Warnings for this chapter: indirect cannibalism, threats of death, vague homophobia, serious injuries, eye injury

(This is the second chapter uploaded today, just in case you missed the first)


Inuyasha forced his eyes open, and instantly regretted it. The world tilted disconcertingly and a wave of nausea rolled over him. He groaned and squeezed his eyes shut, breathing deeply through his nose. When he opened his eyes again, he didn't like what he saw. Twisting, thorny vines were wrapped around his entire body, holding him suspended off the ground. The thorns dug deep into his skin, and he could feel that his robes were already sticky with blood. He was in a room at the bottom of some stairs, and the walls were lined with empty pots. A table was pushed up against a wall to his left. There was a torn cloth bag lying on it, which sent a spark of recognition through his foggy mind – Miroku!

He immediately started struggling, but the vines held him firmly, and the thorns bit deeper into his skin. His body also throbbed from the beating Tokajin had given him earlier. Worse, he heard the distinctive sounds of footsteps on the stairs. He bared his blunt human teeth and growled ferociously as Tokajin walked into the room. The sage regarded him coolly.

"I see you're awake," he grumbled, still eyeing Inuyasha. "I'd wondered why you looked so different when you came out of the gourd, but now I understand. You're a half-demon, aren't you?"

"Fuck you!" Inuyasha snarled. "If you're gonna kill me, do it now. Otherwise, shut up and let me go!"

Tokajin chuckled and walked over to the table, lugging a pot full of human-faced fruit onto it. "Youki, even from a hanyou, will be excellent nourishment for Ninmenka," he said as if to himself, fixing a lid onto the pot. "With you in the mix, it'll bear the Fruit of Longevity in no time. I'll just need to figure out the best way to break you down."

"Forget it!" Inuyasha said, struggling anew. He hissed as he felt blood running down his arms as the thorns tore into his flesh. Tokajin laughed.

"Keep struggling," he encouraged maliciously. "The thorns will have you nice and tenderized. It'll be that much easier to extract your juices with all those punctures." He hummed thoughtfully and walked up to stand in front of Inuyasha. "Better wait until those demon powers of yours come back, though. You might not be as effective without them."

"Damn you!" Inuyasha shouted, and spat in Tokajin's face.

The man roared in anger and stumbled back, far more affected than he should have been. He wiped the saliva from his face and turned blazing eyes on Inuyasha. "How dare you!" he shouted. "You filthy animal! Disgusting half-breed!"

Inuyasha growled but had nothing to say. He felt weak and dizzy, his skin tingling from the remnants of the acid in his robes. His eyes fell to Tokajin's belly, where the three Jewel shards sat.

"Tell me what you've done with the owner of those Shikon Jewel shards," he said, voice low and dangerous. "Tell me now."

"Owner?" Tokajin echoed, rubbing his hand across the shards. "There's no such person. I found these."

Inuyasha snarled, the blood pumping in his ears. "Don't play innocent with me, you bastard! You stole those from Miroku!"

"Miroku?" Tokajin murmured, raising an eyebrow thoughtfully.

"The monk who had the Jewel shards!" Inuyasha almost shouted. "You saw him! You know him!"

An eerie smile spread across Tokajin's face, exposing his sharpened teeth. "Monk, you say?"

Inuyasha shrank back as his stomach clenched. He had a feeling that he'd just made a very, very bad mistake. Especially when Tokajin threw his head back and started laughing.

"A monk!" he cried out delightedly. "What tremendous news! A monk somewhere inside my temple? Ninmenka will devour him. Ah, you're right, half-breed – I remember him now. He's a young one, too, isn't he? Excellent."

He laughed as he walked back out of the room, Inuyasha's angry shouts following him up the stairs. He didn't look back. Inuyasha threw himself against the vines holding him, mindless of the thorns. Fuck! He'd fucked up! Miroku had somehow managed to keep himself safe and he'd just ruined it! He had to get out! He had to help him! But the vines refused to loosen or shift, draping heavily around him. He couldn't reach his dagger, his Tessaiga was still gone, his claws were shrunk back in his stupid human hands. His fangs were gone, too, but he didn't care as he bit deep into the vine at his shoulder. Its bitter taste flooded his mouth, but he hardly noticed. He tore off a bite and spat it out before going in for another. He didn't care if he had to gnaw through this entire stupid plant. He had to get out!

xXx

Miroku stepped back, going over the plan. It was stupid and reckless, but it didn't matter. He had to get out! He had to find Inuyasha. He looked up at the rocky cliff which stretched along the adjoining wall. The largest boulder at the top teetered precariously, after he'd cleared away as much earth from underneath it as possible. It wasn't the best angle for him to draw it towards him, but so be it. He stepped closer to the wall, flexing his fingers. He could feel the samurai's eyes on him – he'd been watching him as he'd concocted the plan, and the entire time he'd been digging on the hill. Well, it didn't matter if he had to do everything on his own.

Miroku pulled the mala from his hand and flattened himself against the wall. As the vortex grew and gained intensity, dirt and then smaller rocks began to fly into his hand. He glanced over to where the samurai was watching him, eyes wide. Gradually, as the hill continued to disappear into the void, the boulder broke free and began to careen towards him. Miroku stood his ground, letting the wind tunnel pull it towards him, letting it pick up as much speed as possible. Once it was almost on top of him, he shoved the mala back onto his hand and dove out of the way. The boulder crashed solidly against the wall. And then it broke through.

Miroku sagged with relief for a moment before he started towards the hole. The samurai was gaping at him, his eyes darting between Miroku and their new path to freedom. He took a step towards Miroku, looking as though he was going to say something, and then they both froze. The rumbling of footsteps was coming from outside the box garden. A moment later, a hazel eye opened in the impossible blue of the sky. It blinked around for a moment before fixing on Miroku. Oh, not good. He ran for the hole in the wall, casting a glance back over his shoulder. A hand was reaching through the clouds of the false sky towards him. He flung himself through the hole just in time. He forgot that Tokajin would still be there on the other side. A giant hand twice the size of his body closed around him as he fell, snatching him from the air.

Tokajin laughed as he held Miroku up to his face. "Found you! Young and ripe." He eyed the monk's dirt-covered robes skeptically. "You're filthy, but you'll do. You'll be sure to please Ninmenka."

"Tokajin," Miroku growled. "You can't do this. You're going against every aspect of a sage's life! You're betraying everything your master fought for!"

"Shut up!" Tokajin snapped, squeezing him. Miroku gasped as his ribs cracked. "He was weak and stupid! He could never reach the power that I've obtained. Why, once I give your energy and that half-breed's youki to Ninmenka, I should have the Fruit of Longevity by tomorrow! I will be immortal!"

"What did you do with him?" Miroku shouted breathlessly. "Is Inuyasha alright?"

Tokajin didn't answer, simply began carrying Miroku away from the box garden. Immediately, he could feel himself growing larger, his staff shifting along with him. Tokajin seemed unconcerned, catching Miroku in both hands, and then closing his arms around his middle when he grew too large. Miroku struggled, but he couldn't break the iron grip. He curled forward and then slammed his head back, connecting hard with Tokajin's nose. The man shouted and shook him violently, but didn't let him go. When Miroku chanced a look, the nose remained unbroken. Tokajin continued carrying him through the halls of the temple, ignoring him completely as he kicked and struggled. Miroku gasped for breath, black spots dancing in his vision as his ribs protested.

"Pipe down!" Tokajin growled eventually.

Miroku slammed his head back into the man's face again in response. Tokajin roared and threw Miroku against one of the stone walls. He connected hard and slid to the ground, stunned. His staff clattered to the floor beside him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move, could only watch as Tokajin walked up and glared down at him. He muttered something to himself, but Miroku's ears were ringing and he couldn't make out the words. Tokajin reached out and snagged the front of his robes, hauling him into the air.

"My hands are all covered with dirt now," Tokajin grumbled. "You'd better be worth the effort, monk."

"You're going to live a cursed life," Miroku wheezed. "The Fruit of Longevity will keep you alive, but your soul will be tainted."

Tokajin yelled and slammed him into the ground. His hand closed around Miroku's throat, pinning him there. Miroku gasped as the world began to blur. He reached for the mala beads. Instead, Tokajin's other fist struck his head, and the world went dark.

xXx

Inuyasha struggled and thrashed in the vines' grasp, trying to break free. It was no use. The one over his shoulder was still too thick. It would take him a lot longer to chew through it – longer than he could afford. But once his shoulder was free, he might be able to slide his arm out, and if he could just reach his dagger… Damn this human body. He was so weak! And so vulnerable. He glanced down at the red stains which had spread across his robes. He didn't want to think about how much blood he'd lost. He could feel it dripping down his skin from the dozens of puncture wounds, more appearing all the time as he strained against the thorns. He'd already lost too much for his human form to tolerate. He was getting dizzy.

The familiar sound of footsteps approaching made his lip curl, and he growled weakly at Tokajin. His vision was fuzzy around the edges, and he saw two Tokajins for a bit before they merged. The man chuckled when he saw him. "Still alive, are you, half-breed? Good. I still need your juices, you know."

He walked passed him to the table once more, where he threw a bundle of clothes next to the pot of fruit. Inuyasha's stomach sank. He saw the purple cloth, the black and white robes, the flash of indigo kyahan, and he felt sick.

"What have you done to him?" he shouted. "Where's Miroku? Where's the monk? If you've hurt him, I swear I'll-"

Tokajin's hand pressed over his face, smothering his voice. "Quiet down, will you?" he grumbled. "I swear, the others never complained this much. You two are causing me more trouble than you're worth." He pulled his hand away and glowered at Inuyasha. "That hand of his gave me a nasty surprise. It'd better not taint him for Ninmenka."

"Where is he?" Inuyasha growled deep in his throat.

"Extracting nourishment has become so bothersome after you broke my gourd," Tokajin sighed. "Don't worry, you'll get your turn soon enough."

"You bastard! Where is he?"

"Ohhh," Tokajin said, exaggeratedly slowly. "I get it now. You're certainly full of surprises, half-breed. You're in love with that filthy monk, aren't you?"

Inuyasha shrank back, his gut churning. "Yeah, I am. So know that if you've hurt him, you're going to pay!"

Tokajin tutted and shook his head. "Lucky for you, Ninmenka doesn't care what kind of filth gets turned into fertilizer. You'll see your monk again, once you're both in the ground. Both of you will become the Fruit of Longevity, and I will relish every. Last. Bite."

He punctuated each of the last words with a jab to Inuyasha's chest with one of his fingers. Inuyasha snarled and thrashed. Tokajin laughed.

"You're wasting your time," he said mockingly. "You'll never escape from those vines." His eyes flashed angrily as he caught sight of the spot where Inuyasha had bitten halfway through a vine. "Why, you filthy little animal!"

He raised his hand, and the roots began to shift around. Inuyasha yowled as they enclosed him further, one winding around his neck and pulling back tightly, so he couldn't lean forward at all. Tokajin stepped back and nodded, obviously pleased with his work. He turned and padded out of the room once more, unfazed by Inuyasha screaming after him.

It was no use. He was stuck! He couldn't reach any of the vines with his mouth this time, and the new ones were so restrictive that the thorns were digging into his skin more than ever before. There was no way out. He was completely and utterly out of ideas. It was possible that if he stayed still and didn't lose too much more blood, and Tokajin didn't kill him first, he'd survive until morning. Once his powers were back, he would be able to break free of this cursed plant. And then what? Miroku was in trouble now, off somewhere having his nourishment extracted, whatever the hell that meant. Tokajin was going to feed him to Ninmenka. He'd be eaten by a demon tree and his beautiful face would be etched into one of those horrific fruits for Tokajin to eat! What he'd give for the rest of his pack to be nearby. He just needed something, anything, to get him out of here before it was too late!

Tears pricked at his eyes and he choked back a sob. His stupid human emotions were running rampant in his stupid, weak human body while his beautiful, precious human partner was dying somewhere in this cursed temple! And it was all his fault! He should never have let the others leave! He should have rushed him and Miroku back to Kaede's so they could be safe! He should have listened to Miroku and waited until morning to go after the stupid demon tree! He should have kept his stupid mouth shut and kept Miroku from being captured!

He heard footsteps approaching, but it wasn't Tokajin. And, as desperately as he hoped, it wasn't Miroku, either. He growled as an unfamiliar man stumbled into the room. He stared at Inuyasha in obvious confusion, his hand reaching slowly for his sword. He was dressed in battered samurai armour and filthy clothes. Inuyasha's eyes dropped to the man's other hand, which was holding a painfully familiar staff.

"Where'd you get that?" Inuyasha asked before the samurai could say anything. "That staff? Did you get it from a monk? Where is he?"

The man sighed. "I'm guessing you're the reason that kid was so eager to get out of the box garden."

"Where is he?" Inuyasha repeated, not bothering to hide the frantic edge in his voice.

"Tokajin caught him," the man shook his head. "I didn't see where he took him after that. This whole place is a maze. I was looking for a way out when I came here – the bastard blocked off the doorway by the garden."

"Can you get me out of these?" Inuyasha asked, shifting in the vines. "I need to find him. Tokajin's going to kill him and turn him into fertilizer."

The samurai looked hesitant, eyeing Inuyasha carefully. "Tokajin and the monk were talking about a half-demon."

Inuyasha held his gaze steadily. "Yeah. That's me." He could see the distrust on the man's face. "You can hate me all you want, but I'm trying to stop Tokajin. And I need to save that monk."

"Fine," the samurai grumbled, stepping forward and unsheathing his sword. "For the kid."

He cut away the vines one by one, occasionally glancing at the doorway to make sure they were alone. Finally, Inuyasha dropped to the ground. He grimaced, the world spinning a little, and the samurai stepped back.

"My debt is paid," he said firmly. "When you find the kid, tell him he was right about getting us out of there. But I don't owe either of you anything after this. You get captured by Tokajin again, you're on your own."

"Fine by me," Inuyasha said, reaching out his hand. "The staff?"

The samurai tossed it over to him and, with one last suspicious look, hurried back up the staircase. Inuyasha followed more slowly, the world still tilting under his feet, and by the time he reached the top of the stairs, the man was gone.

xXx

The smell was what woke Miroku first – a thick, cloyingly sweet smell that made his stomach roll. He forced his eyes open, wincing as his whole body protested to the slightest movements. He was submerged up to his neck in some faintly green liquid, inside a small stone pool. A few human-faced fruits bobbed around him, and he shuddered. The liquid was warm, and it tingled along his bare skin. He had no idea what it was, but he was guessing it wasn't good. He braced his hands on the lip of the tub at his back and tried to push himself up. His ribs screamed in protest and he slid back down with a gasp, his vision whiting out for a moment. As he struggled for breath, he rubbed absently at the abused skin of his throat, his fingers brushing along his loose hair. When he pulled his hand back, he gasped in surprise.

The tekkou and cloth which usually covered his right forearm were gone. The mala beads remained, but were looped several times around his hand and wrist, rather than lacing up his forearm as they usually did. That was not his handiwork. Someone else had put them there – likely the same person who had removed all his other clothes. He gained a little grim satisfaction thinking about the fright he must have caused Tokajin when he tried to remove the beads. The heavy golden ring, too, remained on the middle finger of his right hand. He didn't know if Tokajin thought it played some part in controlling the wind tunnel and didn't want to risk removing it, but he was glad that his father's ring hadn't ended up lost somewhere in this cursed temple. He stared at the pale-white skin of his arm for a moment longer, struggling to find his focus. The fumes coming from the liquid around him were making him dizzy.

Thundering footsteps came down the stairs and he spun around, bracing himself against the lip of the tub. He stared hard at the heavy wooden door, fingers curling around the mala beads. The door burst open, and Inuyasha stumbled into the room with a shout of "Miroku!"

He froze in place, staring at Miroku with wide brown eyes. Miroku shot to his feet, relief coursing through him. "Inuyasha!"

He looked tired and pale, patches of blood blooming along his robes. He held Miroku's staff loosely in one hand, the other curled at his side. And his eyes were shining, moving hazily down Miroku's body before darting back to his face again. It was then Miroku realized that he was, in fact, very much naked. And Inuyasha just stared. And stared. And stared.

"Yash?" Miroku prompted gently.

Inuyasha shook himself and stumbled forward. Miroku carefully stepped out of the pool to meet him. The crashed into each other, a tangle of limbs. Inuyasha's hands clutched at Miroku's back and wound into his hair. Miroku gathered handfuls of his robes and held on tightly, pressing his face into Inuyasha's neck. He was so cold. His arms were frail. Miroku held him tighter.

"You're alive!" Inuyasha whispered breathlessly against his skin. "You're alive…"

Miroku pulled back, and Inuyasha blinked up at him faintly. "Are you alright?"

Inuyasha shook his head dismissively. "I'm fine. These are just scratches." He ran his hands up Miroku's chest. "What about you? Are you hurt?"

"Just a little rattled," Miroku assured gently.

Inuyasha's breath was coming in harsh pants. His eyes continued to dart over Miroku's body a little frantically before his brow slowly came to rest on Miroku's shoulder. Miroku ran his hands soothingly through the hanyou's long black hair, a little puzzled. That confusion shifted rapidly to concern as he felt his partner shaking.

"Inuyasha?" he asked sharply.

Inuyasha groaned softly as his knees buckled. Miroku let out a sharp cry as he caught the hanyou, gently lowering him to the ground. His hands ran over Inuyasha's body, scanning for injuries. "Inuyasha?"

"M'sorry," Inuyasha gasped. "I'm okay."

"You're not," Miroku countered firmly. "What's going on? You're covered in blood."

"Tokajin had me tied up a bit," he murmured, squeezing his eyes shut against the nausea. "Couldn't get out to you. Kept on trying anyway."

Miroku hissed as he examined the extent of the wounds. "We need to stitch you up."

"We need to get out of here first," Inuyasha said, pushing himself away a little. "And you don't even have your robes. I forgot them in the other room. Stupid. Wasn't thinking."

"I'll survive," Miroku said grimly, grasping Inuyasha's shoulder.

"Here," Inuyasha said, shrugging off his suikan. "It's torn up, but it's better than nothing."

"You should keep it," Miroku said, placing his hands over Inuyasha's. "You need the protection. I don't want you getting any more injuries tonight."

"They'll heal by morning," Inuyasha shrugged, pressing the jacket against Miroku's chest. "And we're gonna be fighting our way outa here. You really want your bits hanging out for that?"

Miroku grimaced. He did have a point. He deftly tied the suikan around his waist as he kept a careful eye on Inuyasha. Once it was more or less secured – and the essential parts covered – he dragged the hanyou into a searing kiss. Inuyasha whined against his lips and pressed harder against him. They pressed their foreheads together after they broke apart.

"I thought I might be too late," Inuyasha whispered. "Tokajin said he was going to kill you for Ninmenka. And I was looking for you everywhere but I couldn't find you…"

"I'm here," Miroku murmured, pressing a kiss into his hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't get to you sooner. You've been fighting so hard, even though you're mortal."

Inuyasha pulled back with a grimaced. "Not hard enough. He still got to you."

Miroku pressed a hand to his face and let out a breath. "I love you."

"I love you too," Inuyasha instantly replied, earnestly. "Fuck, Miroku…"

"I know."

He scowled. "Tokajin has two more of the Jewel shards now. He's gonna put up one hell of a fight."

Miroku nodded slowly. "Did you see where the other two ended up?"

Inuyasha shook his head. "He's been traipsing around all night. They could be anywhere."

"They're not the most important thing right now," Miroku said. "We need to find our way out of here. We can come back later once you've healed."

"He'll come after us," Inuyasha whispered. "He needs us to get the Fruit of Longevity. He won't just let us go."

"We can sneak out without him finding us," Miroku said firmly. "If we can just make it back to the room with the box garden, there's a stairway that leads right outside."

"Garden?" Inuyasha frowned. "That samurai said something about a garden. It sounded like Tokajin blocked off those stairs so that no one could get out."

"You saw the samurai?" Miroku asked, helping Inuyasha to his feet.

"He got me out of Tokajin's trap. Seemed to know who you were. Said you helped him get out?"

"He must have used the boulder hole to escape." He brushed aside Inuyasha's inquisitive look. "I'll explain later."

Inuyasha's face paled as he struggled to keep his balance. Miroku pulled his arm over his shoulder and, after a breath, heaved him onto his back. Inuyasha let out a startled cry and clung on tightly.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking almost insulted.

"You can't keep your feet and I'm not leaving you behind," Miroku grunted, starting towards the door. "Plus it's about time I carried you. You do it to me all the time."

"That's different!" Inuyasha protested. "I'm too heavy!"

"Not as a human, you're not," Miroku shot back, readjusting Inuyasha and snatching his staff from the ground. "Now stay quiet. We can't let Tokajin know we've escaped."

Inuyasha grumpily fell silent as Miroku crept up the stairs. He wrapped his arms around Miroku's shoulders in a more secure position, and nosed against his throat in a way that wasn't at all distracting. Miroku followed the whispered directions in his ear down the stone hallways, stopping at every door and corner to peer around and make sure Tokajin was nowhere nearby. Inuyasha didn't know exactly where the room with the box garden was, but he got them to the general area, and it only took a few wrong rooms after that before they found it. Miroku eased Inuyasha down against the wall. He ran over to the double doors at the top of the stairway to confirm that they were covered by thick wooden doors and a heavy bar. They wouldn't hold out long against the wind tunnel, but that would create a lot of noise. Miroku snatched Tessaiga from its place against the wall and handed it to Inuyasha. He frowned as the hanyou stared at it blearily for a moment before sheathing it. He really didn't want to move him, but they couldn't afford to linger.

"I'm gonna break down the door," Miroku said, kneeling down beside him. "But I don't know if I can hold you while I use the wind tunnel. Are you able to stand?"

"'Course," Inuyasha puffed, trying to push himself up. "Can you see if it's getting light out?"

"We'll know soon enough," Miroku said, taking his arm. "It doesn't matter, either way. We're getting out of here."

Inuyasha swallowed. "Miroku, if we have to fight…"

"If Tokajin finds us, you're going to let me face him," Miroku said firmly. "You're already bleeding out."

Inuyasha didn't exactly look enthused about this plan, but he followed Miroku up the stairs to the doors. Miroku shoved at the heavy wooden bar lying across them experimentally, but it didn't budge. He suspected that it would take someone with strength enhanced by Jewel shards – or youki – to be able to lift it. As it was, his ribs were screaming at him. He caught Inuyasha shooting him a worried look as he stepped back. He opened the wind tunnel and braced his palm against the doors. They bent and creaked and slowly began to crack. The wooden panels began to splinter, breaking away in chunks. And then the bar snapped in two with a loud crack.

"Who's there?" a familiar voice sounded from deep inside the temple. "What's going on?"

"Move!" Inuyasha hissed, shoving Miroku forward and trailing after him.

They raced along the plateau, towards the edge of the cliff and Ninmenka, startling a flock of birds that had landed and were pecking at the fallen fruit. They came to a stop and crouched down, peering over the edge of the cliff. Miroku swallowed hard, feeling a little queasy at the sight of the long drop. Recently, heights had become much less intimidating, but this time there would be no Inuyasha or Kirara or even Hachi to catch him as he fell.

"There's no going down that way," he said, shifting back a little. "We'll have to find another way down."

Inuyasha clenched his fist to disguise the shaking of his hands. Out here, with the whistling winds racing along the cliff and the blood loss and no youki to keep him warm, he was freezing. "I've got a plan."

Miroku glared at him suspiciously, already looking unconvinced.

"I can't walk very well," he started slowly, reasonably. "And you can't climb anything with me on your back…"

"Forget it," Miroku snapped.

Inuyasha scowled. "I haven't even told you the plan yet."

"Does it involve me leaving you here to escape on my own?" Miroku said flatly. "No. Not going to happen."

"Well, we're not both getting out of here like this!" Inuyasha growled.

"Hello?" a voice came from the direction of Ninmenka, and they both spun around. "Is someone there?"

They exchanged a wary glance and crept forward. Beside the trunk of the tree was a large pot that hadn't been there before, sitting beside two more pots full of human-faced fruit and some clear liquid. A large white flower sprouted from the soil of the first pot, and to their surprise, bore the face of an old man. Miroku shrugged in response to Inuyasha's questioning look and they both moved closer to investigate.

"Who are you, old man?" Miroku asked the flower, because it would be rude not to.

The flower sighed. "I'm ashamed to admit it. I was once Tokajin's mentor."

"You're a sage as well?" Miroku said, and it all fell into place. "You're the sōhei master who owns this temple."

Inuyasha snarled and grabbed the flower by his stem. "What were you thinking? How could you let that monster become a sage?"

"It was not I that made Tokajin a sage," the master said softly. "It was Ninmanka." He turned his gaze up to look at the demon tree. "Is that not the case?"

"He begged me for help," a deep voice emanated from the tree. "You couldn't give him what he wanted."

The flower sighed and turned back to them. "It was about four months ago. He was supposed to be running along the cliffs as part of his training, but he went only far enough that I couldn't see him from the temple and then lay down to rest. He was often finding ways to escape from training."

"He gave me the Jewel shard by accident," Ninmenka continued smugly. "He had no idea what it was until I told him. He didn't know the path to immortality, either. I enlightened him."

Miroku and Inuyasha both saw the two Jewel shards newly embedded in the trunk of the tree. Well, that explained that.

"I made him a sage when you would not," Ninmenka continued.

"You corrupted him!" the flower snapped. "You fed him fruit borne from the souls of dead men! You turned him into this power-hungry beast!"

"I made him better," the tree argued. "I made him mine."

"When one eats the human-faced fruit, they become a slave to Ninmenka," the flower told Inuyasha and Miroku gravely. "Tokajin has obeyed the tree's commands ever since, including the order to turn me into fertilizer so that Ninmenka may bear the Fruit of Longevity. But, it wasn't enough."

"Master, why transform you into a plant?" Miroku asked. "Why not kill you and use all your powers to feed the tree? Surely, the powers of a sage would be enough."

"The fruit alone is not enough for immortal life," the master sighed. "The fruit must be soaked and made into a special potion, and only I have knowledge of the process."

"Which is why I let him live," Tokajin said from across the plateau as he climbed out of the hidden stairway, thundering towards them. His body pulsed with the power of the three Jewel shards, and his skin had completely transformed to stone. "We meet again," he said, glaring at Inuyasha and Miroku.

"Tokajin is no longer human," the master said quietly from behind them. "Please, you must slay him."

"I have far surpassed a human!" Tokajin proclaimed boldly. "Humans spend their miserable days slaving in the mud. They weaken, they grow old, and they die having wasted their lives away! My parents both lived and died like that. I refuse to live such a wretched, senseless life!"

"You're far worse than a human," Miroku growled, surreptitiously shoving Inuyasha behind him. "You have sacrificed dozens of lives so that yours may be longer! You have caused misery and suffering to spare yourself from hardship! That is not strength."

"I am more powerful than anyone you've ever known!" Tokajin roared. "The strong take advantage of the weak. The strong control the world. That is how life is! Don't you understand that?"

He lifted his staff above his head, and several vines sprouted from it and spread along the ground. He swung it forward and one of the vines shot out towards them. Inuyasha threw himself against Miroku and sent them both crashing to the ground, but the thorns on the whip still dug deep into his shoulder. He gasped and covered more of the monk with his body. But Miroku was shoving against him, trying to get up. When he saw the fresh blood seeping down his hadagi, his eyes widened.

"Stop," he hissed, grabbing Inuyasha's arm. "You can't take any more injuries!"

"Ninmenka made me strong!" Tokajin continued before Inuyasha could respond, raising his staff above his head once more. "And since I got the Jewel shards, I've become invincible! I shall have eternal life, and I'll turn mere weaklings like you into fertilizer!"

The vines snapped forward once more, and this time Miroku rolled on top of Inuyasha and lifted up his staff just in time to block the blow. The vines wrapped around the length of the metal but Miroku twisted the staff around, cutting through them with the sharp head. Tokajin roared and started towards them. Miroku brought a spiritual barrier to life, but he already knew that it wouldn't last long against the power of three Jewel shards. Tokajin's fists slammed down against the barrier and Miroku gasped as the impact reverberated around his mind.

"You're weak!" Tokajin shouted, crashing against the barrier again and again.

"You're pathetic!" Inuyasha snarled, and Tokajin paused. "I'm a hanyou. I know better than anyone how weak mortals are." His voice softened just a little. "And I understand your desire to be strong. But that's where the similarities end! You disgusting excuse for a human!"

Tokajin yelled out a wordless, furious cry and brought his fists down on the barrier once more. Miroku grunted and braced himself. But his mind was still fuzzy from that strange liquid in the pool, and he could feel his concentration slipping. He couldn't hold out for much longer. Two more strikes of those large fists and it was over. The barrier dissolved, and Tokajin lifted a hand to bring it down again. Inuyasha shot forward and stabbed the untransformed Tessaiga sharply against Tokajin's belly, aiming for the Jewel shards. Tokajin's hand slapped him away, sent him crashing against one of the pots of human-faced fruit.

Miroku rushed forwards next, snatching at the shards. He ducked Tokajin's first attack, but then the man snagged him by the back of his robes and dragged him into the air. Miroku struck at his face with his staff, but the metal skidded off his rocky skin with a flurry of sparks. Tokajin shouted and slammed Miroku down against the ground, then kicked him away.

"No!" Inuyasha shouted, scrambling forwards before he fell to his knees.

"You there, half-demon!" the master called to him. "You must drink some of the potion from one of those two pots! It's Tokajin's poor imitation of the longevity potion. It will be effective enough to heal your wounds!"

Inuyasha glared at the liquid and the fruit bobbing inside it. "And become a slave to Ninmenka? No thank you!"

"You'll be safe so long as you don't eat the fruit itself," the old flower said hurriedly. "If you wish to be saved, you must drink!"

Tokajin laughed and started walking towards him. "Drink it, half-breed. It could be more fun if you were more lively."

"Forget it!" Inuyasha spat, pushing to his feet. "That fruit is grown from the bodies and souls of dead humans. It's disgusting! I'd never drink it. I'd never eat the flesh of my own kind, and only someone as pathetic and desperate as you would even consider it!"

Tokajin growled, and his hands clenched into fists. "You'll regret not drinking it, half-breed, when I bash you and your monk's heads in."

Inuyasha roared and charged at him. He dodged Tokajin's whip and knocked the wooden staff from his hand. Tokajin's other hand shot out and closed around Inuyasha's neck. Miroku rolled to his feet and took off running, concentrating all his spiritual energy along the head of his staff. He brought it down hard on Tokajin's arm, throwing him off balance. The ornate head of his staff crumpled at the impact, and Tokajin dropped Inuyasha. He whirled on Miroku, murder on his face as he reached for him. Miroku leapt back, trying to draw him further away from Inuyasha. Meanwhile, Inuyasha rolled to his hands and knees, trying to keep the world from spinning. His hand brushed over the discarded vines protruding from Tokajin's staff. He grabbed hold of one of the longest thorns and snapped it off. Then he hurled himself onto Tokajin's back, wrapped his arms around his neck and, before the man could attack either him or Miroku again, jammed the spine deep into his eye.

Tokajin cried out in pain and careened backwards, his arms flailing. Inuyasha pushed himself off him and ran, catching Miroku's arm as he did so. But the monk was staring at Tokajin, his expression set in concentration. As Tokajin brought both his hands to his face to cradle his punctured eye, Miroku tore his arm from Inuyasha's grasp and ran forward. He dug his nails deep into Tokajin's belly and pried the Jewel shards free. Tokajin gasped and wailed, struck out blindly but missed. His skin had returned to normal.

Miroku darted back, heading towards Ninmenka, hoping to get the other two shards back as well and be done with it. But then Tokajin was running after him with alarming speed. He punched Miroku hard in the chest, sending him flying. He skidded along the ground, alarmingly close to the edge of the cliff, and he couldn't breathe. He struggled to push himself up, panic flaring in his mind as his vision faded in and out. He could hear Tokajin's footsteps thundering towards him.

"Miroku!" Inuyasha's voice echoed in his ears. He looked up just in time to see Tokajin reach him. Inuyasha slammed into the man from behind, knocking him off balance, and sent them both tumbling over Miroku, off the edge of the cliff. And Ninmenka started laughing. The tree's voice rang hollow in Miroku's mind as he shouted wordlessly, reaching over the cliff in a desperate attempt to reach his partner. Through the darkness, he could just make out the white of Inuyasha's hadagi as he fell.

Inuyasha twisted around in the air, caught Miroku's distraught expression as he grew further and further away. He was too exhausted for fear, but a bone-deep sorrow sprang from his chest. This wasn't supposed to be how it ended. He wasn't supposed to leave his love stranded on the top of some desolate cliff. Wasn't supposed to leave without at least saying goodbye, telling him that he loved him one last time. But Miroku was alive. And that was all that mattered.

And then roots burst from the side of the cliff, winding around him and Tokajin. They both jerked painfully to a stop, and Ninmenka's laughter echoed in the air, louder than ever. The roots began drawing them back up, towards the tree.

"Ninmenka!" Tokajin gasped, breathless from the fall. "Save me! Let me live!"

"Fool!" Ninmenka's voice drifted down to them. "You have become more trouble than you're worth. Why waste the nourishment?"

"No!" Tokajin yelled, beginning to struggle. "No!"

Inuyasha thrashed in the roots' grasp, but he was so tired. As they neared the top of the cliff, he watched Ninmenka's roots cover Tokajin completely. He could still hear the man's muffled screams. The roots were cocooning him as well, pinning his arms to his sides.

"Becomes one with me, hanyou," Ninmenka said, lifting him higher.

Something dropped onto the roots surrounding him, and Inuyasha twisted his head around to see Miroku clinging to the tangled mess, cutting through the roots one-by-one with his dagger. He glanced over at Tokajin, who had been dragged over the top of the cliff and was being drawn towards the trunk of Ninmenka, which was slowly shifting to envelop him. They watched him disappear into the tree's body, and eventually, the screaming stopped. Ninmenka had pulled them onto the plateau as well, but Miroku had torn a significant hole in the roots, and Inuyasha renewed his struggles as he felt them loosening.

But then Ninmenka shifted, and the roots began reaching towards Miroku. "The Jewel shards!" the tree was saying. "Give me yours shards!"

Miroku cut away the first few roots which reached him, but then they wrapped around his arms. He managed to snatch a sutra from his robes and throw it on one of the roots, which quickly turned black and shrivelled up, but there were a dozen more coming. Miroku snatched wildly at his staff, but it was out of his grasp. Inuyasha was clawing at the roots with blunt human nails, trying to get to him. The roots had wound around Miroku's middle and began squeezing, hard.

A figure stumbled towards them through the darkness, and then the samurai's sword plunged deep into the largest roots enveloping Miroku. He sawed through the thicker roots and Miroku cut the rest with his dagger. The samurai then turned and blocked further attacks from Ninmenka while Miroku pulled Inuyasha from the remnants of his cocoon. He clutched at the hanyou's robes to drag him to his feet and pulled him into a brief embrace before they both turned back to the tree. Roots were erupting from the ground all around them, while Ninmenka's branches reached like grasping hands towards them. Inuyasha pulled Tessaiga from its sheath and Miroku snatched his staff from the ground, pulling spiritual power to the broken head. The samurai glanced at them and fell back beside them.

"You two got a plan?" he asked gruffly, slicing through a root.

"At this point, try not to die," Miroku grunted, putting up a barrier to block an incoming wave of branches.

"Monk!" the master called from his pot, which had been partially covered by roots. "You must purify the tree. It is the only way to stop Ninmenka."

Miroku cast a nervous glance at Inuyasha, received a nod in return. "We'll cover you."

The samurai looked between them but nodded despite his confusion. "We got you, kid."

Under their flashing blades, Miroku darted forward towards the tree. He came to a stop in front of the master and immediately put up a barrier around the two of them.

"Pick me and use my powers to augment yours," the old sage said solemnly. "Let me make amends for what I have done."

"You'll die," Miroku said, watching Ninmena's branches wind around the barrier, searching for a weakness.

"Young man," the master said flatly. "I am already dead. Let my body be released from this prison."

Miroku wrapped his fingers around the stem and pulled hard, snapping it. The flower instantly flashed, and Miroku felt a wave of spiritual power wash over him, stronger than any he had felt outside of Kikyo's. His staff began glowing with a swirling light. The barrier had grown as well, and he pushed it outwards, shoving the roots and branches back. He swung his staff hard and plunged it into the trunk of the tree. Ninmenka screeched, the various branches creaking and shuddering. Inuyasha darted forward beside him, dug Tessaiga into the trunk just underneath the staff, where the two Jewel shards were just barely poking from the bark. He tore them free and jumped back, and Ninmenka's voice cut off sharply. The roots and branches drooped lifelessly where they had emerged, and then the trunk split in two.

Miroku stumbled back, and felt the master's presence leave his mind. He leaned hard against his staff, looking over Inuyasha and the samurai. His partner looked equally exhausted, bracing his hands on his knees, blood still dripping down his hadagi. He stumbled over to Miroku and pressed the Jewel shards into his hand, his trembling fingers lingering there for a long moment afterwards. The samurai was watching them carefully, and Miroku met his gaze evenly.

"Glad it's actually over, then," the man grumbled. "I'd be looking over my shoulder for years otherwise."

"Thank you for helping us," Miroku said. "Why did you come back?"

The samurai sighed deeply. "You got in my head, you stupid kid. You and your stupid escape plan that somehow worked. I didn't want to let it go to waste."

He gave them both a short bow and walked away. They watched him fade back into the darkness of the night. Inuyasha slung his arm around Miroku's shoulders, and then pulled him into a tight embrace. They stood there for a long time, listening to the cracking of Ninmenka's trunk and the whistling of the winds along the mountain pass. Their hands were stiff from cold and their breaths formed clouds in the freezing air.

"Tokajin's spells will all have reversed," Miroku said quietly when they finally pulled apart. "The men in the box garden will have reverted to normal."

"I guess we'd better go help them, then," Inuyasha said, and frowned as Miroku's hand still loosely grasped his arm. "Love? You alright?"

Miroku sighed and pulled him back into another embrace, a little more forceful this time. "I thought I lost you," he muttered into his chest. "Again."

"I know," Inuyasha said softly, pressing a kiss against his neck. "I know. What a night."

They entwined their fingers and didn't let go as they walked back to the hidden entrance of the temple. Inuyasha couldn't help but notice that Miroku was only holding onto him with his left hand. At least he knew where the monk's clothes were, and he should be able to find his way back to that room sooner or later. First, though, there were about a dozen villagers standing around a broken table, the box garden crumpled and spilled across the floor.

"You there!" one of the men shouted as they approached. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Tokajin's dead," Miroku said bluntly. "You are free to go. Continue to use the temple if you wish."

"What happened to him?" another of the men asked accusingly. "What did you do to him?"

Miroku placed a placating hand on Inuyasha's shoulder as the hanyou bristled, and faced the men calmly. "He was eaten by the demon tree as he attempted to grow the Fruit of Longevity. The tree is dead now, too."

The men gasped and broke into furious whispers.

"As I said, the temple is yours, if you want it," Miroku said. "Or, there is a village through the mountain pass to the west of here. Tell them that Miroku and Inuyasha sent you and they will give you shelter."

The men eyed them with distrust, and continued to whisper furiously. Miroku left them to it. Inuyasha followed him into the hallway and then took the lead, retracing his steps as much as possible in a winding journey back to the room with the vines. Miroku's robes were still piled on the table. Miroku tossed his staff at Inuyasha as the hanyou went to guard the door in case any of the men decided to get nosy. Miroku placed their Jewel shards, as well as Tokajin's, back into the cloth bag. He then slipped the cloth and tekkou back over his hand. He immediately felt more at ease, though he knew it made no difference in actually blocking the wind tunnel. He dressed quickly and handed Inuyasha's suikan back to him.

"I don't trust those men not to try and follow Tokajin's path," Miroku murmured, glancing at the several pots full of human-faced fruit lining the walls.

"What do you suggest?" Inuyasha asked. "Toss them all off the cliff or something?" He paused. "The fruit, not the men. Although…"

"Each of the fruit has a seed that may turn into a demon tree if they find a body for nourishment," Miroku sighed. "We're going to have to burn it all."

Inuyasha echoed the sigh and grinned ruefully. "The work's never done, is it?"

"I don't relish the idea of hauling these all up on our own, though," Miroku continued thoughtfully. "I think we should speak to the men once more. It's possible they may listen to me this time."

"Just let me know if I need to bite anyone," Inuyasha said, trailing him up the stairs. "'Cause I will, fangs or no."

The men had spread out to investigate some of the rooms down the hall, but most remained beside the box garden, looking lost. They gathered together when they saw the pair approach, shifting nervously.

"The demon tree has eaten human bodies," Miroku told them without preamble, though he knew better than to try and explain who had been providing the nourishment. "The fruit it has created is poison that will corrupt your mind. We must destroy it, lest anyone else die."

"The demon tree killed Master Tokajin?" one of the men asked warily.

"Yes."

"Then I'll help you," he said.

"As will I," said another.

In the end, five volunteered. The rest continued to watch them with deep distrust, though none outright spoke against them. Inuyasha and Miroku led their party down to the room and instructed the men to grab a pot each, and follow them back to Ninmenka. Tokajin's body was completely gone, though a tattered piece of kimono convinced them of what had occurred. A few returned to the temple to search out more fruit, while another returned to their companions to try and convince more to help, and another went to find a torch to light the demon tree on fire.

xXx

The sky was lightening with approaching dawn as they stared into the blaze, where more than fifty human-faced fruit were being burned to ashes. The men had retreated back into the temple to mourn the loss of their master, leaving Inuyasha and Miroku alone in the light of the fire. They sat side-by-side, too tired to move, soaking in the warmth. Inuyasha had buried his nose in Miroku's hair, was breathing in his scent. He could feel the sun rising.

His youki woke with a burst, and the world erupted into colour and sounds and smells. He tightened his arms around Miroku, letting out a long breath as his skin knit itself back together, his aching bones settled. The pain receded to the back of his mind, still there but almost gone. And with his regained sense of smell, he was hit with the pain dripping from Miroku's scent. He could hear the laboured quality of his breathing. He immediately shifted back, stared at his partner in a mixture of guilt and shocked accusation.

"You should have told me you were hurt!" he gasped. "Your ribs- What happened?"

Miroku blinked at him wanly, his mind not quite caught up yet. "We were both battered by Tokajin, and there were more pressing matters at hand."

"You should have told me!" Inuyasha insisted. "You pushed yourself too hard tonight."

Something hardened in Miroku's expression. "You can't be serious. You were torn to shreds!"

"But I'm fine now! You're still hurt, and I could have stopped it. I should have protected you-"

"Enough!" Miroku shouted, startling Inuyasha. "How do you think I felt, Yash, watching you be beaten to a pulp by Tokajin again and again? Watching you take blows that were meant for me when you couldn't handle any more – when you were already bleeding out before my eyes? Do you have any idea how it feels to watch you overexert yourself in your human form and then act like it's nothing?"

"But it is nothing!" Inuyasha insisted quietly, still stunned by the force of Miroku's words. "All my wounds are gone now. It doesn't matter what happens to me as a human, because so long as it doesn't kill me, it'll heal in the morning." He took Miroku's hand, eyes shining, begging him to understand. "I'd rather take all the hits, no matter how many, than have you get hurt more permanently."

Miroku sighed, dropped his head against Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha's arms came up to wrap around him, careful of his ribs.

"I know I'm a human all the time," he said softly. "I know that you're stronger and you heal faster and you can survive so much more than I can, but I'm not as weak as you think I am."

Inuyasha's ears flicked back. "I never said you were-"

"Please, just listen," Miroku sighed tiredly. "I know that things will never be entirely balanced between us. You are always trying to take on as much as you can and I love you for that. But please, at least on the new moon, let me take some of the weight. Let me protect you like you protect me."

Inuyasha frowned, ran his hand down Miroku's cheek. "You do," he whispered. "Miroku, you're always looking out for me. I know it's not always in the same way that I look out for you, but I see you." He sighed. "I'll try and do better on the new moon. I promise, I'll try. But please, don't ever think that I don't see how strong you are."

Miroku grabbed a handful of Inuyasha's robes and held on. "I just don't want to lose you," he said, his voice muffled by the hanyou's shoulder. "And it feels like these days, everything is trying to tear us apart."

Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut and held Miroku tighter. "I know, but I won't let it. We won't let it. 'Cause that's who we are, love. We're the ones who fight to make it okay. And that's how we're going to do it." He pressed a hiss to the top of his head. "Together."