InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dr. Miko ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

AN: Whoo, it's a long one, but hopefully you all forgive me for the chapter before. Ok, this chapter really gets into the action, and it reveals more background. I'd love to hear what you think of my spin on the Midoriko/ Shikon story. Love you all for reading and I hope you like it.

~~0.o~~byrd

Chapter 11:

Death is the last great step in life, or the first into rebirth. It is a fragile cycle but carries with it a great abundance of emotions; fear, grief, confusion, sadness, and though it poses many questions, it rarely, if ever, gives us any answers. Kagome found herself drowning in a tidal wave of emotion, struggling to keep her head above her grief and anger. She left work early, numbness beginning to set in, and headed for the one place she knew it would all make sense. She didn't go to see her family or her friends, she didn't go to see anyone, and she didn't go home… she went straight to the Goshinboku, the sacred tree on the hill near the old Higurashi shrine.

Since her grandfather had fallen ill a few years ago, Kagome's mother and brother moved him to an apartment nearer to the city, and the hospital. Her jii-chan still spent a great deal of time there, cleaning and directing prayer, but now returned to the city as evening set in. The shrine continued on, however, it had always been there, since forever, like the old sacred tree, and it would continue to be there long after she was gone. Maybe that is why Kagome found so much peace there. Despite all the problems, world wars, destruction and rebirth, the shrine survived and the tree remained standing tall, like a beacon through time, and ever present, never changing symbol that you still have to live on.

She parked her 4 Runner on the street and headed up the shrine staircase, images of her running up and down the 200 steps in her youth passing by her as she walked. She watched as her past self played hop scotch up and down the edges, hopping on one foot up and up the cement staircase. She watched an older version linger on the two steps that were hidden by a large branch from an adjacent tree, kiss her first boyfriend, a deep blush staining her cheeks while he held her hand and walked back down and vanished at the corner. She caught a glimpse of an even more mature self go barreling down the steps in a flowing prom dress, met at the street by a long stretch limousine, her friends standing in the sunroof yelling for her to hurry and laughing as she tried to keep from tripping. This place was full of ghosts from her past; it was the house her father had lived with her in, where she had learned everything she now knew in life, where she became the person she was as she stood on the last step, looking out over the property.

The sun was beginning to set in the west, setting the small house and shrine on fire with pinks and golds. She headed through the plaza towards the abandoned well house and the source of her redemption. She had remembered the hill to be bigger than it was, taking a total of four strides to summit it and bringing her face to face with the tree that seemed linked to her soul. She immediately became still and more peaceful than she had been in months. She sat on the cool grass before her mentor and closed her eyes, listening to the sound of the wind as it whistled through the nearly bare branches. The wind sang of times long ago, times when she had sat in this same position, only in another body in another life. She watched a beautiful woman, dressed in the garb of a priestess, sit across from her in deep meditation. The wind whipped through her hair and toyed with the large open sleeves of her haroi. Her head lifted and her eyes opened to focus on Kagome. It was unreal, the likeness the two bore to each other. Kagome felt as though she was looking across into a mirror, yet the miko seemed less than surprised.

"You are Higurashi Kagome, are you not?"

"Yes, I am Kagome… who are you?"

"I am you, or rather we are each other. Our soul has lived many times in many different vessels. I am but one vessel, as you are one. You must listen to me, child, there isn't much time. He is after you; he needs you to activate the stone. It is our soul that controls the four souls. He is coming and the dog is the only one who can protect you. I made the mistake long ago of casting him away, but he is meant to assist you in this. You must find him before it is too late." There was pain and regret in the priestess' eyes, her image of began to fade and Kagome reached her hand in panic.

"Who is coming? What does he want? Where is Inuyasha?" her voice was desperate and pleading, causing her former self to pause momentarily. Kikyo smiled a sad smile and whispered her departing words.

"He is never far from you; his love binds him to our soul. Find him and he will protect you." With that, she vanished, leaving Kagome alone again beneath her favorite tree. Only, she wasn't alone. A firm hand planted itself over her nose and mouth, a soaked rag pressed against her delicate skin. She tried to move, to struggle, but she was held firmly in place. At last, she couldn't hold her breath any longer, and inhaling deeply, she fell into darkness.

~~0.o~~

He had wandered the city, his mind finding no peace. Everywhere he looked he saw her face; in cars, passing him on the street, she was all around him. He needed a place to rest and clear his mind, and there was only one place in the city he knew could offer that. It had been there for him when he was a child, he had held on to it the night his parents died and his brother had made the two of them bloody trying to pry his tiny fingers from the gnarled bark of the old tree. It was where he had first laid eyes on Kikyo, where he would go to sit and think, where he first realized that he loved her, and now he would go to think about his love for another woman. He turned east and headed straight for the old shrine and the sacred tree.

He arrived street side to the shrine, the scent of gardenias filled his nose and he had to concentrate to keep the images of her from invading his mind. He turned and retreated back the direction he had come from, deciding it might be better to go around and approach the tree from the back side. About half a block down, he came to the drain pipe he remembered spending a few rainy nights in, chuckling when he remembered how frightened he had been in his youth. The city had grown so fast while he had lay in hiding all those years. He had decided about 100 years ago that the shame was too much to bear; he had tapped into his youkai powers and hibernated in a small cave for the better part of 50 years. When he had awakened, nothing was as it used to be. He had tried to sniff out the god tree that first night, but had only gotten as far as the drain pipe he now stood in. In his mind's eye, he saw himself laying there on the roach infested floor, hair matted and dirty, body aching from 50 years of sleep; it was a pathetic sight indeed. He continued up the pipe until he reached the split, turning right, he moved back in the direction of the shrine. Just as the smell was beginning to get to him, a wafting aroma of sakura and gardenia hit his sensitive nose. He was almost there. A small light invaded the darkness, reflecting off his glossy coat and separating him from the bleakness of the pipe.

He stepped into the cool grass and inhaled deeply the fresh and comforting smell of the ancient tree. His sensitive nose picked up the all too alluring and familiar scent of the woman he had come here to forget. He shook his head at the luck that seemed to crush him further and further under its foot. There was something off about her scent, however. It was rampant with grief, the salty tinge of her tears burned I his nose and heart. There was also a slight hint of fear, or perhaps panic. He rushed forward, unsure of exactly what he was sensing, but knowing that something was definitely wrong. The grass in front of the tree was bent, the impression of her knees and legs still fresh and distinguishable. Behind her, there were foot prints, too large to be her own and approaching from the far side of the shrine. The stench of wolf combated her light scent, which was quickly dissipating from the area. The hair on his back lifted and red bled into his vision, tinting the landscape before him. This sacred place had been violated and the woman he loved had been abducted, all because he had allowed his pride to override his heart. `If had hadn't been so stupid as to have left her alone, this would never have happened. If anything happens to her…'

He refused to complete his own thought, busying himself instead with tracking the invisible trail left behind by the kidnapper. He flew over the property, down the steep stairs and to the curb of the street below, finally loosing the scent where they must have entered a vehicle. He let loose a howl unlike anyone had ever heard before, full of his anger and anguish. It echoed off the surrounding buildings and penetrated every alley way to tiny crack in the sidewalk. It traveled outwards waves through out the city, loosing some of the volume, but none of the emotion contained within.

Sesshoumaru stood at his window, a huge glass wall in his office at the top of the Taiyoukai Inc building in the heart of downtown. He had demanded one window only would open in the vast space, the furthest window in the office's left corner to be exact, one that would allow the westerly wind to pass into the oversized room and carry with it the scents and sounds of his urban territory. He let the wind whip around him, pulling his unrestrained silver locks to dance wildly behind him. Something was coming, he could feel it instinctively within his blood, something was calling out to him. And then he heard it, the painful and tormented call of his brother. It carried with it the weight of his sorrow and it tugged at the hardened heart of the stoic youkai. Against his better judgment, she rang his secretary and ordered her to clear his schedule for the rest of the afternoon.

"But sir, you have a…"

"Silence, I told you to cancel all appointments. If this task is beyond your skill level, I can find someone else who can carry out my orders without objection." He brushed past her and entered the elevator, disappearing behind the stainless steel doors. His secretary quickly called down to the front desk, warning them of the boss's mood and suggesting that they have his car waiting as soon as possible.

He exited the elevator, heels clicking on the polished marble floor, as he made his way to the door which had been opened for him. The doorman bowed low to him, handed him the keys to his car before closing the door and standing at attention at his station. Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly; his secretary may not be as useless as he thought her to be. He pulled away from the curb and headed up town to the location he had determined the call to have originated from. He was sure the only person who could elicit such a powerful reaction from the insolent half breed had to be the striking veterinarian, which he used as his justification for answering the call of his estranged sibling. It was true that he still thought of the blue eyed beauty, though he was sure he had blown his chances with her; she was difficult to forget even for a disciplined warrior such as himself. He turned a corner and slammed on his breaks, nearly avoiding striking the one person he had come all that way to see. Pulling along the curb, he got out and slammed his door with ferocity.

"Insolent pup! I didn't drive all this way have a hardheaded half breed total my car."

"She's gone. Someone has taken her from me- from us." His head remained low and he still had not moved from the street. He looked broken even though he had not been hit, and it struck Sesshoumaru somewhere deep within.

"Take me to the place it happened." Inuyasha padded slowly up the many stone steps back to the shrine, eyes dull and posture sagging. The Taiyoukai followed, breathing deeply the scent of gardenias, his thoughts going out to the young miko. "No wonder it is so strong in her scent."

"What?" Inuyasha was caught off guard by the casual words of his brother.

"Kagome, her scent has an essence of gardenia and sakura blossoms, I can now see why." He continued past the silver canine frozen on the steps.

"What do you mean, I don't understand."

"Baka of a brother, this is the Higurashi Shrine, this is where she was born, this is where she grew up, this is where I first saw her and knew that she was the one to break the ancient feud." Inuyasha was speechless. This sacred place that he had sought out time after time had been the home of both women he had loved. If he had had hands, he would have slapped himself. It was no wonder his blood yearned to be near this place, that he always ended up here when he needed to feel safe and secure. It was so obvious why the smells and sounds of this place brought peace to his tumultuous heart; this was her home, these were her lands, smalls and sounds. She was everywhere in this place. A light chuckle brought him out from deep within the recesses of his mind.

"Yes, little brother, we are both drawn to this place. Did you never wonder why this shrine, this tree, has remained untainted for all these centuries?" He never faltered in his steps, but he did turn his head and meet the dog's questioning eyes with one delicately raised eyebrow. He chuckled again and continued his way towards the Goshinboku. He paused before the mighty tree, his nose turned up as he took in all the scents. He clearly smelled the scent of Kagome, her distress clouding the usually sweet small and her tears adding a bitter twist. More faint was the scent of a youkai, ookami, full blooded, royal- perhaps a prince. He growled deeply as his brain processed this new information. "Kouga." It came out cutting like a blade, poisoning the air around the two inu youkai.

"Who." Both heads whipped around, claws extended and teeth bared. Who was right; who had dared to disturb the two dangerous demon brothers? The ruffling of feathers called their attention to high up in the branched above them; a large barn owl perched on a blooming limb not too far up was staring down at the two, a look of disdain on its face.

"Who do you think you are dragging our miko into this kind of danger? I knew you were trouble from the moment I saw you."

"I know you," Inuyasha growled, "you were there, the night Kagome took me in. You warned her about taking me. You said I was trouble…" His voice trailed off. He knew the foresight of owls was far superior to any other youkai in existence. "You! You knew this would happen?"

"I knew that one of you two would come here and ruin her life, try and fulfill the prophecy. I did, however, expect it to be the Lord and not the bastard brother." A white streak shot into the tree and back to the ground in mere seconds.

"Watch it bird, he may be a bastard but he is an heir to the Western throne. Only I, who am above him, may speak down to him." Inuyasha was dumfounded. Everything he thought he knew came crashing down around him. His mind ached with all the new information it had taken in in the last hour; Kagome's abduction, finding out this was her home, as well as Kikyo's, hearing his brother laugh, hearing his brother defend him, finding out that it had all been prophesized to happen… it was too much for him to bear.

"Where is she? Who took her? What prophecy?" He was at the end of his chain. His brother and the owl exchanged glances and the Taiyoukai released the feathered prophet, dropping onto the grass with his legs crossed. Inuyasha mimicked the action and sat on his haunches beside the silver haired man.

"Well… he asked you three questions, you will answer them." Recognizing the implied threat, the owl spoke.

"It is said that the war between ningen and youkai would come to an end when the last remaining miko and the last remaining Taiyoukai bound their life forces together, combining blood, hearts and lives to unify the lands. The key to this prophecy lies in the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of Four Souls. Long ago, a miko by the name of Midoriko lived in this shrine. She was dedicated to her art and was the most powerful priestess of her time. She was admired, and hated for her great beauty, her extensive knowledge and her power, most of all by the Lord of Youkai. He wished for her to be his, to possess her fully; mind, body, and soul. She refused him several times, threatening to purify him if he dared return to her again. She threatened him each time he came to her for a year, each time parting with the same words; `I have spent another day with you, but it was the last. If you ever return here, I will purify you to non existence.'

One day, he did not return as he had every other day for a year. She tried to ignore it, go on with her usual duties and forget about the Lord. The next day was the same. And the next. The miko fell into a great depression, making her lands susceptible to attacks by lesser youkai. Her depression turned to bitterness and one day as she cried, her tears joined together, forming a small stone. She poured her grief and anger, as well as her happiness and hope that one day her heart would be whole into the jewel. It glowed with her energy, absorbing her soul to the center of the stone and leaving only an empty shell of a body behind. The younger sister to the miko witnessed what had happened, crying out for her sister to return to her. She did not return, however, her energy surged from with in, granting her sibling the power to defend the lands she had once protected.

Word of the miko and the stone reached the Lord Youkai and he became enraged and distraught. He went to the village, seeking the younger sister to his beloved. Upon seeing the man who had broken Midoriko's heart and banished her into the jewel, the young girl attacked him with all the power her sister granted her. He was consumed in flames, perishing right before her eyes. The youkai were enraged by the death of their Lord by such a young girl, a war began between youkai and ningen, as well as between the powerful youkai within the ranks of the Lord's troops. The lands became divided, governed by the most powerful youkai of the area, all still harboring a hatred for human kind, killing at will and savoring the taste of blood on their lips.

That is how the prophecy began. The deaths of both the miko and the One Lord had been in vain for thousands of years. The Shikon no Tama was passed through the blood line of miko, protected by the women of this family and sought after by all other youkai who had heard rumors of the power it possessed. Midoriko's soul still resides within the jewel, waiting to be reunited with her one true love, but that can only be done by the union of two pure hearts; a miko and a youkai lord who can look beyond their differences and love each other for who they are, and no what. That is why I had figured it would have been Lord Sesshoumaru and not Lord Inuyasha who would fulfill the divination." The owl turned his head, looking about the clearing.

Inuyasha sat still, as if he were made of stone. He took a deep breath as his mind rewound the times he spent with Kikyo in this place, all taking on a new depth. Had she returned his feelings then, the war would have already ended, the prophecy fulfilled and the world might be a very different place at this moment. Instead, he was cursed along with the tortured soul within the jewel he was bound to, neither able to find love within their respective prison. He felt like screaming, crying, laughing… his emotions were in turmoil. The only thread holding him together was the girl with striking blue eyes, the one who he loved, whether or not she returned his feelings. He would not allow his grief for her absence debilitate him. He would fight for her until his last breath. "Where is she?"

"She has been taken to Lord Naraku. He is the leader of an underground army of youkai, dealing in the darker underbelly of this land. He traffics money, drugs, anything of value, making him richer and thus more powerful. He learned about the power of the Shikon and has had scouts searching for it for many years since its disappearance. We have felt that it was near for sometime, but it was never able to be located besides being somewhere within the city. Once he learned that Kagome was the ancestor of Kikyo, he has had an eye on her. He has sent many youkai to her, trying to flush out any knowledge of the jewel, but she would give none. It seems now, he has grown weary of waiting and has taken her to try for himself."

"Where can I find her?" The owl let out a piercing screech, one that Inuyasha had not missed since the first time they had met. The cry started a chain reaction of birds calling out down the streets of the metropolis.

"Follow the birds, as they hear the call, those who have seen her will answer and lead you on your way. Do not fail, if the jewel ends up in the hands of Naraku, destruction and war is inevitable."

The brothers quickly returned to the street, hearing the chatter of songbirds alive in the air. Inuyasha broke out in a run towards the center of town. Sesshoumaru, sighed, it had been a while since he had traveled on foot with his youkai speed within the city, but now was not a time to keep up appearances. He took off after the impetuous dog, keeping stride with the canine as they covered blocks in seconds. Their sensitive ears picked up changes in the call, turning as the directions did, taking them deeper and deeper into the urban jungle.

The screeching of tires startled both inu out of their tracking instinct. Only Sesshoumaru's lightening quick reflexes prevented he and his brother from getting struck head on by the green Jeep heading right for them.

"Fuck! That's the second time today I have almost been run over," Inuyasha huffed, taking a moment to rest and catch his breath. He looked over at his brother, who also was breathing hard, and almost smirked.

"God Damnit! What the hell are you trying to… Sesshoumaru?" The feminine voice lost its deadly edge when the chocolate eyes fell on the handsome business man. Sango slowly approached him, setting a light hand on his shoulder. He turned sparkling golden eyes to hers and she knew something wasn't right. "What's happened?"

"Sango, what's going on… Sesshy?" The Taiyoukai's head whipped around to see who his first victim of the day would be, but instead what he saw was a beautiful woman. She had crystalline eyes as green as the rolling hills of his old lands. Her build was slight but curvy, complimented by her silk dress. She smiled warmly and excitedly at him as she approached. "You remember me, don't you? From the hospital?" His mind railed as he tried to pinpoint their meeting.

"Ah, Kagome's assistant. Scooby Doo scrubs, pink tennis shoes, blood on the palm of your right hand. Rin."

"Whoa, a little creepy but correct. What brings you to the middle of the street, did Kagome reject you?" He wanted to growl at her insolence, to slap that smirk off her face, but he found himself calmly responding to her, and Sango's previous question."

"Someone has taken Kagome. She is in great danger unless we can find her and bring her back." Sango's frame hardened, her eyes burned and both youkai could hear her teeth grind together. Rin was visibly disturbed as well, though she was unsure how to react. A bark startled her and she screamed and launched herself into the businessman's arms. Sango spun to see Inuyasha standing on the curb, willing everyone to follow him. She turned back to the man now holding her friend, then back to the dog, then back again. There were striking similarities now that the two were side by side…

"It is a long story. A very long story. Now we are going after Kagome so…"

"We're coming too, get in."

"Excuse me?"

"I said get in. We're all going." She jumped back into her Jeep and threw it into gear. "Inuyasha, you sit in back with Rin, Sesshoumaru, you sit up front with me and tell me where to go. I'll call Miroku and have him meet me where ever it is. No one just abducts my best friend and gets away with it." The silver canine jumped into the seat, barking loudly. Rin climbed in beside him, giggling nervously when he nuzzled her shoulder. He received a warning growl from the older youkai now in the front seat. They were all launched back in their seats as Sango took off down the street.

"You have the heart of a warrior, Dr. Taijiya. Kagome is very important to you." Sesshoumaru commented as he buckled his seat belt.

"She is a sister to me. I have loved her since we were children, I was there through everything, her father's death, my mother's, I was there when she discovered her gift…"

"Ah, so there are other's who know? Inuyasha, why did you never tell me that?" The dog in the backseat growled, rolling his eyes in the rear view mirror.

"Wait, you have the gift too?"

"I wouldn't call it a gift. I am a youkai, an inu Taiyoukai to be exact. I have many gifts…" The tone of his voice intrigued both girls, however making Inuyasha heave in the back seat. "The insolent runt in the back happens to be my brother, that I why I can understand him, though everyday I wish I could not." The two exchanged glares, when a fit of laughter turned both heads. Rin clutched at her side, bent over by the force of her giggling.

"Kagome's dog is your brother? Right, and what, you can just turn yourself into a dog and fool innocent girls too? No wonder you were interested in Kagome- what better match for a dog than a vet." This time Sesshoumaru did growl at her, quickly stopping her laughter, a look of surprise invading her features.

"My true form is that of a dog; however I am not cursed to remain in that form permanently, as is my brother. As for fooling innocent girls, I do not need to be a dog to do such a thing as that. It would seem that I have caught your interest without fooling you or being in my true form." The young woman was speechless, blushing a pretty shade of rose, unwittingly confirming the taiyoukai's suspicion. The car was silent for a few moments, Sesshoumaru swiveling his head to listen to the chirping as they went and pointing out directions for Sango.

"So, uh, why is Inuyasha cursed?" She asked, eyeing the dog beside her. She wasn't sure how she felt about sitting next to a cursed youkai in his canine form. She couldn't shake the image of a man crouching on the seat next to her from her mind. Sango, too, eyed the dog from the rear view mirror.

"It's a long story, but he was punished by a woman he foolishly fell in love with, cursed to remain in that form until his feelings were returned…"

"Like Kagome?"

"Perhaps. If I'm not mistaken, you do return to your former self under the light of the full moon; when your demon blood wanes and your human side rules, correct?" There was a half hearted bark as an answer.

"Ask him if he ever visited Kagome during one of those nights," came an excited request from behind the Taiyoukai, tiny hands gripped his shoulders as the car zipped around a tight corner. She looked expectantly at Inuyasha, waiting for some sort of reply.

He paused for a moment, replaying the night he had spent with the veterinarian. He remembered the feeling of her soft skin under his fingers, the feeling of her silky hair against his face, the feeling of her lips against his. He remembered the dance, the kiss, the frantic goodbye and the rapid change back to his form. The next few full moons had passed as he hid in the city, trying to blend in and be inconspicuous. His body had call out for the beauty but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her again and no one else could satisfy his need, it was pointless to even try. He just wandered aimlessly until dawn approached, then snuck back into the apartment. She was the first thing he saw every morning and the last thing he saw before he went to sleep each night. That was the way he wanted it to be; if he was cursed to remain as a dog, he would gladly live out the rest of his days as that woman's pet. He allowed her to put a collar on him, and even a leash at times; there was nothing he could deny her, so he didn't even bother to try.

Rin squealed and clapped her hands. "You did! You saw her, that's why you didn't answer. Ask him what happened Sesshy. Did you tell her? Does she know?" Sesshoumaru tried to be angry about the second abuse to his title, but couldn't. This girl held such enthusiasm and passion that he was finding it hard to refuse her requests. He turned his head and met his brother's eyes.

"I did see her. I followed her to a club down town, I danced with her, I kissed her, then I ran away like a coward as the sun rose." Sesshoumaru relayed the story to the girls. Sango suddenly slammed on the breaks, screeching to a halt in the middle of the street.

"Kinu! I knew there was something off that night. You… you looked just like," she turned her head and looked at the demon lord in her front seat, "You." He raised one eyebrow to her, willing her NOT to continue. Again silence reigned in the car. They had entered a more seedy part of town; the buildings run down and unkempt. Homeless people rummaged through trash cans and fierce looking characters watched the group of unlikely companions pass. Sango felt very exposed in the open Jeep; anyone could approach them. She didn't like feeling so vulnerable, even if she was deadly in a fight, there was nothing preventing a surprise attack from ending their rescue mission before it began.

Sesshoumaru watched the lesser youkai milling around the area, foraging in the rubbish bins and collecting anything of minimal value. Those of better breeding watched from doorways or stoops, all sending out the same message; "Outsiders are not welcome here." They were definitely on the right trail. He cast a quick barrier spell over the vehicle, not liking how exposed it left the four of them. His scent alone would keep most youkai far away, but there were always those willing to risk the danger for their lust for power… and those with a death wish. He cracked his knuckles expectantly; it had been quite a while since he had shed blood in his territory. It was about time he let these mongrels know who their Lord was, once and for all.