Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha or any of its characters. They are property of Rumiko Takahashi. However, this story and created characters are mine.

Chapter 6: A Secret Revealed

The group had settled and made camp by a river, leaving Mount Shen and the village behind them. While InuYasha's nose recovered from the rotting demon blood, Kagome went to get firewood with Shippo. Sango, letting Kirara rest, went to find some food for everyone alone. Miroku, wanting to stay close to his injured sibling, protected the camp while the others were gone. Midori, wanting to treat her wounds, went to the riverbank, followed by her trusted friend. She thought about the conversation she had with her brother while he held her in his arms.

"Miroku, who was that woman?"

"Kagura, she is an incarnation of Naraku."

"Naraku!?"

"Thankfully, she does not know who you are. You are still safe."

Midori dropped her head in shame in response to the flashback. She felt bad lying to her brother, but she knew it had to be done.

"Hey Midori," Kagome said from behind the distraught girl. The wallowing girl looked up at her uninvited guest.

"Kagome!" Midori replied in surprise. She covered her right arm by submerging it in water, "You startled me."

"I thought you might need some help with your wound."

"I thought you were helping InuYasha with his injuries."

"He's fine," She said, glancing back at the camp, "He just needs to rest awhile, to get the Smug smell out of his nose." Midori saw Kagome's eyes glisten from the tears she was trying to push back, "I just wish he wouldn't push himself so hard."

"I'm sure he has a reason," Midori smiled warmly at Kagome. Her smile only caused Kagome to blush.

"Anyway, I didn't come to discuss InuYasha, I came to check on your arm."

"No," Midori snapped in fear, then calmly, "No thanks Kagome, I'm fine."

"Nonsense," Kagome reached for her injured arm and lifted it to her line of sight.

"Let go!" The green eyed beauty yanked her arm away, but it was too late.

"Midori, wha- what happened to your arm?" The arm looked crippled, covered with wrinkled and yellowish skin. It was as if the flesh had been eaten away from the inside, destroying it slowly.

The young girl grunted and sighed simultaneously at her defeat; now she will have to tell her tale. Kagome sat in bewilderment, waiting silently for an explanation.

"You know about my brother's curse, right? The wind tunnel in his right palm," Midori asked nonchalant, eyes fixed on Kagome, "Do you remember the other part?"

"No," the young miko replied, a bit shaken.

"Our family, well, my father, was only to have one male heir who would inherit the wind tunnel," she began, emphasizing the word one, "My parents were overjoyed when I was born without the 'cursed' wind tunnel. They thought I was free from the curse."

Midori stared into her own covered palm, speaking in a monotone manner as she told her tale, "On the day my father died, Naraku came to see my family suffer. He came upon my mother and me." Her eyes seemed to glaze over has she revisited the painful memory, "He was furious, realizing who the small child was in my mother's hand. In an instant he killed my young mother with a slash of his claws. I remember crying as I saw my mother's blood spilled over the ground. He then turned to me, with a slight smile planted underneath his evil red eyes. He dug deep into right palm, tearing a piece of flesh from it and then, with all his might, shoved it into my own hand. 'I shall come back to reclaim my flesh someday' he hissed at me and chuckled evilly as he left."

Kagome listened intently at the girl's sad tale. She had no idea that Midori had such a curse.

"As the years went by the small piece of flesh he planted within my hand expanded, overcoming my own body, my own flesh." Midori closed her fist in disgust. She closed her eyes, trying to escape from the reality. Hugging her knees, she tried to recollect her mother and father, their joy and pain. She remembered her guardian, along with his words of caution.

"Mushin thought it would be best if Miroku didn't know. As I got older, I came to agree with him," she said softly.

"Why keep it a secret?"

Midori focused at Kagome, checking if she was serious. Kagome, innocent and naïve, continued to stare at the troubled girl.

"You don't get it do you?" Midori raised the question, disappointed in Kagome's lack of understanding. Kagome stood aback at the young girl's question, feeling dumb. Seeing the distraught miko, Midori sighed.

"My body is becoming a part of Naraku, like a limb," she started, trying not to offend her friend, "If he were to die, then…"

"You will die too."

The girls sat in silence, comprehending the reality of the curse.

"Mushin, as well as I, feel that if Miroku knew about my curse that he would stop his hunt for Naraku, in order to save my life," Midori explained, breaking the silence between them. Kagome continued to sit quietly, trying to comprehend the young girl's pain and reasoning.

"I don't want Miroku to be distracted when it comes to Naraku," she continued, reading the questioning expression on the young miko, "See, if he is constantly worrying about me, he may be rash, in order to get it over quickly, or hold back, in order to keep me alive. I want Miroku to succeed in this quest. Even if it means my death." Midori bowed her head. No matter how noble her words sounded, it was still hard to say. She did not want to die, she did not want to, but she was willing to give up her life.

"Why give up your life? There must be some way to save both of you." Kagome said in a shaky voice. Her good heart forced words despite her fear.

"I don't want Naraku to be able to curse my family, or anyone else." Her voice was deep with anger which dissipated the sadness once present in her voice. Midori stared at Kagome with such determination, startling the girl from the future.

"I don't even want a child. Who would want to put a child through such torture as this?" She pointed to her right palm. Kagome saw the darken flesh, the flesh that resembled Naraku's, the flesh which was eating away her own body.

"I know that I will die before my brother. That is my fate." Returning to her melancholy, Midori placed her head atop her knees. Silent tears streamed down her rosy cheeks. The pain she kept bottled had popped the cork. Kagome, seeing the wetness upon her checks, placed a gentle hand on her shoulder in comfort.

"Don't worry. We will stop Naraku without anyone dying. I promise."

Midori heard Kagome's encouraging words, but failed to keep them inside her mind. She buried her head deeper into her knees. She knew it was not true. Promises have been broken before now, before this. It did not matter what anyone said; her fate was sealed the moment she met Naraku.