Chapter 6

I won't go. I don't have to prove my self to a mangy wolf. He can think as he wants about me. I. Don't. Care. Just know that I'm not a scared little girl and I-

Tap. Tap. Tap. Just then I felt a tap on the shards. It was like a knock at a door for me. "Jewel! Jewel! come out we need your help!" Kagome shouted!

"What? What is it?" I manifested in a flash only to be smacked in the face by a heavy miasma that nearly knocked the wind out of me. "Woah! In a miasma? Really?"

"Sorry. We aren't resistant to the miasma but Inuysha and Miroku went in." Sango spoke through her mask though it didn't seem to be helping at all.

"Will you follow them?" Kagome asked. "Please?" Sango started to hack and wheeze ferociously.

"Sango. Let me take you back to the base first."

"No just go."

"Ok but I'll at least leave you with this." I rip a piece of cloth from one of the legs of my pants and hand it to her. The rip then regenerates itself once again. "It'll weaken the poison around you."

"Thanks."

With a nod, I run up after the boys. The miasma is starting to get thicker than before. My power isn't great enough to purify this much poison at once. When I get to the mountain entrance, I can hear voices that sound like Inuyasha and Miroku.

"We really must be close by now." Inuyasha says. "Come on, suck it up! You said you could handle it. What's wrong?" That was definitely them. Inuyasha was complaining at the human Miroku who was kneeling on the ground in attempt to catch his lost breath. Not everyone has lungs of steel.

When I caught sight of them, I ran to Miroku's side to help him from the ground. "Miroku! Are you alright?" I ask him worriedly.

"Huh-Jewel?" he looked up at me surprised. "Don't worry about me. I can and I will endure." Good old Miku. Always acting so tough.

"Let's go" We travel farther in the cave, Inuyasha carrying Miroku and myself running along side them. There was a cliff at the end of a tunnel with an open cavity over head. Inuyasha looked worried and Miroku seemed to be struggling. I hadn't realized either that the cavity was directly over head to what looked like a pool demon remains.

"What the-?"

"That's revolting!" I gasp for air. the smell of the rotting demon flesh was simply grotesque. It messed with my senses. I couldn't see anything and everything I could smell, resembled death and decay.

The ground started to shake. "Damn what the hell is this?" The demon pool below started rippling and shaking. the to life? The ground shook more until I felt myself slipping from the cliff, hanging with only my left arm.

"Inuyasha! Miroku!" I call out to them.

Miroku uses his staff to assist me. "Jewel! Hang on!" I grab on tightly but, still find myself slipping. Miroku seems to have noticed and latches on to my wrist. I look down. I can see the beasts forming from the flesh and bones, creating deadly shrieks for my eardrums. I slip down further barely hanging by my fingertips now. "Inuyasha, help me pull her up!"

"I-I can't." I glanced over at the half demon. I remember now. A moment just like this but with Kikyo. His golden eyes were filled with trauma and I couldn't help but look away.

"Miroku. Let me go." I stated simply.

It took awhile for my words to register for him. "What!? Are you crazy? I'm not going to let go!"

"MIROKU!" I command him this time. "Let me go."

"No Jewel."

Damn him. So stubborn. "This is no time for your stubbornness. Either let me go or die with me. Your choice."

"Neither of those are good options."

"Damn it, Miroku!" With my other hand I abruptly detach his hand from my wrist and let go of the staff.

"No! Jewel!" Was the last thing I heard before the abyss swallowed me whole.

I can feel it. It-it burns. I awoke in a dark room. Not like a dungeon, maybe a bedroom? There was a bed and doors but nothing else. As I begin to regain my composure, I feel shackles on my ankles and arms, Restricting me so that I couldn't leave the room. "Where am I?"

"Ah I see. The jewel doesn't work without its soul." The voice sounded familiar as it inquired on how to understand me. It was a male voice. A low voice with a tone full of villainous intent. The voice belonged to a silhouetted figure who seemed to be studying something. "And that soul is you, correct?" I refused to answer him."What happens when I do this?" And then his words registered.

With his words, he proceeds with a simply thump onto the surface of the jewel. "Gah-!" I feel the impact in my lower side. It felt like a kick to the gut. "Stop please!"

"This?" He squeezes the jewel with all the strength of that arm. It felt like he was attempting to strangle me yet not at the same time.

I scratch at my throat, gasping for air. "I'm- I'm beg-ging you!"

"Or? Yes!" A miasma rolled out of the sleeves of his clothes. "This will do perfectly."

"Gahh!" I found myself struggling to breathe even more than before. My chest was on fire and my lungs felt clogged. This is the strongest miasma I have ever witnessed. "Ahhh! Staaaaahp!"

"Now. Taint, Shikon no Tama!" I could feel him. My demon taking over my body. The darkness burned into me relentlessly as I struggle to fight it off. "Taint!"

"NO- GAHH!" Snap! My bones were breaking. Snap! Snap! And my body, arching and twisting until everything went black. When I awoke I couldn't remember anything. I found myself lying on the same mat with cold eyes staring upon my figure. I sat up and watched as long black hair began shadowing my face. Something about this situation wasn't right. I felt extremely nauseous.

"Did you have a nice nap.?" The owner of the eyes spoke. "Black is such a nice color for you."

"Shut up ingrat-" I paused mid-sentence. I recognized this two toned voice. "My voice-!?"

"It's wonderful isn't it?"

"Anything but." With a sigh, I stand, noticing that my clothes were replaced with some sort of kunoichi gard that left very little to the imagination seeing as it was very short and revealing. I also wore a set of detached black kimono sleeves that were tied down with buckles on both of my arms, revealing my st. Differing from usual, they had red and white roses at the end of them instead of white with pink and magenta spirals. My hair was now mid thigh length and black as aposed to my normal chin-length lilac. "I'm leaving. Do not follow me and you will be spared."

"Oh but my dear, Jewel, you just got here. Why leave so suddenly?" I eventually recognized the voice as Naraku, the demon who deceived my friends. He was sitting by the sliding door dressed as a white baboon with a blue face.

"Quit your games Naraku! I wish not to be bothered by the likes of you!" As if on reflex, my arm shoots up toward Naraku's neck and I find myself squeezing tightly. Tighter. And tighter until with a poof, the white baboon disappears with a wooden doll taking his place. "Damn. It was just a puppet."

"I will not be disposed of so easily."

"Nor will I." I summon one of my four souls, Aramitama (courage), my dagger and aim it at his head. The only reaction was a small dodging motion and a smirking chuckle. Once contact with the wall behind is made, the dagger disappears. "Though I know you'll try."

"I see. So you remember my little trap."

"It would be rather stupid were I to say no. Now where are Inuyasha and Miroku?" I demanded. My now red eyes pierced into his own which were baring into my very soul. I summon one of the twin swords of my Nigimitama (friendship) and place it on his neck, threateningly. "Tell. Me. Now."

"You will watch your tone with me, wench."

"I'd rather you watch it for me." I lean in close to him, blowing cool breath on some of his neck left exposed my his baboon costume. My blade still exposed throughout, I lean as close as I can to him. "What do you say, Naraku?"

"Tempting as that may be, We have matters to discuss."

"Fine then let us discuss." I seated myself cross legged on the floor, awaiting his expectance. "Come now. I have a question for you anyway."

He reluctantly joined me there and spoke. "And what might that be?"

"What is it that you want with me? I am aware that I am the Shikon no Tama however why do you want me currently?"

"I simply want your assistance. That is all."

"With what might I ask?"

"First. You have to let go."

"Let go?" I had no idea what he meant. I was already tainted so that already cancels out any nice thing I could do. Not that I'd be doing nice things anyway. I don't have any family so I have no earthly ties. I don't have any possessions either.

"Of your bonds. They will get in the way of my plans. I need you to be full of evil down to your core." I honestly thought it would be harder. I closed my eyes and nod. Among opening my eyes, I could see a dark glow shining through onto Naraku. I close them once again and they return to normal. "Good." Is all he responds with.

"Now, how did you get Kagome's shards?"

"So you've figured that out."

"Of course. I can sense the shards myself and at the moment I can only feel Koga's and the ones in this room."

"It was Kikyo. She...commandeered them for me."

"Ah, so Kikyo is alive then? Some people just do not know when to die." I muttered that last part broodingly beneath my breath.

"Yes, however that is beside the point." He obviously heard my complaining. "I need you to find someone for me."

"While I do love a good scavenger hunt, am I not aloud a break?"

"Are you forgetting that you are now under my control?" He pulls the jewel back out and flashes it's pieces at me. Without another word he thumps the jewel. I can remember the pain from earlier but it does not affect me now."

"I am stronger than her. That goody two shoes, Jewel, was just the 'Midoriko' part of our power. I am the demon. Do not test my limits for you will be disappointed with the results." I walk over to him, standing from my seat. I bend over so that he can see the intent in my eyes. "Do not get confused. I do what I wish, to whom I wish, with whom I wish, whenever I wish it to be done."

"I see-"

"However I will find this person for you. But, do not act like you're my boss."

The night passed and I was now on a mission. Naraku wanted me to find some sixty year old priestess named Tsubaki. He didn't even give me a direction he just handed me an old ripped cloth and said to smell it like I was some type of dog. I, rather we, ended up in the mountains as Naraku sent Kagura along with me.

"There she is." I say to Kagura. We had been searching for this dark priestess woman that Naraku spoke of for at least have of the day. We were in each others throats. Kagura and I could barely go a minute with arguing about something trivial.

"She doesn't quite look sixty. Are you sure its her." Even now when we had a job, she wanted to argue about my sense of smell.

"Her scent is there." We approach the woman. She had long silver hair and a very youthful appearance despite apparently being how old she actually was. She had a white snake draped over her shoulders tat was most likely the demon puppet, Shikigami.

"What is it that you want?" She spoke with venom in her voice.

"Your assistance, is all."

"And why should I help you?"

"Because I have this." I reach into the fabric of my clothing and pull out the newly tainted jewel.

"The Shikon no Tama-!"

"Yes and if you assist us I promise you that you won't be disappointed by the rewards."

"Rewards? Such as?"

"Do you remember a priestess my the name of Kikyo?" Her brow at the the mention of the priestess.

"By your expression, I would say that you are now interested and I-" Mid sentence, I sense a jewel shard. Correction. Two jewel shards. What does he want? "Go on ahead." I command the wind sorceress. Abruptly, I send her away.

"Are you sure?" She asks me.

"Go! Kagura!" She pulls a feather from her hair and flies back to Naraku with the dark priestess. Just as the two leave, a whirlwind appears before me. When the dust clears, a man is revealed. He has sharp blue eyes and a long, dark hair. Through the sharpness of his eyes, I can see both shock and relief.

"Jewel." He breathes out my name in

"Wolf."

"You never showed up."

In the most nonchalant voice I have, I say "Busy."

"What's wrong with you? Why do you look like that?" He asked confused. He awaited my answer but, I stared at him with a deadpanned expression. He snatches up my arm forcibly. "Jewel! Jewel!"

"Release me, Wolf!"

"Not until I know what's up."

In a swift motion, I release myself from his grip. "Sakimitama!" I summon my bow and aim it at the him. I wasn't bluffing. I had a straight expression with and unwavering gaze. "Get out of here before I kill you. I'm sure Naraku would love your skin on his mantle."

"Jewel-"

"Go, Wolf."

"I won't."

"Your choice." I release the arrow and as I do a pink light glows from the point. The light is nearly blinding and Koga disappears from my sight. This light is so warm. The warm is all I feel and I can feel it cleansing my darkness and my breath is taken away. A pair of arms wrap around my waist as I feel myself falling to the ground. I'm so warm.

"Jewel!"