In the previous chapter, Sango is returned to her body, but all is far from well. Sesshomaru and Shippo return to find the hard-won jewel shard collection completely gone, and two soul-less bodies in their place. But, one cannot be revived.

For the record (ahem): I do not own, in whole or in part, any part of the Inuyasha franchise. Nor do I own any of the characters from said franchise that is used forthwith. The following story is solely based on the ramblings of a college student at a boring job and is not to be taken or believed as part of the true Inuyasha saga. That being said, please enjoy my first attempt at fan fiction. Feel free to critique ad nauseum. (Whew!)

Chapter Nine – Revelations of the Chicken Flea

Sesshomaru paced back and forth in the snow laden forest, his trek towards Kagome's soul at a complete standstill. He traced her scent back to where the battle with Kanna and Kohaku took place. Unfortunately, her soul was not traceable in the same manner. The snow covered what tracks Kanna may have laid, making them undetectable even to a nose as sensitive as his. I have been searching for Naraku's hideout for months, and have never come close until he wants me to be. How is it that he can hide under everyone's radar?

The forest never looked so desolate to him. Sesshomaru had always rather favored the snows of winter, when everything took on a calm sheen and glowed in the cold morning sun. But somehow it seemed so empty and threatening. It was the snows this time that aided Kanna to trick everyone in her vicinity. She had used an elemental force of nature to capture the powers of several people around her, and even to take the soul of a powerful miko without out anyone being the wiser. How was she able to do this?

He jumped up into the branches of a tall tree to rethink his strategy. Strategy, what strategy? I was so angry about losing Kagome that I stormed out of that hovel without a single thought about what to do. I have no clue where to go, and no one glean information from. Inuyasha has a support system; maybe someone from there would…

"No. I will not return to that human mutt. He is of no consequence, being human now." Kagome is human. So is Rin, and the slayer and the monk. And I would willingly take help from either of them at this point. "I will not ask anyone for help. I am the Lord of the Western Lands, and I require no one to help me."

A scurry in the snow below him diverted Sesshomaru's argumentative mind. He watched a trail cut around the tree below him, but could see nothing making it. Then the trail went off in a tangent and circled back. Finally it cut across a previous path, revealing a green toad in great distress.

"My Lord Sesshomaru! Your humble Jaken is here to assist you!"

With his two-headed staff waiting to be mended, Jaken looked like putrid green spittle sloshing about below. Sesshomaru knew that the little runt would not stop screaming for his master until he was found. With a barely audible sigh, Sesshomaru gracefully leaped from the uppermost tree branch to land in the snow in front of Jaken.

"My lord! I knew you would not leave this lowly Jaken. I have been searching everywhere for you."

Sesshomaru did not even deign to look down at Jaken. "You go back to Inuyasha's village and keep an eye on Rin. She will be safe there."

"But… but my lord…"

He looked down at Jaken without the slightest hint of emotion, but Jaken knew from experience that his master was getting angry. "Do not cross me and hope to live, Jaken. I must rescue Kagome's soul before Naraku makes sure it is lost forever." He looked back up and scanned the skies for any hint of which way to travel next.

Jaken fell prostrate before his master and knocked his head on the ground. "Yes, my lord. Of course, my lord. But I have just come from Inuyasha's village to find you. I have some news that you might want to hear."

"What is it?" He was not really paying attention to Jaken, who always had a habit of mumbling like this when he thought he was in trouble.

"The flea demon who serves Inuyasha…" Jaken was panting for breath, having run all over this part of the forest looking for his master, and had to stop to refill his lungs before continuing.

Sesshomaru was growing impatient. "What about him."

Jaken pushed up onto one knee before continuing, buying his lungs a little more time. "The flea claimed to know someone who saw Naraku and that Kanna girl enter a building. The flea knows where they may be hiding!"

Without another thought to his vassal, Sesshomaru instantly took to the air, flying faster than he had in years back to Inuyasha's hut. I will not return to ask for help, but I will be damned if I let that little runt find her before I do. Even if I have to tear the antennae off that flea, I will know where my Kagome is…

Miroku, Inuyasha, Sango and Shippo sat hunched together in a corner of the hut, staring at the wall. At the base of the wall, Myouga was jumping uncomfortably, unable to make an escape after opening his big mouth. My mouth always gets me into trouble. I want to help Inuyasha, but he will want me to take me to the one who saw Naraku. I can't do that. Oooh, he will never understand…

"Okay, you little runt, talk," Inuyasha said as he picked the squirming flea up by the collar of his minute shirt. Inuyasha was not going to listen to that stupid little flea hem and haw as usual. There were more important things at stake.

"Lord Inuyasha, I have told you all I know…"

Sango chimed in. "You have not told us where this person saw Naraku. He could have been in any building!"

Miroku turned to Sango, his hand straying temptingly to a well known area of her anatomy. "Not so, Sango. The past tells us that he is usually hiding out in fairly luxurious surroundings. Wherever he is, he is probably in a newly 'abandoned' castle. That narrows down the places he could be a little."

Shippo bounced up to meet Miroku's face. "What about when he hid in the mountain? That wasn't too luxurious, if you ask me."

"Ah, but it was a grand place. How daring for a demon to stay inside a mountain with the ability to purify demons. Even for a conglomerate like he is, it was a dangerous, but grand, thing to do." Miroku put his hand to his face as a gesture of spiritual knowledge, and Sango shoved him with his shoulder.

"All right, then where is he hiding?" She said, a little sarcastically.

"There is the problem with my logic. I cannot fathom a guess."

"So cut it out!" Sango said as she slapped his hand away from her rump. He did notice that she didn't slap that hard, though.

"Will you guys shut up? This stupid flea knows where he is, and he is gonna tell us now, aren't you?" Inuyasha shook the flea back and forth like a jingle bell, causing his eyes to roll around in his head.

"Please, Lord Inuyasha, you are making me ill. I do not know where he is. I said that I know someone who does."
Shippo peered closer at the flea. "Well, then, tell us where we can find this person. Kagome's very soul is in danger."

"And we need to find Naraku! I am tired of fighting his puppets and incarnations at every turn. I want to meet that coward head on, dammit." Inuyasha was getting very frustrated with his pledged vassal, and shook him a little bit harder this time.

A cold breeze interrupted the interrogation. Inuyasha knew he was coming back. He could smell his brother a mile away. But he had wanted to get the information before the Lord did. Just this once I wanted to get the information and get away from here before his High and Mighty decides to take over the pack.

He decided to keep going and shook the Hell out of the flea. "Pl-ease, Lord I-nu-ya-sha. I will tell you an-y-thing, j-j-just st-st-op sh-h-hak-ing m-m-m-eee…" The flea was so frazzled when Inuyasha let him go that he wafted to the floor and kept rolling as if still being shaken. "Ooooh, Lord. I think I am going to vomit…"

He was soundly stomped by a noble foot, as Sesshomaru halted his rickety movements. "This flea knows where Naraku is. I trust he told you." He was staring directly at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha stood and eyed his brother with loathing. "You were going to find Naraku on your own. I thought you didn't need us. Get out of here!" He flecked his claws in a very aggressive manner.

Sesshomaru did not move a muscle at this thinly veiled threat. "I don't need you. I need the flea's information. Then will I leave you and your… company."

Inuyasha drew back his hand. "Why you…" He lunged forward, attacking his brother in a rage. How dare he come in here and demand ANYTHING from me and my friends. That bastard!

His brother merely sidestepped the attack and picked up his foot, releasing the flea. Jaken picked the flea up and again gave him a shake. "You will give my lord the information he requires. Now!"

Inuyasha continued to attack his brother, slowly going into a righteous rage. Myouga knew that soon Inuyasha would not be able to stop himself. And without Kagome here to calm him, everyone in the hut – or the entire village – would be in danger.

Myouga shivered as he thought of how much he would have to risk of his own life to get his master the information he needed. Not to mention get the demon Lord of the Western Lands off his back. "All right! Put me down and I will tell master Inuyasha."

Jaken dropped Myouga like a bad habit, and the flea pounced over onto Inuyasha's back, pulled himself up on Inuyasha's hair, and beside his ear. He had to hold on for dear life to keep from falling when the hanyou took another lunge at his brother, growling all the while.

"Lord Inuyasha, you must calm down." He spoke loudly into his master's ear, but was afraid that he wouldn't hear.

"Tell me why I should let Sesshomaru out of here alive," he growled menacingly. "He just wants what is mine. And you are my flea."

Myouga blushed at that complement. "Yes, my lord. But fighting your brother now will accomplish nothing."

"Tell me. Where is the damn hideout, Myouga."

"The Old Lady Flea knows where he is. I was taking lunch from a very pretty girl when the flea came up to me and said she saw them."

Inuyasha stopped for a second, picking the flea off into his palm. "Spill it, Myouga."

"She said she wouldn't tell me anymore until after."

Miroku smiled, having a feeling what was coming next. "And…"

Myouga shuffled, not wanting to say what came next. "She said that she would tell me where Naraku was hiding after the marriage ceremony. And not a minute before."

Inuyasha growled. "That is why you haven't said anything?" He folded up the flea inside a piece of cloth and stuffed it inside his clothing. "Let's go. We don't have long to prepare a pint sized marriage ceremony."

The gang quickly filed out of the hut towards the village where the Old Lady flea lived, ever since Myouga had switched places with a regular flea and fled. Rin jumped up and down beside Sesshomaru, who just stood watching the door where the others had gone. "Did you hear that, Lord Sesshomaru? There is going to be a wedding!"

"Hush your tongue, Rin. Can't you see that the master is upset?"

Sesshomaru wasn't quite upset. Angry about this new delay, but intrigued at the fact that his brother had almost gone feral and had somehow managed to pull himself back to normal without Kagome's help. Perhaps there is hope for us all…

Coming Soon – Chapter Ten – Revelations of the Lady Flea

Old Lady Flea tells them that Naraku is nearby, but they cannot defeat him. A small contingency stays with Kagome's body while the rest go to gather allies, each in a different direction. Shippo, without his okaa-san to watch over him, goes off on his own as well.