InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Call of Life and Death ❯ A Lesser Victory and the greater Struggle ( Chapter 5 )

A/N: I don't own Inu Yasha, blah, blah, blah. Don't sue me, it wouldn't be nice, and I'm poor.

The Call of Life and Death

Chapter 5: A Lesser Victory and the greater Struggle

Once again, Kagome was awakened by the morning's light and the chirping of birds. And for the second day in a row, she awoke in Inu Yasha's arms.

A girl could get used to this, she mused, reveling in the feel of Inu Yasha's embrace. She loved the way that his powerful body curved around her, giving her the peace of mind that comes with strong, reliable, assured protection.

The peace of the morning was shattered as a shrill cry rang out.

"Myoga!" Sango screamed, "Where are they? I have to talk to Kagome. NOW!" Kagome couldn't hear Myoga's response, but she could tell Sango didn't like it. "I don't care what you think, take me to them, or I will squish you like the insect you are, and find them myself."

The young Miko was startled by Inu Yasha's sigh. Sitting up, he yawned and looked down at Kagome. Opening his mouth, he began to speak, "So, wen-," clamping his jaw shut quickly, a look of deep worry washed over his features.

Also sighing, Kagome sat up and caressed his cheek with her hand. "It's okay," she whispered to him. "I know you don't mean it."

Winking, she rose, and started to put her sleeping bag back in her bag. No sooner had she started then Sango came crashing into the clearing. Locking onto Kagome with her eyes, the demon exterminator strode purposefully over to her.

"We need to talk, Kagome," she explained. "Inu Yasha, would you mind leaving us alone?"

Not trusting himself to speak, Inu Yasha simply nodded and disappeared into the trees. Blinking at his strange behavior, Sango muttered, "What happened to him?"

"He's fine," said Kagome, startling the other woman out of her thoughts. "Just leave him be. Now, what is this that is so important, that you felt the need to threaten Myoga's life?"

"Huh? Wha-Oh! Right," Sango sputtered, a blush rising in her cheeks.

"Well? Come on, spill it!"

"It's the monk…."

The girls' voices faded as Inu Yasha moved away from them. He wandered aimlessly, lost in his thoughts.

What the hell happened back there? Did I really kiss Kagome? Gods it felt wonderful to hold her like that. It was never like that with Kikyo. She was always so cold and even when she held me I could feel part of her holding back; like she wanted to be close, but never wanted to let her guard down.

Ahh, what does all this mean? I can't bear to go back to Kikyo's frozen embrace after I have felt Kagome's warmth. I may still have responsibilities to Kikyo, but I have responsibilities to Kagome as well. But, don't I also have responsibilities to…myself?

A strange thought echoed in his mind. The first responsibility anyone has is to himself. Only once that responsibility has been satisfied, may he look to what is owed to others. He could tell that it wasn't his thought, but it made sense to him.

Yes, Kikyo's dead. But I'm not, and Kagome's not dead. Don't we deserve to be happy too? But how can I be sure that Kagome would be happy with me? She's always so kind to everyone. Maybe she could just tell that I needed that. Yeah, that's it. She was just being kind. I'm always such a jerk to her. I should try to curb that.

Right now, I need to go find the monk so we can find Toto-sai and figure out what the hell is going on. I just wish that I could convince myself that it was different. That kiss...NO! I can't think like that. I need to focus, where the hell is Miroku?

"It's the monk. He…I…Jeez, how do I put this?"

"Come on, you can tell me," Kagome assured her.

"It's just embarrassing, is all."

"If you tell me, I'll tell you a secret."

"About what?"

"You first."

"Fine, fine. The, uh, monk-Miroku."

"Yes?"

"HE, us, he asked me to bear him a son again."

"Yeah, and….?"

"Well, um…"

"Wait, did you say yes?"

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly?" Kagome prompted.

"Well, I didn't say no. He was so sweet, none of the groping or ogling. He was really polite and serious. It was so out of character for him."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I just don't know."

"Do you love him?" Kagome asked with no mockery in her voice.

"I-I-I think that I might be falling for him. I just don't know."

"Ooo!" the younger woman squealed in excitement, clapping her hands together.

"So, what's your secret?" Sango questioned, eyeing the overly excited girl from the future warily.

"Well, um…" she replied nervously.

"I told you mine, now you tell me yours," Sango reminded Kagome.

"Inu Yasha, uh, kind of, um, kissed me last night," by the time she had finished the sentence, she was whispering.

"What was that?"

"Inu Yasha kissed me last night."

"That's not funny, Kagome. I was being serious."

"So am I."

Blinking in surprise at the candor in her friend's voice, Sango seized her friend by the shirt. "He didn't force himself on you, did he?"

"No!" she said, knocking Sango's hands from her shirt. "He was very cute about it, and I, uh, I kind of started it."

"Jeez, what the hell is going on here?" Sango asked, sitting down heavily.

"You can't say anything about this to ANYONE!"

"Of course not," the demon exterminator said, dismissing her friend's worries.

"I mean it, not a word to anyone. It's hard enough for him to admit his feelings with other people making fun of him for it."

"Okay, okay, I promise that I won't say anything about it to anyone. But you can't tell anyone about me and the monk."

"I promise; you keep quiet, and so will I."

"Deal."

"Now, we should get going, we need to find the men and head out to find Toto-sai."

Both women left the clearing, making their way back to the village that they had been staying in. They found Miroku sitting with Inu Yasha, Kirara, and the now recovered Myoga at the table out front of the Inn. The monk's face lit up when he saw Sango, she fixed him with a glare fit to strip paint in response.

"I've settled the bill with the innkeeper, so we can leave just as soon as everyone is ready," Miroku informed the women as they reached the tale. "Inu Yasha seems to have become a mute overnight," he continued. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, Kagome?"

Shut up Miroku. "Mind your own damned business, you sleazy pervert," said Inu Yasha. Well, that came out fairly close, he thought as he clamped his jaw shut.

Slightly taken-aback by Inu Yasha's remark, Miroku fixed him with a startled look. "Well now, what brought that on? Have a rough night Inu Yasha?" he teased the half demon.

"Lave him alone Miroku," Kagome interjected, sticking up for the, once again, silent hanyou. "He's not talking because he doesn't want to offend us. Myoga told me he though it might have something to do with the swords, and all the other strange things that are going on. Isn't that right Myoga?"

Everyone turned to look at Myoga. "I, uh, that is what I said. We should go try to find Toto-sai. He might be able to tell us what is going on."

"I agree. Let's go then," Sango said quickly, before anyone could object. With out further argument, the company left the small village. Sango and Kagome walked next to each other, and Miroku followed, next to Inu Yasha who was carrying Kagome's bag for her. The company spent the rest of the day walking, mostly in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

After a small dinner, the humans relaxed by the fire, while Inu Yasha brooded in a nearby tree. Holding the Tenseiga, which he had retrieved from Kagome's bag with no one noticing, before him he pondered what fate held in store for him.

What am I going to do now? What the hell and I going to do with this thing? It was forged from my father's fang and meant to preserve life. Drawing Tetsusaiga, he compared the blades. Also forged from my father's fangs, but designed to take life. In one hand I hold the power to revoke life, and in the other, the power to revoke death. Isn't that the kind of power that is only supposed to belong to a god? But I'm no god; I'm not even a full demon.

Shaking his head, he let his gaze drift from the blades in his hands. As his eyes wandered, his attention was drawn to the campsite below. They had invited him to stay with them, but he had refused, claiming the need to keep watch. A peal of warm laughter drifted up in the evening air. He could see that the monk had said something that had both the women laughing loudly. He could feel himself getting angry.

Why am I angry? Because the monk can make her laugh while all you can do is make her mad. I should be the one making her laugh, not that pervert. Yes, you should, but you're not. Shut up.

Re-sheathing the swords, he rose to his feet. Before he could drop to the ground, he smelled something in the air. As he did, his shoulder began to ache. He knew the scent, he just couldn't place it. Upon hearing Kagome's scream, it snapped into place what the scent was from.

It was the beast from before; the one who had injured Inu Yasha on their way here. He was out of the tree and in the middle of the campsite before he had finished thinking.

Drawing Tetsusaiga, he took the other sword off, and tossed it to Kagome saying, "Watch this for me, I'll be wanting it back when I'm done."

Catching the sword, she nodded mutely and went to her bag for her bow and arrows. Miroku and Sango moved over to where Kagome was, and took up defensive positions.

"What's wrong Kagome?" Miroku asked, searching the darkness for the cause of her fright.

"Show yourself, beast!" Inu Yasha challenged the night.

"Muhahahahaha," rumbled from the darkness. "You wish to face me, pup? You'll need more then your daddy's teeth if you wish to even challenge me." Spinning, Inu Yasha tried to get a fix on the seemingly omnipresent voice. "Come, pup, let's see what you've got," taunted the dark voice.

"It's over there," yelled Kagome, pointing to the bushes to Inu Yasha's right.

"How do you know?" he asked, turning in that direction.

"Jewel shards, and lots of them. Either he has some kind of deal with Naraku, or there are a whole lot more shards then we had thought," she replied.

"Very clever. But I have no deal with that simple hanyou. He was easy prey. He tried to absorb me, as though I was some normal demon," the voice broke into a dark laughter.

"He's moving," Kagome informed her protector.

"Which way?" he demanded.

"There, behind you!"

Leaping from the shadows, a large and incredibly fast shape lunged at Inu Yasha's back. He was able to get out of the way of the main blow, but the beast's foot caught him in the chest. Digging its claws into Inu Yasha, it changed direction and leapt for the group of humans.

Swinging Hiraikotsu, Sango tried to strike the creature from its intended path. The attacker easily dodged her swing, and allowed it to follow through into Miroku's chest. Snickering at the sickening crack that resulted from the blow, it failed to notice that Kagome had drawn an arrow.

Firing it point blank into the monster's shoulder, she could see that her arrow had hit its mark. Hissing in pain and surprise, the beast stopped its assault and retreated to the shadows.

"You haven't seen the last of me. I'll be back for your shard, your life, and that of your woman, pup," echoed out of the dark forest.

"Come back here and fight you fucking coward! When I get my hands on you, you'll wish you had never been born!" Inu Yasha yelled after the retreating foe.

Sighing in relief, Kagome lowered her bow. She remembered Inu Yasha, and ran to where he was standing. He had clenched his teeth, and was sucking air in through his nose. His chest was a bloody ruin. The old injury had reopened, and was adding its flow of blood to the one pouring out of the new trenches that hand been dug by the monster's foot.

"Inu Yasha," she asked tentatively, "Are you okay?"

"No, bitch," he replied. "I'm pretty fucking far from okay."

She smiled; ignoring the name he had called her, and his language. She smiled because she knew if Inu Yasha was making sarcastic remarks and calling her names, he would be alright. Looking over to where Miroku had fallen, she saw Sango already kneeling over his prone body.

"What the hell are you smiling at?" the hanyou asked angrily, sitting down.

"Nothing, let me get you some bandages for your chest," she replied.

"Feh," he replied, removing his fire-rat haori and moving the white yukata under it out of the way. She returned from her bag, and began flushing out the wounds with water. Then she sterilized them with antiseptic, and padded them with gauze. Finishing up, she wrapped the bandages with and ace bandage to hold them in place. "We should have someone look at these, you might need stitches."

"Kagome," called Sango, "When you are done with Inu Yasha's wounds, I could use your help with Miroku; I think I broke some of his ribs."

"I'll be right over, Sango," she yelled back. Turning her attention back to her patient, she instructed him to sit for a while, with the unintentional effect of causing him to do a face plant into the ground. "Oh gods, Inu Yasha, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that."

"Feh, whatever, just go see to Miroku, and leave me be!" he replied from the ground. She rose to her feet and walked over to where Miroku was laying. He was lying on his back; his eyes clenched shut in pain.

"Where did he get hit?" Kagome asked, sinking to her knees next to Miroku.

"Along his left ribs, right about here," Sango replied, indicating the area with her hand, careful not to touch the affected area. The young Miko gently felt the monk's ribs, noticing him wincing at the touch.

"I can feel a few broken ribs, and a couple of the others are probably bruised," she announced. "I'm not sure how to splint them, but I do know that he's not walking back to Kaede's hut."

"Oh gods, Miroku, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." Deep concern was clearly evident in Sango's voice.

"It's okay," he grunted out through clenched teeth. "I know you didn't mean it."

"Shh, don't speak," the demon exterminator silenced him with a finger on his lips.

"Sango, get the blanket from my bag. Inu Yasha, do you think you can walk some?" Kagome asked.

"Of course I can, I'm not as frail as you humans," he told her, gesturing at Miroku.

"Good, I need your help. Sango, stay here and look after Miroku, we'll be right back." Grabbing Inu Yasha's hand, she dragged him behind her into the woods.

"I'm going to need your help Inu Yasha; we need two poles for a stretcher for Miroku. And I can't see in the dark." He grunted acknowledgement and began looking around. She followed him, still not releasing his hand. Raising an eyebrow at her, he said nothing, just continued the search.

Finding a young tree about three inches thick, he asked, "How about this, will it work for your purposes?"

"Perfectly," she replied. "One down, one to go, no pun intended," she added as he felled the tree.

"What?" he asked, looking confused.

"Never mind, let's just find another like this one."

Shrugging, he picked up the downed tree and a hacked off the bottom seven feet of it to take with them. They quickly found a second tree, and he repeated the process.

As he picked up the second tree length, Inu Yasha remarked, "You could have just told me what you needed. I don't see why you came along."

"So I could do this." She stepped in front of him and ran her hands up his chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. Bringing her face close to his, she pressed her lips gently against his in a deep kiss. She heard the poles clatter to the ground, and felt his arms wrap around her as he kissed her back.

They stood there in the dark kissing for what felt like an eternity, but was really only a few moments. Finally Kagome broke it off, resting her head on his chest. She smiled as she caught her breath, because she could hear his heart pounding as hard as hers. She sighed happily and began to twirl his forelock in her fingers.

"We should be getting back, they'll be wondering what happened to us," he reminded her.

"Yeah," she replied, hesitant to step away from his warm embrace. He bent down and retrieved the poles. When he stood again, she tried to recapture his hand with hers, but found that it had snuck around her waist.

Smiling up at him, she caught his quick wink. They walked back to the camp so linked. Stopping just outside the clearing, Inu Yasha gave her waist a quick squeeze, and dropped his arm to his side.

Sighing again, she didn't try to hold onto him. He wasn't ready to show affection in front of the others, and she wouldn't push it. They stepped into the light of the camp fire to find Sango standing over Miroku, with her katana held at the ready.

"Sango, what's wrong?" Kagome inquired.

"Kagome? Oh thank the gods you're back. When I heard the trees falling, I figured it was just you two, but then you two didn't come right back, and I suspected the worst. What did take you two so long to get back?" asked the now relieved demon exterminator.

The glow of the fire hid Kagome's blush, Inu Yasha responded by saying, "Well, we weren't very well going to bring the whole trees back with us. I had to shorten them, now stop acting foolish."

Much to the astonishment of the two women, he sat and proceeded to trim the branches from the wooden lengths he had brought back with him. As he did this, Kagome laid out the blanket. When he was done, she placed the poles and folded the blanket into a stretcher next to Miroku.

"Inu Yasha, and Sango, I need you two to slide the stretcher under Miroku when I rock his body onto his right side. Miroku, this is going to hurt a bit." Kagome warned. "Rock him on three; one, two, three!"

Miroku grunted in pain as he was moved into place. They moved as quickly as they could, to make the pain as transitory as possible.

"Sango, do you think that Kirara would mind if we tied the front of the stretcher to her back?" Kagome asked. "We would still have to take turns carrying the other end because dragging it would be murder for his ribs."

"That sounds like a good idea. I doubt Kirara will mind," Sango replied, scratching the now transformed fire cat demon behind the ears. Following Kagome's instructions, Sango helped her tie the one end of the stretcher to Kirara's back, while Inu Yasha held the other end.

They walked all night, Inu Yasha doing most of the carrying while the girls watched for enemies and took turns napping on Kirara's back. The morning sun found Inu Yasha carrying the stretcher while Sango walked beside him. Kagome was sleeping soundly on Kirara's back, and Miroku had long since passed out.

"Huh? What was that Sango?" he asked, her voice calling him out of the daze he had been walking in.

"I asked what was going on between you and Kagome," she repeated. "Don't worry, they're both soundly asleep, and I won't tell them anything that you say," Sango assured him as he glanced worriedly at the sleeping humans and his current company.

"I…I don't know," he admitted after a long pause.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" she asked, taking advantage of his abnormal openness.

"I mean that I am still very confused about the whole situation. On one hand there is Kagome. She seems interested, but sometimes I wonder if it's only her kindness showing. I feel a deep need to protect her, and I enjoy spending time with her."

"And on the other hand…"

"And on the other hand there is Kikyo. I still have a grave responsibility to her. When we were so easily tricked into betraying one another, fifty years ago, something between us broke; something very fragile. When I woke, I hated her so much, I almost killed Kagome because they looked so much alike. I've begun to doubt that I ever truly loved her. I think that I was more in love with the idea of being in love with her then I was with her. Do you know what I mean?"

At her nod, he continued, "We made promises to each other before the betrayal, and I mean to keep my honor. If I don't have my honor, then I will lose myself, and every battle I fight will be meaningless, and every day I live will be worth less then the one before it."

"I know what you mean. I have to face a similar problem of honor when ever I am forced to face Kohaku. While one side is the dishonor of fighting my brother while he is controlled by our enemy, and on the other is the dishonor of endangering my comrades, and allowing my enemy's agent to control me. What do you plan to do about Kagome and Kikyo?"

She had asked him in a matter of fact manner. The question was honest, and she seemed to not be pressuring him one way or the other. "I'm not sure, but I like spending time with Kagome, so I'll just have to cross that bridge when I come to it. And until then, I'll try to make the most of the time I have."

Nodding, Sango offered to take over carrying the stretcher. Unknown to Inu Yasha and Sango, Kagome had awakened while they were speaking. Well, I guess I'm just going to have to make the best of that time too. I'll just rest a little longer then I'll `wake up.'

"Oh, and Sango," Inu Yasha said, "If you tell anyone about this conversation, I'll track you down and kill you with my bare hands."

Seeing the deadly serious look in his eyes, she replied, "I said that I wouldn't, and I won't. My honor prohibits me from going back on my word, and as you said, without honor we don't have much."

He nodded his head once in acknowledgement, and turned is attention to keeping the stretcher level and keeping pace with Kirara.

Kagome "woke up" about half an hour later. She made no indication that she had heard Inu Yasha's and Sango's conversation, deciding instead wait to put her new information to use. The girls chatted about this and that, and took turns with Inu Yasha carrying the back part of the stretcher. They arrived in the village by the well in the late afternoon. They carried the stretcher into Kaede's hut and had her examine Miroku's ribs.

"Hmm, it is as Kagome thought, ye have three broken ribs and two more that will break if not given time to heal, Miroku," the old Miko informed the injured monk. "Was this the only injury?"

"Well, Inu Yasha has some cuts across his chest that are fairly deep," Kagome answered.

"Let me see them child," Kaede instructed the hanyou. Shooting Kagome a dark look, he removed the clothing covering is upper torso. Carefully removing the bandages, Kaede inspected the wounds. "Hmm, ye shall need stitches, Inu Yasha. Kagome, please see to his wounds while I attend to Miroku's."

"Uh, I'm not sure that I can do that," the girl from the future admitted.

"Do ye not know how to sew?"

Not, I can, it's just that…"

"Just what?"

"Well, sewing cloth is different from living flesh, and I've never done that before."

"It will be fine. This is a skill that you'll need in the future, so long as you hunt the Shikon Jewel, you will have to fight. And more then likely, you will have to stitch wounds shut. Normally Inu Yasha's wounds would be able to heal them selves with out a problem. However, the beast that bit him seems to have poisoned him."

"Uh, okay. I'll try my best."

"Inu Yasha is an ideal person to start on. His pain tolerance is very high, and he heals very well on his own, despite the poison. I will inspect them when you are done. You should go outside where the light is better; the table there should suit your needs." Handing Kagome the needle and thread, Kaede turned back to the job of splinting Miroku's ribs. Outside, Kagome instructed Inu Yasha to lie on his back on the table.

"Let me know if it hurts too much," she said.

His response was a noncommittal grunt. Shrugging, Kagome threaded the needle and started to stitch the wounds shut. There were three long gashed that required her attention. By the time the first one was done, her stitches were well placed and even. Her hand moved of its own accord, and her mind began to wander.

"Inu Yasha?"

"What?"

"What's going on between us?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, what's happening?"

"Well, right now you are stitching my chest shut."

"That's not what I meant and you know it!" she accentuate her point by smacking him on the side of the head lightly.

"Well, what the hell do you mean?"

"Forget it! I guess I was wrong about it anyway!"

"Feh, fine."

She was furious with him, but did not allow it to be reflected in her stitches. She may have been pissed at him, but he was too important to her and she was too kind to do something as petty as that.

When she was done with the stitches, she stormed back into the hut. Sango exited a few moments later to find Inu Yasha sitting on the table and looking very confused. Walking up, she sat down next to the young half demon.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"Damned if I know," he responded.

"I don't think I've seen her this pissed at you since the time you accused her of being Koga's woman." At the mention of the wolf demon's name, Inu Yasha let out a low growl and stared death into the ground.

"Do you want me to try and find out what she's pissed about?" Sango offered.

Inu Yasha turned a thoughtful look at Sango as he considered her offer. Well, I've trusted her this far, why not a little more? No you fool! She's just waiting until you are vulnerable, then she'll betray you, just like everyone else has. Kagome hasn't. Hasn't she? He shook his head to clear his arguing his thoughts.

"Feh," was all he finally said.

Figuring that because of their earlier discussion he really did want to know, but was just too proud or stubborn to admit it, she would go find out, and tell him anyway. Shrugging her shoulders, she walked back toward the hut, leaving the half demon by himself.

Inu Yasha once again found himself looking at the entrance to the hut, wondering what was going on. Shaking his head he glanced around himself and saw a bandaged, but happy Shippo bearing down on him. Sighing, he prepared himself for the tirade of questions that were sure to accompany the young fox demon's arrival.

"What happened to your chest? Is Kagome back? Where is she? Did you make her mad again? What did you do this time?" Shippo asked in rapid succession.

"Shut it, runt," Inu Yasha replied calmly.

"You did make her mad! Why do you always maker her mad? Now she'll go back though the well and I won't get to see her!"

"I said shut it!" he growled, allowing some anger to flow into his voice. Grabbing the kitsune by the tail, he held Shippo up so he could look at him eye to eye. "Kagome is inside tending to Miroku's wounds. I got clawed and bitten in a fight. I don't know why she's mad at me, but I don't think she'll go back through the well just yet. And if you would shut your yap occasionally, you might find out the answers to a few of the inane questions you seem insistent on asking constantly." When he was done speaking, Inu Yasha put Shippo back on the ground, careful of the kit's wounds. "Now get lost."

Sticking his tongue out at Inu Yasha, Shippo wandered into the hut, and left the inu hanyou alone once more. Because he was sitting outside, Inu Yasha was the first to notice the new arrival. Lifting his nose into the air, he smelled something strangely familiar.

"Toto-sai!" he whispered, jumping to his feet. Pulling his clothing back into place, the half demon took off in the direction of the blacksmith's scent.

Unknown to Inu Yasha, Kagome had come out of the hut when Shippo can in muttering about Inu Yasha acting strangely. She was just in time to hear is whisper and to watch him take off down the road. Knowing the way Inu Yasha and the old sword smith got along, Kagome figured the senile geezer would need all the help he could get. Hopping on her bike, she peddled after her protector without a word to anyone inside.

She found him not far outside of the village, standing in front of the three-eyed oxen, upon which sat the sword smith. Neither of the men noticed her arrival. Both were too busy arguing to notice anything else.

"What the hell is going on with these swords?" demanded Inu Yasha in a loud angry voice.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," replied Toto-sai. "Now give me your brother's sword back!"

"You can have it when you pry it from my cold dead hand." The hanyou spat back. "Now answer my questions; why do you want it back?"

"You barely have the ability to control one of the great swords, what makes you think you can master the power of both?"

Before Inu Yasha could respond, Kagome made her presence known. "Inu Yasha is much stronger then you think. He has mastered both of the ultimate attacks of Tetsusaiga. He's not the same person you knew before, with a little help, he will master Tenseiga as well."

"Kagome! What are you doing here?" questioned the surprised Inu Yasha as he spun to face her.

Ignoring Inu Yasha's question, Kagome demanded, "Well?"

"Hmm, perhaps you are correct, he hasn't threatened to kill me yet. Perhaps he is ready for the trials," replied Toto-sai.

"Of course he is."

"Hmm, I will allow him to take the trials."

"Good."

"You will go with him."

"What?"

"You must go with him if he is to take the trials."

"Why?"

"You are his weakness, you are his strength. Even if the two of you can't see it, it is plain for all others. Together you stand a chance of succeeding, apart, you will both fail."

Feeling a bit left out, as the senile old sword smith and the young girl from the future decided his fate, Inu Yasha decided to remind them he was still there, "Hello? Don't I get a say in this?"

Both the girl and the old man turned to face him and shouted, "NO!"

Sputtering, Inu Yasha went to sit on the side of the road and mutter about stupid people running his life for him.

"The two of you leave immediately!" cried Toto-sai, returning to the topic at hand.

"I still don't see why I have to go," pouted Kagome.

"Because I said so, and because he'll need you."

Sighing in defeat, Kagome responded, "Fine, I'll go. Just let me bring my bike back, get my bag, and let everyone know we're going."

"No, you leave now!" I'll return your bike and tell everyone what has happened to you." Jumping off his mount, Toto-sai took the bike from Kagome. "Go over to Inu Yasha and hang on to him tight.

Doing as she was bid, Kagome walked over to Inu Yasha as heroes to his feet. Looking up at his face, she grabbed him around the waist in a tight hug.

"Now, Inu Yasha, draw both swords. You have to concentrate on them as hard as you can. Feel the power coursing through them. Feel how the power is similar, and yet so different. Concentrate as hard as you can. Now reach into these powers and dram them into yourself. As much you cans stand. Keep drawing until you feel as though you are about to burst. Kagome, allow the power he is drawing to fill you as well, reach and connect with him."

As Inu Yasha stood there, listening to the old man's words, he could sense the power emanating from the swords. Closing his eyes, he reached out, with his mind, into both swords. From Tetsusaiga flowed a bright and hot power that felt as though it should consume his very soul. From Tenseiga flowed a dark and cold power that felt like the icy grip of the grave on his soul.

The two powers flowed through his arms, and mixed through out his body. The darkness chased the light, chasing the darkness, chasing the light, on into infinity. He drew more and more until it seemed the light would sear him to ash, and the darkness would reduce him to frozen dust.

He had never felt so alive as he did while these energies raced through him. More and more he drew it into him, until it seemed he would burst. Enough, I have enough now. I cannot take any more. Despite his decision, more power flowed into him. Panicking, he barely was able to make out Toto-sai's words.

"Allow Kagome to help you."

How the hell am I supposed to do that? Even as he wondered, it became obvious how. He could sense a bridge of sorts, it pressed against him, but his walls prevented anything from crossing to it. Kagome. Relaxing his control slightly, he allowed the excess to flow across the bridge into her, though he was careful not to give her more then she could handle. She gasped when the power flowed into her from him, and grasped him tighter.

"Now, Inu Yasha, cross the blades, short the circuit and enter with Kagome into the trials!" commanded a detached voice they both recognized as belonging to Toto-sai.

Inu Yasha brought the blades closer and closer to each other. As he did so, he could feel the power arcing between them. When they touched, there was a sudden backlash as the energy filling the human and half demon rapidly flowed out of their bodies back into the swords, carrying them with it. The bodies of each crashed to the ground.

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A/N: Jeez, seventeen pages according to Microsoft Word XP! Happy holidays every one! I have no idea if you guys are reviewing because I don't know how to check for reviews here. I would love to hear what you all are thinking so drop me an email at arcainfire@yahoo.com. Chapter six will be a few weeks in coming probably, but I am working on it. Sorry to leave you with a bit of a cliff hanger, but all will be made clear….I hope. Any way, the story is at least half way done (meaning totally), so hopefully we'll be there soon. A big thank you to Black Phoenix and Ahrima for spending to much time beta reading my story. This note has gone on too long, so I'll end it now.