Hello! I'm back again. Sorry I didn't get this posted sooner, but this week was so hectic. I had a whole bunch of drawings due for art and a huge psychology exam. No time to do anything... argh.... Anyway, I have over 50 reviews!!!! *does happy dance* This makes me so happy! Thank you Heather, Litoasngyrl, Kaagome, Angel-chan3, kagome, and Umi Tsunami... you're all great! Oh, and check out the poem I wrote, tell me what you think! It didn't quite come out the way I had wanted it to, but I decided to post it anyway and see what you guys thought. Well, here's the next chapter of my fic.
*disclaimer: Still don't own Inuyasha... But I'd have a lot of fun if I did... *grins evilly*
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Kagura sat in the trees. She kept watch as Sesshomaru was bombarded by Rin, and saw her press something into his hand. She observed Sesshomaru place the object in his robe and saw Rin bounding away.
"He's fond of the little brat," she smirked.
Sesshomaru slightly turned his head in her direction.
'He can smell me,' Kagura thought. 'Very well. I've found out all I needed to know.'
She pulled her feather from her hair, flipped it up and hopped onto it.
'This has to be one of his stupidest plans ever. The little brat is so untrustworthy. So what if she's easy to manipulate. And what about Sesshomaru... He is strong enough to beat Naraku himself...'
Kagura thought back to the time when she defied Naraku and went to Sesshomaru; had pleaded with him to kill Naraku for her. He had told her that if she wanted him dead, she would have to do it for herself. That she must be strong enough to win her own freedom. He hadn't turned her away in selfishness, but gave her advice in the only way he knew how. She knew he was right. It was childish of her to ask him in the first place... If she wanted Naraku dead, she would just have to wait until she was strong enough to do it herself.
'My only wish is to be free.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"So this is the castle, eh?" Inuyasha said as they stood on a cliff, looking down into a fairly large village and a castle in a valley separated by a small forest not far from it.
"Yes, my lord. Does it not look similar to the castle that Naraku resided in last time?" Myouga said.
"It looks almost exactly the same," Sango shuddered. The very sight of it brought back memories of the fateful night when she was parted from her family and friends. She closed her eyes and tried to rid the images of her father and friends being slayed by Kohaku's chain sickle, and the sight of little Kohaku's chest being pierced by arrows.
"Sango, are you alright?" Kagome asked, concerned by the distressed look on her friend's face.
"I will be fine," Sango answered with a grateful smile to the person who was the closest thing she had to a sister. Kagome gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
'Of course, this looks like the castle where Sango's family was murdered. She must be remembering what happened. The poor girl...' Kagome sympathized.
"So, what do we do now? There seems to be no activity going on in the castle at all. It almost looks uninhabited," Miroku spoke. "I suggest we go to the village first and gather information about it."
"That sounds like a wise decision, Lord Miroku. The villagers should be welcoming," Myouga said.
They began heading down the hill. Sango gave the castle one last look before following Kagome down the path.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Sesshomaru stood. He watched Kagura leave through a space in the trees.
'Interesting. Why is she spying on me?'
Jaken approached him as Sesshomaru speculated.
"Me lord! Was that not the demon Kagura? What was she doing here?"
"I do not know Jaken," he replied, still gazing through the trees with no expression on his face.
'Most likely some scheme of Naraku's for me to rid him of Inuyasha again. His plans are impetuous. I should not waste my time with him.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Master Naraku. I have found the place where Sesshomaru, his servant, and the little girl Rin are staying," Kagura said, bowing with her fan.
"Good ," Naraku answered, sitting in a corner near a window. "I want you to capture her as soon as possible. The others are in the village beyond the valley. They will be coming here soon. We need to have her ready."
"Yes, Master Naraku." Kagura bowed once again and went out.
She walked through the dark hall down to her room. She glanced into another on the way, and recalled the scene that had taken place there many days earlier....
*~
"Look at her! She is unconscious! This was not part of the deal, this wasn't supposed to happen! You said we were much stronger than all of them, you lying bastard!"
An enraged Sakurako held her limp sister in her arms.
"It seems then, that you two are not as strong as I had previously thought. You have failed miserably. Kagura here was unable to finish off the girl because you two had retreated." Naraku gestured towards Kagura, who stood quietly in the corner. "If you had stayed a little longer It would have worked. But it is too late now. You are worthless. I have no need for either of you anymore." Naraku held out his hand and blasted the two snake demons. Sakurako screamed with pain, but soon she and Shizuko both evaporated into nothing.
"Let this be a lesson to you as well, Kagura," Naraku said, turning to her. "I made you, and I can just as easily take you back into my body. I will not stand for worthless servants." He calmly walked out of the room. Kagura watched him go, then sank to her knees.
*~
She turned her head away from the room and walked determinedly down the hall, gripping her fan tightly.
'I can't stand this anymore. I can't stand this place.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"A demon! It's a demon from the castle!" a frightened villager called to others in the square as he watched Inuyasha approach. People began running and backing away from the group as they walked up.
"The villagers should be welcoming, eh?" Inuyasha muttered to Myouga.
"They are just apprehensive about visitors, my lord. I'm sure once they see you mean no harm, in fact that you wish to help them, they will be more accepting."
"Whatever you say," Inuyasha retorted.
"Please, my good sir, stop proclaiming this foolish accusation. We are not associated with the castle," Miroku said, trying to make amends.
"What do ye want with our village?!" one old man called out.
"We are merely travelers looking for a bed for the night. We mean you or your village no harm. Please, is there anywhere my fellow travelers and I could stay?"
"There is an old woman who has a guest house up there. Don't know if you want to stay there though. She's an eccentric old thing. Folks say she's a witch, and that she was the one who conjured up the castle out of thin air!" a woman said.
"Maybe we should go pay this woman a visit, then," Kagome said. "She may know something."
'And besides, with all these hostile faces, there isn't any other place they will let us stay,' Kagome thought. They started off for the old woman's house.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Kagura flew back to the woods where she had seen Sesshomaru before. He was not there.
"Damn," she mumbled. "He has to be near here somewhere. And this will only work if Rin is alone."
Kagura flew up into the sky again, and scanned the area. He was not in the woods as she flew over the trees, looking down into the forest floor and seeing no one.
"I cannot fail Naraku... he will have me killed. He still holds my heart in his hand..." she began to worry. "Where is Sesshomaru? He cannot travel that far with a little human girl." Her panic subsided however when she saw two little figures alone in a clearing.
"Perfect, he has left them both unguarded."
She swooped down into the clearing and hopped off her feather.
"Kagura!" Jaken exclaimed. Rin looked up curiously.
"Oh, you are that lady who was with Kohaku!" she said.
"What do you want? We know you were spying on us earlier, and Lord Sesshomaru does not tolerate such-"
"Spare me. Sesshomaru is not going to pursue me for spying on him. He is not that stupid. But I do have some orders to carry out, and I am in a hurry. I don't have time to chat. Come Rin," she said, quickly scooping up the little girl and tossing her feather. She sailed into the air holding a squiggling Rin, and smirked at Jaken running around knocking his fists on his head.
"Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no! What will I do?! Lord Sesshomaru will not be pleased with me!" But then he stopped. "Maybe, maybe he won't care and I will have rid myself of Rin for good! It will be just like the old days..." Jaken slipped into fond memories of following Sesshomaru around solo. "Life was much better before that little pest showed up. It's not fair that Sesshomaru seems to favor her more than me! She's a pathetic little human girl! I am a demon and I have served him well for decades! He hates humans! Especially weak ones!"
Jaken went on with his tirade, and didn't even notice Sesshomaru himself silently approach behind him.
"Jaken, what ails you?" he said, startling the little demon.
"Ah! Lord Sesshomaru! I was just..."
"Where is Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, scanning the area and not seeing the little girl.
"She was abducted by the demon Kagura. And good riddance if you ask me. Why should we tote around a pathetic human being? It's not proper I tell you-"
"She was taken by Kagura?" Sesshomaru interrupted Jaken's speech.
"Yes me lord. Kagura came and took her away. I don't know why though. I can't see why Rin has anything to do with Naraku at all, it just doesn't make sense-"
"He must be planning on using her for a ransom of some sort," Sesshomaru cut in again.
"Oh, yes, maybe so. But as if you would answer a ransom for a human girl; the mighty Lord Sesshomaru bows to no one! I'd have a good mind to-"
"Of course I would not trouble myself to save a human."
Sesshomaru looked away from his small servant and glanced through the trees. He couldn't decide what to do. Why should he trouble himself with Naraku? It wasn't worth it. Then he remembered the small withered flower tucked in his robe. His eyes narrowed.
"But I am curious to see what absurd plan he has for me this time," Sesshomaru said out loud as he turned. "Which way did Kagura take off?"
"That way me lord," Jaken said, pointing.
"Come Jaken. We will see what Naraku wants this time."
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Excuse me, hello? Is anyone home?" Kagome called into the open door way of the home where the old woman with the guest house lived. The rest of the group waited expectantly behind her.
"Who calls?" a croaky old voice answered from deep inside the halls.
"We are travelers looking for a place to stay for the night," Miroku said.
"Then I cannot help you," the voice said, sounding closer. An old wrinkled woman appeared around a corner. "I do not take in strangers anymore."
"Oh please, we need a place to stay. The villagers said you had a guest house," Kagome pleaded.
"I haven't taken travelers for months. Too many robberies and vandalism," she said, pulling down the door curtain.
"Please, we have no intention of taking anything that is not ours, we merely need a bed for the night," Miroku said. Inuyasha held back a snicker. This was coming from a monk who normally would take just about anything that wasn't his.
"Ye have an honest face," the old woman said, peering out from the curtain.
"Why thank you, I was always known for-"
"Not you, stupid monk, I meant the young girl here," she grunted, pointing at Kagome.
"Thank you," Kagome said quietly. Miroku looked affronted.
"Will you let us stay then? Please, you can trust my friends too."
"Alright, but it will cost you each night you stay here. Follow me," she said, turning around and slowly limping down a hall. They exchanged glances and then one by one went in.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Excuse me Kagura lady, but why did you take me? Is Kohaku here? He played with me the last time you took me, but please don't shut me up in a dark scary room again, cause I didn't like that, even with Kohaku there, cause he was scary too when his eyes looked funny and he had his knife. He tried to kill me ya know, but Lord Sesshomaru saved me. You know Lord Sesshomaru, right? He'll come back for me. I miss him." Rin was sitting with Kagura in one of the rooms within Naraku's expansive castle. Kagura held her head in her hands. Doesn't this kid ever shut up? Last time she wasn't so talkative. Damn...
"I really don't miss Jaken so much though. Jaken never stops talking, and he's like a funny little toad. Lord Sesshomaru always leaves Jaken with me whenever he goes away. But since I don't like to talk to him that much, I always go with Ahn and Uhn. I help them find grass. Hey, is Kohaku here?"
"He's around somewhere Rin, but Kohaku is not why I brought you here. I have a special errand for you. You want to see Sesshomaru again, right?"
"Oh yes, I want to see him again more than anything in the world!"
"Good. Well in order to see him again, you have to do something for me. How good of an actress are you, Rin?"
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Keep your filthy hands off that vase, you lecherous monk," the old woman turned and glared at Miroku. He sheepishly grinned and set it down.
"Must have eyes in the back of her head..." he muttered to Sango.
"I heard that monk," the old woman said, still walking forward. Miroku looked as innocent as possible. Sango rolled her eyes.
"This is where you girls can sleep," she said, stopping in front of a doorway. They peered inside. It was a nicely furnished room. The old woman went a little further down the hall.
"This is where the boys may stay."
Their room had not so many decorations in it. 'Probably so she doesn't have to worry as much about Miroku pinching anything,' Inuyasha thought.
"Thank you very much for your kindness. We are very grateful," Sango said.
"Bah... It's nice to get some young faces in the house again," the old woman said as she limped off. "Make yourselves at home. But not too at home," she finished, glaring at Miroku. He put on his innocent face again.
The group split and the girls went to unpack in their room and the boys in theirs.
"This is such a lovely house. It's sad that she's here all alone," Kagome said.
"Do you think there's any truth to the claims that the villagers were making?"
"I think she's just a lonely old woman. People always start rumors about little insignificant things," Kagome said matter-of-factly.
"I know what you mean. I don't sense anything funny about this place," Sango said, looking up and around.
"Me neither. But I have to admit, I'm eager to get out of here and over to that castle to investigate."
"Me too," Sango said, only half-smiling. "Let's go see how the boys are doing."
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Not too long after they had settled, the group set off into the village to ask questions about the castle. They learned that it had just appeared. No one heard any building noises, and anyway it was absurd to think that an entire castle could be built in one night. No one had seen anyone enter or leave it. No one heard any noise from within.
The group was soon standing outside that very castle later in the afternoon.
"I sense jewel shards," Kagome said very suddenly.
"Really Kagome? How many?" Inuyasha asked.
"A lot of them... more than I can count."
"It must be Naraku," Inuyasha said, staring at the dark walls.
"I sense an ominous presence here," Miroku said gravely.
Sango couldn't look. The image of her brother being hit by arrows kept replaying in her head.
The group was stunned however when an enormous door in the wall was opened slightly and a small figure was tossed out. Inuyasha reached for his sword.
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Okay, that's all for now... see you next chapter!
*disclaimer: Still don't own Inuyasha... But I'd have a lot of fun if I did... *grins evilly*
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Kagura sat in the trees. She kept watch as Sesshomaru was bombarded by Rin, and saw her press something into his hand. She observed Sesshomaru place the object in his robe and saw Rin bounding away.
"He's fond of the little brat," she smirked.
Sesshomaru slightly turned his head in her direction.
'He can smell me,' Kagura thought. 'Very well. I've found out all I needed to know.'
She pulled her feather from her hair, flipped it up and hopped onto it.
'This has to be one of his stupidest plans ever. The little brat is so untrustworthy. So what if she's easy to manipulate. And what about Sesshomaru... He is strong enough to beat Naraku himself...'
Kagura thought back to the time when she defied Naraku and went to Sesshomaru; had pleaded with him to kill Naraku for her. He had told her that if she wanted him dead, she would have to do it for herself. That she must be strong enough to win her own freedom. He hadn't turned her away in selfishness, but gave her advice in the only way he knew how. She knew he was right. It was childish of her to ask him in the first place... If she wanted Naraku dead, she would just have to wait until she was strong enough to do it herself.
'My only wish is to be free.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"So this is the castle, eh?" Inuyasha said as they stood on a cliff, looking down into a fairly large village and a castle in a valley separated by a small forest not far from it.
"Yes, my lord. Does it not look similar to the castle that Naraku resided in last time?" Myouga said.
"It looks almost exactly the same," Sango shuddered. The very sight of it brought back memories of the fateful night when she was parted from her family and friends. She closed her eyes and tried to rid the images of her father and friends being slayed by Kohaku's chain sickle, and the sight of little Kohaku's chest being pierced by arrows.
"Sango, are you alright?" Kagome asked, concerned by the distressed look on her friend's face.
"I will be fine," Sango answered with a grateful smile to the person who was the closest thing she had to a sister. Kagome gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
'Of course, this looks like the castle where Sango's family was murdered. She must be remembering what happened. The poor girl...' Kagome sympathized.
"So, what do we do now? There seems to be no activity going on in the castle at all. It almost looks uninhabited," Miroku spoke. "I suggest we go to the village first and gather information about it."
"That sounds like a wise decision, Lord Miroku. The villagers should be welcoming," Myouga said.
They began heading down the hill. Sango gave the castle one last look before following Kagome down the path.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Sesshomaru stood. He watched Kagura leave through a space in the trees.
'Interesting. Why is she spying on me?'
Jaken approached him as Sesshomaru speculated.
"Me lord! Was that not the demon Kagura? What was she doing here?"
"I do not know Jaken," he replied, still gazing through the trees with no expression on his face.
'Most likely some scheme of Naraku's for me to rid him of Inuyasha again. His plans are impetuous. I should not waste my time with him.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Master Naraku. I have found the place where Sesshomaru, his servant, and the little girl Rin are staying," Kagura said, bowing with her fan.
"Good ," Naraku answered, sitting in a corner near a window. "I want you to capture her as soon as possible. The others are in the village beyond the valley. They will be coming here soon. We need to have her ready."
"Yes, Master Naraku." Kagura bowed once again and went out.
She walked through the dark hall down to her room. She glanced into another on the way, and recalled the scene that had taken place there many days earlier....
*~
"Look at her! She is unconscious! This was not part of the deal, this wasn't supposed to happen! You said we were much stronger than all of them, you lying bastard!"
An enraged Sakurako held her limp sister in her arms.
"It seems then, that you two are not as strong as I had previously thought. You have failed miserably. Kagura here was unable to finish off the girl because you two had retreated." Naraku gestured towards Kagura, who stood quietly in the corner. "If you had stayed a little longer It would have worked. But it is too late now. You are worthless. I have no need for either of you anymore." Naraku held out his hand and blasted the two snake demons. Sakurako screamed with pain, but soon she and Shizuko both evaporated into nothing.
"Let this be a lesson to you as well, Kagura," Naraku said, turning to her. "I made you, and I can just as easily take you back into my body. I will not stand for worthless servants." He calmly walked out of the room. Kagura watched him go, then sank to her knees.
*~
She turned her head away from the room and walked determinedly down the hall, gripping her fan tightly.
'I can't stand this anymore. I can't stand this place.'
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"A demon! It's a demon from the castle!" a frightened villager called to others in the square as he watched Inuyasha approach. People began running and backing away from the group as they walked up.
"The villagers should be welcoming, eh?" Inuyasha muttered to Myouga.
"They are just apprehensive about visitors, my lord. I'm sure once they see you mean no harm, in fact that you wish to help them, they will be more accepting."
"Whatever you say," Inuyasha retorted.
"Please, my good sir, stop proclaiming this foolish accusation. We are not associated with the castle," Miroku said, trying to make amends.
"What do ye want with our village?!" one old man called out.
"We are merely travelers looking for a bed for the night. We mean you or your village no harm. Please, is there anywhere my fellow travelers and I could stay?"
"There is an old woman who has a guest house up there. Don't know if you want to stay there though. She's an eccentric old thing. Folks say she's a witch, and that she was the one who conjured up the castle out of thin air!" a woman said.
"Maybe we should go pay this woman a visit, then," Kagome said. "She may know something."
'And besides, with all these hostile faces, there isn't any other place they will let us stay,' Kagome thought. They started off for the old woman's house.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Kagura flew back to the woods where she had seen Sesshomaru before. He was not there.
"Damn," she mumbled. "He has to be near here somewhere. And this will only work if Rin is alone."
Kagura flew up into the sky again, and scanned the area. He was not in the woods as she flew over the trees, looking down into the forest floor and seeing no one.
"I cannot fail Naraku... he will have me killed. He still holds my heart in his hand..." she began to worry. "Where is Sesshomaru? He cannot travel that far with a little human girl." Her panic subsided however when she saw two little figures alone in a clearing.
"Perfect, he has left them both unguarded."
She swooped down into the clearing and hopped off her feather.
"Kagura!" Jaken exclaimed. Rin looked up curiously.
"Oh, you are that lady who was with Kohaku!" she said.
"What do you want? We know you were spying on us earlier, and Lord Sesshomaru does not tolerate such-"
"Spare me. Sesshomaru is not going to pursue me for spying on him. He is not that stupid. But I do have some orders to carry out, and I am in a hurry. I don't have time to chat. Come Rin," she said, quickly scooping up the little girl and tossing her feather. She sailed into the air holding a squiggling Rin, and smirked at Jaken running around knocking his fists on his head.
"Oh no! Oh no oh no oh no! What will I do?! Lord Sesshomaru will not be pleased with me!" But then he stopped. "Maybe, maybe he won't care and I will have rid myself of Rin for good! It will be just like the old days..." Jaken slipped into fond memories of following Sesshomaru around solo. "Life was much better before that little pest showed up. It's not fair that Sesshomaru seems to favor her more than me! She's a pathetic little human girl! I am a demon and I have served him well for decades! He hates humans! Especially weak ones!"
Jaken went on with his tirade, and didn't even notice Sesshomaru himself silently approach behind him.
"Jaken, what ails you?" he said, startling the little demon.
"Ah! Lord Sesshomaru! I was just..."
"Where is Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, scanning the area and not seeing the little girl.
"She was abducted by the demon Kagura. And good riddance if you ask me. Why should we tote around a pathetic human being? It's not proper I tell you-"
"She was taken by Kagura?" Sesshomaru interrupted Jaken's speech.
"Yes me lord. Kagura came and took her away. I don't know why though. I can't see why Rin has anything to do with Naraku at all, it just doesn't make sense-"
"He must be planning on using her for a ransom of some sort," Sesshomaru cut in again.
"Oh, yes, maybe so. But as if you would answer a ransom for a human girl; the mighty Lord Sesshomaru bows to no one! I'd have a good mind to-"
"Of course I would not trouble myself to save a human."
Sesshomaru looked away from his small servant and glanced through the trees. He couldn't decide what to do. Why should he trouble himself with Naraku? It wasn't worth it. Then he remembered the small withered flower tucked in his robe. His eyes narrowed.
"But I am curious to see what absurd plan he has for me this time," Sesshomaru said out loud as he turned. "Which way did Kagura take off?"
"That way me lord," Jaken said, pointing.
"Come Jaken. We will see what Naraku wants this time."
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Excuse me, hello? Is anyone home?" Kagome called into the open door way of the home where the old woman with the guest house lived. The rest of the group waited expectantly behind her.
"Who calls?" a croaky old voice answered from deep inside the halls.
"We are travelers looking for a place to stay for the night," Miroku said.
"Then I cannot help you," the voice said, sounding closer. An old wrinkled woman appeared around a corner. "I do not take in strangers anymore."
"Oh please, we need a place to stay. The villagers said you had a guest house," Kagome pleaded.
"I haven't taken travelers for months. Too many robberies and vandalism," she said, pulling down the door curtain.
"Please, we have no intention of taking anything that is not ours, we merely need a bed for the night," Miroku said. Inuyasha held back a snicker. This was coming from a monk who normally would take just about anything that wasn't his.
"Ye have an honest face," the old woman said, peering out from the curtain.
"Why thank you, I was always known for-"
"Not you, stupid monk, I meant the young girl here," she grunted, pointing at Kagome.
"Thank you," Kagome said quietly. Miroku looked affronted.
"Will you let us stay then? Please, you can trust my friends too."
"Alright, but it will cost you each night you stay here. Follow me," she said, turning around and slowly limping down a hall. They exchanged glances and then one by one went in.
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Excuse me Kagura lady, but why did you take me? Is Kohaku here? He played with me the last time you took me, but please don't shut me up in a dark scary room again, cause I didn't like that, even with Kohaku there, cause he was scary too when his eyes looked funny and he had his knife. He tried to kill me ya know, but Lord Sesshomaru saved me. You know Lord Sesshomaru, right? He'll come back for me. I miss him." Rin was sitting with Kagura in one of the rooms within Naraku's expansive castle. Kagura held her head in her hands. Doesn't this kid ever shut up? Last time she wasn't so talkative. Damn...
"I really don't miss Jaken so much though. Jaken never stops talking, and he's like a funny little toad. Lord Sesshomaru always leaves Jaken with me whenever he goes away. But since I don't like to talk to him that much, I always go with Ahn and Uhn. I help them find grass. Hey, is Kohaku here?"
"He's around somewhere Rin, but Kohaku is not why I brought you here. I have a special errand for you. You want to see Sesshomaru again, right?"
"Oh yes, I want to see him again more than anything in the world!"
"Good. Well in order to see him again, you have to do something for me. How good of an actress are you, Rin?"
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
"Keep your filthy hands off that vase, you lecherous monk," the old woman turned and glared at Miroku. He sheepishly grinned and set it down.
"Must have eyes in the back of her head..." he muttered to Sango.
"I heard that monk," the old woman said, still walking forward. Miroku looked as innocent as possible. Sango rolled her eyes.
"This is where you girls can sleep," she said, stopping in front of a doorway. They peered inside. It was a nicely furnished room. The old woman went a little further down the hall.
"This is where the boys may stay."
Their room had not so many decorations in it. 'Probably so she doesn't have to worry as much about Miroku pinching anything,' Inuyasha thought.
"Thank you very much for your kindness. We are very grateful," Sango said.
"Bah... It's nice to get some young faces in the house again," the old woman said as she limped off. "Make yourselves at home. But not too at home," she finished, glaring at Miroku. He put on his innocent face again.
The group split and the girls went to unpack in their room and the boys in theirs.
"This is such a lovely house. It's sad that she's here all alone," Kagome said.
"Do you think there's any truth to the claims that the villagers were making?"
"I think she's just a lonely old woman. People always start rumors about little insignificant things," Kagome said matter-of-factly.
"I know what you mean. I don't sense anything funny about this place," Sango said, looking up and around.
"Me neither. But I have to admit, I'm eager to get out of here and over to that castle to investigate."
"Me too," Sango said, only half-smiling. "Let's go see how the boys are doing."
~~~~*~*~*~~~~
Not too long after they had settled, the group set off into the village to ask questions about the castle. They learned that it had just appeared. No one heard any building noises, and anyway it was absurd to think that an entire castle could be built in one night. No one had seen anyone enter or leave it. No one heard any noise from within.
The group was soon standing outside that very castle later in the afternoon.
"I sense jewel shards," Kagome said very suddenly.
"Really Kagome? How many?" Inuyasha asked.
"A lot of them... more than I can count."
"It must be Naraku," Inuyasha said, staring at the dark walls.
"I sense an ominous presence here," Miroku said gravely.
Sango couldn't look. The image of her brother being hit by arrows kept replaying in her head.
The group was stunned however when an enormous door in the wall was opened slightly and a small figure was tossed out. Inuyasha reached for his sword.
________________________________________________________________
Okay, that's all for now... see you next chapter!