Disclaimer: see a previous chapter.
A/N: Kubikazari (means necklace); this timeline assumes that Inu-yasha has not yet gained the ability to break barriers with the Tetsusaiga.
Thanks to all who have read and reviewed!
The Ties That Bind
Chapter 5
Koga and Inu-yasha reported back to Kaede and told her what happened. When Koga mentioned the yellow smoke Kaede knew exactly what spell Kikyo had used. And she was impressed that Inu-yasha had managed to fight it off. The plan was to go get Sango and Miroku on the way to finding Kikyo. They knew the village in which she resided and had to start there because they had no idea where Naraku's fortress was. Kikyo had almost a day's head start so they had to move fast.
Inu-yasha noticed Koga's frustration with his reduced speed. He was still faster than Inu-yasha, but Koga was having a bit of a hard time adjusting. They reached the slayer's village in a few hours and found Sango and Miroku surprisingly comfortable with each over in a field of flowers, finishing up a picnic. To say the two were startled was an understatement. Inu-yasha and Koga ran right over the two as they lay together on the blanket in their rush to find their friends. When everybody disentangled themselves, all three demons blushed listening to the stream of expletives and curses flowing from Sango's mouth as she gathered the basket and blanket and stormed off. They went to find Sango and explain everything that had happened, but when they did, she was already changed into her battle gear and her bag was packed.
Inu-yasha gaped at the slayer while Miroku just looked on with a mixture of pride and mirth. "How do you do that?"
"I can't picture you and Koga just stopping by to pay a social call. So what's going on?"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Inu-yasha and Koga told Sango and Miroku everything they knew as the foursome headed back to Kaede's. When they got there, they found the older woman sitting next to Kagome's body looking very worried. She didn't bother to look up when they entered. She kept her attention on her cup of tea, hating that there was only one option open to them.
"Kaede?" Sango went to the woman's side and put an arm around her shoulders. "How's Kagome doing?"
"She's stabilized. But she will only get worse if we do not recover the shards quickly. If we give Kagome all the jewel shards we have let, and I place a temporary healing kubikazari on her, she may be strong enough to go with you to get the shards back. But without knowing where Naraku is, it may take too long and the magic will wear off."
"What if we scouted out Kikyo first and find out where she's headed, then come back for Kagome?"
"Good idea Koga."
"Ok, so Inu-yasha and I can go scout out Kikyo since we're the fastest. When we find her, we'll come back here for Sango and Miroku---"
"Wait a minute. Why don't we just stop Kikyo when we find her?"
"Because I doubt she'll be alone."
"We can handle Kikyo."
Koga and Kaede exchanged concerned looks. "What?"
"Inu-yasha, Kikyo is using very powerful and very dangerous magic. I don't think you should risk a confrontation without at least Miroku with you."
"Hmph. Just say it! You don't think I can stand up to Kikyo after what happened!"
"No, Inu-yasha, that's not it. None of you should risk confronting her alone."
"So Koga and Inu-yasha find Kikyo, come back for us and then we follow her, hopefully cutting off Kikyo before she reaches Naraku's."
"What if we don't reach her in time?"
"Then you'll have to face Kikyo and Naraku to get the shards back."
"What? If we haven't been able to defeat him now, what makes you think we can once he has half the shards in his possession?"
"Because we're not going to face Naraku to defeat him. We're going to distract Naraku enough to steal the shards back. It's a hit and run operation. Not seek and destroy."
Inu-yasha glared at the wolf demon. Since when did he become the leader? "Alright. Let's go. We're wasting time."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
As they approached the village they knew Kikyo to reside in, Inu-yasha skidded to a stop, his ears twitching and his nose in the air. He caught her scent. She's moving away from the village!
"Koga! This way!"
He sprinted off into the forest following her trail. Koga caught up with Inu-yasha easily enough and remained a few paces behind to allow for sudden directional changes. They came upon a clearing and saw Kikyo vanish into the forest on the other side. Almost!
As the two demons raced ahead to catch the former priestess, a gust of wind blew them backwards and sent them crashing into the shrubs. Koga shielded his eyes and tried to make out what was going on, when he heard laughter. He felt the flash of hatred at the sound. He knew that laughter well. Kagura.
"Kagura! Damn it!"
Inu-yasha springs up into the trees and continues following Kikyo. Koga follows on the ground, trying to keep track of Inu-yasha through the treetops. Even though Koga was faster than Inu-yasha, he was unaccustomed to maintaining that speed while navigating on treetops.
They managed to track Kikyo and Kagura for quite awhile before a storm suddenly flared up and the gusty winds, thunder and lightening and pouring rain kept them from tracking the two women.
"Damn it! Now what?"
"This storm isn't natural. We must be close to Naraku. If Kagura could whip up a storm like this, she would have done it to begin with. This is Naraku's work."
"You're right. She doesn't have this kind of power. So we need to start scouting for a castle. I remember Naraku saying something about possessing a prince's body."
"Alright. We can split up, but then how will we contact each other?"
"We can't. I guess we're searching together."
It didn't take them long to run into Naraku's barrier. They couldn't find the castle, but they did find the barrier hiding Naraku. Now, they needed the others.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Inu-yasha watched as Koga sliced the last jewel shard from his body and handed it to Kaede without a word, noise, grimace or anything. He may not like the wolf very much, but he had definitely grown to respect him. He was a good leader, a strong demon and very loyal to those that earned it.
He turned his attention to Kaede, who was now placing the three jewel shards in a glass ball that was suspended from a string around Kagome's neck. Kaede held the ball in her hands and chanted. Her hands began to glow and when she removed them, the shards inside the ball were glowing as well.
"It might take her a little while to regain consciousness. But you should leave now. Good luck to you all."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Miroku approached the barrier carefully. He put his hand out trying to sense the amount and type of power he was dealing with. He reached into his robes and pulled out two wards. Not wanting to risk Kagome yet, he concentrated his energy and slapped the wards on the barrier, hoping to weaken it enough for them to slip through. The wards started to burn away but the barrier wasn't weakened enough. He fell to his knees and let out an exhaustive breath.
"It's no good."
He kept his head down, angry with himself for not being strong enough. He looked up when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't let it get to you Miroku. We'll work together, ok?"
He nodded his head. Even though she was physically weak, her voice was strong and determined. He stood up and pulled two more wards from his robes. Kagome stalled his hand for a moment and studied the wards. She took one out of his hand and stared at it intently.
"If you use this ward, Naraku will sense the breech. Use two of the one you have in your hand and I'll add the rest."
The two humans placed hands and wards on the barrier and let their energy flow. Eventually the barrier sparked blue, then white, then a small opening within the barrier dissipated. Miroku yelled under the strain.
"Go! Quickly! Koga, grab Kagome!"
Everyone quickly made their way through the barrier with Koga coming through last, grabbing Kagome as he passed. Miroku made it through just in time before the barrier sparked and sealed itself.
As they turned away from the barrier, they saw the castle looming in the distance and they followed Inu-yasha to recover the jewel shards.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Gift From A Friend
Kagura and Kikyo land at the castle, confident they had lost Inu-yasha and Koga. Kikyo gave Kagura a slight bow before heading inside for Naraku.
"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?"
Kikyo saw the knowing glint in Kagura's eyes.
"That's kind of you Kagura. But this is something I must do alone."
Kagura nodded and flew off in a gust of wind. Kikyo watched her leave, and then entered the dimly lit castle. She stood in the walkway for a moment, trying to sense Naraku. But he found her first.
"Kikyo. What a surprise." His hypnotic voice was everywhere, but Kikyo could feel the presence being projected by Naraku. "What brings you to my humble abode?"
Kikyo speaks as if he's standing next to her, knowing he can hear the slightest whisper anywhere within his dwelling. "I come bearing a gift."
"A gift?"
"Yes. A little something I picked up."
She turned the corner and stopped before the closed doors. She waited until they slid open by invitation. As she entered, she was immediately hit with Naraku's overwhelming aura. She silently padded over to the middle of the room. There were no furnishings. Just a rug on which Naraku sat, his back against the wall, one knee drawn up with his arm draped across it. She bowed to Naraku, a low formal bow, and waited to be allowed up.
Naraku watched the former priestess, now a shadow creature relying on stolen souls to survive, genuflect before him. A smile crept across his face. Who does she think she's fooling?
"Rise priestess. To what do I owe the honor?"
Kikyo raised her face, a small smile gracing her lips. "I remembered how much you liked it when I brought little things back for you, so I brought you this." Kikyo reached into her robes and pulled out the half-formed Shikon jewel. She saw the briefest of lapses in Naraku's façade as his shock registered. Then it's true. Naraku cannot sense the jewel shards as Kagome can.
"What do you mean 'remember'? We only met two years ago Kikyo and not once do I remember you ever bringing me a gift. To what past time do you refer?"
Kikyo bowed slightly. "Forgive me Naraku. I wasn't speaking to you. I was speaking to Onigumo. I cared for him many years ago when he was badly injured. We spent many hours together, forging a strong friendship. I miss him dearly and thought maybe he was mad at me since I have not heard from him in so long. I thought I might bring him a gift as I used to and see how my friend is faring."
Naraku's eyes narrowed and his smile disappeared. "Onigumo is dead priestess."
"No, I can sense him within you. Please, Naraku, let me speak to my friend Onigumo."
"Stop saying that name!" Naraku rose from his seated position and towered over Kikyo. She met his gaze unflinchingly. "Onigumo died many years ago when his body was consumed by a hoard of demons. Now all that remains is me."
"Onigumo, please hear me out! You are alive! Those demons did not destroy you, they only created a new body for you. Please speak to me Onigumo!" Kikyo's face was a perfect mask of heartache for her supposed friend.
Naraku growled as he picked Kikyo up by the shoulders. "Foolish shadow! I am not someone to be toyed with like your pathetic half-breed." Naraku reached for the jewel shard but Kikyo closed her fist around it.
"No! I brought this for Onigumo! Onigumo, where are you? Speak to me!"
"Enough!"
Naraku threw Kikyo across the room against the wall. He began to walk over to the dazed woman when he felt a stabbing pain in his head. He stopped and grabbed his head, trying to fight the voice inside.
Let me speak to Kikyo
"No! You're dead! Shut up!" Naraku growled and reached for Kikyo. He picked her up by the neck and slammed her against the wall so she was eyelevel with him. "I am in control. And you have made a serious mistake priestess."
"Oni..gu….." Naraku's wicked smile was the last thing Kikyo saw.
To be continued….