A/N: Thank you, my dear readers, for the lovely comments. I always enjoy them immensely. A few answers I wanted to give to all of you. I was asked in one of the comments if I planned on making Chiharu Shippō surrogate mother. The answer is not specifically, but she does like children. Occasionally she will mother over him (but Sango and Kagome do so too).

Secondly, another comment was about Chiharu being a Half-demon or not. Right, now she comes close. In a way, she is yet, in others she isn't. Chiharu doesn't have a human moment anymore because Sesshōmaru doesn't get a reprieve from his demon nature either. Therefore, it's not exactly the same.

And of course on with the story^^ Enjoy chapter eighteen and like always let me know what you all think and welcome to old and new readers:)

InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

o.O.o

Chapter Eighteen, The Oni's sword

A soft layer of moss and lichen covered the boulders sprawled at the edge of the rocky mountain. There was hardly a trace of civilisation for miles and the path they'd made was snaked through by a blanket of grass. Kagome's backpack dug into Chiharu's shoulders and she peered at the sky. The sunlight was dimming gradually, hiding further and further down the horizon and the little group of shard hunters moved deeper into the woods. Hidden from sight and away from prying eyes.

Chiharu peered around the vegetation and dry mud stuck to her sandals. A chill was settling over the lands and she snuggled Shippō closer in her arms. The tall grass made place for a small clearing and Miroku smiled waving his staff carefully around as if to determine if it was safe or not.

Apparently, that was exactly what he did and he nodded at the rest of the group. "It's safe,"

Kagome sighed: "Then, let's make a camp here."

The smell of damp leaves met her nose and Chiharu kicked at the grass. "I suppose if we start a fire, this would be as good as any camping place."

"Yes," Kagome whispered before turning to Inuyasha, "are you all right, Inuyasha?"

"Fine," Inuyasha muttered darkly, jumping up into a tall tree. He settled on a thick branch, his silver mane gleaming in the dying sunlight. Kagome sighed wishfully and Sango rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. The older girl silently comforting the futuristic schoolgirl and peered carefully at Miroku. With the monk always making advances on another woman, Chiharu supposed she would understand to some degree. Miroku had been Sango's rock when she lost her family and considered him somewhat as a love interest. Even if she herself was not yet realising that yet.

When nightfall fell in about a few hours, the new moon would rise and Inuyasha would turn human. Kagome gave Chiharu a long look and then she and Sango decided to look for the hot spring that was only a few metres up ahead. The silent request — 'please talk to Inuyasha' — clearly conveyed with Kagome's eyes and Chiharu sighed, peering up at the sulking Hanyō. She slowly sat down next to him, pulling her knees up under her chin and glanced out over the grass-field. Miroku sat cross-legged on the grass, eyes closed and face solemn, to meditate. He sat far enough away for Chiharu and Inuyasha to talk.

"How are you really doing?" Chiharu asked slowly, peering up at his face.

"Feh," he huffed, "fine, why don't you bother someone else, wench?"

"I don't know Inuyasha…" she told him sweetly, "Why don't you learn tact?"

"I don't need people checking up on me, nothing is wrong!" He snapped.

"Sure," she answered, not moving from the spot. "But are you really surprised we're worried about you? When something goes wrong, no, I'm not saying we aren't glad you saved us, just worried, but when something goes wrong you always refuse to talk about it."

"Feh,"

"Inuyasha, we care for you. All of us, Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Kirara and even Shippō, who considers you to be some sort of older brother figure, cares for you."

"I don't need—"

"Everyone needs someone to care for him or her." She whispered. "At least talk to Kagome-nee-chan. She was really worried about you."

He snorted rudely, muttering profanities under his breath and she slowly got to her feet. "I'm going to take a walk. Perhaps find some herbs for dinner."

When she returned, her hands clutching at a few surviving mushrooms, Miroku was already working on dinner. His eyebrows were tightly furrowed in concentration. Inuyasha and Kagome were sitting a bit further away, the Hanyō's normal silver hair had darkened, while Sango, dressed in her pink travelling kimono sat near the fire. The older girl smiled warmly when Chiharu returned before continuing to polish her boomeranbone.

"How was your walk, Chiharu-chan?"

"Fine," she nodded slowly, "is Inuyasha in a better mood now?"

"Barely, Chiharu-sama." Miroku answered, looking up from what seemed like blackened fish and rice.

"Nice," she muttered and he glowered at her, his hand sneaking down her waist and Chiharu pushed the mushrooms in his left hand before swatting at his right arm. "Keep your hands to yourself!" She chided him gently before taking out the bowls of Kagome's yellow rucksack.

"Is it almost finished?"

He peered down at the pan before shrugging, "sure, it's not getting any better anyway so sure."

She nodded before sharing a look with Sango and trudged towards Kagome and Inuyasha. "Guys, dinner, or at least something that should pass for dinner, is ready."

"Did Miroku really cook?"

"He did," Chiharu affirmed and the Hanyō shuddered — 'I'm glad I don't have my yōkai senses on me now then' — and followed them to the fire.

Chiharu sank down next to Sango and reached for a bowl with rice, blackened fish and mushrooms. The dinner wasn't exactly good, but it could have been worse. The group of shard hunters were silent, chewing slowly on the rice. It was a bit dry and Chiharu fiddled with her chopsticks before spearing a piece of fish.

"Only one more night, Inuyasha." Miroku assertively offered, rightly interpreting the reason for Inuyasha's fool mood.

"The old fart is slow." Inuyasha muttered, dropping his bowl on the grass and grumbled under his breath.

Chiharu licked her dry lips and firmly gripped her bowl. A chilling breeze ran through the few leaves still hanging from the trees. She stretched her legs out in front of her and wriggled her toes. Her sudden tiredness was not entirely unexpected and after a few huge yawns, the others started to get ready for bed. They all took a place before the fire.

It was a cold and bitter night in early February. Under the veil of darkness, the fire burned on the dried bracken wood until they turned into smouldering coals of a fire. She watched the lights from the fire diminishing and she peered at them through half-lidded eyes.

I-I. ⌡. Γ┐

She awoke to the clashing of swords, leaving a clanging ring echoing through the frosty autumn air. She slowly wormed herself out of her sleeping bag and she watched with wide eyes at the madly moving red-leaved trees (most already fallen to the forest floor). She needed a moment to understand what was going on, but then sensed his presence first and detected his familiar scent and youki second. She rolled over on her stomach and peered at the tall man. Her eyebrows furrowed together at the figure clad in his white kimono and his indisputable strength emanated from his demonic aura.

'What is he doing here?'

The brothers were fighting and as they twirled around each other. Chiharu slowly slid her sleeping bag back and sat up. She had never considered that the two siblings actually looked alike. They both had the same pair of golden eyes and long silver hair, yet there were far more differences. The elder brother held an overbearing posture, grown from years of fighting and she breathed out slowly, getting to her feet. He had a sword now, with a red handle and shone in the rising sun.

Inuyasha spun himself clear out of Sesshōmaru's longer reach. He seemed well, the gash on his cheek completely gone and his armour repaired and shining in the pale light on the sun. The sky was blue and wide and cold and the ground crisped under their feet.

"Tetsusaiga seems a little heavier." The older Yōkai muttered and Inuyasha bristled, fingers tightly wrapped around the hilt of his Tetsusaiga.

"Not a little heavier, arsehole!"

"What the hell?" She whispered, Shippō settling on her shoulder, coming out of nowhere. "What's going on? How on earth did I not awaken from this?"

"I don't know, Chiharu-chan, you slept like the dead. Didn't even move when Kaijinbou suddenly appeared." The little fox-yōkai explained. She had no idea who that was, but she supposed it had been the dead mangled body that lay only a few feet away on the grass.

"How did I sleep through all of this?" She mumbled softly and Shippō grinned.

"The others wondered about that too." The kit nodded. "When Kaijinbou arrived he wasn't exactly subtle or silent, yet you merely turned over on your side and mumbled about 'cold feet' and slept on."

"I see," she nodded. Plumes of white breath smokily curling towards the sky as it left her mouth. Inuyasha's cheeks had turned pink and multiple scratches covered his face. The older Yōkai stared impassively at his younger brother, holding his sword out in front of him.

"He has a sword." She mumbled.

"Yes," Shippō nodded. "Kaijinbou made it. Apparently, Sesshōmaru-sama is the Yōkai that commissioned it. We're screwed. Inuyasha can't even hold his sword up."

"His fang is too heavy?" Chiharu asked slowly, not completely understanding how it could be too heavy.

"Yes,"

Inuyasha charged with abandon and Sesshōmaru laughed. He met the uncoordinated swing from his younger brother with his blade. The shock of the impact pushed the Hanyō back and he slammed into the grass with a pained groan. Sesshōmaru bared his teeth, never a good sign, and Inuyasha only barely blocked his brother's next blow.

"Arrogant pup!" he sneered. "If that sword is too heavy for you than perhaps it's better if you don't have it at all."

The sword flew out of Inuyasha's hand and was driven into the ground a few feet away from him. The grass beneath his booted feet flattened and tore, as he twirled around. Sparks left his sword and Inuyasha yelped when they tore through his skin and crimson started to stain his fire-rat robes.

"Inuyasha!"

Far above clouds rolled through the sky and bolts of lightning stabbed through the clouds. The Daiyōkai's youki swirling darkly around them and the bad weather drawing on the wind and the clouds. Inuyasha jumped back and Chiharu winced as Sesshōmaru suddenly appeared before the Hanyō, slamming him back against the forest floor driving him fully back on his defences.

"He's not after the sword," Chiharu whispered, an icy wind whipping at her hair and around her face. Her hands were cold and her cheeks were starting to feel numb, slightly starting to tingle from the hot fury that stabbed through her. It wasn't one of her emotion and she shuddered. The weather was a show of his power, his youki and she grabbed her older sister's wrist as she was about to take a step towards the Hanyō.

"How do you know?" Kagome whispered back, peering at her younger sister's wrist.

"His frenzied quest for that stupid sword is different from what goes through his head right now." She explained. She wasn't very good at understanding his emotions. She wasn't very good at deciphering him at all, but at least she could tell that this was different from normal. "I'm not sure what he's doing here!"

The sun was not long risen and the morning was still chilly. Inuyasha slammed into a withered dead oaken tree which splintered from the impact. With a growl, the young man got up to his feet and flung himself towards the aristocratic Inu Daiyōkai.

The older brother used the flat of his blade to whack the younger boy down. It didn't seem like he was seriously fighting the Hanyō. To make that point even clearer, he feinted than brought his sword up, slamming it into the ground. More red sparks came from it and Inuyasha was blown back meters before smacking down on the ground. He was winded and groaned and she knew the full-blooded Yōkai lost his patience.

"He was blown back by the kenatsu!" Sango whispered.

"What do we do?" Chiharu returned. She wasn't strong enough to fight Sesshōmaru and even with the mark, she could not anticipate his moves. Yet, she was sure he could anticipate her moves easily. "What do we do? It's like he's testing him."

"Testing?" Kagome asked softly.

"Look at how he's fighting," Chiharu said, wincing when Sesshōmaru blew Inuyasha back again and the Hanyō struggled to get up to his feet. Squirming, willing his arms and legs to listen he tried to get up again but Sesshōmaru seemed to have seen enough.

"So the half-yōkai is just a half-yōkai huh?" Sesshōmaru mused, before bringing his sword back and brought it back in a brute-force swinging arc. "Enough, die Inuyasha!"

Sesshōmaru started down the grass and suddenly the air around Inuyasha changed. His aura, his essence, changed and the wind picked up.

"He's going to change!" Chiharu whispered. "I mean it, his scent and aura just changed."

"Everyone!" Tōtōsai, where the hell did he come from, said. "Flee with Inuyasha"

He blew his cheeks up, puffing them up until they were almost twice the size they normally where and the pre-air started to kindle as the fire took, lighting up the air around them. The fed flames spit and crackled and Chiharu helped Kagome drag an almost comatose Inuyasha — sat three feet into the ground — away. As they quickly leave the open space, she glanced backwards. A thick, dark smoke covered the grass and kept Sesshōmaru's tall, prone form from view. The fire had created a roasting blaze, but she didn't doubt he had survived. It probably hadn't even left a dent in his armour.

They raced along the forest path, a strong wind in their backs until they reached the edge of the copse of trees. They'd travelled to the edge of the forest, near a fast running river. The dry forest-floor had grown wet and muddy, dark and sticky to Chiharu's sandals. Red cattle was clustered together in the gloom under the beeches and she slumped down onto a boulder. She shivered with sleepiness and watched Kagome and Tōtōsai quietly converse. Inuyasha had brushed any concerns off and was now sitting higher up on a cliff.

"Chiharu-sama?"

"Hello, Miroku," she answered, pulling her feet free from the sticky mud, which was shallow and white with chalk. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing really," he answered, "I wondered if you wanted to talk about anything?"

"Everyone wants to talk about something. I'm fine. The mark doesn't hurt, it doesn't play with my mind and no, I didn't feel him coming. Apparently, I still sleep like a child, and I don't wake up, no matter what happens. I'm sorry."

A crow, its feathers glistening in the sun, flew by. It caught a breeze none of them could feel and remained motionless on the movement of the air. She felt slightly jealous, she couldn't fly away. Things were probably so much easier if she could just float away, surveying the landscape.

"That's not what I meant," Miroku answered. "It just— I thought it must be hard for you."

She nodded slowly. Shippō jumped onto her lap and she carefully scratched him behind the ears. "I'm really fine. Thank you."

Tōtōsai worked on Sango's broken boomerangbone and Inuyasha waved Kagome's concerns away. The older girl seemed slightly put out, but reluctantly let it go.

"Here, it's as good as new," Tōtōsai said, trailing old wilted fingers over the surface of the boomerangbone and Sango smiled.

"Thank you."

Chiharu peered at the large weapon. Her own weapon she used for combat. Chiharu couldn't fight with her bare hands, or at least not well enough. She did still have some purification powers and she had trained them relatively well, but she could do with a weapon of her own. She slowly made her way over to the slayer and the swordsmith. Big bulbous eyes peered up at her and she twisted the hem of her sleeves between her fingers.

"Tōtōsai-san?" she started slowly. "Do you still take commissions?"

"I wondered when you would ask me that." He told her thoughtfully. "Did Sesshōmaru set you up to this?"

"What gives you that idea?" Chiharu spluttered. "No of course not, besides why would he? He has his stupid sword so why would I even bother? No, I need a weapon for hand-to-hand combat. I just don't really know where to get one."

"I thought her to break things." Inuyasha supplied helpfully and she pursed her lips.

"Apparently my dull human nails are not as dull as they used to be."

Her regarded her appraisingly before nodding slowly. "I'll see what I can do. I'll need three days."

Chiharu smiled. "Thank you."

As the old swordsmith took to the air, sitting on top of his three-eyed ox yōkai, and she watched him go. Giddy with elation she smiled at Inuyasha. The Hanyō gave him a long tired look and her smile grew.

"You expect me to show how to hold such a weapon, don't you?"

"Oh," she realised he might have gotten tired of sparring with her and she peered at Sango with a frown. "I can ask Sango-chan, if you don't want to."

His face turned red and he spluttered. "That's not what I'm saying, you idiot."

"So you will show Chiharu-chan?" Shippō asked and he grumbled before stalking through the foliage.

"Where are you going?" Kagome screamed and Inuyasha 'Feh'ed'.

"Taking a walk. I will be back." She said, unable to help feeling giddy with excitement. As the sun rose higher in the sky, little mammals and insects started to awake. She inhaled deeply trying to identify any hostile assailants and when she found none quickened her pace a bit. Except, that jogging strengthened her endurance it had also become a part of her morning ritual before they trekked down the lands in search of the Shikon no Tama shards.

"Marvellous way to keep Inuyasha distracted, Chiharu-sama." Miroku decided, coming up beside her.

"That was not necessarily my intention, but I'm glad it helped." She answered lightly, jumping over a protruding tree root. "You are coming along?"

"Am I not allowed to accompany a beautiful maiden?" He asked and she didn't miss the lecherous glint in his eyes.

"As long as you keep your hands to yourself? Whatever you like," she dryly commented before starting to jog. Miroku's eyes widened comically and he quickened his step to keep up with her. When she felt warm and the initial burning in her calves subsided, she quickened her pace, jogging through the forest and the Houshi finally seemed to realise what she was doing.

"Jogging?"

"That was not what you had in mind I take it?" She asked slowing her pace again when she noticed the young man was already becoming winded. "Are you really all right? You were hurt in the fight with Goshinki just as Inuyasha was."

"Hardly as Inuyasha was…"

"Fine, less hurt, but you are more human."

He snorted. "I will admit, if only for your benefit, that I do envy your healing rate, Chiharu-sama."

She slowed her pace even more until they were walking, he nodded gratefully and she raked her fingers through her hair. A watery sun shone from behind the clouds and although chilly, the day seemed to be beautiful.

"Why did you come along?" Chiharu asked. "I mean, I appreciate your company, but what made you really decide to come along?"

"I heard you and Myōga talk yesterday." He told her seriously and her eyes widened.

"I see,"

"The youki against your human blood could trigger a similar reaction…" Myōga told her and chewed on her lower lip.

"In theory," She admitted, "we don't know for sure though, do we? Till now I haven't experienced even anything remotely similar."

Mirōku slumped back on a fallen log and exhaled softly. "You think that as long as your human soul is in control, you shouldn't be worried. Yet, Inuyasha had to be mortally wounded before his yōkai blood took over, so we don't really know, do we?"

Chiharu exhaled again and shrugged. "I guess not."

As the wind fluttered through the leaves she closed her eyes. She hoped she would never find out either. To be continued…

A/N: Next update Wednesday or Thursday^^

Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi