Endure

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Flashback

Stress Words

It had been a year since the battle with the demon puppet. Every trace of Naraku had vanished from the land and air. Even youkai seemed to be back to normal without the fear of the one evil hanyou. The atmosphere seemed to be calmer than normal when it came time to finish what training had begun the day of the disappearance. Amber eyes traced every piece of land while thoughts passed through this youkai's mind. Nothing had a sense of calm the way the land did today.

The owner of these eyes sighed as he sensed distraught in his palace. It was time to check on his guests since he knew that certain things triggered the people to act up. He walked down the stairs of his tower before he came to the third level of his home. He looked down and calmly watched as the taijiya chased the komuso with extreme rage. She finally sung her boomerang and the komuso blocked the attack with his Shakujou. The youkai soon became bored with this daily routine and jumped to the ground level where he caught the taijiya's weapon between his index and middle finger.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," she exclaimed in shock.

"You will stop this routine before you damage my palace," he ordered before he walked off.

"Are you okay Sango?" The male asked.

"Yes, Miroku," she answered as she hit him with her Hiraikotsu.

Sesshoumaru walked down the hallways of his palace until he heard laughter. He glanced into the room and saw Rin braiding Shippo's hair and laughing. Shippo then chased Rin around the room as they laughed. Sesshoumaru then continued his travel to where he heard growling and cussing. He finally made it to the training room where he stood and watched his half brother dodge attacks. He then walked into the room and saw Jaken use his two-headed staff to shoot fire out.

Sesshoumaru then continued to think about how Naraku's actions had changed Inuyasha. His serene amber eyes didn't reflect anything he was thinking off when he stood there. He chose to make himself announced when he made his footsteps echo in the empty room. Inuyasha turned to look at Sesshoumaru's composed figure when he turned around. Sesshoumaru laid his two swords before he walked onto the reed floor and over to Inuyasha.

"What do you want?" Inuyasha asked as he wiped his sweat on his sleeve.

"Your training is going well," Sesshoumaru stated.

"Is that supposed to be a question?" Inuyasha asked.

"I will be going leaving this place again," Sesshoumaru said.

"Is that so?" Inuyasha asked.

"I'm going to go searching for Naraku," Sesshoumaru said.

"You know I'll be coming with," Inuyasha stated as he watched his brother's face.

"I'm leaving Rin here and under Jaken's care. Will you be leaving Shippo?" Sesshoumaru asked.

"You actually asked a real question, and with some type of emotion," Inuyasha mocked.

"Your impudence is not needed. You're lucky my honor is strong," Sesshoumaru said.

"I'll leave Shippo here," Inuyasha said.

"We leave at noon," Sesshoumaru said a he picked up his swords and left the room.

'He's still not comfortable with emotions,' Inuyasha thought as he strapped Tetsusaiga to his side and went to find Sango and Miroku.

Leaving with Sesshoumaru for a year wasn't an easy task for this hanyou that reminded Sesshoumaru of his father. It was that haunting look that Inuyasha possessed whenever night came. It was that same appearance that Sugimi, his father had when he first met Izayoi. Sesshoumaru would look upon Inuyasha and see Sugimi as he remembered the day he died. Certain events haunted him to no extent, not even his dreams were left untouched by these events. Sesshoumaru stopped when he reached the palace gate.

He could see Sugimi transform into his true form before he would run to meet Izayoi. Sesshoumaru was only hundred when his father started to see the woman, the princess. He looked over and saw the group of three coming towards him before they stopped. Inuyasha appeared to be quiet, but on the inside his emotions were raging. Sango held Kirara in her arms, as Miroku carried nothing but his Shakujou.

"How long will it be till we return," Sango asked as she let Kirara hop down.

"However long it takes!" Inuyasha growled as he let the determination shine through his eyes.

Sesshoumaru had to stop his quick intake of breath as he looked at Inuyasha's eyes. The amber was brighter and his soul reflected the truth in his words. The night his father died replayed with more clarity. As the last words Sesshoumaru spoke, the last words his father would hear from his son replayed in his mind. He saw his father's determination rage like flame before he transformed into his true form. He heard the howl of what was as he learned, a howl of loneliness and impending death.

"We will travel to Edo," Sesshoumaru quickly said before he began to walk.

'He must be agitated,' Miroku thought they began to travel.

Eight Months Earlier

Naraku sat in his chambers surround by his dark purple miasma. The air around him thickened with each thought of darkness and sweet sorrow. He watched as the miasma parted when Kagura entered the room. She glared at him while she clenched her fan in her delicate, but deadly right hand. He smirked knowing that he contained her freedom in the palm of his hand. It pleasured him to know that he could make those who had aspirations, and dreams suffer.

"Are you going to release her?" Kagura asked as she stood in front of Naraku.

"This time it was a success," Naraku said, his voice laced with pleasure in his newest achievement.

"The last time she came out crazed," Kagura said in disgust.

"She has been hard to control since her purity rejects me," Naraku mentioned.

"What have you changed?" Kagura asked as she let her disgust show.

"That was but an easy answer," Naraku whispered as Kagura raised an eye brow, "I've changed her purity."

"Is that possible?" Kagura asked.

"Yes it is," Naraku growled as he showed his anger for her questioning.

"Where is she?" Kagura asked.

"She is with Kanna at the moment," Naraku said.

"What do you want of me?" Kagura asked, as she grew impatient.

"I need you to go and take Kohaku to the north and leave him in a village," Naraku ordered. Kagura nodded before she left the room and walked towards Kohaku room.

'What has Naraku planned this time?' Kagura asked herself before she retrieved the boy.

The room was lightly dimmed and inside of this was a person. One candle flickered when another softly walked closer to the person making sure to remain in the shadows. The moon came through a crack in the wood of this one room hut. Soft eyes watched her newest companion in the world. There was a common link that they shared that the other person knew nothing of. When the other person curled into a ball their eyes slowly opened. When flashbacks of what happened entered the other's mind, she sat up and backed into a lit corner.

"INUYASHA!" The young woman screamed as clawed at the wall.

"He will not come," a soft voice stated before drifting into the cold emptiness of the hut.

"Who's there? Answer!" The young woman demanded as she stood up.

Her eyes narrowed as she watched a little child dressed in a white kimono come out of the shadows. This woman recognized this child as Naraku's first incarnation, Kanna. The woman looked for Kanna's mirror only to find there was nothing but clothes in the young girl's hands. She walked to the middle of the hut to and set the clothes down. Kanna then backed away. The young woman looked down at herself to find she was naked and could feel a faint chill.

"Why am I here?" The young woman demanded.

"Kagome, you need to dress," Kanna softly said before sat down.

Kagome walked over to clothes and grabbed them before she ran back to her corner. She undid the pile to find black Miko pants with a royal purple shirt. She quickly put the garments on slipped on a pair of sandals. She looked over toward Kanna before she quickly scanned the room for an exit. She saw the room had no door or windows. She then watched as Kanna placed a basket in front of herself. Kagome sat in front of Kanna and saw her take a plate of sushi out of the basket.

"It's fresh," Kanna said as she took out a bowl of wasabi.

"Why am I here?" Kagome asked, as she smelt the sushi.

"You are here because my master needs you," Kanna answered.

"I will not obey Naraku," Kagome growled as she at the sushi.

"You will have to serve him, just as Kagura." Kanna calmly said.

"Are my friends okay?" Kagome asked.

"It has been four months since the fight, they are fine," Kanna answered.

"Four months?" Kagome whispered in surprise. "How has four months passed?"

"You were inside Naraku's body."

"He absorbed me?" Kagome asked as she let the astonishment and disgust show on her face.

"He took you into his body and made you apart of him."

"Take me to him," Kagome demanded as she stood.

"He's summoning you," Kanna whispered.

"I go of my own will," Kagome stated.

Kanna picked her mirror up before she faced the closest wall. Kagome watched as a door appeared in the mirror and reflected onto the wall. She held her hands up when a sudden weight came upon them. She growled as she watched to wrist cuffs appear with the keyhole facing her. Kanna opened the door and Kagome walked through with Kanna. Kagome then looked over her shoulder to see the hut was no longer there.

Eight Months Later

A female figure walked into the Lord's room. As she walked her hips swayed and determination radiated from her body. She kneeled in front of the Lord's chair and the sound of metal clinked as she looked at the ground. The miasma parted from her and she listened to the throne chair creak as footsteps echoed around the room. She then saw feet appear before her as she kept her head down. The figure gazed down at her and determined if this was a worthy success.

"Speak," the figure ordered.

"What do you wish me to say?" She asked from her position. The answer he received satisfied him.

"Do you swear loyalty to me?" The figure asked.

"Yes," the female figure growled out through gritted teeth.

"Good, I've see you finally have learned your place," the figure replied as he studied the female.

"My place is to serve you," the female said as she held back the anger in her eyes.

"Are you ready for your mission?" The figure asked as he sat in his chair.

"Yes, any mission my master sends me on is a blessing," the female replied as she kept her tone calm and even. The figure in the chair smiled as he laughed in his head.

"You are to go to the Edo village and find the half demon known as Inuyasha," the male figure said.

"What shall I do with him?" The female asked.

"You are to collect the shards of the Shikon no Tama and bring them to me. I also want you to kill the two humans that travel with him when your mission is over. Bring Inuyasha to me in any condition you like," the male ordered.

"Yes master Naraku," the female replied.

"Take this and say I am dead. You killed me if they ask," Naraku said as he threw her his shard of the Shikon no Tama. She picked up the shard of the Shikon no Tama before she stood up and bowed to Naraku. Naraku smirked before he called her name out. She stopped and looked at him.

"Purify the jewel before you show them it," Naraku said before she left the castle grounds.

The female walked out of the castle and watched as Kagura landed next to her. Kagura waited for the female to board before she took off toward Edo. Kagura looked over at the female and frowned when she saw her silence was in anger.

"You remember our deal?" Kagura asked as they flew.

"Yes, and I will keep our deal true," the female responded before she remained quiet.

Author's Note: