My God… what the fuck has the world come to? First Al-Qaeda has a twitter, then there's a shooting in an Oregon mall, then some shitface decides to go and shoot a classroom full of five-year-olds and his own mother. I just don't know anymore. Prayers go out to those families and their loss. Sometimes, I really hate people.

DISCLAIMER: *INSERT CUTE DISCLAIMER HERE*

XXX

Chapter 5

-Saika has entered the chat room-

Saika: Cut

Saika: Love

Saika: Hate

Saika: Kagome

Saika: Cut

Saika: Love

Saika: Cut

Saika: Humans

Saika: Love

Saika: Hate

Saika: Kagome

-Saika has left the chat room-

XXX

It was silent—broken only by the occasional scrape of silverware, sometimes the occasional request for more. Regardless, it was awkward and Kun-loon glanced helplessly between her niece and her own daughter. Sighing, she placed her fork down and gave Anri her warmest smile. "So Anri, how has life been in Ikebukuro? I mean, it's a very big city—"

Kagome rolled her eyes. "Mama, Anri's trying to eat right now. Why don't we question her once she's done?" At her mother's silence, Kagome glanced up from her food, only to be met with a searing look that promised they'd talk about this later. Kagome barely suppressed a shiver. "What?"

"…Nothing." Turning away from Kagome, Kun-loon smiled encouragingly at the other occupant of the table, trying to convey her interest. "So, Anri-chan?"

Anri glanced at her plate, trying desperately to get away from the intense stares of the others at the table. "It's… been fine. I mean, school's okay and the city isn't too big, so I don't get lost." She looked out the window as though her answers would lie there. "Everything's been fine."

Kun-loon wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Hmm, is that all? I figured you would've had a boyfriend by now, Anri-chan." She giggled as Anri's blush deepened. "Or is it that you actually do and just aren't telling us…?"

"No," she replied quickly, probably too quickly in retrospect. "No. I don't have anyone like that."

Kun-loon looked slightly deflated and surprisingly, so did Kagome. "Ah~ What a pity." Her eyes took on a strange new glint. "Well, is there anybody you like?" Though Anri didn't answer directly, her blush said it all. Kun-loon smirked in triumph. "Aha! So there is! Who is it? Come on, you can tell me."

Anri gave her aunt a strange look before she said, "I don't have anyone like that either. At least," she furrowed her brow, "well, at least, I don't think I do. How do you know if you like somebody?"

Kun-loon blinked her eyes repeatedly, as if not expecting such an answer, while Kagome was completely shell-shocked. How could you not know if you like somebody? That was insane! It was like saying you didn't know if you were breathing or not. It just wasn't natural!

Kun-loon gave a thoughtful hum. She was staring out the window, as if she was watching her memories play out in front of her on a cinematic screen. "Hmm~ Well, I know when I fell in love with my husband, it was like… oh, I don't know, it was like everything he said made me happy. My heart would always flutter a lot when he was around and I just… knew." She gave Anri an appraising look. "I just knew that I wanted to be with him."

Kagome felt a sheer blush grace her cheeks. Yes, that's exactly how she felt. Inuyasha… okay, he could be brash, he could be rude, he could be arrogant, he could even be stupid… but despite all that, despite all those flaws, she still loved him. She loved his will to never give up—to protect his friends as though he was protecting his own life—and she loved his absolute need to prove himself through helping others. She loved that, even though they fought, she could still laugh with him, still have meaningful conversations and he could still care for her. He never abandoned her, not to the slimiest of demons or even in anger, just like he protected everyone else. He was kind, loving—she loved him. She loved him so much.

"…Mhmm." She hadn't realized she'd spoken until Kun-loon gave her a surprisingly gentle look, as if urging her to continue. She looked at Anri, for once no glare attached. "Mama's right. You just… know you love someone. You don't want to leave them, you don't want to see them get hurt, but more than anything, you can't imagine life without them. It's like," Kagome put her hair behind her ear, looking at something that was not quite there, "it's like they've filled a part of you that you didn't even know was empty. They complete you, almost." She giggled nervously at Anri's blank look. "Does that make any sense?"

Unperturbed, Anri thought of those two boys—Masaomi and Mikado—those two boys who claimed they loved her. Did she love them? Did she love even one of them? Did they feel like this, like Kagome, whenever she was around? Or, perhaps more pressing, did she? What exactly did she feel when they were around? She thought long and hard about it, but she couldn't place any words with the feelings. Comfort? No, she hadn't felt that since she was little, when her dad hadn't been a drunk, when she hadn't known about the cursed blade. Then, what about enjoyment? Did she enjoy being around them? She honestly didn't know, but she couldn't tell Kagome that. This small truce of peace, no matter how quaint or surprising, was too important to be broken by Anri's ignorance.

"…I see." Anri still did not look convinced, but then again, Kagome hadn't expected her to. "Do you have someone you love, Kagome?"

Kagome blinked her eyes once, twice, a third time before she felt her face go as hot as the sun. "Uh… ah, uh… I… guess… I guess I do…" Her gaze hardened as her resolve strengthened. "I do. I do love someone."

Anri, for once in her life, understood. She felt a small smile tug at the corners of her mouth as she said, "I see. Then he must be very lucky indeed." And for once, Kagome had nothing to say.

The rest of the breakfast was eaten in comfortable silence.

XXX

"Master Inuyasha! Master Inuyasha!"

Said dog demon felt the familiar sting against his cheek and, without a thought, slapped it away. The aforementioned speck fell away, seemingly dead, before he landed on the ground right beside Inuyasha's feet. "M-master Inuyasha…"

"Huh? Oh, I didn't see you there Myoga."

"I-it's okay… I am but a simple servant to my lord…"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, knowing full well it was pointless reprimanding the flea. "What do you want, Myoga? Can't you see I'm busy?" And busy he was; ever since his fight with Saika, Inuyasha and the rest of the InuTaichi had been making their way back to the Bone Eater's Well, young blade and all. Somewhere along the way, she'd woken up and had started squirming in her bindings in fear, but to no avail. Inuyasha had been very sure to make those ropes as strong as he could, having no desire to fight against the possessed human once again. Finally, giving an indignant huff, she went lax in the ropes, accepting whatever fate these strange people had in store for her. However, once she saw the talking flea, her eyes went impossibly wide and her struggles began anew. What if these people were taking her to a demon?! Now she had to get away!

Myoga's eyes grew to the size of saucers. "M-master Inuyasha! Why is there a young human girl tied up in such a manner?! I know you miss Mistress Kagome, but you mustn't take it out on such a young child—!" Inuyasha stepped right on the raving flea, being careful to dig his heal in for emphasis, and continued walking as if it was nothing.

"H-how cruel, my Lord."

"Look Myoga," Inuyasha stopped his procession as he turned to glare at the flea. "I asked you this once and I don't like asking it again. What do you want? You never follow us because you're always too scared, so you must want something." At Myoga's silence, he cocked a brow. "Well?"

"…It worries me that my Lord reads me so well. But no matter!" His exuberance caught Inuyasha off guard. "I have come to deliver very important information from Master Totosai!"

This caught Inuyasha's attention. "Totosai sent you? For what?"

The flea gave a sheepish look towards the earth, as if embarrassed. "Er, you see… he didn't send me directly, per say…" He shook his head feverishly. "But that doesn't mean that this isn't important or that I don't have any right to tell you about it! It's—"

Myoga was shocked to see Inuyasha kept walking. "Later." He waved a hand behind his head and dragged the girl along, like a cow led to the slaughter, as Myoga stared open-mouthed at his departure. He didn't even listen! He hadn't listened to a word he'd said!

Still, Inuyasha was still his Lord and charge, so he couldn't get angry, no matter how hard that seemed to get. Sighing, he ran after his Lord and jumped on his robe, carefully sitting on his collarbone so he could talk to him without the threat of being trampled on. "Lord Inuyasha, this is absolutely pertinent that you hear this. Master Totosai… well, he's worried. Apparently one of the blades he constructed is missing from its village and he's afraid it might've fallen in the wrong hands—"

Inuyasha, without any warning, came to a complete stop. Myoga flailed and flailed, hoping to find purchase in the smooth neck, but it was no use. He face-planted into the ground, tasting the bitter dirt as it filled his mouth, when Inuyasha said, "This blade… it doesn't happen to be called Saika, right?"

"Y-yes, that's the name but how did you know—"

There was a dangerous glint in Inuyasha's eyes as he leaned down right beside Myoga. "Alright you flea, tell me everything you know about this 'Saika.'"

Myoga gulped. Things didn't look good and he wondered if it was too late to run away.

XXX

Elsewhere, on the other side of Feudal Japan, a strangely enchanting scene was taking place.

"Y-young priestess…" It was a small girl, no older than ten, who had spoken. "I-it's not far beyond this forest…"

The priestess smiled cherubically and patted the girl's head. "Thank you. I can assume that you won't be joining me past here?"

The girl shook her head, tears burning at the edges of her eyes. "N-no… I-it's dangerous for someone like me to go into those woods." She gave the priestess a huge smile, hoping to alleviate her fears. "Plus, Mommy and Daddy are probably getting worried now, so I probably should be h-heading home."

The priestess nodded knowingly, as if she had expected that answer all along. "Then run along, little one. I will be fine on my own from here." At the girl's dubious expression, the priestess' smile widened. "Really."

The girl nodded and, without a final word, turned her back and ran as fast as her childish feet could take her. The priestess, eerie smile still placed on those perfectly red lips, made sure the youngster was gone before the smile slipped off like water on glass, only to be replaced with a frown. Without another word, she turned around and made her way through the forest, her steady gait swift and surefooted. It was only when she felt a pair of eyes watching her that she slowed to a stop.

"Who's there?" She leveled her weapon of choice, a bow, at the surrounding trees. Her gaze was intense as she said, "Come out or I'll shoot."

The trees to her immediate right rustled and, with reflexes honed from years of fighting, she whipped around, bow at the ready. If this stranger started anything, she would be sure to shoot him dead.

A lone figure stepped out of the forest, his golden eyes and long silver hair blowing gallantly in the breeze, his own weapon drawn as well. He stared at the priestess as the scent of death overcame him, but he did not step down. If anything, he seemed to slip into a battle stance, Bakusaiga drawn at the ready. If she shot, all hell would break loose.

Kikyo did not waver, but her mask did break to show a grim smile. "Oh, Lord Sesshomaru… How pleasant to see you. Are you doing well?" Her fingers twitched to shoot the demon in the chest. "Strange that we should cross paths like this."

Sesshomaru sighed and glared at the woman. "Put down your weapon, woman. This Sesshomaru has not come here to fight, only for answers."

"Oh?" Kikyo cocked her eyebrow. "And what answers could you possibly be looking for?" She released her spiritual pressure in warning, as if to say she didn't appreciate being patronized like that, before she slowly put her bow away, Sesshomaru following shortly after. "It is very rare for Lord Sesshomaru to take interest in something as trivial as a demonic sword."

"Woman, this Sesshomaru does not find this sword trivial." He smirked, his cold mask slipping away for a microsecond. "It's seems that you do not find this sword trivial either." For once a look of confusion marred his face. "But you will not find it. Someone has taken it, though who I cannot determine." He placed his hand on his sword while Kikyo glowered. "I take it you know?"

Finally, with a deep breath, Kikyo placed her hands up in surrender. "I have no clue," she said, her own face distorted with confusion. "I am only here because a village requested me. They told me that their priest—Sukuza, if I remember correctly—had suffered and passed from an illness not too long ago and they were fearful of the supposed blade he'd been watching." Her gaze hardened, but it seemed to sadden at the same time. "That was two days ago. When I had made it to the village, they were… all of them were…" She took in a shaky breath as she remembered the horrific sight she'd seen, all the bodies, all the blood, all the death... "They'd been murdered. Slaughtered, like cattle. At first," her chest quivered from her anxiety, "at first, I thought a demon had attacked. But I knew in my heart that that wasn't the case and I knew even more when I saw… the stab wounds…"

Sesshomaru did not interrupt, did not even bat an eyelash, just waited patiently for the woman to finish her recounting. Though it was hard not leap across the forest and rip her neck out, he managed.

Kikyo took a shaky breath. "It was Saika. The cursed blade had killed all those people. And the worst part is… I have no idea where she is." Thinking something funny, she looked at Sesshomaru with a hopeless smile, her deep brown eyes grew tired looking, almost like she'd aged fifty years in the short time Sesshomaru had talked to her. "But it is strange that the Lord of the West would take an interest in something like this. Why…?"

Now it was his turn to be uncomfortable. "This village… or rather, that blade… I've heard stories from my father, impossible stories about the demon named Saika, her strength, her cunning, her sick love for all humans…" He smirked then, almost as if he was taking on a challenge. "And I worry about such a blade existing. But more than anything, I remembered one thing my father had told me."

Kikyo seemed to know it too as they said together, "The blade has no body, no will, no love. But it does have a choice. Human born, a trustworthy ally—demon born, despicable creature. Saika loves all humans."

For a moment, there was nothing but silence. Kikyo finally broke it by saying, "And? What is it that scares the Lord Sesshomaru so?"

The dog demon glared, insulted at her implications. "This Sesshomaru is not afraid." Then, in a softer tone, "But I worry. It is possible that one such despicable demon born may be able to control her. Any guess to whom?"

Kikyo felt her eyes widen. That… but he had been Onigumo once. He had been human born. He hadn't always been a demon.

"Naraku…"

XXX

That was such a fun chapter to write. Sigh… oh, but am I tired! Please have a wonderful night and as always, review!