Luna: Hey look! What a pretty mirror…((plays with it))

Veron: It might suck your soul out you know.

Luna: Why?

Veron: Look who's behind it.

Luna: ((sees Kanna)) EEEEEK! ((Hides))

Kanna: …

Luna: I apologize for this taking so long. I was a lazy bum. Akeranai-Chan gave me the boot in the ass to update with her review Happy belated Easter everyone! ((tosses chocolate eggs to everyone))

Disclaimer: HEY! Look a bird! ((Runs off with the Inuyasha rights))

Lawyer: ((Shakes his head as he shoots Luna with a tranquilizer))

Luna: ((eye lids drooping)) I own story…

Lawyer: ((Placing injector in his briefcase)) but not Inuyasha they belong to Rumiko Takahashi ((kicks Luna with every syllable))

Luna: Zzzzz


Chapter 5: Thwock
Lord Himawari blinked in surprise as a man clad in white stepped silently into his study. The man smiled and stood, bowing graciously to the ground.

" Sesshomaru-Sama, a pleasant surprise."

The said lord merely nodded his head in acknowledgement before speaking, his face as placid as ever.

" Is it true that you hold yet another heir to the throne?"

Himawari laughed his face one of merriment as he shook his head. Calling for a servant he demanded Kori-Hime-Sama be brought out to meet the demon lord as a mark of respect.

" Hold another one? Milord you must be mistaken, I have only one child!"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed as he watched the servants stiffen at their lord's words. One shook his head discreetly as he watched a female figure follow another servant into the study.

" Sesshomaru-Sama, Here is Kori-Hime."

The young girl looked up, her stormy eyes wide and innocent as she bowed low to the demon lord. Sesshomaru grew suspicious, Himawari's true flesh and blood died two years ago. Yet, he acted as if she had never died with Kagome in her place. Their scents weren't even remotely similar.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second as he realized that no fear or suspicion was tainting her aroma as she sat politely beside her surrogate father. That and her eyes held no hint that she recognized him.

Kagome looked up, venturing to gaze the royal presence in the eye. Her heart stopped as she gazed in those amber pools. It was like those eyes from the dream! But…they were so cold as they regarded her and he looked as if he never showed any emotion save anger. The princess's eyes dropped to the floor and she mentally sighed.

Standing up, he nodded his head towards the man. It was his duty to protect this man's family line; it was his Mother's final wish on her deathbed. Even if the child was not their own but they treated them as such; he had to protect him.

As he walked out, ignoring the bowing and the wide stares of the filthy human villagers, his mind did not ignore the irony of the situation. He had to protect his filthy half brother's ward or "Shikon shard detector" as he called her once.

His eyes focused on where a new scent originated from, death and clay with the bare hint of sakura assaulted his senses. Instead of returning to his castle, he headed deep into the thickets of the woods, ignoring Jaken's incessant chatter.

Kikyo tightened her hand over her bow as the demon lord entered the area where she currently lay. Her emotionless mask mirrored his own as they regarded the other. No trust resided between the two but business and inquisition of information seemed to be Sesshomaru's task this day.

" Do you not hate everything living?"

So he remembers that day does he?

The miko didn't answer, merely gazed out into the thickets opposite of her position. The wind blew around them both, causing a single strand of ebony hair to linger across her face.

" Why stay with her, if you despise her so?"

Her eyes flickered up to his face, a slight curve to her mouth.

" And why act concerned over someone you have tried to murder?"

" I could say the same for you as well."

Silence reigned between them both for a moment, the tension causing her shikigami to curl protectively about their mistress.

" I am fulfilling my duty to the jewel. As you are fulfilling your duty to your flesh and blood."

Sesshomaru's eyes glinted in the sunlight, inwardly angered by the fact that she knew of his promise. He glared pointedly at her, enraged that she simply ignored him as if he was nothing.

" She has lost her memory?"

Kikyo stood, brushing imaginary dirt from her hakama pants, shouldering her quiver and bow. Focusing on his face, she locked gazes with him. Gray clashed with cold amber gold in the quiet forest.

" I am sure you realized the truth of that when you gazed into her eyes."

The woman left it at that and made her way through the thickets leaving the demon lord behind, his parting words making her stop for a moment.

" She doesn't know what you are."

A breeze blew between them and Kikyo ignored the painfully true statement. More concerned on if Kagome had collapsed from seeing Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru smirked at the fading back of the priestess.

You cannot fool this Sesshomaru. You are caring for something living. You are only human and for that, you are easily swayed.

Pathetic.

Kagome toyed with the wooden ball in her hands, her mind drifting somewhere else entirely as she absentmindedly rolled the toy between her palms. The wind caressed her hair and she suppressed a giggle as the last of the sakura blossoms danced across her nose.

Her head turned to face the slender woman that had entered the royal gardens. A wide smile splayed across her features as she delicately patted the seat beside her. The woman nodded and complied with her wishes, placing her weapons next to her.

" I'm going to miss Spring," Kagome murmured plucking a petal from the air and pressing it to her lips, enjoying the lingering softness.

" I prefer Winter."

The princess blinked, surprised that the reclusive priestess was sharing something personal with her. Cocking her head at her, she let her curiosity guide the conversation.

" Why is that Miko-Sama?"

" The world is born anew," Kikyo answered, cradling a flower in her palm. " But, it also means that Spring will come once again." Silently, she placed the plant in her lap.

Kagome smiled warmly at the woman beside her. Gently reaching over, she retrieved the flower from the priestess's lap. Gazing solemnly at the colors in the blossom, she twirled it between her fingertips. Turning to face Kikyo, she delicately reached up and slid the stem into Kikyo's hair.

She stiffened before looking over at the tiny blossom entwined in her hair. Giving Kagome a serious look, the princess gave her a sheepish smile.

" Keep it. So that when Winter comes, you can remember that Spring is coming again. And so that when the snow seems dreary, you can anticipate the colors that will return."

And Kikyo let the tiniest of smiles grace her face.

Something thick and warm stuck to her skin. She winced and held an object to her chest as she felt herself collapse beneath the weight of the strange goop.

She couldn't hear. Or even speak, but murmurs reached her ears as she clawed helplessly at the purple substance.

" And this, this is for-"

She heard the clash of…nails against something else.

The man's voice faded out again as Kagome tried to breathe, only to have the gunk slide up her nostrils. Coughing, she managed to pull out of it. Ignoring the pain in her nose, she angrily pointed a rusty looking sword towards a blurred figure in pure white.

" You! You tried to kill me didn't you!"

Kagome's eyes opened slowly; rather surprised she saw anything or heard anything clearly in this latest incident of hers. And apparently, she had been asleep at the time, so no one was notified of her annoying fainting spells.

Something tickled faintly in the back of her mind, something like a warm glow that made her smile and wrap her arms around her. She sighed as she gazed down at her chest and almost screamed.

There as an odd barely noticeable pink glow resonating from her lower stomach. Panicking, the hime looked around, trying to see if it was some sort of trick on her. Seeing as how it wasn't, she took deep shaky breaths trying to calm herself down.

It was just a trick of the moonlight. All she had to do was go back to sleep and in the morning it would be gone. A mere figment of imagination and simple moment of pure insanity from the week's recent event's. Yes, that was the cause. Repeating this as a mantra in her mind, she burrowed into the comfort of her futon and fell into an uneasy slumber.

Kikyo turned in her futon and let her eyes close wearily, foreboding weighing on her shoulders. The slight almost intangible spark of the Shikon no Tama was ever so slowly become more and more noticeable as was Kagome's aura. The Shikon jewel was weakening without it's other half. And Inuyasha's half was most likely in the same situation.

Kagome's scent would slowly be revealed as well.

The priestess sighed and fell asleep, worrying her shikigami into a twirling frenzy.

Thwock.

Kagome blinked her eyes sleepily, wondering how she had ended up asleep in this meadow. It was just outside the village, this much she knew. But why was she…

" Himawari-Sama wished for you to have some fresh air. You were asleep the entire way here."

The princess sat up, looking around her. It was a very simple meadow, green grass blowing in the breeze. The trees slowly changing to the warm hues that signified Autumn's return. Turning, she watched Kikyo's steely face.

She was rigid as she pulled the bowstring back with practiced grace. Her expression completely devoid of all emotion except for determination. Releasing the string, the projectile flew and hit its target.

Kagome applauded, causing Kikyo to be thrown out of her warrior like state.

"Sugoi Miko-Sama!" The young woman stood, and fell beside Kikyo. Smiling up at her in wonder, she stopped seeing the priestess's slightly shocked face and giggled.

" Don't tell me no one complimented you on your archery before."

" The children have."

Kagome giggled into her palm and gave the woman a sheepish smile.

" The children are awed by anything. Including the simplest of things."

"Such as?"

" A few children watched me in the gardens as I practiced calligraphy. I messed it up when they clapped but I wasn't angry. It was cute."

Kikyo nodded, remembering how the children of another village were amazed by her knowledge of herbs and medicine. That night…Sayo had seen something she never should have seen. Wearily, her eyelids closed and she let out an inaudible sigh.

"Ano…Miko-Sama?"

Her eyes opened and she regarded Kagome's pleading expression with a raised brow.

" May I…may I try to shoot the target?"

The woman nodded and handed over the bow to the princess's outstretched hands. Grinning, she plucked an arrow from Kikyo's quiver and notched it with ease. Her eyes squinting, she pulled the bowstring back, her own face a mirror image of her incarnation's moments before.

" Concentrate solely on the target. It is the only thing you are allowed to focus upon."

The gaze narrowed considerably, gray overpowering the blue in her irises.

" Pull the string taut. Never doubt your aim."

As if in a trance, her posture went straight, her shaky aim turning as still as a statue. Her mouth was pursed in a tense fashion, staring down the multicolored post yards away with a gunfighter stare.

"Strike."

Thwock.

The slight twang of the string vibrating was the only sound that could be heard in the deafening silence of the meadow. Kikyo was evidently surprised at where the feathers protruded from.

The bulls eye.

Kagome was thrown out of her trance as the sound of demure clapping filled her ears. Turning, she gazed steadily at the woman a few feet away. Her face had a slight smile and she had the aura of pride surrounding her.

The princess beamed.

Luna: Wee!

Veron: I wanna draw that…

Luna: Really?

Veron: Maaaaaaayyyyyybee….

Luna: ((sigh))

Veron: REVIEW!