-A Time For Sorrow-
The Castle of Shadows was unusually noisy as Mio paces up and down the hall her eyes on the ground. A small shadow creature runs past her holding a large mirror, Mio sneers at it when it bumps her along its way. It giggles before running on, Mio shakes her head.
"Such mindless dummies." She mutters leaning against a door, she folds her arms across her chest.
"You are one of them." Comes Uryen's gloating reply, Mio looks up to see Uryen slowly descending through the ceiling onto the floor before her, she shakes her head in defiance.
"Please…look at me and look at them." She grumbles when another comes down the hall holding a flower vase filled with withered roses, Uryen smiles watching it go.
Uryen turns to her with a brow quirked, "you do realize that you are nothing more than the reflection of a dead demon girl."
Mio snorts.
"She's gone so…reflection I am not."
She cringes when Uyren bursts out into laughter, he leans toward her shaking his head.
"You are a shadow, a play on light and surfaces…if I didn't sustain you you'd be dead already…not even that…because you don't have a soul."
Mio grimaces touching her chest, then why did it feel as though she did. Uyren pats her on the head lightly clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.
"Don't become proud little shadow, once Aya is here I will have no use for you." He whispers. Mio looks up at him her eyes wide with fear.
"So you will kill me?" She asks grabbing his arm, he looks at her dirt and blood covered hand with disgust.
"Why not?" He asks folding his arms, she backs away into the door again.
"B-Bu–"
"I would have no use for you…you pull on my power the longer I sustain you, death is the only way for you." He says smirking.
Mio brings her hands together looking down at them as he begins to move down the hall but she chases him grabbing the back of his shirt, he turns to her with a zany look in his eyes.
"What!"
She looks down shaking her head, "but…aren't you a shadow demon as well?"
He nods, "your point?"
"Well, how do you have a soul…weren't you like me at some time?" She whispers.
He turns to her shaking his head, she gasps looking up at him.
"I am a Shadow Daiyoukai…you are a simple shadow trick deployed by demon's such as myself."
"So I could never do what you did…take a body for my own?" She asks dropping her arms, he cocks his head seeming to think on it before nodding.
"As a shadow you can go anywhere…into any body but you'd fail, it'd have to be someone weaker than you…good luck finding that person."
He turns walking down the hall, Mio folds her arms.
"Someone weaker than me…."
Mio's eyes glow murderous red as she glares down at the other Mio, a loud mouthed little brat she was. Mio walked next to Inukimi through the woods, their destination had not been stated so Mio didn't know, she knew only to watch and wait. Mio begins creeping along the branch she sat on, she didn't have an exact plan, but she knew she didn't want the people around the girl to know. She didn't even want Uryen to find her out, so that meant that a couple of lives would have to be brought to an end. Mio closes her eyes laying against the tree branch, was it every shadow's dream to become a real person. If not for the fact that she would die when Uryen had Aya she wouldn't have cared much, but now she'd become disposable.
Mio moans against the branch, she was scared of non-existence, she didn't remember what it felt like to not exist, to be nothing. Would she just cease to be, but that was inconceivable, if she wasn't here then she'd have to be somewhere…right?
Her hate for Uryen and 'his' Aya grew with her fear, she sits up when she hears the other Mio speak.
"Lady Inukimi, is it nice where we're going, will Ay be there?"
"Maybe," was the Lady Demon's reply, the woman barely paid the young girl any mind for her eyes were in the trees, she held a large stone necklace in her fists and her teeth were slightly bared as if waiting for something to happen.
"Smart dog." Mio whispers scooting into the bark of the tree, she couldn't make her move now.
Behind the dog demoness walked a large dragon demon who also watched the trees apprehensively.
"Just be patient Mio." She whispers to herself and to the girl.
Aya stares down at Jaken who panted with his tongue hanging out of his mouth, he slouches over fanning his face.
We're not even walking fast, and its winter.
Get with it Toad.
"What's wrong?" She finally asks while folding her arms, he glares up her.
"I am exhausted," he shouts, "this is madness we've been walking all day."
Aya waves her hands at him, "come on you travel with Sesshomaru and he barely takes breaks."
"No, Lord Sesshomaru is considerate he would have given me a break!" Jaken shouts, Aya's eyes widen as she tries to keep in her laughter.
"We must be talking about two different men, Sesshomaru…Lord of the Western Lands…your master...my man?" She whispers pointing her finger down at him, he nods.
Aya turns back to the road deciding not to speak with him anymore.
Jaken is delusional.
"Where are we anyway?" He shouts at the back of her head, she yawns raising her arms.
"If I led us in the right direction…," she looks back to see his reaction, his face twists from anger to shock, she laughs turning back, "which I'm sure I did…we're right next to the Musashi Province."
"If!"
She nods, Jaken growls kicking his foot, she glances back at him smiling even more.
"I want Lord Sesshomaru!" He cries, Aya pauses folding her arms.
"Hey, I'm a good leader." She whispers leaning down so that she could somewhat be at his level, he shakes his head and she gasps.
"You know what…you be the leader!" She shouts, he cocks his head and she nods.
"Fine then…I will!" He shouts back up at her, she sneers when he walks past her, he walks down the road for a ways before pausing and looking around, he turns to her with a deadened expression.
"Is there is any food around here…leaves…meat…anything I'm starving and you have the nose for these things."
Aya turns away letting out a loud breath, he marches toward her with anger in his eyes.
"How will we eat if you don't help!"
"I dunno, you're the leader," she says shrugging, " lead us to some food."
Jaken growls and Aya shrugs her shoulders again, Jaken shakes his head briskly, he just could not understand why his master would take such an insolent woman, she had not respect for him as a man and as her mate's comrade.
"Listen here you flea ri–"
Aya nods her head waiting for him to continue his tirade.
"Flea ridden what?" She asks raising a brow, she frowns hearing a rasping noise from behind her, she turns to see Sesshomaru squeezing Jaken by the head, Aya smiles.
"My love!" She shouts hugging him causing Jaken to fall out of his grip, she nuzzles her face into his chest as Sesshomaru pulls her closer his eyes still on Jaken.
"Did you manage to get the bangles?" He asks looking down at her, she holds up her arms nodding, he goes into his shirt handing her the seventh. She takes it putting it on her wrist before kissing him on the cheek.
Sesshomaru glares at Jaken again, "I take it he was an annoyance?"
Aya turns to look at Jaken who moaned holding his head, she sighs.
Why make life harder on him?
"Not really, he actually saved me." She says turning to Sesshomaru, he raises a brow and she nods, "really."
"You don't have to lie to protect him." Sesshomaru mutters, Aya smiles.
"No really!"
Sesshomaru quirks a brow looking at Jaken who now watched with tears in his eyes, Sesshomaru snorts looking down at Aya who sighs.
"How are the children?" She asks folding her arms, he looks aside and she frowns.
"They are going with Mikado home…it is in the Eastern Lands…so it wi-," his words are cut off by Aya grabbing his arm and shaking him.
"You let Mikado go home?"
"Only until we get back." He says frowning.
"So you heard us talking?" She asks furrowing her brows, he nods and Aya smiles.
"Aw how sweet," she cries kissing him on the cheek, "I knew that I had to have some sort of affect on you."
Sesshomaru scoffs turning away from her and walking down the road, Aya brings her hand to her arm as she cocks her head, she looks down as Jaken trudges past her holding his head, she sighs.
When will he learn?
She shrugs beginning to follow the group her eyes on the ground, just as she begins to count the cracks in the earth they begin to shift and change, the pale frozen earth turned dark and wet under her. Even the skies darkened over her, Aya looks ahead; Sesshomaru and Jaken paid the change no mind.
"Father…Father look what I found!"
Aya gasps when a small dark haired girl runs past her, she wore a red and gold kimono and sandals, nothing suitable for the winter, in her hand was a large umbrella with a plush monster face at its top.
M-me?
The little Aya spins kicking at a puddle that the real Aya could not yet see, she giggles jumping up and down and though Aya saw no water the girls kimono still darkened and hung as if wet.
Hiro now walks past her.
"Father!" Aya gasps reaching for him, he smiles down at the little Aya who peeks from under the large umbrella with a smile, he pats her on her head.
"Your mother is going to be annoyed with you," he warns, "she told you to stay out of the water."
Aya shrugs.
"But it's raining Father," she says cocking her head, "how do you stay out of water in the rain…."
Hiro bursts out in laughter.
"That mouth of yours Ay…it won't get you anywhere with Mai." He says taking her hand and walking her past Aya who still reached for him.
"Father." She utters crying for his acknowledgment.
"Aya!"
At the sound of Sesshomaru's voice the vision disappears.
Aya looks up at Sesshomaru who looked at her with narrowed eyes, he jerks his head toward the village before them, she gasps.
"Oh…we're here already." She says rubbing her head, she glances back at the place she'd last seen herself and Hiro, they were gone.
"What is wrong?" Sesshomaru asks grabbing her wrist, she looks away shaking her head, Sesshomaru glares at her pulling her closer.
"I called your name three times…you didn't answer me…and now you look like you're about to cry." He mutters.
Aya looks up at him with a watery smile, she shakes her head.
"I'm fine…just a little…tired." She whispers grabbing his hand and bringing it to her cheek, she closes her eyes when begins pulling her closer.
Why is this happening?
"My mother is near…why is she so slow?" He grumbles into her ear.
"She has the children?"
Sesshomaru nods.
"Then…I'll go and meet with them." Aya says moving away from him.
"I will go, you rest." He says walking past her, Aya sighs folding her arms.
"I'm no delicate little flower Sesshomaru." She calls after him, he ignores her walking on.
Aya looks down at Jaken who walks into the village without a word to her, she turns walking behind him.
"Aya!"
Kagome walks out of Kaede's house with the baby in her arms, Aya walks over to her nodding, she looks down at the baby who stared up at her with dark brown eyes.
This child is a human with dog ears.
"Hello there," she coos, he stares up at her blankly, she sighs and Kagome laughs.
"He's just not used to the look of you, you're a Demon Aya." Kagome says rocking him, Aya nods smiling at him.
"Come to the house with me," Kagome says leading Aya down the road, "Inuyasha is out with Sango helping the neighboring village."
"Helping the neighboring village?"
Kagome nods, "other villages around us were attacked as well and now there are complaints of shadow creatures over running them."
Aya walks in front of Kagome holding the door open for her, Kagome nods to her a silent thank you, Aya walks into the house looking about, a nice cozy little place, perfect for Kagome and Inuyasha.
"So did you find Kiyoza?" Kagome asks sitting in a chair at a table in the middle of the room, Aya nods sitting opposite of her.
"He told me Uyren's weakness…the Hikari No Ishi…he also helped steer me in the right direction to find it."
"So you have it?"
"Yes." Aya says leaning back in her seat, Kagome breathes a sigh of relief.
"So all of this madness will be ending soon…thank god!" Kagome utters, she smiles now.
"So where is Sesshomaru?" Kagome asks standing and walking into the next room.
"He went to get his mother and the children." Aya says.
"Children?" Kagome mutters returning to the table without the baby.
"Rin, Lana and Mio…my little burdens." Aya says with a smile, Kagome nods.
"Are they coming here?"
Aya nods and Kagome sighs.
"Rin doesn't know yet…does she?" Kagome asks, Aya shakes her head, Kagome lowers her head, "this is going to be hard on her."
Aya nods and Kagome shakes her head.
"But lets not talk about that right now…too sad…I have a question for you?" Kagome says smiling.
All you've had are questions.
"What is it?" Aya asks crossing her legs.
"Are you Sesshomaru's mate?" Kagome asks with a grin.
Aya grimces when Kagome stands leaning toward her across the table, Aya leans back nodding, Kagome squeals.
"Why didn't you say something, Inuyasha did say that the two of you looked awfully close…like sleeping together close but I didn't believe him…Inuyashs usually makes things out of nothing. But then Miroku told me that you told him…why didn't you tell me!?" Kagome shouts throwing her arms into the air, Aya grimaces leaning back even further.
We're not even friends….
Kagome sobers now, "I do know that we've had our issues in the past but now…we're family!"
Aya's eyes widen, family…with Kagome.
"This is wonderful, now we can start having family gatherings and…and family outings…and birthday parties!"
Gatherings…outings…birthday parties….
This girl has lost her mind.
"Come on…you should have told me…you're my son's aunt and you didn't even tell me!"
Aya shakes her head, "it just didn't cross my mind."
Kagome falls back into her seat clearly taking Aya's answer as acceptable, Aya sighs shaking her head.
"Well on Monday I'm making dinner…well Sango and I you guys are invited." Kagome says smiling, Aya cringes.
"Kagome…I don't really like human food." Aya says edging out of her seat slowly, Kagome sighs.
"I should have known…hmm…I'll make sure to get something that you guys like Inuyasha will help me."
The hell?
I'm having second guesses about this mating with Sesshomaru thing….
"Ok-ok we'll be here." Aya says lowering her head, Kagome smiles.
When Kagome calms Aya sits down again, she frowns when she notices a sparkle in Kagome's eyes that she just didn't like.
"I have a question for you." Aya says folding her arms across the table.
"What is it?"
"Do you have any clue on how to use the Hikari No Ishi?"
Kagome frowns, "well…the book didn't say how it was used, Aya nods.
"I guess I'll have to ask Kiyoza." Aya mutters looking at the bangles on her wrist.
Kagome stands walking over to the cabinet, Aya watches her pulls various pots and pans out before placing them on the counter.
"You know sometimes I really wish having a gas stove." Kagome mutters going into the spice drawer.
"Gas stove…," Aya mutters, " oh I forgot you're from the future.
Kagome nods, "yeah I go back every now and then…in fact I'm due there again soon my mother just adores the baby."
She turns to Aya with a smile, "you should really go with me some time…of course we'd have to get you some foundation to cover up those markings…."
Aya snorts.
"Yeah right, if I went their gonna have to deal with me…isn't there any demon's there?"
Kagome shakes her head, "nope."
"But there are really cool things there…that you may not find so cool at first…like roller-coasters and…concerts…and…rock bands."
Aya nods watching as Kagome delves into a tale of the future, Kagome seemed happy with the attention.
What the hell is this girl talking about….
Aya sighs leaning against the chair when Kagome turns away at the counter still yapping, concert this…canned food that…restaurant's and stroller's.
How does Inuyasha do this every day?
Well maybe he doesn't and that's why she's so happy right now that I'm here.
The door slides open bringing to an end Kagome's long drawn out speech, Aya smiles at Kiyoza but Kagome gasps.
"W-what," she shouts, "Aya wait here while I get my bow!"
Aya sighs when Kagome runs into the next room, Kiyoza quirks a brow and Aya shakes her head she says "don't…she's not too bright."
Kiyoza walks over to the table his eyes on Aya's wrist.
"I count seven…you could not find the eighth?"
As Aya shakes her head Kagome runs back into the kitchen bow at the ready but she pauses when she sees Aya calmly talking to Kiyoza, she lowers her bow scratching her cheek.
"You know each other?" She utters lightly, Aya nods and Kagome sighs.
"Uh sorry…I didn't mean to…you know." Kagome says taking her quiver off of her shoulders, he nods.
"It's alright…I did just barge in." Kiyoza says shaking his head, Kagome nods before turning and walking back into the room again.
"Come let's walk." Aya mutters standing, Kiyoza nods following as she leads him out of the house.
"Who is that human girl?" He asks looking back at the house.
"Sesshomaru's brother's wife." Aya says shaking her head, he folds his arms frowning down at her, she looks up at him, "what?"
"Sesshomaru's brother is a half breed correct?" He asks.
"Yes."
He looks away nodding.
Aya sighs, the village people stared at them with awe, maybe they were not used to seeing so many demon's at one time without being attacked.
"Where is Sesshomaru?" Kiyoza asks.
"He's coming soon…he went to get the children and his mother." Aya says putting her hands to her hips.
Aya looks at Kiyoza who stared ahead with a blank expression, he turns to her but she doesn't avert her gaze.
"What is it?" He asks.
Aya smiles bashfully, "you may not like what I'm about to ask you."
Kiyoza sighs, "Aya nothing you can ask me will surprise me…or make me angry."
Aya takes a deep breath, "uh…just how old are you?"
Kiyoza's face turns dull and his eyes lose their light, Aya ducks her head smiling to herself.
"See I told you." She mutters to him.
"Just…rude," he mutters, "I'm centuries older than your father."
"Damn." Aya mumbles making his eyes turn even sharper.
"Hey Ay!"
Aya looks up to see Mio and Lana running over to her, Mio wraps her arms around Aya's waist and Lana hugs her as well.
"How could you just leave us behind like that Ay," Mio whispers, "we were so worried about you!"
Kiyoza frowns when Aya drops to her knees to hug the little girl back, it wasn't a normal sight.
"Ah…Kiyoza."
Kiyoza looks over to see Inukimi standing next to him, "Inukimi…."
"You've decided to come out of hiding?"
"Hiding?"
She shrugs, "that Uryen has done many things in your absence…if you weren't hiding may I ask what you were doing?"
Kiyoza glares at her and she narrows her eyes at him.
"Maybe…if you'd come out a little sooner you could have saved the girl a lot of pain." She mutters.
"I thought that she was dead as well."
"Not a good enough excuse." Inukimi sings walking past him, he goes to follow her but Rin passing by him with tears in her eyes makes him pause.
"Who's child?" He asks looking at Aya who looks up frowning when she sees Rin, Aya gently pushes the other children away to go to her.
"Rin, what's wrong?" Aya whispers almost fearfully, Rin looks back at Sesshomaru who looked down at her as well.
"He told me." She whispers falling into Aya now, Aya wraps her arms around her looking up at Sesshomaru with slight disappointment, he raises a brow when she shakes her head at him.
Sesshomaru's delivery of the news is what scares me…I know what he meant to do and I know he's known her longer but…he lacks the sympathy to truly comfort her.
Rin whimpers when Aya lifts her carrying her toward Kagome's house, Mio looks up at Sesshomaru who watched Aya walk away with an expression she'd never seen on him.
"Are you ok?" Mio asks smiling up at him, Sesshomaru nods his head walking past her.
Mio grimaces looking down, Lana moves next to her placing her hand on her head.
"What's wrong?" She asks looking down at her.
Mio folds her arms as she says "everyone just seems so sad these days…75% of the time we're sad."
Lana nods.
"Well Mio it's not exactly a great time to live in."
Mio sighs walking ahead of her, she glances back at Lana with a small smile.
"Maybe I can find something to make Rin happy."
"Like what?"
"Hmm, like…she seems to like flowers and stuff…maybe some Camellia's." Mio says nodding.
Lana looks at the dwindling crowd around them, everyone began to move in doors as the sky darkened and night fell upon them.
"Mio…its getting dark…."
Mio nods, "come with me."
Before Lana can protest Mio grabs her by the hand and begins pulling her down the road.
Kagome comes out when Aya makes it to the door, at first she wore a smile but when she sees Rin her smile falls and she begins to cry as well, Aya walks into the house setting Rin at the table.
Rin whimpers laying her head on the table when Aya sits next to her, as Rin continues to cry Aya tries to find the words to comfort her, but what could be said about such a situation.
What did I want when my family was murdered.
Nothing can be said…I don't think.
We can only be here.
Kagome takes up a chair as Aya begins stroking Rin's hair, Rin turns her tear stained face to Aya.
"U-Uryen d-d-did this?" She whispers.
Aya nods.
Rin looks ahead sniffling, "but…why?"
Because of me.
"He…wanted to hurt us." Aya whispers leaning over, Rin moans going back to her crying.
This has to end soon, too many are being hurt…all because of me.
"Come out, come out Camellia's!" Mio calls scouring through the woods for the flower, Lana walks behind her steadily glancing back at the village as the sky begins to lose it's golden tint.
"Mio we should go back." She whispers.
Mio runs even further into the woods screaming something about finding the flowers, Lana could barely make out her words anymore. Lana shudders when the woods suddenly turn frigid around her.
"M-Mio?" She utters breathlessly.
It was like her words were being snatched away from her as they left her lips, it felt as though she were trying to talk under water. She shakes her head beginning to run now but even that was strange, everything had slowed and her feet never seemed to meet the ground.
"Mio!" She screams trying break out of the hold of whatever had taken her, Lana screams again feeling something wrap around her ankle.
Mio grins when she finds a brush of Camellia's under the snow, she drops to her knees pulling at them gently from their roots.
"Even Ay will like these," she whispers pulling them up, she glances back, "Lana I found them you can stop being scary now!"
She sighs when Lana doesn't say anything back, she stands turning to the now dark woods.
"Miiioooooooooooo…."
Mio backs away at the sound of her name being sung, it didn't sound like Lana or Aya or anything she knew but she shakes her head it had to be one of them.
"Stop playing you guys!"
She waits for a laugh or someone to even jump out at her but nothing.
"Mioooooo." This time it's sung with laughter.
Mio gasps when a pair of red eyes appear before her, she covers her eyes screaming.
Aya sighs watching Rin sleep next to Kagome on a mat in the middle of the floor, Rin had cried herself to sleep and Kagome the same. The house door opens behind her and in steps Sesshomaru, he walks next to her and she looks away.
"Are you angry with me?" He mutters.
She shakes her head.
"Not angry…its just…its not exactly a good day." She whispers looking up at him.
Aya turns to him grabbing his wrist, he looks down at her as she buries her face into his arm.
"Where is Mikado?" She asks in a muffled whisper.
"With Ah-un in her village." Sesshomaru says.
Aya looks up at him with a quirked brow.
"Where is Jaken…and…Inukimi?"
Sesshomaru sighs.
"Jaken…he is with Kiyoza at the Inn…and my mother…I don't know."
Aya smiles, Jaken at an Inn with Kiyoza….
"Maybe they can get along since he seems to only have respect for old male demons." She mutters shrugging.
"He is supposed to have respect for you as well." Sesshomaru says.
"Well he doesn't…," she sighs, she goes to lean against him again but another thought invades her mind, "where are Lana and Mio?"
Sesshomaru pauses at this making Aya frown, she moves away from him.
"You…don't know where they are?" She asks shaking her head.
"I thought that they were here." He says gently noticing Aya becoming more and more flustered by the second.
"No…they…I'll be right back." She says running out of the house.
Once outside Aya begins to sniff the air, she manages to catch Lana's faint scent of almond milk and sugar, as she begins to follow the scent another comes to her; the sickening smell of sulfur and death.
"No." Aya whispers.
She moans running into the woods, as she disappears into its darkness Jaken walks down the road just in time to see her.
"Where is the lady demon going this time of night?" Jaken mutters cocking his head.
He grins when all sorts of sordid things fill his mind.
"I have to tell the lord!" He cries running toward Kagome's house but he skids to a halt at the door, " no…I must catch her in the act first what if she isn't doing anything at all…but running?"
He turns running after her.
"Mio," Aya calls, "Lana where are you!?"
She could feel a dark presence in the woods but with every step she took closer it seemed to move further away.
"Lana, Mio!"
No…not them too.
Aya could feel tears burning at her eyes as she begins to rip through the woods gaining scratches and cuts from her recklessness.
"Ay…." She hears someone whisper, Aya gasps when she sees Lana on the ground in front of her, she drops to her knees taking the girl in her arms.
"Lana…what happened…where is Mio?" She whispers holding her closer, Lana moans shaking her head, Aya touches her face flinching at the cold of her body.
"Lana." Aya whispers burying her face in her kimono, suddenly a bright light covers them and Lana's body slowly begins to warm.
She was tainted…and then….
Aya looks at the bangles at her wrists, still why had it not done that in the first place.
As Aya goes to shake Lana a blue light is cast over their bodies, Aya looks up to see a glittering blue pathway leading into the sky before her.
What if Mio climbed that.
Aya looks down at Lana, "stay here ok?"
She closes her eyes sadly when Lana does not answer her, Aya sets her down gently before making her way toward the path.
I could be making a mistake.
But what does it matter if Mio's in danger.
Aya steps onto the path grimacing when she feels it vibrating under her, she looks back Lana before climbing up the path.
Jaken gasps, "what is this woman doing?"
Soon Aya climbs too high for him to see anymore, Jaken backs away; this was too much for him, he didn't know whether or not to follow her or go and get Sesshomaru.
As he turns to go to back town he remembers Sesshomaru's chilling words.
"If anything happens to her…its…my head!" He cries turning back to the path, he gasps; it was beginning to fade.
"Lady demon wait for meee!" He screeches scrambling up the path behind her.
Sesshomaru walks towards the woods following the Aya's scent, he hadn't heard anything from her in too long, ten minutes…it was unlike her.
As he moves deeper into the woods he picks up the scent of the children…and, his eyes flash red, Uyren. Sesshomaru growls picking up his pace, he frowns when he makes it to Lana who does not stir at his presence. He bends down before her and she moans peeking an eye open.
"Lord…Sesshomaru." She whispers closing her eyes again, he looks her over, she was not injured…she just seemed very tired.
"Where is Aya?" He asks looking around.
"T-That thing…it-it…took her." Lana whispers as tears begin to seep from the corners of her eyes.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrow as he looks into the trees, he couldn't feel anything around him and the smell was now fading, he lifts Lana into his arms turning to take her back to the village.
"Mio, is she with her?"
Lana moans as more tears begin to fall from her eyes, Sesshomaru nods his head stiffly.
When he makes it back to the village he is met at it's border with Kiyoza.
"What happened," Kiyoza asks looking down at Lana.
"Uryen." Sesshomaru says walking past him toward Kagome's house, Kiyoza's face turns grave as he begins following Sesshomaru.
"And where is Aya?"
Sesshomaru pauses at Kagome's door to look at Kiyoza who lowers his eyes clearly understanding Sesshomaru's expression.
"I know where it is." Kiyoza mutters looking up again, Sesshomaru nods opening the door, Inukimi sat at the table holding one of Aya's fans, she closes it to look at Sesshomaru.
"He was here?" She mutters holding her nose, Sesshomaru nods. He holds Lana out for her, "take care of the girl…Kiyoza and I have to get Aya, Inukimi's eyes widen and she stands from her chair abruptly.
"He has her!"
Sesshomaru flinches at her shrill cry, Inukimi shakes her head looking down.
"Sesshomaru…things have changed…she's a real threat to him now…I–"
Sesshomaru growls making her stop, Inukimi sighs taking off the Meido stone, she puts it at his neck.
"I don't know what is up there…but the Meido stone has many abilities…if she has trouble using the Hikari No Ishi this can probably give you time to get out of there unscathed."
"So give it to Aya?" Kiyoza mutters and she nods.
Sesshomaru turns to leave but Inukimi grabs his arm, he glances back at her.
"Keep those stones with you at all times…just being in Uryen's pressence may have its after effects but if you come into contact with one of the stone's you should be alright."
Sesshomaru nods pulling away, "come Kiyoza."
Kiyoza sighs when Inukimi walks away with Lana.
"And so…it begins again."
He turns following Sesshomaru.
Next Chapter: Playing House