This chapter was written with the collaboration of Madoka C.C. It feels good to be writing this story again after a long hiatus.
Haruki simply couldn't fall asleep. He felt stupid and ashamed for saying that "everywhere I go I see everyone die". He felt like all the sultras, the medicines and other mindful practices he had taken had gone to waste. He was weak at heart. And as a one monk whose grave responsibility is to fight the evil demons, being weak and frustrated would only allow the demons to take over the control. Kagome heard the noise of Haruki turning his back restless. She got up quietly.
"Look, the sunrise will be in a minute." She came to Haruki's side.
"Kagome, I am sorry." Haruki said quickly. Kagome shook her head:" I never blamed you." As if she was saying I never hated you, Haruki felt greatly relieved-a lightness rose from the bottom to the top of his body. "Thank you, Kagome."
"Nah, Aoi was_ and it was not your fault because-" Inuyasha was eavesdropping before and he snorted, "she was too weak."
"So!" Inuyasha suddenly shouted, which startled Haruki quite a bit, " Don't get so depressed and listless! I am sure she didn't blame you at all!" Kagome smiled at the Inuyasha's ruffled hair-that is his unusual way of comforting and cheering people whom he cared about.
Haruki felt so obliged to help their group after they calmed him down. He decided to give them a whole basket worth of fruit to carry and then eat. The villagers first refused to take the money, but monks really only carried with them enough money to afford new robes and food. Therefore, Haruki thought while chewing an apple, it made him feel better that the villagers eventually accepted his money. As the eight of them headed out, Haruki tried leading the group to a market square so he could buy kagome and her friends all the food they needed to fill their stomachs nice and full.
XXX
Aoi knew what kind of person she was talking to; the white monkey pelt and lack of energy didn't make her forget she was talking to one of the craftiest half-human and half-demon she's ever laid eyes on. What he was doing to her was showing her a crystallic shard of a jewel.
Aoi squinted her eyes, keeping a protective distance from Naraku. "What is this?" she demanded haughtily.
Naraku said: "The jewel of four souls." He was glad to see greed appearing immediately in Aoi's tiny slanted eyes.
"Kill Kagome and Inuyasha for me," Naraku said condescendingly, "don't you hate them, the insidious humans?"
"Who are you to order me around?" she roared and jumped to split Naraku's body with her claws. Naraku laughed coldly and didn't bother to avoid. A barrier of blood repelled Aoi half a mile away. She barely could stand up. Naraku said to her: "InuYasha and Kagome are going to slay Kasumei. Tesieigai will absor Kasumei's poisonous mist whirl, which can dissolve any illusory barrier. At that time, how are you going to bear Teseigai's wind of scar?" he looked at Aoi's fearful face and made a soft guttural laugh in the throat. "Take this with you," he threw one piece of shards to her, "you will need it to kill them."
"Wait a minute, " Aoi suddenly said to Naraku, " you seem much more powerful than me. Why do you need me to slay InuYasha and Kagome?"
Naraku threw a really really hateful look to Aoi. It disgusted him to admit that he was afraid of Kagome's scared arrow and Aoi seemed immune and even suppressed her power quite a bit. But Naraku did not intend to reveal any of this to Aoi.
"Just do your job, okay?" Naraku said equivocate, "I will reward you greatly after you have done it. And Saimiaosho will keep your company and also as my eyes. You might find them quite useful when dealing with miroku, the monk."
XXX
For some reason Hiraku could not take his attention off the sky. One explanation to his fascination was probably his use of lighting against demons and that made him grow a bond with how the sky can be peaceful with clouds and colours and the next it could wreck homes and hurt people.
Hiraku gave the group all his money so they could spend it on whatever gift or food they wanted most.
"We don't need them," Kagome refused.
"Better to take them than refuse," Miroku closed his palms in prayer, " Thank you, Hiraku."
"Huh. Greedy monk." Inuyashsa snorted. Besides him stood Shippo who also nodded with arms folded before his chest.
Miroku turned to Sango. " Sango, I see that you have been wearing this kimono for several days. How about we use this money to buy you a new one?"
Sango was surprised, but also moved by Miroku's attention. But- "Thank you, good monk. But-" her face was angry, "Get your hands off me!" She hit Miroku on his face. Miroku smiled. He seemed even to enjoy the slap. Shippo shook his head and sighed. He thought to him: "Miroku is going down!"
Kagome was silent. She simply rolled her eyes. Inuyasha jumped off the tree. "Haraku, we are helping you because we can." he sniffed his nose, " you don't need to feel burdened."
"But if you can take my money-"
"You don't understand! Money means nothing to us." Inuyasha said bluntly. A weird puff of wind drew his attention, sweeping leaves off the ground. Miroku and Sango both stopped flirting, which they didn't realize they were flirting. Kagome drew an arrow and pulled the bow, ready to aim whenever the demon would show up.
"Hahahaha." A paroxysm of laughter was aggregated by the wind.
"Jewel of four souls!" Kagome shouted, " I can feel it nearby." She looked hard. "There, on your left, Inuyasha!" Inuyasha swing forth his Tesseigai. "Wind of scar!" he shouted. The blow did not cause any appearance of demon.
Hiraku suddenly shouted: "It is Aoi! She is right in front of you, KAGOME!" Quickly three spells flew to Kagome to counter attack Aoi. A burst of white mist was formed around Kagome. "Did it get Aoi?" Shippo asked worriedly.
"Ah-" Kagome screamed, "Inuyasha! Help me! She… is...strangling...I..can't...breathe."
"Hang on there." Inuyasha jumped into the mist immediately. He saw Kagome afloat in the air. Her face was distorted. She kept kicking something beneath her. Her hands were around her neck, strangling herself. "Help...me" Kagome looked at Inuyasha miserably from the corner of her eyes, "help…"
"I am coming!" Inuyasha ran to Kagome. But no matter how hard he tried to free her of her own hands, nothing happened. Inuyasha was so frustrated. He started to sway his sword around, hoping to cut off the demon's arm or spell which was controlling Kagome's action. Then, he saw four strange whirls. He knew immediately that were the demonic whirls. He remembered the demonic sage's training about finding the right whirl. Feel it, smell it...he forced his crazed heart to calm down...smell it...Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly...Kagome...There! Like a lightning, Inuyasha reached to the right whirl and split it into half with his Teseigai. Kagome was released from the air.
Gradually, the white mist was dispersed. Inuyasha didn't care to chase after the demon. He wanted to know badly if Kagome was alright.
" Sango, Miroku, and Kirara please come with me. I can see where Aoi is fleeing and I can catch up to her with your help. The rest of you stay behind to take care of Kagome."
Sango and Miroku rode on Kirara's back while she was transformed into the full demonic form. Hiraku managed to run faster than the demon. His eyes could see stealthy demons in the treetops moving in the same direction as Aoi. One jumped off and attacked Sango with two knives.
She used her giant boomerang to kill it. "Boomerang!" Sango yelled. Boomerang returned back to her, carrying the new absorbed demonic power.
Hiraku was the next target of a demon jumping down to slice him. Haruki flipped down and kicked the demon to Kirara who bite the demon in the back.