Chapter Five: The Monk Returns

The halls echoed with the faint cries of the young girl who had recently become Naraku's new pet.

"Come. If you resist he'll just make things all the more worse for you girl." Kagura said, turning around once more as her companion came to a stop.

"Sesshoumaru-sama… Won't you come for Rin?" She muttered, tears streaming down her swollen cheeks.

Kagura heaved a large sigh, stepping forwards and kneeling down to the child's level. Hooking a finger under her chin, she said reassuringly, "The quicker you go, the quicker you leave. I'm sure Sesshoumaru is on his way to get you right this moment. I am in the same trouble as you. At the moment, we both have Naraku as a master. That will soon change, however, when your Sesshoumaru comes to save you. Just hold on, it'll be alright."

Taking the girl's hand, Kagura thought 'It's tough talking to ningen children. They are so emotional! But soon she'll be gone, and I'll have my darling Sesshoumaru to call my own!'

She knocked briskly on Naraku's doorway, which was immediately answered by an "Enter!" She entered, dragging Rin behind her. Their master was still bedridden, but most of the bandages had come off.

"So, did he take the bait?" Naraku looked impatient, glancing at Rin often, causing her to hide behind Kagura.

"I believe so, my lord. He seemed pretty angry when we left. I wouldn't be surprised if he's here by nightfall tomorrow, if he knows where to go, that is." Kagura said, bowing once to Naraku and pushing Rin out in front of her.

"Leave me, Kagura." Naraku said, dismissing the demoness. Cackling evilly as he saw Rin try to leave with her, he said, "Not so fast, Rin. I have some… i things /i … that I need for you to do for me."

Rin started to cry again, taking slow painful steps towards Naraku, who was shrugging off his shirt. "Just like last time, Rin. The faster you do it, the easier it is on you…"

With KagomE

Kagome struggled through the haze of deep sleep, dark shapes and unfamiliar voices surrounding her. The fog was thickening, almost strangling her, though something pushed her onwards towards the unknown.

There was a sudden bright flash, and she found herself at the entrance to a large shrine, a large hole in the ground in front of her. 'This place looks… familiar…' She thought, wandering to the entrance of the building in front of her. The rumbling roar of a waterfall reached her ears, coming from somewhere behind the house.

The front door opened without a sound, the sunlight filtering through the paper walls to fall on the dark wooden floor. A small scurrying sound reached her ears, and she was drawn onwards, catching small glimpses of a ringed tail or a small paw leading her deeper into the house.

All of a sudden she was at the back door, the mist from the waterfall dampening the floors and seeping through the cracks in the door. She threw it open, and was dazzled by thousands of miniature rainbows. She ran to the balcony in wonder, the lush green of the grass and trees complemented by the perfect blue of the clear sky. Watching the water was calming, and she soon caught sight of the figure sitting in the middle of the turbulence.

Curious, she hurried down the stairs, and then across the grass to the pool that the waterfall fell into. Recognition lit her face as she yelled, "Miroku!"

The figure turned, surprise lighting his face. Turning around, he jumped into the crystal clear pool, swimming swiftly to her. "Kagome-sama!" He exclaimed happily, smiling brilliantly at her. "I knew you would find me."

"Miroku-kun… You're alive?" Kagome asked, looking him up and down, not taking note that he was only wearing a towel around his waist, a i white /i one.

Shaking his head sadly, he said, "No, Kagome. I am dead, all of us are, but we have stayed in the world of dreams. Haven't you wondered where the Shikkon no Tama has gone?"

Kagome almost fainted from surprise. 'Of all the things I've forgotten about it just had to be the jewel!' She thought to herself, shaking her head violently. "So Naraku got it?"

That's when Miroku grinned, not the perverted 'I'm-up-to-no-good' grin, but a genuine one that's shared between friends. "Not quite. As each of us… died…" he said with a grimace, "We each took a part of the jewel with us to the dream world, to await the day that our beloved Kagome will find us."

"So, you have part of it?" Kagome asked, trying to sense the jewel on his person.

"Hai, but now that you've found me, you have taken it back into your possession. Until it is complete, it will reside within your blood and soul. Now that you have found me, I shall stay with you, to help you find our friends."

"Thank you, Miroku…" Kagome said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Now now, don't cry Kagome…" Miroku said, stepping forwards and wrapping her up in a hug. Kagome tensed, expecting a hand to go wandering, but it never did, only rested on her shoulders. Sighing, she closed her eyes and fell into a deeper sleep, Miroku whispering to her, telling her about the dream world and where they might find the others.

A little while lateR

The demon lord stirred, the dull ache in his side sparking to life at the slight movement. 'I'm still… alive…?' He thought sluggishly, taking a deep breath and opening his golden eyes. The pinkish light of pre-dawn filtered through the glass window behind him, the rays flowing down softly to pool on the floor. The delicious smell of seasoned meat and delicate rice flowed through the open-. 'Wait a minute…' He thought, glancing beside him on the bed. Kagome lay there, having collapsed from exhaustion some time ago. She had somehow in the middle of the night twisted herself around and hung, at present, halfway off of the futon. 'If she's here, then who's cooking in the kitchens?'

Ignoring the burning in his side for the moment, Sesshoumaru stood up, bare feet on the floor that was still stained crimson, despite the obvious signs of being cleaned. He gingerly picked Kagome up and placed her comfortably in the middle of the futon, where she promptly curled up into a ball. 'This human… She saved this Sesshoumaru's life… I shall have to repay my debt to her somehow…' His gaze lingering on her a moment longer, he then exited the room, following the hallway down to the kitchens, which emitted the sounds of dishes hitting each other and the pleasant sizzle of cooking meat.

Sliding the door open, Sesshoumaru asked in his best authoritarian voice, "Who's in he-" and his composure slipped, eyes widening considerably when he saw Taioset, who had changed into a more human-like form, had somehow squeezed into Jaken's 'King of the Kitchen' frilly blue apron.

Turning around, Taioset smiled at the demon lord. "Good morning my lord Sesshoumaru-sama!" He said, turning back to the large skillet where vegetables were cracking and popping from the intense heat. "Is Kagome-sama awake?"

Shaking his head, Sesshoumaru said, "No, she is very fatigued. She will be able to find us when she wakes."

Nodding, not quite sure if she really would be able to, Taioset said, "The food's almost ready, will you want any?"

"I'm not much one for human foo-" Sesshoumaru said, but his stomach intervened, letting out the most grotesque sound he had ever heard, like the mixture of a burp and the squishy sound your foot makes when it steps in a pile of poop.

"I'll get you a plate." Taioset said, laughing at the look on Sesshoumaru's disgusted face.

He heaped generous portions of rice and meat onto his plate and sat it in front of his companion, who had already taken a seat at the low table in the room. Quickly following suit, he poured a small cup of tea for the both of them and they soon were engrossed in eating the delicious food that was prepared.

center In the other rooM /center

"Mmm…" Kagome said, stretching languidly like a cat in the morning light. "What's that delicious smell…?" Still feeling dirty from her ordeal the night before, she decided to ask Sesshoumaru where the baths were, but after she had a taste of the food that she smelled.

She walked down the hallway, following her nose and ears, and soon came to the room where it was coming from. Entering it silently, she said, "Good morning, Sesshoumaru and Taioset."

Sesshoumaru and Taioset looked up, but instead of greeting her, they stared silently in horror at what was directly behind her.

End Chapter Five

ooooo a cliffie! I'm soo evil :-O lol, well, please tell me how I did, and don't forget to read, rate and review!

3 Albalannae