InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Breaking of Dawn ❯ Finding the Barriers ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter Eleven - Finding the Barriers

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Inuyasha stopped and turned back to look at the monk. He'd totally forgotten about that small detail during the fight with Sesshoumaru, now the obvious fact hit him brutally hard and he couldn't keep a small curse from escaping his lips.

"Damn."

An amused smirk spread over Sesshoumaru's face as he regarded his brother closely. It only served to anger Inuyasha more.

"And what are you smiling at you lousy bastard? I bet you don't know where he is either."

At the lack of response Inuyasha figured that he'd been correct, but for once he wished that his lousy brother knew things he didn't. Hell, he was even willing to give his brother the Tetsusaiga if it would bring Kagome back. Of course he'd never admit that out loud.

"You have no right to address Lord Sesshoumaru in such a dishonourable way."

Jaken finally made his presence known, but everybody ignored him. There were more important things on the line than sibling rivalry.

Turning his attention back to the monk, Inuyasha put his hand on the hilt of his sword as much to make sure that it was there as out of habit.

"Do you have any ideas monk?"

Miroku shrugged offhandedly and indicated the village around them.

"I think the best place to look would be here. Naraku obviously arranged for us to meet Sesshoumaru here and he's sure to have had some way to watch the battle. He revels in the downfall of his enemies and he'd probably give anything to see your fight with Sesshoumaru. I'd say he's really close by and if he's not, one of his puppets surely is."

Inuyasha listened somewhat patiently as Miroku spoke. He had to admit that what he said made sense. And if Naraku wasn't here there were probably some clues to be found that could point out where he really was. Nodding he began to walk to one of the buildings in the village.

"Let's split up. Whoever finds something first alerts the others. It'll go faster that way and I'm not sure how much time we have left when Naraku realises that his plan didn't work."

Nodding, Miroku and Sango went together and Shippo and Kirara went together. The only ones that didn't move were Sesshoumaru and Jaken.

~*~

Sesshoumaru didn't move a muscle as Inuyasha and his group disappeared in different directions. It wasn't before Jaken spoke that he reacted to anything at all.

"Shall we leave now Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Jaken couldn't stand to be close to lowly beings as the hanyou and his human friends. It had been bad enough to have the human child running after them, but to be seen in the company of Inuyasha's odd group would be really degrading.

Sesshoumaru glanced once to his retainer before moving off in a direction the others hadn't covered.

"We will stay here and search for clues. The monk had some valid points in his evaluation and I'll not let one stone be unturned in search for Rin and that bastard Naraku. He will pay for his crime with his life this time."

Jaken grimaced slightly behind Sesshoumaru's back, but didn't protest. Protesting would only bring the Lord's anger on him.

~*~

Kagome looked down at the small child sleeping in her arms. She hadn't acted scared at all after Kagome's reassurance that Sesshoumaru was fine. Kagome had wondered at Rin's behaviour and had come to the conclusion that for whatever reason, the small child didn't have the sense to worry about her own life. She was only worried about her beloved Lord.

Smirking ruefully to herself, Kagome couldn't see any reason for Rin's reactions to be wrong. After all, she herself didn't care much about her own life if it meant that Inuyasha would be happy and safe. She guessed that love, no matter what kind of love, did that to you.

Forcing herself out of her brooding, Kagome glanced over to Hamei. She had problems figuring the youkai out. Hamei's behaviour and her aura did not convey anything to indicate that she was conceiving or malicious, therefore Kagome couldn't find any reasons for her to assist Naraku. Everything was so confusing.

"Why are you doing this? Working for Naraku I mean." Kagome asked quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping girl.

Kagura had left the room to them moments earlier without an explanation. Kagome didn't think it could mean anything good.

Hamei met Kagome's gaze and Kagome couldn't do anything but flinch at the sadness and worry she saw in them. Whatever Naraku had done to make this youkai cooperate, it had to be awful.

"He… he took my sister." She answered slowly, her voice shaking slightly.

Kagome couldn't help but feel sorry for the female youkai. It was typical of Naraku to use extortion to get his way and she loathed him more because of it. He didn't have any boundaries as to what he would do to get what he wanted.

Looking down to the small shard hanging on a cord around her neck, Kagome fingered it slowly.

Naraku would do anything to get his hands on the shikon no tama…

She had been surprised to find out that it was still around her neck when she woke up. There was no reason she could think of that explained why Naraku hadn't taken it yet.

"Can't you get her back on your own?" She asked carefully.

"It would be easy for you to put her captors under a sleeping spell."

Hamei shook her head and sighed.

"Naraku's done something to hide her scent. I can't find her even if I want to and I have no idea where to look. I tried once, but I was unsuccessful. For my misbehaviour Naraku said that he would punish my sister. I… I don't want to risk it."

Hamei suddenly broke down and began to sob silently. Kagome carefully lifted Rin up and carried her over to Hamei. Sitting down again, Kagome bent over and began to comfort the distressed youkai.

"I promise you. If I ever get out of this building, I'll search for your sister. I don't need to be able to smell her to find her. I can search for her aura. It won't be easy because I've never met her, but I'll do my best and knowing how your aura is certainly helps since you're family."

Hamei only sobbed harder, tears running freely down her cheek.

"You don't understand. She's a hanyou. Her aura's different than mine."

Kagome's heart leap in her chest. She was a hanyou? A smile slowly spread over her face as she realised what it meant.

"That is great Hamei. It will only make it easier for me to find her. There aren't many half-demons around. Here aura will be different from the youkai and the humans. She'll stand out like a light in the darkness."

Hamei's wreaking sobs stilled quickly.

"Really? You'll be able to find her?" Her voice was like a whisper, not daring to believe it true.

"Really." Kagome confirmed.

"I'll find her in no time. Now the only thing we have to do is get out of her. I'm sure Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru will be here soon. They never were likely to give up just because Naraku got in the way. In fact, it'll probably make them try harder."

~*~

Kagura walked through the hallway with deliberate and fast steps. She had felt one of Naraku's inner shields react and was sure that the hanyou and his group were closing in on them. She smirked inwardly at the thought. Another one of Naraku's plans failing, she had to admit that this plan had been without flaws… until she noticed the miko's new scent. She should've told Naraku of course, but on the other hand he hadn't ordered her to tell him if scents changed.

It was his fault for not thinking about the possibility.

Rounding a corner, Kagura had reached the end of the hallway and she walked out the door, her hope rising as she saw the persons lurking right outside Naraku's shield.

It wasn't the hanyou or his youkai brother, but the monk and the female taiji. In other words, the second best thing, she only hoped that they would have the brains to notice the shield of invisibility… and have the means to bring down the strong barrier.

Maybe she'd finally get her heart back after all…

~*~

Miroku stopped abruptly, bringing his arm out to keep Sango from moving on. It just so happened that it landed on here chest… again.

`THWAK!'

Cradling his head with a hand, Miroku tried to back away from the angry exterminator who was still holding her bone boomerang lifted high.

"But Sango, I was merely trying to stop you. This village is so empty and foreboding that I only wanted to make sure that you didn't step on any wile things."

Sango lowered Hiraikotsu slowly and searched the empty area they were standing in. She couldn't see any `wile things' anywhere. Blushing furiously in both anger and embarrassment she brought the heavy weapon down again, barely missing the lecherous monk as he dodged the blow, hands raised in a passive manner in an attempt to ward her off.

"Liar!" She yelled as she swung again, this time barely grazing his robe.

"You just want to have an excuse to grope me. You're such a hentai."

Smiling pleasantly, Miroku said the only thing that came to mind.

"At least I'm your hentai."

Sango's face turned, if possible, even darker and she lunged at him with renewed force. Why did he always have to act the way he did? Couldn't he just once try to complement her without hidden meanings, or try to help her without hidden intentions?

Miroku dodged each blow as it came towards him, finally loosing balance and stumbling backwards.

Fire seared through his back as he connected with something invisible to the naked eye and he was blown forwards with a sudden and frightening force. Hitting the ground with a soft `thud', he tried to comprehend what had happened. At first he thought that Sango had finally hit her mark, but the ache in his back was unlike anything he'd ever felt before, besides if it had been Sango, shouldn't the hurt be on his head or his front?

Sango's eyes flew wide open in surprise as she saw what happened. As Miroku had hit the invisible wall, it had turned fiercely red for a brief second before it had repelled the monk, sending him flying through the air.

Dropping Hiraikotsu to the ground she ran towards him at the same moment she saw Sesshoumaru and Jaken hurrying towards them from one direction. Inuyasha coming from the other, Shippo and Kirara closely behind.

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A/n: Sorry for the late update. I'm currently drowning in tests. I hope you don't mind too much. Thanks for reviewing.