The Reincarnation of Miko Midoriko

by Amaterasu1969

Naraku has grown stronger and has allied himself with the last member of the Hyouga family. Kikyou has weakened and is dying. They must find the reincarnation of Midoriko in order to defeat Naraku. But who is Midoriko's reincarnation? InuKag MirSan SessOC

50. Brothers

A1969: it was horrible! I had Writer's Block for one, solid week! And I struggled a bit with writing the beginning parts of this chapter.
Inuyasha: okay, who let her out of the room of solitude?
Kagome: er…I did. She seems okay now.
Sesshoumaru: seems.
A1969: I'm sorry for the Writer's Block. Anyway, enjoy this long chapter xD
Sango: oh, and thank you all for the reviews!
Miroku: and for putting this story on your favorites and alerts.
A1969: by the way, I've raised the rating on this story to 'M' because of…reasons. And because Inuyasha swears—a lot.
Inuyasha: hey! I don't swear a lot, dammit!

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-Chapter Fifty-

.:Brothers:.

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Clara

I woke up to the warmth of sunlight on my face. Light streamed through the closed shutters, reminding me of the color of butter. I yawned.

Sesshoumaru was still sleeping. His head was resting on my chest, my arms wound around him. One of his chubby fists was curled close to his mouth, and his breathing was deep and even. He wasn't snoring anymore.

I smiled as I stroked his hair. He looked so warm and innocent, it was hard to associate him with the cold demon I loved. I wondered what he would be like, if his parents had treated him not as a lord, but as a child instead. Would he still be the cold, aristocratic Sesshoumaru I knew? Or would he have been different?

Sesshoumaru suddenly yawned. He blinked rapidly as he opened his eyes and looked up at me. "Clara?" he said, his voice groggy.

"Good morning," I said, smiling at him. "Did you sleep well?"

He nodded. His arms tightened around my neck. "I had nice dreams," he told me.

"What kind of dreams?" I asked. When he returned to normal, I highly doubted he would say the word 'dream' again, let alone discuss it. I might as well ask him just this once.

Sesshoumaru blinked sleepily. "I dreamt I married you, and you gave me twelve children," he said seriously.

My eyebrows rose. Okaaay...that was not something I was expecting. I gave him an awkward smile. "Aren't you a little too young to be thinking about those kind of things?" I asked.

"I'm five hundred," he said bluntly. He pouted, probably not pleased with my reaction. Well, in all honesty, it was a little hard to show any enthusiasm at the moment.

I had a feeling he wouldn't be too pleased if I told him he was just a child right now. I sighed and ruffled his hair. "Time to get up, don't you agree?" I asked.

We sat up and he stretched his arms. At that moment, the shutters towards the veranda slid open and Kasai bounced into the room. He looked jubilant.

"Are you two lovely young ladies up yet?" he asked. He blinked when he caught sight of Sesshoumaru, who immediately stood and growled at him. Kasai raised his eyebrows and poked Sesshoumaru's forehead. "Hm…you don't look like a lovely young lady to me," he said.

Sesshoumaru's claws swiped towards him, but Kasai ducked. "Quite the hotheaded fellow, aren't you?" the tiny god remarked. "I was only going to invite your lady friends for breakfast, after all. Before you leave."

"We'd love to!" Kagome and Inuyasha's door slid open and they strode in, Myouga bouncing on Inuyasha's head.

I stood up, and Sesshoumaru was immediately beside me, keeping his wary eyes fixed on Kasai. His mouth was set in a stubborn line and he crossed his arms, letting out a small huff of annoyance.

"I don't like you!" he announced.

Kasai shrugged. "Well, you're not exactly Mr. Pleasing-Personality yourself," he said. "So acerbic! This luscious young lady deserves someone with more charm, I think." He winked at me. Eh. Really…this guy was just a bit too much sometimes.

Sesshoumaru growled and took a step towards Kasai. "You old geezer!" he snapped, raising his claws. His cheeks were red and he bared his fangs.

"All right, someone sounds a little crabby," I said. I scooped Sesshoumaru into my arms he immediately began to struggle.

"Clara, no!" he said, kicking his legs as he glared at Kasai. "I can handle him!" He stretched out his arms, trying to reach Kasai, who laughed.

"Oh, just keep still Sesshoumaru," I said, tightening my grip. He slowly stopped flailing. I could almost picture him puffing out his cheeks, his expression one of childish displeasure. "There now, see? You're just hungry."

A loud rumble suddenly filled the room. Surprised, we turned towards Inuyasha and Kagome. Inuyasha was blushing from embarrassment.

Kagome laughed.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha snapped.

. . .

"Thank you for everything, Lord Kasai," I said as we walked out the gates of Kasai's castle.

"Like I said, anything for you beautiful girls." Kasai wagged his eyebrows and gave us a roguish grin. I immediately placed a hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"Er, right," Kagome said as she scooted closer to Inuyasha. I don't think she wanted to hear another comment about her 'ravishing legs' anymore.

"Well, then!" Kasai said, turning back to me. "Midoriko—ah, my apologies. Clara. Would you come with me for a moment? Just a while."

I took a reflexive step back, and Sesshoumaru glared. "Um, no offense, but no thanks," I said. I smiled awkwardly at him.

Kasai gave me a flat look. He sighed. You don't have long, you know. My eyes widened in surprise. The words were brushed against my mind, Kasai's reedy voice echoing through my thoughts.

Long? I thought. What do you…I shook my head. Of course, I knew what he meant. It felt as though an ice cube dropped into my stomach. I clasped my hands to keep them from shaking. I kept my face straight as I stared at Kasai, ignoring Sesshoumaru's curious stare.

How…how long? I thought.

He raised a bushy eyebrow at me. Do you really want to know?

I frowned and shook my head. On second thought…no. No, I don't want to know.

I could feel Inuyasha, Kagome and Sesshoumaru staring at us. No doubt they had seen the expression on my face.

Kasai smiled sadly at me. You know, gods are not supposed to meddle in the affairs of this world, but I'll have you know, I'm rooting for you young people.

Thank you, I thought. I returned his smile, and he nodded. I turned towards Sesshoumaru and the others. Pushing aside what Kasai said, I grinned at them.

"Let's go find Anru," I said.

. . .

We made it back to Anru's river at around noon. The sky was overcast, and the wind was chilly. I drew my cloak tighter around me as we walked back towards the river. The water flowed gently past us. Looking down, I could make out the smooth, round stones beneath the surface.

"Kasai said we have to look for Anru at the river's source," Kagome said. She was holding Ah-Un's bridle in her hands. There was a thoughtful look on her face.

I glanced around the water. A part of me was actually hoping that Anru would be hovering on the water's surface. "Clara?" Sesshoumaru asked. He tugged on the sleeve of my haori.

"What's the matter, Sesshoumaru?" I asked.

"Are you cold?" he asked, tilting his head at me.

I smiled and shook my head. "No, I'm fine." Speaking of cold…I turned towards Kagome. Her head was tilted towards Inuyasha. He was whispering in her ear. Whatever it was, it made her frown.

"Er…Kagome?" I asked hesitantly. She pulled away from Inuyasha and turned towards me. "Aren't you…a bit cold in that skirt?"

She blinked then glanced down at her knees. "Not really," she said. "I'm pretty used to it by now." She grinned. "Anyway, we should stop for a while. It's noon. We could let Sesshoumaru rest for a bit. He may be hungry again."

"I don't need your concern!" Sesshoumaru huffed. He crossed his arms and frowned, his eyebrows meeting in the middle. "I'm not—"

At that moment, a low growl rumbled and Sesshoumaru blushed. "Hungry," I said, grinning at him. It was amazing how much he needed to eat.

Myouga leapt from Kagome's shoulder and onto Sesshoumaru's head. "No need to be embarrassed about it, Sesshoumaru, you're a growing child," he chided.

Sesshoumaru tried swatting Myouga, but he quickly leapt towards me. He landed on my head, and sighed. "Rascal," he said. He sounded both fond and wary.

"Jeez," Inuyasha muttered as he sat on the ground. "Hurry up and eat, Sesshoumaru, you're slowing us down," he drawled.

Sesshoumaru turned to him, glaring. "You half"—he quickly glanced at me and paused—"Shut up!"

Kagome sat down beside Inuyasha and gave him a reprimanding look. "Inuyasha, don't start," she warned. She rummaged in her backpack.

Sesshoumaru and I sat across from them. Sesshoumaru glared at Inuyasha, who scowled at him. "Here you go!" Kagome said cheerfully, handing us each a bento.

"Thanks!" I said. I broke my chopsticks. "Let's eat!"

It was quiet as we ate. Sesshoumaru sniffed suspiciously at his food, before deciding it was safe to eat. I smiled fondly as I watched him. There was a piece of rice stuck to his chin, and his cheeks puffed out as he chewed. There was nothing at all regal about him, at the moment.

He swallowed. "What?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

I shook my head. "Nothing," I said.

He frowned. "Are you going to laugh again?" he asked, pouting.

"No, silly," I said. I put my bento on my lap, and flicked away the piece of rice stuck to his chin with my thumb. I grinned at him. "I never knew you were such a messy eater, Sesshoumaru."

He shoved my hand away and huffed. "I am not!" he said. He tried to sound stern, but failed.

I smiled and gave him a pat on the head. "I won't judge for you being a messy eater," I said, smirking at him. He crossed his arms, and looked the other way, nose stuck in the air. I couldn't help it—I laughed.

"Er…Clara?" I turned towards Kagome. She'd already finished eating. "I was wondering, can I talk to you for a moment?" She asked. She jerked her chin towards the trees.

There was a worried look in her eyes. Inuyasha frowned, staring at her. My gaze flickered between them. They had been acting worried since last night, if I recall.

I nodded and stood. Sesshoumaru made a move to follow, but Kagome shook her head. "Sorry, Sesshoumaru, just me and Clara, okay?" She smiled at him.

"Why?" Sesshoumaru asked. His wide eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I want to go with Clara!" There was a stubborn look on his face.

Kagome gave me a pointed look. "Sesshoumaru, we won't be gone long," I said. "We just need to talk about something, okay?"

He clutched the sleeve of my haori. "No!" he snapped. "I want to go with you!"

I wondered…was he afraid that I'd leave him behind again? The thought made me cringe. I knelt in front of him. "Hey, just fifteen minutes," I said.

He gave me an obstinate look. "Why can't I go with you?"

"Can it, midget!" Inuyasha said. He yanked Sesshoumaru back by the collar, and he yelped, taken by surprise. "Ever heard of the word 'privacy'?" He rolled his eyes. "Jeez, you are so clingy."

I stood as Sesshoumaru tried to slash at Inuyasha with his claws, but the hanyou quickly ducked. "Sesshoumaru, behave, okay?" I said as Kagome and I made our way towards the trees.

He quickly turned to me. "Clara!" he called out. There was a hint of anxiety in his voice.

I stopped and looked back at him. "We'll be back, I promise," I reassured him. "Fifteen minutes. Be good, okay?"

"And don't fight with him, Inuyasha," Kagome added.

. . .

Once we were far enough, Kagome turned to me. There was a worried look on her face. Her eyebrows met in the middle and she frowned. She opened her mouth to say something, paused, then shook her head.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" I asked.

She sighed. "Well, how do I put this?" she muttered. "You know that Inuyasha is half-demon, right?"

I nodded, and the crease between her brows deepened. "Unlike pureblood demons such as Sesshoumaru, half-demons like Inuyasha lose their demon powers every now and then."

My eyebrows rose. I didn't know that one. "And…what happens when they do?"

"They become human," Kagome said. She looked and sounded nervous. She shifted her weight to one foot. "For a certain period, they lose all the demon power they have, and become a normal human." She paused, and when she went on, she lowered her voice so I had to lean in to hear her. "Inuyasha becomes human on the night of the new moon—tonight."

I gaped at her. I could see why they've been worried. With Sesshoumaru stuck in his current form, and Inuyasha turning into a human, we would be, more or less, sitting ducks come nightfall.

Kagome stared at me, waiting for me to say something. "Does…does Sesshoumaru know?" I asked.

"Of course, he knows that Inuyasha turns human at some point," she said. "But he doesn't know when. If he did, he would've killed Inuyasha before I met him. Sorry about that."

I shook my head. "You want Inuyasha to hide from Sesshoumaru tonight?" I asked.

"Inuyasha and I were thinking that we'd stay a bit farther apart from you guys later on," Kagome said. "Myouga says that we should just stay in this area, as there are no minor demons here."

"We could," I agreed. "When we go farther upriver, towards the source, we could camp out there for the night. But…do you guys really need to stay apart from us?"

"Inuyasha doesn't trust Sesshoumaru," she said. She sounded both regretful and apologetic.

For some reason, I felt a bit annoyed. "Listen, I get that you guys had a rocky start with Sesshoumaru," I said. "But he isn't the person you knew him as. He's changed, Kagome, you know that."

"I kept telling Inuyasha that," she said, sighing. "But you know him—he's stubborn, he won't let up, and…" She paused. "The night of the new moon is Inuyasha's greatest secret. Half-demons don't normally let others know when they're most vulnerable. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru have been at each other's throats for a long time. I guess it's just…hard for him to trust Sesshoumaru."

I suddenly remembered what Inuyasha had once told me, about the first time he had met Sesshoumaru when he was just a child. He had been alone, and when he thought he had someone to be with, his elder brother almost snapped his neck. I quickly banished the thought.

Kagome sighed and raked a hand through her hair. "Don't worry—we won't be far," she said. "We're just going to stay somewhere Sesshoumaru can't see Inuyasha. Besides, if he's with you, I don't think Sesshoumaru will look for Inuyasha." She paused. "I hope you understand."

"I do," I said quietly. It's just that, Sesshoumaru wasn't really the type of person to take on an unarmed, weak opponent. And besides, I highly doubted he would harm Inuyasha at this point. Still, if it made Inuyasha feel any better…

Kagome gave me a grateful smile. "And, there's something else I wanted to talk to you about," she said. There was a different weight to her tone—she no longer sounded nervous, she sounded concerned.

"When we were leaving Kasai," she went on. I bit my lower lip. I think I knew where this was headed. "Did he say anything to you? We didn't hear him talk to you, but Myouga told me that telepathy is common among the gods." She frowned at me. "And you looked pretty worried for a while."

I looked down at my feet. "He did…" I said. "He…" I suddenly remembered asking Kasai how long I had left. I hadn't wanted to know—a part of me wondered if it would have been better if I had asked. What if he had said a month? A fortnight? A week? What would I have done? Sometimes…what you don't know doesn't hurt you.

But, how true is that, exactly? How could not knowing be better than knowing? It was too late to ask Kasai now, and a part of me regretted it. What would I do if I knew?

My thoughts felt jumbled. If I was being honest with myself, I felt…helpless and scared. They were two things I hadn't felt in a long while now.

I suddenly wanted Sesshoumaru.

Kagome was still staring at me, frowning. "Clara?" she asked softly.

I bit my lip and shook my head. "I'm—"

Kagome raised a hand. There was a stern look in her eyes. "You're not fine," she said gently. "I can see it in your eyes—you're a very easy person to read, Clara."

I wrapped my arms around myself. "I'm scared, Kagome," I whispered. "Kasai knew when I…" I shook my head. "He knew, but I didn't want to know. I was scared of what he would say—what if he said tonight? Or tomorrow? I-I—" My voice shook.

Kagome took a step towards me and drew me into a hug. "It's fine," she said. "You don't have to say it."

We were quiet for a moment. "Can we…keep this to ourselves?" I whispered. "For now? Don't tell Inuyasha. I'll tell Sesshoumaru when he's back to normal. But for now…just between you and me. Please."

She hesitated. "I promise," she said.

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Inuyasha

Damned brat.

I stared warily at Sesshoumaru. He was sitting across from me, glaring. Occasionally, his eyes would dart towards the trees. "Don't even think about it," I warned him. I didn't want him anywhere near Kagome when she told Clara about the new moon.

"I want to go to Clara!" he snapped.

"Jeez, you're pretty annoying, aren't you?" I crossed my arms. "Clara told you to stay here, remember?"

He pouted. His clawed hands skimmed the grass he was sitting on, fingers brushing against the ground. "I don't like you," he huffed.

"Whatever, fluffball," I said, rolling my eyes.

Quick as a flash, he flicked his wrist towards me. "Ow!" I shouted as I felt something hard against my forehead. A pebble fell on my lap, and my skull practically throbbed. Sesshoumaru looked smug.

"You little brat!" I shouted, leaping to my feet. I raised my fists at him and glared.

He only raised his eyebrows. "If you hit me, I'll tell Clara and Kagome," he threatened. He sounded cocky.

I could hear Myouga chuckling in my ear. I glared at Sesshoumaru. I could swear, there was an evil gleam in the brat's eyes, like he knew he had me. Evil piece of sh—

I grinned. Oh, I could hit him, all right. I could hit him where I knew it would hurt the hardest, where it would unsettle him the most.

"You know," I said, keeping my tone calm and concerned. Sesshoumaru gave me a suspicious look. "I hope we find Anru soon."

He glared. I could practically see the cogs turning in his head. "So she can change you back," I amended. "I mean, I may not like you that much, Sesshoumaru, but I'd feel pretty sorry for you if you were stuck as a brat for five hundred years."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "What are you implying?" he asked suspiciously.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "I mean, sure she loves you and all, but I seriously doubt Clara would wait five hundred years for you to grow up—again."

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows. "She would," he said confidently. "She loves me."

I grinned wickedly at him. "Oh, maybe she does now," I said, smirking. "Maybe she can wait for a while, but sooner or later she's going to want the company of a man, not a brat."

Sesshoumaru blinked. "Women do have needs, you know," I smirked at him. His eyes widened slightly, and his eyebrows met in the middle.

"Shut up!" he snapped. He sounded distressed. Aaah. Distressed Sesshoumaru. Music to my ears. His eyes flickered briefly behind me, before he glared again. He growled.

"Fact of life, kid," I said, shrugging. "Who knows? If she does find another man, maybe she'll just adopt you, or see you as her bratty little brother. Either way, you're not getting any." I smirked.

Sesshoumaru's eyes practically glistened and his mouth twisted. Ha! Was he going to cry? Sesshoumaru was going to cry! Now this, I gotta see! This was worth a thousand Tessaigas!

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll still love you, but like a little brother," I said, grinning. "Who knows? Maybe Clara can—"

I suddenly felt something smack into my shoulder. "Ow!" I yelped, swiveling on the ground.

Clara, in complete mother-hen mode, was standing behind me. She was clutching Shinsei's empty sheath in her hand. She raised it threateningly at me, an angry look on her face. Kagome stood behind her, frowning at me.

"Inuyasha!" Clara snapped. She raised the sheath and swung. "Stop"—whack!—"teasing"—whack!—"him!"

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" I shouted. I stood and quickly leapt away from her. She glared at me, before strapping the sheath back to her waist.

"Clara!" Sesshoumaru shouted. He managed to sound both hurt and relieved. He leapt towards her, and she caught him in her arms, staggering slightly as his weight hit her.

"Hey," she said, smiling fondly at him. She peered at me from over Sesshoumaru's head and glared. She turned her back on me in a huff.

Sesshoumaru wound his arms around Clara's neck and looked at me from over her shoulder. He smirked at me. He looked smug.

Evil little piece of midget. Acting like a kicked puppy so Clara will coddle him. Brat.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said. She sighed as she approached.

"It wasn't me!" I snapped. "Jeez, I was framed, okay?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "Even if you were framed, how could you have fallen for the bait?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. "You're supposed to be the older one at the moment, aren't you?"

I let out a breath. Dammit. Kagome had a way of talking that just made you feel guilty about things—actually, about yourself. She didn't need to raise her voice to do it (that was for when she was angry). In short, she knew how to push each and every one of my 'buttons' (whatever the hell those things were).

I crossed my arms. "You're just siding with him because he's cute!" I rolled my eyes.

She blinked then grinned at me. "Aaaw…did you just admit that Sesshoumaru is a cute kid?"

"What?!" I spluttered. "I did not!"

"C'mon, Inuyasha, just admit that you care for your little elder brother." Kagome smirked, and I felt my cheeks heating up from embarrassment.

"He can go rot for all I care." I rolled my eyes. That part was perfectly true.

"Whatever you say!" Kagome said in a singsong voice. The same voice she used when she clearly did not believe me about anything.

"It's the truth!" I snapped.

"I agree with you." She smiled—it was insincere.

"I don't care!" I huffed.

"Of course, you don't."

"Dammit, Kagome!"

The singsong voice grew louder. "Siiiiiit!"

Dammit!

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Clara

The wind blew past us as we flew higher into the mountain—the same mountain where Kagura and Kouga had fought days before. Beneath us, I could see Anru's river, its blue waters somewhat turbulent. "How much farther, do you think?" Inuyasha called out. He was sitting behind Kagome, arms around her waist. I was holding on to Ah-Un's reins, eyes fixed on the river beneath us.

"I don't know," I said.

Behind me, I heard Kagome click her tongue. "We're halfway up the mountain," she said, tightening her grip around my waist. "We'll find the river's source soon, I expect."

I smiled and turned to Sesshoumaru, who was flying beside us. He was looking down at the river, eyes narrowed and his nostrils flared. No doubt, he was looking for Anru.

"We'll find her soon, Sesshoumaru, don't worry," I reassured him.

He turned to me and nodded. "I don't want you to go near her, okay?" he said. He flew closer to us until he was just an arm's length away from me. "She might hurt you."

"I'll be fine, Sesshoumaru," I said.

He shook his head stubbornly. "I'll handle Anru." It was cute, the way he was trying to sound so mature.

I raised my eyebrows at him. "You know, if she decides to hit you with another spell, you might end up as a baby this time," I pointed out. "And I am not looking forward to changing your diapers."

Sesshoumaru blinked, then pouted. "I won't let her hit me," he muttered. I rolled my eyes fondly at him.

"Look, over there!" Kagome suddenly called out.

The river vanished beneath a thick canopy of trees. Up ahead, the trees gradually thinned out and we could see a wide spring, its water reflecting the overcast sky.

"Don't let your guards down," Inuyasha muttered as Ah-Un began to descend. The moment he touched the ground, Inuyasha leapt from his back and drew the Tessaiga.

Kagome and I dismounted, Sesshoumaru landing gracefully beside me. I glanced around. The spring was surrounded by willows, their leaves falling into the water. Several rocks rose from the water, their shape reminding me of a person about to wade towards the shore.

Sesshoumaru stared at the water, his face pinched in an expression of concentration. "I can't sense her," he announced.

"Well, if she knows we're here, she's probably hiding," I said. But there was something off about the place, something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"I think she's here, though," Sesshoumaru said. His gaze flickered from tree to tree. "Because this place is…" He tilted his head as he thought. "It's too…still," he said at last.

He had a point. Despite being this high up in the mountain, no wind rustled the leaves in the trees, or rippled the water. There were no birds, foxes, or any other animal. It was like what Sesshoumaru said—too still.

"Anru!" Inuyasha suddenly shouted. We cringed. His voice sounded loud and impatient. "Come on out and show yourself!" He gripped Tessaiga in his claws, glaring at the spring in front of him.

I walked towards the spring, Sesshoumaru following beside me. The water lapped against the rocky ground at my feet.

Sesshoumaru tugged on my sleeve. "Not too close to the water," he said.

"We don't have all day, you brat!" Inuyasha snapped. Approaching the water, he pointed Tessaiga threateningly at it.

"Inuyasha, don't be so rude!" Kagome reprimanded.

"I want to get this done with before nightfall, Kagome," he replied. He sounded edgy. "Come out, or I'll blow this place up!"

Well, that was definitely charming. I suddenly remembered what Kasai had said, about Sesshoumaru turning Anru down gently.

"Anru!" I called out, staring at the water. "I know we were rude to you before, and we're sorry." It felt a bit silly, talking to a large spring of water, but I quickly shoved the thought aside. "Please, we need your help."

"Don't waste your breath," Inuyasha muttered, glaring at the lake. "That brat's not going to come out without a—"

At that moment, a stream of water shot out from the spring and struck Inuyasha's face. Inuyasha spluttered as the water hit him with enough force to send him staggering backward.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome shouted as he fell to the ground.

Inuyasha swore as he hit the ground. Water continued to rush at him and he held the Tessaiga in front of him to block it.

"You are such a meanie!"

Sesshoumaru and I spun around. Anru was sitting on the branches of a tree behind us. She swung her legs back and forth, her expression amused. Tendrils of water hovered around her.

The stream of water vanished, and Inuyasha swore as he quickly leapt to his feet, Tessaiga held at the ready. "You shrimp!" Inuyasha snarled. He glared at Anru, who pouted.

"Oh, I hate shrimps," she said disdainfully. "They are so, so unsightly!" She grinned at us. "Like you lot."

"Why, I ought to—" Kagome placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder and shook her head.

"Anru," I said, taking a step towards her tree. She looked down at me. There was childish disdain in her eyes. "Please, we—"

She suddenly leapt from her tree and hovered in front of me. Sesshoumaru gave a forceful tug on my sleeve, and I staggered backward.

"Don't come any closer!" Sesshoumaru snapped, pouting. He stood in front of me and glared at Anru.

Anru brought her face close to Sesshoumaru's and grinned. He glared at her. "Aren't you adorable?" she cooed. She laughed and pulled away.

Sesshoumaru growled and I squeezed his shoulder. "Anru, please," I said, turning to her. She raised her eyebrows at me, eyes raking me from head to foot. "I know we were…meanies to you, and we're sorry."

"Technically, it was just Sesshoumaru," Inuyasha piped up. Kagome stamped on his foot, and he yelped.

"Hmph!" Anru said, eyeing me. She crossed her arms. "You're not even that beautiful, but he prefers you over me!" She sounded insulted.

My eyebrow twitched. "Don't you insult her!" Sesshoumaru snapped, glaring at Anru. His claw twitched, and I pulled him behind me. "Clara!" he protested.

"Sesshoumaru, don't start," I said firmly. He huffed, annoyed. I turned back to Anru, whose expression was somewhere between haughty and amused.

"Anru, please," I said. "Change Sesshoumaru back."

Anru crossed her arms, her nose held high in the air. "And why should I?" she snapped. "He doesn't even love me! So, no way."

"Quit joking, you brat!" Inuyasha snapped. He took a step towards us, Tessaiga held threateningly in front of him.

Anru turned to him, and I quickly stood in front of her. "Just ignore him," I said hastily. "He just misses his elder brother, that's all."

"Hey!" Inuyasha and Sesshomaru shouted.

Anru regarded us for a moment, before she smiled. One of her small hands reached into her sleeve, and I tensed as she drew out a sliver of a purple jewel.

"The shard!" Kagome exclaimed. I take it, she hadn't been able to sense it earlier, either. I had a feeling Anru's divine aura masked out the presence of the shard.

"Give it to me!" Sesshoumaru suddenly lunged towards Anru. His claws struck air as Anru vanished.

"Dammit!" Inuyasha shouted. He glanced around, his grip on Tessaiga tightening.

"You want this, don't you?"

I jumped when I felt a warm breath against my ear. I spun around, my hand on Shinsei's hilt. Anru was hovering in behind me, a mischievous smile on her face.

"Clara, the shard!" Sesshoumaru shouted.

"I know, I know," I said, staring at Anru.

She laughed. "Mortals are so amusing," she said, smiling at us. She held the shard between her thumb and forefinger, staring at it with a look of amused disdain. "Fighting over this little thing? Over a tiny little jewel? Mortal minds are small."

"Says the pint-sized pain in the ass," Inuyasha snapped.

"Anru," I began.

"Don't Anru me," she said, rolling her eyes. "I know your type. The annoying doe-eyed, I'll-do-everything-to-help-the-man-I-love type. Gods, that does get under my skin."

My eyebrow twitched again. Doe-eyed? Okaaay. I took a breath, reminding myself that it was not a good idea to retort.

The annoyed look on her face abruptly vanished, and her playful smile returned. "So…let's have a little fun, shall we?" she asked. She held the jewel shard out to me. "I know you need this to complete the Sacred Jewel." Her gaze shifted to Sesshoumaru. "And I know you want your lover back. So…pick one."

I stared at her. I remembered what Kasai had said, about the duration of Anru's spell. He had said that it could last a week, a month, or even five hundred years. It would wear off eventually, but…

"Change Sesshoumaru back," I said.

"What?!" Inuyasha and Kagome exclaimed.

Anru raised her eyebrows. "You want to give up the shard just to change your lover back?" she asked. "You could wait for my spell to wear off, you know." She smirked.

I didn't want to wait—I couldn't wait.

"Change him back," I said firmly.

I felt something rush past me as a white blur suddenly shot towards Anru. She yelped as Sesshoumaru hit her.

"Sesshoumaru!" I shouted.

Anru leapt back, fury written all over her face. Sesshoumaru stood between us, the shard clutched in his tiny palm. "We'll take the shard," he huffed. He glanced at me from over his shoulder. He looked annoyed. More than annoyed—there was angry blush on his cheeks.

"Gods, you are so eager," Anru said coolly, glaring at Sesshoumaru. "And a little too forceful. On second thought—eagerly forceful men always make the best ones."

"Best what?" I snapped. Sesshoumaru ignored her and took a step back towards me, shard clutched securely in his fist.

"Too bad, you'll be stuck like that for a while," Anru said, smirking. "Shame."

"Stop fooling around!" Inuyasha snapped, pointing the Tessaiga at her. "Change him back, or I'm cutting you down!"

Anru rolled her eyes. "I can tame your sword easily enough," she said mischievously. Kagome blinked.

Inuyasha blushed, embarrassed. "You little brat!" he snarled.

Anru laughed. "Oh!" she said. She suddenly vanished and appeared behind Inuyasha, who gave a startled cry as he spun around. "Unlike your elder brother, you're the…innocent type, aren't you?"

"What?" Kagome and Inuyasha said.

Anru waved an impatient hand at them. She suddenly stuck her face close to Inuyasha's and grinned maliciously. "And…unlike you're elder brother, you've never lain with a woman before, have you?"

Inuyasha spluttered, and his face turned as red as his haori. Kagome's eyes grew wide—it looked as though she wanted to laugh. I looked down at Sesshoumaru, and raised an eyebrow at him. He huffed and glared at Anru.

It was amazing how awkward the atmosphere suddenly was. "That's it!" Inuyasha snarled. Adamant slowly covered the Tessaiga and he glared at Anru.

Tilting her head, Anru smiled at Inuyasha. The sound of groaning metal echoed through the spring and, a second later, the spears of adamant covering the Tessaiga fell to the ground.

"What the—?!" Inuyasha exclaimed.

"What have you done?" Kagome said, rounding on Anru.

I drew Shinsei from its sheath, but Sesshoumaru stood in front of me, growling. "Sesshoumaru—"

He glanced at me from over his shoulder. There was nothing childish about the narrow-eyed look he was giving me. "You're not fighting her!" he said. He turned back to Anru. "She's dangerous."

"What?" Anru said, shrugging at Inuyasha. "I just tamed your sword for you. Don't worry, it's perfectly all right. Though, at the moment, it seems to be suffering from…performance issues."

It sounded so, so wrong for a child to be making crude jokes like that. "Why, you lecher!" Inuyasha roared.

Anru leapt into the air and laughed. "My, my, my!" she said, her eyes sweeping across us. "I gave you what you want, and you gave me what I want…or a part of it, at least."

I frowned. "Gave you what you wanted?" I said, surprised.

She threw back her head and laughed. "Amusement, of course!" she said, chuckling. She stared pointedly at Sesshoumaru. "Though, I would have preferred…something else."

Sesshoumaru growled at her. His claws suddenly glowed green, and I quickly placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't," I said quietly. "She's not worth it."

"You mortals are so amusing," Anru said. She smiled darkly at us. "Maybe I'll see you again someday?" Cold wind blew through the clearing, making the leaves sway and the water of the spring ripple. "And, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru made a move to run towards her. Dropping Shinsei to the ground, I grabbed him around the waist and drew him back. "Let go of me!" he snapped, kicking his legs. He flailed his arms, trying to break free.

"Just let her go," I whispered against his hair. The wind howled around us. From the peripheral of my vision, I saw Inuyasha grab Kagome's waist, drawing her tightly against him.

"I do hope you enjoy your childhood," Anru said mockingly as she spread her arms wide. With one last gust of wind, Anru vanished amidst a flurry of leaves.

"Clara, let go!" Sesshoumaru shouted, flailing his arms. He sounded furious.

"Ow!" I cried out as I felt something sharp against the back of my hand. I let go of Sesshoumaru and he landed on his feet. There was a deep, thin gash on the back of my left hand where his claws had hit. It was throbbing, and blood trickled to the grass at my feet.

Sesshoumaru froze.

Inuyasha and Kagome let out exclamations of surprise. "Clara, no!" Sesshoumaru shouted. He looked distressed, his chubby face ashen.

I cradled my hand in arm. It was throbbing badly, and the edges of the wound appeared…burnt and blistered. My entire hand was aching.

"Oh, no, Master!" Myouga cried out. He bounced up and down on Inuyasha's head, waving his small arms wildly.

Kagome and Inuyasha rushed towards me, shoving Sesshoumaru out of the way. I wanted to tell them off, but I felt my knees shaking. Kagome placed her arms around my shoulders to keep me from falling.

"Master!" Myouga cried out as Kagome carefully lowered me to the ground. My hand throbbed painfully, and I bit my lip to keep from crying out. "This is bad, look at her hand!" Myouga said.

My…hand?

Kagome leaned me against her, resting my head on her shoulder. I craned my neck to see what Myouga was talking about. My eyes widened in shock. The skin surrounding the gash on my hand looked pale and ashen. I could actually see some of the blood vessels beneath my skin.

"Lord Sesshoumaru's claws have deadly poison in them!" Myouga exclaimed.

I suddenly remembered the way Sesshoumaru's claws had glowed green as he faced Anru, ready to pounce on her. "I forgot," I said stupidly.

"No!" Sesshoumaru pushed past Inuyasha and dropped to his knees beside me. "Clara, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" His eyes were…glistening?

"Hey, hey," I said. Ignoring the pain, I stroked his cheek with my other hand. "It's not your fault—don't cry, okay?"

"But I hurt you!" Sesshoumaru shouted.

I poked his forehead and managed a smile. The pain in my hand was getting worse. "You didn't mean it," I said. "Please don't cry." Child or not, a crying Sesshoumaru was something very, very disconcerting.

"But—!"

"Enough, you brat!" Inuyasha snapped. Placing a hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, he pulled him away from me. "Get back, you've done enough damage already."

Sesshoumaru was as still as stone. "Don't treat him like that!" I snapped.

"Don't move your arm too much," Kagome murmured gently. "Inuyasha, hand me my bag. We have to clean this wound up."

"That won't do, Kagome!" Myouga said. "Lord Sesshoumaru's poison is deadly, and right now, it's in Clara's bloodstream. The only reason she's still alive is because of what little spiritual energy she has left. You have to get the poison out of her body."

"How?" Kagome said. "I…I don't how to purify poison from the blood. Besides…Sesshoumaru's poison always seemed resistant against my purifying powers."

"This is bad," Myouga muttered. "If we don't get it out of her system, the poison could stop her heart."

I groaned as my hand throbbed—the pain had spread past my wrist, and I was starting to feel dizzy. "Junko!" Myouga suddenly shouted.

"What?" I said. My voice sounded groggy, and my mind felt sluggish. I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts.

"Junko is a legendary healer," Myouga said rapidly. "She lives several miles away from here, in the mountains. Normal demonic remedies will not work against Lord Sesshoumaru's poison, but Junko's will."

"Will she help us?" I heard Kagome say. My head felt so foggy!

Myouga suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Maybe," he said slowly. "But…that depends entirely on Lord Sesshoumaru."

"What?" Inuyasha said.

We turned to Sesshoumaru. He was staring at the ground, pudgy fists clenched at his side. He appeared to be thinking. I wanted to call out to him, wanted to hold him. But my hand felt so heavy.

"Er, you see," Myouga said awkwardly. "Lady Junko was Lord Sesshoumaru's…thirtieth betrothed."

Inuyasha gaped.

That wasn't exactly news to me. Momitsumi had been, after all, the hundredth. There was a part of my mind that was still capable of being astounded, though.

"What about Lady Hayomi?" I asked.

Myouga shook his head. "Too far," he said absently. "Lady Junko is the closest healer, and you need to find her fast."

"I'll go!" Sesshoumaru pushed past Inuyasha and knelt beside me again. There was a determined look in his eyes. "I'll go to Junko, and you'll be all right." His lower lip trembled as his golden eyes fell on my hand.

I shook my head. "No," I said. "You're not as strong as you were, Sesshoumaru, and she might be angry at you."

"I'll find her!" he shouted. He sounded desperate. "I'll find her, and she'll fix you, and you'll be all right!"

"I'll go with him."

We looked up, surprised to find Inuyasha behind Sesshoumaru. He crossed his arms. There was a stubborn look on his face.

"I'll watch his back," Inuyasha said, he kept his eyes fixed on Kagome.

Sesshoumaru looked as though he wanted to protest. "I can find Junko on my own!" he snapped.

"Really?" Inuyasha said. "You're gonna put your loathing of half-demons ahead of Clara's safety?"

Sesshoumaru huffed, glaring at him. "Fine!" he said. "But I won't let you slow me down!"

"Se…Sesshoumaru," I murmured. I raised my hand towards him, but dropped it. So heavy. Everything felt so heavy—heavy and painful. I groaned and Kagome gently lowered my head onto her lap.

"I'm sorry," he said determinedly. He turned back to me. "I'll find her, and you'll be all right." The way he said it—it was as though he was trying to reassure both me and himself. He must feel so guilty…

I forced myself to lift my uninjured hand. I brushed my knuckles against his cheek and smiled at him. "I know you will," I whispered. "Take good care, okay? And don't fight with Inuyasha."

He stared at me for a moment, before he pressed a kiss to my forehead. I blinked. He blushed, before he stood.

"Inuyasha," Kagome said. I could hear the worry in her voice. "Are you sure? About going with him?"

Oh. The new moon was tonight. I nearly forgot.

Inuyasha threw a brief look at the sky. Judging by the light, it was probably in the middle of the afternoon. "How far away is this Junko person?" Inuyasha asked Sesshoumaru.

"Not far," Sesshoumaru said. "Several miles away. She lives on another mountain."

"We'll be quick," Inuyasha muttered. "Myouga, stay with them."

I wanted to snort. As if Myouga would be any help in case of trouble. "Of course, Master!" Myouga leapt from Inuyasha to Kagome.

"Take…Ah-Un with you," I suggested. Urgh…it was getting difficult to talk. My jaw felt stiff.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Ah-Un will stay with you guys," he said. "He can keep you safe while I'm away." He turned to Inuyasha. "Hold my hand."

Inuyasha stared at him. "What?"

Sesshoumaru stuck out his hand. He puffed out his cheeks, a look of pure distaste on his face. "Hold. My. Hand!"

Inuyasha looked as though he would rather hold a viper. Oh, honestly…

"Inuyasha," Kagome said, sighing.

Muttering darkly, Inuyasha grabbed Sesshoumaru's hand. A second later, a white burst of light engulfed them and shot towards the sky and out of sight.

"I hope Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't use too much youki," Myouga muttered. "He's a pup at the moment. Using advanced skills will tire him out, and he can't afford to be unwary around Lady Junko. Especially since he broke her heart pretty badly."

I tried to push myself to sit up. "Clara, don't," Kagome said. She placed her hands on my shoulders and forced me back on her lap. I didn't have the strength to resist.

"Sesshoumaru," I muttered. "I shouldn't have let him go."

"Don't be silly—you need whatever help this Junko person can give. He'll be back," Kagome said. She brushed my hair out of my eyes. "Besides…if you didn't want him to go, why did you let him go in the first place?"

"He looked so guilty," I said hoarsely.

"They'll be all right, Clara," Kagome said.

I glanced towards the sky. Please, please, let them be back before nightfall.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Inuyasha

The light surrounding me suddenly vanished, and I staggered. Dammit, I felt dizzy. I quickly let go of Sesshoumaru's hand, and bent down to lean my hands against my knees. "You could have at least warned me about the motion sickness," I said, pissed. Brat. Knowing him, he probably neglected to tell me on purpose.

Sesshoumaru did not answer. I looked up. We were right outside a cave, halfway up a mountain. I had no idea how far we'd travelled in the moments that light surrounded us, and I didn't wanna ask.

The cave was surrounded by a dense cluster of trees. The strangest thing about it was, lying at the foot to the entrance of the cave were the bodies of two snake demons. One of them had its head ripped clean off.

"Hang on," I said, placing a hand in front of Sesshoumaru. "Something got those two."

"It was the monk and the demon slayer," Sesshoumaru said. He raised his eyebrows at me. "Couldn't you smell that?"

Damned midget. Damned new moon. "Wait—Miroku and Sango?" I said, surprised. I turned to the cave. "They're here?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "Were," he said. "Come on, hurry up!"

I followed Sesshoumaru into the cave, keeping one hand on Tessaiga's hilt. Sesshoumaru looked as though he knew where he was headed, which made me think he'd been here before.

"What were Miroku and Sango doing here?" I asked, eyes glancing around the cave. There wasn't any movement, as far as I could see.

"How should I know?" Sesshoumaru sounded grumpy and on edge. Hm…if Clara were here, she'd probably say he was just crabby because he was hungry.

I ignored him. Had Miroku and Sango heard of this Junko person and sought her out to help Kohaku? Had they succeeded?

In the distance, I could see a small pinprick of light—the exit. Sesshoumaru ran towards it, and I quickly followed. In all honesty, the brat was quick.

We ran through the passage. I blinked as my eyes adjusted to the bright burst of sunlight. We were in a garden—lots of trees, lots of flowers, and a small waterfall at the far end. One look confirmed that the owner of this garden was a demon. It didn't look as though it were autumn in this place.

"Junko!" Sesshoumaru shouted. I cringed. His voice was high-pitched, and grated on my nerves and my ears. It was unsetting to hear Sesshoumaru like that. Almost made me feel guilty about being an ass to him. Almost.

I glanced around, keeping one hand on Tessaiga's hilt. "Don't do anything to provoke her," Sesshoumaru said.

I rolled my eyes. "Well, I'm not the heartbreaker here now, am I?" I retorted.

He growled, decided I wasn't worth the time, and shook his head. "Junko!" he shouted again. There was an almost desperate edge to his voice. It was amazing how much emotion he was capable of showing as a brat.

"Isn't this unexpected?" My eyes widened, and I quickly whirled around. A woman was standing at the mouth of the cave we'd just gone through. Light hair, lavender eyes, and white kimono. She was holding a bundle of herbs in her arms. I had no doubt this woman was a daiyoukai, like Sesshoumaru. But, unlike Sesshoumaru, this woman wasn't currently a brat.

She smiled at us. She looked both amused and wary. "Junko." Sesshoumaru suddenly pushed past me. He stared resolutely at her, dead set on getting what he wanted.

Junko's eyebrows rose. "I take it back," she said, eyes raking Sesshoumaru from head to foot. "This is unexpected." Her expression was taunting, and I clenched Tessaiga's hilt, keeping my eyes fixed on her.

She saw my movement, and sighed. "No need to be so wary," she said dismissively. "I've taken a vow not to harm living beings." Her smile grew. "Which is such a shame, Lord Sesshoumaru. You see, how I would love to have your head on a spike."

Seashoumaru's mouth was set in a thin line. Jeez, he must have hurt her pretty badly. At first glance, this Junko woman didn't look as though she'd hurt a fly—literally. But the moment her eyes fell on Sesshoumaru, she looked as though she wanted to swat him.

Junko strode past us like we were nothing but weeds. She sat beside one of the many ponds in her garden, setting her bundle of herbs beside her. She smiled. It was the kind of smile someone closing in on their prey wore.

"I cannot help you regarding your current predicament, Sesshoumaru," she said. The fact that she dropped the honorific showed she didn't have any high regard for him at all. "A god's spell is something I cannot cure you of. Besides...even if I could, I wouldn't."

"I'm not the one who needs your help," Sesshoumaru snapped, pouting. "I need an antidote to my venom."

I stared at Sesshoumaru. Clara must have really done a number on him, because no way in hell would Sesshoumaru, adult or child, ask for a potential enemy's help.

Junko raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" she said, mildly surprised. "And why should I give you that? After all, when we were betrothed, you merely used me, and eventually set me aside. I dare say, you treated humans better than you treated me."

If she put it that way, I couldn't really blame her for not wanting to help Sesshoumaru. "You made a vow not to harm living things," I said. "Well, not helping would actually be doing harm, wouldn't it?"

Junko raised her eyebrows. "Wordplay coming from a half-demon will not convince me," she said serenely. She turned back to Sesshoumaru and smiled. "Besides, oh great Lord Sesshoumaru, on whose behalf do you come? Surely, you—selfish, arrogant, cold-hearted you—couldn't be bothered to show concern for others?"

Sesshoumaru clenched his small fists. I couldn't help but agree with Junko—Sesshoumaru was an ass, there was no other word for it. Clara and Rin were probably the only ones who thought of him as 'nice'.

"I hurt someone," Sesshoumaru began. I stared at him. There was something like regret and bitterness in his high-pitched voice. But then again, I could just be imagining things.

Junko's smile was steely. "That is not news to me," she said dismissively. She picked up a stem of an herb and began plucking the leaves.

Sesshoumaru set his jaw. It almost made him seem like the adult he once was. "I can't lose her!" he snapped. "Not her, anything but her!"

Junko stopped her plucking. She set the herb beside her. "Oh?" she said slowly. "Her? Don't tell me you managed to find a woman who would actually put up with you? You, of all people? Why, poor girl. And here you are, asking for my help because you hurt her. Now, what does that say about you?"

Sesshoumaru let out a breath. It looked as though he wanted to charge at Junko, but held back. For some reason, the expression on his face unnerved me a bit.

"I'm asking you," I interrupted. Junko raised her eyes to me. "The girl he hurt is my friend, too. You don't want to help Sesshoumaru, but you can at least help me."

Junko stared at me for a moment. I could almost see the conflict in her eyes. If she did take her vow as a healer seriously, she would have no choice but to help me. But then again, if she did take it seriously, she would also help Sesshoumaru, regardless of their past relationship.

Jeez, women were such grudge-holders.

"My," Junko said, picking up another herb. "You dog demons do love teaming up against an opponent, don't you?"

"We're not teaming up!" Sesshoumaru and I snapped.

Junko ignored our outburst, and continued to pluck her leaves. "Will you help us or not?" Sesshoumaru huffed, his voice impatient. "We don't have time to waste while you play with your leaves!"

Junko clucked her tongue disapprovingly. "Now, now," she said. "These leaves maybe what I need to help your little friend. And you sound so condescending."

I stared at her. "You're going to help us?" I asked dumbly. Well…that was a lot easier than I thought it would be.

"Maybe." She sounded playful, almost teasing. A sadistic kind of teasing.

"Make up your mind!" Sesshoumaru growled. Impatient midget.

Speaking of impatient…I glanced upward. The sky was slowly turning orange. Shit. I hadn't noticed the time.

"If I help you," Junko said, plucking another leaf. "What would you be willing to give me?"

She raised her eyes to us—to Sesshoumaru. I had a sneaking suspicion that she'd already known what we wanted even before we set foot in this place. I had a feeling she was toying with us. That being the case…could we trust this woman?

The question, however, didn't seem to bother the midget. He fixed Junko with a calculating a look, a look the adult-Sesshoumaru usually wore. "What do you want?" he asked at last. He sounded wary. It was a strange tone for the kid.

Junko's smile grew steely. "What if I told you I wanted your Tenseiga?"

I stared at her, then at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru may not be particularly fond of the Tenseiga, but our Old Man did leave it for him. That and the fact that Clara had been the one to beg Kasai to fix it when she'd broken it. Sesshoumaru wasn't the sentimental type, but didn't those things count?

"Done," Sesshoumaru said, without the slightest bit of hesitation.

Junko's look became thoughtful, almost analytical. She considered him for a moment, before she resumed her plucking. "Keep the sword," she said quietly.

Sesshoumaru blinked. "What?"

Junko didn't repeat herself. Instead, she reached into the sleeve of her kimono and drew a small wooden vial and a mortar and pestle. She turned her back on us, so she could wash her bundle of leaves in the pond behind her.

The sounds of Junko crushing her leaves was nearly drowned out by the noise of the waterfall. Sesshoumaru and I stood there, watching her as she worked. In all honesty, I was a bit dumbfounded. Junko wanted the Tenseiga, but now she didn't want the Tenseiga? Why? Why were women so inconsistent? Maybe it was just Junko, because I didn't think Kagome was that confusing…wait…never mind.

Thinking of Kagome made me recall the worried look she'd worn as she watched me and Sesshoumaru leave. I glanced at the sky again. Dammit. It was nearing sunset.

I looked at Junko, quietly urging her to hurry up. She tilted the liquefied contents of her mortal into the wooden vial, and stoppered it with a flourish. She gestured for Sesshoumaru to come closer.

Eyes fixed warily on her, Sesshoumaru approached Junko. I couldn't help but notice how short he looked—shrimp.

Junko held the vial out to him. "Infuse this with your youki," she instructed.

Sesshoumaru took the vial from her and frowned. "It needs your youki," Junko repeated. "It was your poison that harmed her, hence it will be your energy she needs. As much as you possibly can."

I frowned and watched as Sesshoumaru's clawed hand glowed green. His eyebrows met in the middle as he concentrated. A moment later, Sesshoumaru staggered, and I made a move to help him, but stopped myself. He didn't need help.

Sesshoumaru caught himself, and let out a loud breath of annoyance. "Well done," Junko said, a small smile on her lips. "Let the girl drink it, and she should be fine."

The midget nodded, and he tucked the vial away into his sleeve. I stared at Junko. In all honesty, I didn't like the smile she was wearing—it was unsettling, somehow.

"And if it harms her, instead of helping her?" I asked.

Junko raised her eyes to me. "I would never harm a living being," she said smoothly. "The girl will be fine." Her smile grew. "Now, half-demon, you, on the other hand…"

I placed a hand on Tessaiga's hilt. "Oh, no, no," Junko said. "I was merely referring to your youki. It's shifting, isn't it?"

I clenched my teeth. Could this woman sense that now, of all nights, was my most vulnerable? Sesshoumaru's stare flickered to me, before he turned back to Junko.

"We'll be leaving now," the midget announced.

Jeez…

I nudged Sesshoumaru's foot—hard. He growled at me, before turning back to Junko. It didn't escape my notice that there were dark shadows under his eyes.

"Thank you," he said grudgingly, nodding at Junko.

She waved an impatient hand. "Leave now," she said. "Oh, and—do take care on the way down the mountain, won't you?" Her smile was taunting. "A nasty horde of snake demons have infested the mountain, and I am unable to get rid of them."

I clenched my fists. She didn't sound as though she wanted us to be careful.

. . .

Shit.

By the time we made it out of Junko's cave, the sun was just about to set. I turned to Sesshoumaru and held my hand out to him. "Well, c'mon already," I said grudgingly. Really, I didn't want to ask the midget to get us off this place, but time wasn't on my side.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. "What?" I said.

He glared up at me. The dark shadows under his eyes, and the small pout he wore made me think he was tired. I glared at the cave we'd just left. Had Junko known that Sesshoumaru siphoning his youki into the vial would exhaust him? Of course she did. Had she done it on purpose? I had no idea.

I sighed exasperatedly. I knelt and glared at Sesshoumaru from over my shoulder. "Fine, then c'mon—we'll run back," I said. I glanced upward. If we ran nonstop from here, with my speed—we'd be halfway up Anru's mountain by the time the sun set and night settled in. Good enough.

Sesshoumaru pouted and crossed his arms. "I don't want your help!" he snapped.

Ungrateful brat. "Listen, you midget, I don't wanna help you, either," I snapped. "But you're obviously exhausted. Now, either you let me help you, or we waste time and Clara dies from your poison, because you're too high and mighty to accept help from a half-demon."

Sesshoumaru visibly cringed. If they were here, Kagome and Clara would probably hit me for being too hard on the brat. Jeez.

Growling, Sesshoumaru reluctantly wrapped his arms around my neck as he clambered onto my back. "I don't owe you anything!" he said.

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and darted off.

The bushes were nothing more than a green blur as I rushed past. The setting sun cast an orange glow through the forest. The longer the shadows of the trees grew, the faster I pushed myself to run. Dammit, dammit, dammit!

"Inuyasha, stop!" Sesshoumaru suddenly shouted.

I stopped as the ground in front of me erupted, sending chunks of rock and dust into the air. Cursing, I dodged the falling rubble. Shit—I hadn't been able to sense whatever the hell had popped out.

A loud hiss suddenly echoed through the forest. Sesshoumaru leapt off my back, and I quickly drew the Tessaiga from its sheath. "Stay behind me, kid!" I shouted.

"What do you think of me?!" Sesshoumaru snarled, childish fury in his voice. This brat!

A black snake demon darted through the haze of dust. I pushed Sesshoumaru back as it lunged towards us, sword-like fangs dripping with venom. It was quick—or maybe I was just slower?

"Listen, I know you're tired!" I shouted, glaring at Sesshoumaru from over my shoulder. "Your youki's low, you can't fight. You don't want my help, but the faster we kill these things, the sooner we get back to Clara, got it?"

Sesshoumaru frowned, but nodded. I was starting to think if I added the word 'Clara' to anything, he'd end up agreeing.

I turned back to the snake demon. I could feel the Tessaiga's energy surging in my hands. "Wind Scar!" I shouted, waving the sword towards the snake.

It let out a horrible screech as the Wind Scar struck it. Its body disintegrated, and I sighed. "That was easy," I remarked.

"Your swordsmanship is still mediocre," Sesshoumaru said snidely.

I turned to him. "You ungrateful little brat!"

"Clara's swordsmanship is much better than yours," the midget said. He sounded proud.

"Shut up, or I'm feeding you to the next demon we come across," I threatened.

Sesshoumaru frowned and glanced at the ground. "There are more—"

Before he could finish, the ground around us erupted. "Shit!" I said, as dust rose, blocking my view. Incessant hissing surrounded us, and I swore again. A moment later, several snake demons darted out of the dust. Sesshoumaru and I leapt back to avoid them. I glanced briefly at the sky. I could see some of the stars slowly appearing.

Shit.

I turned to the snake demons that surrounded us, willing adamant to cover the Tessaiga. One good blow, and these things were dead.

I raised the sword. "Adamant—!"

I froze. No, more specifically, my body froze. I could feel my blood pulsing, could feel my aura shifting as the last of the sun's dipped beneath the horizon.

Dammit.

With a flash of light, the Tessaiga promptly turned back into its rusted form. I swore as I felt a familiar sensation coming over me—it was as if I was suddenly doused with cold water. My hair darkened, and I felt my claws retracting, giving way to human nails. My ears receded—it was like Kagome had placed one of her white fuzzy balls of fluff over my ears, dulling out the sound.

Shit!

The snake demons suddenly lunged towards me, and I leapt back. They rammed into the ground in front of me, hissing. Too close.

"You're human," a surprised voice said.

I spun towards Sesshoumaru—the midget looked awed, intrigued and disgusted. "Save it for later, kid!" I shouted, sheathing the Tessaiga. I grabbed his hand just as the horde of snakes reared their heads, their tails thrashing.

We ran.

Even though Sesshoumaru's youki was at an all-time low, he was currently much faster than me, and stronger. As we dashed through the forest, he led the way, dragging me behind him. It took everything I had to keep from stumbling.

"You're slowing me down!" Sesshoumaru snapped as we leapt over the undergrowth. My hakama snagged against a tree root, and I swore as I tugged it free with a loud rip of cloth. Behind us, my human ears could make out the sound of snake demons tearing through the forest, their hisses growing louder.

"Fly!" I shouted as we burst through several bushes.

Sesshoumaru continued to run. I had a feeling he couldn't fly—his youki was still too low. Damn that Junko!

I could feel a stitch forming in my side, and I swore. Sesshoumaru tore through the trees, and stopped so suddenly, I nearly tripped. Several yards in front of us was a ravine, deep and wide.

I cursed.

"Jump!" I shouted, nudging the midget towards it.

Sesshoumaru held my arm—a little too tightly—and charged towards the ravine. My breath came out in fast pants as we neared the edge. Would the brat let me go the moment we jumped? I didn't have time to consider the possibility because, at that moment, several snake demons burst through the trees, fangs flashing as they darted towards us.

The ravine drew closer. Sesshoumaru jumped, and I pushed myself off the ground and over the ravine. Cold wind whipped past us as we soared through the air. I didn't have time to look down into the ravine's dark depths before I felt the ground at my feet again.

I stumbled, and swore as I fell. Sesshoumaru released my hand and turned back to face the snake demons. The snakes hissed, before launching themselves over the ravine towards us.

"These bastards don't know when to give up!" I shouted, picking myself off the ground.

Sesshoumaru huffed, and grabbed my arm. He turned towards a cluster of trees, but before we could even run, rock sprayed from the ground in front of us.

"Dammit!" I shouted as dust and rubble covered the air.

Sesshoumaru tugged me to one side as a snake demon darted through the dust, its black scales glistening. "You're too slow!" Sesshoumaru snapped, glaring at me. His grip around my arm tightened.

I was about to retort when I noticed how haggard his chubby face looked. He must have siphoned a lot of youki earlier. Dammit.

I could hear the loud thud of bodies behind us as the snake demons leapt over the ravine. I spun around to find massive, scaly coils rearing above me.

Shit—we were surrounded.

"You can't use the Tessaiga," Sesshoumaru said. I could feel him against the back of my knees. He was a shrimp.

"And you can't transform," I said through gritted teeth. The snake demons reared in front of us, forked tongues flicking. For a second, I got the impression that they were tasting the air, savoring the moment.

"My youki isn't enough," Sesshoumaru said grudgingly. Might as well remember this one moment where the brat admits to a weakness of a sort. "I can't transform. But…"

I suddenly felt his arms around my neck. "Hey!" I shouted. The snake demons lunged, and I dodged, swearing as I nearly tripped. "Get the hell off me, Sesshoumaru!"

"Use the Tessaiga, you fool!" the brat snapped.

"You idiot, I'm human!" I dodged, and one of the snake demons rammed into the ground.

"I'll lend you some of my youki!" Sesshoumaru huffed.

"You can't do that!"

Sesshoumaru clamped a hand over my forehead. I suddenly felt a surge in demonic energy through me. I gasped as I felt pain gripping me like a vice. It was as though there were thick bands around my chest. My breath came in ragged, deep pants as Sesshoumaru's youki coursed through me.

"Do it now, you can't tolerate this for too long!" Sesshoumaru ordered.

I didn't need telling twice. Ignoring the pain, I pulled the Tessaiga from its sheath. To my surprise, it transformed. Adamant covered the blade, and I dodged as one of the snakes lurched towards me, hissing. Pain seared through me, and it took all the strength I had not to throw Sesshoumaru off.

"Adamant Barrage!"

Spears of adamant flew towards the snakes. The ground erupted as adamant rained down on the screeching snake demons. Chunks of rock and snake flesh fell around us, and I panted as Sesshoumaru's youki receded.

"Are you all right, kid?" I asked, glancing behind me. Sesshoumaru's face looked wan, and the shadows under his eyes were darker.

"I don't need your concern!" he whined, his arms tightening around my neck.

A loud hiss suddenly pierced the air. I spun around. At that moment, the last of the snake demons lunged towards me. I barely had time to jump as it rammed into the ground in front of us. The force of the impact sent me flying into the air, and over the edge of the ravine.

Dammit!

"Hang on!" I shouted at Sesshoumaru as we fell. I gripped the Tessaiga. The wind rushed past us, and I tried to angle myself closer to the rocky walls. I plunged the Tessaiga into the rock, and we skidded to a stop.

Sesshoumaru's arms slipped from around my neck, and I quickly reached towards him with my free hand, clutching his wrist. I panted.

"You all right?" I asked, looking down at him.

Sesshoumaru's eyes flickered towards the Tessaiga. I heard the sword groan, and it slipped slightly. Shit!

"Dig your claws into the wall," I ordered. "I'll swing you towards the rock, got it?"

He shook his head. "The Tessaiga won't hold if you do that, moron," he pointed out. He pouted.

"Unless you have any brighter ideas, do it!" I snapped.

"I can hear water coming from the bottom," Sesshoumaru muttered, looking down into the ravine's darkness. He suddenly reached up with one hand and drew the wooden vial from his sleeve. What the hell?

He reached upward, tucking the vial into the sleeve of my hand that held him. "What the heck are you doing?" I asked.

"Give it to Clara," he said, wriggling his small hand.

"Stop that!" I snapped.

"Tessaiga won't hold!" Sesshoumaru said impatiently. He wriggled his fingers.

"You stupid brat, I said STOP THAT!" I held on tighter. Tessaiga slipped by another inch, and I swore.

"I'll drop into the water," Sesshoumaru said. "I can hear a river coming from the bottom."

"Stop moving, Sesshoumaru!" Even if there was a river, there was no guarantee he'd fall into it. He could be dashed against the rocks, without his demonic energy to help him.

"I'll catch up," Sesshoumaru said, his hand squirming. His face was set in a mask of childish determination.

"If you don't stop moving, I swear to the gods, I'll beat you to a pulp!" I threatened.

He scoffed. "Who do you think I am?" he snapped. I felt his hand slipping from my grip.

"Sesshoumaru!" I warned.

"Give it to Clara," he said again. "Tell her I'll catch up."

"You idiot, Anru's mountain is far from here!" I snarled. "I need you to fly us there."

Sesshoumaru cocked his head to the side. "You'll get there," he said simply.

Oh, yeah, and how was I supposed to do that? Sprout wings and fly? The Tessaiga slipped another inch, and I cursed.

"Ah-Un is coming," Sesshoumaru suddenly said. He wriggled his fingers even more vigorously.

"Then stop doing that!" I snarled, trying to tighten my grip around his hand.

"You're human—you'll die from the impact if you hit the water from this height," he said disdainfully. There was a stubborn look in his eyes. "Tell Clara I'll catch up. If you don't…if you make her cry, I'll kill you."

And then his hand slipped from mine.

My eyes widened in shock. "SESSHOUMARU!" I shouted. I almost let go of the Tessaiga. I watched, dumbstruck, as he vanished into the dark below. It was funny how disdainful he still looked.

"Dammit!" I shouted. That stupid midget!

At that moment the Tessaiga slipped again. Swearing, I dug my hands into the rock of the wall. Grasping a small rock, I managed to steady myself just as the Tessaiga slipped out of the rock completely.

"Dammit," I muttered, staring into the darkness below me. Sesshoumaru had sounded so sure that he would fall into the water he claimed was below. I shouldn't be bothered anymore.

Shit.

A low roar suddenly filled the ravine. I looked up just as Ah-Un descended towards me. "Master Inuyasha!" a familiar, squeaky voice called out.

"Myouga?" I said.

Ah-Un hovered beside me, and I jumped onto his back, grunting. "Master, thank goodness!" Myouga said. He was bouncing up and down on…Ah or Un's head. "Kagome was right—she had a feeling you were in trouble, especially when the sun set and you hadn't yet returned! And—"

"No time for that!" I snapped. "We've got to find Sesshoumaru—he jumped into the ravine, because the Tessaiga couldn't hold us both." I briefly explained how we'd been chased by the snake demons, and Sesshoumaru's weak youki.

Myouga frowned. Why the hell wasn't he worried? But then again, he wasn't particularly fond of Sesshomaru.

"He jumped?" he asked. "He said he would 'catch up'? And he gave you the antidote?"

"Yes," I said impatiently. "We've got to get the midget, otherwise Clara will have my head."

Myouga shook his head. "Ah-Un, we need to go back now," he said.

"Hey, didn't you hear what I said?" I shouted. "Sesshoumaru's down there, probably dashed against the rocks, or whatever!"

Ah-Un rose into the air and sped off. "Myouga!" I said, impatient.

"I understand your concern for your elder brother, Master," Myouga said, and I spluttered. "But Clara isn't going to last long without this antidote. If Lord Sesshoumaru said he would catch up, I'm pretty certain he will. He had a knack for keeping his word, no matter how small."

"I am not concerned about that midget!" I snapped. "I'm concerned about my head—Clara will lose it if she finds out I let Sesshoumaru fall!"

"Of course, Master," Myouga said.

Flea-bitten bastard.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Clara

Ow…

Everything ached. Everywhere throbbed. I felt hot, like I'd been out in the sun in a heat wave. It hurt to move. I felt sweat beading my brow, felt Kagome place a hand on my forehead. It was getting harder to breathe…

"Don't move too much," Kagome murmured. She glanced up at the night sky and frowned. "Oh…I hope Ah-Un comes back with them soon." She bit her lower lip in worry. She and I both knew that, at this moment, Inuyasha had become human.

I bit my lip to stop from groaning. The hand that Sesshoumaru had accidentally cut was numb. I didn't even want to look at it.

I closed my eyes. Please, please, let them be all right…

"Inuyasha!"

My eyes flew open just as Ah-Un landed near the spring. Inuyasha, black-haired and without his dog ears, hopped off of Ah-Un's back. This was the first time I'd seen him as a human…There was a heavy frown on his face—he looked tired.

Wait…

Ignoring the ache coursing through my body, I pushed myself up. "Sesshoumaru," I said. My voice sounded hoarse. "Where is Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha drew closer, Myouga bouncing on his shoulder.

Ignoring my question, Inuyasha drew a wooden vial from his sleeve. He knelt beside me. "Here," he said, handing it to Kagome. "It's the antidote from Junko."

I wanted to ask—where was Sesshoumaru? Why wasn't he with Inuyasha? I felt a sense of foreboding settling over me.

Kagome tilted the vial to my lips, but I turned my head away. "Sesshoumaru?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

Inuyasha bit his lower lip. "He'll catch up—drink that, or he'll be angry."

"But—" Kagome tilted the vial into my mouth, and I gagged. It tasted like burnt leaves, and it took everything I had not to throw it up. I shuddered as I swallowed it.

A moment later, I felt a strange sensation coming over me. It was though someone was trickling ice-cold water down my head, my back, and my arms. The ache in my body slowly receded, and the pain faded away.

"Amazing," I heard Kagome say. She was looking at my injured hand. The skin over the hand was no longer burnt and blistered—the edges of the wound were slowly knitting close.

"Lady Junko's skills are indeed praiseworthy," Myouga said.

"How do you feel?" Inuyasha asked me.

"Fine," I said. I raised my hand in front of me, amazed. What doctors in the modern era wouldn't give for this kind of medicine…It was as if Sesshoumaru hadn't cut me with his poison claws…

I turned back to Inuyasha. "Where is Sesshoumaru?" I demanded. My voice no longer sounded hoarse.

"He'll catch up," he said dismissively.

Kagome and I glanced at each other. "Inuyasha," she said slowly.

"He said he'll catch up, okay?" Inuyasha snapped. He sounded edgy.

I frowned. "What happened?" I asked quietly. I had a sinking feeling—and I prayed I was wrong. Why would Sesshoumaru 'catch up' to Inuyasha? It didn't make sense. Oh, god, please don't tell me…

"Did something happen?" I realized I sounded frantic. "Why did you leave him behind? Is he all right?"

Kagome caught Inuyasha's eye. "Hey, don't strain yourself," she said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You just got better."

I shrugged her off. "Inuyasha," I said. "Please…where…please don't tell me…He's fine, isn't he? He's all right? Nothing bad happened to him, right?" Oh, god.

Inuyasha must have seen a crazy look in my eyes. He bit his lower lip. "Tell me!" I shouted. My voice echoed through the spring.

He told me.

I stared at him. I felt my jaw slackening as my mouth hung open in horror. "You…" I swallowed. "You just let him…fall? Like that?"

Inuyasha looked down. Kagome placed a hand on mine. "You heard him," she said gently. "Sesshoumaru let go because he knew what he was doing."

I shook my head. I don't care if he said he would 'catch up'. He'd fallen into a deep ravine, with more than half his youki gone! Half his youki that he'd siphoned into…

I glanced at the wooden vial in my clenched fist. My hand shook as a stark realization came over me. Oh, god.

"Clara, Lord Sesshoumaru will be fine," Myouga said. He leapt from Inuyasha's shoulder and onto my lap.

"How can you say that?!" I snapped. "He…you said he fell! And…This is all my fault."

"Clara," Kagome said, squeezing my shoulder.

At that moment, Ah-Un gave a loud snort, and looked up. I blinked as we followed his gaze. At first, I thought that there was a full moon in the sky, before I remembered that Inuyasha happened to be human. A second later, I realized that what I'd taken for a moon was actually a glowing sphere of light.

"Sesshoumaru!" I shouted, launching myself off the ground. To my surprise, the orb of light sped overhead, towards the forest surrounding the spring. Baffled, we watched as it skimmed the tree tops before vanishing beneath the leafy canopies.

There was only one thing I could think of—I ran. I ran towards the trees. I barely even heard Kagome holding Inuyasha back. The only thing I could think of was that he was alive. He was alive. I didn't even bother to wonder why he'd landed so far away from us—the only thing I could think of was seeing that look of childish annoyance he wore.

"Sesshoumaru!" I shouted as I burst through the bushes. I stumbled into a small grove of trees.

But there was no sign of Sesshoumaru in the grove. No, rather…

I blinked.

Standing in the middle of the grove was not the child I had been so fond of—the child who pouted, huffed, and admitted to having nightmares that scared him. No, standing in the grove was the demon I loved—the demon with cold, calculating eyes, who pretended not to care when he actually did. The demon who protected both me and Rin, the demon who quietly watched over us with eyes that missed nothing.

"Clara," he said simply. I could hear relief in his cold, deep voice.

"Sesshoumaru," I breathed, taking a step towards him. I had been so bowled over by seeing him back to normal, I overlooked one…major…detail…

He was naked.

Completely, utterly naked.

My mind didn't have time to figure out why. Instead, I did the one thing that came instinctively.

I screamed.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

A1969: I love cliffhangers—they're so…cliffy.
Sesshoumaru: that is not a word.
A1969: yes, it is! See? When I type it in, no wriggly little red line appears at the bottom. Cliffy. Cliffy.
Inuyasha: is crazy contagious?
Kagome: Inuyasha, don't be rude!
A1969: oh, and I have a question for everyone's favorite demon lord—are you a Vulcan, by any chance? Because you sound like one.
Miroku: er…room of solitude?
Sango: *throws author into room*
Kagome: anyway—don't forget to review!