Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. In fact, at the moment I highly doubt that I am even in the possession of a fully functional brain (sleep debts are a curious thing…)
CHAPTER 24 – Alchemy for the Errant Miko
As Micah carried Kagome down to the lake, the pair of them quickly fell back into their habit of playful banter; much to the amusement of everyone except Sesshoumaru, who found the business irritating and unnecessary.
"Wow Kagome, you're so hot!"
"Why thank you Micah, you know I always think so, but it is nice to get confirmation once in a while."
Inuyasha snickered. Sesshoumaru frowned.
"No, not hot in that way," he grinned and rolled his eyes. "I meant your body temperature; it's really high."
"That's because I'm burning for you, Micah." She gave him a playful grin that quickly turned to a pout. "Hey, does that mean you don't think I'm hot? Because I distinctly remember a time when you told me I was the most wondrous beauty you'd ever come across."
Inuyasha was almost doubled over in silent laughter. Miroku was storing that line away for future use. Sesshoumaru was bearing his fangs.
"Yes well, you had me pinned in the most difficult position at the time and I would have said anything you wanted me to. Besides, I know very well that nothing I could ever say would put the slightest dent in your rather secure sense of self-esteem." He pointed his nose in the air, putting up a front of snotty diffidence.
"Micah darling, are you implying that I'm arrogant?" Kagome smiled wickedly. "Let us not forget that you are the one with the big head."
"Hey! I'll have you know that my head is perfectly proportioned to my stunningly impressive 6'4 frame, and so is every other part of my body, as you may well remember." He waggled his eyebrows.
Inuyasha made a disgusted face. Sesshoumaru clenched his fists to the point where he was nearly snapping the bones in his fingers. Miroku looked on appreciatively, thinking about how well he and this man would get along.
"Oh yes, I do remember the first time I saw you take your shirt off and put on swimming trunks. The sleek definition of your calves, your rippling pectorals…"
Inuyasha was putting his finger down his throat and gagging. Sesshoumaru was struggling to conceal the red he knew was tingeing his eyes.
"And the milky white of your skin with those absurd tan lines you got from wearing pants and a t-shirt all summer long," she finished with snort of derision. Micah blushed. "HA! You blushed first! I win, I win, I win!"
"This time," he muttered. "You just wait Kags, I'll get you yet!"
"Dream on, angel boy," she teased.
The eight adults had reached the lake at this point, which was a good thing for Sesshoumaru, because it gave him the opportunity to change the subject. If those two had continued on, he wasn't sure what he would have done. Probably give 'Angel Boy' a one-way ticket to heaven.
"If you are finished with your nonsense, then perhaps we can discuss more important issues?" he growled.
His response was a dual raspberry from both Kagome and Micah.
"Remember Sesshoumaru, I'm the one that gets to lead the conversation, not you," the latter teased.
"Hn." Trying to change the subject once again, he continued. "You will find that it will be easy to lower her into the water from the edge of that dock."
"No need, Sesshoumaru; I've got it covered," he replied as he kicked off his shoes and simply walked into water with Kagome still in his arms.
Five sets of eyes widened. Even Mia and Kikyou had not expected this. Miroku, though, was smirking pleasantly. He definitely liked how this Peters guy operated.
When he'd gotten about waist deep, Micah let Kagome slip into the water. She moaned in satisfaction, causing a series of bubbles to surface after her head had slipped under. He pulled her to where the water would reach shoulder height. She didn't have enough body fat to really float, but at this depth it'd take the weight off her feet and surround most of her skin with the natural coolness of the water.
When she'd finally surfaced for the fourth time, she seemed to settle enough that Micah knew it was time to start getting answers.
"Okay Kagome, now tell us how you figured out you could alter living things," he said, adopting a moderately serious tone.
"Why do I have to go first?" she said petulantly.
"Because I said so, that's why," he retorted.
Both inu brothers were just waiting for Kagome to let him have it for that remark, but they were disappointed.
"Fine," she mumbled. "I actually started thinking about it the moment I met Inuyasha."
"Nani?" the former hanyou gasped.
"Well, you see, I could tell from your aura that you possess and exceptionally strong soul, because that's what an aura is, it's like…the physical expression of a soul's voice, and potential."
They stared at her.
"Oh heavens, how to explain?" She rolled her eyes. "Okay, we'll start somewhere else. A soul is what directs your body. It's the home of your agency, your will, and your personality. Those things can be shaped and honed by experience, but you're basically born with an innate sense of individuality, understand?"
Nods.
"Great. Now, different souls possess different amounts of power behind them. The soul of an insect is relatively weak; it's got enough power to fuel an insect's simple anatomy and express its natural drives, but that's about it. The more complex the being, the more powerful the soul necessary to fuel it and direct its life force, got that?"
More nods.
"Moving on… Humans need a good amount of power in their soul, and those who don't have enough will find themselves susceptible to the rule of others. They cannot think for themselves and are perfectly happy to let others run their lives and make all their decisions for them.
Mikos, priests, and other magical humans have much more powerful souls. It takes a great deal of energy, focus, and endurance to be able to wield and use holy powers. Likewise, demons have enormous amounts of power in their souls, though it varies with the strength of the youkai.
Youkai who are simple animals have the least, and then animals that can understand and communicate with humans, then demons who have a humanoid form, and then demons like Sesshoumaru-sama over there who can take humanoid form, have a true form, and can perform all kinds of magical attacks and feats and such. Those are typically the most powerful souls out there."
"So where do hanyous fit into this?" Inuyasha asked.
"That's what I was getting to next," she smiled. Her movements and the slight tightening of her face gave away that she was in pain, but the sparkle of her eyes let everyone know she was relishing talking about what she knew. It was a joy to her to be able to discuss things like this with those she loved, it was sharing a part of herself with them, and their eager acceptance and curiosity hade her feel secure and treasured.
Speaking of treasured, though he could not see through the lake's water to be sure, Sesshoumaru was certain from the position of their heads and shoulders that Micah had his hands around Kagome's waist, and was gently supporting her. The temptation to go into the water and yank her away from Micah had only been overcome by his brother's interruption.
"Hanyous," she went on, "are typically more powerful than humans, but do not possess the same kind of soul like Sesshoumaru. Their souls are not as complex, or as deep. You," she said to Inuyasha, "on the other hand seem to be an exception. The day we met I could tell your aura was stronger than any other hanyou's I'd ever come across.
"Your sankontessou was loaded with magic, and it intrigued me that it took so little effort for you to summon. I watched you at Information Front, and I saw you transform the tetsaiga. The youki there might have originated from your father's fang, but your being able to wield and direct it was proof enough that your soul was as strong as nearly any youkai in the world."
Inuyasha's cheeks took on a charming pink tinge, and the women smiled fondly at him.
"See, love; haven't I always told you as much?" Kikyou questioned as she wrapped her arm around his waist and intertwined their fingers.
"Keh, yeah, yeah, you're always right." He tried to play the situation off, but everyone could tell he was really pleased, if a little embarrassed.
"So I began to wonder, if you had such a powerful soul, if you couldn't somehow get a body to match. Then I had a conversation with Kikyou, where we talked abut what it meant for her to be human and be mated to you. I knew that you two had made your peace with her mortality, but I had not."
Kagome's eyes took on a new look, one Sesshoumaru had never seen before. There was a seriousness to them that he would have thought completely beyond the immature miko.
"You both deserved more than what normal life could offer. So, from that moment, about the time I quit," she stole a glance at Sesshoumaru, "I poured my efforts into finding a way to make it work, and I began to research ancient texts."
"You found this in a book?" Sesshoumaru asked, disbelievingly. He himself had studied alchemy for over a century and had never come across such a thing.
"Yes, it was a book called Advanced Alchemy for the Errant Miko," she snorted. "Of course I didn't find it in a book!"
"Then how?" he questioned.
"I just put some pieces together and made some adjustments based on what I felt," she said, sighing. "Honestly Sesshoumaru, magic isn't some kind of recipe that you follow. You just have to ponder the different elements, understand their idiosyncrasies, take the time to feel them, and then you can improvise."
"How did you change us then?" Kikyou asked.
"Well, I thought about what you were. I had to cut you, so I could sense from your blood what your exact compositions were. Then, I focused on what I wanted you to change into; this is where Sesshoumaru came in. I needed his blood as a model to pinpoint the differences and give me a direction to head towards. I've studied anatomy and biology a lot in the past, so I knew what to do on that account, but Sesshoumaru's blood allowed me to feel and copy the inu demon essence. Finally, I thought about how to convince your bodies to change.
"As a Gaean miko I'm supposed to able to control the elements, right? Well, that's all your bodies are, just complex elements of the earth put together in a certain way. Your souls had the power and the potential, I just kind of rearranged the atoms in your body and meddled with your ki a bit, okay well a lot, and viola! I'm a genius!"
Mia, Kikyou, Miroku, and Micah laughed at her antics. Inuyasha, and even Sango, were still surprised she was so sure of herself. Sesshoumaru was incredulous at her apparent lack of respect for the situation.
"What do you mean you meddled with our ki?" Kikyou asked.
"For starters, I couldn't have your own holy powers trying to purify you, which is why you were a bit harder to change than Inu," she smiled. "I kind of had to instruct your souls how to wield magic in your new forms. It's like your soul is who you are, and it determines your ability to use power. Your body is the vessel it works through. They've all got to be synchronized or else the whole thing goes kaput."
Sesshoumaru had had enough. Kagome appeared to be taking this whole thing as some kind of tricky stunt she'd pulled off. She was reminding him of Rin when she was six and would come running up to him with some obscure drawing looking for praise and reassurance all the while chanting, "Look what I did!"
"Did you ever stop to consider what you might do to them?" he asked. "What might accidentally go wrong? You only began to study this issue a few weeks ago, and yet you plowed ahead anyways? I know you have spent your days riding, or taking care of Shippou, or some other mundane chore, not to mention the time spent plotting ways to harass this Sesshoumaru. When exactly did all this supposed 'pondering' take place?"
"Alright," she said getting defensive. "First of all, never refer to my relationship with my son as a 'mundane chore'!" she growled.
"That is not the point, miko. I was asking…"
"Second of all, you may think you may know how I've spent my time, but let's not forget I lost every single tail you placed on me when I felt like it, and you had to resort to tricking my sister into inviting you along to my birthday party to get close to me!" she was building energy, and her steel eyes were now silver. "Which, by the way, was part of my plan you oh-so-easily fell right into!"
At the mention the deceit practiced on her, Kikyou's eyes widened and she let out an indignant huff. 'I hope she nails him!' she growled inwardly. Ever since she became a demon, she felt her sense of retribution a little harder to resist.
"And finally, until last night, I had not slept since I began my search, something which even you are not capable of, Sesshoumaru-sama, so no judging what you don't know or understand!" By now she had walked a good way out of the water was and standing with one hand on her hip and the other pointing accusingly at him, all the while giving off a slight glow.
She didn't get to enjoy her righteous anger long though, with the glowing came a fresh wave of burning sensations. "OWW!" she whined as she quickly retreated into the water and Micah's arms.
Sesshoumaru would have smirked, but the fact that she'd immediately went to Peters sobered him up.
"What the heck is that about?" she cried out.
"That, miko, would be the Refiner's Fire I mentioned earlier. I believe we would all agree that we have now come to the part where I know what I'm talking about, and you, sadly, do not. Therefore, I suggest you cease your petty arguing and listen to someone wiser than you for once in your life."
His smirk was back in full force.
That is, until an unforeseen ten foot wave of water launched from the previously still surface of the lake.
Gasping in pain and clinging desperately for support from Micah, Kagome was just able to register the very drenched, and very angry, figure that was Sesshoumaru, a fish or two flopping at his feet.
"It was worth it," she said through clenched teeth.
"Kagome," Mia chastised. "Was that really necessary?"
"He started it!" both she and Micah retorted indignantly.
"He deserved it, too," Kikyou added, catching everyone off guard. Normally, she would never speak against Sesshoumaru, or condone Kagome's childish retaliation. However, along with a heightened sense of vengeance, she also felt more inclined to side with and stick up for her family.
"He insulted her intelligence and her intentions because he's too thick headed to see she hides her modesty under humor and sarcasm. Besides which, Kagome should have earned his respect with what she has done. None of us would ever be able to do what she has, and just because he cannot understand, he chooses to attack."
The growl in her voice both impressed and aroused Inuyasha. He loved that she had just put down his brother, especially in front of Micah. Sesshoumaru may accuse him of being stupid and unobservant, but he'd seen all of his brother's reactions to Micah and Kagome, and he knew he was jealous.
"Besides which," Micah cut in, "he's already been reminded that he doesn't get to have a say in this conversation. He can certainly wait till tomorrow to be his usual overbearing self; it won't kill him."
Mia, sensing the rising tension, made a move to try and dispel it somewhat. "You forget though, he has yet to explain this Refiner's Fire to us, and I must confess, I'm most anxious to hear what he has to say."
"I bet I can guess what it is," Kagome said somewhat forlornly. Her tone caught the attention of the others.
"Truly?" Sesshoumaru asked sarcastically. "I'd love to hear what you think it is."
"Refining is the process through which impurities are purged from a more valuable substance. Historically, the refiner's fire is in reference to the extremely hot flames needed in order to melt metals such as gold and silver, thus leaving the dross, which melts at a different temperature, to be sieved out," Kagome explained. "This leaves the metal pure, clean, and infinitely more valuable."
She looked at Sesshoumaru to make sure she was on the right track. Reluctantly, he nodded.
"Now, as Sesshoumaru said, the power I used began to change my body. I'm guessing that I used so much magic in transforming Kikyou and Inuyasha that it had an effect on me as well. I saw my reflection in a mirror in the hall, I know my eyes have not changed back to brown, and I doubt they ever will now."
Here she gulped and a few tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm also guessing that this has something to do with extending my life. Mother, you told me that I had the potential of living for centuries (A/N: see chapter 11 if you're lost), and unless I'm mistaken, it is my mortality that that was purged from me, or at least partially. Sesshoumaru said I had 'begun' to change, so I'm guessing my body temperature is up, and I'm in pain because the process is incomplete. Am I right?"
She looked at Sesshoumaru, almost pleading for him to contradict her, but knowing he wouldn't. Once again the taiyoukai felt his feelings shift to respect. He had underestimated her again.
'I really must cease to do that, it brings me nothing but aggravation,' he thought. Everyone was waiting for him to answer, but the look on Kagome's face was holding him back. He didn't understand why she looked upset. Most humans would jump at the chance to have the same lifespan as a demon, and here she was balking at it.
"You are correct," he finally replied. "But I do not understand your distress on the matter. You just gave your sister a form of immortality, why change her if you find the idea of extended life repellent?"
"I already told you, it was the only way to keep them alive," she said, still weeping. "I meant it to be their choice, but I couldn't stand by and not help when I knew how to save them." She looked at Kikyou. "I am sorry."
"I have already told you not to worry, dear heart," Kikyou replied. "It is a gift you have given me, and I am grateful for it."
Kagome nodded, and rested back fully against Micah's chest and closed her eyes. Sesshoumaru, wanting to disrupt the scene in front of him, was about to question her further but she beat him to it.
"Do you know how long until I recover?"
"You cannot recover your former mortality, if that is what you are asking. The change may not be complete, but the process cannot be undone," he stated.
"No, I meant, how long until it stops feeling like my blood is on fire?"
"I do not know. The pain may dull, but I doubt it will recede completely until you have finished the process, so I suggest you do so."
She eyed him dangerously, but he couldn't figure out why. His tone hadn't been condescending; in fact, he'd been nearly solicitous!
He saw the glance she gave her mother and sister. It was almost as if she had expected them to start harping on her about completing the change too. The fact that she suddenly changed the subject confirmed his suspicions.
"So, is everything still on for tomorrow?"
The other females blinked. "Kagome, I don't think it's entirely appropriate…" Mia began. "I mean, we've had a big upset this week and all."
"Mother, have you seen the way Inuyasha has been eying Kikyou all night? I really don't think he'd want to push the ceremony back," she replied with a grin.
Two low growls came from the couple, but Sesshoumaru knew that they weren't necessarily angry ones.
"On top of which, I think it might be safest to carry on. If there's a change in plans, people will get suspicious, and whoever it is that did this should know he can't hinder us. And since I doubt whoever it is knows about me, it will be the perfect opportunity for me to check everyone in attendance to look for that same taint."
"Taint?" Inuyasha asked. "What taint?"
"Whoever is the mastermind behind your guys' capture has the most foul, repulsive aura I've ever come across, and he left his stinking traces on every single being in the compound you were being held in. If I pick it up on anybody tomorrow, it will give me some leads on where to start digging."
Sesshoumaru noted her use of the word "me" instead of "us". 'As if anyone here would allow her to look into this alone.'
Kagome was walking out of the water, Micah right behind her. The fact that her silk pajamas were clinging to her more than fine form was not lost on any of the males present.
Once on shore, she placed a hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Less than a minute later, all the water on them had evaporated, and while her jaw was clenched, she was still standing on her own.
"Thanks Kags," Micah whispered in her ears, though the demons present could still here it. When he began to lightly rub her back, Sesshoumaru once again had to stop himself from ripping the miko away from him.
"Mother, Kikyou, are you interested in what his aura felt like? Perhaps you'll be able to recognize it." The other two women nodded and approached.
Kagome placed her hands on their shoulders and released a pink glow. Their reaction was immediate.
"How horrid!" Mia shuddered.
"Oh, sick!" Kikyou nearly retched. "How disgusting! Bleh!"
"You're telling me," Kagome muttered.
"How?" Inuyasha asked.
"We told you before, remember? We can share things through our blood bond. In fact, if I had cut my hand while changing you, you probably would have been blood bonded to me like Kikyou. It would have made things a little easier for me, but I doubt you would have appreciated it in the end," she smiled.
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. He wondered what it would be like to be linked to the miko. Perhaps he'd be able to manipulate her powers like Kikyou had done the day she came home to Japan. It was an interesting concept he'd have to remember. 'I should not be thinking this so close to her!' he mentally chastised himself, but apparently she didn't seem to notice.
He took a moment to see if she really was listening in to his thoughts. Deciding what would be the most likely to get a reaction out of her he mentally called out, 'Hando, this Sesshoumaru demands to know if you have had relations with Peters.'
Nothing.
Not trusting her lack of response, he decided to go for one more try, just to make sure. 'Hey Hando, nice ass!'
She didn't even blink. 'Hmm, well my thoughts are safe for now. What a relief.'
"You know what?" Kikyou asked, drawing Sesshoumaru's attention back onto the matter at hand. "There's something familiar about this aura!"
"You know who it is?" Kagome asked eagerly.
"I'm not sure…" her eyes went unfocused for a moment. "I've felt part of it before I know, but it's changed somehow. It's more diverse, more powerful now. It's almost as if…" she trailed off.
"It's a mishmash of multiple auras that are held together by one powerful one?" Mia asked.
"Can you tell us anything else about it?" Sango asked.
"It's male," Kikyou said.
"Less than 100 years old," Mia added.
"And it feels as if his soul is consumed with desire, as if he has pushed all other drives or feelings away and only room for his obsessions remain," Kagome concluded as her mother and sister nodded in agreement.
The men were duly impressed at how well the three worked together.
"And it's the main one that I remember feeling before, but it was years ago, and I can't think of it now," Kikyou said with a whine in her voice.
"You know, you're really cute as a demon," Kagome smiled.
"Yes, I quite agree," Micah grinned. "You were beautiful before, Ms. Higurashi, but now…"
"Watch it Peters!" Inuyasha growled, and then an idea struck him. "She's mine. You've got Kagome, leave Kikyou alone unless you wanna be dog chow!"
Micah looked at Kagome and they both burst out laughing, that is until the murderous vibes rolling off of Sesshoumaru caught their attention. They looked at him curiously.
"What's up with you, Sesshoumaru, I was only joking!" Micah stated, not fancying the level of pain and suffering that typically coincided with the kind of anger being displayed by the taiyoukai.
'Thought so,' Inuyasha grinned.
Sesshoumaru was most unhappy at Kagome being referred to as belonging to Micah. She did NOT belong to him. SHE left HIM and went half away the world to JAPAN!
The puzzled look on Kagome's face brought him back to reality, and the red that had crept into his eyes began to dissipate.
"Watch your tongue, you imbecile," was all he said to Micah.
Kagome was close to questioning him when she suddenly went stiff. She spun around and looked in the direction of the mansion.
"What is it?" Mia asked, worried that something else catastrophic was going to happen. Honestly, couldn't her children stay out of trouble for more than a day at a time?
"Shippou!" She breathed and took off running. "He's so angry that he's using his magic and foxfire!"
"Where is he?" Micah asked as he leapt forward with superior speed and scooped her up into his arms.
"Music room!"
The pair bolted inside, closely followed by the other demons while poor Miroku, Sango, and Mia were left to catch up at their human pace.
When they made it to the room they were greeted by the sight of the young kit alternately punching and flaming what looked like to be a large, green, bug-eyed balloon that was squawking in pain and rage.
"Take it back!" he snarled, viciously pounding the odd floating thing he'd tethered to the ground by standing on what looked like a flipper attached to a very long, thin leg.
The blob bounced on the ground and seemed to pick up a wooden staff with two heads. "Haha, you're in for it now you filthy little brat!" it screeched as it floated in the air. "NINTOUJO!"
A large jet of orange flames shot forward towards the kit. Mia, Sango, and Rin screamed, but Kagome didn't even flinch.
"Stupid head!" snapped Shippou as he reached out and seemingly caught the flames. They turned blue and formed into one big fireball. "Fire doesn't work against kitsunes like me, you LOSER!"
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA, SAVE ME!" the green blob screeched as the kit hurled the fireball at it.
"What is going on?" Sesshoumaru demanded, though he didn't move to intervene.
"Shippou-chan is giving Jaken-sama an ass-whooping, outo-san!" Rin said in excited tones from her perch on the piano bench. Kohaku, who had been standing behind her, quickly covered her mouth with his hand, but it was too late; the damage had been done.
-x-X-x-X-x-X-x-
A/N: Alright, alright. I'll admit it – I'm a horrible author who neglects her duties and is beyond remiss in updating. In my defense though I've been extremely busy. (Two weddings with attached bridesmaids duties and bachelorette parties and a crazy time at work.) But anyways, better late than never right? AND – to make it up to all you fabulous readers/reviewers, chapter 25 will be extra long. Currently it is 20 pages and I haven't even finished it yet.
Speaking of chapter 25…here are some spoilers for your viewing pleasure:
-"Shippou-chan told Jaken sama that if he wouldn't, ah, cut it out" Rin struggled over the foreign phrase, "then he would give Jaken-sama an ass-whooping and make him cry for his mommy like he wouldn't believe!"-
-The entire room was amazed. They had all frozen to their spots, including Sesshoumaru. However, as he was frequently still and impossible to read, nobody really noticed how surprised he was at his own outburst. Inuyasha stared at him, unsure whether or not to believe his own ears. After all, they' weren't where they used to be and perhaps he hadn't mastered the use of these new ones yet.-
-"What?" Kagome asked again. The tears in her mother's eyes and the calculating stare of Sesshoumaru were unnerving. "What? I'm not trying to tell you how to raise them, honestly! I was just saying…" Realization dawned. "You didn't know, did you?"-
-'I wonder if this means that on some level the old tyrant actually respects me,' Kagome thought.-
There you go, and those are all from only the first ten pages. Teehee! Thanks again for all the reviews, especially the ones who pointed out mistakes and told me how to fix them, and also for the input. Yea, and the ones who just leave a few words of encouragement. Oh and I gotta love the one that said I was a god. Aw heck, I love you all!