Reiko leaned back, the warm water of the hot spring washing over her. "Ahh…this is wonderful, isn't it Kuri?"
"Yeah sis," Kuri said, glancing around warily and then sinking down nose-deep into the water.
"What is it?" Reiko asked. "Oh…you're thinking about Sadako again aren't you?"
Kuri looked away. She was ashamed of what she had done. She realized that it had caused a rift between her and Inuyasha, and she didn't like it.
"You were thinking of her," Reiko accused. "I guess Inuyasha's not the only one. Do you talk to her, too?"
Kuri sighed. "Of course I do. She and I converse sometimes. I'm the only one who can put her soul to rest.
Reiko sighed in return. "You need to focus on absorbing the rest of those shards."
"Fine then," Kuri said, getting up and gathering her clothing. "I'll just take my Shikon self home!"
Kuri dressed and walked off in the direction of the well, but ran into Kurama on her way.
"Hello there Kuri," he said. "I couldn't help to hear your little spat with your sister. And it seems you have been hurt by another man. I sympathize. Come, walk with me a while."
Kuri hesitated.
"Kuri!" Inuyasha yelled, running up. "You can't just leave whenever the hell you want! Come back right now!"
"No way!" Kuri yelled back. "I'll go anywhere I want! And Kurama is nice to me!"
"You idiot! He's probably after the Shikon no Tama!" Inuyasha yelled.
"On the contrary," Kurama replied, pulling out several Sacred Jewel shards and placing them in her hand. "They belong to the catalyst, and that, young maiden, is you. You are a beautiful treasure. You remember me. I'm Yoko Kurama."
Kuri smiled. "And if you'll remember, I am the Shikon no Miko, Kurisuta Hikawa. Thank you for your kindness. You must join us. I would be happy to have someone with us that I can actually talk to."
"I am so glad you feel that way, Kuri," Kurama said, kneeling, taking her hand and kissing it. "A lady like you should be my mate."
"You lecher!" Inuyasha yelled, about to attack.
"I would be honored," Kuri joked.
"WHAT?" Inuyasha, Shippo, and Reiko chorused. Reiko looked strangely hurt.
Kurama kissed Kuri right on the spot. Kuri felt a strange change come over me, and then she realized it. She had found the love of her life.
XXX
"KURAMA YOU MORON!" Reiko snarled. "Inuyasha, she—"
Kuri stared into Kurama's eyes. Gone was the fiery girl who kept her heart under lock and key. In her place stood a lovestruck, fluttery eyed, flirtatious Kuri!
"Kurama," she said softly. "I-I think I love you. It would be wonderful if we could go find the other shards…together."
Inuyasha put a hand on his sword. "Kurama! What did you do to her?"
Kuri looked at Inuyasha and her eyes were completely blank. "Who are you? Why do you interfere with our happiness, hanyou?"
Her voice was dripping with sadness and fear, and she spat the term hanyou like it was a curse word. The real Kuri cared for all creatures. She believed everyone deserved a second chance. She never eyed someone in judgement. And she feared nothing.
Inuyasha paused, and then his hand dropped from his hilt to his side. "Fine. Go then. Get out of here."
His tone was sharp, but his voice was breaking.
"What has happened to her?" Kurama asked. "As much as I am flattered by her offer of love, I can't take advantage of her like that."
"Weren't you just kissing her, you lech?" accused Inuyasha.
"Kurama, will you distract my sister for a moment while I explain to Inuyasha?" asked Reiko in a cutting tone.
"Of course," Kurama said, taking her away.
"Inuyasha!" Reiko yelled up at him in his tree.
Shippo jumped up and pinched him.
"Ow! Quit!" Inuyasha said, punching him on the head.
"KOIBITO!" Rei yelled.
The beads forced him to faceplant beside her.
"My sister is suffering from a curse," Rei said.
That got his attention. "Curse?"
"Yes," Rei said. "When my father died, my mother become so broken-hearted that she gave up on love. My sister saw how sad our mother was, and she stated that she would never fall in love herself. My mother had no wish to deny my sister the happiness that was stolen from her. So she cast a spell on her. The moment that she gives up on love in her heart, a man will find her and kiss her. The love in her heart will instantly be given to him, and she will find happiness. It becomes permanent at sunset."
"What do you mean, 'given up on love?'" Inuyasha asked. "Why would she do that?"
Shippo rolled his eyes. "Cuz you two had a fight over Sadako!"
Inuyasha hit him on the head. "Why would that bug her?"
"Cuz she loves you!" Shippo yelled. "Idiot."
"No way! She was with that Kurama guy!" Inuyasha said.
"Try to focus, puppy chow!" yelled a frustrated Rei. "That's how the spell works. She was in pain, so it took the love she had for you and gave it to Kurama! If you don't go to her and make her see the truth, then she'll forget you!"
"What?!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "No, she can't!"
He took off running.
Reiko sighed. No way was that fox getting off scot-free after this mess. No way in HELL.
Xxx
Kuri was sitting on the side of a hill with Kurama. He had his arm around her, and we were talking, when suddenly Kuri was grabbed and carted off by that strange dog-eared man.
"What are you doing?!" Kuri yelled. "Let me go! Let me go now!"
"No!" he yelled, setting her down in front of a tree and holding her tight by the shoulders. "You little jerk. You don't get to just forget! I have to keep all my memories and so do you! Look!"
He pointed to a tree.
"That's where we first met," he said. "You convinced Rei to remove the Sacred Sword that bound me to that tree. Because you can't stand to see anyone treated unfairly! You knew what had happened before you knew what you knew! Stop playing games!"
He hugged Kuri tightly. "You..c-can't leave me behind. I-I can't lose you too!"
Kuri felt a pulse and a chill ran up her spine. Her heart skipped a beat as her emotions returned to a jumbled mess, and all the memories settled into place.
"Inuyasha…" Kuri whispered, allowing her arms to embrace him in return. "You broke the spell. But why…would you even miss me? You were so angry."
Inuyasha released me, staring at her in wide-eyed shock."What are you talking about?"
"Sadako!" Kuri responded, surprised by how angry she sounded. "You were so angry!"
"Just like that…you let her have hold of your heart and I..." he said.
"Caring about someone….isn't about wanting them all to yourself," Kuri said softly. "It's about wanting them to be happy. Even if it leaves you with nothing in your own hands. Even if…they choose something else."
"But I..." Inuyasha's voice broke and a tear escaped.
Kuri pulled him into her arms again. "Stupid. That's just gonna make you sad. So I'm not gonna just abandon you."
Kuri cried into his chest, overwhelmed by conflicting feelings.
Xxx
Meanwhile, Reiko cornered Kurama.
"How DARE you!" Reiko snarled, gathering him into her plants.
"Reiko calm down! I only did it to bring her back to Inuyasha!" Kurama said. "Everything I do, I do for this pack!"
"I know that! I'm the same! But how dare you leave me out of the trick! I could have helped—" she slammed him into a tree. "-we're supposed to be partners—" She caught him into a flower bud. "—YOU STOLE MY HEART!"
Kurama smiled sheepishly. "Well. I am a thief."