Disclaimer: I own only whatever's not copyrighted.

AN: Ow, my feet hurt. I just got back from Christmas shopping, heh. Most of the other girls are immune to this, but I'm more of a work while walking than anything else. To Mrs. Minamino, Thanks! I try to practice keeping my updates to every two days (I have another story so you see only every four days) so that I don't slack off and eventually forget about it. And to Sirius, I honestly see no ending point to this story so far, but I think it will by February-March. Thank you for all of your reviews guys! Hope you like this chapter!

Icari
Chapter 20

 Inuyasha and Kagome crouched down next to Yasuo and Icari. She stopped shaking the poor demon when they came, and stood up with a huff. She looked like she was about to walk off, but raised her hand to a bit under her head, and chanted a little sultra. A gust of winds covered it, and when it disappeared, her two small dog ears were up on her head again.

 "Heh," Yasuo smirked a bit, "I taught her that one." Icari's ears twitched and she glared over at him, before she walked off, her long green cloak trailing behind her.

 "Why did she turn her ears into a hanyou's?" Kagome wondered out loud, leaning into Inuyasha. His arm went around her and she relaxed against him, not really seeing the envy in Yasuo's eyes.

 "Bigger ears make for better hearing. She always liked having those ears to listen for anyone else that was coming." Yasuo switched his gaze to Icari's steadily disappearing back, her ears twitching as they spoke. "Always loved to spy for the answers rather than asking people straight out in the open.

 "So, is it like Shippo's illusions?" Kagome asked the water demon, who still looked a little winded out by Icari's little beating. Surprisingly, he shook his head no to her.

 "Not at all, a kitsune's illusions can only last so long. With Icari, we actually had to get human blood in her to work the spell. Now, there is enough to have the ears, though not as authentic as the hanyou there, and that she could control it."

 Kagome felt like choking. "H- human blood?" Yasuo nodded.

 "But not much. Too much and it would've killed both her and the human. There was only enough to spare so that the spell would work out right. The human was an acquaintance who agreed to give up some of his life to save his village. It was… one of the favors we did while we were traveling." Inuyasha and Kagome nodded slowly.

 "That's all nice, but right now, I want to know why is it that you were able to do a magic spell, when you're demon. It's impossible for a demon to have magical powers, because the magic would purify the demon and render them harmless."

 "Ah, but hanyou, do you have any idea what kind of demon I am?" Inuyasha sniffed the air.

 "Water demon, but what does that have to do with this?" Yasuo laughed, for the first time since he had joined this group, and lay back down. He ran a hand through his short, purple hair.

 "Let's see, I guess there aren't that many water demons out there are there? I mean, they are a bit easy to catch, especially since there isn't always water around, which is our fastest escape route, and they usually don't run like most animal demons. So, I think I'll start by telling you that water demons were not formed naturally. A sorceress took a human and intertwined his being with water properties too. There were only a handful made, most dying in creation, but they had served their purpose as her guards when she died. So, because we are the result of a sorceress, we also have quite a few magical properties ourselves, though not much.

 "A water demon's best spell is actually a healing or recovery one. Another good one is find weak spots in other spells, and breaking them. Both of these are slow, and they drain the demon completely. That's why I collapsed when it was done. Mistress, do you have the talismans now?"

 "Call me Kagome, or Lady Kagome at least." He nodded and she handed the four stones to him. "I've already gotten Miroku to check them. He says they are Life, Growth, Death, and Spirit."

 The demon nodded and studied them himself. "Did you notice anything else about them?" His eye darted to look at Kagome's face, watching her intently for her reactions.

 "Yea, they seem to have a lot of magic in them. I don't know anything that has that kind of aura in it. Do you know anything about these, Yasuo?" he looked at them hard before turning back to her.

 "Yes, Lady Kagome. These are odd spells. I can sense their auras, as the monk over there can, and I bet that he could tell you, too, that the spell in these rocks are the trickiest of them all. They are puzzle spells, and are bits of a larger whole. When the puzzles are solved, there are hundreds of possibilities to them. They could make something stronger, unleash a secret, or even open a portal to something."

 Inuyasha, tired of just sitting there and listening, spoke up, "do you have any idea what these four could be used for?" Yasuo shook his head, the best he could from his spot on the ground, and hid a yawn.

 "No, I don't but I bet that it has something to do with the swords and all. Tell me, where was the fourth sword hidden?" Inuyasha opened his mouth, but drew a blank as soon as he did. He looked over to Kagome, whose eyes had clouded over a bit.

 "Kikyo took it. She had known where it was, and attacked the jewel for it. The sword came out of the jewel, I think, but I passed out soon after that." Now Inuyasha remembered. So many things had happened that day that he had forgotten about that particular fact.

 "Two more questions. Where is the sword now, and what is this jewel you speak of?" Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other, not aware that Yasuo might not know of the Shikon No Tama.

 "Icari took the sword, and now, I think, Sesshomaru is holding on to it." Kagome explained, all the while taking off the necklace that held the half completed Shikon No Tama. "As for the jewel…"

 And slowly, she began to explain the legends of the Jewel of Four Souls to Yasuo.

*~*~*~*~*

 "Wow, that is something." Sango commented when Kagome finished retelling the discussion she and Inuyasha had had with Yasuo earlier that day. He was asleep again now, since he was going to need more sleep than a few hours to restore his energy, and the sky had already become night. The fire crackled in front of them as they talked, Inuyasha not far away in a tree, Icari across from them with Rin. Shippo and Jaken were asleep, and Sesshomaru had walked off alone.

 "Yes, apparently, he thinks it was fitting that the jewel was hidden in the jewel, because of the priestess and demons fighting in there and all. It's like the war of the lost souls going on in there, and oh! Look, the sword of the souls is in there too."

 "Yeah, and it's not any bigger than Inuyasha's eye." Icari's voice came from over the fire. Kagome looked taken back by the comment, but began to laugh at the coincidence. Icari must've already known where the Tetsusaiga was all those years ago. More or less surprisingly, Sesshomaru had to figure that bit out on his own…

 Kagome heard another mutter coming from Icari, which suspiciously sounded like 'or his brain for that matter' and she turned around to talk to her two friends more.

 "Anyways, he's sure that what the talismans do have something to do with the circle of life, the jewel, the swords, and demons. I don't know how he got that, but he's good. I think we should listen to him, and try to think of anything that has something in common with all these things."

 "What about the well?" Miroku added. Kagome gave him a questioning look and he began to explain, "I mean, isn't the jewel what allows you to go through the well?" She though about that for a second.

 "But Inuyasha can go through without the jewel shards, and only I can go besides him. Souta's tried it once, but it didn't work." They nodded.

 "But the rosary around Inuyasha's neck connects him to you. I think that's the only reason why he can go through. And maybe it's only you who can go through, but you still need the shards."

 "True…" She let her hand slip away from her chin and slapped herself on the leg. "Look, it's late. Maybe we should go to sleep and then think of things tomorrow, when we can think straight. It's starting to give me a headache." Murmurs of agreement went through the group, but they quickly passed and everyone went to sleep.


 Sesshomaru stood by his mother's grave, not more than a few hundred miles from the campsite, and looked at the withered tree coldly. Out of all of them, Sesshomaru related to his mother best, Icari with their father, and Inuyasha with his human mother. Because of this, he had always come to this grace for solace from the world.

 "It's gotten more difficult, Mother." He began, thinking to what had happened in the last while, ever since meeting up with his sister again. "Things are getting confusing, and everything seems so much more difficult than it used to be. Rin is a great woman, and she will make you proud to have her as your daughter. But Icari… she seems to be falling more into what Inuyasha has done, except with a few differences. I fear she may not give you another son, though she will be a proud sister to me. The swords, how come there was a fourth? Now, there are talismans, swords, magic, and a greater mystery that lies ahead of us.

 "Tell me mother. Do you know what Father was thinking when he started this? Do you know what he been thinking? Why was it that he had suddenly decided that we were the ones destined to work together? To solve this puzzle that requires the whole of us to become one team? Inuyasha and I have ever gotten along, and even now, we don't speak.

 "Do you think he should've one this? But why am I asking you? I won't get any answers." He refused to say anymore, in fear of becoming one of those idiots who wished for something that could not be done. He did not want to say the words that had been kept in for so long. He refused to say that he wished his mother were here.

 The slight shimmer of light from the campfire disappeared, and he saw it change even if it was only a tiny light going out. He had to go back now. Pulling some stray strands of hair from his face, he began to stride back to the campsite quickly, his large fluffy thing (for lack of better words) trailing behind him in the wind. Tenseiga hit his leg lightly with every step.

 "What did father have planned? He left several pieces of a large puzzle for the three of us to figure out, but now… what is going on?" In frustration that he rarely showed, Sesshomaru lifted his legs and began to run, the wind whipping hairs at face. It was a refreshing experience, and he made a note to do this again later on, when he was alone. But for now, he had to get back.

 He stopped at the sight of the full moon showing itself from behind the trees. In a mixed of confusion and agony, he began to howled at the large, bright being.

Icari's eyes opened as she recognized the howl to be her brother's. Slowly, she sat up, and peered into the distance. "Brother… what's wrong?" The howl came again. "Confused? Maybe you'll finally grow up."

*~*~*~*~*

Hee hee, the opening for a Sess chap. Let's see, stats… remember, you can change votes anytime…

A) Icari and Yasuo get together {4 votes}
B) They stay friends {2 votes}
C) Never see each other again after the end. {0 votes}