InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Heart of Darkness ( Chapter 55 )

Disclaimer: Don't own…don't sue. Tormenting them purely for my own sadistic pleasure. All characters and most situations owned by Rumiko Takahashi Shogakukan Publishing, and VIZ is in the dog-pile somewhere, too.

 

A/N: This chapter kicked my butt for a variety of reasons, all of which were of my own making! Coarse language alert, violence and gore…and male nudity (Muso keeps losing his clothes). Heavily referencing the relevant manga.

 

Bouquets: to Nokomarie the Snake for her CMA advice, and to Neko-Lady for her encouragement!

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 55: Heart of Darkness

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Sengoku Jidai

Later that same morning…

 

“Wake up, wench. That stupid wolf has probably killed Naraku by now, and I've missed it!”

 

Kagome batted at the toes prodding her ribs and yawned, before rolling over and snuggling back into Kirara's furry side. “Miroku would be celebrating if his Vortex disappeared; since he isn't, Koga didn't.” The toes prodded again and she swatted again. “Go `way, Inuyasha. Thought my wolfish scent would be a dog repellent…”

 

“Keh…gotta do something about that, too.”

 

She cracked an eyelid and did her best to glare at the hanyou, but another yawn interfered. Disgruntled, she sat up, yawned again and ran her fingers through her tangled hair; Kirara's muzzle nudged her shoulder, and she twisted to hug the neko around the neck. “Thanks for letting me curl up with you; I really needed that sleep.” Kirara purred and when Kagome stood up, reached further to nuzzle Sango, who had managed to sleep through the entire conversation. The slayer repeated Kagome's wake-up sequence, minus the hanyou-directed insults, and the group slowly began to stir.

 

It was late the same morning as their all-night pursuit of Koga and Kagura, and exhaustion of the human members of the group demanded some sleep before they charged off again. Kirara had agreeably formed a cozy nest out of her body for the girls; Miroku propped himself up against a tree, and a dozing Shippo draped himself over Inuyasha's shoulder while he stood watch.

 

“Oi! …the sun's directly overhead! I wanna go back and check out that meadow before it gets too late.”

 

“Slavedriver…” Kagome muttered, sotto voce, while digging through the saddlebags.

 

“What was that, wench?”

 

“Hmm? Just deciding on what kind of self-heating rations for lunch; you want beef or chicken?” She smiled a little too innocently at him.

 

Inuyasha quirked an eyebrow at her before stepping very close, and in the act of taking the ration container from her hand, bent his head and whispered, “Keh…you do know that one of the human words for `mate' also means `master'….” Smirking, he stalked away, leaving the for-once speechless girl staring after him, her brain turning over rapidly, but not fast enough for an appropriate come-back.

 

After a quick meal, the group headed towards the grassy meadow at an easy pace, Inuyasha grumbling the whole way, and not only because Kagome chose to ride Arashi with Shippo instead of with him. Once the site was reached, he bounded into the clearing and began sniffing intently. He rapidly checked the open ground, and then vanished into the forest on the other side.

 

Kagome dismounted, the kit on her shoulder, and cautiously stepped over and around the tumbled remnants of Kagura's guards. Miroku crouched; he thoughtfully sifted powdered bone between his fingers, then rose and began intoning prayers for the dead. Sango joined Kagome and Shippo in watching the solemn service, then dropped her hand onto Kagome's arm.

 

“Shall we gather up the bones into one spot? Naraku killed these people; they deserve a proper resting place.”

 

“Agreed. Inuyasha can dig a shallow pit once he's finished proving to himself that the castle is definitely gone.” She tried to pick up a skull, but the apparently-solid bone turned to dust in her fingers. “Oh! This could be a problem…”

 

“Do not bother, Kagome-sama. These bones have been exposed to powerful miasmic corrosion; by nightfall, there will be nothing to bury, I am afraid to say.” The monk smiled a bit sadly, and tapped another breastplate with his staff; the skeleton sprawling within instantly crumbled.

 

“These poor people,” Sango muttered as she rose, wiping her hands on her kosode. “More lives ruined by Naraku.”

 

“Should we maybe collect the armour into a pile? At least it would be some kind of memorial for them.” Kagome caught Miroku's eye, and he nodded. The three of them bent to the task, trying not to flinch when the earthly remains vanished right before their eyes. Shippo gathered up the weapons and laid them neatly next to the unorthodox cairn the adults were building. Inuyasha finally rejoined them, his eyes dark and brooding over something, and helped tidy the mound. The girl slipped her arm through his, and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. “No clues?”

 

“Nothing. Fucking wolf came through here and muddied the scent trails.”

 

“How can Naraku move an entire castle?” Shippo wondered, shading his eyes with his hand and scanning the distant mountain peaks.

 

“Don't think I want to know how, Ship-dip. Let's go…we might as well head back towards the village, since I doubt Naraku is going to invite us to a house-warming.” Kagome pressed a brief, warm kiss onto Inuyasha's cheek, scooped the kit and headed back to where the horses were placidly grazing on the edge of the meadow. Swinging up into the saddle, she glanced once more across the deceptively innocent-looking expanse of grass before turning Arashi's head and trotting off into the trees, followed after a few moments by the rest of the group.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

A WeekLater…

 

“Damn, damned, damnable…not another one.” Even as she uttered the words, Kagome felt a deep sense of horrified déjà vu. The group stood on the edge of a small collection of huts and fields scratched out of the forest…the same hamlet they had passed through just over a week ago, going in the opposite direction. Now it was a smouldering ruin, the two survivors too shell-shocked to respond clearly to their questions.

 

It had been the same at the previous two villages visited by brutal and sudden death; devastated survivors, burning buildings, anything of value ruined or stolen. When they left the first village after assisting with burial duty, a trail of smashed personal belongings, discarded loot, and the stomach-turning discovery of contorted women's corpses that spoke of violent, anguished death all led them to the next village, where the horrible story was repeated.

 

The bandits in whose wake they were following were the worst kind of vermin. Every day, and each new heart-wrenching discovery of proof of their depravity, caused a pained silence to wrap more tightly around the group. The third village was the worst, and Kagome felt a dark rage rise within her, twisting around her heart like an armoured fist.

 

“Animals. These aren't humans; they're fucking animals,” she snarled into the empty air, and felt her power spark in response to her fury until her cuirass was a mass of flickering lights.

 

Beside her, Sango balled her fists as she, too, glared around the devastated hamlet. Smoke rose into the early summer sky from the few modest buildings; flames licked up the support beams and ate at the wooden roof tiles. The limp, bloodied bodies of the few families who had called this place home were tumbled where they fell, transfixed by spears or hacked apart by swords. An old woman and her young grandson, found huddling in the undergrowth, were the only survivors; they slumped in stunned silence, unable to lend assistance as the travellers moved to the task of respectfully burying the dead.

 

As Inuyasha clawed out a pit in one of the fields, Miroku carefully looked into each corpse's face before covering it with ruined clothing and murmuring the offices for the dead. Kagome growled, her aura still sizzling ominously, and joined Inuyasha on the burial detail for the third time in the past week. Kirara curled herself around Sango's leg, mewing softly before leaping up onto her shoulder and rubbing her muzzle against the slayer's cheek. Sighing heavily, Sango picked her way over to Miroku and lifted the body he had just blessed, which happened to be that of a young child.

 

She couldn't stop the tears then, and was only slightly startled when gentle fingers wiped her cheeks. Miroku smiled softly at her, and his hand moved from her face to rest briefly on her shoulder before dropping to touch the child in her arms. Then he spoke, and his voice was harsh with restrained fury, in contrast to his tender movements. “They will pay, Sango. These bastards will pay.”

 

Sango's heart was too heavy to return his smile, and she bowed her head briefly before carrying the body over to the pit. Kagome took the child from her and handed it to Inuyasha, who carefully laid it in the grave. When the slayer had moved away, the hanyou murmured, “Go question the baba, Kagome. Find out anything you can about these murderers.”

 

The girl glanced over at the old woman, who was now cradling the young boy and mindlessly rocking, her old eyes blank. “I don't think I'll get much out of her. She's suffering from shock.”

 

“Keh. Try anyways.”

 

“They'll have to come with us; we can't leave them here all alone.”

 

“We're almost done here. See if you can persuade them onto one of the horses.”

 

Kagome nodded and beckoned to Shippo as she walked over to crouch beside the withered grandmother. She tried to catch the woman's attention, but finally had to tug rather firmly on the sleeve of her tattered kosode. “Obaa-san, you must come with us. It isn't safe for you to remain here any longer.” The watery dark eyes fixed on her face, and the wrinkled brow furrowed a little deeper as the listener processed her words. The girl waited patiently, and finally, the kerchiefed head bobbed slightly. The child was thrust into her arms, and Kagome found herself balancing the little boy while steadying the grandmother. Shippo and Arashi clopped over to them; Inuyasha left off burying the dead for a moment to lift the old woman to the saddle and then Kagome handed up the child.

 

“We'll take you to the next village and Miroku will ask the headman to give you shelter.” Kagome hoped to see a spark of understanding, but the woman's eyes were unseeing.

 

The hanyou touched her shoulder. “Head out on the road; we'll catch up as soon as we're done here.” She nodded and turned the mare's head towards the path that led out of the village as Shippo leapt to her shoulder and hugged her tightly around the neck. The girl desperately hoped that they wouldn't come across any bodies tossed to the side that would turn out to be the child's mother, and had Shippo lead the horse while she jogged ahead. She was lucky; nothing grisly demanded attention before the others caught up.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Inuyasha called a fairly early halt that evening; he muttered about not wanting to carry the old baba when she fell out of the saddle, but no one was fooled when they saw the gentle way he helped her down and to a spot near the fire. The little boy's eyes were dull; Sango thought he felt a bit feverish when she brushed her hand over his brow. Kagome gave Shippo KP duty while she checked her medical kit for anything that might help. Can't do anything about the shock of losing his family she thought, while doling out some pain killer and water.

 

Long after the child and the grandmother had been tucked into the bedrolls, and the fire burned down to embers, the rest of the travelling party sat up with their thoughts. Inuyasha had taken to a tree above their heads; below him, Kagome used a stick to poke at the fire, her silver-rimmed eyes reflecting the light. Sango detached herself from the larger shadow that was Miroku and dropped down beside her, her arms wrapped tightly around her drawn-up legs. Side by side, the two girls sat, staring into the fire. Finally, Sango spoke in a hushed tone.

 

“Have you ever killed a human?”

 

Kagome jabbed the fire and sent a shower of sparks skyward. She waited until they fizzled out before answering. “No; but I'm going to make an exception if we ever catch up to these bastards.” She glanced over at the slayer, and was transfixed by blazing dark eyes. Wordlessly, Sango held out a hand; they clasped each other's arms in the age-old gesture of solidarity, and the slayer nodded before standing up and returning to Miroku's side. Kagome looked around for Shippo, and noted the kit snuggled up with Kirara beside the horses before rummaging though her saddlebags for a blanket. She arranged her quiver and sword close to hand, prodded the saddlebags into some semblance of a pillow, and had just about convinced herself that sleep was imminent when a soft `thump' announced Inuyasha's arrival in her vicinity.

 

She was scooped into his lap and tucked against his chest. “Go to sleep, wench,” he whispered, brushing a kiss over her brow. “Tomorrow is probably going to be as shitty as today, and you need to rest.”

 

“Okay,” she mumbled back, already soothed by his heartbeat. “Wake me up with it's my turn to stand watch.”

 

“Keh.”

 

She was a little flustered when early dawn birdsong woke her up, and it became apparent that she'd slept all night without standing watch once…and that Inuyasha was missing. Sitting up quickly, she noticed Kirara watching her with amused red eyes, and knew who had more than likely covered for the humans again. Smiling gratefully at the neko, she held out her hands; Kirara transformed, stretched elaborately, strolled over and hopped into her lap for an appreciative cuddle.

 

Inuyasha arrived a moment or two later, bearing four gutted and skinned rabbits, and stirred the previous night's embers to flame with the addition of a few more pieces of firewood. Kagome watched him while she petted Kirara, indulging in a little admiration for his inherent gracefulness as he spitted and set the rabbits to grilling. He finally glanced over at her, his dark eyebrow arched. “At least neko-youkai is an improvement over wolf-stink.”

 

“Least of my worries right now.”

 

“Keh. We have to find a safe place for baba and the runt soon…”

 

“With any luck, Miroku will be able to work his charms on the headman in the next village.”

 

“If the bandits haven't beaten us to it.”

 

She shuddered, and hugged Kirara tighter. “Don't say that; don't even think it.”

 

He shifted closer and caught her chin between his fingers. Kagome wondered at the seriousness of his manner as well as the darkness in his eyes. “I heard you talking to the slayer last night; I don't want you killing anyone unless you have absolutely no choice.”

 

“These people have no one to avenge their deaths…”

 

“Fuck that. I don't want human blood on your hands, no more than I want it on my claws. We'll find another way.”

 

Kagome just stared at him, wide-eyed, and then gently touched his face. “Inuyasha…”

 

“What, wench?” The hanyou was puzzled by the soft smile, but leaned in for the kiss anyways.

 

“Thanks for reminding me that two wrongs don't make a right.”

 

“Keh. Whatever that means.” He transferred his attention to their accidental travelling companions; a pair of dark eyes peeped over the edge of the bedroll. “Come on out of there, runt. You and Shippo can go get some water; I found a stream in the bush over there.” The hanyou's voice might have been gruff, but his smile defused the tone, and the young boy crept out of the bedding to stand in front of him on sleep-wobbled legs, blinking fuzzily at two white, flickering appendages. Inuyasha cocked his head, deliberately perking his ears at the child, and Kagome chuckled.

 

“Do you like Inuyasha's ears?” The boy started, and then nodded rapidly. “He is an inu-hanyou. Have you ever met a youkai before?” The boy shook his head, and shyly averted his eyes, fidgeting with the hem of his short kosode, then looked Inuyasha right in the eye before jumping into his lap and hugging the startled hanyou. He hopped right back out again and bowed.

 

“Thank you for burying my father and grandfather, Inuyasha-san,” he whispered, and all the hanyou could do was nod before leaping to his feet, muttering about `waking up Shippo to play with the runt', but Kagome noticed how his claws gently ruffled the boy's bangs as he passed. Shippo bounced over a few moments later, all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and off the two went, hand-in-hand, to fill the canteens.

 

Kirara purred in Kagome's lap as Sango steeped, then passed hot tea, and they all savoured the quiet before the day took shape. The girls were particularly careful about their weaponry that morning; Sango polished Hiraikotsu and tested the edge; Kagome checked her supply of arrows and bolts and made minute adjustments to her bowstring's tension. Miroku watched their grim preparations without comment; Inuyasha scowled darkly.

 

They broke camp after saddling the horses and loading the unresisting grandmother onto Juhi; she had said nothing all through the meal, picking listlessly at the food. Miroku took charge of her and the horse. The little boy walked with Shippo, and in the manner of small boys everywhere, covered roughly twice as much distance as the adults as they investigated this and that. Kagome worried that they might accidentally stumble over more evidence of the bandits' heinous activities; Inuyasha took off through the trees and checked the path ahead for traumatizing sights. He never told Kagome that he quickly removed and buried the severely abused bodies of two women in the woods before the rest of the group passed the spot.

 

It was late morning before the hanyou stopped dead in the middle of the path, cursed luridly and raced ahead a short distance before returning just as quickly. “The scent of blood…lots of it…”

 

“And…?” Miroku asked, his eyes sharp as he noted the stripes blazing the hanyou's cheeks.

 

“Naraku.”

 

Sango gasped. “But…with the bandits? Why?”

 

“No fucking idea. Shippo, you stay back with baba and the runt.”

 

“I will guard our guests also; if Naraku has hell wasps, which I'm sure he does, my Vortex will be negated anyways.” The monk sounded almost rueful as he acknowledged this restriction, but waved them forward.

 

Shippo stood very tall. “I'll help with my foxfire…don't you worry about us!” Kirara yowled and transformed; Sango swung aboard as the neko went airborne. Arashi snorted and charged after the red blur that was already disappearing into the distance, Kagome leaning low over the mare's neck. She tried to ignore the sick feeling that gripped her insides, wondering why Naraku would apparently ally himself to some low-life scum like this…

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Sango shouted something as Kirara pulled up just clear of the trees; Kagome slowed Arashi until she came abreast of the fire-cat, and gasped when she took in the sight that had greeted the slayer. It looked like a battlefield; the bloodied and splayed bodies of armoured men sprawled clumsily amidst the wreckage of wheeled carts and scattered supplies. Kirara hissed and rose higher into the air to circle overhead. Kagome urged Arashi into the clearing; the mare picked her way cautiously through the flesh and blood. The girl tried not to look as the scavenger birds cawed raucously at their intrusion while tearing at unresisting flesh.

 

Inuyasha methodically checked the bodies; Kagome noted that he sniffed each carefully and turned any that weren't already face-down over on their stomachs. With a single leap he was at her side. “The villagers have been avenged; no doubt that these are the same bandits we've been following. I recognize the stench.”

 

“Why did you turn them face-down?”

 

The hanyou shifted uneasily and he lowered his voice. “Their faces have been torn off, and Naraku's stink is all over their flesh.” The girl shuddered, and then they were distracted by Sango's yell.

 

“There's one still alive!” The slayer waved them over, then kneeled to lift a bruised and terrified woman; Kirara placed her furry bulk behind the shivering creature, who certainly didn't notice that she was resting against a demonic cat. She didn't even flinch when a silver-haired hanyou arrived in front of her and peered at her intently with bright golden eyes. Sango elbowed Inuyasha back a pace, and then attempted to get the woman's attention. “Can you tell me who did this to you?” she asked gently.

 

Wild, staring eyes locked onto her for a moment, and Sango saw far too clearly into the depths of a traumatized soul. The woman's mouth moved, and wispy words leaked out. “…without a face…”

 

Inuyasha frowned. “What didn't have a face?”

 

The woman shuddered violently. “The spider man…”

 

At that moment, Miroku and his charges reached the far side of the killing ground. As Sango urged the woman to rise to her feet, the young boy sitting on Juhi with his grandmother stiffened, pushed himself a little higher to see better, and then started shouting “Okaa-san! Okaa-san!”

 

Before the monk could stop him, the boy jumped down from the gelding and flew across the carnage. The woman, whose head had snapped up at the sound of the child's voice, cried out and opened her arms. Kirara made sure that they didn't fall over by bracing them as the boy threw himself into the woman's arms, and then a tender family reunion had the travellers shuffling their feet and looking elsewhere.

 

Sango tapped Kagome's gauntlet. “At least the boy didn't lose both of his parents. Now what do we do? Inuyasha will want to go after this scent.” At that very moment, both girls noticed Inuyasha's distinctive fire-rat disappearing on the other side of the clearing.

 

“Inuyasha! Get back here!” Kagome bellowed, and the hanyou spun on his heel, glowered at her, then finally trailed back, his hands shoved in his sleeves and sporting a formidable pout. The girl was unmoved. “We have civilians with us; we can't just leave them.”

 

“Keh. Load them on the horses, and let's get the fuck out of here. If Naraku's birthed another incarnation, then there's more killing to be done.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Not far away, but far enough that his scent did not carry to a sensitive-nosed hanyou, a slender figure with a strange, spider-shaped scar covering most of his back dropped the bleeding body of the monk he had just vanquished, and carried a ragged scrap of skin to the bank of the river. Kneeling down, the naked personage carefully fit the dripping tissue onto his face, aligning the eyelids, nose and mouth openings, patting at it gently until it fit comfortably and moulded to his bone structure. He blinked his large dark eyes, tilted his head, and admired his reflection in the water's surface.

 

“Yes, this will do nicely; so much better looking than those other ones…” he patted his own cheek again, and stood up, surveying the body of his victim, and the pile of cast-off flesh next to it. “What was his name again? Muso…good-sounding name for a good-looking man. I'll keep it until something better comes along.” He ran his hands through his glossy black hair, humming as he pushed it back over his shoulders.

 

Whistling cheerily, he stooped to strip the monk's body of its robe and hakama, happily running his hands over the fine material of both. He shook them out before shrugging into the clothing, and then buckled himself into the armour he'd already stripped from the bandit captain. The dead man's horse rustled its hooves against the rocky bank of the stream, shifting its weight from foot to foot as it eyed him. Muso grinned broadly as he pushed the scabbard of a finely-made sword through his obi and hefted an armload of spears. “Well, my lovely…shall we see what mischief we can get ourselves into?”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Kagome and Sango had both objected strenuously to burying the bandits, so Miroku had contented himself with saying prayers for their souls in the hopes that some of them might be able to find peace. The young mother, who refused to give up her grip on her son, was helped onto Arashi, and the still blank-eyed grandmother rode Juhi. Kagome and Miroku led the horses; Sango and Kirara provided air cover while Inuyasha ranged ahead. The hanyou's aura was still elevated, and Kagome could hear him growling at the delay, as he restlessly circled their group through the trees overhead. They expected to reach the next village before sundown, and as it was a prosperous one, the monk cautiously opined that it may be easier to find someone who would take in the decimated family.

 

“The bandits were stopped by Naraku before they reached the next village, so hopefully that's a good sign,” Sango said in a low voice, as Kirara swooped down and padded next to Kagome.

 

“But why did he want their faces?” the other girl wondered. “That's just plain creepy.”

 

“Who can tell with Naraku? I'm sure it won't be long until we find out.”

 

“Sooner than you think, slayer. I smell blood, and it's coming from the village up ahead.” Inuyasha's eyes blazed as he briefly landed beside them. “We're going on ahead. Leave the horses here with the houshi and the brat…both of you come with me.” Kagome tossed the reins to Miroku, briefly checked her equipment and joined Sango on Kirara's back, taking a firm grip on the neko's ruff. Kirara crouched, growling, and then leapt after Inuyasha as he tore through the trees.

 

The village was in a state of turmoil; Naraku had fallen on it at the end of market day. Produce lay smashed and chickens fluttered among the trickling blood and slumped bodies. However, the shouts, curses and screams filling the air indicated that they weren't too late. Inuyasha ran lightly across the wood-tiled roofs, every fibre of his body on full alert, his youkai giving him an even better sense of smell and hearing. He found what he was looking for astride a white horse, charging down on a huddled group of terrified women and children. Several men were preparing to defend their families with hoes and sharpened staves; the black-clad rider was laughing heartily.

 

Inuyasha intervened just before impact, knocking the horse off its collision course and nearly unseating its rider while tearing the spear out of his hands and snapping it in half. Kirara was at the hanyou's shoulder a moment later, snarling viciously; Sango crouched slightly behind him, the Hiraikotsu ready to engage. A barrier crackled into existence, and he knew Kagome would move the villagers out of the battle zone as quickly as possible. He set his jaw, unaware that the stripes on his cheeks were almost navy in colour, and the whites of his eyes were completely red as he assessed the horse's rider. It definitely isn't Naraku, so it has to be another fucking incarnation.

 

The armoured man, who had a disturbingly pleasant appearance, smiled rather brightly at the hanyou. “Aren't you an interesting-looking creature! Who are you?”

 

Inuyasha blinked, more than slightly taken aback. “Who am I…? What the hell? All of Naraku's incarnations know me!”

 

“We haven't been introduced, so how would I know you? And just who is this `Naraku' fellow? You don't sound like you care for him very much.” He tossed his hair back over his shoulders and beamed at the astonished hanyou.

 

“You stink like Naraku and bear a spider mark on your back, which means you're another one of his spawn…” Inuyasha ground out, while absently noting that the barrier had receded, meaning the villagers were out of immediate danger.

 

“Mmmm. Don't like the sound of `spawn'. I'm sure you must be mistaken.”

 

“Did you kill those bandits and flay their faces?” Sango interrupted, her voice hard.

 

The man laughed gaily and patted his smooth cheek. “I certainly did; unfortunately they were so unattractive that I had to discard them. All that effort gone to waste…this one is rather handsome, don't you think? It'll do until I require another one.” He slanted a sly look at Inuyasha. “You're quite good-looking despite those odd markings on your face…I'll keep you in mind. I go by the name of `Muso', which happens to be that of my face's former owner.”

 

Ferocious growling interrupted his commentary, as Inuyasha went for Tetsusaiga's hilt. Muso chuckled and whipped out his own sword. “Excellent! A little killing always puts me in the mood for romance; you just stay right there, pretty girl, and once I've finished off this opponent, perhaps you'd like to get to know me a bit better?” He winked roguishly at Sango, who went white.

 

“You asshole!” Inuyasha swung as he leapt towards Muso and the creature's arm was severed at the shoulder, sending dark liquid spraying in a wide arc. Kagome, who had just arrived back on the scene from ushering the villagers to safety, let out a horrified gasp, and then jumped badly when Miroku squeezed her shoulder as he passed, taking up a position to Sango's left, while Kirara crouched in front of them, baring her fangs in a vicious snarl.

 

Phoenix…let me protect you.

Midoriko?

I know this creature.

Y-you do?

He is an echo of the human who desired me so long ago.

 

Kagome looked at Muso, who did not seem overly concerned about the fact he was bleeding to death, and in fact was watching the pulsating spray with interest. A lightbulb went off in her head.

 

Midoriko, you mean…is he…?

Yes.

Shit. Do what you have to do.

Thank you, Kagome. Fenik, you'd better take cover.

Damn. Being purified sucks; be gentle with me, Riko.

Should I say the `Ig' word?

No…this is something only I can do. Give me your physical form.

 

At the moment Kagome felt and saw her body begin to glow violet-pink from Midoriko's power, something astonishing happened. The buzz of hell wasps filled the air; a small swarm dove onto Muso…and coalesced into a new arm that attached itself seamlessly to his body. He was plainly delighted, moving it through a full range of motion before grinning cheekily at Inuyasha. “This could make our fight a little more interesting! Let's see what else I can do!” Long, sharp tentacles flashed out and stabbed the hanyou in the chest, throat and sword arm, bearing him backwards and then flicking sharply to send him crashing to the ground, swearing in between coughing jags that covered his palm with bright blood.

 

Kagome flew towards Inuyasha, intending to throw a barrier over them both, but the amount of spiritual power flooding her veins caught her completely off guard, and she realized she was endangering him if she came too close. She put on the brakes, halting fifteen feet away from the downed hanyou, thereby bringing herself to Muso's attention. Her hand, not completely under her conscious control, went automatically to her sword hilt, but her glowing fingertips had barely brushed the sharkskin-covered grip when the blade screamed in agony, and she jerked her hand away.

 

Damn…my apologies, Fenik.

Shit, that hurt! You trying to kill me?

What happened?

I forgot that I cannot wield him…and I am used to a sword. We will make do, however…

 

Kagome's hands went for her bow and an arrow as Miroku protectively stepped in front of Sango, Kirara backing up to cover them, her twin tail twice their usual size. Out of the corner of his eye, for just the briefest moment, Miroku was sure that he saw on Kagome's forehead an odd, cruciform arrangement of glowing lights, but his inspection of her altered appearance was interrupted when Sango tightly gripped his arm. “What's happened to Kagome? Where's the dog that usually protects her?” He shook his head just as Muso let out a cry of delight, and bloodied tentacles flashed towards the unearthly-glowing girl as she aimed a flaming purification arrow at his chest.

 

Kagome started when she became aware of what was flying at her, and she hesitated for just the briefest moment, which cost her the shot. The tentacles snapped around her wrists for a heartbeat before they blackened and burned away into ashes; Muso screamed in pain at the contact. Inuyasha was in front of her the split-second after that, the Tetsusaiga wreathed in white vapour as he swept the great blade in a burning arc. “`Wind Scar'!” The flames roared away, one of them striking Muso and his horse dead on. Just as he was sliced apart, his wide, dark eyes locked on Kagome and his mouth opened in an anguished, despairing shout.

 

“Kikyo!”

 

A profound silence fell, broken only by the distant wailing of the village's inhabitants. Inuyasha stared numbly at the bare ground, swept clean and deeply trenched by the paths of the Tetsusaiga's power, and then, reminded by the prickling of his skin even under the fire-rat, turned to look at Kagome. She stood stock-still, haloed in the violet-pink light of the spiritual power rippling across her body; his eyes were drawn to the odd white lights flickering under her bangs.

 

We should put some distance between us.

She'd never purify us…well, not on purpose…I think.

She is a magnificent bitch… as well as a tad unnerving.

And she's all ours.

Naraku's incarnation upset her unlike any other; we must comfort her.

As soon as she calms down; not touching her until that pink shit's all gone.

 

Finally, the roseate aura dissipated and Kagome blinked several times, shook herself all over and put away her weapons, her movements a little jerky as if she were regaining control of her body. She looked up at her hanyou, smiling a little apologetically. “Sorry about that; Midoriko took over.”

 

“Keh…knew I recognized that pattern on your forehead from somewhere.” Inuyasha sheathed the Tetsusaiga and glanced toward the others.

 

Midoriko? What brought this on?

That was Onigumo.

Um…yes? I'm missing something here.

Remember that a lecherous human male was the basis of the demon that I fought and contained within the Jewel. I will not allow him to touch you.

 

Inuyasha stepped up to her and dropped a clawed hand onto her shoulder; serious amber eyes met hers. “How does that freak know you look like Kikyo?” he asked quietly while he intently scanned her face, then cupped her chin and gently rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip.

 

“Muso is actually Onigumo.”

 

“Is that what Midoriko thinks?” The hanyou kept the gentle contact going, as Kagome slowly nodded.

 

“Wasn't Onigumo severely burned all over his body, including his face?” Miroku scratched his jaw with one hand; Sango stepped up and covered his own where it gripped his staff. “I believe that is what Kaede-sama told us, which would explain his need for a new countenance; perhaps Naraku couldn't give him that before he expelled him.”

 

The slayer touched the prayer beads confining the Vortex. “If Naraku was formed from Onigumo's heart…how in the seven hells has he managed to give it a human form, not to mention the power of speech and movement?” she asked in a horrified whisper.

 

“Muso was marked with the spider, as are Kagura and Kanna, so he is an incarnation as much as they are, and shares part of Naraku's flesh…but apparently not his mind. There is more to this than meets the eye; even though Muso, or Onigumo, seemed to be destroyed by your enhanced `Wind Scar', Inuyasha, didn't it seem a little too easy, considering how difficult Naraku has been to kill?”

 

The hanyou slid his arm around Kagome's waist and kissed her on the forehead before answering; his lips tingled from the faintest touch of spiritual power still lingering on her skin. “Keh. It was too easy. Houshi, your job is to talk the headman of this village into taking responsibility for our three foundlings, and then I'm going to try and track Muso's scent.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

The watching insect hovered as the small, scattered pieces of flesh trembled, separated themselves from the shreds of equine remnants, reconnected, and became a flexing arm. It swooped down, grasped the appendage tightly and flew off with it a fair distance until it joined up with several other hell wasps also bearing various reconstituted body parts. Below them, a number of wasps backed away from a quivering pile of tissue that began to squirm and writhe, until a slender humanoid torso took form. The remaining wasps flew in to deposit their fleshy burdens, which quickly joined with the torso until a complete body was formed.

 

Muso slowly stood up, looked around the clearing, and then contemplated his nudity. “Well, this is an interesting turn of events; I suppose some new clothing is in order.” A loud buzzing sound caught his attention, and he glanced around to see several brightly-coloured insects hovering not far away. “Hmmm…you are the same as the creatures who restored my arm. Could you turn yourselves into clothing and armour for me?” Chuckling at his own joke, he watched curiously as one of the large insects circled him and then flew off to the edge of the clearing. It repeated the action; Muso arched his eyebrows. “Do you wish me to follow you?” A third time the gaudy insect buzzed around him and off in the same direction, and he nodded. “Very well, then. No bramble patches, mind, as I don't much fancy thorns in my delicate bits.”

 

The rest of the wasps fell in behind him, and he mused on the odd company he now kept as he kept pace with his escort. Then his thoughts turned to the silver-haired creature that had brought him to this pass, and his fists balled, a scowl darkening his handsome features. “Inuyasha must be taught his place; but first, I need some weaponry…” As if in answer to his wish, the lead insect buzzed a bit louder and then circled behind him. All the wasps went silent, and Muso could hear the sound of sandal-clad feet approaching, as well as the soft, distinctive sound of leather and metal rubbing against each other. He smiled craftily as he slipped ghost-like into the undergrowth. “Sounds like some new armour is heading my way…I hope it's decent quality.”

 

A few short, sharp bloody minutes later, the samurai's body lay in the grass, eyes staring glassily and still registering bewilderment. Muso grumbled as he stripped off the armour, and then began on the clothing. “Ugh. Nasty cheap cloth. Ah, well…can't always have a prosperous monk happen along.” Rapidly dressing and securing the armour, he tested the balance of his new blade before stuffing it into his obi. The insects buzzed around him, and he regarded them thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging languidly. “Lead on, my buzzing beacons; I will follow.”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Dammit! You're all too fucking slow!”

 

“Have I ever mentioned how much you remind me of Koga right now?”

 

“Fuck!”

 

“Stopping to do that would slow us down even more.”

 

“Wench.”

 

“Pull in your fangs, dog-boy. We've made good time since yesterday, and you've picked up on Muso's scent.” Kagome grinned and winked at Miroku as the hanyou swore luridly and leapt up into the trees to race ahead. Kirara, with Shippo perched on her head and Sango in full battle-gear on her back, paced smoothly beside Arashi, the flames around her paws crackling softly.

 

“It's the direction in which we're being led that worries me.” Sango spoke quietly. The other three looked at her expectantly. “Muso is heading toward Kaede-sama's village.”

 

Miroku suddenly uttered an oath that a devout monk should not know, never mind use fluently. “The cave where the bandit Onigumo became Naraku…”

 

A drawling feminine voice interrupted him. “You are correct, houshi. The cave where Onigumo met the priestess Kikyo, to be precise.” A gusting wind whipped their clothes and hair; Kagome threw up a barrier as Kagura straightened and smirked, negligently twirling her fan in her fingertips. “You do a nice little barrier, miko-sama, but it is not necessary today. I haven't come to fight.”

 

“Kagura!”

 

The wind witch looked over her shoulder at an incensed Inuyasha as he barrelled out of the trees, the Tetsusaiga half-drawn as he landed, and dismissively waved her fan at him. “I had a message to deliver, but houshi here figured out most of it himself. I'll leave you to it.” A feather appeared in Kagura's hand; Kagome found her voice.

 

“Does Naraku know about Inuyasha?”

 

Sharp ruby-red eyes snapped to questioning grey ones; Kagura permitted herself a small smirk at the concern she saw in the girl's gaze. “I certainly didn't see anything unusual the last time I had the pleasure of your company… only the usual insanely-barking dog.” Then she was gone, and Inuyasha's cheek stripes showed no sign of receding.

 

“I wonder why she hasn't told him?” Shippo whispered.

 

“She's keeping it a secret from Naraku for some reason; I suspect she would like her freedom, and believes that our hanyou is her best bet.” Miroku snickered. “Buddha save you, Inuyasha…Kagura would have you be her champion!”

 

Sango reached over and biffed the chortling monk in the ear. “Inuyasha…Muso is headed for the cave where Naraku was born; Kagura confirmed it.”

 

The hanyou froze, and then became a blur as he took off. The others looked at each other, and then Kagome beckoned to Shippo, who jumped from Kirara's head to Arashi's, much to the mare's vocal displeasure. “You and Kirara can keep up with him…go on ahead. Miroku and I will follow. Just…don't get killed, either of you.”

 

Sango grinned tightly at her, blew a kiss to Miroku, and then she and Kirara surged into flight, the cat clawing for altitude to clear the trees. There was a small silence, and then the girl and the houshi glanced at each other before putting their heels to the horses and galloping after their comrades.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

It was pleasantly cool inside the cave; Muso inhaled deeply as he allowed the concealing vines to drop closed behind him. It smells so familiar… I have been here before. He carefully made his way down the steep incline, his eyes adjusting to the darkness with ease. He stopped to contemplate a man-sized bare patch at the bottom of the cave; even though the dank vegetation grew luxuriantly elsewhere, it stopped at the well-defined edge of this spot. Muso glanced about himself as he drew his scabbard from his obi, and then lowered himself to sit on the bare earth. Slowly, he laid back, his eyes closed…and remembered.

 

“Yes…this is where I lay…unable to move, driven mad by pain…and there she was….” He threw out his arm until his hand touched the living plants; clenching his fingers, he tore small furrows in the damp ground. “There she was… Kikyo…just out of reach. Her lovely face that I longed to see beneath me, her sweet mouth opening in a scream of pleasure and pain… I wanted her so much that I gave my corrupted soul away to become demon-fodder…” Muso folded his fingers over his breastplate and contemplated the mould-coated roof of the cave. “I wanted her, and even as I grasped her warm body…” He sat bolt upright, sweat beading his forehead as a bloodied image sprang into his mind. “I killed her.”

 

He sat quietly, remembering that blood-soaked morning in the meadow. “And yet…I know Kikyo died, so how can that girl have her face? And that armour? She has the legs for it; the gods know that those damned robes effectively hid Kikyo's assets…” The sound of footsteps halting at the mouth of the cave had him reaching for his sword hilt.

 

A querulous old voice, one obviously used to command, echoed in the damp air. “Come out of there, ye scoundrel. No good comes of lurking in dank places.”

 

“Just my luck…not a pretty little wench to ease my loneliness…”

 

Kaede peered at the handsome young man smiling jovially at her, but was not fooled. His aura is thoroughly evil. She backed up, notching an arrow to her bow, mindful of the slope behind her. “What are ye? Human or demon?” she demanded.

 

“Not exactly sure, old hag. A mix of both, it would appear; not that it will matter to you much, once the hell-gates close behind you.” Still beaming, he drew his sword and began advancing on her.

 

Kaede's eye narrowed, and she let go the bowstring at close range. The arrow thunked solidly into the man's throat, but he neither faltered in his step… nor bled. “I'm afraid you'll need more than that to stop me.” Kaede's speed of retreat belied her age, as she scooted across the cave mouth and down the slope on a diagonal. She sent a second arrow into his shoulder, with no more effect than the first.

 

The man sighed theatrically and shook his head. “For an old hag, your aim is excellent. Unfortunately for you, I'm just not into older women. I'll show you some respect for your age and audacity, and kill you quickly.” He smiled most pleasantly, and crossed the distance between them in a few long strides, almost casually swinging his blade. Kaede blocked it with her bow, and the reinforced wood splintered with a sickening crack. The length of gleaming steel was raised again, and brought down in a deadly arc.

 

Kaede flung up her arm in an instinctive attempt to ward off the blow…and there was a snarl, a snapping sound, and her vision was filled with silver and red. “Get the fuck out of the way, baba. This freak is mine.”

 

“Ah, Inuyasha…thank you for sparing me the effort of hunting you down.”

 

“Keh! You've finally remembered who I am?”

 

Muso yanked the arrow out of his throat and snapped it between his fingers. “Yes, I have...I recalled the years I spent as a bandit, how I came to be betrayed by my colleagues and ended up in this cave with Kikyo's tender mercy easing my pain…”

 

“Ye are Onigumo?” Kaede gasped, staggering a little, and then a hand firmly grasped her shoulder.

 

“Yes, it is the bandit that gave his body to the demons and birthed Naraku.” Sango confirmed as she positioned herself and the Hiraikotsu in front of Kaede, never taking her eyes off the incarnation. Kirara crouched at Kaede's side, the flames wreathing her paws crackling gently in the silence.

 

Muso tilted his head and looked past Inuyasha to contemplate the dark-eyed girl, his gaze lingering longest on her curves, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You again, pretty girl? Perhaps we'll have that chance to become better acquainted after all.”

 

“You foul…” Anything further that Sango might have said was drowned out by the thud of hoofbeats moving rapidly towards them, the waist-high grass whispering against the horses' legs. Kagome and Miroku swung off Arashi and Juhi to take up positions on either side of Kaede; Kirara moved out to prowl just behind Inuyasha, her twin tails lashing angrily, and her high-pitched hissing snarl made the hanyou's ears flatten.

 

“Kagome…you were supposed to stay at the village…” Inuyasha ground out, his attention on Muso never wavering, despite his ears being twisted back towards her.

 

“And leave you to face this thing alone? Not on your life.” Her voice was low and even, and brooked no argument.

 

“Then stay behind a barrier where he can't touch you.”

 

Muso chuckled darkly. “I am not fool enough to risk purification twice in as many days, no matter how attractive the female involved might be. I will admire you from afar.” Kagome responded with a rude gesture at him, much to his snickered delight, and a thick, crackling pink shield erupted, the white lights glowing on her forehead. Muso narrowed his eyes a bit. “What are you, wench? Your face is Kikyo's, you keep company with this wretched hanyou dog much as she did, and you manifest the powers of a priestess…while being dressed in such a fashion that scandalizes even me.”

 

“Don't answer him, Kagome,” Sango growled, thoroughly affronted by the way Muso's eyes lingered on her friend's bare thighs and upper arms.

 

“He deserves to know who his opponent is just as much as Naraku.” Across the space, Kagome coolly met Muso's appraising look. “I am Kikyo's reincarnation.”

 

“Ah, that explains a few things, except your taste in attire…she died that day, didn't she?”

 

“At your hands, you bastard!” The cracking of the hanyou's knuckles was loud in the stillness.

 

Muso's dark gaze bored into Inuyasha. “Don't remind me…that image is seared into my memories. All I wanted was the Jewel, and the ability to seize Kikyo, to leave this place and take her with me, willing or no. That is why I offered my flesh to the demons, and that reason alone. I wanted her, enough to give up what was left of my corrupted soul. I should have known that there would be a catch to having my desire granted…the very first thing I did upon gaining my new body was to strike Kikyo down, rejoice in her life's blood staining her pristine clothing like a virgin's on her wedding night…” They all jumped when Inuyasha snarled and tore up a chunk of earth with his claws, his aura flaring dangerously, and the stripes broadening on his cheeks. Muso arched an eyebrow as he took in the hanyou's increasingly feral appearance.

 

Miroku cleared his throat. “The demons that took over your body desired the death of the holy priestess; they laid the trap for Inuyasha by returning the Jewel to the village, and then taking Kikyo's form to attack him, I assume?”

 

“Yes. The dog ended up sealed to a tree, Kikyo ended up dead, and the Jewel ended up burned along with her body. I had no Jewel and no Kikyo to show for my sacrifice, and at the moment the Jewel vanished, I was shoved into a dark, lonely place, where I slept until being awakened only a few days ago as a lump of flesh.”

 

“It has been fifty years since these events transpired, Onigumo. Why has Naraku allowed ye to leave the body that ye have inhabited all this time?” Kaede wondered, despite her revulsion.

 

“I have no idea; I just know that I can at least have a small form of revenge on you, Inuyasha. You are the only other living creature that Kikyo touched, that had a smile from her lips…the smiles that should have been mine.” Muso rolled his shoulders, and wicked-looking spikes erupted out of the flesh of his arms, shredding the fabric of his purloined haori. Sango and Kagome both gasped, and Miroku contemplated unleashing his Vortex…until the buzzing of the hell wasps alerted them to the fact they had company.

 

“Someone is very interested in the outcome of this confrontation….Inuyasha! Be careful… Naraku is watching!” The hanyou's ears twitched in response, the only acknowledgement he gave of the warning.

 

“Don't care why Naraku let you out to play, fucker.” The Tetsusaiga hummed into its true form, flashing in the sunlight as Inuyasha took a stance, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as he assessed Muso. “I'll avenge Kikyo's death, starting with you.”

 

The other man laughed, and suddenly sent out an elongated spiked tentacle, aiming it directly for Inuyasha's chest. The hanyou snarled, and swung the enchanted blade, slicing the appendage neatly down the middle…and was thoroughly disconcerted when it rapidly rejoined behind his back, and he found himself sandwiched by rippling flesh. Suppressing a shudder, Inuyasha twisted the blade and slashed sideways, which severed the arm and allowed him to leap clear, but then he watched in disbelief as the mutilated limb shivered and reformed itself, then arced across the meadow and reattached itself. Muso smirked and wiggled the tip obscenely at the hanyou.

 

“It appears that glorified pig-sticker of yours is unable to defeat my body; I wonder what else I am capable of? The little miko-whore's barrier hurts too much; it would be amusing, however, to kill you before her eyes. I intended to do that the last time, once your presence in Kikyo's life became known to me; perhaps I've been given a second chance for this purpose.”

 

“How dare you call my mate a whore…`Wind Scar!'” The strike once again reduced Muso to fragments, but this time, in front of their horrified eyes, the flesh shook off the pieces of armour and fabric, and reformed itself into a mutated, naked creature, with spikes radiating from its elongated arms, a long segmented tail rasping behind over the exposed rocks, and the distinctive spider mark on full display along with a few other physical attributes that Kagome and Sango would have preferred to remained innocent of.

 

“Idiot dog. This body is immune to your puny blows.” Muso shook himself, and reared up higher, bracing himself on his extremely long forearms. “My turn…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Naraku contemplated the rather hideous clawed appendage protruding from the sleeve of his luxurious damask kimono with a certain amount of regret. Well, it was only an experiment…damn, it appears that Onigumo is still necessary.

 

“My dear Kagura; ready yourself. Muso's playtime is nearly at an end, and I have need of your assistance in procuring his return.”

 

The wind witch sighed heavily, and rose to her feet in the ante-chamber. What a bother; why doesn't Naraku simply order this `Muso' to return? She straightened up sharply as a possibility struck her. He mustn't be under Naraku's control! An incarnation, but free of Naraku? How is this possible?

 

“Kagura! Do not make me wait…”

 

“Yes, my lord.” She answered meekly enough, but her head was spinning feverishly with ideas. Kanna ghosted past, to show Naraku something in her mirror as he donned the baboon pelt. He pursed his lips thoughtfully as he regarded the image, and then nodded before directing his gaze at Kagura.

 

“We do not wish to miss Muso's final performance, do we?” He twisted sideways, and was gone; Kagura stooped to peer into Kanna's mirror, and caught a glimpse of the location. The white girl's fathomless eyes regarded her unflinchingly, and Kagura swallowed the smart remark on the tip of her tongue, remembering who had lured her into Naraku's lair days before and subjected her to the sight of his re-arranging demonic innards. Instead, she hurried down the corridor, her thoughts tinged with resentment. Lucky bastard, this Muso…not being at Naraku's beck and call…wonder how he came to be so blessed?

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Dodge this, hanyou!” Inuyasha leapt out of the way as a hideously stretching tentacle slammed into the ground at the exact spot where he had been standing a moment before, but he wasn't quite fast enough to avoid the scorpion-like tail that slashed into his shoulder. He was put off-balance enough that Muso was able to grab him by the throat with one hand and seize his ankle in the other. Kagome screamed when the barbed tail snapped back and then drove itself right through the hanyou's torso in a spray of blood. She started forward, endangering the barrier's integrity; Miroku stopped her.

 

“Inuyasha has survived worse than this; it appears that Onigumo is thoroughly entwined with Naraku's demonic host. He may have a mind of his own, much like Juromaru or Kageromaru, but this regenerative ability speaks of a darker influence.”

 

“How can Inuyasha beat him, then? Is he immortal?” Kagome's spiritual power sparked and tingled in the confined space within the barrier; while Kirara yowled in pain, the monk caught the girl off guard when he brushed her bangs aside to examine the arrangement of white lights decorating her forehead. “What are you looking at, houshi?” she demanded, batting his hand away, but powering down slightly to save Kirara from being purified.

 

“Your power is manifesting itself in some interesting markings on your skin; I merely wished for a closer look.”

 

“If Inuyasha notices you touching me while his aura is this elevated, you're a dead man. Shit! Incoming!” They had barely registered Inuyasha's furious shout when they saw the unmistakeable energy of the Wind Scar blasting towards their protective dome, Muso's body backlit by the brilliant flames. Somehow the combatants had switched positions, and now the incarnation stood between the barrier and the hanyou. Miroku flung his arms around Kagome's waist and braced her as she buttressed the barrier with a thick layer of sparkling silver power; at their feet, Kaede, Sango and Kirara huddled behind the Hiraikotsu. The two horses whinnied loudly as the Tetsusaiga's attack roared overhead, and Miroku immediately released her as he turned to stare at the oozing, quivering pieces of flesh that had belonged to Muso, now behind the domed barrier. He looked back when Kagome gasped. “Oh, Inuyasha…!”

 

The hanyou was down on one knee, propping himself up with his sword as he tore the severed hand away from his throat and kicked out his leg to shake off the other. Blood trickled down his chin; the sharp tail still skewered his body and twitched spasmodically. Anticipating Kagome's impulse to run to Inuyasha's side, Miroku clamped down on her arm and pointed. “Look! Muso is reforming his body…”

 

It was true; the palpitating pieces of wet flesh were squirming as if alive, growing larger as more and more chunks reattached themselves. The monk narrowed his eyes, as something about the spider marking on the largest piece of torso caught his attention. Is it pulsing? Does it have a… heartbeat? Of course! “Kagome-sama…we might have a chance! Use your arrow and aim for the spider; I think that Muso's heart is under it. If you purify it as Inuyasha strikes it with his Wind Scar, it may be enough to defeat him!” He barely released her arm before she was racing for the hanyou's side, her hand reaching behind her to deploy her bow and arrow.

 

Just as she arrived, but before Inuyasha could chew her out for taking down the barrier and entering the battle zone, the barbed tail yanked itself out of his body, staggering him, and then flew across the open space along with the severed limbs to rejoin with the steadily less-human appearing Muso. As the others scrambled out of the line of fire, Kagome gripped Inuyasha's shoulder. “Miroku says to aim for the flesh right under the spider marking; he thinks that is where the heart is. If we destroy it, it can't regenerate. We have to try a combination of the `Wind Scar and a purification arrow…”

 

“Keh! Won't your arrow purify the Tetsusaiga's demonic energy?”

 

“Don't know, since we've never tried it.”

 

“Worth a shot.” He heaved himself upright and wobbled a bit; Kagome took up a position at his left shoulder, her arrow flaming brilliant pink. The hanyou tried not to flinch from the spiritual power sizzling only inches away, and raised the Tetsusaiga for a two-handed blow. The white vapour spun around the blade as Muso pushed his body off the ground and slowly lifted his head to glare at them. “Now! `Wind Scar'!” He felt, more than heard, the twang of Kagome's bowstring as her missile flew down the track of his strike. I think…we might have…done it? Is this how we can defeat Naraku? If so, then we don't need my asshole brother!

 

Just after the Wind Scar decapitated him and sliced away his limbs, but a hairs-breadth before Kagome's arrow impacted, a silver wind blade slashed downward and bisected Muso's body, tossing the targeted piece of flesh out of the way. The waiting hell wasps pounced on the quivering lump and dragged it airborne. In the settling dust, the scattered chunks of the incarnation's body trembled, and then lifted into the air, following the rapidly-disappearing nexus like a nightmarish flock of birds. They caught a glimpse of a white feather, and Inuyasha found enough energy to call Kagura's parentage into question in lurid detail.

 

Kagome shoved her bow back into her quiver, and enveloped Inuyasha in a fierce hug. He returned it, but quickly released her and sheathed Tetsusaiga. “C'mon, we have to go after him.”

 

“You're in no condition to take him on again!” The girl looked askance at her reddened hand, and then touched her cuirass where it glistened with the hanyou's blood.

 

“This is just a scratch, wench. If Kagura hadn't interfered, I think that Miroku's idea of using both the Tetsusaiga and your arrow would have worked. We need to take Muso out before he has a chance to develop any more new tricks.”

 

“His body was steadfastly becoming less and less human in appearance; and there is no doubt that his heart is the weak point of this incarnation. Why has Naraku released him in the first place?” Miroku slammed his staff into the ground.

 

“Onigumo's heart was an annoyance to Naraku, since it longed for my sister and prevented him from killing her.” Kaede shuffled towards them, propped up by Sango and followed closely by a still-ruffled Kirara. “He tried to expel it, but something changed his mind.”

 

“I believe I know what that something is, but I will explain it as we chase down Muso. Sango, may I join you and Kirara?”

 

“Of course. Kagome, you'd better come too, since Inuyasha is too injured to carry you.”

 

“Oi! I'm quite capable of lugging my wench!” The hanyou's demonic aura flared a little higher, and Kagome gasped when she noticed that his stomach wound appeared to be healing rapidly, right in front of her startled eyes.

 

She glanced around at the others for confirmation. “Do you see that?”

 

Miroku's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline. “It would appear that your youkai is making sure of your ability to fight, Inuyasha.”

 

The hanyou cautiously patted his abdomen, and then grinned broadly. “Finally making itself useful! Let's go, wench!” He looped his arm around her waist and swept her onto his back, hardly giving her time to grip his shoulders before launching them in pursuit.

 

Sango and Miroku watched them leave with open mouths, until Kirara growled and bumped her mistress. Miroku first turned to Kaede; the old miko waved him off. “Go. I am well enough to return to the village on horseback. This may be thy best chance at eradicating at least part of Naraku's evil.” The other two nodded, and climbed onto the neko-youkai's back; Kirara roared and set off in pursuit of the rest of the flying pair.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Muso washed the dirt from his body in the small pond, grumbling audibly for the benefit of the hovering insects. “Idiot dog…and that saucy wench! I wouldn't mind another chance at her…” He became aware of another presence in his vicinity, and arched a dark eyebrow at the intruder. “Do you often interrupt other men while they bathe? I'm not that type, I'm afraid.”

 

A tall, slender figure, draped in a white baboon skin and long black hair stood poised on the far side of the pond, glowing against the dark backdrop of trees. Muso eyed the personage, conscious of his nudity, but then mentally shrugged the disadvantage off, figuring that his powerful new body would give the stranger a run for his yen if he tried anything untoward. His head snapped up when the stranger spoke.

 

“Ah, Onigumo…or should I say, Muso? I am delighted to make your acquaintance.” There was something in this man's oily tones that set Muso's teeth on edge, and he suddenly put two and two together.

 

“Naraku, I presume?”

 

“How prescient of you, Muso. Yes, it is I.”

 

“You are the one who denied my right to the use of my new body, who struck down Kikyo before I'd had the chance to enjoy her.” He planted his feet firmly on the soft bottom of the pond, readying himself for an attack.

 

Naraku snorted derisively. “She was merely a human wench, like all the others that you deflowered and killed when you were still the bandit Onigumo.”

 

“My feelings for Kikyo allowed you to take root in my soul, Naraku…I gave you life.”

 

“Then perhaps I should ask if my `father' has enjoyed himself? Have you found the world outside to your liking?” His answer was a tentacle through the chest, attached to a smirking incarnation.

 

“Did you think that I wouldn't want revenge for being trapped for so long? For Kikyo's death? You are a fool, Naraku…whaaat?” He was suddenly only a handspan away, the length of his tentacle absorbed inside the red-eyed creature now regarding him with a mixture of resignation and disdain.

 

“Trust me, Muso…if I could exist without your vile presence within me, I would do so. However, I find that I cannot quite do without you just yet.” Multiple bony limbs suddenly erupted out of Naraku's body and enfolded Muso in their grasp, piercing his skin and drawing his struggling form into the dark creature's body.

 

Kagura, watching from her nearby vantage point, shuddered as she watched yet more tentacle-like limbs slither around and into Muso's flesh as he was sucked in. This would be my fate as well…eeyew! A loud crashing sound swung her around, her fan half-open; she relaxed slightly when she realized from the cursing that it was only Inuyasha and his motley pack. This could be entertaining.

 

“Naraku…you fucking bastard…where's Muso?”

 

“How nice to see you, Inuyasha. Unfortunately, you were just slightly too late to enjoy the spectacle. Muso, or Onigumo, is back within his prison.” The last visible reminder of Muso's brief existence, a lock of his hair, disappeared inside Naraku's chest. Kagome shivered as she slipped from the hanyou's back.

 

A huge chunk of the Jewel…gods, its aura is nearly black! “That's the real Naraku, not a golem!” she hissed just loudly enough for Sango and Miroku to hear; Inuyasha growled.

 

“You took him back in because you still need him, don't you, Naraku?” Miroku's voice was stern; his staff jingled softly as he stepped up beside Inuyasha. “Otherwise, you would have discarded him like so much trash.”

 

Naraku adjusted the baboon fur. “He is necessary to stabilize the multiple demons that make up my existence, so I continue to have a use for him…until the completed Jewel is mine, that is.”

 

“So at this point, you are once again a half-demon, correct?” Kagome frowned at Miroku's back, wondering what he was getting at, as she charged up an arrow while being screened from Naraku's sight by Sango.

 

“Why do you wish to know that, monk?” The dark hanyou purred, amusement tingeing his voice.

 

“Not long ago, Inuyasha and Koga were able to detect your scent when the barrier around your castle weakened…”

 

“Ah…and you wish to know if that was my time of vulnerability, such as all half-demons have?” He flicked his eyes to Inuyasha. “Unlike some hanyou, who jealously guard their time of weakness so as not to abase themselves before their enemies, I can pick and choose a time that suits me best. When is your time, Inuyasha? When do you curl up with your tail between your legs and tremble in fear?” The growling from beside Miroku went up in volume; he nudged Inuyasha in the ribs.

 

“You are the result of a merely prosaic mating between a human and a demon; my origins are far more complex. Unlike you, who can only endure the humiliation, I use my time of weakness to conduct experiments. I rearrange my component parts, and sometimes discard demonic energy that does not measure up. I emerge far more powerful than before…a formidable opponent that outclasses the likes of you.”

 

Just as Kagome was about to whirl around and draw a bead on Naraku, Inuyasha forestalled her by ripping Tetsusaiga out of its scabbard and slamming the transformed blade into the earth in a single motion. “`Wind Scar'!” She began to step around him, to send her arrow after the strike as it screamed away, but was pulled down behind Kirara by Sango as a massive purple-black barrier erupted around Naraku, enclosing Kagura and the cloud of hell wasps. The `Wind Scar's power roared up and over the dome with absolutely no discernible effect on those enclosed within it, much to their considerable consternation. An ominous blackened cloud began to seep from the base of the crackling barrier, and Miroku recovered from the shock of the Tetsusaiga's defeat when he noticed that the surrounding vegetation was melting.

 

“Sweet Buddha…his barriers were nothing compared to this before! Sango! Get out of here and quickly! That's some sort of corrosive miasmic gas!” Inuyasha swore and turned to grab Kagome, taking them out of range in a fluid leap, while Miroku had to suffer through being caught by the back of his robes and hauled out of danger by Kirara as if he were a kitten.

 

They landed in a more or less untidy tangle on the far side of the clearing, and watched as the small pond vaporized, leaving dying fish flopping on the bare earth, Naraku and his minions vanished in a small coil of purple smoke. Sango glared after the dark hanyou. “It appears that he was telling the truth, about becoming more powerful. I've never seen a barrier like that before.”

 

Kagome snarled, jamming her weapons back into her quiver. “Crap. Now what do we do? If Tetsusaiga can't slice it…”

 

“You didn't try the combination of your power and Inuyasha's, Kagome-sama. That holds out some hope.”

 

Inuyasha sheathed his katana and slung his arm around Kagome's shoulders. “I'm going to go see Totosai. There has to be a way of giving Tetsusaiga the ability to break this shield. You, wench, are going home so I know that you're safe while I'm gone.”

 

Kagome gave him a brief smile. “I guess I could go see my mom and update her…we need more supplies, too. How long do you think you'll be away?”

 

“A day or so. Sango, you and houshi rest up and get ready for a long patrol. Make sure Kagome stays out of trouble.” At his girl's derisive snort, he pulled her tightly against him. “We need a night to ourselves before we take off again, so be prepared…” he whispered in her ear, making her blush. Grinning, he kissed her and squeezed her ribs tightly.

 

“Are your wounds healed? Do you need them bandaged?” she managed to gasp out, reaching for his sleeve.

 

He felt his midsection, then smirked very broadly. “Nope…have a look.” Pulling open his haori and juban, they were all astonished to see smooth skin, tinged slightly pink in the area of the worst damage, but otherwise intact. “I'm not completely repaired; feels like the muscles are re-knitting, but the internals are back to normal.”

 

“The youkai markings on your face have also not disappeared, Inuyasha.” Miroku first peered at the hanyou's face, and then his attention was drawn to a dark blue tendril just visible beside Kagome's fingers as she splayed them over the inu-youkai's stomach. “What is that?”

 

“Just another marking, Miroku.” Kagome hastily informed him, and withdrew her hand while Inuyasha turned slightly pink as he folded his clothing back together. The monk looked doubtful, but then nodded.

 

“Very well. Let us return to Kaede-sama's village, and prepare ourselves.”

 

“Sango? Do you mind if I ask Kirara to take me to Totosai's forge?” The slayer nodded her assent, and then Kirara came over to stand beside Inuyasha, rubbing her furry head against his chest. The hanyou grinned, kissed Kagome again, and slid onto Kirara's back. “See you soon, koishii.” The fire-cat growled softly, and then they were airborne.

 

Miroku gallantly offered each of the girls an arm. “Shall we go, ladies? Perhaps Kaede-sama will have some tea made. I expect to be thirsty upon our return, as we covered a fair bit of ground in our pursuit.”

 

Sango slung the Hiraikotsu into a more comfortable carrying position, and slipped her hand into his. “Some rest sounds very good after all we've been through the last two weeks. Just think, Miroku! A real bed…” She broke off at the monk's delighted grin, and then blushed furiously when she realized the implications. Smacking his arm, she muttered, “only a hentai like you can go from combat to romance in the blink of an eye…”

 

“I'm very much looking forward to our intimate `hand-to-hand' combat, Sango, make no mistake. It is our reward for facing so much hardship recently.”

 

Kagome rolled her eyes and skipped in front of the couple. “You two are so cute; I'll scoot on ahead and give you some privacy.”

 

Sango had a moment of maidenly panic. “Wait, Kagome…”

 

“Oh, no, slayer. Now it's your turn; you picked him, now you can deal with him.” She didn't turn around when Sango's squeak was muffled, and the jingle of Miroku's staff stilled. Smiling, she jogged into the forest. At least we might get a day or two off before we have to kill things again…I'm going to go pick some brains at the Armoury.

 

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