I'm back... zz; so tired... AND THE DAMN FFnet RULER IS BROKEN FOR ME!
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Chapter 21
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- Previously -
Naraku snickered happily at the taiyoukai's decision on continuing his search. True, those were youkai ninjas manipulated the looks of how his kabu would look like. But the reason why it was done was to see the reaction of how his little 'soon to be mate' would be if, she was killed.
"It appears that it isn't much of a reaction." Akago stated.
"That Sesshomaru guy has the Tenseiga; wouldn't he revive her anyways if she was killed?" Hakudoushi asked bitterly.
"If he is lucky enough to reach her in time since Inuyasha is too blind to see what's coming." Naraku snickered.
"Keh, he doesn't even know those aren't his kabus," Hakudoushi rolled his eyes, "why don't we be 'nice' for a change?"
Akago looked at him coldly, "why don't have a need for her."
"Iie, we don't, but I guess we can leave her alone," Naraku grinned, "she'll be suffering enough without care. Kanna, how long will it take effect?"
"Perhaps a few years," Kanna replied quietly.
"A few years," Naraku's grin widened, "then let's go give the taiyoukai and hanyou a little something to chase for the mean time."
Hakudoushi turned to Naraku, "even though she is pointless to have around, what about Kagura?"
"Hmm, let her be as she is, I can always make another incarnation." Naraku stated with an evil chuckle.
"Hai, now where is that Kohaku boy," he looked around with annoyance.
"He's in his room sulking." Kanna whispered.
"I should go 'heal' him from his pain soon." Naraku grinned.
"Whether it's erasing his memory or keeping him locked up, it doesn't matter how he suffers." Hakudoushi turned away, "I'm retiring for the night, there's nothing else to do."
"Hai," Naraku replied.
- Now -
--
Two years have passed slowly for everyone and it was annoying. Inuyasha wasn't allowed to see Kagome a lot, maybe like… once or twice a week now. Sometimes he'd spot two ryu youkai around the area but ignored them because they were in Kagome's barrier.
Kagome would be nice and stuff when she was alone with him when he was around without Kikyou. The undead miko kept away from Kagome's area because she sensed something about her reincarnation and purposely kept it secretive from Inuyasha. None of them were really aware of it, just Naraku, Kikyou, Kaede, and Kagome.
Miroku and Sango had received their hut to stay at when they were at the village for a rest. That was about two or three days ago though, since Inuyasha wanted to go search for Naraku since he claimed there was scent. But they bid Kagome, Rin, Shippo, and the kabus their farewells, and left on Kirara.
--
Inside Kagome's barrier had changed enormously thanks to Kaede and the villagers who help. Behind her hut on the right were herbs at the front, and farther away were vegetables while on the left side was grass for Aun and Cho; the two ryus. It amazed her how Kagome's ryu grew quickly like a pet would.
Cho was the same ryu youkai breed as Aun just with different scale color. Aun was greenish brown color while Cho was a light greenish blue. It was a problem for Kagome though that Aun was a male and Cho was a female.
Anyways, in the back it was like a garden with a dirt pathway between them. In the front of the hut there was a target board for archery, a large tree to climb, and a little training area for the kabus to practice on. The four kabus were now three years old and began to practice what they could.
Normally, the four would practice climbing the tree as a waking warm up for strength, and then do what they were told. It was simple really, since Sesshomaru told Kagome what training each kabu would receive. That was around three years ago, when they were born.
Hidemi was placed into youkai training, and worked extremely hard at it for a pup. Every morning, she would climb the tree five to ten times until her little claws bled a little. To learn to fight, Shippo was placed as her sparing partner; teaching her to use her legs, arms, fists, claws, and fangs. Occasionally they would use the ryu youkai as and extra tactics.
'Hidemi wishes to prove herself worthy to Sesshomaru, she will become very strong at this rate.' Kagome whispered to herself.
Sato was placed into miko training, and it was difficulty to learn, so it went slow for her so it would be easier. Kagome had gone to her era and bought a toy set for Sato to practice on. Many times through the day and week, Sato would want her okasan to be with her and show her how it would go.
'Sato wishes to prove herself worthy to me, she'll be able to master archery in two mores years when she can hold one.' Kagome smiled.
Chikako was placed into studies of knowledge, Kagome had bought many books for the kabu and she had surpassed the kindergarten books a while ago. She was now onto first grade learning, and almost to the second grade. Kagome would teach Rin knowledge as well since she would help watch over all kabus.
'It's amazing how she learns at such a fast rate; she'll a prodigy when she gets older.' Kagome laughed in her mind at the thought.
Kichi was placed into medicine learning, and it was a little difficult since she was so young and barely understood them. Kaede was her sensei at learning herbs that were all around, and Kagome was thankful. It seemed funny how Kaede had taught Kichi about the herb medicine Kagome would need once a week, but was also thankful for that as well.
'She'll be a healer soon, that's obvious since she's already helping me; her own okasan.' Kagome sighed tiredly.
They were all meant to be placed in balance though, the kabus that is. Hidemi learns to fight in the youkai style while her identical twin learned miko style. Chikako would learn knowledge as Kichi learned medicine; they weren't really an opposite, but kept things straightened out.
'If they were told to fight as one, how strong will they be? Even know they show remarkable development since part of them is taiyoukai, it's still amazing at the capability of it all. I just hope their not deprived of their youth, and wish to become a youkai. I don't want them to act like Inuyasha, its wrong for them to even thinking about changing themselves like that.' Kagome sighed.
--
Inuyasha and his companions were all walking on foot, and it drove them insane. Miroku and Sango begged in their minds to ride Kirara but the hanyou insisted to keep walking. This was all Kikyou's fault for being an 'appropriate' onna.
"I bet we could've stayed at the village with Kagome." Sango whispered to Miroku.
"Now, now, we have to deal with Naraku; you know this as fact as I do, Sango." Miroku sighed
"…" The taijiya groaned.
"Will you two quite dawdling? It's really annoying to hear your complaints every five minutes!" Inuyasha growled at them.
Sango returned to whispering to Miroku, "he's even more than we are; he wants to run around."
"Indeed, Kagome never kept him on this tight of a leash." Miroku whispered back in the same tone.
'As much as I would hate to admit, I do prefer traveling with Kagome.' Inuyasha sighed while Kikyou was at his side. 'The scent of life just isn't there…'
--
Sesshomaru walked towards the scent of Naraku's, and was annoyed how it felt like going in circles. The taiyoukai knew he was close but yet far from catching him. Jaken was exhausted from walking so much.
They would probably stop for an hour once a week, or worse, a month. Food was limited for them as was water from the stream. Sesshomaru despised the long period of time away from his kabus and ningens.
"Sesshomaru-sama…" Jaken said exhaustedly.
Knowing what the annoying retainer wanted, they stopped. Jaken soon then collapsed on the ground and practically passed out. Sleep; when was the last time the taiyoukai had received any sleep at all?
'The last one this one had slept, was before leaving the miko and this ones kabus…' Sesshomaru reminded himself and mentally sighed at the frustration.
He did as any would do about their kabus, warabe, or any young. Sesshomaru worried for their safety as well as Rin and Kagome's. The taiyoukai knew they were safe though thanks to her barrier, but something itched at him to go back; to go back and return to the miko.
It was a stinging pain that would not stop, and it annoyed him. This is what his otousan had gone through; this is what his okasan had warned him about. Was it true about what he had said about his own father? That a ningen had made him weak? Was Kagome making him like that; weak?
'Nonsense!' Sesshomaru snarled at himself as he pushed those thoughts out of his mind so they wouldn't bother him.
--
Kagome opened her eyes tiredly to see the littler young one's sleeping soundly against her. One of them slept on her chest, and she paid no mind to the kabu and looked up at the ceiling to just look at it. She was tired, and she was very weak.
Looking over to the door mat, she saw the waning crescent moon, and smiled lightly. She understood now; why Inuyasha's mother was so vulnerable. Why she had died when Inuyasha was so young…
'Sesshomaru…' Kagome called out tiredly while wanting to reach the moon that reminded her of Sesshomaru's crescent on his forehead.
--
"Ah, I've finally found you Totosai," a flea grumbled and sat on the ushi.
"Hmm? Oh, well if it isn't Myouga!" Totosai smiled. "How has my old friend been doing the last few years?"
"I've recently gone to Inuyasha-sama's forest recent and couldn't find Kagome-sama anywhere. Inuyasha said since was in a hut taking care of her pups."
"Yup, she has four little kabus, and Shippo." He nodded.
"Four! Inuyasha-sama wanted that many!" Myouga jumped.
"Eh? Those kabus aren't Inuyasha's; he's practically a kabu himself!" Totosai laughed out loud.
"Then the kabus aren't his?" He looked baffled.
"Of course not Myouga! Didn't you see the attitude in Hidemi, especially with those stripes?" Totosai looked at him. "Those aren't Inuyasha's kabus; those are Sesshomaru-sama's. Quite feisty the four onnanokos are."
"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!" Myouga yelled astonished. "Tell me those two are mates and that Sesshomaru-sama didn't do what his otousan did!"
Totosai scratched his head, "now that you mention it… iie… their not mates… huh, go figure."
"Baka, baka, baka! Don't you remember remembered what happened to Izayoi-sama!"
"Mmmm… nope," he replied.
"T-this is terrible, where's Sesshomaru-sama, where's Inuyasha-sama!" Myouga begged for the answers desperately.
"Well if you ask me, I think you should go tell Sesshomaru-sama what ever it is." Totosai stated a little confusedly.
"Baka, this is your fault that you didn't want Sesshomaru-sama!" Myouga yelled. "How old are the kabus!"
"Hmm," he scratched his chin, "their probably about three years old I'd imagine, or something around there."
"THIS MIGHT TAKE FOREVER TO FIND HIM!" Myouga yelled and hopped away immediately.
"I wonder what's bugging that bug…" Totosai still tried to think then began to wonder, "Maybe Kagome-sama's going to meet the same fate as Izayoi-sama…?" He shrugged and pushed the thought aside and allowed Myouga to take care of it.
--
"Kanna, what's taking her so long to just die already?" Akago asked with irritation in his infant tone.
"Kagome is a miko, and is also trying to fight it off; she is half way there though." Kanna whispered.
Hakudoushi huffed with annoyance, "so she's finally weakening? It's about damn time she's losing it."
"What's this Hakudoushi, are you getting impatient?" Naraku smirked at the irritated child who wanted to end the mikos life already.
"I don't care for the miko; I just think we should just put her out off her damn misery already." Hakudoushi rolled his eyes.
"Don't worry about killing the miko, let's prepare for some eventual fun." Naraku stood up.
"Let's use Kohaku as bait for the hanyous group then." He snickered at the thought of what chaos it would cause the taijiya.
"Very well, you can go let him run about." Naraku grinned and left the room shortly after that.
--
A year past and Kagome was now bedridden as instructed by Kaede.
The quadruplets wondered around at age four now and helped their okasan out just as well as Shippo and Rin. Cho and Aun helped out in other ways such as escorting them to springs to bathe. Kagome laughed at how she hadn't been useful to them.
Rin and the kabus (including Shippo) were sitting around her ill form; not understanding what had caused it. They wanted it to go away, and they wanted it to go away right now! It was scaring them all, and they didn't like seeing her like this.
Kichi had tried offering medicines that she had learned would help, thanks to Kaede, but Kagome took the medicine to have her kabus happy. Their okasan knew it wouldn't help, and they sort of knew that too. They wanted to keep trying though.
Chikako looked through many medical books from the future era, but nothing was similar to her symptoms. Their okasan was only at the age twenty-three and she was ice cold and pale. Still, they wouldn't give up.
Sato tried miko powers to heal her, but she was still too young, and her okasan hadn't given her proper training because of it and the illness. Every time she would try, Kagome told her to stop, and just scratched her hanyou ear softly. No, they weren't going to give up.
Hidemi knew that nothing she had learned would help their okasan, and it made her feel completely weak. Somehow, in the bottom of her little heart, she knew they couldn't do anything. She knew that the only one that could do something… was the one who abandoned them.
Their otousan…(Do you sense any hate?)
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"Oh dear, at this rate it'll be too late for Kagome-sama! I need to find Sesshomaru-sama soon!" Myouga panicked with much to worry about.
--
"We should go back to the hut Inuyasha," Sango suggested; worried for the bedridden friend.
"What the hell are you talking about! We just left there about a week ago damn it!" Inuyasha yelled furiously.
"Well we fear for Kagome's safety unlike you." Miroku stated annoyed; he had lost patience with the hanyou many months ago.
"Feh!" He looked away, 'I hope your okay Kagome…'
Kikyou scowled at them all, 'onna no baka, hurry up and die…'
--
"Sesshomaru-sama, is something bugging you?" Jaken asked worriedly with the staff in hand.
Sesshomaru was deep in thought while looking in the direction of the village Kagome lived in with Shippo, Rin, and the kabus. Something had been calling him to return, but he kept ignoring it. He knew that they were fine because of that barrier of hers.
'Hidemi is calling…' Sesshomaru growled, and the two of them continued walking toward the scent.
--
And another year passed with everyone extremely close to Naraku's grounds, just as planned by the hanyou.
Kanna quietly called worth Hakudoushi who looked around the age ten, and Akago who looked age five. They entered Naraku's chamber and they looked at the mirror to see Kagome. The miko had terrible breathing, and they all chuckled.
"Kanna," Hakudoushi called out, "is she ready to die yet?"
"Hai, it is not much longer till the miko breathes her last breath in the living world." Kanna whispered quietly.
Naraku chuckled evilly, "it seems we'll enjoy the show after all. Taiyoukai no baka, hanyou no baka, and here I thought they'd worry about the miko."
"Who cares," Hakudoushi huffed and crossed his arms, "maybe they'll save us the trouble of dirtying our hands and decide to kill each other."
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Wow... such... suspense? oo;