The Meeting
Kagura sighed as she flew through the air on her feather towards the Western Lands. He was close, she could smell him, as well as the toad and the human girl. She never understood why he took a liking ot her, but she was charming and Kagura came to care for the girl as much as she cared for him. She really appreciated him helping her, and she couldn't wait to give him the plan. She knew Naraku had summoned Onigumo's previous lover for his own perverted reasons, but she would seem to come in handy for destroying InuYasha. She had been aware that the young miko was no longer human, as she had planned and predicted would happen. She sighed as his scent became stronger. It always seemed to relax her, yet it was so soothing she never thought she could get used to it. She hopped off her feather and placed it back in her hair as she walked up to him. His back was turned to her, and she covered her face with her Demon fan.
"Kagura." He said simply, not looking at her. She smiled.
"Hello Lord Sesshomaru. Long time no see?" He turned and looked at her, amusement a new feature on his blank mask.
"Anything new?"
"Besides what you tell me, no. But InuYasha and Kagome must be careful." Sesshomaru nodded his head.
"Kagome seems to be in heat, making everything much harder for my little half brother." Kagura nodded and sighed. She walked up to Sesshomaru and gazed deeply into his eyes. He looked back at her, admiring her beauty. They stood like that for a long time, until Jaken's voice disturbed them. She bared her fangs and covered her mouth with her fan again before Sesshomaru stepped back. She felt a little hurt, but she said nothing of it.
"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!" He croaked, tripping over roots and twigs as he ran to him. "Why do you do this to me M'Lord?"
"Do you dare to question me Jaken?" Sesshomaru snarled, his cold deathly expression scaring the toad. Jaken bowed respectively before apologizing and announcing he had news. Sesshomaru and Kagura exchanged glances before Jaken began speaking.
"It seems that Itachiko was once mated with an Inu-youkai! In fact your father M'Lord." Sesshomaru nodded. " It seems that then this new nemesis is your aunt, if I am correct, and that Itachiko did not actually die! Her soul traveled with her sisters when she traded it for power, locking her into the Realm of The Dead." Sesshomaru looked slightly shocked. "The easiest way to help both of them, is if we purify Hisaki's soul, so that she will become human again! That way they will both once again be pure maidens." Sesshomaru nodded and dismissed Jaken.
"So, it seems what we do to one affects the other." Kagura sighed.
"So, we can not just slay Hisaki. We have to set her soul to rest. As long as she resides here, Itachiko will never find piece. But something's missing. Kagome and the demon are now connected, but something is still missing. We can do nothing until we have some background. Kagura, still follow Naraku's order, but do not kill anyone. Merely wound them, and run. Letting him know you could not defeat them." Kagura nodded in understanding. She plucked her feather out her hair, but before she hopped on, her and Sesshomaru lookd at each other, like something was supposed to be happening right now. They weren't doing something that would fit the moment perfectly, but as they looked at each other, it seems the pain became too much to bare. They held on to each other tightly, never wanting to let go.
"Soon my dear Kagura." Sesshomaru whispered. "Soon you will be free and we could live our happy lives, together." She nodded as tears of happiness ran down her face. She wiped them off and reluctantly pulled back, hopping on the feather. Sesshomaru watched as she floated away, before he dashed through the forest following the scent of Kagome and InuYasha.
8:88:888:88:8
Kagome sighed as she appeared at the surface of the water. Shippou and Sango floated nearby, watching as Kagome ripped through the water like a mermaid. She loved the feeling of the water going through her hair, the feeling of being free, like nothing could stop her. She watched as fish swam away from her, and she had the strange desire to chase them. Looking around to see if someone was looking, she dashed after them, chasing them here and there. She would stop, and when they dared to slow down, she lunged after them. Once that was out of her system, she swam to the shore, letting her hair stick ot her face and shoulders. Pulling herself up, she dried off with a towel and got dressed in her normal uniform clothes. She waited for Sango and Shippou and together they walked back to the men. Kagome sat closest to the fire, and drawing her knees to her chest, she whined a little while staring into the fire.
"What's wrong?" Shippou asked, walking over to her. InuYasha glanced at the both of them, saying nothing. She sighed and shook her head and Shippou pounced on her head. She smiled as Shippou purred. InuYasha smiled at the scene, noting that Kagome looked stunning with the fire light glowing off of her. She hadn't dried her hair, she it dripped and clung to her, making him want to drool. Her eyes shown with something he couldn't quite name. Her eyes twitched every now and then, keeping alert. He watched as she occasionally sniffed the air, something that must be instinct to her now, since Shippou is technically her pup. He smiled as Miroku began talking, her ears immediately pointed towards him.
"Kagome, when are you going to return to your era?" He asked as Sango laid her head on his shoulder. She shrugged.
"I don't know. I can go now, but I don't want to leave you guys."
"We'll be alright." Sango grinned. "Besides. We don't want your mom to come and bash us. And besides, it would be nice to have your mother meet your new family." Kagome looked at Sango as Miroku stiffened and smiled like an idiot, understanding was she was trying to do. InuYasha understood though and jumped to his feet with a snort.
"You guys are disgusting." He said. Kagome barked in surprised and stared at her friend, who ignored her gaze. She sighed and stood up .
"Ok then. Let's go. Shippou, InuYasha." InuYasha nodded as Kagome zipped through the forest, towards the well. InuYasha caught up to her though.
"You've got a long ways to go before you're as fast as I am." He said grinning. She stuck her tongue out at him as they entered the clearing. She slowed down and walked to the well, looking at it with uncertainty.
"Will it let us pass?" She said. InuYasha shrugged.
"I have no idea. Let's try though." InuYasha grabbed Kagome's waist and jumped into the well. She felt warmness cover her body as her feet softly touched the bottom of the well. She sighed as she jumped out, InuYasha behind her. They made it. It allowed them to past. She walked up to the shrine door and let herself in. Her mother bounded down the steps, and gasped as she looked at her daughter.
"Kagome, your, you have, ears, and claws, and a tail…" Mrs. Higurashi's jaw was to the floor as she circled around Kagome. Kagome winced as her mother stared at her ears for a while.
"Mom, I was fighting Kagura, and I saved InuYasha, but I got a wound that could have killed me. But InuYasha gave me some of his blood and saved my life. But I am no longer human, and, well, we're connected. And this is Shippou." She said, pointing to the mass of fur on her head. "InuYasha adopted him, so technically we are all a family now." Mrs. Higurashi looked at all three of them before she smiled sadly.
"Kagome, you do realize you will no longer be able to live here. No more school, no nothing." Kagome nodded and sighed as her mother looked disappointed.
"I understand mother, but I am happy there. I have a family there, and I promise to visit whenever I possibly can. Please mother, I beg you, please? Let me stay?"
"I have no choice. If I say no, you would sneak out anyway. On one condition." Kagome nodded.
"I get full access to the adorable ears and tail!" InuYasha snorted and jammed his hands into his haori sleeves. Kagome sighed and shook her head as her mother sqealed, making both their ears hurt.
"Mom, we're going to go back now. But I'll be back in about a week or so." She said. Mrs. Higarashi nodded before the two set out of the house.
"She took that well." InuYasha said with a sigh. He had been nervous ever since they had come there, and he was relieved that she didn't kill him. He swept her up and hopped into the well. She jumped out by herself once they reached the other side, but instead of darting off like she usually did, she sniffed the air.
"I smell Sesshomaru, but something's not right. I also smell blood and youkai." InuYasha sniffed the air too and scowled.
"It seems they are attacking a nearby village. It smells like Bear youkai, not unusual for these parts, but they shouldn't have crossed through my territory. I'll kill them anyway." He said, flexing his claws. Kagome watched and smiled lightly as InuYasha looked at her.
"Let's go. We best get there before anyone else dies." Kagome nodded and sprinted off behind InuYasha. Kagome knew Sango and Miroku were already there, and she could smell Shippou's blood. She snarled and her and InuYasha ran faster, hearing screams and the roar of three bear demons. One of them rasied it's claws at Sango, who was using her boomerang for support. She was badly injured, and she couldn't stand on her own. Kirara was down and out, and Miroku was fighting another bear. The bear swept down at Sango, but Kagome ran by and swept her up, rushing her a good distance away from danger.
"You shouldn't be fighting." She growled, setting her down at the base of a nearby tree. Sango nodded and winced in pain.
"Kagome, I am so sorry. They took off with Shippou, and we tried to help him. He only has a gash in his arm, but he'll be fine. Miroku is fighting hard as he can, his Kazaana is useless-" Kagome nodded and ran off at the sound of Shippou's wails. InuYasha and Miroku each had their own bear demon, and one of them was looking at Shippou, bearing it's fangs. He screamed and cried, trying to drag himself away from it, leaving a trail of blood.
"You smell like inu-youkai." The bear growled, standing up on it's hind legs. "I shall destroy you." He raised his claws but stopped abruptly when Kagome stood in front of him, growling and baring her fangs.
"Leave him alone." She growled in a raspy voice. InuYasha slayed the bear demon, and helped Kagome. He held Tetsaiga over his shoulder and watched Kagome was she prepared to battle the youkai.
"Ahh. A young miko, and I sense the Shikon No Tama. Give it to me!" The bear yelled, leaping for Kagome. In one swift motion, she picked up Shippou and leapt out of the way. She jumped up and dug her claws in the bear youkai's neck, making him scream in agony. He swung and batted, knocking Kagome off of him and sending her sliding back on all fours. She growled and hissed and she whipped blood from her mouth, looking very much like InuYasha in his full youkai stage. Miroku watched stunned as InuYasha watched.
"Go help Sango. She'll be fine." InuYasha whispered. Miroku nodded and ran to his lover, who was wincing and moaning in pain. She stared at Kagome with amazement as she went toe to toe with the youkai, clawing him here and there, making both of them angrier and angrier. Shippou whined and whimpered as the bear youkai sunk his teeth in Kagome's shoulder. She cried out as he threw her back, sending her sliding on her side. She stood up, ignoring the blood oozing out of her puncture.
"Now, you die." She growled as she lunged for the demon. She jumped on his back and sank her fangs into his neck, while sinking her claws into his shoulders to keep herself locked on him. He whipped and jumped and ran and screamed until he finally fell limp and died. Kagome sighed as she hopped off of him, still holding her shoulder. She spit out the blood that had come into her mouth, and looked at Shippou, who had now ran to her. She got down on all fours and began to lick him affectionately, glad he was safe. She sat him on her lap as she lapped at his wound. InuYasha walked over to the two, before he lookd at Kagome's shoulder. He frowned at it before bending down.
"Kagome. You did good. Still need practice, but you did good. And you got us dinner for about a week." He said, smiling at her fresh kill. She smiled as she gasped and fell into his arms, darkness consuming her into oblivion.
Kagome awoke to InuYasha licking her wound. Shippou was sleep on her mat close to her, and she whined and tried to sit up. InuYasha ceased his ministrations, and looked at her, his ears drooping.
"Are you ok?" He asked. She nodded and yawned, revealing her fangs. She sniffed the air and twitched her ears before yawning again. She was tired. Her bones ached, and her head was pounding. That was her first kill, and it came with ease. She didn't understand it. It seemed natural to her, like she was doing it all her life. She sighed and stood up, looking at Sango who was at the base of a tree, her knee pressed to her chest, her bandaged arm draping over it. She had her eyes closed and was sleeping silently. Miroku stared at her from afar as he bandaged Kirara, who mewed sadly and winced in pain. She mumbled sorry as he kept tending to her. Shippou sighed and rolled over. Kagome smiled at the young kitsune before staring into the fire. It was too peaceful even for her liking. Something big was being planned, something to annihilate them all.
"Lady Kagome? Are you alright?" Kagome nodded as a bright light shown and Itachiko appeared before her. Miroku gasped and stared at the young lady, apparently confused. Kagome sighed once again as InuYasha sliced a chunk of meat off the kill and set it on the fire to cook. Itachiko smiled at him sadly, but proudly before looking at Kagome again.
"I see that Naraku has made no appearance for a time?" She said, just as confused as Kagome was when she was thinking. InuYasha snorted and wrinkled his nose at the mention of Naraku.
"Surely Kagome, you should feel what my sister does, since you two are connected as we were. You must look deep within yourself. That is very nessecary if you have any hope of defeating my sister." InuYasha scoffed as he handed Miroku a piece of meat to feed to Kirara. He cut of another piece and set in the fire, this time getting up and asking Sango if she would like some. Sango nodded and stared in wonder at Itachiko, who smiled and waved, in awe. Kagome growled as Sesshomaru appeared out of the darkness, taking a seat next to her.
"I really wished you would stop doing that." She snapped. He nodded and apologized. He paid his respects to Itachiko and looked at InuYasha.
"Brother. We can not kill Hisaki, for Itachiko will perish also." InuYasha looked a bit disturbed, but said nothing. "Since Hisaki's and Itachiko share a soul, destroying one will destroy the other. The best bet is to purify Hisaki's soul, so they can once again be pure maidens. Itachiko is not really dead, she just got sent, and trapped in the Realm of the Dead when her sister traded her soul." Sango looked at Sesshomaru.
"But how do we purify her? Surely the Shikon No Tama has nothing to do with this. It isn't whole, and it is still tainted." Itachiko sighed.
"I know not a way, and even if I did, Hisaki would have to submit to it, which she would not. If she gets hold of the Shikon No Tama, her power will surely increase, making her even more dangerous. There is no point but to destroy her, I do not belong with the living anymore, it has been far too long." Miroku nodded and sighed as Kirara got up and walked on her injured leg for a bit.
"But there must be a way to stop her and save you at the same time." He said, reaching out to help Kirara back up whenever she collapsed.
"But, in order for that, Kagome would have to use her miko powers, and she can't control them." InuYasha added, looking at the suddenly quiet hanyou. She bit her lip in concentration, looking troubled. Everyone sighed as they fell silent, listening only to the crickets and grasshoppers. All seemed still, until Itachiko spoke up. Suddenly, she Shikon No Tama began to glow on Kagome's chest. Everyone looked at her. It glowed and began to raise off of her chest, making everyone gasp in awe.
"I don't understand. It's trying to tell me something, but I can't make it out." Kagome stared at the jewel before she collapsed and was carried into the depths of nothingness.
8:88:888:88:8
Naraku smiled as he walked into Hisaki's room, to be greeted by the young demon glaring out the window. He walked over to her, standing behind her. She smiled as she saw his reflection through the window.
"Hisaki, I ask you. Is there something that bothers you? I sense turmoil within the woman Onigumo cares so much about." She smiled at this and sighed.
"Nothing. It's my dear sister. She's trying to stop me from trying to gain my love back, it will destroy the world, but at least I will have my beloved. I love my sister dearly, but if she stands in my way and I have to kill her, so be it. I need the jewel, I need more power.." She hissed, baring her fangs. Naraku chuckled as he glanced at the woman.
"How do you plan to get the jewel? The young miko whose possession it is in powers surpassed even the great priestess Kikyou. Surely you are not foolish enough to challenge her." Hisaki laughed evilly.
"No I am not. The Inu-hanyou will make her life as well as destroy it." She smiled as Naraku walked out, closing the door behind him.
Foolish girl. You fit perfectly into my plan. Soon you will see your demise for your greed, and give me more power! He smiled as he walked the corridors silenty and gracefully like death itself.
