InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Light in Guiding Darkness ❯ Aragon Switches Sides ( Chapter 13 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Striking Falcon 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.19.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 9.6K | Visits: 392 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Romance / Fantasy / Adventure / Action | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 12.19.2004 | Pages: 3 | Words: 9.6K | Visits: 392 | Status: Completed
Disclaimer: Must we do this for every performance? (Lawyers shake their fists) Fine, you pretentious sons of -I don't own Inuyasha. There, are you bastards happy now?Thirteen: Aragon Switches Sides!watched the young miko as she slept, both she and her older sister curled at different sides of the blacksmith's futon. The Slayer slept on her back with one hand tightly clenching a dagger hidden underneath her pillow. Her bow and quiver were propped at her side against the bed at arm's length should she need them. Kagome was curled in a tight ball, the thin blankets on the bed shifting off her shoulder to reveal a black happi the blacksmith gave her to sleep in. She sighed wistfully in her sleep, her hand hovering over the Tensegia's hilt but not touching it much to his dissatisfaction.
'Trust the little human to relieve herself of her weaponry,' he thought to himself as Kanna peered into the mirror. "I thought you were not speaking to me," he commented as her dark eyes watched the mirror's suface.
"I was angry with you and frustrated. For that I apologize," Kanna said softly. "However, that doesn't make what I said any less true."
"I am sure it does not, in your own twisted sense of right and wrong," Sesshoumaru replied nonchalantly. "But you will excuse me if I ignore you. After all, you are the spawn of the vilest creature on Earth."
"He wouldn't be if you had only lived up to your responsibility."mentally sighed, his eyes briefly closing before glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "I will not discuss this with you again," he growled in warning. "This is the last time I will tell you apparition: This Sesshoumaru will not be blamed for things he did not do."took a deep breath, held it, and released it, her shoulders slumping in the process. "So you say taiyoukai. So you say. It doesn't matter now. You'll find out soon enough." She walked away from him then, leaving Sesshoumaru to his thoughts and her mirror as a slight figure approached the sleeping miko.approached the miko carefully, wary of the young girl as Kirara followed in her ghostly footsteps. "Look at her Kirara," Sango whispered as she sat at the foot of Kagome's side of the bed. "You can feel her power can't you? I know I certainly can. She could Send me if she wanted to...but I hope she doesn't. Oh please don't let her want to Send me!" Kirara mewed pitifully and sat by Sango's feet. Sango smiled down at her sadly then turned back to Kagome. "I'm so afraid my little friend," she admitted softly. "What if she won't talk to me? It's been so long since I last talked to someone. What if I've forgotten how?" Sango started when the mound beneath the blanket stirred. Kagome sat up and sighed, yawned and opened bleary dual colored eyes. Sango froze instantly, her lips silently forming every prayer she could remember as Kagome stared at her.sat this way for what felt like hours before Kagome smiled and whispered, "I promised to talk to you didn't I? I'm so sorry about that." She stretched lazily and patted her lap. Kirara jumped up and nuzzled her stomach as Sango blinked in confusion.
"You're not afraid of me?" Sango asked as Kirara began to purr. Kagome shook her head. "Nope. I don't think you want to hurt me, so why be afraid of you?"
"And you don't want to Send me?"shook her head again. "Not unless you want to be Sent. Say, could we talk somewhere else? I'm afraid we'll wake Kaede-onee-chan if we keep this up." Sango nodded happily and pointed to the nearest window.
"Through that window is a rope leading to the roof. I have to warn you, it's pretty old but I think it's still some good."nodded and silently slipped out of bed, her feet padding soundlessly against the floor as she approached the door to the front room. She cracked the door open and peered inside, watching Miroku and Shippou as they slept in the front of the shop, their heads resting against the spare chairs with blankets thrown over their laps. Kagome giggled quietly and shut the door, gathered the strange sword and her bow, stole her way to the window and opened it without anyone being the wiser. She stepped on the window ledge and looked out. Her hand grasped the scratchy rope before she saw it and she soon found herself sitting on top of the roof.materialized beside her, with Kirara climbing up the side of the building to Kagome's lap. For a while, they stared at the stars and the waxing moon in the sky in contentment before Kagome broke the silence. "So who are you anyway?"
"My name is Sango," Sango introduced herself. "I'm from a village of taija that used to live not far from Edo."
"You mean Tokyo," Kagome corrected. Sango scratched her forehead in confusion. "To-key-o? What's that?"
"That's what Edo is now," Kagome told her. "They changed the name one hundred years ago. Now it's Tokyo."
"Oh. I see...so much has changed since my time..."
"What is your time exactly?" Kagome asked, her curiosity about Miroku's phantasmal stalker returning to her. "Why do you haunt the blacksmith so?"sighed heavily, her eyes flashing from Kagome to the sky above. "The Miroku you've met and the Miroku I know are different. I met my Miroku, the original, back in the Feudal Era."
"That's over five hundred years!" Kagome gasped. "Wow! How did you guys meet?"blushed faintly, something Kagome found to be eerie on someone without an actual body. "Miroku and I met when I was trying to slay an oni. Back then there weren't any vampires, so our biggest problems where oni and rogue low-level youkai.
"I was passing a nobleman's encampment when I heard one of the stablehands talking about the enormous youki coming from the nobleman's house and the young houshi that found it. I did a little investigating and lo and behold, there wasn't a single negative aura in sight."laughed then, one that was filled with more joy than she had ever realized she knew. "There in the middle of it all sat a single houshi, his staff jingling merrily in his hands as he convinced the nobleman that his house was indeed in need of purification. The nobleman agreed to the houshi's fee and to house him for the remainder of the night. Well, with such a great deal, how could I not include myself in their affairs?"
Sango shook her head at the nobleman for his foolishness and at the houshi for exploiting the simple (rich) man's fears. She waited until they were in the midst of sealing their deal to fall from the ceiling, landing gracefully on her feet behind the houshi.
"Forgive me houshi-sama," she huffed with a bow. "I didn't mean to be so slow."
"Slow?" the houshi repeated, his violet blue eyes wide in surprise as he turned to her. "Slow in what my dear?"
"In checking the palace for the ki," Sango stated with a wry smile. "Do you not remember sending me to track the exact point of the aura we sensed?"
"Hai of course," he said with a light chuckle. The nobleman looked wary however as he glared from the taija to the houshi and back again. "Who is she Houshi-sama?" the nobleman demanded, his basset-hound like cheeks flapping angrily at Sango. Sango bowed again, this time to the nobleman as she stood a little behind the houshi.
"I'm Sango my lord. A taija assigned to the honorable houshi." 'Honorable my eye,' Sango griped as the nobleman nodded in acceptance. "Forgive me for not appearing sooner, but my master here felt that the aura needed to be found immediately."
"Well, a houshi and a taija! How fortunate my house is on this night!" the nobleman laughed heartily. "I welcome you both into my house until this nasty entity is freed from my house!"
"It should take no longer than the morrow, shouldn't it houshi-sama?" Sango replied as she glared at the houshi. He nodded charmingly and bowed as the nobleman took his leave, leaving her and the houshi alone to discuss the 'extermination'.
"Just what kind of houshi are you?" Sango hissed as she and Miroku followed a servant down a hallway. He silenced her with a finger to his lips, a mischievous gleam in his spellbinding eyes before turning back around. Sango found herself dumbfounded, all of the righteous indignation for the man evaporating into a sort of awe.
The servant opened a door to a spare guest room, bowed and left to prepare them an evening meal. She came back to serve them tea before leaving again. "So," the houshi began as he closed his eyes and sipped his tea. "Why are you here? Surely it's not to help me relieve a man from his desperate need?"
"What need houshi-sama?" Sango retorted softly, well aware of the thin paper walls around her. "What does he need you to do that he cannot have someone else do for him?"
"Simple." He sat the cup down and smiled at her and Sango found herself lost again as he gazed deep into her eyes. "The path to Nirvana is one of sacrifice. He cannot reach it with so many worldly possessions."
"So you decided to do him a good turn and take a few things off his hands?" Sango snipped, his spell instantly broken by the heat in her cinnamon eyes. He chuckled again and nodded. "I assure you, I will have earned them by the night's end."
"But you're still dishonest," Sango retorted angrily, the heat of the moment going to her head. He shushed her again, that innocent finger once again at his lips as he listened for the stirring of the house. "Tell me something lovely Sango," he beseeched, a secret smile lighting on his lips when she blushed in embarrassment. "Have you never wanted to help another human being?"
"Well hai but-"
"There are not enough soldiers to protect what the nobleman keeps in his storehouses. Bandits, rouges and other unsavory characters could come in here, slaughter everyone in their path and take the goods for themselves. By relieving them of some of their goods, we relieve them of the burden of having to defend them."
"But-"
"And in such save the lives of countless men and women, not to forget the small children that scurry about the complex. Surely you wouldn't deny them such protection, my fair maiden."
"Um..." 'That damned blush again!' Sango flustered as he sat there, serene as any Buddha statue while she struggled to figure out what to say. She failed to notice the houshi scoot closer to her until her hand was gently grasped by his and a finger hooked underneath her chin. She looked up obediently and regretted it when she drowned into inky blue depths.
"My dearest Sango," he sighed heavily, as if the entire world rested on his broad shoulders. "I am Miroku, and it's an honor to have someone like you looking after my soul's well-being."
"Well...um...I didn't exactly-"
"But I require more than just your gentle words and actions. A youkai hunts me and I fear for my very life." Sango gasped in horror, her free hand flying to her lips as he nodded sadly. "Hai my dear. It's a horrible thing. This youkai killed my grandfather and father. Now he wishes to take me away from those I hold dear."
"Surely he can be stopped," Sango replied. "Isn't there something someone can do?"
"I believe there is something...you can do, my lovely."
"Me? What would you have me do houshi-sama?"
"Sango-sama-"
Sango stiffened when a hand brushed against her backside, her subconscious vaguely aware of the hard feel of wooden beads.
"Would you bear my child?"
A thunderous roar sounded throughout the castle, followed by an earthshaking thud. Children scrambled underneath their beds, soldiers shuddered in their armor and the castle nobleman thanked the gods for sending the houshi and the taija when they did.
"To think," Sango said with a roll of her eyes as Kagome laughed beside her. "He would ask me such a question after conning a poor unsuspecting man. I could have beat him senseless...if he wasn't already."
"What about the money?" Kagome wheezed as she calmed down. "The stuff he got for the exorcism. What did he do with it?"crossed her arms and cocked a confidant brow. "I made him give it to a small orphanage near the castle. It was the least he could do, I think." Sango smiled when Kagome laughed harder, her spirit soaring at finding a friend to talk to after years of not being heard. "I left him there and continued on to my village. I never forgot him though, and I'd sometimes try to guess what he'd be doing at night while the others were asleep.
"I met him again after my village was destroyed and I began my search for Naraku. Soon we both met an inu hanyou named Inuyasha, and together we traveled toward the bastard who killed my people."
"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered as she held a comforting hand toward Sango. Sango stared down at it, every fiber in her soul willing her to reach out for it, to take it and feel how warm another human being's hand was. She sighed heavily and looked away. "Don't be sorry. It couldn't be helped. The bastard waited until the exterminators were away from the village, then attacked the defenseless men, women and children. They fought valiantly, but we lost them all. We taija were ambushed at the lord's castle, leaving myself gravely injured and my little brother dead.
"Inuyasha and Miroku found me like that and nursed me back to health." Sango sighed again, her eyes distant as a gentle smile played on her lips. "I remember feeling so much pain...then his face appeared. I thought I was dreaming until he smiled at me and Inuyasha appeared behind him. I couldn't help myself then. I hugged him, crawled in his lap and sobbed like a child."smiled sadly at her, the young woman's broken heart laid out for her to see.
"We traveled together like I said, and sometimes we would have to follow Inuyasha to report to his older brother. Other than that, we were a happy group...or as happy as one could be under the circumstances. Soon his brother joined us. He wouldn't stay in the campsites with us but we would catch glimpses of him in the foliage or Inuyasha would catch his scent on the breeze."
"What was Inuyasha's reason for wanting to get to Naraku?" Kagome asked. She brushed aside the eerie feeling his name gave her, ignoring the alarm in her senses that told her that the hanyou Sango spoke of and the one that attacked her in the woods weeks earlier may be one and the same.
"Naraku had taken a woman from him, one of the miko that resided in a village his brother governed. He was in love, I think, and he would always speak of her fondly. He always spoke of how kindhearted she was, ho gentle and powerful. She guarded the Shikon no Tama, or so he said. Miroku and I never saw evidence of it."
"What happened?" Kagome interrupted softly. "What happened back then that caused things to be the way they are now?"shrugged. "I was never sure. All I know is that one day the miko appeared in our path. She was bloody, injured by what looked like a struggle and her eyes were glassy and cold. Miroku was wary of her, and so was I when he gave his reasons. We watched as Inuyasha turned away from us, to her, until finally he left us all together. We began traveling with his brother, who quickly took over as lead of our group." Sango giggled then, her hand covering her mouth as she smiled at the stars. "We had fun kicking around his little vassal. He constantly insulted us, calling us filthy humans and smelly urchins."
"But that still doesn't explain what happened does it?" Sango said. Kagome sat and waited silently, watching as a ghostly tear treked down Sango's cheek. "The older brother was killed. We never saw him or his little vassal again. We searched on our own then and felt we were coming closer to defeating Naraku when we found out where his castle was. We decided the night before that if we survived we would get married, start a family and grow old together. We...loved each other. We would have been happy together.
"I was the first to die, not twenty-four hours after he proposed. I still feel Inuyasha's claws as they sliced through my back. I can still hear Miroku's pleas as I faded. I..." Kagome gasped when Sango sobbed, her heartbroken tears disappearing through the roof tiles below.
"I left him to die! I should have been stronger! Oh Miroku, I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry!"
"It's ok," Kagome comforted as best she could. "It's alright. He's safe. You're together now."
"No we're not!" Sango cried out. "I left him to be tortured by them! Inuyasha stood by when Naraku killed him, then hell decided to separate us! We could see each other, but we couldn't get to one another. They held us apart with chains!"meowed pitifully at her former mistress' distress, both she and Kagome unable to do anything more than look on as Sango calmed herself. "I'm...sorry," she sniffed as she made to dry her face. "It's...hard, you know."
"I do," Kagome nodded with an understanding smile. "Please Sango, whenever you're ready."nodded and steadied herself before continuing. "I don't know how long we stayed down there, unable to comfort one another though we could see and hear each other. One day Miroku disappeared, just left without warning. I asked someone what was going on and they said that he'd been reincarnated. I rejoiced! Not only was Miroku out of that torment, but that meant that freedom would come for me as well.
"It didn't happen exactly like that though. An angel came for me, one with black hair and the bluest eyes. He slashed through my chains and carried me out of the darkness to the living world and Kyoto. I watched with him as Miroku was reborn and looked to him when I thought it was my turn. He shook his head and pointed to Miroku's mother, who died later on that night. I was given charge of him, to look after him like this ." Sango glared down at herself in self loathing, her spirit shimmering in Kagome's holy vision.
"But you don't regret it do you?" Kagome inquired. "You don't regret looking after him, do you?"
"No," Sango shook her head. "I...like how he's become. He's so much like his old self, yet there's so many new things about him that I believe would have showed if it weren't for Naraku and Inuyasha's betrayal. I'm...proud of him. I just don't understand why we can't be together."
"Maybe you're doing something more important," Kagome speculated as she picked a stray stone from between the shingles and palmed it in her hand. "Maybe Miroku's meant to do something and you're needed because he may not be able to protect himself from everything. If he's coming with me, I promise you that you'll be protecting him a lot longer than you think."'s brow furrowed in confusion, her eyes boring into Kagome's as Kagome tossed the stone to the ground. "Kagome-sama, I don't underst-" She quieted when Kagome froze, the miko's inner power on an instant alert as she pressed herself to the rooftop and stared down at the ground below. Kirara growled steadily, her fur bristled and her eyes glowing fiercely as she barely held on to her chibi self. "Kagome-sama, what is it?"
"I don't know," Kagome admitted. She spread her senses out around the shop and paled when she felt an ominous aura twenty feet from her left. She sighed and shook her head. 'Another night ruined,' Kagome griped before changing her happi into a black tank top and a pair of loose shorts, a style she remembered some of the younger women wearing to sleep in a nearby town.
"Go inside," Kagome told her as she grasped the rope and repelled down the side of the hut. "Don't wake the others if you don't have to, but keep them from danger."
"Alright," Sango whispered before sinking though the roof to the front room below. Kirara mewed and followed Kagome, who quickly deposited the fire neko into the room with Kaede. "Stay with her please," Kagome asked, then shut the window and jumped the rest of the way to the ground. She landed in a low crouch, her right hand on the ground bracing her weight. She glanced around her, her eyes glittering in the sparse moonlight as she stood up and pressed her back against a nearby building. She slowly peered around the corner and watched as a lone werewolf stalked into the middle of the street.watched it scent the air and instantly covered her scent and those of her friends. It sniffed again, then growled and walked toward a hut on the other side and a little north of the street. Kagome raised her bow and nocked an arrow, waiting for the right moment to release it when the unexpected happened. She gasped, her hand moving to her mouth to cover the sound as more werewolves rained down from the sky, each flanking one another until they stood twenty strong.
'I could never shoot them all,' Kagome realized as she lowered her bow and returned her arrow to its quiver. 'There's too many of them. I can't let them hurt anyone.' Kagome breathed a sigh, squared her shoulders and prepared to step out of the alley and into the street.started when a cold hand covered her mouth, the tips of its claws pricking her cheek as a strong arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her back into the darkness. She struggled fiercely, the few fighting techniques Shippou taught her earlier coming into play as she punched and kicked her way out of her assailant's hold. She growled when he grasped her hands and pinned them above her head, the rest of his body pressed intimately against hers. Kagome glared hatefully at the hooded figure and opened her mouth to scream when he covered her mouth again and buried his nose deep within her hair.
"Shh Little Chorizon," he whispered as his hold on her increased. "You know I won't hurt you."stilled, her expression one of confusion as she tried to remember who last held her with such a mysterious accent. "You're the vampir-"
"Shh," he whispered again. Green eyes sparkled back at her, and Kagome could almost swear she saw a hint of fang as his hold on her hands loosened. "You were about to do something foolish," he whispered with a sly grin.
"There are twenty of them in all," Kagome told him, assuming he was counting them. "I could defeat them all easily with a sweep of my ki."
"You could, of that I have no doubt," Aragon agreed with a poised smile. "That would drain you would it not?"
"Hai, it would," Kagome admitted before mentally smacking herself upside the head. 'Gah Kagome!' she scolded as Aragon released her completely and stepped away from her. 'Just tell the bloodthirsty vampire you're weakness why don't you?!' "It wouldn't matter," Kagome said in an attempt to save face. "I could spend the rest of the night sleeping it off."
"You could...if there were only twenty of them."
"What?" Kagome gasped, then clamped her hand over her mouth. "What do you mean more than twenty?" she hissed at him seconds later. Aragon glanced down the dark alleyway. "I mean they are all over the city. There were not as many of them in the forest as there are now. I believe we may be in the middle of a Razing."
"What's that?" Kagome asked as one of the werewolves moved away from him and deeper into the city.
"A Razing is when multiple werewolves gather together and hunt as one pack. They're normally enormous and no longer abide by the laws of the moon to change into their altered selves. This promises to be bloody. You should gather your friends and get out before it gets any worse."nodded in understanding, then squeaked when he pounced on her and pressed her to the wall again. Kagome struggled anew, his hand covering her mouth as he huddled against her. A wave of something foreign washed over her and before Kagome could ask what it was a werewolf appeared at the other side of the alley. She stilled in a split second, knowing that if push came to shove, she would prefer the strange vampire over a crazed wolf any day.mentally sighed in relief when Kagome closed her eyes and relaxed, his insistent hold on her slackening some as the werewolf approached them. He hid his face in the side of her neck, not surprised when she tensed again while he focused on their cloaking spell. 'It's a good thing she calmed down,' Aragon thought as the cloaking spell strengthened. 'It was becoming rather difficult to contain her pure energy and her aura with them wavering so unsteadily. This one is so strong. It's hard to believe she's as innocent as she is.'tensed when the werewolf stopped behind him, it's nose raised as he scented the air. Aragon looked over his shoulder cautiously and waited until the werewolf walked into the street and disappeared before breathing a sigh of relief, releasing the cloaking spell and loosed Kagome from his hold.
"That was close," Kagome breathed as Aragon stepped away from her and glanced around the building's corner. "What are you doing here?"
"I sense more of them," he informed her instead. "There are at least 60 in all and they're spread all over the city. Again, I suggest you gather your fox and leave this place."
"I can't. I can't just leave these people here...um, what's a 'fox'?" Kagome asked, her head tipped to the side in confusion. Aragon recited his part of the conversation and inwardly cursed. "Forgive me Chorizon. I forget myself sometimes. I meant the kitsune you keep with you."
"I can't just leave! There are others with me now, and it wouldn't be right to leave the city defenseless." She turned without another word and jumped toward a nearby roof edge. Aragon watched as her tiny fingers grasped the edge, her petite form swinging precariously from the ledge.
"Why do you care?" Aragon asked her as she struggled to pull herself up. "These people should mean nothing to you. Why risk your life for them?"
"All life is sacred," Kagome glared down at him from the rooftop. "You can leave if you want, but I'm going to wake the others and see if we can help." Aragon sighed when she disappeared, a finger rubbing the space between his eyes before shrugging. He leapt to the rooftop and beside her just as she jumped to another building.
"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed in surprise. Aragon stepped in front of her, his blue eyes sparkling like ice crystals in a frozen tundra. "Do you mean what you said?" he whispered, then tensed as the dark aura of the werewolves began to overrun his senses. "About helping the people and all life being sacred. Did you mean it?"
"Of course I meant it," Kagome nodded. "If I left these people now, I'd leave them to die. As a miko and as a human, I couldn't live with myself."smiled and shook his head. "I knew there was a reason to like you Little Chorizon. I will accompany you," he bowed deeply and kissed the back of her right hand. "That is, if you'll allow me."
"Yeah, I guess so-"They stopped when a piercing shriek shattered the night air, both turning toward the sound itself before exchanging glances. "Come on," Kagome said as she made her way back to the blacksmith's shop. "We've got to get the others."
'I can't sleep,' Miroku yawned as he sat up and gazed into the fireplace. 'She's not there tonight. That strange girl with the boomerang. I wonder where she is...' He gave a heavy sigh and glanced over to Shippou, who by now was drooling in his sleep. 'I suppose I should practice making the sutras and ofudas the book the houshi gave me instructed.' He reached inside his traveling pack and removed a few blank scrolls, the book and a fountain pen. 'These may come in handy someday,' he thought as he copied the characters from the book onto the scrolls. 'Though I doubt mine will ever be of some use.'yawned again and returned to his copying when someone screamed from outside. Shippou bolted awake and a small thump was heard from his bedroom as Shippou's low growl shimmered in the warm night air. "What was that?" Miroku asked as he stood up to look in on Kaede and Kagome. Kaede threw the bedroom door open before he could reach, her dark eyes wide and frantic as she struggled into her breastplate.
"Where's Kagome?" she demanded as she walked past him. Miroku shrugged dumbly, vaguely aware that she was already dressed in her exterminator's uniform, the bright blue sash at her waist swishing along behind her like an angry tail. "Have either of you seen her?"
"She's not in there?" Shippou asked, then groaned when Kaede shook her head. "Great. There's no telling where she is."
"We must find her," Kaede said as she reached for the nearest sword and strapped her quiver to her back. "It's not safe to be outside alone."
"Did she take her weapons with her?" Shippou asked. Kaede nodded and Shippou yawned and laid back down in answer. "She'll be fine. She'll be back soon."
"How can you be so nonchalant?" Kaede demanded as she stood over his prone form. "My sister could be dying out there and you're lying down?! And you call yourself her protector!"
"I never said I was her protector!" Shippou fired back, his end of his tail up and shaking like an irate rattlesnake. "I just said we traveled together! Besides, she was protecting herself looong before I came into the picture!"
"I don't have time to fight with you youkai!" Kaede snapped. She whirled away from him in a flurry of ink black hair and stormed toward the door. Her hand barely touched the lock when the window beside it slid open and a pair of long legs landed on the sill.
"Hey you guys," Kagome huffed as she slid into the room. She reached behind her to keep the window open as the others stared at her, her expression grave as a pair of black boots appeared on the sill. "We've got problems."
"You had best believe we have problems!" Kaede vented. "Where have you been? Do you realize that we've been worried sick about you?!"
"I'm sorry about that," Kagome apologized quickly. "I only wanted...some air. Look, we don't have time for this! There's something going on in the-"snarled, transformed, and took her place in front of her master as Aragon gracefully landed in the room. He flicked a large curl from out of his eyes and stood beside Kagome as the others looked on in shock. Shippou grimaced when his scent finally came to him, the smell of wool and sunshine not enough to rid him of the blood and death underneath. He growled along with Kirara, his eyes fading to a deep crimson as he stood up and grasped a nearby broadsword with a blue hilt.
"Get away from Kagome vampire," he growled from deep within his throat. Kaede and Miroku glanced from him to the green eyed stranger behind Kagome in shock before Kaede sprang into action.
"Get away from my sister!" she shouted, ignoring Aragon's pleas for quiet as she jerked Kagome away from him. Kagome protested loudly and struggled to get away as Shippou and Kirara attacked. Aragon reached inside his pockets for his main weapons, the silver balls in his hands and the invisible string already wound around his middle fingers .
"No you guys!" Kagome yelled as Shippou blocked one of the silver spheres. "He's a friend! STOP!!! " Shippou, Aragon and Kirara immediately repelled off a baby blue ki shield, with all three landing on the floor in front of Kagome resentful but unharmed.
"What's the meaning of this?" Kaede asked as Kagome finally managed to wrench herself free of her sister's hold. "Why would you help a vampire ?!"
"Because he helped me ok?" Kagome sighed at the stunned silence around her, shook her head and helped Aragon to his feet. "Are you alright?" she asked as she brushed him off, ignoring Aragon's soft demands for her to stop and her friends hanging jaws. "I'm so sorry about all this," she apologized. "I don't know why they acted like that."chuckled and grasped her wrists in his hands. "Please, though I thank you for your concern, I'm perfectly fine." He let her go and combed a clawed hand through his hair. "And you shouldn't be upset with your friends. They were only concerned for your safety."
"Kagome-sama," Miroku interrupted. "You said that he assisted you in some way? When was this?"
"Yeah," Shippou agreed. "What's the deal? You never told me about a vampire helping you."
"Well I would have if you guys hadn't decided to attack first and ask questions later!" Kagome frowned. "I was trying to tell you guys."
"Please forgive me for any confusion I may have caused," Aragon apologized with a short bow. "I'm afraid we don't have time for a proper explanation."
"That's right you guys!" Kagome agreed. "There are werewolves in the city!"
"What?!" the others cried out. "That is not possible," Miroku disagreed with a shake of his head. "The city is guarded at all four gates. It is not possible for any creature to enter the city without being detected. The alarm bell would have gone off by no-"
DONG
DONG
DONG
DONG
"D o you mean that bell blacksmith?" Aragon asked as the deep peals of a bell rang throughout the city. Miroku gawked in astonishment. "But...it's not possible," he whispered as Kaede moved back the window curtains and glanced outside. "We have soldiers at every gate. They're supposed to keep this from happening."
"Well," Shippou said as he too looked out the window. "Looks like they got their asses handed to them."
"We can't just leave them you guys," Kagome said. Sango nodded. "That's right! You can't let them destroy this city! Miroku loves this city!"
"We've got to help! Isn't there anything we can do?"
"Hai, there is," Kaede replied gravely. She unsheathed her sword, opened the shop door and bolted outside, slashing the head off an unsuspecting werewolf as he darted from an alley. "We have to fight."
"I would suggest leaving," Aragon told her as the others left the 'safety' of the hut. "There are too many of them to fight alone."
"You would say that, vampire," Kaede growled as she shook the blood from her blade. "I for one say we stay and help. Who's with me?" Kagome, Miroku and Sango (unseen by all but Kagome) raised their hands. "Good. What about you two?"shook his head. "What good would I be without a weapon?" he asked smugly. Kagome rolled her eyes.
"You have a weapon right there."
"Yeah, but it doesn't belong to me. I can't use any old sword you know."
"Fine, the sword is yours," Miroku said quickly as he stuffed some ofudas in his pants pocket and grasped his staff. "Now what is your plan Kaede?"
"I say we all take separate parts of the city," Kaede said as she used the tip of her sword to draw out a makeshift map. "There are four main parts, with at least six sublevels."
"Kyoto is a large city Slayer," Aragon interrupted. "I do not believe you will be able to patrol such a large expanse with so little resources."
"Miroku has Kirara," Kagome replied. "And Shippou could go with Kaede."
"What about you?" Miroku asked. "And what about the uncovered part of the city?"
"No part will go uncovered if I go alone," Kagome said, then waved her hand at the objections. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Hurry up you guys! We've got werewolves to get rid of!" She ran off toward the north without another word, her form disappearing in the slight fog as the others glared at one another.
"Well vampire," Kaede said with a cocked brow. "What is your plan? To run like a coward?"
"I intend to help your sister in any way possible," Aragon replied as if it solved everything. "I shall go east. Blacksmith-"
"Miroku," Miroku interjected with a bow. "I feel no malice from you, so please call me by name."
"Hai, I will do that," Aragon nodded. "Would you like to stay in this region and protect the other shops?"
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure."
"Good. Slayer, kitsune, you-"
"Don't order me," Shippou snorted rudely. "I do what I wanna do."
"Besides," Kaede said as she grasped Shippou's arm and dragged him to the west. "We're going this way."
"I did not mean to suggest such," Aragon called after them. "I only meant that we should meet in the north." He sighed as they disappeared into the fog without a word of response. "And to think," he muttered as he turned to Miroku. "I was starting to feel some hope for the mortal race."
"There are still those of us who are trusting, like Kagome-sama," Miroku told him before whirling the brass staff in his hands. "We worry about her because of that. Surely you understand why we are so wary of you."
"Hai, I do. You have no worries Miroku. I won't harm her." Green eyes became blue once again, and he flew through the skies away from the houshi/ blacksmith.
'No, I would not harm her,' Aragon repeated to himself as he passed the eastern marker. 'But it is intriguing to see how loyal the others are to her after being around her for such a short time. Perhaps I must do more than study her from afar to understand the young priestess.'Ajumped from roof to roof, using her senses to guide her as she made her way north. 'I can't allow anyone to get hurt,' she thought to herself as she leaped across an open crevice between two buildings. 'I have to help. They don't deserve to-'
"Help!" she heard someone shout from the hut underneath her. "Someone help me please!"stopped without a thought and grasped the edge of the roof. She glanced around, then into the window. A little girl was backed into a corner, two werewolves slowly closing in on her with blood dripping from their coats, claws and fangs. "Please," the little girl sobbed as one of the wolves growled at her. "Please don't hurt me."quietly slipped through the window and into the room, made a quick search for a suitable projectile and found it in two cooking knives. She grasped them without thought and tossed them toward the wolves, both makeshift weapons glowing a furious pink as they embedded themselves into the wolves' backs. They both snarled and turned around, the little girl forgotten as they lunged at Kagome.raised her arms defensively, one of her arrows in hand as she awaited their attack. The werewolves disintegrated before they could reach her and Kagome relaxed as gray ash floated around the room. "Thank you Miko-sama!" the little girl said gratefully as she hugged Kagome's knees. Kagome smiled and patted her head.
"You're welcome. What's your name?"
"I'm Kira."
"Well Kira, where are your parents?"
"I don't know," Kira whimpered sadly, her large brown eyes shimmering with tears. "I yelled for them, but they didn't answer."
"Oh." 'They're probably dead,' Kagome thought to herself as she glanced around the room. 'Poor girl.' "How about you come with me? I'm going north, to the temple."
"OK," Kira nodded. Together they left the house and walked down the street, with Kagome well aware of how vulnerable they were now that they were out in the open. "Don't worry Kira-chan," Kagome whispered as she hugged the little girl to her side and lightly rubbed her arm. "We're going to be fine, you'll see."
"Hai Miko-sama," the little girl sniffed. Kagome's heart went out to the child, who would most likely be an orphan after this night. She used her ki to sense any werewolves in the immediate area, making sure to dodge them or quickly dispose of them before they could be discovered.Bsliced through the neck of werewolf in front of her, making sure to sidestep the blood sputtering from the wound before turning to Shippou. The youkai had long since abandoned his humanoid form for his youkai, transforming into a beautiful cinnamon brown fox twice Kirara's size.
"Shippou!"short bark was her answer.
"How are you doing over there?"growled in aggravation, grabbed one of the werewolves by the arm and broke it in two. Kaede raised a brow in amusement. "I see. Never mind then." Her sword plunged through the heart of another wolf, then sliced it's head clean from it's shoulders as Shippou pounced on a wolf attempting to attack her from her left side. She stepped up while he held it down and lopped off it's head, watching with a morbid satisfaction as it's life's blood flowed from it's veins to the dusty street in a dark pool.
"Well," Shippou growled as he returned to his humanoid form. "That was fun. Oh ew ," he grimaced before he flicked the remains of one of the wolves from his shoulder. "That's just great. Now I have to take a bath."
"Hai, you do," Kaede nodded as she held her nose. "You stink."
"Well you don't smell that hot yourself human," Shippou retorted, then walked away from her and down the street. "Come on. I want to get to Kagome before that vampire does."Cswung his staff again, convinced that the brass weapon was enchanted somehow. It was lighter and faster in his steady grip, and the ringing of the little rings as they chimed against each other comforted him on a level he couldn't explain.
'It is almost like it was meant for me,' he mused as he whacked a nearby werewolf upside the head. He quickly spun around and shoved the other end of the staff into the wolf's sternum, clipped it's feet from underneath it and struck it in the forehead.
"Easy as pie," he smiled as he stood over the werewolf. "That should teach you. You really should consider another life my friend." Miroku continued along his way, his staff jingling with every fall of his right foot. 'Being with the young miko and the others certainly has brought more excitement into my life.' He patted Kirara's head when she jumped to his shoulder and lovingly nuzzled his cheek.
"I cannot get this feeling out of my head though," Miroku said aloud while he looked around him. "I feel as if something isn't right." He focused on it a few moments more and had just decided to shrug it off when his stomach twisted on itself. "Oooo..." he groaned as he fell to his knees. "I feel...sick..." He clasped his arms around his stomach and hunched over, his forehead resting against the earth as waves of nausea swept over him.
"I feel like I've eaten bad fish Kirara," Miroku explained when the fire neko mewed and nudged his ear with her little nose. "I'll be fine. I just need to stand up."transformed to her battle form and allowed him to use her side as a brace, his hand fisted deep within her golden fur as he rose to his feet. "I feel so ill," Miroku moaned miserably. He turned and rested his back against Kirara's side. "What happened?" he asked himself as he turned his head. "Why am I feeling like-"stopped when the pain went away, the nausea all but a memory. Miroku used this to stand fully, still grasping Kirara as he stared at his stomach, then at the direction he was facing when it stopped. "Something's there my friend," he whispered. Kirara yowled in agreement, the flames at her feet licking harmlessly at Miroku's.
"Alright Kirara," he grunted as he climbed aboard Kirara's back and urged the neko forward. "Let's be off in that direction!" He pointed and Kirara bounded north toward the northern gate.Dand Kira trudged forward tiredly, with Kagome guessing from the moon's position in the sky what time of morning it was. "It's almost dawn," she told Kira with a weary smile. "We're going to make it. They'll go back to normal at dawn."
"OK."stepped away from the shelter of the nearby house and into the clearing, not too surprised to find most of the soldiers, townspeople and holy men standing in front of the shrines. Kagome pointed toward the nearest shrine. "See? I bet someone there knows your parents. How about we go and ask?"nodded hopefully and Kagome led her toward the shrine. The people standing on the porch ignored them at first, then one after the other began gesturing wildly for them to move faster. "What is it?" Kira asked as Kagome stopped and tested the area. "What's going on?"gasped and jerked around to find a werewolf falling toward them, it's claws ready to strike. Kagome quickly shoved Kira behind her, using her body as a shield for the little girl as the wolf came closer. She closed her eyes and waited, then gasped again when warm fluid splashed against her face. She opened her eyes and blinked, then blinked again as the headless body of the werewolf lay at her feet.stepped back as Aragon floated down in front of her, a grateful smile on her face as she helped Kira to her feet. "Here you go Chorizon," he said as he reached inside his coat for a handkerchief. "You have a little smudge on your face."
"Thanks," Kagome said, then waved Kaede and the others forward as they gawked at her from behind Aragon. "Hey you guys," she greeted as they came closer. "How'd everything go?"
"It was alright," Shippou answered, then used his sleeve to wipe a bit of grime from the corner of his mouth. "It was fun, but not as serious as the vampire made it to be."
"I assure you, there are more here," Aragon said. Kira watched them as they talked, then turned toward the shrines and began to search for her family. She grinned when she finally spotted her mother standing on a nearby porch, her father appearing beside her seconds later. Kira ran off, ignoring Kagome's startled call for her...fell to the ground as a werewolf pounced on her back and sliced through her back with it's claws.screamed, as did Kira's mother as the werewolf dug it's fangs into the girl's shoulder. "You...you MONSTER !" Kagome shouted, her bow drawn and an arrow fired before the werewolf could turn and defend itself. It screamed and disintegrated but the damage had already been done. The sun rose as Kagome knelt by Kira's body, the little girl's eyes wide and lifeless as they stared into emptiness.
"Oh Kira," Kagome whispered as she cradled the child against her and began to cry. "I'm so sorry. I said I'd help you and I didn't. I'm so very sorry."'s mother and father appeared in Kagome's blurred vision, the tears rolling down Kira's mother's face reflected in the tears falling from Kagome's chin to Kira's cheek below. Aragon stood by as both women hugged and cried over the girl, no one aware but him of the sword at Kagome's side as it glowed a faint blue in the growing sunlight. He waited until it faded before kneeling by Kagome's side, a hand at her shoulder to gain her attention.
"Come on lass," he whispered as she sobbed. "We have to leave her with her family. Come on." He pulled Kagome away gently, an unknown feeling growing in his breast when she kissed the little girl's forehead and handed her back to her parents. Aragon held Kagome up with steady arms and led her back to the others.
"Kagome?" Shippou whispered. "Kagome, it's ok. You couldn't have saved her. There was nothing you could have done."
"He's right Kagome-sama," Miroku said as he patted her shoulder. "You did your best."
"Please don't cry Kagome," Sango whispered, her concerned face materializing in front of Kagome. "Don't be sad. Please try not to be sad." Everyone winced when she turned away from them and buried her face in Aragon's lapel, the guilt she felt stronger than anything her friends could have said. Aragon merely stood for a moment, not used to a female crying against him before gently wrapping her in his arms and sitting down on a nearby bench.
"Go right ahead Chorizon," he whispered as her shoulders began to shake. "Cry all you need to. It'll be alright. You'll see."
"Hey man," Shippou said as he turned to the rising sun. "Aren't you worried about sunrise?"shook his head. "No, not really."
"Look vampire," Kaede warned as the first morning rays slowly crept over the blood-splattered land toward them. "You're going to fry unless you move out the sun. I don't care if you do or if you don't, but I don't think Kagome needs that kind of thing right now."looked up at that, his eyes slowly darkening back to green as the sunlight touched the toe of his boots. "Why Slayer," he bemused as the light crept up his leg. "Are you worried about me?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Good," Aragon nodded, then rested his cheek against Kagome's crown. "I'm not either." The sunlight finally caressed his face and Aragon closed his eyes. The others gawked for the second time that night as he enjoyed the warmth, his skin warming to a nearly life-like temperature.
"I don't understand," Kaede breathed as Shippou rubbed his eyes. "You...you're a vampire. You have fangs, claws, you drink blood. Why aren't you burning?"
"Believe me," Aragon muttered as Kagome continued to cry. "If I knew, I would certainly tell you." He sighed then, a wistful exhale that spoke of a longing and sadness thousands of years in the making. "I believe we should make haste and leave this city," he said, his eyes still closed. Black lashes rested against well sculpted cheeks, his curly hair falling at his forehead and contrasting smoothly with Kagome's raven strands as they spilled atop of her head. "Are the repairs to the Slayer's weapon ready?"
"How do you know about my weapon?" Kaede asked. Miroku nodded. "I only need to wrap the hilt."
"Good. Then if it pleases you, we should be on our way."
"Wait one fucking minute!" Shippou growled as Aragon helped Kagome to stand. "Who said that you were coming with us? What do we need a vampire following us around for?" He growled again when Aragon said nothing, watching him as he merely walked past him and down the street to Miroku's shop. Shippou frowned but ran after him, leaving Kaede, Miroku and Sango alone to ponder the vampire's actions.
"Does he really think he's coming with us?" Kaede snorted as she rubbed the tip of her nose. Miroku shrugged. "With the way Kagome-sama's holding on to him, I highly doubt if he has a choice."'s mother wept bitterly, Kira's father holding both mother and child in his lap as they mourned the loss of their child together. The miko's tears rolled down Kira's cheek creating clean paths along her bloodstained skin.
"My Kira," her mother whispered softly. "We shouldn't have left you. We should have come home earlier. We could have saved you."
"We have to prepare for her funeral," Kira's father said. "Come. Let's speak to one of the houshis." He lifted Kira's body from her mother's arms then led the way to a nearby houshi. "Houshi-sama, will you please pray over my daughter's body?"houshi turned a sympathetic ear to the couple and nodded. "I will. I'm sorry for your loss." The houshi touched Kira's cheek, not entirely surprised to find it still a little warm. 'The little ones suffer so much,' he thought as he prepared himself. 'The small, the weak, the helpless. Isn't there anything anyone can do to protect those who can't protect themselves...''s father stiffened, his arms tightening around the child before stepping back and away from the houshi. "What is it?" the holy man asked. "What is the matter?"
"I feel it..." Kira's father whispered.
"Feel what?" Kira's mother asked as she touched his arm. She too froze on contact, her eyes wide and surprised as tears resumed their trek down her face.
"I feel it...thank the gods, I feel it."
"I don't under-"The houshi jumped back when Kira jolted in her father's arms, her ruined chest rising and falling with each draw of breath.
"She's alive!" Kira's mother rejoiced loudly. "Thank the gods, she's alive!" The other villagers began to crowd around them, leaving only a foot of room on either side of the couple and the houshi as Kira's wounds were healed in a flash of blue light. She sat up slowly, blinked and smiled. "Otou-san!"
"Kira?" he muttered uncertainly, then embraced her with a wide grin and happy, thankful tears. "Kira! May the gods be praised!"villagers cheered around them, eagerly celebrating the resurrection of the child. "It was the miko!" Kira's mother shouted above the ruckus. "The miko shed tears for my baby, and her tears brought her back to me! Oh great kami-sama be praised!"citizens soon went in search of the young miko and her strange party, finding out from the local baker that they currently stayed with an area blacksmith. When they arrived at the blacksmith's they were gone without a trace, leaving nothing but a little girl and her grateful parents behind.Chapter)OK people, these are the breaks.Why am I not in this story the way I should be?How should you be?I should be all over the chapters, not stuck inside one or two when it suits you.Believe it or not Sesshou, I'm working on that. You're going to get bigger parts as the story progresses. As of right now, I want a relationship between Kagome and Aragon to grow. (Holds up her hands when Sesshou tries to slash her) Not that kind of relationship! I'm working on a friendship between the two, just like with Shppou and Raphael.Speaking of Raphael, why haven't we heard anything from him?Oh, that's because he's in the coming chapters. The preview's below.tells the others about an old kingdom...scouts ahead...team is given the right directions...and Sesshoumaru come to an understanding...Fourteen: A Lone Survivor of the House of the Moon/ Sesshoumaru's Revelation
'Trust the little human to relieve herself of her weaponry,' he thought to himself as Kanna peered into the mirror. "I thought you were not speaking to me," he commented as her dark eyes watched the mirror's suface.
"I was angry with you and frustrated. For that I apologize," Kanna said softly. "However, that doesn't make what I said any less true."
"I am sure it does not, in your own twisted sense of right and wrong," Sesshoumaru replied nonchalantly. "But you will excuse me if I ignore you. After all, you are the spawn of the vilest creature on Earth."
"He wouldn't be if you had only lived up to your responsibility."mentally sighed, his eyes briefly closing before glaring at her from the corner of his eye. "I will not discuss this with you again," he growled in warning. "This is the last time I will tell you apparition: This Sesshoumaru will not be blamed for things he did not do."took a deep breath, held it, and released it, her shoulders slumping in the process. "So you say taiyoukai. So you say. It doesn't matter now. You'll find out soon enough." She walked away from him then, leaving Sesshoumaru to his thoughts and her mirror as a slight figure approached the sleeping miko.approached the miko carefully, wary of the young girl as Kirara followed in her ghostly footsteps. "Look at her Kirara," Sango whispered as she sat at the foot of Kagome's side of the bed. "You can feel her power can't you? I know I certainly can. She could Send me if she wanted to...but I hope she doesn't. Oh please don't let her want to Send me!" Kirara mewed pitifully and sat by Sango's feet. Sango smiled down at her sadly then turned back to Kagome. "I'm so afraid my little friend," she admitted softly. "What if she won't talk to me? It's been so long since I last talked to someone. What if I've forgotten how?" Sango started when the mound beneath the blanket stirred. Kagome sat up and sighed, yawned and opened bleary dual colored eyes. Sango froze instantly, her lips silently forming every prayer she could remember as Kagome stared at her.sat this way for what felt like hours before Kagome smiled and whispered, "I promised to talk to you didn't I? I'm so sorry about that." She stretched lazily and patted her lap. Kirara jumped up and nuzzled her stomach as Sango blinked in confusion.
"You're not afraid of me?" Sango asked as Kirara began to purr. Kagome shook her head. "Nope. I don't think you want to hurt me, so why be afraid of you?"
"And you don't want to Send me?"shook her head again. "Not unless you want to be Sent. Say, could we talk somewhere else? I'm afraid we'll wake Kaede-onee-chan if we keep this up." Sango nodded happily and pointed to the nearest window.
"Through that window is a rope leading to the roof. I have to warn you, it's pretty old but I think it's still some good."nodded and silently slipped out of bed, her feet padding soundlessly against the floor as she approached the door to the front room. She cracked the door open and peered inside, watching Miroku and Shippou as they slept in the front of the shop, their heads resting against the spare chairs with blankets thrown over their laps. Kagome giggled quietly and shut the door, gathered the strange sword and her bow, stole her way to the window and opened it without anyone being the wiser. She stepped on the window ledge and looked out. Her hand grasped the scratchy rope before she saw it and she soon found herself sitting on top of the roof.materialized beside her, with Kirara climbing up the side of the building to Kagome's lap. For a while, they stared at the stars and the waxing moon in the sky in contentment before Kagome broke the silence. "So who are you anyway?"
"My name is Sango," Sango introduced herself. "I'm from a village of taija that used to live not far from Edo."
"You mean Tokyo," Kagome corrected. Sango scratched her forehead in confusion. "To-key-o? What's that?"
"That's what Edo is now," Kagome told her. "They changed the name one hundred years ago. Now it's Tokyo."
"Oh. I see...so much has changed since my time..."
"What is your time exactly?" Kagome asked, her curiosity about Miroku's phantasmal stalker returning to her. "Why do you haunt the blacksmith so?"sighed heavily, her eyes flashing from Kagome to the sky above. "The Miroku you've met and the Miroku I know are different. I met my Miroku, the original, back in the Feudal Era."
"That's over five hundred years!" Kagome gasped. "Wow! How did you guys meet?"blushed faintly, something Kagome found to be eerie on someone without an actual body. "Miroku and I met when I was trying to slay an oni. Back then there weren't any vampires, so our biggest problems where oni and rogue low-level youkai.
"I was passing a nobleman's encampment when I heard one of the stablehands talking about the enormous youki coming from the nobleman's house and the young houshi that found it. I did a little investigating and lo and behold, there wasn't a single negative aura in sight."laughed then, one that was filled with more joy than she had ever realized she knew. "There in the middle of it all sat a single houshi, his staff jingling merrily in his hands as he convinced the nobleman that his house was indeed in need of purification. The nobleman agreed to the houshi's fee and to house him for the remainder of the night. Well, with such a great deal, how could I not include myself in their affairs?"
Sango shook her head at the nobleman for his foolishness and at the houshi for exploiting the simple (rich) man's fears. She waited until they were in the midst of sealing their deal to fall from the ceiling, landing gracefully on her feet behind the houshi.
"Forgive me houshi-sama," she huffed with a bow. "I didn't mean to be so slow."
"Slow?" the houshi repeated, his violet blue eyes wide in surprise as he turned to her. "Slow in what my dear?"
"In checking the palace for the ki," Sango stated with a wry smile. "Do you not remember sending me to track the exact point of the aura we sensed?"
"Hai of course," he said with a light chuckle. The nobleman looked wary however as he glared from the taija to the houshi and back again. "Who is she Houshi-sama?" the nobleman demanded, his basset-hound like cheeks flapping angrily at Sango. Sango bowed again, this time to the nobleman as she stood a little behind the houshi.
"I'm Sango my lord. A taija assigned to the honorable houshi." 'Honorable my eye,' Sango griped as the nobleman nodded in acceptance. "Forgive me for not appearing sooner, but my master here felt that the aura needed to be found immediately."
"Well, a houshi and a taija! How fortunate my house is on this night!" the nobleman laughed heartily. "I welcome you both into my house until this nasty entity is freed from my house!"
"It should take no longer than the morrow, shouldn't it houshi-sama?" Sango replied as she glared at the houshi. He nodded charmingly and bowed as the nobleman took his leave, leaving her and the houshi alone to discuss the 'extermination'.
"Just what kind of houshi are you?" Sango hissed as she and Miroku followed a servant down a hallway. He silenced her with a finger to his lips, a mischievous gleam in his spellbinding eyes before turning back around. Sango found herself dumbfounded, all of the righteous indignation for the man evaporating into a sort of awe.
The servant opened a door to a spare guest room, bowed and left to prepare them an evening meal. She came back to serve them tea before leaving again. "So," the houshi began as he closed his eyes and sipped his tea. "Why are you here? Surely it's not to help me relieve a man from his desperate need?"
"What need houshi-sama?" Sango retorted softly, well aware of the thin paper walls around her. "What does he need you to do that he cannot have someone else do for him?"
"Simple." He sat the cup down and smiled at her and Sango found herself lost again as he gazed deep into her eyes. "The path to Nirvana is one of sacrifice. He cannot reach it with so many worldly possessions."
"So you decided to do him a good turn and take a few things off his hands?" Sango snipped, his spell instantly broken by the heat in her cinnamon eyes. He chuckled again and nodded. "I assure you, I will have earned them by the night's end."
"But you're still dishonest," Sango retorted angrily, the heat of the moment going to her head. He shushed her again, that innocent finger once again at his lips as he listened for the stirring of the house. "Tell me something lovely Sango," he beseeched, a secret smile lighting on his lips when she blushed in embarrassment. "Have you never wanted to help another human being?"
"Well hai but-"
"There are not enough soldiers to protect what the nobleman keeps in his storehouses. Bandits, rouges and other unsavory characters could come in here, slaughter everyone in their path and take the goods for themselves. By relieving them of some of their goods, we relieve them of the burden of having to defend them."
"But-"
"And in such save the lives of countless men and women, not to forget the small children that scurry about the complex. Surely you wouldn't deny them such protection, my fair maiden."
"Um..." 'That damned blush again!' Sango flustered as he sat there, serene as any Buddha statue while she struggled to figure out what to say. She failed to notice the houshi scoot closer to her until her hand was gently grasped by his and a finger hooked underneath her chin. She looked up obediently and regretted it when she drowned into inky blue depths.
"My dearest Sango," he sighed heavily, as if the entire world rested on his broad shoulders. "I am Miroku, and it's an honor to have someone like you looking after my soul's well-being."
"Well...um...I didn't exactly-"
"But I require more than just your gentle words and actions. A youkai hunts me and I fear for my very life." Sango gasped in horror, her free hand flying to her lips as he nodded sadly. "Hai my dear. It's a horrible thing. This youkai killed my grandfather and father. Now he wishes to take me away from those I hold dear."
"Surely he can be stopped," Sango replied. "Isn't there something someone can do?"
"I believe there is something...you can do, my lovely."
"Me? What would you have me do houshi-sama?"
"Sango-sama-"
Sango stiffened when a hand brushed against her backside, her subconscious vaguely aware of the hard feel of wooden beads.
"Would you bear my child?"
A thunderous roar sounded throughout the castle, followed by an earthshaking thud. Children scrambled underneath their beds, soldiers shuddered in their armor and the castle nobleman thanked the gods for sending the houshi and the taija when they did.
"To think," Sango said with a roll of her eyes as Kagome laughed beside her. "He would ask me such a question after conning a poor unsuspecting man. I could have beat him senseless...if he wasn't already."
"What about the money?" Kagome wheezed as she calmed down. "The stuff he got for the exorcism. What did he do with it?"crossed her arms and cocked a confidant brow. "I made him give it to a small orphanage near the castle. It was the least he could do, I think." Sango smiled when Kagome laughed harder, her spirit soaring at finding a friend to talk to after years of not being heard. "I left him there and continued on to my village. I never forgot him though, and I'd sometimes try to guess what he'd be doing at night while the others were asleep.
"I met him again after my village was destroyed and I began my search for Naraku. Soon we both met an inu hanyou named Inuyasha, and together we traveled toward the bastard who killed my people."
"I'm sorry," Kagome whispered as she held a comforting hand toward Sango. Sango stared down at it, every fiber in her soul willing her to reach out for it, to take it and feel how warm another human being's hand was. She sighed heavily and looked away. "Don't be sorry. It couldn't be helped. The bastard waited until the exterminators were away from the village, then attacked the defenseless men, women and children. They fought valiantly, but we lost them all. We taija were ambushed at the lord's castle, leaving myself gravely injured and my little brother dead.
"Inuyasha and Miroku found me like that and nursed me back to health." Sango sighed again, her eyes distant as a gentle smile played on her lips. "I remember feeling so much pain...then his face appeared. I thought I was dreaming until he smiled at me and Inuyasha appeared behind him. I couldn't help myself then. I hugged him, crawled in his lap and sobbed like a child."smiled sadly at her, the young woman's broken heart laid out for her to see.
"We traveled together like I said, and sometimes we would have to follow Inuyasha to report to his older brother. Other than that, we were a happy group...or as happy as one could be under the circumstances. Soon his brother joined us. He wouldn't stay in the campsites with us but we would catch glimpses of him in the foliage or Inuyasha would catch his scent on the breeze."
"What was Inuyasha's reason for wanting to get to Naraku?" Kagome asked. She brushed aside the eerie feeling his name gave her, ignoring the alarm in her senses that told her that the hanyou Sango spoke of and the one that attacked her in the woods weeks earlier may be one and the same.
"Naraku had taken a woman from him, one of the miko that resided in a village his brother governed. He was in love, I think, and he would always speak of her fondly. He always spoke of how kindhearted she was, ho gentle and powerful. She guarded the Shikon no Tama, or so he said. Miroku and I never saw evidence of it."
"What happened?" Kagome interrupted softly. "What happened back then that caused things to be the way they are now?"shrugged. "I was never sure. All I know is that one day the miko appeared in our path. She was bloody, injured by what looked like a struggle and her eyes were glassy and cold. Miroku was wary of her, and so was I when he gave his reasons. We watched as Inuyasha turned away from us, to her, until finally he left us all together. We began traveling with his brother, who quickly took over as lead of our group." Sango giggled then, her hand covering her mouth as she smiled at the stars. "We had fun kicking around his little vassal. He constantly insulted us, calling us filthy humans and smelly urchins."
"But that still doesn't explain what happened does it?" Sango said. Kagome sat and waited silently, watching as a ghostly tear treked down Sango's cheek. "The older brother was killed. We never saw him or his little vassal again. We searched on our own then and felt we were coming closer to defeating Naraku when we found out where his castle was. We decided the night before that if we survived we would get married, start a family and grow old together. We...loved each other. We would have been happy together.
"I was the first to die, not twenty-four hours after he proposed. I still feel Inuyasha's claws as they sliced through my back. I can still hear Miroku's pleas as I faded. I..." Kagome gasped when Sango sobbed, her heartbroken tears disappearing through the roof tiles below.
"I left him to die! I should have been stronger! Oh Miroku, I'm so sorry! I'm so so sorry!"
"It's ok," Kagome comforted as best she could. "It's alright. He's safe. You're together now."
"No we're not!" Sango cried out. "I left him to be tortured by them! Inuyasha stood by when Naraku killed him, then hell decided to separate us! We could see each other, but we couldn't get to one another. They held us apart with chains!"meowed pitifully at her former mistress' distress, both she and Kagome unable to do anything more than look on as Sango calmed herself. "I'm...sorry," she sniffed as she made to dry her face. "It's...hard, you know."
"I do," Kagome nodded with an understanding smile. "Please Sango, whenever you're ready."nodded and steadied herself before continuing. "I don't know how long we stayed down there, unable to comfort one another though we could see and hear each other. One day Miroku disappeared, just left without warning. I asked someone what was going on and they said that he'd been reincarnated. I rejoiced! Not only was Miroku out of that torment, but that meant that freedom would come for me as well.
"It didn't happen exactly like that though. An angel came for me, one with black hair and the bluest eyes. He slashed through my chains and carried me out of the darkness to the living world and Kyoto. I watched with him as Miroku was reborn and looked to him when I thought it was my turn. He shook his head and pointed to Miroku's mother, who died later on that night. I was given charge of him, to look after him like this ." Sango glared down at herself in self loathing, her spirit shimmering in Kagome's holy vision.
"But you don't regret it do you?" Kagome inquired. "You don't regret looking after him, do you?"
"No," Sango shook her head. "I...like how he's become. He's so much like his old self, yet there's so many new things about him that I believe would have showed if it weren't for Naraku and Inuyasha's betrayal. I'm...proud of him. I just don't understand why we can't be together."
"Maybe you're doing something more important," Kagome speculated as she picked a stray stone from between the shingles and palmed it in her hand. "Maybe Miroku's meant to do something and you're needed because he may not be able to protect himself from everything. If he's coming with me, I promise you that you'll be protecting him a lot longer than you think."'s brow furrowed in confusion, her eyes boring into Kagome's as Kagome tossed the stone to the ground. "Kagome-sama, I don't underst-" She quieted when Kagome froze, the miko's inner power on an instant alert as she pressed herself to the rooftop and stared down at the ground below. Kirara growled steadily, her fur bristled and her eyes glowing fiercely as she barely held on to her chibi self. "Kagome-sama, what is it?"
"I don't know," Kagome admitted. She spread her senses out around the shop and paled when she felt an ominous aura twenty feet from her left. She sighed and shook her head. 'Another night ruined,' Kagome griped before changing her happi into a black tank top and a pair of loose shorts, a style she remembered some of the younger women wearing to sleep in a nearby town.
"Go inside," Kagome told her as she grasped the rope and repelled down the side of the hut. "Don't wake the others if you don't have to, but keep them from danger."
"Alright," Sango whispered before sinking though the roof to the front room below. Kirara mewed and followed Kagome, who quickly deposited the fire neko into the room with Kaede. "Stay with her please," Kagome asked, then shut the window and jumped the rest of the way to the ground. She landed in a low crouch, her right hand on the ground bracing her weight. She glanced around her, her eyes glittering in the sparse moonlight as she stood up and pressed her back against a nearby building. She slowly peered around the corner and watched as a lone werewolf stalked into the middle of the street.watched it scent the air and instantly covered her scent and those of her friends. It sniffed again, then growled and walked toward a hut on the other side and a little north of the street. Kagome raised her bow and nocked an arrow, waiting for the right moment to release it when the unexpected happened. She gasped, her hand moving to her mouth to cover the sound as more werewolves rained down from the sky, each flanking one another until they stood twenty strong.
'I could never shoot them all,' Kagome realized as she lowered her bow and returned her arrow to its quiver. 'There's too many of them. I can't let them hurt anyone.' Kagome breathed a sigh, squared her shoulders and prepared to step out of the alley and into the street.started when a cold hand covered her mouth, the tips of its claws pricking her cheek as a strong arm wrapped around her waist and hauled her back into the darkness. She struggled fiercely, the few fighting techniques Shippou taught her earlier coming into play as she punched and kicked her way out of her assailant's hold. She growled when he grasped her hands and pinned them above her head, the rest of his body pressed intimately against hers. Kagome glared hatefully at the hooded figure and opened her mouth to scream when he covered her mouth again and buried his nose deep within her hair.
"Shh Little Chorizon," he whispered as his hold on her increased. "You know I won't hurt you."stilled, her expression one of confusion as she tried to remember who last held her with such a mysterious accent. "You're the vampir-"
"Shh," he whispered again. Green eyes sparkled back at her, and Kagome could almost swear she saw a hint of fang as his hold on her hands loosened. "You were about to do something foolish," he whispered with a sly grin.
"There are twenty of them in all," Kagome told him, assuming he was counting them. "I could defeat them all easily with a sweep of my ki."
"You could, of that I have no doubt," Aragon agreed with a poised smile. "That would drain you would it not?"
"Hai, it would," Kagome admitted before mentally smacking herself upside the head. 'Gah Kagome!' she scolded as Aragon released her completely and stepped away from her. 'Just tell the bloodthirsty vampire you're weakness why don't you?!' "It wouldn't matter," Kagome said in an attempt to save face. "I could spend the rest of the night sleeping it off."
"You could...if there were only twenty of them."
"What?" Kagome gasped, then clamped her hand over her mouth. "What do you mean more than twenty?" she hissed at him seconds later. Aragon glanced down the dark alleyway. "I mean they are all over the city. There were not as many of them in the forest as there are now. I believe we may be in the middle of a Razing."
"What's that?" Kagome asked as one of the werewolves moved away from him and deeper into the city.
"A Razing is when multiple werewolves gather together and hunt as one pack. They're normally enormous and no longer abide by the laws of the moon to change into their altered selves. This promises to be bloody. You should gather your friends and get out before it gets any worse."nodded in understanding, then squeaked when he pounced on her and pressed her to the wall again. Kagome struggled anew, his hand covering her mouth as he huddled against her. A wave of something foreign washed over her and before Kagome could ask what it was a werewolf appeared at the other side of the alley. She stilled in a split second, knowing that if push came to shove, she would prefer the strange vampire over a crazed wolf any day.mentally sighed in relief when Kagome closed her eyes and relaxed, his insistent hold on her slackening some as the werewolf approached them. He hid his face in the side of her neck, not surprised when she tensed again while he focused on their cloaking spell. 'It's a good thing she calmed down,' Aragon thought as the cloaking spell strengthened. 'It was becoming rather difficult to contain her pure energy and her aura with them wavering so unsteadily. This one is so strong. It's hard to believe she's as innocent as she is.'tensed when the werewolf stopped behind him, it's nose raised as he scented the air. Aragon looked over his shoulder cautiously and waited until the werewolf walked into the street and disappeared before breathing a sigh of relief, releasing the cloaking spell and loosed Kagome from his hold.
"That was close," Kagome breathed as Aragon stepped away from her and glanced around the building's corner. "What are you doing here?"
"I sense more of them," he informed her instead. "There are at least 60 in all and they're spread all over the city. Again, I suggest you gather your fox and leave this place."
"I can't. I can't just leave these people here...um, what's a 'fox'?" Kagome asked, her head tipped to the side in confusion. Aragon recited his part of the conversation and inwardly cursed. "Forgive me Chorizon. I forget myself sometimes. I meant the kitsune you keep with you."
"I can't just leave! There are others with me now, and it wouldn't be right to leave the city defenseless." She turned without another word and jumped toward a nearby roof edge. Aragon watched as her tiny fingers grasped the edge, her petite form swinging precariously from the ledge.
"Why do you care?" Aragon asked her as she struggled to pull herself up. "These people should mean nothing to you. Why risk your life for them?"
"All life is sacred," Kagome glared down at him from the rooftop. "You can leave if you want, but I'm going to wake the others and see if we can help." Aragon sighed when she disappeared, a finger rubbing the space between his eyes before shrugging. He leapt to the rooftop and beside her just as she jumped to another building.
"What are you doing?" Kagome hissed in surprise. Aragon stepped in front of her, his blue eyes sparkling like ice crystals in a frozen tundra. "Do you mean what you said?" he whispered, then tensed as the dark aura of the werewolves began to overrun his senses. "About helping the people and all life being sacred. Did you mean it?"
"Of course I meant it," Kagome nodded. "If I left these people now, I'd leave them to die. As a miko and as a human, I couldn't live with myself."smiled and shook his head. "I knew there was a reason to like you Little Chorizon. I will accompany you," he bowed deeply and kissed the back of her right hand. "That is, if you'll allow me."
"Yeah, I guess so-"They stopped when a piercing shriek shattered the night air, both turning toward the sound itself before exchanging glances. "Come on," Kagome said as she made her way back to the blacksmith's shop. "We've got to get the others."
'I can't sleep,' Miroku yawned as he sat up and gazed into the fireplace. 'She's not there tonight. That strange girl with the boomerang. I wonder where she is...' He gave a heavy sigh and glanced over to Shippou, who by now was drooling in his sleep. 'I suppose I should practice making the sutras and ofudas the book the houshi gave me instructed.' He reached inside his traveling pack and removed a few blank scrolls, the book and a fountain pen. 'These may come in handy someday,' he thought as he copied the characters from the book onto the scrolls. 'Though I doubt mine will ever be of some use.'yawned again and returned to his copying when someone screamed from outside. Shippou bolted awake and a small thump was heard from his bedroom as Shippou's low growl shimmered in the warm night air. "What was that?" Miroku asked as he stood up to look in on Kaede and Kagome. Kaede threw the bedroom door open before he could reach, her dark eyes wide and frantic as she struggled into her breastplate.
"Where's Kagome?" she demanded as she walked past him. Miroku shrugged dumbly, vaguely aware that she was already dressed in her exterminator's uniform, the bright blue sash at her waist swishing along behind her like an angry tail. "Have either of you seen her?"
"She's not in there?" Shippou asked, then groaned when Kaede shook her head. "Great. There's no telling where she is."
"We must find her," Kaede said as she reached for the nearest sword and strapped her quiver to her back. "It's not safe to be outside alone."
"Did she take her weapons with her?" Shippou asked. Kaede nodded and Shippou yawned and laid back down in answer. "She'll be fine. She'll be back soon."
"How can you be so nonchalant?" Kaede demanded as she stood over his prone form. "My sister could be dying out there and you're lying down?! And you call yourself her protector!"
"I never said I was her protector!" Shippou fired back, his end of his tail up and shaking like an irate rattlesnake. "I just said we traveled together! Besides, she was protecting herself looong before I came into the picture!"
"I don't have time to fight with you youkai!" Kaede snapped. She whirled away from him in a flurry of ink black hair and stormed toward the door. Her hand barely touched the lock when the window beside it slid open and a pair of long legs landed on the sill.
"Hey you guys," Kagome huffed as she slid into the room. She reached behind her to keep the window open as the others stared at her, her expression grave as a pair of black boots appeared on the sill. "We've got problems."
"You had best believe we have problems!" Kaede vented. "Where have you been? Do you realize that we've been worried sick about you?!"
"I'm sorry about that," Kagome apologized quickly. "I only wanted...some air. Look, we don't have time for this! There's something going on in the-"snarled, transformed, and took her place in front of her master as Aragon gracefully landed in the room. He flicked a large curl from out of his eyes and stood beside Kagome as the others looked on in shock. Shippou grimaced when his scent finally came to him, the smell of wool and sunshine not enough to rid him of the blood and death underneath. He growled along with Kirara, his eyes fading to a deep crimson as he stood up and grasped a nearby broadsword with a blue hilt.
"Get away from Kagome vampire," he growled from deep within his throat. Kaede and Miroku glanced from him to the green eyed stranger behind Kagome in shock before Kaede sprang into action.
"Get away from my sister!" she shouted, ignoring Aragon's pleas for quiet as she jerked Kagome away from him. Kagome protested loudly and struggled to get away as Shippou and Kirara attacked. Aragon reached inside his pockets for his main weapons, the silver balls in his hands and the invisible string already wound around his middle fingers .
"No you guys!" Kagome yelled as Shippou blocked one of the silver spheres. "He's a friend! STOP!!! " Shippou, Aragon and Kirara immediately repelled off a baby blue ki shield, with all three landing on the floor in front of Kagome resentful but unharmed.
"What's the meaning of this?" Kaede asked as Kagome finally managed to wrench herself free of her sister's hold. "Why would you help a vampire ?!"
"Because he helped me ok?" Kagome sighed at the stunned silence around her, shook her head and helped Aragon to his feet. "Are you alright?" she asked as she brushed him off, ignoring Aragon's soft demands for her to stop and her friends hanging jaws. "I'm so sorry about all this," she apologized. "I don't know why they acted like that."chuckled and grasped her wrists in his hands. "Please, though I thank you for your concern, I'm perfectly fine." He let her go and combed a clawed hand through his hair. "And you shouldn't be upset with your friends. They were only concerned for your safety."
"Kagome-sama," Miroku interrupted. "You said that he assisted you in some way? When was this?"
"Yeah," Shippou agreed. "What's the deal? You never told me about a vampire helping you."
"Well I would have if you guys hadn't decided to attack first and ask questions later!" Kagome frowned. "I was trying to tell you guys."
"Please forgive me for any confusion I may have caused," Aragon apologized with a short bow. "I'm afraid we don't have time for a proper explanation."
"That's right you guys!" Kagome agreed. "There are werewolves in the city!"
"What?!" the others cried out. "That is not possible," Miroku disagreed with a shake of his head. "The city is guarded at all four gates. It is not possible for any creature to enter the city without being detected. The alarm bell would have gone off by no-"
DONG
DONG
DONG
DONG
"D o you mean that bell blacksmith?" Aragon asked as the deep peals of a bell rang throughout the city. Miroku gawked in astonishment. "But...it's not possible," he whispered as Kaede moved back the window curtains and glanced outside. "We have soldiers at every gate. They're supposed to keep this from happening."
"Well," Shippou said as he too looked out the window. "Looks like they got their asses handed to them."
"We can't just leave them you guys," Kagome said. Sango nodded. "That's right! You can't let them destroy this city! Miroku loves this city!"
"We've got to help! Isn't there anything we can do?"
"Hai, there is," Kaede replied gravely. She unsheathed her sword, opened the shop door and bolted outside, slashing the head off an unsuspecting werewolf as he darted from an alley. "We have to fight."
"I would suggest leaving," Aragon told her as the others left the 'safety' of the hut. "There are too many of them to fight alone."
"You would say that, vampire," Kaede growled as she shook the blood from her blade. "I for one say we stay and help. Who's with me?" Kagome, Miroku and Sango (unseen by all but Kagome) raised their hands. "Good. What about you two?"shook his head. "What good would I be without a weapon?" he asked smugly. Kagome rolled her eyes.
"You have a weapon right there."
"Yeah, but it doesn't belong to me. I can't use any old sword you know."
"Fine, the sword is yours," Miroku said quickly as he stuffed some ofudas in his pants pocket and grasped his staff. "Now what is your plan Kaede?"
"I say we all take separate parts of the city," Kaede said as she used the tip of her sword to draw out a makeshift map. "There are four main parts, with at least six sublevels."
"Kyoto is a large city Slayer," Aragon interrupted. "I do not believe you will be able to patrol such a large expanse with so little resources."
"Miroku has Kirara," Kagome replied. "And Shippou could go with Kaede."
"What about you?" Miroku asked. "And what about the uncovered part of the city?"
"No part will go uncovered if I go alone," Kagome said, then waved her hand at the objections. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Hurry up you guys! We've got werewolves to get rid of!" She ran off toward the north without another word, her form disappearing in the slight fog as the others glared at one another.
"Well vampire," Kaede said with a cocked brow. "What is your plan? To run like a coward?"
"I intend to help your sister in any way possible," Aragon replied as if it solved everything. "I shall go east. Blacksmith-"
"Miroku," Miroku interjected with a bow. "I feel no malice from you, so please call me by name."
"Hai, I will do that," Aragon nodded. "Would you like to stay in this region and protect the other shops?"
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure."
"Good. Slayer, kitsune, you-"
"Don't order me," Shippou snorted rudely. "I do what I wanna do."
"Besides," Kaede said as she grasped Shippou's arm and dragged him to the west. "We're going this way."
"I did not mean to suggest such," Aragon called after them. "I only meant that we should meet in the north." He sighed as they disappeared into the fog without a word of response. "And to think," he muttered as he turned to Miroku. "I was starting to feel some hope for the mortal race."
"There are still those of us who are trusting, like Kagome-sama," Miroku told him before whirling the brass staff in his hands. "We worry about her because of that. Surely you understand why we are so wary of you."
"Hai, I do. You have no worries Miroku. I won't harm her." Green eyes became blue once again, and he flew through the skies away from the houshi/ blacksmith.
'No, I would not harm her,' Aragon repeated to himself as he passed the eastern marker. 'But it is intriguing to see how loyal the others are to her after being around her for such a short time. Perhaps I must do more than study her from afar to understand the young priestess.'Ajumped from roof to roof, using her senses to guide her as she made her way north. 'I can't allow anyone to get hurt,' she thought to herself as she leaped across an open crevice between two buildings. 'I have to help. They don't deserve to-'
"Help!" she heard someone shout from the hut underneath her. "Someone help me please!"stopped without a thought and grasped the edge of the roof. She glanced around, then into the window. A little girl was backed into a corner, two werewolves slowly closing in on her with blood dripping from their coats, claws and fangs. "Please," the little girl sobbed as one of the wolves growled at her. "Please don't hurt me."quietly slipped through the window and into the room, made a quick search for a suitable projectile and found it in two cooking knives. She grasped them without thought and tossed them toward the wolves, both makeshift weapons glowing a furious pink as they embedded themselves into the wolves' backs. They both snarled and turned around, the little girl forgotten as they lunged at Kagome.raised her arms defensively, one of her arrows in hand as she awaited their attack. The werewolves disintegrated before they could reach her and Kagome relaxed as gray ash floated around the room. "Thank you Miko-sama!" the little girl said gratefully as she hugged Kagome's knees. Kagome smiled and patted her head.
"You're welcome. What's your name?"
"I'm Kira."
"Well Kira, where are your parents?"
"I don't know," Kira whimpered sadly, her large brown eyes shimmering with tears. "I yelled for them, but they didn't answer."
"Oh." 'They're probably dead,' Kagome thought to herself as she glanced around the room. 'Poor girl.' "How about you come with me? I'm going north, to the temple."
"OK," Kira nodded. Together they left the house and walked down the street, with Kagome well aware of how vulnerable they were now that they were out in the open. "Don't worry Kira-chan," Kagome whispered as she hugged the little girl to her side and lightly rubbed her arm. "We're going to be fine, you'll see."
"Hai Miko-sama," the little girl sniffed. Kagome's heart went out to the child, who would most likely be an orphan after this night. She used her ki to sense any werewolves in the immediate area, making sure to dodge them or quickly dispose of them before they could be discovered.Bsliced through the neck of werewolf in front of her, making sure to sidestep the blood sputtering from the wound before turning to Shippou. The youkai had long since abandoned his humanoid form for his youkai, transforming into a beautiful cinnamon brown fox twice Kirara's size.
"Shippou!"short bark was her answer.
"How are you doing over there?"growled in aggravation, grabbed one of the werewolves by the arm and broke it in two. Kaede raised a brow in amusement. "I see. Never mind then." Her sword plunged through the heart of another wolf, then sliced it's head clean from it's shoulders as Shippou pounced on a wolf attempting to attack her from her left side. She stepped up while he held it down and lopped off it's head, watching with a morbid satisfaction as it's life's blood flowed from it's veins to the dusty street in a dark pool.
"Well," Shippou growled as he returned to his humanoid form. "That was fun. Oh ew ," he grimaced before he flicked the remains of one of the wolves from his shoulder. "That's just great. Now I have to take a bath."
"Hai, you do," Kaede nodded as she held her nose. "You stink."
"Well you don't smell that hot yourself human," Shippou retorted, then walked away from her and down the street. "Come on. I want to get to Kagome before that vampire does."Cswung his staff again, convinced that the brass weapon was enchanted somehow. It was lighter and faster in his steady grip, and the ringing of the little rings as they chimed against each other comforted him on a level he couldn't explain.
'It is almost like it was meant for me,' he mused as he whacked a nearby werewolf upside the head. He quickly spun around and shoved the other end of the staff into the wolf's sternum, clipped it's feet from underneath it and struck it in the forehead.
"Easy as pie," he smiled as he stood over the werewolf. "That should teach you. You really should consider another life my friend." Miroku continued along his way, his staff jingling with every fall of his right foot. 'Being with the young miko and the others certainly has brought more excitement into my life.' He patted Kirara's head when she jumped to his shoulder and lovingly nuzzled his cheek.
"I cannot get this feeling out of my head though," Miroku said aloud while he looked around him. "I feel as if something isn't right." He focused on it a few moments more and had just decided to shrug it off when his stomach twisted on itself. "Oooo..." he groaned as he fell to his knees. "I feel...sick..." He clasped his arms around his stomach and hunched over, his forehead resting against the earth as waves of nausea swept over him.
"I feel like I've eaten bad fish Kirara," Miroku explained when the fire neko mewed and nudged his ear with her little nose. "I'll be fine. I just need to stand up."transformed to her battle form and allowed him to use her side as a brace, his hand fisted deep within her golden fur as he rose to his feet. "I feel so ill," Miroku moaned miserably. He turned and rested his back against Kirara's side. "What happened?" he asked himself as he turned his head. "Why am I feeling like-"stopped when the pain went away, the nausea all but a memory. Miroku used this to stand fully, still grasping Kirara as he stared at his stomach, then at the direction he was facing when it stopped. "Something's there my friend," he whispered. Kirara yowled in agreement, the flames at her feet licking harmlessly at Miroku's.
"Alright Kirara," he grunted as he climbed aboard Kirara's back and urged the neko forward. "Let's be off in that direction!" He pointed and Kirara bounded north toward the northern gate.Dand Kira trudged forward tiredly, with Kagome guessing from the moon's position in the sky what time of morning it was. "It's almost dawn," she told Kira with a weary smile. "We're going to make it. They'll go back to normal at dawn."
"OK."stepped away from the shelter of the nearby house and into the clearing, not too surprised to find most of the soldiers, townspeople and holy men standing in front of the shrines. Kagome pointed toward the nearest shrine. "See? I bet someone there knows your parents. How about we go and ask?"nodded hopefully and Kagome led her toward the shrine. The people standing on the porch ignored them at first, then one after the other began gesturing wildly for them to move faster. "What is it?" Kira asked as Kagome stopped and tested the area. "What's going on?"gasped and jerked around to find a werewolf falling toward them, it's claws ready to strike. Kagome quickly shoved Kira behind her, using her body as a shield for the little girl as the wolf came closer. She closed her eyes and waited, then gasped again when warm fluid splashed against her face. She opened her eyes and blinked, then blinked again as the headless body of the werewolf lay at her feet.stepped back as Aragon floated down in front of her, a grateful smile on her face as she helped Kira to her feet. "Here you go Chorizon," he said as he reached inside his coat for a handkerchief. "You have a little smudge on your face."
"Thanks," Kagome said, then waved Kaede and the others forward as they gawked at her from behind Aragon. "Hey you guys," she greeted as they came closer. "How'd everything go?"
"It was alright," Shippou answered, then used his sleeve to wipe a bit of grime from the corner of his mouth. "It was fun, but not as serious as the vampire made it to be."
"I assure you, there are more here," Aragon said. Kira watched them as they talked, then turned toward the shrines and began to search for her family. She grinned when she finally spotted her mother standing on a nearby porch, her father appearing beside her seconds later. Kira ran off, ignoring Kagome's startled call for her...fell to the ground as a werewolf pounced on her back and sliced through her back with it's claws.screamed, as did Kira's mother as the werewolf dug it's fangs into the girl's shoulder. "You...you MONSTER !" Kagome shouted, her bow drawn and an arrow fired before the werewolf could turn and defend itself. It screamed and disintegrated but the damage had already been done. The sun rose as Kagome knelt by Kira's body, the little girl's eyes wide and lifeless as they stared into emptiness.
"Oh Kira," Kagome whispered as she cradled the child against her and began to cry. "I'm so sorry. I said I'd help you and I didn't. I'm so very sorry."'s mother and father appeared in Kagome's blurred vision, the tears rolling down Kira's mother's face reflected in the tears falling from Kagome's chin to Kira's cheek below. Aragon stood by as both women hugged and cried over the girl, no one aware but him of the sword at Kagome's side as it glowed a faint blue in the growing sunlight. He waited until it faded before kneeling by Kagome's side, a hand at her shoulder to gain her attention.
"Come on lass," he whispered as she sobbed. "We have to leave her with her family. Come on." He pulled Kagome away gently, an unknown feeling growing in his breast when she kissed the little girl's forehead and handed her back to her parents. Aragon held Kagome up with steady arms and led her back to the others.
"Kagome?" Shippou whispered. "Kagome, it's ok. You couldn't have saved her. There was nothing you could have done."
"He's right Kagome-sama," Miroku said as he patted her shoulder. "You did your best."
"Please don't cry Kagome," Sango whispered, her concerned face materializing in front of Kagome. "Don't be sad. Please try not to be sad." Everyone winced when she turned away from them and buried her face in Aragon's lapel, the guilt she felt stronger than anything her friends could have said. Aragon merely stood for a moment, not used to a female crying against him before gently wrapping her in his arms and sitting down on a nearby bench.
"Go right ahead Chorizon," he whispered as her shoulders began to shake. "Cry all you need to. It'll be alright. You'll see."
"Hey man," Shippou said as he turned to the rising sun. "Aren't you worried about sunrise?"shook his head. "No, not really."
"Look vampire," Kaede warned as the first morning rays slowly crept over the blood-splattered land toward them. "You're going to fry unless you move out the sun. I don't care if you do or if you don't, but I don't think Kagome needs that kind of thing right now."looked up at that, his eyes slowly darkening back to green as the sunlight touched the toe of his boots. "Why Slayer," he bemused as the light crept up his leg. "Are you worried about me?"
"Not in the slightest."
"Good," Aragon nodded, then rested his cheek against Kagome's crown. "I'm not either." The sunlight finally caressed his face and Aragon closed his eyes. The others gawked for the second time that night as he enjoyed the warmth, his skin warming to a nearly life-like temperature.
"I don't understand," Kaede breathed as Shippou rubbed his eyes. "You...you're a vampire. You have fangs, claws, you drink blood. Why aren't you burning?"
"Believe me," Aragon muttered as Kagome continued to cry. "If I knew, I would certainly tell you." He sighed then, a wistful exhale that spoke of a longing and sadness thousands of years in the making. "I believe we should make haste and leave this city," he said, his eyes still closed. Black lashes rested against well sculpted cheeks, his curly hair falling at his forehead and contrasting smoothly with Kagome's raven strands as they spilled atop of her head. "Are the repairs to the Slayer's weapon ready?"
"How do you know about my weapon?" Kaede asked. Miroku nodded. "I only need to wrap the hilt."
"Good. Then if it pleases you, we should be on our way."
"Wait one fucking minute!" Shippou growled as Aragon helped Kagome to stand. "Who said that you were coming with us? What do we need a vampire following us around for?" He growled again when Aragon said nothing, watching him as he merely walked past him and down the street to Miroku's shop. Shippou frowned but ran after him, leaving Kaede, Miroku and Sango alone to ponder the vampire's actions.
"Does he really think he's coming with us?" Kaede snorted as she rubbed the tip of her nose. Miroku shrugged. "With the way Kagome-sama's holding on to him, I highly doubt if he has a choice."'s mother wept bitterly, Kira's father holding both mother and child in his lap as they mourned the loss of their child together. The miko's tears rolled down Kira's cheek creating clean paths along her bloodstained skin.
"My Kira," her mother whispered softly. "We shouldn't have left you. We should have come home earlier. We could have saved you."
"We have to prepare for her funeral," Kira's father said. "Come. Let's speak to one of the houshis." He lifted Kira's body from her mother's arms then led the way to a nearby houshi. "Houshi-sama, will you please pray over my daughter's body?"houshi turned a sympathetic ear to the couple and nodded. "I will. I'm sorry for your loss." The houshi touched Kira's cheek, not entirely surprised to find it still a little warm. 'The little ones suffer so much,' he thought as he prepared himself. 'The small, the weak, the helpless. Isn't there anything anyone can do to protect those who can't protect themselves...''s father stiffened, his arms tightening around the child before stepping back and away from the houshi. "What is it?" the holy man asked. "What is the matter?"
"I feel it..." Kira's father whispered.
"Feel what?" Kira's mother asked as she touched his arm. She too froze on contact, her eyes wide and surprised as tears resumed their trek down her face.
"I feel it...thank the gods, I feel it."
"I don't under-"The houshi jumped back when Kira jolted in her father's arms, her ruined chest rising and falling with each draw of breath.
"She's alive!" Kira's mother rejoiced loudly. "Thank the gods, she's alive!" The other villagers began to crowd around them, leaving only a foot of room on either side of the couple and the houshi as Kira's wounds were healed in a flash of blue light. She sat up slowly, blinked and smiled. "Otou-san!"
"Kira?" he muttered uncertainly, then embraced her with a wide grin and happy, thankful tears. "Kira! May the gods be praised!"villagers cheered around them, eagerly celebrating the resurrection of the child. "It was the miko!" Kira's mother shouted above the ruckus. "The miko shed tears for my baby, and her tears brought her back to me! Oh great kami-sama be praised!"citizens soon went in search of the young miko and her strange party, finding out from the local baker that they currently stayed with an area blacksmith. When they arrived at the blacksmith's they were gone without a trace, leaving nothing but a little girl and her grateful parents behind.Chapter)OK people, these are the breaks.Why am I not in this story the way I should be?How should you be?I should be all over the chapters, not stuck inside one or two when it suits you.Believe it or not Sesshou, I'm working on that. You're going to get bigger parts as the story progresses. As of right now, I want a relationship between Kagome and Aragon to grow. (Holds up her hands when Sesshou tries to slash her) Not that kind of relationship! I'm working on a friendship between the two, just like with Shppou and Raphael.Speaking of Raphael, why haven't we heard anything from him?Oh, that's because he's in the coming chapters. The preview's below.tells the others about an old kingdom...scouts ahead...team is given the right directions...and Sesshoumaru come to an understanding...Fourteen: A Lone Survivor of the House of the Moon/ Sesshoumaru's Revelation