I've heard from quite a few people that you didn't really approve of how I ended chapter 3. Well, I'll just let you know right now that I am MEAN!!!! I am heartless and…stuff! No, not really, but I don't exactly feel bad about all this. We'll just say that. It got you guys to review, didn't it? Now, on with the story!
*****
Fate's Reversal
Part 4
*****
"And Kagome is sure that he's dead?" Kaede asked, a deep frown furrowing her brow. Across from her, Miroku nodded and sipped at the tea, willing his hands to stop shaking with emotions.
"She says the link they shared through the Shikon no Tama has been completely severed." Miroku set the tea down to avoid spilling it over his hands. "I would have brought her with me, but she seemed in no condition to leave the hut. I decided it would be wiser to leave her under Sango's supervision while I left."
"And what of Shippo? You told me yesterday that he went searching for Haruka as well." Kaede asked, her calm exterior hiding the extreme upset brought on by Miroku's news.
"Shippo…we don't know. He has yet to return, and it may be that whatever happened to Inuyasha struck him down as well." Miroku admitted. There was a long pause as they contemplated this possibility.
"Kaede-sama, I came not only because they might be dead, but also to help ascertain whether or not they could still be alive." Miroku told the older woman eventually, taking another sip of his tea. "I told you of the information revealed by Shippo's scouting earlier this winter, did I not?"
"The extensions." Kaede nodded. "Naraku had many, but we assumed that all those that were not killed by us died when Naraku was killed."
"We were wrong." Miroku sighed. "And the appearance of Kagura proved that. She is no longer a threat, but there might be others. And Shippo tells me that although he cannot detect the scent of Naraku easily, he still cannot find the hidden castle. If Naraku was well and truly gone, the castle should be easy to find, the barrier destroyed."
"But if some of his extensions are still there, helping to hold the barrier he constructed…the castle would still be hidden." Kaede nodded slightly. "Yes, the news was most troubling indeed."
"You don't think…perhaps Kagura hasn't really switched sides?" Miroku asked hesitantly. Kaede arched an eyebrow at this suggestion.
"You're suggesting that all this time, she's been lulling us into her confidence, while she's been plotting something terrible?" Kaede asked. "I do admit, there is that possibility, but I highly doubt it. At any rate, this doesn't necessarily have to be the doing of Naraku or any of his extensions. Inuyasha was once a powerful hanyou, but now he is only a human man. He can be killed by things that couldn't touch him before. We must find out what has happened to him."
"As I was saying before, I have my doubts as to whether Shippo or Inuyasha are actually dead." Miroku told her. "Would there be a way to severe the connection of the Shikon no Tama without killing Inuyasha?"
"Hmm…interesting idea." Kaede sipped the last of her tea and thought for a while over his suggestion. "Now that you mention it…if there was some way to take the Shikon no Tama out of him, that would severe the connection as well."
"But it's been absorbed into his body, how can it be removed without killing him?" Miroku wanted to know. Kaede pursed her lips together and stared at the bottom of her empty cup, thinking the problem over.
"It was removed from Kagome's body without damaging her." Kaede recalled, tapping a finger on her lips, "But that was because she had not used it. It was connected to her soul, reincarnated from the soul of my older sister."
"Then…maybe the jewel was not attached to Inuyasha's body at all, but to his soul?" Miroku supposed. "It seems that the Shikon no Tama was very powerful, to the point where it could grant wishes over and over. The only problem was that once a wish was made, the jewel became part of the wisher's soul."
"Exactly. Now…if it works as it worked with Kikyo-neesama, then when Inuyasha dies, he will take the Shikon no Tama with him." Kaede offered. "Even though she never made a wish, the jewel was tied to her soul, as well."
"So…then when Inuyasha was reincarnated, the jewel would be present in his body…just like with Kagome-sama?" Miroku guessed.
"Perhaps, but we can't be sure." Kaede's brow furrowed. "And even if that is true, it doesn't give us any answers. Why would someone kill Inuyasha to get the jewel if it meant they might have to wait hundreds of years to retrieve it?"
"Yes, quite the gamble, isn't it?" Miroku sighed. "Now, if there was only a way to get at the jewel right away, without sending it to the afterlife with Inuyasha's soul."
"That's it!" Kaede gasped. "If Inuyasha was still alive, but his soul was removed to somewhere more accessible…the jewel would go with it. Perhaps then it could be extracted?" Kaede wondered aloud.
"I don't know. It seems like a lot of trouble to go through." Miroku stated his doubt.
"Perhaps, but this is the Shikon no Tama. Many have gone through more trouble before to have it in their possession. Inuyasha is only one example." Kaede pointed out.
"I suppose so…" Miroku paused, looking down in his own empty cup. "But if that's what has taken place, we aren't in much of a position to do anything about it until we know who could do such a thing and why they would do it."
"Father!" Sekatsu and Tsuyo beat at the door of Kaede's hut frantically. "Father, Shippo's back!"
"What?" Miroku leapt up and let the boys in. They had obviously been running and were trying to calm down and catch their breaths at the same time.
"Shippo…he's back!" Tsuyo exclaimed. "He's fine!"
"He brought Inuyasha!" Sekatsu added.
"Inuyasha? How is he?" Miroku demanded.
"He's…strange. It's like he's asleep, but he won't wake up. Shippo found him that way and doesn't know what to do." Tsuyo explained.
"He's bringing Inuyasha now." Sekatsu added. "Wait until you see him! I didn't even know it was him."
"I thought it was Haruka at first." Tsuyo added, nodding in agreement with his brother. "That's the weirdest thing of all."
"He looks…like Haruka?" Miroku asked, feeling Kaede's knowing gaze upon him. "What do you mean?"
"You'll see, here he comes." Sekatsu pointed out the door and moved to make way for a very tired looking Shippo who was holding a large bundle in his arms. When Miroku got a closer look, he gasped in shock.
"What happened to him?" Miroku looked down at the man that was unmistakably Inuyasha. But the face was one from the past as well. One that Miroku thought he'd never seen again.
"Isn't it obvious, Miroku?" Kaede made her way over to the man with silver hair and dog ears. "His wish was taken when the Shikon no Tama was stolen."
"Well, shit." Was all Shippo could say as everyone stared at the unconscious man.
----------
"Goddamnit…if I ever find the end of this fucking trail…" Kouga trailed off as he followed the fading scent he'd been chasing after for too long now. Many times, he had accidentally gone in circles and even headed back toward the mountain, but he knew that he was slowly gaining ground. "This bastard is gonna die so slow…" Kouga growled when something caught his attention. Sanka? What's he doing out here?
"Kouga! Kouga can you hear me?" the wolf called out desperately.
"Sanka?" Kouga turned back, momentarily forgetting about the trail as he leapt through a few trees toward the place where he met up with his fellow youkai. "What are you doing out here?"
"It's…Kouga! I finally found you!" Sanka looked like he might burst into tears, he was so relieved. "Kouga, you have to come back! Right now!"
"What happened? Is Yuki alright?" Kouga asked, thinking of the young son he'd left in charge of the tribe. If anything had happened to the boy…
"He's fine…I think…I don't know!" Sanka threw up his hands in defeat. "He ran off alone after what happened."
"What happened?" Kouga demanded.
"No one knows except Mikan, Yuki, and me." Sanka explained. "I only know because Mikan wanted me to find you and bring you back. Kouga…it's Kagura-neesan…"
"Kagura!? What happened? Tell me, dammit!" Kouga shook the frightened mans shoulders as he thought of his pregnant mate.
"She…someone attacked her. I don't really know what the problem is…but Mikan says you have to come back. She might die." Sanka admitted.
"Let's go then!" Kouga started bounding back for his home with Sanka in pursuit. Kouga was not thinking of anything at the moment excluding the mate he held so dear to his heart. The woman who's heart he had healed, letting her heal his heart in return.
Kagura…please don't die… Kouga thought. I still need you with me. I can't lose you.
----------
"Ne, Tsuyo, what are you doing?" Sekatsu asked as he entered the room that all of Sango and Miroku's boys slept in. At the moment, the twins were the only two people in the room though. Tsuyo was packing several garments in a knapsack, and he didn't really seem alarmed at Sekatsu's presence. Considering the boys were always partners in whatever schemes they perpetrated, this was not extremely surprising. Tsuyo reached over and pulled out another knapsack, tossing it to Sekatsu.
"We're going to get Haruka back." Tsuyo told him, tossing a few articles of clothing his brother's way as well.
"Really?" Sekatsu asked, his eyes lighting up in excitement. "That's a great plan! Why didn't I think of that?"
"Cause I'm the brains of this operation, Sekatsu." Tsuyo grinned at Sekatsu, who was hurriedly shoving clothing in his own sack.
"Whatever. You know Haruka likes me better." Sekatsu shot back.
"Not after that stunt you pulled." Tsuyo stuck his tongue out at his brother. "Now she knows how you feel, but she'll never take you seriously. I'll show you how to get the job done, brother."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sekatsu asked, furrowing his brow.
"I'm the hero in this story." Tsuyo explained as both of them crept into the empty kitchen for provisions. "And she's gonna want me."
"What? Well if you're the hero, what am I?" Sekatsu demanded.
"You're my sidekick." Tsuyo ruffled his brother's hair.
"But I don't wanna be your sidekick! They always die!" Sekatsu hissed angrily as they crept out of the back of the hut. Tsuyo laughed at the scowl on his twin's face.
"Not in this story, Sekatsu. Just watch. I'll save the day!" Tsuyo made a heroic pose, causing Sekatsu's frown to deepen.
"And I get to help?" he asked.
"Of course." Tsuyo affirmed. "You had your chance with Haruka, and now it's my turn. I'll show her that I'm the one she wants."
"Whatever." Sekatsu grumbled, but he still followed his brother into the forest where Haruka had disappeared.
----------
"Master," a soft voice called out to the man who was entrenched in darkness. Only moments ago, his world had been fire and pain and endless torture. But suddenly, something had ripped him from that, and now the world was dark and cool and soft. Soft as the small hand on his cheek. "Master, can you hear me?"
"Where is this place?" he spoke, raising a hand to rub at eyes that seemingly refused to see the light. "I can't see anything."
"It must be an after affect." The soft voice told him. "It's been so long since you used them…"
"What do you mean?" he asked, confused. The hand that had been on his cheek moved to brush his own hand away from his eyes.
"Don't rub at them so hard. You'll hurt yourself, Master." The soft voice told him. "One moment, I think I have something that might help."
"But…" his voice faded as he heard the person leaving his side and the sound of her footsteps fading away. After some time, the sound returned, but he couldn't see to be sure it was the same person as before. "Who are you?"
"You shall see soon enough, Master." Her voice answered as her hand brushed over his forehead gently before he felt a cool, refreshing liquid dropping into his dry eyes. The world became gradually brighter until he could make out vague shapes. He blinked and she dropped a bit more of the liquid into his eyes, muttering some spell to help heal his eyes, and the shapes came into focus slowly until he found himself in the room he had slept in while he lived, staring up at a lovely, pale young woman.
"Do I know you?" he asked. "Is this…am I in heaven?" he asked. To his confused mind, so used to the punishments of the afterlife, suddenly being pampered and cared for by this wonderfully subservient woman was nothing short of paradise.
"Not quite, my dear Master." She smiled slightly at him and turned to grab something. When she turned back to him, she held a glass of water to his lips, tipping it carefully, and helping him by lifting his head with her free arm. "You have finally returned to me. After all my efforts…you have returned."
"Returned…" Naraku's brow furrowed, and he blinked to be sure his eyes were truly working as they should. "This…is my palace on Earth."
"Indeed it is." She answered. "You've been dead about twenty years, but I stayed by your side, waiting to discover the way with which I might return you to me."
"I'm…alive?" he asked. "And you…how can this be?"
"I brought you back to me." She answered. "I was ever your faithful servant, Master. Now that you have returned to me, I hope you see how faithful I have been."
"But how?" he asked.
"I needed only two things for the task." She explained, turning for a plate of food which she began to carefully feed him. "The first was obvious to me. Your soul could not be brought back with only my weak control of magic, I needed a catalyst to the return. I needed a piece of your soul. Kagura was that piece. Her soul was once a piece of your own soul, and though she had changed over the years, it proved to be enough."
"Kagura? She lives?" Naraku remembered the disobedient extension of himself.
"Not for long. I took her soul to bring yours back." The woman explained patiently. "The second thing I needed was a source of great power. The powers of life and death…they are strong…and death was reluctant to forfeit one such as you, my Master. I needed a powerful strength behind my magic, something I alone could never achieve. I realized that the best source of that power was the Shikon no Tama." She explained. "I had to take it from Inuyasha, but it was more than worth it to have you back, to give that strength to you so that you might be stronger than you ever had been."
"Shikon no Tama? You…took it from Inuyasha?" he asked.
"He had used it, so I had to steal his soul to do it." She answered.
"Steal his…" Naraku's eyes widened as he suddenly recognized the woman before him. "Kanna?"
"Indeed, it is I, my Master." She lowered her head slightly. "I am honored that you remember me."
"Kanna…you have indeed been faithful. You've been a very good girl, truly." Naraku smiled at her, and she answered the smile with one of her own. Finally, she had her precious Master returned to her.
*****
The End (Of Part 4 That Is)