I dedicate this chapter to: the "Vagina Monologues."

Read this little interlude before the chapter, unless you're a prude, all females should see the Vagina Monologues.

It is NOT porn.

Seriously, if you have never heard of it, you should type it into google! It's on the theory that if you hear certain words over and over again, the mind becomes numb to them and the words are more accepted. Obviously 'Vagina' is the word that I have been numbed to by watching the Vagina Monologues. It works.

I copied this from Wikipedia:

Every monologue somehow relates to the vagina, be it through sex, love, rape, menstruation, mutilation, masturbation, birth, orgasm, the variety of names for the vagina, or simply as a physical aspect of the female body. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment of individuality. Some monologues include:

-I Was Twelve, My Mother Slapped Me: a chorus describing many young women's and girls' first menstrual period.

-My Angry Vagina, in which a woman humorously rants about injustices wrought against the vagina, such as tampons, douches, and the tools used by OB/GYNs

-My Vagina Was My Village, a monologue compiled from the testimonies of Bosnian women subjected to rape camps.

-The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could, in which a woman recalls memories of traumatic sexual experiences in her childhood and a self-described "positive healing" sexual experience in her adolescent years with an older woman. In the original version, she is 13, but later versions would change her age to 16. This particular skit has sparked numerous controversies and criticisms due to its content (see below).

-The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy, in which a dominatrix for women discusses the intriguing details of her career and her love of giving women pleasure. In several performances it often comes at the end of the play, literally climaxing with a vocal demonstration of a "triple orgasm."

-Because He Liked to Look At It, in which a woman describes how she came to love her vagina because of a sexual experience with a man who was in awe of vaginas.

-I Was There In The Room, a monologue in which Eve Ensler describes the birth of her granddaughter.

Now.. onto the chapter!

One more thing... you all know I don't really proof read these things. Just checking.
I felt so much better after my cry fest, and I felt a tad bit braver as well. Sesshoumaru had returned after I had that little heart-to-heart with myself, and I tested my newfound courage.

"What happened to Jaken and Rin?" I asked slowly, cautiously.

My hackles raised as the dangerous glint appeared in his eyes at my words. So that was off-limits, good to know. I breathed deeply and tried to make nerves of steel. Tried. I was just still so nervous around him.

I walked over to him and knelt beside him, trying to act nonchalant as if he didn't bother me. I was also extremely exhausted, but I had to get this curse removed.

"Is there a specific place you need me to work on?" My voice shook, so much for nerves of steel.

"Finish my arm." For some reason, I was no longer offended by his demanding tone. He just always sounded like that.

I nodded, and slowly reached for his arm as he raised it. I placed one hand under his wrist as I checked his hand, I had gotten every last strand yesterday I noted with approval, as much of his arm. I glanced at his face before reaching for his sleeve. He wasn't even looking at me. Fine by me.

I grasped the hem of his sleeve and slowly pushed it upwards, I had done this yesterday, but it somehow felt different today. Probably because I was slightly more exhausted yesterday than I was now. I didn't want to stare at his wrists, but I did, his stripes were so… exotic looking. I was more observant of my surroundings, more observant of him. I forced my eyes away and pushed his sleeve up more, carefully checking to see if I had missed any. I made it to his elbow before I found one I had missed yesterday. I removed it and pushed his sleeve up even further until it bunched and I could not push it any further. There wasn't that much left to purify, they were mostly on his upper arm. I held it in place with my left hand and used my right to purify. I was getting somewhere with this, even though I had spent almost an entire day purifying and I hadn't even gotten one limb completed, it was a good sign. I would get faster with practice.

I glanced up at Sesshoumaru to find his eyes on my hand, insecurity crept up my spine and I remembered I needed a manicure. What a time to be self conscious. I glanced back at my hand then wondered why I had thought I needed one. My hand looked… like it wasn't mine. I stopped and brought my hand up to look at it.

There was nothing wrong with it.

That was the problem.

There were no hang-nails, no calluses, no nothing. My hand was smooth, needing no lotion, the natural wrinkles seemed less prominent.

"My hand doesn't look human." I whispered sadly. How much more of my life was the Shikon going to change?

Sesshoumaru said nothing, so I went back to his arm with tears welling in my eyes. I was shocked when he moved his arm away.

"The time for tears has passed." I glanced at him and he placed his arm back into my hand, I nodded and pushed his sleeve back up with my left hand. Did he just try to comfort me?

"You're right." I said softly and was greeted with more silence. I needed to talk! I didn't even have to talk about anything in particular, just talk! I needed conversation.

"How old are you?" I blurted, not exactly what I wanted to say, but it would do.

He seemed taken aback slightly and he actually answered. "I am close to nine hundred."

My right hand stopped, and my eyes went to his. "Wow… What do you do with all that time?"

"There is no point to this line of talk." He stated, he looked slightly uncomfortable… maybe?

"But that is the point," I said with a little smile. "It is just filler for the silence. It's too quiet."

He was quiet for a few minutes and I thought I was in for some more lovely silence when he answered, "I traveled."

I stopped again to look up at him, but he was looking away from me. "Where?" I asked as I resumed my task.

"To the continent." He stated simply, and I opened my mouth to ask another question but he beat me to it. "Why do you wish to know? Surely there are other pressing topics to discuss."

He was hinting towards the Shikon and the youkai that have been expelled. "What's there to talk about? We'll handle them as they come. In the meantime, I'll be with you." Then I figured I would elaborate, since I didn't want him getting the wrong idea. "Since I will be spending so much time around you, I should be comfortable while I'm doing it." I figured I should just stop talking then.

"You should not be fearful."

"I'm not!" I said nervously and put my foot in my mouth. "Not that you're not intimidating… you could kill me in like, two seconds!" I should really stop talking.

"One."

One? Wait, what? "Huh?" I patted myself on the back for my great response.

"It would take me one second to kill you."

Was he joking? "Is that supposed to make me feel more comfortable?"

"No."

Tears threatened to fall again, I didn't think he was joking. Holy hell my life was just so screwed up

"It is reasonable to believe that you will once again cross the well once you are no longer needed here." Sesshoumaru said and startled me.

"Why would you say that?" I whispered.

"Midoriko stated that you could not cross because of the dangers of the jewel. Once your tasks are completed here, you may go there."

Well. I'll be damned if Sesshoumaru didn't just lift my spirits.

"You really think so?"

Wow! I even received a nod for that! With my hopes up, I resumed removing the curse at a hurried pace.

"If the jewel is destroyed before you remove my curse, I will not permit you to leave until it is done."

Well.

"I'm more worried about you leaving me when I'm done." Silence was all that greeted my statement. My face fell.

"You are going to leave." My voice flat.

"I made no promises." My heart sank lower into the depths of depression. Self pity tugged at my soul, and it was tempting to fall into it. My mind worked at double speed to formulate some sort of a plan.

"If," I started, emphasizing the word. "That's a big if, I remove your curse first, I will have to go to Kouga for assistance."

"That wolf will want compensation." I looked to Sesshoumaru and knew exactly what he meant. I also knew it was true.

Bubbling out of my bleak thoughts, a chuckle. Maybe I would bed Kouga, a one night stand. Not my best idea, but if it kept Kouga satisfied and me alive… I would do it. "I could go freakin' buck-wild." As if saying it out loud would lift my spirits, like a girl about to go and party, bragging about how much fun she was going to have. You know, get pumped up about it, and to tell you the truth: It worked a little bit.

I noticed Sesshoumaru's glance at me and I blushed. I didn't blush through sex-ed, so why now? I steeled my nerves against the embarrassing topic. How come everything came to sex? Of course I knew the answer: Everyone thought about sex, everyone. Even the taiyoukai in front of me, though I've never seen a hint that he had.

"You know, it wouldn't be the end of the world if I did pull a one nighter with Kouga." I said confidently, and then proceeded to mutter: "It'd be safer here than where I'm from."

This seemed to spike Sesshoumaru's curiosity. "Why would it be safer to rut a male wolf demon than a human from your own village."

Oh hell, if that didn't open a whole new can of worms.

Could I answer that without going into the world of STD's and HIV? If there was a better answer, my anxious brain couldn't think of anything but the truth.

"Well… ahhh…" Well that's a good start. I swallowed and tried again. "Where I'm from, there's more promiscuity than there is here… in fact, it's generally accepted." Obviously I had not answered his question, his eyes spoke volumes. "I have to give you background information first." This eased his intense gaze… slightly.

"With a rise in promiscuity among my people, there is an increase in diseases that are transmitted by," Shaky breath in. "Sexual acts." Yay! I said it! "I'm not an expert or anything on all the different types of diseases, but some are transferred by skin on skin contact, and some are transferred by blood, fluids, and other… stuff." Oh yeah, I definitely was very skilled at this. "So women and men must be very careful and use protection methods to prevent contact with blood and… fluids."

Sesshoumaru looked disgusted, not just a tiny bit disgusted, but downright just-stepped-in-dog-poo disgusted. "I do not wish to know why blood is such an issue among humans, if one does not wish to come into contact with blood, then one should not spill it."

I swear I stared at him for a minute before I comprehended what he had said.

"W-we don't spill blood!" I managed. "You may not see it, but blood is definitely involved!" I sat and closed my eyes and begged him not to ask me how!

"How is that possible?"

Argh! My face flamed red, how was I going to explain this? The truth sounds good. I swallowed… hard. "Well…" Oh lord, could my tongue get any thicker? "When men and women get," I paused, desperately searching for the right word. "Aroused… a large amount of blood flows… to certain areas, and it makes it easier for blood-borne diseases to be transferred from one person to another. See, not every time can a disease be passed, but it's likely."

I was mentally begging for a monster to jump out of the Tama. Anything, to save me from this discussion. I would not be a good teaching candidate for a sex-ed class.

My face was still red. It was now well beyond just informing Sesshoumaru like a teacher would, it felt personal.

"Do you carry these diseases?"

My head shot up. "No!" Well I said that a little too loudly. "I mean, most of the time you have to actually do something with a partner for that to happen… and I… haven't."

Silence. Well did that mean that I got to quit talking? Yay!

"Power flows through your blood."

I blinked… twice.

Then understanding dawned, the power of the shikon flowed through my blood, with every pump of my heart. Blood could be transmitted during… sex.

Great. Just freakin' great.

Wouldn't it be easier for a youkai to just eat me? Yes, yes it would.

That didn't keep the emptiness in my heart from growing. What would happen if I decided to settle down? Would it even matter after Midoriko expelled all of the youkai from the jewel?

I knew I had to be very careful, as flashes popped in my head of Mistress Centipede healing her body when the jewel was still in my side.

I could not control the aura of the jewel, so if Mistress Centipede could do that… I shuddered to think of what someone could do when being… intimate with me.

Kouga… for all his displays of loyalty and love, could not resist trying to take power from the jewel, even if he had no intention of hurting me. Kouga would want the power of the Sacred Jewel. Sure, he would achieve the full power of the Sacred Jewel if he absorbed it, but that would mean killing me, which was something Kouga would not do. So he would try to keep me and feed off what power he could receive from me.

My throat was very dry. "So once the youkai are expelled… I won't have to worry about it anymore…"

"That is not certain."

"How?" Will the world just stop trying to kill my spirit?

"I believe that the power of the jewel comes from Midoriko's soul, not the youkai within. The youkai of the jewel assist evil entities to taint the purity of the jewel, thus allowing the user to use the jewel to their selfish wishes."

Wow. Sesshoumaru actually was thinking about this.

"One of two outcomes of expelling all the youkai are possible. The jewel may just disappear and Midoriko's soul will reincarnate, or you will take the figurative place of the youkai that are now within the jewel. No doubt Midoriko will favor you if her soul cannot move on."

"Let me see if I get that… The youkai of the jewel now are the real reason Naraku was able to taint it." He nodded. "So by your theory…" I trailed off as I thought something. "Wait, if the youkai are expelled, why would Midoriko need me to keep the jewel pure? Wouldn't it already be pure and no evil being could touch it right? Why me?" I wanted to fall into a pit of self pity.

"Miko." Sesshoumaru's voice forced my attention. "With a jewel of massive purifying energy, would you not think that any priestess that handles it will do devastation to the youkai race? You are the only miko I have met that has not held ill-will towards youkai."

He was right. "So by your theory," I continued what I was saying earlier. "I would house the jewel within my body, and that I can be used… by others to gain power from a pure shikon jewel they could not otherwise touch?"

Sesshoumaru gave me a nod. "There is the possibility that the jewel will dissipate and your body will house Midoriko's soul."

To me there were holes in his theory, so maybe it was flawed and the jewel would just disappear after Midoriko was finished. This was giving me such a headache.

Wait. A headache?

"Sesshoumaru…" I trailed off.

"I believe one of the Shikon youkai is approaching." His attention turned away from me and I focused on sensing the oncoming youkai. It was the last youkai that had been expelled, it's aura was the same. I briefly wondered what had happened to the first youkai.

"Sesshoumaru," I tried again. "Midoriko has bad timing." My voice was tense.

"Indeed." He said as he drew Toukijin. I reached for my Bow and slid on my quiver of arrows.

I felt the wind caress my face as I stood ready, and my heart started pounding. The pain in my head increased.

My breathing was short and ragged by the time the second Shikon youkai appeared. I barely took notice of the youkai's features as a haze of pain covered my vision, he appeared humanoid.

I fell to my knees, "Sesshoumaru…" I pleaded up to him, this couldn't be happening.

I felt arms go around me. I relaxed, I would be alright.

Wait. Arms?

I shoved away, so much was blurred. "No! Sesshoumaru!"

"I got you Kagome." It was Kouga! His arms tightened around me, what was he doing here? "Are you okay?" His voice was like a beacon for me, I tried to focus.

"Help… youkai is trying to take over.. My mind." I pleaded.

"I won't let anything hurt you. Relax."

"Sesshoumaru…" I blurted out.

"Dog-face can take care of himself, he'll kill that youkai. Just relax."

I collapsed back into Kouga's chest. My hands sought his, I grasped them for comfort.

The youkai was released from inside my heart, and I prepared to fight along side Kouga.

Oh don't kill me because I threw Kouga back into the mix, he's fun to play with!