Hi everyone! Finals are over (thank God)!

Anyway, here is the long awaited update, I hope y'all enjoy!

Chapter 24: Goodbye Dear Home

He dragged his paws across the ash-covered dirt, the fur on his feet being colored black and grey. In his hands were wrapped bundles of herbs and food given to him by Tanaka, the quantity of which could barely be deemed serviceable for even a single person's meal. And this was supposed to help sustain the group until they reached the next village. They would certainly be pressured to hunt down their own food until then, it seemed.

When he had stepped into the hut to retrieve the order that Sango had placed prior to Kagome's call for departure, he had been a witness to Lady Kaede's and Tanaka's attempt to wake Rin by dabbing her face with a wet rag while wafting the aroma of her favorite food cooking over a fire with a paper fan. She beheld no striking difference from the other times he had seen her asleep, but the uncertainty which clouded around her was almost palpable, and his worry had caused his tail to shake.

Her breathing had been steady, and at a particularly exciting moment, she had given a short smirk to swallow, catching everyone's hopeful breath, only to ease back into the stillness that haunted everyone so. In his naivety, Shippo had grabbed Rin's hand in an expectation that if he simply squeezed her hand hard enough she would wake with excitement and eagerness to play. He became crestfallen when his efforts were found in vain.

When he looked out across the village, an onlooker to the catastrophic aftermath, watching as the villagers lifted and disposed of burnt logs once used for huts and sweep at the ash covered dirt that spanned for acres, he wondered if their efforts were not in vain too. Naturally, he felt guilty for his sudden pessimism, but could not forsake the observable girth of the destruction left behind in comparison to the few who toiled. Why were they leaving, he wondered. Shippo held a heavyweight in his stomach that urged to ground him in this village until the destruction had been cleared with his help, but his friends were leaving and taking him with them.

He snuffled as he continued to walk back to the well, his nose still stuffy from his whimpers that continued to return to his desires. Setting the bundles down, he wiped his nose with his forearm, and then brushed his eyes and cheeks with his palms. They were puffy, his eyes, cheeks, and nose. Without a reflection, he knew they were tomato red, and would continue to be for some time. Thinking of his crying and how he must look brought more tears down his face, which he wiped at again angrily. When another set fell, he slumped backward to sit on the ground with his tail to prop him up.

It's not fair, he thought to himself. The village needed them, Rin needed them, and they were just going to leave? In his absence, the village had been brought to ruin, and though he was not so simple to believe that all would have been saved if he had been around, perhaps there could have been something. Maybe he could have saved a few huts or one of the missing villagers? Maybe he could have protected Rin?

It seemed foolish to leave again. Terrifying, he corrected. The idea of leaving again seemed terrifying. What would happen when they were all absent? In the midst of his weeping, he heard the voice of Kagome, bitter and angry as she was, only a short stone's throw away. Collecting the bundles, he followed her voice, halting behind a tree to stay out of view as he listened in on her and Miroku's argument.

"So Y'all were already planning on leaving? With him? And you didn't tell me?"

"It's not as though we were going to leave you behind, Lady Kagome."

"Then why not tell me?"

Miroku sighed. He was sitting on a tree trunk fallen on its side while Kagome stood, her hands balled into fists and placed on her hip. "There is much Lord Sesshomaru must tell you-

"Oh bullshit, Miroku! I didn't have to hear from Sesshomaru that Y'all were planning on leaving! You could have told me that anytime!"

"Had I known that you were unaware I would have. We were under the assumption that Lord Sesshomaru had told you that at the very least."

"Well, he didn't! Now is there anything else you think I should know that he might not have told me?"

"No. That is all."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And what about the 'many things' Sesshomaru has to tell me?"

"Lady Kagome, I can't-

"Why not?!"

"It is not my place to discuss it. Why won't you speak with him?"

"Because I don't want to, alright?!"

"Well, I cannot tell you what it is you want to know."

Kagome huffed, and Shippo slunk back into the shadows. Trekking down the path he had wandered away from, Shippo held onto the bundles tightly, as though they would hug him in return. He hated seeing Kagome so unhappy. If he could, he would make it so she was always happy, for he loved seeing her cheerful smile. There was little in him that could bring his own lips to a smile, however, and even less that trusted he was capable of placing a smile on Kagome's face.

He bit his tongue. Such a shallow way of thinking would get him nowhere. Regardless of the impracticality, he vowed to try. When he had finished with what was needed of him, he would try to make Kagome smile.

The path curved and he followed, no longer brushing the ground with his steps. The bundles blocked his view, and they shifted in his grasp, threatening to fall and spill. He did not see when he had crossed into Lord Sesshomaru's path, struggling as he was.

"Ow!" Shippo exclaimed as he stumbled backward with the bundles bouncing out of his grasp. "Ah! Oh no! I've gotta pick them up… quick?"

He paused. On all fours with only a single bundle in his hand, Shippo stared. He stared at the black boots at first, and then at the white hakama, and then at the threatening armor until finally, he looked at the demon's face, who glared downward past his nose at Shippo; A lord's downcast sight with his head held high.

Almost in a panic, Shippo threw the single bundle down as he squirmed along the floor, gaining only a foot of distance before turning over onto his belly with his knees underneath him and throwing his head onto the floor repeatedly.

"Ah! I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru! I didn't mean it, I swear!" Peeking up past his bangs, he watched as Lord Sesshomaru began to crouch down, and immediately shut his eyes as his body shivered.

He anticipated an attack, feared for it and his life with his mouth as dry as a dessert and a bladder full of the threat of bursting. Muscles tensing, he squeezed his hands full of dirt and pressed his shoulders to his ears, hearing the rattling of his quivering bones.

When he heard the shuffle of movement beside him, he opened one eye, just a slit, to see a thin, incomprehensible portion of an eyelash-veiled, white blur of an arm. He risked a wider view, attaining a more defined image which incorporated a bent knee and a constantly moving hand, neither of which showed hostility towards him. At last, his one eye was wide and fully open, with his other eye slowly following suit.

Lord Sesshomaru collected the bundles into the bend of his arm as he lifted the remaining bundles off the ground one by one. He paid Shippo no mind, gave no passing glance nor inclination of acknowledging the fox demon's presence until the last bundle was lifted and he spoke in a monotonous tone with a monotonous demeanor.

"You are timider than the priestess, Fox, " he peered at the bundles in his hold, inspecting them briefly before passing them off to Shippo, "This is all your village could provide? You're likely to starve with so little."

"We'll hunt, " Shippo took the bundles with slight hesitation.

"Such a responsibility will fall on my shoulders."

As he stood, a rounded out pebble with a pinkish glow fell out of his pocket. Shippo was quick to pick it up and felt the familiar warm glow from the stone in his hand. He recognized it as the warmth that came from Kagome's power, a peculiar and interesting thing to be coming from a stone. He passed it off to Lord Sesshomaru, standing up on his toes as to keep his eyes on the pebble until it was hidden away into Lord Sesshomaru's pocket.

"What's that pebble?"

"Nothing to concern yourself with."

"It felt like it had Kagome's power in it."

"Do you not have someplace to be, little fox?"

Shippo rolled back on his heels and took a few steps back. His lip urged for a pout but he withheld it as an awkward pass of silence occurred between the two, with the young demon staring up at the elder. Lord Sesshomaru was the first to walk away with no gesture of goodbye, but Shippo thought he heard the off-handed comment, "run along little fox."

He sighed in relief, the speed of his thumping heart slowing as his fear shriveled within him. An overcast lingered, however, a shadow over his tiny, easily frightened body at the prospect of traveling with the source of his fear, the powerful, easily tempered, quick to kill demon Lord Sesshomaru who's opinion would determine the shortness of one's own life. He gulped down a dry swallow.

Shippo walked at a faster pace, eager to extend the distance between him and Lord Sesshomaru. The meadow was empty, with only the well and the overgrowth that had surrounded Kagome around. Sango had already left, most likely to her home, where she would finish packing, for herself and her kids, until Kirara's return; that was the agreed upon time for them to leave.

He walked past the well, his stride gradually declining as he came onto the overgrowth. The tall grass and vines, the blooming flowers that had sprouted into full growth and now reached greedily towards the sun. He wanted to keep a distance. Not many hours had passed, with the totality measurable with one hand, but the situation seemed ageless and yet ancient.

When he looked at the overgrowth he could still see Kagome trapped inside the crystal hard barrier, unmoving and unresponsive; He could still recall the exact movements of Lord Sesshomaru as he rushed to the barrier, only to be thrown back by the barriers purity; He remembered Miroku, racing to get Sango when nothing he did or said changed anything; and he could still feel his fear.

Arriving at well, shortly after viewing the village's dilapidated state, he had been searching for explanation and comfort from Kagome. Distraught and confused, he had run, following Kagome's aura, something that, with his low skill, was difficult, to say the least, but the spike in Kagome's power was able to guide him. And when he jumped out of the bushes, running on all fours, he had been expecting to jump into Kagome's lap where he would find the solace that he needed, only to find Kagome locked away. He had called out her name alongside Miroku, but she did not move. When he attempted to get closer to the barrier, his fur stood on ends, and the skin prickled from the purity that blanketed the air. And he wondered, worried, and suspected that this would be how Kagome would remain, forever out of his reach and forever frozen beyond an impenetrable barrier. She would be lost, and he would lose her. It was a fear that had struck him so violently that he had felt ill, and it's residue still laced his uneasy stomach.

As he inched his way past the overgrowth, his mind's eye projecting the Image of Kagome within the barrier that was so thick and bright it resembled the Shikon jewel, he flinched, shut his eyes, and hurried in his pace. At last, he walked up to Sango's home, a marvelous structure that rivaled that of lowly Lords, and he tapped on the door three times. He waited. Again, he tapped on the door, shuffling a bit to get a better grasp of the bundles, and, again, he waited. He twirled his tail, leaned back on his heels, and tapped.

"Hey, Sango?" He called out, "Are you in there?"

He pressed his ear against the door, listening to the steady thump, thump, thump of someone running up to answer. Shippo craned his head up, looking as best he could above the bundles, in preparation of greeting Sango. The door opened, and where he looked, he did not see Sango.

"Sniff. Hiya, Shippo."

"Oh, uh," He turned his head and shifted the bundles to one hip to look to the side, where Airi was rubbing her feet together. She kept her head down and clutched at her pink kimono where patches of snot covered her sleeves. "Hiya, Airi. Is everything alright? Is Sango home?"

"Mama's crying." She said as she swiped at her nose with her sleeve.

"Sango is crying? Is she okay? Is she hurt?"

Airi grabbed onto Shippo's wrist and began to pull him into the house. Despite his best efforts, the bundles from his hands as Airi pulled him along down the hallway and into the main bedroom.

Sango's back was to Shippo. Around her were three packs, one large and two small, filled with clothing, hygienics, sleeping material, and containers for food and water. A few more items littered the area, waiting to be placed into the appropriate packs. At the back of the room was a pile of crumpled up papers by a broom.

Sango's shoulders were shaking. Walking up towards her, whispering out her name, Sango turned to Shippo with a wet face and red eyes. Aimi held onto her mother tightly, and Airi rushed to Sango's lap to join her sister. In Sango's arms was Isas, whose scrunched face suggested that he had just finished crying, a situation Shippo was happy to miss.

"Shippo, you're here," Sango wiped her eyes, "Did you bring the food."

"Uh- yeah, I left them at the door. What's wrong, Sango? Did something happen?"

Sango shook her head. With gentle care, she rubbed Isas's cheek with her thumb as her two daughters looked up at her, almost as if watching to see if they should keep crying with her. Shippo could see she was trying to hold her tears back, but a single tear fell from her eyes, and Airi and Aimi immediately continued to cry.

Shippo placed a hand on Sango's arm and peered over to study Isas. From what he could see, Isas seemed as healthy as ever, minus the red tone of his skin. There was a sliver of worry within Shippo, who wondered if something had happened to the baby, but he couldn't determine what. As if sensing his apprehension, Sango answered without him needing to ask.

"Isas is fine. I just had a little breakdown, that's all."

"About what?"

She paused, pursed her lips, and shook her head. Shippo only sat beside her, waiting for an answer she wasn't sure she could give. So much anxiety and dread had burrowed their way into her, and she could find no reasons to refute them. Their source was so valid and unquestionable and knowing what dangers were to come made Sango almost hate those around her who were pushing her and her family to leave with them. How could she ever be okay with having her family in danger?

"They're coming with us. My children." Her eyes were filled with worry and love as she looked down at them, and they, in turn, looked up at her. Aimi's hand rose up and collected a tear that had stilled on Sango's cheek.

"Don't cry, mama."

"Yeah. Don't worry. We're strong."

"And you and daddy will take care of us."

This brought another fit of weeping to Sango, who covered her eyes with her hand and lightly sobbed out her suppressed anguish. Shippo did not know. He hadn't even thought of it. He guessed he just assumed that they would remain here, but now knowing that they would be traveling with them, across harsh roads where demons and bandits laid about, and against a monster who had destroyed his home; Shippo understood Sango's plight, and he too was gripped by despair.

~ • • ~

Kagome was upset. That has to be it, She told herself, That has to be why I don't have control over my power. I just need to calm...down… She took a deep inhale, which seemed to do the opposite of its intended purpose and instead fanned the flame of anger that swirled inside her.

"Dammit!"

"Lady Kagome, it's fine-"

"It is not fine! I'm supposed to be able to heal you and I can't because I can't control the outflow of my power! What part of that is fine?!"

"Do not worry so much. Just give it time. You should be happy to have your powers back."

"Lot of good it does me. I don't have my powers, and I'm useless. I get my powers back, and I'm still useless!"

Miroku sighed. "You are not useless. Perhaps your powers need to readjust."

"I guess."

Awkwardly rising to avoid placing pressure on his injured leg, Miroku stood and passed his hand through his hair. "Sango will be waiting. We still have to finish packing."

"Oh yeah. I kinda need to do that too. Haven't even started considering I had no idea."

"Kagome-"

"Don't even say it. I don't want to hear his name."

Miroku sighed again. He hesitated briefly, debating on whether or not to depart with parting words, but given her current demeanor and the approaching visitor, he thought better of it and left. It was an odd habit he had, one derived from distrust, that he would hold his breath when he walked past Lord Sesshomaru and subsequently wonder each time he did so if Lord Sesshomaru was aware of his lack of breathing. Regardless, he did not see himself shaking off this particular habit.

When Sesshomaru approached Kagome, she was startled and gave a little jump. His silver tongue wagged with delight, eager to give her a light chastisement, but as he was greeted by her ireful glare and dismissive back-turn, he swallowed his words and roused a bitterness that rivaled her own.

"I suspect you've been too busy playing to learn anything about the stone."

"Excuse me!" Kagome turned and jabbed her finger at his armor plated chest, "You don't know anything about what I've been doing, so how about you just mind your own business!"

"The stone is my business, priestess."

She scowled at him. One second. Two seconds. And she looked away, unable and unwilling to stare at him much longer. She might as well have pulled out his pride and slapped it silly; her ignorance of him scorned him so. A gentler man would have silenced himself, but Sesshomaru was not gentle and he was bristled with an impulsive spite.

"Useless as always." He spoke coldly. The words meant nothing to him, spoken out of an odd emotional compulsion as they were, but witnessing the quick jerk of Kagome's shoulders, her back hunching and a hand rising in defense, as though he had just struck her in the abdomen, he felt the rot of regret. He pressed his tongue against his fangs as the regret brought forth rage. Whether that rage was towards himself or the priestess he did not know, and as that rage scratched at his control, he could taste salty copper lace his mouth.

As she had done with him, so he did to her, and he pulled his gaze away from her with an aggressive jerk that implied the same ignorance she had graced him with. Even more so, he began to leave her, standing there alone with balled up fists and a hurtful glower, emotionally damaged and disdainful of him for reasons he did not know. A waste of time cried his cold logic, but a confused and turmoiled need to understand what he had done was the plea of his curiosity.

"The two-tails will arrive before the end of this day," he said stoically, so his words were neither cruel nor kind, "Should you require assistance packing, Jaken will help you."

It was enough to shake off a pound from his ton heavy guilt, but that pound allowed him to freely walk away without giving her another glance.

It was a different story for Kagome, who wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or yell, but eventually settled on being exhausted. Her whole body felt heavy, as though she had been pulled out from nearly drowning in the ocean. In her best efforts, she still felt invisible eyes on her, hungry and vile eyes staring at her as though she were a delicacy roasting on a fire. She felt them over her shoulder, by her ear, and a distance away all the same. And when she felt overcomed by a negative emotion, she thought she could hear a starving growl echoing behind her. She heard it now, hiss-graaaa-hessss.

Useless was exactly what she was, and now she was plagued with insanity while being sane. Was something watching her? Aside from her paranoia, she couldn't sense anyone's aura.

Kagome shook her head, but though she attempted to push aside her paranoiac thoughts, there was yet another that left her upset and saddened. At this moment, there was nothing she could say other than she hated Sesshomaru. Only on the receiving end of his moderate kindness, she had never been a true victim of his words until now. The vicious beast. Had she only known his true possibility for malice before. Always quick to the witty draw, she had never suspected, never fathomed, that there was a sleeping monster beneath that he held back. But when Sesshomaru wanted to hurt someone, truly hurt them, he knew just where to hit to make them crumble with words alone. Useless as always. She was.

Caught up in her depressive thoughts, Kagome absentmindedly had slipped her hand into her pocket and clasped the stone. She rubbed her thumb across the rigid carvings, felt the icy, smooth texture of the center stone, and again was at a loss as to what it was. No better off than she was before, she made her way to the village with the intentions of packing and stopping by to see Rin. Perhaps she would hold clue since she had barred markings similar to that of the stone.

That's it for right now! Favorite, Follow, and Review (they really help me out and I love seeing what y'all have to say) and I'll see y'all in a few weeks :))