Chapter Six
Kagome clenched her eyes tightly and tried to ignore the nausea that crept up on her as her surroundings sped by in a furious, jittery blur. She'd almost forgotten what it was like to ride on Inuyasha's back when he was in a real hurry, and he was most definitely in a hurry.
"Which way, Kagome?" He asked, though it was more of a demand.
Kagome pried her eyes open to see Yusuke hot on their trail, Kuwabara in tow, asking the orange-haired boy the same question. "That way," they said at the same time, each pointing left, in the direction of the disturbance. Oddly enough, Kuwabara had been the first to sense it, but the words hadn't even escaped his lips when Kagome alerted Inuyasha and they were out the door, the others stumbling out after them.
"Back off, punk!" Inuyasha ground out when he realized Yusuke had caught up with him. "That shard is mine!"
"Dream on, Lassie!" Yusuke exclaimed with a grin. He pushed forward, zipping past Inuyasha with an inhuman speed that sent dust and leaves flying up in its wake.
"Damn it!" Inuyasha cried as he pushed himself to the limit. No way was he going to let that arrogant little shit get a hold of his jewel shard! "How far, Kagome?"
"Not far — maybe a hundred yards," she replied. It was a good thing, too. If he didn't stop soon Kagome was sure she was going to be sick.
"Wait up, Urameshi," Kuwabara cried, though he really didn't know why he bothered as neither Yusuke nor Inuyasha paid him any attention. "There's something else out there!"
Kagome's brow knitted with worry as she took a moment to process Kuwabara's warning. She wasn't concerned for herself as long as Inuyasha was with her, and she had a sneaking suspicion that Yusuke could handle himself, but she couldn't help but be a little concerned about Sango.
The exterminator had managed to duck out almost as soon as the introductions were complete, using the excuse that without hiraikotsu to rely on, she needed the work with her wakizashi. Kagome knew better, but if her friend wanted the time alone, she wasn't about to deprive her of it. It was a good cover, Kagome thought; even Kirara wouldn't disturb Sango when she was training.
Kagome shook her head to rid the thoughts. What was she worried about? Sango could take care of herself, better than most, really. She was just being silly.
Or was she?
Inuyasha came to an abrupt halt at Yusuke's desperate cry, and Kagome barely had time to register the seriousness of the situation unfolding before them until it was too late to stop it. In the clearing ahead of them, Sango was dangling helplessly at the mercy of a rather furious looking demon. However, the immediate danger wasn't the apparition squeezing the life out of the exterminator, but the one poised just a short distance away, hurdling a menacing orb of blue flame at the otherwise preoccupied pair.
Kagome faintly heard the demon call out his attack before Inuyasha flung her in the dirt and covered her body with his own. Kagome screwed her eyes shut as a tremendous force shook through her bones and a brilliant light erupted all around them like a tiny supernova.
An eerie stillness settled over them like a burial shroud, and Kagome chanced a quick glance up through the curtain of silver hair that clouded her vision. From the corner of her eye she noticed Yusuke picking himself up off the ground and swearing colorfully as Genkai, Kurama, Kuwabara, Miroku, and Kirara joined them there in the clearing.
Inuyasha jumped up then, bringing a slightly flustered Kagome with him. She felt the heat rush to her cheeks as his hands lingered at her sides to steady her, and feeling uneasy, she squirmed away from him. Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow but remained quiet as she quickly brushed the moment aside and scanned the area, hoping to catch any indication of life beyond the cloud of dust and dark that still lingered in the air.
"Oh God, what happened?" She breathed, acutely aware that neither her friend nor the demon in her company were anywhere to be seen.
"You son of a bitch!" Yusuke shouted angrily, making a beeline for the unknown demon in their company, intent on making him very sorry for his transgressions.
Shippou tensed as he felt the spirit detective close in on him. He spun but had no time to summon a defense before the angry youth gripped him by the throat and pinned him to the nearest tree.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't blast you full of holes," he growled out dangerously.
Shippou hung limply in Yusuke's grasp, too stunned to say anything in his own defense. Had he but just a moment to clear his mind he might have explained the situation, though to be honest he really wasn't sure of it himself. Only after he'd let loose the attack did he take the time to consider who he'd actually unleashed it on. Shippou's mouth hung on the ghosts of words as he fought to piece together a suitable explanation for both himself and the spirit detective.
Thankfully, Genkai saved him the trouble. "Put him down, dimwit," she spoke as she placed a comforting hand on Yusuke's free arm.
"Are you getting senile, grandma?" The detective snapped. "He just incinerated Hiei and Demon Slayer Barbie!"
"That attack was harmless, idiot," she replied coolly. "This was an illusion — all light and no real destructive power. If you'd have taken three seconds to remove your head from your ass you might have noticed it. My guess is that they're stunned, maybe even a little weak, but not dead." She smirked slyly then. "Your quick-tempered friend should be grateful; I suspect this demon just spared him a one way trip to Reikai prison."
The furious tension that had settled about them dissipated as everyone, except Kurama, let out a collective sigh of relief. Yusuke immediately loosened his grip, and Shippou sank to his hands and knees, head hung and coughing as he struggled to gain even breaths. Yusuke crouched down in front of the kitsune and regarded him expectantly.
"That true?" He questioned, not entirely convinced.
Kagome saw the demon nod, though he made no move to leave his position. Suddenly, she remembered what exactly had brought them there to begin with. "Inuyasha," she whispered urgently, "he has the jewel shard."
Inuyasha, however, was unusually quiet. Rather than push his way toward the demon and demand he turn over the shard, as he normally would have, Inuyasha stayed back and ignored both Kagome and the quiet interrogation between Yusuke and the apparition in question. The hanyou furrowed his brow and inhaled deeply.
"Is something wrong, Inuyasha," Miroku asked, his face drawn in concern as he strode up next to Kagome, who was just as confused.
He made no reply, only fixed the youkai under his liquid amber gaze as he stalked forward for a better look. He stopped merely a foot away and peered down at the apparition in the dirt, waiting expectantly for the demon to meet his gaze.
Shippou went rigid as he felt the demonic presence tower over him. He knew what the demon was waiting for; he knew precisely who the demon was, but despite the part of him that wanted to jump up and rejoice at their reunion, he simply could not move. The rational part of his mind, the part that had believed they were dead for the last 500 years — the part that had witnessed, first-hand, the hell-storm of consequences their untimely demise had left behind — the part that was still very much a frightened child, sobbing into the shell of a dying priestess on a battlefield as empty and desolate as he was, had taken over.
He clenched his fists in the dirt as he shattered and rebuilt himself with each ragged breath, slashing through the delusions that had become the foundations of his memories. His life. Shippou trembled, his vocal capabilities abandoned in a war between logic and ugly fact.
It was Kirara that finally approached him. Cautiously, she padded over to him on tiny paws and stood nose to nose with the traumatized kitsune, forcing him to look at her. He might have pulled away from her then, but the look in her eyes was so sincere, so thankful that Shippou discovered he could not look away. He stared into the deep scarlet eyes of the neko and was astounded at what he found there. It was not the scorn or bitter resentment that he secretly feared deep in his heart. It was hope. It was love. And Shippou found himself profoundly affected; his uncertainties vanished as he realized the truth of the matter.
They were lost, and they needed him. He'd be damned if he failed them again.
He drew the neko into his embrace and then guided her to rest on his shoulder as he sighed and stood to meet the tense golden gaze fixed upon him with a newfound serenity. Neither spoke, for words were unnecessary as the moment fell into place around them. A slow, deliberate smirk crept its way to Inuyasha's face and the barest hint of relief flashed in the half demon's eyes.
"You stink like wolf, Shippou," he announced.
He couldn't help but grin a little. Some things never changed. "It's good to see you too, Inuyasha."
The instant that followed heard only a startled gasp from Kagome and the jangling of the rings on Miroku's staff as it fell to the ground. Shippou tossed an uneasy glance to his former companions, who stood frozen in mute shock, and fumbled over the fragments of thoughts that rushed him. What could he even say to them? What could he even say to her?
"Kagome, I'm s—"
The breath was knocked from his body before he could utter another sound. Stunned, he looked down to find that Kagome had trapped him in a bone-crushing hug. He smiled a genuine smile, the first in far too long, and he felt his heart unclench a little as he brought his arms down gently to rest around her.
"Don't," she muttered, sobbing into his chest. "Don't you dare apologize."
Yusuke, who was never very comfortable with crying girls, turned away and shared a meaningful look with Kurama. They discreetly excused themselves, each retreating in a different direction, intent on finding Hiei and Sango before anything else did.
Kuwabara wasn't nearly as subtle. "Hey, what the heck is going on here?" He asked Genkai, annoyed and exasperated. "What, they know this guy now? And where are they going?" He sighed heavily; no one ever told him anything.
"Come on, nitwit," she began with a wry smile and made to lead him away from the reunited group. "Let's go find the others. This moment is not ours to share."
Miroku nodded at the old psychic gratefully before rushing to greet the kitsune himself. He dropped a comforting hand onto the fox demon's shoulder and cast him a heartfelt and reassuring look, which Shippou gladly returned.
"… Oh, Shippou," Kagome hiccoughed, still crying into him. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry…"
"Shh, don't cry," he soothed, stroking the priestess' hair affectionately.
She quieted after several long moments had passed and pulled back to regard him soberly. With her blue-gray eyes still brimming with tears, and her nose running, she took him by the arm. "Let's go," she said weakly and looked to Inuyasha, who nodded in agreement. "We have a lot to talk about."
The first thing Sango noticed, as her awareness slowly returned to her, was not the deadly silence that filled the glade she occupied, nor the nauseating migraine steadily creeping its way in on her. It wasn't the extreme discomfort of dust up her nose or the demonic aura she would have normally felt and reacted to in an instant. No, the only thing Sango noticed in her pre-conscious euphoria was heat: an all-encompassing, soothing, warmth that offered her comfort she hadn't known since she was just a small child. For the briefest of moments, she was no longer the battle-weary soldier carrying the vengeance of a dead village in her heart.
She exhaled and attempted to burrow further into the warmth surrounding her, hesitant to open her eyes and return to the nightmare her life had become.
A rough growl rolled through her chest as it rumbled beneath her, and Sango snapped immediately to consciousness, bitter reality crushing her like a tidal wave.
The events of her previous activities rushed her senses, and a strangled gasp escaped her lips as she realized that not only was she still in the presence of the youkai she'd been fighting, but, much to her utter embarrassment, she was currently in a rather … uncomfortable position with said youkai.
"You will remove yourself this instant, human," the demon sneered, his tone dripping with venom. Apparently, the blast that had taken them both by surprise had also sent them tumbling end over end down the slope of a nearby hill. The end result was a messy heap of demon and demon slayer, in a mass of tangled limbs and sweat. Needless to say, Hiei was not happy.
Then again, neither was Sango. "Gladly," she replied stiffly as she set out to disentangle herself from the hostile demon's form, only to discover that despite her mind's wishes, her body would not comply. She couldn't move. Oh Gods, why couldn't she move?
"Now, woman!" Hiei snapped impatiently.
"I'm trying," she began heatedly, attempting to keep the rising panic out of her voice. "It's not as though you couldn't …" Sango trailed off, allowing a small smirk to creep its way to her lips as she realized that she wasn't alone in her predicament. "You can't move, can you?"
Hiei scowled. True though it may be, he'd sooner cut off his own arm than admit it to her. Whoever had dared to launch such an attack was going to pay dearly for putting him in such a compromising situation. It was bad enough that the girl had made him lose control like she had, but now to be stuck with her here like this — her body molded to his so … intimately, her face nestled into the crook of his neck, her breath playing across the hollow of his throat — and he, with no possible means of escape due to his own weakness; it was just too much for his pride to handle at the moment.
With a rather rude snort, Hiei summoned the power of the jagan. He might not be able to move, but that wouldn't stop him from trying. Hiei focused his telekinetic abilities on the girl, intent on removing her as quickly and painfully as possible. The jagan glowed and slowly the exterminator's limp body began to lift. He smirked triumphantly at her startled cry and prepared to send the irritated demon slayer careening into the nearest tree.
Oh, if it were that simple.
The jagan froze abruptly, and Hiei realized his current handicap was not entirely limited to his physical capabilities. Sango dropped like a marionette with its strings cut, and the demon clamped down on the instinctive high-pitched squeal and grimace as the violent descent managed bring her leg down forcefully on the most intimate parts of his anatomy.
The girl flushed, knowing precisely what had happened and cursing at the even more suggestive position in which her body had come to rest. It was very nearly lewd, and Sango didn't know how much more humiliation she could take.
"Any more bright ideas," she quipped dryly, desperate to alleviate the physical tension building between them.
Hiei growled viciously. Oh, if looks could kill …
"Listen here, pal," Sango huffed indignantly, "if you think I'm any happier about this than you are, you've got another thing coming."
"Silence, girl," he snapped furiously, though the higher octave of his voice negated any attempt at intimidation. "It's bad enough to endure the feel of your human filth; I'll not suffer the annoyance of your incessant prattling as well."
"Don't you 'silence' me, you arrogant jackass!" Sango exclaimed, the anger and frustration from the day's events leaking into her voice. "In case you haven't noticed, this whole thing is your fault. If you hadn't attacked me to begin with we wouldn't have been caught off guard!"
Hiei clenched his teeth angrily, eyes watering involuntarily even as he willed the discomfort in his nether regions away, and he set his jaw in a stubborn line, annoyed at the note of truth in her words.
"Yes, well when weakling human girls such as yourself wander into a demon-infested forest, the attacks should come as no surprise," he sneered, voice cracking a little as it struggled to return to normal. "Even you should understand the natural order of things: the weak are destined to subservience. The fact that you are still alive is an astounding testament to pure, dumb luck."
"You ass!" Sango fumed.
"Oh, very clever. Did you come up with that all by yourself?" So did Hiei.
"Perhaps, I should come back at a later time," a new but familiar voice sounded from behind them, eliciting a startled gasp from the exterminator. The arguing ceased abruptly, and had they been able to, both Sango and Hiei might have jumped; they were so caught up in their bickering, neither had noticed the demon close in on them. "Forgive me," he chuckled. "I didn't mean to interrupt."
Hiei narrowed his eyes dangerously as he detected his teammate's obvious amusement with the situation. "Kurama," he warned, rage barely in check. "I'm sure you'll find it much more difficult to laugh once I've cut out your tongue."
"There's no need to be violent," Kurama replied, clearly not intimidated, as he made his way over to their line of vision and knelt beside them, taking in the damage. "Honestly, Hiei," he sighed, taking note of the vivid string of bruises forming around the girl's neck. "Can't you get along with anyone?"
He had half a mind to leave them there like that. Kurama had a very good idea as to what had transpired between the two and was also quite sure that Hiei had initiated the incident. It would have served him right to spend a little time with the consequences of his actions, and had it not been for the look of intense mortification on the slayer's face, Kurama might very well have done it.
"Hn."
"I take he's a friend of yours," Sango asked irritably as she fought to suppress the burning in her cheeks to a minimum. She did not think it was possible to have been embarrassed any more than she had already been that day. She was obviously mistaken.
Kurama allowed himself a small smile. "Sango, this is Hiei. He works with Yusuke, Kuwabara, and myself from time to time. Hiei, this is Sango. She and her friends are … guests of ours, for the time being." Kurama offered in the way of a quick introduction as he leaned forward for a better look at their circumstances. "You're unable to move," he stated more than asked.
"Brilliant assessment, fox," Hiei snapped, frustrated at the reminder of his current state of affairs.
Kurama made no response but brought a hand up to rest at his chin and looked thoughtful for a moment. He had seen this attack before, though it had been quite some time, he was certain of it. He'd make sure to question the kitsune about it later, but for now he would keep that piece of information to himself.
"How long will this last?" Sango asked much more politely than her fire demon acquaintance. Her anxiety had subsided when she realized that Kurama was in no way concerned about their circumstances. Not that she entirely trusted the spirit fox, but she'd come to accept that he had no intention of killing her — at least not yet.
Kurama reached out and began to disentangle the two. "It is impossible to say, but if you're able to speak it should not be much more than an hour," Kurama ventured, as he finally managed to roll the limp demon slayer off of the impatient fire demon and onto her back. "You are incredibly lucky, you know," he ignored the curt snort from Hiei. "This attack was designed specifically to stun, not kill. It's an illusionary trick, dependent upon photosensitivity. The light from the blast pulses in such a way that causes the neural passages in the visual processing center of the brain to … short circuit, if you will. The result is a deep paralysis, triggered by a series of abnormal electrical discharges within the motor cortex. The frequency of the strobe effect, and as such the believability of the overall illusion, is determined by the amount of spirit energy put into it. When fed enough, it actually simulates death. Ingenious, really."
Hiei scowled. He didn't give a damn how ingenious Kurama thought it was; whoever did it was going to wish they had just killed him by the time he was through. "I sincerely hope that ingenuity will be worth it when I'm dancing on their entrails."
Kurama sent him a disapproving glance but said nothing. There was no reasoning with Hiei when he was like this, and Kurama knew it would only cause further damage to try. He sighed as he lifted Sango over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, ignoring the squeak of protest from the immobile demon slayer. He peered down at the fire apparition. "Are you going to come peacefully, or shall I leave you to return on your own?" He questioned, though he already knew what Hiei's answer would be.
The fire apparition found himself hoisted up over familiar shoulders in much the same manner as the demon slayer had been before he could even answer. Hiei growled low in his throat, indignant at the notion of being manhandled. "If you value the use of your limbs you will unhand me at once, detective," the demon warned.
"Suck it up, three-eyes," Yusuke said wryly, as he fell into step behind Kurama. "I'm in no mood."
Surprisingly, Hiei made no further protest and gave only a quiet "hn," in reply. Truthfully, he was in no mood, either. Besides, whether he liked it or not it was in his best interests to return with them. No doubt that every lower-class demon within five miles would come snooping around for dinner before long, and Hiei had no intention of meeting his end in the jowls of such beasts.
With merely a discontented grunt, the awkward group made their way up the hill and toward the temple grounds.
"We have an agreement, then?" The room was thick with anticipation, and the words lingered in the air like smoke as Koenma settled his attention on the priestess.
The Reikai prince had been waiting for them by the time they all returned to the shrine, and after a few awkward introductions and explanations, a tense reunion, and a great deal of situating, they set to the business at hand. It was obvious that both groups would be pursuing the jewel; now, it was simply a question of whether they would be doing so as enemies or allies.
It was a long, drawn out process that, to be perfectly honest, Shippou paid little attention to. He couldn't help it; it was all he could do to contain himself. His family had returned to him, alive and well, and Shippou found concentrating on anything else to be nearly impossible. Hell, he couldn't take his eyes off them, Kagome in particular. Though he had missed all of his friends, it was her absence he felt most keenly. Especially when he spent so much time in the presence of Kouga.
Shippou's heart clenched at the thought. The wolf prince had never truly forgiven himself for his role in Kagome's death, and Shippou often wondered if he'd made the right decision in not telling Kouga that she would be reborn in roughly 500 years. Looking back now, at the atrocities he'd borne witness to over the years in her name, he realized that, no, it had not been the right decision. He swallowed back the guilt that threatened to rise in his throat. No, Shippou couldn't change that now anymore than he could have stopped it in the first place. At least, it seemed that the girl had no memory of it, and at the moment, it was the best he could hope for.
Kagome drew a nervous breath, and shared a knowing look with the rest of her companions. She knew in her heart that this was the best way, but she had no intention of making the decision for them.
Miroku was the first to respond, although it took him a moment to recover from all he had learned. Despite his training as a monk, it was a bit of a shock to be presented with indisputable evidence of the machinations of the afterlife. Until Shippou had come back into the picture and verified what they had been telling him, he hadn't entirely believed everything his hosts had said, most specifically Botan, whom he now felt inclined to keep on his good side. So much for getting in a good feel every now and then. With a heavy sigh, the monk nodded his approval.
Kagome smiled and looked to Sango, whose eyes were fixed on a certain disagreeable fire apparition. She didn't like him, and she trusted him even less, but if it meant finding her brother she wasn't about to pass up the chance, regardless of her personal feelings. Sango averted her eyes back to Kagome and gave her hesitant affirmation, glad to see that the effects of the magic were beginning to ebb when her entire head didn't flop forward from lack of control.
Kagome drew a heavy breath. Now for the hard part, she thought as she turned to face her most difficult challenge. However, much to her surprise, Inuyasha hadn't voiced his objection outright. As a matter of fact, the hanyou had been amazingly quiet during the exchange, and his expression told her that he was actually, seriously considering the offer.
And he was, too. Inuyasha was stubborn, crass, quick tempered, and wholly without tact, but he was no fool. As much as he hated the idea of separating his humans into three different worlds with no immediate way to reach them, he also realized that this was probably the best and quickest way to find the jewel and destroy Naraku. If nothing else there was power in numbers, an advantage they'd had in the feudal age, but he had been too much of a bullheaded ass to draw upon. He had no intention of making the same mistake again.
Their eyes met, and Inuyasha's expression softened as he realized that the most important reason for accepting, however, was not about strategy or advantage. It was much more simple than that. Wherever Kagome went, so did he. Always.
"Feh, whatever," he muttered in gruff acceptance. "But let's get one thing straight first, junior," he said as he rounded on the Reikai prince. "When this is over, that jewel is coming with us."
"Inuyasha," Kagome warned.
"No, it's a valid concern, Kagome," Koenma interrupted. He chose his next words carefully, not wanting to incite the hanyou's anger by telling him that when this was over, the jewel would most likely be locked away in the deepest pits of spirit world, if not destroyed. "The fate of the jewel is not to be decided by you or I, at this time. Right now, let's focus on finding the missing fragments before anything else does and worry about the outcome when the time arrives."
Inuyasha grumbled but made no further protest. Kagome sensed his acquiescence, and a soft smile lit the priestess' features. She breathed a sigh of relief. "All right, I guess we're in."
Koenma let out the breath he did not know he'd been holding. Well, that went much better than expected, he thought gratefully. He honestly hadn't been looking forward to the unpleasant alternative should they choose to refuse. Reikai prison was no place for human girls.
"Very well," he smiled. "Consider yourself teammates."
The next morning came all too early, and Yusuke wearily stumbled out of the shrine into the crisp dawn air. "Stupid sun," he mumbled. Once, just once he wished he could get a mission that started around noon. He yawned widely and stretched to work the kinks out of his muscles; if he was lucky, maybe Yukina would have whipped up something to eat before they left.
For once, it seemed the spirit detective was, indeed, lucky. The delicious smell of omelets infiltrated his nostrils and beckoned him to turn back inside. Okay, so maybe today won't completely suck, he thought, as he made his way toward the source of the enticing aroma. If he would have been paying attention, he might have noticed the voices just a few feet away from him. Unfortunately he wasn't, and as he rounded the corner he smacked directly into the girl, sending her crashing to the ground in an unceremonious heap.
Kagome blinked to focus looked up to find Yusuke shaking his head. "We gotta stop meeting like this," he said with a chuckle as he held out a hand to help her up. "You okay?"
"I'll survive," she said with a smile that, Yusuke couldn't help but notice, seemed a little forced. He cocked a suspicious eyebrow and peered into her face, not entirely convinced. "You sure?" he asked warily. Now that he was looking, he could see that she had been crying, and he realized with the force of her impact that wherever she had come from, she must have left in a hurry.
"Kagome, I …" Shippou entered the hallway hastily and abruptly shut his mouth when he caught sight of the detective. "… I think breakfast is ready," he finished, clearly not completing the statement he had originally been planning to make.
"Yes, of course, breakfast," she replied quickly. "You'd better hurry, Yusuke. If you want anything to eat you'll have to beat Inuyasha to it; he can eat his weight in food." She promptly turned on her heal and disappeared down the corridor.
Yusuke crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes. Who did they think they were fooling, here? He didn't know exactly what those two were up to, but he knew damn well that it had nothing to do with breakfast. "Hey, fox boy," he said as Shippou had turned to follow the priestess.
The kitsune paused but did not turn around. "Yes?"
"You should hand that shard over to Koenma," Yusuke started, choosing his approach carefully. "If you still have it, that is."
Damn the kid was sharp when he wanted to be. Was it possible he'd overheard part of their conversation? Shippou doubted it but decided that discretion was best in any case. "It's been taken care of," he replied a bit cryptically.
"Good," Yusuke smirked. "I'd hate to think I couldn't trust you."
Confident that his point had been made, the spirit detective moved on, his stomach as his guide, leaving a stunned Shippou to his own devices.
Koenma took a moment to look over his troop of wayward soldiers. Yusuke and Inuyasha were trading unusually vulgar insults; Kuwabara was professing his undying love to a blushing Yukina; Hiei was alternating nasty looks between Kuwabara and Shippou; Miroku was currently catching the business end of Botan's oar; and Sango was sharpening her blade menacingly while trying not to appear jealous at the monk's antics. Those who weren't in the midst of conflict were ambling back and forth between divvying up supplies and keeping the others in check, which Koenma couldn't help but notice they were failing at miserably. 'So this is the fate of human kind,' he thought wryly. 'We are in so much trouble.'
The Reikai prince cleared his throat loudly, demanding attention that, much to his chagrin, he did not get. Again, Koenma cleared his throat expectantly, and again he was met with no response. Finally, after another unsuccessful attempt to gain notice, Kurama intervened with a quiet "excuse me" that stopped everyone in their tracks. Koenma frowned. What happened to respect for authority? Oh well, he should be used to it with Yusuke by now.
"If you are all quite finished now, I'd like to get this show on the road," he remarked, agitated.
"So who's stopping ya, toddler?" Yusuke asked with his usual flippancy.
Koenma pointedly avoided the barb about his typical childlike appearance, and continued on despite the raised eyebrows of those who had no idea what this toddler business was about. "As I was saying," he began, stressing the last word. "In the interests of establishing trust I think it would be best to divide members from each respective group into the three teams evenly. Yusuke, I'd like for you, Genkai, Kagome, and Inuyasha to remain in the living world."
"Are you sure about this?" Kagome asked timidly, as both the detective and the hanyou snorted in irritation. "Yusuke and Inuyasha don't exactly get along."
"Then I'm sure they'll learn to," he replied in a tone that left no room for argument. "When the pieces of the Shikon Jewel scattered across the pseudo-space, it's magic effectively left small distortions all along the border, leaving the human world vulnerable. According to spirit world intelligence, demons have been slipping through ever since. My father has posted a watch to police the barrier, but there's no telling how many demons have already made it through or how many ruptures have yet to be contained. I need Yusuke's strength here to defend those who cannot defend themselves, and seeing as Inuyasha is the strongest and most accustomed to the modern human world among you, I see no other alternative than to place him here as well."
"I see."
"Good. Now, Kuwabara?"
"Yes sir?"
"You have the ability to sense jewel shards as well as Kagome, correct?"
"Uh, yeah I think so," he said, scratching the back of his head absently. "I felt that one yesterday pretty good."
"Alright, I'd like for you, Botan, Miroku, and Sango to search Spirit World."
"Now wait just a damn minute, junior," Inuyasha cut in abruptly and gestured to Hiei, Kurama, and Shippou. "How are they supposed to detect jewel fragments?"
"I was getting to that," Koenma stated in annoyance. "Hiei, can you sense the shards using the jagan?" The fire apparition gave a short, affirmative nod, though his attention was focused mostly on the kitsune who had rendered him utterly useless just hours before. It suddenly occurred to Koenma that this might not have been the wisest decision he could have made. Asking Hiei to work with anyone other than Kurama was always a potential medicine for disaster, but asking him to work with Shippou made it a certainty.
"With all due respect, Koenma," Kurama interjected, sensing his unease. "It may be beneficial to send some demonic ability with those venturing into the spirit realm." Inuyasha fervently agreed, and Kurama realized that his previous objection had nothing to do with their inability to detect pieces of the jewel.
And he was right, too. It was not that Inuyasha was concerned about them finding it; he was worried about what they would do to keep it when all was said and done. A demon was still a demon and much more susceptible to the dark influence of the jewel. As much as Inuyasha truly wanted to believe he could trust Shippou, he couldn't just dismiss the fact.
"If I may make a suggestion, sir," Kurama offered politely. "Perhaps it would be best to send Shippou with Kuwabara and the others, and we can take another in his stead."
"Who would you suggest?"
Kurama brought a hand to rest at his chin thoughtfully. They would need Botan as a guide no doubt, and the monk's holy powers would be a great asset in the spirit realm. To be honest, they really only had one choice. "We could take the slayer," he supplied quietly.
"What?!" Came the shocked, simultaneous exclamation from both Hiei and Sango.
"Have you lost your senses, fox?" Hiei snapped at the same time Sango voiced her objection. "You expect me to go with him?"
"We can't take a human female into Makai."
"He tried to k—" Sango stopped abruptly and turned to Hiei. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"She will be a liability," Hiei continued on, ignoring the exterminator's indignant response.
Sango narrowed her eyes. Who the hell did he think he was? He did not know the first thing about her abilities; she was a demon slayer, damn it, and no one's burden to bear! "I'm going," she said in quiet determination.
"Don't be a fool, girl," he growled, his attention suddenly redirected to her. "You won't last a day in the demon realm."
"I'm an accomplished demon exterminator and fully capable of taking care of myself," she spat.
"I'll not waste my time babysitting weak human girls," he said, getting angry now as well.
"Listen here you self-important little bastard," Sango began heatedly, going toe to toe with the demon. She rarely swore, but Gods, he was just so infuriating. "I don't need you or anyone else to babysit me. I can hold my own."
"You are not coming!"
"Just try to stop me!"
Kurama groaned. Why did it always have to be this way? "That is enough," he interrupted with a soft ferocity that left no room for discussion, and the argument ceased. "Now is not the time for petty quarreling. She is as qualified as any to accompany us."
Hiei scowled darkly and Sango could not help the satisfied grin that spread across her face at his expression. She'd show him just what this weak human girl was capable of, even if it killed her.
"Hn, fine," he muttered irritably. "But I won't be blamed when she gets herself killed."
"If anything goes wrong, the responsibility will fall on me alone," Kurama responded, putting his comrade's concerns to rest.
"Very well, it's settled then," Koenma said. "Yukina, I'd like for you to remain here at the shrine. Your healing skills far surpass any of ours, and I fear we may need them."
"Yes, of course Koenma sir," the dainty apparition replied politely.
"Good. We will meet back here in three weeks time for Kagome to purify any shards we've collected and to compare findings. Any questions?"
"What about the demon?" Yusuke inquired. "Shouldn't we send someone after it?"
"You won't have to," Miroku chimed in. "Naraku's prime objective is retrieving the Shikon Jewel. Always. So long as we're pursuing the fragments we're bound to run across him."
"What about the kid?" Kuwabara questioned, unaware, as were all but Koenma and perhaps Hiei, of the particulars of their relationship with the boy.
Sango's face fell and Shippou visibly stiffened. There hadn't been time to discuss the circumstances of his involvement with his formerly lost companions, and he feared their reaction — especially Sango's. She would not understand, he knew. While his intent had been to free the boy, he couldn't say for certain that she would see it that way. Kohaku was the most important person in the world to the slayer, and despite the fact that he was beyond saving, she would die before she stopped trying.
Koenma cast a quick sideways glance to the kitsune, sensing his distress, and paused in his speech thoughtfully. He was not entirely sure where their arrangement stood now, but he was certain that it would be a mistake to discuss the matter given their present company. Besides, as long as the kitsune was still willing to aid them, he saw no need to press the issue at the moment. "The original mission still stands."
Shippou sighed in relief. He'd tell them eventually, if necessary, but it would be on his terms.
"If there is nothing else, then, I'll bid you all farewell. Good luck, and God speed." With that, the Reikai prince turned to leave them to their goodbyes, but not before pulling Botan aside. Seeing this Miroku took the opportunity to catch Sango before she could disappear.
Sango felt the grip on her arm and turned to regard the monk suspiciously. "Are you sure about this?" he whispered, averting his eyes to the sulking fire apparition.
She caught his meaning and gave him a reassuring smile, touched at his concern. "Don't worry about me," she said softly and brought a hand to rest behind the ears of the kitten on her shoulder. "I have Kirara with me. I'll be fine."
"Be careful," he said softly and let go of her wrist. "You too," she replied. She turned away then, leaving Miroku to ponder what secrets the spirit realm had in store.
Botan, however, knew exactly what secrets the spirit world held, and to say she was enthused about what lay ahead of them would have been a lie. "You wanted to speak with me, Koenma sir?" She asked once they were alone.
"Yes. I'm sure I don't need to tell you how important it is for you to return here in three weeks. Reikai is not made for the living, and I cannot say what effects prolonged exposure may have on the mortal coil."
"Yes sir, I understand."
"Also, I think you should know … Charon is missing."
"That can't be," Botan gasped, shocked. "It … it isn't possible. Who's regulating the traffic of malevolent souls?"
"The SDF is doing what they can for now, but with the barrier breach, my father's forces are spread thin," Koenma answered, weary. "I suggest you head for the river Styx as soon as possible. It is my belief that he is under the influence of a tainted fragment. If he is, in fact, in possession of a jewel shard, we need to get it from him before there are permanent ramifications.
"Exercise great caution," the prince added. "We're not talking about a low-level demon here. Albeit minor, Charon is still a deity, and his powers will be augmented greatly, so be prepared for a struggle."
"You can count on us, sir," the grim reaper responded with resolve. She left him to his own devices then, in search of her team of miscreant warriors.
"Good luck, Botan," Koenma whispered after her retreating form. "And be careful."