Love beyond the Western Lands: The Curse of the Black Gem
Chapter 14: Riko's Message and Enju's Love

Reviewer's Corner!
Cold Kikyo – XD Thank you! O.o But all of your reviews are like, the same. Please try to make them longer! .
Kikyo52 - -Hugs you- WAHAH! XD Lol Me missed you! XD Yep Riko was evil! Sesshoumaru didn't really trust her to begin with but I didn't wanna put it in (Context cluuuueeeeeeees! XD LOL . I'm hyper…. and I get hyper only if I laugh too much… . WAHAHAHA! - . - No I don't need to go to the hospital)!
Yoko.no.Ookami – YES YES YES! BWAHAHAH! YOU REVIEWED FINALLY WAHAHH! XD

Also, you may reply through your reviews!

On with the story!
Inuyasha was aghast. "Why? Need another sword again?" Inuyasha yelled almost tauntingly. Just as Sesshoumaru began to speak, Kikyou cut him off. "Inuyasha," Kikyou began. "WHAT?" Inuyasha snapped, thinking it was Sesshoumaru. "Simply lead us the way, it will not cause you any trouble," she calmly said.

Inuyasha stuttered as he would do anything for Kikyou. "Fine," he said flatly, defeated. He walked a good distance away from Kikyou and the others. While looking up, he held a finger to his right eye and began pulling. Lightning crackled as something black withdrew from his eye. It landed in his hand as he looked up.

Kikyou gaped. "Why is your pupil gone (XP Yes, yes I know the pupil's just a little gap in your eye that contracts and expands… XD but I dun care!)?" She asked. "I took my pupil out," Inuyasha said, throwing it. The black pupil vibrated through the air as it spread into a black void. Inuyasha simply leapt in. Then Cha-Yang, Kikyou and Sesshoumaru.

The four traversed through the black void, swirling with a vivid purple. Then a haze of gray swirled around them. "We're here," Inuyasha's gruff voice announced. As the haze cleared a huge skeleton stood before them a good arrow's shot away. "Inu no Taishou… ka (Inu no Taishou, huh)?" Kikyou thought, looking upon the gargantuan skeleton. Cha-Yang seemed to be thinking along the same lines.

Then, one fell swoop, everyone was in the air. "Huh!" Kikyou exclaimed. She was riding on a huge crow… With no flesh at all! Kikyou flipped out as the crow flew into the huge skeleton's mouth.

As Kikyou leapt off the crow, Cha-Yang, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stood before three pedestals, one with nothing coming out of it. Sesshoumaru walked over to one and pulled it out. Kikyou and Cha-Yang noticed it was a katana. "There, you came what you wanted," Inuyasha said roughly. "Get out now." "Wait," Kikyou said. She walked up to the remaining sword that was stuffed in the pedestal.

"Soo ka… Inuyasha, your Tetsusaiga belongs in the pedestal in the far left, while your blade, Sesshoumaru, is the one belonging in the far right," Kikyou said softly. Cha-Yang was staring avidly at the blade remaining in the center pedestal. "I see… Inuyasha… your sword is the fang of destruction, while your Tenseiga, Sesshoumaru, is the fang of life. While Inu no Taishou's blade, Sou'unga, is of between life and death," Cha-Yang said.

Inuyasha gawked. "How-how-how did you know that!" he stuttered. Cha-Yang narrowed her eyes. "I am a major Miko, not to mention on from the sky," Cha-Yang said. Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows as did Kikyou. "No wonder her Kii was so strong!" Kikyou thought. "So are we," Sesshoumaru said coolly. Cha-Yang narrowed her eyes. "Prove it," she said. "Show the circlet and necklace Tennyo (Celestial being) Queen Maya presented to you!" Sesshoumaru sighed and reached into his robe, pulling out his vivid blue circlet and necklace while Kikyou revealed the lavender necklace and circlet. "Now what about you?" Kikyou stated curtly. Cha-Yang's fingers reached around her neck and pulled up the shiny crimson necklace.

Kikyou nodded as did Sesshoumaru. She began to walk towards Sou'unga. "Kikyou, nani desu ka (Kikyou, what are you doing?)?" Cha-Yang asked. Kikyou ignored her words as she held her hands to the hilt of Sou'unga. "Kikyou, I'd rather you not touch my father's blade," Sesshoumaru said. "It has a Jaki so strong even Inu no Taishou was overtaken by it." "Lest he also died from a weak ningen wench named Izayoi (I have NOTHING against Izayoi! . It's just the way I think Sesshoumaru would think in something like this in the anime)," Sesshoumaru thought, stealing a glance at Inuyasha.
Kikyou pushed her husband's words away as she wrapped her fingers around the hilt. Kikyou winced. The blade clattered as her hand shook with it. "Damn!" Kikyou thought, trying to keep her hand steady. "This Jaki was stronger than what I thought it would be! And to think Inu no Taishou had the similar dilemma…" "Kikyou!" Inuyasha cried, running towards Kikyou. "YAMENAI (Stop)!" Kikyou screamed throwing her other hand in Inuyasha's direction, her Kii so strong he was thrown back.

While concentrating on her strength to keep Inuyasha away from her, she felt her hands being held. Cha-Yang gripped her hands on Kikyou's to help her suppress the Jaki. Stronger arms laced around Kikyou now. Sesshoumaru smirked. Kikyou smiled. "Oei! Will you two actually concentrate because my arms are beginning to look a wee bit weird?" Cha-Yang screamed. And it was true! Her arms were beginning to look bandagy and strappy.

"Damn evil grazed sword!" Sesshoumaru cursed and tightening his grip on Kikyou's arms. Cha-Yang's arms began to look less bandagy and strappy while the Jaki receded from their combined Kii.
Everyone sighed as they relinquished their grips as Kikyou pulled out Sou'unga. "I'll be taking this," she said to Inuyasha. Inuyasha nodded. A black void opened again. Inuyasha stepped in. "Let's go," he said. Cha-Yang leapt in, and then Kikyou as Sesshoumaru gave a lingering gaze, then jumped in after them.

The four tumbled out while Sango and Kagome gave a yelp of surprise. "We'll be going, Inuyasha," Kikyou said, looking at Inuyasha directly in the eye. Inuyasha shuddered from her hardy gaze. "Ok." Sesshoumaru took flight on the clouds, with Cha-Yang and Kikyou following him.

Inuyasha kept watching them until they disappeared into the distance. When he turned, Kagome was looking right at him. "What?" he asked. "You still love her, don't you?" Kagome said, rather stiffly. Inuyasha's ears twitched. "What! She told me she no longer loved me after the wedding!" "That's not a reason to not say you don't love her!" Kagome screamed.

Inuyasha looked like he was about to slap her. "Kagome, I NO LONGER LOVE KIKYOU!" Inuyasha screamed the trees shook while sprinkling down snow. "OSUWARI!" Kagome howled. Inuyasha flinched. Sango, Miroku and Shippou watched as the couple screamed. Tears were in Kagome's eyes. "Inuyasha…" Kagome began. "She better not say what I think she's going to…" Inuyasha thought. Without warning, Kagome slapped him. Miroku gasped. Sango buried her face in Miroku's chest. Shippou squealed with horror. "…you are not my favorite person right now!" she finished with her voice trembling.

Sango looked up. Inuyasha's eyes were filled with anger, sorrow and love. "Kagome…" Inuyasha said softly, lightly touching the red region of his face. He suddenly, grabbed Kagome's wrists. "Don't you DARE slap me AGAIN!" he growled viciously. "Hanase (Let go)! Hanashitero (Also meaning let go, but I think it means let go of me now)!" Kagome screamed trying to jerk out of his grip.

"Inuyasha! Kagome!" Miroku cried, restraining Sango not to get involved. "I have never seen you both act so atrociously!" Kagome continued to squirm out of Inuyasha's vice grip, which was beginning to bruise. "YOU WANT SOME OF THIS, MONK!" Inuyasha bellowed. "I'LL GIVE YOU SOME OF THIS ALSO!" Miroku was aghast. Never had Inuyasha yelled at him that way. Sango stopped struggling. Shippou was about to explode. He leapt up. "Fox fire!" he yelled, blue flames blasting out from his paw.

THWACK. Inuyasha pounded him once again. Shippou did not cry however. Suddenly, Kagome jerked out of Inuyasha's grip as she pulled out a bow and arrow. Everyone gasped as Kagome aimed. Inuyasha's vision blurred and saw Kikyou in Kagome's position. He scoffed with a smirk. "Just like last time, isn't it, Kikyou?" Inuyasha said smugly. She tightened her grip on the arrow and bow. "True, only I am Kagome!" she declared, as Kikyou morphed back to Kagome, who shot the arrow.

"Inuyasha! Get out of the way!" Sango screamed. Inuyasha stayed put as the arrow got closer… then he knocked it away; the arrow split cleanly in half. Kagome had tears in her eyes as she lowered her bow. She tossed it aside. "JIKAN NI KAERU, BAKA YARO (I'M GOING HOME, DUMB ASS)!" Kagome screamed, running the other way and into the forest.

Inuyasha made no move to stop her. "Kagome-Chan!" Sango cried, about to go after her. "Don't," Miroku said calmly. "She'll come back on her own." Sango nodded slowly. Inuyasha scoffed. "Tch! Don't count on it! That wench wouldn't come back unless I would go get her! And of course, this time, I am going NO WHERE near that well!" Everyone pretended not to hear him.

Suddenly, the bushes rustled and out came a woman, dressed in midnight blue Miko apparel. Her solid purple hair shifted as she got out the bush, her smoky purple eyes glowing, with a smile gracing her blood red lips. "Good, good, now that we got that annoying wench out of the way, we can now do some true business," she stated. "Omae wa dareda?" Miroku asked. "She is quite beautiful, but her Jaki… it's SO intense!" he thought. "Watashi wa Tai-Kuro Miko Riko," she said.

Riko walked closer. "So, you sense my strong Jaki; do you not, Houshi (Monk)?" Riko said smugly. "What! How did you know what I was thinking!" Miroku exclaimed, raising his staff. Riko chuckled. "Through vigorous training, I finally was able to easily probe through weak minds. And with even more training, I was able to break into the minds of stronger ones."

Inuyasha narrowed her eyes at her. In his hand was a shuriken (Any type of throwing weapons, mainly kunai, which are throwing knives and ninja stars, which are just called shuriken xD). "Inuyasha, I advise you not to throw that shuriken at me," Riko said, without turning. "What?" Inuyasha thought, bewildered. Riko chuckled again. "Don't be so surprised, Inuyasha or did you not hear me say I was trained well to break into people's minds?"

"The person that have trained you; he must be quite strong!" Sango stated. "Why am I trying to make conversation? She's a Kuro Miko! I should be asking her why she is here! Not make conversation!" Kirara hissed slightly but Sango calmed her with a pat on the head. "Naraku," Riko said.

Inuyasha drew Tetsusaiga. "Why are you here!" he yelled. Riko laughed once again. "Like I said previously! I need to do business with you!" "Yeah, well don't do it here!" Inuyasha yelled, swinging the gargantuan blade. Riko leapt in the air, dodging the attack. She whipped out a black rose petal, blowing it in the direction of Sango and Miroku. Black blades flew from it as Sango and Miroku leapt out of the way as Kirara transformed.

Shippou jumped up. Blue flames flew from his paws. "Baka kitsune (Silly fox)!" Riko exclaimed, blowing the flames out. "Hiraikotsu!" Sango yelled, throwing her bone boomerang. Riko narrowed her eyes. Kirara began hissing, her eyes going into an unusual rabid red with black streaks (Like when she got controlled in Toki o Koeru Omoi? XD it's the Japanese name of the first movie!). Kirara jumped in Riko's path, parrying the Hiraikotsu's blows.

"Kirara! Nani desu ka (After all my explanations in the other chappies you should know what the Japanese words mean unless I state otherwise! . )?" Sango cried. "Mitsketa (Got it!)" Riko thought triumphantly as she caught the parried Hiraikotsu. "NO!" Sango cried as Kirara's mind control was released, sending her into a frenzied run around as well as painful hisses. "Shinedaro (Die! XD It's pronounced SHEE-NE-DAH-RO. The short version's Shine which is pronounced SHEE-NE)!" Riko yelled, throwing the Hiraikotsu along with a series of Hana (Flower) blasts.

She rose into the air, laughing. "Know this, weaklings! Meet at Seibai Mountain five days from now! Bring comrades along with you, or I guarantee you will not triumph," she said, turning. "Oh…. one last thing… That Kagome girl… she's being kidnapped and taken to Naraku this moment," she added smugly.

Inuyasha flipped while Riko laughed and left. "KAGOME'S GETTING KIDNAPPED AND TAKEN TO NARAKU? WHAT THE FUUUCKK!" he screamed.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Meanwhile…
Kagome ran, grasping a makeshift bow and long sharpened twigs. Kagura followed up, her fan at hand. "DANCE OF THE DRAGON!" Grey dragons swirled around Kagome as she screamed, shooting an "arrow". Kayorei blasted out of nowhere, swinging her blade with shining crescents; Kagome's clothes getting slashed with blood adorning them.

Kagome continued running, dodging the attacks of the two ambushing women. "You cannot run from us!" Kayorei said with a smug laugh. Kagome continued to run, though her body was battered and bloody. "URUSAE!" Kagome bellowed, sending another wave of arrows that were able to tear Kayorei and Kagura's sleeves.
Suddenly, Tsubaki and another woman appeared with red hair and purple eyes. "Watashi wa Kuro Miko Reia!" the woman declared. She pulled out a gold sword. "Hereby fall by our power!" She swung her blade, followed by another blast from Tsubaki's halberd and her Shinikami.

With a wave of their blows and tactics, Kagura inflicted more pain on Kagome's body, while Kayorei knocked down her defense. Tsubaki and Reia simply added more blows.

Kagome tripped, her bow snapped while her arrows splintered. "Now, come quietly with us to Naraku," Kagura said threateningly with a menacing smile. "NO!" Kagome yelled back. "Tsk," Kayorei said, walking over to her, grabbing Kagome's arm. "HANASE!" Kagome yelled, jerking out of her grip. "Foolish wench!" Kayorei snarled, slapping her. "You are in no condition to fight, yet you continue to struggle! I am afraid we will have to do with force!"

Kanna suddenly walked out of nowhere, bearing her mirror ad blank expression. Kagome averted her eyes, yet still felt her power draining out. "What?" she thought bleakly.

"Good work, Kanna," Kayorei stated. Kanna bowed. Kagome continued to fight, though her strength was still flowing into the mirror. "I… I will not fall to you!" Kagome managed to spit out. "Damaru (Be quiet or silence)!" Reia exclaimed, knocking out Kagome with the hilt of her katana.

Kagura pulled out her feather as it grew large and leapt onto it, pulling Kagome along. Kayorei leapt on then Kanna, Reia and Tsubaki, waiting for Riko. Within moments, Riko appeared, looking quite satisfied. "How did it go?" "Fairly well," Riko said as Kagura took lift. "This was the most fighting we have done since we have met up with Naraku," Reia said to Tsubaki.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Half an hour later…
"Naraku-Sama…" Kayorei said, kneeling down to him. "We have gotten the girl," Tsubaki finished. Naraku smiled. "Good work," he said. "Next time, we will take Aoi out for a little fun." "I've been waiting to get into some fighting," Aoi said from the Shoji door. Kagura scoffed. "You can take my place, then," she said. "And I, Kanna's place," Hakudoushi said walking down from the stairs. Kanna nodded.

Naraku laughed. "The next time we will be fighting against them is a war!" he said. "Hakudoushi, Tsubaki, Reia, go gather some youkai as well as a good amount of weapons," he commanded. The three nodded and leapt out the open window.

"Riko, I would also like you to tell this to Sesshoumaru and Kikyou," Naraku said. Riko nodded. "A pleasure, Naraku." With some single handed seals, Riko disappeared. "As for the rest of you… Kagura, chain the wench. Make them small but not too small. Kanna, I want you return some of her strength, but strong enough so she cannot use her priestess power. Kayorei, I want you to dress her in Miko apparel, and dress her hair that way as well." "N-Naraku-Sama, you don't mean for her to resemble Kikyou, do you?" Naraku nodded. "Anyway, Kanna do your task after Kagura and Kayorei are done with theirs." The three women nodded and set on their tasks, dragging Kagome along by her hair.

"Ruri! Hari!" Naraku declared. The two women trudged up the stairs. "Fix me some sake." (XD LOOOOOL! I just felt like putting that in! XD) Ruri and Hari dragged to the kitchen muttering.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Sesshoumaru, Kikyou and Cha-Yang flew across the sky, harsh winds blowing in their face along with stinging flakes of melting snow. Suddenly, Sesshoumaru lifted his nose. "What's wrong?" asked Kikyou. "Something doesn't smell right," said Sesshoumaru. He looked around cautiously. "Hai, I feel an unusually strong Jaki as well," Cha-Yang said. "It can't be… Riko?" Kikyou thought.

Shuriken shot from below. "Sesshoumaru! We're being attacked from below!" Kikyou yelled as Cha-Yang drew her elegant katana. "Hai, hai!" Sesshoumaru said noting he heard. He flew downwards, the cloud disintegrating as they were 3 yards from the ground. Riko stood there. "I don't wish to fight," Riko said. "I just came to pass you a message."

Cha-Yang bared her teeth. Kikyou pulled out her bow. Sesshoumaru stood there, cracking his knuckles. "Oh? And what message is that?" Cha-Yang growled, holding her katana before her. "Meet at Seibai Mountain five days from now," Riko said, turning to leave. "That is all I ask." "MATTE!" Cha-Yang yelled. She shot an arrow. Riko gasped as it tore off a portion her sleeve and scraped her arm. "Anata wa nakama tousen (You killed all of my kin)! I will avenge them!" Cha-Yang fired another arrow; taking apart Riko's other sleeve and scraped her arm again.

Riko made no move of retaliation.

Flashback
She listened closely as Naraku told her instructions. "If they attack, do not fight back. Either defend from their attack or leave," he said. "Kikyou and Sesshoumaru are sure to pack a punch."
End flashback

Simply pulled out a hair pin, it grew large. Riko leapt on it like a broom and rose into the air. "Bring comrades with you, or I guarantee you will not last," she said. Cha-Yang fired another arrow again, tearing off a portion of the left side of Riko's haori, revealing her breasts.

"WHO SAID YOU COULD LEAVE!" Cha-Yang yelled with fury, slinging another arrow. "You will avenge your kin when we meet at Seibai Mountain!" Riko said for the first time, smugly. "I wish you luck until then! That is if you have the guts to come!"

Cha-Yang bubbled with frustration. "That was the perfect chance to kill her…" she thought infuriated with herself. "Let's go home," Kikyou said calmly.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Enju looked out the window, feeling uneasy. "That guy..." she thought. Another image of the guy with red hair and gold eyes flashed by her eyes. Suddenly, Enju snapped. "Wait…" she thought, narrowing her eyes. The image flashed by again. "Is he standing in a plain? And it looks so much like the one when we went to visit Kyoko…"

Enju continued to look out the window, watching the snow fall. When she couldn't bear it anymore, she got up and walked to the closet. Dressing in her dark purple clothes, she also fished out a tanto, katana, some kunai as well as shuriken and walked out the door.

"Enju!" called a male's voice. "Damn! I've been caught!" she thought frustrated. She turned to see Tomo. "Where are you going?" Tomo said. Enju sighed. "Tomo… something is bothering me… and I need to take off for a while." Tomo's eyes glazed with worry. "For how long? Haha-Ue and Chichi-Ue told you to stay with Rin and me," Tomo sputtered out.

"They said not to let Tomo and Rin out of my sights," Enju thought slyly. "Meaning I can take them with me!" Enju smiled a bit. "Gomenasai, Tomo, but are you and Rin willing to come with me?" Tomo hesitated. Then confidently nodded yes with a trite smile. "I'll go get Rin!" he said quickly, running in the other direction.

To be continued…

A/N: DUN DUN DUNNNN! XD What will happen to them? What will take place in Seibai Mountain? Will Naraku be able to finally take the Shikon no Tama vessels from Sesshoumaru and Kikyou and engulf the world in darkness? O . o Why am I even saying this now, we aren't in the climax-climax… XD Also, I'm sorta not having as many readers as I used to so it would be nice if I could get another 3 or 4 readers! So, for the next chapter, I'll be waiting for 9 more reviews! O . O Don't you wanna see your name in the Reviewer's Corner? . -