Tami: Okay, sorry for no review responses. I was pressed for time again
this morning.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Last time:
"My mother." Sesshoumaru whispered softly. Only Inuyasha, Kirara, and Ah- Uhn heard him. (I still don't remember how she died. Do you remember, Ah- Uhn?)
-No, my lord. She died before we came into your service.- Ah answered. Jaken ran into the room.
"Lord Sesshoumaru! I heard you were back. It is so wonderful to see you well. I knew you would still be alive. I didn't look for you because I was managing important matters," the toad said. (/I hate Jaken. Hate him hate him hate him!/) Ah-Uhn growled menacingly and Jaken yelped. "You would not allow that beast to kill your loyal servant, would you, my lord?"
~He is a traitor and deserves to die.~ Uhn said. Coming from Uhn, Sesshoumaru felt it was something he should take into consideration. Uhn had seemed like the more reasonable of the two.
"We'll see." Sesshoumaru answered, his voice cold. Jaken shivered.
Now:
"Where is the Tenseiga?" Sesshoumaru asked.
-In you chambers, my lord.- Ah answered. Ah-Uhn led the way into the southern wing of the castle. Sesshoumaru walked through the door Uhn nodded to. There, lying on top of the bed, was the healing sword Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru picked it up and unsheathed it. It was hard to believe such a sword would not cut. The gleaming blade had been sharpened to a hair-fine point.
"So, the Tenseiga can't hurt anyone?" Kagome asked. Uhn shook his head.
"I wonder what happened to the Tokijin." Miroku mused. "If it truly is as powerful as the Tenseiga, then we may have a problem on our hands."
"Nothing I can't handle." Inuyasha mumbled.
"Can we go back to that one room and discuss it? It was really comfy in there." Kagome asked. None of them said a word until they reached the room again and settled on the large cushions.
"Back to what you said, Inuyasha, it might very well be something you can't handle." Miroku said.
"You could barely beat Sesshoumaru at any point in time." Kagome agreed.
"And half the time, one of us steps in and helps as well." Sango added. Inuyasha's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. Not so much anger as embarrassment.
"I've defeated everything else that's gotten in the way." Inuyasha said, trying to resurrect his pride.
"Except for Kikyo." Kagome whispered.
"W-well, that's different."
"I do not understand why you do not kill her. She reeks of death and earth and she tried to kill you last time we saw her. Does that happen often?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"All too often." Miroku answered.
"Well, Inuyasha? I asked you a question."
"No you didn't." Inuyasha said, refusing to answer the insinuated question.
"Let me outline it for you then: why don't you kill her?" Kagome said angrily. Talking about Kikyo always did this to her. 'Stupid evil incarnation. All she can think about is dragging him to hell. She's been dragging the rest of us through it, that's for sure.' Inuyasha stood up.
"I don't have to answer that stupid question," he said as he walked out of the room.
"Will someone else answer my question then?" Sesshoumaru asked. Miroku and Sango cast uneasy looks at Kagome. "Kirara says she will tell me so that Kagome doesn't have to listen to it, if she does not want."
"No, I'll tell it. I'm most familiar with the story after all." Kagome said. She took a deep breath to calm her anger and got started. "Fifty years ago, Kikyo was the miko of Kaede's village. She was the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Inuyasha tried to steal it so he could become a full demon. But, for some reason or another, Kikyo decided to just talk to him, not to kill him. They ended up falling in love. Now, Kikyo was taking care of an injured bandit named Onigumo. Onigumo had fallen in love with Kikyo and the Shikon no Tama. He gave his flesh to the demons in return for there strength and became Naraku. Naraku shape-shifted to become Inuyasha and tricked Kikyo into giving him the jewel, saying he wanted to become human so they could be together. When he got it, he stabbed her. He then mutated to look like Kikyo and tried to kill Inuyasha. I already told you the Shikon no Tama gets more beautiful when tainted by hate and sorrow, right? Well, let's just say the jewel was gorgeous. Inuyasha stole the jewel from the temple it rested in. Kikyo followed after him and pinned him to a tree with an enchanted arrow. She died soon after and the jewel was burned with her body. Now, a few months ago, a demon by the name of Urasuuei (/not sure how to spell it/) brought her back to life. But she might as well have been dead, because she had no soul. It was in my body, since I am her reincarnation. Well, Urasuuei kidnapped me and tried to kill me to take my soul and give it back to Kikyo. Kikyo's miko powers tried to take my soul away from me. Inuyasha and Shippou had come after me, but Inuyasha froze when he saw Kikyo. Her power finally tore away most of my soul. That was an experience I'll never forget, tell you that much. Inuyasha and Shippou were in danger because Inuyasha would not, under any circumstances, fight Kikyo. He still won't, but, anyway, Shippou's cries brought my own miko powers to bear and I stole back all but a piece of my soul. So now Kikyo walks in the realm of the living, holding on to a small piece of my soul. She has to kill me to get the rest of it, but I don't plan on that happening anytime soon." The others stayed silent for awhile, processing the information they had just received. Kagome on the other hand, was still lost in the memory.
~_~_~ Flashback ~_~_~
Kagome lay there on the stone, surrounded by power and numbed by an herb so she couldn't escape. She could feel Kikyo's power tearing at her. Her eyes looked around frantically, praying for someone to help her. She felt, rather than saw, Inuyasha appear. He saw Kagome and Kikyo. He saw she was in danger, and still he said, "Ki-kikyo? But how?" Kikyo's power flared and Kagome's morale faltered. The dead miko tore away most of Kagome's soul. When Kagome opened her eyes again, she was floating. There was nothing anywhere around her. Just gray mist. It was very quiet, so very quiet. It was strange, she couldn't feel a thing anymore. Her body didn't even seem to exist. She found she didn't care either. Nothing mattered, not here where there was nothing to make her care. There was only silence, sweet silence. A noise started softly, then grew into a loud roar as her powers flared to life, making themselves known. She could hear Shippou. 'What's a Shippou?' she asked herself. A picture flashed before her eyes. 'Oh, yeah, I remember Shippou. Is he okay?' His scream answered that question. He was screaming for her. He wanted her to come back. "Okay, okay, I'm coming, Shippou." When she opened her eyes again, she saw Shippou leaning over her. She actually felt her soul. Since it had been missing and now it was back, she, for a brief moment, felt where her soul resided in her body. It lived in her heart. She looked over to see Kikyo had been ready to shoot Inuyasha, not to pin him to another tree, but to kill him. But her shoulder was bleeding badly. Inuyasha looked horrified at the sight.
~_~_~ End Flashback ~_~_~
"Kagome?" Sango asked, shaking her out of her memory. "Are you okay?" Kagome smiled.
"Fine. Just thinking," she answered. Miroku wrapped a sympathetic arm around her shoulders. "Don't even think about it, Miroku." He smiled sheepishly and pulled his arm away.
"Sorry," he said.
~*~*~*~*~
Review responses: I'll do 'em next chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Last time:
"My mother." Sesshoumaru whispered softly. Only Inuyasha, Kirara, and Ah- Uhn heard him. (I still don't remember how she died. Do you remember, Ah- Uhn?)
-No, my lord. She died before we came into your service.- Ah answered. Jaken ran into the room.
"Lord Sesshoumaru! I heard you were back. It is so wonderful to see you well. I knew you would still be alive. I didn't look for you because I was managing important matters," the toad said. (/I hate Jaken. Hate him hate him hate him!/) Ah-Uhn growled menacingly and Jaken yelped. "You would not allow that beast to kill your loyal servant, would you, my lord?"
~He is a traitor and deserves to die.~ Uhn said. Coming from Uhn, Sesshoumaru felt it was something he should take into consideration. Uhn had seemed like the more reasonable of the two.
"We'll see." Sesshoumaru answered, his voice cold. Jaken shivered.
Now:
"Where is the Tenseiga?" Sesshoumaru asked.
-In you chambers, my lord.- Ah answered. Ah-Uhn led the way into the southern wing of the castle. Sesshoumaru walked through the door Uhn nodded to. There, lying on top of the bed, was the healing sword Tenseiga. Sesshoumaru picked it up and unsheathed it. It was hard to believe such a sword would not cut. The gleaming blade had been sharpened to a hair-fine point.
"So, the Tenseiga can't hurt anyone?" Kagome asked. Uhn shook his head.
"I wonder what happened to the Tokijin." Miroku mused. "If it truly is as powerful as the Tenseiga, then we may have a problem on our hands."
"Nothing I can't handle." Inuyasha mumbled.
"Can we go back to that one room and discuss it? It was really comfy in there." Kagome asked. None of them said a word until they reached the room again and settled on the large cushions.
"Back to what you said, Inuyasha, it might very well be something you can't handle." Miroku said.
"You could barely beat Sesshoumaru at any point in time." Kagome agreed.
"And half the time, one of us steps in and helps as well." Sango added. Inuyasha's face flushed with embarrassment and anger. Not so much anger as embarrassment.
"I've defeated everything else that's gotten in the way." Inuyasha said, trying to resurrect his pride.
"Except for Kikyo." Kagome whispered.
"W-well, that's different."
"I do not understand why you do not kill her. She reeks of death and earth and she tried to kill you last time we saw her. Does that happen often?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"All too often." Miroku answered.
"Well, Inuyasha? I asked you a question."
"No you didn't." Inuyasha said, refusing to answer the insinuated question.
"Let me outline it for you then: why don't you kill her?" Kagome said angrily. Talking about Kikyo always did this to her. 'Stupid evil incarnation. All she can think about is dragging him to hell. She's been dragging the rest of us through it, that's for sure.' Inuyasha stood up.
"I don't have to answer that stupid question," he said as he walked out of the room.
"Will someone else answer my question then?" Sesshoumaru asked. Miroku and Sango cast uneasy looks at Kagome. "Kirara says she will tell me so that Kagome doesn't have to listen to it, if she does not want."
"No, I'll tell it. I'm most familiar with the story after all." Kagome said. She took a deep breath to calm her anger and got started. "Fifty years ago, Kikyo was the miko of Kaede's village. She was the guardian of the Shikon no Tama. Inuyasha tried to steal it so he could become a full demon. But, for some reason or another, Kikyo decided to just talk to him, not to kill him. They ended up falling in love. Now, Kikyo was taking care of an injured bandit named Onigumo. Onigumo had fallen in love with Kikyo and the Shikon no Tama. He gave his flesh to the demons in return for there strength and became Naraku. Naraku shape-shifted to become Inuyasha and tricked Kikyo into giving him the jewel, saying he wanted to become human so they could be together. When he got it, he stabbed her. He then mutated to look like Kikyo and tried to kill Inuyasha. I already told you the Shikon no Tama gets more beautiful when tainted by hate and sorrow, right? Well, let's just say the jewel was gorgeous. Inuyasha stole the jewel from the temple it rested in. Kikyo followed after him and pinned him to a tree with an enchanted arrow. She died soon after and the jewel was burned with her body. Now, a few months ago, a demon by the name of Urasuuei (/not sure how to spell it/) brought her back to life. But she might as well have been dead, because she had no soul. It was in my body, since I am her reincarnation. Well, Urasuuei kidnapped me and tried to kill me to take my soul and give it back to Kikyo. Kikyo's miko powers tried to take my soul away from me. Inuyasha and Shippou had come after me, but Inuyasha froze when he saw Kikyo. Her power finally tore away most of my soul. That was an experience I'll never forget, tell you that much. Inuyasha and Shippou were in danger because Inuyasha would not, under any circumstances, fight Kikyo. He still won't, but, anyway, Shippou's cries brought my own miko powers to bear and I stole back all but a piece of my soul. So now Kikyo walks in the realm of the living, holding on to a small piece of my soul. She has to kill me to get the rest of it, but I don't plan on that happening anytime soon." The others stayed silent for awhile, processing the information they had just received. Kagome on the other hand, was still lost in the memory.
~_~_~ Flashback ~_~_~
Kagome lay there on the stone, surrounded by power and numbed by an herb so she couldn't escape. She could feel Kikyo's power tearing at her. Her eyes looked around frantically, praying for someone to help her. She felt, rather than saw, Inuyasha appear. He saw Kagome and Kikyo. He saw she was in danger, and still he said, "Ki-kikyo? But how?" Kikyo's power flared and Kagome's morale faltered. The dead miko tore away most of Kagome's soul. When Kagome opened her eyes again, she was floating. There was nothing anywhere around her. Just gray mist. It was very quiet, so very quiet. It was strange, she couldn't feel a thing anymore. Her body didn't even seem to exist. She found she didn't care either. Nothing mattered, not here where there was nothing to make her care. There was only silence, sweet silence. A noise started softly, then grew into a loud roar as her powers flared to life, making themselves known. She could hear Shippou. 'What's a Shippou?' she asked herself. A picture flashed before her eyes. 'Oh, yeah, I remember Shippou. Is he okay?' His scream answered that question. He was screaming for her. He wanted her to come back. "Okay, okay, I'm coming, Shippou." When she opened her eyes again, she saw Shippou leaning over her. She actually felt her soul. Since it had been missing and now it was back, she, for a brief moment, felt where her soul resided in her body. It lived in her heart. She looked over to see Kikyo had been ready to shoot Inuyasha, not to pin him to another tree, but to kill him. But her shoulder was bleeding badly. Inuyasha looked horrified at the sight.
~_~_~ End Flashback ~_~_~
"Kagome?" Sango asked, shaking her out of her memory. "Are you okay?" Kagome smiled.
"Fine. Just thinking," she answered. Miroku wrapped a sympathetic arm around her shoulders. "Don't even think about it, Miroku." He smiled sheepishly and pulled his arm away.
"Sorry," he said.
~*~*~*~*~
Review responses: I'll do 'em next chapter.