To keep Kagome's truth a secret, we shall follow Inu and San now

Chapter 10: Jaken's Test

Inuyasha landed softly before a large skeleton, smoke billowing out from the volcanic cracks. Beside him stood their new kitty-cat, Kirara. Kirara apparently could shift forms...to his embarrassing surprise. It had happened when he began teasing the kitten form Kirara, whom became agitated by him and transformed, scaring the s$t out of him and growling at Inuyasha. Sango had been watching the whole time and snickered.

Now, Inuyasha proudly walked forward, until a cow ran over him. Suddenly an old man ran over him as soon as he stood up. "WAIT BESSY!" shouted the old man with a shaggy beard. "NOOOO!!!" he cried out as Inuyasha stood up, glaring at him behind, fist raised. "Oh, hey there Kirara," stated the old man scratching his head, to which Sango asked," What? Who are you?" "I am Toutousai you fool. Grand sword forger of course," the man said proudly before looking behind him at Inuyasha," Wow. I thought you'd be a little taller, there. Inuyasha, I am sad to say, but...you're short." Outraged, Inuyasha beat him down. "I didn't think Inuyasha was short," commented Sango, dismounting Kirara.

"So, Inuyasha, you have come for the Tetsiaga...unfortunately your brother binded the sword with Tenseiga," Toutousai said, beating against a new sword. "That selfish son-of-a..." started Inuyasha, but Toutousai interrupted," Actually...Inuyasha...he did that to insure only you could gain Tetsiaga. Tenseiga's power was immediately transferred to his daughter, but Shesshomaru's minion guards it still. You can gain the sword by passing a test that only beings sired by your father can, Jaken had Shesshomaru test it himself. That leaves you. Sango, please return to Kaede's village, please. The others will need you. Inuyasha, I would have you return as well, but you are unprepared." Standing, and for once seeming divine, he proudly stood almost shining by the firelight. Quickly with urgency, Sango leapt up and ran to Kirara. "Hurry, Kirara!" she screamed and almost flew in the air, somersaulting onto Kirara's back. "Faster, they are in danger!"

"Now, Bessy will take you. This is my last sword Inuyasha. Take it, but do not use this. When you release Kagome, give her this, she will know what to do," began Toutousai, ignoring Inuyasha's growls that he needed to return. He became silent as Toutousai handed him the sword. The handle was smooth like silver water, and the blade was sharp as the wind, changing in the firelight. Pearl white metal made the blade and the silver handle seemed fine, until Inuyasha grabbed it completely. Suddenly the blade shivered and an encryption imbedded in the pearl appeared as a thorn pierced under his hand, but the blade disappeared for a moment, almost as if on purpose, as Toutousai signed, saying, " Forgive thy ignorance of such a creature for touching your divine purpose." Seemingly calmed, it appeared once more and Toutousai quickly grabbed it, and sheathed it. "Here comes Bessy."

Kagome sat in the hut, listening to Myouga's words which she disbelieved to her core. Miroku and Kaede sat outside, saying that both felt an evil demonic presence close by, too close. At the moment she just listened, but not really, as she felt something was amiss as well. Outside a soft rain had begun gently and then suddenly stopped, and although Kagome loved rain, this worried her, like an omen.

Inuyasha sat on the old cow, his butt starting to hurt from the bumpy ride, knots in his hair, and whiplash from the wind. Onward the cow continued as they left the sky to land before a tree. The tree sat with a body impaled upon it. Shesshomaru...Inuyasha thought. His brother was lain upon the tree, and suddenly a toad leapt up from behind the body. "Freeze imposter! I Jaken shall punish you for visiting Lord Shesshomaru's grave!" he cried raising a staff, before realization crossed his face, "Inu...yasha?" "Duh, ya old toad. What did you do to my brother!" shouted Inuyasha. Jaken turned away, "I have been unable to remove the sword from his body. So, I decided to wait here until you came. By removing Tetsiaga, he will be able to leave this tree. So, you must pass my test first, to see if you are truly to the Dog Demon tribe." Glaring swiftly as he turned Jaken said slowly, " Whom is the tree nymph that preserves Shesshomaru? Then again, perhaps she is not a tree nymph, but full of innocence?" For a moment Inuyasha stood dumbfounded, "Um...what?" Growing impatient the toad screamed, "COME ON INUYASHA! IT CANNOT BE THAT HARD! TREE....INNOCENCE...KEY WORDS HERE!"

"Lirael?" asked Inuyasha. Suddenly Jaken stood, dumbfounded as well, "You...you...actually...got it, you've gotta be kidding me!" His body disappeared like a ghost's, "Shesshomaru's body will fall to its rightful grave. Take the sword in his wake."

As Jaken flowed with the wind, Inuyasha saw his brother fall forward and as it landed into a pit, hidden by white flowers. Then he realized that his brother was protected, not by a tree nymph, but by Lirael, his daughter, the same type of tree on which he was slain. Then the white flowers flowed like magic upon his body as the dirt started to pile upon the pit. When the daughter's magic stopped, Inuyasha walked forward and touched the tree which thrust through its bark, the one and only, Tetsiaga.

A scream resounded outside, and Kagome jumped up as well as Myouga and his wife. She ran out into the sudden storm and saw Miroku being pounded against one of the huts by herds of poison insects. Kaede lay on the muddy ground, hair piled around her like a gray moon, blood from her back mixing with the dirt. Screaming herself, Kagome ran forward to Kaede and fell suddenly. If from mud, or the back pain, she couldn't tell, but she remembered the two faces that were upon her quickly as she heard their demons drag Kaede to wherever their dens were. "Why, we have missed you so, Kagome," Naraku sneered as Kikyo knocked her out with a punch.

ooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Cliffhanger!!!

Kagome: NO FAIR HOW COME SHE ALWAYS BEATS ME UP!

Me: Don't worry, Kagome. I promise to let you kick her ass later...or now...remember that technique I taught you...

Kikyo: Hey everyone

Kagome: HAYAH!!!

Me: ( I am Sooo sorry, we had to find a Kikyo replacement since,um, Kikyo has ...is unable to...cough...return because of a broken neck...)