Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha. That honor belongs to Takahashi-san.

Of Spirit and Spice

Chapter 1: Proposition

"Oi, wench, the sun's been up for an hour now! Let's go!"

"Uhhnnn…..five more minutes…please…"she croaked, rolling onto her side, away from his voice.

Inuyasha was on the verge of rolling his eyes when a particularly unpleasant stench assailed his nose…shit, not now…he silently cursed.

"Look bitch, if you don't get your ass in gear and out of that stupid bag in five seconds, you'll be sleeping in youkai guts, and seeing how there's a drought—"

She was awake and stuffing her things away before he could blink, done and clambering onto his back just as he dazedly finished his sentence: "…I don't think you'll be getting a bath for a while…"

As he leaped away, he let out an inward sigh of relief. He wasn't a good liar, but three odd years of hanging around the bouzou seemed to have improved his skills enough to trick a sleepy Kagome into thinking something less than the truth--in this case, that it wasn't a particular demon they were avoiding.

For three weeks that infernal thing had been stalking them as they made their way back to the village from their last escapade up north. I am getting so fucking tired of it, I just want it to end, and soon—but no, I'm not half that lucky, now am I?

The monk's kazaana had gotten progressively worse, as per the stipulations of the curse, given that they still hadn't manage to kill that fucking bastard after all this time, and he and Sango had sped ahead on Kirara to get him to Kaede's quickly, in hopes that rest might help delay the effects.

In the mean time, Inuyasha and Kagome were supposed to take a side trip to visit Jinenji to see if the hanyou had any medicine that could help. Unfortunately, that was when things went awry.

Four straight days of pouring rain with limited options for shelter had forced the pair to hole up in an abandoned hut. (As much as Inuyasha would have preferred to plow on, rain drenching him to the quick or not, the second he heard Kagome's sniffle he knew there was no choice in the matter. Not that he told her any of that.) The experience had been trying to say the least; as nice as it was to spend some time alone with his favorite shard-detector, being in such close quarters with no distractions or interruptions was just asking for something unintentional to happen. He knew if he'd relaxed, the barriers he'd so carefully maintained (despite her and his libido's best efforts to tear them down) would crumble too quickly and too seriously for any real repair, and then he'd really be in trouble.

The idea of being closer to Kagome wasn't unpleasant to him; far from it. But it was an impossibility as far as he was concerned, and just plain unproductive when he was supposed to be focused on killing that cocksucking jackass before he figured out how to deal with her.

It was with those thoughts firmly in mind that he managed to wait out the storm (though they couldn't prevent a number of close calls nor unnecessary fights) and keep moving after with such alacrity as he now displayed, literally tearing through the tree tops.

Oops. He didn't really notice, his pain tolerance almost infinite, but all those twigs and leaves and brambles flying around thanks to his aggressive stride might be a tad painful to the girl on his back. Shit…he cursed again as he finally noticed the death grip her arms had on his shoulders.

He slowed down a bit; no need to rip the trees apart at this point, with the danger far enough behind he couldn't sense it anymore. And definitely no need to put Kagome in any further—discomfort, (he hoped that's all it was).

"Oi, you ok back there?" He didn't know what else to say.

"Yeah…now…thought I'd throw up for a moment there though," she breathed back at him; missing his wince, she continued: "Why were you going so fast? Is something wrong?"

There it was. The Question. He should have known she'd ask it. She asked it every time something was going on he didn't want her to know about. And every time he'd have to lie or change the subject or not say a word until she gave up.

And every time he asked himself why he did it, why he couldn't just be open and honest with her, like she was with him, and every time he came up with blanks, nothing better than well, I am the asshole hanyou here.

At least this time he had a bit of a choice…he could just keep with his previous lie, couldn't he? But she was awake now…but what else would he say? 'Byakuya's been following us for the past three weeks and it's not to give us some pretty paper cranes?' Yeah—no. Stick with the last one it is.

"That youkai that crept up on us while we were asleep was faster than I thought, is all. It's ok though, I lost him." Thank the kami she couldn't see his face right now, or she'd know for sure—oh wait. She didn't need to see his face, now did she. Stupid girl, knowing him so well, using logic like she did…

"But…if it was just some minor youkai, why didn't you just get rid of it? Why did you…" she knew better than to say this to him, but similarly at a loss for options, she let it out anyway: "run?"

She steeled herself for the backlash. For some reason it never came though…why?

Because Byakuya had popped up not ten feet in front of them, and at Inuyasha's current speed, the stop was not an easy one.

Byakuya raised a fine eyebrow as he watched the hanyou and girl skid to a stop below him—interesting how he instantly shifted her about, so that he'd take almost all of the force of the impact, he mused to himself—and waited for their return to make his proposition.

Finally, after a few curse-filled minutes of dragging himself out of his impact-dug trench, he leaped to a high enough branch to talk with the abomination that had nearly caused his broken neck—not to mention Kagome's.

Byakuya realized the volatility of the volcano in red glaring at him, and withheld all urges to comment on the dirt stuck in his hair and clothes, or that stray leaf caught in the girl's collar. He tried to make his bit brief; everyone, especially tempermental hanyou, are prone to kill the messenger.

"Naraku sends you his greetings, and deigned the sending of me to present a proposition he has."

Funny, Inuyasha hadn't tried to murder him yet. Well, no sense pushing his luck—he continued: "It has come to his attention that we are all at a stalemate of sorts. He supposes that you find it as frustrating as he does."

Now he knew why they remained silent (excepting Inuyasha's guttural growl, of course). Shock did that to people, and it was clearly writ on their faces at this point. Why they were shocked—what else am I for, except to dispense tidbits to them or spy on them?—was a mystery to him, but it hardly mattered.

On he went with the message. "He cannot kill you, for whatever reason, and you cannot kill him. Hence the draw—"

An interruption. Finally, he was starting to worry they'd damaged their vocal chords in the fall and he'd have to record their images instead of their voices for confirmation. Good to know he didn't have to go the trouble of all that extra work.

"He has the fucking jewel, doesn't he? What more does that bastard need?!"

Another surprise to keep in mind. Inuyasha did have a brain after all. Now, if he had one of normal size he might pick up on the lie Byakuya was about to feed him, but that was beside the point. Inuyasha had actually picked up on half the reason for Naraku's action—that the Shikon no Tama was worthless to him while such a powerful pure force as Kagome was still near enough to keep it from corrupting completely. Shocking, that the impulsive brute had seen so clearly—but no matter. I'm gifted enough with illusion to cloud his sight without too much trouble…

"As you may have noticed, he does not yet have your heads on a platter. That is, I believe, 'what else he needs'. The Shikon no Tama gives him great power, but as of yet, it has not quite given him enough to kill you all, only defeat you. May I continue with the message? I'm almost done after all…" He almost drawled his response, his speech slid into the air so smoothly.

"Keh, fine, tell us whatever else the fucker's been thinking about…" Inuyasha growled, trying to look offhand; his straining ears belied his crossed arms too well though.

Byakuya hid a smirk at the petulant image, and followed his 'orders'. "Naraku has deemed that the only way to resolve this stalemate is in a duel to the death, no third parties allowed," he finished as he gazed off to the side, already bored with the stunned and speechless humans.

"W-what?! He-he's willing to fucking duel, now? After three years of cat and mouse? No third parties—keh! As if I believe any of that shit for a second! What is he really planning Byakuya!" Inuyasha spluttered, eyes flaring, fangs flashing.

"He is serious, actually, and I think it's the three years of 'cat and mouse,' as you put it, that are the reason. He's as tired of it all as you are. He wants you dead, and he thinks this is the only way he has a chance at it," Byakuya slid his eyes back to the hanyou, but kept his ears firmly on the miko. He didn't expect her to say anything, but her silence could be as important in Inuyasha's decision as her words…

"However, it is also your last and only chance to get rid of him. He will not make himself available again, should you decline. So, the question: are you interested?"

Inuyasha glared at him for a moment, suspicious, but, unable to find a flaw in the reasoning (or any legitimate arguments against his interest,) he finally turned to Kagome for her input.

The girl stood quiet and uneasy, shifting back and forth, biting her lip, darting a glance at the other demon, then sending a long, meaningful one at Inuyasha. Slowly, hesitantly, she nodded her head.

Inuyasha watched her closely, saw the sincerity in her eyes, and whipped his gaze back to the waiting (and miraculously alive) messenger.

"Yes."

With a small smirk teasing the corners of his lips, the demon flew off, fingering a single shocking green crane.

"Inuyasha…do you…think we made the right choice? Do you really think this will work?" Kagome asked softly, her eyes still trailing the retreating youkai.

"Keh. No. But it was the only one left, wasn't it," Inuyasha grunted as his eyes surreptitiously traced her form, an inscrutable look on his face.

But at least this way, you won't get hurt in the crossfire…he silently vowed.

"So…How did they take the message, Byakuya?" The words dripped sickly pleased anticipation.

"They appeared caught-off guard, but accepted soon enough. Here, listen." Byakuya, with only the faintest wince, tore off his ear and handed it to the shadow lounging on the silk pillow of a dead daimyou.

"Hmmm…Interesting. The girl said nothing? Not a word?"

Is he…disappointed by that? Byakuya couldn't help but wonder at the odd tone of his master's voice. He quickly squashed the 'rebellious' question; you never knew when your thoughts were being probed; and answered swiftly.

"No, she did not."

"So Inuyasha made the decision entirely by himself? That's more interesting yet."

Whatever quality had piqued his curiosity was gone now, to Byakuya's relief. Now he had another decision to make: tell Naraku about her nod, or leave it unsaid? Whichever he could get away with, of course. And today was his lucky day.

"Perhaps they have had a bit of a falling out…Or, better yet, this may have caused one. A fortuitous event, all told. Proceed with the next phase of our plans…"

Byakuya bowed, grinning to himself. To think, he'd withheld information on the miko and gotten away with it!—

"Oh…and this time…record it with your eyes as well as your ears. I wouldn't want to have some error because you had missed something as simple as a gesture, a shake or nod of the head, for example…"

"How is he, Kaede-sama? How long…" She couldn't finish her question.

The old miko took pity on her, and didn't answer the second question. "He is resting peacefully now. If you would like to visit him, go ahead."

"A-arigatou, Kaede-sama," Sango breathed as she ducked past the door mat.

"Poor girl…Both so young, too…" Kaede murmured to herself as she walked away.

He drifted in a dark place, a safe place. The pain had faded to a memory, and his exhausted body welcomed the sweet oblivion of sleep with open arms.

He didn't know how many more hours of rest he had left before the eternal one, but he'd enjoy this as long as he could.

"So…on to Jinenji's again, then?" Kagome whispered when the silence lasted too long.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Yeah, let's…let's go…"

Kagome watched him worriedly as he absentmindedly crouched. She got on, and they were off as usual, but something was bothering him, she could tell. Did she dare to ask the Question again?

The silence grew and pulled and pushed for hours before she finally gave in.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Her voice was loud enough for him to hear, but no more.

"Keh, nothing's wrong wench," he responded automatically. Where had the time gone? Hadn't he just started carrying her? Why was she asking that, all of a sudden?

"Yes. It. Is! You're driving me crazy with worry, you know that! You've been brooding over something for weeks now, and it's only gotten worse today. You can't really expect me to not notice when you won't look or talk to me for hours at a time! What, did I say something? Do something? Spit it out!"

Shit, she really means it this time, doesn't she? What the hell am I supposed to say to all of that…I hardly fucking know what's bothering me! Sure as hell could I explain it to her!

But that wasn't true, and he knew it wasn't. He often solved these mental quandaries with her help; if anything, she could probably help him figure it all out better and quicker than he could on his own.

But he knew that she was the root of his brooding, and if she knew…if she knew why, or how much of an effect her presence had…Now was not the time for that conversation.

He opened his mouth, ready to spit out some general evasion, but she spoke first.

"Is it…is it that you're missing Kikyou? I understand if you are…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell at you like that…" Her voice, instead of insistent and strong, quavered with withheld tears. He winced at the sound—but more at the words.

"Kagome…dammit, no, that's not what it is at all…you've got it all wrong…" he flubbed.

"Then what is it, Inuyasha?" she asked, a bit louder, but shakier; his fists tightened, his claws drawing blood at the scent of salt.

"W-what is it that's really b-b-bothering you? Why w-won't you tell me? If it's n-not K-kikyou, then…why d-don't you trust me to know?"

"Fuck, Kagome, I do trust you, it's just that—" he pleaded his case, not knowing what he'd say next but desperate to stop her tears.

He never got the chance though. They'd finally arrived.

He blinked, slowly. The darkness seeped away, burned away by light, color, a lovely female face framed by familiar wood walls…

"Houshi-sama? Can you hear me? It's me, Sango; we're in Kaede's hut—" She froze as she felt a familiar hand in an unfamiliar place.

"Oh Kami-sama…you're really in trouble, aren't you?" she breathed, gripping his feeble fingers. To think that he had reached for her hand, rather than her butt…

"Don't t-trouble yourself, Sango-sama," the monk whispered, his lips curving in a charming half-smile. "This poor monk will be fine in a few days at most."

"Don't lie to me, Houshi-sama. You've been out for days. I know—we all know—your kazaana will k-kill you soon. Don't…don't pretend like it's not going to happen."

He was startled at the emotion quivering in her voice. He always was; she was such a rock the rest of the time, he easily forgot that she did care, and deeply. Normally, the thought would have warmed him to his core. Right now, the sensation was more than a little bittersweet…

"I didn't mean it like that Sango…I'm not trying to pretend…anything that isn't true. My father lied to me right before he died; I'm not going to make anyone else go through that particular nightmare. I just meant that—"

"Well isn't this a touching reunion. Pardon me for interrupting, but I have a message for the both of you," a sly, clever voice slipped in.

"Inuyasha-sama, Kagome-sama. What brings you here?" a slow, placid voice carried to the quarreling couple, cutting off their argument.

With a huff, the girl dismounted and strolled over to the large uma-hanyou, and promptly began to chatter as if nothing had been bothering her at all.

Inuyasha just stood there a moment, trying to figure out some way, any way, he could have dealt with her question better. He came up blank, as usual. With a disgruntled sigh, he stalked after the pair, keeping an ear out for bitter villagers and their ilk.

Satisfied that the area was secure, he caught up with Kagome and Jinenji in time to catch the tail end of the conversation.

"—an antidote, or maybe just a pain-reliever? We'd take almost anything at this point, it's gotten so bad," Kagome explained to the thoughtful hanyou.

A silence descended for a time as he obviously considered various possibilities.

A typically impatient Inuyasha decided to ditch them in favor of observing from a nearby tree. He didn't like to let his guard down ever, but even more after his abysmal lapse that morning. If Byakuya had been sent out to fight, rather than talk…shit, he didn't even want to think about it.

With a quick leap and bound, he was lounging in a nearby tree, harmless and lazy to any eye, taut as a bowstring to the touch. Baggy fire-rat robes came in handy so often he lost count.

Finally settled, he let his eyes drift half-shut, focusing on his ears and nose. He didn't mean to nap, but all the worry and tension of the past few weeks caught up with him in a rush, and he was so comfortable, and off he fluttered into snoozeland...

A pity he couldn't escape his what-if fearful thoughts in his dreams.

Sango turned, hands fisted, muscles taut, focused on the intruder. How had they missed him…?

Byakuya held up a hasty hand to stop her. "Hold on, I mean no harm, honestly! I am merely the purveyor of Naraku's words, nothing more. There is no need for violence, I think we can all agree," he spoke quickly, deliberately and obviously shifting his gaze to the incapacitated monk.

"He's right, Sango. Let him speak," Miroku grunted, forcing himself into a sitting position. It hurt like hell, but his pride would hurt more otherwise.

Sango, seeing his discomfort despite his efforts to hide it, rushed to his side, supporting him firmly, but not so much as to insult him. "Fine," she ground out. "What do you have to say, Byakuya?"

"Not much, so don't worry about me keeping you long. Naraku simply wished for me to present a certain proposition of his…"

"You can't think of anything?" Kagome repeated, slowly, eyes huge with disbelief.

"There isn't an antidote for any curse other than the breaking of it. I can give you things to ease his pain, but nothing else…I am sorry, Kagome-sama. It is the best I can do," the forlorn giant murmured, eyes large with disappointment in himself for his failure.

The girl saw his reaction, and felt guilty. It wasn't his fault after all…

"It's alright, Jinenji-san," Kagome reassured him with a pat to his arm. "I know it's not your fault. We'll just have to break that curse ourselves, and soon. In the meantime though, how fast do you think you could make that pain-easing medicine? It would be a great help to us."

"Of course, Kagome-sama. I can have some ready by tomorrow," the hanyou eagerly answered, glad to help in some way.

Kagome smiled a little as he immediately bustled off to collect the herbs. Some people were just too nice for their own good…

"Alright. I may be old, but I am no fool. Something has transpired since I last visited you two. What is it?"

Sango's lips pursed even more, if that was possible.

With a despairing flick of his eyes, Miroku ascertained that he'd have to answer by himself. He took a moment to sip his stew, breathe deeply, then let it out.

"Byakuya was here, with a message from Naraku. It seems that he is as frustrated with our stalemate as we are. To solve the predicament, he has—"

"Set up a trap, as usual! I can't believe you accepted, Houshi-sama!" Sango interrupted.

"Oh? But he surely did not say that. Please, tell me exactly what he said," Kaede stated clearly and calmly, a single eyebrow raised, but at Sango's outburst or the new development with Naraku, neither Miroku nor Sango knew.

Still, it was enough to quiet Sango's tongue while Miroku recited the message as best he could.

"So," Kaede began when he'd finished. "It seems that you had no choice in the matter; either accept and have a chance at defeating Naraku, or refuse and condemn yourselves to spending the rest of your lives searching for him as you are now."

"Exactly, Kaede-sama. How could I not accept?" Miroku quietly agreed, eyes pleading with Sango to understand as well.

"But it seems that you disagree, Sango. I would not deny that this is probably a trap; but what makes you think this will be the trap that kills you when no others have?"

"Because he's desperate. Before, he was just playing with us. He'd increase the danger a bit, and we'd scrape through by our fingernails, but still alive. It got him angry. Now, he's willing to go all out to kill us, because he's finally realized that's the only way that will work. And now that he has the entire jewel, him going all out will kill us, for sure! There is no chance of winning this way!"

Sango gesticulated harshly as she spoke, the fire gleaming in her eyes. She was sure of her words; that was certain. Kaede didn't know what to say to her, for all that she disagreed.

Miroku finally broke the silence that Sango's words had left.

"My death, as you already know, is a foregone conclusion. At least this way, I have a chance of taking that bastard with me first."

A/N: Never underestimate the time it takes to write the beginning of a story. Or read it, for that matter...I hope all this plot set-up didn't feel too long. It's necessary, but it's also necessary to not bore the readers. You know, seeing as this isn't a textbook. Or the Fellowship of the Ring. I promise to not spend the first hundred pages talking about hobbits and birthday parties. You have my word.

The first fifty pages on the other hand...kidding! Seriously though, there are places where this plot won't change in obvious ways, but I will do my very best to keep the subtleties interesting.

Hope you liked it.