Chapter Twenty-seven: The Messenger

'I'm glad that I brought my coat,' Kagome thought as they leapt through the night. 'It's freezing.'

Inuyasha sat perched on the top of one of the taller buildings as they over looked the city. From the rooftop, she could see the entire city, as well as some neighboring cities far off. But she was a little more focused on Inuyasha's hair that was reflecting the few narrow moonbeams that were poking through the clouds. The wind blew once again, causing her long hair to fly behind her in black tresses.

"So where are the others?" Kagome asked once she finished drinking in the beauty of the world.

"We're gonnna meet them just a little ways from here," he told her and they jumped down, the wind caught them perfectly—almost causing them to hang suspended for a brief moment before he hit the ground and jumped back up as if they were weightless. He rode the cool night air up and swooped down, closer to the street. There wasn't anyone there, seeing as how it was nearly midnight. The perfect hour to run…

Inuyasha's predatory eyes searched the windows of buildings as he soared down the road. Inuyasha smiled, allowing his fangs grow past his bottom lip. Kagome finally saw them standing on the roof of one of the smaller buildings. Sango, Miroku, Shippo, and Kirara were all standing there waiting for them.

When they landed next to them, Shippo jumped over to hug her at once. "Kagome!" he cried happily and Kagome was only too happy to return the hug.

"How are you doing, Kagome?" Miroku asked politely.

"Fine, I suppose," she answered as she looked up at them. "What's going on here?"

"I told you," Inuyasha said, a hint of his old impatience was back in his voice. "We're going to be looking for the jewel tonight. We're running out of time you know?"

"Yes," Kagome shot back, now annoyed with him. "But how? I mean, what can I do? I don't even know what the jewel looks like."

"With the powers of a priestess," Miroku explained as he stepped forward, his short hair swaying slightly in the light breeze, "You should be able to sense the jewel if we get close enough."

"But how do you know it's even in the city?" Kagome asked him confused. It really didn't look like they had much to go on.

"Because Naraku's here," Sango answered simply, as she tied her long hair up to keep it out of her face. "If he's here and causing trouble, there has to be a reason."

"Ok," Kagome said slowly. "I think that I get it. But what about the others?"

"They're in another team," Kirara said coolly. "They're looking for Naraku."

Kagome heard Inuyasha give a snort and she knew that he wanted to be looking for Naraku instead.

"So… what can I do?" she asked them.

Miroku turned and led the way to the side of the building. "If we are anywhere near the jewel, then you should be able to sense it."

"You mean like a sixth sense?" she asked, pulling her collar up to protect her face as it slowly started to snow.

"Something like that," he answered looking back at her as he stood with his back to the edge. "As soon as we get the jewel, it will draw Naraku out… that will be our once chance to finish him off."

"But we only have a couple months' right?" Kagome asked him in concern. "You think that you can do all this in such a short time?"

"Well, you know the saying? Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he gave her a cocky grin. He then leaned backwards and fell off the building; with a shout of annoyance, Inuyasha took off running with Kagome still on his back and they followed with Sango, Kirara, and Shippo all behind them.

Onwards they went, jumping over buildings and almost flying through the air. Kagome clung to Inuyasha's back, as Shippo did the same for Miroku—she looked over Inuyasha's shoulder and smiled down at the city of lights.

And she gasped in wonder.

The evening sky was clear and full of stars with a large full moon shining, bathing everything in a low light. Kagome held to the boy tightly and so they carried on, jumping from one roof to another. Over the buildings and the few streetlamps, the wind blowing so hard that it was whistling in Kagome's ears, but soft enough that it was like it was singing her a lullaby.

As they jumped, it could almost be called flying, everything swirled around them in a colorful… well… blob at the edge of her vision. She held onto the long hair, feeling safer than she ever had in her life and allowed him take her as far away as possible from her room.

At first, everything seemed to be so fuzzy and pixelly, like a computer screen when you look too close. Still, no point in denying it, it was gorgeous. The many colors zoomed and whirled in shapes that range from spirals to jelly beans, circles to arcs. The glimmering shapes looked like little presents, covered with that shiny paper.

It was almost like a dream…

*Later*

After traveling over most of the city; they stopped to rest underneath a large tree, in a small park, Kagome wrapping her coat even tighter around her as she turned towards the others.

"Well?" Miroku asked, looking a bit winded as he glanced at her. "Did you feel anything?"

'Yes,' Kagome thought almost dreamily. 'Happiness… but nothing that would help you.'

"No," she finally said in disappointment. "At least nothing unusual. I don't know what's supposed to happen… but I didn't feel any differently than normal."

Miroku didn't look surprised. "No," he sighed. "The jewel had been missing for centuries. So we can't expect it to show up all of a sudden tonight."

"I thought as much," said a unfamiliar voice that seem to come from above them.

Her friends all jumped and spun around, Inuyasha grabbing her and forcing her behind them—his eyes scanning the area, crouching low as if expecting a fight. "What is it?" Kagome whispered, trying hard not to sound scared—looking for where that voice came frome. But they didn't answer her as they all looked up. Kagome followed her gaze and gasped again at what she saw. Floating on what looked to be a giant feather was a woman. A young woman who had thick, dark hair tied up in a sloppy bun, and piercing red eyes that went along with a rather smug grin.

"Inuyasha…" she smirked evilly. "It's been awhile hasn't it?"

"Kagura," Inuyasha answered with venom.

Kagome had no idea who she was, but she had a pretty good guess who she worked for. "Who is she?" she whispered to him.

"Kagura, one of Naraku's servants," he hissed back. "So, whatever happens, stay behind me, Kagome."

"Right," she answered, having no interest in fighting as she kept her eyes on Kagura.

Kagura noticed her and smirked when she saw her. "So… this is the human girl that you've become so attached to. Funny… I expected someone a little bigger."

"You go at a problem with me?" Kagome yelled back. Inuyasha gave her a sharp look as she felt Shippo hiding behind her legs.

"Look!" Inuyasha snarled back up at her. "It's none of your business. Why don't you do something useful for once and tell us where your master is?"

"He's not here right now," she answered, and Kagome couldn't help but notice that her voice sounded a little extra bitter, and her grin faded slightly. "But I'm not here for you. I'm here for her." She pointed towards Kagome and she froze.

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted. "You want her, you'll have to take her over my dead body."

"Relax," she said with a roll of her eyes. "I'm not here to fight or kidnap anyone. I'm merely dropping off a message."

"What?" Kagome called up suspiciously.

Kagura then threw something down to her—it looked like a roll of cloth. Kagome watched as it fell to the ground and Sango caught it.

"If you want to fine Naraku," Kagura said with a smile. "You have two hours to meet him at Shoun Falls if you want your friend back in one piece. He's alive for right now… but…" she grinned. "Who knows how long that'll last?"

And then with a great gust of wind, so strong that it almost blew them all backwards, she flew away.

"Damn," Inuyasha snarled almost dog-like. "I hate her. But what are we waiting for? Let's get going!"

"Inuyasha," Miroku said looking at him. "Naraku's giving us two hours to meet him someplace? Inuyasha, it's obvious a trap."

"Duh," Inuyasha said annoyed. "I know that! But if this is a chance to rip out his throat, I'm not gonna complain!"

"But what did she mean?" Shippo asked as he climbed up to sit on Kagome's shoulder. "What friend? You don't think that he got Kohaku or Rin or…" he trailed off as Sango unwrapped the packaged.

Kagome gasped in horror… it was Sota's coat.

"That's SOTA'S!" she screamed and ran forward and tugged it away to get a better look at it.

"Who's…?" Miroku began but Kagome looked up at them in panic.

"Sota! My little brother!" Kagome said in panic, now looking around her, as if looking for a sign to tell her where to go. "That bastard, Naraku!" she screamed, tears falling down her face. "He's got my brother! He has him! I'm going! I have to get him back before he does something to him! I…"

She burst out in tears and Inuyasha put his hands on her shoulders. "Kagome…" he began but she turned and walked away.

"Kagome you can't," Sango said quickly.

"I have to," Kagome yelled back at them, now angry at them for getting her and Sota involved in this. "I have to find him before Naraku…"

"We know," Inuyasha cut her off. "We want a piece of Naraku to you know. You're going to meet him, we're coming with you."