AUTHOR'S NOTE -

Alright, PLEASE READ THIS! IT'S IMPORTANT! This will be my last update for a week and a week only. THERE WILL BE NO UPDATE FRIDAY! The next update I make will be on tuesday a week from today. The reason being is my bosses are sending me on vacation for a week due to stuff that's been happening in the shops lately and they both agree that I'm being dumped on. So! Enjoy this chapter, I didn't leave it in a terrible cliffy like last time, but hopefully it's enough to keep you all sticking around for a week until I update again. Have no fear! More fluff coming up, I just have to write it:D Have a good week and I'll see you all next week!

Remember! R&R! It gives me inspiration to write more!

Chapter 30

"FUBUKI!" tears ran freely down the miko's face as her horror filled eyes took in the hilt and forte of the broken blade that landed near her. Looking around briefly she realized there was now nothing between her and the attacking snake youkai. Akiko lay a short distance away, unmoving and bleeding alarmingly as Kagome began to crawl the rest of the short distance to the half of Fubuki with the hilt.

Her fingers closed around the hilt just as the first attack struck her barrier. Stars shot through her eyes and her body jerked slightly with the strain of holding the shield as she pulled the sword through and doubled her concentration. A small though panicky feeling hummed under the surface of the hilt brought her attention back to the blade. Fubuki was alive! He's slipping away fast though! What do I do! Wrapping herself around the sword, she encased him in her soul, using it to seal him in the broken sword. The panic died down slightly and despite the situation a small smile broke her lips at the feeling of irritation come off him in waves. Oops, she broke her soul spell promise.

Sesshomaru…

Inside the ballroom Sesshomaru had been ready to tear his own head off from dealing with gossiping guests and fawning demonesses. More than once he'd had to sidestep demonesses attempt to feel him up or drape herself across him in their quest to be noticed by the 'most eligible demon bachelor.' Nobles indeed. The taiyoukai couldn't help but compare their wanton behavior with that of a certain human female that currently resided under his roof. The woman was a ningen, but in his mind none of these female youkai came close to comparison. If only they would leave him alone.

In a desperate attempt, he had surrounded himself with the other ruling lords and had separated himself from the crowd making it appear that they were discussing something of some importance and keeping the other guests at bay. It worked for a little while as youkai females are notoriously persistent. A thought suddenly occurred to him and he glanced around the ballroom, ignoring the conversation that was going on between the ruling demons.

Where is Kagome? His golden eyes could find no trace of her and though he showed no outward signs of emotion, something deep in his gut, a voice of instinct was telling him something felt wrong, her scent was not strong as if she'd been gone for several minutes, though he could find no trace of Fubuki or Akiko in the ballroom either.

Suddenly, sounding as if rather far away, he heard that blasted sword yell the name of Kagome's servant in desperation. Alarm bells went off in his head and he disentangled himself from the crowd and raced with demon speed in the direction of the voice. Takehiko's head had also come up at the faint sound and he followed the western taiyoukai.

Throwing open the garden's door he came face to face with a shimmering purple barrier of sorts. Pushing through it easily, he realized it was meant to keep the pulsing of auras within a certain area rather than keep sounds in or people out. Kagome's shriek cut across the clearing like a knife and his eyes fell on her anguished form. She crawled over to a broken sword that looked exactly like Fubuki and he got a sinking feeling in his chest.

He growled as the girl ignored the attacking youkai in favor of curling around the blade protectively, the strain on her face plain as the snakes attacked the shimmering and wavering pink barrier again and again. Did the girl have no sense? Having seen enough, his rage at the audacity of these lower demons who attacked his home took over and he felt his eyes go red.

Apparently Takehiko beat him to it because he'd taken less time to assess the scene. A high pitched hawkish scream rent the field causing many of the youkai to cover their sensitive ears as the furious lord began to shift. His face elongated into a beak and his eyes burned red with an inner fire, his neck grew longer and his skin was replaced with flaming red feathers. Wings sprouted from his arms and his leg joints reversed and became scaly and taloned. Moments after he'd begun, in Takehiko's place stood a massive phoenix, flames licked off his wings to reach hungrily for the night sky as he spread them wide and took off with a whoosh that knocked several enemy youkai over.

Sesshomaru didn't transform in favor of his humanoid form which he could protect Kagome in more easily. The miko's expression was one of shock as she stared at Takehiko's flaming bird form as he shot through the sky to attack from above. The inuyoukai moved between the snake that appeared to be the leader and his miko pulling Tōkijin as he did so, his eyes as bright red as the phoenix decimating the army before him.

The gardens were swarming with snake demons and a few other lesser reptilian youkai and his sensitive senses picked up a massive amount of men outside the keep walls. How the hell were they able to hide their aura's enough to get that close to the castle undetected!

Quickly dispatching the youkai attacking her barrier he planted his feet and turned to the demon who looked annoyingly a lot like a demon he'd gotten rid of quite some time ago.

"Sesshomaru, you would celebrate for another to be lord of the south when…"

"I did not tell you that you could speak!" the taiyoukai snarled and attacked, Tōkijin clashed with the snake's sword which was crossed in a block with a gleaming red, wickedly curved knife. The screeching sound of metal could be heard throughout the entire field as the youkai pounded on one another, blades flashing in the soft light of the high moon. The young former noble was not as skilled as Sesshomaru, but his reflexes were extremely fast and the taiyoukai had to concentrate to keep on track as he darted, dove, struck and parried.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw a snake youkai near Kagome's barrier, though the girl didn't seem alarmed. Almost as if sensing the impending attack, the snake suddenly turned toward the western lord, winked at him and gave him a peace sign, a fluffy fox tail puffing into existence before it was gone again. Hnh, Sho. Now he could concentrate fully on destroying a threat that should have been dealt with before.

Kagome had been worried at first about the snake youkai approaching her, but right outside her barrier she could feel his youkai and it wasn't a snake's at all, it was her combat instructor Sho!

"Sho! Fubuki's broken!" she explained in choked sobs, "and I don't know if Akiko's survived!" her voice quivered and Sho held up a calming hand, not getting too close to her dangerous barrier.

"Akiko lives, I can hear her heartbeat from here," Kagome sighed in relief. Suddenly a youkai popped up out of nowhere from behind Sho, though the same instant the fox was gone and the snake looked around in confusion. A dagger blade poked out of the youkai's chest and he looked down at it in shock before convulsing violently and falling to the ground, his system wracked with poison. The kitsune still in snake youkai form wiped his blade on the grass and regarded the miko.

"Is Fubuki dead?" he asked and Kagome shook her head.

"Not yet, I'm holding his soul inside the sword, but I can't do this for long," her pleading eyes tore at Sho's heart. The girl had been through so much and he was afraid of what might happen if she lost someone she considered a brother.

"Is there somewhere you can transfer it to until we can get the sword fixed?" he asked curiously, having no idea what might be capable of holding a soul. Kagome looked around the field madly before her eyes fell on Akiko's form.

"Akiko's badly injured and I remember Kaede-sama mentioning something about a person's soul being more loosely connected to their body the worse their injury…." she trailed off thinking." Sho, if you can get me to Akiko, I might have enough energy to close up the worst of her wounds and see if it's possible to transfer him into her body," Sho looked at her incredulously.

"Two souls in one body!" he asked and Kagome shrugged.

"I did it with Kikyou, her soul rested within mine all my life growing up," Kagome stated blandly and Sho was taken aback. Kagome's worried blue eyes were distracted by Sesshomaru and the evil youkai as they battled, Takehiko's flaming form visible in the background as he swooped down to take out more soldiers attempting to enter the castle. There must have been so many more of them than Kagome had originally thought.

"Alright, Kagome-sama, I'll do what I can," shifting shape, suddenly the evil noble was standing before her and he made it appear that he broke her barrier and grabbed her roughly in order to convince any enemy who were watching that it was really their leader and he'd gotten the miko. Abruptly, he wrapped his arms around the girl and she had an intense feeling of disorientation before she was startled to realize she was standing beside her neko friend, hidden slightly behind a nearby bush.

Falling to her knees, tears filled her eyes at the sight of her best friend so badly injured, massive gashes had opened her chest leaving gaping wounds, four claw marks marred her cat face, fang marks riddled her sides and flanks and her paws were bloodied from her fight earlier.

"Akiko," Kagome placed a hand on the neko's forehead and it seemed with great effort the maroon eyes finally cracked open. "I'm so sorry, Akiko! I'll fix you up in a moment, but I have an important question to ask you," the neko eyes never left her face. "Fubuki is broken," she held up the sword and Akiko's eyes went wide in panic, "and I need somewhere to put his soul until we can get the blade fixed." Akiko's eyes studied her briefly before nodding with a soft growl of submission.

Kagome quickly put the broken blade over the worst wound on her chest and closed her eyes in concentration. The sound of battle raged all around her, though she ignored it in favor of focusing on her task. Soul transferal isn't easy. The little hands glowed bright blue as she guided Fubuki from the sword and into Akiko's body to rest next to the neko's own soul before the glow changed to pink and began to close the worst of the wounds, closing both souls into the body of Akiko.

Once the light faded she slumped to the side and was set gently up against Akiko's side by Sho before he had to turn and kill another snake who was approaching. Kagome's weary and fuzzy mind finally registered that Yoko, Toshi and Daichi had also shown up along with Matsu and were finally beginning to beat back the waves of youkai.

Sesshomaru moved with incredible grace as he finally cornered the annoying upstart and impaled him on Tōkijin. The snake spat blood at him before slumping over and falling to the ground as the taiyoukai removed his blade from the snake's belly. Bending over, he picked up the glowing dagger and discovered the reason for the snake's unusual reflexes and the reason for the repressed auras. The dagger was sentient as well, but it held a very angry and restless fire elemental. Just holding the blade, he could feel the power radiating off the being within including its ability to create aura barriers. Glancing over at Kagome he found her resting against Akiko, though still clutching Fubuki, or rather the sword that once held his spirit.

A stab of jealousy seized his stomach at the attention and worry she was giving the stupid sword. Irrationally and very unlike him, the question ran through his head unbidden if she would react that way to him being injured. Sho appeared at his side.

"It appears that this was the bastard son of Ken'ichi bent on revenge. He brought a small army with him too, most likely intent on taking his noble heritage by force," Sho reported and Sesshomaru stared at Takehiko who was obviously enjoying himself as he chased around the pathetic youkai who had begun to retreat once all the taiyoukai had shown up, his phoenix form screeching mightily as he swooped and dove, lighting the night sky, fire streaking behind him in his flight.

Sesshomaru nodded once, his eyes returning to Kagome who was now kneeling by Akiko's head, the neko appeared to be unconscious, but the little miko still had that sword clutched in her small hands. Growling under his breath he ordered Sho to make sure the grounds were cleaned up and that none from the army survived before turning and walking away.

Sho was shocked, it wasn't like Sesshomaru to leave and let someone else deal with the enemy like that, though he was sure his lord had good reason. As Sesshomaru walked away he knew he was being stupid and unreasonable, but he couldn't stop the intensely angry feeling at the thought that Kagome had completely ignored him in favor of fawning over that stupid sword. Although in thinking about it, he realized he was angry the most at the fact that the sword was there to protect her before he was even aware of a threat.

It was as Kagome was watching over the removal of an unconscious Akiko from the gardens to a futon that had been placed in her room for care that the miko finally noticed the absence of her taiyoukai. The last she remembered he had battled the snake noble and had beaten him, but after that, she couldn't remember seeing where he had gone. Her brow creased slightly. He didn't even speak to her to assure that she was ok, or find out what had happened to Fubuki. Perhaps he was simply out making sure his lands were safe, that must be it.

Satisfied, Kagome made sure Akiko was set down comfortably and that her wounds were cleaned and bandaged before seeing to the empty sword. The young woman almost felt sick to her stomach as she placed the broken hilt and forte on the floor and then lined up the point with the break. A servant came in then asking what was to be done about the broken blade.

"I'm not sure… Oh! Wait! I forgot all about Totosai!" hurrying to her desk she scribbled out a quick note, sealed it and handed it to the servant. "Deliver this to Totosai, the sword smith with all haste! Demon speed! Quickly!" she hurried the servant out before returning to her hand maiden's bedside.

Staring down at what she knew contained both of her best friends, she couldn't help the worry that welled up inside her. What if nothing could be done? What if she lost the one person who'd been with her through all the times she'd been so lonely? He had risked his life to save her, what if she now couldn't save him?

Despite her worry and sadness, she soon fell sound asleep by Akiko's bedside, the extensive use of her powers to hold her barrier, transferring the soul and healing the neko's body finally taking its toll on her.

Sometime around two in the morning the screen slid open to Kagome's room and Sesshomaru stared in at the miko sound asleep by the side of the servant who now held both souls. The miko hadn't left their side since the fight and irrational jealousy twisted itself in his gut.

He had not acted like himself at all since the end of that fight, closing himself up in his study and pacing back and forth like a caged wild animal, even going as far as to let Takehiko and Yoko make excuses at the party that had abruptly stopped and ferry everyone out. For the first time in his life the inuyoukai felt stupid, controlled by his emotions and though it came with a certain feeling of release, it wasn't the release he'd wanted. He had wanted nothing more than for Kagome to pay attention to him, she had barely looked at him only once the entire time he'd been out there in favor of paying attention to that damn sword.

True, the sword was broken and Fubuki was dying, but that's beside the point! Growling he had stormed, his equivalent being soft padded footsteps instead of complete silence, to Kagome's room to make sure she was alright, but telling himself he was simply going to see what she was doing.

The sight of her asleep at Akiko/Fubuki's bedside made him angry all over again that she ignored her own well being for someone else… and someone that was not him. Growling dangerously, he spun on his heel, not even closing the screen and headed down the hallway.

Halfway to his destination a door slid open silently behind him, though he didn't stop his stride.

"Takehiko, I'm leaving on patrol. Tell the miko Kagome that she is in command of the palace until I return," the tone of Sesshomaru's voice made bright yellow eyes go wide as the inuyoukai disappeared down the hall. Hurrying after him, Takehiko arrived in the courtyard in time to see a transformed Sesshomaru leap over the palace walls and disappear with demon speed into the forest.

Shivering, Kagome woke suddenly, her head snapping up and her blue eyes opening wide at the violent chills that overtook her. Wrapping her arms around herself, she rubbed her biceps trying to bring some of the cold down. The screen was open, but that was no reason for her chill.

Stopping briefly, she turned back to the screen, why is that open? Crossing to it, she poked her head out, though she didn't see anyone nor any signs of life. Shrugging slightly she closed it and crossed to the window, the warm breeze drifting through a major contrast to the horrible chill that was still set in her core. It must be the wee hours of the morning judging from the height of the moon.

Shivering again she quickly checked on Akiko to make sure everything was alright before stripping out of most of the layers of heavy ceremonial kimono until just a few soft layers remained and slipped tiredly into bed, ignoring her still half done up hair. Before drifting off to sleep she made a mental note to speak to Sesshomaru in the morning about the arrival of Totosai.

"NANI?" Kagome's eyes were wide with disbelief and she stared at Takehiko like a fish out of water, "he left last night on patrol without telling me and leaving me in charge of everything here!" Takehiko grimaced at the shrill tone of the girl's voice before nodding. Kagome covered her face with a hand, how on earth was she to manage without Akiko's help! The woman was still unconscious and showed no signs of waking yet.

"He didn't say when he would be back either, but he seemed rather out of sorts," Takehiko informed her and she glanced up at him oddly.

"What do you mean?" she asked curiously and the taiyoukai shrugged.

"He is usually silent wherever he walks and I could hear him walking down the hallway last night," Kagome raised an eyebrow, "he also transformed before leaving the palace and I know for a fact that he never does that before going on patrol, his dog form is too obvious, he usually goes with stealth rather than brute force," Takehiko finished and Kagome stared off in the distance thinking. Could he be angry with her? She had figured he was busy with affairs around the palace and thought it better to leave him alone, but maybe he was angry with her for something?

"Thank you, Takehiko," she said, still lost in her thoughts before heading off to the servant quarter, feeling very naked and alone without Fubuki or Akiko by her side. A thought occurred to her and she turned suddenly and almost ran face into face with Sho. Yelping loudly she fell against the wall with her hand over her racing heart and Sho's eyes were squinted shut with his hands over his ears.

"Kagome-sama! Please don't do that! You mean to tell me all this time I've been behind you that you haven't felt me at all?" finally uncovering his ears as Kagome stood off the wall with a sheepish smile he couldn't help the small smile that crept on his face at her antics.

"Gomen, Sho-san, my mind has been somewhere else all day," a light blush stained her cheeks and he felt like laughing at her 'child who's been reproved' face.

"It's understandable with everything that's happened, your mind must be a whirl with a million different things. It's been decided that since your two body guards are currently indisposed that I would fill in until such time as they returned to their normal states. I asked Daichi and he said it was a good idea," Sho finished and Kagome wanted to hug the kitsune captain.

"Arigato, Sho-san, I was feeling rather alone just then anyways, it would make me feel a lot better to have you along. The fox shot her one of his Shippo grins and Kagome smiled back before continuing on her way, discussing with the captain the arrival of Totosai and the implications it might cause. Last Kagome knew, Sesshomaru and Totosai weren't on the best of terms.

The thought of her taiyoukai shoved all other thoughts out of her mind. Why did he leave without saying anything at all? Why did he leave at all? Was he mad at her for being so weak as to be attacked? Did he not like her anymore and needed to be as far away from her as possible? Was he mad that she hadn't fought at all and had just sat behind her barrier? The idea that he could possibly be jealous never entered her mind as she went through her day making sure the palace was running smoothly and that clean up was happening on schedule all the while being closely followed by Sho.

Hours later she returned to her room and found Akiko exactly as she'd left her. Sitting down by the side of the futon she motioned for Sho to have a seat before looking back down at her friends.

"They'll be fine," Sho reassured her and she smiled at him weakly, "the only worries I have about them is the two of them actually sharing the same body," Kagome looked at him curiously but just then Akiko groaned slightly. Excitedly, her attention snapped back to her friend and she leaned over her anxiously.

"Akiko! Akiko, are you alright?" painfully slowly one maroon eye cracked open before deciding that was a bad idea and squeezed shut against the brightness, another groan escaping the injured neko.

"Well…. I think I'm alright…but I feel a little weird, Kagome-san," ever so slowly she managed to crack both eyes and focus on the miko's face and Kagome sighed in relief.

"Thank Kami…"

"Oh I see, so no one asks how I am, I see how it is," Kagome jerked back with an entirely creeped out look on her face, Akiko's eyes had gone impossibly wide and Sho had an amusing look of shock plastered on his features at the sound of Fubuki's voice coming from Akiko's body. Akiko's hand flew to her throat before clearing it and her eyes darting around.

"Ok that was weird," she said rather uncharacteristically earning a giggle from the miko.

"What's weird," Akiko's mouth moved, but Fubuki's voice came out making the neko's eyes go wide again. Suddenly she shot to a sitting position.

"Kagome-saaa" a dizzy spell over took her and Kagome caught her as she swayed and almost plopped backward, "Kagome-san, I thought Fubuki would be asleep inside me, not awake and TALKING!" Kagome winced and gave her an apologetic look.

"Gomen, Akiko, I wasn't sure how it would work at all. I didn't know if it would make him sleep or not, but apparently we have our answer now."

"Wait, you mean I'm in Akiko's body?" came the masculine voice as Akiko's body suddenly moved weirdly as if being controlled by a puppeteer as she sat up and looked herself over.

"I have boobs!" Kagome rolled her eyes and Sho groaned, "if you'll excuse me, I think I need to explore this new development," Akiko made as if to get up but then she jerked oddly and her arms crossed over her breasts protectively.

"You will do no such thing! Those are my boobs and you will not touch them!" Akiko said stubbornly, a glowering look on her face.

"Ah, but Akiko, they're now our boobs, remember? So it's only fair that you share," Fubuki said, a hand creeping toward the edge of her kimono.

"Absolutely not!" the hand was snatched back and Kagome was nearly rolling on the floor trying to contain her laughter and Sho looked like he was about to burst as Akiko turned angry eyes on them. "This isn't funny you two! How am I going to deal with him?" Kagome gave up and started rolling on the floor, peals of laughter ringing through the room.

"This isn't funny! I can't even slap him! I'd be slapping myself!" at this point Sho lost composure as well and dropped his head to his chest, his bangs covering his face but his shoulders quivering with laughter and small snorts escaping him.

"Why Akiko! You never told me you thought my butt was cute! Once I get it back again I'll let you explore it to your heart's content…" Akiko slapped a hand over her mouth; Fubuki's voice continuing muffled slightly, her maroon eyes wide in panic making the poor miko and captain only laugh harder. Groaning, she lay back down and stared at the ceiling, making sure her hands were well away from her bosom.

"This is going to be a very long recovery…"

Meanwhile, someplace on the edges of the western kingdom a massive three story tall white dog finally slowed it's frenzied pace and came to a stop, the long pink tongue lolling out from between its gaping maw as his mind raced over the events of the past day. He was being stupid and childish and he knew it, but that run definitely felt good. Stretching his real legs always gave him a sense of freedom and he drew in a long deep breath through his sensitive nose.

In reality he had headed this way for a reason, though the pace was unwarranted as well as was the form, but he found he really didn't care. That miko did things to him that really shouldn't happen. He never ever lost his composure like this, yet here he was, panting like a domestic dog after a long run.

Reluctantly, he shook himself and caught a large animal, eating quickly before returning to humanoid form. Whisperings had reached him of a sect of religious men who had reportedly become vastly powerful and who were destroying anything demonic in the name of their gods. Sesshomaru had meant to come and see this group for himself, but the extraordinary distraction that was Kagome kept him from leaving. Now was his chance.

Approaching the temple establishment slowly and with caution, he realized he could actually feel the waves of holy energy coming from the shrine within. Movement off to his left alerted him to the fact that the energy was confusing his demon senses and keeping him from detecting a threat before his normal senses did.

This did not bode well.