Loose Ends: Tie them off or sever 'em
Author's note: The following is a fan fiction created by myself, Joshua Franklin. I do not own any of the characters herein, as they were created by Rumiko Takahashi. Please enjoy. Any feedback is appreciated.
*Some vocabulary: Youkai-Demon, Hanyou-Half demon, Miko-Priestess, Kitsune-Fox Demon, Kitsune Bi-Fox fire, Arigato-Thank you, Gomen-Sorry, Baka- Fool/idiot, Hentai/Ecchi-Pervert/lecher, Kami-God(s), Shikon no tama- Jewel of four souls, Kazaana-Air rip/wind tunnel, Kaze No Kizu-Wound of the Wind, Sengoku Jidai-Warring States Era, Hai-yes, houshi-monk/priest, Kiba- Fang, Asuwari-Sit (to a pet),
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Chapter Three
Inuyasha stood in a low crouch, hands fisted and held at his sides, body tense and obviously ready for an attack. A stiff breeze, already cool with the promise of a cold night, blew across the clearing, causing Inuyasha's crimson haori to billow about and audibly snap as the wind passed by. The hanyou's silver hair was also rustled about; the wind playing with his locks and then fluttering passed, casting his hair in disarray and obscuring his vision. Through the silvery curtain of his mane, Inuyasha peered intently into the forest, as though he could will the trees to move aside and reveal his brother. When the trees failed to do so, he instead focused on his hearing and olfactory senses, lightly inhaling as his ears twitched rapidly. Unexpectedly, Inuyasha found that the wind actually carried Sesshoumaru's scent. The youkai lord had deliberately placed himself upwind from the hanyou, effectively announcing his location to Inuyasha's keen nose. Turning to where the breeze had come from, Inuyasha's eyes focused upon the appropriate area just in time to see Sesshoumaru step out from the forest, the waxing moonlight fully revealing the Lord of the Western Lands in all of his splendor. The rays of moonlight cast a fitting shade upon the youkai lord, the silvery radiance perfectly blending with his pale form. His hair, the same shade as Inuyasha's, almost seemed to join with the illumination--to embrace the rays and reflect them like a mirror--as did the majority of his attire. The few points that contrasted the silver light, a few colorful trimmings and his striking eyes, only seemed to add to the grandeur that was Sesshoumaru. Of course, Inuyasha hardly cared for any of this. His only regard for the moonlight shining upon his brother was that it revealed the youkai lord enough for Inuyasha to fully view Sesshoumaru's movements. As Sesshoumaru walked toward his half-brother, the sword sheathed at his side, the Tenseiga, began to pulse and galvanize, emitting a blue light around itself and its owner, causing Sesshoumaru to halt in surprise. Inuyasha felt a responding throb from his own hip, where he had replaced the Tetsusaiga into its scabbard after Miroku had abruptly departed, as both he and the sword were suffused in a yellow brilliance. Awe-struck and dumbfounded, the hanyou's eyes doubled in size as a golden tendril coiled out from the Tetsusaiga and began to slowly snake across the distance separating the siblings. Inuyasha shifted his focus to Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga and saw that the sword was acting in an identical fashion, a wisp of its azure illumination extending toward the Tetsusaiga's. The two essences then met in the middle ground, one encountering the other and then the two seemed to share a brotherly embrace as the radiances blended together in a dazzling, yet serene, display. To the wielders of the blades, the meaning to this event was unmistakable; if there was to be a conflict, the swords would not participate. Tetsusaiga would not attack, nor would the Tenseiga defend. One sword would not oppose its twin, leaving the brothers to fight on their own. Damn, Inuyasha silently cursed. Out loud he declared, "Well, well. It seems to me that Tenseiga's tired of savin' your hide, Sesshoumaru. It's practically givin' me permission to take you down." Shifting his gaze from his defiant sword to his equally annoying brother, Sesshoumaru eyed Inuyasha with a neutral, detached air and returned, "Your words, if they held any truth, would be more accurately applied to you, brother." Coming out of his crouch and dashing forward, causing the conjoined essences to abruptly break contact, Inuyasha snarled, "Keh, whoever said I needed the Tetsusaiga to take you on? I can destroy you with my bare hands, if needed." And he tried to do just that, crossing the distance between himself and Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha lashed out with his right hand in a powerful thrust designed to shear straight through the youkai's chest. Had the attack actually connected, it would have done just that. Reacting with a speed and grace at least equal to that of Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru dodged the attack and, ignoring the opportunity to counter, leaped away. Landing some twenty feet distant, the youkai lord stood at ease and again regarded his brother with disinterested manner as he said, "Calm yourself, Inuyasha. I have not journeyed here for the purpose of your demise. We have business to conclude, you and I, and it is my intent to do so. It is time for me to reclaim what is rightfully mine." Turning about to face his elder sibling, Inuyasha spat in disgust before he replied, "This old song again. How many times have we gotta go through this, Sesshoumaru?" Continuing before the youkai lord could reply, Inuyasha shook is head in exasperation as he answered his own question. "The Tetsusaiga was not, is not, and never will be, meant for you to have. Father had his kiba forged into this blade for the purpose of my own and my mother's continued survival. It shouldn't be of any concern to you. You can't even wield the damned thing!" As he finished this, Inuyasha again charged forward, beginning his assault anew. Sesshoumaru, having coolly received Inuyasha's logic, stood facing his brother's continued hostility with an expression rapidly shifting from cool arrogance to dark fury. Rushing forward to meet the hanyou, the youkai lord snarled, "You miss the point, entirely!"
* * * * *
Miroku entered the camp, his gaze turned thoughtfully upwards, searching for the wisdom of the stars. The campfire illuminated the houshi, showing that his once brilliantly white robes were now sullied by dirt and dust. His head, seeming to possess more twigs and leaves than actual hairs, was also no longer uniformly colored. Kagome, Sango, Myoga, and Shippou all sat around the fire and when the houshi entered the campground, all turned about and regarded Miroku with incredulous expressions at the sight of his disarray. To them, it seemed less like he'd spent the day training and more like he'd spent a good hour or so rolling around on the forest floor. Not noticing their stares, Miroku continued to stare at the heavens as he walked over to the fire. He then looked down to find an empty spot around the fire to sit at. Coincidentally, one happened to be right between Sango and Kagome. Slowly lowering himself into a sitting position, Miroku took great care to give a show of extreme calm. Once settled, the houshi closed his eyes as he gave a deep sigh. And promptly flopped over backwards. Kagome and Sango looked at each other with dubious eyes before shifting their gazes back to the houshi. By all appearances, he was quite comfortable and content to remain in that position. "Um. Miroku." Kagome said as she reached across and plucked out one of the twigs in Miroku's hair. Not opening his eyes, the houshi answered, "Hmm?" Sango asked, "How went your training?" "Productive," Miroku replied absently. It seemed as though he was about to fall asleep. "And quite exhausting." Sango was about to inquire further, but something about Kagome's sudden change in expression stayed her tongue. Following the direction of Kagome's sight, the exterminator found that girl was staring intently at a cut on Miroku's pant leg. The gash was several inches in length, but the fact that Miroku's leg was not similarly cut, coupled with the remarkable straightness of the slash, indicated that the tear was not of natural origin. Thus, Sango believed that only a sharp blade could have shorn Miroku's pants in such a manner. She also believed that Kagome had come to the same realization. "Miroku," Kagome began, never taking her eyes from the slash. "Did you happen across anyone else after Sango and I left?" "Hmm?" the houshi hummed his reply once more. "Did you see anyone before you came back to camp?" Kagome pressed. If Miroku had gotten involved with a confrontation, she wanted to know how serious the matter was. "Well, Inuyasha did arrive at the clearing just before I left, but--" "I see." There was an ominous ring to that interruption. Kagome's voice possessed an underlying tone which completely shattered Miroku's languid state of mind and caused warning alarms to sound within his head. Snapping his eyes open, the houshi found that the girl was staring directly into his eyes. With strangely mirrored movements, the two simultaneously looked down at his pant leg. "Ah. Kagome--" Miroku began, wondering how he would explain what had happened without causing the girl to overreact. Again, Kagome cut him off. "I take it Inuyasha did this?" "Um. Well." Miroku started again but he suddenly found his intended words dying in his throat as Kagome leaned close with an air of seething rage underlying her too-calm expression. "Inuyasha attacked you with the Tetsusaiga and the blade cut your pants when you evaded, right?" Finding his voice refusing to sound, Miroku meekly nodded. "Son of a." Kagome snarled as she whirled away from the houshi. With narrowed eyes, Kagome stalked from the camp, muttering dark words under her breath. "Kagome, wait!" Mikoku called after her, but if the enraged woman even heard his plea, she ignored it and left the camp. After Kagome had slipped outside the fire's illumination and into the forest, Miroku continued to look in her direction, an anxious, desperate expression written upon his brow. Sango, after regarding the houshi for a while, calmly reached for her tea. After taking a few sips, she then said, "I take it there is more to this tale than has been said?" Sighing, Miroku slumped in exasperation before regarding the exterminator. "Indeed." The houshi then waited for Sango to reply, but she deigned not to, instead choosing to take another sip of her tea. "Sango." "Yes?" "I think we may need to go after her," Miroku spelled out, in a manner not dissimilar to one he would use when dealing with a child. "There's no telling what she'll do to Inuyasha in her present state of mind." Sango quirked an eyebrow as she replied, "We, houshi? I do not see how this involves myself--aside from giving me another opportunity to apply my sewing skills, that is. Arigato for that." Ignoring her sarcasm, Miroku raised an eyebrow of his own as he returned, "Oh? Very well." Standing up, Miroku straightened his clothes and retrieved his staff before remarking, "Just remember your decision throughout the next few days. I'm sure it will suffice as a litany against Inuyasha's constant stream of complaints and curses." Eyes widening at this, Sango lowered her tea cup and spent the next few moments in speculation. If what Miroku was hinting at was true-- if Inuyasha was indeed innocent in this matter-- then the houshi's estimation of the hanyou's mellowing period may even be a bit generous. Miroku, standing aside and patiently awaiting Sango's final decision, blinked in amazement when the youkai hunter scrambled up from her seat and darted past him, yelling as she went. "Come! We must hurry if we are to catch her in time!" By the time Miroku's shock subsided, Sango had also entered the forest. Just as the houshi started off after the two, he was struck by a realization and came to a halt. Quickly turning around and giving the campground a once over, Miroku soon found what his instincts had noted; the girls had been so urgent to leave that they had left their weapons behind, propped against a nearby tree. Sighing his irritation, Miroku went back and retrieved Kagome's bow and quiver, as well as Sango's Hiraikotsu. Thus encumbered, the houshi rushed after the capricious women.
* * * * *
The battle could have been going better. Thus far, Inuyasha had yet to land a substantial blow, while Sesshoumaru had seemed more interesting in toying with his brother than outright slaying him, though the youkai lord had still managed to hit the hanyou a few times. The fight hadn't been completely one-sided, however. Though Inuyasha had yet to land a good hit, the hanyou had inadvertently caused some damage. True; bruising his brother's knuckles with his own face and bashing the youkai's knees with his stomach wasn't his preferred method of combat, but Inuyasha was still gaining his momentum and thus far, he'd take what he could get. Pausing after a particularly double-edged assault, the brothers broke apart and Inuyasha spent a short breath testing his left eye, making sure that the orb had not been impaired by Sesshoumaru's last blow, before the hanyou rushed right back after his brother, subtly gathering and focusing his energy to his claws for his next attack. Standing calm in the face of Inuyasha's oncoming fury, Sesshoumaru stood his ground and waited for his brother to play his hand. "Iron-reaver, soul-stealer!" Inuyasha cried as he executed the technique. Building the energy within his palm up to a crescendo, Inuyasha closed the distance separating him from his brother to five feet before viciously swinging his right hand in a wide arc, dispersing the energy as it went. The result of this was five bright bands of energy trailing from his claws. Taking on a momentum of its own, the energy then expanded and flew toward the youkai lord in an expanding arc of destruction. Unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru charged forward to meet the attack, instead of dodging aside as Inuyasha had thought he would. With astonishing precision and grace, the youkai lord leaped forward, spinning himself sideways and parallel to the ground, slipping between two of the energy bands. Landing, Sesshoumaru covered the short distance to his brother before Inuyasha could react. Using only his right hand, Sesshoumaru retained his momentum and slammed into Inuyasha, casting the hanyou to the ground with crushing force. Still keeping a firm grip on the crimson haori, Sesshoumaru then spun about and used his leverage to launch the stunned Inuyasha, smashing his brother into a nearby oak with enough force to send cracks rippling throughout the trunk. Having thrown Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru continued turning with the follow- through and rushed after his brother, the same right hand poised to strike. Inuyasha, struggling to shake off the effects of the dual impacts, had no chance at evading to attack. Desperately eying his brother, the hanyou discovered a somewhat encouraging observation; Sesshoumaru was only fighting with one arm. Rather than claim a vanquished youkai's limb for a temporary replacement, as had been his custom since Inuyasha had amputated the original, Sesshoumaru's left shoulder was unadorned. "One arm. That should give me some advantage, at least," Inuyasha muttered to himself as he started forward to meet his brother's assault. As Sesshoumaru struck, with his right hand not fisted but in a clawing gesture, Inuyasha focused entirely on the oncoming blow as he aimed to intercept with his own left hand. Slipping his fingers between those of his brother's, the two locked hands in that unlikely clasp, effectively foiling the attack. Inuyasha then immediately fell back and delivered a powerful kick to Sesshoumaru's midsection, his foot sounding a ringing note on the youkai's breastplate and launching the fiend away. Regaining his balance in midair, Sesshoumaru managed to align his feet under him and he landed in a smooth crouch. Looking down to view his dented armor, Sesshoumaru then stood up and fixed his eyes back upon Inuyasha as he proclaimed, "An effort wasted, little brother." Scowling, Inuyasha retorted, "Keh. I'm just getting' started. If you think that's the only blow I'm gonna land, then keep dreamin', you bastard!" "I believe that particular label would also better describe yourself, hanyou," the pure-blooded youkai responded coolly. "I'm gonna--" Inuyasha started to roar, but was interrupted by a certain someone shouting, "Inuyasha!" Startled, Inuyasha momentarily forgot about just what he was 'gonna do' to Sesshoumaru and the hanyou chanced a glance towards the forest, but she hadn't reached the clearing yet. "Kagome.!" Inuyasha muttered fearfully. He knew that tone of voice and he knew what was coming. "Gods, woman. Not--!" "Asuwari!" "--Now! Damn it!" Inuyasha cursed as he felt the telltale signs of the charm around his neck energizing. As the rosary beads began to glow, Inuyasha's body seized up and the beads seemed to become impossibly heavier. This combination, as it always did, sent the hanyou crashing face first into the ground. "Damn it!" Inuyasha swore again, his ire and irritation now focused fully upon Kagome until he remembered what her shouts had interrupted. Eyes widening, Inuyasha's sight flashed back to Sesshoumaru just in time to see the youkai start toward him. Wanting to reach Inuyasha before the debilitating effect subsided, Sesshoumaru rushed across the distance separating him from Inuyasha in the blink of an eye, abruptly coming to a halt right before the hanyou's upturned face. Bending down into a meaningful crouch, Sesshoumaru extended his right hand and placed his fingertips upon the earth a few inches from Inyasha's face. Channeling a small amount of his energy to his claws, causing the nails to glow with a lethal potency, Sesshoumaru carefully studied his brother's features. He was pleased to find Inuyasha's attention focused entirely on the hand. "Tell me, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru asked rhetorically, "Why is it that when something is long sought after--such as an opportunity like this--it can never be found? Yet once the desired event can no longer offer significant benefits, it may be discovered in abundance." As the rosary's glow began to dissipate, an indication to both that the beads' influence was waning, Sesshoumaru dismissed the gathered energy within his palm and moved his hand to encircle his brother's neck. When the bead's light had fully faded, Sesshoumaru stood up straight, his grip forcing Inuyasha to follow suite, then the youkai lifted the hanyou until the latter's feet no longer touched the ground. Easily holding his brother aloft with his one arm, his grip firm but not suffocating, Sesshoumaru paused a moment to allow Inuyasha to fully absorb the gravity of the situation. "You realize that your life is entirely held within this hand, yes?" Not waiting for an answer, Sesshoumaru continued, "It is presently my will alone that is allowing you to continue living. From your current disadvantage, you have little to no say in the matter, should I choose to destroy you. "However, as I have said, killing you is no longer advantageous. I will say again; I have not sought you out for either of the two possessions you currently defend. Your life and the blade are no longer paramount to my chosen course at present. Do not make me repeat myself again, Inuyasha." To this, Inuyasha made no reply, as the hanyou was desperately trying to calm his thoughts and blanket his fury. He did indeed notice that Sesshoumaru spoke the truth of the situation, however. Due to Kagome's ill- timed outcry, all that the youkai lord would need to do was resume the current of energy to his palm and shear through his younger brother's neck. It would be a fatal blow delivered before Inuyasha would have a chance of reacting. Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru waited another heartbeat before lowering Inuyasha gently to the ground. His hand remained in place, but it was now evident that he would not use it to attack unless forced.
* * * * *
Miroku finally caught up to Sango and Kagome after the fiery young woman had issued her much-favored command. Mentally, the houshi could hear an imaginary Inuyasha slamming into the earth and Miroku gave a slight wince before turning his attention to the girls' conversation. The exterminator was trying to reason with the steady-gazed young woman. "Kagome, please. It might be prudent to listen to Inuyasha's defense before confronting him like this," Sango said earnestly. "He could have killed Miroku," Kagome replied, never taking her eyes from straight ahead. "True. Perhaps," Sango tried again, searching for a way (anyway!) to deflect the woman's anger. "But it might have been justifiable under the circumstances. Or, maybe it was a mistake. All that we have been told thus far is that Miroku's pants were somehow cut by the Tetsusaiga." "He could have killed Miroku," came the immediate response. Miroku thought about announcing his presence, but decided against that notion. Should the girls question him about what had instigated Inuyasha, there was no telling what would result. Most likely, given their present moods, it would only cause him bodily harm and little else. "But Kagome--" "No buts!" Kagome declared, turning her glare from the forest ahead to the woman at her side. "Look, Miroku is a friend and friends don't try to kill friends! Not to mention the fact that Miroku saved my life in the last battle. If not for him, then I'd be dead right now, and if you think that I'm going to allow that inconsiderate jerk to get away with trying to hurt someone to whom I'm indebted to, then you're wrong!" Beginning to grow concerned about how dedicated Kagome was to the notion of 'punishing' Inuyasha, Miroku opened his mouth to say some half- truth that would deflect the blame from the hanyou, but not leave him stuck with it either. However, his intended words died in his throat when the forest finally permitted him a view of the clearing. Under any circumstance, seeing Sesshoumaru would be startling to the houshi. Seeing the youkai lord with Inuyasha would knock the breath from Miroku's lungs. Witnessing to two together but not fighting tooth and claw would weaken the monk's knees. But seeing these three things coupled with Sesshoumaru having his hand at Inuyasha's neck and the hanyou offering no apparent defense was a sight that froze the blood in Miroku's veins. "Kagome! Sango!" the houshi hissed urgently. With the two speaking in such tones, it would be a miracle if Sesshoumaru hadn't already discerned their presence. "Quiet yourselves! This conversation can wait." Giving a surprised start, the two broke off their exchange and turned around to regard Miroku, confusion written upon their faces. When had Miroku joined them? And why had he used whispering tones to quiet them? Before voicing these concerns, both noticed that Miroku's attention was not on either of them, but on something ahead. Wheeling about, Kagome was the first to make sense out of what she was seeing. Instinctively reaching for her bow, Kagome gave a helpless groan when her hand closed over empty air. Suddenly, the young woman was assailed by the realization that she was likely responsible for Inuyasha's predicament. If the hanyou had been fighting his brother, then Kagome's shout would have momentarily brought Inuyasha to his knees. Where youkais of Sesshoumaru's stature were concerned, a moment would be more than enough. Hearing her friend's agonized exhale and seeing her fist her hand in self-recrimination, Sango realized that she too had left her weapons at the camp and she could do little to aid Inuyasha unarmed. "Your weapons," Miroku hissed as he passed the objects to their respective owners. Eagerly, Kagome snatched her bow and quiver from the houshi. Taking out an arrow, Kagome then dropped the quiver to the ground and readied her weapon, taking aim as she went and releasing after a quick draw. After clearing the bow, the arrow-that which a miko would use-erupted into a blazing streak of purifying energy in mid-flight as it streaked for its target. Kagome, eyes never leaving the arrow, then bent down and blindly grabbed onto the quiver before running into the clearing, with Sango and Miroku in close pursuit.
* * * * *
Having heard the three mortals approach, Sesshoumaru was not overly surprised to find an arrow streaking his way. Releasing his hold on Inuyasha, the youkai then forcefully shoved his younger brother away, to ensure that the hanyou was not accidentally struck. Not out of brotherly concern--hardly that. He simply did not trust Inuyasha with the task of his own survival, now that it was an important issue to the youkai lord. As he launched Inuyasha away, Sesshoumaru then dodged the bolt by jumping high and to the side, well out of harm's way. Calling upon another of his abilities, Sesshoumaru ignored gravity's incessant pull and he remained suspended in midair. Turning around, Sesshoumaru faced the approaching mortals with mild irritation. While he was not surprised by their being here and attacking him, he was hardly pleased by the interruption. "This is an unwanted intrusion," The youkai hailed while crossing his arm over his crest and again gathering energy to his fingers. "Kindly remain out of affairs that do not concern you." Slashing his arm out wide and to the side, Sesshoumaru released the energy during the motion, unleashing a sort of energy whip. While Inuyasha's energy assualt had been sheer ferocity and strength, this attack was far more elegant and controllable. Even more so because the youkai lord was pulling the blow, having not given it enough energy to be lethal. He suspected that Inuyasha would be far less cooperative if the mortals' blood was spilled. Kagome saw energy strand coming, but the attack's quicksilver motion, coupled with the fact that Sesshoumaru could intricately control where the lash would strike, made the attack too formidable an assault for the woman to dodge. Sliding to a halt, Kagome noted that the energy was far too weak to slay her, so she did her best to brace herself for the impact. Running fast, Miroku reached the point where Kagome had stopped and the monk leaped over the stationary young woman. This action forced the houshi to meet the attack head-on. Still in mid-flight, Miroku tightened his grip on the staff and swung the weapon into a beautiful parrying motion, knocking the lash aside where it tore a new, abet shallow, trench in the maligned clearing. Landing just in front of the surprised girl, the houshi fisted his right hand and, punching the limb straight out toward the levitating youkai, opened his fingers and yelled, "Kazaana no Kaze!" Concentrating fiercely, Miroku mentally relaxed his restraint on this new ability, allowing it to circumvent the beads still in place upon his gauntlet. Still trying to gain understanding, even at a time such as this, Miroku also tried to control the magnitude and velocity of the release. To his amazement, the focus acted exactly as he had envisioned. Whereas before this attack had been immense enough to fell the trees that Inuyasha had sensed, Miroku's directing caused the energy to be much more compact and far more swifter. As the words left the houshi's mouth, a force shot forth from the Kazaana's depths, heading straight toward the youkai lord. Hearing the houshi's shout, Sesshoumaru noticed a strange disturbance in the air that was rapidly approaching. Jerking to the side just in time, the youkai felt something crash into the armor guard around his shoulder, shattering the metal, but missing Sesshoumaru's body. Releasing his levitation, the youkai lord slowly fell to the ground, inspecting his armor all the while. That attack, Sesshoumaru thought, what was that? Looking up from his armor to Miroku, the youkai continued his pondering. That is the cursed houshi, is it not? If the Kazaana is the only means that the mortal possesses to attack one such as I, then what did he use to strike my armor? That attack was not one of energy, as my own was. It seemed more like a compression of air. But how is that possible? How could a mortal strike so forcefully with a mere current of wind? Having only witnessed the final part of the match between Inuyasha and Miroku, Sesshoumaru had not seen the houshi fell the trees with a similar attack. As the youkai lord stood in silent contemplation, Sango edged to her friends' sides and murmured, "My other weapons, houshi. Do you have them? If we are to fight with this one, I would be more at ease with more of my arsenal at my disposal." Keeping his sight locked on Sesshoumaru, Miroku shook his head and answered, "No. I did not notice any other weapons at the campsite other than the Hiraikotsu and Kagome's bow and quiver." "Alas," Sango sighed but made no further complaint. But her question had stirred a resulting question in Miroku's mind. Strange, the houshi thought, I somehow instinctively knew that those two had left their weapons behind. My instincts also told me exactly where the weapons were, yet I did not realize that Sango had left others. Why? If she had neglected to bring the Hiraikotsu, why did I not anticipate that she would leave her other tools? Any further musings were denied to the houshi, due to an irate hanyou's bark. "What the hell do you think you're doin', Miroku?!" Inuyasha roared. "Who asked you to step in on my account? Stay outta other people's business and back. OFF! Sesshoumaru won't go easy on you like I did, so don't give 'im any more cause to kill you! I want that particular privilege for myself!" Keeping his staff in a guarding position, Miroku shot Inuyasha an incredulous stare before shouting back, "My apologies for intruding, Inuyasha, but I--until you carry out your threat, at least--count you as a friend. And when a friend's live is in danger, I make it a point to include their business as my own. Your situation seemed to meet that criteria." "Keh! Even if that were the case," Inuyasha snorted, giving a show of bravado that most certainly had not been evident a short while ago, "What the hell do you think you could've done to aid me? What were you plannin' on doin'? Swing that staff against his shins?" "I believe you have now witnessed my plans, Inuyasha," Miroku replied quietly, pointedly reminding the hanyou that he may have more resources available than Inuyasha gave him credit for. Momentarily caught by that one, Inuyasha thought furiously for a moment, trying desperately to find something (anything!) to shout back at the houshi as a rejoinder. It was at this time that Sesshoumaru ended his silence and interrupted. "Your fears, houshi--for all that they matter--were and are unfounded. Had I desired to slay my brother, I would have done so long before you three blundered into this clearing." Sweeping his gaze about the clearing to separately survey Inuyasha and his friends, Sesshoumaru found that each of those allied with his brother were tense and on guard, though Inuyasha was less so than the others. Their mindsets were focused on battle, not parlay. Their aggression was currently too great for worthwhile negotiations. Looking back to Inuyasha, the youkai said, "Perhaps you were correct in your first advisement; now is not a suitable time to discuss our business." Turning around, Sesshoumaru finished, "Very well. I shall return on the morrow at first light. The matter only truly concerns you, little brother, but do ensure that father's old retainer, Myoga, attends as well." Throwing a stare over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru regarded Miroku as he said, "You are fortunate I am in a generous mood, mortal. I shall overlook your transgression. This time. For your own sake, do not seek to cross me again." Returning Sesshoumaru's stare with a solid one of his own, Miroku replied, "My thanks, Lord Sesshoumaru. So long as you do not further endanger any other that I happen to label as 'friend', I will concur with your wishes." Eyeing the houshi for a breath longer, the youkai lord then allowed his sight to slip from Miroku's form as his head turned to look at the path in front of him as he set off for the forest. As he departed from the clearing, Miroku's eyes never left his figure. Or, more precisely, the sword belted on the youkai's hip. And now I am finding the Tensaiga particularly obvious, the houshi noted silently. As well as the Tetsusaiga. But, why? Is this another new aspect of the curse? If so, then to what end? And how many new abilities will I come to possess before the Kazaana ceases its alteration? As these questions whirled around inside his mind, Miroku found himself honestly wondering if he would ever find the definitive answers.
Author's note: The following is a fan fiction created by myself, Joshua Franklin. I do not own any of the characters herein, as they were created by Rumiko Takahashi. Please enjoy. Any feedback is appreciated.
*Some vocabulary: Youkai-Demon, Hanyou-Half demon, Miko-Priestess, Kitsune-Fox Demon, Kitsune Bi-Fox fire, Arigato-Thank you, Gomen-Sorry, Baka- Fool/idiot, Hentai/Ecchi-Pervert/lecher, Kami-God(s), Shikon no tama- Jewel of four souls, Kazaana-Air rip/wind tunnel, Kaze No Kizu-Wound of the Wind, Sengoku Jidai-Warring States Era, Hai-yes, houshi-monk/priest, Kiba- Fang, Asuwari-Sit (to a pet),
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Chapter Three
Inuyasha stood in a low crouch, hands fisted and held at his sides, body tense and obviously ready for an attack. A stiff breeze, already cool with the promise of a cold night, blew across the clearing, causing Inuyasha's crimson haori to billow about and audibly snap as the wind passed by. The hanyou's silver hair was also rustled about; the wind playing with his locks and then fluttering passed, casting his hair in disarray and obscuring his vision. Through the silvery curtain of his mane, Inuyasha peered intently into the forest, as though he could will the trees to move aside and reveal his brother. When the trees failed to do so, he instead focused on his hearing and olfactory senses, lightly inhaling as his ears twitched rapidly. Unexpectedly, Inuyasha found that the wind actually carried Sesshoumaru's scent. The youkai lord had deliberately placed himself upwind from the hanyou, effectively announcing his location to Inuyasha's keen nose. Turning to where the breeze had come from, Inuyasha's eyes focused upon the appropriate area just in time to see Sesshoumaru step out from the forest, the waxing moonlight fully revealing the Lord of the Western Lands in all of his splendor. The rays of moonlight cast a fitting shade upon the youkai lord, the silvery radiance perfectly blending with his pale form. His hair, the same shade as Inuyasha's, almost seemed to join with the illumination--to embrace the rays and reflect them like a mirror--as did the majority of his attire. The few points that contrasted the silver light, a few colorful trimmings and his striking eyes, only seemed to add to the grandeur that was Sesshoumaru. Of course, Inuyasha hardly cared for any of this. His only regard for the moonlight shining upon his brother was that it revealed the youkai lord enough for Inuyasha to fully view Sesshoumaru's movements. As Sesshoumaru walked toward his half-brother, the sword sheathed at his side, the Tenseiga, began to pulse and galvanize, emitting a blue light around itself and its owner, causing Sesshoumaru to halt in surprise. Inuyasha felt a responding throb from his own hip, where he had replaced the Tetsusaiga into its scabbard after Miroku had abruptly departed, as both he and the sword were suffused in a yellow brilliance. Awe-struck and dumbfounded, the hanyou's eyes doubled in size as a golden tendril coiled out from the Tetsusaiga and began to slowly snake across the distance separating the siblings. Inuyasha shifted his focus to Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga and saw that the sword was acting in an identical fashion, a wisp of its azure illumination extending toward the Tetsusaiga's. The two essences then met in the middle ground, one encountering the other and then the two seemed to share a brotherly embrace as the radiances blended together in a dazzling, yet serene, display. To the wielders of the blades, the meaning to this event was unmistakable; if there was to be a conflict, the swords would not participate. Tetsusaiga would not attack, nor would the Tenseiga defend. One sword would not oppose its twin, leaving the brothers to fight on their own. Damn, Inuyasha silently cursed. Out loud he declared, "Well, well. It seems to me that Tenseiga's tired of savin' your hide, Sesshoumaru. It's practically givin' me permission to take you down." Shifting his gaze from his defiant sword to his equally annoying brother, Sesshoumaru eyed Inuyasha with a neutral, detached air and returned, "Your words, if they held any truth, would be more accurately applied to you, brother." Coming out of his crouch and dashing forward, causing the conjoined essences to abruptly break contact, Inuyasha snarled, "Keh, whoever said I needed the Tetsusaiga to take you on? I can destroy you with my bare hands, if needed." And he tried to do just that, crossing the distance between himself and Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha lashed out with his right hand in a powerful thrust designed to shear straight through the youkai's chest. Had the attack actually connected, it would have done just that. Reacting with a speed and grace at least equal to that of Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru dodged the attack and, ignoring the opportunity to counter, leaped away. Landing some twenty feet distant, the youkai lord stood at ease and again regarded his brother with disinterested manner as he said, "Calm yourself, Inuyasha. I have not journeyed here for the purpose of your demise. We have business to conclude, you and I, and it is my intent to do so. It is time for me to reclaim what is rightfully mine." Turning about to face his elder sibling, Inuyasha spat in disgust before he replied, "This old song again. How many times have we gotta go through this, Sesshoumaru?" Continuing before the youkai lord could reply, Inuyasha shook is head in exasperation as he answered his own question. "The Tetsusaiga was not, is not, and never will be, meant for you to have. Father had his kiba forged into this blade for the purpose of my own and my mother's continued survival. It shouldn't be of any concern to you. You can't even wield the damned thing!" As he finished this, Inuyasha again charged forward, beginning his assault anew. Sesshoumaru, having coolly received Inuyasha's logic, stood facing his brother's continued hostility with an expression rapidly shifting from cool arrogance to dark fury. Rushing forward to meet the hanyou, the youkai lord snarled, "You miss the point, entirely!"
* * * * *
Miroku entered the camp, his gaze turned thoughtfully upwards, searching for the wisdom of the stars. The campfire illuminated the houshi, showing that his once brilliantly white robes were now sullied by dirt and dust. His head, seeming to possess more twigs and leaves than actual hairs, was also no longer uniformly colored. Kagome, Sango, Myoga, and Shippou all sat around the fire and when the houshi entered the campground, all turned about and regarded Miroku with incredulous expressions at the sight of his disarray. To them, it seemed less like he'd spent the day training and more like he'd spent a good hour or so rolling around on the forest floor. Not noticing their stares, Miroku continued to stare at the heavens as he walked over to the fire. He then looked down to find an empty spot around the fire to sit at. Coincidentally, one happened to be right between Sango and Kagome. Slowly lowering himself into a sitting position, Miroku took great care to give a show of extreme calm. Once settled, the houshi closed his eyes as he gave a deep sigh. And promptly flopped over backwards. Kagome and Sango looked at each other with dubious eyes before shifting their gazes back to the houshi. By all appearances, he was quite comfortable and content to remain in that position. "Um. Miroku." Kagome said as she reached across and plucked out one of the twigs in Miroku's hair. Not opening his eyes, the houshi answered, "Hmm?" Sango asked, "How went your training?" "Productive," Miroku replied absently. It seemed as though he was about to fall asleep. "And quite exhausting." Sango was about to inquire further, but something about Kagome's sudden change in expression stayed her tongue. Following the direction of Kagome's sight, the exterminator found that girl was staring intently at a cut on Miroku's pant leg. The gash was several inches in length, but the fact that Miroku's leg was not similarly cut, coupled with the remarkable straightness of the slash, indicated that the tear was not of natural origin. Thus, Sango believed that only a sharp blade could have shorn Miroku's pants in such a manner. She also believed that Kagome had come to the same realization. "Miroku," Kagome began, never taking her eyes from the slash. "Did you happen across anyone else after Sango and I left?" "Hmm?" the houshi hummed his reply once more. "Did you see anyone before you came back to camp?" Kagome pressed. If Miroku had gotten involved with a confrontation, she wanted to know how serious the matter was. "Well, Inuyasha did arrive at the clearing just before I left, but--" "I see." There was an ominous ring to that interruption. Kagome's voice possessed an underlying tone which completely shattered Miroku's languid state of mind and caused warning alarms to sound within his head. Snapping his eyes open, the houshi found that the girl was staring directly into his eyes. With strangely mirrored movements, the two simultaneously looked down at his pant leg. "Ah. Kagome--" Miroku began, wondering how he would explain what had happened without causing the girl to overreact. Again, Kagome cut him off. "I take it Inuyasha did this?" "Um. Well." Miroku started again but he suddenly found his intended words dying in his throat as Kagome leaned close with an air of seething rage underlying her too-calm expression. "Inuyasha attacked you with the Tetsusaiga and the blade cut your pants when you evaded, right?" Finding his voice refusing to sound, Miroku meekly nodded. "Son of a." Kagome snarled as she whirled away from the houshi. With narrowed eyes, Kagome stalked from the camp, muttering dark words under her breath. "Kagome, wait!" Mikoku called after her, but if the enraged woman even heard his plea, she ignored it and left the camp. After Kagome had slipped outside the fire's illumination and into the forest, Miroku continued to look in her direction, an anxious, desperate expression written upon his brow. Sango, after regarding the houshi for a while, calmly reached for her tea. After taking a few sips, she then said, "I take it there is more to this tale than has been said?" Sighing, Miroku slumped in exasperation before regarding the exterminator. "Indeed." The houshi then waited for Sango to reply, but she deigned not to, instead choosing to take another sip of her tea. "Sango." "Yes?" "I think we may need to go after her," Miroku spelled out, in a manner not dissimilar to one he would use when dealing with a child. "There's no telling what she'll do to Inuyasha in her present state of mind." Sango quirked an eyebrow as she replied, "We, houshi? I do not see how this involves myself--aside from giving me another opportunity to apply my sewing skills, that is. Arigato for that." Ignoring her sarcasm, Miroku raised an eyebrow of his own as he returned, "Oh? Very well." Standing up, Miroku straightened his clothes and retrieved his staff before remarking, "Just remember your decision throughout the next few days. I'm sure it will suffice as a litany against Inuyasha's constant stream of complaints and curses." Eyes widening at this, Sango lowered her tea cup and spent the next few moments in speculation. If what Miroku was hinting at was true-- if Inuyasha was indeed innocent in this matter-- then the houshi's estimation of the hanyou's mellowing period may even be a bit generous. Miroku, standing aside and patiently awaiting Sango's final decision, blinked in amazement when the youkai hunter scrambled up from her seat and darted past him, yelling as she went. "Come! We must hurry if we are to catch her in time!" By the time Miroku's shock subsided, Sango had also entered the forest. Just as the houshi started off after the two, he was struck by a realization and came to a halt. Quickly turning around and giving the campground a once over, Miroku soon found what his instincts had noted; the girls had been so urgent to leave that they had left their weapons behind, propped against a nearby tree. Sighing his irritation, Miroku went back and retrieved Kagome's bow and quiver, as well as Sango's Hiraikotsu. Thus encumbered, the houshi rushed after the capricious women.
* * * * *
The battle could have been going better. Thus far, Inuyasha had yet to land a substantial blow, while Sesshoumaru had seemed more interesting in toying with his brother than outright slaying him, though the youkai lord had still managed to hit the hanyou a few times. The fight hadn't been completely one-sided, however. Though Inuyasha had yet to land a good hit, the hanyou had inadvertently caused some damage. True; bruising his brother's knuckles with his own face and bashing the youkai's knees with his stomach wasn't his preferred method of combat, but Inuyasha was still gaining his momentum and thus far, he'd take what he could get. Pausing after a particularly double-edged assault, the brothers broke apart and Inuyasha spent a short breath testing his left eye, making sure that the orb had not been impaired by Sesshoumaru's last blow, before the hanyou rushed right back after his brother, subtly gathering and focusing his energy to his claws for his next attack. Standing calm in the face of Inuyasha's oncoming fury, Sesshoumaru stood his ground and waited for his brother to play his hand. "Iron-reaver, soul-stealer!" Inuyasha cried as he executed the technique. Building the energy within his palm up to a crescendo, Inuyasha closed the distance separating him from his brother to five feet before viciously swinging his right hand in a wide arc, dispersing the energy as it went. The result of this was five bright bands of energy trailing from his claws. Taking on a momentum of its own, the energy then expanded and flew toward the youkai lord in an expanding arc of destruction. Unexpectedly, Sesshoumaru charged forward to meet the attack, instead of dodging aside as Inuyasha had thought he would. With astonishing precision and grace, the youkai lord leaped forward, spinning himself sideways and parallel to the ground, slipping between two of the energy bands. Landing, Sesshoumaru covered the short distance to his brother before Inuyasha could react. Using only his right hand, Sesshoumaru retained his momentum and slammed into Inuyasha, casting the hanyou to the ground with crushing force. Still keeping a firm grip on the crimson haori, Sesshoumaru then spun about and used his leverage to launch the stunned Inuyasha, smashing his brother into a nearby oak with enough force to send cracks rippling throughout the trunk. Having thrown Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru continued turning with the follow- through and rushed after his brother, the same right hand poised to strike. Inuyasha, struggling to shake off the effects of the dual impacts, had no chance at evading to attack. Desperately eying his brother, the hanyou discovered a somewhat encouraging observation; Sesshoumaru was only fighting with one arm. Rather than claim a vanquished youkai's limb for a temporary replacement, as had been his custom since Inuyasha had amputated the original, Sesshoumaru's left shoulder was unadorned. "One arm. That should give me some advantage, at least," Inuyasha muttered to himself as he started forward to meet his brother's assault. As Sesshoumaru struck, with his right hand not fisted but in a clawing gesture, Inuyasha focused entirely on the oncoming blow as he aimed to intercept with his own left hand. Slipping his fingers between those of his brother's, the two locked hands in that unlikely clasp, effectively foiling the attack. Inuyasha then immediately fell back and delivered a powerful kick to Sesshoumaru's midsection, his foot sounding a ringing note on the youkai's breastplate and launching the fiend away. Regaining his balance in midair, Sesshoumaru managed to align his feet under him and he landed in a smooth crouch. Looking down to view his dented armor, Sesshoumaru then stood up and fixed his eyes back upon Inuyasha as he proclaimed, "An effort wasted, little brother." Scowling, Inuyasha retorted, "Keh. I'm just getting' started. If you think that's the only blow I'm gonna land, then keep dreamin', you bastard!" "I believe that particular label would also better describe yourself, hanyou," the pure-blooded youkai responded coolly. "I'm gonna--" Inuyasha started to roar, but was interrupted by a certain someone shouting, "Inuyasha!" Startled, Inuyasha momentarily forgot about just what he was 'gonna do' to Sesshoumaru and the hanyou chanced a glance towards the forest, but she hadn't reached the clearing yet. "Kagome.!" Inuyasha muttered fearfully. He knew that tone of voice and he knew what was coming. "Gods, woman. Not--!" "Asuwari!" "--Now! Damn it!" Inuyasha cursed as he felt the telltale signs of the charm around his neck energizing. As the rosary beads began to glow, Inuyasha's body seized up and the beads seemed to become impossibly heavier. This combination, as it always did, sent the hanyou crashing face first into the ground. "Damn it!" Inuyasha swore again, his ire and irritation now focused fully upon Kagome until he remembered what her shouts had interrupted. Eyes widening, Inuyasha's sight flashed back to Sesshoumaru just in time to see the youkai start toward him. Wanting to reach Inuyasha before the debilitating effect subsided, Sesshoumaru rushed across the distance separating him from Inuyasha in the blink of an eye, abruptly coming to a halt right before the hanyou's upturned face. Bending down into a meaningful crouch, Sesshoumaru extended his right hand and placed his fingertips upon the earth a few inches from Inyasha's face. Channeling a small amount of his energy to his claws, causing the nails to glow with a lethal potency, Sesshoumaru carefully studied his brother's features. He was pleased to find Inuyasha's attention focused entirely on the hand. "Tell me, Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru asked rhetorically, "Why is it that when something is long sought after--such as an opportunity like this--it can never be found? Yet once the desired event can no longer offer significant benefits, it may be discovered in abundance." As the rosary's glow began to dissipate, an indication to both that the beads' influence was waning, Sesshoumaru dismissed the gathered energy within his palm and moved his hand to encircle his brother's neck. When the bead's light had fully faded, Sesshoumaru stood up straight, his grip forcing Inuyasha to follow suite, then the youkai lifted the hanyou until the latter's feet no longer touched the ground. Easily holding his brother aloft with his one arm, his grip firm but not suffocating, Sesshoumaru paused a moment to allow Inuyasha to fully absorb the gravity of the situation. "You realize that your life is entirely held within this hand, yes?" Not waiting for an answer, Sesshoumaru continued, "It is presently my will alone that is allowing you to continue living. From your current disadvantage, you have little to no say in the matter, should I choose to destroy you. "However, as I have said, killing you is no longer advantageous. I will say again; I have not sought you out for either of the two possessions you currently defend. Your life and the blade are no longer paramount to my chosen course at present. Do not make me repeat myself again, Inuyasha." To this, Inuyasha made no reply, as the hanyou was desperately trying to calm his thoughts and blanket his fury. He did indeed notice that Sesshoumaru spoke the truth of the situation, however. Due to Kagome's ill- timed outcry, all that the youkai lord would need to do was resume the current of energy to his palm and shear through his younger brother's neck. It would be a fatal blow delivered before Inuyasha would have a chance of reacting. Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru waited another heartbeat before lowering Inuyasha gently to the ground. His hand remained in place, but it was now evident that he would not use it to attack unless forced.
* * * * *
Miroku finally caught up to Sango and Kagome after the fiery young woman had issued her much-favored command. Mentally, the houshi could hear an imaginary Inuyasha slamming into the earth and Miroku gave a slight wince before turning his attention to the girls' conversation. The exterminator was trying to reason with the steady-gazed young woman. "Kagome, please. It might be prudent to listen to Inuyasha's defense before confronting him like this," Sango said earnestly. "He could have killed Miroku," Kagome replied, never taking her eyes from straight ahead. "True. Perhaps," Sango tried again, searching for a way (anyway!) to deflect the woman's anger. "But it might have been justifiable under the circumstances. Or, maybe it was a mistake. All that we have been told thus far is that Miroku's pants were somehow cut by the Tetsusaiga." "He could have killed Miroku," came the immediate response. Miroku thought about announcing his presence, but decided against that notion. Should the girls question him about what had instigated Inuyasha, there was no telling what would result. Most likely, given their present moods, it would only cause him bodily harm and little else. "But Kagome--" "No buts!" Kagome declared, turning her glare from the forest ahead to the woman at her side. "Look, Miroku is a friend and friends don't try to kill friends! Not to mention the fact that Miroku saved my life in the last battle. If not for him, then I'd be dead right now, and if you think that I'm going to allow that inconsiderate jerk to get away with trying to hurt someone to whom I'm indebted to, then you're wrong!" Beginning to grow concerned about how dedicated Kagome was to the notion of 'punishing' Inuyasha, Miroku opened his mouth to say some half- truth that would deflect the blame from the hanyou, but not leave him stuck with it either. However, his intended words died in his throat when the forest finally permitted him a view of the clearing. Under any circumstance, seeing Sesshoumaru would be startling to the houshi. Seeing the youkai lord with Inuyasha would knock the breath from Miroku's lungs. Witnessing to two together but not fighting tooth and claw would weaken the monk's knees. But seeing these three things coupled with Sesshoumaru having his hand at Inuyasha's neck and the hanyou offering no apparent defense was a sight that froze the blood in Miroku's veins. "Kagome! Sango!" the houshi hissed urgently. With the two speaking in such tones, it would be a miracle if Sesshoumaru hadn't already discerned their presence. "Quiet yourselves! This conversation can wait." Giving a surprised start, the two broke off their exchange and turned around to regard Miroku, confusion written upon their faces. When had Miroku joined them? And why had he used whispering tones to quiet them? Before voicing these concerns, both noticed that Miroku's attention was not on either of them, but on something ahead. Wheeling about, Kagome was the first to make sense out of what she was seeing. Instinctively reaching for her bow, Kagome gave a helpless groan when her hand closed over empty air. Suddenly, the young woman was assailed by the realization that she was likely responsible for Inuyasha's predicament. If the hanyou had been fighting his brother, then Kagome's shout would have momentarily brought Inuyasha to his knees. Where youkais of Sesshoumaru's stature were concerned, a moment would be more than enough. Hearing her friend's agonized exhale and seeing her fist her hand in self-recrimination, Sango realized that she too had left her weapons at the camp and she could do little to aid Inuyasha unarmed. "Your weapons," Miroku hissed as he passed the objects to their respective owners. Eagerly, Kagome snatched her bow and quiver from the houshi. Taking out an arrow, Kagome then dropped the quiver to the ground and readied her weapon, taking aim as she went and releasing after a quick draw. After clearing the bow, the arrow-that which a miko would use-erupted into a blazing streak of purifying energy in mid-flight as it streaked for its target. Kagome, eyes never leaving the arrow, then bent down and blindly grabbed onto the quiver before running into the clearing, with Sango and Miroku in close pursuit.
* * * * *
Having heard the three mortals approach, Sesshoumaru was not overly surprised to find an arrow streaking his way. Releasing his hold on Inuyasha, the youkai then forcefully shoved his younger brother away, to ensure that the hanyou was not accidentally struck. Not out of brotherly concern--hardly that. He simply did not trust Inuyasha with the task of his own survival, now that it was an important issue to the youkai lord. As he launched Inuyasha away, Sesshoumaru then dodged the bolt by jumping high and to the side, well out of harm's way. Calling upon another of his abilities, Sesshoumaru ignored gravity's incessant pull and he remained suspended in midair. Turning around, Sesshoumaru faced the approaching mortals with mild irritation. While he was not surprised by their being here and attacking him, he was hardly pleased by the interruption. "This is an unwanted intrusion," The youkai hailed while crossing his arm over his crest and again gathering energy to his fingers. "Kindly remain out of affairs that do not concern you." Slashing his arm out wide and to the side, Sesshoumaru released the energy during the motion, unleashing a sort of energy whip. While Inuyasha's energy assualt had been sheer ferocity and strength, this attack was far more elegant and controllable. Even more so because the youkai lord was pulling the blow, having not given it enough energy to be lethal. He suspected that Inuyasha would be far less cooperative if the mortals' blood was spilled. Kagome saw energy strand coming, but the attack's quicksilver motion, coupled with the fact that Sesshoumaru could intricately control where the lash would strike, made the attack too formidable an assault for the woman to dodge. Sliding to a halt, Kagome noted that the energy was far too weak to slay her, so she did her best to brace herself for the impact. Running fast, Miroku reached the point where Kagome had stopped and the monk leaped over the stationary young woman. This action forced the houshi to meet the attack head-on. Still in mid-flight, Miroku tightened his grip on the staff and swung the weapon into a beautiful parrying motion, knocking the lash aside where it tore a new, abet shallow, trench in the maligned clearing. Landing just in front of the surprised girl, the houshi fisted his right hand and, punching the limb straight out toward the levitating youkai, opened his fingers and yelled, "Kazaana no Kaze!" Concentrating fiercely, Miroku mentally relaxed his restraint on this new ability, allowing it to circumvent the beads still in place upon his gauntlet. Still trying to gain understanding, even at a time such as this, Miroku also tried to control the magnitude and velocity of the release. To his amazement, the focus acted exactly as he had envisioned. Whereas before this attack had been immense enough to fell the trees that Inuyasha had sensed, Miroku's directing caused the energy to be much more compact and far more swifter. As the words left the houshi's mouth, a force shot forth from the Kazaana's depths, heading straight toward the youkai lord. Hearing the houshi's shout, Sesshoumaru noticed a strange disturbance in the air that was rapidly approaching. Jerking to the side just in time, the youkai felt something crash into the armor guard around his shoulder, shattering the metal, but missing Sesshoumaru's body. Releasing his levitation, the youkai lord slowly fell to the ground, inspecting his armor all the while. That attack, Sesshoumaru thought, what was that? Looking up from his armor to Miroku, the youkai continued his pondering. That is the cursed houshi, is it not? If the Kazaana is the only means that the mortal possesses to attack one such as I, then what did he use to strike my armor? That attack was not one of energy, as my own was. It seemed more like a compression of air. But how is that possible? How could a mortal strike so forcefully with a mere current of wind? Having only witnessed the final part of the match between Inuyasha and Miroku, Sesshoumaru had not seen the houshi fell the trees with a similar attack. As the youkai lord stood in silent contemplation, Sango edged to her friends' sides and murmured, "My other weapons, houshi. Do you have them? If we are to fight with this one, I would be more at ease with more of my arsenal at my disposal." Keeping his sight locked on Sesshoumaru, Miroku shook his head and answered, "No. I did not notice any other weapons at the campsite other than the Hiraikotsu and Kagome's bow and quiver." "Alas," Sango sighed but made no further complaint. But her question had stirred a resulting question in Miroku's mind. Strange, the houshi thought, I somehow instinctively knew that those two had left their weapons behind. My instincts also told me exactly where the weapons were, yet I did not realize that Sango had left others. Why? If she had neglected to bring the Hiraikotsu, why did I not anticipate that she would leave her other tools? Any further musings were denied to the houshi, due to an irate hanyou's bark. "What the hell do you think you're doin', Miroku?!" Inuyasha roared. "Who asked you to step in on my account? Stay outta other people's business and back. OFF! Sesshoumaru won't go easy on you like I did, so don't give 'im any more cause to kill you! I want that particular privilege for myself!" Keeping his staff in a guarding position, Miroku shot Inuyasha an incredulous stare before shouting back, "My apologies for intruding, Inuyasha, but I--until you carry out your threat, at least--count you as a friend. And when a friend's live is in danger, I make it a point to include their business as my own. Your situation seemed to meet that criteria." "Keh! Even if that were the case," Inuyasha snorted, giving a show of bravado that most certainly had not been evident a short while ago, "What the hell do you think you could've done to aid me? What were you plannin' on doin'? Swing that staff against his shins?" "I believe you have now witnessed my plans, Inuyasha," Miroku replied quietly, pointedly reminding the hanyou that he may have more resources available than Inuyasha gave him credit for. Momentarily caught by that one, Inuyasha thought furiously for a moment, trying desperately to find something (anything!) to shout back at the houshi as a rejoinder. It was at this time that Sesshoumaru ended his silence and interrupted. "Your fears, houshi--for all that they matter--were and are unfounded. Had I desired to slay my brother, I would have done so long before you three blundered into this clearing." Sweeping his gaze about the clearing to separately survey Inuyasha and his friends, Sesshoumaru found that each of those allied with his brother were tense and on guard, though Inuyasha was less so than the others. Their mindsets were focused on battle, not parlay. Their aggression was currently too great for worthwhile negotiations. Looking back to Inuyasha, the youkai said, "Perhaps you were correct in your first advisement; now is not a suitable time to discuss our business." Turning around, Sesshoumaru finished, "Very well. I shall return on the morrow at first light. The matter only truly concerns you, little brother, but do ensure that father's old retainer, Myoga, attends as well." Throwing a stare over his shoulder, Sesshoumaru regarded Miroku as he said, "You are fortunate I am in a generous mood, mortal. I shall overlook your transgression. This time. For your own sake, do not seek to cross me again." Returning Sesshoumaru's stare with a solid one of his own, Miroku replied, "My thanks, Lord Sesshoumaru. So long as you do not further endanger any other that I happen to label as 'friend', I will concur with your wishes." Eyeing the houshi for a breath longer, the youkai lord then allowed his sight to slip from Miroku's form as his head turned to look at the path in front of him as he set off for the forest. As he departed from the clearing, Miroku's eyes never left his figure. Or, more precisely, the sword belted on the youkai's hip. And now I am finding the Tensaiga particularly obvious, the houshi noted silently. As well as the Tetsusaiga. But, why? Is this another new aspect of the curse? If so, then to what end? And how many new abilities will I come to possess before the Kazaana ceases its alteration? As these questions whirled around inside his mind, Miroku found himself honestly wondering if he would ever find the definitive answers.