The air was crisp and cold beside the river but there was little choice. A campfire of blue flame warmed their immediate vicinity. Despite the lack of smoke, their position was in great danger of being discovered. Yuki's natural form was taller than the trees surrounding them. There was a great crack whenever the puppy raced towards a tree for fun or used his great jaws to rip one from its root. The boy's anxiety had driven him to mark every tree in their area. It was pungent.
Airi sat quietly studying her clean hands. Once the girl had calmed down, Miroku had carefully cleaned her mouth and hands. The patch of dead, poisoned earth in the clearing carried the smell of poison on the wind which occasionally blew their way.
"Sesshomaru will be really proud!" Rin continued. "Won't he, Kohaku? You were so brave! You helped Kagome stop that girl. You saved us!"
"Y-yeah, that's right." Kohaku rubbed his side when Rin elbowed him.
The hanyou girl was still unconscious and resting on the grass. Sango had helped Kagome rifle through the girl's pockets. With their children safely settled in Kohaku's lap, the research continued about their mystery assailant. Unable to deny her curiosity, Kagome's fingers gently brushed the dark ears atop her head. A woodsy scent clung heavily to her clothing. Sango noted the quality of her armor, flexible yet strong. The material was foreign to her. Kagome gasped when she withdrew her husband's robe of the firerat from within. She clutched it firmly to her chest.
Oh, Inuyasha, please be safe!
"No fangs, no claws?" Sango continued. She removed a decent dagger from the girl's hip. A slim silver whistle on a chain was round her neck.
"Is she human or hanyou?" Kagome frowned.
"All hanyou have some signs of their heritage." Sango gestured at her ears. "I have never seen one able to bind youkai to her command or purify a miko's barrier!"
"The arrows she shoots are spelled. Look." Miroku brought the quiver forward. Tapered wooden arrows fletched with red bird feathers rested within. Small markings had been carved along the softwood. Kagome accepted one slim, pale arrow to admire. The workmanship was skillful. Sango could make her own arrows but they were pragmatic. She still relied on either Sango or Kohaku to replenish her own.
"Do we dare touch her bow?" Miroku gestured.
"I will." Kagome rose. The dark, carved bow was resting on the grass. Her hand hesitated over the grip before she lifted it. The weight was greater than she expected. She also sensed a greater magic woven into the wood. She pulled on the bowstring and found it perfectly thin and abnormally taut. She found it difficult to draw it enough to bend the limbs. It was a beautiful piece, polished and cared for.
"Miroku? Can you pull this string?" Kagome passed the weapon into his hands. The young, healthy man was able to pull the bowstring farther. His arm trembled slightly with the effort. "This girl is stronger than a normal human if she can wield that."
"Kagome, look at this!" Sango unfolded a piece of leather. Several pieces of parchment were protected against the elements. Miroku took the longest piece while she accepted the busiest. They were silent as they digested the writings. Miroku easily offered his page to her when the focus became clear. She laid the pages on the leather parchment in formation. The largest in the center. The cleanest on the left. Miroku helped her follow the sketching. Bokuseno was drawn in perfect detail. The massive root system connected to him was imperfect but growing in clarity.
"What does she want with that tree?" Sango exhaled sharply.
"It's a map. Looking for something, perhaps?" Miroku gestured. "The land sits in an old forest. An artifact might be buried beneath his roots."
"An artifact that requires enslaving clans of youkai? Kidnapping children." Sango glared at the rendering as if she could intimidate the ink into confession. "Did you really see Sesshomaru's mother?"
"They're pinned to the tree like Inuyasha. It looked like her."
"A mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother." Miroku brushed his knuckles under his chin. "Sesshomaru's female kin, three generations."
"Why are they so focused on Sesshomaru? His kids, his family..." Kagome gripped the robe closer to her chest. Inuyasha's scent still clung to the heavy fabric. Possessive anger surged in her chest as she imagined the girl stealing from her husband. What right did she have to his father's heirloom?
"How did Tukiyo get stuck to Bokuseno? Everyone says she's clever." Kohaku interjected.
"Maybe her allies betrayed her, shot her when she wasn't on her guard." Miroku paused. "Though it does beg the question how long she has been imprisoned. The spirit trapped in that stone is dead and buried."
"Kagome!" Shippo's sudden call interrupted their research. He ducked behind Kohaku as the energy around their captive flared to life. Kohaku darted to pass the infants into Rin's arms. Kagome sucked in her breath as the giri's hands extended suddenly. The blunt nails on her fingers sharpened and lengthened. Red, wicked pupils filled her open eyes as she hissed. Kohaku pressed his knee on her shoulder. Miroku rolled forward with a sutra in hand. The girl's lips retreated in response to the flesh burning on her forehead. Their worries deepened when the wound marring her leg began to knit back together.
"Kagome, the bow!" The carved weapon began to wobble of its own accord. A fearsome, unnatural blue light poured around it like smoke in thin wisps. Its dormant energy burst into awareness. She extended her hands toward it and summoned her reiki. Pink light glowed forth. Purple shadows colored the ground in circles. The bow's markings filled with light. The bow is drinking up my reki! What should I do?
"She's out!" Miroku watched the bow clatter into unremarkable silence. Kagome rested her hands on her knees to catch her breath. The girl's body was limp; her hands looked human again. Miroku tousled his hair curiously with a frown on his face.
"The ears are gone?" Kagome peered forward. "Like Inuyasha!"
"Yes." Miroku dragged a tired hand over his face. A prominent frown deepened in his brow. She rested a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. So this girl IS a hanyou.
"Aah!" Kagome jumped when the girl's eyes opened. Miroku leaned back with force. Clear white surrounded blue irises. Her hands lifted, free, to push herself upwards. Miroku's sutras fluttered to the grass harmlessly. The monk's hands were too slow to react when the girl's fist met with his face, knocking him to the ground.
"Wait, wait, wait...stop!" Kagome lifted up her hands when the girl's hand curled into a fist. Angry blue eyes met hers. It saved Miroku for another moment. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Get away from my bow!" The angry exclamation startled her. "I'll hurt your friend if you don't. Step away!"
"Not until you get away from him!" Kagome yelled back. Miroku rubbed his jaw as he reclaimed his feet. The pouting hanyou girl kept her fists at her sides. Without the inhumanly red eyes or dog ears, the thin girl was physically unimposing. Her body was too thin to suggest strength. Unkempt black hair puffed around her cheeks. A single tiny foot stomped against the thin grass in an impotent gesture.
This girl is young than I am! She's barely a teenager!
"How old are you?" Kagome heard the disbelief in her own voice.
"That's none of your business!" The pitch confirmed her suspicions. The pubescent girl brushed her bangs aside with an air of forced haughtiness. Her armor was expertly fashioned, but the girl's bearing was adverse. Her attempts to carelessly command their fear were improvised at best. Miroku's casual battle stance was better, his weight balanced to shift quickly to the side. Kokaku's slightly bent knees were angled towards the girl for maximum speed.
This girl has a lot of raw power but she's young. The other miko must be the one in charge, Seijun. This girl is probably brainwashed into serving that jerk, like Tsubaki tricked those twin priestesses. There might still be a chance to help her see what she's done, the people she's hurt.
"Seijun isn't a good person. Why are you helping her?" Kagome schooled her tone into the same scold she used when Shippo played a particularly mean trick on Inuyasha. She planted her hands on her hips and stood tall. "Didn't your mother teach you any manners? You should be ashamed!"
"I-you..." The girl flushed. "Shut it! Who asked you anything?"
"What is your name?" Miroku commanded. "You've caused us enough trouble. We deserve to know your name. You certainly know us."
"I don't answer to humans!" The girl tossed her hair back.
"You are human, baka!" Kohaku's foot gradually shifted.
"Someina, Naoyuki!" The girl ignored them completely. She set her attention on the youkai watching warily. "We're returning to the magnolia immediately! Gather these humans." Inhuman eyes moved between their former captor and Kagome, but they did not instantly spring into action. Their enemy ordered them a second time but her voice lacked the resonant quality from earlier. Can she even command her army while she's human? Perhaps she is still weak from the poison.
"Didn't you hear me? I command you!" The girl's voice grew in volume but not power or authority.
A tingling at the edge of her senses caused Kagome to look toward the forest. The approaching aura of a youkai caused her to gasp. In the corner of her eye, she saw the younger miko dart towards her bow. Kohaku was fast enough to kick the weapon out of reach. The girl danced out of his reach, intent on reaching the curved wood, and gave the young taijiya the chance to grasp her arm. A sharp, quick punch to his ribs glanced to the side. Kohaku grabbed her wrist and turned the appendage away from himself. The girl released a shriek that took him off guard and drove her knee into his groin. A second knee to his chin as he fell forward left him in shock on the ground.
"Oi, stop!"
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out in happiness as she saw her husband darting through the canopy. Inuyasha dashed past her in a red blur. The girl dove for her bow.
A powerful barrier erupted in their midst. Inuyasha clashed against its skin with a pained yell. She kneeled next to him as he pushed himself to his elbows. Sparks played along his skin. Still, she couldn't help wrapping her arms around his shoulders for a brief hug. The smell of ash and smoke completely negated his clean, woodsy scent. His snowy hair had been tinged gray with charcoal. Inuyasha's safe! Safe, but filthy. He found us.
"You damn brat, I said stop!" Inuyasha patted her arm. He rolled to his feet and scowled at the teenage girl. "Why are you attacking Bokuseno?"
"Where's my Stone?" The girl yelled back. The thin veneer of command in her voice was dangerously close to breaking. Inuyasha's could be intimidating at the best of times, but he was unusually aggravated.
"It's not yours, stupid!" Inuyasha slapped his hand against the barrier. Sparks erupted at the contact. "Quit it with this barrier, already. Why are you attacking us?"
"You attacked me first!" The girl glared back.
"You attacked ME first. Fuck!" Inuyasha swore harshly. "You dropped a castle out of the sky. You're out of control, kid. I don't understand any of this shit!"
"I don't have to explain anything!"
"Drop the barrier, Misaki!" Inuyasha slammed his palm against the barrier. More sparks floated to the ground below. The girl's eyes went wide. A shocked silence fell onto the group as the girl's cheeks reddened. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
Misaki?
"Misaki?" Kagome repeated. Her husband's ears swiveled in her direction. "Are you crazy? Misaki's over there, Inuyasha!" The adorable, dog-eared baby in Rin's arms kicked her legs. Her mouth was moving clumsily as she prepared to call for him.
"I don't know how to explain it. Misaki!" Inuyasha commanded.
The girl's mouth trembled under Inuyasha's anger. They watched in amazement as she lowered her outstretched palms. The barrier faded. Her chin lowered so that her bangs covered her eyes. Inuyasha shifted his weight uncomfortably. He exhaled when the girl's cheeks became wet and she wiped them away.
"Inuyasha, she can't be your daughter!" Miroku shook his head. "It must be a trick."
Inuyasha ignored his friend's astonished protests as he stepped forward. The girl peered at him from her bangs. His head tilted to the side before he exhaled through his nose. That seemed to be the invitation she needed to bind her arms around his waist. The force of her movement sent him back a step. Her shoulders shuddered violently.
Oh, Inuyasha.
Kagome stepped closer. The girl's dark head was bowed forward, hidden from view. His amber eyes were solemn. He shook his head slightly to dismiss the way her hands dipped into the cuts of his shirt. She squeezed Inuyasha's arm as she peered closer. His wounds were covered in layers of filth. The last thing he needed was a nasty infection.
Her hand hovered over the girl's dark head. Inuyasha's fingers closed around her wrist. She understood the warning in his eyes. That's right. We don't understand what's going on. If she IS Misaki, something went terribly wrong. What could possibly be worthy of all the things she's done? Attacking her own family, enslaving others to her command...This could be another ploy to catch us off guard, gain our trust, then attack. She let Seijun knock me unconscious! Who would stand by and let someone hit their own mother?
Misaki's voice was muffled against his shirt.
"What was that?" Inuyasha's ears flicked.
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry!" Misaki's hands twisted in the fabric. His eyebrows came together in a dark V-pattern.
"What's going on? Talk, kid."
"I'm sorry, Papa." Her grip on his waist tightened. Her husband yelped as reiki suddenly arched along his skin. He instinctively took a step backwards.
"Stop. You're killing him!" Kagome tried to pry her hands open. Inuyasha was in too much pain to resist. The magic was a heady mix of reiki and youki, blended together in a single dose of poison. It was enough to make her nauseous. Inuyasha was vulnerable to both. Her husband fell unconsciously in a smoking heap. She fell next to him.
"He's alive. Inuyasha!" She patted his face.
"Don't!" Misaki's angry voice was directed elsewhere. The others were preparing for another round of battle.
"Why would you hurt him? He was trying to help you!" Anger surged in her breast. She stood, shaking, at Inuyasha's feet. "If you're really my daughter-"
"I'm trying to fix things!" Misaki's voice broke. "I've tried to keep you out of the way, but you keep interfering! You just can't leave things alone, can you? Always trying to save people, always putting Papa in danger!"
"This is about me?" Kagome ignored the feeling in her gut at the spite directed towards her.
"Fix what?" Miroku interrupted.
"Her need to save people, take a villain and make them your friend!"
"What happened! What's broken?" Miroku repeated.
"Papa!" Misaki trembled. A heavy, long silence hung in the clearing. The conversation played in her mind several times as she tried to make sense of the words. The anger in those blue eyes was directed at her. Her daughter's heavy breathing, the stiffness in her jaw, her battle stance...
Inuyasha used to act the same way about his mother. Defensive. Ashamed.
"Inuyasha died?" The words cut her deeper than she imagined.
"And it's all your fault!" Reiki crackled along her fingertips. The angry, pink glow earned apprehension from the youkai. A sphere of energy washed over them, bombarding them with reiki and youki. She tried to raise a barrier as quickly as she could but severe nausea hit her. She tried to summon her reiki to protect herself.
My baby, Inuyasha...I can't move!
Misaki collected her bow from the ground. Kagome watched as Miroku fought and failed to stay conscious. Her body trembled with the effort to stay upright. She could only watch as her daughter approached and cracked the bow over her head.
"Hello? Can you hear me?" A kindly voice beckoned. Miroku groaned. "You must wake up, dear. Wake up!" A soft hand patted his face. He barely opened his eyes to see a fair woman with a kind face leaning over him. She smiled. "Just unconscious, then. Are you able to stand?"
"Mom, the baby has dog ears, like Inuyasha's!"
"Gently, dear." The woman helped him to a sitting position. She brushed her hands against his shoulders to shake the dust loose. Warm, brown eyes comforted him...somehow. The others sat in various states of confusion and consciousness. Sango waved at him gently. The piercing cry of two wailing infants made his headache worsen. He grimaced.
"You must be Miroku-sama." The kindly woman smiled. His eyes widened as he realized the woman's kimono stopped at her knees. The rest of her attire was strange as well. Her shoes were leather with wide stitching too identical for manual workmanship.
"Mama, the baby!" A teenage boy cast him into shadow. Baby Misaki squirmed in his awkward grip. The matron extended her arms for the unhappy girl. He watched as happiness consumed the woman's concern as the baby was soothed with gentle rocking.
Kagome. Inuyasha.
"Kagome-sama? Inuyasha!" Miroku's head swam as it swiveled. Gone.
"They're gone." The teenage boy gestured. "Inuyasha told us to wait for him but we saw the lights. This is his daughter, right?"
Misaki. She took her parents...why?
"What beautiful eyes! Doesn't she look like Kagome?" The matron beamed. "These ears. Who else could you be?" The woman's fingers gently stroked the baby's brow. Her index finger brushed against the fur lining of one dog ear. The warmth and love on her face shone through plainly.
"You're Kagome's mother." Miroku blinked. Kagome has her mother's smile. He immediately bowed his head in respect.
"You're Kagome's mother?" Shippo's voice pitched.
"Isn't she lovely, Souta?" Kagome's mother tickled the infant's belly. Misaki's face brightened; she kicked her legs.
"She's cute, Mom."
"Souta. That's her brother's name!" Sango's voice pitched. "You're Kagome's family from the other side of the Well."
"How did you get here?" Miroku watch Rin and Kohaku edging closer. Even the twins were interested in the newcomers. He was glad to see that Yuki had transformed back into his human masquerade. It would make travel easier. Someina and Naooyuki were still recovering from the miko's reiki.
The boy, Kagome's brother, patted the pockets of his strange hakama. Miroku's eyes widened as the boy revealed the strange, dark stone from Tukiyo's castle. The Meidō Stone did not shine in the daylight.
"Inuyasha appeared out of nowhere. This rock reacted when we looked into the Well." Souta shrugged. "One moment we were at the shrine, the next we were in the middle of a forest. Inuyasha's brother took off somewhere and we came to find Kagome. We couldn't keep up with Inuyasha so he told us to wait."
"May I?" Miroku extended his hand. The small, cool stone rolled out of Souta's grip easily enough. There was nothing extraordinary about the little rock, not even a spiritual emanation. There was no activity from within, no defenses.
A clever little thing. I wonder what its connection to the Bone Eater's Well means.
"You were holding the Stone? Please be specific."
"Inuyasha wanted to look at the Well. I leaned over the edge and it slipped out of my pocket. There were lights and we were floating...then we were here."
The Stone activated the Well on its own. Is that sentience?
Miroku closed his eyes and ignored the increased chatter as the others began to ask more questions. He cleared his mind, calling on years of meditative training. He opened his senses completely to the spiritual energies around them. He was surprised to sense nothing from Kagome's mother, given her daughter's impressive abilities. The Stone was still quiet but carried a small spiritual charge.
The Stone, the Well...they chose to bring Kagome's family to this era. The Well summoned Kagome alone the first time. There must be some purpose, some connection that we're missing. Kagome frees Inuyasha from the Goshinboku. Kagome shatters the Shikon Jewel and together they defeat Naraku. Their daughter is born with reiki and youki, granddaughter of the Inu no Taisho, daughter of the Shikon miko. A woman that can travel through time. A force to be reckoned with.
"We need to find my sister!" Souta crossed his arms.
"Sango and the children can't go into battle. We have to take them somewhere safe." Kohaku gestured towards his pregnant sister. "Bokuseno is surrounded by dozens of youkai who will attack on command. They're dangerous. Can you even fight?"
"We can't just sit back while Kagome is endangered!"
"If you can't fight, you'll just be in our way. We should split into two parties. Take your mother and the girls back to Kaede's village."
"No way!"
"We would never make it." Sango interrupted. "The distance is too great."
"We're sitting ducks here! Four kids, two women that can't fight, two injured youkai under a curse. We have to regroup."
Miroku watched Sango run a hand over her stomach. The quarreling boys were interrupted by Rin, who insisted on finding Sesshomaru. His wife's discomfort spoke volumes. He tucked the Meidō Stone into his robes. Sango shifted when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She swallowed but did not protest his concern.
"Is it the child?"
"I don't think I would make it to our village." Sango responded quietly. He rested his forehead against hers briefly. Their son squirmed happily enough against his mother.
"We should find shelter. Someina!" Miroku interrupted the others before they could continue. "Sango needs to rest. Could you scout the area, find somewhere safe?"
"Is the baby ok?" Rin turned on her heels. Knocked out twice by a miko duel-wielding competing branches of magic. On the run from murderous youkai with a mysterious agenda. Magical portals choosing who will and won't travel through time.
"We need to recover from our injuries. Please?" Miroku urged. The dazed kitsune nodded without further argument. He watched the woman race into the woods. Naoyuki rubbed at his neck tiredly.
Inuyasha and Kagome will have to defend themselves, for now.
A small, abandoned traveler's shelter was discovered farther into the woods. The shallow pond nearby would be enough to water them for a few days. The little shelter was hardly large enough for a hermit or monk, but it was protection from the sun, privacy for Sango. Miroku thanked Someina on the little wooden bench outside. Kagome's mother helped Sango up the little steps and inside. Rin packed Kagome's abandoned yellow back with its handful of remaining supplies.
"I can go after them. I would be the fastest." Kohaku exhaled. "I cannot help Sister, but I could help Inuyasha and Kagome."
"Find Dad!" Airi pulled on his robes. "Find him."
"I'm sure Sesshomaru is headed for Bokuseno. I might be able to meet him there." Kohaku nodded. "He might need assistance when the fighting gets messy. Sango needs you here. Someina or Naoyuki could be turned against us. I have to go alone." Their martial assets were injured or incapacitated.
"I can help, Miroku!" Shippo perched on Naoyuki's wide shoulders.
"Any youkai can become her pawn. The kit should not go." Someina crossed her arms.
"Who does not matter unless you have a way to stop that creature." Naoyuki's voice boomed. "The older one is physically weak, but knowledgeable. The girl's rage makes her powerful."
"She doesn't need more captives. Do you have any ideas?" Someina gestured at his robes. He sat down tiredly on the narrow steps. He pushed a tired hand through his hair as he considered their situation. The cool wind rustling the trees reminded him of the setting sun. Baby Misaki and Hitomu were stirring to make their needs known. They were too far from the village to consult with the wise Kaede. None of their other allies would be available in time; Kouga was deep in the mountains and Rōyakan never settled in one place. Not that they would be effective against this particular enemy. The grown Misaki would be decades older than them. Presumably, she understands her parents' weaknesses. She knows our strengths and faults. Without Kagome's powers or the Tetsusaiga, we cannot enter the barrier around Bokuseno.
"Why is she so angry?" Souta frowned.
"The girl despises youkai in any form. She desires power over them." Someina rolled her eyes.
"Haven't all of her attacks been against the village?" Shippo's tail twitched. Innocent green eyes begged him for clarity. "They sent those men to attack us. She sent that bird to kill Yuki! They sent Naoyuki to-"
"Not the village. Sesshomaru." Miroku judged the words as he spoke. "Her feud isn't with her parents or the village. This has something to do with Sesshomaru. She interfered with his children and even his mother. Buy why? I don't see the logic."
"What's the connection to Bokuseno? What could she want from him?"
"She said that she wanted to 'fix things'. Inuyasha." Rin clasped her hands together.
"Misaki yelled at her mother. She blames Kagome for his-" Kohaku hesitated. "There must be something else. If she's from another time, how did she get here? Is the Well still closed?
"Inuyasha tried to jump in the Well. It didn't work." Souta frowned.
"Is there any way past the barrier?" Miroku pressed. "Anything at all? How have you been doing her bidding, crossing back and forth?"
"The miko permits us to pass." Naoyuki waved his hand dismissively.
"What can we do? We have to save Kagome!" Shippo's eyes welled up with tears.
"Houshi-sama?" Rin appeared in the doorway.
Sango's hair was disheveled, her hands covering their child protectively as he joined her. Her hand joined his, interlocking the fingers of his right hand with hers. He bent his head to press his lips to the curve of her wrist carefully, admiring the hidden strength in her limbs. Their children would learn well from their mother, his independent slayer, his love.
"A bit of exhaustion, I think, the dear. It's no wonder, after today." Kagome's mother clicked her tongue against her teeth. The scent of something herbal and warm rose as she stirred a small bowl. Miroku noted her missing sweater tucked neatly beneath Sango's head. "I knew that Kagome would edit her stories so that I wouldn't worry. If her Grandfather knew-perhaps for the better, that he doesn't. His health isn't what it was, of course, and I fear his heart would strain. Here, now. Drink."
Miroku supported his wife upwards. He silently watched for signs of pain. The movement of the child in her abdomen was comforting.
"Is the child coming?"
"Perhaps. I know she is tired. The pains might quiet." The matron's voice was soft, comforting. "If they continue, the child will be early, but only by a little, so there is every hope. The baby has already turned into the birthing position."
Sango, forgive me.
"Is there a plan? What can we do about Kagome?" Sango interrupted. He met her soulful brown eyes with chagrin as she sought answers.
"I don't know. I don't know, Sango." He lowered his face into his hands. Shame overcame him at his helplessness. He closed his eyes but his mind was tired. Inuyasha had saved them countless times, from impossible situations, and he was out of ideas. Sango and his children were in peril amidst an impossible war between a battle miko and a raging Daiyoukai. As fast as he could run, it would take hours to reach Bokuseno, hidden behind a barrier he could not breach. Leaving Sango to chance fate with an early baby far from her home.
A slender, warm arm descended on his shoulders.
"Forgive me, I wasn't thinking. You must be at your wit's end." Soft, slow fingers brushed his hair behind his ear. "A young father amidst this chaos. Stay with your wife and comfort her. I will think of a way to save Kagome. You both need rest."
"Do you have reiki?" Sango asked quietly. Her voice thrummed with hope.
"My late husband was the descendant of shrine keepers. Kagome must follow in his path." The woman sighed as memories resurfaced. "His father, Kagome's grandfather, carries sutras and kindly offers to exorcise homes for free, but Inuyasha has often proved they don't work."
"I will think of something." Miroku rubbed at his temple.
"Rest. We will find a way."
Miroku pushed his hands through his hair in an obsessive manner. The sun was setting over their makeshift camp. Kohaku's repetitive action of tossing and catching his knife by its handle was beginning to wear on him, a judgment of his uselessness. Naoyuki and Someina were patrolling the surrounding forest for signs of danger. Yuki and Airi were arguing in circles about trivial things. Kagome's brother was rocking his sleeping niece; her ears flickered gently, the very image of an innocent.
How could such a beautiful baby become such a twisted, vicious creature?
Rin stepped past him carefully as she boiled more water on their fire. The blue, smokeless flames Shippo managed were sufficiently hot enough to boil. The teenage girl smiled at him but he ignored her.
"How long does it take a baby to be born?" Souta broke the silence.
"Hours and hours, right?" Shippo blinked at Rin.
"First babies take the longest. They're all different." Rin shrugged. "Once it starts, there's nothing you can do until it's born."
"Stupid." Airi announced definitively.
"Not stupid!" Yuki stuck his tongue out.
"Thank you." Rin bobbed her head forward when Kohaku poured the hot water from the kettle into its bucket. Steam wafted upwards from the aged wood, something they had cleaned and recovered from the shelter. She set her hands on her hips.
"So that tall guy in white, that's really his brother?" Souta continued. "They didn't seem to have much in common."
"They don't really get along. They're half-siblings."
"No wonder Kagome didn't tell us much about him. He's-" Souta stopped as an ominous aura flowed over the area. Miroku snapped to his feet.
"Be prepared for anything!" Kohaku joined him. The intensity of the aura grew more intense by the minute. An impressive jyaki was approaching swiftly in the twilight. Fireflies were beginning to fill the grassy clearing.
The shape of a body appeared in the shadows before something leapt forward, sliding to a stop ahead of them. Grass and dirt and stones sprayed in their direction as the youkai skidded to a stop. The female was petite with long dark hair and an impressive scowl. Her ankle turned out as she pivoted at the waist; her eyes scanned them swiftly with intelligent assessment, devaluing Souta and focusing on Kohaku. The slayer was poised to fight in a relaxed stance, holding his knife at the handle perpendicular to his wrist.
"Name yourself!"
"How peculiar." The girl's mouth turned up at the corner. The response wasn't what he expected. Kohaku did not relent.
"We have no time for games. What do you want?" Miroku asserted. The female's sharp eyes pierced through him. Her hips shifted to face him square on. With a casual toss of her head, she pushed her bangs upward. A familiar crescent moon adorned her skin.
"Another crazy relative?" Shippo squeaked.
The female smoothed her hair into position, seemingly unperturbed by their glares. She smiled and it was breathtaking. Miroku was momentarily distracted by the female's half-turn, highlighting the perfect silhouette of her body. He scanned her form out of habit as she looked towards the forest. A lithe, trim body with a pert, high breasts and a shapely rear. A thin cloth shirt covered her torso. He was almost mesmerized by the long legs on display, accentuated by the short pink fabric that only covered her flesh to her knees.
"What do you want?" Kohaku commanded, but his voice had faltered. What a beauty.
Movement drew their gaze to the forest where a second figure bounded forward. A long, thin youth loomed over them. The girl's chest puffed forward as she beamed victoriously at the male. Miroku's eyes widened as dark, golden eyes met his. A pair of clawed hands reached for his pointed ear in a habitual motion to tweak the golden hoops. The familiarity of the eyes, gold and brooding, stayed his hands. The markings on his face caused him to take a step back.