Chapter 10: Kikyo
Everyone else was sleeping, or at least, pretending to. Kagome unfolded the letter Kikyo had sent to her.
Kagome:
I received a gift, which I believe is yours. Know anything about a bottle of ruby red liquid?
I am willing to return this bottle to you, in exchange for something. Of course, keep in mind that this can help me gain the affection of all the men in the world. But I won't ask you for all the men in the world – I'm not that evil. I only want a certain pair of Inuyoukai brothers, one pure- blood and another hanyou. You know who I am talking about. Now, I understand perfectly that the elder one will require much, much persuasion, but leave him to me. The younger... you know as much as I do who he really loves. And it's not you. So why bother holding on to them?
Meet me at my old village in one week's time.
Kikyo
"Bitch," hissed Kagome.
"Who?" asked Inuyasha. So, he had been awake the whole time. Kagome was glad she hadn't read the letter aloud.
"Never mind," said Kagome. "While you were in the Western Lands did Sesshoumaru ever mention an old witch, Kikyo, and a bottle of red stuff?"
Inuyasha laughed. "Oh. You lost something that made guys attracted to you, right, and somehow it was given to Kikyo? Come on, Kagome, surely you know better than to believe such fairy stories. There's no such thing."
"Of course," Kagome said, glad that the darkness of the night hid the bitterness that came over her face. "Tomorrow, let's set off for Kaede's village. I need to go home for a few days."
"Nonsense. You need to help find shards. After you take a bath – you reek of my brother," Inuyasha cut in rudely.
Kagome bit her lip in anger.
"OSUWARI!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I understand your anger, Sesshoumaru. But you have to know that I can't always tell my men no," said the Lord of the Eastern Lands weakly.
"I don't care," growled Sesshoumaru. He could be scary when he liked, and he knew it. Right now, just as he hoped, his eyes were bleeding slightly red, and his words were venomous. "I don't care how you go about it. I will not have men from the Eastern Lands come here and loot and rape as and when they please. It would upset this entire taiyoukai system we have. Pay them more. Give them women. But I'm warning you, if another of your men hurts any creature here, I will kill them first, then take it as an open declaration of war from the Eastern Lands."
"Now, Sesshoumaru," the Lord of the Eastern Lands protested. "We are all men – surely you can understand... Well, my men want girls and we're almost running out of women..."
"My apologies. But I don't understand at all. If your men have used up all your women, it's not my problem. Don't make it my problem. You know I am honor-bound to protect every creature in my lands. I hope this is clear."
"Of course it is, I would have never questioned your honor -" began the other taiyoukai.
"Good. Since we are clear, I think there's no need for you to stay any more. Jaken!" he called to the toad, eavesdropping outside the door. "Show our visitor out, please."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Poor guy," commented Sango as she watched Inuyasha, half buried in the ground. The effects of the almighty 'sit' command had not worn off yet. Kagome was fast asleep, obviously after an argument with Inuyasha.
"I wonder how many times she 'sat' him. And how loudly, too," added Miroku.
From the ground came a muffled 'Shut up!'
"Oh, good morning Inuyasha," said Sango pleasantly.
"Keh," snorted Inuyasha.
"Sit! Be polite, Inuyasha," said Kagome, stretching and rubbing her eyes.
"Talk about courtesy," mumbled Inuyasha into the dirt.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"For crying out loud, Inuyasha, stop sulking," said Miroku irritably.
"Just because we're not going where you want to for once, you don't have to act like it's the end of the world. Kagome wants to go back to her time for a while. It's not a sin," added Sango.
"Besides, she always brings back food!" Shippo licked his lips thinking of lollipops and chocolate.
"I'll only be gone a few days, I promise," Kagome said earnestly. "I know it's priority to search for shards, but really, I think I can squeeze in a few days away."
"Something's up with you guys, and you're not telling me," grumbled Sango. "Since when does Kagome ride on Kirara, instead of Inuyasha? And Miroku, you've kept your hands to yourself for twenty-four hours – an improvement. Not to mention, Inuyasha's ruder than normal."
Kagome glared at Inuyasha's back. "He says I reek of Sesshoumaru. And I don't."
"You do to!" Inuyasha jumped up in front of Kirara.
"Shut up, Inuyasha!" Kagome whipped out an air freshener from her yellow backpack. "This should teach you a lesson!" She sprayed a generous amount in his face.
"Bitch! I'm allergic to roses!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Ok, I'll spend the night here, and I'll go back tomorrow," Kagome said looking at the bright half moon in the sky. The villagers said Kaede had gone to a neighboring village to heal a dying farmer.
"No you won't," Inuyasha said rudely. "I'll go with you to make sure you don't stay too long."
"Whatever." Kagome didn't really plan to stay long in her time anyways – she was only here to meet Kikyo.
"Stop arguing, Inuyasha. Some people are trying to sleep, you know!" Shippo cried.
"Why is it always my fault? Kagome was arguing too!"
"I was not! You just can't stand it when I go back. I wonder why!" Kagome's tone volume was rising.
"We can't always leave off what we do just for you to go back! It delays the entire team!"
"And I suppose it is ok for you to drop everything, running after some stray shikigami every time we see one, looking for Kikyo?" yelled Kagome.
Inuyasha looked angry enough to burst. "That's it. I'm sleeping outside. No way am I hanging around with a maniacal girl who happens to reek of my brother." He stormed out of the hut.
Good, thought Kagome. Now I can sneak out the back door and find Kikyo.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A current of cool air woke Kagome. How could she have slept? She had planned on waiting for Inuyasha to sleep before slipping out, but had drifted off in the process.
She opened her eyes. A thin, silvery flying creature swished overhead. Getting up, she looked at the shikigami, who immediately flew off at a moderate pace, easy enough for Kagome to follow.
The shikigami led her into a forest; the very same one where the Goshinboku lived. As she drew closer to the tree she could make out the faint outline of more shikigami surrounding a woman's figure.
"So you got my letter?" It wasn't a question; it was more of an observation.
"Yeah. Took me a lot of planning to get here, but I did."
"Well, obviously. Inuyasha doesn't want to commit. He would rather drift between the two of us, in some sense, having two women. Well, that's not happening here."
For the first time, Kagome could truly appreciate Kikyo as a friend or maybe even a sister. If Inuyasha would commit, everyone would be happy. If he chose Kagome, she'd be happy; if he chose Kikyo – well, Kagome would cry a while, and then get on with her life. Seeing both, expecting both to understand his feelings, was not something either girl wanted.
"Well, why are we standing here doing nothing?" demanded Kikyo. "We should start discussing. First, Sesshoumaru – I'll work my way with him, you just stay out and don't interfere. Inuyasha... well, for a start, you can say 'sit' more often, and have as many arguments as you like. He'll come crawling to me." She refrained from adding, "They all do."
"And you'll give me..." asked Kagome impatiently.
"Yes. This," Kikyo said as she drew out a small bottle from her sleeve. She handed it to Kagome, who stared at it like she'd never seen it before.
"So what do I do with this?" Kagome inquired after a bout of nervous silence.
"Fool. You drink it," Kikyo laughed softly.
Kagome looked warily. It looked like blackcurrant juice. Uncorking the vial, she took a tentative sip.
"You know, that stuff was gotten from you. You hesitating over it is plain silly," said Kikyo.
"True..." murmured Kagome, and sipped the rest without a sound. When the bottle was empty she handed it back to Kikyo.
"Well, you should go back now," said Kikyo decidedly.
"Thank you. I should be going, too." Kagome bowed slightly, and turned back to the village.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I thought she said she wanted to return to her time..." said Sango in a worried voice.
"I don't know... maybe we should wake her up."
"Kaede's back!" exclaimed Shippo, spotting Kaede's figure in the distant, approaching them.
"Good morning, all," she greeted as she neared them. "Where's Inuyasha and Kagome?"
"They quarreled last night, and Inuyasha went to sleep outside. He hasn't come back yet. Kagome is still sleeping, though. Strange, it's already midmorning," said Miroku.
"I'd say, indeed. Let me wake her," Kaede went into the hut. A few moments later, she came out.
"You three, follow me. Her pulse is not right," Kaede said anxiously. "I called her name, and she didn't respond. Feel this -" she placed two fingers on Kagome's neck below her right ear.
"It's too weak," pronounced Miroku, withdrawing his hand chastely under the burning gaze of Sango.
"Exactly. And she's not feverish either."
"Keh. Obviously she's being a lazy bum," snorted Inuyasha who just entered the hut.
"Shut up, Inuyasha, she isn't lazy and you know it," snapped Sango.
"Yeah, dogface!" yelled Shippo, who then hid behind Miroku.
"I know what's happening," said Kaede solemnly. "She's been poisoned."
A thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of Kagome's mouth.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Jaken, I want you to travel across my lands extensively, especially around the border of the East and West. If you catch even a hint of men from the East doing anything slightly evil, you will kill them and bring them to the castle. Those men will never learn, and though the Eastern Lord says he will do something about it, in a week's time those filthy maggots will come crawling back here for money and women."
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," said Jaken. He was pleased – his Sesshoumaru-sama had never entrusted him with anything so important. He could afford to be considerate to others, thus, he added, "But what of Rin? Surely it would not do to be bringing back dead when she is here?"
"Never you mind. I have settled it." Actually, he hadn't. It was his plan to bring Rin to Kagome to stay safely out of the way until he finished making sure no Eastern bastard crossed his borders. To accomplish that might warrant a war, and he wasn't going to let Rin get caught in the middle of it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You're kidding," said Sango. "How could Kagome be poisoned?"
"Exactly. There's no way that could have happened. This is all ridiculous. Kagome, wake up!" Inuyasha shook Kagome's shoulders.
"What are we going to do? Is she going to be ok?" asked Shippo.
"I don't know, but it's not so important. We should first concentrate on finding out what is it that she is being poisoned with," said Kaede. "Without knowing the type of poison, how fast it acts and how deadly it is, we cannot find the antidote."
"And how do you propose we find that out?" Inuyasha said impatiently. "It's not like there's an empty bottle lying around."
"Which is why, Inuyasha, we go hunting around for clues," put in Miroku. "Let's split up; Kaede and Sango you two head one way, Inuyasha and Shippo you two go another."
"And what do you do?" Sango asked suspiciously.
"Stay behind and look after Kagome," said Miroku airily. "Don't worry; I'll keep my hands to myself."
"You'd better." With a final glare Sango stalked out of the hut.
When they were all gone, Miroku settled down on the ground. There was nothing to do but wait, and if his guess was right, someone else should be joining them soon.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sesshoumaru glimpsed Kaede's village from where he was up with the clouds. Guiding the magic cloud downwards, he landed smoothly. Rin hopped off quickly – she wasn't very fond of heights.
"Rin, this way." His nose picked up the scents of Kagome and Inuyasha, and it led him to a tiny house, at the edge of the village. That was good – he didn't need any nosy villagers raising an uproar because he was in their midst.
Drawing aside the door curtain, Sesshoumaru ducked slightly at the precariously low door frame and stepped inside. Rin followed easily, eager to see Kagome like Sesshoumaru had promised her.
"I knew you would be arriving," the monk sitting next to a still Kagome said. "Though maybe for a different reason," he added, eyeing Rin.
"What happened here?" Sesshoumaru felt a tinge of worry tug at his heart, though he kept his face stoically blank. He had sent Kagome to Inuyasha to keep her safe from the Eastern Lord's men who would surely come back for their fallen comrades. But maybe it hadn't been such a good idea after all...
"We don't know. Kaede – the village miko, Kikyo's sister – says she's poisoned. The others have gone to search for the possibilities of which poison was used."
"Did you search her things, for clues?" asked Sesshoumaru. "And did Inuyasha check to see if anyone's scent was still on her?"
Miroku bit back a grin. "No, actually, he couldn't stand being in the same room as Kagome. He said he could smell you on her."
"I see." Sesshoumaru moved over to her. She had changed into one of her weird green skimpy outfits. "Did you people come into contact with Inuyasha's lover recently?"
"No, why?" asked Miroku. "We headed here straight from your place."
"Because she smells like clay and ashes." His eyes spotted a chain around her neck. A few Shikon shards hung from it, along with the small gold box he had given her. He removed the box and opened it. Tipping its contents out, a lock of silver hair floated out, along with a piece of paper, folded into a tiny square.
"Bingo," muttered Sesshoumaru. Unfolding the paper, he read Kikyo's letter to Kagome.
"Let's go," he said to Miroku. "We need to find Kikyo."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: I might not post for a while, I'm going on a trip. But I'll post as soon as I can get the internet. Hopefully no more than one week.
Review Responses:
InaZuma Yosei: The hair thing will come up, hopefully. If I remember to put it in. And the thing about the scents... Well, at first Inuyasha doesn't notice but after a few hours, ie. this chapter, he does.
kitty kitsune: That's a small bit of what I have planned. But I should warn you, I change my plans all the time.
Sesshoumarugrl: Lol, I'm happy too.
Lasako: Yes, it has. And I tell you, that thief's story was so messed up I didn't bother honoring it with a flame. I've got better things to do. Oh, and sorry about the headcold. I hate those.
unknown: Ok, scrap the patience bit. So 'unknown' is actually more than one person? Cool.
sunfire-moondesire: XD XD XD
PyslightlySycoh: Lol, thanks.
DeniseD: Thanks. evil grin Shall I test how long you can go without the next chapter?
Seshura: Jaken was a bit OoC. But oh well.
bloodbunny: I'll update soon! Promise!
Sessh's BabyGrl: Lol I'll try.
sweets427: I'm glad you're hooked – I'm always wary of that fact, whether or not the audience is hooked.
Shadowmai: Wow... thanks.
Blackiecat: Lol... Thanks, I'll take that luck. I'm trying desperately to avoid writer's block. About ratings and lemons... you gotta be careful to draw the line between R and NC-17.
Inuyasha-my-lover: Lol, you'll see in good time.
demonswty: Really? I thought the ending was a bit weird.
Western Hime: I love your screen name, thanks for reviewing.
inu.-sess,fan: I'm not sure about Miroku/Sango, this is mainly a Sess/Kag. But I could try and add in some parts, though it might have to wait.
spyhunter02: Me too.
Kerrie: I don't rush, but I do try to post once a week.
Sess: I have a big brother... And if he was half like Miroku I would be the luckiest girl in the world. Except maybe the girl who gets Sesshoumaru.
demon-lulu, dragon of hope, athana233, The Fire Goddess, i-don't-talk-much, zeddy222, inucrazy4life: Thanks for the review, I'll update as soon as possible.
Everyone else was sleeping, or at least, pretending to. Kagome unfolded the letter Kikyo had sent to her.
Kagome:
I received a gift, which I believe is yours. Know anything about a bottle of ruby red liquid?
I am willing to return this bottle to you, in exchange for something. Of course, keep in mind that this can help me gain the affection of all the men in the world. But I won't ask you for all the men in the world – I'm not that evil. I only want a certain pair of Inuyoukai brothers, one pure- blood and another hanyou. You know who I am talking about. Now, I understand perfectly that the elder one will require much, much persuasion, but leave him to me. The younger... you know as much as I do who he really loves. And it's not you. So why bother holding on to them?
Meet me at my old village in one week's time.
Kikyo
"Bitch," hissed Kagome.
"Who?" asked Inuyasha. So, he had been awake the whole time. Kagome was glad she hadn't read the letter aloud.
"Never mind," said Kagome. "While you were in the Western Lands did Sesshoumaru ever mention an old witch, Kikyo, and a bottle of red stuff?"
Inuyasha laughed. "Oh. You lost something that made guys attracted to you, right, and somehow it was given to Kikyo? Come on, Kagome, surely you know better than to believe such fairy stories. There's no such thing."
"Of course," Kagome said, glad that the darkness of the night hid the bitterness that came over her face. "Tomorrow, let's set off for Kaede's village. I need to go home for a few days."
"Nonsense. You need to help find shards. After you take a bath – you reek of my brother," Inuyasha cut in rudely.
Kagome bit her lip in anger.
"OSUWARI!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I understand your anger, Sesshoumaru. But you have to know that I can't always tell my men no," said the Lord of the Eastern Lands weakly.
"I don't care," growled Sesshoumaru. He could be scary when he liked, and he knew it. Right now, just as he hoped, his eyes were bleeding slightly red, and his words were venomous. "I don't care how you go about it. I will not have men from the Eastern Lands come here and loot and rape as and when they please. It would upset this entire taiyoukai system we have. Pay them more. Give them women. But I'm warning you, if another of your men hurts any creature here, I will kill them first, then take it as an open declaration of war from the Eastern Lands."
"Now, Sesshoumaru," the Lord of the Eastern Lands protested. "We are all men – surely you can understand... Well, my men want girls and we're almost running out of women..."
"My apologies. But I don't understand at all. If your men have used up all your women, it's not my problem. Don't make it my problem. You know I am honor-bound to protect every creature in my lands. I hope this is clear."
"Of course it is, I would have never questioned your honor -" began the other taiyoukai.
"Good. Since we are clear, I think there's no need for you to stay any more. Jaken!" he called to the toad, eavesdropping outside the door. "Show our visitor out, please."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Poor guy," commented Sango as she watched Inuyasha, half buried in the ground. The effects of the almighty 'sit' command had not worn off yet. Kagome was fast asleep, obviously after an argument with Inuyasha.
"I wonder how many times she 'sat' him. And how loudly, too," added Miroku.
From the ground came a muffled 'Shut up!'
"Oh, good morning Inuyasha," said Sango pleasantly.
"Keh," snorted Inuyasha.
"Sit! Be polite, Inuyasha," said Kagome, stretching and rubbing her eyes.
"Talk about courtesy," mumbled Inuyasha into the dirt.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"For crying out loud, Inuyasha, stop sulking," said Miroku irritably.
"Just because we're not going where you want to for once, you don't have to act like it's the end of the world. Kagome wants to go back to her time for a while. It's not a sin," added Sango.
"Besides, she always brings back food!" Shippo licked his lips thinking of lollipops and chocolate.
"I'll only be gone a few days, I promise," Kagome said earnestly. "I know it's priority to search for shards, but really, I think I can squeeze in a few days away."
"Something's up with you guys, and you're not telling me," grumbled Sango. "Since when does Kagome ride on Kirara, instead of Inuyasha? And Miroku, you've kept your hands to yourself for twenty-four hours – an improvement. Not to mention, Inuyasha's ruder than normal."
Kagome glared at Inuyasha's back. "He says I reek of Sesshoumaru. And I don't."
"You do to!" Inuyasha jumped up in front of Kirara.
"Shut up, Inuyasha!" Kagome whipped out an air freshener from her yellow backpack. "This should teach you a lesson!" She sprayed a generous amount in his face.
"Bitch! I'm allergic to roses!"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Ok, I'll spend the night here, and I'll go back tomorrow," Kagome said looking at the bright half moon in the sky. The villagers said Kaede had gone to a neighboring village to heal a dying farmer.
"No you won't," Inuyasha said rudely. "I'll go with you to make sure you don't stay too long."
"Whatever." Kagome didn't really plan to stay long in her time anyways – she was only here to meet Kikyo.
"Stop arguing, Inuyasha. Some people are trying to sleep, you know!" Shippo cried.
"Why is it always my fault? Kagome was arguing too!"
"I was not! You just can't stand it when I go back. I wonder why!" Kagome's tone volume was rising.
"We can't always leave off what we do just for you to go back! It delays the entire team!"
"And I suppose it is ok for you to drop everything, running after some stray shikigami every time we see one, looking for Kikyo?" yelled Kagome.
Inuyasha looked angry enough to burst. "That's it. I'm sleeping outside. No way am I hanging around with a maniacal girl who happens to reek of my brother." He stormed out of the hut.
Good, thought Kagome. Now I can sneak out the back door and find Kikyo.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A current of cool air woke Kagome. How could she have slept? She had planned on waiting for Inuyasha to sleep before slipping out, but had drifted off in the process.
She opened her eyes. A thin, silvery flying creature swished overhead. Getting up, she looked at the shikigami, who immediately flew off at a moderate pace, easy enough for Kagome to follow.
The shikigami led her into a forest; the very same one where the Goshinboku lived. As she drew closer to the tree she could make out the faint outline of more shikigami surrounding a woman's figure.
"So you got my letter?" It wasn't a question; it was more of an observation.
"Yeah. Took me a lot of planning to get here, but I did."
"Well, obviously. Inuyasha doesn't want to commit. He would rather drift between the two of us, in some sense, having two women. Well, that's not happening here."
For the first time, Kagome could truly appreciate Kikyo as a friend or maybe even a sister. If Inuyasha would commit, everyone would be happy. If he chose Kagome, she'd be happy; if he chose Kikyo – well, Kagome would cry a while, and then get on with her life. Seeing both, expecting both to understand his feelings, was not something either girl wanted.
"Well, why are we standing here doing nothing?" demanded Kikyo. "We should start discussing. First, Sesshoumaru – I'll work my way with him, you just stay out and don't interfere. Inuyasha... well, for a start, you can say 'sit' more often, and have as many arguments as you like. He'll come crawling to me." She refrained from adding, "They all do."
"And you'll give me..." asked Kagome impatiently.
"Yes. This," Kikyo said as she drew out a small bottle from her sleeve. She handed it to Kagome, who stared at it like she'd never seen it before.
"So what do I do with this?" Kagome inquired after a bout of nervous silence.
"Fool. You drink it," Kikyo laughed softly.
Kagome looked warily. It looked like blackcurrant juice. Uncorking the vial, she took a tentative sip.
"You know, that stuff was gotten from you. You hesitating over it is plain silly," said Kikyo.
"True..." murmured Kagome, and sipped the rest without a sound. When the bottle was empty she handed it back to Kikyo.
"Well, you should go back now," said Kikyo decidedly.
"Thank you. I should be going, too." Kagome bowed slightly, and turned back to the village.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"I thought she said she wanted to return to her time..." said Sango in a worried voice.
"I don't know... maybe we should wake her up."
"Kaede's back!" exclaimed Shippo, spotting Kaede's figure in the distant, approaching them.
"Good morning, all," she greeted as she neared them. "Where's Inuyasha and Kagome?"
"They quarreled last night, and Inuyasha went to sleep outside. He hasn't come back yet. Kagome is still sleeping, though. Strange, it's already midmorning," said Miroku.
"I'd say, indeed. Let me wake her," Kaede went into the hut. A few moments later, she came out.
"You three, follow me. Her pulse is not right," Kaede said anxiously. "I called her name, and she didn't respond. Feel this -" she placed two fingers on Kagome's neck below her right ear.
"It's too weak," pronounced Miroku, withdrawing his hand chastely under the burning gaze of Sango.
"Exactly. And she's not feverish either."
"Keh. Obviously she's being a lazy bum," snorted Inuyasha who just entered the hut.
"Shut up, Inuyasha, she isn't lazy and you know it," snapped Sango.
"Yeah, dogface!" yelled Shippo, who then hid behind Miroku.
"I know what's happening," said Kaede solemnly. "She's been poisoned."
A thin trickle of blood ran from the corner of Kagome's mouth.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Jaken, I want you to travel across my lands extensively, especially around the border of the East and West. If you catch even a hint of men from the East doing anything slightly evil, you will kill them and bring them to the castle. Those men will never learn, and though the Eastern Lord says he will do something about it, in a week's time those filthy maggots will come crawling back here for money and women."
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama," said Jaken. He was pleased – his Sesshoumaru-sama had never entrusted him with anything so important. He could afford to be considerate to others, thus, he added, "But what of Rin? Surely it would not do to be bringing back dead when she is here?"
"Never you mind. I have settled it." Actually, he hadn't. It was his plan to bring Rin to Kagome to stay safely out of the way until he finished making sure no Eastern bastard crossed his borders. To accomplish that might warrant a war, and he wasn't going to let Rin get caught in the middle of it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"You're kidding," said Sango. "How could Kagome be poisoned?"
"Exactly. There's no way that could have happened. This is all ridiculous. Kagome, wake up!" Inuyasha shook Kagome's shoulders.
"What are we going to do? Is she going to be ok?" asked Shippo.
"I don't know, but it's not so important. We should first concentrate on finding out what is it that she is being poisoned with," said Kaede. "Without knowing the type of poison, how fast it acts and how deadly it is, we cannot find the antidote."
"And how do you propose we find that out?" Inuyasha said impatiently. "It's not like there's an empty bottle lying around."
"Which is why, Inuyasha, we go hunting around for clues," put in Miroku. "Let's split up; Kaede and Sango you two head one way, Inuyasha and Shippo you two go another."
"And what do you do?" Sango asked suspiciously.
"Stay behind and look after Kagome," said Miroku airily. "Don't worry; I'll keep my hands to myself."
"You'd better." With a final glare Sango stalked out of the hut.
When they were all gone, Miroku settled down on the ground. There was nothing to do but wait, and if his guess was right, someone else should be joining them soon.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sesshoumaru glimpsed Kaede's village from where he was up with the clouds. Guiding the magic cloud downwards, he landed smoothly. Rin hopped off quickly – she wasn't very fond of heights.
"Rin, this way." His nose picked up the scents of Kagome and Inuyasha, and it led him to a tiny house, at the edge of the village. That was good – he didn't need any nosy villagers raising an uproar because he was in their midst.
Drawing aside the door curtain, Sesshoumaru ducked slightly at the precariously low door frame and stepped inside. Rin followed easily, eager to see Kagome like Sesshoumaru had promised her.
"I knew you would be arriving," the monk sitting next to a still Kagome said. "Though maybe for a different reason," he added, eyeing Rin.
"What happened here?" Sesshoumaru felt a tinge of worry tug at his heart, though he kept his face stoically blank. He had sent Kagome to Inuyasha to keep her safe from the Eastern Lord's men who would surely come back for their fallen comrades. But maybe it hadn't been such a good idea after all...
"We don't know. Kaede – the village miko, Kikyo's sister – says she's poisoned. The others have gone to search for the possibilities of which poison was used."
"Did you search her things, for clues?" asked Sesshoumaru. "And did Inuyasha check to see if anyone's scent was still on her?"
Miroku bit back a grin. "No, actually, he couldn't stand being in the same room as Kagome. He said he could smell you on her."
"I see." Sesshoumaru moved over to her. She had changed into one of her weird green skimpy outfits. "Did you people come into contact with Inuyasha's lover recently?"
"No, why?" asked Miroku. "We headed here straight from your place."
"Because she smells like clay and ashes." His eyes spotted a chain around her neck. A few Shikon shards hung from it, along with the small gold box he had given her. He removed the box and opened it. Tipping its contents out, a lock of silver hair floated out, along with a piece of paper, folded into a tiny square.
"Bingo," muttered Sesshoumaru. Unfolding the paper, he read Kikyo's letter to Kagome.
"Let's go," he said to Miroku. "We need to find Kikyo."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
A/N: I might not post for a while, I'm going on a trip. But I'll post as soon as I can get the internet. Hopefully no more than one week.
Review Responses:
InaZuma Yosei: The hair thing will come up, hopefully. If I remember to put it in. And the thing about the scents... Well, at first Inuyasha doesn't notice but after a few hours, ie. this chapter, he does.
kitty kitsune: That's a small bit of what I have planned. But I should warn you, I change my plans all the time.
Sesshoumarugrl: Lol, I'm happy too.
Lasako: Yes, it has. And I tell you, that thief's story was so messed up I didn't bother honoring it with a flame. I've got better things to do. Oh, and sorry about the headcold. I hate those.
unknown: Ok, scrap the patience bit. So 'unknown' is actually more than one person? Cool.
sunfire-moondesire: XD XD XD
PyslightlySycoh: Lol, thanks.
DeniseD: Thanks. evil grin Shall I test how long you can go without the next chapter?
Seshura: Jaken was a bit OoC. But oh well.
bloodbunny: I'll update soon! Promise!
Sessh's BabyGrl: Lol I'll try.
sweets427: I'm glad you're hooked – I'm always wary of that fact, whether or not the audience is hooked.
Shadowmai: Wow... thanks.
Blackiecat: Lol... Thanks, I'll take that luck. I'm trying desperately to avoid writer's block. About ratings and lemons... you gotta be careful to draw the line between R and NC-17.
Inuyasha-my-lover: Lol, you'll see in good time.
demonswty: Really? I thought the ending was a bit weird.
Western Hime: I love your screen name, thanks for reviewing.
inu.-sess,fan: I'm not sure about Miroku/Sango, this is mainly a Sess/Kag. But I could try and add in some parts, though it might have to wait.
spyhunter02: Me too.
Kerrie: I don't rush, but I do try to post once a week.
Sess: I have a big brother... And if he was half like Miroku I would be the luckiest girl in the world. Except maybe the girl who gets Sesshoumaru.
demon-lulu, dragon of hope, athana233, The Fire Goddess, i-don't-talk-much, zeddy222, inucrazy4life: Thanks for the review, I'll update as soon as possible.