okay, you guys finally get to know the reason behind the doll in this chapter. by the way, the term full moon cycle refers to the nights immediately before, of, and immediately after the full moon. these are the three nights a month that rose transforms into a wolf. i figured i'd save myself and the Band of Seven some grief and not write about the two remaining nights, when they'd essentially be chasing a wolf cub around the hideout.

Chapter 9: Purified isle

~approx. one week after the full moon cycle~

Jakotsu is about to go crazier than he already is, having to help his brother look after the three year old Rose for the past week. She's not being a bother. In fact, she's trying her best to be as unobtrusive as possible. Jakotsu's problem is that she's so damn cute and he can't cut her to pieces without pissing Bankotsu off. She's been allowed to walk around the hideout on her own since Mukotsu got his ass killed a second time while she was gone, and she's always carrying that doll around with her, usually held to her chest with one arm while the other hand holds onto the pant leg of whoever's watching her at the time.

Bankotsu is contacted by Naraku about an assignment via the samyosho. He's to wait for Inuyasha and his group inside an island shrine, the one that once housed Saint Hakusheen. Knowing Jakotsu's current level of frustration, he takes Rose with him. The sacred barrier on the island pains him, so he knows that she's feeling sick as they hide inside the shrine. He watches her closely to make sure she won't pass out, noticing that she's clutching her doll more tightly than usual as she breathes heavily. He's struck by a sense of morbid fascination when he sees her fangs visibly lengthen, asking her, "Hey, you okay Chibi? Your fangs are getting longer…."

She tightens her hold on both the doll and the leg of his hakama as she says quietly, "It's a vampire instinct….this barrier is trying to purify me….instincts dictate that any harm must be counteracted by drinking blood…."

He hears a boat land on the rocks near the island and says, "I'll get you some blood as soon as we're done here, Chibi."

She doesn't answer, let alone argue, her focus on keeping herself from trying to bite the apparition next to her. The two of them are forced apart when the shrine is demolished by Sango's Hiraikotsu, Rose being thrown backwards towards the source of the barrier. Bankotsu uses Banryu to clear the dust caused by the shrine's destruction, then looks to see where his pet landed. He becomes worried when he sees that she's passed out next to the barrier's source and the doll has fallen from her hand.

Miroku notices the direction of Bankotsu's gaze and immediately rushes over to the unconscious three year old, checking to see if she's alive while saying to himself, "What the hell is a child doing here?"

Bankotsu growls a little, yelling at the monk, "You stay away from my Chibi, monk!"

Miroku looks at the bandit leader with an eyebrow raised, still heading towards Rose's unconscious form. While Bankotsu's attention is focused on the monk and child, Inuyasha attacks him. They engage in battle while Miroku and the boy who led them to the island check on the little girl. Since they didn't see Rose's transformation into a child, they don't know that she's the woman who disappeared from Lightning castle a little over a week ago. Her close proximity to the barrier's source causes it to be revealed as an ornament from the alter of Saint Hakusheen. The monk and the headman's son use their staves to break the barrier around it, causing the barrier around the island to dissipate as well. Almost as soon as the barrier is gone, Inuyasha aims a Wind Scar at Bankotsu, who blocks it with Banryu, yelling at Miroku, "Get your ass away from my Chibi!"

While Miroku is focusing on Bankotsu, the bandit leader finds out why Rose has been carrying that doll around. The doll begins to glow before its form grows to the size of a full grown human. The now grown form comes to life, looking around at the people around him before bending down to scoop up the unconscious form of Rose, saying in a voice that's quiet yet carrying, "You never can stay out of trouble when this damn curse kicks in…."

As he examines the child for injuries, she starts to stir, her voice reaching Bankotsu if no one else, "I'm okay, Zee-kay."

Seeing that his pet is okay, Bankotsu yells to the one holding her, "Keep her out of the crossfire! I'm gonna retaliate over here!"

The young man, Zee-kay, nods and heads towards the edge of the island with Rose in his arms, muttering, "You finally got your other curse activated, huh?"

Rose rolls her eyes, "Yeah. I guess I could've done worse than a resurrected psychopathic bandit leader."

"You're the pet of a freaking apparition?"

"Shut up, you spirit with a Kikyo complex."

"You leave my unhealthy obsession out of this, shrimp."

"Oh, real mature. You know what? I'm introducing you to his brother when we get back."

While they're talking, Bankotsu and Inuyasha battle each other until Kagome gets in a sacred arrow to Bankotsu's arm. The arrow turns his arm to bone, but he's not the one who feels the pain from it. Because of the collar connecting them, Rose develops a wound in the same place that Kagome's arrow hit Bankotsu, causing her to cry out in pain. Bankotsu removes the arrow from his arm and retreats towards his pet and her doll, calling, "What's wrong, Chibi?! What happened?!"

Rose is quick to close the wound with her saliva, calling back, "I'm okay! I'll be good as new soon."

Bankotsu breathes a small sigh of relief when he hears her and sees Naraku's samyosho appear to cover their retreat. He and Zee-kay use the mists surrounding the island to disappear, heading towards the sacred barrier around Mount Hakurae. Once they're far enough away, Bankotsu stops Zee-kay from going any closer to the barrier, "I told her I'd take her to get some blood after that battle because the barrier on the island was hurting her."

Zee-kay nods, handing his charge over to Bankotsu before returning to doll form with a parting message, "You make sure she stays safe while I can't protect her. I'm the only one who can hurt her without retaliation."

Rose mutters, "Kikyo complex….", before Bankotsu hands the once-more doll to her and sets her on her feet.

Bankotsu is confused by this statement, but shakes his head as Rose takes hold of his hakama and they head for the nearest village to get her some blood.