InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Path You Follow ❯ Counting The Days ( Chapter 15 )

The Path You Follow

By: EvilNekoEatsYourSoul

Author's note: Kind of an uneventful chapter, but we're getting close to the end. I'm thinking there's about three more chapters left in the story and most likely an epilogue afterwards.

On an entirely different note: I've actually worked on my homepage and figured out how to make it look more… decent at least. So if you have time please check it out, I even scanned some pictures from Inuyasha stuff that I have and have available for download my three favorite Inuyasha songs: My Will; Fukai Mori and Dearest. Of course, my fics are posted there as well. Oh, now that I think about it I'm going to go and put an mp3 of the little song Rin sang in Chapter 6 (it came from the Inuyasha anime episode #77). So those of you who haven't seen that far into the anime can at least hear how kawaii Rin sounds when she sings it!

Last time: The group fell silent once again, Miroku and Sango looked thoughtful. Kagome continued to stare into the fire; her face blank and Inuyasha…

"I don't get it," the hanyou said, sitting down against a tree and pouting.

Kagome smiled and rolled her eyes.

Chapter 15: Counting The Days

~*~

The young youkai standing before Sesshoumaru looked nothing like the Northern lord, but the boy admitted freely that he was indeed one of the thirteen sons of Choukichirou. Despite the fact that he was a child he had a pensive look about him, his posture rigid and his lips set in a deep frown. There lingered upon him the stench of his father's blood, it also stained his hands and clothing.

Knowing his life hung upon the thin thread of Sesshoumaru's whim, Kisho bowed deeply and waited for the Western lord to speak. Beside the taiyoukai stood Rin, who fidgeted nervously, looking back and forth between the two of them. Shippou was off to the side, his small arms crossed over his chest and his eyes shimmering with moisture. Every once in a while the kitsune could be heard saying, `where's Kagome?'

"Where are the rest of your siblings?" Sesshoumaru questioned. There had been several youkai around the area during his abrupt battle but he could no longer sense them.

"Gone I suppose. I believe they ran away once they were sure my otousan would lose; our family is somewhat lacking in loyalty as you might have guessed," to emphasis his point, the boy raised his bloodied claws.

Sesshoumaru fell silent, his mind far away; back in the Western lands where a blue-eyed woman was searching for more weight to put upon her shoulders, as if it wasn't enough that she had to carry the Shikon no tama. He had, by all youkai laws and rights, conquered the Northern lands even if he hadn't meant to, but he felt that his true obligation was by Kagome's side, searching for the kuroi miko who had cursed her. But there was also the threat of Choukichirou's living sons coming to claim the north once again.

At his side, Rin tugged upon one of his sleeves, "Anou… Sesshoumaru-sama, where is Kagome-chan? Didn't she come with you?"

And just like that the decision was made. He didn't want the Northern lands, all he wanted was to find Kagome. Now all that was left to deal with was the boy… Sesshoumaru's glaring eyes turned once again towards the bronze haired youkai. Again, Rin's small hands yanked at his clothing.

"Sesshoumaru-sama… you're not going to hurt Kisho, are you? He helped me and Shippou."

It was what Kisho had been waiting for. He had known by the way Rin spoke of the Western lord that even if Sesshoumaru decided to kill him that Rin would be able to sway him from that course of action. Now, he could see hesitation within the golden eyes. In truth, Kisho had no one left, no family, no home, nothing. No true reason to live.

"What will you do now, rule over the Northern lands?"

The tense muscles in his shoulders relaxed a bit, his eyes closing in thanks. Though he had nothing to really live for there was an undeniable yearning for life and that omnipresent fear of death.

"Iie," Kisho answered, smiling a bit sadly, "I want nothing of my father's. I'll leave the north, go anywhere that isn't this place."

"Oh! You should come with us. I want you to meet Kagome-chan!" Rin said enthusiastically.

The inu-youkai could not think of any reason why the boy could not do so, if Rin wished it to be so. Kagome, he knew, liked children. Despite his serious disposition the boy was still that; a boy most likely in need of guidance.

"My-," Sesshoumaru began but fell silent for a moment. What was Kagome to him? She was not his mate by youkai standards, they were not married in the human tradition and she was not just `his woman,' he loathed to use such a term.

"My companion," he decided, "she has a fondness for strays," Sesshoumaru glanced meaningfully at the kitsune.

But Kisho shook his head, his eyes turned upward towards the night sky, focusing on the moon.

"Arigato, it's a kind offer but I've decided I don't want to be around youkai anymore. It's not the type of life I can live; I don't have that kind of strength. If I had a choice I would become human and live a simple life, work in the rice paddies, find a mate have children and just die peacefully in my old age. Youkai can only die when we are slain; a bitter end for a bitter entity."

Sesshoumaru frowned at the absurdity of the boy's words. Rin had wandered off and was now snuggled beside the kitsune; both children asleep against the trunk of a tree.

"So, I guess this means you're letting me go?"

For the moment he ignored the question and asked one of his own, "What did you know of Choukichirou's plans?"

"Nothing," he answered honestly, "a year ago he told me I was to marry a ningen girl and then without warning one day he showed up with Rin and Shippou. He gave me the task of caring for them but told me nothing of what he planned to do."

Sensing the truth of his words, Sesshoumaru turned his back to the younger youkai, "You are free to leave."

Kisho grinned and turned east, not really knowing where he was going but nevertheless, feeling excited and free. A few feet away from where he had been talking to the Western lord, he picked up a sack filled with a few necessities. It was his first time walking through the deep forest surrounding the Northern castle and he slowed his footsteps, taking the time to admire the scenery.

~*~

Her mind stayed on the brink of consciousness although her eyes were closed and her body yearned for rest. It could not be helped, she was afraid to sleep, afraid of what kinds of dreams would haunt her weary mind. Afraid that when she awoke she would find herself as she was when she had fallen asleep; without the company of her lover.

Despite all her optimism she was uncertain of the future. There were too many variables and not enough certainties. Where could they find Midoriko? How could they destroy her? There was no escaping the fierce edges of reality, not even in her dreams because that is when she was the most vulnerable.

Just a few feet away she could hear the whispers of her friends.

"We can't kill her Miroku! She's a legend; practically a saint!"

"Sango… I understand what you're saying but do you really believe that woman we met today to be a saint? Don't forget what she did to Kagome and Yukiko."

"I know but-,"

"You mustn't think of her as Midoriko. That person died a long time ago when the Shikon no tama was made. Her soul rests within the jewel itself. The kuroi miko and Midoriko are not the same person; just as the Kikyou who was resurrected was not the same as the Kikyou who had protected the Shikon."

`Her soul is in the Shikon no tama,' Kagome thought, holding the jewel tightly in her fist. `That must mean something, they're connected; but how?'

From her position, Kagome heard Sango sigh, but remained as she was in a semblance of sleep.

`Sleep, dreams, the Shikon no tama and Midoriko dreams; that's right. I don't want to dream."

"Where should we look for her?" Sango asked.

`A woman; Midoriko. Chanting; the curse. The statue… It wasn't a statue, all this time I've had this dream and it never occurred to me. Midoriko and the youkai she fought when she created the Shikon no tama; they were caught in stone and that is what I've been dreaming of,' Kagome groaned aloud and stood, startling her friends who had suspected she was asleep all this time.

"I've figured it out," she announced, looking around for Inuyasha. Figuring that he was probably in a tree somewhere nearby, she continued.

"We go to Sango's village; that's where she'll be waiting for us. I've been dreaming of the cave there all this time and I only now realized it."

Kagome heard a light `thud' from behind her and then Inuyasha spoke, apparently having left the tree he had been sitting in.

"Feh, took you long enough to figure it out! Let's go already," Inuyasha was about to take off into the night when Kagome said one word that stopped him in his tracks… and consequently, slammed his face into the ground.

"Osuwari. Don't forget Inuyasha; we're ningens, we need rest!"

~*~

Sweet, angelic music kissed her ears as a cool breeze took her into a light embrace. It was all so perfect. It was impossible for anything even remotely malignant to exist. Yet, she was able to linger in such a place-a person who had been considered useless and burdensome all her life, nothing but a parasite upon those around her.

But something within her had changed suddenly. There was a mental `snap,' and things in her mind had shifted to become something… something that was not to be cast aside, as so many people had to her done before. It was something that could be embraced and cared for.

Before this change occurred she had felt alone and weak; sickeningly frightful and selfish in her need to protect herself by always running. She had been a person worthy of despising, a person she herself had come to dislike. Life had made it painstakingly clear she was nowhere near perfect and would never be even remotely close to it.

Still, she had met these people and they had saved her. They were people who would sacrifice their own safety and maybe even their lives, just to help her. They were people who nonchalantly called her `friend,' and had no idea what a tremendous concept it was for her to grasp. Though things were difficult and confusing they smiled and joked, even though they didn't really know much about her and she had nothing to offer them, they would still go out of their way for her. With the realization of all those things came a vast sense of gratitude and another thing she had never before felt-self worth.

So it was that with the help of Kagome's sleeping tonic, that Yukiko was able to think clearly for the first time in months. There was no battle raging within her, no fear of losing herself in the deep dark corners of her mind. No longer did the voices in her head shout, argue and curse. It was as if they were asleep as well. Their presence was undetectable and not missed.

Yukiko continued to sleep, listening to the soft song of her dream and feeling warm and welcome in the world that had once frightened and resented her. There was a strange warmth upon her dream lips and when she opened her eyes she saw gold and knew that everything would be alright.

~*~

"Jaken,"

The children were beginning to stir from their sleep just as the sky began to light with colors of the rising sun. After Sesshoumaru had sprinted to the castle, the toad-like youkai had been left behind to fend for himself against a few bird youkai who had been lingering around the area. Thanks to the Staff of Heads, he had been able to keep them at bay until they tired and left. He had only just arrived when Sesshoumaru called for him.

"We will need Ah-Un."

After bowing deeply, with his nose almost against the dirt, Jaken scurried off to signal the dragon mount of Sesshoumaru. In one wrinkled, green hand, he held the staff up and pointed it towards the sky, muttering a few words before a green flame spewed from the heads atop the staff. Ah-Un never ventured far from Sesshoumaru, though he kept his distance when he was not used as a pack animal he was always within range waiting to be summoned.

It took barely a minute for the two-headed dragon youkai to arrive, descending quickly from the sky near to where Shippou and Rin were arguing about who made the most noises when they slept.

"Rin, Shippou. We're leaving."

Without a second glance their way, he gathered his jyaki beneath him to form a cloud that rose slowly at first and picked up speed as more energy was put into it. Below him, both children were fighting about yet another inane matter, with Jaken yelling at them from atop Ah-Un. Shaking his head in irritation, Sesshoumaru wondered if perhaps he should just leave them all there.

~*~

Day one: she awoke from the curse.

Day two: they reached Sesshoumaru's castle and discovered Rin and Shippou had been kidnapped and left immediately after.

Days three-seven: Very depressing travel.

Day eight: they discovered the kuroi miko was wearing the form of Midoriko.

Day nine: she had formed the plan to keep Yukiko asleep as a means of controlling the spirits.

Kagome counted the days in her head. `I was told I had two weeks to end the curse. That leaves me… four more days not including this one.'

"How long do you think it will take us to reach there, Sango-chan?"

There were three of them uncomfortably squeezed onto Kirara. Sango had made Miroku ride in the front so that he didn't have an excuse for his hands to wander so much. Behind him was Kirara's owner followed by Kagome. Beneath them, Inuyasha held the slumbering Yukiko, as he became a red blur amongst the forest's trees.

"At the speed we're going we should reach there in about two days," the taijiyaa answered.

Kagome sighed, feeling the wrinkles forming on her brow as she frowned. `And now I feel like I'm getting old,' she thought, feeling the wrinkled flesh with her fingertips.

"I just don't know what to do…" she whispered to herself.

`How can we defeat her when all she has to do is look at us and we freeze on the spot?'

"Did you say something, Kagome-chan?" Sango said, turning her head to the side so she could get a glimpse of the worried look on her friends face.

"Iie," the miko answered, shaking her head for emphasis, "I was just thinking."

The older girl nodded, "You know, I've been thinking too. I mean we know where the uh, kuroi miko will most likely be but, what exactly are her motives? If she wanted the Shikon no tama she could have taken it from you when she cursed you, right? Then, she told Yukiko to use it to wish for a new body."

"She didn't tell Yukiko that; she told Takehiko… But you're right, there's not really any reason for her to be doing this. We haven't done anything to her, none of us are connected to her in anyway. But that's a good point Sango, why doesn't she want the Shikon no tama?"

They both fell into thoughtful silence, Kagome's mind working diligently, but with very little results. `They are connected, or they were connected…'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

As always, a huge `thank you,' for the reviews.

Spirit element: Glad you liked the last chapter, I really enjoyed writing that one too. ^_^ Hope this one wasn't too boring… it's a lot of sitting around and making plans and not much action…

Snow cat: you asked if I were going to go any deeper into the reasons Rin was kidnapped. I'm not really sure, it will be mentioned again because as of right now only Sesshoumaru knows the reason and of course the others will be curious. But in any case, it was basically because the youkai wanted the Shikon no tama, they thought since Kagome was training Rin to be a miko that eventually Rin would sort of inherit the Shikon and if that plan failed, then they would use Rin as a bargaining tool for the Shikon no tama.

Aira^o^: Sorry, no more reasons to beat up Kouga in this fic. Hehe, maybe in my other one though. I got a bit worried when I didn't see a review from you, thought you might have stopped reading. But I'm really glad to see you're still around. Thanks for your continued reading and reviews.