You take a hit now

Inuyasha let out a shuddering breath as he stared at the small pale orb bobbing before him. Wherever the other souls, if she was actually holding any, went he really honestly didn't care. All he cared about was that this tiny soul went back where it was supposed to. That it would buy him some time. But instead it just stayed put. Bobbing. Waiting. He half-expected it to just sink into the ground or float away but it just stayed there. Mocking him.

"Is the bitch dead yet?" Jiro groaned as he collapsed onto his side and tried to keep from blacking out. Inuyasha nodded almost in a trance but whether Jiro saw, he honestly didn't care. The only dead person he was focused on at the moment was the one he'd managed to fail. Truly fail. This was his fault. All his...

"Okay so you people got the orb, right? Cool," Jiro mumbled incoherently as he rolled onto his back, "Cool. Cool. Imma pass out now I think. So you guys do you..."

Glancing up from the monk, the slayer gave the boy an appraising look before shaking her head and realizing this task was going to be left up to her. Inuyasha would never leave Kagome's body unattended and to say Miroku seemed dazed would be an understatement.

"I'll go look for the soul collector," Sango mumbled tiredly as she stood and hoisted her boomerang on her shoulder, "Inuyasha if you'll..."

"There's no point. She's gone Sango," Inuyasha interrupted softly as he gestured as the small orb before him, "It would've returned to her if it could. Kagome's just...gone..."

"I refuse to believe that's true," the slayer huffed once in frustration, "You have never struck me as the type of man who'd just give up. That isn't..."

"Yeah well you get tortured, almost killed and then have the one person who ever made your life better get fucking murdered because of you and then come talk to me," Inuyasha snapped back half-heartedly as he finally got to his feet and moved, not towards Kagome, but towards Jiro, "I should take this poor bastard back. Kagome's not going anywhere."

"Inuyasha..." Sango chided, "Kagome's soul..."

"If it could return to her, it would," he replied simply as he knelt down and picked up the unconscious boy, "I'm trying to accept this, Sango. She wouldn't want me to...Kagome would want me to help him I think."

"She's not..." Sango argued but he was off before she could finish her sentence.

"Let him go Sango," Miroku opined a few moments later - clearly having some temporary cognitive delays as he blinked sluggishly at her, "I do not believe he is capable of handling this at the moment."

Giving the monk a withering glare, the slayer adjusted her hold on her boomerang and scanned the surrounding forest for signs of life. This wasn't the time for this defeatist attitude. She'd had enough of that type of thinking. For years, she'd all but given up on Kohaku. Her lack of faith in Inuyasha had almost led to his death. This...this was a moment that would forever define their group. She would be damned before she let it be the moment that ruined it.

"I'm going to find her soul," Sango sighed before gesturing at the small orb still hovering in the middle of the clearing, "Keep an eye on that piece."

~o~o~o~o~o~

Inuyasha stared down into the well fighting back the lump in his throat. Now that Kagome was gone, would it even allow him to pass through? Was his connection to her world severed irreparably?

"Kid, are you awake?" Inuyasha mumbled hoarsely and Jiro mumbled some indistinguishable sounds. Inuyasha sighed, "If I can't get through, I want you to yell until someone comes and finds you, okay?"

Jiro maybe nodded and the half-demon figured that was the best he was going to get out of the bastard. It should'nt've ever come down to him. There was no way this kid was capable of doing anything and yeah, while it was weird that he had some type of powers...

Inuyasha furrowed his brow as that particular thought hit him like a ton of bricks. This Jiro-shit had spiritual powers. Powers that carried a scent awful similar to...to...

Blinking rapidly, he stared down at the boy and looked more closely. Yeah, sure, he looked like him for the most part but...but...

No, it couldn't be. He was trying to see things that weren't there. It wasn't like he'd ever seen Miroku produce flames before. The only person he'd ever seen produce flames was Kikyo and he was fairly certain that wasn't miko powers that made that possible. This kid was probably just triggered like Kagome had been when she first came through the well. After all, this poor bastard had probably never been exposed to demons before and if he was spiritually inclined, then it only made sense that he...except...except...

No, he was being stupid. Kagome was gone and he sure as hell didn't plan to stick around much longer. There was no way...no way he would stay around and mate someone else. Even if that would be what Kagome would want him to do. Stupid woman would want him to move on and forget her. Well, maybe not forget but she'd definitely would want him to find someone else and try to be happy. Besides, if...if he did stick around, why wouldn't he have at least warned this poor son of a bitch? That seemed rather selfish to send his spawn into a life and death situation where he knew he'd get hurt. Not that he was actually contemplating the idea that he was related to this asshole but...

Just screw it. Screw it all. He was seeing things that weren't there.

Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and jumped into the well. He was so caught up in his own thoughts it took him an awkwardly long time to realize he'd made it through.

~o~o~o~o~o~

Sango stared sadly at the soul collector cowering against the ground. It's small lean body curled defensively around the orb it had been tasked with protecting. Soul collectors themselves, she knew, were not naturally evil. Their purpose was to help deliver wayward souls into the afterlife. To collect those who had gotten lost en route to their final destination. Kikyo had corrupted the natural order in so many ways. It seemed a shame to kill it but it also seemed like the merciful thing to do. After so many years of being at the undead miko's mercy, perhaps it would never again be able to function as nature intended.

"I need you to return that soul," the slayer murmured as kindly as she could as she took a tentative step towards the small serpent-like creature. It was crucial not to startle it. Startling the poor thing might have it guide Kagome's soul to the next world and then there would be nothing short of begging Sesshomaru to bring it back. And she had a feeling Sesshomaru would not be so inclined.

The serpent flinched and curled up more as it stared at her with those wide black eyes.

"Its not her time," Sango cooed as she took another small step, "I need you to bring it back."

The serpent almost imperceptibly shook its head and seemed to look around for her master. A master that had passed on which would undoubtedly confuse the poor thing even more. A fact that would definitely startle it. Sango cringed.

"Bring her back to where she belongs," she crooned as she knelt down and smiled as convincingly as she could, "It isn't her time."

Curling around the small soul cradled in its tiny arms, the soul collector made a soft 'meep' and shivered. In many ways, the poor thing reminded the slayer of a frightened child that had been lost in a storm and had been found by a someone they weren't familiar with. Perhaps...

"Would it be easier if I carried you back?" Sango asked quietly as she held out her arms. Nostrils flaring, the soul collector seemed hesitantly to trust even as it leaned its small nose towards her. My, what a difference actually knowing demons personally had made. All of her life she was taught they were mindless creatures born of pure evil but how many demons were just hurting? How many demons had she and her family slain that were just confused or lost? When she first joined what she now considered her family, she distrusted (even hated) Inuyasha and Shippo. It had baffled her that the others were so willing to believe they were good and truly there to help. Perhaps that's why she always assumed the word in the half-demon when it came to Kikyo and had been so harsh. Lingering beliefs that he would ultimately betray them all pushing out all reason. A flicker of shame flew through her heart at the thought. How many had she killed that were like him? Just a demon looking for a place to belong and minding their own business. Who had loved. Who had lost. Who had lived in the shadows wishing for a place to belong. An individual just minding their own business who made the mistake of settling down a little too close to a human village. It was only natural for them to defend themselves. It was only natural to be afraid. Yes, getting to know Inuyasha and Shippo had taught her many things she never learned from Kilala alone.

The soul collector slowly unfurled and began soaring hesitantly towards the slayer's open arms before settling down into them and snuggling into her chest. Sango breathed a sigh of relief as she began to walk back towards the miko. Perhaps all was not lost yet.