Chapter 26: Alliances and Encounters

Kagome's pack was walking down the valley path until Kagome felt two jewel shards coming towards. She knew who was coming towards them: Koga. She was getting really tired of Koga's declaration of 'his woman'. She didn't know when that wolf will ever give up. She hoped that Akari was right on Koga giving up on her when he finds out that Masahiro is courting her. She was happy to have Masahiro beside her. She took a glance at him as they walked through the valley. Masahiro glanced at her as well and he smiled softly. Then they held each other's hands and interlocked their fingers together. They both had small blushes on their cheeks. Suddenly, they saw a whirlwind coming towards them. Masahiro quickly got in front of Kagome. The whirlwinds died down and a familiar figure appeared from them: Koga.

"Hey Kagome, how's my woman?" Koga asked with his cheeky grin while his arms were crossed. A irk mark appeared on Kagome's forehead. It was the final straw, no more warnings afterwards for the wolf.

"Koga, for the thousandths time, I'M NOT YOUR WOMAN!" Kagome shouted at Koga. Kagome put her barrier down and let Masahiro's scent drift towards Koga. His eyes widen when he caught the scent.

"Who on Earth is courting you, Kagome?!" Koga exclaimed.

"Prince Masahiro of the Eastern lands." Kagome said.

"B-B-But, why?" Koga asked.

"Because I love him, Koga." Kagome said, confidently. She wasn't afraid to say it. She wasn't afraid to tell anyone that she loves Masahiro. He was the only youkai who loved her for who she is, not for her powers or looks.

Koga turned towards the male who stood next to Kagome. He could easily tell that the male was a dragon youkai. Wasn't Inuyasha's father killed by a dragon youkai? Why would Kagome let a dragon court her?

"He's a dragon youkai, isn't he?" Koga asked, pointing at Masahiro as he gazed at Kagome.

"Hai, what of it?" Kagome asked with her hands on her hips.

"Don't you know that you shouldn't trust a dragon, Kagome?" Koga asked.

"You shouldn't talk about Masahiro like that." Kagome said, narrowing her eyes at Koga.

"He'll betray you once you let your guard down, Kagome. So why don't you come and join my pack and you'll become my woman." Koga said, pointing to himself with his thumb.

"Koga, if you don't stop saying that I'm your woman, I will purify you...try me." Kagome said, holding up her right hand that glowed with reiki. Koga slowly backed away from Kagome when he felt her aura rising in anger.

"So what are you all doing here?" Koga asked, changing the subject.

"We're just passing through." Masahiro said.

"I see." Koga said. Then he noticed Kanna sitting behind Rin on Ah-Un.

"Why the heck do you have one of Naraku's incarnations with you?!" Koga asked, pointing at Kanna who was trying to hide more behind Rin.

"She's part of our pack, Koga. If you try to harm her or Rin in anyway, you will regret that you crossed paths with me." Kagome said as she and everyone else got into a defense stance.

"Alright, I won't." Koga said while putting his palms in front of him in defense.

"Hey Koga, wait for us!"

"Slow down, Koga!"

Everyone turned their heads towards the two voices they heard behind Koga. Kagome and Shippo easily recognized the two beings who were trying to catch up with Koga: Ginta and Hakkaku. The last two wolf demons of his tribe. She knew that the two were always following wherever he went. But they didn't have the same abilities as him. She also knew that they were always exhausted by the time they finally catch up to him.

They stopped right in back of Koga. They bent down at the waist and place their hands on their knees while breathing heavily.

"We finally caught up with you, Koga." Hakkaku said, panting.

"Next time, can't we just walk?" Ginta asked, panting.

"Hey, Ginta, Hakkaku. It's nice to see you two." Kagome said.

"SIS!" Ginta and Hakkaku said at the same time as they ran past Koga and stood in front of her.

"It's great to see you, Kagome." Ginta said.

"We haven't seen you in a while." Hakkaku said.

"Hai, it has been a while." Kagome said.

"Kagome, you know these wolves?" Masahiro asked.

"Hai. We're friendly allies." Kagome said.

"I see." Masahiro said.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing we bumped into you, Koga." Shippo said.

"Why?" Koga asked.

"We need your jewel shards, Koga." Kagome said.

"What?" Koga asked.

"We need them in order to complete the jewel, Koga." Kagome said. Then she held her right hand out, waiting for Koga to give her the jewel shards. Koga sighed and took out both shards from his legs and placed them in Kagome's hand. The shards were instantly purified. Kagome took out her bottle underneath her clothes and placed the shards inside.

"Aren't you going to merge the jewel shards together, Kagome?" Hansuke asked.

"I will. But I want to see my family first." Kagome said.

"Why?" Akari asked.

"I don't know if I'll be sent back to my time or permanently stay in the feudal era after the jewel disappears." Kagome said.

"Good point, Kagome-sama." Kohaku said.

"Well then, we should continue on our way then." Masahiro said.

"Hai!" Tomoe said.

"Koga, Ginta, and Hakkaku." Masahiro said.

"Hai?" The three wolves asked.

"Would you like to join our alliance against my older brother, Shinji?" Masahiro asked.

"Shinji? Isn't Shinji the new lord of the East?" Koga asked.

"Hai. But he killed my parents to assume the throne. If he continues to rule, he'll try to take over the West and possibly the South next." Masahiro said. Then three wolves looked at one another.

"Can you give us a moment or two?" Koga asked.

"Of course." Masahiro said. Then the three wolves went into a small huddle and discussed their future plans. While Kagome's group had their own discussion about their plan.

"Do we really have let them join, Masahiro?" Kagome asked.

"I agree with the miko, dragon. Are you sure it's necessary to bring him and his pack along?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Wolves are good with their fists and feet. Not swords for that matter." Totosai said.

"Well, Bokusenō did say that we would require his help in defeating my older brother. After that, we have to look for Ayame, the white wolf princess." Masahiro said.

"Rin is afraid of wolves." Sesshomaru said. Everyone turned towards Sesshomaru and then Rin who sat nervously on Ah-Un.

"I'm sorry, Rin. I didn't know that you're afraid of them." Masahiro said, feeling guilty. He felt that he should have consulted Rin first before making the suggestion.

"It's okay." Rin said, giving a small smile.

"Don't worry, Rin. I have a few ideas to keep him in check." Masahiro said, smiling at Rin.

"You do?" Rin asked, curious.

"Hai, we'll make sure that they won't harm you." Masahiro said. Then they heard Koga and his pack walking towards them.

"My pack and I discussed about your position of alliance, you have my allegiance to your cause." Koga said, holding his hand out. Masahiro grabbed on it and they shook together.

"Thank you, Koga-sama." Masahiro said, "Before we hit the road, there are a few rules you need to follow."

"What are they?" Koga asked, his brow arched.

"Try to make an advances on Kagome, you will be purified or be slashed into tiny pieces by my claws. If you try to harm Kanna or Rin, you will also be purified or be killed by Lord Sesshomaru's poison claws. Is that clear?" Masahiro asked.

"H-Hai." Koga said, sweat dropping. Ginta and Hakkaku were sweat dropping as well.

Three days later, they had another encounter with someone. Kagome was glad to run into this person while Koga wasn't too happy about it. It was Ayame, the white wolf princess. Kagome knew that Koga didn't want to mate with Ayame. But there was no backing out on their engagement. Tough luck for Koga. She soon appeared in a set whirlwinds in front of the pack.

"Koga, I finally found you!" Ayame said.

"Ayame, I'm not going to be your mate." Koga said.

"I know." Ayame said.

"As I said b-" Koga paused in mid sentence, "Wait, what?!"

"I knew that I could never be a space in your heart or can sense the Shikon jewel shards, so I decided to cancel our engagement. Grandfather has already agreed to my decision." Ayame said, giving a closed eye smile.

"HUH?!" Koga exclaimed while giving an expression that resembled a fish. During the time he's known Kagome, he had told Ayame numerous amount of times that he would only mate a woman who can sense the shikon jewel shards. Now she's saying that she canceled the engagement?! Not only that, Kagome is already being courted by a dragon youkai. He seemed to be having the worse luck with women. He sighed at the thought.

"So you're Ayame the wolf princess, correct?" Masahiro asked, changing the subject at hand.

"Hai and who might you be?" Ayame asked.

"I'm Masahiro, second prince of the Eastern Lands." Masahiro said.

"The second prince? I thought Shinji was the only child sire by the Eastern lord." Ayame said, her brow arched.

"Technically, I wasn't really acknowledged that much by my father." Masahiro said, "My brother has killed both of my parents in order to assume the throne."

"That's a horrible to do." Ayame said, her green emerald pupils shaking while holding her fist to her chest. She couldn't believe that the heir of the Eastern lands would do such a thing. From she had heard the Eastern Lord was trying to make peace with all of the humans in his kingdom. But now, his eldest son is destroying his father's goal of peace. It was unforgivable.

"Ayame, will you join our alliance?" Masahiro asked.

"Huh?" Ayame asked.

"We need all the help we can get in order to defeat my older brother. If we don't defeat him, he'll do the unspeakable." Masahiro said while clenching his left fist, "I don't want that to happen to anyone."

Ayame stared at the second prince of the Eastern lands. She could easily tell that he hated his older brother. An older brother who would just about anything to make anyone's life miserable.

"Is Shinji the one responsible for Kaira who was kidnapping the village women in the far east?" Ayame asked.

"Hai. But I don't know what else he'll do next since Naraku is dead." Masahiro said.

"Naraku is dead?" Ayame asked, shocked.

"Hai, we defeated him." Masahiro said.

"That's a relief. I glad that he's finally gone." Ayame said, sighed in relief.

"Hai, we're glad as well." Masahiro said, "But Ayame, will you join us in defeating my older brother?"

"Hai! I won't let someone like your older brother to rule all innocent beings!" Ayame said.

"Thank you, Ayame-sama." Masahiro said.

"Well then, welcome to the pack, Ayame-chan." Kagome said, smiling at Ayame.

After Ayame had joined the pack, everyone went out hunting for dinner. Since their pack has grown bigger when they ended Naraku. Everyone brought all of their catches together and put them near the fire to cook. Soon enough, Rin was telling everyone of what happened on her travels with Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken intervened a few times when she spoke. They all laughed when Rin told them about putting a whole bunch of flowers on Jaken. Hansuke told stories of Miroku's father and how he and his wife met, which was kind of funny yet romantic at the same time. Suddenly, he stiffened and grew silent. Everyone else was also quiet as well.

"What is it, Hansuke?" Kagome asked.

"We've got company." Hansuke said.

"I don't sense any demons. But I sense a pure aura coming towards us." Masahiro said.

"It's humans. There are about eight of them. But one of them has a powerful aura more than the others." Hansuke said, "It must be a group of monks."

"Lord Sesshomaru, you might want to leave the campsite for now." Kagome said, turning her head towards the Western lord who sat near Ah-Un.

"Why should I, miko?" Sesshomaru asked, his brow arched.

"You didn't have a great encounter with monks before. It would be best that we don't start any trouble." Kagome said, "Please Lord Sesshomaru."

"Hn." Sesshomaru said as he stood up and disappeared into the tree line, hiding his presence. Kagome and others watched as the group of monks got closer to their campsite. Everyone kept a calm composure while the head monk stared at all of them. Tomoe and Kanna sat in Kagome's lap while they clutched onto her. Kagome held them tighter to her chest. Shippo sat on Masahiro's shoulder. Rin sat beside Hansuke while Jaken stood beside Kohaku. Koga, Ginta, Hakkaku, and Ayame sat between Masahiro and Akari. Totosai sat still, but on the inside he was shaking like crazy. Momo didn't react at all at the monk's presence. The children started shivering when the monks entered the campsite.

"Is there something we can help you with, gentlemen?" Hansuke asked. The head monk stared at everyone and then at Kagome.

"Priestess, we meet again." The head monk said, emotionless.

"Hello, Master Ungai. What brings you all the way out here?" Kagome asked.

"I see that you are traveling with even more demons, priestess." Ungai said, eyeing at Tomoe and Kanna. Then Masahiro and the others.

"Does it mean something to you?" Kagome asked, narrowing her eyes at him.

"I don't understand why a pure being like yourself mingles with such dangerous and sinister beings." Ungai said, frowning at Kagome.

"Why does it matter to you anyway? She has her own opinion about demons and you have yours, right Kagome?" Akari asked.

"Hai." Kagome said, nodded at Akari.

"I'm only warning you, priestess, that you shouldn't rely on a demon's help," Ungai said while pointing his staff at her, "You'll only regret it until it's too late."

"None of my friends would bring any harm to anyone and I can be sure of that." Kagome said with a stern look in eyes as she glared at Ungai. He frowned at her declaration. Then he glanced over at Hansuke and Akari.

"What are you staring at?" Hansuke asked.

"You two have a pure, yet demonic power around you." Ungai said.

"What of it?" Hansuke asked, his brow arched.

"It's interesting how two different powers are mixed together into a being that is hated by humans." Ungai said.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but we refused to tell you." Akari said.

"Why won't you?" Ungai asked.

"You don't trust us, so we don't trust you. So there." Akari said.

"Well said, Akari." Hansuke said, smirked. Then Ungai looked over at Rin who sat beside Hansuke.

"You again! What are you doing here with these band of demons?" Ungai asked.

"I'm part of their pack." Rin said, clutching onto Hansuke's sleeve.

"You should be living with humans, not demons." Ungai said. Koga got up and stood in front of Rin and Hansuke.

"If she wants to stay with a pack of demons, then let her. You shouldn't force her of where she should be. It should be her decision." Koga said. Rin looked up at Koga, she never expected for the wolf prince to protect her.

"From what I've heard, you and your followers were easily defeated by Lord Sesshomaru." Hansuke said, smugly while resting his head against his knuckles.

"You know of him?" Ungai asked, turning his attention to Hansuke.

"Hai, Lord Sesshomaru is the demon lord of the Western lands," Masahiro said, "He's someone you cannot easily defeat."

"I already clarified that myself." Ungai said. He hated to admit it that Lord Sesshomaru was a powerful demon. He had never came across one with so much power. That power of his could have killed him and his followers at that time. But now that he thought of it, where was this Lord Sesshomaru? How come he's not in the camp with this group now?

"I say you were foolish enough to challenge him." Hansuke said.

"What do you mean by that?" Ungai said, his brow arched.

"You should've never tried to fight him. He could've killed you." Hansuke said with his eyes closed.

"Hansuke." Masahiro said in an authoritarian tone.

"Hmm?" Hansuke asked with one eye open.

"Please, that's enough." Masahiro said with a stern face.

"Fine." Hansuke said, closing both of his eyes again.

"Master Ungai." Kagome said.

"Hm?" Ungai asked, turning towards Kagome.

"Back when we first met, you wanted to know why I stay with demons?" Kagome asked.

"Hai, I did." Ungai said.

"I stay with them because we need one another and we understand each other." Kagome said as she glanced at everyone. They all smiled at her at her answer. They all felt the same way.

"It's true. We have the same hearts as humans. We both feel love, fear, sadness, happiness, loneliness, and many other emotions. Only the lower are filled with anger and greed. But the higher demons can choose to be evil." Masahiro said.

"That is certainly true, Masahiro." Hansuke said.

"I have a hard time believing that." Ungai said. Hansuke then stood up with his staff in hand.

"That staff?!" Ungai exclaimed. He easily recognized that staff. It was the staff that belong to one of the Kami. How did this man retrieve such a weapon?

"Hai, it's the Hasshōdō staff." Hansuke said.

"That's impossible! Only the staff is given to those who are worthy of such a treasure!" Ungai said in disbelief. He didn't believe that this young man deserved that staff.

"How did you retrieve that staff?" Ungai asked.

"It was given it to me when we went up against Yamata no Orochi." Hansuke said.

"Impossible! There's no way that Yamata no Orochi is still alive!" Ungai said.

"Some foolish demoness revived him on the night of the blood moon." Hansuke said.

"If you're able to handle that staff, then that must mean you have reiki and youki inside of yourself!" Ungai said, shocked.

"That is correct." Hansuke asked.

"Which also means that you are a demon with holy powers." Ungai said. He didn't think he would meet a being that had reiki and youki.

"Correct once more." Hansuke said. Everyone could tell that there was tension in the air between Ungai and Hansuke. They knew that Ungai wouldn't stand a chance against Hansuke since he had the powers of a priest and a youkai.

"Master Ungai, perhaps we should get going. We only came to see where the powerful auras were coming from. Now that we have found them, there's no need to fight them." One of Ungai's followers said. Ungai looked over his shoulder and gazed at his follower. He was right, they only came to investigate, not to fight. Even though he was curious about the one with the Hasshōdō staff. No one has ever seen the staff since it was given to Susanoo as a gift for aiding him in the battle against Yamata no Orochi. But he was also curious about the priestess who is traveling with him. He found it strange that she can get along with all these demons who are different species.

"You're right. We should be on our way. Good night." Ungai said as he tipped his kasa and turned away from the group.

"Before you leave, Master Ungai." Hansuke said. Master Ungai looked over his shoulder and glanced at Hansuke.

"Just want to let you know that sometimes when you are facing a powerful demon that you cannot handle, you will need the help of another powerful demon." Hansuke said.

"I'll bear that in mind." Ungai said. Then he turned and left with his followers behind him.

"That man is scary, Kagome." Tomoe said.

"I agree with you, Tomoe." Shippo said.

"I can't stand that guy. Does he think every demon is evil?" Hansuke asked.

"Like Akari said, we have our opinions and he has his, Hansuke." Masahiro said.

"I suppose you're right, Masahiro." Hansuke said as he watched Ungai and his followers leave until they were out of sight.