Her friends take the news of her dying fairly well. There are, of course, the expected shocks and disbeliefs that come when someone hears that their friend has somehow managed to revive after snapping her neck. To their credit, Andromeda wouldn't have believed it had she heard the story either. The fact that she's not human and that they've all heard various legends regarding phoenixes ends up being the thing that convinces her friends that she's not lying. That and Kagome's insistence that it actually happened and that Inuyasha isn't just lying to make the situation sound cooler than it actually was. Andy answers all of the questions she receives with little hesitance but it's more difficult to answer Miroku's questions, because he wants to know what it was like and what she saw and whether or not it could be something she'd be able to actively control in the future. He claims it's so they all know whether or not Naraky will be to manipulate the process in the future. Sango tells him that Andromeda's probably too powerful for Naraku to manipulate in such a way with his current level of power.
Miroku's disbelieving murmur of, "You're suggesting Andy is more powerful than the jewel?" has the auburn haired woman smiling.
Because one a certain level she is.
All-powerful Andromeda may not be but she is a being born before the jewel, born before life even truly took hold in the universe. She has her own faults, her own vices, but to a certain degree she's more than what the jewel can handle... in it's current state of brokenness anyway. There's no telling what Naraku will do with the jewel if he ever manages to complete it and use it for his own gain. She doesn't say anything though. Not that she really needs to with her friend group.
Everyone is quiet for a long moment before Sango says, "I think that the ability to bring yourself back from the dead is an incredible show of strength, especially when not fully in control of your abilities. Naraku doesn't have all of the jewel shards yet and it's doubtful he'll gather enough to do anything to Andy before she fully masters her abilities."
"Are you implying I don't?" Andy asks, feigning hurt.
"I think you could use some practice."
Fair enough.
Hard to contest that little statement when Andy's still not completely able to start a small fire without lighting herself up all the way. Really, the only two things she can claim to be a master of is her ability to heal and her barriers, and maybe the combustion orbs. The rest has been a work in progress but she's learning. Miroku's suggested meditation to help her focus her mind, Sango's begun running her through little physical exercises she claims all the demon slayers used to use to help center themselves mentally and physically, and Inuyasha's just suggested a full on brawl. When everyone had discouraged him the half-demon had just shrugged and explained that sometimes you just have to do it in order to learn how to continue doing it in the future. Andromeda didn't ask if that's how he learned to used the Iron Reaver Soul Stealer technique he's so fond of. Figures it's probably not her place anyway.
The next few days on the road are pretty quiet. Camping isn't exactly thrilling when you don't have demons to fight or villagers to protect but the group finds ways of entertaining themselves. It's a boring couple of days. Considering how often they've found themselves fighting or solving problems for people it's not all that surprising that Andy's feeling restless. Which is why she's absolutely thrilled when they come across a little village that seems to be having problems with demons. Don't get her wrong, Andromeda would never want anyone to suffer, but it was getting so boring listening to Inuyasha bitch at everyone that this is honestly better.
Demon bits raining down on a village isn't exactly common, after all.
Who knows, it might be something legitimately challenging.
So Miroku promises the villagers that they'll help and off they go in search of the miasma that Miroku's certain caused the issues the villagers are dealing with. Andy's half tempted to linger with the villagers and help those who aren't doing too well but... there isn't anything she can do about starvation. Probably best to get rid of the problem so that the villagers can restore their fields or do trade with other villagers without running the risk of getting hurt or killed.
"So we're going to help again?" Inuyasha growls as the group makes their way toward the mountain where a darkness seems to emit, "Do we really have time for this? We need to find Naraku!"
"About Naraku... That arrow that Kagome shot should have caused a very deep wound. As strong as he may be, Naraku would be out of commission for a while. Besides, I've already received a gratuity. We must help." the string of coins Miroku holds up as he finishes speaking has Andy rolling her eyes.
"Don't take it then!" Inuyasha shouts at the monk. "And don't you get gratuities after you do something?"
"After the fact, they usually give less." Miroku tells the silver haired boy.
"You amaze me! You dirty priest!"
"I am a monk, actually."
Listening to the two of them bicker is entertaining but it's soon cut off as Sango makes a comment about the thickness of the miasma being close to that of the one Naraku had been capable of creating. It's enough to convince Inuyasha to take a look. A small chance of being able to confront Naraku is still a chance, after all. Andy adjusts the strap of her bag before following the red clad half-demon toward the base of the mountain alongside the rest of their friends.
The closer they get to the mountain the less seems to grow. Plants wilt, then shrivel, then turn to nothing but the burnt-appearing remains of stalks, trees, and bushes. Not even the grass grows here. The lack of life is disturbing. It's also what clues her in to the fact that while the plants are dead there's also no whispering in her ear. What she can hear is distant at best, and the sudden stillness - the quiet - of everything makes Andromeda shiver violently.
"We'll be there soon," Inuyasha tells them, "What's going on in this mountain anyway?"
Something moves, the air seems to shift, and a low, ragged sounding breath breaks the quiet that had been so disturbing for Andy only seconds ago. The breathing seems to get louder the closer they get to what appears to be a cave entrance.
"What's the cave? The miasma seems to come from..." Kagome's cut off but Snago's wheezing cough and then suddenly Andy's arms are full of demon slayer.
Rubbing soothing circles into the girl's back is all she can really do to help, but once Kagome's helped get Sango settled off to the side of the path it's much easier to rummage through the demon slayer's things until she runs across a sort of grated mask. If Andy remembers correctly, which she probably does, it's built to help filter breathable air out of toxic conditions. Andy's quick to fit it around Sango's mouth and nose. Considering her body's been through so much in such a short amount of time it's not surprising that Sango would be the one most affected by the miasma.
"Sango, Kagome, you wait here. It's only a demon-slaying, no sense in all of us going in there." Inuyasha tells the two girls, knuckles cracking, "Miroku, Andy, let's go."
Frowning, the red head rises and makes her way over to Inuyasha's side. She doesn't really like the idea of leaving Kagome and Sango to fend for themselves in a place where there's really no where for them to go should they be forced to seek out shelter. Thankfully, Miroku seems to be of similar ideas because he instructs both Kirara and Shippo to stay behind with the girls. It's not a great situation but at least the three of them will be able to protect Sango - the fact that Shippo and Kirara are both powerful by their own rights sits a little better with Andy than it would have with the two of them were just a child and a cat, but not by much. With one last glance at the girls Andy shucks off her bag, sets it down, takes Kagome's offered torch, and follows the boys into the cave.
She instantly shrouded in darkness, even the dim light offered by the cave entrance seems to have been snuffed out. It's not a good feeling, knowing your stuck in a potentially deadly situation with so few options available to you. Fight or flight doesn't exactly apply here. Because there's no telling where you'd be running with this kind of darkness and Andy's totally not just going to light everyone up in this cave because she's nervous. Nope. Not happening. Hesitantly, she reaches out to brush her fingers against Miroku and Inuyasha just to make sure the two of them are still there with here. Wouldn't do to get separated.
Inuyasha's at the front, wielding the torch like a sword. The yellow light casting a small beam through the cave. Andy wonders how long it'll be before the batteries go out and whether or not they'll have completed their mission and gotten the fuck out by the time that happens. Miroku's slightly behind her and to her left. She only knows he's fallen a bit behind because his sudden painful sounding cough has her and Inuyasha whipping around to look at him. Clearly, the miasma's getting to him like it was getting to Sango. Miroku looks horrible. Pale and sweaty and tired. Andy reaches out to brush her fingers across his forehead only to be met with burning skin.
"I have undergone training, so I have some endurance." Miroku garbles out around his coughing and Andromeda rolls her eyes before tearing into the bottom of her t-shirt. "an average human would not stand a chance."
With the strip of fabric she's able to get from the shirt Andy makes a bit of a make-shift mask for Miroku, securing it around the back of his head with a weak smile. It won't help him much in the long run but at least it'll keep him from passing out or dying before he makes it out of the cave if he ends up needing to get out.
He opens his mouth, to thank her or to tell her it was unnecessary she'll never know, because he's stopped from saying anything by a thundering further down the cave's path. It almost sounds like feet hitting stone but Andy's hoping she's wrong about that. Slowly, she rises to her feet and moves alongside Inuyasha deeper and deeper into the cave until they come to a cavern full of demon remains and water. Which isn't too bad until something bursts out of the water with a roar and nearly causes the girl to fall off the ledge she's standing on because she jumped so damn hard. Inuyasha's hand on her shoulder is probably the only thing that keeps her from taking a bath in demon blood and whatever else is mixed in with the water.
Catching her breath, Andromeda takes a nice long look at the creature that's burst out of the water.
It's large, at least the height of a modern two-story house, vaguely Godzilla in appearance with it's scales flesh, massive tale, and ridges. The fact that another demon soon bursts out of the water following the first doesn't help with the whole I'm-gonna-get-ya vibe Andromeda was getting. In fact, it only contributes to it. Maybe the only good thing about the situation is that both demons are so obsessed with each other that neither of them have noticed Andy or her friends.
"Demons fighting each other?" Inuyasha murmurs, horrified.
"Take it that's not normal."
"Hundreds of demons have been fighting and killing each other here. Those who lost and their debris showered the village. These are the remains." Miroku says to them.
"But why are they doing this?" Inuyasha wonders.
Godzilla rips the other demon's head off and tosses it a wall of the cavern. It and the body are quickly swallowed by the water, which now looks like some sort of macabre vegetable soup. A soup that glows at the newly added body is pulled into that of the still living demon. Which is absolutely disgusting and makes Andy feel like she's going to hurl.
"The last demon standing," Miroky swallows thickly, "merged its body with the others."
"So we're talking a sort of Frankenstein's monster kind of mashup? Only... I'd say this one's trying to get stronger?"
Both men give her a perplexed look but ultimately nod as Godzilla grows himself a few set of body parts.
That should've been it right? Yeah, no. Because the minute the demon stops glowing and gets himself a new face - which is in the middle of its stomach, let that sink in - looks toward the ceiling of the cave and begins bellowing, "Why can't I get out? The last demon standing was supposed to leave here alive! Is there another demon here?"
And Inuyaha, being the predictable but lovable ass he is, yells back, "You mean me!"
"Wait Inuyasha!" Miroku urges softly but no less frantically only to be shoved off by Inuyasha as the half-demon chooses brawn over rational thought.
Watching as her friend goes flying at the demon Andromeda is forced to wonder just why the demons were forced to remain in the cave and fight. It could be a plot of Naraku's. Build a bigger, badder demon without the use of the jewel shards so that he can have a weapon against Inuyasha that isn't as easy to defeat as some of the lesser demons who managed to get their hands on the tainted bits of jewel. Andy grits her teeth as she watches the fight. If that were Naraku's plan then he was certainly on to something because the demon Inuyasha is currently fighting isn't going down. Not really. Inuyasha hasn't been able to use the full effect of his sword but that doesn't mean a whole lot. Not when the biggest reason for that is the demon's ability to basically smack the half-demon around. Any hit he does manage only seals back up. Nothing is really hurting the demon before them and Andy bites into her lip.
"We need to help." She says to Miroku.
"What would you have us do? There's too much miasma for me to use the wind tunnel and you don't know what your powers will do to the demon." Miroku rationalizes, though he sounds about as desperate as Andy feels. Then suddenly he's yelling, "Hold back your sword, Inuyasha! Don't fight!"
"If I don't fight I'll get killed!"
"Listen to me! This is just like the fuko spell! The same method to create Kodoku!"
"Fuko spell? Kodoku?" Inuyasha calls back, clearly confused. "What the hell is that?"
"With the Fuko spell poisonous worms and lizards are placed in one pot, have them kill each other off. The last one remaining alive then becomes a creature called Kodoku."
The demon stomp closer, threatening death and blood and pain. Andy shares a worried look with Miroku before she moves into a crouched position. No matter how aggressively Inuyasha attacks nothing seems to work against the larger demon. She really has no choice but to at least offer assistance and hope everything turns out ok for them, only, she never actually gets the chance because something vaguely oily slips across her being and when Andromeda whips around to attack whoever it is creeping up on her she's greeted with... Kagome... only, it's not. This woman's face is colder, a bit more angular, a bit older than the sister-of-her-soul. Kikyo, That's the only explanation Andy can come up with. Why else would she look like Kagome? Feel like Kagome? Wear the same expression of fear as Kagome?
Then there are little blood orbs spilling out of the woman who is but isn't the-sister-of-her-soul and Andromeda doesn't think before jerking forward to pull the other woman into her arms. Heat floods her as Andy pushes her own power into the clay shell quaking in her grasp, she can feel the bit of Kagome's soul that resides in the husk reach out and latch on, pulling strength from what Andy is capable of offering. Pressing herself into the cave's wall, Andy takes a fortifying breath and looks to Miroku - he offers a pained smile before lapsing into a fit of violent coughs that Andy can't do anything to help.
"You need to get out of here!" Andromeda tells him.
"No, I'm alright."
"You're not. Go," when he doesn't move Andy kick him in the shin as best she can with the mass of unconscious woman in her arms weighing her down, "Go! Inuyasha and I will follow you out! You aren't any help to anyone dead!"
Miroku merely shakes his head at her and settles against the cave wall himself, only his reasoning is to offer himself something to lean on as he hacks and shivers. Idiot. A fucking idiot. That's what all of her male friends are it would seem. Andy growls as she pulls the shivering woman closer to her body so she can begin an awkward shuffle-drag-crawl motion toward the monk.
"Miroku! Andy!"
Kagome appears out of nowhere, a bow and quiver of arrows flung over her shoulder, and Andromeda could both kill and kiss the younger girl at the same time. Because she's relieved to see her friend but she's just established her male friends are idiots and now she has to lump Kagome in that same group because what the fuck is wrong with her? If they survive this the two of them are going to have a very serious conversation about why Kagome can't go running into bad situations without a damn good reason. Or at all. Not running into a situation blindly would be great, actually. Definitely something the two of them are going to have a conversation about.
"What are you doing here?" Andy hisses at the younger girl, who blushes as she goes to check on Miroku - who manages to stop Kirara of all people from helping Inuyasha when she spots the demon he's fighting. And this doesn't do anything to disprove her idiot friends statement.
"This cave is under a Fuko spell. Unless we stop Inuyasha he will become fused with the demon!"
"Fused?" Kagome is rightfully horrified by the idea, "I sense the presence of the Sacred Jewel! Is this a trap then?"
"Oh, without a doubt." Andy says, fingers drifting to Kikyo's neck where she manages to catch a flutter of a pulse beneath cool, soft clay.
"Naraku's behind this." Miroku agrees.
Looking out over the cavern Andy wonders if the Fuko spell would apply to her magic. She doubts she'd be able to merge with another demon... well, she doubts she'd be able to take another demon into herself but... what if there weren't any demon bits left to merge with? It's worth a try. If she fails at least Andy would be able to get Inuyasha and fly them out of the cave. Yeah, ok, stupid idea activated. She's officially one of the idiot friends. Sango's the only one with any sense of self preservation or reasons. She's officially mom of the group.
"Here, take her, don't let go of her no matter what ok?" Andy carefully shuffles Kikyo over to Kagome, who buckles a bit under the weight of the other woman's body. Miroku is quick to latch on as well, which gives Andy some sort of relief. "You three need to get out of here ok? I'll meet you with Inuyasha back at the entrance yeah?"
"Are you certain of this Andy?" Miroku asks as he stumbles to his feet.
"Yeah, you don't have long though so I suggest you use Kirara."
The demonic kitty dutifully shifts into the larger, more deadly version of herself. All claw and fang and fur. Andy is quick to help Kagome get Kikyo and Miroku up onto the cat before she steps away. She waits only long enough for Kirara to take off in the direction they'd all come before she pivots on her heel, summons every bit of power she can find within herself, and make for the cavern.
"Inuyasha!" the half-demon turns to look at her, eyes wide and full of panic, and Andy thrusts both hands out, "Move!"
Fire, fire unlike any Andromeda has ever experienced in this version of her life spills from her body. It's a familiar fire. Identical to that which she was born in all those eons ago. Cosmic fire. The type of fire that spread through the universe burning some planets to a crisp while giving others the ability to thrive. Her arms and hands are swallowed by the varying shades of the fire she's pushing into the cavern and at the demon in the hopes of break whatever spell has been cast over this particular part of the mountain. For a second she's worried that Inuyasha didn't move, that she managed to accidentally catch him in the flame and burn him to a crisp but the fear negates itself as clawed finger latch onto her hips and a firm chest presses against her back, offering stability Andromeda wasn't even aware she needed until Inuyasha gave it to her. Around them the stone of the cave begins to glow and melt, adding itself to the onslaught of power falling over the screeching demon who didn't manage to escape like Inuyasha had.
Something cracks in the cavern floor, a product not of her power but of the hundreds of lesser demons attempting to flee. Gale force wind tears at her body, dragging her across the dimly glowing floor and sucking her fire into the fray of lesser demons and body parts. Inuyasha's hands shift, his arm slinking around her stomach in an attempt to anchor her to him. It works to keep them together but it doesn't stop them from being sucked into the whirlwind that's destroying the cave where Andromeda's power hadn't quite managed to melt down the last of the stone. She quickly stops the torrent of fire she'd been feeding into the cavern, to keep her and Inuyasha from being swallowed by it as well as to take away from whatever force is attempting to pull her power in. Fingers clench at her side, claws digging into her side, and Inuyasha's breath against her ear is almost swallowed by the shrieking of demons and the roaring of vicious winds.
Andromeda isn't sure how far they've gone but suddenly Inuyasha is dragging her out of the tangle. Their landing is painful. Inuyasha hits the ground first to lessen the blow before rolling Andy under him to act as a sort of shield. She allows it as she attempts to catch her breath. From the gap made by Inuyasha's arm wrapping protectively around her head Andromeda is able to watch as the mass of demons are sucked into a glowing pass, disappearing into the light with little more than hisses and growls. Then it's over. The demon from the cavern is gone alongside the lesser ones who'd been trapped in the cavern, and there is nothing left save her and Inuyasha and a man with flowing ebony hair and curious garnet eyes.
"Naraku! You created the Fuko spell to create a new body!" Inuyasha snarls, body still curled protectively over Andy's shivering frame.
Nudging him off of her, Andy pushes up onto her feet so she and Inuyasha can face off with Naraku, who smiles prettily at them as if the threat they pose isn't an incredibly lethal one and begins speaking in dulcet tones, "So the mountain miasma lured you and you entered the cave upon which I had cast my spell." soft laughter, then, "Inuyasha, you could have fused into this body too had it not been for your friend. She is the one who broke the spell. Thanks to her I am able to possess a new body." Andy sneers as he locks eyes with her, "As thanks to you I will allow you and the half-breed to leave unscathed. I do look forward to our future encounters."
And then he's gone. Flying away on a cloud of miasma and death and cruel laughter. Andromeda watches until he has completely disappeared before she allows herself to crumple against Inuyasha, who soothes her with gentle words and fingers brushing over her head.
"He's such a prick." Andy grunts, which earns her a snort from Inuyasha.
"Worse than my brother." is the somber agreement.
Andy hums softly and says, "At least your brother's hot."
It takes a moment but Inuyasha's sudden gasp and gag manages to wheedle a pained laugh out of Andy.
"I hate you." Inuyasha says, but there's no malice in his tone, no maliciousness, so Andy's pretty sure Inuyasha doesn't actually hate her. In fact, she might be convinced to believe he absolutely loves her.
She pats his hand before wobbling back onto her feet, Inuyasha's hands never leaving her shoulders as she takes a few shuffling steps. Once she's up and the threat of her face planting has lessened Inuyasha takes a little step back, probably to give her some air, but doesn't leave enough room for her to collapse before he can get to her. Andy isn't too sure about that but she appreciates it a bunch. Rolling her shoulders helps relieve some of the tension that's beginning to build up between her shoulder blades and an inspection of her aching fingers promises no permanent damage - only some redness and slight swelling which doesn't surprise her in the slightest. Hopefully it'll be gone by tomorrow after some sleep and a lot of water. Groaning softly to herself, Andy shuffles herself in the direction of the cave entrance... or rather, what had been the cave entrance.
"What are you doing?" Inuyasha demands.
"Going back to the others."
"Are you sure you should be moving right now?"
"Mhm."
"Damnit, Andy, let me carry you!"
"M'fine."
A low, vicious sounding growl is her only warning before Inuyasha is scooping her up into the cradle of his arms, forcing her to either rest her head on his shoulder or fight the sudden dizziness in order to keep it upright. She decides that she has enough personal pride to admit that Inuyasha's shoulder makes an amazing pillow - she could do without the hair in her face as it tickles her nose and makes her want to sneeze but beggars can't be choosers - and settles in for a little ride. Neither of them speak but Andy can practically taste the tension in the air. Inuyasha's curiosity over the situation and everyone else's demands for answers will likely result in a conversation she isn't particularly looking forward to. But maybe they'll feed her? Yeah, Kagome will definitely feed her.
When they get back to the group Andy's greeted with worried exclamations and nervous touches. She allows the fretting if only to use the closeness of her friends to check over their bodies as well. None of them have sustained any true damage and Miroku already looks a hundred times better than he had back near the cavern. Sango looks good too, less pale. The only person missing from the group is Kikyo. Disappointed, Andromeda is not. Dead-soul-stealing priestesses aren't her concern. Truthfully, the only reason she'd protected the woman was because at some point she'd been important to Inuyasha. That and the fact that she's harboring a bit of Kagome's soul so to some degree Kikyo holds a bit of Andy's affection. Warped as it may be. Andromeda won't kill Kikyo, will probably do quite a bit to protect the woman, but it's not like Andy will go out of her way to do so.
"Do you feel alright?" Kagome asks, fingers drifting around her temples, brushing sweaty hair out of Andy's face.
"I'm honestly freezing."
Blue eyes narrow a bit as Kagome pulls away to observe her better.
"We'll go back to the village. See if we can find a room for the night."
"Why bother? Best to get as far from the village as possible. Fine somewhere away from human settlements to lay low." Inuyasha insists, already adjusting his grip on Andy so he can move her onto his back.
When Kagome doesn't put up a fight it makes Andy narrow her eyes at the younger girl. Normally, Kagome wouldn't agree to Inuyasha's insistence without at least demanding a reason, so it's weird that she's just going with it now. Actually... everyone's been acting weird. Quiet. They've been talking to Andy, asking how she is and how she feels and what's happening to her but none of them have mentioned Kikyo or what happened after they left the tunnel. While it might not be a topic of conversation that needs to be brought up immediately it's definitely something that needs to be addressed. So why haven't they at least addressed it? Even Inuyasha's strangely silent.
Catching Kagome's eye, Andy raises an eyebrow in question to which the sister-of-her-soul merely drops her gaze and shuffles on her feet.
It's then that Andy notices a distinct lack of jewelry dangling from Kagome's neck.
Fuck.
Andy pointedly says nothing about it during the hours the group travels away from the mountain. They don't stop until they hit a bit of forest not too far away from a hot springs that everyone is clearly in desperate need of. Once everything has been unloaded from Kagome's bike and Kirar's back Inuyasha is quick to pass Andy off to Sango and Kagome with instructions to find the spring and get cleaned up while the boys set up camp. It's an excuse to get Miroku alone so Inuyasha can grill him about what happened to Kikyo. Not that she's complaining. She's going to be doing some grilling of her own soon. So she allows Sango to help her gather her things and then the three women depart into the woods. It doesn't take them long to find the springs but they're far enough away that unless any of them start screaming Inuyasha shouldn't be able to spy on them.
"What the fuck happened with Kikyo?" Andy demands as she eases out of her clothes.
Sango shares a look with Kagome before saying, "What do you mean?"
"You're missing your pieces of the jewel and the woman is missing."
She allows Sango to help her into the springs and over to a small shelf in the rock where she can sit before taking her toiletry bag from the demon-slayer.
"Well," Kagome begins after Andy's been settled, "we were worried about you and Inuyasha, distracted. I was trying to help Kikyo sit down and I guess she managed to get the shards."
"Then?"
"Then she just disappeared. I swear I didn't mean for it to happen! She was there and then suddenly she was just gone and what was I supposed to do?"
Grime disappears as Andy works her soap into a lather against her arms. This isn't a good situation. Kikyo's going to do something bad with those jewel shards but what? What could she possibly be planning? Andromeda bites into her lip as she dips down to wash the soap away from her body. Telling Inuyasha isn't something they can debate on. He'll find out one way or another. Hell, he probably already knows. The best thing they can do is wait and gather as many other pieces of the shard as possible.
"Guess there's nothing we can do about it now." Andy pours some shampoo into her hand. "From now on we take turns carrying the shards."
"What?"
"The three of us will swap out from now on. Make it harder for anyone to know who has it."
"Won't that be a little obvious after a while?" Sando asks.
"Probably, but there's still a third of a chance someone is going to snag the right person if they go for the collected shards. All of us are capable of defending ourselves and I think that if we include Miroku and Shippo every once in a while it'll help keep the shards safe."
"What about Inuyasha?"
Andy looks at Kagome, finds herself growing uncomfortable with the tension bleeding into her frame, and says, "I love Inuyasha, but I think it wouldn't be a good idea to give him full responsibility of the jewel shards... not if Kikyo's the one stealing them from the group."
Silence settles over the springs.
Painful as it is to admit Inuyasha's biased when it comes to the dead-but-not priestess it's not like they're lying. Inuyasha is a good friend, loyal and dedicated to the point of being dangerous to himself, but he's also the type of person that loves and loves and loves until there's nothing left for him to give. Kikyo's a poison. Inuyasha might be aware of that but she's still the first woman he's ever truly loved in a romantic sense. Andromeda knows that if they gave the jewel shards to Inuyasha he would defend them with his life but only if those who he's protecting the shards from aren't Kikyo.
Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.
Andy won't kill Kikyo - if only to spare Inuyasha the pain of having to live with that - but she will ensure that the woman's precarious situation is well known. If she fucks with Inuyasha or Kagome or anyone else in Andy's clan of loved ones then it will be hellfire and an eternity of misery raining down upon the dead woman. A fraction of Kagome's soul is still precious to the red haired woman but that doesn't mean she'll leave Kikyo unscathed should she do anything to harm the sister-of-her-soul. Dunking beneath the water offers silence, reprieve, Andy stays beneath the water until her lungs burn with their need for oxygen and when she comes up Andy feels clearer headed then she has in a while.
At the end of the day Kagome and the others are her first priority. Kikyo can do as she wishes with the jewel fragments she's gotten - there aren't that many really - but she better be very fucking careful of her step in the future seeing how thin the ice beneath her feet is. She may not be willing to kill Kikyo right now but there will come a day when Inuyasha's love shrivels into something dark and that will be the day Andy shows the dead priestess why she never should've touched Kagome.