Hey guys! I hope you're all enjoying the sequal so far. This cahpter is full of sad and happy points so get ready.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: ChibiBean does not own nor claim rights to InuYasha or any of its characters nor do we own the lyrics from Relient K. Thank you.

Arguments and Agreements

"I am a hostage to my own humanity…all I'm asking is
for you to do what you can with me." –Relient K

Dinner that night was an awkward affair. Having Miroku just in the room made Azurine feel as if she were guilty of something. It was like her heart had been brutally ripped in two: one side forever loving Miroku and the other yearning to protect him.

Finally, Azurine excused herself, risking the chance of facing demons and a roofless night over the awkwardness of the meal.

Miroku watched her leave and then turned back. "So, Sarah. You're trying to set us up?"

"No," Sarah replied. "I'm trying to see you two happy."

Azurine wandered through the woods. She sighed softly. "This is my world…what've I lost? I wrecked so much up, here. It cost lives." She paused. "It would've been better if I'd just stayed home."

Three figures watched the girl from the darkness. Two of them unaware of the third, but the third very much aware of the two.

InuYasha sat by the well, brooding over Kagome. He suddenly caught two familiar scents: Naraku and Kikyo.

Azurine ceased her walk as white flashed in the corner of her eye. She turned around quickly to face what was there. She found a young girl, small, pale, with white hair and clothes, her face emotionless. Behind her was a dark-haired woman dressed in a decorative kimono. She held a delicate folding fan.

"Um…hi?" Azurine suspiciously eyed the circular mirror the young girl grasped so firmly.

The child lifted the glass an inch or two, and spoke in a slow voice that was flat and cold. "Give me your soul."

Azurine blinked. "Huh?"

"No, Kanna. Naraku wants her alive and well." The woman sounded as cold as her companion but she sounded cruel as well, as full of hate as the child was empty.

Kanna slowly lowered the mirror. The woman turned back to Azurine, smirking at her. Azurine didn't like that smirk.

"You work for Naraku?" Azurine asked shakily.

"I am Kagura. Naraku has sent us to fetch you. He has got a proposition for you."

"I'm not listening to any deals that scum has to offer me. He made Miroku miserable." She was growling, now.

"What is Naraku were to agree to release the monk of his curse?"

"You lie."

A woman dressed in traditional mika, or priestess robes, entered, a nocked arrow pointed at Kagura. "Naraku has no intention of lifting the curse on your monk. He never has and never will."

InuYasha rushed into the clearing. He froze when he spotted the priestess. "Kikyo."

During that single moment of confusion, Kagura swiped her fan at Azurine and all went black.

"Where am I?" Azurine's vision was fuzzy as she opened her eyes. "What's going on?" Her surroundings began to sharpen.

"You are in my castle." A voice as dark as the room itself rose and cut through the silence. The speaker was a man with black eyes and pitch hair. His face was hard and angled like stone.

"Who are you?" Azurine asked thickly, fearing the answer.

"I am Naraku. I have an offer for you." His voice gave her chills. "You are the daughter of the witch Sade, are you not?"

"Uh, yeah…" He's going to kill me. Then he'll eat me and bury my bones in his garden, like everybody else.

Miroku's heartbeat tripled in speed. "She's where?"

"Kagura took her." InuYasha was having a hard time explaining to Miroku that it was sort of, kind of, slightly his fault. "I think she was taken to Naraku's castle."

"What for!"

"Kagura mentioned a proposition of some kind," said Kikyo from her place at Sarah's table. No one really wanted her there, but they had to respect her for at least trying to save Azurine.

"A proposition," Miroku repeated. "What kind of proposition?"

"A lie. Kagura spoke of removing your Kazana."

Miroku paled. "What was her answer?"

"Kagura took her before she could answer." Kikyo was starting to creep out 'Kito. He buried his face in Sarah's Kimono. Even though most children loved the priestess, 'Kito could sense something was not right about her. Namely: she was a living dead priestess.

"We've got to find her," Miroku declared, determinedly.

"Good," Naraku said, smirking. "You, Azurine, are the first born of Sade's six children."

"My mom has six kids?"

"Annoying little brats, are they not?" A man appeared behind Azurine as he spoke. "There is only one you are familiar with, correct? She is Sadie, daughter of a merchant from Ayame town. There is also Sage, daughter of a young samurai residing in Kaede's village; Saki, daughter of a fisherman from the shores; Sakura, father unknown, and Shana, yet to be born. And finally, Azurine, daughter of the dog-demon, Toya f the future realm."

"And who are you?" Azurine asked nervously.

"Noki. Newest shade of Naraku, dealing, primarily, with gathering information.

Naraku shook his head. "Noki has informed me that you have a relationship with the holy monk, Miroku."

"We…did." Azurine was still hurting from the memory.

"Do you still wish him happiness?"

"Where are you going with this?" Azurine snapped. Naraku didn't seem the type to grant happiness.

"I can release him from the Kazana. I will if you do something for me." He paused. "You must kill Sade."

"You want me to kill my own mother?"

"In order to save the monk from his fate? Yes, I do." Naraku was confident she would agree.

Azurine paused. To save Mirouku, she could do it. She could give him more life.

Kikyo's words echoed in her mind. "You lie."

"How do I know you'll keep your word?" Azurine asked.

"I will bind us." Naraku was very serious.

Bound to him? I don't want anything to do with him! He's evil! Azurine was starting to panic.

Once Sade is out of the picture, no one will know. Besides, only a witch can kill her. Then I can get rid of her half-breed daughter and the monk easily enough. Naraku thought. "So," he said aloud. "Do we have a deal?"

I have to save Miroku. "Yes, we have a deal."

They shook on it. As he grasped her hand, Azurine could have sworn she felt a tiny prick on her palm, but she brushed it off as probably nothing.

When Miroku, Sarah and the rest got to the woods, Azurine was already back, sitting on the limb of a tree, leaning against the trunk. She beamed down at them.

"Hey guys!"

Miroku blinked. "Where's Kagura?"

"Oh, her. I ditched her about two miles away from here. Weakling." Azurine didn't like bragging.

InuYasha looked at her in surprise. "You beat her and Kanna?"

"Yeah," Azurine yawned. "Well, I'm going to bed. 'Night, guys."

"…Night?" Sarah replied, quietly.

Azurine examined her hand. It hurt a lot. Whatever Naraku had done when they shook hands, it had not been nothing.

She spotted a faint, silvery gleam.

"A…Shikon shard?"

She heard people approaching and she pretended to be asleep.

"I'm worried about her. She doesn't normally act like that." Sarah was musing over Azurine.

"Something happened with Kagura we don't know about." That was Miroku's voice. "I don't like it. Something's wrong."

"Something's always wrong with her around," InuYasha muttered, sore about Azurine's lie of easily beating Naraku's shades. "She should just go home."

"InuYasha!" Sarah squeaked. "Don't say that! She's already having a hard time without you being an idiot!"

Sarah didn't often say such harsh things to her friends, but she knew that is Azurine were to hear him, she'd never forgive herself.

"Well, what good comes of her being here?" InuYasha rebounded. "No one off better with her presence!"

"I do," Miroku said softly and left.

"Whazzat mean?" Shippo asked Sarah.

"Shippo, you know the Kazana is getting bigger. When he ages only one more year, it will swallow him up. At least that's what his foster father said. Miroku…doesn't have much. Without her, relationship or not, he has nothing," Sarah explained.

"What about us?" the kitsune asked innocently.

"It's different. He…thinks about her like Yuto thinks of me."

"So, Miroku thinks she's the greatest and wants her to stay with him forever and ever?"

Sarah blushed and grinned. "Yeah."

"Oh, but why doesn't Azurine want that?"

"You remember what happened to Yukito. Azurine doesn't want that to happen to Miroku."

Yuto walked in carrying little Yukito. The boy looked at his mother oddly. "What A-zur-ine do to 'Kito?"

"You remember I named you after Uncle Yukito? Azure made him go away."

"Why?"

"She didn't mean to. It was an accident."

Azurine rolled over loudly.

Sarah glanced at her. "In any case, it's time for Miroku to learn to live with out her or for Azure to forgive herself. I hope it's the later, because Miroku dearly cares for her." Sarah waited until for the others to leave the room. "And, yes, Azzy. I know you heard everything. Now tell me, why is there a Shikon shard imbedded in your hand?

Azurine sat up, blushing bright red. "I don't know, but I want it out. It hurts."

"Here, let me see it." Sarah took Azurine's palm and a small knife. Gently digging under the skin, she attempted to remove it.

Azurine screamed in pain. It felt as is Sarah was trying to rip her whole arm off.

Acting quickly, Sarah pulled the knife out, pushed the shard back in, and used her healing magic to close the skin. Azurine fell back, panting, fevered and drenched in sweat. She could hear rain pounding on the roof of the hut, wondering if she was dead.

Within moments, Miroku burst into the hut. "Where is she? What's wrong?" he was dripping wet with rain, so much that his violet robes had turned black, and his hair was plastered to his head. He wore a light cloak.

"She's got a tainted jewel shard in her hand. We tried to remove it, but…" She stopped short, jaw and eyes wide in astonishment.

Miroku saw it, too. On the back of Azurine's hand there was the image of a black spider growing quickly and pulsing.

"Get Lady Kaede," Miroku said softly. "Azurine needs to get out of here, and so do the others. I'll make for the other side of the village. Go, get everyone out, and hurry."

Sarah nodded as she bolted from the hut. Miroku picked up Azurine. Beginning to realize what was going on, Azurine blushed.

"Miroku, I'm not a cripple. I can walk," she insisted irritably.

"I know you can," he replied. "Right now, though, I feel it's in your best interest to be carried."

"But…" she began.

"Look. Naraku could be coming at any moment. Can you move your hand?" When Azurine failed to do so, he replied "I was afraid so. Naraku may have placed a curse on you."

Azurine looked up at him. "Like you?" she asked quietly.

"No, not like me, and thank the heavens for that. But you are very sick and vulnerable to attack, now." He kissed her forehead. "You've got a very high fever."

Azurine was starting to feel dizzy again. She didn't even protest to his kiss.

As Miroku hurried across the dirt paths, he could see lights appearing as lamps were lit. "The young monk carrying the ill witch does not bode good news," one young exclaimed.

Miroku paused. "A demon may be approaching, if my senses are right. Head out of the village and spread the word," he commanded. They obeyed and he waited until they had left. He sighed. Speaking softly to Azurine, he said, "It is time to flee."

Azurine's fever was worsening after having been exposed to the cold and rain. She coughed and shuddered. "Miroku," she rasped. "I don't feel very well. It's cold."

Miroku looked down, feeling guilty. He had his cloak but Azurine didn't even have her sweater. Her vest, shirt and skirt were all soaked through. Her steadily dying hand was turning black. Gently sliding his cloak off, he put it over Azurine. "I'm still pretty warm," he said quietly, holding her close. "Maybe it will help."

Kaede was waiting in a thickly covered area of forest. Taking a glance at Azurine, she began to work.

Miroku had been right. The moment he put Azurine down, the demon that had been pursuing them attacked the village, surrounded by the Saimiosho. Miroku swallowed, feeling next to useless.

Thankfully, InuYasha attacked from behind, using the Backlash Wave. "Feh, weakling," he spat.

The rest of the group came up behind Miroku, Azurine and Kaede. Sarah rushed forward. "Will she be all right?"

"The lass will live. Ye should be thankful for that. In a day's time she will regain the use of her hand, though she will never be able to cast magic with that hand again and it shall always be this shade."

"It's more than she deserves for interfering with Naraku."

Sarah looked up. The man Azurine knew as Noki stood before them.

"Who…" Sarah began before he interrupted.

"Do not remove the shard."

He was gone.

When Azurine woke, it was to anxious and accusing stares.

"What did you do with Naraku?" Sarah demanded.

"I don't know. Where am I? Why is it so cold? Where'd the roof go?"

"Miroku brought you outside. A demon attacked the village when we tried to remove your shard. A man appeared and told us not to remove it." Sarah's expression floated between concern and anger.

Azurine propped herself on her elbows, but when she tried to push up on her hands, she comically fell to her right. She examined her charcoal-black, and quite useless, hand.

She fainted again.

Sarah was watching her worriedly. Shippo brought in a bucket of cold water in which Sarah dipped a washcloth.

"Her fever's going down. She should…Oh! She's awake!"

"Hi," she croaked. She suddenly remembered her hand.

Sarah sighed, practically reading her friend's mind. "You can move it now, but Lady Kaede says it's not magical anymore and it will always be gray."

She picked up her hand and, clenching it in and out of a fist, saw that the color had faded to that of ashes.

"Sarah, where's Miroku?" Azurine asked abruptly after a pause.

"He's resting in the other room. He's been carrying you around all night and you're not getting up so you can see him. If you need to talk to him, I'll have him come to you when he wakes."

"N-no, that's okay. I'll talk to him later." Azurine sighed. She'd really wanted to talk to him before she lost her nerve. Well, no use crying over-

"Did I hear my name?" Miroku stepped into the room, stretching and yawning. "I am here."

It only took one quick glance and Sarah nodded and left. Miroku took her place beside Azurine on the floor. She smiled at him.

"What's up? I thought you hated me?" he asked.

"Remember what you asked me yesterday? Ask it again."

"Will…will you marry me?" he asked doubtfully.

"Yes, Miroku. I will marry you." Azurine beamed up at him.

"You will? And you'll bear my children?"

"Of course. A dozen if you like," she laughed.

"And you're not playing a trick on me?" Miroku gave her a look as if she'd stoop that low.

"Not at all."

Miroku, beaming, bent down and kissed her.

Yay! Azure said yes! Horray! See you all next week for another exciting chapter!

Bai-bai!