Disclaimer : Inuyasha's characters don't belong to me.

Chapter 12 : On the road again !

Inuyasha was daydreaming against the closed well with Kagome's picture between his fingers. He wished with all his might that Auriane's dream was true. Since his friend's departure, he had spent every day sitting on the well's ledge, his amber gaze never leaving the dark bottom of the bone eater.

A smell that he knew only too well, came tickle his nose. This scent forced him to leave the well to hasten toward the source. 'If Sesshomaru comes in the village and see that Rin is missing, I better be here to prevent him from creating damages' He thought. Once he arrived at the edge of the forest, he sat nonchalantly on the top of a large rock, waiting for Sesshomaru's arrival.

Near Inuyasha's village

« I can't believe Lord Sesshomaru told me to do this! Sending me to his pathetic brother's village all alone!" Jaken complained aloud, walking to Inuyasha's village with a new gift for Rin under his arm, as if all the misery of the world was on his shoulders. "Couldn't he do it himself? He is such an ungrateful dog! After all I have done for him, he keeps treating me like I have no importance for him!"

The sun was setting when the village appeared before him.

"What are you doing here small Jaken?" Inuyasha's voice surprised Jaken so much that a screech escaped his throat, while his eyes came out of their socket.

Silently, Jaken came out of his torpor and glared at Inuyasha a few seconds. Then he suddenly said, "Nintojo!" The surprised hanyo received a big flame right in the face.

"Why did you do that bastard!" Inuyasha said with smoke flying away from his face.

"To teach you to respect Lord Sesshomaru's servant, idiot!" The imp replied waving his staff toward the hanyo.

Inuyasha jumped on Jaken's body angrily, crushing the toad to the ground, "Little shit! Still licking Sesshomaru's ass?" The hanyo took the slack body of Jaken and started to play his favorite game with the imp: stretching his body to his limit, making the poor imp yell. While bullying Jaken, Inuyasha asked him, "You still haven't answered my question small imp, what are you doing here?"

"If you release me I'll be able to tell you! You uncivilized dog!" Jaken exclaimed. Once the hanyo stopped playing with the toad's body, the imp said, "I am here to give Rin a gift from my Lord!"

"You're losing your time, she is not here." Inuyasha replied trying to fight his want to play with Jaken again.

The imp felt his throat constricting at the news. "What do you mean she is not here? Where is she? What have you done to her? If Sesshomaru-sama learns that you did something to her, he will come to make a carpet with your skin!"

"Oy! Stop yelling, your hurting my ears small imp! Rin went with Auriane, Sango and Shippo a few days ago. They're looking for a youkai tree near the North territory." Inuyasha answered.

"But why are they looking for a youkai tree?" Jaken asked.

"It's none of your concern." The hanyo said crossing his arms over his chest. When Jaken started to yell, Inuyasha threw one of his feet on the imp's face, muffling his insufferable voice. He then took the gift from the angry toad, saying that he will give it to Rin and threw a masterful kick in Jaken's ass, sending him flying into the air through the forest. "Keh! Baka!" Inuyasha murmured before walking back to the well.

Later that day

The more he was advancing, the more Jaken was liquefying. Large drops of sweat beaded on his forehead. His wide eyes were bulging out, their yellow color contrasted with the pallor of his green skin. Jaken was in full depression. Each step was leading him to a slow and painful death. Trembling, Jaken was panicking in his thoughts.

'Why Rin did this to me? What an unbearable child! You'll see once Lord Sesshomaru puts his hands on you Rin! He will... he will...Only punish me! Ooooh why are you always so cruel with me my Lord? But if I can find her before Lord Sesshomaru notices her absence, I will be spare!'

At this thought Jake raised his tearing eyes toward the dark sky, fantasying about his Lord praising him for his good work. But his sudden joy quickly gave way to despair.

'I don't even know where to start my search! It is all the onna's fault once again! If this worthless human hadn't wanted to go see this youkai tree, Rin would have remained quietly in the village! For what reason does she wants to go there? Foolish girl! Doesn't she know that youkais trees are dangerous, treacherous and wicked?'

Jaken's thoughts were broken when he felt his face colliding and then sinking into something soft and fluffy. 'I would recognize this softness everywhere.' He thought while rubbing his face against the soft clothes.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you are here." He said relieved. But when his mind registered that Sesshomaru was really there, he screamed, "LORD SESSHOMARU! YOU ARE HERE!"

Sesshomaru looked at Jaken questioningly. He could hear his servant's heart beating wildly in his ribcage. Raising his eyebrows at the toad he asked, "Jaken? Have you given the gift?"

Because his brain was in a blackout mode, Jaken couldn't answer. He was completely paralyzed by fear.

Sesshomaru began to lose patience. He could smell the stench of his brother on his servant, but no trace of the scent of Rin. He wanted answers. "Jaken?"

Jaken was thinking frantically but found no answer that would suit his Lord. He took a deep breath and blurted out, "The hanyo told me Rin was gone wasn't and took your gift my Lord!" Waiting for his Lord's punition, Jaken winced.

"Gone, Jaken?" Sesshomaru inquired.

"Gone a few days ago with the onna and two of her friends my Lord!" Jaken gulped.

Sesshomaru felt his patience flying away because of Jaken's inability to make complete answers. He was making him lose time. "Where, Jaken?"

"They went to find a youkai tree on the border of your territory and the Northern's one my Lord." Jaken with his eyes closed, protected his face with his little arms and cried, "Please spare me my Lord! Don't hurt me my Lord?" When he realized that Sesshomaru was silent, he opened his eyes. Looking around him, he was speechless, his lord had vanished. He started to run in circle. He felt so lost without his Lord, how could he abandon him like this?

"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you going? Please don't leave me here alone! Take me with you my Lord!" The toad yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Jaken, go get Ah-Un." Sesshomaru said from high in the air, before flying away. He took the direction of North. All his senses were in alert, ready to capture any scent, any trace of the humans. He was curious to see what the woman had in mind. Why would she go look for a youkai tree.

Inuyasha's village

Miroku still couldn't believe he had managed to convince Inuyasha to get away from the well, to accompany him to a nearby village, where they needed his services as a monk. Miroku thought it was a very satisfying day. He and Inuyasha were coming back home, laden with baskets of food.

"You're really a blackguard Miroku!" Inuyasha exclaimed while putting his baskets on the floor, in front of Kaede's house.

"Any work deserves payment Inuyasha! And i must admit that with a stomach like yours to satisfy every day, it is better to have lot of stock!" Miroku said in a sing song voice, earning a dark look from the hanyo.

Turning his back to Miroko, Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, "These are false accusations! You know very well it is Shippo who eats everything!"

"What nerve Inuyasha! Plus he is not even here to defend himself! Shall I remind you the night you tried to eat Kagome's bag while you were sleeping?" Miroku laughed, remembering the next morning when they discovered Inuyasha sleeping with a big piece of the bag inside his mouth. His laughter died when he saw Inuyasha's reaction to Kagome's name. It was like the hanyo was suddenly in trance.

"Inuyasha, are you alright?" He questioned him.

But the hanyo turned his head toward the direction of the well and pointed his nose toward the sky.

"Kagome…" Was all Inuyasha muttered before taking off, running toward the woods.

Miroku shook his head watching Inuyasha running away, while arranging the food before joining his friend to talk to him.

Inuyasha was sure about it, something in the air had changed. He rushed to the well and the more he approached the more he was convinced that the Bone Eater had opened.

'She was right!' He thought, 'The wench was right! This sweet smell can only come from one person, Kagome!'

When he was in front of the well, the Hanyo tried to calm his raging heart before looking inside. The scent was so powerful that it reminds him how much he had missed to smell it. Slowly, when he looked to the bottom of the well, he felt his whole body relax, giving way to infinite happiness. It felt like a dream. Smiling, he held out his hand toward the well and when the moment he had longed for so long became reality, he felt his heart becoming as big and as bright as the sun. Delicately, Inuyasha helped Kagome to mount on the rim of the well. Soon, realizing she was charged with two huge bags, he took them and placed them on the ground to relieve her from their weight.

No words were necessary between them, their eyes said it all. Staring into her beautiful eyes, Inuyasha did what he had dreamed of doing for a long time, he surrounded Kagome with his arms.

The priestess was finally able to breathe. She was back home, in the arms of Inuyasha. She brushed her face against Inuyasha's chest, breathing in his scent deeply. They stayed like this for long minutes, unable to release the other. It was like they were transmitting all their emotions, all their feelings to the other, by these simple gestures.

The wind suddenly turned, announcing to Inuyasha that they were no longer alone. He had to fight against himself to release Kagome. When Kagome spotted Miroku behind Inuyasha, she had to bite her tongue to keep from laughing.

The monk stood, bent under the weight of emotion, his hands were clasped in front of his face as if he was praying. His face was contorted to prevent him from bursting into tears while his closed eyes were freeing waves of tears.

"Miroku?" Kagome asked wondering if he was having a heart attack.

Once the monk heard his name, he threw himself against the priestess, "You're finally here! It's not a dream! Thank you for coming back to save us from a moping Inuyasha!"

When Kagome felt one of her friend's hand caressing her butt, she roared angrily and knocked him out with one of the bags.

With his head driven into the ground Miroku exclaimed happily, "I'm so happy to see you again Kagome-san!"

After having been greeted by Kaede, the miko asked where were the others.

"They're gone to look for a youkai tree. We had to join them once you were back." Inuyasha told her.

The woman was excited at the idea to go join her friends for a new adventure, till her mind clicked on Inuyasha's word. "Once I was back? How did you know that I would be able to return?" She asked curiously.

"Well, seemed like Auriane-chan had a premonitory dream concerning your arrival." Miroku explained while Kaede served him food.

"She did?" Kagome was really surprised.

"Neh Kagome! What there is inside these bags? Food?" Inuyasha said sniffing the bags.

"No baka! I took some of my and Auriane's stuff with me." She explained.

"Keh! You will not need it here! You should have brought food!" Inuyasha replied crossing his arms. Then, he suddenly panicked when he saw the dark aura appearing around the miko, who was sending him a murderous look.

"Urusai!" She said slowly with a menacing tone.

Miroku chuckled and Said to Kaede, "Looks like everything is back to normal!" The old woman nodded with a laugh.

That night, when Kagome lay down in her sleeping bag, she found it hard to find sleep with all these emotions raging through her heart. Now that Inuyasha was next to her, she felt complete. She also couldn't wait to go see her friends and hoped for the morning to come quickly.

The same night

It was very late when the little group with the girls and Shippo finally found a satisfactory place to rest. Their journey has been fraught with small pitfalls, but they did a good job to overcome them. Now they just needed a little time to get back their strength.

They were eating peacefully around the campfire, making small conversations, when Rin bent toward Auriane.

"What is it Rin?" The woman asked the little girl who was frowning.

"I was wondering, what do you think Sesshomaru-sama like to eat?" Rin wondered. This question was on her mind seen the day she had met her Lord.

Auriane was surprised by her question and looked at Sango to see if she had the answer. The demon slayer shrugged showing that she had no idea, but she kept her attention to the girls wanting to hear what Auriane will answer.

"Well, I personally have no idea about what Sesshomaru eats, but… Where I come from, we have lot of dogs and I could often observe them." Everyone was listening at her words attentively and waited for her to pursue. Searching into her memories, Auriane continued, "Well I saw a dog one day, eating a piece of a decomposed animal's corpse and another one eating a piece of rotten meat that was full of maggots…" The woman stopped talking, laughing at her friends cries of disgust.

"Do you think Sesshomaru-sama like to eat those putrid things Auriane-chan?" Rin asked disgusted.

Laughing when she imagined Sesshomaru eating these awful things, she said, "I told you Rin. I don't know what he eats, but I know what a dog is able to eat sometimes and since he is a dog-youkai…" She stopped her sentence to let the girl do the connection with what she was implying.

After their dinner, Auriane took the first watch, letting Sango and the children rest. She was putting woods in the fire, a smile on her lips imagining Sesshomaru waiving his tail, while happily eating rotten corpses.

The next day was a beautiful day. The sun was shining high in the sky and they had met no youkai on their way. When a village appeared in front of them in the afternoon, they came to an agreement to go and restock some food. The welcome was very warm. The villagers seemed to prepare a big event. The girls went to ask a woman what was going on while children were inviting Rin and Shippo to go play with them. The woman informed them with a big smile, that tonight was the great annual village festival and several villages were gathering for this occasion. The atmosphere of the evening was overexcited, food was in abundance on the tables and alcohol flowed freely. The villagers laughed and danced for hours.

"You're tipsy Auriane-chan!" Sango laughed.

"No! Not at all! I don't know why you're saying that!" Auriane said trying to defend herself. "Plus it is you right now who is trying to eat a bone! It's been a while since there is no meat left on this poor piece of bone!" Auriane burst out in laughter seeing the shocked face of Sango, who blushed looking at the poor bone in her hand, which was adorned by deep teeth marks.

The young women hadn't drunk a lot, but they had to admit the alcohol in this village was powerful!

Suddenly, the music stopped when the sound of an explosion was heard. A minute ago music and laughers reigned, while now a heavy silence had taken their place.

Through the heavy smoke flying away from the collapsed house, the villagers saw several shadows appearing. Once the smoke had completely disappeared, panicked seized the entire village when they realized they were attacked by a band of five youkais.

One of them exclaimed, "What a beautiful banquet! There is choice tonight!"

Another one answered, "Yes! We will feast greatly!"

"I can't believe I didn't felt them coming!" Auriane exclaimed to Sango.

Through the general panic, the girls went to look for the children. Once they found them, they told them to mount on Kirara's back and stay in the air. Once the children were in security, the women looked at each other before attacking the youkais and said at the same time, "Makejidamashii!" "Hiraikotsu!" Sending their deadly weapons toward the aggressors.

The youkais had time to do some victims before the girls could stop them. After a few minutes of fierce battle, only one youkai was still standing. He challenged the two young women with his posture and laughed when he saw his companions lying on the ground.

"I didn't know it would make you so happy!" Auriane told him.

"I must say thank you. You have done a great service!" The ugly youkai answered enigmatically.

"What do you mean?" Sango questioned. But instead of answering her, they saw the youkai closing his eyes, with a strange aura surrounding him. A few second later, the girls heard the villagers saying, "Look! What's going on with them!" When they turned around and looked at where the villagers where watching, they saw the same kind of aura enveloping the corpse of the dead youkais.

"What's going on?" The demon slayer wondered aloud.

Auriane could feel something strange through her own aura, it was like a calling. "I think that he is calling the dead youkais with his aura!"

"Why would he do that?" Sango asked.

"No idea!" Auriane said looking back at the youkai.

They didn't wait long. Quickly, the dead corpses flew from the ground and went toward the youkai. The girls watched with bulged eyes the youkai's body absorbing the corpse of his friends, causing him to grow exponentially.

In the air

"He is becoming so huge!" Rin exclaimed from Kirara's back.

Trembling, Shippo said, "Don't worry Rin-chan! I'll protect you!"

Back on the ground

Sango attacked the youkai immediately, throwing Hiraikotsu high in the air. The weapon reached its target ripping the youkai's right arm from his body without killing him. The girls groaned in frustration making the youkai laugh at them.

"Little girls like you shouldn't play with such toys. You could harm yourselves!" The youkai tried to hit them with his fist but he only succeeded at destroying another house. Their small size compare to him enabled them to dodge his fists easily.

"We should join forces for the next attack Auriane-chan!" Sango said hoping that it would end the life of the youkai.

"Okay! I'm ready!" The woman answered.

The demon slayer grabbed her Iron chain and hurled around the knees of the giant, preventing him to cause any more damages. She then mentioned to Auriane to throw her axe in order to weaken their enemy, so the next time she will attack with Hiraikotsu, the hit would end the youkai's life.

Auriane concentrated so hard on the giant's beating heart that her axe flew right at his ribcage, its tip piercing the thick skin. The girls watched as the axe transformed itself in a bluish aura to disappear inside the youkai, making him roar by agony. Sango looked at her friend who seemed to be in trance and waited for her signal to throw her own weapon.

Auriane felt her aura taking possession of the youkai's one, which weakened quickly. She could control the heartbeats of the enemy forcing it to decrease slowly. This feeling was both exhilarating and suffocating for the young woman. The moment she felt she had drained him enough, she opened her eyes and nodded toward Sango, who threw her deadly weapon right in the youkai's face, making it explode. The huge headless body fell loudly on the ground, under the stunned eyes of the villagers.

Shippo and Rin made Kirara flew down towards their friends.

"That was so great!" Shippo said relieved to see the yukai dead on the ground.

"I knew you would make it!" Rin exclaimed running towards her friends.

The villagers were gathering around the group of friends happily. A man who seemed to be the chief of the village approached them and asked, "What can we do to thank you? You can ask anything you want!"

"Well, we do not want to abuse your kindness, but if you have food to give us for our journey, we would be very grateful." Sango replied with a smile.

"Anything you want! I never saw women as strong as the both you before! Are you married?" The chief wondered.

"No!" They said in unison.

« Would you want to marry my sons ? It would be a great honor for us to welcome you in my family!"

"Hum, it would be a real pleasure, but we have a journey to continue so…" Auriane tried not to vex him.

"May I know where are you heading? I might be able to help you." The man was very intrigued by the women's journey. 'These women are really impressive. Travelling alone with two children and being able to kill such a huge youkai! I wonder where they are from!'

"We are seeking a youkai tree. We were told he was in this region." Sango informed him.

The man thought a few moments then answered, "Follow me. There is one person in this Village who can certainly help you."

Inside the house, a very old woman greeted them nicely. The woman explained to them that she was now the only one to know the location of this harmful tree. When she was young, he had created a lot of havoc among the humans who lived near him. The ancients had then decided to prohibit everyone to approach the tree and to talk about him, so this youkai would falls into oblivion.

After thanking the villagers, the small group preferred to spend the night in the forest, as they went, Sango said to Auriane, "I didn't know you could make your axe disappear into someone Auriane-chan!"

"I didn't know either! Maybe it was because of the alcohol, you know? Which can removes inhibitions and all…" Auriane wasn't sure about what happened.

"Ah! I knew you were tipsy!" Sango exclaimed making Auriane roll her eyes.

"You were too! Is this why you aimed his arm instead of his head?" Auriane teased her.

« Not funny! » The demon slayer said blushing.

They soon found a good place to rest for the night, knowing that a long day of journey awaited them.

The next day

The three friends had left Kaede's home at dawn, eager to join the others. Inuyasha, with Kagome safely on his back, thought it felt good to have true friends and that he would do everything to protect them.

They passed near a village and went to continue their journey, when Inuyasha felt something was fishy in this village. No smell was coming from it, as if it were empty.

"Do you think it is a ghost town?" Kagome asked him.

"There is only one way to find out!" The hanyo answered with a determinate look. When he tried to approach, he was projected back by an invisible energy.

"Kuso! What was that?" Inuyasha yelled from the ground.

Miroku approached and raised his hand in the air toward the village, "I feel a purifying power. This can only be the work of a monk!"

"A monk? But what has he done of all the villagers? And why can't we enter?" Kagome interrogated him.

"I think that you and me can enter this village Kagome-san, but Inuyasha can't since he is a part youkai." Miroku explained. "This protection is here for a good reason. We should remain cautious and… Kagome-san what are you doing?" The monk panicked when he saw the girl entering the village alone.

"Baka! Come back here! » Inuyasha yelled at her, worried because he couldn't enter to protect her.

Miroku went ahead to join her, not wanting to leave her alone while he could hear Inuyasha yelling after them. Soon a presence alerted their senses. The monk, by pure reflex seized Kagome to push her behind him when the wall of a house near them exploded.

"Kagomeeee!" They heard the hanyo screaming. When Inuyasha saw the youkai walking towards his friends, he hastened to grab his weapon to destroy the barrier.

"Well, well, well! Seems like I finally have visitors!" The odd youkai said. He really looked like he was happy.

"Who are you!" Kagome asked eyeing the effeminate being.

"Oh! Forgive me my bad manners! It's been so long since I have spoken to anyone since the death of the other asshole! My name is Wakaki and I would be happy to kill you." The youkai said bowing deeply.

Miroku took a defensive position while Kagome grabbed her bow. However, Wakaki's attention was now focused on Inuyasha trying to destroy the barrier with powerful and enraged attacks.

"Strange. I've never seen a Hanyo in possession of such a powerful weapon before." Closing his eyes he added with a deep smile, "looks like the barrier is loosing of its power." Looking back to Kagome and Miroku he said, "After so many years, i can't believe I will be free soon! And the tree of you will be the first victims of my newfound freedom!"

"Why are you here?" Miroku asked, trying to occupy the attention of the youkai, until Inuyasha succeed at breaking the barrier.

"A stupid priest trapped me in this village a long time ago. He did not appreciate my culinary tastes, which focuses on humans… very, very youthful humans." Seeing the disgusted look of the young woman, he exclaimed, "How do you think I keep such a marvelous skin? Nothing like a baby to work wonders on my skin!"

"The barrier should have dissipated over the years! How come it is still so powerful today?" Miroku asked him.

"Yes I know that normally the barrier die with its owner, but like I said, this one was a really insane bastard!" Looking at them he said, "The reason why I'm still trapped is because this stupid monk is still here!" He laughed when he saw the reaction of the humans. "He failed to kill me, so to ensure that i never kill anyone ever again even after his death, he imprisoned us here."

"You mean that he is still here?" Kagome couldn't believe her ears.

"Yes he is pretty thing! Well actually his body is!" Wakaki told her.

Miroku was shocked, the priest had sacrificed himself to save many people, but how was he able to make the barrier working after his death? He must have been a very powerful monk!

"Well it was a pleasure to discuss with you, but you know… being locked here for hundreds of years has given me a great appetite!" Wakaki said while he released his energy around him. Kagome wasted no time and released a purifying arrow. To their shock, he stretched his left hand which aspirated the arrow.

"You will have to do better if you want to kill me priestess!" The youkai laughed.

"Don't touch them bastard and come fight me!" They all heard Inuyasha's angry voice. The moment the hanyo noticed the youkai's wind tunel trying to sawllow his firends, he used his enhanced Wind Scar attack and succeeded at breaking the barrier.

Then everything happened very quickly, Wakaki sensed the danger coming from the hanyo. To prevent him from reaching his friends, he multiplied his wind tunnel by the dozens, which were quickly surrounding the hanyo.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome and Miroku yelled.

Inuyasha wasted no time to act. Jumping over the wind tunnels with all his strength, he roared, "MEIDO ZANGETSUHAAAA!"

Wakaki paled when he saw the meido forming just behind him. He was about to launch another desperate attack to the hanyo, but it was already too late. Inuyasha was faster than him and threw him his Bakuryuha's attack which pushed Wakaki right into the Meido.

The three friends relieved, watched the Meido disappearing once Wakaki was out of sight. Kagome and Inuyasha watched Miroku walking forward in the village and asked him what he was doing. The youkai being dead now, they continue their journey…

Turning toward them, Miroku explained, "I have to find the monk and release him from his prison. Now that the youkai is dead, his mission is over. He deserves to rest in peace." His friends nodded and followed him through the village.

When they found themselves at the foot of a high building, Kagome said, "He should be up there, I can feel a strong purifying power coming from there!"

Once they reached the top floor, they discovered a mummified monk surrounded by a small pink barrier. Taking a better look, they saw that he had a large number of mantras on the remains of his body.

"To retain this youkai imprisoned here after his death, he cursed himself!" Miroku exclaimed.

"What can we do for him?" The girl asked.

« The only way to destroy this holy barrier is to find someone stronger, who also has purifying power. Once the barrier is broken, I may try to remove the curse." Miroku replied.

"I'll do it!" Kagome said quickly. She could feel the despair, the pain in which the priest had been through and she wanted to help him with all her heart. "Stay back boys!" She warned.

She concentrated and gathered as much energy as she could before shooting an arrow right in the center of the barrier. In contact with the purifying arrow, the barrier broke into thousands of little pink crystals.

It was now the turn of Miroku to act. Kneeling in front of the monk's body, he began powerful rituals to weaken the mantras before removing them. When he began to remove them, Miroku knew there would be certainly a price to pay. They were very powerful mantras and even if they were weakened they rebelled against Miroku, an energy piercing him. But Miroku had a mission to fulfill, to give back peace to this monk who had sacrificed himself for the innocents, his own pain was only futility.

Seeing him suffering, his friends tried to stop him, but they were pushed back by the energy. Miroku was like in trance, one after the other he took off the mantras. When he arrived at last one placed on the monk's forehead, he had almost no strength left. The only thing he could feel was the heavy beating of his heart. Gritting his teeth, in a last desperate effort, he snatched the last mantra and fell on his back.

Suddenly, the pink energy that was in the small crystals scattered around the three friends. They were amazed when the mummy began talking to them, "Thank you. I am infinitely beholden to you."

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked abruptly.

"My name was Toshiharu. I was a monk whose mother was a witch." The skeleton answered.

"The monk who disappeared centuries ago?" The weak voice of Miroku was heard.

"Yes. When I fought the youkai who attacked this village, I was already very old. My powers had faltered and I was unable to fully purify Wakaki. The only solution I have found to prevent him from harming humans ever again, was to curse myself with this village. The powers my mother transmitted me helped me to strengthen the curse." Turning his head toward Miroku who was still weak on the floor, he told him, "To thank you and your friends to have finished my work and for the sacrifice you made to free me from my curse, I will offer you a gift young monk."

They all looked surprised to see the pink energy penetrating Miroku's body, knocking him unconscious. Once the energy had disappeared, they heard Toshiharu's voice one last time, before the mummy disappeared, leaving place to silence, "Even if your heart is pure and good young monk, you'll have to train hard to master this gift!"

After a moment, Inuysha took Miroku's limp body on his shoulder and mentioned to Kagome to follow him. Once they reached a clearing, they laid Miroku on the ground while Kagome in her thoughts lit a fire to warm the monk. The two friends were wondering what kind of power Miroku had received.

Kuso=shit