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LadyKagometheinuyoukimiko : Coming, coming I swear! :)

Sesshy's princess Kagome : Cliffies are the best ;)

Chapter 16 - Hao

Inu Yasha and Miroku picked their way through the forest. So far, each of them had only located only a handful of berries.

"I don't know if—" an uneasy feeling crawled up Miroku's spine and suddenly he felt very vulnerable. The monk froze mid-sentence and glanced around nervously. His gaze locked onto Inu Yasha's puzzled face. "Sango," was all he had to say.

Inu Yasha nodded in understanding, took the berries from Miroku and tucked them securely under his arm. "Take Kirara, I'll catch up."

Miroku wasted no time. The houshi leapt onto a transformed Kirara and took off.

Miroku scanned the dense forest for a sign of the clearing. It turned out that the two had gone further than they'd initially intended to go. The clearing was nowhere to be seen. He was worried for a second that he'd gotten lost, until he realized that Kirara seemed to know where to go. 'Sango!'

Kayo was just recovering from another intense headache. She looked around at the group of six men. Their auras were splashed with lust. She shivered. 'What's going to happen to us?' Sango's aura was fearful and angry.

"Well? Will you make this easy for yourselves and come with us? Or would you prefer being knocked out and dragged away?" a large man asked, stepping forward.

"We'll never come with you," Kayo heard Sango shriek, sounding more frightened than she'd probably intended.

'My bow!' Kayo knew that this was an option, but she also knew that she would not be able to take out all six of the men without at least a little help. 'Wait! I don't think that I have enough arrows left!' Kayo subconsciously reached over her shoulder to check how many arrows she had left.

A harsh voice stopped her hand halfway to her quiver.

"Don't even think about it," the deep voice of a man growled.

Kayo saw the leader's aura flare out in fiery anger. She saw the man's aura flick out unnaturally. It must be his arm. It beckoned the rest of his cronies forward. Kayo's breath came in short, sharp gasps as she realized that the men had started closing in on the two girls. Kayo watched in horror as the men got closer and closer.

Kayo reached for the spiritual powers inside her, preparing herself to purify these men as she had that other man. She had no other option; time was running out.

Inu Yasha struggled to keep up with Kirara without dropping the berries.

"Damn," he muttered, "I should've just ridden with Miroku."

He was getting anxious. How far had the two gone?

Relief spilled through Inu Yasha when he noticed that the scent of the girls was getting stronger. Fear was evident in their scents; fear of the foul-smelling men near them. Moments later, he could hear the heavy footsteps of men and quiet whimpers escaping the girls. He looked ahead and saw light filtering through the trees in front of him.

A breath he didn't realize he'd been holding escaped his lungs. 'They're still here.' Inu Yasha put down the berries and continued on his way. He might have to fight, so the berries would have to stay here, out of the way, until a little later.

Inu Yasha sped up when he noticed that Kirara was no longer flying above.

They must be landing.

Sango looked around in terror. The men were less than five feet away now. Her heart raced. Even though she had on her demon slayers uniform underneath her kimono, she wouldn't be able to take out anything that would be able to help her.

Sango knew she had to be strong for Kayo's sake. The taijiya swallowed her fear and glared at the leader of the group. "Leave us alone."

The man barked out laughter. "As if." He took several more steps until he was right in front of Sango. He scowled, "Now, will you come or do I have to make you come?"

The man's rancid breath made Sango clamp her eyelids shut and shrink away. Her hands came up to her chest and clung to each other. Her back pressed up against Kayo's for support. She prepared herself for whatever was to come.

The sound of cloth being whipped around by air met Sango's ears. A slap of flesh and a thud assaulted Sango's ears. She hesitantly opened her eyes to find herself staring at Miroku's back.

Extreme relief flowed through her and tears of joy welled up in her brown eyes. She turned to see Inu Yasha standing directly in front of Kayo, effectively blocking the thugs.

"Hey!" a couple of the men rushed forward to help their leader up.

The man wiped blood off of his face and scowled. "Who the hell are you?"

Miroku glowered at the man, "None of your business you filthy wretch." Miroku punched the vile man right in his face. Sango could practically feel the protective anger radiating off of Miroku.

"Oh Miroku, you came. I was so scared…"

"I'm here for you Sango." Miroku swung his staff around to ward off a couple of approaching males. He seemed to be calming down.

Inu Yasha on the other hand was seething as he knocked out the men one by one. Within moments, they were unconscious and sprawled on the ground. Miroku dropped his staff and turned to face Sango. He pulled her into his body and wrapped his arms around her, burying his face into her sweet-smelling hair. He closed his eyes and thanked the heavens that he'd made it in time.

Heat rose to Sango's face and she felt herself getting flustered. Her eyelids fell and she swam in the warm feeling that filled her insides.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," Miroku said, resting his cheek against the top of her head.

Fire danced on Sango's face. "I… I won't." Sango opened her eyes and pressed her cheek to his warm shoulder. "Thank you Miroku."

Miroku's arms tightened around her and he whispered huskily, "I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I'd lost you…"

"…" Sango's heart thudded loudly in her chest and she smiled to herself, "You won't lose me."

Inu Yasha glanced at Kayo. They shared an amused look. Inu Yasha smirked and cleared his throat. Miroku and Sango turned simultaneously to look at Inu Yasha. Both their faces shone bright red and they turned away.

Inu Yasha was still chuckling to himself when Kayo quietly cleared her throat.

"Umm… Inu Yasha, I just wanted to say arigato… for saving us… me."

Inu Yasha looked up to see Kayo blushing and staring at her feet. The hanyou flushed, "No problem."

Kayo smiled at Inu Yasha's embarrassed aura.

Inu Yasha looked around and saw the three humans staring at him. "Nani?" embarrassed, he stalked off into the trees to retrieve the berries. He scooped them up from where he'd left them and brought them back to the clearing. "This is all we found." Inu Yasha sat down and laid the berries out in front of him.

The three ningens joined Inu Yasha, making a square. They stared down at the meagre supply of food.

"That's it?" Sango asked.

Miroku grinned sheepishly, "That's all we had time to find before we saved a couple of damsels in distress." His grin turned devious when Sango blushed embarrassedly.

Sango pouted and stuck out her tongue before turning back to the food.

"When we were furthest out, I smelled the scent of many humans. There's a village nearby. After we eat this, let's go there," Inu Yasha motioned vaguely westwards.

Miroku stopped teasing Sango and on a serious note added, "Hai, while you three wait at the village, I need to go see someone. I won't be long."

"Where are you going?" Sango asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of her voice.

Nobody seemed to notice her forced calm. Miroku answered evenly, "I'm going to find someone." Noticing Sango's narrowed eyes, he continued. "I need to go and see a highly revered monk named Hao."

Sango relaxed, he wasn't going to see some girl whom he'd proposed to sometime in the past. Sango was about to ask why he was going when she noticed Inu Yasha's warning look. He moved his head a fraction of an inch sideways to tell her that now was not the time. Her brows furrowed, but she stayed quiet.

Kayo watched Sango's rapidly changing emotions with curiosity. First it had been suspicious anger, then relief and finally confusion. Thinking nothing of it, she waited patiently for the others to hand out the food.

Inu Yasha distributed the berries evenly between the four of them. "Eat," he said. Then he noticed that Kayo had not moved. "What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?"

"Hai, I am."

"Can't you see the food?"

"Well, solid objects are usually different shades of grey so, hai, I can see the berries.'

"Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing… I just… lost my appetite when those men showed up." Kayo said, unwilling to admit that another terrible headache was what had stolen her appetite.

"Eat; otherwise you won't be able to keep going."

"But—"

"No buts. Eat it and your appetite will return. We'll find more food in the village."

Kayo sensed an air of finality in Inu Yasha's tone. She stopped arguing and picked up a berry; chewing slowly. Inu Yasha was right. Her appetite returned with such ferocity that Kayo quickly popped the remaining berries into her mouth one after the other until her berries had all but disappeared. Her stomach was temporarily satiated, but Kayo knew that it wouldn't last. She needed to eat more so that she could fully recharge her batteries. She waited impatiently while the others ate.

Finally they finished.

The four of them stood and began walking in the direction Inu Yasha had indicated.

West.

Packs of children played—screaming and running—throughout the village. Several of them stopped to gawk at the strange pack of visitors that arrived at noon. All of them eventually decided that the four weren't very interesting and resumed playing.

"This is it," Inu Yasha said, recognizing the scents.

"I'll figure something out." Miroku handed Sango some money to buy food while he went off to find somewhere where they could eat.

The three shopped quietly for a while. When Miroku returned, he was grinning widely and Sango's, Kayo's and Inu Yasha's arms were laden with a variety of food.

"Did you cheat your way into someone's home again?" Sango mocked playfully.

"Not this time. I asked around and someone directed me to an empty hut that they said we could use. It used to belong to someone, but those people moved away and now their hut is empty."

"Impressive," Inu Yasha goaded.

Sango ignored him and said, "Are you staying to eat or will you go now?"

"Both," Miroku grinned at Sango's puzzled expression. Miroku told the three the directions to the hut and grabbed a couple of fruits that Sango had purchased. He grinned at the three and told them that he'd be back before they knew it.

Inu Yasha watched Miroku's figure disappear into the crowds of the village. He couldn't help but be anxious about what Miroku would find out. Inu Yasha hoped desperately that his beloved Kagome was still alive and that Kayo was not the reincarnation of the two priestesses. He knew not to get his hopes up too high though. He might be disappointed. He didn't want to be slowed down once again. Not while he was still determined to find her.

Miroku had already finished eating the fruits he'd taken from Sango. He'd been walking through the dense forest for a while now.

He'd wondered if he was lost. Then he noticed that that the trees were getting thicker and appeared to be reaching out for him more and more. He'd heard rumours that within the densest part of the woods lies a small clearing in which Hao had built a cabin and had a tiny garden of herbs. Even from above, this clearing would be near impossible to spot.

Lost in his thoughts, Miroku hiked along, not paying attention to where he was going. His foot caught on an overgrown root and he tripped. His staff flew from his hand as he instinctively held out his palms to save himself.

Miroku landed on his hands and knees, but no dead leaves or twigs crackled underneath him. His palms were pressed against fresh green grass. He looked up and found himself looking at a moderate-sized, wooden cabin. It was larger than huts in a village, but smaller than a landlord's residence. A petite garden bordered two sides of the cabin. A brook bubbled through the little meadow and disappeared in both directions into the dense forest.

Miroku stood and gazed around for his staff. When he turned back to the large hut, a regal man stood there, holding Miroku's golden staff.

Miroku's words caught in his throat. This man was beautiful, angelically illuminated against the blinding, afternoon sun. He was suddenly self-conscious, wanting to look good in front of this man. The man walked up to Miroku, still holding his staff.

The houshi ignored the staff and gaped at this man who was obviously a fallen angel; he was too flawless to be from Earth. The man's perfectly crafted lips turned up. He was taller than Miroku by several inches. His skin was pale and his features were so perfect that they appeared to be chiselled marble. The man's lengthy, black, flowing hair had a striking bluish lustre and had bolts of silver shooting from his roots to his tips in stunningly fashioned highlights. Intense grey eyes specked with shards of vicious blue plunged into Miroku's soul, picking him apart and examining his deepest, darkest secrets.

The man held out the staff and his piercing eyes retreated from Miroku's soul. "Good afternoon. My name is Hao." Hao's voice was smooth, velvety and uncannily calm.

Miroku was finally free from the man's paralyzing gaze. He smiled awkwardly and gripped his staff. "Arigato, my name is Miroku."

"Would you care to join me for some tea?"

Miroku nodded, finally regaining his composure, "Hai."

Hao smiled and led Miroku into his modest cabin. It had two rooms; one of which held a cooking area and an eating area. The other room, Miroku guessed, contained a designated sleeping area and perhaps storage. On the dining table, there rested two steaming cups of tea and a steaming pot. With a smile, Hao invited Miroku to sit.

Miroku fidgeted uncomfortably; his mind couldn't seem to string together the right words to begin a conversation, so the houshi stayed silent.

Hao sensed his unease and smiling, started the conversation. "So what brings you to these parts?"

Miroku sipped his tea nervously, his mouth watering at the heavenly taste. The legendary Hao made delectable tea.

"You must have a good reason, or am I mistaken?" Hao pressed mildly. He looked as calm as can be, unruffled by Miroku's apparent reluctance to talk. He tried to lessen the tension by leaning back and bringing his cup to his face. He closed his eyes and tipped the cup back.

Finally, Miroku blurted, "A very pressing issue has arisen and I come seeking your wisdom Hao-sama."

Hao nodded knowingly. "You're soul seemed weighed down by something much larger than you could handle… if you don't mind me saying so."

"Not at all, Hao-sama."

Hao nodded again, "Do tell."

Miroku gripped his teacup with both his hands and explained everything to Hao; from the beginning when Kagome saw Inu Yasha with Kikyo and ran off to the now.

Hao stayed silent throughout the explanation. He nodded at the appropriate times, assuring Miroku that what he was saying was understood and believed.

When Miroku finished, Hao's teacup was empty. He absentmindedly tucked his hair behind his pointed ear and poured himself more tea.

'He's a demon? No wonder…' Miroku accepted Hao's offer of more tea by holding out his cup.

"So what would you like to know?"

"Is Kagome still alive?"

Hao answered without hesitation, "Hai, she is safe and sound with Sesshomaru-sama."

"Will both of them live? Kagome and Kayo I mean…"

Again, a pause. "Iie. For now they are both alive and well. But both will experience headaches that will get more painful and frequent until they meet. When they meet…" Hao glanced at Miroku's anxious face. "Are you certain you want to know which one will live?"

"I…" Fear and dread raced through Miroku. Inside, he knew he did not want to know who would survive. He closed his eyes. Miroku clenched and unclenched his teeth. The houshi mentally apologized to Inu Yasha and the others for being such a coward. He looked resigned as he stared down at the steaming tea. "Iie, but one will survive right?"

"Hai."

"If Kayo is the reincarnation of both Kikyo and Kagome, then how come she is the same age as Kagome? Kagome's not even dead, how can Kayo be alive?"

"Kayo is not the reincarnation of both priestesses. That is impossible as Kagome comes after Kayo. Technically, Kagome shouldn't even be here. She is from the future… am I correct?"

"Hai."

"So, she was not meant to come back. It was all an unfortunate accident that tinkered with the course of time."

"So… both of them will live?"

Hao paused, "Yes and no. You see, speaking from this timeframe, Kagome is not alive as of yet. That soul is with Kayo as of now. However, from Kagome's timeframe, only she is alive. Kayo is not."

"I don't understand. What allows them both to be alive at the same time if they share the same soul?"

"It is true that they have the same soul, however it is from different points in time. As long as they did not meet, both would be able to fulfill their own destinies."

"So if we prevent them from meeting they should both be okay? The headaches will go away?"

"Iie. I'm afraid not. When Inu Yasha met Kayo, it irreversibly bound the mikos' fates together. At this point there is no way to backtrack and prevent the two of them from meeting."

"But Kagome also shared her soul with Kikyo…"

"That my dear Miroku was different in many ways. That was Kagome's soul being split in two; effectively bringing Kikyo back from the dead. In this case, both mikos are alive with the same soul, simply from different times. Had they never met, nothing would ever have gone awry. When the two of them inevitably meet, a decision must be made that will change th course of time. Time will forge a new path."

Understanding flew through Miroku. He was dumbfounded by all the trouble Kagome had caused. "But if Kagome goes back to her time…?"

"The headaches would stop. All would be well. But, that will not happen. Even if she does go back to her time, she will return. Certain aspects of life here will beckon her to come back and nothing or no one can stop her. Nothing can make things go back to the way they should be. What's done, is done."

"So we can't save them both?"

"Iie."

"How long do they have?"

"I can't say exactly. Something could come up that could potentially delay their fate. But not for long."

"Approximately?" Miroku was almost afraid to hear the answer. He didn't want to number Kagome's or Kayo's days.

"Less than two moons."

"That's it?"

Hao nodded wordlessly.

"Can you tell me anything else about their meeting?"

"Someone else… an unwelcome being will be there."

"Is there anything else that you know?"

Hao eyed Miroku with a faint frown etched on his perfect face. Miroku feared that he'd upset him. Suddenly, unexpectedly, Hao smiled gently. "There is much, much more that I know." Seeing Miroku's excited expression, he added, "It will be of no use to you though. I already told you everything that you seek. The rest is irrelevant."

"Just one more piece of information please?" he wheedled.

Hao nodded with amusement.

"Will Sesshomaru kill her?"

"Iie, but if she returns, she will be changed."

Miroku was not sure he wanted to know what he meant so he quietly downed the rest of his tea and stood. The houshi bowed deeply to Hao. "Arigato Hao-sama. How can I ever thank you?"

"You can spare me the thank yous. It was no problem. I enjoy helping others. Now go tell your friends what you learned. They are anxiously awaiting your return." Hao's eyes twinkled as he walked Miroku to the door.

Miroku smiled at the older man and bowed one last time before setting off. He felt Hao's gaze piercing into his back, but he didn't turn. Miroku walked into the woods thinking about everything that Hao had told him.

'One of them will die…'

Miroku shook his head to clear his thoughts and made his way back to the village. He returned to the hut and stepped in, met by the three seated around a hearty flame. Food was being warmed up. It seemed as if the food had been made, but everyone was too anxious to eat it.

Sango looked up nervously at Miroku. Her brows were furrowed and her ponytail was slack; as if she'd fiddled with it so much that it had loosened.

Miroku forced a smile and gazed around the room. Inu Yasha's ears were pricked up expectantly; his face however betrayed no emotions. Kayo had a curious expression on her face. The monk sat down, feeling everyone's searching gazes on him.

"Kagome?" Inu Yasha asked cautiously.

Miroku forced a cheerful expression onto his face, "Alive."

Inu Yasha's sullen features softened, then he noticed that Miroku was not as happy as he should be. "But…?"

Miroku sighed. He looked at everyone in turn, his gaze resting glumly on Kayo. He explained everything that Hao had said.

All three were left shocked and wordless.

"How long?"

"Nani?"

"How long do we have?"

"Two moons maximum," Miroku answered dejectedly.

"That's enough, we have time to go to Sesshomaru's castle and get her back." Inu Yasha said.

"Maybe if we don't go, then both of them will live…" Sango offered.

"Iie, I asked Hao-sama about that, he said that we can't change the course of time anymore than it has already been changed. We have to go. Whether we go or not does not matter. Only one can live," Miroku looked down at his hands, unwilling to continue speaking.

The group nodded in agreement. "After we eat," Sango began quietly, ladling stew into everyone's bowls, "let's be on our way."

They all nodded in agreement. The group took their bowls and began eating quietly, apprehensively contemplating possible outcomes.

"One other thing Hao mentioned was that if and when we reunite with Kagome, she will have changed," Miroku said.

Inu Yasha sighed unhappily. He hoped that his Kagome hadn't changed much. He didn't want anything about her to be different; not her beauty, not her soulful eyes, not her soothing scent and most of all, not her love for him.

Inu Yasha didn't know that nothing would ever be the same again.

A/N) Okay so when I read over Hao's explanation it was a little unrealistic so I had to change it. This one is better, no?