Demon Body, Human Heart
By DemonSaya
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves, demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you flamed ^_^
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Chapter 13: Love of Lovers
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Inuyasha glared at the fire, his eyes narrow in anger and tinged with depression. He held his ankles in his hands, not really paying attention to the food in front of him. He ignored the worried glances from Miroku and the fox whom had arrived about three hours after they'd started off.
Shippou had explained to them where Naraku's castle was and approximately how far away. He was totally bushed by the time he reached them and had napped for almost an hour. Inuyasha had decided they should stop. He was worried about Kagome and he couldn't think in such conditions.
Now he sat several feet away from them, turning the ramen cup in his hands. It had been too long since he'd smelled her, and the memory that the last time he held her was when they'd traveled from her time through the well. He stared into the broth, his eyes sad. Now she was gone. It wasn't enough for him. He may be selfish, but he wanted more. He hadn't had enough time with her. He needed her beside him. That was when he fought his best, moved his quickest. Kagome was his strength, and that bastard Naraku had kidnapped her.
He was startled from his thoughts by a majestic form taking his place beside him. He glanced towards his brother, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" He growled, scooting back slightly.
Sesshoumaru stirred his soup, looking at it, wondering if it was actually going to jump out of the cup and eat him. Yet outwardly, he didn't say anything. "If you wish to save her, you're going to have to rely on yourself." He said evenly, lifting a few noodles and tasting them. His eyes widened. "This is good." He said, pointing down into them.
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know if relying on myself will be enough. She has always been the thing that makes me strong. You know that. You've said so." He ate a few noodles, and almost spilled the hot soup on himself when his brother whacked him across the back of the head.
"If you have to rely on her for strength, you aren't truly strong." Sesshoumaru said evenly, then ate another bite of the soup. "By doing such a thing, you're pulling at her energy, and making her weaker, which is probably why she didn't sense Naraku earlier."
Inuyasha snorted. "Why do you care? It's not like we were ever that close or anything.even when we were brats, we didn't get along that well. Why would you give a shit about what happens to her?!" He growled, his hands crushing the soup cup. He didn't feel the heat of the broth. He was angry. Angry at Naraku, angry at Sesshoumaru, and generally, just plain angry with the universe. It always seemed to shit on him when it needed someone to pick on.
Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha for a long moment and stood, dusting off his hakama. When he replied, his voice was measured carefully. "Because you are still my brother." He looked towards him. "You were very young when we knew each other. Before the fang was an issue, we did get along well, and I still see you as a younger brother." He paused, arching an eyebrow. "Which is why I couldn't kill you when I had the chance and you couldn't fight back."(1)
Inuyasha stared at his brother in complete shock, as if he'd grown a third head. "What are you TALKING about?!"
"Ask your woman when we get her back.just worry about how you're going to save her." Sesshoumaru walked away, to the other side of the camp.
"Where did THAT come from?" Inuyasha wondered, his brow creased, his eyes narrow.
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Kagome sat with Sango's head in her lap, the older, and quite traumatized girl fast asleep. She was wrapped in a thin blanket, and another was thrown over her companion. She stroked her hair gently, her face serious.
Had it just been her imagination, or when Naraku (That demon asshole who'd been playing mind games with them for some time) had tried to rape her, hadn't the Shikon no Tama cast a protective barrier around her? She couldn't explain it, but the shikon no tama was protecting her. Or perhaps she was wrong. Maybe they were responding to her own power, which had made the shield. She threw that thought away quickly. It wasn't as if she had any special powers. She was just Kagome.
She almost laughed at that. Yes. She was 'just Kagome', the same Kagome who'd managed to penetrate a previously impregnable wall in a hanyou's heart. The same Kagome who'd fallen through the well on her property and been drug 500 years back in time. The same Kagome who the shikon no tama had been ripped from.
There was nothing normal about her. Perhaps she wasn't as powerful as Kikyou, but she had a glimmer of the same power.
The sound of footsteps stirred her from her thoughts. She looked up and saw Kagura standing there, her face blatantly cold. She pulled the yukata she wore tighter around herself. "What do you want?" She asked, pressing back against the wall.
The young woman's face softened a bit. "Liberation." She said softly. "I want to be as a bird. Free." She ground her teeth together. "But you can't give me that if you don't know the truth behind Naraku's plan."
The younger girl's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but Kagura held up her hand, silencing her.
"Do you know the secret of the shikon no tama?" She asked evenly. "Do you know why some demons desire it greatly, yet other's have discovered a more precious thing?" Silence was the demon's answer. "The shikon no tama is purified by a human woman, and only can it be purified by such a woman. No demon, no ogre, no dragon, or goblin. Only a human, and only a woman."
"I don't understand." Kagome said softly.
Impatience surged through her. "Only one woman and her incarnations have the purity to purify such a jewel. Only one woman was strong enough to create the jewel, and she was the original woman who purified it. Yet, her last incarnation was soiled by bitterness and betrayal. She died, and the shikon no tama was cremated along with her, to be reborn in the next incarnation!"
The girl sucked in a sharp breath. "Why are you telling me this?" She asked softly.
Kagura closed her eyes. "It will probably mean my death, but I will help you escape. Just one of you, though. You or your friend." She paused. "You are the only one who can defeat Naraku, you and your mate."
Kagome blushed at the choice of words. "Wha-?"
"Purity is attained by two ways, girl." She said evenly. "It is either with body, or with love. No other purity can be strong enough, which is why Kikyou failed." She paused. "Please, even if it means my death as well, free me from him?" She begged. "I cannot run away, because he holds my heart, but if he were dead, I could leave freely.Please."
Kagome stared at her, uncertain. "I will do all I can, but it's all I can do. Save Sango. She needs to get out of here. I'll explain it all to her when she awakens." She paused, then gave Kagura a small smile. "Thank you."
But the woman was gone, already. She stood outside the locked door, her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. It would all be over soon. For better or worse, she would be free.
Even if it meant she was dead.
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Miroku poked at the remains of the fire, his eyes depressed, his shoulders sagging. He ignored the dog demon that sat beside him, his mind on someone else, someone he would probably never see again.
Even now, he could remember the last time they'd been alone together. It had naturally ended in a fight, and against his better judgment, he'd kissed her. She'd been shocked, yes, but he hadn't expected such a response from her.
She'd hit him, and it hurt him more than any other time, because that time, he truly hadn't done it out of lecherous intent. He'd done it to silence her, to stop them from saying any more stupid, meaningless words. What good were words, anyways? Words meant nothing.
Hell, nothing else meant anything when he'd kissed her. It had tasted of smoke and sweat, but she still tasted sweet to him. Her shock had been expected, even the confusion he'd sensed in her, but she hadn't pulled away initially. And he'd taken it wrong. He thought she cared too.
But he was wrong. He'd frightened her, and he'd forced unwanted attentions on her. It had probably been her first kiss, and he'd done it out of frustration and love. But she hadn't kissed him back. Because she didn't love him back.
He stared down at the rosary that adorned his hand. After this was over, he would have to leave. When they had rescued the girls, whether or not it was the end of the mission, he would sacrifice his shards to Kagome and leave. He couldn't bear to be near a woman who hated him so much she couldn't bear to touch him.
Then, when he was far enough away, he'd open the air rip and let it have him. He'd rather die than be rejected by her again. If he didn't sire any offspring, all the better for the women of the planet, because they were short one less pervert.
Inuyasha glanced towards the houshi and could see the pain on his face, despite his best efforts to hide it. He picked up a long stick of his own and stirred the embers that Miroku had let sit while he was brooding. "We'll get them back." He said softly.
"I know." Miroku said softly. "I know we will. You love Kagome too much to leave her to someone like him."
The demon nodded in agreement, then tossed a small log on the fire. "Yeah, and you love Sango too much to leave her as well." He glanced towards the monk, seeing him wince. So he'd guessed right. Even though he knew of the feelings the monk had for Sango, only Kagome knew of Sango's feelings for Miroku. "You are allowed to love her, Miroku." He said, arching an eyebrow.
"She doesn't love me." Miroku said stiffly, tossing his stick onto the fire and glaring into it. "She made that perfectly clear. She has no need for me at all." He felt a hand whack him on top of the head and glared at the demon. "What was that for?!"
Inuyasha stared into the fire, his eyes haunted with the memory of blue- gray eyes and a sweet smile. "Never assume a woman makes her intentions clear. I learned that from Kagome." He saw the confusion on the monks face.
"At least Kagome makes her intentions clear to you." He said, his voice sulky. "You two have always been so obviously affectionate for each other, it's a wonder it took you two so long to get together." He scowled. "I kissed her and she hit me. She doesn't love me." The scowl softened and his eyes saddened. "I'm jealous of you."
The white-haired hanyou snorted. "That's the problem." He said evenly, glaring at the writhing flames. "To everyone else, the feelings may seem obvious, but I didn't know how I felt for Kagome until she almost died in the forest fire. She told me she figured it out long ago, but she was afraid to tell me because of Kikyou." He sighed, his lips turning up slightly. "I almost kissed Kagome once. It's been a long time since then, and when I did, before I got anywhere near her, she shoved me so hard I fell over and landed on my ass."
Miroku glared at him. "You're not making me feel any better." He accused.
"My point is." The gold eyes closed, then reopened, pinning Miroku down. "Women hide their feelings until they're certain of the feelings of the one they love. Kagome was rather open with hers, and was always supportive of me in any decision I made involving Kikyou. I wasn't so kind to her when it came to Kouga." He paused, realizing he was rambling. "Don't take what a woman says for face value. Sango was probably afraid of what you were telling her because she wasn't sure if you were serious or not. You're known to be more than a little affectionate towards women and she probably didn't want to be hurt."
Miroku quieted, staring at the ground. "Maybe." He allowed.
Suddenly, the wind whistled and Inuyasha stood abruptly. "Naraku." He snarled. "Come out you bastard."
The demon appeared, clad in his usual baboon pelt, his lips turned into an evil smile. "Well, well, Inuyasha. It's good to see you up and about. Your bitch misses you greatly. Especially after the impression I made on her.or should I say.in her?"
Inuyasha felt Miroku holding him back. "Keep your goddamn hands off her." He snarled, his eyes furious.
"Don't get over excited. She got lucky. The shikon no tama doesn't seem to like me touching her." He smiled coldly. "I don't think it will be able to stop me if I decide to kill her, though."
Inuyasha growled, his fangs bearing. "I swear to god, Naraku, if you harm a hair on her head, I'm going to rip you apart limb from limb."
"Kukuku.If you want the girls to live till you see them again, I suggest you hurry." Naraku sneered at them.
Inuyasha broke free from Miroku and his claws ripped through the pelt. But Naraku was already gone. He snarled, cracking his claws dangerously. "Just you wait, Naraku.you're gonna wish you'd never heard the name Inuyasha."
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End of Chapter 13
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Author's Notes: Hm, this one's kinda short, I admit. Things get better next chapter, promise. It includes some Sango/Miroku fluff for you who have been waiting so patiently. Originally I'd planned this to be eighteen chapters, but I consolidated (Which really means I compiled all the crap which was going to go on) 4 of them, and now it's a wonderful 16, and that means 3 more chapters! The last three are going to be very, VERY long probably, so please be patient. I'll make it good for you guys. Oh, and about the not up there: (1) This is a reference to a part in the third season, when Inuyasha's demon blood takes over and Sesshoumaru stops his rampage, and even though he could have killed Inuyasha at the time, he hadn't. I don't know the episode number, but I assume it's somewhere around 40 something.
Disclaimer: Okay, I dun own any of these characters, I'm borrowing them, and I promised that I'd return them. Well...I promised because Inuyasha's rather mad that I kidnapped them for awhile and I'm afraid he may pull out his sword and demolish me...Please don't sue me, I already have a pmsing adolescent half-demon to deal with!
Policy on Flamers: Give me Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease, and I shall give you the same. If you don't, I know lots of assassins, thieves, demons, and goddesses, that would love to hurt you if I told them you flamed ^_^
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Chapter 13: Love of Lovers
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inuyasha glared at the fire, his eyes narrow in anger and tinged with depression. He held his ankles in his hands, not really paying attention to the food in front of him. He ignored the worried glances from Miroku and the fox whom had arrived about three hours after they'd started off.
Shippou had explained to them where Naraku's castle was and approximately how far away. He was totally bushed by the time he reached them and had napped for almost an hour. Inuyasha had decided they should stop. He was worried about Kagome and he couldn't think in such conditions.
Now he sat several feet away from them, turning the ramen cup in his hands. It had been too long since he'd smelled her, and the memory that the last time he held her was when they'd traveled from her time through the well. He stared into the broth, his eyes sad. Now she was gone. It wasn't enough for him. He may be selfish, but he wanted more. He hadn't had enough time with her. He needed her beside him. That was when he fought his best, moved his quickest. Kagome was his strength, and that bastard Naraku had kidnapped her.
He was startled from his thoughts by a majestic form taking his place beside him. He glanced towards his brother, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want?" He growled, scooting back slightly.
Sesshoumaru stirred his soup, looking at it, wondering if it was actually going to jump out of the cup and eat him. Yet outwardly, he didn't say anything. "If you wish to save her, you're going to have to rely on yourself." He said evenly, lifting a few noodles and tasting them. His eyes widened. "This is good." He said, pointing down into them.
Inuyasha shrugged. "I don't know if relying on myself will be enough. She has always been the thing that makes me strong. You know that. You've said so." He ate a few noodles, and almost spilled the hot soup on himself when his brother whacked him across the back of the head.
"If you have to rely on her for strength, you aren't truly strong." Sesshoumaru said evenly, then ate another bite of the soup. "By doing such a thing, you're pulling at her energy, and making her weaker, which is probably why she didn't sense Naraku earlier."
Inuyasha snorted. "Why do you care? It's not like we were ever that close or anything.even when we were brats, we didn't get along that well. Why would you give a shit about what happens to her?!" He growled, his hands crushing the soup cup. He didn't feel the heat of the broth. He was angry. Angry at Naraku, angry at Sesshoumaru, and generally, just plain angry with the universe. It always seemed to shit on him when it needed someone to pick on.
Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha for a long moment and stood, dusting off his hakama. When he replied, his voice was measured carefully. "Because you are still my brother." He looked towards him. "You were very young when we knew each other. Before the fang was an issue, we did get along well, and I still see you as a younger brother." He paused, arching an eyebrow. "Which is why I couldn't kill you when I had the chance and you couldn't fight back."(1)
Inuyasha stared at his brother in complete shock, as if he'd grown a third head. "What are you TALKING about?!"
"Ask your woman when we get her back.just worry about how you're going to save her." Sesshoumaru walked away, to the other side of the camp.
"Where did THAT come from?" Inuyasha wondered, his brow creased, his eyes narrow.
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Kagome sat with Sango's head in her lap, the older, and quite traumatized girl fast asleep. She was wrapped in a thin blanket, and another was thrown over her companion. She stroked her hair gently, her face serious.
Had it just been her imagination, or when Naraku (That demon asshole who'd been playing mind games with them for some time) had tried to rape her, hadn't the Shikon no Tama cast a protective barrier around her? She couldn't explain it, but the shikon no tama was protecting her. Or perhaps she was wrong. Maybe they were responding to her own power, which had made the shield. She threw that thought away quickly. It wasn't as if she had any special powers. She was just Kagome.
She almost laughed at that. Yes. She was 'just Kagome', the same Kagome who'd managed to penetrate a previously impregnable wall in a hanyou's heart. The same Kagome who'd fallen through the well on her property and been drug 500 years back in time. The same Kagome who the shikon no tama had been ripped from.
There was nothing normal about her. Perhaps she wasn't as powerful as Kikyou, but she had a glimmer of the same power.
The sound of footsteps stirred her from her thoughts. She looked up and saw Kagura standing there, her face blatantly cold. She pulled the yukata she wore tighter around herself. "What do you want?" She asked, pressing back against the wall.
The young woman's face softened a bit. "Liberation." She said softly. "I want to be as a bird. Free." She ground her teeth together. "But you can't give me that if you don't know the truth behind Naraku's plan."
The younger girl's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak, but Kagura held up her hand, silencing her.
"Do you know the secret of the shikon no tama?" She asked evenly. "Do you know why some demons desire it greatly, yet other's have discovered a more precious thing?" Silence was the demon's answer. "The shikon no tama is purified by a human woman, and only can it be purified by such a woman. No demon, no ogre, no dragon, or goblin. Only a human, and only a woman."
"I don't understand." Kagome said softly.
Impatience surged through her. "Only one woman and her incarnations have the purity to purify such a jewel. Only one woman was strong enough to create the jewel, and she was the original woman who purified it. Yet, her last incarnation was soiled by bitterness and betrayal. She died, and the shikon no tama was cremated along with her, to be reborn in the next incarnation!"
The girl sucked in a sharp breath. "Why are you telling me this?" She asked softly.
Kagura closed her eyes. "It will probably mean my death, but I will help you escape. Just one of you, though. You or your friend." She paused. "You are the only one who can defeat Naraku, you and your mate."
Kagome blushed at the choice of words. "Wha-?"
"Purity is attained by two ways, girl." She said evenly. "It is either with body, or with love. No other purity can be strong enough, which is why Kikyou failed." She paused. "Please, even if it means my death as well, free me from him?" She begged. "I cannot run away, because he holds my heart, but if he were dead, I could leave freely.Please."
Kagome stared at her, uncertain. "I will do all I can, but it's all I can do. Save Sango. She needs to get out of here. I'll explain it all to her when she awakens." She paused, then gave Kagura a small smile. "Thank you."
But the woman was gone, already. She stood outside the locked door, her hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs. It would all be over soon. For better or worse, she would be free.
Even if it meant she was dead.
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Miroku poked at the remains of the fire, his eyes depressed, his shoulders sagging. He ignored the dog demon that sat beside him, his mind on someone else, someone he would probably never see again.
Even now, he could remember the last time they'd been alone together. It had naturally ended in a fight, and against his better judgment, he'd kissed her. She'd been shocked, yes, but he hadn't expected such a response from her.
She'd hit him, and it hurt him more than any other time, because that time, he truly hadn't done it out of lecherous intent. He'd done it to silence her, to stop them from saying any more stupid, meaningless words. What good were words, anyways? Words meant nothing.
Hell, nothing else meant anything when he'd kissed her. It had tasted of smoke and sweat, but she still tasted sweet to him. Her shock had been expected, even the confusion he'd sensed in her, but she hadn't pulled away initially. And he'd taken it wrong. He thought she cared too.
But he was wrong. He'd frightened her, and he'd forced unwanted attentions on her. It had probably been her first kiss, and he'd done it out of frustration and love. But she hadn't kissed him back. Because she didn't love him back.
He stared down at the rosary that adorned his hand. After this was over, he would have to leave. When they had rescued the girls, whether or not it was the end of the mission, he would sacrifice his shards to Kagome and leave. He couldn't bear to be near a woman who hated him so much she couldn't bear to touch him.
Then, when he was far enough away, he'd open the air rip and let it have him. He'd rather die than be rejected by her again. If he didn't sire any offspring, all the better for the women of the planet, because they were short one less pervert.
Inuyasha glanced towards the houshi and could see the pain on his face, despite his best efforts to hide it. He picked up a long stick of his own and stirred the embers that Miroku had let sit while he was brooding. "We'll get them back." He said softly.
"I know." Miroku said softly. "I know we will. You love Kagome too much to leave her to someone like him."
The demon nodded in agreement, then tossed a small log on the fire. "Yeah, and you love Sango too much to leave her as well." He glanced towards the monk, seeing him wince. So he'd guessed right. Even though he knew of the feelings the monk had for Sango, only Kagome knew of Sango's feelings for Miroku. "You are allowed to love her, Miroku." He said, arching an eyebrow.
"She doesn't love me." Miroku said stiffly, tossing his stick onto the fire and glaring into it. "She made that perfectly clear. She has no need for me at all." He felt a hand whack him on top of the head and glared at the demon. "What was that for?!"
Inuyasha stared into the fire, his eyes haunted with the memory of blue- gray eyes and a sweet smile. "Never assume a woman makes her intentions clear. I learned that from Kagome." He saw the confusion on the monks face.
"At least Kagome makes her intentions clear to you." He said, his voice sulky. "You two have always been so obviously affectionate for each other, it's a wonder it took you two so long to get together." He scowled. "I kissed her and she hit me. She doesn't love me." The scowl softened and his eyes saddened. "I'm jealous of you."
The white-haired hanyou snorted. "That's the problem." He said evenly, glaring at the writhing flames. "To everyone else, the feelings may seem obvious, but I didn't know how I felt for Kagome until she almost died in the forest fire. She told me she figured it out long ago, but she was afraid to tell me because of Kikyou." He sighed, his lips turning up slightly. "I almost kissed Kagome once. It's been a long time since then, and when I did, before I got anywhere near her, she shoved me so hard I fell over and landed on my ass."
Miroku glared at him. "You're not making me feel any better." He accused.
"My point is." The gold eyes closed, then reopened, pinning Miroku down. "Women hide their feelings until they're certain of the feelings of the one they love. Kagome was rather open with hers, and was always supportive of me in any decision I made involving Kikyou. I wasn't so kind to her when it came to Kouga." He paused, realizing he was rambling. "Don't take what a woman says for face value. Sango was probably afraid of what you were telling her because she wasn't sure if you were serious or not. You're known to be more than a little affectionate towards women and she probably didn't want to be hurt."
Miroku quieted, staring at the ground. "Maybe." He allowed.
Suddenly, the wind whistled and Inuyasha stood abruptly. "Naraku." He snarled. "Come out you bastard."
The demon appeared, clad in his usual baboon pelt, his lips turned into an evil smile. "Well, well, Inuyasha. It's good to see you up and about. Your bitch misses you greatly. Especially after the impression I made on her.or should I say.in her?"
Inuyasha felt Miroku holding him back. "Keep your goddamn hands off her." He snarled, his eyes furious.
"Don't get over excited. She got lucky. The shikon no tama doesn't seem to like me touching her." He smiled coldly. "I don't think it will be able to stop me if I decide to kill her, though."
Inuyasha growled, his fangs bearing. "I swear to god, Naraku, if you harm a hair on her head, I'm going to rip you apart limb from limb."
"Kukuku.If you want the girls to live till you see them again, I suggest you hurry." Naraku sneered at them.
Inuyasha broke free from Miroku and his claws ripped through the pelt. But Naraku was already gone. He snarled, cracking his claws dangerously. "Just you wait, Naraku.you're gonna wish you'd never heard the name Inuyasha."
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End of Chapter 13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes: Hm, this one's kinda short, I admit. Things get better next chapter, promise. It includes some Sango/Miroku fluff for you who have been waiting so patiently. Originally I'd planned this to be eighteen chapters, but I consolidated (Which really means I compiled all the crap which was going to go on) 4 of them, and now it's a wonderful 16, and that means 3 more chapters! The last three are going to be very, VERY long probably, so please be patient. I'll make it good for you guys. Oh, and about the not up there: (1) This is a reference to a part in the third season, when Inuyasha's demon blood takes over and Sesshoumaru stops his rampage, and even though he could have killed Inuyasha at the time, he hadn't. I don't know the episode number, but I assume it's somewhere around 40 something.