Disclaimer: The characters of InuYasha are not mine; they are property of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz. The following story is for entertainment and not profit.
Chapter 11: What You Know…
She had no idea where she was or how much ground she had covered only that she had left her attacker far behind and most likely in a similar state of confusion. Naosu felt her flight slowing as she approached an open field. Her legs ached with fatigue as they came to a stop. 'What possessed me to flee,' she questioned herself, 'and were did I find such speed?'
Before she could take stock of her surroundings, her legs buckled under her weight and sent her crashing to her knees. The snow in the field was deeper than it had been in the forest because of the openness. It was wetter here too, not a dusty skiff, but a thick white blanket. She was tired, but she knew that she had to move. The icy chill of the wet snow was quickly taking over her limbs and moving through her torso. Tucking her arms under her, Naosu bent to rest her head on the wintry blanket. 'Rest. Just a few minutes,' her hypothermic brain whispered to her, 'and then I'll look for shelter.'
"Sesshomaru-sama, watch Rin!" The small girl begged excitedly as she patted the lump of snow in her hands into a rough sphere. He watched her burst into a fit of laughter as the loosely packed ball exploded on impact with an unexpecting Jakken. The small green youki began to jump about franticly as pieces of the icy projectile slipped down the back of his kimono.
"I'll get you for that you little brat!"
"You'll have to catch Rin first." the child giggled taking off across the field with the toad in hot pursuit.
'Rin will nap well this afternoon,' Sesshomaru thought turning from the childish antics. Inhaling the fresh morning air, he caught the scent of something familiar on the shifting breeze. He scanned the snowy expanse before until his eyes came to rest on a tangled mass of black near the edge of the field. Moving towards it at an unhurried pace, he draw his sword in readiness.
As he reached the unmoving mass of hair, large feathery flakes of snow had started to fall once again. Reaching out with the tip of his sword, Sesshomaru moved aside the dark mass to reveal the vibrant red of his personal haori adorning the hunched shoulder. He reached forward, trance-like, to touch it, only to pull back in confusion when it moved away from his hand. The black veil of hair parted to form a loose frame around the face that lifted to him. Her skin was sallow, her lips tinged blue, and her eyes dim and unseeing.
"So cold," The words were only a whisper as she exhaled her lips barely moving.
He felt something within him being pulled to respond to the silent plea in her sightless eyes, but no, he would not stoop to aid one below his position, and yet…
His internal conflict was interrupted as Rin crashed into his chest, her hands becoming tangled in his clothing. "Rin is home-free!" She giggled, turning her head to stick out her tongue at the breathless toad that followed.
"Oh, Sesshomaru-sama, it's the pretty lady that saved Rin from the mean lizard," she smiled as she finally noticed Naosu. "She looks cold. Can we take her home with us?"
Sesshomaru let his gaze fall to the child clinging to his chest and the questioning eyes that looked back at him. He felt her hands release as he shifted to stand, her eyes never leaving him. Her face glowed with delight as he took Naosu's chilled body into his arms. He realized that he would do almost anything to get to look at him that way.
"Come, Rin." He commanded in the gentler tone reserved only for her, as he started back across the field towards home.
Inu Yasha's ears perked as he listened to the sounds of movement from Kaede's hut. Everything had been as he had left it. Naosu hadn't made for the village when she had disappeared. She probably ran off to Naraku, he thought angrily. Even though he hated the idea of her reporting whatever information she had learned to Naraku, he knew that he couldn't leave Kagome without his protection. From his position just outside the doorflap, he could hear Kagome, Sango and Miroku begin the day.
"Where is Lady Naosu this morning?" The monk inquired, noticing her absence.
Kagome smiled. "I'm sure she's not far. She seems to like wandering first thing in the morning. I can sort of understand; the sunrises here are so much prettier than in our time." Miroku nodded, although he wasn't sure how what she said could be true.
"Kagome, do you think that it's possible that Naosu could be one of my descendants?" The question slipped out as Sango stared blankly into the banked coals.
"Even I have noticed similarities in their movements and appearance." Miroku added eying the feminine form he admired.
Kagome stared at her friend as she considered the possibility. But that would mean – "No. I don't think so."
"But even Lady Kaede has told me how much we look alike…" And that would explain why I feel the need to protect her as if she were family, Sango added to herself.
"I think that I should tell you guys something," Kagome sighed sitting herself down between her two good friends, "but you can't let Inu Yasha know, okay?" She added, dropping her voice.
They nodded their agreement and she continued. "We're not sure how or why, not that it means anything anyway, I mean; she hasn't done anything and…" Kagome struggled over the words.
Sango reached for her to reassure the rambling woman. "Just say it, Kagome."
"…Naosu has a spider scar on her back just like Naraku and all his …" Before she could find her voice to finish the sentence the door flap was torn back as Inu Yasha can rushing in, his eyes steeped in red.
"YOU KNEW!"
Sango jumped to her feet to escape his rage, but Kagome remained seated confused and a little scared at his sudden appearance.
"You knew she was working for Naraku and you didn't say anything." He hissed at her through clenched teeth.
"We have no proof that she's working for Naraku -."
"No proof! NO PROOF!" Inu Yasha fought to contain himself. "How's this for proof! I caught her with that little brat, Kanna, getting ready to tell her everything she's learned spying on us." Kagome just stared at him in shock, not sure if she could believe his accusation. "And when she realized that she had been caught in the act, she took off. Back to Naraku, no doubt."
"We have to get her back." Kagome said, trying to ignore the I-told-you-so tone and focus on what he had said.
"Damn right we do! I'm thinking one good whack with Tetsusaiga will do it."
"No! I mean that we have to find her. She's carrying a jewel shard." Kagome braced herself for what she knew was coming.
Inu Yasha exploded, "YOU WHAT!"
"Why did you not say anything earlier, Lady Kagome?" Miroku questioned, his eyes on the hanyou, willing him to calm himself.
"Yeah, Kagome! Why didn't you?" Inu Yasha snapped, ignoring the monks heavy gaze.
"I didn't want to say anything because I don't think that she knows about it, besides, I didn't think that it was all that important – "
"NOT IMPORTANT!" Inu Yasha felt his blood start to boil, how could see be so stupid? "We're only been looking everywhere for them because YOU shattered it. How can you say that it wasn't important?"
Kagome found that she could no longer remain seated. She had had enough of his tirade. "I didn't think that it was important because I knew where it was and removing it would kill her."
"Oh, and we wouldn't want to do that, now, would we, that lying, deceitful, little –"
"No, we wouldn't, Inu Yashsa! We do not go around killing our friends!" She cut him off, lowering her voice so as not to yell at him. "And yes, I still think of her as a friend. What you're said means nothing until I know exactly what you saw. What exactly did you hear, Inu Yasha? I want to know, and not what you think happened of what you think it meant."
They stood, eyes locked, each waiting for the other to back down. With an irritated grunt, Inu Yasha gave, his fear of being 'sat' winning out over his stubbornness. "If that's what it will take to make you believe me that she's not to be trusted then, fine." Dropping to the floor, legs crossed, he began with how he had followed Naosu when she snuck out and all he had heard before Kanna disappeared, purposely leaving out the details of his attack on the older woman. "I jumped down from the tree I was in to confront her and she tossed me and disappeared."
Kagome still couldn't bring herself to believe it, though she did have to admit that it didn't sound too good. Sango shook her head. She just couldn't accept that the woman that she had come to think of as family could really be a part of something she hated.
"If she does indeed possess a shard of the jewel then we need to find her before Naraku does, regardless of whose side she is on." Miroku's voice cut through the silence that had fallen.
Inu Yasha watched as all agreed with the monk and felt himself relax. Even if he hadn't succeeded in convincing them Naosu was evil, he had at least opened them to the possibility, and once they found her, he would make her prove him right. "She's got a pretty good head start on us then, we should leave as soon as possible."
Kikyo stepped over another of the decomposing bodies, the stench of their rotting flesh filling the narrow hallway. She let her eyes sweep over them, feeling nothing. The only think here that held any interested for her was the hanyou that lay in the last room, Naraku. As she approached the heart of his sanctuary, she caught the sound of voices. Parting the sliding screens she spotted the pale child and her mirror replaying a conversation between Naraku and some old man that looked vaguely familiar. Naraku sat against the wall, seemingly enrapt in the images.
"'…for there is one shard of the Shikon no Tama that can bestow on you something more powerful than strength; it can give you knowledge.'
'And how is that, Master Toshihiro?'
'Please, Lord, you have shown me such kindness in allowing me to stay within your home, call me Enshi.'
'Yes, of course. How is that Master Enshi?'
'Well, my Lord, it has the ability to speak, and it knows all that is to happen to you.'
'Where can this speaking shard be found and who must I kill to possess it?'
'You are just as my visions revealed you to be. There is a dry well near the village that last housed the jewel whole, the shard you seek is beyond it. First a maiden and then your blood shall show you the way. I wish my words could be more clear, but visions are a tricky thing, always dealing in riddles.'
'I agree. I shall attempt to find this shard. Thank you, Master, and I insist that you remain as my guest until I return.'
'Thank you, Lord Naraku. I do not know where I would be without you kindness.'"
From the far side of the room, Kikyo continued to watch in silence as the scene in the mirror changed to that of a woman in a familiar wood.
"'If he wants to learn the contents of my mind he will have to come to me himself. Now return to your master and inform him of this.'"
Naraku felt his blood begin to boil every time he watched the girl defy him, and now he didn't even know where she was. He had ordered Kanna to follow her and wait for her to be alone before making 'their move,' but things had not gone as planned. Kanna had been forced to reveal herself early, and then the woman had disappeared during a fight with the ever interfering hanyou dog. No matter what he tried now, he could find no sign of her. He was about ready to offer his portion of the Shikon jewel to anyone, human of demon, who could bring her to him.
"What business do you have here, Kikyo?" He asked, turning to look into one of the darkened corners of the room, exposing his profile to her.
"I have decided to share some information with you that will help you defeat Inu Yasha and his companions."
"Have you now, and what makes you think that I would need such information?"
Kikyo dared to move farther into the room, "The only thing I will ask in return is that you allow Inu Yasha to die by my own hand."
"You would dare to ask anything of me?" His voice became low and careful with anger.
"You need my help. Without it you will never kill Inu Yasha or my reincarnation." She refused to be distracted by his seeming disinterest in her.
Naraku let a dark smile spread across his lips, "No, I no longer have any use for you. I have access to a more powerful ally," once I find her again, he added to himself. "Thanks to Master Toshihiro, I have been freed of all need for you and your attempts at manipulating me."
Kikyo followed his gaze to the darkened corner. Barely distinguishable from the blackness surrounding it was the slouched body of the old man she had watched in the mirror. Even in the darkness she could make out the edges of a gaping hole in the man's chest. The distinct scent of fresh death wafted toward her.
"This is your ally," she all but laughed at him, "a dead wise man?"
"Better him than a walking corpse like you." His voice remained low as he finally turned to look at her. "Now, be gone from me, before I have you removed by force. I have more important things I must attend to."
Kikyo bit back the anger that rose, she had become accustom to getting her way with him, "You will regret this decision before the end, Naraku."
She would make sure that he would regret pushing her aside like some tiresome whore. Turning, Kikyo headed back the way she had come. As she passed through the long hallway the face of the late Master Toshihiro seemed to taunt her. Where had she seen him before? Then, as the clean night air struck her, she remembered. The old man had passed through the village she had been staying in only a couple a weeks before. She had thought to kill him on their first meeting when he had addressed her as 'the hanyou's wench,' thinking that he had mistaken her for her reincarnation. If she had destroyed him then she would still have Naraku's ear and his actions would still be hers to control.