InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Guilty Hero ❯ Learning From The Past ( Chapter 49 )

Back at last. I never really realize how long it's been since the last update until I try and work on the newest chapter and can't remember what happened in the chapter prior. So bad. Work has been crazy as of late, but as of next week I am going full time at one job and cutting my hours at the other job. This will give me five free evenings a week, which equals more writing time. Yay! :D

I would like to thank everyone who reviewed. They are always encouraging, and help keep me motivated to write more. It's easy for me to get bored writing this story since I already know how it ends, but when I see how excited the readers are to find out what happens, I get anxious to write. So thanks for your enthusiasm.

Also, thank you to Karaumea for editing yet again. Her work is greatly appreciated. Please oh please go and check out her story, S-Android (when you've finished reading this one, of course). It is excellent, and very gripping.

Oh, and since I haven't said this in I don't know how many chapters… I do not own Inu-Yasha. Rumiko Takahashi does. Just in case you weren't aware.

Okay, enough of this. On with the chapter!

Guilty Hero

Chapter 48: Learning From the Past

The sound of the engine seemed abnormally loud as it echoed around the deserted street. Kagome quickly shut it off and scanned the area around her. Early morning fog obscured most objects outside of a ten-foot radius, which made her hackles raise. She didn't care much for feeling so vulnerable.

Snatching her purse up from the seat next to her, she climbed out of her car and trotted to the apartment building. She kept her hand in her pocket the entire time, fingers clutched around her crossbow. The city was growing more unsafe with each passing day, and she didn't dare go outside without a weapon.

Once inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. The sutras Miroku had placed still held strong, and she was able to relax slightly. With a glance behind her to ensure no stranger had attempted to follow her, she punched the button for the elevator and stepped in.

As the elevator shuddered into motion and began its climb, she leaned against the wall and shut her eyes. All the anger she had dealt with the day before had taken its toll on her energy. She was exhausted, and had been unable to sleep well with all the thoughts jumbled up in her head. Just when she had been about to accept Koga's rendition of the situation with Inu-Yasha, Sessho-maru had to come in and stir up her protective side over the misguided half-demon.

She shook her head and dragged her eyes open again. “That shouldn't matter now,” she mumbled to herself as the elevator dinged and the doors slid apart. “All you're doing is working with him. His role in Inu-Yasha's life really doesn't matter. Don't get so worked up over it.”

She was so busy muttering under her breath that she never noticed the figure sitting in the hallway outside of Sango and Miroku's apartment, watching her with great interest.

“You should be careful, talking to yourself like that. People might think you're strange, and that's not a good thing nowadays.”

Within seconds, she had her crossbow out and focused on the demon. The action was involuntary—her eyes were still wide with shock as she gazed down the bolt. “How did you get in here?!” she demanded, barely able to keep the tremor out of her voice.

Although the demon didn't flinch at the sight of a weapon pointed at him, he was studying her warily, his bottle green eyes flicking between the point of the bolt and Kagome's frightened face. “You really don't have to worry,” he insisted. “I was invited here, y'know. I may be a fox, but it would take more than cleverness to get past those darn sutras you've got plastered all over this place.” As though to prove his point, the tip of his glossy golden tail twitched.

She didn't lower her weapon, but the surprise was quickly wearing off. What this demon said was true—there was no way he could have gotten into the building without being invited in. However, she had never seen him before. She was familiar with all of the city's agents, and not one of them had a shock of orange hair and tawny brown fox paws in place of feet.

“Who are you?” she asked. “Who brought you in?”

A mischievous smile flashed across the demon's face. “I'm Shippo,” he replied, bouncing to his feet and extending his hand in greeting. “I'm here with Sessho-maru. He's my teacher.”

Again, Kagome hesitated. She was sensing no negative energy, no evil stirring in this creature that barely came up to her shoulder, and his smile was so compelling that she nearly cracked a grin herself. But with the cloud of danger lurking over the city, she couldn't help but remain cautious. Slowly, she snapped her crossbow shut and slipped it back into her pocket.

“My name is Kagome Higurashi,” she said shortly, shaking the fox's hand.

“Ahh...” Shippo's eyes sparkled at the mention of her name. “So you're the infamous Higurashi. I've heard a lot about you, Kagome.”

Normally, such a familiar use of her name after meeting someone only a moment prior would have irritated her to no end. However, Shippo had such an air of youthful confidence and lack of concern that it didn't bother her.

“Why 'infamous'? Just what exactly have you heard?” she asked, crossing her arms.

He chuckled as he returned to his seated position. Kagome couldn't help but watch in fascination as his tail automatically curled around his paws to protect them from the chill of the floor. “I poked around for a bit when we first arrived, just to scope out the situation,” he stated. “You can find out a lot asking around in the dregs of the city.” He tilted his head to study her, and his grin widened, displaying a white fang. “You've got some nasty demons running scared, Kagome.”

Kagome blinked in surprise. She knew her spiritual skills were continuously growing but she didn't realize she had developed a reputation among the ranks of her enemies.

The fox laughed at her expression, and then waved to the space next to him. “You may as well sit down. We have to wait until they're done with their meeting until we can go in. I would have hid in the closet and eavesdropped like I did yesterday, but Sessho-maru nearly took my ear off when he uncovered me. Tsk.” He snapped his fingers in frustration as Kagome gingerly slid to the floor next to him.

“You, uh, work with Sessho-maru, do you?” She shifted a bit until she was more comfortable. “What's that like?”

“Not as bad as you'd think,” Shippo replied. He reached into his vest and pulled out a toy snake that he flicked absently against his knee. “He's not exactly chatty and he has no sense of humor, either. But boy, can he push you past your limits.”

“Mm. You know, I don't really get the impression of him as a teacher.” Resting her purse on the ground, she glanced at the door to Sango and Miroku's apartment with a frown. “He seems a little too independent to actually help anyone else improve.”

Shippo laughed again, tossing his head back. “Are you crazy? You wouldn't believe what I can do now because of him. Here, watch this.” Shoving the toy snake back into his vest pocket, he then reached up his sleeve and pulled out a leaf. With Kagome watching curiously, he tossed the leaf up in the air, and then disappeared with a small pop and a puff of smoke.

Blinking as the smoke cleared, Kagome gave a tremendous start when she found herself staring into bright blue eyes—the same bright blue eyes she saw every morning in the mirror.

“That...that's incredible!” she gasped, slowly reaching out to touch Shippo's disguised face, hardly believing it was real.

It was surreal, seeing herself reclining against a wall and grinning impishly at her. In fact, that grin was the only thing that was different between the two of them.

“Told ya so.”

Still reeling a little from the shock, Kagome asked slowly, “So... If this is what you can do after Sessho-maru has worked with you, what was it like before?”

A light blush stained the cheeks of Kagome's look-alike, who rubbed the back of her head in embarrassment. “I, er, well... I couldn't lose the tail.”

This at last got a laugh out of Kagome. The idea was so comical that she couldn't hold it back. Unfortunately, Shippo took it the wrong way. Huffing indignantly, he got on his hands and knees and waved his backside at her.

“Now look, there ain't nothin' there! Quit laughing at me!”

“Okay, okay!” Kagome quickly turned away so he wouldn't see her chuckle and waved him back. “Stop that. I'd rather not look at my own rear end, thank you very much.”

“Hmmmmph.” He climbed to his feet and stared down at her, crossing his arms. It was obvious he wasn't used to playing as a female; Kagome dearly wished to adjust his skirt so it didn't show quite so much thigh.

“All right, I'll show you how good I've gotten. This one is gonna be done entirely from memory, okay? Watch this.” When he tossed another leaf up in the air, there was a pop and puff of smoke, just like before. But while Kagome had been shocked with the first transformation, the rush of emotion brought on the by second would have knocked her off her feet if she hadn't already been seated.

Amber eyes, hazy and unfocused, peered from underneath thick white bangs. Two pointed ears twitched in her direction, and a familiar sneer twisted his features. Kagome could hardly believe her eyes as Inu-Yasha crossed his arms and glared down at her.

“Whaddaya think of this?” he growled, jabbing a thumb in his chest. “Pretty damn good, ain't it? Who's laughin' now?”

Kagome stared wide-eyed at him. “I-I'm not,” she stuttered.

“Good! I'll have you know that I saw this guy for just one day eight years ago, but I've got everything about him memorized, from his grumpy attitude to his drunken walk.” To prove his point, he scowled darkly at her and stumbled back and forth a couple steps.

Her breath caught in her throat at the sight. Seeing him wobble unsteadily about not only reminded her of sadder days gone by, but of what state the fool was probably wallowing in now. Much against her will, tears welled up in her eyes and her bottom lip started to quiver.

Quickly, she looked away and swiped roughly at her eyes, determined not to cry over her former patient two days in a row. However, the action did not go unnoticed by the Inu-Yasha look-alike, who quickly switched from drunkenness to concern.

“H-hey, what's wrong?” Inu-Yasha crouched down next to her, reaching out a clawed hand as though he was going comfort her. But, with the two of them just meeting a few minutes prior, he wasn't quite relaxed enough to actually touch her. “Wh-why are you crying?”

“I'm not,” snapped Kagome hotly, wiping her eyes free of moisture. “Nothing's wrong. It's just--” She looked up to see Inu-Yasha's face mere inches from hers, his eyes clear and wide with worry. She had never seen such an expression on his face before. Strangely enough, it helped to console her. Seeing such an odd look helped remind her that this wasn't the real Inu-Yasha next to her. “It's just that Inu-Yasha and I have an unfortunate history. Things ended very poorly, and the matter is still a bit, er, sore with me. So if you would please, uh, switch back to yourself, I would appreciate it.” She gave him one short, meaningful glance, and then pointedly looked away.

“Oh. Of course, of course! H-hang on.” There was a sharp pop with the accompanying smoke, and soon the green-eyed fox was looking at her again. Quietly, he reclaimed his seat next to her and rested his back against the wall. His tail curled around his tawny paws once more, and he hunched down an inch or two.

With a slight sigh, Kagome shifted to face him. He obviously felt bad, and she didn't want him feeling guilty about a simple trick done only to amuse her. He had no idea of the implications of his actions and he should not have to suffer her temper because of it.

“Shippo...” she began softly. He twitched at the mention of his name, and peered shyly at her over his arm. She stared at him for a moment, and then gave him a small smile. Focusing her attention on her hands, which were twitching nervously in her lap, she took a deep breath. “Tell me... How did you meet Inu-Yasha?”

The fox demon blinked in surprise at the question; he had assumed that the subject of the half-demon was not to be touched again. But, with Kagome making the attempt to be so kind to him, he did not want to question her. “Well, we, um... Do you remember those strange blackouts the city had? About eight years ago?”

Kagome thought a moment. “When random places around the city would completely lose power? Yes, that was strange. I thought they never really figured out what had happened with that.”

Shippo shook his head. “Nah, the Order just kept things hushed up. It was a demon attack. One of the first after the war. They just didn't want the city running scared again, so they kept it quiet.”

She nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. Those were very tense times.”

“Yup. The two demons, while nothing compared to Naraku, were still fairly powerful. The Thunder Brothers, they called themselves.” Shippo's tone stayed light, but Kagome noticed his vibrant green eyes darken and narrow. “Those...those fools... They killed my parents.”

His tail twitched in reaction to the small gasp she let out in response, but he continued to speak. “I was only around eight years old at the time, but I wasn't about to let them get away with it. I followed them. Trailed them all over town. I even tried fighting them on more than one occasion.”

“H-how did you survive?” Kagome asked, her voice hushed.

Thumbing his nose in embarrassment, Shippo chuckled shortly. “I learned how to play dead.” Glancing over to see the look of horror on her face, he flashed one of his cheeky grins at her. “Aw, don't worry. Since I was just a kid, they barely gave me the time of day. They hardly took the time to beat me down before they went on to blow out the next transformer.”

He cleared his throat and went on with his story. “Well, one night, I realized I wasn't the only one tailing those two monsters across town. There was another demon following them as well. And doing a damn sight better at it than myself, if I may add. He was silent and moved like a shadow. He

overtook me in seconds and didn't give me so much as a glance.”

The sentence sounded as though it should have been layered with irritation and scorn, but as Kagome studied the fox's face, it appeared to be the opposite. Admiration had lifted his expression, and there was a touch of pride in his voice.

“I mean, of course he didn't look at me. I was nothing but a whelp underfoot. This demon, he seemed so... so focused and so driven that I jumped out of the way when he passed. I wasn't about to get in his path.”

His tail uncurled from around his paws, which he stretched out in front of himself. “The demon leaped clear over the Thunder Brothers and confronted them without hesitation. I snuck behind a nearby bench and watched the exchange and I could hardly believe my eyes.”

Shippo paused for a moment and shook his head. “You have to understand, Kagome. These Thunder Brothers, they were the very definition of fear in my life. They had killed my parents, tormented me, and brought my whole childhood crashing down around me. I was absolutely terrified of them. So to see this demon confront them with no fear in his face, his voice, or his stance...” He chuckled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head. “This sounds so silly, but Inu-Yasha became my hero that day.”

For the first time in weeks, Kagome smiled at the thought of Inu-Yasha. It was strange hearing someone praise her wayward half-demon. “I...I don't think that sounds silly,” she murmured.

“Oh, good. I'm glad you think so.” Shippo sounded relieved. “Sessho-maru certainly doesn't share your view, to say the least.”

“Hmph.” Kagome crossed her arms. “Just because that's how Sessho-maru feels doesn't mean it's right.”

With a laugh, the fox knowingly winked at her. “You wouldn't believe how long it took me to learn that. But that's a story for another time. Anyway, it didn't take Inu-Yasha long to defeat the Thunder Brothers. I remember watching in stunned silence as he took 'em down. The younger one went first and went pretty easily.”

He stared off into the distance and thoughtfully rubbed one hand with the other. “Inu-Yasha ran him through. With his bare hand.” Admiration coated every word. “And...And Hiten, the older brother? He put up more of a fight, with Inu-Yasha getting a little singed. But in the end... His head lay on the pavement next to his brother. The fight was over in minutes, Kagome.” His green eyes, shining brightly, locked on hers. “The revenge I had been trying to carry out for days had been accomplished by Inu-Yasha in less than fifteen minutes.”

He held Kagome's gaze for a moment, then chuckled and glanced away. “I guess I was at a loss after that moment. I didn't really know what to do, what with my parents dead and my one goal in life completed. I just stood there, watching Inu-Yasha wipe his claws off on his jeans. And suddenly, I felt myself walking toward him. I mean, what else was I to do? I had no one else in the world. He was my only connection to... life, I guess.”

Shippo rubbed his chin, his brow furrowing in thought. “I remember walking up to him, and he seemed so tall. I barely came up past his knees. He just glared down at me, looking bored. And he said, 'What the hell do you want, runt?'”

This brought a smile to Kagome's lips. “That's Inu-Yasha, all right.”

“Ha! You said it. But me, being the little brat that I was, didn't take the hint. I told him what he had done, killing my parent's murderers. And he was...relatively uninterested.”

“Meaning, he wasn't paying any attention to you at all?” Kagome wryly translated.

“None in the slightest.” Shippo laughed at her quick understanding. “I was in awe of him, though. He just seemed so...cool. I mistook his annoyance as arrogance. And boy, did I crumble in the face of it. I wanted to be like him so badly. I grabbed hold of his ankles and begged him to take me in, to teach me how to fight like he did.”

Kagome shook her head. “I'd imagine that didn't go so well.”

“Ha! He just kicked me off his legs and told me to tough it out. And then he snapped at me to leave him alone. I watched him walk away, but I didn't want to lose hold of my only chance to be strong, or so I thought. So, I followed him. Followed him right to The Cornerstone Tap.”

The small grin that had worked its way onto Kagome's face dropped like a stone at the mention of the bar. “That's right... You said this happened about eight years ago. Right after war. I suppose the Tap would be his favorite haunt at that point.”

“It must've been,” Shippo agreed. “The bartender seemed to know him pretty darn well. Had his drink ready before he even sat down. I tried following Inu-Yasha in, but that damn bartender bellowed, 'No kids in the bar!' and booted me back out again.”

“You shouldn't have gone in, anyway,” Kagome reproached him. “That place is kind of rough. Inu-Yasha can handle himself, but it's no place for a child.”

Looking a bit pained as he tried to hold his tongue, Shippo gently reminded her, “There's no use reprimanding me now, Kagome. This happened eight years ago.”

With a light blush, she nodded and sat back. “Right. O-of course.”

Satisfied she wouldn't chastise him again, he went on. “I decided to wait for him outside. Unfortunately, being just a kid, I didn't have that much patience. I also didn't realize just how long his drinking sessions could go on.” His tone was very dry with the last remark. “After about half an hour, I couldn't stand it anymore. I transformed into an animal and snuck in when another customer entered the bar.”

Kagome gave him a funny look. “You know, as a place that serves food and drink, they wouldn't allow an animal in any more than a child.”

“Look, I was distraught!” Shippo whined, twisting his hands together. “My parents had just died, I was alone! What could be expected of me?”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry,” Kagome apologized, trying not to giggle at his expression. His behavior was more fussy than angry. He was every bit the petulant child. “Incidentally, what sort of animal did you change into? Would you show me?” Perhaps a chance to show off would soothe his ruffled feathers.

“Oh! Well, uh, sure.” A little taken aback by the request, he obligingly pulled out a leaf and tossed it in the air. There was a puff of smoke, and then Kagome found herself staring at a fat ball of orange fur with pointy ears, bulbous eyes, and a long scraggly tail.

“Um... You changed into a monster gerbil to get into the Tap?” she asked, struggling to keep her voice steady.

Another puff of smoke blossomed from nowhere, and soon Shippo was back and scowling at her. “That was a cat,” he hissed, crossing his arms. “You thought I was a gerbil?!”

Kagome, who was turning red from her efforts to keep from giggling, merely nodded.

With a sigh, Shippo finally allowed himself a small grin at his expense. “I guess that's why Inu-Yasha laughed when I jumped on the bar stool next to him. I always figured it was just because he was drunk.”

With a small shake of his head, he went on. “Anyway, the bartender moved to grab me off the stool, and that's when I transformed back into myself. He stopped dead.” Shippo shrugged nonchalantly. “I guess he'd never seen a shape-shifter before.”

“What about Inu-Yasha?” Kagome asked. “Was he surprised?”

“He...was a little impressed once he saw it was me. I think.” There was a hint of pride in the fox's voice. “At least, he stopped laughing. Instead, he just growled, 'Lemme alone, pup. I ain't your babysitter.'”

Once again, Kagome had to hold back a chuckle. Even without being transformed, Shippo's impression of the demon was quite good.

“Iro took that opportunity to try and throw me out again, but I finally broke down. I started crying and clutched Inu-Yasha's sleeve while I blubbered like an idiot. I literally begged him to let me stay.”

As he rubbed his head in embarrassment, Kagome frowned out of sympathy. “And Inu-Yasha...?” she asked, curious as to his reaction.

Putting his arm down, a sly grin spread across the fox's face. “Cracked like an egg. For all of his bluster, he's just a soft-hearted fool deep down. He convinced the bartender to let me stay. And after that, he finally talked with me. He said, 'Look, brat. What is it you want from me? I avenged your parents' deaths for ya. Ain't much more I can do about that.'”

“I told him that I wanted to grow up and be strong like him. I wanted to be able to take on demons myself, and be as powerful and fearless as he was. I asked if he would take me in and train me. I promised I would do whatever was asked of me, if only I would be taught how to fight...” Shippo sighed in mid-sentence, “...like him.”

“I'll never forget how he looked after I'd asked him the question.” His tone was the most serious Kagome had heard in their entire conversation. Any mirth she had felt from before was now gone.

“He withdrew into himself. It was like a valve had suddenly snapped shut. His whole body tensed up, and he wouldn't look at me. I stayed quiet, watching as he drank some more whiskey. When he finally turned to face me, his eyes were...dead.”

Kagome involuntarily shuddered. She had seen that expression before. Even Shippo, who had an indomitably cheerful personality, was subdued at the thought.

“He said, 'There's nothin' you can learn from me, pup.' And you know, for years I had wondered what that meant. I mean, I had just watched him do incredible things! Why couldn't he teach me? It wasn't until years later, when I finally plucked up the courage to ask Sessho-maru about it, did I learn what had happened to Inu-Yasha. And I can't say I blame him for not wanting to train me.”

Kagome shut her eyes at the reminder. Her heart was aching for the half-demon once more. “W-what happened after that, then?”

Shippo chuckled wryly. “Well, like I've said before, I was immature. I just couldn't wrap my head around things. I didn't understand why he told me 'no' when I wanted so badly to be trained. I... Well, I just cried harder.” His cheeks were burning again. “I mean out-of-breath, speechless, hyperventilation crying. I just didn't know what to do. And Inu-Yasha, he just watched me with this funny look on his face.”

Shippo shifted positions against the wall, stretching his paws out in front of him. “I don't know for sure, of course, but I'd like to think that Inu-Yasha saw a little bit of himself in me that day. I was orphaned, just as he was, and I had no one to care for me, just like he didn't when he was young. The only difference was that he had the opportunity to find me a home. He could give me a family, something that no one had done for him when he was little.”

When he paused, Kagome sniffled as she tried to stifle her tears. The thought was beautiful.

Shippo sighed again. “Either that, or he was desperate for me to shut up.”

Kagome abruptly stopped crying.

“Whatever the reason, he finally got up and made his way to the phone. I heard him argue with someone on the other line but I was too upset to hear much. When he came back to his stool, he growled, 'Shut yer mouth, brat. I made a call to some friends. If you wanna, you can go with 'em. They'll teach you how to be strong.'”

“Was it Sango and Miroku?” Kagome asked. Things were finally clicking into place as to how Shippo had become part of the Order.

Shippo nodded. “Yup. Inu-Yasha told me they wouldn't be able to come for a little while, so I ended up falling asleep against him. I don't really know how long I was out. I do remember waking up once in a car. I almost got scared because I didn't recognize the driver or the passenger in the front, but Inu-Yasha was asleep in the back with me.”

His tone grew dry. “Asleep, or passed out, that is,” he remarked. “He smelt like he'd dunked his head in booze. In fact, I never saw him conscious again. I fell back asleep in the car, and when I woke up, he was nowhere around.” A small chuckle escaped him. “I think Sango and Miroku were mad at him for drinking around a child, so they kept him away from me. I asked about him a few times, but they dodged around the topic. Anyway, I started training with the Order, and they soon paired me up with Sessho-maru. He was traveling abroad, and they felt that might be best for me. Plus, Sessho-maru was one of but a few who could control my mischievous nature.” Shippo turned to Kagome and gave her such a cheeky grin that she couldn't help but laugh.

“And that's about that! Sessho-maru became my teacher and Inu-Yasha became a thing of the past. After a couple of years, I stopped asking about him and I didn't really think much about it until Sessho-maru informed me we had been summoned back here.”

He gazed around the hallway. “Boy, this place sure brings back memories.” Laughing abruptly, he shook his head. “I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you my life's story in response to a simple question.”

“Oh, no. Don't apologize. It's nice to hear someone talk about Inu-Yasha with fondness instead of pity or anger. That's rare nowadays.” Kagome knew that even she was guilty of that sentiment.

“Well, what can I say? Inu-Yasha's the reason I'm here today. Funny how life works out, ain't it?”

“Absolutely.”

The two fell silent, sitting awkwardly after such a revealing and personal conversation. Kagome drew invisible doodles on the floor with her finger while Shippo pulled out his toy snake and whistled softly as he made it jump and wriggle. Fortunately, they did not have to sit for long.

The door to the apartment swung open and Sango, looking very tired, stepped into the hallway. “Good morning, Kagome. Thanks for coming. Shippo, I'm glad to see you're out here and not hiding in the closet again.”

“What can I say?” Shippo replied, bouncing to his feet with an impish smile. “Curiosity is my very nature.”

Rolling her eyes, Sango went back inside and gestured for them to follow. Shippo held the door for Kagome, giving her a slight bow while his eyes sparkled brightly. She chuckled lightly in response and slipped past him into the apartment.

“Good morning, everyone,” she said while Shippo shut the door and padded next to Sessho-maru. Instead of heading for an open chair, she made her way to Miroku. While the attack at the apartment had been some time ago, his wounds were slow to heal. There were many scrapes he could leave uncovered, but some still required a bandage. Kagome made it a point to check his injuries every time she was over.

However, before she could even lay her hands on the first wrapping, Kaede's hoarse voice croaked, “Let him be, child.”

“Yes, Kagome,” Miroku agreed, holding up his hands. “I've been poked and prodded enough for one day, thank you.”

Kagome acquiesced and backed away. While she perched upon an empty chair brought over from the dining area, Miroku added, “If I must be fussed over so much, I request that Sango do it next time. It would be much more enjoya—ouch!”

Ignoring Miroku as Sango kicked his shin, Kagome looked at Kaede and asked, “I take it you've already changed his dressings, then?”

“Yes. And they are healing nicely.” Kaede gave her a piercing stare. “If your talents were not absolutely essential elsewhere, you would have become a tremendous healer.”

Flushing from the praise, which Kaede did not deal out lightly, Kagome merely nodded in acceptance.

With a slight cough, Kaede broke off her gaze with the girl and peered around the room. “Well. I suppose now that everyone has arrived, we can begin. I am going to preface this meeting with a warning. What we are about to speak of concerns our only chance, and only plan, of defeating Naraku. Now, Miroku and I have performed all the necessary enchantments for keeping outsiders from listening in. However, everyone on the inside must make sure this information doesn't leak out. So if you are unable to keep your mouth shut—“ Her eye lingered on Shippo for a brief moment while he blinked innocently at her. “—and are unwilling to take a vow of secrecy, leave now.”

She glared harshly around the room for several seconds, but no one moved. Sango and Miroku sat tight-lipped with matching stony expressions. Sessho-maru remained stock-still, his emotions tightly concealed behind a stoic mask. Worry clouded Kagome's blue eyes, though she made no objection. And Shippo, keeper of the perpetual smile, quivered with excitement until Sessho-maru shot him a disdainful look.

“Very well,” Kaede sighed, leaning back in her armchair. “Then we can begin.”

After receiving a nod from Kaede to continue, Sango leaned forward. “Thanks to the efforts of Kagome and another agent, we now have solid evidence that this is the same Naraku this city fought eight years ago. He's created his stronghold in a huge network of caverns below the city, with the entrance being at the quarry on the north side of town. We also know that he is in possession of several Shikon shards. This appears to be the only possible reason behind his abnormal increase in power, his control over all renegade demons in the city, and even his untimely survival from the first battle.”

Miroku piped up from the armchair. “But, while his greatest weapon is the power the shards have granted him, we have a secret weapon of our own. A weapon that will turn Naraku's greatest strength into the source of his destruction.”

“You mean… we'll be using the Shikon shards against him?” Shippo asked, tilting his head in confusion. “I didn't think that was possible. The shards grant power only to those who have them in their possession. No outside force can harm `em.”

With a polite nod in his superior's direction, Miroku replied, “I believe Lady Kaede is better prepared to address your point than I.”

Kaede shifted to face the fox. “It is generally known that the Jewel's powers affect the host body. However, the Jewel itself does not remain unaffected. It will absorb some of the energy its owner emits. For the past several years, the Shikon Jewel has been in many different hands. Naraku himself had it in his power eight years ago. And then, once it had shattered, the pieces passed through the hands of demons and corrupt humans alike. Every time it changed hands, it absorbed energy. Whether the energy has been from the sin and greed residing in the hearts of humans, or from the demonic aura released by those of your kind, the end result is the same. The Shikon Jewel is tainted with evil.”

Shippo frowned in disbelief. “I find it hard to believe that the Jewel has never been in the hands of someone pure-hearted. With the number of shards that split out, surely a piece fell into the hands of at least one good person.”

Kaede gave him a sharp glare for his cheek. “There were a few, actually,” she curtly replied. “However, those select few had enough sense not to use the shards and instead turned them in to the Order. As for the rest of the jewel… Never forget how intoxicating the promise of power can be, Shippo, lest you fall prey to it yourself.”

That effectively silenced the fox.

“By having most of the Jewel in his possession,” Kaede continued, now addressing the entire room, “Naraku is further poisoning it. And as his strength grows, so will the Jewel's.”

“As most of us are aware, Naraku cannot resist power. He possesses half of the Jewel. I am certain he desires the rest of it. He will want assurance that this time he cannot be stopped in his takeover of the city. It is common knowledge that we had the rest of the Jewel shards under our protection at our headquarters.”

“But Muso has taken control of HQ!” Shippo cried out, leaping to his feet. “We've gotta go! We've gotta get `em back!” He looked frantically around at everyone, as though waiting for them to jump and join him. No one did. It took the combined gazes of both Kaede and Sessho-maru to make him sink back to the floor.

Once he was seated, his face burning from embarrassment, Kaede told him, “Calm yourself, child. Muso has been in control of our building for a long while now. He has yet to find the shards. They are well-hidden, and protected by a powerful enchantment. Not even Naraku himself would obtain them at this point.”

Shippo appeared distinctly relieved to hear this.

Clearing her throat, Kaede went on. “It was advantageous of Naraku to take over our headquarters. Not only would he be able to freely search for the Jewel shards, but he also forced us to scatter. An opponent that isn't united is a weak opponent, after all. But now, things have changed. We've been able to cling together and place some meager defenses, yes. But Naraku has grown stronger. Much stronger. There is only one problem for him—he cannot find the Shikon shards. I'm sure by now he has realized that the only way he will obtain them is by letting us show him where they are.”

Shippo made an odd noise, clearly wanting to speak but choking back the words. He gave Kaede a sheepish look from under his bangs and then stared down at his paws. Kaede stared at him approvingly. He was learning to keep quiet and listen.

“If we were to return to HQ, it is more likely that one of us will let loose a hint as to the Jewel's location. Or, we might remove it from its original hiding place because we may believe it's no longer safe. Naraku doesn't know, but he has a better chance of success by letting us back inside to find it for him than if he were to continue looking on his own. Thus, I have reason to believe that, if we were to stage a takeover of headquarters, we would assuredly win it back. If for no other reason than Naraku would be allowing us to have it.”

“So we wouldn't have to meet in secret like this?” Kagome asked, speaking for the first time since the conversation had started. “We'd have access to all our data, research, facilities, everything?” She sounded relieved at the thought.

“Yes,” Kaede slowly nodded. “That is part of the reason we need our headquarters back.”

Kagome, who had been following the conversation fairly well up until this point, shared a glance of confusion with Shippo. “Only part of the reason?” she asked.

“Indeed,” Kaede replied. “We need access to our half of the Jewel. It is our secret weapon.”

Frowning, Kagome shifted in her chair and looked around at Sango, Miroku, and Sessho-maru. None of them appeared worried or concerned, but she couldn't understand why. “Look…” she began slowly. “I know the Jewel is a powerful object. But we cannot fight fire with fire here! That shard is too dangerous to be used. You said it yourself, Lady Kaede, how intoxicating power can be. There is no demon or human that I know of under the employ of the Order that would be able to handle such power! Far be it from me to make such decisions, but I mean, really! If we use the Jewel shards, then we are no better than Naraku!”

She ended her rant red-faced and twitchy. It was a little embarrassing, how loud her voice had gotten, but this was something she felt very strongly about. They could not pin their hopes for success on the Jewel.

Kaede was smiling proudly at her. “You are absolutely right, Kagome. It would be very foolish to use the Jewel against him. Instead, we will give our shards to him.”

Silence greeted her statement. Silence that was born from shock and surprise. Kagome and Shippo stared at her in open-mouthed awe, both waiting for her to laugh and say, “Just kidding!”

But she did not. She met their gazes with a steely one of her own, any trace of her previous smile completely erased. In fact, she was so serious that Shippo finally burst out, “Did you forget your medicine today, lady? You're crazy! That's the stupidest idea I've ever—yee-ouch!” He was interrupted by a sharp rap on the head dealt by Sessho-maru.

“Ignoring that outburst,” said Kaede, glaring at the fox out of the corner of her eye, “I meant what I said. We will somehow make certain that Naraku obtains the complete Jewel.”

“But…but why?” Kagome asked faintly.

“It is as I mentioned earlier. Naraku is tainting the Jewel, poisoning it with demonic energy. If he gets the entire Jewel, then the whole thing will become an incredibly powerful, demonic artifact. And that, Kagome, is where you come in.” Kaede captured Kagome's eyes with her own. “You have been blessed with exceptionally strong holy powers, Kagome. Powers that I believe are strong enough to purify such an artifact out of existence.”

At last all the puzzle pieces clicked together. Kagome and Shippo stared at one another in surprise, then focused their attention back on Kaede.

“But, um, m-ma'am…” Shippo tentatively cut in, trying very hard to remain polite. He did not wish to be on the receiving end of another of Sessho-maru's punishments. “I see how that destroys the Jewel, but not Naraku. Isn't Naraku incredibly powerful, even without the shards?”

“He is, Shippo, yes. But in the first battle, when Inu-Yasha broke the Jewel into pieces with his claws, do you remember what happened after that?”

Shippo shook his mane of orange hair. Being so young at the time, his parents kept him far away from the scene of battle to protect him.

“There was a massive explosion,” Sango informed him, finally rejoining the conversation. “When the Jewel broke apart, it tore Naraku's body to pieces, leveled the surrounding area, and flung Inu-Yasha back almost five city blocks. Can you imagine what an incredible force will be made when that bolt of pure energy will pierce the demonic Jewel? It will consume Naraku whole. Nothing will be left of him.”

“And half the city, too,” Miroku mumbled under his breath, but Sango gave him a good kick.

“It's the only way we'll be able to destroy him for good. We can take the Jewel out with him, and this awful war will never have to happen again.” A shred of hope worked its way into Sango's tone.

“I-it sounds… awfully r-risky,” Kagome said quietly, staring at her lap. Her hands were clutched together, shaking despite how tightly she grasped them. “I-I mean, giving Naraku the whole Jewel

any p-period of time seems foolish. And then, to re-rely solely on me…” At this point, her voice failed her, and she shut her eyes.

Sango quickly went over to Kagome and put an arm around her shoulders. “You're not going to be out there alone,” she promised. “Miroku and I will be right behind you every step of the way. We would never just send you out to the wolves.”

“I think she'd rather you be in front of her,” Shippo muttered. Sessho-maru cuffed him once again in an effort to silence him.

Despite Sango's efforts, Kagome was hardly consoled. Kaede, seeing this, cleared her throat expectantly and waited until the terrified girl made eye contact. “Child,” she began, her voice far gentler than usual. “We learned much from the first war. We learned the hard way what can happen when we place all our hope in someone who could not follow through with the tasks given to them. We are hardly likely to make the same mistake again. Do you really believe we would put our trust in you if we did not believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that you were up to the challenge?”

Kagome, whose face was growing whiter with every passing moment, swallowed and then nodded weakly. Honestly, she did not believe it, but her tongue wasn't working well enough to argue back.

“Hm.” Frowning, Kaede stared at her for a moment, then sighed and shook her head. There was still much more to discuss, but Kagome was clearly going to take nothing else away from the meeting. It would be best to give her a day to process the task set for her before they continued planning.

“Well, now that you all know our plans, I suggest we reconvene tomorrow. Think on this. There are plenty of obstacles we must overcome and many traps to set in place. Tomorrow evening, we will discuss exactly how we are to reclaim HQ. Until then, train hard, rest well, and watch your backs. Naraku thrives off his information network and will use any means necessary to learn of what happens here. Do not forget—if he finds out our plot to destroy him, all is lost.” Her eye lingered on each group member. Once satisfied they all grasped the severity of her warning, she bowed her head and stepped out of the circle of chairs.

“Sango,” she called over her shoulder as she shuffled away. “Would you help me make a pot of tea? I can never find anything in your kitchen.”

Sango quickly followed the elderly woman, leaving Kagome, Miroku, Shippo, and Sessho-maru sitting alone in an awkward silence.

Shippo and Miroku glanced at each other before turning to Kagome. She didn't even notice the power of their combined gaze. Instead, she slowly picked up her purse, stood, returned her chair to the dining area, and then shakily left the apartment in silence.

“She looked like she was gonna faint,” Shippo blurted out the moment the door shut.

“You would too if you had just been told you were the only hope for defeating an all-powerful demon,” Miroku curtly replied, leaning back in his chair. “She must be terrified right now. I hadn't even thought, after all our meetings and discussions, how Kagome would feel about all of this.”

It was at this point when Sessho-maru abruptly rose from his armchair and strode to the door. Shippo, trained to trail his teacher without question, jumped to his feet and made to follow. However, a subtle wave of his hand halted the fox in his tracks. He had been travelling with Sessho-maru plenty long enough to learn when to leave his master alone.

Turning as the dog demon silently shut the door behind himself, Shippo shrugged in response to the questioning look Miroku shot his way. “He does this,” was Shippo's only explanation.

oOoOo

Sessho-maru glanced up and down the hallway outside of the apartment before focusing his gaze on Kagome's retreating back. Her head was held down, her shoulders were slumped, and she was clutching her purse in front of her with both hands. His eyes narrowed at the sight. In two leaps that were faster than humanly possible, he landed immediately in front of her just as she was reaching for the elevator button.

She gasped and jerked her hand back at the sight of him. “W-what do you want?” she choked out, stepping back. Her shock wore off quickly and she tried to glare at him. She did not appreciate his sudden appearance.

He stared harshly down upon her. “You are afraid,” he stated, making her twitch at how bluntly he spoke.

Scowling at him, it was several moments under his unflinching gaze before her temper died down and she looked away. “Yes,” she replied, hugging her purse tightly against her chest. “I am a little afraid at the thought of taking Naraku down by myself, yes.”

“Why do you fear? You have the power. At least, that is what the hag has informed us. She is a good judge of skill, if nothing else.” His disdain for Kaede was evident.

Kagome frowned. “That's as may be. I might have the power inside, but I haven't tapped into it yet, and I don't know how. Who's to say I'll be able to reach it by the time the final showdown will take place? They can't postpone the destruction of the city just so I can learn how. This is hopeless…” Shutting her eyes, she shook her head.

The demon carefully regarded her. His gaze was strong and hard, so much so that Kagome finally looked up into his amber eyes with a glare of her own. “You are a fool, Higurashi.”

She scoffed angrily. “I'm a fool for being afraid? I'm so sorry I don't deny my natural instinct for survival, Sessho-maru. Really.”

He ignored her comment. He cared little for what she had to say. “You are a fool for setting yourself up to follow my idiot half-brother.”

The sarcasm eked out of her at the mention of Inu-Yasha. “I… I beg your pardon?”

“This is the same path Inu-Yasha is currently on, Higurashi. He did not have what it took to remain an agent for the Order, and so he gave up. It was the easy way out. The coward's way out. And you are about to travel down that path.” With that being said, his gaze lessened, and he stepped out from in front of her so she could pass by. “Your elevator.” He then strode back down the hallway.

Kagome stood for just a moment before turning around. “Sessho-maru!” she called. He paused, but did not turn around. “Why… why are you telling me this?” It was a strange bit of reverse psychology, but it was working. She just could hardly believe that he actually cared enough about her to help her regain her resolve and confidence.

He didn't answer right away. He didn't want to give her the wrong impression, after all. However, after a moment of consideration, he quietly replied, “A coward dies a thousand deaths, Higurashi. My brother proved that true by picking the slowest form of suicide possible. You seem to be a fairly sensible person. If you must be a coward, at least chose a swifter way to die.” And then, he strode away from her once again.

“Don't you worry, Sessho-maru!” came Kagome's angry shout after a moment of consideration. “I'm no coward! And I will not follow in Inu-Yasha's footsteps! I will face Naraku! And I will beat him!”

“Hmph.”

He waited patiently for her to at last leave the building. She was a curious girl, but he did not relish the thought of dealing with her yo-yo of emotions every time they met. She would have to learn respect, and soon. Until then, long periods of time spent with her were unwelcome and unwise.

It wasn't until he heard the elevator ding as it took her away did he stop walking. Sessho-maru shut his eyes once the elevator slid downward. Using his senses, he reached out in all directions to make certain no one was around. His hackles didn't raise, and his nose confirmed there were no humans nearby, so he opened his eyes and spoke.

“Show yourself.”

It took a moment, but at last his hair shifted, and soon a beleaguered flea jumped into his waiting palm.

“L-lord Sessho-maru! You're looking very well,” Myoga said in greeting as he bowed deeply.

“Silence, you sniveling old fool.”

Myoga abruptly shut his mouth.

Glaring icily down at the flea, Sessho-maru stated, “What news have you of my dim-witted half-brother?”

Myoga's bulbous eyes blinked in surprise. “Inu-Yasha? I know nothing concerning his fate, my lord. I haven't seen him since he ran out on everything. I have been given other important tasks to do, you know.”

“You have been given nothing of great importance, and you would be far too cowardly to perform such a task were it given to you. I say again, what news have you of my idiot brother?”

Swallowing hard, Myoga shifted more to the center of Sessho-maru's palm and away from the venomous claws that surrounded him. “The last I knew of Inu-Yasha, he was in... better health than he had for a long while. This is before he learned of Naraku's reappearance, of course. Miss Higurashi has been instrumental in aiding your brother, and she had gotten farther with him than anyone else. He stayed sober for unusually long periods of time, was getting back in fighting form, was trying to quit smoking... He was slowly becoming himself again. My lord,” he added hastily, not wanting to raise the demon's ire.

“Hmph.” Sessho-maru's expression was carefully blank. “You speak as though all of this is a thing of the past. What reason have you to believe this has changed?”

Myoga sighed. “The same reason you have, my Lord. Naraku's return seems to have taken something away from him. He told Miss Higurashi that he was quitting and then he left. We haven't seen him since.”

“No one has checked on him?” A chilling drop of venom leaked into Sessho-maru's voice.

Trembling, Myoga ducked his head. “N-no, my lord. With Naraku's return, too many plans needed to be made and carried out. There is too much work to do. They cannot spare anyone to try and round up a wayward half-demon.”

Sessho-maru's eyes narrowed. “I do believe they can spare you.”

“Oh, n-no! I can't go! I cannot do anything without a direct order from Sango or Miroku! They need me!” Myoga insisted, waving his tiny hands in the air.

“You live your life in fear, you pathetic fool. Allow me to ask you this question: who do you fear most? Sango and Miroku?” He raised his hand up to his eyes, where Myoga could see his golden irises burning with anger. “Or me?”

Myoga gulped. “I-I will go,” he squeaked.

“Good.” His gaze returned to its usual cold expression as he lowered his hand and Myoga bounced off. “Report back to me immediately upon your return. Do not waste a moment.”

“Yes, my lord.”

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Hm, hm, hm. I await your thoughts. Hope you enjoyed reading.