Disclaimer: I'm working on it, but no, Inuyasha isn't mine… (yet)…
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"…" – speech
'…' – thoughts
--- - change in scenery or time
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[I am ALIVE! (for now)
Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.]
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--Previously, on The Sealed Garden:
{And it was only then that it struck Inuyasha how much he didn't know, and that he hadn't asked her while he'd had a chance. How simple had it been, to just break into the place, when now, he had uncovered a tragedy that could be far deeper than he had ever assumed. He could only stand there, accompanied by only his thoughts, staring at the place where Kagome had last been.
The wind continued to blow.}
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Chapter SEVEN:
Unexpected Visit
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The minutes passed, but the dog-eared man stood frozen in that one spot- unmoving, still looking into the dark depths of the forest. He did nothing, only the occasional blink of the eye or flick of the ear announcing the fact that he was alive, and not a statue.
For seemed like an eternity, the garden was quiet and undisturbed. It was as if nature itself was holding its breath and awaiting Inuyasha's next move. Only the wind, which is controlled by nothing, blew through the trees, rustling their emerald green leaves.
Finally, the single cry of a bird shattered the silence, and the golden-eyed hanyou blinked. He shook his head, as if awaking from a deep slumber- or having been disturbed from his thoughts. The noise came rushing back as the wildlife reawakened, and the air was filled with the cheerful sounds of animals.
"Where'd she go?" Inuyasha's voice was barely more than a whisper and his words were carried away by the soft breeze. Hesitantly, he took a few steps forward, the soft grass tickling the soles of his feet.
What had happened?
He'd asked a simple question, and then the woman had had that sudden emotional swing. 'Maybe I touched a nerve?' thought the puzzled hanyou.
Once he'd reached the edge of the forest, the half-demon stopped walking and placed a hand on the smooth bark of the nearest tree. From the entrance, the small woods seemed very dark and even a little foreboding to the hanyou. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, and relieving the tension that he didn't know had built upon meeting the spirit.
With his eyesight gone, Inuyasha's other senses were intensified. He was able to smell the cleanliness of the air; the fresh dew on green leaves and the scents of countless smaller animals. White dog-ears twitched as the sounds made solely by the forest reached them.
Here, the hanyou felt strangely at peace. It seemed as though the world mattered not in this place, and as though his soul were light and free. It was like he was familiar with this place, almost as if he had lived here all his life. It was strange, especially considering the fact that he'd never been here before, but for now, Inuyasha welcomed the calm.
But then he felt something in the air- something completely extraordinary. It had taken a while, but now, the half-demon could sense the barest of mystical power in the air. It was a curious feeling- almost like electric currants were flowing through the atmosphere. All organic things emit this power- it is what makes living things so alive, and all livings things have the ability to detect it. Only, some things have a higher concentration of such a force, making it easier to ascertain.
Most are so used to feeling these forces- auras, if you may, that it becomes a part of daily life, and it is not used as frequently as the other senses. However, others are more sensitive, some so sensitive, that they are able to detect any living creature and classify it simply by reading the aura.
In any case, though Inuyasha wasn't one who was trained to observe this energy, he was able to tell that this forest was filled with mystical forces- that, or it contained one with a being with a highly concentrated one.
He felt a strange yearning for whatever was emitting such power. Unconsciously, he stepped forward into the forest, some other force telling him that he had to possess the item; that he had to get it for himself. It was almost frightening, how the rush of desire wanted to take over his very body. Almost in a trance, Inuyasha found himself walking deeper into the forest, and with every step he took, the longing only grew stronger.
Suddenly, he stumbled back with a pained cry, "Shit!"
Carefully sitting down on the forest floor, the hanyou lifted his leg and studied the sole of his right foot. There, embedded within the centre of his foot, was a thorn, though from where it came, Inuyasha didn't know. Sharp claws dug the barb out, and the half-demon irritably tossed it over his shoulder and into the forest.
"Damn…"
He watched as the cut slowly closed, and after a few minutes passed by, the injury was nothing more than a blemish on his skin. The hanyou stood up, this time watching the ground for any other sharp objects, and stalked out of the forest, his hunger for power having been forgotten. Indeed, he himself didn't fully remember that intense feeling- only a shadow of a memory that left his body tingling.
As he left the forest, the hanyou cast one last glance over his shoulder at the seemingly innocent trees, but for some reason, half of him wanted to be as far away from it as possible, while the other half wished for nothing more than to go in.
"Next time." He promised himself as the half-demon slowly stepped into the bright sunshine once more. "I'll come back after I get some things straight."
After a few seconds, Inuyasha had reached the place when he'd sat with the miko Kagome, and he paused for a moment.
Where he had sat, the blades of grass had bent, giving a clear indication of a person having rested there. However, when the hanyou shifted his gaze to where she had been, he could find no evidence in the ground of anything. The only clue he had of her actually having been there, was her lingering scent.
He let out a breath, and slowly walked over towards the entrance of the garden. Once there, the half-demon picked up Tetsusaiga, which he had dropped. Throwing the garden another glance, Inuyasha paused with his hand on the large golden ring before finally pulling one of the great doors open, and stepping outside.
Upon closing the wooden doors, the hanyou was struck by how hot it was in the open air and his nose was suddenly assaulted by the subtle, yet ever present stench of modern life. Although he did live in the rural region, even this place wasn't entirely free of the pollution caused by modern technology. He checked his wristwatch and blinked at the time.
"Twelve?" Time had passed quickly in the garden. "It's lunchtime already?" As if accenting that point, Inuyasha's stomach gave a short rumble.
As all young men are like, this half-demon immediately heeded his hunger and ran in the direction of his house, headed straight for the kitchens. He sprinted along one side of the house, speeding along as quickly as he could- he'd always loved running. It gave him a sort of thrill from going as fast as he could without the aid of a vehicle. It made him feel free and as if he could out run even the wind.
His fun was short lived when he neared the side door, ending the gallop much too soon for Inuyasha's liking. Quickly slowing down, the hanyou slid open the door and abruptly realised something- he'd forgotten his shoes. He paused in the doorway but then made his decision, stepping into the house- he'd get the shoes some other time. He'd never really liked them anyway; they were too restricting.
The half-demon strolled along the hallway and soon came up to the kitchen. He had already decided on what he was going to eat. It was, in his opinion, the most delicious concoction ever created by man, even if it did lack in nutritional value- but who needed that anyway?
Ramen.
The food of the gods.
The hanyou passed the large electric stoves and the island near the centre of the kitchen. There were cupboards located under the counters located all around the kitchen with another row of them along the wall. Inuyasha bypassed most of them until he came to one.
He opened it… and frowned.
His supply was running low.
From the two or so boxes he'd brought to his new house, only a few packets remained. He'd have to go shopping soon-
Inuyasha hated shopping. He absolutely detested it.
The only time he did tolerate it was when it was in urgent need of food (generally ramen), in which case the hanyou would simply speed off to the nearest supermarket and stock up on the instant noodles. It was only once in a while when he did buy some other types of edibles.
Pulling out one of the packets, the half-demon opened the next cupboard and drew out a bowl. He quickly opened the package, drawing out the dried noodles and the soup base. Going through the well-known steps, the moderately hungry man soon had a steaming bowl of beef flavoured noodles sitting in front of him.
He was just about to dig in with a pair of chopsticks in one hand when suddenly an unfamiliar ring rang out through the house. It took him a few seconds, but Inuyasha soon realised that it had been the doorbell.
'Who could that be?' For a moment, he thought that perhaps, if he ignored it, the person would just go away? But no sooner had that thought crossed his mind then the doorbell gave another ring-
-and another
-and another…
Apparently, either his caller was very impatient, or they were having a little fun with his doorbell…
Regretfully, the hanyou left his food with a heavy sigh. Jogging through the halls, an irritable scowl grew on his face and by the time he'd finally reached the main door, Inuyasha was in a definite bad mood.
Sliding the shouji door perhaps a little more forcefully than he meant, the man glared outside at whomever had disturbed his meal. "What do you want?"
The person blinked owlishly at him, his eyes wide and the sandy bangs falling over the top of his face. His index finger was still positioned over the button, ready to give it another few pushes. Inuyasha raised an eyebrow- hadn't he seen this guy somewhere before?
"Hello, mister. I just came to check up on you, sir, to see how you were settling at your new house." A grin crossed the person's face. "It sure is big, no?"
Anger replaced by confusion, the hanyou searched his memory for the familiar face, but could come up with nothing. "And you are…?"
The other's eyes widened innocently, but his smile didn't waver. "I'm Houjo! Remember?" Inuyasha gave no indication of recognising the name. "You know… the cab driver?"
Then it all clicked.
"Oh." Golden eyes were filled with a light of understanding. "You're that Hobo guy!"
"Houjo, Mamoru-san. My name's Houjo."
"Yeah, whatever Hono. And don't call me Mamoru-san. The name's Inuyasha." He crossed his arms. "What are you doing out here?"
The boyish looking cabby rubbed the back of his head, tousling the mop of brown hair. "I was just checking up, mister. Maybe you needed some help or company?" He grinned hopefully.
The hanyou stared at him flatly. "What did you really come for?"
"You don't believe me?"
Inuyasha sighed. "If I needed help, you would have some sooner. If I needed company…" He paused. "I don't need your company."
The expression on Houjo's face became sheepish as his hand moved to rub the back of his neck. "Well actually, I did come for another reason…"
The half-demon looked at him expectantly, "Yes…?"
"Well see, I've always heard legends about your house… especially the garden, right?"
"Your point?" Inuyasha had a feeling he knew where this was headed.
Houjo continued, "I just wanted to know if you've found anything else?" His face was alight with eagerness.
A sudden feeling of protectiveness washed over the half-human and his expression hardened. "Why?"
He didn't know why he didn't want to tell anything to the cabby. Maybe he wanted to keep the secret all to himself and to have a sanctuary of which nobody else knew of. Perhaps he wished to be able to find out more, but for one reason or another Inuyasha just didn't want to reveal the formerly sealed garden to this guy.
"I guess it's just curiosity, but it's not everyday that someone you know has an impregnable fortress in their backyard." The driver paused for thought. "Then again, it's not everyday that you meet someone who owns a mansion either."
The hanyou crossed his arms. "Well there's nothing here right now. I've discovered nothing. I've found nobody."
The slightest of darkness flickered over the cabby's face, but once Inuyasha tried to get a better look, he seemed innocent once more. He slowly leaned in closer, gesturing for the half-demon to bend down as if he were about to convey a secret. "Well, word has it that you managed to find a way to break the seal. Is that right?"
Inuyasha stepped back in slight alarm. "Wh-what? Where did you hear this?"
"A friend told me. So is it right? Did you really break the seal?" It could have been the bright sunlight, but the hanyou swore that Houjo's smile was somewhat mocking and smug.
…
But then again, this was Houjo here.
It must have been the sun.
The golden-eyed man shook his head; his lips set in a line and his face expressionless. However, on the inside, his guts were curling in suspicion. Just who this 'friend', prying into his affairs? He'd detected nobody around the garden except for the usual birds and bees. "Your friend was wrong. Maybe he was trying to trick you or something, but nothing out of the ordinary'' happened here for a long time now," He lied through his teeth.
The cabby looked ever so disappointed, but there was still that glint of something in his eyes that Inuyasha really didn't care to identify. "Oh."
"So why don't you get going now?" Suggested the hanyou in the not-so-subtle hint for him to get off of his property. "I'm sure there are lots of other people out there who're waiting for rides."
The human nodded, amicable and oblivious once more, and turned around. Inuyasha closed the door with a shake of the head and began to walk back towards the kitchens. However, eating was one of the last things on his mind. He was confused and put on edge by this sudden development. Where there people watching his house?
But then another possibility struck the hanyou and he sighed. It was probably just Hoko making things up again…
He was three quarters of the way across the anti-chamber when…
"DING DONG"
The hanyou paused, eyes closing in annoyance. As he drew closer to the main entrance, the scent of that annoying man drifting in through the cracks. He took a moment to collect himself before opening the door to come face to face with Houjo once more.
"Hello!" the cab driver greeted as though they hadn't spoken only minutes prior.
Inuyasha wasted no time in getting straight to the point. "What're you still doing here?"
"I just thought that maybe I could have a look around the place? I'd always liked to come here as a boy, and now that I might actually be able to explore it…"
The half-demon gaped at him in a mixture of shock and surprise. They had barely met, and now this guy wanted to be invited in? "No, you can't. Now get lost." He abruptly slammed the door in the poor man's face, totally missing the dark expression on the supposedly innocent cabby's visage.
This time, Inuyasha made it as far as the western door when the doorbell rang yet again.
"Damn it all!"
The hanyou stomped back to the door and viscously yanked it open. "What the hell do you want now?!"
But he wasn't looking at Houjo's face.
Instead, the perplexed and slightly shocked countenance of somebody far more familiar threw Inuyasha for quite the loop.
"Miroku?!"
The black-haired friend from out of university scratched his head, confusion etched all over his face. "What are you doing here, Inuyasha?"
The shock not having completely worn off, the other crossed his unconsciously crossed his arms. "I should be asking you that. What the hell are you doing at my house when I didn't even give you my damn address?"
It wasn't that he didn't like Miroku. In fact, they were best buddies, but the man did tend to be… annoying at times. However, even with the questionable habits, Miroku was reliable and had often helped Inuyasha out of many a mess. He'd always meant to give his new address to him, but it had been forgotten, and by the time the hanyou had remembered, he was far too busy with the 'garden business' to have called his friend up.
"This is your house?" His violet eyes widened. "Mansion, more like. So this is the place you inherited… Not bad at all, Yash! I knew your family was rich, but to have owned a place like this?"
"Yeah, yeah. Now what are you doing this far out of the city? I thought you'd moved in with Sango."
"I did," Miroku affirmed, "Don't you remember I'm a monk in training? I'm taking a look at the different shrines located around the area for Mushin. I contacted one of his friends, and he said that there's an old shrine here."
Inuyasha frowned. "Who told you?"
"I did!" A familiar voice spoke up from somewhere behind the university graduate. Miroku moved aside, revealing the balding old priest who managed the shrine within the mansion. "This young man here kindly asked me to show him around the place, and I agreed. He's a nicely mannered man, unlike some people." Higurashi-san glared pointedly at the silver-haired hanyou.
Inuyasha, however, ignored him and turned his attention back to Miroku. "Aren't you a Buddhist monk? It's a Shinto shrine."
The violet-eyed man shrugged. "About ninety percent of the Japanese population follow both religions, so why not get some background information? Besides, it's always good to know something about other beliefs. Buddhism teaches one to respect everything, and that means all people and their faiths."
The half-demon opened the door a little more and stepped back, allowing space for the other man to enter. However, when the elder tried to step in as well, Inuyasha blocked his access. "Sorry, old man, but I've got some things I have to discuss with Miroku here." And he promptly shut the door.
The monk-in-training looked at him curiously, but followed Inuyasha without questions as he lead the way into the mansion, directly into the central chamber. There, the hanyou allowed him to wander.
"Hey, what was with the great greeting?"
The hanyou turned around. "Some guy was pissing me off just before you came. You must've seen him: brownish hair, wimpy looking… about our age…"
His friend frowned. "Higurashi and I didn't see anybody."
Inuyasha was distinctly puzzled. Miroku shrugged and started to explore the room, but the half-demon stayed where he was. This Hoko guy was more suspicious than he'd thought.
"Whoa," Miroku gave a low whistle, "This place is huge!" He kept on looking this way and that, obviously fascinated by the sheer size of the place. "Why is it so big?" When he caught sight of the weapons section, the man slowly walked into the area, a hand reaching out to trace one of the katanas. "Wow… These things are old! But in such condition!" He removed it for a closer study.
Inuyasha stood near by, lost in thought about how he would approach the matter of the ghost to Miroku, for that was what he'd wanted to talk about. He was a spiritual man and somebody Inuyasha knew he could trust.
"Say, Yash?"
"Mmn?" He gave an absent reply, turning to glance at his friend who had just come out of the library.
"Why is there a mess in there? A shelf fell down and scrolls are all over the place… And I swear that I saw the biggest cockroach on the ground…" He shuddered. He never did like insects. Tolerated them. But hated them.
Inuyasha shrugged. "Clean it up later. Now did you want to see that shrine?"
As they headed towards the back of the room, the hanyou sprung his question. "Hey, what do you think about ghosts?"
Miroku shot him a curious glance. "Ghosts? You mean spirits that are found in this world?"
"Yeah."
"I don't really know what to believe myself, but Buddhism explains that… Wow." He had drifted off upon arriving at the back of the chamber where the shrine was. "This is nice." He took a camera from a backpack and started taking pictures of the altars. "Hey, thanks, Yash." He carefully walked around the room.
"Whatever." Inuyasha was anxious to get back onto the topic of ghosts. "What were you saying?"
"Oh, yeah. Well, in Buddhism, when a person dies, their consciousness takes one of the six paths of rebirth. They can become heavenly beings, humans, asuras- that is to say, somebody who had many things in life, yet still fought, hell-beings, and hungry ghosts." He put the camera away and took out a notepad. "Hungry ghosts were originally beings who were greedy and lived a negative lifestyle. They become ghosts who suffer for their deeds and are eternally hungry, hence the name."
"Oh…" Well that didn't seem to fit the description of how Kagome had lived. She had been, and still was a miko born to serve the people. Surely, she had done many generous deeds.
"Why do you ask?"
Amber eyes looked up to discover that Miroku had finished his inspection. "Why shouldn't I ask?"
He chuckled. "Really, Inuyasha. In all the years I lived with you, you never once showed an interest in any religion."
"I did study the supernatural. With you, in fact."
"That's true, but why the questions now, eh?"
The half-demon rubbed the back of his neck. "What if I said I saw a ghost?"
"A hungry ghost? Or merely a spirit, unable to move on?"
Inuyasha frowned. "There's a difference?"
"Of course."
He waited. "Well?"
"Well what?" The violet-eyed man quirked an eyebrow.
The hanyou growled in frustration. "Well, what's the difference?"
"A spirit unable to move on is just as the title suggests. They may have been a generous person in life or even somebody who hadn't been so righteous. When they died, something held them back, be it guilt, love, anything that is not physical. They are unable to move on to be reborn and are stuck in the physical world."
Inuyasha nodded. "So, how can you make one of them go?"
Miroku shot him another curious glance. "You help them resolve their problems, but that could take years."
The hanyou shrugged and muttered to himself, "It's not like I have anything else to do…"
"Say…"
"What?"
"Where is this alleged spirit then? For it to have provoked such thought out of you…"
"Shut up. And it's not an 'it', she's a 'her'."
That sparked the human's attention instantly. "A 'her', you say. Is she cute? Beautiful? Old? Young? Buxom?"
Inuyasha shot him a dirty look. And just when he'd thought Miroku had changed… "She's about five hundred and twenty-something years old, if you're interested." He replied sarcastically.
"Ah. An older lady then… what does she look like? Is she as beautiful as my lovely Sango?"
"I don't think your 'lovely Sango' would appreciate you comparing her to a spirit who's over five centuries old. And as for her appearance, take a look at that picture and judge her yourself." He pointed at the painting that had caught his attention what seemed like ages, but had only been days ago.
Interested, Miroku walked over. "Not a bad looking girl, but she's a shrine maiden. She really is pretty, but not as good looking as Sango-chan."
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow. This was a first- Miroku not making any perverted comments about her physique? Maybe he had matured.
"Hmmm… Not a bad body either; quite the ass-""Miroku!"
Scratch that, he was just as dirty as he used to be…
"-ets. Assets. That's what I meant to say."
The hanyou shook his head. "And you're a monk in training?"
"Hey, is it my fault I appreciate the finer points on the fairer sex? What's the harm in that, anyway?"
"If Sango were here, you'd probably be passed out on the floor by now," warned the half-demon.
"Yes, she really is a feisty girl. Wears even me out sometimes…" Miroku grinned rather lecherously, and Inuyasha decided that he didn't want to know. "So, any pretty girls around here? You meet anyone? Other than our lady spirit, that is." He added.
"Her name's Kagome."
Miroku quirked an eyebrow. "So, you know her name now, do you? I just hope you realise she is a spirit, which means she has no body, which means-"
"Oh shut up. I don't like her. I'm just trying to get her to get outta my garden." Inuyasha sat down, cross-legged on the ground.
The human joined him, choosing to lean against the wall just outside of the shrine. "And what has she done that merited her to be stranded in this world?"
"You believe me?"
"My friend, these things aren't as unusual as the textbooks make it seem. Believe me, I'm a monk."
"You sure don't act like it.' Muttered the half-demon.
"Sorry?"
Inuyasha feigned innocence. "Nothing." Miroku scowled at him suspiciously. "Well, if you really want to know about the spirit, I'm going to tell you a legend…"
"Joy."
"Shut the hell up."
The monk raised his palms. "Well, you aren't exactly the best story teller there is, Yash. Remember that time you had to tell a story to those kindergarten kids?"
"I said, shut up."
"Actually, your exact words were…"
I know what my words were! Now shut up and listen to the fucking story!" Now he remembered why rooming with Miroku was so tedious.
A silence enveloped the room.
"I'm waiting," drawled the man.
Inuyasha shot him another dirty look before quickly relaying what he had been told by Houjo the cabby on that ride so long ago. He added in his days of research and his discovery of Tetsusaiga. The hanyou explained how he had figured everything out (though he left out the time in which it took) and explained how he had gotten into the garden. Soon, the meeting of the miko had been relayed as well. He left out no details, purposefully making the experience as long as possible just so he could torture the monk.
After the legend and the progress were told, the half-demon looked at the man- and discovered his eyes were shut.
"Miroku!"
Violet eyes slowly opened to focus on the hanyou. "Relax, Inuyasha. I heard the whole thing. It's an interesting story."
…
That was it?
That was all he had to say about what had been his obsession over the past days?
"Can I see this Tetsusaiga?"
That request suddenly brought Inuyasha's attention to the fact that it wasn't with him. "Shit!" He bolted up.
Alarmed, his friend stood up as well, following the half-demon who was now running around frantically, looking for the sword. "Something wrong?"
"Where the hell is it? I put it somewhere…"
"Inuyasha, calm down. Think. Where were you when you last saw your katana?"
The hanyou thought for a moment before alighting on an answer. "The kitchen!" Then another thought struck him. "My ramen!"
The violet-eyed man tsked. "Inuyasha, are you still eating ramen as your only source of nutrition? You realise that's not healthy, right?" He followed the half-demon out of the room and through the western door.
"Screw healthy. It tastes good."
Miroku was inclined to roll his eyes, but once he caught site of the many rooms that lined the hallway, he voiced another question. "Hey, don't you get lost here? There are so many rooms!"
"34 bedrooms, 24 bathrooms, 6 dining rooms, 2 kitchens, 2 open areas." Listed the hanyou absently. "It took me two or three days to get used to the place."
"34 bedrooms, eh? It really is huge. Could house many people…"
As they reached the kitchen, Inuyasha frowned at him. "Don't get any ideas, monk. I went through four years of rooming with you, I'm not looking to extend that." He opened the door and they walked over to where the now cold bowl of noodles sat.
Miroku raised his palms in a sign of peace. "I'm not getting any ideas."
The half-demon picked up his sword, relieved that it was still here and in one piece. "This," He drew it, and the blade transformed in a flash of light, "is Tetsusaiga."
The human's eyes widened and he leaned in close to the sword, fingering the sharp edge of the blade. "It's a demon katana. Judging from its aura, it's extremely powerful, but can only be wielded by a select group of demons, or half-demons in your case." He took a moment longer to study the sword. "In fact, if what you say about the sword is true, then only those who have the blood of the one whose fang is the sword can wield it."
"What?"
Standing up, Miroku clarified, "It means you're the heir of the Western Lands, idiot. That is, if the story behind the sword is true and if I'm reading the aura correctly." He absently slapped away a large bee that had been buzzing around the room. It flew out the window.
"What?! I'm… whoa." Inuyasha shook his head. "That would be really… cool. Is there an importance to that?"
"I'm going to have to ask Sango about the roles of the Lords, but I think it has something to do with keeping the peace in the area. You might want to ask Sesshoumaru" At the mention of the youkai, Inuyasha growled. "Sesshoumaru's a full blooded youkai and he might know more about things such as this. Perhaps he's even aware of his youkai status." He checked his watch. "I have to get going now- dinner date with Sango, but I'll look for information regarding this garden of yours."
"Yeah, you do that." They walked out of the kitchen and towards the front entrance.
"And I expect to meet this lady spirit of yours."
"I'll be sure to warn her."
"Ha ha." Remarked the monk dryly.
"I thought so." A thought struck Inuyasha as they neared his room. "Hey, wait up. I've got something to give you." He dashed into the room, leaving a mildly curious man behind. Soon, the hanyou emerged with a mysterious manila envelope. He tucked it into Miroku's backpack with a rather evil grin on his face. "Don't open it till you get home. Maybe you and Sango can look through it together."
The man raised an eyebrow but asked no questions and he strolled out of the front door. "I'll see you later, Yash."
"Whatever."
"And once more thing- if you really want to get rid of her, get to know her better. Trust is very important. Don't get too personal or she's liable to purify you. She's from the past, so be very respectable- at least, until you know each other better."
"Right."
Inuyasha slid the door closed. Miroku had given him a lot to think about, and although the visit was unexpected, it certainly hadn't been profitable. The information he'd gained certainly would help him in confronting the spirit again. He would also get his revenge if he did what Inuyasha hoped he would do.
The evil grin returned.
'He's in for a surprise… especially if Sango sees.'
Review Responses:
-- devinedragonslayer
Sky eyes? It's actually a true thing, description that the Natives used- I read it somewhere, but where, I forgot. And as for Kikyou, it's true, and although I do pity her, I wish she'd be able to move on already…
-- astro-24Sango and Miroku? They're minor characters, but I think they'll play some part in the story…
-- Katami
Yes, yes. And the Sess/Kagu thing- I don't think that's nearly as disturbing as Sess/Rin (in the manga) though. It'd be like… marrying your dad (or step-dad- whatever floats your boat)
-- Minako-chan4
Eh? Tree? Pin? You're talking about the original (manga/anime) legend, aren't you? But no, reincarnation's not as big in my story (coughcough), and the betrayal's going to be of a different scale from that…
-- sashlea
Heh. Interesting. And why she wanted to hide the writings? If I don't get to explain that in the story, then I'll answer it directly… later.
-- hanyou-elf
I'm glad… I'm glad. You came back! =D All of the questions raised in previous questions should be answered by the end of the story…
-- Amanda Trinh
Is Kikyou a spirit? Will there be a love triangle? You'll have to find out.
-- power2thepink
The jounal was meant to be vague, but I guess I'll just tell you- it was Kikyou's diary, and she was referring to Kagome. As to who the protector of the jewel was/is, take a wild stab in the dark, and if you don't get it, I'll reveal it in a later chapter.
Many thanks to:Dark-Magician-41 (Is Rei alright? Actually, are you alright?)
animemistress419 (Did you vote before? Inu/Kag… sure!)
SilverShadow1450 (I agree, but at least they're trying… or are they?)
WhiteDloud (True, but she has been trapped for five centuries…)
Japanese Dragon (Chalk up another for Inu/Kag!)
CatzCraddle (Yeah! Thanks!)
LostArtist (Thanks! I had a wonderful time!)
sakura-kon (Hai, hai, they visit…XD)
FieryDemonFox (If you ask me, they flew by too fast… ¬.¬ Thanks for all of your review!)
Hishani (Thank you! Inu/Kag it is!)
Poison Death Tree (Merci Beaucoup!)
Izayoi (Yes, they finally did, ne?)
inu-kag-4evr (Finish? The story's just starting… actually, not really.)
darkscorpio28 (All will be revealed in the future…)
Evilmiko21
Krystal-Jade
pinksakurablossom04
Samieko (Yes… think about her upbringing)
Kill-all-Flamers-210
falcony32
yooso
Aozora-chan
¬.¬ If I missed any, I'll catch up later. As for the vote progress, I'm going to get them up to date as soon as I post this chapter, and remember- the voting continues until the end of the story, and you can only vote once!
(I do believe it's still 0 for Kikyou...)
[Terribly, horribly sorry for my extremely late update. It's just that one thing followed another, and before I knew it, practically a month flew away. (For full list of excuses, please refer to bio.) Not only that, but this chapter was a little… boring, ne? I had to introduce Miroku and his views on the matter, and all that other stuff.
The writing style changed throughout the chapter since part of it was written while I was barely able to type while others were written directly after reading some Tolkien and Rowling.
Oh yes.
For all of you who think Houjo's evil (in the series), I have given you reason to believe he is so in this story as well. What's going on?
Well, I just hope that the next chapter doesn't take too long to get out…
No promises though. Summer is just as busy as the rest of the year what with the activities and all.
But again, SORRY! And I hope you all stick with me…
Till next time…
Ja!]