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I make no excuses for being out of commission; I humbly beg for forgiveness!
MAJOR STORY CHANGE BEFORE READING! Now that I have your attention, all of the chapters have been edited mostly for grammar/spelling errors and content that contributed to the flow of the story without change minor points. However, there was one key change that was significant. In Chapter 7: Insanio, when Ryuga revealed himself as L, I changed it so that HE DID NOT intend for Mimirou to hear him. I just want that to be clear. Now continue with for reading pleasure!
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Flashback transition: -O0o0O-
Chapter 8: Pessum ire
"Hi, Kagome-chan," Sayu said as she entered her home after her school let out. She made her way to the kitchen where she knew Kagome was currently cleaning.
"Hello, Sayu," Kagome answered while wiping off the counter. After meeting Ryuga at the hospital, she had immediately taken over the housework at the Yagami household on her days off from classes while Yagami-san was recovering and his wife was tending to him in the hospital. Unlike Light, she didn't have a full class schedule. His parents were definitely grateful for Kagome's help and Sayu really liked having her around the house when no one else was home. Kagome would clean as much as she could (although the house was usually clean to begin with), fix something for dinner, and, if Light wasn't home by the time she was done, she would hang out in Light's room. After the encounter with Ryuga, Light cut off all discussions about Kira. Although criminals continued to die, he focused on going to school and being with Kagome. Other than officially introducing Mimirou and Mayaru to the family as residents of the Higurashi shrine, he made no direct moves to challenge Ryuga yet.
'But now there's no doubt that Ryuga knows about Mayaru in addition to Mimirou,' Kagome thought, 'and he probably did some research on them which yielded no results at all since they don't technically exist in this time period. That might cause a little trouble, but it makes sense that Light would want Ryuga to know. This way Ryuga won't be able to surprise Light with any additional information that would make him or myself seem more suspicious.' Kagome inwardly sighed at her stream of thoughts; she was spending so much time with Light even her thoughts were beginning to sound like him.
"So when is Light going to make you his girlfriend already?" Sayu asked Kagome animatedly, "I mean you're here all the time and our parents are always gone. You can't tell me all you do in Light's room is study all the time."
Kagome sighed and flicked the younger girl on the forehead. Sayu was nice enough but she certainly had a one track mind.
"This isn't some soap opera drama," Kagome responded, "Light and I are friends. I know we seem close, but we're not dating and we're definitely not doing those things."
"But you did kiss him right?" Sayu asked smugly. Kagome blushed and tightened her hands on the cloth she was using. She placed the damp cloth in the sink and made her way upstairs.
"Where ya going?" Sayu asked in an amused voice.
"I'm gonna sniff Light's clothes in his closet! Don't bother me!" Kagome shouted over her shoulder. Once she made it to Light's room, she shut the door behind her and loud, overexcited laughter assaulted her ears.
"Shut up, Ryuk," Kagome said exasperatedly although only half heartedly. Ryuk usually spent his time shadowing Light (he was the death note owner after all) and Kagome was glad for the chance to talk to the shinigami alone. According to the death note rules, there was a good chance that he couldn't tell Light what they talked about and, even if he did, it wasn't anything for Light to be suspicious of. There were a few concerns that Kagome needed to clear up and she was sure Ryuk had the information she needed.
"Ryuk," Kagome began after she sat down on top of Light's desk. She turned on the TV so anyone who passed by the door wouldn't hear their conversation especially Sayu, "can I ask you something?"
"Alright," he answered once his laughter had died down to a few chuckles, "but just so you know, I won't tell you anything that would help Light as Kira like L's real name or anything like that."
"I already know that, fat lip," Kagome retorted drily, "I'm not asking about anything like that."
"So what do you want know," Ryuk asked sounding very disinterested.
"I wanna know what happened to all the youkai," Kagome began, "You said death notes that can be used on both humans and demons went out of practice. Before that happened, shinigami wrote down the names of as many demons as they could so they could add the highest amount of years to their lifespan. Even so, shinigami couldn't have killed them all and I'm sure any remaining youkai were able to evade any attempts to kill them made by humans."
"They didn't all die out;" Ryuk answered vaguely, "Some of them remained alive." He turned his attention to the TV screen.
"Then what happened to them?" Kagome asked, "Do they still live in the human world?"
"How should I know?" Ryuk asked. Kagome blew up the few strands of hair hanging in front of her face. Ryuk was being difficult and from what she could tell, he was enjoying every minute of it. She decided to try a different route.
"Can't you tell the difference between a human and a non-human?" Kagome asked, "Like when you saw Mimirou and Mayaru for the first time."
"Yeah," Ryuk answered, "Easily."
Kagome groaned and rested her hand against her fists. She could hear Ryuk chuckling at her.
"You're really not good at this," Ryuk said, "I would have thought you would have taken after Light at least a little bit by now. At least that way, this would be a little more entertaining."
Kagome immediately stood and headed towards the door. Ryuk waited for Kagome to return; he was really curious about her sudden move. She sped downstairs and come back up a few seconds later with a large glass with an amber liquid inside like some human alcoholic drinks. Ryuk could also see that she was holding something behind her back. There was a triumphant smile on her face that confused Ryuk even more. He took a sniff around her; whatever was in the glass it wasn't alcohol. Kagome put the glass to her lips and threw her head back, taking a big gulp of the liquid inside. When she finished, Kagome put the half empty glass on the desk and let out a loud sigh. Ryuk stiffened; her breath smelled like fresh apples.
"Nothing like a big cold glass of apple juice when you're frustrated, don't you think?" Kagome asked, but she didn't wait for Ryuk to answer her.
"Didn't Light ever tell you about apple juice?" Kagome asked innocently, "It's all the fresh goodness of an apple in a cold refreshing glass. They sell it in big jugs like this one and they're not really that expensive." Kagome pulled a nearly full jug of apple juice from behind her back and shook it in front of Ryuk. Mesmerized, Ryuk's large yellow eyes followed the container and he reached for the jug, but Kagome pulled it out of his reach.
"If you cut the crap and give me some real answers, I'd be willing to share," Kagome said, "It shouldn't be against the rules, right?" Kagome opened the jug and brought it close enough for Ryuk to reach. He snatched the jug from Kagome's hands and started to chug its contents. Kagome smiled; she could tell the Ryuk was immediately smitten with the stuff and he'd be more inclined to answer her questions.
'Light did tell me that this kind of bribery worked for him before,' Kagome thought smugly.
"So," Kagome began. She had returned to her seat on Light's desk and leaned back in the chair crossing her legs.
"What happened to all the demons that the shinigami didn't kill?" Kagome asked. Ryuk stopped the drinking and wiped his mouth with his arm; he still had about half the jug left.
"They live in the demon world," Ryuk answered and started drinking his juice again.
"There's a world that's only inhabited by demons?" Kagome asked quietly. She never thought that something like that existed. To think that all of the youkai that had once lived alongside humans now dwelled in another world, a new world separate from the human world and Shinigami Realm.
"Think about it," Ryuk said, "There is the human world and the Shinigami Realm. Wouldn't it make sense that demons have their own world? Although I guess you could call it more of a dimension. That's also why all the rules of the death note are specific to the human world; it's pretty useless if a shinigami dropped it in the demon world. Don't ask me how to get there though. I'm not allowed to tell you even if I did know how. Besides, I don't think that they would openly accept a miko among them."
"Yeah, that makes sense," Kagome said with a sigh. She had a least some slight hope that she would be able to find out where the youkai where hiding and she could relocate anyone she had met in the past.
'So much for that,' Kagome thought sullenly.
"So how do shinigami tell the difference between humans and non-humans?" Kagome asked.
"Before shinigami started using the new death notes, you could tell the difference by comparing life spans. As you probably know, the life spans of non-humans are usually longer than ordinary humans. But now there is no need for that because the eyes of a shinigami can only see the names and life spans of humans," Ryuk explained, "When the old death notes were collected by the shinigami king, it was useless to see the names and life spans of demons because shinigami could no longer use the death note to kill them. I guess we evolved or something. The same goes for humans who make the shinigami eye trade."
"Why were there new death notes?" Kagome asked. Ryuk may be more cooperative at the moment but his answers always led to more questions.
"Humans were becoming the dominant species on earth and outnumbering non-humans," Ryuk answered, "It makes more sense to kill them or at least that's what the old man thought." Ryuk finished off the bottle of apple juice with a large gulp and dropped the jug on the floor.
"Tasty," he commented, "Are you done yet? Maybe Light is rubbing off on you. I don't even think he had me answer so many questions."
"Sorry," Kagome said with a giggle, "This last one has more to do with the death note and me. Do you know anything about miko and the death note?"
"Eh, not much," Ryuk answered, "Mikos are like non-humans in a way; depends on how powerful they are. There hasn't been a powerful one in a while."
"Well what about my bond with Light?" Kagome asked, "How deep is that?"
"I don't know," Ryuk answered, "For all I know, you could die as soon as he does or something. Or the whole thing could just be honor based; that sounds like the kind of thing that the old man will come up with, but I'm not sure." Kagome sighed; that was the type of thing she would have liked the have a clear cut answer on.
'I shouldn't take any chances just to be safe,' Kagome thought, 'and I'll have to tell Mimirou and Mayaru. Not to mention InuYasha.'
Kagome groaned; InuYasha had been missing in action for a while now, much longer than usual. No doubt Mayaru or Mimirou had something to do with it. She was glad they keep him a bay, but she could only put of talking to him for so long.
'I need to go back as soon as I can,' Kagome thought, 'Tonight if possible. I can't keep running away.'
"Is there anything you know for sure?" Kagome asked.
"Just about shinigami eyes deal," Ryuk answered, "you can't make the exchange with me; only Light, the current owner of the death note, can."
Kagome paused before she thought of her next question. It wasn't as important as the others, but she had been curious about it for a long time.
"What does Ryuk see when he looks at me?" Kagome asked the shinigami in a quiet voice.
Ryuk smirked so wide that his blue lips stretched all the way across his face. He leaned in close to Kagome; so close that Kagome could have felt his breath on her face if Ryuk needed to breath.
"I'm afraid I can't tell you that," Ryuk answered in a low whisper.
"Don't shinigami know the meaning of personal space," Kagome said and edged away from the blue death god.
"Well he definitely never got that close to me," someone said from the doorway. Light walked into his room and sat his bag on the floor by his door. He walked over to where Kagome and Ryuk were talking and sat on his bed in front of them.
"Light, you're home," Kagome exclaimed.
"Yeah," he answered, "and I actually think I'd rather come home to see you with my jacket on your face." Kagome pouted and slid off of Light's desk.
"Well then since you're home," Kagome began, "There's no reason for me to stay. I can start heading back to the shrine."
"You're leaving already?" Light asked, "You usually stay a little longer after I get home."
"Yeah," Kagome answered, "but Mimirou and Mayaru have some business to take care of back home. We might be gone for a few days." Even though they didn't know it, she knew the sisters wouldn't object to returning tonight.
"What exactly will you be doing?" Light asked. He got up from his bed and went to grab a jacket from his closet; Kagome could tell that Light was up to something.
"Umm," Kagome began, "we have some things that we need to take care of. It would be best if we got this over with before Ryuga decides to make another move."
"Ok," Light said and didn't ask anymore questions, "Let me work you home."
"Alright," Kagome said knowing it would be best not to argue and Light would have to find out about the well sooner or later. Light took Kagome's hand in his and led her out of the door with Ryuk hovering behind them.
-O0o0O-
"Kagome-dono should be coming home in about an hour or so," Mayaru observed as she wiped the sweat from her forehead. It was dusk with the sun barely peeking over the skyline. She and Mimirou were sparing in the yard in front of the well house. It passed the time while Kagome was away; lately she spent all of her time at school or at the Yagami household usually with Light Yagami. Sometimes they would occupy her and help with the housework, but they were getting a little rusty on their skills from lack of practice.
"She must have waited for Yagami-san to return home from university," Mimirou commented and sheathed her sword.
"Your reflexes are a little off," Mimirou continued, "and my aim is not on balance. Perhaps tomorrow we should do a little meditation to get more in touch with our element."
"Your observations seem accurate," Mayaru said, "Speaking of being out of touch, perhaps we should check on the well house. Kagome-dono didn't say anything about returning to the Feudal Era soon, but you told me InuYasha came here looking for us when Kagome was out with Yagami-san and Ryuga-san, correct?"
"Hai," Mimirou affirmed, "I sent him away rather quickly, but a few cold words will only keep him at bay for so long."
"Somehow," Mayaru began, "you seem less proud of that than I thought you would."
"I do not go out of my way to hurt his feelings," Mimirou retorted, "At least, not as bad as I did."
Mimirou and Mayaru began walking in the direction of the well house when a flash of red erupted from inside it.
"You saved us the trouble of looking for you," Mimirou said when InuYasha appeared before the two of them looking more irritated than she or her sister had ever seen him before. He looked like he hadn't been sleeping well, a feat for anyone with demonic blood, and he smelled like he showered in blood.
'He must have curved his frustrations by killing off some rouge youkai,' Mayaru thought, studying the hanyou with calculating eyes, 'He could do something drastic.'
"Where's Kagome?" InuYasha asked.
"She should be coming home soon," Mayaru said, "No need for you to rush her."
"Like hell," InuYasha said and began sniffing around to pick up Kagome's scent. Before he could begin bounding in her direction, several slimy green vines erupted from the ground and latched onto his limbs binding him together. InuYasha struggled to get free but more vines grew to ensnare him.
"That should keep him detained for the time being," Mayaru commented on the bound hanyou admiring her handiwork.
"Just wait till I get my hands on you!" InuYasha shouted while continuing to struggle for freedom.
"I will admit that you are more in your element than I am at the moment, but perhaps you should have bound his mouth," Mimirou suggested. She smirked when a thick vine wrapped itself around InuYasha's head.
"What's going on here?" Kagome shouted. She, Light, and Ryuk appeared at the top of the shrine steps and Kagome caught sight of the detained InuYasha and the two demonic sisters standing next to him. Light and Ryuk followed after her at a slower pace.
"Shall I let him go?" Mayaru asked looking in Light's direction. There was no doubt that he could see InuYasha and, from the expression he wore, she could tell he wanted answers.
"I don't know about that," Kagome murmured to herself and InuYasha began to thrash about.
"Perhaps we should discuss this in the well house?" Mimirou suggested, "I do not think it would be wise for you family to discover Yagami-san's connection to the supernatural."
"Good idea," Kagome said, "You go on ahead; I think it would be better to get Light a little prepared for what he's going to hear." The sisters nodded and turned towards the well house. Mayaru's vines pulled InuYasha into the wooden building with Mimirou and Mayaru following after him in quiet fits of laughter.
"I take it that that's another demon?" Light asked when he and Ryuk reached Kagome. Kagome nodded hesitantly.
"He's a half demon like Mimirou," Kagome explained, "He's name is InuYasha."
"I'm guessing by the way he is dressed," Light began, "That he has something to do with the reason you were able to meet Ryuk five hundred years ago."
Kagome sighed; she hoped he forgot about that since it didn't help him being Kira. However, it wasn't in Light's nature to forget something that could be the least bit useful.
"Come with me into the well house," Kagome said, "I'll explain what I can."
"I'd be careful, Light," Ryuk said, "That one's got quite the temper on him."
Light didn't say anything but looked in the direction of the well house. He could tell that Kagome was extremely nervous. He grabbed her hand and rubbed soothing circles on her open palm.
"Don't worry about it," Light said, "Everything will be alright." The two of the walked into the well house to see InuYasha wrestling with the green vines with Mimirou and Mayaru standing in defense positions dividing InuYasha from Kagome and Light.
"Mayaru," Kagome began, "You can let him go now." The demon looked at her for a moment before the vines receded releasing the white haired half demon from their grip.
"Who the hell are you?" InuYasha asked the auburn haired teen standing next to Kagome and holding her hand. He placed his hand on the hilt of Tessaiga.
"InuYasha," Kagome whispered harshly, "No posturing. Don't try to kill him." Kagome moved so that she was standing slightly in front of Light to protect him. InuYasha sneered and removed his hand from his sword. He didn't like the look of this human nor the way he stood so close to Kagome. He had never seen him before and he had never known Kagome to be close to any boy in this era.
'Looks like Kagome trusts him,' he thought bitterly, 'So do those two. I'll keep my eye on him just in case.'
"I'm Yagami Light," Light said, ignoring Kagome's order to the hanyou, "I met Kagome, Mimirou, and Mayaru some time ago." InuYasha huffed and put his hands into the sleeves of his haori.
"So, the wench told you everything about the well huh?" InuYasha said snidely, "So much for keeping it a secret."
"InuYasha," Kagome said harshly between her teeth.
"She did not tell him," Mimirou said drily, "You just did."
"So this well is how Kagome is able to travel five hundred years into the past," Light said with his hand on the edge of the well, "During the Feudal Age, possibly between the Bunki and the Tenshou Era. Based on your behavior and the way you look, Mimirou, Mayaru and InuYasha are all from that time period."
"Yes," Kagome said, "but InuYasha, Mimirou, and Mayaru are the only people from the Feudal Era that are able to pass through the portal and I'm the only here who can use it too."
"What of it?" InuYasha asked growing more irritated by the second.
"Nothing really," Light said casually, "It's just a remarkable thing that Kagome is able to do. Why is it that you travel back and forth between the periods?"
Kagome sighed and pulled the Shikon Shards from a small jar she wore on her body; she discovered the keeping the shards close her diminished the chances of losing it just a tad. So it was decided by the group that she wear them on her at all times.
"These are fragments of the Shikon no Tama," Kagome said, "Have you ever heard the legend of it?"
"I can't say that I have," Light said.
"The jewel was created by the battle of the great miko, Midoriko, and a powerful youkai. She was able to seize the souls of youkai and purify them, this power coming from having a positive balance of the four souls within her heart: Aramitama, Nigimitama, Kushimitama, and Sakimitama," Mayaru explained, "The battle lasted for seven days and seven nights until Midoriko realized that she would be unable to fight off the youkai. With the last of her power, Midoriko seized the spirit of the youkai and bound it within her own, killing both of them and creating the Shikon Jewel, which burst from her chest."
"After years of being passed form humans and demons, the jewel was discovered by taijiya and then entrusted to a miko called Kikyo," Mimirou continued, "Kikyo was killed and the jewel was burned with her body and disappeared."
"I'm Kikyo's reincarnation," Kagome said softly, "When I was born, the jewel reappeared in my body. About two years ago, I was dragged into the well by a centipede demon and transported to the Feudal Era and the jewel was ripped from my body." Kagome subconsciously placed her hand over the scar on her thigh.
"Long story short," Kagome began again, "I shattered the jewel into pieces like the ones in the container and we, along with some other people in our group, have been collecting them."
"But we are not alone," Mimirou said, "A vile half demon called Naraku, the hanyou that murdered Kikyo, appeared to collect the jewel shards for his personal gain. Right now, he holds a majority of the jewel in his possession and our goal is ultimate demise."
"So," Light began, "you won't stop going to the Feudal Era until you collect all of the shards of the Shikon Jewel and this Naraku is your main obstacle."
"Too much for you to handle?" InuYasha asked Light with a smirk on his face.
"I think that I can help you," Light said surprising all the occupants of the wooden building.
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked. Light had to be considering using the death note, but it could only kill humans with the death note; how could he hold the power to help them. Light pulled a piece of paper from his wallet about one forth the size of a full sheet of paper when unfolded.
"InuYasha," he addressed the hanyou, "do you think you can hold onto this piece of paper?" InuYasha shrugged and took the paper from Light's hand. His eyes immediately widened when he caught sight of Ryuk hovering directly behind Light. His first instinct was to attack the unknown creature, but he noticed how calm Kagome and the others were when Light handed him the paper. They must have known the creature was here.
"So what are you?" InuYasha asked, "His pet or something?" Kagome giggled behind her hand when Ryuk gawked at the hanyou.
"I am not!" Ryuk exclaimed, "I'm a shinigami."
"Shinigami?" InuYasha asked.
"Yes," Light answered, "I met Ryuk after I found a notebook, the death note. By touching this piece of paper from the death note, you are also able to see and hear him as long as you hold onto it."
"So what the hell is a death note?" InuYasha asked. He took the piece of paper and tucked it in the folds of his haori.
Light smirked and another piece of the death note from his wallet.
"You can use this piece of the death note to kill Naraku," Light said.
"But how?" Kagome asked, "It shouldn't be able to work on non-humans."
"I got some information from Ryuk about hanyou and youkai and the differences between them after we met up in my house," Light explained, "It proved to be very interesting."
-O0o0O-
"Ryuk?" Light asked the shinigami. The two of them were in his room shortly after meeting Kagome, Mimirou, and Mayaru and Light returned home after he took Kagome to the bus station.
"What is it?" Ryuk asked.
"Could you tell immediately that Mimirou and Mayaru were not human?" Light asked. There was no reason Ryuk couldn't answer the question because it had nothing to do with the death note.
'The real question is will he answer,' Light thought bitterly; Ryuk wasn't exactly a dependable source of information, but he already had an idea on how he could.
"Yeah," Ryuk answered, "it's easy for a shinigami to tell the difference between humans and non-humans."
"I see," Light said, "It's understandable that you could. The death note only works on humans and it would be ineffective against non-humans like Mimirou and Mayaru. When you were explain the shinigami eyes to me, you said that the eyes of a shinigami can see a person's name and life span. I'm assuming that you cannot see the same when you look at a non-human; having the ability to do so would be completely useless. This would be the most immediate way for a shinigami to tell the difference between humans and non-humans when looking from the Shinigami Realm."
"That's right," Ryuk said.
"But Mimirou half human," Light said, "she must be weaker than a full demon like Mayaru right?"
"Not necessarily weaker when it comes to power," Ryuk explained, "but hanyou all have one weakness." Light was silent waiting for Ryuk to continue.
"I don't really understand it, but it's not all that complicated," Ryuk began, "Humans and demons are completely different so when hanyou are born, they are unstable. The human blood and demon blood constantly clashes with each other and the hanyou's body is in a constant state of conflict. A hanyou's body adapts because of the conflicting blood and his body must enter an annual period of weakness. A hanyou's weak period begins when the human blood overpowers the youkai blood, but when it varies from hanyou to hanyou though. For some it happens when the moon is at a certain phase and for others it change with day or night, but it is evitable and all hanyou experience it."
"So during this time of weakness," Light began, processing the information Ryuk just gave him, "the hanyou is essentially human until this annual phase is over."
"Right," Ryuk affirmed.
"So theoretically, during this time a hanyou's name and life span should be able to be seen by a shinigami," Light explained, "and a hanyou can be killed by writing its name in the death note as long as the time of death falls within the hanyou's period of weakness when said hanyou is human."
"I guess so," Ryuk said, "I never heard of a shinigami using the death note that way; no one would want to make the effort."
"I figured that much," Light said, "It would be difficult for anyone to find out when that period occurs; I'm sure that they keep it a secret. Based on what you said about the various occurrences of the weak period for different hanyou, I can conclude that at the very least this period occurs once a month for most hanyou. The 23 day rule in the death note would take care of that. The only way to know if the death note could be used that way for sure is if I test it out."
"So you going to try to kill Mimirou?" Ryuk asked, "I won't tell you when I can see Mimirou's name and lifespan and if you find a way to succeed without knowing, you're as good as dead. Her sister will be out for your blood and there's no way to kill a youkai with the death note."
"Don't be stupid," Light said, "Killing Mimirou for the sake of a test would be a waste of time."
"So why do you wanna know?" Ryuk asked.
"Well, I already assumed you're not going to tell me how you and Kagome were able to meet 500 hundred years in the past," Light began, "but I can also assume that Kagome is acquainted with other non-humans and, because Mimirou and Mayaru are so protective of her, it's safe to say that she is probably not on friendly terms with them all. The possibility of killing a hanyou with the death note could prove to be something that I do not need to consider, but I think that this could be useful in the future."
-O0o0O-
"Because Naraku is a hanyou," Light explained, "someone can write Naraku's name on this piece of the death note in this space in front of the conditions of his death and he will die." During the explanation of his conversation with Ryuk, Light had been writing a description of the death on the piece of the death note he had showed Kagome. The passage was short but the words on the page had the potential to bring the vile hanyou to his knees. After a large blank space, Light had written "Heart Attack. 40 seconds after entering his annual period of weakness when his demonic blood is overpowered by his human blood." Hesitantly, Kagome took the page and the pen Light had written with. She placed the pen in her pocket and read over the short passage. InuYasha looked over her shoulder and scoffed at the writing.
"As if a piece of paper could kill Naraku," he said, "We're been battling him for years and you think you and stupid diary can take care of him."
"Are really sure that this will work?" Kagome asked Light in a quiet voice ignoring InuYasha.
"Not one hundred percent," Light said, "but even if it's just the slightest chance of working, you can't allow someone like Naraku to continue existing. The risks are not that high. If it works then Naraku will die, but it will be at the cost of a small portion of the person's lifespan who wrote down the name. If it doesn't work, then there is nothing to lose."
Kagome closed her eyes and started to think. She didn't condone using the death note at all and only did what she did because she was bound to Light.
"Alright," Mayaru answered for the group, "Naraku must be defeated at all cost; we cannot go on without resolving the issue of his existence." Kagome nodded and put the paper in her pocket.
"I'd also like it if either Mimirou or Mayaru were allowed to stay with me in their nekomata form," Light said. Before InuYasha could protest, Mayaru stepped forward with her arms crossed across her chest.
"I volunteer to stay," she said and shifted into her nekomata form.
"Why the hell do you need to stay?" InuYasha asked roughly. He was quickly getting fed up with the human boy that Kagome seemed to trust so much.
"Yagami-san's methods may seem a little strange," Mimirou began, "but he is genuinely more intelligent than most and he has yet to have miscalculated his actions. On that alone, you can give him the minimum amount of trust."
InuYasha growled but stepped back from the male human.
"When you have confirmed the death of Naraku," Light began, "I would like for you to return here. Can you manage that?" Light had taken Kagome's hands in his, ignoring Ryuk's snickers.
Kagome nodded and answered, "Yes, I'll be able to come back. Upon Naraku's death, a curse on a friend that travels with us will be lifted and with Naraku's barrier gone, it will be easy to detect the jewel shards he has."
"Alright," Light said. He pulled Kagome in his arms once again surprising the rest of the occupants of the wooden building. Mimirou pulled at InuYasha's sleeve and jerked her head in the direction of the well. When InuYasha refused the move, Mimirou shrugged her shoulders and walked towards the well without hesitation; she climbed over its side and disappeared with a flash of blue light.
"Be safe," Light whispered in Kagome's ear and caressed her hair gently. Kagome smiled softly despite herself; Light seemed genuinely worried about her. Light gave Kagome a kiss on her forehead before he pulled away from her. Kagome was blushing, but she was quickly growing anxious. She could hear InuYasha growling behind her.
'Light's in rare form today, but he is really pushing it,' Kagome thought.
"Alright, let's get going already," InuYasha said and scooped Kagome into his arms, cradling her back, and cupping the back of her thighs. Within seconds, he jumped into the well and disappeared while holding Kagome flush to his chest.
"He may not be as smart as you," Ryuk commented, "but he does have style." Mayaru rolled her feline eyes at the shinigami and snorted. Light sighed at the shinigami and took the kitten in his arms. With little resistance, Mayaru settled in Light's grip as comfortably as she could.
"Let's go home," Light said and the trio left the small wooden building. Before the well house disappeared out of sight, Mayaru shifted her eyes towards it with one lingering thought.
'Be safe.'
-O0o0O-
"So what's the deal with that guy?" InuYasha asked Kagome once the two of them landed at the bottom of the well in the Feudal Era.
"What do you mean?" Kagome asked trying to feign innocence. She didn't want InuYasha to know anymore about the death note or anything about Kira. She still didn't believe what Light wanted to do or the methods he was willing to use, but she was beginning to understand it. Admitting that much terrified her.
"I don't like the look of him," InuYasha said. He jumped out of the well continuing with Kagome in his arms to see Mimirou waiting for them leaning against a nearby tree. It looked like she could hear what InuYasha was saying about Light.
"Perhaps we should save all conversation concerning Yagami-san until we return to the village," Mimirou suggested.
"Sounds like a good idea to me," Kagome said and immediately jumped out of InuYasha's arms. The three of them walked down the dirt path leading to the village greeting the villagers as they passed.
"Kagome!" Shippo shouted and collided with the teen's stomach when the trio was closer to Kaede's hut. Kagome smiled and cuddled the small kitsune close to her.
"I missed you!" he exclaimed and Kagome hugged him tighter. Looking around (and skipping over InuYasha), Shippo noticed Mimirou was alone without her sister; he had never known the two of them to be apart. He let go of Kagome and jumped over to the neko hanyou's shoulders.
"Did you bring me any sweets?" he asked animatedly.
"Sorry," Mimirou said, "I forgot them." Shippo pouted and began toying with the neko's ears like he did with InuYasha's but not as roughly.
"Is everyone still at Kaede's?" Kagome asked Shippo.
"Uh-huh!" Shippo mumbled with his little teeth latched onto Mimirou's furry ear. The hanyou sighed and ignored the kit. The group had made it to the hut and saw Miroku sitting outside.
"Kagome-sama, I see InuYasha managed to retrieve you" Miroku greeted, "how good to see you back. Mimirou-san, good to see you as well." With a quick survey of the group, the monk noticed that a member of the returning party was absent.
"May I inquire as to why Mayaru-san is not among you?" Miroku asked.
"We can explain that once we get inside," Kagome said and went inside bypassing Miroku and the others to see Sango tending to her hiraikotsu with Kirara sleeping in the corner of the room. Mimirou and Shippo, InuYasha, and Miroku followed behind her.
"So how was your trip?" Miroku asked when everyone was inside and seated, "By Mayaru's absence, I could only assume it was quite eventful."
"You could say that I guess," Kagome said sheepishly. InuYasha huffed and placed his hands in the sleeves of his haori.
"Why don't you tell them about your genius lover boy?" he suggested snidely.
"Don't call him that!" Kagome shouted, "And he's not!"
"Kagome has acquired another suitor?" Sango asked Mimirou.
"I suppose," Mimirou answered. She didn't want to reveal Light and Kagome's relationship even though it wasn't exactly genuine. Keeping the details of the relationship as vague as possible would be the wisest choice of action. Also there was no need to antagonize InuYasha any further.
'I am more concern about him than Yagami-san,' she thought, 'If Naraku is killed using the death note, and then Yagami-san would be able to kill any hanyou he wished. The only hanyou known to him are InuYasha and myself.'
"He's got shit for brains," InuYasha said, "He thinks we can kill Naraku with a piece of paper."
"You told him the true nature of the well?" Sango asked Kagome and she nodded.
"You must trust him a great deal to reveal something like that," Sango commented.
"I guess," Kagome said, "Light's not going to tell anyone and he's very discrete!"
"So his name is Light," Miroku mused, "and you trust that with this paper he has given you that it will be able to vanquish Naraku?" Kagome could tell everyone was skeptical.
"Not exactly," Kagome said, "This piece of paper comes from the notebook that belonged to a shinigami."
"A god of death?" Miroku repeated and Kagome nodded.
"In my studies, I briefly came across the creature, but there isn't much about the subject," Miroku said, "All I know is that they escort the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Do you have anymore information, Sango?"
"Nothing other than folk tales," Sango said, "Why would a shinigami directly come in contact with a human and give them such a powerful item?"
"Well this shinigami dropped the death note and Light happened to find it and he held onto it," Kagome said, "The note is designed to kill the human whose name is written in it." Kagome handed Miroku the piece of the death note for him to read.
"So the note will be effective on Naraku during his time of weakness. The description seems a little unclear and the whole idea seems far fetched to me," Miroku said, "Have you ever seen Light-san use this death note?"
"I have seen the note, but I never saw Yagami-san actively use it," Mimirou answered truthfully. Light had names written in advance and wrote on the hidden death note pieces in private locations. Though aware he had written down names; Kagome, Mimirou, and Mayaru never actually saw him write names in the death note.
"Do you have any proof InuYasha?" Miroku asked.
"I saw the damn shinigami, but note the notebook," InuYasha said, "Probably used it once and got freaked out. He said something about losing some of you life span or whatever."
"Perhaps a test is in order?" Miroku suggested.
"You're really going to use that?" Shippo asked timidly. He was snuggled securely in the safety of Kagome's abdomen (leaving Mimirou when he grew tired for messing with her appendages) and he was absolutely terrified of piece of paper.
"We need to do something before place all of our hopes in this attempt," Miroku said, "And because the only living hanyou we know for certain and can immediately know of their deaths are InuYasha and Mimirou, we should probably verify that the note will be affective on a human."
"And what human deserves death?" Sango asked, obviously offended by the mere suggestion.
"It is not our place to pass judgment," Miroku said, "but the most logical solution would be to use someone to whom death would be a service to."
"How about that guy, Saburo?" InuYasha suggested.
"You can't be serious!" Sango shouted. She looked to Kagome and Mimirou for support, but Kagome was lost in thought by this point and Mimirou was characteristically apathetic.
"Is Saburo one of the head farmers for the village?" Mimirou asked Shippo, the only other one not involved in the discussion.
"He was," Shippo answered, "He lost his leg in an accident recently. His family has been taking care of him."
"So his condition is truly a desperate one?" Mimirou asked.
"His family is spending most of their time taking care of him and not tending to their own duties," Miroku explained, "He was once active and lively and now all he does is lie inside his family's home and come out only once or twice a day. His quality of life will only get worse. And since InuYasha said a portion of the user of this paper's life will be forfeited, I would probably be the best candidate considering…" Miroku stopped talking and flexed the hand sealed with his prayer beads. Although they hated to admit it out loud, Miroku's explanation made a lot of sense.
"So," Sango began after she had calmed down, "we are certain that Saburo is the one we agree on?"
Without any words, the group quietly decided. Kagome handed Miroku the pen from her pocket and handed it to Miroku. He turned over the page of the death note to the clean side free of writing and placed it on the floor. He leaned over and began to write on the blank space. Miroku wrote, "Saburo; third son of Akihito and Miyuki."
"So now we wait?" Sango asked and was answered with a pregnant silence. In forty seconds, there was a loud feminine cry of shock. It was Miyuki, Saburo's elder mother.
"Please! Someone find Kaede! My son has collapsed!" she shouted. The villagers quickly frenzied about looking for Kaede and trying to aid the hysteric mother. The ballpoint pen that Miroku held in his hand fell to the ground but the piece of the death note was tightly clutched in his hand. It was clear to the group seated in Kaede's hut that no amount of help or skill would rose Saburo into the land of the living.
"He's dead," Shippo whispered quietly and tears appeared in the edge of his eyes.
"So now we use this to kill Naraku?" InuYasha asked.
"Yes," Kagome answered after being silent for the last part of the discussion, "All someone needs to do is write Naraku's name before what Light has written here."
Sango picked up the pen from the ground; the object clutched tightly in her hand.
"I want to be the one to do it," she said in a tense voice. Without looking, Miroku handed Sango the piece of paper and left the hut.
'He must be regretting killing someone,' Kagome thought sadly, 'Sorry for putting you through this.'
Although her handwriting wasn't as neat as Miroku's, Sango turned the paper over began writing Naraku's name in front of what Light had written.
"So now we wait," Sango said. Kagome took the piece of paper and slipped into her pocket. She excused herself from the others and began to walk outside.
'Why do I feel this way?' she thought, 'I could tell InuYasha about everything Light has done and he could easily kill him. Why am I so hesitant to tell him what's going on if everything Light is doing will be stopped?'
Kagome stopped when she had made it to a stream where the village woman frequently did there laundry. It was deserted with many items of clothing left on the banks of the waterway; some were even drifting in the slow current. It seemed like they left to help Miyuki. Kagome approached the stream and knelt down close to the water's edge. She dipped her fingers in the cool water and took a deep breath.
'But if the death note can kill hanyou,' she resumed her thoughts, 'Light may try to kill InuYasha.'
Kagome's heart ached when she thought of InuYasha dying, but at the same time her throat constricted when she thought of Light being hurt. Thinking of Light was just like the flowing water, a powerful current that wouldn't stop flowing. She knew she still had strong feelings for InuYasha, but at the thought of Light…The thing she had been frightened of was slowly coming to be.
'I'm…falling in love with Kira…Light Yagami.'
Kagome began to cry.
-O0o0O-
Naraku looked out from the safety of his concealed castle with indifference; there were little changes in scenery when one lived a life of hiding. He turned to leave and sneered when he felt his body's response was slower than usual. He had been putting it off for a while, but it was about time that he reconstruct his body again as he did every month. His human blood was already threatening to take over. InuYasha and his group, the constant thorns in his side, weren't making much progress lately especially since Kagome disappeared with her two obedient pets. Naraku felt his anger grow when he thought of the new additions to the miko's band of useless adoring fools. He planned to consume them sooner or later; the remaining blood of their clan of nekomata will make his body more resistant and stronger.
'It will be their devotion to the miko that brings their inevitable demise,' Naraku thought darkly and his anger quelled. He would slaughter them all once he tired of their efforts to find him and the suffering they endured because of it. Especially InuYasha…he would take much pleasure in his downfall.
"Kagura," he called out to the wind sorceress. With forced obedience, the demoness made her way to stand before her master.
"Yes?" she answered with her eyes looking towards the floor.
"I will be retiring to my chambers for the night," Naraku said, knowing she would understand his true purpose of retreating there.
"Do as you wish," Kagura replied. Naraku smirked at his detachment's form. She keep her eyes away from him, but he knew that utter hatred was dwelling in the red depths of her eyes. He could see her body's nearly undetectable tremors of rage and her white knuckles tightly clutching the material of her fan. No matter how much she despised him or how strong her desire was to escape, she would never be free from him. Her life was his to begin and his to end just like the many that played into his open hands; he was their god.
"Don't try to escape," Naraku said with a smirk; the warning was useless and Kagura began to tremble more noticeably. Naraku left Kagura in the hall of his hideout and made his way to his chambers. Once inside the room, he walked into the center of it and began his "human transformation". His current form lost its shape, its definite limbs and its torso until Naraku was nothing more than a mass of countless random demon parts and his head. The shift of forms was complete. Naraku took a moment to decide when component of his body should be the first to go, but he never got the chance to make the first move.
'What is this?' Naraku thought when he felt his heart, Onigumo's human heart, constrict while hidden in the mass of limbs. Then, within seconds, it ceased to beat as did the hearts of all his detachments that lived outside his body. It was as simple as that. No glorious battles. No elaborate ceremony. Nothing whatsoever. As quickly as he appeared, Naraku vanished by a power far greater than he.
-O0o0O-
punkish furball—And that's a wrap on that chapter. I don't know about anyone else, but I always pegged Naraku with a god complex (until a certain point in the manga of course). I also figured that if Naraku dies, then all his detachments will die as well (they are a part of him after all).
Any questions? (There might be some I think.) Comments? Words of Wisdom? Contact me!
-Pessum ire – "To be destroyed", "To be ruined", or "Put to an end"
L83R, DUD35!
(edited 08.28.2010)