly with pain and the Inu growled softly.

"You seem to be troubled." a voice said, stopping the lord of the western lands and catching his attention. Sitting almost comfortably in the grass was a man wearing a white baboon pelt to hide his face from the prying eyes of others. "Pardon me," he said, his voice low with respect, "But are you Inuyasha's elder brother, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru regarded the man with a cool gaze. "What do you want, bastard?"

The man shifted slightly in his seated position. "I am, like yourself, one who hates Inuyasha and the people he travels with." He bowed his head in shame. "It was rude of me, but I overheard you talking." Reaching into the folds of his pelt, the man held up an arm as an offering to Sesshoumaru. "May I suggest that you use this arm?"

Jaken stepped forward from hiding behind his lord's leg, glaring at the man, "Cut the jokes, asshole! That arm is human!"

"Correct. This human arm has a shard of Shikon no Tama embedded in it." the man replied, letting the insult slide. "If you use a human arm, you'll even be able to use Tessaiga, Inuyasha's fabled sword." His words drew in the Western Lord's attention. "I have heard of the Tessaiga, the "sword which protects humans" Normally, it is a sword that a perfect youkai like you wouldn't be able to handle."

Sesshoumaru cut the man off with a soft chuckle as he glared at him with piercing golden eyes. "Bastard, you said that you hate Inuyasha and the group he travels with, didn't you?" he continued when the man nodded. "For the sake of killing him and his group, you're saying you'll make use of me."

The man tilted his head to the side slightly. "Quite right."

Jaken turned red in the face, his green skin tinted an unattractive shade, "You've got some nerve asshole!"

"Interesting." Sesshoumaru said, a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Then I'll make use of this arm."

The man reached back inside his pelt and held out something round. "And another thing. This nest should prove helpful to you." He handed both the human arm and the hive over to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru looked at the man with cool eyes and a neutral expression on his face. "Will you give me your name, bastard?"

"Naraku is what I'm called." the mane answered.

Sesshoumaru inclined his head slightly as a hint of a smirk on his face. "Naraku? I shall remember that."

Finally finished! Just a reminder to all my reader of other stories, as soon as I am finished revamping this story, I will update them. But until then, they are on a temporary hiatus. It should not be long though Seeing as I am almost up to where I was before! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this little chapter!

Ja ne

~Kirei Ai Tenshi