A1969: oh my god, it's almost been three weeks! Gah! I'm really sorry, you guys, but I went through a bit of a writer's block while writing this. It was annoying, because every time I wrote, I had to stop and think. And I think I know who the culprit is *hugs Loki plushie*
Kagome: aren't you over Thor 2 yet?!
A1969: NO! Believe it or not, I've seen it six times already—twice a weak.
Inuyasha: you have issues.
A1969: I do what I want!
Sango: does anyone know of a Tom Hiddleston rehabilitation clinic? Amaterasu, this isn't Tumblr.
Inuyasha: hello? Kouga and Sesshoumaru are still at it.
Miroku: Kouga's getting whipped. Badly.
Kouga: *fighting with Sesshoumaru* shuddup!
A1969: ah, before I forget—thank you all so much for reading and reviewing, and for putting this story on your alerts and favorites! Every time my inbox goes ding! I'm so happy to see a review. FML. You guys rock!
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-Chapter Forty-Five-
.:Divide:.
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Clara
Kouga?
I watched, at a loss for words, as Kagome hunched over the young man. The wounds on his body were deep. Blood glistened along his arms and legs, and dripped quietly to the ground. His raven hair was a mess, nearly coming out of its ponytail.
Inuyasha rushed past Sesshoumaru and me, and darted into Kaede's hut. A moment later, he ran back out, carrying Kagome's backpack with him.
Snapping out of my stupor, I made my way over to Kagome and knelt beside her. She was opening packets of sterile gauze that Inuyasha handed her.
"Let me help," I said, taking one of the packets from Inuyasha.
"We've got to stop all this bleeding," Kagome said, worried. She pressed a thick layer of gauze to a gash on Kouga's arm. "Oh, no…He's losing so much blood."
Kagome bit her lower lip as she stared at the demon. He was pale, and his breathing was labored. "These wounds need stitches," I said, pressing a thick wad of gauze onto the gash on his leg.
"What are stitches?" one of Kouga's friends asked me. "Whatever it is, we'll get them for Kouga!" His eyes were a bit watery, and his jaw was set in grim determination.
"It just means we sew his wounds shut," I clarified, keeping my eyes on my hand. Blood blossomed along the gauze beneath my hand, staining the white with red.
"What?!" the wolf demon said. He sounded appalled at the thought.
"I know Kouga's a demon," Kagome interjected. She looked up at Kouga's two friends, her eyes worried. "His wounds should close soon. But…he's losing a lot of blood—fast."
One of the wolf demons bit his lip as he looked down at Kouga's inert form. "Kouga, this is our fault," he said through gritted teeth. "If Hakaku and I weren't so useless…"
"What happened?" Inuyasha asked, as he handed Kagome more gauze.
"Not now," Kagome said as she threw away the bloodied gauze in her hand. She grabbed the fresh gauze from Inuyasha, and pressed it to another one of Kouga's wounds.
I stared at Kouga and frowned. He didn't look good—his breathing had grown ragged, and his lips had a deathly pallor to them. He may be a demon, but the possibility that he could die hung heavy in the air.
"Stand aside."
My eyes widened in surprise when I felt Sesshoumaru standing behind me. Kagome and I glanced at each other, suddenly feeling like idiots. Of course.
"Ginta, it's him!" Hakaku said, grabbing his friend's hand. His eyes were filled with panic at the sight of Sesshoumaru. "It's Inuyasha's cruel, heartless, elder brother!"
"Shut up, you idiots!" Inuyasha snapped. "Do you want him to change his mind?!" He threw his brother a look of disbelief, probably surprised that Sesshoumaru could be…nice.
"Change his mind?" the one called Ginta said. He sounded confused.
Kagome and I moved away as Sesshoumaru stood beside Kouga. He looked down at him then drew Tenseiga from its sheath.
"What the heck do you think you're doing?!" Hakaku snapped, as he and Ginta raised their fists. "We're…we're not going to let you harm, Kouga!" Though he looked determined, his voice was a bit shaky.
"It's all right!" Kagome said quickly as she rushed towards them. She raised her hands reassuringly, trying to get them to calm down. "Sesshoumaru will help Kouga."
Sesshoumaru ignored them. He narrowed his eyes at Kouga and pointed the Tenseiga at the wolf demon's chest.
"He's going to cut him!" Hakaku said, panicked.
"Shuddup, will ya?" Inuyasha snapped. He glared at them before he turned to his elder brother. "He won't harm Kouga."
"Be silent, you foolish wolves!" Jaken added. "Not everyone has the favor of receiving Lord Sesshoumaru's good graces! Be honored and shut up!" He turned his bulbous eyes towards Sesshoumaru. He seemed surprised Sesshoumaru was helping Kouga.
"But—!"
I really couldn't blame them for being scared. I vividly remembered feeling panicked when Sesshoumaru drew Tenseiga to spar with me—I hadn't known the sword couldn't cut.
Kagome placed a hand on Hakaku and Ginta's shoulders, and gave them a reassuring smile. I take it, they didn't trust Sesshoumaru, but they trusted Kagome, at least.
I turned back to Sesshoumaru. "I want answers," he said quietly, as he brought the sword down on Kouga.
The sword glowed as it made contact with Kouga's skin. Instead of cutting him, light from the sword spread to his wounds. We watched, amazed, as his wounds closed, the skin knitting together. It didn't even leave a scar.
The light from Tenseiga slowly faded. Kouga's skin was no longer deathly pale, and his breathing had returned to normal. Amazing.
"What's going on here?" Miroku said, as he and Sango emerged from Kaede's hut.
"It's Kouga!" Sango said, catching sight of the demon that lay on the ground.
Hakaku, Ginta, and Kagome knelt beside Kouga, just as he slowly opened his eyes. "Thank goodness, you're all right!" Kagome said as she smiled down at him. From the peripheral of my vision, I saw Inuyasha pout, and cross his arms.
Kouga looked up at Kagome. There was a confused expression on his face. He suddenly blinked rapidly and grinned as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders. He pulled her down, and her eyes widened in surprise as her head fell against his chest.
"Kagome!" Kouga said, sighing contentedly. "I have died, and this is heaven. Thank god."
Kagome blushed in embarrassment. Before she could say anything, a fist came crashing down on Kouga's forehead. "Get the hell away from my woman, you bastard!" Inuyasha snapped, pulling Kagome to her feet. He growled, and glared down at Kouga.
Kouga immediately leapt up. "Awww, crap, this isn't heaven, if dog-turd's here," he drawled.
Quick as a flash, Hakaku and Ginta pounced on Kouga, drawing him into a tight hug. "What the hell?!" Kouga shouted. He nearly lost his balance, but managed to steady himself at the last minute.
"Kougaaa!" Ginta cried, tears flowing from his eyes. "We thought you were going to die!"
"And it would have been our fault!" Hakaku wailed. "We're such useless idiots! We couldn't help you against that woman, and now—"
Beside me, Sesshoumaru let out a breath, obviously growing impatient. "Silence," he said imperiously.
The three demons immediately froze. Kouga spun around, and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the demon lord standing behind him, Tenseiga held at his side. "You're mutt-face's brother!"
He jumped back, glaring at Sesshoumaru as he held his fists in front of him. "Kouga, no!" his two friends cried out.
"Hey, there's no need to be so ungrateful!" I snapped, glaring at Kouga. In all honesty, I was pretty fed up with the way people assumed that Sesshoumaru was some evil overlord bent on world destruction.
Kouga's eyes shifted to me. He raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Huh? Who are—"
Before he could finish, a fist suddenly came crashing down on his head. Hakaku and Ginta both gasped. For a moment, Kouga looked as though he would hit the ground, but he quickly righted himself, and turned his glare towards Inuyasha.
"Why, you mutt!" Kouga growled.
"Will you shut your trap?!" Inuyasha snapped. Sparks practically flew from their eyes as they glared at one another.
Sango and Miroku both shook their heads and sighed. Even Shippou huffed in frustration. I guess Inuyasha and Kouga fighting was pretty much commonplace.
I glanced at Sesshoumaru. His eyes were narrowed at the bickering pair, his patience obviously wearing thinner. Kagome must have sensed it, too, because she placed her hands on her hips and said, in her most stern voice, "All right, you two, behave!"
Kouga and Inuyasha immediately turned to her. For a fleeting moment, I was vividly reminded of the way puppies flinched when reprimanded by their master. It took all I had not to laugh.
"Kouga, Sesshoumaru saved you," Kagome began.
Kouga's eyes bugged out. "What?!" he said, turning to Sesshoumaru. "Did something hit you on the head or what?"
Sesshoumaru glared. "That's not a nice way to say 'thank you', you know," I huffed.
He turned to me. "And who's this?" he said.
Kagome sighed. "Kouga, we have a lot to talk about," she said. "About what happened to you, and why your jewel shards are gone."
The wolf demon looked down at his legs. His expression was unreadable, but he'd lost all the cockiness from earlier. "I guess we do have a lot to talk about," he said, sighing, as he sat on the ground. He crossed his arms.
With the exception of Sesshoumaru, we all followed suit, clustering around Kouga and his two friends. Sesshoumaru remained standing behind me (far be it for him to sit around in a circle).
"For instance, who attacked you?" Miroku asked, frowning.
"'Cause you got beaten up pretty good," Inuyasha pointed out. Now that Kouga was out of immediate danger, he sounded smug.
The wolf demon flinched, and turned to Inuyasha, a fist raised menacingly. "Why, I ought to—"
Kagome cleared her throat loudly, and Kouga immediately turned back to us. He sighed, before crossing his arms again. "It was that witch, Kagura," he said bitterly.
"Kagura?!" we said.
Kouga jerked his chin towards his two friends. "These idiots and I were hunting Naraku's scent," he began.
"Yeah, about Naraku," Kagome interjected.
The wolf demon raised an eyebrow. "What about him? Have you guys found him yet?"
"Show him, Clara," Kagome said, nodding.
I withdrew the Sacred Jewel from my sleeve, and held it out for them to see. The darkness in the jewel had grown, and I prayed that Sesshoumaru would not notice just how much.
Kouga's eyes were as round as the jewel nestled on my palm. "The jewel?!" he said. There was a strange look in his eyes—a look of longing and a look of hate. Had he, too, known misfortune through the jewel?
"Just who the heck are you, anyway?" Kouga asked, looking at me. His eyes were narrowed in scrutiny. "You look pretty funny, for a human."
It took Kagome and the others a while to explain who I was. As they talked, I couldn't help but wonder—would I be known as 'Midoriko's Reincarnation' for the rest of my life? Would people always associate me with her, and nothing else?
I placed my hands on my lap, and stared at the jewel on my palm. I gave myself a mental kick. Now was not the time to be thinking like this.
"Midoriko's reincarnation, eh?" Kouga turned back to me, his eyebrows raised in interest. "Funny. I expected someone like you to be bursting with spiritual energy, like Kikyou's and Kagome's, but yours is practically weak."
Behind me, I could feel Sesshoumaru stiffening. I could almost picture him narrowing his eyes. Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged a look, while Sango and Miroku looked grim.
Kouga didn't seem to notice, so I smiled at him (though, I think, it was more of a grimace). "Well, I still have a lot to learn," I said airily.
"In any case," Sango said, clearing her throat. "Kouga, you mentioned Kagura."
Kouga nodded, and his expression darkened. "That woman," Hakaku muttered under his breath. He immediately fell silent when Kouga threw him a glare.
"Like I said, we were hunting Naraku." Kouga's eyes darted to the jewel on my palm. "It had been a while since we'd caught his scent, and we had no leads to go buy. I almost considered finding you guys, to ask if you knew anything. Anyway, we ran into Ayame—"
"Actually, she was looking for Kouga," Ginta offered. Their wolves growled, almost as if in agreement.
"Shuddup!" Kouga snapped, as his fist came crashing down on Ginta's head with a loud thud!
"So, we ran into Ayame," Kouga went on. He crossed his arms, his expression daring anyone to laugh (I take it, Ayame was an old flame?). "She wanted to help us find Naraku, so the wolf demon tribe would finally be safe from him. I was trying to persuade her to go back, when Kagura showed up.
"She wanted my Sacred Jewel shards, and was quite ready to kill for them, too. We fought"—Hakaku and Ginta looked as though they wanted to interrupt, but Kouga glared—"and she almost overpowered me. When I realized I was going to lose, I had Hakaku and Ginta distract the witch. I removed my jewel shards, and gave them to Ayame."
"Then, what happened?" Kagome asked. "Oh, I hope Kagura didn't go after Ayame."
"I would never let that happen," Kouga said, sighing. He shook his head. "I told Ayame to run, and hide the shards. I nearly had to throw her away from the fight, stubborn woman."
"So, Ayame's got the shards," Inuyasha said, tucking his arms into his sleeves. "Where did Ayame go?"
"I'm not sure," Kouga said. "Normally, she would return to her tribe, but if she's off to hide the shards…Then, I have no idea."
"We will leave soon." Sesshoumaru's cold voice made us jump. He'd been silent the entire conversation. I glanced behind me, just as Sesshoumaru turned on his heel and stalked off.
"Hey, wait, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha called out.
The demon lord stopped and glanced at Inuyasha from over his shoulder. "Unlike you, little brother, I do not dally." His eyes locked with mine for a moment, before he walked off, Jaken following closely at his heels.
I frowned, then stared at the jewel again. "Looks like someone's pissed off," Kouga mused.
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Kagome
"But you'll be back, right?" Rin asked, looking at Clara with wide eyes.
We were getting ready to leave now. The fact that we were dealing with Naraku's minions had prompted Sesshoumaru to leave Rin and Jaken in Kaede's village to keep them safe. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, and Kohaku were heading off to find a way to remove Kohaku's shard without endangering his life. Kouga, along with Hakaku and Ginta, had already left to get a head start on finding Ayame.
A parting, if you will.
I sighed as I stared at Clara. She was kneeling in front of Rin, both her hands on her small shoulders. The little girl wasn't particularly happy with the prospect of being separated from Clara and Sesshoumaru, but she understood the reason, at least.
"We'll be back soon, I promise," Clara said, giving Rin a reassuring smile. "In the meantime, Lady Kaede will be with you." Her gaze flickered to the old priestess, who was holding Ah-Un's reins.
Kaede nodded. "Ye need not worry, Rin," she said.
Rin bit her lower lip. "But—" The little girl shook her head, and sighed. "All right, Clara. I'll wait for you and Lord Sesshoumaru." She gave Clara a brave smile.
Clara sighed. "Oh, come here," she said, drawing Rin into a tight hug. Rin wrapped her small arms around Clara's neck, burying her face against Clara's shoulder.
They held each other for a moment, before Clara reluctantly pulled away. "You know, we really will be back soon," she said, stroking Rin's cheek. "Because I'm going to miss you very much."
From the corner of my eye, I saw Sesshoumaru staring very intently at the both of them. I liked to think that he was picturing what Clara would look like, comforting a child with silver hair and golden eyes. I stifled a giggle.
Beside me, Inuyasha let out a small sigh. "Can we go now?" he muttered.
Sesshoumaru threw him a dirty look. Inuyasha wasn't particularly happy, because he, Clara, Sesshoumaru, and I would be traveling together to find Ayame. I had to go with Clara and Sesshoumaru, because I needed to help Clara purify the Sacred Jewel. And, Inuyasha had said, he'd be damned before he let me go with Clara and Sesshoumaru on my own.
Rin pulled away from Clara, who stood and turned towards Sesshoumaru. "I need it back," she told him.
The demon lord raised an eyebrow, and Clara smiled at him. We watched, curious, as she raised her hands to the neckline of his haori and pulled out a golden chain. A gold locket dangled from the end of the chain, glinting softly in the noon sun.
I raised my eyebrows, and grinned. Wearing each other's jewelry, eh? I felt like giving Sesshoumaru a pat on the back.
Beside me Inuyasha let out a small snigger. I turned to him, annoyed. "Hey, you're wearing one, too," I said, staring pointedly at the beads of subjugation around his neck.
Inuyasha blinked. "Keh!" he huffed, crossing his arms. Behind us, Miroku and Sango chuckled.
Clara clasped the locket around Rin's neck. The little girl looked down at the pendant, her chocolate eyes wide with curiosity. Grinning, Clara flicked the locket open, and a sweet melody began to play.
"Amazing," the little girl said, holding the pendant in her pudgy hand. "What is it, Clara?"
"It's called a locket," Clara explained. "It's mine, but I want to give it to you." She smiled, then leaned down to kiss Rin on the forehead. "Take care, okay?" she said. "And behave for Lady Kaede."
Rin smiled. "I will," she said. She turned and walked up to Sesshoumaru. To our surprise, she wrapped her small arms around Sesshoumaru's leg. Beside me, Inuyasha's jaw hung open.
"I'll miss you a lot, my lord!" Rin said.
Sesshoumaru considered her for a moment. He gave her a gentle pat on the head, and she looked up, smiling toothily at him. "Rin, don't do anything foolish," he said tersely.
Rin pulled away, and nodded. "I won't, Lord Sesshoumaru!" she said.
The demon lord turned his cold gaze towards Jaken, whose eyes were shinning with unshed tears. He had wanted to come with us, but Sesshoumaru would have none of it.
"Jaken," Sesshoumaru began.
"I'll miss you, too, my lord!" Jaken sobbed.
Eh? Admittedly, Jaken was such a fanboy.
"If anything untoward happens to Rin, I'll have your head," Sesshoumaru said, a dangerous edge to his voice.
Jaken flinched, taken aback. "Yes, milord," he said, sighing in defeat.
"Anyway, we should get going now," Miroku spoke up.
Sango nodded, and Kirara leapt from her shoulder, transforming in a blaze of fire as she landed on her paws. "How long do you think it'll take you guys to find anything?" I asked, turning to them.
Miroku frowned. "I'm not really sure, Kagome," he replied. "But we'll do everything in our power to hurry. Let's all agree to meet back here a fortnight from now."
I bit my lower lip, and glanced at Clara, who was talking animatedly to both Kaede and Rin. Inuyasha and I were the only ones who knew how little time she had left—not even Sesshoumaru knew. There were times when I considered telling him, but thought better of it.
"We'll do our best and be quick," Miroku said, following my gaze.
I nodded. "You guys take care, okay?" I said, as Miroku, Sango, and Kohaku mounted Kirara, with Shippou perched on Kohaku's shoulder.
"We will," Sango said. "But, I think you might want to watch out for those two." She jerked her chin towards Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, who were standing far apart, but glaring daggers at each other. Oh boy—they would be a handful, I was sure of it.
"Care to switch?" I asked her, sighing.
She chuckled. "No, thank you!" she said. "Well, we'd better get going. Miroku thinks it's a good idea if we start with his Master Mushin."
"Ah, wait!"
We watched, surprised, as Rin suddenly rushed up to Kohaku, who immediately hopped off of Kirara. The moment his feet hit the ground, Rin launched herself at him. "You take care, too, Kohaku," she said, giving him a tight hug.
Kohaku visibly blushed, and I allowed myself a little chuckle. "You, too, Rin," Kohaku said as Rin pulled away. She gave him a toothy grin.
I stole a peek at Sesshoumaru. Beside him, Clara was practically smiling from ear to ear as she watched the two children. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand—I could totally picture him holding a shotgun as Kohaku knocks on the door during prom.
"Good luck, you guys!" Sango said, as Kohaku sat back behind her. They waved as they flew off, Kirara letting out a loud roar as she soared through the air.
"We should get going, too," I said, turning to Inuyasha. He crossed his arms, and huffed.
I had a sneaking suspicion he would be picking a fight with Sesshoumaru before we were even a mile away from the village (I highly doubted Sesshoumaru would willingly goad Inuyasha, not when Clara was around, at least).
"Right," Clara said, taking Ah-Un's reins from Kaede. She turned towards Sesshoumaru, who gave her a curt nod.
"Goodbye!" Rin called, waving loudly as we left. Kaede and Jaken waved beside her. "We'll be waiting!"
Clara and I turned to wave at them, before we followed Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru into the forest.
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Clara
"We don't need to go there—I know what Ayame smells like!"
Kagome and I glanced at each other as Inuyasha huffed and glared at his elder brother. We haven't even been walking for an hour yet, and already Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were at each other's throats.
Before he left, Kouga had mentioned that his fight with Kagura happened several miles away from the village, near the mountains. Sesshoumaru had planned on going to where they fought, to check the area, and pick up on Ayame's scent. Inuyasha, on the other hand, wanted to go in the opposite direction to save time.
"The words of a fool," Sesshoumaru said coldly. "Tell me, little brother, if you are familiar with the woman's scent, then where is she?"
I tightened my grip on Ah-Un's reins as Inuyasha glared. He was about to retort, when Kagome cut him off.
"Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru does have a point," she said hesitantly. "I mean, we could go to where Kouga and Kagura fought, and follow Ayame's scent from there."
Admittedly, it was pretty much common sense. Inuyasha, on the other hand, didn't seem to want it, no matter how common it was. Maybe because Sesshoumaru had suggested it first?
Inuyasha rounded on Kagome, but she quickly held up a hand. "No, I am not siding with him," she said, sighing. "He does have a point, Inuyasha."
"Fine," he huffed, crossing his arms.
Sesshoumaru stared at Inuyasha. "It seems that you can be reasoned with, after all," he said.
Inuyasha frowned. He uncrossed his arms, and clenched his fists. "Shuddup, you jackass," he snapped, his cheeks reddening. Was he embarrassed, I wonder?
Kagome and I sighed. At the rate they were going, they would only end up fighting sooner. I frowned. What if we just told Inuyasha and Kagome to catch up with Miroku and Sango, while Sesshoumaru and I found Ayame? I could let Kagome take the jewel with her. It wasn't like my spiritual energy would be of much help when it came to purifying the jewel anyway...
"I think I better walk with Inuyasha. He seems a bit angry," Kagome said, once we'd began walking again. She was glancing over her shoulder.
I looked behind me. Inuyasha did look surly, his arms tucked into his wide sleeves, and his mouth set in a thin line.
"Go ahead," I said, watching her go. Inuyasha pouted as she approached, stubbornly looking away from her.
Up ahead, Sesshoumaru had stopped in his tracks. "Is anything wrong?" I asked as I walked up to him. Ah-Un lumbered along beside me.
"We fly from here," Sesshoumaru said, glancing at me.
"SIT!"
Sesshoumaru and I looked behind us just as a loud crash echoed throughout the forest. Inuyasha was lying on the ground, facedown, arms and legs sticking out awkwardly. From the corner of my eye, I saw Sesshoumaru smirk, amused.
"Sesshoumaru," I said, sighing.
He glanced sideways at me, a curious look in his eyes. "Is something troubling you?" he asked, just as Inuyasha looked up and glared at Kagome.
"I was wondering if you could at least try to get along with Inuyasha," I said slowly. He frowned. "I mean, you are brothers, after all, and besides, you both want the same thing, right?"
"And what would that be?" he asked.
I shrugged. "To see Naraku destroyed," I said. "What else?"
He stared at me. "You presume too much," he said. "That may be Inuyasha's goal, however, it is merely a part of mine."
I raised an eyebrow at him. "Just a part?" I said, incredulous. "You've been looking for Naraku for quite a while now, haven't you?"
His eyes met mine, and I quickly looked down—there was a strange look in his eyes, one I've never seen before. "Let's go," Sesshoumaru said as he took off into the air.
"Hey!" I called out, turning to Inuyasha and Kagome, both of whom were in the middle of a heated argument.
"What?!" they shouted, glaring at me in unison.
I hesitantly tugged Ah-Un's reins. Sesshoumaru was hovering in the air looking down at Inuyasha and Kagome with narrowed eyes.
"Fine!" they snapped.
I mounted Ah-Un, and Kagome settled herself behind me with Inuyasha sitting behind her. Judging from Inuyasha's expression, it looked as though he would rather run than fly on his brother's dragon. For an instant, I wondered—with everything they've apparently been through together, couldn't they at least get along?
Kagome had once mentioned that when Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru crossed paths in the past, they would immediately draw their swords, no questions asked. So, I take it, this awkward-tense atmosphere around them was an improvement to their past animosity. But, still…
"Clara?"
Kagome tapped my shoulder, pulling me back to reality. "Are you all right?" she asked, worried. "You were spacing out."
"Sorry, I'm fine," I said hastily, blushing in embarrassment. "I was just thinking, that's all."
I smiled reassuringly at Sesshoumaru, who looked down at me with narrowed eyes. "Are you certain?" he asked, frowning.
I sighed, and made a mental note to stop spacing out. "I am," I said flatly. "Let's just get going, before Ah-Un decides to throw us off him."
. . .
"Look, down there!" Kagome said, pointing.
Several mountains loomed ahead of us in the distance. They were quite small—almost small enough to be hills, actually. Kagome gripped my waist tightly as she pointed to the base of the mountain, towards the forest that surrounded it. A section of the forest had been felled, leaving a wide gap in the dense cluster of trees.
Sesshoumaru promptly descended, and I gripped Ah-Un's reins tightly as he followed. As we approached, we could see groups of trees that had fallen over, their trunks snapped in half as though something heavy had rammed them to the ground. There were deep grooves on the earth, grooves that looked as though they were made by Kagura's wind blades.
Sesshoumaru glanced around, eyes narrowed as he took in the scene before him. There was a slight frown on his face, and I wondered what he was thinking about.
"Kagura fought alone," Sesshoumaru said quietly as I approached.
"Does that mean she's left Hakudoshi?" I asked.
"Perhaps," he mused. "It is possible she is with Kanna."
"Kanna?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I've never heard of Kanna before. Is she another incarnate?"
"Yes, Naraku's first creation," he answered. His gaze skimmed across the ground, taking in the deep grooves in the earth.
He was silent for a moment, before he turned back to me. "How are you feeling?" he suddenly asked.
I looked down. I didn't want him to see the conflict in my eyes. I think Sesshoumaru was starting to suspect that I was losing more and more of my spiritual energy. How long could I keep lying to him about it? What if I just told him? But…if I did…would he be forced to track Kohaku down, and remove his shard?
I felt his fingers brushing lightly against my cheek, and I looked up. "I'm fine," I said, giving him a reassuring smile. "I was just thinking…about…about all the suffering the jewel causes."
He frowned. "You are in no way responsible," Sesshoumaru said. He glanced towards Inuyasha, who was looking around the clearing, nostrils flared as he sniffed the air.
"Ayame's scent is faint," Inuyasha remarked. He promptly got down on all fours and started to sniff the ground like a…well, like a dog.
I blinked. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, amused.
"You know," I whispered, leaning towards Sesshoumaru. "Sometimes, he acts more like a dog than you do."
He gave me a flat look, and I shrugged innocently at him. "I heard that!" Inuyasha snapped, looking up from the ground to glare at me.
The corner of Kagome's mouth twitched, as though she wanted to laugh, but thought better of it. "Can you sniff out Ayame?" she asked, tilting her head at Inuyasha.
"I just said I could," Inuyasha said, lowering his face to the ground again. He inhaled and glanced at the direction of the trees ahead of us. "It looks like she ran through there. Clara, Kagome, can you guys sense the Sacred Jewel shards she has?"
Kagome frowned, I shook my head. "No, it looks like she's gone far," I said.
Inuyasha huffed as he crawled on his hands and knees towards the trees. I took hold of Ah-Un's reigns as we followed him into the woods.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Sango
"Well, you were passed out, drunk. I had no choice," Miroku said as we followed the old monk into the temple. Master Mushin's robes were dripping with water, and tiny puddles pooled under his feet as we walked.
We'd arrived a few moments ago to find Miroku's master passed out on the veranda, a bottle of sake beside him. It had been impossible to wake the inebriated monk, so Miroku had had no choice but to douse the old monk with water. Master Mushin had not been pleased.
"Sometimes I wonder if they really are monks," Shippou, perched on my shoulder, whispered.
We followed Master Mushin into a room, and he gestured to a low-lying table, where a pot of tea had been set out. "Were you expecting someone?" Miroku asked as we knelt around the table. Kohaku sat beside Shippou and me.
"I had a feeling you would be showing up," Master Mushin said. We would have believed it—but this was Miroku's Master Mushin.
"You old pervert," Miroku said, sighing.
I cleared my throat. "Master Mushin, like I said, we were wondering if you knew anything about the Sacred Jewel shards," I said slowly.
Master Mushin poured a cup of tea, and pushed it towards me. I murmured my thanks as I sipped. "The Sacred Jewel," the old monk said, once everyone had been supplied with tea. "There are many stories about the jewel, and I'd wager you know more about them than I do."
Miroku frowned. He then related our journey so far, and everything that had happened in the past several months, starting with our discovery that Clara was Midoriko's reincarnation. He also told him about how the jewel was slowly taking Clara's soul from her body. He ended by telling his master about the need to find a way to remove Kohaku's shard from his back without endangering his life.
Mushin was silent, his solemn gaze fixed on the table. "I didn't think it had come to this," he said at last, looking up at us. "You've given me more surprises in one day, than I've ever had in my life."
"Do you know of a way, Master?" Miroku asked.
"Please." I was surprised when Kohaku suddenly spoke up. His gaze was direct, and his voice steady. "Midoriko's reincarnation—Miss Clara…she's a kind person. She would never let me remove the shard from my back. Because of that, we won't be able to complete the jewel, and she might die. I don't want people dying again, because of me."
Oh, Kohaku…were you thinking of Father and our comrades?
Master Mushin sighed, stroking the ends of his beard. "The Sacred Jewel has always been an enigma," he said slowly. "Born from a bitter battle between two souls—Midoriko and the entity of darkness known as Magatsuhi. What is its true purpose in the world? Is it to grant the wishes of those who seek it, or is it merely here to cause death and misery?"
We didn't answer. I had a feeling the purpose of the Sacred Jewel was something only Midoriko herself could have answered.
Master Mushin turned his solemn eyes towards the open shutters, at the brilliant blue sky, and let out a sigh. "The shard in the boy's back is a double-edged sword," Mushin said, after a lengthy pause.
My shoulders tensed as I narrowed my eyes at him. The tone of his voice was one filled with foreboding.
"It gives life to the boy, yet death to the girl," the old monk went on. "And yet, it may also give life to the girl and death to the boy."
Kohaku's eyes narrowed as he lowered his gaze to his lap. In that instant, I was overcome with a sense of helplessness, and yet…I knew had to be strong, not for my sake, but for Kohaku's. Reaching out, I held his hand in mine.
He looked up, startled, and I gave him a small smile. "We'll find a way," I said resolutely. Turning back to Master Mushin, I said, "Please, Master Mushin—do you know of a way to save both their lives?"
The old monk closed his eyes, and we waited expectantly. When he opened them, they were grim. "Life is finite," he said slowly. "We are not gods. Hubris is a great sin, and not even the mightiest among us presume to boast absolute control over death."
I thought of Sesshoumaru's Tenseiga. Even the sword's power was limited, and not even Sesshoumaru could ultimately control death. I knew this perfectly well, and yet I couldn't help but feel that familiar sense of despondency settling over me.
"You're saying you don't know anything," Miroku said slowly. His eyes were hard.
Master Mushin bowed his head.
Miroku sighed as he stood. "Thank you for your time, Master," he said. He turned to me, and smiled, a small encouraging smile. "Don't worry, Sango—we'll keep looking."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Clara
"You've got to be kidding me!" Inuyasha growled as he raised his head from the ground.
In front of us was a broad river, its waters flowing slowly past us. The last rays of sunlight fell on the water's surface, making it glimmer with a dim light.
"What's wrong, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, worried.
Inuyasha looked peeved as he stood and dusted his hands. "Ayame's scent ends here," he said, glaring at the river as though it had personally offended him.
"The river's wide, she may have just jumped across," I offered. Beside me, Sesshoumaru was silent, narrowed eyes staring intently at the river.
"It's a possibility," Inuyasha said.
Sesshoumaru looked up, his brows knitting. "We will stop here for the night," he said, his tone imperious.
Inuyasha looked as though he wanted to argue, but Kagome stomped on his foot. "Ow!" the hanyou roared, rounding on her. "What the hell was that for?!"
. . .
"Where the hell did Sesshoumaru go?" Inuyasha asked later that evening, as he emerged from the trees carrying a bundle of firewood in his arms.
"He left to have a look around," I said, looking up from the fire I was currently stoking.
Kagome had placed a kettle of water over the fire. She rummaged through her bulging backpack and retrieved three bowls of ramen.
"All right!" Inuyasha said. The firewood clattered to the ground as he dropped them. He bounded towards Kagome, and snatched one of the ramen from her hands.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome reprimanded.
"Ninja food!" the hanyou said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. I chuckled. He looked as eager as a child on Christmas. "Is that water boiling yet?"
"Not yet," I said, adding more wood. "You know, this would be a lot faster if Jaken was with us."
"Speaking of Jaken," Kagome said as she and Inuyasha sat down across the fire from me. "What was it like travelling with them?"
"I think I know," Inuyasha interrupted, tearing open his bowl. "It was quiet." He sounded derisive.
I rolled my eyes. "Sesshoumaru can carry on a conversation, you know," I said, keeping my gaze fixed on the fire.
"Yeah, grunt and hn," Inuyasha pointed out.
Okay…
"He's actually a very nice person," I said, giving him a flat look.
Inuyasha scoffed, and crossed his arms. "Right," he said, clearly not believing me.
I paused for a moment. "You don't like him that much, do you?" I asked.
"Nope," he said. He added a small piece of wood to the fire. The reflection of the orange flames danced lazily in his eyes.
"I'm curious...why?" I asked. "I mean, I get that you two don't have the same mother, but is that really a good reason to dislike your own brother?"
The frown on his face deepened, and I inwardly flinched. Uh-oh...I think I might have said something wrong.
"Listen," Inuyasha said. His tone had lost all of its jibe. "After my mother died, I was kicked out of our palace, because I was a half-demon." He sounded bitter. "I was running in the forest, chased by a horde of demons, when this kid suddenly came out of nowhere. He killed the demons chasing me, and I wanted to thank him—he looked a lot like me, and I thought I could trust him, thought he was the same kind as me. For an instant, I thought I wouldn't have to be alone anymore."
Kagome's eyes softened. I don't think she'd ever heard Inuyasha mention this before.
Inuyasha's face hardened, and he glared at the fire. "Yeah, I was a stupid kid," he said. He sounded bitter.
"Why?" I asked tentatively.
"He grabbed me by the neck," Inuyasha said. "I thought he'd kill me, and for a moment, he nearly did. But then, he dropped me. He said something about even though we had the same blood, he'd kill me someday, blah, blah, blah." He tossed a piece of kindling into the fire.
We were silent for a moment, and the only sounds we could hear was the gentle flow of the river, and the crackling of the fire. I realized I was clenching my fists. Well...I had no delusions about what Sesshoumaru was like. Kagome had told me that he'd tried to kill them again, and again, but that had all been in the past.
"He's changed, Inuyasha," I said gently. "When I first met him, he seemed so cold, and uncaring, but he isn't really like that. He's actually a kind-hearted person."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes at me. I'd never seen him look so serious before.
"I get that you love Sesshoumaru, and he seems to care about you, at least," he began.
"Inuyasha," Kagome reprimanded.
Inuyasha shook his head. "I know you haven't been together long, but...well, do you think Sesshoumaru would be proud to have a half-breed kid? I know you're immortal, Clara, but you are still human."
My eyes widened. I suddenly remembered what Sesshoumaru's mother had said about powerful grandchildren. She had said she didn't care about Sesshoumaru choosing a human, but Inuyasha's words sent a strong blow through me.
Would Sesshoumaru really care about that? Granted, it was a bit too soon to be thinking about that, but still...
A loud, shrill whistle suddenly blared through the air, making me jump. "I'll do it," Inuyasha said, waving Kagome's hand away from the kettle. Wrapping his fist with his sleeve, he removed the kettle from the fire, and poured water into our bowls. He didn't sound as excited as he did earlier.
As we ate, I couldn't help but stare into the fire, letting my thoughts drift. Inuyasha did have a point. Sesshoumaru was a powerful daiyoukai with lands to rule over. It would make sense that he would want a strong heir to carry on his legacy. Would he be proud to have a half-demon for a child? Sure, it was really, really too early to think about that, but…
"Hey, Sesshoumaru," Kagome suddenly said.
I glanced behind me. Sesshoumaru was standing at the edge of the trees, eyes fixed intently on me. As he strode towards us, Ah-Un raised both his scaly heads, and gave him a snort of greeting.
I quickly pushed Inuyasha's words from my mind. "Hi," I said. I lowered my bowl to my lap, and smiled at him.
"You're troubled," he observed as he lowered himself gracefully beside me.
From the peripheral of my vision, I saw Kagome give Inuyasha a glare. The half-demon pouted as he crossed his arms.
"No, I'm not," I said, looking away from his eyes. I could feel his gaze on me as I stared resolutely into my bowl of ramen. Jeez…why did Inuyasha have to bring it up, anyway?
"By the way," I said, trying to inject a bit of cheer in my voice. I raised my bowl as I turned to him. "Do you want one?"
Sesshoumaru's gaze flickered to Inuyasha, who was eating his ramen with loud, wet slurps. The look in Sesshoumaru's eyes was a bit disdainful.
"What?" Inuyasha asked, strands of ramen hanging from his mouth. He glared at his elder brother, as Kagome let out a small, exasperated sigh.
Sesshoumaru turned back to me. "I do not eat as often as you," he reminded me.
"Ah, right, I nearly forgot," I said. I don't know why, but, somehow, this small reminder only made me think even more about what Inuyasha said earlier.
I felt Sesshoumaru's eyes on me again, and I quickly gave him a smile. "Yes?"
He didn't answer. Instead, he reached into the sleeve of his haori, and drew out a lavender flower—a peony, I realized, taken aback.
I felt my cheeks heating as I looked up to meet his gaze. "Is that for me?" I asked, without thinking.
He gave me a dull look.
Sesshoumaru gently placed the peony in my hand. It covered my entire palm, its frilly petals spread out in full bloom. Bringing it close to my face, I shut my eyes and inhaled its sweet scent.
"Thank you," I said. I opened my eyes and smiled at him. Maybe it was a trick of the firelight, but his eyes seemed so warm. Holding my gaze, Sesshoumaru brushed the back of his hand against my cheek. Blushing, I quickly looked down at the peony on my lap.
"You know," a gruff voice suddenly said. I jumped. Admittedly, I completely forgot about Inuyasha and Kagome.
Sesshomaru and I turned to them. Kagome, I couldn't help but notice, looked particularly smug.
"The woods are right over there," Inuyasha said glibly, jerking his thumb towards the trees.
My cheeks burned as Sesshoumaru glared menacingly at Inuyasha. The hanyou crossed his arms. "What?" he asked, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, it's not like—"
Before he could finish, a pebble whizzed through the air, and struck him on the forehead. The force of the blow sent him reeling backward to the ground.
"Sesshoumaru, you jerk!" Inuyasha snapped, sitting back up. He raised a fist threateningly. "Why, I ought to—"
"Sit!"
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Sango
"Can't sleep?"
I looked up as Miroku sat beside me. "No, I couldn't," I said, sighing. I glanced over my shoulder. Shippou and Kohaku were both sleeping around the dying embers of the campfire. Both of them were curled up in one of Kagome's sleeping bags. They looked peaceful, as though nothing could trouble them.
"Kohaku." It wasn't a question.
I drew my knees up to my chin, and wrapped my arms around them. "Among other things," I said quietly. Looking up at the stars, I sighed again.
"I'm all ears," Miroku said.
"It's just that," I began, "I feel guilty, Miroku. I know that keeping the shard in Kohaku will kill Clara. And yet…" I looked down. "And yet I don't want to do anything about it. Not if it means losing my brother again."
For a while, Miroku didn't answer. I suddenly felt the weight of his arm across my shoulders as he drew me against his side.
"It's perfectly natural to prioritize Kohaku over Clara," Miroku said gently. "He is your brother, after all."
"It's just that…What if we don't find a way to take Kohaku's shard without killing him?" I said quietly. "Sesshoumaru will take the shard, I'm sure of it."
I suddenly felt a chill come over me, and I shuddered. "But you won't let that happen," Miroku said matter-of-factly.
My shoulders tensed, as though preparing for an inevitable fight that had yet to happen. "I can't let him do that," I said. I sounded desperate—pleading. Pleading for him to understand. "Even if it costs Clara her life, I…I just can't let Kohaku die." I suddenly felt a selfish guilt settling over me like a cloud.
"I'm such a horrible person, aren't I?" I asked sadly.
Miroku gently placed a hand on my head. I closed my eyes as I leaned my head against his shoulder.
"We will find a way, Sango," Miroku said, his voice firm.
Though he sounded determined, I couldn't help but worry. "What if we don't?" I asked, looking up at him. What must he have seen in my eyes?
"Then…" He pressed his lips to my forehead, and my eyes widened. "I'm a horrible person, too."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Kagome
The morning dawned bright and chilly as Clara and I walked farther downstream. The river gurgled cheerfully as it flowed beside us. Birds sang in the trees as we walked, their voices loud and shrill.
"Do you think those two will be all right?" I asked, referring to Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. When we left, they were both glaring at each other—never a good sign.
"What?" Clara asked, glancing at me with wide eyes.
I frowned. She'd been like this since the moment she woke up—distracted. Last night was understandable, what with that surprise Sesshoumaru pulled on her, but this was a different sort of distraction—a worried distraction.
"Clara, what's wrong?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You asked me to come with you to purify the jewel, but…it's more than that, isn't it?"
She glanced over her shoulder, as though afraid that Sesshoumaru might come up behind us. She shook her head, and we walked a little farther on. After several more minutes of walking, we came to a stop beside a tree, its leaves already yellow.
"Clara?" I asked.
She bit her lower lip. Reaching into the sleeve of her haori, she drew out the Sacred Jewel. Her fingers curled around the jewel, hiding it from me.
"I…I don't know why," she said quietly.
I held her hand, and carefully pried her fingers from the jewel. Her hands, I realized, were cold.
My eyes widened in shock as I stared down at the jewel. "What…how did this happen?" I asked, looking up at her.
Clara's lip was trembling. The darkness in the Sacred Jewel had grown—it nearly pushed out the light, nearly covered the entire jewel. For a moment, we both stared at it, completely at a loss for words.
"I don't understand," I said. I shook my head.
"I…I can't keep it pure anymore," Clara whispered. "Before, Sesshoumaru's demonic aura didn't taint the jewel much, not while I was holding it. But, now—"
Her knees shook. She looked so pale, I thought she would faint. I quickly wrapped an arm around her waist, and led her towards the base of a tree. We sat on the cool grass, and Clara closed her eyes.
She was frightened. Come to think of it, I was, too. Because the growing darkness in the jewel only meant one thing…
We were quiet, neither one of us daring to voice out our thoughts. "Give me the jewel."
Clara stared at me. "What?"
I held out a hand. "I'll hold onto it," I offered. "I know it may not stop Midoriko from…" I paused. "But we can keep it pure."
She bit her lower lip, before dropping the jewel onto my palm. I curled my fingers around it and closed my eyes, letting my holy energy flow into the jewel.
When I opened my eyes, the darkness within the jewel had receded, until it was the size of a small pea. Not totally gone, but at least, it was under control—for now.
I looked up. Clara's eyes were closed, her head resting against the trunk of the tree.
I suddenly felt a sense of foreboding come over me. "Clara?" I asked. I tentatively shook her shoulder. No response. I shook her again. "Clara?" I felt sick as I pressed my fingers to her neck.
Thank goodness—there was a pulse, and it was strong. This time, I shook her harder. "Clara!"
Her eyes suddenly flew open, and she blinked, confused. I sighed in relief. "Clara, what happened?" I asked. "Did you fall asleep?"
"I don't know," she said, dazed. She shook her head. "Did I? The last thing I remember is watching you purify the jewel."
I frowned, worried. Did it have something to do with Midoriko? I suddenly remembered what Mrs. Rose had said—that Clara was sometimes prone to fainting spells, however…
Clara's hand closed around mine. "Don't worry, I'm fine," she said. She smiled reassuringly, but I couldn't help but feel she was hiding the fear she had shown earlier.
"Clara…don't you think…you should tell Sesshoumaru?" I asked hesitantly.
She lowered her gaze to her lap. She was silent for a while, her brow furrowed in deep thought. "No," she said at last. Her voice was firm. "He can't know."
"I get that you don't want him to do anything drastic for your sake," I said. I suddenly remembered the way Sesshoumaru had looked at her last night. "Don't you think it's unfair to him?"
She flinched. "I…" She shook her head. "When Miroku and Sango find a way to remove Kohaku's shard, then…I will."
"What if they don't?"
Clara looked away, and didn't answer.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
Kagome: okay, Amaterasu, we'll do this slowly—first, give me the Loki plushie…now.
A1969: noooo! You can't make me! *sobs*
Sango: it needs to be done. We have to rehabilitate you, for your own good. *snatches plushie*
A1969: no! No! No! Hulk angry! Hulk smash!
Kagome: oh, god, it's worse than we thought. Inuyasha!
Inuyasha: fine, fine. *grabs author, and throws her into a cell*
Kagome: stay there till you get over it. In the meantime, we can handle this.
Sesshoumaru: *still fighting with Kouga* Bakusaiga! *everything gets destroyed*
Kagome: ooor…maybe not.
Miroku: anyway—don't forget to review!