Chapter Text
Miroku sat on top of one of the large boulders in the cave and looked up at Midoriko. If he closed his eyes, he could feel her presence lingering around him, a part of her still present even though her soul was scattered across the land. He held five tiny pieces of it against his chest. He knew that Naraku held most of it. It was strange, knowing that even though their bodies were right before him, she and a demon were both trapped inside the Shikon Jewel.
Inuyasha had told him once that Kikyo believed the Jewel would disappear if it turned him into a human – that it would purify the Jewel, and Midoriko’s battle would be over. Miroku didn’t know if that was true. He had no idea what capabilities and limits the Shikon Jewel possessed. And he had no idea how to make it disappear. They were all still so focused on finding all the shards that none of them particularly wanted to think about what came after. He sighed and pushed to his feet – a problem for a later time.
He glanced up at Midoriko one last time and then cast his eyes over the countless demons whose bodies had turned to stone. The faintest energy hummed from all of them – those that she hadn’t managed to purify before she died. He glanced further around the cave, where the faint spirits of five youkai were watching him especially closely. Sango had told him about them. The spider, the mouse, the deer, the sparrow, and the otter. They had formed a protective line between Midoriko and the tunnel leading to the cavern where she rested. Dozens of demons twisted around each other, fading in and out of existence, still tethered to their bones which lay at the bottom of a sharp incline. When he asked Sango about it, she had said that Midoriko could keep them at bay, but she couldn’t force spirits from her cave as she could the living. That’s why she relied on the spirits of the demons who had lived in the village, allies of humans in death as with life.
They had been foolish not to purify the remains before dumping them inside the cave – though, to be fair, there had been so many, and at the time, they had been more preoccupied with burying the human dead. It had also seemed irrelevant, with all the slayers gone from the village. Not so now. Now they had time to lay the souls to rest, both human and demon.
Miroku glanced over his shoulder to where Kirara was padding into the cave. She sat down next to him and gazed up at the twisting stone figures with solemn eyes. “You’re always watching out for them, aren’t you?” he murmured, scratching her ears. “Just as you do with us.”
She trilled softly and nosed insistently at his hand.
“Your friends will be freed soon,” he promised.
They sat and waited together, Miroku watching the various youki forms shifting and changing, never able to fully materialize due to Midoriko’s presence. It was a while later that they heard footsteps echoing off the cave walls.
“All done,” Sango proclaimed, handing his staff back to him. “It’s not the prettiest, but it should work just as well as before. I patched parts of the pole, too.”
“Sango, you’re a life-saver,” he grinned, running his fingers along the sharpened edges of the head. “Thank you!”
She glanced around the cave. “Do you think you’ll be able to exorcize them all at once?”
Miroku shrugged. “They’re already weakened just by being here. It shouldn’t be a problem.”
They all turned and headed back up the tunnel. “Thanks again for agreeing to stay for so long,” Sango murmured.
“Not at all,” Miroku said gently. “It only made sense to come back here after we dropped off the girls. We had a lot of unfinished business to attend to.”
She sent him a grateful look. “Shall we begin the funeral procedures, then?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “They’ve waited long enough.”
~*~
Inuyasha wrapped his arms more securely around Miroku’s chest and leaned his chin against his partner’s shoulder as they relaxed by the fire. It had been a long day, and emotionally draining – especially for Sango and Kirara – but it was over. They all had settled something inside themselves after laying every soul to rest. It was something they hadn’t been able to do in so many of the devastated villages they’d come across, but they had managed to do it here. They had done good, too, with the remaining ninja.
“I hope they’ll be alright,” Miroku murmured, echoing his thoughts.
“Sango taught them everything they needed to know about poison powders, and you made them that shimenawa thing,” Inuyasha assured gently. “And Hachi said he’d stay with them for another few weeks just to be sure they were getting on okay.”
“It was remarkable how quickly they took to the techniques,” Miroku smiled. “I think that Sango found it very gratifying.”
“She really has a feel for that kind of thing,” Inuyasha said thoughtfully. “If we do end up somehow getting an army of followers to go after Naraku with us, I think she’d be able to handle them well.”
Miroku chuckled gently. “Here’s hoping.”
They glanced over to where Shippo was asleep, curled up next to Kirara. She was kneading the kit’s back while purring contentedly, one ear swivelling slowly as she followed Sango’s progress through the village. Sure enough, the door slid open and the slayer soon stepped inside, arms full of silks, small ornate statues, and jade bracelets. She smiled when she saw everyone, and quietly made her way over to Miroku and Inuyasha without waking Shippo.
“These are the lightest items,” she said, laying it all out before them. “It should be enough for Kaede to make sure the village remains fed over the winter, and maybe set a little aside for us for the next time we need it. I’ve tied up everything else with ropes and fishing nets, so Hachi should be able to bring it over to them on his own without a problem.”
Inuyasha snorted. “It might even sell for enough to keep him fed for the winter as well.”
“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Miroku grinned.
“Kirara,” Sango said, turning to her. “If we split the journey over two days, do you think that you’ll be able to carry this and us as well?”
Kirara looked over it without getting up, as Shippo was solidly using her as a pillow at this point, and nodded.
~*~
Kagura scowled as she looked around for the right area. She didn’t know why Naraku was interested in this old woman – this old human – anyway, but he’d insisted that she find her, so she didn’t have much of a choice. As the sun dipped further below the horizon, Kagura caught a glimpse of light shining up between the trees of the forest below. She angled her feather down to investigate, and caught sight of a figure sitting in front of a fire, chanting. Kagura dropped down to the ground silently and approached. The woman had raised both of her hands, a paper doll clutched in one and an ancient scroll draped across the other. As the chanting continued, she threw the doll into the fire, where it immediately caught alight. The flames grew to twice their original size, twisting unnaturally before they settled again, and promptly died. The old woman smirked.
“Are you Tsubaki the sorceress?” Kagura asked.
The old woman turned to scrutinize her with surprisingly sharp eyes. “If you’ve come to break the curse, it’s too late. The ceremony is over. The man is dead.”
Kagura rolled her eyes. “I’m not the least bit interested. It was you that I came for.”
Tsubaki’s hand darted to her robes – the robes of a priestess. “Then you must be a demon.”
Kagura expected the sutra to be thrown at her, though she hadn’t expected it to transform itself into the shape of a giant bird. She snapped open her fan and ripped through the paper creature. “Stop this!” she snapped. “You are a troublesome hag indeed.”
The woman scowled at her, and Kagura was tempted to scowl right back. But, she had to at least attempt to convince her peacefully. She didn’t want to start a fight with an opponent who knew such types of magic, and she didn’t want to think about what Naraku would do to her if she failed.
“My master requests your assistance,” she said instead, trying to be at least vaguely polite.
“What does a demon want with me?” Tsubaki asked suspiciously.
Kagura smirked. “Tell me. Do you still bear a grudge against Kikyo?”
Tsubaki’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Kikyo, you say?”
~*~
“I am glad that none of you were injured,” Kaede said as she handed out the bowls of stew. “After so long, I had begun to worry.”
“We can complete a job without breaking ourselves in the process,” Miroku said pointedly. “Just not very often.”
Even after two separate battles, he was the only one with lingering injuries, anyway. His ribs still twinged from time to time, and he had to keep them wrapped, but overall they had been incredibly lucky. They had joked, that first night back together, about how their perceptions of a good day and a bad day were forever skewed. A day like this, where there was no battle at all and they could relax, was the best day they could hope for.
“What next, then?” Kaede asked. “Where will you go now?”
They exchanged a slightly uncomfortable look.
“We don’t exactly know where Naraku is,” Inuyasha grumbled.
“We don’t know how many more Jewel shards are out there,” Miroku added. “Between our five, Kouga’s two, and the large number that Naraku has collected, there simply can’t be too many more.”
“Our task has changed from trying to collect more than Naraku can to keeping him from getting ours,” Sango said. “Once he completes the Jewel, I have no idea what his next move will be, but I have no doubt that he will make it.”
“But we can’t get the Jewel back from him or try to stop him until we can find him,” Inuyasha sighed. “And we don’t know how to do that.”
“Kouga, Kikyo, and Sesshomaru are all looking for him,” Miroku said. “Between our various groups, it’s likely that either one of us will find him or he will try to kill one of us. We also don’t know how often he’s tried to kill the others. He has to reappear sooner or later.”
“So we keep on wandering until he does,” Sango finished. “We can’t afford to lead him here, and there’s a greater chance of finding him ourselves if we look around.”
“In that case, rest for a few days before you set out again,” Kaede said. “There is a storm coming. I can feel it in my bones.”
~*~
“Three.”
“Five.”
“Two.”
Miroku grinned. “You’re moving in the wrong direction, Sango.”
“You’re going to end up killing me with this, and I refuse to be taken out by food!”
Miroku stifled a laugh and obligingly picked three chilies from the basket to add to the stew. Shippo handed him a bowl of dried herbs to add and then scampered off to fetch the rice. Sango watched with amusement, absently tickling Kirara’s ears. The mat covering the doorway was moved aside and Inuyasha stepped into the hut, smiling tiredly at all of them.
“Were you successful?” Miroku asked handing him a warm cup of tea as the hanyou dusted the snow off his robes.
“Yeah, the steel wasps were still out for the winter, and they patched up the sheath,” Inuyasha said, lowering himself down with a sigh. “How long until food? I’m starving.”
“It should be ready by the time Kaede gets back,” Miroku said. “Apparently they’ve been having problems with youkai breaking into their food stores around the village, so she’s attending to that.”
Inuyasha groaned loudly and flopped over, his head just so happening to land in Miroku’s lap. Miroku chuckled and obligingly leaned down to kiss him before beginning to massage his head. Shippo had to take over most of the cooking under Miroku’s careful directions, because Inuyasha wasn’t about to let him up.
Kaede returned with a scowl on her face, grumbling about sutras and storehouses, but relaxed visibly when Miroku handed her a bowl. They all began eating in earnest, conversation left by the wayside in favour of warming themselves against the outside chill. The snow that had started last night still showed no signs of stopping. They’d agreed to stay with Kaede until it cleared enough for Kirara to fly them out – or, if it was still going in another three days, they would leave regardless. They were still wary of drawing Naraku’s attention.
As she started in on her second helping, Sango couldn’t help but notice the way that Miroku and Inuyasha’s hands kept on disappearing behind each other’s backs, how they were shifting closer and closer together, and smiling into their bowls without actually eating anything. She rolled her eyes and tried to ignore them. But then Miroku stifled a laugh, and Inuyasha’s cheeks were steadily turning pink, and this was getting ridiculous.
“Do you two have no decency?” she hissed, low enough that hopefully Kaede wouldn’t overhear.
Inuyasha hummed, thinking hard.
Miroku frowned, sounding out the world. “De-cen-cy…”
Sango sighed heavily. “Forget it.”
~*~
Strong winds had turned the snowfall into a blizzard, and Inuyasha, Sango, and Shippo had gone out to help the villagers secure the houses and clear away some paths to walk. Kaede, meanwhile, had abducted Kirara to help convince a stray cat to move her newborn litter out from underneath someone's house and into a warm barn instead. Miroku, with his ribs still healing, had been told in no uncertain terms to stay put. So, he was getting creative. He had a dozen different types of sutras strewn about, with a pile of paper on one side and a pile of scrolls on the other. He was staring hard at both, trying to find the right combination of characters.
“It’s fucking freezing out there,” Inuyasha growled as he walked inside, shaking the snow from his hair. “Sango’s gone to have a bath.”
“Is everything packed away alright?” Miroku asked.
“Had to drape blankets over the stables to make sure the horses didn’t kick it, but most people had their homes under control,” he shrugged, stretching. His eyes caught the mess around the hut and he smirked. “Whatcha got there?” he asked, hooking his chin over Miroku’s shoulder and peering down at the scrap of paper he was writing on.
“Remember back at the temple with Nazuna?” Miroku asked. “The master said that he had sutras specifically meant to ward off spider heads. Of course, that was all a lie, but it still got me thinking. If I could make sutras targeted at specific opponents, you and Kirara and Shippo would be able to use them for protection as well – or at least be able to move freely in and out of whatever house or cave we’ve sealed shut. Even if I can just make one that will work on youkai and leave hanyou alone…”
“Huh,” Inuyasha said thoughtfully. “You should ask Sango if the slayers came up with anything like that, what with demons like Kirara around.”
“I did, back at her village,” Miroku sighed. “She hadn’t heard of anything similar, and of course their priest is dead.”
Inuyasha hummed and sat down beside him, leaning against him in a very unhelpful manner. Miroku obligingly pressed a kiss to the top of his head before turning back to his work. Slowly, Inuyasha slid down the length of his side to slump against the wall. He blinked slowly and lazily for a while until he gradually lost the fight with sleep. Miroku subtly scooted closer so their thighs were touching. It was some time later, after Sango and Shippo had come back from their bath before being whisked off to look at kittens, that he thought he’d figured it out. He hummed lightly lifted the sutra off the ground to examine it. He glanced surreptitiously over at Inuyasha, who was sill dozing against the wall beside him. He very carefully reached out and tapped the sutra lightly against Inuyasha’s hand. The hanyou woke with a startled cry and immediately shook out his hand, shooting Miroku a wounded look.
“Damn,” the monk swore, his brows furrowing as he examined the sutra. “I really thought I had it that time.”
“A little warning please!” Inuyasha exclaimed grumpily – though, he had to admit, it hadn’t really hurt.
"I swear I'll get it soon," Miroku muttered as he turned back to his work.
"Not by testing on me, I'll have you know," Inuyasha growled with a blatant lie. Miroku winked at him and returned to his work.
Just to prove himself foolish, Inuyasha crept almost fully onto Miroku's lap before a yawn almost split his head in two. Miroku chuckled appreciatively and dutifully put the sutras aside for later. He picked up some paperwork instead, formal tax pieces assigned to the nonexistent headman of the village which was usually left to Kaede. Inuyasha hummed to himself thoughtfully and turned his gaze to Miroku as he worked. Gradually, an idea took him, and he turned to fully face the monk with marked intensity. His stare started steadily burning a hole in Miroku's face, but the monk was paying him no mind. One of Inuyasha's claws tapped thoughtfully against the floor as he pondered.
"Miro?" he suggested with no preamble.
"Sure," came the slightly distracted response.
"Roku?"
"Yes."
"Ro?"
"Yup."
"Miku?"
"No."
Inuyasha bit down on his grin. "Ro-Ro?"
"Absolutely not."
He couldn't help but chuckle at the monk's deadpan replies to all of his suggestions. "I dunno. They all feel weird. I've never given anyone a nickname before."
Miroku shrugged, shooting him a gentle look full of understanding. "I haven't given one to many others before, though I've had my fair share."
Inuyasha groaned. "But you said before that no one had shortened your name!"
"They weren't connected to my name." At Inuyasha's perked ears and wide eyes, Miroku sighed and pushed the inkbrush and scroll to the side, any thoughts of actual productivity fully abandoned. "The most obvious one is just 'monk,' but I suppose that's more of a moniker. I've had Dango, Peaches, Rat Boy, Tinkles- because of my staff, you asshole!" he cut off Inuyasha's strangled bark of laughter. "I had a few more when I was working brothels, but those weren't exactly appropriate."
Inuyasha's eyes darkened. "Oh?"
Miroku smirked. "Indeed. Didn't you know that you're courting the famous Soft Lips?"
"Nope," came the anticipated wheeze as Inuyasha shot to his feet with a crimson face. "No no nope no nopity nope."
"Just wait 'til you hear about the ass-related ones!" Miroku called after the fleeing hanyou, grinning more than he probably should have at the way he squirmed and blushed in embarrassed intrigue and deeply affected attempts at nonchalance. Inuyasha practically ran past Sango, who had clearly heard the tail-end of their conversation, and looked as though she was deeply considering moving somewhere far, far away.
~*~
Kagura closed her eyes and ground her teeth, trying to block out the occasional commentary coming from the passenger behind her. Tsubaki had been full of constant questions regarding what Naraku had planned, and wouldn’t take Kagura’s “I don’t know!” as an answer. Kagura had been tempted to shove her off the feather and see how she enjoyed flying without a ride, but she knew that Naraku might just kill her for it. Damn it all.
They were approaching the castle through a thick haze of miasma, which Kagura easily cut through with a gust of wind. Tsubaki shifted behind her. “This Naraku surrounds himself with such an ominous barrier.”
Kagura rolled her eyes. “Hold on tight, old woman. I’ll be in trouble if you die.”
She flew them down to the courtyard and headed inside, not giving the troublesome human a chance to poke her nose around. She weaved her way through the maze of rooms to where Naraku sat, watching them both with a cool expression. The entire castle was dark, she thought purposefully so. She could see just fine in the minimal light, but she had to guess that Tsubaki’s old eyes were straining. More games, she supposed.
“I’ve found the woman,” Kagura reported dutifully, stepping aside so that he could see.
“So you have come, Tsubaki,” Naraku smirked. “The fallen priestess.”
Tsubaki growled softly and took a few purposeful steps towards him. “What is the meaning of summoning me here? What do you want?”
“Do you recall your feud with a priestess named Kikyo some fifty years ago?” Naraku asked slyly. “You were trying to steal the Shikon Jewel, as I understand.”
“It should never have been hers to begin with,” Tsubaki said in a low, dangerous voice.
“I completely agree,” Naraku said smoothly. “Which is why I decided to rectify it. However, Kikyo is still alive, and continues to pursue the Jewel. I believe that both of us would benefit from having her gone. What do you say to assisting me with this goal?”
Tsubaki’s eyes narrowed. “I heard she was dead.”
“And so she was, but no longer.”
“Then I can kill her myself,” Tsubaki said. “How would helping you benefit me?”
“You shall have the Shikon Jewel.”
Tsubaki’s face dropped with shock, as did Kagura’s. “What? You have it here?” A pulse of youki shot unexpectedly from her human form, shifting around her in a blaze of blue light. Kagura stepped back and watched closely. Her face was shifting, the wrinkles of her skin smoothing, the stoop of her back straightening, and when she spoke once more, her voice had lost the rasp of old age. “How did you manage to take it from her?”
“So much for an old hag,” Kagura muttered, eyeing her suspiciously.
Tsubaki whirled on her. “Watch your tongue, or I shall cut it out! This is my true form!”
“And so it shall remain, once you have the Jewel,” Naraku said calmly.
“Show it to me, then,” Tsubaki returned. “If you truly possess it.”
“I know of your desires,” Naraku said, reaching a hand into his robes to pull out the smooth round gem, with only a sliver missing. “And eternal youth shall be yours, once the Jewel is whole once more. In this, too, I think you may be able to help.”
Tsubaki looked at him steadily. Slowly, eyeing him all the while, she reached out and snatched the Jewel from his hands. He let her have it. Tsubaki looked at it hungrily for a moment before her gaze shifted back to him. “Naraku, exactly what do you want with me?”
~*~
“Come on, Inuyasha!” Shippo wailed, tugging at his arm. “Come play with me! I’m so bored!”
“Aw, lay off it,” Inuyasha grumbled, sliding his arms away and propping up his head with his hand. “You weren’t the one hauling around fallen trees all morning. I’ve earned a nap! You can just wait for one of the others to get back.”
“But that will take ages and I’m bored now!” Shippo said dramatically, flopping over. Inuyasha rolled his eyes and tried his best to ignore him. He didn’t want to fall asleep yet, just in case one of the others needed him, but he wasn’t about to tell Shippo that. So he lay down, closed his eyes, and let the fox complain about it as much as he liked.
“But they said that they’d be back by now!” the kit was wailing. “Sango said she’d teach me more about poisonous herbs and insects!”
Inuyasha sighed heavily and cracked one eye open. “If I find you someone else to bother, do you promise you’ll actually go bother them?”
“Definitely!” Shippo said earnestly.
Inuyasha sighed again and rolled to his feet, heading outside. He pushed past the mat hanging in the doorway and immediately stopped, sniffing the air. He couldn’t place it, but something felt off. There was something lurking around, something festering in the air. He glanced down at Shippo, who was frozen beside him, his ears twitching and tail trembling.
“Inuyasha?” he asked quietly, his eyes still scanning the town.
“Stay here,” Inuyasha said quietly, his ears swivelling. He caught two sets of footsteps approaching and took off towards them, almost running into Sango and Kirara.
“You sense it, too?” Sango asked, her face pinched and drawn. “I can’t tell what it is.”
“You two scout out the village,” Inuyasha said. “I’m going to get Miroku and Kaede.”
He took off running, through the houses and into the forest, where he prayed he’d find the others safe. As he continued through the trees, following their scent, another, unfamiliar smell reached him. He didn’t know what it was, but it sent a prickle of unease down his spine.
~*~
“Do you sense that, Kaede-sama?” Miroku asked, walking back to her side from where he’d fixed the shimenawa around the storehouse. “It’s in the air.”
“Yes,” Kaede said, her eye darting around the clearing. “Evil is lurking nearby.”
A strong gust of wind passed, shaking the trees and shifting the snow upon the long grass.
“It slithers across the ground,” Kaede murmured, her voice faint.
“We should get back,” Miroku said decisively, reaching down to pick up the remaining shimenawa that they were going to bring back. As he did so, pain shot through his left hand and a sense of dread washed over him. He pulled back with a cry of surprise, looking around for the source of what felt like some kind of sting or bite.
“What ails you, hoshi-dono?” Kaede asked.
“Miroku!” Inuyasha shouted, bursting through the trees and landing beside him. “What’s wrong?”
“Something’s moving nearby,” Miroku said, looking out through the forest, jaw clenched. “Something bad.”
Inuyasha growled softly and shifted closer to his side, scanning their surroundings with hard eyes. An unnatural silence had fallen in the forest, and it set them all on edge. Inuyasha’s ears pricked and then he was running, Miroku right behind him, towards the eerie presence which pulled them forwards. For a while there was nothing, just the faint whisper of the wind and the faintest rustling of footsteps. But then Inuyasha saw it – the strange shadowy figure he’d heard lumbering through the trees. It was almost twice as tall as a regular human, and turned to meet them with glowing red eyes. Inuyasha leapt, his youki already at his claws, and slashed at the creature. He passed through it like it was nothing, but spun around anyway as soon as he landed, drawing his sword. There was no need. The creature had already dissolved into long, white strips. They watched, breathing heavily, as the last scraps of paper floated gently to the ground. There was no trace left of the creature, no youki or sign of what had been controlling it. The wind picked up and scattered the shreds of paper through the snow. Inuyasha spun on his heel and stalked over to Miroku, sheathing Tessaiga as he did so. He grabbed Miroku’s hand and inspected it from every angle.
“There’s no mark,” he pronounced eventually, looking up worriedly at Miroku.
“I know,” the monk murmured, looking over the unblemished skin of his hand himself. “It’s odd. I definitely felt something bite me.”
“I don’t like this,” Inuyasha grumbled, straightening. “It feels like a trap.”
~*~
“Well done,” Tsubaki cooed, reaching out an arm for the phantom snake to slither up. “You have his blood?”
The pressed on the back of the snake’s head as it opened its mouth, and two drops of red pearled at the tips of its fangs.
“Are you done?” Kagura snapped. They’d been standing in this godforsaken forest for far too long already.
“Take me back to Naraku,” Tsubaki said, turning to her.
Kagura growled and muttered under her breath “Bossy old hag.”
~*~
“There’s no trace of anything from the air,” Sango reported as Kirara touched down. “Could you track anything?”
“Nothing!” Inuyasha growled, pacing a crater in front of Kaede’s hut.
“You alright, Miroku?” Sango asked, looking at him worriedly.
“I’m fine,” he shrugged. “My hand hurts, but it hasn’t spread at all.”
“And you are certain that this creature was made of paper?” Kaede asked Inuyasha.
“You have some of the pieces right there!” he snapped, gesturing at the scraps which lay on the floor between them, some with the faintest hints of characters written on them. “And there was nothing else to it! It had no scent, no real presence, and it broke apart as soon as I tore through it!”
Kaede hummed thoughtfully. “We must investigate this further. I fear that something sinister is afoot.”
“Is it possible that we stopped the attack?” Miroku asked. “That whoever made the paper creature was trying to attack us, and simply overestimated us?”
“I doubt that one who was able to create such a being would be thwarted so easily,” Kaede shook her head. “I will perform a ritual to try to find the source of this evil. I must gather materials from the shrine.”
“I’ll come with you,” Sango said immediately. “I don’t think anyone should go anywhere alone.”
Miroku nodded. “Inuyasha, you and I should check the area again. Maybe there’s something we missed.”
Inuyasha immediately swung Miroku onto his back and took off. Sango watched them go, unease churning in her gut. She placed Shippo onto Kirara’s back and they followed Kaede up the stone steps to the shrine. Sango kept glancing around the village and surrounding area, waiting to see if something would emerge. She had an awful feeling that this was what they had been dreading – Naraku had decided to attack the village. But what game could he be playing this time? No one had sensed his presence or his scent, and there was no demon army coming to kill them.
Sango stood outside the door to the shrine and waited out each excruciating moment as Kaede went through all the arduous steps of the ritual, looking for any trace of power on the scraps of paper that Inuyasha had collected. Kirara began pacing around the shrine, while Shippo sat nervously at Sango’s feet. Apparently whatever magic was being used on the paper creature, it wasn’t common. Kaede tried spell after spell and it amounted to nothing. After a long while, there was a pulse of spiritual power from inside the shrine, and a gasp. Sango rushed inside.
“What is it?” she asked, looking at the eerie blue light emanating from the scraps of paper which lay on the altar.
“This…” Kaede said in a horrified voice, staring down at the paper. “This is shikigami.”
~*~
“I can perform the ritual on my own,” Tsubaki snapped, striding into the hut, her snake wrapped around her shoulders. It hissed at Kagura for emphasis, apparently one with its master’s thoughts.
“Do as you please, but I’m not leaving,” Kagura sighed, leaning against the doorway. “I’m under orders.”
Tsubaki seethed at her but turned to her altar regardless. The small room was strewn with pots of saké and potions, clay jars full of ritualistic materials and dried demon parts. A line of shimenawa surrounded the altar, while dozens of different sutras were littered across the walls. It was a horrific blend of spiritual and demonic, and it made Kagura feel sick. Tsubaki placed the Shikon Jewel on the top of the altar and began drawing symbols on the five points surrounding it. The Jewel began to glow slightly, while the symbols surrounding it emanated a fluid blue light. Kagura craned her neck to see more. She didn’t like this sorcery. She didn’t trust it. As the power of the Jewel filled the small room, the snake coiled down Tsubaki’s arm and opened its mouth on top of the Jewel. The two drops of blood fell from its fangs and landed on the gem, followed by a stream of thick black venom. It landed on the Jewel’s surface for only a moment before it was seemingly absorbed, and slowly began to stain the pink gem a deep red. Tsubaki began to laugh.
~*~
Miroku scattered his sutras over the floor of Kaede’s hut, wondering if any of them might help. They hadn’t found anything in the forest, no sign of whatever or whoever had been there. Inuyasha had stepped outside to fetch them some food in case the storm hit again, and the others had yet to return. He hoped that they’d been more successful than he had. It was starting to get dark outside, far too long having passed since the initial attack, and it was making him nervous. If this wasn’t some full-frontal attack – if this was a carefully thought-out plan – then he needed to find out what it was. He was fairly confident in their ability to face down any demon or incarnation that Naraku threw at them. He was much less certain regarding his more complicated schemes.
Another jolt of pain travelled through his hand and he frowned. There was still nothing, not even any redness on the skin, but he could feel the bite as though whatever had punctured his hand was still there. It made him wary, kept him from relaxing even as no other danger emerged. Even as he focused on it, a heavy weight began to settle in his chest. There was an immense pressure constricting around his lungs, a burning sensation dancing across his skin. Miroku frowned as the world began to blur slightly. It was as though his mind was a heartbeat behind the rest of his body, just slightly disjointed. A feeling of unease spread through his chest to join the pain, warning that danger was near. He stood still, trying to get his vision to fix itself and fighting off a wave of dizziness that washed over him.
“Hey, Miroku,” he heard Inuyasha’s voice call out casually, but it was strangely echoed and distorted. For some reason, it sparked some odd kind of panic in Miroku to hear that voice. He didn’t know why, but he knew that it was wrong. His muscles tensed of their own accord, making him curl in on himself.
“Miroku?”
The voice was closer now, more insistent. He looked up to see Inuyasha walking towards him, concern on his face. Miroku knew that was bad. He backpedaled, curling further into himself, a slight noise of distress catching in his throat. He could feel Inuyasha dropping to a crouch in front of him, could practically see the distress on his face.
“Love, what’s wrong?” he asked, quietly but urgently. A hand reached out to touch his shoulder and Miroku flinched away hard. He heard a sharp intake of breath.
“Miroku, I need you to look at me.”
Miroku shook his head desperately, squeezing his eyes shut. He didn’t know why, but he knew that looking at Inuyasha was bad. It was bad. Inuyasha was bad.
No.
Miroku reeled away from the thought. That wasn’t right at all. Inuyasha was…good. He knew it was more complicated than that, but all he could hold on to right now was that Inuyasha was good. He was good and safe and not bad. He couldn’t look at him because it was bad for Inuyasha.
…Right?
The sharp sense of danger prickling along his skin was setting into his bones, more persistent now than ever. Some part of him was trying to reach out, to warn Inuyasha, but another part of him shrank back at the idea. Like telling Inuyasha was bad. Like maybe, just maybe, Inuyasha was the danger.
No, that wasn’t right. Inuyasha wasn’t the danger.
Was he?
He’d attacked Miroku before, he knew that, but… But that didn’t count, right? Inuyasha had his reasons. Or, rather, there was no reason. He’d been out of control. He would never hurt him intentionally.
Right?
But maybe this wasn’t Inuyasha.
He froze at the thought. It made a lot of sense. This creature in front of him, whatever it was, wasn’t his lover. This was some monster, wearing his face and trying to trick him! It explained the danger. It explained the wrong. But Miroku knew that he needed to be certain. With tremendous effort, he focused his hearing back on the frantic words coming from the figure before him.
“…say something, squeeze my hand, anything! Come on, love, come back to me! Please!”
Miroku frowned. That certainly sounded like Inuyasha. Was this creature’s acting really that good? There had to be some way for him to test, some way to know for sure. Maybe he could ask it a question, something only Inuyasha would know the answer to. He felt sick at the thought. No, engaging with this thing was bad and wrong and dangerous. If he spoke to it, he would die. He knew that with unwavering certainty. He needed to figure out something else. Find one of the others, maybe? Or find the real Inuyasha? Then he would be safe. They could figure out what to do.
Miroku was about to enact his carefully concocted plan when the creature’s hand landed on his forearm. He shoved himself back, scrambling away as fast as he could. The place where the creature had touched him burned like icy fire. It was trying to poison him! Without waiting another moment, he turned and ran. Fear pounded through him with every beat of his heart. He needed to get to the others! He had to warn them! But he could hear the creature coming after him, shouting at him, trying to lure him back. He couldn’t lead this thing to his family! He had to deal with it, here and now. Or his family would die.
~*~
“Shikigami can only be created by strong magic,” Kaede said, immediately pushing to her feet. “Only an onmyōji or some other exceptionally powerful sorcerer would be able to control one. We must hurry back!”
She turned and ran. The others followed her closely, exchanging worried glances. Sango pushed her onto Kirara’s back before they ran down the stairs, racing towards Kaede’s hut. As they moved through the village, however, they came upon a horrible sight. Miroku was tearing between the houses as fast as he was able, Inuyasha running after him, a look of wild fear in both their eyes. As Inuyasha caught up with Miroku, the monk spun around and dodged Inuyasha’s hand which reached for him, diving to the side. Inuyasha skidded to a stop, looking lost and frantic. Miroku stared back at him, looking terrified.
“What’s going on?” Sango called, already running to them, reaching for Hiraikotsu.
“I don’t know!” Inuyasha gasped raggedly, close to a sob.
Miroku’s eyes were darting quickly between the two of them, his breath ripping from his lungs in shallow gasps. Inuyasha reached out for him slowly, so carefully, his heart pounding. He couldn’t stand the look of fear in his partner’s eyes. Miroku wasn’t supposed to look like this. He wasn’t supposed to look at him like this! The terror in Miroku’s scent was overwhelming, making his head spin and his youki churn under his skin. And then Miroku shuddered, and his eyes slammed shut and he curled into himself with a pained gasp. Inuyasha was leaping for him even before he fell. The monk was utterly limp in his arms, and for a moment Inuyasha was convinced that he’d just watched his partner die. But then he honed in on the frantic heartbeat, and the blazing heat which emanated from Miroku’s body.
“He’s burning up!” Inuyasha said, running his hand over Miroku’s brow and looking over at Kaede desperately, pleadingly.
“A high fever would explain his confusion,” the old miko said, rushing to his side.
“Do you think it’s a reaction to the bite?” Sango asked worriedly.
“Perhaps,” Kaede murmured, her eyes sharp as she looked over Miroku.
“What do we do?” Inuyasha asked, his voice rising.
“We must bring him inside,” Kaede said decisively. “We must bring down his fever before anything else. However, I fear that he will not recover until we confront the person responsible for this.”
“Person? What person?” Inuyasha asked.
“The paper demon was a shikigami,” Sango explained hurriedly. “Kaede believes that there had to be someone controlling it.”
“Someone who has now cursed Miroku,” Kaede said gravely.
“Where are they?” Inuyasha snarled, clutching Miroku to his chest. “I’ll rip them to shreds!”
“Bring him inside,” Kaede said, already moving towards her hut. “We must work quickly.”
Inuyasha knelt down on the floor, Miroku’s head in his lap, his hands clutching the monk’s shoulders. Kaede and Shippo moved around him in a blur, boiling water for herbs to bring down his fever. Sango checked him over for any wounds they might have missed, anything that might have caused this sudden change. When she pulled the front of his robes apart, she let out a startled gasp. The bag containing the Jewel shards was blackened and burnt on the side where it pressed against Miroku’s chest, and it was empty. The skin that had been pressed against the bag was an angry red, and five small lumps had formed within the flesh.
“The Jewel shards!” Sango exclaimed. “Kaede, the shards are inside his chest!”
“What?” Kaede asked, spinning around, her eye wide with fear.
“What does that mean?” Inuyasha asked frantically. “How did they get there? What do we do?”
“If the person behind the curse is able to control the shards, then Miroku’s life is in even greater peril than before,” Kaede said gravely. “He must have been bitten by another shikigami, one whose form was kept hidden. Only one of the most powerful practitioners could be controlling more than one, and now they have taken the power of the Shikon Jewel.”
“Do you feel that aura emanating from his body?” Sango asked. “The shards must be corrupted. The poison from that alone could kill him unless we do something.”
“Can you purify the shards?” Inuyasha asked Kaede, but she sighed.
“My powers could not hold off against those of this sorcerer. We must find them at once and put an end to this curse.”
“We have to hurry!” Inuyasha said, clutching Miroku to his chest. “We have to go now!”
Sango paused, looking worriedly between the two of them. Miroku’s brow furrowed in unconsciousness and he grasped weakly at Inuyasha’s robes. Inuyasha instinctively curled himself tighter around the monk, pressing him against his chest. He looked utterly torn.
“Let me go,” Sango said softly. “Kaede, Kirara, and I will find the person responsible and stop them. You’re most needed here.”
Inuyasha opened his mouth, looking like he was going to argue, but then Miroku let out a pained moan and mumbled something that sounded suspiciously like Inuyasha’s name. Sango braced a hand against his shoulder and nodded once before she ran out the door, Kirara and Kaede at her heels. The old miko had slung a bow and quiver full of arrows over her shoulder. Once outside, she lifted a sutra into the air and chanted softly, watching as it rippled back and forth in the wind. It suddenly snapped over to one direction, and she nodded firmly. Sango pulled her up onto Kirara behind her and they took off.
Back inside, Inuyasha cradled Miroku’s head in his hands and pressed their brows together. “Just hold on,” he murmured. “Please, just hold on.”
Miroku groaned softly, the pain in his scent spiking. His heart was racing, sweat pouring from his brow, and his breathing was shallow. Inuyasha didn’t know if he was conscious or not, as his eyelids fluttered often but never opened. He pressed his lips to Miroku’s hairline and kept on talking regardless.
~*~
“He is resisting,” Tsubaki said angrily, hovering her hand over the tainted Jewel shard.
Kagura opened her mouth to respond with something rude, but instead Naraku strode through the door, dressed in his baboon pelt. She knew that it was just another demon puppet, but she kept quiet all the same.
“I warned you not to underestimate these people,” he said to Tsubaki. “But it is necessary to subdue him if we are to retrieve his Jewel shards and find Kikyo.”
“Kikyo,” Tsubaki growled. “You say that this half-demon is the same one that she was in love with all those years ago?”
“Indeed,” Naraku said, voice clipped. “She is infatuated with him, still. I believe we can use this to our advantage.”
“I tried that once before,” Tsubaki said bitterly. “Her powers were weakened. It should have been the perfect opportunity.”
Kagura looked away, pointedly ignoring the deep scar that faded in and out existence over Tsubaki’s right eye.
“She left you alive to mock you,” Naraku said quietly. “Do not let her insults go unpunished.”
~*~
Inuyasha pressed a damp cloth to Miroku’s head, terrified at how high the fever seemed to be climbing. Miroku was struggling more, thrashing weakly and muttering half-formed words. Inuyasha knew that he was strong, but even someone like Miroku could only last so long against a curse. Every moment that Miroku struggled to resist its grasp, the more it drained him, and the weaker he became. Inuyasha didn’t want to think about what would come next.
“I’m going to get some more water to cool him down,” Shippo said, grabbing an empty basin and already rushing out the door.
Inuyasha nodded absently, barely registering the words. His eyes were fixed on Miroku’s face, taking in every twitch and groan, every change in his scent and heartbeat. Even though he knew that the others were right to go without him – there was no way he could leave Miroku’s side at a time like this – it was killing him to see his partner lying there, suffering, while he was powerless to stop it! His claws dug gouges into the wood of the floor. He could feel his youki thrumming under his skin, telling him to hunt and find and kill. He found himself matching Miroku’s ragged breaths, his fingers clenching onto Miroku’s robes.
Miroku fought his way back to consciousness tooth-and-nail. He knew that something was deeply wrong, he just didn’t know what. He knew that he wasn’t safe. He could feel someone beside him, and his first instinct to reach out for Inuyasha was immediately followed by an icy wave of pure dread. He knew that this wasn’t his partner. He’d been captured by the shapeshifting creature! He had to escape! He didn’t know if he would be strong enough to fight his way out, but he wasn’t about to give up. He knew that this thing was a threat to his loved ones.
Miroku suppressed a shiver – he was freezing – and cracked open one eye. The creature was sitting by his side, gaze off somewhere in the distance. He knew he needed to make his move soon, while it was distracted, before it realized that he was awake. But his head was so fuzzy, and he could feel the tremors running through his limbs, and his vision was tilting even as he was lying down. He didn’t know if his body would cooperate – didn’t know what this monster had done to him! Every breath sent a spike of pain through his chest, where it felt like something was burning into his skin.
He felt the creature shifting beside him, and he knew that his time was running out. Miroku surged up and threw all his weight at it, catching it off guard. He managed to shove the creature out of his way as he scrambled to his feet. The world spun disconcertingly around him and for a moment he was almost overcome by pain, the stabbing sensation through his chest stealing his breath and making his head swim. The creature was moving in front of him and he cast around desperately for some sort of weapon.
Inuyasha scrambled to his feet, his mind blank except for fear and panic and distress. Miroku’s eyes were wide with terror, the emotion laying thick in his scent. He had no idea what was going on, no idea what he could do! Miroku was looking at him but didn’t appear to really see him. One of the monk’s hands emerged from his robes clutching his dagger even as his gaze fell on his staff propped up against the wall. Inuyasha forced his breath to slow as he watched carefully. He didn’t know what Miroku was seeing, but he sure as hell wasn’t letting him get hurt. Miroku darted towards his staff and Inuyasha beat him there, blocking off his path bodily and grasping him by the shoulders.
The sheer intensity with which Miroku reacted caught him off guard. The monk charged into him with a snarl, shoving him back fiercely and plunging his dagger down towards his chest. Inuyasha leapt back, one hand still snagged on Miroku’s sleeve, and blocked the monk’s right arm with his left, knocking the blade from his hand. Miroku twisted in his grasp and knocked him off balance, reaching around him for his staff. Inuyasha caught his forearm in a strong grasp, frantically careful of his claws, and tried to hold him still. Miroku began to struggle and thrash, his heartbeat hammering in his ears and the distress dripping from his scent. Inuyasha tried to hold him down but then Miroku kicked at his leg, wrenched his arms free and dropped to the ground. He picked up his dagger and flung himself at Inuyasha’s legs in one fluid movement, tackling him to the ground. Inuyasha’s hands instinctively reached to brace Miroku’s waist as he felt his partner’s weight on his chest, and then one of Miroku’s hands was on his shoulder and the other was lifting up, the dagger clenched in his fist. The weapon flew downwards until it stopped, the blade a hair’s breadth from Inuyasha’s throat.
Miroku stared, wide-eyed, as his gut churned. Every part of his mind was screaming at him to finish it, to kill this monster who was trying to destroy his family. He knew that if he let it live, unimaginable things would happen. But that was Inuyasha’s face. It was his voice. It was even his scent. And he couldn’t. He would never be able to harm anything with that face.
“Miroku?” Inuyasha asked, deathly quiet.
Miroku’s chest heaved as he struggled to catch his breath, to figure out what to do. He could subdue this creature, he supposed – find some way to keep it down so that he could find the others. They could decide what to do with it then. Because he could barely think, couldn’t hold any thought in his mind for more than a moment. He knew that he needed help, that he couldn’t last much longer on his own. And he was so tired.
A shuffling sound came from his left and his eyes snapped to the door, where Shippo had just dragged a basin of water into the hut. ‘Threat’ part of his mind supplied. ‘Child’ argued another. Kill. Never. That was Shippo! It didn’t matter what horrific creature lay behind that familiar face – Miroku knew that he would never, ever harm him.
And that was exactly what these creatures wanted. They were using the faces of his loved ones against him. They were trying to entrap him so that he would lead them to the others, and get his family killed!
Shippo’s eyes widened as he saw what was going on before him, and he dropped the basin with a clatter. “Miroku, what are you doing?” he shouted, reaching out even as he shrank back.
“Shippo, get out of here!” Inuyasha said urgently, his eyes still fixed on Miroku’s face.
“Miroku, let him go!” Shippo begged, slowly backing away. “That’s Inuyasha! Please, don’t hurt him!”
Miroku’s gaze dropped to the floor, unseeing as he gasped for breath, his mind in a panicked blur. He didn’t know what to do. He didn’t know what was real anymore.
Inuyasha tightened his grip on Miroku’s waist and lifted him up and away, sliding out from under him as he did so. To his surprise, Miroku was absolutely rigid but he didn’t resist at all. Inuyasha forced himself to let go and take a few steps back. He grabbed Shippo and shoved him back outside, keeping one eye on Miroku the whole time. Miroku didn’t move.
‘Kill them!’ a voice in his mind demanded. ‘They’re going to kill you! You have to kill them!’ He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. The voice was getting louder, more insistent, but it didn’t make sense. Why would the creatures bring him here, back to Kaede’s hut? What was their plan? What did they want from him? And, now that he thought about it, how had they taken him to begin with? He couldn’t remember. He didn’t know. But the figures before him were so painfully familiar... What if they were real? What if he was about to make some terrible mistake? He could vaguely recall an ominous presence, something tugging at the back of his mind. What if they were possessed? He would need to subdue them without harming them. Or…what if he was possessed? Something was definitely pulling at his mind, twisting and shaping his thoughts in a way that didn’t feel like his own.
Miroku forced himself to take a deep breath, to focus on the voice. He could feel it coming from somewhere, a faint connection that he could almost grasp. That had to be it. Whether these creatures were really his family or not, one way or another, that voice held answers. And he couldn’t risk doing something that he’d regret for the rest of his life. So Miroku clenched his hand around the dagger and looked up at Inuyasha. At the wide amber eyes which were staring back at him, full of hope and fear.
Miroku ran, shoving past Inuyasha, taking off through the village. He could barely keep his feet, the world swirling around him in a painful blur, but he didn’t stop.
Inuyasha swore. Damn it! He had no idea what state of mind Miroku was in! He had no idea what he might do! He grabbed the monk’s staff from the floor and took off after him, shouting over his shoulder at Shippo to stay inside no matter what. Villagers had emerged from their houses to see what all the commotion was about, looking between him and Miroku with visible confusion. Miroku dodged them all, stumbling once or twice. Inuyasha pushed forward, catching up to him as they cleared the last of the houses. And then Miroku spun around and hurled a sutra at him. Inuyasha swore and tore the thing off him, gasping in pain as the spiritual power crackled along his body. He looked up to see Miroku staring at him, horror in his eyes.
“Wait!” Inuyasha shouted as the monk took off once more. “Stay there! Miroku, please!”
“Stay back!” Miroku shouted, still running.
“Miroku-”
Inuyasha ran headlong into a spiritual barrier. He stumbled back, stunned, and shook his head to clear his vision. Miroku was casting an anxious look over his shoulder at him, and once he realized that Inuyasha was stuck, he slowed down.
“Get away!” Miroku rasped, a frantic edge to his voice. “Please, stay away from me!”
“I’m not going to hurt you!” Inuyasha said, pressing hard against the barrier. “Miroku, you have to listen to me! I’m trying to help you!”
Miroku shook his head firmly, took a few more steps away. “You have to stay back.”
And then pain shot through his chest and he cried out as he fell to his knees. He managed to keep the barrier in place, but only just, and through the pounding in his head and the blood rushing in his ears, he could just make out Inuyasha screaming his name.
~*~
“The presence of youki in the air is growing stronger,” Kaede said. “We must be drawing close.”
“Hurry, Kirara,” Sango urged. They had been searching for too long already. She had no idea how dire things may have become, but what she did know for certain was that Miroku was counting on them. Kirara’s powerful muscles bunched below them as she bounded through the air, following Kaede’s directions through the mountains and valleys to an unknown destination.
Gradually, a faint glow emerged through the darkness, the glow of an immensely strong spiritual barrier casting eerie blue lights across the surrounding forest. As they approached, Sango could see the shape of a hut through the shifting surface of the barrier. A thick miasma surrounded it as well, leaving a foul taste in the air.
“That must be it,” Kaede said. “Be cautious – there is no telling what trickery may be at work here.”
Kirara dove for the barrier and attempted to break through, but immediately they were met with impossible resistance. Sparks flew across their bodies with sharp jolts of pain and the force of the spiritual power flung them all back. Kirara fell through the air for a few moments before she caught herself, panting harshly in discomfort. She dropped to the ground and stalked up to the barrier, stopping just short of touching it.
“Kaede, what can we do?” Sango asked hopelessly. “We have to get inside!”
Kaede hummed and climbed off Kirara’s back to inspect the barrier herself. She tapped at it experimentally, but the surface erupted with violent sparks every time she made contact, and showed no signs of weakening.
“This is beyond my power,” Kaede said eventually, taking a step back.
“We have to think of something!” Sango said pleadingly.
“Aye,” Kaede nodded gravely. “I fear that Miroku may not have much time left.”
~*~
Kikyo frowned at the faint presence she could feel on the breeze. It was familiar, though not overly so. She could not put a name to it, and yet it was unquestionably unique. A strange blend of youki and human soul, corrupted by a deep power that she had encountered but once before. Yes, she had faced this evil long ago. The memory stirred from deep in her bones.
She shifted her path, moving towards the power which she could feel emanating through the forest. It drew her as a moth to a flame, and as she approached, she could feel something different. Whatever may be waiting for her, she knew that the Jewel rested at her destination. A presence this strong could only mean Naraku. And after what he had done, after he had almost taken Inuyasha from her, she would not let him escape.
~*~
“He is mine at last,” Tsubaki smirked. “What shall it be, Naraku? Do you want me to kill him now, or shall we have some fun first?”
“There is no sense in rushing things,” Naraku said with a deadly grin. “Why not reprise my grandest design? Have Inuyasha die at the hands of his lover once more. It serves him right, after all that he has done to both of us.”
Tsubaki laughed. “And here I thought that I was driven by vengeance. Very well. Let them suffer a little longer.”
“Give him a choice,” Naraku said calmly. “If he stays, he will die. If he tries to run, kill the monk. Make sure he sees.”
Kagura shook her head in disgust. She was sick of these games. She didn’t give a damn about Inuyasha and his pack of lowlifes, but just as Tsubaki’s hand clasped the Shikon Jewel, so did Naraku’s hold Kagura’s own heart. She was as helpless to escape his grasp as that worthless monk, and she didn’t much appreciate the reminder. She glanced at Naraku, but he was occupied with his latest scheme. She knew that Kanna, too, would be focusing on the events unfolding around the half-breed.
Naraku had ordered her to stay until the ritual was complete so that she could retrieve the Jewel shard for him. She knew that there would be hell to pay if she left. She didn’t care. She couldn’t stand to be his puppet for one moment longer. Besides… She could sense the other members of Inuyasha’s pitiful pack coming towards them, and she didn’t much care for another encounter. Slowly, making sure to remain unseen, Kagura slipped out the door. As she walked away, she could hear both Naraku and Tsubaki’s laughter echoing through the night.