Chapter 63

Kagome nearly hit the roof when she found out that Yasha had been sent on his own to the town on his own. Inuyasha reassured her that Yasha would be fine. Clearly not convinced, she dropped the argument anyway. That night found Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kouga, Inuyasha and Kagome talking about their plans.

"I don't understand why Naraku would be heading back down this way. He's obviously been to Kaede's village if he used Kohaku's body once.", Inuyasha said.

"I don't know either.", Sango agreed, clearly upset at the mention of her brother's body being used by Naraku.

"We should know more when Yasha returns from the town.", Miroku added.

"That's if something strange goes on at the town tonight.", said Kouga.

"All we can do is wait and see.", Kagome said, curling up closer to Inuyasha.

At the Town

Yasha draped himself in the cloak he had grabbed before leaving his village. From his parents, he had learned both sides of combat. The brash bravado of his father and the quietness of his mother. He chose to be quiet on this mission. The town was busy this evening with people strolling along and activities in every building. Yasha chose a seat near a tavern to watch the going ons around him. With his face covered, he could stare without drawing attention to himself. As he sat and watched, an ugly, old hag caught his eye. As she sat down, Yasha kept an eye on her. Something didn't feel right to him.

His suspicion paid off when a man who was acting strangely sat beside her. Although they whispered low enough so that human ears couldn't hear them, the two strange people had no idea an inu was in their midst.

"So, Leiko, you promised me my body. Where is it, you old witch?", the man said.

"You haven't upheld your end of the bargain. You promised me the girl with the shikon jewel in her body. Once I have her, I can restore your body.", replied the old woman.

"These dead bodies are a pain in the ass to control. My senses are nearly nothing. I haven't been able to find the village she's in. And then I have to deal with Inuyasha while in one of these wretched bodies."

"Naraku. be patient. I can direct you to the girl. I have discovered her whereabouts. I also want her mother - dead or alive."

"Kagome will not be easy for you to deal with. She has always had strong powers."

"HA! I have been a witch for alot longer than she has. Anything that Tamae taught her, I can take care of."

As the two continued talking, Yasha picked up that the witch knew where their village was and was letting Naraku know. Remaining as still as possible until the two broke up, Yasha then calmly walked out of the town. As soon as he was far enough from the town, he took off running.

Arriving back home, he told everybody what he had learned.

"So Naraku's coming to us. Well, that makes it easier.", Inuyasha said, cracking his knuckles.

"He probably won't do anything at night, but I suggest that Kaori stay outside tomorrow. If, as Yasha says, he has trouble controlling these bodies it shouldn't be too hard to discover him.", Miroku said.

Everybody slept fitfully that night, anxiously awaiting the next day. After breakfast, Kaori stayed outside, sitting on a rock. To pass the time, she did some knitting. Kagome had placed the illusion spell on the entire village. It made the whole area look like a mirage, as the air seemed to move. The people that walked through the village all rubbed their eyes at the images they saw, but then seemed to chalk it up to the heat. Miroku and Kouga stayed in one of the huts and Inuyasha and Kagome stayed in their house, all keeping an eye on Kaori.

Kagome was the first to notice the strange man walking down the road. As she stared at him, she gasped. Through the spell of illusion, the man seemed to fade from sight and then return ... only this time he looked different.

"Inuyasha.", she whispered, "There he is. It's Naraku. The man with the longer top-knot."

"I see him. Damn! It is Naraku. And he's heading towards Kaori."

As they watched, the man went to Kaori and started talking to her. Preparing her spell, Kagome pulled out a golden sphere with a pentagram inside it and held it out in front of her. With Inuyasha behind her, she headed out the door to where Kaori sat. Naraku's back was to them, but Kaori saw them approach. Before Naraku could do anything, Kagome yelled out,

"Choudai! Naimenteki! No han'i! Iza! Kemono!"

After chanting these words, Naraku's fake body was surrounded by a ball of light. The ball glimmered then faded as it was captured by the pentagram sphere. Kagome just stared at the sphere as Miroku and Kouga joined them.

"That's it? Nothing more?", Kouga asked incredulously.

"Damn! That was anticlimactic! And I was looking for a fight too.", said Inuyasha.

Just then, the sphere in Kagome's hand turned black. Kagome screamed and dropped the sphere. Looking at her hand, she saw a burn mark where the sphere had been.

"Looks like it's not over yet!", Inuyasha said, as he tried to pick up the sphere. He also dropped it because of the burning that seared through his skin.

"What's going on?", asked Kouga.

"It looks like Naraku is using his jyaki to try to get out of the sphere that Kagome has trapped him in.", said Miroku.

"So what do we do now?", asked Kaori.

"It needs to go to a place of purification. A special place. Since he's being assisted by the evil witch Leiko, we need to take it to this shrine in her mountains. A Heiian shrine called the Shrine of Antiquity", said Kagome.

"HER mountains are far north of here. And we can't pick it up. How do you suggest we do this?", questioned Inuyasha.

"Kouga ... see if you can pick it up.", Kagome said to the wolf. Kouga reached down and picked up the ball. When nothing happened, Kagome theorized, "Only a full-blooded demon can handle the sphere now. Kouga will have to take it to the shrine. But I have to place it there. And we may need the presence of the shikon jewel or we may even need to cut it out of Kaori. Either way, Kaori will need to travel with us."

"Alright then," said Inuyasha, "Let's go and get this taken care of for good."

"I'll get Kirara and I'll go with you, Inuyasha.", said Miroku.

"I think Yasha should come too.", Inuyasha decided as he went to get his oldest son. Kagome left her children in Sango's capable care. Very soon, the group was on their way, to the far northern reaches of Japan. To the Shrine of Antiquity with no clue as to what may await them there.