DISCLAIMER: All Inuyasha goodness belongs to the amazing Takahashi-san!

The Agency

By MissKatt

Chapter Thirteen: Stolen Ashes, Part Two

"Sesshoumaru, really, I'm fine." Kagome insisted for the third time as he drove her in his car. He had all but forced her into his car, but did not tell her where he was taking her. She assumed he was taking her home, but when they passed her street, she knew it wasn't true.

"As I have stated several times, Miko, you are not." He replied, not looking her way as he headed to his house.

"Can you at least tell me where we are going? I would like to let Shippou know incase I'm late coming home." She said, pulling her cellphone out from her purse, which he barely gave her enough time to fetch from her car.

"You are coming home with me and will be staying there." He stated simply. He needed to keep an eye on her ever so fickle emotions.

She blinked. "There's no way! I can't leave him alone that long!"

"Do you not live with your brother? Surely he can watch him? He suggested. In the meantime, he was going to conduct a little test. He reached over to his cup holder and grabbed his pack of cigarettes. He flipped open the lid used his lips to pull one out from its confinement. As he raised his lighter to his lips, he cast a glance at his partner who sat fuming in her passenger seat.

"Really? Are you kidding me?" She asked sharply, her jaw clenching in irritation.

He smirked as his test proved to be going as he predicted. "Is something wrong, Miko?"

How dare he play coy! He knew exactly how she felt about his cigarettes! "You know exactly what's wrong!"

"No, I do not think I do." Sesshoumaru replied, keeping his eyes forward as he inhaled a long drag and blew it out of the corner of his mouth, the smoke making its way towards her.

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. Her power began to simmer in her veins at the blunt disrespect. What was his deal!? "What the hell is the matter with you? What have I ever done to you to get treated this way!?"

There it was. The dramatic shift in her emotions. He looked over at her and saw that her eyes were turning red again. Something was definitely wrong his partner. Having his test proven that she was easily angered all of a sudden, he put out his cigarette. "There, happy?" He asked as he parked outside his house.

"No!" She shouted and reached over to push him in the shoulder. "You're fucking mean to me for no reason!"

He caught her hand. "I have warned you once, Miko, do not test me," He released her hand and unbuckled his seat belt. "Now, once you calm down we can go inside."

She huffed and undid her seatbelt as well. She took a few calming breaths before getting out of his car. She waited for him to do the same and followed him into his house. As they made their way into his apartment, she looked around at how finely decorated it was in black and white furniture. "Wow, this is really nice, Sesshoumaru." She mused, all anger suddenly gone.

"Hn," He replied as he shrugged off his jacket and dropped it onto the couch. "There is a guest bedroom upstairs to the right."

"Sesshoumaru…why are you keeping me here?" She asked and accepted the canned tea as he handed it to her.

He opened up his drink and looked at her with his golden eyes. "Something is going on with you. While I don't know what it is, I am determined to find out."

She looked down at her drink, a frown marring her face. "You really think something is wrong with me?"

He nodded. "Yes, though I believe it is something you can't control. You've been getting angry quite easily."

She pursed her lips together. He was right about her getting angry, but to go as far as to say that there was something wrong with her? Well, then again, she normally didn't that upset too easily. Maybe there was something wrong with her. "I hope we can kind it out then." She said softly.

Sesshoumaru studied her carefully and let out a soft sigh. "We will, Miko. Don't fret."

She flashed him a small smile. "Thank you for reassuring me."

*~~~The Agency~~~*

Kagome awoke with a start, sitting up hurriedly as she looked around the room. Had that voice been in her head? Or was there someone in the room with her? It seemed so real, so close to her ear. She glanced at the clock and rubbed her eyes as the bright red numbers read 3:49am. She flopped back down on her back and pulled the blanket up to her chin. Maybe it was just a dream.

She closed her eyes and tried to let herself fall back asleep, but heard the words once more float into her ear.

"The Shikon no Tama," It hissed in her ear.

This time she kicked off the blankets and leapt out of bed. She quickly spun in a circle, trying to see if there was anything in her room, but found nothing. She took a deep breath and put a hand to her racing heart. She glanced at the closed window and determined that she just needed some fresh air.

Opening the window, she sighed and leaned down to fold her arms on ledge. She inhaled the crisp air and sighed nosily. The Shikon no Tama, she remembered that all too clear from when the Centipede youkai attacked her and from the mask that shot at her from the closet.

'Why does everyone think I have this thing?'

"Because you do."Came the voice, this time from in front of her window.

Kagome screeched and flung herself back on her rump as she tried to scoot away from the woman in front of her. She stared at the woman in shock as she crawled into her room. As she stared at the beautiful woman in front of her, she felt her chest and stomach tingle. What was this feeling? She was scared, yes, but she felt as if her body was calling out to her.

A knock on her door, made her rip her eyes away from the female and to the door. "Se-!" She was promptly muffled when the girl pounced on her, covering her mouth with her hand.

"Silence, Miko, or I will kill you." She said and stared down at her with blank eyes. No expression was there, they were simply empty voids. She put her hand on her throat to back up her warning.

She nodded slowly as she looked up at her. She knew her face from somewhere, but where? Wait! The crest on her forehead! "Midoriko-sama?" She breathed.

"Yes," She replied, her voice monotone. "I need my jewel, child."

Kagome's breath hitched. This was her idol! This was the woman she looked up to most! But, how was she alive? And why was she attacking her? This wasn't the Midoriko she read about. Her Midoriko didn't attack another without cause, yet there she was threatening to strangle her.

Sesshoumaru's pointed ear was pressed against the door, listening to the conversation. He was not naïve; he knew something had happened when he heard his partner shout. He heard her begin to say his name, but get cut off by the other person in the room. She didn't sound as if she was hurt, so he waited until the woman provided information.

His eyes narrowed slightly when he heard how the miko addressed the other woman. Midoriko? How was that possible? Surely his partner was delusional. Yet, the woman had confirmed her question. His jaw clenched slightly when he heard her speak of the jewel. What jewel could the miko- his eyes widened as he realized she was looking for her Shikon no Tama. There was no possible way that the miko had it though, right?

Kagome gasped when Midoriko applied pressure to her neck. "I-I don't have it!"

Sesshoumaru pushed open her door and, in a flash, punched her away from his partner. He watched as she jumped back away from him, her emotionless face remained impassive as it literally cracked from his punch. He glared at her with his honey eyes. "What are you?"

Kagome looked up at her half naked partner and scrambled up to her feet. She remained behind Sesshoumaru, keeping a safe distance from his bare torso, and stared at Midoriko in shock. Part of her face chipped off of her like a broken pot. "M-Midoriko-sama?"

"That is not your ancestor, Miko, merely a replica." He replied, staring at Midoriko as she shifted into an offensive position.

"That's not quite correct, dog."

Sesshoumaru and Kagome tensed when a menacing laugh filled the room from all around them. She subconsciously moved closer to her partner, her hand moving to his arm. "W-who is it?"

"Ah, Sesshoumaru, it looks like you gained another partner for me to kill." The voice came again.

A growl rumbled in his throat. "Naraku! Show yourself!"

When a baboon pelt appeared in front of the window, Kagome's hand tightened on Sesshoumaru's arm. "That's Naraku?"

He nodded. "It is, yet it isn't. Knowing this coward, that is probably just another puppet."

"But of course, Sesshoumaru. You do not deserve my presence yet." He replied. "Midoriko, retrieve my jewel."

"Hai, Naraku-sama." She murmured and launched herself towards the two.

Sesshoumaru deflected the miko's attack, but grunted when he was shocked by her reiki. "So you've made her your puppet from the ashes you stole."

"What?" Kagome asked, her mouth falling open in horror. Midoriko was this man's puppet? Is that why she was acting so weird?

"Oh yes, little Miko," Naraku said. "I extracted her soul from the other world and put it in the hollow body you see now. She is completely under my control."

Kagome's anger snapped once again. "I demand you release her!" She shouted. Her idol did not deserve this! It was just too cruel!

He snorted at her. "And why would I listen to one such as yourself?" He asked with a smirk.

Her hands balled into fists and she once again felt her power begin to simmer beneath her skin. "I said: let her go!"

Sesshoumaru swung at Midoriko as she launched herself at him and shattered her arm from her body. He then glanced over at his partner and saw her eyes tinting red once again. His eyes looked down at her feet as he saw wisps of pink power begin to swirl around her where she stood.

"And if I say no?" He asked, taking in the sight before him.

"Then I will kill you." She responded, eyes narrowing as her reiki swirled around her.

Naraku's eyes narrowed. This miko was much more powerful than what he thought. What was this power coming from her? Or the jewel? "I would like to see you try!" He replied, now more interested in her power.

"With pleasure!" She shouted, her power flaring dangerously. It turned into a mini tornado around her, her silky black hair whipping around her.

The clay pot that was Midoriko got caught up in the flurry, her body shattering from the pressure. Naraku's puppet could not move away fast enough and was purified on the spot. Sesshoumaru stepped back, her reiki suffocating his youki and threatening to singe his skin. It was now just him and his enraged partner in his guest room.

"Miko!" He shouted, wincing when a lash of her power snapped down upon his arm. When he didn't get a response, he attempted to step forward to rouse her from her anger, but immediately leapt back and pressed his back against the wall when a swirl rose up to keep him away.

His eyes narrowed as he tried to think of what he could do to tame her. A gleam in the pink caught his eye and he focused in on the necklace around her neck.

Of course, the subjugation spell.

He took a step away from the wall. "Mik- no, Kagome," He spoke firmly, making sure she heard him. When her eyes snapped onto his form, he spoke the command word. "Submit."

Kagome felt her necklace tighten painfully around her neck, a searing fire biting into her skin. The pain took over the anger, making it disappear. As soon as her anger dispersed, so did her power, leaving her drained and faint.

He saw her eyes slide shut and he moved forward to catch her as she fell. He looked down at her face as he held her and let out a soft, exasperated sigh. She was so troublesome.

"Do not be angry with her."

He looked up at saw a light blue, ghost like figure of Midoriko standing before him. He didn't respond as he watched her kneel down next to them, putting her hand on the miko's side.

"The jewel is what made her so angry." She added.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, watching her hand. "Are you saying the jewel is inside of her?"

She nodded. "It is. She is my last, pure descendent and so she was cursed with it."

"How did it make her angry? Why would it just begin to do so?" Sesshoumaru could not believe Kagome had one of the most powerful objects inside her body.

Midoriko smiled gently. "Because I was pulled from it, leaving only the youkai inside to take over. Without my pure presence, the jewel began defile itself and turn evil. It fed off of her anger and fueled it."

He looked at Midoriko as she spoke. "Are you going back then?"

She nodded. "Yes, but you must protect her, Taisho, just like your father protected me," At his startled look, she smiled again. "I would recognize a part of Touga anywhere." She then grew serious and spoke more firmly. "Naraku now knows she holds the jewel and so she is in danger. Protect her, Taisho!"

With that, she disappeared inside Kagome, leaving no trace of her existence.

Again, Sesshoumaru looked at his partner's face and watched as it turned into a serene expression, as if everything was in balance with her once again. Sighing, he lifted her as he stood and placed her on her bed. Midoriko's words rang in her head and he hesitated slightly before joining her on the bed. Clearly he couldn't stay in the other room if Naraku was out to get her. She would be safer with him extremely close by.