Running around the mountain through the forest, the dark clouds rolled in and it began to rain. While Inuyasha followed the demons scent, he took the lead as he carried Kagome on his back. Sango, Yuuki, and Shippo rode Kirara while Miroku ran beside them as they followed. "It's close!" Inuyasha called and he leapt forward.

The rain came down harder, the wind picking up and the scent being worn away. Still he led them to the mountain edge, stopping a slight crevice in the side. "It ends here," he said and let Kagome down.

Kirara landed and Miroku hurried forward, inspecting the stone wall with Inuyasha. The girls dismounted and Shippo jumped off, joining the boys in inspecting the wall. "There must be a hidden switch," Miroku said.

"Yeah, or we can just break down the rock," Inuyasha countered.

Bracing against the wind and rain, Kagome said, "Whatever you guys do, hurry! We're getting soaked!"

"Aahh!" Shippo shouted and they looked over at him alarmed. The stone wall shifted and Shippo fell back on his butt, staring up fearfully as the stone moved away and created an opening to the darkness. "Yuuki!" He yelled and ran back for them.

Yuuki opened her arms and caught him as they stared at the hole in the wall suspiciously, bracing themselves for an attack. They waited a few beats until Sango spoke up, "Nothing's happening."

"You found the switch, Shippo," Yuuki smiled down at him and he grinned back.

They hurried inside the cold cave, and Kirara shook herself out, spraying the rest of them. While they wrung out their clothes, Inuyasha was staring into the tunnel. "He's here. This place reeks of him."

Kagome walked up beside him looking worried, "Something isn't right though..." They all glanced at her. "If Naraku's really here, then why can't I sense the jewel shard? His half is so large it's hard for me to miss."

Miroku and Sango shared a worried glance. When Inuyasha tensed, Yuuki quickly interjected, "If Naraku's injured, he'd anticipate us coming after him. The smart thing for him to do would be to relocate his jewel shard, keeping it in a safe place until he recovered."

"Yuuki has a good point," Miroku agreed and Inuyasha was able to relax again.

Kagome took out a flashlight from her backpack and used that to light the way as they went deeper. Wandering through the tunnel, there was the sound of chains rustling and they paused. Kagome suddenly gasped- rushing at them from the darkness was a glint with rustling chains. "Look out!" Inuyasha exclaimed. Everyone moved and Yuuki jumped to the side, realizing a kusarigama had just nearly missed her.

She looked back wide eyed as the blade stuck in the stone ground. "That's Kohaku's!" The chain flicked and the blade released, retreating back from where it came.

Looking back down the tunnel, Kohaku emerged, looking lifeless as ever. "Kohaku!" Sango called out, but her brother threw his weapon again. This time Inuyasha jumped in front of Kagome and whipped out his Tessaiga, knocking the blade away. As he pulled his weapon back Sango pleaded, "Kohaku, please!" Kohaku looked around and then spotted Yuuki. She tensed as he threw the sickle at her again. She grabbed her rosary and pulled, releasing the whip and parrying his attack.

"What's the matter, Naraku!?" Inuyasha shouted into the cave, "Run out of ideas to stall us!?"

Kohaku readied to attack again, but Sango had enough and rushed forward. "Sango!" Miroku called after her, but she ignored him and drew her tanto blade.

"Enough of this!" As Kohaku threw his sickle, Sango purposely tangled her blade in the chain, letting the weapons drop to the ground. She then brought her Hiraikotsu around and slammed it into him, pinning him to the stone wall. "Kohaku, snap out of it! Recognize me!" She pleaded, staring at her brother's lifeless eyes. Tears welled in her own, tears of frustration. "Kohaku! It's me, Sango! Your sister! It's me, Kohaku!"

Her friends behind her watched and waited pensively. Then, "Hnng... sister...?" They gasped, none more surprised than Sango.

She stared down at him in shock. His face was scrunching up as he groaned, "Sister... San-ah," he winced, and the Hiraikotsu dropped to the ground.

"Kohaku," she held his face in her hands, trying to see into his eyes, "Kohaku, remember, please! Sango, your sister!"

"San... go..." Light returned to his brown eyes and he cried out, grasping at his head. "My head... it hurts..." His knees buckled and Sango quickly caught him, kneeling down on the ground with him. "My head...!"

As they rushed to their side, Miroku stared down at Kohaku dubiously. "He's breaking free of Naraku's spell?"

"Naraku's weakened," Yuuki reminded him.

Kagome frowned at her worried and explained, "There's a jewel shard embedded in Kohaku's back. Naraku's been manipulating him through the Shikon no Tama, not his own powers."

"And the jewel shard isn't here," Yuuki quickly reminded her, excited at the realization at how weak Naraku really was. She even smiled as everyone looked to her as she went over, "Kinya cut him down and he hid the Shikon shard away from this place. He's so focused on recovering that his hold over Kohaku is slipping! He-" she stopped short, her face falling.

Her friends missed her sudden change as they looked to Inuyasha who was smirking. "He made the biggest mistake of his life. We finally have him cornered."

He made a mistake, Yuuki thought, staring down at Kohaku. Realizing that, an ominous feeling settled over her.

"Kohaku," Sango held her brother close to her. "I have to take him far away from here, while he's breaking free of Naraku. Kirara!" Kirara came over and Miroku helped Sango put Kohaku on her back. "Please, take Kohaku to Kaede's village."

Yuuki stared after Kirara as she went back out of the cave with Kohaku. Naraku's clever enough to hide the sacred jewel away, but he should be clever enough to not let a trump card like Kohaku get away from him, even in the state he's in...

"Come on," Inuyasha's voice brought her back and she looked over, seeing Sango gather her and her brother's weapon. "We need to keep going." Following him further into the mountain, the tunnel eventually broke into several more, and Inuyasha did his best to follow the scent, but he came to a cross roads. He growled in frustration, "Dammit, everything reeks down here. I can't figure out which way to go."

Sango frowned, "We'll have to split up."

"That's too dangerous!" Shippo piped up from the ground. "We're so close to Naraku, he'll pick us off one by one!"

"It is risky," Kagome mused on the side.

"You lot really are pathetic." Kagura's voice cut in- and in a heartbeat everyone was on guard. They couldn't see her as she hastily added, "Put your weapons down, I'm not here to fight."

Yuuki's brows twitched together, and she was the first to lower her guard. "Don't be stupid," Inuyasha snapped at her. "It's Kagura!"

"Yeah, I know," she replied sounding just as irritated. She moved forward, acting as the front of the group. "They're not going to drop their guard, but we won't attack."

"We won't?" Sango questioned and Yuuki shook her head.

"If this is about what I think it is, then it's fine. Right, Kagura?"

Kagura then emerged from the shadows from a tunnel, Kagome fixing her flashlight on her. Kagura winced irritably from the light, but managed to not make a comment as she frowned at Yuuki. Yuuki then smiled, and Inuyasha looked between the two of them. "Oh hell no- no way!" He glared at Yuuki, "You really are stupid if you're thinking of trusting her!"

While the others were questioning, Miroku perked up. "I remember- Yuuki offered Kagura to team up against Naraku!"

"But why would she do that," Sango questioned harshly. "She's fought us time and again- she's stolen jewel shards for him!"

"Do you think I'm happy being bound to that coward," Kagura snipped back. Reaching up, she clutched at her kimono above her heart, glaring at the ground. "Complying to his twisted schemes- pathetic. I shouldn't be chained down to a demon, I should be flying free." She eyed them all, "I despise him as much as you do."

"But you're his incarnation," Kagome said- more speculating rather than aggressive. She was dubious, "If you're a part of him, why would you want to betray him?"

She scoffed, "You think that because I'm a part of him I'm safe?" She dropped her arm. "He's always used and thrown things away- he only cares for himself. The moment he finds me useless he'll either discard me, or reabsorb me. I refuse to leave my fate in his hands."

There was a moment of silence before Inuyasha spoke up, "Are you fucking serious."

"Inuyasha," Yuuki frowned at him, "it's a temporary alliance. It's not like you have to be friends afterward."

"It's Kagura." Again he spoke as if she were stupid and she ticked.

Kagura smirked at him, "Are you perhaps afraid of me?"

He readied his Tessaiga, "Gladly show you otherwise."

Her face fell. "You can't locate him, can you?" Inuyasha bared his teeth, but as everyone watched and waited, he said nothing.

After that Sango and Miroku relaxed their battle stances. "I can believe her hatred for Naraku," Miroku said and Inuyasha growled.

Yuuki frowned at Inuyasha as he refused to back down. "Inuyasha, just this once! You can kill her afterwards if you really want, all right?" Kagura scoffed at that.

"Dammit, whatever, fine." Though he wasn't happy, he sheathed his sword. He kept his glare trained on Kagura, however. "Anything suspicious from you and I'll kill you in a heartbeat, got that?"

Kagura smirked, a part of her looking forward to the fight. "Loud and clear." She turned down a tunnel, "Follow me," and went into the darkness.

The group was tense, but they followed, Kagome keeping the light on Kagura's back. As they followed her down the path, a rotting odor wafted towards them, forcing them to cover their noses. "It reeks down here," Inuyasha grumbled.

"You get used to it," Kagura replied in lighthearted sarcasm. "Watch your step."

They all hesitated, inspecting the ground. Yuuki's eyes then widened, "That's- flesh?" Kagome shinned the light on the mounds of discolored flesh.

Kagura stopped and looked back at the group as they inspected their surroundings. "This is what happens when Naraku doesn't find use for the demon he's consumed. He disposes of them."

"Then what happens to Naraku?" Shippo asked confused. "Does he have other demons to absorb?"

"He does, but it's a process," Kagura replied. "It's his way of growing more powerful. The closer we get to his chamber, the more of these we'll find." She turned away and mentioned absently to herself, "That woman did a number on him." It made her smile, "I've never seen him so livid before."

Yuuki then asked, "How much further?"

"Not much. Turn that light off, it'll be easier to sneak up on him with the luminescent cave crystals further in. Catching him while he's recuperating, we might actually have a chance to kill him."

Kagome did as she said and readied her bow instead. Following her to a split in the tunnel, Kagura stepped aside and gestured down one of the paths with her fan. They readied their weapons, Yuuki pulling off her rosary and checking her pocket for her talisman. This is it, she thought to herself. The demonic aura pouring out of the tunnel was immense, and the pressure only heightened her anxiety. I have no other choice, we have to bring him to his knees.

Killing might be their only option, and she could only hope she could get home still.

They rushed into the chamber- and stopped short upon seeing Naraku. The cave was lit up by the blue crystals embedded in the rock, and Naraku was lying back on a pile of stone. From the waist up he was still wearing his purple robes, torn and damaged from his fight with Kinya. Naraku's eyes opened and he smirked, "Kagura... you foolish thing." Beneath him a mess of flesh reforming and shaping, clumps falling away while a mass pulsed, looking like he was digesting.

Inuyasha smirked at the sight of him. "It looks like you're still putting yourself together." He pulled out his Tessaiga. "You will receive no mercy- time to die!" He swung his blade up and Yuuki clapped her hands together.

"Spirit's Rage!"

"Wind Scar!" Yuuki's powers twisted and shot forward, shattering the barrier protecting Naraku, allowing Inuyasha's attack to strike. On impact, miasma exploded from Naraku's body in a defense.

"Hold your breath!" Sango shouted, fastening her mask on.

Kagura suddenly rush forward through the group, surprising them. "Kagura!" Yuuki shouted after her.

"Dance of Blades!" With a twirl and a swing of her fan, she manipulated the miasma back and threw her wind blades at him.

The group braced against the harsh wind, and once everything calmed down they were able to see Naraku's body. A heap of bleeding parts and chunks with Kagura standing over him, "Not yet!" Again she swung her fan, and again, and again, unleashing a torrent of blades and mincing whatever was left of him.

"Move, stupid!" Inuyasha called. "I'll vaporize the last of him, get out of the way or I'll get you, too!"

While Kagura continued to butcher Naraku's body, Yuuki's senses suddenly heightened. Her eyes widened, sensing something building. "Kagura- get back!" The flesh of Naraku suddenly swelled. Naraku's chuckle echoed in the cave as it rose like a wave, crashing down over Kagura as she screamed. "Kagura!"

Kagome gasped, "He's absorbing her! Inuyasha-!"

"I know already!" He swung his glaive, "Wind Scar!"

A stone was spit out of Naraku's flesh, intercepting the attack and creating a barrier to take the blow. After it was shattered, "A barrier crystal," Miroku identified.

"Foolish, Kagura. You need to be punished." Naraku's bare upper body suddenly sprouted out, reforming in a heartbeat. He grinned at them, his lower half twisting and morphing into a mass of tendrils. Out of his back sprouted four spiked legs that readied to strike.

"He's huge!" Kagome exclaimed.

"Yuuki," he focused on her and she tensed. "Seems your last resort was a failure. Tell me, did you have anything left to barter?"

No, she didn't. Unless she gave up all her powers, but- Yuuki's eyes widened, realizing something. "Wait-where's Utsugi?"

"Away from here. Unfortunate for her." The legs on his back twitched in anticipation. "She desired your soul, but it seems she's missed her chance. Instead I'll consume you and gain access to the Dai Saishi no Tama, eliminating Manami's line of succession and having two jewels for myself." He loomed over them, "Time to die."

"Shut up, Naraku!" Inuyasha shouted and raised his sword. "Yuuki!"

Yuuki clapped her hands together and her Seishin powers flared. "Spirit's Rage!" The translucent tentacles shout out in a flurry of movement. They forced out whatever hidden barriers he possessed and shattered them.

"Wind Scar!" Inuyasha slammed his Tessaiga into the ground and sent his attack racing towards Naraku.

Naraku sacrificed part of his body, getting blasted by the attack, yet his tentacles raced around the edges of the cave and surrounded them. Inuyasha cut them down while Yuuki used her purifying touch to melt the flesh away. While Sango and Miroku used their melee weapons, Shippo managed weakly with his fox fire.

Kagome struggled as she aimed and released her arrow, taking too long and becoming surrounded. "No!" She screamed, swinging her bow to repel them. "Get away!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted, but too late did they act.

Snaking around her body, she screamed again as they went through her clothes until they found her cork bottle of jewel shards. "Kagome!" Miroku and Sango raced to her rescue, but the tentacles quickly retreated.

"The jewel shards!" Kagome exclaimed, watching helplessly as they were taken away.

"Now for you," Naraku said and Yuuki tensed as the tentacles shot for her next. Swinging her rosary, she tried to fight them back, but was quickly overwhelmed. She stumbled back and her yelp was strangled as they wrapped around her throat. Her friends shouted her name as she was lifted into the air. Yuuki struggled to keep her glare on him, unable to move as they strangled her body. They tightened and she shut her eyes tight, opening her mouth in a silent scream. "Ah, yes," Naraku brought her closer to inspect her face as it quickly turned red. She could barely hear a growl from him, "This is the expression I've wanted to see again."

You sick bastard, she thought weakly. Her blood circulation to her head was cut off; she couldn't breathe and in her panic dropped her rosary. She thought her neck was going to snap, body ripped apart- but then was suddenly released. She fell onto the ground hard, coughing viciously.

"Was that a sacred arrow?" Kagome questioned.

Yuuki struggled to see for a moment, but she tried looking around frantically, holding her throat as she l coughed. She followed her friends' gazes down the tunnel and from the darkness three more arrows soared by them, forcing Naraku's tentacles to retreat. "Kikyo," Inuyasha mumbled- there was no mistaking it.

Kagome knelt to Yuuki's side, helping her up as Kikyo emerged from the darkness, staring Naraku down. "You, too, Kikyo?" Naraku questioned.

"I just came to finish the job," Kikyo replied.

Naraku glared at her. "Foolish one. In that case, I'll kill you, too. Or perhaps I'll absorb whatever body you have now." The thought made him smirk.

Kikyo knocked back an arrow and fired at Naraku. The power was overwhelming- the arrow veered off and caught him in the side, but a massive hole was blown from him still. "Kikyo!" Naraku shouted in fury. His tentacles swooped down and slammed her into the cave wall, causing her to shout in pain.

"Kikyo!" Inuyasha exclaimed in worry.

Kagome was distracted by them, watching in worry as Inuyasha jumped to Kikyo's rescue. Yuuki then pulled away from her and she gasped in surprise. Looking back, she witnessed Yuuki run fast and low towards the distracted Naraku. With a clap of her hands, her fallen rosary glowed and fired a Bullet Storm, bombarding him as she lunged at him.

Her body became incased in white flames of her Seishin as she grabbed onto Naraku. Voice damaged and cracking, she managed to hoarsely scream, "Purify!"

White light and overwhelming holy power engulfed the both of them. Her friends called out her name, and the cave began to rumble as Naraku roared in pain. The shaking of the cave only became worse as the demonic and holy energies clashed and exploded, throwing Yuuki back. As she flew, Kagome gasped, "The shards!"

They were tightly within her grasp. Inuyasha leapt forward and caught her in time, quickly tossing her over his shoulder like a sack. "The cave's coming down!" Sango shouted over the rumble.

Kagome was the first to help Kikyo up as Inuyasha looked back after Naraku. Whatever was left of him was melting away, but not without miasma seeping out. "Let's go!" He shouted, running after the group that was already heading out.

He deftly made his way to the front, following the scent of sea water to lead them out. The cave was crumbling down as they ran, Shippo crying out in fear, "We're not gonna make it!"

Racing towards the exit, rocks were coming down and closing it off. "Sango!" He shouted and moved to the side.

On command she used her might to throw her Hiraikotsu, blasting open the exit and everyone ran, taking a leap of faith down the mountainside as it collapsed. Inuyasha easily landed on his feet, sliding down along with Miroku. Sango and Kagome did their best with Kikyo between them, and Shippo tumbled.

Finding level ground within the forest, everyone was able to come to a stop and relax. Looking back, they witnessed the side of the mountain cave in, creating an almost crescent like peak. While the humans were panting, Shippo was the first to speak, "So... what happened? Is Naraku dead...?"

"His presence..." Everyone was quick to turn to Kikyo as she spoke. Kagome was still helping her up, but Kikyo got her footing and moved away from her. "His presence is missing. It became engulfed in the Seishin and disappeared."

"Does that mean he's dead then?" Kagome questioned again.

Kikyo looked over to Inuyasha. "Only she would really know that."

"Huh?" He glanced over at Yuuki still draped over his shoulder. "She's out cold."

Sango looked over at Miroku and questioned, "Miroku... how's your hand?"

He sighed at the mention of it, and looked down at the cloth covering it. "I don't feel a change. I'm almost afraid to check it."

"It would be the best way to tell," Sango said gently. "If Naraku's truly dead, then the curse should be lifted, isn't that right?"

He was silent for a moment, staring at his hand. Then he dropped it and smiled at her, "We'll wait for Yuuki to come to. We need to figure out what happened in that blast.

Kikyo watched the group for a moment, silent on the side as Inuyasha gently set Yuuki down and Kagome hurried to check on her. "Her neck is seriously bruised. It'll take a while for that to heal."

"Yeah... Who knows when she'll wake up. That was a lot of energy she used." Inuyasha glanced up, and then perked up, realizing Kikyo was leaving. "Kikyo, wait!" He got to his feet and she glanced back at him. "What are you going to do now? If Naraku's dead..."

"Dead or not, there's still the task of restoring the Shikon no Tama," she replied. "If Naraku has perished, there will no doubt be another demon ready to take his place. Farewell." With that she disappeared into the forest.

There was a moment of a rather tense silence. Miroku was the first to break it, "Even if Yuuki's still unconscious, we should hurry back to the fisherman, if he's still waiting for us."

Sango added, "He's right, we need to get back to Kaede's Village as soon as possible."

"Inuyasha?" Kagome asked, "Could you carry Yuuki?"

"Yeah, yeah." Walking up, he heaved her up carelessly and tossed her over his shoulder again.

"Not like a sack of rice!"

Thankfully the fisherman was still waiting for them at the shore. In fact he seemed wildly unbothered by the whole commotion. Loading into the boat, they tried to prop Yuuki's body up, Kagome holding her. She frowned at her friend, "It's concerning how weak she seems to be. It's hard to tell if she's even breathing."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Sango assured. "She's not used to exerting so much energy-" she then started coughing.

"Sango?" Miorku was suddenly alert as she kept coughing into her sleeve.

"I-I'm fine." She smiled weakly, "I wasn't feeling like myself for a little bit. I'm afraid I've caught Kagome's cold from earlier."

Kagome hummed with a frown, "We might as well find a place to stay at the village. We can't get far without Kirara if Yuuki's going to be sleeping like this."

Inuyasha sighed irritably. "We have no choice then, dammit." He frowned at her.

Yuuki sighed irritably as she wandered through a forest. "Dammit..." Her footsteps made no sound. She felt nothing as branches and such passed by her. Stopping and looking down at her body, it was obvious she was astral projecting. She wasn't entirely sure what happened during the fight with Naraku, but next thing she knew it was nighttime on Asagiri Island and her soul was forced from her body.

"Is anyone even still on this island?" She questioned aloud to herself, continuing on through the woods.

She's witnessed the mountain, the massive cave in that happened. After checking around, there was no sign that her friends had been caught. Checking the beach, there was no boat. Wandering the island, her spirit felt light and free, but she didn't want to attempt crossing the ocean still.

She came to a stop, sighing again, though no air passed into her. "Kinya must still be forcing me away if I didn't appear to her." I wonder how much energy she's using to do so, though... The thought left her feeling anxious.

Looking around the black forest, she couldn't see or hear anything sounding like her friends. Just the ocean and various creatures of the night. Hopefully they were all able to get back to the village... She looked up at the tree canopy.

"... I wonder..."

She attempted a jump. Gravity felt nonexistent to her as her spirit floated up, hovering slightly then slowly drifting down like a deflating balloon. Reaching up towards the night sky, she kicked her legs as if swimming to force herself up, and slowly did her spirit obey her will. Gaining momentum she floated up well above the tree line. Making a nervous sound, she tried to stop herself, using swimming motions to keep to a hover. Though she didn't use any physical effort, she still sighed in satisfaction.

Looking around, she was amazed. "Wow, it's beautiful..." No lights, no pollution, the night sky was so clear she could see the colors of the galaxy. Purples lightly mingling with all the stars and creating a great streak across the sky, the large moon reflecting off the black water of the sea.

Drifting in the air, Yuuki looked sad as she gazed out. I might really miss this once it's time to go home...It made her chest feel heavy, even in spirit form. I don't have a choice, though. Between risking Kinya's life, constantly fighting Utsugi for her soul, and the inevitable curse of the Dai Saishi no Tama befalling her, she had to go home.

"I'm sure going to miss them all..."

Looking at the horizon again, she perked up. "Oh, a shooting star." It was a bright white light soaring through the sky, racing towards her. She enjoyed watching for a moment, debating making a wish. Then face fell, quickly realizing it was racing towards her. "Uh oh."

Frantically she swung her limbs to try to get out of the way, sensing a powerful energy flying towards her. It was strong enough that she panicked, thinking it would actually do damage to her if it crashed into her spirit.

"No, no, no, no, no, no-! Waaa!" She had slowly drifted away far enough to avoid collision, but it was such a narrow miss that the demonic energies surging from the ball of light sent her spirit tumbling. She cried out in fear and panic as she rolled uselessly, waving her arms around frantically to try and come to a halt.

Eventually stopping her momentum, she sighed in immense relief as she hung upside down and drifting. What in the world could that have been? It felt so great that is scared her- a meteor of demonic energy- but it wasn't sinister or evil like Naraku's for sure. Looking around the mountain frantically, she spotted the white light settling on the destroyed half of the mountain.

Having nothing else to do, she spun and righted herself. Reaching out, she kicked her legs and floated down over to the energy source. After gaining great momentum, flying down quickly, she quickly stuck her legs out and forced herself to break, digging her heels into the air.

She then gaped, blinking in surprise. "Sesshomaru?"

Seeing the great dog demon in white was almost as unbelievable as seeing the scenery. Of course he didn't have a glow to him, but the power she sensed from him was so intense. She had sensed his power before in her human body, but without her body felt like without a filter. She felt his power head on, and it felt like an hurricane baring down on her with some earthquake undertones.

She stared at him in awe, amazing...

The demon was looking around the mountain side, Yuuki drifting around him and watching as his nose twitched lightly. He must have followed Naraku's scent here. Could he smell our scents around the place? She wasn't sure if their scents were as strong as Naraku's.

Yuuki sucked in a great breath.

Sesshomaru had finally caught wind of Naraku. It was faint and it was brief, but the second he found it he left Jaken behind with Rin and took flight. Reaching the island, he felt as if he passed through a barrier. What was a faint trail of Naraku's stench suddenly transformed into the smell of wisteria flowers, so intense it was as if the flowers were forcefully shoved up his nose.

Yuuki?

Landing on the mountain, he tried to calm down. The assault was so strong it actually caught him off guard. No... Her scent. She was here. Looking around, it was clear a fight had transpired, the cause of the current state of the mountain. He sniffed the air, trying to filter out the wisteria flowers for Naraku's scent once again. It took great effort on his part, but one by one he identified the scents of Inuyasha and his friends. Graveyard soil- perhaps that dead priestess Kikyo. They were all here, but while their scents were lingering, Naraku's was ever fading still.

He stared at the mountain. What happened here? Naraku's trail ends here, and yet...

Sesshomaru!

Sesshomaru's head snapped to the right. Distinctly- a voice in his ear. It was faint and far away, but he heard his name. That voice...

"Oh-" Yuuki froze up, suddenly panicked as Sesshomaru looked her dead in the eye. H-he heard that!? She held her nonexistent breath for a few beats, and then Sesshomaru glanced around. She suddenly deflated, floating over to him. Guess he just heard, he can't see me. He walked forward and she floated around him, hovering over his left shoulder as he looked to his right. Looking to his left, she waved a hand in front of his face, yet no reaction.

"Yuuki..."

She gasped and floated back in shock. He knew it was me? Floating around him, no, she figured there was no way for him to be certain. Still, he's scary accurate, she thought as he walked off and she floated after him.

Sesshomaru came to a stop and looked around his feet. Hands behind her back, she floated over him and watched as he inspected the ground. He dug through the rubble with his clawed hand and pulled out a- "My talisman! Oop-" she quickly covered her mouth.

Sesshomaru didn't respond as he inspected the wooden circular talisman, a faint engraving of a three leafed plant atop a wreath. Rubbing his thumb over it, he could tell it was a very old and poorly kempt. This is Yuuki's, he realized, her scent all over it. No, more than that. Tightening his grip on it, he felt it. Her energy. There were small holes around the edge of the talisman, perhaps tassels once hung from it.

That wasn't the only source of her scent however. Yuuki could only watched as he walked back towards the mountain with her talisman, tucking it in his kimono beneath his armor. Well, I guess it's in safe hands.

Facing off with the rubble of the mountain, he raised two fingers and they shone with green poison. Yuuki hovered next to him and watched in surprised as his poison whip lashed at the mountain, exploding and melting the rocks. She wondered what he was searching for- Naraku's remains? It took Sesshomaru quite a few swings to reach deep enough into the mountain. Once he finished, he went in and once again dug around. He then retrieved a single bead, green as the sea floor seen from the surface. Inspecting it closer, a ying and yang forged inside. The craftsmanship was admirable, considering it was human make.

Yuuki hovered over him and exclaimed, "My rosary!" She was disheartened, both of her weapons were left behind on the island! She sighed, crossing her arms. "It could be worse, I suppose... At least Sesshomaru found them..."

However it was only one bead. If Sesshomaru had arrived much sooner, none of this would have had to happen the way it did. Sesshomaru stood with the bead, and Yuuki floated close next to him. She reached out for the bead, and it shone in response. Hovering her hands close, Sesshomaru's eyes widened as the bead acted on its own.

Summoning the rosary to return to her, the beads shot forth from the rubble, flying up and coming for Sesshomaru. He refused to budged as he tensed, yet as they neared they slowed, forming together again and hanging limp from his clawed hand.

He stared down at the rosary in his hand for a moment. Then ever so slightly the corners of his mouth twitched up, "I see. You're here." It was a small smile- not so much happy as it was silently laughing. Probably at himself.

Yuuki sighed as she drifted curled up in front of him. "If only you could see or hear me." She then reached out on a whim and passed her hand through his- and he closed his hand around the rosary, distinctly feeling the shiver from his hand up his arm.

"Your spirit is here, which means one of two things." Looking around the mountain he spoke aloud, "I do not smell blood nor the decay of flesh. Which means whatever fight that transpired here you survived."

"Barely I suppose," she replied, sitting seiza style in the air next to him. She then pouted lightly, "If you were here then that wouldn't have been a problem..."

Sesshomaru's smile fell away, closing his eyes as he tucked her rosary away as well. "Foolish. The battle appears hard fought. Had you waited for me it would not have been so."

"You were late!" She snapped at him- she'd be blushing from frustration if she had the blood for it.

Faintly- ever so he could hear her voice again. His eyes snapped over to hers and she froze up again- startled. He smiled again- the small one that was a silent laugh. She gasped- and would be blushing harder if she could. "You can hear me! Can you see me?"

"Your voice is faint," he said to her, his eyes wandering slightly. She sighed, guess he can't. "Manifesting your spirit into the physical realm is strenuous. Knowing you're astral projecting, you will be weak for a few days." His smile disappeared again. "You're a human, keep that in mind. Return to your body."

"I would if I could."

"When we meet again, I shall return your items to you." He turned away from her and added, "And you will tell me what transpired here."

She sighed, floating around him. "Yes, all right..."

She inspected his face for a moment as he stared out at the ocean. He then turned and looked her again in the eye, making her tense. He's so scary accurate...

"Come to me, Yuuki."

A breeze passed through her. She stared, her eyes wide. Had she had a heart at that moment, she'd be sure it would have skipped a beat at that slight smile he had.

Suddenly his energy built and her spirit was forced back. She cried out slightly as she was blown back. He was encased with white once more as he flew away across the sky. And so she was left alone, drifting slowly as she stared after him.

After swallowing, she forced herself to calm down. Looking up at the crescent moon in the sky she smiled faintly to herself. "Guess now I wait."

And she waited a long time, left with her own thoughts, until the sun began to rise again when she felt the pull, and she was thrown back into her body.

"Hey... hey, she's waking up! Kagome! Sango!" That was Shippo's voice...

Then Sango's, "Her eyes are twitching. She's stirring."

"Yuuki?" Kagome asked. "Yuuki, can you hear me?"

Yuuki groaned, her eyes screwed shut. She felt like she was hit by a bullet train. Her throat ached something fierce, her body dully throbbed in several places, and she was exhausted. All night she had no real rest thanks to being out of her body. I'm so tired of living, she thought weakly.

Still she forced her eyes open, and slowly the blurriness came into focus. Kagome, Sango, and Shippo were all hovering above her and smiling. Weakly Yuuki smiled back, but then heard Inuyasha's voice. "It's about time. For crying out loud it's like you died or something."

Her smile fell away. "I hate you..." Her voice was terribly hoarse and weak.

Kagome frowned over at him, "Would ya knock it off? Quit antagonizing her!"

"She's the one being dramatic," he snapped back.

"She did just wake up, Inuyasha," Miroku said in her defense.

"Everyone's on her side."

"You're not always in the right," Sango quipped back.

Having enough of the conversation, Yuuki attempted to sit up. "Careful!" Shippo readied to catch her, "Your wounds haven't even started healing!"

"I'll be fine," she replied quietly and managed to sit up. She then looked around confused, "Where are we?"

"We're at the fisherman's house," Kagome replied happily. "He was kind enough to let us stay for the night."

"For a fee," Inuyasha grumbled to himself.

Sango smiled at Yuuki, "He's actually being less grumpy since you woke up just now."

"Just cause we're waitin' on her!"

Yuuki scoffed a laugh to herself, he always had to be such a tough guy. "Yuuki?" She looked down at Shippo and she asked, "What happened to you back in the cave?"

"Huh?" She blinked at her friends and they all seemed apprehensive. "Wh-what do you mean?"

"You had a close encounter with Naraku," Kagome explained. "Your powers exploded and we couldn't see anything. Then the mountain was collapsing so we had to quickly get out."

"We didn't get a good look at Naraku's body," Inuyasha added and she looked over at him. "We've been waiting for you to tell us if he's really dead or not."

"Oh..." Yuuki stared off as she tried to think back. It was hazy for her, and she looked over at Miroku confused. "But wait, couldn't we check Miroku's Wind Tunnel?"

As everyone glanced at him, Sango looked sympathetic as Miroku smiled bitterly down at his covered hand. "I must admit, I'm a bit cowardly to check. My hopes are rising, despite the fact I sense no real change."

Yuuki sighed out her nose. Accepting that, she thought harder. Closing her eyes, she tried to look back, but everything was... white. "I had him... in my grasp." Everyone stared at her as she kept her eyes shut. A bead of sweat formed on her cheek as she remembered, "my hands... I sensed him so close and clearly, but as the Seishin became overwhelming he... faded." Looking down at her hands, she slowly closed her palms. "He didn't slip away, he just... disappeared." Even Sesshomaru said he didn't smell a corpse. She frowned at her friends, "I'm sorry, I don't know what else to say. I held onto whatever was left with all my might, worried he'd get away."

"I see," Sango mused to herself.

"Well, good thing you did," Kagome smiled. "You managed to get the jewel shards back. We have those at least."

"That's right!" Shippo piped up happily. "Not only that, but we have Sango's brother, too!"

"That's right," Miroku smiled at them, "We need to hurry back to Kaede's Village and see how he's doing. If Naraku truly did die, then his bond to Kohaku would be severed."

Yuuki smiled at Sango as well, but then realized she was tense. "We don't have to rush, I'm sure he's still in a daze. We need to make sure Yuuki's all right first."

"Sango, I'm fine." Sango looked to her worried, but she smiled. "Trust me, it looks worse than it feels." She hoped she was a good liar. "I honestly want to hurry back to Kaede's as well."

"That's the spirit." Inuyasha shoved himself up onto his feet and smirked. "Let's head back. I'm tired of waiting around wastin' daylight."

The group packed up their belongings, and Yuuki waited outside for them to finish, staring after where Sesshomaru flew off too, memorizing the path. The sooner we're on the road, the sooner I'll run into Sesshomaru again.

"Come to me, Yuuki."