A/N: Enjoy this new installment!^^

o.O.o

Chapter Twenty-Three, Poisonous gas

She woke up to the memory of melted, sizzling yōkai hide and the scent of roasted meat. It was a rather disturbing thing to wake up to and she slowly opened her eyes to a blurry world. When her vision cleared a bit, she watched sunlight streaming in through the entrance of a cave. There was a fire crackling and she sighed wistfully, almost dropping immediately back to sleep, in her warm cosy sleeping bag. She turned onto her side, the tatami mat crisping from under her and she sat up so fast her vision blurred again.

Sesshōmaru watched the girl, her reiki prickling against his senses as she peered around. Her holy energy swirled around her skin, fully recuperate from the earlier drainage. If anything the immense swell of her reiki would indicate she'd only been using a part of her power and now, more aware of them, they swirled around her. Still, as usual, she seemed blissfully unaware of them.

She gazed at him, eyes widening and she got up to her feet. The fur of his mokomoko ruffled by the irritated look she shot him and he felt rather amused. He cocked his head to the side, giving her a lazy smile, allowing the slight amusement to show on his face.

"Sesshōmaru?" Chiharu wasn't sure why she'd come to expect Inuyasha instead of his older brother. Her eyebrows narrowed. "Why am I here?"

A wicked smile curved the man's lips, gaze fixed on the little Mikō and he took a step towards her. "Is that your way of thanking someone who only tried to help you"

She flushed, crossing her arms over her chest. She recognised when she was being pushed and leaned her back against the hard wall of the cave. "Where is Inuyasha?"

"Returned to your comrades' side."

"Why am I not returned to my comrades' side?" She asked slowly. She had played her part. What more did he want from her?

He didn't answer, simply staring at her. Chiharu averted her gaze, peering at the crackling fire. Rin nor Jaken where there and she wondered what had happened to them. Her mouth twisted back into a tight thin line and she dug her nails into her forearms.

"Why can't you just answer a question when asked?" She asked him tiredly.

"Look at me," The Daiyōkai demanded softly.

She ignored him, refusing to meet his gaze. She could almost feel his irritation at that before gripping her chin between his clawed fingers and pushing her face up. "You will not speak to me that way." He told her clearly and Chiharu glared at his face before he released her chin and stepped back.

"We will depart when the sun is on the highest point of the zenith."

"Right," she mumbled and watched the towering Inu-yōkai walk away.

Late winter moved into spring with a change of weather. The rainy days made way for longer sunnier, yet the summer heat had yet to arrive. She turned sixteen, yet around Sesshōmaru, there was barely a reason to celebrate. Rin had grown healthier the last few days, yet Chiharu was too far away from her friends and sister to travel back safely.

Rin was a very active girl. She did everything with maximum effort and there seemed to be no limits to her energy and she felt almost sorry for Jaken as Sesshōmaru's green retainer slumped down against a tree every night with a heavy sigh. The Daiyōkai left them alone most of the time and during her fourth day with Sesshōmaru's party, she took Rin to the village nearby.

She was very bubbly and Chiharu felt her jaws ground together when the scent of the humans entered her nostrils. Curling her toes into the wooden sandals Sesshōmaru had gifted her with, she listened absentmindedly to Rin as she chatted about marketplaces and how she had never really been there before. She was wearing a blueish yukata with a yellow bird and flower print. It was pretty, expensive even, but it wasn't ideal when running or fighting. Of course, she hadn't made a comment on it. She could vividly imagine Sesshōmaru raising an eyebrow and telling her that it was either complying without a comment or running around in her 'under-garments'. She chose the latter.

"Chiharu-sama?"

"What is it Rin-chan?" She asked slowly, feeling the wind lifting her hair. Sunlight fell onto the village, the sandy ground beneath her feet slightly warm from the sun's touch and she wanders towards the centre of the market.

"Can I have a Nashi?"

"Sure thing," Chiharu answered, following after the small child. She couldn't really remember since she last had a Nashi. It must have been long ago.

As they mingle with the other humans Chiharu pressed the hem of her sleeve against her nose. The unwashed human scent more unbearable than she would have liked to admit. A middle-aged Miko gave her a suspicious look and Chiharu tried hiding the youki in her system. She quickly shot behind a stall, but the woman had already stopped paying attention to her. Fingers played with her sleeves and Chiharu curiously looked around at the stalls. A greased old woman was selling small mandarin oranges and another sold several different vegetables.

"Chiharu-sama?" Rin suddenly called out, holding a yellow kimono with a simple flowery pattern up. "What do you think of this?"

"It looks very nice, Rin-chan?"

"Rin is going to ask Sesshōmaru-sama if Rin can have it when Rin's kimono becomes too small."

"Rin-chan, when we speak about ourselves, we usually don't refer to one's self by our name, but as 'I' or 'me'." Chiharu answered. "For example, I am going to ask Sesshōmaru-sama, when my kimono becomes too small."

"Yes, Chiharu-sama." Rin nodded happily and Chiharu felt the material from the yellow kimono between thumb and index finger.

She draws in a sharp, bracing breath when suddenly the smell of blood met her nostrils. On itself, the smell of blood was nothing to be worried about as small amounts were normal, but suddenly a scream tore through the clearing. The attack came suddenly. One moment everyone was busily crossing the market and the other the stench of burning flesh and screams filtered in. The clash of iron on iron echoed through the marketplace and Rin yelped.

"Get behind me!" Chiharu yelled, pulling the small child behind her.

Chaos erupted all around them. Villagers screamed and a green acid suddenly started over the ground, like fog spreading around and covering the ground with a strange gas. With her enchanted metabolism, Chiharu was reasonably sure she would not be endangered, but Rin being a human being would be in danger. She felt her reiki stir and she bit down on her lower lip. Hard.

"Rin!" she gasped. "Rin, honey, I need you to run!"

"I don't—"

Chiharu turned around swiftly and crouched down before her. "Rin-chan, no buts! I need you to run to the forest. Go find Jaken and stay there. Do you understand?"

The small child nodded and tore away. Chiharu turned towards the sounds of the fighting humans. The green acid was spreading rapidly and several humans fell forward. She watched in disgust as a young woman dropped down to her knees, a circular knife slashing across her wrist as she fell and the scent of blood became even stronger.

She prepared to depart, unable to fight a gas when suddenly her eyes fell on an elderly man. His face reminded her of that of the grumpy cat. Large eyes, bulbous and large, yet, his hose was flat and his mouth wide. A jewel shard twinkles at the base of his neck and Chiharu stilled.

His eyes fell on hers and they widen. She imagines it is because she's human and still standing in the middle of an acid gas attack. The man, jewel shard or not, didn't look to be a yōkai and his wide mouth stretched even further into a dainty grin.

"Ah, hello, pretty one."

Chiharu felt her skin crawl by the way he looked her up and down. She had never really got the slashing Inuyasha had tried teaching her down and without a weapon, she was at a disadvantage. Still, a human shouldn't be that much of a problem to her, should he?

"Why?" She asked slowly, the humans who had been happily going about their daily lives had all been killed. He ignored her question taking a step closer towards her.

"The Shikon Miko, are you not? Ka-go-me?"

Chiharu raised her eyebrows. He was mistaking her for her sister. More importantly, he knew what her sister looked like. From her peripheral vision, she noticed a bow and arrows scattered around the fallen elderly Miko. The man was still waiting for an answer and she shrugged non-committal.

"It very much depends on what you want." She told him lightly.

"You're still standing." He commented cooly, but his tensed stance made it obvious he was rather troubled by that.

"How very perceptive of you."

She clamped her jaws together, unable to stop herself from goading him. Sesshōmaru was starting to rub off on her and the man glowered. His hands straightening his white clothes, he pulled out something that looked like a drum and released a new gas. It was more potent, Chiharu presumed as it prickled her sensitive nose and although it was a cowardly move, she scrabbled frantically feeling something acid scorch the skin of the back of her hand. It was unpleasant and the skin turned an irritated red, but the healing quantities in her blood somehow neutralised whatever agent was in there.

With a speed that still amazed her, she kicked up a loose pebble and threw it at his had with all her might. It hit him straight in the forehead and although she didn't think the gas was lethal to her, the potent smell was making her feel loopy. Not really wanting to test her luck, she made for the trees on the outskirts of the town. When she passed the fallen Miko she made a wild dash to her weapons. The man followed and Chiharu felt a surge of irritation run through her. The smell of the incense was making her lightheaded and as she took another step back she realised her movements were starting to get sluggish. Her reiki surged and the youki that nowadays lay dormant spiked.

Youki, was like the strongest most potent rush of adrenaline through her system and Chiharu gasped. Yet, as she drew the bow tight, when suddenly the man was hit from behind. Large eyes widened almost comically and he fell forward. Sesshōmaru stood tall behind him, peering down at the small man with a small frown.

"What," The man whispered, trying to get up to his knees, as blood welled up from the five parallel cuts on his back. "Who the fuck are you?"

Sesshōmaru didn't answer, his eyes flitted around the massacre, staying on her for a few seconds before flitting back towards the fallen man.

"You dare touch what is mine?"

In any other circumstance, she would have bristled at his words, but she didn't even think he realised what his words really meant. His eyes were cold his demonic aura brushed against hers. The man, as stupid as he looked seemed to have realised that a yōkai of Sesshōmaru's calibre was not something to mess with and slowly moved away.

"Who are you?"

Sesshōmaru cocked his head to the sight. "What are you?"

The man bristled at that. "So, you bastard, without knowing who I am, you fucking take me lightly. Take this!" he snarled releasing a new acid gas. Sesshōmaru was briefly enveloped in the toxic poison, but other than the trees dissolving, the Daiyōkai was unaffected.

"How?"

"A mere human's poison won't affect me." He sneered before tearing the man's arm off. More blood welled up from the stump and just then Chiharu realised there was something off of his scent. He didn't smell like other humans did, but more like Inuyasha's ex-girlfriend, the dead priestess Kikyo.

The Daiyōkai's red-rimmed golden eyes regarded him impassively. "Why don't you perish?"

"His neck," Chiharu said, the paralyzation was already wearing off. His youki surging through her system recognised the Daiyōkai and it left a strange tingling sensation running up and down her spine. "He has a Shikon shard in his neck."

"Hn,"

With another flick of his wrist, the man was cut into halve. The flesh and muscle dissolved away and left only his bones surrounded by blood. Carefully Chiharu inched forward and picked the shard up from the remains. The Reiki in her bloodstream tinted it a bright pink and she carefully added it to the shards she was still holding onto.

"What were you doing here, Miko?"

"Visiting the market," she answered her eyes narrowing when she recognised the katana Totōsai created for her. "Why do you have that?"

He followed her gaze to the sword but didn't respond. Now that she thought about it, she could also detect the faint scent of Inuyasha clinging to him. Her face drained of colour and Chiharu swallowed. "What happened?"

"I satisfied my curiosity."

"What curiosity?" She asked annoyed, glaring at the three swords now hanging from his hip. "You went to see your brother? Why not take me along? You gave me your word you would let me return to my sister and my friends!"

"The half-breed is just that! A half-breed." He muttered, before passing her.

Chiharu frowned, twisting the straps of the quiver with arrows between her fingers. Back when Tetsusaiga had been broken Sesshōmaru came in pursuit of his Tōkijin. Back then, Chiharu had believed he had been holding back. Fighting without any real thought to kill. The furrow between her eyebrows deepened. "Did you go to find out about Inuyasha's transformations?"

He peered at her over his shoulder and she sucked her cheeks between her teeth. Of course, he would not answer.

"Hn,"

She pursed her lips in thought. "And, to use your own words, what does it mean? 'The half-breed is just that'?"

The Daiyōkai stopped walking. "He's not becoming a full-blooded yōkai."

"Of course not," Chiharu answered. "In the end, his human side won't just disappear."

"Hn, with repeated exposure, little Miko, he will eventually lose his soul. He'll make sure to keep on fighting until he'll die."

Between the clustered huts and the wooden fence she slowly followed after him. Her mouth had gone dry. "Is that what's going to happen to me too?" She slowly whispered. The words escaped her without her consent and as he suddenly halted, she felt her cheeks warm up.

He turned around slowly and his eyes bore into hers. She couldn't identify the look he gave her then. It was different from the ones he normally bestowed upon her and she wondered, not for the first time, what he was thinking. He peered at her from across the muddy street and Chiharu nervously sucked her lower lip between her incisors.

"You won't." He answered and Chiharu cocked her head to the side. She didn't see the difference even if the mating mark was complete, she still had her human side. She doubted it could stand up to his Youki anymore then Inuyasha's human blood could stand up to that of his father.

He looked at her worried face and sighed. "You won't because of your holy powers." He admitted slowly. It seemed admitting that she had some worth pained him.

"I didn't know holy powers did that." She muttered apathetically.

"Not necessarily." He answered, already starting to turn away. "But it seems your Miko powers aren't as pathetic as one would initially think."

The wind rustled softly through the trees and she sighed. She frowned at her hands and listened to his footballs beating against the forest floor. He always had to insult someone one way or the other. It annoyed her, yet, there was no use in going against him. If she did, there was only more chance she would end up dead or— sired. She had no real understanding of that word, but she imagined 'wanting to please' him, would an adequate description.

Snorting at the ridiculousness of the situation she started after him. In his own demon-like way, he was gallant. Gallant enough at least to come for her when she was in trouble. It was rather humiliating that she had been affected by some strange poison while Naraku's miasma didn't affect her at all. Or perhaps it was just the sensitivity of her nose, she still wasn't all that used to, either way, he had once again got her out of a messy situation. Chewing her cheek between her molars she contemplated how he would receive her gratitude. He probably couldn't care less and—

"Miko,"

She slowly looked up again. He was holding her katana and she frowned. "This Sesshōmaru has no need of it."

She slowly accepted it with a soft exhale and he was about to turn away again. "Thank you,"

"Hn,"

"Sesshōmaru?"

He didn't answer, but she knew he was listening. Cocking her head to the side she slowly started her way through the trees. "You do know my name is Chiharu, right?"

He inclined his head ever so slightly before responding: "You are a Miko, are you not?"

"You are a yōkai, but I call you by your name, don't I?"

Unless you are an arsehole than I call you different names, but most of the time not to your face. She thought dryly. Sesshōmaru peered over his shoulder, eyes thoughtful.

"Hn," He started walking again, flicking a stray lock of silver-white hair over his shoulder.

She stared after him uncertainly. His 'Hn's' where both a positive as a negative affirmative, so she wasn't entirely sure what he meant with it now. With a sigh, she blew a strand of hair out of her face and traced the binds on the handle of her katana. She was glad she had it back again.

The sun perished in a slow descent, sinking beneath the Western horizon. Slowly a darkened sky started down the lands from the East. When they stepped into the clearing where the camp was set up and a fire was cracking merely. Sesshōmaru dropped down at the edge of a rock, amber eyes sweeping over their campsite and Chiharu slowly pushed the sword between the band of her obi and her yukata. Rin looked up at her with wide, bright eyes.

"Chiharu-sama, are you all right?"

For a moment she was at a loss, her eyes flitting over the soft pink flush that dusted her nose and cheeks. Then she remembered the bloody screams and the empty eyes staring up at the sky. "Oh, I'm fine, Rin-chan."

The child smiled up at her, in a way Sōta smiled up at her whenever she would pick him up from school a few years back. Her fingers itch and her lips thin as she thought about her brother. She missed her family. Slowly she sat down next to the small girl, wincing slightly when she sat down on the ends of her loose hair. The few days lengthened into a few weeks. Rin had lost her cold two weeks ago and although she truly liked the girl she had enjoyed travelling with her sister and her friends.

Chiharu made up Rin's bedding and watched the child drift off asleep. Just like Shippō and Sōta, Rin slept like the dead. Once she drifted off, the girl wouldn't wake up to anything short of dropping off of Ah-Un whenever Sesshōmaru refused to stop at night to make camp. For some reason, he had been trying to find the Hanyō Naraku as well.

She wasn't entirely sure why Sesshōmaru insisted she'd stay with him. She had always thought he hated her. She peered at his face again. His amber eyes gazed into the far distance and she wondered. Obviously, the mark on her neck made him more territorial of her than he should, his exclamation that afternoon made that obvious, but she didn't understand why he was so reluctant to let her return to his brother. It was almost as if he was jealous.

She sighed, annoyed once again. Her fingers playing with the sash of her obi. She swallowed past the dryness in her throat and peered at the fire. The man, not unlike Kikyō with his scent had been off. When he looked at her he'd been expecting her sister and not her. Wrapping her arms around her knees, she clutched her fingers at her sleeves.

"I need to see my sister."

"Your sister?" He asked slowly.

"The barely clothed one." She quoted dryly and she noticed the corners of his lips curl up.

"Yes, right." He nodded.

"That man expected her and not me." Chiharu slowly explained. "I don't really know how, but Naraku doesn't really understand what I am…"

"He doesn't?"

"He considers me human and not a threat." She answered, unsure if he still thought her to be just a human after her display of power the last time she'd seen him.

"You are hardly a threat." He told her dryly. She glowered at him and he slowly, gracefully got up to his feet. "You are brash and over-zealous. You, Miko Chiharu, are untrained."

"You're right," she admitted slowly, meeting his gaze dead-on. "I am untrained, I react on instinct and when I actually win from an enemy, luck is a large factor. You can't expect someone to become some mythical warrior overnight, but I do try."

"Hn, yes, that you do." He admitted. "My brother and his companions are at the edge of the Eastern forest near Mount Hakurei."

She smiled, nodding at him before crouching down beside Rin, who was wondrously peering up at her through heavy-lidded eyes and ran her fingers through her hair. Pushing her fringe out of her face Chiharu smiled.

"I'll see you soon, all right honey?"

Rin nodded in understanding sluggishly asking if, when they'd see each other again, Chiharu would bring little Shippō. Chiharu hid her smile when Jaken nodded his head fervently and she peered at Sesshōmaru again. Shippō, who'd Rin had never met, was a child, probably roughly her mental age and that meant a playdate.

She slowly got up to her feet, peering up at Sesshōmaru. "I'll keep you informed of Naraku's whereabouts."

Sesshōmaru snorted and Chiharu fingered the katana at her hip before bounding off into the forest. She wasn't sure why he allowed her to have it, and she probably would not find out, but she was glad she did either way. At least she could try and learn to protect herself…

To be continued…

A/N: And we meet Mukotsu from the Shichinintai (Band of Seven). This was a pure fit of genius. I almost forgot they would be a part of the story too, but don't expect to retell the whole Band of Seven storyline. Still, I will use it although certain events might be changed (who am I kidding, they will certainly be changed).

Please leave a review. Let me know your thoughts:)

InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi