February 9, 2002

Sister, Sister

By Yashira

Chapter 6

"You know, Inuyasha..." Miroku remarked thoughtfully as he ducked through the doorway and emerged into the bristling night-time air. "You could at least be nice while she's here… That way you won't have to come out here to escape the osuwari." Although it was not quite autumn yet, the passing of summer had clearly come and gone for Miroku shivered as the wind blew icy kisses against his heated skin. "It won't hurt you."

"Feh," Crossing his arms so that the folds of his haori creased in rugged strips, Inuyasha turned his angry face away. His gaze was unreadable.

"Unless this Necoa is taken care of..." Miroku began again, knowing he was pushing his luck by continuing to berate Inuyasha, "It would be a precaution we could well do to keep."

"Will you shut up already, I CAN handled her… We don't need this Yashira." His tone was full of stubbornness as the venom of annoyance radiated off him in waves.

Miroku let out a laboured sigh as he leaned against the rough wood of the hut. Glancing up at the smoke-torn sky, a mere gift left over from Necoa's fire and noxious smoke, he could barely see the twinkling of the stars beyond. "Inuyasha, even with Kagome's purifying arrows, your youkai's strength, Sango's Taiji-ya prowess and my Kaza Ana… we weren't able to defeat her." He paused, still staring up at the shadows that veiled the sky, as he added seriously, "If she weren't working with Naraku, I could take her with my Kaza Ana, but you remember the wasps, I couldn't fight without sucking some of those in…" He paused again, this time thinking back to the hell bees that had flown overhead, droning their awful chant, as if waiting for the sole moment of getting devoured by his air void. "It is Naraku's hand that guides these new events… It is Naraku who is our enemy and he is using our weaknesses against us."

"…" Inuyasha's ears drooped as Miroku spoke which meant that even though he was coping an attitude, he was indeed listening. He knew the truth in those words, but what could he say other than what was already said. He remained silent.

"And Necoa was familiar to Yashira and this firecat didn't have any defense to her… it was almost as if Naraku hadn't counted on this miko showing up to deal with Necoa. Hey are you listening, you do you understand what I'm saying?" Miroku turned to face Inuyasha who had risen to his feet and was turning to fix him with an equally thoughtful look.

"Balance…" Then he chuckled, his tone nearly amused as his gold eyes expressed self importance, "You really do think we're that badly off? Look, Miroku, we already have balance. We don't need anyone else."

"Inuyasha," he began calmly, fixing his violet eyes on the hanyou's gold ones, "Why must we handicap ourselves because of your wounded pride."

"Feh, wounded pride, eh? I just don't trust her…" His voice was low, deeply etched in arrogance, as he started towards the half built and cluttered remains of the village. "Am I the only one who thinks it was convenient for her to show up when she did. She mentioned Naraku's name you know."

Miroku shrugged, his shoulders sagging as he sighed. It looked as if Inuyasha was going to stubbornly fight this every step of the way. "I think we should ask Yashira what she knows about Necoa and Naraku."

"Kagome did ask, remember, and Miroku," Inuyasha turned back, moving swiftly to face him, "You were there, she said it was none of our business."

"I don't really want to argue with you," Miroku replied tiredly as he rubbed at his neck. The spot Necoa had squeezed still bore tiny nail marks, "But you saw her strength.. her power… I could understand how she and Kikyo would be friends, they both know how to knock back some bad ass youkai…"

"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Inuyasha's eyes narrowed dangerously, "And just so you know, that Yashira is-"

"I'm what? Please, pray tell," Yashira's voice was as cold as her unemotionally flat and distant gaze. Gone was her brooding and silent musing when she had first been brought to the hut, in their place lurked the cold calculating look of a woman long since used to being obeyed, "Would you care to inform me, Hanyou?" She stepped out of the shadows and moved swiftly in front of the two men. Her fingers gripped a wooden bow and a set of quivers that she'd been carrying earlier, but had dropped in her "fight" with Sesshomaru and Inuyasha. She must have left earlier to go retrieve them.

Inuyasha whirled sharply to face her, his movements indicating that he had not been anticipating her approach. How could he not have smelled her coming? Was she as powerful as Miroku said and perhaps she shielded her smell too?! Impossible! He simply had not been paying attention, that was all. Such a careless thing to do… Inuyasha growled, his fists narrowing tightly at his sides, "You are a bitc-"

Miroku's staff came down hard on his head. "Inuyasha!" The thud echoed with a solid thwack.

"What the hell did you do that for?"


"We know where she hails from…" Miroku began angrily, his patience seeming to have worn thin by this point, "Unless you think Kaede-sama was lying, do not antagonize Yashira-sama."

Inuyasha growled, the rumble coming out low and irritated, as his gaze locked against Yashira. "Shut up Miroku, I never met her mother, what does that hell you!"

"That you are a complete and utter fool," Yashira spat back annoyedly, her fingers adjusting the black ruffles of her skirt, as she set what she carried down by the monk "I clearly don't remember you." Her blue eyes were hard, her stance threatening, "Small worlds aren't so small are they?" She bent to adjust the bow from tipping awkwardly to the side as she added, "I wonder who's story is…" She made a sudden face, her blue eyes exploding, as she let out a startled yelp. Immediately Yashira whirled upon the monk with the free hands. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

With the resonant sound of a slap, Miroku stood there red face and red cheeked as Inuyasha rolled his golden eyes, "You just had to try didn't you?"

Miroku actually looked apologetic as he manage a faint smile. "Well, I couldn't resist."

"You mean you're not a noble monk?" Her eyes were hard, her gaze filled with incredibly, as Yashira backed away from him.

"I could have told you that," Inuyasha scoffed and then added to himself, ~If I cared.~

"I can't believe this," Yashira began, her tone clearly offended, "Of all the-" Then she stopped and straighten as Inuyasha jerked his face up with warily.

"Is something wrong?" Miroku began noticing that Inuyasha was sniffing the air disdainfully and that Yashira seemed suddenly restless.

"Can't you feel it houshi?" Yashira whispered softly as the hairs on the back of her neck bristled uncomfortably.

"Gah, I can smell him from here." Inuyasha cursed with complete disgust, "Miroku get Kagome and the others... Naraku is making an appearance."

"What? You sure it isn't his clone?" Miroku started for others.

"What ever it is," Yashira interrupted, "It makes me feel nauseous…"