26 Days Remaining

Tsukino Cave

Minako finished cleaning up the morning dishes when Inuyasha placed a hand on her head. "How are you feeling?"

Minako looked over at her twin, noticing that Usagi was glaring at them.

"Don't mind me, you two," Usagi said, stand sharply and walking out of the cave.

Minako shook her head at her sister as Usagi left.

"What the heck does she mean?" Inuyasha asked. "Why is she talking nonsense?"

"My sister's jealous," Minako said simply. "And you're an idiot. Osuwari!"

Jealous? Inuyasha wondered to himself. That's stupid. What's she jealous for? I only protect Minako cuz of the jewel, and she knows it.
"You okay?" Minako asked from behind him.

Inuyasha jumped. "Why'd ya do that?"

"Well cuz..." Minako said. "You've been staring out the cave for over an hour. If Sis was coming back today she'd be here already. She's probably with Kaede-sama."

Inuyasha sighed. "You stay here and keep an eye out for trouble. I'm going to get Usagi."

I knelt next to Izayoi's grave, gently finishing planting some roses. I felt frustrated tears fall down my cheeks and hit the soil.

"Heya, Izayoi-mama," I said gently. "I wish you were here. But what do I do now? Inuyasha is protecting Minako just fine. It's stupid to get jealous, but...I-I can't go back…not with them close like that. I-I just…"

"Come home, Usagi," Inuyasha said, standing in the clearing, all of a sudden.

I looked up, my cheeks wet with tears.

He ran over, taking my chin in his hands, examining my face. "Why are you crying? What—"

Then he noticed the grave. "You cared about Okaa-san too, huh?"

I nodded. "I-Inuyasha…you were worried?"

He looked away. "Don't be stupid. Your sister sent me. I have to keep the catalyst happy."

"Osuwari!" I shouted angrily, exiting the graveyard.

Minako was helping Priestess Kaede with some daily tasks, as well as learning new spells to use to get rid of demons. She learned protective spells as well. Now that she had regained a small part of the jewel, she was able to transform again, so she learned the spells to fight better in both forms.

Suddenly she sensed something. It was a demon, but it had to be tiny or have very little yoki.

It hopped into her hand and she giggled. "Hi there."

"You must have been near Lord Inuyasha," he said. "I am Myoga the Flea. I am the keeper of his father's tomb."

Minako laughed. "Then what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be, um, protecting it?"

"I ran as soon as it was attacked," replied Myoga.

"Well then you should have fought!" Minako said.

"The tomb isn't important, it's the remains," said Myoga. "Where is Lord Inuyasha? We could be attacked at anytime!"

"Too late," said Minako, tilting her head and sensing the yoki of a powerful demon approaching. His yoki was similar to Inuyasha's, but it was the yoki of a full demon.

"Lady Kaede, stay here and protect the village," Minako said, her eyes narrowing in determination. "I sense a trap."

She put her bow and arrows over her shoulder and ran off into the woods toward the cave. There was no sign of Inuyasha or her twin. But she did sense something sinister.

Out of the darkness loomed a palanquin with a woman inside. A large demon grabbed her and began to crush her.

"What a foolish thing for you to do," Minako said angrily, shooting a glowing arrow at the creature. It quickly exploded.

"That creature was mine, human," said a voice, and down stepped a very attractive demon.

Minako, for her part, didn't let her confidence waver, and transformed, aiming light within her hands and hitting the side of the palinquin, setting it on fire. "The next beam's aimed at your heart! What do you want with Inuyasha and why do you have that thing disguised as his mother?"

"How does she know that?" a little green imp said, fluttering around and putting out the flames. "Kill the human quickly Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru ran a hand through his silver hair in disdain. "Silence Jaken. Girl, how is it you know so much with a mere glance?"

"My name is Minako! And your illusions are pathetic! I am a kitsune!" she lowered her arrow, allowing her yoki to rise. "You will do well to respect me!"

Sessomaru raised an eyebrow at her. "So what is Inuyasha to you? Why protect him?"

Minako paused. She did not really know. She wanted to say that he was her friend. Or that she did it because her sister loved him. But the way he protected her...

She felt Sesshomaru's hand on her shoulder. "You should not have let your guard down."

Suddenly he held her up by the neck. "I will reduce you to ash."

He raised his poison claw.

I came into the clearing with Inuyasha close behind. "Let go of her!"

To my surprise, the silver haired demon dropped her. "What? Why do you look so much alike?"

"I swear you'd think they've never seen a twin before!" Minako said standing.

Inuyasha entered the clearing and glared at the other. That's when I realized they must be related. "Sesshomaru! What do you want?"

I stood in between them. "He wants your father's fang."

"Ah," Sesshomaru said. "A yosei.I believe this puts me at an advantage."

Suddenly he was behind me, his breath on my neck. I flinched visibly.

"You will do what I say," He whispered softly.

I felt goosebumps go up my spine as I realized he was correct. I could not transform. I had no control.

And with a swish of that silver hair, Sesshomaru was gone.

Inuyasha rushed to Usagi's side. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," she said softly. She caressed his cheek with her hand. "I-Inuyasha...r-run..."

Her eyes found his and he saw the vacancy there. "Usagi! That bastard! I'll-"

"Stop!" Usagi pulled him close to her. "Forget everything. Everything. Love me and only me. Let me be your one and only..."

She pressed her lips against his. For a moment Inuyasha believed her. And then he remembered that this was Usagi. She would never be the first to talk about her feelings. She had WAY too much pride for that.

So he pushed her away, knowing it was a trick. No one like her could love a half demon like him.

"Th-That's not true!" Usagi yelled at him, her eyes suddenly clear.

Inuyasha stared at her. Did she read my mind?

"Whaddya mean, it's not-" he began, but was cut off by Sesshomaru's hand on his neck. The bastard never left!

"I thank you, little yosei," Sesshomaru said. "You pulled the knowledge from the depth of his soul...and you didn't even know you did it."

He removed a pearl from Inuyasha's eye and left through a portal.

Inuyasha got up, clutching his eye in pain. "You girls sta—"

"In your dreams," Minako responded. "Sis already went through for revenge."

I landed next to Sesshomaru and Jaken. My wings had grown in the space of a second, and my body had transformed. "How DARE you use me like that!"

"Only a yosei would think this was about you," he replied, brushing his hair back. "You are so arrogant. This is about Tessaiga."

"You can't pull the sword out," I replied visciously. "I saw you try and fail."

"I have more ability to draw it then a winged monstrosity like you," he said simply.

"SHUT UP SESSHOMARU!" Inuyasha said, coming in with Minako, who was also in senshi form.

Sesshomaru turned to his half brother and attacked him in one swift moment. "I will kill you here. You have served your purpose, little brother. You are an insult to Father's memory. You and your tainted blood."

I grabbed the Tessaiga and put it to Sesshomaru's throat. "Tainted blood? The fact that Inuyasha's a hanyou is what makes him better than you. He alone has the power to wield the Tessaiga. And you…you are just a third rate copy of him!"

Sesshomaru, tiring of my insults, grabbed me by the throat and held me aloft, knocking the Tessaiga out of my hands and onto the ground. "Foolish yosei. How dare you compare me to him!"

He moved to strike, but Inuyasha was faster and knocked Sesshomaru off of me. "Don't you touch her!"

"So you do have a weakness for this yosei girl?" Sesshomaru said. "You are truly a fool."

With those words he began to transform. I stood, picking up the sword. "Inuyasha! Fight with the sword! I feel its power!"

"She's right! You just need to tap into it!" Minako said.

"You two shut up and get to higher ground!" Inuyasha yelled back.

I readied my Crescent. "I will fight by your side!"

"Idiot!" Inuyasha yelled. "You'll die from the gases!"

"Not gonna happen!" I yelled. "You will die too!"

"Let me protect you!" he yelled.

My eyes widened. I climbed up to higher ground and watched as he made short work of Sesshomaru with the newly transformed Tessaiga. I suddenly felt a pulse of a different sort and looked at my sister.

She looked worried as hell and a little sick.

"Sis?" I put a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry; Inuyasha will be okay."

"S-Sesshomaru…" she whispered.

And without another word, my older sister vanished into the sky with Sesshomaru. She had fully transformed also. A…kitsune. Her senshi form was gone.

Inuyasha grabbed me. "Where did Minako go?"

"She followed her heart," I sighed.

"What are you talkin about now?" Inuyasha said.

I laughed. "Let's go, Inuyasha."