InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ De nihilo nihil ( Chapter 37 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does.

 

[Inudemon]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or others'

 

De nihilo nihil

By Licentia poetica

 

 

Innin felt the pull of her husband's mind meld as she woke from a refreshing sleep. Smiling, she put on a bathrobe and walked out to the Well. The blue coruscations of her husband's power enveloped her like an embrace.

 

`Good morning, Beloved,' he greeted, using the tone he reserved only for her.

 

`Good morning, love. Are you all right?'

 

`Yes, but I took a beating yesterday.'

 

`I could tell. And speaking of telling, why didn't you tell me Kagome was in such danger? Inuyasha's Wind Scar is terrifying, and I'm not sure I like the idea that she's with him anymore!'

 

`He protects her with it, Beloved. You have to realize that there is little we can do to protect her ourselves. The Nexus will drive things, and he loves her. I can't tell you how often he has stayed by the Well waiting for her to come back when she comes home to you.' He gave a chuckle. `I can hear what he mumbles to himself about her. Trust me, Beloved, Kagome is safer with him by her side.'

 

When she did not answer, he repeated `He really does love her.'

 

`Did you know she was unconscious when he took her back through the Well? Is she all right?'

 

Kensei was startled for a moment, but thought back through his interaction with Midoriko. `When I contacted Midoriko about her she seemed to be relaxed, so Kagome must be all right.'

 

`Hhmm.' She was still worried for Kagome's safety, but could not voice her unformed fears. `Shippo told me what happened in the Well.'

 

Kensei sighed. `Yeah, I don't know what I've done to the Nexus. I used so much power to keep the anchors in place when Kagome opened that flux near me, and I had to try and save her. That's why I sent Shippo, but it was Inuyasha that saved them both. Then when he took Kagome through after all the power drain, it was too much for me. That's why I haven't been available to talk with you. I'm sorry.'

 

`I missed you.' For the first time that morning, her voice had a loving tone. She tried to lighten the conversation with some humor. `So, Mr. Heavy Sleeper, what woke you up? Did a demon try to get through the Well, or maybe a dimensional gate opened up?'

 

He did not answer immediately, and when he did all traces of humor left her. `Something like that. There are some things happening on the other side that have got me nervous. A rip in the space-time continuum appeared last night, and Midoriko went to try to fix it. She hasn't come back, and the rip is still there.'

 

`Gods! Is Kagome safe?'

 

`I think so. But I won't know anything until they get nearer to the Well.'

 

`Isn't there anything you can do?'

 

`Nothing.' His mental voice was bleak.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Miroku made a grab for the tumbled sheets, covering Sango's body with his own to shield her from prying eyes.

 

“Hi Miroku, hi Sango! I could smell you in here!” Shippo bounded up onto the bed. You wouldn't believe the bed I got to sleep in…” His voice trailed off and he paused, sniffing the air, giving Miroku time to drag the sheets up and cover himself and a fiercely blushing Sango. She covered her face with her hands, but the blush extended down her neck and onto her upper body as he held her tightly against his chest.

 

“Shippo.” Miroku took several long, deep breaths to find his calm center. “You need to learn to knock on doors before you enter! It is not polite to barge into someone's bedroom!”

 

Shippo's face lit up in a sly grin as he ignored Miroku's reprimand. “You're mates, aren't you.” It was not a question.

 

Miroku hesitated in answering, and Shippo shouted “Hah! I knew it would happen! So, when are you going to have a kit so I can have someone to play with?” Miroku gave him a stern look, but his face was guileless and happy.

 

Sango had still not appeared behind her hands, so Miroku spoke again. “We have no intention of having…kits…at this point in our lives, Shippo. I do not want to pass on the Wind Tunnel to a child.” He looked down at Sango, still hiding in his embrace. “Sango? Are you all right?”

 

Sango gave a huge sigh and huffed a nervous laugh. She finally lowered her hands, smiling wryly up at him and shaking her head. She pulled the sheets up to her neck and sat up, leaving Miroku scrambling to keep himself covered.

 

“Good morning, Shippo.” She glanced over at Miroku. “Yes, we're mates, but I want you to stay quiet about it, O.K.?”

 

Shippo shrugged. “Sure, but you're not gonna fool Inuyasha.” With the boundless energy of the young he leaped off the bed and began to inspect everything in the room with his hands and nose, sniffing at the decorations and sneezing at some dust. “Say, shouldn't we get back to Kagome and Inuyasha today?”

 

Miroku gave Sango's hand a gentle squeeze. “Yes, Shippo, but I'd like to get dressed first, and I think we need to see if we can pass through the Well. We should find Lady Higurashi to find out if it's possible today.”

 

“O.K., I'll go find her. I want breakfast, too!” Shippo gave them a big grin. “You better get dre-essed, or she's gonna seeee you,” he sang, and ran out of the room, leaving the door open.

 

Sango felt unaccountably shy. Somehow knowing that Miroku would see her body in the light of day made her feel uncomfortable. `He'll see the scars from all my battles, especially the large one on my back where Kohaku stabbed me, and he'll probably compare me to his other women.' She glanced at him, and he was giving her a wistful smile that tugged at her heart.

 

“I guess we'd better get dressed,” he said regretfully. He saw her blush, and realized she probably felt awkward. He left the security of the sheets and picked up her bathrobe from the floor, handing it to her with a flourish. “Your robe, Lady Sango.” She took it from him, still clutching the sheets to her chest and avoiding looking at his naked body. “What's wrong?” he asked gently.

 

“Nothing. It's just…I…”

 

He sat down next to her, taking one of her hands in his and stroking the back of it with his thumb. “Sango, don't be ashamed of what we did.”

 

“I'm not ashamed about last night!” she said quickly. “I just…I wish…” she blushed fiercely again. “I know I'm not…you've probably seen women much more attractive, and they don't have scars, they don't have big muscles, they know how to speak and walk properly, and…” she blew out a breath. `Oh gods, I'm babbling.'

 

He leaned in and gave her a gentle kiss. “I don't care about your scars, lovely Sango. You are my beautiful woman.” He gave her a wicked grin, knowing he would pay for his next comment. “And I've always loved watching the way you walk.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

 

Her eyes widened and she gave him a light, open handed smack on the arm. “You hentai! I'm never letting you walk behind me again!” She glared at him as she put on the bathrobe, but he had broken her pensive mood, so he smiled to himself as he began to don his monk's robes.

 

She hesitated at the door. “Miroku?”

 

“Yes, lovely Sango?”

 

“Thank you,” she said quietly and fled from the room.

 

He smiled and spoke to the quiet of the room. “No, lovely Sango. Thank you.”

 

He finished dressing and packed the rest of his belongings in a back pack that he had bought the previous day, hefting the new binoculars in his left hand. `I guess they'll still be useful, but I hope the next time she bathes I'll be with her.' He smiled deprecatingly at himself as he placed them carefully in the outside pocket, knowing that the real reason he had bought them, the one he wouldn't admit to himself, might no longer be important. `They'll still make it easier to spot things from Kirara's back.'

 

He found Shippo in the kitchen with a smiling Innin.

 

“Good morning, Miroku! Shippo tells me that you wish to go back to your era again.”

 

“Yes, Lady Higurashi. We need to find out what happened to Kagome.”

 

“My husband tells me that she is…all right, but there are some odd occurrences in your era. You understand about space and time, right? Well, there is a rip in the space-time continuum back then, and even though we're here now I would appreciate it if you went back then to make sure Kagome is safe then…and now.”

 

Shippo gave her an odd look, not following the logic, but Miroku nodded. “We should leave as soon as possible, Lady Higurashi.”

 

Sango appeared at the doorway to the room, dressed in a new blue yukata that Innin and Miroku had picked out for her the previous day. Blushing as she moved forward, she helped Innin make the breakfast as Miroku set the table. Innin chatted in a soothing manner while they worked.

 

“Your new yukata looks lovely on you, Sango, don't you think so, Miroku?” Miroku looked up, smiling in agreement, and Sango blushed fiercely again. Innin tried not to react. `There is tension between those two this morning. I wonder what happened?'

 

“O.K. everyone, let's eat!” Innin brought the food to the table, Sango following with her eyes downcast.

 

Miroku knew what was wrong. `She doesn't know how to act around me now, but I can't reassure her with Lady Higurashi and Shippo here.'

 

Shippo was humming a tune, his eyes flicking back and forth between Sango and Miroku. When Miroku gave him a stern look, he began to giggle, then laughed out loud. As his merriment continued, Sango finally looked at Miroku, who shrugged his shoulders and grinned. She began to smile, then the two of them joined the kitsune in laughter as Sango caught Shippo up in a hug. Miroku walked over, ruffling Shippo's hair and lightly touching Sango on the arm. She smiled at him.

 

Innin looked on, mystified. “What's so funny?”

 

Miroku and Sango quickly answered together. “Nothing!”

 

Shippo grinned, and happily echoed. “Nothing. Nothing is funny. We're just happy.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Get dressed, Kagome.”

 

The baying sound filled the air again, followed by the throbbing rumble of a Pack Call.

 

[It is the Inu no Taisho. He is using both a Pack Cry and the Pack Call. The Cry is…different.]

 

(He could have picked a better time, the asshole.)

 

“What is it, Inuyasha?”

 

“It's Sesshoumaru. The bastard better have a good reason.” The Pack Call pulled at his youki as he threw on his juban and hakama pants. He glanced over at Kagome, who was struggling to pull her clothes on. So far she had only managed to get into her bra and panties.

 

“Here, clumsy.” He ignored her glare as he wrapped his haori around her, tying it in place. He snorted a laugh and gave her a quick kiss of apology as she continued to glower at him. “He won't wait for you.”

 

The Pack Call gained in intensity, and they could see a figure in the dawn light outside the barrier.

 

“You better take the barrier down. I'm not sure if he'll wait much longer,” he warned as he picked up the Tetsusaiga and loosened it in the saya. `Just in case I need it. I still don't trust the bastard.'

 

Giving him a last fierce look, Kagome stepped over to the Beads, concentrated for a moment, and the barrier dissipated.

 

Sesshoumaru stepped off his transportation cloud onto the lava shelf, still rumbling the Pack Call. Inuyasha found himself drawn to his brother, stepping forward almost against his will. He clenched a fist and stood his ground.

 

(Stop. I don't care if he's Calling, I'm not going over there.)

 

[He is Inu no Taisho. It is Pack. We should acknowledge the bond.]

 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, staring pointedly at Inuyasha, the Pack Call vibrating between them.

 

`We will acknowledge him, but just to a point.' Inuyasha stepped forward and placed his hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder, then backed away, shielding Kagome from Sesshoumaru's gaze. The Pack Call faded, and Sesshoumaru nodded his head at his brother, but addressed Kagome.

 

“You are needed, miko.”

 

“Why do you need Kagome? You are violating Mate Right.”

 

(He is? When did you remember that?)

 

[Quiet, baka human!]

 

Sesshoumaru glanced at him, then looked behind him at Kagome again. “This Sesshoumaru…was reluctant to disturb you. That is why the Family Cry and Pack Call were both used. Your mate is needed.”

 

[It is not an apology, but probably as close to one as we'll get.]

 

“Family Cry?”

 

“The Pack Cry is only to be used by this Sesshoumaru. The Family Cry does not carry farther than your territory.” He gave Inuyasha a cold glance. “Of course, you may use the Pack Cry if your Pack is in danger and needs my help.”

 

“Like I'd ever call for your help, asshole.”

 

Sesshoumaru raised his upper lip in a snarl, revealing his fangs. “You would do well to remember our compromise, Inuyasha. You will acknowledge me as Inu no Taisho.”

 

Kagome, seeing the usual confrontation between the brothers developing, stepped forward, tugging Inuyasha's haori down so that it covered more of her bare legs.

 

“You said I was needed? How can I help?” Inuyasha's arm barred her from stepping forward farther.

 

“This Sesshoumaru fought with Kouga.”

 

Kagome gasped and Inuyasha gave him a sharp look, but Sesshoumaru ignored it. `His demon blood will understand, or I will have to kill him, eventually. The human half is too unpredictable.'

 

He continued on, his voice calm and his expression stoic. “His weapon and the Tenseiga created something that the miko Midoriko calls a space-time rip. It threatens my Packs and must be destroyed, but the Tenseiga can only reduce its power. It is surrounded by the miko's barrier and alchemic magic, but she and Yourei Taisei must guard it to prevent it from escaping. She stated she requires your help to close it, and you will accompany me.” He gestured to the waiting transportation cloud.

 

“Is Kouga all right?” Kagome asked. Inuyasha growled, but she took his hand and shook her head at him.

 

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. “I will kill him eventually. He is alive for now.”

 

“Why do you want to kill him?”

 

“It is no business of yours, miko.”

 

Kagome put her hands on her hips, glaring at Sesshoumaru. “You want my help for something you created, something that's your responsibility. You will answer my question.”

 

Inuyasha smirked. `Sesshoumaru doesn't know how stubborn Kagome can be. This should be interesting.'

 

[She is on dangerous ground. Be ready to protect her.]

 

(Keh. Kagome'll purify his ass.)

 

Sesshoumaru's eyebrows were both raised as he stared down at the diminutive female. `She is a magnificent bitch, for a human. She shows no fear of me, yet I could destroy her in an instant. Rin…' He gave himself a mental shake, turning back to the matter at hand.

 

“This Sesshoumaru will answer you, but only because I have violated Mate Right by disturbing you before you returned to the Pack. Kouga is the alpha of the wolf pack that killed Rin, and last night he hunted you to challenge Inuyasha for Mate Right. I am Inu no Taisho.” He stared pointedly at Inuyasha. “Your alpha is under my protection.”

 

`He protected us?'

 

[As we would protect Shiro and Aoi, or Miroku and Sango.]

 

Turning his gaze back to Kagome, Sesshoumaru stated flatly “I will kill Kouga.”

 

“I have to ask you not to kill him. He is my friend.” Inuyasha rolled his eyes at Kagome's words.

 

Sesshoumaru ignored her request. `Insolent human.'

 

“Time is pressing, miko. It is foolish to discuss the fate of this wolf when all Packs are in danger.”

 

“Besides, he's mine to kill. He challenged my Mate Right, and I want the Shikon shards in his legs,” Inuyasha growled.

 

Kagome threw up her hands and groaned. “Males! Territorial, testosterone-poisoned, biologically programmed, stubborn, baka males!”

 

Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha looked at each other, and Inuyasha shrugged a `hell-if-I-know' in Sesshoumaru's direction.

 

Kagome stalked off to gather the rest of her clothes. “Turn around, both of you!”

 

The two males turned and stood together on the edge of the precipice, Inuyasha with his arms crossed and Sesshoumaru with an odd expression on his face. In another being, it might have been called an amused smile, but Lord Sesshoumaru never smiled in amusement. They waited for her to dress, standing next to each other in the first companionable silence that they had ever shared. Sesshoumaru, wanting information, whispered a query into the quiet moment.

 

“The miko Midoriko inhabits the undead body of the priestess who sealed you. The smell is different, but the form is the same. This Sesshoumaru would know how Midoriko came to be in Kikyou's undead body.”

 

Inuyasha sighed and whispered back. “Kikyou took part of Midoriko's soul from the Shikon Jewel. Naraku's evil is driving the rest of her soul out, bit by bit, and it follows the connection to the body. Kikyou is…dead now.”

 

“Good.” Sesshoumaru ignored Inuyasha's low growl. “She did not belong in this world, and she hated you and all living things.” He tapped his foot, impatient at the amount of time Kagome was taking getting dressed. Whispering still, he stated “This Sesshoumaru approves of your mate, Inuyasha.”

 

“Like I care if you do, baka!”

 

“This Sesshoumaru is Lord of the Western Lands. You will have part of my territory to guard. It is important that this Sesshoumaru approves.”

 

“Well, baka, I don't worry too much about what you think.” A silent pause stretched between them, and Inuyasha shifted his weight to his other foot. “Why? Not that I care whether you approve or not.”

 

“She is a miko, strong and beautiful, and she is human.”

 

“Why do you care if she is human or not? Is it Rin?”

 

Sesshoumaru gave a low snarl. “No. Rin is…” He looked straight at Inuyasha, giving a feral smile. “The others did not accept your mother, and they will not accept Kagome. I approve because you will never be able to challenge me for Inu no Taisho.” He looked forward, feeling the odd pain in his chest that had followed him with Rin's goodbye. `I will not risk all the years of preparation for her. I cannot.'

 

Inuyasha stared at his brother.

 

(He loves Rin. There is pain in his face.)

 

Kagome walked up and handed Inuyasha his haori. “So, what are you two whispering about over here?”

 

Sesshoumaru stalked onto his transportation cloud and did not look back.

 

Inuyasha turned to Kagome, stroking her face with the tips of his claws.

 

[Human love is different.]

 

(My father loved a human.)

 

“Well? What were you talking about?” Kagome asked, smiling up into his eyes.

 

`You don't know what you're missing, Sesshoumaru.'

 

“Nothing.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Nothing important. He just wanted to know about Midoriko.” He took her arm and they stepped onto the cloud.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Midoriko finished binding up the wounds on Kouga's shoulder, placing his arm in a makeshift sling to help heal the torn ligaments properly.

 

“Rest now.”

 

“I need to find Kagome.”

 

She gave him an irritated glare. “You should be healed soon, but you must rest. I must also ask you to leave Inuyasha and Kagome alone. It is absolutely necessary that they bond, and stay bonded.”

 

“Why? The mutt-face doesn't deserve her. And why don't you want me to stop them? You don't smell like her bow did, but you look like Kagome, and that means you're that…Kikyou, I think her name was. Weren't you the reason that Inuyasha left Kagome alone after Mount Hakurei? Why'd you say your name was Midoriko?”

 

“Because I am Midoriko. My soul powers this undead body. Kikyou is…healing. Please, if you value your Pack, please, leave Inuyasha and Kagome alone. They are necessary to destroy Naraku.”

 

“I'll destroy Naraku. I don't need any weak dog-turd to help me!”

 

“I'm sure you will help combat Naraku, but I understand the Shikon no Tama better than anyone you will ever find, and you must trust me when I say that I need Inuyasha and Kagome together as a unit in order to combat its power.”

 

“He's nothing. I understand the jewel, too. I've got shards in my legs, after all. I'll work with Kagome.”

 

Midoriko sighed. “You don't understand, and I can't explain, not until...please. Let Inuyasha and Kagome alone.”

 

Kouga just glared at her, so she turned from him to face the imprisoned time rip. In the new light of the day the sphere of the crystallized lahar seemed blacker than midnight, radiating dark energy into the clear morning air. Though she could sense that it had not escaped from the combined magic of her barrier and Yourei Taisei's tsunami kazangan ha, the potential for disaster set her nerves on edge.

 

Yourei Taisei stood calmly to the side, arms crossed, keeping vigilance over the sphere.

 

A small girl, dressed all in white, walked into the clearing of destruction made by the time rip. Her face was empty of expression as she walked up to the sphere, ignoring Midoriko's gasp. `I sensed nothing! She does not look human, but she is not a Youkai, either.'

 

Yourei Taisei put a hand on Kiritsu's hilt. `I did not sense her coming! What is this child? She has no smell, no youki, nothing to indicate what she is. She is not human.'

 

The girl raised her hand and touched the diamond hard earth of the sphere, almost caressing the surface. The white of her hair, clothing, and skin was a stark contrast to the ebony globe. She turned, her eyes repeating its black depths as she gazed at them. She spoke in a calm, quiet voice, her child-like face absolutely devoid of expression.

 

“I am called Kanna.”

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Translation:

De nihilo nihil: Latin; Nothing comes from nothing. (Lucretius)

 

 

 

First of all, I would like to thank Inaqui, who is now my beta. Now you can throw boxes of Pocky at her if she misses any grammar/spelling/whatever mistakes. Oh, how I love to just write madly and let someone else worry about those things! Seriously, I appreciate her time and effort. Thanks Inaqui!

 

R&R thanks:

 

AS: LT Stryffe, Inuyasha luver, Jay Watson, Black Templar, severed_soul, and allegra!

 

FF: Wow! Over 100 reviews! Thank you, everyone, and especially the ones who leave multiple reviews. I really appreciate it! Yup, I'm still ignoring the rule about mentioning you after my stories, and I'll respond to the anonymous ones here, too, so there. Nyah!

Thanks to:

Photographing Poetry, yoyo person (I thank people who've reviewed since the last acknowledgement, I wasn't ignoring you!), jay_see_en (ya know, it can't all be Inu and Kags, though I love `em, and yeah I know that the last chapter was short, but I needed to set the stage and this one was loooooong), The Painted Lady (Voices? You hear the voices too? You, me, and Inuyasha…), Shobs, Lady Niltiak, Behind Crimson Eyes, Archangel Gabrielle, and lunerfox.

 

MM:

Inuyashaloverr: Thanks for the 10s!

 

Franil375: I wasn't going to delete the fic from MM, just AS! I still might leave AS, the site has gone from bad to worse, and I think a lot of people are deserting it. Thanks for your support!

 

Leo-mae: Thanks for the multiple R&Rs! Yeah, I'd love to have that mind meld for tests, too. And yeah, Kouga's not the smartest character out there…actually, he's pretty dense. Other review: Yup, I know it was short, see above response in FF) and…well, limes and lemons are in the eye of the reader, and I have been flamed, BBQd, roasted, and burned for things that I thought were pretty innocuous (see comments on nasty e-mails below). SO, I warn people, even though I think I'm pretty mild in comparison to some of the stuff out there.

 

jessbit: Let's see if I can answer all your questions. Ya know what, it helps to get “heaps of love” and I'm grateful that my R&Rs have, for the most part, been quite positive. I appreciate any and all reviews, even the flames (though to be frank, some of them have hurt; I despise people who don't leave an R&R but who e-mail nasty comments to me). You have to realize that although Kagome is “in heat” the entire story has taken up only two days and three nights so far, and biologically Kagome can't have a period for another few days. No, the half moon symbol does not represent Inuyasha's fertility. You will have to wait and see what the true symbol is (and I won't tell yet). I try to update pretty frequently, usually every three to four days, although the holidays and the end of the semester slowed me down. Naraku? Well, you'll see. As you can see above, one of his incarnations is interested in the time rip…heh, heh. I won't tell you any more now, you'll just have to wait and see (evil laugh resonates in the room…use the fang, Inuyasha!). Oh, and Pocky? Candy from Japan: they're flavored (almond (my favorite), strawberry, lemon, etc.), crunchy sticks (I think they're some kind of wheat flour?) dipped in milk chocolate. They are totally yummy, totally unhealthy, totally addicting, and a boon to chocoholics everywhere. And you know from a few chapters ago what chocolate does to me…

 

InuBaby369246: Thanks, and Happy New Year to you, too! Umm…finding out about the pregnancy…well, you'll see! They will, after all, find out about it in 9 months…

 

 

Thank you, readers and R&Rs!