Chapter Eight
Sango sighed as she sank down into the warmth of the spring, grateful for the opportunity to work the kinks out of her sore muscles and collect her thoughts in peace. It was seldom that she had the opportunity to bathe alone, and though Sango was glad for the quietude the situation allowed, she missed the companionship Kagome would have offered her. True, she had Kirara with her, who was arguably her best friend and the best listener she could possibly hope for, but Sango had come to realize that, often, it was just as important to have someone to talk rather than listen. It kept her occupied — kept her mind from wandering to the dark places she didn't like to touch.
Like right now.
She mulled those thoughts over, absently working the shampoo in her hair into a lather and gazing out into nothing. Kirara eyed the girl curiously, knowing instinctively what plagued the exterminator's thoughts. The neko flattened her ears and hung her head, unable to face her mistress as a silent tear slipped down the slayer's slender face and made ripples in the night. Kirara mewed quietly, and Sango forced a smile as she reached out to stroke her fur.
"It's okay, Kirara," she assured quietly and wiped away the evidence of her musings. "I know you tried."
Despite the melancholy nature of the moment, Sango was pleasantly surprised to find that it actually hadn't hurt to speak. 'Well, that was certainly quick,' she thought. The slayer brought a tentative hand up to feel around the base of her neck, astonished when she found no swelling there.
"Wow," she began, turning her head from side to side. "Kurama's broth really did the trick."
Kirara trapped Sango in a decidedly critical stare, and the slayer looked away sheepishly, knowing automatically what the look was about. She dove under the surface of the water to rinse the soap from her hair and body, though it did not save her from the neko's scrutiny. How such a tiny animal could seem so intimidating was beyond her.
She sighed; her demon companion did have a point, though, regardless of whether Sango liked to admit it. Kurama had healed her twice, now — had done it with a smile, asking nothing of her in return — and she hadn't even so much as considered thanking him. Unless one counted holding someone at knife point an appropriate gesture of gratitude. 'Ugh,' she thought, embarrassed and disgusted with herself. 'What is wrong with me?'
Well, that wasn't really a valid question; Sango knew what was wrong with her: She was tired, she was angry, and deep down, in the most guarded places of her heart, she was scared. Still, it was no reason for her to lash out at Kurama. Demon or not, he had been kind to her, despite her blatant mistrust.
And insult.
Sango groaned, thinking of her encounter with the fox only a few moments ago. It wasn't that she really thought he was making a pass at her; Sango had known from the start that he was only looking out for her well-being. The exterminator simply had no idea how to deal with someone like Kurama, and it left her feeling awkward in her own skin. She was just so unsure of him. His very nature had her so on edge that she could just scream. True, he seemed gentle enough, but could she really trust him? A demon in human skin, he who belonged to neither world ...
She stopped quite suddenly. Hadn't she been in a similar position, not so very long ago? 'Honestly, Sango,' she internally berated, suddenly ashamed of herself. 'Has Inuyasha taught you nothing?'
She exhaled and made her way to the edge of the spring. Kirara cocked her head to the side and followed her movements, her gaze unrelenting. "Okay Kirara," she conceded as she dressed. "I get it. Really. I'll talk to him as soon as we get back."
His eyes glittered like broken jewels in the moonlight, and Kurama felt his body thrum with a heavy anticipation as the foreign energy closed in on them. Beside him, Hiei stood motionless as the dark of night, muscles taut and features etched of stone; his only indication of concern was the hand at rest on the hilt of his blade.
It was coming. Fast. In mere moments it would be upon them, and Kurama knew without having to be told, that this was nothing so simple as a pack of jackal youkai. He could feel it down to his bones, and his hand strayed, preparing to draw the rose whip as his eyes darted back and forth, anxiously.
"Honestly, Kurama," a voice began, causing Kurama's breath to hitch in recognition. "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"
Hiei snorted in irritation, and Kurama seemed a bit relieved, though only slightly. Deliberately, the fox relaxed his stance but remained ready to strike at any sign of hostility.
"I suppose that depends on the friend," he replied evenly.
Touya gave a dry chuckle as he seemed to materialize before them. He crossed his arms and regarded them soberly. "Tell me, to what do we merit a visit from such esteemed agents of the spirit world?"
Hiei narrowed his eyes dangerously, annoyed with the ice master. "Our business is our own," he snapped.
Touya merely smirked, which only served to fuel the jaganshi's ire. Hiei growled and fingered the hilt of his katana, almost playfully, making entirely certain the demon understood his meaning.
"Well, there's no need for that," Touya stated, apparently not intimidated.
"What is it you really want, Touya?" Kurama interjected quickly before Hiei met the end of his virtually non-existent patience. "I find it difficult to believe the Shinobi spend the better part of their time patrolling a virtually uninhabited region of Makai without good reason."
"Ever the observant one, I see." The ice master met his piercing, emerald gaze unwavering and decided that honesty was, indeed, the best approach. "We wished to see if the rumors about the Shikon Jewel were true. I can see now that they are; your presence here confirms as much."
"Precisely what do you intend to do with such knowledge?" Kurama inquired after a long pause. He was not particularly looking forward to a fight with Touya. He'd done that once before, and once had been enough. The two had parted on favorable enough terms, but that certainly did not mean they were friends. Kurama respected Touya, and Touya respected him. However, if the ice demon was going to pose a threat to their effort …
The demon shrugged. "That really all depends on you, Kurama. We could leave now, begin our own hunt for the missing fragments like every other demon in Makai, asserting but a slim chance of victory and a certain confrontation with you at some point —"
"I fail to see the downside in that," Hiei grumbled, earning himself a sharp glare from the ice master.
"— Or you could accept my offer now, to the benefit of us all."
"We?" Kurama queried, causing Touya to spare him a confused glance. "You said we. I'd like to know who else we're dealing with."
A particularly foul sounding commotion from the thick of distant foliage cut off whatever response Touya would have made, and as though on cue, the wind master, Jin, emerged from the brush. In one arm, he carried a short sword and a variety of other blades that Kurama recognized immediately, as well as a seemingly unconscious neko grasped firmly by the scruff of her neck. In the other, hefted over his shoulder like a sack of grain, was Sango, kicking and spitting and swearing for all she was worth.
"… Put me down, you inarticulate oaf! Now! Do you hear me?" She shouted as she thrashed, pounding her fists against his back. Sango was absolutely livid. Never had she been so grossly disregarded by an opponent, and the insult to her pride was staggering. "You unbelievable bastard! So help me, I'll beat you to death with your own arms if you don't put me down this instant!"
Jin, of course, was entirely oblivious to the ever-more colorful threats and curses she spat at him, a not-so subtle testament to the fact that the slayer had been traveling with Inuyasha for far too long. A goofy grin split the demon's features, and his cerulean eyes danced with mirth as he made his way over to his comrade with a bounce in his step.
"Will ya have a look at this," he began cheerfully, his ears wiggling excitedly. "Found her lurkin' out there in the bushes, I did."
"I wondered where you'd gone," Touya murmured to himself, sizing up his teammate. Busted lip. Black eye. Bloody nose. Maybe even a knife wound or two. Touya hadn't seen Jin look this happy since the Dark Tournament.
The demon rattled on eagerly as the ice master circled around to come face to face with the scowling demon slayer. She took a poorly executed swing at him, and he stepped away, dismissively. He didn't bother to hide his surprise when he took in her features.
"A human?" Touya asked rhetorically, quirking a brow at Kurama.
"Aye, lad, and a damned feisty one at that!" Jin informed him jovially, having never stopped talking. "Took me 10 whole minutes just to get these," he continued, holding up her companion and blades like a trophy. "Had no idea a human girl could kick up such a stink. Do ya reckon I could keep her?" He asked innocently.
Sango flushed; she hadn't been able to understand a word he'd said until just then, and her eyes widened in horror. "Keep me!" She sputtered angrily. "I'm not some stray animal you big horse's ass!" Sango renewed her efforts at escape, twice as fervently as before.
"Well, ya don't have to get all fussy about it, lass," he grinned, not at all offended. "We could have a right good time together, you and me."
"The young lady is traveling with us," Kurama announced, drawing the wind master's attention for the first time.
Jin spun toward Kurama, which brought Sango face to face with Hiei. The fire apparition wore a highly satisfied smirk, telling Sango just how much he was enjoying her humiliation, and she scowled. 'The little bastard,' she thought irritably.
"How did the two o' you manage to dig up a girl, and then get her to come with ya?" Jin asked with a chuckle, apparently disbelieving.
"It's a long story," Kurama sighed heavily, running a hand through the top of his long, red hair.
"Which," Touya interjected, "I'm sure we'll hear later. Once we begin traveling, perhaps."
Hiei's expression darkened then, and Kurama raised an eyebrow in question. "You intend to join us, then?" The fox inquired.
The ice master smirked. "You need us."
Hiei snorted disdainfully. "The position of token idiot has been filled. We don't want or need the company of two more."
"Are you so sure, Forbidden One?" Touya asked sharply, ignoring his barb. "Tell me, are you leading them to the Akuma territory? What do you plan to do once you get there? Waltz right in to the demon city? How easy do you think that will be for two demon traitors and human girl?"
Hiei sent the demon a hard glare but did not respond. No matter how much he loathed to admit it, Touya did have a point.
"My offer is simple," he continued, redirecting his attention to Kurama. "We will give you our assistance, however you deem it necessary, for a minimal fee to the Spirit World."
"What is it you want?" Kurama asked, incredulously.
He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Just a place to call home."
Kurama knew there was more to it than that but did not press the matter. He brought a hand to rest on his chin, a gesture he often made when in deep thought. After a moment of mulling it over in his mind he spoke.
"You understand, we cannot make promises on behalf of the Spirit World. The matter of your compensation rests between Koenma and yourself." Kurama paused. "However, should you merit such, and your price prove reasonable, I will use what little influence I have in your favor."
"Is that wise, fox?" Hiei asked in his mind.
"Probably not."
"Do we have an agreement?" Kurama extended his hand, expectantly.
"On my honor as Shinobi," Touya replied, shaking his hand to seal the deal.
"Good," Kurama said, smiling pleasantly. "Now, could we have our friends back?"
They dove in different directions, scrambling for cover as a hailstorm of tiny stone projectiles ripped through the night with enough force to shatter the pallet of crates in front of which they had been standing.
Inuyasha skidded to a stop, gaping openly as he set Kagome back on her feet. Yusuke stepped out from behind his warehouse refuge, and Genkai emerged from the cover of shadow, all of them wide eyed and wondering the same thing. Just what the hell was that?
However, no time was afforded them to ponder the subject further. Sniper unleashed another brutal assault without preamble, this one accompanied by the powerful attack of his reptilian accomplice. The creature screamed with a vengeance as he drove his giant fists into the earth on either side of the hanyou and lunged toward them with death in his eyes.
"Damn it!" Inuyasha cursed as he was forced to hit the ground running, Kagome clinging to his back with her eyes clenched tightly. "You assholes are askin' for it!"
He ducked and dodged, jumping from left to right as he ran, desperately trying to avoid the monstrous lizard-man swinging violently at his heels. To his left, he could see Yusuke at a flat run, swearing with each stride as the asphalt sparked with stones that ricocheted at his feet. "Shit, shit, shit …"
Genkai rolled and twisted, somersaulting with preternatural grace and agility uncommon for her age. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously as the tall human fired once again. She knew this energy. His bizarre ability to change otherwise mundane objects into lethal weaponry only confirmed what she had suspected from the beginning.
"He's a psychic," she announced loudly as she pushed forward to where Yusuke and Inuyasha were doing their best to stay ahead of their respective pursuers.
"A what?" Yusuke called, unable to hear for the cracking of rocks.
"A psychic," she repeated with emphasis. "We're inside his territory —"
"His what?" Yusuke shouted.
"Territory!" She exclaimed, growing frustrated. "That energy you feel is his territory. Anything inside it is susceptible to his power; in this case, he can turn inanimate objects into ammunition."
"Yeah, I'm starting to get that!"
"So, what's the point, old woman?" Inuyasha interrupted, a bit rudely. Not that he had time for pleasantries with a 20-foot lizard on his ass. For whatever reason, the beast was entirely intent on taking he and Kagome down, and despite his best efforts, Inuyasha just couldn't seem to shake him for more than a moment or two.
"The point, dimwit, is that his territory — " She dropped to the ground and rolled away then sprung back to her feet as though it were nothing. "— will stand so long as he's conscious."
"So, as long as he's up," Yusuke began, getting slightly winded, "we're target practice?"
"Even if he's not aiming at us?" Kagome inquired, hoping she was wrong.
"Basically, yes!"
Sniper paused in his assault and laughed heartily. Perhaps they were worth his time, after all. Maybe it was time to get a bit more … creative.
"You're good, I'll give you that. But not nearly good enough." From the remains of destroyed cargo, Sniper found the source of his next attack, and he grinned devilishly. This was going to be entirely too much fun.
"I wouldn't laugh, asshole," Yusuke warned arrogantly. "You'll just make yourself look stupid when I kick your — Gah!" His eyes widened drastically, and he was forced to dive again when a bowling ball burned a path through the air, aimed straight for his head.
"Damn it, this shit's getting old!" the detective yelled. They had to knock at least one of these guys out of commission now, and he knew it. He made a break for it, running directly at Inuyasha and Kagome, crates exploding in his wake from the barrage of bowling equipment hurtling his way.
Inuyasha's eyes doubled in size. That idiot was heading straight for them! He veered left, and Yusuke did the same. "Fool! Get outta the damn way!" Inuyasha shouted.
But Yusuke didn't listen. Instead, he plowed right into them, knocking all three of them back so abruptly and with such strength that the reptile springing at them, overshot his goal and missed them altogether. He howled out in pain and rage when Sniper's assault intended for the detective pummeled his flesh and sent him sprawling painfully across the concrete.
For a moment, all was still.
"Idiot!" Inuyasha spat as he picked himself up from the ground. "You nearly killed us!"
"You're welcome," Yusuke commented dryly. So much for gratitude.
"Not now you two," Kagome reprimanded. Abruptly, she made a break for the nearest building to offer suitable cover. Yusuke and Inuyasha exchanged a quick glance before following suit. They just managed to turn the corner when Genkai dropped in their midst, looking a bit winded, just as the rest of them.
Once again, their surroundings grew eerily still. After a few moments, they could hear Sniper's easy footsteps as he strolled about the lot toward his accomplice, seemingly without care.
"You don't really think that's going to help you, do you?" He spoke amusedly as he prodded Doki with the toe of his sneaker. "I don't have to see you to hit you. It just makes it more fun for me."
Inuyasha clenched his fists as the arrogant human continued to goad them. "We gotta do something besides just run around out there," he whispered harshly.
"We can't hurt them, Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "They're human."
"Well, we can't just roll over and die either, Kagome!" He exclaimed, still in hushed tones. "And besides, you can't tell me that lizard's a human!"
"Well, he is," she said stiffly. "I don't know what has happened to him, but he's definitely human. I can feel it."
The look on her face was so serious that Inuyasha almost found himself relenting. Almost. "Whatever," he grumbled. "It's not like we gotta kill 'em, anyway. Just knock 'em out. Right?"
"That's the idea," Genkai said. "If we can take out the psychic, then the other should be no problem; he's not much good right now, anyway." She commented, peeking out to make certain the creature was still immobile.
"Easier said than done, Grandma. How are we supposed to take him down when we can't even get close to him?"
"Leave that to me," she said. "You all just keep him busy, and I'll handle the rest."
Inuyasha sighed. "All right, but you better know what the hell you're doing, old woman," he grumbled, turning to face the priestess. "You just stay back, Kagome. We'll handle this."
He took off before she could respond, and Kagome snorted in frustration as the others followed suit. 'Ooh, that boy!'
They hadn't fully rounded the corner when they were accosted head on by another wave of killer bowling balls. Inuyasha ducked and swore as he brought Tetsusaiga to the ready, hoping to stem at least some of the assault. From the corner of his eye he could see Yusuke drawing power into his index finger, and they nodded to each other in understanding.
Suddenly, both darted in opposite directions, bobbing and weaving as they took down as many of the projectiles as possible with their respective weapons. Yusuke fired repeatedly, alternating between his shotgun and single rounds. Inuyasha sliced with deadly precision, and for the moment, they were handling the situation quite well.
However, Sniper only seemed to grow more amused with the circumstances. 'More creative, indeed,' he thought. He compounded his efforts, bringing in more and more cargo until he was at the brink of his capability to control the situation.
Inuyasha's eyes widened. If Sniper was hoping to confuse them it was definitely working. He had more objects flying than not at this point — everything from light bulbs to hammers to robotic pets were coming at him from all different angles, and the hanyou was getting entirely frustrated with all the bizarre contraptions whizzing in his direction. He cursed and hacked and dodged, doing his best to keep up, but things were beginning to look grim.
Within moments, Inuyasha found himself in the center of a cyclone, surrounded completely by debris on all sides, and he had no choice but to stop running altogether and rely on his sword and claws alone. Across the lot he could hear the detective cursing and knew he was in the same predicament. Even Genkai, who had managed to make it within yards of the gunman on sheer stealth and agility alone, had been unable to escape the assault; she made do, continually moving and sending warm ki blasts from her palms to obliterate what obstacles she could.
"Did you really think it would be so easy?" Sniper sighed, disappointed. He'd had his fun, but it was time to put an end to this; he was getting bored. He pulled the pistol from the inside of his jacket and took aim at the detective, ready to make his point in one clean, precise shot.
He stumbled back in shock when a brilliant beam of light shot by him and knocked the weapon forcefully from his grip. 'Damn it,' he thought, 'the priestess.' How could he have forgotten?
"Damn it, Kagome!" Inuyasha reprimanded. "I told you to stay back!"
"You can thank me later," she called, stringing another arrow. Of course she hadn't really thought beyond what she would do now, but she certainly wasn't going to back down. He could throw whatever he wanted at her.
But he didn't.
Kagome felt the heat on her back and suddenly understood why.
She scrambled away just before the reptile's monstrous fist collided with the pavement, causing it to crack and shatter in violent ripples and shaking the earth below their feet. Kagome picked herself up off the ground and swallowed hard; she'd just been standing there.
Kagome felt nauseated, knowing that he had been deliberately aiming for her. She heard a guttural snarl to her right and staggered backward, only just missing the tips of his razor sharp claws as the beast took a swing at her. He came at her again, even faster than before, and again the priestess barely managed to avoid a painful death as she dove out of the way quickly.
The monster was swifter than she had anticipated though, and he was on her before she could rise and put space enough to knock her bow between them. She screamed as he grabbed her extended leg and yanked her back roughly, his talons raking bloody furrows down the length of her calf.
"Kagome!" Inuyasha cried, fighting through the barrage of robotic animals and other such nonsense swarming him, desperately trying to reach the priestess before Doki could devour her.
Sniper let the demon go. He had no real interest in the dog, anyway.
"Oh, no you don't, asshole!" Inuyasha shouted as he brought the Tetsusaiga down to slice into the flesh of the monster's left arm, using only enough strength to make his point without severing the limb completely. Doki shrieked at the contact and swung the other colossal fist blindly, giving Kagome the split second she needed to escape, and catching Inuyasha squarely in the gut. The half demon grunted as the blow sent him skidding painfully across the pavement and straight through the wall of a nearby warehouse.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried as the unstable building shook violently with the force of it and caved in around him. "No!"
But the beast paid him no mind. He stalked toward the hobbling priestess with a deadly gleam in his eye, oblivious to the blood that oozed grotesquely from his wounds in thick black rivulets and pooled like tar at his feet. He watched blankly as she stumbled to the edge of the lot, where the pier met the sea in a steep slope of rocks, and stopped, straightening her spine as she turned to him. Her attempts at escape were pointless; she had nowhere left to go, now, and they both knew it.
Kagome wasn't stupid. She knew what he wanted, knew why he'd singled her out from the beginning. And now she faced him down, knocking her bow with unsteady fingers, as he advanced on her for the last time. Human or not, there was just too much at stake this time, and she'd kill him if she had to.
She'd be damned if she let him have it.
With a great bellow of rage the beast descended, razor sharp talons poised to slice through her soft flesh as though it were butter. She trembled visibly, and took aim.
"Forgive me," she whispered.
Doki lunged.
Kagome fired.
She cried out in surprise when she felt an arm grip her tightly around the waist, abruptly pulling her from harm's way, and completely disrupting the trajectory of her shot.
The sacred arrow lit the night brightly and whistled loudly in his ear as it just missed its intended target, and Doki snarled in frustration. The detective had just run off with his quarry.
"You all right?" Yusuke asked without stopping. He was aware that the reptile was already in hot pursuit.
"Yeah," came her breathless reply. "Thanks."
"We gotta do something about these guys," he began, darting to the right to narrowly avoid the reptile's steely grasp. "Now. We can't keep this up, and Grandma can only hold ol' trigger back for so long."
Unfortunately, 'so long' had come. Kagome gasped, and Yusuke snapped his attention in the direction of hers to see his mentor hit the ground hard.
"Genkai!" He hesitated then, and that was all it took.
Genkai lifted her head from the asphalt weakly, just in time to watch as the reptile swung his mighty fist down, forcing Yusuke to jump back in the air to avoid the blow — only to be struck full-force by the broadside of a fold-out couch as it emerged from the rubble of the building Inuyasha took down. Sniper smirked in victory as he sent the two sailing through the night and out into the unforgiving waters below.
The reptile reversed his transformation and glared hatefully at his companion as he stalked across the lot to peer down into the water. For a moment, the two exchanged a tense silence. Finally, Sniper waved his hand dismissively. "Eh, next time, Doki. Next time."
The dark one did not look satisfied, but the tall human honestly did not seem to care. He turned his attention to Genkai, smirking bitterly as she struggled to her hands and knees.
"Don't tell me you're going to give this another go?" He mocked.
She looked up at him with narrowed eyes and spit the blood from her mouth. "You have amazing control of your power," she rasped, getting straight to the point. "Tell me, boy; how did you manage to master it so fully in only 48 hours?"
Sniper stopped still, gazing at her with a strange look in his eyes. He smiled openly then, amused with her subtle accusation. "Well, well … you certainly are a sharp one," he confirmed, though he gave nothing else away. "If he lives, tell the detective I expect a real fight next time."
He nodded to his companion, who was only too happy to carry out the unspoken request. With a cruel smirk, Doki hauled back and kicked the injured psychic forcefully in the ribs; she rolled across the pavement and tumbled end over end down the slope of jagged rocks before coming to a rest, face down and unmoving, in the wet sand.
Botan cast a worried glance to the orange-haired youth trudging dutifully behind her and frowned. His brown eyes were glassy, his shoulders slumped, and he still seemed a bit too pale, in her opinion.
"We can stop and rest awhile if you need, Kuwabara," she said aside to him, quietly.
His attention snapped toward her then, surprised at the break in their companionable silence. "Hey, don't worry about me," he said as he stood a little straighter and forced a smile. "I could go on like this for days!"
Botan knew better but understood his persistence. The first two days had been slow going, as their transition into Reikai had taken more adjustment than she had believed it would. Much more. Upon entering the Spirit Realm, Kuwabara had practically gone into sensory overload, something she had not anticipated considering this wasn't his first visit to Reikai. However, he had never gone beyond the protection of the Gateway of Decision, and his spirit awareness had simply been overwhelmed by what lay beyond it.
And as such, Kuwabara suffered. Immensely. Searing pain, the likes of which he'd never known, burned through his veins and ate away at his brain. His body convulsed, and he writhed in agony as he emptied his stomach until nothing remained, bleeding from the eyes and screaming unintelligibly through the stench of his own vomit and sweat.
Even as the violent physical reaction of his body subsided, his mind remained muddled, and he could not distinguish one spiritual energy from another as of yet; there were just too many.
He wasn't alone in his struggles, it seemed. Botan let her eyes drift to the holy man in their presence. While Miroku was not nearly as affected as Kuwabara had been, Botan could still see the heavy cloud of burden descend to his eyes; she did not miss the way he struggled over simple words and actions, either. He was obviously trying to dismiss the pain.
Shippou, thankfully, remained fairly unaffected, and Botan was grateful that Kurama had suggested she take a demon; she honestly did not know if she could handle Kuwabara and Miroku on her own. His body was naturally more adept to handle the onslaught of spiritual entities than that of a human, and if he would be affected at all, it would have to come from an immense force or a rather lengthy period of time here. At least, she hoped this would be the case.
Regardless, Botan was glad for his presence. He kept a level head during Kuwabara's adjustment, something she had been unable to do. He had been a bit more prepared for the possibility of a rough transition than she, and if it hadn't been for him, Botan would have likely yanked them right back out of Reikai and into Ningenkai, which they could not afford to do when their time was already so limited. Thus, between Kuwabara's vehement protest of the notion and Shippou's reassurances that they would, in fact, recover soon, she had relented. At least for the time being.
She still didn't like the idea of Kuwabara pushing so hard, though. She knew he didn't want to hold them up anymore, but she couldn't have him killing himself either. "Are you sure?" She asked incredulously. "You're looking awfully tired."
He puffed his chest out slightly and let his ego do the talking. "Are you kidding? I'm the great Kazuma Kuwabara! I'll have these stupid shards found and we'll be outta here in no time." He began to dance a bit on the balls of his feet then, throwing a few quick jabs into the air for good measure. "Just show me to 'em! I could take on anything Spirit World has to offer right now!"
Botan opened her mouth to protest but did not get the opportunity. "Yes, well, you may not need rest, but I for one, could use some," Shippou interjected, earning himself an appreciative look from the grim reaper.
"Yes, I agree," Miroku said as he sidled up next to Shippou and Botan. "It may be quite some time before we get the opportunity again.
"Well, I guess if you guys need to stop we might as well," Kuwabara replied, his previous argument forgotten all too quickly. He flung his pack in the dirt and settled at the base of a tall tree. In a matter of seconds, he was snoring.
Botan sighed, exasperated. Honestly, that boy…
"So, what's the plan?" Shippou asked quietly and peered over at Kuwabara from the corner of his eye. "It's going to be at least a full day before his spirit awareness fully adjusts. We can't afford to just sit here that long."
"No, I suppose you're right," Miroku said, eyes pensive and thoughtful. "How much further to the outer banks?"
"Not much," Botan responded. "At this rate, an hour. Maybe two."
"That's certainly not enough time for a full recovery," Miroku said grimly. "We've got no choice really. We'll have to proceed down the river and just hope that his awareness returns b-before we, uh … before we get too far."
Botan frowned and reached up to brush the hair from his eyes. "Are you all right?"
He beamed at her, though his vision remained a bit unfocused. "I appreciate your concern, my lady. I am fine, really."
Botan felt the blood rush to her face; his condition had apparently affected his better judgment. At least, that's what he would later claim. "Hands to yourself, monk," she growled as she smacked his hand, none too gently, and swiftly moved away. If she had known what kind of a beating the monk could actually take, she would have slapped him into next week.
Shippou cleared his throat politely. "Right, then," he began, anxious to get back on task. "About the river, I'd like to know a bit more about what to expect before we head in. Perhaps we should map out our course and point of entry."
"Well, we won't actually be traveling down the river, more like across. You see, the full body of the river Styx actually wraps around Spirit World nine times."
The grim reaper dropped to her knees in the dirt, then, using the nearest stick to draw out her diagram. After several long moments, she paused in her effort, looking over the picture carefully before adding the final touches. She smiled, satisfied with herself, as she motioned for the others to join her.
"Like this," she gestured to a long, elliptical spiral. "Right now, we're here, on the outermost circuit, and just inside the Gateway of Decision."
"I always thought Styx ended at the Gateway," Shippou said.
"No, that's a common misconception; most of the river actually lies beyond it. The journey of a soul is a very long process, indeed. After judgment is passed, the soul is returned to the river to be transported to its appropriate territory. Each circuit the river makes separates one territory from the next, the outer regions being the safest of these and working steadily into darker realms. Within each realm, there is a guardian who ensures the passage and containment of souls into their territory. Charon, is the strongest and wisest of them all; unlike the others, his job is not only to ensure the deliverance of souls to his own realm, but to secure passage for the malevolent down Acheron, the river of woe, into the bowels of Reikai. His territory is here," she pointed, "at the innermost point of limbo, where Styx and Acheron meet."
"And to get there could take months by waterway alone," Miroku ventured.
"Maybe longer," Botan replied.
"We should consider the possibility that he's not even there," Shippou chimed in. "If he doesn't want to be found, chances are that he's not hanging around his post."
"No, but he won't stray far from the river either," Botan said, confidently. "He draws his power from it; in turn, his life-force is bound to it. He's as much a part of Styx as Styx is of him."
"Still, it's a big river," Miroku said. "He could be anywhere."
"Not if he wants to remain unnoticed," Shippou remarked thoughtfully. "I'd imagine it would be easier to hide in the deeper territories."
"Yes, that makes sense," Botan agreed.
"All right," Shippou said, studying their makeshift map a moment. "We can head straight into limbo from here," he pointed out, "and then sweep the other side on the way out. With a little luck, we'll find Charon and maybe dig up a few other shards along the way. What do you guys think?"
Botan nodded, and Miroku shrugged.
"Sounds like a plan."