Chapter 7
The campfire burned merrily chasing the shadows of the night away. In its faint light, the companions sat watching the two youngest play, speaking softly of the spell. Mikomi had her head bowed not meeting any of her companion's eyes as she explained.
"Only someone with a blood connection, could cast such a spell on a Taiyoukai. As the village, we are approaching, is my home village the caster must be a direct blood relative of mine. Through Inu Yasha, I alone would have the blood connection." She took a deep breath and looked cautiously at her husband. "That would mean my sister's child or grandchild. Though I do not know why she would cast such a spell."
"Se remembers being asked if he refused to honor a promise but, not what the promise was. Perhaps it concerns the village? Did you, My Lord, ever make a promise to the village?" Miroku asked.
Shippo was enjoying having someone close to his age to play with. Sesshomaru was fun, willing to play anything his new friend wanted too. They had played hide the staff, much to the annoyance of the houshi. Even now they were planning their newest mischief, when Shippo saw it, Kikyou's soul skimmer. "Miroku! Sango!" He called pulling the inu youkai child with him from their hiding spot. "Kikyou!" The monk and exterminator leapt to their feet, the conversation forgotten. Each searching a separate section of woods. Shippo led Se to his father and prepared himself, he was young and his fox fire had little power but he would defend the pup.
Yukio watched the three, by there actions he knew this Kikyou person was not a friend. Rising he placed Mikomi and his son behind him. He saw the woman walk from the woods, she wore the robes of a miko and yet there was no warmth to her. He heard no heartbeat or breath escape her. Whispering, so only the fox could hear he asked "Who is she?"
Shippo turned and was about to answer when the dead miko spoke. "Come Inu Yasha? I wish to speak with you." She noticed the small child youkai surrounded by the adults. "That girl defiles her position of miko and produces that? I will not allow my reincarnation to so dishonor me." Raising her bow she knocked an arrow pointing it towards the small boy.
"NO!" Mikomi stepped from behind her mate a bolt of lightning streaked from her finger igniting the bow and the arrow.
Yukio whispered again to the young kit. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Kikyou. She use to be Inu Yasha's girlfriend. But they were pitted against each other by Naraku, and she pinned him to a tree with an arrow. Now she wants to kill Kagome and drag Inu Yasha to hell." He whispered.
Kikyou opened her mouth to speak when Yukio's voice cut through the night. "Miko. You will answer my questions." It was not a question it was a command, "Did you indeed pin Inu Yasha to a tree with an arrow?"
"Who are you?" Kikyou asked realizing the voice coming from Inu Yasha was not his.
"Who I am, is not your concern. Only that you answer my questions."
"Yes, I did...."
His voice cut off any further comment she would have made. "You have threatened Kagome and wish to drag Inu Yasha to hell?"
"Yes. Why does it concern you?" Kikyou finally looked closely at Inu Yasha and noticed the markings. While this demon might look like Inu Yasha, Kikyou realized that it was not him. "Who are you?" she demanded.
"Se, my son listen for this is one more vow you must keep. The Miko Kagome, the Taijiya Sango, the monk Miroku and the Kitsune cub Shippo are from this day forth under the protection of the Taiyoukai of the West. Any attack upon any one of them will be seen as a direct attack upon said Taiyoukai. This vow protects her and her descendants for as long as the Inu Youkai clan reign in the west." As he had spoken the vow his eyes had turned to red. Carefully he laid the Tetsusaiga in the hands of the demon exterminator. "As for who I am. I, like you miko, am a ghost and it is only fair that I should take revenge for your attacks. Against. My. Son. Inu Yasha." He felt the power gather and the primal demon energies release, his body expanded, loosing it's human form, carefully he placed his companions under his massive canine form. One paw, raised taking care he slowly lowered it onto the abomination before him. He heard the cracking of bone, and clay. Finally his paw rested once again on the ground. He watched as the captive souls she had held vanished into the night. His control slipping he stumbled back to his human form.
As soon as his transformation completed Sango thrust the sword into his hands and grabbed Se. She ran when she knew she was past the barrier she stopped. She turned in time to see Inu Yasha collapse into Kagome's arms.
To all my readers, THANK YOU!!! I know I made you wait a long time for this update. But, I wanted it to be right. Also Vengeance was at a critical point and the ideas demanded my time. We are near the end on this, how close I'm not sure. I can tell you that after Yukio's stunt in this chapter he will not be getting near Se for a few days. You will find out next chapter exactly how bad that was on poor Inu. As for why I killed Kikyou? I really hadn't planned to, but I so effectively got rid of Inu's rival, I figured I'd do the same for Kagome. I also think Kikyou needs to DIE. Personal opinion only here, if you like her sorry, but I don't. One more thing.. THANK YOU for 100+ reviews!!!!!!!!!!