InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Midnight In Midsummer ❯ Discovery ( Chapter 1 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: celestialmoon 
What will Kagome find on her expedition?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.26.2005 | Updated On: 03.24.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 494 | Status: Work In Progress
What will Kagome find on her expedition?
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.26.2005 | Updated On: 03.24.2005 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.0K | Visits: 494 | Status: Work In Progress
Ch. 1
Kagome sighed in frustration. Nothing she seemed to do would work. She had counted sheep, counted half a million other things, and even thought of her homework. Nothing could distract her from the most recent events within her little group; InuYasha being the epicenter. He had done it again; gone to Kikyo while she was asleep at camp.
At least he thought she was asleep.
She had been awake the entire night thinking about the battle that morning they had with Naraku. He was steadily getting stronger, no doubt from the jewel shards. There was still a decent sized piece waiting to be collected and put back together. But with Naraku's unrelenting attacks lately, they hadn't been able to get very far without being attacked.
Tonight they were camped out so Mirkou could nurse his latest wounds. He had sucked a few dozen demons into his Kazaana and had obviously not paid attention to the Saimyosho being pulled in. So here they were sitting in a small clearing letting Miroku's body fight off the rest of the toxins.
InuYasha hadn't come back yet. She had followed him for a few feet before watching him confront his dead lover.
~*Flashback*~
"Kikyo..." He had gasped out like she was some unbelievable being. As if she would just disappear.
"InuYasha, why do you seek me?" Kikyo's voice was as cold as ever.
"Do you know anything about Naraku's attacks? Please Kikyo, I need to know." InuYasha took two steps toward her with arms reached out.
"You and your group are getting closer to something he doesn't want you to. I don't know what it is, but it's valuable to him somehow." She admonished while walking into his embrace very slowly.
She watched as he smoothed her hair over her back like he had done to her so many times. Then he pulled back just enough to put his lips over hers in an overly virgin kiss. It seemed like the perfect moment, but Kikyo pulled back and walked away.
"I'll be waiting till you finish this quest and come with me to hell." She had whispered before her soul stealers had taken her away.
~*End Flashback*~
Before she left, InuYasha just stood there and stared after her. She hadn't ran off in a horrible huff crying, she just stared at him for a moment longer before turning around and returning to camp. From then on she had been restless.
Finally standing, Kagome grabbed her bows and arrows along with her bathing supplies and headed for the hot spring. Once there, she stripped herself and sat on a small ledge to wash herself.
After feeling clean, Kagome dressed herself and stood facing the direction of camp. She really didn't want to go back yet and face his questions if he was back. She really just didn't want to try to pretend that she hadn't seen anything, that everything was still the same. This was one time too many and she was tired of trying to play lapdog. He was the inu, not her.
With an irritated sigh, Kagome turned and walked in the opposite direction. Leaving everything but her bow and arrows, she walked for few miles. Finding nothing of interest to occupy her mind, Kagome turned to her left and right, searching for something to lure her into excitement. To her left was more forest, looking exactly like the forest she had just exited. To her left was a small cave, it was dark and small, but it did the job nicely. Turning toward the cave, Kagome walked briskly inside.
Breathing deeply of the moist air, Kagome followed the cavern's tunnel. She spotted a light up ahead and walked faster. Drawing an arrow and notching it, she entered the chamber inside the tunnel. Within the chamber, the cave walls were covered in moss and lush vegetation; flowers and large plants covered the floors. Towering, flowering vines traced random patterns along the walls. Standing within the haven was a single black crystal surrounded by grayed feathers at its base.
Walking forward cautiously, Kagome made her way through the plants and flowers toward the crystal. She placed a single hand on the crystal, palm down and smiled lightly to herself. It was warm. Bending down, she picked up a feather and twirled it between her fingers. It looks old and weathered, but there are no other openings to this chamber, Kagome noted scanning the walls for other passageways. Finding none, she let the feather fall from her hand and floats down to the floor, joining the rest.
This was interesting, but not exciting. Kagome started to turn, but something within the crystal caught her eye. Looking closer she saw what looked like a sword close to the surface of the crystal. Peering further in, she followed the sword to find it attached to a hand. Someone was in there! She stepped away and looked at the crystal harder. There were two swords, one slightly behind the other like they were to be used for an attack. Kagome had never heard of anyone using two swords before so she couldn't really tell. Following the swords she found hands and arms. Someone was definitely in there, but why?
"Why would someone be trapped inside a crystal?" Kagome asked herself.
"What better way to keep someone from something then by sealing them?" A voice behind her responded. Not expecting to be answered, Kagome whirled around and aimed her arrow at the newcomer.
"Kagura!" Kagome stated with surprise.
"I mean you no harm miko. I am simply here to observe the being within the crystal." Kagura said while stepping toward the crystal.
"Who is it?" Kagome asked carefully, never dropping the arrow far from the ready position.
"Her name was Shinjiru. She was a half breed of two youkai races. Her father was a general in some army, a falcon, while her mother was a warrior from a village not far from the north, a tiger. They had met during the Great War and it was love on both parts. They wanted to mate, but couldn't. It was their races at war with each other. So she bared him a child and they parted ways. He died years after the child was well into her childhood and her mother mated another and bore him a child. She died as well." Kagura placed her hand on the crystal and scanned its surface.
"Why is she trapped there?" Kagome asked, finally dropping her stance.
"She was very strong for a Halfling and very beautiful. Many had lusted after her and all attempts were met with force. She didn't want anybody. But there was one who befriended her. He was a dog from a village she had passed through and he earned her friendship, but he was a fake. When her guard was down he had tried to rape her. She escaped and fled to this cave to nurse her injuries. He had followed after her along with a female, jealous of the dog's attention on the half breed. While they fought, the female sealed the halfling before she could finish off the male. She's been here for at least a century." Kagura stepped away from the crystal and sighed. "Such a shame."
Kagome eyed the demoness and her eyes widened in realization. "This is what Naraku is after, isn't it?" At Kagura's nod, she continued. "Why would he want some half demon sealed to a crystal?"
"He wants to absorb her. After he unseals her he's going to absorb her body, maybe even take her form. She's power, that's all he cares about." Kagura spat with disgust.
Kagome looked to the crystal and glared at it for all she was worth. Her eyes softened however, it wasn't Shinjiru's fault Naraku was going to use her for his evil purposes. "How is he going to unseal her?" Kagome asked, walking full circle around the crystal.
"Using the undead priestess. Why?" Kagura said with narrowed eyes.
"Maybe we can unseal her first." Kagome said as she set down her bow and held the arrow like a dagger. "I'm not sure how I know this, but to unseal her, we have to break the crystal holding her." Kagome stood opposite of Kagura and raised the arrow. Getting the message, Kagura raised her fan and in unison they brought their weapons down onto the crystal.
With a blinding light, the crystal glowed white. The light filled the cavern and sought release from the entrance, spilling out the opening and filling the forest.
~*~*~*~
A mile away InuYasha saw the light and sprinted back to camp. Scanning the sleeping bodies, he found all but one.
"Kagome." InuYasha whispered as he headed for the light, hoping his friend wasn't in trouble.
~*~*~*~
The crystal cracked beneath the strain and finally shattered. Kagome and Kagura were blown back as the figure within the crystal fell to the feathered ground beneath her.
Kagome stood slowly before rushing to the demon lying among the old feathers. She was still unconscious, but her breathing looked to be speeding up. She was dressed in a torn blue kimono with a red sash at her waist. Her hair was completely red, but the underside had black and she had black bangs. The hair framing her cheeks was a darker shade of red than the rest of her hair. She had a white feather on her forehead and two black stripes outlined in silver tracing her temples to her cheeks.
"Back away from her. She might attack you." Kagura advised as she stood. She could sense the girl's awakening and lowered her fan to avoid looking threatening.
The female slowly rose and shook her head. "Where am I?" Her voice was shaky and cracking slightly.
"You’re in a cave not far from the Southern borders. We mean you no harm." Kagome said slowly, letting her soak up the information.
"How long have I been sealed?" She asked.
"You've been sealed for at least a century." Kagura answered, slowly walking into the female's view.
Shinjiru looked around her. The cave was covered in plants, not in dirt and rocks like it had been. The two before her didn't look at all threatening, but the demoness smelled funny and the human was wearing odd clothes. She looked down at herself and sighed audibly. Her kimono was still ripped down the left side and Keisatsu's blood was still on the swords in her hands. She looked like nothing had changed and it was mere hours ago that she was attacked.
"Do you know of somewhere I can-?"
"KAGOME!!" InuYasha yelled as he sung his sword at Shinjiru. She swiftly brought her swords up to block his downward swing.
InuYasha growled at her in anger. "What are you doing to Kagome?" He demanded. He seemed to care greatly for the ningen girl.
Testing his temper, Shinjiru smirked and leaned over their crossed swords. To anger him, she said, "Nothing she didn't beg for." With that she pushed against his weakly defended sword and pushed him away with little effort.
"I'll kill you!" InuYasha bellowed in anger as he prepared his Kaze no Kizu. Pulling Tetsusaiga back over his head, he yelled, "Kaze no Kizu!" Bringing the sword down, he swung with all his might at the female demon, then watched, waiting for it tear at her flesh.
"Idiot." Shinjiru said as she crossed her swords before her in defense. Seconds before the attack hit, the swords disappeared to be replaced by the illusion of white wings.
Kagome shouted to Shinjiru as the attack hit. She watched as the blaze of light swirled around where her form should have been. The wind around them whipped furiously at them, making Kagome shield her eyes. Hearing the winds die and the light fade, Kagome looked at Shinjiru's position and smiled. She was better than okay. The blast had ripped away the rest of the torn kimono to reveal her under clothes. She was wearing a black gi like Sango's, but this one was lined in icy blue with silver pads at her knees, shoulders, and elbows. She had a silver sash tied at her waist holding a third sword with a green-hilted sword sheathed in a black scabbard.
"What the-?!" InuYasha shouted with disbelief. The bitch was supposed to be little pieces on the ground beneath her feet.
"You are a fool hanyou. Your parlor tricks cannot harm me." Shinjiru raised both swords and charged him. She swung effortlessly at him as he sluggishly blocked her attacks; she landed a hard blow to his side and set him into the wall behind him. She followed after and kicked away his monstrous sword while pointing her swords at his throat. "Pathetic."
"You know Sesshoumaru? You two would get along." He hissed at her. Those moves almost mirrored Sesshoumaru's, but they were altered somehow to fit her double sword style. How can you block one sword without having the other come up and knock you upside the head?
Kagome ran up the two and stood beside Shinjiru, looking down on InuYasha's face. "You're such a jerk InuYasha. She wasn't attacking me, I was helping her."
"Should I dispose of the dirty hanyou for you? It would give me great joy." Shinjiru suggested with a sadistic smile.
InuYasha didn't say a word when Kagome was silent. She actually had to think about it?! "You ungrateful bitch! For all those times saving you this is the thanks I get?" He shouted, but stopped his tirade short when both females glared at him.
"As much as I would love that, I have to say he is right. You can kill him later when I'm not around to decide." Kagome walked away from him with her arms crossed and her head high.
Shinjiru took her swords away slowly from his neck. Walking across the chamber, she dug through the plants and pulled a weathered scabbard from the dirt. It was black with a red tie at the tip of each end. It was also very odd looking for a scabbard, instead of just a straight scabbard, it was two tied together to form an "X" shape. She strapped it to her back and sheathed the swords.
"Who are you and why is Kagome helping you?" InuYasha asked as he tried to get Kagome to come toward him so he could attack the strange woman again.
"I am Shinjiru and I am in her debt. That is all you need to know hanyou, if you want to know more you will ask." Shinjiru turned toward where Kagome was waiting at the entrance to the chamber with her bow and arrows.
"What did you need help with?" InuYasha asked as he followed them out of the cave.
Once outside, Shinjiru turned to him and said, "That you don't need to know." She grabbed Kagome's arm and leapt away.
"Hey!" InuYasha yelled as he tried to keep up.
"Is the hanyou always so dense or was he knocked around to be that way?" Shinjiru asked as she landed next to the hot spring.
"I believe he was hit on the head too many times as a child." Kagome laughed. Sitting next to the hot spring, she let Shinjiru use her bathing supplies while she thought about InuYasha. Somehow, this youkai's actions and even just her presence made her forget InuYasha.
"What happened to the demoness that was within the cave?" Shinjiru asked curiously.
"Oh, Kagura? She thought it would be better for her health of she left. She and InuYasha aren't exactly on friendly terms. She in an incarnation of another half youkai named Naraku and she has been sent to kill us many times." Kagome answered truthfully.
"If she is your enemy, why did she help you free me?" Shinjiru asked looking at Kagome with a questioning look.
"She doesn't want to be. The only reason she attacks us is Naraku holds her heart. If she were to defy him he would slowly torture her by squeezing her heart until it burst. So she does his deeds, most of the time, while occasionally helping us toward his destruction." Kagome shrugged and handed Shinjiru a towel as she stepped out of the hot spring.
After Shinjiru was fully dressed, they headed toward camp. Kagome told her of all of her friends within the camp and warned her of Miroku’s wondering hands. When they reached camp, Kagome curled up into her sleeping back with a small, "Good night" to Shinjiru before nodding off to sleep.
Shinjiru hopped into the tree above Kagome and threw InuYasha out of it.
"Hey wench! That was my spot!" InuYasha yelled while brandishing his sword.
Not even bothering to reveal herself, Shinjiru said, "Kagome is no longer your concern. Get over it and sleep, I will watch the encampment."
With a grumble, InuYasha sheathed his sword and leapt into the tree above Mirkou and Sango. He was asleep in no time.
~*~*~*~
Naraku watched the entire exchange with a small smirk. He was angered with Kagura for interfering with his plans, but this just made it easier. Now that she was unsealed and with InuYasha's group, she would be easy prey.
"Your body will be mine." He laughed to himself as the seemingly lifeless Kanna stood before him with her mirror clasped in her hands, showing him images of the possession he sought.
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Kagome sighed in frustration. Nothing she seemed to do would work. She had counted sheep, counted half a million other things, and even thought of her homework. Nothing could distract her from the most recent events within her little group; InuYasha being the epicenter. He had done it again; gone to Kikyo while she was asleep at camp.
At least he thought she was asleep.
She had been awake the entire night thinking about the battle that morning they had with Naraku. He was steadily getting stronger, no doubt from the jewel shards. There was still a decent sized piece waiting to be collected and put back together. But with Naraku's unrelenting attacks lately, they hadn't been able to get very far without being attacked.
Tonight they were camped out so Mirkou could nurse his latest wounds. He had sucked a few dozen demons into his Kazaana and had obviously not paid attention to the Saimyosho being pulled in. So here they were sitting in a small clearing letting Miroku's body fight off the rest of the toxins.
InuYasha hadn't come back yet. She had followed him for a few feet before watching him confront his dead lover.
~*Flashback*~
"Kikyo..." He had gasped out like she was some unbelievable being. As if she would just disappear.
"InuYasha, why do you seek me?" Kikyo's voice was as cold as ever.
"Do you know anything about Naraku's attacks? Please Kikyo, I need to know." InuYasha took two steps toward her with arms reached out.
"You and your group are getting closer to something he doesn't want you to. I don't know what it is, but it's valuable to him somehow." She admonished while walking into his embrace very slowly.
She watched as he smoothed her hair over her back like he had done to her so many times. Then he pulled back just enough to put his lips over hers in an overly virgin kiss. It seemed like the perfect moment, but Kikyo pulled back and walked away.
"I'll be waiting till you finish this quest and come with me to hell." She had whispered before her soul stealers had taken her away.
~*End Flashback*~
Before she left, InuYasha just stood there and stared after her. She hadn't ran off in a horrible huff crying, she just stared at him for a moment longer before turning around and returning to camp. From then on she had been restless.
Finally standing, Kagome grabbed her bows and arrows along with her bathing supplies and headed for the hot spring. Once there, she stripped herself and sat on a small ledge to wash herself.
After feeling clean, Kagome dressed herself and stood facing the direction of camp. She really didn't want to go back yet and face his questions if he was back. She really just didn't want to try to pretend that she hadn't seen anything, that everything was still the same. This was one time too many and she was tired of trying to play lapdog. He was the inu, not her.
With an irritated sigh, Kagome turned and walked in the opposite direction. Leaving everything but her bow and arrows, she walked for few miles. Finding nothing of interest to occupy her mind, Kagome turned to her left and right, searching for something to lure her into excitement. To her left was more forest, looking exactly like the forest she had just exited. To her left was a small cave, it was dark and small, but it did the job nicely. Turning toward the cave, Kagome walked briskly inside.
Breathing deeply of the moist air, Kagome followed the cavern's tunnel. She spotted a light up ahead and walked faster. Drawing an arrow and notching it, she entered the chamber inside the tunnel. Within the chamber, the cave walls were covered in moss and lush vegetation; flowers and large plants covered the floors. Towering, flowering vines traced random patterns along the walls. Standing within the haven was a single black crystal surrounded by grayed feathers at its base.
Walking forward cautiously, Kagome made her way through the plants and flowers toward the crystal. She placed a single hand on the crystal, palm down and smiled lightly to herself. It was warm. Bending down, she picked up a feather and twirled it between her fingers. It looks old and weathered, but there are no other openings to this chamber, Kagome noted scanning the walls for other passageways. Finding none, she let the feather fall from her hand and floats down to the floor, joining the rest.
This was interesting, but not exciting. Kagome started to turn, but something within the crystal caught her eye. Looking closer she saw what looked like a sword close to the surface of the crystal. Peering further in, she followed the sword to find it attached to a hand. Someone was in there! She stepped away and looked at the crystal harder. There were two swords, one slightly behind the other like they were to be used for an attack. Kagome had never heard of anyone using two swords before so she couldn't really tell. Following the swords she found hands and arms. Someone was definitely in there, but why?
"Why would someone be trapped inside a crystal?" Kagome asked herself.
"What better way to keep someone from something then by sealing them?" A voice behind her responded. Not expecting to be answered, Kagome whirled around and aimed her arrow at the newcomer.
"Kagura!" Kagome stated with surprise.
"I mean you no harm miko. I am simply here to observe the being within the crystal." Kagura said while stepping toward the crystal.
"Who is it?" Kagome asked carefully, never dropping the arrow far from the ready position.
"Her name was Shinjiru. She was a half breed of two youkai races. Her father was a general in some army, a falcon, while her mother was a warrior from a village not far from the north, a tiger. They had met during the Great War and it was love on both parts. They wanted to mate, but couldn't. It was their races at war with each other. So she bared him a child and they parted ways. He died years after the child was well into her childhood and her mother mated another and bore him a child. She died as well." Kagura placed her hand on the crystal and scanned its surface.
"Why is she trapped there?" Kagome asked, finally dropping her stance.
"She was very strong for a Halfling and very beautiful. Many had lusted after her and all attempts were met with force. She didn't want anybody. But there was one who befriended her. He was a dog from a village she had passed through and he earned her friendship, but he was a fake. When her guard was down he had tried to rape her. She escaped and fled to this cave to nurse her injuries. He had followed after her along with a female, jealous of the dog's attention on the half breed. While they fought, the female sealed the halfling before she could finish off the male. She's been here for at least a century." Kagura stepped away from the crystal and sighed. "Such a shame."
Kagome eyed the demoness and her eyes widened in realization. "This is what Naraku is after, isn't it?" At Kagura's nod, she continued. "Why would he want some half demon sealed to a crystal?"
"He wants to absorb her. After he unseals her he's going to absorb her body, maybe even take her form. She's power, that's all he cares about." Kagura spat with disgust.
Kagome looked to the crystal and glared at it for all she was worth. Her eyes softened however, it wasn't Shinjiru's fault Naraku was going to use her for his evil purposes. "How is he going to unseal her?" Kagome asked, walking full circle around the crystal.
"Using the undead priestess. Why?" Kagura said with narrowed eyes.
"Maybe we can unseal her first." Kagome said as she set down her bow and held the arrow like a dagger. "I'm not sure how I know this, but to unseal her, we have to break the crystal holding her." Kagome stood opposite of Kagura and raised the arrow. Getting the message, Kagura raised her fan and in unison they brought their weapons down onto the crystal.
With a blinding light, the crystal glowed white. The light filled the cavern and sought release from the entrance, spilling out the opening and filling the forest.
~*~*~*~
A mile away InuYasha saw the light and sprinted back to camp. Scanning the sleeping bodies, he found all but one.
"Kagome." InuYasha whispered as he headed for the light, hoping his friend wasn't in trouble.
~*~*~*~
The crystal cracked beneath the strain and finally shattered. Kagome and Kagura were blown back as the figure within the crystal fell to the feathered ground beneath her.
Kagome stood slowly before rushing to the demon lying among the old feathers. She was still unconscious, but her breathing looked to be speeding up. She was dressed in a torn blue kimono with a red sash at her waist. Her hair was completely red, but the underside had black and she had black bangs. The hair framing her cheeks was a darker shade of red than the rest of her hair. She had a white feather on her forehead and two black stripes outlined in silver tracing her temples to her cheeks.
"Back away from her. She might attack you." Kagura advised as she stood. She could sense the girl's awakening and lowered her fan to avoid looking threatening.
The female slowly rose and shook her head. "Where am I?" Her voice was shaky and cracking slightly.
"You’re in a cave not far from the Southern borders. We mean you no harm." Kagome said slowly, letting her soak up the information.
"How long have I been sealed?" She asked.
"You've been sealed for at least a century." Kagura answered, slowly walking into the female's view.
Shinjiru looked around her. The cave was covered in plants, not in dirt and rocks like it had been. The two before her didn't look at all threatening, but the demoness smelled funny and the human was wearing odd clothes. She looked down at herself and sighed audibly. Her kimono was still ripped down the left side and Keisatsu's blood was still on the swords in her hands. She looked like nothing had changed and it was mere hours ago that she was attacked.
"Do you know of somewhere I can-?"
"KAGOME!!" InuYasha yelled as he sung his sword at Shinjiru. She swiftly brought her swords up to block his downward swing.
InuYasha growled at her in anger. "What are you doing to Kagome?" He demanded. He seemed to care greatly for the ningen girl.
Testing his temper, Shinjiru smirked and leaned over their crossed swords. To anger him, she said, "Nothing she didn't beg for." With that she pushed against his weakly defended sword and pushed him away with little effort.
"I'll kill you!" InuYasha bellowed in anger as he prepared his Kaze no Kizu. Pulling Tetsusaiga back over his head, he yelled, "Kaze no Kizu!" Bringing the sword down, he swung with all his might at the female demon, then watched, waiting for it tear at her flesh.
"Idiot." Shinjiru said as she crossed her swords before her in defense. Seconds before the attack hit, the swords disappeared to be replaced by the illusion of white wings.
Kagome shouted to Shinjiru as the attack hit. She watched as the blaze of light swirled around where her form should have been. The wind around them whipped furiously at them, making Kagome shield her eyes. Hearing the winds die and the light fade, Kagome looked at Shinjiru's position and smiled. She was better than okay. The blast had ripped away the rest of the torn kimono to reveal her under clothes. She was wearing a black gi like Sango's, but this one was lined in icy blue with silver pads at her knees, shoulders, and elbows. She had a silver sash tied at her waist holding a third sword with a green-hilted sword sheathed in a black scabbard.
"What the-?!" InuYasha shouted with disbelief. The bitch was supposed to be little pieces on the ground beneath her feet.
"You are a fool hanyou. Your parlor tricks cannot harm me." Shinjiru raised both swords and charged him. She swung effortlessly at him as he sluggishly blocked her attacks; she landed a hard blow to his side and set him into the wall behind him. She followed after and kicked away his monstrous sword while pointing her swords at his throat. "Pathetic."
"You know Sesshoumaru? You two would get along." He hissed at her. Those moves almost mirrored Sesshoumaru's, but they were altered somehow to fit her double sword style. How can you block one sword without having the other come up and knock you upside the head?
Kagome ran up the two and stood beside Shinjiru, looking down on InuYasha's face. "You're such a jerk InuYasha. She wasn't attacking me, I was helping her."
"Should I dispose of the dirty hanyou for you? It would give me great joy." Shinjiru suggested with a sadistic smile.
InuYasha didn't say a word when Kagome was silent. She actually had to think about it?! "You ungrateful bitch! For all those times saving you this is the thanks I get?" He shouted, but stopped his tirade short when both females glared at him.
"As much as I would love that, I have to say he is right. You can kill him later when I'm not around to decide." Kagome walked away from him with her arms crossed and her head high.
Shinjiru took her swords away slowly from his neck. Walking across the chamber, she dug through the plants and pulled a weathered scabbard from the dirt. It was black with a red tie at the tip of each end. It was also very odd looking for a scabbard, instead of just a straight scabbard, it was two tied together to form an "X" shape. She strapped it to her back and sheathed the swords.
"Who are you and why is Kagome helping you?" InuYasha asked as he tried to get Kagome to come toward him so he could attack the strange woman again.
"I am Shinjiru and I am in her debt. That is all you need to know hanyou, if you want to know more you will ask." Shinjiru turned toward where Kagome was waiting at the entrance to the chamber with her bow and arrows.
"What did you need help with?" InuYasha asked as he followed them out of the cave.
Once outside, Shinjiru turned to him and said, "That you don't need to know." She grabbed Kagome's arm and leapt away.
"Hey!" InuYasha yelled as he tried to keep up.
"Is the hanyou always so dense or was he knocked around to be that way?" Shinjiru asked as she landed next to the hot spring.
"I believe he was hit on the head too many times as a child." Kagome laughed. Sitting next to the hot spring, she let Shinjiru use her bathing supplies while she thought about InuYasha. Somehow, this youkai's actions and even just her presence made her forget InuYasha.
"What happened to the demoness that was within the cave?" Shinjiru asked curiously.
"Oh, Kagura? She thought it would be better for her health of she left. She and InuYasha aren't exactly on friendly terms. She in an incarnation of another half youkai named Naraku and she has been sent to kill us many times." Kagome answered truthfully.
"If she is your enemy, why did she help you free me?" Shinjiru asked looking at Kagome with a questioning look.
"She doesn't want to be. The only reason she attacks us is Naraku holds her heart. If she were to defy him he would slowly torture her by squeezing her heart until it burst. So she does his deeds, most of the time, while occasionally helping us toward his destruction." Kagome shrugged and handed Shinjiru a towel as she stepped out of the hot spring.
After Shinjiru was fully dressed, they headed toward camp. Kagome told her of all of her friends within the camp and warned her of Miroku’s wondering hands. When they reached camp, Kagome curled up into her sleeping back with a small, "Good night" to Shinjiru before nodding off to sleep.
Shinjiru hopped into the tree above Kagome and threw InuYasha out of it.
"Hey wench! That was my spot!" InuYasha yelled while brandishing his sword.
Not even bothering to reveal herself, Shinjiru said, "Kagome is no longer your concern. Get over it and sleep, I will watch the encampment."
With a grumble, InuYasha sheathed his sword and leapt into the tree above Mirkou and Sango. He was asleep in no time.
~*~*~*~
Naraku watched the entire exchange with a small smirk. He was angered with Kagura for interfering with his plans, but this just made it easier. Now that she was unsealed and with InuYasha's group, she would be easy prey.
"Your body will be mine." He laughed to himself as the seemingly lifeless Kanna stood before him with her mirror clasped in her hands, showing him images of the possession he sought.
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