InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Healing a TaiYoukai ❯ Chapter Nine ( Chapter 9 )

Healing a Taiyoukai
-By: MuteShadow
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Disclaime r: I, MuteShadow, do not own InuYasha. Any InuYasha related items are strictly owned by Rumiko Takahashi and her producers/lawyers.

Author's Note: This fanfiction was originally written by SilentAngel [Selena Bervaidous]. The original plot, ideas and story belong to her. Any changes and/or alterations to this story belong to myself, MuteShadow.

WARNING: Sexual Situations (Lemons, Lime etc...), Language, Gore/Violence and angst.

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I don't know if I have found the right flow for the continuation but I hope my return is welcomed and my readers/fans are as ecstatic to see me as I am to be back.

Read, Rate and Review;

-MuteShadow

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Chapter Nine
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"Hello? Hello?"

Kagome looked around the black dome, her eyes widened with fear. Her call echoed in the eternal dark abyss, her voice fading away into the distance of the shadows. She stood stiffly, her body rigid, and glanced around her, unable to comprehend where she was. One moment she was about to die by InuYasha's Kaze no Kizu and now she was in a dark, solemn world.

'Am I dead?' she wondered.

She looked down at her pale, shaking hands and frowned. Had the Kaze no Kizu killed her? Her hands fisted. Had Sesshoumaru died as well?

She shook her head. No, he could not have died. She had sacrificed herself to ensure that would not happen. She still remembered looking up into his face as she placed the barrier around them. Yet if she had placed a barrier how could she be dead? She remembered clearly focusing the sudden rush of tender feelings towards Sesshoumaru into her energy output when she created the shield. She shuddered. The memory of the pain she had felt still made her body ache, and made her wince at the thought of feeling that soul-tearing pain again. It was an indescribable pain - it had felt like her entire being had been ripped into graffiti.

Kagome looked up into the black ceiling. She did not know where she was or if she could leave this place. All she knew was that she had somehow been injured by the Kaze no Kizu and it had resulted in her being transported into this depressing realm. Her physical body was still alive - she could feel it. Fisting her hands, she breathed in deeply and slowly released the air from her lungs. Feeling calmer, she began to analyze her situation.

'I need to figure out how to get out of here. I need to see if Sesshoumaru is okay... and InuYasha must be worried. Sango, Miroku, Shippou, Kirara... they must all be furious with InuYasha right now.'

She glanced behind her when she thought she heard a noise. She placed a pause on her train of thought. She listened more intently, trying to hear the noise again yet secretly hoping she wouldn't. Seconds stretched into minutes. Kagome exhaled when nothing happened. Relieved, she continued her mustering.

'I'm obviously still alive because if I wasn't I'd either be getting a pair of wings or be burning in a fire pit right now. I can feel my heartbeat in my chest. I think... I think I just might be in some sort of deep recess of my mind. When I created that barrier I had placed a lot of emotional strength into it when I erected it around me and Sesshoumaru. Kaede warned me that using emotional energy opposed to spiritual energy is dangerous. Could this be the consequence?'

It certainly made sense. Tapping her chin thoughtfully with the tip of her index finger, Kagome frowned, intrigued with her ideas. Perhaps this wasn't her mind. Maybe... maybe she had actually been drawn into her soul. Kagome glanced around her. Could she have opened her soul to Tessaiga's assault and it had been damaged? Her heart fluttered in panic. Every miko knew that any spiritual damage to one's own soul could mean something worse then death. The sound of foot steps caused her to cringe.

She did not know what she was going to have to face from her own soul but she knew she certainly was not going to find it an enjoyable ordeal. Memories of heart aches and hard life experiences flashed in her mind. No, she certainly did not want to face all her problems in one moment. Sweat began to trickle down her back and the side of her face. She gulped when the anonymous being continued to get closer, their foot steps sounding nearer with each passing second. Stiffly, she turned to face them and watched, tensely, as a black shadow moved from the darkness, growing more and more clear as they came nearer.

Kagome felt her hands tremble nervously; her stormy blue eyes watching the figure intensely like a hawk. The figure started to move into the very little light created by Kagome. A bamboo-ed foot in thick white socks emerged from the dark, along with a long red pant leg. Kagome froze in instant recognition. Her face revealing her shock, she watched the willowy person come into focus, their cold brown eyes staring back at her, inanimate and steely. The beautiful pale face remained impassive as the miko then stood before her reincarnation, stoic and silent.

Kagome gaped at her incarnate. “Kikyou?” she said the woman's name softly, her confusion evident.

Those emotionless brown eyes stared back at her inanimately. Kikyou stood perfectly still, beautiful and silent, just as she had always been when Kagome had come into her presence. Kagome felt the world swaying. Kikyou was dead; she had watched Kikyou die. InuYasha had held her in the field and the Shikon priestess had then vanished in a burst of energy, releasing both Kagome's half of their soul and the souls her Shinidimachuu had collected for her decaying clay body over the years. Kagome's face became pained. She knew very well why Kikyou had died. It was because of her. She had let Kikyou die. She hadn't helped her; she had been too weak.

Kagome shuddered. She could still remember watching Naraku clasp her in his disgusting, transfigured claws. She could still hear that horrible sound of him piercing her clay flesh and filling her body with his shouki. In her mind's eye, she saw Kikyou's dying face as she pleaded for forgiveness from InuYasha.

Looking up, she stared at the miko. "W-What are you doing here? Kikyou... did... you not... die?" she stammered.

Kikyou stared at her, her face as revealing as a blank sheet of paper. "Yes. I did die."

Kagome stiffened when she heard the older girl's voice. Watching those eyes so different from hers, despite the fact she could not read her thoughts, she froze when she saw Kikyou's pale lips moving again.

"Because of you." Kikyou's brown eyes narrowed. "You wanted me to die did you not, Kagome? You knew I still loved InuYasha; you knew he still loved me.” Kikyou glared at her furiously, the first sign of any emotion from the priestess. “And because of that you allowed Naraku to kill me."

Kikyou's upper lip curled into a hateful sneer.

"You are as twisted and greedy as Naraku. Even as my reincarnation you received none of me. You may have part of my spirit, Kagome, but you were not graced with my strength and conscience."

The words echoed in Kagome's head. Her entire body seemed to have grown roots that now made her unable to move from the spot. She could not run from those accusation-filled eyes. Her chest heaving as she started to breathe faster and deeper, gasping for air that seemed unable to fill her air-deprived lungs, she felt her body become cold as Kikyou continued to stare at her with an acute hatred. She watched tears begin to fill the girl's eyes yet never did the droplets break over the rim of her eyelids.

Kikyou stepped forward, her hands fisted at her sides, her eyes swimming with tears.

“How could you let me die? You knew that I had been deprived of a life before! You knew I loved him and he loved me! Why could you not have died instead?” Kikyou yelled, shaking her head angrily, her two long black side-hoops swaying with the action.

“You wanted him for yourself! You hated me for wanting him and my chance to be a normal, happy human! But I loved him first and was the first to love him! It was my right! I love InuYasha!”

Kagome's tongue felt too heavy to lift to form the apologetic words that wanted to burst from her lips. Seeing Kikyou cry and yell, Kagome winced at the pain reflected in the older girl's currently soulful eyes, making her heart twist guiltily in her chest. The anger, hate and sadness the Shikon priestess was revealing to her made her feel like the most disgusting thing created. Tears flooding in her eyes, Kagome hesitantly walked towards Kikyou, her arms held open in a sign of peace. Her blue eyes holding Kikyou's teary brown pair; she stopped just a meter before her and whispered shakily,

“I'm sorry, Kikyou… I didn't want you to die.”

“You are a horrible liar. You wanted me to die after I tried to claim vengeance against InuYasha by bringing him to Hell with me.” The miko's face softened just a bit, the firm line that was her pursed lips turning downwards into a frown. “It was a mistake - I did not know of Naraku's participation nor did I care at that time. I had been wronged and I can assume you understand that when in pain you do unnecessary, regretful actions.”

“You saved me in the pond not because you wanted to but because you knew InuYasha would be upset at my passing. You saw him after Naraku's seemingly successful riddance of me on Mt. Hokurai. Your conscience was at least cleared a bit then. But now you have nothing to ease your tainted soul, Kagome. You allowed me to die for selfish, morbid reasons that defile your status as the Shikon miko.”

Kagome listened to Kikyou's words, silent and restraining the urge to scream, plead, cry… anything to stop the torrent of all her insecurities and fears that spurted from the deceased priestess' mouth. Slowly, she raised her hidden eyes from beneath her onyx bangs and met those flaring brown orbs.

“You are right. I was jealous. I was resentful. I loved him - or at least I thought I did." Sesshoumaru's face curiously flashed in her mind's eye. Kagome ignored the taiyoukai's odd appearance in her mind during her admittance of not loving InuYasha. Now was not the time to mull over it. "I admit I wanted you to die… demo,” she paused, intending to let her fluttering heart and twisting stomach to calm.

 

She closed her eyes and hid them again beneath her black bangs.

“Demo… that was a long time ago when I didn't know your reasons for what you were doing but when I saw the good you were doing against Naraku, the villages you visited, for InuYasha and our group and for Kohaku and Kouga… even me… I did not want you to die.” Kagome gave a sad smile to the silent girl. “I was jealous of you. You will always hold that part of InuYasha I wanted however…,” she gazed into the pale face of her incarnate. “I gave up a long time ago trying to have him. When you died I was sad. Not just for you but for InuYasha and for everyone. We lost an ally and a friend.”

Kikyou's eyes widened and her mouth opened a bit. Kagome blinked at the look of shock on Kikyou's face. Silence entered the space between them. One in white and green facing a pillar of white and red, they stood on the black floor, staring at one another. Kikyou eyed Kagome and finally nodded.

“You have passed. Thank you, Kagome.”

The younger girl watched, shocked, as the miko then faded away into the black shadows again, leaving nothing behind but the scent of bellflowers and the memory of the look of acceptance and respect the miko had revealed on her porcelain face. Kagome felt her brow furrow in confusion. What had just happened? One moment Kikyou was here, pouring her heart out and making Kagome hear every regret and guilty thought she had had in the last three years and now she just evaporated in the air?

Kagome sighed and shook her head. Everything was so confusing. Yet a small voice in her head, much alike to Kaede's, was whispering inside her whirling mind. This odd situation related very closely to what they had spoken about - the repercussions of the soul barrier. Kagome scanned the area quickly. Her soul had been damaged much worse then she had assumed. If what she thought was true then Kikyou was the smallest of her problems.

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Sesshoumaru watched Kagome intently, noticing the array of expressions crossing her pale face. His golden eyes narrowing, he stiffened when he heard her sob as if she was about to cry, her face now displaying a heart-wrenching sorrow she had hid inside herself for years. Sesshoumaru turned to the older miko who stood behind him and watched her shuffle forward towards Kagome, her creased face showing her concern. Kaede placed a wrinkled hand on the Kagome's forehead and closed her one eye in concentration. A blue light lighted around her hand and she withdrew it, a solemn expression etched on her aged face. The taiyoukai stared at her coolly, his face blank.

“What is wrong with her, ningen?” he demanded.

Kaede pursed her lips and sighed. The taiyoukai had been much like a guard dog to Kagome and the elder was finding her patience ebbing away with his consistent lack of trust of her abilities. Shaking her head, Kaede exhaled to calm herself before she spoke to the demon lord.

“She has begun to face one of the many fears and hurts of her past, Sesshoumaru-sama. It seems Kagome is trapped in the deep recesses of her soul. Neither prayer nor charm will draw her out; it is what I feared.”

Kaede watched Kagome become silent again.

“Kagome will eventually come back to us but I do not know if she will be who she was before the damage done to her by this journey. The path of oneself is a dangerous one. Ye find flaws and things ye never knew about yourself that will frighten and confuse ye. Kagome is not perfect no matter the purity of her soul. She is as human as any other human being on this earth with the exception of her generosity and kindness. She has not been touched by the world's cruelty and, as curious and odd as that is, it is a danger to her. For in her innocence she does not understand that every person has a tendency to lust, be greedy, hate and hurt.”

Sesshoumaru eyed the miko, a small glimmer of respect and curiosity in his amber gaze. “You know much about your own people, ningen. Most of your kind remains ignorant to their flaws.”

Kaede gave a tiny grim smile to the taiyoukai. “It comes with age and much experience, Sesshoumaru-sama. I had the honor to have an older sister who exposed onto me her foresight and knowledge.” A look of sadness crossed Kaede's face.

“Aye, my sister Kikyou did teach me many things other then archery and rituals. Her deaths,” Kaede pluralized the priestess' demise, “have taught me more. Fate is a line drawn for ye. Ye can not hide nor ignore it. The kami decide it for ye and if it be what not ye want nor care for it can not be denied either way.”

Sesshoumaru sensed a double meaning to the priestess' words. “That is for humans, miko. No one decides this Sesshoumaru's fate but him.” He stated firmly.

Kaede raised a brow at Sesshoumaru. Seeing the cold look of determination on his elegant face, she nodded. This demon seemed to not be touched by the kami and their power. His power, intelligence and alarming knowledge was not a gift by the kami. No, this demon had had many experiences in the world and they were not pleasant ones nor meant for the weak. She could see in his eyes the result of such harsh lessons. They had made him powerful, yes, but had cost him something dear - his humanity.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at the elder priestess who continued to stare at him fixatedly. Slanting his glare furthermore, he pinned her with a steely glance.

“Do all humans not know even the smallest of manners such as not staring?”

Kaede's brow furrowed at the arrogant remark. Looking away, she watched him form the corner of her eye as he turned his attention back to Kagome. The miko chewed on the inside of her cheek in agitation. She could only pray the gods be generous and bring the inu-tachi here and have Kagome awaken soon so she may be rid of the taiyoukai.

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A little girl dressed in an orange and white kimino hopped on one foot, leaping over the small stones she had placed in an intriguing design and sang happily to herself. Her brown eyes wide with happiness, she giggled as a near by dragon yawned loudly, the yawn sounding more like a roar then its exhale of fatigue. The clearing was a small make-shift camp, its occupants lazing about it quite contently. A green toad stood like a statue at the edge of it, eyeing the sky and the surrounding forest consistently. He shifted his small black hat atop of his head, his green claws itching to wrap themselves around the child's throat who continued to pester him.

“Nama no naka, mori no naka, kaze no naka, yume no naka. Sesshoumaru-sama doko ni iru-“

“Rin! Cease that insufferable racket!” Jaken, her caretaker and ever grouchy companion, snapped, his bulbous yellow eyes narrowing in annoyance.

The little girl blinked at the toad and smiled. Rin then looked up at the sky, her eyes alight with merriment. "Jaken-sama, can Rin go see Sesshoumaru-sama now?"

Jaken glared at the child angrily, his face revealing his distaste for the little girl's company. Ignoring the giggling Rin, Jaken raised his eyes to the sky, his brows furrowed in concern. Where had his Lord Sesshoumaru gone? He had been missing for more than two weeks which was not usual for his master. Eyeing his staff with its grotesque heads, he frowned. His lord could not possibly be in any sort of danger. Sesshoumaru-sama was too powerful for that. Yet if that was the case (and it most surely was he told himself) why was he taking so long? He had said he would be back promptly after he finished scouting the south-western area of the Western lands.

'This Sesshoumaru will be back.' The cool voice of his Master echoed in Jaken's head.

Frowning, Jaken glanced at the dancing little girl who now was braiding a sleeping Ah and Un's mane. Sighing, Jaken slumped as his left eye started twitching. How could the Kami's be so cruel as to have he watch over this hell-ridden child? What had he done in his mere five century life time to deserve this punishment? Hearing Rin begin to sing again, Jaken groaned.

He could not take this for much longer.

Eyeing the flying dragon thoughtfully, Jaken growled. He would go and find Sesshoumaru-sama if it meant Rin and he would be parted from each other! Standing up quickly, a purpose full in his heart, Jaken grasped his staff tightly in his green hand and stomped towards Rin and Ah Un.

“Watashi wa hitori de machimashou, Sesshoumaru-sama omodori wo.”

Rin stopped singing when Jaken stomped in front of her, his toad face twisted in a scowl. "Jaken-sama, are we going somewhere?" she asked when she noticed Jaken grabbing Ah and Un's reins.

Jaken huffed and puffed as he pulled at the reins of the stubborn dragon. The dragon eyed the annoying frog coolly before deciding they would play being difficult for the retainer of their lord - they did not like him, his rudeness to the human child nor did they particularly enjoy his smell. Ah and Un glanced at one another conspiringly and mentally agreed to stay where they were. Roaring another yawn, the two-headed dragon stretched languidly and rolled onto its side, ignoring Jaken's incensed screams.

"We… are… going to go see… Sesshoumaru-sama… Rin!” Jaken panted as he continued to attempt to lift the large beast that now silently laughed at his strength. “Now stop braiding that idiot monster's head and let's go!" the toad squawked as he continued trying to pull the reluctant Ah and Un from the ground.

Ah and Un growled at Jaken's less then polite reference to them. Their serpent eyes slanting furiously, the dragon suddenly stood and snapped their head's to the side, roaring their displeasure. Jaken squealed in terror as he clung to the reins desperately as the dragon snapped it's heads' back and forth, making the toad fly through the air like a ball attached to a rope. Rin laughed and clapped her hands excitedly, her little face alight with pleasure at the spectacle of her caretaker becoming a green shooting star.

However, Rin gasped in awe when the toad's body continued to fly in the air hazardously, his death grip on the dragon's leather bounds never relenting, she `ooohed' when she saw Jaken's hands slipping.

"Ah and Un do not like Jaken-sama! Jaken-sama should apologize!" Rin suggested innocently.

Ah and Un roared in agreement. Flinging their head to the right with a force of the Kami's, Jaken screamed as his slimy green hands released the reins suddenly. Flying through the air, a loud thump was heard as Jaken went right through a near by tree, his lower body hanging limply from the tree hole he had made. Ah and Un snorted, the sound sounding much alike to a husky chuckle, smoke rising from their nostrils. Turning their scaly behind to the toad, the dragon hunkered to the other side of the camp and settled themselves beneath a comfy tree, eyeing the toad with apparent amusement.

Skipping to her care giver, Rin poked at the groaning imp. "Dajibou, Jaken-sama?"

"Rin... go and prepare Ah and Un." he pleaded tearfully.

Nodding, the little girl walked to the now chuckling dragons. Placing her hands on her little hips, she gave them a cute scowl. "Come on, Ah and Un. Rin and Jaken-sama need to find Sesshomaru-sama, onegai."

Nodding its two heads, Ah and Un stood for the child and bent down so that the little ningen could climb on it's back. Grasping the reins in her small hands, Rin sat astride Ah and Un and smiled at the sputtering Jaken. The toad glared at the infernal beats of a dragon. So it wanted to be like that? Obey the human child and not their lord's ever kind, generous, faithful servant, the mighty Ja-

"Are you coming, Jaken-sama?" Rin called to the toad as she rose into the sky.

Taking himself out of the tree hole and plopping to the ground, the youkai raised himself from the floor tiredly, his eyes narrowing in a glare when he noted the smug look in Ah Un's four eyes. "Hai. Now let's go." He muttered.

Ah and Un glanced at one another and gave each other two fanged smiles. In unison, they extended their wings and lifted their large body and Rin into the air and began leisurely gliding to the south-western territory.

"What about me?! Come and get me you lousy, infernal beast!" A landed Jaken screamed as he chased after the giggling Rin and Ah Un.

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The InuYasha group turned their eyes to InuYasha who remained staring up at the sky. Sango moved forward, her fist raised and ready to land upon his cranium only to have Miroku pull her backwards, his violet eyes steely. Shaking his head firmly at Sango, he felt Shippou shaking underneath his robes where the kit had wormed himself during the fight between Sesshoumaru and InuYasha. His hand gripping his golden staff, trying to calm his shaking body, Miroku cleared his throat and managed to say stiffly,

"InuYasha."

The hanyou ignored Miroku, his golden eyes intent on the cloudless sky. The group watched the silver-hair boy then lower his head, his thick silver bangs covering half of his face, only the trembling, thin line of lips and a curious wet trail sliding down his face of what appeared to be tears were visible to their probing gaze. InuYasha clenched his fists tightly, drawing blood from his callused palms. His eyes drawn to the ground, he closed them and bit on his bottom lip trying to hold in a sob.

'Kagome... forgive me.'

Sango watched InuYasha and noted his pain. Her chocolate brown eyes narrowing, she scowled at him. His jealousy and temper had caused this; he had no right to pity himself! Readying to go and beat InuYasha despite Miroku's warning, the taijya froze when she heard a soft sob. Sango looked to Miroku who in turn gave her a stunned glance. The pair looked to InuYasha who still stood stiffly, his head bowed, his face covered, and the tears falling from his chin quickly. His body was trembling, his hands bleeding as he dug his claws deeper and deeper into his hard flesh while he tried to restrain his cries.

Miroku frowned and sighed. Shaking his head to Sango, he looked to her and silently said with his eyes,

'Leave him be. Now is not the time to be angry with him. He is already angry with himself.'

Shippou poked his head from Miroku's robes, his emerald eyes wide with fear. Sniffing the air and noting the scent of salt, an indication of tears, the kitsune gaped when he saw InuYasha shaking like a leaf caught inn the autumn wind, tears coursing down his tanned cheeks. Eyeing Sango and Miroku, Shippou hesitantly left Miroku's protective robe and leapt to the ground. He ignored Mirkou's and Sango's warning looks and cautiously approached InuYasha. Stopping by InuYasha's feet, he looked up into his face. His eyes were hidden behind the silver hair across his forehead, his fangs digging into his bottom lip.

The fox child scowled and climbed up InuYasha's red hakama and onto his shoulder. His young face softening, he whispered,

"InuYasha?"

InuYasha ignored Shippou. The memory of Kagome, so pale and little in Sesshoumaru's arms, flashed across his mind and caused another fresh round of tears to spill forth. Shippou shook his head when he sensed the pain inside InuYasha. Sighing, the kit patted InuYasha's head gently with his little claw. InuYasha loved Kagome. He did not know how to express his feelings for their comrade and choose instead to show her in brash, jealous rages and in rude, obnoxious ways. It was pitiful really. Shippou understood InuYasha was attempting to show Kagome how he cared for her but the kit also understood the stupidity and rashness of how InuYasha was doing it.

"InuYasha, we need to follow Sesshoumaru and see Kagome. We've been here for long enough." Shippou tried to reason with the half-breed.

InuYasha remained silent.

"InuYasha, Kagome is hurt and we need to see how she is. How can she heal with out us? Maybe Kaede can't help Kagome! We need to be there for her!" Shippou said firmly.

Sango stepped forward. "InuYasha..." she looked at the boy and sighed.

"You did not mean to hurt Kagome-chan. You were trying to protect her." Sango noticed Miroku nodding his head in encouragement and continued forth. "We need to be there for her during her time of need. We can not stay here. Kagome needs us."

The clinging of the brass hoops on his staff alarmed the group Miroku had too stepped to the plate. His handsome face gentle, Miroku walked towards InuYasha and grasped his shaking shoulder firmly. Looking down at his agonized friend, the monk murmured,

"You love her, InuYasha. And she loves you. Please, we need to see Kagome-sama. Look beyond why she is hurt and see that she needs healing in more then just the physical sense. We are her friends and she needs us more then ever. She needs you."

InuYasha heard the words of his friends and slowly raised his head. Looking at them squarely in the eyes, not ashamed of the tears he now showed them, he croaked,

"She won't want to see me. I hurt her."

"That is not true, InuYasha! Kagome will want to see you! You need to be there!" Shippou snapped.

The hanyou looked at the kit and met his flashing emerald eyes. The two demons stared at one another, an understanding passing between them. With shaking hands, InuYasha picked Tetsusaiga up from the ground where he had thrown it in shock and sheathed the cursed blade. Inhaling a shaky breath, he turned to his group. Seeing their supportive gazes, their eyes revealing their acceptance and understanding of his plight, InuYasha nodded to them. Looking to the sky, his legs readying to leap from the ground, he whispered,

"Let's go."

Kirara transformed in a burst of fire, Sango and Miroku with Shippou in tow hopping onto her muscled back and took off into the air. InuYasha stood on the ground and watched them begin heading to the village. He sighed. He was not ready to face Kaede and Sesshoumaru. He was not ready to see Kagome either. But he needed to see her and make sure she was alright. Jumping off the ground and soaring through the sky, InuYasha felt tears begin to cloud his vision. All he could remember was her looking so small and defeated after Tetsusaiga's Kaze no Kizu. Her screams and pleas for him to cease still rang in his ears.

Looking into the distance, InuYasha felt his heart twist in his chest again.

'Please, Kagome, be alright. You don't even need to forgive me - I don't expect you to ever forgive me. But please just be alright and I swear I'll never do anything stupid again.'

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"Kanna... show me Sesshoumaru." Naraku ordered, his red eyes slanting.

The little ghost-like girl stepped forward from her hidden place among the room's shadows, the small mirror held gently in her white hands. Her emotionless face soft and blank like a white piece of parchment, she nodded to her lord and focused her demon energy in the mirror. The mirror's surface fogged over, as if clouds were caught in its depths, and then glowed a bright blue. Naraku watched the surface intently, his teeth bore in anger.

Sesshoumaru had escaped him two weeks ago thanks to the unfortunate intrusion by InuYasha and his infernal gang. Naraku clenched his fist, growling. InuYasha - a thorn in his side. Much like a sliver caught underneath his skin, the hanyou managed to worm his way into all of his affairs including those of no matter to him. The dark hanyou hissed when he saw Sesshoumaru come into focus, the demon Lord sitting on the ground. Naraku stared hard at the image, curious. Where was the taiyoukai? Could he possibly still be in the human hut? Looking for a sign of the priestess Kagome, he felt unease grow inside of his chest.

Scowling, he continued to ponder the image and murmured to Kanna,

"Expand the image more. I wish to see where he is."

Kanna infused more youki in the mirror, causing the image to become smaller and wider. Naraku's slender black brows rose high upon his smooth, pale forehead, revealing his momentary surprise. The reincarnation of his largest threat and love, Kagome, lay on a futon before Sesshoumaru's knees, pale and sleeping. Naraku leaned forward, a sinister grin slipping across his thin lips. Nay. It could not be! How fate could be so cruel to the demon and priestess! His red eyes gleamed with a dangerous merriment, his fanged smile more bone-chilling then the artic winds.

'The girl is injured - she is of no threat now.'

Naraku scanned Sesshoumaru intently, noting the bandages on his arm. He noticed the there was no more need of a sling and this irritated him. It appeared Kagome had cared for the demon lord well and now he was almost fully recovered, his arm appearing to need only a few more days until it was back to its present state. The news of Sesshoumaru's semi-recovery aggravated the hanyou. Naraku glared at Kagome, damning the futuristic priestess. It seemed she was just as skilled at healing as her incarnate, Kikyou, and for that she would find his claws ripping into her body and ridding of her once and for all as he had Kikyou. Naraku rubbed his pointed chin thoughtfully.

Sesshoumaru was almost fully healed; however, he still could not wield his greatest weapon, the demonic ken Tokijin, which still left the taiyoukai less imposing. The half-breed frowned. If he was smart, he would attack Sesshoumaru and Kagome at this moment. Both were injured and appeared to be in a human village where there was little protection or support available. Naraku smirked. The annoying InuYashha and his group of persistent fools were not present as well. The taiyoukai and miko were indefinitely defenseless and would be at his mercy if he were to visit them.

The hanyou considered this.

However, one there was one thing pestering him and it was quite intriguing. Even though Kagome was his healer, why was Sesshoumaru at her side during her state of injury instead of InuYasha? Naraku pondered this. It was indeed an odd scenario, one he would have never dreamt of, even in the most insane moments of his life time. Sesshoumaru was a taiyoukai and he despised ningen. It was common knowledge and quite obvious despite the fact he had a ningen child for a ward. Yet here was the self-declared human-hater of Japan kneeling beside not only a human but his despised half-brother's human!

Naraku frowned. No, something was not right. The miko and taiyoukai did not have a platonic relationship. They had fought together against he, Naraku, in the inu brother's tomb and had managed to tear his new body apart with the force and power of their combined attack. But they did not consort, to his knowledge, on any other occasion and it was safe to assume that they were not on corresponding terms as well. Naraku's eyes suddenly widened when a thought came to his twisted mind.

Looking at Sesshoumaru and Kagome furiously, he hissed, his red eyes glowing crimson in the dark castle room. Could it be these two had realized the strength of their combined attack? Naraku's claw tightened on his knee, tearing the black silken hakama leg. He stared at the mirror and its occupants, hatred and fury uncoiling in his chest. If he had a heart it would be racing frantically in his chest, forced in a rapid dance by fear and anger.

However, since he had rid of such an annoying organ long ago, he felt nothing but the coldness of his shell intensifying. Sesshoumaru was an enemy and an indefinitely strong opponent even he, Naraku, in his most advanced state, found difficult to fight. However, the miko Kagome was a strong rival as well, her spiritual prowess excelling that of common miko currently in existence. It did not help that she was the reincarnation of the second greatest miko, Kikyou, and had inherited her determination and power. Naraku considered all of this and growled in growing agitation. Sesshoumaru was indeed in alliance with Kagome and with this came the dangerous concept of the duo working together against the half-breed.

Naraku felt the almost fully completed Shikon no Tama pulse against his left pec, alarming him. Glancing down at the black-purple orb, he frowned. He was far too close to his desires to have them wrenched from him because a taiyoukai and a miko decided to dispel him of his rightful place in the world. Too long had he suffered and plotted and disposed of those in his way too have an inu youkai and priestess interfere. His suffering, in both blood and body, would be repaid by his success. He eyed the mirror and angrily flicked his wrist towards Kanna, signaling her to leave. Making no sound except for the soft whisper of her dress, the little demoness exited the room, leaving her Master to stew over the turn of events.

Naraku turned his head to the side and glared out the window at the dark black clouds caused by his jyaki. The purple-black barrier around his hidden castle flickered in and out of focus, reminding him of his power. He clenched his jaw and slowly stood, his robes falling about him quietly and hitting the ground in a soft sigh. Naraku stepped towards the window and stared at the small bird on the windowsill, noting the careless creature had been curious about the intense energy in the room. Staring down at it emotionlessly, his hand moved in a white blur and caught the screaming winged being in his palm. Closing his hand tightly around it, he imagined the bird was Sesshoumaru and Kagome and tightened his grip. A sickening crunching sound was heard. Raising a dark brow, he opened his hand to reveal the twisted, crushed bird, dead and broken, in his hand.

His ruby-red eyes narrowed and a small grin swept across his pale lips.

He would crush Sesshoumaru once and for all. And like the bird, the demon Lord would be powerless. He let the bird drop to the floor and turned and walked out of the room. He would gather some of his puppets and minions and storm the village. While he disposed of Sesshoumaru, he would have some youkai rid of the miko. All would go as planned and he, Naraku, would have finally over-come two more obstacles in his way.

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Translatio ns:

Rin's Song
In the mountain.
In the forest.
In the wind.
In a Dream.
Where are you, Sesshoumaru-sama?
With an ally like Jaken-sama.
I will wait alone until you come.
Sesshoumaru-sama, please return.

Words
Monoke: Monster
Dajibou: Are you okay?
Onegai: Please