Legacy of the Cursed Mask: Battle Across Time

by OrionPax09

InuYasha, Michiru, Kaname, and all the others are faced with a new danger, one that ripples across time and into new worlds. With so much at stake and the ties that bind them already strained, can they survive what is to come, let alone triumph? (Rated T, rating may change).

12. Weaving a Story Part 1

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or anything associated with it. I have written this story solely because I enjoy writing.

Legacy of the Cursed Mask: Battle Across Time

Chapter 12: Weaving a Story Part 1

"Miroku…did…whaaaaaat?!" InuYasha bellowed in outraged disbelief.

"Gyyyaaaaahhh!" Shippo cried out as he was sent tumbling across the ground by the force of InuYasha's outraged roar. "Hey, go easy on me! I'm just the messenger! This isn't my fault!"

"That's right – InuYasha! Now – back off!" Kagome crossly ordered the half-demon as she made her over to Shippo. "So – Miroku – he's seriously left? Gone off – on his own?!"

"That's what I said!" Shippo confirmed with a quick nod. "By the time I'd gotten to Mushin's temple, Miroku was already long gone!"

"Of all the -!" InuYasha snarled as he balled up his fists. Once again eager to find some target for his rage.

After the disastrous battle against Kagura and Naraku's new warriors, InuYasha and the other present members of their little band had spent the night recovering to the best of their ability. When the dawn finally came, they had spent the morning having a quiet breakfast. None of them the least bit happy about what they had to do, but more-or-less resigned to the necessity.

Shortly after breakfast was done and everyone was making preparations to depart, Daisuke had noticed Kokoro approaching. Glad that Shippo was finally returning and angered that it had taken the little fox so long to get back, InuYasha and the others had hurried out to meet him. Only for their greetings and welcoming back of the little fox to turn to everyone having one question on their minds; where was Miroku?

And when Shippo gave them the bad news, everyone exploded.

"I don't believe this!" InuYasha fumed as he paced about a bit, wishing there was someone deserving of having their neck wrung out within arm's reach. "You mean we're stuck with Michiru and Sango off in the mountains, Naraku attacking us, and all the rest of it, and Miroku just up and leaves us?! Are you kidding me?!"

"Well, what did – you expect, InuYasha?! Of course – he left are you all – turned against!" Kagome incredulously demanded through her still-worn throat. "You all condemned – Miroku for something he – didn't even do! And then – Sango blackmailed, him -!"

"Didn't even do?! You mean you're still blaming Michiru for everything?!" Kaname demanded in a harsh manner. "I'm starting to wish I hadn't done anything for your throat, Kagome! I miss not having to listen to you be so -!"

"Ugh! You mean you two are still going at it?!" Shippo cried out in disbelief. "I swear, you can all be such kids!"

Growling in his throat, InuYasha then growled, "Alright! Kagome, Kaname, not now!" Then he turned towards Shippo and asked, "So, Miroku – he's just gone?! Mushin has no idea where he went?!"

"Well - not exactly!" Shippo then went on to tell them what Mushin had said about the Sacred Treasures of Amida Nyorai and how Miroku's grandfather has possessed three of them. Treasures that he had subsequently hidden away to be retrieved once Naraku had been defeated. "According to Mushin, Miroku was really feeling down about – well, how Sango had fallen for Michiru and all the rest of it! Felt like he couldn't really do anything to help us any more! So when Mushin told him about the treasures, Miroku decided to go after them!"

"And he did this alone?! Instead of telling us about this so we could help him?!" InuYasha irately demanded.

"Mushin said that Miroku said that he felt like he had to do this by himself!" Shippo replied. "So he went off to Mount Fuji to find one of the treasures!"

Growling as he thought about the violence he now longed to wreak upon that miserable monk, Kagome asked, "And – you couldn't find him? I – there was no sign of him – anywhere?!"

"You think I'd come back here without at least trying to find him?! Especially since I know how mad InuYasha'd be about this?!" Shippo demanded incredulously. As the half-demon snorted loudly, the little fox went on to explain, "Believe me, I looked everywhere I thought he might have gone! Fancy houses to do one of his fake exorcisms, brothels to check out the girls, lakes where the women were bathing – I tried everywhere!"

A short distance away, where Daisuke was tending to an exhausted Kokoro, the Demon Slayer was making a face. "You know…the more I hear about Miroku, the less I like him," Daisuke admitted. "But I can certainly verify that Shippo and Kokoro searched hard." Pausing to give his companion a gentle pat on the head, he sighed loudly. "I fear he'll need a long rest after all of that flying. And a good meal and water."

Groaning deeply in his throat, InuYasha could nonetheless see the toll that the previous night's searching had taken on the silver bird. "That's alright. At least we managed to track down Totosai and his bull," he muttered sourly. "We can use him to get back to Kaede's Village."

"Huh?!" Shippo piped up, his eyes widening in surprise. "Wait – why are we going back to Kaede's place?! We have to guard the jet, remember?!"

"There's been…a change in plans, Shippo," Kagome hesitantly admitted.

"What do you mean?!" Shippo wondered with a look of concern. "Did something happen while I was gone?!"

Groaning in his throat once more, InuYasha nodded. "Yeah, you can definitely say that."

With that, InuYasha and the others went on to brief Shippo on the basics of what had transpired the previous night. They didn't go into full details, but they did brief the little fox on Naraku's new forces and the arrival of Kurogasa. And they made sure to avoid revealing the truth about Kikyo; only saying that she had been gravely injured by the samurai, who was presently being held by the Demon Slayers for the time being.

With every bit of the story told, Shippo's eyes bulged a bit more and his jaw fell closer to the ground. And after everything was said, the little fox's eyes swelled ludicrously before he fell over in shock. "Whhhaaaaaatt?!" Shippo cried out in horrified amazement. "And all of that was happening while I was gone?!"

"Yeah. It's a big mess," InuYasha confirmed with a scowl.

"And – Kagome?!" Shippo gaped as he darted up to the modern miko. "You're – you're seriously losing your powers?!"

"That's – what they're saying," Kagome admitted with a discomforted voice. "So – that's why – I'm going back. To – get some help from – Grandma Kaede."

"Arrrgh! How can you all get into so much trouble?!" Shippo demanded as he began scrambling about madly. "I leave you all alone for one day, and this is what I find when I get back?! How am I supposed to keep everything together?!"

"Believe me, I know the feeling," Kaname admitted with a wan smile. "Anyway, there's still…a lot you need to know. I'll tell you all about it today."

"Right now, we need to get going," InuYasha groused. "Now we need to – oh, there you are, old man!"

"Sorry to take so long," Totosai announced as he approached the group, leading Momo the bull up towards them. "Momo absolutely refused to go anywhere until he had had his breakfast, and…well, it's bound to be a long trip. Didn't feel right, interrupting him and all."

"That's alright," Kaname assured the aged blacksmith. "I know it can't be easy, flying everyone around like this."

Though he wasn't in the mood to say anything of that sort, especially with what he had to do, InuYasha muttered, "We'll take care of him. Just…we better get going."

"But – hold on!" Shippo cried out in protest. "Do you really have to do this?! I mean – okay, I get that Kagome's powers aren't working quite right! But that doesn't mean that we have to send her away!"

Wincing inwardly at this, InuYasha retorted, "Look, I don't want to do this, okay?! But – we all know how dangerous Naraku is! And we've got Sesshomaru and more coming! It's just too dangerous for her to be here if her powers aren't working right! And unless she gets to work right away on fixing this, she might lose them completely!"

"But – I don't want Kagome to go away!" Shippo cried out in protest.

"I already said that I don't want her to go, either, alright?!" InuYasha heatedly shot back. "But – this is for her own good! This is just like with Michiru and Sango! They're both messed up, and they both have to do what they have to do in order to get better, right?! Well, now Kagome has to do what she has to do to get better!"

"But does she have to leave to do it?!" Shippo complained.

"Yeah! I mean – I can train here – just as easily!" Kagome chimed in. "And it'd be less – trouble, too!"

At this point, InuYasha felt like tearing his hair out. Since they had gotten up this morning, Kagome had made it clear that she had had some second thoughts about returning to Kaede's Village. And while she hadn't been especially defiant, she had tried urging the others into letting her stay with the others while doing her retraining. And although Kikyo had managed to still any major protest from her reincarnation, InuYasha couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this.

But even as InuYasha was thinking of some extremely choice language to unleash upon the bratty fox-demon, there was a slight tugging at his chest. Grunting in surprise, the half-demon glanced down at his chest. And saw the shrunken Kikyo peering from the inside of his kimono. Giving him a stern look that spoke volumes. And that gave him an idea.

"Look, I get that you don't like this! But it's already decided! Kagome needs to go back, and I need to protect her on the way back!" Then InuYasha gave the little fox a smug smirk before adding, "Unless of course…you don't think you can help guard the village until we get back…"

This immediately got the little fox's attention. "Wha-?! Hey, I can handle it!" Shippo declared with a good deal of heat. "I mean, it's not like I'll be the only one here, right?!"

"Yeah, yeah. Sure," InuYasha countered in a dismissive manner, already aware that Shippo's protests were about to go down in flames. "I mean, I guess I can't blame you for being worried. With you just being a little kid and all…"

"I'm not a kid! I'm a respectable adult!" Shippo declared as he puffed himself up as much as he could. "So – if Kagome really needs to do this, then – okay! I'll keep watch over this whole village for her!"

"That's the spirit, Shippo. I know I can count on you," Kaname chimed in even as Kagome groaned and looked off to the side. "Besides, if things get nasty, we can always combine."

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Right!" Shippo immediately grinned. "Yeah, we can do that! It's been a while since we did that, but…yeah!"

"Yeah. So – you help keep an eye on this village and Kaname for me, okay?" InuYasha asked the little fox, more-or-less satisfied that this issue had been dealt with. "I'll be back as soon as I've gotten Kagome back to Kaede's."

"Well, okay," Shippo replied, some of his previous enthusiasm lost as he turned towards Kagome. "Be sure to train hard! Okay, Kagome?! Because – I want you to be able to come back as soon as possible!"

Heaving a deep sigh, Kagome hesitantly glanced InuYasha's way. And although the half-demon couldn't be certain, he had a sneaking suspicion that the modern miko was thinking of her previous incarnation as she did so. Not sure what was going on but not really caring as long as Kagome was willing to cooperate, the half-demon sighed. "Alright, let's get this over with. Kagome?"

"Hmm?" Kagome started, her still-worn throat causing her trouble. Then she heaved a low sigh, tugged at one of the straps of her backpack, and nodded. "Alright. I'm…ready." Then she gave the little fox a sad look. "Bye, Shippo. I – hope I'll see you soon."

"Okay, and – oh, wait!" While InuYasha was looking up into the air and inwardly demanding what the hell would be delaying them now, Shippo was digging through his vest. "Mushin gave this to me! He said that it's a letter from Miroku!"

"Really?" Kagome frowned in surprise. "What does it say?"

"I don't know," Shippo admitted. "After Mushin told me about Miroku going off on his own, I was too busy trying to find him and tell him about Sango and everything to even think of reading it. I only remembered it just now."

"Well, then let me see!" Kagome declared even as she snatched the letter from Shippo's tiny hands. Without hesitation, she unfolded the letter and then turned it so that it was right-side-up. "Okay, um…'To My…Former Companions…there are no words that can express just how…deeply sorry I am that I must…say goodbye to you all. I have come to realize that…I have no right to ask your forgiveness for…what I have done. And I cannot bear to see Sango…with someone else at her side.'"

The way Kagome spoke and the words Miroku had set to paper caught InuYasha's attention. There was none of the modern miko's haughtiness, nor was there the familiar stench of the monk's scams. "'After arriving at Mushin's Temple, I discovered that my Wind Tunnel has been erased. As a result of the jet's transformation, all of the demonic power…that fueled the Wind Tunnel…was forcibly ripped from me."

"Wait, what?!" InuYasha cried out in surprise. "So, wait! You mean – his Wind Tunnel has disappeared?!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Shippo quickly confirmed. "That's what Mushin said, anyway!"

"Uh, please! There's more!" Kagome rasped out as she continued to look intently at the letter. "'Through my selfishness…I have torn you apart. And without my Wind Tunnel, I have nothing to offer any of you. As such, my continued presence can only serve to hurt you and further divide you. All I can do now is try to…repair the damage done by my own foolishness,'" Kagome continued with a deep frown. "'To you, gentle Kagome, I must tell you that what I said before was true. I did, in fact, turn my…my Wind Tunnel against Michiru. It was the act of desperate selfishness from a man who had thrown out any hope of having Sango as a bride and had already lost her to someone more deserving than I shall ever be. It had been my hope to frighten him away, to let me have the woman I loved, and although I had never intended to physically harm him, there can be no denying that it was I who unleashed the Wind Tunnel, and then placed the blame for our fight upon Michiru in an attempt to turn the rest of you against him.'" Then her eyes widened a bit as she continued to read. "'If you need any further proof of…my guilt, then…you need to look no further than…my Wind Tunnel.'"

"What about his Wind Tunnel?" InuYasha frowned uncertainly.

"'Master Mushin…has told me that it looks like…Naraku was attempting to…gain control of my Wind Tunnel. That he had…tried to place an additional curse upon it,'" Kagome read intently. "'He…wanted to be able to seal my Wind Tunnel whenever he chose…because he wanted to be able to…protect something that…I was a threat to. Because he saw…me threatening Michiru…with my Wind Tunnel. So please…accept the reality that I am guilty. Because it is the truth.' What in the…?!"

"This…really happened…?" Kikyo whispered faintly, to which InuYasha gave a slight nod. "I see things have been far worse than I had realized…"

"'To Sango…as much as it hurts me to admit this, I finally see that you chose the right man for you. For I am no monk. Only a sham and a sinner raised to play the role of a monk when it suited me as a means to conceal just how far from Buddha's path I truly walked. I hope that you find happiness, and have a wonderful family of your own one day,'" Kagome continued in a low, horrified voice. "'Michiru, what I have done to you is beyond forgiveness, and so I will not ask it of you. All I can do is beg that you give Sango the happiness she deserves and that you take care of her in a way that I cannot.'" Blinking a few times at this, the reborn priestess's worn voice lowered even more when she concluded, "'To everyone else, I plead that you do not look for me. All that my continuing to journey with you is cause myself greater pain and fragment the bonds that hold the rest of you together that much more. And so I entrust the battle against Naraku to the rest of you, to win the war that I have lost the power to fight myself. If our paths ever cross again, I can only hope that, by the time that happens, I will have become someone who is actually deserving of your friendship. May Buddha watch over you all. Miroku.'"

With Miroku's parting message read, Kagome allowed her hands to fall limp at her sides. "Whoa…" Kaname breathed in clear surprise. "Sounds like…he really meant it…"

"But – hold on," Daisuke frowned in concern. "Shippo, that letter didn't mention any of these artifacts you told us about. Or Miroku's intention of seeking them out."

"That's because he didn't even know about them when he wrote the letter," Shippo quickly explained. "Mushin caught Miroku trying to sneak out without saying goodbye. When Miroku said that he was leaving and that he couldn't help us anymore, Mushin thought that maybe if he told Miroku about the artifacts, he could get him to come back to us and ask us to help him find them!"

"Which we would have done! So naturally, Miroku takes off on his own to find them! Dammit!" InuYasha vehemently snarled. "Alright! After I've dropped Kagome off, I'll just have to go find him myself and drag him back here!"

"But I already tried finding him, InuYasha!" Shippo protested. "Besides, even your nose won't be able to track him down! There was a major rainstorm after Miroku left Mushin's place! His scent and everything else has been wiped out!"

"Well, we can't just ignore this!" InuYasha fired back.

"InuYasha, if I may?" Daisuke chimed in. When the half-demon looked towards the Demon Slayer, the veteran warrior asked, "Shippo, you said that the artifact that Miroku is looking for is hidden on Mount Fuji, right?"

"That's right. But why -?" Shippo started to ask, only for his eyes to widen. "Oh, I get it! Since we know where Miroku is going, we just have to get there before he does!"

"Not exactly, but you have the right idea," Daisuke admitted. "I'll talk to Kei later and ask if she can use her viewing stone to find Miroku. Or failing that, to have her see if she can find this artifact. Once she does that, you can arrange to be there or at least have someone waiting for Miroku when he arrives."

"Great. You do that, Daisuke," InuYasha replied, genuinely grateful for the Demon Slayers' assistance. "I just hope that damned perverted monk can stay out of trouble long enough for us to find him." Thinking evil thoughts about Miroku and how he was wasting their time and that he had better not be dead or the half-demon would find a way to bring him back just for the pleasure of beating his head in, InuYasha again focused on Kagome. "Let's head back to Kaede's Village. Before something else goes wrong and we're stuck here for another week!"

Without hesitation, InuYasha started towards Momo. But before he was even halfway to the three-eyed bull, he realized that Kagome wasn't moving. Turning about, he looked to see that the raven-haired girl was just standing there, completely silent with her eyes lowered to the ground. "Hey, Kagome! Let's get going! We don't have all day here!"

But Kagome didn't respond. She just continued to stand there in silence, not even blinking at InuYasha's voice. Something that both annoyed the half-demon and gave him cause for concern. "Hey, Kagome?" InuYasha asked as he made his way over to her. "What is it? Something wrong?"

Making a noise in her throat, Kagome turned to look at the half-demon. "I…Miroku, he…he admitted to it," she finally said. "He…admitted that…he attacked Michiru with the Wind Tunnel…tried to frame him for it."

Which is what we've been trying to tell you this entire time! InuYasha thought. What he actually said was, "So?"

"I – if this were me – if I'd been framed for something but you…didn't believe me…before I left, I'd – leave a note making it clear that I didn't do it, even if you didn't believe me," Kagome explained in a low, solemn manner. "But – Miroku, he didn't even…try to defend himself. He just…confirmed that –"

"That he was guilty of trying to frame my bro for everything he had done," Kaname muttered as she gave Kagome a look. "Which is exactly what we've been trying to tell you!"

"But – I – this can't – actually be…real…" Kagome croaked out in despair. "Can it…?"

For a moment, InuYasha was sorely tempted to just let Kagome have it. To once and for all declare that Michiru was innocent, Miroku was guilty, and that was the end of it. But even as that thought danced in his mind, he frowned in realization.

Since the battle between Michiru and Miroku, Kagome had defended the monk every step of the way. Whether it was because she was honestly stupid enough to believe a single word he said or simply because she was that eager for anything to took Michiru out of the running for Sango's love, the half-demon didn't know. But the fact remained that Kagome had either been convinced or had convinced herself of this to the point where she had wound up alienating quite a few others, including Michiru, Kaname, and InuYasha himself to a degree.

And now, here she was. Confronted by Miroku's confession, just one more piece of evidence on the mounting pile of similar evidence that proved her wrong. Leaving Kagome faced with a possibility that she likely didn't want to face. Namely, the possibility that she had not only been wrong but had squandered her friendships for nothing.

And that left InuYasha in a tough predicament. For while he had gotten mad at Kagome, had been frustrated by her obstinate refusal to see the truth…none of that meant that he wished any sort of pain upon her. But at the same time, getting her to acknowledge that she had been wrong was the fastest way to get her to get serious about making amends for everything that had happened. And finally healing all of the fractures to their little group.

And with Miroku gone and Sango and Michiru out of commission…we need to get ourselves straightened out fast, InuYasha scowled in thought. But…Kagome's stubborn. She's damned close to accepting the truth, but she's not ready to admit that she was wrong. So how do we -?

"Hey, I just thought of something!" Shippo suddenly piped up. "What about Kanna?"

Growling at the thought of the former incarnation, InuYasha demanded, "What about her?!"

"Well, it's just – if Miroku's right and Naraku sealed his Wind Tunnel to protect Michiru, then that must mean that Naraku knew about their fight, right?" Shippo explained. "So if Naraku knew –"

"Then maybe Kanna knew about it as well! And could prove it!" InuYasha declared as he realized the little fox's point.

"Say, that's right!" Kaname declared. "Then when we go to the mountains to help Sango, we can ask Kanna about what happened!" Then she gave Kagome a nasty look and added, "And then maybe -!"

"Maybe we can finally settle this mess, once and for all!" InuYasha broke in, giving Kaname a look while thinking about how prickly the Kururugi girl had become when it came to defending her brother. And while he couldn't fault her for caring, the last thing he wanted to deal with was Kaname's ire resulting in another fight between her and Kagome. "Good thinking, Shippo. And as soon as Michiru and Sango have been taken care of, we'll ask Kanna about it."

Shippo then thrust out his chest and gave a smart-alecky smirk. "Heh! What would you do without me?"

Trying not to roll his eyes at this, InuYasha then focused on Kagome. "Alright. We better get going."

"Huh?" Kagome started, her features dark and dismal. "But – hold on! If Kanna – maybe we should go to the Demon Slayers' fort first! Then we can ask Kanna and – find out for sure right away!"

"With all due respect, Lady Kagome, I don't think that's a very good idea," Daisuke stated before anyone else could speak. "I haven't spent much time with Kanna, but from what I've seen of her, she's very fragile emotionally. I don't think she could handle being interrogated very well. At least, not right now."

"Yeah, I…I think Daisuke's right," Shippo hesitantly admitted. "Kanna only really seems comfortable with Michiru and Sango. I think we'd need them to ask her about this for us. And since Michiru's asleep and Sango…well…"

"The last thing Sango needs right now is more pressure on her," Daisuke confirmed with a nod.

"And considering that finding out about you listening in on her talk with Miroku is what set Sango off in the first place, forcing her to deal with that now would be a really bad idea!" InuYasha declared in as even a voice as he could manage.

Kagome opened her mouth to protest this but soon deflated. "I…I guess you're right…" she finally muttered. "I just…I just want this whole mess over with…"

Pausing to study the girl that had made a great many mistakes that she had come to regret, the companion he had had ever since being freed from Kikyo's arrow and shared a rocky relationship with, InuYasha sighed. "You're not the only one…" he finally stated. "Alright…let's just get going."

With that, InuYasha and Kagome got on Momo's back, with Kikyo still secreted away in the half-demon's kimono. And as they lifted up into the air, InuYasha couldn't help but be aware of Kagome wrapping her arms around his frame. Embracing him so tightly that she seemed afraid to let go.

---

While Shippo would never admit to it, he felt significantly less than confident as he watched InuYasha and Kagome depart over the horizon. While the Demon Slayers had proven themselves to be powerful warriors, they were relative strangers to the little fox.

And they're all just human! And Sesshomaru, he's…well, Sesshomaru! Shippo thought, quailing at the prospect of having to face the demon lord without InuYasha and the others. Every time InuYasha and Sesshomaru have fought, it's been really close! And sometimes, the only reason we lived through it is because Sesshomaru decided to walk away! He's so powerful, and – if he's after the jet, then I don't know what we could do to stop him!

Groaning at the prospect and unable to imagine a worse possible time for all of this to be happening, Shippo was brought back to the moment when Kaname piped up. "Say, Shippo? Wanna have something to eat?"

"Huh?" Shippo replied, giving Kaname a look.

"I – well, you've been out a long while. So I figured you might be hungry." Then Kaname gave a slight frown before adding, "Besides, uh…there's a…bit more that I need to tell you. Stuff that's…well, a bit too sensitive to talk about out in the open. Okay?"

Shippo issued a deep groan at this. "You mean…even more stuff has gone wrong?! Stuff so bad that you couldn't tell me about it before?!"

"Uh…afraid so," Kaname admitted with a frown. "C'mon. Let's go in and I'll explain everything."

Not at all looking forward to this, Shippo hesitated as Kaname turned and started into the Feudal manor. But before he could take more than a step, something occurred to him. Oh, wait! That's right! With everything that's been happening, I completely forgot about Haruna and her plans! Wincing as he recalled the Shikigami Master's desire to see Michiru mate with many Demon Slayers and thus breed a large number of Shikigami Users of his bloodline for whatever plans Haruna had in mind, the little fox darted forward. I should warn Kaname and tell InuYasha that -!

"What was that?!"

"Huh?!" Shippo started, pausing to look up. Only to freeze in horror as Kaname turned to look at him. Her eyes narrowed into slits and wrathful flames rising up around her. "Gyaaah!"

"That…stinking…filthy…bitch…wants to whore out my brother to every cow in that damned fort?!" Kaname screamed in outrage as she loomed larger and larger in Shippo's eyes. "Why, I'll -!"

"Aahhhhhh!" Shippo cried out in pure terror as he fell over on his back. "No! Wait, Kaname I didn't -!"

"Didn't what?"

Startled by the sweet and confused voice, Shippo gasped in confusion. Only for the horrifying demonic thing that Kaname had morphed into to disappear and be replaced by the real Kaname. Who was presently looking at Shippo with genuine concern.

"Shippo, what is it?" Kaname asked as she tilted her head to the side. "Is something wrong?"

"Huh?" Shippo started, only to gasp when the realization that he had been daydreaming. Or more accurately, having a waking nightmare. "Oh, nothing! Sorry! I was just…thinking of something, that's all!" Then the little fox jumped up to his feet and hurried inside. "C'mon! Let's find something to eat, okay?!"

As Shippo motored inside the Feudal manor, he sighed nervously. That's right. I'd almost forgotten, but…when Kaname thinks someone is hurting Michiru, she gets really scary! he couldn't help but think. And she's not the only one who'd flip out over Haruna's plans!

Groaning as he thought of the massive tantrum that InuYasha would throw, a tantrum that would likely result in the half-demon spurning their assistance when they couldn't afford to be without it, Shippo sighed. I better not tell anybody about what Haruna's planning. At least not until after Michiru and Sango are all better, the little fox eventually decided. Besides, it's not like she can actually do anything until after Michiru's better, so…it should be okay!

The more he thought about it, the more sense this made to Shippo. Yeah. I better keep this a secret for now. Because if I tell anybody about it – especially InuYasha or Kaname – they'll completely lose their minds!

---

I feel like I'm losing my mind…! Sango couldn't help but think as she sat within the room that was the temporary lodgings for herself, Kanna, and Kirara.

As impossible as it felt, it had only been yesterday that Michiru had been buried and sent into the realm of slumber in order to recover his strength. During which time Sango had confined herself to her quarters, trying her best to keep from falling apart. To keep from dwelling upon the reality that her time as the person she was could well be at an end. That she might well become the kind of monstrous horror that she and her friends and loved ones had spent so much time fighting to slay.

She also struggled with her fears about Michiru. Sango couldn't help but think about what would happen during his time asleep, if anything could go wrong. Just like she struggled with the fact that she missed being with the young man she had come to love. That she wanted to be held by him, to let him reassure her, comfort her. Make her feel like things would be alright when there was so little in life to reassure her of this.

But as Sango continued to sit within that tiny space, wrestling with her fears and worries and loneliness and more, there was another factor. One massive reality that was impossible to deny.

"I'm bored!" Sango finally cried out as she fell back against the floor.

"Huh?!" Kanna cried out nervously, the now-human girl looking towards Sango in surprise.

Startled by Kanna's reaction, Sango looked about to see the little girl seated nearby with Kirara in her lap. The two-tailed feline had taken Michiru's request to heart and had been doing her best to get the former incarnation to open up. Purring and rubbing her face against Kanna, overall encouraging the fragile child to reach out to the two-tailed cat. Even getting Kanna to stroke Kirara's fur.

"Oh, I'm…I'm sorry, Kanna," Sango apologized wearily. "It's just…I really hate…just sitting here like this all the time. Waiting and worrying about this…Kasuga's Curse." Shaking her head as she thought back to the horrific jumble of memories that were all she could collect from her demonic transformation, the Demon Slayer sighed. "I'd like to be able to spend some time exercising and training, but Daisuke warned me that any added stress could…make the curse worse."

As Kanna looked at Sango uncertainly, the Demon Slayer sighed. "I just…wish there was something I could do. To keep myself busy, that's all."

Kanna just sat there, looking uncertainly at Sango. But as the little girl did so, watching as Kirara gave Kanna's face a gentle licking, Sango sucked in a gasp of realization. "Wait…I just remembered," she murmured thoughtfully. "Before he…fell asleep…Michiru asked me if I could find out what's so special about the spells he showed Haruna. Why she's so determined to…well, to do what the things she wants." Doing her best to keep from dwelling on everything Haruna's plans entailed, the Demon Slayer rose to her feet. "And…now's a good a time as any to look into it."

Kanna frowned uncertainly. "But…Sango, I – Haruna…makes you mad. So…if getting mad…makes curse worse, then –"

"I know, Kanna. And thank you for caring about me," Sango told the little girl. "But the truth is…there's been a lot going on with Haruna and her plans that's been bothering me as well. And…I think that maybe finding out what's got her so excited about Michiru and his magic would go a long way in helping me feel better" Then the Demon Slayer asked, "Would you like to come along?"

"Huh?!" Kanna jumped, clearly surprised by Sango's offer.

"Would you like to come with me?" Sango asked again. "I know it isn't easy for you to be alone, especially in a place like this. And I do think that it would be good for you to get out and about. See other people and so on. But at the same time, I don't want to push you into doing anything you're not comfortable with." Then she gave Kanna a larger, gentler smile and asked, "So…would you like to come with me?"

Kanna frowned nervously as she lowered her eyes. But then Kirara chirped cutely and nuzzled the former incarnation's face, prompting a weak smile to appear. "I…okay…" she finally said. "Can…Kirara come with us?"

"Of course. Kirara will be happy to look after you. Isn't that right, Kirara?" The demonic feline gave another friendly mew, to which Sango nodded. "There. All settled."

Nodding as well, Kanna nervously rose up to her feet with Kirara always remaining close. But as Sango exited their current lodgings, she couldn't help but notice the way the former incarnation moved in close and grabbed hold of the Demon Slayer's kimono. And to think; I used to only see her as an enemy that needed to die, Sango couldn't help but think, her heart momentarily becoming heavy as she weighed the Kanna that she had once known against the little girl that was now under her care. But…Michiru's right; she's also a victim of Naraku. Same as the rest of us…

Pausing to run her hand through Kanna's hair to reassure her, Sango then proceeded out onto the open grounds of the Demon Slayer fort. As she did so, the warrior woman looked this way and that. Surrounded by Demon Slayers hard at work, doing their all to make this new fort a home where they could live safely and securely. Some were aiding in the construction of buildings, others were forging new weapons…and others were tending to a new generation.

"Now you take care of yourself and stay out of trouble," declared a woman who was addressing a group of small boys who looked to be even younger than Kohaku. "We'll be back just as soon as we've tracked down some more healing herbs to be planted."

"Okay! But hurry back, Mom!" one of the little boys replied with a happy smile.

"Hey, look!" cried out another boy as he looked towards Sango. "It's Sango! And she's with that strange girl!"

"Now, now! Be nice!" chided another woman. "It isn't polite to call someone strange."

While this was going on, one of the boys scampered up to Sango and her charge. His approach prompting Kanna to shrink back and hide behind Sango. "Hey, there!" he enthusiastically called out as glanced around Sango's frame to study the shy girl. "I'm Kairi! What's your name?"

Kanna's response was to continue to hover behind Sango and cling to the warrior woman for dear life. But eventually, trembling so fiercely that Sango couldn't miss it, the little girl finally replied, "K-K-K-Kanna…"

"Kanna, huh?" Kairi repeated enthusiastically. "Would you like to play with us?"

"Uh – I'm sorry, but…I'm not sure that's such a good idea. At least…not right now," Sango broke in as she knelt down and embraced the little girl. "Kanna, she's…she's very shy, you see. I'm trying to help her get better around people, but…well…"

As Sango lifted Kanna up into her arms, one of the nearby mothers smiled in approval. "We understand. My own son has a terrible time dealing with strangers." Then she gave Sango a curious look. "Is Kanna yours? You seem awfully young to have a girl of her age."

"Huh?" Sango replied, feeling her cheeks color somewhat. "Well…not exactly. Kanna…she doesn't have a family of her own. So…Michiru and I…we're taking care of her."

"I see," the woman nodded thoughtfully. "That's very kind of you, Sango. Goodness knows that being a mother isn't easy." Then she gave a look at the other women present before saying, "Well, we need to go to work. Shikigami Users or not, healing herbs are always needed."

"I understand. Good luck finding some," Sango replied even as she started forward again.

As Sango continued forward, Kanna still in her arms, the little girl made an uncertain noise in her throat. "Is something wrong, Kanna?" the warrior woman asked. "Those boys didn't upset you or anything, did they?"

"Huh? Uh – well…no. It's…" Kanna frowned uncertainly. "I just…uh…what is…a mother?"

This question caused Sango to grind to a screeching halt. "Wait, what?!" she replied, unable to keep the shock from her voice. Something that had the unfortunate side effect of causing Kanna to whimper in concern. "I – I'm sorry, Kanna! I didn't mean to scare you!" the warrior woman promptly assured the little girl. "I just…well…" Pausing to shake her head, Sango then asked, "You…don't know what a mother is?"

"N-no…" Kanna replied in a small, nervous voice. "I – only know what…Naraku…wanted me to know…felt that I…should know…"

Sighing at this reminder that Naraku had viewed his incarnations as utterly expendable thralls that had no value to him beyond being his slaves, Sango hesitantly answered, "Well, a mother is…well, it's a female that cares for and raises a young child. Normally, she's also the one who gave birth to the child, but…there are also plenty of mothers who have…adopted children who've lost their birth parents."

Kanna frowned slightly as she considered what was the best description Sango could come up with. "A female…who…takes care of...and raises…a child…" the former incarnation hesitantly got out. When the warrior woman nodded, Kanna then gave her a look. "Does that mean…are you…my mother…?"

Sango sucked in a surprised gasp at this, not having expected their conversation to swerve in this direction. But as she studied the tiny girl's face, she managed a smile. "Would you like for me to be your mother?"

Blinking at this, Kanna seemed to consider this for a time before nodding. "Well…then I guess that…yes. I'll…be your mother," Sango assured the little girl. "And Michiru…I'm sure he'll be happy to…be your father." When Kanna again frowned, the warrior woman explained, "A father is…well, basically like a male mother. He also helps care for and raise a child."

Kanna then gave a soft nod before tightening her grip on Sango. Leaving the Demon Slayer to continue onwards. "C'mon. We need to go find Haruna. And hopefully Seiesnsui as well. I'm sure he'd be a big help in keeping Haruna in check."

"O-okay…mother…" Kanna nervously replied as she continued to cling to Sango. Leaving the warrior woman to sigh.

I never expected to be a mother at this age… was all Sango could think as she continued forward.

---

"Unbelievable…!" breathed a Demon Slayer as Sango approached a small cluster of Shikigami Users and other wielders of magic and more in one of the caves in the mountainous wall of the fort. "It actually worked…!"

"Just as the texts predicted," Haruna declared with a deeply satisfied smile. "By using our Shikigami to cleanse this pot of infection and remove all of the air, the piece of meat we sealed within remained safe from spoilage. And with this crystal absorbing all of the heat from within the jar, causing the interior to freeze, the meat remains fresh. All in spite of having never been smoked or preserved as we would normally have done."

"Absolutely amazing…" muttered another Demon Slayer. "And to think that such diseases and other forms of rot…that they're caused by tiny creatures that live in the air! Beings so small that we can't even see them with our own eyes!"

"I know. It was quite an astonishing revelation for me as well, and – Sango?!" Haruna started, having finally taken notice of the warrior woman's approach. "Oh, my!"

"Hello," Sango spoke as she set Kanna down next to her. Wishing that she had been able to find Seiesnsui before she had tracked down Haruna. "I…hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Oh, no, of course not! But – well, I have to admit to being surprised," Haruna admitted. "Given your…well, predicament…I would've thought that I would be the last person you would want to see right now."

"That's…fair," Sango admitted with a slight bow of her head. "However…to be honest, spending all of my time in the medical center…I felt like I was going crazy, just sitting in there. And…well, there was something that I needed to talk to you about."

Haruna glanced about uncomfortably for a time before shrugging. "Well, if you're sure that you're up to it. But…well, the last thing I want is to worsen your condition."

"I understand," Sango nodded, hoping that she wasn't making a mistake. "But…well, I have some important questions. And…you're the only one who can answer them."

Again, Haruna hesitated. "Well, alright. But – while I will try to be…careful in my words, please be sure to warn me if I've upset you in any way. I don't want to do anything that might accelerate Kasuga's Curse."

"I will," Sango promised as Kanna clung to her and Kirara came up alongside her.

Nodding to this, Haruna then turned towards another Demon Slayer. "Continue with the food freezing and storage experiments. If they continue to work, I want to be able to convert one of the caves to be able to stockpile as much food as possible, if the need should arise." The Demon Slayer in question nodded and sped off even as Haruna turned towards another of their number. "You, check and see how these…'hydroponics' experiments are proceeding. If the results are as the texts indicate that they will be, we'll soon have a vastly superior means of producing fruits, vegetables, and assorted grains for our people and the wolf-demons."

Watching as the various Demon Slayers went to work, Sango sighed, "You...certainly seem to be keeping busy…"

"How could we not?! The information in the texts Michiru gave us…it's all so very exciting! The various spells and more…we've had our eyes opened to so many new possibilities!" Haruna smiled broadly as she moved towards Sango. "Speaking of which…have you visited him lately?"

"We stopped by to check and see how he was doing before coming here," Sango replied. "He's still sleeping, but…"

As Sango trailed off, Haruna nodded. "Don't worry, Sango. I have faith that he'll be fully recovered soon enough." When the warrior woman nodded as well, the Shikigami Master sighed. "Listen, Sango…I was talking to Seiesnsui and some of the others, and…I understand that you have concerns about me. About my intentions towards Michiru."

Sucking in a breath at this, Sango then frowned. "Well…I'd be lying if…I said that I didn't have concerns…"

"And that's understandable, Sango. You're a woman in love, and the young man you've fallen in love with is currently very vulnerable. It's only natural that you would have doubts. And concerns about someone that you…might view as a threat to him. Someone that might…use her own abilities to…sway his judgment during this period of vulnerability." Sango couldn't help but wince at this, at how close Haruna's words came to striking her own fears. "But let me assure you that, while I do have my own goals and I feel that I am justified in pursuing them, I would never do anything that might risk Michiru's health and well-being. Even if you assumed the worst about me…what sense would it make for me to do something that might risk Michiru's health? Risk costing myself that which I seek to obtain?" Then Haruna gave a sad smile before adding, "Even if it's for purely selfish reasons, I have every reason to make certain that Michiru recovers fully. And to tamper with him in his current state would put both his health and my own goals in jeopardy."

As much as she hated this line of thought, Sango eventually nodded. "I guess that makes sense."

"And now that that's settled…you said that you had questions you wanted to ask me," Haruna reminded her.

"That's right," Sango confirmed as she considered how best to approach this. She wanted to get the truth out of Haruna about what was so important about the spells Michiru had loaned to her, but she didn't want to be obvious about it. Not do anything that would risk disclosing the truth of his origins.

And so with this in mind, Sango decided to approach the matter slowly. All the while gaining more insight into Haruna's agenda. "I just…why are you so determined…why are you after Michiru like this?" the warrior woman asked. "What's so important about Michiru that you…well, want him so badly? There are already plenty of Shikigami Users here, so…why him?"

Haruna smiled and bowed her head. "That's a reasonable question, Sango. And you deserve a reasonable answer," she admitted as she started towards the exit of the cave. "Come, walk with me. I have other experiments and projects to look in on. So much work needs to be done."

Deciding that this was hardly unreasonable, Sango moved to follow. All the while placing one hand on Kanna's shoulder and making sure that Kirara remained close.

"To answer your questions…well, I suppose the first thing I should do is explain that…for wielders of the power of the Shikigami and more, people like myself, there are two major mechanisms by which we survive," Haruna carefully began. "You see, while I and other Shikigami Users are powerful in our own rights, we remain mortal beings. We can all be killed. And not necessarily by a foe stronger than ourselves. We can be stricken by curses, stabbed to death in our sleep, poisoned, and more." Then Haruna frowned and added, "And remember, as wielders of great power, there are many – both human and demon alike – that view us as either resources to be exploited…or threats to be exterminated."

"Just like you're trying to exploit Michiru?" Sango found herself asking. Only to wince in realization before saying, "Oh, I -!"

"No, it's alright. I…honestly don't see what I'm doing in that light, but…I can't fault you for feeling that way," Haruna admitted with a trace of sadness. "But nonetheless, in times past, many Shikigami Users, Kotodama Users, priestesses and more have been sought out by human lords, bandits, and demons of varying strength. Some with the intent of pressing us into their services. Others who saw us as potential threats to their own power. Threats that needed to be exterminated at all costs." Frowning as her eyes lowered, the older woman than admitted, "To survive in a world where our powers make us a target, those with powerful bloodlines such as myself have only two real options."

"Which are…?" Sango wondered.

"The first option is secrecy. Hiding in plain sight among others, concealing our powers and abilities as best as we can," Haruna explained. Then she frowned and added, "However, I believe that this is the worst of the two options. Because your safety is as fragile as the secrecy you maintain. And all it would take is one mistake, one slight misstep, and suddenly you become a target for the powerful and the greedy."

Pausing to consider this, Sango thought back to how easily a single Jewel Shard brought down Naraku and all of his evil down upon herself and her village. A thought that she quickly shoved away as it stirred dark and terrible things within. "And…what's the other option?"

"Superior numbers," Haruna quickly replied. "Alliances, for example. Clans working together, seeking out others with gifts of their own. Such as what we have here; many people with different strengths and abilities uniting together under a common cause." As Sango nodded thoughtfully to this, the Shikigami Master then smiled. "And one aspect of superior numbers…is breeding."

"Breeding?" Sango repeated with a sense of surprise.

"Yes. To have children. Many children, Sango. Enough to ensure that, even if the worst happens, there will always be future generations to carry on the legacies we hand down to them," Haruna explained with a soft smile. "Take…myself, for example. I grew up with many brothers and sisters, Sango. As well as seven mothers."

This number very nearly caused Sango to go crashing down to the ground. "What?!" she spat out upon recovering her balance. "S-s-seven mothers?!"

"That's right. My father had found seven women to help him carry on the legacy of his magic," Haruna nodded proudly. "I…suppose it might seem strange to you, but for me, it was just a normal part of my upbringing. And my father was good to his wives and to all of us. We wanted for nothing. Not even food, love, or attention."

Not sure what to make of such a thought, aside from the fact that it just felt wrong to her, Sango sighed. "I…see…"

"I suppose that's what makes my…proposal regarding Michiru so…obvious in my mind. Because…for us, the power that I inherited from my father, the Shikigami that is my heritage…it is a sacred trust that must be preserved at all costs. A power that is handed down from generation to generation, with each generation doing everything they can to both protect it and to make it grow greater and more powerful." Then Haruna gave a slight shrug. "I know this might seem shocking to you, Sango. And you wouldn't be the first to think so. But for me…this was normal life. It's…just how I was raised."

Still not liking this but supposing that there what Haruna was saying would make sense from a certain perspective, Sango then asked, "So…what happened to your family? Are…any of them here?"

"Only one. A sister of mine. Tsukasa." Then Haruna sighed and admitted, "Many of my family – my father and my birth mother – were killed by demons many years ago. It's one of the reasons my sister and I decided to join Daisuke and his fellows."

Sucking in a breath at this, Sango lowered her eyes. "Oh…I'm sorry for…for what you had to go through."

"Thank you for your sympathy, Sango. But…while the pain of their loss still lingers, I take solace in that I have some siblings that still live. Three of my brothers have found several wives of their own, and two sisters are married," Haruna explained. "And thus, the power of our bloodline will continue to endure. As it must. Because our numbers were great enough to guarantee that at least some of us survived."

Sango wasn't sure to make of this. In a way, it felt like the idea of continuing her bloodline was more important to Haruna than anything else. But at the same time, it sounded as if Haruna had lost her family a long time ago. And while she doubtlessly still felt sorrow at their passing, she was able to focus on more immediate matters.

"Still, that doesn't explain why you're so…interested in Michiru," Sango persisted. "From what I've seen, there are plenty of strong Shikigami Users here. What makes him so important to you?"

"Because the bloodline of the Kururugi Shrine is special, Sango," Haruna informed her. "Because while all of the Shikigami Users gathered here have their own powers and great bloodlines…the bloodline of the Kururugi Shrine carries with it the power of the gods."

---

"Where am I now?" Michiru wondered as he wandered around an ancient village. Ancient beyond that of even the Feudal Era. "What's…going to happen next? I – huh?"

"Stay still, Kirara," came a familiar voice. A voice that, to Michiru's surprise, wasn't Sango's. "You almost got killed out there!"

"Kirara?!" Michiru cried out in surprise even as he darted forward. Moving past the various buildings and other structures of the village, ignoring the villagers, merchants, and more, he made his way towards a small temple. Where a now-familiar figure was tending to an injured feline, all the while another was approaching.

"Hello, Midoriko," Yuuta beamed as he approached the ancient priestess. "Did something happen to your little friend?"

"I'm afraid so," Midoriko admitted with a solemn frown as she tended to a tiny two-tailed feline. A feline that Michiru immediately recognized.

"Kirara?! But – that's not possible!" Michiru cried out in protest. "This is Midoriko's and Yuuta's time! It can't be our Kirara!" Shaking his head as he observed the tiny little cat whose wounds the priestess was dressing, the Kururugi boy said, "This…has to be a coincidence! Maybe – our Kirara's great-grandmother or something?"

As Michiru wrestled with these thoughts, Yuuta asked, "So what happened? Did she follow you into battle again?"

"Indeed," Midoriko murmured sadly. When Kirara mewed in protest, the priestess sighed. "Kirara, I know you worry about me! And I greatly appreciate it that you want to be with me, to fight at my side! But the demons I face…they're simply too large and powerful for you! And besides, you still have your own litter to tend to! How do you think all of your kittens would feel if they lost their mother?"

The demon cat mewed in cute protest even as she proceeded to give Midoriko's face a licking. "Aw, you can't blame Kirara! She loves you and wants to keep you safe!" Yuuta beamed as he turned Midoriko's gaze to himself. "Just as I do."

The two of them then kissed, with Midoriko smiling as she pulled back. "I know that, Yuuta," she admitted as she again turned towards Kirara. "I just – I just wish that I could get Kirara to stop coming after me. She almost got killed this last time. The next time…she might not be so lucky."

Making a thoughtful expression, Yuuta then gasped as his eyes lit up. "Wait…" he breathed in surprise. "What if…Kirara could become strong enough to fight? To help you in battle?"

Blinking at this, Midoriko admitted, "Well, I'm sure she'd love to be able to do so. But – how would that be possible?"

"I…believe I have an idea…" Yuuta mused. Right before the scene shifted again.

"Huh?!" Michiru gaped as he suddenly found himself in the middle of the woods. The sun was high in the sky, and Midoriko and the past Kirara were also present. "Wh-what's going on?!"

"You see this, Kirara?" Yuuta spoke gently as he knelt down in front of the past Kirara. Holding up a small, green statuette of a tiger rising up on its hind legs, roaring in challenge. "This statue is one of the many figures I created in shaping the magic I wield. I call this one…Dauntless Might."

The instant these words were spoken, Michiru sucked in a surprised breath. A sensation of recognition electrifying his every nerve. "Dauntless…Might…?"

As Michiru looked on, Yuuta held up the statue, which then released waves of emerald light. And as Kirara was bathed in its power, the tiny cat exploded into flames. A short time later, she was revealed as Kirara as she was in her fighting form.

"Oh, my…it worked!" Midoriko breathed in amazement as she moved to hug the much larger Kirara. "Kirara, look at you!"

Kirara roared in approval at this, all the while Michiru shook his head with increasing force. "No way…this just isn't possible!" he declared even as Midoriko moved to hug Yuuta. "There's just no way that this Kirara and our Kirara – I mean – it just can't be!"

"But it is, Michiru."

Gasping at this unfamiliar voice, one that was gentle, teasing, and wise all the same, Michiru looked about. And was just in time to see Kirara looking at him, a pentagram of fire erupting around her as she began to transform. But instead of reverting to her tinier form, she rose up onto her hind feet as she seemed to shrink down somewhat. Her figure becoming slender as the flames dispersed and left Michiru dumbstruck.

"What the -?!" Michiru blurted out as he studied the woman that now stood where Kirara had once been. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair and a full figure. She had demonic characteristics, including Kirara's ears and tails. She had fangs and claws, as well as catlike eyes. And she was dressed in a short orange dress with a darker wrapping around her waist.

"Hello, Michiru," Kirara beamed as she made her way up to. Smiling happily as she studied the boy.

As for Michiru, his eyes went wide with astonishment. "My…god…" he breathed out, feeling as if his mind was about to explode. "You – you really are Kirara! I mean – our Kirara! I mean -!"

Chuckling warmly, Kirara nodded. "Yes, Michiru. It's me." Then she gave him a playful smirk and added, "I look pretty good for a girl of my age, don't I?"

Groaning at this and realizing that his eyes had been wandering where they ought not have, Michiru felt his cheeks burn. "But – how is this – even possible?! You – you were alive – even during Yuuta's and Midoriko's time?! But how can that be?!"

"Because Yuuta made it possible. Because he strengthened my body with other magics, not just the power of Dauntless Might," Kirara explained. "He gave me greater power…so I could watch over his descendants." Then she took a deep sniff and moved to embrace Michiru. "Remember when we first met, Michiru? How I was never wary or mistrustful of you? It's because I knew. From the very moment we first met, I could sense it. Smell Yuuta's and Midoriko's blood in your veins. Sensed their power inside of you. You and Kaname."

Blinking as he struggled with these revelations, Michiru blinked several times before he pulled back a bit. "But – how're you – I didn't know you could take on a human form!"

"That's because I can't." When Michiru made a surprised noise in his throat, she grinned again and added, "At least, not yet."

Shaking his head as his brain started to hurt, Michiru replied, "That – I don't understand!"

"Don't worry. You will…in time." Then Kirara's expression hardened somewhat. "But for now…there's still a great deal you need to know."

And with that, the world around Michiru and Kirara shifted once more…

---

"Wow…you have so many scrolls here," Sango breathed as she followed Haruna into one of the many caves. This particular cave having become a repository for various artifacts and ancient tomes and more. "Books, talismans…and they're all about Shikigami?"

"Shikigami and other forms of magic, yes," Haruna corrected Sango as she moved briskly forward. "I've made it a point to gather everything I could that relates to various forms of magic. Talismans, tomes of knowledge, and so much more. All in the name of learning everything I could."

Letting out a low whistle as she took in the library Haruna had amassed, Sango then noted, "You…were going to tell me what makes the Kururugi Shikigami so special."

"Yes, that's correct," Haruna confirmed with a nod. "The first thing I should explain are the different forms of Shikigami magic that exist. You see…the power behind the Shikigami is a universal force that exists within us all."

"I know. An old Shikigami User told us about that," Sango confirmed as she thought about Kakuju. Of the things the old woman had told her friends while she and Miroku had been off investigating elsewhere. Things that Michiru and the others had told her in turn.

"And so, everyone can use this power, at least to some degree. As such, there are varying levels of Shkigami magic," Haruna explained. "The simplest and most common form of Shikigami magic is that which is most commonly utilized by practitioners of Onmyōdō, as well as various priests and priestesses. Conjuring small spirits from the world around them or crafting them from the substance of our souls…even taking the souls of the fallen and reshaping them into spirit familiars to carry out various tasks. This is the simplest and most common form of Shikigami."

"I've seen that before," Sango nodded as she thought of Kikyo's Soul Collectors.

"I'm sure you have. Which brings me to the next level of Shikigami," Haruna continued. "In this case, powerful rituals are conducted to create a bloodline trait. Spirit familiars and magical powers that are passed down from one generation to the next. And ideally, each generation works to add to the magic, making it grow stronger and stronger."

"Like yours," Sango intuited, prompting Haruna to nod.

"Which brings me to the bloodline of the Kururugi Shrine. Like myself, their power was forged as a result of a powerful ritual that resulted in a bloodline trait that is passed down from one generation to the next." Haruna then moved to one of the simple shelves lining the cave, from which she took a badly damaged scroll. "But the Kururugi bloodline is special…because the power that was forged into their bloodline…was a power granted to them by the gods."

At this, Sango felt her eyes go wide with astonishment. "What?"

"This scroll, though damaged, tells the story," Haruna quickly explained as she moved to a nearby table and unrolled the scroll on top of it. "It all began when two great Shikigami Masters, the greatest of their time, were challenged by the Celestial Beasts to compete for their favor. Yuuta of the Kururugi Clan, Heizo of the Jun Clan. And in the end, by virtue of his compassion and piety, Yuuta won the favor of the Celestial Beasts. And was granted a small fragment of each of their powers."

Making a small noise of awe as she studied the scroll, Sango then frowned. "But…why did the Celestial Beasts…why would they do this? And what about this…Jun Clan? I've never heard of them before."

"The tale of the Jun Clan is a dark and terrible one, Sango. And as for why the Celestial Beasts chose to do this….I'm afraid I don't know. As you can see, this scroll is damaged. And so a lot of the information it might once have given us has been lost," Haruna admitted as she gestured at the ragged holes in the scroll. "But what I can tell you is this; after Yuuta was granted the power of the Celestial Beasts, he found that he was unable to control it."

---

"He couldn't control it?" Michiru asked as he followed the human-shaped Kirara through a wooded area.

"That's correct. Even though he had only been given fragments of the Celestial Beasts' power, each one of them was still far beyond anything he could wield safely," Kirara confirmed. "Every spell he cast using them was so powerful that to use the fragments as they were was to wisk annihilating himself and everything around him." Then they stopped in the middle of a clearing in the woods. "So he found another way."

"Another way?" Michiru repeated perplexedly. Only to freeze as he looked ahead at the clearing. And saw Yuuta seated crossed-legged in the center of it. Surrounded by a fantastic array of animals that glowed in the low light of the forest.

"Yuuta summoned many different animal spirits to him. And then broke down each of the fragments of power granted him by the Celestial Beasts," Kirara explained as they both observed the fantastic display before them. Watching as Yuuta conjured up four more spirits, far more massive than the others assembled. An azure dragon, a white tiger, a black tortoise, and a crimson phoenix. "Split them apart…to form ten different Shikigami that he could control. And each of them commanding a different power."

"Ten, but…wait a second!" Michiru cried out in amazement as each of the larger spirits split apart. Each fragment taking the form of one of the other spirits assembled there. "Then…that means that – I have – forty different Shikigami?!"

---

"Forty…different…Shikigami…?" Sango gasped, her eyes round with astonishment.

"Yes. That is the legacy of Yuuta. The power of the Kururugi Shrine," Haruna confirmed with a nod. "A power that dwarfs that of every Shikigami User here in this fort. Across this entire land."

"Oh, my word…!" Sango breathed, staggered as she staggered back a few steps. "Then…Michiru, he – he has forty different Shikigami?!"

And as these words tumbled out of Sango's mouth, all sorts of possibilities occurred to her. She thought of their battle with Naraku when the vile demon had wielded Utsugi's own power. She imagined Michiru wielding magic that was four times greater than even that. Her mind ran wild with all of the different possibilities, different powers that these different Shikigami could grant him.

And as she pressed her hands to her cheeks, Sango envisioned children. Her children, graced with a power far beyond anything she could have ever imagined. So wonderfully talented and powerful, so -

"It is an enticing image, isn't it?" Haruna smiled in a thoughtful manner, snapping Sango out of her reverie. "Especially for a woman seeking a strong man…who will sire strong children for her."

These words hit Sango like a punch to a face. Ashamed and abashed, she glared hard at Haruna. But as much as she wished she could, she couldn't deny what the Shikigami Master had said.

---

"But…hold on, Kirara. Something doesn't make sense," Michiru asked, hoping that his current companion wouldn't vanish and leave him without any answers. "I – I remember – Yuuta, he said something about…two different bloodlines. And I know that he had two children, so…how did that happen?"

"As I said, Yuuta had not yet mastered the power he had been granted. Even the ritual he had conducted to create the many different Shikigami had failed to create a stable bloodline trait, to guarantee that the power would be passed down through the many generations without interruption," Kirara explained to him. "As such, Yuuta and his son – Midoriko's son – they had to perform another ritual. A ritual between generations, one that would guarantee a stable bloodline."

As these words were spoken the scene before Michiru shifted. This time, he saw Yuuta standing in the clearing. He looked several years older and many more years wearier. Like he had aged centuries for every year that had actually passed. And at that moment, he was confronted by a boy that looked to be about Michiru's age. The two of them stood in the center of four separate pentagrams that were arrayed like the points of a compass. And each pentagram was marked with ten different statues, each of which was glowing with a brilliant light, immersing both generations in the power of the spirits.

"And thus was born the bloodline that would maintain and protect the secrets of the Kururugi Shrine, Michiru. Your bloodline and Kaname's," Kirara informed him. "As for Yuuta and Midoriko's daughter…she had a different destiny…"

The magical ceremony then disappeared, along with the forest. Suddenly, Michiru and Kirara found themselves out in an open field, where the petrified corpses of both Midoriko and the vile demon that had slain her remained. Corpses that a weeping Yuuta stood before even as multiple pentagrams spun into existence about his body.

"What the -?!" Michiru started even as the ground beneath him began to rumble. Right before pillars of earth erupted in every direction. "How – what is he doing?!"

"Creating a tomb," Kirara morosely stated as the landscape was ripped apart and rebuilt according to the will of the founder of the Kururugi Shrine. "The final resting place for the woman he had loved. And that he condemned himself for not being able to save."

Before long, a good-sized mountain surrounded the petrified combatants. And as Michiru looked onward, time seemed to speed up. Until a young woman with armor and a sword stood at the mouth of the limestone cave that led to Midoriko's resting place. "She…looks a little like Sango…"

"She is Midoriko's daughter and the founder of the village where Sango and many other Demon Slayers would come to live," Kirara explained as a duplicate of the two-tail appeared in her fighting form, coming to stand next to the warrior woman. "The first of many of Midoriko's descendants that I had the honor of guiding and protecting. To help guard the Shikon Jewel, to keep it out of the hands of those who would abuse it."

Blinking a few times at this, Michiru then gasped, "So – wait! Does that mean – is Sango also a descendant of Yuuta's and Midoriko's?!"

"Yes. Though her bloodline doesn't contain the power of the Shikigami, it is a strong bloodline nonetheless. With a power that has been forgotten over the centuries." Then Kirara gave Michiru a knowing look. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"I – well, that is…" Michiru hesitantly frowned. "Does that mean…we're…cousins, or…?"

"You're very distantly related, yes. Each of you descended from one of the twin bloodlines of Yuuta and Midoriko." Then Kirara smiled and clasped Michiru by the shoulders. "You're also one of the most perfect couples I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. As perfectly matched as Yuuta and Midoriko themselves. And I look forward to seeing and fighting alongside your children, as I have fought alongside the many generations that have come before you."

Blinking a few times at this, Michiru then smiled. "Thank you."

"I'm so glad that you've come into our lives, Michiru. In fact, I can't tell you how often that I hoped that you and Sango would find each other," Kirara assured him. Then she gave a mischievous smile and added, "Or how relieved I was when she confessed to you instead of Miroku!"

Despite the situation, Michiru couldn't help but chuckle. Then he gave the two-tail a more serious look. "Uh, Kirara…Midoriko, she…she told me that we can end this by purifying the Sacred Jewel."

"I know. I've heard her speak from within the confines of the Jewel as well over the centuries," Kirara admitted. "And if not for the fact that I was a demon who would only add to the Jewel's impurity, I would have gladly ended this nightmare a long time ago. But…sadly, no one else could hear Midoriko's voice. And…without the power to speak, I was…limited in my ability to advise Midoriko's descendants." Then her face fell as she added, "As well as my ability to…tell them how much I loved each and every one of them…before they passed away…"

Blinking at this, Michiru sighed. "I'm sorry, Kirara," he assured her as he wrapped his arms around her frame. "Sorry for…everything you've been through…"

---

"Hold on. Something doesn't make sense," Sango frowned suspiciously. "If Michiru and Kaname actually have all of these Shikigami…then how come they don't know about it? From what they've said, they only have ten Shikigami!"

"The ones under Seiryu. Yes. I noticed that the spells in Michiru's book only referred to those Shikigami," Haruna admitted with a nod. "It's possible that the other Shikigami were forgotten by his branch of their family. Just as knowledge can be gained over time, so it can be forgotten."

Sango wasn't satisfied with this response. "Look…no offense, Haruna, but…are you sure about this? I mean…are you sure that this scroll is accurate? You said it yourself; it's badly damaged. With a lot of pieces missing."

"The scroll is damaged, yes. But I'm certain of this," Haruna stated firmly. "The other Shikigami of the Kururugi Clan are very real. And their power flows through Michiru's veins. I've sensed them. They may be dormant at the moment, but…yes. The power is there."

"But how can you be so sure?!" Sango persisted. "I mean – do you have any proof of this?!"

"As a matter of fact…I do," Haruna serenely replied. "And I would be happy to show it to you."

Not just a little surprised by this remark, Sango could only nod dumbly in response. To which Haruna smiled and made her way to the back section of this portion of the network of caves. And as Sango looked about, she noticed a large door situated against one of the walls. To the Demon Slayer's surprise, the stone seemed unnaturally flat and rectangular. Like magic had been used to make it a perfect doorway.

"I'm afraid I can't actually let you inside of here, Sango," Haruna apologized in a somewhat patronizing manner as she undid the various locks and bolts on the front of the door. "The objects of magic and more that we keep inside of here are…just too sensitive to risk them being stolen. Also, in addition to this door, there are numerous seals to prevent any demonic intrusion, and…I can't predict how those would react to Kasuga's Curse."

"I understand," Sango replied even as Haruna opened the door. But as the Shikigami Master disappeared inside, there was a loud mew. "Huh? Kirara?"

Frowning in confusion, Sango watched as the two-tailed feline made her way over to the doorway. Kirara seemed to be sniffing the air, like she was trying to find something. "Kirara, no! Get back here!" Sango admonished her family's companion. When the demonic feline didn't heed the warrior woman's words, Sango moved to scoop her little friend up into her arms. "Didn't you hear what Haruna said about the seals in there? I don't want you getting hurt!"

Kirara mewed in cute protest before turning to look back at the door. "Is…something wrong…?" Kanna wondered as she continued to cling to Sango. "Why…?"

"Why is Kirara so interested in whatever's inside there? I don't know." Then Sango hefted her faithful friend up and looked her in the eyes. Heaving a deep sigh, she couldn't help but admit, "Sometimes, Kirara…I honestly wish that you could talk. That you could…just tell me what's bothering you, or if there's something important I should know, or…or whatever."

Kirara just mewed again as she stared intently into the cavernous room beyond. But it wasn't long before Haruna emerged from the chamber, holding a small object in her hands. "Here, Sango. You asked for proof of what I said about the Kururugi Clan's Shikigami. And here it is."

Sango was aware of Kanna gasping lightly at the sight of the object Haruna held. "A statue?" the Demon Slayer frowned. Only for realization to hit her like a fist, causing her eyes to widen in shock. "Wait…you don't mean -!"

"Yes! This is one of the many statues that Yuuta used to shape the Shikigami of the Kururugi Clan! One of the statues forged with the power of Byakko!" Holding up a small statue of a green tiger, Haruna declared with clear reverence, "This, Sango…is Dauntless Might!"

---

Far away from most human settlements, in the middle of a large clearing between wooded areas, was the shattered remains of a massive pagoda. The temple had been torn asunder some time ago, smashed to pieces from the inside, and the grounds had been blasted apart by a tremendous battle. And even though nature was slowly erasing the lingering traces, it was still easy to determine where the focal point of the battle had been.

And in the center of where that battle had been settled, a figure garbed in the skin of a white baboon knelt down upon the ground. Placing a Shard of the Shikon Jewel into the earth before retreating a few steps. "Poor, shortsighted fool of a girl. Not even the power of the Sacred Jewel alone would have been enough to bring you back from the fate you met after your disastrous battle with InuYasha. Not when he didn't leave even a trace of your body behind." Then the Demon Puppet smirked beneath its mask and added, "How fortunate that I am no longer limited to just the Shikon Jewel Shards now…"

With these words, images of ten statues appeared in the air above where the Sacred Jewel had been placed. Statues that then shot beams of azure light at each other, forming a pentagram in mid-air. And as the power of Seiryu the Azure Dragon was unleashed, a beam of power shot into the ground, mingling with the power of the Sacred Jewel Shard.

Moments later, a huge wind wooshed up, creating a vortex that began pulling in dirt and debris from the surrounding area. Dust and ash began to gather beneath the pentagram as the Sacred Jewel Shard slowly floated up into the air, carrying with it even more ash and dirt. The many tiny particles of which began to gather together, forming a vague cloud that soon compacted and took on a greater definition. Forming into a grinning, ghoulish skeleton.

But this didn't last long, for soon flesh began to erupt from the clean white bones. Muscle and blood vessels rapidly grew, giving the figure greater form and definition. Then a layer of pale skin formed over the grisly figure, soon followed by a lengthy mane of white hair.

"Ah…such is the power of the Shikon Jewel, as well as the Kururugi Clan. One of the two founding pillars upon which the Sacred Jewel was born," the Demon Puppet murmured with deep satisfaction as he studied the nude female figure that was now looking up towards him.

"What…?" the woman asked as she took in a deep breath. Clearly astonished as she looked down at her fair hands and nubile figure. "How – am I -?"

"Alive? Yes," the Demon Puppet confirmed to the tune of a low chuckle. "Welcome back to the world of the living…Tsubaki."

---

Author's Notes: Well, I seem to be riding the inspiration train. Here's hoping that I can crank out a few more chapters before it reaches its final stop and derails. And that you all enjoy the trip as well. In the meantime, please read and review! And maybe check out my other stories as well?

At this point, I'd like to make a…well, a somewhat selfish request of all of you. As BloodPokemon101 pointed out, this story…well, it doesn't seem to get a lot of traffic, and I would love to be able to attract more readers if at all possible. Over at the TV Tropes page for InuYasha, there's a section for fanfic recommendations. If anyone could recommend this story over there, I'd really appreciate it. And I hope I don't come off as a complete jerk for saying so.

Uruz 11, good to hear from you as well. We've already seen Shippo using his knowledge of Miroku's bad habits to predict the monk's actions, such as in "The Stone Flower and Shippo's First Love". And while InuYasha has come a long way, I couldn't really blame Shippo for being a bit wary of the half-demon's temper. You're right in that all of Miroku's bad karma has finally caught up with him, and shedding his bad habits will be a long and difficult thing. Fortunately, he has someone to help with that. Yup, this was one heck of a fight. Kagome does tend to get distracted by her personal issues at the worst possible times, and her bad temper and the fact that her ability to see the Jewel Shards was invaluable to the others and her power over the Beads of Subjugation has meant that she has been able to get away with a lot means that her issues have only been allowed to get worse. I really believe that InuYasha's relationship with Kagome has been toxic from the start, and as a result of these factors I've mentioned, has only been able to get worse. I did try to have Kagome at least realize that this was not the time nor place to be distracted by her issues with Kaname. I wouldn't say that Kagome's arrow had no effect on Kagura, given that it transformed her into a much more powerful harpy-like demon. But yes, it is good news for Kagura, but not so much for Kagome. Kikyo has indeed been through a great deal of grief, so while she did some things that I disagreed with, such as giving Naraku that large chunk of the Sacred Jewel, I can't really hate her for those things because she never asked to be brought back or any of it. Expect to see some consequences of Kaname's actions, and you can't really be surprised that Kagura would try to use InuYasha's feelings for Kikyo to turn the situation back to her favor. And yeah, InuYasha's fierce loyalty and feelings for Kikyo and his friends and loved ones can be turned against him easily. I haven't really watched "The Familiar of Zero", but that's mainly because of all of the horror stories I've seen regarding the lead female protagonist, Louise de la Vallière. From what I've seen, she makes Kagome look like an absolute saint by comparison. Don't worry, Haruna wasn't on the Hiryu. And sadly, InuYasha and the others still don't know about Haruna's plans. And yeah, I have created quite a few original characters for this story. I really should create or commission fanart for them that at least shows off what they look like. Not to mention listings for them of some kind.

Frosty Wolf, taking Naraku by surprise is one of the reasons why Kikyo insisted on Kaname keeping her survival a secret. As for whether Kikyo is able to help Kagome…you'll just have to wait and see. Expect for Michiru to go through a lot as he continues his vision quest.

Greymon Leader Batx flashpoint, yup, Michiru got a bombshell dropped on his head in a major way. And oh, boy, if you think that things with Heizo and his family were nasty, just wait until you see the next chapter. Yes, that was a future version of Sango you saw at the end of the previous chapter. Expect for things to get complicated on that front. And I did my best to flesh out a backstory for Kurogasa that worked. And it will be some time before InuYasha is able to get along with Kurogasa. And…if I'm being completely honest, I've always felt that Kagome was pretty useless. She has all of this power, and does so little with it. Basically, she shoots an arrow or two here and there, and spends most of the time being a distressed damsel. It's one of the reasons I'm pulling her from the field; to actually learn how to be a better priestess and a better friend. Expect it to be a bumpy road, though.

Jetty1, I'm not sure that Kaede ever had any children, but even so, I do have some plans on that front. It is something that really should've been addressed in the series. It would be interesting to see InuYasha and the others studying martial arts.

Guest, Michiru will be healed within a few chapters. Expect for the friendships to take a lot longer to rebuild.

BloodPokemon101, suddenly losing one's powers is definitely something that would throw anyone for a loop. I think this is especially true for Kagome, as she has no understanding of how her powers even work, let alone how to use them to their full potential. And I've lost count of the times that Kagome has acted like a brat. Here's how a friend of mine, Mr. Lee, had to say about her; "I wish someone would tell Kagome to 'SIT!'. A selfish, jealous and just plain petty brat X(! Gives Inuyasha all that grief, yet she always screams his name when she's in danger. And his friends ALWAYS take her side, even when she's wrong! WHATEVER X(! Let Koga have her!" Now I'm not saying that Kagome is some kind of devilspawn or is pure evil or anything. But I just don't see anything appealing about her, either. And I've long since gotten sick of the whole "women beating up on men as comedy" thing.

Raidentensho, Michiru's definitely going to have a hard time explaining everything he's seen in his visions. And some of it are things that he won't want to tell anyone.

MyHeartBeating-MWMI, I'm glad you enjoyed the fruits of my labors. You can credit J4RRE77 for giving me the idea for a metal Kikyo. Kikyo had already noticed that Kagome was having problems, they just became more apparent in that last battle. The Band of Seven will be showing up in the near future, ready and willing to cause trouble. And at this point, with their friendship on the rocks, I felt it fitting that Kaname would pull a stunt like that.

TheEmeraldMage, things are indeed hitting the fan in a major way. I am doing my best to expedite things, but I'm also trying to research Shinto and Buddhist training and traditions in order to be accurate. And expect things to be tense between InuYasha and Kurogasa for a long while. And don't worry, I have no intention of mimicking anything in the final part of the InuYasha anime/manga.