InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse ❯ Suffer The Children ( Chapter 78 )

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: Approximately six months after I started posting the fic, someone asked me if the Band of Seven would make an appearance; at the time, I'd intended on ending it sooner than the Mount Hakurei arc, but then thought, “Oh, why not? Bankotsu's kinda cute, in a homicidal sorta way…”

 

Nearly two years later, he finally takes the stage! Thanks to everyone who has stuck with the fic for this long!

 

Bouquets to Forthright, Nokomarie, Ranuel and Susanne TJ for their extremely valuable research, comments and suggestions. Also thanks to `Apocalypse Now' for the loan of what is possibly that movie's most famous line.

 

The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse

Chapter 78: Suffer the Children

 

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

Early the next morning…

 

“Are you gathering herbs again today, Suikotsu-sensei?”

 

“Yes, Kikyo-sama; the days grow shorter and colder, and I must have sufficient stock laid in for the winter. Senburi is plentiful right now, so we will fill our baskets while we can; we will return when the sun reaches its zenith. Would you be so kind as to check on the man who cut his leg and change the dressings?”

 

“Of course,” Kikyo replied solemnly. The doctor smiled warmly at her, his eyes crinkling, as he shouldered a wicker basket. Chiyo and the boy followed suit and bowed before skipping along in Suikotsu's wake, their bright chatter enlivening the early morning chill.

 

The rest of the older children disappeared on their appointed errands, and Kikyo set herself to the tasks of tidying the pavilion and instructing the youngest, permitting herself to enjoy their innocent excitement. It is very peaceful here, as the doctor says, but I must not let down my guard because that shard in his neck is sure to attract trouble.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

The same very early winter morning…

 

“Choose a target.”

 

“Excuse me?”

 

“Will that waterfall suffice?”

 

While Kagome's brain played catch-up with the taiyoukai's abrupt demand, Inuyasha wiped his mouth on the back of his hand and squinted across the gorge at the mountainside Sesshomaru had indicated. “Good as any, I guess… what do you think, koishii?”

 

Juggling her mess tin and her tinted shooter's glasses while she swallowed a spoonful of rice porridge, she narrowed her eyes at the small plume of silver visible against the dark trees not far below the peak of the mountain opposite to their billet, and tried desperately to figure out what Sesshomaru wanted. “Er… I suppose so… um, for what purpose, sir?”

 

“This celebrated `weapon' of which I am supposedly a component should be tested.”

 

“Oh! Um… er… right now?” she stammered. The taiyoukai treated her to a frigid look and glided away from the cooking pits towards the cliff face, obviously expecting her to follow. The rest of their companions, including the tenbaryu, watched with great interest as Inuyasha hauled Kagome to her feet and pulled the spluttering girl along as he went after his brother.

 

When the pair reached Sesshomaru, he quirked an eyebrow at the flustered woman. “Procedure?”

 

She turned several shades of pink; noting the taiyoukai's eyebrows disappearing under his bangs, she hurriedly admitted, “A voice… a powerful male voice… thundered inside my head when we were inside your father's tomb. The Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga seemed to recognize…” she trailed off as something occurred to her.

 

Fenik? Was that you?

Knew you'd figure it out eventually, sweetheart.

All this time, I thought it was the Inu no Taisho…

He's long dead, Nixie. It was Midoriko that composed the fancy verse, though.

Okay; do we take custody of both swords again?

No. I have to draw on the pups' youki energy to make this work, so you just hold on tight to me. Tell them to bring out the old men, and aim them at the target; I'll talk both you and them through the process.

 

“All right,” she said aloud, and grinned more confidently than she felt at the two brothers, one showing concern and one impatient curiosity. “Draw your swords and point them at the waterfall.” Sesshomaru looked distinctly sceptical, but Inuyasha immediately complied. As the Tetsusaiga flashed to its full size in the frosty dawn, the taiyoukai gave her a considering look and released the Tenseiga. Both waited expectantly, their weapons held at the ready.

 

Now what?

They have to touch… the swords, that is.

Um… which part?

The tips, of course. Go on, the old men won't bite.

Their owners might!

 

“Um, the swords have to connect… like this…” Moving before thinking, she caught hold of each brother's wrist, intending to bring the weapons into alignment. As soon as she unwittingly completed the connection, all three fangs howled a deafening chorus that caused several accidents of the spilled-tea variety around the cooking fires as the troopers stared at the three figures wreathed in a perfect storm of leaping green and silver-shot red energy.

 

Inuyasha immediately moved to step slightly behind Kagome, bracing her with his body and wrapping his free arm around her waist as youki boiled up around them. Sesshomaru looked down at the young woman clinging to his wrist; his own eyes widened as hers began to glow with unearthly light and that metallic scent of raw power filled his nose. Her new body armour was concealed by her dragon-hide tunic, but he had no doubt that it was fluorescing exactly the same way as on that long-ago night when he'd faced her as an enemy inside his father's tomb.

 

`Touch the tips together and channel the energy through the blades,' ordered a deep, masculine voice emanating from Kagome's throat, and her grip tightened as she brought the enchanted metal into contact by pulling Tetsusaiga back and pushing Tenseiga forward. They were instantly buffeted by even more powerful waves of youki as coils of red and green energy peeled off from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's auras and roared down the lengths of their blades to form a crackling stream that arced out over the gorge.

 

`Increase elevation.' Her iron hold brought up the weapons ever so slightly as Kagome sighted down the colourful, laser-like beam and aimed it squarely at the distant mountainside. `Right there… don't move, pups.' Both brothers blinked, then ducked their heads slightly to protect their faces when Kagome let go of their wrists and drew her own sword, raising it over her head.

 

To the watching youkai and humans, it appeared that a silver torch exploded into being and caused a raging typhoon of demonic power to thunder over them. The tenbaryu huddled together in a compact mass and everyone else went to ground, trying to shield themselves from flying rocks and dust while not missing a second of this incredible show.

 

Concentrated silver energy whirled around the three participants, whipping their hair and clothing and threatening their footing. Sesshomaru felt something hook into his obi, and a quick glance confirmed it was Kagome's hand. She tugged him a half-step closer, then peeled Inuyasha's hand away from her hip and curled his fingers into the yellow-and-violet silk, locking the two brothers together as she brought her sword down to rest on top of the other fangs.

 

Strands of silver instantly wound around the boiling red and green energy, binding the two streams into one that reached across the gorge and blasted into the mountainside, immediately obliterating the picturesque waterfall and hundreds of square feet of solid rock. The ground beneath their feet shook as the swords continued to deliver a devastating punch, until the cliff face opposite began to collapse in roaring streams of pulverized granite, earth and vegetation.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

Not all that far away, as the crow-youkai flies, Kikyo's head snapped up as awareness of a surge of impossibly powerful demonic energy disturbed the serenity of Mt. Hakurei's spiritual barrier. What on earth…? She rose to her feet, interrupting the counting game she was teaching the children and went out onto the veranda. Looking towards the south, she projected her senses, but the source of the disturbance was just out of range. That does not bode well, but it did not have the same resonance as Naraku's aura…and it seemed oddly familiar.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

`Enough!' Kagome's blade knocked the Tetsusaiga and the Tenseiga apart, immediately halting the reaction, and they all staggered slightly before they caught their balance. The young woman drove the tip of her sword into the ground and leaned heavily on it; the metal smoked gently in the suddenly-calm air. `When a demonic target absorbs the energies, the destructive effects are increased a hundred-fold; there won't be much left at ground zero,' the voice from her throat commented matter-of-factly, and then she swayed alarmingly as her knees gave way.

 

“Kagome!” Inuyasha let go of Sesshomaru's obi and caught her by the scruff of her tunic, bracing her with his body until she regained her balance.

 

She blinked dazedly, her eyes back to their normal bright silver colour, and then shook herself. “Are you satisfied with the outcome, Sesshomaru-sama?” she asked slowly, her voice also returning to its normal timbre.

 

“Intriguing,” he rumbled as he flicked Tenseiga before sheathing it in a practiced movement. Minutely inclining his head, he strolled off towards the cooking pits as the landslide across the way continued its thundering descent into the valley bottom, bringing with it the distinctive sap-flavoured scent of freshly-split trees.

 

“I love the smell of destruction in the morning…” came a cheery voice, and then Kohire was before them, grinning broadly. “That was amazing, Kagome-sama! We cannot lose with a power like that at our backs!”

 

She chuckled weakly and tapped her sword as she squared her shoulders. “It's all in the equipment, Kohire-kun.”

 

His gaze sharpened. “If the question is not deemed impertinent, is your sword a fang as well, my lady?”

 

“More of an `ignition' switch,” she replied, sheathing the blade and adroitly dodging the question at the same time. Walking back with Inuyasha towards their group, she felt mildly embarrassed by the mess caused by their demonstration; the troops were busily cleaning up the disarrayed equipment while excitedly comparing notes. Kagome was offered a fresh mug of tea by Yumiko as they passed one of the fire-pits. As she blew on the steaming liquid and wondered if any porridge had survived the maelstrom, Inuyasha quietly snickered, then pointed.

 

A small clump of tenbaryu was slowly disentangling itself from a hastily-formed protective huddle next to the hot spring. Kumo's massive head popped up first; his white forelock was plastered to his face and he emitted a disgruntled snort as he blew it out of his eyes. Yoen was next to appear, but he had the opposite problem; his orange mane was blown straight up and he had apparently been sitting on top of Kurosei because he was heaved rear-end up as the black stallion emerged from the centre of the pile. Ah-Un groaned loudly in stereo as his twin necks untangled themselves, but Misora was in the worst shape.

 

The poor tenbaryu resembled an inside-out parasol as she peered at them from inside her neck ruff, which had been blown forwards over her face. Tsu was attempting to reverse the effect, but she cried piteously every time the spines holding the webbing were bent back. The guardsman was trying very hard to be gentle, but she kept shaking her head and backing away… until Kumo clamped down on her withers with his fangs while Yoen used his clawed hoof to pin her sharp tail-fin to the ground. Squealing, she whipped her head around, but not fast enough to avoid Kurosei. The black stallion trapped her neck against his chest with his chin, allowing Tsu to quickly pop the ruff back into its proper place.

 

Misora froze, then chirped in relief. When Kurosei released her neck, she carefully experimented by raising and lowering the ruff a few times before exhaling gustily. Kumo shook his head, then trilled at her as Yoen freed her tail by lifting his hoof. The blue tenbaryu moved forward and draped her long neck around Tsu's shoulders, crooning to him and fluttering her long lashes as if he had saved her from a fate worse than death.

 

“That mare is something else…” Inuyasha muttered.

 

Kagome reached up and tweaked his ear. “Imagine how painful it would be if the same thing happened to you?” She detected Sesshomaru's youki flaring slightly on the other side of the clearing and absently wondered what had upset him.

 

“That display was impressive, Inuyasha; did you know the swords were going to do that?” Miroku asked as he and Sango came to join them; the slayer cradled a rather frazzled Kirara in her arms. The neko was grouchily smoothing her fur and shooting dark looks towards the couple.

 

“She took a bit of a tumble; she was sitting on Yoen's back when the show started,” Sango explained, trying not to grin.

 

Inuyasha wrapped his arm around Kagome's waist and squeezed. “I've seen what the swords can do once before, the day I won Tetsusaiga, but this was pretty incredible. Naraku doesn't stand a chance when we have him in our sights!”

 

“Miko, what is the meaning of this?” All of them started and turned to look at Sesshomaru. The taiyoukai stood several feet away; when he had their full attention, he called up his youki until it billowed around his tall form, setting his hair to dancing. Kagome eyed the green energy, puzzled, until he stabbed downward with a clawed finger.

 

“Oh… wow…” From the ground to roughly knee-height, the brilliant viridian of Sesshomaru's demonic power was woven with fine threads of red and silver. Beside her, Inuyasha's aura powered up in response, and his, too, had twisting strands of bright green among the red and silver flames. “Um… it appears that our auras have slightly merged.”

 

“Did you know this would happen?” the taiyoukai demanded, clearly put out by this new development. Kagome had a denial on her lips, until she remembered a long-ago conversation in a jammed elevator, when Yashita declared that the merging of her aura with Sesshomaru's during the Final Battle had allowed the hanyou to stay sane after the well closed.

 

“I… suspected it, sir,” she finally answered; Sesshomaru noticed the hesitation and shot her a sharp look that promised a particularly pointed interrogation in the immediate future just before he retracted his youki and swept away towards Ah-Un.

 

“I'm not so sure I like having his youki mixed up with mine, either,” growled Inuyasha as his aura dissipated. “I feel kinda dirty.”

 

“Lucky that there's more than one way to merge an aura, huh?” Kagome smirked cheekily; Miroku and Sango wondered why Inuyasha flushed a rather interesting shade of pink.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Later that same day…

 

“Are you all right, koishii?”

 

Kagome yawned wearily and rubbed her cheek against Inuyasha's chest. “Just really tired… the last few months have caught up with me, I guess.” She groaned as she straightened up a little and rolled her neck to work out the kinks. “Two days of being held in the same position aren't helping, either.”

 

“You'd fall off if you fell asleep while riding behind, and you won't let me tie your hands around my waist with your sash, so…”

 

“No protective bondage, thanks. Would make it really hard to use my bow if we were attacked.”

 

“You're not exactly armed and dangerous right now, either,” the hanyou pointed out as he obligingly shifted her upright in front of him on the saddle while keeping a firm grip to prevent any accidents, since they were roughly eighty feet in the air.

 

“I could yawn ferociously at them… or breathe on them. Please tell me that was the last of Myoga-san's antidote?”

 

“Yes, it was. How's the cheek?”

 

“It'll take longer than the bruises to heal, I expect, but at least it doesn't hurt so much any more.”

 

“Keh… what the fuck does he want?” Inuyasha grumbled as he glared over her head at a familiar twin-headed tenbaryu and its rider. Curious as to this negative reaction, because the hanyou had been making an effort to be civil towards his elder brother, Kagome craned her neck to identify the source of his ire.

 

“Sesshomaru-sama wishes to know the miko's opinion of this aura,” Jaken regally enquired from the safety of Ah-Un's back.

 

“That's miko-sama to you, ya little twerp,” growled the hanyou, cracking his knuckles.

 

“Aura?” Kagome asked in some surprise and sat up a little higher.

 

Jaken looked decidedly smug. “My lord detected it ages ago with his superior…”

 

“Stow it, asshole. We've already heard your love song enough times that we can sing it in four-part harmony in our sleep.”

 

While the two youkai traded insults, Kagome carefully inspected their immediate vicinity. It's faint, but there's definitely something. “Kumo, head towards those mountains, please.” The stallion surged ahead of Ah-Uh, interrupting Jaken's lofty response to Inuyasha's latest jibe.

 

Studying the rocky crags rising before them, wreathed in wispy clouds, Kagome blocked out her hanyou's mutterings while she concentrated on extending her aura. Neither of them were prepared when Kumo suddenly shrieked in pain and shot straight up. Inuyasha cursed violently and tightened his grip as he fought to keep both of them in place on the tenbaryu's back. “Dammit, Kumo! What's your problem?” he roared, and the stallion instantly returned to the horizontal plane, chirruping apologetically.

 

“He was scorched slightly; can't blame him for reacting.” Kagome gave the stallion's arched neck a soothing rub while taking stock of the situation. They were still a considerable distance from the mountains themselves, but the spiritual power had imperceptibly increased, like a thickening layer of fog.

 

“This aura is positively enormous,” Miroku commented as Kurosei drew alongside, “one of these mountains possibly acts as its anchor.”

 

Kagome tilted her head, considering. “We need to check this out more thoroughly…”

 

“What the hell? Let's go around it, for fuck's sake!” Inuyasha growled impatiently.

 

She elbowed him in the stomach. “We have to investigate everything that looks suspicious.”

 

“Shit, with a spiritual aura this strong, do you seriously think Naraku would be anywhere near it?” he demanded.

 

Sango frowned. “It doesn't seem likely, but why is there an aura here in the first place? What could possibly require this level of protection?”

 

“It does seem rather strange…” Miroku began before he was interrupted.

 

“Miko.” Sesshomaru floated towards them, his pelt rippling in the cold wind. “Your opinion?”

 

“Definitely suspicious,” she replied, while Inuyasha snorted and received another well-placed jab in the gut.

 

Sesshomaru's eyes slid to Inuyasha; the hanyou huffed a bit but gave a curt nod anyways. “We'll take Tsu and Kohire and go this way around the barrier,” he reluctantly suggested. “Meet you on the other side.” The taiyoukai inclined his head and turned away to mount Ah-Un as two brightly-coloured tenbaryu detached themselves from the small group of guardsmen and flew towards them. “Let's make this fast,” the hanyou grumbled. “Every hour we waste pissing around, that bastard's growing stronger…”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

Not long afterwards…

 

“Shard!”

 

“What? Where?”

 

“Over that way!” Kagome pointed to the right and then frantically waved at the rest of their group.

 

“How many?” Inuyasha demanded, urging Kumo to pick up his already formidable pace.

 

“Just one…” she answered, distinctly puzzled.

 

“Is it Kohaku?” the hanyou asked in a low voice as Kurosei and his passengers drew within hearing range.

 

She wrinkled her brow as she analyzed the shard's aura. “I don't think so…”

 

“Is it the Band of Seven?”

 

Pursing her lips, she shook her head. “Jakotsu and Mukotsu's shards were so dark, but this one is bright and clean.” The group of tenbaryu swept in a line abreast over the rolling terrain until a village came into view, positioned just inside the aura's outer boundaries. Kagome indicated a hillside beyond the small collection of huts and terraced rice paddies. “Over there… it's moving really slowly.”

 

“All the easier to catch the bastard,” the hanyou snarled.

 

As they drew near the shard's location, Kagome was dismayed to see nothing more threatening than an adult male and two young children laughing merrily as they busily picked leafy herbs. The grey stallion had barely touched down before Inuyasha was out of the saddle and striding down the gentle slope towards the trio, his hand on Tetsusaiga's hilt.

 

The man looked up, a pleasant smile on his handsome face, which quickly disappeared at the grim aspect of the silent warrior confronting him. “A good day to you, sir,” Suikotsu called out, determinedly cheerful even as he gathered Chiyo closer as a precaution, his glance ranging curiously over the wildly-coloured demonic creatures and their riders.

 

“Keh. Step aside, kids. You shouldn't be hanging around with a dead man,” Inuyasha sneered, cracking his knuckles. “You reek of death like the rest of the Band of Seven, so quit pretending to be something you're not!”

 

“You must be mistaken,” Suikotsu stammered, backing away and pulling the children with him. “I am a doctor!”

 

“A doctor of death, more like… show your true self, you bastard!” The hanyou dove at him, his extended claws deeply gouging the earth where Suikotsu had been standing only a moment previously. The doctor's arms windmilled briefly before he tumbled backwards down the hillside to land in a heap, his fall broken by a rocky outcropping.

 

“Suikotsu-sensei! Are you all right?” Chiyo called in a panic, dodging around Inuyasha and scrambling down the slope to reach the dazed doctor. The boy followed, but not before he'd kicked the hanyou in the shins and spat at his feet.

 

Miroku caught Inuyasha's sleeve just as he crouched, ready to launch another strike. “Desist for a moment, please… there is something odd about this shard-bearer.”

 

“Keh. Renkotsu looked normal, too, and fooled me by wearing the clothes of a man he'd killed… this one has the right stench at least, and I don't fucking buy the `innocent man' act.”

 

Kagome arrived in time to restrain Inuyasha's other arm. “His shard is so bright, though; an evil soul would have turned it dark a long time ago. It doesn't make sense…” She broke off as distant clanking-grinding machine noise filled the air, quickly followed by the ominous sound of an explosion. “Damn, damned, damnable!”

 

“What is it?” Sango asked, as Kagome slowly turned towards the village, her entire posture radiating tension.

 

“A tank,” she crisply replied, shading her eyes to squint at the column of smoke boiling up into the frosty air.

 

“A… what?” the slayer asked in confusion.

 

“It's called a tank in my time; a metal cart with powerful cannons mounted on it,” Kagome answered, feeling strangely calm even as another shell whistled towards its target. Beside her, Inuyasha cursed Miroku for stopping him from going after Suikotsu, who had taken off at a dead run towards the burning village, with the children hot on his heels. Kagome absently patted the hanyou's arm before heading towards Kumo. “I have a feeling that we're about to get some answers, because there's at least three very dark Shikon shards on the outskirts of that village.”

 

“Why didn't you say so, wench? Let's move!” Inuyasha took off in a flurry of red and silver while Kirara leapt down from Kurosei's saddle and transformed. Kagome shoved Fenik into her sash, settled her quiver on her back and strung her bow, then accepted Tsu's boost up onto Kumo's back.

 

“Kagome-sama, what are we facing now?” the guardsman asked, his nose twitching as the acrid scent of cordite wafted faintly on the breeze.

 

She thought quickly and reached down to lightly rest her hand on his shoulder. “Remember how my arrow blew up that tree?” At his nod, she continued, “this works on the same principle, except that the `arrows' are fired out of a hollow tube, not from a bow. Watch for the muzzle flash; you should be able to track the path of the missile and avoid it.”

 

Blowing his wheat-coloured bangs out of his eyes, Tsu grinned. “Kiriaisai-sama was right; trouble really does go out of its way to find you.”

 

Pausing in the act of strapping herself to Kumo's saddle, she tweaked his pointed ear-tip. “Trouble's my middle name… let's go before Inuyasha grabs all the good opponents!”

 

Yoen pranced up beside them, Kohire sporting a particularly wicked grin. “How about a small wager that Jakotsu propositions Inuyasha-sama again?”

 

“Your money's safe; a better bet would be the elapsed time between the proposition and the `Wind Scar'; move out!”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

What is going on? Kikyo rushed up the path, her eyes riveted on the billowing clouds of smoke. The elderly couple from the previous day staggered towards her, barely keeping their feet. “Head for the doctor's pavilion and stay there with the children,” she ordered, striding rapidly past them and into the village proper, where she found a terrified knot of villagers huddled against the wall of a hut. A moment after that, she was forced backwards by a terrific blast as something scored a direct hit on the group, sending body parts and earth flying in all directions.

 

A strange clanking, whirring sound filled her ears as she shook herself and peered through the smoke and dust, only to stare in dumbfounded horror at a bizarre metal construct rumbling towards her through the broken village. It ground to a halt on the other side of the impact crater, and she took a good long look at her opposition. The metal monster had two large saw-bladed wheels projecting out to the sides, as well as five massive offset tines connected by complex gearing spanning the front; these appeared to provide the propulsion by clawing into the ground and pulling the body along.

 

Kikyo noted the smoking twin barrels projecting upwards, but didn't immediately connect their presence with the crater before her. However, she easily detected the glowing black shards in the throats of the two human figures perched on a narrow platform that ran all the way around the sides and across the front above the tines; with a kind of shock she realized that the thing they were seated on also had a human head and a Jewel shard. What are these creatures? They must be Naraku's minions!

 

“Kikyo-sama! Are you all right?” Suikotsu stumbled to her side, panting heavily, then paled instantly when he saw the dead flesh and pools of blood scattered everywhere.

 

“Perhaps you should retreat to the pavilion and treat the wounded,” she murmured. “The children need you.”

 

“Honestly, Suikotsu… you are such a friggin' pain in the ass!” Jakotsu grumbled, shooting a dark glare at the hesitating doctor. “We go out of our way to pick you up, and you're not even glad to see us? Jerk.”

 

“Gershhh!”

 

Renkotsu ignored Jakotsu's sullen pout to assess the woman carrying a bow standing next to the long-missing member of the Band of Seven. Hm. I wonder if that is the priestess we were warned about? “Enough dallying, Suikotsu… come here,” he ordered brusquely. “We were told to bring you back with us, and we don't have time to mess about.”

 

The doctor straightened. His face was still very pale, but he stoutly insisted, “I've never seen you before in my life! Please, leave me alone!”

 

Beside him, Kikyo tensed. What on earth is happening here? These men… their shards are so dark, and they claim that Suikotsu is one of them… yet, his soul is pure! Movement on her periphery had her flicking a quick glance, and then barely stifling her surprise. A familiar figure clad in brilliant scarlet came to a dead stop as he realized who was standing next to Suikotsu. Kikyo allowed herself to admire the hanyou for a moment before calling, “We meet again, Inuyasha,” while deliberately ignoring his companions.

 

Jakotsu instantly perked up. Straightening from his slouch, he peered around excitedly before locating the stunned hanyou. “Oh! Oh! Inu-chan! I missed you!” he squealed, waving wildly and nearly losing his footing on Ginkotsu's armoured deck.

 

Renkotsu sighed exasperatedly at the swordsman's antics, then harrumphed, “Didn't at least one of you die? Honestly, what does it take to kill a few puny humans?”

 

“More than what you have, asshole!” Inuyasha shouted, gathering himself for battle.

 

“Inuyasha! Don't rush in blindly!” Kagome roared, but it was too late; the hanyou was already in motion. “Dammit… Sango, you're with me on air cover. Miroku?”

 

“I will accompany Inuyasha on the ground,” he answered. “Kikyo-sama will not likely be aware of the Seven's unique characteristics and may require assistance.”

 

“Good enough. Be prepared to drag him out of there if the situation deteriorates, because we know it will.”

 

As Miroku and Kurosei charged after the hanyou, Tsu spoke up. “Inuyasha-sama indicated that Renkotsu uses fire and some kind of wires to attack,” he reminded them, then asked, “but what in all the hells is powering that thing?”

 

“It has a Jewel shard, too, so there must be one of the Seven in there somewhere. Those cannons mounted on the turret are its main armament,” Kagome answered, inspecting the construct's appearance.

 

“Great,” Sango grumbled, hefting Hiraikotsu. “Will we be able to get close enough to do any real damage?”

 

The other girl pulled a black-fletched arrow out of her quiver and weighed it in her hand. “I need 200 yards or less to disable that tank; Jakotsu's sword doesn't have anywhere near that range, and I'll gamble that Renkotsu's weapon doesn't either. That leaves the cannon, but Kumo should be able to dodge whatever they throw at us.” She glanced at the two guardsmen. “You two run interference with Jakotsu and Renkotsu's weapons… but don't take unnecessary chances. That's an order.”

 

“Yes, my lady,” they chorused, and the group rapidly deployed.

 

Inuyasha reached the edge of the crater and drew Tetsusaiga. “It's payback time for the shit you pulled at the temple, Renkotsu,” he snarled, his aura flaring.

 

The fire-master sighed heavily, “Jakotsu, go deal with Suikotsu; I'll put this dog out of his misery.”

 

The swordsman's mood instantly soured. “Why do you persist in keeping me apart from my beloved Inu-chan, big brother?” he demanded petulantly. “I'm beginning to think that you want him all for yourself!”

 

Renkotsu rolled his eyes while uncorking a large gourd. “Absolutely, Jakotsu; you've caught on to my cunning scheme… would you quit spouting nonsense and do your job?”

 

“Why me?” he whined, reluctantly drawing his sword and hopping down from Ginkotsu's deck.

 

“He has to bleed, remember?”

 

“Oh, right… heh… I forgot…” Jakotsu giggled in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck, then squared up to Suikotsu and Kikyo.

 

“If it is my life you seek, then why did you destroy the village?” Suikotsu demanded raggedly.

 

“Oh, for the love of…!” Jakotsu growled, still tetchy over losing another chance at Inuyasha's ears. “I really will kill you if you don't wake up!” Swinging his blade, he sent a twisting snake of steel straight at Suikotsu, but Kikyo had already notched an arrow and taken aim. The purifying energy blazed bigger and brighter than ever before; Jakotsu barely flung himself out of the way in time. His returning blade nicked the scaled gauntlet on his own arm, adding to his foul mood.

 

Renkotsu glanced over his shoulder as he stalled Inuyasha's forward rush with a bundle of entangling wires and a spray of burning fluid. That is most definitely Kikyo; her death is also desired. He left the swearing hanyou alone for a moment to take the controls of Ginkotsu's turret and spin it around. Depressing the guns, he rapidly aimed and pulled the firing cord.

 

“Gershhh!”

 

Kikyo was caught completely by surprise by the shell that landed practically at her feet. She was blown backwards into the air, her bow torn from her hand and sent spinning to land some distance away as her body crashed heavily to the earth. Up above, Kagome winced at the sound of impact. I wonder if she cracked anything?

 

“Kikyo!” Inuyasha screamed, jolting Kagome with the obvious emotion in his voice, but he hadn't taken two steps before an additional burning web of steel wire engulfed him and dragged him back.

 

“Tsk, tsk. You lose your focus far too easily, Inuyasha! You'll be dead in no time if you keep this up!” Renkotsu jeered, sending another wave of flame towards his entangled opponent.

 

“Miroku! Can you reach her?” the hanyou shouted, but the monk had his own problems. He and Kurosei had also been enveloped in a fiery steel net; clinging to the saddle, he swung his staff to keep the burning liquid away as the tenbaryu fought free using fangs and hooves, only to be caught again. Yoen swept in to assist, Kohire using his lance to drag away the wires.

 

Suikotsu rushed to Kikyo's side despite his own injuries, but small, frightened voices calling his name diverted his attention from the priestess. Chiyo and the boy rushed towards him, concern and fear alive on their face; he leapt to his feet and desperately waved them away. “No! Don't come any closer!”

 

Rocks scuttered behind him; he was on the move before the deadly steel reached past him, grasping for the children's lives. Instead of their tender flesh, however, the blade bit deeply into Suikotsu's back. His body arched painfully as he fell to his knees, then jerked when Jakotsu yanked his weapon free of flesh and bone, a satisfied grin on his painted face.

 

“Suikotsu-sensei! Oh, no!” Chiyo knelt in front of him and pressed her small hands flat against his chest, tears streaking down her face.

 

“I'm… fine… Chi-chan…” he slurred, his eyes wide and staring somewhere over her head.

 

Above the tableau, Kagome twitched as a creeping malevolence struck her consciousness. What the…? Lowering her bow, she rapidly scanned the area for an explanation and zeroed in on Suikotsu, watching in horrified fascination as the shard palpably throbbed twice before it turned deepest black and the doctor's aura became a writhing mass of corruption.

 

“S-Suikotsu-sensei?” the boy quavered, his expression edging towards terror. In answer, one of the doctor's hands fastened around the child's throat while the other pinned Chiyo to the ground. At Kagome's shout, echoed by Chiyo's frightened scream, Sango and Kirara whipped around. As Suikotsu continued to squeeze the life from the boy while emitting a dark, chilling laugh, the slayer and Kirara dove on him, Hiraikotsu swinging like a huge blade as she sought to knock him away. Inuyasha arrived first, causing the hissing neko to veer wide.

 

The hanyou trailed flaming wires, but he landed a solid punch to the side of Suikotsu's head and tore the boy out of his grasp. As his opponent leapt away with surprising agility, Inuyasha caught hold of Chiyo by the back of her kosode and slung both her and the semi-conscious boy towards the slayer as Misora and Tsu streaked in to lend assistance. “Get them out of here!” he roared, then shook himself free and squared up to Suikotsu. “Finally showed your true colours, you fucking bastard…”

 

Oddly-coloured eyes, the iris so pale as to be almost invisible, glittered malignantly. “My parents were legally wed; can you say the same for yours, lad?” He straightened up and turned his newly-striped face to the sky. “Ah… so good to be finally free again.”

 

Inuyasha studied his opponent while surreptitiously edging towards Kikyo, who lay unmoving in the debris of the explosion. Renkotsu called out, “Suikotsu… you'll be wanting these if you're going to play with the dog,” and tossed a bundle in the doctor's direction while ignoring Jakotsu's furious yell at again being kept away from his preferred opponent. Suikotsu snagged the parcel out of mid-air and unwound the leather thongs securing it, his strange eyes never leaving Inuyasha as he donned sturdy leather half-gloves bristling with wicked-looking long steel claws.

 

“You want to fight me, lad? Happy to oblige, and then I'll slice up those brats for kicks.”

 

“Keh. You're gonna fight me with those toothpicks? I'm gonna piss myself, I'm so scared,” Inuyasha jibed, cracking his knuckles and trying not to be distracted by Jakotsu's sword licking at Kurosei's heels as the escaping stallion clawed for altitude.

 

“You'll be begging me for mercy soon enough, lad, don't you worry,” smirked Suikotsu, then viciously struck, but he was a split-second too slow. His steel claws dug a great gash in the earth as the hanyou went airborne.

 

Twisting in mid-air, Inuyasha came down claws first, reaching for the back of his opponent's neck, shouting, “Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!” However, the shard inside the revenant again made its presence felt. It had already repaired the damage from Jakotsu's sword and now allowed Suikotsu to roll effortlessly out of the way. The hanyou gathered himself for another strike, hoping to catch the man off guard, but a flurry of loud, grating movement distracted him.

 

Ginkotsu ground forward, those heavy sharpened tines stabbing into the ground and sending chunks of earth scattering as he rapidly bore down on Kikyo's still form. Renkotsu steered while Jakotsu guided his course from the front of the machine, his face glowing with anticipation of more blood under the wheels of the juggernaut.

 

“NO!”

 

“Pay attention, lad, or you're gonna get hurt!” Razor-sharp edges bit into Inuyasha's shoulder, the impact of the blow knocking him sideways and further away from Kikyo as the tank chewed ever closer.

 

Fuck! I can't reach her!

 

As Suikotsu planted himself squarely in Inuyasha's path, grinning maniacally, an explosion shattered part of the gear case powering the tines and Ginkotsu's forward motion briefly stalled, allowing a black tenbaryu to swoop in and his rider to snatch up the fallen priestess.

 

“Nice shooting, Kagome-sama!” Kohire yelled, saluting her with his lance as he and Yoen escorted Kurosei and his passengers out of the line of fire.

 

“Fucking bitch!” Renkotsu roared as a second explosion rocked Ginkotsu, warping the armour plating and blowing off a chunk of chassis. Luridly calling the archer's parentage into question, he loosed a retaliatory fusillade into the sky, but the missiles fell far short of their intended target as Kumo leapt upwards out of range. “Suikotsu! Get your ass over here; we're going!” he shouted, then rapidly spun the turret to let go with both barrels at Inuyasha. Under cover of the flying rocks and dirt, Suikotsu raced to join the rest of the Seven on Ginkotsu's damaged deck.

 

Jakotsu stood up, blowing fervent kisses as he clutched the turret for balance while the tank thundered away. “Farewell, Inu-chan, my darling! Don't kiss any nasty girls!”

 

The hanyou made an obscene gesture, then looked around to orient himself. Kurosei landed several yards away, Kikyo lying limp and silent in Miroku's arms. A red and a grey tenbaryu hovered a fair distance up; Kagome sat very rigidly in Kumo's saddle, her arms folded across her chest. Well, this is awkward…

 

“She isn't regaining consciousness, Inuyasha. What should we do?” the monk asked.

 

As the hanyou fidgeted below them, somewhat at a loss, Kohire reached over and tapped Kagome's arm. “Look at that,” he urged. On the edge of the aura, not far from a ramshackle pavilion on the village's outskirts, shimmering eel-like creatures twisted and twined, clutching glowing balls in delicate forelimbs. “I wonder what those are?” he mused, assessing them as a possible threat.

 

“They're soul collectors,” she replied tightly. “They harvest the souls of young women to sustain Kikyo's life.”

 

“But… she's a miko… isn't she?” the guardsman asked, baffled. “The spiritual power of her arrow was incredible!”

 

Kagome sighed inwardly. It's only a matter of time before they notice the physical resemblance, too. “She was raised from the dead by a sorceress, hence her demonic aspect, and requires a regular supply of energy from human souls to sustain her earthly existence.”

 

“You seem to know her quite well,” Kohire ventured, extremely puzzled.

 

“Better than I'd like,” she replied with some asperity, but then watched in consternation as the soul collectors cracked apart and vanished, their precious cargo hovering for a moment before swirling upward like an eerie fireworks display. Crap. This will be my good deed for the century. Releasing the straps holding her to Kumo's saddle, she beckoned her escort closer and transferred to Yoen's back. “Go to Inuyasha,” she quietly ordered Kumo, then cupped her hands around her mouth and called down, “Take Kikyo outside the aura; her soul collectors can't reach her in this place.”

 

“Kagome-sama?” the guardsman asked, peering over his shoulder. The young woman's crackling aura was prickling his skin through his dragon-hide tunic and making him highly uncomfortable.

 

“Miroku is a stranger to Kikyo; if she were to wake up, it's best if it is Inuyasha that deals with her,” Kagome briskly replied, watching as the hanyou accepted Kikyo's still form from the monk and leapt into Kumo's saddle. The tenbaryu immediately rose into the air and headed for a fresh group of soul collectors milling around at roughly the same spot as the first came to grief; Kagome glimpsed Kirara's transformation up by the pavilion as the fire-cat took the writhing demons for a threat. “Let's go,” she murmured, and they moved to join Miroku and Kurosei. The monk offered no comment as they followed the grey stallion at a discreet distance.

 

By the time they caught up and dismounted on the grassy hillside, Inuyasha had already gently arranged Kikyo's body and cushioned her head on his rolled-up suikan. He crouched at her side, his eyes never leaving her face, not even to acknowledge his packmates' arrival.

 

“Let's hope Kikyo-sama doesn't purify him on sight,” Miroku muttered in Kagome's ear, “since he's so kindly used his fire-rat armour to make her comfortable. I'm not sure my restraining sutras will have any effect on her.”

 

“My arrows will,” she retorted, but hung back as Miroku stepped forward to seat himself within paper-flinging range of the unconscious miko. Tsu arrived on Misora and instantly picked up on the tension in the air; by unspoken consent, he arrayed himself with Kohire on either side of Kagome, their hands straying to their weapons.

 

While the soul collectors delivered their burden, the group watched and waited as the glowing orbs sank into Kikyo's hollow shell. Out of the corner of her eye, Kagome noticed Tsu's expression change as he studied the supine priestess. Here it comes…

 

“Kagome-sama?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“The miko-sama bears a remarkable likeness to you…”

 

“I am her reincarnation,” she answered flatly, and the guardsman shut up at both her tone and the implications… until something clicked.

 

“Is she the one who sealed Inuyasha-sama?”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

“And you are the one who released him?”

 

“Mm.”

 

There was blessed silence for a moment, but then Kohire carefully asked, “How can you both exist, if you share a single soul?”

 

“She leased a chunk when she was resurrected.”

 

“Uh… `leased'…?”

 

A scorching look silenced the guardsman just as Kikyo's eyes fluttered open. She blinked slowly several times, then she focussed on Inuyasha, sitting as still as a statue at her side. Her eyes wandered to Miroku, seated a respectful distance away, before returning to the hanyou. “Where am I?” she asked without preamble.

 

“Just outside the village,” he answered. “Your soul collectors couldn't reach you, so we brought you here.”

 

“What happened to those men, the ones with tainted Shikon shards? Where is Suikotsu-sensei?”

 

“They retreated; he went with them.”

 

“Willingly?”

 

“The shard in his neck turned from pink to black, and then his entire demeanour changed,” Kagome spoke up, realizing that Kikyo had missed Suikotsu's transformation. “He is definitely one of Naraku's shiny new henchman.”

 

Kikyo squinted slightly, raising her head from the makeshift pillow to look carefully at the woman she still thought of as her shadow, and her eyes widened as a petite woman garbed in a dark grey leather uniform stepped forward. The undead miko wasn't entirely sure what to make of the tall youkai guarding Kagome's back, nor of the huge horse-like animals regarding her with wary curiosity, but the long bow towering over the other woman's shoulder was a clear indicator that some things remained the same.

 

Frowning slightly at Kagome's black eye and bruised cheek, Kikyo refrained from commenting in favour of discussing the current situation. Defeating Naraku is more important than our personal antagonism. “I'm sure you have noticed the extreme sanctity of this land?” she began. “Its purity is attributed to Mount Hakurei.”

 

“I have heard of Mount Hakurei,” Miroku interjected, “and its power to absolve any sin. The air is very pure in this area.”

 

“I assume that once Suikotsu-sensei's shard was corrupted, he could no longer stay within the barrier,” Kikyo said, but Kagome raised her hand.

 

“Actually, no. His blood was shed by Jakotsu, as he rushed to protect the children, and that's when this new, violent personality took over. The purity of the Seven's shards have no effect on their ability to wreak havoc.” She lightly touched her bruised cheek. “Trust me on this one, especially since they retreated deeper into the aura, not away from it.”

 

“Is it possible that Suikotsu harbours two individual souls within one body?” Miroku asked, rubbing his chin.

 

Kagome looked askance at the monk but held her tongue. Souls, and ownership of them, are kind of a sore spot considering your current audience, houshi-doushi!

 

“That could explain the extreme change that you witnessed,” Kikyo agreed, sitting up and carefully testing her limbs. “The one soul could suppress the other until outside forces brought about a shift.”

 

“Somehow, the Seven have immunity to the purifying aura; this bears closer scrutiny,” Miroku said thoughtfully, but they were interrupted by Sango's arrival. The monk immediately rose to his feet and went to her, taking one of her hands in both of his own.

 

Sango shot an apologetic look at Kagome before addressing Kikyo directly. “If you are recovered, Kikyo-sama, would you please accompany me back to the pavilion? The children are asking for you.”

 

“Are there many wounded?” Kagome quickly asked.

 

“Enough that your expertise and your medical supplies would be appreciated,” Sango replied before smiling wanly up at Miroku. He tugged her close and pressed a brief kiss to her forehead.

 

“I will come,” Kikyo said simply, attempting to stand. Inuyasha quickly offered her his hand; she looked from it to him and back again before accepting his assistance.

 

“What will you do, Kikyo?” he asked quietly as she tested her balance.

 

“I will protect these children as best I can,” she murmured. “I cannot remain for extended periods any nearer to the mountain.”

 

Kagome resolutely turned her back on the couple and marched over to Kumo. After hanging her bow and quiver on the pommel of his saddle, she unbuckled the clasp on the saddlebag in search of her medical supplies. The grey stallion reached back to bump her arm, chirping softly. Smiling crookedly, she gave his leathery muzzle a quick rub. It's really tempting to give Inuyasha a taste of his own medicine and blow a gasket over how he's acting towards Kikyo, but I'll take the high road… this time. Locating what she needed, she closed the flap and shouldered the bright yellow bag as she joined Sango and Miroku. Kikyo stepped away from Inuyasha and without a backwards glance advanced towards the trio.

 

Sango squeezed Miroku's hand before letting go to lead the way back to the pavilion. As they walked, the hair on the nape of Kagome's neck tingled; she squared her shoulders rather than give into the nervous idea that Kikyo might take this opportunity to strike at her unguarded back. She wouldn't try anything in front of Inuyasha… I hope.

 

When they reached the lopsided staircase, Sango and Kagome stood aside, allowing Kikyo to precede them into the building. The miko was greeted with relieved exclamations by both adults and children; several of the very youngest promptly attached themselves to her hakama and trailing sleeves. When she seated herself to examine the bruises on the boy's throat, they continued to cling to tiny fistfuls of fabric and huddle close for solace.

 

There was a long moment of silence when Kagome entered the room in Sango's wake as she was sized up by the villagers. It was Chiyo who finally blurted out, “Are you Kikyo-sama's sister?”

 

Kagome stopped and floundered a little, until she met Kikyo's steady gaze across the room. “We are related,” she carefully replied and left it at that. This seemed to reassure the gathered company, who were inspecting her uniform with puzzled frowns, so she had no shortage of takers when she opened her kit. With Sango's assistance, she soon had all of the minor cuts and abrasions looked after; just as she tied off the last bandage, several of the old men tottered up, carrying two badly bleeding victims.

 

However, when she and Sango moved to clear spaces on the floor in preparation to offer treatment, the new arrivals hesitated, shooting appealing looks at Kikyo. Kagome was pleasantly surprised when the other miko waved off their concern by saying, “She is adequate to the task; do not fear her methods.” Reassured, the men deposited their compatriots and Kagome set about cleansing and stitching the unconscious men's wounds.

 

As she worked, Kirara appeared in her kitten form and jumped up onto Kagome's shoulder, purring vigorously while butting her head against the girl's cheek. She then hopped down to greet Sango before weaving her way among the children, most of whom were only too happy to pet the `kitty' despite the waving twin tails and large red eyes sported by this unusual specimen. The neko seated herself briefly at Kikyo's knee and sized up the undead miko while Kikyo regarded her just as intently. Apparently deciding she wasn't a threat, Kirara mewed and began to make friends with the wee ones who had commandeered Kikyo's lap.

 

Miroku had seated himself on the veranda at some point and was speaking quietly with several of the old-timers; from snatches of overheard conversation, it sounded like he was picking their brains for information on the surrounding area. Of Inuyasha and the guardsmen, there was no sign; Kagome wondered if they were looking for survivors in the rubble or tracking the Seven. She had her answer when Tsu arrived, carrying Kikyo's bow. An abrupt silence fell as the villagers warily inspected the tall, blond-haired dog demon. He stiffened a little in response to the sudden undercurrent of hostility, but bowed politely to Kikyo and gave the humans a small nod as he propped the weapon against the doorframe.

 

“Tsu-kun… are you burying the dead?” Kagome asked, breaching the awkward silence.

 

“Yes, my lady,” he replied, relief colouring his tone. “The grave is nearly complete; I am here to escort Miroku-sama to give the blessing.”

 

Hearing his name, the monk stood up, straightened his robes and stepped forward. Pointedly polite, Miroku intoned, “My thanks to you for your consideration, Tsu-kun; these good people are undoubtedly honoured to have a powerful youkai such as yourself showing respect for their losses.” Bowing, he swept the baffled guardsman out the door and off the veranda, heading towards the still-smoking ruins.

 

Having no other patients, Kagome and Sango began tidying away the remaining supplies. After a short interval, during which Kagome was subjected to much whispered speculation over her bruising and the fact that her uniform was the same as that worn by `the youkai', there was a flurry of movement outside, as four tenbaryu arrived piled with rice barrels, pots, bundles of clothing and miscellaneous other supplies. Thankful to escape the atmosphere inside the pavilion, the two women excused themselves and set to the task of unloading; a few of the men hesitantly followed and after watching for a little while, finally offered to assist. While the rice barrels were rolled up under the veranda and water sent for, fire-pits were scraped out in the space before the building in preparation for cooking fires.

 

“This is a great misfortune for these people, happening so close to winter,” Sango murmured in Kagome's ear.

 

“I know, but there isn't much we can do about it,” the other girl whispered back.

 

“We should find our own camp, so as not to stretch their resources,” the slayer declared, eying the meagre row of rice barrels. “Not too far away, though, in case the Seven come back.” She waved to her husband as he made his way up the path from the village.

 

“They achieved their goal of retrieving Suikotsu, so it is unlikely that they will return,” Miroku opined as he joined them. “The grave has been blessed; shall we be on our way? Tsu-kun and Kohire-kun are organizing a campsite for us a little way outside the aura's influence, and Inuyasha has gone hunting for our supper.”

 

Kagome had half a thought to alert Kikyo to their departure, but she was taken aback when the other miko appeared on the veranda, sans limpet-children, and addressed her directly. “A word, if you please,” Kikyo requested in a tone that brooked no dissent, then descended the stairs and began crossing the meadow, away from the pavilion and curious ears. Kagome glanced at Miroku and Sango, then shrugged and handed over the medical bag before following.

 

At a suitable distance, Kikyo turned and faced her across a swathe of dry grass, whispering sibilantly in the late afternoon breeze. Against the darkening sky, Kikyo's brilliant robes made a dramatic sight, the trailing sleeves and full hakama billowing softly, her loosened hair twining around her face. In response, Kagome took up a deceptively casual stance, turning her body slightly to present a smaller target, her hand tightening on Fenik's hilt.

 

“We have been enemies,” Kikyo began abruptly, “but we cannot afford that luxury if we wish to defeat Naraku.”

 

“Agreed,” Kagome offered cautiously, wondering where this was going.

 

Kikyo paused, closely examining the sword, the silver eyes, the strange leather uniform marked with the emblems of rank, but her gaze rested longest on Kagome's bruised face. “How did you acquire those injuries?”

 

“Fighting the Band of Seven,” Kagome retorted impatiently. “Kikyo, is there something that you wish to say? Perhaps you should ask about the Band of Seven and their weapons; you most likely wouldn't survive a direct hit from those cannon…”

 

“Do you love him?”

 

“Uh… what? Do I love Inuyasha?” Kagome fumbled, taken completely by surprise. She forced herself to calm down and met Kikyo's gaze directly. “With all my heart and soul,” she answered, then quickly amended, “Our soul,” and wondered why Kikyo dropped her eyes.

 

“My only wish was to live with him as an ordinary woman, free from the demands of being the Protector,” she murmured. “Even in the heat of my anger and pain, I couldn't bring myself to strike the killing blow. I sealed him instead, then embraced my own demise, believing I had prevented us from ever meeting again.” She paused for a moment, then continued, “My heart couldn't bear the thought of being betrayed over and over again by the man I loved; I assumed that was to be our fate through the lifetimes to come.” Raising her eyes to Kagome, she said bitterly, “Karma obviously disagreed with me, because you are here, the Protector reborn, and also his lady wife.” The last words seemed to stick in her throat a little and she again looked away.

 

“You wanted Inuyasha to give up half of his identity to make your wish come true,” the other miko growled. “Your desire was selfish, Kikyo, and I have no doubt that the Jewel would have used that to corrupt your plan.”

 

“What are you saying?” the other woman asked sharply.

 

“Possession of the Jewel has never brought happiness; you yourself know first hand that it only causes death and despair,” Kagome declared. “It would not have surprised me if the Jewel granted Inuyasha's wish to become human, but I'm willing to bet it would have turned him into a 200-year-old human, with predictable results.”

 

Kikyo went very still as she turned this over in her mind, and then a wry smile curved her lips. “You could very well be right,” she agreed.

 

Kagome stood there as dozens of questions and accusations bubbled in her mind, interspersed with flashes of all the enemies they had faced and trials undergone because Kikyo had turned over their piece of the Jewel to Naraku. However, even as she opened her mouth to throw them at her predecessor, she quickly clamped her teeth shut. There's no point, not at this stage of the game with only a few weeks left. What's done is done, and we're in this together, with our only goal the defeat of Naraku.

 

“Kikyo, the presence of the Band of Seven and their tainted Jewel shards is a sure sign that Naraku is somewhere in the vicinity, building up his strength until he can strike. He'll be incredibly powerful when he does emerge; you won't be able to handle him alone if you come face to face,” she warned. “Inuyasha will risk his life to protect yours, but remember that his soul is bound to mine… ours… so please, don't take unnecessary chances.”

 

“I will give your concern due consideration,” Kikyo said as her eyes slid from Kagome to focus on a point behind her. Turning slightly, Kagome saw Inuyasha join Miroku and Sango, who were obviously keeping watch on their interaction. The hanyou's hair gleamed in the fading light as he held up a brace of rabbits for the couple's perusal. “He is beautiful, isn't he?” Kikyo murmured softly.

 

“Yes… and honourable and loyal and a whole list of other fine attributes,” Kagome agreed, then cautiously asked, “When Naraku is defeated, do you think you will find rest?”

 

Kikyo sighed and seemed to notice the filthy condition of her clothing for the first time. “I do not know; I suppose we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” she replied, brushing futilely at her sleeves. “I will remain here to protect the children and villagers; if you learn anything about our enemy, you will know where to send a messenger.”

 

“It shall be done. However, I must warn you that the messenger in question will most likely be either a wolf or a dog demon, so please do not purify them on sight.”

 

It appeared to cost Kikyo something to make the concession, because her answering nod was rather stiff, but then she pulled a small item out of her kosode and extended it towards Kagome. “I have been unable to find the holy sanctuary at the mountain's base, and searching for it would endanger my existence. Would you take on my duty to find absolution for the samurai who once wore this?”

 

“I, um, suppose so…” Kagome responded hesitantly, but she stepped forward to accept the lank twist of grey hair. Kikyo's slender fingers brushed her palm, and a resonance hummed throughout their bodies as the sundered pieces of a single soul called to each other. The undead miko quickly backed away, clutching her hand to her chest, her eyes wide. They regarded each other steadily and evenly for a few moments as an errant wind swirled around them, until Kagome tucked the hank of hair into her tunic and commented, “It appears that rabbit is on your menu as well as ours; shall we?” After the slightest pause, Kikyo bobbed a very brief bow; the gesture was returned, and the two women strolled together through the meadow towards their plainly startled audience.

 

“So alike… and yet so different,” Miroku offered in an undertone. Inuyasha merely grunted as his eyes flicked back and forth between the two priestesses, Kikyo the source of his deepest regret, and Kagome embodying his hoped-for future.

 

Kikyo saw the way Inuyasha's eyes lit up and how his expression softened when he looked at her reincarnation, and reluctantly accepted what she already knew. In a way, he loves me still, because a part of my soul dwells within her. As she stepped past Kagome, Kikyo whispered, “Keep him safe.” Briefly inclining her head to Miroku and Sango, she then paused to admire the rabbits. Inuyasha's expression was unreadable as he offered her the bulk of them; she accepted and he accompanied her to the fire pits to turn them over to the villagers.

 

Sango barely waited until they were out of earshot before she pounced. “What happened? What did you talk about?” she demanded.

 

“Naraku, mostly,” Kagome fibbed, not willing to divulge the contents of this unlooked-for discussion quite yet.

 

“Is she still going to try and drag Inuyasha to hell?” the slayer hissed, her eyes narrowing as she watched a brief exchange of words between the hanyou and the miko.

 

“I don't think so… not any more,” the other girl answered, watching the same exchange with considerably less prejudice. I've never thought to ask if Kikyo is still around, or if she crumbled to dust at some point after the well closed. Since she hasn't been mentioned by anyone, I'll assume that her existence came to an end.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

The next morning…

 

“This is Mount Hakurei?” Sango asked, craning her neck to look up at the rocky crag rising before them in the chilly light.

 

“That's what Kikyo said,” Inuyasha confirmed, his hands tucked into his sleeves against the cold.

 

The rest of their group looked dubiously at the picturesque peak towering above them until Miroku added, “The elders of the village also identified this as the holy mountain, and I cannot disagree. It is particularly serene and tranquil, without a single evil aura.” He looked over his shoulder at the two guardsmen, the neko-youkai and the tenbaryu trailing along behind. “How are you feeling, gentlemen?”

 

“Not that well, Miroku-sama,” Tsu replied grimly, wiping his brow. “I fear that I have reached my limit.”

 

“Me, too,” chimed in Kohire, and a chorus of weary twitters indicated the tenbaryu's agreement. Kirara let out a disconsolate mew and shrank to her kitten form, then trudged to Sango's feet. The slayer scooped her up and cooed sympathetically, cuddling the neko close.

 

Miroku reached to scratch Kirara's ears while contemplating the mountain. “I suppose that it is the presence of the Vortex that is causing me to feel unsettled,” he mused, then cast a questioning glance at Kagome. “As our resident `demonic miko', how are you faring?”

 

Kagome nodded slowly. “I do feel a little… I don't know… sort of twitchy, now that you mention it,” she admitted.

 

“Can you call up your demonic power?” he inquired curiously.

 

She tried to flame her fingertips, but the attempt caused intense pain to flare all over her body; with a yelp, she recoiled and suddenly realized why Fenik's voice had been strangely silent since they had entered the aura. On a hunch, she instead tried calling up her spiritual energy, and the resulting explosion nearly knocked her off her feet as pink flames briefly roared around her form until she brought the conflagration under control.

 

“What the hell, wench?” Inuyasha demanded, flapping his sleeves as his fire-rat smoked lightly from standing too close to the unrestrained energy.

 

“Gimme a sec,” she replied and quickly brought her bow into firing position. Selecting a white-fletched arrow from her quiver, she took up a stance and concentrated. The arrow ignited a small firestorm of spiritual power that shrouded her entire body; when she released the bowstring, the missile resembled a comet as it blazed away towards the mountain.

 

“Fascinating,” Miroku commented while Inuyasha grumbled discontentedly and stalked away from his suddenly-dangerous mate, only to run face-first into a shockingly powerful shield. The hanyou let out a pained howl as he lit up like the Hanshin Tigers baseball stadium after a home run as blue-white light crackled over him, and then he was thrown backwards roughly fifteen feet. As he scrambled upright, the stink of singed hair made even the humans sneeze while his furious cursing left them plugging their ears… all except for Miroku. The monk contemplated the middle distance for a moment, then resolutely stepped forward.

 

“Houshi…?” Kagome called after him.

 

“Just testing a hypothesis,” he answered blithely. As he passed through the shield, blue energy twisted around his gauntleted hand like a heavy glove and remained there, spitting sparks. The monk examined this development thoughtfully, then slowly began to unwind the prayer beads restraining his Vortex.

 

“Miroku! No!” Sango cried out in alarm, but Kagome stopped her from racing to his side.

 

“I think he's onto something,” she soothed, closely watching the monk as he abruptly snapped up his arm, palm out… and nothing happened. No powerful tugging air currents, no howling winds, no abrupt removals from this reality into the darkness… nothing except a clear blue bubble of energy effectively sealing his curse. Miroku carefully rotated his wrist to inspect the blurred edges of the void visible inside the barrier, then raised his hand to show the others.

 

“It appears that Mount Hakurei is able to contain even Naraku's devilry,” he said in a tone of wonder. Sango handed Kirara to Tsu and immediately joined him; Kagome tried, but the moment she set foot inside the shield, blue lightening wrapped around Fenik and the katana screamed.

 

“Shit!”

 

As she staggered back out, Inuyasha caught her before she toppled over. “Coulda told you that was gonna happen,” he growled, adjusting his arms to hold her a little closer than her almost-tumble warranted. “Tetsusaiga did the same thing.”

 

Snuggling into the soft fur of his suikan, she teased, “I thought it was you lodging the verbal protest…”

 

“Keh. As if,” he snorted, then stooped to mutter in her ear, “I only howl for you, wench.” Winking cheekily, he gave her a squeeze and a cocky grin, the first sign of true relaxation since their encounter with Kikyo the previous afternoon. He was so tense last night… almost as if he was afraid I was mad at him. Well, I could have been, but I chose not to make an issue out of it because he was also beating himself up for not taking Ginkotsu's Jewel shard when he had the chance a few days ago.

 

Kagome nestled close, enjoying the affectionate contact, until Miroku cleared his throat. “I believe that it is safe to say that Naraku cannot be anywhere near this shield; if its purity can seal his curse on my family, then he would be reduced to ash in an instant.” Something tugged on the corner of Kagome's mind at Miroku's words, but when she turned to look at it, the memory fled as he broadly winked at the guardsmen while adding, “I suggest we direct our search elsewhere in the vicinity; is there any of that grilled rabbit left for our luncheon, or did Kohire-kun eat it all?”

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

“We are approximately fifty feet closer to our destination than the last time you asked, Jakotsu.”

 

“Aw, hell.” The swordsman fell silent, moodily risking his sandal by seeing how close to Ginkotsu's saw-bladed wheel he could get without actually cutting into the straw sole. “Renkotsu?”

 

“What?”

 

“Are we there yet?”

 

The fire-master clenched his teeth hard enough to chip the enamel and glared across the landscape. Urgh. Why did Naraku have to give our eldest brother seven shards? Six would have been more than adequate…

 

“Gershhh!”

 

“Hello there, Kohaku-kun!” Jakotsu exclaimed, cheerfully hailing the solemn youth waiting silently by the side of the track. “How have you been? Guess what? I met Inuyasha! He's absolutely gorgeous…”

 

“I am well, Jakotsu-sama, thank you,” Kohaku replied gravely, bowing to Renkotsu. His dark glance flicked to the newest addition; Renkotsu made the introductions.

 

“This is Kohaku-kun; he's off-limits, Suikotsu, so don't think of testing your claws on him.”

 

“No worries, lad,” the striped warrior rasped, flashing what was probably supposed to be a reassuring smile, but it came across as a grimace instead. Kohaku politely bowed before springing effortlessly onto Ginkotsu's deck.

 

“We are impatiently awaited on the next ridge,” he said. “Let us make haste, Ginkotsu-sama.”

 

“Gersh!” Earth flew as tines dug into the ground, sending the tank rumbling over the uneven terrain.

 

“I can't wait to see our dear big brother again!” Jakotsu enthused, clasping his hands. “I do hope there will be lots of blood!”

 

“Enough to drown you, we can only hope,” Renkotsu muttered sourly, concentrating on scanning the horizon for the one man he both admired and feared. Soon enough, a slender armoured figure was seen waving energetically from the top of a slope; the pitch was too steep for Ginkotsu, so his passengers disembarked and hiked up while he found an easier approach with Kohaku as his guide. The three revenants were all sweating by the time they reached the top; Renkotsu used the tail of his headscarf to wipe his face as they knelt in the dry grass. “It is with great joy that we are reunited, Bankotsu-sempai…”

 

“Dammit, how many times have I told you to drop that `sempai' crap, Renkotsu?” growled the dark-haired youth, who appeared to be barely out of his teens. “Hey, Ja-chan! Is that a new kimono? The colour really suits you, buddy… finally came back to us, eh, Doc?” While Renkotsu simmered and Jakotsu preened, Suikotsu bowed deeply.

 

“My apologies for making you wait, Bankotsu.”

 

“No worries, brother. The delay allowed the nice men in that castle over there plenty of time to bring in lots and lots of reinforcements,” the youth replied, hooking his thumb towards a substantial hillside fortress.

 

Jakotsu shaded his eyes to squint at the fluttering banners advertising the presence of a large number of troops. “Oh, how exciting! This is going to be so much fun! When can we go? Now?” He was half-way to his feet when a curt hand gesture from Bankotsu had him quickly sitting back down.

 

“Soon, Jakotsu… very soon. I'm really looking forward to seeing my `old friend' again; I hope they have been treating him well or I will not be happy.” His listeners all flinched and edged away from the deadly tone in Bankotsu's voice as he folded his arms and gazed at the fortress. “Not happy at all…” he murmured, his dark blue eyes as hard as ice while the trio of shards in his throat pulsed malignantly.

 

Ж Ж Ж Ж Ж

 

A/N: In this fic, Bankotsu occasionally calls Jakotsu `-chan' because he doesn't mind catering to the swordsman's feminine proclivities. No slash is implied, trust me!