Inuyasha: Let's just go and continue to search for Naraku. Waiting like this is only going to make it harder on us.
Kagome: Well it HAS stopped snowing and it doesn't really seem like it will begin again ...
She says looking to the others slowly who nod in agreement.
Kagome: We could always ride on Kirara so that our feet don't touch the ground...
Inuyasha: What's wrong with your feet touching the snow?
He asks, the cold not really bothering him. Kagome shakes her head and groans.
Sango: So are we going then?
Kagome nods.
Kagome: I even brought back some things from my time that should help us out.
Sango: OH? Like what Kagome-chan?
She asks curiously as they all get on Kirara.
Kagome: Well I brought hot chocolate, it's this really nice warm drink that in my time people drink when it's cold.
Sango: Oh?
Shippou: Chocolate is really yummy.
He says and smiles as he thinks of chocolate and giggles.
The scene returns to Sesshoumaru, Sakura, Rin and Jaken... Rin rides silently on Aaun, as Jaken leads it.. Sakura walking silently nearby Sesshoumaru she frowns to herself as she stares at the ground pouting. Sesshoumaru glances back annoyedly having noticed her expression for some time now.
Sesshoumaru: What?
He asks continuing to walk, Sakura's eye's widen and she looks up to him slowly and then frowns it's again.
Sakura: It's stupid.
Sesshoumaru: Ok.
He says and continues walking ignoring her once again, Sakura frowns.
Sakura: I just feel bad that you were attacked because of us twice... we are just a burden to you and should leave... I don't want to put Rin-chan in danger like this but then I also think that Rin-chan would be sad if we leave. .and I don't want Rin-chan to be sad.. but I don't want to have to worry about her because of myself...
Sesshoumaru remains silent for a long moment, not responding at all.. Sakura's eye's narrow slightly as she looks up at him stifling back her anger she storms up beside him.
Sakura: Hey did you hear me you stupid dog!
She yells waving the scythe about in her hand angrily. Jaken giggles.
Jaken: OOooh she's going to get it noooowww... talking to Lord Sesshoumaru like that.
He says thinking in his mind as he chuckles to himself. Sesshoumaru pauses and looks down at her silently, his gaze nearly expressionless as he does nothing but stare Sakura continues gazing at him and then slowly her eye's widen and begin to flicker slightly as she stares at him and then smiles and nods.
Sakura: I understand...
She says watching as he turns and continues on, still not saying a word. Sakura glances back to Rin and Jaken who are watching curiously and then begin to move again while Sakura remains standing where she is.
Sakura: Sakura doesn't have to worry about Rin-chan's safety...
She says to herself in her mind.
Sakura: Because Sesshoumaru will protect her always ...
She says pausing for a moment again and smiling.
Sakura: And us.
She says becoming lost in her thought as she stares at the snow, her eye's wide nas she hear's Rin calling out to her.
Rin: Saakuurraa!
Sakura: Huh?
She says glancing up noticing the small distance already between them.
Sakura: Heeeeeey! Wait for meeeeeeee!
She whines and begins to run to catch up to them, giggling to herself as she does.
Sakura: Sesshoumaru will always protect us!
She says in a happy, confident tone within her mind as she easily catches up and walks alongside Rin on Aaun, looking up at her with a huge smile.
The scene changing to Naraku's castle as Kagura arrives and slowly enters his room, he looks up silently.
Naraku: You failed to bring me the nekura, Kagura.
Kagura: Sesshoumaru is protecting it.
Naraku :I figured as much... that is why I have already unleashed a second plan.
Kagura: Second plan?
She repeats her eye's widening as she thinks of what he will do to Sesshoumaru.
The scene changes to hours later, late in the afternoon as it grows closer to night. Inuyasha and the others ride silently through the air, scanning the grounds below.
Kagome: I hope we can find a village or some place to stay for the night.
Sango: Miroku can do one of his fake excorsisms to get us a nice place to say.
Miroku: HEEEEY!
He says looking offended and then chuckles, glancing over as all of a sudden Inuyasha gasps and leaps right off Kirara dropping onto the ground.
Miroku: Inuyasha?
He asks looking down in confusion as Inuyasha begins to run.
Inuyasha: It's Naraku.
He says coldly as he charges towards the familiar scent.
Kagome: Naraku..
She says to herself as she thinks of all the pain he has caused every one.
The scene changes to Sesshoumaru, Sakura, Jaken and Rin as they continue walking through the snow covered path coming into an open clearing, they all pause as Sesshoumaru stops and scans the area silently.. Sakura's eye's widen as all of a sudden she sense's something and turns screaming as she see's a long tentacle coming straight for her she reaches out her hands cringing in fear and then blinks after a moment her body relaxing as she looks around inconfusion as everything around her has frozen.
Sakura: What..?
She mumbles looking in disbelief as the tentacle that stands only inches from her frozen in time.
Sakura: Nekura-chan.. what is --
She says and then her eye's widen as Nekura tells her to quickly move, she does as she's told gasping as time unfreezes and the tentacle misses her barely. She watches silently as Sesshoumaru walks passed her towards the male figure that chuckles in the distance.
Sakura: Hey you!
She yells and tightens her fist over her scythe as she begins storming towards him, her eye's widening as she feels Sesshoumaru grab onto her tail she turns raising the scythe and goes to slash him hard gasping as Sesshoumaru grabs it in mid swing stopping it inches from his face.
Sakura: Stupid dog!
She yells jerking her body away forcing his hold off her tail she leaps up and kicks him knocking him back slightly.
Sakura: I told you not to ---
She says and gasps as she sense's it coming again she turns looking back wide eyed as she see's a stream of tentacles coming right for her.
Sesshoumaru: Out of my way.
He says knocking her to the ground as he draws his swords and charges for them. Sakura blinks looking at him in disbelief and then growls.
Sakura; I don't care if you protect me don't pull on my god damn tail!
She screams needing to say the last word even though the argument was obviously over... she gets up slowly wiping the snow off her butt and reaches down for her scythe when all of a sudden her eye's widen and she looks towards Sesshoumaru who was ready to strike the demon in the distance.
Sakura: SESSHOUMARU WAIT!
She calls out in fear and then forms a small ball of red glowing light in her handthrowing it with all her strenght, Sesshoumaru stops looking back and watching as it slams against the demon.. he jumps back as the demon explodes into an eruption of flames, floating backwards in the air as the fire lashes out.. Aaun takes into the skies with Jaken and Rin shielding them from the blast and flames.
Sakura: It was going to destroy you...
She says as he lands, she walks up to him he glances over to her silent and then looks up throwing out his hand as his poison whip lashes out wrapping around something he jerks it up and pulls the demon out bringing it to his knee's. Sakura gasps looking back having not sensed the real demon at all... she shakes her head slowly as she looks at him.
Sakura: He isn't real either...
She says as she can see the strange aura around it as well .. and begins to look around wearily, as Sesshoumaru easily splits the decoy into pieces.
Sakura: This is really creepy...
She says uncomfortably.. becoming a little bit afraid as she begins to float off the ground and looks around slowly.
Sakura: Sesshoumaru.. I"m scared...
She says shakily, the sky darkening above them not helping her fears. Sesshoumaru glances up at her silently and then reaches out grabbing the back of her shirt and pulling her down. She looks back to him confusingly as he forces her all the way to the ground .
Sakura: Well atleast he didn't pull my tail...
She says to herself in her mind and then looks around wearily, her eye's sparkling slightly as they had begun to tear up.
Sakura: I guess I don't have to be afraid.. Sesshoumaru is ---
She says and stops gasping as all of a sudden with a swish of air he strangely disappears.
Sakura: Sessshooumarrruuu..?
She hesitantly asks outloud in a whisper as she looks around fearfully wondering where he had gone..
Sakura: What..?
She mumbles looking around confusingly as everything around her seems to of disappeared into a mist.. absolutely nothing around her as if she had been sucked into a void, her eye's widen as she see's a small girl standing silently from her a few feet away holding a mirror.
Sakura: Who are you...?
Kanna: I have come for your soul..
She syas in her soft and empty voice. Sakura's eye's widen in disbelief.
Sakura: N..n..nnnnekuraaaa--chaaan...
She says, yelling at the end stuttering fearfully as she steps back and then all of a sudden she warps and disappears. Kanna blinks confusingly as the mist around them fades away. Sesshoumaru pauses in mid step looking back as he hear's the sound of Sakura's scythe hitting the ground.
Kanna: She's disappeared.
She says emotionlessly looking up as Sesshoumaru leaps into the air with his sword raised, she stands there a moment staring up at him and then disappears.. his sword slamming inte ground the force of his power melting the snow all around him he pauses glancing to the side as Inuyasha and the other's arrive. He pulls the sword out of the ground.
Inuyasha: Where is he!
He yells leaping forward as he draws his sword and it transforms.
Sesshoumaru: Where is who?
He asks in his calm though annoyed sounding voice.
Inuyasha: Don't play stupid, Sesshoumaru, where is Naraku?
He says looking around still smelling that familiar scent, his eye's widen as tentacles shoot out from the tree's towards Rin, Jaken and Nekura on Aaun floating in the air.
Kagome: HEY LOOK OUT!
She calls out reaching out in fear as Rin screams, Nekura's eye's glow and the tentacles stop, a red glow surrounding them as her energy forces them to freeze. Sesshoumaru turns and begins charging for them his eye's widening as all of a sudden a glow forms in mid air and the scythe goes flying towards it as Sakura appears floating and grabs it slicing right through them and landing down on the ground in the snow.
Sakura: That wasn't really nice!
She says angrily.
Sakura: Putting me in that spooky white stuff all by myself! I was scared!
She says yelling slightly... pointing her scythe at him.
Inuyasha: Who's she?
He asks curiously as he glances over as Naraku's incarnation reveals himself.
Miroku: It seems Naraku has yet another incarnation.
Incarnation: I am --
He says and pauses looking curiously to Sakura who is running towards him.
Incarnation: Oh. .and what is this? Are you coming to ME.. Keiei?
He says glancing over as he notices Sesshoumaru coming for him too.
Sakura: NO!
She yells and throws the scythe at Sesshoumaru forcing him to stop as it slams down infront of him.
Sakura: You stay like a good dog for once!
She yells and then disappears. Sesshoumaru watches silently following her as she moves faster then before he returns his sword to his belt reaching out and pulls the scythe from the snow.
Sesshoumaru: Here.
He says tossing it, as Sakura appears right beside Naraku's incarnation he turns with wide eye's just as she catches it and leaps back slicing right through him.
Sakura: HA!
She yells as she pulls the scythe back and tears through him again he lets out groans of pain and then poison explodes out around him, Sakura screams as the gas pushes her back evenloping her completely she slams down into the snow nearby and laying motionlessly as he disappears, Rin gasps looking down as Nekura seems to slump down letting out a faint cry.
Rin: Something is wrong.
She says looking down concernedly and then looks down at Sakura again.
Rin: Lord Sesshoumaru!
She calls out, he turns glancing up.
Rin: Something is wrong with Sakura and the nekura.
He stands there looking at her silently and then to Sakura, glancing over as Kagome runs passed him and kneels down beside Sakura who's eye's open weakly and look up to her though she can't really make out who it is from her blurred version.
Kagome: She's been poisoned.. I have some things that will make her alright.
She says rummaging through her bag as Inuyasha and the others come up behind her, Rin running up holding Nekura.
Rin: Wait!
She calls as she runs out, Kagome pauses and looks over.
Rin: You have to give it to the nekura, not to Sakura.
Kagome: What?
Rin: I don't know.. I don't understand it I just know that you have to give it to Nekura.
Kagome: Are you sure..?
She asks looking to Sakura hesitantly as she lets out a whimper.
Rin: Sakura said that Nekura and her are linked.. and Sakura comes from Nekura. .. so when Sakura is injured she will automaticlaly heal but if the Nekura is injured, Sakura will share it's injury until the Nekura is well . .and the poison is obviously effecting the Nekura too...
Miroku: Nekura. I have heard of this species. .it is a rare demon cat type with unique and powerful abilities. Each of them are different but they all retain one common thing. .the "keiei" .
Kagome: The keiei?
Miroku: It is similar I suppose to Naraku and his incarnations.. the nekura and the keiei are two seperate beings.. with two souls and two minds .. yet are linked as one. The keiei is a part of the nekura.. if the nekura is injured, the keiei will be as well.. though if the keiei is it automatically heals though it can take some time.. if the attack is strong enough though it may even reach the nekura, worsening the condition.. which is obviously the case here.
Kagome: So I should give the herbs to the cat..?
Miroku nods.
Miroku: It is the only way to save them both.
Kagome looks at him for a moment and nods, her eye's widening as all of a sudden Sakura's body begins to pulse.. an aura glowing around her as her body lifts off the ground and Nekura lets out a whimper as her eye's open slowly, already glowing. Rin gasps looking down at her.
Rin: The Nekura has awakened.
She says, all of them watching in disbelief as the poison energy begins pulling right out of Sakura's body forming a ball hovering above her. .her hand rising as the energy dies down she reaches out and touches it opening her eye's as the energy pulses and disappears and she drops onto the ground.. gasping as she lands.
Sakura: Ouch.
She mumbles as she falls into the snow and then shivers.
Sakura: COOOLLDDD!
She yells leaping up and looking at the snow annoyedly.
Rin: Sakura-sama!
She yells running over to her and huggling her, Nekura hopping up on Sakura's shoulder, Sakura turns looking at her curiously.
Sakura: Hm?
Rin: You're alight!
Sakura: Oh. Well. .. I was ok .. we just had to take a moment to undo the poison stuff.
Rin: Undo?
She asks curiously, Sakura giggles and nods.
Sakura: Nekura-chan and I are of chaos.. we control time ...
Rin gasps, Sakura glances around curiously as the other's gasp as well.
Sesshoumaru: Let's go.
Sakura: Hm?
She asks looking over curiously and then shrugs.
Sakura: Apparently we are leaving now.
She says and begins to float off the ground she looks down at the poison orb in her hand.
Sakura: Thank you for trying to help us though.
She says floating over to Kagome, Kagome looks up at her with wide eye's.
Sakura: Here.. you can have this. Maybe it will help you one day.
She says putting the orb into her hand.
Sakura: When it hits an object, the poison will release.
She says and glances back as Sesshoumaru had already put distance between them, Jakken and Rin going after him on Aaun. Sakura glances back to Kagome and giggles and then disappears, reappearing floating nearby Aaun. Kagome looks down at the poison orb in her hand with wide eye's and then over to them as they walk away.
Miroku: How incredible.. to be able to witness a nekura and it's keiei with my own eye's.
Sango: And she can control time..?
Miroku: So it seems.
Kagome: Hm
She says and looks down at the orb silently.
Miroku: It is strange though, how child like and kind the keiei is. The Nekura gives off such an evil and dark feeling.
Kagome: And Sakura gives off such a warm and sweet feeling.
Sango: She was very cute too.
Kagome: Yes and she had ears like Inuyasha.
Inuyasha: Be quiet
He says folding his arms and looking away.
Shippou: I thought she was really cute too.
Kagome: Oooohhh? Does Shippou-chan have a cruuushhh?
She asks teasing him with his tone, he blushes and looks away.
Shippou: no no.. I just thought she was cute.. that's all.
He says as Kagome and Sango both giggle in response.