InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Facets of the Living Jewel ❯ Aegrescit medendo ( Chapter 45 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the other characters. Ms. Takahashi does. But I sure like the demon side of Inuyasha more than she does!

 

Symbols for thoughts:

[Inudemon]

(Inuhuman)

`Inuyasha or Others'

 

A/N: The voting for the IYFG nominations started on February 12th and goes to February 26th, but if you're not currently a member of the IYFG you can't vote for my story (membership is frozen during voting periods). For those of you who are members, I would appreciate your support. Again, thank you, everyone who nominated or seconded or thirded!

 

 

Aegrescit medendo

By Licentia poetica

 

In the silence that followed Miroku's offer, Shippo heard a quiet moan from Sango.

 

“What's wrong, Sango?”

 

Sango placed him on the ground and gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Stay here, Shippo. I need to ask a few questions.” Ignoring the continued conversation by the group near the time rip, she turned and began to walk toward Kanna. The Kai-wolves eyed her as she passed through their semi-circle and she heard a growl from the smaller male, but she ignored it.

 

Shiro sighed to himself. `The Leader's Packmate is going to be as hard to handle as Jinx. Look at her, walking straight into danger without a plan for the kill.' He started to step forward to protect this foolhardy member of his new Pack, but a feline growl stopped him.

 

“MmmmMMMRRrrrrr.” Kirara let him know in no uncertain terms that Sango was hers to guard as she stepped closer to the Unscented One. Shiro gave the dog equivalent of a shrug and stayed in his position.

 

Sango smiled up at her neko friend and placed a hand on Kirara's shoulder. Her face hardened as she turned to Kanna. `I have to get some answers. She knows something, but she isn't telling us.'

 

“How certain are you that Miroku's Wind Tunnel is increasing in size?” Her voice was brusque with no pretense of civility. `I don't know if I'm dealing with an enemy or not. If she's truly left Naraku, I'll apologize later.'

 

“I am certain. The Wind Tunnel is increasing in potency, and will soon be quite powerful. Eventually it will be strong enough to destroy the houshi.”

 

“He already knows that. Why is it important now? How do you know that it's growing now?” Sango's voice was strained, as if she was fighting an internal battle. `She isn't telling me everything she knows. I can feel it, but how can I make her tell me?'

 

“It is...how I am made. I sense the void.” In spite of the hesitation, Kanna's voice remained free of inflection.

 

“What happens if he uses it now? What happens to the size of the Wind Tunnel?”

 

“I do not know.” The slightest hint of urgency entered Kanna's voice, conveyed by an increase in tempo rather than a change in inflection. “The Wind Tunnel must not increase in power. A way must be found to stop its advance.” In spite of the miniscule increase in the rhythm of her speech the girl's face remained passive.

 

The emotions of anger, fear, and sorrow flitted across Sango's face as Shippo watched from his vantage point behind the Kai-wolves. He brushed past the nearest, Runt, who whuffed a caution at him as he pattered toward Sango.

 

Sango was lost in her thoughts, staring over at the group gathered around Miroku. `She won't tell me how she knows, but it must be more dangerous to use the Wind Tunnel right now. He heard her. He knows it's growing, and yet he'll risk himself again.' She watched him gesticulate, the murmur of his voice falling up and down in cadence with his motions, and she could tell that he seemed to think that he would only have to use the curse for a short amount of time. She glanced at the sphere surrounding the time rip and assessed the possibilities. `He hasn't thought it through, and neither has Inuyasha. That time rip is powerful, and they are risking themselves.' She bit her lip as an all-too-familiar ache welled up from her heart. `I can't lose them. They're my new family, and Kohaku…where is he? '

 

Sango was startled out of her musings as a small hand gripped hers. “What's wrong, Sango?” Shippo asked, tugging at her hand. She looked down into his face and gave him a lopsided smile to ease the worry she saw there.

 

“It's O.K., Shippo.” She drew him away from Kanna, outside the ring of Kai-wolves. “I'm just worried about Miroku and Inuyasha. I don't think they've fully thought through the situation.”

 

Shippo gave a shrug. “So, go tell `em what you think they need to know!”

 

Sango raised her eyebrows at the kitsune. “Just like that? You think they'll listen?”

 

Shippo crinkled his green eyes at her in a grin. “Inuyasha will, if you tell him loud enough. He thinks you're kinda scary sometimes.” The tiny kitsune gave her leg a hug. “We all think you're strong, and Miroku's your mate; he has to listen to you.”

 

Sango gave a small laugh, but looked over to Miroku. As she watched, he gave a flippant gesture, minimizing something that Kagome had murmured to him, then obviously began one of his “teaching” moments, hands gesticulating as he illustrated his points. The ache in her chest spread. `I have to protect him. I have to protect my family, or at least get them to stop for a moment and think this through.'

 

She gave an irritated sigh at her own reluctance to bring herself forward and a blazing look of determination settled over her features. She turned to her neko friend. “Kirara, please stay with the Pack and guard Shippo from Kanna.” Gathering her courage, Sango whirled and stalked over to the group by the time rip barrier.

 

Miroku was discussing how to close the time rip with Kagome and Midoriko. Sango noticed that both women looked completely confused, while Inuyasha just looked impatient and Yourei Taisei stared over their heads at the time rip, expressionless. Sesshoumaru was the only member of the group who seemed to understand what the houshi was saying. His eyebrows were raised and his eyes intent as he gazed at Miroku, who was finishing a point as she walked up. “…and I believe that then the conditions might be favorable for you to close the time rip, although theoretically the space-time fabric …”

 

`Time to get realistic.' She gave out an impatient, loud exhale, and the group turned to her. Kagome looked relieved to see her.

 

Miroku warily watched Sango as she strode purposefully toward their group. `She's angry with me. What have I done now?' He took a step back as she put her hands on her hips and glared up into his face.

 

“You're going to open the Wind Tunnel and hold it open while Inuyasha tries to draw the youki out of the time rip. You're going to risk your life and his life on the chance that you might, might, be correct about being able to close the rip after the youki is drawn out.” She steeled herself against the shocked look on his face and turned to Inuyasha, pointing her finger at him to emphasize her words. “You're going to be right in front of the time rip, standing still, and if something goes wrong you'll be sucked in so fast you won't have time to react.” Sango gave an irritated sigh at the angry expression that appeared on the hanyou's face. He opened his mouth to reply, but Sango turned her back on him to face Miroku again before Inuyasha could speak. `If I let them talk, I'll never have the courage to finish this.'

 

“You heard what that…what Kanna said about your Wind Tunnel. Still, what if your Wind Tunnel isn't strong enough to keep Inuyasha from being sucked into the rip? I don't want to lose him because you think, you hope, that your Wind Tunnel is strong enough!” She paused as her heart pounded in her chest. `I've never talked to them like this. What must they think of me?'

 

Miroku opened his mouth to speak, so she jumped back into her tirade.

 

“What if your Wind Tunnel works, but you get sucked in anyway, because there is nothing to anchor you in place? What if you manage to stay in place, but the strain of holding it open against the time rip is too much and it tears open your hand? You'll die. Either you'll get sucked into the time rip itself or you'll die because your curse takes you.” She stopped, throwing up her hands in exasperation and looked into each of their faces.

 

Sesshoumaru wore an expression of complete boredom, but Yourei Taisei had a warm smile on his face.

 

`She reminds me of Nishi Uindo when I suggest a flight that might be dangerous for our chicks.'

 

Sango turned from his smile and glared daggers at Inuyasha. `I bet he'll just argue with me.' He opened his mouth as if to say something and she hissed at him, sounding like a human Kirara. He blinked at her, startled.

 

Lowering her hands in the silence following her hiss, she looked over at the women. Midoriko wore a mysterious smile but her eyes were kind. Kagome walked over to give her a brief hug as soon as their eyes met.

 

As she returned Kagome's embrace, Sango finally looked into Miroku's eyes, afraid of what she might see there. He gazed back at her, but the determination she saw in his face caused her heart to sink. Taking in a breath that was almost a sob she spun away from Kagome's arms and turned her back to them, crossing her arms in front of her chest and closing her eyes. `I'm going to lose him. I can't stand the thought of losing him.'

 

“Just think it through.” Her voice sounded strangely calm to her. “I don't want to lose either one of you because you didn't plan ahead.”

 

Miroku closed his eyes. `I had hoped not to cause her pain. We should have waited until I defeated Naraku and the Wind Tunnel was a memory.' His eyes opened again as Kagome touched his arm. Her concerned eyes bored into his as she spoke to Sango in her most gentle voice.

 

“I think you've helped them to think it through, Sango. Thank you for pointing out the dangers.”

 

“There are ways to make sure that Miroku stays in one place.” Inuyasha turned to Sesshoumaru. “Inu no Taisho, I ask that you protect my Pack member.”

 

Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at him. “I believe that this Sesshoumaru will be needed elsewhere.” He turned to Yourei Taisei and lowered his head infinitesimally for one second. “Sensei, my beta has made a request that I cannot fulfill. Will you guard the houshi in my place?”

 

Yourei Taisei, a knowing smile flitting across his face, gave an exaggerated nod of his head to Sesshoumaru. `It is so difficult for him to bend to me. No matter. He is a proud and skillful warrior, and time will teach him to bend…or he will break.' He answered Sesshoumaru in his most courteous voice, hoping to soothe the youth. “I will be honored to assist you, Lord Sesshoumaru, but I must release the lahar first. Then the mikos and I should be prepared to reseal the rip, so standing behind the houshi is the best place for me to acquit both my own responsibility and yours.”

 

“Where are you going, Baka no Taisho?” Inuyasha barked. “Tired already?”

 

[Why do weantagonize him?]

 

`I may be his beta, but I'm alpha in my Pack, and he's on my turf.'

 

Sesshoumaru bared his teeth at his brother and stalked over to him in a dominance display. “This Sesshoumaru is not leaving. He will be guarding you, insolent puppy. Do not make him regret his choice, or he will save only the Tetsusaiga and leave you to the void.”

 

(Arrogant asshole.)

 

The two brothers glared at each other, both refusing to lower their gaze, each with a hand on the hilt of their katana.

 

Kagome stepped into the fractional space between them, slipping one hand around Inuyasha's waist as she placed the other on Sesshoumaru's chest. She glanced up, first at Inuyasha, then at Sesshoumaru.

 

“I thank you for guarding my mate, Inu no Taisho.” She used her sweetest and most reasonable tone of voice, but when neither one looked down at her she sent the mind meld to Inuyasha. `No distractions, remember? Stop fighting with your brother!' She pressed against Sesshoumaru's chest, but she might as well have been pushing against a mountain.

 

Inuyasha ignored her mental touch, pushing the sensation away.

 

(I won't submit to him!)

 

`There are other ways to communicate. We don't need to submit.'

 

Inuyasha smirked and began the Pack Call. Sesshoumaru raised one elegant eyebrow in response and a pregnant pause ensued.

 

[You had better hope he responds. Human, you risk everything by being stubborn.]

 

(Damn right. I'm one stubborn asshole, but I'm part of us.)

 

Finally, Sesshoumaru's face relaxed slightly as he began his own bass version of the Call, acknowledging Inuyasha as Pack.

 

Between them, Kagome shut her eyes and smiled as the vibrations soothed away her tension and worry. Inuyasha momentarily placed a hand on Sesshoumaru's shoulder as Miroku and Sango came to join the group, Sango leaning against Kagome with Miroku's free arm wrapped around his lover's waist. Inuyasha heard small, pattering feet running up from behind, and braced as the sounds ceased, indicating a jump. Shippo landed on his shoulder, burrowing into his hair to keep from looking directly into Sesshoumaru's face.

 

Agitated, the Kai-wolves began to yip and howl in response to the Calls. They had been told to guard and could not leave their posts, but they wanted to participate in the bonding.

 

Midoriko, watching the scene, almost laughed. Kirara had followed Shippo, and had begun the motions to rub her face against Inuyasha's back, but stopped just before touching him. She sat back on her haunches and began lashing her tails, obviously vexed at her own behavior. `Ah, Kirara. Cat to the core, you don't want to show that the sound called you.' Suddenly, Kirara transformed into her kitten form and leaped onto Inuyasha's head, digging in her claws and spitting.

 

“Shit! Get off me, you stupid cat! Damnit!” Inuyasha took a swipe at Kirara, who leaped away. The bonding moment was effectively ended, and the group of demons and humans quickly moved apart.

 

Staring back at the group, Kirara voiced her disapproval. “MMmmrrraaaooowww. Hhhhsss. Mmaow RRrrraaow!”

 

Shippo giggled. “She says we're silly and to get back to business.”

 

“Damn cat!” Inuyasha wiped a trickle of blood from his forehead and glared at Kirara.

 

“Mew.” She sauntered away after her brief apology, tails straight in the air, and transformed back to her demon form just before reaching the Kai-wolves and Kanna.

 

Jinx, who had been readying herself to pounce on the small neko, froze in her crouch as the demon's eyes went from ground level to somewhere over the Kai-wolf's head. Jinx looked up into saber fangs as Kirara stared down at the Kai-wolf, daring her to move. Jinx cautiously sat back on her haunches as Aoi snorted a laugh.

 

“Serves you right, Jinx. Someday you're going to learn to think before you act, and I bet that neko teaches you the lesson.” The alpha bitch gave an approving growl to Kirara, who purred back.

 

Inuyasha growled his agreement with Aoi to the Pack and turned his attention to his humans. Holding Kagome with one arm, he looked down at Sango. “So. You ready to let us try this? It's our decision, not yours, anyway, and we'll all die if we don't do something soon.” He purposefully kept his voice ruthless. `Sango wants things honest.'

 

Sango, still standing within Miroku's arm, lowered her head. “O.K. Just…be careful.”

 

[She is a strong Packmate. She knows when to argue and when to submit.]

 

“Lovely Sango.” Miroku's voice was almost a whisper. “Trust me. I would not risk Inuyasha's life or my own if it wasn't necessary for all of our sakes.”

 

She looked up into his violet eyes. “I know. I just…I love you, Miroku.” She gave him a light kiss, gasping a little as he drew her against his body and deepened the kiss. He pulled away reluctantly and smiled down into her face.

 

“I promise I won't let either of us get killed. Now go and be safe.”

 

“I will be very angry with you if you don't keep that promise, monk.” She gave him a weak smile and stepped away, walking backwards toward the area where the Kai-wolves surrounded Kanna.

 

A sniff near his ear drew Inuyasha's attention away from Sango. “Oi, pipsqueak. I thought I told you to stay safe,” he frowned at Shippo.

 

“Well, why'd you Call me then, baka?”

 

Inuyasha growled fiercely, and Shippo jumped off his shoulder. “O.K.! I'm going back! You don't have to yell!” The kitsune scampered back to Sango, his tail fluffed out with tension. “Why don't I ever get to help?” he asked the taiji-ya mournfully.

 

“When you're bigger, Shippo.” Sango's voice was kind as she picked up the kit. “You help us in other ways.” She gave him a fierce hug. “Thank you,” she whispered. “I wouldn't have told them if you hadn't helped me be brave.” Shippo hugged her back, a large smile on his face.

 

Kagome smiled at Sango and Shippo, then looked up at Inuyasha's face. “Be careful, Inuyasha.”

 

“Keh. I'll get rid of the damn wolf youki. You just be careful getting the barrier back in place and closing the rip.” He thrummed the private Mate Call, enjoying her body's quick response, but stopped as she narrowed her eyes at him. “What, wench?”

 

“No distractions, baka. Especially for the time miko who's going to make a barrier so you don't get swallowed by the rip.” A small smile dimpled her face. “You wouldn't want me daydreaming about you while you get destroyed, would you?” Abruptly, the smile disappeared. “Be careful, mate,” she whispered, her eyes haunted by her words.

 

He gave her a light but lingering kiss on the lips. “Baka. You worry too much.”

 

They stepped away from each other, Kagome walking behind Miroku to join Midoriko, the set of her shoulders determined and purposeful underneath the fire rat haori.

 

`Gods, she's beautiful.'

 

Inuyasha joined Sesshoumaru on the side of the rip opposite from Sango's group and turned to Miroku. “Set up your Wind Tunnel against the rip and I'll get between the two when the forces balance.” At Miroku's nod of agreement, he looked at the rest of the group. “Is everyone ready?” He took a last long look at Kagome before turning to Yourei Taisei. “Sensei?”

 

Miroku took a ready stance, balancing on the balls of his feet and holding his prayer beads, cursed hand outstretched. Kagome and Midoriko began centering themselves, readying their powers to remove the barriers.

 

Yourei Taisei motioned Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru away from the time rip. “You must stand well back from the lahar. There will be an explosion, and it is difficult to control this attack, especially since the force of the time rip may break the barriers before the mikos bring them down.” He waited until they complied, then stepped forward unsheathing the Konran, his wakizashi. The alchemic symbols on his cheekbones began to glow, but this time it was the air and fire symbols: the red of air and the yellow of fire gave a ruddy cast to his features, as if fires fanned his blood. His face became almost feral as his mouth turned up in a smile and his eyes took on an untamed look.

 

He held the Konran at middle guard with both hands covering the hilt of the wakizashi. Taking a deep breath he stepped forward into a lunge, first bringing the Konran up over his head in a swirling motion, the judan chamae, and then striking downward in the judan chiri, a cut to the middle level.

 

“Boufuu rekka ha!”

 

A tornado of fire raced from the wakizashi, blasting apart the lahar surrounding the barriers. The resulting explosion was powerful, and the Kai-wolves and Shippo howled as the sound assaulted their ears. Kirara gave a yowl of anger at Yourei Taisei as Sango and Shippo were blown back by the shock wave into the neko demon's flank. Inuyasha braced against the blast, flattening his ears to protect them from the sound of the detonation. He glanced at Miroku, noting with pride that Kagome had set a small barrier in front of her group to protect them. It disappeared as the shock wave flashed past it, but saved the humans from being bowled off of their feet.

 

Midoriko's barrier was blown apart by the blast, and Kagome's immediately began to waver as the time rip fought the control surrounding it.

 

“Are you ready, Miroku?” Kagome asked, strain apparent in the breathy quality of her voice.

 

Miroku met Inuyasha's eyes and they gave a nod to each other as Inuyasha unsheathed the Tetsusaiga. Miroku removed the prayer beads. “Yes, Lady Kagome.” Determination made his words ring like a steel blade.

 

Kagome dropped the barrier with a gasp. Immediately, Miroku opened his cursed hand and cried “Wind Tunnel!”

 

The winds of his curse met the vortex of the time rip in a shudder of two antagonistic but similar powers. Dust began to kick up from the ground, held in limbo between the two opposing currents and obscuring Miroku's vision. He squinted into the whirlpool of earth, trying to gauge the power of the time rip so that he could adjust his own stance should anything happen.

 

Inuyasha leaped into the juncture of the two maelstroms, bringing the Tetsusaiga in its dragon-scale form down in an overhead strike toward the center of the time rip.

 

No one had anticipated the result that followed.

 

Kinka's flames shot from dragon-scale Tetsusaiga. The flames of the dead youkai were called forth in answer to the youki of the dead holding the time rip open. Due to the incomplete assimilation of Kinka, the Tetsusaiga augmented the power of the time rip in the same way as the Goraishi.

 

`Shit! I wish the asshole had just died and not tried to assimilate with the Tetsusaiga! It helped with Mouryoumaru, but I've got to get rid of his youki before I can use the dragon-scale!'

 

Inuyasha stared in shock as the time rip began to expand in his direction, devouring the flames and threatening to pull the Tetsusaiga into the time rip's center. He gripped the katana harder against the draw of the rip and tried, unsuccessfully, to remove it from the vortex.

 

`I can't pull the Tetsusaiga out in time to escape!'

 

 

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

Translations:

Aegrescit medendo. Latin: The disease worsens with the treatment (the remedy is worse than the disease)

 

Japanese:

Nishi Uindo: West Wind; Yourei Taisei's mate.

 

Konran: disorder, confusion, chaos. Special attack: Boufuu rekka ha (windstorm of conflagration attack). Boufuu: storm, windstorm, gale. Rekka: raging fire, also deterioration.

 

 

 

R&R thanks:

 

AS:

Tweakles06, Boris-loriga, Kut u up, severed-soul, WhoElseCouldBeMe, Xxkittiexxstarxx13

 

FF:

Fenikkusuken, jcnkitten, Mrs. JediK1, OneInuLover (namaste, friend!), Photographing Poetry, sassysango26, billysgotagun, Archangel Gabrielle

 

MM:

Caitriona: Thanks for the multiple R&Rs! I'm sorry the time lines are a bit confusing. They are supposed to be strange in that Kagome gets to make a choice knowing a bit about what's ahead, unlike the rest of us poor mortals. Other than that, it was my imagination coming up with an explanation of 1) why is there no dad and 2) how does the well stay open. Thanks for the 10s!

 

jessbit: Thanks for the R&Rs, and thanks for offering to vote. The problem is, unless you're currently a member you can't vote for my story. They send an e-mail to the members. BUT, you can join the IYFG for the next quarter's nominations and voting (I'll still be eligible since I'm posting this in the first quarter of 2006). Thank you for your support! Oh yeah, sorry about another cliffie…ahem…NOT!

 

parvatilotus: Thanks for the suppor! As to the voting, see jessbit above…but thanks anyway!

 

Inuyashaloverr: Let's see…Bandit. Hhmm. Something must have happened when Sesshoumaru took the Pack to the rip. We already know Jinx is trouble. Kanna. Hhhhmmmmm. Strange little thing, isn't she? Ah well, I won't tell you…yet. Thanks for the R&Rs!

 

Kuramas gurl: Thanks for reading, especially since it took so much of your time. I really appreciate it!

 

InuBaby369246: Are you sure Kanna is evil? She's definitely an odd little thing…

 

Leo-mae: O.K., just for you I guess the bear youkai won't eat Kouga…but I really wasn't fishing for 10s. I just think your lust for Kouga's blood is funny! Thanks for the multiple R&Rs!

 

mel f: Man, you want me to die from no sleep, don't you? I promise, I PROMISE, I will post faster. Sorry for the delay last time, I really do feel guilty….

 

Tevrah: Thanks! I'll get another one out soon, I promise!

 

pokiepal: Thanks and thanks and here's another chapter!

 

 

 

Bless you all for reading, and have a good week (or less, `til I update again, anyway)!

L.P.